We left the Bay Area in Kristen’s car around 11am. It was smooth sailing all the way. We stopped along the way in Gilroy for lunch, San Luis Obispo and Ventura before arriving at my brother’s place in Los Angeles just before 8pm. Sure most people take the I-5 because it is faster, but it is one of the most boring roads ever. Yes we took the winding 101, but it never fails to impress with its lovely views of vineyards and the Pacific Coast.

Anyway, after a tour of my brother’s new place, we left for dinner. We hit Gingergrass a fusion-Vietnamese place. Pretty good. Next we hit a new gelatto joint. I think it was called Panzzo Gelatto. Wow! that was some of the best ice cream ever…and perfect for sitting at their outdoor tables in the LA summer night.

We topped off the evening by hitting a bar called “Ackbar”. A dive bar with its own style. What made this place special was its arts & crafts room. Every night apparently has its own theme. Last night was pasta night. Right, so for a $2 donation (to cover the cost of materials) you get a square of cardboard as your canvas. Tons of different shapes pastas to glue on the board, then your choice of beads, pipe-cleaner, markers, paints, glues, glitter and more. It was like art-activity time in kindergarten except with alcohol. It was a blast!

Stay tuned for more…