Marylyn's Favorite Things

2011-09-06T22:35:00.001-07:00

RAVE!! Just about 2 weeks now until my brother's wedding!

2011-06-02T01:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, June 18th is the big day, so two weeks from tomorrow I am off to my hometown to celebrate with my family. We are all so excited! I could not be more happier for my brother and SIL, Suzanne!

Another recent milestone for my brother was his 30th birthday on May 18th. Not that I'm super old, but gosh, it sure sounded weird to say my brother is 30. He will always be my little baby bro - I see him like that, and yet see him as the man he has become. I'm so proud, and so happy he has found a wife and partner who loves him so much. I'm excited to see what life brings them and wish them much blessings!!!

CA Trip: Napa Valley, May 1, 2011

2011-05-16T23:49:00.000-07:00

Lunch @ Mustard's Grill, Napa

Another day of gorgeous weather in CA!

Arriving at Sterling Vineyards

getting ready to board the tram up to the tasting rooms, 300 feet up!

Renata on the tram

View from the tram

beginning of self-guided tour

patio at Sterling. 80 degree day. Didn't want to leave!!

Tasting patio at Mumm Napa. Mumm does sparkling wine exclusively.

Ahhhh, do we really have to go back to Seattle?

@ Mumm Napa, in Napa

CA Trip: San Francisco, April 30, 2011 - night time

2011-05-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

main bedroom of our hotel, Hotel Diva

Diva on the pillows!

me and my very good friend, Stephanie. We both worked for AIG VALIC (She still does), and she was living outside of Boston when I was. This dinner was the first time we'd seen each other in 5 yrs!!

tuna tartare @ Michael Mina in San Fran. Amazing splurge dinner

my entree - trout done two ways. Poached and crisy skin side down. the side was a fava been thing that was very good

Renata and Aydan enjoying Michael Mina

Here we are at a champagne lounge, called The Bubble Lounge. Super cool place!

Bubble Lounge, San Fran

Cheers!! Enjoying our champagne!

CA Trip: San Francisco, April 30, 2011 - day time

2011-05-16T23:19:00.000-07:00

our hotel, Hotel Diva on Geary Street. Around the corner from the St. Francis Hotel

Union Square, San Fran

World Famous St. Francis Hotel, which survived the 1906 earthquake

Huge palm trees in Union Square

Chinatown

Transamerica Building, view from North Beach neighborhood

St Francis of Assisi Chruch, est. 1849! This was a beautiful church!!

North Beach, the Italian neighborhood of San Fran. I really loved this area. So many restaurants that smelled heavenly

I love the townhouse architecture along the way to Fisherman's Wharf

Passed by this place. Gotta try it next time. Oldest Italian restaurant in America? yes please!

World Famous Fisherman's Wharf. Definitely even more touristy than our waterfront in Seattle

had lunch outside at this place. Really good grilled cheese sandwich filled with crab! YUM

Renata and I at lunch

Lined up for the cable car, looking back at the Golden Gate Bridge

Aydan and Renata on the cable car

Me and Aydan. My first ride on the cable car

CA Trip: Rocklin, Tres Agaves, April 29, 2011

2011-05-16T22:57:00.000-07:00

Tres Agaves is a local place in Rocklin, CA, suburb of Sacramento. Pitchers of margaritas at happy hour!

Aydan's Ahi Tuna salad

CA Trip: Sacramento and Rocklin, CA, April 28-29,2011

2011-05-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to trusty Southwest Airlines, Aydan and I arrived in Sacramento safely

Nice local white wine for dinner Thursday night

Dinner at Chef's Table, (L to R): Amy, Tej, Megan, ML, Renata and Aydan

Cheers!!! Sooo happy to be on vacation in the CA sun

Pesto fries w/ fresh cheese

Amazing shrimp n grits

This dessert had crumbled bacon on it.

Old Town Sac, circa 1850's

Lunch @ this great place in Old Town Sac called Ten 22 - one of the best outdoor dining patios I've been to

Got a lot of sun during this lunch

We could not resist the silly Old Time photo shoot. It was SO fun!!

Rob's in Alaska, April-Sept 2011

2011-05-16T22:39:00.000-07:00

Rob is up in Alaska for several months, working the cruise ship tour season for a company called Temsco. Although being apart for about 6 months is hard, this is a really great opportunity for his career, so he had to take it. He was initally in Ketchikan for training, and is now in Juneau getting ready for the season. Here are a few pictures he's sent so far. Stay tuned for more updates and hopefully more amazing pictures.

Brunch w/ Roberta, Lisa, Bridget and Roz

2011-04-24T22:17:00.000-07:00

Self Portrait in my kitchen

Lisa and Roz deep in conversation

Roberta and Roz also in deep conversation

Roberta, Roz and Lisa

Roberta, Me, Roz and Lisa

Bridget was our short order cook of the day!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

2011-04-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

New Pics of sweet Liam - in his uncle's rock garden

2011-03-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

Stella & Dot Jewelry

2011-03-12T23:58:00.000-08:00

Back in the fall of 2010, my good friend Renata turned me onto this jewelry line. She discovered it, hosted a trunk show at her house, and then became a stylist. I, in turn, had her come up to Seattle from Rocklin, CA, for a successful trunk show at my house, and now we are both hooked!
I think this line is beautiful, fun and priced right - not too low and not too high. There really is something for every budget. Currently, my new fav piece is the Wishing Nugget Bracelet - I am very much looking forward to pairing it with spring clothes, as this Seattle gal is very sick of the winter weather.
Anyone interetsed., please check out Renata's Stella and Dot page and put in an order - you will not be disappointed in the quality.

New videos of my nephew Liam - walking!!

2011-02-25T09:02:00.000-08:00

PDX Area Fav Things: Nordies tax-free shopping, The Nines Hotel and Meriwether's Restaurant

2011-02-22T23:31:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, I spent Sunday in Portland, OR with my family. I set up a personal stylist appointment at Nordstrom downtown, for my mom and I to find dresses for my brother's wedding in June.
It was SUCH a good experience and so fun. Both of us found dresses, shoes, etc... We can cross this off our wedding "to do" list. I do need a few alterations, but I think my mom is good to go. I'm so happy my mom had this special personal shopping experience.
After our appointment, we met my good friend and sorority sister, Christina Mueller, at The Nines hotel for a drink and catching up. Her and I stay close via text/phone/email, but sadly hadn't seen each other in like 3 years. She is about to move with her hubby to Maine for 3 years - he is a pilot with our Customs and Border Patrol. Hopefully she will be able to visit me in Seattle this spring.
Next we headed to Meriwether's to exchange cars, and meet up with my brother, Suzanne and her twin, Jen. So much fun!! My dad should have had fun - he was at the head of a table full of loud women! HA LOL Jen and I were able to hammer out some possible bachelorette weekend dates and ideas, so things are finally starting to come together for this wedding. Being the uber-planner I am, this makes ML happy!

