Adventures in LA, take two

While I was out in L.A., I stayed in Ventura and got to take in the view of the ocean from the balcony of Stacey’s sister’s apartment. I kind of wish I had a bike while I was there because I totally would have tried to coast down that hill to see if I could have made it to the ocean. Ahhhh…the ocean. How I miss it ….

Maya making her second appearance on the blog. This was seriously how this kid was for pretty much the whole trip. And lucky me got to sit beside her in the back of Erin’s Pathfinder to help keep her entertained. Parents, I don’t know about your kids but Maya LOVEDDDD that flower-sunshine-do-hickey that hung over her car seat carrier. Note to self: When I have kids, I have GOT TO GET ME ONE OF THOSE.

We hit up the Getty while we were there and it was hands-down one of the coolest museums I’ve been to. Factors it had going for it: Crazy cool white stone architecture against a brilliant blue sky, beautiful gardens and cool exhibits, including this one that rocked my world.

We booked it from the Getty to Warner Brothers in time for our studio tour. Talk about embracing my inner-L.A. tourist. This was so, so much fun. Below is our tour guide, standing on what was once the set of the bar from E.R. (remember that bar? They had the ceremony for Dr. Pratt there after he died. Did I just drop an episode reference on this blog …OH YES I DID).

Stacey and I. ON. THE. COUCH. FROM. CENTRAL. PERK. I think I died and went to heaven for 30 seconds in this moment. Folks, I am a Friends fanatic so documentation of this moment made Gail a very happy girl. (Fact: I drop Friends references ALL the time. The night I got home from L.A., I opened my suitcase to find my shampoo had exploded inside the one compartment and I took to Twitter to be all I JUST HAD A ROSS MOMENT.)

Speaking of Twitter, there was a morning while we were out there where I Tweeted (or is it Twitted?) about having just witnessed the most amazing sunrise of my life. Yeah, these next two snaps document that moment. For real, is this not a postcard?

California’s candy-colored skies

Another evening we spent time exploring more of Ventura, including its harbor and a trendy little area full of fun shops and restaurants. I could so, so, SO live in this town.

Our last day out there we decided to spend it in Malibu, Venice and Santa Monica.

We *might* have had lunch at THE James Beach, the restaurant Jason Segel (aka, Sydney Feif) declares in “I Love You Man” as having the best fish tacos in the world. Of course we had to order them and what can I say … the man does not lie.

One final Cali post to come and that’s the family session I did with Stacey’s sister … I’m on it so you’ll see those up here before TOO much longer. Let me revise that because I’m so behind … those will get posted before snow flies (As in here. In Indiana. I’m guessing if snow started flying in L.A., people would think those trailers for 2012 were really true).