Endless Becoming

My best friend, Ali Alderman, managed to escape the rain in Seattle to visit me for Martin Luther King Day weekend. Her first official, extended visit to LA meant that I had to show her the best of the City of Angels. Here's a recap of all our adventures.

Day 1

     

To begin, we visited Santa Monica, walking along the beach and under the pier. Ali kept exclaiming her love for the beach, and I completely sympathize; even after living here for a year and a half, the ocean always takes my breath away. Plus, I usually spend weekends holed away studying, so the beach and I are not as good of friends as I would like to be.

The weather was stunning that weekend (high of 83 degrees on that Saturday), so we stopped in a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf for an iced green tea to quench our thirst. Just off Santa Monica's 3rd street mall, we visited a used bookstore called Bookmonster, and I spent a week's paycheck on a handful of books. No, I do not regret it, and I am using those books to take time for myself throughout the school week. Post bookstore, we stopped by Yogurtland to escape the heat.

We sat on the Santa Monica beach until sunset, then stopped at C&O Trattoria in Venice for dinner. Between the unlimited garlic rolls and eggplant parmesan, I was in heaven. We sat at a table for two outside along the street, people watching as we enjoyed our Italian food.

That night, exhausted, we watched Halsey perform on Saturday Night Live and tumbled into bed.

          

Day 2

           

On Sunday, we returned to where we had left off - in Venice. We spent about an hour winding through the Venice canals before walking toward the boardwalk. Just off the craziness that is Venice beach, we stopped at Menotti's, a minimalist, artsy coffee shop that has high ratings and even higher prices. I'll admit, I was suspicious - I do not like to pay $5 for my beloved chai tea lattes, but this chai, made with almond-coconut milk, was the most delicious tea I have ever tasted. Highly recommend this spot as a treat-yourself-caffeine-fix.

For our second beach day, we wore our swimsuits, and read books on the sand. I got in the water, because I am just crazy enough to do so. It was freezing, but soothing on my first-week-back-dancing muscles.

From Venice Beach, we walked a few blocks inland to Salt and Straw, my favorite quirky ice cream place on Abbot Kinney. With our ice cream in hand, we traced the street, people watching and laughing at the ridiculously over priced fashion. We ended the night getting poke bowls at Lemonade.

     

Day 3

I had dance rehearsal on Monday, so Ali spent some of the day with a friend, but after we rejoined, we walked to Thai Talay, a local spot just a few blocks outside of campus. I love their Tom Kha coconut soup with shrimp. Afterward, we got Boba from a Coco's and walked back to campus. Before Ali left, I took her to In-N-Out, mostly because it's obligatory, but also because their milkshakes are $2 and to die for.

This post is titled "Endless Becoming," a phrase from The Argonauts, a book Ali bought while on another bookish adventure with me in Denver, a book she lent to me to read. In the book, the author Maggie Nelson describes her relationship with her partner as an endless becoming. I love that phrase so much because it captures the stability of a friendship while leaving room for growth. I am so thankful for the strong women in my life. Yes, this post is one filled with adventure, but it does not capture the long conversations we had over the weekend or the extended content silences or the staying up til 3am or the binge watching TV.

I love LA - its beaches, restaurants, people, art - but it does not mean anything if I don't share it, and laugh about it, and get stuck on the 405 in traffic with a smile. I post all these photos, perfectly edited and manicured, but I grin at the memories in photos I will never share - spilled ice cream on shirts, sand in my swimsuit, early morning bedhead. Ali inspires me to remain authentic and awkward and honest, qualities I never seem to shake, but often try to avoid in Los Angeles. The Hollywood lights can be blinding, but the sunsets on the beach show the way.

Here are some bonus candids that I love.

A little map if you fancy recreating our weekend: