Checking out all of the tourist stops before leaving La La Land, this was quite the day. From morning to night, it was literally non-stop fun! Looking forward to doing LA again. For now, check out the final adventures in Los Angeles.
Gone to the movies
16, March 2019
Taking a slow start to the morning, Melvyn and I got up closer to 10AM. With no idea what we were doing today, we decided to start with Melvyn’s favourite, 85°C Bakery Cafe. This was one thing Melvyn missed when he lived in the states, raving about the drink that he would always have: Iced Sea Salt Black Tea. Not usually a fan of cold drinks in the morning, I opted in for the hot version, which was the warm hug I needed that day. We also grabbed a few buns, including one stuffed with milk tea custard (there was also a big tapioca pearl in the centre, which was a surprise). We slowly walked around the area, and stumbled upon a shopping centre, where the Sheraton Grand was also located. This outdoor mall had many floors, as we sat on the second level, looking up at Uniqlo and Nordstrom Rack. We weren’t really sure where we were headed, but on the agenda was one more art gallery that I wanted to check. Although our tickets were for a specific time, we got into an Uber and headed in that direction. Fortunately, we decided to get an Uber pool, only to have the other person not show up (score).
Much needed in the morning
The final art gallery we attended was the Maurice and Paul Marciano Art Foundation. Comprising of mostly pop cultural references, the artwork was limited but quite outstanding. From Angelina Jolie’s lips to a mural dedicated to animals, the one exhibit I wanted to check out was Yayoi, best known for her dot masterpieces all around the room. Coincidentally, I wore the same colours of the exhibit – I didn’t expect the red and white room to be at the Marciano, but it was a pleasant surprise. Of all the art galleries, this was the only place where I purchased an item from the gift store. I got myself a pin that said “Good Things Happen, Love Is Real, We Will Be Okay;” to me, that is my motto to life. Afterwards, we headed to our next destination: Hollywood.
It may have been the weekend, but Hollywood didn’t seem as busy as I imagined – I also thought Hollywood would have been bigger, but that wasn’t necessarily true. Upon reaching the intersection, you see three major points of Hollywood: TCL Chinese Theatre, The Dolby Theatre, and El Capitan Theatre. Much as I wanted to see those points, I also was on a mission: to see Britney Spears’ Hollywood Walk of Fame Star. Walking from the beginning to the end of Hollywood Boulevard, we managed to see about every star from TV, Film, and Music, except for Britney. Walking towards the Chinese Theatre, we saw a few celebrities who placed their hands in cement, including my favourite movie duo: Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. Once we were about to reach the beginning of Hollywood Boulevard, I finally saw my star, in a very prominent spot. The only photo that mattered to me on vacation, and I found her after looking down on the road this duration of the trip! Getting a bit hot, we stopped at the McDonald’s and took a rest until we headed out to our next destination.
Along the way, our Uber driver said to us how he’s never been to Rodeo Drive – which made sense, most locals don’t seem interested visiting tourist attractions. While waiting in the traffic, I noticed this wall filled with rainbow hearts, but I was intrigued by the person taking the photo. Standing by the wall, the woman’s mother was taking a photo, even bending down to get that angle; got to leave it to mom to take good photos.
Reaching Rodeo Drive turned out to be surreal. I have not seen so many high-end retail stores in one place – this ain’t no Nordstrom, I can tell you that much. From the streets to the store fronts, everything is immaculate on Rodeo Drive. Not that I was looking for anything, but there were a number of pretty things nicely displayed that caught my attention; unfortunately, I cannot afford such items. Whether it was entering the heavily-condensed Gucci to the breathable Prada, there was never a dull moment on this Beverly Hills street. We even went to Melvyn’s store, COS, which has minimalistic clothing that didn’t really appeal to either of us this time. With no bag in hand, Melvyn wanted to go to one more store: Yves Saint Laurent. Most of the clothes were black or flashy in the store, while there was one bag on Melvyn’s mind. The associates were not sure if the product was available, but after a few moments, the store had the bag Melvyn’s been eyeing for so long. Nonetheless, Melvyn was a happy man that day. And because we are in such a beautiful street (with very few restaurants, I may add), we took that photo, with the emphasis on the shopping bag.
