Pastry Anniversary

A traditional 14th anniversary gift is ivory. But why shoot an elephant when you can eat a pastry? So off to Solvang it was for some scrumptious scandinavian pastries! We took the back way of the 154 instead of straight 101 for the beautiful mtn views off Lake Cachuma.

http://www.solvangusa.com/

I'm not sure what demands it, but it seems all small tourist towns must have one store w/ posh but tack-a-rama clothes. I'm not sure what someone would wear this to in Solvang but I'd love to see.

Growing up not far from Holland, MI, windmills are common place to me, but I still love to place them in fun ways into my portraits.

So, yeah, nice dinner, cute cheapo hotel, flakey good pastries & coffee for breakfast, and we didn't mind the drizzling a bit. But going back south through LA was so painful. It's normally about a 1 1/2 hr trip...it was 3 1/2 hrs. But wait, what's that sneaking through the expressway lanes? A pink corvette? Could it be?!

And the license plate & blonde shock of hair confirm, it is Angelyne! You may remember her from such 80's flicks as Earth Girls Are Easy (honest, it's not soft porn) and The Malibu Beach Vampires. And then like the vision of an angel, she takes the next exit and is gone.

http://www.angelynepink.com/

So we were heading to LA to get a late lunch at our favorite place in Chinatown, Yang Chow. I'm usually there for dinner & park on the same street I normally park on. After almost 4 hrs in traffic I'm not particularly a sharp one and neglect to read the signs that say tow-away for evening commute traffic. Run to get quarters, come back & car's gone. Tow guy's standing across the street towing more vehicles. Now I know it's his job, so I'm not pissed at him exactly but he did see us park & get out of our car & could've given us fair warning. Whatever. He hands us a card & directions on how to get to the tow yard which is at least only a mile away & easy to walk to.

I don't think the DMV has people more miserable & upset that those at a tow yard. Though I pickup the vehicle before it's even put into the system the costs are already added up: $110 for the tow company, $100 for the city of LA, and $80-something dollars for the parking violation ticket. We felt like dropping almost $300 was pretty much a Fuck You from LA and I couldn't bear to drive back to Chinatown to park again & go eat.

Back on the road to San Diego, tired, hungry, frustrated, and a bit poorer, but still determined to get some good Chinese food. After several miles of sailor mouth & self pity to get (most) of everything out of my system we start searching the inter webs in SD for some good Chinese food.

And that's how we found Dede's: http://www.yelp.com/biz/dedes-teajuice-city-san-diego

Billed as tea juice city, it is not. It is pretty authentic (as far as I'm aware) Sichuan. The owner even gave us a free appetizer of bamboo, beef, and sliced pig's ear; so tasty! Jason & I are usually the only white people whenever we go. The parking in the lot is cramped but at least no towing was involved. This hidden jewel of a restaurant redeemed the day.