The Adventures of Gina

2008 Movie Picks

2009-01-05T21:36:00.001-08:00

So many of you know, I watch a lot of movies! In fact, I start having withdrawals then I haven’t gone to the theater in at least a month! This past weekend, I even went to 3 movies in 3 days….you get it…I love movies!
My two favorite movies of 2008 were Slumdog Millionaire and The Dark Knight. Other favorites of year were Man on Wire, Mamma Mia and Milk.

Photo Album tag

2008-12-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

My sisters, Tammy and Jill, both did this game and it looke sort of fun!

Here's the rules

- pick your 6th folder from your photo files

- pick your 6th photo in that file and post and describe it

This photo was taken 4th of July, 2007. We spent the night at Bridget's, who must have taken this photo. This photo was actually taken on Alki beach, after we had watched the fireworks display. In the photo are from left to right: Rachel (I think that is her name?!), no clue who the next guy is, me, Christie's date (sorry, don't recall his name either!), Christie, Amy, Steve, and Chris.

Christmas Party

2008-12-16T20:58:00.000-08:00

On Saturday evening, I hosted my 4th Annual Christmas party. I think we all had a great time...that is until the next morning for some! Here are some hightlights and photos of the invited guests:

Frances and Mike

Doug, Patricia, and Chris

Christie and me
Doug and Mike
Christie and Tim

And some of the more interesting points of the evening.....

Doug, dancing to YMCA

Mike, belting out "you've lost that love and feeling"
and
Chris, Christie, and I doing a chocolate cake shot for old time's sake

Spread Happiness....

2008-11-18T17:06:00.000-08:00

My friend Christie sent this to me today and I wanted to share it with all of you....

Wine and Murder

2008-11-16T08:20:00.000-08:00

Last night I hosted a Mystery dinner party….Wine and Murder. The mystery was set in the wine region of Napa Valley. Five years ago, Barry Underwood, owner of the prestigious Underwood Wine Estates, mysteriously disappeared during the valley’s annual wine festival. A massive search at the time failed to turn up any clues and the case has been in the FBI’s unsolved files since then.
It is once again the annual wine festival in Napa. Last night, family and friends gathered at the stately Underwood mansion to celebrate. At midnight, a minor earthquake shook the mansion, causing the old wooden floor in the wine cellar to buckle. Barry’s well preserved body was discovered under the cedar planks. It was a clear case of murder.
The dinner guest included Tiny Bubbles, Barry’s fiancée at the time of his death, who is now married to Ralph Rottingrape; Ralph is Barry’s first cousin and heir to the Underwood Wine Estates; Otto Von Schnapps, a German wine merchant, who mysteriously came into a large some of money; Marilyn Merlot, the Wine Princess at the festival five years ago and is just plain bitchy; Hedy Shablee, the owner of a neighboring vineyard and a fierce competitor of the Underwood’s; Papa Vito, who has worked at the Underwood Winery for 60 years; Bonny Lass, a Scottish novelist who happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time; and lastly Bud Wizer, the FBI agent investigating Barry’s murder.
Here are some photos from the evening (who knew my friends were such good actors!)

Marilyn and BudHedy, Otto, and TinyBonnie and Papa Vito
Ralph was unable to attend the event….hope you are feeling better, Michael!

Change is coming.....

2008-11-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

It's almost time....

2008-11-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

Whomever you decide to vote for tomorrow….JUST VOTE!

(and maybe, if we are lucky, my guy will win!)

Halloween at TGB

2008-11-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

It was sort of hard to work on Friday with co-workers that look like this:

Dancing with the Stars

2008-10-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

W.

2008-10-18T17:23:00.001-07:00

Last night, I went to the movie ‘W.’ It was an alright movie…it was long, a little depressing and quasi interesting. I expected more of an edge from an Oliver Stone movie. The focus was a lot on his alcoholism and the dynamics between him and his father. It probably would have been best as a 1-hour made-for-TV movie. Richard Dreyfuss played a great Dick Cheney; I predict a best supporting actor nom for his role.

Honestly, I don’t recommend this movie, maybe if your queue is empty.

The Week in Review

2008-10-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

This past week has been a crazy one. Here are some of the highlights…
On Tuesday, my boss, Kent, and I went to Eastern Washington to tour the Cancer Center that I have been working on.
After our tour of the construction site, we went to dinner with the foundation director and her husband. We pulled up to this restaurant that looked a little “sketchy” from the outside. (On a side note…Kent and I have gone on a number of business trips over the years and he always wants to go to lunch at these neighborhood restaurants. I am all for the local mom and pop places, but I have a prerequisite of at least 4 cars in the parking lot.) So, when we pulled up to this restaurant in the middle of no where Kennewick, there were only 2 cars in the parking lot….both of which were BWM’s…so I thought I would make an exception. I order one of the specials which was a pumpkin ricotta cannoli and it was honestly one of best meals I have ever had! So, if you ever find yourself in Kennewick, WA, check out the Olympic Blue!
We stayed overnight in Kennewick and headed to tour a cancer treatment facility in Yakima. What a beautiful place; here are a couple photos of the “Cancer Lodge.”
We pulled back into Seattle at 5:30 on Wednesday evening and Kent dropped me off downtown so I could meet some friends and head to the theater. We went to Phantom of the Opera at the Paramount. I was the only one in the group that had never seen it before and really didn’t know what to expect. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend it to all of you!
Thursday night Kent, Melissa, and I had a wine and dine for some potential future owners of a project we are working on in Covington. It was sort of wasted trip for me as I am pretty sure I said a total of 5 words…”would you like some wine?”
Friday, we all went for a drink at the Taki Tiki….home of the famous velvet Elvis! I love that place! After a couple drinks, I came home and watched the movie “Run, Fat Boy, Run.” This was a great movie and recommend it for your queue. Here is the synopsis:
When Dennis leaves his pregnant fiancée at the altar, a few years later he realizes that he has made a mistake and that he must win her back and it looks like Whit is also falling for her. To prove to Libby that he will promise to look after her, he decides to run the Marathon to win her back. Eventually in the marathon the competition is between Whit and Dennis after dirty tricks, Whit makes a foul causing Dennis to break his ankle and Whit has barely a scratch. Whit is rushed to hospital as he is being a Mary Ann whilst at the hospital; Libby realizes that Whit is not what she thought he was. She goes back to the marathon with her son to see Dennis. Dennis at this point is last but is still running he feels that he was kidding himself and that he should just quit until he sees Libby and his son this gives him all the energy he needs to finish the race.
Jill and the kids came over on Saturday for lunch and to take a tour of my new place. After a few issues with a dead battery and a mini-van at Alderwood mall, I went home to make dinner for Doug. It was my first attempt to make risotto and I think it turned out pretty good!
This morning, I worked a couple hours and decided it was too nice of a day to spend at the office. Ok, so it was really not that nice, but there was a patch of blue sky and only 30% chance of precipitation; which in October in Seattle, that classifies as a nice day!! Doug and I decided to take the ferry to Bainbridge Island. We took a little waterfront hike, got some coffee, and then hit the cute little shops on Main Street. We nearly missed the 5:30 ferry back to Seattle….we ran….literally ran to catch it!!
Tonight I made apple bread to take to the office in the morning….and soon it is time for bed! I hope this week is a little more relaxing!

2008-09-30T09:20:00.001-07:00

Westport

2008-09-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

I just returned back from a much needed mini-vacation to the coast. Doug and I headed to Westport, Washington which is a small fishing town about 2 1/2 hours from Seattle. It was a very relaxing weekend; we walked the beach, saw Washington’s tallest lighthouse, played frisbee, watched the locals trying to catch “the big one,” went swimming (in an indoor pool, not in the freezing ocean!) and even did a little wine tasting. Although Westport is know mainly for it fishing, it has become the Washington surfing mecca. Doug had grand visions of catching a set this morning, but opted out. It would have been entertaining to watch him attempt to surf after a 20 year hiatus!

Burn after Reading

2008-09-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Last night, we went to the new Coen brother’s movie, Burn after Reading and I loved it! It is about an ousted CIA official’s memoir accidentally falling in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees who attempt to sell it. If you are a fan of both black comedies and the Coen brother’s…you will love it as well.
Oh and Brad Pitt was absolutely hilarious…..CHAD…what a perfect name for him in that movie!

Yearbook Yourself

2008-09-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

After laughing my ass off at Jill and Sara's yearbook photos, I thought I would see what I looked like.

