Champagne Birthday:

Tuesday marked my twenty-sixth birthday.

At the very last minute on Monday afternoon, I proceeded to text a few friends in an attempt to get a small group to go out and celebrate with me at midnight. Those who could get out of their obligations quickly attended, and it was awesome.

The next morning, with a hazy head, the beau and I went to the Santa Monica pier for some arcade games and sea breezes.

We went a little south to Venice Beach afterwards, where we watched skateboarders at the skateboard park and walked around the vendors.

A delicious dinner in Corona Del Mar, and then we were off to Claremont for more celebratory drinks with friends.

I am rarely one for excessive indulgence these days, but this birthday hit me harder than any other had. There were so many mixed emotions felt. But alas, here I am - 26 years young - ready to move into my future, whatever it may bring! Here we go...

Settling In:

[Photo taken out my window one peaceful sunset.]

We moved into our little loft almost two months ago now. It's difficult for me to even imagine that time has passed so quickly! I just love this oasis of mine so much... The ultimate place to unwind or recharge or just lounge around unabashedly.

I'm trying not to fill spaces here simply for the sake of being filled. Accumulating stuff is one of my least favorite things. I'd much prefer to keep everything simple... Keep myself mobile for the next adventure that is thrown my way. (And believe me, there is talk of a doozie of an adventure up next for us!)

I don't feel too bold in saying that it has already become my favorite living space to date.

Beach Towns:

The beau's parents moved from Nashville, Tennessee to the Los Angeles area for work purposes a few weeks ago. We have already been over twice for barbecues on their patio...

Aside from being able to see family and get a home-cooked meal, their presence also provides us with an excuse to get onto the other side of town more often for little excursions. Yesterday we went down the street to Manhattan Beach on our way over for dinner. We walked the pier, watched a pod of dolphins, then strolled along the darling downtown area for some shopping just before storefronts began to close.

Each beach town that I've been able to experience since moving here from Georgia a little over a year ago has given me renewed appreciation for Southern California. They are all slightly varied, and yet embody that SoCal lifestyle with such charm. I find myself thoroughly enjoying this process of getting to know their intricacies.

I think what I'm trying to say is that I cannot wait to move closer to the water... Until then, I just adore my visits!

Things Lately:

Settling into the new apartment proved to be quite overwhelming... And then we took a break to celebrate our one year anniversary with sunset strolling in Laguna followed by an amazing dinner at the cozy Landmark Steakhouse. The beau left for Atlanta while I worked my little tush off... And then we escaped to San Diego for an evening of debauchery with friends. 

We like to balance our work and play pretty evenly around here. 

Our summertime schedule is already getting quite full as well, just the way I like it! In the meantime I'll be continuing to make progress on this lovely little loft space of ours, and I'll be sure to check in with some of our adventures! 

Los Bravos:

Monday evening the beau and I met up with some college friends of mine in Los Angeles to watch the Dodgers host our hometown Atlanta Braves!

In true "us" fashion we forgot the tickets - which we didn't even realize until we were deep in the heart of West Hollywood running what was meant to be a quick errand before the game. Whoops! Lucky for me I have a partner that is the ultimate problem-solver and had our roommate fax them to the local UPS store mere minutes before they closed. Crisis adverted.

Even though we lost, the pretzels were delicious, the company was great, and we all got a little piece of "home" for the evening. A win in my book!

Rosie's Dog Beach:

Meeting my friend and her adorable daughter in Long Beach is one of my favorite ways to spend a day off... We go to the dog beach, eat snacks, get all sandy, have girl talk time, and watch Lily sniff everything. With the weather acting more Californian this week, we were finally able to enjoy the sunshine there once again! 

Oh springtime, I enjoy you so!!

Monday Nights in Hollywood:

On Monday evening the beau and I trekked into the city for dinner, drinks, and a show. We saw fellow Atlanta natives Manchester Orchestra play at the Fonda Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, and it was incredible. It was my second time seeing them live and they only reaffirmed my complete love for their music...

We even ran into one of my friends from back home who currently lives in Los Angeles!

