For our sixth anniversary, Hal and I treated ourselves to twenty-four hours at a local hotel, blocks from home, a thousand miles from our everyday.
We could see our house from our suite on the eighth floor, Griffith Park Observatory and the snow-capped mountains, downtown and the ocean. Los Angeles is beautiful from above. Gorgeous from below as well, but sometimes a new perspective on an old place can do wonders.
Our room had been upgraded as a surprise, a gift from Hal's parents, who six years ago, pitched in with my parents to pay for our room at the MGM Grand, where we spent our wedding night. They also sent us champagne and strawberries. (Thank you, Sue & Norm!)
We raised our glasses, sucked them dry...
...Ordered room service and ate french fries in bed, clad in robes.
And eventually, got ready to do up the town...
We ate somewhere we had never been as a couple before. Ordered appetizers and drank more champagne. Held hands at the valet booth, kissed in the elevator. Whispered sentiments that we would have written down in cards if either of us had remembered to buy them.
Reflected...
... On years well spent together, even the hard ones, even the bad ones. Watched the piano player from the lounge of our hotel. Built in the late 20's, the Sunset Tower was the first earthquake-resistant structure in Los Angeles. A fantastic analogy for our marriage thus far. With all its quakes and tremors, broken pieces, new repairs, here we were, six years later, still standing. Renovated in new clothes for the occasion and a new perspective for life. (Or as long as we agree to have each other.)
"To us," we toasted again, his Old Fashioned against my dirty martini. (Hey, now.)
Later, we went back to our room...
And talked...
... And stuff.
In the morning, we brunched poolside, feet tangled under the table as we sipped our final celebratory glasses, wedding rings catching the light.
When the sun became too strong we moved ourselves into the shade where we sat waiting, exhaling, wink-wink, nudge-nudge, ha-ha, holding hands until check out.
Minutes later we were back home with our children. Still holding hands.
"To love and staying earthquake proof."
Cheers, baby. Can't wait for seven.
GGC
