Culver City, CA

Culver City, California, is a charming and vibrant city nestled in the heart of Los Angeles County. Its prime location offers the perfect blend of city life and outdoor recreation, making it an ideal place to call home. Whether you are a foodie, a culture enthusiast, or an outdoor adventurer, Culver City has something to offer. In this article, we will explore the benefits of living in Culver City, from its iconic landmarks and cultural institutions to its scenic parks and recreational activities.

Iconic Landmarks and Cultural Institutions

Culver City is home to several iconic landmarks and cultural institutions that draw visitors from all over the world. One such landmark is the Sony Pictures Studios, which offers guided tours that take visitors behind the scenes of some of Hollywood's most iconic films and TV shows. Another must-visit landmark is the Kirk Douglas Theatre, a state-of-the-art performance venue that hosts world-class theatrical productions year-round.

If you are a fan of contemporary art, you will love the Culver City Arts District, a hub of galleries and studios that showcase the work of local and international artists. Some of the most notable galleries in the district include Kopeikin Gallery, Blum & Poe, and Roberts Projects.

Scenic Parks and Recreational Activities

Culver City is home to several scenic parks that offer a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. One of the most popular parks in the city is the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, which offers panoramic views of the Los Angeles skyline and is a popular spot for hiking, picnicking, and bird-watching. Another must-visit park is the Culver City Park, which features a playground, sports fields, and picnic areas.

If you are looking for a more active outdoor adventure, you can head to the Ballona Creek Bike Path, a scenic bike trail that winds through the city and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape. Another popular outdoor activity in Culver City is the Culver City stairs, a series of outdoor staircases that provide a challenging workout and stunning views of the city.

Foodie Paradise

Culver City is a foodie paradise, with a diverse array of restaurants, cafes, and eateries that offer something for every palate. One of the most popular eateries in the city is Akasha, a farm-to-table restaurant that features locally sourced ingredients and innovative dishes. Another must-visit spot is the Culver City Farmers Market, which takes place every Tuesday and offers a wide selection of fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, and baked goods.

If you are in the mood for something sweet, head to Coolhaus, an ice cream shop that offers inventive flavors like whiskey Lucky Charms and Nutella pretzel. For a taste of the exotic, head to the Mayura Indian Restaurant, which serves authentic South Indian cuisine like dosas, idlis, and curries.

Community Events and Festivals

Culver City is a tight-knit community that loves to celebrate, and there is no shortage of community events and festivals throughout the year. One of the most popular events is the Culver City Car Show, which takes place every May and features classic cars from all over the world. Another must-attend festival is the Fiesta La Ballona, a three-day celebration of community, music, and food that takes place every August.

Living in Culver City, California, offers the perfect blend of urban convenience and outdoor recreation. From its iconic landmarks and cultural institutions to its scenic parks and recreational activities, there is something for everyone in this vibrant and diverse city. Whether you are a foodie, a culture enthusiast, or an outdoor adventurer, Culver City is the perfect place to potentially set up roots.

Wedged between Los Angeles and Santa Monica, the old movie town of Culver City is almost unrecognisable from a decade ago. Best known as the home of Sony Pictures and the Helms Bakery complex, the area has a lot more to offer today, with a swanky Downtown, an Arts District that boasts some of the best galleries in LA, and a swathe of new transit initiatives.

For an area just over 13 sq km, it’s architecturally diverse too: from its handsome Beaux-Arts buildings like The Culver Hotel, to the nearby neighbourhood of Hayden Tract, where local architect Eric Owens Moss has turned a declining warehouse district into a thriving beehive of architectural experimentation.

With Amazon, Apple and HBO helping to fuel a revitalisation – bringing with them an influx of design-forward shops and restaurants – Culver City is fast becoming one of California’s most vibrant and creative neighbourhoods.

Best of Culver City: what to see, where to stay

Juliet

Having opened its floor-to-ceiling French doors on 1 February 2023, Juliet marks interior designer Jeremiah Brent’s hospitality debut, and is a love letter to contemporary Parisian dining. Located in Culver City’s Platform Design District, the long brasserie-style dining room feels intimate thanks to Brent’s design decisions: wicker-covered arches divide the space, while considered details include scalloped-edge tables, chairs upholstered in ticking stripe fabric and saffron-coloured velvet banquettes.

