fudgesicle on a stick

Go West Young (Wo)Man!

2011-11-16T23:45:00.000-08:00

The month of August was a VERY busy travel month. I may post about it. I HOPE to post about it. In the meantime, here's the flickr pics of the drive I took across the country with my sis as we ventured from her place in Chicago back to my place in California. Peep them here.

Tr!ckster!...The Legend Continues

2011-11-16T23:14:00.000-08:00

Oh, how the time flies! Many apologies for the late update. Where were we? Oh, yes! Setting up shop!

(above, Tr!ckster glasses with the first of our "High Five" boozes. This was for our "Quality Control" test. Never let it be said we don't care about quality!)

It's still Sunday and we've sorted all the books and started to lay out the store. Steve starts putting the shelves together. Scott and Ted get the tables set and I triple check the inventory to make sure I've got everything and know where it's all sitting.

We get some merchandise on the shelves before it's time to call it a night. Only one more day of set up before we OPEN!

Monday dawns bright and sunny. We all get straight to work. Quickly putting stuff on the tables and arranging backstock as fast as we possibly can. It takes a LOT longer than we could have imagined.

Sooo much stuff!

Scott, Ted and I take a break to celebrate my birthday - a day early. My actual birthday would fall on our opening day and we didn't think we'd have any time to dash out (we were correct). So we opted for what has become the traditional place to celebrate my bday in San Diego (as 'Con tends to fall on my bday) Lou & Mickey's! Ah, steak and Maytag martinis. Does it get any better?

I can taste that cool martini right now. Refreshing!

Before you know it, Monday was done and we were scrambling to finish our set up for TUESDAY - Opening Night!

Here's Scott assuring Allen Spiegel and Co. that we'll be finished with the set up by the time the doors open for business. HA!

And suddenly, we were off to the races!*
*I neglected to snap a single photo on the first day. Too busy! Here are photos from the following days. All excellent!

Inside the store! Madness!

The patio was the place to be!

Thanks, Ted - for making Tr!ckster happen.

Thank, Scott - for making Tr!ckster happen.

I cannot tell you guys (all) how much it meant to me to be a part of this wonderful event. Inspiring, exhausting, exciting, entertaining, hectic, stressful, wonderful!

Thanks to all who stopped by! Hope we see you at the NEXT Tr!ckster!

Tr!ckster!

2011-09-22T17:59:00.000-07:00

At long last, I've uploaded all the photos I could find from Tr!ckster. Whew. What was/is Tr!ckster? By all means, stop reading this and go check it out. I'll wait...

Cool right?! Join me as I 'recap' the mania (based on my sleep deprived memories):

We begin our adventure when my fellow Tr!ckster co-founders, Scott and Ted arrived with our transportation (which I later dubbed, 'Truckulus the Destroyer'. A well-earned moniker, I assure you!). They along with my sainted husband, Jeff, loaded the beast while I (and my bad back) supervised.

Scott hauls a load of loot to the 'destroyer.

Ted documents the drudgery of 'load-in' day. Later, we will both regret any pic that has Truckulus the Destroyer in the background.

"Hey Anita! I'm pretty sure snapping pics doesn't really count as 'helping'."

Ted and I set off along the highway hoping to make excellent time. Well, at least arrive in San Diego with enough time to grab a cocktail and something for dinner. I will spare you the details of that arduous journey. Suffice it to say, it ended fine - in that we arrived safely. Our trip involved crawling along at a snail's pace (it was a big truck) and blowing a tire roughly 45 miles from our destination. Said tire blow resulted in a many hour wait that I think both us would prefer to forget. Dinner was fast food and no cocktails were had. It was well after 1:30am by the time each of us crashed at our respective hotels.

Let's get to SATURDAY!

Yes, I'm 'helping' again.

The guys hauled all the stuff away on dollies. I watched our belongings to make sure nothing walked off. I assure you, it was very helpful! I also fed the meter! See, I AM useful!

Once we got the 'Destroyer' unloaded, the tables in position, and the lists of stuff we needed made, it was time to call it a day and head out for a bit of fun:

Padres vs. Giants

After the game it was off to Cowboy Star for dinner followed by drinks at the Noble Experiment (look it up, I'm not telling! It involved a 'secret' door - that's all I'm sayin'!).

What do you mean somthing's behind me?

I recommend the 'Dealer's Choice' and tip well - else you end up on the 'wall of bad tippers'.

Sunday was bright and sunny. I jauntily made my way back to our excellent location with a spring in my step and song in my heart (and a coffee in my hand).

It was much more impressive when they turned the fountains ON. Still, nice to walk past it every day on my way to work.

I arrived to learn that Truckulus the Destroyer had struck again! Stranding Scott and Ted on a supply run. While they waited for rescue, Steve (my chief minion) and I sorted the boxes into categories to make getting merchandise out easier. Once the guys had returned we started to set up in earnest!

Up Next: MORE set up Fun! With a least one break for food and/or cocktails.

Carolwood Foundation: Riding the rails!

2011-09-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

Me, in the Combine

Passengers on the Combine

Jeff in the baggage section of the Combine - that's where we took our first ride!

This train carries some dangerous freight!

Train pulling in.

Train leaving the station! All aboard!

All together now! The cars from the original train hooked up (minus the 'Belle).

Taking a curve on the train!*
*This was a special treat! We hadn't thought we'd be allowed to ride the trains once they were hooked up but, the engineers assured us we could! Everyone filled the last three cars and we took a single spin 'round the property. Such a great way to end the day!

Fill 'er up!

Roger Colton conducts us to our seats.

To see the entire photo album, peep them on my Flickr page.

Carolwood Foundation: Riding the Retlaw 1

2011-09-09T14:08:00.000-07:00

Also in May, Jeff and I took a trip with the Carolwood Foundation to ride the Original Disneyland and Santa Fe Combine - a part of Disneyland's original railroad!

The trip started in Oakland where Jeff and Mr. Floyd Norman were the 'guests of honor' on this leg of the trip. Animation (and Disney) Legend, Floyd Norman gave a great talk about working for Walt Disney as we chugged our way down to San Luis Obispo.

That evening, Floyd, Jeff, Tony Baxter and Ray Cadd gave a great talk called "Story is King: The Magic of Disney Storytelling". Jeff and Floyd focused on story in film and Tony and Ray focused on Story in the theme parks. Fantastic stuff!

To help raise funds for the Combine (for more info on that, check out Carolwood's website) - they had a auction. I love auctions! I love helping with auctions!

Bookends that used to belong to Walt.

Oh, I wanted this poster!

The next day we all arrived at Santa Margarita Ranch in order to ride the rails ALL Day!

Lunch was a BBQ on the ranch. Yum! And then we had MORE rail fun. I'll post additional pics of that later.

Destination D: Walt Disney World!

2011-09-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

So, it's been YONKS since I've posted - with very good reason (you'll get more of that as I get around to updating - soon!).

I did a full on TR over at the Dis: ATG does WDW Han Style...SOLO you can peep out all the deets and photos there. For the full on photo blast from that trip, here's my flickr link: Destination D: WDW

I've been doing a LOT of travel, gang. Whew. You'll be sick of all the pics I'll be posting in NO time!

Walt Disney World Day 2: Epcot!

2011-05-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

My first full day in Florida was a scorcher! I headed for EPCOT - my favorite park - to explore and have fun! However, I do NOT do well in the heat so this day was a real slog for me. I had on a sundress, a GIANT hat, AND I was carrying a parasol. I looked ridiculous! The cherry on this outfit was the lace fan I was carrying to TRY to keep my self cool. I lugged my camera around but, it was just to hot (and I was carrying too much crap) to bust out.

My first stop was Paris for a breakfast pastry. It was very good. The coffee slushie was NOT.

Next up I took my bear, Berrie, to the 'cool zone' to sample the Beverly soda. Lemme' 'splain. I took Berrie to Disneyland with Jeff a bit ago and we had a blast. I snapped pics of the day and laughed and laughed. It was almost like seeing the park again for the first time. So, I thought it would be fun to take Berrie to WDW and take lots of pictures. Something to fill the time and keep me busy since I was going all by myself!

What's this?

It smells weird.

*slurp*

EEEWWWW!

Poor Berrie! I'm really the only person I know who likes that weird soda! Apparently, it's quite the game to take a newbie to the 'cool zone' and video their reactions to the very first sip. I witnessed a pretty epic one while I was there. A couple of teachers line their students up against the wall (like a soda firing squad) and gave each of the kids a little cup of the Beverly. The teacher got the camera set up and then instructed the kids to sip. The looks of horror on their little faces! (we'll never trust again!).

My other 'mission' for visiting EPCOT was to 'Race Around the World Showcase'. A "Cars 2" promo. You picked up a little passport and visited marked 'countries' for a sticker. When you get the whole set, you picked up a little prize.

Yeah, not really worth the hike around the world.

Hot and disappointed, I called it a day and began the trek to my afternoon ADR at Coral Reef. I'd never been there before and wanted to sample it to see if it would be a good stop for our nieces next year. I got a seat RIGHT next to the tank, which was lovely. The service was very good as well. I'm just not sure the gals would enjoy this place without that same seat by the tanks.

There ARE fish here, right?

It was so boiling hot that I just wasn't really hungry. I needed to EAT. I hadn't eaten a thing since that pastry in Paris. I ordered the appetizer sampler for two as my entree. It came with fried shrimp, crab cakes, and lobster bisque. The food was all very good. I especially liked the shrimp! I would not, however, recommend eating the sampler as an entree except on a occasion where you're not starving. It really was not a lot of food for the money.

If you're a Smurf, this food overload will cause your stomach to explode! If you're a normal person, this is a drop in the stomach bucket!

After nursing my iced tea and soaking up the arctic death blast from the A/C, I decided to begin my trek to the Contemporary Hotel to meet some friends for dinner. I had heard that the transportation could take quite some time.

Berrie rides the Monorail

I really liked that resort. I wandered the shops and grabbed a coffee. Then I headed over to the ballroom to pick up my Destination D packet for the weekend. I met my friends for dinner at the California Grill. It had a beautiful view of the Magic Kingdom

I ordered the filet with the mascarpone mashed potatoes.

One of my Disney vet pals suggested I sub the potatoes for the goat cheese polenta. I had a hard time with the thought of NO potatoes so, I ordered the polenta on the side.

Oh, goat cheese polenta, where have you been all my life!

My dessert was a latte!

Berrie is STUFFED ! Wokka-wokka!

After all the food, I was too tired to do anything but crawl back to my hotel. Which is exactly what I did.

Next: Destination D - Day one!

Destination D: Walt Disney World

2011-05-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

So earlier this month, I jetted off to Walt Disney World for "Destination D: Walt Disney World". It was a solo trip - No Jeff this time and would last about 5 days (including travel). It was a whirlwind!

I hopped on a Virgin America DIRECT flight from SFO to Orlando (Oh, Virgin America. How I love you!) and snagged a upgrade to "Main Cabin Select" seating. Best way to fly! Free movies, free food, priority boarding...it's like a cheapie version of First Class. I like it! Pictured is my 'travel bear', Humphrey. He keeps me company on trips when the Mister can't come along. That would be him enjoying his free headphones and free entertainment aboard Virgin America. (end unpaid commercial).

