UMTravels

A little (very little) work in the AM followed by a return visit to Home Depot. Time to get the pond liner:

… along with 400# of gravel for the previous project that is still not finished.

I got the liner unloaded (it weighs like 30#) but not the gravel before heading off to see the new movie “Up In The Air”with Geroge Clooney in the company of Jill.

A great movie for the two of us frequent flier mile whores to see together. I think it’s been at least five years since I’ve seen a movie in  theatre and not from seat 1C. A funny movie — more so because of how we travel, though there were scenes that left me feeling like I spend too much time in the cocoon of airplanes and airports.

Dinner tonight was supposed to be with Jonathan, who basically blew me off. Too bad. There was steak, salad, and baked potatoes followed by both bread pudding and fruit and nut shortbread cookies — and the Waterbrook Melange was pretty good too.

Guess I have to start inviting people that will show up.

[219.4]

What a lovely relaxed day… puttering around the house, going through closets cleaning out unwanted clothes, setting up the sewing machine so I can use it (and the serger) easily, mounting the trellis’ for the rose bushes out front (though I need another rose bush, but it too early in the season to find one), reworking the Print Server in the office to add it’s own touch screen monitor (was in the living room) and the postage label printer (ordered rolls of postage as well), a run to Home Depot to replace my electric drill and shovel that had gone missing as well as checking out pre-formed pond liners to use as novel hot tubs…yet another project, a liquor store run (didn’t know the new store on 4th was open on Sunday!), a grocery store run, and a quiet dinner at home of diced chicken breasts and onions in last night’s rice and a half bottle of the Bonny Doon Le Ciage Volant.

[219.5]

For the first time in years I’m actually around for the annual Faerie Gift Grab! Rules: everyone brings a wrapped present. They all go on a table in the middle of the room — someone starts by taking a present (this year I foolishly picked my nose which was taken for raising a hand to start) and unwrapping it. The person to the right then has the choice of your present (in this case, a tennis racket) or one of the unopened ones. Gifts can be “stolen” up to three times. There is the usual trading afterwards for pieces and parts — I traded the really long bow off my tennis racket for a Joe Jonas “Shane” briefcase:

Won’t I look hot going through the airport with that! So much more subdued than my current laptop bag:

I did get one other item as a result of the gift grab… a UtiliKilt that Wonderful found for $5.00 in a thrift store (oddly enough in the women’s section)… brand new — if he’d sold it on e-bay it would have gone for upwards of a hundred. Not my favorite color (military green), but with my kick ass belt/buckle it looks pretty good:

Dinner tonight was with Alicia and Deven who are up from the Bay Area. Appetizer was the salmon stuffed backed brie wrapped in puff pastry from last week… saffron rice, broiled black cod (very rich), and stir fried green onions and baby bok choy with lemongrass and chili peppers. Yum. Martinis before, Saké with, Grappa after.

[220.6]

With the Ortiz Gang arriving at 9am for breakfast I hauled myself out of bed before 8 so that I’d be caffeinated and clean.

Breakfast was an overnight Strata from the Joy of Cooking — but here is a link to a similar recipe: http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0997/strata.html

Only a couple of presents for me to open, I think it was my parents that were the winners of today’s Package Day contest.

With the rest of the morning to relax before my early afternoon flight I got all three newspapers taken care of (one from Santa Fe, one from Albuquerque, and the New York Times) and had time to unzip the gusset of the suitcase and pack all the loot away — definitely paying the $20 to check the beast with two connections in route.

The Package Day route? Santa Fe to Los Angeles to San Francisco to Seattle. Or that was what the route was supposed to be, with me being upgraded on the last leg since it’s a codeshare with Alaska Airlines.

The actual Package Day route? Flight was late getting into Santa Fe from Dallas/Ft. Worth because of ice on the runways in Dallas — yesterday they had to close the airport because of snow and there was still ice today. The flight was even later getting out with all the wheelchairs and luggage, and the fact that another plane also came in — which is a rarity for the Santa Fe airport.

I arrived at LAX about 15 minutes after my flight to SFO left. Found the first ticket agent available and had her (then him) start to find me another way home… and that would be the direct LAX to SEA flight on Alaska leaving in an hour an a half.

