Today our family took a trip to Manhattan beach, which I must say is my favorite among the many beaches along L.A.'s coast. By the time we got there, the water was frigid even though the sand felt like hot coals beneath my feet. The kids and I immediately jumped into the water with our surfboards and waited for a good wave to catch. We had a great time - I bet we'll be back in a few weeks.

Today I went rock climbing at the Rockreation in Los Angeles. That place is so much fun! There are tons of fun bouldering walls to climb and the staff was very helpful when I had to rent their gear. Maybe I'll take the kids this weekend.

I went to the PresidenTwo Thai restaurant on Colorado Ave. in Pasadena tonight for dinner. Wow. They have the best Thai food I've ever had, and I've had a lot! Their pad-see-ew noodles are deliciously thick and sweet. Plus, their mango and sweet rice desert is to die for. There is simply no better cliché to describe it.

My friend Bud gave me a killer recipe for Aloha Burgers, an old time favorite of mine. These are the ingredients:

• 8 pinapple slices
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large sweet onion
• 1 tb butter
• lettuce leaves
• onion burger buns
• swiss cheese
• bacon strips (cooked)

Drain pineapple juice into a small bowl; add teriyaki sauce. Place 3 Tablespoon in a resealable plastic bag. Add pineapple and rotate to coat; set aside. Shape beef into four patties; place in a 8" square baking dish. Pour the remaining teriyaki sauce mixture over patties; marinate for 5-10 minutes, turning once. In a skillet, saute onion in butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Grill or broil burgers until no long pink. Place pineapple on grill or under broiler to heat through. Layer lettuce and onion on bottom of buns. Top with burgers, cheese, pineapple and bacon. Replace tops; serve immediately.