30 Something Birthday by: HIM - Food Fight Friday
When your favorite Friday of the week is the day before your wife’s birthday; you get two Fridays in a row, one Sunday funday, your wife gets a three day birthday and you both turn into those people at the restaurant who appear to believe the #food is more important to their camera lens than their taste buds. And the menus :click::click: Art Deco :click: Straw dispenser :click: We decided to document the joints we ate at and take you on a tour, through and around them, from each of our own perspectives. Also, the #adventure gave me a second opportunity to familiarize myself with the GoPro which ultimately proved to be a learning curve.
It was my second time using the GoPro for its camera feature and, well, there’s no easy way to type this: I know how to delete images in lightning-network fashion now! I accidentally stored our beach images, the mansions, etc. and most of the food pictures I took on the second day in the delete icon. Wait, did I say ‘second day?’ I meant second and third day! Sandwiches, gone! Garden salad, gone! Chips, fries, gone-gone! The root beer soda and the No HFCS fountain machine I got the root beer out of on the second day, gone and gone! The dessert joint on day three, I remember it well, it was delicious! Guess what? Gone! Man, I really pooped the bed on this one.
With the odds weighed heavily against me, as though I’m not already feeling the heat of this uphill food fight battle, @puravidaville further intensified my image saving catastrophe by hijacking my original smashball pose - Yup! She stole it and deliberately inserted her cute little, Steem green sandals wearing, Pacific Ocean backdrop, sun-tanned girly feet in it! I got my work cut out for me on this one. I may need an editor and a kitchen - Welcome! It must be @foodfightfriday!
It started on Friday morning, a few Fridays back, you read that correctly, this #fff post is a multi-week project and spanned three days. How many other tags can do that?! I loaded up some bicycles, we headed north on the harbor freeway for about 20 minutes and exited 9th street in:
Pixabay
From the northbound 110, at 9th, make a left on Figueroa and a right on 6th. Urth Caffe is just a couple miles away. On your right, between San Pedro Street and Wall Street, is The Mission - Just around the corner from the world famous Arts District in Downtown. On both sides of the street is another world famous headline which means you’re only a couple blocks away. Make a left on Alameda, a quick right on Palmetto, another left on Hewitt and your destination is straight ahead.
If you’re in a hurry, you’re better off skipping Urth Caffe and going anywhere else, it’s a popular spot regardless of the day or time. Or even better - Don’t be in such a hurry. These Plant-Base straws are probably just an LA thing:
- Maximum occupancy reached and still comfortable in the dining area - ✔️
- Dessert menu - ✔️
- A menu with something on it for everyones unique eating preference - ✔️
I ordered the Grilled Veggie with pesto, eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, romaine lettuce and roasted peppers.
That’s Pura Vida’s sandwich in the top right. Since we couldn’t decide which sandwich was better we agreed it’s best if we go back and try harder.
Redondo Beach pier is about 15 minutes away but first we peddled in and out of some alleys and around surrounding city blocks to capture all of the street art. I plan on using the images for Let’s Paint The Town Read - Episode 3 so I won’t overload this space. I’ll just show you a few of the ‘easier to read’ pieces.
We made it back to the car. It gets hot in the middle of downtown, at brunch time, in September. Super hot - Mid 80’s. “Ouch!” We drove back to the coast, our back yard, where the temperature fluctuates wildly between 72 and 76 degrees all year. We found another good parking spot right next to a boardwalk entrance so we unloaded the bikes again and went for another stroll.
This is about the time I began unintentionally familiarizing myself with the trash can on the GoPro - I won’t do that again! I had some boardwalk images, key word being ‘had,’ instead I have zero boardwalk images other than this entrance. That’s the boardwalk down there at the fourth light pole.
I know what you’re thinking; ‘how’s he gonna show us anything without pictures?’ Good question! Answer: I don’t know yet. “Hey, Pixabay, you ready for this?” “And what about you thumbs, and not just righty, either, I’m gonna need you both on this one - Ready?” I prepped them the best way I know how:
”1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a Thumb War!”
We merged onto the west bound 10 freeway, toward Santa Monica, en route to Pacific Coast Highway 1. Follow the El Segundo freeway signs and take the first Compton exit. Go through the intersection to Rosecrans, make a right, the next city over is Manhattan Beach.
Pixabay + Photoshop
We peddled alongside all of the extravagant mansions that line the boardwalk, respectfully declining the varieties of sandwiches and wine samples we’re being offered by multiple people. They’re usually out and about on the weekends offering free samples from the surrounding restaurants. We made our way to the pier in Hermosa Beach and stopped by American Junkie for a couple of waters, chips and salsa, French fries, a non caramel colored soda and Pura Vida had a side of guacamole. Way off to the side. I can’t eat that stuff - Nope! I can’t even touch it! They figured it out a long time ago after my second ambulance ride. Would you believe strawberries are a natural counter to a guacamole allergy? True story!! It’s like Benadryl only better. I’m living proof (3 times). Remind me to write an article about that!
