Thurs.-Sat., April 21-23, 2022
As you may recall, for the past two seasons I have worked as the Analytics Coach for Head Coach Jason Sabolic's El Camino Real H.S. Royals American football team.
Jason's parents, Joanne and Paul, are dear, longtime friends of ours so the fit is a good one for both Laurie and myself.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Elco as the Royals are often referred to, had their Fall 2020 season postponed until the Spring of 2021. The following, normal Fall 2021 season made for a lot of Elco football in a relatively short amount of time but it all paid off in the end.
The Royals swept through the 2021 Los Angeles City DII playoffs in dominating fashion outscoring their four opponents 126-48. That translates into winning their playoff games by an average of 19.5 points per game.
Paul Sabolic promised to take us all out to dinner to celebrate the championship season but life kept getting in the way until Friday night.
As it turned out, we would have more than just one thing to celebrate.
Now, where to eat?
OH MY GOODNESS!
Paul decided to treat us to a most amazing meal in one of the finest restaurants in Ventura County, the incredibly luxurious Mastro's Steakhouse.
I had heard so many good things about his fine dining spot but never dreamed of ever actually dining at this high end establishment.
We had a party of eight joining in the festivities including our hosts Paul and Joanne, Jason and his wife Teri, the Sabolic's daughter Nicole and her husband Nick plus Laurie and I.
Besides the Elco season, we were also celebrating the announcement that Nicole and Nick are now expecting their first child which means that Joanne and Paul will be grandparents for the third time.
CONGRATULATIONS!
As for the meal at Mastro's . . .
The seafood tower appetizer
was INCREDIBLE!
Of course, Mastro's is a STEAKHOUSE after all so our main courses consisted of a variety of wonderful, delicious, juicy cuts of animal flesh prepared to absolute perfection.
Mastro's easily lived up to its well earned reputation.
Yes, the desserts were out of this
world as well!
We can not begin to thank the Sabolic family for this never to be forgotten, three hour dining experience.
Oh, there was one more thing to make the night even more memorable.
Jason had a surprise for Paul and I.
We both received our
2021 Los Angeles City DII Championship
rings during the dinner
Truly a beautiful ring that celebrates a wild season.
After Friday night's feast, we had a Feast of another kind on Saturday.
Saturday was the Feast of St. George
as Facebook gladly reminded me
In Barcelona, the Catalan version of
St. George is Sant Jordi
We had a full plate on our schedule on this Feast day that started with Jacob's Camarillo YMCA basketball game.
Will the opening tip EVER come down?
Jacob inbounding the ball
There was lots of running
during the game
But not enough to come even close to wearing down Jacob's batteries.
Jacob about to join in double teaming
the lad with the ball
Running to help on defense again
I was extremely proud of the effort and hustle that Jacob gave in the game.
About to steal the ball from
the big woman in the paint
The exact moment when Jacob broke
the all-time Contreras family record
in the vertical jump
It was officially recorded at a whopping 4.75 inches!
Homeric to say the least.
Jacob reaching in yet again
Team joy after scoring a rare bucket
by the big fella on the right
Attacking yet again, he did
have a lot of steals today . . .
. . . like this one that . . .
. . . led to this fast break opportunity
About to earn a foul
That ball draws a lot of attention
and a hack or two
Running the floor
Fighting for position
Jacob's turn to get hacked
His team's half court trap was on
Smothering the ball led to . . .
. . . another steal
Trying to find an open teammate
Forcing a turnover
After the game we headed to Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.
on the L.A. Rams Super Bowl Trophy
Tour throughout Southern California
As Jacob is now a ten year-old, die hard Rams fan so we simply had to go see the trophy.
Jacob made a quick change
into his Aaron Donald jersey
for the occasion
I got into the long line to see the trophy while Jacob and Mike explored the activities that had been set up.
After they left me, an official informed me that it would be a 90 minute wait from my place in the queue to actually seeing the trophy.
WR Jacob interacting with
a random DB on a highly
contested pass play
When Mike and Jacob returned we all agreed that the 90 minute wait was simply too long so I got out of line.
We did find Rampage the
team's mascot with the Super Bowl
Trophy in the distance
That black tape behind Jacob
keeps people like us away from
the people in that long line we left
We were close enough to the Super Bowl LVI Vince Lombardi Trophy to satisfy our needs.
Only one thing to do now . . .
EAT!
No where near the level of Mastro's Steakhouse just down the street but still good in its own right for a solid lunch.
In the evening, we were off to Tierra Linda Elementary School in Camarillo to attend an outdoor showing of the movie WALL E which was being viewed in conjunction with the recent Earth Day festivities.
Mary was excited to show us her
Tierra Linda first grade classroom
Go Hawks GO!
The screen was ready but the
setting Sun was not on the Hawks'
playground/grass field areas
Jacob who also is a Hawk was all over the place alternately playing basketball, passing a football and generally running around with his classmates and friends for about two hours before the film started.
Finally it was dark enough
to start this quirky, environmentally
oriented animated movie from both 2008
and the far distant future
My Saint's Feast Day was truly a fun filled, wholesome family oriented day.
Reading Is FUNdamental!
An informative, historical piece
that I found quite interesting
Paul Sabolic has counseled me to read more non-fiction tomes like this one as opposed to my usually fictional mysteries.
I have to say that it was a good departure from my usual mainstream reading appetites.
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