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Latte Art for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner and Supper

Latte art is a gift of patience, talent, academics and skills from a Barista.

I respect and appreciate the time a Barista takes for others to admire art floating inside a hot cup before tilting for a sip between teeth and lips to allow the tongue to taste latte.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to drink the colorful espresso and steamed milk.

I sip latte from the cup slowly, place the cup down and repeat until the colors blend together making another artistic creation as if I’m twisting a kaleidoscope.

I live a fast pace lifestyle and drinking a latte allows me time to sit back, relax and enjoy the art show inside a cup and occasionally inside a glass.

Latte art creates an emotional connection and an immediate response of surprise because the Barista usually decides the design inside a cup without input from a latte snob.

My favorite Latte spots…

1.  The Butcher, The Baker, The Cappuccino Maker in West Hollywood, California reminds me of Europe the moment I walk inside. I did not make reservation to eat so I decided to have a seat at the bar to order a hot cup of latte. The Barista made a special California art design just for me!


2. Sambalate in Las Vegas, Nevada is highly recommended for latte lovers. It’s a great place to listen to live music, plug in your lap top for business or pleasure while enjoying a latte with beautiful art designs.



3. Carrera Café in Los Angeles, California offers latte snobs the opportunity to drink their face using Ripples’ Ripple Maker technology on a hot or iced latte. It’s easy and fun! All you have to do is download the Ripple Maker on your mobile phone, choose a location with the Ripple Maker, upload and edit the image you select from your mobile phone and provide the location you selected with your information to  print the image on your latte!

4. Coffee Zone is the first latte spot I visited where the Barista asked me what type of design I wanted. I told the Barista to surprise me. I chose to sit outside on the patio at night under the stars, looking into the large eyes of cat staring at me from the inside of a coffee cup…

5. Love to Go creates delicious 3D lattes to enjoy in a cozy environment with limited seating. 



6. Urth Caffe offers organic coffee and tea lattes with beautiful art designs. Place your order, get your number and the Barista will make your latte quickly to enjoy inside or outside on a patio. I prefer drinking my latte outside on Melrose Avenue with my loved ones…






7. Balconi Coffee Company is where I go for my favorite Almond Essence Latte to enjoy inside on a rainy day, outside on the sidewalk or to go…


8. G & B Coffee in the Los Angeles Grand Central Market is home to the Almond-Macadamia Milk Latte and it is considered the Best Latte in the United States of America! This espresso non-dairy milk shake contains only water, almonds, macadamia and dates. You can also the Almond-Macadamia Milk Latte hot…it’s Southern California served in a mason jar. B & G Coffee is also home to World Barista Champion Charles Babinski. Babinski was second to Austraila’s Sasa Sestic in 2015.

9. Republique has the best Vanilla Almond Milk latte! I felt like I was back in France enjoying breakfast. A latte can be ordered after standing in a long line for a first come, first served brunch or at the pick up window.

10. Coffee Tomo makes a delicious Vanilla latte!

11. Go Get Em Tiger serves delicious hot latte early in the morning in a mason jar or a classy grown ups glass! Go Get Em Tiger is  also home to the 2008 United States Barista Champion Kyle Glansville.



12. Joi Café offers 100% organic lattes made with plant based milk!


13. The Yellow Vase provides a little taste of Paris, France in Palos Verdes, California. Latte served with a heart full of love…

 

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Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner – What Is the Chuck Berry Pie?

Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner billboard advertisements on Interstate 15 between Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada entice some drivers and passengers to exit for a bite to eat.

Lynn and I decide to stop for a slice of pie and a cup of coffee after all you can’t go wrong with pie at a 1950’s diner.

The moment you walk up to the front entrance of the restaurants there are words surrounding the door reassuring it’s okay to walk inside.

After walking through the double doors, I notice a candy store to my left and the diner to my right…I decide to walk straight ahead to the ladies Powder Room.

There are Hollywood stars of fame painted on the wall inside the bathroom stalls above the toilet. I’m sharing the stall with the late Audrey Hepburn to schedule ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ until I hear Bing Crosby in my head singing “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas….”

I walk out of the stall to wash my hands and I notice a statue of a man using a urinal…I’m sure this is a great icebreaker to start a conversation between a woman and an inquisitive little girl about the facts of life…

There is a sign on the wall to instruct women and little girls how to pee properly while using the toilet “Please Remain Seated for the Entire Performance.”

