Christmas, 1942

Grandma Howard prepared for Christmas for 364 days a year. The second Christmas day was over she was already planning for the next year. Every relative from the Howard clan would travel near and far to get to Grandma and Grandpa Howard's for the holidays. Grandma would dive into the sewing room and round up every blanket and pillow she could muster. She would quilt all year round to make more blankets for the many bodies that would need to be warmed in her little house.





About a week before Christmas, relatives would start arriving; some big, some small, and some in between. They would arrive by Trailways bus, old jalopies, a train they called The Owl, and some even hitchhiked.





Aunt Mema was the only relative in the bunch that made her arrival via an all-Pullman train called The Lark. She was the haute tauter of the bunch. and wouldn't be caught dead on the Owl train that most of the family rode on. Much too common for her and besides, whatever would she do should she run into some kinfolk in the diner. Or worse, in the lavatory!





Uncle Jack always arrived by hitchhiking, being a bit of the black sheep of the family, but the kids adored him, what with his wild piratical adventures he lived hitchhiking all the way to California. Grandma always put Jack at the kids table at Christmas as a veiled warning for him to grow up, but he didn't mind. He loved being with all his nieces and nephews, flicking boogers and snorting milk through their noses.





There was little Vernie who was eight. She had the most beautiful locks of hair, always with black tipped ends on her hair owing to that rotten Morton Digger at school. Morton would always dip Vernie's pigtails into the inkwell on the desk, and Vernie's mother, Ruth, could never quite get all the ink out of Vernie's hair. That branded her with the nickname "Paintbrush" at school.





Vernie, like all the other girls in class, wore dresses made from material cut from feed sacks. Each month the mothers of all the elementary-age schoolgirls would hurry down to Kramer's Five Dime and Farm Store to see what new designs would be printed on the feed sack bags. Some sported little pink roses while others featured cute little ducks. But if you didn't happen to arrive at old man Kramer's first thing in the morning, you might wind up with a dress printed with cowboys, and that was a fate worse than death for an eight year old little princess. It was bad enough that Vernie went without those black patent leather shoes she dreamed of, but to have a dress made of cowboys was downright humiliating.





Vernie was Uncle Ralph's favorite and Vernie felt the same way about her Ralphie. She loved his great big smile and his guitar playing, and though they were about fourteen years apart in age, Ralph was more like Vernie's older brother. He wouldn't be able to come for Christmas this year because he was off fighting the war, but she had written a stack of letters she was going to mail him as soon as she could pry some postage stamps from her mom and walk the letters down to the train depot and put them in the mail slot on the side of the postal car. One time she put a letter into the slot, and a hand popped out with a lollipop, tossing it to her as the train pulled away from the station. That was exciting, sure, but it wasn't the main reason she wanted to take Uncle Ralph's letters to the station. It was because she had decided she wasn't going to trust her precious letters to Mr. Perryman.





Mr. Perryman was too new on the route, since the old mailman, Mr. Okizawa had suddenly left town. She just couldn't understand, as hard as good jobs were to find lately, why one day he delivered the mail like always, and the next day Mr. Perryman rolled up with his funny little mail cart. She liked Mr. Okizawa because he was nice, of course. But also because he said her name funny. "Here is no letttaahh fo-uh you Misss Vuuuhhhnnneeee. A gooot deh to yooo, hey?" Every day, the same thing. Then one day, Mr. Perryman.





Once all thirty-four of the Christmas relatives would arrive, the preparation and fun would begin. The porch overflowed in baggage and it was the kids' job to get them sorted.





Grandma would kick every man out of the house for a few days so it was Grandpa's job to entertain. All the men (boys included) would pack up enough food for a few days and off-a-camping they would go. Grandpa Howard was known as the best camper and hunter in the San Joaquin valley. Maybe even Kern County, too. He claims it was his Native American blood; that nature talked to him. Sometimes we all wondered if he was right. One time, when they were all hiking and hunting, Uncle Jon got separated from the group. Everyone else went back to camp but Grandpa tracked Uncle Jon and found him by the creek shivering and cold but all right.





