For Huiping in celebration of 11 years of friendship also, surprise! for your 24th birthday here’s to many more best friend travel adventures in years to come
xoxo Jamie
Los Angeles We arrive in Los Angeles and we were blown away by the first airbnb apartment. An absolutely enchanting place, picture perfect at every corner and little furry friends roaming around the house. I swear the place is possessed with magical aura and superb healing energy. We spent the first few days strolling along Santa Monica pier and Venice Beach, and indulged in juices and cafes along Abbot Kinney Road. We then moved downtown to a super trendy loft with huge windows and a fire escape at the window. I felt that we covered the local art scene downtown rather extensively, given that we had 1.5 days left in Los Angeles. From queuing 3.5h for the Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirrored Room at The Broad to hitting up a local comedy stand-up at The Upright Citizens Brigade, I would say we did pretty good. Despite the many trips to Grand Central Market for our foodie fix, I found myself wandering back to those creamy oysters at Blue Plate on the first night every now and then.
Las Vegas We rode a helicopter in Las Vegas. I think that was the highlight of Vegas. I remember staring out into Vegas from above, cursing at myself for waiting 3.5h for the Infinity Room when this clearly conveyed the idea of the infinity of souls light years away wayyyyy better than that tiny room in The Broad. We drank champagne and witnessed a typical Vegas wedding. We oohed and aahed at the grandeur of the Grand Canyon, fascinated by the rock formations and erosion patterns of nature. But of course, In-and-Out burger. Much wow, so good. We hold our verdict till we try Shake Shack and 5 Guys.
New York I finally get it, when people say that New York City feels like a dream. I don’t really know how to describe it entirely, but I could feel the synergy of the city emanating when I walked on the streets. It was a good feeling; somewhat like a thrill at times when I get those this-is-so-surreal moments. But then again, the skeptic in me thinks that it could be a you-better-appreciate-this-because-theticket-here-aint-cheap sort of guilt. We were hosted by the very gracious Eugene and Mengze, and we were so very thankful for the room and heater for the cold chilly nights. So many memories in this city, from being 2 hours late to meet Eugene because we were sleeping in Central Park to patiently queuing for Cookie Shots at Dominique Ansel Bakery to late night drinks and so on... This concrete jungle is such a captivating place to be. Even the buildings glow at sunset.
THE ESCAPADE is a
publication