Santa Monica Venice Beach ~~love love love this place

Today we are taking the boys to Santa Monica and Audy is staying home with BB who is vomiting and has terrible stomach cramps.  She was crying when we got there, we brought her some Gatorade and ritz crackers to see if she could hold them down.  NOPE, she did not.  She could not hold down anything and the pain in her face and crying made me feel awful.  After talking with her Mom, we decided she needed to go see a Dr.  Audy took off to Urgent Care with BB and we took the boys for the rest of the day.

Marlon ended up deciding to head out to Santa Monica Beach and go bike riding.  Great idea as Audy had packed us a lunch, so we decided Marlon would carry our lunch in his insulated backpack and we would stop and picnic during our bike ride.  We stopped at a  grocery and Marlon picked up a plastic table cloth and  beverages for our lunch.

We paid and parked in a huge lot by Santa Monica beach.  The first place we wanted to go was to find a bike rental place. Marlon rented us all bikes for the day.  The grand kids are going to love riding bikes along the beach on the nice bike paths.  The views of the ocean as you ride are so comforting.  I have a smile on my face already and it will stay there.  Can't help but enjoy such an adventure like this.  We hopped on our bikes and rode for an hour from Santa Monica beach to Venice Beach.  We turned around and decided to stop and eat lunch as soon as we found a nice location to eat.  Mason did not want to stop riding but once we got everything set up for lunch he was ready to eat.

After eating our lunch, JL and I went down to Venice beach boardwalk and watched a family on stilts perform.  They were very good, the little one did take a spill and fell but got right back up and started her training again.

 After our bike ride, we ventured over to Santa Monica Pier.  Mason wanted to ride the Merry Go Round, which was located in a huge building. I bought him a ticket and he ran and got in line.   I could not believe how fast it went.  He held on tight and put his LA hat on top of his horses head.........oh Mason.......LOL

The view from the pier was awesome loved spending time there.  Lots of fun things to see and do.  We found a candy stand and Mason wanted  some blow Pops.  The boys even got one to take home to their sick sister.  :-)  I wanted to see the sunset from the pier, but the pier was packed with people.  Marlon said to follow him and away we went down the pier and up to the top of the hill.

When we reached the top of the hill the view was phenomenal.  I loved looking down at Santa Monica Pier at all the people, seeing all the lights from the rides and the sun going down reflecting its pretty sun glow upon Santa Monica.

  You could even see the fog setting in on the ocean, wow what a sight.

While waiting for the sun to go down got a few shots of the boys staking out their spot on the fence for a great view.

A few shots of the beautiful sunset at Santa Monica Beach. It's dark now and we are going to walk to Third St. Promenade to see what's going on there.  The street was filled with entertainment and bright colorful lights.  Together we watched some of the people performing in the streets and listened to some of them sing and play instruments.

Someone did a great job designing these topiary's made into dinosaurs.  Some of them even had water shooting from their mouths.

I really enjoyed listening to this guy play his violin and use his feet to add different instrument sounds to his already great playing.  Very talented guy. 

We are all tired and ready to go home but not before we walk over and see Bloomingdale's huge Christmas tree.  Long walk back to the car but the adventure has been worth it.  

The road back down Topanga Canyon is so twisty.   I do not look forward to being on that road at night. There was a lot of traffic on that road just like I thought.   Sometimes you would go around a curve and it looked like you were going to go right over the side of the mountain.   Near the end right we  stopped and got a night photo of LA.  

We went and dropped the boys off at Audys and visited for a few.  BB is still looking very sick but since she has taken the meds she has not vomited.  Maybe she is on the mend.

The Getty Museum

The traffic was unbearable to get to  The Getty.  Once we got there it was all worth it.  Since I had a knee brace on they let us go to a special area to board the tram.  The kids enjoyed  the view from the tram.  I could not look out the windows it was a little scary to me.  The tram took us up 881 ft above sea level to get to the Getty museum.  The tram climbed up the side of the hill and there was no railings on the side beautiful view but SCARY.  

When we got off the tram the view of this huge WHITE building was breath taking.  You could go anyplace around the parameters and have the best view of LA.  

 In the garden the top photo shows what it looks like in full bloom but the bottom picture shows what we saw.

 Audy took the kids to a activity area set up for hands on activities for kids.  I loved the designs they came up with for their mask they made.

