La La Land on the Westside

The musical La La Land starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone is a huge hit, causing people from all over the country to want to know more about Los Angeles as well as the Westside. If you loved the movie, you’ll really love visiting some of the backdrop locations from the movie right outside your own door.

Here are the iconic places on the Westside that you’ll want to see for yourself.

The Lighthouse Cafe – Hermosa Beach

Gosling, in La La Land loves jazz and brings Stone to The Lighthouse Cafe hoping to get her to love jazz, too. In real life, this bistro is truly a jazz hot spot. Starting in May of 1949, the club began showcasing jazz music and put together their own jazz band known as the Lighthouse All-Stars. Along the way, guest musicians such as Miles Davis and Chet Baker were favorites here in the 50’s and 60’s. Even today, jazz music remains, though the cafe now includes country, pop, and salsa nights.

Hermosa Beach Pier – Hermosa Beach

After eating brunch or enjoying a happy hour at The Lighthouse Cafe, consider ending your visit to Hermosa Beach the way Gosling did, with a walk down the Hermosa Beach Pier. This 1904 pier was originally made entirely of wood, but after it washed away a few years later, it was rebuilt with concrete.

So, take a stroll down the 1,000 foot pier into the Pacific. And, if you are feeling really musical, you could try humming a few bars of “City of Stars,” La La Lands theme song.

Jar Restaurant – Between Beverly Grove and West Hollywood

This fabulous retro-modern restaurant is where Mia (Stone) walks out on a double date, leaving her boyfriend behind. Although I don’t recommend leaving your date, you may want to try an amazing steak, pot roast, or the lemon grass chicken cooked by Chef Suzanne Tracht at a restaurant ranked among the city’s best.

If you want to get the whole La La Land experience, you can follow Mia’s trail by walking north on Harper Avenue.

Chateau Marmont Hotel – West Hollywood

Author AM Homes said this about Chateau Marmont, “The place you can most be yourself.” This beautiful hotel comes at the tail end of the movie when Mia knows she’s made it.

This incredible chateau looks like a 1920’s French castle and is well-known for having celebrity guests. Whether you saddle up to the bar for a drink or decide to spend the night, you’ll feel like you’ve arrived.

Of course, there are many more locations to visit in the LA area. Here is a great link to that gives you a timeline map, just in case you want to venture beyond the Westside in search of La La Land sites.  Enjoy!

Categorised in: Blog