Mads here! Welcome to Friend of Camber, where our favorite people share their go-to LA spots.

This week, we have Leah Marcus and Yasaman Bakhtiar! They are best friends and the co-founders of Good Girl Snacks, AKA the women behind Hot Girl Pickles, the internet’s favorite pickle. They launched Good Girl Snacks in 2024 and have since taken over basically every grocery store in LA. Also, their PR boxes are elite (please never take me off the list 🤞).

When they’re not building their pickle empire, you can usually find them eating their way through LA, or traveling. Oh and you can find their pickles at basically any grocery store: Erewhon, Whole Foods, Bristol Farms etc...or you might see them mogging around the streets of LA.

Let’s get to know their LA!

What’s your “I don’t want to gatekeep, but I kind of do” rec?

Go's Mart. It's the best sushi you'll ever have. It's in a tiny strip mall in the valley and it's worth every penny. definitely for a special occasion but those highlighter orange walls and the chefs creative nigiri pairings will make you dream.

Where do you go when you want to feel like a regular?

Leah: Community Goods PDC. I'm there every morning, it's embarrassing. I get my 10k steps in, answer my emails and there's no line at 7am....

Where’s the one place you’ll actually cross the 405 for?

Yasaman: RVR. Crossing the 405 is a serious commitment, so this is basically the highest compliment we can give a place. I'd brave traffic for the chicken karaage every time.

Which neighborhood do you talk about like it’s your personality?

West Hollywood. We have lived here since college; our first office was here, and the first stores that carried Hot Girl Pickles were here. It's hard to leave it and hard to beat it.

What place would absolutely destroy you if it ever closed?

Courage Bagels. It’s not basic if it’s actually that good. If we don’t have Courage at least once a month..things start looking bleek. It can never close.

Check out Good Girl Snacks on Instagram, TikTok, and their website!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Mads here! Happy almost end of summer (AKA Labor Day Weekend). Thought I’d shake things up and veer away from the food lists to share some of my favorite workout studios in the city. Because after a summer of eating our way through LA, a little movement feels appropriate. So, for when you’re looking to burn out your glutes and sweat a little:

• Open, Venice 💪 My go-to in Venice. The most stunning yoga & breathwork studio ever.

• Pvolve, Santa Monica & West Hollywood 💪 There’s a reason celebs like Jennifer Aniston are hooked on Pvolve’s low-impact, high-burnout sculpt method. Spoiler alert: it’s the results.

• Forte Via, Brentwood 💪 Everything about the Forte Via heated sculpt experience screams luxury, down to the post-class matcha at Malou downstairs.

• Homebody, Culver City 💪 My favorite Pilates studio AND heated mat class in LA. It’s at Platform, so obviously it’s chic af, and both the reformer and hot mat classes are so good. Use code “CAMBER25” for a discount, grab a coffee at Platform after, and tell the owner Sophie I say hi!!

• Silver Springs, West Hollywood 💪 Ah, Silver Springs, where all the cool girls go. It’s beyond hot in there, so be prepared, but I always leave feeling like I’ve been wrung out like a towel in the best possible way. You’ll sweat more than you thought was humanly possible and somehow want to go back.

• FOLM, Melrose Hill 💪 Basically, a workout studio built around your cycle. Their classes are designed with the different phases of your menstrual cycle in mind, so you can actually work with your body instead of against it.

Check out the full list here!

Okay, now on to the coolest things to do in LA this week.

Tuesday 9/1

• Highland Park 🍣 Can’t say no to a sidewalk party that has free jazz and Sogo’s fresh sushi rolls!

• Lincoln Heights 🎶 Keeping the jazz theme going with a jazz-meets-hip-hop night in The Airliner’s vinyl listening room.

Wednesday 9/2

• Atwater Village 🍷 And because apparently we’re not done with jazz yet: live music and wine in a cozy underground bar (AKA Nico’s).

Thursday 9/3

• West Hollywood 🔊 This electropop album release party sounds like a full-body experience.

• Historic Filipinotown 🥩 Rasarumah is bringing back their pork chop sandwich by popular demand! Try it along with tres leches and tiramisu treats for one night only.

• Silver Lake 🧂 If you’ve been bored with the same old dinner flavors, stop by Oaktown Spice Shop for a lesson on how to spice up healthy bites.

Friday 9/4

• New Cuyama 👙 If you’re trying to escape the heat this weekend, Cuyama Buckhorn (our fave little vintage motel oasis in the desert) has a whole weekend of pool hangs, line dancing, wine tasting, outdoor movies, and more.

• Malibu 🌶️ A LDW tradition I can absolutely get behind: the Malibu Chili Cook-Off is back with four days of carnival rides, unreal sunsets, lots of chili, and a pretty stacked live music lineup curated by Aviator Nation Dreamland!

• Brentwood 🍿 Take family movie night under the stars with your favorite local dinner to-go at the Brentwood Country Mart! This week’s classic film is Toy Story.

• DTLA 🎶 In Sheep’s Clothing is taking over the JACCC garden for a night of ’90s Japanese indie rock, with listening sessions, DJ sets, ramen, and Japanese whiskey, beer, and wine.

• Frogtown 🍷 Wind down with pizza and vinyl sets at Justine’s Wine Bar!

• Glendale 🏔️ Run, don’t walk to grab your ticket to this sunset trail run looping the Verdugo Mountains!

Saturday 9/5

• Venice 🛒 A comedy show with direct access to endless grocery store snacks? I’m in!

• Sawtelle 🍶 This sake festival is bringing together 100+ craft makers, tons of food, a live tuna cutting, and obviously lots of sake to try. There’s even a pre-party at Hermanito the night before if you want to make a whole weekend out of it.

• Beverly Grove 📚 A poolside reading party at a book-themed boutique hotel? Sign me up!

• Historic Filipinotown 🐈‍⬛ Cuddling rescue cats and eating bahn mi sammys sounds like a solid Saturday to me!

• Echo Park 🍽️ The elite food pop-up in LA everyone can’t stop talking about is posting up at Bar Bandini over the weekend!

• San Gabriel 🥨 Get into the Oktoberfest spirit early at Bar Blossom’s annual Pre-Oktoberfest Market, with food truck bites from around the world, outdoor games, and karaoke!

• Pomona ☀️ Laying in the sun to listen to poetry and live music all day? Yes, please.

Sunday 9/6

• Melrose Hill 🍝 Listen, East Coast summer just hits different, so Ètra and Ggiata are bringing the flavors of Jersey to LA for Sunday Supper!

• Little Tokyo 🦈 I’ll say it: not enough people know about Joint Seafood’s incredible fish selection! Find out at their summer block party where there will be a live tuna cutting!!

• Chinatown 🫖 An omakase experience but for tea mixology? Immediately yes.

• DTLA 🐝 A 15-piece jazz ensemble covering Beyoncé all night long? Say less.

• Atwater Village 🍷 No reservation needed for this $20 weekly wine tasting all about the beauty of unique wine blends.

• Echo Park 🧣 Nobody panic, but fall is coming! Learn how to crochet a seasonal scarf at this beginner’s crochet workshop.

• Echo Park 🛍️ It doesn’t get more local than shopping Temple Art Market’s neighborhood treasures, from homegrown garden plants to hand-sewn pieces by a mother-daughter duo!

Monday 9/7

• Virgil Village 🍽️ Haven’t a chance to try Pasjoli’s award-winning French food in Santa Monica? Stop by Budonoki for their bistro meets izakaya dinner!

• Eagle Rock 🍔 Didn’t realize how bad I was craving Puerto Rican barbecue until hearing Yellow Paper Burger is roasting a whole pig at their Labor Day cookout!

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• Malka, Beverly Hills 🍅 Eyal Shani’s next LA move has arrived. Malka opens 9/1 at SIXTY Beverly Hills, marking the Kosher-certified restaurant’s first West Coast location.

• Frankie, West Hollywood 🥣 Yay, a new frozen yogurt shop just in time for the last weeks of summer!

• Duro, West Hollywood ☕ Can’t wait to grab a coffee from this new Latin and Asian owned store!

• Night On Earth, Cahuenga Pass 🍸 The team from Thunderbolt opened a futuristic bar, and the cocktails look out of this world (pun intended).

• Loto, Echo Park ☕ I was sooo charmed by this true neighborhood coffee shop that’s tucked away in someone’s quaint backyard!

• Stumptown Coffee, Lincoln Heights ☕ Stumptown just opened a new cafe inside the historic Starland Theatre!!

• Re:Coffee, Pasadena 🧋 Re:Coffee has expanded from Woodland Hills, and I’m dying to get my hands on their coconut cream drinks!

• Don Asadero, Pasadena 🌮 This taco truck keeps selling out, which is usually all the convincing I need.

  Save all these places here!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Looking for weekend plans?
We’ve already done the work for you. From pop-ups to concerts to outdoor movies, browse everything happening in LA, organized by day with ticket links in one place.

See all events!

Check out camberplaces.com 🗺️

Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify 🎙

Follow us on Instagram & TikTok 🤝

Join our group chat on Substack 💬

Camber

Things to do & places to be in Los Angeles

By Mady Maio

Mads here! This one’s for my fellow foodies. The spots where the food is the whole point and you know you’re going to leave impressed. Here are some foodie heavy hitters:

• Borekas Sephardic, Sherman Oaks 🍞 If you live in the Valley, you’re probably already obsessed with this kosher bakery, and if you’re not, their giant flaky borekas will do the trick.

• Bistro Na’s, Temple City 🥡 This is the Chinese restaurant to take the food snob in your life when you want to surprise them, and we love the traditional architecture too.

