I'm an East Coast girl all the way, born and raised in the Garden State (where did they get that nickname, really!). But I love to travel. Everywhere, anywhere, often. Or as often as our budget allows.
My husband has a special love for California. I don't know how to explain it. He is fascinated by it, he would live there if he could, he would just pick up and move. I have to say that I don't share his fascination or at least I didn't until recently. He's been trying to get me to go to L.A. for a few years. I have resisted; for no particular reason. I just didn't think I would like it; the fakeness it all, the traffic, the whole Hollywood scene. Boy was I wrong.
This year my husband convinced me to go. So I planned and researched and actually got excited about our trip.
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| Getty Center Gardens |
I now have to admit that I fell in love with Southern California (I had already been in San Francisco and loved it). The weather was fabulous, the people were surprisingly nice, and everything is so pretty. Yes, we did the tourist stuff - Walk of Fame, Hollywood sign, Rodeo Drive.
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| Disneyland |
But then we did other stuff. We went to Santa Monica during the week when there are fewer tourists. We drove around Beverly Hills, not looking for celebrity houses, but enjoying the beauty of it, the architecture and glamour. We visited the Getty Center - one of the highlights of our trip. We visited different neighborhoods, traveled up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, up to Santa Barbara and down to San Clemente. Each town so different from the previous one.
Yes, we faced traffic. Admittedly not as bad as everyone says. It was manageable. Yes, you do feel that every pretty person is an aspiring actor, always "on an audition", whether as your waiter or salesperson, hoping to be discovered. No problem.
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| Beautiful House in San Clemente |
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A quiet moment at the Mission in
Santa Barbara |
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| Santa Barbara Mission |
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| Bronson Gates |
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| Love him!! |
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| Beverly Hills |
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| Lost on the way to the Hollywood sign |
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| The family |
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| Buttercup found a seat to rest |
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| Santa Monica |
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| A beautiful tree! Look at the roots. |
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Buttercup got pampered at an US
Magazine Event |
We all had an amazing time. It was a chance for the four of us to relax, be together and recharge our batteries. It was a much needed vacation. And we got to see old friends too!!