Here I am in 1952:1958:

1968:

1976:

1980:1994:

The Women

2008-09-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

I went to the movie "The Women" the weekend and did not like it. It was long and trying way to hard to be like Sex and the City, but it wasn't...not even close. I love Meg Ryan; she always plays this cute spunky character. She played the same person in this movie, but I just didn't buy her friendship with the other 3 characters. No need to go to theater, or even rent it for that matter!

Here is the synopsis:
The story centers on a group of gossipy, high-society women who spend their days at the beauty salon and haunting fashion shows. The sweet, happily-wedded Mary Haines finds her marriage in trouble when shop girl Crystal Allen gets her hooks into Mary's man. Naturally, this situation becomes the hot talk amongst Mary's catty friends, especially the scandalmonger Sylvia Fowler, who has little room to talk - she finds herself on a train to Reno and headed for divorce right after Mary.

The Big Move

2008-09-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

After about 15 trips back and forth between my new place and old place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday along with a couple trips to Ikea and Target, I am pretty much moved in! The process all started on Thursday evening when I received keys and officially became the owner of my very first home. I think I stated up until 2 am trying to organize my kitchen…who knew it would take so long to determine the best location for Tupperware!
I took Friday off of work so I could continue the move. I hit a wall around 4:00 and decided to call it day. Saturday morning, Leif, Doug, my boss, Kent, and his son, Max, had agreed to help move all of my big stuff…couch, bed, buffet, etc. I am very grateful for all their help! Thanks again, boys!!
On Saturday night, I had my first guests. My friends Melissa and Francis came to christen in my new place with some wine and cheese.
Everything had gone pretty smooth throughout the entire move, that is until Sunday. I woke in the morning and decided to clean my old apartment and meet Doug there so we could load up my entertainment center and deliver it to his house. I had borrowed Doug’s truck in order to could go to Ikea and buy a dining table and bookcase. After about 3 hours of driving and shopping, we met back and my place and unloaded and put together my new purchases. We first opened the dinning room table box…and it was the wrong wood…my heart dropped. Without skipping a beat, Doug states, “well, do you want to go exchange it now.” I was like…give me 10 minutes to sulk in my misery. I cannot believe I just did that. I don’t typically make stupid mistakes like that!! (do I???) So, I left Doug to build a bookcase and I made 45 minute drive back to Ikea. One would think the drama would end there, but not today. I get back to Ikea and return the table and as I reach in my purse for my wallet and it’s missing. Again, my heart sinks and I start to retrace my steps…Ikea, truck, home, truck, Ikea…it had to be in one of those places , right?!?!? Trying to keep calm and collected with the friendly Ikea lady, I ask her to check lost and found to see if a black wallet had been turned in early in the day. I also called Doug and to see if my wallet was left at home. As I am explaining to him the situation, his phone dies before he can tell me anything. So I fly through Ikea, purchase the dining table, again, checked and double checked to verify it was the right wood, and hit the road back to Mountlake Terrace. As I am driving home I am trying to recall what I all had in my wallet…credit card, debit card, driver’s license, insurance cards, and some other miscellaneous items that should be a huge deal to replace. What felt like an eternity drive home, I arrive to find Doug, relaxing on the couch, eating some cheese, watching Saving Private Ryan, and my wallet. Thank goodness!!!
I know, long story to tell you I am a space cadet!

I still have one box to unpack and many pictures to hang, but I guess that will be this weekend’s projects. Here are some photos of my new condo.

Dave Matthews

2008-09-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

I just woke up from a three hour nap that I took as soon as I walk in the door this afternoon (well, technically I had to take a hot shower first!) Doug and I went to the Gorge in eastern Washington to see the one and only Dave Matthews. The venue was phenomenal. For those of you who have not been there before, the Gorge is an outdoor amphitheater resting on the banks of the Columbia River. The views were stunning. The concert itself was great; Dave definitely knows how to put on a good show! Towards the end of the 3 ½ hour performance, there was a beautiful tribute to the band’s late saxophone player, LeRoi Moore.
We decided to camp at the gorge, along with thousands of other Dave Matthew’s fans. I am not sure if I actually slept; our neighbors at the camp ground continued to celebrate Dave until the wee hours!
Here are some photos from the weekend.

Here is Doug setting up our camp...and yes, I did help...I just
had to take a break for the photo oppurtunity!

Walking to the concert from our campsite
We are getting closer!

We found a relatively close patch of grass to call our own…at least for a couple
hours!

This morning we decided to stop at a scenic over look of the Columbia River.

This is a wild horses sculpture located beside I-90

Mamma Mia!

2008-08-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

I recently went to Mamma Mia! and I loved it! I went to the Broadway show a few years ago, and although the movie does not match the excitement of watching a live performance, it was still a lot of fun. (I did have to hold back the dancing in the aisle!) Oh and if you do go to this movie, I highly recommend you stay through the credits...it is well worth it!

Here is the synopsis:

20 year old Sophie is preparing to marry her boyfriend Sky at her mother's hotel on an island in Greece. She seemingly has it all -- a carefree life, a loving fiance, and happy friends -- but one thing has been missing all her life: a father.
Her only wish now is to be given away by her dad at her wedding. By reading her mother's diary she discovers that she has three possible fathers. Sophie then secretly invites all three men to the wedding in a desperate bid to discover which of them is her father before the wedding bells start to chime!
But not all goes according to plan: old loves are re-kindled, new loves are formed, and Sophie risks everything to discover the true identity of her father.

TGB Summer Event

2008-08-16T19:24:00.000-07:00

The TGB office closed the office on Friday for our annual summer event. This year, the principals kept the event a secret and only sent us ambiguous photo clues over the past several weeks. Here are some highlights of our surprise trip to downtown Tacoma and the Glass Art Museum.

the bus ride to Tacoma, adora, kathryn, michelle, and chris
kimberly and heidi
melissa and I enjoying a bloody marythe glass art museum

kent and melissa showing off our new TGB bowling shirts

Franny and Michelle

the Tacoma convention center

back at the office and ready for a nap

I'm moving!

2008-08-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

That’s right; I have purchased my first home. It is a one bedroom condo in Mountlake Terrace. Last week, I had a serious anxiety attack. But this week, I simply can’t wait to close on September 4th. Here are some photos from my new place (the unit was a model, that is why there is furniture in the photos.)

Beckett has arrived!

2008-08-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

I received the phone call yesterday morning (at 4:25am) from Jill that it was time! So I headed out to their house and patiently awaited the arrival of my new nephew. Beckett August finally made his grand entrance yesterday afternoon! Jill and Leif are doing great and Beckett's brother and sister can hardly contain themselves with excitement.

Welcome to the world, Beckett!

Babysitting Weekend

2008-07-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend I babysat my niece and nephew and we had a blast. The big exchanged and good bye lunch to mom and dad started at University Village. Then we were off to the Woodland Park Zoo. Our zoo adventure started with a carousel ride on Princes Sofia and Checkers. Christian said his favorite part was the flamingos and Campbelle’s was the cookies I brought for a snack….I guess she is easily entertained!!

We then went to the fabric store to continue my tradition of making the Brenne kids car blankets. Madison and Will pick out the fabric for Campbelle and Christian’s blankets, but this time around, Christian picked out a Transformer pattern and Campbelle fancied Finding Nemo. They were actually both very helpful, but Christian lost interest pretty quickly.
Sunday started with a failed attempt to go swimming in my complex pool, so we opted for breakfast at Starbuck’s; I am pretty sure the scones the kids had were bigger than their little faces!
We ended our fun filled weekend by going to the movie Space Chimps….and I don’t recommend this movie for those over 5 years old.

Lyle Lovett

2008-07-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

On Friday, four friends that I work with and I, left work a couple hours early to sip on some wine and listen to a little Lyle Lovett. This is the first time I have gone to one of the summer concerts at the Ste. Michelle Winery and I have to say, it ranks up there as one of the coolest things I have done in Seattle. Lyle put on a great show; he was very engaging to the audience, he made it feel like a small venue. Shawn Colvin opened for Lyle…what a beautiful voice she has!

Cameras were not allowed, so these are some pictures from my phone.

Adora and Heidi

Melissa and Jennifer

and so it must come to an end...

2008-07-06T11:47:00.000-07:00

I have had an almost perfect 4th of July weekend. It all started on Thursday night hanging out with my friends Dan and Maria. After a quick tour of their new place, we headed for dinner at a local Thai restaurant.
On Friday, Doug had reserved a couple of kayaks for us to take a tour around Lake Union.

