ALONG COMES MARY

Whether you’re a local or tourist, there’s one part of LA I recommend everyone spend some time: 3rd and Fairfax. There, you will find The Grove, CBS Studios, a Whole Foods perfect for people watching and The Original Farmers Market. Down the street from there, you will hit The Miracle Mile/aka Museum Row with LACMA, La Brea Tar Pits and The Petersen Automotive Museum.

Not bad, all those LA landmarks within a mile of each other! 😉 I recently found myself out there for work and decided to take my break snapping pictures at Farmers Market and The Grove….much fun was had and delicious things were looked at!

(Life size pin wheels welcome you to summer fun at The Grove)

I felt like I walked into Willy Wonka’s factory when I entered Dylan’s Candy Shop! Life size gummy bears, any kind of chocolate you can think of, and fudge samples galore, this is a dream for any kid, or big kid.

Looking for a doughnut? Apparently, Bob’s is the best.

Mr. Marcel’s Market inside The Farmers market, is a shop to be reckoned with. They’ve got a huge space chock full of goodies, from sweets like the candy above….

To jams, spices, sauces, honey….

And a vast assortment of cheeses, which calls for….

Finding a perfect wine….

Or a really big bottle of champagne!

And, don’t forget something pretty to serve your food on….

Then, check out these pastries in their window…

If you head out to 3rd and Fairfax, here are some tips:

There’s a parking lot at Farmers Market, with validation from select shops, but it fills up quickly. I recommend The Grove’s structure, first hour is free and if you dine at one of their eateries (like Marmalade Café) or see a movie at their theatre, they also have validation.

Do NOT park across the street at The Whole Foods Plaza unless you’re actually going to Whole Foods or another store in that center. They’re strict with their 2 hour courtesy parking for shopping at that plaza only.

Come hungry! You can eat yourself silly with everything from pizza, sushi, burgers, sweets, even alligator and other ‘exotic’ meats. (And, gluten-free Italian at Deano’s!)

Mr. Marcel Market also boasts a café & wine bar.

There’s a wide variety of specialty shops, including ones perfect if you’re in search of LA/Hollywood souvenirs (I also love Sticker Planet.)

Bring a reusable bag. You know you will end up with a lot of things &/or leftovers.

Barnes and Noble at The Grove is known for many awesome celebrity book signings. So, if you’re in search of celebs and getting star struck, check out their schedule.

For more info, check out their web-site and don’t forget to grab me some Snickers fudge! 😉 xo