Keep Calm and Glamp On: West Coast Road Trip - Part II

Special thanks to Bill and Pam for hosting me at Wanser Farm.  I had the most incredible experience, and I hope you'll have me back again!

... Continued from West Coast Road Trip - Part I

We arrived at Wanser Farm just before midnight on Thursday. The 100 year old farm was undergoing some updates, so we set up camp on the front lawn.  The next morning, I woke up to an alarm clock that went "cock-a-doodle-doo," and I stepped outside to behold our little piece of country paradise.  The brown palm trees painted on the side of the trailer reminded me of how far we’d come.  And yet, I felt perfectly at home.

Keep Calm and Glamp On: West Coast Road Trip - Part I

Aunt Jojo and the Pacific Ocean (Somewhere in Oregon)

Summer vacation is not just for kids, though I still consider myself a kid at heart.  I usually satisfy my wanderlust with weekend adventures near Los Angeles, but when my Aunt Jojo mentioned a road trip to a family farm in Snohomish, WA, I suddenly felt the need to explore far away places.

Right now was a perfect time for us to make this journey together.  Aunt Jojo's boyfriend Donnie passed away almost a year ago, and I'm still looking for love.  Though we have a lot in common, our differences compliment each other very well.  I like to plan everything from start to finish, and Jojo likes to go with the flow.  Jojo is a morning person, and I am an evening person.  Jojo grew up in the '70's, and I have a passion for seventies music.  We joked about meeting a father/son pair on the road, but we were just as happy with the two of us.

Coachella 2013 - The Year of the Sandstorm

Coachella 2013

The following is a guest post by my little sister Kyrsti, my partner in crime.

Day 1

The weekend began with the familiar feeling of anticipation, the sun beating down on our faces, the dust rising in the air, and the faint sound of music drifting into our ears.  We could hardly contain our excitement as we walked onto the grassy polo fields on Friday afternoon.  Coachella 2013 had officially begun.

From Baby Jesus to East Jesus - Part II

Sunday afternoon at The Range, Slab City

... Continued From Baby Jesus to East Jesus - Part I

Hopefully you haven’t been holding your breath for too long.  Please resume your regular breathing immediately.  You’re turning blue!  In the last post, we mingled with the ghosts of old Hollywood along the shore of the Salton Sea.  Now, let’s get to East Jesus before the sun goes down. 

From Baby Jesus to East Jesus - Part I

Photo Cred: Saul Escobar

In February, my friend Marcela hosted a Baby Jesus Tamales Party, a Mexican tradition that begins with the sharing of Rosca de Reyes, or Kings bread, twelve days after Christmas.  The person who finds a plastic baby Jesus in their slice of bread must host a tamales party on February 2, Dia de la Candelaria.

At the Baby Jesus Tamales Party, I met Saul, an artist from Mexico.  Using my high school Spanish and his iPhone translator app, we shared enough words to have a conversation.  One word stood out from the rest: adventure.

Saul had trouble understanding the meaning of this word, even in Spanish.   He admitted that he had not been on an adventure in a long time, but his friend Cain had invited him on a tour of Slab City, a squatter campground inhabited by artists, vagabonds and Canadian snowbirds.  I convinced him to go, and he agreed to take me with him.

"B*tch, Don't Kill My Vibe"

Photo Cred: Justin Sullivan

I don't usually do adventure reruns, but last weekend, I just needed to get outside to clear my head, so I returned for a second hike to Murphy Ranch, an abandoned Nazi compound in the mountains of Los Angeles.

In 1933, Nazi sympathizers began construction on Murphy Ranch, Hitler's L.A. dream house.  The self-sustaining community had its own power plant, water tank, meat locker, bomb shelter and vegetable garden.  Original blueprints included plans for a four-story mansion with 22 bedrooms, five libraries and several dining rooms.  The compound was raided in 1941, sold and transformed into an artists' colony in the 60's and 70's.  The buildings were abandoned after the Mandeville Canyon Fire of 1978. (Curbed LA)

Today, the ruins can be accessed on a hike through Rustic Canyon.  My second hike to Murphy Ranch could not have been more different than the first.  In Los Angeles, seasonal change, Nazi ruins and secret waterfalls are real.  No Hollywood magic required.

Hike to Heart Rock Falls: A Love Story

Heart-shaped sunglasses for spotting heart-shaped waterfalls.

Somewhere in my closet, I have a valentine from my 5th grade crush with a lemon-flavored Lifesaver stuck to the back.  The front is a picture of a purple octopus next to the words, "You're My Main Squeeze."  Boy, I really wanted to be his main squeeze.  I didn't care that he gave the same valentine to every girl in the class.  But when he spoke to me, I forgot how to talk.  Also, I turned redder than a heart-shaped box of chocolates.

Since 5th grade, I've learned a few things: 1) don't go for the guy passing out valentines to every girl in the class, 2) red is totally my color, and 3) you don't need a sweetheart to get out and celebrate in the name of love.  How about a walk to a heart-shaped waterfall?