MCC co-founder Sara shares her insider's guide to LA with top tips for shopping, restaurants and places to visit
As one of MCC’s founder members, Sara leads a busy life and likes to take an annual month-long family vacation to Los Angeles with her husband and children. Here she tells us about her most recent trip, booked, of course, with the help of our experts in the Bookings team. To book your trip to LA, or anywhere else in the world, contact our Bookings service, or message a member of the team via WhatsApp on +966 533 633 607.
Here's Sara's secret LA :
Home is...
I live in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with my beautiful family – my husband and my kids, Haya 11, Noura 10, Khaled 6 and Mashael 18 months.
Where did you stay in LA?
We stayed in Beverly Hills because we love it so much – it’s quiet and you can take lovely walks to admire all the beautiful homes. It’s so laid back. There are also nice cafés and restaurants within walking distance – and great shopping!
Did MCC help with reservations?
Why of course! I can’t live without MCC. Everyone on the team is so professional and they were able to secure all the reservations I wanted, and on the rare occasion something wasn't available, they suggested some excellent alternatives. They're so knowledgeable and helpful.
What’s your favorite part of town?
Honestly it’s really hard to decide. What I love about LA is that if you want city life you can find it; if you want a beach you can find it; if you want mountains they're right there on the doorstep – it depends on my mood. If I had to choose it would be Downtown for the city, Huntington Beach for the ocean, and Griffith Park Observatory Trails for mountain views. The observatory is up in the hills with amazing views all around it.
Which stores do you like to visit?
I’m a sneaker freak. I always look for comfort – the brand Allbirds in DTLA (Downtown LA) was my most visited store this year. I'd definitely recommend it.
Best meal?
So many new restaurants opened after the pandemic and it’s been really interesting to try some of them. My favorite so far is Bicyclette. It’s French cuisine. The onion tart is out of this world! Their escargots are beautifully presented in puff pastry and they have many more amazing dishes.
Favorite place for a coffee?
La Colombe – the Beverly Hills branch is a great spot for a morning coffee.
Your go-to brunch (or lunch) spot?
For lunch we love the Merois rooftop restaurant at the Pendry West Hollywood hotel on Sunset Boulevard. It’s almost worth going for the beautiful views alone, but the menu is by award-winning chef Wolfgang Puck and features Japanese, Southeast Asian and California French dishes.
If you could buy any building in LA and live there, what would it be?
There are so many interesting ones to choose from, but on balance I think I would buy a home with an absolutely stunning view.
What’s your favorite cultural or tourist attraction in LA?
Tricky question. LA doesn't have the same cultural heritage as somewhere like London or Paris, but I think I would have to go with the iconic Beverly Hill Hotel. It was built in 1912, and gave its name to the exclusive neighbourhood that grew up around it. It has such a fascinating history and, of course, associations with the Golden Age of Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor were frequent guests, back in the day, as was Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack who used the hotel as their favoured spot to hangout.
What’s your secret LA?
On this visit, for me it was Little Tokyo – the downtown area with the largest official Japantown in the USA. My kids are so into anime and ramen and this was just the place to find both! We visited quite often and found the restaurants so authentic.
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