Happy Holidays from Icon!

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Christmas Eve in Smithfield with Tucker and Avery...

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Vegas...

The Rio and The Palms. We spent some time dancing at Moon at The Palms.

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Vegas, Part Deux

Day #2 in Vegas was a bit kinder to me than Day #1. After waking up, drinking about half a gallon of water, blogging and chatting on the phone a bit, I went for a little run. Well, I was thinking it was going to be a little run. I wanted to go check out this thing at the other end of the strip...I couldn't quite tell what it was but I thought it was worth investigating.

After running down the strip for about three minutes, I realized that people were looking at me like I was crazy for running, and going for a run on the Strip is definitely a contact sport. I was amazed again at just the pure scale of things in Vegas. I read in "Bringing Down the House" that The Bellegio cost $1.6 billion to build and The Venetian cost $1.2 billion. I spent some time in both of them and after being there understand that's really not that ridiculous. It's just hard to explain how oversized everything in Vegas is.

The other phenomenon on the Strip is that things that look about a quarter mile away are really like five miles away. You keep going and going and really don't make much progress on getting there. However, you are surrounded by great people watching and amazing buildings, so you just keep on going.

About 30 minutes into the run, I was through all the major attractions on the Strip. Then I passed Circus, Circus, then things kept getting more and more shady, then some wedding chapels (which looked mighty classy, I must say) and then finally about 45 minutes later I hit Stratosphere. I'm not really sure how that place stays in business because it is so far from everything else.

After running for an hour and twenty minutes, showering up and drinking another half gallon of water, I was off to the MGM to begin Day #2 of the Vegas experience. This was at about 1:30 p. The tables were much kinder to me, I learned how to really play blackjack and probably won somewhere between $100 and $200 playing blackjack. And then Chasson (that's his last name) hit it big. He had been on fire so he collected $10 from people to go put down some cash on 00. It hit and his $60 paid out over $1,000 (translation my $10 was now $180). And then that's when I started to see the light...it was really thrilling winning some cash, playing blackjack.

I kept drinking and playing blackjack until about 6:30p, ran over to New York, New York to buy a ticket for Zoomanity, then back to the room to shower, then off to the show. Then we hit up dinner at this Mexican place, then off to The Venetian, then Wynn (for about two more hours of blackjack), then Tryst at Wynn, then more gambling at Wynn, then MGM for breakfast. I was crossing the bridge back to Tropicana at exactly 6:23a. Drinking and gambling since 1:30p in the afternoon. Wow, I didn't think I had it in me, but that's what happens when you get to Vegas. I've heard the casinos pump oxygen into the room so that people can stay awake longer...I wouldn't doubt it.

Overall, quite an experience. I was loving it during the great run of blackjack when I was thinking I should quit my day job and start a blackjack team in San Diego. Then by Sunday afternoon I was so ready to go, I was at the airport more than two hours before my flight (which is a record for me). The mood in the Vegas airport on Sunday night was definitely much different than Friday afternoon when I arrived.

If you haven't been, you should go experience Vegas. Just be prepared to experience a range of emotions and the lows that come with the highs. And be ready to hemmorage money, unless you have a great run at blackjack.

Vegas, Baby!

I am currently in Las Vegas (okay, this post was written in Vegas and posted in VA because I didn’t have Internet access in Vegas). This place is a trip. Just seeing the strip is worth the trip. It is quite a sight to behold…New York, New York, Paris, the giant lion in front of MGM…unbelievable. And my friends that I’m with tell me they can’t believe how dead it is here. We got cabs from the Bellegio without waiting in a line. We partied at Moon at The Palms and it was only mildly packed. Rum Jungle wasn’t even serving dinner last night.

Although I’m definitely glad to have made the trip and be catching up with some old friends, I don’t think I’m really a Vegas person. I lost $70 last night playing black jack and am really irritated about it. And it’s only $70. Some people come out here and throw down $100 (or $1,000) chips down next to my $5 chips. Where do these people get this kind of money and how can they stand losing a hand? It is just another world out here.

I will say the clubs are pretty cool. I’m not a particularly big clubbin’ kind of person, but Moon last night was really amazing. And they have these girls dancing in basically bikinis. I just wonder how their bodies look like that. I asked one of my friends last night and his response was, “A lot of coke.”

So all in all – I’ll post more on the inaugural Vegas trip later – very interesting but I don’t think I’ll be making a regular stop on the vacation circuit. Things are so bad out here and they’re so desperate to bring people to Vegas, you can get decent rooms on the Strip at $40 per night. And that’s on the weekend. Then you get out here and realize a decent dinner costs $80, a round of drinks costs $50 (for three drinks) and after twenty minutes on the blackjack table you’re down $70. If you’re good with numbers you realized all the money you saved on the hotel was gone about 15 minutes after you set foot outside your hotel room…

Southwest Flights…

If you get on a Southwest flight, you have made a trade off decision: I am paying less for my flight, therefore I am willing to put up with the whole herding cattle routine. I won’t have an assigned seat, if I have a large bag I’ll have to get there early so it doesn’t get checked, I might have to be seated in a middle seat, etc. All in all, not that bad if you are paying $79 per leg of your flight.

Yesterday, not one but two, parent/child combinations asked people to move. I know it’s the holiday season and all, but seriously? If these parents really thought it was imperative to sit directly next to their children then they shouldn’t have booked tickets on a Southwest flight. That’s just common sense. Were they really surprised? They should’ve known that there was a non-zero probability they might not end up sitting next to little Sally or Bobby. So parents, if you need to sit next to your kid, don’t book a flight on Southwest and try to guilt everyone else into letting you sit by your kid. Pay the extra $100 a ticket and book seats next to each other.

Pick the Right Movie for Your Mood...

This weekend was actually kind of gloomy in San Diego. Yesterday it was mostly in the mid- to upper-50s and I don't think I saw any sun all day long. When I went for a late afternoon run, there was also some rain and it was quite windy, making it feel even cooler. However, by the end of my run the rain had stopped and it was probably around 60. Relative to the norm for San Diego, however, it was quite a crappy day, so I didn't feel too guilty doing some errands and watching a movie.

There are some movies I wouldn't recommend watching when you need to feel uplifted. One such movie is "I Am Legend" with Will Smith. I kept hoping at some point, there would be at least a glimmer of hope or a happy point in the movie. Alas, an hour and 45 minutes later I was feeling even more dour. Yikes. Not really a bad movie, but it was quite a downer.

On the other hand, all the ladies in particular should make sure to catch "Troy." This fine motion picture features actors like Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom running around half naked, many times trying to kill each other. At first I couldn't believe the movie was 2 hours and 43 minutes. After starting the film, however, I was sad it had to end so early. It is like a history lesson meets eye candy times ten. And without seeing the film, I would have never known Paris was such a sally pants. If only all history lessons were this well told...

Congrats to the UNC Soccer Team

The Tar Heels are the 2008 NCAA National Champions! Woooooohooo! I continue to be very excited for the team and proud as an alum. After the first 17 seconds of the game I was a bit nervous but am ebullient the girls were able to come out on top!

Here is a cool clip from YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDxFa4k8Nn0

I'm glad we now know the answer to final question in the video...

Prediction: 2009 Will Be the "Year of the Belle"

For those of you not in the know, I affectionately refer to my little sister Alicia as "Elle" or "Elle Belle." I call her this despite the fact that "Ali" should really be pronounced to rhyme with "rally."

At any rate, I am officially dubbing 2009 the "Year of the Belle." Elle Belle is on fire - she's managed to trim down and is now dead sexy (as opposed to the just plain old just "sexy" she used to be), she has a hot new dude and she recently got promoted (and a raise). The Belle managed to accomplish all these things as the global economy is melting down and everyone else is expecting multi-billion dollar checks from the U.S. government to bail them out.

Way to go, Elle!

Big Three Request $34 Billion Bailout

If I had to respond to them, I would vote let them fail and encourage all practical car buyers to purchase Hondas and Toyotas and all car aficionados to focus on BMWs and Benzs.  I admit I am a bit concerned for the repercussions on future work on the Crossfire if Chrysler's service is to worsen...However, given the outlook for the business model of the American auto companies, why throw good money after bad?  

Plaxico Burress...Seriously?

This just in...Plaxico Burress has just been suspended for four games by the New York Giants after accidentally shooting himself in the leg with a gun in a New York City nightclub. After shooting the shooting, he turned himself into the police and will now face charges of criminal possession of a handgun. 

Hilarious. This morning on ESPN, I listened to his lawyer talk about how he was a good guy that a done a stupid thing and not a bad guy that had done a bad thing.  What kind of guy takes a gun to a nightclub?  

I will say I am impressed that the NY Giants organization immediately suspended him rather than let him get away with doing whatever he wants.  If he was a Cincinnati Bengal, he would probably be suiting up for practice as soon as he posted bail.  

