Las Vegas weekend

We flew to Vegas on Saturday morning and flew back this afternoon(Monday) after staying both nights on the 51st floor of the new Wynn Hotel with a "panoramic" view of some of the hotels on The Strip as well as the mountain range that rings the city. The Wynn is a really beautiful, 5-star resort/hotel. We saw Le Reve at the Wynn on Sat night (an extremely athletic and breathtaking water spectacle) that was excellent. Sunday night was "Love" at the Mirage (colorful stage show of Beatle music with lots of dancing and excellent sound system). We recommend both, but Cindy leaned slightly to Le Reve. We beat the slots out of about $120.00 over the weekend so, of course, we'll be going back to return it very soon.

Christmas Eve 2006

Nar surprised us with luminarias last night in our front yard...we'll put new tea lights in them tonight for Christmas...we watched "It's A Wonderful Life" last night on DVD, then some hilarious back episodes of "The Office"...everyone is coming over this morning to open presents, have Cindy's quiche and my Mamosas, and then a ham dinner. Rumor has it that we will also watch "Little Miss Sunshine" at some point today as rain is forecast. Merry Christmas everyone from the Andersons.

The Palace Hotel

We stayed, for the first time, at The Palace Hotel in SF. It is a sophisticated and elegant hotel, occupying an entire block, originally built in 1875, gutted by fire in 1906 after the Great Earthquake, and rebuilt in 1909. It's guest list is a Who's Who of famous statesmen and stars. It is quite opulent, but a quiet and relaxing place to stay for out-of-towners. It has a magnificent and luxurious Great Ballroom, an indoor pool with glass ceiling on the 4th floor, and its centerpiece Tea Room in the middle of the hotel, with its glass ceiling, is world famous. The rooms have high ceilings with elegant molding, and are reasonably priced. It is located at the intersection of Market St and New Montgomery so shopping at the upper-end stores is very walkable.

Taxi Waiting

All of us (there were 6 of us which required two taxis) had several wild rides on Saturday evening while traversing San Francisco from The Palace Hotel to the former Pan Pacific, to the Mark Hopkins, to Absinthe, to the Top of the Mark, back to The Palace, and then to the FKA Pan Pacific (for Dean and Carol). The drivers, inexplicably, but nonetheless, were tipped handsomely. The air was crisp and The City was bustling with theater goers exiting the plays and filling up the restaurants, so there was plenty of time for Dean and Carol to cuddle while trying to flag the next ride.

The Chocolate Baron and His Princess

Jack and Mary Shaw, Sacramento chocolate magnates, relax in their luxurious penthouse at the Mark Hopkins Hotel, before all of us dined at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, and then to the famous "Top Of The Mark" nightclub on the 17th Floor for cocktails and dancing.

Mark Hopkins Penthouse

Here we are enjoying the living room of Jack and Mary's penthouse at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco this weekend. Their 1K+ sq ft suite was outrageously spacious with a fully-windowed terrace, dining room, office, magnificent bedroom, 1.5 bathrooms, and on the 15th floor with sweeping views of The City. Their prestigious chocolate reputation and prominence in The Valley has obviously been properly acknowledged in The City, with its inherent perks. If Godiva owned a hotel, they would be its only visitors.

Santa and our hosts Dean & Carol

Dean & Carol (and their special favorite feline Sydney) also enjoyed having Santa visit their home for some eggnog. Maybe next year Mrs Claus can make the party too, although, it looks like Santa likes having the ladies on his lap and she might not understand.

Shellenberger's Christmas Party

We always have a great time at Dean & Carol's annual Holiday Party. Even though he is busy, Santa dropped in and enjoyed Lindsay on his lap, while we, and the Gollihurs, toasted anyone who happened to be near. Dean had his backyard fireplace roaring in the crisp evening air, while inside we tried to allay Dick & Donna's fears that burning 2 DuraFlame logs simultaneously would anger the fire Gods.

Hoffman Park

Lita, Cindy, and I strolled for a leisurely 90 minutes through Hoffman Park (Effie Yeaw Nature Center) during the Thanksgiving week...and we saw many deer, wild turkeys, and birds...it was very relaxing and peaceful...""AS ALWAYS, JUST CLICK ON ANY PICTURE TO ENGLARGE IT""... very quiet and thought-provoking...every sound and creature seemed to be in reduced motion...it was a subtle reminder that life does not need to be hurried...it was an easy way to connect to nature and to re-examine ones priorities. Slow down, we move too fast, you've got to make the moment last.

