LA Adventures

This year I had the opportunity to live, work and travel Los Angeles for two months. I have always wanted to go to America since I was a little girl, LA has been my top place to visit after all the movies and TV shows I have watched.

LA Adventures…

Santa Monica Pier:

During my first week in LA, the staff at Tamwood camps all went to Santa Monica for pizza at the beach, this was a nice way for everyone to get to know each other. We went on all the rides at the pier, watched street performers and even saw Kyle Massey from That’s so Raven and Cory in The House.

LA Dodgers Game:

I attended two LA Dodgers game, I can now say I am a fan of baseball. We had great seats, with unlimited food (hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and peanuts). There were many dance breaks and we all appeared on the big screens. I was so close to catching the Dodger’s ball however, it ended up hitting my leg leaving me with a bruise, but there is only 1 in 1000 chances of that ever happening so I’m happy with the outcome.

Beverly Hills:

I spent most of my days off in Beverly Hills as it was only 10 minutes away from UCLA. The palm trees were in perfect position, they had gold drains, the homes were more like palaces. I will always be dreaming of having a home here. The area is really nice as you are near Beverly boulevard and of course the best shopping place of all time Rodeo Drive.

Rodeo Drive:

Rodeo Drive the ultimate shopping location, full of the most expensive shops Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Armani and many more. For some of these stores you have to pay $1000 just to enter!

Beverly Hills Hotel:

The most prestige hotel in Los Angeles. I decided to go there for lunch at the poolside restaurant called The Cabana Café. We even saw Jack and Sharron Osbourne having lunch next to us.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - Pump Restaurant:

If you have seen the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills or Vanderpump Rules, then you know this is the place to go for a meal. Owned by Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd. The restaurant is in a magical secret garden with a taste of glitz and glam. The ambience is on point with candles, colourful lights and peaceful music. We were lucky enough to be seated at the owners table in the corner by a water fountain. We met Ken Todd the owner and even bumped into Shay Mitchell from Pretty Little Liars. The food and service were on point. This is my favourite restaurant in Los Angeles.

Sprinkles Cupcake ATM:

Yes, you have read it right, there is a cupcake ATM. Sprinkles are honestly the best cupcakes I have ever tasted, and the ATM machine is a lot of fun to use.

Melrose Avenue:

Melrose avenue home to high end brands and little boutiques. The quirky fashion street has everything you are looking for Instagramable walls, Sunday markets (Fairfax market), cafes (Alfred’s and Carrera café) and many boutiques to shop from.

Disneyland:

The most magical place on earth! I spent most of my time on the princess rides as that is my childhood. Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, Toy Story and Indiana Jones was a must. The rides aren’t as big or good as Disney California Adventures, but this was a place of childhood memories.

Hollywood Sign:

I made it to the top of the Hollywood sign! (Although I did cheat a bit, I took an Uber to the top of the Hollywood Hills and walked 20 minutes to get to the back of the Hollywood sign, but hey, I still made it!). The views were incredible I could see the whole of Los Angeles. It is best to do this hike early morning or during sunset as it can get really hot very quickly.

Hollywood Walk of Fame:

Hollywood Boulevard is always full of life, with many things to do. I used to go to Hollywood boulevard most nights for live music, shopping and movie premieres. I enjoyed looking at all the stars on the Hollywood walk of fame.

Warner Brothers Tour:

I have always been obsessed with movies and have wanted to do a studio tour for years. This was the best one to do as it included the sets of Friends, Pretty Little Liars, Big Bang Theory, Fuller House and more. I got to see the costumes of the old classic films such as My Fair Lady, Rebel Without a Cause, Casablanca and the costumes from the superhero films like Wonder Women and Superman. We got to see the stage set of Fuller House and the Ellen show.

I took many pictures on the Friends set and I even got to do a bit of acting myself. I played Rachael (favourite character).

Movie premieres:

I saw the movie premiere for Crazy Rich Asians. I found myself having a movie star moment when an Aston Martin pulled up to a stop light as I was waiting to cross the road, the window was rolled down and Henry Golding was smiling looking gorgeous as ever on his way to the premiere. Some random guy standing next to me shouted “That’s the Crazy Rich Asian Kid” and he responded with “Hey, What’s Up”. I was star struck!I also saw the movie premiere for The Spy How Dumped Me featuring Mila Kunis, Kate McKinnon and Sam Heughan.