It was my first time ever kayaking, and once I figured out how to adjust my foot peddles, I have to say I did alright! Although Doug would probably beg to differ since was he had to constantly wait for me to catch up! The Wooden Boat Festival was happening at south Lake Union, so it was pretty cool to tool around all the cool wood boats. After two hours and two blisters later, (I think I was holding on to my oars a little too tight!!) we decided to get on our bikes and find some food and drink. Then we were out to find the perfect patch of grass and get ready for the spectacular fireworks show by Gasworks Park. It was a fantastic evening; we drank wine, snacked on some cheese and crackers, had great conversation, and of course people watched! It was amazing to see thousands of people claim their tiny patch of grass, sit there for hours and hours (seriously, some people had to be there for 8 hours or more!) simply to watch a 30 minute fireworks show, then load everything back into your vehicle to sit in traffic for 2 hours trying to get home! I guess I was technically one of them this year!
Saturday afternoon, we went to the Kelii’s house for a backyard BBQ; although most of it was spent inside laughing at my co-workers singing karaoke! There will surely be some stories come Monday morning! That night, Christie and I decided to spend a low key evening sipping on some wine at the Poco Wine Room on Capital Hill.
This morning I caught up with some friends to walk by the waterfront in Kirkland. And tonight, Doug and I are planning to complete the holiday weekend with blockbuster movie….after a nap of course!

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend, as it is back to work in the morning!

bring on the fireworks....

2008-07-03T22:23:00.000-07:00

wishing you all a happy and safe 4th of July!

Rosemary Chicken Couscous Salad

2008-06-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

I recently made this salad to take on a picnic....it was really really good! (and pretty easy, Tammy!)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups chicken broth
1 (10 ounce) box couscous

3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves

2 large cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup chopped English cucumber
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in couscous. Remove pan from the heat; cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar in the bowl of a blender or food processor; mix on low until mixture thickens. Stir in rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Combine the chicken, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl. Stir in the couscous, Feta cheese, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the salad with half the dressing. Taste, and add more dressing as desired, or, if making the salad in advance, add additional dressing just before serving.

Summer Solstice Parade

2008-06-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Michelle, Christie and I headed to Fremont to witness the Solstice Parade. Since I moved to Seattle 3 years ago, I have heard about this parade, but this was my first one. For those of you who aren’t from around here, the Fremont Solstice Parade is kicked off with about a hundred of naked bikers…..yes, I said naked! Most of them have some creatively painted bodies. It was definitely a sight to see!

when does summer start?

2008-06-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

Month of May

2008-06-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been awhile since I posted, in fact I never actually posted the entire month of May! Here are some highlights over the past month:

Our monthly movie group reunited to see The Visitor, which was very good and I highly recommend you add this to your Netflix queue.

Doug and I went to a Mariner’s Game; this was before they started their losing streak. Richie Sexton was looking good as always!
I joined a number of co-workers at a fashion show, Product Runway (which is modeled after Bravo’s Project Runway.) Although TGB did not make it to the top six, our team did great….we’ll get’em next year!

Christie and Holly joined me for a little “Whoo Hoo I am wearing normal shoes” dinner celebration at my favorite restaurant, The Wild Ginger.

I tipped-toed through the tulips at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
My boss, Kent, and I went to eastern Washington for the ground breaking ceremonies for one of my recent project, the Tri-Cities Cancer Center.

My friend Melissa and her son Kahn, helped Leif, Campbelle, and Christian celebrate the Norwegian Constitution Day. Note, it was 92 degrees that day and Leif is in his full (wool) national costume…what a dedicated Norwegian! After the parade in Ballard, we continued the celebrating at the Brenne house.

On Memorial Day, Christie and I went on our first bike ride of the summer. We combined the bike ride with a little suburban wine tasting tour of Woodinville.

There were a few sunset walks along the beach at Golden Garden’s.

And this last weekend, I joined Jill at the 10th Annual Issaquah Relay for Life. This year’s event raised almost $210,000! Thanks to all you who donated!
So that has been my life over the past few weeks. Stay tuned for more summer activities!

I'm walking!

2008-04-17T18:12:00.001-07:00

that's right....I can now put full weight on my left foot! I had a great check up with my doctor today and will be hopefully walking in my normal shoes in a short 2 weeks (yes, I still need to wear my Frankenstein boot for the time being.)

nothing new.....

2008-04-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

still scootin/crutchin around, but that will hopefully be over by weeks end (keep your fingers crossed!)

Easter Weekend

2008-03-24T20:19:00.000-07:00

I actually had a bit of a social life this past weekend! On Friday night, Dan came over for a little visit to cheer my spirits (although, I ended up trying to cheer his!) Saturday and Sunday morning, I spent with the Brenne's and at Sammamish Presbyterian Church. Campbelle sang her little heart out in a children's choir; she did warn me that part of her song goes pretty fast and it might be hard to keep up! She did great! On Sunday, I went out for sushi and saw the movie "In Bruges." I loved this movie and highly recommend to anyone who loves those witty English comedies. Here is a synopsis:

Bruges was filmed on location; Bruges (pronounced "broozh"), the most well-preserved medieval city in the whole of Belgium, is a welcoming destination for travelers from all over the world. But for hit men Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), it could be their final destination; a difficult job has resulted in the pair being ordered right before Christmas by their London boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) to go and cool their heels in the storybook Flemish city for a couple of weeks. Very much out of place amidst the gothic architecture, canals, and cobbled streets, the two hit men fill their days living the lives of tourists. Ray, still haunted by the bloodshed in London, hates the place, while Ken, even as he keeps a fatherly eye on Ray's often profanely funny exploits, finds his mind and soul being expanded by the beauty and serenity of the city. But the longer they stay waiting for Harry's call, the more surreal their experience becomes, as they find themselves in weird encounters with locals, tourists, violent medieval art, a dwarf American actor shooting a European art film, Dutch prostitutes, and a potential romance for Ray in the form of Chloë, who may have some dark secrets of her own. And when the call from Harry does finally come, Ken and Ray's vacation becomes a life-and-death struggle of darkly comic proportions and surprisingly emotional consequences.

Punctuation Quiz

2008-03-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

My sister, Jill, had recently posted this puncutation quiz.

I am a dash:

Your life is fast paced and varied.

You are realistic, down to earth, and very honest.

You're often busy doing something interesting, and what you do changes quickly.

You have many facets to your personality, and you connect them together well.

You have a ton of interests. While some of them are a bit offbeat, they all tie together well.

You friends rely on you to bring novelty and excitement to their lives.(And while you're the most interesting person they know, they can't help feeling like they don't know you well.)

You excel in: Anything to do with money (that is a joke!)

You get along best with: the Exclamation Point

Sorry Saps

2008-03-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

I was in Covington for construction meetings today and it was quite a sight to see; the contractor, George, who broke his fibula while playing soccer last week, and I, both hobbling around the job site on our crutches!

Saturday Night Movie

2008-03-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

I was feeling pretty confident on Thursday when Doug asked if I wanted to go to a movie on Saturday night. However, about an hour before he picked me up, I had a little anxiety attack about tripping and falling on my crutches or worse, someone stepping on my toes! After a little "you will be fine” talk, I reluctantly proceeded with the evening. The only two movies that even sort-of appealed to me during this post Oscar season, were In Burges and The Band’s Visit, both of which were playing at the historic Harvard Exit Theater (historic meaning not required to have an elevator!) Since only one of it’s theaters is accessible (I was not going to do 2 flights stairs) we left it up to fate to determine which movie we saw…and The Band’s Visit it was! It was one of those “stop and smell the roses” type of movie. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to be added to your rental queue. Here is the synopsis:

Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin’s debut feature, THE BAND’S VISIT, is a subtle, heartfelt, and humane work that goes a long way toward dissolving the incredibly complex cultural divide that continues to plague the Middle East. When the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra flies from Egypt to Israel to perform at the opening of an Arab culture center, they are left stranded at the airport. Their leader, Tewfiq, orders the handsome violinist, Khaled, to solve their predicament, but it turns out that he’s gotten the wrong information. By that time, it’s too late. All eight members are left standing alone in a quiet desert town far from their intended destination with no way to get where they need to go. Tired,hungry, and confused, they find shelter at a restaurant run by the pretty but brash Dina. It’s clear that Dina is bored with her lonely life, so she talks Tewfiq into letting the band stay over for the night: he and Khaled will stay with her, and the others will be put up at the home of Itzik. Over the course of the night, Tewfiq and Dina bond, Khaled helps a hapless local discover his inner Romeo, and the other band members find themselves caught up in a domestic situation that is less than perfect. Kolirin perfectly navigates his film’s slice-of-life tone, blending comedy and drama and poignancy without ever succumbing to one completely. In the wrong hands, this material could turn into a quirk-fest that parodies everyday life. Yet under Kolirin’s assured command, it becomes something that feels like life itself. THE BAND’S VISIT is funny, lonely, inspiring, sad, and beautiful all at once.

