Monthly Update (January)

Hi everyone! Man it's been crazy around here! I took last week off so thank you for your patience. I have a few updates but first I want to start out with a new series called the Monthly Update. I hope it inspires you to try a new activity or restaurant! It will also help me keep track of some of my monthly adventures.

To start, we have, of course, January.

Best word(s) to describe January: eventful, adventurous

Favorite thing that happened: SH and I have these friends who own a 37 foot long, refurbished school bus. (The crazy thing is, this is the third school bus they've owned!) They've done all the repairs, painting, and revamping themselves (like the good old fashioned, rural Georgians that they are.) We took the school bus (which I have affectionately nicknamed Boris) camping over MLK weekend. It was my first bus trip with them and it was an absolute blast. We stopped in Santa Barbara on the way there and back and all in all had a grand ol time. We ate at The Lucky Penny and explored the Funk Zone of Santa Barbara very briefly (read more about the Funk Zone here.) What's great about the bus is it's extremely comfortable and both nap and noise friendly. While it doesn't have a bathroom, (probably for the best, who wants to clean that?) it has three couches, three beds, and even tables to sit or play cards at. Those of us who were lucky enough to stake out a spot slept in the warm cozy bus at night while the others camped outside. (There were 14 of us, I think?) We made a delicious homemade breakfast in the morning (buttermilk pancakes and eggs) - it was roughing it in the best way! I highly recommend bus or RV camping with friends if you haven't done it before!

What kept me busy after work: Yoga and friends. I've been trying to go to yoga at least twice a week (ideally more) and I really do feel great after I go. Sometimes my social calendar takes over though, and I find myself heading to happy hour or sushi instead. Happy hour is such a great way to bond with coworkers so I will favor that over yoga when I feel like we're in need of some quality time. (Is it weird that I used the words coworkers and quality time in the same sentence?)

Favorite restaurant I tried this month: KazuNori in downtown LA. The hand rolls are absolutely divine. It's a small, dimly lit restaurant -- very trendy. The food is honestly unparalleled. These are by far the best hand rolls I've had in LA (and that's saying something because I absolutely LOVE Sugarfish hand rolls.) Tip: Be careful when parking and walking around if you are not familiar with the LA area as homelessness in downtown LA can be startling.

Overall Climate for the month: BUSY! But at the same time, busy in a selfishly fulfilling way. I got to do and see what I wanted and that is not always the case. I feel very fortunate. I was able to see my dear friend Charlotte on her birthday and also visit with SH's dad and uncle. SH and I made our first trip to the San Diego Zoo which was super exciting and fun :) I highly recommend the SD Zoo if you haven't been before! Tip: Pack your own lunch and/or snacks, as food can get quite expensive! At the zoo, the koalas and elephants were highlights for me :) And then to top it all off, SH and I went to Big Bear for the first time together to ski, as well. So much fun! He's such a kind ski partner! It's not every month where I can focus on myself, SH, and pursuing activities and adventures we want to do (either together or apart.) So grateful!