Pre-Thanksgiving/Post-Birthday Feast

Two weeks ago tomorrow was my birthday, and this week we got around to some celebrating!
Yesterday I was treated to a delicious birthday feast by my wonderful in-laws, who just happen to live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Laguna Beach.

Mid morning Jed went to Kindergarten, and then Sue came over and picked me up, and we zoomed down Laguna canyon to meet up with Ann and John.

We swung by and picked up Ann at the shuffleboard/boccie ball courts overlooking the ocean, then drove over to the "cheaper" parking meters to park the car for our walk into town to the restaurant.

We were a bit early, and took a moment to sit on this bench while Grandma showed us a photo scrapbook of her recent trip to visit Carrie and family in Australia

After our rest and viewing on the bench we headed down into town to walk to the restaurant.

Walking through Laguna Beach with Grandma Ann is like walking with a celebrity; we couldn't go the length of a block without hearing "Hi Ann" or someone greeting us. Grandma Ann would say hello as we passed, then she would give us their back story "He's a thief, but he's doing better" or "That couple just got in town from Las Vegas with a big group - they're here for the winter" and the like. Grandma Ann pretty much runs the Laguna Beach Resource Center, and here, all the homeless know her name.

Yes, there are homeless right here in Laguna Beach, quite a few of them actually. Like most other places they can be easy to miss or ignore, unless they really make their presence known. The City has come up with a plan to discourage panhandlers while still finding a way to collect funds for the Resource Center and other public facilities. On our stroll through town we passed several of these brightly colored faux parking meters:

"Create Change: By putting your change in this parking meter you will be helping fund homeless programs. Say NO to panhandling."

To my surprise Grandma grumbled as she pointed these out to us.
"The change collected from these is supposed to go to the Resource Center" she said "but so far we haven't seen a dime from them" She then proceeded to pretend throttle the meter and shake it down for any loose change.

There are quite a few local businesses who freely donate food etc. to the Resource Center, but apparently the City is finding something else to do with all those quarters. Laguna Beach also struggles with affordable housing for its "service workers", many of whom also depend on the Resource Center for basic necessities. So, hopefully, this change is finding its way somehow, somewhere to people who really need it.

We eventually made it to the restaurant, still a few minutes early. As you can see, they have quite a specific opening (and closing) time:

While we perused the menu out front Grandpa John came strolling up to join us, looking quite dapper as is his usual style.

The food was worth the brief wait - and my worries about the cuisine choice were quickly put to rest. I am the main Thai food advocate in the extended family, and so the choice of Thai Brothers restaurant for my birthday lunch was a very deliberate one with me in mind. I'm happy to report no one went away hungry or disappointed: Pineapple fried rice with shrimp, veggies & bean sprouts, the Thai Food standard Pad Thai with its sticky noodles and crushed peanuts, and, for me, my favorite:

Yellow curry with chicken, carrots and potatoes.



Thanks again Grandma & Grandpa for a wonderful birthday outing!!

And since Pete was working yesterday to earn us that pesky paycheck we seem to need every month, he couldn't join us for lunch (inconveniently timed in the middle of the day!)

So today, with his school out a day early for the upcoming holiday but our kids school still in session, he and I had a birthday outing of our own. We went over to Irvine to the artsy theaters on the UCI campus to see us a movie.

For any of you out there suffering from Twilight overdose, or for those who love a good foreign import, let me recommend:

(we saw the Swedish film based on this novel)

Like Twilight it is the story of a young human and a young (?) vampire who have an unconventional, seemingly impossible relationship. Unlike Twilight, there is blood and gore and Vampires who burst into flame if touched by sunlight. Plus, a lot of snow. It was quite good.

Thank you everyone who made my birthday happy! And please, Enjoy your Thanksgiving!!