When you are adults with no children living on the other side of the country from where you grew up, holidays are vastly different than when you were a kid. There is no obligation to spend the day with anyone, so if you don't feel like seeing people or doing anything traditional, you don't. This year, we had a very mellow 4th of July hanging out at home. In the afternoon, I took Lucy down to Ocean Beach and met my brother Jonn & his girlfriend Becca, who were also having a chill day. While the parking lot may have been a clusterfuck, the beach was not too crowded.
My favorite thing is to see the families who treat everything on earth as an extension of their living room. They will haul blankets, chairs, a cooler, and at least 4 bags of groceries to their chosen location, set up shop and then proceed to stuff their faces. The only difference between being at the beach and being at home is that they are staring at the surf instead of the TV. God Bless America.
Here is Jonn at the beach. In No Cal, it's not uncommon to be wearing a sweater in the middle of July on a sunny day.
For dinner, we decided to hit up our local Mexican joint, El Toreador. The inside of the restaurant is awesome, with every square inch covered with some sort of colorful kitsch.
I wouldn't say that it's the best Mexican food around, but it's consistent homestyle cooking with generous portions that ensure that you will have a full meal to take home for the next day. They have an extensive beer list so you are not stuck drinking shitty Corona with your meal - tonight I enjoyed a Rogue Dead Man's Ale. I decided to have a combo meal - beef taco & chicken enchilada.
I spoke to my parents, who are up in Maine for the week. We used to go up there to see my grandparents every summer. 4th of July there is like a Norman Rockwell painting, complete with a parade and fire truck rides around the green for the kiddies. I have to say, I miss it sometimes. In general, I miss the season-formerly-known-as-Summer.
But there are definitely benefits to a multi-cultural, no-sweat, no-mosquito, angst-free holiday. So, however you spent the the day, Happy Independence to everyone.
