This Adventure Called Retirement

Burbank CA is best described as a small oasis town in the valley behind the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, filled with numerous single family homes interspersed among the several major studios and backlots of production icons such as Paramount, Universal, Warner Brothers, to name a few. On our first day visit, after a breakfast of avocado toast on home-made sourdough bread, we drove a short distance into to Simi Valley to visit the Presidential Library of Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan holds special meaning to me – he was President of the United States for the first eight years of my naval service. I marched in his Inauguration Parade as a Midshipman at the US Naval Academy in January 1981. As President, he signed my Commissioning Certificate when I graduated from the US Naval Academy and was commissioned as a Naval Officer in May of that same year. I attended a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in 1986 where he spoke. And, as a Navy Captain in June 2004, I stood along Constitution Avenue in Washington DC and saluted his Caisson as he was transferred from the Capitol to the National Cathedral for his funeral.

His Presidential Library is in a beautiful locations in the Hills above Simi Valley. The complex is designed as a ranch and houses numerous memorabilia from his term as president, including the actual Boeing 707 Air Force One aircraft used by him in his presidency. It took us about 4 hours to tour the facility and we enjoyed every minute.

Following this visit we went to the Smoke House Restaurant in Burbank for dinner. They are advertised as home of the World’s Greatest Garlic cheese bread and it did not disappoint. The Smoke House was established in 1946 and is just outside Warner Brothers Studio. It is a favorite hangout of famous actors, actresses, and producers. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby and others of their time once enjoyed the original restaurant location. In the 60s Cowboy and Indian extras would stop in for lunch often still in their costumes from a film shooting.

On Tuesday we began the day with a walk around Lake Hollywood which is located just below the Hollywood sign. What a beautiful park it was! This was a 3.5 mile walk around the lake; a perfect distance for a walk to start the day.

We then picked up my sister, Mary, and went to the Hollywood restaurant, El Compadre, for lunch. For those who have streamed the series, “Bosch”, this restaurant is familiar as the main characters often met here in the show. They also have a flaming margarita which Mary and I enjoyed.