There is also the famous World War II “We Can Do It!” sign used to encourage women to join the industrial work force to fulfill the labor demands due to the deployment of men overseas on the wall…

Before walking out of the ladies Powder Room are uplifting words from Audrey Hepburn to remind us the love you have inside your heart for self and others reflect beauty on the outside.

There are a lot of pictures on the walls and statues of entertainers pre and post 1950s to include The Blues Brothers from 1978…

We sit down at the table and I pick up a 1934 Remember When booklet to browse through a timeline from January through December, world news, national news and my favorite the cost of living…the average income was $1,601.00 per year, new house was $5,972.00 and gasoline was 10 cents per gallon!

When the waitress finally arrives to our table to take our order, Lynn ask, “What is the Chuck Berry Pie?” The waitress responds with confidence “It’s all of the pies Apple, Cherry, Strawberry, Blueberry and Pecan!” and with that I decide to order a Cherry Pie and glass of water and Lynn orders a Blueberry Pie with hot tea. The waitress asked if we want vanilla ice cream with warm pies and we both agree, before she walks away from our table. Lynn decided to ask another waitress passing by our table, “What is the Chuck Berry Pie?” her response was “I don’t know.”

Lynn decides to dip her Lipton tea bag from the 1800s into a cup of hot water as we both express our disappointment of the waitress’s lack of knowledge of which pie is associated with Chuck Berry an African American singer, songwriter and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music.

Our hot cherry and blueberry pies are served with melting ice cream while we wait for the waitress to bring eating utensils for us to eat our pies.

As we sit, wait and watch our ice cream melt on our pies, we notice a sign on the wall that reads “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone – Regardless of who you are, who you think you are, who your daddy is, or how much money you make!!” We both start laughing….

After we receive our utensils, we finish eating our Cherry and Blueberry Pies with melted ice cream like a bowl of cereal on a plate  and walk up to the cashier to pay for our food.

Lynn decides to ask another waitress, “What is the Chuck Berry Pie?” her response “Blueberry is the Chuck Berry Pie.” We both looked at each other, laugh and walk out of the restaurant.

Lynn made the right selection by ordering the Blueberry Pie in honor of the “poet laureate” and “father” of rock and roll music Charles Edward Anderson Berry aka Chuck Berry!

I was reminded by another picture on the wall that life is defined by the journey, not the destination…enjoy and live in the moment!

 

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SEVEN MAGIC MOUNTAINS BRINGS A LITTLE COLOR TO THE DESERT

It’s rare to see colorful structures in the middle of the desert. From afar I thought I saw giant size Simpsons cartoon characters until I saw the sign Seven Magic Mountains next exit.

The Seven Magic Mountains can be seen from a distance on Interstate 15 traveling north or south between Los Angeles, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. The paved roads lead to a graveled parking lot. It’s FREE to park and view the Seven Magic Mountains in a place open to the public.

There are signs warning visitors to stay on the designated path because Venomous snakes may be present in the area.

Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone created the Seven Magic Mountains with bright colorful boulders to stand between 30 and 34 feet high. The colorful boulders also glow in the dark at night!

The Hoodoos in Utah inspired Rondinone to come up with the Seven Magic Mountains while working on a Public Art Fund project. 

It took Rondinone approximately five (5) years to complete the Seven Magic Mountains, which was organized by the Art Production Fund and the Nevada Museum of Art.

If a person decides to visit and climb to the top and fall to their death, the artist and producers of the Seven Magic Mountains are clear from liability due to the passage of legislation. 

The Seven Magic Mountains has been standing strong in the desert since 2016 and they may be gone the end of 2018.  It’s a lot of work maintaining a $3.5 million installation on Federal land. The Nevada Museum of Art is working on a longer-term plan to keep the Seven Magic Mountains at its current location, which is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management.

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Barton G. Restaurant Where the “F” in Food Stands for Fun

Barton G. is an upscale restaurant with elaborate and fun food presentations so have your social media camera ready for Facebook live or to capture several Instagramable moments.

There are two Bart G. restaurants in the United States located in Miami, Florida and Los Angeles, California. Locations are coming soon to Las Vegas, Nevada, New York, New York and Chicago, Illinois plans to open in fall 2018.

The outside entrance of the Los Angeles, California restaurant doesn’t match the décor inside.

The inside of the restaurant has an elegant ambiance with dim lights and high ceilings.

