The Diary Of A Jewellery Lover: California

Showing posts with label California. Show all posts

48 Hours In Marina del Rey Los Angeles

Friday, 9 August 2019

Marina del Rey in Los Angeles California is known as the waterfront playground of LA. I chose to stay there recently with my husband and reached out to the Marina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau who invited us to stay on a media rate.

So why did we pick this area of LA to stay in, you may wonder? This area of LA was perfectly situated for us, at the end of our Route 66 road trip driving across America. Route 66, the historic road from Chicago to LA, is over 2400 miles and covers 8 states. Route 66 is a slice of old-school Americana - from disused gas stations to huge roadside statues, cool American diners and eccentric attractions (and their eccentric owners), it certainly is an experience and one I would recommend to any lover of road trips.

Now the unofficial end of Route 66 is on Santa Monica Pier, so we wanted somewhere close to stay, yet still away from the bustle of Santa Monica and Marina del Rey fitted the bill perfectly. It's also within walking distance to the infamous Venice Beach and to the trendy shopping and bars at Abbot Kinney Boulevard. We were sold.

Our hotel for the stay was the Hilton Garden Inn Marina del Rey. The Hilton Garden Inn Marina del Rey hotel is situated across the road from the marina, in a fabulous position but without the sky-high water view prices.

The hotel is modern, chic and timeless in its decor. Facilities include a restaurant and bar, an outdoor pool and a business centre.

Safe to say we liked it. The buffet breakfast and made to order omelettes were awesome, the staff well-trained and the room well-appointed.

Read my full review of our stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Marina del Rey here. So after settling into our supremely comfortable room, unpacking and brewing ourselves a cup of fresh coffee from the Keurig coffee pod machine, we got ready for our meal that night at Cafe del Rey.

Cafe del Rey

Cafe del Rey is situated right on the marina and is a pleasant short walk from the Hilton Garden Inn Marina del Rey. It was lovely walking along the waterfront early evening and seeing the beautiful boats moored up. We also loved looking at the homes by the beach in Marina del Rey as we strolled the area.

Cafe del Rey is a restaurant with a menu full of dishes inspired by the coast and offering locally sourced ingredients. I looked at the menu online before we went and I recommend you do too, but you may start drooling at the delicious-sounding dishes!

We were welcomed warmly and given a table by the window. To watch the sun go down on the beautiful marina was a lovely start to our meal.

We ordered some drinks (they had a decent wine and cocktail list) and then browsed the menu. Some delicious-sounding choices included freshly caught branzino (seabass), a succulent filet mignon in a mushroom demi-glace and Maderia glazed scallops.

In the end, Mr W went for the French onion soup and I went for the daily special of grilled oysters which was recommended by the waiter.

The French onion soup was thick and rich, made with well-seasoned beef stock with a hint of sweetness and topped with a layer of cheese-coated crostini. The oysters had a slight fresh taste of the sea, and the shallots and garlic added extra flavour. I've never had grilled oysters before so was really looking forward to it and this dish didn't disappoint.

For the main course, Mr W has linguine with asparagus and artichokes in a light tomato sauce and I had a pork chop stuffed with a type of cured meat and with a sweet sticky glaze. The pork chop was so tender and tasty, it was fantastic served with a delicious potato cake on the side with a hint of apple adding sweetness.

For dessert, the strawberry shortcake was a super choice and really hit the spot. Crumbly shortcake, filled with ripe strawberries, fresh thick cream and a fruity strawberry sauce, made it a lovely ending to the meal.

Cafe del Rey is definitely a restaurant we would go back to. It's the sort of restaurant you would visit for a special occasion or if you are a real foodie. We liked the fact that the restaurant was relaxed and not stuffy too.

Marina del Rey Farmers Market

The next morning after breakfast at the hotel (the omelettes were excellent!) we decided to take a trip to the Marina del Rey farmer's market. The market runs every Saturday from 9am to 2pm and features lots of local produce, artisan foods, handmade gifts and live music from singer-songwriters.

It was interesting to browse the stalls and try the samples on offer.

As well as healthy foods, you can still buy hotdogs, which was good to see if you are not a matcha tea person.

