My recent trips have all been surprisingly spontaneous, and I’ve grown to really enjoy that. Even short flights—like a quick hop to Los Angeles—feel like mini-adventures worth diving into. My latest LA visit was a mix of wellness events, great food, meeting friends, and exploring favorite neighborhoods.
It had been about a dozen years since I’d been to Hollywood and Universal Studios, so I was excited to revisit the scene: juice bars, notorious LA traffic, and catching up with friends. Ritual invited me to a wellness talk by Vicky Vlachonis at Soho House in West Hollywood. Vicky, an integrative practitioner and osteopath who has worked with high-profile clients, spoke about finding the root causes of pain and living your passion through nutrition, movement, mindfulness, and other holistic practices—topics that deeply resonated with me.
I’ve never been a fan of a strictly medication-and-surgery approach to care. Too often Western Medicine treats symptoms with prescriptions instead of investigating root causes. I prefer integrative health, which emphasizes prevention, natural approaches, and a collaborative clinician-patient relationship that treats the person, not just the disease.
That invite became the perfect excuse for a quick LA getaway. I landed at LAX where my friend Kennedy picked me up and we went straight to SoulCycle—basically a high-energy party on a bike. It was intense and unlike my usual workouts. My Garmin Vivosmart HR clocked about 600 calories burned in 45 minutes—an amazing calorie burn and a fantastic workout.
Afterward we prepped for lunch at THE Blvd at the Beverly Wilshire. The restaurant had just reopened after renovations with a refreshed menu, and I happened to be in town the day after its reopening.
[View from our table in THE Blvd restaurant at The Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel]
I’m not a regular at ultra-fancy restaurants, so THE Blvd felt a little otherworldly. The service was impeccable, the ambiance elegant, and the food memorable. We shared a Roasted Beet Salad and a Roasted Cauliflower and Curried Garbanzo Bean Salad to start—combinations like grapefruit, pistachios, roasted beets, pomegranate, and avocado purée unexpectedly worked beautifully together.
[Roasted Beet Salad at THE Blvd Beverly Wilshire]
For the main course we shared the Mediterranean Flatbread topped with roasted vegetables, goat cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil. It was light yet packed with flavor—one of my favorite flatbreads ever. THE Blvd’s farm-to-table approach—sourcing produce, meats, and fish from local farms and markets—really shone through in the freshness and quality of the dishes.
[Mediterranean Flatbread at THE Blvd Beverly Wilshire]
Just when we thought the meal was over, the executive pastry chef, Chris Ford, arrived with a stunning glass box of seasonal desserts. We asked the server to choose two for us to sample, and I recommend trying the green avocado dome if you visit—the center holds a surprisingly decadent chocolate flavor.
[Seasonal selection of desserts at THE Blvd]
After lunch Kennedy dropped me off on Abbot Kinney for shopping. I walked past The Butcher’s Daughter—one of my favorite breakfast spots from a previous trip—and browsed charming shops. I wish I’d had time to sit down for a meal there this trip.
[Photo taken inside The Butcher’s Daughter, Venice, CA]
That evening we took a Pilates reformer class at Studio MDR. If you haven’t tried reformer Pilates, I highly recommend it. The instructor pushed us hard and it engaged muscles I rarely use. After a morning of SoulCycle, my legs were shaky, but the class was a fantastic challenge and inspired me to look for similar classes back home.
Café Gratitude was another must-visit on my list. Instagram made me curious long before I arrived. I ordered the Magical—house-made black bean patties, tomato, red onion (hold the chipotle ketchup), cashew macadamia cheddar, a gluten-free amaranth and millet bun, and roasted garnet yams. The bun and flavors blended perfectly.
The next morning I took an Uber to Erewhon in Beverly Hills, a grocery store that feels like the ultimate curated market—part Whole Foods, part specialty oasis. I met an Instagram friend there for breakfast, which was a lovely way to connect with someone who shares a passion for thoughtful food choices.
[Photo taken at Erewhon]
I then headed to Soho House for Vicky Vlachonis’s talk. The atmosphere felt exclusive and a bit surreal—I couldn’t help thinking about the celebrities who frequent the space. Vicky was radiant and captivating; she spoke with warmth and authority, and I could have listened to her insights for hours. Her presence made the event unforgettable.
[Photo taken at Soho House West Hollywood with Vicky Vlachonis]
After the talk I visited the NOMVA office in Santa Monica to meet Kennedy’s team. NOMVA creates packs blending whole organic fruits and vegetables with probiotics—something I’m quite fond of and wish were available near my home.
Later I went south to Hermosa Beach to spend time with a close college roommate. We enjoyed lunch, walked along the beach, and caught up—simple, perfect moments that balanced the busy itinerary.
For dinner, I headed to True Food Kitchen at The Point in El Segundo. The Ancient Grains bowl with miso-glazed sweet potato, turmeric, charred onion, snow pea, grilled Portobello, avocado, hemp seed, and tofu was outstanding—nutritious, flavorful, and satisfying. I saved room for Pressed Juicery’s Freeze next door, a healthy soft-serve made from whole fruits, nuts, and vegetables, topped to taste. It was a delicious finish to the meal.
[Ancient Grains Bowl with tofu at True Food Kitchen]
On my last night, Kennedy insisted I lead one of my circuit workouts the next morning. I happily agreed—having a workout buddy kept me accountable. We pushed each other hard with a leg-focused session and left sweaty and sore, which felt like the perfect way to close out the trip before my flight home.
My whirlwind LA visit was packed with food discoveries, restorative movement, connection, and inspiration. It left me energized and already planning the next trip back.