Exploring Vashon Island - 2/18/09

Re-Arranging Living Room

Onto yet more condo improvement projects. Today, with the help of my friend Whitney, I moved the couch, TV console and chairs around. It really helps open up the room. I still need to get rid of some clutter. The two brown chairs I have will eventually be replaced by just one chair. Also need to get rid of my old night stand that is lurking in the corner (anyone need a nightstand??). Am on the hunt for just-the-right side table to go with whatever new chair I find. Also on the hunt for some new throw pillows, and need to find a new home for my stereo. Also had the idea of perhaps continuing the grey-green color in the living room to the wall where my desk/bookcase is. I feel lazy - not wanting to pull all the stuff away from the wall. Ah... the projects never end....

P.S. for those who don't know me well, that big pile of toys is for my dog :-)

The New and Improved Closet

Ah, after a year, here it is - my dream closet, from California Closets. Ok, actually, my dream closet involves an entire bedroom sized room, but that is for the future. For now, this is the dream condo-closet. Behold the transformation from today thru a month ago when things were getting a little bad:

Vancouver BC weekend rocked!!

So, I went up to Vancouver BC this past weekend to spend time with my dear old friend, AND doubles tennis partner, Lola Tsai. Lola went to Univ of British Columbia back in the '90's, but we lost touch. Then she went back to her native Taiwan for 8 yrs (I had no idea). Thanks to the MAGIC of Facebook, we found each other last spring. Whew, thank god, as I had been wondering where in the hell she had gone to. After spending time together last July in PDX, we agreed that I would come to Van BC soon. I'm so glad this trip worked out, and am looking forward to going back later this year. Not only is Lola there, but also some very very good shopping on Robson Street! :-) Zara and Holt Renfrew were big highlights - oh how I loved looking at shoes at Holt - Jimmy Choo's, Versace, Prada, Tory Burch, Gucci, Manolo and Christian Louboutin. Of course, even with the exchange rate being good, cheaper for ML... alas, still out of my reach. Lola and I spent time checking out her neighborhood, Kitsliano, as well as the Broadway shopping area, and Granville street. Another highlight was a great, comfy dinner at Earl's, a Vancouver mainstay with several locations. On Sunday, we spent several hours at Granville Island Public Market, which is pretty similar to Pike Place Market, across the water from downtown, and laid out a bit differently. My final stop of the trip was the excellent Peace Arch Duty Free store. I've been here before, but they must have remodeled in the past 6 yrs as it was WAY nicer than I remember - I scored some cheap Absolut Peach vodka, some Patron Silver Tequila, a t-shirt for Rob and a cool shot glass that was on sale.

Out at Black Frog Pub w/ Lola and her "helpful" friend Dennis

Me and Lola enjoying some margaritas....

View of downtown from the Burrard Street Bridge, which we walked across from her neighborhood to downtown

This bldg is the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre - amazing architecture

These houses caught my eye... so quaint, tucked into so many modern highrises

Here is a condo bldg I really loved while walking across Burrard St Bridge

Here I am, in 0 degree C weather (that's 32 to us American's) with downtown in the background from Granville St Public Market

Chinese New Year week in Vancouver. This is a troupe from Hong Kong performing. I loved it! A bunch of young kids...

Here I am again, in front of the Burrard St Bridge. This is the one Lola and I walked across to go to downtown

Vonna's Birthday Night Out - Seattle

Here we are all out for Vonna's birthday, Jan 23rd. We started out for dinner at Steelhead Diner, near Pike Place Market. For some reason, no pics were taken there, so Naarah is missing here. Too bad, as her outfit was very cool and fun, plus some excellent shoes as always. The rest of us were dropped off in Belltown for a show at the Jewel Box Theater. This show was sold out (we had no clue), so off to Tavolta across the street for a drink. While there, our server told us about the Can Can in Pike Place for a cabaret show - awesome! We are there!! So that is where the night took us. Such an interesting/different experience. Perfect!

Vonna and Chelsea mimicking my posing from earlier - apparently I am a poser? No?

The ML pose....

Jen, ML and birthday girl Vonna

Jen and Vonna

Vonna and her hubby Mike - from the beginning of the night

Chelsea and Vonna - The Can Can, Seattle

Me and Jen - The Can Can, Seattle

Another Chelsea and Vonna CRAZY pic - The Can Can, Seattle

Here I am again, posing, with a drink... with Jen...

Hmmmm.... lots of good drinks on this menu....what will I choose??