Five Things I Love About Hermosa Beach

1. The brown and yellow street signs, which are really hard to read if you're driving past. But very charming if you're on foot.

2. The walk streets, running down to the beach, where kids shoot hoops and lucky residents wander to the beach without shoes on.

3. These electric car parking spots, which are always occupied.

4. That every other person is wearing sweats or yoga pants, skateboarding, cycling, rollerblading or jogging, and/ or carrying a yoga mat or surfboard. Check this guy out: he passed me on the beach and was clearly on a teleconference. Nice work ethic.

5. The woodchipped path which winds along parallel to the beach for a few miles. Car and bike free, perfect for a somewhat shaded run. Butterflies flutter about, birds tweet, you get the picture.

Hermosa is basically a living cliche of a smug, health conscious, environmentally aware, kale chip eating SoCal town. And I love it (despite having used my tumble dryer several times and also driving the supermarket to buy unhealthy snacks).

And yes, I do miss home. No, I haven't forgotten you, dear friends and family who are far away. There's just plenty about Hermosa that cheers me up, that's all.