Back to my Happy Place! FINAL UPDATE 6/28 - Pg. 20 Posts #291 & #292

[stacikristine]

Hi Lynne! I've loved catching up on your TR. We took a group of our youth students from church to California this summer. We were only in LA for one day, so we felt really rushed. It looks like you all had a MUCH better experience!

I just love reading about your vacations. You definitely get the most out of each one.

 

[Spartangirl]

I don't even know where to start! I LOVE Friends, I still watch the reruns on TBS here!! I am so jealous!!

I still watch the reruns too...Chris always says, "Haven't you seen that episode many times?" I respond with, "Yep!" and I keep on watching! I love it!

We were planning on visiting Disneyland one day, but I just told DF we have a few things and tours to hit in addition to that!!

YAY! There is so much to see and do in LA!

I love your Hogwarts picture!!

Thank you!

Your dinner sounded so cool, what a fun experience!

We loved the Magic Castle...it was so unique and just a lot of fun!

The Hollywood sign pictures came out great, just so many things to comment on, but all I have to say is it all looked like so much fun!!

Thanks! We truly had an amazing day!

Hi Lynne! I've loved catching up on your TR. We took a group of our youth students from church to California this summer. We were only in LA for one day, so we felt really rushed. It looks like you all had a MUCH better experience!

Thanks so much for joining in...glad to have you here! That's wonderful that you were able to take a youth group from your church. I bet you had a lot of fun! However, I can definitely see how you may have felt rushed being there just one day. There really is a TON to do and see!

I just love reading about your vacations. You definitely get the most out of each one.

We really try! I guess we figure that if we're traveling, we might as well go BIG and take advantage of all of the opportunities that come our way!

 

[Spartangirl]

Santa Monica, Celeb Homes, & Rodeo Drive

After Venice Beach, we headed to Santa Monica. We soon learned something new...the Santa Monica Pier is the end of the iconic Route 66. Who knew?

Standing on the pier, we were able to capture a couple of pictures of Malibu. In the first picture, Malibu is in the distance. The second picture provides a closer view!

Chris and I really had a fantastic time walking down the pier! The vibe here was so different from Venice Beach and there was so much to see! Here are a few pictures from our journey...

It was kind of fun to watch all of the people fishing...

Although we enjoyed Venice Beach, Santa Monica was definitely a little more our style. The beaches were beautiful and the pier was a lot of fun! I can definitely see us heading back here in the future!

Soon it was time to leave the pier and we were headed for Beverly Hills and Bel Air. It was time to see the stars' homes! Well...this is partly true! Many of the celebrities homes are very private and hidden by dense foliage and gates. In saying this, it was still neat to see the different communities and where they lived. Although I didn't take pictures, we saw Katie Holmes & Tom Cruise's house and David & Victoria Beckham's house. They were very high up in the hills and very protected by trees and bushes!

This next home used to be Ozzy Osbourne's house...it is currently Christina Aguilera's house.

This was the former home of Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy). Our guide mentioned that the "Old Hollywood Stars" definitely weren't as concerned about privacy as the stars of today...that's why the homes were more out in the open. Although very nice, the homes were also a lot more modest than today's celebrity homes.

Here is Michael Jackson's final home at the time of his death...

CONTINUED IN NEXT POST... http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=44554456&postcount=164

 

[Spartangirl]

CONTINUED...

Here is the entrance of the famed Playboy Mansion...

This was Aaron Spelling's home...

We soon left the residential area and found ourselves on a famous street...RODEO DRIVE!

Here is the Beverly Wilshire which was the "Pretty Woman" hotel...

Now Chris really doesn't care too much about the shopping on Rodeo Drive, but he does enjoy seeing all of the fancy cars!

This is a ferrari that he was drooling over...

And here is a Buggati! Although it's not realistic for us, I told him there's no harm in dreaming big!

The Buggati belongs to the owner of Bijan, which is the most expensive store in the world. The cheapest suit is $50,000 and it costs $1,500 just to walk through the front door. If you decide not to buy anything, it's a $50,000 consultation fee. I guess you better be serious about a purchase if you enter this store...WOW!!!

