Los Angeles - Travel Diaries
Hi friends!
Welcome to the newest segment on What’s Em Style! Travel Diaries – where I take you through all of the details of my stays and plays!
In June, my husband and I played in Los Angeles, California! This was a bucket list item because I have never been to the West Coast, let alone California - man was it perfect! We stayed three days and three nights in the hustle and bustle of downtown LA, commonly referred to as DTLA. We stayed at an eclectic, moody, and serene boutique hotel called Hotel Per La. This hotel was a prime location for walking to restaurants, patisseries, coffee shops, and lounges. The suite we stayed in was ornately decorated with lively colors, collected artwork and photographs, and traditionally charming bathroom designs. We had a courtyard facing room with a romantically large bathtub in the main room. This room provided deep contrasts in the dark green and navy trim and doorways compared to the white walls and bedding. The natural light was impeccable.
One reason we chose to stay in this hotel was the additional amenities it offered. There were multiple benefits packages to choose from, but the one we chose included a daily food & beverage stipend, access to the LA Athletic Club, and other amenities. The daily food & drink stipend came in handy as we got coffees from the hotel’s coffee shop, Cafe Ora, daily! Iced oat milk latte with sugar-free vanilla please!!!
For most of the days, I played solo as Andy was working. The hotel had plenty of things for me to explore. In the mornings, I parked myself in a comfy and stylish booth in their lobby/restaurant area to get some emails and What’s Em Style things done… as well as people watching. If you enjoy people watching as much as I do, 10/10 recommend going to a new state, sitting in your hotel lobby, and just observing those around you. It was so captivating to hear different accents, observe different styles, and watch different interactions.
On day 2 of being in LA, I explored the rooftop pool area. It was quaint, quiet, & serene. Men and women sat with drinks in their hands and chatted about all the things. The women to my left gossiped about their friend’s new relationship, the gentleman to my right sat reading a book quietly, and the mother & daughter duo in front of me laughed and giggled with each sip of their drinks. I sat at the poolside for hours… again people watching, but also reading on my kindle. I am currently reading Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hildebrand. It was a slow start, but now I am invested in the lives of the employees at the Hotel Nantucket!
Once Andy wrapped up his work for the day, we’d rendezvous at the hotel and head out on our nightly adventure!
Night 1 led us just one block down to the ever-charming Bottega Louie, a restaurant and patisserie that felt straight out of a movie. From the moment we were seated, we were welcomed with a warm basket of bread, a sleek glass bottle of water, and a softly glowing candle that set the mood perfectly. The ambiance was effortlessly elegant, and the food? Impeccable. We ordered their pepperoni pizza, and I’m not being dramatic when I say it was one of the best pizzas we’ve ever had—thin crust, just the right amount of spice, and bubbling with flavor.
After dinner, we made our way to the iconic Griffith Observatory, nestled high above the city. It was bustling with people—clearly a favorite among both tourists and locals—and parking took a bit of patience. But once we arrived, we learned the observatory was celebrating 90 years of stargazing! We even got to look through the largest telescope on-site and saw the moon. It was such a surreal, memorable moment. If you’re ever in LA, 10/10 recommend carving out time to visit the Griffith Observatory.
Night 2 was whimsical & joyous! We ventured out to Santa Monica, where we caught the sunset with our toes in the sand and the ocean breeze tangled in our hair. As we waded into the waves, Andy turned to me and asked what I thought—and all I could think was, “It smells different than the Gulf…” How Texas of me, right?
But truly, that night was the highlight of our entire trip. We giggled & laughed, splashed in the water, and strolled along the famous Santa Monica Pier. At the very end of the pier, we paused to take it all in: the glittering lights behind us, the dark blue horizon ahead, dotted with distant ships and rolling waves. It was absolutely breathtaking. Looking back, I think it’s safe to say… I miss Santa Monica the most.
I hope this post gave you inspiration & must-sees for your next visit to Los Angeles! For more on our time in California, head over to my TikTok for my day in the lifes & outfit of the days! For more on my outfits from our trip, take a look at my “Los Angeles Outfits” shelf on my ShopMy.
XO,
Em
