California Love Part 3

And here’s the final installment of our California vacation! Part 3 consists of our time in Los Angeles. 

Day 8…

– First thing in the morning, we stopped at Clairmont Farms in Los Olivos. This lovely lavender farm has a small shop which was an excellent place to buy gifts. http://www.clairmontfarms.com/

– Ronald Reagan Presidential Library: If you didn’t already know, I’m a little in love with American history and I have a particular interest in presidential libraries. We detoured off Route 1 to Simi Valley to visit our 40th president’s library and museum. It was a comprehensive overview of his life with particular attention paid to his 8 years as commander in chief. The highlight was going inside Air Force One. This plane was the Flying White House for seven presidents up until George W. Bush. There is an audio guide but it wasn’t very good so skip it and do some reading instead. Also there was an interesting exhibit about the beginnings of baseball with tons of memorabilia including a Honus Wagner baseball card, which Brian tells me is a huge deal. The actual building and grounds are beautiful and we really enjoyed learning more about the Gipper! http://www.reaganfoundation.org/  

 

 

 

 

– We arrived in LA and were very excited to stay with Bonnie, Brian’s sister, for the next few days. She lives in the hip neighborhood of Los Feliz.

– Dinner at Ink. with Vari and Deep. Brian and I enjoy watching Top Chef so we were excited when our friends suggested we dine at winner Michael Voltaggio’s restaurant in West Hollywood. The menu was very amenable to my gluten free needs and the dishes were inventive and delicious for everyone at the table like the corn and housemade doritos or salt and charcoal potatoes. Everything is shared, the value is good and I highly recommend it! http://mvink.com/

Day 9…

– Because we had to drop off the rental car, we were in Burbank and Bonnie suggested a good spot for lunch, Tinhorn Flats. It had a big outdoor space so check it out if you’re in the neighborhood. http://www.tinhornflatshollywood.com/

– Fredrick R. Weisman Foundation: This was truly a highlight of the trip and it was recommended by my art savvy mama. In the Bel Air neighborhood of LA is the home of Fredrick R. Weisman, where we joined an amazing 90 minute tour of his personal 20th century art collection. The scope and the quantity, in addition to the home and landscaping, was so impressive we left with our jaws on the floor. From Lictensteins, Boteros, Rothkos and Harings you will be awed. Most unbelievable are the works by Andy Warhol which included pieces of Mr. Weisman in all his pop-art glory. Even if you don’t love art, you’ll love this tour. You must book in advance though, so make sure to call with plenty of time! http://www.weismanfoundation.org/

– Dinner at Gardens of Taxco: We loved this authentic Mexican meal in West Hollywood. There’s no menu but a very animated waiter will tell you the protein options and will give you samples or combine dishes if you can’t make up your mind. Once you choose, you’ll enjoy a variety of appetizers that the kitchen sends out. We were serenaded and we enjoyed some tasty margaritas. And when we got the check out at the end of the night we couldn’t believe how inexpensive it was for the amount of yummy food you get! If you want a great Mexican meal, come here and you won’t be disappointed. http://thegardensoftaxco.com/

– After dinner we had a drink at The Dresden. Any fans of the movie Swingers will love having a cocktail at the this LA classic. It’s loud so maybe not a great place to meet a group of friends though. http://www.thedresden.com/index.html

Day 10…

– We took a drive out to Manhattan Beach to have lunch with our family friends the Ginsburg’s.

– Lunch at The Strand House was lovely and Rich described it as the only place in Manhattan Beach where you actually have to look nice (which basically means no sweatpants). The view of the beach is great and everyone enjoyed their meal. http://www.thestrandhousemb.com/

– We spent the afternoon on the beach, despite the semi cloudy day. We rode bikes on the boardwalk and walked along the pier, where there was a small aquarium that we checked out. It was also great just to sit with our feet in the sand. We were very non-LA and even put our toes in the water and if it had been warmer outside, Brian had every intention to get in the Pacific Ocean! We loved Manhattan Beach and we would have loved exploring the cute shops in town.

– In the evening, we checked out a classic car show in Glendale and then had some Chinese food at Panda Inn with Bonnie and her friends. We also enjoyed some drinks at The Famous, which has a large collection of different whiskeys. http://www.thefamousglendale.com/

Day 11…

– Griffith Park and Observatory: We woke up early to get one last hike in. We walked to Griffith Park from Bonnie’s apartment and finally found the start of a trail that would lead us directly up to Griffith Observatory. The first start of the hike was steep but it leveled out in the mid section. The views of downtown LA and the Hollywood sign are spectacular and the observatory is worth the hike. We didn’t have much time so we walked quickly through the free exhibits but didn’t stay for the planetarium show (which had a cost). http://www.griffithobs.org/ 

– Before we had to rush off to LAX, we grabbed brunch around the corner from Bonnie’s apartment at the Alcove. We were joined by Brian’s college friend, Alex, and Dahmer, Bonnie’s dog (Albert Fish, Bonnie’s cat, had to stay at home). The food was yummy but it was very hectic and they forgot our order initially. It’s a trendy spot, so unless you want to go there specifically, you can probably find a less frantic spot nearby. http://www.alcovecafe.com/

That pretty much wraps up our wonderful summer vacation. Brian and I had a great time exploring San Fran, the coast and La La Land. I highly recommend this trip to anyone considering a getaway. Next time we get to the west coast, I’d love to head north from San Francisco to wine country and beyond as recommended by the New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2014 or check out Yosemite National Park. Guess it’s time to plan another trip!