Sydney has been in Los Angeles for eight years and runs brand marketing for Beis, the travel accessories label built around the idea that the journey is the destination. She lives near The Grove, starts most mornings with a run through the Beverly Hills Flats or a Hot Pilates class, and has a circle of friends who spend evenings at her apartment so often that it has a name: The Girl Palace.
She’s been in LA long enough to have real opinions about neighborhoods: to know which restaurants are worth returning to, to explain the ins and outs of the daytime scene, and to understand that the version of LA worth living in looks nothing like the one in the brochure.
Here’s how she does it:
Pick a neighborhood, not an itinerary
Sydney’s approach to a day in LA is to start in one neighborhood and let the rest follow. “Every area has its own energy, appetite, and personality,” she says. “I choose one, anchor it around a meal or an experience, and let the rest happen.”
On a Saturday, that usually means The Platform in Culver City or The Grove. A good meal is the center of gravity. Bianca, Bacari W 3rd, Sushi Fumi, Yume. Places where you can sit for a while, order more than enough to go around, and not feel rushed. By evening she’s at Alba, Rvr, or somewhere new worth getting dressed for. If the group has some energy to spare, she’ll stop by Bar Benjamin or Andy’s, or the GasLite for karaoke.
Her advice for visitors: don’t over-plan. “LA is not a checklist city,” she notes. “The best parts happen when you’re a little lost, when you follow a random recommendation, when you let the day unfold.” Most of the best spots, she says, are not where you’d think to look.
She also points to The Proper in Santa Monica as a hotel that’s figured out its identity in a way that stands apart from the (perhaps overdone) California Coastal aesthetic. Every detail feels considered, elevated, timeless—without being overworked. You notice it whether you’re working in the lobby or having a drink on the roof. As someone who works in brand, she pays attention to this.
The escape: Malibu, every time
When Sydney wants to feel like she’s not in the city, she goes to Malibu. In particular, The Surfrider, Calamigos Guest Ranch, or Hotel June. “It’s quiet, it’s beautiful, it smells like the ocean, and you slow down without trying. Add a pool and I’m done,” she says. “I could stay in Malibu forever.”
For the two that are bookable by the day on ResortPass, the vibes are distinct: Calamigos is tucked into the Malibu hills, ranch-style, lush and shaded, the kind of place that feels genuinely removed from the city (you’ll pass horses grazing on the hilly drive up). Hotel June sits closer to the coast with a more design-forward sensibility, a pool that draws a crowd, and energy that reads more modern Malibu than old California.
Sydney’s picks: Top ResortPass properties in Los Angeles
For the Malibu reset: Calamigos Ranch Resort & Spa
Three hundred private acres in the Malibu mountains, and the only luxury spa in Malibu. The spa pool and hot tub sit outdoors; inside there’s a sauna, cold plunge, salt room, and relaxation lounge. Day pass options offer spa and pool access, or you can add a treatment and make a full afternoon of it. It’s tucked into Latigo Canyon rather than on the coast, which is exactly the point: quieter, more removed, and a completely different version of what a Malibu day can look like.
For a Beverly Hills afternoon: The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Rooftop pool on Santa Monica Boulevard with the kind of service that justifies the address. Access is cabana-only: private shaded cabana with a dedicated attendant, complimentary bottle of rosé or prosecco, fruit plate, cold press juices, and poolside food and drink service from The Roof Garden throughout the day. It’s the kind of afternoon Sydney is describing when she talks about picking a neighborhood and going all in on it. Beverly Hills, done properly.
For the Santa Monica day: Santa Monica Proper Hotel
This is the hotel Sydney named when asked which LA spot has nailed its identity. There’s a pool worth spending the whole afternoon, plus a rooftop bar worth staying late. Book a poolside alcove featuring banquette-style sectional seating for up to 6 people and your own personal server bringing you food and drink at your leisure (food and drink for purchase separately).
Looking for your own version of the perfect LA day? Browse ResortPass properties in Los Angeles
