Swiimmin' Pools and Movie Stars.

[Catwoman]

I remember going down Lombard St., very carefully...Going to the San Francisco Music Box Company down at the Wharf...Walking through China Town...Going across the Golden Gate Bridge and going to the pull-off that on the right side of the road to look back across the Bay...Walking from the Wharf to Ghiridelle (I KNOW I spelled this wrong!...Didn't want to take time to Google it) Square, buying WAY too much of that fresh sourdough bread to take back to the room.  CA has so many flowers...Everywhere...I fell in love with CA when I was out there.  Almost made the decision to give up my job and just stay, too...Those were the days!

[Diane Amberg]

That's Ghirardelli    (Gear are delli)    I cheated, I looked on my cocoa can.

[Catwoman]

No fair...That's cheatin'!!!!

[greatguns]

David, thanks.  Maybe someday I'll get to see some of it in person.

[dnalexander]

I always enjoy seeing the pictures of Kansas so I am glad you all Liked them. Now for my warped sense of humor comments.

Larry Good job on bringing up the earthquakes. As I said we already have way too many people, but we would love you all to come visit. Also, the beach picture with the sunbathers in the backyard is of the Malibu beach "ghetto" I think the fourth house down is available for about 1.2 million. When I was new to LA I lived in a small over priced apartment just a few feet off the beach. You should try it once, but don't get rid of the house and listen to your wife. I soon moved further away and found I could spend just as much time at the beach for much less. I here that is a common to newbies.

Wilma, I am right with you on the crowded living situations. The second picture is of the uncrowded part of Chinatown. I love Victorian houses and I might be convinced to live in that crowded situationThat is why I live where I do and not in the City. When I get the urge I can go to any of those places. If you come here to visit I promise to get you a place that looks over the Water district trucks and the sewage treatment plant so you feel at home. 

Lombard is indeed a one way street down only. I think crookedest street is just a little hype.

Most of those are the real tourist hotspots with the exception of the cattle pictures which are at Harris Ranch. Which is where I go when I need to have that great smell of cattle and have a good steak, when I miss Kansas.

When I get the chance maybe I will post my secret spots from my insider's guide to California. I am not sure I want to post them though because I fear they will then become hotspots. (Back to the too many people thing.)

David

[greatguns]

The desert is beautiful!

[larryJ]

Interestingly enough, after my son and daughter-in-law were married a few months, they rented a beach house in Newport on the Balboa peninsula.  They could live there from September through May for a nominal rent but would have to move out before the summer season so the house could be rented on a weekly basis.  My wife and I at first were saying to them, "why do you want to move somewhere that you know you will have to move out of soon."  Their answer, "Because we want to."  Which means butt out mom and dad and let us do our own thing.  After a few visits down there, I began to love the place.  The house sat on the bike path facing the ocean and there was a big grassy area on the other side of the bike path for picnics and family gatherings and then the beach.  The Balboa pier was just off to the right and the downtown area of Balboa was right around the corner and best of all there was a cantina just a few doors down with loud music and happy hours.  When they had to move I was very sad.  Recently we took our 4 year old granddaughter down to the beach and she actually remembered her "uncle and aunts house-----Over there papa" even though she was younger when they lived there.  It was really relaxing to sit on the porch and have a cold one and watch and talk to the people walking, riding, jogging, and skating on the bike path. 

Larryj

[dnalexander]

David, we've been to SF a number of times so we feel very comfortable there. We saw Grant Ave., but also enjoyed the streets on either side with their huge bags of rice and tubs of fish and pressed duck hanging in the windows. Once we picked a place to eat that had the menu in the window in Chinese only....went in anyway. No English spoken, or at least they didn't admit to it. With some good will and gestures we got a delightful meal of the Chinese food that the locals eat. I wasn't brave enough to try the preserved eggs.

Diane you were on the right track. Just a little further back in to those narrow alleys, where the hard click, clack, of Mah Johng tiles increases, and you see people through a old screen door,  sitting at a table full of money and Chinese food. That is the restaurant (no sign it is a restaurant) I will take you to visit. Better and cheaper. I hope you don't mind if I eat chicken feet and 1000 year old egg soup.

David

[Diane Amberg]

David, now that sound like fun! We would really enjoy that. I finally got to try Abalone in one of those off beat places, not quite THAT remote though. At another place the girl was trying to tell me what the fish of the day was. I kept hearing "wok odd." I finally figured out she was saying rock cod, and was it good! Nothing wrong with chicken feet and I love hacked duck and most any kind of fresh fish. The egg soup? Only If I try a taste of yours first!

[larryJ]

David, let us bow our heads and whisper a silent prayer for Jim Morrison of the Doors.  He died 38 years ago on this date.

I entered this tidbit knowing your appreciation of his music and my appreciation as well.

Larryj