Posts in Travel
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog | Part 1 - Rome

Video was shot using the iPhoneX + DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for stabilization. Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and Adobe After Effects CC 2018.

 
 

Ciao a tutti! I'm finally back from my Italy trip! Although I was extremely sad to leave, I was itching to get back to my laptop to edit the footage that I shot in Rome, Florence, and Venice with my Osmo Mobile 2. After spending three days in Rome, I felt like I had barely scratched its surface when I left. Although filled with many tourist traps and large crowds, there are also quieter neighborhoods scattered across the city that will give you a taste of the local lifestyle. If you're planning to visit Rome soon, my tip to you is to get to try to get lost in the narrow alleyways in local neighborhoods like Monti or Trastevere. Filled with excellent cafés, bars, and restaurants, I find these colorful neighborhoods to be far more intriguing than the always-crowded Vatican city or Spanish Steps. You'll spend less time waiting in line and more time immersing yourself within a more authentic side of the city.

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

We stayed in the beautiful Monti neighborhood, an area filled with colorful houses and greenery. There are small cafés, bars, restaurants, and boutiques every corner you turn. It's filled with locals, but also conveniently located next to the Colosseum and Roman forum—so you have touristy activities at your disposal. It's also only a 15 minute walk away from Rome's main train station and metro stop, Termini station.

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Inside the Colosseum in Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
 
 

Try to go to the Colosseum when it first opens in the morning (around 8:30AM) to avoid the crowds and the heat. Make sure to buy your tickets ahead of time (we received them through the Roma Pass) to skip the lines.

 
 
The Roman Forum | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
Roman Forum | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1 (Rome)
 
 

After finish up at the Colosseum, head over to explore the ruins of the Roman Forum, which is only a couple of minutes away. 

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

Important: You must eat at Osteria da Fortunata. The pasta is handmade by an Italian grandma sitting in the window and they have an oxtail fettuccini that's to die for. Make sure to make a reservation beforehand though, considering they are popular with both locals and tourists. Also, make sure to brush up on your knowledge of Italian pasta dishes since there is no English menu.

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

Dare to climb the 551 steps in the dome of St Peter's Basilica to catch this sick view?

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

Stop by at Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè, an ancient coffee shop born in the thirties, to grab a 10/10 cup of coffee. My favorite coffee drink in Italy was the Shakerato, which is prepared by shaking expresso with ice cubes in a cocktail mixer. It's not very easily obtainable in the U.S., but it's everywhere in Italy. It's in my opinion a perfect treat for those Italian hot summers.

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
The Pantheon in Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
 
 

After visiting Sant'Eustachio's, walk only a few steps to get to the Pantheon. It's crazy to think that this architectural feat was completed nearly 2000 years ago. Although once a Roman temple, the Pantheon now serves as a church.

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

Italy or Eataly? Stop for some street food and eat whatever looks good to you in the window. Italians absolutely love putting their food on display. Just try to get a bit further away from major tourist locations to ensure that you aren't paying steep prices for dishes that have been modified for tourists.

 
 
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The Trastevere Neighborhood in Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
The Trastevere Neighborhood in Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

Escape to Trastevere, Rome's more traditional neighborhood that has the look and feel of a small town. You'll find people chatting away in its many cafés and having dinner on terraces overlooking the sunset. Try to visit this neighborhood during the evening, as many street performers will flock in the area around Piazza di Santa Maria.

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

Don't forget to go for a gelato at the famous Gelateira alla Scala while you're there! I got the caramel cookie and black cherry.

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Piazza Navona in Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

Take advantage of Rome's many free sights, including the picturesque Piazza del Campidoglio and the lively Piazza Navona (which fills up with artists and street performers in the evening). 

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Spanish Steps in Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

I wish it wasn't so, but the Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps) seems to always be filled with hoards of tourists. Try to climb to the top to the Trinità dei Monti, a church where you'll catch a gorgeous view of Rome's rooftops. There is also a street in front of the steps filled with designer clothing stores, in case you need to do any impulse shopping.

 
 
Campo Di Fiori in Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Campo Di Fiori in Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
Campo Di Fiori in Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
6F5E5B16-834E-4994-8F6A-4071A8E4B72B.JPG
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

Stop by Campo Di Fiori early in the day to stroll through the farmer's market and to...yes, eat more food again. Note that pizza is sold by weight, so don't be afraid to grab a few small pieces of each different kind (many of which are topped with fresh ingredients and vegetables, which you'll rarely find in American chains). The last photo is of pistachio-crusted lamb from Roscioli,  a deli + bakery + restaurant serving a wide range of Italian staples.

