RANTS & RAVES!

MY SALINAS FAMILY

On the occasion of the 1st Birthday of the newest member of the family, I reconnected with my long-neglected family. YAY ... (isn't he adorable?) Collin! The gentlemen to my right is Dr. Sam Oronan and to my left is Elmer Dolera. Elmer had the misfortune of being the youngest in our group so he was subjected to alot of unkind things by us. Inspite of it all, he grew up to be a fairly well adjusted human being. his passion for tennis has led him all over the Philippines to bring the sport to individuals who might be otherwise be exposed to it. We share the same passion for photography as well. We were quite a sight working the party ... trying to capture the perfect shot. I had no idea that all these people were coming to the event. They kind of just appeared one by one throughout the day. What an incredibly pleasant surprise it turned to be! We spent hours reminiscing about the good old days ... bringing back long forgotten childhood mischiefs ... suddenly brought forward to the present by the combined recollections of three rather crusty gentlemen. Hilarious. We couldn't stop laughing. We became a boisterous group in the party. We must have been a vision to all the younger set! The young man to my far left is my godchild, Dean, and he is an accomplished filmmaker in Hollywood. Born in 1970, I am in continual awe of how magnificent this "child" turned out to be. Next to Dean is his partner, the ever lovely and equally awesome Patrice. Seated to my right is Sylvia, Sam's wife of many years. What a woman ... strong, charming and loving mother to 5 fully engaged human beings. I recall Sam and Sylvia dating more than 30 years ago. I even recalled being taken by them to a disco in San Diego way back in 1976. That's where I learned how to do the Hustle. LOL! CLICK HERE for all the photos of the event.

CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT. THE RAINBOW OF SILICON VALLEY HAS NOW REACHED CHICAGO!

For all the latest photos, CLICK HERE. Stay tune for more updates.

That wasn't in the brochure! (Pic)

What can I say? Some of life's moments just happens! LOL.

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INNER ISLAND TOUR

This island is truly magnificent ... and so close to home too. This photo taken during our rest break of the 4-hour island tour.CLICK HERE for all of my Catalina photos.

SANTA CATALINA ISLAND

It took forever and a day to get here but I'm finally here ... an island paradise that's just a stone's-throw from "good 'ole" LA! Flight delay due to foggy conditions in Long Beach was the culprit. C'est la vie! The important thing is I'm here. My hotel is lovely and the weather sunny and warm. Can't ask for anything more, really.
The city of Avalon is quite a charmer ... quaint homes built up on the hillsides (the view from there must be insane) ... interesting little shops and restaurants and watering-holes that line the beach-side promenade. This town reminds me of a scaled-down Monte Carlo. Beautiful!

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

I'm so very glad I became a member. I by-passed that long line at the entrance. That alone made the membership fee worth it! Stay tune for more entries.

CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

I was one of the thousands of people who showed up in Golden Gate Park for the grand opening of the California Academy of Science several months ago ... only to be turned away because of over-capacity. Too many people turned out for the event and the venue obviously could not handle it. To say that I was disappointed is an understatement. I was pissed!

Fast forward a few months and we have today ... my day! I finally got to see the new California Academy of Science after all these years of closure and it did not disappoint. The structure is open, airy and organic and it greatly enhances the experience of the exhibits. The concept of "Green" is evident everywhere in the structure ... from the iconic Rinso Piano "Living Roof," to the reliance to natural light in the large public areas, to the active efforts in recycling waste products in the cafeterias. It's a structure with a conscience.

My special tip: spring for the annual membership. You are not only helping a worthy organization but you are also helping yourself to some tangible and immediate bonuses. First benefit is in dollars and cents. The cost of membership pays for itself after only 2 visits and you get discounts at the museum stores. Also, you get the VIP treatment right down to the no-waiting Members Only entrance.

CLICK HERE for all my photos of the day.

MARGARITAS!!!

Guess who recently took a much-needed vacation to Vegas ... and ended up with the time of his life (as this photo shows!) What happens in Vegas, doesn't always stay in Vegas!

APOSTOL / AVILUCEA ANNIVERSARY

The ladies proudly posed as a fun-loving group at the end of a fine evening at Milpitas' Claim Jumpers Restaurant. The occasion? The Apostols' and Aviluceas' 39th and 21st wedding anniversary respectively. It was an evening of love, fun and libations and everyone had a good time!  CLICK HERE for more photos of the evening.

FIRST CLASS TRAVEL

I knew there was a logical reason why I prefer flying first class. The above photo only confirms it. HA! HA! Thank you, Mehran for sending in this chuckle.