Palos Verdes and San Pedro

Took a little drive with James around the Palos Verdes - San Pedro peninsulas to check out the Korean Friendship Bell. The thing was neither of us really knew where it was. I had an idea where but not exactly... so we drove around for a while. All I knew was that it was somewhere in either Palos Verdes or San Pedro.
The plan (which almost never works out) was to have lunch at Bruddah's in Gardena then head out. As we pull up it is obvious that it was closed. Not because it was Martin Luther King Day, apparently, they are closed every Monday! We were in the mood for Hawaiian and L&L was not going to cut it for me.
Plan B became Gardena Bowl's restaurant. James had never been there and Berda took me there a while back. Along with some of the standard Hawaiian/Asin foods, their menu had some things that L&L, Roy's and Ono Hawaiian would never have on their menu (think fried bologna and eggs over rice!).
Once filled up, we headed out. Going up Hawthorne Boulevard, we got to the ocean side of the peninsula. We stopped at the first park we saw (Fred Hesse Community Park) to check out the view and get our bearings. It was a beautiful park with a gorgeous view of Catalina Island and (according to a man walking his two dogs) Santa Barbara Island in the distance. It was cool that it was raining and sunny at the same time. He gave us some vague directions to the Korean Friendship Bell after admitting that he has never been to see it either. Though he was positive that it was in San Pedro not Palos Verdes. We thanked him and continued on.
We stopped at a Starbucks at the end of Hawthorne Boulevard for something to drink and enjoy another view. Of all the Starbucks I've been to (and I've been to quite a few of them) this one has one of the best views, too bad I left my camera in the car.
The next stop was less than a mile away. I saw a sign that said Whale Watching site. Luckily, it wasn't as quick a turn into the driveway as many of our "last minute swerves after seeing a sign from the left lane" experiences, I know long name, but a very accurate description.
It was the Pointe Vicente Interpretive Center. Why it was called that, I have no idea. There was a group from the American Cetacean Society. They keep track of the whales along the coast.

There are a good number of picnic tables and a seating area facing the water.

The Pointe Vicente Lighthouse is within walking distance.

I've been to the lighthouse a LONG time ago but I don't remember the interpretive center being there. It is a very nice park to have a picnic and enjoy the view, glad we swerved turned into the driveway.
After a couple of halts (read: LOST), I gambled (I say "I" because someone fell asleep) with a right turn and found (read: STUMBLED) into Angel's Gate Recreation Center!




All in all, it was a successful drive! Hah! Who need GPS?