Garrett Morgan - Sacramento area musician and good friend

2011-02-12T00:52:00.000-08:00

Please follow up and coming Sacramento area musician, Garrett Morgan, who is a good friend of mine.
http://www.reverbnation.com/garrettmorgan?kick=351466

Airfield Estates Winery

2011-02-11T18:52:00.000-08:00

One of my very favorite wineries is Airfield Estates from here in Washington. I discovered them when my friend, Renata, and I went to a wine event in 2008 at Chateau Ste Michelle featuring wines from all over WA. I tasted their unoaked chardonnay, and OMG - it is SO good! Bought a few bottles, and from there, fell in love with these wines. I visited their tasting room in Prosser, WA in 2009 and joined the wine club after that. In April 2010 their Woodinville tasting room opened up, so very happy to have them close to me here.
Their Bombshell blend and Tempranillo are two of my favorite reds.... ENJOY!!

RAVE! ML's Favorite Things... kind of like Oprah's Favorite Things

2011-02-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

Sooo,
Not usually this huge Oprah person, but considering this is the last season, I'm kind of loving her final topics/guests. Also, on her new network, OWN, which I get up here in Seattle on Comast 220, there are some cool shows, including her behind the scenes show...into how it is all made. I had no idea she has 400 producers - not surprising - just didn't know. Those folks have had an amazing career with her, I wish them the best!!
Inspiried by Oprah's Favorite Things, I think this blog will do a ML's Favorite Things post at least once a month. I do have my shoe blog, but those who know me, know I love more than just shoes! HA
If Oprah can put her "O" stamp of approval on consumer items, why can't ML! Maybe I'll whittle myself down to only one blog inspired by my fav things - shoes, news stories, people, products, etc..

Therefore, please welcome my first Favorite Thing: Morrocon Oil Style products!!! YEAH!! Drumroll!!
Folks, this ain't a cheap line. I'll break it down... but such quality. I have the Glimmer Shine Spray and it's lastest me 6 months! Worth every penny!!

Cut and Color tomorow!!

2011-02-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

OMG - I must say, I am sooo happy to get my hair color/cut tomorrow. Now that I'm growing my hair back out, it hasn't been cut in 2 appts, so meaning 16 weeks. ugh!! It's ratty, split ends, no style, etc...BUT, longer, which was the point! My color is fab, but shit, it's just in a pony tail these days. Gross!!
My stylist, Laura, works out of Salon Julien, here in WS. Laura really is the best! Did her time with the best in the biz, went out on her own, and knows her work. No need to over charge for her services, no need to put on airs, etc... I love my time with her, I look forward to it! She is also a makeup artist, formally with Chanel and La Prairie. Knows her stuff! And, as a bonus, her hubby is in the kick ass local band, Kandi Coded!
Anyone needed a good stylist, please call me and I'll hook you up with Laura - you will not be disappointed!

Lisa's 45th Birthday... Columbia City...

2011-02-01T23:58:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, Lisa Taylor, was 45 in January. To add to the month-long celebrations, two of us were able to meet up with her in Columbia City (a Seattle neighborhood) - a few of the group were sick with the flu - Lisa and I hit up Verve Wine Bar for a drink, then we met Nga at Spice Room for a Thai feast. It was such great food, and even better company!! Happy Birthday Lisa!!!

Roberta's 50's themed 50th Birthday Party.... And other January Girls

2011-02-01T23:00:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, Roberta Miner, was 50 years old this past month. Jan 12th to be exact. Yet another Capricorn got a year older....Roberta booked the private room at a joint near her place, Del Rey, on Sat Jan 15th. OMG! What a fun party! It was supposed to be 1950's theme, but apparently only her, Lisa and I got that memo?! I went for it, combining my own clothes with some Party City and Jo-Ann Fabric finds... I think the pics speak for themsleves! HA No one else got the memo the 3 of us did, but that was fine. I had SO much fun with it!!
The weekend earlier was my b'day celebration (36th) on Cap Hill, and then Jan 22nd we celebrated Lisa's (45th) in Columbia City at Verve Wine Bar and then Spice Room Thai. Wonderful night!!
Us self-dubbed "January Girl's" try to celebrate once a month and it's looking like our next venture will be Feb 9th - Pics to come!!

Roberta's 50's themed 50th Birthday Party - Pics

2011-02-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

Gift Table

Me and Bridget (my neighbor from the Cap Hill apartment)

Me and local mystery author, Kevin O'Brien

january Birthday Girls, Lisa and Roberta

Gifts for us January Girls!

Lisa

me and Roberta

party goers dancing to 50's beats

me... posting as usual! HA

Whoo hoo!! Roberta!!

again, me posing

January Girl sandwich!

Happy Birthday Roberta!!

HUGE RAVE: William Declan Mahoney Turns 1!!

2011-02-01T11:36:00.000-08:00

Big News!! My sweet little nephew, Liam, is now 1, as of Jan 14th! OMG - where the hell did a year go? God, life just flies by us, doesn't it? Well, here he is, in all his sweet glory, hamming it up for the camera! ENJOY!!
(P.S., I think he belongs in a J. Crew catalog.. I know that sounds biased, but, honestly, he does! Those eyes can sell clothes!)....

I soooo see my brother Colin here... :-)

Oh hey, my Aunt Marylyn gave me this sweatshirt for Christmas...

Dear UofO, So Sorry to hear of your loss

2011-01-11T00:41:00.000-08:00

Boy... U of O.. that was a sucky way to end.. on a field goal..
War Eagles beat you!! But hey, many of us OSU die hards are not shedding any tears. Better luck next time. Oh, and next time, consult your uniform designer once more before taking the field. Neon green socks? Weird textured helmets? Feathers on your shoulders? Odd indeed...

My Birthday Night Out

2011-01-11T00:15:00.000-08:00

Although my birthday was Monday, Jan 3rd, it was easier to plan a night out for the 8th, b/c the previous Saturday would likely have resulted in hungover friends, or friends who were burnt out from the holidays. So, I was happy to have the 7 day break.
A group of us headed to Cuscina Spinasse in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle. This little, and I mean tiny, restaurant is just blocks from my old apartment on Cap Hill. As much as I love West Seattle, I do really love my old 'hood of Cap Hill.
The food was amazing, excellent service, and I would for sure go back!!
The plan was to go to my fav wine bar, Poco Wine Room, but they were PACKED when we got there. Good for them, sad for us. We walked back over to the area Spinasse is in to try another tiny bar, Meza. They were packed as well. Sadly, Aydan and her lovely mom were tired and wanted to head home.
I love them for coming out to celebrate and so much look forward to getting to know her mom more in the next few months.
Me, Lisa, Lori and Susan stayed at Meza for some Sangria and a birthday dessert. One fun unexpected thing of the night was that Meza is so tiny, the entire restaurant sang Happy Birthday to me! HAAA! Made my night!
It was a wonderful night and I appreciate those who made it out. I have several close friends who had confilcts and could not make it, and I will celebrate with them soon! Enjoy the pics to follow this post!

2011 - a Year of Highlights coming up

2011-01-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

This is is going to be good!!! I am dertermined to make it so.   Last year had highlights, yet had some VERY low lights, esp the loss of our sweet girl Janni...

