A NIGHT IN COSTA MESA

On my first night in California, I wanted to embrace everything this wonderful city had to offer. So who better to show me around then one of my dearest friends, Haylee. She is without a doubt the most artsy and trendiest soul I know, so I knew I was in for a fabulous night. We took a short drive to Costa Mesa and the options were endless.

Our first stop was an outdoor gathering spot called The Camp. This was not your average retail shopping community experience. Everything in The Camp was health conscious or somewhat related to fitness or being active. I know what you're thinking ... This is some hippy shopping center. But not at all. It just promotes living a healthy and active lifestyle.

One of my favorite parts of The Camp is it's parking lot stalls. Every stall has an different inspirational message to insure their visitors leave with a little piece of positivity. It is a wonderful idea and change from the typical numbered stalls that we see everywhere.

Milk & Honey is a Organic Coffee and Tea joint. It is of course health conscious. The decor in this joint was draped in Christmas lights and vines to create a homey inclosed covering to enjoy your drink. They serve acai/pitaya bowls, shave ice, pastries etc. But what I went for was the iced lavender latte, which was heavenly. It was not overly sweet but had the hint of lavender in every sip. I highly recommend if you're in the area just stop by for this yummy drink, which is only $3.50.

Next stop on our agenda was The Lab AntiMall. It was directly across the street from The Camp, so it worked out perfectly. The Lab (Little American Businesses) is a indoor-outdoor homey hangout with shops and eateries that emphasize art. We went to a cafe called Gypsy Den for dinner, which drew us in by it's homey feel. This little cafe has a lot to offer as far as options. I chose the 1/2 sandwich and 1/2 salad. Everything is health conscious and fresh. I went with the classic caesar salad and a tuna melt. This was unlike any tuna melt I have tasted. It had tuna, green apples, celery, tomatoes and cheese. It almost felt like a piece of art hand crafted by an artist because it was beautifully put together. It was a fabulous dinner that consisted of great food, company and much needed girl talk.

xo. Laur