Spring Break, Day #4

Today was a beautiful mess. I woke up at 11am (do not judge me!) and started preparing for a picnic my sister and I had planned for the day. She was already at work and I had pretty much free range of her apartment, so I goofed around in the kitchen until I realized I was running late.

Our picnic was simple: turkey sandwiches with Pringles and CapriSun. The location, however, was far more notable. We ended up lunching on the viewing deck of the Newport Bay Nature Preserve. I wish we had more time to explore! From what I could see (and could not see, for that matter), the Preserve covers a substantial area that seems to have been badly burned. Although it its restoration appears stunted, I am confident of nature's impeccable powers of adaptation and regrowth.

Afterward, it was back to studying and watching movies for me. On my watch list for the day was the rest of American Hustle and Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters. I have to say, I loved American Hustle much more than I thought I would. Also, Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters was not as bad as I imagined... In fact, I rather enjoyed it! I think Greek mythology is fascinating as is anything involving Greek mythology.

Once my sister returned from work, we celebrated our last night together with Chinese food for dinner, watching FaceOff, and having a packing party. My sister and I both leave tomorrow for separate trips and decided it would be easier to pack our things simultaneously. It was much more fun than packing alone!! I even helped her plan out some makeup looks for her trip. I am no beauty guru, but it was nice to have some "girl chat" about makeup and other beauty products we are loving.

As hard as I think it will be to leave tomorrow, I am content with what time we spent together this weekend and hope that I can visit again sometime sooner than later and that life will not get in the way of that plan.

Spring Break, Day #1

These posts are in no way meant to be bragging about my good fortune. I would, however, like to share my happiness and vacation antics.



Today started off with a nice lie-in and reading. My sister was kind enough to inflate a HUGE air mattress for me and created my own room in her living room, so I had a comfy place to read and relax while I mentally prepared for the day. I am currently reading Sea of Hooks by Lindsey Hill, a novel which I will absolutely review once I have finished it (it is fascinating).

After we ate breakfast, my sister and I headed off to Venice Beach. The area and the houses in the surrounding area are beautiful! The town is similar to its namesake in the sense that streets are intersected by canals.

Spending time at the beach was fantastic. The weather was perfect when we arrived - sunny, but just windy enough to counteract excessive warmth from the sun. While we worked on our tans, we listened to music, read, and talked.

Afraid of ripening sunburns (and our hunger pangs), we departed for our next location - Olvera Street. Known for the enlivenment of the Mexican culture, Olvera Street is home to a multitude of shops and restaurants which are shrouded in vibrant colors and skull paraphernalia. My sister and I meandered through several shops and found a few things to take home.



Next we visited Santee Alley a few blocks away in downtown LA. Santee Alley was a bit different than I imagined. Instead of an alley of outdoor shops similar to Olvera Street, Santee Alley was a conglomeration of shops enclosed in a four-block radius of two parallel avenues. Most of the shops had extremely reduced prices or an ongoing sale, which resulted in huge bargains for all shoppers.

To conclude our day, we stopped by In-N-Out for dinner. Embarrassedly, I asked for a sticker to put on my water bottle when our order was up. I was given the option of children's or bumper stickers, so I initially chose the latter, but when questioned further I faltered. In return, I received a few of each. Needless to say, In-N-Out is a wonderful place.

Adventuretime: Snoqualmie Falls Edition

Last night I had the most incredible night of sleep I have had in weeks! Thus, I was a little disheartened the moment Saul came barreling into my room to wake me up for our day of adventure. Fortunately, after a little pick-me-up at Starbucks, I was more than ready to get going - I was excited! I cannot remember the last time I visited Snoqualmie falls, but I can say that it has been quite a while.

The trip to Snoqualmie was short, but sweet. My fellow passengers and I entertained ourselves with lively conversation and music... and the (not so) little one with snacks and a movie. Although Saul does tend to enjoy the journey more than the destination, he was in very good spirits when we arrived.

Today's good weather had drawn out many families to the park. I do not know if it is usually that busy, but I was grateful for the multitudes of families (especially those with pets) that were taking the trail. Not only were they a source of entertainment for Saul (the pets, mostly), they were a reminder that coming back up the trail would not kill us.

The trail was fairly steep - not a problem going down, of course, but a bit of a struggle coming up. (There is a separate parking lot closer to the lower falls viewpoint for those with difficulty hiking). In truth, I do not think any of us considered it an obstacle. We were too busy enjoying being outside on a lovely day being near such a magnificent force of nature.

The view was beautiful. I know it is literally just water flowing off a cliff, but it the sheer magnitude of the water was astonishing. What can I say? It's the little things.

We ended the trip by enjoying a lunch of sandwiches and soup at Rose Ridge Cafe & Deli. There is much to say about an owner who recognizes pretty much everyone in town and welcomes strangers as friends. Walking off our lunch, we explored the area and found a neat statue in front of the community center.

After the detour, we reluctantly returned home to shower and settle down for the evening. Overall, a fantastic day.