It's Official

Yup, based on my prior posting you can deduce I am the proud owner of a new surfboard. An 8'6" epoxy longboard that has treated me very well so far. I had it out for three hours on Sunday and was very pleased with it. However, I have quite a lot of ground to cover before I can truly call myself a surfer.

On the bright side, the kind gentleman who sold it to me - Ed - has also graciously offered to teach me how to surf. This could take quite a while but I am excited about the prospect of having a mentor. And the first lesson was actually far superior to Surf Diva's teaching. I'll keep you updated on how the lessons go. Unfortunately, it's raining here today which means the earliest I can get back out in the water will be Sunday.

Happy Turkey Day!

A True Southern Californian...

Coldplay

I had the good fortunate of having floor tickets to the Coldplay concert this past Tuesday up in Anaheim, about an hour north of San Diego. The concert was great - Coldplay is probably my favorite band and Chris Martin was amazing (as always).

However, where the night got really interesting was after the show. Luckily, my very cool (and even keel) co-worker Scott drove up to the concert with me. We get out of the show and it is raining cats and dogs outside. I have been in San Diego almost five months and have never seen it rain like this. We have to walk about 15 minutes back to the car, during which period of time we get absolutely soaked and are freezing (although at this point it's maybe 59 degrees outside).

Getting out of the parking lot after a big show is never fun. We get in the car, crank up the heat and wait. That is when the night took a turn for the worse. This idiot backs into my car and takes off. To give some more color to the incident, this kid was so messed up he had no idea he actually backed into us, Scott gets out to assess the damage and then he almost runs Scott over. After Scott tried to talk to him (he denied hitting my car), he claims he can't see any damage and takes off. And when he ran, he got a solid three cars ahead of us.

We got his number, called it in, etc., but I have a feeling this is only the first chapter of this saga...more to come later on the blog.

Coldplay Concert...

Ch-ch-check it out. Lost...



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Surviving My First Earthquake

I survived my first earthquake out here in California. It was very small, and it felt like a large truck was driving by. I actually didn't know it was an earthquake until my co-workers started talking about it. Our company is on the top floor of a six floor building, however, and we can feel even the small earthquakes. I think it was like a 5.5 or something. And I'm still alive. Whew.

DJIA Breeches 8,000

I had previously polled the readers of this blog if the DJIA would breech 8,000. Although only two people voted (and I was one of them), I just wanted to note that Thursday the DJIA did close below 8,000. Although it popped back up above 8,000 on Friday, I am keeping a weary eye on this technical level. There isn't much support below it (gulp). It was interesting to watch the last hour of trading this past week. Yay volatility!

Mark Cuban Pulls a Martha Stewart

Apparently, several billion dollars is not enough. Mark Cuban has been charged with insider trading, as he (allegedly) used insider information to sell some shares of Mamma.com and save a whopping $750,000. Now for me, $750k is actually a lot of money. For Mark Cuban, however, $750k is a mere drop in the bucket. As of 2007, Cuban is #133 on Forbes’ “World’s Richest People” list, with a net worth of $2.8 billion.

Think about it this way: the amount Cuban saved was about three basis points of his net worth, or 0.03%. Like the Martha Stewart case when she unloaded a bunch of ImClone shares to save a (relatively) marginal amount of money, Cuban is going to end up dealing with an immense amount of negative publicity and stress (even if he is not guilty).

Which begs the question why, why, why do people with this amount of money contemplate doing illegal things to save a teenie bit of money? There is always the thrill of doing something you’re not supposed to do and not getting caught. But I’m guessing in Cuban’s case it was more a matter of thinking he was above the law. Welp, only time will tell how the situation plays out but I’m guessing he’s going to wish he would’ve just taken a loss on Mamma.com. The thought of spending a couple of months in jail is just not attractive.

Responding to Dumb Questions

I think I am a fairly kind person. I make an effort to be kind and pleasant in general, with the exception being on the athletic field. If you run into me there, don’t be surprised when I show no mercy. I am a competitive person; that’s just how I roll.

Anyways, the point of this blog posting is that a recent response to a dumb question made me consider responding in a (rude) manner appropriate for a question that dumb. Tuesday night after a long day of work, I had to run down to the 7-11 to pick up a box of tampons. I live in the East Village section of the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego, right next to Petco Park. Within a block of my apartment, there are no fewer than five happenin’ night spots.

So at 9:00 p.m. on a Tuesday night when I’m strolling down to 7-11 in my sweats, there are quite a few young professionals out on the town. I get the item I need from 7-11 and go to pay. The woman at the check out asks me (dumb question) “Do you want a bag?” To which I responded, “Yes please. Thank you.” In my head, the response went something like, “No, actually I’d like to roll past Basic Pizza with a fat box of super absorbency Playtex tampons.” But I didn’t. I was tempted…maybe next time.

I Love Roy Williams!

Yes, Tar Heel fans, in addition to the Women's Soccer Team keeping their hopes alive for another College Cup Championship, it is probably now my favorite sports season of all - college basketball season.  Roy Williams has the boys ready to make another run at the National Championship (that is, if they don't lose their minds again and choke in the Final Four.  I almost cried last year during the first ten minutes of the Kansas game.  Seriously).

The men's basketball team takes on Kentucky tomorrow evening at 9:00 p.m. EST.  I detest Kentucky's athletic teams.  In fact, there is only one redeeming quality about the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky - it is the only place that is legally allowed to produce true bouborn.  And I do love Maker's Mark...

But enough about the booze.  Go Roy and go Heels!  It is time to kick off the college basketball season!  Woo hoo!

NCAA Tourney Time

It's that time of year again...the NCAA women's college cup is only several weeks away.  The mighty mighty Tar Heels had two big wins this weekend, topping Western Carolina 5-0 and UNC Charlotte 4-0.  The Tar Heels take on the University of Illinois, coached by Carolina alum Janet Rayfield, this upcoming Saturday at 5:00 p.m. EST.  You can get updates live on Gametracker.

Good luck and Go Heels!

Fantasy Football = Actual Interest in NFL Games

My company has a Fantasy Football league, which has actually aroused my interest in NFL football.  I previously was somewhat of an NFL idiot, but I can't really say I had a reason to be interested because the Cincinnati Bengals historically were awful during my time of residence (and Chad Johnson-Ochocinco is obnoxious - seriously this is supposed to be a team sport).  I have now converted to a fan of the respectable but room to improve San Diego Chargers.  Their loss to the Steelers this weekend was absolutely painful - a 11-10 game, the first final score of its kind in NFL history.

However, I am also writing this blog to vent my frustration at Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles.  After last week's effort and near come back (the two rush calls at the end of the game were definitely bad choices - just let McNabb throw it for crying out loud), McNabb led the Eagles to Paul Brown Stadium for a brutal tie against the now 1-8-1 Cincinnati Bengals.  Seriously?  The team that's mustered one win all season and you tie them?  McNabb totally threw my Fantasy Team (the "Harborcreek Huskies") under the bus this week.  Big boo...hopefully he'll redeem himself next week.  Otherwise I'm subbing in Philip Rivers.

On a high note, I did realize this weekend my HDTV had not been plugged into the HD connection.  Therefore I had been watching in non-HD.  This realization encouraged me to spend extra time Sunday on the couch watching NFL.  I was wowed by the HD after watching TV in non-HD for the past several months. 

The Silver Strand Half

Blog readers: I apologize for my recent slacking.  This weekend was the much anticipated Silver Strand half marathon.  Although at one point I had aspirations of running the half at a record pace, those hopes were dashed (probably beginning Friday night).  It's a long story, but it starts like this...

Friday night we headed out to celebrate Saysay's birthday at a little place in East Village called Dussini (it is a very cool Mediterranean Bistro in East Village - check it out www.dussini.com).  The night started out pretty chill but after a drink or two, we felt the need to bless Saysay with several shots of tequila in honor of his birthday.  Add in some Effen and some vodka and sodas (which definitely didn't help my already lame pool skills) and I was feeling alright.  We then had to run up to another East Village spot to screen a new roommate.

At any rate, before we left Dussini we had a very interesting chat with a scantily dressed female.  And by scantily dressed, I mean her breasts were almost falling out of her low cut dress.  We explained our need to migrate bars ("screen a new roommate") and she immediately offered three screening rules.  The first of which was "make sure she's not a sex addict."  Coming from a girl with her breasts falling out of her dress, I found this quite hilarious.

So on to bar #2 we went.  It was pretty chill and the new roommate got a two thumbs up.

The next morning I decided to go surfing with some friends for a couple of hours.  Being a newbie surfer, I am still learning the ropes and getting to learn how exactly to catch a wave.  However, it was 83 and sunny and a perfect day to hang out in the water for a couple of hours.  But let me tell  you that surfing sure wipes you out.  I spent some serious time on the couch after that trying to recover from surfing (this is Saturday afternoon).

