Playing on a golf course for the first time: tips from one newbie to another🏌️♀️
Golf is known to be a relaxing sport but when you just start playing, hitting balls at a golf course can be so nerve wracking and intimidating. Now that I feel a bit more comfortable playing courses, I want to go back and share some experience and tips for your first trip to the golf course.
Read full storySmall pocket of peace for anyone trying to escape: Arlington Garden in Pasadena
My friend and I stopped by Arlington garden on a lazy Saturday afternoon because I wanted to find a quiet place to drink/eat the boba and snacks we just bought. The spot is perfect because it’s free, very beautiful with seats and tables. The botanical garden was so cute, rustic and down to earth. There was also a path where people would hang their wish notes on all the trees on the side so we stopped just to read the notes. The notes are written on different materials by people from different places, but they all come from a place of hope and wishing. It was a touching experience reading them and getting to know people I’ve never met.
Read full storyProudest weekend discovery in LA: Holbox🐙🦐
I stumbled upon Holbox when I was craving shrimp cocktail and seafood tacos on a sunny Saturday morning. It was less than 10 min away from DTLA and it has a five star Yelp review, which I’ve barely seen given that LA people probably have the most demanding taste. The place really has the best food and vibe! I can eat this on a daily basis and not get sick of it: they put so much heart and soul into the flavor, presentation and service. My boyfriend and I got their octopus dish🐙and shrimp cocktail🦐 for brunch. Their shrimp cocktail is so refreshing but also rich in favor with just the right amount of acidity. They are extremely generous about the amount of seafood and avocado they put in. Great on a sunny day in LA. Moving to the octopus dish: wood grilled octopus with homemade sauce and tortilla. The octopus was so tender and everything was freshly made. We did ask for more free chips and salsa to finish up the shrimp cocktail and leftover avocado from the octopus dish.
Read full storyA newbie’s tips on how to start golfing in LA⛳
I started playing golf because it’s the best quarantine sport: you mind your own business, stay in your stall and you keep your distance when walk outside on a golf course. I kept playing golf even things are heading back to normal because unlike sports like tennis, swimming, running, you can socialize while playing golf: talking to friends while hitting the balls, or drinking some light beers with family while walking on the course. I’m still such a complete amateur in golf but I want to share my experience on how to start playing golf in LA!
Read full storyChantal Cupcakes: a party of sweetness in your mouth🧁
I don’t have the biggest sweet tooth but I’m always down for half a cupcake or a scoop of ice cream after dinner - esp with wine! I'm also a bit picky with my dessert: I don't like those over-decorated cupcakes that just taste like sugar and cream. But I like Chantal Cupcake because her flavors are so unique and tasty. I started ordering her homemade cupcakes because I thought the ube, or purple yam flavor, was very interesting and can't be found anywhere else. I ordered a dozen because I also wanted to share with neighbors and friends. Everyone loved it!
Read full storyEasy hike with tremendous reward - Millard Falls Trail⛰️
I did this hike on a weekday with my family - turned out to be a good choice since the hike was an easy one with lots of shades and streams to cross, which made the hike really light and fun. The reward of the hike was also tremendous. When we got to the waterfall, it almost felt like a different world: lots of greenery, beautiful waterfall, some people bouldering near the waterfall. We brought some beers and just chilled near the water for a while. Finding parking space was a bit hard but we were able to eventually parallel park into a tiny spot near the campground. Some people say the trail gets very crowded on weekends and parking was impossible, so weekdays would be a better choice for this one!
Read full storyStrada Eateria & Bar: your perfect jazz, wine and pizza combo in one place🎵🍕🍷
My boyfriend and I were looking for a tapa place since we snacked all day and were not that hungry. We came across this spot super close to where we live so we decided to stop by before ending the night at home. But everything was just so good - we ended up eating way more than we should… we started with their ceviche and two glasses of wine: the ceviche was so fresh, refreshing and the bread was crunchy but not too hard. The wines were also amazing: we got a Pino noir and a Riesling and they went so well with the dish. We ended up getting a pizza and more wine since we just wanted more of their food and drinks🍷 we went with the chorizo and avocado pizza since it sounded interesting and it didn’t disappoint us at all🍕 The place also happened to have live jazz performance every Sunday from 6:30 to 9:30pm so obv we stayed for that. Slightly tipsy and feeling the right amount of full - what a wonderful way to relax and get ready for the new week 🛀
Read full storyMade in LA: an exhibition that helped me explore my inner self
Museums are somewhere I can literally visit over and over again but still feel surprised and amazed each time. Hammer museum located in west Hollywood is one of my favorite museums in LA: I’ve gone a couple times pre-pandemic and absolutely loved the stunning art work and beautiful courtyard. Did I mention the admission is also FREE?
