Los Angeles isn’t just a city, it’s an attitude. It’s green juice before sunrise, vintage shopping after brunch, and dinner in a rooftop jungle where your cocktail arrives with a side of drama. On a recent whirlwind stay, I sampled a perfectly-curated itinerary that took me from the hip streets of Silver Lake to the glittering heights of Downtown L.A. And I came back glowing, partly from the IV drip, partly from the sheer magic of this city.
Here’s exactly where I stayed, shopped, dined, and detoxed, so you can do LA like a (well-hydrated, well-dressed) insider.
Day 1: Silver Lake Chic and Downtown Indulgence
Check-In: Silver Lake Pool & Inn
Nestled on Santa Monica Boulevard in the heart of Silver Lake, Silver Lake Pool & Inn is one of those rare boutique hotels that manages to feel both stylishly designed and deeply lived-in. Housed in a historic 1920s Spanish Colonial building, the interiors are a dream: dusky pinks, olive velvets, vintage tiling, and mood lighting that flatters everyone.
© Nicole ConvilleMy room came with a view of lush greenery and a vibe that whispered “editorial photoshoot’, not to mention a striking view of the Hollywood Hills and that iconic sign. There’s a rooftop bar that locals love, a courtyard café with excellent oat milk lattes, and a pool that feels more Capri than California.
In short? It’s where Silver Lake’s creative class checks in when they want to check out, just the right balance of relaxed and refined.
7:30pm – Dinner at Bestia
Bestia needs no introduction. An industrial-chic Italian spot in the Arts District, this is where in-the-know Angelenos go for some of the best food in town. When we arrive on a Monday evening the place is pumping with a queue out the door. The ceilings are high, the waitlist long, and the Caesar salad? Absolutely worth the hype, crisp, salty, and generously dressed without drowning the greens.
But the real star? The pizza. Specifically: Smoked Mozzarella & Taleggio, Sichuan Peppercorn, Wildflower Honey, and Mascarpone. It sounds chaotic. It is perfect. Spicy, sweet, smoky, creamy. Each bite a contradiction, and somehow, completely harmonious.
If you can get a table, go. And if not—beg, borrow, or reschedule your flight.
Day 2: Shopping, Smoothies & LA’s Wellness Obsession
Morning – Downtown LA & The Grove
After a strong espresso and one last stroll through Palihouse’s plant-lined courtyard, I set off for some retail therapy.
Downtown L.A. is a maze of hidden gems. The Fashion District and Jewellery District still buzz with that eclectic, chaotic charm—think racks of discounted designer samples, vintage Levi’s, and rhinestone everything. But DTLA’s renaissance has ushered in sleek new boutiques and pop-ups that feel more Tokyo than typical American mall.
© Nicole ConvilleNext stop: The Grove. Glossy, grand, and gloriously extra, this outdoor shopping mall is pure Hollywood. Flagship stores, celebrity sightings (yes, I’m fairly sure I saw someone from Selling Sunset), and that famous dancing fountain make it an afternoon well spent.
Wellness in the Wild (of LA)
If shopping is cardio, LA’s version of recovery is wellness everything. From sound baths in Venice to cryotherapy in WeHo, this is a city that takes its biohacking seriously.
I stopped by Erewhon, which feels more like a luxury fashion house disguised as a supermarket. Their Hailey Bieber smoothie (strawberries, hyaluronic acid, collagen) was, unsurprisingly, both delicious and alarmingly expensive. But the vibe? Impeccable. Where else do you see green juice influencers brushing shoulders with makeup-free celebrities and perfectly zen toddlers?
© InstagramIt’s part wellness pilgrimage, part social experiment, and somehow, it works.
Day 3: IV Drips & Hollywood Hiking
9:45am – 444IV Wellness Lounge
From Silver Lake, I made my way south to Windsor Hills, where 444IV Wellness Lounge offers a more grounded, community-driven approach to health optimisation.
My appointment was personalised on the spot. After a quick consult, I opted for an 4441IV drip packed with B12, magnesium, and electrolytes. Administered in a serene white space with plush recliners and warm staff, the entire experience felt more spa than clinic.
I left feeling clear-headed and recharged, an IV-induced clarity that beat coffee ten times over.
© GC ImagesAfter a soothing hour that left me feeling alert, hydrated, and borderline superhuman—it was time to take that new energy somewhere scenic.
Cue: the Hollywood Sign hike.
A short drive north led me to the Brush Canyon Trailhead, one of the more accessible yet rewarding routes up to the world’s most iconic hillside lettering. The air was crisp, the skies ridiculously blue, and the vibe classic LA: hikers in matching sets, golden retrievers living their best lives, and yes, someone doing breathwork at the summit.
The trail winds through wild chaparral and dusty ridgelines before offering a jaw-dropping payoff: that panoramic, postcard-worthy view of Los Angeles below. It’s the kind of walk that resets your system in the most Californian way possible, and after a morning of IV-infused clarity, it felt like the perfect wellness sequel.
Back at sea level, the city beckoned with more sensory delights.
Check-In: The Hoxton, Downtown LA
Checking into The Hoxton felt like stepping into the pages of Architectural Digest. Think Art Deco with a touch of Wes Anderson: curved furniture, jewel-toned finishes, and a downstairs lobby bar buzzing with creatives typing away on MacBooks.
My room had floor-to-ceiling windows, earthy terrazzo accents, and possibly the comfiest bed I’ve slept in all year. The rooftop pool is a sun-drenched dream, and the location—right in the heart of Downtown, puts you steps from everything worth seeing (and eating). Pop into Moonlark’s Dinette on the ground floor and slide into a banquette seat for excellent sandwiches and salads.
© Nicole Conville7:15pm – Level 8
Level 8 is LA’s new nightlife playground perched atop the Moxy & AC Hotel Downtown. But it’s not just a rooftop—it’s an experience. A maze of dining concepts, cocktail lounges, and immersive design moments, this is less “hotel bar” and more “choose-your-own-adventure dreamscape.”
There’s Mr. Wanderlust, a sultry piano lounge that feels like Gatsby meets Studio 54. Then there’s Golden Hour, all California sunshine and Negronis with a rotating carousel bar that needs to be seen to be believed. Maison Kasai serves sushi in a minimalist Tokyo-style space, while Mother of Pearl transports you to a lush, tropical fantasy world (complete with a retractable roof).
Every corner is Instagrammable. Every drink is dramatic. Every dish is crafted for maximum impact.
© Nicole Conville7:30pm – Dinner at Que Barbaro
At the heart of Level 8 sits Que Barbaro, a modern Argentine steakhouse where the energy is high and the plates are even higher.
Start with a crisp local white or a Malbec, then go straight for the steak, charred to perfection, smoky, and deeply satisfying. The creamed corn is silken, sweet, and just the right side of indulgent. And the mashed potatoes? Clouds. Literal clouds.
It’s not fussy or overly stylised—just honest, fire-kissed food served in one of LA’s most exciting new culinary spaces.
Final word
Los Angeles remains a city of contradictions, Hollywood gloss and Eastside grit, wellness sanctuaries and raging nightlife, celery juice at 7am and mezcal at midnight. And somehow, it all balances.
From Silver Lake’s boutique calm to Downtown’s rooftop buzz, this itinerary offered a seamless edit of the best LA has to offer: great food, mindful health, stylish rest, and just enough indulgence to feel like you’ve earned the glow.
Whether you're here for 72 hours or an extended stay, this is the LA to know now, and trust me, you’ll want to come back.
Faye James was a guest of LA Tourism and flew Sydney to LA with FIJI Airways
