If you read my last post, then you already know that Southern California has a very special place in my heart. I grew up taking trips over to the sunshine state to visit my Aunt Janice in Hermosa Beach and Aunt Sandy in Morrow Bay. Although I have flown into LA multiple times, I had never really done the whole “LA thing” because I was never old enough. Lucky for me, my cousin/best friend had just moved out to LA in January and it gave me a great excuse to visit. Doing the whole “LA thing” turned into doing the whole “Hermosa-Venice-Newport-Santa Monica-San Diego-Malibu thing.” Needless to say, I had an incredible time and would love to share some fun stuff with you.
Nothing says Southern California quite like beach volleyball in Santa Monica, and it’s not a bad way to start a vacation either. Danielle, Theresa, Andrew and I arrived just in time to meet up with some friends for a friendly beach volleyball tournament. I was a little rusty, but I was just happy to be a part of the action and pretend to be a local. Although, I wasn’t fooling anyone with the snow-white complexion I had developed after the worst winter Boston had pretty much ever seen. Speaking of, there is nothing quite like diving into the Pacific Ocean on a sunny 80 degree day after the misery that was Boston this winter.
After a few hours of boozing and volleyball under the perfect California sun, we hit the boulevard to grab some eats. Danielle was dead set on taking me to the Blue Plate Oysterette, but we didn’t have a reservation and they weren’t taking walk-ins until about ten that night. It was a blessing in disguise, because that led us to Bar Pintxo where we feasted on some incredible tapas and sipped on house-made sangria. Did I mention that Bar Pintxo’s happy hour consists of 6 for $6 tapas and $4 sangria glasses. Yes, I mean that we literally got two of each of the below for $12.
Holy Happy Hour. As a Massachusetts native, I am not used to happy hour since it is illegal in my state. Let me tell you, I took full advantage while I could…
Next I headed to the Hollywood Hills. When I heard people use the term “hike” to get to the Hollywood sign, I just assumed it was a leisurely walk up a semi-steep hill. Turns out, it’s an actual hike. I saw some girls in Coachella outfits and sandals fumbling down the trail, looking absolutely miserable. They were covered in dirt and I heard one of them mutter “never again.” Not surprisingly, I ended up loving it, and was wowed by the view from The Wisdom Tree. There is where I met Dave, a 70-year old LA native that hikes to the Hollywood sign every weekend hoping to meet out of towners, and share some LA history to its visitors. Since I was hiking solo, Dave insisted that he help document my trip by taking upwards of 50 pictures of me with my iPhone. First next to The Wisdom tree with my hands on hips, with my hands up, with my foot resting on a rock, with my hair up, with my hair down. I couldn’t help but laugh as he snapped away, giving me suggested poses and throwing in some knowledge about the city he loved so much.
Once my photo-shoot with Dave was over, I started to head down the other side of the hill. I thought I was following the clear directions he had given me on how to get back to my car without going the same way that I came, but I soon found myself deep into the winding streets of the Hollywood Hills. I was clearly lost and I was not seeing any of the landmarks Dave had described to me. Three twenty-something year old guys were walking towards me on their way to see the sign when I stopped them for directions. They explained that they were not from the area either, but would be happy to help me find my way back to my car after they went to take pictures of the sign. Ironically, they were all PHD students at MIT, a school that is about a mile away from my apartment back in Boston. The three lovely Boston students led me back to my car and then I was off to Newport Beach.