• Holbox, DTLA 🦑 You can find Michelin-quality fish without any of the fuss tucked away inside Mercado La Paloma!

• Mini Kabob, Glendale 🍢 Some of the best kebab you’ll ever have, from a family-owned Armenian food stand that’s been around since the ’80s.

• Sapp’s Coffee Shop, Thai Town 🍜 Forget everything you know about Thai food until you’ve tried Sapp’s Jade noodles, trust.

Check out the full list here!

Okay, now on to the coolest things to do in LA this week.

Tuesday 8/25

• Venice 🎶 We always love spending time at Abbot Kinney’s #1 cute AF wine bar slash vinyl room! Their next listening party is a Yacht Rock jam sesh hosted by In Sheep’s Clothing.

• Glassell Park 🍻 A little backgammon in a brewery on a weekday never hurt anybody!

• DTLA 📺 Rooftop Cinema Club is screening elite episodes of Gossip Girl for its TV Tuesday series!

Wednesday 8/26

• Venice 🌅 Sit back, slow down, and soak in the sunset with Venice Beach Sunset Club!

• West Hollywood 🧿 Your jewelry box deserves a little upgrade! Make a necklace with premium gemstones and gold-filled charms while snacking on café bites at Javista.

• West Adams 🍷 Head to Alta for a laid-back wine and cigar night!

• Silver Lake 🎷 A little midweek jazz break, anyone? This live performance at Silver Lake Pool & Inn comes with access to their excellent menu, including especially excellent cocktails.

• Chinatown 🦪 Sous Sous is popping up at Cafe Tondo before opening its permanent spot at the new Hotel Lucile in Silver Lake. Stop by for oysters shucked to order, seasonal plates, and plenty of wine.

Thursday 8/27

• Larchmont 💐 Well, isn’t this the cutest: Cookbook is hosting an evening with Helen’s Wines to arrange floral bouquets, sip on wine, and make new friends on the patio.

• DTLA 🎺 R&B hits covered by a jazz band in a classic cocktail bar? Sat!

• DTLA 💘 100 hot singles in a beautiful bar in DTLA, what could go wrong?

• Koreatown 🎧 Our favorite burger spot, Love Hour, is throwing a party! Expect music, drinks, good vibes, and obviously, burgers.

• East Hollywood 🍷 Drop everything, this is the deal of the century: Tabula Rasa is offering four pours of wine for $15 and serving slices of Here Here Pizza for Thirsty Thursday!

• DTLA 🍽️ A dinner party for people who take dinner very seriously. Six seasonal courses, wine pairings, and a soundtrack to match. Basically, come hungry, and let them handle the rest.

• West Adams 🍷 Stella Groove is pairing vino with oysters at Cento Raw Bar on Thursday!

• Arcadia 🫖 Watch the lunar eclipse over LA from the mountains at an aromatic tea ceremony with live ambient music. This would heal me.

Friday 8/28

• Malibu 🎽 Shopbop is collabing with Daily Drills on the Malibu Pier?!

• Santa Monica 🔮 Check out this incredible part-comedy, part-tarot card reading show at The Crow!

• Venice 🍽️ A golden hour dinner party on Abbot Kinney! Expect long tables, good people, and a Japanese-inspired six-course menu with a little California flair.

• Hollywood 💦 Get ready to backstroke to the Beastie Boys during In Sheep’s Clothing’s summer residence at The Hollywood Roosevelt, aka the dance party you can swim to!

• Silver Lake 🍝 Hey now, hey now, Pasta Girlfriend’s Italian pasta party is what Euro summer dreams are made of! Your ticket comes with three pasta dishes, Campari cocktails, and some surprise goodies we have a feeling are gonna be goooood. Here’s a code for $20 off the ticket price: “CAMBERPASTA”!

• Glendale 🎶 Descanso Gardens after dark, with live music and 150 acres of gardens to wander? I’m listening…

• DTLA 🍸 Thunderbolt and KINTO have cooked up an incredible cocktail experience that’s basically like if your coolest friend’s living room got turned into a bar (until October 11)!

• Lincoln Heights 🍺 You gotta catch all the right answers at Benny Boy Brewing’s Pokémon trivia night (with vintage card trading and flash tattoos) to win some prizes!

• Pasadena 🎶 Norton Simon is wrapping up its summer concert series with one last Golden Hour in the sculpture garden. Live jazz, light bites, drinks, and a little art break if you need the AC.

Saturday 8/29

• Hermosa Beach 📚 Love the sound of a romance book flea market by the beach!

• Santa Monica 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ Get some miles in with this monthly long run. Choose your own adventure with 8-16 mile routes, whether you’re training for a fall race or just feel like going for a very long run.

• Venice 🍅 It’s the last Little Lunch flea of the summer, which means there’s still time to enjoy tomato toast while shopping for trinkets!

• West Hollywood 💚 We’ll take any excuse to drink Rocky’s Matcha, so enjoying their special summer menu while shopping for your next fragrance at Byredo is a no-brainer.

• West Hollywood ☕ Name a more relaxing morning routine duo than a cup of coffee and craft scissors, I’ll wait! Okay, now go grab a ticket to Farm Cup’s collage workshop.

• West Hollywood 🎶 Your vinyl collection will thank you for stopping by this all-day vinyl fair with surprise concert sets, vintage shopping, a beer garden, and giveaways!

• Little Tokyo 🥒 Also obsessed with everything pickled these days? Check out this pickling workshop at Azay!

• DTLA 🎶 Slow Jamz is closing out summer with its biggest party yet, under the 6th Street Bridge. Expect R&B, hip-hop, disco, funk, and a phone-free dance floor. Very 2000s of them.

• East Hollywood 💘 Help your bestie find love by playing matchmaker at the OG pitch your pal mixer, with the added bonus of Gold Diggers’ dance floor.

• Silver Lake 🌶️ Oaktown Spice Shop is throwing a little block party with oysters, poke, ceramics, and free wine. No tickets, no fuss, just show up hungry and thirsty.

• Silver Lake 🎵 Even though meeting new friends at an outdoor concert with unlimited drinks and freebies from local brands sounds too good to be true, it’s going down at Silverlake Jams!

• Echo Park 🎶 It’s Echo Park Rising! The free neighborhood-wide music and culture festival is taking over Echo Park, with live music, parties, and pop-ups all over the neighborhood. Head to a disco brunch at Bar Bacetti, a sidewalk party at Ggiata, a collab with DADA & Gold Diggers, and more!

• Echo Park 🎾 Time to brush up on those tennis skills? This tennis club that’s friendly to beginners is your shot!

• Glassell Park 🎶 Magical evening alert! Live At Glass Hill is opening up their incredible backyard sanctuary, tucked in the hills, for more live music.

Sunday 8/30

• Venice ☕ Doesn’t sipping your morning espresso in an adorable tiny cup you made yourself sound great? Make one with Handmade in Venice Beach at Alana’s Coffee Roasters!

• West Hollywood 🥖 Friendly reminder: bread exists, and it’s the best. Try fire-roasted focaccias straight out of the oven at A.O.C.’s summer garden party!

• Studio City 🌃 Star Party is taking over Vignette’s patio for stargazing and wine flights. This might be the most romantic night out in LA this week!

• DTLA 🍖 Craving summer BBQ? Some of the city’s best grillers are whipping up barbecue bites from Texas to Japan at Smorgasburg, plus music, Michaeladas, and giveaways!

• East Hollywood ✍️ This group writing session in a coffee shop is the creativity push your writing project of the moment absolutely needs!

• Atwater Village 🍷 Pretty sure the only thing that can stop this heat wave is a freezing cold wine tasting, scientifically! Your $25 ticket gets you five pours at Nico’s.

• Highland Park 🛍️ York Manor is more than just another market! They have truly a little bit of everything from freeze pops to wooden sculptures, plus you can pop inside to beat the heat.

• Pasadena ☕ You can sculpt whatever ceramic item your heart desires at this cozy morning clay pinching workshop that comes with a coffee item!

• Altadena 🍜 Woon is having a sidewalk noodle social every Sunday outside of Good Neighbor bar through September, and I honestly can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday.

Monday 8/31

• Westwood ⚽ How about a low-intensity workout with high-intensity fun when Eagle Rock Yacht Club hosts its last dodgeball night at the rec center?

• Pasadena 📺 Burden of Proof is pulling Love Island USA fans for a chat to watch the season 8 reunion with lots of NA drinky drinks!

Coming Up

• September 19 & 20, DTLA 💼 Create & Cultivate is taking over an entire campus for a day of panels, networking, and some very big names, including Cardi B and Olandria. Come for the career inspo, stay for the people watching, and use code CAMBER30 for 30% off GA and VIP tickets only.

• September 26 & 27, Santa Monica 🌊 Ocean Way Festival is taking over the Santa Monica sand with The Killers, Olivia Dean, Jack White, Khruangbin, Sublime, and more. Upgrade to Proper Beach Club for private Main Stage viewing, food from Palma and Calabra, cocktails, full-service seating, premium bathrooms, and basically the only way we want to festival.

Want to see your event in an upcoming newsletter?

✍️ FILL OUT THIS FORM ✍️

^{Please note, filling out this form does not guarantee inclusion in the newsletter.}

If you’re a brand that’s looking to sponsor a future newsletter, email us at partnerships@camberplaces.com.

• Sticky Rice, Venice 🍚 Congrats, westside! The best neighborhood Thai spot for group dinners has arrived in your neck of the woods.

• Stableford, West LA ⛳ A new members-only golf club is coming to West LA, minus the four-hour round. Stableford is more about the off-course perks: cold plunges, saunas, red light therapy, sushi, and a very good-looking bar.

