Julian Pies

November 27, 2005

Will and I made it home last night from Ramona in 8 hours, after avoiding LA traffic and the subsequent straight shot drive up I-5 (possibly the most boring drive on earth). Thanks again to Mike and Susan for being such wonderful hosts. In addition to the great food, great company and fantastic golf, I am addicted to any card game that has ever been invented. Specifically, various forms of solitaire and poker.

So, my last entry told the tales of our day in San Diego and Thanksgiving. On Friday, we had a nice sleep-in day (which was nice in light of the early tee-off times). Will and I headed into the Cuyamaca mountains to a little mining town called Julian, located 22 miles from Ramona. Julian is a charming and quaint town, full of all the tourist trappings of B&B's, antique shops, and cafes. Our plan was to have lunch and wander around in Julian, and unfortunately did not incorporate the fact that it was Thanksgiving long weekend into the thought process. With traffic and a million families thinking the same thing, we managed to eek out lunch before getting out alive.

Based on the lines for tables and insanity, we finally settled on Bailey's Woodpit BBQ, which was a fantastic choice. This fine establishment is a family-run joint that features Texas-style BBQ. Will and I had the sampler, which included all their bbq specialties...yum!

Bailey's BBQ, where the magical combination of meat and bbq sauce comes together

Julian is also famous for its delectable pies, specifically from the Julian Pie Company, which Susan and Mike had previously introduced us to. Last year on the way home from Thanksgiving week, I was distraught to discover that the grocery stores in Ramona were bone-dry of pies when I tried to find some to bring home. Thank goodness for the wonderful world wide web, as I found the Julian Pie Company website and ordered two pies online (original and Dutch Apple), which were delivered in two days. Delicious.

The original Julian Pie Company, where the magical combination of apples and crumble crust comes together

This year, I wasn't going to fail in my pie quest, so I purchased two pies before Thanksgiving to avoid the rush: Apple Mountain Berry Crumb and Dutch Apple.

Famous Dutch Apple pie with crumble crust from Julian Pie Company

If you make it over to my house right away, you may be in time to get a piece of pie...doubtful...

Balboa Park

November 24, 2005

Today is Thursday and it's American Thanksgiving...HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

Will and I have been in Ramona with Mike and Susan Lavery since Monday afternoon.

Unfortunately, due to a freak bowling-hockey-ultimate-frisbee-mountain-biking-golf-defending-my-honor accident, Will finally was diagnosed with a hairline fracture to one of the little bones in his hand, possibly the trapezium or trapezoid. So, Will has a cast on his right hand and has been ineligible to golf all week.

I went golfing with Mike and Susan at the San Vicente Golf Course on Monday (shot a 109...ick!) and this morning (a 102...short game is still shameful). I am embroiled in a mad love affair with Susan's driver, a Ping Si3 women's driver with 12 degree loft, as I'm driving really well with that weapon. I guess technology can really help sometimes...

I digress...

So, yesterday, I took a day off from the links and went with Will into San Diego to do some exploring. We wanted to check out Balboa Park, tauted as America's largest urban cultural park. We hadn't a clue as to where to start, so we wandered aimlessly around El Prado and gazed at the map.

A view down El Prado in Balboa Park

An enticing sculpture in the Sculpture Garden by the Museum of Art in Balboa Park

A view of the California Tower and Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park

We took a detour into Alcazar Garden, so named because its design is patterned after the gardens of Alcazar Castle in Seville, Spain. It is known for its ornate fountains, exquisite turquoise blue, yellow, and green Moorish tiles, shady pergola, and is planted with 7,000 annuals for a vibrant display of color throughout the year.

Alcazar Garden in Balboa Park

A friendly security lady suggested that we go to the Museum of Man, one of her favorites. The San Diego Museum of Man is located beneath the ornate 200-foot California Tower, and the city’s only museum devoted to anthropology, so it looked like a good choice.

Museum of Man in Balboa Park

The evolution of man in the Museum of Man in Balboa Park

Will strolling through a replica cave circa Cro-magnon era at the Museum of Man

Mummies on display at the Museum of Man in Balboa Park

After the Museum of Man, we wandered over to the Japanese Friendship Garden, which celebrates the relationship between the city of San Diego and its sister city Yokohama.

