Tag: America

A day in Santa Monica

It was Saturday and my colleagues craved beach breeze. We were in Pasadena, a graceful town not too far from the Santa Monica beach.

Although I had my eyes and mind set on visiting the Griffith Observatory, my colleagues had planned to take a cab—first to the beach and then to Hollywood. Calculating the time and effort it’d otherwise take me to get to the Observatory, I caved to peer pressure, spending the afternoon with my colleagues and then taking public transportation to the Observatory. After all, it was closer from Hollywood than it was from where we were staying.

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As we walked down the wooden ledge that led to the Santa Monica pier, I wondered if I made a mistake. Rows and rows of cars lined the parking lots and crowds of people swarmed every restaurant. Flashy candy floss, drippy ice creams, and crunchy pop corns jumped out at my eye. Thousands of people bathed on the water while a hundred more sniffed at the fresh seafood platters on their table. Kids of all ages and sizes ran about, liquidating their parents’ credit cards for merry-go-rounds and two-hour crash courses on the trapeze.

None of them were locals. The whole place was more touristy than I’d ever imagined possible.

While I turned my attention to the many souvenir shops along the way, I couldn’t help but nod along to the live music around. Individual string artists demonstrated their prowess as passers took to applauding and Instagramming their appreciation.

Standing inside a souvenir store, I realised Santa Monica was exclusive for visitors of California. It’s a nice ocean spot for those who don’t have beaches at home, and it’s a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon—swimming, eating, musing with live music, and a day of rest and relaxation. It’s not for everyone, however, it sure is ideal for those who can afford to spend the time and money. It’s not for me, I understood, but the experience did show me a lifestyle, which although I’d never adapt, was still interesting to watch.

To end the eventful afternoon, we spent some time overlooking the ocean from the pier. After spotting exotic birds no one knew the names of, taking selfies to preserve a lifetime of memories, and strutting along as if we knew where we were doing, we left Santa Monica for our next spot: Hollywood. But that’s another post altogether.

Shakes

Shakespeare's Pub, Austin, Texas
Shakespeare’s Pub, Austin, Texas

Well, shaken or stirred

drama ensues, playwright drinks

what precedes the how

Smokin’

Cuban cigars for sale at the Miami International Airport
Cuban cigars for sale at the Miami International Airport

Smooth and smokey hot

tingling spine and tastebuds

oh well, those Cubans

Hello LA

About a month ago, on a bright Friday afternoon, my colleagues and I few into Los Angeles International Airport. We were in town for five days before flying off to Chicago, then to New York City, and at last to Miami.

We were travelling as part of a roadshow and so we all knew we had too little time in each city to do much sightseeing. Thanking the weekends we’d spend in Pasadena and New York City, we left the airport eager to check in at the hotel and check out the city.

As I looked about, trying to find our ride, my eyes fell on a gorgeous Tesla. My jaw dropped. I had no idea when (if at all) I’d ever see a Tesla back home, and my instinct forced me to pull out my camera phone. It was a green, sleek, and slender machine cruising its way through a buzz of busy vehicles trying to pick up travellers and get out of the airport.

Tesla on the streets of LA
Tesla on the streets of LA

For a while I remained stunned, surprised to see such grandeur as part of everyday lifestyle. But soon enough, I saw another one—a white this time—in the same pickup area.

A Tesla is as any other car, I realised. Sure, it’s expensive and elite and makes people gawk with jealousy, but at the end of the day, it’s just another car. It surprised me that there were so many people who could afford Teslas and drive it around town like a casual Toyota.

As we drove through the city, I saw more Teslas and other fancy cars, their drivers wearing a seat belt, focussing on the road—like all other drivers driving smaller cars. But of course, even the smaller and casual cars were far fancier and pricier than anything I’d seen.

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And it dawned on me a few minutes later. California is one the richest states in the US. With Hollywood and Silicon Valley just a few miles away, Teslas on the street were an average thing for LA folk.

The cars were the first thing I saw and they served me a pretty large slice of what life’s like in Los Angeles. It was amazing to me that while halfway across the world people struggled to sustain each day, people here basked in others’ jealously with reckless abandon.

It was just the beginning. I had a lot more to see.