I did not have a break until Monday night to write the blog on Sunday and Monday. Let me try to cover two days before their memory fades.

Sunday

I rose early, as the sunrise always wakes us. By 7ish, I was making coffee for the morning. We enjoyed the coffee, and getting started took us a while. We decided to have breakfast in Hollywood and soon headed to Air VW the Gray in the parking structures. The EV was charged 69% even after sitting for a day.

The driving was fast but chaotic, with some cars at 70+ changing two lanes and a back-up at an intersection that was more an emotional duel than driving. The VW managed to reach the parking lot for Paramount Studios. The parking lot attendant took $20 in cash, pointed us to the other side of the lot, and told us the lot locks at 5. We had dinner plans in Hollywood, so we would need to move the EV. We got out and were delighted to learn the area was Lucille Ball Square. We started to walk towards the tourist end and soon caught a DASH bus. Another couple, tourists like us and also a bit confused, joined the bus too. It was a free day. The bus got us to the very end of the stars on the sidewalks near the Capital Records Building. We jumped off and soon found dinner at the Breakfast Club, which specialized in high-sugar donuts and baked goods. We got seats at the bar, and soon, a young woman with many tattoos, friendly, was waiting on us. We soon had plenty of coffee and breakfast sandwiches and excellent fingerling potatoes. Most Excellent! Another guy was helping, but when I described our adventures, it became clear that his English was limited to food and process. He smiled, and I smiled.

Breakfast worked, and soon, we were on a new quest. David Bowie’s star was about a mile away. It was also just beyond the Chinese Theater, with all the stars’ prints in cement, a must-see. We walked and walked. We delighted at reading the stars, and I took pictures of Mae West and WC Fields while Deborah was more expansive in her photos. It was Sunday morning, and the sidewalks were mostly empty at first. As we approached the Chinese Theater, the crowd thickened. Soon, we were packed in, but our goals were located and photos taken. We spent more time looking at the prints at the theater. Our time was starting to run out, but we needed fortification.

Disney is now selling chocolate, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop, and we stopped for a frozen mocha for Deborah and a small hot fudge sundae for myself. Refreshed with chocolatey goodness, we returned to the street and returned to Paramount Studios.

We walked and walked. We found a closing Sunday market (it was 1:30 on Sunday) and enjoyed looking. Soon, we understood that we had thirty minutes to reach the tour office and thirty minutes of walking. Oops. Uber had us in a car and comfortable in an EV Kia. It was the same model I would have considered! The Uber driver, Alexander, gets his car from the company and has found the EVs quite excellent for intercity driving, and he does not need to charge them for his driving times. We also passed one of the unmanned taxis, and I was surprised to see one. I had seen a few strange round-topped vehicles as we walked; I was unaware there were unmanned taxis in Hollywood!

We arrived with plenty of time, and soon, we met our guide. Badges with our names on them were handed out, and IDs were processed. First, we were offered the original War of the Worlds (1952) Oscar for Best Visual Effects to handle and take pictures with. Yes, a real one. It was slightly chipped but real and surprisingly heavy. Deborah commented that that alone was worth the price. It was special.

We saw the original gates and buildings, and Deborah and I were surprised to hear that Apple TV+ show Severance writers and actors were on campus and used some of the original offices. We next saw a vast stage and, shocking, the actual set of Madlock, the new version. We walked through the stage and saw all the props and artificial offices of the fictional law firm. Wow!

The old Desilu Studio is incorporated into the complex (Lucille Ball’s company that created Star Trek and other well-known shows). We saw where Lucy’s dressing room was and, effectively, where Star Trek and Mission Impossible were born. The area is considered lucky, where we were told, and many movies and TV shows shoot scenes there.

We drove by the filming locations for most of Star Trek and many TV shows. It was incredible. We also saw the low parking lot that was flooded to create a water scene, such as in The Ten Commandments and Star Trek: The Voyage Home. The props warehouse was fun; Deborah and I got a few items from the official store. We were then escorted out. It was an excellent tour, and it is highly recommended!

We drove the EV to the restaurant above Hollywood, Yamashiro Hollywood. I decided to try parking there. The drive was steep and twisty, with often only space for one vehicle. It was not difficult, but not for the nervous driver.

We were an hour early, but soon, the valet had the car (another $20 for parking) safe, and Deborah had only time to get a drink before our table was ready. Deborah was shocked when I just told a busy bartender what we wanted. It was a bit too West Coast direct for her style.

