I'm typing this post while sitting at the gate waiting for my flight back home to Illinois. I'm not ready to go back to the cold and leave the California sunshine!
On Wednesday, we decided to make the trip North to Los Angeles. We debated going or not due to what we had heard about crazy amounts of traffic, but we had never been before and decided we should go. I'm so glad we did!
We left Newport Beach at around 6:45 and made it to LA by 8:45. We stopped along the way for breakfast at Rose Bakery in Corona Del Mar.
From my Instagram: cake donut at Rose Bakery
We decided that the best way to see LA in one day would be a bus tour. We booked ours through R&B Tours. The tour office isn't in the heart of Hollywood, so it is less gimmicky and cheesy. The buses are smaller, so you aren't competing with 45 other people to find a seat on a bus. We had one other family on our tour with us, so it was the perfect amount of people. The tour lasted for two and a half hours, and we saw a lot. We viewed Rodeo Drive, the Sunset Strip, were dropped off in Hollywood for 45 minutes to look around, and then the driver took us into the hills to see the homes of several celebrities, including Jennifer Aniston, Miley Cyrus, Tom Cruise, and more. It was definitely a "touristy" thing to do, but so worth it!
The famed Beverly Hilton, where the Golden Globes take place each year
Grauman's Theater
My brother and I posing with the footprints/handprints of the Harry Potter cast
Walk of Fame
After the tour, we ate a late lunch at The Ivy Restaurant in West Hollywood. It was recommended to us by our tour guide and he made a reservation for us. The Ivy is the place where stars go to be seen. It is a very chic place, with English garden decor and a gorgeous patio. Upon walking in, we spotted Gene Simmons of KISS at a table on the patio. It was definitely a scene, and it was an excellent spot for people watching as you can imagine. The food was delicious as well. I ordered the smoked salmon pizza.
Roses adorn the tables at The Ivy
My parents
After lunch, we headed down the street to Georgetown Cupcake-Los Angeles for a quick treat. I've never been to the one in D.C., so I had to get my fix.
We headed back to Newport in the afternoon, but not before we had taken a drive through Brentwood, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, and Venice Beach. So many beautiful homes, chic shops, and interesting people.
I'm so glad we decided to take a day trip to LA. As with any place, you build up a picture in your mind of what you think it is going to look like based on what you see in movies and in pictures. Hollywood turned out to be very different than how I had imagined it. It is so much more gimmicky and commercial then the sleek and glamorous place I pictured it as.
Have you ever visited LA?
Stay Stylish. Stay Classy. Be Creative.
Emily
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