Tuesday Top Ten.

Today's Tuesday Top Ten List is brought to you by my recent trip to California. Trying to think of something creative to write while simultaneously wanting to just post a thousand pictures is somewhat of a challenge, so today I'll combine the two with my top ten best moments of my trip.

10. A windy day in Santa Monica
I hadn't been to the beach in WAY too long, and when we decided to render this it was not an ideal beach day. It was cold and extremely windy - I'm talking never-change-out-of-your-clothes-and-still-somehow-get-sand-blown-in-your-ass windy. But I didn't care a single bit because I was bundled up with my bestie enjoying the view of the pier to my left and the ocean to my front while listening to John Mayer's "Clarity." Nothing could have been more perfect.



9. Viva La Vida
Finding this wall in LA was for sure a highlight of my trip. It was like a moment of fate that it just happened to appear in my life at the right minute and I kid you not I almost hugged it. Maybe I did...who knows. The point is, Coldplay is a significant ever-present being in my life that pops up when I need to be reminded of something. And this very night, me and Cory had a conversation about just living our lives and not caring what anyone thinks of you or your body or what you like. Just throw all that meaningless shit out the window and LIVE YOUR LIFE. It was perfect.

8. The view at Malibu Canyon
I've always loved the drive up Pacific Coast Highway, but there is nothing in the world like driving it at sunset. We pulled over on the side of the road into a little park where kids were playing soccer and enjoying the fresh ocean air just to have a few minutes with the beautiful coast in which we have loved so dearly for so many years.

7. Spending the day with Blake.
I think it's pretty awesome that he extended his layover on his way home from Australia just to spend the day with me. We went to Santa Monica pier and listened to some crazy man sing ridiculous songs and rode the Ferris Wheel like true tourists. It was pretty much a perfect day.

6. Paradise Cove
Two words: Private Beach. Adding a third: BYOB. Yes. A private beach where you can bring alcohol. There is nothing better than sitting on a peaceful beach with minimal people around drinking a Bud Light Lime and staring at the beautiful Channel Islands. I was in heaven.

5. Venice Beach
Cory and I walked down Venice beach and decided to go into one of the many hundreds of t-shirt shops where we met this guy who designs and silk screens his own shirts in-house. We were basically in love and tried on a million shirts before settling on a couple that were very "us." And the guy took a silly photo shoot of us in our new tops for a slideshow he has playing in the store of happy customers. It sounds creepier than it actually was and we had a lot of fun hamming it up for the camera like we tend to do.

 


4. Golden Gate Bridge
Of all my years living in California I had never managed to make it up north until just now when my sister moved to San Jose. So to take advantage of it, we paid a little visit to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was actually really cool - definitely something to see in your life. That, and the distant island of Alcatraz was a really cool spectacle. Check that one off the bucket list.






3. Driving up the Coast
We spent the night in Santa Barbra before I made the drive up to San Jose and I thought it was going to be miserable after a night of college-style partying and waking up at 5am (no joke) to make the drive. But honestly, it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. This picture is a shitty phone pic, and doesn't do it any kind of justice but the sunrise in my rear view mirror mixed with the pacific ocean and moon still in the sky was unreal. I have GOT TO move back there one day.







2. Finding my zen at Venice
I may have a herniated disc in my back that hurts like hell on the regular, but I'm happy to know I still got some diving skillz left in me. Granted, I can't hold an arm stand as long as I used to but I'd say this is pretty good for being retired. This moment encapsulates how I feel about embracing life and being free. Life is too short to not do a handstand on the beach at every given opportunity.














1. My Happy Place
I think this pretty much says everything about how I feel about Southern California, the beach, Santa Monica, my recent trip up the coast, and this extended period of "funemployment." Capturing these moments of pure bliss is what I live for.