2011 brings new promise. My nephew is turning 1 on Jan 14th, and his dad (my brother) will be 26! Very exciting stuff! My aunt will be having a birthday on Jan 15th, but her age is now disclosed. It's 29!
January 15th brings the celebration of my wonderful friend Roberta's 50th Birthday! It's a 50's sock hop themed party w/ a DJ, Food, Cocktails and Fab people, so I'm excited. I've got an outfit in the works, so of course, pics to follow!
The following Saturday is our friend Lisa's birthday - dinner and drinks at a yet to be determined fab location.
And then the following week AFTER that is yet another wonderful friend's birthday, Vonna Wright!! YEAH!    January is really a celebration!!!

Early February I am off to Portland to shop with my mom for wedding attire for my brother's wedding. Hoping to drop a few pounds by then, but with these January Bithday's, do not see that happening.
I think I know what I have in mind for myself, yet my mom is open to anything, so we are checking all over for possibilities. Who know, maybe we both will have our dresses handmade!   This same weekend we will do a family dinner to celebrate the new year and my birthday. Very much looking forward to being with my mom, dad, Joe and Suz.

Who knows what spring will bring. March 21, Rob will be 42. Not sure he wants me to call that out! HA
Basically I see a run up to my brother's wedding with lots of details coming together.
I for sure will be back to CA w/ my friends down there in early May. Then it will be bridal and bachelorette time for my soon to be new sister, Suzanne! Can't wait for the plans to come together!

Birthday Night Out Pics - Jan 8, 2011

2011-01-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

Aydan and her mom, who is visiting from Turkey for a few months

Aydan and I

Lisa and I

Susan (L) and Lori (R)

Ohhh, Lisa... enjoy that mystery cocktail! HA

The first sip!!!

Amazing Spinasse food!

Lemon Drop, to replace the cocktail Lisa was not enjoying....

My attempt at 3 drinks... white, red and a glass of sparking to celebrate!

Rabbit Meatballs! Delicious!

Aydan and I in our finest Stella & Dot jewelry!

location #2 of the night, Meza, next door to Spinasse. Sharing a pitcher of Sangria!! Yikes! Thank god I am cabbing it!

Birthday flan came with birthday wishes!

Finally, Lori, Susan and I our dancing for a bit to end the night in style!

Happy New Year from Seattle!!

2011-01-06T16:44:00.000-08:00

Opps! This is about 5 days late

Here's to a wonderful 2011 to everyone in my life!!

I have high hopes that this will be a better year than the last

Merry Christmas To All!!

2010-12-23T00:42:00.000-08:00

I wish all my family and friends a wonderful Christmas and holiday season. I hope the new year finds us all succesful, content, blessed, etc...

Not sure who really reads my blog anymore, as I post so much on Facebook these days. Thought I would do a bit of a 2010 re-cap. 2010 wasn't the greatest year. So many raves, yet some big rants as well. I guess that is life!
The year, as always started with my birthday. Another birthday, another year to reflect on. My birthday night out up on Cap Hill was really fun, and I appreciate those who made it out. Of course, here we go again in about 2 weeks! My nephew's birth was imminent Jan 2010, so that was very exciting. William Declan Mahoney was born on Jan 14th, which also happens to be his father's (my bro's) Colin's birthday. My first time becoming an aunt! FUN!!
March saw me back to CA as usual for some wine tasting in Calaveras Country, Murpheys, CA, and spending time with two of my best friends, Renata and Christina, as well as new friends made on this trip.
Our dog, Janni, started going a bit downhill in the spring. By this time she had, had bladder cancer for well over a year. We started to plan one last adventure up to Friday Harbor, WA for late May, but then it became apparent the trip would be too much for her, so I was back to CA instead. This time I was with Christina for a long Memorial Day Weekend up at her family house on Clear Lake in Lake County, CA. The sun was amazing, and it was one of the best vacations!
Sadly, upon my return, it was the beginning of Janni's last days. We said goodbye to our girl on June 9, 2010. Definitely a low point of 2010. Probably the lowest. We had her cremated, and begun plans to spread her ashes.
In the meantime, I was also working with my mom to plan my dad's 75th birthday party in Portland for family and friends later in June. That was a nice distraction from dwelling on the sadness of losing our dog.

Much of the summer was devoted to planning a hiking/camping/mountain climb trip to spread Janni's ashes.
The Olympic Mountains are due west of my condo, and we can see several amazing peaks from our living room. We decided on the one we were going to summit and went about planning a two day trip that would bring us to the top of Buckhorn Mountain, elv.6988!! We accomplished this on August 30th! (pics are here on the blog). It probably is the highlight of the year! We loved the Olympic area so much we headed back for a day hike up Elk Mtn, accessible from Hurricane Ridge. We plan to tackle a few more peaks in summer 2011 for sure!!

This fall was work, work, work. I went to the OSU-UW Game at Husky stadium, but we lost in triple overtime. Ugh... No big fall trips planned... The week of Thanksgiving we had a snow storm and freezing temps, so the city was a mess as usual.

Now, Christmas is upon us. I am off to Oregon on Friday to spend the hoilday with my parents. Then back north on the 26th to PDX to see my bro Joe and soon-to-be SIL, Suzanne,.. and last stop in Vancouver to see Julee and Dale, and my bro Kevin. Lots to squeeze in, in 3 days!!

Merry Christmas to Everyone!!

Rave: Holiday Happy Hour on Capitol Hill @ 22 Doors with Roberta, Lisa, Philese and Bridget

2010-12-23T00:08:00.000-08:00

Introducing our new dog......Rex!!

2010-12-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's true! We have a new dog, and his name is Rex. We really miss our little Janni sooo much, and definitely felt like we were not going to get a new dog for a very long time. I think we both had enjoyed the time we've had not being responsible for a dog (cats are sooo much easier), but several weeks ago, we both kind of started up with the "gosh, I sure miss having a dog"... or "hmmm, I know there is another special guy/girl out there who would love our home".... stuff like that started coming into our everyday conversations.
Then, about a week before Thanksgiving, sure enough, we start looking at Petfinder.com. And of course we are "just looking", but we all know how that goes! HA We were defintiely interested in another cattle dog, or cattle dog mix. We were interested in one guy name Bosco, who was a rescue up at PAWS in Lynnwood, but by the time Rob went to look, he was being adopted. We next went back to looking at Rex online, and thought we'd see what he was all about. He was at a rescue place over in Kirkland. He had been a stray in the Richland, WA area, and found his way to Kirkland about 8 weeks ago.
Sooooo, the Friday of Thanksgiving week, we go out to Kirkland, just to "look". Long story short, he came home with us, and we took him straight to The Wash Dog here in WS. Then to Petco for a new leash, collar and tag - he got a Seahawks tag like Janni had!
He was nervous the first night, but was well behaved and is very good with the 3 cats. As of today, we have had him for 2 weeks, and every day there is more and more progress with him trusting us, learning his place in our home, us learning about him, etc....
He is a very good walker and loves the neighborhood, is gentle with another dog in our building, loves the cats, wants to please us and play all the time. We really are enjoying being back at Lincoln Park on the weekends! Rex LOVES to run at the park and explore!!

first night in his new home and chewed up a new toy!

