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Days 1 & 2
Days 1 & 2
Day 1 - We slept in, ordered groceries, walked to breakfast at The Rose Cafe, and came back to the house for reading and relaxation. For dinner Bonnie and Haley wanted to eat at a restaurant that overlooked the Santa Monica Pier, so we ate at The Lobster. Then we walked around Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, enjoying the variety of people and languages from all over the world.
Day 2 - Keith and I got up early and walked to the Santa Monica Pier (about 4.5 miles round trip), then came back and fixed breakfast and relaxed. Later I walked over to the beach to read while Keith napped.
THE MUELLER REPORT is surprisingly readable. It’s not The DaVinci Code, but it’s not a legal brief either. It’s a well-written and sourced timeline of the crimes against America by Russia, and the Americans who aided and abetted those crimes. I’m only 100 pages in (600+ in all), but I’ll provide a full review when I’m done.
We ended the evening with dinner cooked at the house, and a good night’s sleep.
Day 3
Day 3
We started out Day 3 with a walk around Venice Beach and the canals. Then we went back to The Rose Cafe for brunch with the girls. Then we went back to the house and spent the afternoon reading and napping in the zen garden until Happy Hour. A lovely day in all.
Days 4 & 5
Days 4 & 5
Keith and I started out Day 4 with a 4.5 mile walk to pick up our zip car at Loyola Marymount University. Because the last few days had been cool in the morning mist, we left without water, sunscreen, or hats... a major exercise fail as it turns out. Within a mile of walking inland, the sun came out and we heated up fairly quickly. Then, of course, LMU is at the top of a hill. We were within 0.25 miles of the car and Keith took out his phone to call an Uber. I insisted we could make it (and we did), but I think that was the hottest I’ve ever been in California.
Keith and I started out Day 4 with a 4.5 mile walk to pick up our zip car at Loyola Marymount University. Because the last few days had been cool in the morning mist, we left without water, sunscreen, or hats... a major exercise fail as it turns out. Within a mile of walking inland, the sun came out and we heated up fairly quickly. Then, of course, LMU is at the top of a hill. We were within 0.25 miles of the car and Keith took out his phone to call an Uber. I insisted we could make it (and we did), but I think that was the hottest I’ve ever been in California.
We drove back to the rental house and got ready for some seaside exploration. Bonnie has always loved the tidal pools and cliffs at Paradise Cove, so we went there first. Then we drove back down to Duke’s Malibu to meet the Coverts for dinner. All-in-all, it was a beautiful, relaxing day.
We drove back to the rental house and got ready for some seaside exploration. Bonnie has always loved the tidal pools and cliffs at Paradise Cove, so we went there first. Then we drove back down to Duke’s Malibu to meet the Coverts for dinner. All-in-all, it was a beautiful, relaxing day.
On Day 5 we got the girls up at 5 am to drive to Disneyland. As was our tradition when we lived here, we ate breakfast at IHOP outside the gates -- but this year, the girls went in on their own. Apparently my days at theme parks - spent running ahead to the next ride to save places in line -- are done. So I took the zip car back to LMU, grabbed an Uber back to the beach house, and Keith and I relaxed all day (with the exception of a quick excursion to Third Street Promenade for a malt). The girls got an Uber back, and arrived around midnight. A very good day, indeed.
On Day 5 we got the girls up at 5 am to drive to Disneyland. As was our tradition when we lived here, we ate breakfast at IHOP outside the gates -- but this year, the girls went in on their own. Apparently my days at theme parks - spent running ahead to the next ride to save places in line -- are done. So I took the zip car back to LMU, grabbed an Uber back to the beach house, and Keith and I relaxed all day (with the exception of a quick excursion to Third Street Promenade for a malt). The girls got an Uber back, and arrived around midnight. A very good day, indeed.
The Coverts
Disneyland
Days 6 & 7
Days 6 & 7
The girls got back to the house from Disneyland around midnight on Thursday night, so Friday was pretty much a day of recovery and relaxation. Reading, walking to Whole Foods, reading some more, napping in the chilly breeze of the Zen garden, and more reading until Connor and Zoë arrived. After dinner we moved back out to the Zen garden to catch up.
On Saturday, Keith and I enjoyed breakfast with Connor and Zoë, then we walked along the boardwalk for a couple of miles as the sun burned off the fog. When we returned, they went to visit with Zoë’s brother while I took the girls to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Bowl overlook - and Keith napped. We all converged back at the house for a fabulous dinner, some foosball, and more time in the Zen garden.
All-in-all, a truly relaxing vacation.
Days 8 & 9
Days 8 & 9
On Sunday morning we got up early to drive to the Central Coast for wine tasting with Connor (or C.T. as he is known professionally). We stopped in Santa Barbara for breakfast at the Scarlett Begonia and enjoyed a healthy, locally-sourced breakfast. From there Bonnie and Haley explored State Street and watched The Lion King while we headed to Lompoc.
There, C. T. had arranged a wine tasting at Piedrasassi Wine & Bread, and we expected that it would be a “normal,” sit-here-and-taste-our-wines experience. But Sashi Moorman, the winemaker, had different plans. He drove us out to the vineyards and pointed out the various geological striations and landmarks that separated the soils. When we finally returned to the tasting room, we had an educated understanding of what he was telling us about each wine. Needless to say, more Piedrasassi Wine is headed to Charlotte, NC... And I’ll be doing my best to get it to Pittsburgh as well.
By the time we returned to Santa Barbara, the girls had checked into our AirBnB home, and it was delightful. We headed over to Bibi Ji (Rajat Parr’s restaurant for those of you who have seen the SOMM documentaries). After a most delightful dinner, we went back to the house for an embarrassing round of CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY.
We woke up this morning and went to Handlebar Coffee Roasters for some coffee and light nibbles, then explored the Santa Barbara Presidio while C.T. and Keith explored Whitcraft Winery. Afterwards, at Sashi’s advice, we ate lunch at Bettina, a farm-to-table pizzeria. Hands down, it was the best pizza we’ve ever had.
As we headed back to Santa Monica, we pulled off in Dos Vientos (Newbury Park) to drive by the old home and walk down memory lane. It was just as beautiful as we remembered, and we thoroughly enjoyed the hike near Boney Mountain.
After the hike we drove down the PCH back to the Santa Monica home listening to LIZZO the entire way with all of the kids singing along. Every. Single. Lyric. #PureJoy.
Days 10 & 11
Days 10 & 11
We started out Tuesday at The Broad museum - specifically to see the SOUL OF A NATION: Art in the Age of Black Power exhibit. Thankfully Zoë had reserved tickets for us because the standby line was 1/2 mile long... and it was one of the best exhibits I’ve seen.
We ate lunch at Vespaio (right next to the museum), then went back to see The Broad’s regular collection. One of the installations is Yayoi Kusama’s “Infinity Room” - you get 45 seconds to stand on a platform inside a completely mirrored room with lights (pictured above).
After the museum, Connor and Zoë set out to explore Silver Lake while Keith and I took the girls back to the house to rest - then we all met back up for dinner at Plant Food + Wine. Fantastic!
On Wednesday we slept in a little, then drove over to The Grove for some unique shopping and lunch.
Zoë’s brother Eli joined us for dinner back at the house, and we had a nice, long dinner filled with laughter and stories.
Hiking Boney Mtn
Infinity Room
Griffith Observatory
The Grove
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