Change terminals, wait for a gate agent, re-ticket, ask for upgrade (got it), ask to be reseated in the bulkhead aisle (got it), ask about whether it’s snack or dinner (they said snack, turned out to be a light dinner of Chicken Marsala and a salad). Nothing like hearing an announcement — we have six open seats in First Class if anyone wants to buy one for $50. Ever seen a mob rush a ticket counter?

I got lucky and had an Aussie named Jamie sitting next to me — fresh off a flight from Sydney (and boy did he need that drink and dinner). We got to talking and he was thinking of going to the Museum of Flight — I pulled out two passes which were in my wallet, a $25 off coupon to the Sky Club, and my business card… Happy Package Day Jamie!

Funny that I missed my connection and still got home an hour earlier than if I’d made my original connections. Had a drink, cleaned up the tablet PC a little more that I’m selling to Thomas, watched the news and headed to bed.

Another Package Day down.

[? ? ?]

Twas the night before Package Day, and all through the delivery system, every elf was working his little red tattered nightshirt down to the threads…

And the Head Elf was getting his pants hemmed and his merit badges applied, while the minions labored over soup pots and cookies.

With the new Elfen Fur wrapped around his shoulders, the Head Elf commanded champagne and wine for the assembled masses… if eight is considered a mass.

With the steak soup and rolls consumed, it was time for part one of the glorious Package Feast! And all were made happy — happiest was the Head Elf who out-scored the children for the first time in 18 years… a happy Head Elf he is, for he knows tomorrow will bring the end of his reign, and the children will take over once again.

On this Package Night Eve — to all a good night. And for the Head Elf, a nightcap of the winter brown spirits.

[? ? ?]

What a wonderful lazy relaxed day. Here is the scene that I woke up to:

And most of the day it kept snowing on and off. Here is a video of the plaza…and Kate and Eric:

Hopefully, that link will eventually be my normal video insert from Twango, which seems to be down at the moment.

Did some Package Day shopping with Kate and Eric — and ended up buying things… a jacket for Jen, a shirt that might fit Kennan, and a Hawaiian shirt and mink stole for me. Not bad for $45. Gotta love a down economy at times.

Dinner tonight was with the parents, the Colonels, and the Ortiz gang which included Aunt Nancy as well. Cassolet was the main dish and a good time was had by all. The Colonels were a great addition to our family tradition.

[? ? ?]

A fairly relaxing morning, up a little before eight, and by 9am I was at the airport. Shortly after — through security and looking for a way to get from one terminal to another without going back through security so I could use the Alaska Board Room for my every other week marketing call.

The answer: take the shuttle to the American Eagle terminal (which required a boarding pass for them), then turn around and transfer to the Alaska terminal, which since you were already out there didn’t need a boarding pass, go up to the club, have a couple of drinks, read the newspaper, have a bagel, take the conference call, and then take the transfer back to the American Eagle terminal (out on the tarmac), which again needed an American Eagle boarding pass, which I had. Had I been totally on American flights, it wouldn’t have worked unless I told them I was meeting my “sister” at the American Eagle terminal — they might have let me do that.

No trouble with the flight — Kate and Eric were at the Santa Fe airport about 5 minutes after I landed — and off to check-in a day late to my condo in Santa Fe (which you can almost see teir condo from mine). Hung out there for a bit while I got settled and then headed off to see their condo and exchange Christmas and Birthday (Swandas0 presents.

We probably should have left one drink earlier, but off in the condo shuttle (a service their condo provides) to the square — originally to the Ore House, sat down, looked at the menu, left. Headed to the Blue Corn Cafe for a more relaxed dinner.

I was back at the condo by 8:30pm to settle in and watch “The Onion — The Movie” which was underwhelming.

Off to bed for a good nights sleep under the down comforter — a nice touch, as are the heated marble floors in the bathroom. Guess I should take a video.

[? ? ?]

When you get up at 4:30am, you’d really like your day to go well.

It went well until I got to San Jose… then it started falling apart. Actually, it was a little sketchy at check-in when it took them 20+ minutes to figure out how to get my bag all the way to Santa Fe… seems that it was slightly double booked on the Alaska portion since Alaska had upgraded me, but still had the coach seat for me as well on the American system.

I actually got to pack a little road snack at the Board Room and get a to-g0 cup. Good flight down. Relaxing. Aisle Seat. Sleeping neighbors.

