Trip to Oxford, Ohio Part 2

During the week while John had to work, Elan and I drove to various cities in Ohio. Elan now lives in Ohio since marrying Dennis and she wanted to use my time there as a way to get to know her new home state. The first day, we drove to Columbus. We ate a Buffalo Wild Wings for lunch (common place in Ohio) and then we drove to downtown, parked and walked around the city.

Tuesday, Elan and I stayed close to Oxford, running errands, including taking me to the dentist to get my stitches out because they were bugging me! Then Elan and I went to You're Fired, a ceramics place in town. I took longer than I figured I would but it was a good time!
Wednesday, Elan and I went to Cincinnati. We kept commenting how there weren't very many people in town. I found out later that it was because it was Veteran's Day! No wonder! We went to lunch at Izzy's, which is famous for corned beef and their famous side of potato pancakes. That's exactly what I ordered and it was delicious!
Wednesday night John and I went over to the Kidd's (Don and Corinne) for dinner. Their friend, Paul, was there as well. We had a nice dinner and then we played Wii Fit. We had such a blast playing and I figured out that John is a bit competitive, but mostly he's competitive with himself. The only game we played that I did the best at was the counting game-figures! I would love a Wii Fit for Christmas. It's a great and fun way to keep moving!

Thursday Elan and I were allowed at the men's lunch that occurs every Thursday at Haines Dining Hall on the Miami University campus (no girls allowed usually). While I was ordering my lunch on the other side of the lunch room from John, a woman who worked for the cafeteria commented on a man who was ordering a Mad Max (it's a spicy chicken fillet, a couple pieces of pizza in between toast) and asked for wheat toast because "he's kind of a health nut". Haha! The woman was flabbergasted! I laughed and thought "that's John!"

John and I went to Cincinnati on Thursday night and had a fabulous time. We had dinner at a grill restaurant and then we mosied over to the arcade where we played about 5 games of pool (I only won one by default-John scratched) and then we played several "driving" games that made me a bit dizzy and we ended with pinball games.

Elan and I drove to Dayton on Friday morning. We went to the Oregon District which was advertised as a Victorian style area, but it really wasn't Victorian given the tattoo parlor on the main strip. We went to the Oregon Express restaurant for lunch and had their famous pizza, which was pretty good! From there, we went to the Patterson Homestead which was really interesting. We learned about the history of cash registers and how much opposition there was to installing them. Patterson was also an innovator in employee welfare. We then walked around the neighborhood before heading back home.

John came over and we had dinner with Dennis and Elan. It was delicious-both dinner and dessert! We ended up playing Apples to Apples! Fun times!

Trip to Oxford, Ohio Part 1

I arrived in Dayton, Ohio on Friday, November 6th on time, but I stopped off at the bathroom to freshen up and brush my hair because I had straightened it the day before. I took one last look in the mirror and didn't recognize myself due to the gum surgery I had undergone a few days before.

I wasn't the only one who didn't recognize me. Because I didn't walk into the baggage claim area with a group, John was caught off guard. I had told him that my hair would be different and that he wouldn't recognize me, but I don't think he expected for me to look as puffy as I was and he definitely wasn't expecting straight hair!

When I walked up to him I saw that he was dressed up in a suit and he had a beautifully crafted winter green sign with white cursive letters that read "Wales - Redondo Beach." When he got over the shock he pulled a bouquet of star-gazer lillies from behind his back! They were beautiful and lasted the entire week because there were a few buds that opened during my stay. I wish I had thought to snap a picture of John looking so handsome, but you'll have to settle for the picture of the bouquet:

The next morning, John picked me up for breakfast. We had to go to a few places because Patterson's Cafe was too crowded and the Oxford Cafe was closed down, so we ended up at Bob Evan's, which is like Denny's. John ended up asking an older couple to sit at the 6-person table we were seated at because they too had gone to Patterson's to find it crowded just like we had. Wow, the woman of the couple was quite a talker!

After breakfast, we headed over to his house for a tour. John introduced me to Griffin, his upstairs neighbor's dog that he shares custody of in a manner of speaking. Here is John playing Bite Club with Griffin:

After John showed me his house and we played with Griffin in the backyard, he and I went to Miami University to play disc golf. Disc golf is a combination of golf, in that it has 18 holes, but you use a type of frisbee. John is really good, while I suck big time! :) The exercise involved was great, however, and we walked around most of the beautiful campus while playing!

For dinner, John and I went to a Thai restaurant with Don and Corinne, good friend's of John's. This was the first solid food I ate since Tuesday and it was delicious! From there we went to Jungle Jim's, an international market that John really likes because they sell the micro-brew rootbeer he loves so much. We mainly just perused, but Don and Corinne seemed to do some major shopping!

Sunday I got to experience John's church, Oxford Baptist Fellowship. The service was great and lunch afterwards was fun as well. There were 10 of us at Fiesta Charro! After lunch, Don, Corinne, John and I went to Iggy's Gelato and sat in the warm sun outside while we ate our gelato.

John and I went back to his house to rake the pile of leaves he had in his backyard onto a tarp and we moved the leaves to the curb outside so that the city can come by and suck up the leaves. We had a fun time playing in the leaves!


After our "hard" work, I convinced John to brave laying in his hammock. Looking at the picture I now realize why John was making sure I look at the camera lense instead of the preview screen on his camera after looking at these pictures. I haven't told him about my lovely lazy eye! My right eye is looking in the correct direction but the left one doesn't like to focus all too much! In any case, we had a great time!

