SoCal Road Trip Part 2: Santa Monica, Los Angeles
Today, I’m sharing the part 2 recap of our SoCal road trip. In case you missed it, my first blog post covered our stay in Yucca Valley/Joshua Tree where Mario and I got engaged! The day before we left the desert, Mario and I decided to extend our stay in Los Angeles. We were initially planning on only staying for 1 day and then driving back home to San Francisco, but afterwards decided we wanted more time in SoCal. I was a bit hesitant at first because I had some deadlines for work, but once Mario proposed, extending our vacation just felt right.
We have traveled to Los Angeles together a few times and the last time we were in the area, we decided that we wanted to stay in Santa Monica. Last minute, we found an AirBnb in the area and absolutely fell in love with the location. We got super lucky with the spot that we rented because they were pet friendly and we unexpectedly had the entire place to ourselves! It was a 2-story townhouse, with 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 small outdoor patios, a large living room, and a parking garage. One downfall was that we had some issues with the garage door opener, but luckily it was resolved the day after we checked-in when they brought us a new remote. Contrary to our stay in Yucca Valley, the bed was much more comfortable at this location which we were so grateful for because we were exhausted after not sleeping well during the first part of our trip. The apartment was super close to several supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, pet stores, and the Venice area which was convenient for all of our needs.
The second part of our trip was much more low-key than the first. We caught up on rest, ate A LOT of delicious vegan food, and spent some time with close friends. The day before we left, we finally gained enough energy to vlog. We planned on going for a hike to an epic view of the Hollywood sign. It is actually quite difficult to get to a good view of the sign because it is accessible through a residential area with a lot of confusing directions. Mario planned in advance by looking up some videos on YouTube for insider tips and he even wrote a map by hand. However, once we got there, the entire area was closed to pedestrians. Our vlog was not going as planned, but we weren’t going to let that stop us from making the most of it! So instead, we went to a park down the hill to play fetch with Roise in the grass. As we were relaxing, we took some time to share our first impressions of the engagement; along with our loved one’s reactions. Once the sun began to set, we walked back up the hill and took some pictures for Instagram. We finished up the evening by meeting up with one of Mario’s best friends for dinner. Be sure to check out part 2 of our vlog here!
Before I go, I wanted to share a list of some of my favorite meals and restaurants during this trip! One of the best parts of visiting Los Angeles is all the vegan food available. There are so many more options in LA compared to San Francisco, so we indulge every time we’re in town.
Thai Vegan II- Yellow Curry and Vegetable Fried Rice: We ordered pickup here the first night. On our way to pick up the order, Mario and I got locked inside the garage because the remote wasn’t working and the restaurant even called to make sure we were still coming- which from a customer service perspective I appreciated. The food was delicious, fresh, and filling. However, Mario forgot to mention that I am allergic to nuts and the top layer of the fried rice was covered in nuts. We were sharing anyway, so he ate the top layer and I ate the lower portion, but my lips did get a bit irritated. If you have an allergy, be sure to specify in advance.
Locali- Badass Vegan Breakfast Sandwich: Before I had a plant based diet, I used to eat breakfast sandwiches and breakfast burritos all the time! It was one of my favorite meals on earth and since going plant based, I haven’t been able to find as many comparable options. When I saw that Locali had several vegan friendly breakfast sandwiches, I had to jump at the opportunity. The one I ordered was full of flavor and drenched in delicious sauce. The bread was a bit firm and may have been over toasted, but overall it was great. They even have gluten free bread options which is really nice because Mario is gluten intolerant and therefore he rarely has a chance to eat sandwiches. This joint is definitely more of a fast food style restaurant, but still super yummy and filling.
Tocaya Organica- Vegan Fajita Burrito: This is one of our favorite spots in Venice! In the past, I have ordered the tacos, but this time I went for a burrito. The ingredients are so fresh and tasty! What’s cool about this restaurant is that they are not exclusively vegan for those who want to add meat or dairy to any dishes. They are also super allergy friendly and have an entire template with every ingredient on their menu easily handy.
That wraps up our SoCal Road Trip content! It was so refreshing to get out of the Bay Area and go on a road trip across the state. So grateful that we were able to make it happen and still stay safe during the pandemic. One of my biggest goals this year was to travel more and although it didn’t go the way I planned, I’m glad that the few trips we have taken have been so special.