Pitch perfect
Power-brunch with directors, agents and movie stars on the terrace of smoked salmon-specialists Barney Greengrass. Hidden within the Beverly Hills branch of Barneys – with snap-worthy views over Hollywood – the restaurant has hosted a hungry Kate Hudson and Anthony Bourdain among many others. The delicious salmon and scrambled eggs will set you back £10. (barneygreengrass.com)
Take a hike
When you see pictures of A-list actors wandering the scenic hills above LA, they're usually in Runyon Canyon Park. With more than 180 acres of wooded hiking trails and incredible views stretching from Downtown all the way to the Pacific, it's a surprisingly serene spot from which to survey the LA madness.
Make like an Angeleno by joining one of the free yoga classes near the Fuller Avenue park entrance (see the Runyon Canyon Yoga Facebook page for timetables).
Pamper palace
Nowhere does spas like LA – think of all the pampered princesses the city has to keep happy. One of the best is the mammoth Wi Spa in Koreatown. Affordable, fun and open 24 hours a day, it feels expensive thanks to its separate women's and men's floors, salt, clay, jade and ice saunas, and suave-looking décor. Massages start at £40 an hour – cheap by LA standards. Be warned, though, nudity is standard in the public areas. (wispausa.com)
Roof with a view
An open-air poolside bar, high among city-centre skyscrapers, The Standard Downtown hotel's Rooftop has been hip for LA's equivalent of forever. Blame a heady mix of model/actress/waitress staff, super-cool red AstroTurf floors surrounding the swimming pool, waterbeds built for six and nightly DJs. Arrive before 10pm unless you want to queue – and bring ID no matter how old you are. (standardhotels.com)
Tasty tacos
When hunger strikes, go to the hottest address of the moment: Bäco Mercat. It's a quasi-industrial canteen, serving flatbread/taco hybrids, that's crammed with Downtown hipsters every day of the week. Go on the first Thursday of the month and you can feast on quirky combos such as chicken livers and jerk sauce, or sirloin carpaccio and coffee grounds, then wander the nearby galleries during the Downtown LA Art Walk. (bacomercat.com; downtownartwalk.org)
Top shop
Despite A-listers popping in practically every five minutes, staff at super-cool boutique Fred Segal, on Melrose, are reassuringly down to earth and helpful. Let them play stylist and dress you in everything from cult jeans to couture via Converse, then pop in to onsite cafe Mauro for a Supermax smoothie (banana, strawberry and pineapple; £3). If that gets you in the mood for a spree, the rest of this street is worth a wander, including Decades, for possibly the poshest vintage shopping in the world, and Wasteland, for secondhand clothing (including celeb castoffs) (fredsegal.com)
Screen time
When movie stars fancy a trip to the flicks, they head for ArcLight on Hollywood Boulevard. This super-modern, 16-screen complex is no ordinary multiplex, with gourmet snacks and armrests that are extra wide to allow two people elbow space. Award yourself an extra helping of popcorn for a 'double sighting' (the same actor on screen as present in the audience – yes, it can and does happen). Tickets from £9. (arclightcinemas.com)
Photograph: Custom Hotel
Pillow talk
Don't be put off by the slightly uninspiring exterior of the Custom Hotel – it's great value and just eight minutes drive from LAX, which means you can minimise your transfer and maximise your weekend's fun. With retro-looking rooms, posh toiletries and a lounge-y pool bar and diner, it's the perfect place to rest legs that are weary from exploring.
Santa Monica and Hollywood are an easy drive away, too. (jdvhotels.com; doubles from £55 per room)
The Air New Zealand experience
Air New Zealand flies daily from London Heathrow to Los Angeles. Its award-winning onboard service includes seats carefully designed for maximum comfort, whichever class you're flying, food with a strong New Zealand flavour, accompanied by some great wines from the region. There's gate-to-gate, on-demand entertainment – from the moment you board – with personal touch screens showing 580 hours of movies and TV programmes, plus a great audio collection. To book flights, visit airnewzealand.co.uk
