Sunday (Oct 14) was a joint birthday celebration, spent with family eating lots of good Filipino food and talking, talking, talking. I took leftover chocolate meat with me.... Mmmm....
I started around noon on Monday towards Bend, Oregon to spend time with my youngest sister's family. The tree colors are already brilliant, and I was tempted to stop and take pictures several times, but I was already running late and it was raining. I don't mind driving in the dark, and I don't mind driving in the rain. But driving in the dark and in the rain with headlights glaring at you and reflecting off the puddles on the road, that's something else. But even with all the gorgeous tree colors reflecting the setting sun, my best moment was when I had to stop at a rest area on Hwy 97 soon after it got dark. The rain was falling softly and I was all alone in that rest area. It was incredibly surreal and incredibly peaceful. I wanted to stay there all night and just listen to the rain fall.
I stayed two whole days in Bend, watching detective shows with my sister (I was surprised we liked the same kind of shows), carving pumpkins with the 4-year-old, and helping sew his Halloween costume (he'll be Lucky, the leprechaun).
The weather was supposed to be rainy/snowy and very windy on my drive back to Seattle. It was bright and sunny when I left Bend, but an hour later, I noticed that I was headed towards dark clouds. When I got to the 45th parallel (the latitude halfway between the north pole and the equator), I started seeing even more brilliant trees than the ones I saw on the way to Bend. And a half hour later, while following a slow truck, I noticed a dusting of snow on the side of the road. The road itself is just wet.
Sis said that it takes 5 hours to get to Portland, but it only took me 3 hours or so. As soon as I got to I-5, I stopped at the first rest area to take a nice nap. I wanted to take longer to avoid the traffic in Seattle, but I got to Seattle at 6pm anyway. I still got caught in the traffic. Some traffic lights were out because of the wind, which got stronger as I got closer to home. But, thankfully, the power in my apartment stayed up the whole evening.
Ahhh, home sweet home.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Big Bear Lake, Wednesday to Saturday
We spent Wednesday afternoon at the Eastside Book Cafe. A barista at the local Starbucks directed us there when I asked if she knew of a place that had free wi-fi.
And it's a cozy little cafe. There were nice seats with small tables. And, of course, books everywhere! On wall shelves, on credenzas, and even in the bathroom. Although I'd think twice before buying a book from the bathroom.
I had chai with soy and Ian had hot cocoa. Then we settled down -- me downloading information about geocaches in the area, and Ian watching (and giggling at) YouTube videos. We got hungry a few hours later, and we each had a big mug of tortilla soup and a tall glass of mango smoothie.
We spent the next two days (Thursday and Friday) geocaching at the north shore. We found six total. There were a couple that we had to give up on because we couldn't figure it out. And we should have been more stealthy; one woman thought we were vandalizing a sign because we were looking behind the notices. Most people who saw us were very friendly though.
Ian got tired so we decided to head back to the hotel to play a few games of pool after a short nap. We found a menu for Kujo's at the hotel lobby while playing pool. They served standard American fare, like burgers and hotdogs. But Kujo's is the only other place we found that had free wi-fi, so off we went. Well, I was expecting a traditional burger joint. Maybe a sports bar and restaurant. Well, it was a really small place. More like a mom-and-pop diner. And the menu we were handed had an extra section for their specialty -- quiche!
Ian ordered chili and a meatball sandwich, which turned out to be HUGE! I ordered a quiche with salad. Well, let me tell you about my meal. It's not as big as Ian's dinner. But the quality was comparable to a four- or five-star restaurant. The salad greens were incredibly fresh. And not your traditional lettuce salad, no, sir. It had a variety of greens in it. And on top were fresh sliced strawberries, peeled sections of mandarin oranges, and halved red grapes which were incredibly sweet. I don't know what the dressing was, but it was very good as well.
Next to the salad was the quiche. I ordered the one with spinach and pine nuts; they were out of the spinach and bacon kind. And I got a whole quiche. Well, not the regular pie size, but a small version that's probably 3 to 4 inches across. But the surprise came when I bit into it. The crust was your regular flaky crust, but the filling was ... oh, my God! ... to die for! It was so fluffy and light and moist. It practically melts in your mouth.
