On top of Macy's at Cheesecake Factory
Out to dinner Ray and Shaunna
Dinner at Pier 39
Sea Lions at Pier 39
Greg Karine and the very noisy sea lions
Oakland temple lit up in the dark
Oakland temple in the daylightFall Trips...
I think the most memorable vacations Greg and I have taken have been in the Fall. We have been fortunate enough in our life together to have traveled many places. I count it one of my greatest blessings. I remember when Greg and I were talking about getting married, one of the things I really worried about was that he had not traveled much, and at the time was terrified of flying. He assured me that even though he had not been on many family vacations, or traveled much, he hoped to in the future. Little did I know he would graduate and a get a job with IBM. IBM has extensive training, requiring him to fly back and forth to Atlanta and New York quite a few times. He later had a job with Franklin Covey, where he traveled a couple of times a month. He was able to take me along sometimes, and that began our love of traveling together. He has also taken each of the boys on some memorable trips when he traveled for work....Lauren is patiently waiting her turn.
At any rate... as it is the season of being thankful, I am thankful for many things, but tonight I am thinking about all the great Fall trips we have been on. Most recently to San Fransisco. Whenever I go to San Fransisco I think of my oldest son Cameron. He fell in love with that city as a young boy. Greg grew up just outside of the city in Livermore, and we visited San Fransisco often. When Cameron was in Junior High we went with him to a Junior High career counseling session and he told us that he greatest aspiration was to have an apartment in San Fransisco and be a businessman there. He planned to stay single until he was 30, get rich there and enjoy life as a bachelor in SF. We were a little worried, but thought he was a young dreamer, so we would go with it. He married young, still loves San Fransisco, but probably won't ever live there....
Greg had a seminar in SF this October. It was one of the best times I have ever spent in San Fransisco. His meetings were at the Fairmont Hotel located at the very top of Nob Hill. To save money for the company he works for, he opted to stay at a boutique hotel a few blocks away. Each morning he would get up and walk to the conference. Each evening he would complain of his shins hurting. He explained to me that he had to climb a steep hill to get to the hotel, and he thought that was what was making his legs hurt. On the final day of the conference, I decided to meet him at the Fairmont, take in the views and see some of the great architecture of the hotel. I walked a little ways and got the the St. Francis hotel and asked the bell man how to get to the Fairmont. He said, see that hill, just keep climbing up! It was a very steep hill, and as I climbed the trolley passed me a couple of times. I kept wondering how I could get on that trolley! Never did figure that out, but I knew Greg would know, and we could ride it back down the hill. I finally arrived at the Hotel, tired and impressed with myself for making it to the top! Greg showed me around the hotel. It was magnificent. There were pictures in the hallway of the hotel before the earthquake and fire in 1906, as well as many Presidents and celebrities who had made speeches or performed in the Venetian Room. It is quite a place, not to mention a spectacular view from the top of the hill.
We were able to spend some great times together. We attended a concert at the Oakland temple grounds. A Livermore friend of Greg's, Raymond Lee played the cello. It was beautiful and relaxing. We were able to go out to dinner with him and his wife Shaunna at a Thai restaurant later in the week. We really enjoyed getting to know them better. They have a passel of handsome boys, reminded me of when our children were younger.
We stayed in a cute hotel. It was an old Boutique hotel called the "Triton". It looked like it had been decorated by Dr. Suess. I think every guy that worked there was in touch with their feminine side, but very friendly and helpful. There was a cute little card shop next to the hotel that I enjoyed browsing through. The lady that worked behind the counter was awful. She was rude and unkind to the customers. It seemed ironic to me that such a bitter woman would work at a Hallmark card shop. I asked her if they sold stamps, instead of saying "no" she pointed to a sign hooked to the cash register that said, "We don't sell stamps...the post office is located"...with the address following.
We spent time doing things we have done many times, and a few we hadn't experienced before. We saw the sea lions at Pier 39. They are a noisy bunch, each one has a story to tell and they want to be heard! We shopped at Union Square--I shopped while he was in classes. One day the rain started while I was in Macy's. I had no choice but to run through the rain back to the hotel. The roads were like small rivers. I was literally soaked to the bones. I hung up my clothes to dry over the shower door, and they never did dry out all the way! We ate at Cheesecake Factory on top of Macy's. The view was spectacular, and a band was playing in Union Square making the night even more memorable. We had eaten there before with all of the kids, and a couple of their friends when we went to California on a vacation a few years earlier. I sure liked the price of the meal this time compared to the last visit there with nine people!
