There are so many reasons to be obsessed with gorg model and LA native Alessandra Garcia-Lorido… her fearlessness when it comes to chokers, her adorable pup Stella, the way she nails the cold shoulder on repeat and finally, lingerie. Non-stop lingerie.
Because she is obviously SO COOL, I reached out for some local girl guidance on that strange foreign land known as Los Angeles. No matter how much time I spend there, knowing where to go (other than Sugarfish) and what to do (beyond Runyon) can feel overwhelming.
Luckily, Alessandra to the rescue – girl has the scoop on everything from what to eat to where to shop to the hike that’s cooler than Runyon.
Thank you Alessandra for making LA feel doable and not scary… I can’t wait to try it all!
The 12ish Style: Where’s the best plus size shopping in LA?
Alessandra Garcia-Lorido: Shareen vintage has an enormous selection vintage clothing in all sizes. I always come out of there with a few incredible pieces that are also reasonably priced.
12ish: What’s your favorite designy hotel to recommend to visiting friends?
AG: The Line hotel in Korea town has cool modern rooms that are still comfortable. My favorite part are the restaurants, Commissary by the pool for a casual lunch with delicious drinks or Pot for Roy Choi’s spicy Korean food.
12ish: Where do you like to go for a healthy lunch?
AG: Sun Café in the valley is down the street from the house I grew up in and has great vegan food that still feels indulgent. Get the kale shake, kelp noodles and mac and cheese.
12ish: The best juice or smoothie in town (or whatever the new craze is!?)?
AG: Moon juice shop is a great place to go to check out something that is so totally LA. The have everything from house tonics, raw snacks, pressed juices, and amazing smoothies. Erewon Market is also a mecca for quintessential LA heath crazes. My inner LA girl hasn’t been totally lost in New York so I can definitely geek out in a health food store.
12ish: What’s the best/craziest dessert in town?
AG: The butterscotch budino from Gjelina in Venice. Its so amazing I even taught myself how to make it.
12ish: Do you have a favorite dog park?
AG: I have a black toy poodle named Stella who is a bit of a diva when it comes to other dogs so I stay clear of dog parks. I do take her to the best groomer in town, Jess Rona Grooming, where she gets full-blown Beyonce wind treatment. Jess is famous for her Instagram videos featuring pups hair blowing to different songs. Stella’s video to Beyonce was even on Good Morning America!
12ish: Best place to get a cup of coffee and breakfast?
AG: My favorite brunch is from Sqirl. My go to move is getting their crispy rice bowl with “the works”, which is sausage and a fried egg and spilt the burnt brioche with ricotta and jam with whoever I’m with. The best coffee is their sweetened iced cappuccino aptly named the “Al Puccino.”
12ish: What’s your favorite spa or facialist for some me time?
AG: My facialist is Biba De Sousa in Beverly Hills; she is the best and has really taught me to watch out for pore clogging ingredients in all of my products. For a spa day I go to Belle Visage in Valley or spend a couple hours at a Korean spa with some friends where you must let go of all inhibitions and get naked and scrubbed down by a woman in her bra and underwear. Sounds crazy, but you leave with baby skin.
12ish: One tourist activity you would do as a local?
AG: Hike to the Hollywood sign with friends, so hard but so rewarding.
12ish: What’s one thing you really love about LA that people would be surprised to hear?
AG: It’s home, so I look at LA and think of my parents and my siblings. At the end of the day, the best part of LA is getting to spend time with them.
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