California Girls Trip!
Written and photo compiled by Jessica Katz, Lifestyle Editorial Assistant
My mom and I like to go on girl trips. Once I started high school, we started a tradition of traveling together, just the two of us, at least once a year. Our favorite and most frequent destination — California.
Here is my Southern California travel guide.
Shopping:
Every time I’m in So-Cal, I’m eager to walk down Fairfax. This iconic street contains Supreme, Sorella Boutique, Dollskill, Reformation, Revolve, Glossier and my personal favorite, Golf Wang. Not to mention, it contains many photo-ops including The Pink Wall and the wings.
Reformation, a store known for its sustainably made clothing and accessories, is absolutely adorable. On the side of the store is a wall reading, “Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We’re #2.” The store itself is very simplistic. Shoppers browse the limited racks of clothing and use a tablet to select sizes before purchasing.
Another store I’d like to point out is Dollskill — it is dope. Incredible. One of a kind. Dollskill is known for its edgy and outrageous pieces, and the store’s aesthetic fits just that. Neon lights stand out against the black walls, with vibrant clothes catching your eye at every corner of the store. If you’re in need of festival wear or just need a little adventure, I’d highly recommend taking a stroll through this shop.
Now I may be biased, because Tyler, The Creator is my absolute favorite musician, but Golf Wang, Tyler Okama’s clothing line, is a must-see. The store is exclusive, so there are rules. You wait in a line, are let in by a security guard, and are not allowed to use your phone inside. If you are a fan of Tyler or pop culture, these rules are worth it. The store is designed to perfectly fit Tyler’s “Flower Boy” aesthetic — his iconic Igor statue stands in the back corner, records hang from the walls, and pastel flower-themed furniture covers the store’s entirety.
Another shopping destination is Downtown Santa Monica. This is more like an average outdoor mall, containing stores like Forever 21, Madewell, Adidas, Anthropologie and Brandy Melville. However, my mom and I love walking around the shops. The streets are full of life with street performers and little kiosks. It’s right by the water and perfect to venture to on a not-so-busy day.
Food:
My mom and I typically stay in Santa Monica, somewhere near the pier. Every morning, we walk from our hotel along the beach to Urth Caffé. This café is well-known, as plenty of celebrities and social media influencers are spotted there frequently. The food and drinks do take a while to be prepared, but the wait is so worth it. This café serves fun lattes and coffee beverages, healthy breakfast and lunch foods and pastries. Not to mention, they have options for all diets and allergies. Personally, my mom and I love the Honey Vanilla Latte. It’s sweet, but also gives the perfect kick of caffeine.
Another trendy, yet tasty café is Carrera Cafe on Melrose Ave. This coffee shop is best known for its printed foam designs on coffee drinks. I mean, who doesn’t want Kim Kardashian’s crying face on their coffee? Similar to Urth, Carrera is on the healthier side, offering fresh salads and sandwiches. They also have fun pastries; I got a unicorn donut and it tasted like a dream.
On our most recent trip to Santa Monica, my mom and I spent every happy hour at BOA Steakhouse. This restaurant is located across the pier, with a direct view of the water. It serves a variety of unique cocktails as well as delicious burgers, salads and appetizers.
Lastly, I was stunned when I visited Malibu Farm. The restaurant is a white barn located directly on the water, with a southern style interior — lots of wood details and dainty fairy lights. The food is very fresh and light. I adore the Cauliflower ‘Crust’ Pizza, which features many flavorful veggies.
Celebrity Sightings:
Every time we travel to California, my mother insists on meeting celebrities, although it never happens. We scour the internet for popular restaurants, bars, and other locations known for celebrity sightings. So yes, we’re professional stalkers.
If you watch reality T.V., you know Lisa Vanderpump. She starred on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Dancing with the Stars, and her own show, Vanderpump Rules. Lisa owns three restaurants in Southern California: Pump, Sur, and TomTom. My mom and I walked past TomTom, which was super crowded and full of life. We did attend Sur; the food was nothing special, but we did meet a member of the Vanderpump Rules cast. I’d only recommend these bougie restaurants if you’re a huge fan of reality T.V.
Catch LA is a popular seafood restaurant for celebrities and social media influencers. The rooftop space is a perfect photo-op, with its excessive greenery and lights. I have to admit, I felt a bit insecure surrounded by a mass of beautiful people (who were probably all models) dressed in fancy clothing. The food was scrumptious and it was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
My favorite celebrity restaurant is, no doubt, Craig’s on Melrose Ave. Paparazzi surrounded the space, to which I gave them a cute little hair flip and wave. The interior glowed with energy; people were everywhere. Everyone looked familiar (and like they’d had some work done), but I didn’t specifically recognize any celebrity. My mom and I sat at the bar, next to a man who looked exactly like David Dobrik. He spoke to us about his experience living in Los Angeles and revealed that he sees a lot of young female models on dates with sugar daddies. The overall experience at Craig’s exceeded my expectations. The food was delicious, the servers were so friendly and open to share their life stories (my server gave me a free dessert) and I felt I got a true glimpse into celebrity nightlife.