Today started off with a nice lie-in and reading. My sister was kind enough to inflate a HUGE air mattress for me and created my own room in her living room, so I had a comfy place to read and relax while I mentally prepared for the day. I am currently reading Sea of Hooks by Lindsey Hill, a novel which I will absolutely review once I have finished it (it is fascinating).
After we ate breakfast, my sister and I headed off to Venice Beach. The area and the houses in the surrounding area are beautiful! The town is similar to its namesake in the sense that streets are intersected by canals.
Afraid of ripening sunburns (and our hunger pangs), we departed for our next location - Olvera Street. Known for the enlivenment of the Mexican culture, Olvera Street is home to a multitude of shops and restaurants which are shrouded in vibrant colors and skull paraphernalia. My sister and I meandered through several shops and found a few things to take home.
Next we visited Santee Alley a few blocks away in downtown LA. Santee Alley was a bit different than I imagined. Instead of an alley of outdoor shops similar to Olvera Street, Santee Alley was a conglomeration of shops enclosed in a four-block radius of two parallel avenues. Most of the shops had extremely reduced prices or an ongoing sale, which resulted in huge bargains for all shoppers.
To conclude our day, we stopped by In-N-Out for dinner. Embarrassedly, I asked for a sticker to put on my water bottle when our order was up. I was given the option of children's or bumper stickers, so I initially chose the latter, but when questioned further I faltered. In return, I received a few of each. Needless to say, In-N-Out is a wonderful place.
