Saturday, September 15, 2012
9 Miles and 2 Movies
Despite close to 90 degree temps this morning, we ran 9 miles, downing water and gatorade like it was going out of style. It has been a uniquely warm summer so to beat the heat we had plans to see The Words with Bradley Cooper. We had high hopes for this one, but the movie left us feeling blah-a total flop. After grabbing a bite, with the heat now at an all time high, we decided to take refuge in another movie, this time a spontaneous pick - Arbitrage, a wall street thriller starring Richard Gere. Thumbs up and way up. It kept us on the edge of our seat the entire time. It's been a great weekend that started with a Friday night walk in Encinitas where we walked by a food truck shindig with bizarre offerings like kangaroo hot dogs and chocolate covered bacon. We passed on the eclectic faire and chose to mozy onto an amazing sunset by the cliff's of Swami's beach.
Monday, September 10, 2012
8 miles and Mom's Birthday on the Bay
Even with our busy schedules, we ran 8 mi before flying to SF for my mom's Birthday on the Bay - a Hornblower Dinner Cruise. My mom met us at the airport, and we enjoyed lunch by the water at the Elephant Bar. Before we knew it, it was a time to get ready and head to Pier 3. Thankfully everyone (with a few that kept me holding my breath until the end) arrived before we set sail. With champagne in hand, we took in gorgeous views of Marin, the Golden Gate and Bay Bridge, and an eerie view of Alcatraz at night. We danced for hours - mom included! The food, music, ambiance made for a memorable evening, one that will be talked about for years to come. Guests were surprised with a brioche loaf from 85 Degrees in a bright yellow gift bag to take home. My brother played photographer for the evening. We enjoyed lunch with dad on Sunday and then off to the airport. Time flies when you're having fun. To view more photos, visit the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151263975549050.526046.792424049&type=1&l=fd613dede7
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151263975549050.526046.792424049&type=1&l=fd613dede7
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| Aww...Prom Pic |
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| Left to Right, Sandra (Friend), Me, Karen (Aunt), Barbara (Mom), Michelle (Sister In-Law), Tina (Aunt), Heidi (Friend) |
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| Left to Right, Eddie, Neil (Brother), Barbara (Mom), Pat (Uncle), Ray (Uncle), Gilbert (Cousin) |
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| All Together Now |
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| Left to Right - Eddie, Sandra (Friend), Barbara (Mom), Pat (Uncle), Karen (Aunt), Gilbert (Cousin) |
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Half Way There - 7 miles
We went to Chinatown yesterday, a new restaurant for us. I had read about this place on Yelp, which has both an Italian and Chinese menu. Could any place that has both types of food do justice to any one cuisine? We didn't try the Italian food, but we did have spicy wontons, broccoli and beef and chicken with mushrooms. The food was good and CHEAP, $6.95 for a combo meal. We walked out feeling like we got away with something.
We got an early start at 7:30a. While it was cool at 3.5mi, the heat in the second half made things tough. We trudged on and finished drenched in sweat. High fives all around. Yeah! 3 day holiday! We're off to see Les Miserables today. Tomorrow, we're giving away old clothes and watching a movie. I recently discovered the wonders of the crock pot. With a successful pot roast under my belt, I'm planning on ginger chicken drumsticks as part of a new Sunday Supper ritual. Monday - a trip to Irvine to visit a popular bakery called 85 degrees. If it sounds like I blog a lot about food, it's because the benefits of training for a half marathon is that food just tastes better! Ok...maybe we just like food.
We got an early start at 7:30a. While it was cool at 3.5mi, the heat in the second half made things tough. We trudged on and finished drenched in sweat. High fives all around. Yeah! 3 day holiday! We're off to see Les Miserables today. Tomorrow, we're giving away old clothes and watching a movie. I recently discovered the wonders of the crock pot. With a successful pot roast under my belt, I'm planning on ginger chicken drumsticks as part of a new Sunday Supper ritual. Monday - a trip to Irvine to visit a popular bakery called 85 degrees. If it sounds like I blog a lot about food, it's because the benefits of training for a half marathon is that food just tastes better! Ok...maybe we just like food.
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| Waiting in line at 85 Degrees - yes, it's that good
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Saturday, August 18, 2012
Hot and Hotter
8am 80 degrees. Needless to say, it was a tough 4.5 miles. It felt like it was harder than a half marathon. Temps rose to 89 degrees during the day, so maybe it was fortunate that our baseball game was changed to 5:30p instead of 1p. We took refuge at the movie theatre, watching The Campaign - a so-so comedy, but the air conditioning was worth it. Afterwards, we headed to Petco Park for the Giants/Padres game. Hope it gets cooler soon!
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| Glad we're in the shade |
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| Great view from our seats |
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Catalina Island
For my 34th birthday, Eddie planned a trip to Catalina Island. We started our day with a 6 mi 'ish run. A 1.5 hr drive and 1.2 hr ferry ride later, we arrived at our quaint bed and breakfast, the Turner Inn. Complete with a grand piano. Unfortunately, our casino tour was cancelled, but we were still able to go on our Extreme Catalina Tour, which consisted of a hummer ride through back roads and hills. Our guide, Bear (yes, this is his real name) kept us laughing with his jokes, and it was a nice ending to the day with a dinner at Ning's - leave it to us to find a Chinese restaurant on an island. Succumbing to the heat and more than a slight food coma, we trudged back to to the comfort of air conditioning. We welcomed the day with breakfast at the Pancake Cottage and a quiet walk along the water. Off to the ferry, but this time - we scored seats on the top deck and took in dolphin sightings and the fresh ocean air.
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| The Turner Inn |
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| Doh a deer, a female male deer...
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| Nice to take a break from the bumpy ride |
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| Bye Catalina - we had a wonderful time |
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Training Begins
The kick-off of our official running group was Saturday. While
Eddie will say we did 4.5 miles - I like to round up and say we ran about 5. It
was a perfect day for a run, overcast and slightly windy along the coast. To
ensure we stay on track - this is our ambitious schedule.
Week #
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Starting Date
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Sat
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1
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7/28/2012
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1 mile
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2
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8/4/2012
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5 miles
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3
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8/11/2012
|
6 miles
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4
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8/18/2012
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7 miles
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5
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8/25/2012
|
8 miles
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6
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9/1/2012
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9 miles
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7
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9/8/2012
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10 miles
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8
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9/15/2012
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11 miles
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9
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9/22/2012
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12 miles
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10
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9/29/2012
|
6 miles
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11
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10/7/2012
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Half
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12
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10/13/2012
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Break or
7 miles
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Day at the Races
We enjoyed Gourmet Food Truck Day at the Races on a sunny Saturday. While we scored with the food, noshing on a taco, rice bowl, and sliders, we flopped when it came to picking horses. In the spirit of being at the track, I donned a black hat and Eddie sported a polo. We also learned that in the future we need to buy tickets to ensure we have assigned seats or risk being asked to move. Better luck next time, but we still had a great time.
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| Del Mar Race Track |