on the boardwalk...

before making our way back home from san diego a few weekends ago, we decided to take the boys to the boardwalk at mission beach + belmont park. i spent a lot of time there as a kid. my dad would bring us so he could play drums with his friends while my brother and i played in the surf. josh said one time he had to ride the park's main attraction, the giant dipper, for an entire hour when he was an extra on a movie.

i hadn't been back in years. it felt completely different to be there now, all grown up with two kids of my own, despite the flood of memories that came crashing down on me...

there is something so beautiful + sad about an empty carnival ride on a gloomy day. 

cannot even begin to count how many rides i took on that coaster. though probably not as many as josh...

no way was i passing up a boardwalk veggie burrito. i did, sadly, forget to add fries. don't judge. 

side note: i always eat across from these two because their faces while consuming food is GOLD. 

josh's face when i told him he was blocking maxwell from my shot! also, knox! i totally see you going for the extra quesadilla i ordered for later. 

and knox holding the quesadilla. you're welcome.

we walked around a bit, working off the greasy food. watching the waves and admiring the surfers. it was peaceful and quiet. tourist season was over so it was mostly locals and us. knox held onto me really tight and began to fall asleep in my arms...

as we made our way back to the car, i noticed little changes. belly up tavern, the club where i once saw mix master mike spin the most amazing set ever, was gone. the douchey sports bars had gotten hipster makeovers. but the bathroom was still really crusty and no one really cared. families still set up picnics on the grassy lawn and set up camp on the sand for the day. and i could still hear the drummers in the distance, the sweet sound of nostalgia saying hello, welcoming me back.

have a wonderful weekend.

xoxo,

sony