So I wake up at about 5:32 a.m. on race day, ready to head down to Imperial Beach to catch the shuttle to Coronado, where the race starts (it's a point to point).  However, I neglect to get the exact directions for where the shuttle is leaving from and cut it too close and miss the shuttle.  Then I have to drive all the way down the strand to Coronado and find parking.  By this time, it is 7:27 a.m.  I find parking and run about a mile toward Sunset Park and see the rest of the field starting the race while I'm frantically running toward the starting line.  

I think I made it about five minutes late and got an extra mile or so run before reaching the starting line.  I was not feeling so special...tequila and surfing are not good pre-half marathon preparation.  Through Mile 5, I had to convince myself every step not to turn around and run back to Coronado (where my car was).  By the time I made it to Mile 8, I was actually feeling better, though I was brutally slow throughout the race.  

I did see a shirt which made me feel better.  It said, "Hell, I may be slow, but at least I'm out here."  That is going to be my motto for the Silver Strand Half this year.  Maybe I'll run faster next half but for now, I'm just relieved it's over.  

Anthology: Great Jazz in San Diego

America's Finest City has great jazz.  Not that I'm really that into jazz, but I think I could be.  I definitely love music and I met some friends out at this 944 party at Anthology in downtown San Diego.  Anthology is on India Street in Little Italy and the word on the street is they have some legendary jazz groups come through (ever heard of Dizzie Gillespie?).  

So even though I happened to stumble upon Anthology by chance, the jazz band playing was amazing and I really liked the scene.  The only negative was that the cocktails were a bit pricey.  For those interested in checking out upcoming events, the website is: www.anthologysd.com/welcome.html

Definitely a cool place to take out of towners, also.  Enjoy!

An Ode to Todd

Todd is my roommate Sara's boyfriend.  He is funny and kind and made a very important contribution to our apartment this weekend.  First a word on Sara - she is an amazing roommate.  I was very nervous to go back to having a roommate after two years of flying solo.  However, so far the living situation has been pretty close to ideal.  One thing that makes me smile is that she leaves me love notes.  Sometimes when roommate situations go bad, you get nasty notes or evil emails because the person is too uncomfortable (read: too big of a chicken) to confront you face-to-face.  Sara, however, leaves me love notes like "Good morning Kristin!  I hope you have a great run!" or "Went to grab a drink at Basic Pizza.  Come join if you're interested!"  They make me chuckle and bring a smile to my face, which is very nice.

Now back to Todd.  He successfully repaired our washing machine yesterday.  Hooray!  No more weekends at the laundromat.  Below is an ode in Todd's honor:

During the weekend I'll be

Relaxin' on the couch, probably watchin' Sex and the City

Because I don't have to spend hours of time

And many of my extra dimes

Getting my clothes clean.

Oh Todd you are so kind

I didn't have this in mind

When I signed the lease

But now I'm at peace

Because if Icon won't fix something, we can always count on you!

Two Great Websites...

I know I'm late to the game on this, but delicious is an awesome website (http://delicious.com/).  It lets you keep track of all your favorite websites and eliminates the problem of having to copy and paste web bookmarks if you use different computers.

Another new favorite of mine is Mahalo's Liveblog.  Check it out at http://www.mahalo.com/Liveblog

You can see all the latest news, from health-related (Hibiscus tea may lower blood pressure) to fund news (World's largest Irish coffee in the Guinness Book of World Records).  

The Madonna Concert: AMAZING!

One of the fantastic things about my new spot in downtown San Diego is that it is just a stone's throw away from Petco Park, where the San Diego Padres play.  Last night, Petco hosted Madonna.  I knew about the concert but have been pretty busy at work so didn't make big plans to go.  However, I was able to sneak back downtown by 6:30p last night.  With all the electricity in the air around downtown, I decided I should go check it out and see if I could pick up a decent ticket...

The scalping situation taught me patience, patience, patience.  Given that I wasn't in need of going to the concert because I could just head back to Icon and/or hear it from the street, I spent a solid 90 minutes observing the scalpers and making a couple of offers with a new friend.  At one point we had a pair of $350 face value tickets down to $150.  If the offer would have gotten down to $100, I probably would have had an even better seat for the show last night.  However, in the end I settled for a $165 ticket for $70 that put me on the floor for one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen.

Madonna is truly unbelievable - she bounced around filled with tons of energy for more than two hours non-stop.  The coordination of the dancers and their many elaborate scenes (everything from a boxing ring to a Far East set up) was truly a production.  If you ever have a chance to go check out a Madonna show, do it!  You will not be disappointed (even if you have to pay face value for a ticket).

Coronado

If I ever hit the lottery and decide to settle down in Southern California, there are so many amazing places to choose from where I'd like to live.  Last week after several morning runs on the beach at La Jolla Shores, I decided there could be no better place on Earth to live.  After this week's run (and laundry), I've decided Coronado would have to seriously be considered in the mix as well.

Coronado is this resort like, almost island located just a bridge away from downtown.  Everyone's laws are perfectly manicured, it has great views and a true serenity hard to find other places.  I dig it but would feel weird about living there until I am at least in my mid-30s and married with a kid or two (if that ever happens).

If you happen to make it over to Coronado, check out Tartine, a European-style cafe, for breakfast - they have very tasty coffee and amazing home-made granola.  A very nice way to start the weekend...

UNC Has A Football Team?

File this post under "better late than never."  I am a Tar Heel tried and true; in fact, playing soccer at the University of North Carolina (and winning two National Championships and four ACC titles) is probably the accomplishment I'm most proud of.  I feel like everything has been (and will be) downhill from Chapel Hill because I don't think I'll ever be a part of an organization that's as dominant as the Tar Heels are at women's soccer.

That being said, I am also a huge Carolina basketball fan (I'm sure an ode to Roy Williams will be posted soon on this site), and generally anything Carolina.  One thing that has typically been a disappointment is UNC's football team.  I even tried to down play the team at the office, when one of my co-workers, who happens to be a Notre Dame alum, claimed they were pretty solid ahead of the UNC/ND match up.

Well, I've clearly been proven wrong.  At 6-2 with victories over some solid teams, it appears UNC does (finally) have a football team.  Yippee!

Halloween...

One thing I never understood about Halloween is why females typically use the holiday as an excuse to dress as sleazily as possible.  Given my contrarian tendencies and unique sense of humor, I like to buck this trend.  Past costumes have included dressing up as an Oreo cookie, a black-eyed pea (I dressed in all black, with a big black patch under my eye and a "P" on my shirt) and a pregnant nun.  

This year, I wasn't too excited about the upcoming holiday.  I didn't even think I was going to make it out.  However, Friday morning at the gym, I had an epiphany: a great Halloween costume would be "The Global Financial Crisis."  

Unfortunately, after spending two hours working feverishly to put together my costume (which I am proudly displaying below), I ended up hanging out with my neighbors and drinking wine, watching scary movies and carving pumpkins.  At least through this blog, I can share my costume with my friends.  Hopefully you all can appreciate it.  If nothing else, at least it's original!

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The Half Marathon Draws Nearer...

In less than two weeks, it is time for the Silver Strand half marathon.  I did my last long run yesterday - a 12 mile jaunt through Coronado at quite a slow pace.  My stomach has been out of sorts the last couple of days, but hopefully that will clear up soon so I can get back to running fast.  

I previously aspired to run at 8:00-8:15/mile pace.  Hmmm...this weekend's run made me re-think that.  Okay, I'll still aim high but will try not to be too bummed out if I don't make it.  

In other fitness news, I had a great spin class over lunch this morning and have been adopting "cardio lifting" to try to get fitter.  I define "cardio lifting" as doing lighter weight in sets of 12-15 with as little rest as possible in between sets to get a cardio workout and not get too bulky.  I'll keep you updated on how that goes...

Q: How are you, Kristin? A: Fantastic; I'm Enjoying the "Cali-ness"

What is "Cali-ness," you ask? Cali-ness is many different things, which I am coming to very much appreciate after living in the Midwest and the Northeast. My personality is probably least suited to the Northeast. I have taken to Southern California like a duck takes to water (pun intended).

In an email to one of my best friends, Jenny C., she wrote in a response that she was glad I am enjoying the Cali-ness. This got me thinking - because it was a very true statement - about what Cali-ness is and why it makes me so happy.

Cali-ness is: being able to stop during a run, listen to waves and watch surfers on Saturday mornings (in October!) at Windansea Beach; it is never having to buy socks again (who needs them? strap on your Rainbows and you're good to go); it is not having to stress about running five minutes late to a meeting because apologies are always greeted with, "No worries!"; and many other things, which I'll make sure to include in the blog within the context of future postings.

People out here are generally super laid back and less stressed about life in general. Which is awesome for me, because I tend to stress out alot. However, this is slowly changing as I continue to take time out of life to enjoy the Cali-ness in all its glory. It doesn't mean you have to be less hard working or less focused; it is an appreciation that you accomplish your goals without being hostile and without taking yourself too seriously...

