As previously noted, today marked an unexpected extra day in Southern California -- and so began our day's diversion to San Diego.
Even though we spent only about 10 hours in this city, my wife has already declared San Diego one of her most favorite cities. It's easy to see why.
To begin, it is a dynamic, beautiful place...
Here above is my lovely wife and our kids at Seaport Village, a eclectic gathering of shops overlooking the Port of San Diego.
Personally, I think Cari likes this place so much because it's just a bit off-kilter.
Or as this sign says...
"Normal" is closed for the day.
For instance, consider this next traffic sign (which is blurry because I tried to take the picture while driving down the street...
Turning traffic must yield to pedestrians.
However, if you're going straight, feel free to run them down.
We spent most of the day exploring the greatest zoo in the world -- the famous San Diego Zoo.
This place is absolutely enormous so we came prepared to walk all day. But this is San Diego...
So rather than walk up a hill outdoors at the zoo, you take escalators instead!
When it came to lunch, we figured like most zoos, we could expect hot dogs, hamburgers, and lots of french fries.
Well, that'd be just a bit too normal...
Hey, what kind of world would this be if at the San Diego Zoo you couldn't buy Lobster Quesadillas from a lunch counter?
Now my grandparents hail from the Philippines -- and we are Visayans...
Just like the Warty Pig, it appears.
Now this next picture isn't all that weird, but I like it nonetheless.
I work for the Nevada Community Foundation, whose mission is to build and stregthen community. We're always looking for new ideas that might be just the medicine Nevada might need. Little did we know that the answer could be found in San Diego...
Just go to your Community Presecription Center for your neighborhood's medicine.
Before we headed out of town, we met up with my cousin Fred and his three boys -- complete with a little diversion to the beach...
Amazingly enough, it occured to Cari and me that our four youngest children have never seen either the ocean or a real beach. The closest thing before today were beaches on fresh water lakes -- which are always slimy and yucky.
This beach along the Pacific Ocean was absolutely beautiful...
As the day was coming to an end, Freddy's boys posed with our kids just before sunset...
My wife would probably argue that this was the most beautiful scenery of the day as we watched the sunset over the Pacific Ocean...
I might argue that the best thing my eyes saw today (other than my wife's perpetual beauty, of course) is this...
The "Wop Your Jaws" plate -- chicken katsu, teriyaki beef, kal-bi, rice, and of course, macaroni salad (which I know now is widely available across the country, but quite frankly, is never as good as the kind from Hawaii!).
Tomorrow, we're off to Disneyland! Ta ta 'til then!
Today began our trip to sunny California. Or as their Governor Ahnold would say, "Cahleefornya."
My favorite bumber sticker on the drive was on the back of a car with California license plates. It said, "My Governor Can Beat Up Your Governor."
I don't know how fond I am of the Terminator, but I must admit that he'd probably kick the rear end of Nevada's 67 year-old Governor, Kenny Guinn.
It should be noted before we get on with today's nonsensical post that prior to our move to Las Vegas, we lived along the Ohio River in a wonderful little community named Marietta. Well, Marietta boasts an enormous annual festival during which an incredible number of sternwheeled ships come to town.
I am proud to say that the Mohave Desert in Nevada is home to its own gigantic sternwheeler...
Of course, you've heard of riverboat gambling. Well, in the desert of Nevada, we have riverboat gambling without the river.
Our planned trip to Disneyland actually became a day longer because of my own stupidity.
October 31st is Nevada Day -- the day our fine State was accepted into the Union. On a side note, here's a bit of trivia, what are the only three states that celebrate their admission day as a state holiday.
Here's a hint, I've lived in two of them and darn near the third as well.
The answer?
Nevada, obviously. Hawaii as well. And West Virginia -- where our house in Ohio was some 2 miles from West Virginia across the Ohio River.
Anyway, the point is that for a long time October 31st was a state holiday, meaning the kids didn't have school. This made for a perfect day to visit Disneyland since virtually all other school districts across the West were still in session (and thus those kids typically weren't on vacation at Disneyland!).
Seriously, it's a very common thing for Las Vegans to make the relatively short drive on Nevada Day to play at Disneyland. Our plan was to leave on Saturday and return Monday evening.
Well, at my weekly office meeting on this past Monday, my astute staff pointed out to me that the Legislature changed the holiday schedule and Nevada Day is henceforth celebrated on the 4th friday in October.
