Birthday Weekend Celebration

I celebrated my birthday on Sunday and had a great weekend, of course. :) I have never requested to do anything special for my birthday but for some reason this year I thought what the heck. Steve and I planned a short getaway to West Hollywood. Since moving to CA we never ventured off past Los Angeles and so it was nice to be able to do that. Steve's parents took the boys starting at lunch time on Saturday through Sunday at nap. Part of the getaway was partly due to our our landscape renovation project. We would not be able to enjoy our yard with all the workers around and we would just be in their way. Needless to say timing worked out well and we did not have to worry that our boys would get hurt.

To start my birthday celebration we had lunch at my favorite restaurant, PF Changs. Yummy. It took us about two hours to get to LA and I slept the entire way. It was nice to take a cat nap. I have been putting in a lot of hours with work due to the sales expansion and so sleep was on the agenda. We eventually made it to our hotel, and we were impressed with the hotel. We got a great deal at the Mondrian Hotel located on Sunset Blvd. It was very luxurious and you can tell some of the guests were much more lively compared to us but there was also a nice balance of an older crowd too so we did not feel that out of place. :) The staff were all nice and gracious to give us ideas as to where to go etc since there was so much to do in walking distance. We checked in, unpacked, and freshened up. Since we were still full from lunch and had dinner reservations at 7:45, we made our way to Saddle Ranch Chop House for a celebration drink and a snack. The goal was to leave and take part in a cheesy tour bus adventure but ended up talking to this 66 year "beauty consultant", Susie, for 2 hours...It was as if we were trapped and could not escape. She had so much botox [you should have seen her reaction when I told her where I work HA...she thought I got stuff for free and I had to politely tell her if that was the case I would look much different, wink wink] and lip plumper that it was hard to tear yourself away from any conversation because we also were very curious about her! Aside from her personal pleasures she and her boyfriend were really nice but just interesting to hear about her life story that was consumed of living in Beverly Hills, having an easy life, her 5 Shih Tzu's with painted nails and bows that.they.brought to the restaurant, daughter that lives next door to her (behind the Hustler store) that is divorced with a 3 year daughter who does not photograph well, her ex husband that goes to Adult Con every year, and how she overslept and it was 3pm. Hmmm, makes us feel very normal. :) Susie, Barry, and her 5 Shih Tzu's eventually said good-bye and we made our way to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Boy was it busy and very sad to see so many young children. I think Steve and I do a lot of fun and exciting things with the boys but we cannot imagine bringing our 3 year olds to this part of the city...very crowded with so many tourists. It was something we wanted to experience and so now we can focus on other areas of CA. :) It was neat to see all of the STARs, and the famous Chinese Theatre with impersonators/costumes. I was able to take a picture with Mickey, Minnie, and Donald for the boys. I saw Marilyn Monroe and thought it would be neat to snap a photo with her too but as I looked around the mad rush she was holding a yellow snake. Steve started walking because he knows me all to well that I am not stepping close to that snake. FORGET IT!

We had enough time to go back to our hotel to change and get ready for dinner. We had dinner reservations at Crustacean, located off Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. We had been once before when we were on vacation in 2005. It is still the same, with good food. We got there a little early and had time to walk the streets a little, looking at all the stores. We even walked by Villa Blanca Restaurant, owned by one of the Beverly Hills Housewives, Lisa Vanderpump. In any event, blah blah blah, dinner was fabulous as usual. Steve got his favorite dish, Chilean Sea Bass, and I got my favorite dish, grilled salmon. Yummy.

After dinner we made our way back to the hotel's Sky Bar. Wow...what a place at night. The sky bar brings a wide range of different people and it makes for an interesting place to people watch. The view was amazing but it was hard to snap photos of the night view because of all the people. You can definitely tell that city people live differently, the way they dress, look, and  not to mention stay up all night sleeping in to the afternoon. Since Steve and I are not used to staying up late [like that], I knew that I also wanted to get some good sleep. That we did...10 hours of sleep and we [okay I] loved every hour of it. Poor Steve was up a lot because of the action packed city. I have always been a hard sleeper, I don't really hear much of anything, ANYTHING. The old saying is that once you have children you become a light sleeper...nope, not me. :)

We woke up to a beautiful birthday morning. We went back to the Saddle Ranch for breakfast since everyone said their breakfast selection was amazing, which it was. By 10am the sun was glaring and warm. After we checked out we made our way back home to get some groceries for the week and then headed over to his parents for dinner. I was looking forward to seeing my boys as I missed them terribly just in that short window. The older they get the harder it becomes and I think it is because they are maturing more and more each day, becoming little men so they understand actions A LOT more now than they did even last year. It was great to celebrate alone with Steve and then with Steve's parents and my boys. It was a great weekend, and very blessed to have friends and family from one coast to the next wishing me a special day!

Lunch at PF Changs

View of Sunset Blvd from our room

Entrance to our bathroom



Steve, waiting patiently as ever :) I love how he just lets me take photos of everything...ha! He calls me his little tourist!



This was a mirror but also our TV

Section of the lobby...

For my sister-in-law who LOVES Kiss

HA! For my Love Bugs-Donald, Me, Mickey, and Minnie

Marilyn with her ugly snake

Famous Chinese Theatre, where it all started

this is how they used to do the "STARs"

On our way to dinner, Villa Blanca in the background

Posing with the elderly couple in BH

Sky Bar

Another view...

Steve and I :)

Steve's mom sent this to me. Right after breakfast Jack wanted the mop. I agree with her, I taught them well. OR it just could be I clean so darn much because I feel the house is always dirty ;(

Here is to another exciting year. It will be too- we have major milestones to look forward to in the next year.

Love,

Julie