By Lucy Evangelista McCullough.

My biggest achievement this week has been learning to swim. I made 4 lengths on my own, Yeah!

When I younger I avoided the school's swimming lessons when possible. I hated everything about it from the smell of the chlorine to the wet changing rooms but as I grew older, this became my regret. So, my aim for the rest of my weeks here is to swim as many lengths as possible on my own - without the help of a lie-lo!

In Olympic Boulevard they have "Boot Camp H20". This 8 week training regime of intensive swimming water aerobics, water polo, cardio and modified plyrometrics apparently deliver results worth celebrating (thankfully, I'm not at this stage).

Each hour long group class starts on dry land with rigorous core strengthening and stretching. Followed by 40 nonstop minutes of group swims and individual drills, like multiple laps and rapid power kicks while you clench the pools edge. For all you swimmers out there, why don't you go to a pool near you and give this a try. www.bootcamph20.com

I'm very hard on my handbags and to honest, I've used the same one everyday for well over a year now, it looks a little rough around the edges. I keep everything in it, lipgloss, camera, diary and free magazines tucked away at the bottom.

I came across a store in West Hollywood which sells really sturdy handbags. The material caught my eye, strangely they are made from seat belts! Harvey's Original seatbelt bag started when husband and wife, Dana and Melanie Harvey were installing seat belts into their 1950s Buick, when he had the idea of making Melanie a matching handbag. Everyone loved hers so much that they decided to make more. Now they are an established 12,000 square foot design factory, corporate office and high end retail loft. Harvey's seatbelt bags are all made in the USA, using quality products and all the bags are guaranteed for life. www.seatbeltbags.com

Matt and I are loving hanging out on Venice Beach - the setting is stunning and the people watching is completely addictive. Venice Beach has always been known as a hangout for creative and artistic types. Residents of Venice include actresses Julia Roberts and Kate Beckinsale and also a holiday home to Nicolas Cage. It is a vibrant area of Southern California and it is a must see. There is so much to do from handball, paddle tennis and skate dancing along the boardwalk. Many bodybuilders and weightlifters will be working out in the sun at Muscle Beach and gymnasts and acrobats perform along the street vying for your attention and $'s!

From Santa Monica to Venice the bike path is around 9 miles and many rollerbladers use this path. I think I will be getting my skates on at the weekend if it's not too hot, this week has seen temperatures hit 100oF, which is around 38oC. HOT!

Till next week

Love Lucy x

Lucy Evangelista McCullough is one of Northern Ireland's most familiar faces on the modelling scene. A former Miss NI and Miss UK Lucy now juggles her own modeling career with her Voodoo International Modelling School in Belfast. Click here to become a fan on facebook.