San Diego Zoo

February 26, 2009 - After getting through the morning fog of the previous nights Madri Gras celebration Sarah and I put ourselves together and headed over to the zoo. My Dad had taken me to the SD zoo about 12 years ago so I had some recollection of the place but for those who haven't visited it is a pretty neat place, probably the best zoo in America. With Sarah being the HUGE animal lover that she is it was a no brainer that we would go to the zoo over any other activity in SD with the one day we had to spend in the city.

Quick side note - I am sitting on UT's sun deck drinking a Pacifico watching the sun as it begins to set in 65 degree weather as I write this blog. Just thought I would point that out. That and UT and I have floor seats to tonight's Lakers/Suns game.

Back to the zoo pictures. I don't think I need to provide a whole lot of commentary since the animals really are the show so here goes.

This next guy deserves a little description. He is a cloudy leopards from SE Asia. He lives primarily in the jungle and up in tree, hence the very long tail (1/3 his body weight is in the tail). The San Diego Zoo is the only place in America to have one of these guys and it was pretty much the most beautiful cat I have ever seen. If you have a moment google cloudy leopard and look at the pictures, amazing!

The "couples shot"! To further show how lame the two of us can be we attempted to stand like the flamingos in the background, on one leg, in this picture. I was too embarrassed to ask someone to take the shot so I did a timer pic from a trash can, hence the shitty angle.

Not much needs to be said about this picture. I will add it to the goofy/embarrassing pictures of myself from this trip.

For the Top Chef fans out there I would like to go on record for Sarah and I when I say that Hoshea did NOT deserve to win. We both liked him very much at the beginning of the season but as the show went on we began disliking him because he seemed like a prick. Stefan is a better chef, facts are facts. Too bad for Carla because she could have won had she stuck to her guns.

Hope all are well.

Fat Tuesday San Diego

February 26, 2009 - After two relaxing nights in Hermosa Sarah and I woke up Tuesday morning and headed south for San Diego. This last 120 mile stretch was really important for us since it would complete the drive of the entire west coast of the United States. For a long time I have wanted to do this drive and to finally say it is done and complete is a pretty cool feeling. Along the way we crossed over the 5000 mile mark but we unfortunately fell asleep on the picture and didn't realize we had broken 5000 miles until 5,025 oops.

As we pulled into San Diego we saw signs all over the streets for the Fat Tuesday celebration in the Gaslamp Quarter. We were staying just down the street so we figured this would be a great opportunity to see this cool/hip neighborhood and party a little bit. Little did we know that we stumbled into the 2nd largest Madri Gras party in the country...

I have been to the real thing in NO and seen the craziness that Bourbon St is but this was not too far off. The city shut down 5th Ave for the length of the Gaslamp Quarter, about 10 blocks, and allowed the party to spill out into the streets. We got there right as the gates opened at 6pm and quickly situated ourselves at a great bar right where the parade and floats went by. I was a little disappointed by the lack of flashing for beads but the whole scene was still pretty fun.

The token picture with one of the showgirls, classic. She actually asked to see the picture after Sarah took it so she could judge herself.

The "couples shot" no blog post would be complete without one.

If you find yourself in SD on Fat Tuesday you won't be disappointed.

How do you like this banana boat?

Hope all are well.

Biking to Venice - Not Italy

February 23, 2009 - I am finally caught up and current again so here goes today's blog. We woke up this morning with two goals - 1. Fix my car (accomplished) 2. Bike to Venice Beach (accomplished).

We borrowed Mark and Megan's beach cruisers and hit the strand north towards L.A. Little did we know the trip was 15 - 16 miles one way...

Being the HUGE road biker that I am I was able to quickly adapt and take pictures and ride at the same time, I am the man! I LOVE this picture of Sarah.

The funny thing about these two pictures is that I am riding the woman's bike and Sarah is riding the man's bike. I look like an overgrown gorilla on a circus bike. I can tell you that my tush HURTS from riding 30 something miles on a woman's bike.

