My wife hated Los Angeles. Like, truly hated it. Bad traffic, superficial vibes, a trip that went sideways years ago… she wrote the whole city off. So naturally, I decided to drag her back.
I gave myself exactly 24 hours and one impossible goal: redeem an entire city. We’re talking hidden alley delis with life-changing smoked salmon, $2 oysters on the coast, a Chablis so crisp it practically begged for shellfish, and a quiet stroll through the Venice Canals that made us both forget we were even in LA. Oh, and an art gallery that went from holy silence to… well, let’s just say the art got very anatomical, very fast.
But the real weapon? A Pinot Noir I ordered at a rooftop dinner that absolutely crushed the entire table. If you’ve ever needed the perfect wine list pick to look like a hero, this is the bottle.
Did one perfect day turn a hater into a believer? You’ll have to watch to find out.
I’m Dustin, and I’ve tasted thousands of wines—my mission is to make wine accessible and fun for everyone by cutting through the snobbery and complication with honest, helpful reviews for non-wine people.
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TIMESTAMP
0:00 The City She Swore She’d Never Revisit
1:22 The Redemption Tour Begins at LAX
2:03 Laying My Cards on the Table
2:29 The Unmarked Alley Deli (Juusta)
3:48 The Cheapest Smash Burger in LA (The Window)
4:53 An Herbal Sanctuary on Rose Avenue
5:36 The Venice Canals: A Hidden Floating World
6:27 Santa Monica Bluffs and Letting Her Guard Down
7:02 $2 Oysters and a Crisp Chablis (Blue Plate Oysterette)
8:10 Ground Squirrels and Cliffside Wildlife
8:28 Kazunori Sushi on the Bluffs
9:15 The Arts District and Hauser & Wirth
10:16 The Gallery Takes a Hard Left Turn
11:39 The Best Review I Could Ask For
12:16 The Big Question: Does She Like LA?
12:43 Rooftop Dinner at Perch
13:36 The Pinot Noir That Crushed the Table
14:09 What This Trip Was Really About
15:06 A Note on Good Grief
Watch my other videos here!
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🍷 I Rank Every Red Italian Wine at Trader Joe’s (There Were 23!)
🍷 I Took On 21 Bottles of Trader Joe’s Pinot Noir in One Sitting
🍷 How I wish ORDERING WINE was explained to me as a beginner
🍷 Sommelier Ranked $400 of Trader Joe’s Bordeaux Wine
🍷 I Tested Costco vs. Trader Joe’s Cabernet Sauvignon: Which One Is Best?
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8 Comments
Kind like seeing someone’s home vacation video. Wished we saw some wine stuff.
Love the energy here. I think every city, regardless of our viewpoint, has something to offer.
Next time you go to LA, visit Wally's, it's a top tier wine bar!
Great job with the video. Just wondering, how did you come by picking these places/ locations? Did you scout these restaurants on your own without your wife first?
Great video, what a wonderful adventure for you two.
But stop calling your wife she!
“She” must have a name. Next time you post something together, don’t be afraid to use it. 😊
Well-planned trip with your wife – entertaining as well! As a lifelong Angeleno (well, Long Beach for the past 24 years), I think you have an “LA vibe” about you, especially with your knack for video production!
DUSTIN!!!!!! Loved the video and seeing your lovely wife. Wishing you much success! Debbie J
Good job –
As a native angeleno here, thank you for your lovely video and for not focusing on the movie industry. Those of us born and raised here are numb to it. Next time you’re here, be sure to check out the LA Phil performing at Walt Disney Concert Hall and enjoy some wine in the garden before the performance. Or if you’re here in the summer, check out the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl and bring some bottles of wine–it’s the best place to be in LA during the summer.