Who would ever travel to a city that's probably more than a thousand miles away from her hometown? Well, if you've got spare time, budget, and a penchant for unique and interesting experiences like Cecil Xu, then, why not?
As someone who's lucky enough to be able to set foot in Los Angeles for three times already, Cecil Xu, an Indonesian social media influencer, gives us a hint: It's a totally different feeling compared to Europe — the sight of the Hollywood sign alone makes a trip to this southern California city worthy enough to save up for.
Instagram-famous for her hashtags #thewayxulives and #xutravelingdiary, Cecil shares with us her top travel tips that best apply to your first or next trip to Los Angeles:
Especially if you're going on a long vacation, avoid bringing too many clothes and pack neutral-colored clothes instead. Just as how Cecil does, she wears nude, white, or black clothes that may be paired with other pieces of clothing. In that way, people may not notice that you've repeated them, especially if you're that conscious of your fashion style.
For winter, it's best to bring a versatile and comfortable coat. Bringing too many may eat up your luggage space. Besides, you don't need a bulky coat to hide your OOTDs, right?
You don't want a travel photo ruined by shopping bags on your hands, right? Save yourself from the hassle of carrying too much stuff as you roam around the city. Cecil, on her travels, does shopping at the end of her trips, including buying new luggages.
Especially for your trip to Los Angeles, the city of stars:
If you're looking for a place to chill for downtime, this one's for you. Cecil, together with her family, enjoys sunsets in Santa Monica Beach, which is a famous spot in LA. Everything's here — hotdog stands, lively beachside, classic carnival rides, snack shacks — which give romantic and fun vibes at the same time.
If you're ever too shy to strike poses in known landmarks in LA, then what else did you fly for? Well, admit it, photos make the experience more memorable. As Cecil suggests, her top LA spots that you should also visit are Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the famous palm tree-lined streets of Beverly Hills, and the OUE Skyspace.
For Cecil, it's her sister, Isable, who she usually travels with. For her, it is really important to bring someone who you enjoy being with and who you trust because you will never worry about where to eat, which places to visit, or on which angle you look better in.
To inspire you more, here are a few snaps from her recent trip to Los Angeles:
For this trip, SweetEscape has joined Cecil Xu as she explored the cinematic cityscapes and vibrant neighborhoods of LA. If you're planning to visit this city as well, book a session with us and never worry about saving all those priceless memories — let a SweetEscape professional photographer do that for you.
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