The chef and owner (I would guess his name is Kujo) came around and asked how we enjoyed our meal. I complimented him about the quiche and I asked him what his secret was. He said it *is* a secret. I guess that was a stupid question. But now I can't wait to get home and try to recreate that recipe.
On Saturday, we left the hotel at 3pm. I took a different route. My GPS took me through San Bernardino on the way to the hotel, so, on the way back, we took smaller highways that passed Baldwin Lake (which is really a dry lake bed). This was actually a better route because it didn't have as many switchbacks and hairpin turns. And it was a more scenic route. We got to I-5 at Bakersfield as the sun was setting.
Normally, I'd be very worried about driving long distances at night, but I'm beginning to develop a taste for night driving. Besides, I-5 is mostly a straight line. It would have been incredibly boring during the day.
And it's a cozy little cafe. There were nice seats with small tables. And, of course, books everywhere! On wall shelves, on credenzas, and even in the bathroom. Although I'd think twice before buying a book from the bathroom.
I had chai with soy and Ian had hot cocoa. Then we settled down -- me downloading information about geocaches in the area, and Ian watching (and giggling at) YouTube videos. We got hungry a few hours later, and we each had a big mug of tortilla soup and a tall glass of mango smoothie.
We spent the next two days (Thursday and Friday) geocaching at the north shore. We found six total. There were a couple that we had to give up on because we couldn't figure it out. And we should have been more stealthy; one woman thought we were vandalizing a sign because we were looking behind the notices. Most people who saw us were very friendly though.
Ian got tired so we decided to head back to the hotel to play a few games of pool after a short nap. We found a menu for Kujo's at the hotel lobby while playing pool. They served standard American fare, like burgers and hotdogs. But Kujo's is the only other place we found that had free wi-fi, so off we went. Well, I was expecting a traditional burger joint. Maybe a sports bar and restaurant. Well, it was a really small place. More like a mom-and-pop diner. And the menu we were handed had an extra section for their specialty -- quiche!
Ian ordered chili and a meatball sandwich, which turned out to be HUGE! I ordered a quiche with salad. Well, let me tell you about my meal. It's not as big as Ian's dinner. But the quality was comparable to a four- or five-star restaurant. The salad greens were incredibly fresh. And not your traditional lettuce salad, no, sir. It had a variety of greens in it. And on top were fresh sliced strawberries, peeled sections of mandarin oranges, and halved red grapes which were incredibly sweet. I don't know what the dressing was, but it was very good as well.
Next to the salad was the quiche. I ordered the one with spinach and pine nuts; they were out of the spinach and bacon kind. And I got a whole quiche. Well, not the regular pie size, but a small version that's probably 3 to 4 inches across. But the surprise came when I bit into it. The crust was your regular flaky crust, but the filling was ... oh, my God! ... to die for! It was so fluffy and light and moist. It practically melts in your mouth.
The chef and owner (I would guess his name is Kujo) came around and asked how we enjoyed our meal. I complimented him about the quiche and I asked him what his secret was. He said it *is* a secret. I guess that was a stupid question. But now I can't wait to get home and try to recreate that recipe.
On Saturday, we left the hotel at 3pm. I took a different route. My GPS took me through San Bernardino on the way to the hotel, so, on the way back, we took smaller highways that passed Baldwin Lake (which is really a dry lake bed). This was actually a better route because it didn't have as many switchbacks and hairpin turns. And it was a more scenic route. We got to I-5 at Bakersfield as the sun was setting.
Normally, I'd be very worried about driving long distances at night, but I'm beginning to develop a taste for night driving. Besides, I-5 is mostly a straight line. It would have been incredibly boring during the day.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Big Bear Lake, Tuesday
(Or, "How I Spent My Birthday")
I went to bed at 2am. Strange dreams woke me up at 3am and I couldn't get back to sleep for another hour. So, I didn't wake up until 10 am, and we missed the waffle breakfast. :D
So, we went to IHOP for brunch and then headed to the pirate ship lake tour. Well, Ian was disappointed. He said it's not a "ship," it's a "boat." Actually it's one-third scale replica of a 16th century ship. And, according to the captain, this specific replica seems to have been in several movies and in one that's upcoming. Of course, I don't remember any of those movies right now.