We spent some time talking to the stallholders. One business that stood out was a company called Gunnar and Jake's. The lady stallholder set up the business with her sons Gunnar and Jake, producing pickles that are low sodium and with no sugar after she was diagnosed with kidney failure and couldn't find a product like this on the market. This is what's great about farmers markets, the owners of the businesses are really enthusiastic about their products, and you can find some delicious locally produced items right on your doorstep.

If you are in the Marina del Rey area on a Saturday morning and you enjoy artisan and speciality foods, we definitely recommend you take some time to visit the farmer's market.

Santa Monica Pier

After we visited the farmers market we took an Uber to Santa Monica Pier. Santa Monica Pier is an iconic landmark in LA, known for its Ferris Wheel and rollercoaster. You may have seen it featured on TV and in films.

It is a popular place for families and couples drawn to this colourful spot. As well as a few rides and games, there are places to eat as well.

We really wanted to visit as the spiritual end of Route 66 is on Santa Monica Pier. While we were here we caught up with Ian who helps run a little store on the pier (close to Bubba Gumps) where you can buy Route 66 merchandise as well as purchase a certificate to say you've travelled the route. The certificate costs $10 and the money goes to charity. Ian is such an enthusiastic fan of Route 66 too, it really felt that this visit helped round up our trip, talking to him and seeing his photos of his journeys on the route made our trip that more memorable.

Also on Santa Monica Pier, there is a tribute to Robert Waldmire, an American artist famous for his Route 66 artwork.

Santa Monica Pier and the beach next to it is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area for a slice of California life.

Venice Beach

After Santa Monica Pier we decided to head towards Venice Beach. We would have loved to explore Santa Monica more, heading into the city but we've visited before and we were pushed for time this trip.

Venice Beach is one of those places that is vibrant, alive, a little Bohemian and a little rough around its edges but always entertaining. Every time we visit Santa Monica we like to wander around to see the street performers, skaters, men working out at Muscle Beach and colourful murals.

While we were there we saw Sky Brown, the world's youngest professional skateboarder. I read an article about her recently and she is really easy to spot as she's only 10. She's also part Japanese and part British and, hopefully, she will be competing for Great Britain at the Olympics in 2020! See if you can spot her in Venice Beach if you do visit.

Abbot Kinney Boulevard

A 15-minute walk from Venice Beach is Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Abbot Kinney Boulevard is a mile-long street lined with trendy boutiques, organic cafes and farm to fork restaurants.

We enjoyed browsing the stores. Ibby Hartley was one store I liked that sell luxury fashion, whilst Will Leather Goods had some really useful bags suitable for travel - it was also very funky and colourful inside.

We stopped off at the cafe Lemonade for lunch. Lemonade sells a range of seasonal salads, fresh sandwiches and Asian-inspired dishes. The food was great! I highly recommend stopping here for some delicious food, and the lemonade was pretty good too. So by this time, it was getting late so we headed back to our hotel to freshen up before our cruise that night.

Hornblower Cruises

That night we headed down to the marina to go on a dinner cruise with Hornblower Cruises. Hornblower Cruises offer dinner cruises in several cities around the US including Marina del Rey, New York and San Diego. A short Uber drive away from the hotel, we were at the marina docking station for the cruise in no time.

The cruise ship looked smart from the outside and as we entered the boat we were greeted by the captain and had a good chat. He was really funny and made us laugh, check out his part in the video at the end of this post.

We were then taken to our table and given a drinks menu and a glass of champagne. When you buy a ticket for the cruise it covers your four-course meal at a private table, a glass of champagne, complimentary soda, and tea and coffee, a DJ and entertainment. There is a full bar on board and alcoholic drinks can be paid for separately.

So we ordered some drinks and before long our starter of Ceasar salad arrived, followed shortly after by our main courses. I had a duo of beef short rib and salmon and Mr W had the vegetarian option of seared polenta and grilled cauliflower steak.

For dessert, we were treated to cake with cream and blueberries.

Now I have to be perfectly honest here, the food wasn't the highlight of our trip. The short rib was good, flavourful and tender but the rest of the food wasn't up to our expectations. Yet you come on a cruise like this for the experience and sailing around the bay in the twilight was lovely and romantic. The DJ and dancing on the boat were great however and the Captain of the boat was amazingly friendly and funny too.

So our time in Marina del Rey was over. We absolutely loved this area of Los Angeles and were so glad we picked it for our stay. Check out the video below Mr W made for our dedicated travel blog Fly Drive Explore.

