Itinerary: 4 Days in Los Angeles

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Itinerary: 4 Days in Los Angeles

Hi everyone and welcome to Travel Tuesday! I’m Christine and I blog over at A Keane Sense of Adventure (http://www.akeanesenseofadventure.com/). I was born and raised in Texas and I blog about travel, photography and some lifestyle mixed in, so hop on over and say hi! You can also find me on Instagram and Twitter (both at @christinekeane) and I just started using Snapchat (username: akeanekense)!
Earlier this year, I spent a long weekend in Los Angeles visiting a college friend. I could only get away from Friday to Monday but I can honestly say we made the most of our time in The City of Angels. LA is the perfect (long) weekend getaway… you can visit the beach, go shopping, eat at great restaurants, go hiking, you name it.
So here was my 4 Day Los Angeles itinerary (well 3.5):
DAY 1
 
Venice Beach
Venice Beach is a short drive from LAX which makes it a great first stop. After picking me up from the airport, we drove to Venice Beach to walk around and grab a late breakfast. If people watching is your thing, Venice Beach is your place. We saw the Bearded Lady walking around… probably taking a break from working at the Freak Show. Yes, there’s a Freak Show on the boardwalk.
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Beverly Hills
From skaters and beach bums to the shiny streets of Beverly Hills, our second stop of the day was 90210. We stayed in Beverly Hills so we dropped off our bags at the hotel and went walking around Rodeo Drive and surrounding areas. We were trying to spot someone famous but no luck. Be sure to stop by some really cute candy stores in the area like Sugarfina!
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DAY 2
 
Hiking to the Hollywood Sign
We woke early the second day so we could beat the crowd (and heat) at the Hollywood Sign. Hiking the Hollywood Sign is pretty awesome. Not only is it a good hike but you get to get unclose and personal with the Hollywood Sign (selfie, anyone?!). For more tips, you can go here: http://www.akeanesenseofadventure.com/2015/02/hiking-to-hollywood-sign.html.
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Hollywood
After our hike, we went back to our hotel and showered and then head back to Hollywood. Hollywood is something else to say the least. It’s so touristy and there are people everywhere! People are either handing you their demo CDs or trying to get you to take a picture with them for a few bucks. Venture into Hollywood only if you don’t get annoyed easily by strangers.
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DAY 3
 
Malibu
My favorite day of the trip, was day 3. We drove down PCH 1 and stopped in Malibu in the morning. We had lunch at Geoffrey’s and then hung out on the beach for a while. We saw the cutest sea lion pup on the beach too! Malibu is mostly residential so the best time to visit is in the morning or lunch time.
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Santa Monica
After lunch, we drove down to Santa Monica. Santa Monica is the perfect stop after Malibu because it has a lot of shopping, restaurants, activities to offer. We got super lucky and got to see a beautiful sunset while there too! Head over to the Third Street Promenade for some shopping and a chance to see a celebrity or two! And of course, you have to visit the Santa Monica Pier!
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DAY 4
Manhattan Beach
This was my last day in LA (boo). Manhattan Beach is super close to the airport so we stopped by there for some breakfast and walked around the pier before I had to get dropped off at the airport. Manhattan Beach has a really cool vibe. It has a bunch of really awesome houses and the beaches are really pretty. The main street has fun boutiques and cafes. I just wish we could have spent a little more time there.
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My time in LA with my friend went by so fast but it was a break from work. If you’re heading to Los Angeles and are strapped for time, I hope this itinerary can help you with your planning. There are so much more to see that I didn’t get a chance to stop by on this visit so I’m hoping to make back soon.
Thanks everyone for another great Travel Tuesday!


Firmoo Glasses

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Basically from the moment I wake up, until the moment I go to bed I depend on glasses to see.  Except for taking them off to read (or take a shameless selfie), they become a pivotal accessory to my day to day look.  I had been wearing the same two pairs of glasses for the last couple of years and wanted to change it up.  The idea of heading into a eye glass store can be daunting and overwhelming.

