Los Angeles, CA

HoneyBiwi guide to la.

upon arriving in LA the first place everyone wants to go is In-n-Out... its a burger place that is famous because its fresh and delicious.. there is even a secret menu there : protein style (the burger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun) , animal style (with grilled onions), and if your especially hungry from your long flight over there are the animal style fries which are fries covered in grilled onions cheese and special sauce.

though In-n-out is not the place I stop at first ... it seems to be the crowd favorite.

if youre in the mood for something lighter I suggest going to La Scala in Beverly Hills and getting a famous Leon Chopped Salad with tomatoes and dressing on the side. Trust me this is a must-have!

If you happen to be there on a sunday, let me suggest you go to the Beverly Hills Hotel down by the pool and order a Mcarthy Salad and extra plate of lavosh crackers. keep your eyes peeled for celebrities because this is THE place to go on a Sunday.

Shopping in LA is amazing... many say it's better than new york. Start the trip off on Melrose and work your way down. For unique and vintage sunglasses go to City of Angel's Eyewear.. the owner is a great guy and if you call far enough in advanced you can have them pull stock from their wharehouse.. so if you're looking for that perfectly pink pair of shades or something specific... call them.
Fred Segal and Madison are among the well-known LA shopping havens. Fred Segal built a great reputation for themselves and were the pioneers of the boutique shopping experience- but I have to say,, lately it has gone downhill. If you are visiting and want to see it- why not stop by the cafe, grab a fresh squeezed watermelon juice and take a peek around the store... you will notice everything is overpriced and most of it is leftovers from previous seasons. You can always go upstairs and find great dresses shoes and accessories but in my opinion it's nothing special so don't waste your energy there! there's much more to see! cross the street to madison and have a look they have amazing dresses and always great shoes..

my new favorite store in LA is called Opening Ceremony, they have an amazing space just off Melrose and offer items with a wide price range without sacrificing style and presentation.

Lemonade is a cute place to go to eat.. they have different chefs come in each week to feature menus of healthy pot roasts and salads.. they also have yummy cucumber mint lemonade !

The Ivy is a Los Angeles classic and offers endless celeb watching (also see chateau marmont) This is definitely a lunch place. order: crab cakes to start, and the grilled vegetable salad with your choice of chicken or shrimp, and finish it off with a glutenous but delicious berry cobbler. Drink: the Ivy Gimlet is famous.. just dont drink too many- you'll be shopping after that!

After the Ivy go to Curve, though very expensive, the items are classic and refined. Never have I seen anything in this store that seems passe.

Another Robertson favorite is Diavolina. Fun designers like phillip lim are combined with other more well -knowns like Vince. take a peek! they started out as a shoe store so be sure to pay close attention to their collection.

What is great about LA is that it has many different neighborhoods within the city, and each neighborhood offers different styles and attitudes.

for something fresh head over to Venice. abbot kinney is a street packed with charm and great boutiques .. its a small street so start from the bottom and work your way up... stop by the japanese tea garden for a little zen.

****** in order to do LA properly it needs to be divided into neighborhoods*******