Emphasising seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, dishes range from oysters with cucumber and trout roe, and a traditional endive salad, to duck confit ‘cigars’ with sauce valois. The wine list is a highlight, with nearly 50 wines available by the glass from solely French producers, served up by a charming and knowledgeable (also French) sommelier.

juliet.la,@juliet.restaurant

Blum & Poe

An art tour of Los Angeles isn’t complete without a trip to the 2,000 sq m complex of Blum & Poe, one of the founding galleries of the Culver City Arts District. When tastemakers Tim Blum and Jeff Poe moved their Santa Monica gallery to an industrial warehouse in 2003, it became a catalyst for the development of the area’s arts corridor.

The gallery is a vocal advocate of efforts to lower the commercial art world’s carbon footprint by rethinking the way it approaches auctions and fairs. Blum & Poe exhibits both established and up-and-coming contemporary artists, and programming highlights include an exploration of the art of ikebana by Japanese-Brazilian artist Asuka Anastacia Ogawa (11 March – 15 April 2023), and a Thornton Dial retrospective (29 April – 10 June 2023).

blumandpoe.com, @blumandpoe

Ballona Creek Bike Path

Selling rare and out-of-print art books since 1984, this Culver City stalwart is a must-visit if you’re in the market for a perfect coffee-table book or a lost architectural tome. Owners Whitney and Lee Kaplan’s monastic approach to curation of Arcana’s collections has long made the store a Holy Grail for art and design lovers. Visitors are greeted with a quiet and reverent atmosphere, while staff are helpful and well informed.

The Kaplans frequently build art libraries for collectors across the country, and began to accumulate published materials on Black artists in the late 1980s. Last year their archive of over 3,500 books, catalogues and materials on African American art and artists, amassed over the past four decades, was acquired by the Getty Research Institute.

arcanabooks.com, @arcanabooks

The Culver Hotel

This venerable Beaux-Arts landmark opened in 1924 and has played host to myriad Hollywood legends. Having shuttered its doors over the pandemic, it reopened in 2022. The owners used the down time to make tasteful interior updates, while retaining the charm of this historic gem. The Culver Hotel’s flatiron building ensures that none of its 46 rooms are alike, and owner Maya Mallick has paired antique and vintage finds with luxurious amenities, to guarantee a comfortable stay.

A new grand bistro and garden, Lillie’s (named for city founder Harry Culver’s wife) weaves raw bar starters with modern French cuisine from local Californian producers, and has a focus on natural wines. Lillie’s hosts intimate cafe-style live music nights at the hotel, while a separate speakeasy-style cocktail bar will be opening over the summer.

culverhotel.com, @culverhotel

Obsolete

Transported from New York, this part-barber shop, part-cocktail lounge mash-up has a disquieting moniker, but an amusing concept. By day, a friendly team of local stylists offer men’s cuts and classic barbershop shaves in a crisp white space with mirrored walls and antique barber chairs (nothing particularly surprising there). By night, the lights dim, the candles come out and through a nondescript door in the back, expertly crafted cocktails and good tunes fill the hidden bar.

You get a fun mix of characters, and with a DJ spinning on weekends, the parlour stays open until the early hours. Blind Barber has two LA locations (Culver City and Highland Park) with both hosting a monthly comedy club featuring local stand-up talent.

blindbarber.com, @blindbarber

And Relax…

Sporting the only rooftop pool in Culver City, the buzzy new Canopy Club on top of The Shay Hotel offers panoramic views of Downtown and the Santa Monica Mountains. While we feel the restaurant’s décor misses the mark, this is still a great spot to pull up a lounger and spend the day recharging poolside. The all-day menu includes crowd-pleasing classics that are light and fresh, and a selection of mostly agave-based cocktails are available by the glass or carafe.