It was a great base to explore LA and with the added bonus of a short 15-minute drive to the airport the next day. If you have been to Los Angeles at all you will know how bad the traffic can be so being so close to LAX is a big bonus. As well as being a beautiful part of LA, Marina del Rey is safe, interesting, and perfectly situated.

pin for later

We will be back for sure!

* Thanks to the Marina del Rey Vistors Centre for hosting us.

So Cal So Good: What to See in Southern California

Tuesday, 15 May 2018

Southern California is a part of the world which is perhaps best-known for its year-round beautiful climate, stunning sandy beaches, and impossibly chilled-out atmosphere. However away from the ocean, you have a diversity that makes it a perfect vacation spot, with towering mountains, wine tasting areas, gourmet food and secluded towns that make a perfect vacation.

Though you could conceivably spend your whole vacation time in each one of the different places below, you may need to be more selective if you don’t have days and nights on end. We drove from San Francisco to San Diego on a road trip and with so many things to do we had a fantastic experience, but you do need the time to explore properly.

if you don't have the time, however, just find a base, pick some accommodation, (we fancy The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel on our next trip), book your flights, and arrange car hire, to get a taste of a laid-back lifestyle like no other.

Venice Beach

The original vision for Venice Beach was conceived over 100 years ago when Abbot Kinney came up with the idea to turn Santa Monica into a version of the iconic Italian city. To this day, the canals remain one of the area’s top attractions, but most tourists head straight over to the boardwalk, where street performers, food stalls, and souvenir shops all compete for your attention. Other than this, people watch at the volleyball courts, while the centre of bodybuilding known as Muscle Beach is the place to go for all gym enthusiasts and where Arnold Schwarzenegger started out.

San Diego

One of the best-loved cities on our California road trip was San Diego. San Diego boasts miles and miles of sandy beaches, a beautiful harbour, an iconic zoo, the USS Midway, Belmont Park theme park,- and we have only just scratched the surface! Situated right on the Mexican border, San Diego is known as the 'Birthplace of California', and if you are interested in discovering more about the history of the state, you have certainly come to the right place. Head to the Gaslamp Quarter for some great live music and interesting eating and drinking spots.

Santa Barbara

Take a drive north of LA along the coast and you will arrive in the beautiful city of Santa Barbara. However, if you are coming directly from the City of Angels, one of the first things that you will notice is how different the place is. The palm trees and red-roofed houses stand out if you take in the view from above, while the many beaches are all pleasant places to go to while away your time. Santa Barbara is also known for wineries and vineyards, make a stop at the many locations where the black comedy about a wine tasting road trip, Sideways, was filmed.

Palm Springs

A former playground of iconic Hollywood stars like Frank Sinatra, Palm Springs has opened up significantly to the general public since those heady days of wild partying. If you want to get a glimpse of what life was like in those days, take a trip over to the Movie Colony District. Beyond the built-up centre, there are plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding landscape. One of the best experiences is a trip on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which whisks you up nearly 3,000 metres to give you stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

As you can see, Southern California has more than its fair share of incredible attractions. Would you visit Southern California?

A California And Vegas Road Trip

Tuesday, 21 July 2015

San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, And The Grand Canyon

I love California. The beautiful climate and diverse scenery are a real joy when travelling around. I have been lucky to visit Los Angeles before but this year myself and my husband decided to plan a Pacific Coast Highway road trip to California, rounding the trip off in Las Vegas. This was the plan we decided on below.

Our California And Vegas Road Trip Planner

California stretches from the Mexican border for nearly 900 miles and is home to over 37 million people. It has dramatic scenery including desert, vineyards, mountains, forests, cliff-lined beaches, and more coastline than almost any American state other than Alaska.

We had 15 days to explore California and Vegas and knew we wanted to take in some sights we hadn't visited before, such as Napa Valley, the Pacific Coast Highway and San Diego. This is our trip as an overview, for more detailed trip reports check out my blog links at the bottom of this post.

San Francisco

Alcatraz

This iconic city is on most people's bucket list. Take a trip on the ferry to Alcatraz and see where Robert Stroud the 'Birdman of Alcatraz' and Al Capone were incarcerated. The audio tour is free and well worth doing.

