Home again, home again!

We made it home safe and sound!  All our flights were in early, which was quite lovely.  I've decided getting up at 3:30am is just not humane.  As a matter of fact -- the results are pretty ugly.  :)

We spent our last full day there just hanging and very little running -- it was lovely.

Santa Monica Beach

 

Sana Monica Pier -- It was a zoo!  Assuming it was the labor day holiday? 

 

Classic Nick Timmerman :) 

 

Lots and lots of people -- everywhere! 

 

Rodeo Drive!  We didn't see Julia Roberts. ;) 

 

I also wanted to throw a few pics in from our first night that I didn't get to.  Went to the Getty Museum -- a privately owned museum.  It was a unique place.  People were arriving w/ picnic baskets and hanging out on the lawn eating and playing.  The view was beautiful.

 

But first!  A trip to the Hollywood sign! 

 

And now... The Getty! 

 

This man is doing something... I can't remember what it's called.  He was very uninhibited.  :) 

 

A view of LA from the museum. 

 

 

The Ocean!

Wellllll, today was yummy!  YAY!  :) 

We headed to the Farmer's Market area around 9:30am this morning.  It was a BEA-U-Tiful day!  But I think that's uncommon around these parts.  :)

We were just a short walk from where we would be meeting our guide, so we headed out past CBS to the market.  It's funny here, ALL the advertising is for TV shows.  You kind of assume everyone is in the business and probably doesn't need to be reminded that there's a new show coming out this fall, but apparently that is not the case.

SO, we got to the Farmer's Market and the food began!  Apparently the Farmer's Market was started in the 1930's, so it's been around quite some time.  The structure is unchanged and most of the shops inside are STILL run by almost original owners (a few in their 70's)! 

We started at Bob's donuts, from there it was on to olives, cheeses and breads.  English toffee, fresh fruit, Brazilian meets and yucca tray, French Madelaine's (YUM), an Indian stop (I became a believer today), Chinese chicken salad (YUM -- going to be trying to replicate this one at home), and Japanese food.  There were 7 of us on the tour, a couple from Chicago, and a mother, daughter and boyfriend from North Carolina.  The tour was 3.5 hours long, so my ADD did kick in, but then they gave me more food, so I got over it.  :)

Pretty wall of flowers that bordered the sidewalk on our walk to the Farmer's Market. 

 

Beautiful restaurant that we ate our Madelaines in.  It's hard to imagine restaurants and homes that don't have any consideration about weather.  This is was one of 2 main outdoor seating areas.  Considering you can barely find a place w/ outdoor seating in Iowa, it's certainly an interesting way to live. 

 

A wall of mustard -- everything you can see in this picture is mustard.  There was a shelf next to it that was also different types of mustard.  Amazing.

 

Our tour guide -- she was very pretty -- this picture isn't doing her justice.  But, this picture was really about the butcher holding up the rack of ribs behind her.  He's been voted the best butcher -- some contest they do.  But she mentioned that he has been on TV in numerous shows, so he has some nick name I can't remember.

 

Bob's donuts and the best hot chocalte I've ever had!

 

 

 

From there it was off to Venice Beach!  What a place!  There was NO lack of people watching.  My sister (Melody) would have been content for many, many hours.  We were always losing her when she was little because she would be intregued w/ someone.

 

We saw a celebrity there as well today (Dermot Mulroney - My Best Friends Wedding, Friends, New Girl), which was funny.  I guess they probably get used to it -- being from Iowa they hardly seem real. :) 

 

Venice was initially built to be like Venice, Italy.  The built these canals thru it which are just beautiful.  People live all along them, which I can't imagine.  Just beautiful, unique homes and then all the people of the world trapesing around your backyard while you live... hmmmm... seemed a little odd, but they all seemed fine w/ it.  :)   

 



Canals

 

 

 

 

Venice beach is a crazy place, there were about three "Green Doctors" on the strip.  I think basically, it would take all of 1 min to be diagnosed with something you needed marjauana for.

 

 

 

 

Street performers and crazy peeps everywhere in this area.  There was an area where younger old people were dancing to rap music on roller skates -- with all their heart.  Skateboarders, the gym Arnold Schwarzeneger got his start in (basically an outdoor gym), basketballers (White Men Can't Jump was filmed there).  It was a very unique area.

 

And very beautiful.

 

 

Nick made me laugh until I cried tonight, but this wasn't one of the times.  This just makes me smile because it's like his coffee picture -- he's always doing it.  I think it's a pose that has something to do w/ football.

 

 

Groman's Chinese Theater.  Where the stars have signed and put their feet and hands prints.  Hmmm... is it "hand" or "hands"?  Maybe we'll never know.

 

There are people and charactures everywhere. 

 

The Hollywood stars

 

Well... I'm still not done w/ the pictures from last night, but I'm too tired. :p  Have a good night! 

 

Waking Up is Hard to Do!

