Party Hopping LA Style

Spring is in the air and in LA, that means lots of parties! Some Saturdays offer so many things to do that you have to choose and make a game plan that maximizes your precious weekend! Last weekend was no exception and my friends and I were able to narrow the choice down to three parties. Of course, the parties are all over town and offer different landscapes, so there is much to consider when partying hard!

1. Clothes: When you're day goes from pool party to birthday party to evening party, and there's no time to stop home to change, layers is always a good rule of thumb. The weather has been on and off, so I started the day with shorts and a tank top, brought a light cover up for the afternoon and brought a change of jeans and a jacket for the evening. A fun sun hat also helped keep me cool during the day and was easy to ditch later!

2. Driving: When choosing which parties to attend, location becomes a factor. We maximized our day by making a big loop around the city: Hancock Park to Santa Monica to Beverly Hills. The start times worked out perfectly and we didn't lose much time traveling. The big issue is really designated driver! Gotta have one or else you'll be dead before you make it to party #2!

3. Drinking: Even if you're not the designated driver, it's a good idea to pace yourself. If you drink too much too soon, you won't make it to all the events and even if you do, you will be a hot mess! I had three light drinks at the pool party, drank lots of water at the second party and then switched to beer at the final party. This way not only did I have the longevity to have fun all day and all night, but I was also able to make my Sunday productive with hiking and yoga. Although I do not always take my own advice, it seems party hopping makes me remember this precious rule!

4. Have fun! Come on, there can't be too many rules for party hopping! Enjoy each place and don't worry about keeping a tight time table to make it to the next one. If you're not in the moment and you're just chasing the next event, don't even bother! Have fun, stay safe, and party LA style!

Elusive Morrison Caves

Ever heard of the Morrison caves in Malibu? Supposedly, this hard to find, super cool cave is where Jim Morrison used to come for inspiration. I don't know if that's true or not, but what I do know is that it is a rare gem of a place that is hip, hidden, and definitely inspirational. I've been several times and again recently. Every time, it's an adventure just finding the place!

As with most things in life, it's easiest to do for the first time with a guide who has been there before. For the sake of keeping this place hidden and elusive, I'll only give hints on how to find it. Drive up the coast on the PCH, past Santa Monica and deep into the heart of magnificent Malibu. Turn right on a small street, I think it's called Corral Canyon or something like that. There is a gas station on the right side that helps me know where to turn. Follow the winding road through the mountains, until the road ends. From there, set out on foot into the hills of Malibu. There are many caves in this area, so explore, explore, explore! When you find the birthing canal (you'll know it when you see it) you've hit the jackpot. Take the plunge and enter this tight space, trust me it will be worth it. I love coming here to take pictures, here's my favorite shot of the day.

Redwood Forest

The last stop on our Bay area adventure was to the Muir Redwood Forest. It's about an hour away from Napa and San Francisco so it's very convenient if you're in the area. I've always wanted to see these majestically amazing trees and I was really glad I did. It's important to plan a trip before these forests are gone, due to logging and commercial industries we already sadly lost such a large portion. How anyone could even cut through one of these trees is beyond me, they are so huge around and so tall! Some of the largest are over 350 feet tall and 2 feet thick around! Some of the sequoias are known to have lived before Christ and the serenity that can be found here is unparallelled. 

We are so small amongst the redwoods, it really puts everything into perspective. You can walk through some split trees and can choose from a wide variety of hikes. I could have spent days here and surely want to return to explore more. On the way out, I went searching for four leaf clovers. I didn't find one, but still consider myself lucky because I was able to renew my spirit in this magnificent place.

Some important things to note: It's often foggy in this area, so remember to wear layers. Parking is free, but entrance to the park is $7 per person, so bring money! Yes, even nature isn't free anymore. They do accept credit cards which makes it easier. Hopefully the money goes to preserving this remarkable forest.

Things to Do in Napa Valley

California wine country is an amazingly beautiful place that everyone should experience. I recently went and although my trip was brief, I had an amazing time. We stayed in a quaint hotel in downtown Napa and our first stop was a cute wine tasting place called Uncorked. The owner of Uncorked really knew his stuff and the tasting was free and delicious!

The next morning we drove through the valley to visit the wineries. Our first stop was V. Sattui Winery. This place is awesome! They have lots of meats, cheeses, snacks, and wine to choose from and a wonderful outdoor area perfect for a picnic. I wanted to buy everything in the store, a great place to buy adorable European-inspired kitchen accessories.

Our next and most anticipated stop was Castello di Amorosa, a gorgeous castle that instantly transported me back to the France/Switzerland/Italy region. As we drove up to the castle, we passed rows of grape vines and were greeted by sheep! We entered the ornate castle and went into the cave to taste the most delicious wines and chocolates California has to offer. Our hotel gave us a buy-one-get-one-free coupon, so for two people to taste over 20 wines only cost $30. You can't beat that price and this awesome location.