So we rode up the coast and made it to Venice Beach. If you have not yet visited Venice Beach it needs to go on your "short list" of things to do. When I went abroad to Australia I had a 6 - 8 hour layover in LA and my Dad said should take a cab to Venice and see the place. I was too nervous at the time and totally wimped out, today was my redemption. Venice Beach is like no other place I have ever been. It is filled with drunks, drug addicts, police, muscle heads, weird LA people, tourists, and people on a bike ride. The stores range from head shops to tattoo parlors to frozen yogurt shops. It really is a unique place that is slightly scary in the sense that you feel like you need to be on your toes because you might get shived for your wallet but at the same time totally peaceful because you are in a major tourist area. It is a place like non other. GO!

Here is a great picture of the famous recreational area. Muscle beach is the next picture. Unfortunately the weather was not good enough for all the muscle heads to come out. It was only 68 and sunny, and yes I got a sun burn.

Once we got back to Hermosa I sat down to write my blog updating you all on our weekend adventures at the Hearst Castle and Santa Barbara. Sarah had gone to the store to get supplies for dinner and I had some time to blog in. I went out on the patio to write and wait for UT to come home. The sunset was magnificent and I got this picture once UT got home.

Hope all are well! San Diego tomorrow.....

Weekend Update

February 23, 2009 - We are in Hermosa Beach with Mark and Megan Udis and I finally have a minute to update you all on the weekend. As you know we left Tahoe last Thursday after 3 very successful days of skiing with my Dad and drove back out to the coast. We stayed our first night in Monterey and then headed south Friday through Big Sur down towards the Hearst Castle. The driving was a little slower going than we had hoped so we ended up staying the night in Cambria, close to the Hearst Castle. On Saturday morning we woke up pretty early and tried to make one of the first tours of the castle. If you have never been to visit this place I would say that the experience is pretty overwhelming. To begin with there are 5 different tours of the castle so right off the bat you feel the pressure to pick the right tour. We opted for the "safe bet" and took tour 1 which is an overview of the property, a snapshot of the inside, and a stop by the two pools in the house. Unfortunately for us and every other visitor of the castle one must deal with the tour bus loads of camera happy Asians that get transported in every hour. I don't mean to be stereotypical but at times these pushy crowds can make the entire experience pretty lousy. Without harping on the Asian factor Sarah and I both really enjoyed the Hearst Castle and we both HIGHLY recommend it if you have the time and the appreciation for historical buildings. We both want to come back and take the private tour (6 - 8 people for $700) which is 4 - 5 hours in length and gives you access to the entire property or pretty much anything you want to see. Next time.

This first picture was taken from one of the patios overlooking the drive up to the castle. The Hearst family owned 250,000 acres of land dating back to the 1860's. When WR Hearst inherited the land from his parents in 1919 he almost immediately began construction. The castle was never finished, meaning it was always under construction and hence he never had to pay RE tax on the property (old California law). The last work on the property was done in 1947 when Hearst had to permanently move to Beverley Hills due to failing health. He died in 1951 and "suggested" in his will that his five sons donate the castle to the state for a state park, which they did in 1957.

This is the main house that makes up the castle. It is 137ft tall and has 115 rooms. There are 3 guest houses surrounding the castle ranging in size but all over 3,500 sq/ft. My crappy little camera coupled with the bad lighting really does this building a disservice. I can not express enough how magnificent/intricate/grandiose this place is. Hearst was a huge antique & art collector. He was such a power player that later in life he could not show up to auctions because the very sight of him would drive up all the prices in the auction no matter what he wanted. While alive he was the single largest private owner in the world and from walking around the property and a few rooms in the house it was pretty obvious that he displayed most of it in his homes.

Here is a great example of how amazing this place is. The picture below is of one of the guest houses. One cool factoid of the property is that every bed has its own private bathroom with shower and toilet. This is not amazing by today's standards but in the 1920's and 1930's when the place was built almost no home had this luxury.

The pool below is called the Neptune pool and is the property's lone outdoor swimming pool. It was rebuilt three times (each time enlarged) and was/is still the largest private heated swimming pool in America. Being there and see the pool felt like being at a movie set, it was beautiful. The tiles used in the pool floor are all hand cut Italian marble.

