Day 2, L.A.

We woke up, ate Boyf’s friend’s AMAZING pancakes, and got ready to hear out to the beaches. We had such a great time; I just wish we had more of it! First we checked out downtown Santa Monica, where parking is FREE in a garage (I seriously thought it was a trick of sorts. Pennsylvania parking is never really free. I learned that there was one small catch; after 2 hours, its $1/hour (or half hour, I forget.)
My first stop was Forever21, as a desperately needed a new pair of sunglasses. Mine were bent, the one lens kept falling out, and they were men’s (I walked off with some guys sunglasses in Atlantic City as a result of a Bachelorette party dare….I then lost my cool fake Ray-Bans right before the trip). So sunglasses (and nail polish…and a headband…), check. Everyone there was mega fashionable. I guess when you’re competing in the same town as movie stars, things get extreme. So, with my fly new accessories, beach blanket, Boyf, and Boyf’s friend, we hit the beach. It was a long walk (extreme even by Wildwood standards) but once we got there it was really relaxing after all this driving to just lay in the sun. I even went in the water and got my hair wet (a little…), which is very out of character. We chilled on the beach for an hour or so, then headed back to the car. Venice Beach was the next stop, which was difficult to process. It was accurately described as the Coney Island or the west coast. I’ve never been to Coney Island, but Wildwood, NJ is pretty similar minus all the street performers and the weed shops on the boardwalk (yes, like, as in, come on in and buy some grass….if you have a prescription card). So…after seeing the sights we stepped into this DELICIOUS pub on a side street. I had an amazing chicken sandwich, I forget what the boys had but we were all pretty damn impressed with the food and the service. I love how I didn’t save receipts from these places and now have no idea what their called…Google, your not helping. Anyone whose familiar with Venice, it’s the one with a wooden kayak of sorts on the ceiling…does that help?
We were told that this (Venice Beach, not necessarily this pub in particular) was the placed to get trashed if you wanted to see the wasted side of L.A., but waaaayyy too early for that. We headed back “home” to change and chill. Then, we went over to the couple’s house that we had hung out with the first night with the grilled goodness. I don’t know if I mentioned before, but the guy is going to school for cosmetology and the girlfriend is a cabaret singer and actress. They were a great bunch of people; very sweet, very fun. We somehow ended up getting sucked in to a wrestling match (some of us more than others…. are you aware that its at least 50% a smack talking soap opera?). Once it got to be late, we went out to a few bars, one of which I remember the name of: The Speakeasy. That was a dive, and awesome. Then we went to some overpriced joint whose name I cant recall, then “home.” Good times. Tomorrow: San Francisco