Grand Hope Park, flickr/ericrichardson
Nothing is more local than Homeboy Bakery and Homegirl Cafe, brainchildren of Father Greg Boyle, who launched the bakery as a way to get gang members off the street. The bakery provides training, work experience and valuable teamwork skills. Plus, the the freshly baked breads, cakes, sandwiches, breakfasts and tacos have become local favorites.
Then there’s the rest of what makes LA so special: scenery, nature and incredible views. Many locals points to Point Dume Beach in Malibu and Point Vicente Beach in Palos Verdes as the best, while others boast about little-known Descansco Gardens, where garden trails surrounded by tulips and roses lead you farther and farther into solitude.
If you’re feeling really adventurous, try driving to the top of Hillcrest in Los Feliz, then take the 10-minute walk to a gorgeous view of Los Angeles. This is where studios shoot landscape scenes of LA (hence the helicopter pad); typically the place is deserted. Other picturesque spots include Grand Hope Park in Downtown LA, where green lawns and public art meet a skyscraper background. Vista Hermosa Park, also in Downtown LA, also provides an oasis to the city’s massive buildings, featuring California sycamores, live oaks and playground equipment for the kids.
Speaking of kids, treat them to towns in Los Angeles that defy the typical image of thrill rides and beaches. Montrose, just north of Glendale, is a throwback to the bygone days, a place with quaint stores where you can get an old-fashioned cream soda and a hearty breakfast. At the children’s bookstore, Once Upon a Time, kids get sent off into their imaginations, while Jane’s Cakes and Chocolates give parents a chance to relive their childhoods with classic gingerbread houses and tasty cakes. Don’t miss the City Hall Coffee Shop — it’s old school in décor and attitude, offering no-frills coffee and eggs, and you might even run into an old-timer or two talking about the good ‘ol days of Montrose.
Then there’s Malaga Cove, right along the Pacific Coast Highway, which has such a Mediterranean feel to it you might think you’re in Europe. You wouldn’t be that far off, given that Malaga Cove Plaza, the town’s only shopping center, was built in Spanish Renaissance style. Check out the fountain, La Fontana del Nettuno, a replica of one in Bologna, Italy after getting a sandwich at the popular French bistro Chez Allez.
Now you’re well on your way to actually knowing Los Angeles, and like a true LA local, you might someday experience LAX at the In-n-Out Burger at 11 p.m., watching the international flights drop down into the City of Angels (just one more local secret for the road).
