I can sum up the loveliness of my entire Los Angeles vacation by sharing with you three pictures.  So, without wasting any more time, I present you exhibits 1, 2 and 3.

(Exhibit 1)

(Exhibit 2)

(Exhibit 3)

Okay, I’ll share more, but first, can you scroll up a bit and just take another look at those shots?  Don’t worry, your keyboard can handle a bit more drool. Yes ladies and gents, that is me.  Yours truly.  Snuggling close to Kevin McKidd, Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane. What hunks, huh?  And just to clarify – exhibit 3?  That’s McSteamy himself showing Samantha and I home photos (on his Blackberry) of his (at the time) 24 day old beautiful baby girl Billie Beatrice.  Let’s hear a group “aaaaaaw.”

Moving on, the rest of my trip was filled with typical Southern California things.  Lots of orange trees, lemon trees, palm trees.  Shopping on Robertson and (window) shopping on Rodeo.  Drives through the hills, hikes through Runyon, sight seeing trips at the Pier.

Orange trees

Lemon trees

Santa Monica Pier

There was also time to kick back and relax with good friends.  After all this was a vacation!  I enjoyed joy rides down the 101, lunches on Sunset and a night out at Sky Bar.

Me, Claire, Ashley

Me, Sam

Sam, Claire, me

And, last but most certainly not least, the best part – I said it, and I meant it – the best part of my trip involved spending time with my beautiful family. My dad is from Los Angeles, so there remains a whole bunch of cousins and babes that I rarely get to see.  My California family is amazing.  I stayed with two of my cousins, spent the day on the set of Grey’s with another, and visited with the entire bunch o’cousins (all 17) on my final night.

We gathered at our cabana at the Bel Air Bay Club, and began with a toast over champagne.  A toast to my visit and to our family.

We all caught up, laughed until our bellies ached, watched the little ones with awe, and shortly after the sun set over the Pacific we packed up the leftover cheese and crackers (in my family there ain’t nevah leftovers in the wine department!) and enjoyed the most delicious dinner in the formal dining room.  It was pretty cool, a table set for nearly 20, with walls made of glass overlooking the beach, waves crashing in the foreground.

Bay club

View from the cabana

Cutest babe

Click to enlarge! About half of my cousins (all the adults).

Certainly a life I could get used to.  After even more bottles of red, and a perfectly presented cup of vanilla bean crème brulée, the night just had to come to an end.  After all I had a terribly horrible red eye  to catch back to the East Coast.  Had to make it home for Easter dinner with the family.  So teary eyed, and hearts full I said my goodbyes to the most gracious hosts an East Coast gal could ask for, and headed to LAX.

I miss your home, your fresh fruit and english muffins with jam in the morning and glasses of red in the evening. I miss you cousins, and I miss you LA. To my favorite hosts, I love you and cannot wait until January when I see you again.

Cousin Susu, cousin Leroi, me