This view from the garden terrace was breath taking.  LA and the snow covered mountains in the back ground was so beautiful.  I stood there for a long time just admiring the view.

Another view that I thought was very beautiful.  You can barely see all the red flowers but up closer you can.  This amazing museum was free yes you heard me free.

Audy took the kids to this nice size hill outside the Getty Museum where they could burn off some energy.  It was nice watching them all roll down the hills seeing who could get to the bottom the fastest.  FUN FUN FUN

I'm glad before we left the museum we got to watch the sun go down from this awesome location.  Audy and the kids walked down the 3/4 mile path to the bottom and Marlon and I rode the tram back down.  They just have so much energy.

Page Museum~~The La Brea Tar Pits

Marlon got up early and went for a walk.  Looks like he found some awesome car lots with sporty cars on them. 

There were several varieties of flowers along his walk also.  

Morning has been busy preparing for the day.  Need to get the van cleaned out from all the sand we dragged in yesterday. The van only had 7 miles on it when we rented it; so it's a must to return in excellent condition.   Finally after several gas stations we found one that had a vacuum.  The van is cleaned and ready for another adventure.  On our way to pick up kids and Audy, it is time to head to LACMA. 

 We drove through Hollywood CA and we all loved looking at all the activity and beautiful buildings.  Hopefully we will get to visit Hollywood before we leave CA.

Marlon found a parking garage close to the LACMA.  We took the elevator up to street level and the tour begins.  

 Walking to La Brea Tar Pits.  Along the way we saw a huge line of food trucks,   which was unexpected especially on a Sunday.  Audy pointed out that the art filled wall was part of the Berlin wall.  I also love all the varieties and the different sizes of the palm trees in this area.

Found the entrance to La  Brea Tar Pits and went inside.  The smell of tar was pretty strong.  The first thing we see is a lake pit that had the woolly mammoth and her babies standing by the pit.  You can also see lots of gas blurping at the top if the ponds water.

The bubbles seen in the Lake Pit and at the excavation sites are composed mostly of natural gas.

Toured the La Brea Tar Pits museum .  It' had lots of dinosaur bones they have found in the tar pits.  They still to this day are removing bones from tar pit 91.

Inside the Fossil Lab, paleontologists work on fossils that they find just yards away in the asphalt.

Toothbrushes and picks are used to clean the

bones they find. 

Look how strong these kids are wowza..........

Beautiful dinner and great dining at the lodge. Happy Anniversary

Happy 7th Anniversary ~Sept. 1, 2007  Celebrated at the Buckberry Lodge in Gatlinburg TN. We got all dressed up and enjoyed a beautiful dinner with a view of the mountains.  A nice bottle of wine to go with dinner and and then back to the cabin.

Buckberry Lodge Trail

Found a great place to sit and relax at the lodge called Sunset Landing.

While we were listening to some music that Marlon had brought with us, some people came up and joined us.  We had a nice conversation with them.  They were here vacationing from Florida and come here several times a year.

     

Later we decided to go look and see if the Buckberry Lodge Trail was open.  Earlier when we had checked it was closed, the people we met told us a siren sounded which means a bear was spotted near the trail and that's why it was closed.  It's now 6 pm and the trail was to open at 6.  The sign was hanging but I removed it and removed the chain across the trail.  Marlon went in and wanted to make sure it was alright to go on trail.  I on the other hand went down the trail a short distance and started taking some pictures of wild flowers.  Marlon returned and said it was ok to hike the trail.

When we reached the bottom of the trail which ended up at a creek .  We looked over and saw the most beautiful place in the woods.  The lodge had set up an area to come and relax or groups could come and have class or just come and hang out with friends.  Since we were the only ones there we checked out the surroundings and enjoyed the serine place in a hammock right down by the creek. 

The trip up the trail was pretty much curves and straight up.  It was a hard climb for me, I got out of breath several times and had to stop to rest.  I am so HOT.....sweat is pouring from me.....looks like I need to get in shape.  

Back at the lodge I can't go any further.  Marlon went to get the car and come and get me. LOL  I cannot climb the hill to get to our room.

Dinner tonight will be a bottle of wine and a cheese tray left for us from Honda (Marlon's Work Place), and some bread and dipping oil.  Great ending to a beautiful day at the Buckberry Lodge.