Hollister

I'm sure most Americans know of the store Hollister. On many of the shirts it has the label either 'Hollister California' or 'Hollister West Coast' or even 'So Cal' something along those lines, that being the people who created Hollister were from California.

Also in every Hollister store there is a live screen that shows the Huntington Beach, which is located in Santa Monica. This is where the Hollister House is located at. The Hollister House is a beach house that people can shop Hollister, hang out, listen to bands, and so much more. There has been multiple celebrities who have hung out with fans at this place.

Hollister has a unique style. Looking at a person you can tell if they are wearing Hollister. The clothes are laid back yet classy,  a variety of skinny jeans, cardigans, loose tank tops, and regular shirts with a Hollister logo. The only really negative thing about Hollister is that their clothing really only looks good with petite individuals. Larger people might get discriminated for wearing 'inappropriate' or tight sized clothing. However this benefits those people who are super skinny and isn't able to find clothing that fits them in other stores.

Overall, Hollister has some of the most beautiful clothing styles and deserves to be visited via in person or website. Also those who are quite fond of Hollister will know a little background information and fun facts.

Hollister House. Hollister #SoCalStylist

My Ideal Life in California

Everyone thinks and dreams about what their live is going to be like after high school, or after college. Some people may not be thinking of their futures, or at least not as in-depth as I probably do. Ideally, when I grow up, I think about this as my daily routine:

I would wake up early in the morning to watch the beautiful sunrise, have a great cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea, and get ready to go for a run on or to the beach. When I'm feeling spontaneous I could get ready to go surfing. (Granted at this very moment I don't know how to surf quite yet, but I'm a fast learner). Then I would go to college and enjoy my time at one of my dream colleges.

California has the most beautiful weather. Unlike Iowa, the weather isn't bipolar and is sunny and warm majority of the time. You wouldn't have to wear jeans in the morning and want to change into shorts as soon as it hits noon, as you might have to in Iowa.

Also since the weather is always so beautiful, there are fresh produce anywhere you go, so the fruits and vegetables tastes so much better. It is a dream of mine to someday own a house in California and plant both a mango and apple tree. Mangoes and apples are my absolute favorite fruits and I will never get tired of eating them.

Then after I get home I would call or text my friends to meet up and enjoy the beautiful state of California. There's multiple activities that goes on so there will be plenty of things to do, for example visit some of the beaches, go shopping, have a picnic on the beach, go for a hike/run, or even watch the sunset.

At the end of the day I would settle in either my dorm or apartment. Wrap myself in warm blankets and drink more tea, most likely an herbal or green tea, and either do homework or just watch a couple television shows or movies, then finally fall asleep.

I dream of someday living out this day, and to do so I'll need to study hard and work even harder. To end on a positive note, always remember that anything and everything is possible if, and only if, you are willing to put in the effort to achieve it. 

San Jose

Surprisingly the northern part of the state is much different than the southern part of the state. The more northern you go, the less sunny and tropical it gets. Like if you were to go to San Francisco, the weather is pretty wet, but the weather in Imperial Beach is beautiful and dry. With that being said, there is a place located in the northern part of California, called San Jose. One of my former coworkers grew up in in this city and told me a lot about it.

First she told me that the area she lived in was populated with native spanish speakers, her being one of them. Even the name is from spanish decent- San Jose [Ho-say], which is the way you would pronounce it if you were speaking the language.

One of the UC (University of California) schools isn't too far from San Jose, which is about an hour away, is in San Francisco. There is also a university, that isn't part of the UC system but in San Jose, referred to the name San José State University. I personally don't know much about this college but for locals it would most likely be more convenient instead of traveling an hour to a UC school. I guess another option also could be to live on campus but it would be much cheaper if people lived at home versus on campus.

Having some español knowledge would be very useful throughout all parts of California, since for one- my coworker told me about how many spanish speaking live in [San Jose] and secondly I personally witnessed hearing groups of people speak spanish.

Souplantation

While my visit in San Diego, I went to a buffet called Souplantaion. This isn't your typical buffet, immediately after you walk in, you grab a plate and in front of you are everything you can think to put in salads. There are a variety of lettuce, spinach, etc, as well as all the toppings you can think of. When you reach the end of the line, you have to pay and wait to be sat. After a host shows you to your table you get to eat the perfect salad, all of your favorites, and hoping that you won't get full after eating the heaping pile of lettuce and toppings.

There's a bakery as well as numerous soups, desserts, pastas, just so much food. If anyone were to tell you they only go to Souplantation, they are lying. There are so many good food that is offered there and unfortunately for me, not enough room in my stomach to eat it all. That's saying a lot because I can eat for a long time which isn't good for me, but I can do it.

I would definitely recommend trying out Souplantation sometime. Go on their website and see one near you. The only thing that sucks about it, is that there aren't many stores and where I live the nearest one to me is about four hours away. However all the food is fantastic so that makes up for it!

