As of May 1, 2018, I have a HOME. ROOTS…KINDA. A PLACE TO PUT MY BAJILLION SUITCASES.
That feels odd to say, and I feel a strange reverse culture shock coming on…
I’ve become comfortable telling people I’m homeless as they gaze at me with suspicious eyes. “Where do you live?” they ask. “Well, nowhere really.” So many questions. I then go down the travel blogger rabbit hole.
Of course I’ve always had my parents’ home in Arkansas or my sister’s apartment in Dallas as a retreat between trips around the globe, but I haven’t carried keys of my own since April 30th, 2015 in South America.
For 36 months I didn’t pay rent, I haven’t taken out the trash, and I might just be the worst cook in America at this point. I’ve been without a kitchen but damn did I rack up some airline miles. I can’t tell you a more freeing feeling than that.
It was time to unpack the beat up suitcase and get a home…but where was the question. It’s kind of like the age old problem of what birthday or Christmas gift do you get someone who already has everything? My version of that is where do you tell a travel blogger to live when they’ve had a taste of so many amazing places around the globe? I remember being in this same mindset around the beginning of last year and then boom. Two big surgeries happened. Oh well. That’s a year of rent money saved and a life of cancer free boobs, a win in my book. Being this location independent and this geographically noncommittal proved a bit difficult to choose where to land. Not ONE specific place jumped out. I could just as well be in LA or Dallas or Barcelona. Nothing made sense to me and to be honest, it still doesn’t. My reasoning behind LA was work (my agency is based here and so are many other projects), direct flights from LAX (score) and having already lived here in a previous life (circa 2013 with my sister). But a gypsy soul is a gypsy soul. That’s why I signed a 5 month lease in a furnished apartment. Nothing is permanent, and I like it like that.
Today it’s rainy and gray here in LA, a very odd welcome to a notoriously sunny and 70something city. Perhaps that’s not such a bad omen, though. The day I moved to D.C. years ago, my car got totaled (love you, mom!). The day I moved to Argentina, the airline lost my luggage – but look how good that adventure turned out! I started an amazing career in travel and the rest is history. I have a good feeling about planting some roots for the time being 🙂
I will absolutely continue to travel, even with a home. For three years, I said ‘yes’ to almost everything that came my way. I think it’s imperative to do this in the beginning stages of anything…and I’ll always say that it’s important to say ‘yes’ more than ‘no’ in life. The amount of stories, contacts and memories that can come from it is invaluable. After trying my hardest to get as many experiences under my belt in three years, I’m excited to take on more meaningful trips instead of jumping on a plane just to jump on a plane (and don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing bad about that!). Reinventing yourself and evolving is a necessity, and I’m happy to shift gears and start a new lifestyle. My gosh – it’s just an apartment, right? I like to look at everything as an experiment. A new city? Experiment. A new home? Same thing. A new recipe? Definitely. A new baby? Damn sure gotta be. A new reality TV show? Mmhmm. A new boyfriend? Let’s just say some experiments are better than others.
Hotel life will always be there, but this is me giving myself permission to try on a new lifestyle, new projects and a new community. If I vehemently dislike it, LAX is only 5 miles away 🙂 There’s always Paris. Or Buenos Aires. Or Cape Town. Or Vancouver. Or Shanghai. Or Sydney. The list goes on and on…but I have a feeling this sun room is going to be hard to leave! I am already low-key obsessed with this lil one bedroom paradise…
The Road Les Traveled has been beyond exciting, sometimes bumpy, a little bit scary but always a hell of a time. I simply just turned right along the scenic route for a bit 😉 From surgeries to travel to The Bachelor, I’ve always loved taking y’all along with me. This sense of community has kept me going on the road for years and hopefully always will! I hope you’ve enjoyed this new update! Thanks for sticking with me along the way. Now feel free to sign off with your favorite recipes, cleaning supplies, bedding, or anything else remotely domestic because I’m a wee bit lost when it comes to this category. Love y’all to the moon and back!
