By
MEGAN
WA L D R E P
From the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains to the shimmering Pacific and the neighborhoods as culturally rich as small countries, Los Angeles is a city that needs little introduction. Nor does it require a weighty tome to describe it: the song “California Dreamin’” by the Mamas and the Papas does so in just a few stanzas. ate one night, while living in Manhattan, John Phillips woke his then-wife, Michelle Phillips, to help finish a song that came to him after a cold, snowy day in the city. A beacon of hope for the homesick couple, the song became an anthem for the sixties and future generations of dreamers looking for a new life in the Golden State. I’d be safe and warm if I was in LA. Settled by indigenous people as far back as 3000 BC and then established in 1781 during the Spanish colonization on the Pacific Coast, the city is said to have been named El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reyna de los Ángeles, or the Town of Our Lady, the Queen of the Angels, to pay homage to the Virgin Mary. The name was later shortened to Ciudad de Los Ángeles (City of Angels), then Los Angeles (the Angels) and, of course, LA. The wide-open terrain was ideal for agriculture, such as wild grain, citrus, livestock, and wine, long before big business and the entertainment industry we now know and love moved in. But before we dive deep into our favorite places of the present day, here are some pro tips for your time out West: Plan road travel for between ten and three, then take a break poolside, on a rooftop, or at a museum until traffic wanes around seven. The Pacific is much colder than the Atlantic. And cashmere wraps are encouraged year-round. With that said, grab your shades—it’s time for a tour. 78 | M A R CH 2020
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