or: Why I Love Living with Andrew in California
or: My Life will Never Be Boring
Sunday morning Andrew and I went to Malibu for a couple hours. And it was lovely.
Gorgeous overcast morning. We got there while the surfers were still there, and before all the crowds (on a Sunday afternoon).
The brilliant part of my life right now is I have an amazing husband who gets these fun, on-the-fly ideas AND carries them out. And it doesn’t hurt that that we live in SoCal now and actually live close enough to the beach to go for just a morning. I never would have thought about going for just a couple hours, and even if I had thought about it, I’d be too lazy — or think myself too busy — to actually get in the car and go. It’s all Andrew. Making our lives a more fun place.
So, that morning I got up at 8a (I don’t really like sleeping that late, but what can you do when you don’t get home from work until 1145p). Andrew and I brushed out teeth, got changed and left. No shower. No make up. Nothing. And yet Andrew told me several times how pretty I look (!?) and “radiant.” I think my morning-no-shower-no-makeup face is his favorite. Another reason my life (and my marriage) is awesome.
Judge for yourself:
Meh. Passable.
We drove through a not-starbucks coffee joint and got some delicious coffee and pastries. Ridiculously cheap for what we got. And so so good.
Long-ish drive to the beach. South on the 405, North on the 101, then out through Malibu canyon (winding roads) to Pacific Coast Highway.
We drove by Pepperdine, and some lovely (enormous) beach houses, finally pulling off the main road at “Point Dume” …. who picked that name? It is kind of an out-of-the-way beach, with no set parking lot. We’ll probably go back there.
Since it was overcast (and early) we didn’t have any plans to get in the water, or even to veg on the beach. We just walked and walked and took some pictures:
Take a good long look. This may be some of the last public payphones in existence. I don’t even know if they work.
There’s just something about lifeguard towers, no?
There were quite a few surfers to watch.
Andrew kept asking when we were going to see a great white shark. I think that’s why he wanted to come to the beach. I think he thinks they just hang out waiting to say hi to him.
I handed him the camera to make sure we got proof I was there too.
One of our many pasttimes when we are out and about is talking about what we’re going to do “when we have money.” It’s kind of a vague, far-in-the-future type concept. More to talk about and learn about what the other values, is interested in, cares about… .. you know?
So, driving through Malibu, we of course talked about when we have money we’re going to buy a house there. My choice is this one (see below). I love the look of the outside. It looks PLENTY big for guests (and really, why buy a beach house if you can’t invite people over), and it is walking distance to the beach. That is a big+ for me. It’s all well and good to buy a house in Malibu, but if you still have to get in your car and drive and pay for parking, what is the point of living so close to the beach? Look at that awesome staircase (although, now that I look closely, that might belong to the neighbor’s house. But still)
…. yea. definitely that house when we have money.
Surfers.
The waves seemed pretty big. It’s kind of hard to tell from farther away. But there were definitely waves big enough to take them (the surfers) out. There was one with a white surfboard that was pretty good. And one with a red surfboard that wiped out constantly.
Good entertainment. Made us want to watch Riding Giants. Although, that was, I think, technically mostly Hawaii. But still surfing. Still the beach. And there was SOME Cali stuff.
After leaving Point Dume, we drove north for a bit, and then went home. Pretty uneventful. Only a couple hours.
Man, do I love beach culture. Specifically Southern California beach culture. I wish I could have gotten a pic of this cafe we drove by. Blue, weathered wood. 1970s looking neon sign, proclaiming ‘Neptune Net,’ gang of bikers outside.
So cool.
Andrew and I also want to make plans to camp at the beach soon. Hopefully before the summer is over. At least one night.
Mmmmm …. more confirmation I want a beach house one day. I think the house closest to the camera has a telescope in one of the ocean-facing rooms with windows floor-to-ceiling. If you look closely. And that spiral staircase? love it.
Surfers - not seals.
Although, a shark can’t tell the difference.
Another example of beach culture. … blocks and blocks and sometimes miles at a time of cars lining PCH. Surfers and tourists and families who have come to the beach and either can’t or don’t want to park in lots. Surfers changing out of wetsuits by the trunk of their car. Mothers putting sunblock on kids. Grabbing a drink out of the cooler before you load it back in the car.
Love it.
I love living here again.