Enough rambling....but Fall vacations are a must. So are vacations to somewhere warm, in the winter when it is freezing in Utah. Something about the sunshine in the winter that warms the soul and helps one make it through the chill of Utah!
At any rate... as it is the season of being thankful, I am thankful for many things, but tonight I am thinking about all the great Fall trips we have been on. Most recently to San Fransisco. Whenever I go to San Fransisco I think of my oldest son Cameron. He fell in love with that city as a young boy. Greg grew up just outside of the city in Livermore, and we visited San Fransisco often. When Cameron was in Junior High we went with him to a Junior High career counseling session and he told us that he greatest aspiration was to have an apartment in San Fransisco and be a businessman there. He planned to stay single until he was 30, get rich there and enjoy life as a bachelor in SF. We were a little worried, but thought he was a young dreamer, so we would go with it. He married young, still loves San Fransisco, but probably won't ever live there....
Greg had a seminar in SF this October. It was one of the best times I have ever spent in San Fransisco. His meetings were at the Fairmont Hotel located at the very top of Nob Hill. To save money for the company he works for, he opted to stay at a boutique hotel a few blocks away. Each morning he would get up and walk to the conference. Each evening he would complain of his shins hurting. He explained to me that he had to climb a steep hill to get to the hotel, and he thought that was what was making his legs hurt. On the final day of the conference, I decided to meet him at the Fairmont, take in the views and see some of the great architecture of the hotel. I walked a little ways and got the the St. Francis hotel and asked the bell man how to get to the Fairmont. He said, see that hill, just keep climbing up! It was a very steep hill, and as I climbed the trolley passed me a couple of times. I kept wondering how I could get on that trolley! Never did figure that out, but I knew Greg would know, and we could ride it back down the hill. I finally arrived at the Hotel, tired and impressed with myself for making it to the top! Greg showed me around the hotel. It was magnificent. There were pictures in the hallway of the hotel before the earthquake and fire in 1906, as well as many Presidents and celebrities who had made speeches or performed in the Venetian Room. It is quite a place, not to mention a spectacular view from the top of the hill.
We were able to spend some great times together. We attended a concert at the Oakland temple grounds. A Livermore friend of Greg's, Raymond Lee played the cello. It was beautiful and relaxing. We were able to go out to dinner with him and his wife Shaunna at a Thai restaurant later in the week. We really enjoyed getting to know them better. They have a passel of handsome boys, reminded me of when our children were younger.
We stayed in a cute hotel. It was an old Boutique hotel called the "Triton". It looked like it had been decorated by Dr. Suess. I think every guy that worked there was in touch with their feminine side, but very friendly and helpful. There was a cute little card shop next to the hotel that I enjoyed browsing through. The lady that worked behind the counter was awful. She was rude and unkind to the customers. It seemed ironic to me that such a bitter woman would work at a Hallmark card shop. I asked her if they sold stamps, instead of saying "no" she pointed to a sign hooked to the cash register that said, "We don't sell stamps...the post office is located"...with the address following.
We spent time doing things we have done many times, and a few we hadn't experienced before. We saw the sea lions at Pier 39. They are a noisy bunch, each one has a story to tell and they want to be heard! We shopped at Union Square--I shopped while he was in classes. One day the rain started while I was in Macy's. I had no choice but to run through the rain back to the hotel. The roads were like small rivers. I was literally soaked to the bones. I hung up my clothes to dry over the shower door, and they never did dry out all the way! We ate at Cheesecake Factory on top of Macy's. The view was spectacular, and a band was playing in Union Square making the night even more memorable. We had eaten there before with all of the kids, and a couple of their friends when we went to California on a vacation a few years earlier. I sure liked the price of the meal this time compared to the last visit there with nine people!
Enough rambling....but Fall vacations are a must. So are vacations to somewhere warm, in the winter when it is freezing in Utah. Something about the sunshine in the winter that warms the soul and helps one make it through the chill of Utah!
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