Partying it Up Beach Style

There are a lot of differences between Los Angeles and San Francisco. This was never so abundantly clear to me as it was this weekend, when J and I paid a visit to a friend who lives just off Hermosa Beach.

In San Francisco, denizens vie for a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. In Los Angeles, the most sought after view is a 180° of the Pacific Ocean. Our friend had most people beat. His rooftop boasts a 270° ocean view, complete with sunshine, beer, and cool breeze.

In San Francisco, a lot of people ride bikes, especially road bikes and hybrids. By the beach, one expects cruisers. But to stand out in Hermosa, your bike had better look like a hog.

Here are J and A riding down the strand (that's the name of the neighborhood of homes separating the beach from the rest of the neighborhood.) At the end of the strand is a beach home rental that was featured on 90210. So far it seems like a pretty tame afternoon, right? Wait for it...soon you'll see what differentiates an SF party from an LA party.

What's up with this riot growing in the streets? Fear not, that's just what an LA beach party looks like. Our friend's neighbors were throwing a mini block party, and throngs of revelers were showing up and house-hopping. Among other attractions, there was a BBQ grill fired up nonstop all afternoon, and an elaborate beer pong setup in one back yard.

But the crowning attraction had to be this: one's very own "firemen's pole" right in the middle of the living room. Er...safety first, right? I guess this type of home entertainment is the logical end result of only knowing people with perfectly sculpted beach-ready physiques. Sorry, no sample photos. This is a family website.

And finally, no LA party is complete without some kind of celebrity tie-in. Everyone knows someone who knows someone in LA. But who goes down the street to borrow salt and ends up having Jimmy Kimmel hand her a crate of tomatoes? He over-ordered for his July 4th party, we ended up making a tomato salad. No big deal; it's just another day in Lalaland.