1. Cafe Gratitude

What a great way to start off the day! This place is trendy and delicious. Cafe Gratitude has six locations in Southern California- L.A, Venice, Newport and San Diego. Their menu offers groovy cocktails, colorful salads and bowls, hardy entrees and mouth-watering brunch options- which is what I experienced. The second my eyes saw “cinnamon bun” I knew it was going to be a good day. I immediately ordered it. And then inhaled it. It wasn’t too sweet or too messy, but man, did it hit the spot. I also got the Chilaquiles which were smothered in avocado. Can you say YUM? And my friend couldn’t resist the acai bowl; it was the perfect mixture between creamy and sorbet. Obviously my spoon made its way over. So you get it- the food was bomb.com, but what really won me over was my drink. I wish I could tell you the name of it..but it wasn’t even on the current menu. I showed my waitress a picture I had seen on yelp, and next thing I knew, I had this electric blue drink in my hand. Hands down best drink I’ve ever had at brunch. Thanks for a chic ambiance & an event better meal!

2.  The Green Table Cafe

Is it weird if I’ve only been here once, and I’m already obsessed with it? Don’t judge me. The Green Table Cafe is an Italian-inspired cafe started by Led and Britney, husband and wife. How cute is that? You can tell their items are hand-picked (or hand-made I should say) and so is there staff. Every person made me feel welcomed. Now even though this is your average size cafe, I somehow still felt overwhelmed. So many drinks- so many bowls- so little time. From elixir shots, espresso drinks, organic smoothies, superfood bowls, to a full lunch menu AND vegan desserts.. I didn’t know where to begin. My rosy cheeks must have hinted at my anxiety. Thankfully, the barista chimed in to help me make a decision. I went with The Field of Flowers: Banana, Tocos protein, almond butter, maple syrup & hemp milk blended together and topped with fresh banana, almond butter, hemp seeds & maple syrup. The bowl was a little sweet for me; I should’ve have had it as a dessert or asked for more almond butter to bring out the savory taste. It reminded me of banana fosters. As for my drink- I wish I could order that every day. I ordered a Turmeric Latte, and it was so refreshing as well as energizing! The baristas also mentioned that this latte was the best for a Instagram pic! Bloggers love this spot for a reason. I highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a cute cafe to get some work done and if you’re a coffee/smoothie lover!

3. Gracias Madre 

This restaurant is right in Weho near Santa Monica Blvd, and it might be the epitome of doing (vegan) brunch in LA. Atmosphere, food, and service were on point. First of all, I love Mexican food, I mean who doesn’t? So I had high expectations as soon as I walked in. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and had a modern, upscale, and Latin feel to it. I wish I took pictures of the decor, but I was too focused on how amazing my food was. I ordered the Guacamole Con Tortillas which I drooled over. For my entree I had the Tacos which consisted of barbecue jackfruit carnitas, cashew crema, pickled cabbage, crispy onion, and black beans. So how did I wash down all this amazing Mexican food? With their snow cone drink, La Quinceañera- tequila blanco, kiwi, mint, lime bitters, hielo raspado. Not only was this drink colorful and fun, it paired so well with my meal. The subtle hints of tequila mixed with the shaved ice made for refreshingly tasty drink. Good thing we were on a time-limit. Otherwise I would have ordered four more. Gracias, Gracias Madre for the upbeat ambiance & divine Mexican food. This place will definitely be seeing my face again.

P.S. Gracias Madre and Cafe Gratitude are sister restaurants. No wonder they’re both on my list.

4. Crossroads

Can you feel the love tonight? Romance is definitely in the air at Crossroads on Melrose. Whether your parents are in town or you’re having a date night, Crossroads is my number one recommendation. This classy restaurant puts a twist on your typical Seafood and Italian dish. I ordered vegan scallops referred to as the Grilled Maitake Mushrooms- baby artichokes / celery root and potato purée / white wine caper butter sauce. The culinary skills are impressive here. The mushrooms had the same texture as scallops. I was shocked. It’s no secret this is an upscale restaurant. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and friendly too. He recommended the “scallops” as well as my main course- Tagliatelle Bolognese. This was the best thing I had eaten all day. I also just love Italian food. This dish was creamy and tasteful and best of all- it was vegan, so I never felt sluggish afterwards. My taste buds were in heaven at this place.

5. Sage Plant Based Bistro

Sage might be the most well-known out of the five restaurants. Think of the Cheesecake Factory- but VEGAN. Sage has a colossal menu- from brunch, to a extensive lunch and dinner menu, and (thankfully) an entire dessert list. They offer shakes, home-made goods such as warm bread pudding, brownies, muffins, ice cream and cakes (yes, even cheesecake). So why did I go with ice cream instead of gooey brownies or thick cheesecake? Because. I have a problem. I ordered Strawberry Ice-Cream which I instantly regretted. I was just too full from eating (for practically a small village) all day. I will 100% be returning to give a proper review because obviously ice cream is hard to mess up. It was delicious, and how could it not be? Coconut milk makes everything rich in flavor. Good news is Sage isn’t going anywhere any time soon so I can redeem myself. They have three restaurants, one food truck, and they even happen to be at Coachella this year! Cheers to seeing Sage (& other vegan restaurants) at more festivals & street food fairs!

