Dear Bougie Girl,
Happy New Year! 2023 is officially here and I hope you had a wonderful start to it. You know I live by the motto “when you win, I win,” so I hope your 2023 is everything you hoped, prayed, or wished for.
My 2022 ended, and 2023 began in Los Angeles. I had tickets to an exclusive United Airlines New Year's Eve dinner and party. I was able to get this deal because we have a United Miles Plus Card from Chase.
Bougie Girl, I wanted to give you a glimpse of how I got ready for the trip, and how it went. So maybe you’ll think about going to LA for your next vacation.
Dip-Ins Are Fun
This is a quick in-and-out trip. We flew in on Friday, December 30, and flew out on Sunday, January 1. Why so fast? My husband and I like to do city “dip-ins” where we go for a very short amount of time. We can hit great restaurants, go to some special event, and be home before you know it.
Packed Light
If you’ve read my previous article, International Travel Tips 101, you know that I am a fan of traveling lite. We were only going for 3 days so I only needed a carry-on and a laptop bag.
United Airlines For The Win
If you’ve read my previous article Bougie Girl Basics you know how I feel about being loyal to one airline. It gives you great perks you would not otherwise have access to. Case in point, my husband and I are 1K members with United Airlines. We had a layover in Houston, Texas, and our flight landed a little late. By the time we landed, we would have had less than ten minutes to make it to our new gate which was twenty minutes away. We were prepared to run for our flight, but as we exited the plane, we saw a sign with my husband's name on it. United employees picked us up in a Jaguar and took us to our next gate. We didn’t have to wait in line or run through an airport. We walked right on the plane from the runway. The perks of being a loyal member paid off hefty that day.
Where We Stayed
In my mind, there is only one place to stay in LA and that’s the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown. Housed in the tallest building west of Chicago, it provides some of the best views of Los Angeles you’ll ever see. The hotel’s lobby is located on the 70th floor, with a lounge, restaurant, and bar that are great for snacks, meals, or just a drink. You’ll find lots of people sitting around enjoying the view and a classic cocktail. The rooms are modern chic with clean white, tan, and silver décor. I like the very fun but elegant vibe it gives. Every time I stay I feel like a superstar.
What We Ate
We have a few staples in LA that we like, but we decided to try different things this time.
We ate at the Black-owned restaurant Fixins Soul Kitchen. It is a soul food restaurant owned by former NBA star Kevin Johnson and his wife. It serves up traditional southern food and kid classics like Kool-Aid. The restaurant itself has a great ambiance with vibrant colors, classic R&B and rap music, and beautiful black people everywhere. I recommend the New Orleans Sweet tea (it’s alcoholic), sweet potatoes, oxtails, and mac and cheese. The restaurant is also located in the L.A. Live area which houses other activities to partake in.
We also ate at Water Grill which specializes in seafood. It’s an upper-scale restaurant with an open kitchen, big wine selection, and fresh seafood. It was a nice date night with my love.
Bougie Girl, have you ever been to a place but forgot you’ve been until you arrive? That was us at Nickle Diner. Someone recommended we try it, and it wasn’t until we were there that we realized “we know this place, and we like it.” If you like old-school diners, you’ll like this place. It’s small so be prepared to wait for seating. If you’re in the mood for a little childhood nostalgia, I recommend you try their homemade pop tarts. I also had their chicken sandwich (niteclub sandwich) which I would order again and again.
What We Did
My husband found a spirit tasting at a speakeasy. The Obscure is an invite-only, 6-course spirit tasting that is sure to leave you tipsy, happy, and full of life. Not only were the drinks strong and flowing, but the employees (who own the place) were knowledgeable. Ever wonder where Old Fashion got its name? Or the story of the four thieves? You’ll know that and more by the time you leave. The owners also do a wonderful job of setting a scene to accompany the drinks with lights, shadows, and unique decor. And you’ll be busy drinking and socializing, but don’t miss the artists at the front doing a live drawing while you drink. I highly recommend that you get a spot on the invite list.
For New Year’s Eve, we attended a private event hosted by United Airlines at 71Above Restaurant Skylounge. The venue was perfect for a New Year’s Eve party. 71Above is in downtown Los Angeles and is the highest restaurant west of the Mississippi. It boasts 360-degree views of the city and on clear days you can see Malibu, Laguna Hills, and surrounding mountains. Unfortunately for us, it was cloudy on NYE so we could not see any of the views, but that didn’t dampen the party. It was a four-course meal with wine pairings. We dined on caviar, black truffle gnudi (think gnocchi), braised short ribs, and entremets. We enjoyed the open bar and the DJ played old-school hits all night long. At midnight we had a champagne toast and danced the night away with Mr. New Year Ball Drop himself. It was a great way to end one year and start a new one. It was another perk we received for being loyal to one airline. Maybe next time I’ll tell you the story of the time United invited us to dinner with an Astronaut.
XOXO,
Truscenialyn