Scooter Girl

2008-03-04T22:09:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, I have had some foot problems probably since 7th grade when I fractured the bones on the side of each foot while hiking, in keds, at Placerville Church Camp. My podiatrist back then, said they would eventually turn into bunions and would start to cause some significant pain. I started feeling more pain a couple years ago. I am not sure if the hundreds of miles I have been walking over the past 4 summers for the Breast Cancer 3-Day or my attempt to play soccer caused it, but whatever it was, I needed to do something to relieve the pain. So, after a couple nonsurgical attempts to remedy the pain, I opted for surgery. At 7:15am last week Thursday, I checked into the hospital to fix my left foot. The surgery entailed removing my bunions on both the outside and inside of my foot, taking bone out of my 2nd and 3rd toe and lengthen the tendon that extents to the bottom of my foot. The surgery took about 2 ½ hours and luckily, I slept through the entire thing!
The typical recovery for this type of surgery is 8 to 10 weeks non-weight bearing on my foot. With that in mind, I will finally get to the title of this blog “scooter girl.” After much thought, I decided to get a knee scooter to move around in both my apartment and office, and wow, that was the right decision; I am not sure if I would have lasted 2 months on crutches!

Vegas, Baby

2008-03-04T22:08:00.000-08:00

So…you all know the saying “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Having said that, here are some ‘sharable’ highlights of my recent trip with long time friends, Natalie and Julie.
We stayed at a fairly new spa hotel one block off the strip, The Platinum Hotel . It was perfect setting for a relaxing girl’s get-a-way weekend.
On Saturday, we took a leisurely stroll up and down the strip. Did some shopping. Stopped at an oxygen bar for a little rejuvenation.

Met Nicolas Cage (who knew he was such a nice guy!!)

Were serenaded in a bar.

Went to a show, Ice.
Sunday was our spa day. WOW, is all I can say about this spa. It was complete with robes and slippers, lounge chairs and a steam room in the women’s lounge, and a quite area, if you just want to get away. Very chic!
We finished our weekend retreat with a fabulous dinner at Emeril’s restaurant at the MGM.
I had a great time, girls…I can’t wait to make this an annual trip…and next year it will be somewhere warmer, I promise!!

33rd Birthday Celebration!

2008-02-25T16:03:00.001-08:00

This past week has been a crazy one. There were some late nights at the office trying to finalize drawings for a cancer center I have been working on over the past few months. The project went to bid on Thursday, just in time to celebrate my 33rd birthday. I started this double digit year with a glass a wine and dinner at my new favorite little place, Mona’s.

Bridget and Ed

Doug and I (obviously deep in thought!)

Christie and Kelly

MAME

2008-02-17T19:45:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night, I invited Melissa, Robert, and Doug over for dinner and drinks before we headed downtown to the 5th Avenue Theater to watch Mame. I was so looking forward to going to the theater; it has been a long time, in fact, I am pretty sure the last show I saw was Sweet Charity on my 30th birthday! Here is a little synopsis for the musical:

An eccentric socialite in the Roaring '20s finds her madcap Manhattan lifestyle turned upside down when she is appointed guardian of her orphaned nephew. Auntie Mame takes him on one whirlwind adventure after another, proving that "life is a banquet."

So...I guess I forgot to mention it, but I loved the show!!

I know it has been awhile since my last post….but I actually have some interesting “stuff” going on in the next couple of weeks…..stay tuned!

Band Meme

2008-02-04T19:07:00.000-08:00

Here's a Meme from my sister's Tammy and Jill.
Through a random search, you come up with your bands name, the title of your album and the album cover photo. You can't keep refreshing the link. Ya gotta work with what you get. :) Let's make a band:

1. Click here. The first article title is the name of your band.

2. Click here. The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

3. Click here. The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Take your photo, add the band name and title, then post it.

Here's what I got out of the mix:

Name of my Band: The Italian Minister of Health
Album Title: At a Friendly level
Album Cover looks like this:

My dilemma…

2008-01-11T13:12:00.000-08:00

Who to cheer for during Saturday’s playoff game….the Packers or the Seahawks?!?! I just don’t know. On one hand, the Packers have been my team since the Serr boys introduced me to the beautiful and talented Mr. Brett Favre (this was back in Jr. High when I use to babysit TJ and Lorne.) Then you have the Hawks. They are my home team and I have come to love them since I moved to Seattle 2 years ago. I think my only solution is to wear my Seahawk’s shirt under my Packer’s jersey and just be happy whoever wins game.

GO PACKERS….ur um HAWKS!!

Movies...movies...movies

2008-01-02T20:27:00.000-08:00

Since I returned home from Florida…I have gone to movie after movie!

On Saturday night, Doug and I went to “Walk Hard, the Dewey Cox Story.” Usually these types of slap stick comedies typically do not appeal to me, but for some reason, I found this one hilarious! I guess I needed some type of comic relief in my life! Here is a brief synopsis of the movie:

Fictional musician Dewey Cox skyrockets from humble beginnings in Springberry, Alabama and eventually gets caught up in the fame of rock and roll. He begins to hang out with the big time people such as Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Jenna Fischer plays his backup singer and second wife, Darlene. He was first married to his first wife Edith with whom he had
many kids, but the marriage was over when she found Dewey about to have sex with Darlene. One of the pervasive themes of the movie is the fact that he accidentally cut his brother in half at the waist when he was a child. This causes his father to frequently repeat the phrase "The Wrong Kid Died" until he accidentally kills himself in the same fashion.

Christie and I went to the next on my list, “Juno.” I loved loved loved this movie! If you like the movie “Little Miss Sunshine” you will really enjoy this.

Juno is a Mid-Western highschooler (from Minnesota!), who decides one day, out of boredom or curiosity, to have sex with her friend Bleeker, a member of her school's track team. She likes him well enough, but isn't hung up on him. This one time encounter results in Juno's pregnancy. She and her best friend Leah decide to take control of the situation by browsing for prospective adoptive parents in the local Pennysaver, and Juno settles on seemingly perfect, affluent couple Mark and Vanessa.

The last movie I saw during my holiday break, was “Sweeny Todd: The Demon Baber of Fleet Street.” I just love Johnny Depp. In fact, I think I have loved him since his days on 21 Jump Street! And yes, I know that he (along with his movie side kicks, Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton) is a little odd, to say the least; I just think he is an amazing actor! Anyway, besides my slight obsession with Mr. Depp, Sweeny Todd was a great movie. Warning to all you non-musically loving folk…there is a whole lot of singing!

The story centers on the character of Sweeney Todd, formerly known as Benjamin Barker, who returns from the penal colonies in Australia, where he has spent fifteen years on false charges. When he learns from Mrs. Lovett, whose meat pies are the worst in London, that his wife poisoned herself after being raped by Judge Turpin (the man who wrongly imprisoned him), and that his daughter is the ward of the same Judge Turpin, he vows revenge. The two become conspirators in a dark plot that results in mass murder, booming business for Lovett's shop, and ultimately tragedy.

Christmas in Florida

2007-12-31T15:09:00.000-08:00

I can’t believe Christmas 2007 is already over! I feel like I had been waiting and waiting for it to arrive and now it is all just a wonderful memory. I spend this Christmas on Sanibel Island with my dad, Marva, and my sisters and their families. Most of our time was either spent on the beach or by the pool (with margarita in hand of course!)

This is our condo...we were on the first floor...perfect location!

We even went to a Christmas Eve candlelight service on the beach.

Since we did not have a real Christmas tree…we had to improvise!

Luckily, Santa found us!!

When we were not basking in the sun, time was spent playing with Christmas gifts.

On our last night, we drove to Captiva Island for dinner…the kids got their own table!

