California Dreamin

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to North LA for about 5 days. I feel like I was able to do SO many things in an extremely short period of time. A few of my favorites: The Getty Center, Topanga Canyon, and the Santa Monica Pier.


The Getty was AMAZING. My 3 favorite exhibits were the Leonardo da Vinci showcase, the Urban Panoramas, and the pictures of food (naturally). Besides the fabulous art, the architecture of the building was stunning. Pristine white buildings with a spacious garden featuring EVERY flower imaginable. I couldn't help but feel like I was on the set to Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. There was also an amazing view of the city and the hills. If you are ever in North LA and are looking for an amazing day...check out the Getty. (click here) Free admission, you just have to pay for parking. In this girls opinion, completely worth it.


Next stop: Topanga Canyon. Found an awesome little camping spot that you hike 1-mile up. Full Moon. Perfect weather. Deep golden meadows with deer prancing. 1 of my favorite friends. I couldn't have been happier. Topanga Canyon is quite the little gem. Wildflowers galore. They actually have a park hotline to call and find out what flowers are in bloom. The next morning, we hiked the additional 2 miles up to Eagle Rock. From the top you could see the deep blue Pacific Ocean, bike trails swirling through the canyon, and of course, bursts of wildflowers around every bend. Again, if your ever in the area, check it out. (click here)


The Santa Monica Pier was extremely gaudy, yet delightful. We rode the World Famous Ferris Wheel ($10) and fed the parking meter all our quarters, dimes, and nickels. Only to later find out we weren't supposed to park there ($60 parking ticket). We thought we were so smart avoiding the $10 parking fee. Sorry M. So, for the low, low price of $70... we got to spend 1 1/2 hours on the Santa Monica Pier. Fantastic!


It may sound odd, but sometimes I just like, well, LOVE to get off of this rock. I in no way have island fever. I just need a taste of reality sometimes. This trip definitely quenched that thirst.