Arriving in Orlando, I caught a 'Magical Express' bus to my resort, Coronado Springs.

The room

From the closet area.

Where Humphrey spent his week. Lazy bear.

The room had some really nice touches, too:

I finished off my evening at Portobello at Downtown Disney for dinner. Meatball sliders and pistachio gelato are the perfect way to start a trip (and end a travel day).

More Crochet Madness!

2011-05-02T01:12:00.001-07:00

I went on a baby project binge. First up, a couple of hats!

Many of my friends are new parents and I've been making a LOT of baby hats for their newborns. Now that the babies are bigger, it was time to start making a new selection of hats.

The next task is a baby blanket!

CHOCOLATE!!!

2011-04-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

So, every year (for the last three), there has been a chocolate fair at Jeff's work. I have not missed one. How could I?! Some of the same folks and some excellent new ones were there!

Au Coeur des Chocolats - the most heavenly little hearts with a creamy center and a burst of refreshing fruit flavor (lychee I believe). Amazing. These were very quickly gone. I tried for seconds later and no dice.

Go To Chocolate - this table was a MAD HOUSE! I barely snagged a teensy piece of almond bark and then I had to flee for my life.

Barlovento Chocolates - I love these. They have such interesting flavors! Really fun and creative. Favorite? The very spicy chocolate and chile truffle.

Toffee Talk - not a HUGE toffee fan but, the red walnut? AMAZING! I totally stalked the gal passing out samples.

Coco Delice - Such great truffles. I'm still bummed I didn't buy the Cognac truffle. Instead, I took home two boxes of Peanut Butter Bunnies - just in time for Easter!

Chocolatier Blue - Oh, how I love them! Peanut Butter truffles, Honey Sage truffles, heavenly caramels. What's not to love about these guys? I visit the shop on 4th street for my chocolate fix so, I didn't buy anything from this table. I just kept dragging my friends over "Eat this!"

My haul of goods - A very decadent box from Vice Chocolates (they had this amazing butterfly with white chocolate ganache, lime and coconut milk. I couldn't walk away from that!!), Claire Square (WHERE have these been all my life?! Shortbread, caramel, and chocolate? Be still my barely beating heart) and a bag of Barbary Brix "The Distinguished Gentleman" caramels (They had the BEST names for their products! And the caramel was divine! Espresso and creamy caramel goodness. Distinguished, indeed!)

Of course, now I cannot even THINK about eating chocolate for a nice long while.

The OTHER Wedding of the Century:

2011-04-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

My bestie got married last month. He found a beautiful, remarkable woman to share his life with and I couldn't be happier. They, of COURSE had a fantastic photographer but, here are a few snaps I managed to take.

Greatest seat markers or GREATEST seat markers?!

I did not do this fantastic centerpiece ANY kind of justice. They were beautiful and really helped fill the space. It was a enchanted wedding forest that lead to good food and CUPCAKES (no pics, please. I was cramming them into my mouth.

Mazel Tov to the happy couple!

Emerald City Comic-Con 2011

2011-03-10T01:40:00.000-08:00

This March the Mister and I headed to Seattle for Emerald City Comic-Con. It was our very first showing there! Jeff had ventured to Seattle last year as a attendee and enjoyed it so much, he pre-paid for a booth for this year.

I drove all of our loot to Seattle. It took me two days of white-knuckled driving thru wicked weather. I arrived on thursday just in time for some food fun with the rest of the gang (Derek, Jamie Baker, and Ted. With assists from Julia Lundman, Sho Murase, Brian McDonald, and...well...let's just say we had a excellent posse of hungry folks)! First up: Zig Zag Cafe

Friday opened with breakfast at Lola. Greatest breakfast ever! Made to order donuts, amazing potatoes, & maple sausage. A place so nice, we ate there twice!

The booth set up was pretty smooth. The doors opened at 1:45p. It was the 1st Friday in the history of ECCC..and it was slooooow! The rest of the weekend was much better, sales wise. This convention was the 1st time we used Square for accepting payments via credit card. We actually used it to keep a record of all our sales for the weekend. I LOVE Square! I can't wait to use it again!

When we weren't all at our booths, we were stuffing our faces with the best food Seattle had to offer:

Palace Kitchen - Clear winner: Pork shank!
The Kingfish Cafe - clear winner: Bread pudding
Smith - clear winner: EVERYTHING!!
Bonus:
Hi-Lo Cafe - I stopped here on the looooong drive home. Great service & really tasty chicken fried steak (Hey! I'm driving for two days! Now is not the time for healthy eating.)

Thx Seattle! Looking forward to next year!

Hi-ho! It's off to Disneyland I go!

2011-03-02T03:06:00.000-08:00

Oh, how I love going to Disneyland! My first usual stop is the Tiki Room. It just takes me to the happiest place! Luckily, the day we went was sunny and very bright. It was still chilly but, not enough to stop me from getting one of these:

Ambrosia! The nectar of the Gods! Mock me if you like - I just can't consider it a proper trip to Disneyland without one. The line was very long - not summer long - just long enough that if you. It didn't matter, I was happy to wait in line for my liquid gold!

New Orleans square was decked out for Mardi Gras!

While in New Orleans Square, we opted to wait for "Pirates" - a favorite ride. It was moving pretty quickly but, not quick enough for a wee chap behind us in line. I engaged the youngster in conversation. His being "What are you doing?" with my reply being variations of "Waiting in line with you!". He liked my Kermit bag - he said he was a 'moofet' fan. Adorable. By the time we got into the show building, we were fast friends. In fact, he wanted me to ride the ride with him! We opted to ride in the same boat but, didn't want to force ourselves onto his Mom. He griped my hand as we waited in adjoining lines and checked to make sure I was, in fact, right behind him. I cracked him up as we pulled away by whispering "Gee, I hope there aren't any pirates on this ride!" He turned to look me in the eyes and say "There are a LOT of pirates on this rde!" We shouted to Captain Jack to hide from the pirates looking for him and just generally enjoyed ourselves. After we finished and exited, he took me by the hand again, just assuming that we'd be following him to his next adventure. Aw! His Mom told him they were going in another direction and refused to let me go! I told him we'd be in the Pirate shop for a little bit and maybe we'd see him there.

I did, actually, wait in the pirate shop (Pieces of Eight) for a bit. We browsed it thoroughly! They didn't come back. We went off to "Haunted Mansion" and then dinner with our good pals Brian and Tricia at the Napa Rose. Very tasty! Once we waved them off, we headed back to the park for another two hours of rides. We concentrated on Fantastyland - my favorite time to hit that section of the park is after the fireworks!

Guess who I spotted climbing into a car on "Snow White"?! Of course, by the time we got off the ride, they were gone! Still, funny to see them again, right?! Well, we saw them again on "Peter Pan"! This time we walked right past them. I couldn't help myself, I tapped my little friend on the shoulder and waved as we walked past. His face lit up like a perfectly decorated Christmas tree! It was all that I could have asked for, His pushing his way back through the line to grab my hand was a surprise and his Mom graciously asking us to join them was a unexpected delight! He insisted he'd tried to find me (his mom told us they'd found Mickey and Minnie and delayed the trip back to the Pirate shop. He was very upset with Mickey for 'taking a nap' before his turn for photos. Especially since the wait meant he lost me! AW!) The two of us rode "Peter Pan" together followed by "Pinocchio". Dumbo was the follow up. As we we headed for "Mister Toad", his Mom laughingly told him he had to share me with my husband. His response? "But, I like her!" The kid was irresistible! After that ride, him Mom said it was time to go. We hugged and smooched all around and his little shoulders slumped as they walked away. I thanked Jeff for sharing our time with him and Jeff said "How could I not? You two were having such a wonderful time together!! He loved you instantly!" Such a sweetie.

I hope my little pal had as much fun in Fantasyland as I did!

The next day we were supposed to catch a early flight. Luckily the airline notified us that it had been cancelled before we left the hotel! We checked our bags and ran back to the park for a little bit more fun!

First stop - lunch!

We saw a ton of character out and about - Alice and the Mad Hatter, The Fairy Godmother, Snow White, Cinderella were all out - not to mention Goofy, Mickey, & Minnie! We saw the princesses all head out with the Fairy Godmother at the same time but, I was too slow to snap a picture. Instead, not two minutes later, I snapped Ariel heading out to join the others. Prime Princess viewing at the Plaza Inn, people - that's all I'm gonna' say!

The Happiest Face at the Happiest Place!

Surprise! You're going to Disneyland!

2011-03-02T02:24:00.000-08:00

The Mister surprised me with a quick trip. It followed almost immediately after our North Carolina jaunt. The only info he would tell me was that we'd be gone for the weekend (Oscar weekend!! What was he thinking?!) and that I needed to pack a bag. He told me to include one 'going out' outfit. Something casual. But, that I'd need walking shoes as well.

What were we doing?!

We arrived at The London West Hollywood (following some drama with our original hotel...nothing crazy, we just decided we'd rather stay somewhere else). It was a GORGEOUS hotel! I had my first celeb sighting of the weekend: Top Chef head judge Tom Colicchico! (I'm guessing he was eating at Gordon Ramsey at The London).

I was in love with our room!

A gorgeous balcony. Too bad it was too cold to use it!

Jeff has his reading ready to go on our HUGE bed!

Jeff is tweeting on his phone while I snap this picture with mine.

This is the shower. It's HUGE, has two shower heads on either side and is oval. I loved it.

The sink area.

The delicious tub. This bathroom was big enough to get lost in!

Comfy robes to use. We totally used these!

Here Jeff is modeling the comfy robe and talking to a pal. He's saying "I really hope my wife isn't taking a picture of me to post on the intewebs." What he doesn't know won't hurt him.

What were we doing in all this luxury?

We got invited to a pre-oscar bash! My sweet hubby planned the entire trip as a lovely surprise! I had NO idea! It was a great party! Lots of congrats flowing. There were fun speeches (Rickles was the stand out!) and touching moments. We wished everyone the best of luck and left a little early...I could've shut the place down but, we had further fun planned:

A trip to Disneyland!!

North Carolina: Redux

2011-02-25T02:56:00.000-08:00

The Mister and I took a quick jaunt to North Carolina to see his sister, brother-in-law, and nieces. As a bonus, I got to see my Mom again. Our original plan was to take the fam to WDW. We had to postpone that to trip until next year. I thought it was important to keep our date and use it for a visit!

We stayed at the Augustus T. Zevely Inn in Old Salem. It was lovely! They had a great breakfast and were right across the street from the Old Salem Tavern. Saturday was our day to wander around Old Salem.

