So in October I'm going on holiday for the first time in 3 years! Not only that but I'm going to California!
Claire and I are going for a week and staying in Anaheim so we're
central to Disneyland. We're huge Disney lovers and so far the holidays
we've taken together have been to DisneyWorld in Florida and Disneyand
Paris (we are super cool and not at all lame and Disney obsessed like you think). We're also
going to visit Hollywood and a mall somewhere.
Neither of us have been there before and are very excited!
But.... Even though we are going in October it's going to be very hot
and sunny. And I don't cope too well in the heat! (I'm HATING the
weather here in London at the moment). And it's been so long since I've
been on holiday somewhere hot I've forgotten what I need to take! (other
than a sunhat and sunblock!)
So that's where you guys come in! What do I need to take with me? Has
anyone been to California/live there and know of anything we should be
doing? Does anyone know where I can get an awesome looking backpack (or
other travel suitable bag) before I go? What/how much makeup can I take on the plane? Any tips to help me cope with the heat? Anyone know any comfortable but stylist/pretty shoes?
And where I can find Archie
comics when I get there? I love me some Jughead.
Oh and what should I do with my hair? I feel like I should bleach it, because California just brings blonde hair to mind and I had always planned to go back to blonde. However everyone keeps telling me how great I look with black hair.
Any tips would be really helpful! Help me with
my life! :P
Makeup on the plane in your hand luggage is fine, but NOTHING over 100ml. Anything in the hold is also fine but make sure if you take shampoos or anything they're not full so they don't asplode.
ReplyDeleteI like you with any coloured hair! Attitude used to have really funky backpacks but at the moment I would like this one http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/220292744789?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&cbt=y
I don't know about comfort but the Melissa/Westwood flats are perfect for Disneyland, no?
Ahh mah gawd that backpack is so cute! Which Westwood flats are ya talking about?
DeleteI've been to California and a cooling spray/face mist will be a lifesaver! Also a decent pair of sunglasses :)
ReplyDeleteI think you look great with any coloured hair, but it may be worth keeping in mind that if you bleach your hair and then go in the harsh sun of California it may damage your hair more than the bleach itself! If you do bleach it, make sure you bring lots of hair protective stuff with you :)
Ah that's a good idea! I have a problem with my eyes and have to wear sunglasses basically all the time so am gonna be backing a million pairs incase I lose some!
DeleteTo be honest I've never really cared about damaging my hair, I always just figure I can chop it all off and start again :P
If you sweat a lot, or are planning to go near water (like Splash Mountain) I suggest a really good primer to keep you're makeup on.
ReplyDeleteDon't wear jewelry that falls off easy, and I totally agree with Robyn about the Westwood flats.
Ooh good tips! Thank you!
DeleteI always where shoes that are strapped on to my feet cos I get scared I will lose them on the rides! Last time I went to florida I got decent strappy leopard print sandals in the Office sale which did the trick. I usually take a fan with me too and I always pack my make up in my suitcase and only take lip balm on the plane with me. If you wanna be blonde for Disney I would just do it! Blondes do have more fun :)
ReplyDeleteOh I've had that fear too! I remember being on a leg-dangling roller coaster in ballet flats and spending the whole ride clenching my toes scared I'd lose my shoes!
DeleteHmm well I do want to have the optimum amount of fun! ;D
I would go on your airline's website, and check to see what their guidelines are prior to loading your luggage :). Guidelines change ALL the time; I remember in the space of a month it went from being able to carry a freezer bag sized ziplock worth of 100 ml liquid containers in your carry on - to a sandwich size ziplock bag worth of 100 ml liquid containers. Carry all the dry makeup you can fit in to a carry on, they don't care :)!