Dinner Parties with Large Groups Are Never A Good Idea

I went to a new restaurant downtown called Crescent Heights last night for a friend's dinner birthday party (www.crescentheightssd.com). The night started out right - the place has a good vibe: laid back yet a bit upscale. There is a collection of "fancy pants" drinks including a selection of many fruit mixtures, which I'm not a big fan of but it was cool to see some different options. I stuck to the orange vodka and soda but kicked it up a notch with the Hangar One vodka, which is probably the best mandarin/orange vodka I've had (topping even the mighty Grey Goose).

Trying to have a dinner party with more than six or eight people is always like herding cats. However, there was a massive mix up at the other end of the table with the bill somehow coming out to be something ridiculous like $700 for five people. This whole situation led to shouting and some guy threatening to leave without paying while leaving his card in case the restaurant wanted to sue him. I'm not sure exactly how it turned out; our half of the table settled up and my friend and I ran out of there before things got ugly.

However, the whole situation reminded me that dinner parties with large groups are generally never pleasant when the bill comes. Splitting it up is such a hassle for that number of people and splitting it evenly isn't a good choice because light eaters and drinkers end up subsidizing the guy sucking down five Crown and cokes and ordering the 44 year old aged steak. With all the stress and waiting involved, I'm definitely sticking to dinners with four or fewer parties. Yikes.

Another Day in Paradise...

For those of you currently scraping ice off your windshields in the morning (shout out to Elle Belle), consider this: if you move to San Diego you will be enjoying 80 degree days in late October. Yesterday during my Saturday morning run, I was very distracted by all the surfers at Windansea Beach and had to stop running to lay in the sand, watch them and enjoy life. This weather doesn't get old.

After making an inaugural trip to BevMo! (www.bevmo.com) to replenish my go-to Absolut Mandarin and doing some shopping at Vons, I headed back to the beach to listen to the waves and relax. Below are the sights I enjoyed. Another great thing about October here - most of the tourists have gone home and if you find the right spot, it is like having your own private beach. Life is good.








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A Perfect Sunday: Brunch at Goldfish Point Cafe

It's been a great Sunday out here in San Diego. I kicked the morning off right with some weight lifting and cardio kickboxing at La Jolla Sports Club. I've done many sports and sports classes in my life, but this cardio kickboxing class could be one of the toughest hour workouts I've been through. Outside of 120s, cones and supersets during the days of Carolina soccer, I'm not sure when I've been so exhausted after a workout. Maybe it just means I'm getting soft in my old age. Going out for an hour run is definitely easier.

After the workout, I met up with Judy for a lovely brunch at the Goldfish Point Cafe to enjoy some food and the view and update the blog, of course. The Hawaiian Hazelnut coffee here is pretty amazing. I'm not even a big coffee drinker (I love Tazo Green Tea in the mornings), but the HH coffee at Goldfish is alright. Check out the menu (and views) below and put it on your "To See List" for the next San Diego visit...






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The Official Californian Anthem by MGMT

I love new music. With any luck, I might be heading to see Pinback this week and the big Coldplay concert (for which I have seats in section 104) next month in Anaheim.

A friend of mine happened to be listening to some pretty cool laid back music. I checked it out on iTunes and I think I have a new favorite song - "Electric Feel" by MGMT. If I ever leave Southern California, this song will always remind me of cruising on the 5. Very cool. Their other popular song "Time To Pretend" has some pretty amazing lyrics - several verses are cited below:

"Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives"...

"Yeah it's overwhelming but what else can you do? Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute"...

This second point makes me wish I was musically inclined. Then maybe I wouldn't have to wake up every morning at 5:30a to run before heading into the office to watch a computer screen all day long...the Sunday night blues have me pretty bad tonight.

The Dealmaker

I feel like I have officially arrived as a San Diegan.

My friend and I met a couple of dudes out on Thursday evening. I was invited boating the next evening. Let me preface this by saying the guy I spent quite a long time chatting with on Thursday night was very nice, witty and a musician. And by musician, his band is legit and apparently just got signed. I did the due diligence and checked things out and was actually pretty impressed by their music.

Although I had high hopes I was surprised when the whole thing worked out and my friend and I headed out to PB to meet up with him and his buddies for an evening cruise on Mission Bay. I knew there are magic in the air when the boat's name was "The Dealmaker." Hilarious. It was actually a great night for a cruise on a boat and we checked out a place called Barefoot Bar - which the guys claimed was at a dock called "Pleasure Point." The real name of the dock was "Paradise Point" but they were pretty close.

Okay, so let's recap - hanging out with a guy in a band who moved to L.A. to be a musician on a boat called The Dealmaker cruising to Paradise/Pleasure Point. This is what life as a Southern Californian is supposed to be!

Q: When Is a Sleeve Not a Part of a Shirt?

A: When you live in Southern California and it is a tattoo on the arm.

Yes, this is another blog about all the tattoos in San Diego. I previously mentioned my surprise at their frequency, their size and the people that have them. Not just the typical fringe folks, pretty much anyone and everyone in Southern California has them. Apparently when you get a really big one on your arm, it's known as a "sleeve" or a "half sleeve" if it doesn't occupy your entire arm.

I learned this over breakfast when one of my friends was talking about how cool our server's sleeve was. I almost replied that he had a short sleeved shirt on which I really didn't see anything special about and then I saw the large tattoo on his arm. Apparently, if you are going to be a waiter or bartender in San Diego, you are required to have unusually large and ornate tattoos, which - for San Diego - is a pretty big challenge...

I'll keep my eyes peeled for a strong sample of a sleeve to post to the blog.

Better Financial Performer - The Crossfire or the S&P 500 Index?

I am the proud owner of a Chrysler Crossfire. Okay, proud right now because the car has always been incredibly fun to drive; however, we (my car and I) tend to have a love/hate relationship. As soon as I've gone a couple of months without a major incident (engine replacement, tire issue, etc.), something tends to go awry and I find myself doling out upwards of a grand to get the car back on the road...but that's a topic for another blog posting.

The market's stellar performance got me thinking today - what has been a better performer over the past several years - my car or the S&P 500 Index? So, using the handy dandy "XIRR" function in Excel, I took the Kelly Blue Book Value of my 2004 Chrysler Crossfire as of today and calculated the annual return on the car since its purchase in mid-August 2004. The result - an average annual return of -17.2% - makes me think twice about ever buying a new car again (although I didn't buy it new, I bought it used with 5k miles on it for about $8k under the sticker price, so things could be worse).

Looking at the S&P 500 Index annual returns over the same period shows the market has returned an average of -4.0% over the same period using closes on the S&P 500 Index from August 16th, 2004 and today. Not quite as dismal as I initially thought but still pretty lackluster. Which makes me wish I was a qualified investor and could invest alongside some of these venture capital and private equity funds I spend time with at work...

Financial Distress and Its Impact on the VC World

This just in...the markets got their hineys kicked again today, with the DJIA down a whopping 7.9%. Ouch. Today's bloodbath nearly erased the 11% jump on Monday. Which could beg the question if Monday's rally will be the biggest dead cat bounce ever...only time will tell.

Many of the blogs/VC websites I follow have posted or opined on "What impact will this financial crisis have on the venture capital market?" I've listed many of the posts below. The first is probably the most cheery (the first slide reads something like "R.I.P.: Good Times").

Luckily, although things might be bleak now, this could mean prices are coming in and the smart VCs will be able to buy some quality assets on the cheap. Or maybe that's must me trying to mix in some optimism with all the doom and gloom in the posts below. Enjoy!

Sequoia - "Get real or go home" http://www.docstoc.com/docs/1822343/Sequoia-Venture-Capital-Warning-to-CEOs

Promod Haque - "Stop spending" http://www.pehub.com/20098/promod-haque-to-startups-stop-spending/

Benchmark’s Advice In Wake of Financial Crisis: http://www.pehub.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads//benchmark_september-2008-perspective.pdf

Alan Patricof Dissents http://www.pehub.com/20276/alan-patricof-dissents/

David Aronoff http://www.geekvc.com/geekvc/Blog/rss.xml

Jason Calcanis - "The startup depression" http://calacanis.com/

Q: When Is It Okay To Move the Saturday Morning Long Run?

A: When Coldplay tickets go on sale on Ticketmaster during the middle of your run.

Saturday has started off well, despite the fact that I still have to go do my long run. I was able to secure a floor seat to the Coldplay concert in Anaheim in November. I am very excited...

