CITY OF ANGELS

The Grove - Latte at Urth Caffe - Beverly Hills - Rodeo Drive - Walk towards Venice - Santa Monica Pier - Cafe Gratitude 

The Grove brings back great memories. We spent a lot of time wandering around the shops and farmer's market during our trip last year. I also spent hours pouring over magazines in Barnes and Noble. Needless to say, it was great to visit again last month. Gordon Ramsay's restaurant, Fat Cow, has since opened too and apparently Emma Roberts is a regular costumer. I also found a few other gems this trip. Urth Caffe was a five-minute walk from our hotel in Beverly Hills. I did most of my coffee drinking there. The poached apricot oatmeal was delicious too. I also came across Cafe Gratitude from a few celebrity Instagram accounts. Alongside their cutesy plates, the desserts are incredible. Of course no trip to LA is complete without a few celebrity sightings. I spotted Tyler Posey from Teen Wolf at Urth one morning and we saw Scott Caan from Hawaii 5-0 brunching along Robertson Boulevard. And yes, I was super stoked. 

IN THE MISSION

Macy's rooftop overlooking Union Square - Bay Bridge - Pier 39 - View of Alcatraz - Painted Ladies - Bread pudding at Tartine - Mission apartments - Clarion Alley Murals

If you are on the hunt for decent coffee in San Francisco, make sure you visit Blue Bottle Coffee Co at the Ferry Building along the Embracadero. I made it my mission to find quirky espresso bars in each city we visited. Blue Bottle make flat whites so you can order without receiving the usual confused look from the barista. There is seating outside with a spectacular view of Bay Bridge and Treasure Island. My other favourite discovery is Tartine Bakery in Mission. The coffee is good and the food is incredible. Order a latte and bread pudding. We had to queue but it was definitely worth the wait. And if you love art, a visit to Clarion Alley is also a must.