“If you pay attention to the patterns of your life, you’ll realize everything always works out. Everything always takes you to a greater destination. You always grow and the things you think you can’t survive, you somehow divinely make it through. That’s life. Always remember that.”
Running on the coast on Playa Del Ray with the planes flying overhead from LAX, I’m overcome with a feeling of deja vu. This time last year, I was running the same track!
Who would have thought I’d be where I am today, even as I pondered my next course of action a little over a few months ago? I certainly did not.
It feels like I’ve come full circle, visiting old haunts around LA that I did exactly one year ago. There are just so many things to do in California.
Everything seem to go by in a blur, but one theme’s been consistent – meeting up with the people I’d cross paths with very briefly last year, and this time actually getting to know them better.
If there’s one stark difference between my US trip last year and this year, it’s that in 2019, my trips were packed back to back. We only have a window of opportunity to meet up, if not, I’m gone.
This year, I reconnected with those who’ve made an effort to maintain relationships, and I got to know each of them a TON better. This makes me cherish our relationships even more so now that I truly got to know them as a person.
Last year, my trips had all been planned way in advance, mostly because I was excited to be stepping on US soil for the first time so I had a ton of bucket list places to check off.
This year, I’ve not had my plans firmed up more than a week in advance usually. If I do go on trips, it’s usually because I’m riding on the coattails of someone else’s trip that I was invited to be on.
Last weekend (12-13 Dec), I was just living in a beach house near Pismo Beach. I had to muster my courage to surf, not because I hate it – I love surfing (even though I suck at it), but because of the ice-cold water I immersed myself in, that even the wetsuit did little to help.
-
Wine tasting at Cambria -
Cambria -
Costa Mesa -
Costa Mesa -
Costa Mesa
I revisited the familiar beaches along the Californian coast that I last went on during my press trips to Cambria, Sam Simeon and Costa Mesa. Oh, the good old days..
Cambria was one of the rare times I did a trip completely solo, and honestly, it had been the last time I felt truly at peace from within (something to do with it being a beach town perhaps?), and also accomplished, for I was driving on my own and on the opposite side of the road for the very first time.
It was a nice little mini getaway. The days were spent living my life as a dog mum managing an overexcited German Shepherd (screaming at her not to bark at everyone and playing tug of war as she dashes into the ocean and at other dogs), and the evenings were spent winding down to sunsets at the beach and watching the surfers have a go at these Californian waters. Life was unhurried.
There’s just something about living close to the beach that instantly soothes you. That’s why I have the wave symbol as one of my first tattoos – it’s my element. (If you want to win me over, now you know how. 😏)
Long Beach, Joshua Tree, Angeles Crest Highway
I spent the Thanksgiving weekend (27-30 Nov) with my photographer friend from Long Beach. We’ve never shot together before; I only managed to stay a couple nights on NYE in 2019.
As fate would have it, this time we finally got to spend some time shooting together, became comfortable with each other’s presence and discover some pretty cool shoot locations. Needless to say, I’m excited at how the pictures will turn out.
I’ve also learned more about cars and cats than I ever had in my life. That, and I got to drive and be driven a Porshe Boxter convertible. It helped that Anthony enjoys long drives too. 🙂
I managed to squeeze in a couple of photoshoots while I was in LA. Another reason why I really wanted to live in LA (or NYC for that matter) was the amount of creativity and energy the city possesses. I feel it could really complement with my skill sets and interests.
If you know me, you’d know I don’t particularly fancy living in cities, given that I grew up in Singapore where all I see are nothing but skyscrapers and stressed zombies walking the streets to their offices daily. I’d make an exception for LA (or NYC or Helsinki or Amsterdam)!
Los Angeles has a way of getting to me
What was meant to be a 4-day trip with Anthony in Long Beach turned into something longer as I reconnected with another friend I met through Couchsurfing.
Chris hosted me last September and sometime during NYE we had a misunderstanding (which had to do with this ugly story I wrote about sex) and he swore never to speak to me again.
By some stroke of luck, I was passing by where he lived and decided to pop a message and say hi, and that turned into a dinner, meeting his new puppy and an invitation to stay again.
What would have been 4 days in Long Beach turned into 2.5 weeks in LA, really getting to know him and each other’s perspectives on the misunderstanding better and most importantly, clearing the air.
These open talks really pave the way to fostering true connections. By peeling away layers that us humans are so good at adding on to show others what we want them to see rather than who we really are, that’s when real human-to-human connections have the potential to be developed.
I find myself really thriving and wanting to delve more into the stories of people, their childhood, upbringing, character, likes and dislikes, hearing what gets them roused and what their dreams for the future might look like… After all, it’s with that same interest that has driven me to pursue a Bachelors in Psychology, ain’t that right?
Santa Barbara & Palm Springs
-
- Palm Desert
Other trips I stopped at included Santa Barbara and Palm Springs (22-26 Nov), both of which I’ve heard so much about that I couldn’t help but want to visit.
With that, my very accommodating friend, Jeff (whom you’d know more fondly as the RV friend because yes, he lives full-time in the RV!) decided we’ll camp a couple of days in those places to check out the vibe of those towns.
I definitely love the coastal town of Santa Barbara, albeit it looking a little touristy with the beachside upscale restaurants. The beaches are really lovely with a sidewalk for cyclists and runners that was lined with palm trees equidistant to each other. I can imagine myself running that path daily with the views of the ocean!
Apart from that, we couldn’t see the full potential of the town as most shops were closed due to COVID-19.
I saw what I came to Palm Springs to see – the manicured homes and (more) palm trees. We also took the electric scooter to check out Palm Desert, the main highlight being the long row of upscale shops.
-
Palm Desert -
Palm Desert
There weren’t many activities available, and so we went to the casino to bide our time. Little did we expect, I earned almost 3x my initial bet – from $20 to $90! It was my first time playing at a casino (I know the odds are never in my favour), but it was fun to cash out while luck was on my side!
I wouldn’t choose to live in Palm Springs, for it’s surrounded by mountains that made sunrises late and sunsets early. Don’t get me wrong, those mountains look majestic in the backdrop. I just prefer having more daylight and more than just a mere second of sunrise or sunset light (as if golden hours weren’t short enough already!).
In all honesty, as we were driving in the RV and only had electric scooters, we were limited in the places we could go see. Also, we both were working in the day and only had evenings to spend in these places. Hence, we probably hadn’t picked up on the full breadth of activities that both Santa Barbara and Palm Springs had to offer.
What next?
That about sums my last 3 weeks of adventures and muses. Right now, I’m in Costa Rica, trying to unpack my emotions, rewind, reflect and give thanks for all that I’ve been given by strangers-turned-friends.
While I still didn’t get to see the Selling Sunset crew and their multi-million dollar homes in LA (!!!), that gives me more reason to be back! That, and Lady the rascal puppy, my photographer friend who’s always up for road trips and shoots and the Californian sunsets definitely will make it hard for me not to return soon.
“She’s lost.
but she’s more herself than ever before”
