playing hooky on a Wednesday

Ah, Friday night.  We've been to Maestro, we've come home and done some shopping online (thank you, gift cards!), and now, before I head to bed, I should get a blog entry posted.  Why not?  Should be fun!

The reduction in my workload to 90% has meant a lower salary, yes, but it also means more time off.  Given how summer is so so so so so very quiet at work, it was an easy thing to play hooky on an August Wednesday because Van had nothing planned.  Hooray!  A chance to go out and see the city somewhere and do something fun.  Conrad, by the way, was in Chicago, else we would have included him.  Anyway, even after 13 (13!!!!) years in SoCal, there is still so much I haven't seen, and one major attraction on that list was Griffith Park and the observatory.

So it was that very late on Wednesday morning, this handsome chap

and I

were in a car heading into LA and up into the hills separating the coastal bowl from the San Fernando Valley.  Past the Greek Theatre

(I'd love to get to a show there) and climbing up.  Parking was a small trek from our destination, but think of the step count!

Anyway, we enjoyed the observatory itself,

the fine structure inside and out, the Art Deco aspects of it,

the landscaping around it. 

We admired the views of the city on a hazy (not smoggy) day

and even of the Hollywood sign. 

I thought it was pretty cool to see.  We were struck by the variety of languages heard around us, which we took as a healthy sign of not just the diversity of LA but also of the tourism to the city.  I'd like to get back up there, especially now that I know that Conrad hasn't been.  One day!

We drove back down the backside, the north side, and found ourselves in the Toluca Lake neighbourhood for lunch, sitting in a corner booth at Paty's. 

A classic feel to the place, and if the food wasn't anything new or exciting, it certainly was satisfying.  The Trousdale sandwich for me,

turkey and Swiss with cole slaw on it, grilled.  Yum!

I still have some time unaccounted for this year, and that's good.  I'd like another hooky day or two, with Van or with Conrad or with both.  We shall see.  But what a nice summer midweek that was!

road trip to Paso

Our birthday present to Van this year was to hop in his car, bring Olive along, and get to Paso Robles for a couple of nights, a place he hadn't visited in almost four years.  On a sunny Saturday morning, we set out northward.  Van drove, I commandeered the back seat, next to the little girl.

Up the 210 to the 5, over the Grape Vine and into the Central Valley,

then we headed west into the Cuyama Valley.  That was where we stopped for lunch, at this cool little place that Conrad and I had visited once before, called Cuyama Buckhorn.  

Lunch in our bellies, we set off toward Paso Robles.  I dozed off after we hit the 101, I think, and woke up just as we made our way into San Luis Obispo.  Onward north, and we were at our hotel, the Piccolo, before it got dark out.  We unpacked, Olive staked out her territory,

and we all relaxed.

A little later it was time for dinner.  We cut across the Christmas parade route twice to get there, but that was no trouble.  And it was cool to see the small town parade.  Lots of folks out watching it, too!

Dinner was at La Cosecha.  We shared small plates, like the croquettes

and the lamb ribs. 

I didn't take shots of all of the food, which was too bad, because the later dishes were actually the better ones.  The kitchen surprised us with a dish of octopus, and wow, was that tender.  A nice place to enjoy that Friday night.

Through the park once dinner was done, window shopping in the stores around the park, then enjoying the holiday lights in the park itself. 

Off to bed soon after that.  A good long night of sleep to prepare for an arduous (ha!) day of wine tasting to come....