Los Angeles

I'm pretty proud to say that I was born and raised in LA. I love this city, and I'm well aware of the fact that I all too often take it for granted. I've lived here for 24 years (let's ignore that little 7 year gap I spent in Orange County), and it's pretty amazing that I can still make multiple new discoveries a week about all the fun things there are to see and do. At the beginning of June, I was searching for something to inspire me. And being from LA, it didn't take long for me to find exactly what I was looking for.

In the past week alone, I made the three following discoveries:

1) Flea Markets. I've had this list in my phone for about a year of all the flea markets I want to check out in LA. But, if you really know anything about me, it is nearly impossible for me to wake up at a decent hour on the weekends. So I just never went. This past Sunday though, I was up before 8am. I fueled myself up with coffee and was determined to go, I also dragged my sister along with me. Anyways, it was amazing! I stumbled upon a few film cameras that I've been searching for since I've been a little interested in getting back to film. And I bought myself a cute vintage leather camera bag for only $15. ;) I learned a little something about haggling in China.

2) Abbot Kinney. Okay I'm a little embarrassed that I haven't been here sooner. But whenever I go to Venice, I would always walk along the boardwalk. I didn't even know this place existed! It's charming and artsy and not too crowded. There are a ton of funky little art galleries around (that are perfect if you're fiending for inspiration) and I found the cutest little bookstore that simultaneously reminded me of my trips to China and New Orleans. It was a little strange but the different candles and incense and stones and travel books was exactly what I was looking for. Abbot Kinney is definitely one of those places where you need to remind yourself to put your camera phone down and quit taking pictures of everything so you can actually look around and enjoy everything around you!

3) The "Mayan Temple." It's actually a house designed by Frank Lloyed Wright in Los Feliz. But I was told I was going on an adventure to see a Mayan temple in the middle of the night. I had NO clue this existed in LA. I was seriously blown away when I saw it, because it's huge! and out of place and incredibly ostentatious and it's a Frank Lloyd Wright house in LA damnit!! I was told that it glimmers in the sun, as our newly enlightened eyes gawked at this massive house while I slowly drove around the perimeter. It was awesome, and it made me so nostalgic, driving around in the middle of the night looking at big houses with old friends from high school. Le sigh.


I have 0 pictures from these three discoveries. Which is okay. Because sometimes I need to remember to put my camera down. It's hard to appreciate and take in life's most inspiring moments when you're busy looking at them through the view finder.


But because I know you want something to look at ;) here are a few recent shots I've taken around LA
















Sidenote: I love Flickr. Because right now as I went to upload a picture, instead of "loading" or "buffering" it said "Herding Pandas". =]