...And as any savvy traveller knows, it’s the people—not the buildings—that make for the most memorable trips.
Really, L.A. gets a terrible reputation for being vapid, but the most complex of characters thrive there. When F. Scott Fitzgerald grew weary of the East Coast, he camped out in a Downtown bistro and used the space as a writing den. A certain Hollywood venue directly launched likes of Elton John and Radiohead in America. Heritage is very much alive in L.A.
Heineken x Highsnobiety City guide
what: a big apple native's guide to the city of angels.
when: Published in print, September 2016
intro:
Flying into Los Angeles can be a bit underwhelming. The Downtown skyline awkwardly protrudes from a sea of terracotta roofs and palm trees; there’s no Eiffel Tower or Empire State Building — or any real iconic monument — to greet you. Basically, it’s the second-largest city in the United States (behind New York)—but doesn’t quite look the part. The numbers, however, tell a different story: Los Angeles is comprised of some 114 neighborhoods, 158 constituent “cities,” and over 4 million people.
Sure, models, actors, sports agents, and ballers are a given — but the City of Angels also attracts a different sort of dreamer. These premier destinations were created by a generation of locals, who learned L.A. intimately growing up—and who maintain world-class establishments in their hometown.
Each of these people watched L.A. grow from the inside — and naturally, know where to point outsiders. Skip the Hard Rock, they say, and travel to the Troubadour in West Hollywood. And Mount Lee? Maybe, but the Sunset Tower has a better view. But most of all, the implied advice from the experts is to stay a while—and that’s because L.A. is a city better experienced than simply “seen.”