When my fellow Sober Curators mentioned they were heading to LA to cover the NA category of the LA Spirit Awards, I decided to hop on a plane (well 2 actually) to crash the sober party and finally meet IRL my favorite sober community members. Plus, fellow sober or sober curious Moms, even a super short weekend away can work wonders for your mental wellness, IYKYK.  I mean, sacred alone time and silence, am I right?

Where to Stay?

Los Angeles Downtown hotel Citizen M

Hotel vibe? Fun, central, curated, affordable luxury – ish. Big bed perched on the window to laze around with a cute ipad control to shift the mood lights and sounds on a rainbow dimmer. It was Alysse Bryson’s pick, and she is the coolest. 

Where to eat + drink?

Yum, yum, yum.  Mocktails, eats, ambiance and vibezzzzz.  These days I enjoy a delicious menu, a well-thought-out atmosphere, friendly service and alcohol-free options.  The more fun the better.  Here’s what we did:

Downtown

LA Cha Cha Chá

Order the fish tacos to share, a guacamole to start and a Corona 0% ‘chelada’ which is just with lime juice in a salt-rimmed glass to drink it extra ‘a la mexicana’. The patio lights and epic cactus garden motif with a cotton-candy sunset was the best. Super cool, they have a sister location in Mexico City and all the staff speaks Español-yo.

Downtown

Park’s BBQ

To be honest I’m not a huge meat eater, being mostly plant-based, but when I do indulge, I go for quality like this. They had a few vegan options, incredible mushrooms and sweet potato noodles plus fresh kimchi and other little side dishes that cover the table once you order. Ordered a Ginger Beer and had a blast.

Downtown

Perch LA

Best for its views of the cityscape and tall, tall graffiti art, people watching and unique mocktails. The food was ok. The decor was cool. The crowd made it seem like the place to be. Rooftop brunch all the way. Definitely make a reservation and order the green vs. black charcoal mocktail.

 Apotheke LA ​​

Los Angeles Menus

This place was recommended to me, and I was so excited to check it out because of the insanely inviting “Tonics” menu. Didn’t get a chance to go, but I wanted to make sure you knew about it! I mean, check the website, it is a total vibe. They also have two locations in NYC in case you are on that side of the country more often. 

Photo Credit: IG @apothekela

Venice

Cafe Gratitude – Vegan Restaurant in Venice | Best Brunch & Vegan Food 

Rich Roll always mentions this place on his podcast, so it was on my bucket list. All the cool vegans in LA live here, I gather. It didn’t disappoint. The entire menu is made of mantras – so you don’t order the Belgian Waffles with Berries and Cashew Cream, you order the “I am Lively”, ‘cause words are spells ya know. It is a vibe that is for sure. Minimalist, delicious, massive diversity on the menu and some super, super healthy stuff mixed in with plates you wouldn’t even know were vegan and gluten-free.

Moon Juice

Moon Juice: Right across the street this is a cute spot to meet a friend too. I just stocked up on next-level wellness goodies and hopped in an Uber back downtown before rush hour really hit hard.

Little Tokyo

Technically downtown, just a sub-neighborhood that is well worth a walk. I love Japanese culture and it was where the closest yoga studio was to the hotel for my morning energy-boost. I found an adorable shop right beside yoga to grab a matcha latte for my walk back. It was my daily ritual while I was in town.

Post Yoga Matcha + Chocolate

Yoboseyo Superette

I could have spent a fortune in this little store. I bought yummy chocolate, adorable sticky notes for my son and a cloud cup for my other son. Matcha, matcha baby. Oat milk, and a ton of other milk/mylk options for the wellness guru yogi. They had the super cool dog toys too, but for tiny dogs, not Labs like mine. 

What else can you do besides eat, drink, yoga and sleep? 

The Last Book Store

New and used perfectly intertwined. You can just hang out and read on one of the couches or browse for hours. I found some cool local feminist fiction and a used feminist classic to accompany the audiobook I was listening to the whole trip that was getting me all fired up: Women Money Power: The Rise and Fall of Economic Equality by Josie Cox.

The Grammy Museum

Hip Hop America the Mixtape Exhibit. I mean, the second you walk out of the elevator the music hits you and you want to dance. The exhibit is so fun and interactive – I loved every minute of it. I particularly loved how they knit the music of Hip Hop with its roots, politics and street culture throughout – I bet you don’t even realize how integrated it is into everything you know and love about America. Bring cool peeps who are willing to dance like fools in public with you!  Amy Liz Harrison + Alysse Bryson was the perfect duo, case in point, this reel.

Stroll Along the Boardwalk on Venice Beach

Honestly it was the middle of the day on a Monday, so it was very lowkey and chill when I wandered along the boardwalk.  Warm breezes while people drift along in rented or personal bikes with their own soundtrack blasting. Here is a good list of things to do. Our fellow Sober Curator Justin Lamb went at 5am to catch the sunrise. I missed out on this, but for more of a shopping stroll check out: https://www.abbotkinneyblvd.com/

 Get a Sober Astrology Reading with Analisa Six 

I usually get my reading via Zoom, so this was such a special treat to do IRL. Huge insight and guidance, it really felt like it was meant to be kinda cherry on top of the whole sober-party-crashing-last-minute-trip-to-LA CAKE. 

Have Deep Conversations with Your Sober Friends Using Some Conversation Cards 

Esther Perel’s Game

Obviously there are a million things you can do.  This was just what I managed to fit in in 72 hours of sober fun!

Here are some other great resources to plan your super fun, super sunny, wellness-infused trip to LA with some sober friends:

• Los Angeles – Conscious City Guide

• Check out: Events | The Roxy Theatre for iconic music/comedy events. 

• Santa Monica Bookstore: Book Soup for a chill evening or afternoon. 

• A good friend recommended Hermosa Beach: Enjoying Hermosa

• Silver Lake, Los Angeles: A Guide to L.A.’s Trendiest Neighborhood

• Hidden Gems in Echo Park | Discover Los Angeles

• Gjusta Bakery

WHAT A TRIP! Sober in LA, Sober in Los Angeles (thesobercurator.com)

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Looking for something more localized in the USA?

SOBRIETY IN THE CITY is your guide to substance-free adventures and events in cities across the United States. We’re bringing you hidden gems, local hangouts, art exhibits, unique attractions and pop-up events, limited shows, and tours. Being fully present allows us to enjoy life to the fullest. But we’re still taking it in all just one day at a time.

You can depend on SOBRIETY IN THE CITY for clean, creative alternatives to make the most of your time in these amazing cities.

We’re curating lots of ideas and content on how to live your best sober lifestyle in cities across the USA. Make sure to check out these cities where we have Sober Curators actively keeping us up to date with the latest events and hot spots to check out.

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