Visit from Renata and Stella & Dot Trunk Show

2010-12-10T18:08:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends, Renata, made her way up to Seattle from Sacramento (specifcally, Rocklin) Dec 3-5 for a much needed visit as well as host a Stella & Dot trunk show at my house. Renata is now a stylist with S&D, and you can order anytime online through her. http://stelladot.com/sites/renatabunawan

We packed a lot in, in the 48 hours she was in town. Friday evening was The Junction here in West Seattle, snooping at a few boutiques, and doing a quick wine tasting at bin 41. Then back to my area of WS for dinner at Angelina's with Rob. Saturday was trunk show prep, then the open house from 1pm-4pm. We had a pretty good showing, some wine and snacks and lots of fun pics (see below). We did really well on our sales (even a few online orders!), so both of us are happy!! After the trunk show, it was off to a german beer pub here in WS called Prost, with Aydan and Lori. Prost is an awesome little spot here in WS. We loved it!! Next stop was dinner over in lower Queen Anne w/ Lisa Taylor at Toulouse Petit. We shared a few items, including a dish that was featured on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate.
Final stop was one of my fav places in Seattle, Purple Wine Bar & Cafe. I really love the Seattle location, so of course wanted Renata to experience it as well. By this time of the evening, we were just wanting a little dessert and a little wine. I suggested the flights, since they are all small pours of 4 wines. Definitely we should have just shared one flight to taste, not both order one. Waaaaay too much wine! HA Didn't really finish much, but great people watching and energy at Purple.

Sunday we met up with Vonna and her daughter, Vivi, at BOKA Kitchen in dowtnown Seattle at Hotel 1000. Really great brunch, then a little snooping around at one of my fav stores, Watson Kennedy.
Whew! Did a lot of fun stuff in just about 48 hours! :-) Please, come back soon Renata!!

nice little spread

jewelry display

me and Aydan

Lori modeling her favorite piece

Renata, Me, Aydan, Natalie and Lori

goofing around

Bitburger's at Prost!

two wine flights at Purple. At 10pm, this was too much, too late, after a long day.

Cheers!!

Quick Video of 11/22 storm from our deck

2010-11-23T22:58:00.000-08:00

First Snow/Ice/Wind/Cold of the Season for 2010-2011

2010-11-23T11:52:00.000-08:00

A big storm rolled through the Seattle area Sunday into Monday. 2"-6" of snow, depending on where you were at. By Monday afternoon, blizzard conditions, very gusty wind, icy cold temps. ugh... Seattle, once again, was not prepared w/ enough snow plows, de-icers, etc... I-5 north and southbound was a parking lot even at 1am. Many people who had to get home to West Seattle abandoned the bus or their cars and walked home from various areas of the city. Many reported leaving their jobs downtown at 2pm, 3pm, and not getting home until 8pm, 9pm or later. Keep in mind, downtown is only like 3 miles away from WS. INSANE!!

Now, Tuesday, the sun is out, but it is BITTER cold. Thank god the wind has died down a bit. Rob ventured out in the 4Runner to a Chiropractor appointment - he is reporting "carnage" all over. Abandoned cars all over the city, cars finally being towed off of I-5, buses, etc.. Sounds like the salt machines are doing the best they can all day today. Just in time for reports of more snow to come on Wednesday. Old Man Winter is here!!

11/21 - Sunday night

Monday, 11/22

Monday, 11/22, early afternoon before the crazy wind came

This pic does not even do the storm justice. Monday, 11/22

Welcome Sunshine! Tues, 11/23

Sun in my neighborhood, Tues 11/23

The deck.... my poor plants... Tues 11/23

Happy Birthday Little C!!!!

2010-11-18T15:13:00.000-08:00

My sweet little cat, Little C, turned 3 years old on 10/31/10. I got her a little cat nip pumpkin, which she loooooves!!

Empower Girls and Change the World!!

2010-11-04T22:10:00.000-07:00

Here I am supporting my very good friend Lola. Please visit her sites and support girl's around the world!!! T shirts are only $25!

http://www.empowergirlschangetheworld.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/formygirls

A Rave and a Rant: OSU-UW Oct 16th

2010-10-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I was very excited for the OSU-UW game at Husky Stadium last weekend. I took a sorority sister, Julie Gardner Lewis. We were pumped up after two beers in "The Zone" beer/food garden area. I didn't excape though without an incident - we were still in the beer garden at the coin toss, which OSU won so we decide to receive. Right after that, some random super drunk guy looks at me and screams "F-You!!". Woa dude! That really set me off, as I did nothing other then be dressed in OSU garb. Of course I was really pissed so yelled back "What did you say to me?" That resulted in several profanity laced comments back and forth, while his not-as-drunk buddies told him to shut up and apologize. Man, some drunk guys can be total doucebags....

Self-Portrait before leaving for the game..

Benny the Beaver... our mascot...

OSU marching band

Halftime... OSU Marching Band

Anyway, we sat in the OSU section, had a total blast, but sadly, UW beat us by one point after triple overtime. Ugh.... Really tough loss...

random shot of the OSU Section

Me & Julie

The two guys in orange had complete head-to-toe body stockings on. What was weird is that the eyes were cut out, but no hole cut out for a mouth

Me!!

Big RAVE: My nephew!!

2010-10-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

A few new pics my SIL Evie sent me last week. Isn't my nephew the cutest?! He is now 9 months old as of 10/14/10.
Very much looking forward to spending time with them over Thanksgiving.

Hurricane Ridge/Elk Mountain Hike/Climb - WA

2010-10-02T01:36:00.000-07:00

Rob and I headed out for a day-hike on Sept 25th. Ferry from West Seattle to Southworth, WA, then the drive north to the Hood Canal Bridge, over the Bridge west to Port Angeles and then into the Olympic National Park up to Hurricane Ridge. It was a 70 degree, sunny fall day. A great trip and memorable hike up to over 6200 feet. The view was to die for!

OSU Beavers 2010 Football Intro Video

2010-09-17T22:38:00.000-07:00

Seahawks Season Opener, Qwest Field, vs. the 49ers

2010-09-12T23:38:00.000-07:00

Ran into my friend Joey at half-time. Took these pics of us. Hawks thumped 49ers, 31-6. Great game in Seattle!!!!