The flatware and wine glasses surround the tuxedo folded napkin with the embroidered initials BG.  The servers were appropriately dressed for the occasion with metallic leather aprons as they present us with leather menus to order food and drinks.

We order cotton candy martini and dirty martini with vodka popsicle infused with liquid nitrogen providing an illusion of smoke for our dinner meeting.

The Bucket of Bones appetizer is a skeleton balancing two buckets one with meat and kettle chips and in between the legs of the skeleton is honey gorgonzola dip. The meat bucket includes baby back ribs, beef ribs, lamb lollipops, chicken drumettes. I ordered beef ribs because I do not eat pork.

The Bucket of Bones appetizer is meant to be eaten with your fingers, to resist the urge of licking your fingers, warm wet napkins and lemon were provided to clean hands for good table manners.

Macaroni and Cheese is served on a large Mouse Trap.

Try not to snap your finger in the mouse trap while you are reaching for the slice of cheddar cheese!

48 oz. Grass Fed, Grain Finished Dry Aged Porterhouse Steak!

Charbroiled and carved steak with roasted mushrooms, battered onion rings, natural juices, Buttermilk Yukon potatoes, cheesy spinach served on THE LAWN MOO-ER with a loud motor sound!


Desert menu is a paper scroll inside a small brown paper bag. 

The BIG BILL is delivered to the table inside a small envelope with the word Damage. The elaborate meal with exaggerated and extravagant presentations was WORTH EVERY PENNY!

 

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The Last Bookstore Is Waiting For You

The Last Bookstore is the largest combination of used and new books and records in California and the largest independent bookstore in the world. There are two entrances into The Last Book Store one for those selling and trading books and records and the other for visitors like me looking to touch books, browse through pages, use a bookmark to pause reality and escape to another place and time.

Visitors must check-in backpacks or large bags before entering the book store.

The moment I walk inside I notice books about women and by women on display starting with Becoming by Michelle Obama and too many to count in the Arts and Rare Book Annex on the first floor.

Before I walk out of the Arts and Rare Book Annex room, I stop to admire art hanging on the wall inside elegant frames to gracefully enhance the high ceilings.

The record selection is also located on the first floor with a colorful arrangement of 45s serving as window decor allowing enough sunlight while browsing through a widespread selection of vinyl.

The stairs introduce the book by subject waiting for me upstairs.

On my way up the second flight of stairs with the introduction of more book subjects and the famous book tunnel, I notice a unique piece of art made from a box containing books, old photograph and manikin legs with skates.

After I reach the labyrinth on the second floor, I admire more unique displays of art with books as the common theme.

No public restrooms are available for visitors so come with an empty bladder if you are planning to stay for a few hours.

Walking through a book tunnel made of old books is super cool…

Square books stacked to form a literary circle…

There is a one (1) hour limit to sit on a comfortable couch or chair and enjoy a good book.

The Last Book Store is located inside an old bank building. The former bank vault is appropriately titled the Horror Vault with books of true crime, paranormal, aliens, drugs and conspiracies/counterculture.

If you don’t want to spend your valuable time circling around the block in traffic to search for an empty parking meter spot or you don’t want to pay a hefty price to park in a lot, you may consider using public transportation for your visit to The Last Bookstore.

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Media Press Day at Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS) in Long Beach, California

The Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS) kicks off in Long Beach, California before traveling across the United States to New York, Dallas, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C and Chicago http://www.motorcycleshows.com/.

IMS is the perfect place to see, listen, touch and test ride the various motorcycle brands, to purchase products and obtain resourceful information for motorcycle riders, passengers and future motorcycle riders.

Electric was the common theme throughout IMS this year. The future of personal mobility is driven by electrification. The industry is introducing newbies to motorcycles with no clutch and no gears.

The United States of America will need to get ready to build an infrastructure for electric bicycles and electric motorcycles.

DISCOVER THE RIDE and NEW TO 2

Robert Pandya and his team took the motorcycle industry back to basics by introducing Discover the Ride and New to 2 for children and adults.

The purpose of Discover the Ride is to put people on motorcycles for the first time at IMS with STACYC, Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles and Zero Motorcycles. The goal is to widen the funnel and encourage people of all ages to become motorcycle riders.

STACYC is the first powered balance bike to inspire children who has been walking for a short time. STACYC offers different models for ages 3-7 years of age. The goal is to engage young children with using a throttle and fall in love with motorcycle riding before the age of seven (7).

