California Cookin'

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​CALIFORNIA COOKIN'

     On Saturday, April 15, in the wee small hours of the morning we said Aloha to the beautiful Hale Koa,

...then took a Speedi Shuttle to the Honolulu airport, from where we said Aloha to beautiful Hawai'i.

     However, our Aloha wasn't as sad as it might have been, since five hours and fifty-five minutes later we were in Los Angeles, 

...where we would spend the next nine days visiting relatives.
       As I offered to do the cooking during our stay, I asked our hosts what they would like. On the first day there was a request for pizza,

...roast beef with mashed potatoes,

...and apple pie.
​     However Tom made the pies, apple pie  being his specialty.  

       From then on I spent a portion of most days whipping up whatever the family was in the mood for (while Tom spent a portion of most days washing pots and pans),

...and, subsequently, considerable time at Ralph's, my local supermarket of choice, in no small part because I love the all the palm trees in the parking lot.               

       When not in the kitchen or at Ralphs, I'd write (which the family pooch Pinky invariably took as an invitation to invade my space);

...or I'd practice on my newly-acquired ukulele (see post from 5/9/2023, ​https://www.ailantha.com/blog/i-ukulelist);

...or I'd go out to trek up and down the hilly neighborhood (where it's a shame the utility wires aren't underground. But then, being so close to the beach as this area is, one probably can't dig very far underground without hitting sea water);

...and snapping the local color;

...or the palm trees and plants in the backyard.

...or sometimes Pinky, who was always happy to have his picture taken.

     On Sunday, the day before we left, we drove out to Malibu,

...to have lunch at Duke's a Hawaiian-themed restaurant,

...over-looking the ocean,

...and named after Duke Kahanamoku, the famous Hawaiian Olympic swimmer and surfer who is well-loved among Hawaiian islanders.

     The food was delicious,    

...and they really piled the bacon on my bacon-and-eggs,

...and the arugula on the avocado toast.

​     Once in a while it's nice to let someone else do the cooking.