Last week we got out of town for a little bit and headed down to Palm Springs. We tend to visit the desert once a year because my mom has to travel there for work, and we used to live in the area so it is an easy little getaway. We had absolutely perfect weather last week, high eighties/low nineties and there are some truly gorgeous sights to see in the Palm Springs area. Rather than walk you through everything, I figured I would share some of my favorite pictures with you so you can take it all in for yourself!
If you love pink, palm trees, and mid-century mod, Palm Springs is the destination for you. Have you traveled to the desert before? What are your favorite sights?
One of my absolute favorite favorite things to do is explore independent bookstores. I make it a point to find one every time I travel, and I have found some gems along the way (but that’s a separate post). Luckily, Los Angeles is home to plenty of amazing bookstores, so even when I am not on the road, I have plenty of independent options to fulfill my needs. Of course, this also makes it hard to stick to my no new books rule, but that is just a wee tiny detail. For today, I’m going to share some of the best indie bookstores has to offer. If you are a book lover and in the LA area, whether traveling or a local, definitely make some time to check these guys out!
The Ripped Bodice in Culver City: Okay, it’s a good thing that this bookstore is way far away (about fifteen miles, or an hour plus in traffic) because if it were closer, I would have no money left. As the name suggests, this shop focuses on romance, and they have more in print romance books than you can find in any bookstore (because romance gets a bad rap despite being a multi-million dollar facet of the publishing industry, but that’s a whole other post). They also have amazing finds from small businesses, everything from candles and totes to bookmarks and jewelry. I make a point to visit when I am on the west side and actually have money to spend, and I always walk out with pretty pics and yummy books.
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The Last Bookstore in Downtown LA: The Last Bookstore is on pretty much every bookstore themed list in the history of ever. It’s home to the Insta-famous book tunnel and has become a kind of celebrity in the bookstagram world. Last Bookstore is in the heart of downtown, which is actually its only downside as there is no parking (#storyofmylife). This place is huge, consists of two levels, houses multiple local artists and shops, and sells both used and new books. They also buy your books if that’s a thing you do (note to self: go do that). A couple of warnings about Last Bookstore: there is no AC and no bathrooms, so this is a spring/fall/”winter” destination, and make sure you pee before you go. Because you will want to get lost in this place for hours.
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Iliad Bookshop in North Hollywood: This bad boy is off the beaten path, but it is probably the best used bookstore I’ve found in the LA area. They have a huge selection, and every time I visit I leave with lots of new goodies (which is why I haven’t been in a while). They also tend to have boxes of free books out in front of the store, so this is a great place to visit when you are short on cash, but in need of a good read.
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Skylight Books in Los Feliz: Why yes, that is a tree in the middle of this bookstore. Not going to lie, I mainly dig this shop for the aesthetics. But they have a great selection of books by local authors, in addition to everything else you need book wise. They also have lots of good photo opps, so there’s that. Skylight is on Vermont Ave., which is a great street to walk around and shop and eat, another reason why I love it so much. They also have a ton of author readings and events, most nights of the week.
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Other notable bookstores in LA that I frequent include Vroman’s in Pasadena and Small World Books in Venice. Am I missing any awesome bookstores in LA from my list? Let me know so I can check them out!
Last week I experienced a first, which is kind of odd given my proximity to Hollywood. I attended the red carpet (black carpet, specifically) premiere of Annihilation, a new sci-fi movie starring Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, and Tessa Thompson. I’ve attended plenty of preview screenings of films before, but this was my first premiere. And it might be my last. Not that it was bad, it was just not what I expected. I received an invite to sign up for tickets the day before the premiere, and I almost deleted it, but then I noticed that Oscar and Tessa (we’re on a first name basis) were in the film and I couldn’t pass up my chance to see Poe and Valkyrie in person. So I signed up for passes, arranged a baby-sitter, and found a date (Matt had to work and Brianna is a chicken, so I took her husband instead). Brianna’s husband Mike actually read the book (I did not) and enjoyed it, so he kindly accompanied me.
