Home Sweet Home ?--Maybe

Just a completely strange feeling in the last 48 hours---after all that time in the USA , and then to be travelling home to the UK, was a kind of period where you are looking at yourself from somewhere else, almost like in slow motion even though it was a very easy process. I know that a lot of Californians don't think too much of LAX but it has always been pretty easy to me and this was no exception.

And to tpit all , we were on the Inaugural flight on BA of this----

This plane was definitely one of the quietest that I have been on--way quieter than the Jumbo jet but maybe that was because we were upstairs due to the seats being in Premium Economy---no further upgrades for us unfortunately but the flight was fine and we were met by our wonderful children Juliet and Jonathon with young Mr Jack in tow as well, so easy for us and got us home in good time.

Great to hear the Chelsea game at Spurtz and a good point there although from what I saw there was a case for us being damned unlucky, especially Torres who was ripping them apart but great to see Mata respond so well when he gets his opportunity .

So last night we had a quiet evening at home with our youngest -- charlotte - with a Thai takeaway which was good and a bit of Strictly and X factor--that is just so phoney---so back here good and proper and the only thing missing was our mate Chelsea the black cat--you just get home expecting to hear his meowing but we will miss him.

Good place if you like Thai and it is in Sutton.

 

There is no doubt that after 12 weeks of eating in restaurants either in or out hotels it will take some adjusting , more so for Lynda to start thinking about food shopping ad Cooking all over again.

 

A quick plug for Jamie Oliver---

 

who appears to have won his long running battle with McDonald's over their use of Ammonium Hydroxide as a "Wash " of the meat in the burgers---Would any parent stick their hands up to say they are happy to feed their children with meat made with Ammonium hydroxide in ----well good luck to him.

So Lynda took the afternoon to empty all the suitcases and get ready for the first washing as well as putting all the cases and summer clothes away.

 

So what today holds is dinner with the family at Craig and Juliets this afternoon and getting prepared for tomorrows trip down to Chippenham and see what the world has in store for me back at work---gonna be a bit strange.

 

I havnt finished with the blog by a mile as I said the last time and I want to do a complete review at everywhere and everything we have been and done on our trip. I plan to do a really extensive detailed resume of everything that we did but not today--Jetlag needs to be handled and I have to get out to get the cars sorted out---battery leads fixed to Lyndas--who by the way has a nice little dent in her front wing from some nice local person who didn't leave a note to say that they had done that.

 

Mine will feel real strange --- right hand drive as opposed to left in USA and manual shift instead of automatic---always a little strange for the first time after a trip.

 

Sunday morning with Saturday Kitchen--great.

 

Last night , Fine Wine & homeward bound--Maybe

Well that was a really great evening to finish of the holiday that we have had, following a great relaxing last day.

We didn't do much more than relax around the room after breakfast with the wind picking up a little as well.

We stayed around the pool from before lunch and had some snacks with Steve and Andria, this really great couple we have been fortunate enough to meet up here---

 

Wehad a cheeky little chilled sauvignon blanc to go with the snacks and that quickly disappeared--

 

 

And I won the title of the fat one and for hogging the camera---

 

This is relaxing at happy hour or managers reception---Lynda has got a real taste for the --FREE-- Margareta's that she has been supping all week--

This is arguably the best server in the hotel --Latecia -- striking a pose--so helpful all week long--

So for the evening we decided to book the 4 of us in for a 5 course meal with selected wine tasting from a local vineyard--see program below---

This is Faye the owner of the vineyard and general hostess for the evening who chose the pairings of red wines to each course---shame that her and her husband don't communicate well enough to share that info as we had 3 of the five wines changed due to the right ones not all making it into the car that brought them over.

Great table settings and of course a mass of glasses.

Me and the beautiful Lynda on our last evening here--

Now Rodney would have loved this as the red wines were all full bodied in some cases over 16 % volume---I enjoyed 4 out of the 5, although I still think that a really good white wine would have been better with the scallops
.

www.venturabreeze.com is the online paper.

This were the other couple on our table--he owns and produces a little local newspaper in Ventura--

 

So this was the menu and the brochure for the evening and I have to say that the food was for the most part extraordinarily good, with the hotels chef coming around at each course to explain his menu---he had a real passion for what he had produced and it was great.

 

So a really good way to finish our journey and we were so lucky to be able have such fantastic company as with Steve and Andria---

 

You say we inspired you to plan to do things , well Lynda and I hope that you both make sure that you include Greece as part of that planning and while nothing is ever guaranteed in life, especially with holiday friendships, we will definitely endeavour to keep in touch with two such nice people as you both.

