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Happy Birthday Sue!!!

The older you get, the more you need to keep a fire extinguisher close to the cake!

We began this day with a glass of champagne and a review of the calendar as Sue’s birthday is actually a” birthmonth”…we celebrate 30 days! We pulled out some previous birthday pictures and Hawaii jumped right out!

Birthday cruise to Hawaii and back 2009

OK, into the Silver Ghost and away in a blinding flash… a few micro-light-years away is Georges Greek Restaurant on Pine Street! We arrive about 10:30 AM and had a leisurely lunch under the shade of the trees…yes, in downtown Long Beach!

Three blocks from the ocean on Pine

We asked about George who is usually in front greeting the customers but we were told his cancer chas returned and he is not doing very well…sad as he was such a happy guy!

Glass of wine and flaming saganaki, what else could one ask for?

The saganaki was fantastic today…the crust on nthe cheese formed by the heat was perfect and the lemon and olives were exactly right!

Opa!! Singed eyebrows notwithstanding!

I did a taste test…stuffed steak with a cheese and spinach stuffing and garlic fries…very filling! The George’s on 2nd and the one on Pine have the same menu but the presentation on Pine is better…both taste the same!

This sucker was really really stuffed!!

At the end of the meal, we departed for the Aquarium of the Pacific wanted to see the new building and the contents. We were a little disappointed but it was “interesting”.

It was an interactive center…no live displays

The Pacific Visions experience begins in an art gallery to immerse visitors in a sensory space that sparks curiosity and inspiration.

Five Infinity Coral exhibits create the illusion of coral reef habitats stretching as far as the eye can see using mirrors. They illustrate various coral reef environments, including a healthy, thriving reef, an unhealthy, bleached reef, and a reef where only a few “super corals” have survived a bleaching event.

Interesting to see an infinite display

The relief wall comprises five floor-to-ceiling panels installed in a row. These panels are made up of three-dimensional sculptures that replicate coral features and structures and are intended for visitors to touch. Video imagery is projected onto the sculptures to create an experience that is both visual and tactile.

Coral world

This projection sequence uses real photos and videos of microscopic plankton. It enlarges these tiny organisms to a massive scale, helping visitors learn more about these often intricate and unseen animals that form the base of the ocean food web.

It was an interesting display

We had enough of the out-of-control screaming and yelling kids and had to leave. There was one group of kids in blue shirts, mostly black kids probably 10-14 years old, who were the nicest group. No yelling and screaming and when we came near a display in the wheelchair they motioned us to get closer. We found one of their leaders ad stopped her and mentioned how well behaved and polite they were…the latest was pleased we stopped and thanked us!

From the aquarium we went to Old Ranch for a quiet drink and then on to Cold Stone Creamery for ice cream. We were supposed to go out with Mitch but alas, by the time I got home the three Gin & Tonics I enjoyed during the day had got to me and I crashed not getting vertical until 6:00 PM so we watched TV instead.

We had a good day but it only starts the birthday month!

About Paul

Just an old retired guy trying to finish out my last years on this planet. I lost my best friend and wife in early 2020. I was blessed again by reconnecting with Dr. Mary Côté, a long-time friend. Mary and I got married July 28th, 2021, and are enjoying life together and plan to spend the rest of our lives being a blessing to our friends and family.
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