Sister Trip to Los Angeles, California | March 1 - March 6

Friday, March 1
Travel Day. I drove home from school, took my dog on a walk, and then my mom drove my sister and me to a bus station to get to Logan Airport. The flight hit a little bit of turbulence when we were going over the midwest, but other than that it was fine.  I did some research beforehand and read that there weren't going to be any TVs on the flight, so I downloaded an app the airline talked about and didn't pack my headphone jack headphones. However, when we got on the flight, there were TVs, so I had to buy some headphones on the plane. I was also super excited because I thought the flight had all of the Harry Potter movies and I have been dying to watch the 6th one for a while now.  The flight had all of the movies, except the 6th one! I was so disappointed. I watched Chasing Mavericks and Bohemian Rhapsody instead. When we landed, we picked up our rental car, went to CVS because I forgot to pack a toothbrush, and then grabbed In-N-Out burger before going to our Airbnb. I got french fries, and a chocolate shake from In-N-Out burger and the fries were gross, but the shake was good.

Saturday, March 2
My sister and I drove to San Diego today to meet up with our cousin.  We hadn't seen her in a while, so it was nice to catch up and see her apartment.  When we left her place, we went to The Baked Bear and got ice cream sandwiches that were amazing! I got a chocolate brownie and a salted caramel chocolate chip cookie for the "bread" and cookie dough ice cream in the middle.  We walked so we could see the water, but it was raining so we didn't go onto the beach.  After that we got some tacos at Puesto before making our way back to L.A. We dropped off the rental car and walked back to our AirBnB because the rain had let up.  That night we met my sister's friends for dinner at a place called Zinque. I got lasagna, and it was so good!

Sunday, March 3
In the morning my sister and I walked to The Grove and got some food for breakfast. I got a delicious cinnamon roll. Then we went with her friends to a Wine Safari in Malibu. Again, it was raining, but we made the most of it. We got to see donkeys, llamas, Scottish highland cows, zebras, and a giraffe named Stanley who is retired from Hollywood because he is too tall. We also got to try some different wines. The tour was really fun, and our driver and tour guide were great, which really helped make the experience extra fun, even in the rain. When we got back to L.A. we got a late lunch before my sister's friend dropped us off. My sister and I decided to go to the LACMA and see the lamppost art exhibit, and we walked through The Grove again. We got some candy and then went back to the Airbnb to watch a movie.

Monday, March 4
We started the day by going to the Griffith Park Observatory to see the Hollywood sign. Then we went to Warner Bros. Studios for a studio tour. Our guide and group weren't as fun as the safari, but I still really enjoyed getting to see the behind the scenes of a studio lot. There was a bunch of stuff for Harry Potter, and I got sorted into Gryffindor by the sorting hat. My sister got Ravenclaw. After that, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch and then went on a StarLine tour of Celebrity Houses. Basically, a tour guide drives you around and points out houses that celebrities either currently live in or used to live in. It was a great way to see the different parts of the city. We got some drinks at TomTom before meeting up with my sister's friends at SUR for dinner - they're big Vanderpump Rules fans.

Tuesday, March 5
We started today not sure what to do because we didn't know what the weather was going to look like. We started by getting breakfast at Republique with one of my sister's friends because it was the last time we were going to be seeing her on our trip. Then we decided to get a tour of Dodgers Stadium, which ended up being really cool. We planned on getting dinner with my sister's other friend at a rooftop restaurant called Perch, so we made our way to that area of the city and walked around and got cupcakes while we waited for our reservation. My sister's friend ended up getting stuck at work and couldn't meet us at Perch, but she did come to the L.A. Kings hockey game with us, so we got to see her one last time. The game was fun, but the Kings lost.

Wednesday, March 6
We woke up at 5:30am and made our way to the airport for our 8:55 flight back home. Again, there was a little bit of turbulence, but other than that the flight was fine. I watched Tag and some episodes of The Big Bang Theory.

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Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre | Book Review

Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre

Reading Group: M for Mature

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

Given Summary: Cole Masten. Abandoned by his superstar wife, Hollywood’s Perfect Husband is now Hollywood’s Sexiest Bachelor: partying hard and screwing even harder. Watch out Los Angeles, there's a new bad boy in town. Summer Jenkins. That’s me, a small town girl stuck in Quincy, Georgia. I cook some mean chicken and dumplins, can bluff a grown man out of his savings in poker, and was voted Most Friendly my senior year. We were from different worlds. Our lives shouldn’t have collided. But then Cole Masten read a book about my small town. And six months later, his jet landed on our dusty airstrip, and he brought Hollywood with him. From the start, I knew he was trouble. For our town. And for me. Sometimes, opposites just aren’t meant to attract.