M. Miksch House and Garden

Since we were in the off-season, not every building was open. Still, we really enjoyed ourselves! The day flew right by! We hit all the shops and stops that were available. Our last stop was C. Winkler's bakery! They sell the most amazing cookies! Paper thin and packed with flavor. I took home FOUR cans off cookies! The BIG thing they're famous for is the freshly baked Sugar Cake! They were completely sold-out of it on Saturday so, Jeff and I hit them up on Tuesday before we headed home. Oh.My.GOD! I fell deeply in covet with this cake! They sell the recipe in the bakery and you better believe I purchased it to try to make it at home!

Spring Wreath

2011-01-10T15:25:00.001-08:00

photo, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

I spent my Holiday making crochet goodies for friends and family. I decided to make myself a little something, too!

A spring wreath seemed like a grand idea and I managed to pace myself this time! It took me about 4 or 5 hours spread out over a week. Well done, me!

Hope it was Merry!

2011-01-03T19:07:00.001-08:00

We had a lovely Holiday - all except for poor Fig, who's having some kind of allergy outbreak again. Santa brought her something wonderful for Christmas; lots of paper to jump and play in.

Hope you all had a great Holiday. I'm looking forward to 2011!

Things to do:

Finish a writing project
Go to Japan
Brush up on my Spanish
Visit all my relatives in one calendar year
Make more "Happy Beaver" stuff
Invite people over for dinner more often
Get back into puppets!
------------

Those are NOT resolutions! Just things 'to-do'!

Holiday RAOK

2010-12-23T03:14:00.000-08:00

For the last few years I've participated in a 'Random Act of Kindness' (RAOK) gift exchange with my gals at tPF (The Purse Blog - peep my links for more info). It's such fun that it's started creeping into my general holiday fun.

This year, a friend sent me a link to a scarf drive mentioned on the SFGate website. I decided I'd like to participate! I've been crocheting up a storm this season - making lots of presents for my friends and family. I stayed up very late and made a Christmas colored scarf to give to them. I dropped it off today. Hope it keeps someone feeling warm and toasty!

Ho-Ho-Ho!

Christmas Wreath!

2010-12-19T01:05:00.001-08:00

photo, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

I've spent much of my Holiday making presents for friends and family. This year was a wreath year. This one is my very first! I made it for my sister-in-law. My Mom and Mother-in-Law got one as well!

Of course, in the mad dash of Christmas prep and shipping, I neglected to take pictures of the other two! Oops.

Still, it's been a fun and exhausting project!

I hope they all love them! Merry Christmas!

My New Niece, Riley!

2010-12-18T23:09:00.001-08:00

HIP_313975049.134682, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

Spent a week visiting my sister and meeting my new niece, Riley! I also managed to smooch on my niece, Emily and beat my pal, Chris at scrabble. Best visit ever!!

Lambertson Truex Bag Event At Tiffany

2010-11-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

My gal at Tiffany invited me to peep the new collection of Lambertson Truex designed bags at the SF store. I arrived freakishly early - even though I left terribly late! My timing was such that I was the very first person to arrive at the store - nearly 15 minutes before the listed start time. The staff kindly let me in. Cocktail in hand (blackberry daiquiri) I met John Truex (thanks to the very kind store manager, Giles!). Mr. Truex gave me very kind compliments on my little vintage black bag (from one of the shops down my street, now closed), and walked me through the entire collection.

I tried on every bag there. They were yummy! I adore the hint of Tiffany Blue in each bag and fell in love with two of them. The main object of my obsession was already sold out - the reversible tote in silver/blue is gone (but, will return).

(I wish I could have snapped a few more pics but, the place was JUMPING!)

My SA told me that Lambertson Truex is doing ALL the leather goods for Tiffany now so, we let Mr. Truex make his way around the now arriving guests, and perused the rest of the new goods. I promptly discovered the most delicious studded gloves! They came home with me!

They signed my box!

The View!

2010-11-15T03:52:00.001-08:00

The View!, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

Yikes! I've been slacking! Here's another pic from my "Destination D" trip - I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel in a newly swanked room. Here's my AWESOME view of the Neverland Pool.

Destination D Mainstage

2010-10-09T22:57:00.001-07:00

Destination D Mainstage, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

So late September I made a jaunt to the D23 hosted "Destination D" event. It was held at the Disneyland Hotel!

I managed to score a sweet upgraded room - they're slowly renovating the towers and mine, the Dream tower, was the one that had been completed.

I didn't take a TON of pics but, I'll be uploading the ones that I DID take shortly.

Down on the Farm

2010-09-21T01:45:00.000-07:00

Went to visit my Mum a few weeks ago. It wasn't a social visit but, we did manage to run out for a quick jaunt to a wonderful farm for veggies and other sundries.

North Carolina is so beautiful, I will have to get back out there for a real visit!

Printemps Scarf

2010-09-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

Had a chance to pop into "H" with a pal of mine. I had NO thought of buying myself anything but, I just fell in LOVE with this one. It's a lovely addition an I am very much looking forward to cooler weather to bust this out in!

Costume Fun Time @ 'Con!

2010-09-16T22:43:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights of any 'Con experience is the costume viewing! There were spectacular offerings to behold but, alas, I could not capture them all. Here are a few that I spied and snagged. Enjoy.

The Venture Bros. Villains:

Pacman Fever!

Domo:

Jesse!

Ken & Barbie ("Toy Story 3")

PUPPETS!

Thanks For Stopping By!

2010-09-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

Every year friends and fans swing by our booth to say "howdy!". I TRY to take a pic of everyone but, this year was so dang busy, I just couldn't keep up! So to everyone who came over, "THANKS!!" and sorry I didn't get your picture.

The Skelly's

SILVERMAN!

Jen & Laura

Killer Chiodo!

Steve Purcell

Kynt & Vyxen

Barenaked ED!

Karen, Victoria, & Sean

Ronnie Del Carmen!

...and many others! Hope you guys had a great time @ 'Con!

Comic-Con: The Madness Continues

2010-08-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

The week is a bit of a blur now. We were all very, very busy!

Thursday was a day full of frenzy with pockets of quiet. Friday was a non-stop extravaganza! I was barely able to grab my camera for a few snaps. Last year I could document everything! This year? HA! Too busy try to keep up with everyone to take pictures. I did grab a couple!

One of the best parts of 'Con this year? Jeff got interviewed TWICE!

Also this year? We gotz commissions! Oh yeah! (here are a few of my favorites)

After spending our days swimming in a sea of humanity, our nights were spent stuffing our faces and laughing with friends. I, of course, was busily engaging in those activities and neglected to snap any pictures. Trust me, we had a wonderful time!

Comic-Con 2010: The Start

2010-08-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

(Click on the image for a larger view)

I arrived at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel - right next to the Convention center! It was located right around the corner from our booth (#4800) which made the unloading of my car much easier. I'd say a 'snap' but, that would be a HUGE lie! It look THREE trips with the dolly to unload all the stuff from the car!

I picked up my badge and headed in with my first load (of THREE!) only to find our booth in shambles (the pic above is after I put it all together). Every year Freeman dumps all of our stuff right in the middle of the booth space and every year I try to get it set up before the gang arrives. Usually I have Jeff to help me but, this year I was solo. We had a lot more stuff in the booth this year as it was originally set for 5. The furniture hauling coupled with the trips to the car added to the drive down pretty much wiped me out. I opted for full 'set up' in the morning, after Jeff arrived. I finished my night with a swim at the hotel pool and room service.

The next day was Wednesday, Preview Night! The rest of the crew arrived for set up: Scott Morse, Josh Cooley, and Jeff Pidgeon.

Once we finished our set up, I took a quick jaunt over to see Jamie Baker and Rhode at their booth to document it. A tradition I started last year. I didn't really do their fantastic booth justice and only managed to grab a few shots before the hall opened and I had to sprint back to our booth (WAAAAAAY on the other side of the convention center!).

I made it back before the crowds descended!

And we were OFF!

Up Next: The Madness continues!

Comic-Con 2010: The Prepping

2010-08-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

I went product CRAZY for Comic-Con this year. I ordered new shirts, new items, new sketchbooks. We went INSANE! Jeff was very, very patient with all my product stuff. We printed our own screens using a Yudu machine. We made REALLY small print runs, making everything a limited edition. And since I refuse to ship stuff (other than the toys), it's ALL convention exclusive!

First up was the Kumo-Kun shirt.

Glow in the Dark shirt

White shirt

Kumo-Kun Red shirt

(click on pic for larger view)

Green Beaver tote bag (made with 100% recycled material).

I saw a bunch of baby stuff on sale at the wholesaler we were using and I thought 'why not?'! Jeff did a frickin' adorable drawing for all the baby shwag!

(click on image for larger view) Baby bibs

baby bibs and hats! (hats are in the back)

Baby blankets!

We completely SOLD OUT of the baby stuff! I could have ordered and printed DOUBLE and we'd have sold out of it. Next time, I will!

Everything ready to load for the road!

We also had sketchbooks, blank drawing books, buttons, and a few Happy Beaver Toys. Up Next: Comic-Con starts!

Jaunt to LA: The foodie fun continues!

2010-08-11T15:51:00.000-07:00

The beauty of a Sunday spent eating good food. My friends and I piled into a shared car and trundled off to Dodger's Stadium to take a glance at some goods for sale but, primarily, to stuff our faces full of tasty food.

There were roughly 20 trucks parked in the designated eating zone and we took a quick glance at all of them in the melting heat before starting. Our first stop was the India Jones truck.

One of our party had sampled a delectable device known as a Frankie (I had mine with CHICKEN!). This little roll of awesome set the very high benchmark for the day. The chicken was perfectly seasoned, the bread rich and light, the onions and sweet chutney in perfect balance with the rest of the dish. A light dusting of fresh herbs to brighten the whole - Oh! Sweet Frankie, I wish I lived nearer to you!

(Remember, click on the pics for a full view)

We next hit the Slice Truck:

This was, by far, my favorite piece of pizza since I ate a heavenly pie at Dopo, in Oakland. It hit all the flavor profiles you want in a pizza - it was everything you didn't even know you needed in a slice of pizza; crisp but chewy crust, tart and tangy sauce, perfect oozing slightly caramelized cheese, and a sprinkling of basil to make your mouth sing.

Next on MY agenda was the Border Grill Truck. I'd read about this one before and was itching to try it out - especially since I've eaten at The Border Grill in Santa Monica (& LOVED it).

The line was very long and very hot but, I persevered - thanks to a very kind patron with a misting backpack that was willing to share. Sweet lady, wherever you are, I love you. I was eager to have the iced Mexican Coffee (cream, coffee, cinnamon, anise..heaven!) but, they had sadly sold out before I got there (and we were EARLY! It was just REALLY hot). Instead, I satisfied myself with the tamal cone.

Chiles, creamy corn, crema, and mild fresh salsa all play together in perfect harmony. It was rich and decadent and not at all what I wanted on a very, very hot day. I quickly moved on to meet my friends at the truck I had been waiting ALL day to try:

That right boys and girls, the Cool Haus truck! ICE CREAM TIME!! The line for this truck was a monster! A slow moving beast that I, thankfully, got to skip, as my friends had stood in this line while I was waiting at The Border Grill truck. The selections were ever changing as the long line had it's way with the truck. By the time we arrived the flavors had undergone a change (they would alter again before the day was out).