 

Not yet got too grips with the idea of heading for the Hot Tub at 10.30 at night after such a great evening meal.

 

Well it is breakfast, coffee with Elaine and then heading for the airport---well, the big question has to be ---will we go in or will we drive past---still not fully decided yet----

 

The blog will not stop--I have a lot of material to share and to download yet and certainly I will endeavour to summarise such an amazing experience so if anyone is reading this still--well thank you so much and while it might not be everyday posting it will be fairly regular 

 

Thanks America, you really are an amazing country----

I forgot, it was AWESOME.

Braving the Pacific and the Swordfish in Malibu

Well I said I was going in to the Pacific Ocean and I did-- what I didn't say was how far in I was going nor for how long---

Here I go---

And here I come back again--

Here is the Life Guard--

On a slightly more serious note, the slope into the ocean from the beach is around 25 to 30 degrees, literally as you see it here above and there is a fare old current in the water, that is slinging stones under the water that crash against your ankles to give you a bit of stick so accepting that I aint gonna break any swimming records or bones in my feet, we decided to go back to the pool---

 

Not defeated but a recognition that sometimes nature can be a bit too strong---

 

So back around the pool with my lady and with our friends below-------

Yesterday evening we had a date with Eva and Jeremy Flores in a seafood place in Malibu so we set off around 5pm and went south on the I -1which is the most amazing drive-- The pacific Highway---and saw a lot of beach activity on the way---

These are the stilt houses on the beach along the scenic route---

What --No life guard?

One surfer dude still going for it at 6pm

 

Great coast line--

Great sunsets-------

 

Lots of Kite Boarding---------

Our Lottery house--- actually when you look at this and see this kind of place from the road, they say that you really need to see the ones along the Malibu highway that are on the same side as the sea, but that you can only the gates and the high fences and lighting----

Here is were we ate last night ---it is very popular even though it is al fresco and you have to have one of those little things that vibrate and light up when you have to collect your meal--and I screwed up when I looked at the best restaurants on the Malibu coast---which food wise this is definitely one--but they don't serve wine or beer but you can take your own---so that meant tearing down to the nearest supermarket for a half decent bottle of Sauvignon Blanc-chilled.

 

So here were our dinner partners and really grateful that Eva and Jeremy could make the time to drive out from north Hollywood to join us -- we had a great evening with these 2 newlyweds and while I remember , good luck with the awards night Jeremy.

The food was like this --

 So fresh---

 

But I think maybe Paradise Cove next time we are here Jeremy----

 

  So have Skyped with Charlotte and Juliet/Mollie just now so that's great , have spoken to the BA exec desk to confirm the flight is all ok so just to put your mind at rest charlotte, we know our seats are there -- now whether we get on board , well that's another issue--- last day of swimming and reading and sunbathing so haste la vista baby-----

 

Oh, and as this is the penultimate day of our trip I would like to dedicate the following to my partner, my love and my very best friend ----

 

I am so lucky to have been able, to travel with you for nearly 3 months that it has been ,

I cannot believe the places we have been or the wonderful things that we have seen .

 

When we planned for the trip for those previous months, with books, many maps and the Internet,

I am not sure that everyone was ready to think that you and I could survive I would bet.

 

But survive it we did and much more than that it showed me how lucky a chap that I am,

because you have made it so special for me with your care and your love and your plan.

 

The idea that we can be together this long for 24/7 and over the whole of the 12 weeks,

Did not seam possible at first nor when looking back that we never have done this before.

 

However you look , we are better than that and our love has survived over the years,

With trust that we have had for the time we have had together and the fact there have not been too many tears.

 

It wasn't about surviving but enjoying every moment, some good and some that you want to forget,

And that's like in life nothing is ever the same and that's been since we very first met.

 

I can honestly say that this has proved to me that what we have is so very special and so true,

And that the future is clear for both you and for me and that together it will always feel like its new.

 

So Lynda --Thanks for your friendship, your love and your warmth, for being together with me on a trip of a life time for us two,

This has been an incredible time together, it sets out what comes next will be with you-- I Love you so much Mrs A. xxx    

 

Old Friends-New Friends and A New Plan for The Future

So Lynda and I have been talking- yeah yeah yeah we do talk ok-- and I think we are both in agreement that come Friday, when we drive down the I - 1, instead of pulling in at LAX for the plane we are now going to keep going.

We think it a far better plan than coming back to the cold and wet of the UK, so that San Diego is going to be our next port of call -- so instead of this---

 

We are have decided to go for this----

 

So house goes up for sale and Lynda and I become beach bums for ever more-----

 

BTW , in amongst all that planning we met with Elaine, our friend from here in the USA who has a house in on the same island of aegina, Greece, and lives about 5 minutes from this hotel.

