Photo courtesy of Kilo Kish
In honor of our new VICE Guide to Los Angeles, we asked some LA-based musicians and artists to act as our virtual tour guides and fill us in on their favorite spots in the city. This time around, we hit up singer-songwriter and artist Kilo Kish to tell us why she loves dark, cozy restaurants and why LA is where creatives can get real work done.VICE: How has the New York to LA transition been so far?
Kilo Kish: I didn't believe everyone when they said it takes exactly two years. I was like, "I don't know how I feel about it here," but I didn't want to move back to New York because I felt like I got what that is already.It takes about two years for you to relax, I think. From New York, the first year you're still really anxious about getting so much done in a day. It's just not possible to get that much done in a day in LA, because you have to drive and everything's so far away. You have to get used to not being able to run 1,000 errands a day or take 1,000 meetings because they're all over the place.It takes about two years to be like, "OK, well I'm in traffic, and there's really nothing I can do about that." When you can do that, then I think you start to like it more. Because you're more chilled out about how much you can accomplish in a day.Also I did find that for creatives, and actually getting work done for real—like you're trying to get something done on your own, like record a record or start a startup or a brand or something like that—I think LA is a lot easier to do that because there's a lot less distraction and more time for you to think about what you actually want to accomplish.What neighborhood spot do you recommend to first-time visitors?
The first time I came to LA, I went to like Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles. That was years ago. That's where I wanted to go first because I'd heard so much about it, and I would still recommend it because it's really good.There's this taco place called Cactus, it's kind of like a stand. It's really the best burrito I've ever had. For like a real California fish burrito or a bowl or tacos, it's my favorite place. I wouldn't go to Guisado's, I would go to Cactus. It's less hyped up but all of the real LA people that have lived here forever always tell me to go there.What are your favorite places to eat?
I've been really, really trying to find restaurants that feel like New York-y, which doesn't really happen all that often here. For me, the restaurants in LA are so big usually that they don't have that dark, cozy vibe to them. One of the restaurants that I go to on my own a lot, if I want to read a book or sit at the bar and eat by myself, is this restaurant called Jones Hollywood. The food is good, and it's dark, and it has that vibe that I like that reminds me of a New York restaurant.It's open really late, and you can just have a drink there. It's really low-key. They have this happy hour for late nights, so if you go there Sunday to Thursday there's like $6 pizzas or $5 cabernet, and you can just drink and eat pizza at like 2 AM.Where do you go when you want to clear your head?
When I eat by myself, I like sushi bars cause they're kind of set up for that. I go to this place on Melrose called Murakami. It's funny cause when I go there, all the people just kind of know who I am cause I go there so much. So when I have my second sake, the waitress will be like, "is it a good sake or a bad sake?" It's so funny, but they're really cool there. I love that place because it has such a family feel.Do you have a go-to coffee or breakfast spot?
I don't drink coffee, but I found this place called Matcha Box. It was really cool. They only make matcha drinks and matcha treats and snacks. I'm obsessed with matcha tea, so I thought that place was really cool. When I do take coffee meetings, I like to go to Cafe Midi, it's part of American Rag.Where do you like to shop?
For home stuff, I really like this store OK, it's a gift shop. During holiday time, it's so full there. They have a lot of like, Japanese teacups and dishware and ceramics, and they have cool incense and kitchenware stuff. They have a lot of really cool books, and interesting toys for kids, stationary and pencils, and all that kind of stuff that I really like.What do you think is the most distinctive characteristic of West Hollywood?
I feel like it's an in-between of Hollywood and Beverly Hills because that's where it falls. It's a mix of sketchiness and people that took it a step too far when it comes to getting plastic surgery. It's kind of like the actor that doesn't work anymore and is kind of depressed. So for me it's a mix of broken dreams and hopefulness.What's the best thing you can do in West Hollywood for free?
[This is] almost free, it's like $2. You can go to Fairfax High School, they have a flea market on Saturday. They have really cool vintage clothes. They have a lot of old junk drawer treasures, pins, and cool stuff for your house.Is there one thing that you can't miss when you're in West Hollywood?
I really like comedy shows. WeHo always has a lot of cool, random comedians at either The Comedy Store or The Laugh Factory.I'm obsessed with this place called Saddle Ranch. They have a karaoke night, where they have a million screens, and they have a mechanical bull, and the drinks are really cheap, and they have really huge cotton candy—it's like cotton candy the size of five heads. It's huge. You can go there and drink beers or whatever, and have shots, and then do karaoke. I really like that place. It's a lot of random fun.Is there anywhere you like to drink or party?