Thus, today (Friday) is our day off, not next Monday.
So we decided to take off a day early for Cahleefornya.
This afternoon we spent playing at the Discovery Science Museum.
David and our baby girls took the bad habit of smoking while we were there...
And Cari and the girls were so excited they just had to jump up and down...
I have to admit this next one was pretty cool.
Two separate "beach" volleyball teams stood in front of different green screens -- you know, those giant green screens the movies use for their computer graphics.
While standing in front of the green screen, you looked up at a monitor and watched a computer generated volleyball fly across the screen and you were to go through the motions of hitting it back over the net.
The spectators watched as the computer put it all together on a monitor...
That's Cari, Nalani and Malia on the left playing David and Kekoa. The score is tied 2-2.
It was really neat.
Bretty, however, was bored, so he decided to take a nap...
...on a bed of nails!
Seriously, this is a giant bed of nails. He was the only one of us brave enough to lay down on the darn thing.
Well, we later checked in to the hotel -- it's a Residence Inn which is one of those apartment like units with a loft, a bunk bed for the kids, and a kitchen in which the kids discovered the cookies...
Even though the day was fun, cooping everyone together started to drive Alyssa up a wall...
The good news for the kids was that we got to visit my brother Bernie and his wife Pat who live only some 25 minutes to the south of Disneyland -- and we had pizza for dinner and ice cream for dessert...
No wonder all the kids are smiling.
In the rear, that's Cari on the left holding Malia, Alyssa next to her holding Nalani, my nephew Derek, and my brother Bernie and his wife Pat. Of course, the three boys David, Bretty, and Kekoa are the short ones in the front.
On saturday we're taking a day trip to San Diego to visit their world famous zoo! If all goes accordingly to plan, we'll feed a few of our kids to the bears so check back tomorrow for what will certainly be some great pictures!
We rocked our children's world last night.
Last night we announced (seriously) that we would not go trick or treating on October 31st this year.
Which in some ways is too bad because the kids have been getting ready for a few weeks now. Kekoa, Nalani and Malia went pumpkin picking with Mommy...
Although Nalani was trying to claim all the pumpkins for herself...
Kekoa made sure to keep a hand on his.
They also went to the park for a little celebration this weekend...
But nope, there would be no trick or treating this year.
Okay, by now you're probably wondering why. Well, so were our very traumatized children. We gave them an envelope and said that the reason why was enclosed within. Alyssa ripped it open for the rest of the kids and read the contents aloud...
I'm sorry my children
We're going to skip Halloween
No trick or treating for you
But we're not trying to be mean
We have a big surprise
Things we're all going to do
That will be so much fun
You will say "thank you"
But to find our what
The surprise is today
A few clues you must follow
To find the true way
The first place to look
With your eyes you must stare
Go visit the game
Where things float on air
So now they were a bit excited. It took only a moment then Bretty led the charge upstairs. The next clue was on the air hockey table.
Again, another envelope, and another clue...
Well my little children
Today's running will keep you fit
So rush your little butts off
To the place only Daddy may sit
So off they went to the master bedroom toilet. It took themn a few minutes to remember that Mommy sits there too. Finally, the answer. Nobody else sits on daddy's dining room chair.
Then the next clue...
We have bought a little present
It will be lots of fun we think
But first look on the seat
Where Alyssa makes it stink
They tried Alyssa's chair at the dining table, they went to the chair in front of the computer -- which is where she almost lives. Finally, someone figured out that they should look at the toilet in the upstairs hall bathroom.
And yet another clue...
Since we're talking of poop
That should be a clue
The next place you must seek
Is where the cats go too
Alyssa figured it our immediately, and immediately was grossed out. Into her cat's kitty litter she would have to go.
For the next clue...
So you though this was the end
Your brain must be filled with jelly
The next place you should go
Is where Daddy measures his belly
Bretty immediately ran upstairs and knew immediately. He looked under our bathroom scale for yet another envelope.
And so the next clue was read aloud...
Okay your Dad knows
His belly's size will never be mini
So next go to the breakfast
Daddy eats to be skinny
Which led them to our second fridge and the vitamin shakes I typically have for breakfast.
By this point, the excitement was growing unbearable, but on to the next clue they went...
