Friday in Newport

I am starting my blog again with this post. My father died in May and I have not felt like writing much until now.

This Friday started at Crazy Otto's on Ave K and 20th ST West in Lancaster California, where we ate breakfast with friends. After that we drove down to Newport Beach. I saw a blue (with white stripes) Ford GT driving north on the 14 freeway.

First we found the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach where we stayed Friday night. Then we drove over to Balboa Island and parked on Touquise steet We walked along the bay to the Balboa Island ferry and then to Marine Avenue.

Marine Avenue is filled with small stores, resturants, a Catholic chapel, and a post office serving the residents of the island. We stopped and picked up a Gatorade from Hershey's Market and then drank it on a bench in front of the. Stabucks.

Many people were in town for the USC vs. Nebraska football game. And we witnessed Husker fans walking around in the red colors of that team. We also frequenty saw USC banners hoisted above many of the vacation houses in the area.

After checking the menu's of several Marine Avenue resturants we settled on Wilma's Patio. The fish and chips were as good as those served at a past favorite locale for fish and chips Giovanni's Fish Market in Morro Bay California..

We walked back to the car and drove over to the Hyatt Regency. This hotel was very butiful. The hotel served in the past as the western white house for President Nixon. It also hosted past Super Bowl teams.

We checked in and waited to attend a concert by the Rippingtons sponsored by the Hotel, Volvo, and 94.7 the Wave a Los Angeles radio station.

We kicked back watching Kill Bill on TNT in the room until the concert started at 8pm.

The concert lasted for a couple of hours with an intermission. This was the. Rippingtons 20th aniversary tour. The venue was excellent, even better then the small Lancaster Performing Arts Center.

The Rippington's were awesome.

After the show we hopped into the car and drove all around Irvine, Costa Mesa, and Newport. Because of the late hour we picked a Denny's for a late dinner before returning to the Hotel.

So what is Saturday morning like in Newport Beach? People go to breakfast in the Lamborghini, Ferrari, or Porshe Cerrera of course..

We decided to drive up the Pacific Coast Highway.

Saturday 16 September was California Coastal Cleanup Day. Thousands of people gathered up and down the coast of California to clean up trash along the coast. We saw hundreds of people involved in this event as we drove north on Highway 1

After reaching Seal Beach, we met another friend and drove to a local movie theater to pick up tickets for a special screening of "the Guardian"

We ate lunch at Panama Joe's Grill and Cantina on 2nd Street. We then went and watched the movie "The Black Dahlia". The opinions on IMDB mirror what we thought of it.

We shopped and kicked back at are friend's pad in Seal Beach while we waited for the other movie. My girlfriend played cribbage withare friend while I read the paper and watched TV on her awesome. 45 inch LCD TV.

We then went and ate at Loucille's BBQ in Long Beach's Town Center. Then it was off to the Movie "The Guardian." This was a really good movie. You should see it.

After the movie we went across the parking lot to the Walmart and picked up birthday gifts.

Then it was back up the 605, 5, 101, 170, 5, 14 and home.

I hope you try a weekend in the OC soon as well.