Individuals with no motorcycle riding experience were required to ride a Yamaha Power Assist Electric Bicycle to demonstrate their ability to balance before test riding a Zero Motorcycle. Total Control Training partnered with Robert’s team to provide safety instructors to shepherd new riders at IMS.

I had the pleasure of witnessing Discover the Ride at IMS with a first time motorcycle rider and it works!

Zero Motorcycles provides a sense of effortlessness just by a simple twist of the throttle without a clutch, gears and low maintenance. The zero motorcycle is speed limited for test riding to about 12 mph for safety reasons and to allow instructors to have a conversation with riders during the test ride on a test track inside the building at IMS.

New to 2 is a video and stage series designed to answer questions for new riders from visiting a local dealer to making a choice of the type of motorcycle to purchase.

Yamaha has been making electric bicycles in Japan for more than 25 years. Yamaha is the first pedal assist bicycle manufacturer. The electric bicycle is huge in Europe and starting to grow in the United States of America. Yamaha is starting out with four (4) models from mountain bike, drop bar, road bike and fitness commuting bike. The Yamaha Power Assist Electric Bicycle serves as the step in between STACYC and Zero. There is a cross over from the motorcycle culture to power assist electric bicycles and motorcycles. If it wasn’t for the bicycle, there would not be motorcycles!

      TRIUMP MOTORCYCLES

Triumph Motorcycles introduced Scrambler 1200 XE and Scrambler 1200 XC. The Scrambler 1200 XC is good for on and off road riding and the 1200 XE the “E” is for extreme. These adventure motorcycles have rider modes rain, road, sport and off road. Cruise control is standard. The 1200 XE is the first Scrambler with a 21 inch front wheel. Bluetooth accessory to communicate directly with GoPro camera to take picture and video and collaboration with Google to allow turn by turn navigation on display. The price of the Scrambler 1200 will be introduced to the United States in December 2018.

Triumph Motorcycles received the 2018 Motorcycle.com Standard Motorcycle of the Year for the Triumph Street Triple 765.

HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES

Harley Davidson announced they are celebrating 115 years of motorcycling and the celebration of 28 new dealerships across the globe in 2018. 4.9% growth in Europe and unprecedented growth in Thailand, China and Asia. Harley-Davidson is focusing on growing the number of riders in the United States to 2 million riders by 2027. On July 30, 2018, more roads to Harley Davidson was established more roads to access of the information to the media about the bikes about to be sold. Harley Davidson is investing $800 million into the strategy to help the United States grow 2 million riders in nine (9) more years.

Harley Davidson is starting an electric vehicle portfolio and continue to innovate their touring and soft-tail motorcycles. They will add a low cc motorcycle segment. They will expand their visibility and marketing to capture new riders. They will work with their dealerships across the globe to ensure their dealerships are an inviting place to capture new and current riders.
The Milwaukee-Eight 117 engine will be included on touring CVO Street Glide, Road Glide and Limited. These will always get the biggest engine instead of the Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine.

Harley Davidson also upgraded their infotainment system on the touring models. The new version is called the Boom! Box GTS Infotainment system include a touch screen with faster download and processing time and it has Apple Car Play compatible for iPhone users, but does not include Android Auto.

On display for presentation on the Softail side was the Harley Davidson FXDR 114. This is the 10th Softail motorcycle in just 15 months with the focus on weight reduction starting with cast aluminum swing arm, which provides a 43% reduction in weight.

The first Harley Davidson electric motorcycle the LiveWire was not on display. LiveWire specifications will be available in January 2019 and on sale in August 2019.

URAL MOTORCYCLES

Ural Motorcycles is now in the 20th century with modernized power plant, redesigned thermal group from cylinders and pistons to combat the air cooled function of the motor, increased fin size fins were added and increased the fins size, new oil pick up design to give another ½ liter of oil due to deeper oil pan, fuel injection system, the spare hub and wheels all match with larger spokes, on the motorcycle for simple plug and ride. Ural has been working very hard to keep the look and the opportunity for big kids to feel like little kids.

Ural also has its first electric motorcycle concept not, yet a production prototype established in Moscow in 2016. The goal is to collect feedback, to understand what the market wants and how the market reacts to it and if Ural should continue to move forward with the project. Zero Motorcycles is providing engineering support to Ural. The battery is inside the seat in the sidecar, which feels like there is always a rider in the sidecar for balance, comfort, safety and confidence. There are two batteries one located on the bike and one on the sidecar. The motorcycle will not operate if the sidecar is removed due to the battery under the seat. The production date is not available.

