maggle is officially on tour. I’ve packed up my travel capsule wardrobe and I’m on a plane to LA. We booked these flights over a year ago on a whim and it’s suddenly rolled around quicker than we thought. It’s March tomorrow. I can’t even begin to process that.
We’re hitting up Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Yosemite and San Diego. I’ve never been to any of these places before (except for LAX for about an hour where I had a terrible coffee and nearly lost half my hair in this ridiculously high powered hand dryer). I want to put together a bucket list of things to do in the US because I can’t do anything unless it’s on a list first. Here’s what I’ve got so far.
- Visit Disneyland (this will obviously have a whole bucket list of it’s own)
- Eat at In N Out Burger (I’m not crazy into this one but apparently it’s essential)
- Go to Alcatraz
- See the Full House house
- Get a photo with the Hollywood sign (you’ve got to do it, it’s rude not to)
- Put my hands in Michael Jackson’s hands on the Hollywood walk of fame
- Sleep in a novelty room in Vegas (I’m thinking heart shaped bed or an aquarium room. Or BOTH!)
- Visit the bonobos at the San Diego Zoo
- Go to Tunnel View Β
- Eat a York (my favourite US treat)
- Do an advanced crochet class if I can find one
I’d love some suggestions if you have been to that area. Particularly for awesome adventure-type places and experiences. Also weird museums and ghost tours are right up our alley or things like serial killer exhibitions. All that creepy stuff.
I purposefully skipped this mornings post (did anyone freak out that there wasn’t a 6am post this morning?) because sometimes it’s cool to live blog. That’s how we used to do it in the old days. I thought I’d share my long haul outfit too because I’m always curious what other people wear on long haul flights. It needs to feel like pyjamas but look like a ball gown and this is almost impossible to achieve.
Wearing
Pants from Sussan (I hardly wear pants but you just really have to on a flight so the poor people opposite you don’t cop an eyeful of your lady garden when you fall asleep with your legs in the air)
Top from Big W (I searched for a full day for a striped long sleeve t-shirt and Big W was the only place who delivered. It’s 100% cotton and was $10. Bargain.)
Shoes from Merrell (I bought these a year ago and I will happily wear this style for the rest of my life. They’re pretty much the only shoes I’ve packed.)
The weekend was so manic with packing and getting everything sorted for the trip so I’m super excited to have a solid 14 hours without internet. The airport staff didn’t take my crochet hook away from me (yay!) so I’m going to make a pair of socks and binge watch something awesome.
You’ll have to pardon my scowl. I’m never very happy on early flights.
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Β What do you think I should add to my US bucket list? Also what do you wear on long haul flights?
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40 Comments
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Yay! Have an amazing time! Can you bring home some non-perishable US treats that we can stash for our Gilmore Girls revival watching session? I feel like it would be only appropriate! xx
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Oh that’s a brilliant idea! I’ve been wanting to eat a Baby Ruth actually. I also think most US candy is non-perishable. Apparently twinkies have a shelf life of 40 years or something stupid like that.
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Live blogging for the win Carly!! Love it.
Have a great time in America. I went there a few times growing up and I loved it. I can’t wait til Grace is old enough so I can take her to Disneyland, I freaking loved going there as a kid. It would be awesome as an adult.-
I cannot wait to go to Disneyland. I’m actually just out of control excited about it. I’m saving all my holiday calories for Mickey Mouse shaped treats.
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I almost always wear leggings with a long top over them and flowy cardigan. Need the layers on a long-haul flight, and nothing with a zip, Urgh. I’ve done the East coast and middle of the US, but never the West. Could LOVE to visit San Fran.
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Ugh! Never anything with zips! They cut in and rub on your skin.
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If you can get out there, Six Flags is the BEST. Although depending on crowds you need the fastpass thingie and it can get expensive quickly. So worth it if you like rollercoasters though. (If you don’t… Don’t go to six flags. Haha).
Yosemite is so beautiful. Hike everywhere! Rent a bike and ride around the valley!
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Actually, surprisingly I’m not that into rollercoasters. I just have this fear that I’ll feel sick and not be able to get off. Maybe we might skip six flags. π
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Ooh get me to Big Dub for that shirt!
Okay, I have some tips for you for the West Coast:
DEFINITELY go to Alcatraz and do the audio tour. I know most of them are naff but this is excellent. It’s narrated by a former inmate and has all this ambient noise as you walk around. It’s really cool.
Have chowder (it’s chow-DAH!) at Fisherman’s Wharf.
Go to the Fremont Street experience in Las Vegas. Use the bus to get around, I think it’s called The Deuce and it only costs a couple of bucks. For shopping, go to Ross Dress For Less on the Strip. If you’re planning a cheeky surprise wedding, go to the Little Church of the West, I can recommend it π
Allow a whole day for San Diego zoo and it’s enormous and awesome.
Check out Half Dome and Mirror Lake at Yosemite. Watch out for coyotes!
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We just booked out Alcatraz tickets for Saturday – I’m so excited. Will definitely do the audio tour. I write audio tours for tourism boards in Australia and the Alcatraz one is held up as a style guide for a lot of place in Oz so weirdly I’ve actually already listened to it. I imagine it will be much cooler when it’s in person!
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I’ve never been to the US, but I have a whole heap of places in Los Angeles pinned on Google maps, notably filming locations for Buffy and Angel, as well as the burlesque museum in Las Vegas
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Oh burlesque museum in Vegas sounds rad!
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Have the BEST time! Let me know if you need more food or sight-seeing tips for San Diego.
In Vegas be sure to visit the Bellagio Fountains, the Lake of Dreams at the Wynn and the canals in The Venetian.-
Oh wonderful! I’ll hit you up – those places sound awesome. We’re always keen to find places that aren’t too touristy.
