This past summer I went to the city of dreams to celebrate. This was my second time visiting Los Angeles, so I knew not to expect anything out of a Miley Cyrus song…
got off the plane at LAX 🎶
LA is a very conflicting place. There is extreme wealth, and extreme poverty with shanty towns built under every bridge you pass beneath. It isn’t the glamorous place you often seen it portrayed as.
The thing that I really love about LA, is that there is no shortage of things to do and food to eat. I am Celiac so often times am very limited at restaurants in Florida, but in LA I was able to eat almost anywhere many times with a separate Gluten Free menu. Even though LA isn’t everything I thought it would be, I was blown away by all the food that I ate. I am the type of person who plans my vacations around my next meal. This was last trip was for my 23rd birthday so I really indulged myself on food.
Since food is obviously the most important part of any vacation, I am going to outline my trip to LA in everything I ate.
Postmates
I think the thing I spent the most money on during my trip was Postmates. If you don’t know what Postmates is, it’s an app that lets you order ANYTHING you want at pretty much any time. The first night I got into the city, I didn’t get to my Airbnb until 1 am and I was starving. Me and my best friend spent $12 for the luxury of having a giant box of parmesan garlic fries delivered straight to our door. They were slightly soggy from the drive, but the convenience of not moving from the couch is unbeatable. I wish I had a photo of this massive cardboard box of fries, but it’s pretty much exactly what you would imagine: slightly floppy shoe string fries covered in parmesan and garlic crumbs.
Throughout the trip I used Postmates just for the sake of using it. To my defense, without a car, going to get my own food would entail an Uber drive that could cost up to $12 just for a few mile ride.
Coffee
My obsession in LA is Alfred’s Coffee. I get an Iced Oatmilk Latte with Classic Sweetener and it is the creamiest, smoothest, most delicious coffee I’ve ever had the privilege of sipping. I made it a point to try and drink at least one every day of my trip. My favorite location is the one in Studio City.
Every location is unique, but equally aesthetic. I loved this location because the street is quiet, and there were people with their friends and dogs sitting on the porch and talking. It had a very European Cafe feel where people aren’t just glued to their laptop screen, but are actually using coffee as a hangout. Studio city has a residential feel in some parts, and this street in particular had a Mid Century feel with many original buildings from the 60s era.
Me and my friend sat on the porch and people watched, then walk down the street to some local vintage shops. It was my favorite part of the entire city because it was quiet, clean, and had a very unique eclectic style. And of course, the coffee was outstanding.
Brunch
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On my birthday, me and all of my friends went to brunch! We went to Sage Bistro in Culver city. We didn’t know when we found it on google, that it was 100% plant based, but that didn’t affect the taste at all.
We started off with their “Buffalo Wings” that were made out of cauliflower. These were one of my favorite things I ate the entire trip: 10/10. They somehow achieved a very similar texture to chicken wings, and their vegan ranch was amazing.
Avocado toast is King at brunch, and Sage Bistro’s avo toast did not disappoint. This photo shows “regular” bread, but as I mentioned before I am unfortunately gluten free. They made my toast on a gluten free bagel, which was surprisingly chewy and not dry. It was great, and not something I ever get to have at restaurants in Florida.
Sushi
Not sure why I look terrified by my sushi roll in this photo?
For my birthday, I went to SUGARFISH, a popular sushi restaurant in Downtown LA.
They are well known on instagram for their aesthetic sushi bento boxes. You wont find a spider roll or a volcano roll on the menu; SUGARFISH specializes in simple, high quality rolls that really feature the flavor of the fish. I had a scallop roll, a tuna roll, and a lobster roll. There wasn’t many other ingredients in the roll other than the fish itself, and it was all delicious. The fish melts in your mouth, with no rubbery bite. I would compare the quality of fish to that of Nobu, notably the most famous sushi restaurant in Los Angeles (with the hefty price tag included). SUGARFISH was a lot cheaper and did not compromise on quality.
One thing is for sure, I need to get back to LA and eat a lot more food- I wouldn’t have to repeat anything (except Alfred’s Coffee of course)
If you want to experience the city of angels first hand, be sure to book it with a Luxevo Vacations Travel Specialist.
Miramar Beach is located in Destin Florida and is a beautiful white sand beach. The water is crystal clear making this a very popular tourist destination. The beach is lined with
hotels and condominiums for rent. Parasailing is very popular at this beach, and there are even dolphin tours where you can come face to face with dolphins. This is a good beach to
visit if you are looking for a more upscale hotel experience. The Henderson Beach Resort is the most popular hotel equipped with chic rooms, 5 restaurants, and high end spa
experiences.
South Beach
South Beach in Miami is probably the most famous beach in all of Florida, and one of the most recognized beaches in all of the world. South Beach is unique because of it's vibrant
culture and chaotic night life. This is definitely a more party-goer destination and isn't made for those trying to get away from noise and tourists. You'll wander off the beach and
onto the multicolored pastel art deco district. There you'll find museums, high end shopping, gourmet food. The last time I was in Miami Beach, I splurged and went to Nobu. Nobu is a
Japanese Peruvian fusion restaurant well known for being littered with celebs, and for having some of the most delicious sushi in the world. Needless to say, Miami beach is not only
a beautiful beach with gorgeous people, it is a full cultural experience.
Anna Maria Beach is just 10 minutes down the road from the Luxevo Vacation's office. I would say that this was the beach I grew up going to, and many native to the area would probably
agree. Anna Maria is the family vacation beach you've always imagined. There are classic little beach getaways equipped with pull out couches and tiny kitchens the whole family with
cram into. There are all of the mom and pop shops you could want: ice cream, pizza, and fried food galore. Like all the beaches in the area, the sand is white and powdery, and the
water is bright blue. In the summers, there is not a foot of sand that isn't covered in chairs, coolers, and umbrellas. This is a great beach to take your family and have a great
wholesome time.
St. Pete Beach
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St. Pete beach is another "spring breakers" beach. Known for being packed to the gills during the spring and summer months, it's no wonder St. Pete attracts the masses. There are
countless bars and pubs and restaurant. St. Pete has done quite the transformation into a self proclaimed art capital. One of the well known landmarks of the city, is the Salvadore
Dali museum full of his paintings, sculptures, and even a virtual reality tour where you can walk through his art. There is also the famous Chihuly glass museum. The city has attracted
many of Florida's young creatives. There are indie bands, art galleries, vintage stores, murals, and craft beer. St. Pete is also home to the Tampa Bay rays so the streets are also often
filled with sports fans too (it's just generally a popular place). St. Pete is one of my favorite cities in all of Florida if not the hippest place to be right now. This is a very
fun place to vacation with quite literally something for everyone.
I saved the best for last! Lido key beach is by far my favorite beach. Just 20 minutes down the road from Anna Maria, Lido is much quieter and secluded. The main part of the beach
is lined with private residences versus hotels which really minimizes the traffic. Of the course the beach still gets crowded during the summer, but none the less this beach
has everything I love in a beach. The sand is just a little softer, the water just a little bluer, the area just a tad more charming. The beach is right off of St. Armands Circle:
Here you'll find restaurants and local shops filled with clothes and knick Knacks. Live music fills the streets, and the smell of fudge from the local ice cream shop. My favorite
activity is walking around the circle and people watching all of the interesting characters from here and there. Often times, there are events held in the circle. Sometimes it is
local art, craft festivals, or even classic car events. This beach is the perfect combination of quaint and lively.
No matter what Florida beach you decide to visit next, don't forget to book it with Luxevo Vacations.
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