A Perfect Day in LA (that could never actually happen)
Matcha, food stickers, scalp massages, more food, Korean supermarkets, and so much more!
Oops I waited too long to publish another Substack post. I am an irresponsible Substack owner. I vow to do better!
I thought it would be fun to map out my perfect day in Los Angeles—not a realistic one, mind you, but a manic fever dream list of my favorite meals, walks, stores, and hidden corners of the city I call home. Since I was born and raised here, think of this as an insider’s guide—one that isn’t about the usual tourist checklists but rather the places that make LA feel like magic to me.
To be clear, my “perfect day in LA” is not bound by the trivial constraints of space and time. This is an entirely unrealistic, physically impossible itinerary full of my favorite spots and experiences across this vast city. But that’s the beauty of LA: you can mix and match, steal a few ideas, and create your own version of perfection—whether it’s for a single day or an entire weekend. So consider this less of a strict schedule and more of a choose-your-own-adventure guide to LA at its absolute best.
This post is inspired by Rio Viera-Newton’s Substack post How to Have the Best Day Ever in NYC—a guide so good I instantly saved every place she mentioned. She even did one for LA! (Subscribe to Rio’s Substack, it’s great.)
Matcha at Alfred Coffee
I ride hard for the matcha at Alfred Coffee, a chain with locations all around LA. I get an iced matcha americano (LARGE obvi) with an “inch” of macademia milk. When it comes to caffeine, I’m a size queen and I appreciate that Alfred understands my need for a giant beverage. Their matcha is great and I love that I can use their app to order a drink ahead of time, saving me the indignity of waiting in line, overthinking my order, and ultimately getting coerced into purchasing a weird seasonal drink like a cranberry lavender latte that I regret ordering.
Bonus matcha recommendation: If you’re in Los Feliz, I’d definitely recommend getting a matcha at Maru Coffee, the sceniest coffee shop in LA with incredible people watching, delicious drinks, and inevitable celeb sightings in their their famous outdoor line.
A Nature Walk
I sincerely detest physical activity in all its forms but I begrudgingly participate so my bones don’t crumble. If I want to move my body but not necessarily exercise, I’ll opt for a “hike” somewhere in LA. Hike is in quotes because I’m only interested in trails that are easy, scenic, and can be completed in under two hours. Bonus points if there’s a parking lot. My go-tos are the Griffith Park Trails (2715 N Vermont Canyon Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027) or Fryman Canyon (3416 Fryman Rd, Studio City, CA 91604), both of which check all my low-effort, high-reward boxes.
Post Hike Fuel at Yala Coffee
Post hike, I need to “feed the beast.” I’ll head to a new favorite, Yala Coffee (11824 Ventura Blvd Los Angeles, CA 91604) for a quick coffee and snack. This middle eastern coffee shop has the best vibes, and I’ve been obsessed with their Yala Latte, a oat milk latte with a dreamy cardamom cream top top. Their whole menu is solid, including their pastries, like their spinach and cheese borek. I love a savory pastry!
Thrift Shopping
No perfect day in LA is complete without a few hours of thrifting or vintage shopping. There’s something about sifting through racks of weird-smelling clothes in search of a hidden gem that brings me deep joy. Maybe it taps into my primal gatherer instincts, or maybe it just feels like low-stakes gambling. My favorite thrift spot is Valley Value Center (13630 Victory Blvd, Van Nuys 91401), a giant thrift store housed in an old Circuit City store in the valley. But warning, this place is not for the faint of heart. There are no changing rooms, it’s always packed, and it’s cash only. Advanced thrifters only. For a more refined and curated vintage shopping experience, I love the Bearded Beagle (locations in Los Feliz and Highland Park) or Wasteland (locations around LA). I always find something great at either of those stores.
Lunch in Koreatown
One of the best parts of living in LA is of course, the staggering variety of delicious food from all around the world. And to me, nothing beats Korean food in Koreatown. I’m obsessed, especially with banchan - the little fermented side dishes (kimchi, daikon radish, and more) that complement most meals. They’re gut-healthy, insanely delicious, and inevitably my favorite part of any Korean meal.
For lunch, it all depends on my mood. If it’s cold out, I’m going to Surawon (2833 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90006) for a bubbling cauldron of soon tofu. Their housemade black bean tofu is to die for. If I were in the mood for bone broth (which, let’s be honest, I always am), I’d head to Han Bat Sul Lung Tang (4163 W 5th St Los Angeles, CA 90020) for a bowl of nourishing bone broth soup with thinly sliced beef brisket.
Other go-tos are Chosun Galbee (3330 W Olympic Blvd) for a Korean BBQ feast, or Soban (4001 W Olympic Blvd) for their slow-braised spicy black cod.
Grocery Store Shopping in Koreatown
Supermarket shopping in LA is something I take very seriously. A single weekly trip to Whole Foods can’t meet all my needs, so I rotate between multiple markets across the city because each one offers something special. For smoked fish and Eastern European staples, I hit Jons (locations all over LA). When I’m making Persian stews, I head to Sabzee Market (17461 Ventura Blvd), which has all the specific ingredients I need. And of course, LA’s farmers markets are unmatched for their fresh, seasonal produce.
If I’m eating in Koreatown, there’s a 100% chance I’m stopping at a Korean grocery store afterward to stock up on essentials like pre-packaged banchan, instant noodles, bone broth, and whatever else catches my eye. Classic spots for me are H Mart (a few locations in Ktown) or Galleria Market, but a new favorite is the brand new Zion Market (750 Oxford Ave). The vibes are immaculate - think friendly people slanging soup samples, tons of delicious prepared foods, and a excellent shopping experience.
