California Getaway
A number of months ago Grandma asked me when I would next visit. Late October looked good for my calendar. So in late October, off I went to pay Grandma a visit.
October 22: I get to San Marino and off to Lupita’s we go right away! Then it’s back to Grandma’s to check on everything and take a nap (I’d been up an awful long time what with my early AM flight out of Columbus). Oh and I gave Grandma her belated birthday vest!
Upon waking…a quick visit to the CalTech turtles
And then I was off to Hollywood as my trip coincided with quite the bill at the Palladium: Whispers, Midrift, Nuovo Testamento, Big Boy, Scowl and Sunami. Wow! Nearly too much awesome music for one night. Grandma told me she had been to the Palladium to see Lawrence Welk — what a treat that there is now a permanent tribute to him there in the form of a lounge. And after the show I went and tried family-favorite Angel’s Tacos. My tacos’ poor tortillas could barely handle all the goodness piled upon them.
October 23: Up and at em and out on a real long walk to Cal Tech, Lacy Park, and back. This is the life!
And then, the day’s big activity, a visit to the Broad. It was Grandma’s first time and we were fortunate to be able to visit the Infinity Room while we were there. And after the museum? Amboy for lunch! Proud to say that the museum and the cheeseburgers were hits with Grandma!
October 24: Another San Marino morning, another walk. This time I went down to the part of Huntington Drive that I consider “downtown San Marino.” There’s not much going on there.
For my daytime activity, I went out into the city and visited places I used to like to go. Like LaBrea street, where I stood in a long line to go in the Stussy store and stood in the Stussy store for about 3 minutes. LaBrea doesn’t interest me like it used to. I drove around quite a bit, it took a long time, looking back at it, my time could have been much better used. Oh and I just have these 4 weird photos to show for it?
But my outing was worth it when I got to my late-lunch destination, Holbox! Finally, Holbox, the extremely highly rated marsico counter. That first taco, the smoked fish taco, may be my bite of the year (or at least my bite of the trip). Albacore and uni tostada very good, fish taco good, scallop taco fine. Oh and a couple Yucatan tacos from another stand while I was there for good measure. Great stuff. Live a little, be slightly adventurous, and eat at Holbox.
That night? Dinner with the Mapps at the Smoke House. They sat us in outer Egypt by the linen closet (which they kept the door open to). Basically the my-earlier-trip-to-LaBrea of Smokehouse trips. BUT Grandma and I saw a car carrier with a car on it that was on fire on the way home, that was pretty wild.
October 25: Up early! I walk all the way to Sidecar Donuts to get Liz some “I-missed-you” donuts. And also some donuts for Grandma and me. It was a nice long walk and fun to carry donuts all the way back.
Went to Smart and Final with Grandma, picked up sandwiches from Roma Market, and Grandma insisted on Hailey Bieber smoothies from Erowhon. Now that’s a twist to my trip I had not expected.
Later that afternoon I went out for gas and wound up getting a For the Win cheeseburger while I was at it. Nice. Getting to be that a smash burger is a smash burger, though.
That night I went to Grandma’s Tri-Ward Halloween Party / Trunk or Treat and I have to say that the whole undertaking was quite impressive. A nice night.
After a good long session of talking at the kitchen table (something that happened every night) and saying good night, I decided to venture out once more and try this taco arabe place I had been hearing about. I am so glad I rallied and went. It was so good.
October 26: One more morning walk.
and then … church, lunch, and off to the airport. Thanks for having me, Grandma. I’m awful glad you wanted me to come over.