And then San Jose…. first 35 minutes late, mechanical… by the time we were finally done with the delays — we were 5.25 hours late getting out of San Jose for LAX.

Needless to say, I missed my connections. Some tips for people whose flights are in danger. Find an agent. Book on the next flights — in my case, tomorrow, but because it was mechanical — the airline is paying for the Four Points Sheraton Airport… and a paltry $10 for dinner and $5 for breakfast.

So — assuming I’d even been close to making my connection, we sat on the tarmac at LAX waiting to get into a gate — no ramp agents. POOR STAFFING. At San Jose, there was no agent at the desk until WELL AFTER the flight was supposed to be boarding. It’s the holiday rush — what are they thinking (or not thinking).

Another tip… when they promise you the hotel… be first in line. It takes time for that paperwork. I’m just happy that they managed to get my bag off the plane so I could have:

• toothbrush
• clean clothes
• scotch
• Luckily there is free wi-fi in the hotel, a restaurant with passable carne asada and an OK by the glass wine list… and peace and quite, and no 6am flight tomorrow…. boarding is at 11:50.

Looks like I’ll be taking the conference call in the airport tomorrow.

[? ? ?]

What a wonderful brunch with JSteve and crowd. Brunch at his place is always on a Sunday… and features tons of food, the star being Eggs Benedict from scratch… made to order, for a crowd of 10-15 people… seriously yummy. And seriously wonderful people as well… and the mimosas…

From 2-6, I made it until 4 before I had to retreat from the mimosas to go home and deal with the bear:

I had to bring him inside — he had been outside all night and was a little damp. Now he is dry, and back in his box… waiting for the trip home to SwandaLand.

Jonathan cancelled dinner — truly fine. Something about entertaining and then getting up at 4:30 in the morning for the flight to Santa Fe that doesn’t sound so good. Luckily the first flight is up front…

[220.7]

So, this post is about inviting people you know who never get invited to dinner — your friends who are chefs, cooks, bakers, caterers, teachers of cooking, etc. They don’t get invited because people are afraid to cook for “professionals”. Trust me. Invite them. They make great dining companions and they will be eternally grateful.

Tonights celebrity chefs invited to dinner… Lars and Anita (as in Cooking With Anita).

The appetizer course (provided by Swanda) was a double-cream brie stuffed with smoked salmon and wrapped in a puff pastry… served with Vodka Martinis (though my mother would say that there are no real martinis made with vodka).

The main course was a salad of mandarin orange slices, romaine lettuce and a pear Gorgonzola dressing, rosemary roasted potatoes and onions, and little lamb chops with a fresh loaf of challah. Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volante and Coppola Claret.

Dessert (yes, I had a dessert course for once!) was home-made short bread cookies formed in chocolate tins that I picked up in Belgium over a decade ago. This was served with a lovely Bonny Doon Angel Paille — a sweet dessert wine.

Lovely company, lovely food. Can it get any better.

[219.7]

After getting mom’s old laptop all upgraded and updated… I discovered that there wasn’t much space left on that little 3 gig hard drive… damn. After searching around for a bit I discovered several things:

• A way to open most of the case of the laptop — though not enough to get to the loose power input
• That a docking station could be had for $9.99 + $9.00 shipping — ordered it
• That I had a couple of hard drives the correct size
• That I could recycle a 20 gig hard drive from the old PhatNoise system that I’d pulled from the BMW before I traded it in
• That original BMW multi-CD cases are the exact same as the one that goes in the Jaguar

So — here is a picture of the kitchen table at mid-day:

After it was all put back together, it was time to load Windows 2000, then do the massive amounts of updates (SP4, Roll-up 1, then 63 other updates), then install Office 2000, then a wireless-N card, AVG virus protection. Hopefully once the port replicator shows up next week that will solve the power supply problem (currently solved by keeping the power cord taut by wrapping it under the screen).

As an side amusement, I put down 200 pounds of gravel that had finally thawed in the garage — now I need another thousand pounds or so to finish the gate project — at least it’s enough to make an easier transition.

Now about that dinner… Curt and Brandon are the guests. Made some shortbread cookies for tonight and tomorrow night (while doing updates on the computer), baked a lovely loaf of challah, and cooked up a nice 2.25# beef roast from Uwajimaya (which really didn’t have enough marbling, but oh well), baked potatoes and a salad — Curt brought a couple of bottles of wine… it does look good though:

The boys are staying the night — and shopping tomorrow.