BMW

BMW is on tract for another year of record growth, which is driven by a lot of the new products such as the G 310 R and G 310 GS. The focus overtime in making sure they bring on products for the market and customers and focus on adding more standard equipment and improving the packages to their motorcycles and features their customers are asking for.

The BMW 700 products helped bring a lot of new riders to the sport with 37% of the product sales to women.

BMW unveiled the 2019 R 1250 GS with shift cam technology to give more increase power, increase torque and balance delivery for every situation.

BMW unveiled the 2019 S 1000 RR. The engine is 9lbs lighter and the overall bike is 25lbs lighter with increased horsepower. The new S 2019 S 1000 R superbike with M package was also unveiled with a weight decrease of 7lbs and motorsports paint.

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE

Indian Motorcycle decided to talk about something different than new products after mentioning the FTR 1200 was unveiled in Germany this year. The FTR 1200 won 17 of the 18 American Flat Track races in 2018. Jared Mees captured grand national championships and Indian Motorcycle capturing manufacturers championships in both seasons. Racing has a significance importance to the Indian Motorcycle brand because it started in racing in 1901. The 2019 Indian Motorcycle Wrecking Crew was introduced Jared Mees and brothers Briar and Bronson Bauman.

MV AGUSTA

MV Agusta introduced the 2019 Brutale 1000 and the 2019 Turisom Veloce RC SCS.

The Brutale was first introduced to the market in 2002. It is the most powerful superbike. The main principle in Brutale is power. 212 horsepower on a naked bike weighing about 409lbs. All of the body work except for the fuel tank is carbon fiber. The Brutale is an emotional motorcycle with a lot of power and street legal.

MV Agusta was one of the first companies to provide unique technology to the motorcycle world. For example, MV Agusta is the first company to put an electronic upshift on a production motorcycle, the first company to put an upshift and downshift on a production motorcycle, the first company to have Full Ride By Wire on a mid-weight super sport motorcycle. They have a new first, the first production motorcycle with a Smart Clutch System (SCS) on the 2019 Turismo Veloce RC SCS to allow riders to use either manual or automatic clutch operation. Riders never have to touch the clutch lever. Riders don’t have to worry up using the clutch lever while moving through traffic. The bike weight is 435lbs with 110 horse power and goes from 0 to 60mph in 3.1 seconds. MV Agusta is about performance not touring.

YAMAHA

Yamaha introduced nine (9) new models for 2019 in the three (3) main categories of dirt, road and tour. The focus is to continue to offer a wide range of new and exciting motorcycles with the latest in performance and technology for riders of all ages and skill levels.

Niken and Niken GT multiple wheel motorcycle handles like a two (2) wheel motorcycle offers motorcycle riders a lot more confidence while cornering to make riding less stressful and fun.

Yamaha sold out of Niken motorcycles after opening an online reservation program in September 2018.

The Niken GT is open for online reservations with a retail price of $17,2999 for delivery in March 2019.

PIAGGIO

The 2019 Moto Guzzi V85 TT was introduced and it will be available from Italy in the 2nd Quarter of 2019.

The world superbike was also on display 2019 Aprilla RSV4 RR Factory 1000. This motorcycle has won multiple world championships and work superbike.
Piaggio is the only manufacturer that is up for scooters sales.

KAWASAKI

Kawakaki introduced their super charged hyper sports bike Ninja H2, H2R and H2 Carbon. The new H2R is the most powerful super charged engine Kawasaki has made to date. Also on display was the ZX-10R with new engine design and maximum performance. The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10 RR is a race ready limited model with only 500 available in the world.

2019 Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT Plus was unveiled with cruise control, traction control, intelligent braking system, sport, road, rain and manual modes. There will be a Rideology app available in 2019 to allow riders to make adjustments from the palm of their hands on their Android or iPhones devices to check fuel gage, service intervals and riding module to identify routes taken and for planning.

HONDA

Honda shared one of the best historical videos about their founder and the brand for more than 60 years. The video started with a picture of the first American Honda Motor building on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles, California from June 1959 and a quote from the founder Soichiro Honda “A company is most clearly defined not by its people or its history, but by its products.”

