Permanent Vacation

I am well aware that many people can not imagine calling Los Angeles their home. I even personally know some of these people. They come to visit, enjoy some royal tourist treatment, and happily return to the place they call home. 

Well, my friends, I happen to be one of those rare people who thoroughly enjoys this place. I packed up my car the moment I graduated college without hesitating for one moment...and I'm still here. It's not only that I enjoy doing the touristy things... (which I do) I love to do the regular things I do daily and watch the tourists want to do them too.  There is something about watching people who are not from (and possibly have never been to) this fair city gather together to do something that we do every day. Or maybe not every day, but often. We know where to park, when to get there, etc. etc. The 'visitors' do not. They get really bad sunburns and then have to remember where to find their car.

However, sometimes it is those very people that make this city fun. For example, if ever I do not have the motivation necessary to complete a really long run, I know exactly where to head. To the strand. 

This paved boardwalk stretches across the beach cities from the South Bay through Venice, Santa Monica and Malibu. It is always a good time for people/tourist watching. Being there will automatically take your mind off of anything else. For hours. I actually forget that I am struggling through my 11th mile because there is never a lack of entertainment. You don't have to look for comedy material.. it is everywhere. So much 'what not to wear' and bad tatoos it's amazing. Just don't get caught here if you're in a hurry or will be in a hurry at some point in the day. 

I really could go on... but my point is that these people are all having a great time. That's what living here is like to me. Sure, there's the 405 and the smog.  But there is a certain feeling I have gotten since I first moved here many years ago. That feeling I can't explain better than to say if you ever get a chance to move to a place where it feels like vacation every day, I highly recommend it. 

 (I started compiling an on-going list of things to love in my City of Angels. I will post it at a later time. But ironically, no where on it is the word tourist).