Cover: The cover of this novel shows Summer standing in front of an empty field, but in the distance there are the flashing lights of paparazzi.  I took it as her walking into a new life of fame that the movie was going to being her, but you can tell by the way her hand is placed on top of her head that she's not super confident or comfortable with it.  I think that goes towards her attitude that even though she was a main character in a huge film, she didn't want to make a career out of acting, but she was willing to be in the lifestyle enough to be with Cole.

My Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.  I really like the two-worlds-colliding theme it had going on and the love-hate relationship between Summer and Cole because as I was reading I was impatient for them to get together, but at the same time I liked that it took a while for them to finally admit that they loved each other.  Also, the Rehearsal Dinner from Hell was such an ordeal.  In the grand scheme of the book it wasn't that big of a deal, it was a part of Summer's past, but the way the book led up to it with the little hints and everyone knowing before the reader, made it so suspenseful. Plus, the actual act itself was great.  I personally thought it was a perfectly balanced way to get back at a cheating fiancé because it was big enough that it ruined the night and definitely got the point across, but not big enough that it totally destroyed someone's life or seriously hurt them.  Both Cole and Summer were complex characters that were used to putting up fronts with people, but when they were together they were able to see the other person as their true selves and I think that was an important message in the book.  We all have different personas depending on our situations, but when you're finally able to find someone who can get to know and love the real you, that's the person you want to keep around.  

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Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren | Book Review

Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren 

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Reading Group Rating: M for Mature

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: Unlike her best friends Mia and Lola, Harlow Vega has a reputation for always being up for a fling.  Twelve drunk and wild hours in Sin City married to ridiculously hot and rugged Canadian fisherman Finn Roberts, who (no surprise) is amazing with his muscular hands--and his lips and the rest of his body--was just her speed.

But it was just a think: dirty, rowdy, and easy...until Finn turns up in her hometown on business.  Harlow's not ready to be tied down, but when the whole crew is hanging out together, there's just something about him.  It may not be love (hell, it may not even be like), but their exciting, tension-filled hookups provide the perfect distraction from the scary life changes they're both facing -- challenges neither is sure how to handle, let alone fix.  One night together turns into two, and soon Finn's mysterious business trip has gone on for weeks.  They agreed on the sex--wild, wet, kinky-- but now their border-crossing booty call is starting to feel like the real deal.  And for two people used to being in control, taking the ultimate plunge by falling in love feels a lot more like fat out falling.

Cover: Finn.  Standoff pose with his arms crossed in front of his chest.  Classic "don't come near me, don't talk to me, don't even look at me."  And of course, only half a face.

Summary:  Finn's in San Diego.  He seems to be here for Oliver's comic book store opening, but it's more than that.  His brothers and dad sent him to meet with the producers who want to make a reality show out of their fishing business because he's the only one who doesn't like the idea.  Harlow's mom was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, same thing that Finn's mom died from.  They both need each other.  Finn needs someone to confide in and Harlow needs a distraction.  But distraction quickly leads to real feelings and neither of them know how to handle it.  They stop hanging out together for a little bit before realizing that it's okay to admit to each other that they care.  Harlow tries to help Finn out.  She asks a director friend if he would fix up Finn's boats and use them in his movie instead of Finn having to go on a reality show.  Finn gets really mad at Harlow for going behind his back and giving so much personal information to someone Finn doesn't know.  He goes back to Canada without saying goodbye to Harlow.  She starts working for that director and goes to Canada with him to help film.  She goes to talk to Finn, but he gives her the cold shoulder and barely talks to her.  He calls Mia that night to ask for advice and she basically tells him to run to Harlow's hotel, which he does, obviously, he's not stupid.  They end up together and Harlow makes a comment about Finn having her as his hot wife.  He can't believe that their on the same page and even though its not right away, they both want to remarry each other.

My Review: Oh these two...They're both the type to keep things to themselves and try to fix everything alone.  How they managed to be good together is beyond me, but love is love.  Harlow is the kind of girl who tries to surprise people with her ability to fix things, but doesn't always realize that some people just need to talk about their problems, they doth need her to go behind their backs and try to fix it.  I think a lot of people can relate to that.  Finn doesn't tell people anything until it's certain and already achieved.  People, myself included, can relate to that as well.  They hate each other, but they love each other.  Obviously, they're going to end up together.  This is just another excellent read from Christina Lauren.