We thought it might just be the two of us, but a group of about 15 or so people joined us. They were all from the same hotel and the lake tour was apparently part of a travel package.
At one point, it occurred to me that there seemed to be an obsession with Hollywood stars. Most of the tour was about which actor or actress owned which lakeside vacation home and how much they paid for it. Then I remembered that we *are* in Southern California. Big Bear Lake is to Hollywood what Lake Tahoe is to San Francisco.
Anyway, I thought it was a nice little tour although we only toured half the lake. Ian thought it was incredibly boring, however.
Our only other planned stop was the solar observatory on the north shore. The captain of the pirate ship mentioned that the observatory offered regular tours on Saturdays but that tours can be arranged by calling them. Well, I called and the recorded outgoing message said that, due to construction, they were not offering tours this year.
I drove around the lake anyway, while Ian took a nap. I found the solar observatory which was several meters from the locked gate. But I was able to take some good pictures of it from the beach next door.
There wasn't anything else interesting after that. Big Bear Lake is much smaller than Lake Tahoe, but it has its own charm.
I went to bed at 2am. Strange dreams woke me up at 3am and I couldn't get back to sleep for another hour. So, I didn't wake up until 10 am, and we missed the waffle breakfast. :D
So, we went to IHOP for brunch and then headed to the pirate ship lake tour. Well, Ian was disappointed. He said it's not a "ship," it's a "boat." Actually it's one-third scale replica of a 16th century ship. And, according to the captain, this specific replica seems to have been in several movies and in one that's upcoming. Of course, I don't remember any of those movies right now.
We thought it might just be the two of us, but a group of about 15 or so people joined us. They were all from the same hotel and the lake tour was apparently part of a travel package.
At one point, it occurred to me that there seemed to be an obsession with Hollywood stars. Most of the tour was about which actor or actress owned which lakeside vacation home and how much they paid for it. Then I remembered that we *are* in Southern California. Big Bear Lake is to Hollywood what Lake Tahoe is to San Francisco.
Anyway, I thought it was a nice little tour although we only toured half the lake. Ian thought it was incredibly boring, however.
Our only other planned stop was the solar observatory on the north shore. The captain of the pirate ship mentioned that the observatory offered regular tours on Saturdays but that tours can be arranged by calling them. Well, I called and the recorded outgoing message said that, due to construction, they were not offering tours this year.
I drove around the lake anyway, while Ian took a nap. I found the solar observatory which was several meters from the locked gate. But I was able to take some good pictures of it from the beach next door.
There wasn't anything else interesting after that. Big Bear Lake is much smaller than Lake Tahoe, but it has its own charm.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Big Bear Lake, Monday
Well, I don't usually come down to California in October, but I didn't get a chance to spend quality time with my nephew Ian over the summer. It's almost a tradition that I spend at least one full day with him every time I visit.
But I was just winding down from a project at the start of October and I had to get my taxes done. (Yes, I filed an extension and, apparently, I can't extend the extension.) So, instead of taking two days to drive down to Bay Area, I did it in one day. Troy had always driven it straight in a single day; I figured it was worth trying.
I left home at 3am. Yup,... 3... A... M.... Well, I tried to sleep most of the day on Saturday. I could only sleep an hour and a half each time. But my sleep is off anyway. I've been sleeping in the daytime and working at night. And it was too late to try to change my sleep cycle.
It's 13 hours if I drive straight, but with a stop for lunch, three 15-to-20-minute naps, and bathroom breaks, it took me 15 hours. I think I hit the traffic of people coming back into town at the end of the weekend, but it wasn't too bad.
I went to bed at 8:30pm. I woke up at 3:30am, although my alarm was set for 4:30am. I think I was wound up about the trip to Big Bear Lake.
Snow Lake Lodge at Big Bear Lake was a last-minute reservation. The only ones that RCI had in California were San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe, San Diego, and Big Bear Lake. Ian and I already had a photography day in SF. I was just in South Lake Tahoe this summer. And between San Diego and Big Bear Lake, the latter sounded more interesting.
