We talked to JM Rodriguez, Charmaine Lagman, and Mark Leviste about the activities they love to try and sites they always check out the Southern California city.
READ ALSO: LA Asks: Why Is Los Angeles Your Go-To Summer Destination?
The City of Angels remains a summer destination of choice for its perfect weather, beautiful sights, and must-try food spots.
A few of our favorite travellers seem to think so, too, as many of them visit the city about a month before the summer season ends in the US.
So we asked: what are your favorite things to do or places to visit when in LA?
Charmaine Lagman
Though much of her US trip is in New York, Lagman is visiting LA to attend to mommy duties for her daughter Anya, who is set to attend the University of Southern California (USC).
“She is moving into her new apartment,” she shares. “[I’m] helping her out with unpacking, furnishing, and designing [the place].”
But Lagman is also making the most out of her LA visit to spend more time with her daughter. They do this by eating their way through restaurants and unwinding at the city’s many beaches like Malibu and Santa Monica Pier.
Their absolute favorite activity, however, is museum-hopping.
“My family is into arts, so we enjoy visiting Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) to admire its curations,” she says. “My personal favorite is The Getty Museum because of its impressive architecture. I can come back here a million times or spend the whole day by myself.”
Mark Leviste
Also on parent duty in LA is Leviste, whose daughter Arielle is resuming face-to-face classes as a senior at Pepperdine University in Malibu.
“For the first time since the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, my daughter will move-in back to her campus residence,” he says. “It’s important for me as a parent to see to it that she’ll be safe and well-settled amidst the pandemic.”
As the trip also coincided with Manny Pacquiao’s fight, the family took the chance to watch the show and support the boxing champion.
But LA is also the family’s second home. In fact, pre-pandemic, his family, along with friends based in the city, celebrated numerous milestones and holidays at their LA residence.
“We enjoy the climate, culture, and vibes of LA. It’s like home away from home,” he says.
Leviste says he and his family particularly enjoys the city’s safety for travellers during the pandemic, which then allows them to come to their favorite food places in LA like Lawry’s The Prime Rib in Beverly Hills and Nobu, a Japanese restaurant in Malibu.
“These are our must-visit places,” he says. “This is our ‘common ground’ as a family.”
When they’re not out and about for food, the “adventurous” family also hikes to the Hollywood sign, cruises to Catalina Island, and visits nearby cities like San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Palm Springs.
He also takes his eldest son, Ronin, golfing.
“[It] is our passion,” he adds. “[We] make it a point to book a round or two at some of the world’s best golf courses in California.”
JM Rodriguez
Family is also the reason why Rodriguez is in LA. It’s his cousin’s wedding anniversary in nearby Las Vegas.
He also seeks for a semblance of normalcy, something that he, as someone who is in the clubbing industry, has been missing terribly.
“Our outlets have been closed for almost a year and a half back home,” he says. “I knew that LA and Las Vegas had opened their nightlife venues and I really miss the feeling of being out in a club.”
Some of his favorite clubs in LA include Poppy, which reminds him of Revel in Taguig; Bootsy Bellows, a David Arquette-owned, Vaudeville-inspired spot; and Warwick, a lounge serving curated cocktails.
“It was such a good feeling to be in a club the first time I arrived in LA. [I just love] the ambiance and the crowd, which is a mix of actors, models. and young entrepreneurs of Hollywood,” he says. “I wish this could happen to us in Manila soon.”
Banner Photo of Mark, Ronin, Arielle, and C2 Leviste by Dong Ronquillo
