Tuesday Night Update

It’s been odd, being out here in Southern California this time around. I can’t really put my finger on it or explain what I mean, unfortunately. It’s not a good or bad feeling.

So let’s see, since I last updated: I spent Sunday afternoon driving around various places in Hollywood, Los Angeles and Brentwood. I wanted to check out some of the places I always see celebrities at in photos. So I did. Brentwood is beautiful – lots of beautiful people out jogging, walking, biking. Lindsay Lohan and Marcia Cross were spotted at a couple of the very same places I was at that day, but of course I missed them.

Then – still on my Whole Foods mission – I went to the Brentwood Whole Foods, but couldn’t find parking. I went to the Beverly Hills Whole Foods – same problem. There is such a huge parking problem in the LA area that it borders on insanity. (Actually, it IS insanity). After circling the lot 5 times at the LA Whole Foods I had been at previously, I got in. Picked up some more raw food treats.

I then drove back to my hotel, taking Hollywood Blvd. The Michael Jackson star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (which I got photos of in a previous post) was absolutely jam-packed. Even more so than before.

Sunday night, I spent with my ex-boyfriend/friend P. We went to Santa Monica. I let him drive my car because after having sat in traffic most of the day, I didn’t feel like driving. (He had driven his motorcycle to my hotel and I am NOT a motorcycle kinda gal). So we went to the Santa Monica pier, which was still pretty crowded at the hour of 9pm. We walked along the pier and I marveled at the crashing ocean, which I hadn’t seen since 2007.

Monday afternoon, I checked out of my Hollywood/Universal City Hilton hotel (and none too soon – I spent WAY too much money there!!! Grrr!!!) and drove to the far southeast part of Los Angeles county to a city called La Mirada, which is where I’m staying now. I won’t say which hotel I’m in, but let’s just say it’s a step down from the Hilton. It’s one of those places where people stay for more extended periods of time and has a full kitchen. Not too bad really. Funnily enough, I actually lived in this area for a few months when I was 17 years old. It was when I was in a foster home (after my parents had died) but my younger sister and I kept ditching school, so we got kicked out of the foster home and sent to a group home in Claremont, CA.

Anyway, tonight I got to see my older sister and her husband, daughter and son. My sister is growing a garden and she let me eat some of her delicious yellow cherry tomatoes, plus packed some up in a baggie for me to take back to my hotel. She has two dogs and 3 cats, all of which are adorable. One of the dogs got out and we had to chase it a few blocks down. Later we took a walk. I have been getting a LOT of walking exercise in since being out here – every day it’s at least an hour or two (or more).

AND… my sister told me that I look to have lost something like 20 pounds since she last saw me in summer 2007. The craziest thing is that I only weigh maybe 5 pounds less now then I did at the time! But she swears up and down that I look a LOT thinner. I don’t know what I weigh at the moment because I am without scale. However, I’ve cheated on my diet repeatedly for the past few days. BUT I am getting a lot of exercise and eating pretty lightly most of the day. So who knows?

I don’t know… I am seeing Southern California – the place I grew up in and lived in for the first 24 1/2 years of my life – through different eyes these days. Things have changed here. I spent some time driving through Irvine earlier today (which is in Orange County – a beautiful and expensive city that I last lived in while I lived out here in 2002). It has changed enormously in the past few years. I didn’t recognize it! They have built it up so much that there are tons and tons of new shopping centers, apartments and condos. It also has a huge Whole Foods – the biggest one I’ve seen yet. Their juice bar makes juices with tomatoes, cucumbers, and other veggies that the Tulsa one doesn’t. Plus they have tons of raw food goodies. If I lived out here again…

I don’t know. I just don’t know!

Yesterday I also drove by the house I grew up in, over in Norwalk. I do that every time I’m out here – drive by all the places I used to live. I also plan to visit my parents’ grave in Riverside at some point while I’m here.

I’m not sure how long I’ll be out here, but mostly likely at least through the weekend – maybe longer. I’m still emailing/texting M back in Tulsa every day. He’s been telling me how hot it is out there. I miss my apartment (and my younger sister and M) but don’t miss the area at all.