Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are on the same weekend this year, and Christmas and New Year’s Eve are right around the corner. Yep, the holiday season is here! One thing that comes along with all the festive joy, which we all need a lot of right now, are houseguests.
Thankfully 1133 Hope is perfect for entertaining visitors. The fantastic South Park location is just one reason. But it’s also the beautiful rooms, awesome rooftops, and gorgeous views. And, hey, you’ve worked on hard on perfecting your apartment style all year long. it’s time to show it off.
Whatever you celebrate, whether it’s with family or friends (or friends who are family), keep overnight visits stress-free with these great tips — everything from making extra keys with cute keychains to creating fun snacks a la a hotel minibar. When the turkey and stuffing are gone, and the presents unwrapped, it’s time to get out and keep everyone entertained. Here are a few ideas of what to do and where to go, from brunching at a new DTLA restaurant to ice skating and other season’s greeting fun.
Brunch Nearby
With new restaurants like Caldo Verde and the rooftop Cara Cara at the Proper, and Cabra coming to the Hoxton in December — all less than a 10 minute walk from 1133 Hope! — hotel brunching has never been better in DTLA. Of course there are a slew of other great options, like Poppy + Rose and Manuela, plus dim sum in Chinatown, noodles in Little Tokyo, and a world of eats at the Grand Central Market, and Smorgasburg at the Row on Sundays. So many mimosas and micheladas, so little time…
See Some Cool Art
For the longest time Los Angeles was pigeonholed as a movie town, but it has long been home to some of the world’s best creatives, painters, photographers, and sculptors. There’s more art to see than ever, from the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to The Immersive Van Gogh Experience, which has been extended through February 2022. Walk off that Thanksgiving gorgefest while getting some culture, including at some of DTLA’s best museums.
Afternoon Taco Crawl
What kind of host would you be if you didn’t get your visitors out to try some of L.A.’s amazing tacos? You don’t even need to leave DTLA to find some of the best, from Sonoratown’s Northern Mexico-style tacos to Guisados at the Spring Arcade. Tex-Mex tacos at Bar Ama, Tijuana-style asada tacos at Tacos 1986, Guerrilla Tacos in the Arts District, whatever Wes Avila is creating today at Angry Egrett Dinette in Chinatown are just a few options. Of course, you can always hop over the river to get the widely heralded, and deservedly so, shrimp dorado tacos at the Mariscos Jalisco truck.
Ice Skating at Night
One of the best things about 1133 Hope is that it’s so close to L.A. Live and the Staples Center, especially during the holidays. The LA Kings Holiday Ice rink is back from November 27-January 8. The setting is super festive, centered by a giant Christmas tree, and the ice is always ready for action — even during an L.A. winter, which is often more like summer everywhere else. Stroll over, strap on those skates and glide, baby, glide!
Find All the Christmas Lights
All of downtown will sparkle this season, but Sparkle DTLA at The Bloc really does it up. There’s an interactive light show featuring 18 million hues that dance to synchronized holiday tunes every hour. Other festive backdrops, like a giant 32-foot Christmas tree and a gleaming 16-foot ornament, make perfect holiday selfie stations.
Union Station is always spectacular, but the iconic DTLA destination will bring the sights and sounds of the season with a tree lighting on November 30. There will be snow on the patio, free cookies and hot cocoa, and tons of holiday cheer.Like last year, there are many drive-thru festive light displays all over the Southland (find the Time Out list here), but walk-thru ones are also a joy. Think: Christmas Tree Lane in Pasadena and the Enchanted Forest of Light at Descanso Gardens.
Featured Photo by Kraken Images/Unsplash