Beautiful Manhattan Beach

Manhattan Beach, California

    On Saturday Tom and I took a walk around Manhattan Beach. 

    We started at the entrance to Veterans Parkway,  also known as  "The Chip Path",  a 3.75-mile  walking trail that runs parallel to the ocean from  Manhattan Beach to Hermosa Beach.

  The Chip Path - so-called for the soft mulch that covers this abandoned railroad route - is landscaped with lush local  flora and fauna,

...and passes through lovely Manhattan Beach neighborhoods.

    We walked along the Chip Path for about a mile and a quarter until we reached downtown Manhattan Beach,

...then we walked along Highland Avenue until we reach The Kettle, a popular local eatery,

...where we stopped for lunch.
   Tom ordered an omlete with home fries, which he declared to be very tasty, and I ordered the French Onion Grilled Cheese Dip, ​

...made with mozzarella and onions and which tasted like a French onion soup sandwich and came with a side of onion soup for dipping. The whole concept, I'm sorry to say, seemed better in theory than it turned out to be in actuality.
      Tom also ordered blueberry muffins,

     These muffins were so sweet, moist and full of blueberries that I vowed then and there that I would someday take up the challenge to reproduce the delicious things in my own kitchen.
​     After lunch we walked down to the beach,

...to the pier,

...with its beautiful panoramic views of the ocean, mountains, and shore:

     A pelican playing in the  waves.

    We visited the free aquarium at the end of the pier,

...then we headed back.
    For all the times I've visited Manhattan Beach I'm still moved by the beauty of this place.