Had coffee at Cafe Bonaparte with A. downing a single expresso like an italiano vero. We were enthralled by the local skateboarders, the board shops, and the general junk available for sale at Hermosa Beach. Identified a great hotel right on the "Strand" which is the walkway between the shops and houses and the beach.

Watched some men throw cookies and bagels into this thrall of seagulls with them hovering, snapping and biting each other for the booty. Seeing a seagull fly away with a complete bagel was a big undoing. We visited a great store beyond the surf joints--Powerhouse 6 with great graphics, the board stuff along with illustration stuff (tees by Jeremy Fish, wallets and accessories along with clothes from Obey, funny Kid-Robot-y toys, all wood (almost furniture like skateboards) boards from Bottega Montana--far beyond the world of laminates and plexi. Cool shoes. Cool wooden cut out (could have been laser cut) jewels and charm-y stuff. Inspired selection that was more about fashion and illustration versus the Surfside lineup (which isnt bad...its more predictable when you see it repeated).

While we were coffee drinking, a man brought two cute herding dogs who immediately leapt up on the pilons defining the main plaza from the eating areas. The dogs were on leashes and were clipped to the screen on the front of the lamps and were the California version of temple guardians. Wonderful. (thus the dog shot).

After about an hour and a half of this fun, it was time to meet up with Aunty Baby for our trek south to San Diego.