NEWPORT BEACH ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON

After Labor Day and the start of a new school year, things usually simmer down in resort towns across the Country. Not so in Newport Beach California. This is a year round resort town...probably more so in the winter months. More in the way of cash spending, not diaper changing tourists.

On my way down to the Newport Peninsula, I stopped at Hoag Hospital, which is on a cliff overlooking Newport Bay. I love this view. I have memories of looking over the bay after giving birth, and when I lost a loved one....several years apart, same view.

Then headed on down to the Newport Pier, parking in front of Charlie's Chili, right at the foot of the Newport Beach Pier, where you have parking meters that give you three minutes for a dime. My family has a rich history with Charlie's, through two generations of working there, marriages, divorces and lifelong friendships going back over forty years. This is a legendary place to go for great food for ridiculous prices...ridiculous as in low. John Wayne used to order their chili by the gallons for parties. But...I was on a mission...for chests, bare chests, and this was probably the best location to find them in the time alloted on the parking meter....30 minutes.

Also at the foot of the pier is the historic, still functioning home to the infamous Dory Fishermen of Newport Beach. What a site to see at the crack of dawn when the fisherman beach their boats and drag them up the sand to be filet and sold to the multitudes waiting. Well, not really multitudes, but close. Local restaurants relish in this open fish market...by eight in the morning, the place closes down, waiting for another day.

Now I wander up the pier to get a better view of the beach. Oh my, there will always be a bird feeder until the sea gulls gets ticked and peck this guy mercifully.

This guy had no problem letting me inch my way closer along the rail on the pier.

He seemed very content.

So was Lucky...yep Lucky's mom is a beautician! Who wudda guessed? She said she changes the color of Lucky's coif every so often for variety's sake. If Lucky were a girl, I think JJ would go bananas. Yes, that's Lucky's real hair.

Now Jessie didn't have a problem letting me take his picture....are you sitting down dear friend?

He asked me to take another!

These folks are tourists.

At first glance you would think they were related to Lucky!

There is nothing like stopping for a double double at In n Out Burgers on the way home.