A Fit Bottomed Tour of Los Angeles

Kristen came up with the brilliant idea for us all to give readers a “Fit Bottomed Tour” of our towns, showing the fit and healthy places we love to frequent. Kind of like if you came to visit us from out of town — it would be all the places we’d show off! Jenn and Erin have both shared so far. Now it’s the La La Land Girl’s turn. So without further ado…

I’ve lived in Los Angeles for almost eight years now (officially eight on July 29!), and I can honestly say (with embarrassment) that it’s taken me this long to find “my spots” that I can call my own. A city like this takes years to get used to I’m afraid. Lots of people move here to act or make it in whatever dream they’re trying to pursue, and they let this city bully them into leaving. It’s not all sunshine and kumbaya, I’m afraid! Once you accept it for what it is (and what it isn’t) though, the city opens up like some sort of stubborn lotus and the fun begins. That being said, here are some of my favorite places to get my FBG on.

A Few Fit Bottomed Spots in Los Angeles

1. Best place to eat healthy while honoring your inner child. Lemonade restaurants are popping up all over LA, but my favorite one happens to be in Venice. It’s friendly, open, cool and the food is to die for! You get your cute little tray like you’re back in school and go down the line picking and choosing delicious goodies that change all the time. My last choices consisted of three different sides: roasted beets, pickled red onion and toasted hazelnuts was the first goodie. The second dish filled me up with crunchy cabbage, apple, sunflower seeds and almonds. The third dish was the most fun to look at it (and tasted yummy, too!). Watermelon radishes, ahi tuna, snap peas and sesame seeds did a body good! Mark and I were moaning and groaning like we’d died and gone to heaven. The sides are good. The lemonades rock! (I ordered the blueberry-mint lemonade, which is out of this world refreshing!) They’re building one in my neighborhood soon. I pray it’s just as grand as my Venice one.

2. Best place to grab coffee (and gluten-free protein bars!) Ooooo Wee! Tishy loves her some M Street Coffee! I swear the group of women who own and run this java joint had me at “rice milk.” How many places do you know that carry not just soy or almond but also rice milk?! That’s just the kindest thing you can do for a lactose intolerant ninny like myself. It’s not just a dairy-free obsession, though. Everyone I bring to this place raves about the exquisite coffee blends you can get. My future mother-in-law said it was the best decaf she had ever had. I didn’t know there was such a thing as delicious decaf. The gals will greet you as you walk in. You’ll see oodles of actors and writers doing their thug thizzle at a table, and there’s fun stuff to play with while you sip. There’s always awesome art work and fun T-shirts and coffee toys you can purchase or play with. Love it! My favorite drink at the current moment would have to be an iced matcha green tea latte with rice milk. It hits the spot like you wouldn’t believe!

3. The best place to spoil your skin. If you happen to be in the Pasadena area, you really should swing by the little shop, Lather, on Colorado Blvd. I’ve been a fan of these products for years now. Lotions, sunscreens, body scrubs, muscle relaxers…the list goes on and on. I love that the team who works at the shop knows their stuff. Come in with any skin ailment, and they’ll be able to walk you through all the options that can help. They’re informative, friendly and their products are just damn good. You can even create your own scents. If there was such a thing as a Lather groupie, I’d be on that list.

4. The best place for boot camps. I’m a bit biased, but my fiance, Mark, runs an awesome boot camp on Mondays and Wednesdays in Burbank that is super fun and super challenging. His BFS boot camps are something I look forward to. He’s got great gear, and he doesn’t frickin’ yell. I can’t stand yellers. (I swear it’s totally possible to motivate a group without screaming at the top of your lungs in a negative way.) The fella is positive, plays great music while you sweat and brings functional great workouts that get results. We bring it each week while we’re getting better, faster and stronger.

5. The best place to get great, fresh produce. Like Jenn, I usually do my main shopping at Trader Joe’s. I’ve been a fan ever since I moved here and discovered just how affordable and easy it is, but my heart still does tiny flips when I get the opportunity to visit the Studio City Farmer’s Market at the intersection of  Laurel Canyon and Ventura Blvd. There are so many cool veggies and fruits to try. You just never know what you’re gonna get! Local honey, fresh-squeezed juices, teas, spices and tantalizing treats in the forms of pestos and hummus dips usually make it into my bags.

6. Another great place to work out if you hate gyms. THE BEACH! Dur! If you’re allergic to the gym, then the beaches in Southern Cali are the perfect place for you to get your fitness on. First of all the weather is — 99.9 percent of the time — nice and perfect along the coast. (The weather usually sits at a comfortable temperature between the high 60s/lower 70s.)  In my opinion, that’s perfect workout weather. Some play on the basketball courts in Venice; others run along the water’s edge. While even others use the public equipment like the rings and famous Santa Monica Stairs. Whenever I’m just not feeling the gym, we head west to the big blue pond.

While there are definitely parts of LA that shy away from health and wellness like it’s nobody’s business, there are more good spots than bad. People don’t look at you crazy when you say you want to go gluten-, dairy- and sugar-free at a restaurant. You can put sprouts on just about anything without getting “looks,” and you will constantly see people out and about in your neighborhood getting their fitness on. Seeing how well fitness is incorporated into the world I’ve immersed myself in gives me oodles of energy and incentive to keep moving. We’re not all Botoxed and collagen-lipped after all!

LA’s a pretty big city. I know I’ve left out countless cool gyms, restaurants and juice spots. I swear I need a part two to get it all in! Even then I still wouldn’t call myself an LA expert. That’s where you come in. What spots in LA should we be checking out and checking into? —Tish