Pounded pavement for a good few hours on Saturday. Pilgrimage to the Methodist church on Franklin Avenue … Nope, haven’t got religion just visiting the location used for the Enchantment under the Sea Dance at the end of Back to the Future, where Michael J. Fox plays Johnny B Goode on stage. Once 2pm came around we headed for happy hour at the Boho in the Highland Centre. Impressive range of ales on tap, 24 in all. I sampled a pint of Excelsior Ale (a double IPA) while Ruth tried the Nut Ale. Tried a ‘snifter’ of the 22% Barrel Aged Stout, O, M, G!!! Demanded some respect at that strength too but overall an excellent ale house right in the heart of Hollywood tourist land. Recommended highly, barman was happy to let you try some of the ales too.
Made the effort to get up to the Griffiths Observatory for the Public Star Night and saw some really cool views of the moons’ craters through some of the large and therefore I can only assume very expensive looking telescopes but the view from the observatory itself was awesome as the sun set across LA, hope the photos do it some justice. Need to get here an hour earlier to get pix of downtown in the last rays.
Queued for the 12″ reflector telescope owned by the observatory and saw them re-position it and even more cool, the dome. Shame the hour long wait in line for this only produced some mildly interesting views of the M11 open cluster … Not as impressive as the amateur rigs in the end, Jupiter would have been cool.
Sunday was rental car pickup, nothing much to report there and then at the mercies of 7 lanes of rolling death on the San Diego freeway combined with the delights of Sat Nav, which I grudgingly have to admit just got us there and later back to the hotel without incident, grrr!
Spent most of the day chilling at the Pier and on the beach at Santa Monica. A very relaxed few hours, where It must be someone important’s birthday to get me to have a paddle but enjoy it I did! Bit of celeb spotting on the Pier too as Adam Sandler was taking part in a “make a wish” day for the kids, the whole fair was booked out for the kids. Now I’m certainly no AS fan, sorry mate but kudos for giving your time for this event. Got the odd pap. Shot of my own too 🙂
Noticed the Broadway Alehouse on my way out of Santa Monica, looked good and with at least 20 craft beers on tap, one for the spreadsheet but sadly not with the rental car … Which is a Canary Yellow VW Beetle which Ruth was totally made up about!!!