The coolest gifts for people who love repping their L.A. neighborhood
Los Angeles is so big and sprawling, a puzzle board of cities within cities, that using one name to tie them all together isn¡¯t really fair.
Tell someone from out of state that you live in L.A. and you¡¯re not really saying much. But share your specific neighborhood and you might as well give them your Social Security number too.
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If you have friends who live in Echo Park, or family that grew up in Whittier, or college-bound children ready to fly their Pasadena coop, why not give them a gift that reminds them of home? City-emblazoned merch can be a great conversation starter, an invitation for anyone who has connections with the place to start gabbing about their favorite local spots.
Here¡¯s a roundup of the best neighborhood-inspired gifts for those who want to represent the city of their heart on their sleeve (or on a tote bag or candle).
'Altadena' dad hat from Altadena Beverage & Market
But for those looking to purchase something in person that represents these foothill communities, there¡¯s a 75-year-old liquor and beverage store that¡¯s got what you need. Revamped in 2022 by its new husband-and-wife (and native Angeleno) owners, Altadena Beverage & Market is a neighborhood spot that aims to have most of everything one might need for a nice meal, be it natural wines, crips beers, pantry items, fresh bread, flower bouquets ¡ª or dad hats that say ¡°Altadena.¡± Available in various colors and fabrics, including corduroy, these caps are embroidered by the downtown hat shop Crown and Brim but are for sale exclusively at Altadena Beverage.
$38 at Altadena Beverage & Market
'Beverly Hills' bathrobe from Kitson
And that¡¯s only the tip of the iceberg. There are water bottles, hair claws, beach towels, pom-pom beanies and fuzzy slippers all emblazoned with the words ¡°Beverly Hills.¡± Beverly Hills is also known for its famous Pink Lady, the Beverly Hills Hotel, and since Kitson is no fool, the brand has items that allude to the fabled five-star hot spot. Instead of spending upward of $1,300 a night for a room there, just grab an exclusive Kitson bathrobe decorated in the hotel¡¯s famous pink and green colors to wear around the house. It¡¯ll be almost as good as being there. Almost.
$145 at Kitson
'Burbank' dish towel from Stay Home Friend
But for those less interested in fortifying their aura than representing the city they call home, Stay Home Friend has that area covered too. The shop carries tons of ¡°Burbank¡± gear, including a eucalyptus ¡°Burbank¡± candle, ceramic ¡°Burbank¡± streets coasters, heart-shaped ¡°Burbank¡± magnets, ¡°Burbank¡± graphic tees and a cartoon ¡°Burbank¡± dish towel.
$18.95 at Stay Home Friend
'Crenshaw' skateboard from the Marathon Rooftop
$150 at The Marathon Rooftop
'Downtown Los Angeles' bomber jacket at Undisputed Principles
$150 at Undisputed Principles
'Little Tokyo' snapback cap at Japangeles
Japangeles is a husband-and-wife-owned streetwear shop filled to the brim with cool, skater-esque apparel and accessories, many of which feature the ¡°Little Tokyo¡± moniker. You¡¯ll find the neighborhood¡¯s name stitched into forest green and Army camouflage snapback caps and next to images of sushi on crewnecks and tees. Old-timers who were around before the catchy ¡°Little Tokyo¡± name caught on also get representation in this store through shirts that say ¡°J-Town.¡± Here¡¯s the kicker, though: Japangeles doesn¡¯t have an online shop. It hosts 24-hour-only online pop-ups twice a year, but if you really want to rep this hood, you¡¯ve actually got to go there to get the gear.
$30 at Japangeles
'Malibu' sweatshirt from Nati Boutique
Although it¡¯s isn¡¯t technically not in the city it represents, the Venice Beach location boasts a the wall mural featuring former First Lady Michelle Obama, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City, the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Vice President Kamala Harris walking down Abbot Kinney Boulevard, with each leading lady sporting a huge smile and shopping bags in the crook of her arm.
$59 at Nati Boutique
'Santa Monica' jacket from Sand ¡¯n Surf
Visiting this store is also an educational experience, if you keep your eyes peeled. Hanging among the multitudes of crewnecks decorated with palm trees, cresting waves and vintage VW vans, you¡¯re bound to find a piece of clothing that teaches you something new. Namely that Santa Monica was established in 1850. Thank you, Sand ¡¯n Surf, for making us all the wiser.
$59.95 at Sand ¡¯n Surf
'Sawtelle' T-shirt from Only the Lonely
$35 at Only the Lonely
'Silver Lake' tote bag?from Y-Que Trading Post
$10 at Y-Que Trading Post
'South Bay' onesie from Gum Tree
$30 at Gum Tree
'The Valley' hat at M Street Coffee
$24 at M Street Coffee
'Venice Beach' candle from Tumbleweed & Dandelion
For the comfy-minded, there are ¡°Venice Beach¡±-emblazoned soft T-shirts and blanket ponchos, but it¡¯s the store¡¯s handmade ¡°Venice Beach¡± candle that really steals the limelight with its impressive, long lasting aroma. Between hints of coconut and floral notes, the candle evokes Venice Beach¡¯s laid-back, bohemian vibe ¡ª just without all the leggings-clad influencers and lack of parking spots.
$19 (small) and $42 (large) at Tumbleweed & Dandelion
'West Hollywood' T-shirt from Polkadots & Moonbeams
Polkadots & Moonbeams, which has been a 3rd Street staple going on 42 years, also carries reversible ¡°Beachwood Canyon¡± tees and various jewel-toned vintage crewnecks screen-printed with bubbly ¡¯70s font that reads ¡°Best Regards From WeHo¡± and ¡°Los Angeles¡± in a charmingly childish scribble.
$58 at Polkadots & Moonbeams
'Whittier' tank top from My Whittier
In addition to caps, shirts, magnets, stickers and hoodies emblazoned with various fonts, Ruiz sells monster-themed ¡°Whittier¡± tees, shirts for local businesses that no longer exist (¡°I hokie-pokied at Skateland Whittier¡±), and comedically archaic ¡°Whittier: Ye Friendly Town¡± hats and tanks that could have emerged straight from the pages of an Arthur Conan Doyle novel.
$15 at My Whittier
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