• Tiger Tiger, Beverly Hills 🐅 Tiger Tiger is opening in Beverly Hills, bringing a more casual take on Chinese food to the former 88 Club space. Expect everything from mapo tofu to General Tso’s chicken.

• Le Fil Studio, West Hollywood 🧶 Resisting the urge to fill my home with every single needlepoint treasure from this woman-owned stitch studio, for now…

• Hotel Lucile, Silver Lake 🏩 Okay, this is huge: the old church on Griffith (across from the Silver Lake farmer’s market) is finally done being renovated into a boutique hotel that looks SO dreamy. Can’t wait to stop by for a staycation asap!

• Ravine Club, Echo Park 🧢 We needed more sports bar options around Dodgers Stadium for game days, and Ravine Club answered with a sacred space for fans in the massive former Button Mash space!

• Daily Catch, Pasadena 🦞 If you like your seafood East Coast style, then you’re going to love this new restaurant straight from Boston!

  Save all these places here!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Looking for weekend plans?
We’ve already done the work for you. From pop-ups to concerts to outdoor movies, browse everything happening in LA, organized by day with ticket links in one place.

See all events!

Check out camberplaces.com 🗺️

Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify 🎙

Follow us on Instagram & TikTok 🤝

Join our group chat on Substack 💬

Camber

Things to do & places to be in Los Angeles

By Mady Maio

Mads here! Welcome to Friend of Camber, where our favorite people share their go-to LA spots.

This week, we’re hanging with (AKA Chef Bae), award-winning chef, TV personality, host of Overheard Eats, and the person making “healthy” food actually taste good. I met up with Brooke last week to film a very fun video all about her favorite spots around LA and, naturally, we had to taste-test her new Levain collab together. Hard-hitting journalism, obviously.

Brooke has built a following of 1.5M for her allergy-friendly recipes, appeared on Food Network, and cooks for some very A-list Angelenos. For a new muffin collab, Levain turned to Brooke to bring the gluten-free, dairy-free magic: a bakery-style muffin with a cinnamon swirl and vanilla glaze that captures all the cakey, gooey goodness of a cinnamon roll. No compromises, just a really, really good muffin (I co-sign this).

Let’s get to know her LA!

What’s your “I don’t want to gatekeep, but I kind of do” rec?

I love Cobi’s for dinner, it’s delicious. That’s like if-you-know-you-know LA. And then I’m basic I like the Craig’s and the La La Land’s, you know!

Where do you go when you want to feel like a regular?

Well now the Levain, I literally pass every single one and I’m like “Hey guys!!”. Then also Erewhon. That is literally like my 800 square feet of fame. Specifically the one in Beverly Hills.

Where’s the one place you’ll actually cross the 405 for?

Two faves on each side. Brentwood Country Mart for brunch. Also for dinner, get the salmon with sumac espelette chili and fennel pollen, chefs kiss! And then Carmel in West Hollywood. Each side, those are amazing.

Which neighborhood do you talk about like it’s your personality?

Beverly Hills, but after the fires and everything I did with my kitchen making prepared high-protein meals in the Palisades, I would say the Palisades also has my heart too. And now it’s back, and it’s amazing how the community has just come full circle. I’m going out to the Palisades this week, so I’m excited to see it!

What place would absolutely destroy you if it ever closed?

Any of the healthy, trendy grocery stores. All of the cute matcha shops, they just take all my money. I buy things I could easily make at home, it's embarrassing. And don’t even talk about my chef lunch or dinner, like eating a rotisserie chicken in the car, or the raccoon meals over the sink!

Check out Chef Bae on Instagram and TikTok!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Mads here asking the important questions: where are the best pancakes in LA?! Here are a few of my favorite stacks around town:

• Cafe Telegrama, Melrose Hill 🥞 Every time I order these, I wonder if they’re actually as good as I remember. Somehow, they always are.

• Breakfast by Salt’s Cure, West Hollywood, Silver Lake 🥞 Their griddle cakes are so iconic they sell the mix next to the counter!

• Little Dom’s, Los Feliz 🥞 People are sleeping on Little Dom’s for brunch!!

• Clark Street Diner, Franklin Village 🥞 If you’re looking for a true diner, order everything on the menu at Clark Street Diner and thank us later!

• Little Fish, Melrose Hill 🥞 Their cottage cheese pancakes? The fluffiest!!

Check out the full list here!

Okay, now on to the coolest things to do in LA this week.

Tuesday 8/18

• Malibu 🍦 Summer is so not over when you can try a cherry-dipped soft serve cone at Broad Street Coffee Co.!

• Pacific Palisades 🎲 Tuesdays in the Park (at the newly reopened Palisades Village!!) with RummiKlub can be your new weekly game night.

• West Hollywood 🍸 Zephyr Letter is bringing the LA/NYC crossover to the Kibitz Room for drinks, new friends, and fellow bicoastal-curious people.

• Highland Park 💘 You could meet a new flame (or a new friend) at this speed dating mixer!

• Mid City 🤓 Perfect lowkey Tuesday - KCRW is taking over re/creation cafe’s Trivia Night!

• Lincoln Heights 🔊 Zizou is back with another intentional music deep dive on HiFi sound! This listening session is covering tracks by Stereolab.

Wednesday 8/19

• Westchester 🍷 Have a little fun on hump day when Venice Beach Wine Club hosts wine night at Caravan Cantina!

• Echo Park 👃This smells whimsical!! Granada Coffee Shop is hosting a Scent Club to go nose deep in all the aromas that make LA unique, from wild plants to weather.

• West Adams 🧶 It’s time to finish that craft project you’ve been putting off!! A self-guided evening session with fellow crafters also comes with free snacks provided by Boichik Bagels and Salted Cow butter mochi.

• Atwater Village 📿 Create the necklace or bracelet your stack has been missing at this intimate bead-a-long at Nico’s!

Thursday 8/20

• West Hollywood ❤️‍🩹 Lucia is hosting a fundraiser for earthquake relief in Colombia with 100% of beverage sales supporting recovery and rebuilding efforts on the ground.

• West Hollywood 🍷 If you missed our killer party with Stella Groove last weekend, they’re back at it with a weeknight hang at Osteria Florence!

• Silver Lake 🌟 Star-gazing with live jazz music as the soundtrack, anyone?

Friday 8/21

• Venice 🧦 Bombas is officially opening a store in Venice on Friday! You’ll finally be able to try the cozy socks and slippers and learn more about how they are helping local organizations through their one purchased = one donated model. Bombas is giving its first 150 customers who spend $50 or more a pair of exclusive LA socks (with sushi on them!!!) Check them out here! #BombasPartner

• Venice 💐 Treat yourself to a weekend pick-me-up at this mini market for matcha, sticky mango treats, and florals!

• West Hollywood 🤲 Two Faced Gallery’s Art Lounge lets you choose your own creative adventure, from pottery painting and collage to watercolor, clay, drawing, and more!!

• Hollywood 🍕 Oooh, you’re gonna want to get in line early for Pizza Ananda’s takeover of Couplet Coffee!

• Los Feliz 🍷 There are still a few summer Fridays left to check out a Barnsdall outdoor wine tasting! This week is featuring pours by Wonderwerk wine!

• Silver Lake 🎶 Relive 2008 through all the hits you probably heard in a college basement (Justice, MGMT, you know the ones) at El Cid’s throwback dance party!

• Venice 🍦 Okay, yes - Caffe Panna is collabing with Nespresso for a sweet popup all weekend long! They’ll be serving up (free, while supplies last!) Stracciatella Iced Coffees along with two custom ice cream flavors, inspired by Nespresso limited-edition coffees.

Saturday 8/22

• Venice 🎶 Abbot Kinney is transforming into a giant dance party featuring food vendors and all the little shoppy shops that make this neighborhood special!

• Venice 🎨 This watercolor workshop in the dreamy courtyard at the Aliza Hotel sounds like an ideal slow morning!

• Venice 🎵 Looking for more live music by diverse artists? This indie festival (with a market inside) supports women and nonbinary musicians!

• Venice 🍷 What better way to unwind over the weekend than with an intimate jazz concert on a wine bar patio?!

• Santa Monica 🎾 You can still snag a spectator seat to cheer on the players in a pickleball tournament that’s doubling as speed dating!

• Santa Monica 🚘 Unconventional date night/friend date idea for the car lover in your life: a car show outside goodboybob coffee!

• Santa Monica 🪩 RSVP to get the exclusive address of this secret rave!

• Mid-City 🥣 Jurassic Magic is one of our favorite coffee shops in the city, and they’re hosting MoriHaus for the weekend as they release a summery strawberry special! Win, win!!

• East Hollywood 🪩 For the dance floor warriors: Gold Diggers’ disco night is for the folks who aren’t afraid to show off their best moves all night long.

• Chinatown 🛍️ This late morning stroll to go thrifting and grab coffee is gonna be so cozy!

• Echo Park 🦪 Send off summer with oysters, spritzes, and a small curated market of seasonal home goods and jewelry!

• Echo Park 🍵 This pop-up teahouse is pouring artisan matcha bevvys in a backyard for the afternoon!

• Pasadena 🖼️ This two-day art crawl is your easy way to explore South Pasadena’s small businesses, hidden food gems, and incredible local art vendors!!

• Pasadena 🔊 Did you know The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, Chrome, Porches, and so many more 10/10 bands are playing at Just Like Heaven fest this weekend?! There are still a few GA passes left!

Sunday 8/23

• Chinatown 🫖 Steep LA is hosting a very grown-up tea party with Floral & Vine, including a Taiwanese tea ceremony and a flower arrangement lesson for unconventional vessels!

