Honorable Mention Books of Summer

At the end of last school year, a friend showed me a new book from our school library, Larry Gets Lost in Chicago. I was immediately smitten Larry, a dog that gets separated from his owner during a trip to Chicago.  It's not just because I'm partial to the city setting, but I'm thrilled about the content.  As Larry looks for Pete, his owner, he visits all of the important sights in Chicago.  Larry rides the El, sees Wrigley Field, the Shedd Aquarium, the Picasso sculpture, and the lakefront to name a few.

Don't worry Larry reunites with Pete in a wonderful place.

After I read this book I knew my own kids would love it.  They love it so much, they recognize the landmarks when we visit the big city.  G especially loves to reference Larry when we go past the Art Institute lions.

As I was purchasing Larry Gets Lost in Chicago, I saw that Larry gets lost in other cities, too!  Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle to name a few.  I didn't want to buy all of them so I went to the next best place, my library.

They did not have any of the Larry books in the collection.  However, the website has a tab to request books.  I listed the entire Larry series and crossed my fingers.  Not more than two weeks later I received an email from the library to say several of the Larry books were in and on hold for us!  By the end of three weeks they had bought every one of the Larry books. 

I love my library.

Now I need to write the author and have Larry & Pete go to Europe :)

Fourth (and Final) Book of the Summer

The last book of the summer falls into the young reader category.  Gregor the Overlander is written by Suzanne Collins of the Hunger Games series.  Gregor was her first book series.

Gregor is a teenage boy living in New York City with his mom, grandmother, and siblings.  His father has been gone for two years.  One day Gregor and his baby sister discover an underworld via their laundry room.  He becomes known to the underworld residents as Gregor the Overlander and is an integral part in fulfilling/solving a prophecy that was written long ago.  

His adventure involves royalty, cockroaches, spiders, rats, and bats.  I think this story is great for the late elementary/early middle school reader.  I'm excited to read the next books in the series.  For an adult, it's a quick read!

Goodbye Old Friends

We have to say goodbye to some old friends.  They have been a part of our lives on and off for almost 9 years and their absence leaves an empty spot in our home.  There's an empty spot in the cabinet and another in the dresser drawer.  However we've gained in our pocketbook.  

Can you guess who left?

Diapers!   Wahoo!!!!

G starts preschool soon and diapers are not on the supply list.  So it was an all hands on deck affair to get him ready.  

Matt and I cannot take the credit for this.  G's preschool does not start until after Labor Day, which does not work out so well with my public school & Matt's travel schedules.  G has spent the better part of the last two weeks at my parents' house, and we give most of the potty training credit to them.

By the time he returned to us this past Friday he was independent using the loo.  We have to prompt him to go when we leave the house, which is sometimes a battle.  Thankfully we are stronger and can transport him to the WC.  Otherwise he's becoming a big kid .


Another bonus of no diapers - G's pants that were getting snug, now fit because the bulk of the diaper are gone.  Yay!

Well That Was Weird

I received a message from my friend Renee last week asking what happened to the blog.  I know I've been really busy with school starting, and I have not had time to update it.  I figured her message meant something more than old posts.

When I went to our site I only saw a white screen.

?

No message saying the server was unavailable, just pure white.

It was all Matt's fault.  He remembered seeing something in his email about changes to our hosting (or something technical that I don't understand) and never changed anything.  Apparently August 15 was the day the changes took hold and the blog went silent for a bit.

We're back!

The Best Salad, Ever

You. Must. Make. This. Salad.

Period.

I've had a hate affair with beets since I was a child.  Beets were one of the only foods that kept me at the table well past dinnertime until I could clean my plate.  I think creamed corn was the other.  Truthfully, I don't recall if I ever finished the beets on my plate or if mom & dad got sick of me sitting there, and told me to leave the table.  Maybe I choked them down?  It's a far suppressed memory. 

Until now.

I had this salad at The Strand House in Manhattan Beach, and I will never be the same.  The oven-roasted beets are delicious!!!  If you are in MB, please go to The Strand House.  

*Beets – roast & chill, cut into slices & quarter

*Oranges – slice segments

*Applewood bacon – cook & cool - please use Applewood bacon!

*Goat cheese - crumble

*Butter lettuce – wash & cut into small sections - this lettuce is smooth and creamy, can lettuce be creamy?  Oh yes, yes it can

*Apple balsamic vinaigrette – see recipe below - you will fall in love with this dressing

Spread lettuce on the bottom of a platter.  Layer the remaining ingredients on top!

Apple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 T onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup apple cider (I used unfiltered juice because cider was unavailable)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 t dried basil

1/4 t pepper

1/2 t salt

1 T honey

1/2 cup olive oil

Dressing Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a lidded container and shake!
2. Smell the dressing and float on air for a few seconds
3. Pour over salad (or veggies, or other items to be marinaded)

12

Today we celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary.  While that is a long time, especially in Hollywood years, we started dating nineteen years ago when we were mere high school kids.

