On Saturday morning, D and I took the maternity tour at St. Mary's. We're trying to decide between St. Mary's and Long Beach Memorial. There were about twenty other pregnant women, all of whom seemed farther along than me. The rooms seemed pretty nice, and private. It made me kind of scared to think about what I will be going through in less than five months. They provided free bagels/cream cheese, juice, and a not so cute stuffed animal duck. We will be visiting LB Memorial this week.
On another, unrelated note, we are experiencing an ant invasion (brought on by the hot weather last week). Ew!!!
Monday, July 31, 2006
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Running Update
So I am sure you are curious about my training. OK, maybe not, but I will tell you anyway. On July 4th in Napa, I ran 8.6 miles in about 85 minutes. About 10 minute miles. Which I was happy about. I started thinking that I could probably run the half-marathon (13.1 miles) in 2.5 hours. That would be about 11.5 minute miles. Then next week I ran in Huntington Beach, but it was hotter and hillier than Napa. I only ran about 8 miles in about 88 mintues. So I wasn't happy about that.
Since I only have 8 weeks before the half-marathon, I wanted to boost my long weekend run to 10 miles. So on Saturday I ran 10.5 miles! I ran from Sunset beach to the Huntington Pier and back. I started at a little after 5:30 a.m. and it wasn't too hot. I started out strong running from Sunset Beach to Golden West without slowing down to walk. However, on the way back I started worrying about the time and not just keeping a good pace. I needed to slow down and walk because my quads were tired. Then my left hamstring started cramping up, later my right quad cramped up, then my left quad cramped up. I remembered what my Pastor said once when he ran a race; he just tried to take one step at a time, and that the Christian life is a marathon. I alternated between walking and running, and I limped to the finish line by the grace of God. My left hamstring was acting up when I was crossing the line. I ran it in under 1 hour and 56 minutes. So I hit my goal of running it in under 2 hours (on pace for a 2.5 hour half-marathon), however, I am not to sure if I can do the half-marathon in under 2.5 hours.
Since I only have 8 weeks before the half-marathon, I wanted to boost my long weekend run to 10 miles. So on Saturday I ran 10.5 miles! I ran from Sunset beach to the Huntington Pier and back. I started at a little after 5:30 a.m. and it wasn't too hot. I started out strong running from Sunset Beach to Golden West without slowing down to walk. However, on the way back I started worrying about the time and not just keeping a good pace. I needed to slow down and walk because my quads were tired. Then my left hamstring started cramping up, later my right quad cramped up, then my left quad cramped up. I remembered what my Pastor said once when he ran a race; he just tried to take one step at a time, and that the Christian life is a marathon. I alternated between walking and running, and I limped to the finish line by the grace of God. My left hamstring was acting up when I was crossing the line. I ran it in under 1 hour and 56 minutes. So I hit my goal of running it in under 2 hours (on pace for a 2.5 hour half-marathon), however, I am not to sure if I can do the half-marathon in under 2.5 hours.
OC Fair
Today D and I were also able to check off another one our "Freedom Summer" activities--the OC Fair. My sister won two pairs of tickets so we met up with her and our bro-in-law in the afternoon.
Even though it was little cooler in Costa Mesa than in Irvine, it was still HOT and HUMID. Our Orange Juliuses were practically liquid in a couple of minutes!
First, we watched the crazy Peking acrobats. Their flexibility and balance are quite amazing.
Then, we watched the Alaskan Racing Pigs (and received a coupon for free Ralph's bacon--how gross is that?)
Next, we walked around the various barns to look at the animals. Here we are standing in front of the Maternity Barn, which I thought was quite appropo :)
Here is a funny sign that my sister told me to take a picture of:
D and I shared a gyro that was pretty good. Also, what is a fair without fried food? All four of us shared this plate of "Colossal Onion Rings" and we could barely finish it:
We ended our day by walking around the arts and craft displays, laughed at some of the not-so-special collections of random things, and visited the agriculture displays.