The relentless sun forced us to find shade ANYWHERE. My eagle-eyed companion found us a shady patch behind the Great Balls On Tires truck. The one truck I didn't get to try out but, was very tempted by. I sat in the cool shade and slurped down my cinnamon and snickerdoodle ice cream sandwich as fast as I could. By this point in the day, I really just wanted the cool ice cream and found the cookie too thick for my stomach (have I mentioned how hot it was?).

The trucks were selling out of water and my bottle was long emptied. We made one last foray into the truck frenzy to find ONE that still had water for sale. We came away victorious and made our way to the goods for sale in the swap meet part of the show. The sun was truly heinous and we hit just a few aisles. Thankfully, I found the Popshop Popsicle Cart in one of the aisles. He was out of most of his ware but, I managed to snag the very last mint mojito popsicle. It REALLY hit the spot! So cool and refreshing, I didn't even stop to take a picture of it!

We called it a day and headed our separate ways; me to lie by my hotel pool for one more day before venturing to San Diego and my pals back to work!

Thanks, LA (and my LA pals)! I needed that little respite.

Coming Up; COMIC-Con! The madness begins...

Jaunt to L.A!

2010-08-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

(Click on pics to see larger views)

My pre comic-con jaunt to LA was a little treat to myself for all my hard work getting ready for Comic-Con. A BIRTHDAY treat!

I met up with some pals and we chowed our way through all kinds of foodie fun!

Our first order of business was a stop at the famed Kogi truck!

I'd never had any of this yummy goodness before! I had the chicken, spicy pork, & rib tacos (yes! all three!). My buds tried the sliders & the black jack quesadilla. The rib was the clear stand out but, the chicken - usually the weak link of any taco truck menu, was a clear surprise. The truly stellar piece was the slider! Creamy mayo and kogi spiced rib meat with crisp lettuce and a soft sweet bun. Heaven I will order this again and again and again (whenever I get the chance!

We finished our lunch with a stop at a local and excellent gelato place (which I forgot to write down, sorry). After that we headed in separate directions, half of our group went to a birthday party and the rest of us took a trip to Skylight Books! A truly exceptional indie bookstore. A pal of mine knew letting me loose into that shop would be giving me Christmas in July! Skylight has a really focused selection. I found truly excellent books there. It was incredible to come across so many books I'd never heard of! Bliss!

After loading up on some goodies ("This Is Where I Leave You" by Jonathan Tropper, "Look At Me" by Jennifer Egan, and "Signing Their Lives Away" by Denise Kernan & Joseph D'Agnes) we headed out to dinner. We went to Umami Burger.

Dinner was excellent! A truly epic burger!

For dessert we headed off to Horrible Movie Night for good giggles.

The next day dawned sunny and hot so we silly foodie fools opted to visit a Swap Meet and Food truck extravaganza at Dodger's Stadium. We BARELY strolled through the tents of stuff - too busy stuffing our faces.

Up Next: Foodie Adventure Awaits!

Paris Day 6: The Final Wander pt. 2

2010-08-10T00:05:00.000-07:00

I was not excited about this walk down the Champs-Elysees until we started it. It was getting late after all our earlier wanderings but, we were confident we could dash into a few more shops before closing. The Mister hit the Disney Store with a thud looking for any cool "Toy Story 3" stuff. He found a great crane game (for the little Aliens) but, it was so massive we opted not to pick it up. Of course, when we got home, he couldn't find it anywhere! His poor heart was broken! Thankfully, it FINALLY crept into stores, and we got one (whew!). Now back to Paris;

A friend of mine always buys a new scent whenever she's on vacation. That way whenever she wears it again, it INSTANTLY reminds her of this wonderful time. I thought this was a capital idea and headed for the premier perfumier in Paris (IMHO). I found a GORGEOUS perfume, only available at that location. I fell in LOVE with this scent (Do I remember the name? No). It was perfect and summery. I did not buy it as I had JUST purchased some perfume at "H" before the trip. I am kicking myself for not doing it. That scent haunts me. I stuck the little scent stick in my guidebook and I keep sticking my nose in said guidebook hoping for a little whiff. I really should have picked up a bottle (but, in my defense, it was EXPENSIVE!)

Limp with hunger, we walked across the street (stopping for a pic) and made our way toward our dinner restaurant of choice; Les Saveurs de Flora - which my guidebook assured me would be the height of romance for our last dinner in Paris. I can attest this fact as I didn't snap a single picture of the meal. I was too busy making eyes at my husband.

On our way to the restaurant, we walked right past Le Fouquet's - it's 'the Ivy' of Paris - all the movers and shakers go to see and be seen there. Also on the way to our restaurant? Something that made the Mister bust out laughing:

ANOTHER "H"! How beautiful to see TWO! Of course, it was closed. That would be me in the picture, peering into the windows and hoping someone is inside to take pity on me. No such luck.

The windows were full of shadow puppets AND "H"! Two of my favorite things! We snapped pics of them all, I assure you!

(Still hoping someone will let me in!)

After dinner we staggered to our hotel replete with good food (and wine). The very next morning, we snagged a shuttle to the airport (where we found ANOTHER "H"! I LOVE Paris!), where we caught a flight home.

Sorry that last one was so blurry. I blame this:

That's it for Paris! Up next? COMIC-CON!

Paris: Day 6 - The Final Wander

2010-08-09T23:30:00.000-07:00

Day 6 dawned cold and grey. As if Paris new it was our last day and wanted it to a sad one. We bundled up as best we could. Jeff actually went exploring without me. Off to buy himself some presents (cool French comics and art books) while I packed in our small hotel room.

We decided to meet up on the Rue Royale so we could have some tea, I could pick up some gifts, and he could check out one more store.

We split a lovely omelette with a salad and then treated ourselves to a eclair (heaven) and a light and airy pastry with rum, chocolate, crispy thin wafers of cookie, and yummy. Top all that with Marie Antoinette tea (really floral but, so perfect with desserts) and you've got my perfect afternoon!

(That smile is the smile of the sugar crazed.)

Once we were full and hopped up on sugar, I used the little list they gave us and ordered a plethora of goodies for friends back home. Boxes of tasty macaroons, chocolates, teas, all sorts of decadent delights were bagged and purchased. I got to 'cut' the line that stretched out the door (it pays to dine inside) and when I went to pick up my bag, I ordered extra stuff at the last moment! The poor woman was standing next to me, a small receipt clutched in her hand. She just wanted to pay for her order and LEAVE but, NO! Crazy American has to tack on more sugar (like I need it). I turned to her and in very, very bad French said "Desole, tout est ma faute" (Sorry, it's all my fault) and she laughed and laughed. Shook her head 'no' and patted my arm.

All was forgiven.

Packages bundled under our arms, we stopped off at the Place De Concorde for some photos. I've always wanted to see the Obelisk there.

(see the bag? Full of goodies!)

After trundling over to take pics and drool. The Mister decided he wanted to walk down the Champs-Elysees. How could I say no!

Paris: Day 5 - Versailles pt.5

2010-08-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

After we'd seen all the Chateau we could stand, we decided to brave the outdoors.

We'd had plenty of peeks at the beautiful grounds from some of the Chateau windows. The sun would tease us by popping out to say "Hi!" before being overtaken by the rains again. Jeff and I just hoped we could time our outdoor excursions to a sunny interlude.

As we reached the grounds, our luck held. We snapped some GORGEOUS pictures and 'ooh'd' and 'aaah'd' over the entrance and the fountains.

(click on the pic for a larger view)

As we made our way toward the center, stopping for pics, of course. We saw the clouds come rolling back in. Big, dark, angry looking clouds.

Right after I snapped this one, the rains came back. This time they meant business as they brought their good friends; Thunder and Lightning! Time to go!

We walked back to the RER station (stopping for a hot chocolate to give the rains a chance to stop or slow a little). As soon as I got on the train, I fell asleep. Exhausted but, happy!

Paris: Day 5 - Versailles pt.4

2010-06-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

Finishing up at Louie's place we headed over to see the Queen's apartments.

I think they ran out of gold after they finished this room!

This pattern was all over this place! It was on the blankets, on the walls, the curtains, the carpets, the stools!! The pattern seemed to crawl into my eyes and wouldn't leave! I liked it - just not EVERYWHERE!

This wall has the doorway that the Queen escaped through when Versailles was stormed during the Revolution. On the Left of the doorway? It's the Queen's jewelry box! Proving once again, that I am a rank amateur when it comes to accessories!

When we felt like our eyes were going to explode, we escaped to the Dauphin's apartments. These were inhabited by Louis XIV's son. He never became King. He lived in these rooms for many, many years but, died before his father. His son, Louis XIV's grandson inherited.

On the way, we wandered in and out of a few rooms used by the Royal family. We kept finding benches and chairs that you couldn't sit on! And believe me, I wanted a seat!! It's a marathon walking all over the Chateau! They are such teases...

On to the rooms!

I was obsessed with this carpet. It's original to the room.

Up Next: The Grounds of Versailles.

Paris: Day 5 - Versailles pt.3

2010-06-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

Jeff and I clutched our audio tour thingies close and made our way through the many salons and rooms. At last we reached the doorway to the hall I'd longed to see since I was fourteen years old...

I love the disdainful look on the statue. Like he's thinking "Moo" as we all herd past him, cattle style.

The tour groups swept in and of this room like the tide. Jeff and hovered on the outskirts to avoid being dragged along with them. I could have spent ages in this room! I loved the moments between groups when the Hall felt empty. I can't imagine the crush in the peak season!

I swear I had this exact grin on my face for the entire day! This would be one of the few pictures to prove it! When I get back to France, and I will someday, I'm going to spend another day at Versailles!

We walked all the way down the Hall of Mirrors to what was Louis XIV's throne room (no throne now). We walked back into the Hall and entered the Kings Bedchamber.

(There's that grin again!)

There were two fireplaces in this room and it had a beautiful view of the grounds. This was the King's state bedroom. Louie had a more private room on the 1st floor.

Here's the King's bed! Notice that fence? The Courtiers would stand on the outside of the fence while the King and his Body men - crazy! Would dress him and undress him as needed. All part of the rituals of the court.

Up Next: The Queen's chamber & the Dauphin's room.

Paris: Day 5 - Versailles pt.2

2010-06-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

We scooped up our audio tour thingies (that's the official term for them :-) and made our way inside the Chateau, passing through security took next to no time at all - they've really got a smooth system in Paris! We breezed along at every major sight we entered.

Once inside your audio tour thingie gets programmed for the language you need and off you go! There were clearly marked signs denoting the beginning of the tour. We started at the Chapel Royale.

There were two stops for the chapel - the second floor was the first stop, which would be where the King and Royal Family would have been for service, and the 1st floor (where this photo is from) which was for the rest of the Courtiers.

Moving from the Chapel Royale we pass a series of salons in the Grand Aparpartement du Roi or the King's public rooms.

Next up: The Hall of Mirrors & the King's bed chamber.