Buckhorn Mountain Hiking/Camping Trip - August 2010

2010-08-31T22:27:00.000-07:00

Just this past Sunday-Monday, Rob and I headed out for our trip to summit Buckhorn Mountain, which is the in the Buckhorn Wilderness Area of the Olympic National Forest. The Olympic Mountains/Range/National Park is west of the Puget Sound. We can see the northern part of this range from our condo. (pic below of the sunset from our deck...kind of can see what I'm talking about in this pic).
At a different angle, not from our deck, but from our living room, we can see the peaks of Buckhorn Mountain. This is where we decided in early June, to spread our dog's ashes. Janni passed on June 9, and shortly there after, this was our goal. We both are not really campers, more like day hikers who only go maybe 4 miles tops, but we were determined to take on this challenge. We spent about 2 months researching the trails, what supplies and how much we needed, buying/borrowing stuff, etc.... So, finally, August 29th we head out.
The weather forecast was a bit off. Supposed to be dry and mild on Day 1, with a 30% chance of rain on Day 2. But, Mother Nature screwed with us, and gave us mostly mild on Day 1, until late in the afternoon, when about 2/3 of the way up, we were inthundershowesr. After waiting it out under the cover of some trees for about 40 mins, we trudged on, as we HAD to make it to our camp. Day 2 was the good day, beautiful sun and dry all day.
The trail we took is the Big Quilcene, accessed near Quilcene, WA via two Forest Service access roads. This is a very popular trail system, so we met lots of folks on Sunday coming OFF the trail :-) Being that we did this on a Sunday-Monday, by the time we camped, we were the only people out there. Kind of scary a bit I guess. So, our first leg on Day 1 was 5.3 miles, starting at 2500 feet, and camp at 5400 feet, so gaining about 3000 feet up. God Almightly, what a challenge with a 50-60 pound pack on your back. There were many, many moments where I was challenged mentally, and I had to rely on my faith. By the time we got into the thunderstorm and I caught up to Rob, who found a tree shelter along the trail, I was beyond exhausted. I was shaking, and so weak I barely could get half a Twix bar in my mouth. I had a moment of being scared about hypothermia. We waited out the rain for a good 40 mins, trying to get warmed up and find some strength. We had another hour or so left and really wanted to push on, hoping the rain would clear the higher we went. So, OFF we went! I had a walking stick that I really relied on during that last push. Finally around 5:30pm, we were at Camp Mystery! WHEW! So many great spots to pitch our tent, and Rob found the best dry one under the shade of a big fir tree. YES! Finally!! All I wanted was my sleeping bag, some food and some sleep.
We got our tent up pretty fast, laid out some of our damp stuff to dry, and started to hunker down for the night. Ate some pre-made sandwiches, lit a candle, talked... I even powered up the iPhone for some off-line games - some solitare and scrabble! HA Even the out in the backcountry, our technology came with us!
Our night was pretty cold. We had enough clothing and warm sleeping bags, but b/c we got stuck in the rain, some of our stuff got wet. The most unfortuante was Rob's sleeping pad. That meant he had to be on the ground, which was cold. I had borrowed my friend's mummy sleeping bag that was rated for -10 degrees. It rocked! We zipped it completely open, and shared it, with our feet in the bottom and completely spooning/snuggling up the whole night to get our body heat going. Somehow we both slept a few hours. And finally it was the morning, with the sun coming out!! Thank God!! No rain overnight at all, and now we get sun and dryness.
We got geared up to leave camp at 9am to summit Buckhorn. Ate breakfast of another sandwich, some electrolyte shot blocks, water and half a Snickers bar. Rob agreed to take the pack up so I wouldn't have a pack at all. The whole purpose of our trip was to spread our dog's ashes on top of this mountain, as well as Rob's cat, Lew. Lew was before my time, so I never knew him. So our Buckhorn pack was the ashes, water, a bit of food and off we went. Our goal for this 1 mile was 2 hours. We headed up Marmot Pass, then from there up the trail to Buckhorn. The higher we got, the views became more and more amazing. Even in late August, we were up at snow level big time. But it was clear, sunny and the temps were great. Marmot Pass is at 6,000 feet, and from there, we had 988 feet left to summit. We managed to get it done by 11am! YEAH! Of course, when don't have a pack, or have one that is half the weight, it sure is easier.
Once we summited, we realized there was about 30 feet left with pretty much no trail and all rocks. I have a fear of heights, and this last little bit was not for me. I found a level area to sit down and let Rob go the rest of the way. He took his pack off and just carried the ashes. Once at the highest point, he spread the ashes, sat down and said goodbye to our sweet girl, and his boy, Lew. We know will always be able to look out the living room window and with a clear day, can see the peak! What a rewarding challenge.
Finally around 11:45am, we were off for our descent. I predicted to be back down at camp by 1pm, which we were. Another food break, and packing back up, breaking down the tent. We left camp by 2:15pm, and the goal was to be back to the trail head by 5:30pm.
Of course going downhill is about half the time and SO much easier, but OMG, that length, 5.3 miles, really took a toll on our bodies. We definitely got the message that we are not 18 anymore! HA We did take breaks on the way down, not as many of course as on the way up. Our "offical" stop was the Shelter Rock Camp at 2.6 miles, about halfway down. Took our packs off, gave our bodies a rest and re-fueled. This was at about 3:40pm, so we were on schedule. Finally found the strength to get moving again. This part of the trail follows the Quilcene River, so those were beautiful sounds and views of the river as we got more and more crippled. Finally, I began to see the parking lot of the trailhead, and at this point, my right knee was just about done. I thought it was going to explode out of my leg. I honestly couldn't have gone another 5 feet. But, Thank you God, we were done! Signed out of the hiker log, and we were off to head back over the Hood Canal Bridge and to the Southworth Ferry dock for our ferry ride back to West Seattle.

Today, Tuesday, I can barely move. My lower back on the left side is sooo stiff, I can barely move my legs. I'm exhausted, both physically and mentally. I was able to work from home today, which was such a blessing. Overall, reflecting on this experience, which was the most challenging of my life, I am very glad I did it. I really accomplished something I never thought I would even attempt. We were able to give Janni a proper goodbye and let her spirit sing. She really loved going mountain biking up on Tiger Mountain with Rob, going on day hikes with us, walks, the park, etc... she really was an active dog. What we did this weekend, back in her hey-day, she would have been there with us every step of the way with a huge smile.

Please see our pictures via this public Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2070228&id=1099871596&l=9cfccaf88c

Random summer pic

2010-08-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

Here I am, Aug 4th, @ Joey's in Seattle. Lake Union location. Was with co-workers for a happy hour. Note the very cool way the bottles are displayed in the bar....

Vancouver BC - July 2010 - with Lola

2010-08-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

I headed up to Vancouver, BC this past weekend to spend time with Lola Tsai. For those of you who don't know, Lola was my tennis doubles partner my senior year of h.s. in Corvallis. Although Lola had also grown up in Corvallis, being about 3 yrs younger than me and going to a different elementary and middle school, we never knew each other until tennis team in tthe spring of 1993. Little did I know, a lifelong friend had came into my life. :-)

After h.s., I went to OSU and we kind of stayed in touch (remember, this the days before email and cell phones), and then when she graduated CHS in '96, she went up to Univ. of British Columbia in Van BC. A short time later, we totally lost each other. Fast Forward to spring 2008, I join Facebook and start reconnecting with old h.s and college friends. Over the years, I had always thought "where in world is Lola??". One day, I decide to search Facebook, and BAM! I find her! WHEW!! A relief I finally find my long lost friend. Turns out, Lola went back to Taiwan after UBC for just about 8 yrs, and by the time we were reunited, she was planning to move back to North America, likely Van BC, as she is a permenant resident of Canada. Happened that in summer '08, she was coming thru Portland, so I quickly planned a reunion, including a dinner at the restaurant my bro manages, Meriwether's. It was very fun!

Now, 2 yrs later, we are back and part of each others lives as adults :-) Lola truly is one of the most positive people in my life, and such a great friend. I'm so grateful to have someone like her back in my life. We can look forward to the future, as well as laugh at the past (especially our terrible huge hairstyles in h.s.!).

