Yet again, we've slept in. I'm starting to think this is less of a mistake and more subliminal laziness! This time so much we missed breakfast! What would I do without my huge selection of cereals!? I know, brunch at In'N'Out! Definitely need one before we leave tomorrow. So that's what we did, brunch at In'N'Out! It was just as good the second time round as the first!
Next on the days agenda was Runyon canyon which is located just behind Hollywood. Now... After a huge In'N'Out burger I wasn't really in the mood for a hike, especially not in this heat and we still hadn't had our full beach day! So I'm not usually one to go off plans but, that bitch got shot out the window as we were already sat on the bus to Santa Monica! Beach day here we come!!
Well karma kicked us in the arse a bit for that, the bus that usually takes us all the way stopped about 3/4 of the way as that was his last stop!? Oh ok! Thanks for saying at the start!? But as highly tuned as our Starbucks radars are, we found one right away and got ourselves an iced coffee to go while we wait for the next bus! Such white girls...
We eventually got back to Santa Monica! Oh I love it, it's such a good beach, literally couldn't put my towel down quick enough to just lay and enjoy the sun! We obviously couldn't be by the sea and not have a play on the waves either which actually turned into more us being thrown around by the waves! And so yeah, that was how we spent the day, I've spent days doing worse!
As we left to go back to the hostel we thought we'd best book a table at BOA as it was Saturday night and we'd experienced this before with cities and dining. So not wanting another 2 hour wait, we booked. Well the Maitre'd on the front desk just adored us! As soon as he heard out English accent (which I'm not going to lie, is dwindling FAST) he was obsessed at trying to guess where we were from, telling us about his last name being Celtic or something (turns out it was Cumberland? Not sure how they're similar..) and trying to perfect his English accent, which I lied and told him was on point! So we booked at table for 2 for 9pm to give us enough time to work through the messes that we are right now and make some sort of effort (3 weeks camping really makes you not care anymore!).
We made it back for literally on the dot of nine, how it took us over 3 hours to get there, dressed and back again I'm not sure (yes I do, that damn long bus journey!) but we made it in time and we got seated in an amazing spot, it was right in the centre of this gorgeous restaurant, sofa style chairs and tables with a large tree in the middle of it. Yes, a tree in the middle of an LA restaurant!? An order of champagne (for fliss, coke for me) was in order to toast, not only to our final night but to the entire trip we'd embarked on together, surviving 3 weeks together with me only having to shout at her once, becoming closer than we ever thought/would have wanted to and just to an amazing friendship that I'm eternally grateful for, CHEERS! (See I've gone and grown fucking emotions!?)
The waiter was discussing the menu with us, which if I'm honest, had little to no effect on us. We knew exactly what we were ordering from the get go, 2 steaks and 1 bowl of sweet potato fries! Well, I've never had a steak like it since I was in New York the first time round, it was cooked absolutely PERFECT, it had a slight peppercorn crust, chargrilled, nice and pink with a peppercorn sauce and a roasted garlic bulb.... WOW! Then the huge plate of sweet potato fries came with garlic sauce as well! Now, I've always thought no one can do garlic sauce like the north east, but damn! LA can make a good garlic sauce!!
We obviously got talked into dessert as well, come on it's our last night!? I got the recommended dessert which was a butter cake with stewed strawberrys and fliss got a S'mores dish which was a deconstructed s'more essentially... Both were amazing as well!! BOA you served up one hell of a meal!
After being WAY too full off good food, we stumbled over to the bus station because we weren't finished yet! We were heading down to PUMP for cocktails! When I was eating in Villa Blanca yesterday, I was so nervous and a little bit sick with excitement at the prospect of meeting the actual Lisa Vanderpump, hello I was in her playground!? Well she didn't end up walking in so I'd given up on hope of meeting her or any celebrity in fact until...
We got off the bus just past PUMP and needed an ATM which was the other side of PUMP, but I'd ate far too much so decided I'd do a few laps of a street corner first (yes, I'm now aware what that probably look like...). After feeling better after a few laps we headed up the the ATM... THEN IT HAPPENED! FATE! As we were walking past a valet station the words just fell out of my mouth 'LISA!?!?' Talking as if I knew her or something!? 'Lisa!!' It was THE LISA VANDERPUMP! Like it was actually her! My heart could have popped out my chest!! I casually walked over and asked if I could have a photo just before she hopped into her huge Rolls Royce (suddenly I was all impressed with them again!) it was now, that I realised how drunk she was, she was MORTAL. I loved it!! She was slurring her words and don't think she realised she was talking to me but she still looked absolutely flawless in her dress and dripping in diamonds, I love her!! We managed to have a small conversation about my visit to Villa Blanca and she asked if we were going to PUMP, of course I'm going to PUMP! Literally throwing as much of my money at you as possible! So after we snapped a photo I left her and ken (omg yes ken was on the other side of the car too!) to stumble into their car and drive off.
Literally could not be any happier right now! LA was working out perfect, not only have I had an amazing time, we saw an amazing sunset, ate amazing food and saw amazing men! I've also got to meet a celebrity but one of my favourite ladies!! THANK YOU LA! We then spent the rest of the evening sipping champagne and cocktails, because PUMP doesn't do prosecco, in Lisa's 'gay garden' which was so beautiful. It was covered in trees filled with lanterns and fairy lights, the stone floor was filled with lounge furniture and small iron tables, the bar stood pride of place in the centre of the garden with 4 roman pillars, a huge bouquet of flowers which they'd received for their anniversary, and a huge cluster of chandeliers in the centre island! Oh that woman has style!!!
My night was made! I could leave LA a very happy man, full on steak and full on Vanderpump! I couldn't have imagined a more perfect way to end LA and end our whole trip. We've both been on one hell of a journey and it's a chapter of my life that I'll never forget. For the people I've met and the way they've influenced my view on life, I'm eternally grateful to. To America, you've helped me fall madly in love with you and you've shown me sights I never thought possible then to my best friend. Even though we leave each other tomorrow, it's been an experience I'll never forgot and it's been amazing to share it with you, there may be parts of the trip we'll forget but I always remember how hard we laughed, each and every day, so my biggest thanks is to you! But for now, the American chapter of my trip is closed, it's been unreal, but I'm so excited to be facing the world on my own now and I can't wait to see what it has to throw at me!
I'm ready!!
x
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