Family Bonding // LA 3 & 4
Waking up Sunday, we reminisced the about the previous night and all of the highlights from the concert.
To start the day off right and keep the good vibes going, Gina and I decided to do the most LA thing we could think of and we took a stroll down Melrose to get our morning cup of joe from Alfred {Coffee + Kitchen}. Instead of going to the Alfreds on Melrose, we decided to walk a block further to Alfred in the Alley.
On our way down the street, we spotted some LANY posters...I KINDA JUST WANT TO LISTEN TO LANY. True, true true.
Eyes on the prize, we entered the coffee shop and ended up walking out with some Yeastie Boy Bagels sandwiches. I've been dying to try one of these and could not wait to scarf them down when we got back to Julie's. It took a lot of self restraint.
We managed to make another detour to the Melrose Farmers Market which was just getting set up. We were out and about around 9 am, LA is one of those "later" cities aka people get moving around 11 or 12. Fresh flowers, local produce, and handmade goods filled all of the stalls, but they had nothing on Pike Place.
Well, our yeastie boys did not last long at all. As we sipped on our coffee, we made a plan for the day. Gina and Mom were flying out in the afternoon, there was a reservation for brunch/lunch, and Xander had a football game, so that left us with a few hours empty hours to bounce around LA.
What does the Swiss Family do? We decided to drive across town to the Getty Museum. Now, I adore the Getty. The Getty is beautiful and has one of the best permanent collections in the country. It's perched right on the edge of the hills and has sweeping views of DTLA, Century City, and Pacific Ocean.
The Getty ALSO happens to be FREE. I love free things. Free is good. Free is best. I have no idea why museums aren't all free. They should be. Downside, you have to pay for parking. BUT it's only $15 per car. And if you load up a car, it's basically so cheap. Like, $5 for each of us. Bargain all around.
One of the main reasons I wanted to visit the Getty was because of the London Calling exhibition on view. Around this time two years ago, I was in London wandering through all of their museums and seeing many of these artists! I was so so so excited, remembering all of my studies. Gina and Mom probably thought I was a little crazy as I ran around from piece to piece.
On display was one of Freud's most detailed portraits and my favorite triptych by Bacon. HELLO OLD FRIENDS, I'VE MISSED YOU DEARLY.
We made our way through the exhibition and took our time walking the expansive Getty grounds. I could spend all day up there. Unfortunately, we couldn't and needed to head into town to meet Caroline, Julie, and Xander for brunch.
LA traffic was in full swing and we weaved our way in and out of cars while cutting down side streets to avoid the main jams. We arrived at our destination right on time, the only issue was finding parking. I swear we circled the block for about 15 minutes searching for a spot. Mom was getting fed up and almost drove back to Julie's to park, then we'd walk over. At that exact moment, we snagged a prime location. It's all about good timing, something not in our favor that day.
Brunch was being eaten at Jon & Vinny's and I have no idea why we haven't dined here before. This place is honestly one of my new favorite restaurants in all of LA. We feasted on heaps of Italian food while messing around at the table.
Whenever you're in LA, make an effort to come to Jon & Vinny's. TRUST ME, you won't regret it. The food did not last too long once it was on the table.
With a small window of time before Xander's game, I convinced Gina and Mom to drive up to Abbot Kinney and walk around. Abbot Kinney is full of cute, local shops and restaurants that scream beach town. There's also a TON of fun murals including this newly installed heart wall by James Goldcrown.
After the little photoshoot, we did the quickest shopping, well mainly window shopping before scurrying off to the game.
I'm always pleasantly surprised by how entertaining Xander's sports games are. The kids have some talent and it's nice to have the whole family there watching and supporting. It was a crucial game for the team; they needed a big win to advance to the league final. They went back and forth with their opponents which brought it down to the last few minutes where the team pulled out a win! Very exciting game to watch!
After the big flag football win, I had to say goodbye to Mom and Gina so they could catch their flight back. I'm always happy when I get to see my family! Lucky for me, I'd get to see them in the next few weeks.
Since I was the last straggler flying out the next day, I got to hang out with the California crew. I hopped in Caroline's car and we ventured back to her apartment to assess her fly invasion. Apparently, over the last few days, flies have been collecting at her front windows, ew gross.
Thankfully, I missed the 20+ fly episode from the previous day, but we armed ourselves with fly swatters and febreeze to kill the remaining few perched on her window. Who knows what was going on in her apartment, but we assuaged the situation for the mean time. Henceforth, we shall refer to her as "lady of the flies".
With the flies at bay, we went back to Julie's for dinner, family time, and a quiet evening.
Monday morning I FINALLY slept in for once and chilled with the fam. It was nice to take things slower and really enjoy spending time together. Xander and I had a rematch game of LIFE and played ping pong in the scorching sun. For an eight year old, he has mad skills in ping pong. We rallied back and forth, but went inside because we were sweating.
Lunch time rolled around and Caroline promised to take me out for some quality aunt time (hahaha). She decided on Croft Alley, her newest find.
This place has gotta be one of the best kept secrets in LA. It's a quaint little space tucked away behind Alfred and the high end fashion designers. When we arrived there weren't tables available so we admired the fresh baked cookies until something opened up and strolled through Compartes chocolate to pass the time.
Once we snagged a seat, we waited for our food while sipping on the best honey ginger lemonade. It got the Caroline approval.
We scarfed down the fresh food and finished our meal with these killer cookies. I'm not even exaggerating, these were some of the best cookies I've ever had in my life. GO if you ever get the chance.
After lunch, Caroline drove me to the airport and I was headed back to Seattle! Fun, fun times with the family! I love seeing everyone and spending time together.