Hi everyone!
Let's be real, trips without parents or guardians are always the best. I love that feeling of utter and complete freedom. While I was staying in New York, my friend and I decided to explore the west coast of the USA. This was in April earlier this year, during our spring break. The weather was just warm enough to get out our dresses and shorts, but not too hot that we'd only want to lay under a fan all day. It was the perfect middleground. We were planning on doing a road trip first, but due to lack of money, we couldn't hire a car so we decided to just stay in L.A., which turned out to be just as great.
Los Angeles is a very lively city, and something that really stood out to me was how rich and poor areas blend together. I could've been walking in a business filled street, and then I'd turn a corner and suddenly I could feel it was unsafer somehow. It was slightly unsettling at times, but really interesting to experience at the same time. Nonetheless, everyone that I met there had been really nice. A big difference I noticed between Los Angeles and New York City is that people in L.A. find it much easier to speak up to you, whether it's to give you a compliment, to help you out when you're noticably struggling with something or even just to chat. Almost everyday, people would give us recommendations of places to eat, see and explore, from random strangers on the street to our Uber drivers.
Speaking of, it was the first time we started using Uber, and I think our feet would have been sore for a few weeks straight without. Take it from me that you might need an Uber to get anywhere in L.A., since everything is so far apart. However, it's obviously not the worst to take a hike now and then. Whether we were walking or in a car, I always took note of my surroundings. Pretty much everywhere I went, I'd see palm trees. I loved them and they made me feel like it was the middle of summer. After several months between New York's sky-high buildings, I loved the temporary switch to something a bit more raw.
Scroll through some of my favorite snaps I've made while we explored in and around the City of Angels, and read some more of my thoughts that I added to the captions!
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| Almost right across from Grand Central Market, you can find the Bradbury Building. A local saw us with our cameras and he was kind enough to recommend some nice places to photograph, including this one. You're free to go inside and roam around the ground floor. Up until you've reached the top of the first flight of stairs, you're not allowed in any further, but that shouldn't be too big a problem, as you can already see how beautiful the architecture inside is. With the matching tones of black and brown, the attention to details, and the way it was all naturally lit by a skylight, I could've stood there and admired it for hours. |
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| Fun fact: Beverly Hills painted its fire hydrants silver because they didn't want to have the same looking ones as Los Angeles, since L.A. is perceived as poorer than them. A bit excessive, if you ask me. |
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| My first time trying In-N-Out Burger! It was good, I can't deny that, but Shake Shack is better in my opinion. I guess living on the east coast left its mark on me. |
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| The Griffith Observatory was probably by far one of my favorite spots we've visited. It's got gorgeous views of both the Hollywood sign and the L.A. skyline, but those aren't the only things to it. Inside, you can learn all about things related to space. I was, being a huge nerd for interesting facts, in absolute awe with the entire place. We spent most of our afternoon and evening there, and we even dined there. We saw an exhibition that explained how northern lights work and after sunset, we were allowed to look through a big telescope. That evening, we were able to see Jupiter. By that time, we were also witnessing the stunning skyline of Los Angeles at night. I couldn't take my eyes off of the sight, it was such a mesmerizing and beautiful view, my friend had to basically pull me away. |
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| If you're ever in Universal Studios, do not skip out on the studio tour. It can take up to an hour, which admittedly is a tad long, but you can see sets from actual movies or TV shows, and that is just a once in a lifetime experience. My favorite; the set of The Grinch. |
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| All photos taken by either my friend or myself © |
Los Angeles had been one of my dream places to go for several years, and I'm so happy I've gotten the opportunity to cross it off my list. It's an entire world so different from what I'm used to, but I really do adore the vibe, the people, and the weather. I will definitely revisit whenever I get the chance again.
Love, Faith
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