Big Bear Lake is a lake at 7,000 feet above sea level. Rocky mountain. Pine trees. Dangerous switchbacks. Very much like Lake Tahoe, but different in a way. It's still more rustic, more quaint. I think it's what Lake Tahoe was like twenty-some years ago and without casinos.
We stopped by Blondie's Grille about 10 miles to the timeshare condo. The service was very friendly, but the food left a lot to be desired. Ian's burger was burnt dry. My fish and chips had very little stale fish, wrapped too thick and too bland corn dog batter. The lettuce in the chef salad was on the soggy side.
Dinner was much better. We went to the Boo Bear Restaurant. Their clam chowder tasted like Ivar's, my fries were crisper, the BLTA sandwich was decent (although the avocado was starting to get dark), Ian was happy with his corndog, and the "muddy" dessert was a nice ending. The final bill was a tad expensive though for basic entrees like that.
The timeshare condo doesn't have wi-fi, so we'll be heading to internet cafes during the week to upload these entries and to download emails.
Well, we'll have quite a week. Tomorrow (Tuesday), a pirate ship cruise and a visit to a solar observatory. On Wednesday, fishing and a trip to an internet cafe. On Thursday, geocaching. On Friday, who knows? Maybe we'll do more geocaching or more fishing.
But I was just winding down from a project at the start of October and I had to get my taxes done. (Yes, I filed an extension and, apparently, I can't extend the extension.) So, instead of taking two days to drive down to Bay Area, I did it in one day. Troy had always driven it straight in a single day; I figured it was worth trying.
I left home at 3am. Yup,... 3... A... M.... Well, I tried to sleep most of the day on Saturday. I could only sleep an hour and a half each time. But my sleep is off anyway. I've been sleeping in the daytime and working at night. And it was too late to try to change my sleep cycle.
It's 13 hours if I drive straight, but with a stop for lunch, three 15-to-20-minute naps, and bathroom breaks, it took me 15 hours. I think I hit the traffic of people coming back into town at the end of the weekend, but it wasn't too bad.
I went to bed at 8:30pm. I woke up at 3:30am, although my alarm was set for 4:30am. I think I was wound up about the trip to Big Bear Lake.
Snow Lake Lodge at Big Bear Lake was a last-minute reservation. The only ones that RCI had in California were San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe, San Diego, and Big Bear Lake. Ian and I already had a photography day in SF. I was just in South Lake Tahoe this summer. And between San Diego and Big Bear Lake, the latter sounded more interesting.
Big Bear Lake is a lake at 7,000 feet above sea level. Rocky mountain. Pine trees. Dangerous switchbacks. Very much like Lake Tahoe, but different in a way. It's still more rustic, more quaint. I think it's what Lake Tahoe was like twenty-some years ago and without casinos.
We stopped by Blondie's Grille about 10 miles to the timeshare condo. The service was very friendly, but the food left a lot to be desired. Ian's burger was burnt dry. My fish and chips had very little stale fish, wrapped too thick and too bland corn dog batter. The lettuce in the chef salad was on the soggy side.
Dinner was much better. We went to the Boo Bear Restaurant. Their clam chowder tasted like Ivar's, my fries were crisper, the BLTA sandwich was decent (although the avocado was starting to get dark), Ian was happy with his corndog, and the "muddy" dessert was a nice ending. The final bill was a tad expensive though for basic entrees like that.
The timeshare condo doesn't have wi-fi, so we'll be heading to internet cafes during the week to upload these entries and to download emails.
Well, we'll have quite a week. Tomorrow (Tuesday), a pirate ship cruise and a visit to a solar observatory. On Wednesday, fishing and a trip to an internet cafe. On Thursday, geocaching. On Friday, who knows? Maybe we'll do more geocaching or more fishing.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Summer snow
Yup, you read it right. There's about a half-inch or so out there right now.
My mom and I arrived at South Lake Tahoe last Saturday, feeling the discomfort at temperatures in the low to mid 80s. It had been hot for a couple of days, so we didn't really go out at all. Besides, I've been coming to Tahoe every odd year since I bought this timeshare in 1994. So, we stayed at the condo, watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and the rest of the time, she buried her head in a Tom Clancy book and I buried mine in my laptop.
