We stayed at The Oceana Hotel in Santa Monica and it was glorious. It’s a small boutique hotel that looks as if it used to be an apartment complex converted to luxury hotel suites. It was far enough from the major areas to be quiet but close enough to walk everywhere which is just so different from living in the Valley …or so many other places in LA where you really have to drive to get there.
We found ourselves gazing out our window …deep into the ocean …deep in thought, and we found we could stare at it and be humbled by it for hours. The level of activity, of movement and life around us at every moment really beckoned for us to be out in it and a part of it all. So much so that in just 3 days we felt more connected to humanity and even to the world.
Of course the minor depression set in as soon as we got home {about twelve minutes later} …as soon as the smoggy, fire-filled Valley skies became our view instead of the vast ocean. Yes we have palm trees, but somehow they are not the same. As I climbed into our 20 year old bed {that we vowed to keep until we moved} just pales in comparison to our soft pillow-top, cloud-like hotel king. As responsibility and regular old daily chores stick their tongue out at me, the corner of my lip quivers a bit. Every single thing just reminds me that it’s not the beach …and now, more than ever, that’s exactly where I want to be …where we want to be.
Project Beach: June 2009 now in full effect
The818
Boo Beach. Yay duplex.
Amy
I love living by the coast. Twenty minutes away is still too far for me but I can’t have it all.
Gorgeous photo of the two of you x
J-Diggety
Those pictures are beautiful. My breath caught at the beauty of the beach… I’m a water girl, so living by the water is a dream/hope/goal of mine… someday…
Leslie
My husband and I came to some similar realizations this weekend as well, only we want to really get out of Southern California entirely.
Good luck with making your dream happen. 🙂
Word verification: calms
Revolution Vintage
It looks beautiful…We live in Malibu so the closest hotel we will stay in is in Santa Barbara.
Same proximity thought.
Happy belated anniversary and I hope you come and visit our store in Malibu soon!
Olivia Rae
such beautiful pictures… looks like the perfect trip!
Meghan
I also found myself dreaming of the beach as I viewed your pictures. Sigh. Congrats again!
Sher
Keep your fingers crossed and keep searching…you just may never know. Love those pictures! I love the water too!
OHN
Thank you for giving this landlocked lady a taste of the ocean that she longs for!! Love the photos.
My dream is to live beach-side somewhere.
~Mrs. Guru~
awe, love the photos!
Kez
Isn’t there just something about the ocean that is just so soothing and relaxing? I get withdrawals if I don’t see water too often. luckily I live between the ocean and an estuary. i’m so blessed.
I hope you find that beautiful beach place one day 🙂
Couture Cookie
I’m getting into vacay mood now! Also curious of what was in the Tiffany’s bag…
K.Line
What an awesome photo essay. I want to be there right now. Adorable cabin!
tania
everything is so perfect. the hotel, the decor, the beach, the view!
looks like you had an awesome anniversary 🙂
PS. i LOVE your blog!
Dana
Nice pics!!! I would love to visit Santa Barbara!! I hope everything else is going great as well 🙂
Jaime
Fabulous pics- Santa Monica is so gorgeous. That hotel looks so lovely too!
So glad you enjoyed your beach stay-cation!
Hannah @ LONDON--ROSE ♥
awww such beautiful pictures 🙂
bet ur having an amazing time hun!
♥ Hannah
((london–rose.blogspot.com))
xx
Niku
aw, you guys are so cute together 🙂 I love the last shot.
The Cottage Cheese
Meagan, your photos are gorgeous! I love the place where you stayed. I agree – It’s always depressing leaving the beach to go home. Nothing seems blue enough, the air doesn’t smell like the salty sea, concrete replaces sand. Bah. I’m so ready to move to the coast. I envy that you’re only 12 miles away. My closest coast is 7 hours! Oh, and you look so cute in that black and white outfit!
Lauren From Texas
How cute are y’all? Love it. My husband and I are about to celebrate 2 years with a little trip to the beach ourselves 🙂 Yay!
stacy
oh how i love santa monica!
i lived at 7th and santa monica for 8 months after i graduated from university – loved it!
