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The South Coast Plaza condition
Longtime Orange County writer Gustavo Arellano heads to Curbed LA to discuss all things South Coast Plaza, the mega-OC shopping center that is a not-so-quiet haven for the rich.
Interestingly, the mall has some surprisingly humble beginnings but has since gone on to become a multi-billion-dollar enterprise packed with luxury shops catering to the internationally wealthy, and restaurants for all to enjoy. Even Top Chef contestant Amar Santana is building a bigger foothold at the property these days, introducing a food hall to go along with his massively popular restaurant Vaca across the street. As the rise of mall restaurants hits Los Angeles hard, it seems clear that at least in Orange County, South Coast Plaza still reigns supreme.
Duff does Pasadena
Duff Goldman has opened up a second location of his Duff’s Cakemix, this time in Pasadena. The shop is meant to be a creative space for folks to come and actually make and decorate cakes themselves, rather than a more traditional takeaway bakery. 165 S. De Lacey Ave., Pasadena.
Meet the team
In just a matter of weeks, the NoMad Hotel will open in Downtown Los Angeles. The sprawling property will also contain a variety of restaurant and bar spaces, and it’s all being overseen, in part, by Daniel Humm, Will Guidara, and the entire NoMad/Eleven Madison Park team in New York City. Here’s Humm showing off the new culinary team working the handful of different kitchens at the new Downtown LA property.
Charles Phan is in town
SF’s Charles Phan has been poking around Los Angeles recently, according to the Instagram account of Sang Yoon. No word yet on when, if ever, his Downtown version of Slanted Door is set to come to life.
Cheap eats abound, still
In an ever more expensive city, inexpensive dining can be hard to come by. Thankfully LA Magazine is on the beat, showing off a variety of sub-$15 meals to enjoy around town.
The Atlantic x Vespertine
The Atlantic is on the case of Vespertine, Jordan Kahn’s dramatic Culver City dining experience. Here he is on camera talking about the beginnings of the restaurant, and offering a peek inside the place itself.