This place is darling! Is this in Venice?
Anthropologie and Nordstrom have wonderful home decorations! Can’t recommend any recipes or cookbooks because I’m still figuring all that out myself 🙂 Good luck in LA!
Haha glad we’re in the same boat there. I love Anthro interior stuff 🙂
Congratulations Lesley and welcome to LA!!!
Thanks, Krista!
Lesley, you will be glad you choose LA. You are in my neck of the woods. There is so much to see and do. Hope you enjoy it! But now you will have to start driving and experience LA traffic. That’s no fun.
Stacey Mazurek
I keep telling myself that traffic is just something every city has and what every inhabitant has to endure… but yeah, LA’s traffic is extra bad!
Your place is absolutely adorable! Welcome back to LA!
Aw thank you! So happy to be here 🙂
Yay, so happy for you! This is the cutest apartment ever, and such a great place to start a new chapter!
Thank you! I have a feeling I’m not going to want to leave this spot in 5 months!
I miss you already and your room seems very sad without you, but we will survive as you THRIVE!
Love you most, MOM
Martha, if she needs a little Arkansas in her life my Jenny is in Redondo Beach. Bonus she can get a little bit of home and her hair done at Meraki salon. Best of luck Lesley
Love you always momma <3
What an adventure you’ve shared! Excited to see where else the road takes you and for some travel inspo for me 🙂 And if you want some recipe inspo, I’m always sharing new recipes on my blog that are easy and healthy – cancookwilltravel.com if you’re interested!
I’m about to move into a new place as well, so happy moving/settling into your home base!
xx
Kelli
I’ll definitely take a look at your recipes! Thanks for sharing and good luck with the move!
Happy for your success. Love following your adventures. Living vicariously through you!
A Mu Beta crony
Mu Beta in the house! Love it 🙂
Your place looks beautiful! Enjoy!
Thank you Kristina!
What a great room enjoy!
Agreed! Thanks Angela 🙂
As far as cooking goes – get yourself a crockpot and Pinterest till you heart can’t take it anymore! Lol so easy to make so many different kinds of meals! Hope you love your cute new place!
Ohhh yes – need a crockpot. That’s a homeowner staple huh? Not that I’m a homeowner, yet. One day!
Good luck with new adventures
P.s love your place
Thanks Jamie!
This post reminds me so much of the last few pages in Gloria Steinem’s My Life on the Road; love it!
Nice, I’ll put it on my book list!
I dig your temporary home and enjoyed reading this piece.
Quick recipe to you, from a Midwest dietitian. 🙃 Quinoa salad – cooked quinoa with diced onion, any diced pepper of your choice (I use red), garbanzo beans, sliced banana peppers and feta cheese. Toss with your favorite vinaigrette, chill it in the fridge or eat it warm and wahlah!
Mouth is actually watering reading this – love it already thanks!
I seriously Pinterest almost all of my recipes and most of the time they turn out good (sometimes they are flops) I also recoupment greenworks for cleaning supplies! It’s all natural and not as much toxic stuff in them! Also get you some oil diffusers!!!
Great advice thank you!
Recipes: I am obsessed (like OBSESSED) with the food blogger “minimalist baker” her recipes are healthy but also pretty easy (and also delicious) but also you should just take a cooking class. You have established yourself in a city so might as well use cooking as an opportunity to learn more and make connections 🙂
I follow her on IG! Never made anything by her though 🙂 Time to start. Cooking class would be so much fun too!
Girl, you need an Instant Pot! You will feel domestic in no time 😉. Here’s one of my favorite recipes – https://aileencooks.com/instant-pot-risotto/
Yessss I was going to say this!!
Love, love, love your place. Looks so comfortable and relaxed. It’s good to have roots somewhere. You have experienced more than most people will in a life time! Good for you! Enjoy it!
I love it, too! And I agree… I think it was increasingly important to get a home base somewhere. We’ll see if it sticks!
