Transplanter Day Trips with Mom (and another Reason to Live in LA- #5)

Mom stands after dining on lobster rolls at Neptune's Net and our winding drive through the Santa Monica Mountains.

Mom chillin' in Palm Springs!

Malibu Surfers

Take us to the stores, Grove Trolley!

Whose sunglasses are bigger?!?!?!

Mom was in town last week visiting the husband and I. During her visit, she wanted to hit some of the restaurants I've mentioned on the blog, so of course, we did. Genghis Cohen (Kosher Chinese), Real Food Daily (RFD) - vegan & vegetarian, and Samalung Noodle House (Thai), were just a few of the tasty treats, but so was going to Scoops ice cream - a first for all of us. Our friends Stephe and Vanessa have been telling about this place forever. Luckily, we three went there with our buddies for our first Scoops ice cream experience. It was everything they said it would be and more! (Scoops became my next Reason to Live in LA - #5!)

We also shopped a couple of times at Trader Joe's since Texas doesn't have the grocery chain and Mom adores it, like I do.

Even though being in overcast, lazy-gray LA was okay, the real fun was to be had in sunny, windy Palm Springs, where Mom and I "vacationed" for two days. Between shopping in downtown Palm Springs, swimming at the Shilo Inn pool, playing the slots at the Morongo Casino and Casino Spa Resort (pass on this one), shopping twice at the nearby outlets, and enjoying an amazing three course dinner at Ricco's during Palm Springs Restaurant Week, we vacationed our booties off. I might have got us lost once or twice, but for the most part, we stayed on our course of fun.

We returned back to LA, and headed out the next day to Malibu. By my little mistake, instead of driving the Pacific Highway to Neptune's Net, the restaurant Mom and I both wanted to visit on Rachael Ray's recommendation (yes, I will admit that's where I heard about it!), I drove us up and up and up the Santa Monica Mountains. Holy crap, that was scary. Gorgeous views with no guard rails, none of which I captured on camera because I couldn't drive and shoot at the same time. For those of you who are not afraid of heights, I say take this on. For those of you who prefer to remain closer to the ground, I say take the Pacific Highway. We finally stopped when we reached Neptune's Net. The food was delicious and the air was salty and the view was hazy and surfy. Mom and I both had yummy lobster rolls and we watched bikers roll up and out on their Harleys. After lunch, we hit the Malibu's Country Mart, which was fun, but more like an outdoor mall. After being to all of the outlets in Palm Springs, we were a bit "malled out" and headed back to LA.

Mom took Josh and I out for dinner at Samalung for our anniversary, which was a perfect last night in town place to eat. Samalung is my favorite Thai place in LA, and though the environment isn't very sexy, the food will knock you out. Cash only.

Mom had to leave on Wednesday, which wasn't much fun, but we were happy to have her here for the week. Our next visit will be when I check out her newly decorate condo in Montgomery! I've been watching the renovations via her blog, So What's New, and I'm excited to see them (and her again) in person!