The book tunnel at the Last Bookstore in downtown L.A.
(Mark Boster / For The Times)
To nurture your creativity, take yourself on these 11 ‘Artist’s Way’ dates in L.A.
- Share via
“The Artist’s Way,” Julia Cameron’s self-help book for creatives, may have been published over 30 years ago, but it’s having a big moment in 2025.
Grammy Award-winning artist Doechii credited the book for playing a major role in her success — even documenting her three-month experience with it on YouTube. (That prompted legions of fans to try it too.) Author Elizabeth Gilbert and pop singer Olivia Rodrigo have also shouted out the book for helping them push through creative blocks. With over 5 million copies sold worldwide, and the book’s inclusion on the Southern California Independent Bookstore Bestsellers list for years, its staying power is remarkable.
Planning your weekend?
Stay up to date on the best things to do, see and eat in L.A.
Cameron wrote “The Artist’s Way” as a 12-week course (a nod to her own 12-step journey to sobriety), using affirmations and exercises in self-reflection and exploration as methods to help artists recover or discover their inner creative child.
The “two pivotal tools in creative recovery,” as Cameron writes, are the morning pages and the artist’s date. Think of this duo as the yin and yang of getting creative juices flowing. The morning pages serve as the output: a daily practice of writing three pages of stream of consciousness in longhand — a brain dump, if you will. The artist’s date is an act of receiving: a once-a-week commitment to taking yourself on a solo excursion to fill your creative cup. The plans don’t have to be grand, prescriptive or cost money, but rather activities that bring out the curious, fun and playful side of yourself. It could be as simple as listening to a new album on a walk, or cooking a recipe you’ve been wanting to try.
About This Guide
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to guides@latimes.com.
But then, there are the moments when you want to go out and explore what the world has to offer — and Los Angeles is a wondrous city full of adventures to be had. Here are some under-the-radar ideas for artist’s dates to help nurture your creative soul.
Showing Places
Get lost in an array of blooms at the Original Los Angeles Flower Market
Downtown L.A. Experience
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
A visit to the Original Los Angeles Flower Market in downtown L.A. is such a feast for the eyes that it’ll feel as if you’ve leaped from black and white to Technicolor. With over 35 wholesale vendors on the main floor of the 55,000-square foot building, you’ll find a sea of rainbow-hued flowers — from peonies to ranunculus to hydrangeas — at every turn. Founded in 1921, it’s the oldest and largest wholesale flower market in the United States, and has become a destination for not only business owners but flower lovers alike. The market is open to the public with a $2 admission and it also gives folks access to the massive Southern California Flower Market across the way on Wall Street. To fuel up during your adventure, stop by the Ethnos Coffee Co. stall inside the main market for a honey lavender or churro latte, and venture next door for some classic American breakfast at Poppy + Rose.
Enhance the creative experience: The variety of flowers is so staggering that you’ll most likely discover some you’ve never seen before. Buy a few bunches of your favorites and arrange a bouquet when you get home.
Enhance the creative experience: The variety of flowers is so staggering that you’ll most likely discover some you’ve never seen before. Buy a few bunches of your favorites and arrange a bouquet when you get home.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Feast on the delights of local produce at the Santa Monica Farmers Market
Santa Monica Experience
(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
There’s magic that happens in the early morning hours of the Wednesday Santa Monica Farmers Market that you won’t find anywhere else in Southern California. A well-oiled machine that’s been running since 1981, the market has become a beloved institution. On Arizona Avenue and 2nd Street, just within view of a glimmering ocean, over 60 California farms gather weekly to sell locally grown and organic produce to restaurants and the public. (There are also flowers, meats and prepared foods that round out the experience.) It’s the day that you’ll find star chefs roaming around and having animated chats with farmers, and see throngs of people filling their wagons full of kaleidoscopic fruits and vegetables. Visit some of the most popular vendors like Andy’s Orchard, Coleman Family Farms, Harry’s Berries and Weiser Family Farms. And all the while, breathe in the delicious scents, listen to the vibrant conversations, and, of course, try the samples. There’s a smaller farmers market there on Saturdays that has a solid selection of certified-organic growers and also draws large crowds.
Enhance the creative experience: Purchase a seasonal fruit or vegetable you’ve never had before and take it home to enjoy or cook.