"Toy Story 3" Premiere - a.k.a. Hurray for Hollywood! Pt.2

2010-06-16T00:27:00.000-07:00

Set up in the field of Hollywood High (seriously) was the funtastic 'Fun Zone'! Inside were games, delicious food, and photo spots! We had a blast!

Our very first stop was this sweet spot - with Red Velvet cupcakes (no pictures, I was busily cramming them into my mouth). The little 'pops' were various chocolate enrobed morsels. The one I had was peanut butter and chocolate, dipped in chocolate and chocolate sprinkles. It brought a (chocolate) tear to my eye! We also had corn dogs, cotton candy, pizza, vanilla shakes, and a potato taco. We had to share that one, as the last one was snagged right from under me by Weird Al Yankovic (I swear!).

We didn't try all the games but, we HAD to stop at this one: the Bean the Alien game! Jeff does the voice for those little green charmers and I wanted a picture of him there:

When you toss the ball through their mouth they say "Oooooooh!". Hilarious.

In the 'Big' tent you could build a Mister Potato head, see inside Ken's dream house, Sit on a GIANT chair for a picture, race Slinkys down stairs, and take your picture with the Roundup Gang!

There were lots of characters running around. We saw Woody, Jesse, Bullseye, & Buzz. I almost bumped into Mister Potato head who waggled his eyes at me...so, I'm pretty sure he didn't mind! We also saw Lotso!

I didn't get close enough to see if he smelled like Strawberries - sorry.

As I mentioned before, it was Tim Allen's birthday and they had a HUGE cake for him at the theater. They had one at the Fun Zone too, and I got a piece! It was made by the folks with the Red Velvet cupcakes! It was chocolatey delicious!

About this time, we started getting tired. The party was winding down and we had dinner plans. It was time to go. Jeff had ONE last thing he wanted to do. His favorite "Toy Story" characters are Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. He LOVES them (I think it's because of the very excellent voice work by Don Rickles and Estelle Harris but, that's my opinion). We'd seen Estelle Harris earlier and Jeff wanted to say "Hi". She was SO sweet (and hilarious! I could listen to her ALL day!). I made her laugh by telling her that Jeff plays her adopted sons, the little green Aliens. She was tickled that he wanted to say 'hello' and didn't believe m when I told her the Potato Heads are his FAVORITE characters. He assured her it was true. It was a great way to end our day, laughing with Mrs. Potato Head!

Do ya see the guy in the middle there? He give great bitchface!

And so ends our fabulous day of fun and excitement! Hope you enjoyed it and go see "Toy Story 3" in just a few short days!

Jeff says 'so long, Hollywood'!

Additional: You too can experience all the joys of the Toy Story Fun Zone! It's open from June 18 - August 29! You can buy tickets here!

"Toy Story 3" Premiere - a.k.a. Hurray for Hollywood!

2010-06-15T23:53:00.000-07:00

My very talented hubby, Jeff was invited to the "Toy Story 3" premiere this past Sunday, at the El Capitan theater, in Hollywood. He worked on all three of the Toy Story films, so we were very excited to attend this event. I decided to make it extra special and booked us a room at the Montage, in Beverly Hills. I'm so glad we did!

The bolster pillows have our initials on them! Next time, I'll put our first name initials on the form. Still, pretty swanky!

Yes, that would be me reflected with a giant grin on my face!

We chilled for a little while and then headed off (adventure awaits!). Silly me had neglected to look at a paper (or any news outlet, really) so, I had no idea that the Pride Parade was taking place in our neighborhood at the same time we were heading out the door! Needless to say we just squeaked into the premiere! Or, as Jeff said: We arrived late enough to be famous! We picked up our badges and made our way down the red carpet (not the press gauntlet! That was reserved for celebs and muckity-mucks!) - we sauntered along the back of the press line and snapped a few pics as we went!

Director Lee Unkrich and Producer Darla Anderson work that red carpet!

Lee heads inside. We should to that, too!

We grabbed out popcorn and soda, put our 3D glasses on and got comfy. We had killer seats! Dead center & about 4 rows back! The lights went down and John Lasseter took the stage to introduce the show. He also introduced Lee, Darla, Tom Hanks, and Tim Allen - who was having a BIRTHDAY! Woody and Buzz wheeled out a HUGE cake and we all sang "Happy Birthday" (I think someone owes Sir Paul some coins). Tom Hanks jumped behind Woody and started talking, John handed him the microphone and 'Woody' got everyone cheering! He and 'Buzz' (Tim Allen had hopped behind Buzz by this point) traded a few jokes and we all just ate it up! What a treat!

They showed "Day & Night" first. I'd seen it in 2-D at the wrap party and loved it. The director, Teddy Newton said it's astonishing in 3-D and let me tell you, it IS! Truly, truly astounding! Jaw-droppingly gorgeous in 3-D! I'm not usually a ra-ra fan of 3-D but, in this case? SEE IT IN 3-D! You will not regret it! It's worth it just for the short! Then, "Toy Story 3" started and I loved it all over again. I had my tissues prepared (thankfully) and I needed them. Next time I see it (opening weekend - in TWO days!!), I won't wear mascara, either.

After the screening, I raced downstairs to the 'little girl's' room and had the most random celeb siting! I saw Evan Lysacek waiting for his 'date' Cheryl Burke (she co-choreographed a dance number for the film - just see it!). I will confess to being a fan of "Dancing with the Stars" and for this past season, I was rooting HARD for Evan and Anna. I tossed all my normal 'too cool for school' schtick and hopped over to shake his hand and gush for a second. Poor guy! Trapped until his date finished!

Once I found Jeff again, we hooked up with some fellow Pixarians and made our way to the "Toy Story Fun Zone" to celebrate!

Paris: Day 5 - Versailles

2010-06-15T02:26:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to see Versailles. I believe the first time I'd heard about was when I was 14 (or so). The idea of the place intrigued me. I imagined walking those halls - those same halls as the tragic Queen, Marie Antoinette (please remember, this is a 14 year old drama queen imagining these scenes). At last, after X number of years (like I was going to say!), I arrived!

The day before, at Disneyland, we had lucky weather! Cool and overcast but, not a single raindrop. We were not as lucky at Versailles. I had wisely packed umbrellas for Jeff and I - I'd even included a jacket for Jeff. Sadly, I neglected a raincoat for myself. Desole! It was pouring in the morning as we ate breakfast. It was sprinkling as we headed out on the Metro (to the RER station). It would rain, on and off, for the remainder of the day.

The best part of the cloudy, gray day? The pictures! It gave us beautiful pictures, without the odd soft-focus quality from DLRP.

There is a major restoration project at Versailles. I read that they're hoping to bring the palace up to it's sparkling pre-Revolution glory. I'm of two minds on this project. On the one hand, I love seeing historic sites cared for and maintained, especially one as beautiful as Versailles. On the other, glitter-izing the palace almost removes it's darker history - the Revolution, the looting, the neglect. The replanting of the gardens to follow original layouts, I applaud. Re-gilding the 100 year old doors? 50-50. After all, when you remove the patina from a bronze piece - it loses it value, by losing it's history (of dust, and dirt, and time).

The tour starts in the Chapel Royale. An audio thingie is included to give you bits of info and put some of the things you're seeing in context. You get to move at your own pace (slowly), unless you're taking a guided tour. Next time I go (and I will see it again!), I'll try one of the tours - mostly because Jeff and I kept walking the wrong way! We'd go through a room to it's apparent (to us) end, and find that we'd skipped a room we were supposed to turn to, or a door we were supposed to walk through, missing vital pieces of beauty, to reach the location we were standing in. So, inevitably, we'd backtrack time and again, wasting our energy. The guided tour might have helped.

Paris: Day 4 - DiSNEYLAND pt. 5

2010-06-10T23:36:00.000-07:00

Tomorrowland!

By this point of the day, I was pretty beat. The mister left me to sit and doze while he ran off to snap some Tomorrowland photos. We didn't ride a single ride! Too sleepy! Instead, we wandered into the arcade - the REAL kind! For a bit of a break from the weather and a hot cocoa. There are two arcades in DLRP - one themed for the Statue of Liberty & one themed for Da Vinci. The 'Liberty' arcade lead you to the retail sections and the 'Da Vinci' arcade had all the take-away food windows. Both had spots to sit and relax and they were both relatively quiet.

We opted to stick around the park for dinner and tried our luck at the Blue Lagoon (the restaurant inside the Pirates ride). We waited about 5 minutes for a table! Excellent! I LOVE DLRP! No lines, no real crowds, and no waiting for a table!

It's not themed at all like the Blue Bayou. It's more 'tropical' - as it's supposed to be a pirate hang out in some exotic locale. You couldn't really see the ride as the restaurant is incredibly dark! I tried to peep out from the foliage lining the deck, hoping to wave to a passing boat. I could hear them pass but, couldn't see anything. Oh well! Back to the dinner! I had some kind of tropical 'jambalaya' and Jeff had ostrich flambe!

Funny, all my pictures are of the pitch black darkness!

By the time we finished our dinner, the park was beyond closed. A cast member had to escort us from Adventureland (to make sure we didn't try to pull a trick 'From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler' and stay after closing). We meandered down Main street and back to the RER station. A quick transfer to the Metro and we were soon snoring away in our beds. The next day was going to be exciting AND exhausting! We were going to visit Versailles!

Next Up: King Louie's Place!

Paris: Day 4 - DiSNEYLAND pt. 4

2010-05-26T23:58:00.001-07:00

After wandering thru Adventureland (and riding the Indiana Jones ride), I suddenly realized that I hadn't taken a good look at the castle! I was expecting very good things for this castle (Hello! We're in Europe! We can go see 'real' castles! Step it up, Disney!)

Look! Tinkerbell on the top of the castle! Although watch out! This pixie's dust will CUT you!

I thought the castle was BEAUTIFUL! It was everything I wanted in a castle AND you could even walk around the "battlements" or the second floor (which we meant to do but, kept forgetting to do. Oh well! Guess we have to go back!). But, what truly made this castle special was the dark secret hiding in it's belly, something so fierce and frightening none would dare attempt to plunder THIS castle. What could it be, you ask?

A DRAGON!!

Running in fear of our lives (and coughing from the 'dragon fire') we arrived, happily in Fantasyland! The Fantasyland for DLRP felt ENORMOUS! I feel like we missed tons of stuff in it because it was so spacious and, just like Disneyland, Fantasyland was the most crowded part of the park. Le sigh.

The hat shop:

The CEILING of the hat shop:

The Teacups:

Small World:

There were more restaurants than you could shake a stick at! We were still full from our tasty lunch at Walt's so we just walking and snapping pictures, some of which even came out!

Up Next: TOMORROWLAND

Paris: Day 4 - DISNEYLAND pt. 3

2010-05-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

Off we went to Adventureland! I fell in love with the entrance to this section of the park! It reminded me of Morocco in Epcot! Once we entered, it suddenly reminded me of Animal Kingdom. It blew my mind!!

Doesn't this remind you of the jeeps in Animal Kingdom?! Crazy!

