Woke up lateish on Saturday morning and it was midday before I got going. Got to the car and a $58 ticket awaited me on somewhere I thought it was legal to park. Oh well the hotel was $36 a night to only $22 in the toilet.
Yesterday my second phone decided it didn't want to speak to me any more so I headed off to the Apple Store and The Grove $149 plus tax for a replacement phone.
While waiting for my "Genius" appointment I went to the Cheesecake Factory of for lunch - haven't been for a long time but the salad and shrimp were excellent and no I didn't have any cheesecake.
New phone in hand I headed to the Getty Centre which is one of the places I love to visit, more for the place than the museum although I did spend a couple of hours visiting the galleries I didn't visit last time.
Chilled for a while at the hotel and then to a new dining experience Chaya, an Asian Fusion Restaurant which i can now highly recommend. The Salmon Ceviche, Tuna Tartare and Spicy Shrimp Soup were excellent. (menu http://www.thechaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Dinner-website.pdf)
Off to bed and it is midnight before I get to sleep. Another excellent night's sleep ending in what would be an "interesting day".
I reach the car and manage a Quinella - a $58 parking ticket AND a flat battery. The car has two headlight settings, Auto and Normal - I now know that. After 90 minutes the roadside assist turns up and $49 later I head towards Canter's Deli, a traditional Jewish style deli that hasn't been renovated for 40 years but at which one still has to line up for a table.
Egg salad, chopped liver and coleslaw and my food needs are satisfied until dinner. I arrive back at the hotel and as I open the car door a bicycle hits the door. He pulls up along the road groaning that he thinks he has broken his toe. Anyway after 10 minutes and $30 to replace the pedal on his bike it is all sorted - is today Friday the 13th or something???
I take it easy and relax most of the afternoon and early evening I go for a 6+ kilometre walk landing at a 24/7 restaurant where I have a nice meal finally getting to sleep at midnight but not after booking my trip to Amsterdam to see Chelsea play in the Europa Cup Final with Justin. Airfares were ridiculously expensive around $2k so I used my United Miles which were expiring in early 2014. Hotels were problematic but managed to get a booking at the Novotel Schipol Airport 9kms from city at a very reasonable rate.
I had five days without any plans so that fills those days nicely with the flight leaving San Francisco and returning me to Phoenix on my birthday.
Tomorrow's plan is Universal Studios - well it has been twenty years and Griffiths Park Observatory and on Wednesday the 6+ hour drive to San Francisco which I intend to leave early and take slowly.
Monday morning and a bit drizzly. I go to Wholefoods for a make your own salad breakfast and head to Universal Studios which was kind of lucky as, When I got there I managed to get a ticket for the taping of the Jay Leno Show on Tuesday. The tour of Universal has changed a lot, they charge $299 for the type of tour I did 20 years ago where you go into working studios etc and get a real behind the scenes experience. This is against $80 for a regular admission to park, all rides and attractions. But in line with most businesses looking to optimise revenues they sell a front of the line ticket for $129 where you go to the front of the queue for everything. With some attractions having wait times of 20 minutes that is a real time saver as I found out.
Everything now is a about 3D including the rides which were amazing compared to the thrill rides of yesteryear.
Anyway had a great time spending about 5 hours there and heading back for a well earned nap before dinner with a bridge playing friend at a restaurant called the Hungry Cat near Sunset and Vine. We shared the seafood platter which was superb and I resisted the chocolate bread and butter pudding.
Back to the hotel for a good night's rest.
No other news apart from the fact that two visits and a few phone calls I finally regained my US Number which, being old and forgetful, I allowed to expire.
Best to All
D
Yesterday my second phone decided it didn't want to speak to me any more so I headed off to the Apple Store and The Grove $149 plus tax for a replacement phone.
While waiting for my "Genius" appointment I went to the Cheesecake Factory of for lunch - haven't been for a long time but the salad and shrimp were excellent and no I didn't have any cheesecake.
New phone in hand I headed to the Getty Centre which is one of the places I love to visit, more for the place than the museum although I did spend a couple of hours visiting the galleries I didn't visit last time.
Chilled for a while at the hotel and then to a new dining experience Chaya, an Asian Fusion Restaurant which i can now highly recommend. The Salmon Ceviche, Tuna Tartare and Spicy Shrimp Soup were excellent. (menu http://www.thechaya.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Dinner-website.pdf)
Off to bed and it is midnight before I get to sleep. Another excellent night's sleep ending in what would be an "interesting day".
I reach the car and manage a Quinella - a $58 parking ticket AND a flat battery. The car has two headlight settings, Auto and Normal - I now know that. After 90 minutes the roadside assist turns up and $49 later I head towards Canter's Deli, a traditional Jewish style deli that hasn't been renovated for 40 years but at which one still has to line up for a table.
Egg salad, chopped liver and coleslaw and my food needs are satisfied until dinner. I arrive back at the hotel and as I open the car door a bicycle hits the door. He pulls up along the road groaning that he thinks he has broken his toe. Anyway after 10 minutes and $30 to replace the pedal on his bike it is all sorted - is today Friday the 13th or something???
I take it easy and relax most of the afternoon and early evening I go for a 6+ kilometre walk landing at a 24/7 restaurant where I have a nice meal finally getting to sleep at midnight but not after booking my trip to Amsterdam to see Chelsea play in the Europa Cup Final with Justin. Airfares were ridiculously expensive around $2k so I used my United Miles which were expiring in early 2014. Hotels were problematic but managed to get a booking at the Novotel Schipol Airport 9kms from city at a very reasonable rate.
I had five days without any plans so that fills those days nicely with the flight leaving San Francisco and returning me to Phoenix on my birthday.
Tomorrow's plan is Universal Studios - well it has been twenty years and Griffiths Park Observatory and on Wednesday the 6+ hour drive to San Francisco which I intend to leave early and take slowly.
Monday morning and a bit drizzly. I go to Wholefoods for a make your own salad breakfast and head to Universal Studios which was kind of lucky as, When I got there I managed to get a ticket for the taping of the Jay Leno Show on Tuesday. The tour of Universal has changed a lot, they charge $299 for the type of tour I did 20 years ago where you go into working studios etc and get a real behind the scenes experience. This is against $80 for a regular admission to park, all rides and attractions. But in line with most businesses looking to optimise revenues they sell a front of the line ticket for $129 where you go to the front of the queue for everything. With some attractions having wait times of 20 minutes that is a real time saver as I found out.
Everything now is a about 3D including the rides which were amazing compared to the thrill rides of yesteryear.
Anyway had a great time spending about 5 hours there and heading back for a well earned nap before dinner with a bridge playing friend at a restaurant called the Hungry Cat near Sunset and Vine. We shared the seafood platter which was superb and I resisted the chocolate bread and butter pudding.
Back to the hotel for a good night's rest.
No other news apart from the fact that two visits and a few phone calls I finally regained my US Number which, being old and forgetful, I allowed to expire.
Best to All
D
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