Summer Fun Begins

It was time to kick off the summer festivities and what better way to do that then with a wedding. Isn't that how we all start the summer? No? Maybe it's just something our family does. Or maybe it just seems that way. Or maybe it's because, oh who cares it's just another excuse to celebrate and party. That pretty much works for us. Ever since we got our save the date card we've been looking forward to June 2011. It was another chance to head on over to the East Coast.

Virginia Beach was the destination this time. It was all we could talk about for months. What to wear, what to do, what to see, did I mention what to wear? Ironically, Mike had his wardrobe choice all set months before I did. What's up with that? Finally the trip arrived and we were off. We flew Southwest. Not exactly my favorite way to go. I'm a Jetblue girl myself. I'm all about individual T.V. screens. And snacks. Remind me to stay true to the blue. I should get loyalty points in the future. But more on this later. Don't worry, I'll get back to this....

I was actually pretty excited to be welcomed to warmth. I know, strange concept. I have to fly from California in June to get some heat. What's up with that? True story. We landed and I took my jacket off. Aaahh. Wait. Did I actually welcome the humidity? Who am I? What did I do with the old me? We got ready for the rehearsal dinner at Waterman's and look at that - nighttime and I didn't need my sweater. Ah, this was nice. What a concept. To wear your dress and have it be seen instead of having to cover up. We basked in the warmth all night and it just kept on coming.

We woke up the next morning and opened the door. Woosh. Yup, it's hot. Yup, it's humid. But ironically we were enjoying it. Sure, we might not enjoy it forever but at that moment we were loving it. Mike and I sat on the porch and soaked it in. We arrived at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens for the Wedding Ceremony. We noticed how everything around us was just so green. We had forgotten just how green everything on the East Coast is. It was beautiful to be sitting there in the gardens -yes I will admit it was hot - and just see how alive everything was. In comparison, San Diego is kind of brown. We are in a desert after all. Sometimes you never really stop to think about it until you are sitting there in the garden surrounded by all of those trees.

But in the end, hot is hot. West Coast, East Coast, in the end really it's all the same. Hey, I'm still not a fan of sitting in the sun all day unless there's a big pool next to me and I have the option of jumping into it. Needless to say, I was relieved when it was time for my next wardrobe change and the party was about to begin. Don't get me wrong, I love weddings. The flowers, the dresses, the fashions, the party. What's not to love? Everyone knows it's all about the party. It was a great night.

Sadly we had to say good-bye to Virginia Beach. We had just enough time to run down to the boardwalk and burn our feet on the sand. Yes, you read correctly. I don't think I've ever run to the water so fast in my life. One minute we were strolling along the boardwalk enjoying a hot beach and loving life. The next it was run for the water, run for the water. Literally. But I wouldn't have changed it because it gave our family watching on the beach some good entertainment value and we all know I am here to amuse. I was glad to be of service that morning on the sand.

One of the best parts of the trip was running into the storm of lightning bugs. That's right my friends lighting bugs or as some people like to call them - fireflies. Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto, blah, blah, blah. It's a lightning bug. We were en route to my Uncle's house in Maryland and these little gems were everywhere. We love lightning bugs. Used to catch them all the time when we were little. Ok and maybe when we were teenagers too. Unfortunately there are no lightning bugs on the west coast.

These are the coolest bugs. It's a part of summer - when the sun goes down and you see mini lanterns glowing all over your yard it makes you feel like a kid again. I thought about bringing some home but I didn't think the people at the airport would be too happy about that. Bummer. It was time to head back to the airport. I promised to get back to this story didn't I? We flew Southwest. First come first serve my a**. Unless you're flying solo, this is not the way to go. No one likes to give their seat up. Even if it's not an assigned seat. No one likes to let people travelling together sit together. True story. People won't make eye contact with you. They will avoid you at all costs. The price of our Southwest flight was not that much cheaper than any other airline. Sure, they give you a little "stand up" comedy. A bag of peanuts, a bag of pretzels. Two checked bags for free. I think I'll take my chances on the Blue.