Here is one last shot before leaving Rodeo Drive...

On the way back to our hotel we drove along the famous Sunset Strip! We truly had another fantastic day and couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next on our journey!

Up Next: A "star" studded morning and the Disney Soda Fountain Shop http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=44597894&postcount=181

 

[abbie13_15]

I have loved reading your trip report. Such an easy read with lots of details and pictures. Can't wait for more! PS...I can't believe you got to sit o n the Friends couch!!!! Can you say jealous?

 

[ariel1025]

What a fun time! My Sister and I did a tour several years back where we had the option of spending a couple hours at Venice Beach or Santa Monica Pier. I think we made the right choice in choosing Santa Monica Pier. We definitely loved it there and seeing your pics of Venice makes me realize we would have been disappointed to stop there instead.

Can't wait to see your pics of the Soda Shop

 

[izzie-wizzie]

Really enjoying your trip report! It looks like you're having a really fun trip!

Me and my fiance are hoping to do a similar trip next year so i'm picking up lots of ideas!!

 

[jwwi]

Your tour looks really nice. I too loved the Santa Monica area. We also enjoyed a really good lunch at the Farmers Market. It is so hard to decide what to get when you walk around the Market. So many excellent choices.....

 

[Aburns8]

Looks like the fun has continued! That was one heck of a tour. I can't wait to hear what you thought of the Disney Soda Fountain. We went there on our ABD tour to California.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hi Lynne! What a cool tour I love Santa Monica Pier - I think it's what the old California Adventure was patterned after. I guess there are alot of celebs living just down the beach from there, also.

Unbelievable to think about shopping in a store where it costs that much just to look!

 

[Jennifer48]

That "food challenge" seems like something that Adam would do on Man vs. Food!

So what was "different" with Venice Beach? Curious minds want to know!

I want to do the Hollywood celebrity homes tour. I hate doing "touristy" things when I visit new places but for some reason, I really want to do that! Maybe its because I love the show I Love Lucy & I love the episode when Lucy & Ethel do it.

Santa Monica does look pretty!

 

[wiscbugs]

Awesome trip report...loves all the pics. (although I don't know how anyone can be a Michigan State fan!)

 

[Spartangirl]

I have loved reading your trip report. Such an easy read with lots of details and pictures. Can't wait for more!

Thank you so much!!! I appreciate you taking the time to read it!

PS...I can't believe you got to sit o n the Friends couch!!!! Can you say jealous?

I honestly can't believe I got to sit on the couch either! I think my jaw dropped when we entered the room!

What a fun time! My Sister and I did a tour several years back where we had the option of spending a couple hours at Venice Beach or Santa Monica Pier. I think we made the right choice in choosing Santa Monica Pier. We definitely loved it there and seeing your pics of Venice makes me realize we would have been disappointed to stop there instead.

The whole day really was terrific! I can honestly say that we did enjoy both Venice and Santa Monica. However, with that said, if I had to choose between the two, Santa Monica would win for me hands-down!

Can't wait to see your pics of the Soda Shop

I can't wait to share them! We enjoyed our time there!

Really enjoying your trip report! It looks like you're having a really fun trip!

Thanks so much for reading!!! It was a really fun trip and only seemed to get better by the day!

Me and my fiance are hoping to do a similar trip next year so i'm picking up lots of ideas!!

Oh good...I'm so glad! California is such a fun state to visit! I'm sure you will have a fantastic trip!!!

 

[Spartangirl]

Your tour looks really nice. I too loved the Santa Monica area.

It really was a fantastic tour! We thought Santa Monica was so pretty...I'd really love to go back in the future!

We also enjoyed a really good lunch at the Farmers Market. It is so hard to decide what to get when you walk around the Market. So many excellent choices.....

Oh my gosh...it was so hard to choose a place! I think we need to go back just so we can try something new next time!

Looks like the fun has continued! That was one heck of a tour.

It was amazing! Very jam-packed...but so fun!

