Check out these amazing real life, scary pumpkins carved for your viewing pleasure! All of the awesome pumpkins were done by a man named Ray Villafane and he’s going to be on the “Food Network Challenge: Outrageous Pumpkins” soon.
I loved the Betty White Super Bowl Snickers ad but... These two are perfect!
Well today was our annual trek to the Del Mar Fair, currently the San Diego County Fair, but I can't seem to bring myself to say the longer version, to see the latest gadgets, gizmos, flowers, woodwork, photography, and culinary delights.
People watching is always fun and a carni-folk afternoon is worth the price of admission. With the high price of parking and entry tickets (we had already paid $46 before we hit the gates...) Dave and I discussed how we had no idea how parents can bring their families and afford the day. It must be a $200-$300 day event and definitely something that must be saved up for in these economically challenged times.
We entered to the fine aroma of corn grilling on the open coals! A quick slab of butter, a shaker of seasoned salt and Parmesan cheese and I was reveling in the fact I had for once planned ahead and lost 12 pounds a few weeks prior. Not an ounce of guilt today!
We made the rounds of food booths; looking at everything from deep-fried Twinkies, Snickers and now even Reeses bars to the 10lb BBQ Turkey drumsticks, pizza, Australian potato chips, battered artichoke hears, sausage and beef sandwiches to mesquite chicken and settled on a pastrami grilled sandwich with jalapenos for Dave and a grilled Mediterranean chicken kabob for me... delicious!
Next we made our way over to the flower section. I am taken back at the brilliance of nature and these amazing astrids, dahilas, orchids and roses take my breath away. The images don't do justice and the fragrance was heavenly.
We then cruised the endless booths where we dodged parents who thought they can command the right-of-way because the have strollers, countless fashion-risk-takers, arguing couples, ice cream dripping children, men eating wedges of fudge standing at tool exhibits, women who should not be wearing cut off belly showing shirts, and speeding wheel chair kamikazes. The food gadget salespeople, Cham-wow pitchmen, jacuzzi displays and latest in food storing and cookware were endless as were the Russian doll and spiritual Targot card readers! I even got a new wallet and Dave a few tool items.
Next we found the wonderful Chinese chair massage booth, had a quick 10-minute pick me up rub down and hit the ground running to see the rest of Carnitown. After a few hours and what seemed like miles, we found refuge in two wonderful massage chairs and worked the remotes for a while.
After that we went outside to watch the bunji jumpers try and hold their food in, and weaved through the crowds over to the woodwork and photography buildings. As we made our way out we came across the Web Design entries that were relegated to the back of a stairwell. I had no idea that there was a Web Design exhibit and made a mental note to submit next year for sure.
Well, one last snack for me was a cherry lemonaide and a Hot dog on a Stick, slathered in mustard. Although my dogs were barking I passed on the infamous Footsie-Whootsie machine; I had no more spare change! No dinner tonight, I am happy, content and shared another laugh filled day with my favorite person. More pictures in the Photos page...
This morning we found ourselves lagging with all the hiking and picture taking, so we decided to lay low and take it slow. We made our way over to the Haight and ate an Eggs Benedict at the Gulp and Squat, terrible name, good food.
We came back to the house and messed around on our laptops and talked about us, what else, and were excited to hit up the Adobe FlashCamp SF this afternoon. I read about it and mentioned to Kenny he should go since it was in his city and FREE to boot. That instigated me coming up and here we are.
Well it starts at 5 to 10 with free beer and pizza, presentations on the latest in Flash, Flex and Air products. We first walked around south of Market and hit up a Whole Foods for dinner (no pizza or beer for me!) and grazed on a little over a pound of salad.
Why is it when they have all that good stuff at the salad bar mine always weights so much? I like to think its the hicama and other heavy veggies, not the amount. Delicious!
Next we hiked back and hit up the legenary Adobe building itself where the event was being held and sponsored. It was, simply put, Geek Central, and as we walked in and stood in a line of fellow designers (and by the looks of the people there, developers galore!) to get our lammy name tags, bag of schwag, t-shirt and hit the scene.
After a few initial presentations and a product give-aways we decided to hit the road. It was beginning to get a little over my head with back-end functionality, etc. and we ate dinner at a great Italian restaurant in Noe Valley, then back to Kenny's to check out our freebies, laugh and geek out on our laptops.
A good day was had by all...
Holy smokes, it feels like I have been here a long time already and it has only been day two.
Today found us waking up after not much sleep to eating some breakfast, drinking two double espressos and showers. We were out the door by 11am to traipse about The City and show Kenny my past. After yesterday's mad hiking, we decided it best to drive and walk today.
We first headed to the Haight to pick up some putty for my fake Austin Powers teeth and my super model photo shoot. Long story short while Kenny was at SDSU after I left he took a photography class and asked if I would model for him for a project. I brought my Austin Power teeth and coke bottle glasses to distract and Alvin was born! So we decided to take pictures of Alvin all over San Francisco. They will be in another post after I get them from Kenny, good times and terribly funny.