For an alternate ending and for different pictures, go to my other blog at http://www.redismynaturalcolor.wordpress.com/

Oh The Places You Go

For years I have been wanting to go to the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Notice how I've never mentioned getting there. Like many of the places I've been talking about going to, it's also been one of the many places on my "to do" list. It's not like it's so far away that it's an impossible destination. I'm just a slacker. Every month, I get the email alert telling me that it's that time again and every month I say, oh, maybe next month. Sure, that's it. Next month I'll go. I've been playing this game for the past three years. I was tired of my own game and decided it had to end. This was the time. I was going to go.

Well, ok, it's not like I really decided on my own to put an end to my procrastinating. I did have a little help. I'll call her the Flea Market Bandit. The Flea Market Bandit kicked into gear a few months ago. It started small. Just a little Irvine Flea Market. She asked me to go with her and hey, I'm all for shopping. I think she was preparing me for the big leagues. At the time we just didn't know how big league we were getting into. We decided a few weeks ago that this weekend we'd hit the big time. The second Sunday of every month the Rose Bowl Flea Market is in full force. We were all set.

Of course we couldn't just go up for one day. Where's the fun in that? The adventure? We needed more. We needed entertainment. We needed it for free. Ah, Venice Beach. Our game plan was to walk. Just walk. But once we got there we didn't know what to do first. Should we get our medical marijuana license on the left or the right? On the first block or the second? Don't worry. If you wait too long you have the next block and the next and the next to catch up on that missed opportunity.

Whew, good thing. I thought I missed my chance. Things sure have changed since the last time I was here. I thought I'd just be able to get my tattoo and piercings and call it a day but I sure was wrong. Who knew I'd have an opportunity like this? I know, you're all probably wondering which Doctor I went with right? Crazy I am not. I passed on the fine choices made available to me. Don't get me wrong. It's not that I'm opposed to a license if that's your thing. But hey, would you buy a Rolex from a NYC subway vendor? I think not. I passed on the fine choices made available to me. Location is key. Enough said. Nothing says quality wares like selling goods next to the man walking on glass.

However, it was a great day. I love seeing things "live" that you've seen on TV so many times. Muscle Beach will always fascinate me. Seriously. I wouldn't want people watching me in the gym so why would I work out on a boardwalk? It was a good day. We walked for hours. Even little Charlie was exhausted. I don't think we would have walked as much as we did if we knew what we were in store for tomorrow.....

We knew we were going to be in for a long day. Over 2500 vendors sell at this bad boy. We wanted to see them all. ALL [Insert evil laughter here]. When we got there we didn't know where to begin, especially since we were overwhelmed right at the beginning. Gifts! There were even gifts being handed out. What the hell! I mean, who knew what they were but did it matter? The important thing here was that we were being given a free gift just for coming.

Oh my God. Not only do we get a free gift but we get a free bag too. This place was amazing. A free bag to hold all of the things that we were going to buy. The excitement was starting to build up. I didn't know where to begin, where to go, left, right, straight. So much to see, so much to do, I had to get in and go. We actually got a late start. 10am. I know, scary thought. This didn't discourage us though. We were ready to go and we set off.

We were a determined bunch. We didn't want anything to get in our way. Food? Water? Were those really necessary at this point? Instead of rash buys we marked where our favorite places were and made a point to return and we kept on walking. And walking. And walking. We walked for hours. We had to see it all. Or go down trying. We realized that it was time for a refuel. If we wanted to keep our pace up we would need food. If only for a moment.

We didn't have too long to spare. After our recharge we jumped back into the arena. Our goals had been met early on. Hat for me, headphones and phone case for Mike. We were now just on a pleasure cruise. When I see what they offer at this market I'm amazed. The furniture is fabulous. If I could go back and do it again I would outfit my house solely from the Rose Bowl flea market. I wonder if Mike would notice if I started selling our furniture one piece at a time to make room for new ones.

We decided to leave at closing time. We didn't have to, they stay open way beyond that but after walking for five straight hours we just couldn't do it anymore. Yes, you read correctly. Five straight hours. We were exhausted. Our Flea Market Bandit stayed. She meant business. Maybe next time. Yes, there will be a next time. We will conquer all. Training begins shortly.

