Happy Birthday Ivan!
It's so fitting that Ivan's name means "God's gracious gift" because he is such an incredible blessing to me.
The Huntington LibraryThe Lord blessed us with the most gorgeous weather for exploring the grounds of the Huntington Library. We strolled through a spectacular cactus garden (Ivan's favorite plant), a serene Japanese garden, saw huge koi fish (Ivan even pet one), and beautiful statues. In the library we saw some original manuscripts of famous literary masterpieces such as Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. We also saw a beautiful Guttenberg Bible - one of the first books ever printed. It was also neat to see a letter written by our very own first president, George Washington.
Saddle Peak LodgeBefore dinner we were able to explore the hills of Malibu. We saw many private driveways to hilltop mansions that overlooked the sparkling Pacific. The view was incredible on this clear, sunny day. Our dinner at the Saddle Peak Lodge was really wonderful. The restaurant is cozy and romantic, and we were seated at a secluded spot upstairs - next to the large elk head on the wall. We had such delicacies as butternut squash soup (compliments of the chef), foie gras, elk tenderloin, braised short ribs, and bread pudding. Delicious!
|
