A Ballerina Abroad: Day 3 of our Hip and Healthy Guide to Los Angeles

By Saskia Gregson-Williams

Day 3 

Hoorah, I slept till six am, which means seven solid hours of sleep and I definitely feel more energetic because of it. Once up, dressed and ready for the day we headed to The Urth Caffe on main street in Venice. This chain is spread right across LA, so when in doubt find an Urth (also it’s great for  the odd bit of celeb spotting.) The food is all fresh and organic and very, very tasty. We all ordered the Organic Oatmeal, with a side of fresh berries and steamed almond milk.

After breakfast we met a friend at Yoga-Hop on Montana avenue. This sweaty, cardio take on typical zen yoga, is more workout then meditation. It relaxes you while you push your body to a brilliant pumping soundtrack. The teacher, Matthew Reyes, is really encouraging and very welcoming to newcomers. A brilliant yet challenging class and a great workout and a great platform to start the day. Luckily you don’t necessarily have to fly to LA to take a fun California style yoga, great classes in Fulham with Nick Ryder at Yoga LA  (check out www.yogla.co.uk).

Changed and showered after a rather sweaty morning we went to Lululemon Athletica in Brentwood. Now open just off the Kings Road in London, but like most things in the US this is a much bigger outlet. Racks and racks of great comfy yoga/ running/ cycling sportswear in all different colours, shapes and sizes – it’s a hip and healthy fave. The shop is brimming with positive energy mostly  to do with all the motivational mood boards hung around the place. I left with two items: an orange sports bra and a pair of striped running trousers. Fairly expensive, but worth every penny as the quality of the clothes are great and you can be assured they will last a long time.

Midday and we are hunnnngry! Off to Euphoria loves Rawvolution on main street. This all raw, organic, gluten and soy-free café is incredible; a large menu so full with yummy things I had to close my eyes and point at random to choose. I went for the Tiger roll (filled with  curry paper, veggies, avocado and a sweet chilli dip) this raw wrap, was so light and delicious, I didn’t want it to end. I also ordered  the popular Superfood Salad (kale, avocado, flax-oil, tomatoes, and green Dr. Schultze’s superfood powder). A wonderful meal at a fantastic positive place which totally embraces the “your body is your temple” philosophy. Everything is prepared fresh on site and stock the finest local produce. Love, love, love.

After lunch we ventured down Main Street, packed with great shops such as Planet Blue and funky Boho style boutiques. I love this area not just for the shops but the amazing graffiti art. Pictures, inspiring words you name it – it just makes you feel good in a way that only LA can.

For dinner we went to Santa Monica Seafood. A fish and seafood store on Wiltshire with a restaurant and cafe situated inside. The atmosphere is great; lots of locals enjoying the freshest seafood southern California offers. We all had a really enjoyable meal. A great, quick and easy, no-fuss little restaurant. Perfect when you want a healthy fresh seafood dish, a conversation with friends (you can actually hear) and a vibrant all American atmosphere.