Enhance the creative experience: Purchase a seasonal fruit or vegetable you’ve never had before and take it home to enjoy or cook.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Go on a scavenger hunt of the painted secret stairs of Silver Lake
Silver Lake Experience
- Route
-
- Share via
-
(Jean Trinh)
Once upon a time in L.A., city planners built a network of steep stairs running up and down hillsides to give folks shortcuts to schools, shops and trolleys. While the streetcars have since disappeared, the century-old stairs have remained as relics of the past. Journalist and urban explorer Charles Fleming’s 2010 guidebook, “Secret Stairs,” gives detailed instructions on how to get to these hidden treasures. In his excursions, he found a whopping 275 staircases throughout L.A.
While most of the concrete steps have been weathered by time, Silver Lake is home to a couple of Instagram-worthy gems. Start your journey at the most iconic one: the Micheltorena Stairs on Sunset Boulevard (marked on this map), where the steps are painted in rainbow bands and red hearts. (Artists Corinne Carrey, Carla O’Brien and Mandon Bossi lacquered the stairs in 2015 and named their project “Stair Candy.”) Cross the street to 3229 W. Sunset Blvd to find the Piano Stairs — aptly named because each step is painted to mimic the instrument’s white and black keys — which were designed by Carrey that same year. Then make your way to the Music Box Stairs at Vendome Street and Del Monte Drive. While not painted, this stairwell is a historical movie landmark: It’s the location where Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy filmed their 1932 Oscar-winning short film, “The Music Box.”
Enhance the creative experience: Treat yourself after a hike well-done with an extended Sunset Boulevard adventure by filling up on coffee and treats at the nearby Cuban landmark Cafe Tropical and coffee and sandwich shop Bodega Park.
While most of the concrete steps have been weathered by time, Silver Lake is home to a couple of Instagram-worthy gems. Start your journey at the most iconic one: the Micheltorena Stairs on Sunset Boulevard (marked on this map), where the steps are painted in rainbow bands and red hearts. (Artists Corinne Carrey, Carla O’Brien and Mandon Bossi lacquered the stairs in 2015 and named their project “Stair Candy.”) Cross the street to 3229 W. Sunset Blvd to find the Piano Stairs — aptly named because each step is painted to mimic the instrument’s white and black keys — which were designed by Carrey that same year. Then make your way to the Music Box Stairs at Vendome Street and Del Monte Drive. While not painted, this stairwell is a historical movie landmark: It’s the location where Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy filmed their 1932 Oscar-winning short film, “The Music Box.”
Enhance the creative experience: Treat yourself after a hike well-done with an extended Sunset Boulevard adventure by filling up on coffee and treats at the nearby Cuban landmark Cafe Tropical and coffee and sandwich shop Bodega Park.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Take a meditative stroll through the SuihoEn Japanese Garden
Sepulveda Basin Experience
(Jean Trinh)
One of the most beautiful and tranquil gardens in Southern California is tucked away in a verdant stretch of Woodley Avenue in Van Nuys. The SuihoEn Japanese Garden, a 6.5-acre stunner, has it all: waterfalls and streams, serene walking paths, mirror ponds with footbridges, bonsai trees, a teahouse and ducks and geese swimming laps. SuihoEn came from the mind of the eponymous owner of the neighboring Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant, who wanted to show how a zen environment like a Japanese garden could use reclaimed water. Lauded garden designer Koichi Kawana built SuihoEn in 1984 and it’s been a fixture of the community ever since. Equally remarkable is the site’s futuristic concrete and metal administrative building designed by architect Anthony J. Lumsden, juxtaposing the past and present. Trekkies may notice that the structure and garden were filmed for Star Trek TV shows like “The Next Generation,” “Voyager” and “Deep Space Nine.” What’s most surprising about this enchanting outdoor space is that admission is free, and while no reservations are required, visitors must check in at the administration office before entering. While the garden operates on weekdays, it also hosts monthly Sunday openings coupled with fun activities.
Enhance the creative experience: Bring a handheld camera (no tripods are allowed) to photograph the reflective ponds, or bring a sketchbook inside the teahouse, where there are benches, and draw what you see.
Enhance the creative experience: Bring a handheld camera (no tripods are allowed) to photograph the reflective ponds, or bring a sketchbook inside the teahouse, where there are benches, and draw what you see.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Watch a glorious 35mm film at the historic Vista Theater
Los Feliz Experience
(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. wouldn’t be complete without its historic movie palaces — and the Vista Theater in Los Feliz is one of the most iconic ones. The single-screen 400-seater, which was built in 1923, has all the makings for an immersive nostalgic cinema experience. Lewis A. Smith, the architect who designed the building, modeled the exterior after the Spanish Mission style, and added Art Deco flourishes in the Egyptian-inspired interior (complete with pharaoh masks adorning the walls). Hollywood touches like cement handprints and footprints from the likes of Martin Landau, Danny Trejo and Sarah Jessica Parker line the entrance floor like a mini-TCL Chinese Theater.
