Although I live in Los Angeles, often times I forget that I’m in one of the most famous tourist cities in the US. That is until one of my travel friends I met while in Greece came in to town for 24 Hours. Then I was all about making sure she had The BEST 24 Hours in LA. She is a solo traveler like myself, so I wanted to make things as easy for her as possible until I could meet up with her.

Read on to see how you should conquer  LA if you only have 24 Hrs to spend in this star studded city.

1st Thing: Ditch Your Luggage!

Drop it off at whatever hotel you’re staying at.

Side Note: I suggest staying in Santa Monica if you can. It’s close to LAX and you’ll be able to drop your luggage without going out of your way. (If you prefer to stay in Hollywood, that’s okay too! We’ll actually start our day here.)
Or if you prefer to not have to deal with dragging around your HUGE suitcase you could always drop it at LAX Luggage Storage and put everything you need in a backpack for the day. After all, you’re only here for a day.
(Future Posts to Come on Best Hotels to stay at on any Travel Budget in Los Angeles and links to every place I mention at the bottom of the post)

2nd Thing: Make Your Way to Hollywood!

Here are three easy ways to make your way into Hollywood on any travel budget.

1. UberX or Lyft
2. SuperShuttle (Or Similar Group Passenger Shuttles)
3. Bus to Metro. (From Terminal 1 You can take the LAX2US bus. There are no stops, it’s a direct shot! And from there (Union Station) you can take the Red Line to Hollywood and Highland, the center of all the action!)

Now that you’re in the center of Hollywood, here are some things you MUST do while in the area.

1. Walk the Walk of Fame - There’s just something iconic about seeing the Stars on Hollywood Blvd. Find your Favorite Celebs and take a pic! This a great do it yourself picture opportunity (Put your feet slightly on the star and snap a pic from above).
2. Visit  Grauman’s Chinese Theatre - Put Your Hands and Feet Where Iconic Celebs Have and Experience all the history of Hollywood!
3. Take a pic in front of the iconic El Capitan Theatre -  I know this sounds silly, but you’ll want to the theatre is eye catching! (For my single ladies, maybe find a hot guy to take the pic for you? You can do this at any of the locations you’ll be visiting today, all your travel photos can’t be selfies, AND LA has no shortage of HOT Guys!)
4. View the Hollywood Sign from the Hollywood and Highland Center -  And browse for a bit while you’re there!
5. Do lunch by the pool and make sure you explore the famous Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel! -  If you end up not staying in Santa Monica, I do highly suggest staying at this hotel! Side Note: This was Marilyn Monroe’s Hotel of Choice.
6. Take in the Views at The Griffith Observatory - You can’t leave the Hollywood Area without taking in these gorgeous view AND seeing one of the iconic spots from La La Land.

Bonus Thing to Do:
Visit the Museum of Broken Relationships (Ever wonder where those fluffy stuffed animal gifts he gave you go to live after your relationship is over? You’ve guessed it, here! All my single ladies, have fun!)

Third Thing: Make Your Way back to  Santa Monica!

1. Visit the Pier - No matter what time of year, the pier is sure to bring you joy! From games to rides (Ferris Wheel!!) and carnival type foods you won’t regret coming here to take in the Ocean Breeze.
2. Bike to Venice Beach - Make your way to the quirkiness of Venice Beach and get in a bit of exercise at the same time. When you’re done taking in the vendors and performers, relax on the beach for a bit, you’ve earned it!

4th Thing: Get Ready for a Night on the Town!

(For this article I’m taking you out in Downtown LA, so you get to experience more of LA. In later articles, I’ll show you the best restaurants and nightlife in other cities around Los Angeles)

Restaurants:
Grand Central Market - This “Food Court” has everything you might want to eat. Don’t worry you won’t find a McDonald’s here. Only Yummy, Trendy, Budget Friendly Food!
Bottega Louie - Come for the Food and Stay for Desserts! Important thing to remember, they don’t take reservations BUT it’s worth the wait!
Perch - You won’t be disappointed with the food and views at this French inspired restaurant! This is a great place to eat and then start your night off right with cocktails (and maybe there will be live music on the night you’re there too!).
Nightlife:
EightyTwo - The “perfect” low key atmosphere, great drinks, video games, and music for dancing! What more could a girl ask for??
The Edison - Step back in time to a different era, just make sure you wore the one LBD you packed (strict dress code!). But you’ll love the 40s Flapper Vibe and Burlesque Dancers!
The Standard - If you really want to experience EVERYTHING LA, this is the spot to do it! Make sure you’ve dressed LA Trendy and be prepared to take in The Scene.

5th Thing : Go back to your hotel, try to get a little rest so that you don’t miss your flight in the AM!

