Our Lifestyle Adventures: Giving Thanks in California!

in fact, it was earlyChristmas for us!

dungeness crab for my 66th birthday!

For my kids who are very happy,

For grandkids who are growing dandy,

For my book that is almost ready,

And for Bill who inspires me handy;

Also those who came out to greet me,

On my having reached six plus sixty,

Our Father in Heaven, I thank thee!

birthday party with Bud, a co-celebrant at Viewpoint

Doubletree Hilton Hotel in West LA

That was my FB message this Thanksgiving 2014. It betrays my utter gratefulness for the many blessings in my life. It came two days after my 66^th birthday celebration when, as Bill says, he never saw me eat a whole Pacific Dungeness crab with as much gusto as at Joe’s Crab Shack in Phoenix, Arizona. That is because I got not one, but two gifts from my honey: a beautiful new watch and a Note 4!!! Then huge yellow roses in a vase, a gift card for a spa, a selfie pod and a necklace arrived from my thoughtful daughters. Now we are in California to spend the most stuffed season of the year with my First Apo (first grandchild) Krishna and Bunso (youngest) sister Cherry!

a wrist watch and the Note 4!!!

Sugarfish Sushis

We picked up Krishna from Salon Nesou where she works as a receptionist/hairstylist and went to dinner at Sugarfish in downtown Santa Monica. The name of the restaurant is so appropriate for the awesome sushi they serve. Every single one, from fat tuna belly, sashimi, yellowtail, halibut, snapper, salmon, scallops, lobster, and shrimp melted with sweetness in your mouth. With quite a clientele that was willing to stand in line for precious seats, no seafood ever has time to go bad there. If ever you find yourself in Santa Monica, go to Sugarfish, and you will thank me no end!

Thanksgiving breakfast slams

After dinner we went to our hotel, the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in West LA. Guess what they give you upon check-in? That’s right…fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies! How heavenly is that? After lots of chit-chat, we were ready for our good night sleeps. The next morning we all trooped to Dennys’s for their Build Your Own Holiday Slams to start the gustatory delights of Thanksgiving of America Day. Then we took Krishna to her relatives on her father’s side while we proceeded to see my sister Cherry.  

Thanksgiving Dinner at the Brocks'

The traditional Thanksgiving Meal for the Brock family (Rick Brock is Cherry’s husband) was held at the lovely home of Janet, Rick’s eldest sister, on the foothills along the San Bernardino Freeway. There was the traditional turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy and all the sides: green beans casserole, mashed potatoes, and candied sweet potatoes plus the not-to-be-forgotten pumpkin pie and cherry pie with all the whipped cream you would like. There was even egg nog! Between bites we happily watched the much-awaited Thanksgiving duel of the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers (the Seahawks dominated, 19-3!!!). Cherry and I made a quick trip to the Filipino super grocery, Seafood City, ten minutes away, to shop for our very own Thanksgiving meal the next day.

three girls

Then we went to Cherry and Rick’s home in Rosamond, an hour and forty-five minutes away. The next day Bill and I went to Costco in Lancaster, a bigger city twenty minutes from their home, to shop for more ingredients. We had the most delightful detour to the Musical Road. Between 30th and 40th streets on Avenue G, just off Highway 14. Only one of two in the US (New Mexico just opened theirs this year) and of six in the world, the road merrily sings the Willliam Tell overture when you drive a steady 50 mph on it. This Road debuted in 2008.  

early Christmas dinner

Back at Cherry's house, we shifted to frenzied cooking. Lunch was chicken rotisserie, Caesar’s salad, and fruit salad. By mid-afternoon Zan, Cherry’s daughter who lives in San Francisco, arrived and the mother-dai=ughter slipped away to get lost in Black Friday deals while I cooked fresh lumpia to accompany steamed lobsters, crabs, and purple yam dessert for dinner. It was actually an early Christmas dinner for we will not see each other then. Another night of chit-chats and we were off to dreamland.

crazy breakfast at Crazy Ottos

Sadly, we had to leave Saturday morning since Bill’s tryouts for the tennis tournament in January begin on Tuesday and he needs to practice with his mixed doubles partner. But not til after a crazy breakfast at Rosamond's Crazy Ottos where the servings were so huge we took home half of the orders!

We were so glad we were able to drive to California for a heartwarming celebration of giving thanks with family!