We flew out on Sunday the 27th, and returned home on Thursday the 31st.
{before I add some pictures to this post, I have a few disclaimers. if I am in the picture, it was actually taken by my mom. yes, I am sunburned. I didn't realize that the weather was going to be so cool, so I only brought one jacket and one hoodie, which is why I am wearing the same thing in practically every picture.}
We had a delay when we were leaving our first airport due to frost. We made it to MPLS with just enough time to grab a quick lunch before boarding our flight to LAX with the USC men's swim team! {yes, I was quite excited about that!}
After landing in LA, we grabbed our luggage and took a shuttle to the rental car place.
My mom and I waited outside with the luggage. There is also an abundance of Vera Bradley Purple Punch in this post.
We picked up the Chevy Malibu, and headed to the hotel.
California palm trees!
We stayed at the Hollywood Orchid Suites, which is located right off of Hollywood Boulevard.
While my dad was getting us checked in, my mom and I saw this cute couple outside. The walls here are the back of the Hollywood & Highland Center, which is kind of like a mall and it also houses the Kodak Theatre, or whatever it is called now.
After dropping our stuff off in the room, we walked down to Mel's Drive-In for a snack.
I found Marilyn outside the Hollywood Museum on our way out of the restaurant.
{I really, really wish that I had taken more pictures! but the camera that I was using at the time was one with a rechargeable battery instead of normal batteries, so it was really annoying.}
We drove over to our friends' house, and from there we all walked to Prizzi's Piazza {unfortunately, they are no longer open for business} for dinner.
On Monday, my dad and Adam went off to check out some music stores. My mom, Anna, and I took Syd {the Boston Terrier-French bulldog aka the only dog I like} and grabbed subs from Quizno's, which we ate in a park. It might have been Griffith Park, but I'm not sure. If it was, we didn't go up to the observatory. While we were having lunch, there was a photoshoot going on a few yards away!
After lunch, Anna drove us to the place where you can hike up to the Hollywood sign!
Here I am with Anna! We're both wearing our Delaney Davidson shirts! haha.
We went up as high as you are legally supposed to, but these other people tried to go a little further. I wish that I had taken some pictures of the view of DTLA from up here!
After our long hike down, Anna and I got ginger slushies from locali.
We went back to her house and hung out while waiting for my dad to get back.
Syd was really tired.
I love this dog.
My parents and I ended up going back to our hotel, and then we met up with our friend Noah on Hollywood Boulevard! He took us on a walk down to kitchen 24, where we had dinner.
On our way there, I freaked out because I found this:
I love Ozzy & Black Sabbath, and I had actually just written a paper on them for my British Literature class senior year.
These are the awesome light fixtures at kitchen 24!
We hung out with Noah at the restaurant for a little while, but then he had to get back to the studio.
On Tuesday, we drove out to Santa Monica.
Santa Monica palm trees.
Santa Monica beach.
We took a really long walk {where I was able to get even more sunburned} and I think we ended up in Venice. We walked back to the car, and then my dad drove us around to see the canals that he and Adam had seen the day before.
On our way back to the hotel, we had to drive through Beverly Hills, so I convinced my parents to stop and walk to Rodeo Drive. We went in a few stores. I felt like such a commoner. haha.
On Wednesday morning the three of us went to the Hollywood Wax Museum. I didn't really know who a lot of the people there were. So I convinced my mom to take me to Madame Tussauds to see Audrey Hepburn!
Here I am, completely sunburned, with Audrey!
And here is a comparison of the two museums:
Hollywood Wax Museum ^^
Madame Tussauds ^^
We went to the Grove on Wednesday afternoon, and were this close to seeing Sheryl Crow at her Barnes & Noble book signing that day.
It was really cool to go to LA, there were lots of fun things to see, and definitely a lot of interesting people! I wish that we were there longer, as there are more places I wanted to see.
One last picture. I think this is from Wednesday? Ariel was so insistent that I take a picture with them, and then she wanted our money, and then we didn't give her enough...oh Hollywood.
Also, one last word of advice that we learned - don't cross the street unless the light says that you can walk. Otherwise, you will get honked at...a lot.