Totally 80s, dude!

Halloween night I convinced Shelley to dress up in 80s style clothing with me and go to the Lighthouse on Pier Ave. in Hermosa Beach where they were having an 80s band play. Okay, originally it was her idea, but since she's been sick, she was feeling like she shouldn't go, but I told her that given her outgoing personality she needed to go out and recharge.

So we did and had a great time! Dressing up was a lot of fun and then seeing the other 80s outfits were awesome--totally tubular! There was one guy dressed as an 80s rocker who was awesome. He really got into his character while dancing. His pants were so freakin' tight!

We stayed at the Lighthouse several hours until I was getting tired and I knew Shelley was but she's the type that would push herself because she hadn't been out in a month! We stopped at Pisano's for some pizza before heading back home.


I had to drop Shelley off and gather a few things before heading out to Palos Verdes where I was house-sitting for the night for the Steips while they were at Hume Lake. I arrived at about 1:30am. Angel (the cat) was outside meowing and when I let her in she went straight for her food bowl. Hannah (the dog) was sleeping soundly.

I was still wide awake when I noticed an email from John so I decided to write him back before heading to bed. :) I finally went to sleep at a little past 2am and I slept like a log. I woke up to a beautifully quiet house. I really like the Steip's house, especially the wonderfully arranged adirondack chairs in their back yard.


Here is the view from their back yard. On clear days it is breath-taking!



Not a bad gig, huh?

I was able to wake up in time for church (thank you Daylight's Savings Time). It was a wonderful sermon on "Bearing Fruit That Lasts". The thing I got most out of the sermon was that sometimes there are things in our lives that might be morally neutral that God wants us to lay down because although the thing we are laying down might not be evil, it may not be good for us at that moment. This is a lesson I am learning this year!

In the afternoon, Alice and I went to get manis and pedis and then we had dessert at Creme de la Crepe in Riviera Village. Alice is fun to hang out with!

Fall'oween Party

Tonight was the B.A.S.I.C. Fall'oween Party at Jazz Thompson's house. I arrived early to set up with Jazz and Nicole. We made the place festive!

A ton of people came and had a great time from what I could tell! I know I did.

We also had a great spread of food (this is not even all of it!):
Some people dressed up, including Jazz! His Starbuck's employee costume was so authentic. He even included a sharpie for writing people's names down on the cups!Taylor (on the left)came with her very creative "no-cost" costume. Can you guess what she is? My friend Julie came to the party too! I haven't seen her in ages so it was nice to see her again!

Freakazoid

I am a freakazoid, baby!

I went to the orthopedic specialist today to take a look at my foot while I have insurance and the time on my hands.

A few weeks ago it was pointed out to me that I have another bone on my foot and I found out today that it is the accessory navicular, which most people do not have! I also have the os trigonum (I think that is what it is called...it wasn't on the anatomy chart at the doctor's office but it was definitely on my ex-ray), which is another bone that most people do not have. I'm a freakazoid!

I had to get poked while I was there and a very unusual thing happened while Dr. Reese was doing it-I got nauceous and had to lay down! This never happens to me! She had to give me a steroid shot after that but she didn't use the whole shot because it was too painful. I guess I'm just not meant to be on the juice. ;)

So now I have three big bandages ( two are from a dermatologist appointment) on me, but at least they are temporary! I'll have to try and incorporate it in a Halloween costume!

BASIC Hike Oct. 2009

This morning I met up with some girls for a hike! I had hiked a similar trail the day before with Scotti, who showed me the ropes of that new area.

There was a great view of Portugese Bend--the water was sparkling as it broke against the rock.
Part of the trail was along some houses and one had a very beautiful bougenvalia bush.

It was really nice to catch up with everyone I knew and get to know a few I didn't know as well. After the hike most of us went to The Appetizer for lunch. We had a fun time!

Spago's with Alice and Dyanelle

Tonight I went to Spago's with Alice and Dyanelle. This week is restaurant week in L.A. so you can get an amazing meal for a super deal! ;)

It was a three course meal and we tried to order different items so we could try them. For the first course Dyanelle had the Crispy Monterrey Bay Calamari with a pickled ginger viniagrette and marinated cucumbers. Alice decided on the Pumpkin Agnolotti with Marscapone Reggiano--it was delicious! I ordered the short rib with mushroom raviolinni with a wine reduction which was also absolutely fabulous! You know it's an amazing culinary experience when you lift your head to the ceiling as you savor the flavor!

For our main course Alice and I both ordered the Wood Oven Roasted Poussin - with caramelized garlic, preserved lemon and roasted fingerling potatoes. It was so amazing! Dyanelle ordered the Pan-Roasted Casco Bay Cod - with puree and ragout of gigante and cranberry beans, pancetta, wild mushrooms and mascarpone emulsion.

For dessert, we ordered the three choices available: I ordered the mixed berry shortcake that had a delectable side of raspberry sorbet! It usually comes with whipped cream on the top, but I don't generally like whipped cream, so I asked for it on the side.
Alice had an apple turnover type dessert--can't describe it. It was like a very crunchy piece of french toast with sliced apples on the top. Dyannelle got the chocolate purse with a side of french vanilla sorbet. That was also quite a rich dessert. By this time, we were all stuffed!


At the end of our meal, we had an unexpected visitor to our table! Wolfgang Puck came over to our table and introduced himself and asked us how our meal was. Of course we had rave reviews!
So that Alice could really feel like a tourist, we took a picture outside of Spago's: