Leah Kateb is doing her big one. After becoming Love Island USA‘s fan-favorite islander-turned-influencer for her no-bullshit attitude and vintage drip, the Calabasas native is dropping her new YouTube series, Livin’ Like Leah (the name inspired by her SpongeBob obsession). But first, fresh off a Joshua Tree escape with her PPG castmates Serena and JaNa, the reality superstar took us out for a day in L.A. to show us all the hometown spots she missed the most while in the villa, from barn to burger joint.
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MONTY’S GOOD BURGER, CULVER CITY
“I’ve been vegetarian for 11 years and vegan for about five, so I’m always on the hunt for a really good vegan spot because some vegan food is really gross. Monty’s is meant to be a vegan version of In-N-Out. It’s so bomb, and the vibe is great. They donate to animal shelters and work with rescues, which is something that’s really important to me, and they also make really good food. Their fried chicken, my boyfriend calls it ficken. But he was like, I can’t tell the difference. He loves to eat. He gets the burger, the fries, the chicken tenders, the chicken sandwich. I’ve been slowly turning him vegan, but their chicken tenders are probably my favorite thing on the menu.”
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VAN LEEUWEN’S ICE CREAM, WOODLAND HILLS
“Van Leeuwen’s is my favorite ice cream spot. I would always go to the one in Studio City, but I’m so happy they just opened one near my apartment in Woodland Hills. They have such good vegan flavors. One of my favorites is the churro. But I know they do collabs with people, so my dream is to have my own ice cream flavor. I would have to be in the lab with it, but I love a chocolate chip cookie dough and sprinkle combo. I feel like my vegan one would be the best.”
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EREWHON, CALABASAS
“Erewhon is my second home. I see people there who are like, I literally came here just to see you. I’ve fully turned Miguel into an Erewhoner. He asks to go there now. First, he was like, Overrated, too expensive. But now he’s like, Wait, should we go to Erewhon today? He’s turned into a full-blown L.A. boy. But I’ve been going to Erewhon before it was cool, because I’m from Calabasas, obviously. We were up in that thing. And when I tell you people are hounding me for an Erewhon collab smoothie! I need one. It’s actually only right. I used to work at two smoothie shops, so I know how to make really good smoothies. It just makes too much sense. Erewhon, call me. I need that shit.”
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LEAH’S BARN (WITH VALENTINO)
“I started riding when I was nine years old, and every time I would be upset, I would go straight to my horse and just sit with him on the floor. When I was an angsty teen, I would get pissed at my parents and run off and hide in my horse’s stable. I would hear my parents walk past it saying, “Leah, where are you?” And I would just be on the floor. My barn is my happiest place. It’s at my neighbor’s house because I was trying to find a place for these two pigs that I saved from a slaughter farm, and I went around the neighborhood putting notes in everyone’s mailbox like, Hi, can I please use this barn until these pigs get adopted out? And this family reached out to me, and we’ve created such a beautiful relationship. It’s so peaceful because you don’t really get cell connection. And I’ve had Val for almost nine years now. He used to be a racehorse. His racing name was Big Mike. He’s 21 years old now, so he really just eats and vibes out. I literally spend more time with my animals than I do with humans. They’re my number one source of joy. They just bring me a feeling that I don’t get anywhere else. Serena and JaNa have met all my animals. Serena liked it more. Jana was a bit confused at the pigs, but Serena is my Texas girl and she loves horses.”
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NATURE
“I take my dog hiking in this little forest area by my house, and there’s a part that has a creek. I always let her off her leash and she just runs. We would take our dog who passed away and my dog right now, Blue. I feel like I’m happiest when I’m in places that are calm and secluded. You really just need time to get weird and talk to yourself and enjoy your own company in the most natural way possible. Don’t get me wrong, my Leo self does love an energetic environment, but I’ve found a balance.”
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AWF ANIMAL RESCUE, SHERMAN OAKS
“Animal World Foundation is owned by Julie Tsui, and it’s the first animal rescue that I started fostering with, about 10 or 11 years ago. I’ve had hundreds of fosters and I literally have Polaroids of them in my apartment and I follow the moms on Instagram. I have the most respect ever for Julie. She has 80 cats in her own home right now. She will not turn down an animal. And she’s such an inspiration because I want to have my own animal sanctuary one day. She’s the reason that Blue’s even still alive. She had pneumonia and tapeworm and Julie helped her, and I started fostering Blue at six weeks old, and she was my first foster fail. She’s actually me in dog form. It’s wild. Everyone thinks I named her Blue because her eyes are blue, but I actually named her Blue because Jurassic Park is one of my favorite movies, and the velociraptor named Blue in Jurassic Park knows how to open doors. And ever since Blue was a puppy, she knew how to open doors. Very intricate doorknobs. Weird stuff. She’s a dinosaur.”
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VOULEZ VOUS VINTAGE, WEST HOLLYWOOD
“My collection of vintage things is always growing. Obviously, on Love Island I wore a bunch of vintage pieces, and I am obsessed with vintage and current Roberto Cavalli. For the longest time, if you searched Roberto Cavalli, the top search was with my name after it. And I love JPG, vintage Dior. This shop has everything. She’s in London right now and she sends me stuff that she thinks I’ll like. Unfortunately, I love shopping. I have a disease and I’m acknowledging it. But I’m not really a hoarder. If I’m not using something, I’ll give it away to donations. I don’t like opening my closet and seeing a bunch of shit that I know I’ll never wear again. I love donating in general.”
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Hair: Clayton Hawkins.
Makeup: Kendal Feidal.