 

Elaine has had a stroke since we last met and is doing remarkably with her recovery and we want to meet with you back in Aegina next year.

 

We had a great lunch and caught up on gossip and such as it has been a long while since we saw each other last--

 

 

 

I am so pleased that we met up as it all adds to the overall picture of our voyage in the past three months and for all the people that we have made a point of meeting up with.

 

The plan is that we stop by on the way to the airport of Friday morning for coffee so we will get more pickies and especially of her little dog and her house.

 

We spent the afternoon around the pool and showered off in time for the managers reception in the evening ---what a great tradition this is obviously in a certain level of hotel but it does give one the opportunity to meet other folk who might be taking a break at the hotel as well---and by the way I am becoming a connoisseur of Chardonnay --well its better that a Budweiser.

 

We were able to share a table in the courtyard with a really nice couple Called  Steve and Andria  from  Sonoma , north of San Fransisco 

A Long Way To Mandalay --Especially when via Redondo

So most would think us two to being absolutely daft as brushes but it had to be done , even at the expense  of a headache--well I defy anyone not used to driving in LA, to get around unscathed and that goes for navigation too.

I did work out again yesterday that the road and block grid system here in the states can dramatically help with your orientation, when you think your getting lost-- if you see a road that has the name you know you have to use but you also know that your miles from that point , then the likelihood is that while it might be slower, that the road you see right now will in fact get you to where you eventually want to be.  See, easy isn't it.

So what had to be done you might ask--well going to Tony's of course. BTW--according to Rodney when you say the word "Tony's" you have to do so with a new York accent--emphasised to sound like one of those guys from a Frank Sinatra movie.

Some traditions are worth going that extra mile for and when and this one is ours when we are in LA but of course it would have been better with Rod and Ann therewith us.

So here is the place all the fuss was about---



A complex that includes this------

 

And most especially this----

 

Best Clam Chowder south of Mo's Restaurant in Cannon Beach , Oregon

 

You also see plenty of these--

quite a few of these-----

Occasionally one of these--- Well once every 6 years or so----

I was actually very happy to be here despite what the picture might show--blimey a bit stern or what--

And lots of these + plus the noise of course which they say is very therapeutic--

 

And some of these

More of these---

And occasionally one of these---

 

We did manage to get one together that we can keep to show " We wuz ere"at Tony's and Rodondo--

I like this picture

The main entrance into the restaurant----

And Lynda says this is for Ann--cant think why , although we have always had a spoon when making the coffee and such , despite the hotels giving you these little plastic sticks---strange that !!!!

 

So after a late lunch we took the good old I-1 pacific coast Highway north to our hotel at Mandalay Beach north of Malibu---

 We saw this---Hope Jason is reading--forget San Francisco man-- Malibu is the place to be

 

 Got here around 4.30pm

 

 

And this is our room and views -------

 

  This is the bedroom and we have a separate lounge---

Our patio---

 

Our View----

On our way to the managers reception or Happy Hour (or two) to you and me---

 

The water at 5.30pm is warm---

This is for later today

 

After happy hour at around 7.30pm on the Grill restaurant patio----

Sun setting in the west---

Thanks to a really nice couple taking a shot of Lynda and me--nice picture of the Pacific behind-- and I think tat is the Island of Anacopa behind--- too close for it to be Santa Cruz--

And this was our first walk on the beach with sand in our toe'----

So we went to bed with the window open and the sound of waves crashing in the back ground--such a great sound , especially if your a wannabee surfing dude like Jason to advise that Surf's Up---give it up Jason -- Newquay don't cut it---mind you there is a naval air force base nearby so maybe you could get on an exchange program and get out here--- This is this morning outside our window---

 

  So that's it from a very nice hotel on a beautiful beach and we are looking forward to meeting Elaine for lunch today at the hotel and a day by the pool with book

 

I do reckon that I have finally worked out the way that the Americans spread their day and make the budget go better---

• So they are up at 6am for a breakfast, and come back just before it shuts at 9am for seconds.
• They go to Subway and have a $5 dollar roll of their choice and one of their 12 " will keep anyone going.
• They come to the Hotel managers early evening bash where they can get finger food and drinks for free and then retire to their room to crash out from 8pm,  till they get up again at 5.30am and start over---cheap but suffices and then claim the expenses for full meals--sounds like a plan.

Ok , so I shall take my cynicism and disappear and promise not to return till tomorrow-- Ok Dude where's my board--hey Lynda, you finished waxing it for me yet------ :-)