The premiere was held at the Regency Village in Westwood, which is a gorgeous theater that hosts premieres on the reg. We had to get there early to guarantee spots (or so I thought) so I arrived about three hours before the showing to get in line. I was pretty close to the front, and from the looks of the theater, everyone got in and got a seat, so I definitely didn’t need to be there that early. We were handed our tickets around 6:15, and even though the movie didn’t start until 7:30, we were ushered straight to security and into the theater. And here’s the major downside of actually attending the premiere as a guest: we didn’t get to see anyone walk the carpet because we were already inside the theater and in our seats.
Once inside the lobby, we collected our free popcorn and sodas (score!) and headed to our assigned seats. In the front row. After chilling in our seats for a while, we decided that a) sitting in the front was not going to fly and b) we wanted to see some peeps. So Mike and I headed out to the lobby under the guise of using the bathroom. Security was attempting to keep the lobby clear of people so that the celebs could make their way in without being harassed. Of course while I was actually in the bathroom, Natalie Portman arrived. Mike got to see her, but I of course, missed it. We headed up to the balcony shortly after Natalie’s arrival, where there were plenty of open not-in-the-front-row seats. We couldn’t see anyone from our spots up there, but it was clear where the celebs were sitting because the entire orchestra section of the theater was turned around in their seats, staring and taking pictures.
The movie began about fifteen minutes after it’s scheduled start time. I knew to expect weird thanks to a briefing from Mike, but I guess I wasn’t prepared for the actual level of weird. The basic premise is that Lena (Portman) is some kind of doctor. Her husband (Isaac) disappears on a military mission, only to totally randomly reappear after a year. It’s clear when he returns that something is not right. Lena tries to save him, and in order to find out what is wrong with him in the first place, she goes with a small team of women into the Shimmer-which is kind of what it sounds like-a weird Area 51esque location that shimmers (imagine that). A bunch of weird shit happens inside the Shimmer, and Lena finds some super creepy videos from the husband and his team. It’s a little scary, and a little gory, but mostly it’s just a mindfuck.
The closest we got to the red carpet
Tessa Thompson and Gina Rodriguez both play members of the team Lena travels with and they are by far the highlight of the movie. Rodriguez is hilarious, and Thomposn is her usual badass, kickass self. Seriously, what I love about Tessa is the way she embodies these totally different characters (Valkyrie, the boardmember chick from Westworld, and now a geeky scientist) in a way that allows them all to be completely powerful females. She rules. Also, when I tweeted that she and Gina were the best part of the movie, she favorited my tweet. So we’re totes friends now.
I digress (shocker). Overall, the film left me…perplexed. Like at the end of it, I couldn’t tell if I liked it or not. There are some great moments. Visually, the movie is absolutely stunning, but I can’t say I would go see it again (and I could basically see it for free with Movie Pass…but I probably won’t). I love Oscar (obvs) but his whole character and storyline seemed completely disjointed from the rest of the movie. According to Mike, the husband is not a real character in the book and so they added him into the movie because, well, he’s Oscar. I could definitely feel that. This is also not my favorite kind of Natalie Portman role. I just don’t buy her as a fearless ex-military badass.
Upon reflection, I’ve come to a couple of conclusions. One, the next time I want to go to a premiere, I’m going to skip the movie and just hang out for the red carpet portion. That’s the part I really wanted to see, and I missed it so I could watch the film, which I wasn’t super into to begin with. Of course, if I ever got the chance to go to a Marvel or Star Wars premiere (call me, Disney) I’d be all over that in a heartbeat. But for anything else, I’m just going for the pre-show festivities. Along with that, I am going to do everything in my power to attend the red carpet portion of the Infinity War premiere. Which I’m sure will be crazy. My other conclusion is I would really only recommend this film to people are reeeeaaaallly into sci-fi and don’t mind the weird. And honestly, I don’t know enough about sci-fi to know whether or not it would pass the sci-fi nerd test. I just know that this movie is likely not going to appeal to the average movie-goer. Of course, that’s just my opinion, so take it as you will. If you do end up seeing Annihilation, tweet me your thoughts, hit me up @falonloveslife! I’m very interested to see what audiences and critics think!