Afterwards we got some delicious FroYo... The truly perfect end to a wonderful date night together!

Tourist Endeavors:

An old buddy from my days in college was blowing through Los Angeles on his way to move to Hawaii for work (How lucky is he!?) this past weekend. I was so incredibly thankful to have a familiar face around; I was even more thankful that he was not only willing but insisted upon doing some touristy things around the city! 

This meant that I was finally able to cruise Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards while we sought out the best location to view the infamous Hollywood sign (which has an incredibly dynamic history that you can read a little about here if you're curious) and see street performers in front of the Chinese Theater!

The weather was simply beautiful and it was a lovely day, indeed. (He even got a taste of our legendary traffic... A vital aspect to any true LA experience!)

On The Move:

If you follow me on Twitter than you already know that the biggest news around these parts lately is that we are moving! I found the most lovely loft space in a artsy downtown area of Los Angeles County, so out of the desert and into the city we go! 

The building has been owned by the same family since 1948 and used to be an old hotel. With original hardwood floors, a barn door to the bedroom, lots of windows, and an old fire escape serving as a balcony it is truly a dream space for me! 

There are so many things to be done in the next month prior to our move-in date, which is already seeming a bit daunting but also exciting. The biggest hurdle with the space is going to be the fact that there are no closets... I repeat: no closets. Regardless, I am elated to get back to a more independent and adult-like lifestyle once again!

A Very Boyfriend Birthday:

Last week was the beau's 27th birthday...

Ladies, if you live in Southern California and have a car enthusiast of a boyfriend like myself, you need to bring him to the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard. It is open one or two days each month and is the personal collection of Peter Mullin, most of which are French automobiles with Bugatti being the primary manufacturer you'll see. (Mr. Mullin was actually there doing some press during our visit!) I assumed it to be fate that the museum happened to be open on his exact birthday, and he has been giddy about visiting since I gave him the tickets for Christmas...

[I certainly wouldn't mind driving this down the PCH...]

[The most expensive car in. the. world!]

He knows that looking at cars is far from a favorite past-time of mine, but with all of the things that he does for me on a daily basis, he definitely deserves it! They are never all that bad since I like history (I actually have a degree in it), and it makes him infinitely happy to have me show an interest in something that he is so passionate about.

(I also got him an Xbox, which turned out to be another slam dunk in the birthday department.)

What activities do you do with your man?

Pros And Cons, Weather Edition:

Where I weigh in on the climate of California, in all its glory.

[Desert flowers.]

Pros:

I could write a novel singing the praises of a such a moderate climate! The summer was 100 degrees, but zero percent humidity meant that I barely broke a sweat. We are in the dead of winter and I only have to put on a light jacket at nighttime. (We are technically in the desert, after all, so day versus night temperatures can be more drastic than I am accustom to.)

Snow is only a short drive away at the tops of the many mountain ranges surrounding me, should I find myself lusting after a true "winter experience". And this holds true for the majority of the year!

It rarely rains. And it is never the rain that lasts for days on end, crushing all optimism, productivity, and overall cheer. It is blissful, I tell you.

Cons:

Ohmygoodness I have never experienced the dryness that we have here. My skin is practically parched all of the time!

I have never suffered from allergies before, but the new allergens in the air have had me on bed rest off and on since my relocation. I have faith in my immune system to do right by me and to acclimate itself so that this won't prove to be a permanent situation.

General Observation: 

People tend to overdress here and are generally prone to thinking that it is far colder than it actually is. Truth be told, I am quite certain that this is something that I am likely to adopt should I stay here more than a couple of years.

Pros And Cons, Driving Edition:

Here is where I will document some of the vast differences that I have encountered in my new "SoCal" life versus my experiences growing up in Georgia. Today's topic? Driving.

[Photo of my cross-country drive whilst moving.] 

Pros:

There are these things that I have deemed as "rich people lanes" (they are technically called "FastTrak") in which you pay a few dollars on select highways to wave at those stuck in traffic as you pass them at a more adequate speed in two lanes inaccessible to the rest of the road.