The goddess was too cold for a dip on this day but she agreed to have her picture taken.

To give you an idea of the caliber of Hearst's collection this room is the dinning room and everything you see is an art collectible. The ceiling is from a 15th century Italian church, the wood pews lining the walls are from the 16th century from churches in England and Spain, the flags hanging on the walls are the original flags used in horse races of Siena and are 800 years old, the candle sticks are PURE silver!!!!!! Everything about this room was over the top.

This is the indoor Roman Pool fashioned after the the famous bathhouses of Rivena. There are 1.5 million Murrano glass tiles all hand blown and hand laid. The gold is pure 22 - 24 karat gold. This is the one picture that truly does not do the room justice. This swimming pool took a crew of six skilled masons 3.5 years to lay. TOTALLY AMAZING.

After the Hearst Castle we drove to Santa Barbara wine country and then to the the Danish town of Solvang. The entire town is a bit Disney World but it was fun and kind of cool to see an entire town built in Danish architectural style here in America. The pastries were unreal.

We stayed in Santa Barbara Saturday night. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures worth posting because the weather was overcast and we were really only there for one night. We did go to the best sushi place either of us have ever been to and HIGHLY recommend anyone go there if in Santa Barbara. The place is called Arigato and is on the 1200 block of State Street. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go if you are a sushi lover and in Santa Barbara. Shoutout for the Miller's who made the recommendation.

On Sunday we drove down the coast to LA to stay with the MUDIS' (Mark & Megan). As we were driving past Pepperdine University my car began to make a funny noise and we soon discovered that my exhaust pipe had come undone at a joint and essentially turned my car into a rice burner. It sounded as if I had a gutted muffler on my car and was pretty annoying (I got it fixed today). We made it to Hermosa safely and got out to the pier into for a beer and a few pictures. Don't be jealous of my CT country club style.

Hope all are well!

17 Mile Drive/Pebble Beach/Coast Drive

February 20, 2009 - Sarah and I drove one of California's not so hidden gems today. We left Monterey and headed for the 17 Mile Drive around the south peninsula of Monterey Bay. Little did I know that there are four world class golf courses right there all open to the public. The drive was highlighted by the 5 - 7 miles that stretch between Spanish Bay and the Pebble Beach Links Course. Before I move into the picture section let me say that the town of Monterey is nice but is passable if driving through on a limited time basis. Cannery Row highlights the town but it is very touristy. On to the pictures.

The picture below is from stop 6 on the drive called Restless Seas. The waves are off the coast and caused by under water rocks and canyons. The weather was absolutely gorgeous/perfect/amazing. I wish everyday of my life was like today, 65 and sunny with an ocean breeze. I now understand why people retire here.


Catherine Sarah pointed out this sign to me and I just thought it was too fitting. I think I am going to get this made into a t-shirt for you.

The icon of the Del Monte Forest and the Pebble Beach resort is the Lone Cypress Tree over my left shoulder. It is estimated to be over 200 years old and stands alone at the end of this point. The tree is very cool and the view is even better, Carmel is in the background.

Pebble Beach... The place is amazing and if you are a golfer you NEED to go here before you kick the bucket. The draw back - $440 for a round of golf. In my opinion Bandon Dunes rivals this place and is not nearly as expensive.

The requisite "couples" picture down by the 18th Green. Amazing finishing hole. We ate lunch at the grille over looking the 18th hole. The meal was EXTREMELY expensive but in the end it was worth it.

The drive south from Pebble was spectacular!!!! This stretch between Carmel and the Hearst Castle (San Simeon) is amazing. I love this picture, the worlds end! The sunset into the pacific is something everyone needs to see once in their lifetime.

Hope all are well!.

South Bound

February 20, 2009 - With Tahoe clearly in our rear view mirror Sarah and I made a push for the coast. Driving through San Jose and out to Monterey we crossed over our most significant threshold of the trip, 70 degrees!

A nice easy drive down the coast this weekend and then on to LA just in time for the Oscars.

Hope all are well.

