Dear Readers:

It seems as though, for the entire second semester so far, I have never actually been on campus at USC/around Downtown Los Angeles for any of the weekends! WTF have I been doing you ask?! Well, if you follow me @westxphoto on the Odyssey Online (which you should go do right now if you don't already because... Get hip), you'd know that I have been in Santa Monica/Venice, Palm Springs, and, now, most recently, Carmel-by-the-Sea 😍.

Carmel is one of the most exclusive and elusive destinations in California, as proven by its lacking addresses for the homes and being filled with man bun surfers, cute old people, and celebs like Jay-Z and T. Swift. You can shop, eat, hike, do yoga, spend time on the beach, and relax to your heart's content in this quiet town. This is exactly what I needed after a long week of school, work, and teaching #westYS 🙏🏽

My friends and I started the 6 hour drive pretty late Friday nights because we all had plans prior, so we didn't arrive in Carmel until about 2 AM. Of course, we needed our quality time with our phones after not having service for several hours on the road 😂.

We slept in pretty late the next morning, and then walked around the quaint residential area, went down to the ocean, and strolled around the downtown. I had the best Eggs Benedict I've ever eaten... Let's just say it involved salmon and avocado 😮 Of course, I had to make it spicy (for those of you who know me IRL or even online, you know that I've been obsessed with anything Sriracha flavored for quite some time).

We spent the day walking from the main Carmel coast beach to Pebble Beach, the well-known golf course that celebrities are known to haunt for a mere $600 for a tee-off, let alone the Pro-Am for thousands. It is literally a beach filled with pebbles, and it is gorgeous beyond words. 🙌🏼

My friends and I were so stoked that we found a pack of puppies to pet, because who TF doesn't adore puppies?! 😁

We even explored some mini-caves, which is something I've been wanting to do for a while. This weekend getaway didn't just relax me, but it also indulged my adventurous side quite a bit. 👏🏼

The sunset was unbelievable. Being there on the beach in Carmel to witness this gorgeous transition of the sky from bright blue to cotton candy colors was surreal.

Saturday night we went to Mission Ranch, Clint Eastwood's famed steakhouse. We got these epic garlic breadsticks, delicious Caesar salad, and filet mignon grilled to perfection. I'm lucky that the USC dorm food is so bad, because it allows me to eat like this on the weekends... 👌🏽

We went to see Hidden Figures at the nearby Monterey movie theater. I loved the film's message, as it really resonated with me in light of Trump's brutal and unjust discrimination against women and immigrants today 🇺🇸. I feel like this back-in-time movie, which I'm sure will win many awards, what with its amazing takeaway as well as my Empire bae Taraj P. Henson's unparalleled acting talent, can make a dent in America today as we struggle with similar discrimination.

We stargazed after the movie... There's nothing quite like the night sky in a peaceful little town far removed from the hustle, bustle, and pollution of the big city. ⭐️

Sunday morning, we packed up and drove to Point Lobos, a stunning hike that leads to a breathtaking viewpoint of the ocean, rolling hills, and the bright blue sky. I love hiking because it is a great way to have fun and appreciate nature while working out! 💪🏼

We had a delicious brunch at Terry's, Doris Day's restaurant. I think it's super cute that celebrities own all these restaurants in Carmel, because it's like their little side hobbies 😌. As a Business Cinematic Arts (BCA) major, I really enjoyed all the posters from the old time movies in which she starred! 🎥

We headed back to the 9-0 in the afternoon, just in time for a gorgeous Highway 1 sunset. We even drove through Big Sur, another bucket list trip for me (I will find a time to go one day, even though I have a "crazy busy" {to quote my friends} schedule). Of course I took lots of pics of the gorgi scenery 💁🏻We admired the scenery, listened to dope road trip jams, and of course, because we were on a lit Cali road trip, had to hit In-N-Out before going home to L.A. 😉

We got back to L.A. past midnight, but no matter how tired I get after all these trips, I never regret it at all. It's worth the adventure.

I will always cherish the unforgettable memories I make here in California every day with my best friends. Every day is a chance for a new adventure.

Happy Travels,

ARW

Follow me on social to keep up with my amazing adventures throughout CA (which apparently now happen most weekends! 😂):

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