I was asked to visit LA on a whim, and I excitedly accepted the invite for the impromptu girls trip. Los Angeles has been on my travel list for a while, and I was happy to mark it off. I’ve read and saw via social media this city is always bubbling with tons of things to do and see from various water sports and excursions to top-tier #GoodEats and nightlife. Paul Smith’s pink wall on Melrose was the first stop. This famous instagram hotspot is eye-catching due to its striking hue that makes for the perfect background for any photo. I lucked up and got the otherwise very busy wall all to myself.
Jet skiing in Long Beach was up next! Although I had a life jacket, I was a bit nervous about going too far out as someone who can’t swim. However, I didn’t go all the way to Cali to not jet ski full out! After about 15 minutes, my adrenaline was rushing and I was far out enough to pass docked cruise ships.
Exhaustion tried to set in afterwards, but we prevailed and headed to Santa Monica Beach. Lunch at Perry’s Cafe was so good. I was starving, so I played it safe and got pizza – although the menu didn’t really deviate from the usual American classics. The beach itself was fairly busy, but the pier was PACKED. Mostly because tourists like me desperately needed a hoodie or any kind of layering piece to combat the unexpected freezing weather.
One of my favorite things was the DTLA walking food tour. Walk for 2 minutes, then stop and eat for 20? Yes, please! In addition to getting my foodie needs met, we stopped to learn about landmarks such as the Bradbury Building and Million Dollar Theater. Our first stop (and meeting point) was Pitchoun Bakery, then we headed to Grand Central Market where I tried Horse Thief BBQ. Before heading back to the bakery, we visited the Spring Arcade Building and tried Pizza Napolita, Guisados, and Garçons De Café.
The only thing that could top a food tour was a helicopter ride that flew me over Beyoncé’s house. We saw other celebrity homes and the Hollywood sign, but back to my queen’s home! I was in awe as soon as I saw that gorgeous pink walkway!
I lucked up and got tickets at the last minute for the Broad museum. This is the museum that houses the instagram-famous oversized table, among other very cool exhibits. I’m a shameless nerd when it comes to museums, and I will make it a point to visit at least 1 wherever I go. The perfect ending to this trip was dining at Harriet’s Rooftop. The interior is breathtaking.
Aside from staying in an AirBnB for the first (and last!) time, I have nothing but great things to say about LA. I will definitely be going back to drive at the Porsche Experience Center (if I don’t get to it in ATL first) and to try out EggSlut (we got there too late, and the line was wrapped around the building.)
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