I recently visited Spencer Lewis in his Boyle Heights studio. Lewis works on raw supports—drop cloth, linen, even plywood—pushing paint, stapling, sanding, and repainting until color reads like construction and seams stay visible. Stay tuned for our upcoming podcast–recording live in his studio! HIs paintings and sculptures are a useful lens for Downtown: as you move through MOCA, shops, and side streets, look for places where craft meets industry and where touch and abrasion remain part of the surface.
Here are a number of places I try to visit when in Los Angeles.
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
MOCA maintains two key locations in Downtown LA: the Grand Avenue flagship and the Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo. The Geffen, originally a police car warehouse, offers a vast, industrial setting well-suited to large-scale and experimental installations. The Grand Avenue building houses the museum’s permanent collection and rotating exhibitions in a more traditional gallery environment. Together, the two sites present a wide-ranging view of contemporary art, from bold, emerging voices to influential global figures. Recent exhibitions have included artists such as Henry Taylor, Tala Madani, and Josh Kline, reflecting MOCA’s ongoing commitment to challenging and relevant work.
Dover Street Market Los Angeles
Part fashion destination, part immersive environment, Dover Street Market brings together high-concept retail with a gallery-like experience. Each designer—ranging from Comme des Garçons to streetwear upstarts—gets their own uniquely constructed display, making every visit feel like a curated journey through current fashion culture. The store is known for its rotating installations, exclusive collaborations, and a retail philosophy that prioritizes discovery and creativity over conventional browsing.
Now Serving
Now Serving is a specialty cookbook store located inside Far East Plaza. Small but remarkably curated, it offers a deep selection of titles from around the world, with an emphasis on culinary craft and storytelling. Whether you’re looking for a hard-to-find regional cookbook or a contemporary food memoir, the store’s knowledgeable staff and thoughtful layout make it a rewarding stop for home cooks and food lovers alike.
Cake Girl
Located inside St. Louis Pharmacy in Boyle Heights, Cake Girl is a vegan bakery known for its inclusive and flavor-forward approach to baking. Everything is also gluten--free, which makes this the ideal place for me to pick up a sweet! The shop’s standout offerings—like their snickerdoodle cupcakes and confetti cookie sandwiches—strike a balance between nostalgic and inventive. It's a sweet stop with a loyal following and a welcoming, neighborhood feel.
6th Street Viaduct (Ribbon of Light)
Linking the Arts District to Boyle Heights, the new 6th Street Bridge designed by Michael Maltzan is a clean sweep of steel arches with wide pedestrian and bike paths—part infrastructure, part public promenade. Go at golden hour or after dusk when the LEDs come on; you’ll get clear views of the downtown skyline and the LA River. It’s a simple experience that Spencer recommended that gives one a read on how the city is remaking itself.
James Irvine Japanese Gardena
Tucked behind the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Little Tokyo, the James Irvine Japanese Garden is a quiet retreat amid the city’s buzz. Designed with traditional Japanese landscaping principles, the garden features a long, winding stream, stone lanterns, and carefully placed foliage that create a sense of calm and balance. It’s an ideal spot to rest, reflect, or simply take in a slower pace during a day of exploring. There are few places I enjoy being as such as in a Japanese garden. And this one is special!
While many of my itineraries are built around walking, this one leans into LA’s unofficial motto: "why walk when you can drive?" With stops that span Little Tokyo, the Arts District, and Boyle Heights, this route may require a few short drives. DTLA holds space for opposites: performance and stillness, urgency and peace. Exploring here is a reminder that the city is always offering something new—if you take the time to notice.
