CATALINA ISLAND!

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Sometimes the greatest experiences in life were never even planned.

I got so many questions from you all when we went to Catalina Island I decided to just jot stuff down here;)

Nana and Papa were tireless caretakers of Hayden while I was working on the Lifetime movie. So, as a reprieve from the LA heat and lockdowns, we jetted off to Catalina, or more accurately - boated! For an incredibly last minute trip to a place none of us had ever been, the excursion will be filed in our memories under “perfect.”  It’s a fabulous little getaway. Much like our trip to the snow earlier this year. I’ve lived in LA over 25 years and have never come down to this island. How this destination slipped though my fingers, I’ll never know. Plus, my dad has always wanted to visit Catalina- next time we’ll go fishing, dad! My earliest memories in life were trips to see my grandparents and extended family. Love that Hayden is making so many memories with his Nana and Papa. Grateful they make so many sacrifices to spend as much time with him as possible.

First things first:

COVID PROTOCOLS

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The whole experience was safe from the boat ride on Catalina Express to the restaurants. You are required to wear masks the entire trip on the boat, in public places on the island, or around other people outside of your household. Many, many restaurants on Avalon open for outdoor seating, as well as outdoor activities. Shopping is available at limited capacity.

TRANSPORTATION:

BOOK YOUR TRAVEL: CATALINA EXPRESS worked very well for us. There is a submarine that I plan on taking next time. The VIP space is worth it… you board first and can sit with ample space, but also move about the boat and go outside. It’s about a 45-50 minute boat ride from Long Beach, where we boarded.

Once you arrive: if you cannot check into your hotel right away, or you are only there for the day and want a place to keep some items at different points throughout the day, the luggage check right at the boat dock is invaluable. We learned this a bit late, so don’t make our mistake. They will come drop off your luggage to your destination or pick it up for you upon check out; it’s totally affordable.

EXPLORE

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FYI: jumper is sold out, but similar ones linked below. I really wish I had worn white tennis shoes instead of my black running shoes, but I wasn’t the best packer on this excursion.

Now, I’m not super familiar with this place, but our time wondering around was well spent. We walked to the Descanso Gardens passed the stunning Catalina Casino. If you keep walking, you’ll find a full adventure park (zip-lining, etc. I’m DOING THIS next time! It looked safe and fun). Keep going and you’ll find yourself hiking a bit up the mountain where we saw an entire family of deer.

I’ve been told next time I need to check out Wrigley’s Mansion (or the bed and breakfast pictured below here). Also, I will most definitely visit the museum to learn more about the history. Speaking of….

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HISTORY

Italized Excerpt from PeterGreenberg.com

After the land changed hands from the Spain to the United States in the late 1800s, it was eventually bought by William Wrigley (of Wrigley chewing gum fame) in 1919, who immediately set out on investing in the island to make Catalina a tourist destination. The small town of Avalon was erected, along with the Casino Ballroom in 1929. The early 1900s was a golden age for Catalina—movie stars flocked to the island to relax and hide away from fans.

Charlie Chaplin fished off his boat, Humphrey Bogart and Errol Flynn would frequent the island, and even Winston Churchill came to fish, famously catching a marlin in 20 minutes. According to Catalina Island MuseumExecutive Director Michael De Marsche, John Wayne “would walk around, wave to the kids, walk into the local eatery or establishment, have a couple of drinks, come out with handful of quarters, and would throw them to the kids, who would dive in the water after them.”

In 1925, buffalo were brought over for the filming of Zane Grey’s THE VANISHING AMERICAN. The crew left the buffalo there and they are now a symbol of the island!

After Pearl Harbor was bombed, the island became a military base for quite some time. It eventually returned to a tourist and celebrity destination. Sadly, Natalie Wood’s drowing off a boat on the coast made international headlines.

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EAT

We HIGHLY recommend the Bluewater Grill. It is right on the water and everything we ordered was perfect (and we can be picky!). I could eat their baked fish tacos everyday! We heard Avalon Grille is amazing, but it was not reopened yet.

“M” restaurant looked lovely and I heard amazing things about it as well.

But, you will not go hungry! Restaurants are plentiful and most overlook the Pacific. Maggie’s Mexican will be on the list next time;) Currently, you must eat outdoors (a mandate in Los Angeles), but that works perfectly in Catalina.

GOLF CARTS

Had we planned a bit better, we would have reserved a cart to explore the island. You can rent by the hour and request ones with seat belts (especially fo the little ones!). So, my to-do list for the next trip has started. And there will be a next trip, hopefully sooner than later. We didn’t think to reserve one and they got completely booked!!