At night, before they would crawl into their tents, Grandpa would tie the cantaloupe and the bacon high up in the trees to discourage the bears from bothering them. One night Grandpa woke to the sound of bear grunts. He peered outside his tent and spied a female bear on her hind legs reaching for the cantaloupe. Her paws were barely clipping the net that held the sweet, tasty melon in the tree. The sight of his morning melon being bruised like a tetherball turned grandpa eleven shades of beet red. He stormed out of the tent, clad only in his underwear, in an angry, desperate bid to rescue his 'lope from the bear. By then she had broken open one of the nets and the sight of those juicy, ripe cantaloupe strewn all over the ground inspired Grandpa to run full force toward that mangy bear. He began throwing the hard, un-ripened cantaloupe at the bear's head, who had such a look of surprise on her face (as well as all the camping guys) that she ran off. "NO one messes with my cantaloupe." muttered Grandpa. Not even mangy ol' she-bears.





Grandpa would pack an empty coffee can full of worms for fishing. Problem was this was the same coffee can that he made his muddy coffee in every morning. The coffee tasted slightly of dirt and worms but you got used to the flavor after a while. It was the gritty thickness of the coffee that was hardest to get used to.





Back at the house, Grandma and all the women were fiercely cooking up the food. Aunt Ethel fixed the dressing while Aunt Mims baked the pies. Grandma's kitchen looked like it was about to explode from all the bodies bumping through the tiny space, all the while chattering and gossiping about every family member who was not there.





Grandma and Vernie had turkey duty. Vernie would chase the turkey into the tightest corner in the yard and Grandma would take care of it quickly and painlessly. Then all the womenfolk would descend and feathers flew. That turkey never knew what hit him.





Once all the food got to cooking, the girls were responsible for bringing in the firewood and making every corner of the house into a bed for a relative. All the little girls fought to sleep with the beautiful family quilt. The quilt contained a piece of family fabric from generations back attached to it. If you got the quilt, it was said that you would have good luck for the whole year. The girls wound up drawing numbers on who got the quilt.





Once every little bed was put together, it was time for sorting presents. Most of the gifts were homemade but treasured nonetheless, each wrapped in a different way; some with brown paper, some with bright paper, and some with newspaper. You could always tell the gifts that Uncle Jack brought, because his were always wrapped in toilet paper.





Once the women got everything set; the food, the presents, and the beds, Grandma would go outside and whistle. Grandpa would cock his head and tell the men it was time to go home. No one could ever figure out how he could hear Grandma's whistle but he always did. The fellas and their little soldiers would march up the path like the dwarfs from Snow White, all in a row and grinning from ear to ear singing, "Jingle Bells" with a huge pine tree dragging behind them, and a basket full of trout.





The women folk would be sure to fawn over the men and boys for the trout and the beautiful Christmas tree they had brought home. Then Grandpa and Uncle Jack would get the tree set up and the children would descend and trim. They hung popcorn and cranberry garlands around the tree, and white paper angel ornaments on every other stem with bright red and green ribbons tied on the tips.





Jack would sit at the brown little rinky-dink piano with a big red bow tied around his head and everyone would sing Jingle Bells. Jack would start playing the song faster and faster until he would collapse onto the floor, pretending to have fainted. All the kids would jump him and he would tickle each and every one.





Once the little ones went to bed, all the grownups hung stockings for the twelve children. Each one got an orange in their stocking, and that was it. But back then it was a treat to have a whole orange to yourself. Jack wanted to stick some coal in the stockings as a joke but Grandma nixed that out of hand.





On Christmas morning, we awoke to the smell of trout cooking and biscuits baking. The kids would wake up one by one and the house would get louder and louder until there were blankets and bodies everywhere along with the wonderful smell of biscuits with butter and a hint of freshwater fish. Breakfast was like standing in the cafeteria line. You sure didn't want to be the last person in line just in case the food ran out.





