Last night, while working at one of the coolest events I’ve found thus far in LA*, I met someone whose last name is English. Seriously.
Although I was on my way out the door and off to bed after a full day of teaching, the mere sight of the word that perhaps best encapsulates my life stopped me dead in my tracks. And inspired a second, or perhaps a third or fourth, wind. There were people around us dressed as pirates, princesses, and large aquatic animals, but his friends looked on with skeptical amusement as my adrenaline and endorphins kicked in. Twenty minutes of excitement, gesticulations, and an abbreviated life story later, he benevolently gave me the lower half of his name-tag. He also offered to swap monikers (and thus families) with me, but I balked at the idea of spending holidays in Texas. Apparently, there are limits to what I will do in the name of love.
After a summer of exploration, here’s my Top Five reasons why LA deserves its angelic appellation:
#5: Movies at the Hollywood Forever cemetery. It’s nowhere near as creepy as it sounds at first. Plus, Tatum O’Neal came to introduce “Paper Moon.”
#4: *Mindshare. Interesting talks (musical fireplaces!), art installations, and lots of West LA hipsters who’ve made the dangerous trek past Skid Row.
#3: Downtown Artwalk. Free art, music, beverages, and the rare experience of walking along with droves of other people on a sidewalk.
#2: Sun, beach, ocean. Enough said.
#1: Teaching. “Miss M” may be a title of the past; my absolute love of the classroom will never fade. It’s good to be back.