28 Hours in Manhattan Beach, and the Real Reason I’m Addicted to Travel

A few months ago when I divulged my plans to travel around the US a bit at the end of the summer, I mentioned that I’d be spending some time in Los Angeles for the first time in years.  I myself wasn’t even really into the idea, it just so happened that flights to Central America were significantly cheaper from LAX than from San Francisco and since I’d be in California anyway, it just made sense to continue southward in the name of frugality.

On the bright side, as a University of California graduate, many of my nearest and dearest now reside in LA, so I took it as an opportunity to swing through and play catch up.

I originally figured a couple of days would suffice (if you can’t tell, I’m not the biggest fan of LA) but as my time in San Francisco stretched on, “a couple of days” dwindled into just one night.

A handful of friends had been generous enough to offer me a place to crash before my departure; my friend Whitney had recently moved to a new apartment in Manhattan Beach, an affluent coastal community in southwestern Los Angeles County, and upon learning that she was a mere 10 minutes from the airport to boot, the deal was sealed.

But let me give you a little backstory.  Whitney and I met in 2005 as freshmen in college; we ended up joining the same sorority (yes I was in a sorority–judge all you want, I wouldn’t trade it for the world) and thus became “sisters.”  Together we dominated the slopes at Tahoe on snowboard, dance floors all over California, and tequila shots wherever we could get our hands on them.  We daydreamed about travel over endless bottles of wine and eventually got to watch our dreams come to life as we planned our graduation trip to Australia in the spring of 2009.

Partners in crime in Australia, 2009.
Partners in travel and bonafide oenophiles.

Though she had done a fair bit of traveling prior to our trip, I, on the other hand, had not.  She didn’t even realize that day in June, as we boarded my first international flight together at LAX, that she’d just become my original travel buddy.  I think she knows perfectly well now what effect that trip had on me though–19 countries later and I’m still head-over-heels for travel (she blames me for her wine addiction–ok, probably true–but girl, I blame you for this travel addiction of mine…and by “blame,” I mean “thank”).

So not only is this girl one of the most beautiful people I know in every sense of the word, she’s been a key supporter of this crazy, nonsensical lifestyle of mine–one of the few people who never doubts, never judges, never utters a negative word, only urges me to dream bigger, to go farther, to love more.  She’s the friend who has stayed with me over time and across oceans, emerging on the other side as if nary a day has passed (when in reality we hadn’t seen each other for four years, much to both our dismay).

So now you know why I was actually pretty excited for this mini-trip to Manhattan Beach.  A chance to catch up with the girl who started it all?  Tequila was in order.

My Megabus left San Francisco promptly at 8:15am on a Tuesday morning and arrived at 3pm, a half hour ahead of schedule, to downtown LA’s Union Station.  Despite how often I travel, and that all the signs were in my own language, I couldn’t for the life of me navigate this transit system.  After a number of confusing conversations, an attempt to buy a ticket from the wrong machine, and boarding a train I wasn’t 100% sure was going the right direction, I was on my way.

Downtown Los Angeles, California
A brief encounter with downtown LA.

With the help of what I can only describe as dumb luck, the commuter bus I eventually found myself on dropped me half a block from Whitney’s doorstep; my hour-and-a-half of travel from downtown had cost me a grand total of $4.50.  I patted myself on the back and schlepped my things up to her adorable apartment WITH AN OCEAN VIEW and showered off the stress of the day.

Manhattan Beach
The view from Whit’s apartment…oh hi there Pacific Ocean!

Since my gracious hostess was still at work, I had a few hours to kill and a thoughtfully curated list (from the gracious hostess herself) of activities to undertake to acquaint myself with the area.

