Fogged Fourth

For fairly obvious reasons, I wasn’t really in the mood to celebrate the 4th of July this year. The beach was quiet, which made it a good day to stay in and get some work done.

I did need groceries, though, and figured if I timed it right - around 8:30 - I could catch the fireworks in El Segundo afterward. (Note to self: great time to run errands in LA. No traffic. Empty stores. Highly recommend. Second only to during the Oscars.)

On the way back, I stopped at a local craft brewery I knew had a little patio out back with a view of the fireworks - far enough away that it wouldn’t be crowded, but close enough to still catch the show. There were maybe eight people outside. I grabbed a beer and joined them. The marine layer had rolled in thick, and for a while, it wasn’t clear we’d see anything at all. But then the sky started to glow; soft pulses of color through the fog, the occasional burst low on the horizon. Not grand. Not crisp or clear. Just moody.

And somehow, that felt right for this year.