We only rode ONE ride in this section (actually, we only hit TWO rides in the entire park! The hell is wrong with us?!). This one was a 'can't miss' ride for us! We didn't realize this sucka pulled a loop-de-loop on it and we therefore completely unprepared for it when it occurred. This mean that I jammed my neck a little on that loop. I was really worried that I'd have a HUGE headache for the rest of the day. Luckily, this was not the case (I think the hot cocoa we had later cured my ouchy neck).

We didn't actually eat here (sorry). I just thought the building looked really great! I had to snap some photos of it.

When I saw the awesome pirate ship, I got all excited thinking DLRP had a Chicken of the Sea restaurant in a boat near Skull Rock. Nope. It's just a fun playland for your wee ones. Is it wrong that I was disappointed?

Up next: Fantasyland!

Paris: Day 4 pt. 2

2010-05-22T01:38:00.000-07:00

After our tasty lunch, we forged into Frontierland, in order to ride The Phantom Manor (DLRP's Haunted Mansion). I'd heard great things about this ride and couldn't WAIT to try it out!

The line was long - it's a popular attraction. Luckily, we got to skip said line (thanks, City Hall!) and head right in. Almost immediately, we were beset with "spooks" that disrupted the ride. I believe we had to stop 6 times on the ride! Too many to truly enjoy it. The biggest difference we could see (since we were stopped so often) was that the Phantom Manor went for truly scary stuff! Not terrifying! Just more classically scary. It was nice. Their graveyard scene was spectacular and we thought going "underneath" the graveyard was neat and kinda creepy! It was over too quickly. We discussed going on it again and just never got around to it.

After the ride, we wandered a bit in Frontierland:

Up next: Adventure(land)!

Paris: Day 4 - DISNEYLAND!

2010-05-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

For our 4 day playing in Paris, we decided to skip town and venture to Disneyland Resort - Paris (DLRP). We had a couple of free passes to this resort and figured; 'why not?' Our only cost was the RER train, which wasn't too terrible.

It was May Day on our chosen DLRP visit - another reason to skip outta Paris, as I'd heard most of the cool stuff in the City was shut down for the Holiday. Better not to risk it! Our lovely hotel gave me a May Day flower bundle to tote around.

(Fits right in at the resort, don't it?)

This little flower came in quite handy for our jaunt to the Metro and RER stations. It felt like there were guys hawking flowers every three inches!! I waved my flowers in their faces and they left us alone (thanks, La Manufacture!).

The first thing we did at the park was eat lunch! Hello!

We ordered from the Prix Fix menu:
A creamy lobster bisque to start:

With GBD (Golden Brown & Delicious) crinkle cut fries and perfectly charred steak:

Hard to believe that I'm finding such yumminess at a Disney park but, I am! Here's the proof:

From our seat near the window we could see the little "All-Star Express" train come by:

After gorging ourselves, we headed deeper into the park on a quest to snap photos of restaurant menus (seriously! It's a project for a pal), and ride a few rides.

Paris: Day 3 pt. 2

2010-05-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

Hopping off the RER we walked about a block to the Eiffel tower.

it was kind of hard to miss!

We went off to buy tickets, pushing through the massive throng of people to the ticket counter - which barely had a line! The hell? All the people hovering around the tower were there to sell you stuff, beg for money, or possibly - pick your pocket. Huh. The sea of humanity at the tower was the busiest we'd seen any location in Paris, to date. It was intimidating! The 'salesmen' were really pushy - trying to get you to buy cheap scarves or Eiffel Tower key chains. I just walked as fast as I could and said "No" a lot.

We made it to the first floor (really, the second) and jumped in line for the top.

You can see the shadow of the tower here.

Heading for the top!

The gears for the elevators! Cool!

So, the Mister and I are standing in this crazy line, which lasted about an hour, to get to the top of tower. While we were waiting, we snapped a lot of pics - as you do when you are on vacation. Now, keep in mind that there are FOUR elevators dumping people onto the platform and only ONE elevator to take you to the top. This means that the line gets a little insane! There are two types of tickets you can buy, one for the 1st platform and one that takes you to the top - so there were folks who just wanted to take pictures from the safety of the first platform mingling in with people pushing to get in the crazy line. I just tried to ignore the hassle and enjoy the location. Unfortunately, this crazy system allowed some people to step in front of us. Normally, this would drive me to scream at people but, I was attempting to take deep breaths and acknowledge that we're all shuffling off to the same place. The fellow behind me, however, couldn't let it go. He took to bitching about the Mister and I snapping pics and "allowing" people to cut. I thought he was complaining in Spanish as I understood him perfectly, so I turned around and chewed him out in Spanish - basically telling him "hey, I'm on Vacation and when you are on vacation, you take some pictures. If it's a HUGE problem for you, step in front of me!". He did but, his wife was FURIOUS! She wouldn't even talk to him, she was so embarrassed. Jeff whispered ' so much for a romantic trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower for that guy'- which cracked me up!

At last we made it! There's a champagne bar at the top that we HAD to sample! Not a bad way to end the day, sipping champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower!

Paris: Day 3 pt. 1

2010-05-14T12:43:00.000-07:00

Day three in Paris! Oh boy! We just squeaked in for breakfast and then headed out for our adventure. For this trip, we decided to start with the Musee D'Orsay, which we'd heard such wonderful things about. To get there, we needed to take the Metro to the RER and then take the RER to the museum. It sounds much more complicated than it was!

The stop was under the museum, so once we made it to ground level, we could just go around the corner and POOF! The museum!

That would be me heading for the entrance.

There's no photography inside the museum, so we checked our cameras (as to not be tempted). I should have snagged a few pics in the GORGEOUS cafe we ate in. The food was not so great. Actually, I think I had the worst meal of the trip there. It's not the food's fault! I'm sure it was beautifully prepared - it just wasn't a flavor profile I enjoyed AT ALL! I ordered a cold radish soup with shrimp but, the shrimp was RAW! Now, when I get 'raw' shrimp at sushi places, it's cooked! It's just cold...not this dish. The pretty pink cup REEKED of fishy flavor and the cold, slimy shrimp was just gag-inducing. I'm getting gaggy just thinking about it.

The fantastic orange scented pound cake and caramel tea more than made up for the gross soup. Once we finished our "lunch" and exploring the wonders of the museum, we found a place that served sandwiches to sustain us. Once we finished, it was back on the RER to get to Le Tour Eiffel.

"H" bag model shot

2010-05-10T18:32:00.001-07:00

Couldn't neglect the 'model shot'. I'm a mess but, I persevere! Thanks to my wide-angle lens!

Big Box Reveal!

2010-05-10T17:56:00.000-07:00

Here's the corner

Bouganvilla Evelyne in Epsom

The Paris Schwag

2010-05-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

The bags

The little box.

That's right, all the way to Paris for stickies!

The big box:

The ribbon:

Behind the paper lies the goodies!

Paris: Day 2 pt. 3

2010-05-10T17:20:00.000-07:00

Off to the main event!

I know I took pictures of "Winged Victory" and the "Venus" but, I can't find them...I'll post those when I scrounge them up!

After this, we were done with the Louvre and I had a major headache! We decided to trudge up the Rue St. Honore for a coffee break.

The prettiest and tastiest iced coffee ever! From Cafe Verlet.

Off we trudge, realizing that Rue St. Honore turns into Faubourg St. Honore! We trekked quite some time and saw such marvelous sights!

Until we reached...

Paris: The Louvre pt. 2 (day 2)

2010-05-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

Ah, at last! FOOOOOD! We stumbled into the Richelieu wing and made our way to the cafe, which my Rough Guide said was the best spot to nosh in the museum. They had a sign up that they were closed for another 30 minutes. Oh NO! But, here's the thing... the French? AWESOME! As DH and I started talking about what our options were for a sit down spot with food, a handsome waiter walked over and asked us if we wanted to sit. He asked us, of course, in French and I responded, very politely in my screwed up version of French - basically apologizing for not having a clue. He was all "English?" and we nodded. "Excellent!" he says. "Would you like to sit and eat?". I look puzzled, "Aren't you closed?" I ask. "Yes, but, you can come in now." Have I mentioned that I love the French? LOVE! So, we sit and he hands us menus, explaining that he can't serve us the specials, as they aren't ready but, he can get us sandwiches. Cold ones. Fine, I say. He gets our drinks and we look at the menu. He comes back. "I can do these" and he points to the Croque Monsieur. "Two please" we say. He smiles and whisks away the menus. I love the French.

After lunch, it's off to see Napoleon III's apartments. Beautiful! I snapped about a billion pictures, which I will spare you.

I want this dining room. I really do.

We hit one last part - the famous Grand Salle and the Mona Lisa before we stomped off to go shopping!

Paris: Day 2 pt. 2 - The Louvre

2010-05-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

On our first 'real' day in Paris we woke up, and had breakfast in the hotel. Tasty! Lots of bread from a local bakery with jam, and a hot beverage. Perfect way to start the day, hopped up on sugar and carbs! Bliss!

Once we'd eaten we headed out to the Metro to take the 7 up to the Louvre - it's an exit right from the Metro! So easy, why was I worried about the Metro?

We were going on a Thursday, not a typically busy day for that museum, thankfully. The lines to get tickets were very short. We waited maybe 5 whole minutes. The museum is massive and we'd planned on seeing just a few things before our heads would explode.

First up, the Medieval Louvre:

Located in the older Sully wing, and under the museum, you'll find the remnants of the medieval fortress that grew up to become the palace we now think of as the Louvre. It's beautiful to see. The current showcase involves taking some modern touches to re-invigorate that exhibit. In this case, a French artist uses quotes in neon to highlight the old and the new.

In that same wing, you'll find the Egyptian exhibits:

I love the study of ancient Egypt and I was really looking forward to seeing all the stuff in the Louvre. I felt a little disappointed when I finally got there, though. Basically, the place is so large, it gets confusing and overwhelming. We barely managed to floors of the the Egyptian exhibit when I had to bail.

We headed out to the Richelieu wing for lunch and Napoleon (part 2).

Paris: Day 1 pt. 2

2010-05-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

We hopped on the Metro from Goeblins (after wandering around trying to find an 83 bus). We hopped off near the Petite Palais, not terribly far from the Champs-Elysees. We walked past the Palais, toward the dome of Les Invalides. We were searching for the big tourist boats or Bateaux-Mouches to take a tour down the Seine. A nice way to introduce ourselves to the city, and not wreak ourselves after our very long flights. Our hotel, La Manufacture, sold us tickets, so we could skip the line!

We found a spot in the shade of the boat, after stopping to buy water from the little shop, and got ready to start snapping.

You can make out the base of the Eiffel Tower behind us! This was the first of our many attempts to snap a pic of us near the Tower.

After our hours in the sun, we drifted back to the hotel and promptly fell asleep, not waking until nearly 10pm - after most restaurants had closed. Oops. Luckily, there was a kick butt sandwich place near the hotel that was open until midnight! Spicy chutney chicken sandwiches for two please!

