Visit to Los Angeles--updated

I arrived in Los Angeles in last Tuesday morning. It was cool and crisp as  I headed up the coast in a bright red Mustang. The windows were open. The music was on. I felt like I had come home. It has been 15 years since I left Los Angeles, but it still feels like home to me.  Photos can not catch the incredible blues and greens of the ocean. Turquoise. Aqua. Teal. 

My first stop was a visit with my aunt. Ojai is a small artist town East of Ventura. It is known for creativity and spirituality. It was long the home of Krishnamurti. Ojai has acres and acres of citrus trees. Fruit was being harvested all around the valley.Even though it was 90-95 degrees during the day,  the temperature was tolerable.  I had an amazing vegetable taco lunch at Azo Restaurant. We had dinner at La Fonte on the outside courtyard.  After dinner, we walked across the street to the bandstand to listen to the community band. The park was full of families. Just before intermission, the band plays a march and listeners with balloons march around the park. The woman in the lead had 2 small dogs, each with their own balloon. Truly a small town with a strong community.

Once back in Los Angeles, it was important to visit old and new foodie haunts.  The first evening we went to Bombay Cafe on Pico. We had fish pakora, lamb frankie, eggplant deva, Sev Puri, Uttapam and garlic naan. 

The second day we were at A Votre Sante for lunch and a celeb siting of Ted Danson. This was after the Seaside Weavers Tapestry group. I learned how to set up a new tapestry and started a small tapestry with my mohair yarn dyed with cochineal. That evening we found that the food trucks were in Venice for 1st Friday. We joined about a million people searching for fun and exotic food from the trucks. We had shortrib tacos from Koji Truck, Peking Duck Taco from the Dim Sum Truck, Green Corn Tamal and ceviche from Border Grill Truck.  What fun!!  

Saturday morning was the trip to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market.  This is a small market by LA standards. Still there were 20-25 vendors there. When I have sold at a local MD farmer's market there are barely 10 vendors.  The shoppers can get eggs, meat, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and skin care products. 

The Border Grill Truck was at the market too....so we had to have more of the Green Corn Tamal and try the  churro bites.  Such a great breakfast!

One big reason for my trip was to go to the opening of the Seaside Weavers 40th Anniversary Exhibit at the Pacific Palisades Library. There was a lot of interest in the exhibit and it was great to catch up with old friends.  My Spiral bag is displayed on Marj Meadows' handwoven coat. My Endangered Species bag and ikat scarf are in other parts of the room.  The last part of the celebratory weekend was the annual Seaside Picnic at Marj's house.  Good Food! Good Friends!

What I learned this week, is that no matter how far away you are from true friends, it is easy and oh so valuable to reconnect.  I was surrounded by love for a week. Thank you all!

Here I am with Nicki and Carolee. It was a great day!

My owl bag is on the left. It is ikat woven with feather and bead embellishment.