#69 - I left my heart in San Francisco!

Was in SF for work the past two days, I had never been and LOVED every second of it! Here is a lunch Lui and I had. He had oysters on the half shell and we shared fondue.
Here we are on Powell Street - lots of shopping and dining everywhere you look!!

Here is the harbor where we had lunch yesterday and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Freshest seafood ever! I don't eat seafood but Lui was in heaven.

Here is a shot I took in the BART - for public transportation it was pretty quick and inexpensive.

#68 - Tustin Chili Cook-off & Street Fair

I actually didn't take this, swiped it from another blogger - but I really did try the chili in the small bread bowl and it was fabulous! Ton's of chili to be had and the weather couldn't have been any better, 76 degrees and sunny!! It only comes once a year but it is a fun, fun event.

#67 - I did it!

I brought in my recyclables to Albertson's this morning and there was no one to pass my goodies off to so I went for it! The process was extremely easy - you put your items in the machine (which has motion sensor) and it moves the items in on a conveyor belt. I put in all of my items, one at a time, closed end first and got...$7.30; the receipt popped out once I pushed a green button to notify the machine that I was done recycling. I can take the receipt into Albertson's w/in 30 days to redeem for cash or use towards my grocery purchase. Very exciting!

Note: Crushed cans or bottles are not accepted.

#66 - Memorial Weekend Traffic

It started with a stack of black smoke outside my office window - found out a tanker had tipped over on the freeway and caught fire, no one got hurt. BOTH sides of the I-91 were shut down for 6 hours. We were suppose to get out of work at 1PM on Friday but I left at 12:30PM and didn't get home until 2:30PM (usually a less than 30 min commute) - took an alternative/creative, out-of-the-way route but as you can see there was really no good freeway to take (so much RED which is 15 MPH or less).
I had my kitchen cabinet guys waiting for me to do their install - I was suppose to be home by 1:30PM. Was thinking about everyone else with their weekend holiday plans...salt in the wound! Holiday traffic is never good anyway.

BUT, the weekend turned out to be a good one! Went to the Zwetow's on Saturday to lay out by the pool, BBQ and watch Cloverfield. Sunday, Lui and I went to brunch with the Zwetow's followed by shopping (Tony picked his tux for their wedding). Monday, I did laundry and Lui took apart and hauled out my stackable washer/dryer that was hogging up room in the master bath. Not the most exciting but definitely productive!

#65 - Recession 101

There are a few billboards out in the desert (near Palm Springs) that have Recesssion 101 ads (http://www.oaaa.org/recession101.aspx) I find them interesting, here's what they say -

Recession 101: Experience and talent are recession proof.

Recession 101: This will end long before those who caused it are paroled.

Recession 101: Interesting fact about recessions...they end.

Recession 101: Bill Gates started Microsoft in a recession.

I like these because I find them uplifting. Some would argue that we are even in a recession, others would say once the word "recession" was uttered we were already on the road to recovery. Regardless, it's food for thought.

#64 - FrEeBiE!

So, a lot of blogs give away items (I'm assuming it's so they can track their followers??) and I usually don't have anything to give away but today I do - it's 2 pairs of skidnees, courtesy of Soni (thanks!!), and they are going to Brynn - my "only" blog follower! Brynn, your girls are going to LOVE these in pink & purple "have a heart" style. They are fashionable and functional - for the arms or legs. Let me know what you think once you get them, they're getting mailed out to you today!

Sidenote: I am a diehard fan of The Housewives (New Jersey/New York/Atlanta/Orange County - love them all equally) and Bethany of THNJ recently had a baby girl and named her Bryn. :)

#63 - The Albrights

Sunday afternoon, I was invited up to Sierra Madre for brunch with the Albrights! Soni (formerly Culver) is my sorority sister from UND and we hadn't seen each other in 8 years. Since then, she's gotten married, lived all over and started a family - here's her hubby, Matt, and (almost 4 y/o) daughter big S:

V is the youngest at 6 mo. old, super smiley (wish I would have caught one of those smiles on camera!). V lovin' his mama in the beautiful outdoor weather we enjoyed in their back yard shaded by beautiful large trees:

Here's little S right after a nap, still found a smile for the camera:

And a picture of Soni, me and big S. Those are skidnees that big S is wearing on her arms and legs, a signature item from Soni's company collection - Stringbean Company (http://www.stringbeancompany.com/):

Was great to see Soni and meet her family! Brunch was delicious, too - quiche w/ carrots, zucchini and feta cheese, salad, breakfast potatoes and for desert was cake with aprums (an apricot/plumb hybrid). MMM!