Oh, Israel!

Greetings! It has been some time since any entries have been posted, the reason of late being because we are in Israel! I will be back to the daily postings soon enough, but until then, check out the photo blog site that I have set up to easily share and journal our journey - Israel Pilgrimage 2009-2010.

See you in a couple of weeks and Happy New Year.

Veggie Delight

The Schnoogs and I were happy to return to our Wednesday night dinner routine this week, celebrating with a Vegetarian Chinese find...a location that is a whopping 4 or 5 blocks away from Holly's dorm.

Touting all vegan/vegetarian options, Veggie Delight had a huge menu that took us some time to peruse. I must admit that I was a little distracted by the funky green decor with pink accents, combined with mirrors, wood carving and blue twinkle lights. I would like to identify the look with some intelligent-sounding name, but perhaps it is best to just leave it untitled or drop it In the larger bucket of "eclectic and almost tacky."

The design of the restaurant aside, Holly and I settled on some orange veggie chicken (described on Yelp as a must-have), lemon veggie chicken, broccoli, brown & white rice and wonton soup. Everything was extremely flavorful. We weren't wild about the texture of the lemon veggie chicken, but the sauce more than made up for it AND the portions are generous, which means that Holly and one of her roommates will be enjoying leftovers for lunch on Friday.

Not a bad deal for a starving college student!

3 on a Leash

David takes on the task of walking our dogs - all 4 of them - twice a day. Admittedly, Shadow does not cover the distance she used to so it is really the equivalent of a 1/4 mile or so with all 4, back to the car to let Shadow relax and then off with the crazy pack for another 2-3 miles.

We like the weekends when I am along for the walks, as it is nice catch up time for David and I, and we can each handle 2 dogs - 1 leash in each hand - without too much craziness. The pups love it and certainly make the most of their time cruising the great outdoors.

Walking 3 dogs, all on retractable leashes is no easy feat. I can hold my own, but must admit that if the pack ever decided to make a break for it on my watch, they could probably orchestrate it between Scooby's strength, Daphne's clumsiness and Fred's deafness.

Don't let on to my weakness with them!

Perseverence

After blogging it up about the 3 crazy dogs on their leashes, it seems only fair to share this shot of Shadow, following loyally behind on her 1/4 mile "victory loop" at the start of our morning walk.

She is 15 years old, arthritic, aching and the sweetest, most tenacious pet we have ever had.

Every once in a grand while she opts to stay home when we gather the pack for a walk, but for the most part, she shuffles along to get up, slowly walks out to the truck and patiently waits to be lifted up and in.

Her portion of the walk is fairly functional as she tends to business and slowly makes her way along the route. She certainly isn't fast, but she always keeps going. That dog perseveres, period.

As Elizabeth is no doubt saying right now, God bless Shadow.

Team Lucille

The lack of postings of late is in no way an indication that nothing is going on. Quite to the contrary, as a matter of a fact!

I will be blogging about things from a month ago at the rate I am going these days, but for today we have to only look back a few days...to Saturday...to enjoy a nice morning in beautiful Huntington Beach with some of my favorite peeps, a very cute dog and a worthy cause.

The Memory Walk is an event introduced to me by my fine friend Elizabeth, who leads a team each year in honor of her mom (named Lucille, hence our team name!) to help raise money and awareness for Alzheimer's, a disease that sadly affects many people - either those who suffer from the illness themselves, or their families who sadly watch the deterioration (and eventual loss, as was the case with David's Dad last month) of the people they love.

Elizabeth has been coordinating walkers and donations for several years now, inviting me to join her this year. After checking out the event on the website, I realized that they encouraged dog participation too, so we decided that it would be a nice event for Fred Fairbanks IV. All dogs were given a purple memory bandanna to sport, which Fred did willingly. The dog costume contest however, we politely declined. Fred is not into dressing up, even if it is Halloween.

We had a great time on the course (we opted to do the longer 4-mile jaunt). Elizabeth, Kris, Terri, Brandy, Jim, Gay, Fred & I all trekked along the boardwalk in support of the cause and the perfect So Cal day. It was one of those events that was just special...it made me think of David's Dad a lot, so I was kind of quiet, but it was a very positive and uplifting experience, especially with all of the volunteers along the course, cheering us on.

Fred did very well in his debut outing and celebrated his walk with a bit of breakfast on the beach after the walk, followed by a long snooze in the car, his fur blowing in the breeze created by the open sunroof.

It was a good day for Team Lucille indeed!

Homecoming

Last Friday was homecoming for TOHS, so like all good alumni should do, Holly dragged us along to see the game and festivities that are always a part of the celebration.

