Breakfast at the Country Club

We stayed two nights at Tim's parents' house. On the Friday after Thanksgiving, we had a thoroughly enjoyable breakfast at the nearby Country Club. We had driven by the country club many a time, but we never actually drove past the gates until today. It was nice!


Grandma Jean, Tim and Tim's Mom. (11/24/06)

Tim and I each ordered a Bloody Mary, which was unlike any other Bloody Mary I've ever ordered previously. Why? Because it actually was served with a jumbo shrimp! Between the shrimp, the celery and the olives, it was practically a meal in itself.


Practically a meal in itself. (11/24/06)

The actual meals were really good too. My steak and eggs was done perfectly. And the prices were really affordable. In California, the whole tab for the four of us would have cost $20 more, I'm willing to bet.


The country club grounds were beautiful. (11/24/06)

We also learned that they have a spa at the facility. So maybe next time we're in town, we'll schedule a massage.


Not so lucky in Bingo. (11/24/06)

Afterwards we took Tim's grandma to go play bingo at one of the casinos a short drive away. Although I had a lucky leprechaun dauber, I wasn't so lucky at bingo that day. :(

Low-Key Thanksgiving

We had a small but nice Thanksgiving. We drove out to the desert to be with Tim's family (we'd tell you where, but the Federal Witness Protection Program forbids it). To beat the traffic we left Thursday morning at 4:30 a.m. (Tim drove, I slept).


Forget the turkey, Tim's dad wants to carve the photographer. (11/23/06)

It was just Tim's mom and dad, his grandma Jean, and the two of us. The food was good and plentiful. Later in the day we watched "The Phantom of the Opera" movie that Tim's grandma had been wanting to watch. I kept falling asleep in between loud parts.


Yummy Thanksgiving food. (11/23/06)

I know, not very exciting, huh.

Lunch at Disneyland's Blue Bayou

As Disneyland annual passholders, we pretty much know Disneyland inside and out. There are very few attractions at the two theme parks that we haven't tried at one time or another. But one glaring exception (for me, anyway) was the Blue Bayou Restaurant.


The Blue Bayou restaurant at Disneyland. (11/19/06)

This is the New Orleans-style restaurant situated inside of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Although technically it's an indoor restaurant, visual and audio effects make it appear that you're enjoying a nighttime meal at an ourdoor restaurant set against a Louisiana bayou. Although I've been on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride countless times, it was my first time ever having a meal there (Tim was there once before, but it was well over 10 years ago).


Tim and James at the Blue Bayou. (11/19/06)

We actually tried going one week earlier, but we didn't have reservations (who knew it had that much demand). So this time we made reservations a week in advance. And because our reservations were for their opening time of 11:30, we got a great seat right against the water.


The Blue Bayou's Tortuga Trio of Crème Brûlée, in a supposedly edible trunk. (11/19/06)

As expected, we enjoyed every minute of the experience. And the food was excellent. The only drawback were the prices, which were much higher than typical theme park food prices (then again, the food was much better than your typical theme park fare). In fact, the reason we went for lunch, and not dinner, was that we heard prices were cheaper at lunch. But with lunch entrees costing approximately $25 a piece, it was hard to imagine how much more they would be at dinner.

Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen - Deliciosa!

We did something today that we don't do nearly often enough. We had lunch at a new restaurant. Normally, we rotate between the same dozen or so places. In fact, in most of them, we tend to order our favorites every time!


The mystery restaurant from across the street. (08/17/06)

As we were driving to Rutabegorz, one of the usual suspects, we impulsively decided to change plans and try out this new mystery restaurant that opened up a few months ago in downtown Orange. The reason it's a mystery restaurant is that it does not have a sign. Seriously. There is no sign anywhere in sight.

Upon entering, we discovered that the restaurant is Gabbi's Mexican Kitchen, an independently-owned Mexican restaurant that had so much character. The place isn't big — there were probably no more than 20 tables. But it was amazingly decorated, with colorful artwork, wood beams and lots of ornamental ironwork that looked great against what were clearly decades-old original brick walls (before this restaurant, the space was occupied by an antiques store).

You could tell that this was no corporately-managed chain restaurant. Yet it had an attention to detail and design that you don't commonly see in family-owned establishments. I wish I could have taken more pictures, but since we were expecting to go to one of our normal restaurants when we left the house, I didn't bring the camera.


A photo from last August when we tried eating there but didn't want to wait. (08/17/06)

And then there's the food, which was simply delicious. And the menu offered Mexican fare not commonly seen in most Mexican restaurants. I can't think of many other places I've been to where you can get Enchiladas Flor de Calabasa (pumpkin blossom enchiladas), Camarones en Mole Verde (shrimp in green mole) or Puerco Poc-Chuc (a Mayan pork dish).

