After our busy first day—and a red-eye flight the night before—we gave ourselves permission to sleep in. We didn't wake up until almost 9:00 a.m., which felt well deserved after not getting to bed until after 11:00 p.m. following the Forrest Frank concert. We took our time getting ready before heading out for another full day of exploring.
Our first stop was one of my favorite places in Los Angeles: the Original Farmers Market at Third & Fairfax.
No matter how many times I visit LA, I always make it a point to stop here. Growing up, my dad would bring our family whenever we visited Southern California. As a kid, I didn't appreciate it nearly as much as I do now.
This visit wasn't just about nostalgia, though. One of the vendors sells Australian apricots that my mom loves, so picking some up has become another tradition. At $44 per pound, they're definitely a splurge, but they're still less expensive than ordering them online and paying to have them shipped to Hawaii. That makes them worth bringing home.
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Once the apricots were secured, it was time to eat. Of course, I couldn't leave without stopping at Bob's Coffee & Doughnuts for a fresh doughnut.
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We had planned on grabbing gyros from one of the Mediterranean vendors, but the meat wasn't going to be ready for another 20 minutes, and we were too hungry to wait.
Instead, we headed to Magee's Kitchen, one of the market's original vendors.
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My niece ordered the corned beef plate,
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while my son and I shared a French dip sandwich.
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It was simple, comforting, and exactly what we were craving.
After lunch, we took a leisurely stroll through The Grove. We weren't on a mission to shop, so it was mostly window shopping and soaking in the atmosphere. We popped into the Apple Store, where I couldn't help but admire the soaring ceilings and beautiful open design.
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We also stopped by Dylan's Candy Bar to pick up a sweet gift to bring home for the family.
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As we continued walking, we passed La La Land Kind Cafe. I've heard so many people rave about it and was hoping to finally give it a try, but the line was as long as one you'd expect at Disneyland! We decided to save it for another visit. There's always next time, and now I have one more reason to come back to LA.
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From the Grove, we made our way to Ovation Hollywood, which is one of my favorite places to park if you're planning to explore the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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My niece and son were fascinated by a vending machine that sold collectible trading cards, and we even caught a peek-a-boo view of the Hollywood Sign from the shopping center.
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From there, we walked along Hollywood Boulevard, taking in all the famous stars along the Walk of Fame.
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Of course, I had to stop for photos of Donald Trump's star, Pink, and even Disneyland's star.
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We also admired the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre, where I actually watched a movie during my college years. It's easy to forget that these aren't just tourist attractions—they're real movie theaters with incredible sound systems and the site of countless Hollywood movie premieres. Standing there, you really feel like you're in the heart of Hollywood.
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While exploring, we stumbled upon Mixue and couldn't resist stopping for an inexpensive bubble tea.
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It was a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up before continuing our adventures.
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Next, we made a quick stop at Trader Joe's to stock up on omiyage to bring home before dropping everything off at the hotel.
Dinner was at North Italia at The Point, chosen by my niece because they offer gluten-free pasta options. She ordered the gluten-free Bolognese,
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while my son and I shared the traditional Bolognese along with an order of meatballs and the garlic truffle bread.
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Every dish was tasty!.
Naturally, we couldn't end the day without dessert, so we headed to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream for one last sweet treat.
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On the drive back to the hotel, we made one final stop at Ralphs to try our luck with a few California scratcher tickets. We didn't win anything, but it was fun to dream for a few minutes!
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Before we knew it, we were back at the hotel packing our bags for our early morning flight home. Two days in Los Angeles went by quickly, but between the shopping, great food, Hollywood sights, and time spent with my son and niece, we made memories that will last a lifetime!
Places Visited
Original Farmers Market
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036
The Magic Nut & Candy Company (Original Farmers Market – Stall 522)
6333 W. 3rd St. #522, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Bob's Coffee & Doughnuts (Original Farmers Market)
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Magee's Kitchen (Original Farmers Market)
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036
The Grove
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Apple The Grove
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Dylan's Candy Bar – The Grove
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
La La Land Kind Cafe – The Grove
189 The Grove Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Ovation Hollywood
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
TCL Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
Mixue
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Suite 143, Hollywood, CA 90028
Trader Joe's (West Hollywood location)
175 South Fairfax, Los Angeles, CA 90036
North Italia – The Point
840 S Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 110, El Segundo, CA 90245
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream – The Point
850 S Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 116, El Segundo, CA 90245
Ralphs (El Segundo location)
770 S Sepulveda Blvd, El Segundo, CA 90245
