early afternoon is my favorite time of day— on the west coast, it’s sublime.
the sky’s as blue as it can ever be and the breeze is so gentle and you have your whole day ahead of you.
even in the winter, it has that special look that lights the films of altman and tarantino, that lazy, coffee-in-your-kitchen kind of sunlight.
and i cannot stress enough, winter is the best time to visit.
i guess i’m in the minority, but think about it. you can wear a sweater on the beach and you have whole movie theaters to yourself. even santa monica pier is yours for the day— you can ride that kiddie coaster that swoops out over the ocean as many times as you want and feel that weightless giddy rush over and over.
but before the fun starts, you gotta stake out a place to stay.
as you go down ocean avenue, you look for the neon yellow sign of the ocean lodge hotel. it’s a clean, simple, ‘50s-style joint that isn’t much to look at but is right near the beach.
after you roll outta bed (nine’s what you’re going for, but it’ll probably be nine-thirty), you pull on the regulation uniform— white tee shirt, one of the two sweaters you brought, jeans, and a good pair of sneakers.
(as somebody who went to school on the east coast, buying my yearly pair of lightweight shoes after wearing snowboots for ages was a glorious feeling, like flying almost.)
a good day starts at snug harbor, a great little greasy spoon. you get some avocado toast ‘cause you’re in california, some fresh fruit, and hot green tea. you leave a good tip and get on your way before eleven.
you head back to santa monica pier, take your shoes off once you hit the sand, and prop up your backpack behind your head.
[a note on packing: pack light. once had a friend tell me “all you bring anywhere is a hat and a book” which, like, good.]
on the beach, you read and sleep and people-watch.
reading material can be whatever you want it to be, but given that it’s february, that means none of the summer stuff, your usual lightweight fare. i usually bring something about the movies or one of my favorites— this usually means camera man, the monkey wrench gang, that sort of thing. but that’s just me.
once the sun starts to sink beneath of the skin of the sky, all the purple and yellow light pooling together like blood in a bruise, you get up and walk along the shore.
you let the wind off the water ripple your clothes and muss your hair and take in the whole scene.
once you reach the boardwalk, you grab a bus to the aero thater. sunset in santa monica is like a hitchcock film— neon and shadows and headlights.
it doesn’t really matter to me what they’re playing at the theater. it’s always a good time. this week they’ve got cabaret and grease and a gentle woman— can’t miss.
after an hour or two of magic, you head to canter’s deli. there’s no place better to hang out and grab a bite. open 24 hours, you see all kinds of characters, and time isn’t real. you feel like you’re in a raymond chandler novel or something.
their menu is huge. there’s nothing you can’t get, so it’s up to you. sometimes it’s an avocado melt and a blue moon, sometimes it’s french fries and red wine, and sometimes it’s just a coffee.
after that, it’s your call. maybe you wanna stay out, maybe you want to get some sleep.
when the day winds down, though, you can think about tomorrow— you can go down sunset and hit the comedy store and amoeba records, you can visit the griffith observatory, you can even drive to long beach and surf in the cold, cold water. it doesn’t matter.
the whole city is out there.
la in february
Look, Rose, LA is the best. There is no question. But can you tell us more? What are your thoughts on Westwood and Beverly Hills?
What do you think of this https://williamscoffeeco.substack.com? I am considering using Substack as our website. It would be easier to update people on closures, hours, things like that.
Finally got a draft done..... What's next for your substack?