Chinatown was an amazing assault on our senses especially as you walk under a tunnel and when you come out the other end it feels like you are transported to China!

You must take a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge. If you are fit, you can take a ferry to Sausalito and then bike over it. Fisherman's Wharf is home to Pier 39, where the famous sea lions have taken up base, and a myriad of tourist shops and restaurants.

Union Square is great for shopping, and while you are feeling peckish stop off at The Cheesecake Factory on the top floor of Macy's. For a great tour at your own pace consider the Hop On, Hop Off bus tour.

Where We Stayed

Tuscan Inn Fisherman's Wharf has a complimentary wine hour and is within walking distance of the main attractions in this area.

Where to Eat

Fog Harbour Fisherman's Wharf is a lovely seafood restaurant. For a fun meal try a meal at Bubba Gump. This chain based on the film Forest Gump is really enjoyable. Be sure to watch the film before you go as they quiz you.

What Not To Miss

Alcatraz, Chinatown and the sea lions at Pier 39.

Top Tip

Book Alcatraz before you go as tickets sell out at least a month in advance in high season.

Napa Valley

Beautiful Scenery in Napa Valley

This beautiful area of California is known for its many vineyards and wineries and excellent food.

We took a guided tour of the Robert Mondavi Winery. Our guide was interesting and informative and we learnt about the process of growing grapes through to the picking, and bottling of the wine. The tour finished with a wine tasting. I highly recommend this tour, for a little over £20 we had a brilliant time.

Visit Oxbow Market for vibrant eateries and a bustling farmers market. For a gourmet meal on a beautiful historic train, try the Nappa Valley Wine Train for gorgeous views over Napa and Sonoma.

Where We Stayed

Embassy Suites Napa Valley is in a pretty setting. You can sit watching the swans and ducks in the pond whilst drinking complimentary wine and eating snacks at the happy hour every night.

Where to Eat

Celadon, Napa Valley has fabulous California food.

What Not To Miss

Take a tour of the Vineyards and learn about Napa wine, finish off with a wine tasting.

Top Tip

If you are visiting on the weekend Napa gets busy. Be sure to book any tours in advance.

Monterey

Old Fisherman's Wharf Monterey

This small seaside town was more beautiful than I expected and also more touristy. We walked from Monterey to Cannery Row, made famous in the John Steinbeck books along the seafront. Along our walk, we saw a seal in the harbour and it is possible to take a boat trip to watch whales from Monterey as well.

Where We Stayed

The Portola Hotel in Monterey's Old Fisherman's Wharf is an upmarket hotel, right in the heart of the town.

Where to Eat

One of the many fish shacks or restaurants with a sea view on Old Fisherman Wharf.

What Not To Miss

The mile walk from Monterey to Cannery Row.

Top Tip

The Aquarium in Cannery Row is highly rated if you have time to visit.

The Pacific Coast Highway

Some Of The Scenery On The Pacific Coast Highway

This exhilarating 123-mile drive of the Pacific Coast Highway from Monterey to Morro Bay is known as one of the most beautiful and dramatic drives you can ever experience. The drive along the cliffs of California has stunning scenery from mountains, cliffs and the redwood forests of The Big Sur to the clear blue crystal ocean.

The Danish Town Of Solvang

We started at Monterey then stopped in Carmel for lunch on the first day, with an overnight stop in Pismo Beach, then Solvang on the second day, on our way to Los Angeles. Carmel is a pretty quaint little town, known for its ex-governor Clint Eastwood, whilst Solvang is an interesting and surreal Danish village. Don't forget to stop off at Piedras Blancas Beach, otherwise known as Elephant Seal Beach, just look below to see why!

Elephant Seal Beach

Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach

We decided to stop off at Pismo Beach on our way to LA to break up our journey. This classic beach town is approximately halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. We took it easy on our overnight stop here and enjoyed simply strolling the boardwalk and visiting the little pier along the beach.

Where We Stayed

Seaventure, Pismo Beach is right on the beach. Push the boat out with a sea view and a hot tub on the balcony.

Where to Eat

We ate in the hotel, the bar upstairs has sea views and a great atmosphere.

What Not To Miss

The white sand beach is perfect to sunbathe and relax whilst you have a chance.

Top Tip

The Seaventure has a great happy hour, try the cocktails and tapas-style snacks on the rooftop bar.

