Tuesday, August 17, 2010

My Birthday Trip: Part Two

Sunday morning dawned bright and early-- or at least we assumed it had under the cloud cover. I LOVE cloudy beachy weather! Which is why I live in the desert (thud).
The plan was to go to Pier One and do some... altogether now.. window shopping-- but it was too early so we headed over to McDonalds for our morning iced coffee and sat in the parking lot until Barnes & Noble opened up. Then we went in there and perused some magazines, wondered why our house can't look like the model homes or our bodies look like the celebrities, and drank tea.
Then we went to the bathroom because that was a lot of liquid for 9:00am already.
When it was time for Pier One to open we headed over to Petsmart where we decided not to get another cat. It was hard because there were some very sweet kitters there who need homes. Then my sister dragged me out by my hair (after making some not very nice suggestions about what she would do to me if I got another cat-- conveniently forgetting that I did not 'get' the last 3 cats!) and we went to Pier One. At Pier One she found her Holy Grail: A large wicker elephant. She has been searching (ie: obsessing) about finding an elephant for her room for the 8 months at least. She has looked everywhere. Really the Elephant Hunt is a subject for a future blog for I won't elaborate. Anyhow, she found one. She was so excited! I found a hall tree I really want but resisted temptation. However, if anyone of you (or groups or you) want to buy it for me as a belated birthday gift please feel free. I know some of you feel very guilty because you forgot to get me a gift. Sure, I was hurt, but it is never too late to make it up to me. Or at least you can try!
When we (and by 'we' I mean Monica) had spent enough money at Pier One we decided it was time for a very important trip over to the Harbor to the Greek Restaurant there for what has become a tradition for the two of us: the sharing of the Flaming Goat Cheese. The first time I had this yummy treat I was by myself. A few years ago I wanted to share this with my sister but picked a weekend that she had the stomach flu. This was not the best time. She made a valiant effort but it wasn't until the next trip that she got the full benefit of this delicious appetizer. Since then we have enjoyed this many times. This picture really doesn't do it justice. They flame it at your table. It is crunchy and creamy and altogether yummy. I have tried to duplicate this at home with limited success. But I got some tips from the server this time! Apparently substituting lighter fluid for rum may give you the same visual effect but definitely not the same taste. Who. Knew?
Then we decided we had better head for home or we may never return. It was tempting.
We stopped in Santa Clarita to see another movie "The Other Guys". Very funny. However, the lines to purchase the VERY EXPENSIVE TICKETS were not so funny. The movie we wanted to see was in the Coliseum which used to be an IMAX theater. Basically this means a Really BIG Screen. We had to sit about 3 rows in. Wow. The sound system was.... Wow. We snuck in chocolate. I admit it. But I don't feel too guilty because we also purchased a soda that cost $.14 to produce and cost us $5.75. Monica never enjoyed the movie because she was so incensed over the lines. And by incensed I mean she was foaming at the mouth and not because she was seizing. She was just ticked off. There had to be 50 people in line with only 2 ticket booths open. It is like going to Walmart where there are 20 lanes but only 3 open. She was so upset she wrote an angry letter to the movie theater. We are expecting a written apology any day now. Yeah.
After the movie we drove home. Home sweet Non-Smoking Home. When I opened my suitcase I swear a puff of cigarette smoke wafted out. Yikes. I had to wash everything!!!
But the best part was snuggling into my own bed, between my own sheets and falling asleep with Guy Fieri. There truly is no place like Home.

It was an awesome trip though!


1 comment:

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