Cali: Take 1

I'm back from the first of two back-to-back weekends in California. I've been back since Sunday, and I'm heading out late tomorrow night for my next adventure.

Last weekend I went to Santa Clarita or Valencia or somewhere in that region for free with my friend Mitch, because he's a great person and knows I love travel.

He also knows I'm a dependable person who enjoys offering a helping hand, which is what I did. This was a volunteering trip, although it didn't feel like much work to me!

My weekend was spent brushing elbows with influential TV set designers and movie producers and head animators and all sorts of people I'd probably never meet otherwise.

Me+my camera+ocean

I helped out with the grunt work associated with a Disney art and wine auction, where the proceeds will go to scholarships for CalARTS students. Let me just say, it was a blast, but it felt SO weird being surrounded by so many "influential" people.

I'm really comfortable bumming around in my Birkenstocks, and while I enjoyed getting super dressy and seeing a Salvador Dali print, I was much more comfortable when I got to go to the beach the next day with Mitch and his family.

Who, by the way, are incredibly nice people. I love his parents. They're so witty. And generous.

So, yeah. That was weekend one. Art+famous people+beach. Now, weekend two!