So Cal

Hi There!

So - we went to CALIFORNIA! 😀

The original reason for planning the trip was for the skate race - The Catalina Classic.

We found out about that race a couple of years ago, and since then have wanted to go.

AND...Eric and I spent our honeymoon on Catalina Island so we are especially fond of that place.

We packed a lot of fun into 6 days.

We arrived to sunny and 80. The perfect kind of pool weather.

I think they had their swimsuits on in five seconds flat!

Floating and splashing, catching up with Karen, and then walking the neighborhood in the warm evening air were the perfect ways to spend our first day.

. . . .

Of course, a trip to Cali calls for a beach day!

We went to Point Dume Beach (Malibu area.) It was sunny and beautiful. Amazingly we saw some dolphins. Abbie and I were standing at the water's edge when we saw three of them inside the wave surfing with the surfers. Eric walked the beach with Dan and they saw a mama whale with her baby.

Stephanie and Duke joined us too. We soaked in the sunshine and chatted about life's happenings. Such a sweet time.

I remember as a girl, spending the day at the beach with friends, and then heading home in a hot car, all sweaty and sandy only to jump into the cool pool once we got back. And our kids are no different. 😁

. . . .

We decided to check out some coffee spots the next day.
The Paramount Coffee Project rotates featured roasters so we wanted to know what we could do to get into that line up. (More on this in the future.)
I applaud whoever dreamed up coffee art. It's brilliant (and so fun!)

milkshakes for the girls.

The vibe was totally artsy-coffee.

It was right by the original Farmer's Market (Fairfax area) so we strolled through to check it out. Walking outside in the sunshine was like a balm for me.

Favorite store for the girls? The American Girl store. I thought these dolls were darling. They are called Wellies. I like Camille.

The flowers were so fragrant and pretty. Spring is a beautiful time to visit.

and then on the way home...
In-n-Out!
Did you know that they have a secret menu? Eric and Dan ordered 4x4s with animal fries.
The three little girls had their first In-n-Out burger and fries.

And then... more swimming.

. . . .

The long awaited and anticipated Catalina Classic...
We left the house bright and early - driving to Newport so we could catch the Catalina Flyer over to the island.

Since our arrival the days had been sunny and hot, but the temperatures cooled. It was partially sunny and just about 65. (actually that's pretty nice weather for sitting and watching - otherwise we could have baked.)

This was a bitter-sweet day. To actually be at the Catalina Classic, but...not to race. Eric tried to soak in all the details in hopes of maybe returning another time. (next year?)

The emcee was quite funny and had lots of little bits of information to share. Maryhill doesn't have anything like this so this aspect made things a little more fun and interesting.

What's better than tacos on the beach? Tacos on the beach with your best friend.

The race is all weekend, but we only went over for Friday. Back on the Newport side we hung out for a bit to wait out the traffic. They had Balboa Bars, of course.

Hannah and Dan raced up the palm trees in the Fun Zone.

Before we hit the freeways, we stopped in at Kean Coffee. Oh my! #coffeegoals.
Loved this coffee house! No photos, sorry, but if ever you are in Newport Beach and want a coffee, you should go.

. . . .

Our next day was a slow day. Here are some highlights...
Pool time.

wild peacocks

heavenly smelling jasmine

and the friendly neighbor's horse

. . . .

We were able to squeeze in a day with Mom and Bill. They had just returned from a trip to Spain. We were so glad that our trips weren't at the same time! We decided to spend the day at the Griffith Park Observatory. We weren't sure about the weather - the forecast was for major thunderstorms and rain. We know a little about rain - so we decided to go anyway.
We found some street parking, and took the Dash bus up to the top. (That is the way to do it!) Rumor had it that since the filming of La La Land, admission was no longer free, but that was just a rumor.

The panoramic views were amazing. And it's always so fun to see the Hollywood sign.

The little girls used Dan as a May pole. He was only slightly amused.

The exhibits are very well done.

The planetarium show was great. (this isn't free, but worth it.)

The brightest of blue skies and the biggest, puffiest clouds ever were in one part of the sky.

a bit grayer and more threatening in other parts.

we felt only a sprinkle while waiting for the return Dash bus.

Such a fun day spent with our special people.

We passed by Blue Bottle while walking back to our cars - so of course, coffee was enjoyed!

Mom and Bill had concert plans that night, and we had church plans, so we hugged and said our good-byes. 😢

Enjoyed a great church service at Grace Community and some coffee from Steeple House.