We rolled into the game right before 1/2 time, so we got there just in time to see the parade (I have to agree with Schnoogs on this one...not a lot of effort was put into it, especially compared to the whole halftime show her class produced last year), but the band is always good to listen to.

Fireworks are a staple of the TOHS Homecoming, and this year did not disappoint. While we were enjoying the show, it suddenly occurred to us that Daphne was probably at home under something and shaking; thunder, fireworks and loud noises in general send her into quite a state of neurosis.

The game was an easy win - Thousand Oaks beat Calabasas 42 to 10 - and we avoided all of the post-game traffic by exiting through the side gate and walking home.

It is good to know all of the tricks when you have been around for a while!

Epic

Holly uses the word epic a lot...it is actually a pretty good word and comes to mind when I consider this shot that I took while in NY the other week.

I was walking along in midtown when suddenly I look up and realize that the Empire State Building is just there, right along side me, looming in it's very dignified way. It was enough to inspire me to take out the Blackberry and snap a photo, as evidenced here.

Epic. Epic indeed.

Knott (too) Scary

Sunday was, as I indicated in the last post, a busy day. After completing the Pumpkin Run (that included clean-up and a tasty taco lunch because boy, I was hungry!), it was back home to shower and pack up to head out for an evening at Knott's Berry Farm for their Knott's Scary Farm Haunt.

Not typically a big fan of Halloween, late nights at theme parks when I have to be at work early in the morning, being scared or creeped out or repetitive trips on crazy roller coasters, I have to admit that this was not originally how I planned to spend a Sunday night. Some convincing to "give it a try" and "just come along to be with everyone" somehow caught me at a moment where I decided that it would be a good idea to go.

We took advantage of a VIP dinner prior to the re-opening of the park, which turned out to be great both in terms of having dinner covered and avoiding some of the crowds. We also were able to ride one of the roller coasters "Ghost Rider" before anyone else, so the lines were nonexistent...a fabulous thing if you wanted to ride the thing multiple times, as Schnoogs and Briana did.

I opted to sit it out for round two. Something about the headache, slightly nauseous stomach and fact that I just about wet my pants on the first go-round kept me from wanting to duplicate that experience. That is one crazy wooden coaster, let me tell you!

We went on some other crazy, looping coaster that had us dangling and twirling high above Orange County. It was thankfully smoother and was more of a glider, so I didn't have the same sensation of all of my bones and teeth bouncing apart, but it was still one heck of a stomach turner!

Things got better when we got to the Log Jammer. That is more my speed. It was kind of dark and there were creatures jumping out from every turn and corner...how much can one girl be expected to take? The anticipation of someone jumping out alone was enough to keep me looking over my shoulder for the rest of the night.

We all agreed that going on a Sunday and having dinner in the park was the way to go...we were finished up by 10:45 or so, our fill of mazes, coasters, monsters and screaming filled for the year, whew!

Pumpkin Run

Sunday was a big day for the MIMs! Our Moms in Motion team captains, Anne & Holly, were race directors for the Westlake City Celebration aka The Pumpkin Run. MIMs were crawling all over the place to help, we had a great turnout!

I had the privilege of shuttling the team working at the 5K and 10K turnaround water stations...all were members of the Agoura Hills HS track team (their running coach is our running coach too) and even though it was early on a Sunday morning, they were all enthusiastic and excited to be a part of the event...it is their community too, after all.

Once the water station workers were in place, the 5K race began and then I set out for the 10K an hour later. It was a good course, only about 200 people running the longer portion, so it wasn't very crowded and it was a nice shady downhill for the first 2 miles or so. It got a little hot and sunny on the back portion of the course, so I was glad to loop back to the shade once I hit mile 4, even if it did mean that nice little downhill had turned into a nice little UP hill.

I actually finished 4th in my age category and had a personal record on the 10K according to my Nike+ system. I should just leave it at that and bask in the glory, but the truth of the matter is that there were only 5 people in my age category.

Maybe I need to start competing in the 75+ age group, I bet that I'd sweep that group!

Getting Dirty

While in SF last weekend for the 1/2 marathon, I had the chance to catch with my friends SaraJ and Tina, as well as their kids Luke and Gemma and the dogs, Scout and Memphis. It was a beach outing and I got to come along for the ride to catch up and spend a couple of hours together.

It was a cool but beautiful day at the beach and everyone loved running around the great outdoors, discovering cool things like sticks and rocks and dirt. We finally made it down to the beach, where there were even more fascinating things like seaweed, sand and mud!