This got me thinking about who my favorite artists are and how that's evolved throughout time. The first thought I had was Coldplay has pretty much been a stalwart in the top five list, just like Modest Mouse. Other than that, I would say the top five list has fluctuated. Probably my other top three picks at the moment would be: The National, Vampire Weekend and a TBD. The last name is pretty tough. Pearl Jam has always been a favorite but I just haven't been that excited about them lately. I love the RHCP and my sister has introduced me to some new artists such as Pinback and Meiko. I also really like Metro Station and Mute Math. Cold War Kids is another band I've been listening to a lot lately as well.

However, even with all these artists in the mix, I'm going to go with the top five as:

1. Coldplay
2. The National
3. Modest Mouse
4. Vampire Weekend
5. Death Cab For Cutie

I love Death Cab's new CD. That put me over the edge. Enjoy your weekend!

An "Online Magazine Rack" of All the Top Stories...

Alltop is amazing. For those of you who like to keep up with current events, here's a great website to help you aggregate websites and blogs by topics: alltop.com

Thank You, Pixelpipe!

In a continuation of my ode to the iPhone, the App store kindly gifted me (for free) a program called Pixelpipe. This application allows you to upload pictures taken on your iPhone to photo sharing websites, blogs, Facebook, etc. As Borat would say, "Very nice!"

So this is the rainbow we saw last weekend as we were hanging out in Mission Beach watching the volleyball tournament. It was brief but amazing. That night it actually rained in San Diego, one of exactly two times it has rained since I got here in August...




This is a picture of the "Speedwalkers" - Todd's team (my roommate Sara's boyfriend) getting their butts kicked by the "Greek Gods." This volleyball tourament made me really happy to be living in San Diego - hanging out on the beach watching attractive men dressed up in costumes play volleyball...



This is downtown La Jolla. Yes, there is an ascot shop. I really wasn't lying about this. Unfortunately, I tried to get a picture of the really obnoxious ascot they had on display in the window. It was too sunny and the reflection screwed the photo up. Maybe when it's cloudy I'll go back and take another pic. Don't wait around for that one, it tends to be sunny here alot...



Downtown La Jolla by the Cove. Life here is alright...



And when I become rich and famous, these are the two pieces of Natalie's work I am going to purchase first!




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This Just In: Kristin Likes Food and Will Continue To Blog About It Non-Stop

Excuse the sarcasm in my title but I really think nearly half of the blog is food-related. However, I discovered another healthy food that knocked my socks off this Sunday - quinoa. What is quinoa, you ask? Here is what wikipedia has to say about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa

I went to this AMAZING burger place Sunday afternoon in La Jolla called Burger Lounge (http://www.burgerlounge.com/). I figured I would be adventurous so I ordered the veggie burger, made with organic quinoa. Before I even rant about quinoa, let me just say that I am skeptical that this burger was actually healthy because it was sooo good. I mean, I've had veggie burgers before but this knocked my socks off. Burger Lounge makes it with other ingriedients including mushrooms and zucchini (I'll have to check the info packet I have) and I think my goal is to come up with a clone of the veggie burger.

So I am still learning about quinoa and will be experimenting with recipes for quinoa burgers. Please chime in if you have suggestions.

Dow Breaks 10,000...Next Stop Dow 7,000?

Okay, seriously with the markets? I know things are bad, but as soon as the Dow broke 10,000 I was horrified at the possibility it could be Dow 9,000 before investors know it. Who knows...maybe it will go right to 7,000.

Yikes. Please read earlier blog and continue to avoid opening Yahoo! Finance and avoid reading the Wall Street Journal if you don't want your spirit to be crushed. I also recommend throwing away 401(k) statements for about the next three years. Good times.

George's at the Cove...What a view!

For those of you who plan to visit me soon in the San Diego area (hopefully all of you two loyal blog readers, Leslie and Elle Belle), one of the go-to spots is George's at the Cove because of its spectacular view. George's is right on Prospect Street in downtown La Jolla and has an amazing view of the ocean. Particularly if you go around 6pm and can watch the sunset and maybe enjoy some wine.

Although the website doesn't do it justice, check it out: www.georgesatthecove.com

The Latest on the Running

Before I had to send my Garmin Forerunner 50 in for repair, I did get some decent runs in. This Tuesday morning I ran eight miles in 1:06, or about an 8:15/mile pace. This weekend I stretched out my long run distance to 14 miles but was a bit slower than I would have ideally liked to be at 8:53/mile pace. However, I got some good distance in and really enjoying running in the Mission Bay/Mission Beach/Pacific Beach/South Birdrock area. It is very flat, there is outstanding people watching and - as always in America's Finest City - the weather was fantastic...

Garmin Makes Keeping Track of Progress A Challenge

Just a couple of days ago, my Garmin Forerunner 50 had a very sad thing pop up where the date used to be. It said, "LoBatt." I initially wasn't too panicked because I figured - like most other watches - I could buy a new battery and be up and running again in no time. However, after numerous Google searches left me empty handed about where I could purchase a new battery, I was forced to call Garmin's help line.

After waiting just about 23 minutes on the customer helpline, a kind fellow picked up. However, he was not the bearer of good news because he told me I had to send in the watch for a replacement. Although I would get a new free Forerunner 50, the process usually takes about 2 weeks, meaning that I'll have to figure out how I'm going to keep track of my runs and times through another mechanism. I might have to switch back to the sporadically functioning Nike + iPod system...we'll see how that goes.

Ode to the iPhone

I recently upgraded to an iPhone. Despite the fact that the workers at the AT&T retail store in La Jolla could be the dumbest people on the planet (thus activation and acquisition of the phone was actually quite a challenge), I am happier than a pig in mud with my new purchase.

The iPhone is incredibly cool for surfing the web, taking pictures and I'm mastering the art of texting and typing on it. For anyone thinking about it, I strongly recommend it. I was a little nervous because I have a Mac book and wanted to be able to use it as my primary work smartphone, so I thought there could be conflict issues. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I put all my music on from my personal Mac computer and can still get work email and have my work calendar update automatically.

The app store is also amazing. There are tons of free applications and others you can pony up and pay $0.99 or $1.99, etc. for. Very exciting and it truly revolutionizes the smartphone. I was a bit nervous about giving up the Blackberry Curve but have been very satisfied with the decision.

Here is a short ode I put together, inspired by my new iPhone:

I love iPods, my iPhone, Apple and everything Mac,
I do often wonder why Steve Jobs always wears black,
He should be wearning something more exciting,
Because his Apple products are all so inviting,
Once you switch to Mac, you'll never go back,
And you'll find your checkbook all out of whack,
Because you can't stop buying Apple products.

The Art Show

One of my co-workers is also an artist. Her name is Natalie and last night I stopped by her art show in downtown La Jolla. Although you might think I'm biased, her work is pretty amazing. I really like contemportary art and she does fantastic oil on canvas pieces...

I'll try to post a couple of pics from my iPhone of my favorite pieces, but check out her website: http://www.natalieturegun.com/

Solid Italian Food With Bad Singing

I had the pleasure of joining my co-worker John and his wife Sara for dinner on Friday night in downtown La Jolla. Being that it was a hoppin' Friday night and we neglected to make reservations, we had to visit a couple of places before finding a spot where we could get in with less than an hour's wait.

This is how we ended up at this quaint Italian place. John and Sara had been there before and noted that the food was pretty good. However, when we walked in, the place had live Italian singing, which I thought was marginal (at best). We took a quick seat and enjoyed some bread with this phenomenal tomato-basil/olive oil dip. This dip was probably worth visiting the restaurant in and of itself.

However, as we continued to chat and wait to place our order, I noticed that the singing continued, with varied singers getting up to make their contribution. Some were notably worse than others (translation - some were tolerable and some were outright horrible). Our table wondered if we would get kicked out for turning off the speaker that was (unfortunately) facing our table, blaring the hideous music in our ears...

So overall the restaurant was pretty good - outdoor seating, righteous tomato-basil dip and quality entrees. I did, however, make one critical ordering mistake - including calamari steak in my order. Sara tried to forewarn me that calamari steak was not as tasty as the calamari you get as an appetizer. Despite this warning, I proceeded to order it as part of my seafood meal. I found out that Sara was being too nice - the calamari steak reminded me of the smell of cat poop.

Please, take this advice: never order calamari steak. Also - take note of any live singing that is going on before you commit yourself to spend a meal near a large speaker! Fortunately, I had great company...

Don't Open Your Yahoo! Finance Homepage...

Today was the ugliest day in the market I've ever seen. Don't look now but the DJIA was down almost 780 points (about 7%) and the Nasdaq and S&P 500 were even worse...eek. Don't look at your 401(k) statements for the next couple of quarters. I'm kind of glad I invested in a Crossfire and didn't put all that cash into the market. Ouch!

Not Too Shabby on the Training

Saturday's 12.5 mile run was at an average pace of 8:31/mile. Not too bad, particularly during the 8 mile stretch when I was running at about 8:24/mile pace. This morning I did a seven miler at about 8:21/mile. I'm feeling a bit under the weather so was happy to get in a decent run, although I need to be about 20 seconds/mile faster...the legs were definitely feeling the cardio kickboxing this morning.

