Labor Day Weekend

On many Saturdays when I'm in LA, I tend to sleep in.  It's not quite the waste of a day with beautiful weather every day of the year and a flexible work schedule.  I'm spoiled, I know.  But on this Labor Day weekend Saturday, I got up extra early, drove down to the OC, and met up with a couple friends and some strangers at OEX Dive and Kayak.  Why, you ask?

I was going to Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga.  I didn't know it was a thing, until Jami posted about it on Facebook one day, and I was intrigued.  I'd always wanted to do this, minus the yoga part, and the water is warmest in Sept, so this was the perfect time to try it.  Jami arranged everything through her yoga instructor, and I showed up.

It's not always easy, as you'll see in this guy's video.  I was a little nervous about falling in and what I'd wear. Turns out I didn't need to worry about either of these things.

We started out easy, paddling into one of the canal areas and doing some really basic yoga moves.  But when the teacher said, 'okay, downward dog,' I didn't know exactly how I'd do that.  It's hard to balance!  Being on hands and knees, extending opposite arm and leg was really tough, and I wasn't sure about lifting my knees off the board.  But as you go on, you figure out your center of gravity, and it's great.

It was a glorious 90 minutes, peaceful, sunny, warm water, and a nice little workout.  Highly recommended.

Jami made a delicious healthy lunch, and then it was time to hit the beach with Becca.

Then it was taco time.

I had to rush back up to LA in the later afternoon to clean myself up.  Nate and friend were in town from Phoenix, and he asked if I wanted to join them at the Hollywood Bowl that night for John Williams.  Easy answer.

John Williams and the LA Phil perform every Labor Day weekend, and I hadn't gotten around to going yet.  I should make it an annual tradition.  Everything about it is perfectly wonderful.

There was a sword-fighting montage.

And of course, when anything Star Wars music starts playing, the lightsabers come out.

This year is the 30th Anniversary of E.T. and Spielberg remastered the last reel of the film to show at this event.  The last bit of the film started to play on the screen, the orchestra started to play the live score, and it was kind of a magical moment.  People were crying everywhere.  Oh, childhood!

After church on Sunday, Nate, Dan and I went to look at the city from the Observatory.

And then, at 3:30am while I was sleeping, I awoke to some pretty good shaking.  My first realized earthquake!!

Monday was a Mulholland day.  Curvy drive, great scenery, right in the middle of LA.

LACMA time.

Ridiculous sunset.

Levitated Mass.

Working out.

Showing off.