These kids are not afraid 0f a little dirt, let me tell you! Gemma rather enjoyed rubbing her hands in the mud, picking it up and moving it in large clumps from one end of the beach to the other, and Luke at one point in time just laid down face first and shoved some sand down his shirt for good measure.

I like the way these kids do things, fully present and all in! Who cares about a little dirt in the car afterwards?

A Funny One

I came across this picture of Holly on Facebook the other day and it makes me laugh.

I can't imagine where she got the idea to do a silly pose and capture the moment to share in a public setting!

That kid cracks me up.

I Combed my Hair!

Wednesday night is always something to look forward to, as the Schnoogs and I get together for dinner somewhere cool and catch up on the week. We have missed the last 2 weeks of our outings due to conflicts between assignments (her) and work (me). I am still doing some training rollouts through next week, which means I am spending at least every Wednesday and Friday in a store, geared up in the full team uniform which includes a hat.

I actually don't mind wearing the gear, as it means I get to wear shorts and running shoes; a bit casual perhaps, but certainly comfortable and it makes it much easier to hang with the team (all of whom are now in the same age range as my daughter) and swirl some tasty yogurt.

Because my training goes straight to 7:30 pm, I made arrangements to have Holly come meet me in Woodland Hills and we had a bonus visitor, our friend Elizabeth who has ventured all the way from South Orange County for some training work herself (she informed me that this is the least desirable training location to go to, with the "i" in Hills often switched to an "e" as her co-workers bicker over who will be stuck coming out to the area.) No appreciation for the finer points of the Valley!

As I dashed over to meet my dinner party, I made what felt like a noble attempt to tidy up; I changed shirts, took off my hat and combed my hair. I combed it A LOT, like 4 or 5 different times, trying to plaster it down and eliminate some of the hat-hair frizz that was going on. It just could not be done and I had to settle with a "this is as good as it is going to get" attitude.

Holly & Elizabeth were waiting for me and after the hellos were over, I blurted out (as if I had turrets), "I combed my hair!" Elizabeth laughed out loud and Holly rolled her eyes. We all agreed that it wasn't it's best, but my concern over the state of my hair was a bit obsessive and it was time to let it go.

Besides, I was hungry and we had some catching up to do!

The Last Shot of the Day

A bit more on the Catalina/Avalon trip, this mostly just to display some cool photos that I took and enjoyed. The whole day was brilliant in terms of colors, lighting and scenery, but it is hard to pass up a good sunset.

Here are a few of my favorites from the day...

Be glad that I have spared you from viewing all 66 of them!

Avalon

There has been much activity of late, so much that I have been saving up some items to share. One such adventure was a trip to Catalina - the first time - for the day a week or so ago on Saturday.

My friend Mark (aka Mr. Eddy Faddah for a silly reason long ago when I started calling him that and it just stuck) has a fine habit of bidding for cool items at silent auctions intended to raise money for great children's charities. He had his eye on this boat trip the minute that it became available at an event that he intended, with the full intention of taking the group of us (4 friends from 10 years back) out on an excursion.

Mr. Eddy Faddah naturally outbid every other hopeful, and secured us an all-day boat excursion to just about anywhere we wanted to go, including Catalina. Of the group, Mark was the only one who had ever been, so we decided to venture out on the journey to see new and exciting things.

The day was postcard perfect in terms of weather, and we had a great time too. The ride out was a bit bumpy, but we hardly noticed as we chatted, laughed, snacked and caught up on what was going on with each of us.

This was a day trip that I would be happy to repeat again and again...thanks, Mr. Eddy Faddah!!

Part of Something Special

San Francisco, specifically Union Square, was abuzz with marathon preparations this past Saturday. I was happy to have made it over before things got into full swing; I picked up my packet, registered my timing chip and decided I was fine to line up with the 11:00 - 12:00 minute mile runners in the corrals.A couple of the MIMs wanted to go across to Niketown to check out the gear and perhaps buy a souvenir. As we approached the store, I saw a mass of people out front and assumed it was the line to get in the store.

Turns out that as a thank you to all of the runners participating, each of our names (all 20,000 of them) were printed up along the display window at the flagship Nike in Union Square. The crowd was actually there to find their name in the sea of pink.

I have enjoyed doing events for good philanthropic efforts for quite some time, but seeing it all together with the total raised ($14 million just with this event to help fight leukemia/lymphoma) AND because the MIMs raised money specifically to support our young (5-year old) friend Nicole who is 2 years into a 4 year treatment program to beat her leukemia, it just felt really personal and good to be a part of something important.

