Emily has the same sized hands as Marilyn Monroe...

The last weekend of my trip to California was spent in the land of celebrities and angels, Los Angeles.  I must admit that L.A. was probably my least favourite city we visited as we were constantly being told by people to "be careful" (which is quite unnerving) and I found that the hotspots were overrated and overpopulated.  We still had a great time and the weather was warm so hey, I'm not complaining!

The Hotel

We stayed at the W Hollywood which was a plethora of beautiful people, fantastic decor and a spectacular ambience.  Plus we were right on Hollywood Boulevard so everything we wanted to see and do was in walking distance.

  

Even the peep holes were Hollywood glamour!

The Food

The first night we were in Hollywood, we ate at Ike Sushi which looked like a mafia hang out on the outside, but was warm and cozy on the inside with some of the freshest (and most affordable) sushi I have ever tasted.

We asked the concierge for breakfast recommendations and she sent us to this great joint called Kitchen 24 which is a must visit for anyone in the area!

Friday night we had reservations at Katsuya Sushi (where Kristin Cavallari dined the previous weekend).  This place was a perfect example of an overrated hot spot in LA.  Even though we had reservations we still waited for a half an hour to be seated (and I'm positive that if a celebrity had come in, that we never would have been seated!) The restaurant was overflowing with it girls and their money-bag boyfriends, and the older gentleman (and I mean older!) sitting beside us, asked the young Asian waitress if she was 18 and what time she got off work.  Ick- and to top that all of, he already had a young date with him! But of course, restaurants are all about the cuisine, and I was unimpressed- my tuna roll was minced and mushed up which gave me the sensation of eating baby food! Enough ranting, here are the pictures (I will give them the decor!)

On our last night of vacation, we ate at a great Italian restuarant called Trastevere at the Hollywood and Highland Centre (after watching the Tree Lighting Ceremony).  The food was fabulous and the mood was bittersweet (happy to have had such a fabulous trip but sad to be leaving the city and the warmth behind).

 

The Culture/The Activities

As die hard fans of Criminal Minds and Dexter, the boy and I thought it would be interesting to visit the Museum of Death in Hollywood.  Interesting= yes.  Terrifying and disturbingly gruesome= most definitely.  I guess I should have taken the warning more seriously as well as the owner's story of visitors defecating themselves (although this seems a little far fetched!) The Museum consisted of graphic photos of brutal murders; suicide notes; taxidermed animals; a morgue and serial killer paraphenalia.  At the end of the self guided tour, the owner showed us his two headed pet turtle- at this point I thought I might have been possessed by one of the taxidermed monkeys (hey you never know!) I am finally back to normal, although the scars of some of the images will remain!

On a more cheerful note, the boy and I attended Cupcake Camp LA, where the only thing terrifying was how many cupcakes the boy ate! You got to sample 5 different cupcakes as well as decorate one of your own.  My favourite was a mini chocolate cupcake with nutella icing- mmmm! The proceeds went to local charities so it was the perfect opportunity to be an altruistic glutton!

Our samplers (the sparkly blue one was called Breakfast at Tiffany's and two living barbie dolls were selling them!)

Here are our creations (practice makes perfect!)

On our last evening in Hollywood, we attended the Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Hollywood and Highland Centre which was super tacky but super fun! The perfomers included the Los Angeles Gospel Choir (amazing!); Mitchell Mussu from Hannah Montana (adorable); Kyle Massey from Corey in the House and That's so Raven (and yes I do watch all these Disney shows); Kimberley Locke from American Idol and Cirque de Soleil.  It was incredible to be watching a Tree Lighting Ceremony in my spring jacket- this would never happen in Canada!

The Outfits/The Shopping 

By the time we hit LA, my funds were severly depleting so I steered clear of any real shopping, opting to buy a cheap fedora at Forever 21 instead. 

Outfit

Skirt & Necklace- Smart Set

Black Tank- Old Navy

Floral Tights- Wonder Bra

Shoes- Andrew Geller

 Outfit
Dress- Anthropologie
Shoes- Fergalicious by Fergie
Earrings- Forever 21

Outfit
Fedora- Forever 21
Nude Coloured Dress, Belt & Boots- Thrifted
Long Sweater- Smart Set

The Boy's Outfit (hey he can be fashionable sometimes too!)

Red Dress Shirt- Winners

Grey Pants & Belt- Parasuco

Iconic Landmarks

It was so inspiring to see the Hollywood sign that has made many a star and brought many visitors and wannabes to the City of Angels.  Strolling along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I was surprised at the sheer number of stars and only a handful of names that I recognized.  Christina Aguilera is the newest addition to the famous walk, and we saw her star getting processed for installation.