I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-22T00:10:00.000-08:00

Well, for my second year in a row, I have failed to send out Christmas cards! However, since most of you probably read about my boring life on this blog, there is probably no need to give you any updates. I do want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

3rd Annual Christmas Party

2007-12-22T00:02:00.001-08:00

Last Saturday night I hosted my 3rd annual Christmas party with my friend in Seattle. Christie came over early to help me prepare, plus be my fashion consultant when I freaked out about what to wear!! Thanks for all your help, Christie!

Kelly, Rob and Christie

Opening another bottle of wine!

Kent, Mike, and Robert...having an indepth conversation

3-Day walkers, Heather, Christie, and Theresa

Melissa and Robert, enjoying a cosmopolitan

Office Christmas Party

2007-12-14T23:36:00.000-08:00

We had our annual office Christmas party on Thursday night and this year’s event was at the Edmonds Yacht Club. It is traditional for to have a White Elephant gift exchange and this year, Christian got the top prize…a spirally piece beautiful art!
Here are some photos from this year’s party.

two of our principals, Kent Gregory and John Taylor

Melissa..moments after she stole my Bacardi!

Christian and his art

Michelle, Wei, and Carmel

Go Hawks!!

2007-12-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

This afternoon, Bridget, Christie, Steve, Chris, and I went to the Seattle Seahawks games where they clinch the NFC West Title for the forth straight year. They played the Arizona Cardinals and won 42 to 21. Although the game was basically a blow out, it was still fun to be there and cheer on the Hawks.

Lars and the Real Girl

2007-11-04T20:23:00.001-08:00

This weekend, Kathleen and I went to the movie “Lars and the Real Girl.” What a sweet, heartwarming movie about a guy who is a little delusional and falls in love with a sex doll. (I know…I used the words heartwarming and sweet in the same sentence as sex doll!) I highly recommend this movie for everyone. Here is a little synopsis of the movie courtesy of IMDb:

Lars (Ryan Gosling) is an awkwardly shy young man in a small northern town who finally brings home the girl of his dreams to his brother and sister-in-law's home. The only problem is that she's not real - she's a sex doll Lars ordered off the internet. But sex is not what Lars has in mind, but rather a deep, meaningful relationship. His sister-in-law is worried for him; his brother thinks he's nuts, but eventually the entire town goes along with his delusion in support of this sweet natured boy that they've always loved.

Recent 'Work' Project

2007-10-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of a recent project I finished for a very small clinic in Bellevue.

The main wall is a grooved wood product with a metal finish...it if a very cool material! Maybe I will someday have another client willing to spend a ton of money on one wall!

Latest Project

2007-10-17T20:21:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months, I have been working on a quilt for my bedroom. This past weekend I finally finished! Here is the finished product!

Where does the time go?

2007-10-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

Things have actually started to slow down at work, and you would think I would have plenty of time to blog, but no!! Between watching my “must sees” including Brothers and Sisters, Friday Night Lights, Grey’s Anatomy, ER, The Office, Desperate Housewives, and Damages, and meeting friends for drinks and/or dinner, I just don’t seem to have the time!!! I have definitely found the time for a little self pampering over the past couple weeks including a haircut (a new floppy curly thing going on on my head), an eye brow wax (I think my high school uni-brow was working itself back onto my face!), a facial (hands down, the best facial I have ever had!), and a free massage (courtesy to my friend, Melissa!) It was a tough summer; I have some how justified in my head that I deserved this level of personal time and expense!

Back to where has time gone….did you know that “Tickle me Elmo” has been around for 10 years? 10 years! Can you believe it? (I just saw a commercial on TV celebrating the anniversary.) Where were you 10 years ago? Here is a little recap of 1997 from Wikipedia….the Dow Jones closed above 7,000 for the first time, the Green Bay Packers had won the Super Bowl, “As Good as it Gets” won the Oscar for Best Picture, the term “blog” was coined, and my sister was pregnant with my niece and nephew (well, techinically that last one can not be found on Wikipedia!) I was in my 2nd year of architecture school, building a ramp and entry for a recently disable women in West Fargo. I wonder if that ramp is still standing and if the roof of the entry has kept the rain out over these years? (The roof was made out of part of an abandoned school bus!) (Natalie…you should drive by sometime and take some pictures for me!)

The Breast Cancer 3-Day

2007-09-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a little over a week since I completed the 60 mile journey at the Breast Cancer 3-Day. Most of my aches and pains have diminished and my blistered feet have almost healed, but I still feel the awesome since of accomplishment of doing something bold against breast cancer.
My journey started months before the actual event. I remember very clearly when Christie asked me if I was going to walk again this year. I was very hesitant at first, but by the end of dinner, her excitement for the cause and the event, had inspired me to commit to one more year. (I think the 3 cosmos I had helped as well!) So the next day, I was signed up to walk my fourth 3-Day, the first in Seattle.
Over the next several months, I got to know the three other amazing members of team Fight Like a Girl; Theresa, Kelly, and Heather. We raised over $10,000 and walked many many miles along the Burke-Gillman and Sammamish River Trail.

The event had finally arrived and for some reason, I was really nervous this year. It probably had something to do with my lack of training or pain I had been feeling in my feet all summer. But really what is the worst that could happen.... get picked up by a sweep van?

Day One: Jill dropped us off at 5:30 at Bellevue Community College for Opening Ceremonies. We started our 23.5 mile day through Bellevue and then onto beautiful Mercer Island. We crossed Lake Washington via the I-90 floating bridge and had lunch was at Seward Park. The remainder of the day we walked through Renton and Tukwila, until we reached camp in Burien. After a great meal and a much needed shower, it was time for bed in of the thousands of pink tents. After a little night-cap courtesy of Theresa!

Day Two: Today we had 19.5 miles to travel. They started out pretty rough for me since I already had 3 big blisters on my feet. Heather and I lost the rest of the group around the first pit stop. As we were approaching the third pit stop, we were both starting to struggle. We made it to the pit stop and Heather check into the medical tent, and was red tagged for dehydration the rest of the day. (Being red tagged means you are unable to walk until you have medical clearance.) After a little time in the shade and some added salt to my system, I continued on to lunch. Shortly after lunch, Jill, Leif, Campbelle and Christian, were at the afternoon cheer station. What little cuties. Also cheering us at that cheer station was my friend Bridget! Thanks again you guys for support, hugs and of course, the diet coke!! When I walk up the morning of day 2, I really thought I would see the inside of my first sweep van, but thanks to my good friend, Kelly, she kept my spirits high the last few miles. I think we actually started singing Christmas carols!?! Whatever it takes!! We made it back to camp eagerly anticipating a shower and hot dinner.
Day Three: The last day! We started with a short bus trip to Lincoln Park in West Seattle and only had 16 miles ahead of us. We pushed through until lunch and then decided to slow down a bit for the last 8 miles. It was amazing how many people out supporting all of us on Day 3, here are some photos of the 3-Day groupies! The last 3 miles, we walked the streets of downtown Seattle, until alas; we saw the final destination….the Space Needle.
The closing ceremonies were beautiful and inspiring. Thousands of friend and family packed Memorial Stadium supporting their loved ones.
Again, I want to thank all of you for your continued support and generous donations. Also special thank you to my teammates….you guys are awesome! I love you and miss you all!!
One of my most memorable experiences from this year’s event happened at the last pit stop before the holding area. I met a man who has dedicated this 3-day to his wife who is battling inflammatory breast cancer. We talked for a long time about our experiences with IBC and our loved ones. He told me about his wife and I told him all about my mom and what an inspiration she was to so many people. When it was time to start walking again, we hugged and he whispered in my ear…. “She would be very proud of you.”

Wine Tasting

2007-09-03T23:48:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend, I traveled to Oregon to do a little wine tasting with some friends.

Our driver for the weekend, Miss Bridget

Christie and Heather, hanging out in the back seat

After a very long ride to Tacoma, we hit the open road, well, that is until we got to Olympia and more holiday weekend traffic! We did finally make it to our first stop, Salem.

On Saturday, I think we were all a little concerned with our little wine tasting weekend, when the first two wineries we planned to stop at were closed. But thankfully, Bethel Heights was open. What a great view!

The next few wineries were also opening and I think all of out debit cards were definitely feeling a little used!

We visited six wineries on Saturday, and let me tell you, we were all exhausted! We had dinner reservations in Portland, but after a little nap at the hotel, we opted for pizza and a movie in our room (wow, we are getting old!)