Lunch #2 at Carousel
Since this is a fantasy perfect day, I’m getting two lunches - because in the best food city in the world, why limit myself? For round two, I’m gonna go Mediterranean and heading to legendary Lebanese restaurant Carousel. There are two locations in LA (one in Glendale and one in Hollywood), and you can’t go wrong with either.
For me, a meal at Carousel is about two things: their green cabbage salad and their garlic sauce. The salad is a a tangy and lemon-y flavor bomb - simple, refreshing, and so good I could eat it by the bucket. And their incredible garlic sauce? Easily the best in LA. Creamy, intense, and delicious smeared in huge globs on everything.
Sticker Planet
Time to take a quick break from eating to do more shopping. One of LA’s weirdest, and most delightfully specific spots is Sticker Planet (6333 W 3rd St #220), tucked in the Original Farmer’s Market at the Grove.
Sticker Planet is a full-blown sticker emporium, filled to the brim with every kind of sticker imaginable. I’m a sticker freak, and everything in my life is covered with them, so visiting this store feels like injecting sticker crack right into my veins. And the best part? The stickers are sold by the sheet, which I find adorable and also dangerous.
Scalp Treatment
There’s no shortage of fancy. beauty treatments in LA, a city packed with fancy spas, celebrity facialists, and Instagram-famous injectors. But there’s one special self-care treatment that hits different - a scalp treatment. Imagine having your neglected scalp lovingly tended to for an hour - washed, massaged, scrubbed, doused in nourishing serums, with some relaxing head and neck massage thrown in for good measures. It feels incredible, and the benefits are real: increased circulation, healthier follicles, less dandruff, inflammation, and itchiness.
The worst/weirdest part is the “scalp analysis,” when a frighteningly detailed camera exposes your nasty disgusting scalp with 250x magnification on a giant screen. But hey, that’s why you’re at the scalp spa! And by the end, your scalp is camera ready, clean, and sexy.
My go-to spots are Purelux Scalp Spa (locations in San Gabriel, West Hollywood, and Newport Beach) and M Head Spa (8632 Valley Blvd G, Rosemead, CA) which is more massage forward.
Snack in the San Gabriel Valley
I’m probably starving after my scalp treatment, and since I’m in the San Gabriel Valley I might as well get something to eat nearby, since the SGV is home to the best Asian food in the greater LA area. There’s all kinds of options, from dim sum to spicy Szechuan to noodles. I’d opt for some Hainan Chicken (poached chicken served with white rice and sauces) at Savoy Kitchen (138 E Valley Blvd), mouth-numbing spicy fish at Chengdu Taste (828 W Valley Blvd), or pho at Golden Deli (815 Las Tunas Dr).
Drinks at Capri Club
Time to wind down from this day of 35 meals and fake hiking with a well earned alcoholic bev. For great cocktails, good vibes, and top-tier people watching, I’m hading to Capri Club. Yes, it’s a little sceney and crowded - sometimes it’s hard to get a seat - but it’s worth the wait. The clientele is effortlessly cool and gorgeous, the bar itself has tons of old-school charm, and the drink menu is stacked with classy Italian cocktails and apertivos. There’s good food too, but for me it’s all about the vibes of this neighborhood gem.
Persian Dinner
What better way to end a day of meals with one last, giant meal! Since I’m half Persian, I gotta give the LA Persian food scene a shoutout. As Iranians say, the best Persian cooking is home cooking (a special shoutout to my mom Soraya, an amazing cook and my forever kitchen inspo) - but there are some great Persian restaurants in LA that come close.
My Persian family loves Darya (12130 Santa Monica Blvd) - a slightly stuffy, vaguely French-themed spot with white tableclothes and weird murals, but undeniably great food. My uncle insists Shiraz (15472 Ventura Blvd) serves the best ghormeh sabzi in LA. For a newer, more casual East Side vibe, try Azizam (2943 W Sunset Blvd), where things are laid back (you order at a counter!). For lunch, Attari Sandwich Shop (1388 Westwood Blvd), is famous for its Asht (an herbal noodle soup) and Taste of Tehran (1915 Westwood Blvd), a go-to for koobideh.
More Magical LA Things:
Night + Market Song (3322 W Sunset Blvd): Delicious Thai food, fun atmospere, great natural wine
Norton Simon Museum (411 W. Colorado Blvd.): A sneakily world-class art museum in unassuming yet beautiful suburb of Pasadena.
Shopping on Melrose: I love that there’s a big Glossier store, a Hoka store, a Violet Grey, a Real Real, and a Vivienne Westwood within walking distance of each other. Where I go to shop when I’m feeling a bit fancy!
Magpie’s Softserve (multiple locations): Delicious dairy free soft serve ice cream (made from scratch!) with a corn flavor (yes! corn!) that I dream of.
Honey Hi (1620 W Sunset Blvd): The healthiest, most delicious breakfast/lunch restaurant in all of LA. Everything on the menu is seasonal, gluten free, and refined sugar free. And the food is reliably delicious.
That’s it! What are your favorite spots in LA (food or not food related)! Let me know in the comments!
Want to get in touch?
Email me at cgoldfarb@gmail.com!
Follow me on Instagram!
Pickles & Olives by Caroline Goldfarb is a free publication! If you’d like to support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber (no pressure tho).
My god, is Clay on his way to pick up the Rosie doll?
Love this <3