From Malibu Waves to Beverly Hills

California is such a diverse state full of unique regions, cities, and towns. During my time in the Golden State, I was able to spend three days exploring Los Angeles County and its surrounding areas.

This was my second time visiting Los Angeles, and I was hoping to see more of the beaches and other neighborhoods I have yet to explore. During this trip I learned that there is no way to truly fast-track a trip to California, especially when it comes to LA.

During my time here I did get the opportunity to go from museum to museum, beach to beach, and city to city. It was fun and exciting, and only deepened my love for California.

So come and join me as I experience this side of Los Angeles County - from the waves of Malibu to Beverly Hills and all the adventures in between.

Ever since my first time traveling to California around three years ago, I had always wanted to set foot in Malibu for myself. I don’t know exactly what it was…the name of the beach city itself or the feelings that the name evoked that captured my attention and drew me to the area, but I was determined that during my time in California, I would make it my mission to make the trip to Malibu.

So on a chill Thursday morning, my cousin and I drove up to Malibu from Orange County. And one of the lessons that I learned in my time here is that although geographically these counties may not seem that far from each other, the traffic can make a 45-minute drive into an hour and a half journey.

Nonetheless, we had a pretty nice drive up and once we got to Malibu I was blown away by the high mountains and distinct cliffs. I saw houses built high into the hills, while others stretched down toward the ocean and beach.

We pulled up to Point Dume and found a spot in the sand to settle down. We had about an hour or so to relax and take in the beach before going to our next stop in LA, so I sat watching the waves and the people nearby. I noticed that the air was not clear and that the infamous smog had landed at the beach.

Malibu was definitely different from what I expected…. It was laid-back and rugged, down-to-earth and not crowded. People were lying on their towels, walking in the ocean, and enjoying the waves. They talked amongst themselves, enjoying a chill summer day in June.

As time went on, we enjoyed capturing photos and having conversations on the beach. Before we left, we even started talking to two ladies who were next to us. It was nice to share a portion of life with our seaside neighbors even if just for a few moments.

Now it was time to head back to LA to visit The Getty Center, a famous art museum featuring sprawling gardens, European drawings, paintings, and sculptures, international photography, and lovely panoramic views of the city.

The journey from Malibu to LA was scenic, filled with massive mountains and grand landscapes, and terrain that I had never seen before. It felt like I was in a completely different world.

Once we got there, we took the tram up to the center. It was a quick ride up with beautiful views of downtown LA. We were greeted by the modern, light off-white stone structure that is The Getty. The layout of the building surprised me and filled me with so much curiosity and wonder.

Before settling into the art museum, we went to the sports bar area of the center and ordered some food while the World Cup played on the screens. There were so many people enjoying the game and taking in the scenic surroundings.

After eating, we walked through the building and to an outdoor space that led to several different entrances to the center. We took some photos in this space where the panoramic view of LA and the surrounding neighborhoods were present.

After taking some photos, we headed to a part of the art museum where they had stunning sculptures and paintings. So much of the art was gorgeous and rich with history. Works by artists such as Monet, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo, were represented.

Some of my favorite pieces on display were the busts. They absolutely captivated me and left me in deep thought and reflection. They were different from the paintings and other works in the museum. Each one was distinct in their facial qualities and expressions, telling a unique story by simply being present.

Bust of Emperor Caracalla - Bartolomeo Cavaceppi, around 1750-1770

This bust of Emperor Caracalla by Bartolomeo Cavaceppi is one of the pieces of art that captured me. The beautiful red-and-white marble pedestal, paired with the bust of the man gazing beyond us, made me wonder what had captured his attention.

One of the other pieces that spoke to me was the Bust of a Man by Francis Harwood. I was instantly captivated by the features and color of this bust. It features an anomyous nobleman who exudes confidence, boldness, and strength. This artwork is also known as one of the earliest sculptural portraits of a Black individual by a European artist. Observing this bust was empowering and felt like it told a powerful story of its own.

There were so many wonderful works of art that each told its own unique stories. We were only able to explore one part of the museum because the center was closing soon, but what we did see was so inspiring.

Before the museum closed, we headed down to the gardens which were absolutely stunning! There was a maze of lush bushes, vibrant flowers, and charming little nooks nestled throughout the gardens where you could escape and bask in the beauty of the garden. It was picturesque and enchanting - colorful and memorable.

We wandered through the maze of flowers and greenery, taking in the beauty around us. Everything felt so alluring and beautiful, and we spent most of our time just taking in the natural scenery and capturing the moment through countless photos.

Funny enough, we ended up being the last visitors at the center. So we took the tram back down, and started our drive to Beverly Hills.

This was another area that I had been wanting to visit. I wanted to see the grand houses and the infamous strip of luxury stores I had heard so much about - Rodeo Drive.

It didn’t take us too long to drive from The Getty Center to the Hills. Once we were there, instead of simply driving through and staying in the car we decided to park and walk around Rodeo Drive. It ended up being one of the best decisions we made.

Before going down the street, we were first greeted by a cozy-looking French restaurant and bakery. The host came up to us and was super sweet, he asked if we wanted to have something to eat or pick up anything from the bakery. The place was intriguing and looked like it might actually be pretty good, so we told him we would be back later on and continued on our way.

As we made it onto Rodeo Drive, I was mesmerized by the exclusive designer stores and the European-inspired layout of the block. The architecture was beautiful and intricate, and through the shop windows, you could see the lovely displays. It was so cool seeing all of these luxury brands right next to each other all on one strip, from Gucci, Chanel, Saint Laurent, to countless other designers that I had never heard of before.

If you are planning to visit Rodeo Drive to just look around, I definitely suggest going after sunset because it was so relaxing and the evening sky brought out the glow of the shops and the fairy-light-lined palm trees.

There are three blocks that make up Rodeo Drive, but we only walked down one of them. It was cool seeing the unique and artistic displays such as this looped car that was displayed in front of Dior. So much creativity lined these streets filling me with inspiration at every turn.

After exploring the streets of Beverly Hills, we made our way back to the French resturant where we were once again greeted by the sweet host. We both ended up trying a pastry as well as some homemade drinks they had which turned out to be really delicious.

Overall this day - from enjoying the serene Malibu beach, observing the art and creativity in LA, to taking a relaxing walk through Rodeo Drive in Bevery Hills - was so memorable. We didn’t get to explore the neighborhood of the Hills this time because it was too late in the day, but I left knowing that next time I will definitely make it my mission to go see the beautiful houses and streets of Beverly Hills.

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