[221.5]

Headed off to the airport for breakfast (fish tacos) and a flight back to Seattle.

Actually, I should really call that cranky Santa in First Class was fine in First Class — it was once I got on the ground that I started getting cranky. 15 minutes for the Master Parking shuttle to show up… just was Jill said about her last trip… is it time to change to the new Wally Park facility when it’s done?

Spent the rest of the day catching up on lots of stuff. Got the NetBook ready for the Santa Fe trip last night (made sure it was cleaned up and able to use the phone as a modem) and put the finishing touches on cleaning up Mom’s old Windows 98 laptop that had 32mb of memory…. it is now running Windows 2000 and has 160mb of RAM and it’s original 3gig harddisk.

Dinner tonight — just a couple of pork loin chops and some salad and a split of the 94 Bonny Doon wine — nice to be able to keep booze in the house again (and not worrying about leaving town and Raf getting depressed and drinking it all).

Nice to be home in my own bed, and not have freezing weather outside.

[? ? ?]

Workmen in the morning, so not much lingering in bed. I’ve found that if you use the whole twelve cup package of coffee in WorldMark resorts that you get a decent four cup pot. Should have brought coffee in addition to the two eggs and butter I brought (in addition to the left over garlic bread from last night).

Got out of the resort a little after 11am (sorry, no video tour) after getting a delayed response to an email from last night. Apparently I have two stops in Santa Cruz on the way home.

Stop number one: the Bonny Doon Winery’s Tasting Room and Cellar Door Cafe. I was there for the Tasting Room, not the Wednesday-Sunday Prix Fix $35 meal. Mind you, it took me half an hour to find the place without a map. And I only intended to buy three bottles for the boys — that turned to six when they had extras of an over-sized cigar box that holds six bottles. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll get to drink some of it.

Stop number two: Trader Joe’s parking lot to meet up with a friend for what turned into a hot tub date. I have to recommend the Tea House Spa. Nice to spend time hanging out in hot water… especially for what came next.

Next? Left Santa Cruz at 4:30, expecting traffic. I didn’t expect at 3.25 hour return drive (should be 1.25 hours). Semi overturned on 17… blocking one of the two lanes through the mountains — it’s never good when there are fork lifts on the freeway moving boxes. Followed by a five-car-pile-up on 880 north. So much for cooking tonight.

Actually — tonight’s dinner was pasta out in Emeryville at a chain that had 50% off on all bottles of wine for dinner. I had to go Bing it: Pasta Pomodoro (California and Arizona). Lunetta and I had the Sabon Estates Old Vine Zinfandel (Amador Country, California) and Onyx had a Pinot Grigio with our meals. Not bad for commercial — got to love 50% off on a bottle of wine.

At little work before bed, and tomorrow, in the air again.

[? ? ?]

The morning started with watching the firs flight of the new Boeing 787… not in person, via web-cast. Yes, in case you didn’t know, I’m an airplane geek. Good thing I didn’t have a marketing conference call this morning… the scheduled 10am take-off was 2.5 years and 27 minutes late.

I split for the coast a little after noon… with stops at M. Lowe and Company to pick up a “rose-cut brown diamond earring (single). Diamond to se set in rose gold, closed back, bezel should follow the contour of the stone. Stone is .57 ctw.” I brought some other pieces to be cleaned, but I’ll bring those back tomorrow when Margo is there. Said earring:

Next stops, Trader Joes for scotch, AAA for maps, Ross for black cordoroys, BevMo for last minute his is my first visit to the WorldMark Marina Dunes — in the middle of getting a make-over so the fresh paint smell is noticable, the hot tub is cold, but the TVs are flat panels

Tonight was at Kula Ranch— on the resort grounds. I had the fish tacos and a glass of pinot grigio… yum, yum, yum.

And today’s video is from a friend of mine in Hong Kong about the wave of American illegal immigrants working in Hong Kong… funny considering Michael is an American ex-pat:

Tonight’s movie is United 93… guessing it’s not a comedy. Next up is to go see Up In The Air, hopefully with Jill.

[? ? ?]