Within minutes I found myself on the iconic Manhattan Beach Strand, a promenade designed for all things active, flanked by jaw-dropping luxury homes on one side and an endless stretch of beach on the other.  The setting sun warmed me to the core as I meandered south and resisted the urge to jump in on a game of beach volleyball.The Manhattan Beach Strand Manhattan Beach, California The Manhattan Beach Strand Frangipani on the Manhattan Beach Strand Luxury homes on the Manhattan Beach Strand Luxury homes on the Manhattan Beach Strand

I made it as far as the Manhattan Beach Pier where I stopped for a bit to wiggle my toes in the sand, then made my way back up to a main street to get a closer look at the selection of surf shops and seafood restaurants on my way back to Whitney’s place.The Manhattan Beach Pier Manhattan Beach, California Sunset on the Pacific Ocean Manhattan Beach, California

When my girl finally arrived, we were out the door again in a flash on our way to Taco Tuesday at a local pub called OB’s.  Peanut shells crunched under our feet as we made our way through the crowd to a table at the back.  Fresh from the office, Whitney was easily the best dressed in the place with the Taco Tuesday clientele tending more toward shirtless surfer types than high-powered CEOs (though in Manhattan Beach the two could easily be one in the same).

We ordered more than our fair share of cheap tacos and margaritas and caught each other up on important life happenings.  I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect reunion.

The next day was rather uneventful and consisted of not much more than organizing myself for my impending flight(s) to Nicaragua while Whitney was at work.  I hoofed it to the nearest Walgreen’s for some last-minute travel essentials, did some laundry, wandered the beachfront one more time, and felt calmer than ever prior to an international flight.  Perhaps being in the presence of my original travel companion had something to do with it.Marine Avenue, Manhattan Beach, California Beautiful architecture in Manhattan BeachAfter a quick dinner at a restaurant called Rock & Brews and a glass of wine for good measure, my whirlwind visit to Manhattan Beach came to an abrupt end.  Before I knew it, Whitney and I were locked in a bear hug at the LAX departure terminal and pledging not to let another four years pass before our next margarita sesh.

Flamingoes at Bay to Breakers
We were too busy catching up to take a new photo together, but here we are as flamingoes at Bay to Breakers in 2010. We haven’t changed much.

As I checked in for my flight to Managua, I smiled to myself knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that I wouldn’t have to wait that long.

10 comments

  • Margherita @The Crowded Planet

    Wow, what a place! Talk about a room with a view… that truly is an amazing location! It reminds me of when I was a child watching Beverly Hills 90210 – I thought everyone in the States lived in beautiful beach apartments!
    Margherita @The Crowded Planet recently posted…Hostel Domus Academica HelsinkiMy Profile

    • LaMochilera (author)

      Haha it does look like something you’d see on TV, it’s a very photogenic place so I guess it makes sense. I couldn’t believe the view myself…imagine waking up to that every morning!

  • Maria from Nerd Nomads

    What a sweet story about how you got addicted to traveling! Whitney seems like the perfect friend, supporting you on your travel lifestyle. Ah, now I miss my best friend at home. Being on the road constantly can be a bit lonely sometimes.

    Wow, what a view from her apartment, got a bit jealous there I must admit :). Tacos and margaritas seem like the perfect reunion!
    Maria from Nerd Nomads recently posted…How Expensive Is Japan And How To Travel Japan CheapMy Profile

    • LaMochilera (author)

      My biggest gripe about constant traveling is how lonely it can get, but it does help to have friends that will stick by you no matter what and no matter how long you go without seeing each other. I am definitely lucky to have that in Whitney 🙂

    • LaMochilera (author)

      I have never lived by the sea myself, it was a nice treat to be able to wake up and be on the beach in 5 minutes!

  • Lesh @ NOMADasaurus

    Great post Leah and beautiful photos. I love the beach. I love the strong friendship you and Whitney have. Very special. You two look like you have a lot of fun together. 🙂

    • LaMochilera (author)

      We do have a lot of fun together! I hope everyone can have at least one friend like this girl in their lifetime…thank you for your lovely words 🙂

    • LaMochilera (author)

      Sororities get a bad rep, but mine was an amazing experience! Worth it if I made friends like this!

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