From the road...


The Los Angeles area has been absolutely lovely. Stepping off the plane and deeply inhaling the richly polluted air is like no other experience I'd care to describe. I deeply despised living here while growing up, but now, having spent a good chunk of time away, I find myself nostalgic for dirty-city living.

Standing at the airport with my vintage luggage, I almost instantly felt like a child in a toy store as I took in the sights with rested eyes. Plastic-surgery-gone-wrong survivors with fake tans, trophy wives actively ignoring exhausted looking husbands, children so immersed into whatever new, hip electronic gadget they held in their eager hands - I was awestruck. Between the neon sunset, smell of shit in the air, and the caliber of people around me, I felt like I had landed in a John Waters film... and I was surprisingly okay with this.

I've missed my family and friends that I grew up with. I've missed my usual haunts. I've missed a whole lot about this stinkin' city, but I know that these feelings would quickly fade if I ever moved back here. I've made a lovely home away from this city, and it will be good to return to what's been waiting for me this whole past week.

Here are photos:

(I took my grandmother to get a manicure and pedicure. Can you see how tiny she is? I'm not a tall person, but I'm at least a foot taller than her now. Sheesh)






(mischief gleamed in my eyes as my childhood friends and I drove past this tour van)








(I make the prettiest faces, don't I?)

Los Angeles, thank you for your amazing vegan food and culture. I thoroughly enjoyed being surrounded by a steady flow of conversations in Spanish and Portuguese. It was awesome to spend this time with family and friends, and I look forward to doing this again soon.

Silencia