Community is important at The Shay, and its industrial-style lobby by Venice Beach design firm Studio Collective doubles as a co-working space for guests and locals alike, while hotel amenities are all sourced from local partners, including the excellent Milk + Honey spa, which is next door.

canopyclub.la, @canopyclub.la

Timothy Anscombe-Bell runs Sustainable Design Collective (SDC), a Los Angeles based design resource and consultancy, bringing together some of the brightest in modern craft-based manufacturing. He works on healthy, sustainable and green building schemes – from offices, cultural institutions, schools and universities, to hotels, restaurants and specialist retail. @sdc_inc

Find Los Angeles’s hottest cocktails in both expected and untraditional settings, including hotel lobbies, new restaurants, and beloved lounges. The spots on this list include newer openings, typically less than six months old, along with new additions to cocktail bars that always hit the mark. (See the essential cocktail map for a list of more established venues.) Here are 14 hot cocktail spots to check out in LA.

Above Vitello’s restaurant and the Rendition Room bar is the newly opened Velvet Martini Lounge: an Old Hollywood, Rat Pack-inspired lounge located in Studio City. The Velvet Martini Lounge aims to transport visitors to another time and place with live music, drinks, and dishes that stick to the theme, including an old-fashioned TV dinner that’s served on a metal tray. Cocktails are well-made, as they are in the rest of the building, and include Sammy’s Jazzerac, which comes together with rye, amaretto, bitters, and an absinthe rinse.

Spread across two bars, this sequel from the Mírame crew plays with agave spirits like tequila, mezcal, and bacanora infusing flavors like papaya and anise-y Xtabentun liqueur that have the inventive perspective of chef Joshua Gil’s Baja-inspired menu. Former Gracias Madre bartender Max Reis shakes a mean margarita too, except it’s made with aquachile, nopales granita, and coconut.

After undergoing a renovation in late 2022, the Den on Sunset has a stunning new look, menu, and bar program. New drinks added just last month include the Mojave Magic, which features tequila with cactus fruit, jasmine, and lime, and the nonalcoholic Lodi Dodi, made with pomegranate juice, pineapple, lemon, ginger, basil, and egg white. There’s also an exciting new wine program that includes the classics alongside some French and Spanish pet nats and skin-contact orange wines.

Expect rooftop decadence from this West Hollywood newcomer at the Mondrian, where a mostly coastal Mexican menu leads diners to a thorough cocktail menu featuring lots of tequila and mezcal, a house margarita, and (in a bit of a surprise) a charred pineapple tepache, also made right on site. The nonalcoholic drinks are equally delicious, and the Sangrita is spicy, sweet, and fruit.

This new addition to the Sunset Strip plays with all things retro. There are vintage touches, like an old reel-to-reel machine and even a menu that’s designed like an old newspaper, with classic cocktails alongside drinks like the La Cienaga, which features ingredients like cold brew, matcha, basil, and mint with a generous pour of rum.

Pijja Palace’s new bar director Jason Lee (N/Soto) has created a new drink menu that takes inspiration from the Indian kitchen to create cocktails with ingredients like lentils and spices. The Chana Dal includes a lentil-based orgeat that adds earthiness, balanced with nutty and buttery ghee. The Kheer Royale is reminiscent of the spiced rice pudding and includes ingredients like pistachio, basmati rice, cardamom, and sparkling wine.

Baar Baar’s Bollywood-inspired menu is gorgeous enough that folks pay $15 to take it home. The modern Indian restaurant, which opened earlier this month, riffs on several classics. The Anarkali is a spin on a Negroni and features a potent dose of Darjeeling tea, while the Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a twist on the tequila sunrise and comes with tamarind, aged balsamic, and blackberry syrup.

Located on the 24th floor of The Ritz-Carlton in Downtown LA, Sendero is a four-in-one dining concept that features the cuisines along the Pan American Highway, from LA through Mexico, Columbia, Peru, and Argentina. There are several dining options to accompany Downtown views: the seafood-driven Corteza, Argentinian steakhouse Leña, and the new Agave Library, where chef Kevin Luzande creates a tasting menu centered around a selection of rare and premium agave-based spirits. Cocktails at Corteza include the multisensory Palo Santo, made with bourbon, Carpano Antica Rosso, cynar amaro, bitters, and palo santo smoke.

This intimate cocktail lounge in the Proper Hotel in Downtown LA has just 18 seats. Expect a pared-down menu with Iberian-inspired bites and classic cocktails prepared using rare and small-batch liquors, plus a roving cocktail cart that delivers drinks table-side.

