28 GREAT LA MOMENTS

This Easter weekend I had the special treat of having my family visit from Napa Valley. I was especially looking forward to taking my fifteen-year-old cousin around LA, envisioning the excitement I felt at her age when my aunt would take me out in San Francisco (the height of sophistication in my Guess jean jacket, obvi). As it turned out, all my cousin wanted to do was meet Kendall Jenner, and fully expected that I would be able to make this happen. Accustomed to the look of disappointment that befalls people's faces when they learn that despite my work, I will not, in fact, be scheduling Kardashian kocktails any time soon, I powered through to Plan B. I thought about all the places that have become favorites since moving here, as well as the great touristy places that we take for granted as residents. It was fun to take my cousin along where I usually hang out, but it was just as thrilling to experience those "cliche" places, like the Walk of Fame or a Real Housewives restaurant, through her eyes. With a newfound appreciation for both kinds of spots, here are 28 great LA moments, all caught on Instagram, of course. What are your favorite places in LA?

LA faves in an Instant: 
(1.) Driving into Beverly Hills (2.) Palm trees on Roxbury (3.) "Rodeo Drive, baby" 
(4.) Real Housewives moment- lunch Villa Blanca (5.) Architecture detail (6.) RHOBH Lisa Vanderpump 
(7.) My old office next door (8.) Roses (9.) Favorite shopping, Barney's 
(10.) Runyon Canyon hike (11.) Hollywood sign (12.) Griffith Observatory 
(13.) Bar Marmont (14.) Cousin and me! (15.) Leaving the Chateau 
(16.) Hollywood Walk of Fame (17.) Grauman's Chinese Theater (18.) Marilyn Monroe's handprints 
(19.) Roosevelt Hotel (20.) Lobby of the Roosevelt.. hotels make the perfect lounge atmosphere without minors getting carded at the door (21.) Cocktails! ...for the 21+ set, of course 
(22.) Hollywood & La Brea Goddess statue (23.) Kodak Theatre (24.) Frida Tacos on Melrose 
(25.) Church of the Good Shepard Beverly Hills for Easter (26.) 15-year-old dreams come true when cousin spots a star of "Pretty Little Liars" at Cecconi's brunch (27.) Santa Monica Pier 
(28.) A walk through Holmby Park (29.) Sweet Lady Jane (30.) Soho House

I could think of so many more places, and can't wait for my family to come visit again.