LAX

The Los Angles has one of the biggest airports, abbreviated as LAX or also known as Los Angles International Airport. I've went to this airport a couple times, one time was internationally, the other time was simply domestic. The airport is relatively large and contains so many airlines which could be confusing, especially if you're not used to being in a large city or in a large airport.

There are places to eat, drink, just about anything you can think of. It's kinda like Walmart, LAX has just about anything you need. There's a Starbucks, Pinkberry (frozen yogurt), Burger King, Panda Express, and so many more. Just think, these places are all inside the airport. I think California really lives the saying "go big or go home". LAX is just one of many examples of that.

My Experience with LAX

I remembered the last time I was at the airport, there was a Starbucks inside and someone was working at three in the morning. Also with it being three in the morning, I was surprised to see how many people were up to fly. The line in the restroom was about a five to ten minute wait. This just proves that California is a busy and fun place to be.

The day I had to travel, my flight was at six in the morning, which meant we had to go to the airport at four because of the "you have to be at the airport two hours before your departure" rule. Doesn't sound too bad, however we were in San Diego, which without traffic is about two and a half hours. So we decided to leave the house around one thirty to make sure we would be at the airport on time. Fortunately enough, the drive to Los Angles wasn't busy at all.

Personally, I thought the chairs there were super comfortable and were in love. I enjoyed sitting in the chair reading The Fault in Our Stars, waiting for my plane to arrive. LAX is such a beautiful place to look around. The building itself is beautiful and right now is under construction to make it even bigger.

Otay Ranch, Chula Vista

When I went to California last summer, on one of the first days I went to a place named Otay Ranch. From the looks of it, seems like a newly developing city. There was a mall and down the street is brand new housing. My family and I went through some of the neighborhoods in Otay Ranch and they are absolutely beautiful. They styles of the houses have a distinct look to them and the surrounding houses seem quite similar to each other.

The homes have a distinct easily distinguishable look to them that are different than the houses in, let's say, the midwest. These houses in California do not have slanted roofs. The reason being in the midwest we need slanted roofs to help decrease the amount of snow buildup in the winter, however California has more of a tropical climate thus having slanted roofs aren't too necessary. Houses have either a some-what flat roof or just slightly angled. You can clearly see the individual singles on the homes which is unique the reason being some shingles are different than the shingles next door. 

In Otay Ranch, there is also a mall which is also known as the Otay Ranch Town Center. The shopping center is pretty big, at least compared to the malls in my area. Also this mall has so many great stores like Zumiez, Apple, bebe, Coach, DSW Shoes, H&M, Vans just to name a few. I was only given two hours in this mall and I will tell you now that two hours isn't enough time to go to this mall because there are just too many great stores. 

If you're ever near Chula Vista, Otay Ranch would be a great place to look around, shop, I personally found it therapeutic. If you have some extra time I would suggest to also drive around the area because the scenery is too beautiful and should be appreciated. 

Justin Bieber

Yes, this is a post about Justin Bieber. Why am I including Bieber in this? Well because he now lives in a Beverly Hills condo so it's some-what related to my topic.

As many of you know my love for him, however it isn't as bad as it was back in the seventh grade. However my Bieber Fever hasn't gone away. Especially now that he has so many tattoos (which is strangely attractive on a guy for me), also the way he does his hair is also so attractive. I call it the 'tool hairstyle' where the hair looks like it got combed back and kind of spikes up. [examples below].

The reason why I'm writing about him is because I feel like since he has been getting older, a lot of people are starting to dislike him. Granted he isn't making the best choices but I mean he still seems like a pretty good guy. I personally think his music is getting even better. His album Journals is one of the best he has created. It's not like anything he has made in the past like My Worlds and Believe were, in my opinion, very similar whereas this new album sounds different.

Imperial Beach

When I went to California this summer, we stayed in Imperial Beach the longest. My aunt lives in the Palm Gardens complex which is about a 30 minute walk to the [Imperial] beach. The beach is gorgeous and we went at the time as a sand castle festival was going on. I remember there being a sea turtle made simply from sand and sea shells (for eyes). Seeing all the artistic things people have made from sand makes me want to be artistic and make cool things about of the littlest things.

Walking on the beach really made me fall in love with California. I feel like it's something about the way the waves look as they come to the shore. It amazes me that nature pulls currents toward the shore and how people have made the sport of surfing from those waves. I've learned that early in the morning is usually a great time to surf, also when the wind isn't that strong. Also if you just take a couple deep breaths, feel a sensation of peacefulness and bliss.

Other little perks of the beach is that it's great to run as the sand provides a little more cushion than hard concrete which could help with some back cramps or back problems that might occur from running on concrete. Also it takes a little more effort running in the sand than it takes to run on a steady, flat surface therefore making it a better workout. I was fortunate to run a few early mornings before it got too busy and it was one of the best feelings I have felt in a while. I'll admit, sometimes running gets really boring, but if you have a beautiful scenic place to run then it'll be more fascinating and more fun. Living in Tiffin there isn't a lot of beautiful places to run, so running to the beach was fascinating for me.