We soon were at our table with a fantastic view of the LA area. Later, we would walk through the grounds and enjoy the view. Dinner was excellent, and the prices were high, but the quality and delivery were outstanding. I had a steak, and Deborah had the sea bass—both near perfect. The table beside us sent us some sushi rolls to try. We got photos taken and soon bought some framed shots to take home. It was a near-perfect day.

LA Sunday night traffic reminded us why we should not just move here. It took an extra thirty minutes to get back to our hotel in Long Beach in slow-moving and crazy-moving traffic. Yikes!

Tired, I wrote the blog and was to bed around 11.

Monday

We slept in until sunrise. We spent the morning enjoying coffee, and Deborah grabbed some yogurt at the hotel; we have a $10 credit every day to use. At 11:30, we opened Famous Dave’s BBQ after walking to Rainbow Harbor and looking at Restoration Hardware’s furniture. We agreed that RH style seems to be the same at Matlock; maybe they got some of it at RH. We had meat plates and soon were ready for our next adventure: Aquarium of the Pacific.

Deborah had a lower-priced ticket for a convention guest, but I had to pay full price. We found the place overrun with school field trips and many out-of-control kids. This faded in the afternoon, and then the place became quite pleasant, and the staff looked more relaxed.

The jellyfish tanks and even the chance to touch them were a surprise. Usually, there is only one tank, I lost count of the tanks, and we got to see the growth cycle of the jellyfish in different tanks. The facility is raising jellyfish and corals. I was also surprised by the amount, size, and variability of the living coral in the various tanks. More than I have seen in other public-run aquariums.

We visited the moon jellyfish tank, which was open. We enjoyed touching the jellyfish.

The birds, sea otters, seals, and fish tanks were more than I expected. The place is quiet in the afternoons. We enjoyed the late afternoon. In the gift store, Deborah bought a tie for me to remember the whales we saw a few days ago. She was given two stuffed animals for buying $20+. I will bring one back to Oregon.

We left the aquarium happy with our day. We then walked around Rainbow Harbor to Parker’s Lighthouse Restaurant. There, we had drinks and happy hour food. We split a burger made on garlic cheese bread and a crunchy roll—both excellent. After that, we returned to the hotel; my knees and feet hurt. I have 10,000+ step days of walking, with 15,000+ on a few).

In the hotel room we rested a bit and watched Matlock again to see the sets and the show was quite good. Recommended! We tried to use the big screen in our room, but we don’t have the right cable and the recommended software seems outdated. We watched it close together on Deborah’s Apple laptop.

I then wrote this blog while Deborah slept.

Thanks for waiting and reading!

I could not find time to write Friday’s story on Saturday, meaning I will combine Friday and Saturday this evening.

Friday

The morning started with Deborah rushing off to her last sessions at the Long Beach Convention Center conference. I made Deborah coffee in the room, finishing all my Dunkin Donuts Kruge capsules. The hotel housekeeping had supplied us with extra coffee. We both had a cup before all the usual stuff to get ready.

Deborah was off to sessions, so I went to find a new breakfast place. Creme De La Crepe got my attention, so I abandoned my location and sat down to enjoy an excellent breakfast of buckwheat flour crepes stuffed with sausage and cheese. It was wonderful and no more expensive than breakfast the day before.

I wrote the blog there while I ate slowly. It seemed a friendly place to write. They were OK with me staying extra time to write.

Sadly, I had a problem and had to use the bathroom often. This was likely caused by the food on the QM, which was too rich for me. Still, it made for an uncomfortable afternoon.

I walked (with a few stops) to the CVS pharmacy about a mile from our hotel, The Hyatt Regency. The part of Long Beach was with barred windows and some security guards. The primary language was Spanish. At the CVS, I got Deborah her needed vitamins and OTC allergy meds. I then walked back to the hotel. It was a long walk made with some enthusiasm to reach the next restroom! The issue soon faded.

Deborah was done about 1ish, and we had lunch at Waba Grill’s excellent and inexpensive chicken and beef with veggies over rice. Deborah wanted to check out some final items at the conference expo, so I headed to the room. Soon, Deborah turned up in the room, more coffee was made, and soon we headed out for dinner.

King’s Fish House is a local place that serves live lobster (in tanks) and the usual expense report-priced meals. We went more basic with simple items, and Deborah thought she could get a better piece of salmon in Troy, Michigan. Mine was not salmon, but I thought it was good for a white fish. We had coffee (our drinks were slow coming, and the meal was done before we finished them). The dessert was shared, bread pudding with locally made ice cream, which was excellent. Overall, the fish joint was a leftover from the 1990s with high prices and the usual overcooked and under-flavored fish of corporate restaurants.

