👋 OH HEY 👋

Mads here! Still need Valentine’s Day plans? Here are a bunch of romantic spots to take your hot date (which can be your partner, yourself, or your gals):

• Most romantic restaurants 🍽️ Make your partner swoon at Voodoo Vin, Cobi’s, Violet Bistro, Funke, La Dolce Vita, Little Beast, Ètra, Fia, Si! Mon, Wife & the Somm, Lolo Wine Bar, Antico Nuovo, or Dunsmoor.

• For Galentine’s Day 👯‍♀️ Going out with the gals? I would look into Cara Restaurant, Marelle, Chez Mia, Tramp Stamp Granny’s, Mother Tongue, The Hideaway, Bar Lis, Dante, Merois, Harriet’s, Esters Wine Bar, or Calabra.

• Looking to impress your date ❤️ I always go the hidden gem route on Valentine’s Day: Oriel, Zizou, KinKan, Melanie Wine Bar, Barrique Venice, Jilli, Bar Siesta, or Sunday Gravy.

• Somewhere you can just walk in 🚶‍♀️ Reservations on V day are rough. Here are spots you can just walk into: Not No Bar, Capri Club, Oy Bar, Ghisallo, Sam’s Place, Dunsmoor Wine Bar, Barra Santos, Spina, Woon, & Quarter Sheets.

^{Top Left: Funke Top Right: Marelle (📷 by marelle.com), Bottom Left: La Dolce Vita, Bottom Right: Zizou}

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

🗓️ THINGS TO DO 🗓️

^{The coolest events happening in Los Angeles this week.}

• All over, Tuesday 2/11 💐 Where to pre-order Valentine’s Day flowers: Lenita by Grita in Highland Park, Flowerboy Project in Venice, Roobarb Studio in Venice, Bitchin Blooms, Flower Truck LA, Orla Floral, Puni Petals (she’s giving away free flowers!), HIGH DOKMAI, & Kelly Jean Ross.

• West Adams, Tuesday 2/11 🍪 Pre-order your Valentine’s Day cookies from Fleurs et Sel asap!! Those raspberry rose thumbprint cookies are the way to my heart…

• All over, Tuesday 2/11 ♥️ Omg Challahdad has partnered with Sorella Collective to make challah hearts!! Pre-order yours here.

• Virgil Village, Tuesday 2/11 🎤 This has to be the most fun anyone can have on a Tuesday night: caravan karaoke at Real Charmer. They’ll be doing this every Tuesday from now on!

• Atwater Village, Wednesday 2/12 🎲 It’s Girls Only Game Club: Galentine’s Edition! You’ll be playing trivia at Nico’s.

• Echo Park, Wednesday 2/12 🛍️ It’s the Sweetheart Spectacular at The Echo! Slow dance with your boo or scream sing with your besties & shop accessories and trinkets perfect for any Galentine’s or Valentine’s present.

• Santa Monica, Wednesday 2/12 🕯️ Learn how to make your own candles while sipping on wine at this Wicks & Wine event at the AJA Vineyards tasting room.

• Pasadena, Wednesday 2/12 🦀 It’s WoonHeim ~ a one-night wildfire benefit hosted by Woon and Eric Wareheim. There will be a WoonHeim Crab Noodle Special and bottles of Las Jaras Wines handpicked from Eric’s stash. All proceeds from the night will be donated to wildfire relief.

• Melrose Hill, Thursday 2/13 🍷 Jumbo Night at Ètra! They’re celebrating their new wine with Jumbo Time Wines called L’Orange. There will be jumbo bottles, a jumbo themed menu, and some jumbo surprises.

• Echo Park, Thursday 2/13 🍕 Heart shaped pizzas!! La Morra will be popping up at Canyon Coffee for a little pre-Valentine’s Day celebration.

• Highland Park, Thursday 2/13 🪄 Unique date idea: It’s magic night on Valentine’s Day Eve at Belle’s Bagels!

• Silver Lake, Thursday 2/13 ❣️ It’s Galentine’s Day Trivia at Pizzana in Silver Lake! More heart-shaped pizzas.

• Westchester, Thursday 2/13 🎨 Paint your date!! The Casual Creative will be at Tomat for a little Sip & Paint. You’ll sit across from your partner, date, bff, or friend to paint playful portraits of each other with a big reveal at the end.

