Food From the Sea

     If you are not a lover of sushi then that is a shame because there are so many great sushi places in the LA area.  Today I am only going to mention a few but there are tons of great places in LA.  First place is called Fusion Sushi.  It is in downtown Manhattan Beach and it is a great place to have a casual dinner and have a couple drinks.  It is fairly inexpensive and the food is great!
     Next place is called Kanpai and is located on Lincoln Blvd.
This a pretty small place but if you can grab a table you must check it out!  The food is spectacular and is the best sushi spot around the Westchester/Playa Vista area.  This next place is in Manhattan Beach as well.  It is called The Izaka-ya By Katsu-ya.  This place is in an awesome location right off Manhattan Beach Blvd.  So after you finish your amazing meal you can walk around beautiful and lively downtown Manhattan Beach.  You can go get some ice cream to top off your night or walk down to the pier.  Thanks for reading about another day in paradise!

-Jackson McCracken

Santa Monica's Treasures

     Santa Monica is a destination that must be visited if you are in Los Angeles.  It has a little bit of everything, good food, the beach, tons of shopping, and fun things to do at night.  First off, if you come to LA looking to shop, you have to visit 3rd Street Promenade because it has so many stores that you are probably looking for.  It can get a little crowded down there but parking usually is not a big problem.  However, Santa Monica has much more than its shopping destinations.
     Santa Monica has some great places to eat.  The Apple Pan is a great small and local place to grab some food.  It is located right on Pico blvd. Another location that is well known for its burgers and high-end beers is Father's Office.  Not only does this place have potentially the best burger in LA but also it has some of the nicest beers in the world.  One in particularly is called the Pliny the Elder from the Russian River Brewery from Santa Rosa, CA.  This is an awesome pace to go on any night of the week.  It is very popular and is always a good time be sure to check it out!.  Thanks for reading about another day in paradise!

-Jackson McCracken

Everybody loves hiking

     This week is all about hiking in Los Angeles area.  Los Angeles is home to lots of great hiking destinations that include the Hollywood hills and amazing coastline trails with spectacular views.  First one that I enjoy is the infamous "Hollywood Sign" hike.  This hike is in Griffith Park, which is right next to the Griffith Observatory.  This hike has several different trails you can choose.  Every girl needs a photo of them next to the Hollywood sign.
     Runyon Canyon is another great hike.  It offers some really amazing views.  You have a choice of a 1.65 mile hike or a 2.65 mile hike.  Runyon canyon is a very popular hike and one of LA's best.
     Temescal Canyon is a great place to get a good workout in.  It has great canyon and ocean views and is located right near sunset blvd.  The basic loop is 2.6 miles.
This hike is my personal favorite because of the ocean views.
These are all great hikes and definitely worth checking out!
Thanks for reading about another day in paradise!

-Jackson McCracken

Hometown fair

     Just this passed weekend I went home to see my grandparents and family in Manhattan Beach, CA.  During my stay at home the historic Hometown Fair of Manhattan beach was going on.  The fair attracts people from all around southern california who come to buy or sell their product.  The fair has things for everyone to enjoy like great food, games, live music, beer garden, and lots of arts and crafts.  As a kid, I would go every year and I still try to go if I am in town.  I grew up working in the fair fundraising for my soccer team because many of my teammates could not afford the fees that come along with club soccer.  This goes to show that many of the booths are not just big companies making more money and there are plenty of small organizations that could use the support.  It is a great place to have a fun time and support some good causes.
     My Mother and her friends love the art and crafts section of the fair, which is very large.  The fair displays very nice jewelry and extremely cool photos and art.  However, some of these products can get a little pricy but the artwork is well deserving of its price.  The music at the fair is usually made up of local bands that have styles very characteristic of the south bay.  It is an awesome time and it is a great way to learn and experience the Manhattan Beach culture.  Thanks for reading about another day in paradise!

-Jackson McCracken

Learning in LA

Los Angeles is not all about beaches, beautiful people, Hollywood, and the "good life."  Los Angeles has lots of scholarly things to do as well.  There are lots of museums that are definitely worth checking out like the Getty, LACMA, and Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.  The Getty is an awesome museum and one of LA's best.  Not only are the exhibits amazing but also the architecture of the building is fascinating by itself.  Another great museum is the Natural History Museum which features lots of interesting exhibits at different times the year.  The ones I have been to are the "body" exhibit and a reptile and insects exhibit, which were both very cool in their own ways.  If you are really interested in contemporary art then LACMA is a place you need to visit.  It has all kinds of famous artwork that is not all contemporary.  Just last month I visited the Henry Matisse exhibit, which was great.  LACMA also includes a really cool light display right outside the museum that people seem to be intrigued with.  It is a place that can be visited more than once and I visit several times every year for new exhibits or even small concerts.  Thanks for reading about another day in paradise!

-Jackson McCracken