First Semester Adventures

As breathtakingly beautiful as the campus of Loyola Marymount is, I had to find ways to escape my studies throughout my first semester. I made it my goal to leave campus at least once per week. Sometimes, I simply walked to the nearest grocery store, but other times, I adventured throughout the city of Los Angeles. I catalogued all of the places I visited throughout the semester and compiled them into three categories: sightseeing, dining, and shopping.

Sightseeing

• Playa Del Rey Beach - The closest beach to campus, the Pacific Ocean is only a short Uber ride away. South of Venice and Marina Del Rey, this beach receives slightly less traffic and has easy access to closeby restaurants.
• Venice Beach and Canals - A true Los Angeles experience, Venice Beach features the best and worst of LA. The food is delicious, but extremely expensive, and it is hard to navigate the area due to the large crowds. I recommend going to Venice in a large group and definitely not at night. The Venice Canals are tucked away just off the beach; this area is perfect for walking and exploring the beautiful houses.
  
• Chinatown - I went to Chinatown twice: once for a pre-school LA adventure and a second time to see a contemporary dance performance. It is a unique section of the city, holding a lot of history regarding racism and segregation in Los Angeles. Today, Chinatown is a juxtaposition of tourism and people trying to preserve culture.
  
• Dockweiler Beach - The highlight of this beach is the firepits, but go early on in the day to claim one for an evening bonfire!
  
• Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company - Just outside downtown LA, I took a company class with LACDC with some fellow dance friends. It was an eye-opening experience to the dance scene in LA.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios - Perhaps my favorite adventure of the semester, Harry Potter World fulfilled my dreams but deeply impacted my wallet.
  
• Dave and Busters - A local unit of this gaming restaurant chain, I enjoyed this with a few friends after a long school week.
• Cinemark - The nearest movie theater to campus, I saw a horror movie after being persuaded by some friends - never, ever again.
• Los Angeles Ballet at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center - I saw a Los Angeles Ballet show here with some fellow dance majors for a class requirement. The theater is large and only 20 minutes away from campus.
• The Getty - Situated on a hill just north of UCLA, this art museum boasts expansive views of the surrounding area, as well as a large collection of art.
  
• Santa Monica Pier - Complete with rides and carnival food, the pier is a sight to see at any time of the day.
  

Dining

• Senor G's Mexican - A few friends and I discovered this delicious, affordable Mexican restaurant based on Google reviews while at Playa Del Rey Beach. A must visit for their a la carte tacos and fresh juices.
• C&O Trattoria - Famous for their unending garlic rolls, this Venice gem serves great Italian and has plenty of outdoor seating to observe the street scene.
  
• The Surfer Taco Food Truck - Before going to college, I avoided food trucks, but when trying to escape cafeteria food, sometimes they are the best option. I had fantastic fish tacos from this truck.
• Salt and Straw - A posh ice cream scoop shop in Venice known for its unorthodox flavors and unlimited taste tests, this ice cream ranks among the best in LA. Along with the traditional cookie dough and vanilla flavors, the shop features seasonal and obscure flavors like lavender honey, olive and goat cheese, and avocado strawberry. Trust me, they are all surprisingly amazing.
• Ramen Champ - Tucked away in Chinatown, this ramen shop is famous for its vegan ramen (most vegetarian ramen is still in beef broth). The combination of spinach noodles, tofu, and mushrooms make even the carnivores forget about the lack of meat.
  
• Marmalade Cafe - An upscale brunch restaurant in West Hollywood, Marmalade serves huge pancakes and elaborate omelets. Be prepared to drop some money on your meal, but it will be worth it.
• Sprinkles Cupcakes - Although I visited a traditional bakery in West Hollywood, this cupcake shop has locations throughout the United States and even coined the term "Cupcake ATM." Next semester, I hope to visit one of these cupcake dispensaries around Los Angeles.
  
• KC's Crepes - With over 150 crepe flavors ranging from savory to sweet, this crepe shop just blocks away from campus is delicious. Make sure to bring cash - the restaurant does not accept credit cards.
  
• Irori Sushi - Perhaps my all-time favorite sushi restaurant, the atmosphere here provides an authentic experience complete with fresh sushi. 
• Stefano's Pizza - Among the expensive Italian restaurants in Santa Monica, this pizza shop sells huge individual slices for a far more affordable rate.
• Cheesecake Factory - I had never seen a Cheesecake Factory as large as the one in Santa Monica, and my friends and I just stopped in to buy a slice of cheesecake from the bakery. 
• Olive Garden - As a pre-finals treat, a few friends and I went to the local Olive Garden to take a break from studying and celebrate our survival.
• Smitten Ice Cream Bar - Located throughout Northern California as well as in El Segundo, this ice cream shop only serves five unique flavors at a time (be sure to check their website before you go). When you order, they make the ice cream for you as you wait. Although it was delicious, the prices are high and the scoops are small - but still worth a visit!

Shopping

• Bristol Farms - Whether looking for organic fruit, gourmet sandwiches, or unique eats, this is the grocery store to visit. Slightly less expensive than Whole Foods and only a few blocks away from campus, Bristol is a great culinary escape from the cafeteria.
• Westfield Mall - Complete with a massive food court, hundreds of clothing stores, and a huge Target, this is the place to go for any errands.
• The Grove - Just outside of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, this upscale outdoor mall is worth visiting for the cafes and Gap, but boasts more designer stores than anything else.
• Whole Foods - Close to campus, the classic Whole Foods is good for just about anything natural and organic.
• 3rd Street Promenade - Located in Santa Monica, this outdoor mall has plenty of shopping opportunities that range from clothing to books.
• CVS - The local Playa Vista pharmacy is perfect for inexpensive gifts and deals on cereal.
• Vons - A Safeway in disguise, this grocery store is the least expensive around campus, but extremely small and somewhat hard to navigate.

This semester brought so many adventures, and I cannot wait to continue exploring the Los Angeles area in 2017.