Back to Cali

I've always said that moving to Los Angeles in 2007 was the best decision I've ever made in my life.  LA is where I spent some amazing years in my early 20's, it set the stage for some of my professional growth, I spent three unforgettable years living in Santa Monica with two amazing room mates, and of course....I met the man of my dreams in LA!  For a place that was so special to my personal life, my career, and ultimately my future, it's unfortunate that Mike and I have not spent much time out there since moving to New York.

I started thinking about moivng to LA when a very dear friend from my first job & a friend from my Texas high school started heavily recruiting me to pack my things and move north on the 405 freeway.  Within two weeks, I had an amazing apartment with one of the best closets I've had in my life, a brand new job working with my spunky soon-to-be-roomie and fully booked social calendar to take in all that LA had to offer.  The three years I spent with Tiff & Deb in our crazy 8 apartment are years that I reflect upon fondly and years that make me smile. I'll never forget the rock band parties, crawling into each others beds for weekend snuggles, the accessory trading, the Christmas cookie decorating parties, early morning carpooling to the gym, the late night post-date recaps, and the parties....oh the parties!  The three of us really were a little family in those years at 1310 Barrington.

 So when one of our very own from the apartment was getting hitched, Mike and I knew we wouldn't miss it for the world.  Of course with all of the recent vacations Mike & I have been taking, I didn't have the luxury of more vacation time when we headed out to LA for Deb & Gavin's beach wedding in Santa Monica.  I flew out the day of the wedding to spend a total of 28 hours in LA....and boy did we fit a lot into those precious hours.


First on the agenda - lunch with two of our favorites....Brendan & Frank the Tank.  We were just minutes from the 3rd Street Promenade where we immediately called the boys and couldn't wait to see both of them.

Frank is a ridiculous beast of a pitbull/bulldog mix, and he couldn't be more ungraceful. But we love him...almost as much as we love Brendan.  Each time we see him he tells us about a new outrageous tattoo that he's added to his collection.  We haven't seen Brendan since our wedding, so even though we spent a whole 1.5 hours with him, it was SUCH a treat to see them both.

Then it was time for the main event - Deb & Gavin's beautiful Gatsby themed wedding. In my almost 30 years of life and what feels like at least 50 weddings that Mike and I have been to together, I've never been to a true beach wedding, and it was gorgeous.  Everything about it.  Deb was absolutely breathtaking in her dress with a matching beaming pearly white smile that lasted all day.  Gavin's sister sang a beautiful rendition of 'Fools Rush in' that left the entire party a little misty-eyed - or sobbing, if you're me. They both wrote their own special vows with a personal touch.  In the three years I lived with Deb, and the 40+ hours a week I spent with her working in the same office, I have never seen her so absolutely elated.  She was sparkling from head to toe - inside and out.  And after seeing the crowd of attendees sitting among us watching the couple say their vows, it was evident that the reception would promise to be a great time.

The first thing we saw when we entered the elegant reception site, the Buffalo Club, was Nyght Ryder - the same band that played at the epic Mobley Wedding back in 2011. Mike and I were over the moon to see them again. Every wedding that they've played at has been unreal.  And it's not surprising that Deb & Gavin - a couple who have been known to frequent every music festival possible, would have the best music on their special day.  It was such a perfect night.  A night that was topped off in true California fashion - a late night In-n-Out truck right outside the reception venue!


But our California adventure did not end there - despite the champagne headache that I woke up with the next morning.  With a 1p flight, we had just enough time for a patio breakfast with one of my favorite people in the world - Jen!!!  Last year, Jen made arguably one of the best purchases in her life when she bought her sweet puppy - Eddie. Being an avid dog lover, I couldn't wait to meet her sweet baby boy - And she brought him to brunch!!!  During our early 20's, Jen and I spent many Sunday mornings nursing headaches and splitting plates of eggs Benedict & French toast, so it felt JUST like old times sitting outside with her while we sipped coffee and chatted about the night before - I only wish I had an entire day with her.  But I was thankful that the stars aligned and we were both able to fit in an impromptu visit with each other.

I've realized that since starting my blog, I've been adamant about how much I adore New York & how happy Mike & are with our lives in the city - but if it weren't for the city of LA bringing us together, we wouldn't be where we are today.  I'm so grateful for my time in LA & for each person who was a part of those golden years.  Next time, we'll have to stay longer than 28 hours!