Over the past two weeks we’ve run installments of the thoughtfully detailed Los Angeles city guide that our sister-in-law, Kelley, created. Today marks her final neighborhood wrap-up. If you missed either of the others, you can check out the guide to L.A.’s Westside here and Downtown here.

EAST LA including LOS FELIZ, SILVERLAKE, HOLLYWOOD and ECHO PARK

This is the area of LA I call home and, in my opinion, the best place to live. East LA offers a culture of people that are hip, artsy and inviting. There’s always something going on in one of these neighborhoods and celebrity sightings are frequent! While I’ll offer some of the best tourist attractions in my list below, the true vibe of this neighborhood can best be felt by walking around and exploring the numerous shops, restaurants and farmers markets.

Breakfast: Forage. What can I say about Forage other than its fresh, seasonal fare makes it by far my favorite spot for breakfast/brunch in the city. Each Sunday, Teddy always asks me where I want to go and my answer is always the same, Forage. Their menu changes constantly, but one of my favorite staples is the fig and chevre tartine. Creamy and rich, it’s the perfect balance between breakfast and lunch. And for dessert, they have CRONUTS.

Lunch: The Oaks. Located in Franklin Village, the Oaks has awesome sandwiches, salads, cheese and wines. I recommend the couscous salad, a staple of my diet that I pick up at least once a week for lunch. Be sure to look across the street as you exit at the Scientology Celebrity Center, a towering mansion that hosts some of the biggest Scientology celebrities.

Dinner: Hyperion Public. This little restaurant has by far one of the best burgers in the city. With a relaxed atmosphere, you can get some of the best food in LA without all of the pretention that comes with other restaurants in the area.

What to See:

Griffith Park & Observatory: Located directly behind our apartment, Griffith Park is a huge block of land with plenty of hiking trails that lead straight up to the observatory. You can choose to hike or drive up, but this is a must-see in our neck of the woods.

Sunset Junction: Farrell lives right near this hip little city center. With plenty of shops and restaurants, this area will keep you busy for an hour or two in the afternoon and provide you with a great place to find some unique LA souvenirs.

The Silverlake reservoir: Not something you expect to see in the middle of a neighborhood, the Silverlake reservoir offers a nice waterside retreat in east LA. You can jog or walk around the 2 mile path and enjoy views of the cool architecture and parks nearby.

Hollywood Homes Tour: This is a must-do on at least one of your visits to LA. Though it’s extremely touristy, the Hollywood Homes Tour (and the TMZ tour) takes you to homes of the rich and famous. When we went, we saw Orlando Bloom and Tom Cruise’s homes, just to name a few.

Barnsdall Art Park: Also right down the street from my apartment, Barnsdall Art Park offers a plethora of activities and hikes available to visitors of all ages. On Friday nights in the summer, they also offer a wine tasting from local vendor, Silverlake Wines. Afterward, Vermont and Hillhurst Streets are close by, offering more opportunities to shop.

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Thank you, Kelley!  xo

Last week we ran part one: The Westside of the awesome Los Angeles city guide that our sister-in-law put together.  Today Kelley is taking us downtown!  Enjoy.

DOWNTOWN

While most cities consider their downtown the hub of their city, this is not so true in Los Angeles. Only recently has downtown LA really started to create a name for itself, and I’m excited to see what more the area will have to offer in the coming years.

Breakfast:  Handsome Coffee Roasters in the downtown LA arts district offers a wide selection of pastries in addition to their awesome coffee.

Lunch: Head over to Chinatown and pick up some food from one of the delicious street vendors followed by dessert from one of the many candy shops.

Dinner: Church and State. Full disclosure, I haven’t actually been here, but I have heard it’s amazing and maybe if you’re visiting you can take me with you! This restaurant would be great for a fancy night out. However, if you’re looking for something more casual….

Wurstkuche: This is a place I have actually been, and one of my favorites. They also have a location on the Westside, but the downtown spot is great after a late night at the bar. Be sure to get the Houblon Chouffe on tap, it’s one of Teddy’s favorite beers and a must try.

The Arts District: This will be more like an area you walk around after you grab your morning coffee, but it’s definitely not an area to be missed. With an up and coming scene, this area of LA feels more like New York or Brooklyn. Check out some of the intricate street art lining the walls of every building and be sure to stop into Hammer and Spear, in my opinion, one of the coolest stores in Los Angeles.

Chinatown: This is just one of those places you have to see. To my own amazement, I only went to Chinatown for the first time a few months ago when my friend, Ally, came to visit. With its endless junk shops and open air fish markets, it was really a sight to behold.

LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art): This is another spot I haven’t gotten to visit yet, but I hear it’s definitely worth your time.

The American Apparel Factory Store: Only open during the summer, the American Apparel factory is located in downtown. When you first arrive, you’ll think you went to the wrong location, but follow the signs up the stairs, past the machines and you will behold endless rows and bins of American Apparel items at prices you can actually afford.