ReplyDeleteYou look adorable as a blond or with a head full of goff, so either or! Haha, I know that doesn't help when you're procrastinating! I would suggest blond, so your hair isn't absorbing all the hot sunshine. Wear lots of light cotton and linen! Also, pretty sure you can find Archie Comics everywhere, even a 7-11 or Wal-Mart. Aside from that... I haven't lived in California in years and I'm from the Bay Area, not So-Cal, so I wouldn't know what to suggest...
Oh! Download the Yelp app if you have a smart phone! In a pinch, it'll give you restaurant suggestions near where you're staying. I always use mine in a different city, because I'm vegan and want to know where all the cheap vegan noms are. I know you're vegetarian, so it'll be handy for that! It'll also be handy for telling you where alllll the Archie comics are :).
Thank you lovely Tea!
DeleteDo lipsticks and things like that count as dry makeup? It's not a liquid but it seems they might complain.
I like your thinking with the light hair absorbing less heat, I must do all I can to stay cool!
And I will do that! Our hotel has wifi so I can look stuff up there on my phone :)
Lipsticks, last time I flew didn't count as a liquid! Lipglosses did :).
DeleteI would bring layers. I live in San Diego (2 hours south of Los Angeles by car) and it can really cool off in the evening! A sweater or light jacket is necessary. Also, an umbrella wouldn't be bad to keep the sun off.
ReplyDeleteWhen I travel, I like to use the wikipedia page for a city I want to visit to get the average temperature and humidity for a given month.
It might not be as bad here as you expect. Well, the sun will. It's very bright. But it's not humid. If you have any questions about the area just let me know!
My favorite Southern California destination? The San Diego Zoo which is also an ecology research/animal conservation facility. Which means they have a ton of different animals, and most are reasonably happy.
But maybe this would be more helpful than hearing about how I love the zoo: http://golosangeles.about.com/od/losangelesshopping/tp/IndoorMalls.htm
Thanks so much, I'll be sure to bring some cardigans and a jacket for the evenings :)
DeleteUnfortunately we can't go too many places because neither of us can drive, we have to rely on what's near enough to us to go by public transport :(
I live in California! (Orange County near Disneyland, no less) The thing about weather in Disneyland is that it'll be 90 degrees during the day (my birthday is the first of November, and when I went to Disneyland, it was 92!) and then it'll get SUPER cold at night! So I always make sure I bring a nice sweater that'll keep me warm, and maybe gloves too. (I don't fair in the cold well, in case you can't tell) Definitely get the two park pass so you can go to California Adventure and go on Hollywood's Tower of Terror too! Luckily, if it gets too hot, you can always hop on Splash Mountain or Pirates (the line for Pirates generally isn't longer than 20 minutes, but goes by really fast because boats are constantly going. It's about a 20 minute ride and it's cool, so it'll keep you comfortable) I like to wear TOMS when I go to Disneyland because they have awsome arch support, and they're trendy.
ReplyDeleteI'd say the best way to beat the heat, although it may seem obvious, is water, water, water! Be sure that you carry around a lot of water, and do not be afraid to stop and take a break if it gets too warm. Grab some ice cream or frozen yogurt, hop inside a movie, go inside a store, anything to get out of the heat for even 15 minutes. That little time out of the sun goes a long way! A big, face eating pair of sunglasses is a great thing to have (and stylish, at that)
There are a lot of great malls near Disneyland (the Irvine Spectrum Center, Mission Viejo mall, the Block in Orange, Fashion Island) and a few in LA (the Galleria is all that I can think of at the moment, unfortunately) so you have plenty of options of good malls to go to! Downtown Disney is also a great place to shop (since you'll be there anyway) and has a lot of stores and restaurants there. (I'm partial to the Rainforest Cafe and the House of Blues). There's also a great place you should stop by called the Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney, they have great pastries!
I hope that my novel was somewhat helpful :]
Super handy tips thank you! We've got a five day hopper pass to both parks (might not use all 5 days but it was only $10 difference between it and a 3 day pass so we thought we might as well) I'm looking forward to the World of Colour show :)
DeleteI'll be sure to take some warmer clothes for the evenings, and will definately take your advice and take breaks away from the sun.
