Even surfers celebrate Halloween

From a Halloween surf contest in Santa Monica on Saturday. Pics by Nanette Gonzalez for LA Weekly.

Fogged up

This is what Hermosa feels like with this bloody fog:

And the fog horn (?) is driving me mental, it goes off every 30 seconds and sounds like a phone nobody ever picks up. Yeah, yeah, yeah I love living by the beach. Sorry for complaining. Sorry.

*japanese style bow*

Surf groupie

Some people, like me and this guy, like it better in the sand. But one day we'll get our boards wet. Just wait and see. For now, the best Sundays are the ones spent on land, watching the waves, dreaming.

Redondo beach

Was hanging out in Redondo today, with a spanish couple we befriended at Ikea. As you do. I tend to always go north when I'm out and about, meaning towards Manhattan Beach, Marina del Rey and Venice (that's kind of far, so only for special occasions). But now I see I should be going south. It's real nice over there, a big fairground-feeling pier where they sell all kinds of fried sea creatures, popcorn, whale-safaris and beer, a small-ish beach that somehow feels more Mediterranean than Pacific (maybe not, but I'm homesick ok!!!), and a gang of dolphins jumping around and showing off. And the cutest little lifeguard tower.

That's Santa Monica over there in the horizon

After that I biked to Target and bought three board games.

Just because I felt like it.

we need more coconuts, honey!

If you're sitting up there in the north of Europe, thinking "damn, autumn is here again, it's rainy and windy and chilly and I'm feeling bluuuue", and you want to feel like this:

...chin up, I have a suggestion for you!

(stolen from the guys at servedraw.com)

Throw together the following in a shaker:

2 parts White rum

1/2 part Honey

1/2 part Coconut water

1/2 part Lemon juice

Shake it, shake it, shake it like a polaroid picture and pour in a fancy glass or, even better, a coconut. Decorate with a strawberry, lots of those little paper umbrellas we all loved so much when we were kids, and a pink straw. Drink plenty of these and pretend you're on a beach while listening to this.

Pix spell and the gypsy, tripadvisor, surfwellfleet and me

Zicatela, baby!

I'm looking for flights to Mexico for christmas... Zicatela beach, Puerto Escondido. Aaaaa I wanna go NOW! I'm sure it's changed since I was there six (!!??!) years ago but to me this is paradise on earth. Not to mention Zipolite.

Pix art.com, topmexicoattractions, redbubble, shetellworldtourism, surfersvillage

Let's go surfin' now!

Wherever you go in Hermosa, something is always there to remind you that you live in SoCal. Scarily fit people having their morning run on the strand. Moms with strollers powerwalking away the last traces of anything resembling fat. The cool kids with their beachcruisers and bare feet. The mexican families bringing their whole kitchens (including the furniture) to the beach on the weekends. Aaaaand, ofcourse, the sunsets. Beautiful! But what would it be without the surfers? I'll let you think about that for a second.

Surfistas surfers surfere

I think we're all aware of my soft spot for surfers by now, and so it comes as no surprise that I am absolutely thrilled to live two minutes away from this:

Just saying.

A green one!

I've been doing this for a while, but if you live in SoCal you HAVE to start your day with a green shot. There's a law on that. Mine has wheatgrass, chlorella, spinach, carrot, apple, celery and water. Gött! Now, a home spa with my Whole Food finds (it just took me 20 mins to walk there! Who says you need a car. Hah.)

Later, Hermosa Beach SURF FEST! Kicks off tonight with some kind of lifeguard competition, oh my god how could I miss that?!

Hermosa, hermosa

Our new home, Hermosa Beach....

Creepy Pigeon Man feeding his pets

A surfer's footsteps

Views from the Irish. Winedown Wednesday = half off Coppola's merlot (which is not half bad!)