City of Angels

Five or so years ago, after a business trip to San Francisco, Son Rogue came out and we spent a long weekend in the City by the Bay, and had a great time. A couple of weeks ago it was finally Daughter Rogues’ turn.

My week started in Seattle, where my coworkers and I got to enjoy the 2nd wettest day in the history of the Emerald City - enjoyable in a webbed-foot sort of a way. We did, however, make it down to the waterfront for a dinner at a place called Ivars

The food was delicious, I had the Seared Northwest Wild Salmon and it was the best salmon I ever had. If you’re ever in Seattle, give Ivars a try. Just be careful though, and watch out for the petite, curly-haired waitress. She is a food snob, and doesn’t like people who eat animals. Other than that she’s a lovely girl. Oh, except for the part where she tried to stick us with extra bowls of chowder and appetizers on our check. For the remainder of our trip, our waitress was known simply as “Ultra-Bitch.”

The next night our team was in Berkeley and we again found ourselves at a seafood place at dinner time, Spengers Fresh Fish Grotto.

This restaurant is also worth a try. Just remember that you’re in Berkeley, and it’s kinda like Boulder on steroids…

On Wednesday midday we were in Sacramento for another meeting. It was warm and sunny and we ate lunch on the deck at the Blue Gecko, which you may or may not have read about in the Feb 8 edition of Suburban Rogue

We got up early on Thursday and flew to Orange County, for our fifth and final meeting of the week. Afterwards, I met DR at John Wayne Airport; we rented a car, and were off to Hollywood. Well actually Studio City, to our hotel.

We decided to have a pizza and dine on the patio of our 4th floor hotel room. You don’t get to do that much in December in Colorado. I volunteered to order the pizza…

“Mamas and Papas Pizza, what’s up dude?”

“Yeah I’d like to order a pizza for delivery.

“Awwwright! We got some tasty pies maaan.”

Do you deliver to the Sportsmen’s Lodge Hotel?”

“Is that the big one on Ventura?”

“Yes”

‘Uh, I dunno… Hang on, dude.”

It occurred to me that I was having a real life conversation with Jeff Spicoli

Friday we woke to a cool cloudy morning and decided to go sightseeing, and hope for better weather on Saturday. We headed to Pasadena and went to the Rose Bowl, but we couldn’t get past the very large security guard. The stadium is a beautiful setting, and sits in a natural bowl with mountains to the north and east. While in Pasadena, we did not see any Little Old Ladies…

We then drove along Mulholland drive, and were treated to some spectacular views of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. For lunch we went to Hollywood, to the In-N-Out Burger across the street from Hollywood High School. There was quite a collection of characters in this fast food joint. Some of them might have actually been contributing members of society…

Somewhere that day we drove past a sign for Occidental College. DR wondered if that was where poor spellers Accidentally went to college…

We spent most of Saturday at Universal Studios where, as you can see, I purchased a new car. I’ve always wanted a Dodge Charger, and they just happened to have one. It was a little pricey, but what the heck. Just don’t tell Mrs. R…

On Saturday night, DR and I got all gussied up and she took me to a restaurant in Santa Monica called The Lobster , it is one of the Top 10 Seafood Restaurants in the Los Angeles area. This is a very cool, very hip place located right on the edge of the Santa Monica Pier. We enjoyed a terrific dinner, DR had Chilean Sea Bass and I had Crab Cakes, and then we followed it up with Wild Blueberry Cobbler for dessert, and a walk along the Santa Monica Pier. What a special evening!

Sunday was bright and sunny and warm, just in time for our trip home to a frigid Denver. We went back to Santa Monica, did a little sightseeing in the daylight, and then caught our plane home. It was 12 degrees when we landed Sunday evening, about 50 degrees colder than where we left, but it didn’t really seem that cold after such a great weekend.

P.S.

Another of our readers is having some health issues right now, so please keep a good thought for her… Thanks!