Almost Home From a Fabulous Vacation!

Mark and I spent five days in sunny Hermosa Beach with our dear sweet friend (basically family member) John G!

There were several highlights so I will try to remember all of them!

We arrived on Monday and got settled in and then Mark and I walked around Hermosa Beach area and did a little shopping. We stopped for coffee and carried it to the beach. It was a little cloudy and cool, but beautiful. I LOVE ocean waves. Here I am, enjoying my chai, and loving the ocean.

After that we went back to the beach house and enjoyed some fabulous California sushi. Mark even ate all the weird stuff. I stuck to the safe things... you know, rolls, smoked salmon, that's about it. (-: He ate some things that we aren't even sure what they are. ha ha.

Tuesday we went to see Peter Pan, in this way cool, 360 degree, 3-D light thing with actor flying from the ceiling and really cool puppets and effects. It was so cool! We also did a lot of shopping on Tuesday, or at least I did.  I spent a lot of my opera money at Forever 21. (-:

We woke up on Wednesday and went to the beach. Again. (-: Here we are, loving the beach, and each other. he he.

On Wendesday at the beach, we actually saw dolphins. It was the coolest thing. There was a school of them that were swimming along, and jumping. I had the "Flipper" themesong stuck in my head. If you look behind me in this next pic, you can see a dolphin fin in the background.

Here I am with our host with the most, the famous John G!

Pretty cool, huh? After walking the beach, we ate a fabulous place called Scotty's. Mark had what he would probably refer to as the best meal of his life, migas. Seriously. He went on and on. So here he is with his food:

Wednesday we all drove into Melrose Avenue to check out the vibe there. A little too funky/punk for me, but very interesting. We had some Starbucks and enjoyed the sites, and I of course visited Urban Outfitters. Then we stopped at the coolest Farmer's Market. It's actually called "Farmer's Market" right by the Grove in California. We ate some awesome fish tacos for dinner, and checked out all the local faire, gazed at all the yummy produce, wished for the chocolate, and had a wonderful time. (-:

I actually found this book at a local gem of a bookstore, which shows you what to cook with what you have purchsed at that exact market. How cool is that? Here I am, with the book:

Thursday, Mark and I went to brave the Los Angeles traffic by ourselves and we went to Venice Beach and saw lots of interesting people there.

I got a funnel cake, because, well, they are awesome:

We also promenaded at the 3rd street promemade, and I checked out their awesome Anthropologie. We stopped at Barnes and Noble and drank some coffee and read some books. So fun. I read a book on dog training. 

After Venice and the 3rd street promenade, we had dinner with a friend of ours from Oklahoma who happens to live close by. It was so nice to see her, and so funny that we saw her when we were in California, and not when she comes back to visit in Oklahoma.

Friday we lounged around and then Mark and I walked down to the beach and he decided to get in the freezing cold water. What a goober. After that we came home for a little bit and got ready and then we went out and walked around Hermosa Beach. We went to a record store and both found some great finds! Mark got "Time Out" by Dave Brubeck, and I got "Sweet Baby James", (JT), and I got several Dan Fogelburg albums and a George Winston "October" piano album. 

Here I am, enjoying the walk through Hermosa Beach:

After our record store and pet store adventure, OH AND we ate at Pita Pit. I LOVE Pita Pit and there aren't any in Tulsa. Oh the injustice. That yogurt cucumber stuff they put on those pitas is divinity.

We came home and for dinner, our wonderful host fixed us this fancy meal, and let me say it tasted just as good, if not better, than it looks!

YUMMO!!! And here we are, enjoying our last dinner:

And there you have it. A week of fun in beautiful southern California. We have had a fabulous trip.



~Kathryn