I can't wait to hear what you thought of the Disney Soda Fountain. We went there on our ABD tour to California.

I can't wait to share!!! By the way, how did you like your ABD tour? I looked into them, but we just haven't taken the plunge yet! They are pretty expensive...but, I'm assuming it's worth the cost???

Hi Lynne! What a cool tour I love Santa Monica Pier - I think it's what the old California Adventure was patterned after. I guess there are alot of celebs living just down the beach from there, also.

Hi Tammie! It really was a terrific tour! I can imagine that there are a lot of celebs that live around the area...it was so pretty! I definitely want to go back and spend more time there in the future!

Unbelievable to think about shopping in a store where it costs that much just to look!

I know!!! I guess it's for people who just have money to blow! Must be nice!

 

[Spartangirl]

That "food challenge" seems like something that Adam would do on Man vs. Food!

Oh my gosh! That's exactly what Chris said to me when we came across it!

So what was "different" with Venice Beach? Curious minds want to know!

Now don't get me wrong, every beach has their own "oddities." However, the "characters" at Venice Beach just seem to be more amplified than what we are used to. For instance, you might see "Santa" in a speedo, skateboarding down the boardwalk area. It was definitely good for people watching and you just never knew what you were going to see next!!!

Chris and I are used to the more "laid-back" beaches where everyone kind of keeps to themselves. At Venice, many people seemed to want the attention focused on them.....or at least that was our perception! In saying that, we still enjoyed going there, but it probably wouldn't top our list for beaches to revisit. Once was enough for us!

I want to do the Hollywood celebrity homes tour. I hate doing "touristy" things when I visit new places but for some reason, I really want to do that! Maybe its because I love the show I Love Lucy & I love the episode when Lucy & Ethel do it.

It was pretty neat seeing the different homes. I just wish you could see more of some of the homes....some of them were really covered up by gates and trees! But, I do understand the need for privacy!

Santa Monica does look pretty!

It was beautiful! I really want to go back in the future!

Awesome trip report...loves all the pics.

Thanks so much!!! I appreciate you reading!

(although I don't know how anyone can be a Michigan State fan!)

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you're a Wisconsin fan based on your screen name?

I do bleed "green!" I guess going to MSU for undergrad and grad school will do that to you! However, with that said, I always cheer for the Big 10...just not when they're playing State!

 

[MeMom]

A tour of 'old' Hollywood stars' homes would be interesting. I imagine things have changed a lot with the size of homes, security, etc.

I will have to show Drew the cars. He'll think those are very cool.

That's wild about the shop that costs so much. I can't even imagine a lifestyle where that kind of money was spent.

 

[Spartangirl]

A tour of 'old' Hollywood stars' homes would be interesting. I imagine things have changed a lot with the size of homes, security, etc.

I actually found it a lot more interesting to see the "old Hollywood" stars' homes since you could actually see them! You could see portions of the newer homes, but they really were pretty well protected and covered.

I will have to show Drew the cars. He'll think those are very cool.

Yes! Chris didn't love the shopping, but he sure took a liking to the fancy cars!

That's wild about the shop that costs so much. I can't even imagine a lifestyle where that kind of money was spent.

Me either! We were blown away with the information...it just didn't seem real!

 

[Charleston Princess]

I never knew the Santa Monica pier was the official end of Route 66!

Love the peek at the stars' homes. Very cool!

Well, I guess I won't be shopping at Bijan any time soon!

 

[Spartangirl]

I never knew the Santa Monica pier was the official end of Route 66!

We didn't either, but we were so excited to see all of the signs! It was definitely a nice surprise!

Love the peek at the stars' homes. Very cool!

Yes...it was so nice to see how the "other half" lives!

Well, I guess I won't be shopping at Bijan any time soon!

I KNOW!!! We were SHOCKED when we found out the cost to even set foot in the door!

 

[Spartangirl]

Well, I'm going to try this again today! I tried posting a couple of days ago and I was having a difficult time with all of the DIS updates going on. I'm so excited to share this next update........enjoy!!!