I slept in until about 10:30 today. After logging in and checking the local events, I decided not to go to Palm Springs for their Pride Weekend. The actual parade is tomorrow morning at 11. I may take a road trip to that.
Early afternoon I rode out to Newport Beach. It was a short drive, 20-30 minutes, and the place is just beautiful. I rode through one of the neighborhoods — very posh. Huge houses, albeit on tiny lots with no trees and all smashed together; they were just beautiful. Some of them went around corners. Several were two stories with turrets, and some with complete sides of houses in glass. Very cool. And all write on the port, with beaucoup yachts docked.
I put two quarters for 30 minutes in a meter, and walked around. Walked up the beach a little ways, looked at the shops and restaurants in the area, making notes for a return trip when Steve is here next week. There were at least two Crab Restaurants that seem like definite dinner candidates. I decided to wait and have a late lunch in Laguna Beach.
I took Highway 101 south to Laguna. I passed a couple of little towns on the way, and in one saw a “See’s Candies” shop. I did an unsafe, sudden turn into a parking spot. I had to stop here because I’d never heard of See’s until about a week and a half ago when I sent Chris Whelan a note telling him I wouldn’t make the GLBT Panel celebration that I had RSVPed to a couple of weeks ago. His secretary was on copy, and she responded to my e-mail saying that while I’m in this area I should look for a “See’s Candies” shop. So, there you go. I should bring her something back.
I bought a handful of chocolate covered raisins. Evidently, it’s traditional (at least in this shop) to give you a piece of a different kind of with which candy to bribe you. She gave me a most delicious chocolate. I asked what it was, but don’t remember it, as I didn’t want to, because I know it would have made me buy a pound of it. I drove off with my raisins. Yum. Yum. Yum.
In Laguna Beach, I parked in a most crowded area, way up from where the bars are that I went to during the week. There was a park-like area on the beach, and guys were playing basketball and volleyball, and lots of people were milling about, several of them with dogs on leashes.
I walked along the beach, and then up and down the street in that area, looking for a place to have lunch. There were an inordinate amount of galleries in this area. I went in one. No prices. “If you have to ask…” I settled on “The Cabana” for lunch, and had a delicious chicken club sandwich with shoestring fries and Asian cole slaw. It was delicious. I took home half of it for dinner.
I gassed up here. Gas is on the average, $1.77 a gallon here. Thanks, IBM.
I got back to my hotel at around 6:00PM, and looked through the selection of free VHS movies in the lobby and checked out, “The House of Yes.” I’d never heard of this movie, but in the description it contained the word “quirky,” which really appeals to me. It totally was! Very dark comedy. It reminded me a little of IGSBY GOES DOWN. Very twisted, but totally interesting.
I finished my sandwich, and went to bed at 10PM.