CITYist

While she may be a makeup artist and singer by profession, Sara Strand could probably double as a tour guide with all the information she has to share on the city of Los Angeles. Need a healthy selection of bars and boutiques? Sara’s got you covered.

My LA’s:

Best restaurant? The Tasting Kitchen in Venice, Nobu in Malibu, Ciccones in Hollywood, Moonshadow in Malibu, The Seventh Ray Inn in Topanga Canyon, The Ivy in Santa Monica and Grand Central Market Food Hall for a quick bite.

Best bar/club? The Tea Room, Playhouse, The Frolic Room, The Troubadour, The Viper Room, The Whisky, The Sky Bar, The Library Bar, Spaceland, Red Lion, Arsenal, The Hotel Cafe, Redwood, the bar in the Biltmore Hotel for cocktails, beer gardens on the Venice boardwalk, The Echo Bar, and Bar 107.
Best boutique? Fred Segal, vintage shopping in Venice/Santa Monica, Principessa, strolling around The Grove, The Way We Wore, What Goes Around Comes Around (space 15/20), Agent Provocateur, Amoeba Music and Mystic Journey Book Shop.

Best gallery? MOCA, The Getty, Noho Gallery, La Luz de Jesus, downtown LA art walk and DF2 gallery.

Best hotel? The Biltmore, Chateau Marmont, the Mosaic, Hotel London and Viceroy.

Best-kept secret? Venice canals, downtown barhopping, Oysters at the Hollywood Sunday farmers market, the Hollywood Bowl (not really a secret, I know…) and Korean spas in Korea town.

To read more about Sara, click here.