Small Girl. Big City. Part II

I’m just two months away from being able to say I’ve been living in California for one whole year. It’s obviously still a very different experience from living in Gainesville, but I think I can finally say I’ve adjusted.

Granted, there have been a few occasions where I’ve done something that makes me stop and think “wow, that was so LA.” In these past ten months, I’ve discovered my love for succulents, colored walls and all things trendy.

Small Girl. Big City.

Why do I love LA? I love that I can I find amazing street style tacos almost anywhere I go. I’m amazed I have 5 Targets within a 5-mile radius—I know I’ve said this before, but the excitement still hasn’t worn off. And of course, I could talk about the weather all day, every day. But, some of my other favorite things about living in LA so far, have actually surprised me.

#PlantLady

First things first, I’ve never considered myself to have a green thumb. I’ve had my fair share of “easy-to-care-for” apartment plants die within days of receiving them. After attending a succulent arranging class in late September, I already assumed my plants to be as good as gone. Surprisingly enough, they lived. Not only did they make it through my introduction to succulent care and the “sometimes forgetting I had plants to take care of” phase—they thrived! And so began my love affair with succulents.

Since then, I’ve added two more succulents and one cactus (which is also a succulent) to my collection. They’re low maintenance, are made for LA weather, and are almost impossible to kill. Not only are they the perfect plant for a well-known plant killer, but they also add a pop of green to any space they’re added to. I can not tell you the happiness these tiny succulents bring me.

Getting Artsy

After coming to LA for the first time to visit, I knew I had to see the Urban Light installation at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It may be one of the more touristy spots, but it was something I got to check off on my bucket list 2 years ago.

There’s no shortage of art installations, museums, and pop-up art shows all across Los Angeles. To make ourselves a bit more cultured, we’ve been slowly adding our names to waitlists, buying tickets, and trying to find any museum we can. With so much to see, we’ve been able to visit at least one new thing each month.

A few weeks ago we decided to check out The 14th Factory, an old warehouse across three acres with 14 unique spaces within. Kevin and I both agreed, this experience was probably the most LA-feeling thing we’ve done since moving here. While neither of us claims to know much about art, the multimedia spaces left us a bit more confused than usual. But hey, we did get some great pictures out of it.

What’s up next? We have our tickets secured for The Broad next weekend and for the Museum of Ice Cream next month!

Sweating it Out

I hate the gym. There I said it. I’m still under the impression that any person who says they like the gym, is lying. I typically only go to the gym for group fitness classes and the occasional (and dreadful) run on the treadmill. Yes, I’m one of those people. I need to trick myself into working out. Although I’m typically very afraid of trying new things, especially in a gym environment, I recently tried two new things.

SoulCycle

About a month ago, I voluntarily signed up for my first SoulCycle class. I know, what was I thinking? For someone actively avoiding a traditional workout activity, this was probably not going to go well for me. Upon arriving at the studio, I was nervous and unprepared for what was about to happen. I honestly considered leaving as soon as I checked in.

Unfortunately, for me, I had gone with a group and wasn’t going to be able to bail as easily as I would’ve liked. So what happens when you put a first-time rider with no experience on a stationary bike in a class set to fast-paced music? I loved it. I absolutely loved every one of those 45 minutes in that class. I’m not going to lie, it was hard—like really hard. I was sore for about three days after, and my legs felt like jelly. It’s been almost a month since my first class and I’ve been five more times.

BoxUnion

Just last week I tried my hand(s) at my first boxing class. Another very new, very different experience for me. Much like my first SoulCycle class, BoxUnion was just as intimidating. This class had all your basic boxing elements; cushioned wraps, large puffy gloves, and massive hanging bags.

The twist? A full body, cardio workout set to music. And I thought I was sore after my first SoulCycle class—so many mountain climbers.

Both BoxUnion and SoulCycle worked for me because they were new workouts with inspiring, motivational instructors. Cool workouts? That’s just so LA.