TMD's Guide to LA, NY, & Paris

Three Cities & Three Bags

I’m often asked for recommendations around different cities, good shopping, and of course…good vintage. So, I thought I’d merge all three into a bonafide TMD guide: three of my favorite cities and what products are in my bag for each.

While many think I’m a New Yorker (which I take as a compliment), I’m born and raised in Los Angeles. Having a European parent, any trip we took was always to see family in Europe (we always had somewhere free to sleep with family- a major perk if you ask me), so I’ve been going to Paris and Berlin mainly since I was 7! Surprisingly, New York I only discovered two months post college graduation… long before TMD was even a thought. I stayed with my college crush, visited the top of the Empire state building, ate street hot dogs, and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Since then, I’m pleased to say my taste has refined - so much so that I’m honored to produce this guide alongside my friends at We Love Coco. See below for some of my favorite recs in three of my favorite places…and of course what’s in my bag for each city.

Los Angeles:

What’s in the LA Bag:

Obviously LA is known for its sunshine and strong UV rays. I wasn’t a sun screen wearer for the longest time until I discovered Chanel’s SPF. Honestly Chanel’s UV ESSENTIEL Sunscreen converted me (idk if its the smell, chicness, or packaging) but I am fully obsessed and keep one in my bag and one at home at all times. It’s also one of the few sunscreens that doesn’t break me out. Chanel’s OMBRE ESSENTIELLE in Lilas Poudrè (the purple eyeshadow) is also one of my favorites- perfect for reflecting the LA sunshine and if you have brown, hazel, or green eyes, the purple truly makes them pop. I love to smudge it on with a finger. Lastly, its not a night on the town without LA BASE MASCARA - I’ve been using it for years and love it.

The LA Guide:

Growing up in LA means that everything below has had 28 years of strict refinement behind it. I consider myself a very harsh judge (aka I dont fall for LA’s trendiness) and have basically seen or tried everything there is in LA - so don’t take these recs lightly!

To eat:

• Escuela Taqueria (best NICE ambiance for Mexican food and amazing drinks- also an LA staple)

• Guisados (for quick and amazing tacos)

• Burger She Wrote (amazing smash burgers)

• In-N-Out (duh)

• Sushi Fumi (best sushi in LA. I won’t budge on this- your whole party must show up at 5 PM sharp if you dont want to wait for a table for two hours)

• Cholada (a wonderful hidden Malibu spot if you’re feeling Thai)

• Tony Tavernas (some of my favorite Sunday evenings are spent here- make a reservation)

• Pho Saigon Pearl (my neighborhood spot, great quick Pho to make you feel good inside)

• Pampas Grill (amazing Brazilian food, I live for the Garlic noodles and grilled serloin cap)

• Sunset Tower (for the ambiance not food- make a reservation)

• Chateau Marmont (for the ambiance not food- make a reservation)

• Laurel Hardware (amazing West Hollywood hot spot- I live for their crispy rice salad and truffle fries- make a reservation)

• Cento (best Italian in LA in my opinion- get the Farro Salad, Hamachi Crudo, and for pasta get the spricy pomodoro and sweet corn agnolotti- make a reservation)

To shop:

• RLT Vintage (best vintage Levi’s and basics- all my jeans come from here)

• Reformation Vintage

• Brentwood Country Mart

• Surfing Cowboys (good vintage in Malibu Country Mart)

• Decades Melrose (good archival vintage)

• Santa Maria Novella

• Larchmont Beauty

• Ghiaia Cashmere Pasadena (for menswear)

• Scout

• Violet Grey

• Just One Eye

• Toteme

To do:

• Malibu Country Mart

  • If you want to do a beach day, the only good beaches in LA in my opinion are in Malibu. Here’s a perfect day for you: Drive to the Malibu Country Mart, park there as there is plenty of free parking which is a rarity, walk across the street to the beach there and swim/ chill for a few hours, walk back, go to Tony Tavernas for dinner and drinks (but make a res). For dessert, the gas station at the country mart has Dip-N-Dots. Best day ever.

• Hiking:

  • Los Liones Trail in Pacific Palisades

  • Franklyn Canyon in Beverly Hills

  • Temescal Canyon in Pacific Palisades

  • Runyon if you want a quick walk but not that impressive in my humble opinion.

  • Griffith observatory

• Melrose Place

  • Cute street with good shopping and stores

• Larchmont

  • Plenty of great restaurants and stores on this street. I love going on a Sunday when the Farmers Market is in full swing.