The Vista closed in 2020 due the pandemic and it felt like a major loss for the city until filmmaker Quentin Tarantino purchased and renovated it, and then brought it back to life in 2023. With an updated audio system and new projectors, the theater now only plays first-run and classic films in 35mm and 70mm.
Enhance the creative experience: Visit the Vista Theater’s adjoining cafe Pam’s Coffy — which pays homage to the 1973 film “Coffy” starring Pam Grier, who Tarantino directed in “Jackie Brown” — before a show for coffee, pastries and a side of kitschy design. Vintage posters and cereal boxes fill the space, while old films play in the tiny TV sets.
The Vista closed in 2020 due the pandemic and it felt like a major loss for the city until filmmaker Quentin Tarantino purchased and renovated it, and then brought it back to life in 2023. With an updated audio system and new projectors, the theater now only plays first-run and classic films in 35mm and 70mm.
Enhance the creative experience: Visit the Vista Theater’s adjoining cafe Pam’s Coffy — which pays homage to the 1973 film “Coffy” starring Pam Grier, who Tarantino directed in “Jackie Brown” — before a show for coffee, pastries and a side of kitschy design. Vintage posters and cereal boxes fill the space, while old films play in the tiny TV sets.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Immerse yourself in puppetry with a show at Bob Baker Marionette Theater
Highland Park Experience
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Puppets aren’t just for children — and the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Highland Park has proven in its 62 years in existence that it can delight just about anyone. (The eponymous late founder used to tell his team that they entertained folks from ages “two to toothless.”) The production’s endurance, even weathering through the tough times, has earned it the distinction of being the longest-running live puppet theater in the United States. Experiencing a show is like getting catapulted back to the wonderment of childhood. Before the red curtains are drawn, an organist performs on an ornate digital organ. When it’s showtime, the spotlight shines on skilled puppeteers performing gasp-worthy feats over old-timey tunes. And as a treat at the end of the show, guests help themselves to cups of vanilla and strawberry ice cream in the parlor. It’s very charming.
Animator and puppeteer Bob Baker opened the first iteration of his theater with partner Alton Wood in 1963 in downtown L.A., where it remained for decades until Baker passed away in 2014 and years later, the theater was forced out of its longtime home. It’s since planted permanent roots in a former vaudeville theater, and its puppeteers are hard at work developing the company’s first original production in 40 years, called “Choo Choo Revue.”
Enhance the experience: At the end of the show, stick around the stage to do a meet-and-greet with the puppeteers, so you can get an up close look at the marionettes.
Animator and puppeteer Bob Baker opened the first iteration of his theater with partner Alton Wood in 1963 in downtown L.A., where it remained for decades until Baker passed away in 2014 and years later, the theater was forced out of its longtime home. It’s since planted permanent roots in a former vaudeville theater, and its puppeteers are hard at work developing the company’s first original production in 40 years, called “Choo Choo Revue.”
Enhance the experience: At the end of the show, stick around the stage to do a meet-and-greet with the puppeteers, so you can get an up close look at the marionettes.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Wander through the architectural marvel that is the Hollyhock House
East Hollywood Experience
(Joel Barhamand / For the Times)
One of L.A.’s greatest treasures, the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Hollyhock House, sits atop of East Hollywood’s breathtaking Barnsdall Art Park. The building, over a century old and credited as a precursor to the California Modernism movement, is so revered that it became L.A.’s first and only UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019. And luckily for Angelenos, it operates as a museum that’s open to the public for self-guided tours, with docents milling around to answer questions.
Oil heiress Aline Barnsdall commissioned Wright to build her 5,000-square-foot residence — his first commission in L.A. — that paid homage to her favorite flower, the towering and vibrant hollyhock. There are abstract interpretations of the plant, as geometric, spine-like designs that can be spotted throughout the home, carved into its concrete facade or in the back of a tall wooden dining room chair. While strolling through the garden and the different rooms, look out for Wright’s 100 geometric art glass windows and artwork, like a Buddhist Guānyīn marble sculpture. Reservations for timed entry can be made in advance online for $12.
