This simply amazed me. Love this kind of talent and ingenuity.
Dec 17 2011
Tapias’ Christmas Cookies
Received my annual allotment of home-made Christmas cookies from the Tapias. Each year they outdo themselves with quality, style and creativity and this year they didn’t disappoint. Their cookies are far better than most bakeries. I almost feel bad for eating them. Almost.
Plate of goodness
Attack view
Sugar cookie tree
Tree decorations
Magic cookie bar
Mini chocolate chip
Lemon square
Peanut butter cup
Christmas snickerdoodle
Dec 17 2011
Birthday Movie and Lunch Wish Granted
Enjoyed a great day with my incredible friends Sylvia and Rodrigo, who took me not only to see “Sherlock Holmes: A Games of Shadows” (which I was dying to see) but also to lunch at In-N-Out (which I was dying to eat). I seem to be doing a lot of dying lately. The movie was outstanding. Enjoyed it at least as much as the first one. Love the twists and unexpected turns and while they took some creative liberties with the canonical stories, the changes and reworkings fit nicely with the feel of the movie. And the soundtrack was fantastic.
Dec 16 2011
Brenda, One Day Later
Had a short but good video chat with Brenda who returned home to Austin yesterday morning. Weird to imagine that I saw her at the airport just yesterday and tonight we’re video chatting from three states away. I’m grateful that we can at least keep in touch regularly this way. (Reason I’m on the phone during the chat is because her microphone wasn’t working.)
Dec 15 2011
Post-Birthday Dinner Party
Had my post-birthday family dinner this evening. My mom had made one of my all-time favorites: wienerschnitzel with mashed potatoes and red cabbage. My mom had also made some really good Hungarian strawberry and walnut pastry the day before for dessert. My niece Kimi brought over a large, chocolate Mickey Mouse cake that she baked for me. Presents were strictly forbidden, I was grateful, the food was delicious and fun appeared to be had by all.
UPDATE: Added three more photos.
Cool placemats
Straight version
Crazy version
Version sent to my other brother who complained that all the meal pictures looked the same
Dec 15 2011
Natural History Museum In One Hour
After leaving the Zoo I thought it would be fun to make a quick visit to the Natural History Museum in Balboa Park, next door to the Zoo. Walking first through Spanish Village, I stopped at The Village Grill for a spot of lunch. Had my regular tuna melt combo with chips and a drink. Considering it looks to be kind of a dive, their tuna melt is actually very good. And $8 for a combo is not a bad deal, especially in a tourist location. After feeding myself and a flock of starving swallows I began my limited visit at the museum. I basically went in, talked to a cute girl who works there, sat and watched “Ocean Oasis: Two Worlds, One Paradise” in their theater, talked on the phone for a little while and then left. The movie was very good, if a seeming a little long. Will have to go back to see two other movies, both in 3D. Good thing I have a pass there too.
Dec 15 2011
San Diego Zoo In One Hour
After dropping Brenda off at the airport I decided to make a quick trip to San Diego Zoo. Knew it would be a brief trip so I focused on getting some Christmas decorations and just some of the animals. Started with taking the Skyfari up to the back of the zoo and walked back toward the front stopping to see different kinds of Gazelle, some Raptors, a Red Panda, a couple of Giant Pandas and some Siberian Musk Deer (my first time seeing those). Nice quick trip.
Dec 15 2011
Homeward Bound
Took my friend Brenda to the airport this morning for her return trip back home to Austin. Was impressed with how many Christmas decorations the airport had put up and how non-crowded it was. Got me a coffee from Starbucks, sat down and waited until her plane took off so I could get that one last shot in of her visit.
Dec 14 2011
Birthday Wishes Galore
Came home from my birthday trip to Disneyland to find my mailbox chock full of Facebook messages announcing Happy Birthday wishes from many of my real-life and online-only friends. It was enough to fill my onboard memory with digital glee.
Dec 14 2011
It’s All Relative With Brenda
After our Disneyland excursion was complete, I delivered my friend Brenda to her relatives living just north of San Diego. There we stayed for almost four hours while she reminisced and remembered many stories from their childhoods. There was a birthday party for a two-year old, replete with singing, presents, cupcakes and a candle in the shape of the number 2, followed by a spontaneous one for me, fifty one years older than the two-year old. I also had singing, cupcakes, no presents, but a re-used candle in the shape of the number 2 which I was tasked with blowing out.
( p a r t y p i c s )
Dec 14 2011
My Happy Place
The day started out like any other, with me getting up off of Dawn’s crack. That’s when the different started happening. After a shower and non-cereal breakfast I found myself driving north on I-5, away from my nest of comfort, heading for lands known to some as Adventure, Fantasy, Frontier and Tomorrow. Coincidence would regularly shine on me this day, starting with me parking almost directly across from, and at the same time as, my dear friend Brenda and her father, even though I drove an hour and a half from San Diego, and they for twenty minutes from West Covina. We joined forces and together we tram-traveled to the front gates of these mysterious lands.
Update and continuance to come. Need sleep first.
( t h e m e p i c s )
Dec 13 2011
Early Birthday Dessert
Since I will be celebrating my birthday at Disneyland tomorrow, my niece, Kimi, came over tonight to drop off a special Mickey Mouse cookie that she and her mom made for me. Shame I have to devour it, but it will live on in pictures and the sewers.
Dec 13 2011
Laugh-In Bloopers
Man I wish these were in color. These people knew how to have a good time.
Dec 11 2011
Kimi’s Cookies
It’s that time of year! My niece Kimi and her mom came by today to drop off some goodies they spent the weekend baking. She even made me a very special Mickey Mouse cookie…which she had accidentally given to one of her friends earlier. Judging by some of these that I’ve already eaten, it must have been a really good cookie.
Dec 10 2011
H.M.S. Ball with Steam Powered Giraffe
Went down to the Balboa Park Club to attend the H.M.S. (Holiday Masquerade Steampunk) Ball put on by my sister’s dance group, Waltz & Such. Took some pictures but mainly stood around or sat watching the steampunk participants do all the dancing. Enjoyed Steam Powered Giraffe, one of my favorite local bands, who I first was introduced to of all places at the San Diego Zoo. Also on the stage was L’Heure Verte, a Victorian orchestra playing more traditional dance pieces.
( g o g g l e p i c s )
My iNaturalist-ings
My Flickr Photostream