For an alternate ending and for different pictures, go to my other blog at http://www.redismynaturalcolor.wordpress.com/

We Survived the Zombie Rapture

A few weeks ago I happened to be in NYC when I realized that the world would be ending in a few days. Crap. I didn't plan my trip this way and now this meant when we were under zombie attack, Mike and Charlie would be on their own. I didn't know what to do. My boys were on their own. I made sure to give them specific instructions on how to handle themselves if they should wake up and see the undead walking around. After all, I was the one with the game plan. I had the zombie attack all mapped out. Mike knew he was all set to go if it went down. He didn't count on anyone taking away his ace in the hole.

Regardless of how it all went down I knew I'd have to get back to San Diego in the long run. I'd have to fight my way back and fight to the death I would. But in the meantime, since the world was supposed to end and all, why not go out and have some fun. Hey, might as well enjoy what was left of it, right?

We decided we would just go local. You know, just in case. Makes it easier to fight off anything you should encounter on the way home. We got the crew and headed out for the night. It was a scary night. We had to be careful. I honestly didn't buy into this whole end-of-the-world-rapture thing but damn, there were so many creatures and zombie-like beings at the bar that we didn't know what to do. Could it possibly be true? Was this really the end? Was this the night? Nope. Not so much.

Relief flooded over me. For more than one reason. Yes, insert sigh of relief here. I had a lot to be thankful for. Not just because of the great company I was in. That was a given. But knowing that I wasn't out looking. Ah. I must say it's good to be married. Overall it was a great night. Sure, there were some interesting characters. Hey, I didn't hide out in the bathroom for 10 minutes for nothing. Thankfully we met some great people and we were able to end the night with fun memories.

Since we had all survived this close dance with death I knew it was time to celebrate life even more. Unfortunately since I had gotten to NYC the rains had decided to visit with me. Seriously? It seems like every time I visit, rain decides to come with me. I was itching to leave the confines of my cell, er, I mean my house and we finally got the chance. We needed to buy time before our lunch reservations at our favorite restaurant, Les Sans Culotte. It was either drive around, sit in the car or....hhhmm. Central Park. I figured the kids needed some air.

We drove around and as luck would have it found a rare, coveted spot right outside the park. It was perfect. Go figure. Just a few days earlier we were all going to die and now it's a perfect New York City day. Blue skies, sunny, warm, birds chirping away. We parked ourselves on a bench and enjoyed the scenery. I couldn't have the kids come here and not pose for a few photos either.

Bob on a lamp post here, Mags on a lamp post there. Perfect. I look around and see all of the things that we can and will be doing. Eventually. Once I'm back in town, the activities will be in full swing. Until the next rapture of course. Didn't you hear? October. Yes, we'll be under a full zombie attack this fall.

So live it up, do everything that you've been saying you should have done because you never know what may happen. If not this year, there's always next year. 2012, that's right. It's supposed to happen next year. But that doesn't work for me either. I have plans. Big plans. I don't like anyone to interfere with my plans and that includes zombies. Even if they are in Paris.

Weekends in San Diego & a Detour in Temecula

There are so many things that I keep saying I am going to do. One of them is berry picking. More specifically the berry of straw. Every year I pass by the sign that says "Strawberry Picking here" and every year I keep saying I'm going to do that. Of course it doesn't happen. It also doesn't help that Mike hates strawberries and we all know that picking fruit by yourself is no fun.

We've gone blackberry picking before. Sure, that was great but again, we've done it and I wanted to go strawberry picking. It's literally right down the road from where I drop Mike off at work so I didn't even have the excuse that it was too far to go. What was I waiting for? I don't know. I have this bad habit of living in a place and saying that I will do things eventually and then never doing them and before I know it, it's too late. I didn't want that day to come. I knew the time was now.

That's my new outlook. Now. I can't say I will do something one day. What if that day never comes? Especially since I know I will most likely be moving. Oops. Cat's out of the bag. I have to take advantage of everything that I can while I have it in front of me and that included the berry fields. I put in a call. Well, I knew Mike wouldn't pick so I needed back up. Those aren't my perfectly manicured hands holding those perfect specimens to the right. Thanks Naomi.

