Day 1: 

Endured a 17 hour long haul flight and an 8 hour lay over at Incheon Airport all for A380! Inspite of these, yes.. resting will never be possible. Much anticipated spring break starts now!

So little time, so much to do, see and explore! Upon our arrival at LAX airport, our uncle were able to tour us around Rodeo Drive where famous films were shot. I was hoping to bump someone from Hollywood while crossing the streets of Beverly Hills. High-end shops and luxury cars swarming around this posh drive. To maximize our first day in LA, we went out for an hour drive to Hollywood Blvd. We started walking around when I couldn't bear my tummy. Yes I was literally a can soda ready to burst! Tough luck.





And there goes IN-N-OUT..not even a thought to pass on! We had Double Double from the menu. Two (2) 100% pure beef patties plus two (2) slices of cheese and ordered non-greasy fries on the side. Ended the day on a happy note with some Gas-X :-)



Day 2: 

Jet lag hasn't kicked in yet but we know for sure it will knock us out for days. Live for the moment as it was time for us to get up and spin around Los Angeles on our 2nd day! It was a sunny Friday morning but windy at times. My relatives live on the breezy uplands where mostly anyone could spend most of the time there and glance not only on the perfectly-shaped landscape fronting the porch but even on the amazing mountain and city views in any direction you can find or just play backyard mini-golf. Mediterranean-inspired houses line up in this Southern part of California. Not to mention, I am very impressed with the Spanish-style interior the moment I entered their lovely home.







About less than an hour, we arrived at Buca di Beppo in Santa Monica, CA where my Aunt's sister celebrated her birthday. Shared this special day along with her godchildren who are on US tour as well. The parking building adjacent to the Italian restaurant provides electric vehicle charging stations customized for hybrids! Pardon the ignorance, I'm only used to normal car parks and conventional cars. Nevertheless, the restaurant is strategically located next to 3rd Street Promenade.

Buca di Beppo's wide variety of dishes showcase the flavors of Italy, served homestyle, meant to be shared by a family or a large group. I'm satisfied with Italian food, this cuisine is a huge comfort for my belly.









A landmark for over a 100 years in Santa Monica Pier - Pacific Park, which recently named as "California's Best Amusement Park", feature a solar-paneled ferris wheel - the world's first and only. We skipped the USD 8 per ride and just enjoyed the beaming sea view.















A few blocks away from Santa Monica Pier is the famous Third Street Promenade, known as a tourist shopping destination from designer brands to interior decorations. On top of that, Street Mime Artists do add some zesty vibe too in this east downtown part where statues come to life!






Half an hour passed before reaching Griffith Observatory, a popular tourist spot lying near the legendary Hollywood sign where people can have a perfect snapshot of the timeless view of Tinseltown's trademark. But of course, this facility is all about Science and Astronomy. It exhibits everything related outside the Earth's atmosphere, celestial bodies and activities, mainly space travel.








Capped-off our Day 2 at The Grove in Los Angeles. This park boasts its wide-array of well-known brands, restaurant chains, cinema complex, a tram that connects this outdoor shopping district to Farmers Market and the best part is, throughout the holiday season, they occasionally create artificial flurries every evening, as snow rarely occur in this southern part of California.










Day 3: Our last day won't be complete without a quick tour in the historic landmark located in Riverside, CA. It echoes the late 18th and early 19th Spanish missions which remains as "the principal colonial heritage of Spain in America". Mission Inn Hotel and Spa's Mediterranean Revival Style is considered as the largest in the US according to its architectural classification.












It was indeed very timely, for we were able to drop by at the Farmers Market located on the Main Street Riverside between 5th and 6th where fresh produce, delis and other specialty food items are being sold only on Saturdays from 8 AM to 1PM.











Before leaving for San Francisco, we had a quick lunch at Home Town Buffet just a few minutes away from UFC Gym in Corona where we had our finale by touring inside the MMA Training Ground.