Okay, so I know the words “walkable” and LA don’t usually end up in the same sentence together (possibly because walkable is not actually a word, but that’s beside the point). In fact, one of my biggest complaints about LA is the absolute need for a car and the absolute lack of great public transportation options. Even when I was living in the middle of LA, I still would have had to drive to the Metro station in order to take the train anywhere. Which defeats a major purpose of the train. The struggle is real y’all, and it’s one of the main reasons why I dream of living in NYC. But I guess what kind of makes it okay is once you reach your destination in LA, you can walk around and see some pretty cool shit. Matt and I did just that a couple of weeks ago, and we had a really awesome day walking around downtown Los Angeles (DTLA if you’re cool like that). And, we only had to drive to one spot, and we only had to pay for parking once. Score.
We parked at the Music Center because we had tickets for Something Rotten for that night, and knew that’s where we were going to end up. There’s lots of cool stuff to see near the Music Center, including the Broad Museum, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Our first stop of the day was Perch, a rooftop bar on Hill Street. We had some yummy drinks (mine was called Writer’s Block, hello appropriate!) and took in some great views, particularly of Pershing Square. If you want to sit on the patio at Perch, I definitely recommend making a reservation. We were there at 3:00 and it was pretty crowded.
After Perch, we walked over to The Last Bookstore on Spring Street. Matt had never been before, so we spent some time exploring the upstairs galleries before shopping for some books. I’ve written about Last Bookstore before, it is a must do for any book lovers visiting or living in LA. Be forewarned: it’s expansive and a lot of walking, and there are no public bathrooms available (and it’s not in the best area so you’re not going to want to use the bathrooms anywhere around it). Make sure you prepare for your trip before you go in!
After working up our appetite walking around Last Bookstore, we headed over to Maccheroni Republic on Broadway for dinner. If you read my review, you know that we freakin’ loved this restaurant. Seriously, I cannot wait for an excuse to go back because it was so damn delicious.
After dinner, we headed back to the Music Center to see Something Rotten, which was my Christmas present from Matt. I love this show so much, and I was really impressed with the tour cast. We had a blast, and we laughed our asses off.
By the end of our walkable DTLA day, we had racked up about four miles worth of steps, which means we didn’t even have to feel guilty about the massive quantities of pasta and booze we managed to consume in a single day. It was nice to feel like I was in San Francisco or NYC while actually being just minutes away from home. I plan to spend some more walkable days downtown soon!
A couple of weeks ago, Matt and I had literally the best meal I have ever eaten. I say that with no hyperbole, knowing that to make such a bold claim is a big effing deal. Well, this was one effing delicious meal. Maccheroni Republic is located downtown on Broadway, between 3rd and 4th. We went to eat there before we saw Something Rotten at the Ahmanson, and walked from the Music Center parking lot to the restaurant (we actually walked around downtown all day, and this is where we ended up). It’s not a short walk by LA standards, but it’s definitely doable and totally worth not having to park downtown twice. The restaurant is not in the greatest location downtown, but it’s tucked away and feels private enough that it doesn’t matter. They do not take reservations, so be prepared for a little bit of a wait (though we went at 5:30 to have plenty of time to eat and get to the theater and there was no wait). The most important thing is to come hungry.
We started out with a bottle of Malbec, which I tend to forget about a lot of the time, but every time I have it, I remember how smooth and delicious it is. I love that it is served in old school glasses, true Italian style.
The menu is very simple, just straight up delectable sounding pastas.
Matt had the Bigoli Della Nonna, which looks like spaghetti and meat sauce, but is so so so much more than that. The sauce was insanely good.
I had the Tortelloni Burro E Salvia and it was one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth (don’t be dirty). Guys, this pasta melted in my mouth. Every bite I took was more delicious than the last. The handmade pasta makes such a huge difference in the overall quality of the dish, and when you combine that with the sauce and the cheese…let’s just say I was in pasta-lovers heaven.
For dessert we had the Apple Tart and it was just as amazing as it looks. You can’t go wrong with apples and caramel. Not only was the entire meal so incredibly scrumptious, but our total bill including tip was under $100. That’s a bottle of wine, two entrees, and a dessert, plus tip for under $100. For a meal for two downtown, and one as good as this, that is a freakin’ steal.