Once breakfast was out of the way, Jack would become Santa's elf and hand out the presents, one by one, so that everyone's presents got the spotlight. There were polite exchanges and thank you's and even some rolling of the eyes with some of the gifts. Usually the eye rolling was due to one of Jack's gifts to the children. He had painstakingly wrapped each of the twelve gifts in toilet paper and had wrapped one hand-printed alphabet letter for each child. He told them they had to figure out the present from the clues, so they all opened their alphabet letter and went to town trying to unscramble the letters to learn what their gift was. This kept them busy for two hours straight. He kept telling them it was well worth the wait.





The letters spelled, "Stand in a line." All the kids stood in a line and Jack solemnly instructed them each to hold out a hand, which they all dutifully did. He them informed them that on his way to California pirates had tried to take his treasure so he felt the treasure would be safer with each of the kids. (The true story is Jack got caught up in a poker game and won.) He then placed a ten dollar bill into each child's hand. The adults, as well as the kids, let out a collective gasp.





None of those kids had ever touched a ten dollar bill much less owned one. Mothers were crying with gratitude and fathers were patting Jack on the back. "There is only one rule," Jack told the children. "You can only spend it on something you want…not need." The parents stopped patting Jack's back and tears dried up. All their dreams of where that money was going had gone. "This money is the kids' money." How could anyone argue with that? And so the kids started making money plans. Jack promised to take them to the mercantile the day after Christmas.





Christmas dinner was ready and all bowed their heads to thank the heavens above for their bountiful feast, or fountiful beast, as Jack called it, much to the delight of the children. Each person around the table would say a small something. When it came to Vernie she asked that Uncle Ralph be safe.





Everyone nodded and then the feasting began. Cooked yams, dressing, turkey, cranberries in honey sauce, butter rolls, not a salad in sight, just comfort family food. As the table was cleared, the children would sit around the radio and listen to the Lone Ranger drama with Jack, who would act out the different parts of the radio show even down to being the Lone Ranger's horse, Silver.





Vernie sat on Jack's lap as she listened intently. She kept hearing a faint rhythm and it grew louder and louder until it sounded like it was at the front door. Grandma opened it to find Uncle Ralph with his duffle bag playing his guitar, a brightly wrapped package in hand. Vernie couldn't believe her eyes. She ran to Ralph and he dropped everything for his beautiful little princess with the black-tipped hair. He handed her the package and watched her as she opened the box, pulled back the tissue and revealed the shiniest blackest patent leather shoes she had ever seen. She squealed with delight, kicked off her oxfords, and put on her princess shoes. Santa had gotten her exactly what she had wanted for Christmas; her Uncle Ralph.





The day after all the kids headed to the mercantile with Uncle Jack and returned home with only the things they wanted. Grandma was already planning, along with all the women, the next year's big feast. As everyone packed up to leave, Aunt Mema asked everyone to gather around. "I may be old, but I'm still not going to let that Little Jacky outdo me." She reached into her purse and pulled out a twenty dollar bill for every family. "Take that Jacky!" Everyone screamed and hollered. Jack slyly grinned at Uncle Ralph saying that Aunt Mema had finally let some of her old money go to where it was needed.





Soon everyone went their way by bus, train, and jalopy. Except, that is, for Jack, who left by thumb. And Uncle Ralph, on leave from his ship and safe in the bosom of family, stayed on a ten day leave from the war that in the last day had become so distant. The only thing he would do on this Christmas night was watch Vernie dance in the moonlight in her new patent leather shoes, and thank providence for being a part of a family, and a country worth fighting for.

