Growing up in the LA area, the favorite hangout spot in the summer was naturally the beach. Not just any beach but Huntington Beach. Hot and steamy summer days full of tan, teenage hard bodies. Once upon a time in my life I was actually one of them. And since Al grew up in the LA area as well, HB was his summer hang out spot too...just a decade earlier than me!
In our early married life while we still lived in the LA area as well as when we moved back for a few years and had Alison, HB was still the beach of choice. I have fond memories of evening weenie roasts and marshmallows on bent coat hangers over HB fire pits.
One of the very best vacations we ever took was when Al was a general manager at Chuy's here in AZ and bringing home some awesome monthly bonuses. Al was working long, hard hours there and our family was certainly growing up. It kind of felt like this would probably be the last family vacation where we'd be lucky enough to get all three kids to attend and they wouldn't be resentful of the family time. So it was decided. We'd spend a week at Huntington Beach and just relax. Little did I know what Al had up his sleeve. The five of us packed up and flew to LAX, rented a car and made our way through the streets of LA. Past Randy's Donuts, then a little detour through Bel Air/Brentwood/Beverly Hills to gaze at mansions. Finally we arrived at our destination, Huntington Beach. We had reservations at the Hilton on PCH directly across from the beach but what we didn't know is that Al had booked an amazing ginormous suite with a massive wraparound patio/balcony. We were in shock. It was so luxurious and unbelievable, not the kind of thing we ever indulged in. We spent that week lying on the beach, swimming in the ocean, visiting family, and hitting some of our favorite places. It was the best week I could ever have asked for. My entire family all in one place, enjoying each others' company and just relaxing. It was a trip we often looked back on with very fond memories.
So when I was in the LA area for the family reunion just over a week ago Alison, Lesley and I knew we had to go to HB. Funny, sitting at Jack's on the boardwalk holding Isla while Lesley ate her shaved ice, I gazed out over the sand at the teenagers, young families and adults and saw different stages of my own life mixed in with all of theirs. I squinted hard and saw my teenage self playing volleyball in the sand, turned my head and caught of glimpse of my very young family holding those bent coat hangers with charcoaly hot dogs over the fire and caught the eye of an older me walking on the boardwalk holding my husband's hand, trailing behind our 3 teenage kids as we all headed back to the hotel for our last night of paradise.
I can only hope my kids will keep HB alive in their hearts and lives as they raise their families and enjoy a trip here and there to our old stomping grounds.
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