I'm out of here #2: California dreamin'

California, especially an enourmous City like Los Angeles, was always something that inspired me somehow. You'll see tons of different People every day, even just like sitting in a cafe, and I caught myself many times wondering about their stories. LA is for sure the City of dreams for most, awaiting to get lucky and be discovered. Some People will succeed, others won't. Others will Keep on trying for the rest of their lives.

Kodak Theatre

Well, I didn't come to LA to become famous, I literally wouldn't have any idea where to start. I came back for the third time, just to be here. Actually just to BE. I love the vibe, the different parts of the City, you can catapult yourself in different worlds in the same place and have a bunch of good conversations. I have a lot of friends that have been here already, and everyone tells me to get a car. Why? I mean, don't get me wrong, I could totally have needed a car if I wanted to go way out of town and see places around that are far away. But I wanted to stay in the City, I wanted the Feeling to be part of it, and I wanted to be surrounded by normal People. It's nice to get a car that brings you fast to your main Destination, but actually you could miss a lot on the journey itself.
So I went by bus (yeah, by bus!), and it really isn't bad. I didn't have big schedules or appointments, so I really enjoyed the rides that took me around one hour everytime for a very fair Price ($1.75).
All I wanted was to relax, so one of the first Thing I've done was getting a spa day, including massages, the whole mani-pedi stuff that I wouldn't do in Switzerland. I even got a shampoo at a salon because I thought it fitted to the whole day :)
My rental was in West Hollywood, well surrounded by Shops and Restaurant. And the very famous madness of the Walk of Fame was a couple of minutes walk away. After regenerating from a hard year (I know, it seems I live a golden life but it can also get a wee stressful sometimes :D), I decided to take my friend Sandra and wander around to a couple of places that really are my favourites here in LA.

Venice Beach

I love Venice. I really do. It's one of those places I would like to live. It's a colorful place right on the ocean, covered in streetart, that embraces People from every class and race. It doesen't seem to matter what you're wearing, or if you feel weird: you'll find another Person weirder than yourself a couple of seconds later. You feel accepted. And it's a beautiful place as well. I've seen the best sunsets here, and I wasn't disappointed this time too. You can see how the sky gets pinker, and the colours really Change until the sun is totally disappeared. Venice offers a couple of good places to hang out as well. Treat yourself well and have a drink during sunset on the Roof of Hotel Erwin, or get a coffee just before hitting the sometimes very busy boardwalk at Cafe Collage, or if you're hungry, just have a seat facing the ocean at one of the waterfront Restaurants. There is a mexican sugar skull store that's absolutely to die for! I already bought two handmade pieces for my Apartment.

Santa Monica

Santa Monica is reachable from Venice in an approximately 45 minutes walk along the boardwalk. You can really see how the mood changes from beachy-hippie-whatever place to a very cute, more luxurious quarter. The Pier, at the very end of route 66 is a must for every Tourist. I've been there several times already and I like it how you're able to walk out over the water, go and Play games or just have a bite. Santa Monica offers also a lot for Shopping, and they really have good (italian, sorry!) coffee on 3rd street in a place just in front of the Nike store. Thai Dishes is another good Restaurant for a bite if you find yourself in the area.

Meeting my friend Will in Santa Monica

Santee Alley

I went to Santee Alley the first time. I had no idea. Usually People told me NOT to hit downtown LA. This place is crazy! You're basically not in California anymore, you're in Mexico. But you know what? It's fun! If you're not afraid of People screaming around (because it's normal, not because their angry), then go! It's a big marketplace that includes clothing stores, 1$ places to buy the impossible, and eat some real street tacos.

Tacos :)

Useful Tips:

Where To Sleep
Hollywood: If you wanna stay in the very epicentre of the Happening, and live just behind the Kodak Theatre, then I can highly reccommend the Celebrity Hotel. You'll have huge rooms for a reasonable Price.
West Hollywood: I opted for Neda's Airbnb Apartment this time. It's a two bedroom, vintage Apartment with garden and cool neighbors, you'll feel at home instantly.
Venice Beach: Hotel Erwin is the best and fanciest choice. I loved staying here and, as I've already mentioned, nobody can beat the view over Venice from the rooftop bar.

Food & Drinks
L'Assiette on Melrose is a nice Restaurant offering different kinds of meat and portobello mushrooms plates.
Dress nicely and hit the pool bar at the Roosevelt Hotel for People watching. Watch out, it's a bit pricey, and they automatically add around 10$ tip on two Drinks.

How to get around
As I told you, buses are totally ok. Otherwise Uber is another good friend too. Just in case you'll be discovered on the street and invited to an Audition you should be punctual at :)

Shopping
Mainstream: Everywhere on Hollywood Boulevard and the streets surrounding. Same for Santa Monica (Santa Monica Place)
Alternative: Venice Beach - you'll find a bunch of good stores there selling good laid back fashion
Fun and Cheap: Santee Alley7Fashion District (see above)

I'm out of here #1: Viva Las Vegas!