The mansions that line the boardwalk in Manhattan Beach are probably the most luxurious homes, with boardwalk property, in all of Southern California. I took some pictures, oh man, you should’ve seen them! Spectacular! There was this one with a fancy water feature, incredible, jade green looking stone work, the size of a swimming pool but it was just a ‘look at me’ water fall having water feature! And another one had an outdoor bar and patio with seating for about 20 people, I actually thought it was a resort or hotel - Nope! It was a single family home. You’ll have to take my text for it.
I couldn’t find very many free images of Manhattan Beach. There’s a gap in the boardwalk for about a half mile and you make your way along the frontage road where every 50 yards, roughly, is a bike path to gain beach access.
I spread out our blanket-sized beach towel on the shore and we got comfortable, there’s a few hours left before sunset. As the tide continued bringing the sound of crashing waves closer to us we turned up the volume a little bit. 😉 We watched several sailboats go by and listened to all of the birds overhead as a pod of killer whales swam across the Pacific, about 100 yards out, directly in front of us. This is the original I was telling you about:
I woke up before her on her actual birthday-day and made breakfast. Her server this morning is ‘mois’ and on the menu was: Pan-fried, peppered potatoes with mixed bell peppers, zucchini, caramelized onions, topped with fresh cilantro and tomatoes.
We fed ourselves, cleaned up and got cleaned up. I loaded us back up (peddles!) and just as we merged onto the 405 freeway, less than five miles from the house, en route to Huntington Beach, my Queen is hungry. “Deal!” It’s that non-diabetic or maybe diabetic, hypoglycemic, blood sugar dropping, Web MD diagnosing, pancreatic attack that not one doctor, P.A, phlebotomist, registered nurse, etc. in the entire United States of America can seem to diagnose! :breathe: Pricks! That’s a health care article for a later date. So she jumped on her phone and Yelped us another eating joint - Next stop:
With a name like ”Sessions,” you know it’s going to be bomb! There’s a sandwich for everyone on the menu, too, and it was Saturday morning so the dude at the register was fresh out of a session himself. It was #funny! He couldn’t remember anything we said - ‘anything!’ We ended up having to slowly, very slowly, order one item at a time:
- Bread - ✔️
- Tomatoes - ✔️
- Aioli, right? “Wait... did you say you wanted bread?”
- No HFCS drinks - ✔️ (One.at.a.time)
Looking out the window from our table, directly across the parking lot, is more street art in Newport Beach, Ca. on Balboa Boulevard:
My Veggie Banh Mi sandwich was amazing - It even pictured great! Pickled onions, shredded carrots, brussel sprouts, jalapeño, yum! As a president somewhere might say “undoubtedly the most amazingly known incredible thing of all things spectacularly credible!” Yeah, it was that good. You’re just going to have to take my text for it, the Veggie Banh Mi was a show stopper!
I almost told you I salvaged an appetizer image at lunch but that would’ve been false, the appetizer was later that afternoon from a different spot - Egg rolls. Veggie egg rolls with shredded carrots, purple and green cabbage, wrapped in Pandan. They came with a house sweet and sour sauce.
I’m either getting ahead of myself or this post is so long I’m confusing my own self. 🤔 I should’ve written this in chapters. The above pictured appetizer is from dinner on her actual birthday but there’s a whole day I didn’t tell you about. Honestly, though, it isn’t much different than yesterday. Or the day before yesterday if we’re showing proof of transparency. The spectators change and the marine life varies but the clock in the sky is consistent.
As I was saying; Thai food! She and I both really like Thai food and it’s getting late. We picked up our beach parking spot, again, from whatever part of the coast we were on that time, loaded up the car and headed to a joint in Long Beach, Ca. on the corner of Broadway and Loma called Manaow Manawhat? that never disappoints. It has 4n1/2 stars on Yelp with nearly 700 votes. I ordered the Artichoke Curry and Steamed Rice this time:
I said no tofu but for some reason, regardless of the joint, tofu is often overlooked, it’s not a big deal. I can’t stand tofu! I don’t like the texture, the flavor, the color, the spelling, the look, nothing! I don’t even like typing it. I made sure to separate the square, squishy, chunky T-word things from my artichoke curry.
