Monday, June 27, 2011

City By the Bay

As I walked through a living Train song, I kept telling myself, "You will be back to San Fransisco!"

While we only had a couple hours to walk around before heading south to Monterey, we managed to see a couple sites.  We ate a delicious brunch at a small cafe not far from my friends place, Judy's Cafe.  The omelets, pumpkin loaf, and quesadillas were all delish...AND I managed to parallel park on the first try! Score me!!

We walked the couple blocks down to the wharf and saw the Golden Gate and Alcatraz in the bay.  I got my piece of free chocolate at the Ghirardelli store, the stopped in a cutsie cupcake store for a treat.  The cupcake was carmel and fluer de sal, sooo rich!!




We also stopped and got some taffy, do you notice a theme here..??!  I love how Kasey and I look so mesmerised by the candy..:)


We also drove on the most winding road in America, Lombard Street.  It has crazy switch backs at about a 75% grade.  Amazing view, but I was glad I wasn't driving!

When I returned a couple days later, my good friend took me out to eat at Parma, I had the best salad and eggplant Parmesan!


I hope to recreate the salad soon, it had romaine lettuce, toasted pine nuts, Gorgonzola, a slice of grilled pear and vinaigrette! So good!!  It was great seeing my friend from high school, a lot has changed in the last six years!  She is getting married soon and I can't wait for her wedding :)

Although only my first trip, I know I will be back.  There was too much I didn't get to see and eat!  Save me San Fransisco!!
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Sunday, June 26, 2011

A Rolling Stone

That's what I am..just a traveling salesman.  Except I'm not selling anything, more like consuming things.  I just returned from a week conference in California. I had a great time, learned a lot and got to meet up with an old high school friend.  She's not old, just that high school was a while ago..Here is a sneak peak at the things I did in Monterey and San Fransisco.





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Thursday, June 16, 2011

On the road again..


I just returned from a ten day work trip to New Mexico.  We did lots of work at night, slept during the day, ate green chile burgers, drank some beer, shared two port-o-potties for 6+ people, hiked up canyons and the like.  I also managed to watch a bunch of bad daytime television and made-for-tv movies while I drifted off to sleep.  On the plane and during some down time, I was able to read some good books.

My favorite read of the trip was the non-fiction "The Only Thing Worth Dying For" by Eric Blehm.  He tells the true story of a Green Beret A-Team who were sent to southern Afghanistan soon after 9/11 to battle the Taliban and help Hamid Karzai come to power.  After reading the book I felt like I knew the soldiers and had such respect for what they did. I don't normally read this type of book, but I found it sobering and thrilling, I wanted to know what would happen next.  I do recommend to anyone, you don't have to like books about modern military history.

Another great "book" I read was "The Clean Eating Diet: Recharged" by Tosca Reno.  Although not a book in the typical sense, it was defiantly not a fad diet cook book either.  I've been adopting more and more clean eating habits and reading this book reminded me how much I want to continue clean eating.  Tosca shares reader's comments and tips on how to adopt the clean eating lifestyle.  She herself was out of shape in her late forties, then turned her life around with more energy and even entered body building competitions!  My new favorite things to eat, ground flaxseed in my oatmeal and fresh nut butters!

One day when we weren't working, a group of us scampered up the San Lorenzo Canyon.  It was fun, and next time we will actually have to do the recommended hike.  We managed to avoid any forest fire smoke, although you could see the haze the coming over the mountains.  The smoke gave the setting sun such an intense red glow.





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