Yeah, so California is not a total dump

I was seventeen years old when I first laid eyes on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, and I'm reminded of this every time I see it. I waited seventeen years to see what to me, will always be one the most amazing sights I have ever seen. Now having read this, you are absolutely required to call me out if I ever lose my perspective. EVER! The spectacular, sun drenched coastline, the lulling azure waves and the blazing tangerine ocean sunsets positively SCHOOL, school! the flat...desolate...and wintry plains of Michigan. They school them everyday. And this weekend when I hiked with a friend in Malibu, climbing up the sunny, 70-degree valley mountains, trotting down the dirty beach grass dips and finally settling on a worn, wooden bench overseeing the entire coast of Southern California, I wondered how it could be December. How it could be freaking December.

And that blissful Saturday afternoon turned into the day it was always meant to be. Driving back from my hike, I called my friend Caitlin, who was at that moment driving up to Santa Barbara for the day with her friend Devon. My face immediately scrunched into that of a little sulking pug. Because that sounded like the best idea, maybe ever, and I wanted to go. But they had already left. So I thought about it for a moment...and just turned my little blue Volvo nose north to the 101. I would catch them, by God. Now the best thing about the 101 is passing by Summerland. Summerland is the most amazing little town right before Santa Barbara. It hugs Ortega Hill and just sits there like a fat, ripe orange. And it's called Summerland. I don't know how else to say that that is amazing. We ended up staying the night at the Double Tree in Santa Barbara, which spared no expense in providing us with peppy little travel-size deodorants, face wash, toothbrushes, flattering flannel sheets and chocolate chip cookies (their THING). Even the stock wall paintings were great: little sketches of palm trees and the California coastline. It was an amazing time, and I was sad to leave. But I knew I'd come back. Because all it takes is my little Volvo. And the 101.