Los Angeles, California

[bonzaigirl]

Bottega Louie is nice. We went there for brunch, they had the best portobello fries ")

[[-c-h-a-]]

We're planning on going to LA on August for our daughter's 3rd birthday for 2 weeks... I don't think we'll go to other states because CA is big enough and I just want it to be as relaxed as possible. I don't want to catch flights left, right and centre.

We are arriving early morning in LA (6:30am) and taking the shuttle to Sheraton hotel in Anaheim... the check in time is late (4pm) which sucks because I don't know how exhausted we'll all be but we have 3 whole days to explore Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park naman.

Afterwards, we're picking up our rental car then driving to our rental house near downtown LA (unsure which area yet)... I'm still scouring airbnb. I don't want to spend over $200 a night because I know we'll hardly be home anyway. I told hubby na mas kampante ako magdrive sya dito kesa in Manila (he's never ever allowed to drive there) even though it's different to what he's used to (right hand drive vs left hand drive, and driving on the left lane vs on the right lane)

aside from Disneyland, we're also going to Universal Studios for a day. After that, aayusin ko pa itinerary... I don't know what else to see. Dadayuhin namin some Filipino restaurants for sure and we'll do a bit of outlet shopping too.

[mama squeak!]

^If you're up to it you can check out The Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach. Not sure lang if they allow young kids to watch the show. Otherwise there are a lot of things going on there during the art festival plus you have the beach. Every time we watch the show we either stay at the Arabella Laguna Cottages or the Inn at Laguna Beach. I prefer the former though because it's smaller and quieter, mas intimate yung dating nya.

[cl1995]

^^ Go to Santa Monica Pier, LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Arts), Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Wax Museum, Griffith Park & Observatory, Beverly Hills, The Grove, etc. Don't know na the rest hehe.

Well, kung kaya naman ng 2 weeks lahat yan, go. Kung hindi, kahit yung iba pwedeng hindi na puntahan hehe.

Sa outlets, I suggest going to Citadel, Camarillo and Desert Hill Premium Outlets. Yung Camarillo is an hour drive from LA proper.

Daming Pinoy na ngayon sa L.A. Last kong punta dyan was 3 years ago.

Happy trip!

[mama squeak!]

Daming Pinoy in California period! 

[rics]

^true.
Hubby said sa airport pa lang dami na pinoy who are working there.

[mama squeak!]

^^True! I have a lot of ex-colleagues working at both LAX and SFO right now.The wheelchair brigade in particular halos lahat Pinoy. 

[[-c-h-a-]]

cl1995, Desert Hill premium outlet ba has cheaper prices for luxury brands? Sabi ni hubby kasi kung hindi naman sya "outlet" price, no use driving and buying, say, Gucci there... pero kung mura sya, he doesn't mind driving all the way there daw

also, ladies, how hot is it really pag August? We'll be there Aug 10 to 24 and sabi ng Tita ko, mainit kasi summer... but I'm from Australia and we have terrible summers here so mataas naman tolerance ko sa init but I'd still like to know kung gano ba kainit

[Missus O]

^ summers here are quite terrible. But then I just moved here. I came from London where summers are hot but not scorching hot and considered springtime weather here in LA. Since your coming from Australia, you'll be able to adapt just fine but just to give you an idea, it can reach upto 42 degrees. But you'll be in your car and inside buildings wherein it's airconditioned. Just lather up in sunblock. Good luck

[junetwentythree]

^^ It's never humid. It's dry heat if that makes you feel better.

[sarsingkit]

I just came from L A last summer. Mainit pero tolerable naman and we are visiting from Canada pa nyan. If you are outside very long, medyo nakakapagod lang. We went to Universal and the fans blowing mist are a life saver.

[[-c-h-a-]]

thanks ladies... hmmm... kinda rethinking if Disneyland will be a good idea during summer. Gusto ko kasi sana on our daughter's actural 3rd birthday, nasa Disneyland kami. Pero baka di nya kayanin yung init the entire day. Konting kibot pa naman yun, naiinitan agad... ako naka trackies and long sleeves pa, sya pawis agad.