We've experienced many things, and thankfully it's been more for better than for worse!

Dang we were young

35 Years

This summer we both got a massage and pedicure.  Matt is the other part of "we." It was fantastic, relaxing, and sad when it was over.

In his 35 years of life he has never had a massage. I think he realized what he has missed. Sixty minutes of floating on air is worth every penny.   It was also worth it to see him in a fluffy robe and flip flops :)

Then during his pedicure, the lady told Matt that he had baby feet.  Let's just say he is milking that one.

"Matt can you run out to the car and grab my purse?"
"Let me put some shoes on, I have baby feet you know."

Gracious.

Planes & Automobiles

Let's call this Part 2- Something Angry in the Air

This post is about a thirty minute interaction between a gate agent and a man on my flight home from LA about the ins and outs of being a frequent flyer.  A little back story for the non-frequent flyer readers - being a frequent flyer is an interesting hobby.  I say hobby because those in the club collect miles, spend miles for prizes, and have many message boards and blogs about the art of collecting miles.

Here is what you need to know about being a frequent flyer (FF), in no particular order.  *This information is what I have gleaned from listening to Matt talk about his FF status.  I could be mistaken in some minor details, but you will get the important ideas. 

1.  If you want to collect miles you should stick with one airline and fly them as much as you can so you can earn status.  As you move through the levels you start off with silver, gold, then platinum.  If you move beyond the platinum threshold you earn something über exclusive like 1K status or über über exclusive global service.

2.  Each level of the program gives you certain benefits: early boarding, free checked bags, high priority on stand-by lists, free itinerary changes, double qualifying miles for your flight when the regular folks earn only single miles, and the best is a priority line to get through airport security.

3.  Desire to read blogs of people who live and breathe mile accumulation.  Here you learn insider information about upcoming airline sales and promotions.  These promotions help the FF earn many more miles, and thus further up the status ladder.  On these blogs they like to determine if a promotion is "worth the miles."  They convert FF miles into money using some formula (maybe the number of miles divided by the distance?  I have no idea) and determine if the per mile expenditure is worth it.  

4.  When you fly a certain number of miles in a certain amount of time you earn upgrade certificates.  These coupons are used to upgrade your purchased coach seat to first class, if seats are available.    

5.  The thing the frequent flyer loves the most is free upgrades to first or business class.  The higher your status the better your chances are for a free upgrade.  The über übers get first dibs and then down the line to the lowly gold status flyers.  An elite FF just has to wait until 48ish hours before their flight to see if they got the gratis upgrade.  The airline waits this long just in case someone actually purchases the available seat. 

Car rental companies and hotels have their own FF-style programs that give free upgrades and other spectacular treats.  I have to say I don't know all the specific ins and outs of these programs, but that's why I have Matt to figure it all out.  When I have flown with Matt in the last year (minus the kids), he's always used upgrade certificates or gotten the gratis bump to first.  It's a tough life.  Especially in Business Class on British Airways (should be one of the wonders of the world).

Item Number 5 is the basis for today's post.

Now back to our story - Something Angry in the Air

Matt used his coveted upgrade certificates on our inbound and outbound flights to first class, so life was good for my trip home.  I had a lot of time to kill at LAX since the drive did not take as long as the folks in San Diego suggested.  That's not to say I didn't get my exercise for the afternoon.

They changed our gate three times.  Good thing is that the changes were within ten gates of each other.  One statement by the gate agent gave me a bit of concern.  She told another passenger that asked if there were any more upgrade seats available, she told him that they were all filled.  And someone might have to be downgraded.

Downgraded?  I've never heard of that, I thought you could only go up.

Knowing what I know about FF programs, status is king.  Personally I have no status on this airline.  I was riding Matt's coattails to get the upgrade, and at this moment he was on his way to Boston.  I was a nobody.  The cabin filled and there was one seat left.  I had high hopes that the doors would close soon, and we would be on our way.  No such luck.  The gate agent walked on the plane with a handful of papers.  She stopped at the row just in front of me.

"Mr. XX, I'm going to need you to move seats."

"What do you mean move seats?  I have a ticket for this seat.  I was awarded an upgrade for this over 24 hours ago."(**This means he has some form of elite status and was awarded a #5**)

The lady proceeded to tell him, and all of us in earshot, that there was a glitch when the system awarded the free upgrades.  A couple purchased tickets more than 36 hours ago and one ticket somehow got booted out of the system.  Although he had an upgrade the all mighty dollar trumps that.