The next place Bretty knows
For there he shouldn't make a peep
That little boy can see it
When he lays down to sleep
So to the top of the bunk bed in the boy's room they climbed to find the envelope taped to the ceiling Bretty stares at every night.
Amazingly, David started to frantically complain when this would be over because he wanted to know, but he read aloud the next clue...
You are almost done my children
Okay, maybe not
But the next place to go
Is where the clothes get really hot
Which Alyssa knew to be the clothes dryer of course.
And with it the next clue...
Kekoa likes Superman
Who changes in a phone booth
The next place to look
Is where he will put his loose tooth
So Kekoa ran to look under his pillow for the next envelope.
And thus the next clue...
Is this the last clue
Can you finally rest your feet
Nope, go next to the breakfast
David most loves to eat
Which everyone knows is cereal so into the containers David looked, with Malia's help eating a few handfuls in the process.
To yet another clue...
Nalani is a good little girl
Whose mouth is never shut
I would next visit her drawer
Full of cloths that cover her butt
They all knew where to go, but let Nalani lead the charge to look in her underwear drawer upstairs.
The kids knew that the end had to be near, so they were frantic when the heard the next clue...
Malia is Mommy's little helper
Find the final clue and don't fight
After dinner she helps Mommy
Clean up your plates every night
This was the hardest one for them, but with Mommy's help, they remembered that the dishwasher was filled at night with Malia's help.
And finally, the last one...
You are almost at the end
So don't get hurt and say "ouch"
Go quickly back downstairs
And look under the middle cushion of the blue couch
Which, of course, was where I had been sitting the entire time. And you know I wasn't going to just get up.
So they grabbed my arms and legs and pulled me up a little while other kids reached under the cushion.
Under it was a large envelope with a piece of paper that read...
We're going to Disneyland!
Halloween, October 31st, is Nevada Day -- the day our State was accepted into the Union. Thus, our kids are off of school while every other state's are still in the classroom. So many families from Nevada run off to Disneyland because the lines are far shorter on this day.
So it's off to Disneyland we will go for that weekend. Be sure to check back for pictures on those days!
Well, I'm pleased to say that my lovely wife and I have returned home safely to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. But Cari insisted that I throw up the final few pictures from our last day in Seattle.
I think it's her desperate attempt to remember what life can be like without six kids.
We spent the final day exploring Seattle and spent a good bit of time at the Pike Street Public Market -- which as we said before is the oldest continuosly operating farmer's/public market in the country.
I must say, this place is really cool. There are an incredible number of booths and storefronts with almost anything you might like.
Especially if you're hungry!
Consider this row of storefronts...
Greek food. Juice bar. Chinese pastry. Italian food.
Ah, heaven.
They have a wonderful spice and pepper market, with strings of peppers hanging from above...
But my wife was most ecstatic about this...
Yes, vats and vats filled with cheese!
Of course, I was most excited about the fresh fish...
As I think I said on a previous posting, the Public Market is home to the famous fish throwers. These are just a regular bunch of guys who work in the backbreaking work of packing and shipping fresh fish -- but they insist on enjoying their work and approach it with a remarkably positive attitude. It is contagious as they playfully interact with the public.
There is even a series of educational videos that is based on their "Fish Philosophy" -- and they've made it into a motivational business tool.
Anyway, whenever someone selects a fish, a guy who interacts with the public throws it to one of the packers behind the counter...
The blurry thing on the upper right of the picture is the fish in motion!
Fishes in motion. Wasn't that an exercise program in Hawaii with Gil Gilad?
Anyway, the Public Market is also home to the very first Starbucks store in the entire world...
This original Starbucks opened in 1971.
It was 12 years later that they decided to open their second store in downtown Seattle.
In the 20 years after that, the company opened 5,631 other Starbucks across the world.
Of course, this modern Starbucks logo can be seen on virtually every corner in every major city in America...
It is actually a variation on the more risque original Starbucks logo that continues to be used at this very first store...
Can you imagine their motto had they chosen to still use it?
Starbucks. Coffee with boobs.
One of the most surprising things about Seattle was how hilly it is. Between the smell of the ocean, the wharfs and the hills, you almost feel like you're walking around San Francisco.
And like San Francisco, Seattle does not have a subway system to get you around town. However, to avoid San Francisco traffic, they have come up with a very interesting solution to buses overwhelming downtown street.
Thus, here is the Metro Tunnel...
