I Felt Warm-West Coast Trip Day Three

Day three is a Sunday, Oct 30.

Before I even got up, I heard Albatross walk out of the door. He went shopping since he was going to cook, as he always do for Sunday.

I turned around and fell into sleep again. I can spoil myself with friend like this.

It was a beautiful day. I heard the previous weekend was rainy, but I have had only those typical transparent, cloudless and ocean blue sky of Southern California.

The day was so beautiful that I felt guilty and ache from walking in that dustless, quiet and sunny surroundings of Irvine, with female Albatross that morning. We went to a nearby Iran grocery store to get the specially baked Iran bread.

We have planned to go back to Laguna beach that afternoon. But first, we will enjoy a good meal by Albatross.

I remember when I grew up, Sunday noon is a big time for family meal. Dumpling was usually the main course. It is time for family to catch up and enjoy. And I am waiting like a little girl for Albatross to show me his magic.

Man who love to cook is very attractive, like man who love kids. And this photo I snatched for Albatross since I could not help otherwise captured his calm enjoyment of cooking.

Since we came from the same city, even hearing him describe what he will cook make me feel hungry.

Before long, here it is: Catfish with Eggplant, Clams, Pork with Celery, Rice noodle with spinach and egg strips and Bei Ji Bei. Alluring color combination as well. The pround chef posed with his art in this photo.

We can not wait to start. The three of us sit around the dishes, poured out beer. Start drinking from noon is pretty fun, not to say I was on vacation.

My head looked really big from this photo, but so long as the Albatross couple looked so elegant and refined, I am happy.

After lunch, we drove to Laguna again. There is a gallery exibiting the prints of works by Rembrandt and Durer. Albatross's favorite.

Sunday afternoon at the ocean front Avenue of Laguna beach, bright sunlight flows like water. We sat there enjoying our icecream, like it is the most interesting thing in the whole world. New York and pressure of work seems far away.

We all liked this special exibition of Sergey Smirnov. His inheritage of Russion Icon painting tradition like that of Andrei Rublev and drastic use of color creates dreamy image with inner side that seems rich and transending of its simplicty and distortion.

Me being me, has to post again infront of this painting of a Geisha in yellow and green. My color scheme is consistent. I like it when you look closer, you can see the traffic in the gallery window.

Evening drew close. We walked across street to the ocean front. Sand in southern California is cold. I walked bear footed to the water. Pacific wave touched my skin. This is the big pond that saperate here from home. I was far away from the land I came from. But which land is really a home to me, I can no longer tell.

Albatross and I were both at the hometown back in June. The heat and chaos frustrated us. Although seeing parents were a blessing. But we both feel a stranger at the home town. We drifted a apart. I was too used to New York city, while Albatross liked his quiet southern California living. We are homeless in a good way, maybe.

The photo I took of the couple reminded me of a film of Japanese new wave for no particular rason. It striked me as a film clip, it was alive and breathing. They two were reacting to each other.

The sun has set. I was standing near the water. Albatross took this photo of me. What was I thinking of, seeing again the beautifual sunset of west coast.

Finally we grabbed a stranger to take this photo of the three of us. You can tell how much taller they are than I am and how happy we were.

We strolled around more to see the little stores. I bought a hat from this store. Hat and scarf are my favorite accessories.

I liked Laguna beach. I saw little houses on top of mountains like the porsitano. On the bruchure of the city, it said this is Norther of Italy and Southern of France. It is very non patrotic for an American town. But it is indeed layback and elegant. The art as Albatross point out, has a taste of toursity and shallow quality, but it has gems in it if you look carefully.

And a time out with frinds is priceless, whereever we are. I sounds like a Visa card advertisements.

Back home, Albatross lighted the fireplace. We sat on the couch, drank wine, sipped tea and talked about the past. We found that Female Albatross is a descendant of Li Hong Zhang and I even concluded that she is the same generation of Zhang Ai Ling. That make us excited.

Albatross said Zhang Ai Ling wanted to move to Las Vegas before she died. I picture her living alone in this land, read books, write, think of past, think of shang hai. She striked me as rootless and home less too. I am not surprised that she might enjoy the sound of Casino, the face of gamblers. She live and she does not depress.

We chatted until 1:30. That is 3:30 am in New York. We hope the evening could be longer. But it is really the happiness that we shared, the days that existed, that we shall remember and enjoy.

Thank you my friends, all three of you, for being such great company and host for the three unforgetable days in my life.