A true hidden gem, this upstairs dining area has been a popular West LA wine bar for years but has recently gotten a refresh from Francois Renaud and a team of industry vets. Bartender Chris Grosso, formerly of Blind Barber and Viale dei Romani, mixes new takes on classic cocktails like the Liquid Sunshine, blending rye, Cointreau, honey, and lemon.

Featuring one of the prettiest new interior designs in Los Angeles, Juliet comes from the restaurateur behind Norah and Margot, which also offer great-looking spaces to go along with polished fare. Juliet leans more heavily into French bistro, with the cocktails following suit, like the cognac, rye, and Benedictine sipper called Mon Coeur or the Special Potion, mixing calvados, absinthe, apple, and egg white.

Sporting one of the coolest spaces in the eastern SGV, 19 Town serves modern Chinese fare and baijiu cocktails to a well-heeled crowd. Bartenders work in elderflower and even plum juice, a nod to a popular Sichuan beverage that helps quell spicy flavors.

Following Nueva’s closure in early May, bar proprietor Jared Meisler (the Roger Room, Bar Lubitsch, the Friend) and David and Patti Reiss of Reiss Co. (the Brig and the Alibi Room) opened cocktail bar Gin Rummy in the same Marina del Rey space on May 26. Gin Rummy is a celebration of beach bars and will serve classic, tropical, and original cocktails, like piña coladas, frozen margaritas, and more boozy and booze-free options.

With relaxed thrift store vibes and a friendly neighborhood dive bar feel, this new entrant in Long Beach from two established LA bar veterans keeps things simple with approachable but well-crafted drinks and a ’70s-style menu of easy bites, from crudites to honey-drizzled flatbreads.

Above Vitello’s restaurant and the Rendition Room bar is the newly opened Velvet Martini Lounge: an Old Hollywood, Rat Pack-inspired lounge located in Studio City. The Velvet Martini Lounge aims to transport visitors to another time and place with live music, drinks, and dishes that stick to the theme, including an old-fashioned TV dinner that’s served on a metal tray. Cocktails are well-made, as they are in the rest of the building, and include Sammy’s Jazzerac, which comes together with rye, amaretto, bitters, and an absinthe rinse.

Spread across two bars, this sequel from the Mírame crew plays with agave spirits like tequila, mezcal, and bacanora infusing flavors like papaya and anise-y Xtabentun liqueur that have the inventive perspective of chef Joshua Gil’s Baja-inspired menu. Former Gracias Madre bartender Max Reis shakes a mean margarita too, except it’s made with aquachile, nopales granita, and coconut.

After undergoing a renovation in late 2022, the Den on Sunset has a stunning new look, menu, and bar program. New drinks added just last month include the Mojave Magic, which features tequila with cactus fruit, jasmine, and lime, and the nonalcoholic Lodi Dodi, made with pomegranate juice, pineapple, lemon, ginger, basil, and egg white. There’s also an exciting new wine program that includes the classics alongside some French and Spanish pet nats and skin-contact orange wines.

Expect rooftop decadence from this West Hollywood newcomer at the Mondrian, where a mostly coastal Mexican menu leads diners to a thorough cocktail menu featuring lots of tequila and mezcal, a house margarita, and (in a bit of a surprise) a charred pineapple tepache, also made right on site. The nonalcoholic drinks are equally delicious, and the Sangrita is spicy, sweet, and fruit.

This new addition to the Sunset Strip plays with all things retro. There are vintage touches, like an old reel-to-reel machine and even a menu that’s designed like an old newspaper, with classic cocktails alongside drinks like the La Cienaga, which features ingredients like cold brew, matcha, basil, and mint with a generous pour of rum.

Pijja Palace’s new bar director Jason Lee (N/Soto) has created a new drink menu that takes inspiration from the Indian kitchen to create cocktails with ingredients like lentils and spices. The Chana Dal includes a lentil-based orgeat that adds earthiness, balanced with nutty and buttery ghee. The Kheer Royale is reminiscent of the spiced rice pudding and includes ingredients like pistachio, basmati rice, cardamom, and sparkling wine.

