Southern California, one of our favorite places to frequent. Who doesn't love southern California? Some people say they don't, but really they do. Everyone does.
Our trip started out early on Saturday Morning August __. We flew to Long Beach Air Port via Jet Blue Airlines. Jet Blue is the best. TV is the only way to fly.
When we got to Long Beach it was only 7am. We couldn't check into our Hotel until 3pm, so we had some time to kill. We drove around Long Beach for a while (because we were lost looking for the right freeway to get on). We saw all the ports and masses of Cargo shipping containers coming in from China and other places around the world. It was kind of neat to see. Also very dreary. Reminded me of Joe v.s. the Volcano.
We finally found the right freeway, got on it and headed north up the PCH. We stopped near Malibu and unsuccessfully tried to get into the Getty Mansion/Museum. Apparently, you DO need reservations to get in.
We stopped along the highway and looked out over the ocean. It was overcast, but beautiful. We stopped and talked to a fisherman who had his line cast into the water from just off the highway.
Next stop, look at mansions in Malibu. Can you believe people really live like this? How do these houses not fall off into the ocean...Oh wait, they do every year. Wind-y streets up the cliff make me sick, let's do something else.
Next stop Pepperdine University. Yep. Looks like a college campus.
Keep driving up the coast. Look for celebrities, were in Malibu.
Now were just outside Oxnard. It's still very misty, and so pretty. Look at the rows and rows of strawberries. Green plants contrasted with dark soil is so beautiful. Lots of people out working in the fields picking the strawberries. Look there is a strawberry stand on the side of the road.
Turn the car around, we need some fresh California strawberries. When I say fresh I mean they were grown ten feet from where I am buying them from. Oh my...I have never had a strawberry taste so sweet. Alyssa loves them. Even Steve is really enjoying them. One basket is not going to be enough, lets buy more. Wow. They are so good. The little Mexican man who speaks no English is happy we are back for more. Take Alyssa's clothes off. She is covered head to toe in fresh strawberry juice.
On to shopping and dining in Oxnard. Target for supplies. Boston Market for lunch. Hey, all the mist burned off while we were in Target. Cool.
Now we can head back down the PCH to check into our Hotel. Sheraton Gateway. Hello, we are here to check-in. Okay, let me look for your reservation...oh it looks like you used Hotwire, let me get you the worst room we have because you only paid $59.00 per night.
The joke is on you Sheraton Gateway, the room is still really nice and quite comfortable, plus the shower head...Speakman 2000, need I say more. (We bought one right after we got home. Once you've showered with a Speakman, nothing else will do.) Turns out the joke is on us, because we had to pay $12.00 a day to park at our own hotel.
Were off to a Sokol family favorite, and the place we ate after we go engaged. El Cholo. The food was good as usual, and so was Alyssa. We left the car there because we found a free space to park (how unusual), and walked down to the Third Street Promenade.
We had a great time watching all the street performers. Bubble blower, the amazing dancing Lisa (I remember her from three years ago, a bit more grown up, but same shtick.) and of course the hilarious break dancers. Alyssa loved all the commotion, the people, the lights, the dinosaur shaped bushes. It was a great fun (and free) thing to do.
Alyssa was also quite the attraction. She looked extra cute in her white valor flowery outfit, pig-tails and puppy pack. If we gave her a cup to hold, I bet we could have made some good cash while we were down there.
One of the main goals of this trip was to see a celebrity. Doesn't matter who, just someone better than Bill Nye The Science Guy. After months of research (watching EXTRA and Access Hollywood) we discovered that the place to be was on Robertson Ave and especially the Ivy.
We headed that way, not knowing exactly where it was, but found it eventually. It was like a different world. One I'd seen only on EXTRA and Access Hollywood. We saw paparazzi lurking around looking for celebs, just like us. It became apparent to me that I was very underdressed. I had no sunglasses half the size of my face. We went into the 76 gas station to use the potty, and buy some sunglasses half the size of my face. I felt much more comfortable once I could hide behind the glasses.