1. GUYS WE’VE F*CKED

I am not exaggerating when I say I have almost peed myself while listening to this podcast. Guys We’ve F*cked is run by Corrine Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson. And let me tell you, I have never felt like more of a fan girl. I secretly wish they would be my friend- or adopt me. Whatever.

First of all, these badasses are from the East Coast- so you know they keep it one-hundred. They continue to have open, honest and non-judgmental conversations throughout their show. Whether they look into sexual taboos, give advice, share their personal stories, or invite guest speakers on, each episode is empowering, captivating and hilarious. However, this podcast is not for those of you who have sensitive ears.. These NYC based babes love to drop F-bombs. Can you tell?

If you can get passed the profound language, then you’re in for the best “anti-slut shamming” podcast you’ve ever heard. I even called my mom after listening to a two hour episode and told her I felt like I had just watched a movie. You bet I made her download it! I’d recommend this podcast if you need a good laugh- some advice in the bedroom- or a self-esteem booster. 

2. GOAL DIGGER

I’ve always wanted an older sister- and when I met Jenna (well sort of), I felt like I finally got one. Jenna Kutcher is the host of Goal Digger- a podcast that offers inspiration and motivation and not in the intimidating way.

Maybe some of you know her as the girl who took a $300 craigslist camera and turned it into a 7 figure empire- or the girl who’s from Wisconsin and loves Mac N cheese. Either way, her advice and insight is powerful. 

Jenna keeps it honest and real, and the best part is that she shows up as herself. She’s never pretending to be something she’s not and to me that is the coolest thing anyone could do. Jenna is constantly giving out free workshops and hacks to the social media and marketing world. 

Her love and support feels unconditional. Jenna genuinely routes for us- no matter how big or small our dreams are. She says right on her website, “ If I can be that permission granter in your life that whispers: “you really can do this” while the rest of the world is provoking doubt… then I’ll consider my job done.” 

Thanks for the workshops, inspiration, tips and tricks, funny stories, and helping us pursue our passions. No wonder if you look up “favorite podcasts” on any platform- I guarantee this will be on the list.

3. SMALL DOSES WITH AMANDA SEALES

I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve already heard of Amanda Seales. She’s an artist, comedian, actress, musician and straight up hustla’. Amanda has done it all, which makes her extremely credible when it comes to giving advice. She constantly makes us think, which hopefully, leads to change. 

Each episode she brings powerful insight and shares her personal experiences. Her topics surround issues most of us are familiar with. She takes serious matters and uses humor to impact people- without lecturing them. And that my friends, is a true skill. Amanda is known for keeping it real,which in turn can feel like tough-love. Tough-love can be hard to hear, but the best thing about it is that the person giving it, usually cares.. a lot.

Everyone needs an Amanda in their life- someone that has your back but never hides from the truth. I wish I had known about this podcast while I was in college. I think it would’ve guided me along the way. Maybe the titles can show you what I’m referring to: “Side Effects of Fuckboys,” “Side Effects of Being Broke,” “Side Effects of Insecurity,” and “Side of Effects of Toxic Relationships.” 

4. UP AND VANISHED

I have never binge listened to a podcast- I didn’t even think that was a thing?  From the first episode, I was hooked. Talk about love-at-first-podcast.

Up and Vanished is created by Payne Lindsey, a 30-year old documentary film-maker who lives in Georgia. He aims to tell real life stories – and his podcast does the same. 

Up and Vanished revolves around a real-life missing person’s case- Tara Grinstead. Payne explains, “What started as an experiment to explore a story turned into a mission for the truth.” I’ll be the first to tell you, nail-biting and spine-chilling don’t even begin to describe it. The way he told the story, the way it unfolded- I felt like I was watching a true-crime Netflix series. This podcast had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Payne is extremely talented, and it’s amazing that he’s not an investigator in real life. If you’re into thrillers or true-crime stories, this is one’s for you. This podcast also makes for the perfect road-trip. Happy Binging!

5. REAL TALK RADIO

What comes to mind when I listen to Real Talk Radio by Nicole Antionette? Think Humans of New York — takes on a podcast. But better. One question Nicole asks is, “What does it look like to choose courage over comfort?” Nicole focuses on social justice issues and takes on stereotypes by interviewing a variety of people. “Each season, I sit down with eight refreshingly imperfect people to have unfiltered conversations about what’s really going on in our lives.” 

I haven’t found a podcast quite like this one before; it’s like a breath of fresh air. Nicole makes it very clear that she’s not here to lecture us or tell us how to jump-start our career. She’s simply here to share stories, have honest conversations and embrace this crazy thing called life. She’s not afraid of imperfection and admires people who aren’t afraid to be themselves. To each their own, Nicole! 

This is the perfect podcast if you need a reminder that it’s ok to be different! Listen to any episode, and it will show you how much good there is in the world.