Once we arrived in LA we had a little time to kill before we could check into the apartment we had rented in Venice. We were all hungry and when I saw we were staying not far from Huckleberry Cafe, I knew that's where we had to go for lunch. I had read a lot about Huckleberry on blogs and travel articles so I was excited to check it out and we weren't disappointed.

After lunch we wanted to drop off our bags and check out our apartment. We have rented several houses/apartments over the years and this was one of the best places we have ever stayed in. There was plenty of room to spread out, everyone got their own bedrooms, and best yet, there were lots of toys and games for the kids to play with. Once we got there and they saw all the kiddie stuff, we just hung out for a few hours so they could play and unwind.

Once everyone was sufficiently relaxed, we drove back over to Santa Monica to play on the beach and have dinner. We walked along the Santa Monica Pier and then Alan and the kids headed down to play in the sand and watch the sunset while I did a little shopping nearby.

Right along the beach is a group of restaurants owned by the Blue Plate Restaurant Group. We were all in the mood for seafood so we chose to eat at Blue Plate Oysterette. The food was delicious and the decor was classic New England meets Southern California cool.

*Photo courtesy of Blue Plate Oysterette*