He asked for the location of his new seat.  He was assigned to be in the fifth row of coach - in the center.  As soon as he heard the words center seat, he was hot.

"I am not moving.  I will not be downgraded to a center seat."  He buckled his seat belt and crossed his arms much the same as a toddler would in a tantrum.  The gate agent wasn't sure what to do.  She walked up to the front of the cabin to talk with the flight attendants.

In the meantime he was ranting to the guy next to him.  You could feel the tension, but I was super relieved that I was not the one being booted.  When she came back she said that they would offer him a $250 travel voucher.  He immediately pulled out his credit card and offered to pay the difference of the ticket he paid for in coach to stay in this seat.  She graciously explained that the seat he occupied was paid for prior to his upgrade and he had to move.

He again crossed his toddler tantrum arms.  "What are you going to do if I don't move, call the cops?"  I have to give the gate agent major kudos because she gave him the eyeballs that said, "stop being an asshole and get up."

I think he realized she meant business and he said he refused to sit in the center.  The agent told him she has never in her career had to do this, but she would so that the plane could take off.  She walked into the cabin and made an all call for someone to move to the center seat so Mr. XX could be comfortable.  Someone immediately volunteered, and he moved his downgraded hiney to his new seat.

The couple who ponied up the money for the two seats boarded and we were almost on our way.  The gate agent filled the lead flight attendant in on the blow-by-blow of Mr. XX.  He said that they would be sure to take care of him during the flight.  The gate agent shook her head and said something to him.  His face changed into a disgusted look and he said, "He said that?  Oh we won't take care of him then."  Take that Mr. XX.

I guess sometimes status can't save you.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Let's call this Part 1 - The one with the freeway

Recently we spent three nights in Los Angeles and two nights in San Diego.  The plan was to drive back to LA on our last day for our return flight home.  That was the plan.

Plans change. 

On the day we drove to San Diego, some scheduling needs prompted a change in return flights.  Matt needed to spend two days on the East Coast, and he needed to be home by lunchtime on Friday so he could attend a previous engagement.  In order to make all of that happen, Matt had to change his itinerary and leave from San Diego.

He used all of his mad airline booking skills to find an itinerary our of LA that would fit his needs.  Unfortunately San Diego was his best bet.  On a side note, Matt should earn an award for booking awesome airline tickets.  He is all over different blogs and direct airline news to find deals.  He can smell a sale months away.  When asked, he is quite humble about his mad skills and doesn't see it as anything special.  If you ask how does he do it, he can't describe it.

Anyway back to our story....

Once he figured out his itinerary, he asked if I would have any issue driving from San Diego to LA by myself.  At first I thought he was joking.  But he wasn't.  Then I had a practical thought about California driving.  Many of the roads have rush hour all day, so getting where I need to go wouldn't be so bad since the slow traffic would give me time figure out where I was going.  Plus according to Matt it was only two roads - the 5 and the 405 to get off at Century Boulevard.

"No problem," I said.  Then in my head I told myself I was crazy.

Being the amazing traveler and caring guy he is, Matt made sure to point out major landmarks to me on our way to San Diego.  I often had to look out the rear window to see signs or landmarks as I would on my return trip in a few days.  My main landmark was the Laguna Hills Mall sign. 

"No problem," I said.  Then in my head I told myself I was crazy.

We enjoyed the San Diego sun until the very last minute.  Matt left me at our Gaslamp Quarter hotel around 11:00 for his trip to Boston via Houston.  Repeated the directions, but then added a few more.

"Take the 5 to the 405 to get off at Century Boulevard.  Then turn onto Aviation to return the car.  Stop at one of the stations to fill the tank before returning the car.  Then take the shuttle to airport."

"No problem," I said.  Then in my head I told myself I was crazy.

I did write the directions down just in case I lost my mind.  After he left I had another hour to kill.  I actually had a lot of time to kill because I wasn't scheduled for my return trip until 5:00.  The warning we heard over and over was that the drive between San Diego and LA can be two and a half hours or more.  We felt the just under two hour vibe, but instead of risking it on my own, I heeded the advice.

I was slightly disappointed that I was driving alone because the ride between these two cities is spectacular.  To see the ocean as you drive is truly far removed from the Midwest.  I drove past Camp Pendleton, saw campers & motor homes parked at campsites on the shoreline, and the Coaster commuter train speed by on its way to Oceanside.  Of course I only got short glimpses since I was driving a monsterous Chrysler 300.

This was taken when I was the passenger, not while operating a motor vehicle.  Promise. 

Driving the 5 to the 405 was a piece of cake.  Once I needed to get off at Century the real work began.  Matt forgot to tell me that we did not drive on this part of the 405.  When nothing looked familiar, I started to panic (that's not saying much about me BTW).  As I have learned in recent years, relax for a bit before making any drastic changes.  As assured by Matt, Century Boulevard appeared followed by Aviation.