Bamboo water fountain at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park

A magical koi pond in the Japanese Friendship Garden

Friendship Lantern from Yokohama in the Japanese Friendship Garden

Zen rock garden at the Japanese Friendship Garden

From the Japanese Friendship garden, we grabbed a latte from the coffee stand outside Prado restaurant and headed over to the Botanical Building, which houses more than 2,100 tropical plants plus changing seasonal displays, and the Lily Pond.

Botanical Building and Lily Pond in Balboa Park

A view from inside the Botanical Building

A freakin' big tree in Balboa Park near the San Diego Zoo

We did a little more walking and saw the Big Tree, Rose Garden, Cactus Garden, and the Miniature Railroad (that I think Will secretly wanted to ride).

As we were rapidly losing energy and sunlight, we got back in Lavonda the Honda and headed over to La Jolla along the coast. We stopped a few times driving up the coast to watch surfers take on the sweet waves and to catch the sunset.

The sunset in La Jolla, with surfers in the distance

Bea enjoying the sunset

And after the sunset, we headed to Prospect Street in downtown La Jolla, where a lot of pocket change can get you in the newest couture fashion or the sweet Lamborghini that we saw parked on the street. Will took me out on a hot date to George's At The Cove Restaurant, which was highly recommended by Mike and Susan. The combination of the wonderful seafood-heavy menu, the ocean terrace seating, and bottle of New Zealand Pinot Noir made for a fantastic evening. Another great place to check out if you're ever in the area.

Big Freakin' Trees

November 20, 2005

I'm on vacation...hooray!

Will and I left for a week-long stint down to central and southern Cali for the week of Thanksgiving on Saturday afternoon (19th). Our final destination was Ramona, which is located in San Diego County, about 40 minutes east of Oceanside. This is where Will's parents, Mike and Susan, have a nice timeshare getaway where they spend a couple months of the year at (namely, March and November). We visited them in Ramona last year for Thanksgiving and hope to make it an annual road-trip.

Last year, Will and I took the drive down the coast on the way to Ramona in these segments:

- golfed in Half Moon Bay
- spent the night in Carmel
- drove to San Simeon to see the Hearst Castle
- spent the night in Orange County visiting Will's college buddy, Craig
- arrived in Ramona for 4 days of golf, leisure and Thanksgiving with Mike & Susan

This year, we decided to explore a bit of central California on the way down with this plan:

- drive to Fresno and spend the night
- drive to Sequoia National Park/Kings Canyon and explore
- spend the night in Bakersfield
- drive to Ramona for 4 days of golf (at least for Bea), leisure, exploring San Diego, and Thanksgiving with Mike & Susan

So, there's not much to say about staying in Fresno and Bakersfield, which was pretty uneventful, but the trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks was very cool. We didn't expect to do any major, hard-core hiking, but planned instead to see the popular must-see's and must-do's. This was a great experience because it is the off-season (less traffic, less people, more uninterrupted beauty!) and we had beautiful weather for the end of November.

We started the day with a small stop at Grant Grove in Kings Canyon. The winter road closure of Hwy 180 into Cedar Grove and the heart of Kings Canyon precluded us from more exploration of this park.

Bea at the entrance of the Fallen Monarch at Grant Grove

"Graffiti" in the tunnel of the Fallen Monarch in Grant Grove

The base of the Fallen Monarch at Grant Grove

The first must-see was the General Grant Tree, the third largest tree in the world and the Nation's Christmas Tree. Apparently, it has also been designated a National Shrine, as it is the only living memorial to Americans who have died in war.

Fire damage at the base of General Grant tree

We hopped back in Lavonda the Honda and drove down the Generals Highway into the guts of Sequoia NP. The next major must-see was the General Sherman Tree, a giant Sequoia which holds the title of the largest tree (by volume) in the world.

On the way to visiting the General Sherman Tree

Will and Bea in front of the General Sherman Tree

Close to the General Sherman tree is the popular must-do Congress Trail, which is described a premier hiking path through the heart of a sequoia grove in the Alta Plateau section of Giant Forest. It is a paved, handicapped accessible path beginning at the General Sherman Tree, the largest living organism on earth. The trail passes some of the finest stands of sequoias who have received governmental names, including The President, General Lee, McKinley, Chief Sequoyah, and the House and Senate Groups.