Run To Feed The Hungry

On Thanksgiving morning, Lindsay joined about 20,000 other runners who contributed money and their time to the annual Run To Feed the Hungry 10K and 5K races through the streets of Sacramento. Above, Lindsay recounts all of her 5K steps to Onita while they wait for their turkey dinner (Thanks to Lita and Cindy). Hey, L & O, how about 10K for both of you next year?? It's for a good cause. And you'll get a great turkey dinner (and a T-shirt) for your efforts. Could be the start of a healthy tradition.

Thanksgiving week

Today, Lita flew back home after spending a week with us. Cindy and I took the week off from work and we all stayed relatively busy while also relaxing. After Apple Hill on Monday, Cindy and Lita went out to lunch at Max's the next day and got a new Christmas chandelier for the dining room, while I tended to the plants, leaves, and lawn in front of our house. Lindsay was housesitting for Bob and Debbie all week but came by most days to visit, although her car needed some significant fixing up for winter. She, Ryan, Alex, Onita, and Lita ate turkey with us on Thursday (Lita and Cindy were very busy preparing on both Wed and Thurs) We ate at Bandera's on Friday night and then all of us drove to San Francisco on Saturday to do some Christmas shopping (Lindsay got a formal dress for her Xmas parties, Alex got a shirt, and Onita got a jacket). And finally, Abby and Riley (Ryan's dog) got to know each other a little more with some impromptu indoor water sports (although I'm not sure that Lita and our lounge chair were real happy about it).

Cindy at Jack Russell Brewery

Here's Cindy enjoying a short cool one (not a tall cool one) at the Jack Russell Brewing Company at Apple Hill on Nov 20, 2006. We ended up bringing a six-pack home for Ryan.

Apple Hill

Lita arrived yesterday and we drove up to Apple Hill to see the Fall colors today. We stopped at the Jack Russell Brewing Co and sampled their wares. Later, we ended up in Sutter Creek for lunch at the Palace Saloon. Cindy ultimately had to drive back the next day (with Lita) to retrieve Lita's VISA card...(she had paid for lunch)...

Lita's Birthday

We drove down to Rancho Bernardo on Sunday afternoon to stay with Lita. She had redecorated her home and patio and they never looked better. She also got a new TV with HD so we "oohed and aahed" over the 3D-type crispness of the picture (nature shows are really awesome). Dinner was at a favorite Mexican restaurant with Lita, Dean, Madalyn, and Emily. It used to be a residence, but the family expertly converted it and it's now a fun and authentic spot with terrific food and drink. Monday was Lita's birthday and we ate at The BeachHouse in Encinitas overlooking the ocean. Here we are sitting in the bar before enjoying a really superior dinner with martinis and wine. We drove back today to Carmichael in a little over 7 hours, and it only took '80-cruise control' and just two 10-minute stops to post a pretty impressive drive time. Lindsay took great care of the house and Abby was ecstatic to see us. Back to work for us tomorrow. Lita is coming to visit for Thanksgiving week and the Kings opening game is tomorrow night.

My Mom's birthday

My Mom's birthday was on Saturday and we had a combination birthday/Halloween family get-together at my Dad's house. Kathy did a great job decorating her house with a Fall/Halloween theme and just about everyone wore a costume. We also celebrated Beth's upcoming birthday. Sherry & Stephanie came by to say 'Hi' too. My Mom has on the witch hat in the backrow. Beth is to her right, and my cousin Bonnie Gene (who I hadn't seen in a very long time) is to her right. Beth's husband Glenn is on the end of the back row. Starting from the right in the front row, my Dad is on the end, then my Aunt Kitty (who I also hadn't seen in an equally long time), and then Cameron, Stephen, Sara, and Kathy. My Mom and Beth got birthday gifts and everyone had a fun time. What a very special treat to see and talk with Bonnie Gene and Kitty. My Dad let us bunk in the upstairs bachelor pad, and we enjoyed Sunday brunch together again at the house before driving down to Rancho Bernardo the next afternoon.