• East Hollywood 🌹 Danny’s Mud Shop still has a few tickets left for their bud vase workshop, where you can pinch your own pot to keep at home or as give as a handmade gift!

• Los Feliz 🪡 Crafting with friends in a bagel shop sounds like the dreamiest Sunday morning.

• Silver Lake 🥂 LA Girl Dinner Club brings the girls together, and they’re celebrating one year of hangs with a pool party at Silver Lake Pool & Inn!

• Echo Park ☀️ A drawing workshop by the lake is a no-brainer relaxing afternoon activity.

• Mar Vista 🎨 Our faves at Good Girl Books LA have the best weekend programming - on Sunday, browse some books and get a mini color analysis by Colometa Color!

• DTLA 🕶️ Garrett Leight is popping up at ROW DTLA with iconic frames, ARCHIVES finds, and special pricing. Your sunnies are due for an upgrade.

• Gardena 📚 If you’re looking for a good read but need a little push in the right direction, Seen Library is basically like walking into a curated library with a blindfold on! You can find your hidden treasure while sipping matcha at Junia Café.

Coming Up, Friday 8/28

• Silver Lake 🍝 It's not too late to have an Italian summer getaway thanks to Pasta Girlfriend's pop-up at Marco Polo! Your ticket includes three cocktails, three pasta dishes, dessert, a Campari tasting, and more surprise goodies we're so excited about. Even better, we got you with $20 off your ticket using the code "CAMBERPASTA"!

Want to see your event in an upcoming newsletter?

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• Met Her At A Bar, Santa Monica 🍳 This new location is a game changer for westside brunch lovers!

• Friendship Bar, Santa Monica 🍻 How fun: new neighborhood dive bar just dropped in SaMo!

• Blank Street Coffee, Studio City ☕ Ahhh, Blank Street is finally in LA!!

• CocoPapaya, West Hollywood 🍉 BRB, drooling over these fresh juices and breakfast bowls.

• Gable, Hollywood 🔥 The Hollywood Roosevelt has a new restaurant featuring fire-roasted dishes that look, well, fire.

• Casamiento Coffee, Silver Lake ☕ At long last, there’s a cutie coffee shop / truck right outside of the reservoir!

• Everydaily, DTLA 🍗 If you’re constantly craving Korean food (same), this comfort lunch spot looks like a winner.

• Mokja, Highland Park 🛍️ HLP just got its first Korean corner store, and we’re craving alllll the snacks!

  Save all these places here!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Looking for weekend plans?
We’ve already done the work for you. From pop-ups to concerts to outdoor movies, browse everything happening in LA, organized by day with ticket links in one place.

See all events!

Check out camberplaces.com 🗺️

Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify 🎙

Follow us on Instagram & TikTok 🤝

Join our group chat on Substack 💬

Camber

Things to do & places to be in Los Angeles

By Mady Maio

Mads here! Happy belated International Oyster Day to everyone who loves a good oyster. If you're an oyster lover or looking for an excuse to order a dozen, this is the best time of year to enjoy the freshest oysters. Here are some of my favorite spots to do just that:

• Broad St Oyster Co., Malibu 🦪 A laid-back seafood shack known for buttery lobster rolls & freshly shucked oysters. Order your oysters to-go in their portable containers and take them straight to the beach.

• Crudo e Nudo, Santa Monica 🦪 Their rotating seafood menu has zero misses, including the oysters, which only get better paired with one of their wines!

• Cento Raw Bar, West Adams 🦪 This raw bar (that looks like a real-life mermaid’s cave) is ideal for date night or a treat-yourself moment!

• L&E Oyster Bar, Silver Lake 🦪 This neighborhood spot has been known for their oysters and cocktails for nearly 15 years now!

• Queen’s Raw Bar & Grill, Eagle Rock 🦪 The team behind Found Oyster branched out with another seafood-focused concept! Sitting at the bar is the way to go.

• Loreto, Frogtown 🦪 I’m often raving about Loreto’s Mexican-inspired coastal cuisine, including their exciting takes on serving oysters!

Check out the full list here!

Okay, now on to the coolest things to do in LA this week.

Tuesday 8/11

• Venice 🍋‍🟩 Want to sip on agave spirits while making your own ceramic masterpiece? Join this clay workshop at Salud!

• East Hollywood 🦪 Celebrate the release of For the Love of Restaurants at Found Oyster with complimentary champagne and a chance to toast one of LA's newest restaurant books.

• Hollywood 🐟 The Benjamin has reeled in Chubby Fish (all the way from Charleston) to share their award-winning caviar sammich and more through a collab dinner!

• Hollywood ☕️ Finally finish that script (or at least make a dent). This free coworking morning at Sightglass is open to writers, filmmakers, and creatives of all kinds.

• DTLA 💚 OMG, Cinnies is not messing around with their new matcha-flavored roll in collaboration with Rocky’s Matcha!

• Highland Park ✂️ This hands-on crafting experience is meant to tap into all five senses with an ambient soundscape, immersive visuals, and botanical teas!

Wednesday 8/12

• Koreatown 🍝 Hurry! There are still a few tables left to experience Antico Nuovo’s incredible pasta and Italian dishes through a four-course Sicilian wine dinner!

• East Hollywood 🌙 Get into the Leo moon at this eclipse party with readings of every kind, stargazing, and cosmic bar bites by Jim + James!

• Los Feliz 🪄 Your mid-week GNO could be a witchy comedy show featuring female and non-binary comics at Bar Covell’s secret sidebar!

• Atwater Village 📝 Try your hand at trivia with the girlies to win a bottle of wine at Nico’s!

Thursday 8/13

• Catalina ⛵ Set sail for a four-day Catalina adventure filled with swimming, movement, community dinners, and time to completely unplug.

• Costa Mesa 🍷 Sounds soooo relaxing: this wine dinner party doubles as a listening party for Daniel Caesar’s “Never Enough” album!

• Playa Del Rey 🌅 Bonfire. S'mores. Sunset. The itinerary really writes itself.

• West Hollywood 💘 Catch a vibe from other singles in their 20s and 30s at this flirty bar party with conversation cards, wing people welcome!

• East Hollywood 🎧 Start the weekend early with a Y2K house dance party under disco lights!

• Glendale 🏵️ Descanso Gardens is turning their grounds into a performance space with nature as the backdrop one last time for summer!

Friday 8/14

• Across LA 🍽️ It’s the other most wonderful time of the year: Dine LA! Literally every restaurant under the sun will have deals: Agnes, Wildcrust, SUSHISAMBA, Bar Sinizki, Dante, and waaay more.

• Santa Monica 🌈 A comedy show for the gays and theys is happening at The Crow!

• Near DTLA 🎤 If you’re obsessed with reality TV but also need a night out, try Love Isn’t Blind: a comedy show with live matchmaking of one lucky bachelorette!

• Beverly Hills 🦪 Unlimited oysters and champagne with a string quartet playing on a garden terrace? Sounds like Marea has cooked up a summer dream!

• South Pasadena 🎶 Pre-game the Noah Kahan concert with a sing-along to all of his folk anthems with a cover band!

Saturday 8/15

• Pacific Palisades 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The grand reopening of the Palisades Village shopping center is such a huge win for the community! Support by shopping their casual luxury brands like Anine Bing, grab a bite (like a roll from Blue Ribbon Sushi) or catch a throwback movie at Bay Theater.

• Griffith Park 🐶 Calling all pretty good dogs: join this community hike with Welltayl for a morning on the trails, pup goodies, coffee, and a post-hike hang benefiting The Labelle Foundation.

• Century City 👖 Fabletics & thredUP are partnering at Westfield Century City for a Denim Swap! Bring in your old denim and swap it for a new pair of Fabletics (they make DENIM!) for just $29. Enjoy on-site embroidery, photo ops, a Swedish candy bar, and more. More deets here!

• Culver City 🍝 Taste the Italian family holiday of Ferragosto at Helms Design Center’s free festivities, like a pasta-making demo and an Italian marketplace!

• Mid-City 👗 Looking for the statement piece of your dreams? Shop multiple fashion-forward closets with brands like Anthropologie, Free People, Zara, and more on Saturday or Sunday!

• Melrose Hill ✂️ Unwind by letting your creative mind run wild at this collage workshop for junk journaling, scrapbooking, and collage making!

• Historic Filipinotown 🐈 Cuddle with kitties up for adoption at A Good Used Book’s Saturday gathering, including cozy home goods and sourdough pizza!

• Koreatown 🦁 Leo season is in full swing, and this cozy shop is bringing leos’ warmth and energy to the plate through an intimate dinner party for leos only!

• Los Feliz 🏃‍♀️‍➡️ Run with Usal Project & REI during their LA pop-up, coffee included!

• Venice 🎶 Saturdays at Seven is back with another intimate evening of live music, good company, and discovering your next favorite local artist.

Sunday 8/16

• Long Beach 🎶 Kick back to Usher’s “Confessions” at this outdoor vinyl listening party.

• Long Beach 🚘 Vintage cars, fresh coffee, breakfast, and live music are taking over The Small Cafe on Sunday morning.

• East Hollywood 🍷 To celebrate Tabula Rasa’s 10th birthday, they’ll have magnum pours and a pop-up by Bruce (AKA former Horses chefs)!

• Chinatown 🎶 Lasita's patio is turning into an Ibiza-inspired dance party with house music, grilled specials, and wines poured all evening.

• Venice 🪡 BYO clothing item to embroider at this group beginner’s session, with all the equipment you need provided!

Monday 8/17

• Across LA 🌮 Tacos 1986 and Sobuneh are teaming up for a special collab, and we're ordering it immediately.