• Glassell Park, Thursday 2/13 🍴 Super intimate night by Rubie, a west-coast inspired, Jamaican fare pop-up, at Little Ripper. Get your tickets here for this 4-course dinner & natural wine!

• Hollywood, Thursday 2/13 ♟️ Free chess club at Grandmaster Recorders! Singles and couples welcome for this edition of Mating Season.

• Venice, Thursday 2/13 💗 It’s a Galentine’s Day charm bar at Union in Venice. There will be pizza & bevies as well!

• Hollywood, Thursday 2/13 🤠 Omg it’s Desert 5 Spot’s annual Dolly Parton Tribute Night! Come dressed in your best Dolly fits for our look-alike competition.

• Larchmont, Thursday 2/13 & Friday 2/14 🍪 Cookbook on Larchmont is doing a Valentine’s Day pop-up! There will be special cookies & custom bouquets by Ambruso Flowers.

• Silver Lake, Thursday 2/13 & Friday 2/14 💐 Ah! Free floral bouquets from HIGH DOKMAI when you purchase eyewear at AKILA.

• Koreatown, Friday 2/14 🍶 Get a crew together and head to Jilli’s 2nd annual All the Single Ladies night! Your ticket comes with bottomless makgeolli & tapas.

• Silver Lake, Friday 2/14 🎷 This is romantic: listen to live jazz while sipping martinis at Silver Lake Pool & Inn.

• Santa Monica, Friday 2/14 ❤️ Looking for a romantic rooftop Valentine’s Day experience? Calabra at The Santa Monica Proper has got you.

• Venice, Friday 2/14 🎨 Unique Valentine’s Day activity that isn’t going to a restaurant: Paint Your D8 Date Night at The Painted Peach. They also have a Galentine’s Day time slot!

• West Hollywood, Friday 2/14 🍿 Another unique Valentine’s Day activity that isn’t going to a restaurant: watch The Notebook at Melrose Rooftop Theatre.

• Melrose Hill, Friday 2/14 💐 One of the coolest jewelry brands in LA, Spinelli Kilcollin, is offering custom floral bouquets as a special gift if you stop by the store on Valentine's Day - while supplies last!

• Hollywood, Friday 2/14 ❤️‍🔥 This sounds sooo fun: Friend or Flame is putting on a pop-up speed dating event at Desert 5 Spot on Valentine’s Day! There will be line dancing and live music.

• Historic Filipinotown, Friday 2/14 📚 It’s a Valentine’s Day Book Party at A Good Used Book! You can expect a deep fried Japanese rice ball pop-up, basque-style cheesecakes, flash tattoos, music on vinyl records, drinks courtesy of Madre Mezcal, and of course a bookshop full of used and new books.

• Eagle Rock, Friday 2/14 🍕 Every Valentine’s Day, La Morra pops up at Capri Club with heart shaped pizzas. The cutest date night.

• Virgil Village, Friday 2/14 🥯 Need last minute flowers & bagels for V day? Kelly Jean Ross is popping up at Courage Bagels with pre-made wrapped bouquets.

• Culver City, Friday 2/14 🍻 Spend Valentine’s evening at the dive bar that feels like your hometown's hidden gem (minus the awkward run-ins with that mean girl from high school). Hosted by your new favorite electrolyte soda, Chaser.

• West Hollywood, Friday 2/14 💕 Our friends at Gimme Beauty are hosting a Galentine's Celebration at Charmed LA - create your own custom keychain, sip on complimentary drinks, and enjoy an exclusive Gimme Merch Goodie Bag with your ticket! Plus, they're encouraging you to "Break Up With Your Brush" -- bring in an old hairbrush and swap it for a brand-new Gimme Brush on them! Aaaaand ticket proceeds are going towards LA Wildfire Relief. They're the best.

• Century City, Friday 2/14 🏓 Roses are red, padel is fun, if you let me win, you might be the one. Play padel with other singles on V day with SOSO Club!

• Culver City, Friday 2/14 - Sunday 2/16 🍵 Little Match Studio is having a tearoom concept cafe pop-up at Platform this weekend! First 10 customers receive a free matcha or hojicha latte.