Read full storyOpen Market LA: artsy AND tasty spot to start your weekend right🥪☕
It’s just been so long since I had a non-homemade sandwich. Since I totally ran out of groceries Saturday morning, I decided to give Open Market a try. It did not disappoint me! This spot literally just opened about two months ago so it’s brand new and kind of hidden. But man, one of the coolest sandwich shops I’ve visited. It’s a tiny market with delicate grocery goods; also a little art museum with cool pictures, and of course, a tiny sandwich coffee house. They definitely got that aesthetic down!
Read full storyGuisados: the best post-workout meal that hit the spot🌮🌮
Guisados was a little miracle that happened to me and my boyfriend when we were starving, looking for food right after a 🎾 ball smashing session. Memorial Day was a busy day in LA - we stopped by a couple taco stands but there was literally no parking. So we ended up at this taco spot in Boyle Heights. We got their chorizo and shrimp tacos with a melon drink. Their chorizo taco was literally a party in your mouth: chicken mole tacos with perfectly seasoned chorizo and red onion, green Serrano Chile and black beans. Shrimp tacos, or camarones, have a good amount of grilled shrimp along with flavorful bell peppers, onions and chipotle sour cream. Their melon drink was iced orange honeydew juice - so refreshing and it has just the right amount of sweetness! This meal really, really hit the spot for us after a whole day of golfing, playing tennis and working out! 10/10.
Read full storyA date night made perfect at Maccheroni Republic👞👠
Unpopular opinion: I’ve never really been a big pasta fan because I thought that it’s not worth it to pay for food you can make at home, like pasta, brunch etc. But this restaurant changed my mind! My boyfriend and I decided to go out for a cute date on a random Friday so I decided to give this place a try. I was immediately intrigued when I got there: their outdoor environment was so lovely: cute plantation, romantic string lights and inviting patio. The wait was more than an hour but we still decided to stay. All their pastas were handmade: I got their shrimp scampi, which was so flavorful and rich - hands down one of the best shrimp scampi dishes I’ve ever had. My boyfriend got their signature dish Bianchi and Neri: black and white pasta with shrimp, mushroom, and roasted pancetta in a rich creamy sauce. To pair with the pasta, we also got an entire bottle of white wine. The crispy, sweet and refreshing wine cuts the creamy texture of Bianchi and Neri so well. We ate, drank, chatted and laughed for the entire dinner. The service was also superb: our waiter was friendly and welcoming - he gave us great recommendations for pasta and wine. Overall, a solid spot for date nights! 🥂🥂
Read full storySkyline, sunset and good vibes at Vista Hermosa☀️
Lovely park with the iconic bench overlooking downtown LA. I went with some friends for a chill Saturday afternoon. We brought a record player with jazz vinyls and a cheese board and just sat there for hours. The weather was perfect and there were quite some people walking their dogs, exercising, photo-shooting. There was also a cute birthday celebration happening near us🎂The vibe was so good and this has become one of my fav hang-out spots in DTLA area!
Read full storyLBX: a mall with everything plus a unique personality ✈️
Only 30 min away from DTLA, Long Beach Exchange mall has everything you need plus a cool personality. The structure used to be an old aviation hangar – which is basically a glorified garage for airplanes✈️ Walking around, you can still get the feel of an airport as you’ll see signs of various airport codes. Somewhere in LBX, you will literally see a walkway that resembles an airport runway, which is really cool🛫🛫 The runway leads to the Hanger, which is the food court of the shopping center. There’s a variety of bomb food: Viet, boba, burgers, Korean, ice cream, pizza, Japanese, you name it. Besides shopping and food, the place also has grocery stores, nail salons, fitness center and more. I enjoyed a chill afternoon there with the girls: literally cannot ask for a better place for a group of girls to go shopping, eat banh mi, find desserts, take cute pictures and finally get their nails done💅💅
Read full storyFinally! A night out in LA after more than a year🍹
I can’t remember the last time I sat in a bar with friends. Last Friday I finally decided to go out with some girlfriends in LA since everyone was finally vaccinated💉💉 We bar-hopped in DTLA and ended up in Golden Gopher, a lounge that is super laid back with well-made drinks. The wait at the front door, the smell of alcohol when I first stepped in, the dim light, the chit-chatting crowd, everything felt extremely unreal! When was the last time you went out for a fun night?