And I like pastries a whole lot so the Jazz kitchen is calling me!
Check out your baggage allowance and weigh your case at home.
ReplyDeletePut minimal cosmetics in hand luggage because security will take anything even remotely liquid off you before you can blink.
They will even make you pay for the stupid plastic bag! And if it's over 100ml they will keep it. Stick to mascara and pressed powder with a lipstick and eye- palette. I could tell they wanted my mini mascara two weeks ago but I shut up and they didn't push it.
Hair? Blonde for sure but mega-conditioned and have a hat. Shoes? Comfort has to win over style every time. Get some Converse and funk them up? I hate trainers and stuff but for Disney you can't do heels. Jelly shoes can get awfully sweaty so I wouldn't recommend them. Not ballet shoes. Get a leather punch and some old DMs and customise! Airy-Docs!
Have a lovely time!
Thank you for all the advice! I might not even bother taking any makeup in my hand luggage after all, I'm too nervous of having a precious lipstick confiscated!
DeleteI always weigh my bags a million times before flying because I dread having to pay the surcharge!
Archie comics: drugstores, 7/11s, grocery stores...anywhere tabloids are found :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! it's weird, when I was in Florida a few years ago I couldn't find any anywhere!
DeleteThey are always at Publix!
DeleteOmgah, I'm going to Disneyland next week!!! Hope you have a blast when you come out here! I love your outfit btw!
ReplyDeleteEeeh I hope you have a great time! Thank you, I loved dressing like Minnie in Florida :D
DeleteIn Southern California it's still warm in October but sometimes it's a little chilly (mostly towards nighttime, even now that it's summer). Maybe a couple of sweaters should be enough, and a light scarf but nothing too excessive. There have been times in the past where its been ridiculously hot and other times where its windy and drizzly. October weather is odd so you should check the weather on Yahoo and just type in Anaheim and Los Angeles a few days prior to your trip so you have a better idea of what it will be like.
ReplyDeleteIn Hollywood's Walk of Fame strip, you can visit the Wax Museum and Madame Tussaud's, and next to MT you and Claire can take cheesy pictures of your hands and feet in celebrities' prints at Grauman's Chinese theater, like a building or so way is the Kodak theater (there's a MAC store right by the entrance) where they host the Oscars (I saw JK Rowling there for a reading and signing of the Deathly Hallows!) and next to that is a big Sephora (makeup heaven right?!). I think there's also an H&M shop across the street. I don't know if I'm making this up or I'm cofusing you with another blogger but if you're into paganism or witchy things there is also the Pan Pipes pagan shop a little further away(Fairuza Balk used to own it--I love The Craft), it's pretty small and easy to miss but it's cool. If you or Claire like history, there is also the Museum of the Holocaust (not to be confused with the Museum of Tolerance) which is free and pretty small so the setting feels really intimate and sometimes there are speakers there who survived the Holocaust (in 10th grade my class went and got to hear Rene Firestone's story, she was also in the movie Freedom Writers as herself). It is not in the tourist part of Hollywood but like 15 minutes away.
You can also go to Universal City Walk (it's free and there's a Lush shop there and a Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant if you're into Forrest Gump) and if you go to the Universal Studios right next to it (I think tickets are like $80), take the backlot tours where you can see the Psycho house, Wisteria Lane and other lots where movies and shows are filmed.
If you or Claire are into the US version of The Office, you can also visit the location in the valley. Sometimes the gate is closed and sometimes the entire street is closed off if they're filming, but it's in Chandler Valley Center Studios in Van Nuys (13927 Saticoy St) and you can take pictures in front of the main Dunder-Mifflin building to make any Office fans back in the UK jealous. :D There's also the Hungry Fox diner somewhere near and the train tracks where they filmed because it's in an industrial area.
Lots more info below...
