California Girl

If you've been following this adventure, I'm sure you are curious where exactly it is that I'm living now. Since returning from Dominica I've been in the north-eastern part of Southern California.

SoCal is huge guys and if you aren't from the West Coast you may not realize that when people say they are from "LA" they really mean "Greater Los Angeles," which is made of 3 densely populated counties.

Southern California is geographically larger than England. {Wikipedia said so.}

But in one of those moments when you realize that the world is actually a little smaller than it seems, my dear friend Stacy and I discovered that I'm actually living in her and her husband's first apartment. Like, the actual unit! I knew this was the same complex as I was apartment hunting but with over 200 units what are the chances we'd end up in the same one?

Back in August, this same friend and her husband offered me a room in their home while I job-hunted, found, and saved for said apartment. Their kindness and generosity is a true  blessing, and something that I am incredibly grateful for.

So, for now, California is home once again.

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!!

Gray skies and dormant orchards are what central California is made of in the winter. In the spring the trees come to life and you can see the Sierra Nevadas in the distance, but in the winter everything is cold and gray. The fog here can be unbelievable when the clouds settle in the valley. 

I can think of countless car rides with my sister where we tried to name all of the little towns that are spread between Atwater and Bakersfield. The crazy thing about California is that it is hundreds of miles long, so you can drive for hours and hours and still be in the same state. 

Traveling by train is definitely the way to go. You can get up and walk around, use the restroom, and get a drink whenever you like. Plus, Amtrak has free wi-fi these days. The trip does end up taking an hour or two longer than driving by car, but it is a much nicer journey. 


Today, I'm heading back down to Southern CA to visit friends before we make the long trip back to Dominica. Some of my "must-do's" for the next week include watching the last Harry Potter movie, having several caramel brûlée lattes, and making a trip to the Irvine Spectrum or Marketplace to use a few giftcards that I have tucked away. I'm hoping that there will be some shorts and tank-tops at the stores down south after the first of the year. Wish me luck!

Birthday Wishlist

In a perfect world (aka America) where you can order things online and have them shipped to you within a week, this would be my Birthday Wishlist this year.

 Forever & Ever, wooden and leather iPad2 case by Grove

iNecklace, glowing "breathing" power symbol by Adafruit

I heart California necklace by Truche on Etsy

Gold & Diamond Feather Ring by Fire and Ice