San Clemente

We drove down to San Clemente on Friday, Oct 27th and stayed the night at the Villa Del Mar Hotel overlooking the main street and pier at the beach. We had a 2-bedroom studio on the 2nd floor with a kitchen, big ocean view window, and big balconey. The Amtrak train was a regular and noisy visitor, but it is part of the charm of the area. The weather was T-shirt perfect and we had Fisherman's Chowder on the pier for dinner and then breakfast crepes at the creperie on the street under our room the next morning. The hotel was typical beach/'50's ugly, but the location and view were superior.

SF bus trips

I've taken 2 chartered bus trips to SF to see the 49ers play in the last few weeks. They lost to the Eagles on Sept 24th, and lost to the Chargers yesterday. The trips are a chance to spend time with employees, clients, and friends, while enjoying adult beverages and the great San Francisco weather. It's always a full day, but no driving!!! Yesterday, our bus developed problems at the office right before we left for The City, so I got a picture of everyone at the back of the broken bus, before our replacement bus arrived. I also got some golf in with Dean and Marty B at Mather Golf Course last week, and we're tentatively planned for Turkey Creek on the 21st (maybe Dick G can play too). We're still planning to drive down for my Mom's birthday on the 28th at my Dad's house (my cousins are rumored to be attending too), and then down to San Diego for two days to see Lita and Madalyn. The nights now are getting cold, but the days are still sunny and in the 70's and 80's, very pleasant and perfect for weekend golf.

Bye September

The weather changed in September. Great sunny days and cool cool nights. We got the front patio finished. I took a chartered bus, with employees and clients, to see the 49ers play the Eagles in San Francisco. Cindy scored an impressive "2" on her promotional exam (it's like golf, the object is to get a low score) that rewarded her for her commitment to her job. We celebrated birthdays for Lindsay and Onita by going out to dinner for each (Chinese buffet for Ms. 23 and Outback for Ms 25. Alex and Onita were planning to go see John Mayer and Sheryl Crow last night in Marysville. And, we went to Leah and Mike's wedding/reception at Oak Leigh last night. Cindy hosted a shower for Leah a few weeks ago, and also did her hair for the wedding.. Cindy and Dawn celebrate with the newlyweds above. We still have not planned our 2 Las Vegas trips, or our Tahoe trip, or our SF trip, but we do think we're going down to SoCal to see our Moms late in October. It is almost Kings season, but the early polls show that the two measures on the ballot in November to fund an event center downtown do not show much public support, so the Kings may not be Sacramento's team for much longer. We'll hold our breath.

Front Yard Project

We had our driveway, patio, and pathway poured this morning. The patio and pathway were finished with rock salt, and the driveway was brush finished. In the next few days, the brick work will be added to the pathway and all of the forms removed. At this point, everything looks like it came out as planned. We dined in Dean & Carol's new backyard last night. It looks professionally landscaped and Dean's arbor is an attractive addition to the new deck. He also served a top-drawer dinner and, over drinks, we celebrated the "bon voyage" get-together by talking about Dean and Jack going to Burning Man, and Carol and Mary off to France. We are planning to stay around town for awhile, but are still planning trips to Las Vegas and Tahoe before winter arrives.

Hot August Nights

Alex and Onita moved into their new house and are getting unpacked. We celebrated Cindy's birthday at Danielle's Creperie (Ryan was a tad under the weather). He is working a lot of overtime to save money. Lindsay got new seat covers to go with her new paint job and her car looks new. Cindy has a interview tomorrow at work before a panel that, if successful, could be her last interview for awhile as it will solidify her position. We have started a new project...replacing our driveway, front patio (and steps), and adding a pathway from the sidewalk. The concrete was removed yesterday and the forms finished today (see above). The concrete pouring will be on Saturday, and we'll have to keep our cars off the driveway for about a week. Our next door contractor Nar is in charge of the job. I think we have decided to postpone replacing the backyard decks until Spring, they are seldom used in the winter anyway. We've had 90+ degrees for about 3 weeks, but it cools off nicely in the evening, and we can sit on the back deck and enjoy a cool beverage while the delta breezes sweep in. We're still trying to figure out how to keep the squirrels out of our new bird feeder, they are really clever little guys.