Movie Star Homes Tour:

It was really nice to drive through Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Hills. We stopped at the view point in Mulholland Drive which is where La La Land was filmed. I saw the homes of Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and Katy Perry to name a few. I have chosen my dream house in Hollywood Hills with the best views of Los Angeles.

Studio Recording:

When in LA, you have to apply for free tickets to talk shows, TV show recordings and movie recordings. I was lucky enough to get tickets to see the Voice USA. When we arrived, we had to put our phone in lockers which meant I could not get any pictures unfortunately, but I will get to see the TV recording in November when it airs. We were taken to the Studio 22 at Universal Studios, we went backstage and were escorted to our seats. The crowd was small and intimate. We got to talk to the judges and watch them film promos for the show, the celebrity judges included Adam Levin, Jenifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton.

Malibu:

I got to stay over at my friend’s apartment in Malibu, it was nice to wake up to a beach view. We drove along the Pacific Coast Highway, looking at the mansions and coastal views. We spent the day at Zuma Beach and danced to California Girls. The waves were huge, so we couldn’t really swim in the sea. I have decided that the next time I go I will go surfing.

Malibu Pier/ Malibu Farm Café:

This restaurant had the best views of the beach, we watched the paddle boarders and surf boarders. The food was perfect, and the setting was authentic.

Zoey 101 – Pepperdine University in Malibu:

I got to go to PCA were Zoey 101 was filmed, my favourite childhood TV show. The university is very nice, and it was surreal to be exploring the set of Zoey 101. The views of Malibu were amazing as the university was situated on top of the hill.

Calabasas:

The home of celebrities such as the Kardashians, Drake and Justin Bieber. I went to the shopping area as it is a gated community.

Griffith Observatory:

This is my top recommendation if you are visiting LA. This is where the best views are, the best time to go is at sunset.

Venice Beach and Boardwalk:

Venice beach is full of life, with street acts, art work, the boardwalk is a fun place to shop for unique clothing. Muscle beach is a competitive place, only the best of guys go there for a workout, If you haven’t got a six pack you are in the wrong place. I loved watching the skateboarding, there are many talented people in Venice. There is a good nightlife there with many bars, however I was too young. Only two months until I’m 21!We cycled along Venice beach to Santa Monica every week.

Venice Canals:This is the peaceful part of Venice, you enter a different world when you pass a couple of streets. The canals are surrounded by colourful homes. This was also the filming location for the movie Valentines Day.

City walk:

This is a good place to visit at night, there are many restaurants, fast food places and shops. Every Friday and Saturday night they have a DJ and live music in the middle of the city walk.

The Grove/ Farmers Market:

There are many stores such as Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Topshop and Zara. There is a beautiful water fountain, the grove is a small shopping area with high street shops and department stores. The farmers market has many food stalls, it is a lively environment.

LACMA:

Los Angeles County Museum of Art includes art from all over the world. My favourite place was were all the lampposts are it is very beautiful and popular on Instagram.

Peterson Car Museum:

This included cars from all the movies such as The Great Gatsby and Back to the Future.

Third St Promenade:

This is a shopping street in Santa Monica, with fairy lights and live music each night. This includes many high street stores.

The Avenue – Hollywood:

We went to visit our friends in the apartments in Hollywood and had a mini late-night pool party.

Millennium Dance Complex:

Los Angeles is the city of dreams and so I decided to try something new. Millennium Dance Complex is home to the greatest choreographers who have worked with Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Justin Timberlake and many more. We got the chance to take a hip-hop dance class which was a lot of fun.

Runyon Canyon:

This is my favourite hike in LA. The views are beautiful, we went during sunset and watched the lights turn on around LA.

Downtown LA:

Downtown LA is split up into districts fashion, art, toy, little Tokyo and financial to name a few. It is famous for the Staples Centre, Walt Disney Concert Hall, nightlife and museums.

Citadel Outlets:

If you want to go shopping and find the best deals on designer goods, then this is the place. It is full of high-end stores such as Michael Kors, Chanel, Moschino and DKNY.

California Science Museum:

If you love science and are interested in NASA, then this is the place for you. What I found to be the most interesting part was when I saw the space shuttle.