Birthday Shenanigans, Part One!
- bethchartnett
- Sep 12, 2015
- 5 min read
There is nothing like a heatwave to signify the start of fall.
Welcome to California.
The East Coast gets its beautiful trees and changing colors, we get sky high electric bills to get us in the spirit of the season. Cest le vie! While the triple-digit heat is indeed suffocating, and sleep is hard to come by, but there is something about the blistering temperatures in September that give me all the feels.
As the temperatures rise, the leaves still fall, and all of the yearly traditions begin. Among my favorites are, yes, all things pumpkin. I embrace the stereotype. Just give me my pumpkin beer and pumpkin spiced lattes (which thankfully come in an iced variety). And I'd also suggest getting yourself to a Trader Joe's stat for some pumpkin ice cream. It's hot outside, it's delicious, and you deserve it. I also hear they have pumpkin macaroons.... these will be happening in the near future....
[Feast your eyes]
Another favorite: football! No better way to avoid the heat then to cozy up on the couch with a game on. I have come to particularly love College Game Day on Saturdays. Sir Matthew and his mom have helped contribute to my new obsession (and my preference for both Notre Dame and UCLA. Fight Fight Fight!)
This love of seasonal flavors and College Football led to a perfect Saturday excursion in commemoration of another important fall happening - my day of birth! This year the 6th landed the day before Labor Day, a recognized day off at my workplace. Happy birthday to me! We made the most of the long weekend with a full three-days of birthday shenanigans.
We kicked off the celebrating by packing a picnic and heading to Griffith Park for free Shakespeare. Every summer, the Independent Shakespeare Company puts on a series of free performances next to the Old Zoo.
A friend of mine helps with the music, so I might be slightly biased, but the Independent Shakespeare Company is fantastic. The acting is really incredible and the performers do a phenomenal job at making Shakespeare accessible to the masses. Bring a blanket and a jacket and plan on getting there early to avoid getting stuck near the rear. The crowds can be unpredictable and the sound is not all that great the farther back you go. Regardless, you will still have the actors traipsing about your dinner as the hillside becomes a part of their stage, not in a bad way. It's a really fun experience that shouldn't be missed. It's free after all! Join their mailing list so you don't miss out on next summer's productions.
The following day we celebrated the season's first College Game Day in appropriate fashion, by cheering the Bruins on in person! Matt surprised me with tickets to the UCLA season opener, and I couldn't be more excited. We made our way to the Rose Bowl with our Bruin gear in tow and totally prepared to be trapped in crazy traffic. Much to our surprise (and relief) we had zero problem navigating our way in, or out, of the stadium. With more than 68,000 in attendance, this still shocks me. The only surprise was the price ($25, yikes!) I've decided to go into the parking lot business. Next year, since we've decided we must get family and friends to join us to make this a yearly tradition, I hear there is a free lot with shuttle service. That will be happening.
We meandered through the parking lot (or golf course, to be more accurate) and through the crowd of people still partying it up before the game. At one point we were offered a strange pink liquid in a camel back. Thank you, college student, but no thank you.
In general, it was just a blast to be a part of the atmosphere. Our seats were in the sun, and unfortunately we forgot our sunscreen (whoops), but we had our water bottles and with the excitement of the game (and dreams of the Slurpees we would consume after) had a blast cheering the Bruins to a 34-16 victory.
After the game, we gulped down Slurpees in record time (Cherry and Coke for the win), and headed to Alhambra to continue satiating our thirst. We stopped at Ohana, a hole-in-the-wall brew shop hidden off First Street in Main. The place is so tiny, it's easy to miss. I'm glad we didn't. The beer was the perfect way to celebrate the game, which we did with some other Bruins fans also enjoying a pint. We couldn't settle on just one pint, so Matt and I ended up each getting a sampler platter (of beer....the best kind) and sharing sips.
Our favorite, hands down, was the Surf Shack Brett. I had never heard of a brett-style beer before. Turns out it's fascinating. Brett is short for Brettanomyces, a wild yeast that creates a more unique flavor profile, not unlike the sourness of a saison. The issue brewers have with Brettonmyces is that it is a very invasive organism and can quickly takeover a brewery. Ensuring that the Brett is properly controlled is a time consuming labor of love. It took Ohana's brew master seven months to craft the small batch of its Surf Shack Brett. Best seven months ever spent, in my opinion. The beer was delicious and light, yet full bodied. The brew won't last long so go grab a pint before it's too late! While there, also try the Spa Water Saison. It tastes like it sounds, the hint of cucumber is refreshing and crisp. Perfect for these hot, fall days!
Because Matthew loves me, and knows me oh so well, he treated me to one more stop before making our way back home: ice cream. Our original intention was to indulge in the Anvil Fries at Grill Em All (a seriously delectable dish made with duck, gravy, and cheese curds. Hello, best poutine creation ever.) But were side tracked when we came across Blockheads. How to describe this place....Blockheads serves custom made creamsicles along with an insane creation they call "snow cream." The opportunity to have both shaved ice and ice cream at once was too much for me to turn down. Snow cream is created with a block of solid frozen cream that is placed into a machine that grinds it down into a delicate and fluffy bowl of heaven. The flavors range from sweet cream to green tea and can be topped with an assortment of goodies. Matt and I stuck to the traditional condensed milk and added a generous heaping of almond brittle and strawberries.
I desperately wish I was in Alhambra right now for more....
Alhambra is a treasure trove of delicious, and creative, food choices. You have your staples, like delicious Korean BBQ, ramen, and Chinese, but all sorts of other fascinating joints too—38 Degrees Ale House, Grill Em All, and Boiling Crab, to name a few. Stay tuned for more on Alhambra's finest and other recent happenings in Birthday Shenanigans, Part Two!
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