It's funny, even though I don't have a regular 9-5 job, I still hate Mondays.  I think it's a combination of my usual weekend over indulgences catching up with me and a new week of reality setting in.  Yesterday was no different, but I turned my case of the Mondays in to a funday!  My friend Lisa biked with me to Venice for a little retail therapy, a late afternoon cheese plate and a bottle of white wine.  The beautiful weather combined with a nice beachside cruise put me a better mood almost instantly.  For those in LA, make sure you try Gjelina on Abbot Kinney for great food in a super chill Venice atmosphere. 

On the slightly tipsy ride back, we stopped at the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey for drinks with some friends.  We arrived just as a young entrepreneurs conference was finishing with Sir Richard Branson.  This is a perfect example of what I love about LA - a leisurely afternoon cruise can turn into a fun and sometimes fortunate networking opportunity.  We had a blast chatting with some interesting go-getters and biked home for a nightcap at my Mom's.  (I really should have skipped the nightcap and had a water at that point!)  Somehow, I managed to get up at 7:00 for some beach volleyball in Santa Monica, but now I'm exhausted!  (Cue the afternoon java fix please!)  Now I'm supposed to make a pot of coffee and play online for few hours to be extraordinarily productive, but I have been somewhat sucked into "Are you Smarter Than a Fifth Grader" as I've written this post.  (I am, by the way...)