Want to see your event in an upcoming newsletter?

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^{Please note, filling out this form does not guarantee inclusion in the newsletter.}

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• Chez Mar, Mar Vista 🦐 This neighborhood raw bar has a rotating fresh market menu with a cozy aesthetic. By the previous chef of Dudley Market!

• Alphabet Bar Grill, Palisades Village 🥩 Our first stop at the Village now that it’s back open is the h.wood Group’s Alphabet Bar Grill for date night!

• Mistral, Sherman Oaks 🐌 The team behind Greekman’s has relaunched this classic French dining room!

• Animal, Arts District 🏳️‍🌈 Loving this new late-night spot for the queer community!

• Found Oyster, East Hollywood 🦪 Great news!! Found Oyster is expanding their dining space to the building next door to make getting a table that much easier.

• Lucky’s, DTLA 🍸 Can’t wait to check out their steak offerings and tableside shaken martinis in an al fresco space!

• Damda, DTLA ☕ A blue cream top latte?! Yes please.

• Milk Brew, Pasadena 🧋 Another coffee shop to add to the list of places that are cooler than working from home!

  Save all these places here!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Explore some effortlessly cool spots across the city!

Looking for weekend plans?
We’ve already done the work for you. From pop-ups to concerts to outdoor movies, browse everything happening in LA, organized by day with ticket links in one place.

See all events!

Check out camberplaces.com 🗺️

Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify 🎙

Follow us on Instagram & TikTok 🤝

Join our group chat on Substack 💬

Camber

Things to do & places to be in Los Angeles

By Mady Maio

Mads here! Welcome to Friend of Camber, where our favorite people share their go-to LA spots.

This week we’re joined by Jessica Koslow, founder and owner of , a restaurant that's become a staple of LA brunch culture. Home to the city's iconic ricotta and jam toast (arguably one of the most Instagrammed dishes in LA), Sqirl has been a must-visit breakfast and lunch spot for over a decade.

Now, with dinner service, it's become the quintessential day-to-night LA destination. Jessica is a chef, entrepreneur, and one of the people who has helped define modern California cuisine through her produce-driven cooking, deep relationships with local farmers, and an approach to hospitality that's always evolving.

Let’s get to know her LA!

What’s your “I don’t want to gatekeep, but I kind of do” rec?

Sushi Kisen. It was opened by a former chef from Sushi Gen who carried that same obsession with high-quality, traditional fish over to his own place. It’s known for omakase, but the real move is sitting at the bar and just ordering whatever’s fresh that day.

Fair warning: they’ll tell you upfront exactly how long you’ve got the seat before they need it back — no apologies, no small talk about it. Casual excellence, straight up. There are only ten seats at that bar, so consider this me reluctantly letting you in on it. The more people who know, the harder it gets to snag one.

Where do you go when you want to feel like a regular?

I’m fortunate enough to know the manager at Musso’s, so I’ll give him a ping when I’m looking to come in. It’s still rightfully hard to secure a reservation — for great reason. We’ll barter for fresh bread or preserves, and it’s completely fine by me.

One of the bartenders, Ian, is also a regular at Sqirl, so a nod from me and a cold gin martini just appears. We usually end up at “Charlie Chaplin’s favorite table” — a bit of a jajaja, since it’s actually the tiniest table in the house, tucked right by the front door. Still, it’s such a charming part of the evening and at Musso’s, there really isn’t a bad seat in the house, no matter where you land.

Where’s the one place you’ll actually cross the 405 for?

Otafuku — especially right now for cold soba with backyard sudachi. I love everything about this restaurant: the honest home cooking, the warmth of the humble space, even the custom socks you can buy off their website. Mieko Akutsu, who runs the restaurant in her father’s legacy, is also an accomplished artist, and her beautiful pieces adorn the walls — giving diners even more of that familial feel.

Don’t skimp on the sizzling rice, the eel udon, the gyu negi, and the creme caramel. Just the best.

Which neighborhood do you talk about like it’s your personality?

East Hollywood — Sqirl’s home. It’s a hardworking, family-oriented community, and I’ve become a full adult here. It’s actually pretty quiet, which is calming against the hustle of the city. It’s close enough to Los Feliz, Silverlake, and Melrose Hill that there’s never a dull moment or a feeling of being far from whatever you’re craving. It’s a neighborhood that feels like it’s evolving “like a marathon, not a sprint” — and I’m here for the journey

What place would absolutely destroy you if it ever closed?

Jongewaard’s Bake n Broil in Long Beach, California.

My first restaurant just days after being born. A place where recipes refuse to change for good reason!

Check out Sqirl on Instagram, and if you get the chance to go, order the chocolate chip cookie!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Mads here! If you love stylish, glamorous LA settings, FX’s The Shards is about to be your next obsession. The new drama from Executive Producer Ryan Murphy that will stream on Hulu follows a glamorous group of LA high school seniors whose world starts to unravel after a series of mysterious murders.

If these characters were going out in LA today, these are 7 spots we’d send them to (and where we’re hanging out right now):

• Stir Crazy, West Hollywood 😎 A tiny wine bar in WeHo where everyone somehow knows each other. Come for the natural wine, stay for the surprisingly good food.

• Seco, Silver Lake 😎 Dinner starts inside, but by the end of the night, the sidewalk on Sunset has turned into a block party.

• Capri Club, Eagle Rock 😎 Aperitivos, martinis, and some of the best people-watching in LA.

• Chateau Marmont, West Hollywood 😎 Hollywood glamour at its finest.

• DAMN, I MISS PARIS, West Adams 😎 A low-key cocktail bar in West Adams with some of the coolest energy in the city.

• Force of Nature, Venice 😎 A hidden speakeasy on Abbot Kinney with natural wine, cocktails, and the feeling of drinking on a friend’s patio.

• Gold Line, Highland Park 😎 Tiny bar, strong cocktails, vinyl spinning all night.

Full list here!

FX’s The Shards premieres tomorrow, August 5 on FX and Hulu!

Okay, now on to the coolest things to do in LA this week.

CAMBER IRL 🤝

Our events. Great venues. New people to meet.

Venice, Friday 8/7 ⛳

We're taking over Sunset Sessions at Penmar with FX this Friday!

After you buy your ticket for Friday, head to our event page to get on the list. Once you’re on the list, you’ll get special perks at the event, including a special event-exclusive blanket, and even your first drink on us (21+)! All first come first serve, while supplies last.

*you must have a ticket to Sunset Sessions to receive the perks

Get on the list here!

West Hollywood, Sunday 8/9 🍷

This week’s edition of Stella Groove has some special guests: us & FX!

RSVP for the coolest wine party in LA happening at Galerie this Sunday! The first 200 guests get their first glass of natty wine on us (21+), plus some delicious bites to keep the party going all day long (while supplies last)!

*you must be on Stella Groove’s guest list to be eligible for perks

RSVP here!

Wednesday 8/5

• West Adams 📚 A book club, but make it arts and crafts. This thoughtful discussion of Yesteryear comes with a paper weaving workshop exploring femininity, identity, and womanhood.

• Los Feliz 🍷 This comedy show is all about sipping lots of wine and spilling juicy secrets in a hidden library!

• Highland Park 📓 A journaling session to plan out your goals is here to help the procrastinators!

Thursday 8/6

• Mar Vista 📕 Free therapy, basically: Good Girl Books is hosting a conversation exploring why we make the choices we do.

• Mar Vista 🛍️ This neighborhood night market at Saba Surf is bringing together local vendors of so many fun things: hand rolls, ceramics, tattoos, sweet treats, jewelry, vintage clothing, and more!

• Century City 🀄 Wanna finally learn how to play mahjong? Mahjong Underground is back, and this time at a tea house!

• Culver City 🎺 Jazz Night at La Sabina is basically a free concert, with live jazz, covers, classics, and original music filling the space all evening long.

• Beverly Grove 🍿 This outdoor singles movie night, showing 10 Things I Hate About You in a secret garden, might be the cutest way to meet someone new. Not to mention Namiko’s movie nights come with free popcorn!!

• DTLA 🍷 This late-night market is part wine bar, part craft sesh, part dance party!

• Hollywood 🎥 Desert 5 Spot’s latest outdoor screening is featuring a real scorcher: Magic Mike!

• Echo Park 🍷 It’s gay night at Bar Bandini! This party is your chance to mingle, show a little skin, and get a fresh deal on a flash tattoo.

Friday 8/7

• Venice 🫘 If you’re a lover of legumes, Heyday (the company making beans cool again) is offering free tattoos of your favorite bean over the weekend.

• Culver City 🍕 There are two nights to try Cooking With Yoon’s seasonal slices (made with the freshest California produce from Lindfors Farms) at this outdoor summer pizza party!

• DTLA ☕ This daytime hang on Couplet Coffee’s rooftop is the perfect way to kick off the weekend early! They’re bringing together a delicious lineup of snacks from banana pudding to pita sandwiches, as well as a limited edition drink to celebrate their one-year anni.

• Hollywood 💦 Heat wave-friendly night out here: In Sheep’s Clothing is hosting a moonlit listening party every Friday at the Roosevelt’s iconic Tropicana pool!

• Los Feliz 🔭 Turn Griffith Observatory into your office at this work-from-outside gathering!

Saturday 8/8

• Venice 🎶 The exact location of this intimate, secret concert (where you can picnic outside) will be revealed after you grab your tickets!

• Santa Monica 🎤 The Crow is serving up laughs from late night TV comics you may recognize from HBO, Netflix, and beyond!

• Leimert Park 💎 Give the little things you love some sparkle at this bedazzling craft workshop!

