a reason to love the (L)east coast.

I'm generally a happy camper about the fact that I've been doin' my thang on the east coast for over four years, but after a wonderfully relaxing Thanksgiving weekend back home, I've been wondering why in the world I would EVER want to live anywhere but L.A.

This question sort of bounces around my brain for a few days following every L.A. trip (slash every day), and it's been particularly bouncy this time. I have pretty solid moping skills, so this is the kind of thing that can really take me out for a while if I let it, especially given my abnormally emotional attachment to L.A.

Since I'm starting to come to the realization that I might be on this side of the country for years/indefinitely, I should maybe try to focus on reasons to love the east coast rather than reasons to miss the best coast. It's almost physically painful (and nearly impossible) for me to acknowledge an L.A. deficit, but here it goes:

Autumn in D.C. is stunning. I literally stopped in my tracks when I saw this breathtakingly beautiful tree in front of the Smithsonian castle the other day, and I took about a zillion iPhone pics, a few of which are here in their gloriously un-photoshopped brilliance. This is a sight that can't be found in L.A., and as I'm always one to stop and smell the flowers (this is a lie--I have allergies--but I do stop and look), it's something that I can appreciate about this side of the country.

There, I said it. And if ever confronted about it, I'll deny deny deny.
(L.A., this doesn't change anything, I'm just trying to throw the least coast a bone here. I hope you understand. Your all around weather score is still higher, obvi, and at the first hint of snow here I'll be singing your praises.)