My New Favorite Food: Butternut Squash

After abandoning the blog and finishing up a couple of back logged posts, I can't stop blogging without posting something about one of my favorite subjects, food. My new favorite food (okay one of several) is butternut squash. I had some tonight and it was amazing. Simply rinse off the squash (ask your local produce guy how to pick out one that's ripe) and pop it in the oven whole at 400 degrees for about an hour. It will begin to burst open when done (and it will be easy to cut through). It is amazing and healthy!

Downtown La Jolla - The Place To Find An Ascot Shop

What is an ascot, you ask? According to Wikipedia, "an ascot tie, or ascot, is a narrow neckband with wide pointed wings, traditionally made of pale gray patterned silk." It is something obnoxiously wealthy people wear to show everyday people that they are obnoxiously wealthy (or at least that's my understanding of them). I think the best potrayal of my definition is the use of the ascot in the movie Igby Goes Down. In order to have a full appreciation for it, you'll have to watch this movie. It is one of my all-time favorites, so check it out.

But back to the topic - downtown La Jolla, one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, is filled with random stuff like ascot shops. They also have several really exotic rug stores, ridiculous jewelry shopping and plenty of other things to check out. However, an entire store dedicated to ascots really made me take pause. I haven't actually seen guys out here wearing them, but I'll be on the lookout now.

Shout Out to Elle Belle, A Musical Genius (Among Other Things)

New my favorite song is "Fortress" by Pinback. How did I find this fantastic (but perhaps a bit obscure) song, you might ask? My lovely sister Alicia is apparently a musical genius. Thanks, Belle! I listened to it about five times during my long run Saturday. My second favorite song right now might be "Mr. November" by The National. I love The National...will probably blog an ode to them shortly.

WaMu...Another One Bites the Dust

I have very little commentary about this other than "scary." Three hundred billion plus in assets up in smoke. The fact that a private equity consortium led by someone as savvy as TPG (with David Bonderman leading the charge) flushed $7 billion in five months is mind boggling. The gravity of this situation and the surrounding mess in the financial markets is why I stick to blogging about food and working out - these topics are much more fun to blog about!

Keeping the Training Interesting - Cardio Kickboxing and Swimming

This morning I joined my friend and co-worker Judy at a cardio kickboxing class at La Jolla Sporting Club. I am becoming increasingly fit and it still kicked my butt. Outstanding workout, plus it was fun and something different. Think I'll be making it a regular part of my routine...although there is one thing I'd like to remedy. I was sweating so much, I almost slipped and fell doing kicks because my sweat pool made the floor quite slippery. Not quite sure how to fix that problem.

The other item I've added to my routine is swimming. I swam laps on Wednesday night. Unfortunately I learned that my high tech Garmin heartrate monitor that accompanies the Garmin Forerunner 50 is not waterproof. What kind of allegedly "high tech" training gear is that, Garmin? What serious athlete hasn't done at least one triathlon? That was a $40 lesson I won't forget.

Quick takeaway: swimming is pretty tough. I set the goal of swimming 30 minutes. The first time I checked my watch (huffing and puffing I might add) was exactly 3:44 into the workout. I have some work to do if I'm going to become a triathlon-er. However, I did get a new suit and goggles so I should be a bit more comfortable next time I swim.

Moving Along in the Training

I have been a blog slacker...apologies for the lack of activity but there has been a lot going on. First the update on the running - 12.5 miles through PB, Mission Beach and Mission Bay on Saturday in about 1:46. Not too bad - I felt really good for the first nine miles and struggled through the last couple. I'll update the times when I get my splits after uploading my workout data. Seem to be tracking pretty nicely, although a 8:00-8:15/mile pace for the Silver Strand is still ambitious.

I've also confirmed my hatred of interval workouts. This week's was supposed to be a 1 mile interval, 2 mile interval and then two 800's. I think a two mile interval is too long and will likely be sticking to the 800's and 400's (which I still hate)...

The Acai Bowl at Zanzibar

For those of you unfamiliar with Acai, it is a fruit somewhat like a blueberry but apparently with infinitely more antioxidants and other healthy stuff so it has recently become a bit of a health crazy. Places out in San Diego serve "Acai Bowls" - basically blended up Acai fruit topped with other fruit, granola and the like.

I had the good fortunate of sampling the Acai Bowl at Zanzibar a couple of Saturdays ago after my long run. It was amazing. I don't know what kind of granola Zanzibar uses, but it was the best I've ever had. Hopefully the Acai Bowls there are good for you because they taste outstanding!

For what Wikipedia has to say about Acai (pronounced asaˈi/) fruit, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Açaí_Palm

If you read on down the page, you'll find (shockingly) Acai is actually filled with calories and fat. Dang it, now wonder it tasted so good...

The Economy Is So Bad...I Lost All My Laundry?

I am not going to make too many jokes about the current state of the economy. Everyday I wake up and hope I don't see another major financial institution getting bailed out by the Fed, filing for Chapter 11 or getting forced into a shotgun wedding to avoid filing for Chapter 11. However, my current predicament is quite humorous and all goes back to corporate America trying to save pennies in the wake of the current global economic slowdown...

About a week and a half ago, the washer in our apartment broke. My roommate Sara called Whirlpool. She took an afternoon off work, waited for the Whirlpool repairman to show up and he never did. He claims to have called and she didn't answer (which is a complete lie). So the appointment got pushed back several more days. By the time the repair guy made it out, he informed Sara she needed to order some parts for the washer before he could fix it.

Apparently the parts have still not arrived because Whirlpool decided since the economy has slowed down (and I guess people no longer feel as inclined to wash their clothes) it would carry a barebones inventory at its warehouses. Long story short, we haven't had a working washer for a while....

After a long day at work and an interval workout at The Sporting Club in La Jolla, I decided I was going to brake down and go do laundry at the nearest place in La Jolla. By this time it is almost 9:30p at night. I throw my clothes in the washer and then wander over to Von's to do some grocery shopping because I am too impatient to wait (despite the 14 signs telling me "Do Not Leave Wash Unattended"). I mosey back over to the laundromat around 9:57p and it was locked. Apparently it closed at 10p and the management decided to close a few minutes early tonight.

Therefore I must get up bright and early tomorrow morning to drive up to the laundromat to (hopefully) reclaim my clothes and throw them in the dryer. If the economy wasn't in the crapper, I would never be in this predicament.

The Worst Movie I've Seen in Recent Memory/Ever

Generally speaking, when I've heard nothing but bad things about a movie, I'm not inclined to watch it. However, Sunday evening I had a bad case of the Sunday night blues coupled with sheer exhaustion from trying to learn to surf. When "Failure To Launch" came on at 8:00p, I decided that - despite hearing nothing but horrible things about it - I would spend two hours of my life watching it. Matthew McConaughey is never hard to watch and SJP in Sex & the City is one of my favorites...

There is not much else to say that the title of this blog doesn't already say. Part of me kept watching it because I kept thinking, "Seriously? Can this movie get any worse?" And it does. Matthew McConaughey is attacked by no fewer than three animals during the course of the movie - a dolphin, a chipmunk and a lizard.

I'm not really sure if there is a lesson to be learned from this post. But please don't think the consensus view on "Failure to Launch" is wrong. The movie is seriously one of the worst movies ever.

Large Hills + Long Runs = Not a Combination I Favor

I've tried to tone down the commentary on my half marathon training. However, I did put in a solid 12 miles this weekend in a run starting at the dog beach in OB (that's Ocean Beach for all you non-San Diegans) up through Sunset Cliffs, through the campus of Point Loma Nazarene University, to some historic graveyard and back. Although I made it, I seriously struggled and the pace was crawling (almost 10:00/mile pace). It is pretty depressing when you're trying to get in a good long run and know how slow you're running. Ugh.

Although I've found some quality running groups in the San Diego area, one in particular tends to favor huge hills in the middle of a long run (which I now realize I am not a fan of). Given that I'm training for a really flat half marathon, I can't decide if I'm going to continue torturing myself by participating in these hilly long runs, or wimp out and do flatter long run courses by myself. I just thought I'd whine about it on my blog for a bit.

I guess what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and I am able to pick up the pace on my flat runs a bit. Sunday I did a five mile recovery run at about a 9:00/mile pace (which felt like I was crawling) and this morning I did a mile warm up and then five miles at a 8:07/mile pace. Now I'm wondering if it would be possible for me to run the half marathon at a sub-8:00/mile pace. Hmmm...maybe I should keep doing the hilly long runs.

Jeff's Burgers in La Jolla

I've officially consumed my first super-tasty burger as a Californian. As I frequently do on these posts, I often compare and contrast my new favorites in the San Diego area with my favorites from good old Cincinnati. In Cincinnati, I would point to the burgers at Terry's Turf Club and City View Tavern (The Big Ted) as probably my two favorites, although natives claim Zip's is the place to go.

