Garden Hopping

So, here's the thing: I'm not one of those tourists who tries hard to blend in and pretend she's not a tourist, but I reallyyy don't like being led around stuffy old buildings by someone who is telling me all sorts of "interesting" facts. While traveling, I'd rather skip the tours and roam around a new city aimlessly; soaking in the sights and smells, tasting the food, observing the people. To me, that just feels like the best way to get to know a new city. 
While I was in Buenos Aires, all I wanted to do was wander around the cobblestone streets, drink cappuccinos, eat every alfajore I came across, and keep an eye out for random tango performances. I was traveling with friends, however, which means I had to take into consideration what my friends wanted to do. (Why I was the only one with a raging alfajore-obsession still confuses me hahah!)One day, we all decided to go visit the Japanese Gardens.  I was sad to think of all the delicious gourmet cappuccinos I was missing out on, but I knew it would be an opportunity to see something truly beautiful.The funny thing is, on the way to the Japanese Gardens, we stumbled upon the Botanical Gardens, which is known to locals as "The Cat Garden" due to all of the cats roaming around. Let's just say my friend Lara was IN HEAVEN. 

As we walked from the Cat Garden to the Japanese Gardens, we passed by the zoo! We didn't go in, but I snapped some good shots through the gate >:)
 
And we also saw this :( Eveyone hates Americans :(
 
Finally, we arrived at the Japanese Gardens!
 
There were a lot of pretty flowers there. It made me think of my friend Jade :) The cherry blossoms were not in bloom though, since it was Winter. I bet it's incredible in Spring.
 
On the way home we stopped by La Casa Rosada (the Argentinean White House) and it was so beautiful with all of the lights on!
 
The end :) More photos from Argentina to come :)

Icky Icky Poo

Today I went to the beach FOR THE FIRST TIME this summer.

I know, I am a disgrace to California. 

Not to mention I live literally 10 minutes walking distance from the beach. 

Don't get me wrong, I love going to the beach, I think I just take it for granite*. 

(*Movie quote! You know, like it's set in stone!)

My motivation for going to the beach was to accomplish goal 

#013: Swim in the ocean.

While I think the ocean happens to be one of the most gorgeous things on this earth,

I am realistic enough to acknowledge that it is also a disgusting cesspool. 

Come on. There are animals in it. Animal byproducts. Human waste. Toxic waste.

Everybody pees in it! Don't lie to me -- I know you pee in it!

Just thinking about what I would be swimming in (and inevitably ingesting)

makes me want to throw up everything I have eaten in the past six months.

Some people go to the beach to enjoy the waves, 

while others (like me) would rather: 

- read a book

- soak up some rays

- listen to an iPod

- build sandcastles

- play volleyball/frisbee/football

- stroll/skate/tandem-bike-ride along the sidewalk

- poke my toes in the water, giggle, and then run away.

I made it one of my goals to swim in the ocean because I think there comes a time

when we have to set our germaphobic tendencies aside and really enjoy the natural 

beauty that life has to offer. As we learned from the incredibly charming

Jake Gyllenhaal, life in a plastic bubble is not really a life at all. 

 My roomie Emily is a total beach bum so she leaped at the chance to go with me. 

The two of us took a short walk to Ellwood beach (very secluded. We are pretty romantic)

and frolicked in the water a bit before actually swimming. It was sooo cold and I could feel

all of the slimy seaweed sliding all over my legs! The water wasn't very clear

so I was using a lot of mind power not to imagine the creatures/diseases that could be 

floating around me.  However, after a bit of hysterical screaming, I finally swam :)

Conclusion: ocean swimming is pretty legit. Pool swimming is for pansies.

(I bet Bear Grylls swims in the ocean)

Annddd I definitely need to do this more often!

♥