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

Don't forget to stop by the Trevi fountain to make a wish!

 
 
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
Italy Travel Diary + Vlog - Rome
 
 

If you're leaving Rome via train like I did, try to stop by Mercato Centrale—located just a few minutes outside of Termini Station. This is no typical food court, kids. You'll find variety of top-notch Italian cuisine and a pop up from the famous Bonci pizzeria (whose pizza has the most crunchy yet chewy crust, oh my God). You'll even find more non-traditional, more trendy items like ramen if you're starting to crave some Asian food at this point :)

 
 
Rome | Italy Travel Diary + Vlog Part 1
 
 

This has been quite a long post to finish. From sifting through countless photos to finding the right clips to edit into the vlog, I'm quite exhausted from the amount content I've gathered while I was abroad. And... I'm not even close to being done. We've still got Florence and Venice to go—so watch out for those posts and videos as well!

Rome has been hectic but also beautiful and intriguing. Out of all the Italian cities I've visited, Rome stands at number 1 for its food. Definitely come with an empty stomach.

All photos were taken on the iPhone X and edited on VSCO.

♥ Cindy

 
 
Travel, 2Cindy ZhangComment
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog

Video was shot using the iPhoneX + DJI Osmo Mobile 2 for stabilization. Edited with Adobe Premiere Pro CC

 
 

Most of the content on my YouTube channel is music-related, and I'm definitely a newbie when it comes to vlogging. But I recently bought the DJI Osmo Mobile 2, which is a gimbal that helps stabilize footage from smartphone cameras. I purchased it mostly because I want to capture videos of my upcoming trip to Italy without having to carry around another heavy camera for filming. The Seattle trip came at a good time to try out this gimbal on a smaller, safer scale.

If you liked what you saw, please subscribe to my YouTube channel :) It's looking a bit empty right now, but I'll try to upload more content now that I have Adobe Premiere and my gimbal. For those who want more detail beyond the video, please read on for a list of 10 fun things to do in Seattle:

 
 
10 Fun things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Seattle Great Wheel)
 
 

1. Catch the view of the bay from the Seattle Great Wheel (No dad, it's not called the "Seattle Eye")

 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Museum of Pop Culture)
 
 

2. Geek out and jam out at the Museum of Pop Culture, which is conveniently located right next to the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass museum

 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Chihuly Garden and Glass)
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Chihuly Garden and Glass)
 
 

3. Take a stroll through Chihuly Garden and Glass, one of the most gorgeous and unique museums I've ever been to

 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Pike Place Market)
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Pike Place Market)
 
 

4. Explore Pike Place Market and (try to) eat at Pike Place Chowder. If you're not one to wait in line, no worries—you have 10,000 other food options at the market.

If you really must try Pike Place Chowder, consider its other location inside the Pacific Place shopping mall, which is far less crowded than the one in Pike Place Market.

 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog
 
 

5. Stop at the the futuristic Amazon Domes while strolling through Downtown 

So for number 6, I'm going to focus on food. And because there's so much good food in Seattle, I'm going to separate it out into 3 parts: brunch, coffee, and dinner. These photos are not from my most recent trip to Seattle, but from 2014 when I went to interview for a certain tech company and was given a generous budget to spend on food.

 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Brunch at Lola)
 
 

6a. (9:30 AM, Brunch) Grab brunch at Lola (I got the Smoked Salmon Benedict). Also, those potatoes. I still remember how good they were 4 years later. Oh my God.

 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Moore Coffee Shop)
 
 

6b. (3:30 PM, Coffee + Snack): Get world class latte art at Moore's Coffee Shop. This café has the daintiest English interior, and is connected to the retro and equally-elegant Moore Hotel.

 
 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (The Pink Door)
 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (The Pink Door)
 
 
 

6c. (7:30 PM, Dinner): Get a seat at The Pink Door (if you can, given they're completely booked most Saturday nights) and try the "boobie cake"—a dense chocolate cake + mousse covered with ganache finished with a gold leaf on top. Just telling the waiter your order will be very fun.

