California Dreamin'

I love it when a work trip feels sort of like a vacation.  And this has definitely been one of those trips.  When you can walk to great breakfast, sit with your laptop overlooking the sea, get a pedicure at Fred Segal and have dinner beside Reese Witherspoon, I think it's safe to say it's been a good one.  The only thing that would make this better is if SDK were here.

{ Now, I say it feels like a vacation as of this moment, but we're only halfway through the first of two overnight TV shoots.  It's 11:30pm and we'll probably go until 4:00am.  Ask me later and I may have a slightly different answer. }

Regardless, Santa Monica is beautiful.  Case in point from my walk on Monday morning:

Our hotel overlooks these bluffs, the PCH, the enormous beach and the Pacific.  Growing up on the Atlantic coast of Florida, this is an entirely different kind of beach than what I'm used to.  The water out here is freezing, but it sure is gorgeous.  And the landscaping!  All of this lush greenery has me dying to grow things back at home. { Even though I've already managed to kill both a basil plant and cilantro in the last three weeks.  At least my mint and rosemary are still alive.  Looks like I'm going to have to work a little harder to claim that I inherited mom's green thumb. }

But check this out.  There are succulents literally growing on the walls outside our hotel, and they're like none I've ever seen.

Seriously, these bad boys are HUGE!  Those bright green ones at the bottom are the size of a dinner plate.  Does anyone know what they are?  { Carmen?  Alison?  Mom? } Succulents don't take much water, so maybe these would be more my speed for now.  I don't really like killing things.  It's kind of discouraging.

Along those same lines, I am loving the color of my room.  It's the most perfect, calming shade of blue.  So sweetheart, get the paint brushes ready.  I've finally found the color to paint our bathroom!  I love how quickly a change in scenery brings instant inspiration.

And I've had lots of changes in scenery this week.  Like now, for instance.  This is what I'm looking at right now.

I love my job. : )