Road Trip!
California is a great state. Since I arrived here, I've found myself becoming more and more like a true Californian; I've reestablished my love for the beach and the sun, begun speaking the west-coast lingo, for sure, and found myself in flip flops and board shorts more times than I can remember (in fact, my heels have been getting a little dusty!). But, now it's time to say goodbye to the rainless state (it hasn't rained since I arrived, unless you count the 1-hour sprinkle that I confronted one morning).
The last few weeks have been tough, as I've been trying to decide what my next step will be. I've really fallen in love with my job and the company I work for, but it's become obvious that I can't financially support myself here once Guillaume sets off back to France. I've decided that the best move for me right now is one that's closer to home. We're still sorting out the details for the next couple of months, but for the most part, we've set out a plan that we're hoping will work for us.
Guillaume finishes up his internship on the 31st, so we decided to make the most of his last 2 weeks in the States by taking a road trip back to Austin, stopping at the Grand Canyon, Denver, Kansas to see my sis and celebrate my nephew's birthday, and Dallas to see my mom and step-dad before finally arriving in Austin. It should be a fun trip, provided that my car stays alive throughout! Click here to see the route we're going to take.
I really can't wait to be back home and see everyone! I have so much to figure out still, but I think it'll be much easier with friends and family around for support and advice. Besides friends and fam, there are a few things that I'm really looking forward to when I get home: Taco Cabana (tex-mex food, in general), less traffic(!), unlimited mimosas, Trudy's (I've been CRAVING a stuffed avocado and queso especial sooo badly), Fireman's #4, the happiest hour, and S. Congress. We'll be in Austin around the 10th, woo-hoo!!
The last few weeks have been tough, as I've been trying to decide what my next step will be. I've really fallen in love with my job and the company I work for, but it's become obvious that I can't financially support myself here once Guillaume sets off back to France. I've decided that the best move for me right now is one that's closer to home. We're still sorting out the details for the next couple of months, but for the most part, we've set out a plan that we're hoping will work for us.
Guillaume finishes up his internship on the 31st, so we decided to make the most of his last 2 weeks in the States by taking a road trip back to Austin, stopping at the Grand Canyon, Denver, Kansas to see my sis and celebrate my nephew's birthday, and Dallas to see my mom and step-dad before finally arriving in Austin. It should be a fun trip, provided that my car stays alive throughout! Click here to see the route we're going to take.
I really can't wait to be back home and see everyone! I have so much to figure out still, but I think it'll be much easier with friends and family around for support and advice. Besides friends and fam, there are a few things that I'm really looking forward to when I get home: Taco Cabana (tex-mex food, in general), less traffic(!), unlimited mimosas, Trudy's (I've been CRAVING a stuffed avocado and queso especial sooo badly), Fireman's #4, the happiest hour, and S. Congress. We'll be in Austin around the 10th, woo-hoo!!
House Guests
I've been pretty lazy about blogging lately, but it's not all because I'm a notorious procrastinator. Recently, Guillaume and I have had some very nice company come through our little auberge in Long Beach, which has been (happily) occupying my time off.
Guillaume's friend from school, JB, came 2 weekends ago by way of the Pacific Coast Hwy from Berkeley, where he's also doing an internship. He brought his sister along who was visiting from France, and they pretty much lived like beach-bums during their stay here. I got to see Santa Monica and its beaches for the first time, which I had mixed feelings about. The beach is pretty crappy, with people's litter all over with a bunch of snot-nosed, dirty-diapered kids running wild, but Santa Monica, especially the Promenade, is seriously nice. It's definitely a place I could find myself wandering to occasionally. We discovered Cafe Crepe, a hidden treasure of an eatery there, too...it's the best little Frenchy cafe we've found in the LA area so far, and it's cheap, too!! We've taken 4 French people there (not including Gui), and they've all raved about how great it is! So, besides Santa Monica, we took them to our fave beach, Huntington Beach and got to see the place during a surf competition. I also got super-duper sun-burned while there (pics below), and I'm still peeling from that burn.