Semi-trucks must adhere to a maximum 55 mph speed limit, regardless of the posted limits for passenger vehicles. Also, they are required to stay in the two right lanes on big freeways. This means that you won't get boxed between two 18-wheelers whizzing passed you at 85 mph in the pouring rain, and for this I love you, California.

Cons:

There is no inclination whatsoever for most people that slower cars are to stay to the right. You can be cruising along and suddenly there is a white sedan going 60 in the far left lane. Attention Californians, this is not okay!

I cannot count the number of times that I have seen cars that clearly have one passenger driving in the HOV lanes! To me this is just wrong. Sure, it is an easy way to avoid traffic and you're less than likely to get caught, but what makes you so entitled to the luxury over everyone else that is commuting? My conscience just won't let me do it.

Prius drivers in general are atrocious.

General Observation:

I was quickly corrected when I moved that freeways are not to be called "I-605" or "the Interstate" or "Highway 60". No, here they are just "the 55" or "the 215", regardless of their specific classification of road. This was strange to me, but it was a rather quick adjustment to make to sound more like a local.

Catching Up:

I keep telling myself that there is no time like the present to play catch-up with this little space I have here, and yet it feels ever so daunting. I'd love to proclaim that I am here to dive back in, confident and full of engaging content, but really I am here to stick my toe into the shallows with a cliché post that easily summarizes some recent moments in my new life... Yup, Instagrams.

[I drove Sunset Avenue, Mulholland Drive, and Santa Monica Boulevard.]

[Lily and I basked in the sunlight on her 4th birthday.]

[I enjoyed the forests and the waves of Big Bear Lake.]

[I traveled to New Hampshire during the changing foliage to see my darling family yet again.]

[I celebrated a milestone in San Diego.]

[I continued to wake up to this sweet face nearly every morning.]

[I learned roulette and craps in Las Vegas and won.]

[I rang in the New Year with two wonderful ladies that I am lucky to call "friends" here.]

It would be truly unfathomable to recap for you all of the experiences, travels, and little victories that I have had since moving to California back in May... I wouldn't even know where to begin. But know this: Things are just as they have always been, only better. 

Soapbox sidenote: Why is it that we, as bloggers, feel the need to excuse any span of absence? Why do we sheepishly ask for a reader's forgiveness for embracing the very life that we are documenting? I beg of you, put the shame on the top shelf of that closet and repurpose the indignity into pride of a life well lived, be it away from the glow of your MacBook screen.

A Piece of Atlanta:

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to see my Atlanta Braves play the Anaheim Angels during my first few weeks here in California. I met up with a friend from college who lives out here now as well, we drank copious amounts of light beer, and a good time was had by all.

(It definitely helped that we won that particular game.)

A Mindset Retrospect:

{found.}

This is precisely how I viewed what my life in Atlanta had become.

Truth be told, all I want out of this point in my life is adventure. Continuing to reside in the same area that I had inhabited for the past fifteen years was nothing short of smothering to my spirit, my internal need for new experiences. Disclaimer: I have never claimed to be anything but perpetually restless. It was precisely this restlessness that was getting the better of me and completely hindering my ability to obtain anything that may have been construed as a consistent happiness.

Do I miss Atlanta's Southern charm and familiarity? Very much. Do I intend to make Southern California my permanent home? Probably not. But am I loving every new thing that I learn about this place and hanging on every beautiful scene placed before me? Absolutely!

Surprise!:

If you follow me on Twitter you already know that I up and moved from Atlanta to sunny Southern California last week! Yeah, I know, it was a little sudden... I made the decision only six days beforehand.



My lease was up, I found very few things tying me to Georgia, and a scenario arose which granted me the ability to make the cross-country trek. So I packed up all of my things, threw my sweet puppy in the car, and seized the moment.

Good news is: I am now officially the happiest girl in the whole wide world! I am close to the beach, I am having an adventure of epic proportions, the weather and scenery are infinitely beautiful, and just the idea of the opportunities before me brings a smile to my face on a consistent basis.

This is living.