31: the real first year of the 30's

This year's birthday was wonderfully mellow...finally hiked Cowels Mountain w/ April. Sadly, these are my now departed Born hiking shoes. They were about 9 years old so it was time. And at least the sole fell off only 1/4 mile up the trail so it wasn't too bad to walk down, put on my reg shoes, and then continue on upward.
http://www.mtrp.org/trail_map/trail_map.asp

Cowels Mtn is the highest point in San Diego but that doesn't stop it from being one of the busiest hiking trails I've ever been on. Right up there w/ most of the hikes in Griffith Park in LA. Oh, but the 360 panorama view of the city makes it worthwhile.

The hiking duo!

A bit of rock climbing can be seen past April. And that's part of the Fortuna Trail in the distance.

Downtown, the ocean, Pt Loma...

Lake Murray and beyound...

Then I had a few hours of working on my art before heading off to dinner at Dedes and on to Spike & Mike's Animation Festival. It had been years since I've gone to a show...I love cartoons so much!
http://spikeandmike.com/sitepages/festival.php
At the beginning of almost every show I've been to they inflate these giant colorful balloons for the audience to return to being a 10 year old and getting to smack around these suckers. The Key Lime Pie cartoon was so fantastic.

Hash House a Go Go welcomed us the next morn w/ food plates bigger than our heads. I will never return unless I share my meal w/ someone else. Becca graced us w/ her company.
http://www.hashhouseagogo.com/

As did Rolin and his PBR...this place is fun! The line outside can be daunting but they got us seated in only about 30 mins.

And all the meals had these gigantic sprigs of rosemary sticking out of them which somehow made it onto my benny. Fantastic Birthday!