Prices were slightly higher than what you'd pay at most garden variety Mexican restaurants, but the food, decor and presentation was worth it. If you're in the area, it's worth checking out.

Amy's Nacho Libre Birthday

We celebrated Amy's 36th birthday Nacho Libre style this year! Although her actual birthday was two weeks ago, it coincided with the camping trip. So we didn't really get a chance to formally celebrate until last night.


Nacho lovers Jon & Amy and James & Tim. (11/04/06)

The theme of the night: Nacho Libre, which is one of Jon and Amy's favorite comedies from last summer. We started with real nachos at Moreno's Mexican Restaurant in Orange, a festive Mexican place that was established in 1969. Afterwards, we gave Amy her gift, which was -- you guessed it -- the recently released Nacho Libre, which we watched.

Although I kind of dozed off here and there, the parts that I saw were really funny. I especially loved the songs that Jack Black would sing. They were hi-larious!!! It was the perfect way to celebrate Amy's birthday.

Happy Day of the Dead!

Tonight we had our Day of the Dead celebration meal. For those who may not be so familiar with it, Day of the Dead is the ancient Mexican celebration in memory of deceased ancestors. It's a national holiday in Mexico and dates back to the Aztec period when death wasn't considered the end of life, per se, but rather a continuation. It's celebrated every November 1 or November 2, depending on who you ask.


After dinner we made skulls out of Play-Doh. (11/02/06)

On the way home from work, I stopped by the Mexican supermarket to buy all the stuff we needed. We made chicken mole, rice, beans and tortillas. To drink, we bought Jarritos, those Mexican fruit-flavored sodas, and opened a bottle of cabernet. For dessert, we got an assortment of pan dulce . Oh, and we also bought a Pan de Muerto, which is a soft, round bread decorated to look like it has bones on it.

We lit lots of candles for all of our friends and family members that have passed away, and we kept their memories in our hearts as we enjoyed the terrific meal (although we were too full for the pan dulce, which we'll save for breakfast tomorrow).


We had chicken mole, rice, beans, tortillas, jarritos, pan dulce and wine. (11/02/06)

I originally wanted to make sugar skulls, but I didn't really plan for it well and never got around to buying the stuff we need. But we did have some left-over Halloween Play-Doh, so we made out skulls out of that.

Halloween 2006

When I woke up Halloween morning, the strangest thing happened. Remember reading about Coffee Matey at Tim's Superhero Summit Birthday Party? Well for some reason, the spirit of Coffee Matey leaped out of Tim and jumped into me this morning. But since it was Halloween, I decided not to bother finding an exorcist and I just went to work that way.


This is the scary face that welcomed trick-or-treaters. (10/31/06)

Our office had a Halloween pot luck (I brought lasagna). Lots of people brought food, but only a handful of people dressed up.


James with a few other costumed co-workers. (10/31/06)

One of the administrative assistants made an awesome cake in the shape of a big spider. The way she did the black frosting made it look like it was covered in fur, like a hairy tarantula. It looked amazing and tasted even better.


One of our office admins made this spider cake from scratch. (10/31/06)

In the evening, we didn't do anything too outrageous with our decorations, since we've been really busy lately. But Coffee Matey stuck around long enough to hand out candy and Play-Doh to the kids. We had 64 trick-or-treaters -- up more than 20% from last year!


James and Tim trick-or-treat at Everett & Manny's new crib. (10/31/06)

After we shut down at 9:00, we popped over to our friends' Everett & Manny's new apartment that they had just moved into days before. We wanted to be their first trick-or-treaters. They weren't actually giving out candy, since they were still moving, so we brought candy and Play-Doh for them.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Lunch at a California Roadside Icon

The day after our tours of one California landmark, we stopped by another one: Pea Soup Andersen's, the "Home of Split Pea Soup." Located in Buellton, CA, Pea Soup Andersen's is one of those old-time roadside attraction restaurants/gift shops/motels that is advertised with billboards all along Highway 101, reminding you how many miles you have left to get there.


We stopped for lunch at the famous Pea Soup Andersen's. (10/23/06)

Established in 1924 by Danish immigrant Anton Andersen, the restaurant was then called Andersen's Electric Cafe, in honor of their prized posession, a new electric stove. Since it was on the road to Hearst Castle during the heyday of Hearst's newspaper empire, many Hearst newspaper writers and reporters would stop by the Cafe.


Andersen's has been a central coast staple since 1924. (10/23/06)

By the late 1930s, the place had become known as Pea Soup Anderson's, and has been going strong ever since. Tim and I have stopped to eat there once or twice before, but it's been a while. So when Jon and Amy suggested it during the drive back from our San Simeon camping trip, we thought it sounded fun.


