Celebrating Donna's Birthday in LA

We met up with the Davis' on Friday and headed to Seal Beach. We enjoyed the sun and surf for a couple of hours and then headed into town to grab a bite. We went to Walt's Wharf

and had the best seafood. One of our favorites was the Oak grilled Salmon which Rick ordered and we all helped to consume.
Then for dessert we found ourselves at Sweet Jill's.
Everything looked scrump-dilly-ious.
We bought several items to sample but our favorite was the cinnamon rolls.
Still not as good as homemade but a sugar high just the same.

Can you believe this young lad's mother has worked at Sweet Jill's since he was 3 and he has never had anything from this bakery? As you can see, he loved having his picture taken.

Rook

Ron getting his game face on...

Rick resting up for the big game...

Reading Houdini.
He's been studying about how to count cards!!!
Note to self - Cheaters never win!

On Saturday we met up with the Romero's and went to see

at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.
It was fantastic.
We loved the story line and the music was fabulous.
Afterward we drove around to see the sites and ended up at...

Griffith Park Observatory

Several movies have been filmed here.
A gorgeous (yet smoggy) view toward Beverly Hills...
...toward Los Angeles. Donna's grandfather designed

and built the tall white building in the center.
Troy in front of the Hollywood sign. Once a star always a star!

Navagation without a map?

Ron decided to multi-task; drive, talk on the cell to Troy,

use his GPS and listen to what he calls Jazz.

At times Rick was steering so that

Ron could have both hands to use his cell and GPS.

He drove us everywhere.

Sometimes stopping to accost some unsuspecting pedestrian

as he plead for directions.

We thought surely we could find a place to eat on some main road

but to no avail.

Donna is wishing for her personal steering wheel or at least a

magic wand.

Rick hoping for a REAL Jazz station. (See the pain on his face?)

Lori, chanting "there's no place like home". Having forgotten her ruby slippers in the Emerald City of Seattle she remains in turmoil in the back seat of the car.

Eventually we ended up down Santa Monica Blvd and past the

Los Angeles temple.

A little spot of heaven - a moment of peace.

Antica Pizzeria

We ended up by sheer luck at a fantastic Italian Resturant in

Marina del Rey called Antica Pizzeria.

I had the pleasure of meeting Peppe Miele,

the owner and founder of this fabulous restaurant.

Check out their website for the history of this pizzeria. http://www.anticapizzeria.net/mdr/index.html

Peppe (pictured here on the right) is also the president of the Verace Pizza Napoletana

and trains others in the traditional recipes of Naples. What a treat!

Ended too soon!

We had a fantastic time renewing old friendships and enjoying the sunny weather. We weren't ready for the trip home. I think the guys really won the most hands of Rook, but whose counting. It was fast and furious but much needed. For the next trip; book more days, learn Italian, what constitues REAL Jazz, update the GPS, bring a map of the city we are visiting (or not - it was an adventure), sleep less and play Rook longer!

It's Spring!

Our flowering cherry tree survived the snow storm and put on a beautiful show.

Ah! The view out our bedroom window.