Anyways, after we drove up Haight to Stanyon to Fredrick to Lincoln Boulevard, we went directly into the Sunset District where I grew up and came to 1487 27th Avenue - the streets, the neighborhood, the whole Sunset - has changed so much! Looking at the house and garage, I am amazed at how my dad parked the Ford LTD Station Wagon in there!
Memories I think are best kept as just that, nothing compares to them. My childhood home looked SO SMALL and nothing looked like I remembered at all.
Then we made our way down to St. Ignatius College Prep where I attended high school, down to Ocean Beach and the Zoo, went along Lake Merced where I fished off the dock with friends, over to the Great Highway and up the coast to the Cliff House. We walked around and took some pix and then up California Street and detoured to the Palace of the Legion of Honor and posed with the Thinker statue by Rodin. Then out past the Lincoln Park golf course, to Sea Cliff and then hit Clement Street for Chinese at Yet Wah. Delicious, but the memories of going with Dave and the flavors were just not the same.
We then went to Peets for a pick up, before driving through Pacific Heights, down and through the Marina to Chrissy Field and out to Fort Point at the Golden Gate where we helped celebrate it's 72nd birthday today!
Then we hit Highway 1 through the Presidio and made our way back to where I went to grammar school, St. Annes. The church was closed! I wanted a photo shoot damn it! Oh well, off we went down to the Sunset again, and hit up the Windmills, Soccer Fields and live Bison area. We looped around the museums of the De Young and the California Academy of Sciences and rounded Stow Lake and the Chinese Pavillion.
Driving back to Kenny's place to crash on the couch, we passed the Painted Ladies Victorians which are always featured in movies of San Francisco. Whew, what a day and it's only 5:30pm.
Tonight we are supposed to see a drag queen friend of Kenny's named Cookie Dough, should be interesting, but we'll see... it's been a long day. Pictures of this excursion are on my Photos page, enjoy!
OK, then we went to his place, visited with his cat Killer and hung out for a quick geek laptop check in on Gmail. After the coffee kicked in we then hit the streets of San Francisco.
We left his apartment near Alamo Square and took a walk up the hill to the park and the view of the Victorians that you always see in the movies. Next we went down to the Castro to eat at Zapatas. After the much needed food we hiked up the hills of the Castro, up Collingwood to 20th Street, over to Church (the biggest hill in the City!) and down to Dolores Park, along Dolores to the Mission, back to Market Street and a refreshing Red Bull at Cafe Flores. We then went down underground and took the Muni Metro down to the Civic Center and a protest and march to round off the afternoon.
I swear we walked almost 6-7 hours total (5 to 6 miles total) possibly? After the protest march we hit up the Chessecake Factory over the beautiful MACY*S at Union Square. And yes, after all the hard work of recently loosing some weight, I did not have my favorite dessert of cheesecake!
It was a great day. Tomorrow is another day and adventure. I think I am taking Kenny around to all of my childhood haunts and visit old neighborhoods and memories.
I'll post the balance of my pics to the Photos page, enjoy. Time for sleepy time...
After I landed here in San Francisco to visit my buddy Kenny, we went to his place to put my clothes away and hit the streets. We first went to this incredible neighborhood market, Falletti's and I know Dave would love this place. Check out a few snaps of the iPhone here.
So now that the Master Cleanse is done, I'm 10lbs lighter and we are eating healthy, it's time to make note of our Bowflex.
Yes, it was collecting dust, but now it's our new best friend!
When we first got it we were all gung ho and then it fizzled out as the lack of knowledge and fear of not remembering all the different exercises led to any excuse NOT to use it.
Well no more - it's 3 days a week on the program and 3 days a week of aerobic training on the Ironman Achiever!
We are doing the following:
Do you want to lose weight, build muscle or just look better in the mirror? You need to strength train to add muscle, burn calories and look fantastic with the Bowflex® home gym. The more muscles you have, the higher your metabolism rate, resulting in more calories burned.
The Bowflex® home gym has worked for more than one million people, and it can work for you, too. Bowflex® home gyms work because they are simple to use. Exercises are fast and effective. We back up our promise with our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.
I mean, I really want to look like Josh from the video! The only thing stopping me is me, so I will get out of the way and go for it! It is awesome doing it with Dave, we will succeed and make our goal of looking good for the August wedding of his niece. And when we return, we will continue doing this fun, healthy training and eating for a better life.
OK, we decided it was going to be 10lbs or 10 days, and after our morning meeting and declining lunch offers, we went home to drink our lemonade. So being day 6 we were both trying our best and upon our arrival home we hit the scale on Saturday afternoon. Yeah, we both achieved our goal!
Now it was time to chew something, but it had to be healthy and light. Sushi to the rescue! Time for a Dragon Roll.
Wow, I couldn't finish it all. Nothing left but scraps, delicious... and my stomach has definitely shrunk.
Now it's on to the cardio 3 times a week and the Bowflex Revolution training for 6 weeks. If all goes well with the new eating plan on following the Diabetic Cookbook, we are going to be looking and feeling so much better.
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