Where to begin....
I am in the process of divorce from a 25 year relationship (no real drama, just hadn't been working for a long time), new to SoCal and new to the dating scene. I have lived all over the US, from Hawaii to Alaska and many places in between, with the last 10 years spent in the beautiful and rural splendor of Vermont. I ended up here in May via mostly random circumstances, have met some great people, made a couple of amazing friends, fallen in love with the Naples/Belmont Shore neighborhood and generally enjoyed the summer here. I'm an attorney but quit law practice 11 years ago and have enjoyed an eclectic mix of endeavors since then... managing a horse and wildlife refuge, co-owning an upscale fly fishing guide service, managing a private estate...and I am currently exploring my options here locally. I am smart and quick-witted with an upbeat, dynamic personality, a lot of energy, a tendency for talkativeness and tangents, and a passion for life in general. I love to laugh until I cry, and cry until I laugh. Prefer to avoid negative personalities, naysayers, bigots, whiners, haters and those incapable of expansive thinking. I am open, honest and loyal to a fault, relatively drama-free with little baggage, and decidedly not high maintenance. I'm a kid at heart and admit to liking some TV (WEEDS, Colbert Report, South Park, Bill Maher, Discovery Channel, IFC), horror movies and video games (I rock the house on Guitar Hero and play a mean game of Tiger Woods golf)! I LOVE music of many varieties (lots of 70's and 80's stuff, a fair amount of Top 40, pop, some electro/techno and lots of alternative/indie rock), and enjoy surfing new tunes/artists and going to live shows. Currently in heavy rotation on my mp3: Manchester Orchestra, The xx, Brand New, Elbow, JET, She Wants Revenge, Eels, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, King Black Acid...for starters. I have a dog who is my pal and frequent companion, a 65 lb hyperactive terrier mix with a huge personality so, if you don't like animals, then I'm not your girl. I absolutely love to travel, particularly to warm water destinations, but closer to home is also fun. I recently drove the coast from Seattle to LA, a really great trip! Tops on my travel wish list are an African photo safari; diving the Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef and Micronesia; and visiting Greece. I would like to learn to fly an airplane, blow glass, play the guitar, kite surf and a ton of other stuff. I believe that life is a journey and we are all works in progress; that people and relationships are more important than possessions and money (although having it is helpful for hedonistic pursuits); and that anything worth doing/seeing/feeling is better shared with someone you care about.

YOU: smart, attractive, preferably 5'10"+, quick thinking, funny as hell, talkative, honest, loyal, don't take life or yourself too seriously, introspective, well spoken and written (if you cannot string together a cohesive sentence complete with capitals and punctuation, don't reply), engaging, romantic, live in the moment, have time and money for adventure. Those with lots of drama, baggage, negative attitude, long hair, excessive tattoos, piercings or jewelry need not reply.

UPDATE 10/1: Despite my love of Long Beach, I've recently moved to Westwood and find myself a bit overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people and traffic here. Not sure I'm digging it, but trying to make the best of it!

UPDATE 11/1: A month in Westwood finds me settling in and looking for new friends, especially those that love music. There are so many great concerts on a weekly basis in LA, both established artists and those relatively unknown, and they are usually a great time.

Meet for drinks, lunch or dinner to see what's what.