Santa Barbara Love

Sometimes I hate going to Santa Barbara.

Only because I get so sad when I have to leave again. There may have been a few tears on the drive home.

I had an absolutely glorious weekend, a much needed mini-vacation from the stifling stress of Los Angeles. The second I step out of my car when I arrive at my parents' house, I instantly feel a wave of peacefulness wash over me. Salt in the air, a chill in the breeze, people I love...

Paradise.

I always think about moving back. Not yet, not right now, but maybe someday. 

View from my parents' balcony. Yeah, that's the ocean. SUCK IT.

Friday night I enjoyed dinner with my parents, and then spent some time hanging out and chatting at the BFF's adorable little house. The next day I had a glorious facial (I'm glowing like a pregnant woman), lunch with my mama, then shopping with my two besties. Stayed within my self-designated budget and ended up with a dress and a shirt from Marshalls, and two pairs of flats, a necklace and a bracelet from Forever 21. My mama then made dinner for me and my concert buddy, a delicious healthy meal eaten out on the back patio in the gorgeous warm evening weather, and we spent some time appreciating the adorableness of my parents' pup.

LOOK AT THAT FACE.

Then we went to the incredibly epic Gotye concert, which was a magical experience. He is so insanely talented. And hot. I want to have his Belgian Australian babies. Then BFF and I impulsively walked downtown, and really, Santa Barbara at night is just a stunningly beautiful sight.

Santa Barbara Courthouse

We planned to just have a single beer at our favorite pub, but we ended up meeting a bachelor party full of lawyers. Which is basically standard operating procedure for us at this point. I swear, every time she and I go out, we end up chatting with a bachelor party, or lawyers, or both. Apparently S.O.P. is also that the cute, successful guy from LA that flirts with me will always be married. Harrumph. (He hid his left hand under the table for the first hour of conversation. Sneaky ringed bastard leading me on.) Oh, and one of the guys told me that I look like Minka Kelly, which is just about the nicest bullshit I've ever heard. We closed the bar down, then went back to her place and sat under the stars, wishing on those that fell and talking about life. We're very deep.

Sunday was spent with my mother, and I count my blessings (non-religious connotation) every day that I have such an amazing relationship with her. We just had a fabulously fun day. We had lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Santa Barbara, Los Agaves on Milpas, and then...there was more shopping. A lot of shopping. There are holes in my wardrobe, okay?! It was necessary! I needed things! LOTS OF THINGS. Boots, work shirts, a maxi dress, pants, a blazer for future interviews, workout tank...I worship at the altar of consumerism. And now I'm poor...though of course, my generous mother did help. And also, my BFF (she really needs a blog nickname) gave me a few hand-me-downs! I now have a goal pair of jeans (they WILL fit soon), a pleather jacket, and a lace top that I always coveted. 

After shopping Mama and I had dinner and chatted until I finally dragged myself to my car to drive home. It was a lightning-quick journey, luckily, and I was back to LA by bedtime. 

I have been trying to limit my visits to Santa Barbara, for a few reasons. Gas is one (SO EXPENSIVE). And I don't like leaving my kitty. But mostly, I feel like I live in LA, so I should try to form a life here and come up with things to do on the weekends. But the vast majority of the time my weekends are spent entirely alone, unless you count Mr. Tree. And I always have such an amazing time when I visit SB. So why try to restrict myself based on some idea I have of what I should be doing? Why not just do what makes me happy, since that's my life focus right now?

And Santa Barbara is happiness.