I’d never been to Los Angeles, and then last year, I went three times in eight months. Each time, I found new facets of the city to love. There are so many things to see and do that it can be hard to cram it all in a few days. Or even a week. (But, if you are spending a week in the LA area, you might as well make the hour and a half drive to Anaheim to hit up Disneyland. It’s worth it.) Each trip largely involved filming at the hottest restaurants, cafes and bakeries in the area, and at each stop, I’d ask people for their recommendations on where to go next. Out of everything I tried — which, some days, meant visiting four or five places in an afternoon — these are the things I’d hit up again and again.

 

FOOD:

Gracias Madre 
You’ve never had vegan Mexican food that’s this good. People ‘gram the snow cone margaritas, but I’m all about the classic marg and the Bowl Uno — a blend of brown rice, black beans, romaine lettuce, tempeh chorizo, guac, pico de gallo, pumpkin seeds and a cashew crema that’s so creamy you won’t even miss the cheese on this deconstructed burrito.

California Donuts
Not only are these some of the freshest, fluffiest donuts I’ve ever had, this shop’s open 24 hours a day and features all kinds of flavors, including one that’s stuffed with an entire, molten Snickers bar. If you go, you have to get the iconic panda donut, just for good measure.

 

FUN:

Little Tokyo
There are endless places to shop and wander here, and if you’re hungry (it always comes back to food for me, doesn’t it?), head to Marugame Monzo. The owners of California Donuts introduced me to this spot, which has a Carbonara Udon that’s out of this world. Cheesy, bacon-studded sauce and thick, hand-pulled udon noodles? Yeah, it’s worth the hype.

Santa Monica pier
Rollercoasters, carousels, carnival games, all overlooking the water. Yes, it’s packed in the summertime, but for good reason: It’s a guaranteed good time.

Duff’s Cake Mix
If you’ve ever wanted to take over Duff Goldman’s bakery and try your hand at being the Ace Of Cakes, this is your chance. It’s like Paint Your Own Pottery, only with cakes. You choose a fondant-covered treat in any color of the rainbow, grab whatever tools, frosting, sprinkles or other toppings you like, and go to town. You can make your own custom cake, or follow a tutorial to make any one of the shop’s designs, like Spongebob Squarepants, a unicorn, or Minion.

 

FULFILLMENT:

Mosaic Church
Okay, this is actually on my bucket list for my next trip to LA. After reading several of Erwin McManus’s books and seeing him talk in Australia, I’ve been meaning to make it out to his actual church for a service. The church’s messages are engaging, enlightening, and motivating. It’s the type of experience that makes you want to jump up and take action, leaving you feeling refreshed.

Venice Beach
Walk down the boardwalk, catch the sunset, take in a new perspective.

 

Lead Photo by Ryan Waring on Unsplash