As I spent a lot of this Labor Day weekend watching the US Open, I got serious green tennis ball colored envy. I need to go to Flushing, NY stat (my friend goes every year, I have no excuse). I mean, what a perfect way to spend a long weekend, exploring the last few days of summer in the city and then enjoying Primetime tennis! Until I make it there, all I can do is dream of past New York adventures.
concrete jungle where dreams are made.
I have often called LAX the eighth portal of hell, and I mean it. There is no worse pain than landing at LAX on a Friday afternoon/night. Well, maybe there is if you’re Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. Y’all need to stop what you’re doing right now and read about their 8 hour flight from LAX to LAX due to a passenger snafu last night. I would die.
Anyway, if you’re flying into LA, hope you didn’t make any plans because you’ll be stuck for an hour before you can even reach Century or Sepulveda Blvds. It has one of the worst traffic flow designs of any place that is allegedly supposed to serve that many people. Like the architect deliberately thought, how can we purposely make it so there’s only one route out that bottlenecks like crazy?
Even though it one of the worse places on this planet (you think I’m exaggerating. I am not), it’s a necessary evil that has to be dealt with because you can fly almost anywhere from there. One of the busiest airports by volume, if you’ve flown internationally from SoCal, you’ve likely flown out of LAX. It is the second busiest airport in the US by passenger load, and maybe for this week it is a little better than the busier ATL (at least there’s power).
There are 8 numbered terminals separate from the Tom Bradley International terminal. 1= Southwest; 2 = Delta and SkyTeam members: Aer Lingus, WestJet, Virgin, Aeromexico. 3 = Delta, Copa, Avianca, Interjet; 4 = American 5 = American, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Allegiant, Frontier, Spirit, Sun Country. 6 = Alaska, Virgin America, Air Canada, Mokulele, Great Lakes. 7 and 8 = United. There are random exceptions in terms of check in counters for some of the international carriers of the codeshare alliances, but all international flights return to Tom Bradley (TBIT).
I will give it one thing though, there’s some good shopping there, particularly duty free. And if you’re uber wealthy, there are separate luxury lounges that are not connected to the terminals where you can get checked in and taken to your plane by SUV. There could be more restaurants, as the selection is dispersed sparingly amongst the terminals.
Remember: ✈️ = welcome to the jungle to ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ = i love LA (we love it)
Convenience to the city: ✈️ (theoretically it is, practically it is not; may the odds be ever in your favor if you’re flying in during peak hours, rideshares help but it takes awhile)
Ease of navigating through terminals: ✈️ (you’re at the mercy of shuttle buses on the tarmac that wind passengers around planes from terminal to terminal)
Convenience of check in/security lines: ✈️✈️ ✈️ (fairly efficient for its size)
Dining: ✈️✈️✈️ (three planes because the eateries are good, but limited in each terminal, so there’s not that many given options. But…you should look for Ink.sack by Michael Voltaggio in TBIT, La Brea Bakery in Terminal 1, lots of Coffee Beans and Starbucks as well as local coffee shops around; Pinkberry locations, Panda Expresses, Shake Shack in terminal 3, Wolfgang Puck eateries in 6, the Habit and Wahoo’s fish tacos in 6; LA’s hipcute cafeteria Lemonade in 5, Umami Burger, 800 Degrees Pizza, SlapFish, etc)
Bathrooms: ✈️ (don’t expect them to be that clean unless you’re in a recently renovated terminal)
Charging stations/wifi: ✈️✈️ (no free wifi, which makes complete sense)
Amenities: ✈️✈️✈️ (every lounge ever (including a luxe Qantas), retail from bliss spa, Spanx to Burberry, Gucci, Hermes, Harley Davidson — wish there were more options per terminal, but hey real estate is a premium here. I took one plane off because the Sanrio store closed. Also, don’t forget to check out the spacey Theme Building on arrival, home of the former Encounters restaurant (wasn’t actually that bad food wise) but now is a viewing deck on the weekends)
There are not enough adjectives to describe the wonder of Paris. No one needs a guide to this city, there are a million ways to enjoy it, and the little discoveries down every alleyway are what makes this place special. You don’t need a ton of money, you don’t even need to see any of the popular tourist attractions. You could walk around for days and not spend one cent and be content. It’s all splendor. The air is different when you arrive in this city of light and magic. You feel different, you get a new lease on life– nouvelle joie de vivre.
