I seem to have the worst luck when it comes to the weather in Los Angeles. The last time I went to visit my family it was over 100 degrees the entire weekend! I know I am originally from LA and I should refrain from complaining, but in my defense, I have become accustomed to the mild summer weather of a beach town.

Since my parents don’t have air conditioning in their house, we decided to head down to Long Beach for a day to enjoy the beach: surf, sand, and the inevitable crowds.

We spent the entire day walking on the sand, splashing in the water, and collecting sea shells on the rocks near the harbor until the sun sank behind the horizon. It was extremely relaxing to have an entire day devoted to fun. I cannot remember the last time I spent an entire day without worrying about school, work, or some other stressful part of life.

I’m already planning out another trip down to Long Beach the next time I visit my family. Hopefully we can explore more of the shops and restaurants around the city, everything seems to come alive at night.

The Boleyn Inheritance, Wuthering Heights, and Elizabeth

I have an addictive personality: books are my drugs. The smell of a book, the sound of pages rustling— reading online completely pales in comparison. So when I found out the main library branch downtown was having a book sale, I quickly gathered all of my loose change and took the day off to rummage through boxes and shelves teeming with paperbacks. I initially hoped to find Harry Potter book 6 and 7 to complete my collection but unfortunately there were none to be had. I contented myself with six other books; happiness that cost me less than 5 dollars!

Confessions of a Shopaholic, Vanity and Vexation, and Sloppy Firsts

I was really excited to find Confessions of a Shopaholic which is now in my “Must Read on the Beach” queue. The other books I purchased were ones I have been dying to get my hands on for a while but always seem to put them off, especially Wuthering Heights. All in all, it was a pretty successful book shopping spree that will provide me with countless hours of entertainment. Spoken like a true bookworm.