There are many ways to see all that Napa has to offer, including a train, limo, and party bus that takes you around to all of the different wineries. Since we weren't traveling in a group, we decided to drive around because the price of these transportation types are pricey and better utilized with more people sharing the costs. But the shops inside the wineries offer a good way to sober up before you drive to the next location, which is right down the road. Just make sure you have someone responsible!

We could have stayed in Napa forever, but we wanted to make the trip complete by stopping at the Redwood Forest. There is so much to do in this lush area and if you plan ahead, your trip can be amazing and affordable!

San Francisco Adventure!

The last two months back in LA has consisted of work, work, and more work. So when an opportunity to go on a mini-adventure presented itself, I jumped at the chance! San Francisco or bust! We rented a car and six hours later were in the bay area! The day was foggy as we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge. I've been to the city before, but there are so many things to do that each trip can consist of different ventures.

One thing I've always wanted to do is Alcatraz! I really wanted to do a night tour, but those get booked weeks in advance, so plan ahead! All of the tours sell out pretty fast, and we were lucky to get tickets to the early morning ferry. An audio tour is included in admission and my imagination went crazy as I learned about all of the high-profile criminals and their escape attempts. Two inmates actually were successful in working their way out of the infamous prison walls. They were never found, and while many people think they drown on the swim to shore, I like to think they made it to Mexico. Hey, if you can escape from Alcatraz, you deserve it!

Don't drop the soap!

Al Capone

I can only imagine spending time in such a small cell. The idea of incarceration made me a sad panda! So we put on our criminal minds and staged our own escape! We escaped from Alcatraz and spent the rest of the beautiful day in the Fisherman's Wharf. There, we ate amazing California cuisine and walked along the pier of shops. They have everything from clothes to gadgets to gourmet chocolates! There's also an area where seals go to play and relax. It was very fun to stop and watch their antics for a while. Ah, freedom is priceless!

We also explored some of the ethnic areas. We went shopping in China Town and picked up cool stuff like Buddha statues, pretty chop sticks, and saki glasses. We walked through Little Italy and had dinner in the French district. There is so much to discover in San Fran, but unfortunately we had to keep moving. Because there is so much to discover in Northern California! Next stop, Napa...

I Heart LA

Settling back into the LA lifestyle has been interesting after traveling for 8 months. But if I'm going to be in the States, there's no better place than Hollywood! Despite trying to "lay low" in January, I've already been to some cool events, like First Fridays in Venice Beach where all the food trucks gather near Abbott-Kinney. I've seen rising local bands play like my new favorite Caught a Ghost. I went to Anaheim to see some of the coolest craft exhibits I've ever seen, like a massive tree made out of paper.

I've hiked to the Hollywood Reservoir and seen some great Americana art at LACMA. But more than the cool events, what I love about LA is the non-stop daily activities that we all take for granted. For instance, I love just going to Starbucks for the day's celebrity siting while plugging in my laptop for a long, caffeinated work session. In France, they aren't hip to the computer culture so there are never any outlets for your laptop. No celebrities either...

Now that I am officially settled, stay tuned for more blogs on all the fun kitsch things that LA is sure to offer in the coming months~

No Fly List

We've all had bad experiences on flights and the more you travel the more complaints you may have. I've got a whole list of companies I refuse to fly with again. Their flights may be a little cheaper, but at what cost? Here's my No Fly List:

American Airlines: I had a near-death experience with this airline! One of the engines blew and the cabin filled with smoke. The breathing masks fell from the roof as the plane fell hundreds of feet. We emergency landed and had to jump off the wing of the plane. As we waited for hours to be taken to the nearest aiprort to wait for a new plane, they treated us like cattle. All of our belongings stayed on the plane, leaving me with no money. They refused to feed us and didn't compensate us for our trauma or time. They also happen to have the smallest, most cramped cabins in the industry.

Iberia: This Spanish airline is so outdated. Their website doesn't work properly, they overcharge for excess baggage, and they have the worst in-flight entertainment! I was stuck on an international flight for 12 hours with 1 TV for the whole cabin, which played tv shows and movies from the 80s that I never even heard of. Can you say bootleg?

Easy Jet: They're baggage policies are just plain ridiculous. A hand purse is considered a carry-on so if you want to take another bag on you better stuff your purse inside. The staff have the worst attitudes.

United: I swear the seats on these flights are so tightly crammed in, the leg room is non-existent. Torture for an international flight. Some of the planes have the shared TVs, some have individual, but it's always a risk.

Enough complaining. Here are some of my favorite airlines that I strongly recommend:

Lufthansa: They give free beer out like it's water!

Delta/Air France: Great in-flight entertainment, leather seats

British Airways: Great in-flight entertainment, chipper flight attendants

Book wisely, make your next flight a little more comfortable~