Get Started Early With Breakfast
Jessica Koslow’s simple and seasonal Sqirl opens at 6:30 a.m. during the week (8 a.m. on weekends), so try to get there as early as possible, before the line starts to snake onto North Virgil (though if you do get caught in it know the ricotta toast with homemade jam is worth waiting for). From there, you’re off to Griffith Park to partake in one of L.A.’s favorite pastimes: the hike. Hiking in L.A. is everyone else’s version of meeting someone for an after-work drink. It’s one of the best ways to knock out a meet-up with someone you can’t seem to fit in otherwise. (Two other hikes to try on your next visit: Runyon Canyon in Hollywood, and Will Rogers State Park in Santa Monica.) Before you leave Griffith Park, duck into the observatory for a quick look at the iconic lightning-producing Tesla Coil, which zaps into action just about every hour.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House is a ten-minute drive from Griffith Park. Quick backstory: In 1919, the oil heiress Aline Barnsdall commissioned Wright to design the house, which sits on 12 acres in Los Feliz. It has all the signature markings of a Wright design—stained glass, open plan, and a melding of indoors and out. Wright also managed to incorporate the hollyhock, Barnsdall’s favorite flower, into nearly every aspect of the design—even the dining room chairs. In 2015, the house reopened after a four-year, $4.3 million restoration and the only thing that’s changed is the view: While you can see the Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory from the living room, neither existed when construction of the house began. Now you’re driving downtown. Try to leave Los Feliz around 2 p.m. (10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is the sweet spot).
Have a Late Lunch and Eat Your Way Through Grand Central Market
The main event late afternoon is The Broad Museum so don’t waste time at a sit-down lunch. The ginormous food hall has been at the heart of DTLA’s evolution from the start and has some of the best takeout in town.
1. Tacos Tumbras a Tomas: Anything with carnitas.
2. Sticky Rice: The beef panang curry.
3. Eggslut: The bacon, egg, and cheese on a brioche bun (note: Eggslut closes at 4 p.m.).
4. Belcampo Meat Co.: The Belcampo burger with white cheddar and caramelized onions.
5. Wexler’s Deli: The O.G., a pastrami with mustard on rye.
Time to Do the Broad...But Know You Need a Reservation
Try booking online first, at least a month in advance. If you strike out, attempt to score tickets in person: There’s a standby line every day except Monday, when the museum is closed. Definitely check the Twitter feed (@TheBroadStandby) for current wait times before you go. (On holiday weekends, it can be up to two or three hours, and you’re waiting out in the sun, so be sure to bring a hat and sunscreen.) Pro tip: Do as one of our editors did last spring and ask the ticket issuer to slip you a reservation on the spot from a no-show. She got herself and her three kids in.
Dinner: Head Next Door to Otium
Even if Timothy Hollingsworth’s newly opened restaurant wasn’t literally steps from The Broad, you’d have to block out time for a meal here. Hollingsworth spent 13 years at The French Laundry, and it shows in thoughtful dishes here. Sure, it’s kind of loud and you may spot a four-top of tourists trying hard not to make a big deal about the celebrity at the corner table, but it’s the best damn dinner you’ll have all week