We stayed up late, looking at travel options and things to do in Long Breach, until almost midnight. Saturday

Saturday

We did not rise with an alarm and spent the morning drinking coffee in bed and enjoying a slow morning together. We finally looked for breakfast late in the morning and picked Creme De La Crepe for Deborah to try. We enjoyed the sunny, warmish morning, walking ten minutes to the place. There, Deborah enjoyed a crepe stuffed with cheese and other goodies. I had the old-school Egg’s Benedict. It was all good.

We walked to the breach area for another ten minutes and then to the Pacific Ocean for another ten minutes. There is a vast beach of sand to cross. Deborah was happy to touch the cold water. We then walked back through the marina and the tourist area to Chili’s.

Along the way, there is a wall of locks, like in France on some bridges. Deborah and I buy a lock, engrave our initials on it, and add them to the many. Romantic!

(The brass lock is ours)

(We did not buy with all my 401K an investment in a pirate ship)

At Chili’s, we sat outside and had drinks and a few snacks. We then stood in line and boarded our whale-watching tour boat. There were long rollers or swelling-like slow-moving waves, sometimes multi-feet tall. We soon found a gray whale to look at. I just saw some of it, and Deborah saw more.

Next, we hear the announcer stumble on words as Killer Whales are visible. They don’t see them here. This is unique! We got a clear view of them multiple times, and folks even applauded. I have never seen a Killer Whale in the wild. Sorry, dear reader, my only pictures are fins, as I missed the better shots. It made the whole trip worth the price!

Aside: With my brain surgery and loss of some of my balance-controlling structures, it was a question if I was safe on boats and what would happen. All was good.

Dinner was a shared pizza at the California Pizza Kitchen across the street from the Convention Center. The bread and the pizza were excellent bread products. Better than the usual.

After that, I wrote this blog, I am tired, but I wanted to get something out before I forget everything.

Thanks for reading.

Aside: Mom Wild is now moved to a facility. She moved in today.

After a day of sessions, a few drinks, and food on the Queen Mary’s and then a self-guided night tour, Deborah was tired (and she is still on East Coast Time) and ready for sleep. We arrived in Air VW the Gray, and Deborah walked up while I parked the EV. I had managed to forget my wallet and had to walk back to the parked VW and retrieve it after I reached the hotel. The EV was just under 70% charge. I used a charge station, a slow one, at the QM parking lot. I paid $25 for parking and a few bucks for the charge. Half the machines were not working.

Before this, Deborah was done with her sessions and turned down a dinner with a vendor she is not using at King’s Fish House in the Art Deco part of Long Beach and instead joined me for a walk in the garage to reach Air VW the Gray to travel to the QM.  It was a short pop over a bridge and then plugging in the EV. I had been there in the afternoon to see if this was something we wanted to do. I learned from the gift store and ticket seller that there was a Jazz Night, which was $0 and came with an after-night complimentary access to the QM. While not a tour, it was a chance to walk the ship. I donated $10 each to the ship’s restoration and got the tickets.

We were on the guest list and soon were in the Observation Louge at a small table. Our waiter, Michelle, got Deborah a drink special (a vodka and expresso take on a Creme Brule) with a large piece of candy sugar covering a third of the cocktail glass while I had a Stella. We had some light food and enjoyed the music.

The band singer was great and leaned into her role. The crowd was mixed from tourist T-shirts and shorts to period 1940s and earlier outfits. Folks danced to the music. It was lovely.

We paid our bill with some complexity to align with Deborah’s expense report.  Next, we walked the decks and enjoyed a perfect evening and all the lights of Long Beach. We found the bridge, looked at it through the glass, and viewed ballrooms and other places. We walked from the front to the back and down three decks. The ship looked more alive and ready to sail with the darkened light than a museum. Even with the bar bill and parking, it was still a cheap night in Long Beach.  Excellent, and I recommend the Jazz Night on the QM.

(Scary)

Before this, I was in the hotel debating writing options with Mariah by text. It was not going well. I may just stick to blogs and forget fantasy. I may have aged out with my idea of Fantasy as Elric and Lankhmar stories.

Before that, I drove the EV across two large, scary (for me) bridges to get to the Battleship Iowa, first in the class and the last American design of completed battleships. The ship was in excellent shape (it has now been a museum longer than in active service), and I did a self-guided tour. I was sorry that my tour missed the engine room, but Midway’s Engine room is open and closely matches the Iowa Fast Battleship design. I did get to the bridge and flag bridge and crew’s quarters. No tour of the big guns and only a door open to see inside a 5′ gun.

