Can Caroline come out and Playa?

{that's me in pdr, trick.}
I mentioned a few posts back that I've been spending quite a bit of time with a whole new crop of friends lately, which with no surprise has continued to be a wonderful investment of my time. It just so happens that the majority of this group lives in a little area of west Los Angeles called Playa del Rey, which is just a hop/skip down the road from where I currently hang my red knitted hat. (Technically, there are only 4.58 miles between my front door and the edge of the sand.) With all of the time I've been in and out of PDR lately, it's starting to feel as homey as my favorite yellow hoodie (which much to my chagrin, I recently misplaced, so if you see it, please tell it to call home.)

I have to admit, I'm starting to think this little alcove of a neighborhood is one of the best kept secrets of L.A. Sure, the east side has it's own appeal; it has some of the best little bookstores I've found to date. However, I've never desired to live in east L.A., which could be sub-consciously attributed to my mother's impression that anything east of La Brea is "where Cheech is from", though I chock it up to my intense desire to be within running distance to the water. (Note : I did not say beach.)(Also note : I don't run.) I've always had such a strong fascination and internal drawl to the Pacific Ocean, and being more than a few miles away just wouldn't feel right.

But I digress, per usual.

Playa is a tiny beach town that for some reason or another, is actually within reasonable financial reach. (Note : Something I've heard of but am unfamiliar with.) My friends whom call it home theorize that the affordablity is attributed to it's semi-adjacent proximity to LAX's flight path. But, all the days and nights I've spent in this little gem, I don't recall hearing anything at all (which says a lot for a soundie like me.)

One of my friends is gunning for me to take my little PDR-lust-affair to the next level and officially become a local. Who knows? Maybe I'll finally take the plunge, commit and settle into a little water-side property. (Again, note, I did not say beach.) But then again, maybe certain things are more enjoyable when you're not totally immersed in them. (Okay, no more puns, I swear.) Either way, I'm really glad I've been able to find another little nook that makes me feel at home, when I'm almost two thousand miles away from my own.

-C.

PS. Check this little nugget out - I have some inside sources that claim Huell Howser will be doing a Playa del Rey episode of California's Gold within the year. Oooowee! That's GOLD!