remember the days...

...when a saturday night meant picnics and swimming and too hot soccer games? yeah, i miss them, too. summer is still hot, but it's filled with high utility bills and car stick shifts that burn through sweaty hands. to cool off a few weekends ago, a couple good friends and i spent a bit of time in a hollywood cemetery.

valencia is a darling place to live, but not very temperate. so...i like to head down into LA to cool off. it's usually a good five to ten degrees cooler, which is a huge difference for me (i can't take the heat. at all.). if you're in the LA area, make sure to speed right past valencia and head down towards the beach or downtown, where there are millions of little coffee shops (this one is my favorite!) ready to stick an iced chai in your hand and let you cool off in their icy air conditioners.

or.

spend some time in a cemetery.

okay, well. it might sound a bit morbid. the hollywood forever cemetery is located on santa monica boulevard, right in the heart of the city. it has expansive lawns, high walls covered in ivy and tombstones that look like they're straight from the movies. which, of course, they actually could be since the cemetery grounds back up to paramount studios.

every saturday night during the summer, cinespia hosts a movie night on the lawns complete with a dj and wine before the film. they show movies from every decade, but we decided to go the night that they screened, "sunset blvd." not only is the movie super old and eerie, but the film took place right in the heart of hollywood. it was so fun to watch a grainy black-and-white that was filmed mere blocks away. whenever they mentioned something that was iconically, "hollywood," (aka: the sign, hollywood blvd, etc) everyone started cheering and clapping.

so. much. fun.

it's exciting to know that we live a mere twenty minutes from one of the most talked about places on earth. if you get the chance, ditch the touristy stuff and come hang out with us locals in a cemetery. we don't bite, promise!

if you do come, however, here's a couple tips:
1. come early, leave late. traffic is intense.
2. don't park in the cemetery. it's way too expensive. (we parked for free on N. Gower Street!)
3. bring some snacks. the atmosphere calls for them, honestly.
4. you can't forget those tiny lawn chairs! you can't bring big ones, but you won't see without a little one!
5. people watch. have fun. listen to the crazy music. it's really a great place to be.

ps: we're headed back to see one of the last movies of the summer, "dirty dancing," on september 1st. so, if you have the chance, make sure to pack a picnic, grab a blanket and drag some girlfriends along for a night to remember.

{i really like these people)

(waiting for the show to start}

{too short to see. i was teased, a lot.}

{movie time}