The gas station workers told us that if we wanted to see a celeb that this was the time to do it. They said they like Sundays. We walked up and down the street for a couple of hours. We walked past the Ivy cafe many many times. No celebs today. We went into Lisa Kline Kids where they had some cute sunglasses for Lyss for only $8. As I was leaving the store, I passed someone who looked strikingly similar to Angelina Jolie. She had someone helping her shop and looked very incognito. She was so thin, as thin as I've ever seen anybody. No make-up, and several visible tattoos. Was it her, I think so, but I thought she'd be prettier. I guess I'll never know for sure.
The biggest take-away from our time on Robertson was a poster we saw in KITSON shop window saying Paris would be there from 1-4 on Thursday. We planned to return then.
We went to see the Dodgers play while we were in town. We paid $15.00 to park the car. Can you believe that? No choice either, you have to pay it. We bought tickets from scalpers for $15 a piece. Alyssa loved it. We loved it too. The sights, the sounds, the smells.
We ate Dodger dogs and Nachos. Alyssa learned the cheers they were singing and got excited each time we sang one. We participated in the Wave around and around the stadium. We had a great time.
Well worth the money.
We had dinner at EL Torito with our friends the Roca's. Eric and Autorina. Eric and Steve used to work together and Ernst and Young. It was nice to see them. Autorina is very fun to talk to. We all sat and gabbed for several hours.
Downtown Disney, Hello Skyler and Elise. Skyler my favorite mission buddy lives the so-cal life with his wife in Orange. We met the two of them in DT Disney. Had dinner at an overpriced Cajun cafe, then shopped the Disney store for Nemo toys, Alyssa's new obsession. Then to Jack-in-the-box for some delicious chocolate cake.
It was so fun to see Skyler and Elise, wish there was more time to spend with them.
A trip to Venice Beach. It was fine. I've seen better. It was quite windy and a little cold, we didn't stay that long.
Huntington Beach, our favorite beach. We had a great day there. The temperature was warmer and there were a lot of surfers to watch. We rented a large beach umbrella so we could have some shade. Its hard for me to really enjoy an all-day beach event unless I know I have some shade. If I spend all day in the sun I get burned, doesn't matter how often I re-apply.
For future reference, large beach umbrella is the way to go. We also bought some sand toys for Lyss. We all had a lot of fun. Just a little burned for me and a little for Alyssa. Her's however turned into a tan after about a half hour. Who's child is she, she couldn't be mine.
Trader Joe's. How doesn't love delicious health food when its so cheap. It's so frustrating to shop there when you know you can't get their stuff here at home. A new discovery, Salt and Pepper Rice Chips. We also loved their fruit leather. They made great snacks while we were at the beach.
We returned to Robertson Ave after we checked out of our hotel in Orange County. When we arrived at KITSON there were already a mob of people, more that a thousand probably.
Amongst the crowd was the actual paparazzi. I wormed my way through the crowd of fans and on-lookers all the way through until I got to the professional photogs, or the paparazzi. They are mean. Mean to fans trying to get close to their favorite celebs. So I tried to make friends with them once I got close enough. I asked them questions about themselves and their job. It seemed to work. They let me in a little, and gave me some tips, such as don't get on the ground, you'll get trampled and killed. Paris took her sweet time arriving. Over an hour late she finally arrived in a big black cadillac escalade (the official car of the stars). She posed for the crowd which went wild when she arrived. I couldn't really see her at all. I did see a glimpse of some blonde and something gold. Then for an instant I saw her. She was much prettier in real life than I expected, but way overdressed for 2 in the afternoon.
I had my camera held up over my head shooting as many as my camera would shoot. I didn't think I got any of her, but after the madness ended I found that I did get one clear picture of her.
The whole thing was totally insane. As insane as anyone would ever expect, but worth it. It was very exciting, and free. Steve and Alyssa waited safely across the street away from all the madness.
All in all our trip was very fun. I can't wait to do it all again next year, or maybe the year after.
