Celebrity Sightings

One fun aspect of being in LA is the chance that you may see a celebrity in person. That's just cool, no matter who you are.

At the hockey game last week, they showed Snoop Dogg on the Jumbotron. He was in a box with the first African American to play for the NHL, which is pretty cool. You can see him to the left on the screen.

Last night we got to go the Clippers (NBA) game at the legendary Staples Center. The guys at Michael's work often get tickets from their suppliers, so we got to go for free ($100 a seat otherwise!). They were the best seats I've ever had at a game, but we again didn't get good pics to show you. We were on the first level above the floor, in the front row with just glass in front of us, so the view couldn't have been better.

What was a little disheartening was that the players all looked so young! Then I realized we're so much older than most of them now. That's so sad.

But what was cool was seeing Frankie Muniz in the front row (aka Malcolm in the Middle). Ok, ok, so he never turned all the way around, but it was definitely him. I looked it up, he's a big Clippers fan.

So there you have it, our two mediocre celebrity sightings ;)

Clippers game pics at the gallery.

Our Weekend in LA

We started Saturday with breakfast at the Original Pancake House in Redondo Beach where I gorged on a childhood favorite, Dutch Babies. There is just no other breakfast concoction quite like it.

We walked around our old favorite beach, then had dinner at our other favorite, Hennessy's Irish Pub (what else?). After that, it was more Rock Band at Jer & Roseanne's place. Rock Band makes Guitar Hero feel like its roadie. GH wants to be as cool, but it just can't be. You can play drums, sing and play guitar all together - like a real band! It's so much fun.

On Sunday, we were taken to the Beverly Center mall, an experience all it's own. Everyone is there to be seen, just as much as to shop, it seems. People wear their wealth on their bodies, since they can't afford to own homes around here. It's a beautiful place though, even if I did lose count of all the Uggs by noon. The smog had cleared just enough for us to see the Hollywood sign, and almost all the way to down town, as we road the escalator down the mall's four flights of decadence.

The real highlight of the day was our first Brazilian BBQ experience in Beverly Hills. Jer had been trying to explain the sheer delight of this one-of-a-kind dining event, but even he couldn't do it justice. I'll borrow from the website of Fogo de Chao to describe it, as they do quite well:

"The dinner menu features unlimited servings of 15 different delectable cuts of fire-roasted meats, a sumptuous buffet of gourmet salads and fresh-cut vegetables, and a variety of Brazilian side dishes.

Each guest uses a two-sided disk to control the pace of their meal. The green side signals the Gaucho chefs to bring out skewers of sizzling fire-roasted meats to carve at the table. The red side indicates a stopping point. Turning back to green lets the Gaucho chefs know to start offering the meats again.

The traditional side dishes of warm cheese bread, fried bananas, crispy hot polenta and seasoned mashed potatoes are automatically brought to each table and replenished throughout the meal."

So basically, yeah, their chefs walk around with sizzling meats they slice fresh for you, whenever you want, and it's all-you-can-eat. Everything from filet mignon, to parmesan-crusted pork loin, to lamb chops. The "salad bar" rivaled any I've ever seen, and the flavors of everything were unique and delicious!

We were so deliriously enjoying everything we forgot to take many pictures. But anyway, look them up, it's something you should try at least once (and probably only once, since it is quite expensive!).

This was our birthday celebration for both Michael and Jer. (Jer turned 31 yesterday). What more could two boys ask for than unlimited fire-roasted meats! I mean seriously. It was crazy good.

Check out all the pics from this weekend. And yes, I'm sure you're wondering, we did each gain 10 pounds after feasting the way we did. But it was worth it.

Ode to LA

We arrived in Los Angeles at about 11:30 pm Sunday night. I think I'm just now caught up on my sleep. Michael's been working at his office here, and I've joined him the last two days. I've even got my own desk!

Garmin Electra has been faithfully guiding us around the city in all her British charm. She's so wonderful. I think I will write an Ode to Electra when the mood strikes. But for now, I'm too busy looking up all the cool information she has to share. And finding all of the nearby Starbucks at a moment's notice, just because I can. And because the number of Starbucks in a 10 mile radius is roughly 37 times that in Austin.

Unlike the past few times we've come down here during the winter, it is freezing this time! And to add to our already chilly disposition, we went to our first hockey game on Wednesday night. Hockey is such a peculiar sport! It is an usual combination of grace (gliding around the ice) and manliness (macho men repeatedly slamming one another against the glass, etc). Twice we saw players actually throw down their gloves before brawling - a timeless indication of an ensuing fight. Needless to say, it was totally entertaining.

We went to the Duck's game for Michael's work Christmas party. We got to hang out with the office staff and their spouses, and treat ourselves to endless snack bar concessions - after driving through an hour and a half of traffic on the 405 to get there, of course.

O, Los Angeles, how I've missed you. Your endless palm trees. Your sunny skies. Your rolling hills and dramatic elevations. Your shining beaches. Your glistening purple haze and smog. Your honking drivers. Your girls in Uggs of every color. Your guys in skinny rocker jeans and girlish haircuts.

Believe it or not, I love it all!

California Trip

New photos will be added to the gallery all week!