First of all, I have  to apologize about my Absence the last couple of weeks. I had a lot to prepare for my big trip out on this planet and I didn't really have the Chance to put all my Picture together and write my first Posts. And additionally, there is a lot of bad wifi all over this world...

After being one night in cold New York City, I headed directly to Las Vegas the morning after. A big Boom for the first Destination, isn't it? I've been here three times already, so I was pretty Aware of what this City has to offer or better said, how versatile this playground for adults can be.
We checked in at The Venetian and Palazzo, the best copy of the Italian City I've ever seen. Our Bella Suite was spacious and the giant beds were perfect to rest and sleep away the past few months spent in Switzerland.

Even if I was here before, I had to get used to Sin City again. You have so many possibilities in this sleepless town - it literally eats you up. :)

Nevada is one of the US states that has the lowest taxes, so it was pretty clear that we went for some Shopping. There are two huge outlet malls in the southern and as well in the northern part of Vegas to spend all the Money won during gambling (unfortunately, it was not my lucky case). The Premium Outlets and  Town Square provide the most american brands so that everybody is able to  find sweet stuff for the closet back home. Being there before the Holidays, I found the Prices even more convenient than the last couple of times.

Besides the Shopping, I also had the opportunity to take some time for a Little culture. I took my friend Sandra to the Neon Museum, an open air Showroom for all the oldschool Las Vegas signs. It was pretty interesting to know the stories behind them, what amazed me the most was the one told about the sign of the first gas Station before entering and leaving the City. They used to Keep some extra Dollars for everybody back, in case a Gambler would have left the Casinos without any Money, for the drive home. Plus: a free Aspirine was included, so no headache on the drive home. (It's crazy! They used to give away 30000 aspirines a month!)
Another cool Thing was the reception of the Museum: it used to be the original front desk of the not anymore existing La Concha Hotel.

If you find yourself in Vegas, don't Forget that it isn't all about the Strip. For the nostalgics of you, I would spend an evening at Freemont Street, you'll find a couple of old fashioned Hotels like Golden Nugget and California, to mention two. Another interesting spot located back there is the Mob Museum, which tells us a bit about the crime history in the City. There are Combo passes avalaible with the Neon Museum together here (day or night tours avalaible).

What should I say... It was a very good beginning, even if sometimes a bit exhausting. Lots of Walking during the day, seeing the different Hotels, having a gamble and a drink at night (it's a hard life). Another must is to see a Show in Las Vegas. There is a huge choice for every taste and every wallet. We went to Mandalay Bay to see Cirque du Soleil's "Michael Jackson - The One", and we we had a blast!

Useful Tips:

- Where to stay: if you're not on a Budget, The Venetian is perfectly located on the Strip and offers a good variety of Restaurants and night Entertainment. For those who are Budget travellers like I was a couple of years ago, I would highly reccomend the Stratosphere on top of the Strip (you'll pay approx. 300$ for a whole week, if you book in advance)

The Venetian & Palazzo

- Clubbing and Nightlife: living at the Venetian has some pluses - you'll have two well done Clubs in the building. Nights out at TAO or Lavo are always a good choice. If you want to get out at the Hotel then you should opt for the Pure Nightclub at Cesar's Palace. Otherwise during warm season, there are some good pool parties out there. The Stratosphere offers has a lush Restaurant with a 360° view over the Strip that actually turs on itself. And the Food is delicious too!
PS: Try to hit some Promoters on the streets. You'll easily get a good bunch of free entrances (sorry, mostly for ladies) by paying around 20$.

- Shopping: As already told, the two outlet complexes are very convenient for filling your suitcase. Otherwise, the Fashion Show Mall right next to Wynn and Encore are another good address.

- How to get around: Of course you'll have loads of cabs at every Hotel entrance. They aren't very expensive especially if travelling in Groups. Otherwise you'll have good buses that connect the whole Strip with Freemont Street and Downtown.

Said that, enjoy Las Vegas! Have a blast, enjoy your Drinks and gamble with responsability :)

Davos: Follow the Mountain Sound

The last time I've visited Davos was about 20 years ago, as far as I remember. My grandpa used to be there a lot so we went up in the mountains to visit him. Even if I actually have great memories of that period, I didn't take the chance to go back. True, living in south Italy during my teenage years didn't really enforce my love for ice skating, skiing or snowboarding, since a temperature of 10 degrees celsius is already freezing for us.

I always wondered though, how things have changed up there, and if it's really only about winter sports. Wrong thought. Davos can be a great place to retreat, spending a weekend between great landscapes and enjoying a bunch of good events. In my case, what brought me up in town in December, was the opening of the Songbird Festival, as you might know from my two previous posts, which hosts big names of the Swiss music scene, and still runs until December 20th, 2014. As the musicfreak as I am, I had to pack my suitcase and go.

