Santa Monica

Blog posts have been lagging as of much lately but it doesn't mean that there have been a lack of happenings. Life interrupts, sometimes. I still want to post some pictures of Santa Monica from my trip to L.A. back in April. Since then, we were in Vancouver over Memorial Weekend in May. We also recently lost a very dear family friend to cancer. I've always considered her family to be part of mine so with us losing her felt like we lost a family member and it was heartbreaking. Time flies and I've been at my new job for a month. It's now June and I leave again for L.A. this weekend, literally just for the weekend. If you love traveling, it is really a wonderful perk to have a spouse who travels a lot for work so you get to visit.

Here are some of my favorite aspects of Santa Monica: laid back vibe and beachfront homes overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Do these homes ever go on sale on the market and if they do, how much are they worth? If I'm ever lucky enough to own one of these beachfront homes, I'd make sure I never sell it and hand it down to my children and grandchildren.

Ocean Ave is a lot like how it is shown on the TV show Private Practice. People running, biking, and rollerblading by the ocean. As if you need any more reminders that you are in L.A., the tall palm trees add to the California scene.

If chain stores and street performers are not your type of thing, you could skip the Third Street Promenade and head over to Main Street instead. There you will find a stretch of local and quirky stores and cafes. Many surfers come here to shop as well.

The challenging thing I find about L.A. is the lack of a big city feel like one would get living in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco where people can actually get around with reliable trains via the subway system. In L.A., the lack of reliable public transportation means that people need a car to get around everywhere. Places in L.A. are also very spread out from each other and having to drive from one place to another as your main option of traveling really makes it feel like you are living in the suburbs. T and I enjoy living and residing with a metropolis feel. For now,  L.A. will remain on our list of places to visit for a change of pace.