The Honda Monkey is selling out like hotcakes because it’s a fun motorcycle to ride for 1,200 miles on land, through water and mud just ask Ari Herring and Zack Courts. Ari and Zack rode Honda Monkeys from Ensenada to La Paz Mexico to trace some of the Baja 1000 course. Motorcycle enthusiast can check out their show at Motorcycles on Motor Trend: Throttle Out http://bit.ly/2FmWUEq on November 21, 2018.

PROGRESSIVE

Progressive is number one in motorcycle insurance due to customer service with policies starting off at just $75.00 per year. Progressive partnered up with Indian Motorcycle to give away an all expense paid trip to Sturgis with two loaner Indian motorcycles for winners to ride. 

Flo’s Chop Shop offered relaxation break in massage chairs while listening to an interactive music play list created by guest, beard trims, line ups and hair designs for free.

ENERGICA

Engergica approach motorcycles in 2009 and decided later to go green. In 2014, Energica created an electric motorcycle as an opportunity to attract the younger generation. Today, the Energica Ego is known to the world for the first street legal electric Italian sport motorcycle. Engergica’s focus is on style performance and quality and they are living up to it with the ability to charge an electric motorcycle within 20-22 minutes!

SUZUKI

Industry gearhead and living legend Kevin Cameron provided history of Suzuki. Mr. Cameron has decades of experience in the motorcycle industry from racing to technology, product development and product evaluation.

Mr. Cameron shared his knowledge and history about Katana motorcycles, 2 stroke engines, 4 stroke engines, horsepower, crankshaft seizure, piston seizure problem in 2 stroke engines, connecting rod, combustion, cylinder plating and oil consumption. Mr. Cameron expressed the greatest problem facing product development is the internal friction of large human groups, engineers wasting times on committees and in meetings. It’s important for the motorcycle industry to allow engineers to devote their time to designs and test prototypes.

LUNCH

Black Girls Ride Magazine Porsche Taylor, Founder and Editor-In-Chief and Sarah Moreau, Staff Writer enjoyed lunch sponsored by Suzuki with Serena Bleeker, Digital Campaign Manager, Bonner Motorcycle Group and Julian Eger, Communications, http://Motorcycles.org aka Discover Today’s Motorcycling.

DUCATI

Ducati delivered the highest level of market share, which demonstrates taking the brand into new worlds with cruiser and off road motorcycles.

The Scrambler Café Racer is one of the most popular motorcycles with LED light and fuel gage for first time motorcycle riders at a reasonable Ducati price.

ALLSTATE

Allstate Insurance offered guest to Float In and Fill Up on a Free Root Beer Float and the opportunity for current, new and future rides to enjoy an interactive virtual reality motorcycle ride on an Indian Scout.

IMS is a one stop shop for motorcycle riders and passengers and a great place to network, catch up with old friends and plan a future ride within or outside the country.


 

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Halfway House Café in Canyon Country, California

Halfway House Café is located on Sierra Highway in Canyon Country halfway between Los Angeles and Palmdale. In 1906, this location was a trading post before operating as a restaurant in 1931. This restaurant has been in numerous commercials, television shows and movies. The restaurant is open every day from 6:00am to 3:00pm and only closes for special filming requests. Parking is available in front and behind the restaurant.

We were genuinely greeted by staff the moment we walked inside.  Each table inside the restaurant has the Halfway House Café logo in the center with advertisements from various companies outlining the edges.

We were seated at a comfortable table for four.
The menu includes a list of commercials, television shows and movies filmed at the Halfway House Café and there is a television inside the restaurant with recorded clippings for guest to watch while enjoying a meal.

We enjoyed coffee, hot chocolate with whipped topping and apple pie à la mode.

The staff are friendly and down to earth. One of the waitresses made homemade fudge and shared samples with us. It was delicious!

Inside the ladies restroom are two toilets with no dividing wall for privacy and one sink. There is a toilet paper dispenser on the wall and the other is between the toilets.

There are pictures with uplifting and comical affirmations including a great quote by Lucille Ball “The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age.”

Overall the restaurant is a great place to visit if you want to enjoy vintage history.

 

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Roar and Snore Campout at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Motorcycle riders like us enjoy the outdoors. So why not campout at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to support conservation research and science to save species worldwide?

San Diego Zoo Safari Park is a wildlife sanctuary that is home to more than 3,000 animals on 1,800 acres of land.  On October 2, 1916, Dr. Harry M. Wegeforth founded the not-for-profit organization San Diego Zoo Global that operates the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari and the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conversation Research.