Who doesn't like to see their name in print, after all?

Perspective

Another cartoon that made me giggle, this one from work. It certainly puts things into perspective; we are just swirling yogurt, it's not brain surgery!

I Mind the Gap

While traveling from Flushing back into NYC the other day, I noticed that there was a sign painted on the ground every 50 feet or so, warning passengers to "Watch the Gap". I have to tell you, that's just not right.

Anyone who has been to London and had the opportunity to take the Underground (aka "The Tube") knows that the proper phrase is, "Mind the Gap".

I just had to share this...I know that Kris and Elizabeth will have the same response that I did!!

America Runs on Dunkin'

Dunkin' Donuts is one of those East Coast/Midwest treats that I enjoy whenever my travels take me there. I had intended to get a little decaf something earlier in the week, but didn't have time until Thursday afternoon-rain has come to NYC and we are standing around the store looking for something to do.

We are just outside of Union Square, with a Dunkin' about 500 yards away. A quick dash over and across the street through the rain and I'm in! While waiting for my coffee treat (cream AND sugar, of course!), I noticed these orange donuts with the blue swoosh through the side.

I don't believe that I have ever seen this, but the NYC Marathon has an official donut! Admittedly, I don't usually pair donuts with marathon runners but hey, maybe that is the secret I have been missing all of these years!

I guess it makes sense, the tag line is...America runs on Dunkin'!

Cash Only

Wednesday took me to Flushing, NY, a neighborhood in the Queens borough with a heavy Asian population. Always one up for a challenge, I set out to find lunch that met the criteria of local, tasty and something I knew I could eat.

I landed at a super-busy Asian food cluster situated under the train tracks. Packed with plenty of locals, I figured the food and prices both to be good.

I found a sushi stand near the back of the market (think open-air market, something like a Fisherman's Wharf), complete with a sushi-chef hand rolling every order.

Thankfully, there was a menu printed with English prompts next to all of the Japanese characters, so I found a couple of rolls that sounded good and stepped up to order. I'm not going to lie. The small Japanese woman kind of scared me with her very aggressive "what do you want?"

I blurted my order, took out my ATM card and was again startled by this tiny-but-frightening little business owner. "Cash only!!". I dutifully fished out a $10 and a single. My scary friend then said, "Next time you call.." She even made the universal 'call-me' sign with her hand. I nodded, took my sushi and ran.

I did enjoy my made-to-order, hand-rolled spicy tuna and tempura shrimp rolls. I may be jumpy and a little on edge, but it was good sushi.

The Burger Joint

Monday was the first full day in the city. We started early, as in leaving our hotel at 6 am to get into the city and in position for the first training session at 8 am...whew, that is an early start on East Coast time!

We had some time in between sessions and had to cross from the west side to the east side, so we opted to visit a few stores, say hi and grab a bite to eat. Eric promised Pete the best burger that he has ever had for lunch , so off we went to The Burger Joint, located behind a giant orange curtain in the swanky Le Parker Meridien. The hotel staff there has GOT to hate this place, as it queues up in a giant line that snakes around the lobby. The only marker for the restaurant is a small neon sign on the wall, although that monster line of people is a big help.

This place to me is a study how to do everything possible to keep customers away...and then experience amazing success as a result. Cash only. If you don't know your order when you get to the front of the line, go to the end. Bossy, hand-written signs stating that if it isn't on the menu, they don't have it. Impatient, rude employees who would as soon hit you then give you a receipt...in my world that would be called a customer complaint, here it is considered part of the experience.

Not being a burger eater, I was thinking that I was going to end up eating fries for lunch because there was NO WAY that I dared to ask for a custom item. Thankfully, there was a piece of notebook paper taped to the back of the register that displayed a menu, including a grilled cheese sandwich, whew!

I ordered quickly, pissed off the cashier by asking for a receipt for my $10 grilled cheese and fries, and got lucky by finding a booth that opened up just as we were looking to sit down. We spent the entire meal marveling at how the owner (we assumed, anyway by the way he was yelling at everyone) gets to do whatever the heck he wants, advertise nowhere and sit back to count the money as people line up each day to throw their cash at him.

We SERIOUSLY need to figure out how to make this magic happen for ourselves!

Eating Good in the Big Apple

Work has brought me to NYC for the week; it has been a while since I have been here, so I am enjoying the little discoveries as I travel through the city between stores.

Sunday was a travel day. I probably could have done a red-eye Sunday night to make it into the city for an 8 am Monday class, but have grown wiser in my years and am not going to subject myself to that kind of crazy torture...I've done it twice before and the last time I did it I think that I was groggy for 3 days trying to catch up!