• Chinatown 🎉 Lasita rotisserie is inviting the whole neighborhood to their five-year fiesta with live music, wine, food collabs from faves like Quarter Sheets, and a mini market!

• DTLA 👗 Your closet isn’t ready for this massive vintage warehouse sale, where your haul is weighed at $6 per pound!

• East Hollywood 📝 Nothing beats writer’s block like locking in with your community at a group writer’s workshop full of guided practices to get the creativity flowing!

• Woodland Hills ☀️ Beat the valley heat this Saturday at Westfield Topanga's Summer Social! Enjoy live music all day long, 15% off all food at Topanga Social (cocktail discounts too!) and a prizewheel for a chance to win fun giveaways and prizes! #WestfieldTopangaPartner

Sunday 8/9

• Malibu 🌅 Sunday Sessions at the Malibu Pier are total summer bucket list material, with four stages for performances and one amazing view, so don’t miss the last one of the year!

• Westchester 🎷 What better soundtrack to Sunday than live rooftop jazz at a farm-to-table gem!

• South LA 🍖 One of the most special dinners happening this weekend: an intimate backyard feast celebrating Jamaican cuisine with a four-course menu, wine pairings, and live DJ sets.

• Chinatown 🐸 Time to stop sleeping on the LA River! Check out the city’s underrated scenery at Riverfest, a live music fest with local food and activities for the whole family.

• Virgil Village 🪻 Wait you can make your own ceramic calla lily at COSA?!

• Echo Park 🪩 Drum up some simple summer fun and gratitude at this free dance party playing every genre under the sun!

Monday 8/10

• Century City 🫖 This girly tea party with Mahjong and mimosas at the American Girl Café sounds adorable!

• East Hollywood 🦐 A live-fire paella party with natural wine and no reservations? Sounds like the right way to spend a Monday.

Want to see your event in an upcoming newsletter?

✍️ FILL OUT THIS FORM ✍️

^{Please note, filling out this form does not guarantee inclusion in the newsletter.}

If you’re a brand that’s looking to sponsor a future newsletter, email us at partnerships@camberplaces.com.

• Inara, Venice ☕ New third space just dropped! Check out Inara for coffee, community events, and yoga.

• Palisades General Store, Pacific Palisades 🧺 We can’t wait to browse the giftable shelves at this quaint little mart when it opens in the Palisades.

• Flour Pizzeria, Burbank 🍕 This Brentwood pizza joint is opening in Burbank oh-so-soon!

• Café Matcha, West Hollywood 🍵 Alfred transformed its OG Tea Room into a matcha-focused diner!

• BOBO Thai, Silver Lake 🍜 Silver Lake's newest Thai restaurant is all about reimagined pad thai, complete with an AWAN dessert collaboration.

  Save all these places here!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Looking for weekend plans?
We’ve already done the work for you. From pop-ups to concerts to outdoor movies, browse everything happening in LA, organized by day with ticket links in one place.

See all events!

Check out camberplaces.com 🗺️

Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify 🎙

Follow us on Instagram & TikTok 🤝

Join our group chat on Substack 💬

Camber

Things to do & places to be in Los Angeles

By Mady Maio

Mads here! Welcome to Friend of Camber, where our favorite people share their go-to LA spots.

This week I'm joined by Leor & Laura, the husband-and-wife duo behind LEORA: one of my favorite lunch spots in Beverly Hills. I met them about a year ago, and I've been a regular ever since. Their frozen iced coffee is one of the drinks I crave most in LA (just like the rest of the city).

What started as a family business has quietly become an LA institution. If it's your first time, order the hummus with chicken shawarma, the tuna melt, and don't even think about skipping the frozen iced coffee. Their next location opens in Brentwood next year, which is excellent news for all of us.

Let’s get to know their LA!

Looking for weekend plans?
We’ve already done the work for you. From pop-ups to concerts to outdoor movies, browse everything happening in LA, organized by day with ticket links in one place.

See all events!

What’s your “I don’t want to gatekeep, but I kind of do” rec?

Laura & Leor: Palmeri (the best Italian food in LA, but you feel like you're in an old age home so no one goes. Don't go for the vibes, go for the food.)

Mady: Wait, I need to add this to my list now. I can’t believe I’ve never tried it!

Where do you go when you want to feel like a regular?

Laura & Leor: Hamasaku.

Mady: Couldn't agree more. The sushi bar is the move here.

Where’s the one place you’ll actually cross the 405 for?

Laura & Leor: Budonoki and Long Xing Ji Juicy Dumplings (order the big juicy dumpling and the Mapo Tofu)

Mady: Ugh, I love Budonoki. The rowdy energy, the pressed sushi, and the little animal mugs they serve cocktails in!!!

Which neighborhood do you talk about like it’s your personality?

Laura & Leor: Brentwood.

Mady: The way I'm counting down until the new LEORA opens in Brentwood. The neighborhood is having such a renaissance right now. I aspire to be a Brentwood mom tbh.

What place would absolutely destroy you if it ever closed?

Laura & Leor: Gjelina.

Mady: Agreed!! Still one of the most reliable restaurants in LA. That saffron spaghetti? Chef's kiss.

Check out LEORA on Instagram!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Mads here with a trend I’m fully getting behind: cafes hidden inside retail stores. As someone who could happily spend hours lollygagging, these are my ideal places to grab a coffee and browse:

• Fast Times at Buck Mason, Venice ☕ Tucked inside Buck Mason, this cozy coffee stop is stocked with great coffee, shelves of vinyl, and vintage books you’ll actually want to flip through.

• Side Kitchen at James Perse, West Hollywood ☕ James Perse is a playground for everyone who dreams of their house feeling like a luxury hotel, and their new coffee concept is essentially like having a fresh brew delivered by room service on vacation!

• Sporty & Rich, West Hollywood ☕ Whether you’re actually working out or just dressing like you are, Sporty & Rich has you covered. Shop the latest collection, grab a coffee or smoothie, and fuel up with a fruit-forward breakfast before taking on your day.

• Café Leon Dore at Aimé Leon Dore, West Hollywood ☕ This petite boulangerie with quaint merch (inside the impossibly stylish clothing store hailing from New York) is sooo charming it looks like something straight out of a Wes Anderson movie.

• Pantry at Madhappy, West Hollywood & Malibu ☕ Naturally, the Pantry menu is just as colorful and quirky as Madhappy’s clothing! Don’t miss their unique ice cream flavors supplied by Softside.

• Broome St. General Store, Culver City/Silver Lake ☕ Perusing the aisles full of Broome St.’s premium tchotchkes (including an impressive fragrance assortment, BTW) while waiting for your coffee is our ideal start to a day of errands.

Check out the full list here!

Okay, now on to the coolest things to do in LA this week.

CAMBER IRL 🤝

Our events. Great venues. New people to meet.

You better save the dates for our upcoming Camber events!

Venice, Friday 8/7 ⛳

Camber & FX are taking over Sunset Sessions at Penmar on Friday, August 7!

This week, we’ll go live with an exclusive guest list to accompany your ticket to Sunset Sessions at Penmar. Once you’re on the list, you’ll get special perks at the event, including a special event-exclusive blanket, and even your first drink on us (21+)! All while supplies last.

*you must have a ticket to Sunset Sessions to receive the perks

West Hollywood, Sunday 8/9 🍷

Next week’s edition of Stella Groove has some special guests: Camber & FX!

Keep an eye out for an invite to the coolest wine party in LA. We’ll be taking over Stella Groove at Galerie on Sunday, August 9! The first 200 guests get their first glass of natty wine on us (21+), plus some delicious bites to keep the party going all day long (while supplies last!)

We’ll be posting event RSVP links in the next few days on our socials. Hope to see you there!

*you must be on Stella Groove’s event list to be eligible for perks

Tuesday 7/28

• Venice 🍹 The key to hand-building the perfect clay creation might just be having a craft cocktail in the other hand! Cera Sera Studios is throwing a guided clay workshop with agave cocktails at Salud.

• Fairfax ⚾ Dodgers fans, assemble! You can score a free mini bevvy at COFAX if you show up in Dodgers gear throughout the Mariners series, no registration required.

• Frogtown 🍻 Loreto is hosting the hands-on workshop you need to take before your next dinner party! Learn to make micheladas and tostadas with Chef Paco Moran in a celebration of Mexican coastal cuisine.

Wednesday 7/29

• Woodland Hills 🍮 This Persian pop-up is serving crispy tahchin, and I can’t stop thinking about it. They’re open Wednesday and Friday this week!!

• West Adams 📽️ Learn how to get your short film to the next step with a panel led by industry pros, including cinema heartthrob Jay Ellis!

• West Hollywood 💎 This intimate charm workshop will be a special gathering for those going through grief to create a meaningful piece to help preserve a memory and move forward.

Thursday 7/30

• Mar Vista 📚 Stay cool with a book club inside a dreamy indie bookstore with a very on-theme novel for the summer heat wave, Pool Boy!

• West Adams 💐 Take two hours to fully unwind at this beginner-friendly floral arrangement class! Your ticket includes your seat, glasses of wine/NA aperitifs, and a ceramic vase.

• West Hollywood 🎤 If you haven’t experienced serious laughter at Aggressively Alive, now’s the time! The underground comedy house party is celebrating five years of laughs with some of their favorite return performers, a dumpling pop-up, and dirty martinis.

• West Hollywood 🧀 Your next girl dinner needs a ceramic snack tray created by you with the help of Two Faced Ceramics!

• Melrose Hill ✒️ Learn to “tattoo” a ceramic vase with your own original illustrations thanks to this workshop at Steve’s Backhouse.