Congress Trailhead

Hanging out with a fallen tree and a trickling waterfall on the Congress Trail

Will hamming it up on the Congress Trail

Looking up at fire damage on a tree in the Giant Forest>

More fire damage...poor little--I mean, big tree

"The Senate"...a stately conglomerate of sequoias on the Congress Trail

Will in front of "The House" of sequoias on the Congress Trail of the Giant Forest in Sequioa National Park

The base of a really large tree that fell over

Typically, the road to the Tunnel Log and Morro Rock is closed by this time of the year due to winter and potential snow dangers, but not this year. It was too beautiful, and the road was open. The next must-do was driving through the Tunnel Tree of Sequoia National Park, which came into being after an unnamed giant sequoia fell across the Crescent Meadow Road in late 1937 as a result of "natural causes." The following summer, a tunnel was cut through the fallen log as a visitor attraction. I guess I expected to be more excited about this, but alas...

Driving through the Tunnel Tree on the way to Moro Rock

The last stop and must-do for us in Sequoia NP was Moro Rock. We definitely saved the best for last. There is a steep 1/4 mile staircase that climbs over 300' (91.4 meters) to the summit of this granite dome. From the top, there are spectacular views of the western half of Sequoia National Park and the Great Western Divide. This chain of mountains runs north/south through the center of Sequoia National Park, "dividing" the watersheds of the Kaweah River to the west and the Kern River to the east.

At the beginning of the climb to the peak of Moro Rock, a view of the treacherous stairs ahead

Will on the way up to the peak of Morro Rock

Bea on the stairs of Moro Rock, taking a breather

The peak of Moro Rock...scary!

Will and Bea at the peak of Moro Rock

The western view from the peak of Moro Rock

The eastern view from the peak of Moro Rock

Coming back down the treacherous stairs from the peak of Moro Rock

View of Moro Rock after we drove down the super-windy Generals Highway into the valley

I drove down the super-curvy, switchbacking Hwy 128 out of Sequoia NP after Moro Rock, which was a brilliant idea in light of my history with car sickness. It was a pretty tremendous day and worth your while if you're ever in the neighborhood.

Season Ender Bender

November 18, 2005

Last night was the season-ending party for our frisbee team, Brass Monkey. Henrik was so kind to offer up the Pink Palace for the party, thanks Henrik!

Our gracious host, Henrik, and occupant of the Pink Palace. (Note the lurking but gorgeous trophy on the left)

Will & Jo Tams had the honor and hassle of accompanying the trophy back to the bay area from Florida, where reportedly, the trophy sat in the cockpit for the first leg of the trip from Tampa to Las Vegas, and then had a seat in first class from Vegas to Oakland. Oh, to be a tremendously large and stylish trophy...

Take a look at how great our name looks on the trophy:

The updated UPA Club Championships trophy

Everything at this party is embossed with the Brass Monkey logo!

There was a delicious potluck that included:

- extra meaty lasagna (from me and Will, of course)
- sushi handrolls (prepped by Kerry Soo)
- delicious chicken (Linda; BTW Pat ate 6 pieces of chicken)
- salads, fruit and veggies (some healthnuts are responsible for that)
- rice with a combination of things that I can't remember but was pretty damn tasty (Dave O?)
- magaritas (Brokaw)
- mojitos (PHard)
- jello shots (Matty)
- many, many desserts, in particular, Anna's Swedish crepes

Matty's jello shots disappearing one by one...

Bea's jello shot-induced reaction

Will's jello shot-induced reaction

Batch's jello shot-induced reaction

A smattering of monkeys and their sig others

Thanks to the monkeys (particularly Will Tams, Henrik and Alison), for putting together all the gifts for the captains and other peeps. It was so nice, and it was super-fun to try to find all the extra clues that Will T. put into the team picture. I love the new Clippy! (...just don't tell the old one that it's out of a job).

Bridgette displaying Pat's captain gift, the best drinking mug ever!

Jenny & Nate opening their captain thank-you gifts

And, as expected after a few drinks or ten, there were some entertaining moments...

Kerry Soo's obsession with Matty's helmet, Jesse's leather coat, and the 40 of malt liquor

Pat Hard as "Edward 40-Hands"

Kerry Soo's drink of choice, a small bottle of sake

Last year, after our heartbreaking loss in semi-finals at nationals, our team went out to a huge dinner to commiserate. At that dinner, each member of the team proceeded to give an individual toast to the team. This year, we had many reasons to celebrate, but kept that tradition alive, with toasts for our favorite moments of the season. Thanks for the memories!

Jesse giving one of 20 toasts to the team

THANKS BRASS MONKEY! I love you guys!