Jon signs "The Great Register of the Select Customers of Andersen's." (10/23/06)

When you walk in there, it's definitely one of those places that's seen better days. But it definitely has a sense of history about it. And looking at the registry book near the entrance, you can see names from all across the U.S., including many international visitors.


The famous pea soup. (10/23/06)

Naturally, I had to order the split pea soup while I was there (Tim doesn't care for split pea soup), which wasn't bad, although it's not a must-have item. But it's something you have to have at least once in your life.

Touring Hearst Castle

During our San Simeon camping trip, several of us opted to take tours of Hearst Castle, the secluded palatial estate built by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. Built from 1919 to 1947, the Julia Morgan-designed compound is located on a hill near San Simeon overlooking the Pacific ocean.


La Cuesta Encantada, or as it's commonly known today, Hearst Castle. (10/22/06)

Hearst Castle is modeled after historic architectural styles that Hearst admired in his European travels. In fact, to me it looks more like a church than a castle. Altogether the main house and the three guest houses contain 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, 127 acres of gardens, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, a movie theater, and airfield and the world's largest private zoo.


The Neptune Pool was modeled after Greek influences. (10/22/06)

Invitations to "The Ranch," as Hearst used to call it, were highly coveted during its heyday in the 1920s and '30s. Hollywood stars and famed politicians were among the many guests, including Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant, the Marx Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, Joan Crawford, Calvin Coolidge, and Winston Churchill. While guests were expected to attend the formal dinners each evening, they could partake in a variety of events in the daytime, including horseback riding, swimming in the two pools, playing tennis, etc.

What I wouldn't give to have been able to be one of those guests in the heyday. Whenever Tim and I are anywhere near the area, we always make an effort to take at least one tour.


Tim smiles in front of the Casa Grande. (10/22/06)

Tim, Amy and Joe left for San Simeon Friday morning, since unlike Jon and I, they were able to get the day off work. So Friday evening, they were able to attend the nighttime tour. Tim and I had done the nighttime tour once before, probably back in 1997 or 1998, and it was amazing. Not only do you get to see the estate lit up, they also have people dressed in period costumes throughout the property.


Some of the many statues on the estate. (10/22/06)

On Sunday, Ralph and Anna took the main tour, while Tim, Lynne and I took the garden tour, which doesn't actually take you inside the main house (which isn't a big deal since we've been in there many times over), but takes you on a walk around the esplanade that circles the estate.


This pool was modeled after Roman baths and features gold mosaic tiles. (10/22/06)

My favorite parts are the two swimming pools, including the amazing Neptune Pool, an outdoor pool modeled after ancient Greek influences, and the indoor pool modeled after ancient Roman baths. You can't really tell in the picture, but the entire pool bottom, walls and arches are covered in tiny 1" x 1" tiles that were set by hand. It's truly spectacular.


Tim got this shot of the Neptune Pool on the nighttime tour. (10/20/06)

The garden tour also includes a visit to the wine cellar, which is still stocked with thousands of bottles (most of which are empty, incidentally). Hearst freely served alcohol to his guests, even during the 13-year prohibition. Although Hearst was a moderate drinker, he had little regard for drunks, and anyone who drank too much was asked to leave (actor Errol Flynn was one of them).

Anyone who has the chance must take a tour of this fascinating piece of California history.

NoCal/SoCal Camping Trip 2006

For the first time in four years, we got the big NoCal/SoCal camping group together for another camping adventure. The location this year was San Simeon State Park, which is approximately mid-way between the Bay Area and Southern California — the perfect meeting choice.


The NoCal/SoCal Camping Group. (10/23/06)

It's been forever since we all got together for camping. The last time was in 2002 in Santa Margarita. We tried again in Big Sur in 2003, but for reasons that I'm not remembering at the moment, the Bay Area side wasn't able to make it. In 2004, Michele was pregnant, which kind of ruled out a camping trip. And in 2005, Liele was just a newborn. Fortunately, 2006 was the year to make it happen.


Lynne poses with Liele on Liele's first ever camping trip. (10/21/06)

The group consisted of Tim and I, our friend Joe, my cousin Shel, her partner Lisa, and their daughter Liele (age 1.5), Shel's brother Ralph, our friend Lynne, her girlfriend Anna (and her dog Tor), our buds Jon and Amy, and some friends of Michele & Lisa: Bridgett & Bob and their daughter Phoebe (age 4).

It was really fun knowing that it was Liele's first camping trip. Hopefully there will be many more.


Here's proof that Tim actually likes kids. (10/21/06)

It was a fun group, and we had a great time. But man, was it cold cold cold! We were all huddled around the fire at night. But it was great weather in the daytime once the morning fog wore off.