Dry Run out to Quilcene, WA

2010-07-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

Rob and I are going to head over to the Olympic National Forest, and head up to the top of the Buckhorn Wilderness (approx almost 7,000), to spread Janni's ashes in late August. Yesterday, we took the Southworth, WA ferry (from the West Seattle Fauntleroy ferry dock), then headed north past Bremerton, Poulsbo, etc.. across the Hood Canal Bridge, then over to Quilcene, WA. Quilcene is at the foot of the Olympics on the east side, a little rural mountain town with a really nice USFS Ranger Station. We got our annual Forest Pass for a year, reconfirmed our route and got some info. Then drove to the road that heads 14 miles into the woods to the trail head. We are now set and ready to go next month. So happy we did this scouting trip on such a nice summer day!!
On the way home, the Hood Canal Bridge was opened for two freighters likely headed to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, so we had to wait for about 30 mins. Very pretty! Saw a sea otter swimming around.

Rant: People who project elitism but don't know the facts about world events

2010-07-23T00:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted a major rant in a while, but this week brought one on. Living in the Northwest, I am fully aware a majority of the population that live to the west of the Cascade Mountains (in both OR and WA) are more liberal politically than I am. I get it. And I say, so what. So, I have a different take on things, a conservative take, which is what free speech allows. This doesn't mean I'm wrong, or others are wrong. And many times, depending on the issue being discussed, we are never going to agree no matter how strong the argument. So hey, let's just call it a draw on our differences, shake hands, hug it out and enjoy a NW beer or glass of wine!

But, sometimes I like to post a story on my Facebook wall with a short and sweet comment. And Holy Crap! The smug, elitists come out to condemn me as one of a variety of things, depending on the story: 1) racist, or 2) bigot or 3) against whales or 4) a moron or 5) against human rights or 6) against mexicans or 7) anti-the downtrodden, etc.. etc...... the list goes on and on... Amazing! And I gotta say, if there is one thing that really chaps my hide, is my intelligence being insulted by that "I know better than you" tone of voice. Ugh - worse than nails on a chalk board.
So, here's the deal folks - I am conservative, but I am not perfect. I am uber-patriotic and love this country, yet realize it's not perfect. I will always be on the side of putting the U.S.'s interests first. I am pro-Israel, and will never waiver on this stand. This does not mean I am anti-Arab or anti any other country in the middle east. I am a gun owner, an belong to the NRA. This does not make me crazy, just because I legally exercise my 2nd Admendment right.

I strongly feel English should be the offical language of the U.S.. This does not mean I am anti-immigrant from any country. My Holdgrafer, Schouwieler, Duma, Edlund, Mahoney, Morris, and Heinz families came here from the "old" country, and managed to learn English and become American. Why expect anything else in 2012??! It's not that hard people. If I went to these countries (Germany, Ukraine, Ireland), I would need to learn that language and assimilate to that culture.
I am often against the tactics of PETA and Greenpeace (just to name a few). This does not mean I am anti-animal (far from it, as anyone who knows me knows!!). As Ocho Cinco would say, "Child, Please".
So, there you go. I happen to try to be fair, open minded and well read on many issues. If you want to discuss any issue with me, come to the plate with some facts to back up your opinoins/values/views and come with an open mind and fair attitude - I don't want to hear that I'm stupid, ignorant, a moron, etc... etc.. just because I don't follow the crowd.
I will never apologize for being "different" from many of those in my life, as I don't expect them to do the same.

P.S. I really hate those Che T-shirts.... grrrr.... Dude, get a clue. He's a commie loser who is repsonsible for killing thousands in Cuba. Thank God he is gone!!

4th of July fun at Aydan's w/ the girls

2010-07-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

Rave!! Another super cute pic of my nephew, Liam

2010-07-15T14:06:00.001-07:00

Hiking up to Poo Poo Point, Tiger Mountain, WA

2010-07-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

Rob and I are headed out to the Buckhorn Wilderness area of the Olympic Mountains Aug 21st to spread Janni's ashes and do an overnight camping trip. So, in an effort to get in better shape, we're doing several hikes to prep. Two weekends ago we went up 1200 feet to the top of Poo Poo Point, out near Issaquah. Ugh, it was all uphill the whole time. I had to stop a few times to rest. But the view is so worth it - on a very clear day you can even see some of the buildings in downtown Seattle to the west.

This is where the local paragilding club takes off. It was pretty busy and crowded at the top, and then we were able to see them sail down to the bottom. Pretty cool!!!

Happy Birthday to my Dad!!

2010-06-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, a group of us got together in Portland to celebrate my dad's 75th birthday, as well as Father's Day. There were Holdgrafer's, Nokleby's, Edlund's, Mahoney's and Morris's. Thank you again to all who came and could make my dad's day special

Janni Thomas, 1996 - June 9, 2010

2010-06-14T12:33:00.000-07:00

Our girl, Janni, passed away this past week after a long battle with bladder cancer, and a recent surgery.

She was adopted by Rob about 12 years ago from PAWS. I came into their lives in July 2000, and Janni has been my girl ever since, our constant companion for 10 yrs. She went everywhere with us, and I do mean everywhere - she has lived in Seattle, Corvallis, and on the East Coast. She swam in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. There was not a park that she didn't love, and a car ride she wouldn't take :-) She always had a smile, and was so ready to please us, being our best friend. Below is just a small sample of pics of our adventures together. Rob and I are missing her very much right now, but know she is in a better, pain-free place and her spirit will always be with us. She was such a special dog. I love you Janni!!!

RAVE: Memorial Day Weekend in CA

2010-06-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

I spent a long Memorial Day Weekend in Clear Lake, CA and Sacramento, CA. I got plenty of warm sun and a really nice tan.
Clear Lake is up in Lake County, north of the Napa area, about 2 hours from Sac. It's a HUGE lake with lots of little towns dotted around the shore. Wineries are around the area, boat-up bars, and beautiful scenery. Great for bird watching, water sports, drinking beer, etc...
I was with my very close friend Christina Morgan, her family, extended family and friends. Her little boys are the ones in the below pics. We came back to her house in Sac on Monday, then hit up happy hour in Roseville w/ Renata, Amy, Tej and Amy's hubby, Timm. Later it was Old Town Sac Monday night for one last night of great food and drinks.
Most of you know I go to CA frequently - this was my 4th trip since April 2009! Maybe I need to just move there.... HA!!

Memorial Day Weekend - PART TWO- More pics

2010-06-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day Weekend: Clear Lake, CA and Sac, CA - PART ONE

2010-06-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

My sweet old girl, Janni, age 14....still hanging in there after all these years

2010-05-18T02:00:00.000-07:00

Spring Seattle Scenes - Pics I took April/May here in the city....

2010-05-16T23:45:00.000-07:00

I love Seattle!

2010-04-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved my city. Growing up 10 miles outside a small college town, in the country, next to farms, was really great. But I have always been drawn to the energy of a city, being around people, being in a neighborhood with sidewalks, people walking their dogs, parks within walking distance, neighbor shops/restaurants, etc..etc.. My mom grew up in Tacoma, much bigger than Corvallis. We would come up to Tacoma many times each year to visit my grandparents and other relatives. I especially loved it when we would come to Seattle, which wasn't too often. I loved seeing the tall buildings, all the cars, I-5 with all it's lanes, the water, boats everywhere, etc... etc... I always knew one day I would live here. And now I've been here a little over 10 years and still loving it.