I must visit Philadelphia Naval Yard and Battleship New Jersey to see more areas. Also, the deck is in poor shape and covered with plywood (only part of QM was this way). I was told that one area was open today as they had just finished the re-decking. It looked good. I know that New Jersey decking is almost finished after years of work.

I wanted to see inside the 16″ guns and engine room. Maybe there will be a special tour for those who want to go. Next time!

It was an excellent walk, and ladders were often steep and required care. It was not yet hot, but I suspect that seeing Iowa in the heat would be awful. Glad I got it on a cool morning.

Before this, Deborah rushed to her sessions. She got some expense report-approved breakfast and was soon crammed into small rooms, as her sessions were well attended but in too small a setting. I walked to the Pot Holder Cafe and had breakfast there while writing. It is the usual breakfast place with the typical $20+ price (coffee was $4.50). It is not bad, but there is no reason to return. I wrote the blog there, and the staff was kind and thoughtful (maybe that would be a reason to return).

I was surprised by the many Art Deco buildings and lovely food joints a few blocks from the Hyatt. I will be back as we have until Wednesday here.

And that takes me to the start of Thursday.

 

We could sleep in and spend some time together before Deborah started her sessions. We slept well, both tired from driving or flying, and we did a lot of steps (just under 9,000 for me and more for Deborah). We found a reasonably priced breakfast at Cafe 301 in the building with the US Customs Service. I chatted with a few agents and thanked them for their work; Long Beach is a vital import port for the USA.

We walked back, and Deborah headed into the sessions. I headed to our room, 803 at the Hyatt Regency, and saw the cleaning woman working (she seemed to work long hours) and gave her a tip. She offered more coffee (you get only two pods and cups), but I had my own pods, Duncan Donut’s coffee, from my last trip, which I paid too much for and intended to drink. There, I grabbed my laptop and headed downstairs to write the blog. I sat in a comfortable bench seat with a table and wrote. I was surrounded by groups and individuals, all wearing the convention badge. I wrote for a few hours.

Deborah walked past me as she was in full convention mode (I have been there myself–you focus on what is next) and rested in the room. I met her there when I finished the blog and put away the laptop. We walked back down together, and she grabbed a drink and then headed back (walking past me).

I walked again to the Rainbow Harbor and tried Chilli’s for lunch. The food was OK, with me having the appetizer special for lunch. Devon was my waiter, and Devon shared with me she works full-time there and lives in the area with a couple of roommates to help share the high rent ($2,500-$3,000 a month from what I saw on the Internet). I had asked her if she lived here (yes) and how she could afford it. She works only one job. Deborah reminded me that labor shortages have increased wages to over $20 an hour (or 3,200+ monthly). I was happy to learn that you can make it in Long Beach waiting tables.

I walked from there to the lighthouse and around the harbor. I realized that the Queen Mary is not nearby. It is big. I found the aquarium and think we will do that over the weekend. Deborah calls, and I meet her at Waba Grill for her lunch. We also purchased a spray bottle (no rhinestones) for Deborah’s hair at Five Below (which I thought was an ice bar–wrong!).

I returned to the hotel and found my laptop again. The room was neat, and there was even extra coffee and cups. “Excellent” (in Mr. Burns’ voice). I took the laptop down to the pool area and sat in the sun (having changed my sweater vest and business shirt for a T-shirt). Then, I sat in the hot sun and wrote. I am using Scrivener to write a new story about Brass, a wizard in my new fantasy world. I am still working on the characters and a conflict for Brass to resolve. I added a few characters and updated a few items. I am starting with the conflict definition. My mind creates a character, but the details are not formed until I write about them. I also add new things that need to be expanded and explored as an aside but not necessarily explored in the story.

I am using the software as this will likely be a longer story, and I will need something to help organize my Fantasy setting and thinking. Fantasy setting means creating worlds, magic systems, and even Gods and religions. You often echo your own times.

Deborah finds me at the pool at the end of her sessions. She had dinner plans at a most excellent Middle Eastern place, Ammatolí. Deborah has a great meal with some folks she knows. I head to the Irish place across from the convention center.

There, I get one of the last chairs at the bar and sit next to a guy who tells me he is Mexican. He is there to get paid but finds his check short. Some hours got lost. He was offered a few beers to help reduce the string. I talked to him for a while and even gave him my business card. We agreed that it seemed like an honest mistake, but he should find work elsewhere if it happens again. He is a cook, and I am sure he can find work in Long Beach.

I have a few Harp beers and texted Clint (he married Susie’s cousin and is an ‘outlaw’ like me in the Hill and Guild family) and Barb (Susie’s sister) that I was thinking of them (we often met in Irish places). I have the Scotch Egg and have tasted it for a long time (while it is good, it will not be partaken of again).

