Big Save

So. If you are ever in Garden Grove, enjoying a sea salt coffee at 85C, you must allow yourself some time to peruse the merchandise of Big Save. Of course, a web search brought up the "correct" spelling of Big Sav. 

You might think this is very much like a 99 Cent Store, and it sort of is. But it also has aquarium supplies and exotic fish. Who would know?  Other reasons to peruse the store for your entertainment:

First of all, how can you not be interested in a way to Save Big (or Sav Big)?

Second of all, you can get a very special parking spot.

Thirdly, you can get playing cards, kitchen supplies, hairnets, fishing supplies and sewing aids all right next to each other.

Beach Birthday

Second year in a row that my birthday fell on a weekend. A lovely June weekend. With temps promised in the low 100s (which never materialized), I thought that an escape to the beach would be the best way to relax with H, C and B. These days we tend to head toward Laguna and try out any beach where we can find parking.

While on the road, we decided to stop off at 85C for sea salt coffee and then yelped where we could find Mexican take-out in Laguna. Papa's Tacos came highly recommended, and that's where we ended up. The proprietor/chef/server was very friendly and when I told him it was my birthday, he threw in a bag of chips with some salsa. We took our food and ended up at Aliso Beach. The parking lot was full when we drove through, but I spotted a street space across the busy PCH which was still there after we rounded back. Luckily there is a tunnel under the highway for pedestrians.

We enjoyed people-watching while we ate our burritos, which we ranked very highly. Then we read a little, chatted and near the end of our stay we watched a pod of dolphins frolicking in the waves. That was certainly a highlight. 

Back home, after showers and a little phone chat with L, C treated us to a homemade peach and almond cake with vanilla ice cream. 

A most excellent way to celebrate.

Ordering at Papa's Tacos.

California Fibers Art Exhibition

I organized a girls' day out with a friend to visit an art exhibit of the California Fibers group at Soka University in Aliso Viejo. How I even knew about this exhibit, let alone the University, is that another friend of mine has a piece in the exhibit. We had no idea what this exhibit might entail. Would we spend five minutes there after an hour's drive? Actually, we spent a good deal of time enjoying the 66 pieces from 22 artists before we took a leisurely stroll through the campus.

These first two photos are of my friend's work - a comprehensive photo and a close-up of Altarpiece. You can read about her work at her website here.

I was taken with many of the pieces which look one way from a distance and have amazing detail up close (like a pointillist painting).

A number of works seemed to draw heavily on biological themes.

Many works were large, and with all their detail, it must have taken hours and hours and months of work.

85 C - More!

After our filling Dim Sum lunch, I wondered how far away the Irvine 85 C Bakery and Cafe might be where we could have a little dessert and/or sea salt coffee. Much to my delight, I discovered that while I was not looking, 85 C has opened up a total of 9 stores in the southland. I remember my excitement of finding out that one had opened up in Hacienda Heights and then another one in West Covina. Yesterday we went to the one in Garden Grove which is just a mile away from Sea Food Paradise.

Sea Food Paradise

When our daughter went off to college, she thought we would enjoy meeting her friend's parents, so she made a point of introducing us (first via the internet and IM - remember IM?). Then we officially met them when they were visiting So Cal. At that time they were living in Kansas City, but now they live in Carlsbad, which is not too very far from here. In December they were taking their son to Rancho Cucamonga and Claremont was on their way, so we reconnected for the first time since our daughters' graduation in 2007.

We decided to get together again, this time to meet somewhere between Carlsbad and Claremont, and they suggested their favorite Dim Sum restaurant in Westminster. We had not had Dim Sum in quite a while, and as soon as we sat down and saw the amazing amounts of diversity rolling around on the carts, H immediately said that he wanted to return, and very soon. The food was excellent, and it was worth the 40-minute drive. Apparently, Sunday is the best, and busiest day to go. The selection is greater and the food fresher. We arrived by 10:45, so we were seated immediately. The bottom picture shows a little bit about how big the place is.

Beach Day!

Today was a day for the beach! Turns out that we are more inclined towards Orange Co. beaches than LA Co., and one beach we've recently discovered is Treasure Island - a Laguna Beach City Beach. After a stop at 85C for our favorite iced sea salt coffees and some breakfast burritos from the Penguin Cafe, we took our blanket and NY Times and set up shop before the heat of the day and the crowds of people.

Before too long, however, a group of teens with several photographers came by for some kind of photo shoot, and since they planted themselves directly in front of us, I thought I would have my own little photo shoot. There seemed to be one girl who was the center of attention (and she changed clothes a few times....) and at one point they threw her up in the air.

Some of the beautiful tide pools at this beach

I thought that the colors of the ocean were particularly lovely today.

One of my many pelican photos. I love watching them fly in formation. This angle does not look like any kind of formation, but they started out in a V.

The Barbarian Nurseries

I believe I heard about this book because it was the choice for the freshman read at Pomona College this year. I should have read it this summer along with the first-years and then gone to hear Hector Tobar on Sept. 2. Oh, well.

This might be my favorite read of 2012, or, at least, in my top 3. It is a rare book that marries good plot with good writing, and this one does just that. It also sets the place very well, and Orange County and Los Angeles can be considered characters in this novel.

None of the three main characters hide their flaws, from themselves or each other, and yet they seem sympathetic because their circumstances in life seem to have created them. I appreciated that there was growth for each of them by the end of the book.

I think I will choose this book for one of my book clubs because there will be plenty to discuss.

Birthday Celebration

Tide Pools at Crystal Cove State Park

Black Friday? Not for us.  To honor H's birthday, we did not get up at any ungodly hour to wait in line.  Instead, we slept in, ate breakfast burritos from Alberto's then headed for the ocean.  With six of us now, we can no longer all fit in our Camry, so we borrowed our friends' Suburban.

It had been a while since we had taken the Balboa Island Ferry (prices have certainly gone up recently - it used to be around a quarter for each passenger, but now it is $1 a head, plus $1 per car), so we enjoyed that little ride and took the chance to look at the breakers at the end of the peninsula there.

The breakfast burritos were still holding us, so we headed for Crystal Cove State Park to walk the tidepools, breathe in the fresh ocean breezes, and renew our attachment to the Pacific.  After a cool week before, we enjoyed the warm, sunny weather.

No trip to OC is complete without a stop at 85C, but this time we only waited in line for the iced sea salt coffees.  The pastry line was too long.

We topped off the evening with great Thanksgiving leftovers, and the delicious homemade cherry pie by C in honor of her dad's birthday.