Good Morning & Hello Friday!

• TRAVEL IS BACK BIG TIME. And logistics are key (as I discovered after my abysmal experience at AUS). Since then, I signed up for CLEAR (#1), I always Uber (#2), and I NEVER EVER check luggage!
• Let’s get right to it. LA has always been one of my favorite cities. It’s where I’d routinely spend several months a year doing trend work while staying at The Standard WeHo (my second home, Room 135). This time around, my first visit in 4 years, I found many bright spots (# 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 below) but I’ve struggled to stay positive about the overall direction of the city.
• The most daunting issue is homelessness and the now common sight of encampments and utterly scary street people (#10). On my last day in LA, I had to go to Brentview Urgent Care (#5, long story). At 9 am, everyone in the waiting room was jolted from their seats by loud, animalistic howling noises coming from the street. Eventually, we saw a young woman, still howling, but now bashing her head furiously against the metal garbage container. I asked if we could lock the door. The receptionist said they are not allowed to do that…..
• Downtown, which I had previously had such high hopes for, is a lost cause. Why companies are still bothering to build out these gorgeous stores and hotels is beyond me. They must know their customers will flee the moment they have their first encounter with a sidewalk defecator (pants-down-around-their-ankles doing their business outside of the new Apple Store or the Proper Hotel).
• And finally, I’m so done with driving and all this crazy traffic. I like walkable cities and LA is anything but, e.g., I love gallery hopping, but only got to visit one gallery in LA (Jeffrey Deitch) because it would have taken me 30 minutes to drive from one gallery to the next and that puts an entirely new spin on “gallery crawl.”

But all that said, my hotel experience in LA (# 4) was amazing. I spent the entire last day ensconced at “my” table with friends joining me for lunch and dinner. I met other guests, chitchatted with the staff, and just had an awesome time.

I apologize to all my LA friends for speaking negatively about your city – I’m sure people have similar things to say about NYC. It might just be a case of the “devil you know vs. the devil you don’t.” But seeing one of my once favorite cities deteriorate like this makes me sad.

And on that note, if you have any appetite left for travel tips and recommendations, please scroll down. I promise it’s not all doom and gloom.

1. Why I now prefer Clear to TSA Precheck

1. The chaotic, horrible experience I had at the Austin airport in March got me interested in CLEAR. At the time I really wanted TSA PreCheck but that’s only available once my green card gets renewed.
2. In April, in preparation for my trip to PHX, I signed up for CLEAR but wasn’t convinced of its benefits, e.g., it’s $179 annually vs. $85 for 5 years for TSAPre. Plus, although CLEAR gets you to the head of the line you still have to take off your shoes, laptop out etc. (which is not required by TSAPre).
3. CLEAR PROS: The service is impeccable, lines are much shorter (TSAPre lines often seem almost as long as general security), they walk you to a TSA agent who only checks your boarding pass.
4. CLEAR CONS: The service is not available in all airports or even all terminals within an airport which is a bummer, and I’m also concerned that such great service may not survive scaling up. Every month that I’ve flown they seem to be busier so we will see if they can maintain their standards.

2. Uber makes every trip better!

1. On my home turf of NYC, I’ve given up using Uber. Instead I use the CURB app for taxis (it generally saves me 30%-50% vs. an Uber ride!!). But when I am traveling it’s Uber all the way.
2. In LA, all my Uber rides were excellent: clean cars, timely, good drivers, often informative, sometimes hilarious.
3. One driver stands out above the rest. My ride with Joesph (sic) to MOTHER WOLF was a hoot. He’s 36 and a major music fanatic. Black Sabbath was the first band he saw live, at age 10. He went with his dad who is also a big fan. He’s also big into Rage Against the Machine and had a great story about not speaking to his parents for 6 months after they refused to let him attend the RATM performance at the 2000 Democratic Convention (when he was 14). Recently he’s gotten into jazz (mellowing out?).

3. TOP DISCOVERY: Bike Shed Moto DTLA

1. Bike Shed Moto opened recently in DTLA. It’s housed in a 30K sq ft warehouse. It’s a gorgeous complex of indoor/outdoor space. Super cool. For all my trend peeps, you’ve got to check this out!
2. It’s in a sketchy neighborhood (even bikers say so – WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE) but security is tight and it’s very welcoming. Every single person we met was friendly and kind and sincerely happy to share their biking passion with us.
3. They’re open to all. You don’t have to be a biker to eat/drink, shop, or meet other like-minded folks but it helps if you appreciate the biker lifestyle. The head of membership, Gene Danenhower, showed us around which was awesome.
4. For members, there is a separate private bar and lounge. And they do weekly (?) group rides.
5. Triumph is the most popular bike with the Bike Shed crowd according to their Instagram poll (see above). If this is at all of interest, I recommend following their Instagram.

4. Holloway House: My nEw favorite place to stay in LA

1. Holloway House is the newest Soho House property (formerly Palihouse).
2. From what I understand, non-members can book rooms (there are only 34) and will also then have access to the House.
3. I’m a big fan of this location and its ambiance. It has a rooftop lounge, but no pool. The staff is wonderful. If you do go for a meal, make sure you get the watermelon salad- delish!!
4. On a side note: I also checked out Soho Warehouse which is downtown. It has a grittier (but chic) vibe but there’s no way I’d stay downtown unless I had a major reason to be there.