 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog
 
 

7. Head up the Space Needle just before sunset to catch a romantic panoramic view of the city. It's always hard for me to decide what time of day to head up the observation deck in large cities to catch the best view. I always find the daytime view quite boring and lean towards nighttime so I can see everything light up, but it's not very practical for photos—or for cities so north that it takes until 9:30-10 for the sun to finally set. Sunset is a great compromise where you'll see the color of the sun saturate the city with warm tones—as well as some buildings start to light up—but also be able to get great photos without much grain.

 
 
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Starbucks Reserve and Roastery)
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Starbucks Reserve and Roastery)
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Starbucks Reserve and Roastery)
10 Fun Things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Starbucks Reserve and Roastery)
 
 

8. Go coffee tasting at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room. I would definitely skip the long lines at Pike Place Market for the original Starbucks and come here instead. There are so many options for signature coffees and drinks here—which you won't find at any other Starbucks—as well as an in-house Princi Bakery (originally from Milan). Plus, you can get really unique breakfast items here, like the Eggs in Purgatory, which we ordered. We also got the coffee flight, which featured 3 different types of specialty coffees to share, plus chocolate truffles on the side. The affogato, made from cold brew with vanilla ice cream, was also a really delicious, unique drink that you can't get at any other Starbucks. 

 
 
10 Fun things to do in Seattle + Vlog (University of Washington)
 
 

9.  Visit the Picturesque campus of the University of Washington. Usually this place lights up with cherry blossoms in April. We were a bit late to the party, so we missed them unfortunately ): But the campus is still beyond gorgeous!

 
 
10 Fun things to do in Seattle + Vlog (Boeing Tour)
 
 

10. Take the Boeing Tour and walk inside famous planes like Air Force 1 and the Concorde

 
 
 

Do you guys enjoy the travel content I've been putting up lately? Do you prefer the video over the more text/image-heavy LA post? Let me know in the comments, or just message me on Instagram about what you'd like to see more, and I'll try to incorporate your suggestions into the next vlogs/blogs on Italy!

All photos from the current trip taken on the iPhone X and edited on VSCO. The photos from 2014 were taken on an iPhone 5 I believe.

♥ Cindy

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List
 
 

I recently went on a weekend getaway to Los Angeles with two friends from school—Ren and Annie. Within less than 72 hours, we were able to hit up some of the most scenic places in the city while eating some of the most delicious foods along the way. Here are 13 highlights from my trip that I highly advise you check out while you’re in L.A.!

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Brunch at Bottega Louie
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Brunch and Macarons at Bottega Louie
 
 

Have brunch and dessert at Bottega Louie

With over 14,000 Yelp reviews, high ceilings, dainty Parisian decor, macaron Christmas trees, and picturesque pastries, Bottega Louie should be at the top of your list of things to do in L.A. Grab your besties and sit down at one of the marble tables for brunch on a weekend morning. Knowing that this place was super popular, Annie and I were a bit worried that we would spend a long of time waiting in line to get in. But because this place has a huge dining room, you'll find yourself seated immediately with plenty of empty tables left to spare.

Bottega Louie

700 S Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Downtown

bottegalouie.com

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Brunch and Macarons at Bottega Louie
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Brunch and Macarons at Bottega Louie
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Brunch and Macarons at Bottega Louie
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Brunch and Macarons at Bottega Louie
 
 

Annie and I decided that we wanted both sweet and savory dishes, so we shared the smoked salmon Eggs Benedict and the plain beignets with raspberry sauce on the side. Bottega Louie's beignets are a bit like donuts—except they're fluffier and lighter.

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: The Last Bookstore
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: The Last Bookstore
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: The Last Bookstore
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: The Last Bookstore
 
 

Visit The Last Bookstore

After stopping at Bottega Louie, stay in the Downtown area and explore The Last Bookstore. Not only can you find cheap used books and records in the store, but you'll also stumble upon lots of art installations constructed out of books scattered throughout the building. Amongst them is a book tunnel, a circular book "window", and a bookshelf that looks like it's defying gravity. This bookstore also has a dedicated booth where you can drop off your old books and sell them to the store.

The Last Bookstore

453 S Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Downtown

lastbookstorela.com

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Explore the Bradbury Building
 
 

Explore the Bradbury Building

Just a few blocks away from The Last Bookstore is The Bradbury Building. This building has made cameos in a number of movies and television shows and is known for its beautiful orange and green interior that draws from the Italian Renaissance Revival. The elevator is exposed, so you can see all the gears in action as the lift moves from floor to floor. Its open center, lit naturally from a large window in the ceiling, is surrounded by different offices on different floors. It reminds me of the 888 Brannan building in San Francisco—which is a much more modern version of The Bradbury that houses several tech companies. The two buildings are so uncannily similar that I wonder if 888 Brannan took inspiration from this older building. But then again, because this building is so famous… it must’ve inspired a dozen other buildings along the way. Anyways, it’s free to enter, and a super photogenic place that your camera will love.