Wow, my stomach looks bigger than I thought!
I guess it doesn't measure up to the state fair (which D used to go to growing up in Sacto), but it was still fun!
Even though it was little cooler in Costa Mesa than in Irvine, it was still HOT and HUMID. Our Orange Juliuses were practically liquid in a couple of minutes!
First, we watched the crazy Peking acrobats. Their flexibility and balance are quite amazing.
Then, we watched the Alaskan Racing Pigs (and received a coupon for free Ralph's bacon--how gross is that?)
Next, we walked around the various barns to look at the animals. Here we are standing in front of the Maternity Barn, which I thought was quite appropo :)
Here is a funny sign that my sister told me to take a picture of:
D and I shared a gyro that was pretty good. Also, what is a fair without fried food? All four of us shared this plate of "Colossal Onion Rings" and we could barely finish it:
We ended our day by walking around the arts and craft displays, laughed at some of the not-so-special collections of random things, and visited the agriculture displays.
Wow, my stomach looks bigger than I thought!
I guess it doesn't measure up to the state fair (which D used to go to growing up in Sacto), but it was still fun!
Asian Fusion
Today D and I went to an event called "Asian Fusion". It was sponsored by the Asian Business Association of OC and held at Ford's "Premier Auto Group" building. Since Mazda is partly owned by Ford, Mazda employees were invited to attend.
D is now driving a 2006 MX-5 (formerly known as the Miata) because his Mazda 3 hasn't come in yet. So, we zoom-zoomed along the 405 with the top down to Irvine.
Then, D gave me a tour of his office building--pretty nice.
Afterward, we headed across the way to the Ford Building--very nice. We were able to sample a lot of food. D was surprised that it actually filled him up! We tried sushi, chocolates, green tea shakes, chocolate shakes, samosas, iced ginseng coffee, Thai chicken curry and chicken wing with rice, shrimp cake, cold noodles, Italian pasta (not sure why this was there), lumpia, mango and saffron ice cream, and non-alcoholic pina colada, strawberry and kiwi lime frozen drinks.
We also listened to a couple of presentations--one by the sommelier of the Napa Rose (D tried some white wines) and another by Ken Cruz, voted #1 sushi chef in Southern California. Here is Chef Cruz:
D won a $35 gift certificate for brunch at his restaurant called Riptide in Mission Viejo. He won by answering the question, "Where was sushi invented?" (Correct answer: China!)
D is now driving a 2006 MX-5 (formerly known as the Miata) because his Mazda 3 hasn't come in yet. So, we zoom-zoomed along the 405 with the top down to Irvine.
Then, D gave me a tour of his office building--pretty nice.
Afterward, we headed across the way to the Ford Building--very nice. We were able to sample a lot of food. D was surprised that it actually filled him up! We tried sushi, chocolates, green tea shakes, chocolate shakes, samosas, iced ginseng coffee, Thai chicken curry and chicken wing with rice, shrimp cake, cold noodles, Italian pasta (not sure why this was there), lumpia, mango and saffron ice cream, and non-alcoholic pina colada, strawberry and kiwi lime frozen drinks.
We also listened to a couple of presentations--one by the sommelier of the Napa Rose (D tried some white wines) and another by Ken Cruz, voted #1 sushi chef in Southern California. Here is Chef Cruz:
D won a $35 gift certificate for brunch at his restaurant called Riptide in Mission Viejo. He won by answering the question, "Where was sushi invented?" (Correct answer: China!)
