loving LA

Dockweiler Beach BonFire Party

Last Saturday, a friend of mine from mosaic tweeted out that he was holding a Bonfire at Dockweiler state beach, just south of Santa Monica.

I’ve lived here for 6 years and have always seemed to find myself being one of those sad passersby, driving on my way to somewhere else, longing for the feel of the sand in my toes, the waves grabbing at the cuffs of my jeans and the warm friendly light of the beach bonfire. I figured it was high time to make good on an invitation and seize the day, or the evening as it were.

When I arrived at 3pm with my hubby, our friend had been there since noon, pitching the tent on the beach and staking out primary bonfire territory. Now, in the spring and summer, this early arrival is much needed, but in February, not so much. Still, it seemed he had found a peace during the breezy and warm day. We found him sitting in a beach chair staring out at the ocean, not an entirely unpleasant environment if you have to wait for 6 hours for your friends to show up.

back to the basics

Soon after, the Golden Hour arrived (as I’ve always called the hour before dusk, and I was surprised to hear our friend call it the same thing) and the sun started setting. Eager as always to capture the colors of the sunset, which somehow never allow themselves to be captured – I took a TON of very amateur photos with my digital camera – some of which i’ve posted here.

Peace

Our friend took some much BETTER photos on his camera as he is a photographer with the right equipment and a ton of experience. He wandered into my shot here and I was pleased with this photo.

When the sun finally set, the wind was cold and a bit frosty with mist blowing off the ocean. It was magical.

We (meaning the men) started the fire up and soon had a toasty and warm haven in which to warm ourselves, drink some beers, toast some weenies, or as a braver attendee did – a skirt steak – and eventually give in to the campy delights of the old campfire standby – smores. YAY

Connect Four at the Beach

A couple of more outgoing attendees brought the game connect four – a game which I have not played since I was beaten by a Chicken in 1999. However, they seemed to be enjoying it, wrapped in blankets, sitting in beach chairs playing by firelight.

I was much surprised that there was no outburst of song or the typical “scary” stories that occur in groups of newly acquired acquaintances standing comfortably as individuals around the flames of this common and mysterious thread that has woven strangers together into clans and tribes throughout our most basic human history. Fire.

However, the boisterous sparks of laughter, spats and bursts of conversation going around me combined with the glow of the fire at my front and the misty breeze and sigh of the ocean at my back allowed me to comfortably retreat into my own head and take in the moment in its entirety, as an outsider on the inside with the happy conclusion that Beach Bonfires must become a regular regimen in my life from now on.

dreamtime