...
DeleteOf course, there's also the Santa Monica pier which is a beach I really don't care for but I know a lot of people like it but I suppose it's better at night.
If you or Claire are a little macabre, you can also visit your favorite celebrities' grave sites and past homes and visit the Hollywood sign (an actress jumped off the H in the 1930s). There is also tons of Ghost tours in October and I know there's one where you take a hay ride. The Roosevelt hotel in Hollywood is supposed to be haunted but I've never been there so I don't really know much about it. Long Beach is about an hour or so away, but if you and Claire go there you can also visit the Queen Mary liner (they have ghostly tours in October--some drunk lady jumped off and died last year or earlier this year, I forget when exactly).
I hope I gave you some good ideas on things to do. As far as shopping goes, there is the Glendale Galleria which has a Lush, MAC, Victoria's Secret, Macy's (more makeup counters), Bath & Body Works, The Body Shop, Claire's, Sanrio, Tokyo Lifestyle, Hot Topic & Torrid, and lastly a little Sephora inside their JC Penney store. They have tons of stores there too but those are the ones you'd probably like. There's many and many more malls obviously but I'm the type that tends to go to the same places and the few others I've been too are further away and are always crowded and not anything great. :) For thrifting, there is a Buffalo Exchange in Hollywood, Jet Rag ($1 sales on Sundays), and a Hidden Treasures going to Malibu but honestly there stuff isn't as cool as people say, although its a cute shop outside. In the Hollywood strip there is vintage and thrift stores there too so it's not a big deal and there is tons and tons more shops and malls scattered all over Hollywood and pretty much anywhere in LA and the valley. I know I've seen comics and old records sold in stores in the touristy part of Hollywood and maybe Amoeba will have some but if not, I always see a lot of comics in thrift stores in the valley (usually Goodwill or Salvation Army).
Don't worry about feeling anxious, just put on big sunglasses and no eye contact will be made (that's what I do!) but there is a lot of tourism in Hollywood so everyone is busy doing their own thing so nobody (including locals) will be wasting their time observing you. Although I do suggest you stick your cameras in your purses because people bother you to take photos and buy their stuff because they know you're a tourist.
I know the Disneyland in Anaheim is smaller than the one in Orlando, but hey, at least you can say you went to the first Disneyland the man himself walked on (Don't forget to visit Rainforest Cafe, I know there's one in London but they're cool!). There's also California Adventure park but that would be another busy day. It's pretty cool though and the Tower of Terror is fun.
I hope I didn't overwhelm you with information, have lots of fun on your trip!! And wear comfortable shoes of course!
Wowww thank you for all the help! You're amazing :D
DeleteUnfortunately we're only going to be in California for 1 day (we can't drive so have to take a shuttle and it would be too expensive to go more than once) so probably won't be able to do all the great things you've suggested, but I will look into them and see if anything really catches my fancy! I like the sound of the fraves an ghost tours and things.
It's not me who's into paganism but I do like the Craft! :P
I can't help but be nervous but thank you for your advice! I will definately be hiding behind sunglasses.
I've heard a lot of people say that Disneyland is actually better than Disneyworld in Florida, just smaller, so I'm really excited to check it out. And I do love the Rainforest cafe.
Thanks so so much for your amazing comment!
(Same commenter as above)
ReplyDeleteAbout makeup on the plane, you can take as much as you'd like but if you take liquids they must be 1 oz. or less otherwise they'll make you toss them out. I don't think they allow too many liquid products like eyeliners or mascaras. To be safe, you can take powder products and small cream/gel products in your purse or on your carry-on, but you should leave the other stuff in your suitcase. I think that the cream and gel products have to be 1 oz too though. And forget about tweezers or lash curlers in your purse or carry-on. The times I departed and landed in LAX they didn't say anything to me (they check everything) but I know sometimes they don't allow it. You should check their policies online, especially if you land in LAX because it's the main/busiest airport in LA and thus, it is the strictest. I know I'd die if I couldn't travel without my makeup!
