Manhattan Beach feels like that classic summer vacation town; a corner ice cream parlor, lots of clothing boutiques, rows of houses and apartments–each one taller than the one before it in an attempt for more ocean view. And yet, it still feels more local than touristy. The people grabbing drinks with friends on a Friday afternoon or drinking coffee on the sidewalk seem to be enjoying their little downtown neighborhood. Dan and I had hoped for a beach day, but it was surprisingly cool and breezy. So instead we walked down the pier and checked out the small collection of ocean wildlife and brave surfers in the rough waves (brrr!). Then we wandered among the houses lining the beach, and picked out the ones we liked while making up stories about their tenants based solely on appearance and imagination (we’re really good at that game).

We finished with an early dinner at MB Post. Dan and I were obsessed with the romanesco tossed in lemon, capers, parmesan, and chili flakes. So obsessed that we tried to replicate it at home with cauliflower the next night playing off of this recipe.

Do any of you live by the ocean? I grew up near Lake Michigan, which as a kid felt like an ocean, but is very different. Even now, living in LA, going to the beach is still a bit of a destination event–reserved for full days off. I’m going to make it a priority to get myself to the beach quite often this summer. I’ll let ya know how it goes! Speaking of beaches, I’m currently headed to the Outerbanks for the week! Lucky me! More on that later. It officially feels like summer!