Hike to Griffith Observatory

We have been trying out new hiking trails on the weekends lately, and this one was a gem! I have lived in the Los Angeles area almost all my life, and had no idea this trail system existed. We decided we wanted to take a visit to the Griffith Observatory, then found out that there were several trails that led up there. Rather than try to fight with the lack of parking at the Observatory, this seems like a win-win situation! It's easy to find. From Los Feliz, just turn right on Fern Dell. You will see the trailhead on your left, and cars lined up along both sides of the street.

When you begin at the trailhead, you wind through a beautiful tree lined path along a bubbling brook. It's very zen-like and peaceful. Once you hit the dirt path, it is all uphill from there. Literally. I would say the trek up to the Observatory probably takes somewhere between 30-45 minutes, depending on your pace. You would not believe the incredible views on the way up, as well as the sweeping views at the top. Breathtaking. And Hollywood nostalgic, too.

Our first glimpse of the Observatory at the beginning of the hike.

Vance found a nice little niche he wanted to climb.

Luke wanted to hold the cute little Observatory in his hand.

Getting closer!

Oh, and a view of the Hollywood sign on the way up too!

From the top, you can see all of downtown, and even neighboring towns. You can see all the little neighborhoods, and if you are lucky, you can even see someone fall off their bike. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the ocean.
Luke, beginning his planking tour of the Observatory.

Ahhh....finally there after the steep ascent!

A quick pic before heading into the Observatory for an hour or so.

Luke planking next to his buddy Albert.
Taking in the views.

And a final plank for good posterity!

Chick Fil A Tortilla Soup Clone

A couple weeks ago, we took a field trip to Chick Fil A. Since I am watching my calories right now, I opted to eat their tortilla soup for lunch. With only 230 calories, I thought it was a wise choice. It was amazingly flavorful and delicious and was really more like a chili, with two kinds of beans in it. That day, I set out to find a recipe that was just like it, but I could not find anything online with similar ingredients. I looked on the Chick Fil A website to see the list of ingredients, and I about lost my lunch. Figuratively speaking that is. The list of chemical additives is attrocious, including MSG and the like. Yuck.

So with a little experimenting (which always scares my children), I came up with a delicious version of my own, with all natural ingredients. I was so happy with the way it turned out, and my boys said "Mom, this one is a keeper!" Mission accomplished.

I did tweak the spices quite a bit, as I like a bit of a bite to it, so you can adjust to suit your taste. And if are willing to be patient, I think this soup is even better the day after. Forgive me, but I did not take a picture.

Chick Fil A Tortilla Soup Clone

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

6 cups chicken broth

1 can black beans

1 can corn

1 can cannelini beans or any white bean

shredded rotisserie chicken, or 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 small can chopped green chilies

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp each cumin, pepper, chili powder

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Few dashes hot sauce

1 cup sour cream

Cornstarch to thicken if needed

salt to taste

Saute the onions and garlic in a bit of oil, until soft. Add chicken broth and remaining ingredients (except sour cream and cornstarch) to pot. Bring to a boil, and then simmer. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream, and salt to taste. At this point, I mixed some cornstarch with water, and added to the pot to thicken it a bit. You can decide how thick you want it, and can also add more sour cream as a thickener if you wish. Garnish with crushed tortilla chips, grated cheese, avocado, and cilantro.