The LA Times' West Magazine bemoans the end of cheap lofts, gritty artists' neighborhoods and illegal squatting in former garment factories. But what makes them saddest of all is the bastardization of the meaning of the word "loft" as greedy developers exploit it as a marketing device, selling new construction as oxymoronic "demi-lofts and soft lofts, new-construction lofts, condo lofts and townhouse lofts."
You Call This a Loft? [LA Times West Magazine]
The British as so quaint - insisting on walking from Beverly Hills to Union Station. Silly, silly Brits! One intrepid visitor crams as much as possible in 24 hours in LA and reports back to her fellow countrymen: LA isn't as bad as we thought! Actually, novelist Kate Mosse manages to visit parts of LA many never get to, and leaving aside her geographic confusion on the location of the Staple Center, provides a fairly accurate analysis of some of LA's most interesting destinations.
Los Angeles: Take a Trip to the Dark Side [The Independent Online]
The comparison's to New York's Meatpacking District scare us a little, but the LA Times is banking on Hollywood and Vine becoming the epicenter of "nightlife and culture." We assume that means overpriced "luxury" living, even more public vomiting, and ginormous restaurants intended to give Versailles a run for its money.
At Home in Tinseltown [LA Times]
Is that the sound of a million Jimmy Choos heading to Culver City? If so, it must be LA Fashion Week. As the fashion press waits with baited breath for new Juicy sweats and C&C T-shirts, they also offer their guides to LA's food and fashion. Breaking! Los Feliz is HOTT!
Better Weather Than Paris [Style.com]
Style Maven's Best Shopping Neighborhoods [Style Maven]
InStyle's Hot Blocks [InStyle.com]
All Via Want, Need, Have