Bradbury Building

304 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Downtown

thebradbury.com

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List
 
 

After visiting the Bradbury Building, make sure to stop by the Blue Bottle Coffee right next door for a cold brew and to sit within the beautiful Scandinavian-inspired decor.

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Paul Smith Wall
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Paul Smith Wall
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Take photos at picturesque walls in Beverly Hills
 
 

Take photos at picturesque walls in Beverly Hills

L.A. is literally the Instagram capital of the world—not only does it have gorgeous food, but it is also filled with hundreds of murals across its many neighborhoods. Melrose Ave in Beverly Hills is a street that houses dozens of artsy walls, and is home to the famous pink Paul Smith wall (which also has a wall of painted flowers right across from it), and the “Made in LA” wall, which is actually the side of a furniture boutique. Even if you don’t plan to do much shopping at the luxury stores here, there are plenty of picturesque alleyways that will catch your eye as much as the expensive clothing.

The Pink Wall at Paul Smith Los Angeles

8221 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Beverly Grove

paulsmith.com

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Take photos at picturesque walls in Beverly Hills
 
 

Made In L.A. Wall at Cisco Home
Cisco Home
8025 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046

For a more comprehensive summary of L.A.'s walls, please refer to this article by The Los Angeles Magazine.

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Get a quick bite at Grand Central Market
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Get a quick bite at Grand Central Market
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Get a quick bite at Grand Central Market
 
 

Grab a snack at Grand Central Market

If you’re looking for a quick snack, coffee, or a casual lunch in Downtown LA, visit the Grand Central Market. Within this market that spans half a block, there are numerous street food vendors featuring Mexican, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese cuisines (I may also be missing some here…). Yes it can be hectic and lines can get quite long (especially for Eggslut), but it's super fun to walk through and marvel at all the different cuisines in one place. Instead of Eggslut, my friend and I resorted to getting the egg-shaped gummies instead, just because we were so damn curious about what it tasted like. And no, it did not taste like egg. Bummer.

Grand Central Market

317 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Downtown

grandcentralmarket.com

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Shop at unique stores in Abbot Kinney
 
 

Shop at unique stores in Abbot Kinney

If you’re around the Venice Beach area, make sure you make an effort to walk inland to discover Abbot Kinney Blvd. This street is filled with all sorts of cute storefronts and cafés—some of them without roofs because... why do they need one anyways, it’s always sunny in LA, right? Even more established brands like rag & bone have adapted to this aesthetic and designed their storefronts to look like one that's owned by an indie brand. I would say that this street is the equivalent of Hayes Valley in San Francisco, only it’s much bigger and contains more stores.

Abbot Kinney Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90291
Venice

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List
 
 

Dine at Cassia and shop in Santa Monica 

It’s definitely not difficult to find good places to eat in L.A. The difficult part is deciding which one to eat at. I discovered a place on Yelp called Cassia which specializes in modern Singaporean and Vietnamese cuisine that was just a few blocks away from the Santa Monica shopping center. We ordered the Seafood platter which contained some of the most unique and creative seafood dishes that I’ve ever seen, the chickpea curry flatbread, and the bone marrow stewed in pho broth. After dinner, we headed a few blocks west to Santa Monica's shopping center to walk it off. 

Cassia

1314 7th St
Santa Monica, CA 90401

cassiala.com

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Drink butterbeer at Harry Potter World
 
 

Explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios

For those who grew up with the Harry Potter books and movies, Universal Studios has now given us a place to geek out—The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The Hogwarts section of the theme park has two rides while the Hogsmeade portion is filled with restaurants and shops where you can purchase merchandise from scarves to wands to broomsticks. A tip for those who want to drink butterbeer: don't wait in the long lines at the carts around the park! Cut your wait time by going into Hog's Head Pub (connected to the main restaurant) and enjoy your drink in a dining hall that resembles a Hogwarts common room.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Universal Studios Hollywood
100 Universal City Plz
Universal City, CA 91608

universalstudioshollywood.com

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Eat breakfast at Eggslut
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Eat breakfast at Eggslut
 
 

Have a casual Breakfast at Eggslut

If you plan on visiting Venice Beach, there is an Eggslut located conveniently right at the edge of the boardwalk. Since lines of the Eggslut located in Grand Central Market can get insanely long, try your best to visit the one in Venice instead. I can't guarantee that there won't be a line though—when we went early on Sunday morning, we still had to wait 5-10 minutes to enter. But if you want to sit down to enjoy your egg sandwich, or take it to go and enjoy it on the beach, the Venice location is the place to go!

