You See LA: May 2023
Five things to see and do in Los Angeles, handpicked by Travis Dagenais
Travis Dagenais is Director of Communications and Outreach at the Department of Architecture and Urban Design. He moved to Los Angeles in 2021 after a lifetime in New England and with no driver’s license. He’s a strong believer in public transit and walkability, and actually thinks LA is a fantastic place for both. He still hasn’t started Driver’s Ed.
View from the City Hall Observation Deck, photo credit Joe Wolf, 2013
City Hall Observation Deck
You wanna see LA? Possibly a divisive pick, but I think the single best place to do that is the City Hall Observation Deck. It’s where I first felt taken by this city years ago: after some heady meetings, colleagues and I ventured up to the Observation Deck, on the 27th floor. Suddenly, a notoriously sprawling city felt coherent and present, urban fabric bordered by mountains, ocean, and sky, laced with green. Landmark buildings pop in and out of context. Looking to the northeast over Grand Park, you can see the (other) Broad, the metal waves of the Disney Concert Hall, and, on a good day, the Hollywood Sign in the distance. Los Angeles Explorers Guild has a guide.
In a city as expansive as LA, getting to see so much in one panoramic sweep can be transcendent. Like so many of the best views of LA, this one makes the city feel both supremely urban and yet a child of Mother Nature. AUD’s Natasha Sandmeier had some other ideas for urban journeys and views in her January 2023 edition of “You See LA.”
The Hollywood Bowl
When I signed my first L.A. lease, I had no idea what it meant that “the Hollywood Bowl is basically across the street”–inside talk for “You have a traffic nightmare coming your way.” I don’t drive, so not a huge issue personally, and even if it were, I get it–the Bowl is an incredible venue, a destination worth the effort. It’s got a rich cultural and design history worth its own series of profiles, and, purely as an experience, live music with the Hollywood Hills and an LA sunset as backdrop is a time-stands-still moment. I love the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s summer series, and am pretty psyched for this season’s August 17 Dvořák Cello Concerto/Shostakovich Fifth Symphony program–two of my favorite pieces of classical music, and a chance to see the rising-star cellist Sterling Elliott.
View of Whitley Heights, photo courtesy Travis Dagenais
Whitley Heights
I may be biased, but the neighborhood around the Bowl is worth checking out; consider it an excuse to arrive early and beat the crowds. LA is home to 35 designated historic districts, and Whitley Heights is one. The hilly neighborhood and its narrow, winding streets feel lush and secluded. Developer H.W. Whitley and architect A.S. Barnes in the early 1900s to study the architecture and landscaping of the Mediterranean, and recreate the ambiance of a Mediterranean village. The neighborhood feels like a special, hidden treasure, tucked away on its own island somewhere–and, with Bowl Show traffic, it may as well be. Those evenings, I like to head uphill to the summit, where I can admire the Hills and the canopies of palm trees, the Hollywood Sign over one shoulder, and catch the second-hand vibes of the night’s show.
Thai Town
I consider events or parties in Silver Lake to be, first and foremost, good excuses to stop by Thai Town in East Hollywood along the way. It’s the only official Thai Town in the United States and, while a concise neighborhood, it’s got a lot of authentic shops and restaurants on tap. The new-year Songkran festival in April is a real delight.
Urth Caffé, photo courtesy Travis Dagenais
Urth Caffé
When you order a latte on Urth Caffé’s mobile app, the product description reads “Some say ours is the best in the world!” I am “Some.” There’s a lot I’ve yet to do, see, and taste in L.A., but I’m pretty sure I’ve tried almost every latte. Urth’s my pick. I also adore the atmosphere of each of Urth’s locations (Melrose is my go-to; the Santa Monica one is where I had my first meal after moving out here, and a favorite weekend destination). Also, a terrific brunch spot if you want to accompany your eggs or waffles with green juice or a fine tea rather than a mimosa.
Wi Spa, photo courtesy Travis Dagenais
Korean spas
Korean spas have enjoyed a recent jump in popularity, but in L.A.’s Koreatown, they’ve been a long-standing tradition. A few months ago, an architect I follow wrote on Instagram, just after a trip out here, “If I lived in L.A., I would go to Korean spas as often as possible.” As with the Bowl Show traffic, it took me a bit, but now I understand why. Beverly Hot Springs offers a natural thermal spa and hydrotherapy; another popular pick is the 24-hour Wi Spa, which truly lives up to the “Disneyland of K-spas” nickname–more of an adventure and less of a total zen-out, personally, but there’s plenty of the latter to be had in the neighborhood’s many offerings. Great place to stick around for dinner, too.
Stay engaged. Use #UCLAarts to stay connected.
