I have a love-hate relationship with running.  I am by no means a runner, and though I've been told that after the second mile everything starts to feel the same... for me each agonizing breath says otherwise.  But after a few miles on the lovely UCLA track... it is hard to say that  I hate it.  The lights were out so the track was only dimly lit, and the night air and fog made it feel oddly intimate despite the fact that I was sharing the track with several other runners.

The flip side of a late night run is that it made us really ravenous.  After being thwarted by a few nearby west LA eateries, we drove down (traffic free!) to "Korea town" for some 24 hour grub.  In the midst of shoveling soondobu and spicy rice cakes at Hodori, I was struck with the realization that after this week... these moments will be few and far between.

The post title is technically incorrect but oddly appropriate.  We are moving, though not very far.  We are bidding farewell to the overgrown suburban sprawl that is Los Angeles for the slightly more organized suburban sprawl of Orange County.  I am definitely going to miss so many aspects of LA life (like food!), as well as the friends we've made here.  I know it's only fifty miles, but in LA miles... that makes it seem like forever. 

The second reason for the title is that a little vacation is on the horizon, which makes me almost giddy with excitement.  I am the poster child for those "wanna get away" commercials, the only exception being that I haven't done anything completely mortifying.  I would just appreciate a change of pace.

And of course, what post is complete without at least a few pictures?  The ones below are from the OC Super Fair, where Socalers trade flip flops for cowboy boots.  The last day was just this past weekend.  Of course my friends and I were only there for the ridiculous food, oversized turkey legs and deep-fried.. well, everything!

Deep fried snickers



Interesting livestock (I am demonstrating my ignorance of animal husbandry by naming them the Admiral chicken and the Yeti chicken)



A few rides



We went down the European slide (left).  It even beats that really long slide at the monkey park in Arashiyama in Japan.

... and a more barf-worthy ride (below).  You can see my friends highlighted in this picture, whether smiling from happiness or in terror I am not quite sure.  Anyway... all in all, good times.