LA LA LA

I'm sitting at my desk and there's a specific Stickie on my desktop that is taunting me. I feel a little guilty about my aborted "Things I'll Miss" list about leaving LA. Surely I can do better than just #12.

So, here goes.

#11. Gilbert's
The first restaurant we went to when we visited LA, looking for jobs and apartments, and still the best Mexican food ever. I would sell you for a tostada right now. Pack your bags.

#10. Pavilions
A supermarket made the list. I know, I know. But I was seriously obsessed with my neighborhood s'market. They were so nice! And it was so cheap. Walking into the far crappier chain of markets in Chicago (I'm sorry but it's true. My DC friends will understand when I say it makes Giant look like Whole Foods), I felt a pang for my old hangout. And Vic's car died in the parking lot once and even though we lived a block away, we still ate bread and drank a bottle of wine we got in the store, waiting for the tow truck. Oh, memories.

#9. Sunset Blvd.
Specifically- Sunset Blvd. at 10am on Sunday morning, taking the long way home from Amanda's. Especially that windy part between Beverly Hills and Westwood.

#8. Del's
Some dive bars make you laugh at the sheer thought of them. Even though it played home to one of my most embarassing karaoke moments EVER (cue running out of bar), I know my friend Beal is probably there right now, engaging in purely shady behavior.

#7. My Mini Cooper

#6. That 5 Hour Drive to Vegas
Long, hot and totally worth it. Whenever people ask me if I'm flying, I laugh. That last hill before you see the lights of Vegas? One of my favorite spots in the world.

#5. California travels
I love me some mid-west right now but I am a travel bunny and California is heaven. San Diego, La Jolla, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Valley, Monterey, Carmel, San Francisco, Yosemite... Sigh.

#4. The proximity to Mexico
I never got to Mexico. But I like knowing it's there if I need it.

#3. Weather

#2. "The movies"
As a child of the movies, especially classic movies, LA was a dream come true. To walk the streets of Bogart, Tracy, Hepburn, and Lombard? I loved being a part of that. Forget all the bullshit. Movies are magic and they're made in LA.

#1. My kids- obviously and for obvious reasons
They made LA home.
Vic, Little, Beal, Michael, Marty, Amanda, Trendz, Becks, Buck, Lo and Eric, Hope and Josh.