• Eagle Rock, Saturday 2/15 📚 I’m hosting a little book swap morning for Galentine’s Day at Flowers Finest. Bring a wrapped book (or I’ll have a wrapping station for you!), sip on some Flowerhead Tea, do some crafts, and leave with a new favorite read.

• Highland Park, Saturday 2/15 🎺 It’s a jazz night benefit show at The Goldfish! Proceeds go to Altadena Girls & there will be a kissing booth…

• Venice, Saturday 2/15 🍪 This is sooo cute: cookies & coffee at Little Lunch in Venice. It’s a heartbake (get it?).

• Echo Park, Saturday 2/15 💕 It’s a treat yourself block party in Echo Park. Flowers! Piercings! Charm bar!

• Venice, Saturday 2/15 🌷 Friend date idea! Sophisticated Spreads is hosting a Brie Mine & Blooms event - charcuterie boards and floral arranging at Roobarb Studio!

• DTLA, Saturday 2/15 🎶 On "Sadderday," Sad Song Singalong will play cathartically melancholy melodies at Creature Comforts Brewing. So be it The Killer's "Mr. Brightside," TLC's "No Scrubs," or Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn," there's something for everybody!

• DTLA, Sunday 2/16 ✏️ Another Sip & Sketch! This time at Grand Central Market. Great friend date idea.

• Silver Lake, Sunday 2/16 🎲 Wanna play backgammon? WeHo Backgammon Club will be at El Condor for a little Cupid’s Roll Backgammon Brunch.

• Frogtown, Sunday 2/16 💕 Sculpt your heart out!! This is a ceramics workshop hosted by Terra Sole Studio.

• West Hollywood, Sunday 2/16 💐 Join Summer Camp Society (a new social club in LA) for an afternoon of floral design, crafting, a live DJ, new friends, and more! All proceeds will be donated to fire relief.

• Long Beach, Sunday 2/16 📷 Join Girls con Cameras for another lovely photo walk. In honor of Valentine’s Day, they will be opening up their walk to all genders so bring your boo, best friend, sister, brother, or anyone you love!

• Silver Lake, Sunday 2/16 ☕️ Wait, I love this: Sunny’s Bookshop is popping up at Cafe Nido. Grab some books, grab some coffee…must I say more?

• Chinatown, Sunday 2/16 💗 It’s a Lovers Market by In Sheep’s Clothing at Homage Brewing! It’ll be a day filled with music, records, Japanese clothing + goods, beer, natural wine, and hi-fi sound.

• Virgil Village, Sunday 2/16 👚 Swap Shop is having their first clothing swap at Good Friend. Take as much as you bring! Free drinks by Joggy & Leisure.

• Culver City, Monday 2/17 🌭 You look like you need a corn dog. 2 James Beard Award nominated chefs are making corn dogs at Fat + Flour (for one day only)! Cheffy toppings to impress even the most skeptic of corn dog haters.

📍PLACES TO BE📍

^{New openings, places you should know about, what I’m adding to my starting lineup, etc.}

^{Top Left: ELOREA (📷 by @elorea), Top Right: Torikizoku (📷 by @torikizoku.usa), Bottom Left: Alba (📷 by @cucinaalba), Bottom Right: San & Wolves (📷 by @sanandwolvesbakes)}

• ELOREA, Koreatown ☕️ I’m drooling over this modern Korean perfumery / cafe. I mean, look at this…

• Alba, West Hollywood 🍝 Italian restaurant from NYC opens a location in WeHo. I need to try that agnolotti in black truffle fonduta.

• San & Wolves, Long Beach 🥐 Vegan friends! This popular vegan Filipino bakery has a permanent location in Long Beach.

• Torikizoku, Torrance 🍢 This famous yakitori chain from Japan just opened its first location in the US! This is high on my list to visit…

• Potluck Local, Eagle Rock 🥬 A new shoppy shop & neighborhood grocer has opened in the chic new center alongside some good company in Queen St, Fondry, and Wildcrust.

• Pan Estilo Copala, Compton 🇲🇽 New Mexican panadería in Compton is serving up pan dulces!

💬 ONE FINAL THING 💬

See ya around,

Mads

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