Visiting the City of Angels (Los Angeles, CA)
The glamorous city of angels, just like in the movies, received us with enormous buildings and of course… traffic. We, however, were headed to our small and cozy rental apartment in Venice Beach.
Having settled in our apartment, we immediately went for dinner at a delicious Italian restaurant named “C&O Trattoria”. The restaurant was highly rated and did not disappoint. They offered fresh garlic rolls every 10-15 minutes. They were so good, it was hard to reject receiving them.
The Pier
Paulina, passionate about the beach, wanted to visit the pier in the evening. She did not mind the chilly temperature, the many homeless people, or the low lighting conditions. The pier was quiet, with only some distant chattering, and the moonlight beautifully reflecting on the ocean.
Daylight Exploring
The next day it was time for some daylight exploring. We started with the popular canals, which we thought were nice but not extraordinary. We walked through the bridges and took some pictures as we headed towards a highly rated coffee shop named Intelligentsia. Paulina ordered a latte and a very tasty raspberry croissant that paired nicely with the coffee. I, as usual, ordered a very delicious espresso shot. Having reenergized with some coffee, we headed to the most popular sight.
The beach is the one place that I often see in movies or youtube videos. Its charm comes from its very inviting vibe and very active environment. Here you find people walking, running, skating, cycling, you name it… Everyone seems to be engaging in some activity.
Paulina and I watched locals skateboarding, and then went barefoot walking on the sand as we enjoyed some sunshine. Having lost track of time, we realized it was time for some Hollywood star searching and then go hiking.
Hollywood Walk of Fame & Griffith Park
It did not take long before Paulina found her favorite star. We then headed to the Griffith observatory park to hike up to the Hollywood sign.
Reaching the Hollywood sign takes many hours. We did not realize it was going to get dark on us before making it back. So we decided to just take a close enough picture and return. The hike was very fun as it offered many spectacular views of the city. What made it even more fun was Paulina teaching me about Michael Jackson.
I find it a little ironic that it was her teaching me about Michael Jackson. After all, I am the one from California and she is the one visiting the U.S. from Poland… Anyways, apparently, I knew very little about the king of pop.
Returning home on time
On our last day, we decided to see the beach, eat breakfast, and have coffee before leaving. This time, however, things were officially changing. After grabbing a breakfast egg sandwich from a beach restaurant, we headed back again to Intelligentsia. We arrived, entered the shop, ordered coffee, and then sat down inside the shop. Immediately someone approached us and told us that we had to wait outside. Feeling a little disrespected because no explanation was given, Paulina and I were asking each other why they sent us outside. Soon, our order was ready but this time we received paper cups instead of porcelain cups and wooden coffee stirrers instead of metal spoons.
A little later, we learned that most places in Los Angeles were going to close temporarily, change how they operate, and maintain people distanced from each other, a practice that would later be known as “Social Distancing”.
To conclude our road trip, we visited Beverly Hills so Paulina could see where the rich and famous artists do their shopping. We only drove through Rodeo Drive since most shops were closed due to coronavirus precautionary measures.
We really enjoyed our time in Los Angeles. There were infinite things to do but, unfortunately, we had to cut our trip short due to covid-19.
But after having experienced the Los Angeles lifestyle and enjoying some of the most iconic places in American Television, it was time for us to head over to Tucson…
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