Also, it's best to accessorize after you leave LAX or whatever airport you land on because you need to take off all metal jewelry and belts, and your shoes should be easy to remove too. I've experienced first-hand the embarrassment of holding up the lines because I wore 20-eyelet, steel-toe Doc Martens to the airport once and my pants were kind of tight and I had a hard time taking them off partly because they both my pants and boots were new and VERY stiff. I walked up the escalators in my socks with my boots in hand because I was rushed, but hey I was comfortable for a bit because they were digging into my heels! :D
Ahh more great advice :D
DeleteI will be sure to just take some powder makeup and maybe a bit of moisturiser in a small pot. And I won't be wearing anything metal (except my underwire :P) to try not to set off the metal detectors.
I've worn Doc Martens to the airport before and had the same fun experience as you :P And years ago before they started x-raying everyones shoes they insisted on putting mine alone throuhg the machine because they had a big 5 inch platform.
Well I think you're all set for Cali holiday advice:)) ... now you just have to look forward to your exciting holiday!!! Oh you're so lucky to be travelling with a close friend who loves Disney and Hollywood as much as you do:)). If I ever make it to "Hollyweird", I would want to go on creepy ghost tours, visit haunted houses and general weirdness ... have you seen the Decaying Hollywood Mansions FB page? Happy holiday planning:)) xoxo
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited it's ridiculous! It's 3 months away but I can't stop thinking about it! I wanted to go on one of the darker Hollywood tours but I don't think we'll have time :(
Deleteyou have social phobia yet can go on a plane to california? Must be great.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be able to if I was alone but I will have Claire with me who acts like my carer. It's going to be very scary and stressful for me, it's the main reason I haven't been on holiday for 3 years.
DeleteAnd yeah, it's great to have social phobia! To be too frightened to leave the house on my own, to have panic attacks that make me feel like I'm dying, to think everyone hates me and thinks I'm ugly, stupid, weird, to be too scared to see friends. It's really brilliant!
CBT, which is the main therapy recommended for social phobia is all about putting yourself in situations which are frightening to try and get used to it. I'm trying to get better because my life is very difficult, but I need to do things that are frightening in order to make any progress.
I'm quite happy to answer questions about my social anxiety but the way you worded it was very rude and passive agressive. If you have social phobia too (which seemed implied by your comment) then I'd think you'd be kinder about something that you can understand. If not then maybe you should read up on it before making sneering comments.
I applaud you! Obviously if you are going away for the first time in 3 years, you are making progress! It's all about facing your fears. I hope you are able to do everything you want on this vacation.
DeleteI live in Southeast Los Angeles and have for well my whole life. I recommend heading to Little Tokyo where they have an array of very cute fun Japanese items. That is a must. Also go to Downtown LA and visit the Santee Alleys. They have really neat stuff that lot's of boutiques sell but at a highter price. Once again you can find great clothes, accessories (super fun jewelry for $1 or 10 for $10 dollars those types of things. It can be a bit daunting with lots of people. There is also some makeup stores that sell well makeup haha like NYX and other brands which you can get for cheap. Cheaper than Ulta or online. Also check out Nigels Beauty Emporium they have a great selection of theater makeup, Ben Nye, OCC, La Femme, Makeup Forever they even have an Inglot in the store! Also Fashion Island has an Inglot. As far as food goes. Griddle Cafe has aaaammmaaazing pancakes it's very yummy and affordable. Also the circle in orange county has great antique shops and boutiques. If you go to The Block in Orange there is a Cosmetic Company Outlet which is great for discontinued MAC and Estee Lauder. Hmm that is all I can think of right now haha.
ReplyDeleteOh my god! The outfit is so adorable! Just like Minnie Mouse!!! How nice, I bet you cant wait to be on vacation already!
ReplyDelete