My favorite holiday of the year began with a nice little conversation in the LBC.
"You know why I'm here, don't you?"
"Yes, Sir."
"I assume you didn't see me as you passed by me going 83 in a 65, huh?"**
"No, Sir... I didn't see you."
"Don't you know that's what passengers are for?"
He thought he was so funny and I was amused as well. Three minutes later, he hands me a pretty little yellow paper and my sister says from the passenger seat, "Did we really pass you?!" He leans in and says, "Yes. How come you weren't looking out for your sister?!" She replies, "Well, we're late to breakfast and I got distracted because I'm so hungry!"
He laughed and told us to have a good holiday... and we did!
The festivities officially began about 30 minutes later in Laguna Beach. We met my good friends for brunch at
Las Brisas. The food is great and the view is incredible... it's my favorite little gathering place. After reminiscing about awkward moments and stuffing ourselves with omelette's, waffles, fruit, eggs Benedict, bacon, and cinnamon rolls, we strolled around the town's many
art galleries and shops. We got out of the heat at
South Coast Plaza and watched "Breach" at Liz & McKay's in
Yorba Linda.
We were invited to a friends' beach house in Dana Point for dinner and fireworks... so we headed back down there. The house was gorgeous and everyone was super fun, not to mention the food! Dinner was fabulous! It was complete with grilled chicken, steak, fish, sausage, vegetables, onion rings, fruit parfaits, and baked beans. The highlight of the night was watching fireworks on the ocean from the balcony of their home. We laughed about the multiple malfunctions of the fireworks, how much better it would've been if present company were in charge of the display, and the lovely "cloud animals" of smoke that covered our view of the celebration! We thought we were so funny. I wasn't sure we were going to be able to leave because Courtney was so attached to the two dogs, but we eventually made it back to LA.
Maybe my love for the 4th stems from my upbringing. We'd celebrate by boating all day, BBQ-ing, playing volleyball, having water balloon fights, watching the yacht parades at
Flaming Gorge, and then watching fireworks from our boat on the lake. One of my favorite memories was at the
Sagamore Resort in upstate New York. That was a great week.
A 4th of July post wouldn't be appropriate without a little bit of trivia... so here's a quote from John Adams to his wife, Abigail,
"The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not. (The Book of Abigail and John: Selected Letters of the Adams Family, 1762-1784, Harvard University Press, 1975, 142)."
The 4th of July is still my favorite holiday... even with speeding tickets!
**[Note to the parental units reading this-I honestly didn't realize I was going that fast, I promise! Like Courtney said... we were hungry! Woops!]
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