We went to California for a week back in November to visit my grandparents and our friends. Below is a list of some of our favorite restaurants and fun things to do.

Newport Beach, CA - We debated on going to Newport or Laguna. We landed on Newport. Next trip, we’ll definitely check out Laguna.

What to Eat in the Fountain Valley Area:

Brodard
Lee’s Sandwich

One of my favorite Vietnamese restaurant by my grandparents’ neighborhood is called Brodard in Fountain Valley, CA. They specialize in spring rolls but they also have some other amazing Vietnamese dishes as well.

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Brodard is known for their spring rolls and dipping sauces. We ordered like 5 different rolls.

Featuring Mi Hoanh Thanh (Vietnamese Egg Noodle Soup with Wontons)

I was showing my grandma my Instagram and all the types of photos I take and she really liked the idea of taking photos with our food so, of course, she joined in on the fun.

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They’re quite modest but we made sure we spoiled them with so much food when we were there. We got them Lee’s Sandwiches which specializes in Banh Mi and Vietnamese Iced Coffee as well as American style breakfast too.

What to Eat in the Newport Area:

Hook and Anchor

Tommy wanted to explore some of the surrounding beaches and my grandparents’ told us they haven’t been to Newport despite living there for decades! So we drove them there to go walk the beach.

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Hook and Anchor Restaurant featuring the lobster roll.

While in Newport Beach, we looked up popular restaurants and we took my grandparents’ out at a spot called Hook and Anchor that specialized in seafood. We enjoyed a lobster roll among other dishes and my grandpa really enjoyed the cajun french fries.

My grandparents’ garden. She’s really proud of her flowers and plants.

My Grandparents’ garden

What to do in the Costa Mesa Area:

The Lab Anti Mall
- Habana - Cuban inspired cuisine, cocktail bar, and bakery.
- The Ruin Bar - Cocktail Bar
- True Food Kitchen - Health-Driven Seasonal Restaurant

While staying at my grandparents, Tommy and I had a date night and explore an area called The Lab. There we had cocktails at The Ruin Bar and dinner at Habana. It was a really cool little district to hang out at.

On another night, we went back to Costa Mesa and met up with Janelle and had dinner with her at True Food Kitchen. The food was light and refreshing yet filling. We strolled around the area until we were some how trapped inside and outdoor mall. Yeah, you read that correctly. Don’t worry, Janelle called the mall security who helped us get out of the mall and back to our cars (lol).

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After our last night with my grandparents, we made our way to Hollywood to visit our friend, Justin. We strolled around the Melrose area in Hollywood. We shopped and checked out some cool barbershops in the area.

What to do in the Hollywood Area:

Shop the Melrose Area
Take photos at iconic sites’
Enjoy Coffee
- Paramount Coffee Project Los Angeles (Permanently Closed)
- Coffee Dose
- Alfred

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Paul Smith Store

We drove past a pink building and there was a ton of people taking photos with it. So naturally, I had to have one too. We walked around for awhile before the building wasn’t so packed so I could take a photo with it. (Don’t believe me, you can see Chris D’elia’s video here - haha).

If you’re in the area and you want a photo with this wall, be sure to look up the store, Paul Smith.

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Coffee Dose is connected to a boutique and they have an outdoor area upstairs you can sit and enjoy your coffee.

Paramount Coffee Project Los Angeles has a to go window.

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“But first, coffee®” is literally a registered trademark by Alfred.

From there, we found some cool coffee spots like Paramount Coffee Project Los Angeles, Coffee Dose, and Alfred. Justin took us to a shopping center too. I guess living in Michigan I forget that in nice weather states, malls tend to basically be outdoors - kind of like how our outlets are set up in Michigan.

Outdoor shopping mall

On the trolly

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The mall was so big it had a food market in it and a trolley that took you from one end of the mall to the other. After we were tired from exploring the mall, we headed to our room for the night and Justin took us out to a Japanese BBQ restaurant. It was amazing! It definitely is different from Korean BBQ which is what I’m more familiar with.

What to eat in the Hollywood Area:

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The closest we’ll ever get to juicing is drinking this amazing Bloody Mary.

The next morning, Tommy took me to grab coffee at Alfred and we looked for a spot to enjoy brunch. We stumbled upon The Butcher, The Baker, and The Cappuccino Maker. Their food and drinks were so good. Everything was delicious so you can’t really go wrong with the menu. We shared this massive Bloody Mary that came with a sandwich and an egg benedict.

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After brunch, I convinced Tommy to go to the Museum of Dream Space with me which happened to be inside of an actual mall. There’s about 6 interactive experiences in the space and they welcome photos so it was super fun.

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If you’re in the area, make sure you stop by and enjoy what is basically an “Instagram” museum experience. You can find info about the Museum of Dream Space here.

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A big part of the trip was for me to get touristy photos. I know people will cringe when you see people out there taking photos for the gram but honestly, I really wanted photos of these experiences. It’s been fun to edit, look back on, share, and send them to my grandparents.

The Iconic Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Boulevard

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It’s really important to me to live in the moment as well as capturing the moment since I am a photographer. Tommy and I have a rule with each other when it comes to trips to help us keep a balance. We always set aside 30 minutes to shoot at any given spot and once that time is up, we put our phones and cameras down to enjoy being in the moment and being present.

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We wrapped up our last meal in Hollywood at Tatsu Ramen. If you know me, I enjoy food and and California is a hot bed for authentic food experiences. We got to eat at an amazing taco truck that was parked in a parking lot attached to a gas station, had some of the best Vietnamese food ever, and topped it off with Ramen - which is honestly one of my favorite soups of all time. If you’re in the area, be sure to try Tatsu Ramen. There may be a wait but it’s well worth it.

A Foodie & Photographer's Guide on What to Do & What to Eat in LA

What to Eat in the Fountain Valley Area:

What to Eat in the Newport Area:

What to do in the Costa Mesa Area:

What to do in the Hollywood Area:

What to eat in the Hollywood Area:

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