Downey

Ever since I moved back to Downey, I am borderline obnoxiously interested in things like its big front yards, an orange tree left on most properties, the farmers market expanding to Downey Ave with new vendors like Hodo Soy from Oakland selling amazing tofu eggless salad, poetry nights with a mostly over 70 crowd, the mural on the old Avenue movie theatre, bands of stray cats in driveways, the closeness to several different river beds and bike paths, reading The Patriot every Friday after work (and occasionally writing for it too- teenage dream come true!), yoga with J.R. who looks like an older Randy Quaid at the tiny gym, The Winning Image ( isn't that name pretty awesome?).

If I had stayed here, I know I would hate all of this, probably think it's too small town, and not appreciate any of its charm, but after being in crowded cities, never having my own space to think, or breathe, or even quiet to sleep well at night, I'm in love.

Working in LA, I get the question all the time and it's like defending LA the whole time I lived in San Francisco. At least here there is no hatred or disgust, but I know that people don't really get it. I have to explain it's really not that far away, 12 miles, it's peaceful and we have so        much        space. I like jogging on weekend mornings and seeing Furman Park crowded ( I usually run into my mom there too and give her a high five as we cross paths), passing the Carpenter's apartment buildings never gets old, the old lady who rides her bike with a little pomeranian in the basket ( I say hi to her, she ignores me, but it's ok). Natureway is still a really good natural health store and now we're even getting an art gallery. There's also a winebar that you can pretend I own, Mari's. Things are growing here and I want to be a part of it.

Echo Park all day, Downey at night. It suits me for now. It's also practice in appreciating something that isn't what everyone else is into or where everyone else is being cool and doing cool things ( this is where my fomo creeps in).

I'm not in the thick of it, and that's ok.


Sisters exploring on a Saturday