The remainder of my drive was uneventful.  I made it in exactly two hours.  I did chuckle when someone asked me for directions to the 405 while at the gas station.  I'm glad they decided to ask the station attendant instead of relying on my iffy directions.  The flight home is a story for another day.

Third Book of Summer

The third book of summer is from my favorite genre and by far my favorite book of summer - Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe.  This autobiography tells of the Rob's life from his childhood in Ohio to present day California.

This story was a lot of fun to read because I "know" most of the people in his life.  He grew up with Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, and Matt Dillon, to name a few.  He dated many famous women, some were on the cusp of fame and others came from Hollywood royalty.  He even had a relationship with a real royal.  

The heart of the story is Rob's desire to have a good life and make great movies.  He shows that the industry is not very nice and it's hard to make a good living.  Thankfully along the way he meets good people who help him conquer his demons.  I enjoyed reading about his experiences as he made The Outsiders with Francis Ford Coppola, lobbied for votes on a clean environment initiative (Proposition 65) on a bus with Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, and Michael J. Fox, worked on the Wayne's World & Tommy Boy movies, how your true family supports you when dealing with addiction, and his time on The West Wing.

I noticed that Rob had a penchant for two words - zeitgeist and auteur.  These words are outside of typical vernacular that they stood out to me each time he used them.  Here's your vocabulary lesson for the day (thanks to Miriam-Webster.com): 

zeitgeist - noun, often capitalized \ˈtsīt-ˌgīst, ˈzīt-\: the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era

auteur (refers you to auteur theory) : a view of filmmaking in which the director is considered the primary creative force in a motion picture

Remember those when you get on Teen Jeopardy some day.

Celebrity Sighting & "Celebrity Sighting"

Matt and I spent the first few days of our vacation in Los Angeles.  We used some of his hotel points to stay gratis at the Hilton Universal City.  This hotel is within walking distance of Universal Studios & Universal City Walk.  We were not going to the theme park but free can't be beat.

Celebrity Sighting (a real one)

In addition to theme park proximity, we were really close to The Hollywood Bowl.  The schedule for the weekend included A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keeler, Grease Sing Along, and Reggae Night.  Why do you care about The Hollywood Bowl's schedule?  The cast of The Prairie Home Companion happened to have a rehearsal at the Hilton on Thursday.  As Matt and I walked to the elevator for we looked toward a conference room and each saw different things.  He pointed out that the event in the conference room was for A Prairie Home Companion.  On the other hand, I was looking at the people in the room and thought one of the men looked familiar.  By golly he was familiar, it was Martin Sheen.  Yes, Apocalypse Now Martin Sheen and President Bartlet Martin Sheen.  He looked quite casual in a Hawaiian shirt.  It was not appropriate to attempt to speak to him since he was busy.  Made us giddy seeing a real celebrity.


That brings us to....

Celebrity Sighting (not so much)
I flew home out of LAX alone (more on that in another post).  I grabbed a bite to eat in an airport restaurant.  At the bar a man was talking quite loud.  He used to be in a band, but now he was focusing on his acting.  He's met Christian Bale's wife, what a nice lady.  He pays $500/month for a room in an LA suburb, which is an AMAZING price for a room.  Blah, blah, name drop, blah, name drop, name drop, blah......He is not a celebrity.  That is unless you consider he's a dead ringer as Luis Guzman's doppelganger.

That's LA for you.

Second Book of the Summer

I'm not certain how I specifically came across my second book for the summer.  I think I read some list of books that people should read and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.  By nature I am not a fan of the science fiction genre, but I thought I'd read outside of my box this summer.  I have mixed feelings about this book.

I'm not giving anything away with my synopsis - An alien that's ben on Earth for several years figures out the planet is about to be destroyed.  He grabs his favorite Earthling and escapes just before doom.  These two hitchhike across the galaxy and have several adventures.  They eventually meets up with two other familiar faces and continue their explorations.  

Positive - There were amusing parts.  The book starts off with the human character lying infront of a bulldozer so it does not knock his house down.  The different alien species they meet in space are quite a creative menagerie.  I read the book in a day and a half.  I could have finished it in a day, but I chose to close my eyes at the pool for a bit. 

The not so positive - The action in the book is mediocre.  They are jettisoned into space and will die if not picked up by another spacecraft.  All of a sudden they just so happen to get picked up.  Very non-dramatic stuff.  The ending was slightly abrupt.  The last few chapters had me hoping for a dramatic ending, but it just didn't happen.

Should you read it?  Meh, if you want a quick read with some amusing parts (and you checked it out from the library).  I might put the movie version at the bottom of my Netflix queue, and if it ever makes it to the top I'll watch it.