El Cholo

El Cholo is a landmark Mexican restaurant in LA. The 1st opened in 1927.  There are 5 in total but we went to the one in Santa Monica, the original is between Pico and Olympic in LA.  We went for the Cadillac Margarita and stayed for the authentic food :)  Anyone that knows

me knows that I am a SUCKER for a good margarita.  The Cadillac margarita is amazing and comes with a Grand Marnier float  that

you pour in yourself.  The drinks came with chips and salsa and I don't know if it was because I was hungry, or had a few sips of my margarita, but the salsa was awesome. Liz got the taste of history sampler and the  enchiladas and Chile Rellenos were amazing as well.  All in all one of my best Mexican Food experiences in LA.  This is highly recommended.

Historic Downtown Walking Tour

There is a group in LA called the Los Angeles Conservancy that works to preserve and educate about historic architectural and cultural resources in LA county.  According to it's website it was started in 1978 to conserve the LA Central Library and is now the largest local preservation group in the US.  One of the many cool things they do is historic walking tours on Saturday mornings.  Check out the schedule, there are different tours on different Saturday's of the month but the two most popular are the Historic Downtown tour and the Art Deco tour which are both held every Saturday.  Our intention was to take the historic downtown tour however we showed up a little late; a few minutes after 10 so we attached on to the Art Deco.  I had no idea what Art Deco meant or how to even identify Art Deco buildings but the tour guide was really awesome in explaining everything. 

The highlight of the tour was the Southern California Edison Building because we were actually able to go inside and also I think it really captured the essence of Art Deco. 

The Eastern Columbia Building was interesting as well which has now been turned into lofts.  Our tour guide actually said that Johnny Depp owns a penthouse on the top of the building but don't quote me on that.  In total we covered a good part of historic downtown which took about 2 1/2 hours.  I really recommend going on a tour if you want to see a different part of LA!  Tickets are $10 each or $5 if you become a member of the conservancy. 

Hansen Cakes

I stumbled across Hansen Cakes while visiting Little Ethiopia.  Walking by we saw amazing cakes in the display window.  The kind of cakes you would see on Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes, etc.  So we went in and admired the cakes.  The wall was filled with pictures of celebrity endorsements and there were desks with consultants ready to assist us in our private cake ordering.  Fortunately, I'm not getting married so a cake tasting was not in order, however since  

my birthday was the next day I 

decided to get a couple of cupcakes.  

Besides, a friend had already gotten 

me a birthday cake the night before (thank you IO).  So we ventured from the show room to the bakery to find a marble chocolate-chip cupcake and a mini red velvet cupcake. In true birthday fashion I had them the next day with birthday candles  and all.  Super scrumptious I must say.  Usually I'm skeptical of places that have a bunch of celebrities on the wall but in this case I actually believe that all of them really love the cakes and endorse it.  The cakes (cupcakes) from this place are delish and I declare it a must taste in LA.  They have 3 locations: Beverly Hills, Los Angeles (little Ethiopia), and Tarzana.  Hours vary by location and they have a multitude of flavors.  I'm sure they can make whatever cake you can imagine.  For a price effective option I suggest the cupcakes.  $1 for a cupcake and .50 for a mini.  Great deal.  If you go, bring me a red velvet back :)

Nickel Diner in Historic Downtown LA

Nickel Diner was featured on one of my favorite Food Network shows Diner's, Drive-In's, and Dives and after that I knew I had to go for a visit.  It's in the historic area 

 of downtown LA, and after our tour of historic downtown (blog post to come later) we really could use some food. I'd describe the food as typical diner food with a California twist.  Nothing is quite how you expect it but it's a welcome twist.  We stopped in on a 

Saturday mid-morning and it waspacked.  I really came for a maple bacon donut so instead of putting our names in for the wait we got donuts to go.  I got the maple bacon donut because of course everything is better with bacon and Grete got the Irish Car Bomb donut.  We both equally loved our selections.  This place has character, history, and glam appeal.  I recommend going for an awesome meal made by chef Monica May and getting a hand made pastry by chef Sharlena Fong.  Of all the amazing desserts I must say the next one I will try is the hand made pop tart! The restaurant is off of 5th and Main street and open everyday from 8-3:30 then 6-11 except for Monday.  Enjoy!!!

Little Ethiopia

In downtown LA there is an area on Fairfax that is called Little Ethiopia which contains a couple blocks of Ethiopoian businesses and restaurants.  While I didn't think the trip to this neighborhood would be that exciting I was thoroughly impressed.  There are a bunch of quaint thrift shops and a bounty of places to eat.  I for one have never had Ethiopian food so we decided to get an early dinner.  We stopped at an appealing place called Messob for an authentic Ethiopian meal.  We ordered the combination plate with Doro Wot (stewed Chicken), Yebeg Siga Alitcha (stewed Lamb), and Collard Greens.  We were the only non Ethiopians in the restaurant when we sat down and felt a bit embarrassed when we had to ask the owner to explain how to eat the 

meal since they don't use forks, knives or spoons. 

Basically the meal is served on top of a spongy bread called Injera which is a national dish of Ethiopia.  A side of Injera is served and you scoop the main food (stewed chicken, lamb or collard greens in my case) up with a hand full Injera (break it off to a manageable size) and eat it.  As simple as that, no silverware necessary.  The food was quite yummy and the experience was fun.  Learning how to eat a new food excited a sense of adventure that I haven't had in quite a while. As we finished our meal more non-Ethiopians came into the restaurant.  The meal was definitely the highlight of the trip to Little Ethiopia. If you go during the week I suspect I'm sure the cultural center will be open.

Olvera Street

If you're into history Olvera Street is a must for Los Angeles.  It is the birthplace of Los Angeles and known as El Pueblo Historical Monument.

I will spare you the history lesson, but you can tour the oldest existing house in LA built is 1818, Avila Adobe House.  There are about 8 more historic buildings however they were under construction during my visit.  In addition to the buildings there is a marketplace and countless restaurants to get food and drinks! Also on weekends there is usually music in the Mexican Style Plaza area.

The festivities at Olvera Street are free and it's open from 10am to 7pm. 

Do it Yourself Spa Day

While here you have to live it up like a celebrity and spend a day getting pampered.  There are so many options I can't even begin to really do it justice so I will throw out a few options for people that may not have the time and or money to go to a spa.  Here is my take on a do it yourself spa day.  I started the day with Yoga to relax and soak up some sun.  Then I had a hair appointment at my favorite salon.  I go to Salon 36 in Bixby Knolls - a trendy neighborhood in Long Beach. The owner Jody is amazing and takes great pride in her art and skills.  Next, eyebrow threading.  I never had my eyebrows threaded until I came to California.  I go to Ziba Beauty because its convenient, fairly cheap, and I had a groupon.  Then of course a Mani/Pedi is essential especially if you're planning on wearing sandals.  My place of choice is Happy Nails.  There are plenty of locations and again a pretty decent price.  Lastly, a massage to end the day is ideal.  Massage Envy is great again because of there are multiple locations and they are consistent.  All of the places I chose are chains so the products are simple and of course affordable. Everything above can be done for less than $200.  You can do all of the services above or just stop in for one service on your way home from work.  The only downfall about doing a spa day like this is having to drive to all of the places, so have a friend chauffer you around!

If you really want to have an unforgettable California experience spring for an all inclusive spa.  Glen Ivy is a popular one that a friend has recommended. 

After a great day of spoiling yourself, have a drink, throw a party, or go out and dance, all of which I did after my do it yourself spa day!