I didn’t realize until late this afternoon that today’s date was 1/11/11. Ok, Matt just reminded me that we actually talked about this when we first booked the ticket. Still, it’s fun to entertain the idea that this rare date just so happened to coincide with the day we leave on the trip. I decided to take this as a positive omen, that we’re in for a special and rare adventure.
My eyes popped open at 7:30am (bloody hell). I forced them closed until around 8:30 and shuffled into the kitchen in search of coffee. Shannon took one look at my scowl, mouthed “Wow” and hurried off to brew some liquid caffeine. Our destination this morning was Rick’s restaurant. Apparently, this was the most incredible breakfast place (does it have anything to do with the fact that it’s the ONLY breakfast place?) in town. The place was definitely cozy and as I perused the menu, my gaze honed in on Bread Pudding French Toast. Whoa. I am a French Toast addict and am always scouring restaurants for intriguing and original recipes. This is the first time I’ve come across Bread Pudding French Toast in all my years. My mouth watered just reading the description and when the waitress set the platter down and I took my first bite, I literally closed my eyes in bliss. The flavors of the bread pudding danced across my palate, swirling with a blend of cinnamon and vanilla. The center was delicate, almost like custard while the exterior had a light crunch. Perfect. It was served with a side of lightly warmed cinnamon maple syrup. I was in heaven. Ok Shannon, you got me. This place ROCKED! Who’da thunk I’d find the best french toast in the world in freaking Phelan, CA? Just kidding. You know I’m only saying this because I know you’re reading my blog. Seriously though, it’s the best I’ve ever tasted, hands down.
While Matt was packing, I took a peak at his passport and noticed that he was wearing the exact same sweater as he was in the passport photo. Can we say "favorite shirt?"
Matt and mini Matt
We said out good byes around 11:30pm after posing for a quick pic.
(Left to Right: Matt, Krys, Connor (baby), me, Daniel (toddler), Shannon)
We headed to Lancaster to drop off a few more items for Matt, then headed to Budget. I booked a rental car for the drive from Lancaster to LAX rather than take a cab or shuttle because it ended up being cheaper. A shuttle cost $54 pp one way where renting a car and dropping it off at the airport only cost $35 total.
We headed South on the 14 (taking a scenic detour on Soledad Canyon Rd) to the 5 South to the 405. The views from Soledad Canyon were breathtaking.
The drive brought back so many memories and I found myself giving Matt a mini tour along our drive including pointing out the location of the Getty Museum. I really miss California. My stomach started grumbling and I suggested we stop for a bite rather than trying to scrounge for overpriced grub at the airport. Matt said “What about In-N-Out?” PERFECT! I haven’t had In-N-Out in at least two years too long. A quick tap into the gps and we got there in no time. It’s amazing that In-N-Out has its own distinct scent and I was practically drooling before even getting through the door. I ordered my standard Double Double animal style. Oh yea baby! The first bite into the burger transported me back to balmy summer nights at the beach. I flashed back to my friends and I cruising along the beach, stopping at the In-N-Out drive thru and balancing the food on our laps as we try to stuff our faces while unsuccessfully keeping our fingers clean.
Yea yea, I did the touristy thing and made us take pics by the In-N-Out sign.
There were over a dozen very fat finches hanging out by the table waiting for handouts. Matt threw them a piece of tomato and they ignored it as soon as they realized it wasn’t a greasy fry. I can’t believe even birds prefer fast food to something remotely healthy.
We dropped the car off and headed to the airport on the shuttle. I had a brief scare as the ticket counter had trouble scanning my passport. For some reason, it gave an “Ok to board” as well as “Not ok to board” message and they had to call someone to get everything squared away. I didn’t remember doing anything on my last trip that would result in my being banned from Australia but then again…never mind. We paid $25 pp for an Australian visa since we would be in the country for over 8 hours even if it was a layover. Security was a breeze with barely a dozen people ahead of us and here we are, with 4 ½ hours to kill, plugged into the Samsung mobile charging station at gate 38 of the Bradley Terminal. That’s what I get for being anal about getting to the airport early.
No comments:
Post a Comment