Yesterday, it cooled down to the 60s but it was raining, so we stayed at the condo again. And, this morning, snow. I guess it'll be another lazy day. :)
My mom and I arrived at South Lake Tahoe last Saturday, feeling the discomfort at temperatures in the low to mid 80s. It had been hot for a couple of days, so we didn't really go out at all. Besides, I've been coming to Tahoe every odd year since I bought this timeshare in 1994. So, we stayed at the condo, watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and the rest of the time, she buried her head in a Tom Clancy book and I buried mine in my laptop.
Yesterday, it cooled down to the 60s but it was raining, so we stayed at the condo again. And, this morning, snow. I guess it'll be another lazy day. :)
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Seattle to SF Bay Area
I had made this trip before. It's a much easier drive this time. At least, it wasn't snowing like it did when I made the trip last Christmas.
I left home at around 11am without hotel reservations. I was originally planning to stay at my sister Sam's new place in Bend, OR, but decided against it the night before. It was too far away from I-5 and it would just delay me. I was even wondering if I could drive all the way down in one day.
The strange thing is that, even with only five hours of sleep, I didn't feel I had to stop and take a nap. I was wide awake. It took a few hours before I started relaxing into the drive though, but once I did, it was actually a very smooth drive. I think it also had to do with the time I left; I avoided the rush-hour traffic in both Seattle and Portland.
By the time I got to Medford, OR, where I usually stop, there was still a couple of hours of daylight, so I kept going. When I stopped for gas, I called AAA's travel agency, but the Best Western operator (who had a distinct Filipino accent and was probably talking to me from Quezon City) quoted me almost $100/night. When I said I'd call back later, she said they had a manager's special for $79. I wondered if she was paid by commission. I said I had gotten a much cheaper rate before and she sounded surprised. After her "Really?", I was pretty sure she was talking to me from the Philippines. Besides, at 7pm in the middle of the week after a long holiday weekend, hotels should be practically giving away their rooms for the night.
I crossed the border into California and got to Yreka by dusk. I found a Motel 8 which charged me $60, including a AAA discount. No haggling. Everything looked very new, and they had free wireless internet access. Quite unexpected for a Motel 8. And most likely much better than the Best Western room for $79.
From Yreka to my sister Dee's house in Brentwood was just a five-hour drive the next day. By the time I got there, the yogurt I was making in my trunk had formed nicely. Yes, it was that hot in the car the entire two days.
I left home at around 11am without hotel reservations. I was originally planning to stay at my sister Sam's new place in Bend, OR, but decided against it the night before. It was too far away from I-5 and it would just delay me. I was even wondering if I could drive all the way down in one day.
The strange thing is that, even with only five hours of sleep, I didn't feel I had to stop and take a nap. I was wide awake. It took a few hours before I started relaxing into the drive though, but once I did, it was actually a very smooth drive. I think it also had to do with the time I left; I avoided the rush-hour traffic in both Seattle and Portland.
By the time I got to Medford, OR, where I usually stop, there was still a couple of hours of daylight, so I kept going. When I stopped for gas, I called AAA's travel agency, but the Best Western operator (who had a distinct Filipino accent and was probably talking to me from Quezon City) quoted me almost $100/night. When I said I'd call back later, she said they had a manager's special for $79. I wondered if she was paid by commission. I said I had gotten a much cheaper rate before and she sounded surprised. After her "Really?", I was pretty sure she was talking to me from the Philippines. Besides, at 7pm in the middle of the week after a long holiday weekend, hotels should be practically giving away their rooms for the night.
I crossed the border into California and got to Yreka by dusk. I found a Motel 8 which charged me $60, including a AAA discount. No haggling. Everything looked very new, and they had free wireless internet access. Quite unexpected for a Motel 8. And most likely much better than the Best Western room for $79.
From Yreka to my sister Dee's house in Brentwood was just a five-hour drive the next day. By the time I got there, the yogurt I was making in my trunk had formed nicely. Yes, it was that hot in the car the entire two days.