Paris: Day 1

2010-05-07T18:48:00.000-07:00

We arrived very, very early at CDG airport. We purchased our Navigo passes and our RER tickets into Paris. We had quite an adventure getting to our hotel! At the airport we were instructed that the closest stop to our hotel was the Gare Austerlitz. Upon arriving at the stop, we wandered around looking for a map with our street on it. A very kind Metro employee asked us where we were heading, so we showed her our hotel's address. She didn't recognize the street name, so she asked a fellow employee who didn't know it either. Yikes, we thought. This wonderful woman rushed into the office to call a friend and eventually, came out with the stop name. We weren't far! Whew. So we lugged our suitcases up and down several staircases (side note: OMG! There are a LOT of stairs in the Metro! No wonder the Parisians are so thin!).

We checked into the La Manufacture, where the very kind staff gave us a slew of great maps and some advice on what to see first. I love that! They gave us a very sweet and quiet room overlooking the courtyard (thank goodness! As there was some construction going on outside, which would have been insane).

After a nap and unpacking we headed out for our first adventure! First up? Lunch!

The hotel recommended a place called "Au Bon Coin" and it was great!

My starter plate was camembert cheese, wrapped and fried - on top of lettuce, and covered with berries. Heaven!

The mister had onion soup. I'm not a HUGE onion fan but, that soup was tasty! I kept dipping my bread into his soup.

My plate: Those potatoes were so creamy and buttery! I shouldn't have eaten any of the salad and saved it ALL for the potatoes! The savory sauce was delish! After every bite, I kept saying I was full but, I kept eating it anyway!

The Mister's plate was going to be my first choice. I try to avoid us both ordering the same thing when we go out (because I am crazy). He got an amazing dish of pork with potato gratin and green beans! So good!

After stuffing our faces, we waddled out the door to attack Paris for the first time! Off to adventure!

Back from Paris!

2010-05-07T17:09:00.000-07:00

Full report with pics to follow!

Gucci traveling exhibit

2010-04-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

I read on The Purse Blog about this fantastic Gucci artisan traveling tour. It was going to be kicking off in my own city! So, I headed out this afternoon to see it. Forgetting, of course, about this dang Volcano in ICELAND that is jacking up travel all over the world. Upon arrival at the store, I found the small display (pictures above), and the machines the artisans would have used (had then been there). The very, very kind staff told me that the event had been cancelled, although if I wanted to get one of the special bags, I could--it would just have to be sent away for finishing. Thinking to myself that sending the bag away kinda defeated the purpose, I thanked them, snagged a few pics (before being told, again very kindly, that photography wasn't allowed), and bounced. Hopefully everything will clear up in time for the other events being held!

We interrupt this program...

2010-04-19T18:53:00.001-07:00

Back with more yummy chockie goodness...just need to quick post about summthin' else...

Bittersweet Chocolate Cafe

2010-04-18T19:49:00.001-07:00

Next up was the table for Bittersweet Cafe. I found lots of goodies here.

Yummy samples!

They were also passing out this chocolate/coconut beverage called the "Coconut Chill". It's their summer specialty and it'll change ya life! It was so good, I went back for seconds!

Michael Mischer Chocolates

2010-04-17T00:55:00.000-07:00

(Michael Mischer Chocolates)

This place had a great piece of yummy goodness; a chocolate barrel filled with root beer infused caramel! Such a great treat!

How I Spent Tax Day...

2010-04-17T00:47:00.000-07:00

(Bridge Brand Chocolate - this one had tasty, moist cake made with vodka!)

Eating CHOCOLATE! The mister's office had a "relief chocolate party" with lots of chocolate companies bringing free samples!

(Barlovento Chocolates)

(Barlovento Chocolate samples - full of such yummy flavors as cardamon honey and lemon zest)
Bridge Brand Chocolates
Barlovento Chocolates

Star Trek @ The Tech

2010-04-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

After standing in line for over an hour to see the "Bricks by the Bay" show, we zoomed down to San Jose to see the last day of Star Trek: The Exhibition @ The Tech.

Once we got into the show, you weren't allowed to take pictures. 'HA!' says I. I snapped a few, when no one was looking. I HAD to! They didn't sell an exhibit catalogue, which is just WRONG! If you don't allow photographs of the show, sell me a dang catalogue! I want it!

They sold us a print from the bridge but, it was only ONE snap - and it cost us $25.00. Insanity.

This spot SCREAMED for a photographer. As there was none, I took it upon myself to grab a pic of Jeff rocking it with the Donut.

The Colbert Report

2010-04-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

In awesome Lego form!

We sprinted right out of the show in about 10 minutes - as we had another engagement...

The Claw Machine!

2010-04-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

In awesome lego form!

Nerdvana!

2010-04-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

So, after waiting in line for a billion years, we made it inside the "Bricks by the Bay" show! We were hoping to see our pal, Cube Dude- to show our support and see his cool stuff!

He was away from the table at lunch, of course!

You can peep out more of his awesome on flickr

Waiting in line for Bricks by the Bay

2010-04-12T18:40:00.001-07:00

Waiting in line for Bricks by the Bay, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

Yesterday was a big NERD filled fun day! In the morning we rushed off to see "Bricks by the Bay". In the afternoon it was off to the Tech museum to see the last day of the Star Trek exhibit there. More pics to come!

Hipstamatic App

2010-04-12T18:33:00.001-07:00

photo, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

So, some friends started posting snaps taken with their iPhones using the Hipstamatic App. They looked so good, I HAD to get it and now, I'm obsessed!

It's such fun! You can change lenses, flash, gels, and film stock to get really interesting pics. They make the most mundane item look cool and artistic.

As if I didn't take oodles of pics before, I'm going to be insufferable now.

Download it now !

Travels: Red Rock (Las Vegas)

2010-03-31T02:54:00.000-07:00

For K's Bday - she asked if we could take a hike around in Red Rock - I, being insane, said "yes". The hike was, to be kind, brief. The scenery, however, was spectacular!

K & her pal C hiking up the rocks. And before you ask, no, I did not climb up there myself - not with my gimpy knee!

Pilgrimage to Disneyland

2010-03-30T00:25:00.000-07:00

Every year, I try to get to "The Happiest Place on Earth" at least ONCE. So far, this year, I've been once - in March. D23 had a lovely first year anniversary party and a pal of mine and I ventured forth. The party was held 'after hours' for D23 members but, my pal and I arrived before they booted everyone out in order to ride some rides and play. The only place we avoided was Fantasyland, as we'd have the run of the place during the party!

More hats!

2010-03-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

A hat for Miss E. She was kind enough to 'model' it for me!

Flower details. My latest attempt at hat decoration. I thought something besides the little rosettes I could make. These came out really nice!

ANOTHER hat for Michelle! This one was by request. She wanted a 'summer' hat with some slouch. This is a beret, I thought it might work for the still chilly spring. I may add some flowers to this one.

Crochet Hats for wee ones!

2010-03-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

A little monster hat for my nephew!

My first attempt at a monster hat. This one is for a family friend.

Taco Truck Crawl 2: Electric Boogaloo pt.3

2010-03-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

Once we finished our tasty tortas, we moved onto dessert - right next to out table! The awesomest churro cart!
Why so awesome, you ask? Simple

Stuffed Churros!

These come in four flavors: Chocolate (above), Straweberry, caramel, and vanilla (the clear favorite). A fantastic finale to our delicious day!

Except that wasn't the finale!

Onto MARGARITAS!

We also nibbled on yummy guacamole with shrimp and bacon (so good!).

All hail the 'Crawl Crew'!

Taco Truck Crawl 2: Electric Boogaloo pt.2

2010-03-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

This place is one of our favorites! They make a goat taco on the weekend with hand-made tortillas. It is stellar but, my absolute favorite here is their taco al pastor!

Some of the gang just hanging out waiting for yummy goodness at Los Michoacanos.

El Ojo de Agua our 6th stop. This place has the tastiest agua frescas and tortas that are dreamy! We ordered two tortas to share with everyone! And lots and lots of horchatas.

Ordering a tasty beverage from Ojo de Aguas.

Tortas from El Ojo de Aquas

My torta full of meaty goodness!

Taco Truck Crawl 2: Electric Boogaloo!

2010-03-09T00:53:00.000-08:00

In late February, we held our '2nd annual Taco Truck Crawl' - just the Mister, myself, and a handful of friends both old and new. It's nothing formal! We all got together last March for a fantastic Taco Truck Crawl, and so, we decided to repeat the culinary adventure a second time. Besides, who needs an excuse to nosh a tasty taco? Not me!

Our first stop, Taco Zamorano, is a favorite. Their taco al pastor is a highlight of the crawl. This year, I decided to 'mix it up' and try something different at any repeat taco place. My first foray was a chorizo taco. Excellent! Smokey, spicy, silky - in a word: Delicious.

Next up, and also from Taco Zamorano, was a carnitas taco. How much do I love carnitas? When done right, they are heavenly! Crispy, rich, with an almost fruity quality. LOVE! Done wrong, they are chewy and fatty. Can you guess which one the Taco Zamorano taco fell under? If you guessed the first one, DING, DING, DING! I think this one was one of my favorites of the day! Moist and tender. I could have skipped a slot, and gone for seconds here. Instead, we moved on.

Tacos El Gordo was our second stop. Last year, I tried the carnitas here, I believe. This year, I opted for a Taco al Pastor.

The taco al pastor here was good but, not great. The sauce they slathered on was fan-frickin'-tastic! Bright and bold, the sauce had quite a kick. Once you squeezed a bit of lime onto it, it sang in your mouth, perfectly balanced with citrus. The REAL star of this spot was, however, a taco one of my pals ordered:

The rib taco! Everyone who ordered this one raved about it! So much so, that I had to steal a bite. The Mister swears that next time, we're skipping right to this taco!

For our next stop, our team accidentally splintered into two groups. Ours, the tamale away team, ventured into the tiny outdoor patio of Huarche Azteca - tempted by the fragrant aroma of cooked meat and corn.

My Asada Huarche - carne asada, cactus, cotija cheese, lettuce, and sour cream on a thin masa cake. Devoured quickly by the rest of the gang. There were also pork tamale's gathered by the 'tamale away team' but, those were consumed before I could get my trusty camera.

Our culinary adventure will continue in another post! These crawls are epic!

More Vermont...

2010-03-05T12:03:00.000-08:00

The rest of the set is on flickr.

Crochet Hats Pt. 2

2010-03-03T17:15:00.000-08:00

A hat for my Brother-in-Law.

A hat for Deenie.
Flower details: I made the cranberry rose using yarn from a scarf I made for my Mum. The green yarn was the last of a Christmas project. Two flowers, one leaf.

A cupcake hat for my niece.

Crochet Hats Pt. 1

2010-03-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

I've been on a craft frenzy since our return from Vermont! I sent of a hat to my Mum and one of my sisters. Then I busted out the hooks and started a slew more. Here's what I've made, so far (since those first were shipped out).

A fuzzy hat for my MIL.

A red hat for my pal. She like RED (and played one on TV).

Details of the flower for the Red hat.