Hay... do I have to give up on my dream of her being in Disneyland on her birthday

[rics]

^there will be a lot of refurbishment at disney next year, dami closed attraction

[[-c-h-a-]]

^had a look and thankfully, wala sa list yun mga gusto namin

http://touringplans.com/disneyland-resort/closures

[cl1995]

cl1995, Desert Hill premium outlet ba has cheaper prices for luxury brands? Sabi ni hubby kasi kung hindi naman sya "outlet" price, no use driving and buying, say, Gucci there... pero kung mura sya, he doesn't mind driving all the way there daw

also, ladies, how hot is it really pag August? We'll be there Aug 10 to 24 and sabi ng Tita ko, mainit kasi summer... but I'm from Australia and we have terrible summers here so mataas naman tolerance ko sa init but I'd still like to know kung gano ba kainit

Depends sa luxury brand. Pero as far as I know, cheaper than the mall.

[[-c-h-a-]]

^thanks cl1995


My in laws just got back from LA on Sunday and my MIL was complaining not much daw ang sale... gusto nya 40% off on top of the 40% off eh sus... she sounded so discouraging when she found out we're going to the US next year. Disneyland daw, 6 hours total pinila nila. Super exhausting etc etc! They went the day before thanksgiving and I checked a few crowd trackers online and it's crazy busy that entire thanksgiving week daw. They found out we're going to Las Vegas, dami ring komento (too busy, di magugustuhan ni apo blah blah blah). Eh natural, casino lang pinunta nila dun e

I think she's just jealous cuz she wants to go with her apo, and she can't.

Also, my in laws said super daming cars sa LA. The way they talked, parang kasing dami ng cars sa Manila e! They also found out magdadrive yung husband ko dun... may side comments, naku yung rule ganito ganyan blah blah... to each other pa, sa palagay mo kaya ni ** magdrive dun? super discouraging! Of course hindi naman magiging kaskasero asawa ko dun because he's driving in a foreign land for the first time! Ewan ko ba. And of course, may different road rules than Australia. Duh

After talking to them, nakawalang gana

[junetwentythree]

^ Driving in LA can be a b**** though. That area is famous for it's horrendous traffic.

[TysLolakins]

^that's why avoid the 405 and the 101 during peak hours. yun lang naman ang problema.
everywhere else is not any worse than other states/major cities.  when driving,  just keep to the right and stay in your lane (literally and figuratively  ).


regarding the weather in August, yes it gets hot, but it's dry heat, none of that sweating like a pig humidity in most parts of the country (like Florida, Chicago/Illinois, New York, Michigan, i've been to these states during the summer months...).


idk, but for me,  nothing beats Cali weather.  it gets hot but tolerable (I hate sweating!) just stay in the shade, it gets cold but no snow to deal with for span of months in the year.  and i must say, people here are just plain more laid back.  again, it's just me, my observations in the  XL years living here.


hope you and your family have an enjoyable and safe Cali vacation next year!!!

[[-c-h-a-]]

^junetwenthythree, thanks for the heads up! I read nga it can get pretty bad. Well, I guess as long as it's not as bad as EDSA, we'll manage.

^thanks! We will avoid those freeways esp during peak hours. I think my in laws are just used to driving here and compared to Melb and Sydney, our drivers are angels and traffic practically non existent even during rush hour. So their perception is a bit skewed. Kumpara ba naman dito... hay naku talaga.

[undaunted]

^ the traffic is not the problem.. yung rules ang dapat nyo pag aralan ng mabuti.. even experienced drivers from manila fail the driving test the first time because there are different driving rules in CA. some freeways like the 5, 405 and 101 are unavoidable. there is no way you'll get around without using these freeways if you're driving in LA and OC.