A Realtor Becomes a Tourist in Her Own City | Featuring Lisa Fittipaldi of the Don Heller Group
Sunrise To Sunset, LA Has It All | Author: Lisa Fittipaldi
The perfect day in Los Angeles began with sunrise yoga and meditation on our rooftop
watching the golds, blues and pinks turn to bright red as the sun peaked over the Verdugo
Mountains in the distance.
After working up an appetite and ready to break my fast, I headed out on a brisk walk to one of
my favorite restaurants in Toluca Lake, The Aeirloom Bakery on Riverside Drive. This spot used
to be the home of Chez Nous, a fabulous French restaurant made famous by the band YES
when mentioned in their song, “Love Will Find the Way”. At first, the residents of Toluca Lake
mourned the loss of such a unique local hangout but when Aeirloom opened its doors about 6
years ago, the pain of losing one of the greats was eased a bit by this fantastic, locally owned
organic bakery and café. They kept the same French cottage style vibe as Chez Nous but the
food, I must admit, is even better than its predecessor. I ordered my favorite dish of egg whites
scrambled with spinach and mozzarella, a side of berries and a tall glass of fresh pressed OJ.
What an amazing start to my day.
Fun Fact-Toluca Lake has been home to many celebrities since the 1930’s. Including Frank
Sinatra, Bob Hope, Henry Winkler, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Denzel Washington, Steve Carell,
Viola Davis, Eric McCormack and many others. It makes sense that it would attract artists with
its proximity to the studios, big, beautiful homes, small town feel and the convenience of living
in a big city.
Once I had completed some very important items on my work to do list, I decided to take
advantage of the fact that I live 5 minutes from the LA Zoo and Botanical gardens. The perfect
setting to practice my rekindled love of photography. Before I knew it, it was time leave this
magical place to meet a friend for lunch at Aroma Café.
Aroma Café is located in the quaint Studio City neighborhood of Tujunga Village, a charming,
tree lined street with unique Mom-and-Pop stores. The delicious food, the great company and
the peaceful outdoor patio at Aroma made up for the fact that I had to leave the botanical
gardens sooner than I had hoped.
Fun fact- The iconic Brady Bunch house is located right around the corner from Aroma Café at
11222 Dillings Street. It sold to HGTV in 2018 at $3.5 million, almost twice the asking price after
only 16 days on the market.
My next stop was the Compass Real Estate office in Beverly Hills before meeting colleagues for
happy hour at The Edition Hotel rooftop in West Hollywood. The drive from Studio City to
Beverly Hills is breathtaking when you avoid the freeways by taking Mulholland and Coldwater
Canyon over the hill. As I made my way along Mulholland drive, I could see the mountains on
one side and the ocean on the other. It was a gorgeous, clear day. 78 degrees with a nice
breeze. As I traveled down the winding canyon, the glistening of the sun on the trees and
flowers made my heart sing.
After a few hours at the office, we headed over to the Edition for some skinny margaritas, and
to enjoy the amazing view from the rooftop. My colleagues and I were there to celebrate the
sell-out of one of our new condo projects in Westwood. The Edition Rooftop has become a
favorite place for us to unwind, sip cocktails, watch the sunset and see the twinkling lights of
the downtown skyline. Oh, and the crab nachos are to die for. Highly recommended for a fun
outing with friends, a place to celebrate work milestones or a romantic date night.
Fun Fact-The glamorous Penthouse Condo where Marilyn Monroe once lived is on the market
for $2.49mil. Located on the top floor of the celebrated Granville Towers in West Hollywood
not far from the Edition Hotel.
At the end of this lovely day, I had a sense of gratitude that I live in this beautiful city. I made a
mental note to never take for granted all the wonderful places to visit and things to do in Los
Angeles. New and exciting adventures at every turn. I enjoy being a tourist in my own town.
. . .
Learn More About Lisa Fittipaldi, DHG Realtor | DRE #01294619
