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April 24th., 2005: Matthew turns 30! Matthew's Birthday's photos are at http://www.tiswango.com/photos/2005/050430matt Matthew and I woke up early on Sunday. By 7:10 a.m. we were on the Turnpike, heading up to Hollywood. We stopped at Einsten Bagels to grab some bagels and coffee to start off our Beach Bash. A box of coffee and a dozen bagels and we were on our way to John U. Lloyd park to start the celebration! We got to the Park just after they opened at 8:00 am. Parked in the first spot available. Rock star parking, yeah! Walked a few bags to the pic nic area to secure a couple of tables and two BBQ grills. My dad was bringing the meat, so we made sure we had 2 grills available. Grabbed 4 tables and moved them around for form an oval shape with one grill on each end. After Matt finished bringing all the supplies, towels, beach chairs, etc., I set up the tables. We had gone to Party City to get some fun table clothes, shark napkins and colorful forks/knives/spoons. So I set up the breakfast table. It was actually a beautiful day. Plenty of sunshine. But, the temperature was around 65. Way too cold for us! After about 1/2 hour of being in the shade shivering, we decided to take our chairs and move under the sun closer to the ocean. And, it was great! Nice warm sun in our faces... the ocean was flat and there was a very nice breeze coming from the Northwest. Soon after, the Gamba's arrived! Yeah, our first guests.... then Yadira & Juan Carlos, then my parents, then Alex, Laura, Ralph, Jim & Erica, Tonya & Sergio, Lureen & Martin... it was a PARTY! Laura, Matt & I took Yadira and Juan Carlos for a snorkel tour. The water was still cold (probaby about 75). But, we found a very nice area. There were porkfish, ocean surgeonfish, baloonfish, flag fin mojarras, lane snappers, roughhead blennies, french, gray and queen angelfish, and we found 2 nurse sharks! It was great to be able to swim down without scuba gear. So light.. I felt like I was flying ! Probably 1/2 hour into the snorkel, we started to get a little cold. Yadira and Juan Carlos headed in with one of our surface markers. And, as they were leaving, Ralph cought up to us. So, we stayed a little longer. By then, the wind was blowing a little harder and it was getting colder on the surface. So, we swam for a little longer and then headed in. When we got to the picnic area, steaks & hamburgers were ready! My dad, like a maestro, juggling the spatula in between the two grills! It was quite a site. Everyone loved the BBQ! We had all kinds of different beers disguised in the Einstein coffee cups (no alcohol allowed in the park). We did a great job at discretely collecting the empty bottles into one of the 3 coolers. Ana made a yummy carrot cake for Matt. It was delicious, and it was gone by the end of the day. We closed down the park! No one wanted to leave. They guys played frisby and the girls chatted while drinking some mate. Overall, as Matt says, another wonderful day in Paradise. Thank you all who were there! Love, Andrea 
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