Dafodils

Fridays are usually really slow and quiet in this office, a lot of people try to duck out on a Friday. The one thing that is nice in this office is a co-worker brought in a TON of dafodils for everyone and so there are around 15 to 20 vases with these flowers all over the office.

I just read the recent Smithsonian and now I wish that I could go to this Pompeii exhibit in Chicago at the Field Museum. I wish it could make a visit out to the west coast.

This weekend is all about relaxing and not doing a thing, but then again I have wanted to visit a couple of events that are happening here in town like the Snow & Ashes photography exhibit and we have a ton of laundry that we are going to have to haul to the laundromat. :(

Amazing

This past weekend my dad and his friends Mike and Gregg participated in a cross-country skiing race. I think it is absolutely amazing. I have tried the cross country skiing and it is hard stuff. I still remember sitting face down at the bottom of a small incline that my friend Anna and I tried to conquer on our slim cross country skis and we both ended up face down in the snow believing we may have to send out for a rescue team of huskies to pull us back to the lodge. This is a photo of my amazing father at the race where temperatures were a warm 5 degrees. Brrrrr. Absolutely amazing is all I can say. If I had to enter the TV show Amazing Race, I would pick my dad to be my race partner - cause he could so win that.
In other news, all the newcasters can talk about is the weather out here. We get a little rain and this place turns chaotic. Last nights weather news went something like this:
Newscaster: "We now go to Brian live out in the valley"
Brian: "Everywhere I look there is water. It is coming down all over."
Camera pans to a wider shot to show the reporter standing in an inch of water with golashes on.
Brian: "I do not suggest going out unless you can where some tall boots to keep your soaks dry, because it is quite something out here, back to you in the studio."
Newscaster: "Thank you Brian, more on STORM WATCH 2006 after this short segment on how celebrities are coping with the fact that they may have to walk the red carpet in the rain."

Downtown, Coast, and Clouds

Great weekend. My friend Norah was in town after she had been visiting San Diego for work. She took the train up from S.D. and I picked her up at Union Station downtown. Love that building! Friday was spent walking and getting lost downtown, but after my wrong directions we finally found lunch at Phillipes. We stopped by Olvera St., where they were filming a WB movie (Nancy Drew) and then went by Chinatown to drop coins in the wishing grotto. We rounded off that evening by hanging out at Najas, then checked out the new place in town called PointBreak...fun place, but may not be in such a great location for business..we will see how they do.

Saturday was for culture and we headed up the 405 to the Getty Center and then had dinner down in Hermosa at Cafe Bugaloo, a blues & mardi gras place that Norah suggested because she met the owner's father on the east coast...small world. Turned out great, which unfortunately is not how I could describe the quick visit to the Poop Deck...the place felt like a bad frat house.

Norah left this morning so today we walked to the Amgen California Bike tour that was finally finishing in our town. The riders have been riding in the coastal towns up north and came down for the last leg of their journey in Redondo. The streets were blocked off and everyone was out to cheer for the riders...wish my dad could have been here, he would have liked it. I think they are going to try and do this every year now..they want to make it into something like the tour de france.

This weekend went by way too fast and now I am back in an empty office on a holiday. Most employees are taking the day off and having a leisurely long weekend, but those few of us who have to punch in hourly are here to waste the day away in a building with no windows.
Saturday we went down to the LBC to celebrate at an engagement party. I had 1 drink when I first arrived and then spent the rest of the evening downing diet cokes as I was the designated driver.

It was a really nice party.

Sunday was spent reorganizing and cleaning the apt. The weather outside was beautiful. Right after it rains in California is the best because it is so clear and the views are fantastic without any smog.