Amy and Jon take a break in Cambria. (10/21/06)

Some of us made a few excursions into Cambria, a little town two or three miles south of the campsite. Although it's mostly bed & breakfasts, antique stores and souvenir shops, they actually had a decent grocery store there. So it was a great place to pick up stuff that we forgot to bring.


We saw elephant seals chillin' on the beach. (10/22/06)

Others took the opportunity to go to Hearst Castle, which is three or four miles north of the campsite. Tim, Lynne and I, for example, took the garden tour, which I'll write about in a separate blog entry.

We closed the trip with our traditional Bop-It Extreme challenge where the entire group passes around the Bop-It Extreme, until the last survivor is left standing. In our camping trip to El Capitan last year, I was Bop-It Extreme champ. This time the honors went back to Tim.


Bop-It champs Anna, Lynne and Tim. (10/23/06)

Next year we're talking about doing Yosemite, which would be the first time our NoCal/SoCal group have camped at a national park. From what I've been told, I need to make reservations now! So who's coming with us to Yosemite?

Visiting Tom Sawyer Island

While at Disneyland, we decided to check out Tom Sawyer Island, a narrow island set in the middle of the Rivers of America, the large body of water that borders Frontierland, New Orleans Square and Critter Country. It's been a Disneyland staple since 1957.


Aerial photography of Disneyland's Tom Sawyer Island. (Date unknown)

Normally, this attraction is not on our agenda, since it's only accessible by boat, not to mention that Tom Sawyer Island isn't exactly one of the most thrilling parts of the park. But rumors have been buzzing lately that Disneyland is going to reconstruct the entire attraction with a Jack Sparrow theme in time for the release of the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie.


You can only get there by "raft." (10/15/06)

In the event that plan came to fruition, we wanted to see it once more in its original state.

Of course, when Disney floats any major expansion idea, it creates huge debates among Disney fans. On one hand, you get the preservationists, who argue, that Tom Sawyer Island is sacred ground due to the fact that it is the last remaining attraction that was designed by Walt Disney himself.


The Mark Twain River Boat passes by. (10/15/06)

Then you get the other half that says that if Walt Disney were still alive, that he would want to update it, which is proved by the fact that Walt Disney himself tore-down older rides and replaced them with newer ones, some several times over. I typically agree with the latter.


The Pirate's Den on Tom Sawyer Island. (10/15/06)

It had been a few years since we were there. We probably go around it more often than we go on it, since the Mark Twain Riverboat, the Sailing Ship Columbia and Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes each go around the island. The island was exactly as I remembered it, with caves galore, rope and pontoon bridges, and dozens of things to climb. It's definitely meant for small kids, I realized as I squeezed my way through the small treehouse.


Fort Wilderness was closed. (10/15/06)

The only major bummer was the fact that the Fort Wilderness, "the last outpost of civilization at the end of Wilderness Trail," was closed. I remember being inside there the last time I was on the island several years back.

Incidentally, I found some interesting facts while researching Tom Sawyer Island. Like in August 1970, it was briefly taken over by anti-Vietnam-war hippies who raised the Viet Cong flag on the flagpole. And more bizarre is the claim that Tom Sawyer Island was annexed by Walt Disney's home state of Missouri, making Disneyland the only theme park that is in two states. I'm not so sure if the latter is true. I need to research it further.

A Visit to the New Disney Vault 28

Today Tim and I used our freshly-purchased Disneyland annual passes and spent a couple of hours at Disneyland. One of the things I wanted to check out was a new experimental urban apparel botique at Downtown Disney that had just opened a few days prior. The store is called Disney Vault 28, a reference to the year that Mickey Mouse made his debut in "Steamboat Willie."


The newest arrival to the Disneyland Resort (10/06)

The store is targeted to fashion-conscious shoppers. For example, t-shirts aren't $20, or even $50. Most run about $75. And a pair of jeans will set you back upwards of $200.


T-shirts run up to $75. (10/06)

According to Disney, it's the only store of its kind, and was developed for customers who wanted products that were not available in other locations. The store will be stocked with two new Disney brands, Kingdom Couture and DV28, as well as celebrity-favored designers, including Chip & Pepper, Paige Premium Denim, Tarina Tarantino and Red Monkey.

To depart from other Disney stores, the store will have less movie tie-ins, focusing on classic characters, like Mickey, Tinkerbell, Alice in Wonderland, etc.


Doesn't look like your typical Disneyland store. (10/06)

The first thing we noticed while there was the lack of any extensive men's clothes. They had a little tiny section in the corner, and that's it. And although the store is cool to browse at, we saw very few people actually making purchases.


The paltry men's section. (10/06)

Although we certainly wish Disney the best with this new concept, our prediction is that the store won't be around in a year's time. We briefly toyed with the idea of buying one of the Vault 28 shot glasses, since it could become a collector's item once the store goes out of business, but we opted not to when we saw that it cost $18.