I’ve been all over the world, and there is no city that causes my heart to take flight like Paris. No city that comes close in terms of architecture and art and food. It’s the ultimate muse for any travel fantasy, it puts the lust in wanderlust. There’s a romanticism that cannot be recreated anywhere else; it’s no wonder that Paris salons attracted the best in art and literature to a bohemian lifestyle in the capital city.
To get a true sense of the city, you have to at least spend 4-5 days here. My first visit more than a decade ago lasted for almost two weeks. I saw the entire city as a 16 year old, and even though we did not have smart phones back in the dark ages (le horreur), I’ll never forget the moments during that trip. It started my love affair with France and gets reignited every time I come back. C’est magnifique.
la vie en rose
I think I’m going to Boston, I think I’ll start a new life. So are the lyrics of the Augustana hit from the early 2000s that fill my head every time I go here. It’s a great city for new starts and rejuvenations, being both young and vibrant whilst steeped in history and tradition.
One if by land, two if by sea…
Inexplicably, I’ve been to San Antonio several times for work. Texas’s second largest city, it’s one of the fastest growing cities in the country. There’s a huge US armed forces contingent there and is probably best known for being home to the Alamo and previously, Tim Duncan.
Beyond that, the food and drink scene in San Antonio is fantastic. Not only do you have spectacular Tex Mex regional cuisine, but every restaurant has it’s own unique look and feel. The decor in some of these restaurants–especially the ones in repurposed spaces is something to behold. It’s a multicultural city with so many identities, and that’s what makes it a great place to create some memories.
Remember the Alamo…
Sacramento may seem like a random place to visit, but thanks to Greta Gerwig’s stunning (read: STUNNING) ode to cinema and her hometown, Lady Bird, California’s capital city is taking its turn to bask in its own deserved spotlight.
I think the best way to describe this city is that when you’re here, you feel like you’re in a vintage Instagram filter, a bygone era of Americana with modern splashes. It is simply an easy place to be. There’s that old school charm, from the architectural gems of the Fabulous Forties to the neighborhoods dotted with old neon signage (featured prominently in the movie and as you know if you’ve read this blog, are one of my favorite things) and the proximity of farms and citrus tree groves.
Beyond the capital, it is one of the top destinations for locavore cuisine, earning it the nickname of “America’s farm to fork capital.” For a city of its size, there’s every type of food you could imagine, and ingredients are so fresh due to its proximity to California’s central agriculture industry. People forget California is one of the largest farming states in the country–next time you eat those strawberries and avocados, think of us.
Eureka, I’ve found it!
Charlotte, North Carolina is one of the country’s financial centers which draws in a lot of young professionals and individuals with money. With a growing population, the demand for restaurants, attractions and entertainment rises, and the city has stepped up. It honestly does not feel like much of a Southern city, other than its hospitality, the downtown feels like mini Wall Street with its city of skyscrapers.
The cool thing about this city is that there’s a real sense of humor about it. There’s quotes all around town, and whimsical public art displays. Not what you might expect from a city that boasts the Nascar Hall of Fame. The unexpected it what makes this city so special, and a great place to spend a short weekend.
As far as bucket lists go, Niagara Falls is typically a popular featured destination, for good reason. I can’t believe I’d never been until now! It’s one of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world, and it’s right in our own backyard. *Whispers: the Canadian side is better. Sore-y, not sore-y.
Of all of the places I’ve been in our great neighbor to the north, Canada, I had never made it to the eastern side of the country. But, with all of my immediate family out of the country for Thanksgiving, no time was better to seize the moment and head across the border to Toronto. I traded turkey for Tim Hortons, and I regret nothing.
Oh Canada…
Growing up in Southern California, I spent some time in Los Angeles, but never actually lived there. So, that makes me a total tourist whenever I come to town, and I love it.
It’s sun-kissed, starry-eyed and there’s literally everything you could ever want. There’s beaches, top education, sports, movie stars, museums, shopping, innovative food and technology. There’s perfect weather and beautiful bodies, it’s the epitome of the glamorous life.
I love LA. (we love it).
Prague is probably the most popular destination in Central Europe. It’s a great city filled with spectacular vistas and bridges and churches. It’s the city of a hundred spires, packed to the brim with Medieval churches, a castle, cobblestone paths. It’s very walkable, and the beer is cheaper than water (it basically is water?) . It’s a european city, so there’s also a thriving red light district and sex museums–fun for everyone, question mark. What do you expect, it was the capital of Bohemia at one point.
Praha is a classic destination, with art, culture and architecture abound. I spent a much too short 24 hours here, and while there are other cities I prefer, this is certain a must see for anyone traipsing around Europe looking for a good time.
The devil wears praha
Traveling docs 