On Chinese food and movies at the beach

Last night, we opted to keep dinner simple and go for some take-out from the local Chinese restaurant.  We'd eaten completely serviceable food from them in the past.

We were not quite as lucky this time; some dishes were fine, but others were not at all good.  My beef lo mein arrived in a little box and was sticky enough to retain its shape without the box.

Click an image to see a larger version.

The stickiness affected its flavor, with the sauce overpowering everything else.  Beef lo mein also should not behave like quick-set concrete.

As has become a tradition, I'm wrapping up the beach reporting with a happy snap of all the movies we watched on Blu-ray discs and/or DVDs.

A quick glance should make clear that we watched some cult classics, some recent movies, and a variety of older flicks.

To me, the winner of the Most Surprisingly Good Award of this year's trip is the disc alone on the left, Mr. Right.  Don't look it up, and don't try to learn more about it; just rent or buy it, and then watch it.  Give it 20 minutes to earn your love.  I found it a wonderfully charming film.  I hope you do, too.

Even from the beach

Sarah has her eye on you.

Click the image to see a larger version.

So, you better behave.

In other vacation news, tomorrow morning I head home, and Monday morning, I fly to Portland.

Busy times.

Retail opportunities, retail oddities

Today's post-lunch adventure led a small group of us to a beach shop we had not previously explored.  Its offerings proved to be among the stranger of the local thrift stores.

The decaying little couple outside kicked off the creepiness.

Click an image to see a larger version.

The doll with insane eyes upped the ante.

The Creepiest In the House award, though, went to this insane clown.

No, I did not buy him, though I was sorely tempted to do so.  He would be perfect sitting right next to a small lamp on a bedside table in a guest room.

Who wouldn't want to wake up to him?

To end on a completely different note, here's a shot under the bridge in the middle evening.  I'm sorry the photo is hazy, but the sky was so lovely I had to try to capture it.

The beach is full of beauty.

The heart of The Squeeze

After lunch and errands today, a small group of us stopped by a local shop for a hit of The Squeeze (aka soft-serve ice cream with colorful flavor sauces woven into them).

Kyle went for the fabled Blue Goo, which was barely visible on top but which lurked in quantity below.

Click an image to see a larger version.

Yes, Kyle tapped into the deep blue vein below.

Gina and I split an orange, which also hid its vein of color deep below the surface.

I wouldn't choose a steady diet of The Squeeze, but a couple of times a year, it's just the right frozen treat.

Today's oddest and most awesome sights

The beach life presents many interesting sights.

Today's oddest was this mermaid, who was sitting outside a rather nice tiny wine shop and art gallery.

Click an image to see a larger version.

Suffice to say that the artwork inside was rather better than this faux woman of the sea.

The most awesome sight of the day was the huge storm that blanketed the area, drenched us, and lit up the sky.  Courtesy of Gina, I can share with you some of the great moments of lightning.

I've saved my favorite of her pics for last.

Lovely, just lovely.

The Bobcake report, July 18, late edition

We are gaining on it.

As you can see, under the pressure of many of us eating, the Bobcake has now shrunk to the size of a normal huge cake.

One day, it will fall.

But not today.

Today at the beach

I accomplished absolutely nothing of importance.  I slept late, splashed in the pool, had lunch out, napped, read, talked and hung out, splashed, ate in, and watched a couple of movies.

It was wonderful.

Another few months of this, and I might relax.