InstaTravel Diaries: L.A. Sunshine

Summertime is that period of the year dedicated to travel and stepping out of my usual comfort zone. The better weather, the increasingly flexible schedules, and money saved throughout the winter all contribute towards the urge to leave the beaten path for something more extraordinary. My first true trip of the summer was a quick vacation in glamorous L.A. While I had already visited Los Angeles twice before, this particular occasion was to celebrate a special occasion: my hubby`s birthday.

After spontaneously booking a trip for two nights in sunny California, I quickly booked a lovely AirBnb situated in Hollywood and began to wait in anticipation for our little getaway. After landing in LAX, we took advantage of Uber to get ourselves over the a pool party at the W Hotel in Hollywood.

While our trip may have been quick, it was full of sunshine, amazing beaches, delicious food, and great company. 

Strolling around Venice Beach after eating a delicious brunch. Followed by an all-too-brief exploration of Malibu Beach.

After a lovely evening in Koreatown, we drove up to the Griffith Observatory to enjoy a gorgeous view of the L.A. city lights.

The next day, we revisited Griffith Park in the early morning to do one of their hikes: the Mt. Hollywood trail. Since there were extreme heat warnings and the temperature would later escalate to 40 degrees Celsius, we were right to go as early as possible in order to avoid the afternoon heat. Even then, we suffered in the scorching sun whenever there was a prolonged section of exposure.

Strangely enough, I barely did any shopping during this trip to Los Angeles. On the only occasion we did shop, we browsed the famous Melrose Avenue and I ended up buying one lace dress from NastyGal. 

The best way to beat the heat: freshly-made juice.

Inside the Paul Smith store on Melrose.

One of our many delicious brunches-- this one in particular was eaten at the Blu Jam Cafe in Melrose District.

What is a birthday trip without a little celebratin'? We also hit an outdoor club known as Le Jardin-- plenty of J.B., Drake, and old-school hip-hop was to be had. 

Overall, we had an amazing trip that had few, if any, setbacks. Twas' the perfect way to start off a summer of adventure!