After a long bus journey involving delays and unexpected change, I eventually arrived into LA at 8pm. Thankfully, the bus dropped me right outside what was to be my last ever hostel stay. Hostelling International (HI) USA Hostels could certainly teach other hostel owners a thing or two; great service, guided tours of the facilities, free towels, ensuites but most impressive of all private screens around your bed allowing you to have a rare 5 mins to yourself. During check-in I met Rebecca, another traveller from London who was also on her last leg before home, infact her last night. Regardless of how tired we were, I couldn't let her celebrate her last night of travels in a hostel, so we opted to go to The Piano Bar. This bar is famous in LA for launching the careers of some incredibly talented musicians. Seemingly, it's also a great place to meet people, like Lance. A guy from LA who works for Disney and is one of the talented animators that worked on Frozen.
As Rebecca was leaving mid morning for the airport, it meant we had to take an early morning taxi ride to the Warner Bros studios. It wasn't somewhere that had come up in my basic research of the city but I'm glad I had the opportunity to go. The set is much much much bigger than you imagine so no wonder you have to travel round in a golf buggy! After touring the grounds and wardrobe museum including trying on Hogwarts's sorting hat (I got Gryffendor) we finally got to explore the backstage sets of Ellen, 2 Broke Girls, The Fosters (comedy staring J'Lo) but most important of all...the FRIENDS set. It's been a childhood ambition of mine to sit of THAT sofa in THAT coffee house. Another box ticked off that Bucket List!
Yet a trip to LA can't be made without a stop in Hollywood and Beverley Hills. For a real estate geek like me, I quite enjoyed the "celeb spotting cruise" intcluding a drive by of Bel Air. The same enjoyment cannot be said for the walk of fame and Central Hollywood. Sadly it looks nothing like what you see in the media. It's riddled with tourists, dirty and somewhat plastic. Not what I expected at all.
Thankfully, Lance kindly offered to take me out of Hollywood and show me another part of LA - Malibu. After a drive through the hills, we arrived at a stunning vineyard located on the side of a hill. It looked like a festival scene out of a magazine. Certainly quite different from Central Hollywood. In the evening, we had dinner in a beautiful beachside restaurant called Geoffrey's. Not quite what you call a standard traveller's night out but the perfect way to end my first trip to LA.
Final thoughts on LA:
Although it wasn't what I expected and Hollywood was a massive disappointment, LA itself was a great place. Yes it's pretentious particularly around Beverley Hills but isn't Knightsbridge or Chelsea?
Public transport is next to none so plan your trip well. Explore the suburbs outside the concentrated Hollywood and if possible, rent a car, you won't be disappointed with the view.
Sweet dreams LAX.
Next stop: Washington DC
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