Travel Archives - Page 2 of 2 - J U L I A

Fremont Street, Neon Museum, and Seven Magic Mountains – Vegas Like Never Before

07/06/2017 1 Comment

Julia Lee Las Vegas Seven Magic Mountains

I don’t know if I can say this proudly, but I’ve been to Las Vegas a fair amount of times. The first when I was 12 with my family, feeling weird about people on the street passing out business cards with naked women. But also in awe of how there were outdoor escalators, like rain didn’t exist in this unnatural city. Then I went back for one week with one of my hometown besties for her 21st birthday party. I also went back to just plain party for a weekend with models I met in NY and had one of my first dates there with my now boyfriend (he plays professional poker, so vegas is home sweet home…almost).

Last week I went to Vegas to spend time with my boyfriend before he started in the World Series of Poker he plays every summer. We did a couples trip and visited a lot of really cool places that tell the story of how Vegas came to be. I had never seen the city like this before, but now I have a new perspective. Plus we checked out something new that looks far out of this world.

Fremont Street: Bites at Park on Fremont

Fremont Street is historic for being the old Las Vegas where the Rat Pack hung out in the fifties and sixties. It was “the spot” for Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra. Today, Fremont has grunge with a tacky sparkle to it. Ok, don’t get me wrong, but there is a lot of character when you walk into the restaurants and casinos. We checked out Binion’s where the first World Series of Poker was held.

Also had a quick bite at Park on Fremont. This place definitely had its quirks. Like an Alice in a Very Dodgy Wonderland. The art in here is super eclectic with golden antlers and rifles, wallpaper that will make you dizzy, dead bird decor, and mismatched beer taps. There is also art from Mark Ryden showing a girl wearing a dress of meat. Is this what inspired Lady Gaga for her meat outfit?

For bites, we tried the Samurai Teeter Tots, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, and Mac + Cheese Balls. The food at Park on Fremont was good, but the vibe is definitely worth checking out if you’re into something off the beaten path. You’ll feel like you’re living in a Die Antwoord music video real time.

Neon Museum: Tour of All of the Lights

Next stop was the Neon Museum, where we took a guided tour and saw the old neon signs from casinos and loacal businesses. It was interesting to see how lights were the first form of advertising back in the day. I will never look at Las Vegas the same when I see it lit up at night.

In With the New: Seven Magic Mountains

Out with the old, and in with the new. We took a 30 min drive to see the Seven Magic Mountains, an exhibit by Ugo Rondinone. This is a public exhibit of stacked boulders painted with bright neon colors. It reminded me of being in an art supplies store looking at chunks of clay or pastels. These tall figures represent human life in the desert, the coming together of the artificial and natural worlds. The site is a great place to take pictures, but I recommend going to the Seven Magic Mountains early before a crowd comes and the sun is directly above. It was hard to get a shot without people in the background the way the structures are lined up.

What are your favorite memories from going to Las Vegas? Let me know in the comments section below… And check out my staycation at Four Seasons Westlake.

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Four Seasons Westlake Staycation

03/06/2017 No Comments

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I decided to take a day trip to Malibu. We wanted to check out a spa and get a couples massage, so I did my fair amount of yelping and found the Four Seasons Westlake! The Four Seasons is a little north of Malibu and a great getaway from the city. We drove from LA for 1 hour with traffic.

The Hotel

When we arrived, the grounds looked like a Westlake estate. There was definitely an Asian vibe going on with the decor. The zen pagoda behind the pool made me feel like I wasn’t in California. The outside gardens were beautiful, and there was a country club like vibe with the great service by the pool and classic bar.

The Massage & Spa

The couples massage was just what we needed, and the one of the best massages my boyfriend has gotten in 10 years! There is a men’s and women’s changing room when entering the spa, . This area is equipped with lockers, bathrooms, showers, toiletries, jacuzzi, infused water, light fruit & nut mix, and daybeds facing a waterfall fountain. After getting your treatment, you can stay and relax at the daybed or hot tub.

Extra Fun

We also had lunch by the pool, checked out the garden, and watched a basketball game at the bar. I recommend the Four Seasons Westlake for any couples or someone looking to get away and do nothing but relax. There was also a really cute cafe when you first enter that has little bites and gelato. The grounds are super spacious, so there is plenty of room for parking. You can park in the garage for four hours, but we didn’t have a problem on Sunday staying longer without getting charged.

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Last Stop – View from Marbella, Spain

22/10/2016 No Comments

Just one more! My boyfriend and I wanted to stop by one more place before leaving Europe. Our friends swore by Marbella, Spain. We took their recommendation and went to this beautiful, relaxing gem. I always say Spain has the bluest skies I’ve ever seen.

It was hard getting around if you couldn’t speak Spanish. Marbella is a vacation spot for Europeans, who can speak English, French, and Spanish. We had a little trouble telling the taxi drivers where to take us, so we had to dig deep to remember the old school Spanish classes we took back in the day.

We went to a romantic Italian restaurant called Villa Tiberio. The outdoor seating makes you feel like you’re dining like a Roman. During the day we checked out Ocean Club Marbella. They had everything on the menu, and fun cabanas to lounge in. Great place to enjoy the sun and people watch…if you’re into that.

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What an Irish Wedding is to an American

20/10/2016 No Comments

After spending a day in London, we went to Dublin for a wedding. It was cloudy and reminded me a lot of my hometown Philadelphia.

Irish weddings are so different from Americans. The Guinness game there is real. Trays were being brought to each table and lots of cheers and toasts. The wedding was in an old castle. It was beautiful, like a fairy tale and I felt like I was going back in time.

So American weddings don’t have super long speeches. Or at least the ones I’ve been to. We made bets on how long the speech from the father of the bride would be. My boyfriend and I guessed 3 min, but it ended up being 11 minutes. Oh and they partied until 5 AM.

The clouds cleared up for this special day. Cheers!

The Irish, like most European countries, like to take their time and appreciate the moment. I think they do more than Americans.

On another note, the Irish diet has a lot of meat and carbs. Blood sausage is so popular. It’s a regular sausage with a little extra, the blood of pig or cow. The taste is a lot deeper. I also tried to order pudding for breakfast, thinking I would get some kind of tapioca or rice pudding. Instead it was this thick mixture of pork, pork fat, and oatmeal. I could only have one bite before feeling full!

Check out these views of the castle, like a dream.

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First Post- One Day in London, Summer Trip 2016

19/10/2016 No Comments

I decided it’s time to start a blog to share all my memories from modeling, travel, and all things extra. Not calling myself extra, not trying to be called extra, but I wanna share things like extra beauty tips I get from set with makeup artists or cool new trends I’ve heard of and tried.

So it’s my first blog post, and I’m writing about my trip to Europe. It’s now October, so I’m backtracking a little to August. It wasn’t my first time in the city, but definitely a new experience. I was heading to Ireland for a wedding and spent one day there. Didn’t have a lot of time to explore, but check out my pics and the big horse face they call Still Water.