Vacations Blog

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

I was at the mall this past weekend (picking up underwear, totally not a luxury item) and was noticing how crowded it was.  What were all these people doing here, spending all of their hard earned cash? Didn’t they realize we were in a recession, heading towards what some experts believe could be a full-blown depression? Shouldn’t they be throwing money towards their mortgage instead of at a new purse at Macy’s?

And then I realized that many of these people were not actually carrying bags of purchases.  A lot of them were families, strolling through the mall eating ice cream, or gaggles of teenagers walking and texting at the same time. Because shopping centers aren’t just about the shopping anymore – they’ve become destinations for recreation, socializing and dining.  Here are some of my favorite ‘shopping centers’ in L.A. that are not only good for the occasional impulse buy, but also for a family outing.

The Americana at Brand – this is one of the newest malls in the L.A. area, and for those that can’t bear to be too far away from their Juicy Couture, there are luxury apartments right on the premises.   The L.A. Times summed it up nicely when it described it as “luxurious living and consumptive indulgence.” It’s a great place to walk around, and an old-fashioned double-decker trolley takes you for a tour around the entire grounds.  They have mostly upscale boutiques here – Ed Hardy, Kate Spade and Kitson, with H&M thrown in for the bargain hunters. We did more snacking and people-watching the last time we were there; the $145 t-shirt that my daughter wanted was not in the budget for that week.

The Grove – This is one of my favorite places to shop and hang out, but mostly for the old Farmer’s Market that is located just west of the newly developed shopping plaza.  I prefer wandering around the stalls of produce to plunking down a week’s worth of pay for a pair of socks at Nordstroms, but that’s just me. Also, you’d be better off grabbing a meal at one of the many outdoor eateries in the old Farmer’s Market – better, more original food than what you’ll find at The Grove, where the Cheesecake Factory is the most popular choice.  (Call me crazy, but I’ve never quite grasped the appeal of the Cheesecake Factory – overpriced, gut-busting, gazillion-calorie portions of mediocre food.) But head on over to The Grove for their Vegas-style water show that takes place in the central fountain every 30-minutes.  The kids love it, and you might just catch a sale at the Crate and Barrel located nearby.

The Beverly Center – This is truly an L.A. shopping experience, not just because of the multiple levels of stores, but you’re guaranteed to see a celebrity or two.  I once stood in line behind Brooke Shields buying pantyhose at Bloomingdales, and a friend once (literally) bumped into Nicolas Cage.

Third Street Promenade – Not really a shopping center as much as a shopping corridor, the Promenade is one of the most popular places to shop, eat and relax in an outdoor setting.  Just blocks away from the beaches of Santa Monica, it’s a great place to just grab a coffee and a seat and enjoy the various amateur performers that are a popular draw.  The Good: Seis Cuerdas.  The Not So Good:  The guy doing a really bad Michael Jackson impersonation to a horribly scratched recording of ‘Billie Jean.’

Photo: Stock.Xchng

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

Are the triple-digit temperatures getting you down? How about immersing yourself in a vat of bubbling hot water? Believe it or not, it can be a refreshing experience, as long as you’re in a Jacuzzi at a nice spa. In other words, don’t try this at home.

Here are some spa retreats that you might want to check out for a cooling, calming break from the summer heat. Don’t forget to hydrate!

A popular destination for spa-loving Angelenos, Burke Williams is a chain so there’s probably one close to where you are. Definitely in the upscale realm of spas, they offer a standard menu of massages, facial treatments and spa facilities in lush surroundings. I’ve been to the Pasadena and Santa Monica locations, and while I got a decent massage at both, I found the experience unremarkable considering the steep price: $125 for only a 50 minute session, much more than what I’ve paid at other spas. Perhaps you’re lucky enough to have a rich friend (or husband) who will gift you with the $790 all day spa experience, titled ‘A Day Beyond’ (apparently they left out the words, ‘My Budget.’)

For a more down-to-earth experience why not try the Beverly Hot Springs, located in Koreatown. This no-frills spa boasts L.A.’s only pure-alkaline mineral water spa, and also a celebrity clientele. I tried to impress at a party once by telling them how I had seen Brooke Shields in the lobby, but was quickly trumped by someone else who had seen Madonna, naked, in the boiling-hot spring pool. Their prices are reasonable – $30 will get you the use of the hot springs and for another $60 you can have my favorite, the Body Care treatment, which consists of a 50-minute massage and skin conditioning session using milk, oil and cucumber. Besides feeling great, you come out of there smelling like a nice salad.

If you’re really feeling crazy on one of those sweltering days, why not drive for two hours to the blazing hot desert to Two Bunch Palms. Located on what was once Al Capone’s hideout in Desert Hot Springs, this resort is also a celeb favorite – Meryl Streep and Bette Midler have been known to escape to this ultra luxurious resort. Known for theier mineral springs, they also offer a full menu of spa and pampering services ranging from a standard Swedish massage (a fairly reasonable $115 for 60 minutes) to something called Watsu, which has you “cradled in the water in the amrs of your therapist” while your receive a shiatsu treatment. Sounds a little freaky to me, but whatever floats your boat, er, body.