Sunday was pretty low key. We did a little shopping in Portland and then went to Edgefield for our last stop on our fantastic Labor Day weekend.

I'm still here!

2007-08-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

Ok…so I have been neglecting my blog as of late…but in my defense, I have not really done anything exciting. And I know, I thought it was going to be the summer of fun and excitement, but somehow it turned in to work eat work sleep work walk work work work…..get the picture!

One of the projects I have been working on, is a medical office building in Covington (southeast of Seattle.) The structural steel was completed last week (I know…not very exciting to most of you, but pretty cool for me!)

Last weekend, I babysat Campbelle and Christian, while Jill and Leif finished the move into their new home. We hung out at the zoo most of Saturday afternoon and only had one minor “accident.” As you can see, Campbelle was in charge of the camera!

I did partake in a couple of cool things last week. On Thursday, Lois asked me to join her for An Evening of Wine event for the Pacific Northwest Research Institute.

PNRI was established in 1956 by Dr. William B. Hutchinson, Sr., as the first private non-profit biomedical and clinical research institute. Today, the Institute is committed to the prevention and cure of diabetes.

It was a great night, starting out with a limo ride to the New Castle Country Club, tasting wine while overlooking both Seattle and Bellevue, and a fantastic 4 course meal (and more wine!) There was also a silent auction which raised nearly $250,000….amazing!

On Friday, our office had its annual summer event, which was an Urban Picnic this year. We took two boats from Edmonds to downtown Seattle; Lois’s fast boat, which took about a 45 minutes and John’s slow boat that took about 2 hours. I was on the slow boat and had to be at the office by 7:40 (and trust me, that came awfully early after a night of wine tasting!) The morning started out in typically Seattle fashion…rainy! Luckily, the girls (and Dan) got to sit inside while sipping our mimosas. By the time we arrive downtown, the sun was out…halleluiah! We spent the morning touring the new Seattle sculpture garden.

I guess Heidi and Dan did not see the “Don’t harm the art” signs that were posted everywhere!! After a little picnic in the park, we headed to the Seattle Art Museum for a little more cultural enlightenment. We then headed back to the boats.

The ride home was very entertaining! It is funny how a little alcohol can transform a conversation! John had a great idea of riding the wake of a passing cruise ship. Brad, Heidi, Melissa and myself “surfing the waves.”

It was a great day and feel very fortunate to work with such wonderful people.

The Simpsons

2007-07-13T14:02:00.001-07:00

Leif is eagerly anticipating the Simpson’s movie.

Knocked Up

2007-07-09T22:12:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, Wei and I went to the movie ‘Knocked Up.’ It was hilarious, I think my stomach muscle were actually sore the next day! It is one of those movies that you actually blush because you are so embarrass for the characters. It is probably not necessary to see on the big screen (unless you are bored after work on a Friday night!), but would be a great renter!

4th of July

2007-07-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

I celebrated 4th of July with friends in West Seattle. The evening started at Bridget and Steve for some drinks and burgers, and some lifts!?! (see the photo below!) We then headed to Alki to watch some fireworks. Thanks to the Safeway fish guy, we had a great view of both the Elliot Bay and Lake Union fireworks shows. After the fireworks and some time playing by the water, we head back to our vehicles…which were up a very long steep hill…with no street lights….and no sidewalks…and we were all wearing flip-flops! Let’s just say, it wasn’t pretty!

Jonathan and Christie

Steve and Bridget

Rachel, attempting a lift with Christie

Big Purchase

2007-07-02T21:44:00.000-07:00

So, I finally joined the rest of society and bought a computer! I pretty much “geeked-out” all day Sunday trying to figure things out, although I think it will take me many more or those days to completely understand this machine!! Next item to purchase.…a printer! Thanks for your help Leif!!

First, Last, Now Meme

2007-06-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

A meme, courtesy of my sister

First

First job: Kid job - babysitter; College job – librarian; Real job – architect
First screen name: gdais
First funeral: I think it was my great grandma
First pet: it was a German shepherd…I do not recall the name
First piercing: I got my ears pierce before my Aunt Debbie’s wedding…the studs were peach to match my flower girl dressFirst tattoo: none
First credit card: probably in college
First kiss: I think it was from Corey Eberhart
First enemy: I think it was either Jenny or Rachel (both of which became good friends!)

Last

Last car ride: with my boss to RentonLast kiss: too long to remember!
Last movie watched: The Libertine…stupid!
Last beverage drank: Odwalla PomaGrand
Last food consumed: Soy Nuts
Last phone call: an electrical sub-contractor
Last time showered: 7:00am (I actually got up early today!)
Last CD played: do MP3 count? If so, Sam’s Town
Last website visited: The Wonder Spot

Now

Single or taken: Single
Sign: Pisces
Siblings: Tammy and Jill
Hair color: brown
Eye color: Green
Shoe size: 11 (big feet run in my family!)
Height: 5’-11”
Wearing: khaki capris and blue sweater
Drinking: nothing
Thinking about: that I should go home
Listening to: Bones

Weekend of Movies!

2007-06-26T17:45:00.001-07:00

I feel like it has been forever since I went to a movie, so this past weekend, I defiantly got my fill! Friday night, Jill and I went to Ocean’s 13. It was cute…much better than Ocean’s 12! But really, with eye candy like George, Brad and Matt, who could go wrong! I recommend waiting for the DVD.

The next movie was Pirates of the Carabean, which I attended with Leif. Again, it was alright. I sort-of had low expectations since the reviews I have heard were not too great. My recommendations, if you like the Pirates movies, see it in the theater….much better on the big screen (well, unless you are privy enough to have your own home theater…then wait for DVD!!)

The last movie I watch this weekend was a renter….The Libertine. Weird. (that is all I have to say about that one!!)

Oh, in case you were looking for a great summer movie. I highly recommend Mr. Brooks!!

Site Visit

2007-06-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

Before a client meeting this afternoon, Kent Gregory (my boss) and I stopped by Valley Medical Center's new entry that NBBJ has recently completed. The space is absolutely stunning. The water feature that is placed in the center is beautiful and you gotta love the skylights!

Washington Brewery Festival

2007-06-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

On the first stop on the 'summer-o-fun', Christie and I went to the 2nd Annual Washington Brewery Festival at St. Edward State Park. We were armed with your little 4 ounce beer steins, and a mission to find the best 8 beers (there was about 100 different beers, so it was mighty hard to choose just 8!) Despite a strange banana and honey flavored one, I think we did pretty good!
The park rangers had a booth just to test your blood alcohol content…as you can see from the photos, Christie passed…just barely!! (no worries, dad…. I only had a 0.031!) Since Christie was the driver, it was a good thing we had some cotton candy to help pass some time before the drive home!

Catch-up time!

2007-06-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am still alive! Sorry for my delay in posting, but things have been a bit busy, to say the least! Here is what I have been up to the past few weeks:

I joined the Norway clang (who was in full costume!) celebrate the 17th of May in Ballard (similar to our 4th of July celebration.)

Jill and I took a cooking class at Sur La Table, which featured a Caribbean Menu…sorry, no photos! I hope to recreate some of the tasty items, especially the chilled papaya soup!

Christie’s dad was in town for a visit. On one day during his visit, he treated Christie, Bridget, and I to a wonderful home cooked meal of pork chops and grilled sweet potatoes. (I tried to make these, but came nowhere close to his!)

The next big adventure was my week vacation back to the Midwest. I flew with the Brenne’s into Minneapolis. I must say, that 3-hour flight goes quick when trying to entertain a 4 year old! After a quick overnight stay at the Gallagher house, we were off to visit my dad and grandparents in Eureka, South Dakota (check out my sister’s blog to learn more about my hometown!) The next stop on this Midwest tour was Bismarck, North Dakota to celebrate my cousin’s high school graduated…Congrats, Jordan. Then it was back to Minneapolis to relax with my sister’s for a couple days before heading back to the real world!

at the airport, waiting for our flight

my family, pool side

Last weekend was the American Cancer Society’s Issaquah Relay for Life. We camped out for 20 hours…in the rain! Despite the bad weather most of the day Saturday, I had a blast getting to know the fabulous other women on our team. I think this is about my 6th or 7th relay, and I am pretty sure that at about midnight of each event, I say to myself, ‘I am not doing this again.’ But somehow, when it is all said and done, I drive home with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment…this is something I can do to help in the battle against cancer.

