Greetings from California!

I had hoped to engage limited internet activity, but turns out that’s impossible for your WebMistress, and so here I am seated with a cappuccino and my laptop at Venice Grind, a strong recommend for anyone jonesing for caffeine. (Not to mention, their logo is like if a tattoo had a baby with a neon sign.)

Arriving early yesterday, I managed to stay awake for nearly 24 hours and head out for dinner with Maura as her birthday celebration. Honest, I don’t know how I kept up for that many hours without having some sort of a mental fit.

En route to dinner last night, Mo was chatting and I looked over at her and had to control everything not to tackle her with a hug and a roll around on the ground. Instead, I just said “I am so happy to be here with you, walking down the street like this. So happy, I could cry because I need to be here so very badly, Mo. And you. YOU!” At least that’s what was being said in my head — what was on my tongue was a simple “I’m so happy to be here with you.”

Evening conversation was filled with the kind of energy which I seem to have been missing in Ottawa of late. While booked a while back — this has perfect timing. Thank you, Trip — you are sweet to be so accommodating.

Due to the time difference, I woke up this morning at the ass-crack of dawn, said my good morning-s and good bye-s to Mo and walked to Venice Beach while taking photos of all of the interesting nooks and crannies and front yards and doors of strange houses. I also met and photographed Jesus, a little boy who was playing with a basketball larger than himself. Originally, I kept referring to the basketball as a baseball and his dad eyed me like I had water on the brain, until I explained that I was Canadian. I asked if I could take his photo, and Hay-Zeus looked like I might try to eat him, which I did not do for the record.

When I landed at Venice Beach the camera crapped out on me and has since been on strike, refusing to focus / auto focus / manual focus / take a photo. I tried to rub her, coo at her, buy her flowers, offer her a back-rub, but she is having none of it for now. InshAllah I will be able to sort her out because carrying her around is making me look far more important and interesting than I really am. If not, then I am going to carry her around anyway and pretend to take photos.

The men here are interesting, to say the least. They are very forward in their approach-y ways and they are extremely relaxed in their hitting on women techniques, my favourite line so far “You brought the sunshine, baby. Let me see how that lights up my night…” yelled at me from one man amidst a group of men standing on Venice Blvd, followed by some tune of whistles which I wish I could have taped for you to hear.

We had lunch at Sony Studios next to Seth Rogen (whom I love), and whose hair is as ridiculous as mine at the moment. WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS HUMIDITY

More adventures as they happen oxo