Claimjumper Happy Hour - Thursday Night

Anyone and everyone who is available, let's meet at Claimjumper Thursday night for old time's sake. Michael and I will be there by 6:30. Call for details. 512-965-3481.

Hope to see you there ;)

Many Happy Returns

Here we go, we're returning to California for our second visit! We hadn't been planning on repeating a trip home so soon, but a couple of important events convinced us otherwise!

Our good friend Rory's wedding is this Saturday at his parents' amazing home in Foresthill. Michael is a groomsman. We met Rory's bride, Astrid, a year ago at Anna's going away party. She is a beautiful gal we'd love to get to know better. All I can say is Rory is a different person since having met her; I don't think I've ever seen him so happy, and obviously giddy in love. Congrats you two!

Sunday is our Grandma's 80th birthday party! Can't think of a better reason to come home and celebrate such a joyous occasion. We love you, Grandma.


So, we'll be in CA Thursday (Sept 13) through Sept 25. This time we're bringing along a surprise guest - ANNA! I hope we get a chance to see ya'll.

Whirlwind of a Weekend

We had a bbq with Paul's friends Peter and Katie and their adorable 1-year old daughter Sidney on Saturday night. What a great family! Paul made us his famous bbq bacon pepperjack guacamole burgers on the Weber grill - fabulous!!


Sunday we got to play at church! It's been 6 months since we were part of the band, but it felt as if no time had gone by at all. It was really wonderful to be back. After napping Sunday afternoon we had dinner with some church friends that night in Lincoln. Ben and Yulia have a new baby too - Sophia. Scott and Jill came too with their adorable girls Maddie and Gabby.

In case you haven't noticed, it's been baby after baby after baby after adorable kids and more adorable kids all week long. Is the universe trying to tell us something?

Yesterday we had lunch at Mikuni (hooray, haven't found any good sushi in Austin yet!) with Shaun Sutton and his girlfriend Jessica, and saw the Transformers movie. It was AWESOME!!! Can't wait to see it again. Ran a few last minute errands, then treated ourselves to Round Table for dinner. If there are two things we miss the most they are Round Table and In-N-Out.

Today we are back at Jess and Paul's and headed out to the river. We fly out tomorrow morning.

For all the latest pics, check out the gallery.

California Dreamin'

We've been having a great time so far in California - aside from sweating bullets the size of small puppies. Lots of family last week, now it's time for some more friends, food and fun. And maybe some free time?

We spent the night with Michael's grandparents on Tuesday night, and got to meet the first great grandbaby the next morning. After a meeting with one of our best clients, it was back up to Jess & Paul's awesome place in Grass Valley on Weds. Got to see my oldest and bestest girlfriends Thursday night (They're not old, they're young and beautiful. We just go waaaaay back!)

Friday night met with some more friends at Crush 29. Tonight it's a bbq and another campfire.

Because of all the storms and power outages in Texas right now, our site will be down periodically - so sorry for the inconvenience! But bear with us, I'm keeping my commitments.

Be sure to keep your eye on the gallery for new pics.

Rivercats Game

As American as apple pie, oversized SUV's and chubby chidren.

Sunday Night BBQ at the Matthews' Senior

We are here! Can you feel it?

Yes, we made it to CA safe and sound. The flight was smooth and uneventful, I even got to stand up most of the way. We're spending some good quality time with Michael's family this weekend, enjoying the beautiful scenery in Foresthill. We celebrated Grandpa's 77th birthday on Thursday at a new seafood place in Folsom (very good!) called Scott's Seafood. Yesterday I hiked 4 miles around Sugar Pine Lake with Mike and Colleen and we all relaxed and had bbq'd dogs under the setting California sun.

We're still on the clock and working while we're here, so our schedule is tighter than we'd like, but I hope we get a chance to see everyone who is available. Our cel phones are out of commission this weekend, but we'll be back in business on Monday.

Going to California with an achin' in my heart

The only thing worse than actually leaving our friends and family in California the first time will be saying goodbye a second time. However, we have two whole weeks to live it up before we have to do that!

Yep, the time has come! We're coming for a visit!

We'll arrive on Wednesday afternoon (June 27th) and leave (sniff, sniff) on Wednesday July 11. Ladies and gentlemen, please send us your schedules so we can figure out if we can meet up! We'll be online all week so email is great, or call our cels: 916-316-3011 or 916-316-3012.

Hope we get a chance to see ya'll!

Been there, seen that (and also I know everything about geography)

A conversation I overheard:

"So, where did you live before Texas?"

"California."

"Ohhh, yuck, I've been to California, it wasn't nice at all."

"Really?! What part did you visit?"

"Stockton."

"Oh gosh, not all of California looks like Stockton."

"Well, I went to Bakersfield once too. It was so hot and miserable."

"But have you ever been to the foothills? Or the beach? It's so different!"

"No, but I've been to California. So no thanks, I've seen enough."

Ok, maybe I only overheard that conversation in my own head, but really people, this is how (lame) you sound when you say you've "been to" Texas, and thus somehow know what the ENTIRE state is like. You do realize it's twice the size of California, right, with 13 million less people?

PS: Stockton and Bakersfield are simply for illustration purposes, sorry guys.