Baar Baar’s Bollywood-inspired menu is gorgeous enough that folks pay $15 to take it home. The modern Indian restaurant, which opened earlier this month, riffs on several classics. The Anarkali is a spin on a Negroni and features a potent dose of Darjeeling tea, while the Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a twist on the tequila sunrise and comes with tamarind, aged balsamic, and blackberry syrup.

Located on the 24th floor of The Ritz-Carlton in Downtown LA, Sendero is a four-in-one dining concept that features the cuisines along the Pan American Highway, from LA through Mexico, Columbia, Peru, and Argentina. There are several dining options to accompany Downtown views: the seafood-driven Corteza, Argentinian steakhouse Leña, and the new Agave Library, where chef Kevin Luzande creates a tasting menu centered around a selection of rare and premium agave-based spirits. Cocktails at Corteza include the multisensory Palo Santo, made with bourbon, Carpano Antica Rosso, cynar amaro, bitters, and palo santo smoke.

This intimate cocktail lounge in the Proper Hotel in Downtown LA has just 18 seats. Expect a pared-down menu with Iberian-inspired bites and classic cocktails prepared using rare and small-batch liquors, plus a roving cocktail cart that delivers drinks table-side.

A true hidden gem, this upstairs dining area has been a popular West LA wine bar for years but has recently gotten a refresh from Francois Renaud and a team of industry vets. Bartender Chris Grosso, formerly of Blind Barber and Viale dei Romani, mixes new takes on classic cocktails like the Liquid Sunshine, blending rye, Cointreau, honey, and lemon.

Featuring one of the prettiest new interior designs in Los Angeles, Juliet comes from the restaurateur behind Norah and Margot, which also offer great-looking spaces to go along with polished fare. Juliet leans more heavily into French bistro, with the cocktails following suit, like the cognac, rye, and Benedictine sipper called Mon Coeur or the Special Potion, mixing calvados, absinthe, apple, and egg white.

Sporting one of the coolest spaces in the eastern SGV, 19 Town serves modern Chinese fare and baijiu cocktails to a well-heeled crowd. Bartenders work in elderflower and even plum juice, a nod to a popular Sichuan beverage that helps quell spicy flavors.

Following Nueva’s closure in early May, bar proprietor Jared Meisler (the Roger Room, Bar Lubitsch, the Friend) and David and Patti Reiss of Reiss Co. (the Brig and the Alibi Room) opened cocktail bar Gin Rummy in the same Marina del Rey space on May 26. Gin Rummy is a celebration of beach bars and will serve classic, tropical, and original cocktails, like piña coladas, frozen margaritas, and more boozy and booze-free options.

With relaxed thrift store vibes and a friendly neighborhood dive bar feel, this new entrant in Long Beach from two established LA bar veterans keeps things simple with approachable but well-crafted drinks and a ’70s-style menu of easy bites, from crudites to honey-drizzled flatbreads.

From iconic old Hollywood landmarks to neon light installations, here are some of the most unique things at Amazon’s campus in Culver City, California.

Amazon’s corporate employees in Los Angeles have the opportunity to work at one of the most iconic film studios in entertainment history. The company secured space at Culver Studios in late 2017 to build a unique home for Amazon Music, Amazon Studios, IMDb, Prime Video, and Worldwide Advertising.

The history of Culver Studios dates back to some of the earliest days of Hollywood in 1919. The grounds have a long-established reputation as the filming location for blockbuster hits and classics like Gone with the Wind, King Kong, Rocky, Beetlejuice, Armageddon, I Am Legend, and X-Men First Class.

The Amazon campus now spans across 14 acres and blends the modern architecture of five office buildings and six state-of-the-art sound stages with a historic, colonial-style mansion and four accompanying bungalows.

I had the opportunity to roam around the campus and take a look inside a few of Amazon’s office spaces. Keep reading for an exclusive peek inside the gates.

First, caffeine. The top floor of the Amazon Music office has a café where employees can get lattes, tea, and coffee. Not only did the café offer the option to take my matcha unsweetened—a rarity—it was also delicious.

The deck located just outside the café offers the perfect spot to take in all the views of surrounding LA and enjoy some sun with a morning coffee.