CNY Ocean Park 2011

:) OK, so Ella I know you didn't want me to post this on FB, but I posted it on YouTube. Different things... :) CHINESE NEW YEAR 20ELEVEN! Ocean Park! Asian Poses! Gosh, I loved that day. :) andie.ella.syd(CeCe).katherine feb.03.2011



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti-2T0yBWVM&hl=en

The Future of Online Casino In The Year 2011

I know you have heard couple of news about online gambling legalization to different parts of the word, politicians who are into the online casino bill and existing support groups that is pushing the matter. Just recently major public company listings and mergers involving internet gambling groups in Europe, along with the "slight" possibility of a more liberalized US internet gambling market, are cited as indicators that the industry is gaining in popularity, according to a lengthy article in the investment publication Interactive Investor this week.
As a proof of how popular online casino is now, article points to stock market gains of the world's biggest online gaming companies between 2004-2006 to illustrate how quickly fortunes were made – and lost, quoting the iGaming Global Top 30 Index, (an index of the stock market performance of the biggest 30 online gaming companies) which soared 40 percent between July 2004 and August 2005.
Last year, online gambling was worth an estimated $5.4 billion (GBP3.5 billion) overall, but that figure that could rise to $12-$16 billion if the market was opened up, analysts told Interactive Investor.
Here are other statistics that will matter a lot for the future of online casino for the coming year 2011:
The Federal government's non-partisan accountants, the Joint Committee on Taxation, have estimated online gambling could generate between $10 billion and $42 billion in new revenue by 2019, depending on the number of states that opt into a federal regulatory program. US nationwide unemployment rates are currently estimated at around 10 percent, and 48 of 50 states face budget shortfalls. In a Federal context, the government is currently running a deficit approaching $1.3 trillion.
The economic backdrop against which to promote regulation and taxation of internet gambling has arguably never been more favorable," the article asserts, claiming that major companies like Party Gaming are getting increasingly excited at the prospects of a more enlightened US approach to a hugely popular pastime.
"We are seeing things from a legislative perspective that are quite exciting for us," Jim Ryan, chief executive of PartyGaming said which noted that his comments undoubtedly reflect the mood of a growing contingent of gambling operators on both sides of the Atlantic.
The $3.3 billion merger between Bwin and Party Gaming is also a positive sign. In a note to investors recently, the Morgan Stanley leisure analyst Vaughan Lewis said: "The overall political tide is moving firmly in favor of regulation, rather than prohibition."
With its expertise… market-leading technology, strong marketing capability and good brands, we think the combined entity of PartyGaming and Bwin would be extremely well positioned to benefit from any market opening in the US. We include nothing in our forecasts for the US, so any new market here is pure upside.
In a recent Barclays Capital research note, the investment bank said: "In the event of Federal regulation, we believe PartyGaming would be the likely key beneficiary. Under this hypothetical scenario, we estimate the potential [underlying profits] uplift could be 94 percent for PartyGaming and 58 percent for Bwin and 888. On a state-by-state hypothetical scenario, we estimate the uplift for the group would be considerably lower, but still meaningful.
The article goes on to suggest that the merger has spurred other major industry companies – especially those that have made their peace with the US authorities – to look at alliance possibilities, and examines the potential of several well known groups in the industry. One of the more interesting speculations is that Harrah's Interactive, the online division of the giant Vegas land gambling group, could be considering a GBP262 million, or 76p a share run at 888.com.
The successful IPO of Betfair is also flagged as a positive sign. Having listed on the LSE at the end of October at 1,300p, the shares soon touched 1,600p-plus, as tracker funds piled in confident it will canter into the FTSE 250 index at the December review with a market value above GBP1.6 billion.
After looking at the possibilities of individuals states within the US independently legalizing online gambling, the Interactive Investor advises that there have been exciting developments, with New Jersey leading the way but moves afoot in Florida, Iowa and California. State or federal, whoever wins one thing is clear: more and more stakeholders in the US are finally coming around to understand the risks and implication of a ‘do nothing' strategy," II observes. This is an opportunity cost and gambling companies are getting their bets on regardless.But even as gambling industry stakeholders duke it out in the halls of legislatures around the country, as well as on Capitol Hill in Washington, the very fact that the conflict between them is intensifying signals that interest and investment in pushing for online gaming regulation is rising.
There are billions of dollars out there to harvest and market share to win, the entire online gaming sector looks ripe for an upturn in coming months. Investing in online gaming companies has always been a white knuckle ride – and there looks to be every sign this particular circus is once again rolling back into town. A brighter or should I say a tougher year that most online casino sites are into to this coming 2011.

