Wine, Dine and Random Dozen

Yesterday was a quiet day for moi in the San Francisco Bay area.  Feeling overly "creaky" from the previous day's hike I started my day with a hearty breakfast and a load of laundry.  Oooh... Exciting... I know!

After the laundry was dry and pressed (gotta love cotton blouses) and a little chat time online with my Buddy, Tammy, the time was noon and I decided to get outside and enjoy the California sunshine.  I walked up and down the path along the bayfront by the hotel and then sat to watch the planes take off and land over at SFO.  Around 2pm I came back inside and went for a quick hot tub (hoping to ease the tired muscles) and shower, in preparation of our dinner out with Hubby's clients.

The clients took us to a brand new Italian restaurant in downtown San Mateo, Osteria Coppa.  It was great food but even better company.  I love coming on this trip with Hubby because these clients are so warm and inviting and have become like family to us.  I love that their spouses come along to dinner and there is no "shop talk", just friendship talk.  On our last visit, in December, one of the couples gave us their guest passes to the Monterey Aquarium to use.  It was beyond generous and such a great time.  At dinner last night, one of the couples who used to live in San Diego, gave us some great pointers on what we should plan to do while there and where to eat.  Here's a pic from dinner last night:

Hubby of course started back to work when we returned to the hotel after dinner, while I watched t.v. and gathered information for our arrival (and subsequent touring) in LA.

This morning I awoke with a bit of a stiff neck/shoulder and am hoping that it will work itself out.  I'm sure with all that SF walking I've thrown my back out a bit.  I may have to drug up a bit but I won't let it stop us from the enjoying the rest of our trip.  While Hubby returned to the office to present his report to his clients, I'm back here packing up and of course blogging.

Before I head off to the airport, I want to leave you with this week's Random Dozen, thanks to Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee blog:




1. What insect are you most afraid of? Feel free to post a picture.  Do I seriously have to choose just one?  I'm a total girly-girl and horrifically afraid of most insects ~ particularly those that move quickly (cockroaches, centipedes, earwigs, to name a few)

2. What is the greenest/most organic thing about you or that you do? Hmm... I try to always use my "green" grocery bags; I use a compost bucket for compostables; I recycle most of my other stuff (cardboard, plastics, etc).  I'm not super great at it, but am trying.

3. Tell me about a recurring dream that haunts you.  I've had a dream where I lose my teeth often, although I haven't had that in a long while.

4. Have you ever missed a flight? What were the circumstances?  A couple years ago Hubby and I missed my first flight.  We got to the airport in time, but Hubby had to renew his work visa and they kept us so long that our direct flight to Dallas-Fort Worth left without us.  We had to take a connecting flight from Toronto to Denver (where Hubby's back got delayed) and Denver to DFW.  It was such a stressful day, especially because we had hoped to meet up with one of my dear online friends in Dallas, and meet her new Hubby. 

5. What do you consider your best feature?  Man... this is hard.  There are SO many - ha ha.  Just kidding.  Physical feature... my feet?  Personality feature... my easy-going nature or sense of humor.  I really don't know ... someone else can answer this better I think.

6. What was the last concert you went to?  Couple years ago Hubby and I went to see Brad Paisley/Dierks Bentley/Crystal Shawanda with our good friends Andrew & Amy.  It was a blast!

7. Describe the most embarrassing church moment you ever experienced.  This one is easy!  When I was a teenager, my BFF and I were sitting in the church balcony, along with two boys (we liked) and two other girls sitting behind us.  The other girls behind us were playing cards and "smoking" Popeye cigarettes (you know those candy sticks... not real cigarettes).  PA and I were probably googly eyeing with the boys but were pretty well behaved (as well as teenagers can be in church with no adults around).  Anyhoo... the Pastor, in the middle of the service says from the pulpit, "Can someone please go up in the balcony with those young people".  Oops... apparently we were disruptive!  We didn't like our pastor for the longest time after that, even though in hindsight he was a fabulous man and was correct in what he did!

8. Are you a whistler, hummer or singer?  Singer... never could whistle and humming... tickles the lips too much - lol

9. George Washington Carver said, "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." What is God saying to you through nature today, or this very minute?  I love spending time with God in nature.  At this time, I am enjoying standing at the balcony door overlooking the SF Bay.  Looking across at the majestic mountains, the beautiful water I am in awe of God's creativity.  This part of North America (Northern California) has such different beauty than I see at home that it awes me to sit and ponder it's beauty.

10. On September, 1, 1752, the Liberty Bell arrived in Philadelphia. What memorable event will take place in your life on September 1, 2010?  On Sept 1, 2010 the memorable event in my life is my first ever flight to Los Angeles, seeing it from the air and heading to Hollywood.

11. Taco Bell or the Liberty Bell? (You must choose.)  Liberty Bell... it means travel and history.  Two of my most favorite things!

12. Do you believe men and women can have purely platonic friendships?  Did you see When Harry Met Sally?  I think some people can have platonic friendships but I always think that it can be very dangerous territory because it can open a door to something that could be disastrous if either party is married or in a committed relationship.  Like Harry said, "Men and women can't be friends because sex always gets in the way".


So... there you have it... your turn!  Head over to Linda's and play too!  See you next time from Hollywood!