Oprah's Post

Everybody gets piiiiiiiictuuuuuuuuures!!!

Get ready for a photo overloaded post.  Jared, Bryan, Michelle and I have been very busy. 

First things first.  Paleo is alive and well.  This was one of the tastier dishes I've made yet.  Shrimp and spinach and some other things, but wow.  I can't tell yet if it is working as a diet or if I'm just eating healthier since I don't have a scale.  Either way, still delish!

Finally!  We made reservations for Hydrobiking.

That's me.  Looks like I'm standing but my seat was just rusted in the too high position.

*Smile!*

Jared is ready to lead the pack!

Is Bryan even pedaling?  I think not.

Treasure Island.  I saw no treasures.

Afterward, we went to Joe's Crab Shack.  This was my first time cracking crab legs, which turned into my second workout for the day.  We were at the ocean, we got tables outside, I was in the mood!  Then I was reminded why I don't eat wings or crab legs.  It was so much work!  It is not for me.  I have to pay for all of this hassle?  Eww.  I got a bib and a potato, which was so off of my diet, so that was a delicious treat, but even after all of the work I put into my legs (my own and the crab's), the meat wasn't that great.  I was disappointed.  This is your thing, Joe, what gives?

Jared is king of cracking!

Bryan and Michelle crack like it's their job!

All of the tools...

Some call it cracking, some call it bending rubber.

..and I still stunk at it! In my defense, they were rubbery.  I bet I could crack if they were crack-able!

Then my beloved hunt came to an end when we found boba tea!  All is well again.  Cha!

THEN...We got on the road and headed to the Griffith Observatory.  It has a great view of LA and Beverly Hills and also the Hollywood sign.  Unless you pay for a special tour, this is about as close to the sign as you can get, or so I'm told. 

Look at those mountains!

Forced to park at the bottom, begin the climb.

See a little bit of Beverly Hills through the smog?

We made it!

That was really the color of the sky there, so pretty!

Observing..

We found a pair of "coinslots" on the lawn.  His and Hers. 

People already started setting up camp to see the stars, like the actual sky stars.

..I give up?

Ohay, El Lay

Hollywood sign, super small and faint on the hill.

Another Hollywood sign view.  Better?  I'm not sure.

..how about now?  See it yet!?

We paid for a little movie in the dome.  In other words, we paid for a nap.  Sun is setting after the show.

LA framed, at a different angle.

There it is!

Oh sorry... how did that get in there? 

 

Beverly Hills in the distance, where we were headed for dinner.

And back at the bottom of the hill.

After spending the evening at the Observatory, we really worked up an appetite, especially after that nap.  We headed to a place that was recommended to us because, well, we love garlic.  Okay, I said it.  Let's move on. 

"Garlic in a hot tub" is what they called it.   Spread it on our bread is what we did.

Everything had garlic in it!  I ordered a signature dish (recipe is on the website).  It was called 40 cloves of garlic chicken.. something...  So tender and delicious.  They even put garlic in ice cream!  We left stuffed and out of fear that vampires were going to bother us on our trip home.  Or ever.


What better way to follow up a night of garlicky goodness than with a non-offensive FaceTime chat where no one can smell your breath or pores weeping garlic juice?  Yeah!

A six-pack of hellos!

Monday we had plans to have lunch and then head to the Getty Museum again, you know, and actually SEE it (Remember last time we got there too late and didn't see much of the inside).  Turns out that The Getty, like most museums, was closed on Mondays.  I don't think we are meant to see it!  We made other plans and will try again.  Maybe a third time will be our charm.  I can't wait!

We grabbed lunch in Malibu first.  Moonshadows used to be the hangout place of Britney Spears in her K-Fed days as well as other stars, so we were certain, this was going to be it.  We paid $5.50 to valet and by valet, I mean, they backed the car up and parked it five feet from us.   We were seated outside near the edge of the ocean.  It was beautiful!  The weather was great, it wasn't very crowded and the food was pretty decent.  This time, the crab legs didn't require and muscle to eat, thank goodness. 

You fancy!

Even if it was a trick to look like more legs, I appreciated the head start....

Octopus appetizer

No need to adjust your screen, the shrimp were actually that big!

A view from inside to the outside, we were seated to the left.

After lunch we headed to the Grauman's Chinese Theater to see the stars.  It just so happened that we arrived on the third anniversary of Michael Jackson's death.  There were flowers, candles, dancing and music in remembrance.  A lot of different Michaels hung out near the star.  The black one, the white one, etc.

I can't believe how well this was preserved from 1935.  Really!?

One of the more recent star prints (Jennifer Aniston)

 Growing up, the Grumpy Old Men movies were my favorite.  I was so happy to have found Max and John!

 A newer favorite on TV

A family favorite. 

After walking around through some construction (we weren't able to see ALL of the stars) and missing Katy Perry's live show by a day (I'm okay with that), we grabbed drinks at the Roosevelt Hotel.  Classy!  The architecture was pretty impressive.  So spacious.  So fancy.

...and just a few hours later, I am back in class, getting recertificied for Advanced Cardiac Life Support.  After the rigermoral (seriously angry about the situation) that I went through for this, I hope someone from my travel company drops dead.  What?  That's not mean, I am re-certified and know what to do now.  Again.  Still.  I'd save them...

As a treat, I channeled my inner tween and got the new Justin Bieber album, Believe.  Not too bad!  I smell MJ in some of it...

XO