apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

As a NY transplant, I would recommend skipping Surfas. Both the restaurant supply stuff and the food section will disappoint any New Yorker. Especially when I got my round of Roaring Forties Blue Cheese home and it was waaaayyyyy past the edible stage.

And in Westwood village - Diddy Riese for ultra-cheap, fresh-baked ice cream cookie sandwiches, and Boba Loca for boba tea. If you're in Hollywood, getting out towards Los Feliz in Thai Town, Sanamluang has the best Thai food imaginable - open late. There's another place (The Palms, I think?) that has a famous Thai Elvis impersonator who performs during the dinner hour... Really worth a trip.

Hmm. Hungry now. The Thai food in Orlando just has not measured up thus far...

mmm... meant Los Feliz AND Thai Town.

Also, will you visit the Getty while you're out there? I know it's one of the places where all the tourists flock, but I still visit a couple times every time I'm in LA. I love that's it's free - genuinely open, public spaces of that caliber are so rare.

According to the NYT "t" mag on Sunday, the places to visit near W. 3rd and Beverly are TableArt, Zelen, Twentieth, Emmerson Troop, Orange, RoomService, OK and Plastica. I don't know how much truck Angelenos put in the word of the NYT, but there it is.

Here are a few more places worth checking out if you have the time. All of these are places I patronize--regularly. (Apologies in advance if there is too much info for folks who don’t live in LA.) MELROSE AVE. Bohac - 2 locations, Indian hardwood furniture + large-scale wood carvings, doors/gates, archways, possibly LA’s best selection of sari fabric tapestries, pillows, ask about the copper Indian serveware--they have tons of it in storage and are blowing them out. (I got a great, low Indian daybed for my patio here—with lots and lots of sari-fabric pillows.) Melrose Market - Fairfax High School on Sundays, great deals, artisans and artists, music (I scored a 4x6 hand-knotted Persian rug from Iran for $80 and a big piece of coral for $8 the other day.) FAIRFAX AVE. Garden District - at Farmer's Market on 3rd & Fairfax, lovely selection of out-of-the-ordinary plants and stunning arrangements, beautifully merchandised with the coolest urban garden accessories. Yard Design - new landscape design duo, store has a few choice garden furnishings and accessories they have rescued from yard sales and flea markets. 447 Furniture - warm wood pieces with clean lines and proportions designed and manufactured by this indie shop, check out their new Astroturf ottoman, nice selection of smaller paintings by LA painter/Catholic Priest Father Bill (i-forget-his-last-name). Matahari – 2 locations, great selection of Southeast Asian imports at reasonable prices, everything from Burmese marriage beds to oversized Thai and Indonesian Buddha statues. Earth – similar to Matahari but at a lower price point. BEVERLY BLVD. Mosaik – authentic Moroccan furnishings, tapestries and lighting, the only place I’ve found that regularly stocks oversized metal candle lanterns (up 50 inches tall—yes, I bought one), source for many of the outdoor Moroccan accessories for the hot-hot-hot hipster hotel Parker in Palm Springs. Warisan – beautiful high-end, designer imports from Southeast Asia, definitely next-level stuff. LA BREA AVE. Jaipur – one-stop shopping for Eastern, Indian pieces, on a large lot with the best selection of (again) Southeast Asian and Indian imports, the only place to find HUGE (were talking up 10 feet tall) ornate wall carvings. Buddha Vibe – hands down, LA’s best-kept secret for budget-priced for imported Thai teak furniture, large armoires run $200, dining tables $110, cabinets under $100, coffee tables $70, ornately carved mirrors $50, wood chairs for $30, ceramics for $10—not the best quality, but perfect for that first apartment, don’t be scared by the pounding techno music and the haze of incense smoke as you enter. WEST LOS ANGELES. Upstairs/Downstairs – mostly teak pieces from Southeast Asia, but owner Nick has got a great eye for unique accessories (I purchased a 6-foot long piece of hollowed-out piece of driftwood that was filled with wax and turned into a candleboat). Finally, Plug (lighting store) is on MELROSE AVE. Be sure to check out the Alison Berger crystal lamps. (If you stop by, tell co-owner Pia "hello" from her cousin Enrique, and that she and Michael were missed at the family Dim Sum get-together on Sunday…)

Faith, you are so right about the Thai Elvis at The Palms... must be seen to be believed! And the food is good, too.

I just came back from LA and loved Show (small home design store with items like the Esque sleeping bird lamp and kilnenamel plaques) on Vermont in Silverlake and Sweet Lady Jane (bakery) in West Hollywood. And LA has truly authentic and fresh Korean food - I liked Chosun Galbi.

Orange furniture is great! all pieces are unique very mod, retro feel.
on Beverly just west of crescent heights.

hi enrique and regards. thanks so much for your posting about great los angeles area indian and asian furniture sources. i saw some pictures related to your furniture gallery and would like to talk to you further about some decorating ideas similar to what you have done -- great work!
please email me at wfpsw@aol.com and look forward to hearing from you.

thanks so much,
ree

Dont forget to visit Barong on La Brea for very reasonabley priced south east asian imports. Lots of Buddhas, fountains, stone and wood carvings and furniture. 1201 North La Brea at lexington. One block north of santa monica blvd

I love all the Asian furniture suggestions in Los Angeles. Any new suggestions for great Asian furniture stores? We are particularly looking for south-east Asian style (Thai, Burmese, Korean) and Zen style Japanese.