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Have THE best time – cannot wait to travel along with you via IG x
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I love doing that! Like when you went to Italy!
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So jealous of you right now! I hope you have an amazing trip though π One thing to do on my Vegas bucket list is the zipline above Freemont St.
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Holy shit. Yeah that sounds amazing.
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Extend your trip and get yourselves to NYC. I loved San Francisco the most, out all the places you are going to. Have fun, look forward to the live blogging!
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WE did NYC in 2011 – spent a full 2 weeks there. It was amazing. Will definitely go back again. I’m thinking we’ll probably end up living there.
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Omg! Let’s have dinner in San Francisco! I live here and it would be SO awesome to meet you!
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Oh send me an email! We’re only there for a few days but I could probably grab a coffee or something? I love meeting readers!
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So excited for you!!!!
Walk across Golden Gate Bridge
Ride on cable cars
Do the arvo/evening tour of Alcatraz so you see the fog roll in I your way out and then it’s dark when you get there ….spooky
Ghirardelli chocolate factory and shops – always have free samples
Comedy clubs in LA
The rides at the top of the stratosphere in Vegas – frikin terrifyingI tend to wear leggings and a long top/dress in long haul flights – super comfy
Safe travels lovely xo
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We just booked out tickets for Alcatraz – so excited! We’re def doing the golden gate bridge too!
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Have an awesome time! I love how real you are – and you make it sexy. Enjoy your trip. xxx
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Ha! Thank you – I was very happy to get my dresses back on after the flight! π
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yay! miss you already!! PS. if you haven’t already booked Alcatraz, do it now. They book up crazy early and we’ve missed it every time. Though I did go when I was 12 and remember it was awesome.
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We just did! Thank god you warned us – it was almost sold out!
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Eat a carnitas taco/burrito at La Taqueria in the Mission in San Francisco.
There is a place in Vegas where you can use real life diggers and trucks in a giant adult sized sandpit. You can also go to a place where you can shoot ANY gun.
Get married by Elvis in Vegas (!) – we did a weird ‘renew your vows’ thing and I’m sure it was totally not a legally binding ceremony but I did get serenaded by Elvis and it was bizarrely and slightly inappropriately knee trembling.
Watch the seals by the pier in San Francisco
Go to Golden Gate park and have a picnic with WholeFoods salads, then go and see the Bison enclosure
Drive up to the Sonoma Valley and drink beautiful wine (we got an awesome driver to drive us around to his favourite places in our hire car, we were drunk by 10am, to the extent that I thought a man was walking his dog but it turns out it was a whipper snipper, hi Lonnie!)
Have a buffet brunch at Wynn in Las Vegas – you will *literally* not need to eat anything else all day. And I am not one to skip meals.
OK I have to stop now.
Don’t – get a back injury in Yosemite and have to spend time in a nearby medical centre. Holy prescription-opiate-seekers batman!!!!
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Okay you just made Mr Smaggle’s life with the life size diggers things – it’s also right next to a place where you can shoot any gun. That’s amazing. Thank you!
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I hope you have so much fun!! π
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We already are! It’s awesome!
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Add to your list….
Eat a Bison Burger
Eat a S’More tart in Starbucks
Visit Death Valley (from Vegas)
See a show in Vegas
Zip Line through Vegas village (or across the canyon!)and what to wear for long haul flights – thin baggy pants (you can always get a blanket if you’re cold) which when you get there you can roll up into shorts – t-shirt and a hoody – comfy and you can get both warmer and cooler (by removing the hoody). Thick socks for when you remove your shows and a eye cover so if you want you can sleep.
Have fun π
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Oh yes! I will definitely on board with a bison burger. So sold.
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Haha, as I was reading this I was watching Fuller House, so I fully endorse seeing the Full House house! I’ve never been to the US, so I have no recs. I tend to wear either a cotton maxi dress or a tunic and leggings when I fly, the longest I’ve ever been on a plane is 6 hours, so I’ve never had to do long haul. I hope you have a wonderful time and can’t wait to read all about it!
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I just watched the first episode of Fuller House and it’s awful. I love it. So bad.
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Love the travel outfit π
To LA I’d add visiting Greystone Mansion and Park because it’s absolutely gorgeous – nothing I say can justify it, so these are some of the photos I took there when I visited last year (http://ordinarygirlextraordinarydreamer.com/2015/02/26/greystone-mansion-park-la/)
And go for coffee/tea and an almond croissant at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. Because, heaven. I also second the suggestion of visiting Ghirardelli Square!!
And in Vegas, ask a cab driver to take you to Fremont Street for a taste of Old Vegas! So gorgeous at night!!Can’t wait to hear all about the trip!!
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Oh Old Vegas! Love it will add to the list!
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Whole foods is the best thing ever. We love it. We just booked alcatraz – so excited! Thanks for the Blue Bottle rec – we’re always looking for awesome coffee places!
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Was in LA and SF last year, wonderful cities for v different reasons.
LA- Hollywood sign, see the Observatory up there too, gorgeous area to breathe from LA LA land, we loved Santa Monica esp shopping in Third Promenade, walk to Venice Beach along boulevard for colour and inspiration.
San Fran, Mama’s on Stockton and Filbert for ol school Italian but best to line up early for majorly good brekkie, walk through Mission District and Ferry Building on a market day (any day will be wonderful and check out Slanted Door- best Vietnamese, Blue bottle for Melbourne style coffee and so many gorgeous little clean eateries), catch a early morning (6am…) taxi across the Golden Gate bridge and walk all the way back…magical. Alcatraz a must do audio tour, spooky and moving and great views from ferry ride.
Wholefoods in US…amazing
