its raining in los angeles | Left Coast Contessa

Two years ago almost to the day, I was accepted to UCLA Law. The acceptance was both a huge honor and totally threw a wrench in my plans. I’d already committed to a school in Boston (and paid for a year’s worth of yoga <- don’t question what was important to me) but UCLA was my dream school with a program which was the reason I was interested in law school so I figured I at least needed to visit and give UCLA a shot. Once at the school I got the full court press from various staff members. One of the big selling points, outside of the strength of the school, was the weather. “It doesn’t rain between March and December” I was enthusiastically told. It was music to this Midwest to New England girl’s ears.

Well, I am here to tell you…

VICIOUS LIES!

Its 52 degrees and rainy right now. No bueno southern California. No bueno!

To compensate for this terrible weather I made summer style oats. Like yesterday, close your eyes and pretend.

In the mix:

Brown sugar
Cherries
Coconut
Granola

Coconut makes everything taste more like summer in my opinion and I just could resist adding these amazing cherries to the mix.

Its killing me that it was 90 and sunny the first week of finals and now it’s raining but the rain is actually coming at a decent time. I really need a running break. After 8 miles yesterday, my knees want a vacation from my vacation. I have an EPIC dinner planned tonight. Dinner will be SO epic my foodie friend and I have a countdown going. Stay tuned!

I know I shouldn’t complain, but it has been rainy for the last few days. This is a rarity in LA and a mark of Fall and Winter. I especially shouldn’t complain especially to my family and friends who live in Chicago and Boston and put up with crappy weather for most of the year, but when you are used to perpetual sunshine rain can take you by surprise. Here are the essential steps to take.

1) Get your cute rain gear out! Its harder to be upset about rain when you have a cute outfit on. I suggest an olive colored trench coat and adorable rain boots. Mine are hot pink.

2) Get ready for a long commute. Good news: rain in LA is almost apocalyptic so everyone else will be late too.

3) Watch “Rainy Day Women”, from Season 2 of the O.C. Yep, its that episode where it rains. Seth and Summer kiss upside down while he wears a Spider Man mask because he has no rain gear (in So Cal, no one carries an umbrella on rainy days because its ‘so crazy’). Other highlights include Lindsey moving to Chicago, Sandy vowing to help Rebbecca and her fleeing after a car accident, Julie and Kristen drink at the office and try to one up each others drama (husband helping convect ex girlfriend vs. lesbian daughter), and everyone talks about how no one can drive in Southern California when it rains. Overall, it is a rainy day in So Cal classic and MUST be watched.

Source

4) Pour yourself a cup of tea. That is what I did when I came home from school. It was chilly outside and wet. All I wanted was a cup of tea. I used Winter Tea that my brother bought me from the coffee shop he worked at in Wilmette (our hometown), Links Sweet Bean.

Yum.

“What’s that Mom?”

“MMM! Tea!”

“Can I have some? Please?”

Because the Tea is loose I used a lovely tea pot I got for last Christmas.

The tea was exactly what I wanted on a cool, wet day like today. Nothing is better than wrapping up in a blanket, drinking tea, and watching the OC. And never fear. The number 1 rule of rain in LA? It won’t last long. The sun will come out tomorrow (or the next day at the very latest) so enjoy the rain while you can.