Oh how I love to visit the quintessential beach town of Newport. Besides the fact that I get to spend time with my crazy wonderful friends Kristina and Justin, it is one of the cutest places I’ve ever been. Kristina lives on Balboa island, which is full of perfectly adorable boutiques, perfectly delicious bakeries and is surrounded by sailboats and yachts perfectly bobbing up and down in the perfect Newport Bay. What I’m trying to say, is that it is the most perfect little town. To start your day, stop by the Blue Chair Bakery, home of the best cinnamon roll that has ever touched these lips (think gooey center, topped with an oozing homemade icing). Here’s a little picture for you if you’re not convinced by my description:
For a little shopping, head to Isabelle’s Cabinet where you’ll find an array of trendy boho clothing, accessories, and the daintiest layering necklaces. The staff is super friendly and helpful, and you won’t be able to help but leave with something new for your wardrobe. Even with the draw of all the great boutiques and eateries, my absolute favorite thing to do on Balboa is to take a walk all the way around the island and check out the different architecture from house to house, and gaze out at the bay littered with jaw-dropping gorgeous boats you can only hope someone will invite you on. When you’re ready for the beach, take the 1-minute long, $1 ferry over to Balboa Peninsula where you’ll find more awesome boutiques, restaurants and picturesque views.
On my way back to LA from Newport Beach, I stopped in Venice beach to meet up with another crazy friend, Conor. We strolled up and down the boardwalk, stopping for an occasional drink, and of course people watched for a solid hour. There’s really nothing quite like people-watching in Venice Beach. We then caught the most insane sunset I had ever seen, and headed back to LA. (#nofilter)
Next up was an overnight trip to San Deigo. Here Danielle and I met up with her friend Audrey, and enjoyed a beautiful day on the beach, enjoying the sunshine. For happy hour we parked ourselves on beautiful roof deck of The Wood. Sip on the Endless Summer cocktail and munch on the Skillet Tots and any one of their delicous flatbreads while you enjoy the view of the San Diego coast. Later that night we stopped by Barrel Republic to try some of the 44 craft beers on tap, with the freedom to pour however much, or little beer you want. Upon entering the bar, each guest is issued an ID bracelet which is scanned with the information from your License. As you approach the selected beer tap, you hold the bracelet next to a scanner for logging, and then pour whatever amount of beer you want to drink. The amount of beer you pour is measured and logged to your tab. At the end of the night, you cash out with your bracelet. I sampled a few different beers and my tab was only $5! It was a really awesome experience, and gives you the opportunity to sample whatever you want without having to pay for a whole pint of beer you may not even like. After hitting a few bars downtown, we ended our night at the walk-up window at Humberto’s Taco Shop. I’m not sure if it was the beers talking, but it was some of the best Mexican food I’ve had in quite some time. If you’re looking for late night eats, this is the place to end your night.
The following night, Danielle wanted to wow me with the West Hollywood scene, which I had never experienced before. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not one to spend my time watching reality TV, but I have lived with roommates in the past that have that stuff playing on the TV 24/7. I’m not proud to say that I’ve watched more than 3 episodes of Vanderpump Rules, but I can tell you that I was excited to see Lisa, Ken, Kristen outside of PUMP taking pictures with fans, and James at the DJ table (he told me where the bathroom was). I sipped on a LVP Pink Fizz served by one of the many incredibly good-looking staff and then we were off to The Abbey. The Abbey is without a doubt the best gay club I have ever been to. I suppose I haven’t been to many, but I can’t imagine what could top this. Each dancer was impossibly beautiful, and must have been sculpted with a chisel and hammer by Michelangelo himself. Between the great drinks, great music, and awesome entertainment, my experience was an A+. Gay or not, a visit to The Abbey is worth your Thursday night! Only only advice: Watch your purse. This place is knowns for picket-pockets!
To end my 8 day long trip, Danielle, her roommate Christina, and ten others rode limo style up the California Coast to Malibu to spend our day sipping on some vino at Malibu Wines. The grounds are absolutely picturesque, from the perfectly manicured landscaping, to the canopy of Edison-style light bulbs strung overheard. On a beautiful day, (so most days in Malibu) it’s a perfect spot to have a picnic with friends, with a live acoustic musician playing in the background. We brought a cooler full of cheese, cured meets, crackers, dips, and other snacks and ordered bottles of wine at the tasting counters. They are open seven days a week 11am-7pm Monday-Thursday, 10am-9pm Friday & Saturday, and 10am-7pm on Sunday. I highly recommend blocking off a day to visit this beautiful, fun winery!
And so my trip came to an end, but it will surely not be my last visit. Until next time, Southern California!
