Santa Monica

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After a dull but fraught journey (made easier by Elodie & Charlie’s sat-nav) we made it across Arizona and California through the traffic hell of LA to the Bayside Hotel right next to the beach. We arrived in time for a spectacular sunset over the beach and it all seemed very Baywatch.

Santa Monica is trendy and hippy-ish in a California kind of way, loads of cool shops and some cheesy seaside hangouts (muscle beach was just a few metres away, next to the Santa Monica pier). It’s a bit like an American Brighton.

Muscle beach - minus one vital ingredient..
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Charlie and Elodie (who were on a bone-fide holiday and had a whole suitcase of clean clothes) were free to wander off down the beach but we were on a mission to find a launderette and a barbers. Eventually we found a typical Santa Monican launderette - it specialised in eco-friendly washing. However, given the stinky state of our clothes we went for the un-eco Tide and a hot wash. Having sorted that we went off and found Rudy’s Barbers (‘cheap cuts - no nicks’ oh good) and put all 3 Bates boys in their hands.

Whilst this was going on I went back to check the washing and witnessed a very loud woman verbally abusing the Hispanic launderette attendant (“What country are you from? Shall I call immigration?”) before apparently elbowing her in the chest. Another customer shouted at me “call the cops!” at which I froze before he leapt in to tackle the woman leaving the attendant free to call the police (or not). According to another customer it was quite common for people in Santa Monica to “go off their meds” which left me feeling very English and pathetic so I scuttled off to check that Jont and the boys hadn’t been attacked by a Santa Monican Sweeney Todd. Luckily they had just been given trendy surfer-dude haircuts.

That evening we all went out for Margaritas, cold beers and some lovely American food (except for Charlie who went for optimism over experience and had the Mexican again, oh dear). The next day we hit the shops - mainly the Apple store to steal their wifi, but also some of the many super-cool places in the (amazing for the US) pedestrianised shopping area. It was lovely to do some girly shopping stuff with Elodie (and Charlie who makes an excellent girly); after 11 weeks in male company I am feeling increasingly like a transvestite (“but why do you take so long to get ready Mummy?”) so being able to take a dozen outfits into the changing rooms to try on without the usual time pressure was bliss. Not that I have the suitcase space or wallet capacity to buy anything you understand but sometimes a girl just has to do a bit of dressing up (however temporary).

That evening we fancied Thai food and went to a wonderful restaurant where we had delicious Thai curries and pad thai - even the kids enjoyed their beef, broccoli & noodle dish with extra rice. We ended up all drawing in crayons on the paper tablecloth - completely oblivious to the lengthening queue outside the restaurant. The next day was our last in the states before flying off to Fiji, so we took it easy - packing up and sending the last few e-mails before heading off to the web-free zone.

We finally took our leave of Elle & Charlie in a tea house appropriately enough, with massive pots of Earl Grey and the most gorgeous cakes - pecan pie, flour-less chocolate cake and (the winner) a humungous slice of cheesecake. Full to bursting (and promising ourselves that we would restrain our eating in Fiji) and sad to leave our lovely friends (who were off to a much nicer hotel for a week without us so probably weren’t heartbroken at the prospect) we drove off to LAX on the next leg of our journey. Or so we thought...