Enhance the creative experience: Bring a sketchbook and pencil (no pens or markers are allowed) to draw your experience. Also walk outside of the house to the grassy area of Barnsdall Art Park to take in the beautiful views overlooking the city.
Oil heiress Aline Barnsdall commissioned Wright to build her 5,000-square-foot residence — his first commission in L.A. — that paid homage to her favorite flower, the towering and vibrant hollyhock. There are abstract interpretations of the plant, as geometric, spine-like designs that can be spotted throughout the home, carved into its concrete facade or in the back of a tall wooden dining room chair. While strolling through the garden and the different rooms, look out for Wright’s 100 geometric art glass windows and artwork, like a Buddhist Guānyīn marble sculpture. Reservations for timed entry can be made in advance online for $12.
Enhance the creative experience: Bring a sketchbook and pencil (no pens or markers are allowed) to draw your experience. Also walk outside of the house to the grassy area of Barnsdall Art Park to take in the beautiful views overlooking the city.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Experience an all-encompassing healing arts journey at Compound
Long Beach Experience
(Angel Xotlanihua)
Compound in Long Beach is hard to pigeonhole into any category because it’s so many things at once, and at the same time, is a singular L.A. experience. The peaceful, 14,000-square-foot cultural complex’s primary focus is to promote wellness through the avenues of contemporary art, food, healing workshops, live performances and community building.
Upon entering Compound, you’ll find yourself in a serene and minimalistic sculpture garden that leads to Union, a restaurant helmed by local Baryo chef Eugene Santiago, who cooks with seasonality, sustainability and Southeast Asian flavors in mind. The all-day restaurant caters to the different needs of the community — as a place to get coffee, cocktails, as well as lunch and dinner.
Go deeper into Compound and you’ll see artwork seamlessly blend into the complex. Currently on display until August 24 is Southern California artist Fay Ray’s “Puerperal” exhibition, an exploration on the female identity, motherhood and the postpartum experience told through porcelain and architectural sculptures and photo collages.
One of the hallmarks of Compound’s program is its wellness workshops that include sound baths, guided meditation, drum circles, tai chi and healthy cooking demonstrations. General admission to Compound is free, and many wellness and art workshops are also free or paid through a sliding scale.
Enhance the creative experience: Check Compound’s events schedule to attend the complex’s regular open mic nights featuring poets and musicians over dinner and drinks, or take it one step further and sign up for a slot to perform.
Upon entering Compound, you’ll find yourself in a serene and minimalistic sculpture garden that leads to Union, a restaurant helmed by local Baryo chef Eugene Santiago, who cooks with seasonality, sustainability and Southeast Asian flavors in mind. The all-day restaurant caters to the different needs of the community — as a place to get coffee, cocktails, as well as lunch and dinner.
Go deeper into Compound and you’ll see artwork seamlessly blend into the complex. Currently on display until August 24 is Southern California artist Fay Ray’s “Puerperal” exhibition, an exploration on the female identity, motherhood and the postpartum experience told through porcelain and architectural sculptures and photo collages.
One of the hallmarks of Compound’s program is its wellness workshops that include sound baths, guided meditation, drum circles, tai chi and healthy cooking demonstrations. General admission to Compound is free, and many wellness and art workshops are also free or paid through a sliding scale.
Enhance the creative experience: Check Compound’s events schedule to attend the complex’s regular open mic nights featuring poets and musicians over dinner and drinks, or take it one step further and sign up for a slot to perform.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Get transported to another world through a book tunnel at The Last Bookstore
Downtown L.A. Experience
(Mark Boster / For The Times)
There’s a “Choose Your Own Adventure” vibe to The Last Bookstore in downtown L.A. — and it has a lot to do with how you can easily get lost (in a good way) in its labyrinthine design. Encompassing 22,000 square feet over two floors in a century-old former bank building, it’s the largest new and used bookstore in California. On the ground floor, find a rare book annex full of first editions and collectibles, a robust vinyl records section and plenty of comfy leather couches and armchairs to wile the day away. Climb up the stairs to discover otherworldly art installations in the form of flying books and a maze of aisles. Walk through an Instagram-worthy tunnel of books and poke your head through a porthole of hardcovers. An old bank vault leads to a horror books room with a creepy cracked-faced doll at its entrance, while mushroom sculptures and a mini-Eiffel Tower replica sit atop bookshelves. Keep exploring and you’ll discover some independently run art galleries and unique shops, as well as the Coffeelove counter for some caffeinated beverages.