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
I <3 My Snoogle
A couple of months ago I did some research on body pillows. Not for my pregnancy, but just because I have always wanted one. I did a search on Target.com and came across the "Snoogle", which I had never heard of before. After reading all of the glowing reviews, especially by pregnant women, I decided to buy it. Even though it is expensive (closer to $60 inc. tax/shipping), I must say that it is worth it. I've pretty much slept with it every night since I bought it. I feel like my sleep is "deeper", as I have noticed that I dream a lot more now--seriously! Also, it helps tremendously in keeping me positioned on my left side (apparently, you're not supposed to sleep on your right side or on your back while pregnant). D doesn't mind the extra space it takes up in the bed (some reviewers cited this as a problem). Plus, my mom made me this super duper cute cover for it with an old sheet I had bought (from Target) a long time ago.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Koreatown Excursion
Last weekend D and I crossed one item off of our summer to do list: visit Koreatown. We parked at the Koreatown Galleria (3 hours free). It was good that we got there relatively early (11:15 a.m.) because it was packed by the time we left. There's a fairly big grocery store on the bottom. Check out their kim chee selection:
There is also a bakery called Cake House. I picked up a couple of red bean donuts (one for my mom), which I had read about in a recent LA Times article. There was too much red bean and not enough dough for my taste. D spotted these cute desserts in their display case:
We were planning to leave the mall to eat bim bim bap but once we started walking down Olympic we realized it was too far/hot, so we backtracked to the mall and ate at the food court. They had a nice big screen and everyone was watching soccer. D had short ribs, but the portion size was kind of small. I wasn't too hungry so I just ordered kim bap (Korean sushi) and had some of D's side of cold noodles. There aren't too many stores but we did purchase a pleasant smelling citrus thingy for D's car (Korean store, Japanese brand, made in China).
Then we walked a couple of blocks to the older Koreatown Plaza. We went to Nicole's, a cute coffee shop, and shared a bing su:
I ordered it with green tea ice cream, but they gave us coffee ice cream instead. D didn't care too much for the red beans, but he managed to eat around them :) There weren't really any interesting stores here, either. I guess if I was Korean and lived close by I could see coming here, but since I'm not and I don't, it will probably be a while before we return.
There is also a bakery called Cake House. I picked up a couple of red bean donuts (one for my mom), which I had read about in a recent LA Times article. There was too much red bean and not enough dough for my taste. D spotted these cute desserts in their display case:
We were planning to leave the mall to eat bim bim bap but once we started walking down Olympic we realized it was too far/hot, so we backtracked to the mall and ate at the food court. They had a nice big screen and everyone was watching soccer. D had short ribs, but the portion size was kind of small. I wasn't too hungry so I just ordered kim bap (Korean sushi) and had some of D's side of cold noodles. There aren't too many stores but we did purchase a pleasant smelling citrus thingy for D's car (Korean store, Japanese brand, made in China).
Then we walked a couple of blocks to the older Koreatown Plaza. We went to Nicole's, a cute coffee shop, and shared a bing su:
I ordered it with green tea ice cream, but they gave us coffee ice cream instead. D didn't care too much for the red beans, but he managed to eat around them :) There weren't really any interesting stores here, either. I guess if I was Korean and lived close by I could see coming here, but since I'm not and I don't, it will probably be a while before we return.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
July 4th Weekend--Part Dos
Because we took the wrong route, it took us almost two hours to get to Napa. As usual, this post will talk a lot about food. :) The first night we ate at Bistro Don Giovanni. Here is the pretty trifle that D's parents split:
In the morning, D and I made a short trip to Yountville to check out Bouchon Bakery, owned by Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame. D had a mocha and a croissant, and after much debate, I had an unsweetened chai tea latte and a citrus brioche (pictured below). We also bought a baguette to take home for D's family.
After we returned, the whole family went hiking in a state park just North of Calistoga. D planned the trip but we weren't sure what to expect. The trail was kind of steep in places and there was a lot of loose gravel and slippery leaves. We didn't make it to the top, but at least we got some exercise. (D also woke up at 5:30 that morning to run to Yountville--crazy). Next, we did a little shopping in Calistoga and ate at All Seasons Bistro.
For dinner, D's parents, D and I went to Rutherford Grill, which is part of the same restaurant group that owns Houston's and Bandera. D ordered the ribeye, which he enjoyed, but he particularly liked the side of tomatoes and blue cheese. (The steak was actually bigger than it appears here).