While we had plans for the evening, we didn’t know what we were going to do in the meantime. A few hours in-between, we decided to go for shaved ice – but, Korean style. Oakobing serves shaved ice in different flavours, ranging from mango to peanut; it’s no typical shaved ice, I can tell you that. We decided to get the strawberry shaved ice, which took a little bit longer than expected. A server came by to check on us, and when we told him that we haven’t received our dessert, he came back with the dish and two complimentary drinks. I believe those drinks were milk tea, which was a nice touch that left us with a very sweet ending.
We wanted to venture into the Art District, but wasn’t sure exactly where that was located. Getting dropped off in Little Tokyo, we instead headed into Daiso, where Melvyn found his flat water bottle. I have no clue how he managed to get such an item, especially when he was just talking about this water bottle(?) By the time our shopping adventure had ended, we had to head out to dinner in Glendale – we were going to be late. The first Uber we called couldn’t find us, and so we took a carpool with one interesting story told along the way. Not sure if the passenger and the driver were friends, but they were getting into some very personal details (a juicy story, but still too much information to share).
Delightful and refreshing
We had dinner with my niece, Kaitlyn, at the Cheesecake Factory inside the Americana at Brand. Not knowing much outside of Los Angeles, this shopping district is huge! With water fountains and stores bigger than most malls, it’s easy to see why a lot of people come here on a Saturday night. Kaitlyn and I were both on vacation and decided to meet up while in town – she was visiting her friend, Jennifer, who is a popular YouTuber. If you haven’t been to the Cheesecake Factory, let me tell you that the menu is endless. There are hundreds of main dishes, as well as cheesecakes to everyone’s preference. We stuffed our faces with the bread while waiting for our mains, with the brown bread as everyone’s favourite (except for Kaitlyn). Much as we were full from our pasta dinners, we had to order cheesecake at the end – dinner wouldn’t be complete without cake. Kaitlyn and Jennifer shared a low-calorie cheesecake (which tastes the same!) while Melvyn and I got a chocolate cherry cheesecake. Rule of thumb when at the Cheesecake Factory: never skip cheesecake. It was lovely to see my niece and her friend, as they waited for us to get our Uber back into Los Angeles. Of course, the night would not be complete without a photo for proof that we saw each other.
The final place Melvyn and I needed to take photos was at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the site of public art “Urban Light.” Not only was this place crowded, but everyone wanted to take the same photo. Being tired and full at this point, we took a quick photo shoot, copying what most people were posing. The district was really fascinating, seeing couples and friends taking photos, to even an artist shooting his music video. Although taking a photo in the daytime would have been also aesthetic, we had to suffice with what we had for the night. We may have stayed for about 20 minutes, but it was worth the trek to see such a spectacle before heading back to the hotel.
Going out all day, you think we’d call it a day – wrong. For the last night in Los Angeles, we had to check out The Abbey, which was a nightclub highly recommended by locals to check out. If I had to pick a favourite club on vacation, I would have to say the Abbey was pretty fun. The environment was cool, it’s part outdoor, and everyone is welcomed. Good vibes came out of this club, and I really enjoyed the go-go dancers (they had some impressive moves). In addition to the Abbey was its counterpart, The Chapel. From the lounge to the dancers, everyone was having a good time, especially this couple that were bumping and grinding the whole night (I stole their pack of gum when they weren’t paying attention). While in good spirits, we checked out Flaming Saddles, a Country-themed bar with the cowboys to serve. One thing I did like about the bars was no cover fee, it really encourages people to go out and check out the night scene. Before heading out, we looked into a few adult stores, where there were some appealing merchandise for sale. In for the amusement, it shows how open some people are when it comes to intimacy.
Oh what a night to end Los Angeles, it’s been a good vacation so far. I wonder if we could manage get on our next flight in a couple of hours…
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