After several hours of attempting to surf, I wandered down to Jeff's Burgers for a nice quarter pound cheeseburger (with avocado) with fries and a rootbeer for lunch. It was quite tasty and I think I inhaled the burger in less than five minutes. A great little spot to hit up when you've been down at La Jolla Shores working up an appetite surfing/swimming/bathing, etc. Unfortunately, I don't think Jeff's can unseat either Terry's or CityView, so I'll have to keep sampling burgers out here in San Diego.

Introduction to Surfing

This past Sunday I had my first official experience as a surfer. Although several of my co-workers (kindly) offered to help teach me to surf, I thought it would be wisest to first take a lesson from a professional before burdening them with a hard-core newbie.

I booked a private lesson with Surf Diva (www.surfdiva.com) and Morgan showed me the ropes. I started off on a 10 foot foamie (after getting the talk about ripcurls, the stingray shuffle, wearing sunscreen, etc.) and managed to stand up a few times (although not for long) during the lesson. I then rented a board for an additional couple of hours and continued to try to improve my surfing skills.

Some observations - there is definitely a high degree of difficulty associated with surfing - you have to time the wave right, do a lot of paddling (which requires a lot of upper body strength), pop up at the right time, have great balance, and the list goes on. Much respect to quality surfers. Hopefully one day, I'll at least be respectable. Also - surfing makes you incredibly tired and hungry. That leads to my next post...

Surf & Saddle and the Mighty Goldfish Races

Most of the drinking establishments I've been to so far in California have been pretty...high brow? upscale? you pick it - people tend to wander in wearing flip flops every now and then, but generally speaking (particularly downtown), the crowds have been pretty yuppie. However, this past Tuesday, I got a taste of the other side of Del Mar.

In Cincinnati, my friends had organized a group called DOMC - Dive of the Month Club. It was a competition held to see which Cincinnatian could find the most divey bar. Given the tenure of many of the DOMC'rs in Cincinnati, there was some pretty stiff competition. It was a hoot and a great change of pace from the typical Mt. Adams/Hyde Park scene.

Surf & Saddle in Del Mar would be a very strong candidate for the SD equivalent of DOMC. Perhaps I'll start my own chapter and lead things off with Surf & Saddle. In addition to the drunk old yocals enjoying Bud Light bottles, Surf & Saddle had one of the most entertaining sporting events I've ever witnessed - real live goldfish racing.

You can purchase a goldfish and then enter the tournament. The brackets are set and then the goldfish race in side by side troughs (set up on several bar stools, of course), urged on by the water coming from spray bottles of their jockeys. It was an absolute riot - some goldfish seemed as though they had been diligently training for the races for weeks; others chose to swim around in circles or hide in the corner; and some would swim 3/4 of the way to the finish line, and for no apparent reason, turn around and start swimming upstream. It was a nice change of pace and provided some high quality entertainment.

Taco Tuesdays

One of my favorite restaurants in Cincinnati was a modern Mexican joint called Nada. Although I miss the guacamole, Mexican mac & cheese and mahi tacos at Nada, I have been optimistic I will be able to find quality Mexican food out here in Southern California. This past Tuesday, I launched into a journey which will surely help bring this hope to fruition - an evening meet up with a fun group every other Tuesday or so at a new taco spot throughout the greater San Diego area, appropriately called "Taco Tuesdays." We will scour all taco joints in search of the rare five sombrero rating.

Tuesday's journey started at a place in Del Mar called En Fuego (http://www.enfuegocantina.signonsandiego.com/). It was quite a bustling place. Unfortunately, I arrived a bit late so the chips were not warm (ding the sombrero rating) and En Fuego did not offer a variety of salsa choices. Although the two tacos (one mahi and one carne asada) and mango margarita I ordered were quite strong, the tacos came on corn tortillas. Perhaps it's because I'm not truly authentic but I prefer my tacos on flour tortillas. There is something about the texture of the corn tortillas that I just don't like.

Overall, the atmosphere was fun, the food was pretty tasty and the group was a ton of fun. I rated En Fuego a 3 and 3/4 sombreros - not too shabby but still room for improvement. More to come in several Tuesdays...

Body Boarding in Coronado

My first effort to learn to surf didn't pan out. I went over to Coronado - the beach that is easiest to get to from my location in East Village. Upon arrival at the beach, I realized that there was not a single surfer there (although there were numerous signs for "Bobby's Party"). Not a good sign. Half of my strategy was to watch the really good surfers and learn from them. However, there were about 100 body boarders on the beach and it looked pretty fun, so I hoofed it down to Little Sam's and rented a body board for the afternoon...

A couple of observations. The waves were breaking in a very short period of time. That means you have to have really good timing or you get your butt kicked. Unfortunately my rented body board's leash only made it around my wrist one time...therefore, when I got really thrashed by a wave, I also had to go find my body board. I was not too pleased about that. It was definitely fun, but I now have a new found respect for waves - even if they are not huge waves - because if you don't pick them up at the right time, they can be brutal.

Since I wasn't able to try my hand at surfing, I also was fortunate to receive some really good advice on where I should try to learn to pick up surfing: Todd recommended either La Jolla Shores or a spot in Pacific Beach (PB). He also said that an hour lesson would be a very good investment, so sometime in the next week or two, I'll probably be giving Surf Diva a call. To be continued...

Labor Day!

Hooray! A three day weekend. I've already got some good runs in and I'm thinking about heading to the beach to try my luck learning to surf. Not sure how it will go, wish me luck. I'm dressed in my best outfit to not be mistaken for a seal...

The Long Run...

Gradually getting a bit fitter. My friend and co-worker Erika and I joined up with a group yesterday for a run. The first lap - starting at 7am, I might add - was a 6.53 mile loop around the perimeter of Coronado, a great (and very flat!) place to run. The second lap we diverted to the beach by Hotel Del and after hitting the 11 (actually 11.1) mile mark, stopped to stretch and check out the inside of Hotel Del. It was pretty amazing.

For the total run, we finished in about 1:32.51, which comes out to an average 8:22/mile. I'll double check the time on my Garmin, but if it's correct, I'm pretty happy with it. The first lap was blazing, I hit the wall around nine miles and continued to push through...

Heaven

For a yogurt lover, leaving Chapel Hill was made even more painful by the fact that I would no longer have Yogurt Pump within a 2 mile radius from my house. TCBY is okay and there are some other frozen yogurt spots that are above average. However, I think San Diego has the best of all worlds in my new favorite place - The Golden Spoon (www.goldenspoon.com). It is "healthy" frozen yogurt that is amazing. The location in Hillcrest has amazing flavor selection and even if you get a small you get to pick up to four flavors. Right now I'm stuck on the pistachio, chocolate malt, cake batter and peanut butter combo. My favorite place to head to after I've finished a long run...

Cool New "Sandals"

Check these "sandals" out - www.sanuk.com

I wandered into a surf shop in PB (Pacific Beach) and happen to notice that all sandals were 20% off. Since I will be spending more time at the beach, I decided I should probably take advantage of the sale and pick up a pair or two. I found these really cool new sandals call Sanuk Sandals. They really aren't traditional sandals but I thought they were pretty cool so I bought a pair. Kind of ugly but kind of fun and really comfortable. Check out the women's "sidewalk surfers."

New Job + Moving In = Slacking on Blog Posts

Unfortunately I have almost abandoned my blogging efforts now that my job is in full gear. After staring at a screen all day it can be hard to come home and fire up the computer again.

Anyways, the running is progressing. I did a 10 mile run Saturday starting at Torrey Pines State Park with a group from MeetUp. Unfortunately I didn't read the fine print to realize the first part of the run was going to be a trail run and the first 1/2 mile of the trail run was straight up a hill. Oops. The overall pace was slow but I definitely got fitter. This morning I did a six miler through Balboa Park, which is quickly becoming my new favorite running spot. Lots of great scenery and shade (and it is very flat, which is the opposite of Torrey Pines).

This afternoon I spent some time at Pacific Beach, walking on the beach and observing the surfers. I need to at least give surfing a shot - I feel like it's an obligation now that I live in SoCal. I've decided the first step is to study the surfers and figure out which ones are the best and watch their techniques (or their abs, one of the two). Maybe next week I'll get out there and give it a crack...

My Favorite Olympian So Far - Jason Lezak

Hopefully everyone caught the finals of the men's swimming 4 x 100 freestyle last night. For those not familiar with the background, apparently the French relay team was talking some serious smack about how they were going to "smash" the Americans in the final. Even the broadcasters conceded the Americans would probably have to swim a near perfect race in order to have a shot at defeating the French team.

