After watching endless episodes of Xposé and MTV news at home in Ireland, I had high expectations for the glamorous life of LA. To be honest, in the past few years my interest in the lives of celebrities has faded. I’ve come to realise that they are no different from me or anyone else; instead I feel bad for the stress and pressure they must undergo with people constantly obsessing over their everyday lives. (Even though I definitely wouldn’t be able to control myself if I ever met Leonardo De Caprio). This lifestyle of the rich and famous has been hyped up to be the be all and end all. Red carpets, flashing lights, champagne and limosines; it sounds too good to be true. I haven’t experienced this lifestyle but after visiting Hollywood I began to learn the talented ability of the media to make this place seem a lot more romanticized and appealing.

I LOVED California. I adored the palm trees, the late night walks on the beach. I enjoyed queing for my morning iced mocha and going for my weekly Acai Bowl. But I had expectations for Hollywood, and if I have learnt anything at all from my trip it’s to

know how to distinguish hope from expecations.  

The walk of fame was merely a busy street with pink stars that many people walked on. My boyfriend and I found it impossible to be left alone by tour guides and people looking to entise us into their tours. It grew annoying. A lot of parts of Hollywood was dirty and run down. It was one insane street. I managed to be there once when the oscars were on and I was shocked looking in from the outside. Seeing the red carpet surrounded by barriers and dull ugly gates made it look a lot less luxorious and more like what it is; people hopping out of their cars and walking down a carpet to get to a building. This is their jobs and the reality of it.

 

I sound like I am bashing the love and life out of Hollywood. I am not a local, and I have not visited all of LA. I haven’t experienced the night life or attended a crazy rooftop party. But I have been a tourist there and briefly tried to be a local. My boyfriend and I stayed at a family friend’s house in the Hollywood Hills. This experience was the best thing about Hollywood for me. We stayed in the adorable cosy bungalow which had a cute little outdoor pool. We drank coffee in the mornings and wine at night. We hiked to the Hollywood Hills and stopped in a lovely café along the way. We snuck through a secret trail to get near the sign alongside a lot of other passer byers. We were shouted at from a distance by police who told us all to go back down or we would be fined. It was a memorable adventure.

I loved the dolby theatre.

I dined in downtown LA and went to a Lakers Game. I visited Universal Studios and went on many rides. I have done a lot of materialistic things and driven past a street of homeless people living in tents. It’s sad eating on a rooftop restaurant and looking down at a street of people struggling to get by. That just didn’t feel right.

 

LA gave me many memorable moments, more of which I will blog about.

It wasn’t my favourite city but I had some of my favourite moments there.

 

Everything isn’t always as it seems 🙂 The sun is always brighter on the other side