We headed to the fields in Carlsbad to begin our adventure. It's not as easy as you'd think. It's hard to get those berries off the stem without bruising and there are rules to follow. You can't take the stems off. Not an easy task. But you can eat as many as you'd like. This was a rule I could abide by. I will admit, I have gone strawberry picking one other time but it was on Long Island in New York and it was years ago. I recall the berries being a little easier to get off the stems and the fields were more wide open but overall this was a lot of fun and definitely the best way to go to get your berries. Much juicier, fresher and better tasting than any berry you'll buy in the market.

The weekend had us take a little detour out to wine country. That's right people it was time for us to get our wine and cheese on. Nothing but the best for us. Thanks to Kevin we had the finest in cheese. A little sharp cheddar and some cheese whiz. Nothing says "Day in Wine Country" like the cheese whiz. We were the envy of the all.

Every winery we went to, we laid out our fine delicacies in front of us for all to see. Crackers and chocolate supplied by Doug and Naomi added to our fine dining. People kept passing by, staring, drooling, hoping to be invited into our circle. We weren't exclusive. We were willing to share. We passed out a few cracker stix. We're a sharing bunch.

We began our journey at Falkner Winery. It was a successful stop. It kicked off our tour with a bang for it was there that Kevin found the magic glasses. The "wine bottle" glasses. What started out as a fun gag turned the day into a paparazzi filled photo frenzy. Every where we went, Kevin was surrounded by people asking for a picture. Either with him or of him, it didn't matter. As long as they had him and his glasses in the photo was all they cared about.

We moved on to South Coast Winery. At first we were overwhelmed. So many wines to choose from. What to do, what to do. But then, those glasses. Kevin was a hit. First one girl, then a crowd of girls. Who knew? I think he might take these glasses every where from now on. We had a great time here. The wine server was super friendly and I loved that they had a whole section on just sparkling wines.

Next stop, Ponte. Mike and I are wine club members so we figured we would just pick up our shipment and have a quick tasting. But with our entourage there really isn't such a thing as quick. Plus, those glasses. I mean, they draw crowds. Really. I'm talking crowds. They didn't disappoint here either. We set up shop and got busy. Cheese, crackers, the whole spread. And the cameras. Can't forget those. The people were approaching from all around.

I honestly didn't think these glasses would get that much action. It was time to move on to our last winery, Europa Village. This was a new place. I'd been stalking it. Since I love Europe and it was supposed to be European style wines I figured it should be good. We headed over. The concept was cool - it's supposed to be a village - Italy, France and Spain. It will eventually be three different wineries on the property but at the moment they have one building open. There are 3 different tasting rooms with the themes. We chose to taste in France. Bet that surprises all of you, huh?

The wine servers here were very friendly too. This may come as a surprise to everyone - the glasses were a big hit here as well. The cameras were out in full force. From the beginning to the end those glasses made Kevin a star. It's no surprise that he's ready to go back for another day of wine tasting. Maybe next time we should all get some glasses. See how it feels to be famous. At least for a day.

If you'd like to visit any of the places I've mentioned above check out their websites:

http://www.carlsbadstrawberrycompany.com/

http://www.pontewinery.com/

http://www.wineresort.com/

http://www.falknerwinery.com/

http://www.europavillage.com/

This Belongs to Charlie

I should have known better, really I should have. When we first got Charlie we thought that because of his size everything would be okay. He won't take up much room. I mean come on, the little tyke is only 10 pounds. We even thought it would be nice to get him his own bed. You know, one of those cute little doggie beds. That was our first mistake.

Now that he has taken over the house and our Queen sized bed and the couch oh and let's not leave out the 6 foot love sac you can definitely say that we've learned that Charlie is the King of the Castle. Don't get me wrong, we wouldn't have it any other way. Just one look into those cute big brown eyes and you can't help but let him lay all over anything he wants.

But it makes you wonder - how much room does a 10 pound dog really need? When we lay in bed at night and feel a little paw stretch out, pushing us over, is that really necessary? Someone was getting a little greedy here and no, this time it was not Mike. The other day it went too far. I like to have blankets stashed all over the house. I found that every time I needed a blanket Charlie happened to be tangled up in not one but two.

