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Monday, April 26, 2010

Weekend in California

So how do an urban girl and a hopeless outdoor junkie spend a weekend together in Los Angeles and Orange County? Our skeptical family members were all curious ("So, um, what exactly are you guys going to do?") I was open to suggestions ("Disneyland? Shopping in Newport Beach? How can I refrain from looking like one of those bored kids in a department store?") My sister was willing to compromise. ("I found a few suggestions on good hikes, but I'm not doing anything that takes all day.") There's just something about having a childhood in common, though. No matter what you do, you're going to spend the whole weekend laughing.

Afternoon at the Los Angeles Zoo. Sara and I both agreed the dancing harbor seals were our favorite. (Me: "I used to see these outside my office window in Juneau. But ours weren't nearly as talented.)

Walking around Hollywood. (There were forays into clothing stores that contained no trace of bicycle jerseys or running shoes. I tried not to stand around looking like a bored child.) We also wavered a little dinner. I had already dragged her to one sushi restaurant the day before, and she didn't see anything that appeared edible on the menu at the Greek place, so we ended up at Quiznos.

But we did agree on this: Ice cream sandwiches at Diddy Riese near UCLA. $1.50 for the most amazing rocket fuel you have ever sunk a spoon into.

Sunday cruise along the beach with a cool breeze, live music and the smell of kettle corn and charcoal wafting through the air. We rode close to 25 miles, which was perhaps Sara's longest bike ride since, well, possibly ever ... and she had a big smile on her face the entire time.

Lunch on Sunset Beach. The bikes laid out to get a nice California tan while we slathered on sunscreen and ate turkey sandwiches and extra cookies from Diddy Riese. Fantastic weekend! Back to more northerly climes tomorrow. I hope breakup is about over in Anchorage. I'm pretty sure I'm ready for summer now.

9 comments:

  1. That's a great adventure you have sis. I also love to roam in the zoo. Lion is the first animal I want to see.

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  2. there is just something about a cruiser bike along a california beach.

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  3. -but 25 miles? On a cruiser bike? Might as well be a thousand. It's cool to have sistas, glad you saw yours.

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  4. no such luck on spring in anchor town yet. south along the highway one can find trails in springlike condition. the johnson trail from rainbow trialhead and bird ridge are great right now. bring the sun with you from CA please!

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  5. Not that this is relevant to this particular blog post about southern Cali, but just wanted to say: You have made it entirely fathomable to a girl like me to believe that she can get on a bike and rotate her feet in circles till she's clear across the country.

    Thank you.

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  6. how cute is your sister?! Thanks for the poetic reference to my own situation too, my sis and I are also opposites (she in southern cali and me in rural appalachia) but as you say, today we find compromise and enjoy much laughter together no matter what we're doing. Best of luck to you in your new adventures in anchorage!

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  7. Adorable post! You sound a lot like me and my sister.

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  8. I kinda love that one of the few things we have in common is that we are sisters...and other than that.....hahaha But we still had the best weekend! Thanks sister for coming to see me. Glad you made it back to Anchorage. Will you email me those pics??
    xoxo Sara

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  9. Hey J-what 'bout pics of you on the beach? Do share!
    Best,
    Ken/Akron

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