when we left in the dead of the morning to beat the traffic and make it on time for THH's opening...
after our normal pee stop at the Starbucks off the Red Hill exit in Tustin...
We were not in a particular hurry...
since our eventual destination was Santa Barbara. Technically, we could have arrived there within four hours but we stretched out the drive making little stops so we could stretch our legs, have a snack and have a bathroom break.
Our egg banh mi (three fried eggs, not fried over hard like last time and also without pickled vegetables, poo) an TC's spring rolls with peanut sauce. Bert and I also shared a beef and chicken pate chaud (so flaky and affordable, less than .80 yo!)
Pre-bitten.
Plainer than I would have liked but still, those lacy edges. Mmmm.
I liked the penguin on top of this sign, as seen somewhere near the 405 which had a bit of nasty traffic after we left Tustin.
Bert thought it would be fun to stop at the Santa Monica Pier; we hadn't been here since TC was still a toddler back in 2003. Just like San Francisco, Santa Monica also has their own Camera Obscura. The last time we tried to go in here thirteen years ago, it was closed. We didn't go see it during this trip; this was just a "drive by" photo, but one of these days.
Love that font! Very Mad Men.
We found a nearby $2 lot, south of the pier. Tip - the lot closest to the pier, while large, cost $10 so yeah, no. We got there pretty early and nothing was open at all. It was interesting seeing everything so empty. Workers were out there cleaning up trash and we even saw some men literally scraping the bird poo off the pier's wooden railings. Seriously.
The amusement park section was new'ish. Remember we hadn't been here in thirteen years. Now it is called Pacific Park. TC was happy because she was able to get a couple of penny souvenirs (true cost = .51). Again, nothing open. Kind of nice since I hate crowds.
The Santa Monica Pier is the western terminus of the original Route 66.
Although the amusement park, shops and restaurants were closed, folks were out fishing...
View from the northern T-section.
View facing east at the end of the pier.
Near the northern end of the pier. In the distance, Malibu. The freeway below, the PCH.
The pier's historic carousel. This was my phone camera pressed flat against the glass shot.
South of the pier was a boardwalk. Bert and TC stood under the sign doing "flex" poses, ha ha.
International Chess Park
Too bad this wasn't open yet, but this is the original location of Hot Dog on a Stick which has been open since 1946!
We parked a few steps away from this. Remember, $2 for one hour.
One of these days, we'll have to check out the Camera Oscura:
Here's a recent video about the Pier:
For the Route 66 connection, here is Depeche Mode's version:
Now, thhe original jazzy version by Nat King Cole:
This was a quick hour spent just enjoying the quiet morning before being cooped up in our car for the drive.
Previous visit to THH:
February 2016
More info on:
SantaMonicaPier.org + reviews from you know where
Camera Obscura
CameraObscuraArtLab fb page + AtlasObscura 7 reviews from that four lettered site
MuscleBeach.net
International Chess Park
Our next destination about an hour away. Needed some coffee...
No comments:
Post a Comment