Honkey Ho

Karen sends her updates from Burbank, CA

Our friend, Patty, has been trying to get us to ride her horse for a year. Finally today we're on our way!

Pear and a little cheese for the long car ride.

This is her horse, Honkey. Short for Honkey Tonk.

By the end of the day my little angel will know how to stop the horse by saying "Honkey Ho!"

Hubby keeps trying to say he's not a horse person. For some reason I don't believe him.

Patty's little doggie is a love.

Before we can ride Honkey there's some work to be done.

4 happily does his share.

And then our friend gives 4 his first lesson.

She was so gentle and confident that he was on the horse by himself no problem.

Then she took him for a little ride through the country.

While I looked at wildflowers.

It's really beautiful out here.

Everything you'd expect to find on a ranch.

Wagon wheel.

Camel.

Camel???? What the heck is he doing here?

Patty explains that he belongs to the neighbors next door.

Everyone is yelling at me to get away from him because he spits.

He didn't spit at me.

We are all hungry. I'm a little worried because there's nothing really out here. The only restaurants I've seen are chain restaurants. But then Patty explains that there is a French restaurant around the corner. Let's go for it.

Literally a half a block away is Le Chene French Cuisine.

You would not believe this place exists out here.

It is beautiful, chic but not stuffy and everyone there is fantastic.

These are the owners. They greeted us at the door.

They set the menu here for us to look at.

Our friend orders a bloody mary.

I get an ice tea.

Hubby gets a French beer.

I decide to go for it with Escargot.

They make their bread fresh every day and they grow most of the vegetables they serve.

Delicious.

Our REAL French waiter, Michele. I love this part. So he wanted to know why I was taking so many pictures and I told him about the French Skinny Experiment. He then told me that no one in France would have iced tea with their lunch. (He made the stinky smell face) One would have orange juice, apple juice or water. And you don't drink coffee with dinner either. Only after. For a price he would be willing to give me etiquette lessons.

I love him.
I still had the iced tea.

Our friend ordered this.

Hubby ordered this.

I had the Duck Confiet Salad.

And a little taste of my friend's lunch.

4 ordered homemade ice cream for dessert.

My dessert.

Lunch is FANTASTIC. If you are ever out that way stop and eat there!

No stairs.

No walk.

Asleep very early.