Is There Poison Oak In Malibu?

The question to the above question is yes, there is indeed a lot of poison oak in Malibu. Of course I didn't know this when I decided to do a sunrise scramble up the side of a mountain in the dead of night.  MISSTAKKKE. (For you, Karrie-Baby.)

For anyone who cares to know, I am seriously seriously allergic to poison oak. You may get all factual with me and say that everyone gets rashes from poison oak and that I am not special... but you do not understand. My face swells up so I look like a water-logged body that has lip plumper smeared all over its eyelids. Terrible, my friends. Oh so terrible.
In middle school I had poison oak on my face for the first day of school....every single year. Pair this with American flag turtle necks, and the light reading of The Illiad, and I was a hit with the boys.
Oh and did I mention that the rash is everywhere? And I mean e v e r y w h e r e. TMI, but I need some sympathy, okay?

I'm sorry that I am a monster.

Besides this slight hiccup I still managed to have a extraordinarily spectacular weekend in my My Homeland, L.A. (Kenzie [who now lives there], thought it was irritating of me to tell people this in high school. Her eye rolls could be seen from all away across the room. This sassiness was obviously a result of her being born in Salem, the slums of all Oregon.)

Some high points of the trip;
~ The sunrise hike was truly magical. It was a miracle that we had so much energy after two hours of sleep.
~ Swimming with the dolphins in Malibu. Kenzie said my animal call sounded like a dying goat, not a chipper ocean princess. (New nickname for dolphins?)
~ Rollerblading at Venice Beach. I am pretty sure we saw a dead homeless man and there was also a dead pigeon.
~ Moseying around Santa Monica. AND GETTING DIP AND DOTS. They still sell those! Surprised? I was.
~Dinner at The Gratitude Café. Where everything is vegan and hippy. One of the dishes was comprised of raw kelp noodles. Imagine me making a gagging face.
~ The last day I was there was kind of a hazy blur. I was all drugged up on allergy medication (for the oak) and so I took naps every where I went. The beach, the middle of UCLA campus, typical.
~Cruising down on bikes to Marina Del Rey and eating Mexican food afterwards.
~ AND A NUTELLA MILKSHAKE AT THE COWS END. GO THERE. DO IT.

The hottest girl in L.A. Thanks for being the best hostess cake around.

Venice Beach. My type of scene, for sure.

The hike that still leaves me itchy.

Yes, there is poison oak in Southern California. And yes, I rubbed ice cubes all over my botay on the plane ride back. Sorry if you happened to be on Flight 575, it would have been horrifying to see. But all in all, my trip was a SUCCESS. Thanks Kenzie and Company for all the good times.

Happy Rain. (If you're in Oregon.)