• Eagle Rock 🦐 Wow, another not-to-miss summer collab dinner: Wildcrust is teaming up with Loreto for their summer seafood series!! There will be a one-night-only Baja-inspired menu including a bluefin tuna pizza and scallop tostada we need to try yesterday.

Friday 7/31

• West Hollywood 🎥 My dream movie night, cute! Namiko Studio Café is showing a film in their beautiful outdoor garden and providing materials to craft as you watch.

• Hollywood 💦 Beat the heat with a moonlit vinyl listening party at the iconic Tropicana Pool inside the Roosevelt, with tracks curated by In Sheep’s Clothing.

• Pasadena ☀️ Feel the magic of golden hour when the Norton Simon Museum turns its sculpture garden into the dreamiest summer evening with wine, live music, and drawing supplies so you can actually slow down to soak up the sun.

Saturday 8/1

• Malibu 📖 A book club on the beach? Yes please! LA Girls Book Club is taking their next meeting for Yesteryear to Zuma Beach. All you need is a chair and your favorite beach snack!

• Venice 🎶 This candlelit concert in a cozy house will be an intimate evening of wine and mingling!

• Santa Monica 🍼 Parents can head to The Crow for a much-needed night out thanks to this comedy show that is baby-friendly with plenty of dirty (diaper) jokes!

• Santa Monica 🏖️ Perry’s Beach is getting a little bit country for their Country EDM night on the sand, where surprise guests like Kaskade and Ty Dolla $ign have previously made an appearance!

• Culver City ☕ Go Get Em Tiger is opening a new location at Ivy Station, which means two (!!!) dollar drinks all day to celebrate, capped off with a latte art competition with caffeinated prizes for the winners!

• Sherman Oaks ⚡ Who wants to time travel?! FX is bringing 1981 back to life with a two-day retro takeover of the Sherman Oaks Galleria for their new series The Shards! There will be goodies from Creamy Boys, Licorice Pizza, and more, plus a sneak peek of the series.

• West Adams 🌽 One of LA's most magical dinner series, the Sweet Antelope Coven Dinner, features a seasonal three-course meal made with ingredients harvested from the property's backyard garden, all served in a historic West Adams home.

• Chinatown 🫖 Steep’s summer night market has returned! Sip on incredible tea cocktails while shopping local artists and food vendors in Mandarin Plaza.

• Silver Lake 🍔 If you've never witnessed a competitive burger eating championship, this is your chance. Head to Burgers Never Say Die for one of LA's most wonderfully ridiculous annual traditions. Spectator tickets include a burger, fries, and a front-row view of all the chaos.

• Koreatown 🀄 Make a whole morning of mahjong when Ktown’s coolest speciality goods and sando shop (Open Market) transforms into Mahjong Market!

• Los Feliz 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ Gorp Girls is inviting you to run into the weekend with an early morning three or five-miler!

Sunday 8/2

• West Hollywood 🧁 This potluck bringing together desserts from all around the world sounds so sweet! Your ticket to the international dessert social (at a queer Filipina-founded café) is a sweet treat from the place you call home.

• DTLA 🦞 Joint Seafood’s block party is going to be a seafood extravaganza with fresh fish, drinks, music, and competitions for gourmet prizes!

• Echo Park 🛍️ Temple Art Market is back with all your favorite vendors in one place for a Sunday hang with live performances and a coffee bar!

• Highland Park 🛍️ Head to Meadow Co-Working Space for another installation of York Manor Market, with jewelry, vintage pieces, home goods, and custom merch.

Monday 8/3

• Virgil Village 🍕 Didn’t know how bad we needed this: Quarter Sheets is collabing with Budonoki on a menu of pizza and pastries, plus iced-cold cocktails, that you won’t want to miss!

• Los Feliz 🍷 Latin funk and juicy pours are on the menu at the next Micah’s Market, hosted by Bar Covell!

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• Jon + Vinny’s, Calabasas 🍕 The classic pizza destination is officially open up north! They have all-day pancakes for the breakfast diehards and Helen’s Wine Shop for the wine lovers.

• General Lee’s Bamboo Room, Santa Monica 🎍 Enjoying late-night tiki drinks at General Lee’s is an LA rite of passage, now expanding from the OG Chinatown location to the west side!

• One Cedar, Santa Monica ☕ This new breakfast stop (with bagels people are raving about) had such a fun crowd, I did a double take walking by the other morning!

• Mr. Rivers Coffee, Culver West 🍵 Mr. Rivers has the most adorable lattes ever! Seriously, try not taking a million photos of their matcha latte art.

• El Ruso Taqueria, Studio City 🌮 The tacos you’ve seen everywhere from Netflix to Bon Appetit are finally getting a permanent home!

• Pinecone Bakeshop, Alhambra 🥐 This female-owned serious coffee shop is serving not-your-grandma’s seasonal fruit tarts!

  Save all these places here!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Looking for weekend plans?
We’ve already done the work for you. From pop-ups to concerts to outdoor movies, browse everything happening in LA, organized by day with ticket links in one place.

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Camber

Things to do & places to be in Los Angeles

By Mady Maio

Mads here! Welcome to Friend of Camber, where our favorite people share their go-to LA spots.

This week we’re joined by the endlessly funny Kate Berlant. I’ve been such a fan of Kate’s for years, and I genuinely laugh every time she shows up on my screen. She’s a comedian, actress, Los Angeles native, co-host of Poog, and, perhaps most importantly, deeply committed to the art of going out to eat.

Turns out, restaurants are the glowing center of her life, too. We had a feeling we’d get along.

Let’s get to know her LA!

What’s your “I don’t want to gatekeep, but I kind of do” rec?

The Galley! The oldest restaurant in Santa Monica, where I’m from. It’s nautical themed and has the most gorgeous lighting you can imagine. Twinkly lights year round! The Galley and Chez Jay are very important to me...it’s a hard tie. I love getting margaritas and shrimp pasta at The Galley. Get a booth inside, you can’t go wrong!

Where do you go when you want to feel like a regular?

Honestly, I've been going to Sqirl quite constantly for over ten years. The consistency, the quality, the flavors. It’s my favorite breakfast and lunch spot. And now they offer an electrifying dinner!

The best French toast you'll ever have and the kabbouleh salad with halloumi is something I crave regularly. Also really fun drinks... I laugh with a dolphin-high pitch in the face of anyone who tries to talk shit.

Where’s the one place you’ll actually cross the 405 for?

My parent's house or Nobu if I’m not paying! I'm still beside myself that Patrick's Roadhouse closed. I also grew up on Bay Cities sandwiches and always love going there to buy pantry goods. Also cuban food at Versailles after an afternoon at the Museum of Jurassic Technology is a perfect day.

Which neighborhood do you talk about like it’s your personality?

I lived in Silver Lake for years and now am in Echo Park and never want to leave. Being from Santa Monica (South of Montana Avenue to be clear) is also integral to who I am.

What place would absolutely destroy you if it ever closed?

Taix closing was a real blow to the community. Can’t wait for a bloodless complex from Hell to emerge in its place! I love The Prince and HMS Bounty. If Fromin’s, a classic deli/ diner from my childhood closed I would fall to my knees. My last pre-Covid meal was Pacific Dining Car downtown — God, I miss it. This is reminding me I need to go back to the Buffalo Club.

Check out Kate on Instagram and explore her podcast here!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Take your book for a walk!

One of our favorite LA rituals? Picking a neighborhood, pressing play on an audiobook, and going for a long walk.

That’s why we’re partnering with Apple Books, the place we always end up when we’re looking for our next great listen. With millions of ebooks and audiobooks, personalized recommendations, and no subscription required, it’s never been easier to find your next favorite.

Think of it as a Camber Walk Club...with a really good narrator.

Whether you’re in the mood for a Reese’s Book Club pick, a new release, or a classic you’ve been meaning to get to, Apple Books makes it easy to find your next listen.

And this weekend, we’re bringing that experience to life.

Join us for a walk through Santa Monica, meet fellow book lovers, and see why we’ve become convinced that the best way to explore LA is with an audiobook in your ears.

Explore Here!

Mads here! This is the time of year when sitting inside feels a little ridiculous. If your ideal summer evening involves a cold drink, good food, and eating outside, our guide to LA's best patios belongs in your bookmarks:

• Beethoven Market, Mar Vista 🌤️ This neighborhood patio feels like hanging out at a friend's dinner party…if your friend happened to be an incredible cook.

• Le Great Outdoor, Santa Monica 🌤️ If you’re looking for an outdoor restaurant that’s like a family cookout (but better) for your next celebration, look no further.

• Superba, Hollywood 🌤️ This quintessential LA lunch spot somehow feels a world away from Hollywood—even though it's right in the middle of it.

• Doto, Silver Lake 🌤️ Between the dreamy patio, insane burgers, and hand rolls we could happily eat on repeat, this gem is made for a summer afternoon.

• Mariscos Za Za Za, Frogtown 🌤️ Loreto’s daytime sibling, serving fresh mariscos from a walk-up window with a lush patio.

• Highly Likely, Highland Park 🌤️ This is the day-to-night café of our dreams for so many reasons, especially their cozy outdoor tables!

• Zizou, Lincoln Heights 🌤️ Zizou’s vibey courtyard that transports diners straight to Morocco is home to some intensely delish French fusion!

Check out the full list here!

Okay, now on to the coolest things to do in LA this week.

CAMBER IRL 🤝

Our events. Great venues. New people to meet.