Once you're there, try out "The Slut" (oh dear this sounds so wrong), which is a soft poached egg on top of a bed of mashed potatoes which you eat with crunchy toast drizzled in olive oil. The egg sandwich is incredibly messy to eat, since the eggs (even the scrambled) are extremely runny—but so delicious, of course. So prepare to grab a few extra napkins. Also worth mentioning is their biscuit, which comes with a honey butter that is to die for.

Eggslut (Venice)

1611 Pacific Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90291
Venice

eggslut.com

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Oue Skyspace
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Oue Skyspace
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Oue Skyspace
 
 

Check out the view and ride the slide at Oue Skyspace

The Oue Skyspace skyscraper is located in Downtown, right across from the L.A. Central Public Library. For $35 you can take the elevator up to the top floor to ride the sky slide: a transparent glass slide on the side of the skyscraper that goes down to the floor right underneath. Once you're on the second highest floor, go outside to get some shots of an angel's view of Downtown L.A., and to take some photos with a set of watercolor angel wings created by Colette Miller.

Oue Skyspace

633 W Fifth St
Fl 2
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Downtown

oue-skyspace.com

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Eat in Koreatown
 
 

Pig out in Koreatown

Koreatown is home to the largest Korean population outside of Korea, and its food is no joke. We were originally planning to go to Sun Nong Dan, a restaurant specializing in galbijim (갈비찜)—a hearty short rib stew—one of my favorite dishes. But because there was a huge line outside of its tiny storefront, we decided to go to the place next door—Hangari Bajirak Kalgooksoo—which also had over a thousand reviews and a 4.5 star rating. The bossam (보쌈)—boiled pork belly lettuce wraps—were definitely my favorite.

Hangari Bajirak Kalgooksoo

3470 W 6th St
Ste 9 & 10
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Wilshire Center, Koreatown

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: People watch at the Venice Boardwalk
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: People watch at the Venice Boardwalk
 
 

People-watch at the Venice Boardwalk

Unfortunately L.A. was quite gloomy on the weekend I arrived. So it was pretty cold and windy at the beach in Venice. Still, it was worth visiting to see all the unique street art, performers, and personalities. Because it got so chilly, we stopped by a nearby café called Menotti’s for a delicious Spanish latte.

Ocean Front Walk
Venice, CA 90291

 
 
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Mansur Gavriel and Café Flora
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Mansur Gavriel and Café Flora
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Mansur Gavriel and Café Flora
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Mansur Gavriel and Café Flora
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Mansur Gavriel and Café Flora
The L.A. Weekend Bucket List: Mansur Gavriel and Café Flora
 
 

Visit Mansur Gavriel and its café at Melrose Place

Mansur Gavriel has come out with some fantastic handbags in the past year. The minimal shape of the bags, paired with their eccentric colors, really helps to create a very unique look for the brand. The store itself, like its handbags, is absolutely stunning. There is even a lily pond inside the store! But because their handbags are on their higher end of the price spectrum, Annie and I decided to sit down at its in-house café for a light lunch instead. We shared the pesto orecchiette and the almond cake, which was the perfect portion for a light lunch before heading on the plane back to San Francisco.

One thing I forgot to mention was that we also passed by a farmer’s market outside Mansur Gavriel on Melrose Place selling street food, jewelry, baked goods, and fresh produce. I’m assuming that it happens every Sunday. Get the best of both worlds by doing luxury shopping in Melrose Place, and then doing your flea market shopping at the many tents outside.

Mansur Gavriel and Café Flora

8475 Melrose Pl
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Beverly Hills

mansurgavriel.com/pages/los-angeles

 
 

A huge shout out to Ren and Annie for enjoying the best of L.A. with me! It was so nice going on a trip with an all-female crew and not feeling ashamed of going shopping, or being a little too *basic* by taking photos inside a bookstore.

All photos were taken on the iPhone X and edited on VSCO.

♥ Cindy