(Our) Room at the Inn

2010-03-03T02:59:00.000-08:00

We stayed in the 'Adirondack Room' of the Strong House Inn. The place was pretty packed during our visit and, thankfully, our room was gorgeous! It was a pleasure to come back from our busy day and relax by the roaring fire, sip on hot cocoa (made in our room), and nibble on maple cookies!

The fabulous bed.

The birch decor on the tv cabinet

The wooden wall scones. A highlight!

The Stronghouse Inn

2010-03-01T18:56:00.000-08:00

A beautiful and cozy inn with the kind of service that makes YOU want to open your very own B & B. Visit their website for more information.

Vermont 2010

2010-02-22T01:36:00.000-08:00

The Mister and I ventured to Vermont this last week. Yes, that right, VERMONT in FEBRUARY!! But, the weather Gods smiled upon us and we enjoyed a lovely trip back East to visit his family.

More pics from our fantastic trip coming up...

The Cozy Hat

2010-02-14T03:12:00.000-08:00

Over the Holidays, I started to crochet...well, I attempted to crochet! I made scarves for some of our relatives on the East Coast and little pot holders.

For our next visit back East, I thought I'd make us hats. The one above is mine. It's my first attempt at a 'puff' or 'popcorn' stitch. Not too shabby!

Leek & Potato Frittata

2010-02-09T23:00:00.001-08:00

Leek & Potato Frittata, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

One of my favorite things to make is a frittata! It's easy and tasty. For this one I used stuff in my fridge. No need to run out to the store for anything! That's the beauty of a frittata - you can put just about anything in it!

4 eggs
milk
salt
pepper
2 small yukon gold potatoes
2 leeks
1 strip of bacon (I always have a piece of bacon for a recipe. I freeze the extras by rolling them in little balls and then placing them in a bag in the freezer!).
herb de provence
1/4 cup of cheese (any kind - it's optional to use cheese or skip it)

Clean and dice the potatoes. Cut up the leeks (white part only) and place in a bowl of water. Separate the rings and splash them around a bit. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry. Mince the slice of bacon. Put the bacon in a (oven safe) non stick skillet over med. heat and cook. Add the potatoes when the bacon has rendered some of it's fat (2-3 mins). Toss the potatoes in the fat. If needed add a splash of olive oil. Let the potatoes get some color and brown. Add the leeks. Let them soften but, not get any color. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Put the oven to 475

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, a splash of milk, cheese, and about a tsp of herb de provence. Pour into the skillet. Use a rubber or wooden spoon to stir the eggs into the potato mixture to evenly distribute it through the pan. Let it cook for a minute or two. Place the skillet in the oven and let cook 5 to 7 minutes. Take out of the oven (use a mitt!). Place onto a cutting board and serve immediately.

Now, try it with your favorite ingredients or leftovers! It'll become a weekly addition.

Enjoy!

White Wine Braised Kale

2010-02-09T22:29:00.001-08:00

White Wine Braised Kale, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

Receipe as follows:

Bundle of Kale
1 shallot
2 gloves garlic
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
white wine & water combined to equal 1/3 cup

Melt butter in a skillet, add tsp olive oil. Once heated, add garlic and shallot. Stem and chop kale, add it to the butter and oil. Add wine and water to pan cover and cook - roughly 5 minutes. toss the mixture to coat the kale and serve. Deee-liii-cious!

SOTD: Bolduc Twilly

2010-02-09T22:21:00.000-08:00

Wrapped around a plastic bangle.

Butternut Squash Lasagna:

2010-01-26T20:29:00.000-08:00

Based on a recipe from Giada De La Laurentis

As part of our New Year resolution, I've been making more and more of our dinner. Jeff ordered a box of veggies to be delivered weekly and thus, I have no excuse! Unless, I want to waste food...

One of the challenges I'm attempting is to try new recipes or ingredients in new ways. This week was lasagna (I've never made one!) AND a butternut squash one to boot.

Ingredients ready to assemble!

Take a basic bechamel sauce...

...add basil and POOF! Lasagna sauce!

All assembled and ready for the oven. In about one hour (and some change), you've got a decadent dinner!

Borscht -two ways

2010-01-23T16:03:00.000-08:00

Fresh out of the pot!

Pureed nice and smooth.

I had a bundle of veggies I needed to use up and I thought I'd attempt to make borscht. Here's the recipe I used:

3 small beets, peeled and chopped
2 small yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small head cabbage, cleaned and chopped.
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt
pepper
cumin
1 cup white wine
sugar (optional)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cups water
2 cups stock
1 tsp vinegar (cider or balsamic)
Garnish: Sour cream, Mascarpone cheese, dill, cream

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In a large pot or dutch oven, heat up the oil. Add onions and carrots and sweat. Add dash or so of salt. Once onions are slightly translucent, add garlic, cumin (tsp or so), pepper. Cook until fragrant. Add wine and reduce. Add water and stock, and the remaining veggies. Cover and cook 30 minutes or until tender (30 minutes). About halfway thru, add the sugar if using. Stir in vinegar just before serving.

For straight out of the pot, pour into bowls. Top with sour cream or mascarpone cheese. Garnish with dill if desired.

For puree - let soup cool a bit and puree with either a immersion blender or in a blender (small batches) until smooth. You can add mascarpone directly to soup. Or lighten with cream if desired. Garnish the same as above.

2010-01-21T15:43:00.000-08:00

The "Cartier and America" exhibit opened in December. I had not learned about it until I ventured out to the 'Tut' exhibit at the De Young Museum and saw advertisements for the 'Cartier' show. Luckily, I have not missed it! I'll be popping into the Legion of Honor very soon.
Read the Press Release
Exhibit details are here.

Me-a-patra

2010-01-17T16:44:00.000-08:00

Jeff and I went to see "King Tut and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" at the De Young Museum. I loved the exhibit! Of course, we had to goof off in the gift shop. I cannot resist the lure of silly hat pictures!

Spinach Salad & Butternut Squash Polpettone

2010-01-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

The recipes for this were from Food Network stars Mario Batali (the Polpettone) and Giada De Laurentiis (the salad). Easy to make and yummy!

Bourbon Glazed carrots

2010-01-17T16:24:00.000-08:00

I've been cooking a lot lately, and here's one of the highlights: Bourbon-glazed carrots! This one is a slapdash recipe - it's not really organized. A pound or so of carrots (cleaned, peeled, sliced), some water, a tablespoon or so of sugar (brown or granulated), some orange zest, and freshly squeezed OJ (from the same orange you zested), and about two tablespoons of butter. Dump into a skillet over med heat. Cover and cook until carrots are tender-ish (remove cover).

Add one ounce bourbon and black pepper. Let sauce reduce and thicken. Serve & enjoy!

Ducks!

2010-01-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

Wandered through downtown Sonoma with a friend of mine. There's a little "pond" in the square there full of spoiled ducks. The second you stopped at the water, the ducks paddle right over looking for bits of bread. We snapped a few pics but, had nothing to feed them.

The ducks don't take "no" for an answer! They hopped right out of the water and hollered at us as we walked away. Next time I visit my friend, I'm bringing food!

The Dip Dye

2010-01-04T16:52:00.000-08:00

For Christmas my husband was sweet enough to pic me up one of the new Dip-Dye scarves from Hermes (to be fair, I had included it on my Christmas Wish List).

Brides de Gala Dip Dye. It was a rusty red color. Not the one I had been eyeing (it was, however, the color in the link I sent him. Oops). So, after the Holiday rush, I decided to bring it in and swap it out.

This one was a brighter RED and very nice on my super-ghostly skin. It was also a completely different pattern:

"Astrologie" Dip Dye

I really liked this one better than the BdG. BdG IS a classic "H" pattern and very popular but, it never really bowled me over. In fact, the only reason it was on my 'wishlist' was because I liked the dip-dye! Thankfully, the NEW dip-dyes were trickling into the stores when I went it for my swap (it DOES pay to wait, who knew?!).

Merry Christmas (Eve)!

2009-12-24T18:16:00.000-08:00

Just finished my first of two Christmas desserts! A Gingerbread and Lemon curd trifle with a berry sauce. Whew! Tomorrow, it's cheesecake (egg nog edition).

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

SOTD: Vintage Polka Dots

2009-12-20T13:46:00.001-08:00

photo, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

Simple polyester pocket square with orange polka dots. Worn with my Sesame Street fedora.

Christmas At Tiffany & Company

2009-12-19T22:14:00.001-08:00

My husband and I went shopping for my Christmas present. I don't know what he got me but, I did stop by Tiffany & Company to peep their lovely windows.

A beautiful paper ballerina bedecked in sparkly earrings.

A paper Queen gets ready for Christmas swathed in gemstones.

A sleigh ride through a paper forest to deliver precious trinkets to loved ones.

Paper butterflies whisk Cinderella to the ball in a jewel adorned carriage.

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Each window was made out of cut paper and decorated with gorgeous jewels from Tiffany & Company!

Theme SOTD: Winter

2009-12-19T21:08:00.001-08:00

photo, originally uploaded by A-T-G.

Friday was a "Theme" day on tPF. I peeped my entire collection and did not see a single "winter" themed scarf. Instead, I decided to wear a "Christmas" colored Red and Green pocket square.

Tiffany Poppy pocket square worn with a Mors scarf ring.

SOTD: Un Fil Indienne

2009-12-19T21:03:00.001-08:00

Worn for a shopping trip to the City.

Toys for Tots

2009-12-13T23:48:00.001-08:00

Each year, my husband and I fill a shopping cart with toys and then donate them to Toys for Tots. It's my favorite Christmas Tradition.

The deal we've made to each other is that we can only fill ONE cart and no single toy may exceed $20.00.

Jeff tosses toys into the cart and I re-arrange them to try to maximize space. I want to fill it as much as possible and hit every single aisle!

We HAD to get "Toy Story" toys in honor of his work.

And Batman MUST make an appearance!

When I was a little girl, many a Christmas miracle came at the generosity of strangers. Somehow, some way, my Mother would get a package to put under our tree, or my school would invite us to a party where we'd be given a present to take home, or a teacher would give us a little something. It is because of this kindness that I managed to maintain a belief in Santa Claus for much longer than my counter-parts. I still cherish this time of year because my associations with it has always been positive. I knew growing up that we, as a family, didn't have money to buy presents but, I also knew that I didn't need any to be happy. Given the choice between having a Christmas tree or getting presents, my sister and I would choose the tree! And yet, each year, come Christmas morning - when my sisters and I would tiptoe down the hall to see what, if any, goodies were to be had - we would always find boxes wrapped in snow white paper (from the North Pole) with our names written in crayon. Truly, a Christmas miracle.

For more information on Toys for Tots, click here.

Christmas Tree!

2009-12-05T23:51:00.000-08:00

At last! My favorite part of the Holiday - cranking up the Christmas music and busting out the tree! This year we opted for a "fake" tree - mostly to keep the cats from hurting themselves if they played with it (our girls are still young and they occasionally make bad choices).

Panda helps.

Fig helps.

The results: