my personal Not Bummer SoCal Summer guide
(this is really just an excuse to talk about my favorite sandwiches)
Happy Monday :)
DEAR ALIX,
I am staying in socal this summer to visit my fam and also tour some colleges- any food/thrift/nature recs? (p.s can’t wait for your new music I’ll be #tunedin)
come back to dc soon,
sydney :)))
DEAR SYDNEY,
Duh!
I’m Costa Mesa born and raised so I’m starting there.
The Camp is a classic; East Borough is by far my #1 most visited food spot. I bounce back and forth between the chicken curry baguette and the rice bowl but whatever you order, make sure to get a jasmine lime iced tea to go with it. A few steps away you have Vitaly, yummy pasta and better gelato, and Seed People’s Market, my go-to for cute cards and small gifts. Black Market Bakery has delicious everything; you really can’t go wrong. As for shopping, 2nd Street can be kind of overwhelming but I have found some good pieces there (low rise Diesel jeans, cheap vintage graphic tees, etc); might be worth a peek! I’ve also had decent luck at the Buffalo Exchange across the street. Buenas is one of the most underrated coffee spots in Costa Mesa IMO; the dirty horchata is to die for. If you’re in the mood to spend time indoors in the comfort of air conditioning, OCMA is a really lovely and underrated museum. It’s free, speedy to walk through, and there’s a coffee shop and full restaurant inside. Honorable mentions nearby: Work In Progress for more coffee, and The Inconvenience Store a couple doors down for more trinkets and gifts.
Heading towards the beach, the Goodwill on 19th is actually pretty great. Small, but great. It’s also a few hundred feet away from an In-N-Out. If you’re looking for coffee in this area, I’d pick Daydream Surf Shop. My all time favorite that I bring all my friends from different cities to is Alta; it’s walking distance to the beach, has a cozy interior that’s looked the same since its existence, and the best chai you’ll ever have (unfortunately for me/fortunately for the owners it’s blowing up on TikTok so it’s been extra crowded lately, but there is a reason for it). For other thrifting in OC, I really like the Savers in Fountain Valley! The prices aren’t crazy and I pretty much always leave with at least a couple items between all of their different sections.
This is further south than I go most of the time, but The Tea House on Los Rios is such a treat. I used to go with my mom on special occasions when I was little and recently went for my birthday last November with my mom, sister, and grandma, and it was perfect. Definitely worth an afternoon if you can get a reservation.
I regularly spend entire days in Old Towne Orange. When I was going to school in Santa Ana it was the first place we’d go on a half day to get ice cream and window shop. I always have good luck shopping and selling at DeeLux; start there and you’re immediately in walking distance to 10+ insane antique stores (Orange Circle Antique Mall is probably the most well known). Zinc Cafe just opened up a new location super close by too; I’m never not craving one of their mini marzipan muffins.
I’ve spent a lot of time in Long Beach over the last 5 years because most of the recording I’ve done has been there. Lion’s Lighthouse has timestamped many a significant moment in my life and it’s really nice to walk around/picnic/read at (it’s also right next to the Aquarium if you want to make a pit stop and pet some sharks while you’re at it). Our #1 source of food while recording my most recent songs has been sandwiches from Olive’s Gourmet Grocer - truly the kindest staff and yummiest sandwiches and snacks (I usually opt for a Belmont, an Olipop, and a 2 pack of Justin’s almond butter cups). #2 most ordered from is Dean’s Thai Curry Pizza. Rose Park is our go-to for coffee, Hug Life for post-session ice cream.
As for shopping in Long Beach, La Bomba is a must. It’s run by the sweetest lady (usually her dog is in there too) and has a huge denim selection in a wide range of sizes that gives most vintage stores in LA a run for their money. Once you’re on 4th street you’re in walking distance to tons more shops and good food (and the movie theater we shot the Pulling Teeth video in front of). If you’re going to visit any flea market during your stay, my personal pick would be the Long Beach Flea; it’s every third Sunday, and it’s big enough to make a full day out of but not as overwhelming as the Rose Bowl one. The Silver Lake Flea is nice because it’s small and easy to walk through, Los Feliz used to be my favorite but I haven’t been since they moved locations, and I would skip Melrose Trading Post.
LA! Starting with shopping, I like Jet Rag a lot, mostly because it’s HUGE; if you have time to comb through everything it really can be worth it (they also have a massive $1 pile sale on Sundays if you reeeally want to dig). My favorite coffee options nearby are Sightglass (pop in to Super Vinyl across the street while you’re at it) and Coffee For Sasquatch (yes, Community Goods is as yummy as people say it is but be prepared to wait in line for 30+ minutes and accidentally photobomb everyone’s pictures and vlogs). Larchmont Wine and Cheese is perfect for a top tier sandwich and quick snacks/drinks, and it also puts you in a great spot to walk around, hit a bookstore, see some dogs, and definitely pop into Larchmont Beauty Supply (another recent TikTok hit because everyone’s pining over their selection of pretty toothbrushes). If you’re in the mood for diner food, my favorite in this area is Swingers. LACMA really is as great as people say it is! You can plan your trip around a Jazz Night at Pan Pacific Park right next door and get more bang for your buck. I haven’t been to the Academy Museum yet, but it’s been on my list for forever; if you decide to hit LACMA, it might be worth stopping at that one too. On the topic of museums, The Getty is definitely my favorite in LA. It’s free (except for parking) and art aside, it’s worth going just for the views of LA and the gardens alone. If you end up further west, I love Arcana for browsing and looking for photo inspiration in the many many art books.
Moving east, Maury’s has a really great bagel. Laveta has an ube latte that I think about often, and A Good Used Book is right across the street. Sqirl is one of my mom’s favorite spots when she comes up to visit; I always go for the Crispy Disco and a matcha. Playita Mariscos has been a favorite of mine since Andrew took me when I first moved to LA. Pine and Crane is peak comfort Taiwanese food. Proof Bakery in Atwater has my favorite pastries and some of my favorite sandwiches; they put them out around noon and always sell out in a few hours so get there quick! Bub and Grandma’s arguably has THE best sandwiches in LA (plus bonus points for homemade jelly donuts). The Silver Lake House is my go-to for Thai food because the patio seating is unbeatable, as is their Thai tea.
Lastly, bowling has been my friends’ go-to activity for everything since high school; our favorite is Shatto in K-town (Wi Korean BBQ is a couple blocks away and also a favorite for me and the band).
If you want to splurge on dinner one night, here are my favorite higher end dinner options:
Alimento in Silver Lake
Saffy’s in East Hollywood
Pace in Laurel Canyon
Hippo in Highland Park
Kismet in East Hollywood
Terroni in Fairfax
I know this is wayyy more than you asked for - I hope you enjoy your socal summer, and if you end up going to any of these places or doing any of these things pleaseeee let me know :,) I love reading all of your updates so keep em coming.
As always, send anything and everything to yournametwice@substack.com.
Until next time!
i love these so so much
oc girlies are rising