Love the sun room!! Glad you’re trying something new 🙂
Change is good 🙂 Thanks Maddie.
Love it! Love the sun room! So happy for you.. at least for the next few months! One gypsy soul to another, I get it. ❤️
Kindred spirits we are 🙂
Such a cute place! Wishing you some great experiences in LA … take care. Maybe after the 5 months you can come experience some Boise, ID.
I’d love to!
Hands down best cookbook is Halfbaked Harvest. So. Much. Good. Food. You gotta try it!
Just did a quick google search and Oven Fried Southern Hot Honey Chicken AND Strawberry Bourbon Shortcakes came up. SOLD.
Beautiful! How did you find such a gorgeous place with a short term lease in LA? Craigslist? Happy to take over once your lease is up 😉
It wasn’t the easiest task. Westsiderentals.com helped a lot!
So happy for your new adventure. Your new home is adorable just like you, thanks for sharing your life with us. Your are an inspiration. 😘
Aw thank you for such a sweet note, Angele! <3
Cute place. And I love your writing… First blog of yours Ive read and Im already looking forward to more. Good luck with everything.
That’s awesome. SO glad to hear this! Thanks for the support, Chas.
Welcome home! If you want a staycation, come visit me in Huntington Beach! I was in Chi O with your sis at UCLA and would love to help a sister of a sister 🙂 we can take a trip to wine country in Temecula where my parents live! (I’ve got hookups) 😉 Congrats on your move! 🎉
Oh that’s amazzzing! Wine country is my favorite country! Let’s do it.
I started reading your travel blog (loved it) way before I found out you were ever on the bachelor. I was happily surprised to see you on winter games since I also love anything bachelor. Best wishes to you on your new apartment and living in LA. No matter what you do, I have a feeling you will succeed. Thank you for sharing!
Ruth, thanks so much for always being a huge supporter of TRLT! Love that you love the Bach as well 🙂 Appreciate you and your sweet words always.
Love your travel experience!
Thanks Elisa!! What a ride it’s been.
Congratulations, Lesley! If you have a good cardiologist on speed dial, grab a Tommy Burger at Tommy’s Drive-In. Take care,
Capt. Greg
Haha love this! Thanks for the rec Capt. Greg.
Congrats on your new place! It’s so bright and happy…. like you! Yes 👆🏼 Get a crockpot! Also … kind of random but THE BEST recipes come from mixandmatchmama.com (Sean Lowe’s sister) 😆 Shes amazing! She helps meal plan for the week and has a ton of amazing recipes!
Best of luck!
Xo
Jackie
Yes! Hear amazing things about Shay’s recipes 🙂 Thx for the rec. Crockpot on the way…
Hi Lesley…I love reading your adventures as it reminds me of my own adventures many years ago as an avid traveler as a single woman. You are a beautiful woman with an amazing passion for life! Love your new temporary home! I want to send you a book my sister/brother I law wrote…Coursge and Croissants! Do you have a P.O Box? I live in Little Italy (San Diego) on the edge of downtown so if you come down this way I would be happy to show you around plus I love to cook. Enjoy your next 5 months! xo Cynthia
Would love a tour guide in SD! I can’t believe I’ve never been.. making it happen soon. You are so sweet to send a copy! My email is lesley@theroadlestraveled.com. Let’s chat 🙂
Congratulations!! I have enjoyed living my life vicariously through your adventures. 🙂 Cleaning supplies: The new Clorox bathroom spray that is coconut scented. Lysol or 409 multipurpose spray for countertops. Pledge multipurpose spray for dusting. Lysol toilet bowl cleaner. If you are looking for a safer cleaner. Get Norwex cleaning cloths. These cloths are amazing!! Also Thieves household cleaner from Young Living. I clean houses and these are my favorite products.
A Godsend 🙂 Thanks, Kristy! Now I can shop in confidence haha
I love you so much… Your strength and courage to take on life by the horns inspire me.
Thanks for this, Moryn. Appreciate your words and support!