I didn't  have a big clue anymore, of what this gorgeous town looked like, despite of where to stay. Finally, I opted for the Panorama Hotel, a cozy three star complex located in Davos Platz, a couple of minutes of walk from the Train Station.
The Hotel offers three types of suites, depending on the number of guests and, of course, your own needs. Me and my friend Paulo got one of the Grand Suites, that comprends two master bedrooms, a wide livingroom with kitchenette and two balconies overlooking the gorgeous mountains surrounding Davos. I don't have any  necessity to live in a five star Boudoir when I'm on vacation, it feels too much sometimes, I don't require a porcelain doll treatment. Plus: you know, I'm more the one in for a joke than playing princess, I have to feel comfy. So, that's why these apartment-styled suites felt totally like home to me, I had everything I needed. The owner, Ralph-Marc Diebhold and his staff are very welcoming, competent about the whole area and always there for questions.  Little yorkshire Balù says "Hi" everytime you enter the door, I loved it, I seriously wanted to take this sweetheart home. The Hotel has ist own bus stop just at the entrance, a bus pass for the complete stay is provided, which made it pretty easy for us to move around the different concert locations between Davos Platz and Davos Dorf.

Photo: Panorama Hotel Davos

Entrance area

Our Suite

One of the master bedrooms

Terrace with a view

That's actually not all. Once you're away from home for a weekend, you should treat yourself well, right? Let's start with one of the most important things (at least for me): Food! Places like Davos are amazing to taste the old good Swiss cuisine, and the Panorama Hotel provides you already with two Restaurants for the good start.

The Panorama Restaurant offers an à la carte menu that includes different fish, meat and vegetarian dishes. Taking a drink in the piano bar nearby is also always a good idea to start a long evening. During the day you can enjoy a spectacular view on the surrounding mountains and by good weather it's quite advisable to have your coffee on the terrace. An online reservation is possible and you can find the whole menu here.

During my stay at the Panorama I chose to try some traditional Swiss Fondue in the other restaurant of the hotel: the legendary Stüvetta! This inviting place was built back in 1892 in the town of Arosa, also a well known mountain destination. In 2002 the restaurant was shut and rebuilt in original state in the hotel itself. The location is small and cozy, so a reservation is more than required. We went obviously for the classic homemade cheese fondue and a glass of white wine, always the best choice if you're not used to this type of kitchen. If you have any struggles into what kind of fondue to choose (cheese or chinoise, a fondue type including different kinds of meat), just ask the attentive waiters: they're more than glad to help. Have a menu overlook here.

Eating Cheese Fondue at Stüvetta

If you'll find yourself outside the hotel wanting to have lunch or dinner, there are loads of restaurants to choose in and around Davos. We opted to go to Pulsa once for dinner, located inside Hotel Grischa, which has five different restaurant, so you won't be disappointed. For lunch we headed twice to one of the most famous cafés in town: KaffeeKlatsch. Especially during the weekend they have a prolongued brunch, also on a Swiss cuisine base. I had a plate of "Rösti" with bacon and scrambled eggs. You'll get generous portions so you won't definetly leave this place hungry. You'll might have to wait for a table here, the two floors get packed pretty fast.

Pulsa Restaurant

KaffeKlatsch

You'll might take long walks in Davos, maybe by taking the Jakobsbahn and going up on a height over 2500 meters on the peak of the Jakobshorn, for example. Or just by spending the nights out in the different bars and going home late. So I can imagine that the best recovery would be a couple of hours of wellness; that's also a thing we did, in between our concert visits. The Panorama Hotel has its own little wellness complex, which comprends pool, whirlpool and sauna. It's a little oasis to chill out and enjoy some silence for a couple of hours, finding energy for new trips around Davos. If you feel to go on a longer swim, need different types of saunas or maybe need something more kids friendly, there's the waterworld Eau-la-la located a few steps from the hotel.

Wellness area at Panorama Hotel

For those interested in sports, staying at the Panorama gives you the confort to live just very close to the Vaillant Arena, that hosts all the Ice Hockey games or famous shows like the Art On Ice coming up in February 2015. Otherwise, if you're passionate about museum visits and arts, the Kirchner Museum is also easy reachable by walk. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner used to live 20 years in Davos and inspired his colorful paintings on the town he used to stay until his death.

Balù is obviously the king of the entire hotel :)

These are surely just a little few tips I can give according to my own short visit to Davos. However, you won't get bored in a place like this, it doesen't really matter if you're a winter sport lover or not. I experienced on my own self and can't actually wait to go back... I had the time of my life. You'll have a lot of storys to tell.

A Special Thank You to Ralph-Marc Diebhold, his lovely staff and the sweet little Balù for having me as a guest at the Panorama Hotel.

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