There’s one more thing I need to do - Ice cream. I drove us back to the house and unloaded our things. When Pura Vida was in the shower, I took off down the street and grabbed us each a cup of dairy free, chocolate, peanut buttery ice cream deliciousness:
I know what you’re thinking; “no candles.” I know - Danget! I didn’t think about until I got back to the house. Day two of her actual birthday is nearly wrapped up and I spaced a candle. I improvised: “Happy birthday to you...”
”And mannyy mmooooorrrre”
What’s after day two? Day three! Don’t worry, I already wrote an article about Hippea! I can’t say enough good things about the falafel they make over there, my goodness gracious, it’s just the best. We each ordered the falafel cone with fries and a water.
Day three wasn’t too different from the first two days. It looks real similar to the events of today, actually, and we haven’t even left the house yet.
Days aren’t routine if you treat each of them like her birthday is what I’m trying to say - It works for me at least! I got one more image to show you. This whole post has been an attempt to rescue an image saving fiasco and I had to come up with something 🤔 when she hijacked my Smashball image. So, here goes!
Before I made her breakfast on the second day and before she woke up, I wrote her a birthday card. It’s not from hallmark and I didn’t buy it a card shop, I wrote it in the notepad of this phone and emailed it to her. This is the first thing she read the morning of her literal birthday:
Same place next week, deal? If you’re not already following @foodfightfriday, what are waiting for? I don’t call it my favorite Friday of the week for nothin! And a big huge congratulations to @sivehead for your @curie homerun yesterday - Bout dang time!
awwww you two are so sweet! Happy birthday @puravidaville :)
I spent a week some time ago in Redondo Beach and have friends in Newport Beach too; a beautiful neck of the woods to be in! And the food looks amazing too. That's good to know about the strawberries and avocado; I can tell you've got a good story there too :)
Happy weekend @dandays and @puravidaville :)
Did tou read that @puravidaville? I’m not sure what you’re writing about but I think they think we like each other.
That’s pretty cool you’re familiar with the coastline right here, it’s comfortable. And the food is tough to beat! There’s a lot of it and they’re all in competition with each other, it brings out the best in them. But we’ve been here a year actually, this month, it’s time to go!
“Guilty.”
Thanks for being cool @lynncoyle1, I’m glad we met!
hahaha like Brian and I ... You guys hardly like each other at all :)
Getting itchy feet after a year. We are the exact same; my mother calls us gypsies :)
I'm sooooo glad we met as well. Kind of like a needle in a haystack!
Happy weekend to you and @briancourteau as well. :)
Thank you so much @puravidaville :)
:)
Ok I need a map and a strategically mapped out route to get to all these places. Lord all mighty have mercy on my Food Coma!!!
The addition of a 7 day pause caused by a fork doesn’t hurt either!
Thanks a lot for stopping by @foodfightfriday.
Wow, now that!s how to celebrate a birthday. I wonder how you're gonna top that next year.
Danm thumbs... I swear their just plain clumsy at times.
Next year? Wait a minute, I thought this was just a one time deal. You mean they get birthdays every year?!
I saw your name on this one a few times.
Thanks for stopping by @sivehead, it’s always a pleasure reading from you.
Lol, yes it would seem they do... in fact my daughter insists upon it. Not at all sure why. Young and nieve i guess. Or she just likes it when i buy her stuff.
Oh make sure I don't miss it then! 🤣
Cheers 🍻
Wow thats amazing! Happy Birthday to @puravidaville! I feel ive been on a vacation :)))
Hey thanks a lot! I’m glad you enjoy it, it was long wasn’t it? I hope it wasn’t ‘too’ long. Hey and congratulations on Your weight loss achievements.
Thanks for stopping by @weirdheadaches!
That, sir, was a lot of running around, and if it were me, it would have ran into day four, where I sleep in from all the running around. :)
Still, I'm glad you were able to get at least some photos saved from the multi-day birthday trips.
I am in total agreement with you regarding tofu, and depending on what academic study you read, there's a high chance that tofu isn't good for the male innards, anyway. :)
My oldest son had this short phase where he was freaking out about food, and so he wanted to try a tofurkey dog at a festival we were at. I almost told him no, but decided he should go ahead and try it. He never asked for one after that. :)
Hey! Hey! Great to be seen again, sir. We actually had a lot of fun, we didn’t plan anything or set a reservation anywhere, whatever we did was pretty much spur of the moment. It turned out to be a great weekend. Add that and a whole extra week to work on edits! Lol.
I’ll take your wOrd for it on the male innards, I’ll add it to the list of reasons I beg them to stop putting it in the food. It’s pretty tough to spoon out when they’re the little chunks.
It was nice seeing you in the kitchen again @glenalbrethsen, you’ve mentioned tending to a recovering wife, you’re back so all must be well at home. Happy for ya’all.
Thanks for stopping by @glenalbrethsen. Always nice to hear from you.