The Sunday arrival meant that there was a little bit of time to catch up with some friends and enjoy dinner at Rosa Mexicano in a location I have not yet visited...Hackensack, NJ.

Rosa did not disappoint, even going so far as dessert because it was a featured item that the waiter did such a nice job describing, I couldn't pass it up. The simple name is chocolate cupcake, but it was sooooooooooo much more! I could only manage to eat 1/2 myself, but once pushed to the center of the table, it was quickly consumed by the rest of the group.

There is a lot of work on the docket this week and this is not a luxury trip, but I have to admit that we have planned out at least six of our next meals to make sure we hit some old favorites as well as some new places that promise to be great.

I ran on the treadmill yesterday in anticipation of the Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon next weekend, but the truth of the matter is I was really trying to get ahead of the fact that I am going to be eating my way through the city this week!

YUM

I was in Venice on Friday (as in the little bohemian community in Los Angeles, not Italy) for work and was instructed to try a pizza place called Abott's Pizza Co. if I wanted a good slice of NY style pizza.

After asking around (and then looking out the front door), I realized that it was right across the street, so I popped over for lunch.

I am not even sure that words can explain the deliciousness of my slice of goat cheese with sesame seeds on the bagel crust. There is also some kind of spicy dipping sauce that makes that tasty crust even tastier. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch so much that I brought back a menu in anticipation of ordering some to take home for dinner.

I couldn't decide between the salad pizza (imagine a fully dressed Greek salad loaded with avocado on top of a cheese pizza) or the mushroom, because both were so heavily recommended by the people I asked for an opinion.

I ended up getting a small of both. YUM!

One of Those Weeks

A friend from church sent me this cartoon today.

Given the fact that I spent the first 1/2 of the day thinking that it was Tuesday (it is Thursday), it speaks volumes to the pace and intensity of the week.

I do not, however, consider myself to be a dinosaur!!

Apparently Very Memorable

Schnoogs and I had a quick bite of yogurt this evening; I had to swing by our favorite place in Northridge for a cup of "chilly bliss" because I left my apron and nametag there when I was working in the store on Friday (quite the fancy get-up when I have an apron, nametag, hat AND shirt). Since I had to go over to the store, I thought that I would give my girl a call and have her visit with me for an hour or so.

During our debrief session (a lot has happened in the 24 hours or so since we last saw one another), Holly was talking about some people that she has met in several of her classes, many of whom have recognized her from a class, event or gathering of some kind. An interesting fact, punctuated by the very confident statement of, "Apparently, I am very memorable."

And very humble, too.

Dapper Dan

David is not big on dressing up. In fact, when we went to France last year, I didn't check in with his packing and assumed that when I said, "don't forget to bring a nice outfit for dinner on Christmas and New Years" he would know that would mean slacks, a shirt, coat and shoes.

What he showed up with was a flannel shirt, jeans and hiking boots. When I questioned how dressy a flannel shirt really was, his reply was, "this is my GOOD flannel shirt." I didn't realize that there was such a distinction.

Saturday night was a fancy event with the crowd at HART, including a dinner, some guest speakers and even an appearance by LA's Mayor Villaraigosa and one of the HART dogs...quite the celebrity A-list. I tease only because it is a pretty rare thing for David to want to get dressed up and go out, especially since I wasn't invited!

I remembered to ask this morning what he was going to wear, as I saw that the invitation said cocktail attire. I am glad that I asked, as the plan was a pair of black dockers (I will bet that they are at least 10 years old), a white short sleeved shirt (I thought that I gave that thing away, he must have dug it out of the pile) and a khaki jacket (still a bit rumpled looking after he left it in his truck from wearing it to Holly's graduation back in June). He did, however, plan to wear his dress shoes.

I tried to be gentle at first, but when the protests began, I took over and pulled together the ensemble you see here. I tried to be sly and just leave the tie on top of the jacket, but he wasn't going for it.

No worries, he looks pretty darn nice if you ask me!

Gale's

Schnoogs and I have started a Wednesday tradition. We meet for dinner to catch-up on the midweek activities, and to allow me to make sure she isn't wasting away to nothing in her starving student era.

We decided to do things a little differently in choosing our dinner locations. No chains or "standard" restaurants. We are Yelping our way through the area, visiting places that catch our eye for food, ambiance or great reviews from fellow Yelpers. We have had success with every visit so far, this week being no exception at Gale's in Pasadena.