This is the one and only time I have been to Maccheroni Republic, but I will literally be going back to this place for every single special occasion I have for the rest of my life. This is my new favorite restaurant, and I am seriously counting down until my next chance to visit. If you are going to be downtown, this stop is a must. You will not be disappointed!
One of the built in benefits of having season tickets to the Pantages is that it forces Matt and me to go out on pre-scheduled date nights. We are both so busy that we sometimes go weeks in a row without ever having a weekend night off together, and weekdays as I’m sure you can imagine, mostly consist of Squirt. We don’t go out to eat before every show, but we try to as much as we can, and before our last show, we decided to try a new spot, Wood and Vine. Wood and Vine is located at the famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine (hence the name), which is conveniently right across the street from the Pantages (which means you only have to park once, which in Hollywood is a mega score).
The restaurant has a super cool hipstery bar area, but we opted to sit on the back patio, which has a really fun vibe. The patio would be an awesome place for a party. We sat at the firepit table, which is in the middle of the outdoor area and is kind of a communal seating area. Our waitress explained that the concept of the food is American tapas, so they are small bites meant to be shared (though the portion sizes didn’t seem small to me).
We ordered drinks first, obvi. I got the Accomplice, which was delicious. I will be making a homemade version of this all summer long. Matt got the Black Manhattan, which is one of his go to drinks.
We started with the green salad, which was fine, but nothing special. For one of our main dishes we chose the mussels and it might have been the first time we ever ordered seafood still in the shell to share. I was a little hesitant, but they were really yummy. Definitely not what I would have gone for first, but I’m glad I branched out and tried something new.
As soon as I saw grilled cheese on the menu, I knew we would be ordering it because I have the taste buds of a twelve year old. I have to say, this is one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I have ever had and I would order this every time I ate at this restaurant if Matt would let me get away with it. Seriously. So. good.
Matt is not a big dessert person, but I am the dessert person and when I’m in charge of ordering, we’re getting dessert. And this dessert was effing heaven. It’s butterscotch with a bourbon ice cream and a thyme crumble. Sounds weird, but it was tasty AF. Even Matt got down with this bad boy.
The view from the our seats on the patio, wouldn’t this make a great spot for a small wedding?
Overall, our meal at Wood and Vine was perfect for date night. The drinks were great, the food was yummy and the ambiance was super cool. I can definitely see us eating there again and it would be a great spot for a small party.
On Sunday, I had the pleasure and privilege of volunteering at the annual LA Times Festival of Books. I am ashamed to say that I had never even been to the festival before, but I don’t think I will be missing it ever again because it was so awesome. When I arrived for my volunteer check-in, I was assigned to book signings, and since I was there early, I got to choose which area I wanted to work in. I obviously chose the Young Adult signings booth, which was luckily right next to the YA Stage. During my four hour shift, I got to listen to three different panel discussions with some of the top YA authors, including Melissa de la Cruz, Morgan Matson, and Shannon Hale.
After each discussion, the authors came over for book signings, and I was literally standing right behind them the entire time. Listening to the conversations the authors got to have with their fans was so inspiring. I teared up several times throughout the day (seriously, I don’t know how the authors kept it together) hearing these teens talk about how much books mean to them. I don’t know if I can actually put into words the effect the whole experience had on me as an aspiring YA author.
After my shift ended, I headed over to one of the lecture halls on USC’s campus for a panel discussion with four of the top YA authors: Jennifer Niven, Nicola Yoon, Angie Thomas, and Nina LaCour. I reviewed Niven’s first YA book, All the Bright Places, here on the blog, and I also absolutely loved Yoon’s The Sun is Also a Star. I have books from the other authors on my TBR list. It was incredible to hear four amazing female authors talk about everything from their writing process to their inspiration and research to the craziest thing they did as teenagers. The panel was absolutely awe-inspiring and I am so glad that I was able to attend.
I of course focused on the YA booths and event happening at the festival, but every genre of book was well-represented. There was a great kids section, along with horror, romance, mystery, basically everything you could ever want from a book festival. If you are in the LA area, I would highly recommend attending the LA Times Festival of Books if you can because it was an amazing and inspiring day!
