I love waking up on the west side. There’s nothing better than opening your eyes to the sound of the ocean splashing against the shore. I wished that I could wake up like this every morning. I’ve set my mind to live in Santa Monica some day. I mean, this would be a far goal, one that I could achieve when I am done with my Master’s degree. However for the time being, I’m going to stick to my original plan and move to my new apartment that is closer to school. Just you wait Santa Monica, I will live there someday!

Thanks to my friend and her boyfriend, I was able to escape Los Angeles for a while and spend the weekend at a beach house in Santa Monica. It felt like a mini-vacation, something that I was going to plan if this event didn’t happen. Staying at a house rather than a hotel gives a much different feel. I feel like I have more control and I’m not limited to what I can and cannot do. Well, with a few exceptions, of course, but we are all mature adults so I didn’t go too crazy *wink*.

I wanted to take advantage of the warm beach weather and decided to wear my green and white summer dress from DKNY. This is the kind of dress that doesn’t look strange when you wear it out to the beach. I wore a bikini under it but decided to not wear any jewelry with it. After a few mimosas on the patio, I was definitely ready to go spend the day at the beach!

Just when I was about to leave the patio, my friend’s boyfriend carried out a bowl filled with meat to barbecue for lunch. I wasn’t going to miss a good plate of steak! I grew up in a household where barbecuing wasn’t that common, so I’ll take any chance where I get to cook my own piece of meat! 

I must have looked so attractive in my summer dress, biting into a huge piece of meat and barbecue sauce dripping all over my mouth, but I didn’t care! I’m on vacation!

After about my third bratwurst and second plate of potato salad, I was in no shape or mood to go lie under the hot California sun. Well, actually, I don’t think anyone was ready to go out to the beach or go for a bike ride after the amount of food we ate. The grilling experience was tons of fun though, it was the first time I’ve grilled since I moved out to California and it was the perfect summer experience. Luckily, my new apartment complex has a pool and a barbecue right next to it… This means trouble!

Love always,

Mia