C is someone that tries to make the most of his time. I mean, not always, as many days he is found sitting on the couch watching football, playing online poker, or playing his Xbox until ungodly hours of the morning (maybe he thinks it's more productive than sleeping?). But if he has extra time in his schedule, he usually tries to fill it with something meaningful.
Like in April, when he had exactly 4 weeks off work for a hiatus, and he planned a three week trip to visit his college friends. Meanwhile, the week he came back I was off for approximately 20 gazillion years and I spent my days going to the gym and reading blogs. For what seemed like years.
When the strike started, we knew that at some point we would both be off work. Since that also meant that the money wouldn't be a'flowin, we couldn't take any trips other than the trip to visit his family next week.
So C came up with a plan for each of us to think of approx. 5 things each that we have never done or seen here in LA and want to. Genius, right? I know, he's good.
I love that kind of shit. I spend my free time online, reading websites about my city's new museums and galleries and shops and restaurants and markets and festivals and events. I'm always wanting to check stuff out, but don't want to do it alone and usually our weekends are so filled with other stuff that we never get around to it.
C is now officially off work. Friday was his last day. It sucks, but for him, right now, it's for the better because he was saying it was more depressing being in an office that was hit so hard due to the circumstances.
Yesterday, after C got home from playing basketball and we ate some lunch, we decided that we would do one thing on my list. He was curious what I chose and I was embarrassed to tell him what the Number 1 thing in LA I wanted to do was. Because of all the things in this amazing city, all I cared about was seeing the new Whole Foods in Pasadena that I have seen pictures of, read about and have been obsessed over.
Wouldn't you know my number 1 was related to food?
Why C is great? He figured that would be it. I mean, obviously, he said. SO after seeing what could easily be the best movie of the year, Juno, C and I made the trek to Pasadena (about 20 minutes away). After hitting up the WRONG Whole Foods (yes, we drove 10 miles longer than needed), we pulled into the parking lot, walked in the store and were amazed.
Two floors, each section was 3 times larger than normal Whole Foods. There was a seafood section, with a seafood restaurant and seafood bar attached. There was a rotisserie and carving station, with tables and seats, where you could easily bring your family for Sunday night dinner. The cheese section OH MY GOD the cheese section was ORGASMIC. So big, with samples galore. And next to that? The wine and tapas bar, where you could actually sit down and have wine tastings with cheese pairings. There were couples and friends sitting at the bar and the couches just enjoying their evening at Whole Foods as if it were your neighborhood pub. And DO NOT get me started on the dessert section, and honestly, can you say no when you are offered samples of donuts and pumpkin pie???
All in all, it was worth the drive and I will definitely go back. And C? I know he loved it too.
And today C is already gone, went to Big Bear to help a friend build a cabin until tomorrow night. See? Only a couple days off and he's already traveling :) Can't he learn to just be lazy like me?