Our 'MINI' LA adventure

Our LA adventure has begun, but before I bore you all with my waffle I feel I need to introduce you to the delights of our mini (as in car) game...... it is very very simple, there are many variations out there some complicated and some ever so slightly violent but this is our version and it goes like this: If you spot a mini, you shout 'MINI', you score 1 point for a recent mini, 2 for a clubman and old minis and if you see an old mini traveller then bonus time - 3 points. A car transporter with mini's on is worth 10 points. The game starts when the car is switched on and finishes when switched off. If two people shout mini together with no obvious winner then it is a draw and neither get a point. This is our simple but at times, infuriating game, which like all good visitors, we have introduced to Elizabeth and Zack. Zack is perhaps the quickest learner I have seen and much to my dismay soundly beating me on most car journeys, I blame jet lag and tired eyes.

LA, what a place, it is not necessarily everyone's cup of tea and especially if you don't drive, but being shown around by locals is allowing us to see a different side to a intriguing city. Yesterday, we went to the beach... as in Venice beach and for a stroll along Santa Monica pier taking in the sights at muscle beach, which is smaller than I thought it would be. The places are all familiar from all the years of watching films with the locations in but seeing it in the flesh so to speak is so much better, with the crowds, the odd balls, people trying to hawk you stuff and a guy playing the electric guitar on roller blades complete with flowing robes and purple turban.... Alas there were no lifeguards running along the beach to save someone form a riptide accompanied by corny music, nor were there bikini clan sunbathers (much to Richard's disappointment) but really what did he expect in March??

Now on to the highlight of the day the Oscars, E and Z's friends were hosting an Oscar party, Richard was in his element as they had Port Salut and brie cheese and for anyone not in the know this is his amber nectar..... so once he was pulled away from the cheese board we voted on the different categories and entered the competition..... this is similar to the Eurovision parties but not quite so damaging to the liver as we were not required to drink every time we won a point!! The hosts Andrew and Taylor have theeeee sweetest puppy going, who came in and joined the party sooo cute, I was warned that it would not fit in a pannier so no abduction attempts were made. The best logistical part of the party was the fact that we started slightly later than the actual ceremony and were watching a recording so fast forwarded all the boring speeches and adverts. Its fair to say that our combined knowledge of all the films up for Oscars was sketchy at best so Richard went for the 'educated guess' approach where as I went for the 'tick the top option' approach with the view that at least one would be right!!! Needless to say we were not ranked in the medal positions!! hummm really don't think we are going to be any better with the Oscars next year either.