The American Wedding (1)

I was the first of the four to arrive in LA! The others took the train, so they would be a bit later. I got myself checked in without any problem (no issue with the booking under Adam's name, hehe). Thanks La Quinta, their customer service was excellent. The room was cute, cosy and I wish I was staying longer!! We were only booked for a night as the rest we would be staying next door at Holiday Inn due to the cheap rates Adam booked for us. Holiday Inn service was just horrible and unfriendly most of the time! They made us waited so long to get checked in. It felt good to be reunited, Angela and Dan made our time together more entertaining.

The following morning after all the hassle getting checked in, we took the shuttle bus provided by the hotel to Manhatten beach. All thanks to La Quinta again, we found out the bus schedule (No thank you, Holiday Inn!). We missed the first one but managed to get to Uncle Bill's Pancake House without any queue!! We were starving by then and the food really made our hungry tummies happy! The glorious pancakes and eggs... plus that lemonade, I think I could have them everyday! So good!

After that, we took a stroll down Manhatten beach, drooling at the surfers... enjoying a visit to the pier aquarium. It was all very relaxing. Manhatten beach is lined up with some of the most beautiful houses I ever seen, so posh and I wish one day I can have something like that. Or at least just a house by the beach! Then we took the shuttle further to the village with plenty of malls. It was pretty late by then so we checked out the nearby stores, it was at the electronics store where I got tempted to buy a Samsung Tab!

Then we went to Whole Food Market to get some dinner. There were plenty of choices, from hot soup, sushi to pastries and cakes. The first thing I really wanted to get was a fruit tart (one of my favourite things)! LOL. Everything else didn't matter and so I settled for the soup. Everything wasn't cheap but they did really taste fabulous at least! Then we retired back to our hotel room, it was an easy day.

The next day, we decided to try out Denny's which was a short distance from our hotel. Everything at Denny's looked so good and sinful. Two of us shared a set each as it seemed huge, and fortunately we did. It was good but a little too salty for my liking :) After the sumptuous breakfast, it was time to head to Santa Monica on a BUS! Yes, public transport as the one whom could drive was obviously out of practice. It was my first time taking public transport in LA and I witnessed lots of weird people in the bus. People who sang to themselves, beggars, hippies... We were told public transportation are mainly for the poor people!

Anyhow, after about an hour on the bus, we finally got to Santa Monica. Four of us headed to the Santa Monica Pier for a little stroll. There was a small amusement park for kids, but this place felt more like somewhere done up to sell souvenirs, just very pretty but nothing really special. I prefer the Manhatten beach somehow. After that, we had to head off to meet the wedding couple whom would pick us up for the wedding rehearsal and dinner (I can't recall where we were supposed to meet, LOL!!). But I knew we got lost somehow and took a taxi there in the end!

After a few rounds of rehearsal and looking around the venue, it finally dawned on all of us it was going to happen. It was so exciting, and we were going to have a girls' night all to ourselves that night at Joy's apartment. The boys would sort themselves out :P The rehearsal dinner which was on Aaron's mum was held at Baby Blues BBQ, they had the best ribs ever. I swore I ate so much, the ribs, wings, mac and cheese, GOSH, everything was delicious - Look at my plate (right). I didn't care about putting on calories that evening, seriously! LOL. They must be really surprised how much I could eat ;) At the dinner, Aaron's mum gave a touching speech and there were tears!!! We were introduced to each other at the dinner and dear Joy gave the bridesmaid a little gift for being there for her wedding (I was one of them) :)

I don't know how we all managed it, after the dinner, we still had ice-cream at Sweet Rose!!! Just because Joy said they have the best one ever, so we were all going to stuff it in! :) My rose geranium with salty pistachio was perfect, just what I would need to end that beautiful day. After that, Joy drove us back, we tried out our bridesmaid dresses and had our usual girly gossip! It was one precious night as we were all living faraway from each other. I was trying to play with Mocha but this anti-social kitty didn't want to entertain us except when you swung her favourite toy in front of her face. I didn't know if the bride-to-be got any sleep that night but I surely did!