As far as cleaning supplies goes – find someone who sells Young Living! They offer a product called Thieves Household Cleaner. It’s a concentrated solution that will easily last you at least an entire year! Dilute with water to make different levels of cleaning solution for whatever you need to clean – it can be used to clean pretty much everything. Best part: it smells terrific and is completely non-toxic!
I love the idea of traveling the world but nothing beats having a place to call your own… best of luck! But for real need a sunroom like that in my life
❤️
Congrats Lesley! You’re place is so YOU and couldn’t be more perfect! You are such a strong role model and inspiration to woman of all ages! I LOVED reading this post and you are an incredible writer. Gave me the feels for sure. I cannot wait to follow along and see what’s in store for you. Unfortunately, I haven’t traveled in so long, so I love being able to live vicariously through you. Plus you are making a difference in the world! Please come visit Boca RATON, FL next would be a dream to meet ya ❤️❤️ God Bless
Your*****
I admire you so much! You are truly living life to the fullest! Keep following your heart, wherever it takes you <3
Enjoy nesting for a bit Leslie! Congratulations on your new- for- now home!! I so love your travel pots, especially BA, my birth place!! Headed to Budapest, Vienna, Prague. Ever been?
You remind me so much of my little sister. Your free spirit and love of adventure will take you places you have never dreamed of. My sister is not a travel blogger, she is actually a high school art teacher. Like you, she travels the world solo any moment that she gets the opportunity, like every summer. Enjoy your down time and “base”, your free spirit will take you where you need to be when it is time. Love reading your adventures.
I admire you in multiple ways. I love this new pad and I love how you won’t marry a home! You are a beautiful intelligent free spirit! 🤗😍
Oh She Glows (ohsheglows.com) has great recipes! She also has two cookbooks. 🙂
For decorations one of my friends just started a handmade macrame business on Etsy. Hadley’s Knotted Garden!
My fave family recipe is Chicken Monique: (preheat oven to 350 & cook 30-40 minutes) Serve with broccoli
– 4 to 5 chicken breasts, boiled & cut
– 1 bag success rice, cooked
– 1 can cream chicken soup
– 1 8 oz sour cream
– 2 tbsp lemon juice
– 1 sleeve ritz crackers
– 1 stick melted butter
– poppy seeds (if you like)
-layer chicken in bottom of 9X13 baking dish
– salt and pepper to taste
– combine soup, sour cream, rice, and lemon juice and pour on top of chicken
– Roll crackers to crush into little pieces, Mix crackers w/ margarine & spread over mixture as topping
– Sprinkle with poppy seeds
ENJOY!!!
Lesley, I loved following you on the road and will definitely enjoy staying with you in LA. Welcome to the City of Angeles! Hopefully one day I will bump into you 🙂
Congrats on the new home! If you are looking for THE BEST linen sheets ever for your new bed – seriously, they are so soft – look no further than Parachute. They have a store in Venice. Enjoy your new place. Looking forward to more posts 🙂
Loved this! Your writing style is beautiful. Best of luck in your new place.
I subscribe to All Recipes and I absolutely love the recipe ideas.
Love that you have a place to call home :).
Such a cute little place!! New adventure are so exciting! I recommend Grove Collaborative for cleaning supplies (and really any household items). They’re toxic free, and they deliver straight to your place! I love them. I also agree: you need a crockpot. Easy, delicious dinners in your future.
Thanks for being genuine and transparent. It’s greatly appreciated!
Kristin (fellow Arkansan)
Where is Buenos Aires did you live? Just moved down there myself to start an adventure. Apartment hunting now. How long were you here? Any tips appreciated.
How did you get into the business of being a travel blogger?
Your new house looks just gorgeous! Perfect place to relax!
You’re adorable, Lesley! I give you so much credit for putting everything out there.
Love your blog, and your adventures! Check out Terras Kitchen – food delivery, all organic, all chopped up, truly takes about 20 minutes to cook. Great meals!