Carbon Fiber Rims & Wheels

Sounds all fancy and high-tech, right? That's because it really is. Ready to go back to Chemistry Class? Carbon Fiber is something that is basically made out of carbon atoms. These atoms are bonded together to form a twisted yarn type of structure that's parallel to the axis of the actual fiber. Since Carbon Fiber is built to be light, but heavy at the same time, many people choose this for their car hoods, their surfboards, and anything with that sort of density. It's weird because even though Carbon Fiber is strong enough not to be bent, it is brittle enough to crack when you hit it with a hammer.

Dip Switch vs. Rolling Code Technology for Garage Door Openers

It seems so simple: you click a button and your garage door opens for you, allowing you to be able to drive directly into your garage without having to get out in the elements and do the work for yourself. When garage door openers were invented, people definitely rejoiced, especially when it became affordable for everyone to have a garage door opener. But most people aren't sure how they work. There are actually two different ways that garage door openers can be told to open through a remote control link.
DIP Switch
A DIP switch is the first type of switch that was invented to work with garage door openers. Back in the 1950s, when garage doors were first created, all garage doors worked with the same radio signal, which meant that anyone could enter your home as long as they had a garage door opener. This caused tons of security problems, and is why DIP switches were invented. A DIP switch is a series of tiny switches that are connected to a circuit board inside your remote control. Each switch can be positioned a number of ways in the remote, which creates a variety of different combinations, making it almost impossible for someone to guess your specific combination. In most DIP switch remotes, there are up to 256 possible combinations.
The switch is added to both the remote control that goes to the garage door opener, and the unit that goes into your garage, which is known as the receiver. Both switches have to be set to the same combination in order for the garage door to work correctly. Some say, however, that DIP switch garage door openers are a thing of the past, as some thieves can use radio scanners to read the radio code that the remote control sends to the receiver, making it possible for them to get in through your garage door.
Rolling Code
A rolling code is computer technology that is designed to add more security to your home through your garage door opener. This type of opener works with a small computer chip that goes into both the receiver and the remote. When you click on the remote to open your garage door, it sends out a code to the receiver, which has the matching code. But it also does something else: it creates a new code for the next time the garage door will be opened and sends that information to the receiver. It then saves the code. This means that when you open your garage door the next time, it will use the code it created from the time before. It will have created a new code, making it virtually impossible for thieves to be able to figure out what the new code is.
Both types of garage door openers can be found on the market today, and both have their pros and cons, allowing consumers to select which garage door opener they feel works best and that is the safest for their homes.

Southwest Greens Artificial Grass Products Play Nice With The Environment

Often times we lose sight of our own environmental footprint, and the effect our choices have on the world at large.  As a leading distributor of synthetic turf products, Southwest Greens knows that artificial backyard putting greens and artificial lawns offer more than just a great way to improve your short game or the look of your home.  They have the ability to affect the environment in a positive way; helping you go green while simultaneously increasing the green in your wallet.  And those are some mighty fine reasons to learn more about our artificial grass products.

EMT Equipment : Range Of Equipments For Use Of EMTs

An EMT or emergency medical technician is competent to provide emergency medical services to those who are critically ill or injured. Various equipments come handy in emergency situations and are used by the EMTs. These are referred to as EMT equipment. These include defibrillators, infusion pumps, suctions, transport incubators, (portable) monitors and a host of such other medical equipment of great importance in emergency situations.