If I'm going to have a cute drink with girls, there's this bar that's like pretentious fancy, but it's so close to my house and it's really cute. It's called Ysabel. I like the decor. It has a fire pit in the middle and this outdoor area, and all these steps where you can just grab a drink and sit down in front of the fireplace.143 is like the best dance party ever. One of my friends, SOSUPERSAM, throws the party. It's a 90s R&B and hip-hop dance party. I've DJ'd it a few times. It's really fun, because it's all the music you haven't listened to in forever, and it's really sweaty.This interview has been edited and condensed.Check out more from the VICE Guide to Los Angeles.
Kilo Kish: I didn't believe everyone when they said it takes exactly two years. I was like, "I don't know how I feel about it here," but I didn't want to move back to New York because I felt like I got what that is already.
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The first time I came to LA, I went to like Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles. That was years ago. That's where I wanted to go first because I'd heard so much about it, and I would still recommend it because it's really good.There's this taco place called Cactus, it's kind of like a stand. It's really the best burrito I've ever had. For like a real California fish burrito or a bowl or tacos, it's my favorite place. I wouldn't go to Guisado's, I would go to Cactus. It's less hyped up but all of the real LA people that have lived here forever always tell me to go there.
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I've been really, really trying to find restaurants that feel like New York-y, which doesn't really happen all that often here. For me, the restaurants in LA are so big usually that they don't have that dark, cozy vibe to them. One of the restaurants that I go to on my own a lot, if I want to read a book or sit at the bar and eat by myself, is this restaurant called Jones Hollywood. The food is good, and it's dark, and it has that vibe that I like that reminds me of a New York restaurant.It's open really late, and you can just have a drink there. It's really low-key. They have this happy hour for late nights, so if you go there Sunday to Thursday there's like $6 pizzas or $5 cabernet, and you can just drink and eat pizza at like 2 AM.Where do you go when you want to clear your head?
When I eat by myself, I like sushi bars cause they're kind of set up for that. I go to this place on Melrose called Murakami. It's funny cause when I go there, all the people just kind of know who I am cause I go there so much. So when I have my second sake, the waitress will be like, "is it a good sake or a bad sake?" It's so funny, but they're really cool there. I love that place because it has such a family feel.Do you have a go-to coffee or breakfast spot?
I don't drink coffee, but I found this place called Matcha Box. It was really cool. They only make matcha drinks and matcha treats and snacks. I'm obsessed with matcha tea, so I thought that place was really cool. When I do take coffee meetings, I like to go to Cafe Midi, it's part of American Rag.
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For home stuff, I really like this store OK, it's a gift shop. During holiday time, it's so full there. They have a lot of like, Japanese teacups and dishware and ceramics, and they have cool incense and kitchenware stuff. They have a lot of really cool books, and interesting toys for kids, stationary and pencils, and all that kind of stuff that I really like.What do you think is the most distinctive characteristic of West Hollywood?
I feel like it's an in-between of Hollywood and Beverly Hills because that's where it falls. It's a mix of sketchiness and people that took it a step too far when it comes to getting plastic surgery. It's kind of like the actor that doesn't work anymore and is kind of depressed. So for me it's a mix of broken dreams and hopefulness.What's the best thing you can do in West Hollywood for free?
[This is] almost free, it's like $2. You can go to Fairfax High School, they have a flea market on Saturday. They have really cool vintage clothes. They have a lot of old junk drawer treasures, pins, and cool stuff for your house.Is there one thing that you can't miss when you're in West Hollywood?
I really like comedy shows. WeHo always has a lot of cool, random comedians at either The Comedy Store or The Laugh Factory.I'm obsessed with this place called Saddle Ranch. They have a karaoke night, where they have a million screens, and they have a mechanical bull, and the drinks are really cheap, and they have really huge cotton candy—it's like cotton candy the size of five heads. It's huge. You can go there and drink beers or whatever, and have shots, and then do karaoke. I really like that place. It's a lot of random fun.Is there anywhere you like to drink or party?
If I'm going to have a cute drink with girls, there's this bar that's like pretentious fancy, but it's so close to my house and it's really cute. It's called Ysabel. I like the decor. It has a fire pit in the middle and this outdoor area, and all these steps where you can just grab a drink and sit down in front of the fireplace.143 is like the best dance party ever. One of my friends, SOSUPERSAM, throws the party. It's a 90s R&B and hip-hop dance party. I've DJ'd it a few times. It's really fun, because it's all the music you haven't listened to in forever, and it's really sweaty.This interview has been edited and condensed.Check out more from the VICE Guide to Los Angeles.