Read full storyHidden spot in little Tokyo for the best Japanese Italian fusion food 🍝
PASTA e PASTA by Allegro is located in Honda Plaza in little Tokyo. Even though things are reopening, if you are concerned about covid, this plaza may give you the peace of mind you need. For most of the restaurants in the plaza, you order at the door and bring your food to the outdoor communal seating area. PASTA e PASTA is in a little corner of the plaza - their signature uni pasta is 10/10: the sauce was so creamy and rich. There was a burst of uni flavor and a hint of mushroom taste in the sauce. The texture and seasoning were both perfect! We also ordered their squid ink pasta, which has always been my fav. This dish was so flavorful with huge chunks of seafood! The tomato base also complemented the squid ink pasta perfectly. Will def come back!
Read full storyShopping and restaurants and everything you need: Westfield Santa Anita
Great shopping mall with plenty of stores that practically covers everything you want to buy: Zara, H&M, Lush, Khiel’s, Daiso and more🛒🛍️🏬 Also a perfect place to just walk around and spend time with friends and family. The environment is super nice with water fountains, outdoor seating area, playground and lots of greenery. You can easily spend a day here. There are a ton of restaurants waiting for you if you ever need a snack or a full meal. Noodle Street is one of my favorites, not just in Santa Anita mall, but also in the entire LA area. My boyfriend and I would drive all the way from downtown just for their food! Another huge perk: the space has a huge parking lot right next to the mall structure so parking is rarely a headache for you!🚗🚗
Read full storyBaldwin Hills stairs: A scenic hike for an unforgettable experience🌇
Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook: a long stretch of steep staircase leading to multiple viewpoints - this hike was short but quite challenging🥾🥾 I went for multiple times, including once on New Year’s Day. That time I hiked up the stairs and journaled on a bench about the past year. Each time I go, the view is magnificent and sunset is breathtaking. Seeing the glaring sun dipping into downtown LA skyline with the spectacular mountain backdrop was probably one of the most unforgettable experience I’ve had in LA🌆
Read full storyReady for a good beach time? Tips for getting tested for Hawaii in LA🌴
As more and more people are getting vaccinated, Hawaii became a hot spot for domestic traveling🌴🏖️ However, we’ve seen and heard so many horror stories of a well-planned Hawaii trip goes to waste because of getting the wrong type of test/getting tested on the wrong date. Today I’m here to share with you my experience going through this process in LA!
Read full storyDay trip in LA for amazing views and profound history 🏖️🏮
Just a 30 min drive from DTLA, San Pedro is one of the best spots to go for a day trip! The beach view is stunning and there’s a park right next to the ocean: perfect for a cute picnic date or hanging out with family. Did I mention the sunset view is also breathtaking? You can see the Korean friendship bell once you go near the beach: it’s a massive and beautifully decorated bell and pavilion, donated in 1976 to Los Angeles by Korea to celebrate the bicentennial of the U.S. independence, honor veterans of the Korean War, and to consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries. There’s a tiny hike up to the pavilion but you can get an even better view of the ocean from the top of the hill. On a weekend, you can see friends partying, families throwing around footballs, kids flying kites - just people enjoying their lives and being happy! Highly recommend!💐
Read full story🥂 to the sports we picked up during quarantine
Being in LA during quarantine is such a win, especially in the past year! Without a harsh winter plus the lack of other activities during quarantine, I was able to pick up multiple sports I’ve stopped playing since high school and tennis is one of them🎾! The number of free courts in LA makes it easy and affordable to hit and make friends: sometimes I just go by myself and would just play pick-up games for hours. The courts I go to the most are the ones in Barnes Park, Garvey ranch park, Almansor park, and Echo park. Having lived on the east coast for years, I'll never take blue sky and warm winters for granted. Tennis has brought me so much joy during the pandemic: once I start hitting, I just forget about everything. What’s a sport you picked up during quarantine?
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