Today, another sunny spring day, I'm off to downtown via the Water Taxi, which I love riding on. The water taxi runs from West Seattle to our waterfront, across Elliott Bay. Such a fun way to get around. I'm going to be a tourist in my city, which I love. Snooping around the Harbor Steps shops, Pike Place (people watching is the best), the waterfront, taking pictures..... a great way to enjoy a sunny day in the city.

A couple of new Liam and family pics

2010-04-03T22:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a sweet one of Liam

And another of the Mahoney fam - Evie, Colin and Liam. I love you guys!!!

Here is my nephew, Liam, wearing a hunting vest I got him - it will fit him by this fall. Sooo cute!!

2010-03-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

Trip to Sacramento/Rocklin/Murphys, CA - March 2010

2010-03-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

I headed down to my ususal CA spot to spend time with Renata, Engman, Kayla, Christina, Garrett, Jake and Aidan. Renata and I went to a crab feed Fri night, benefitting one of the Rocklin SD schools. Saturday was a trip to Murphys, CA - Murphys is in the Sierra Foothills, about 2 hours south and east of Sacramento. A really cool little Gold Rush era town with most of the buildings dating from the 1850's/1860's, and about 15 tasting rooms within 3-4 blocks of each other. Great restaurants, and such a pretty drive there and back. I highly recommend this area, and I plan to go back next February for one of their Passport weekends. Saturday night, we all went bowling, and I had my highest score ever - 121!!
Sunday we hit the gym to work off the wine and food, then off to The Morgan's for a bbq. Sun was out on Sunday, and even the temps were decent, so got to sit outside to eat, which is one of my favorite things to do. I came back on Monday to Seattle, and to a light snow storm (didn't stick) - hoping that IS IT for winter. I'm soooo ready for spring/summer!!

My Super Big walk around West Seattle - 9 Miles...I think...

2010-02-21T19:15:00.000-08:00

I headed out from my place around 10:45am, down Admiral Way (west), then south on Beach Drive for several miles until I hit 48th SW, and then headed up the hill winding thru the Seaview neighborhood back to The Junction, had brunch, then back home to Admiral District. Whew! An over 2+ hour walk, with stops for some amazing pictures of my neighborhood/community. I love living so close to Puget Sound - the views today were epic!! ENJOY!

Dinner Party w/ Roberta in honor of her late father, Bob - Feb 12th

2010-02-21T18:54:00.000-08:00

Here I am, spending a lovely evening w/ Roberta, Lisa, Bridget, Maryse, Ashley, Adam, Mary, Roy, Bill, etc.. etc.. and many other Apex Co-Op regulars.

Roberta's father, Bob, recently passed, so this night was in his honor, and also to bring happiness and cheer to my dear friend Roberta. We love you!!

Adventures at the gun range with Rob and ML

2010-02-11T22:11:00.000-08:00

Check us out with our new AR-15 semi-automatic rifle! I'm surprising myself with the accuracy of my shots.

More pictures of my nephew, Liam

2010-02-03T20:32:00.001-08:00

My new nephew: William Declan Mahoney

2010-01-19T10:53:00.001-08:00

William (Liam) was born on January 14th @ 12:22am, 8 lbs, 7 oz and 22 inches long. He already has a full head of hair :-)

2009 Year In Review - Highlights

2010-01-09T23:01:00.000-08:00

(Pics posted of the entire year below)

January: In January, I was still on my mandatory "100 day break" from work, so headed up to Van, BC for a wonderful weekend with my close friend Lola. Some of you may remember that Lola and I were tennis doubles partners my senior year of h.s., when she was a freshman. For me, Lola will always be my tennis partner :-) Lola moved back to North America from Taiwan in the summer of 2008, and I'm soooo very happy to have her so close to me. If it weren't for that darn border, she would be less than 2 hours away! :-)
January is a big month of birthday's for me - so many family members and close friends. I headed out for several "girl's nights" to celebrate.

February: Around the 3rd week in Feb, I headed back to work with my team at Microsoft. I switched to the "v-dash" status, which is "vendor", so no more 100 breaks for me for the foreseeable future. I was very grateful to be back in a productive mode. I loved my break, but very happy to get back to the grind, back to the projects I had left and managing my team's budget. Definitely gives one a sense of purpose to be working.

March/April: Spring time saw me head back to CA as usual. Love my CA girls, and of course love the weather down there. I didn't plan all that well, as my trip was around when my good friend Christina had her wedding anniversariy and only spent about a day with her. Renata and I wine tasted in Amador County area, which is south and a little east of Sacramento. The area is known for Zinfadel, and other varietals not grown in WA, so I really enjoyed it. Of course it was sunny the whole weekend which was so wonderful.
Rob turned 40 in March with very little fan fare. Not sure he was too happy! HA
My mother, Julee, turned 50 in April and we had a little shindig for her at my aunt Claudia's house. Very fun to have all my family in one place. My parents were able to make it up from Corvallis for the festivities!
Our family had the wonderful news in the spring that my SIL, Evie (wife of my bro Colin), was pregnant with their first child. My first nephew! He was due the other day, on Jan 6th, so we are all waiting around for some news of William's arrival. I'm BEYOND excited and happy to be an aunt!

May/June/July: Late spring/early summer saw me at many happy hours with close friends. Obviously they were pretty happy, as I don't remember too many! HA The big trip in June was down to Portland w/ Naarah. I was originally meeting up with Renata and Engman to return a piece of luggage that got my 10 bottles of Amador County wine home safely (they were in PDX for a visit), and invited Naarah to come with to meet some of my old friends, and my brother/SIL Suzanne. It was a REALLY fun trip. It started out with Naarah not realizing that the speed limit in WA is 70mph. So we cruised down I-5 at a safe 60mph rocking out to the Best of George Michael the whole way. I should have said something, but didn't want to be a back seat driver...in the front seat. Our hotel was kick ass modern. We got drinks on a killer new rooftop bar on top of the old Meier and Frank bldg, enjoyed a show at Darcelle's, danced to 80's music, and had some Bud Light in a can at Cheerful Tortiste. And that was just Friday night! HA Thanks again Portland for such a fun weekend!
My friend Amy hosted an 80's Prom Night at her house in late June (or early July?). WAY too funny! I scored a sweet red dress with watermarked taffeta and lots of ruffles for only $5 at Value Village. We drank wine coolers, play "Win, Lose or Draw" and listened to lots of 80's tunes! Very RAD indeed!!
July also saw me up in Van BC for a good cause - the Underwear Affair to raise awareness for cancers of the lower extremities. Lola works for the BC Cancer Foundation, so I raised approx $400 for this event. My good friend, and condo bldg neighbor, Chelsea, and I headed up for this 5K event. It was awesome weather, and the route went along False Creek, which is very pretty.
The Seattle area had a super heat wave in July for about 8-10 days or so. Whew! It was hot! On one particular Saturday, Rob, Janni and I headed out to Westport, WA over on the coast to escape the heat. Sadly, this was my only trip to the WA coast in 2009. Normally, I make it to the Long Beach area at least once or twice to see my BF Jenny, who lives in Ilwaco. But not in 2009. Westport is great, because it's very chill and not too many crowds.