This book does kind of end vaguely.  They're together and obviously I love that, but what's next?  Harlow is working in Canada at the moment so she can be with Finn while she's there, but what about after that?  Her life is in San Diego and Finn is tied to Canada with the show and his business.  In the book he does ask Ansel how the long distance thing worked for him and Mia which leads you to believe that he would be willing to do that, but for how long?  Ansel was ready to move once Mia left Paris, but he had to stay until the end of his case.  Finn's job isn't just going to end.  Harlow is going to have to move to Canada and I just can't see that.  I have a feeling that Christina Lauren will answer this in an upcoming novel.  I think that Lola and Oliver are going to get a story and if it's not in that there will be a novella probably.  Or it might even be in Beautiful Secret because that's about Niall and Ruby and Ruby was supposed to be Lola and London's roommate.  Who knows when it;s going to be cleared up, but I have a good feeling it will be somehow.

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Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren | Book Review

Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren 

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Reading Group Rating: M for Mature

Personal Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Given Summary: One-night stands are supposed to be with someone convenient, or wickedly persuasive, or regrettable. They aren’t supposed to be with someone like him.

But after a crazy Vegas weekend celebrating her college graduation—and terrified of the future path she knows is a cop-out—Mia Holland makes the wildest decision of her life: follow Ansel Guillaume—her sweet, filthy fling—to France for the summer and just…play.

When feelings begin to develop behind the provocative roles they take on, and their temporary masquerade adventures begin to feel real, Mia will have to decide if she belongs in the life she left because it was all wrong, or in the strange new one that seems worlds away.

Cover: A typical Christina Lauren cover.  This one shows Ansel and only half of his face. 

Summary: Mia was a ballerina.  Dance was her life and she expected to be her life forever.  But senior year of high school she was riding her bike when she got hit by a truck.  She was in the hospital for a week and emerged with a scar from her hip to her knee and the future of dancing diminished.  So she went to college and afterwards her dad was paying for her to Boston to go to BU.  But on the day of her college graduation, Mia and her two best friends (Harlow and Lola) go to Las Vegas for the weekend.  While they're there they meet some boys (Ansel, French; Finn, Canadian; and Oliver, Australian) and all end up getting married.  Ansel to Mia, Finn to Harlow, and Oliver to Lola.  The next morning after Harlow and Lola know that they're going to get annulments, but Ansel tells Mia that she told him the night before not to let them get annulled.  Mia doesn't remember anything, but Ansel gives her a letter that she wrote to herself that fills in some of the gaps (like the fact that she proposed to him!  And that she basically told him her life story).  She decides that they can stay married until the end of the summer when she has to move to Boston, but Ansel is going back to France and wants Mia to go with him.  She decides to on a whim and meets him at the airport without him knowing that she's coming.  She ends up coming down with the flu and is sick for the first week or so she's in France.  When she feels better Ansel has to get back to work.  He's a lawyer and working on a really big project, but he actually wants to teach law.  He just has to get through this case so that he has experience.  Mia spends her days traveling around Paris and she doesn't seem to mind being alone doing so too much.  However, she can't seem to be very intimate with Ansel.  She likes him and is attracted to him, but she gets inside her own head.  She was always shy, except when she was on stage.  So she decides to buy some costumes to see if that can help; it does.  Mia and Ansel are really falling for each other.  Ansel brings Mia to a party at a friends house where she meets Perry, Ansel's ex-girlfriend.  The boys mentioned Perry before, but Mia assumed perry was another boy and Ansel never corrected her whenever she brought the name up again.  Perry tells Mia that she and Ansel dated for six years (they were broken up for three weeks before Mia and Ansel got married), lived together in Ansel's apartment, and that they were going to get married.  Mia is furious with Ansel and leaves the party.  He follows her home, giving her enough space to walk without him, but not enough that's she's out of his sight.  He explains that while he and Perry were dating there were a few years where they only saw each other once or twice.  He was totally over her and totally dedicated to Mia.  Mia leaves in the middle of the night and goes back home to San Diego.  She gets her own apartment and starts working at her old studio as a teacher (Ansel's idea).  On her first day of work Ansel is in the class, Mia has missed him so much, but needed to figure out her on life before she could invite him into it.  They reconcile and Ansel says that once his case is over he would move to San Diego and find a job there.  Until then he will visit whenever he can.

My Review: I loved it!  Of course you guys all know I'm an avid Christina Lauren fan, but they just keep blowing me away with their novels.  Ansel is lovable guy who may seem a bit compulsive, but it works out fine for him.  Mia is a relatable girl who seems to have made a huge mistake.  Drunk marriage in Vegas to a complete stranger?  It's not what most people expect.  Even less do people actually expect it to work out and lead to a happily ever after.  But everything happens for a reason right?  The crash that took Mia's planned future away?  Getting married?  Going to Paris?  Finding out about Perry the way Mia did?  It all lead to her with the life she wanted and not the one her dad wanted for her.  Sweet Filthy Boy reminds us that even when bad things happen, we can take those experiences and make something great from them.  

Smile!  I'll talk to you soon!xxx

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