Enhance the creative experience: Pay attention to all the quirky art and flex your photography muscles to document your experience (just note that no flash is allowed).
Enhance the creative experience: Pay attention to all the quirky art and flex your photography muscles to document your experience (just note that no flash is allowed).
Show more Show less
Route Details
Delve into a fantastic contemporary art collection at the Marciano Art Foundation
Windsor Square Experience
(Michael Anthony Hernandez / Marciano Art Foundation )
Inside a former Scottish Rite Masonic Temple in Windsor Square is the home of the Marciano Art Foundation, a contemporary museum in which much of its art comes from the private collection of Guess Inc. co-founders Maurice and Paul Marciano. The three-story building encompasses more than 100,000 square feet of space, and is filled with work from established and emerging artists. The art runs the gamut of paintings, sculptures, videos and photographs from the 1990s to present day. While its permanent collection includes Mark Leckey’s floor-to-ceiling-sized inflatable “Felix the Cat,” and Ugo Rondinone’s colorful rainbow mirrored windows, it’s had a solid rotation of artwork from additional acclaimed artists like Yayoi Kusama, Ai Weiwei and Mike Kelley. Its most current exhibition on view until August 16 is Barbara T. Smith’s artwork produced in the mid-1960s on a Xerox 914 photocopier. Admission to the museum is free with an advance reservation, and an extra bonus is there is free parking.
Enhance the creative experience: Keep an eye out for the museum’s stellar ticketed events that often sell out online. In the past, they’ve had performances by Beck and Cat Power, and talks with Ed Ruscha and Doug Aitken.
Enhance the creative experience: Keep an eye out for the museum’s stellar ticketed events that often sell out online. In the past, they’ve had performances by Beck and Cat Power, and talks with Ed Ruscha and Doug Aitken.
Show more Show less
Route Details
Go on a zen journey through the awe-inspiring Hsi Lai Temple
Hacienda Heights Experience
(Jean Trinh)
High up in the hills of Hacienda Heights is one of the largest Buddhist temples in the United States — and one of the most zen experiences you can have in Southern California. The Hsi Lai Temple sits on 15 acres of land with a layout of prodigious temples and gardens in the shape of a Bodhi leaf as an homage to the tree Buddha sat under and meditated until he reached enlightenment.
The temple opened in 1988 as an extension of Taiwan’s Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order, with the late Venerable Master Hsing Yun spearheading a mission to spread the religion’s teachings to the West. While Buddhism is a main focus at this temple, it also celebrates Chinese history and art. The buildings mimic the Imperial Chinese style of architecture with slanted and yellow-tiled roofs flanked by mythical beasts. An art gallery with exhibitions that change seasonally celebrates local artists who draw in themes of Buddhism and Chinese culture in their work. Its permanent collection contains Buddhist relics and sculptures Hsing Yun collected throughout the world — from ancient scriptures carved onto Petra leaves to Tibetan Buddhist instruments. A mirrored infinity room of lights serves as a meditative art installation that has visitors reflect on human interconnectedness.
The temple is free to enter, and visitors can take themselves on self-guided tours. Start at the information center, where you can get a map and tour booklet, and complimentary tea or coffee. Check the website for the temple’s dress code.
Enhance the creative experience: Time your visit to lunch so that you can enjoy the temple’s popular $10 all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet.
The temple opened in 1988 as an extension of Taiwan’s Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order, with the late Venerable Master Hsing Yun spearheading a mission to spread the religion’s teachings to the West. While Buddhism is a main focus at this temple, it also celebrates Chinese history and art. The buildings mimic the Imperial Chinese style of architecture with slanted and yellow-tiled roofs flanked by mythical beasts. An art gallery with exhibitions that change seasonally celebrates local artists who draw in themes of Buddhism and Chinese culture in their work. Its permanent collection contains Buddhist relics and sculptures Hsing Yun collected throughout the world — from ancient scriptures carved onto Petra leaves to Tibetan Buddhist instruments. A mirrored infinity room of lights serves as a meditative art installation that has visitors reflect on human interconnectedness.
The temple is free to enter, and visitors can take themselves on self-guided tours. Start at the information center, where you can get a map and tour booklet, and complimentary tea or coffee. Check the website for the temple’s dress code.
Enhance the creative experience: Time your visit to lunch so that you can enjoy the temple’s popular $10 all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet.
Show more Show less
Route Details
No matching entries.
Please reset filters to see all entries.
No matching entries.
Please reset filters to see all entries.
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Top