On Monday, some of the people in my office attended a health care retreat in downtown Edmonds. I was a great experience and I defiantly learned more about our company. Although the highlight of the day was not learning our mission statement, but instead was climbing onto my principal’s “boat” and headed over to Kingston for lunch. Thanks for the fun afternoon, Lois!

Lois, at the helm

Michelle, Chris and Christian

Kent and Dan, the deck hands

Well, I think that has brought you all up to speed on my adventures this past month! I’m looking forward to a fun summer, so I promise to be better at posting!!

Tasty Thai

2007-05-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Last week Friday, some co-workers and I met our friend, Sam, for lunch at Tasty Thai. We are going to miss you Sammy…good luck on your job search!!!

Dan, myself, Kathryn, Sammy, and Melissa

What began as a....

2007-05-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

typical Saturday night of pizza, wine, and great conversation with Christie and Bridget, turned into something much more exciting. As the clock approach midnight, I was thinking about calling it a night, when Steve, Bridget’s brother, came home after the boxing match. He was acting a little suspicious as he walked in the door, gave a quick hello, and headed to the back room. Soon thereafter, he called for Bridget to look at something. Christie and I were very bewildered and obviously a little curious. We soon heard the words “Steve, that’s not right, we are going to the emergency room.” Needless to say, Christie and I bolted out of our comfy chairs to see what was causing this drama (and let me tell you…there was a lot of drama!) Steve’s elbow was about 3 times the size as it should be and was in a significant amount of pain. He thought maybe he was having an allergic reaction to a spider bite and maybe cause by a fall he had during a basketball game the prior day. Bridget called a nurse hotline where we found out it could be staph infection and should probably take him to the ER. So, we packed some snacks and all four of us piled into the car.

Steve on the phone with ask-a-nurse

the snack bag

Our new friends, Martin and Blane.

After about two and a half hours in the emergency room, we learned that Steve was not going to turn into Spiderman, but simply that he had a skin infection and needs to be on some painkillers and antibiotics for the next couple of days. What an interesting Saturday night!!

Have you ever....

2007-05-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

Ok...so my sister, Tammy, has become this blogging queen and is always finding these little surveys to fill out. Anyway, I thought I should probably take her up on one of these meme things (oh and what the hell does that even mean?!?!)

Place an X by all the things you've done, and remove the X from the ones you have not done. This is for your entire life!Have you ever:
(X) Smoked a cigarette?
( )Crashed a friend's car?
( ) Stolen a car?
(X) Been in love?
(X) Been dumped?
( )Been laid off/fired?
(X) Quit your job?
( ) Been in a fist fight?
( ) Snuck out of your parent's house?
(X) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back?
(X) Been arrested?
( )Gone on a blind date?
(X) Skipped school
(X) Seen someone die?
(X) Been to Canada?
( ) Been to Mexico?
(X) Been on a plane?
(X) Been lost physically and/or mentally?
(X) Been on the opposite side of the country?
( ) Gone to Washington, DC?
(X) Swam in the ocean?
(X) Felt like dying?
(X) Cried yourself to sleep?
(X) Played cops and robbers/Cowboys & Indians?
(X) Recently colored with crayons?
(X) Sang karaoke?
(X) Paid for a meal with only coins?
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't do?
(X ) Made prank phone calls?
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose?
( X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue?
(X) Danced in the rain?
(X) Written a letter to Santa?
(X) Been kissed under the mistletoe?
(X) Watched a sunrise or sunset with someone you care about or love?
(X) Blown bubbles?
( ) Made a bonfire on the beach?
(X) Crashed a Party?
(X) Gone roller-skating?
(X) Gone ice-skating?

Julie’s visit to the Emerald City

2007-05-04T22:16:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, Julie, came to visit me this past weekend and what a fabulous weekend it was. Most of the weekend was spent chatting over coffee, wine, and/or food. (funny how this is how most of my weekend are spent!!!)
Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day so we decided to take a boat cruise around Lake Union and Lake Washington. We toured past all of the houseboats including the one from the movie Sleepless in Seattle. The captain actually turned the engines off while we floated by the Bill Gates house (we learned that every person who enters his house has to fill out a questionnaire and wear a computer chip that will adjust each room to your desired temperature, favorite music, and ideal light level…talk about a smart home!) We also discovered that Bill’s neighbor is trying to sell his home….for a whopping $54 million (that price does include $1 million worth of wine…what a bargain!) We finished the day with dinner at the Wild Ginger with Holly, Christie, and Bridget.

Bill's House (one section of it anyway!!)

Some houseboats on Lake Union

We spent Sunday afternoon wine tasting around Woodinville and then meeting Christie for dinner at the Purple cafe.
On Monday, we took the bus downtown; this was Julie’s very first ride on a city bus! We picked up some fresh fish and veggies and made an amazing dinner of pan-seared scallops with a pomegranate reduction sauce and monster artichoke (recipe courtesy of Christie’s dad!)

Julie's fisrt bus ride!

Thanks for such a fun weekend, Julie! I can’t wait for you next visit!

Nineteen Minutes

2007-04-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Christie and I went to see Jodi Picoult, who was in Seattle promoting her new book, Nineteen Minutes. I have not yet read this book, but once she read an excerpt, I was hooked and had to but it! Here is a short synopsis:

In this emotionally charged novel, Jodi Picoult delves beneath the surface of a small town to explore what it means to be different in our society.
In Sterling, New Hampshire, 17-year-old high school student Peter Houghton has endured years of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of classmates. His best friend, Josie Cormier, succumbed to peer pressure and now hangs out with the popular crowd that often instigates the harassment. One final incident of bullying sends Peter over the edge and leads him to commit an act of violence that forever changes the lives of Sterling’s residents.
Even those who were not inside the school that morning find their lives in an upheaval, including Alex Cormier. The superior court judge assigned to the Houghton case, Alex—whose daughter, Josie, witnessed the events that unfolded—must decide whether or not to step down. She’s torn between presiding over the biggest case of her career and knowing that doing so will cause an even wider chasm in her relationship with her emotionally fragile daughter. Josie, meanwhile, claims she can’t remember what happened in the last fatal minutes of Peter’s rampage. Or can she? And Peter’s parents, Lacy and Lewis Houghton, ceaselessly examine the past to see what they might have said or done to compel their son to such extremes. Nineteen Minutes also features the return of two of Jodi Picoult’s
characters—defense attorney Jordan McAfee from The Pact and Salem Falls, and Patrick DuCharme, the intrepid detective introduced in Perfect Match.
Rich with psychological and social insight, Nineteen Minutes is a riveting, poignant, and thought-provoking novel that has at its center a haunting question. Do we ever really know someone?

California

2007-03-29T19:12:00.000-07:00

I can now cross off another goal from my 2007 ‘to do’ list; I finally made my first trek to California. My friend, Christie, asked me a few weeks ago to join her to visit some friends from Michigan. Of course, without hesitation, I said YES!
We stayed with her friends, Chris and Shawn, who live in Irvine, located in Orange County in Southern California. They were absolutely wonderful hosts; driving us all over the place in their little VW Beetle (sometimes it is good to be tall, so you don’t get stuck in the backseat…sorry Shawn and Christie!!)
We arrived late Friday evening and spent the night talking and drinking Shawn’s fabulous Mojitos.
On Saturday, we went whale watching out on the Pacific Ocean. It was a beautiful day to be on the water…not a cloud in the sky! However, I don’t think any of us were prepared for the amount of sun, since we all left the boat with a slightly reddish glow! We did see one grey whale and a number of sea lions.
Sunday, we made the one hour journey to San Diego to visit another friend, Jimmy. After a quick tour of his new home, we headed for La Jolla Beach for lunch and window-shopping. We spent the remainder of the afternoon walking barefoot along the beach.
Monday, the last day of our little holiday, Chris, Christie, and I drove to Long Beach. (We got a little lost on the journey, so our 30-minute drive turned into about 2 hours!) We did have lunch on the Queen Mary ship (a cruise ship similar to the Titanic.)
That was pretty much the extent of my little vacation; here are some photos…..

Chris, Christie, and Shwan before whale watching.

The whale (can you see it's tail?)

Jimmy and Christie hanging on the beach.

The Shins in concert

The Queen Mary

Two Great Movies

2007-03-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

Over this past weekend, I watch a couple of really great movies….Idiocracy and 300. Yes, they are pretty much as opposite as you can imagine, I guess that means I am very diverse!

