Vacation is all I ever wanted – and that’s exactly what I got from the past week. Being the first time I’ve ever gone on vacation with a friend, I must say that it went much better than expected. Despite some moments, I cannot wait for the next vacation. For now, this was the S&M Vacation for our Spring Break.
Let's go to the beach, each, let's go get away...
12, March 2019
Five hours after work, I had to make sure that I was packed and ready to get on a flight to Los Angeles in the morning. There are some things that I need to place in my luggage last minute, such as my toothbrush and other toiletries (I wonder how some people can pack everything the night before). I asked my mother to drop me off at the airport around 6AM, and managed to arrive around 6:30AM – what can I say, I have a long morning routine. With mobile check-ins and a NEXUS card, I managed to get in smoothly before 7AM. From the Duty-Free shops to the long line-up at the coffee stores, I decided to venture into a different breakfast routine, conveniently in the form of Vietnamese food. And to my surprise, I found myself enjoying such a savoury dish in the morning. All fueled up and ready to go, I fell asleep for the first hour, caught up with much needed reading, and awaited for my arrival to land of fame excess.
Hopped off a plane at LAX (with a dream, but no cardigan), I am welcomed by some LA scenery: surfers and fitness photos set against the sunset. I tried to find my friend Melvyn, who told me he was waiting by the MAC store; but I couldn’t see a McDonald’s in the area, so I went down to luggage claim. After a delay from the stuck carousel, we managed to take my very first Uber. I am surprised to see how fast and efficient is the system (not to mention, how much cheaper it is compared to taxi). The driver was friendly, and gave suggestions what to do in the area while on vacation. Roughly 20 minutes from the airport into Santa Monica, we started to see the beaches, the locals, as well as all of the excitement that was coming our way.
This must be California
Our first stay was at Le Méridien Delfina, a stylish hotel with its boutique charm. I was impressed with the service from the bellman opening the car door to the front desk accommodating with our early check-in time. Whenever we would make a call requesting for amenities or room service, the employees would greet us by my last name, which I found to be very pleasant. The room provided was one king-sized bed with a balcony, facing the local high school – but at least the beach was to the left. From the layout to the interior design, the room was cool, calm, and collected. Other than the size of the bathroom, everything was fantastic – not to mention, the keys for the room were quite eye-catching. I am not sure if this was a standard for slippers, but I also found the packaging to be hygienic (and helpful for when I want to store my own slippers).
After freshening up from our flights, we made our way to the beach, and see what’s around the area. While walking along, we stumbled upon these scooters and bikes placed all over the sidewalk. Curious to know, I didn’t understand why scooters were being ridden on the street… but it’s against the law to ride scooters on the sidewalk in California (who knew). Ten minutes from the hotel, we reached the beach in all of its sunny and windy glory. Taking in the scenery for a moment, we still had the rest of the day ahead of us.
We walked along the pier to see and I saw myself a Zoltar machine – I am a sucker for those fortune tellers. There were mostly touristy shops along the pier, so we decided to walk around and see what else Santa Monica has to offer. As it turns out, there are a lot of shops in Santa Monica! But before we could head off to the area, we really needed food (neither of us ate since the morning). Along the way, we managed to find this small Korean restaurant, who was having Happy Hour at the same time; score. For a happy little find that day, I say that we did well, the tacos were one to be left desired. We also had soju to loosen ourselves up, as we headed to the closest drugstore (which was not eight minutes away, as told by the map). Because we walked so much that day, we took an Uber to get back to the hotel, which was about a five-minute drive from the main shopping district. Poor Melvyn, his feet were in pain…
Getting into some comfier clothes, we weren’t sure what was happening for the rest of the day, but it was definitely going to be worth while. Le Méridien offers shuttle services, where you can be dropped off within two miles (or three kilometres) from the hotel. We decided to head back to the Santa Monica Pier, and luckily so did the other guests on the shuttle. Being an open shuttle, the ride was very windy, and we were freezing – but for a ten-minute ride, we could handle the cold (we took some selfies to entertain us). Convenient and relaxing, we walked once more on the pier, and began trekking into undiscovered territory: the amusement park.
Pacific Park is the only amusement park that we attended, and I must say, I really enjoyed the compact size of it all! From the miniature coaster to the bumper cars, you can pretty much ride all of the rides twice – and that is exactly what we did. Whether you’re into thrills or chills, this theme park has everything for everyone. Although short, the rides are a fun for the whole family; or in this case, fun for two grown men. We first took a ride on the Pacific Wheel to get a view of the beach, and it was breathtaking. Having the opportunity to see the horizon makes you want to stay at the top forever, with the blend of colours that never end. And while we were at the top, we had to take our photo opportunities (naturally).
As the sun was setting, the lights started coming up, becoming another spectacle to view from afar. One of my favourite rides to take in the dark had to be the West Coaster and the Pacific Lunge: you know that the drop is coming, but you simply don’t expect it. Other cute rides we took included the Seaside Swing where this little girl was having the time of her life, and Shark Frenzy, where you spin around in a shark’s mouth. From high points to low ones, the best selling point of Pacific Park has to be the location: you can’t beat having an amusement park by the water. While it’s no Disneyland nor Universal Studios, this amusement park had enough to keep me satisfied.
The only ride we had to time correctly was the last ride on Pacific Wheel. Melvyn insisted that we had to go when the sun sets – and that did not disappoint at all. Going round and round ten times before heading down, the view looked differently as the colours decreased amongst the skyline. The park was suppose to close at 9PM, but continued to run; so we decided to ride the last few rides, and headed out into the shopping disctrict.
Photos do no justice for the sunset
From the casual to the high-end stores, there were a few stores that caught our attention. For instance, I never knew that Urban Outfitters expanded their collection – like, significantly. That store now sells beauty products, furniture, and everything in between; it’s crazy inside that store. I did find one item that I did enjoy: the Daddy hat. Although I wouldn’t wear this product, it reminds me of my friends… I’m not getting into that conversation. Another store that I found appealing was the yoga store called “alo,” which had some aesthetically-pleasing outfits for the minimalist. Also in the store was their yoga studio, as well as juice bar (naturally). There were a few products I would choose for myself, but it all seemed a bit too pricey for my liking. And Melvyn pointed out that the logo represented… something familiar. Whether that was on purpose or not, the brand definitely left an impression on me.
As the night was getting later, we decided to walk home, as it was cold was manageable that evening. Having no food in our stomach, we decided to order room service before the hotel switched into late night dining options. Not having much of an appetite, Melvyn and I decided to share the chicken breast and a creme brûlée. The best part of the in-room dining experience had to be the host, who carried the tray with one hand, and on his shoulder – he was a true waiter, as he placed the tray where we asked him. Maybe we were actually starving that night, because that was one good chicken dinner. Crispy skin, juicy inside, and mashed potatoes whipped to perfection – the standards for in-room dining have gone up for my standards. And the creme brûlée had a nice hard top, with a rich vanilla flavour inside, I could eat more of that dessert.
By midnight, we were ready to head into bed, waiting for the next day to come. Not bad for a first day with no plans, we managed to get a lot done for the first day of vacation. I wonder what tomorrow has to offer.
The end of the first day
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