Yesterday started at 4:20am CT and ended at 12:30pm CT.  It was a long day.  I slept like a ROCK last night and I was thankful for it!  :)

We had an awesome day yesterday!  2 perfectly lovely flights which was nice.  The flight from Chicago to LA got in early, which was quite lovely also.  I kept feeling like the bottom was going to fall out on all the flights, so my expectations were definitely exceeded. :)

From LAX we were off!  Nick's usually studied a place so much before we've left that he seems to always have a sense of where he's going.  LA seems to be no exception.  We got our rental car and started out toward the Warner Brothers studio.  We both really enjoyed that.  Nick kept saying he was hoping to bump into Simon Baker on the tour, which we didn't, but we did get to tour The Mentalist set, which was pretty fun.  We were not able to take pictures of the set tho, so none of those here.  We were able to take a picture w/ Simon Baker's (aka Patrick Jane) car.  Close enough I guess. :)

 

We saw Conan walking around... he's the tall one in the middle.  It was a little surreal the entire tour to see things you've only seen on TV. 

 

 

I've been a long time fan of the show FRIENDS, so it was a happy day to be sitting on the couch at Central Perk!  :) 

 

 

 

Nick w/ the bad guy from The Matrix.  Which I haven't watched, so I don't have much to say about. :)

Lots of Batman stuff around.  As you can see it's next to the Scooby van.  :) 

 

Props stage!  There's a 100 of everything you could possibly think of.  Other studios come here to borrow props for shows for a small fee.  My sister could have a heart attack here.  :)

 

 

Explored the set of Ellen: No pictures were allowed on set.

 

The streets are filled w/ fake sets like below.  She told us all the movies that were filmed down these different fake streets.  The Way We Were with Barbara Streisand was one of them!  Love that movie.  This street in particular is Chicago often times.  The track going across is the L.  Everything is made out of very cheap materials.  But they transform the sets for different eras based on what's filming.

 

 

 

OK! I'm only half way thru yesterday, but we have to get to our food tour!  I'M SO EXCITED!  As many of you know I'm in a relationship w/ food, so I'm looking forward to this next part!  :)

 

Hopefully we'll see you tonight!

xoxo

 

 

 



I'm Stil Alive!!

There was some concern that Nick did me in, in Moab as the story abruptly ended there.  :)  Good news, I'm still here! 

I did not feel well the last few days of our trip and then I got "busy."  :)  What can I say.  Now you're going to have to deal w/ a long post. 

Hard to believe how fast time goes.  I did want to share a casting call we found in the laundry mat of our hotel

Not sure why they won't rotate -- you'll have to turn your head sideways. 

This kept us amused for a while while we did laundry.  :) 

From Moab we headed back to my aunt Lizzy's.  She's a nurse and I was sick, so she did quite a bit of drug pushing when we got there.  :)  Needless to say, she took good care of us. 

We hit Monument Valley on the way back to Phoenix.  Nick was a little disappointed, I was ambivalent as I didn't really have any expectations.

Classic Nick Timmerman

 

Auntie Liz and the Reg-ster 

Reggie.  :)   

He reminded me of the bad guy on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  :)  Fortunately he doesn't behave anything like him.  :) lol.

Grandma had us over for breakfast before we left and it was heaven.  Bacon :), eggs, hash browns, OJ, coffee, fruit, the works.  My grandpa has a hugenormous woodworking shed that had a fire a while back, so we went and checked out the new digs.  You know your in man heaven when there are wood working tools and a urinal in the same place.  ;)

From there we headed to the airport, where everyone griped about how slow everything was. :)  Also, it was our anniversary!  14 years ago I agreed to honor, love, cherish... obey??? ;) the greatest person I've ever met (he's playing air guitar while I write this).  I was probably too young to get married, but if I had waited until I was 40 I couldn't have found a better person to spend my life with. 

Ok -- now that story is over. It's been a hot busy summer!  Not sure what is report worthy... Nick and I started calling Bingo at a Sr. Center in Iowa City.  We both really enjoy it, we like the people that attend and they enjoy chit chatting before hand, but when 10:30 strikes the chit chat comes to a rapid end and the game is on.  :)

I made this practice apron!  A friend at work helped me every step of the way - God bless her!

The real one I made!  90% on my own! YAY!

I've been painting old junky porcelain things I get at Goodwill for cheap (thank you Pinterest)!  I LOVE them!  Nick's comment to me the other night was, "I don't understand."  I think that sums up his feeling on the entire thing.  :)

Original: 

So cute!  The color is awesome, not sure this really captures that.  :) 

Bought this old 70's cabinet/end table from Goodwill and painted it, taking a page out of my sister Mel's play book!  :)  Painted it a coral color and I really like it.  I still need to varnish it and put the hardware back on, but you get the idea!

Jack trying to get in the picture...

This is the much more awesome stuff my sister Mel created: 

<--- original                            Redo!----->

<--------------- original                         Redo!---------------> 

<------------- Original                                     Redo ------------------------->



Ok, enough blah blah blah for one night!  I'll post some pics of taking the midgets to Adventureland tomorrow!  I know you can hardly wait!  ;)