Tahoe - It Better Be Sunny

February 18, 2009 - After three pretty pedestrian days at Heavenly we finally got the goods, a sunny day. This was my second trip to Tahoe and I was not leaving without a view of the lake from the mountain. Having lived in Colorado the last two seasons and having the ability to ski Vail, Beaver, A-Basin, Keystone, and Breckenridge I can safely say Heavenly is the dog in the Vail Resorts portfolio. The "myth" of sierra cement is not necessarily untrue. Without a doubt the snow is heavier than what we get in CO but it is not bad by any means. Unfortunately no matter how good the snow is the mountain will always fall short. The people who laid out the lifts were most likely not ever on skis. There are more uphill traverses and awkward pole plants than you would ever expect for a mountain that charges $86/day. Sarah has called me the lift snob but I feel that 2 and 3 person chairs have no place on modern mountains anymore. They have a lift at Heavenly (Galaxy) that takes minimum 15 minutes to get to the top.

In my opinion there are three reasons to visit Heavenly - 1. To teach you wife/girlfriend/kids how to ski 2. Gamble 3. See the lake on a sunny day. I am done talking trash about Heavenly so here are the pictures from the day.

The man the myth the legend makes it out to ski with Sarah and me.

Yes this was the best smile my Dad could manage at this lookout point. We had three pictures taken and this was the best result.

I took this picture from the top of Sky Express. It is the highest point accessible from a chair. The lake was spectacular.

My Dad pointed out this tree and I had to take a picture of it. The wood looked wind blown and burnt but the tree was still alive.

That is all from Tahoe. Tomorrow we are headed back to the coast and will start our journey to LA.

Hope all is well.

6 Degrees of Bacon

February 18, 2009 - Just got home from the casino, Sarah won $110 I didn't play.

Lustig - Sean Connery to Bacon. Post your answer.

Travels With Chins

February 17, 2009 - As I said in my last post we are now in Tahoe with my Dad. In response to some "nice" emails that have been floating around I am posting the following picture. The disclaimer is that I am about 15 coors lights deep and Ace coxed me into posing for this shot. The other night Sarah had made the joke that my new Indian name was Travels With Chins and Ace and Katie obviously loved it. I obliged and let this picture be taken. Miller go to town. When I see the picture I just see Chris Farley in Tommy Boy asking for wings. It is a less then flattering picture but it goes well with the new trend of posting really embarrassing pictures to the blog. I mean I will have an entire album of these types of shots when it is all said and done.

Outside of the east coast this is the single best sandwich shop in America. As I said to Ace no trip to SF is complete without a visit to this place. I am sure most of you are aware of Seinfeld and the classic episode of the Soup Nazi. The man who owns and runs this place is Asian in descent and is not messing around. Next time you are in SF don't miss this place, Union and Steiner. Ace I dare you to get Marina Sub's to cater your wedding...

Friday night out in SF turned into quite a night. Two ice cold COOOOOOORS LIGHTS bartender!

The SF crew. Thanks again to Ace and Katie for putting us up for so many nights. If California wasn't a crazy state I think I could maybe even more there, MAYBE.

The two love birds standing near the border of California and Nevada (look at the sign in the background).

Sarah showing off her world class form! Although there are clouds in the sky in this picture we had a near blue bird day today. The snow was great and hardly the "sierra cement" all have warmed about. Without a doubt Colorado has better snow but California has to be respected.

68 years old and he still has perfect form. Although he might no longer be the fastest man on the hill I challenge any other to look this good. I am so happy to be able to ski with my Dad yet again. If only the rest of the fam was out here too.

Quirky thing about Heavenly is that you are constantly moving back and forth between states. I wish that Sarah had been with us still to take this picture but she retired back to the hotel to relax and have a drink. New boots and high winds don't normally add up to a long day of skiing.

Dad actually made me take this picture to make my brother jealous. He is in the process of leaving him a VM saying that I am a better skier. The VM was not necessary but it is nice to have my Dad acknowledge the fact, sorry Christopher.

This picture is for Beatrice and Christopher. Until today I didn't even know your sign.

Hope all are well.