Labor day weekend

It's a Bank Holiday weekend here in America. 'Labor Day' honours the labourers of the US and marks the informal end of summer. Though the end of summer here in Los Angeles is quite far off I think. It's been 30 degrees centigrade all week and very humid, too. We're glad we don't live in 'the valley' where it gets up to 40+ degrees!

Despite this, we still enjoyed a delicious mocha and cappucino at a local cafe. Starbucks is still everywhere but has some competition in the form of other Californian coffee chains (like 'The Coffee Bean' and 'Peets Coffee') as well as small, independent cafes.

We walked along the ocean front park to Pacific Palisades on Friday, which is north of Santa Monica. A range of huge bungalows and houses where every so often you'd peek through a gap in the property through to the valley beyond and admire the homes nestled in the hills with what I can only imagine as breathtaking views of the ocean.


Last night also marked a rare 'blue moon'. So called when there are 2 full moons in a month (not because the moon actually turns blue or anything.) I managed to take this grainy photo from the bedroom window of our apartment. Not a bad view if you take away the rooftop opposite and satellite dishes...

Quite a poignant moment considering Neil Armstrong passed away this week.

The presidential race is hotting up here. We've just had the Republic convention and it's the Democrats' turn next week. Mitt Romney reminds me of Principal Skinner from the Simpsons in all respects. That's not a compliment.

The Republican convention was quite entertaining if only for the overly patriotic and empty and absurd speeches. We're hoping the Democrats will show a little more intelligence next week.