{"id":36911,"date":"2018-08-08T06:00:05","date_gmt":"2018-08-07T21:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/?p=36911"},"modified":"2018-11-06T07:28:45","modified_gmt":"2018-11-05T22:28:45","slug":"losangels-sightseeing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.panamera-life.com\/en\/entry\/losangels-sightseeing\/","title":{"rendered":"Sightseeing in LA with the GLS450 \u2013 MALIBU CAFE, Santa Monica, and Griffith Observatory"},"content":{"rendered":"

Japan… so hot…<\/h3>\n

Japan\u2019s summer is hot… or rather, the humidity is intense. I returned from the US last weekend, my husband went back to work, and my daughter started kindergarten, so normal life has finally resumed. This will be the last post about our San Francisco and Los Angeles trip.<\/strong> So today, I\u2019d like to share our sightseeing experience in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

San Francisco and Los Angeles are about an hour and a half apart by plane, but unlike San Francisco, which was a bit chilly even with long sleeves, Los Angeles was blazing hot under the strong sun.<\/strong> However, it was cool in the shade, and with breezy mornings and evenings, the climate felt like early autumn in Japan, so as long as you took sun protection measures, it was quite comfortable.<\/p>\n

In Los Angeles, we rented a Mercedes-Benz GLS450 and used it for all our transportation.<\/p>\n

\u2192\u3010Reference article\u3011Sightseeing in LA with the Mercedes-Benz GLS450 \u2013 Impressions on the ride and differences from Porsche<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Heading to MALIBU CAFE<\/h3>\n

The first place we went to after arriving in LA was MALIBU CAFE<\/a>. My husband found it online while still in Japan and said, “This looks like a place the kids would really enjoy, so we definitely have to go.”<\/strong> It\u2019s a famous caf\u00e9 located in the California resort town of Malibu, and the spacious grounds include ponds and fountains, making it feel more like a park than a caf\u00e9.<\/strong><\/p>\n

After driving about 10 minutes from the coastal road into the mountain roads of Malibu, we arrived at a dusty, dry patch of land where we wondered, “Is there really a caf\u00e9 here?”<\/strong> We parked and headed inside… though honestly, it was hard to tell where the caf\u00e9 actually began (lol). We entered through what looked like the entrance.<\/p>\n

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Inside, there was a reception desk where they checked table availability. We arrived just after 2:30 pm, so the caf\u00e9 was nearly empty and we got in easily without a reservation. (Apparently, it gets fully booked around lunchtime.)<\/span><\/p>\n

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From the reception, you reach the restaurant by crossing a small path on the right, but the road was so remote that we still wondered, “Is there really a caf\u00e9 here?” On the left, you could see lawns and playgrounds, which already got the kids super excited.<\/p>\n

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All the restaurant seating at the caf\u00e9 was on terraces. Since it was outdoors, leaves would occasionally fall from above, and bugs would buzz around (lol),<\/strong> but it wasn\u2019t bothersome and made for a lovely dining experience surrounded by nature.<\/p>\n

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The menu included burger and fries sets, as well as salads, soups, pasta, and more. There were several kids\u2019 menu options; the kids ordered pasta, which was a generous portion and very tasty even for adults. I ordered a Cobb salad and was surprised when a huge stainless steel bowl full of salad arrived. (But I managed to finish it all.)<\/span><\/p>\n

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While we were eating, ducks and chickens came over to peck at some fallen fries, which was adorable.<\/strong> In Japan, there would probably be signs saying “Please do not feed the animals,” but here, everyone interacted with the animals respectfully. After finishing, we headed to the grassy area below.<\/p>\n

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There was a wooden sign that said “#MARIBU CAFE” or something like that. Wow, this is definitely Instagram-worthy (lol).<\/strong> The lawn was very pleasant, gently sloped, and the kids were gleefully sliding and playing.<\/p>\n

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A short walk brought us to ponds, bridges, and fountains, perfect for a nature stroll. I don\u2019t think there\u2019s anything like this caf\u00e9 in Japan (maybe in Hokkaido?)<\/span>, so if you visit Los Angeles, it\u2019s definitely worth a stop. By the way, it\u2019s about a two-hour drive from Los Angeles Airport.<\/p>\n

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\u2192\u3010Next page\u3011 To Santa Monica Pier and Griffith Observatory, featured in movies<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

Santa Monica Pier<\/h3>\n

Next, we headed to Santa Monica, a city that truly embodies the California vibe. The most famous spot here is the Santa Monica Pier.<\/strong> The pier features a historic amusement park with a merry-go-round, roller coaster, and the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium.<\/p>\n

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By the way, the Santa Monica Pier is also famous as the end point of Route 66<\/strong> and often appears in movies. It\u2019s featured in Tom Hanks\u2019 “Forrest Gump” and Will Smith\u2019s “Hancock,”<\/strong> though I\u2019ve seen both movies and can\u2019t quite remember the scenes with the pier (lol).<\/p>\n

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The coastal road leading to Santa Monica Pier was beautiful, with kids running around and people lying down listening to their favorite music, creating a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. I imagine it would be even cooler and less crowded if you came early in the morning.<\/p>\n

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My eldest daughter lay down with her arms and legs spread out, clearly delighted. She\u2019s usually very shy and would never lie down like that in Japan,<\/strong> but under the open California sky, her heart was completely open the whole time. (By the way, she kept saying she didn\u2019t want to go back to Japan and preferred America lol.)<\/span><\/p>\n

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Griffith Observatory<\/h3>\n

After leaving Santa Monica, we headed to the Griffith Observatory.<\/strong> This spot is famous in Los Angeles and appeared in the Jim Carrey movie “Yes Man.”<\/strong> Since sunset times in San Francisco and Los Angeles are later than in Japan, it was still bright at 8 pm, and we hoped to catch the sunset at the observatory. Along the way, we also caught a glimpse of the famous “HOLLYWOOD”<\/strong> sign.<\/p>\n

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We were driving smoothly, but as we got closer to the observatory, traffic became extremely congested, and due to road closures, we had to make a U-turn. We finally arrived at the lookout around 9 pm, by which time it was completely dark.<\/p>\n

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Though we missed the sunset, we were very satisfied with the beautiful night view. When I visited New York, I saw the city lights from the top of the Empire State Building, and this view was just as stunning. They say the air is clearer and the view even more beautiful in winter.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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But I couldn\u2019t help but think, “If the night view is so beautiful… that must mean a lot of people are working late into the night…”<\/strong> I hope workstyle reforms progress, but if everyone leaves early and the office lights go off, the night view won\u2019t be as beautiful. Still, overworking isn\u2019t good either… it left me with mixed feelings (-_-).<\/p>\n

Porsches spotted in Los Angeles<\/h3>\n

That was our Los Angeles sightseeing. Though it was a short two-day trip, we had a great time. By the way, we saw far more Porsches in Los Angeles than in San Francisco, including many 911s, Boxsters, and even the latest Porsche models.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

Traveling in Japan is fun, but it was also enjoyable to experience a completely different culture and way of life overseas. I used to love traveling abroad when I was a student, but after becoming a working adult and having children, I stopped going altogether.<\/p>\n

But life is short, so this California trip reminded me again that I want to create a lifestyle and work style that allow me the freedom and flexibility to travel abroad whenever I want.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Japan… so hot… Japan\u2019s summer is hot… or rather, the humidity is intense. I returned from the US last weekend, my husband went back to work, and my daughter started kindergarten, so normal life has finally resumed. This will be the last post about our San Francisco and Los Angeles trip. So today, I\u2019d like to share our sightseeing experience in Los Angeles. 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