Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Jaffe.
Kimberly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey on how I began L.A. Any Day began over 20 years ago when I realized I couldn’t sit still and wanted to be a tourist in my own town. I have deep roots in Los Angeles… I am a 4th generation L.A. native, having grown up in Encino (yes, I was an original “Valley” girl) and have lived in Santa Monica for over 30 years, my mother was a high-profile chef in the ’90’s for one of the biggest celebrity-driven restaurants in the city, my father and grandfather were instrumental in the founding of the DTLA fashion district, I was employed at Warner Bros. in their film division for a number of years, I partied on the Sunset Strip, and I grew up in a historic home used for the last 40 years in numerous movies and television shows. I spent summers in Catalina, weekends in Newport and Palm Springs and always wanted to know the latest and greatest of what was happening around town. That passion grew and grew as I got older. My friends were always asking me what to do when they had family in town, as if I was the concierge of L.A.
One day, as my children grew older, a friend of mine suggested that I take this so-called “hobbie” and turn it into a career. I wasn’t even on social media! Well, after figuring out how to turn this into a business, I founded L.A. Any Day. After finding out how to navigate social media, and how to start a company, I began pounding the pavement and introducing myself all over town. I review everything… restaurants, bars, speakeasies, museums, tours, pop-ups, and more. But I get to know the proprietors as well as post my photos and reviews on social media. I belong to numerous Chamber of Commerces, conservancies, and tourism boards. I am connected to every online site in L.A., check them all daily and update my database so I am aware of what is happening in town at all times. I then coined the term “Entertainment Concierge” and found out that no one in Los Angeles does what I do. I’m kind of the publicist of Los Angeles you might say. I love this town and I want everyone to know there is more to it than the Hollywood Sign and the Santa Monica Pier.
Has it been a smooth road?
Age, time and motherhood would define struggles for me, though the latter would not be an actual struggle. I had a bustling career as Manager of International Promotions for Warner Bros. Feature Films before I was married for a number of years. Yet, once I had a child, and due to personal issues in my marriage, I had to stay home and give up my career. Being a stay-at-home mom was something I was proud to be as I loved watching both of my daughters grow up and it was an honor to be present with them day in and day out. But I couldn’t just sit still so I volunteered for everything possible at their public school and worked on and off for numerous charities throughout the years. I became a master at fundraising and hospitality you might say. And though I balanced volunteer work and mommyhood, I still had that itch to get out about town, children in tow, and discover L.A. When my oldest daughter was 15, my husband and I parted ways. It was a very difficult time and not the easiest of divorces. After a few years of attending to the girl’s needs, selling my home, moving a few times, I had to go back to work. I realized this could be the time to rediscover myself and redefine who I am, and maybe there was a way I could find a rewarding job where I could still attend to my children, as one of my girls has special needs.
When I decided to bring L.A. Any Day to light, I never imagined how much work it was to start a company, begin an LLC, hire an attorney, website designer, learn about social media and photography, how much money was involved in a startup, and how many hours it took out of your life. Most of all, my little idea started to go in a zillion different directions and I was doing this entirely on my own. It took a while for me to realize there is only one of me and I can’t be everywhere, I don’t have the manpower to take it in every direction I want to, and don’t have unlimited funds to bring this company to where I want it be. And the biggest part of it all, is there just isn’t enough hours in the day to get everything done to this day, because I am a mom first, and have to make time for me, though I do lose sight of the latter often. But I am lucky to have friends and family who have been a massive support system and cheerleader for me. In addition, dozens in the industry and throughout L.A. have encouraged me to keep my company going as there is no one who does what I do and I’ve been told numerous time how our city could use my services. That, along with at least four cups of green tea daily, are what get me up each morning.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The simplest way to explain L.A. Any Day is I am a Los Angeles Entertainment Concierge and provide personalized itineraries for people who vacation and staycation in L.A. I work with my clients, whether they are wanting to take an L.A. staycation, they are here on a business trip, visiting LA for the first time, here on a group tour, locating here from out of town, etc. It could be for one day or three weeks. I work with individuals traveling on their own to those staying at hotels, people traveling on a group tour to being available as an exclusive concierge to a major corporation. Then the fun begins… I meet with my clients by phone and I find out what makes them tick. I determine what they truly have to see in L.A. and then I fill in the rest. I find out their hobbies, are they food lovers, the kind of food they like and don’t like, their budget, are they art lovers, do they want to see our local wineries, into sports, and the list goes on. I have access to a driving service, an exclusive ticketing agency, interpreters. I will completely customize their itinerary, book all their reservations, and plan everything for them, as well as keep geography in mind (I will not have them eat breakfast in Malibu, partake in an activity in the South Bay, lunch in Echo Park and dinner in Santa Monica). And when my clients are in town, I will be personally available by phone in case last minute changes have to be made. I even have a preferred hotel list and a cheat sheet of how to “handle” Los Angeles: rules for driving, marijuana, smoking, how to deal with solicitors and homelessness, and so much more. I will give them tips on how to dress for each destination, driving information and any other details they need for each destination. It’s all about personalization for my clients and showing off all Los Angeles has to offer.
Customization is my keyword. Nothing is ever the same because no two people are the same. My goal is to find out what makes my customer tick and for them to have the best Los Angeles trip possible. I don’t sit behind a desk (well, most of the time), I don’t receive kickbacks from anyone, I don’t jack up the ticket prices on anything I book for you, I base my recommendations on my personal or industry reviews (I don’t follow Yelp or Trip Advisor), and I’m here for YOU. Travel agents and hotel concierges can’t do that. And I have L.A. history in my blood. You just can’t buy that. And I’m passionate about Los Angeles and want to share this with others.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
L.A. Any Day is ALL about Los Angeles but the basis for the company can be applied to any city anywhere in the world. I will say that a transplant to L.A. cannot fully grasp the knowledge, appreciate the city, or have a connection to the history the way I do. I have seen the transitions, I was here during the ’71 and ’94 earthquakes, I was at the Viper Room the night River Phoenix died, I danced at the Club Vertigo with Milli Vanilli (embarrassed to say), asked out by Brad Pitt when he was just starting out, was a Valley Girl and really “talked” that way until the song came out and we shut up super fast, and the stories go on. It’s in my blood and you can’t make these stories up.
Therefore, my business is unique and I bring that take on L.A. to my clients. The tricky part is getting the word out to the customers to work with me and not the travel agents and hotel concierge as they give more cookie cutter-type advice. And for the larger companies to entrust in me that I will take care of their customers and clients and show them the “true” Los Angeles as there is so much to see, eat and do in our city.
Pricing:
- Pricing: $175 per day (price may vary depending on group size, length of stay, etc.)
Contact Info:
- Address: 2461 Santa Monica Blvd.
#711 Santa Monica, CA 90404 - Website: https://www.laanyday.com
- Phone: 3107299626
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/laanyday/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/laanyday/
Image Credit:
All images courtesy of L.A. Any Day 2019/2020
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