We had to venture outside of Northridge a bit because I am doing some field training for the next few weeks, making it tough to get back to Northridge by 7 or so. Schnoogs, not being one to miss a free meal, gladly offered to drive out and meet me, which worked out rather nicely.

This restaurant was a bit fancier than a few of the others that we have been to thus far, but it was extremely tasty (both the pumpkin ravioli and the gnocchi fell into the "would order again" category AND they were portioned generously enough to provide the starving student with lunch on Thursday), with a nice ambiance as well. Yelp is a great little tool for finding those places that we might otherwise completely miss.

Most importantly, Holly and I get some fine eating AND chatting time in together. Two of our favorite things!

Fred Fairbanks the 4th

We have a new member of the Newton clan. A little over 40 pounds, white hair, blue eyes and cute little tufts of hair sticking up from his ears, Fred has joined the pack.

Fred has a sad little story. He was left in the backyard of his home with water but no food or contact for about 2 weeks. The home had been foreclosed and the family did not take their dog with them when they left. Fred is from San Diego, but HART picked him up because he is a little older (about 7-8 years)...that is how David came to learn of Fred and his plight.

Fred is actually Fairbanks (we aren't sure if this is a new name, as he doesn't answer to it but he doesn't seem to have the best hearing either, so who knows!), but I threw in the Fred because it fits in with our Scooby theme...Shadow technically should be Shaggy, but we will ignore that for now! We were also calling him #4 because, crazy as it sounds, he is the 4th dog in the house.

David was tricky with this one. He came over under the premise that he is being fostered. I can easily get behind that, but when I hear David using phrases such as, "if things work out" and "he seems to be acclimating well", I can bet that this will be the longest fostering EVER.

Lucky for us, Fred is a cutie!

Nightmare on Schnoogie Street

Holly has served as the Fashion Police in our household for the past 4 years or so. Her task has been a tough one with me on some occasions, partly because I don't keep up with the trends and partly because I don't care!

The picture here represents all that is wrong with the way I dress at home. I got home late from work tonight, so I went straight in to change and put on my fuzzy pink socks because it is getting cool at night now. I had some laundry to do, so I grabbed my crocs (it might be obvioous that I have two pairs) out of the closet on my way into the garage.

Upon realizing my fashion faux pas once I got out into the kitchen, David and I had a good laugh about just how distressed Holly would be were she here to witness my complete lack of taste, style, coordination and apparent understanding of colors.

We took a picture. She's going to be appalled!

It's Official!

Multitasking is bad for you.

I heard this debated at great length this afternoon on NPR. The gist of the study says that while multi-taskers like to believe that they are getting lots done and doing it all well, they actually are more susceptible to random and insignificant pieces of data distracting them and interfering with their ability to process information effectively.

At least that is what I think was said. I was on the phone, leading a conference call while eating my lunch and driving. I wasn't texting, though!!

Too Much Good Stuff

I have been fortunate in my life thus far to visit a myriad of interesting, fascinating and fun places. I hope to continue on this road for many years to come and for that reason I often look for new opportunities to broaden my horizon and expand my understanding of the world I live in. Today, I had the unexpected opportunity to visit a world-renown location somewhere between Hemet and Riverside...the largest Arco (and subsequent AM/PM market) in the U.S.

Admittedly, my journey to the promised land of convenience stores started out unassuming enough. It was 107 degrees, I had been driving with the A/C blaring for about 30 minutes and I was thirsty. I originally chose the freeway exit for the Unocal and Circle K sign that prominently signaled a snack-oasis, but as I rolled along the road and off of the freeway, I realized that I was across the street from a landmark that I have never seen or visited and decided that I must be able to join the ranks of the people who can claim, "I have been there."

While I left my car to fill-up, I entered the sliding doors and blinked slightly as the brightness and mass of the store greeted my eyes. Packaged foods, coolers, freezers, a deli and an entire food court waited for exploration. The fountain area had 3 separate machines and at least two different kinds of ice, including my favorite, the chewable pieces that are rather elusive in the typical quick-serve retail environment.

I probably burned a good 10 minutes just looking around, deciding what to purchase, before I finally landed upon a caramel iced latte from the fountain area (using the tasty chewable ice balls, of course). It was a tad sweet for my preferences, but between the good ice AND the "largest Arco in the world" status, I was content with my choice.

Now I can tout my claim that I have been exposed to too much good stuff, right there in the middle of the desert. Everyone should be so lucky!