That is where Firmoo comes in.  As an online retailer of prescription eyewear, they make getting new glasses simple and easy.  I found their selection of glasses to be fashionable, fun, and even hard to choose just one from all the options.  It was easy to use my current prescription to buy the glasses I wanted to buy.

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When the glasses came in they were enclosed within a durable case with a map design that this travel and expat blogger can appreciate.  The lenses felt great on and I really loved how they looked in person.  They have become one of my favourite pairs of glasses and tend to get worn a lot during days I go into work.

Honestly I look forward to ordering future pairs of glasses from Firmoo and could see glasses being to me what a shoes can be for some fashion bloggers.  They are great way to change up your look as well as help you see the world more clearly.

Get a pair of Firmoo glasses for yourself and change the way you see the world of shopping for glasses online.  You can use this 15% off code on the frames site wide.

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How to choose the perfect pair of glasses online ?

1. Use Firmoo‘s  Virtual Look Viewer to check the shape of the frame and how it suits your face.  It is a great tool for a sneak peek of your new look.

2. Compare the frame size data with the old eyeglasses is also helpful to find your perfect new Firmoo glasses. The specification like weight, sizes of the frames can be found at the product page.

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Have you ordered glasses from Firmoo yet?  When you do comment below with a link to the photo. I’d love to see which frames you choose!

Favorite Travel Partner and Trip

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Hi readers and Happy Travel Tuesday! First, a big congrats to the US Women’s Soccer Team for bringing home the World Cup! I’m Christine and I blog over at A Keane Sense of Adventure (http://www.akeanesenseofadventure.com/). I was born and raised in Texas and I blog about travel, photography and some lifestyle mixed in, so hop on over and say hi.
 
For this month’s prompt, I picked “Who is Your Favorite Travel Partner and What is Your Favorite Trip with that Person?” While I would love to take a solo trip one of these days, I enjoy sharing my travel experiences with my friends and family. There’s something about reminiscing about a past trip with someone and having one of those “Remember when…” conversations.
 
My favorite travel partner is my husband, Jimmy. We have been married for over 11 years and after all these years, we still have the most fun when we are together. When it comes to traveling, we have similar interests… we both love being active, being outdoors and we both love a little adventure. I love knowing that I can suggest going on a hike or SUPing and Jimmy’s game (and vice versa unless it involves crazy heights!).    
  
 
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My favorite trip together would have to be the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. We both have a love for sports so getting to see one of the biggest sporting events in the world was an awesome experience for us. We got a chance to watch some beach volleyball plus see the Brazilian men’s soccer team in action which was incredible. We would love to head down to Rio in 2016 or maybe attend a World Cup one day. We shall see!      
 
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  In the future, I’m hoping to have our son join us on more trips! He just turned 10 and recently started asking us about going over to Europe the next time we go. I’m excited that he’s showing an interest in traveling and that he also loves a little adventure! Nothing makes me happier than when my family is together!   
 
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Why Costa Rica should be your next Trip

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Why Costa Rica Should Be Your Next Trip

Hi readers and welcome to another great Travel Tuesday! I’m Christine and I blog over at A Keane Sense of Adventure (http://www.akeanesenseofadventure.com/). I was born and raised in Texas and I blog about travel, photography with some lifestyle mixed in, so hop on over and say hi!  

Also for my themed prompt, I pick “Who is your favorite travel partner and what is your favorite trip with that person?“

Today, I’m going to talk about “Pura Vida” and the country that perfected it. Costa Rica is located in Central America and is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. While I have never been to the Caribbean side, I can say that central and western Costa Rica is pretty awesome. So here are five reasons why you should book a plane ticket to this beautiful country.

1. Beautiful Beaches

The Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica are very different from each other. The Caribbean beaches are exactly what you would think of when you think “Caribbean”. The sand is white and the water is a perfect combination of blue and turquoise. The Pacific coast has rugged and beautiful shorelines as well as beaches right next to lush rainforests. It’s also home to some awesome surfing and activities like horseback riding, fishing, golfing and everything in between.

2. Great Food

Fresh and local. Gallo pinto is a national dish that consists of chicken and rice and trust me, it’s on point. I would have a picture of it but my time at Costa Rica precedes Instagram and taking picture of food. You can walk around town and along the beaches and pick up some great street food as well. Best part, it’s cheap!

