I was very sad for my retreat to end today, but I caught up with some old friends, so the rush of new experiences overcame the sadness of leaving San Clemente. It didn't help that I barely slept last night - I was all good from eleven p.m. to two a.m., but I woke up at two and was as wide awake as if it were eight, and I tossed and turned the rest of the night. I realize this is normal for a lot of people, but I consider myself to be a champion sleeper, and so those rare nights when I can't sleep make me feel angry and oddly defeated.
sssanyway. I got out of bed around 7:45 and spent a v. happy hour (which feels so long ago now) sitting on the deck looking out through the mist to the ocean beyond, drinking coffee and answering emails and planning activities for my upcoming sojourn to the bay area. But I had to stop enjoying myself so that I could shower and pack and vacate the premises. We all said goodbye to Christie, who was driving back to San Diego, and then Barbara and Anne and I finished getting ready and took a lyft to the airport. We parted ways there - they were on the same flight back to SF, while I was only at the airport long enough to pick up a rental car.
I then drove to Culver City, which took a little over an hour - since I haven't driven much in the last four months, and most of that driving happened in Iowa, this was a bit like going from a tricycle to an Evel Knievel-style motorcycle stunt. Luckily, I navigated the freeways and lights and accidents and sudden stops without any issues (despite being exhausted and hyped up on Mountain Dew), and I made it to my destination...
...which was a bookstore that specializes solely in romance novels. I would mention its name but I don't want to show up in any of their social media scans - but the store was totally wonderful, and it was great to see them put such an emphasis on romance novels that are mostly ignored everywhere else. I was mostly there to meet up with my friend Jenn, who hangs out there a lot, but I was glad to see the store.
However, I didn't browse much initially - we were both starving, so we walked down the street and had lunch and caught up on work/life. She also writes historical romance and also is the photographer for most of my covers, so we had a lot to discuss. Then we went back to the store, and I managed to only buy three books and a necklace (a real sacrifice on my part, made solely because I don't have room for any more stuff). Then I said farewell to Jenn and drove my airbnb (50mins to go less than ten miles, which is a v. California situation).
I was only here an hour, but I used half of it to take a nap, which miraculously restored me before my dinner plans. Mahin picked me up at 6:30, and we went to Urth Caffé, which had a delightful outdoor patio with even more delightful heat lamps. Mahin and I used to work together forever ago, and she and I would occasional have lunches to secretly talk about romance novels, which always felt fun and vaguely forbidden. I hadn't seen her in forever, but we'd exchanged emails a couple of months ago, and since she's living in LA now we took the opportunity to get together again. She's also a writer now, so we talked a lot of shop, which is fun and fascinating for us and of absolutely no interest to any of you.
So, three hours flew by way too fast, and my heart wasn't ready for the night to end, but my stamina was on the verge, so Mahin dropped me off at my airbnb - and hopefully it won't be another five years before we see each other again. And now I'm desperate for as much sleep as I can squeeze in in yet another unfamiliar bed before tomorrow's fun plans destroy my immune system and my liver - goodnight!
sssanyway. I got out of bed around 7:45 and spent a v. happy hour (which feels so long ago now) sitting on the deck looking out through the mist to the ocean beyond, drinking coffee and answering emails and planning activities for my upcoming sojourn to the bay area. But I had to stop enjoying myself so that I could shower and pack and vacate the premises. We all said goodbye to Christie, who was driving back to San Diego, and then Barbara and Anne and I finished getting ready and took a lyft to the airport. We parted ways there - they were on the same flight back to SF, while I was only at the airport long enough to pick up a rental car.
I then drove to Culver City, which took a little over an hour - since I haven't driven much in the last four months, and most of that driving happened in Iowa, this was a bit like going from a tricycle to an Evel Knievel-style motorcycle stunt. Luckily, I navigated the freeways and lights and accidents and sudden stops without any issues (despite being exhausted and hyped up on Mountain Dew), and I made it to my destination...
...which was a bookstore that specializes solely in romance novels. I would mention its name but I don't want to show up in any of their social media scans - but the store was totally wonderful, and it was great to see them put such an emphasis on romance novels that are mostly ignored everywhere else. I was mostly there to meet up with my friend Jenn, who hangs out there a lot, but I was glad to see the store.
However, I didn't browse much initially - we were both starving, so we walked down the street and had lunch and caught up on work/life. She also writes historical romance and also is the photographer for most of my covers, so we had a lot to discuss. Then we went back to the store, and I managed to only buy three books and a necklace (a real sacrifice on my part, made solely because I don't have room for any more stuff). Then I said farewell to Jenn and drove my airbnb (50mins to go less than ten miles, which is a v. California situation).
I was only here an hour, but I used half of it to take a nap, which miraculously restored me before my dinner plans. Mahin picked me up at 6:30, and we went to Urth Caffé, which had a delightful outdoor patio with even more delightful heat lamps. Mahin and I used to work together forever ago, and she and I would occasional have lunches to secretly talk about romance novels, which always felt fun and vaguely forbidden. I hadn't seen her in forever, but we'd exchanged emails a couple of months ago, and since she's living in LA now we took the opportunity to get together again. She's also a writer now, so we talked a lot of shop, which is fun and fascinating for us and of absolutely no interest to any of you.
So, three hours flew by way too fast, and my heart wasn't ready for the night to end, but my stamina was on the verge, so Mahin dropped me off at my airbnb - and hopefully it won't be another five years before we see each other again. And now I'm desperate for as much sleep as I can squeeze in in yet another unfamiliar bed before tomorrow's fun plans destroy my immune system and my liver - goodnight!
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