Santa Monica, Sunday 7/26 🎧

Turns out book club is even better with a walk 📚🚶

Join us and @applebooks for an audiobook walking club event through Santa Monica 🚶

We’ll meet up in Santa Monica (exact location sent after RSVP), everyone will receive the audiobook for Reese’s Book Club‘s July pick, A Founding Mother by Laura Kamoie and Stephanie Dray, then head out on a neighborhood walk while listening to the opening chapter together 🎧

Afterward, we’ll regroup for coffee, treats, and compare notes on the first chapter!

Join our event waitlist here!

Tuesday 7/21

• Beverly Hills 🍿 Your chance for another magical movie night is here! The Beverly Hills Hotel is showing Troop Beverly Hills for this week’s outdoor screening.

• Beverly Grove 🕯️ You can finally shop Kinfolk’s cult classic fragrances in person thanks to their pop-up at The Grove until August 3!

• Virgil Village 📿 Build a home base for all your favorite jewelry pieces and tiny trinkets at this sculptural dish workshop!

• Lincoln Heights 🎺 If you haven’t heard of spiritual jazz, you can experience a curated lineup of the genre at this listening party on Zizou’s patio!

Wednesday 7/22

• DTLA 🍔 FYI, one of the world’s top-ranked burgers is right here in LA. Camphor’s Le Burger landed at #15 globally, and they’re celebrating with an evening of burgers and pommes frites.

Thursday 7/23

• Venice 🍶 This sake dance party is returning to Abbot Kinney for round two!

• Koreatown 🎤 An after-hours comedy show in a coffee shop, anyone?

• DTLA 🍉 Wait, why haven’t we heard of a melon tasting sooner?! Weiser Family Farm is sharing the summer haul of melons with a food and bev spread paired with Taiwanese mahjong!

• Echo Park 🖼️ What better way to preserve your memories than in a custom photo frame crafted from clay made by you?!

Friday 7/24

• Long Beach 🎷 This jazz night at a wine bar will play nothing but the hits! Guests can even request what covers they want to hear, which also enters you to win a free bottle of wine for the evening.

• Venice 🪩 There’s a Euro disco going down at Gnarwhal Coffee Co.! Pro tip: if you check in at the party on the Court app, you get a free bevvy.

• Venice 🎾 OLA Beach Tennis Club is bringing their community off the sand and to the Waterfront for a happy hour with food deals and DJs!

• Santa Monica 🌊 Dip your toe into the weekend every Friday with new friends at an early morning swim social, followed by coffee, that links up at Lifeguard Tower 28 on Ocean Park Beach!

• West Hollywood 🎶 Sofar Sounds' next secret concert is happening on a sprawling lawn, with pizza, wine, beer, and matcha to round out the evening.

• Los Feliz 👩‍👦 Interested in a playdate with your kiddo outside the house? Cera Sera Studios is throwing a kid-friendly clay workshop with bagels!

• Echo Park 🎤 Yes, there is actually an open mic at the Echo Park Farmer’s Market, so you can sing your heart out (or perform a talent) before you grab your produce, etc!

• Echo Park 📝 Doodle and drink the night away at Stories Books & Cafe’s drink and draw for all skill levels!

• Glendale 🍄 Spend an evening wandering Descanso Gardens after dark, where performances, interactive experiences, and moments of natural wonder pop up throughout the grounds.

Saturday 7/25

• Venice 🎨 Hone in on a new hobby with an Intro to Watercolor Workshop that includes a take-home coloring kit!

• Venice 🎸 Live your rockstar dream by performing karaoke with a live band on stage!

• Venice 🖌️ Unwind with a classic step-by-step paint and sip at Painted Peach.

• DTLA 🎧 The Los Angeles Record Fair is for music lovers, with hundreds of selections for your record collection and live DJs while you shop!

• Los Feliz ☕ Start the weekend off with a slow morning of fresh coffee and music listening at Usal Project’s Annex House!

• Silver Lake 👯‍♀️ This jam sesh is bringing together three musical acts, an open bar, and the opportunity to make real connections with new neighbors!

• Glassell Park 🎶 It's not every day you get to watch a private concert at sunset from a house in the hills.

• Echo Park 🔨 You can fix your favorite glasses, picture frame, pair of pants, and more at this Repair Fair full of handypeople and expert shops! There’s even a tarot reader to help fix bad energy.

• Montebello ☕ Coffee, breakfast, and a morning dedicated to Selena? Say less. Head to this celebration of the Queen of Tejano, complete with her music, limited-edition vinyl and memorabilia, and plenty of Selena-inspired outfits.

• North Hollywood ⚔️ Put your storytelling and scheming skills to the test at this interactive Traitors-inspired game!

Sunday 7/26

• Long Beach 🍷 The Tchin Tchin Wine Fair is your chance to try over 80 unique wines while mingling with fellow wine fans and local winemakers in a beachy wine shop!

• Westwood ☀️ Keep the summer glow-up going with a reformer Pilates class, cute goodies, and a feel-good Sunday morning.

• DTLA 🍛 Persian flavors are spicing up Smorgasburg at the second annual SmorgasJOON cultural celebration!

• DTLA 🧘‍♀️ Lululemon is taking over some of the city’s best pilates and yoga studios for their complimentary Summer Series, including a yoga class at the Pacific Design Center!

• Echo Park 🥕 Evening on the Farm LA is back with its annual Italian-inspired Sunday feast at DADA, complete with a multi-course dinner, natural wine, spritzes, and good music.

• Altadena 🥩 The teams behind Crudo e Nudo and Betsy are grilling up a 7-course feast (including a whole lamb!!) for a collab dinner!

Want to see your event in an upcoming newsletter?

✍️ FILL OUT THIS FORM ✍️

^{Please note, filling out this form does not guarantee inclusion in the newsletter.}

If you’re a brand that’s looking to sponsor a future newsletter, email us at partnerships@camberplaces.com.

• The Tasting Kitchen, Venice 🍽️ Huge food news: Chef Casey Lane has revived his iconic space for live fire cooking and craft cocktails!

• Goodboybob, Venice ☕ This cozy coffee shop officially has a new location! They’re also putting on this cute puppy event on Sunday 7/26.

• Side Kitchen, Beverly Grove 🍵 Can’t wait to check out this little coffee spot inside James Perse while perusing for home decor!

• Sporty & Rich, West Hollywood ⚽ This athleisure shop for cool kids has expanded to a café and pilates studio!

• Daybird, West Hollywood 🍗 They’re known for their Szechuan chicken, but the droolworthy hot cod caviar sandwich is a total bucket list menu item!

• Palomino, Highland Park 🍸 The team behind Gold Line is bringing you a new vinyl listening bar!

• Onul, Echo Park ☕ Bar Bandini just became a morning spot thanks to this coffee pop-up taking over Wednesday through Sunday!

• Lumen Coffee, Frogtown ☕ If you're a maximalist, this one's for you. Lumen is bringing its specialty pours to Frogtown!

  Save all these places here!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧

Check out camberplaces.com 🗺️

Listen on Apple Podcasts & Spotify 🎙

Follow us on Instagram & TikTok 🤝

Join our group chat on Substack 💬

Camber

Things to do & places to be in Los Angeles

By Mady Maio

Mads here! Welcome to Friend of Camber, where our favorite people share their go-to LA spots.

This week we’re joined by Ellen Marie Bennett, an author, mother, and founder of Hedley & Bennett, an LA culinary brand outfitting top chefs nationwide. After cooking at Providence and Baco Mercat, she decided chefs deserved better gear and set out to build the “Nike of the culinary world.” Safe to say it worked: her aprons now show up everywhere from Michelin-starred kitchens to Top Chef, with collabs spanning Vans, Madewell, Crocs, and more.

She's also the author of Dream First, Details Later, a book for anyone who's ever overthought themselves out of a good idea. She lives in LA with her husband, two sons, a pig, and a chicken…which feels very on brand.

Let’s get to know her LA!

What’s your “I don’t want to gatekeep, but I kind of do” rec?

Haute Sauna in Montrose is my best-kept wellness secret and where I go if I need a quick, full body reset. You jump on these trampolines to get your lymphatic system going, and then you sit in individual infrared sauna pods and end in a salt room. It’s effective, no frills and you’re out of there in under an hour.

For a restaurant rec, I love Chong Qing YaoMei Hotpot in Pasadena. It’s legit, delicious and perfect for a group dinner because you will need friends for sharing.

Where do you go when you want to feel like a regular?

Houston’s in Pasadena for sure. The trick is to go early, at like 4pm on a Friday, and snag one of the high-tops in the bar. Their martinis are the best and where else can you shamelessly order sushi, ribs and spinach dip? Nowhere, and it’s delicious.

Where’s the one place you’ll actually cross the 405 for?

If I’m going to the Westside, I’m maximizing my journey and making a day or evening out of it. For a family adventure, that usually starts at Gjusta where we’ll eat lunch and load up on picnic snacks, and then head to the beach. For date night, it doesn’t get better than a leisurely dinner at Felix.

Which neighborhood do you talk about like it’s your personality?

Pasadena. No question. I love the old school neighborhood vibes but with infrastructure and it’s superrrr easy to get around. I mean we have everything from an Apple Store, Target to HomeGoods next to each other, and so much parking — what more could you ask for? It’s lowkey and casual and no one is judging you for how you look when you’re cruising through Trader Joe’s which I love.

What place would absolutely destroy you if it ever closed?

I have a soft spot in my heart for Hama Sushi in Little Tokyo. It’s old school and makes you feel transported. I love that you’re not even really supposed to be on your phone in there and the same guys have been working there forever. I would also say Osteria Mozza because it’s such a beacon of Los Angeles dining.

Check out Ellen on her Instagram and explore Hedley & Bennett here!

See ya around,

Mads

Reply to this email if you wanna chit-chat 📧