Last weekend, we had another pair of visitors, our friend Ber's little sis Steph (and by little, I mean super tall and gorgeous) and her beau, Yves. I'd met Steph in France last summer during my first visit with the kids, but we otherwise didn't know eachother. Their stay turned out to be so much fun...we really enjoyed having them around and it was even cooler that they brought video and pictures from their earlier trip to Texas. It was good (albeit a little sad) to see everyone back home hanging out (and little Oak is soo big!!!), and we got to hear some stories about their visit and what they'd been up to while they were there. We all got (re-)acquainted over a few pints of Foster's, Shiner, Fat Tire and Strongbow at one of our little Irish pubs in Belmont Shore. I finally got to visit the Getty Museum, which was absolutely awesome; the Manet was cool, but I was much more impressed with the Zoopsia exhibit and the museum itself. I'll definitely recommend it to everyone who visits the LA area! Unfortunately, while we were having lunch there Steph came across a nasty bay leaf in her turkey chilli, which nearly killed her (no joke). Luckily, Yves swooped in with the heimlich maneuver and saved the day. But, seriously, she gave us a scare and afterwards, I thought of how Bertrand would never talk to me again if something had actually happened to her! We made sure she chewed her food thoroughly thereafter, and spent the rest of our time on the beaches of Malibu and walking around my favorite place in Venice Beach - the canals. We really enjoyed having them here, and they treated us to a nice dinner at one of our favorite places in Long Beach.
So, a jam-packed last few weeks and now Gui and I are ready to chill this weekend. We've got a lot of laundry to do, too.
Here are some pics of recent adventures with friends - new and old. Good times.
Guillaume under the pier in Malibu.
Malibu pier
Steph & Yves
Trying to get to the other side of the beach....
A little help, please? :)
Pfff...rocks, schmocks.
Malibu
Guillaume's friend from school, JB, came 2 weekends ago by way of the Pacific Coast Hwy from Berkeley, where he's also doing an internship. He brought his sister along who was visiting from France, and they pretty much lived like beach-bums during their stay here. I got to see Santa Monica and its beaches for the first time, which I had mixed feelings about. The beach is pretty crappy, with people's litter all over with a bunch of snot-nosed, dirty-diapered kids running wild, but Santa Monica, especially the Promenade, is seriously nice. It's definitely a place I could find myself wandering to occasionally. We discovered Cafe Crepe, a hidden treasure of an eatery there, too...it's the best little Frenchy cafe we've found in the LA area so far, and it's cheap, too!! We've taken 4 French people there (not including Gui), and they've all raved about how great it is! So, besides Santa Monica, we took them to our fave beach, Huntington Beach and got to see the place during a surf competition. I also got super-duper sun-burned while there (pics below), and I'm still peeling from that burn.
Last weekend, we had another pair of visitors, our friend Ber's little sis Steph (and by little, I mean super tall and gorgeous) and her beau, Yves. I'd met Steph in France last summer during my first visit with the kids, but we otherwise didn't know eachother. Their stay turned out to be so much fun...we really enjoyed having them around and it was even cooler that they brought video and pictures from their earlier trip to Texas. It was good (albeit a little sad) to see everyone back home hanging out (and little Oak is soo big!!!), and we got to hear some stories about their visit and what they'd been up to while they were there. We all got (re-)acquainted over a few pints of Foster's, Shiner, Fat Tire and Strongbow at one of our little Irish pubs in Belmont Shore. I finally got to visit the Getty Museum, which was absolutely awesome; the Manet was cool, but I was much more impressed with the Zoopsia exhibit and the museum itself. I'll definitely recommend it to everyone who visits the LA area! Unfortunately, while we were having lunch there Steph came across a nasty bay leaf in her turkey chilli, which nearly killed her (no joke). Luckily, Yves swooped in with the heimlich maneuver and saved the day. But, seriously, she gave us a scare and afterwards, I thought of how Bertrand would never talk to me again if something had actually happened to her! We made sure she chewed her food thoroughly thereafter, and spent the rest of our time on the beaches of Malibu and walking around my favorite place in Venice Beach - the canals. We really enjoyed having them here, and they treated us to a nice dinner at one of our favorite places in Long Beach.
So, a jam-packed last few weeks and now Gui and I are ready to chill this weekend. We've got a lot of laundry to do, too.
Here are some pics of recent adventures with friends - new and old. Good times.
Our dessert from Claim Jumper (we went here instead of the OC Fair which was charging an arm an a leg). I think we made a good choice. :)
Good thing we shared it (and brought it home to eat with Steph & Yves).
Yves & Steph arrived with gifts...flowers & champagne. I love French folks.
Straight to the beach. (Long Beach)
Yves & Steph arrived with gifts...flowers & champagne. I love French folks.
Straight to the beach. (Long Beach)
Guillaume under the pier in Malibu.
Malibu pier
Steph & Yves
Trying to get to the other side of the beach....
A little help, please? :)
Pfff...rocks, schmocks.
Malibu
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