Wurstküche is somewhat of an LA favorite.  It’s located in the super neat Arts District of downtown (another one recently opened in Venice) and almost always has a line out the door.  Their premise is simple: they serve really delicious German-style sausages (ranging from veggie to chicken to buffalo) and you pick 2 toppings (my favorites are the carmelized onions and sauerkraut).  That’s all you need, I promise.  Oh, aside from the Belgian fries, of course.  You NEED those.  No question.  In fact, order the large size.

Also, their beer menu is quite extensive.  As it should be.  What’s a sausage without a beer?  PS, if you’re vegetarian, they have great veggie dog options as well (i’m a half vegetarian, yes that exists…no red meat or pork for me so I order the chicken or turkey varieties).

By the way, it’s across the street from the ever-so adorable (I mean, LOOK AT THAT FONT!) The Pie Hole, so if you’re not too full from eating an entire order of french fries, be sure to grab a slice of pie here:

I know I’ve posted about Renegade craft fair several times before, i.e. here and here, but it’s just so dang fun!  I go whenever they’re out here (July and December) and have a new experience with great new vendors every time.  Also, I can’t help but take photos of all the awesome things so here we are with a 3rd Renegade post…

*these are my favorite green pants EVER.  kyle got them for me for my birthday (yesss my birthday is not until the end of January but we like to give early birthday presents around here…no judging).

Since I live on the westside, I’m going to start my LA posts with a little Santa Monica beach fare.  Cha Cha Chicken is located on my favorite part of SM beach – if you go a little north, it gets touristy; if you go south, it gets real dirty.  But right there, the beach is beautiful and pristine.

Oh and the chicken at Cha Cha Chicken?  Kind of amazing.  Order the medium jerk chicken with baked sweet potatoes.  And definitely, without question, order an agua fresca {pictured below is the mango guava agua fresca}.  Also, this place ain’t real fancy so don’t think you’re going on a romantic date here.  Instead, go with lots of friends for lunch, or even better, for linner {3pm} when there is lots o’ parking.

Plus, you kind of feel like you’re on a tropical island when you eat inside the restaurant.  It’s like a mini vacation!  On these dreary November days, a little bold color is exactly what I need.

I’ve been wanting to start a new feature (column?) on the blog for awhile now about some of my favorite places in Los Angeles.  I have lots o’ favorite things to do, eat, and see (mostly eat), but there are also so many places I have yet to explore, so that will be fun to share as well!  I’ll be posting these faves randomly and have started a new category for “Around LA” so they’ll all be in one place.

*This photo I took of Griffith Observatory is from December 2010.  In the dead of winter!  In general, Griffith Park is one of my absolute favorite places because the views are incredible and the greenery is so peaceful, but on this particular day, the visibility from the observatory was so clear that we had 100% visibility of the entire city, from the ocean to the west and the downtown skyline to the south (and everything in between).  Breathtakingly gorgeous, let me tell you.

More to come!