Our final day was chock full of family time and LA traffic. The former was very enjoyable, the latter was something we will not miss when we fly home tomorrow.
We started out by heading to the Venice Beach boardwalk. It was scorchingly hot but we sipped smoothies and tried to find shade where we could. The people watching was superb, and Melina’s eyes were as big as dinner plates taking in all the curse words and dirty pictures on signs and t-shirts and tattoos (not pictured). Diane was happily oblivious. And we all enjoyed the skate park and murals.
Diane teaches Zach the tree pose
We walked north to Santa Monica to meet the rest of the Zimet clan for a belated birthday brunch for John. Unfortunately when I booked the restaurant I didn’t think to ask whether there was air conditioning (in Virginia everyone has air conditioning!) and as it turns out…they did not. We were seated on the patio which would have been great except that there were high walls that no breeze could break through, and the canopy overhead had large swaths cut out of it to let the sun stream onto us. The only fan was pointed away from us and the wait staff couldn’t get it to oscillate. It was HOT. But we had a great time anyway, and the food was good!
Nothing says Happy 80th Birthday like pineapple almond pancakes!
Glenna and Marc offered to host us all again for dinner so we spent the rest of the day (minus the significant driving time that comes as a side with any travel in LA) enjoying time with family. The girls were in heaven getting spoiled by their cousins and were so sad to leave. They are already working on a plan to get the cousins to Charlottesville for Melina’s birthday in November.
Joshua tries to teach Nana how to play poker while Tonka stands and stares (his specialty)
We are all sorry for this trip to end. Someday I hope to have a trip long enough that we actually look forward to going home!
Traveling Together 