Don’t wait as long as we did! If you’re in the area, carve out a day or two and go visit Southern California’s little escape! Yes, it’s touristy, but fun every once in a while. If you have any questions about it, ask away! Also, if you’ve been and have other ideas to add for my next time there, please let me know!

xoxo AAJ

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Got Kids? TOP THINGS TO DO IN LA WITH KIDS!

Photo: @Ographr

Photo: @Ographr

Top things to do in Los Angeles WITH KIDS— the second part of my VISIT LOS ANGELES series. (See the first post on TOP FREE THINGS TO DO IN LA). The City of Angeles has gems for children that are worth carving out time whether you are a local and looking for fun things to do this summer or year round, or vacationing on the West Coast.

There are many lists out there, but these are my curated picks from the past few years running around LA with Huck and Hayden. Nothing is sponsored, by the way…I’m so often asked these questions, I just decided to jot it all down.

THE HUNTINGTON GARDENS

CHILDREN UNDER 4  ARE FREE.

If you follow me on stories, you see how often we are at “The Gardens.” I truly love the wide open spaces, the unbelievable selection of different gardens and cultures. It is an amazing experience for kids of all ages. My suggestions for first time visitors:

If you live in the area, buy a family membership for about $150 or so. It will pay for itself quickly and you can also bring a guest (there are rules to how many and adults verses kids, please check).

I recommend giving yourself some time if you are paying the day rate. There are several places to eat throughout the gardens, but you could also pack a picnic. If you want to see it all, I would give myself a good 3-4 hours, maybe more. Get a map- there is a lot to see! Make sure you don’t miss the Botanical Garden, the Children’s outdoor museum and the Japanese and Chinese Gardens, where you can also grab a bite to eat on site. The Art galleries are worth visiting, but may be more of an interest to you, not the kids. If your child likes water, there are fountains and streams in the children’s section. I make sure we have a swimsuit that dries easily or a change of clothes. You don’t have to, but the younger ones tend to get wet. We definitely use a stroller for Hayden, FYI. There are stroller and wheel-chair accessible ways throughout the entire garden.

THE SKIRBALL MUSEUM

The Noah’s Ark Exhibit is not to be missed. From my experience, it seems to interest children until the age of around 11 or 12. ADMISSION IS FREE for children under 2 always and FREE for everyone EVERY THURSDAY on a first come, first serve basis starting at 11:45. Huck had the best time here when he was 3, and now Hayden is taking after him. It’s incredibly inventive, educational and historical (even I enjoyed it!). Plenty of activities to keep your interest, keep them occupied (ropes to climb, lightning to “make,” etc), and don’t miss the Family Art Programs.

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Courtsey of Museum

Courtsey of Museum

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

I have heard AMAZING things about this Natural History museum in Los Angeles, so I felt the need to include it. My usual rounds of the Natural Science and History Museum is in Houston with my parents and Hayden, so I added the text from the website. While writing this column, I’m making a separate list to take Huck and Hayden asap and I’ll update this with my thoughts!

Discover your world past and present. See dinosaurs in our new Dinosaur Hall, including the world’s only Tyrannosaurus rex growth series. Get the behind- the- scenes look at how scientists work on fossils at our Dino Lab. See 240 specimens, including skeletons from mastodons to whales, animal dioramas from North American and Africa, and more.Stroll through our extensive Nature Gardens, and discover true stories about plants and animals in our Nature Lab. See and touch more than 2,000 spectacular specimens displayed in our Gem and Mineral Hall, and enter into the vault to view diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and other exquisite gems. Our Butterfly and Spider Pavilions are open seasonally. Here you can wander through the changing ecosystem with over 30 species of fluttering butterflies all around you, or witness arachnids up close and personal. source: website.

Courtesy of Museum

Courtesy of Museum

Courtesy of instagram/museum

Courtesy of instagram/museum

BACK AT THE BEACH

I’ve talked about how Back at the Beach Cafe is one of my favorite spots in between Santa Monica beach and Malibu before (like in THIS POST HERE). I LOVE it.

PROS: Enjoy lunch while your toes feel the sand. Let the kids play on the playground on the beach right by the patio all in front of the ocean. If you aren’t responsible for any kiddos, btw, sit under the umbrella and enjoy a glass of wine. You are steps away from feeling the water on your feet! It's adjacent to the Anneberg Beach House, which is worth a visit, too.

CONS: Parking. On a good parking day, there’s inexpensive paid parking right in front… on a crowded summer weekend, it takes a long time to find parking and can take a while to get a spot at the restaurant outside on the patio. Indoor seating can be reserved for tables of 6 or more. You can also make reservations through the Anneberg for parking and a pool spot, which I would highly recommend if you want to make a day out of it.