Monday morning D and his parents went to the driving range at Vintner's golf course, while I watched. We ate breakfast at the Lakeside Grill. After that, we headed home, with full stomachs. Good times.
In the morning, D and I made a short trip to Yountville to check out Bouchon Bakery, owned by Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame. D had a mocha and a croissant, and after much debate, I had an unsweetened chai tea latte and a citrus brioche (pictured below). We also bought a baguette to take home for D's family.
After we returned, the whole family went hiking in a state park just North of Calistoga. D planned the trip but we weren't sure what to expect. The trail was kind of steep in places and there was a lot of loose gravel and slippery leaves. We didn't make it to the top, but at least we got some exercise. (D also woke up at 5:30 that morning to run to Yountville--crazy). Next, we did a little shopping in Calistoga and ate at All Seasons Bistro.
For dinner, D's parents, D and I went to Rutherford Grill, which is part of the same restaurant group that owns Houston's and Bandera. D ordered the ribeye, which he enjoyed, but he particularly liked the side of tomatoes and blue cheese. (The steak was actually bigger than it appears here).
Monday morning D and his parents went to the driving range at Vintner's golf course, while I watched. We ate breakfast at the Lakeside Grill. After that, we headed home, with full stomachs. Good times.
Monday, July 03, 2006
July 4th Weekend--Part I
L and I drove up to Napa to visit my parents. We drove up in my Mazda 6 and stopped by Berkeley. It has changed a lot since we last visited. I was excited about the new Student store. There are two levels of clothes & gifts.
I was like a kid in a candy store. I bought a Cal football t-shirt and a fleece vest. Telegraph has also changed quite a bit. For example, C'est cafe was replaced by a Subway restaurant. Also the GAP closed, and has yet to be replaced. The $1 Chinese food place is now $1.49! There is no more Bath and Body Works, but there is Addidas. You can still have your name written on a grain of rice, too. I believe that Telegraph could use some gentrification.
Cody's Books is shutting down :(
Notice the ironic "Drug Free Zone" sign--haha.
In addition, the Units have changed a lot. There are new dorm buildings built close to the old buildings to allow for more student housing.
The dining commons were moved to a new super DC.
As you can see, more construction is still in progress.
We also had fun strolling the campus and noticing the changes. This building, which Reni says reminds her of a bathroom*, is on the North Side of campus, by Hearst Mining Circle.
Here's the new Music Library, which I thought looked kind of cool.
Some buildings are overdue for a change. This monstrosity is the "Environmental Design" (architecture) building, of all things!
We ate at Cafe Intermezzo and it was delicious as always.
*Edit--swimming pool, not bathroom (that's Soda Hall--haha).
I was like a kid in a candy store. I bought a Cal football t-shirt and a fleece vest. Telegraph has also changed quite a bit. For example, C'est cafe was replaced by a Subway restaurant. Also the GAP closed, and has yet to be replaced. The $1 Chinese food place is now $1.49! There is no more Bath and Body Works, but there is Addidas. You can still have your name written on a grain of rice, too. I believe that Telegraph could use some gentrification.
Cody's Books is shutting down :(
Notice the ironic "Drug Free Zone" sign--haha.
In addition, the Units have changed a lot. There are new dorm buildings built close to the old buildings to allow for more student housing.
The dining commons were moved to a new super DC.
As you can see, more construction is still in progress.
We also had fun strolling the campus and noticing the changes. This building, which Reni says reminds her of a bathroom*, is on the North Side of campus, by Hearst Mining Circle.
Here's the new Music Library, which I thought looked kind of cool.
Some buildings are overdue for a change. This monstrosity is the "Environmental Design" (architecture) building, of all things!
We ate at Cafe Intermezzo and it was delicious as always.
*Edit--swimming pool, not bathroom (that's Soda Hall--haha).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)