And from the picture above, you can pretty much figure out how it all works.
Underneath Seattle is this enormous tunnel through which city buses can operate. It's weird. You go down two long escalators underground until you find this...
You would think that being so close to the ocean, it would be problematic building this below sea level. But it seems that the hills are so steep that by the time you get four blocks from the wharf, you're so far above sea level that it's not a problem!
Anyway, the system is undergoing a massive renovation that begins in two days -- so the celebrations downtown were going crazy...
Seriously, they had acrobats. Sort of a poor city's alternative to Cirque de Soliel.
There were all these street performers hired by the transportation authority to celebrate the fact that the tunnel was closing for 18 months...
...after which time the buses would return to the underground that is "better than ever in 2007" -- hey, whatever tickles your fancy is fine with me.
Well, Seattle is also home to the Science Fiction Museum, thanks to the generosity of Paul Allen (the other founder of Microsoft). He put much of his personal collection in the museum, including his collection of Star Trek phasers...
Although I have to admit I was most excited about the Battlestar Gallactica stuff. For those of you who remember the original series, you'll recognize this guy...
Yes, it's a daggit named Muffit. In the front of Muffit is a TV Guide from 1979 which shows that this costume was once warn by a small monkey -- in the days before robotics and animatronics in Hollywood -- and so that's why Muffit always walked like a monkey.
Seriously, I always wondered that.
I am quite happy to be able to check one of life's great mysteries off my list.
The museum is also filled with the costumes and robotic figures from many science fiction hits...
Yes, that's the Terminator after his skin is burned off in one of the movies, a Cylon Centurion from Battlestar Gallactica, and I'll give bonus points to anyone who can identify that short little robot on the bottom right of the above picture.
It's Twiki from the old series, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century!
And of course, we cannot forget this little green fellow...
This museum is right near the Space Needle, which is a poor substitute to the Stratosphere in Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada (the Space Needle is only about half as tall as the Strat). Well, since we were there, Cari and I were going to try to visit the Space Needle as well.
Then I remembered the words of Yoda.
"Do or do not. There is no try."
So we did not and had lunch instead.
After living in the Mohave Desert this past year, I must say that it has been nice to stand next to the ocean once again.
Just look at this peaceful view of the oceanfront in all its serenity...
Okay, maybe not.
But it's still really cool the way they unload these giant containers off massive cargo ships. It's hard to get a perspective on the monumental size of those crain unloaders -- but just know that each of those colored containers is the size of the standard trailer pulled by a semi you see driving on the highway!
Anyway, we found ourselves visiting the nation's oldest continuously functioning public/farmer's market...
This is the home of the famous fish guys -- those folks who sell fresh fish and throw it around to each other for the entertainment of the tourists. Unfortunately, they weren't doing it when we came by, but the market is still really neat...
There are some really strange things as well, like this sign showing the size of the world's tallest man...
They even have this thing here...
Although one must wonder how they can consider a 30 year-old hot dog still the world's best.
Seattle is also home to Microsoft, those goofy tech guys whose brains fill up our computers. So technology and monuments to it can be found everywhere.
This is the only place in the world where I've seen something like this...
Obviously a giant celebration of the mathematical value of pi.
Even the highways around here are really quite neat. Look at the road in the distance of this picture...
This is a triple decker highway!
Ultimately, though, this is a port city and there is plenty of access to the waterfront.
In most cities, though, to get to the water, you walk across the sand.
Not in high tech Seattle...
Unreal. An elevator to get to the water!
Well, around the corner, I thought that this must be the elevator...
But no, it is a high tech public restroom.
Besides the world of high tech, Seattle also has its taste of local celebrities.
Remember those lines from the old George Benson song, "On Broadway"...
They say that I won't last too long on Broadway
I'll catch a Greyhound bus for home, they all say
But they're dead wrong, I know they are
'Cause I can play this here guitar
And I won't quit till I'm a star on Broadway
Well, I guess George got on the Greyhound.
His name might not be in neon on Broadway Avenue, but it is on a streetcar line on Madison Street...
That picture was from "Clam Central Station" -- probably the endpoint after George left New York from Grand Central Station.
And we're off soon to see another "star" in Seattle...
We have tickets to Stefanie Powers in "The King and I" at the famous 5th Avenue Playhouse.
From "Hart to Hart" to Rodgers and Hammerstein. Seattle is a hoot!
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