1st trip to DL, 1st Anniversary, 1st time on the coast...COMPLETED!!

[kmab00]

..........................CONT..........................

It was beautiful but SO bright!

See what I mean about bright?!

It was just beautiful! Now here's where I get on my soapbox. There was graffiti everywhere. I know that's what you see in a big town but seriously....is destroying public property really necessary!? Especially road signs?! Seriously....what's the point? I thought it was incredibly sad that in LA, they had to put BARBED WIRE around their interstate signs to keep people off of them from spray painting!! You know what struck me as ironic?? What do they use at the zoo to keep MONKEYS out? BARBED WIRE. Thank you. I've said enough!

Back to lovely beach pictures...

I loved it out there! The sand, the wind, the sound of the ocean....it was incredible!!

I got to touch the Pacific Ocean again! (Only saw it once before in Hawaii)

Jason and I on the beach. He was mad because the tide came in too far as he was taking that previous picture and his brown shoes and jeans got SOAKED!!!

It was really really pretty out there!

An interesting sculpture

Our tour guide said that since we had a few extra minutes, he'd take us to a neat little neighborhood in the Venice Beach area. He told us that when the creator of Venice Beach came to the area, he wanted the entire place to look like Italy. He even made Canals for Gondola's to ride through. His idea of Italy in California never was a huge hit and over time, the canals began to get nasty so they were filled in. However, in this one neighborhood, there's still a few open with homes along them! This was one of those...

As was this one!

This house in that area reminded me of Alice In Wonderland!!

Next stop: Marina Del Rey!

I know this picture kind of stinks but there were THOUSANDS of boats in that water!! I've never seen so many Yachts in my LIFE!!!

We only stopped for a few minutes but Jason and I got out and walked around.

The Mona Lisa

After leaving Marina Del Rey, we headed back "home". We arrived about 5 p.m., changed clothes, and went straight for California Adventure then Disneyland with hopes of a good fireworks spot for the night!! Those pictures up next!

 

[Dcanoli]

Gosh, Karen! That was a good installment!

I loved the part where you said, "Here's Wofgang's, here's such-and-such, and then we stopped at the FARMER'S MARKET for lunch!"

Reality set in, huh? The Farmer's Market--where us NORMAL people eat!

Still loving your trip reports installments....will continue hanging on for the next round!

 

[MA pigletfan]

.

This is what the food area looked like
.

Great L.A. installment Karen! We've missed you and your tales!

Um that picture i quoted above, that man in the pink shirt looks an awful lot like dennis hopper to me..perhaps you did have a star sighting! hahahah!

 

[kmab00]

Gosh, Karen! That was a good installment!

I loved the part where you said, "Here's Wofgang's, here's such-and-such, and then we stopped at the FARMER'S MARKET for lunch!"

Reality set in, huh? The Farmer's Market--where us NORMAL people eat!

Still loving your trip reports installments....will continue hanging on for the next round!

No kidding! I didn't even think about that! How funny!!!!

Thank you so much!!

 

[kmab00]

Great L.A. installment Karen! We've missed you and your tales!

Um that picture i quoted above, that man in the pink shirt looks an awful lot like dennis hopper to me..perhaps you did have a star sighting! hahahah!

Who knows? Maybe I did and I didn't even know it! You think that Dennis Hopper would be at the Farmer's Market for lunch? Maybe it's a cover up!!

Thank you!!

 

[PrincessAlways]

Nice pics, Karen! Now you can tell us the truth.....what did you buy at Tiffany's????? Bruce Willis huh????? You never know, it might've been him! Somehow, the Farmer's Market just didn't fit in! Beautiful beach!

 

[kmab00]

Nice pics, Karen! Now you can tell us the truth.....what did you buy at Tiffany's????? Bruce Willis huh????? You never know, it might've been him! Somehow, the Farmer's Market just didn't fit in! Beautiful beach!

