~West Coast Is The Best Coast~

I know it’s quite cliche, but let me say it again. West coast is truly the best cast. Honestly!

My boyfriend and I visited Los Angeles this past weekend (I know this is not the best timing. We tried to be as careful as possible, and we are currently on quarantine for two weeks.)

I’ve been wanting to move to California for a while now. My boyfriend, on the other hand, was a little bit on a fence. Well, first of all, he’s never been there, so he had no idea what to expect. Second of all, I talked about it so much that he was quite annoyed😅.

Anyways,

How was our weekend, you might ask?

It was amazing.

Obviously, this was a little getaway, and because of COVID, this weekend was much needed for our souls. That probably amplified my feelings towards California, BUT I really liked it.

I’d lived close to the ocean my whole life.

I love the ocean breeze.

I love that slow and chill lifestyle.

I love people that are warm and welcoming.

I felt all of that this weekend.

And, fortunately, my boyfriend seemed to really like it as well!

Thursday night:

we met up with my best friend from high school and her boyfriend. It was a little bit of culture shock tbh because everything (like bars) seemed to be open over there, and we hadn’t really gone out in a long time. We went to yard house and grabbed some food and drinks. It was super nice to catch up with her and overall amazing night. She is someone I can always count on. She is one of the most open-minded, friendly, and accepting person. Her boyfriend was very sweet, too. He said that he became much nicer since he’s moved to California. Well, that’s a good sign.

Friday:

We went to get some coffee and breakfast from this cute little moroccan cafe, and then, we to an overlook in Santa Monica (it’s June, so it was a little hazy in the morning).

Then, we went towards Malibu and had a canyon/beach day. It got hot during the day, but it’s not humid, so I felt very comfortable. The thing about me is that I absolutely hate humidity. When I’m in Maryland, on a hot summer day, I literally do not go outside because of it. I’m such a drama queen. Please bear with me😂. Anyways, my boyfriend really enjoyed the drive through Topanga (he’s a car enthusiast) and I really enjoyed the beach. It seemed like there was a lot of hiking courses in the canyon, so we must try when we go back.

For dinner, per my request, we had some chicken katsu and spam musubi from L&L. Wow, I missed this.

After eating dinner, we scooted to Venice and explored a little. The homeless population at Venice beach is unbelievable. It’s honestly mind boggling how much money/funding goes to police and their equipments, manpower, etc. It’s messed up. There are so many other causes the funding should be spent on like education and homelessness. I hope that we can move towards defunding the police. Our world would look so much better. But back to the homeless population in California. I would love to work for an organization where I could help those who are suffering from mental disorders, those that need help, those that need a little more guidance. After seeing this situation in California, my feelings are much stronger. I want to do something. I absolutely loved working at the hospital in Baltimore, and this trio reminded me that I would love to continue on that journey.

Saturday:

We went towards Hollywood/downtown or they call it the north side. We got some In-N-Out and drove around Angels crest, of course per my boyfriend’s request. It is apparently the best road in the nation, and I guess he understood why. The view was absolutely amazing and we fell in love with it!

And then, we went to see my big! I hadn’t seen her in the longest time, so it was very nice to catch up with her. She took us to the park in Hollywood hills, and wow it was a pupper paradise. She seemed really happy to be in LA like she was her true self over there. We don’t really talk all the time, and we don’t see each other that often, but when we do, it’s always a good time. She is such a fierce and mindful activist. She is truly the coolest person ever!

You know, chicken katsu is delicious and all, but there’s another fast food chain I used to LOVE when I lived in Hawaii. JOLLIBEE. Freakin jollibee. Since my big is Filipino, she is very much aware of this restaurant. It’s a Filipino fast food chain, and their food just takes me back to my high school days. So, I suggested we should go there, and wow I never knew how much I needed it. It completed my heart🥰

Sunday morning:

And then, the last day.

I wanted to go to the beach for one last time, so we grabbed some coffee and donuts, and headed to the beach.

Overall, it was such a wonderful trip. Everyone I talked to/encountered was so nice and warm. I felt so warm and fuzzy inside. I LOVED it. I felt so at ease.

Obviously, I absolutely love my friends here in Maryland. My friends I met in college. My best friends that are like my family. My strong and beautiful friends. My forever friends. It’ll be weird to leave them and move to the opposite end of the U.S. I cannot even imagine being away from them. But, I feel as though this is my calling. I felt so right.

Probably it’s time for me to move to the next stage in life.

I’ll try not to think about that for now. I wish I could carry them with me all the time lol.

Anyways, my trip to California was honestly an amazing one. Now, it’s time for us to lock ourselves in our house for a little while! It’s still corona season after all😒

All my love,

Kaori