MY DAY OFF

Zaria’s Perfect Day Off in Los Angeles Starts with Croissants and Fashion Archives

Zaria, one the stars of HBO Max’s Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, loves to spend a day in bed. But when she does venture out in Los Angeles, she is focused on experiencing the best facials, food, and vintage clothing.

By Opheli Garcia Lawler and Zaria

Published on 10/20/2022 at 4:25 PM

Zaria at Lidow Archive | Photo by Nathan Perkel for Thrillist, Hair by Michael David Warren with The Wall Group

Zaria gave one of the standout performances in the new HBO Max show Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. The spinoff takes place after the events of the original Pretty Little Liars, in Rosewood’s grungier sister town, Millwood. There, five girls must navigate the sometimes fatal consequences of the actions of their mothers. Zaria plays Faran Bryant, an ultra-talented ballerina having to deal with a literal Karen and also a masked madman. The show got renewed for a second season in September 2022. Before the show debuted in Summer 2022, the actress also had guest appearances on shows like Bosch, Black-ish, and Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!

Honestly, my ideal day off is in bed. I'm such a homebody. So this is what it's like when I do leave my little cave. If I'm leaving the house early, I'll probably go to Chaumont. They have the best croissants in LA in my opinion. I spent so much time in France, I just have an affinity towards things that actually taste French. After that, I’ll do something artistic, like go do pottery with friends at Bitter Root Pottery. My first classes were in high school, so when I was introduced to it I didn't realize how expensive of a craft it is. I just fell in love with the feeling of the clay and being able to physically mold something in your hands. A lot of the work that I do artistically has to deal with words. So I find when I'm looking for an outlet — it's almost like painting, doing something that feels very immersive. It's also nice to see something go from a block into something, useful or beautiful or both.

Lidow Archive | Photo by Nathan Perkel for Thrillist

“A lot of the work that I do artistically has to deal with words. So I find when I'm looking for an outlet — it's almost like painting, doing something that feels very immersive.”

After that, my lunch spot would be Loukà. And I don't know if it's just me hiding under a rock that I hadn’t known about it, but the tzatziki and the zucchini chips at Loukà, I swear, I ate for a month straight. They have the most amazing charismatic waiters that are from Greece. All that feels just like a little day trip to Greece. They also have an amazing soup if you're trying to get something light and also a Greek salad with feta. The feta that they have is a bit mild and it doesn't scream at you. So it's the perfect compliment in that salad.

If I'm having a really indulgent day, I'll go to a spot on the corner in Koreatown. Churros El Gorilla is a stand, not a brick and mortar, but it's so good. I don't think I've ever had a better churro. He gets them straight outta the fryer, and does the whole process in front of you. It's delicious. I feel like I'm in Disneyland.

Zaria at Lidow Archive | Photo by Nathan Perkel for Thrillist, Hair by Michael David Warren with The Wall Group

“They have the most amazing charismatic waiters that are from Greece. All that feels just like a little day trip to Greece.”

Then, on this day off, I’d head to the spa. I'm new to the spa world, but I met Ivan Pol when I was prepping for the Oscars. And it was so funny because, one of the people that we went with, she was so gracious in teaching me that you have to start weeks beforehand. You have to prep your skin, well before the day of the event. So then I found Ivan on Instagram and I reached out. He gave me the most amazing facial I've ever received. It's called The Beauty Sandwich. Not only does it make your skin feel great, it feels like you've just taken off your face. It also is a noninvasive way of stimulating the muscles and gives you a nice lift too. So I just felt like a million bucks leaving.

When I go to Tomoko Spa, I just want to let my body be massaged by the best people and get stress relief. I carry a lot of my art in my body. I'm really noticing, especially when I played Faran on Pretty Little Liars, who is a ballerina. So much of it is in her muscles and how she holds her back. Anytime I can go lay on a bed and just have someone get all the tension out of me, I'm light as a feather afterwards.

Then, there is Lidow Archive. It’s like being in another universe. So many pieces of art in the form of fabrics and shoes and accessories. It reminds me of a candy store. I met Haile Lidow when we were trying to figure out the wardrobe with one of the wardrobe stylists on Pretty Little Liars. She started this vintage collection and archive. It's really a fantastic place where I can just go in and sit in awe or pick out a dress if I need one for an event. You walk in and the stress just melts away.

Zaria at Lidow Archive | Photos by Nathan Perkel for Thrillist, Hair by Michael David Warren with The Wall Group

Zaria at Lidlow Archive | Photo by Nathan Perkel for Thrillist, Hair by Michael David Warren with The Wall Group

“It's really a fantastic place where I can just go in and sit in awe or pick out a dress if I need one for an event. You walk in and the stress just melts away.”

So then let’s say we’re doing Bestia for dinner next. I hate saying this because they sell out and I feel like I'm contributing to it now, but they have this amazing lamb neck. They cook it for like 48 hours and it just falls off the bone and they also have pizza and it's just so delicious. Then I would go to Beverly Hills’ Polo Lounge for the chocolate soufflé, which is the best. It is super fluffy and just totally outta this world.

I couldn’t end the day off without going to Astrologiens HQ. My friend created this facial oil called Leo oil , which became super popular. She created it when she was in cancer treatment. And she just moved to the desert to be away from the noise of the city. So out there, she makes — we call them potions — these beautiful face oils that you can put on at night and you wake up like you just got a facial. The space is basically like a retreat. It’s her, her dogs, and her potions. When I go it's nice to see how she makes her remedies. It's also something magical for lack of a better word, the story in which it was created because it's such a pure genesis of a product. When I put it on my face, I feel like I'm honoring that as well.