On the beach, there's a pier where people would fish and at the end of the pier is a small shack that serves strictly fresh sea food. I was fortunate to try some of the food, I'd personally recommend the fried shrimp. My mom ordered the fish and chips (the most basic thing you could get at a sea food shack) which I munched off of and I'd rate it an 8/10. My family and I went around like two in the afternoon and we waited in line longer than the time it took for us to order our food and eat it. That being said you can assume their food is pretty good however pretty pricey, the fried shrimp was about 10 dollars and I only got eight pieces.

Also IB (Imperial Beach) is really close to the Mexican border and you can see Mexico. At night, when all the lights are on, Tijuana (the part of Mexico you can see) is so beautiful. I would compare the sight to like a football field when the lights are on and the sun is down. It's fascinating to think that you're looking at a different country just from where you are. In Iowa you don't have the opportunity to do that.

My sister and I at the Imperial Beach and at the sea food shack.

Video

Jiffyfletch. "Police Officer's Final Act of Kindness Caught on Tape Before Dying" (On the Left)

This video is about a San Diego police who got shot shortly after buying a total stranger a meal from McDonalds.

This should be an eye opener for everyone. The last thing this man did was help a young boy that he didn't even know and expected nothing in return. Little did he know he wasn't going to live another day.

This made me realize that people should always be nice to other people because what if you were murdered for no reason and the last thing you did on Earth was argue with your parents. That's not a good thing to be remembered by. This works in vice versa too, if for example your sibling borrowed something and you were mad at them for that reason. Then the next day you wake up to them not breathing, you wouldn't feel good. Regret, worry, and displeasure would then consume you. The thought of "I should have been a better sibling/ friend/ etc" will constantly haunt you. However if you have more of a positive outlook on negative situations you'll most likely act in a warmhearted approach.

There are stories about people who suffer with depression that considered suicide but they didn't go through with it because a total stranger smiled at them, or even had a conversation with them that made the person with depression to not go through with suicide. You never know the impact you have on others, negatively or positively, so always be kind to others so the people you're kind to are kind to other people and it'll result in a circle of kindness.

Psychology states that if you tell yourself something like "it's 63 degrees outside" resulting in the thought that you should be cold, even if it's not that cold. The same concept would apply if you tell yourself that you should be nicer and live more positive lifestyle within time it would happen.

Never forget, you're time on this planet is not guaranteed. No one will know when they will take their last breath. You wouldn't want the last thing you did to be negative and have everyone remember you by that. Keep a more kind attitude in every situation, it will be very challenging sometimes but in the long run, you'll look back and be content.

Belmont Park

There's a place in San Diego called Belmont Park. This is equivalent to a mix of Adventureland in Des Moines and Wisconsin Dells. It has a lazy river, a place to ride mechanically made waves, fun rides like a roller coaster and a Beach Blaster (equivalent to the sidewinder), and if you aren't having fun at the park, there is a beach right next to the amusement park where you can escape to if you're a beach person.

I spent a day at the amusement park and I still didn't go on all the rides. There's an out-door restaurant next to the beach where they sell food, non-alcoholic beverages, as well as alcoholic beverages. I had sea food (which was basically my diet when I was in California). Fish and chips were great, as well as the fried shrimp.

There are other places to eat or get drinks. I remembered seeing a coffee shack as well as other little benders that were selling your typical amusement park snacks like cotton candy, water, popcorn, and the list goes on.

The atmosphere of Belmont Park was perfect, you're near the beach- the deep blue waves crashing on the shore and returning back into the ocean, the weather is perfect, and lastly you hear children thoroughly enjoying themselves. All of those things put together create more of a relaxed feeling that overcomes you and it's hard to shake it off until you leave.

The ticket prices are similar to Adventureland's if you want to have the all day band. I would bring maybe $50-60 if you plan to spend the day there. That would include the all-day band and maybe lunch or a snack.

My Undying Love For (Meijo) Sushi

Meijo Sushi is a friendly restaurant where you can get really great Japanese food in Imperial Beach. It's along the way to Coronado (more info about Coronado in the 'Coronado' tab on the left). The menu contains more than just sushi, they also have other Japanese delicacies. For example they have teriyaki, fried meat like salmon, shrimp, and more. So if you aren't necessarily a sushi person, there are options to accommodate that.

My aunt told me that the had some of the best sushi she has ever eaten. I had the Crunchy Roll, it contained salmon, crab, and cream cheese and they fried the sushi roll. It was the best sushi I have ever had. I tried my best to find that same roll but haven't been successful yet. However there is a new sushi at Kyodai called the Cali Crab Roll which was somewhat like the Crunchy Roll at Meijo Sushi in essence that they both had crab and cream cheese and were both crunchy. I'm not too sure if the sushi from Kyodai was fried or was just coated with a crunchy substance.

If you're ever in Imperial Beach (Southern part of San Diego) I highly recommend this place. It has more of a calm and inviting atmosphere that makes Meijo Sushi even better. If you do like sushi or scared to experiment with sushi, I highly recommend the Crunchy Roll. I hated sushi until I came across this roll, and since then I grew to like sushi.