Something wasn't right with this picture. I knew my blanket supply was dwindling and I'll admit I was slacking on the laundry duties but did he need two at a time? What was going on here? First I had Mike and his pillows. Now I have Charlie and his blankets. I was surrounded. I finally decided to stop slacking on these blue blankets. They were in the wash zone for a while. I needed my own coverage and decided it was time. I couldn't wait to sit on the couch and relax. I took one out of the dryer, all nice and toasty. This was actually a king size blanket.

I put it on the couch and stepped away for just a minute, not even. I came back and this is what I found - a brown ball of fur completely engulfed in the warmth "pretending" to be asleep. That's right, pretending is what he was doing. It's almost as if he was stalking me, waiting for me to drag that blanket out of the dryer because that thing wasn't on that couch for even a minute when he shot over and staked his claim. Now I know and now you know. As long as you have a dog and a husband there's no such thing as "your" pillow and "your" blanket. Apparently they're all loaners. That's what I'm told.

Weekends in San Diego

When you live in an area for a while there are so many things to do that you don't. You take them all for granted. You think that you'll get to it eventually until one day you realize that you never did and now it's too late. I refuse to let that happen. It seems to appear that the end is in sight for our San Diego days. I can't tell you an exact date but I know that the end is near. With that in mind, we now pass signs advertising events with a new outlook. Instead of saying we'll have to check that out sometime and put it in the back of our mind we actually now check it out.

The new goal - go to all of the places that we have been saying we were going to go to for the past 8 years. Yes people, we're actually going to do it. And enjoy it. And pay the discount price for all of it. Thank you Entertainment Guide. And Groupon. And Living Social. And Buy With Me. And the Daily Save. If you're going to do it all you might as well look for some deals while you're at it. Doing it all can add up. And hey, if you're doing it all you might as well go all the way. Go big or go home. Sounds good in theory.

We begin our adventure at what was formerly known as the Quail Botanical Gardens. I like this name much better. I don't like when people decide to rename things. Old names are much better. Baseball Stadiums should take note. Quail Botanical Gardens had such a nice ring to it. Apparently the city felt left out and they had to get in on the action. The new name is the San Diego Botanical Gardens. Really? Because if you didn't know where you were before entering the gardens you just look down at your map and ah, relief, I'm in San Diego.

This place was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. Actually HUGE. We didn't leave enough time to get through the place and there was a bonus - Chocolate Festival. Well, I actually knew about that and this was the real reason I decided to check out the gardens on this particular day. I'm a smart cookie. Mike gets his garden and I get my chocolate. It's a win-win situation. After walking around in the forests of bamboo, we bumped into local boy scout troop 799 who were selling honey which was produced by their assistant scoutmaster, a beekeeper by trade. We're all about supporting the boy scouts so we bought a bottle of the sage honey. Beeelicious.

The next day it was time to get our bingo on. I'm not talking your grandma's bingo. This was Babette's bingo brunch - the best bingo I've ever had the pleasure of attending. Sure, the pressure is still on. It's all about across, diagonal, up and down. The stakes on high. Everyone wants to win, win, win. But this bingo is like no other - it's at our favorite place in downtown San Diego, Martini's Above Fourth in Hillcrest where the Martini's are absolutely delicious and the entertainment is hilarious.

At bingo you don't just come to win, you come for the food, the friends, the show and the fun. It's the total package. Of course winning makes it all the more fun but even if you don't get to yell BINGO you still enjoy the afternoon of non-stop laughter. But this day I was a winner. Yes, when I got that bingo I jumped out of my seat and made a beeline for the stage. I wasn't taking a chance. This was my time. That win was mine. I was so excited. I chose my ticket, saw my first prize and decided to go for the bag. Just like "Let's Make a Deal", I had my options. Blue bag or Pink Bag. I looked to my table. They all yelled Blue, blue, blue. I had to go with my people. I chose blue. Oh no a zoink! I got a zoink! A child's cheerleader outfit. Smile, pose for the camera. Ah, all in good fun. Besides, I do have a niece. No prizes ever go to waste.

