Traffic wasn’t the only congested thing around here and so a trip to Ole Henriksen for a facial was in order.

I first discovered Ole’s Danish spa a month ago when, after several months of living out of a suitcase and moving far too many times, I went in for a day of beauty - bath, scrub, massage and facial. I came out so clean and relaxed that I knew that I had found my spa. After all, us Danes must stick together.

This time, however, it was just my pores that needed work and Maki knew exactly what to do. For over an hour, my skin was cleansed, massaged, pampered and extracted which left me glowing and feeling fabulous. I left with a bag of samples, holistic health advice and a sense of calm. Too bad she couldn’t help unclog traffic.

Ole Henriksen Spa
8622 A West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles CA 90069-2301

Pretty Girl, Relaxin' Girl | Email | Print | //

I take food very seriously and my Whole Foods grocery bill shows it. Wanting to eat healthy, unprocessed, organic food with ease makes it hard for me to want to eat out. Thankfully, there’s Urth Caffe.

With several locations around LA, which always seeming to be busy, Urth Cafe has been preparing whole, gourmet, organic food since opening it’s doors on Melrose in 1998. Their pesto chicken salad, mushroom omelet with Swiss and granola with fresh fruit and yogurt dish are among the favorites. Their homemade desserts are beyond heaven - from tiramasu to pumpkin cheesecake it’s all good. If you tend to sample a bit too much, no worries. Eating here doesn’t leave you feeling bulbous since all food contains natural ingredients prepared in simply yet tasty ways.

And if you’re not hungry, the coffee and tea bar is incredible (and worth a drive in the morning for me). Their chai tea latte with honey has no caffeine but gives you pep just the same. Lavender tea can be sipped inside or bought in loose leaf to take home. One of the first organic coffee sellers in America, Urth Caffe is currently one of the highest grossing cafes in the nation by square foot. With incredible food and coffee all reasonably priced, once you’re here it’s easy to see why - everyone keeps coming back.

The busiest location is on Melrose, where stars flock and people hang out to be noticed. But if you can get past the scene it’s well worth it - healthy food that tastes sinfully good.

Urth Caffe
8565 Melrose Ave Los Angeles
with locations in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica

Famished Girl, Scene Girl | Email | Print | //

We wouldn’t have known what the store was (it’s unmarked and has no window displays) had we literally not tripped into it (there’s mannequins in the ground which you walk over and can be quite alarming).

But once inside, there was no mistaking that this was Prada; the designs, the colour, the prices. But more stunning than the prices was the 3-story building; built out of aluminum and glass, a stainless-steel “time tunnel” showing classic looks, an oiled wood staircase and pink fiberglass shelves. If that wasn’t new age enough, Prada’s combined technology into their store, using “magic mirros” in their dressing rooms, in which customers can switch the glass from transparent to translucent to control the privacy. And the change rooms get even fancier with “Radio Frequency Identity Antennas - which registers merchandise brought into the dressing room and displays an inventory of icons on a touch screen, allowing the customer to request more information on the clothes and search for alternatives.

But of course, the main draw to this store is the beautiful goods it sells. It was over at the bag side that I got into trouble and it was Beatrice Laver, Bag Sales Associate, who encouraged me to get naughty.

Bringing out my favourite bags in every colour, explaining them inside and out and telling me how to work them with outfits, Beatrice really knew how to make a $1000.00 bag seem like a steal. And with a price per wear mentality, it almost made sense. Maybe I should apply this logic to the shoes…

Prada
343 North Rodeo Drive Beverly Hills
310.278.8661

Fancy Girl, Shop Girl | Email | Print | //

Yosemite it’s not but Griffith Park has a lot to offer - especially in a city known more for its traffic than trees.

Since 1896 this park has remained the largest regional park with over 4,000 acres, creating room for everyone without ever seeming busy. With over 50 miles of trails for hiking or biking, being active is easy. But if your feet can’t take the heat, hop on a horse and go western or jump in the pool to cool off!

There’s plenty of lazy activities too, from visiting the 113-acre Los Angeles Zoo, the Autry Museum, the Merry Go Round or the Southern Railroad (just to name a few). Of course, sleeping under a tree is also a great way to spend time in this park. And if working out or under-working make you hungry but you forgot your picnic basket at home, not to worry. The Roosevelt Cafe has been serving up food for years; from sandwhiches to authentic bean burritos, they’ve got you covered.

One of the biggest draws, the Griffith Observatory, is closed for renovations until next spring (it’s the same spot where James Dean filmed his showdown scene in “Rebel Without a Cause.”). However, the award-winning picturesque 5,700 seat Greek Theatre, which has attracted some of the biggest names in entertainment, is still going strong, offering an intimate setting under the stars.

Next time a stop light or Louis bag drives you crazy, head Griffith Park and forget city living - if only for a day.

Griffith Park
4730 Crystal Springs Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone: (323) 913 4688

Active Girl | Email | Print | //

Eating well and healthy is going to be very easy in this town, especially with the opening of M Café, the latest offshoot of hotspot Chaya. Shigefumi Tachibe has created a menu rooted in macrobiotics but flavored with everybody’s favorites, and caught our eye with the perfect place to catch up and grab a bite before heading out to an event.

It was so nice being able to pull up into a parking lot instead of valeting or circling the block dizzily only to get ticketed in a resident zone later. Unassuming and modest at first, this little café surprised us with its wide selection of sandwiches like the vegan muffelata (can you believe it?), sushi (both fish and vegetarian), rice bowls, hearty salads, and savory soups. Alex had the vegetable sushi plate with refreshing iced green tea, and I had the Lotus Root and Sweet Corn Chowder and Madras Tempeh (pressed soybeans) wrap, and washed it down with some organic chardonnay.

We sat at a sweet little table outside, feeling peaceful and filled thanks to our excellent cuisine and feng shui balanced surroundings, but couldn’t help but stare back in past the glass at the multitude of desserts they had on display. Truffle varietals, cookies, cakes, pies….they had it all, and all free of refined flours and sugars. We said to ourselves, “well, we owe it to our bodies, really…healthy desserts are hard to come by.” So convinced by the friendly and welcoming staff and the little chocolate balls in the window, we ended an amazing meal with a sweet finish.

We found so many mouth-watering morsels at M Café de Chaya we’re sure to be back, and so will you. No doubt this marks another success for a well-deserving restaurant team.

M Café De Chaya
7119 Melrose Avenue
Hollywood
323-525-0588

Famished Girl | Email | Print | //