Kb_Mal
Some (okay, nearly all) of those photos deserve places on your wall. Especially love the first ocean/sailboats/sky one, you and your husband’s feet and the people/rides sprawling along the beach. So fab. You have a real eye.
Barbro Andersen
You are really beautiful 🙂
anon
yeah – you left out what was in the Tiffany bag?!!!
gorgeous pics. i’m glad you guys had such a nice time.
Christen
I would move to the beach in a second if I had a job opportunity there. It literally makes me a better person. It’s almost as if the beach is home… even though I don’t live there.
Beautiful pictures!
Laura Trevey
I would love to live by the water one day!! The ocean is so calming, yet so powerful!!
Nicole Marie
ahh sounds amazing!! i don’t know how you were able to leave that adorable little place.
~ Kelly Ann ♥
Lovely Pictures!!!
Lisa Petrarca
Looks like you guys had an awesome time! Love the pics. I grew up in smoggy, boring Glendora (San Gabriel Valley). I always swore that I’d live at the beach & raise lil’ surfer kids.
Funny how when you set you’re mind to something, IT HAPPENS! I’m sure you guys will end up there if you want it bad enough. It’s like a vacation every day! Oh, except this weekend…stop by and read my “WARNING~GROSS POST!”
Keith
Great photos. It looks so beautiful there. I hope you are doing well. Take care. Cheers!
Joan
And now more than ever I, MYSELF, want to live at the beach.
Good thing the pics look so fun and beautiful, or else I’d be REALLY depressed, haha.
Travel Blog
the pictures are funny and great !!
keli *
very lovely!
Char
ohhh, what a sexy getaway! I want to live at the beach too
kelly
omg Fabulous! i love it!! what an adorable hotel xoxo
Jacqueline
thanks for sharing all your fabulous photos =)
wanna see a girl rompin around in the garden?
visit me at http://www.fashionsnag.com
Kristin
We just took our little man for a walk on the beach for the first time this weekend. We don’t partake in it nearly enough! Looks like a wonderful weekend!!
chelsea-recently
I am also dying to know what was in the Tiffany bag!!!
duckalicious
oooow, I wanna live by the beach too!
Sherin
I love all the pictures. Looks like you 2 had a brilliant time. I’ve always wanted to live near a beach, unfortunately, Englands beaches are kind of rubbish.
Brooke
Beautiful photos. I feel that way every time I leave my Aunt’s house 🙂 I’m pretty sure the Valley might still be better than Kaunas, Lithuania and Des Moines, Iowa combined! Not that that’s saying much…. 😉
Teresa
I am so with you. I live in Manhattan, so I’m technically surrounded by water, but it’s sooooo not the same thing.
fran
so…you and your husband are ridiculously cute, and yall look good together! 🙂
also, you have a new fan! me!
Melissa Blake
It looks like you had a great time! 🙂 The ocean is so beautiful.
bananas.
you two are so stinkin adorable! i love little staycations. so much fun! and it looks like you had a blast.
Lorena
Wow… thank you for sharing your little piece of heaven, such glorious pics!
Summer
We just had our anniversary trip to Catalina, and had the exact same experience.
And then we came home, and a week later I’m already begging for another weekend away.
Revolution Vintage
You must come visit – being so close!
Thanks for the comment : )
Please email me and I will give you my info.
P.S. Are you going to “Fashion’s Night Out” at Fred Segal? We are : )
Would love to see you there.
My email is :
Revolutionvintage@gmail.com
Cece
xo
Couture Carrie
Beautiful post, darling… well-written, and illustrated with such exquisite photos! Looks and sounds like a fabulous trip!
Love that B&W dress!
xoxox,
CC
Chessa!
how beautiful and wonderful and relaxing!!
graceful nichole
Happy weekend of love!
Glad you enjoyed it, beautiful post!
Court
I went to Santa Monica about 2 years ago and the entire time I kept singing Sheryl Crow,”…until the sun comes up over Santa Monica blvd!!!!!!!!!!!”