  • Stop at Larchmont Beauty Supply

• Rose Bowl Flea Market

  • Happens the second sunday of every month

• Los Felix Flea Market

New York:

What’s in the NY Bag:

I save my red lips for two places- NY and Paris. Something about a red lip in NYC feels extremely bold and chic. Personally don’t think any other brand does a red lip like Chanel… they are French after-all. For a red lip, I wear ROUGE ALLURE Luminous Matte Lip Colour in Rouge Charnel. One of my all time favorites that I’ve talked about before is Chanel’s Lip and Cheek Balm in the shade Lively Rosewood (which Margot Robbie wears). It’s the perfect size for a bag and quick touch up for lips cheeks or eyelids which you often need in NYC when running around.

The NY Guide:

To Eat:

• The Nines

• Ralph Lauren Polo Bar

• BG Restaurant/ bar at the 7th floor of Bergdorf Goodmans (amazing view of the park)

• Miznon at Chelsea Market

• Dowling’s at the Carlyle (for a fancy evening)

• Froyo at Butterfields Market

• Tals Bagels

• The Django

• Balthazar

• Rafs

• Cafe Cluny

• The Polo Bar

• Bemellmans Bar (my favorite on a Saturday night)

• Sant Amberose princess cake

• Lil Frankies pasta limone & dirty martini (this is my death row meal)

• BonBon NYC

• Monkey Bar

• Don Angie

• Il Cantinori

• King (18 King street)

To Do:

• Blue Note Jazz Club

• Noguchi Museum

• Extra Large Dip N Dots from the Zoo cafeteria in Central Park- a perfect afternoon

• Balthazar (sit alone at the bar and you’ll get a free glass of champagne)

• The Met

• Bemellmans Bar (favorite activity is to sit there on a Saturday night and listen to the piano man)

• The Invisible Collective

• Facial at Hotel Chelsea Spa (never had a more relaxing afternoon- also a great gift for someone)

• A rainy day at the Guggenheim

• The Morgan Library & Museum

• Lévy Gorvy Dayan gallery

To Shop:

• Uptown:

  • Ralph Lauren

  • Still Here NY

  • The Row

  • Agnes B.

  • Cartier Mansion (for browsing fun)

  • Bergdorf Goodman shoe & home department specifically

  • Chanel High Jewlery store (for browsing fun)

• Atterse

• China Town:

  • James Veloria

  • Sandy Liang

  • Beverly’s Shop

• Atelier Beauté CHANEL (120 Wooster St)

• Coming Soon

• Tiffany & Co Flagship (I love the Elsa Peretti Section)

• Dana Foley

• Pharmacies:

  • Zitomers

  • CO Bigelow

  • New London Pharmacy

  • Stanley’s Pharmacy

• Sleepwear

  • Illisa’s Vintage Lingerie

  • Laina Jane

  • Schweitzer Linen

• A day in Soho:

  • Sporty & Rich

  • Khaite

  • What Goes Around Comes Around

  • Drakes (for men)

  • Rowing Blazers (for men)

  • The Frankie Shop

• Brooklyn:

  • Orseund Iris

  • Tangerine

  • Stella Dallas

Paris:

What’s in the Paris Bag:

Paris, just like New York, always consists of a lot of running around for me… just with slightly chicer essentials. The last time I was in Paris I walked around the entire city with one of my best friends who’s a native. Paris is actually where I discovered the joy of a Chanel Beauty store and prayed for one to open in LA from the time I entered it (5 years later we got one). When in Paris my bag essentials include: COCO MADEMOISELLE Hair Perfume, LA CRÈME MAIN (as many of you have seen in TMD content, that cream goes everywhere with me- especially when I travel), and HYDRA BEAUTY Nourishing Lip Care (because the only other form of hydration I receive in Paris is in a Diet Coke bottle).

The Paris Guide:

To Shop:

• Vintage

  • Thanx God I’m a V.I.P.

  • Relic

  • Bis - boutique solidaire, in the upper Marais

  • Vintage Clothing Paris

  • Brut (for men)

  • Valois Vintage Paris (amazing but expensive archival Chanel)

  • Vintage Madeleine

  • Les 3 Marches de Catherine B

• Vintage Markets

  • Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves

  • Marché aux puces de Montreuil

  •  Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen

• Department Stores:

  • Bon Marche

  • Galaries Lafayette

• Officine Buly

• Picasso Museum

• Palais Du Tokyo

• Centre Pompidou

To Eat:

• Ralph Lauren Restaurant

• L’aus Du Fallafel

• Bar Hemingway

• Café de Flore

• The Terrace (bar on top of Galeries Lafayette with an amazing view of the city)

• Forest by Palias Du Tokyo (amazing Mediterranean)

• LouLou

• Giraffe

To Do:

• Drinks at Hotel Costes

• Movie night at Plaza Athenee

• Sac LeCeur

• Jardin du Luxenbourg

• Sant Ouen Flea Market