Wear comfortable walking shoes and stay on the trail paths at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for your safety to avoid an encounter with snakes and other animals.

There are several activities to choose from to enhance your experience. We chose the two (2) hour Caravan Safari Adventure.

We had the opportunity to feed Giraffes acacia tree leaves, touch and feed a Rhino apple slices.



We also had a quick glance of the fastest recorded animal on land running, the Cheetah. The Cheetah run is held once a day at 3:30pm. It is highly recommended to arrive at least 30 minutes early for a good spot to see the Cheetah run in the direction towards you or you can pay $15.00 for reserved viewing in front of the crowd. 

Roar and Snore occurs from February through November between the hours of 4:15pm through 9:30am. It is worth noting there is an adult only Roar and Snore option for ages 21 and up. There are three tent options classic tent suitable for five (5) people, vista tent suitable for six (6) and premium tent sleeps up a family of four. The premium tent includes a queen size bed, two cots, bed linens, pillows, electrical outlets, wood floors and area rug.

We had to stand in line to check in promptly at 4:15pm to receive wrist bands and our tent number, which allowed staff to deliver our belongings to our classic tent before sunset.



After checking in, we received a cute plastic water pouch with instructions to fill up with water while we wait for camp guide leader to walk us to the campsite area for dinner.

Electrical outlets are available in common areas of the campsite to charge mobile phones, laptops or other small devices. Portable chargers with full charge are available to purchase from a kiosk in the park for $30.00.

The dinner menu included roasted chicken, tri-tip, mash potatoes, grilled portobello mushrooms with vegetables was the alternative option for vegetarians, green salad with only ranch dressing, black bean and corn salad. The food was delicious and there was enough food for a second serving.

Non-alcoholic beverages included lemonade, iced tea and iced water.

There was full bar service with professional bartenders to serve a variety of adult beverages with outstanding customer service. The price range was $5.00 to $9.00 for mixed drinks and the option to pay with cash, debit or credit card.


The bar menu offered a bucket of beer or bottle of wine delivery to your tent with plastic cups for $28.00.

Coca Cola products were available for purchase in a vending machine included Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Powerade.

S’mores was the treat after dinner! We quickly gathered our ingredients of graham crackers, marshmallows and Hershey’s milk chocolate and campfire roasting sticks to make our marshmallows gooey for the perfect S’mores!

In 1927, S’mores was called a Graham Cracker Sandwich in publication called Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts. National S’mores Day is celebrated in the United States of America on August 10th.

Our camp guide escorted us on a behind the scenes 2-mile exclusive walking tour on the Tiger Trail.

Before arriving to the Tiger keeper area, we had a learning session about the Tawny Frogmouth bird.  Most people including myself thought the bird was an owl. The Tawny Frogmouth is a predator in the Night Hawk family that survive off mice, lizards and spiders.
Inside the Tiger keeper area, we were able to see a video camera always on display to monitor tiger’s activity, tiger’s activity board, a hard-plastic ball destroyed by tigers’ teeth, food, which included ground beef feline diet and iced blood inside a Bundt cake pan.


We return to the campsite for snacks hot buttery popcorn, cookies fresh from the oven, hot chocolate and coffee to warm up before the 11:00pm lights out schedule.

There are clean and heated gender specific restrooms on the campsite with hot running water, flushing toilets, one with and without showers.

The restroom without showers have more stalls and fancy outdoor sinks with mirrors.  Make sure you take your flashlight with you for late night restroom visits to avoid a possible encounter with wildlife in the dark.

I strongly suggest sleeping in layers with onesie pajamas, gloves and a face mask because it gets cold at night during the fall season…lol

We went to sleep and woke up to the lions roaring at approximately 5:00am prior to the two wake up calls of 6:15am and 6:45am, to ensure everyone leaves the campsite promptly at 9:30am. We packed up our camping gear and place it outside our tent for staff to pick up before our morning walk to see the lions on the way to breakfast at 7:00am.


Breakfast included pancakes, cheese omelets, potatoes, sausage and vegie sausage, pears, apples, orange juice, milk, coffee and hot chocolate.

We walk less than a mile to get on a tram. We ride through the park and observe the vibrant activity of the animals before our amazing journey ends.


 

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THE BROAD MUSEUM

Motorcycle Ride to the Broad Museum was worth splitting lanes through downtown Los Angeles rush hour traffic.