Wow. No upgrade. Oakland. What’s wrong here. At least when I checked into the Board Room and asked… they moved me to a window seat in 6 (F) or all of row 12 (like that would stay open).

Breakfast in the Board Room with a couple of drinks…. my days of trying to get 3-4 are over. I might be channelling my father who gave up drinking in his mid-fifties.

Uneventful flight – got my free cocktail as a MVP Gold member (would have preferred first class). Arrived Oakland a little hungry and a little cranky — not sure what the cranky was about.

Onyx met me at the airport…. Lunetta waiting at home… and me, just wanting a nap. Which was about 1 minutes but good. Still cranky, but at least able to put together a dinner. The deal is, you pick me up at the airport, I’ll buy groceries and make you dinner.

Dinner? Two cleaned and cracked crabs, salad, the world’s smallest loaf of bread, asparagus…. damn good — we finished off every bit.

Today’s video? Ty Vinnevitz (my friend Riversong’s son) in this amazing YouTube video… he’s now in juggling school in Canada….

Who knows — I might get the boys out to Monterey tomorrow for a holiday.

[221.0]

A quite morning of puttering around the house waiting to get together withe Helene to see the Tudor Choir do Handel’s Messiah at Town Hall.

If it’s Saturday it must be time for the Swanda Birthday Party, Part Two. Venue tonight is Bizzaro, an Italian restaurant in Wallingford.

Yeah, it’s a little dark, but it was a good crowd. I had the honor of holding down one end of the table, seated next to Lars and Anita who I invited to dinner next Saturday before I leave for Santa Fe.

It was a great dinner… I had the pasta and pulled elk (yes, elk). Chris passed out custom gift bags to everyone which included a custom bottle by Wonderful, some poetry, some wine… leave it to Swanda to hand out gifts at his own birthday. A lovely turn of events.

Since the dinner reservation was at 5pm, we headed back to the apartment for post-dinner cocktails.

Sort of make the rest of the day look boring… a champagne tasting at EVS, an art sale at Suzannes, finishing the Holiday cards and getting them in the mail.

[220.3]

Well, the lighting is bad, but it’s still a fun little video of The Swanda Birthday Dinner, Part One…

All that after a wine tasting at the apartment. Luckily, Wonderful was driving to/from, and all I had to do was pay the valet fee. Happy 50th!

[219.0]

With all the Christmas shopping done yesterday, it’s time to wrap, box, bag, mail all the stuff and then start working on the Christmas Cards… I guess there is an upside to less time spent on billable hours.

And did I mention the two hundred pounds of gravel… that’s just a start, but it’s all I felt comfortable putting in the Jaguar’s trunk. And I’ll probably go back tomorrow and grab another two hundred pounds… might have been easier to just call the Sand and Gravel company and have them bring a dump truck load.

But the big event (after a nice steak dinner and tomato dinner at home) is the Dina Martina Christmas Show at the Re-Bar. Fluffernutter had some extra tickets from an E&A event so Wonderful and I took advantage of them…

And what a wild show it was… with a quick nightcap at 13 Coins, it was home and to bed for me. Luckily Wonderful was my chauffeur for tonight (and for tomorrow’s birthday party as well!)

[217.9]

The process started Tuesday night… you have to move out by January 1st… which then just boiled into take $400, pay your phone bill and get a sleezy motel room and leave now. By the time he got home for his last night I’d gone to Home Depot and changed the locks (in case it got ugly).

The now was mid-day the next day after he did a heterosexual cleaning job on the RV — Moonsong will finish it next Wednesday. He did pull all the sheets and towels and got them run though the washing machine, and he did attempt to wipe down most of the surfaces… but neglected to vacuum the dog hair off the seats, etc.

Over, done, complete. I’ll just add the $400 to his bill.

But let’s talk about more fun things…. 11am found me in Ballard touring a condo that Monica and Alan from Juneau are interested in. Here is the top down view of the model of one of the two condos I looked at:

They are asking $100K less than when the project started… puts it at about $300K once all the incentives are figured in.

Dinner this evening is with the Great Swanda to honor his 50th year.Wonderful, Fluffernutter and I were his guest for a meal of pork tenderloin, salad, bread, steamed veggies (that I catered). I’ll try and remember to bring along the camera to the large celebrations planned for Friday and Saturday nights.

Home reasonably early.

[219.8]