beach day!

as a native to the North Carolina coast, living in a true "concrete jungle" has proved difficult this summer.  i grew up going to wrightsville beach each summer since i was 3; spending all day on the beach, and all night relaxing on the porch listening to the waves.  i was fortunate enough to continue going to wrightsville beach when i moved there to go to UNCW, allowing not just summers at the beach, but spring, fall & winter, too! so, when i moved up to NYC in february, i knew it would be difficult during the summer. i made it to nc twice this summer--a record LOW for beach days. i knew i needed to see the beach one last time this summer, so i got a group together, and we headed to long beach this past weekend!

what a great day.  we boarded LIRR around 11 and it only took about an hour to get to Long Beach.  fortunately, we got there in time to see the end of the quiksilver pro surf contest and got to see kelly slater competing with the NYPD & FDNY.  i decided to be a paparazzi/tourist and ran to get a glimpse of kelly slater--and i did! 

i was like a little kid --so freaking excited getting to see him!!

this was the first time they've had a major contest on the east coast--so cool we got to be there for it! after my star-sighting i posted up with some friends to soak up the end of summer.  unfortunately, i soaked up a little too much sun, but boy did it feel good to have a sunburn in september in nyc!  

my favorite part of the day, you ask? walking barefoot all day in the sand and on the boardwalk.  you forget how much you miss the relaxed atmosphere of the beach.  this just confirms i am, and always will be, a beach girl.

this doesn't look like fall is coming to me!