August/September: August brought me back to Portland for a sorority get together. Lindsey and I went together to see some old friends. We hit up the Pearl District for some drinks and general pepople watching, which we love. Great weather again, but very very hot. The highlight of that trip was the boat ride her dad took us on around Lake Oswego. Lake Oswego is a private lake, and I had never been on it. And as a lover of history and architecture, I really enjoyed her dad's stories as we cruised around. Thanks again Don and Lindsey! Love the Burdicks!
In August, Chelsea and I got a pic and quickly met David Bromstad from HGTV's "Color Splash". He was in town for an appearance, so we went to EcoHaus in SODO to hear his talk and watch him paint....and also just watch him! HA He's hot!!

September, Lindsey and I headed to Carlton, OR for my Seattle girl's annual wine trip. Vonna rented us a house that was soooo cute and perfect (there was 7 of us). It was a 3 day weekend. Even my parents were able to make it up for lunch with us at Dundee Bistro, to finally meet the ladies I talk about all the time. The weather was perfect, and the views amazing from each winery we went to. We were able to squeeze in 6, I think. A wonderful Saturday night dinner at Cuvee in Carlton topped it off. Who knows where 2010 will bring us for wine tasting. Perhaps the Yakima area. Many of us have been to Napa, but as a group, we will need to plan this one in the next year or two. Or maybe Sonoma!
Big news in late September would be that of my brother, Joe's, engagement to his lovely Suzanne. They travelled with her parents on a planned trip to Paris, and he proposed in the gardens at the Versailles Palace. Of course my mom, her mom, and her sister's have all known about this plan and the ring of MONTHS, and we were relived to not have to hold onto that secret any longer! HA I couldn't be more happy for my brother, and welcome Suzanne with open arms as my new sister! She is a twin and has an older sister, so lots of new family. Their wedding should be sometime around May/June 2011.

October/November: Of course the fall brings back the grey skies and rain to Seattle. Nothing new this year either. But that doesn't stop my group! More happy hours, get togethers at new places, etc... Aydan had a super fun end-of-summer party on Oct 5th with margaritas, good friends and excellent Turkish food. I was all over the west coast in November. First was Corvallis for the OSU-UW Game. I usually go to one OSU game with my dad per season, so this was it. We kicked ass, and it was very fun. No rain and some sun! Had a great night out with my old friend Chama in Corvallis. Was home for about 3 days, then off to Sacramento again to stay with Christina for 3+ days. Thank you Southwest for some cheap flights! Great CA weekend - got some errands done, saw Christina's boys for a bit (love them!), and got some much needed girl time in. Hit up Placer County for some wine tasting - really neat, very old area of CA. Girl's night out for some dinner and drinks was perfect!
The plan had been to be in Vancouver at my mother's for Thanksgiving, but caught a cold (blame it on the plane of course), so stayed home in bed and on the couch for two days. Lame!!

December/Christmas/New Year's: Thank you Aydan for your holiday party this December! So very fun!! I hosted a girl's night with Roberta, Lisa, Bridget, et al at my place in early December.
I ended up doing Christmas Eve in Seattle, then headed to Portland on Christmas Day. Brunch was with my parents and Joe at The Heathman, where Suzanne works the brunch. It was the best way to squeeze in all of us getting to see each other and exchange gifts. Then it was off to my aunt/uncle's in Salem for a while, then a stop at Suzanne's parents place for their gift exchange. Very nice to meet her parents and step-siblings.
Thank you to my parents for my wonderful iPhone 3Gs! Love love this gift!!
The week between Christmas and New Year's brought me a nice little head cold, but it's wasn't too bad. Only spent one day on the couch/in bed and power throughed the rest.

That about wraps up a quick highlight of 2009 for ML! I wish all my family and friends a wonderful and properous 2010!!

Christmas 2009 - Seattle, Portland and Corvallis. Great times with Family and Friends

2010-01-09T22:50:00.001-08:00

Holiday Party '09 @ Aydan and Ercenk's

2010-01-09T22:45:00.000-08:00

Sacramento Trip - November 2009 - spent a quality weekend with my close friends Christina, Renata and Kelly. Wine tasting in Placer County

2010-01-09T22:11:00.000-08:00

OSU-UW Game - November 2009 - We beat UW and it was a great weekend in Corvallis!

2010-01-09T21:59:00.000-08:00

Oregon Wine Trip- September 2009 - Willamette Valley. With Renata, Lindsey, Naarah, Vonna, Aydan, and Jen

2010-01-09T21:32:00.000-08:00

Found a wonderful new cleaning product

2009-10-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

Needed a new bottle of everyday countertop/surface cleaner, and was at Met Market buying some snack - didn't feel like walking to Safeway just to save $1-$2, so picked up some Mrs. Meyer's stuff. LOVE IT!!! The smell is amazing, and it did a great job. YEAH!!

Girl's Night out-late July 2009-with Jen, Vonna and Arianne in Ballard

2009-09-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

BC Cancer Foundation Underwear Affair 5K- July 2009 - with Chelsea and Lola

2009-09-27T22:14:00.000-07:00

Mt Rainier-July 2009-Meeting Capt Keith from The Deadlist Catch.....

2009-09-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

Lake Oswego with Lindsey - July 2009. Did a quick weekend w/ Lindsey. Out on the boat for an awesome tour of Lk Oswego, then Pearl District.

2009-09-27T21:56:00.000-07:00

Portland Weekend w/ Naarah - June '09: Fun Fun Fun!!

2009-06-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

Crazy 80's Night @ Amy's House.... Thanks Amy for the music, games, awesome food. PRICELESS!

2009-06-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

California Trip April 2009

2009-05-01T10:27:00.001-07:00

Need something new to blog about...

2009-04-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

Alright folks.... I posted two new entires to the shoe blog tonight, so am now searching for a topic for this blog. Do I go political? Maybe too easy... Some social commentary? who knows... What should I talk about.... Should I discuss how I really like the comendienne, Lisa Lampenelli? My hatred for Mayo? How much I love margaritas? Where do I go with my writing??? It's a Wheel of Fortune of topics tonight....spinning... spinning... Ah, we have landed on.. ISRAEL - they are ready to strike IRAN's nuclear sites!. Whew, it's about time. Thank god! I hope they bomb the living daylights out of Iran. Kick ass!!!

Julee's 50th Birthday Party - April 2009

2009-04-07T12:17:00.002-07:00

Here are pics from my mother's birthday party this past week. She is now the big 5-0!! My parents came up from Corvallis and most of my family was there. A really great time, and what made it even better was the 70 degree weather. FINALLY, some sun and spring time....

2009-03-30T20:52:00.001-07:00

Please see my new BLOG, ML's Critique of Shoes, by clicking the link to the left - first link under "LINKS"
ENJOY!!

Where has ML been??

2009-03-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted... I've been back to work for Excell Data @ Microsoft for several weeks now, thus putting a damper on my free time to blog. No new pics to put up or trips out of town to document at the moment. Stay tuned for new and exciting information as Spring finally comes to the Northwest in the next few weeks.

Exploring Vashon Island - 2/18/09

2009-02-22T13:47:00.000-08:00

Re-Arranging Living Room

2009-02-14T21:53:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-05T22:27:00.000-08:00

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: