Take back America: Got a Happy Story? Weekend Edition

I’m on vacation and thoroughly enjoying southern California from my Laguna Beach base. I had so much fun this weekend that I was pleased to see that the infamous May Gray had finally arrived this morning.

My moring beach view included Hollywood and Jared. The two man Beach clean up team that I started off my Laguna Beach Activist diary with;

It was a gray morning but the surfers didn't stay away;

It has already blown off and the sun is shining again but a morning sitting on the lanai in the soft light while going through this weekend’s photos and writing this dairy were therapeutic. I took a few involuntary naps too.

Friday would be the only day this weekend that had anything in common with this mellow Monday. I got in some keyboard time. I had the presence of mind to write Got a Happy Story? California Sunset Edition before I left for vacation but I have a hard time with calling a happy story finished. So I had a beach day with many trips back to my room.

I did get in a few decent photos. Unlike surfing, skimming seems to be exclusively for young men around here and this young beauty was a rare sight. I was not only surprised to see this young lady on a skim board, I also noticed that unlike her male counterparts, there wasn't a scrape or bruise on her perfect figure;

I was also entertained by the supply depot that the Main Beach volley ballers kept on the side. A healthy generation gap can be detected by all of the sun block but besides the fact that D'yer Maker was playing on the iPod, it looked like these young men were giving the ibuprofen a good workout too;

Ah those were the days;

After posting my diary I ran down to the beach for a few sunset photos;

Saturday was very active for me. I got off to a very early start and made a trip to San Diego. On the way down I stopped at all the vistas. I talked someone into modeling for my scrapbook so I could get an image of a squirrel. If these critters ever saw our eastern gray squirrels they might develop an inferiority complex;

But here's one doing an imitation of their eastern cousins;

At the next rest stop I was impressed by this photo that came out a little off focus but is still pleasing to my eye;

Because it seems dangerous I'm trying very hard to give up 80 m.p.h. photography but...

My first destination was to pick up OrangeClouds115 and we drove to the Hotel del Coronado for a day at the beach. The place was so fancy that there was flecks of gold in the ocean water;

As we walked the grounds;

OC being fluent in Chinese came in handy. Her new friends insisted on a photo. Can you guess which two we are? I give you a hint. There aren't too many Obama Girls in China and I'm the sveltely tall one;

Later on we met up with San Diego Dem and made for a La Jolla dinner destination. First we took a walk down at the Cove;

Here's a photo I don't often take. A typical tourist photo but with two wonderful people in the picture;

It was decided to put off dinner for a while so I could get some sunset shots and here are the results;

Sunday was another early day. I was parked at the Santa Monica pier by early morning to pay my respects at Arlington West;

Than an all day walk around Venice Beach. Usually things don't get wild till Venice but even Santa Monica had something to gape at;

Venice offered the usual, flying acrobats, women in money bubbles and throwing knives;

Then there was the Obama Gals really doing their best to get people to place a vote for sanity;

I spent much of the afternoon watching roller skaters;

There was a very friendly group named Vegas Heat and they were not the least bit camera shy;

I have a full series of their show that they drove from Vegas to preform on Venice Beach. It was great an I kept thinking about how much people spent to see Starlight Express while I was out in the sun enjoying a great free show. Here's a sort of roller limbo, the Vegas Bridge;

I also spotted a television star having dinner at an outdoor cafe;

I think the guy may have also been famous because after I walked away from my brief inquiry I got the distinct feeling that he was talking about shooting me for not having recognized him too;