Not Going For the Service

We have chanced upon a great little burrito place in Ventura called Corrales. I wandered past it one weekend when I was walking around, killing time before the Emmaus Board meeting. There was a huge line at 10 in the morning, leading me to believe that it must be tasty. I immediately called David to tell him about this place (we are all about the good Mexican food) and we agreed that it was a must-visit.

David made it to Corrales and made it a point to tell me how good it was, but the timing had not been right for me to go. I found myself passing through Ventura on my way to Santa Barbara at lunchtime last Wednesday, so I seized upon the opportunity to stop at what the Ventura County Reporter ranked as "the best cheap eats in Ventura County." How could I pass it up?

I ordered a chile rellano burrito with beans, cheese and avocado (really, there could be NOTHING better on the menu). The woman at the window surveyed me, took my money and handed me my number. 5-minutes later, my number was called, a bag shoved through the window and I was ready to dig in.

One look and I knew that something was wrong...there was chicken or pork in my burrito...nope! I went back to the window, explained the problem and was told to wait. A few more minutes and a new burrito appeared - success! It was totally worth the wait and at $4 for my whole lunch, it does count as some seriously cheap eats!

As I recounted my experience to David, he (in his usual low-key way) summed it up perfectly. People line up for the food, they're not going for the service!

'Tis the Season to???

I was out running some much-needed errands yesterday, including a stop at Target (better know as Tarjay in the sophisticated circles). As I navigated my cart through the store, I came upon the above-pictured corner in the back of the store, often used as the seasonal section.

I had to think for a moment. What is the date? Mid-September. So which message do I listen to? "Make the Outdoors Yours" evokes thoughts of summertime and BBQs, not too outrageous given we are in So Cal and have a good 30 days before things really start to cool off.

I could look forward to the end of next month and get in on the Halloween decorations with the "Bare Bone Prices", OR I could just skip straight to Christmas and load up on my fill of Christmas wreaths.

Good grief, I am confused!

Hangin' with the Schnoogs

Something has been missing in my life...creating a void, a sense of emptiness...the blog!!!

There has been plenty of action going on in the last few weeks, none of which I have taken the time to articulate in a short, entertaining and well-worded entry!

Things, they are a-changing. I've got a list of items to share, so let's begin with a great Sunday afternoon last week in Ojai. Me and my girl went out to check out the Ojai Valley Inn and spend an afternoon in the sun, a very wise move on our part.

The grounds are gorgeous, the staff super friendly and the restaurant tasty. I really don't know why we left to return home!

A New Chapter

We have officially entered a new chapter in all of our lives. While it sounds somewhat dramatic to state it like that, it sort of snuck up on us in a quiet sort of way and now that it is here, I am not quite sure that we have all fully accepted it.

The day went well. We loaded up the car, hit the road and were parked at the dorms by 9:45 am. Holly checked in, got her keys and we had her things up in her room in no time. Met the new roommates and their respective family members, set up the big things like bed and clothes, then walked around the campus to grab some lunch.

David had to say goodbye after lunch, so after a few final photos (check them all out here), Holly and I set out for a variety of errands, partly to pick up some items she still needed and partly to get her oriented to her new surroundings. This isn't Thousand Oaks, that is for sure. The San Fernando Valley is bigger, louder and far more congested on many different levels than my little lamb is accustomed to, but I said nothing.

I attended a parent orientation (during which they repeatedly assured the parents that many safety precautions are built into campus life...not helping my concern for the little suburb girl in the big bustling city!), then went out for dinner instead of the BBQ on campus. We decided that we were more in the mood for a salad.

One more trip into the store for a few more items, hanging the corkboard on the wall, and then I declared the fact that it was time for me to go. No big fanfare, no symbolic or emotional send-off, just a big hug and promise to see her in two weeks.

She's coming back soon enough, I see that she left some of her favorite clothes in her room. Maybe we all need to ease into this new arrangement in our own way.

30 Miles

Extra long twin sheets have been purchased (why do dorms make that weird bed size standard, while so few retailers carry those sheets?). Fees have been paid. Forms have been filled out. Suitcases and boxes are packed. The car is loaded. The time has come.

We set out on the 30-mile journey to Northridge today. I actually drive further than that to and from work each day, but it still feels like we are taking a huge trip. A different city, a different county and a whole new and exciting chapter of life for the Schnoogs...it is college move-in day!

Originally thought to just be a few hours for David and I, we realized after going through the orientation packet yesterday that there are things going on all day, until the "ceremonial send-off on the lawn" where the administration forces the clingy parents to leave and officially let their kid live their life.

