Although I was born in L.A. and lived there until five years of age, I haven't completely explored it the way you'd think. As world famous as Hollywood is, I also can count on one hand how many times I have been there.
Last weekend, my best friend and I decided to go all out as an early birthday celebration. I initially wanted her to stay with me for a couple days because Nate was out of town and I wanted her company. Katie is really spontaneous and never hesitates to do something out of the ordinary. When she told me that our annual girls trip needed to happen ASAP and it needed to involve Los Angeles, I knew I couldn't say no. Type A (obviously me) needs a type B friend. I'm beginning to come around though.
For those of you interested in taking a trip yourselves, or just out of curiosity, here is a little recap and review of our weekend.
What I Wore During The Day
I wanted to be comfortable on the drive from Temecula to Hollywood and it's a good thing I wore essentially a sack because it took us three hours to get there. By the end of our drive, we were both cursing like sailors. Welcome to Los Angeles! As soon as we pulled up to the hotel though, any bit of frustration regarding the heavy traffic immediately floated away. The Roosevelt is stunning, and the staff are extremely friendly.
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
...Is quintessential L.A. and I felt like a movie star. Listen, I'm honestly not picky about hotel rooms. Growing up, my parents and I usually stayed in a Motel 6 so now that I'm older and can relatively afford a nicer stay somewhere, I don't take it for granted! We were upgraded to a beautiful suite with a shower big enough for a few friends if we had been so inclined 😉 Who needs a shower that gigantic anyway?
The Hollywood Roosevelt has a lengthy history. It was built in the 1920's, and though it has been renovated, I found it to be charming. It is the oldest continually operating hotel in Los Angeles. We didn't see any ghosts, but Katie made me laugh when she said that our room smelled "old." Apparently people believe it's haunted, no doubt due to its age. We didn't see or hear anything other-worldly though, just a lot of half naked people in the pool area. I felt like I was in an episode of The Hills with all the cool girl vibes, the DJ blasting music, and guys clearly looking for someone to have fun with. Katie and I kept our sunglasses on and tried to inconspicuously observe from the bar. All I can say is, I'm happy I'm married! There's no way in Hell I could hang being single in Hollywood.
Marilyn Monroe lived in the hotel for two years during her early days as an actress.
Would I recommend staying at the Hollywood Roosevelt? An emphatic yes! There were people young and old, with and without children, people from different parts of the world. It's definitely geared to a hip crowd, but it wasn't nearly as over the top as I expected and I hope to stay there again with Nate. It was also very clean and quiet at night, which also surprised me because our room faced Hollywood Blvd.
Saturday night, I wore a new dress that I purchased during a LOFT sale. I showed some video of it on snapchat, but the lighting was too dark for me to save. I plan on wearing it again next week, so you will see the exact details recreated. I loved it!
SUR
SUR and pump were on our agenda because we are both fans of Lisa from The Housewives of Beverly Hills. The decor at SUR did not disappoint! Talk about a fairy tale. It looks exactly as it does on the television show, minus the cameras. We didn't see any familiar faces, and LVP was nowhere in sight. But, it was quiet and there was no wait so we grabbed a drink and made ourselves comfortable on one of their plush couches. It was indeed beautiful, but we expected a bit more excitement. We ate at the hotel to save some money so I can't account for the food there but the service was decent as far as drinks went. It's worth it to get one and walk around the restaurant.
Pump
I was genuinely surprised at just how much I enjoyed pump, even more so than SUR. Pump is more of a club at night, whereas SUR is a lounge. We even danced a little which is not something we typically do anymore! In fact, we had so much fun on Saturday night that we ended up going back on Sunday morning before we left for home. I thought the staff was decidedly friendlier and attentive, and the drinks were better too! The ambiance is also more laid back so I didn't feel out of place. Oh, and a pump-tini is a must!
Overall, I give this year's girls trip a solid A! It was the perfect mix of relaxation, a bit of glamour, and lots of laughs. I don't care where life takes us next - this is one tradition that Katie and I will always keep.
If you have any questions or need any further info on our stay, feel free to ask! I'll see you back here on Monday with a beauty post. 💋