Tips for Choosing an eBay Shop Design

The impact of eBay on the way that people buy and sell items has been profound. Originally founded in San Jose, California in 1995 as a private website by Pierre Omidayar, it now has over 15,000 employees worldwide. In 2008 the annual revenue for this massive sales company was over 7.7 billion dollars and it was listed as one of the top 15 ranked websites in the world. While many people sell on eBay, there are ways to attract more customers and take advantage of the global audience. Having a high quality eBay shop design is one of the most essential considerations if you are serious about selling online.

KURS SUSHI. Przepis na California Maki

Z przyjemnością zapraszamy Państwa na szkolenie „Sushi.. jakie to proste!". Nasza oferta skierowana jest do osób, które kochają sushi i chciałyby zgłębić tajemnicę jego smaku, a także poeksperymentować w kuchni i poznać nowe kultury poprzez podniebienie. Proponujemy Państwu spędzenie wolnego czasu w miłej i ciepłej atmosferze zabawy i relaksu. Nasze szkolenia to doskonały pomysł na spędzenie czasu z rodziną , przyjaciółmi czy z ukochaną osobą a także doskonały prezent. Zajmujemy się również organizacją wyjazdów integracyjnych, eventów firmowych a także szkoleń dla grup zorganizowanych. Możemy przeprowadzić szkolenie w każdym miejscu w Polsce- mamy szeroką bazę lokali w których możemy zorganizować takie warsztaty, dysponujemy również lokalem w Gliwicach. Przeprowadzamy kursy w języku polskim i angielskim. Nasi kucharze to profesjonalni Sushi Masterzy z wieloletnim doświadczeniem, osoby dla których sushi i jego tajniki to pasja i hobby- które ciągle zgłębiają. Nasze szkolenia są w pełni multimedialne, jesteśmy wyposażeni w kamery, telewizory i aparaty. Dbamy o to aby każda szkolona osoba miała dostęp do wszystkich informacji przekazywanych podczas kursu. Jesteśmy w stanie przeprowadzić szkolenia dla grup od 5 do 90 osób. Każdy z uczestników kursu otrzyma dyplom ukończenia szkolenia. Zapraszamy do współpracy!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7tLWqZ4jmY&hl=en

