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John Edwards's avatar

Dear Siel, I feel I have been living a parallel life to yours for the past year or more. I am also from LA (Redondo Beach & Palos Verdes actually). Last year I drove up the California coast to Seattle, then across northern states to Washington D.C. area, then to Southern France (Montpellier), to Greece (Athens, Pyrgos) about a week after you. Then to Barcelona and Copenhagen, Now just back to LA. I anxiously await your Love Notes to stimulate my brain and sooth my month. You often write about the same things I am thinking... it is uncanny. I met you in PV and got your Cake book and followed you ever since. I'm slowly writing a book about my mother.

Cheers, John Edwards

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Siel Ju's avatar

Cool that we're living parallel lives -- will you go back to Europe soon? I wonder if traveling brings up the same existential questions for all of us -- questions re: the purpose of life and travel and the meaning of relationships and roots and the stories we tell ourselves. Hope your writing is going well wherever you are now!

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Michael Dundrea's avatar

Los Angeles can be beautiful and I do miss it especially during winter but unfortunately for me, a owning nice house in the suburbs just wasn’t a possibility when I lived there. I’m also older and having less people around in a gigantic plus. But I’ll always look fondly at my time there. Everything was a blissful dream except for that one night.

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Siel Ju's avatar

I think major cities work best for people who don't have a strong desire to own a house. But dude, what happened that one night?

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Tim Walker's avatar

Really enjoyed this entry, Siel — and I e-mailed you my address, in case I'm in time to have one of your books!

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Siel Ju's avatar

Gracias, Tim!

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Edan Lepucki's avatar

I already have your book but had to like this! Thanks for the shout out! :)

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Siel Ju's avatar

Thank you, Edan! Looking forward to reading your new one -- the cover looks pretty!

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Bill Wolfe's avatar

It's so tempting to live in LA when you visit and enjoy all it has to offer. But it's so crowded and so expensive that it's just not feasible for so many people. I grew up there and now live two hours away, enjoying a lifestyle I never would have been able to experience had I remained in LA. But it's just down the road if I want to visit for a day or two or need to fly out of LAX. I vote for remaining in Mexico.

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Siel Ju's avatar

I wouldn't say crowded (I mean, other cities are way more crowded -- LA's pretty spread out) but very much agree with the expensive part. I feel like if we lived anywhere else we'd all own property / have way more savings by now lol.

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