Los Angeles

The Hollywood Sign

Los Angeles is spread out. We stayed in Hollywood this time but Santa Monica is also a lovely base.

Visit Hollywood and follow the stars on the floor of the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, walk in the shoes of Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and shop on Rodeo Drive, and visit the Hollywood Museum for some old-school glamour.

A film tour is highly recommended. Warner Brothers was amazing, you get to see a working studio and visit the museum which houses a collection of Harry Potter memorabilia as well as costumes from many of top Hollywood films. They also have a collection of cars such as those from Batman films, The Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo, and even General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard.

For theme parks, you can't beat Universal Studios, whilst Disneyland California is here too. See all human life at Venice Beach, a cool place to go people-watching, and see the end of Route 66 at Santa Monica pier, before stopping to shop at the Third Street Promenade.

Where We Stayed

Loews Hollywood is an oasis of calm right in the heart of the action, next to Mann's Chinese theatre.

Where to Eat

Katsuya Hollywood is a trendy Japanese restaurant, with great food. Watch out for a Hollywood star - Mark Wahlberg has been spotted here amongst others.

What Not To Miss

A tour of a film studio such as Warner Bros or Paramount Studios. Go in the week to see the studio in a working environment.

Top Top

Research star spotting before you go. Stars hang out at The Ivy, Spago Beverly Hills, Bar Marmont and The Grove.

San Diego

USS Midway

San Diego is a city at the southernmost part of California, only a few miles from Mexico. It is a pretty and interesting city.

To be in the heart of the action, the Gaslamp area has lots of restaurants and nightlife whilst Balboa Park is home to a large number of museums and the World renowned San Diego Zoo.

Take a stroll along the beautiful Seaport area with lots to see and do such as the USS Midway, The Bob Hope monument and the statue of a marine and his girlfriend having their last kiss called 'Unconditional Surrender'. If you have more time a trip to La Jolla for its beaches and Coronado Island with its boutique shops is a must.

Where We Stayed

Marriott Courtyard San Diego Gaslamp Quarter is a historic hotel in an old bank. Go to the vault in the bottom of the hotel, we felt like spies in a James Bond film:)

Where to Eat

Seasons 52 in Seaport is part of the healthy eating chain. Have one of the shot glass desserts for a naughty but calorie-counted end to a meal.

What Not To Miss

Take a boat trip. We went on a Seal Tour and saw sea lions and dolphins in Shelter Island, which was amazing.

Las Vegas

New York New York Las Vegas From A Helicopter

Las Vegas is one of those places you will never forget. The hotels have to be seen to be believed and many are complete resorts in their own right. You don't have to gamble to have fun in Vegas but many of the hotels have casinos.

The Venetian and Pallazzo Hotel is the biggest hotel in the World and has over 7000 rooms and suites but you would never guess as the service was excellent throughout. Take a walk to a replica of St Marks Square, Venice, complete with pretend sky and clouds, a trip in a gondola complete with operatic singers and shop and eat in the many hotels and restaurants all undercover.

Take a ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower in the Paris hotel, or eat in Mon Ami Gabi, one of its restaurants for a view of The Bellagio fountain water show.

If you have time you must visit the Grand Canyon by car or helicopter. We took a helicopter tour with Sundance Helicopters and couldn't fault the trip, including a champagne picnic in the Grand Canyon.

Where We Stayed

The Venetian - the suites are huge, opulent and a bargain midweek. We paid £130 a night.

Where to Eat

For a special occasion, you can't beat the revolving restaurant at the top of The Stratosphere Hotel, it has amazing food and a tremendous view, and go at sunset for stunning vistas. After your meal, stand in awe of those mad people on one of the three rides at the top of the 350-metre-high hotel.

What Not To Miss

Vegas is known for its shows. From Cirque Du Soleil to big-name stars such as Elton John, to small intimate lounge bar shows, it's all in Vegas.

Top Tip

Hotels are cheap in Vegas, as hoteliers want to encourage you to gamble. Prices for hotels are also cheaper midweek than on the weekend.

You can do the trip DIY or check out one of the many multi-centre holidays to the USA. So this is a snippet of our Californian and Vegas road trip. As you can see we covered a lot in 15 days. It was one of those holidays I will never forget and if you do get the chance I urge you to go - you won't regret it. For more places to explore in California check out this post.