Sunday, January 19, 2014

Bronte Beach & Tamarama Beach

Given the hot weather in Sydney this past week, we made good our escape from it and planned for a trip to Bronte on Sunday. Naturally, it was overcast that day and a lot cooler. Not to worry!

We had to park in the suburbs and trek in. And we forgot to bring beach towels. But we had a lovely splash on Tamarama Beach (and I got dumped by the waves a couple of times... ow!) and then a glorious swim in the ocean pool at Bronte Beach.

Joe was never taught to swim, so we did some back floating, back stroke, side stroke and doggy paddling! He seems more confident. I would love to be able to get him some proper swimming lessons sometime.

We got a snag from a stall that was set up selling them to raise money for cancer. The sausage was tough as, and the bread roll was worse! Crikey. Then we had fish and chips later from the Bronte Kiosk, and that was $10 extremely well spent. Delicious.
















Thursday, January 2, 2014

Pacific Park at Santa Monica Pier, California

We only popped in to the Santa Monica Pier for a brief visit on the last evening of our time in California before flying out at 11:20pm on Virgin Australia back to Melbourne.

We found it by chance whilst driving around with Gerry, taking in the sights of Venice Beach, Santa Monica and downtown Los Angeles.

It was cold, but everybody there was having fun. A little expensive to participate in the rides and sideshow alley games - most of them were $5 a pop for 3 tries at a game. You'd wanna come armed with cash!






RITA'S!

We found a Rita's Water Ice in Santa Monica.

I have heard all about it from the Restubog family over the years, but seeing as I always visit Philadelphia in winter, Rita's is always closed! Now they've got one in California (which Ruby was VERY excited to hear!).

Mine was a layer of cheesecake-flavoured water ice (like gelato) in the middle, with layers of chocolate and vanilla "twisted" frozen custard (just like ice cream, if you've never tried it before, only creamier and somehow more delicious).


Venice Beach, California

What a beautiful place Venice Beach is, even despite all of the weed-smokers and hippies. (Lord, the smell of weed everywhere!) There were colourful characters everywhere, live music banging on joyously and a wintry sunshine blazing down onto the pavement. People on bicycles and segways sailed by on the bike paths, and the sand was full of people reclining on towels, hoping to bake themselves a tan. We dipped our toes into the water, but it was freezing cold! Better off going for a swim back home in Australia.
 
 
Pam's sister, Helen

 
Joe & Pam


 
Joe's brother, Gerry

 
Joe