The Broad Museum is one of the most popular FREE museums in Los Angeles. That’s right it’s FREE to enter the Broad Museum so make sure to request tickets in advance because sometimes there is a long line wrapped around the corner to get in. It’s the perfect place to capture an Instagram moment in every gallery thanks to self-made billionaire Eli Broad.

On August 23, 2010, Eli Broad announced he will build a museum in downtown Los Angeles to house contemporary art he and his wife Edythe collected over the years. The amount financed for the Broad Museum was $140 million.

The Broad Museum is home to more than 2,000 pieces of art inside a three-story building surrounded by a unique honeycomb square that allows natural sunlight to shine throughout the gallery. The contemporary art consists of pictures and paintings coveted by other museums. The goal of the Broad Museum is to make contemporary art accessible to visitors. There is a thick viewing glass window for visitors to get a sneak peak of the warehouse full of art not on display in the art gallery showrooms, which I hope to see in the near future.

My favorite piece of art at the Broad Museum was the Seated Woman by Ron Mueck because the detail made the miniature woman look real. I was stuck. I did not want to move my feet. I could not stop staring at this amazing sculpture.

Infinity Mirrored Room – The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away by Yayoi Kusama is very popular among visitors. Each visitor is given 45 seconds behind a closed door to spend time inside the Infinity Mirrored Room. Have your camera ready to strike a pose and take a selfie!

Under the Table by Robert Therrien – Grab a seat and let’s enjoy a very small bite to eat in the Giant’s den…

The eyes are creepy on the porcelain sculpture of Michael Jackson and his chimpanzee Bubbles by Jeff Koons…

Roe v. Wade 1973 Supreme Court decision was addressed in a powerful and political art statement (Untitled) Your Body is a Battleground by artist, activist and feminist Barbara Kruger.

It was really cool to see Jean-Michel Basquiat’s paintings on display. This one is titled Melting Point of Ice. Unfortunately, Jean-Michel Basquiat committed suicide at the young age of 27.
If you decide to visit the Broad Museum, download the Broad mobile app available for iPhone and Android to serve as an audio guide.

A huge thank you to Rick Mitchell for a private tour of the Broad Museum.

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MOTORCYCLE RIDERS AND PASSENGERS TAKE CARE OF YOUR EARS SO YOU CAN HEAR

Let’s take a moment of silence to address the responsibility of maintaining a rider fit lifestyle in a world with wind noise, loud pipes, loud music and headphones while riding a motorcycle with no hearing protection in the inner ear.

If you lose your hearing, you can’t get it back.

I made an appointment with an Audiologist to check my hearing after riding motorcycles cross country for more than ten years. The Audiologist conducted a few tests inside a soundproof room. The first test was an Otoscopy to check for ear wax and blockages and the final test was the Audiometry where I had to push a button when I hear sound through earphones.

Luckily for me my hearing is within the normal range.

Wind noise from turbulence is the primary causes of irreversible damage resulting in hearing loss when hearing protection is not worn inside the ears. Wind noise take the reins over the sound of loud pipes and loud music with or without a helmet. Hearing loss from noise may occur with one time exposure from an intense sound such as an explosion or from an activity such as motorcycle riding over a long period of time.

Turbulence is the primary source of the wind moving around your body or into your helmet at high speeds. The faster you ride the more severe the sound of wind noise due to turbulence.

Hearing protection such as earplugs or earmolds can suppress sound when worn during motorcycle rides.

There is not a 100% guarantee hearing protection will prevent hearing loss.

Some options available to reduce wind noise while riding a motorcycle are earplugs, earmolds, head/face mask to cover ears, windshield and specialized helmets.

The least expensive option to reduce wind noise are disposable earplugs available for purchase over the counter. It is important to adhere to state laws regarding earplugs http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/State-Laws-Database. For example, in the state of California motorcycle riders wearing earplugs must be able to hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or horn from another motor vehicle.

Earmolds are professionally designed to the impression inside your ear and ear canal.

Head/Face mask to cover ears with ear plugs or ear molds may provide additional protection.

Windshields may block wind depending on the size and height of the shield and rider.

A few helmet manufacturers such as Shuberth, Shoei, Shark, HJC and Arai design aerodynamic quiet helmets with a snug fit to address turbulence and to reduce the chances of wind flowing through vents, visors, around the neck and under the chin.

Ride smart and protect your hearing.