city of angels.

"Home wasn't a set house, or a single town on a map. It was wherever the people who loved you were, whenever you were together. Not a place, but a moment, and then another, building on each other like bricks to create a solid shelter that you take with you for your entire life, wherever you may go." - Sarah Dessen

My little sister posted this quote a while ago and I loved it and I feel like it resonates with my traveling life and gypsy heart right now. Getting to spend a month at home, in Los Angeles was exactly what I needed. I didn't realize how much I missed my friends and my family and life there. And so it was good to have time with all of them. But I always wish I had more time.

The first few days were slow and really rough with jet lag. I feel like the jet lag gets more brutal each time and each way I go back and forth. Dare I say that I'm getting older. I did have a week where I decided I didn't like Los Angeles, but I kind of went back and forth all month on this decision. things that i love include: my family, my dad, most of my favorite friends, favorite places to eat including lemonade, star cafe, la cabanita, live music and how many amazing bands come through los angeles' awesome venues, the beach, outdoor movies in parks, hiking, being able to bike in la canada (i rode my bike almost every single day while i was home. i also did a lot of lying on my bedroom floor feeling like i was dying after these bike rides.), costco lunches, listening to the radio in my car, and of course going to dodger games.

things i could care less for include: traffic, the rat race, feeling stressed out, my lack of patience in los angeles, not being able to use the metro or walk everywhere, 12 dollar glasses of wine, hipsters who can't be normal

I saw a ton of friends and brunched a lot.

Maggie may and her boyfriend sam came to LA and we had lots of adventures. hiking. the getty. playing quizup. eating LA food. the beach. the santa monica pier ferris wheel.

cuties at the getty

maggie may!! 

Kays and I saw Sara Bareilles, Jack Johnson, and Fall Out Boy in concert, all of whom were amazing. Sara Bareilles was awesome - she was so honest and she's funny bc she curses a lot at her concerts or i guess in life in general. she's totally no nonsense and talked a lot to the crowd and kind of told everyone how her current album that she's touring on was about how she got her heartbroken and wrote these songs. and she kind of owned that, which i loved. because i think there is something so vulnerable about talking about being broken hearted. and i don't think that people talk about that hurt enough, i think they just bottle it up inside. i think talking about it helps you heal from the hurt. so she was great and it was the first time i heard her album. and i really believe that hearing songs live for the first time, is the way all music should be. it makes you remember why you love music in the first place.

fall out boy was a blast from the past and it made me remember every single night in high school that i blasted those songs. and riding around in cars and "going for drives" with high school friends and boys and how angsty we tried to be. they were amazing and they played a ton of old stuff which i loved. kays wore her best teenage i'm trying to be sad mad and punk at the same time outfit.

love this teenage emo kid

jack johnson was so awesome. i had been dying to see him live in concert. and he definitely lived up to everything i thought he would be. it just reminds me how talented some people are. i wish that i could play guitar or even sing. and he can do a whole multitude of musical things. i love people with such a god given talent / craft like that.

kays

I went to a handful of dodger games. I got two wins and one embarrassing brutal loss with my boys in blue. Dad and I went the first weekend that I was home and Hanley scored a walk off run for a W and it even rained on us during the game, but like true dodger fans, we endured the rain. Kelsey work, Pat, and I went and got a win and Friday night fireworks so I couldn't have asked for a better start to the weekend. Then, Joe, Steven, and Ryan and I went to the game for a Sunday funday (with a loss) but I finally got to see the new bullpen bar which was super fun and i bought a new dodger tee for this season.

sunchasing at the game w dad

short stop photo booth love

my favorite married people

clayton!! 

dodger game with these guys 

Dad and I went up to san fran for a few days to see Kim & Phil and to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. If you haven't been to the aquarium in Monterey, it's so worth it. And it has a ton of jellies!!! Which are my absolute favorite. While we were in the city, we also saw Tito. 

jellies!!

visiting in the city w phil and kim

with two of my very favorite / the very best people i know 

Kate, E, and G, & Matt, and I had an epic water balloon fight on one of the days I spent with them. We went out to eat a lot to souplantation, in & out, and had tons of papa john's pizza, and we also went on a lot of target trips for something to do/getting out of the house. I also convinced them to watch frozen with me 3 times within 48 hours, and on the 4th attempt to convince them, they let me take the dvd home to watch it with mom and dad.

water balloon fight day

katey told me to park here

E! 

G and matt

kate and E testing out nel's new bed/wheel chair before he got to come home

It was a really good month at home. And it was harder to leave than I thought it would be. I cried at the airport when my dad dropped me off. And I didn't even cry last September. I think I was too excited then to cry. How lucky I am to be so loved that it makes it so hard to leave.

I'm back in Madrid now and I've started the first few weeks of school. I'll have to update you in the next week on goals for this year and new things that are going on. I hope to update later this week bc this is the last week of half days for september so I still have a ton of free time. Hasta luego!