A 5-Day, 2-Night Whistle-Stop Trip to LA: Day 3 - The Wedding (Not Mine)

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I woke up at 6:30 again today.
It was finally the day of my cousin's wedding.
The car to pick us up was scheduled to arrive at the hotel after 8:00, so I got ready by doing my makeup and curling my hair.

The Wedding

The venue was a beautiful chapel overlooking the ocean.
The weather was great, and it was perfect.

The bride was dazzlingly beautiful, and the groom, whom I met for the first time, seemed kind; it was wonderful to see how nervous yet head-over-heels he was for my cousin.
Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness!

After the ceremony, a simple reception was held at a nearby resort hotel restaurant.
It was just the relatives from both sides. Since my father and younger brother couldn't make it due to work, it was a very small, intimate gathering.
The Pinot Noir, which seemed to be locally produced and had a custom label, was delicious.

Trader Joe's

There was some waiting and photo time between the ceremony and the reception, so it ended after 3:00 PM.
We went back to the hotel, changed, and went out shopping.
When I asked yesterday's tour guide for souvenir recommendations, she said, 'Trader Joe's eco-bags and seasonings are popular!' so we decided to go check it out.
The nearest Trader Joe's was a bit far, so we took an Uber there.

Trader Joe's had that stylish atmosphere I'd heard about. Yet, since most of the products are private label, it's generally cheap. In other words, it's like 'Seijo Ishii on the outside, Aeon on the inside!' (Is that a good comparison?). I was completely convinced why it's so popular. The staff were all friendly, too.
I didn't buy that much, but I'll write about the souvenirs in a separate post.

Mexican Drinks

In the evening, my cousin invited me out, saying, 'Yui-chan, you're leaving today, right? We didn't get to talk much, so do you want to go for a drink?' and she and the groom (my new cousin-in-law) came to pick me up.
We went to a nearby Mexican restaurant.

Chips, salsa, and guacamole (a man brought avocados to the table and mashed them up right there!), seafood tacos, and chicken tacos.

After Corona beer, we drank margaritas and mojitos while chatting away.
The groom is easy to get along with and friendly, even though we just met.
It had been a really long time since I last saw my cousin, who is eight years younger than me, so it was great to talk so much. Thank you for making time for me when you must have been exhausted from the wedding.

To Los Angeles Airport

When I got back to the hotel, it was time to leave in the blink of an eye.
I packed my things and called an Uber. My mother is staying until tomorrow, so I headed to the airport alone in the car.

My flight was after midnight.
I arrived at the airport around 10:00 PM and finished check-in and immigration. Unlike Haneda, I'm grateful that quite a few shops are open even late at night.
I didn't buy anything because it's expensive, but I wandered around various shops.

Ah, it really went by in a flash.
I wish I could have stayed longer, but I'm so glad I came!

To be continued the next day.