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FISHERMAN’S VILLAGE

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Right here in LA county, there is a little slice of New England seaside in the Marina called Fisherman’s Village. It definitely has some instagram worthy photo-ops, but I would only make a trip to Marina Del Rey if I was 1) staying nearby or 2) going on a boat ride. The village is still in need of a bit of renovation, however, there’re restaurants and stores open that are charming.

FYI- the Marina is very close to Venice and Santa Monica, as well as LAX. So, if planned properly, could be an easy stop to end the day and watch the boats sail into the sunset.

Image: Getty

Image: Getty

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SANTA MONICA PIER

You’ll most likely get some great photos here, but I describe my reticence in the first segment of these posts HERE. If you’re visiting the area in an off season, I say go! But it gets very crowded otherwise. Still a famous site to see and kids love festival type games and rides, so it’s a must have on this list.


ECHO LAKE PARK

Rent a pedal boat and have a picnic in the park that dates back to 1860! After the extensive renovation, pedal through the lake or walk the path lined with palm trees with the Los Angeles skyline as the back drop. Have a bite at Beacon while you’re there!

LA BREA TAR PITS

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Again, this made the list on the first segment, but it bears repeating here because kids love it. Right here in the HEART of LA, you get to experience the Ice Age. The LA BREA TAR PITS next to the L.A. County Museum of Art is the most significant source of prehistoric fossils ever excavated. These fossils have made their way into museums around the world, but the largest collection is here at the Page Museum. It's free to wander the park and look at the tar pits and outdoor exhibits. During the summer, you can watch the excavators at work

ANGELS FLIGHT RAILWAY

Remember Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams riding this Angles Flight railway in THE NOTEBOOK? Well, maintenance is now complete and it is open! If you have reason to go to Downtown LA, this is a MUST SEE or must ride! I must say I had forgotten about this historical landmark until Katherine Kelly Lang and B&B producer Casey Kasprzyk added it to their Bus Tour! It’ll be one of the best dollars you spend in LA! And totally instagram worthy;)

Image: instagram

Image: instagram

TRAVEL TOWN

When Hayden was barely a month old, we took our first family outing to Travel Town to do something fun for Huck. This is a great space for kids to explore old trains, learn about the rich 150 year-old heritage and roam around. ADMISSION IS FREE. Train rides are a nominal fee (around $3) and really fun for younger kids. Bring a picnic to have a snack at a picnic table. There are limited snacks available on site.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIO TOUR

If your kids are a bit older (at least 8), your family might consider a studio lot tour to see behind the scenes of where the magic happens. This site does a great job at breaking down all the tours in town, prices and age limits. If you are a fan of a show (like FRIENDS, for instance, you might get a kick out of sitting on the couch at “Central Perk!”), take that particular tour! I’ve been on all the lots and seen the tours drive by. Generally, they are all pretty informative and fun. If you keep your eyes peeled, there’s a great chance you’ll see stars of shows walking around. I hear Universal reenacts the plane crash from WAR OF THE WORLDS, has fire, etc—- plus you get to spend the rest of the day at the Universal park! Most people I talk to after they take a tour rave about it! The studios are located all over the city, so make sure you plan your day’s events around traffic and parking.

HOLLYWOOD BOWL

Scroll down on my post HERE where I give away a great secret for kids that love music. Many concerts at the bowl have FREE rehearsals during the day with easy (nearly VIP) parking and so fun for the kids to run around and get a “private” day concert.

If you’ve done any of these activities and have some tips, PLEASE LEAVE THEM IN THE COMMENTS. I want to continually update this post so it stays current. Looking foward to your thoughts and if you have anything to add.

Happy Summer with the kiddos!!

xoxo

AAJ

BoyMom Twinning

A few weeks ago I put this dress and matching shirt for Hayden on instastory. I stumbled on it during a quick run into the Gap. I bought mine and ordered Hayden's (then ended up ordering one for Joel and Huck!). Hayden's just came in the mail. I think I'm gonna do that one cheesy picture this year where the whole family is wearing the same print for summer vacation. Too cheesy? I think it's kinda fun while the boys are still little. And it's not everyday that you find matching mom and boy outfits, so I'm taking advantage.

These matching outfits below (clickable images) are from the Gap. So affordable. There's usually some code for an extra percentage off, so check the website. Joel's shirt came to $24. For reference, I'm in an size XS. This dress is so easy. I love the map print reminding me of places I've been and places on my bucket list. Wear it by itself or with a denim shirt or jacket, or cardigan at night. I added the little toddler/baby girl dress for those of you with little girls! Ahhh. So cute. 

Wearing these extremely budget friendly white sunglasses too much lately, but they're fun (and $14).

Whatever you are up to today, hope it's a good one. Vacation plans soon? 

I'm off to an audition!!

xo

AAJ