After the fun of bingo, and all those martinis, we decided to walk around Hillcrest and do a little shopping. First stop was Babette Shwartz's shop. Chock full of gag gifts, t-shirts, cards and novelties. It's always a stop on the tour. We continued down the block and came upon the best little clothing store called Twirl. We only intended to peek inside for a minute or two. I think we were in here for over an hour. We literally put on a fashion show for the store. I don't know how it happened. The clothes are incredibly fun, fashionable, trendy and the best part.....affordable.

What a freakin' gem of a place this store is. A hidden gem. It's not a mass marketed place where you know a million other girls will be wearing the same shirt as you and yet it's so budget friendly you know you can buy a few items and not panic that you just blew your paycheck. I think I just convinced myself to go back for more clothes. Uh oh. Plus, if you spend a certain amount, you get a coupon for a free pedicure. You really can't go wrong. They get new styles in on a daily basis so it's always a good day to check this store out.

It was a fabulous weekend spent with great friends and some new memories were added to the mix. Although I think next time the guys should join that fashion show. That turquoise dress would have looked great on one of you. Maybe that see through pink top with the white hat. Come on, you guys have some great legs. Work it, work it.

*If you would like to visit any of the locations mentioned above check out the following websites and/or store locations:

www.sdbgarden.org

www.martinisabovefourth.com

www.babette.com

Twirl - 619-291-0933

3840 5th Ave San Diego, 92103

Back to Reality

For the most part, I'm not a big fan of reality. It's not really that fun. Come on, admit it. What's so fun about reality? Work, bills, work. Have I mentioned work and bills? There. That about sums it up. Sure, I know it's all a part of life but it's certainly not the fun part and I'm all about the fun part. I like to enjoy life. We all do. Well, most of us anyway. The fact that I have a little trouble snapping back to reality coupled with me being a constant dreamer is not an easy mix.

I'm always dreaming of what kind of fabulous life I could be leading, of what kind of fabulous life I should be leading. And believe me, I should be leading a fabulous life. Why? Well, because that's the way I dreamt it should be and my dreams should always come true. Don't question it. I don't.

Last week I was prepared for a time of fabulosity. My friend Roach was coming to visit and I knew reality would be thrown out the window. I can always count on my Roach to bring the entertainment and I was not disappointed. Neither were the people around us. For a brief moment in time it was all about us. Wait, did I say that? I didn't really mean that. It's pretty much always about us so let me rephrase that.

For a brief moment in time where ever we went the world was our stage. Wait, that doesn't work either. Isn't the world always our stage? Hhmm. Ok, ok, here's what I meant to say. We were together. Me and Roach. Roach and I. United. Together again. Tag Team. Double Trouble. I think Mike was a little scared. We took San Diego by storm and for those few days all was right with the world. The universe was aligned. All was as it should be.

We started off slowly, doing what we do best. Looking good. Crap, did I just say that? Actually Charlie Brown wanted me to put that part in there so I'm just complying and let's face it he was looking pretty hot in his beach photo shoot. Strolling the beach, relaxing on the shore, looking at blue skies. This is part of my so-called reality. Roach fit in just fine. It was time for some fun.

We headed to the wineries to entertain the masses. And entertain we did. I won't go into details. Some things are better left to the imagination. But there was a lot of camera action, statue posing and climbing of walls. Just a little note though - when you climb a wall, always make sure you aren't afraid of heights. Getting down isn't as easy as getting up. Roach found that out the hard way......

The best part of when a friend visits is the sleepover. You always know they are going to be there when you wake up and you can start planning your day together. They don't leave and go home. Not yet anyway. Before it all ended we even managed to slip in a royal wedding sleepover at another friend's house. Tea for me, Tequila for Roach. Hey, we all have our preferences. Then it was time for Beer Fest 2011.

A few microbreweries, a paddle for spanking your a** (ok, so that's not really what it was for - it may have just been a beer holder) and new friends for Roach completed the trip. I never stopped laughing. Wait, scratch that. The end. I stopped at the end. When my Roach left me. And reality came crashing back. Damn. Reality. The end of fabulosity. Which begs the question - why can't we get paid just to be fabulous? I saw how much we were entertaining people while we were out. Roach saw it. Our friends saw it. We have pictures to prove it. Ah, a girl can dream, can't she?