After the first three legs, the French had a nice little lead built up and their strongest swimmer Alain Bernard hopped in the pool. Things were going according to plan for the Frenchies until Jason Lezak started closing the gap after the final turn. He inched closer and closer and then eventually overtook Bernard and won the gold for the Americans in literally the last inches of the race. The Americans' time crushed the previous world record by something like four seconds.

All the drama and suspense with the fantastic finish definitely made for one of the best Olympic moments I've ever seen. Congrats to the American swimmers, particularly Jason Lezak who made an unbelievable comeback and a great contribution to his team capturing the gold!

Random Observations about SoCal after a week

1. People here LOVE tattoos. I don't think I've seen this much ink since watching highlights of an NBA game on SportsCenter. And the weird thing is the tattoos aren't small or subtle. People here have their entire arms and backs inked. Do these people ever have to work because I really don't think there is an easy way to hide any of these tattoos? Many of the people with a significant part of their body tattooed aren't really the people you'd expect to see all inked up. Weird. Definitely not a trend I'll be embracing.

2. Old people here love to work out. It is kind of strange to be jogging along by the beach or through downtown and see so many old (and I'm talking like 70s and 80s old) people jogging as well or cruising along on their road bikes. I mean, I know people on the West Coast are generally much fitter but I didn't expect to see this trend prevalent even in senior citizens. I'm impressed - as Ali G would say, "Respect!"

3. Downtown San Diego probably has more bums per capita than another place I've ever been to. I guess if I was a bum, I'd probably make San Diego my home as well, but it is pretty staggering. The guy who stocks the bread shelf at Ralph's downtown warned me to not walk too far from shopping cart (where my purse was stationed) because bums are keeping an eye open for silly transplants like me that wander too far away from their valuables...

Slowly Creeping Back Into Shape

Baby steps. Today's run was much easier than any of last week's and the time was respectable. I went out this morning around 9am for a 5 mile goal pace run and finished it in 42:40, or an 8:32/mile pace. So, not yet down to 8:00/miles, but slowly creeping closer.

The run from my apartment down to Embarcadero and along the water is amazing. Even if the weather does creep up into the low to mid-80s, the nice breeze off the water keep things pretty cool and there are many great sights to see. I definitely miss running across the bridges to and from Kentucky but I think I can get used to these new running routes...

My New Favorite Website

Although I've been aware of it for a while, I had not previously been a big user of Pandora Radio (www.pandora.com). However, over the past couple of days, I've spent a good bit of time on the site listening to new tunes.

If you're not familiar with Pandora, you can type in your favorite artist or song and it will stream other similar music for FREE (and it plays the entire songs). You can then choose which songs you like and don't like so it will likely choose music closer to your taste in the future.

It's a great tool for discovering new music. I'm currently listening to some "Vampire Weekend Radio,"which includes a song from the new Death Cab for Cutie CD "Narrow Stairs" (which ironically I just purchased on iTunes yesterday). Good stuff.

One of the best movies I've seen in a long time...

...is "Dark Knight." I don't typically have much interest in superhero movies but I joined a couple of friends last night for this flick and was extremely pleased. Heath Ledger, Christian Bale and Michael Caine did not disappoint. Heath Ledger was very chilling and very dark (definitely not a movie for kids) and in addition to having great special effects, it's actually one of those movies that makes you think about it for a while after you leave the theater.

If you haven't checked it out yet, I strongly suggest you do - you won't be disappointed!

August 9th is a very special day...

...because it is Leslie Gaston's birthday! For those of you who know Leslie - give her a shout out. She is creeping closing to 30 (like yours truly) and one of the best friends a girl could ask for. I am guessing she is probably out on the town now with her finance David. Enjoy, you two!

On the Beauty of 10th and J Street

I officially ventured out for my first night on the town in San Diego last evening with my very cool co-worker Judy. We had dinner and a drink at a very cool spot called Basic Pizza (which actually has a fantastic "Basic Salad" as well). Great spot for food - their thin crust pizza is amazing - and quite a happening social spot as well. Even more exciting - less than a block from good old 321 10th Ave., my new home.

I also realized last night that there are at least four great spots - two of which we hit up last night, Basic Pizza and The Corner - within a block of my new place. Plus, the "It's A Grind" coffee shop is also just up the street. A very nice set up indeed!

The Long Run

I barely made it through my eight mile run this morning. I drove over to Coronado and ran along the beaches there. Beautiful view, great weather, still need work on the endurance. I pushed through and made the eight miles at a 9:00/mile+ pace. Still lots of work to do.

Yesterday was a 40 minute interval workout on the elliptical followed by some weight lifting and abs. Starting to get back in the swing of things in workout world...

Food for Thought

One of the most exciting things about moving to a new place is finding your new favorite eateries. Conversely, moving anxiety can be heightened when you realize you will no longer be right down the street from your favorite spots.

Every time I visit Chapel Hill, I make an effort to have the Oreo cookie yogurt at Yogurt Pump, a piece of pizza at Pepper's and the whole wheat fettuccine at 411 West. In Cincinnati, I will NOT be missing the "Skyline Chili" on every other corner. However, there are some great places I was sad to move away from. In fact, the week I left the 'Nati, I was able to visit three great spots that were all new to me - Scotti's, a great (and divey) Italian spot downtown; Riverside - a Korean restaurant in Covington with amazing beef; and Chalk Food + Wine, one of Jean Robert's places in Covington (right next to Greenup Cafe on Greenup Street). My friend Linda and I shared this amazing S'mores dessert at Chalk that I think was one of the best desserts I've ever had.

My most missed meals in Cincinnati include: Mahi mahi tacos with chips and guac at Nada, the Godzilla burger at Habit's, the honeybee roll at Teak Thai (conveniently located just up the street from my old place), the peppercorn ranch salad and Edgar Allan Poe pizza at Dewey's, the Aztec at The Echo in Hyde Park, and the Buckeye Blitz and raspberry chip ice cream at Graeter's.

Fortunately, I've already had some outstanding food in the greater San Diego area. Favorites thus far include the hardwood smoked bacon, avocado, onion & swiss farm scramble at Hash House a go go (www.hashhouseagogo.com) in Hillcrest, the eggplant parmesan at Filippi's Pizza Grotto (www.realcheesepizza.com) in Little Italy, Bernadino's Huevos Rancheros at Americana (www.americanarestaurant.com) in Del Mar and the taco salad (although it's called something different) at Fidel's Little Mexico in Solana Beach. If only there were a Yogurt Pump here, I think I'd be all set...

Training for the Half

Training has started out strong. Tuesday I ran five miles along the beach in Del Mar and then did a little hike on the cliffs. Pretty amazing scenery but my running left a little to be desired, as I was strolling along at about a 9:00/mile pace.

Wednesday I boldly ventured back into the world of intervals. I rolled up to the beach at Cardiff-by-the-Sea and did a mile warm up run. I had the intention of doing about five 800s but after the first one realized I should start out with 400s. So all in, I ran an 800 followed by 8 400s. The beach shredded my legs and my last two intervals were quite slow but I made it.

Thursday a did a tempo run. I ran a warm up mile at about a 9:20/mile pace and then ran three miles at about 8:40/mile. I walked for half a mile and then did a mile cool down jog. The time on the tempo needs to come down to about 8:15-8:20/mile. Still have some work to do!

San Diego…a city discovered by the Germans

In case you didn’t know, San Diego is actually German for – well – check out the attached link for one of my favorite movie discussions of all times from Wikiquote (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Anchorman):

Ron Burgundy: Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means "a whale's vagina".
Veronica Corningstone: ...No, there's no way that's correct.
Ron Burgundy: I'm sorry, I was trying to impress you. I don't know what it means. I'll be honest, I don't think anyone knows what it means anymore. Scholars maintain that the translation was lost hundreds of years ago.
Veronica Corningstone: Doesn't it mean "Saint Diego"?
Ron Burgundy: No. No.
Veronica Corningstone: No, that's - that's what it means. Really.
Ron Burgundy: Agree to disagree.

For those of you crazy kids who think San Diego is Spanish for “Saint Diego,” we’ll have to “agree to disagree.”

The Latest Running Challenge…

I figured since I am moving out to California, I would move up the next big race and start getting back in shape. As Will Ferrell said in Anchorman, “When in Rome…”

Race date = November 16th. I am running the Silver Strand Half Marathon (http://www.kozenterprises.com/Running/halfdf84.htm) from Coronado to Imperial Beach. Consider this an open invitation for any friends to come join me in this race.

More blogging about race training to come, but I did have a nice little run on Sunday, my last day in Cincinnati. A five-mile trot down at Lunken Airfield at about an 8:32/mile pace. Not too shabby. I think I was just trying to keep up with KP for the first three miles (and hit the wall around the four mile mark – still lots of work to do).

Stretch goal pace = 8:00/mile pace. En route to qualifying for Boston (eventually). Now that I will be living in a climate with an average high temperature year round of 65-77 degrees F, there are no excuses.