Sites To See In Los Angeles

If you're heading to Los Angeles soon, you definitely don't want to miss these top ten sites and activities. The possibilities are endless in LA, but these top destinations are sure to please everyone in your party, regarless of age or interest. When you're planning your day-to-day activities, make sure to keep in mind that some of these activities will take some time, some may require a full day. Many other activities will only take a few hours to fully enjoy the full activity.
Kodak Complex- Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame
Coming in at number one on the must see list is the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This famous boulevard is the current home of the Oscar's and lies directly in the heart of Hollywood. Many tourists and locals alike enjoy coming to the walk to see how their hands and feet size up with many of Hollywood's biggest stars. The sidewalks are basically covered with "gold", and the surrounding vacinity offers attractions and activities to make your visit truly memorable. There's great shopping at the Kodak Complex, and who knows, you might just be lucky enough to catch one of their live concerts.
Disneyland
What would a trip to California be without visiting Disneyland? This is one of the top destinations for families, couples, and groups to visit. We have all grown up with Mickey Mouse, so why not visit his home? Although not right in Los Angeles, this classic Southern California favorite is located just south of LA. One of the great things about Disneyland, is that regarldless of your age, when you enter the gates of CInderella's Castle, you feel magically teleported back to your childhood. Disneyland is a blast for the entire family, or it can be a magically romantic getaway for couples. No matter who you are traveling with, you are sure to have a great time reliving those good old childhood days.
Griffith Park Observatory
Coming in third on the must see list is Griffith Park Observatory. This observatory is a haven of rest and relaxation above all the hustle and bustle of the busy city life. Many Los Angeles Urbanites come to the observatory, which is the cornerstone to a vast mountain forest, to rejuvenate and reenergize their minds and bodies. It began to gain more tourist popularity when the famous James Dean film came out, "Rebel Without a Cause". Come to the observatory planetarium with a date to enjoy a night of wonder, or bring the kids along to absolutely wow their little minds. To rejuvenate your body, the park offers hiking trails that offer great views of LA.
Studio Tours
See and experience the magic of the movies unfold right before you, as you tour one of the many great Los Angeles movie studios. You may decide to visit Paramount, Warner Brothers, Universal, or Sony (Tri-Star/Columbia), but wherever you visit, make sure to keep your eyes peeled while you are led around the back lot. With all the activity going on, you are bound to see a famous movie or tv star roaming around. This would serve as a great vacation story to say that you saw "Brad Pitt" while on a studio Tour!
The Grove and Farmers Market
While you are in the Los Angeles area, if shopping, dining, and entertainment is what you are after, make sure to visit The Grove and Farmers Market. These two destinations neighbor each other and are loaded with great LA restaurants. At both locations, you get to experience many things at once, which makes this a perfect activity for the family. To more fully take in the sights, ride the double-decker trolley through The Grove, catch a movie, or just simply admire the uniquely choreographed fountains that surround the area. To make these two places fully accessible they open mid-morning and stay open until late at night.
The Getty
Visiting museums is a great way to buff up on history, indulge yourself in the arts, or just to enjoy the scenery. The Getty is no exception to this. It is hailed as one of the most beautiful museums in the U.S., partly because of its great location. It sits atop the peak of a small mountain, and offers a great view of the Pacific Ocean and Los Angeles. If you visit the museum at night time, make sure to take in the beautiful sunsets the Getty offers. The sunsets from atop the mountain peak, are almost as beautiful as the art displays you'll find indoors. The museum offers a wide array of art, so you'll be sure to find something that fits your unique aesthetic taste.
Los Angeles Sporting Event
No matter what time of year, there is always a sporting event to attend in Los Angeles. You can choose to see the Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Clippers, Kings, or the LA Galaxy, and you'll be sure to please everyone. These sporting events offer endless fun and excitement for all ages. Even if you are not into sports, just the thrill and excitement from attending a live game will be enough to get you out there.
3rd Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica is one of the top destinations to visit during a trip to California. While there are many things to do and see while you are here, the 3rd Street Promenade should be number one on your list. It's located just a few blocks from the beach, and offers shopping, dining, and some of the most up-and-coming businesses in the world.
Once you've gotten your fill on what the Promenade has to offer, head on over to the coast and check out the Santa Monica Pier. There's so much to do on the Pier, it's almost too numerous to name them. Among the top activities are playing games at the Midway, riding a few rides, catching a concert in the summer, playing volleyball on the beach while sinking your toes in the sand, renting a bike, or just simply watching passers-by and ocean waves rolling in.
Sunset Strip
For night owls, great fun only happens when the sun goes down, and this is true especially in LA. As you head west through Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. your eyes will experience a new world unfold right before you. Hit the club scene at Saddle Ranch, have a few laughs with some great stand-up at The Comedy Store, or choose one of the many other great activities to do on Sunset Strip. Also available are a lot of great dining options on this West Hollywood strip of boulevard.
Beaches
Although they are last on the list, this was certainly a coincidence. The beaches in the Los Angeles area are second to none and deserve great recognition. The Los Angeles coastline is full of a variety of landscapes from rocky palisades to smooth sands, lagoons and big surf. Whatever you are craving in a beach experience, you will find it here in Los Angeles. Great beach towns help you fully experience the beach. From Malibu to LA County, to San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, you'll find that each beach town offers its own unique take on Southern California living.
A trip to Los Angeles offers so many sites, attractions, and events to partake of. This list is a great starting point in discovering all that LA has to offer, but on the way, make sure to add your own unique touch to the list.