Before you head to the airport, grab a cup of coffee at one of the many trendy coffee bars and sit on the sand of Santa Monica Beach one last time.  This is one of the best ways to start your day before you continue with the rest of your travels!
This is how I would do LA if I had 24 Hrs to spend here, if you would do it differently, I’d love to hear your thoughts below!

One of the biggest problems I have with solo traveling, even though I love it, is with how to take a decent photo without it being a selfie!

The only way to really take a non selfie is by finding someone that you can use…"Well, if you take one of me, I’ll take one of you!” on.

Or sometimes, you get lucky and there’s an older couple who says…"Sweetie, do you want your picture taken? We can take it for you!”. Usually with that though, as good intentioned as they may be, your photos don’t turn out exactly how you want them. And you can’t really ask them to take 25 photos just so you can get the perfect one.

Last year, when I visited Barcelona, I found a solution to my too many travel selfies problem! It’s really quite brilliant actually.
A Tour of the City AND Your Very Own Personal Photographer who takes photos of you at all the best tourist spots!

So, one of my favorite things to do when visiting any city is to Trip Advisor it and see what the best things in the city are to do and this particular tour called  Photo Shoot Tours (Link At Bottom) popped up. I was soo in! What girl doesn’t love getting her photo taken?
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I decided to do the Gothic District Photo Shoot Tour. It was great! I learned the cliff notes and then some of this historic area. AND I got my picture taken in front of all the hot spots. My tour guide was knowledgeable and more importantly a great photographer! I would definitely do this again and I recommend everyone to take this tour if they can!

A Few Words Of Advice if you end up taking this particular tour…

• Book a Morning Slot! It was so nice to not have to deal with HUGE tourists crowds.
• Come Camera Ready (Hair and Make-up Done). Yes you’re on a tour, but these photos will come out Insta Worthy and Print and Frame in Your House Worthy too!
• Strike a Pose and have fun! You’re on vacation, enjoy every minute of it!

What other cities besides Barcelona have you done photo shoot tours in?

Company Website:
http://www.photoshoottours.com

Photos From the Tour:

Buxom - Full on Lipstick - “Barcelona” Red

This just might be my NEW FAVORITE red lipstick AND “Barcelona” is the perfect name because like the city with this shade of red,  you’re going to feel sexy and turnt up no matter when you wear it.
Here are some reasons I fell in LOVE with Buxom’s Full on Lipstick…

1. It’s not the standard size of other lipsticks, it’s crayon size so it can act like a liner that you can then fill in rather easily. This is especially important with red lipsticks so that it doesn’t creep outside of your actual lip. #girlproblems
2. It’s a creamy glide on, so unlike other lipsticks your lips don’t feel dry on application. Which is important! I hate that with some other brands you have to moisturize after which often times takes away from the magic of its true color.
3. This is also a plumping lipstick, so I LOVE the cooling, tingly sensation. It’s basically letting me know that my lips will be at their fullest when I have this lipstick on.
4. In the words of Audrey Hepburn, “On a bad day, there’s always lipstick”. And I’m pretty sure that there are ZERO bad days with this one.  “Barcelona” Red by Buxom will leave you strutting in your oversized sweat pants.

Have you tried Buxom’s Full on Lipstick, what are your thoughts? And what is your favorite Power Red Lipstick? Comment Below...

I LOVE to shop! So when starting this blog, I was trying to figure out new ways to share truly unique looks that wouldn't break the bank. One thing that I thought would be fun was searching through Thrift Shops.
The first store I decided to venture through is called Jet Rag and it is located at 825 N La Brea in Los Angeles. This store is massive!! So when you get here, make sure you're ready to search!
Here are a couple of things I learned from my first thrift shop experience that I want to share with you...

1. You might have to take multiple laps around the store. 

When I finally found the skirt I ended up purchasing it wasn't until I passed through the second time that I saw my diamond in the rough.

2. Have an idea of what you're looking for ahead of time.

Because I was searching aimlessly, it made it a lot harder to pinpoint what I was looking for. Mostly because I didn't know. I came in with a "when I see it I'll know" attitude which in a store that big you could be there for hours. So have an idea or plan to be there awhile!

3. Try on things you normally wouldn't.

If something looks remotely interesting to you on the floor, GRAB IT!! There's no harm in trying things on and seeing what'll work for your body type and what won't.

4. Know you might have to tailor some pieces to fit you.

Not everything will be a perfect fit, if you like something enough, know that you might have to take it in or up a bit. I think I got pretty lucky with my skirt and it'll just be a simple hem in the waist, but I might not always get that lucky!
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If you happen to live in LA and stop at Jet Rag, I'd love to see your finds, comment or tag me in your pictures. Happy Shopping!