Great Big Hollywood, But Only a Little to Say

Anyone who gets to Los Angelis in California would have to be able to say that they did the tour around and would spend extended hours out and about in the City to cram as much in as possible--- after all, it does have Hollywood, Malibu, Long Beach, Sunset Strip, Universal Studios to mention just a few.

So Lynda and me love LA and have done this visit many times and for us the most important thing is to get to Tony's on Redondo and to see family while we still can.

2 days ago we did the Tony's bit and yesterday we were fortunate enough able to do the Family bit. OK , so we were not clever enough to revisit the schedule that we set in place some 6 months ago , in order that we would be able to see ALL the family Bates -- well , at that time we didn't think to ask if they were going to be around in Glendale and we did not revisit that again until recently only to find that most of this wonderful family would be on the East Coast for a Grandson's Graduation.

So we ended with meeting for a few hours the wonderful Karen Bates , the equally lovely Henrietta Bates and Dan ( Karen's very nice  friend).
Mother and Daughter

 

 

She really is a sweetheart

 

In the middle of Pasedena -- one of the cleanest and nicest cities within a city-- more restaurants than I could count.

We did some colouring and played some games over a late lunch or brunch not really sure which is which

 

 

 

 

This is ordinary size but5 would have served two

And Lynda tried out the doggy bag bit when she took half of this back to the hotel for later

 This little Devil Dog is called "Pumpernickel"

  
And we played the old let the plastic springs go head over heals down the stairs and see who wins kind of game -- no idea what it's called.

 

So not a great picture but had to capture Lynda and Henrietta together.
So no John and Sandy or Amy and I cannot find any of the photos we took of them all in the summer of 2016 -- what a system we have.

So a chilling evening yesterday and I pleasant drive from LA to Pismo Beach - North of Santa Barbara-- as we head up towards San Francisco tomorrow.

There is a lot of surf along this coast from Malibu right up to Frisco---

 

This the following represent the trip -- about 4 hours driving north of LA

 

Just till I could find light at the end of the tunnel

 

So we took a road that we know pretty well but even on that we settled on the 101, and got directed off that and ended up going bon a much smaller I - 134 over the very large hills -- very scenic route but to the point where when we got to Los Alomos , we had only 25 miles left until an empty tank -- and even then we had to get back on the 101 to get there.

Huge agriculture all along the Pacific coast and in many places , nothing but strawberries.

And Oranges--

These were the San Bernardino mountains

Like the relief of Mafeking--

Strange bedfellows these two

Nice little town with plenty of ideal accommodation right on the beach -- Oh , and wall to wall eateries

Not tonight me thinks--

So if we ever do win the lottery this is gonna be mine-- or one just like it --- Big Boy's Toy's

 

Not quite sure why Lynda took a picture of these but no way -- sorry -- just too small

Bit of traditional horticulture -- well we cant stop now after showing so many and this succulent is the same a we have on the roof in Greece

This is very pretty but I assume that it wont last long--

 

And this is just getting finished for opening for the summer but a nice looking place--

As is the place below and the beauty in front--

 

Had to get a shot -- safety , wot safety---

 

And I daren't think what the reconstruction safety is like out at the end of the pier that is called the 4 diamond pier.

 

 Beautiful sandy stretch for a couple of miles and I am sure that it gets heaving in the summer but still plenty of folk around 

 

There were surfers out there but too far away to capture

 

 

But we did manage to get a selfie to wrap this leg up with, so just into the room and looking forward to dinner nearby tonight before we become tourists again in San Francisco -- but no Alcatraz been there done that, and I am not tempting fate that we wont get off there this time.

  Oh and yes I have put on a top as there is a very big difference of around 30 Degrees between Palm Springs 2 days ago and along the Pacific Highway right now even if the sun was still shining --- ah well have to wait to top up the tan until Aegina.