Mom's Birthday Ruined by the cold weather- Beach? out of the question (Pasadena: buy)

[CLAUDETTE101]

My mom is turning 53 this sunday and I had invited some of my uncles and aunts to spend a day at the beach in honor of her birthday. You see, it has been tough over the past 2 yrs- mom had 2 strokes, grandpa went blind, uncle had heart attack 3 wks ago, and we are still dealing with an absurd family feud. So i thought a day at the beach would be a nice relaxing way to bring our family together but the weather!
I am all out of ideas on what to do this sunday.
Diner at our place?- too much work she'll end up doing.
Eating out?- Grandparents very picky- granpa is anti-social (can't leave him home).

I seriously do not know what to do.
any Suggestions?
Please help! Will truly appreciate.
thanks!

[UB50]

Where are you and the rest of your family located? What beach did you plan to meet at?

It's typically cool in May and June (Gray May and June Gloom).

[VLWH]

Originally Posted by CLAUDETTE101

My mom is turning 53 this sunday and I had invited some of my uncles and aunts to spend a day at the beach in honor of her birthday. You see, it has been tough over the past 2 yrs- mom had 2 strokes, grandpa went blind, uncle had heart attack 3 wks ago, and we are still dealing with an absurd family feud. So i thought a day at the beach would be a nice relaxing way to bring our family together but the weather!
I am all out of ideas on what to do this sunday.
Diner at our place?- too much work she'll end up doing.
Eating out?- Grandparents very picky- granpa is anti-social (can't leave him home).

I seriously do not know what to do.
any Suggestions?
Please help! Will truly appreciate.
thanks!

Have the food catered in or order it to go from a restaurant or a store like Gelsons.

[Bunjee]

Originally Posted by UB50

Where are you and the rest of your family located? What beach did you plan to meet at?

It's typically cool in May and June (Gray May and June Gloom).

That information would get you more precise suggestions. I'll assume you're maybe South Bay or adjacent if you're beach-intended? I'd recommend Griffith Park's Old Zoo, Huntington Library in Pasadena or various parks in Santa Monica for a picnic, but I'd want to make the commute and parking easy for everyone. The Del Rey Lagoon in Playa del Rey would be excellent even for overcast weather since it's a wildlife oasis and there would be bird watching. There are all kinds of places along Rancho Palos Verdes, but I worry about any hiking for your mom's sake. San Pedro has a beautiful overlook at the Korean Bell, but be prepared for wind. It may be late for planning, but there are a few Japanese gardens that are perfect for relaxing, but there need to be advance arrangements for some of them. That may still be worth looking into online.

I love food, but I wouldn't worry too much about it as food is always secondary at get-togethers. It's more about the celebration so make it easy on yourself. Buy your food at the grocery store for a cold picnic. A couple of pre-roasted chickens, some premade (or your own simple, prepared) side dishes. Buy a cheesecake from the store with a bag of frozen fruit defrosted in Tupperware for the sauce. Food 4 Less sells a dozen croissants for $3.98, though they're not butter croissants, but with greens, sliced cheeses and vegetables, mayo, mustard, maybe pesto, some deli meats along with the chicken, tomatoes--people can assemble their own sandwiches. Go to 99 Cents Only or Dollar Tree or Big Lots for crackers and chips. All in all, for a dozen people that's a quick shopping trip of about $80, not including beverages.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by CLAUDETTE101

My mom is turning 53 this sunday and I had invited some of my uncles and aunts to spend a day at the beach in honor of her birthday. You see, it has been tough over the past 2 yrs- mom had 2 strokes, grandpa went blind, uncle had heart attack 3 wks ago, and we are still dealing with an absurd family feud. So i thought a day at the beach would be a nice relaxing way to bring our family together but the weather!
I am all out of ideas on what to do this sunday.
Diner at our place?- too much work she'll end up doing.
Eating out?- Grandparents very picky- granpa is anti-social (can't leave him home).

I seriously do not know what to do.
any Suggestions?
Please help! Will truly appreciate.
thanks!

The beach weather forecast is 67F and patchy fog. That doesn't sound cold.

Inland like Pasadena is supposed to be 80F, warm but not hot and patchy fog.

With all those older people with physical challenges, I'd go to the easiest, most convenient, most comfortable environment as possible. That just might be someone's home. Probably will be a lot less expensive than a constraining restaurant and cleaner and more comfortable than a beach with hard benches, dirty bathrooms, potential crowds, traffic, parking hassles.

[VLWH]

Originally Posted by Charles

The beach weather forecast is 67F and patchy fog. That doesn't sound cold.

Inland like Pasadena is supposed to be 80F, warm but not hot and patchy fog.

With all those older people with physical challenges, I'd go to the easiest, most convenient, most comfortable environment as possible. That just might be someone's home. Probably will be a lot less expensive than a constraining restaurant and cleaner and more comfortable than a beach with hard benches, dirty bathrooms, potential crowds, traffic, parking hassles.

I was inland in Camarillo this afternoon and it was completely overcast, but when I headed to Malibu the sky cleared and it was really nice. It was a little windy but not bad at all.