3. Gorgeous Resorts

Resorts in Costa Rica are the perfect spot to just relax. You can find exotic plant life, crazy looking animals and swimming pools for days while walking around the beautiful grounds. There are a lot of resort options and a little something for everybody.

4. Affordable Everything

A great thing about Costa Rica is that everything is very affordable. From lodging, shopping and food, your dollar/euro/pound will go a long way. While I was there, I “splurged” and got an hour massage on the beach for $20.00! That’s right, only $20… I took advantage of that steal and got a massage almost every day I was there.

5. Amazing Sunsets

No explanation needed. Amazing, right?

Who’s ready to hit the beach now? I’m hoping to go back one day since the last time I was there, Jimmy had to work. “Pura Vida” (which translates to “Pure Life”) is not only a Costa Rican saying but it’s also a way of life. And as you can see, they definitely know how to live life to the fullest.



“That Time I Freaked Out at the Top of the Eiffel Tower”

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Hi readers and welcome to Travel Tuesday! I’m Christine and I blog over at A Keane Sense of Adventure. You can also find me on Twitter and Instagram! I was born and raised in Texas and I blog about
photography, travel and some lifestyle mixed in.

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Today, I’m going to share with y’all (I had to throw one in) the time I freaked out at the top of the Eiffel
Anyone that knows me can tell you that I’m deathly afraid of heights. Maybe it’s because I’m only 5’1″ and
have been close to the ground all my life? Whatever it is, it’s no fun. So let’s back up for a bit, the first time
my parents took me to Paris, I was around 12 years old. We were there for almost a week and pretty
much did it all including going up the Eiffel Tower… not all the way to the very top though, just to the 2nd
floor. While it was still terrifying, I survived. Fast forward to the last time I was in Paris, it was my
husband’s first time in the City of Lights so he wanted to pack as much in as possible. I told him that we
could go up the Eiffel Tower thinking it’s no biggie, I’ve done it before and without hesitation, he said
“Let’s do it… all the way to the top!”

We woke up super early one morning to head over to the Eiffel Tower. I wanted to buy our tickets online
but of course, all of the lifts were down except for one so they ceased online sales. It wasn’t too bad; we
were staying in the 7th arrondissement so it was a quick walk over. We got there before opening time and
there was a line around starting to wrap around… I guess everyone was in the same boat. As we waited, I
looked up to the top and thought maybe there’s still time for me to back out. Jimmy wasn’t having it
though and before you know it, he had two tickets to the top in hand.

We got into the lift and up we went… packed in like sardines going up over 900 feet. I can’t believe I
agreed to this, that was the thought going through my mind. Once we got to the very top, everyone made
their way off the lift. I started walking around and there it was, I swear (to this day) I felt the tower move. I
immediately grabbed the nearest thing to me which unfortunately for me was a random lady’s arm. Yup
that’s right, a total stranger. She did not look happy and tried to pull herself away from me but at that
moment in time, I didn’t care… the Eiffel Tower was moving!

Jimmy looked at me like I was psycho. I told him there’s no way I can walk around and just sat down on
one of the benches. He didn’t argue and took the camera to take some pictures since all I had a view of
was a metal wall. After he had his fun, we made our way down to the 2nd Floor, the floor I know I can
survive. I walked around and took pictures of some killer Paris views.

While I guess I’m glad I can say I’ve been to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I will probably never do that
again. We want to take our son to Paris one day, and while Aiden totally looks like me, he has his dad’s
personality which means “Have fun boys, I’ll be at the bottom drinking champagne!”

 

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Are you a Girl Gone International?

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ggi-beause

Are you a Girl Gone International?  Do you or have you lived and or/traveled abroad?  Do you seek out adventures outside your hometown?  I am looking for people who love to take photographs, use instagram, and want to share their travel, expat, and adventures from around the globe.  Want to take over the Girl Gone International instagram account?  Send me an email at GGIBONNIE(AT)GMAIL(DOT)COM.