5. Frogtown: walkable, creative (but watch out for the Poison Oak!!)

1. I first fell in love with Frogtown back in 2016 when my friend Clint Peralta told me to check out the custom RV biz called The Happier Camper that had set up shop there. I was smitten!
2. Since then, La Colombe Coffee Roastery has opened, Quantum Clinic (a spa treatment for your DNA with flotation tanks) is opening shortly, and Spoke Bicycle Cafe and Wax Paper are both still going strong. And now BLAKE LOFTS are almost ready for their first move-ins. (See photos below)
3. My friend Kara and I took a leisurely stroll along the Central LA River Path which is very narrow and intended for bikers. Pedestrians have to stay close to the fence which also means we have to bob and weave our way through trees and bushes.
4. BIG MISTAKE! Lurking in those bushes and trees was something very toxic. Within an hour, my forehead was swelling up and blistering. The culprit: Poison Oak.
5. Hence the visit, the next morning, to Urgent Care.

6. Japanese Pop Culture: Little Tokyo, Anime Expo 2022, JACCC Gallery, Nisei Week (Aug 13-21)

1. The 2022 Anime Convention (first time in person since 2019) started on July 1st and the crowds were out in full force in Little Tokyo.
2. The shojo (anime) car was a big hit. It was covered with stickers and decals for IRONMOUSE, Zentreya, Nyanners, Senpai Squad, Projekt Melody, and more.
3. A big treat for us was an invite by Pat Wyatt, President/CEO of JACCC (Japanese American Cultural and Community Center) to join her for lunch, tour the Japanese gardens, and learn more about Japanese culture. Pat was also speaking on a panel at the Anime Convention! JACCC currently has a show up in their gallery focusing on two anima drawing processes: Straight Ahead Action and Pose to Pose (pic above, lower left).
4. Nisei Week Japanese Festival (which has also been virtual for 2 years), will take place – in person – Aug.13-21. It includes a Grand Parade with Japanese traditional dancers, taiko drums, a Car Show, and the coronation of the Nisei Week Queen. Many of the activities will be hosted by JACCC on the Plaza. Pat Wyatt is going to be very busy in August! (Source: Rafu Shimpo)

7. Academy Museum of Motion Pictures: first museum dedicated to film

1. This may be nitpicky but I found the curatorial selections a bit odd, e.g., it felt like I was in the Spielberg museum (with a little Spike Lee thrown in). I wanted a more comprehensive look at cinema versus being so strongly focused on blockbusters.
2. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a movie buff, but I am an informed museum-goer and curation is everything. It’s how the story is told, how well viewers understand the artist’s vision and intent as well as the artist’s ultimate influence and place in history.
3. Bottom Line: It’s still a work in progress but from what I saw, attendees were highly engaged, especially in the technical and how-to displays.

8. Platform: Culver City’s Pop-Up Mall

1. I first wrote about Platform in September 2017 (#4 in blog). Had high hopes for it. Not so much anymore – although I must say I do like the Culver City neighborhood. The day I was there, it looked clean, lively, safe, and definitely walkable.
2. But the pandemic has not been kind to Platform’s retail tenants – most of whom seem to be monthly pop-ups (per Sezane).
3. The Optimist and Teller, two gorgeous stores owned by the developers (Joey Miller and David Fishbein), presumably have favorable, open-ended leases (see pics below).
4. Although fashion retail has struggled, Platform has some extremely popular F&B tenants, e.g., Sweetgreen, Margot, Roberta’s (from Brooklyn), Blue Bottle Coffee, and Bianca (bakery).
5. Some are predicting this is the future of retail, i.e., pop-up/short leases. I have my doubts. However, I would not be surprised if Platform ultimately transforms into a new food hall concept.

9. DTLA: 3 STANDOUTS (in a sea of sketchiness)

1. DTLA has some of the most beautiful and most creative stores, restaurants and hotels. Unfortunately, the area is also blighted with homelessness, junkies, and a whole lot of freaky behavior. It could be a great walkable neighborhood but it is NOT!
2. The three locations we checked out were absolutely stellar and all opened at approx the same time in mid-2021: Matte Black Coffee, The Proper Hotel, and the Apple Store in the Tower Theatre (photos below of all).

1. Matte Black introduced the “World’s first cold brew bar” when it launched in 2021.
2. The “mind bending visuals” are a huge part of the brand’s success and a big hit on social media. They were created by Joshua Vides, a Southern California based pop art illustrator.
3. The two founders are James Malone who brought his family’s Mostra Coffee to Matte Black, and Andy Nguyen, who has developed food & beverage concepts for a multitude of brands including Afters Ice Cream, Portside Fish Co, Dough & Arrow, and many others.
4. Their next move? Expansion to Seoul, Korea.

1. The Proper Hotel opened in June 2021. Owned by the Viceroy Group with interior design (of course) by Kelly Wearstler.
2. The lobby mural at the DTLA property is by Abel Macias.
3. My friends love the Proper Hotels but when in LA, most opt for the Santa Monica location.

1. This Apple store is magnificent. Secret Los Angeles called it a “retail cathedral” – and they are spot-on
2. Kudos to Apple for finding this 1920s building (which had been vacant since 1988) and restoring/reviving it so beautifully with the help of top preservationists, restoration artists, and the City of Los Angeles.

10. MY MOST LASTING IMPRESSION OF LA? HOMELESS blight & STREET MAYHEM

Over the course of the last 4 years, homelessness in LA has grown exponentially (as it has elsewhere). In March 2020, having just returned from South and Central America, I wrote about the growth of favelas in those countries and how we appeared to be heading in the same direction: Currently, one in seven people worldwide live in favelas or shantytowns. By some estimates, this number will rise to one in four people by the year 2030. (Source: ZandlSlant, March 2020)

Next Friday we will be back to the weekly TOP 10 format. Not much else to report this week. I’ve been laying low because of the Poison Oak situation and the antibiotics I’m taking. Can’t wait to have a restaurant meal and a Perfect Manhattan!! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!