Currently listening to: California Love – 2Pac
Now let me welcome everybody to the wild, wild west
A state that’s untouchable like Eliot Ness
The track hits your eardrum like a slug to your chest
Pack a vest for your Jimmy in the city of sex
We in that sunshine state where the bomb-ass hemp be
The state where you never find a dance floor empty
Since returning from the Maldives, I’ve finally regulated my fragmented sleep, and let me tell you—getting anywhere between 9 to 12 hours a night has been nothing short of divine. I wake up feeling refreshed, unbothered, and fully present. Nothing seems to faze me; I’m just floating through life, content.
Then, Five Star hit me up for brunch with the squad. Apparently, they hadn’t slept yet—some went to the casino, others hit the clubs. I swear, they’re living like they’re still 21 years old (which is hilarious because they’re actually older than I am). Meanwhile, I’ve been basking in the simple pleasures of sleep, cooking, cleaning, and then—yep—more sleep. Not necessarily in that order.
Five Star had booked a table at Juliet in Culver City. I tipped her off about a $50 discount if we spent $150 through the InKind app—sold. A win is a win.
Culver City gives me mixed emotions, though. It’s where Mister lived, and I spent so much time there that now, every drive through its streets feels like a time capsule bursting open. The memories hit in waves—the places we went, the moments we shared… le sigh.
Anyway, I digress. I was the first to arrive at the restaurant, as usual. Punctuality is ingrained in me, courtesy of my father, who despised tardiness and had no patience for people who wasted time. I live by that.
Five Star called to say she was running late—unsurprising, considering she hadn’t slept—and that the rest of the group was on their way. Noted. Alexis was the next to arrive. We hugged, took our seats, ordered Americanos, and browsed the menu while waiting for the others.
I was starving, so I went for the Croque Madame. Normally, I wouldn’t opt for anything with ham, but I wasn’t in the mood for a salad or an omelet.
Once everyone finally arrived, we spent nearly two hours catching up over brunch. The service was slow—Paris-level slow—but it gave us more time to chat, sip on endless rounds of coffee, and just be in the moment.
The place itself was charming, and the server was attentive despite the pace. By the time I got to my second Americano, I had already downed two cups of coffee at home, but apparently, that wasn’t stopping me.
Post-brunch, we decided to balance out the caffeine overload with Bikram yoga. This is exactly why I needed something hearty beforehand—my body was going to need all the fuel it could get. After sweating out every last drop of toxins, we followed up with a meditation sesh, which felt like pressing a mental reset button. Whatever lingering thoughts I had earlier just dissolved, and by the end of it, I felt like I was weightless, drifting through a cloud of stillness.
To wrap up the day, the seven of us made a stop at Erewhon to treat ourselves. I grabbed the Hailey Bieber smoothie for dinner—not because I’m a fan of Hailey herself, but because the smoothie is actually pretty damn good. A blend of almond milk, organic strawberries, bananas, avocado, dates, maple syrup, collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, sea moss gel, and coconut cream—it’s like a skincare routine in a cup.
We sat there for another two hours, just talking, laughing, and vibing. You’d think we’d be exhausted after such a long day and they hadn’t slept the night before but it didn’t seem to be an issue today. Good times were had.
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