Deborah and I meet at the pub and then return to the hotel. We get an early start and soon sleep early (14,000+ steps for Deborah and 10,000+ for me).

Thanks for reading!

I rose at 6 and enjoyed the industrial breakfast at the Comfort Suites in Visalia, California. Deborah was already on her flight enjoying plane WiFi and eventually connected with me while I was driving to Long Beach. I learned about the local news playing in the breakfast area (no National Fox News playing here, local valuable news instead). The harsh weather has not closed roads on my way to LA. I missed two tornados on Monday in the rain storms that made the drive difficult. I missed the twisters by about an hour each. You have to love driving trips! I got my few items from the room, forgot nothing, and boarded Air VW the Gray, looking for the charger in the same parking structure. Nope.

Today’s travel was shorter, but the EV options were fewer. I had to charge in Bakersfield at 10%, so I looked for other options. I discovered that CalTrans had charging machines along 99 and Interstate 5 in the Rest Area, but they were not offered as charge options (though free) on my Nav. Hmmm. I missed my first chance as I noticed this.

My trip to Visalia caused some backtracking, and soon, I was back on my way towards Long Beach. The hotel was cheaper than the Fesno ones, and I liked the town. It is also where the famous horse saddles (American and also known as Western) came from; the original site is now a bar. I was wondering how I knew the name. The Internet suggests the shop is now in Oregon.

Aside: I checked the pricing. It is $7,000 for a saddle, but at least there is no sales tax in Oregon.

Once I am out of the city traffic, it is mostly 70+ on roads filled with other transports driving between 100 and 55. This requires considerable attention. I drive for about an hour and park, and attempt to charge at a bowling alley with a decent charger. The guy in an electric Ford Mustang (who hates the car and the $70 a day he pays in fast charging twice a day) says, “It is not that fast,” but helps me work out how to charge with yet-another-app (YAA). It takes me three tries and one password reset, but I spend an hour charging to 100%.  Walmarts, bowling places, and grocery stores are my leading providers of electrical charges for Air VW the Gray.

I see mountains and wonder if I am again crossing. Yes! It seems I am constantly climbing mountains. This time, it is 4,000+ feet and cold up there. It’s not freezing or snowing this time. I stopped at a rest area and topped off the EV to 80% for free (a 10% charge would not have got me there) while I used the facility. And it does not require YAA! Next time! It is cold and clear in the mountains outside of LA. It is lovely with the farms and then the mountains on 99 and 5. Glad I drove!

Santa Monica bound to pass around LA, and Highway 405 was the following road.

Aside: In the USA, interstates cross states and have one—or two-digit numbers. Hundreds are added to them for local ring roads or connections (thus, Interstate 95 travels the East Coast, and 495 is the beltway around Washington, D.C., that connects to it). Odd numbers run North and South.

LA traffic and folks range from insane speeding and lane changes to slow, scared driving. I am in the left lane and get a stop-and-go, then fly to over 80 and brake to stop-and-go. I am at 60% charge, so all is good. I am happy that I topped off in the mountains. Deborah has landed, and we are both racing to the hotel. I managed to beat her by only minutes. She even sees Air VW the Gray outside as I check us in. We are reunited at the hotel.

We have a few hours, and our room is ready. We get to our room, unpack, clean up, etc. Deborah has a reception and soon heads out while I head to find a hairbrush–the required brush was forgotten. Claira’s Outlet store has a pink metallic one with “Glam” in rhinestones. It is the most subtle one they have. Later, I think it looks excellent in Deborah’s hands when she brushes her hair. Hmmm.

I walk to Rainbow Harbor and all the tourist-like shops and see all the usual food joints for those on high-expense report limits. Prices are not low, but not the insane Las Vegas corporate limit-melting levels. I find a local shop in the local tourist mall selling a nice-looking T-shirt, and I check in with Corwin while looking at all the sailing boats I do not own. I get one for Corwin at Queen Mary Couture in Shoreline Village Shops. You can get some fake fur and a hat for that night on the Queen Mary! I enjoy my walk.

Deborah is done and tired, and her internal clock is on East Coast Time. We stopped at the hotel bar and got a sandwich with the worst Spanish coffee ever. Paper cups and just rum poured into coffee in paper cups. “Yes, we will take cream,” we say, wondering what happened to the whipped cream.

Other teachers from Las Vegas sit with us, order better drinks, and listen to the odd bartender’s suggestion for food. We talk about education and travel. We beg off as they continue with their evening.

I am tired from my drive, and Deborah’s body is in the wrong time zone. We soon are resting.

Thanks for reading.