Beach, Buddies and Buffy

Today I spent 12 and a half hours with one of my favorite people on the planet... Robert. First thing was breakfast.. I drove to Robert's place down in the Santa Monica area, we went to a local IHop. This had to be the smallest IHop I have ever seen but it was also the busiest... it was pretty crazy but also very tasty. First up on today's agenda was to visit a beach. I wanted to take Robert to a cool and very secluded beach that I've been to a few times. I thought it was Leo Carrillo state park in Malibu, but as we were driving a saw a sign for El Matador State Park and I had been to that one as well so it may be the one I was thinking about. About an mile down we came to Leo Carrillo beach and I realized that it was El Matador that I wanted to take him to so we turned around and headed back. Unfortunately we couldn't find a parking spot. I had thought I saw a sign about a half mile away for a second parking lot but when we got there I found out that it was for La Piedra State Beach. We figured what the heck, there was parking and if worse comes to worse it was only about a half mile from El Matador and we could walk there. We found our way down to the beach with the help of a fellow beach goer.

It was quite a hike down but there were stairs embedded in the side of the hill until you got to the last five or so feet where it was just boulders that you have to climb down. We got to the beach and it was very secluded. When we got there there was only two other groups on the beach with us. There weren't as many rock formations as El Matador state beach but it was a nice area.

It was still very foggy and we were hoping that it would burn off fairly soon. It was warm outside, even with the fog but it was cold to go into the water. After several tries we found a spot that with the least amount of bugs (it was fun watching Robert battle it out with ants and gnats).

We chatted, laughed and just laid in what sun there was for over an hour and a half. The fog did lift for a bit and then would return. It got super hot and then warm again. The important thing was that we had a nice time hanging out at the beach. Afterwards we headed back to his place so I could shower and get all the sand off me.

Second thing on today's agenda was to go see a movie. We were trying to decided between Oz, Oblivion, Evil Dead or GI Joe Retaliation. In the end we decided on GI Joe Retaliation. We drove to Century City AMC and picked up our tickets. I was a bit hungry so we went to the food court and I got some Panda Express while Robert grabbed a snack. We still had about 45 minutes before our movie started so we walked around the mall for a bit before heading to the theater and taking our seats.

I know some folks bad mouth the first GI Joe movie but I actually enjoyed it. It was a fun action packed ride and I was expecting the same from GI Joe Retaliation. And guess what.. it was exactly what I was expecting.. a fun action packed roller coaster of a ride experience. I am a huge Dwayne Johnson (the Rock) fan so it was great seeing him take the lead in this movie. I loved some of the camera work as they would go fast then slow mo and zoom in, then zoom out and speed up again. The action scenes were amazing. The story was good and defiantly sets it up for a third movie. I got what I paid for and very entertaining two hours. I give GI Joe Retaliation a solid B

While we were at the mall the topic of Ferngully came up and the fact that I have never seen it. It's always been on my list of "must see" movies but I just never got a round to actually watching it. Well Robert was shocked and said if it was on streaming that when we got back to his place we would watch it.

But before we got back to his place we picked up some Taco Bell for dinner. Once at his place we found out that Netflix did have Ferngully on streaming so we started it. Over the years I have heard so many great things about this movie so I was expecting big things. After watching it, I have to say that I was a bit disappointed in it. The "hit you over your head" story didn't bother me, but that was really the only story. The 80's rock music was a bit eh and I had no idea that it was a musical (but I should have guessed). It bothered me that when the fairies flew they didn't flap their wings. I know I'm being petty and I know that this is a well loved movie from alot of people's childhood and maybe I would feel differently if I had seen it as a child but it doesn't hold up over time (at least in my opinion). I was expecting this awesome fantasy movie and all I got was a PSA for the deforesting of our rain forests. I wanted to love it, I really did, but I couldn't. I give the movie a C.

We still had a few hours left in the day so Robert and I continued our Buffy Rewatch/First Time. We are in the middle of Season Five. First up was "Listening to Fear"   Ben summons an extraterrestrial Queller demon in order to "remove" the large number of mentally ill people that Glory has created. However, a side effect of Joyce's illness puts her in the Queller's sights.

Not a favorite of mine for season five but it does expose Ben's roll somewhat.. we now know his is involved with Glory somehow. The bulk of the story was about Joyce and her illness and Buffy finally breaking down from all that is happening.

Our second episode of the night was "Into the Woods" Riley is invited to join a new Initiative-like organization which would require him to leave Sunnydale. He gives Buffy an ultimatum: Give him a reason to stay or he will be gone from her life forever.

I enjoyed this episode more then the previous one. Joyce questions Buffy about Dawn not being her daughter and Buffy tells the truth that she is not. But Joyce reinforces that they need to protect her at all costs. But the big thing that happens in this episode is the break up of Riley and Buffy.  Had some great Spike moments but the best scene was when Xander talks to Buffy about her love for Riley and realizes his love for Anya. He makes Buffy realize that she truly loves Riley but of course she is too late to tell him this as he flies away in a helicopter never see her again.. such a heart wrenching moment.

I was a fantastic day spent with my best friend. Robert and I are like two peas in a pod. And we realized today that we've actually only known each other for just over a year... though it feels like he's been part of my life forever.... and he will always be part of my life... forever.