2022 in Review

This blog was originally created to document my international adventures. A home of my stories, a collection of memories, a site of nostalgia for when I’m old and my memory starts to fail. As it turns out, I didn’t leave the country much in 2022, but I still have plenty to say.

I entered the year hopeful, truly a fresh start in a new city. I wrote about newness being the sweetness in a March blog post, which was actually my last entry (will do better next year)! As for the rest of 2022? It was transformative, in the most tender of ways.

I’ve learned that at this point, I don’t need to make plans far in advance. In fact, I now prefer it that way. I’m notoriously bad at saying no, but I’ve worked on honoring my needs and establishing boundaries. Softening expectations, as well as the ‘fear of missing out,’ leads to freedom. I’m trusting more and more that opportunities will find me when I’m ready for them… and they do!

I am entirely self sufficient on my own. You have to be when starting from scratch. It’s on us as adults to create routine, to observe and absorb our surroundings, to learn traffic patterns, to establish friendships, to explore as many new coffee shops as possible 🙂

My standards have gone down, in a sense. If you set your hopes too high, you’ll constantly be disappointed. I’ve really learned to not judge a book by its cover – that may be my mantra of the year, something I’m applying to both experiences and relationships. Los Angeles is more or less ‘unrefined vintage,’ often not so nice on the exterior, but bewitching when you uncover what’s on the inside.

The seemingly mundane things mean more when you’re dealing with a high cost of living. There are things I no longer take for granted, like having a washing machine, air conditioning, and a parking spot. I live on the top floor in a quiet building with Elysian Park in my backyard, and have the most caring property manager and neighbors. My neighborhood is very cool. I wake up thankful every day.

I’ve enjoyed remarking on how normal it is to be Jewish in LA. I grew up experiencing bouts of anti-Semitism and the frequent “oh, you’re Jewish!?,” accompanied blank stares. Here, no one cares or thinks twice about it because 20% of the city is also part of the tribe. I’m leaning into my culture in new ways and it’s refreshing.

And perhaps the best city attributes: the nature and weather. Beaches, canyons, desert, and mountains are all within a short distance. Thanks to the vast topography, there’s a huge array of exotic flowers, plants, and trees. The purple spring Jacarandas are spectacular. The weather is glorious and it’s sunny most days, although we’re currently enjoying a cool and misty week. I feel at peak fitness because of all the time I spend on walks, hikes, and practicing yoga. My outdoorsy heart is full.

I think it’s important to reflect on the hard parts of the past year. Acknowledging our struggles means moving through them, and releasing them. Last night, I completed a journaling exercise that involved listing both the highs and lows of the year. I won’t be sharing my lows or the tragedies experienced by friends or society (that I felt deeply via proxy) here, but it was a cathartic practice, pen to paper. Breathe in, breathe out. Fortunately, things have been very good overall. It was one of the best years I’ve had in a long time.

Here are my favorite happenings of 2022:

Being anonymous in a big city and having my own home again. Starting over was like a re-birth. I love everything about feeling small in a massive city, particularly this one (with LA county being home to almost 10 million people). And there’s no feeling like waking up in your own space after 4 months of sleeping on couches and in Airbnb’s. Harry and I were finally re-acquainted with a home base, our furniture and decoratives, and *privacy.*

Reunion with Rosanne. I hadn’t seen this best friend in almost 5 years due to the pandemic, but she visited me for a full week this spring. She was my very first LA visitor! We glamped in Joshua Tree, strolled through Laguna Beach, boated with another old acquaintance in Newport Beach, and did a good deal of hiking. I introduced Rosanne to Schitt’s Creek and she was instantly hooked (ew, David). I’ll be visiting her in Spain soon!

A quick visit from Kelley. Kel wasn’t here for long but stand outs of our visit included lunch in Manhattan Beach, walking the Venice boardwalk and canals, and a hike to the Griffith Observatory. The fact that she was willing to come this far for barely two days meant so much. I’m very excited for Kelley and Wade, as they’re expecting a baby soon!

Being in the studio audience for So You Think You Can Dance. I’ve watched the the show since season 2, and loved participating in the behind the scenes with two new friends. We even caught some air time! I’m really saddened by the recent loss of judge Twitch, and feel lucky to have seen him in the studio during the recording.

Xochimilco, Mexico City. Although food poisoning ruined much of my Mexico City trip (curses!), prior to getting sick, I was able to cruise through the old Aztec canals on a traditional trajinera boat. Rachel and I weren’t sure what we were getting into, but it was a very unique way of experiencing authentic Mexican culture while enjoying the sunshine, bebidas, and live mariachi music. 10/10 recommend. Also, I’m proud of Rachel for venturing on her own while I was incapacitated! We really are kindred spirits.

Jesse visits LA. Loved showing my brother around LA and I think he really enjoyed it, as well. We ate at a great Jewish deli, hit a winning Dodger’s game (walkable from my place!), rode electric bikes on the strand, and went to a comedy show. We also ate our hearts out at Smorgasborg.

A proper vacation in Ensenada, Baja California. Had the best time road-tripping across the border with Rachel and Vas. Our oceanfront rental provided morning dolphin sightings, quick beach access for surfing and reading, and restful sleep. We ate great food in town and filmed laughable TikToks at the house. We spent a day touring vineyards in Valle de Guadalupe, a beautiful wine region with fun wineries. Best of all was the 17-dish tasting experience at Fauna… insane meal.

Mom visits! I love being with my mom on vacation, as she’s open for anything and very fun. We did a lot: a scenic lunch in Topanga Canyon, El Matador Beach, the Getty Villa, dinner at my favorite Echo Park restaurant, some hiking, the Broad museum, Jagged Little Pill on Broadway and the Hollywood walk of fame, lunch in Palm Springs, and a night of homecooked food and hot tubbing in Joshua Tree.

San Diego trips. It looks like I’m on a quarterly schedule to visit Victoria, John, and the kiddos in San Diego these days. I just love my little niece and nephew. Life is different in SD (Escondido, to be specific). It’s quieter, slower-paced, chill. I really enjoy relaxing there and catching up with these life-long friends. Most recently, we spent a day sipping wine in Temecula.

Heartfelt visits with my home crew. I realize that since I now only see home friends a few times a year, I have to maximize my visits (which is very exhausting and also tricky without a car). But I was able to see most of the crew during my October and November visits. Highlights included a girls’ dinner in Durham, a successful work trip and reuniting with colleagues I hadn’t seen since 2019, being a bridesmaid in Lydia’s wedding, and a fun drag brunch.

A night in Desert Springs. We needed a city escape, so a few of us spent the night at an amazing property just west of Joshua Tree. We connected with nature, swam in the spring, laughed our asses off, and even ordered a pizza to the middle of the desert. We got no sleep because of the insane wind storm, but it only added to the adventure.

A weekend in the Bay. My first LA friend, Kelly, and I are huge John Mayer fans, so we got tix to Alice in Winterland in San Jose in early December. It was our second John Mayer show together this year (haha). We spent the second day being lazy in SF, and went out that evening for Italian dinner and drinks in North Beach. Kelly’s interviewing me for her podcast Imperfectly Purposed soon, and I’m excited to chat all things travel!

I’m feeling very good going into a second year in LA. I think I did really well this year with meeting people, learning the flow of the city, exploring neighborhoods, and taking regional road trips. In year 2, I hope to partake in more entertainment (concerts, comedy, and art), establish neighborhood buddies for happy hours, explore more new business (fewer repeats), open my heart to love, and get involved as a volunteer (starting soon). Wishing everyone reading this the very best and cheers to 2023!