The indoor seating area features art from live shows, a cool velvet couch, and dedicated booths for dining.

An astonishing level of detail went into decorating the Amazon Music office. Case in point: Even the space above the recycling bins is adorned with shelves of color-coordinated vases, books, and beads.

The breezeway between the Amazon Music and Amazon Studios offices offers spots to relax a bit—for people and doggos alike. I spotted Heathcliff and his mom Natasha scoping out the facilities for our four-legged friends on my way to the next building.

Heading into the Amazon Studios office, employees are immediately greeted by a large, illuminated staircase. The lights change colors, and they were blue for Thursday Night Football on the day I visited.

A showcase in the lobby displays awards for Prime Video and Amazon Studios. There are a lot of Emmy awards for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in that case. I was surprised by how big the Emmy statues are in real life!

Neon art illuminates the hallways of the Amazon Studios office to celebrate the history of the campus and the neighborhood it inhabits.

Large, colorful murals depicting cultural scenes from around the world are also on display—some are so realistic you might think you were actually there if it weren’t for the signs and thermostats on the walls.

Like the Amazon Music office, the Amazon Studios building also offers break spots with great views.

Heading back downstairs and into the breezeway between buildings, employees can catch a glimpse of the sound stages, including the recently announced Stage 15, the virtual production production stage, where films like the upcoming Candy Cane Lane starring Eddie Murphy are shooting. There are six stages that range between 5,600 and 34,500 square feet in size, with ceilings up to 46 feet high.

A big part of what makes Culver City so magical for film lovers is the Culver Studios mansion. The building has deep roots in Hollywood history, including features in Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. Some of the most notable filmmakers in history have had offices in here. It now serves as an office space for Amazon Studios.

Employees can walk the grounds around the property to take in all the Hollywood history, including bungalows where famous filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, Lucille Ball, and Orson Welles resided.

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The third building I had access to was the office at The Culver Steps, a complex of offices, retail stores, and restaurants on campus.

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My visit to the Culver Steps office was a quicker one since the space is a bit smaller, but I did find some cool living art on the walls.

There are also nice views of Culver Boulevard from the conference rooms.

As the day winds down on the Culver City campus, light displays illuminate the buildings and walkways to help guide employees home for the evening.

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I was lucky enough to catch the holiday light display before heading out for the night.

That concludes my tour of Amazon’s Culver City campus. Want more? Get an inside look at the Amazon office in Nashville, Tennessee and check out the latest news about our second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

Citing the hefty raises for teachers in Los Angeles Unified, teachers in nearby Culver City Unified are demanding more money from their district, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.

The Culver City Federation of Teachers held a rally at City Hall last week to garner support for higher salaries. The district is offering 2% raises, in contrast to the 21% raises Los Angeles Unified is giving its teachers.

“We are not going to settle for 2%. We are not going to settle for less than the COLA,” Ray Long, president of the Culver City teachers union, told the school board last week. “We are fed up. It’s time for us to be paid what we deserve to be paid.”

Superintendent Quoc Tran said the 2% offer is merely a starting point and the district is willing to offer more.

The union says that the district received 8% more from the state this year, although the district said that figure could change pending the state budget revisions later this month.

“We could definitely afford more (than 2%), but we are not going to put the district in a position where two years from now we are unable to support salaries,” Tran said, the newspaper reported.

Citing the hefty raises for teachers in Los Angeles Unified, teachers in nearby Culver City Unified are demanding more money from their district, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.

The Culver City Federation of Teachers held a rally at City Hall last week to garner support for higher salaries. The district is offering 2% raises, in contrast to the 21% raises Los Angeles Unified is giving its teachers.

“We are not going to settle for 2%. We are not going to settle for less than the COLA,” Ray Long, president of the Culver City teachers union, told the school board last week. “We are fed up. It’s time for us to be paid what we deserve to be paid.”

Superintendent Quoc Tran said the 2% offer is merely a starting point and the district is willing to offer more.

The union says that the district received 8% more from the state this year, although the district said that figure could change pending the state budget revisions later this month.

“We could definitely afford more (than 2%), but we are not going to put the district in a position where two years from now we are unable to support salaries,” Tran said, the newspaper reported.