Fashion&Such
it looks so calm & beautiful there. glad you enjoyed it, but i guess if you lived there you could never concentrate on the importance of mundane things in life.
Fashion&Such
it looks so calm & beautiful there. glad you enjoyed it, but i guess if you lived there you could never concentrate on the importance of mundane things in life.
Jennifer Fabulous
I love the Santa Monica pier…amazing. And the beach is glorious. I’m glad you had fun on your trip. The photos are breathtaking. You are so beautiful!
Glamour Bbey
LOVELY PICTURES! And a lovely outfit x
JKreids
What was in the Tiffany’s box??
Suzanne
beautiful photos!
xx
NicholeCamarillo.com
Ugh. I miss it so much. I lived by the beach for two years. It was almost impossible to stress. Naps on the beach in the middle of the day. Really late night walks down the beach trail. Just sitting and staring at the ocean for what seems like eternity. Ohhh I miss it. Haha… you know, I even worked less and made far less money then and yet I can’t think of a single time I stressed over a bill. And I swear every day of those two years I felt like I was living LARGE. HA *sigh* Memories.
Glad you guys enjoyed it. Happy Anniversary.
Nelia
precioso todo!
veo que es igual a lo que desde que aquí veo en la televisión.
Felicidades a los dos!
InnyVinny
You know….I was RIGHT by the beach as Santa Monica yesterday and didn’t go. I haven’t seen ocean all summer. WTF was i thinking?!?
Gorgeous photos. =D
besswess
Looks as if you had a lovely time. Living by the ocean is always a good idea!
Annie
happy anniversary!! 🙂
it looks amazing there!
i’m so very envious of your trip!
i want to live by the beach too…i’ll sell seashells on the seashore for a living 😉
PUNKIE
this dress is just awesome!!!
CC.
such great photos, especially the one of your feet 🙂 love it! glad you had a fab weekend
Hanako66
love santa monica…we will have to check out that hotel the next time we go!
Jayci
It’s my dream to someday live by the ocean in Cali. I’d be there right now if it didn’t cost so much damn $$$.
& I’m thinking my next trip to Cali may have to involve that hotel. It’s lovely.
Kimmy @ kimmythingy
Looks like you had an awesome time! V. Jealous.
But now I’m just desperate to know what was in the Tiffany’s bag. Do share…. 😉
The Starving Stylist
awwwwwwwwww. . .what fashionista wouldn’t die to find a tiffany blue box waiting to be opened by them. . .so cute! 🙂
http://www.thestarvingstylist.com
The Alleged Ringleader
Happy Anniversary to you both! Oh I wish I would have known you guys were going to stay there! I have some GREAT hookups at that hotel! Such nice suites, it really is a charming property!
drollgirl
dude! these shots are amazing! now me and all of your fans are going to want to move to the beach too. WAH.
Maritess
omg I finally visited the pier on Saturday!! Too bad I didn’t see you! It’s so gorgeous over there…
Elizabeth Marie
Looks so amazing! I need a staycation! I might do a solo one for the first time in my life!
Happy Anniversary again! YAY!
stacy di
what a fab little staycation you had! I love Santa Monica beach…and would LOVE to live even 20 minutes away {especially as my Chicago winter looms in the near future}
Federica
Sounds like a lot of fun! Great!
Lucinda
Looks so fantastic. Every time I find myself considering to live at the beach I think about the fact that most days are grey and chilly, only summer for a short period of time. Debbie Downer moment, but it is true at least for Santa Monica.
lorimcktia.blogspot.com "Cottage By The Sea"
You can totally make it happen! My husband and I went on a get-away to the beach for our Anniversary 5 years ago. We fell in love with the whole lifestyle and decided right then and there that we would work and do whatever it took to make our dream of living down there come true. Now, overcoming a sh..load of trials to get there – here we are! Remodeling our cottage by the sea. We are just down the coast from Santa Monica in Solana Beach. Don’t ever give up. Living at the beach is the most awesome life you can imagine. You are literally blest by the sea every day! Good luck to you.
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