I have been fortunate enough to start a new career with a non-profit called Cure SMA. (PLUG — donate to a great cause!!) I am the development manger for the Southeast Region of the US (which includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi). Most recently, I was asked to assist with some other territory and got to take a 12 day trip to California! I was asked to take on a new Gala in Laguna Niguel, California. The gala was amazing and raised about $90k the night of the event.
The best part of all, is that my friend Jess B came (from Seattle) and met me in California! She showed up to my event, waited long hours as I wrapped up my event, counted money, etc. We stayed at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott and began our vacay as the clock struck midnight!
Next stop: Santa Monica!
Where we stayed: The Viceroy Hotel
Ok- this hotel was amazingly beautiful, and what is better than coming from brunch to check in our hotel as a white party is going on by the pool? Jess and I quickly changed and instantly made our way to the pool area. We made some friends, stayed out until 4am, and let’s leave it at that. Check out The Bungalow for some sunday funday late nights.
The next day we (surprisingly) got up early and headed to the pool … Thank you to Rave Suits and Private Party for our amazing twinning bathing suits. Nothing is more basic than matching, drinking from a swan floatie and sipping champagne. #soBASIC.
Then we went to the Santa Monica Pier for some touristy action… need I say more? Ferris wheel time!
We took it easy the next night because we had a big adventure in store the next day! Just wait…
We took our rental car down the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. For some reason my brilliant idea for instagram photos was to wear cute outfits, when really it was 50 something degrees out and we should have been bundled. But the pics… they really are great! On our way we stopped for brunch at Paradise Cove, drank out of fun pineapples (pregame) and enjoyed some shopping (Jess did some damage) at Planet Blue and Wildfox.
The Adventure: Malibu Wine Safari
As we traveled up the coast, we had to make a stop at Malibu Wine Safari. I was so excited to be in California and HAD to see what the wine hype was all about. I had read some reviews on this place before, so we gave it a shot. Our tour guides Mike and Holly were incredible. Their jokes were stupidly funny, Holly was a bad ass former beauty queen (no really, she was on Miss USA– added her on insta after the tour). We got on this crazy peacock colored truck and went exploring. We saw and fed Llamas, Zebras, water buffalo, a giraffe, and more.
My favorite part was feeding the Giraffe. This guy is famous – check him out on Instagram @a_giraffe_named_stanley.
The owners of this place are so cool that they had their own “trailer park”. For anyone that knows me, I WANT and NEED a VW bus in my life, so again- – a much needed instagram photo opp.
Trailer Park:
Trailer Park Photo Opps:
I swear there was wine on this tour. I was just drinking it all up while gallivanting around getting selfies. How cute is Jess B? Oh– there’s Holly!
The views here were just amazing. I want to go back over and over again.
Thanks Malibu Wine Safaris!
Trip is coming to an end and we decided to travel to Hollywood on our last day.
We took a hike to the Hollywood sign. Do yourself a favor and take the Hollyridge trail. I was struggling. Not because I was necessarily out of shape (that too) but more so because the altitude for a Floridian really hits ya when you’re up in the mountains. Start: Put Griffith Park in your GPS and there are two parking lots at the bottom of the hill.
Theres a map at the start of the trail. Head toward the Hollyridge Trail, which climbs for a half mile and meets the Mulholland Trail. When you reach the two where it splits, decide if you want to take the longer or shorter trek (the sign says how many miles to each.) I went left toward the paved road. This brings you to the top of Mt. Lee, where you can see the sign below, and if the weather is clear, the views are great. Watch out for the horse poop when you get to Mt Lee. SO gross. The total distance on this hike is 3 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 750 feet.
Views at where the trail splits at Hollyridge and Mulholland:
Horse poop: Seriously, watch out for it…
There’s another break in the trail that says .3 miles or .7 – we chose .7 and got this awesome view. Just do it. You’ve made it that far. And it brings you to THIS:
We decided since we made it to Hollywood we would check out Hollywood Blvd. Do yourself a favor and DON’T GO. It is like the Times Square of New York, so unless you’re into that stuff, stay clear of it. I got two photos. 1. Because I am a Forest Gump Freak (gotta love Tom Hanks), and 2. Because this restaurant was cute and I deserved a cocktail after the tourist trap I braved.
Other places I ate:
The Lobster on Santa Monica Pier – They had a $25 corkage fee so we enjoyed our bottle of wine from Malibu Wine Safari (LOL Kendric Llama Wine). We split the shrimp cocktail.
Not pictured- the crab cake we split and inhaled. Get it.
Before our flights we decided to hit up the beach, but it was cold out yet again. So we picked up these sweet mexican fiesta-like hoodies and sipped wine on the pier. Life’s a party! Until next time, Santa Monica! Miss you, Jess B! 
Until my next jet set,
Jenna
Jennaration Travel 