Four Great Days in LA

I am back from LA with my dreams and my cardigans, and my heart is full after five days in the sun with friends.

Ever since visiting there just weeks after my mom died (and then, again after my birthday), I’ve held a special place in my heart for the city. So, the week before last, after feeling particularly rough again for a few weeks, I booked a flight there on a whim, and I’m so glad I did.

(Speaking of particularly rough, I am really proud of this article I wrote for Women’s Health on my experience with depression and hospitalization.)

In the 3.5 days I was there, I visited the beach three times. NOT MAD. Upon landing, I picked up my rental car (pro tip: I generally use the Delta portal so I can get miles for car rental—you get 500 just for booking and then 500 per day, but otherwise I use Priceline and get some awesome deals) and headed straight for the beach!

hermosa beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello from Hermosa beach!

Apparently I brought June Gloom with me, but I’m still not mad.

I kept talking about how I wanted to spend a lot of time at the beach while I was out there…and of course, forgot a bathing suit. I headed to Target, and I ended up getting the bikini top in this cut (I joke to friends that I’m a “boobfluencer” because my links that do the best are for bras or bathing suit tops) and the bottom in this one. Just a heads-up that the top seems to run a bit big—I got my normal 36D and it was a little too big. I was fresh out of fucks and didn’t even try it on.

Hermosa Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sat in the sand and talked to an old friend on the phone for a long time, as I gazed out at the waves, feeling content and loved. For dinner, I met my dear friend Jordan  at Love and Salt. The food wasn’t bad by any means, it was fine, but the company and the ambiance were better!

Sweat Yoga Santa Monica

I’ve been a ClassPass user (on my own dime, nothing sponsored here) for quite a few years now, and one of my favorite things about the service is that when you travel to other cities, you can flex your membership and use it there. (This link gets both of us $40 off, if you’re a new member.) So, obviously I had to try a class! I had Santa Monica beach plans, so I tried Sweat Yoga. Omg. First of all, 11/10, would yoga again. The class is a sweaty beast with weights, similar to CorePower Yoga. There were several flow-on-your-owns, similar to Y7, which I don’t love, but overall I really enjoyed the class sequencing, and I got an amazing workout and was probably sweatier than I have ever been. NOT KIDDING.

 

Santa Monica Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another day, another beach, and I met Amy for some beach and catch-up time. Of COURSE the sun came out the second I left the beach. Oh well.

Tocaya Organica Tacos Santa Monica

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I asked Amy for a taco rec, and she told me Tocaya Organica was great, and she was not wrong! For dinner, I was staying with Jen, and her boss treated us for dinner at The Tower Bar, and we rolled home in food comas.

Surfing

On Saturday, I did all the activities! I had not yet surfed in LA, so it was on the top of my list. I ended up going with Aloha Brothers for my lesson, mainly for ease of booking online + price, and I was not disappointed…with them. Me? Let’s just say there’s plenty of room to improve in my surfing game. I think I’m just going to practice surfer get-ups in my living room.

But, as I said on Instagram, surfing is my favorite thing that I suck at. When I do get up on that board, even if it’s only halfway, only for half a second, it’s so so worth all the falling down. (There’s also probably a life metaphor in there…)

And, I get beach hair, so it’s also worth it.

But why stop at surfing? Meggie and I have talked FOR YEARS about playing tennis together, and it only took her moving 3000 miles away for us to finally make it happen.

tennis boot camp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We played with the Dial Jones Tennis Academy, and did a tennis boot camp which was a mix of tennis drills + bodyweight exercises. I’m so out of practice playing tennis (hello, NYC buds? anyone wanna play?) but it still brings me so much joy. (It was my first sport love before running.)  After these two intense workouts in the sun, I collapsed on Jen’s couch for a while…

malibu pier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before we drove up to the Malibu pier for dinner. We sat out there at the end, overlooking the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday morning, we drove up to the adorable Ojai, and I fell in love with this OUTDOOR BOOKSTORE. May I move in?

 

Plant Food + Wine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then I had brunch with my college friend, Shelley, and her MUFFIN OF A DOG, Lydia. We went to Plant Food + Wine, a delicious vegan spot on Abbot Kinney in Venice. It’s the kind of vegan that’s actually just vegetables, not a bunch of fake stuff pretending to be meat, and it was amazing.

We strolled Abbot Kinney afterwards, and you’d think Lydia was mayor of Venice for all the times she got stopped!

All in all, exactly the LA visit I needed to recharge my batteries and restore some peace in my life as I approach the year anniversary of losing my mom. Looking for more LA in NYC moments 🙂

9 comments on “Four Great Days in LA

  1. Jess

    Have you been to the Sweat Yoga in NYC? You have to try it if not! It’s on ClassPass as well. The owners are the FRIENDLIEST people, the yoga studio is huge by NYC standards and they just added a second room for open-air classes in the summer. And they have the most adorable studio dog! I sound like a walking advertisement, but it really is amazing. (Plus one time I saw Josh Duhamel there!)

    Reply
  2. Kayla

    Sounds like SUCH a good time in LA, but what time in LA isn’t? I NEED to check out Sweat Yoga in NYC. But I’m also lazy and don’t want to walk that far away, haha.

    Also… I’m really glad you forever mention dream + cardigan in regards to LA. Because I do every time I go visit my BFF and it never gets old to me

    Reply
  3. Heidi

    I’m so sorry about the loss of your mom. I’m very close to my mom.

    I’m so glad you liked LA. I grew up on the east coast and moved here 26 years ago and love it here. It’s a very seductive city. The food is amazing. Hermosa is adorable! I also love Manhattan and Redondo. I hope this city and it’s beaches soothed your soul for a while.

    Reply
  4. katie

    Sounds like a great weekend! I think weekend travels are the best way to keep me happy, its something to look forward to, but doesn’t break the bank or feel like I could have been more productive (which I can wonder about when I take a full week vacation).

    Reply
  5. Mindy

    What a great weekend – so glad you went. I desperately need to get back to CA. I haven’t been there since the summer I lived in NorCal which was a freaking decade ago.

    Reply
  6. Sue

    I adore your love for LA! I lived in Santa Monica until my dad passed away, unexpectedly, a couple of years ago and forced a move back to NYC, so I get the LA love. I miss it dearly.

    That aside, you should check out Circuit Works in Santa Monica the next time you visit. Amazing full body workout and great instructors (highly recommend Sean!). Josh Duhamel and Oliver Hudson are regulars, as a bonus.

    Reply
  7. Joanna

    I just read the article you linked to here about being hospitalized and just wanted to tell you that I loved it and I really respect the courage it takes to be open and write about something like this. My mother is bipolar and has been hospitalized and I feel like it was always something she didn’t want people to know about. Getting it out in the open makes it more relatable. Thank you!

    Reply
  8. cathryn ramsden

    Theodora, the article about being hospitalised is incredible. I really wish you hadn’t had to write it, and my heart aches for you so much, but it’s a really important article and I know it will help someone.

    Reply

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