36 Hours in Los Angeles

One of my favorite columns in The New York Times is the weekly travel featuring 36 hours in a city around the world. This weekend, I had my own 36 hour excursion in Los Angeles, a place I have come to call my home, but still know so little about. Thanks to my dad, a blue Hundai Hertz rental car, and Google maps, I celebrated my hard work thus far this semester with some little adventures.

Friday:

• 12 pm: Lunch at Panini Cafe 

This cute Mediterranean brunch spot is just five minutes from campus in Playa Vista. My dad and I started off our day with their delicious wraps and side Greek salads on a shady patio.

• 1-3 pm: Whole Foods and Target Run

No 36 hour trip is complete without a quick pit stop for groceries, a new laundry basket, and an Arnold Palmer for the road.

• 5:30 pm: Griffith Observatory

The opening photo of this blog is a hazy panorama from a magical sunset at Griffith Observatory. I thought of all the people affected by the fires in Northern California and Anaheim as I looked out over the hazy skyline. We got lucky with a free parking spot barely thirty minutes before the place filled up. Highly recommend arriving early if you are driving.

• 7pm: The Last Bookstore

This bookstore has an amazing selection of books, but the book art in every alcove is the real gem. Look for arches and rainbows made of books, as well as $2 decorative books to complement your shelf. Best to visit during daylight hours, as parking can be difficult and slightly dangerous after dusk.

• 9 pm: Salt and Straw

What weekend would be complete without a trip to this ice cream parlor? My dad enjoyed the classic Salted Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and I tried the limited edition October flavor The Great Candycopia. Days end best with ice cream, and even better when it's from this spot on Abbot Kinney

Saturday:

• 9:30 am: Patrick's Roadhouse

This adorable bright green brunch spot is located just outside Santa Monica and sits right on the ocean. We enjoyed our patio seats, the ocean breeze, and some delicious eggs and pancakes.

• 10:30 am: Pacific Crest Highway to Malibu 

Driving the PCH is an experience like no other, especially on a sunny October Saturday. Look out for dolphins and seals along the way.

• 11 am: Point Dume State Preserve

We hiked to a secluded beach just north of Malibu, and enjoyed the low tides as we scrambled over rocks in our Chacos. 

• 2 pm: The Getty Villa and Cafe

This beautiful estate just off the PCH features hundreds of Greek and Roman artifacts and an outdoor theatre. Walk through the beautiful gardens and enjoy a bite to eat from their cafe.

• 4 pm: Sprinkles Cupcakes

Known for its "Cupcake ATM," this vendor has been popping up all over LA and the United States. We stopped at the Beverly Hills location and enjoyed too many cupcakes, a perfect way to end our day.  A pumpkin cupcake and a coconut one were the perfect early commemoration to my upcoming birthday, and the entire 36 hours was the first real break I have taken in nearly three months. I cannot wait to continue to explore LA in my years and breaks to come.