I originally was going to go into work at about 2 because I didn't think I was going to be that clingy parent that just hung around, but as we went through the activities and realized that there were some activities for the families to learn more about the campus and life there, Holly phrased it in such a way that I couldn't leave early. "I wouldn't be bothered if you wanted to stay for the family picnic and send off."

Since she put it that way...I am sure that the next few postings will include a fair share of pictures and details of the move-in excitement!

Red Sky at Night

There is a fire burning up north and while it is (thankfully) not putting any homes at risk, it is burning its fair share of brush. The result for those of us south is a spectacular sunset show each night.

I noticed how orange the sun was yesterday as Holly and I were returning from the movies (500 Days of Summer, an entertaining and somewhat different approach to telling a story and one that doesn't take the easy-out ending route either), so as soon as we were in the house I grabbed my camera and trotted out to the back yard to see if I could catch the orange glow before it dipped too low on the horizon.

I caught most of it and certainly plenty of the glow that went along with it, pretty cool in my book!

Go Matadors

The colors around the house have quickly switched from green to red...not because we are getting ready for Christmas (yet), but because Holly and her school spirit have moved from Lancer green to Matador red!

The final preparations are in motion, ranging from bedding to a microwave and final decisions on the meal plan. The roommates (there will be 4 of them together in a 2 bedroom apartment, complete with kitchen) have all chatted on the phone and across their various MySpace and Facebook pages.

Shopping at Target will likely be an all-weekend event to make sure that we set the new place up right.

Thank goodness she is only going 30 miles away!

Empty Nest

It's coming.

Very soon.

This weekend.

I think that I should have started blogging about this earlier to prep for it, much like we did for graduation.

Not feeling too ready for the big move.

Schnoogs is naturally excited beyond belief.

As she certainly should be!

The Office

As a fan of the TV show The Office, I was pretty excited to have the opportunity to do a catering event on set last week for the cast and crew as they kicked off their season by filming a webisode and treating the group to some chilly bliss...a perfect treat given the 95 degree heat in the Valley.

I have had the opportunity to see my fair share of celebs and notables during the course of my career between working at Universal for 7 years and just being based in Southern California. I was a bit surprised at my excitement around the prospect of seeing some of the cast for The Office, but given how the off-beat humor of that show makes me laugh, it makes sense.

It is funny to see the exterior shot of Scranton Business Park right in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, but sure enough, there it is! The set for filming is right next door, so we rolled through the guard at the gate, set up our table and chillers, and set about to the business of sharing the swirly goodness!

Everyone there was incredibly nice and gracious AND rather happy to enjoy a cup (or two!) of tart frozen yogurt. The Office declared their love for PB and Brenna and I (on behalf of PB) declared our love for The Office!

My grand plan is to get a weekly gig there and THEN maneuver my way on for the small screen debut, can't you just see it??

Happy (part III)

This is a quickie...just to post something and keep my streak going, and a little something for my friends Elizabeth and Kris.

SHEEP!

The short story is, we were very obsessed with the sheep of the English countryside, always shouting out, "SHEEP" on the bus each time we saw one.

The group would tell you that they thought it was funny...at first.  Holly admitted to putting her iPod earphones in as an attempt to ignore us after a few days of the tomfoolery.

That kid needs to learn the fine art of comedy!

One Milkshake

I have had the LA/Celebrity phenom, "Millions of Milkshakes" on my list of cool places to visit for the past 6 months or so. Super trendy, popular AND featuring a favorite treat of mine, ice cream, it seemed like something that I needed to be able to say that I have done, especially given how close it is located to my office.

Eric and I took some out-of-towners over to check out the hype last Monday. Reading the description on the website, I was expecting a super cool, club-like atmosphere. We rolled up at about 9:30 pm and there was a line out the door, we later learned that it was due more to under-staffing than anything else, but at first glance, the hype was justified.

Once we got into the slow-crawling line and started looking around, I have to admit that much of the luster was lost for me. It was very similar to the visit that I made years ago to participate in a taping of "The Price is Right", disappointment to see the decor is rather cheesy with Styrofoam and paint and not much else.

While the decor and service were not what I was hoping for, the milkshake was really what I had come for. I modified one of the celebrity shakes (the Beckham) by adding cookie dough. Eric agreed that sounded good so we ordered two of them together. I watched the kid behind the counter make what looked like one shake, then when the guy pouring the shakes got to ours, he gave it back to the first kid and told him that it was supposed to be two. All they did was add more frozen yogurt, no toppings and then hand it over. Predictably, it was a little bland and not really what we were expecting.

As we walked back to the car, Eric summed it up best: we can say that we have been, but we certainly do not need to worry about ever going back again!