Sadly, we didn't get down at Tiffany's!! That was a "drive by" picture!! Thank you! I agree...the first part of the Farmer's Market that we went to was BEAUTIFUL but then we walked into where you are supposed to eat and I was like, "HUH"?? We thought about going to the Cheesecake Factory because we don't have one here and I talk about it all the time but we saw a small line and we only had an hour so I figured there wouldn't be enough time. It was a nice thought of Jason's though!! Thanks again for reading along!!

 

[julezdisney]

We walked around the shopping area first where we saw this:

And I just HAD to go in!! I've loved American Girl ever since I was a little girl!! I have always seen adds for this store but never been anywhere near one so I of course freaked when I saw it! lol! My excitement over American Girl isn't as it used to be, but I was still happy to see the place!

Great update, Karen! And just wait till you have little girls yourself.....LOL!!

 

[kitsch]

Great update.

Who knows? Maybe I did and I didn't even know it! You think that Dennis Hopper would be at the Farmer's Market for lunch? Maybe it's a cover up!!

Thank you!!

That might very well be Dennis Hopper in your pic. Though the Farmers Market is far from glitzy, it's a very popular hangout among show biz peeps.

Since I live relatively close, I go there often and have seen the likes of Steven Spielberg, Drew Barrymore, Michelle Pfeifer, and Reese Whitherspoon just being one of us normal people.

 

[alabamagirl]

Wow! How cool that you got to see so much of LA in one day!! That house did look like the White Rabbit's house from Alice in Wonderland. Too bad you didn't see Lauren or Audrina hanging around, LOL! Cute dress and once again great update!!

 

[tlhbdm]

Great update!!!!!!! I didn't realize they had an American Girl Place in LA. I know there is one in Chicago and one in NYC but had no idea about LA. When I was younger I was obessed with American Girls too. I've been to the Chicago one but would like to go to other two someday. Keep the updates coming.

 

[stagemomx3]

That does look remarkably like Dennis Hopper.

 

[SoonerGirl]

Loved your LA day, you're beach pictures were just beautiful! Too bad we're not going to have time to squeeze in a tour of LA on our trip, maybe next time!!

 

[perlster]

Hard to top this ... I recently a freeway sign for an improvement that hasn't even opened covered with graffiti.

 

[perlster]

lol. ya, I live near LA, and the prices are now at about $4.50 a gallon.

I wish! $4.68 for regular at the nearest Chevron

 

[jnjusoioa]

Hi Karen, awesome update. Wow, you really were able to see a lot of CA on that tour. I love your pictures at the ocean, so pretty, I remember the first time I saw the ocean out West, it was great, I think I had been to CA quite a few times and just never had made it to the ocean. It looks like it was a beautiful day for you. Your pictures are amazing, your trip sounds great so far and I sure can't wait to read and see more, keep up the awesome storytelling.

 

[caffingdu]

I wish! $4.68 for regular at the nearest Chevron

lol. ya, gas prices went up to about $4.60 where I live just since my last post. not quite as high as your prices. where do you live?

 

[JaxJags08]

Great update, Karen! I can't believe all the places you saw in 1 day. What a great tour!

We also just drove through Beverly Hills. No need to stop, I know I'm not buying anything there! I laughed out loud when I saw your Beverly Hills cops pic!

When I read that you and Jason got a pulled pork sandwich in L.A., I was going to ask you how it was! I don't know if Louisiana is as big on BBQ as the rest of the south, but I don't imagine L.A. match it!

I drive on I-10 all the time, too! It actually ends in in my city on the east coast.

I love the hills and canyons out west. I live in complete flat land, but with beaches. While I love the beach, it still isn't as interesting to me as the views out west.

 

[Jennifer48]

Great update Karen! That tour really shows you a lot of LA. Seems like you definitely got your monies worth!

..........................CONT..........................

Is that a pillow I see on one of the rocks?! Must be where one of the "characters" live?!

 

[sandy6879]

Karen, which tour company did you use? We're going next month and I'm trying to finalize that part of our plans. Thanks!