I have to admit, I was drinking wine while I watched Idiocracy, which is probably why I found this movie so histarical, but now, stone sober, I still chuckle to myself about a couple of the lines in the movie. The beginning of the movie starts with a comparison of the procreation of smart people versus dumb people. Here is how IMDb describes the movie:

Private Joe Bauers, the definition of "average American", is selected by the Pentagon to be the guinea pig for a top-secret hibernation program. Forgotten, he awakes 500 years in the future. He discovers a society so incredibly dumbed-down that he's easily the most intelligent person alive.

Now, on the complete opposite end of the movie genre spectrum is 300. What a simply awesome movie. The visual effects alone make this movie worth watching. (I am a little jealous that Tammy and Bill got to see it on the IMAX, too bad Vancouver, BC was the closest IMAX theater for us Seattleites!) Here is the synopsis for 300.

Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, “300” is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy.

Portland

2007-02-28T12:56:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, Christie, Holly and I went to Portland, Oregon. Our only real plan for the short holiday was a spa appointment on Saturday afternoon; and wow, was it relaxing! Besides our massage, we spent most of the day afternoon shopping in this quaint little shopping district. Later, we joined friend of Christie’s for dinner and drinks. It rain pretty much our entire trip, which rather put a damper on the festivities (did you know that everyone carries an umbrella in Portland…I guess us umbrellas-are-for-wimps-and-tourists Seattleites were pretty easy to spot!) I would love to go back to Portland sometime when I can enjoy the outdoor markets and gardens….hopefully this summer sometime!

On our way out of town on Sunday, we stopped by the Edgefield Winery. Although most of the shops and tasting houses were closed, we did manage to buy a couple of bottles of wine.

Christie...planning the next move.

Number 32

2007-02-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

Last night, I celebrated my 32nd birthday with some friends and family. The evening started with drinks at the Dahlia Lounge with Christie. Later, Jill, Leif, Bridget, and Steve join us at the Palace Kitchen for a fabulous dinner. The menu at there was a bit unusual, but I believe everyone enjoyed their choices (although, I am not sure if Bridget will ever order the whole trout again…I think its eyes were staring at her!) Ed connected with us later for a nightcap up on Capital Hill, where the band, “Two Buck Chuck,” sang Happy Birthday to me! I had a wonderful birthday, thanks to everyone who helped me celebrate.

List of 4's

2007-02-22T16:53:00.000-08:00

My sister, Tammy, tagged me....again:

FOUR JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE

Architect
Librarian
Convenience store clerk
Telemarketer (I only lasted about 2 weeks!)

FOUR MOVIES I HAVE WATCHED OVER AND OVER

Bridget Jones Diary
About a Boy
Life or Something like it
Lord of the Rings series

FOUR PLACES I HAVE LIVED

Seattle, Washington
St. Paul, Minnesota
Fargo, North Dakota
Eureka, South Dakota

FOUR TV SHOWS I LIKE TO WATCH

LOST
ER
Brother's & Sister's
Grey's Anatomy

FOUR WEBSITES I VISIT DAILY

All the links on my blog
live.com
City of Seattle DPD (I am waiting on a building permit!)
Seattle Times

FOUR PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION

Backpacking across Europe
New York
Big White
Oslo, Norway

FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS

Thai food in general
sushi
pasta
ice cream

FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW

Naples; visiting my friend, Marcy
At a coffee shop with my friends
The Gallagher house
At the bank cashing in my lottery check (I stole this from my sister!)

Seven

2007-02-19T19:01:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, Bridget, Christie, and I had appointments at a very hip, very trendy salon called Seven. Along with our haircuts, we each received a complimentary consultation, which entailed an analysis of your bone structure, face shape, hair texture, and lifestyle. Who knew I have one eye lower than the other! Before we arrived at the salon, we all promised each other to do whatever our stylist recommended, however drastic. Although I did not shave my head like Britney Spears, I did have about a foot chopped off. Later that evening, we showed off our new dos at The Palomino for drinks (http://www.palomino.com/) and then Holly joined us for dinner at the Purple Cafe and Wine Bar. What a fabulous day of pampering!

oh my boring life.....

2007-02-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

ok..so I know I have not posted in a long...very long time, but seriously, my life has consisted of work, eat, and sleep for the past month! I promise to drum up some excitment in the next couple of weeks!

Weird Facts

2007-01-23T18:42:00.000-08:00

So, my sister, Tammy, has tagged me to list five weird things about myself…..here it goes:

1. I have the same obsession about toilet paper as Tammy does. It must be rolled from the top!!

2. All the labels on containers must face forward, be it food in my kitchen cabinets or the shampoo and conditioner in my shower (I know…a little “Sleeping with the Enemy")

3. I have to park my car in the same general vicinity, like at the mall, at work, or at my apartment (this is not an obsessive compulsive thing, I just think I would forget where I parked if I didn’t!!)

4. The cord at my window blinds at work needs to be perfectly straight and lie at a 90-degree angle along the window sill. (Thanks Michelle for pointing this out to everyone at work!!)

5. When I am under a lot of stress, my left eye twitches….sort of like right now!! Best be getting back to work!

2007 Goals

2007-01-16T17:36:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, some friends and I gathered for an annual 'goal' luncheon (this was my first year of participation!) We sat around, described each of our goals, and discussed how and when we are going to achieve them. I thought I would share my goals for 2007:

Personal:
1. cross the border into Oregon (I know…I have never been to Oregon!!)
2. save money for vacations/trips (San Diego, South Dakota, Florida?!?!)
3. take a cooking class
4. read at least six books (pathetic, yet realistic for me!)
5. stop obsessing over little details
6. take at least one spontaneous adventure (maybe Vancouver, part II!)
7. volunteer for 5 different things
8. master one pastry item
9. visit 5 new places around Puget Sound area

Business:
10. take a educational class of some sort
11. become LEED certified
12. take 3 ARE exams

Health:
13. exercise regularly
14. eat healthier
15. take a daily vitamin

We will be having a check-up meeting in April, so I will keep you posted on my progress!

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

2007-01-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

Last night, Wei and I went one of the most inspirational movies I have seen in a very long time…The Pursuit of Happyness. (And just to clear things up for Dan and Jill…there is a viable reason for the misspelled titled!)

The movie is a true-life rag to riches story about a dedicated father, trying to make ends meet, and following his pursuit to find true happiness. Chris Gardner was a brilliant, yet unsuccessful salesman. One day, he came across a man, a stockbroker at Dean Witter, and found the man to be “happy”, in all senses of the word. This marked the beginning of Chris’s remarkable journey to become a highly successful stockbroker, and eventually starting his own firm.

Since my last movie review did not really “review” the movie, I love this movie and highly recommend it to everyone (and yes, Kelly, it is better than Coyote Ugly!)

Happy New Years!

2007-01-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

My last afternoon of 2006 was spent wine tasting in Woodinville with my friends, Christie and Tom. Most of our time was spent at my favorite local vineyard, Brian Carter…highly recommended if ever in the area!

The New Year’s Eve celebration began with dinner at Brasa’s with friends, Jeannette, Christie, Tom and Dan. As we waited to be seated, we all had our ‘year to come’ fortunes read….it should be an exciting year if all comes true! The dinner was lovely; it started with a fabulous cheese platter and finishing with some “chocolate cake.”

Tom, Christie, and I rang in 2007 lying on the grass at the base of the Space Needle and enjoying the spectacular fireworks display.
On our walk back to the car, the three of us happened across the local NBC broadcasts of “New Years at the Needle.” So, we stopped and cheered our hearts out! There have been confirmed sightings on King5 of Tom and myself and presumably Christie’s glove (there are some benefits to being tall!)

I hope you all have a wonderful
2007, and may it be filled with Health, Happiness, and Prosperity!

Christmas Weekend

2006-12-26T13:26:00.000-08:00

Since I was not able to make it home for the holidays this year, I spent my entire Christmas weekend surround by friends. Friday evening started with some holiday cocktails with some co-workers, Chris, Dan, and Roger (the office was pretty quiet on Friday afternoon!) Saturday was spent shopping with Christie (Christmas gifts were all bought, so this shopping trip was all about me!!) Then, I was somehow duped into helping her assemble her new Ikea desk….funny what you will agree to for some wine and pizza!! Another exciting Saturday night!
On Christmas Eve, Christie and I had tickets to the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Nutcracker. I have to admit, I really did not know the story of the nutcracker until I read a children’s book to my niece a few weeks ago (thanks, Campbelle!!) It is a beautiful story and PNB did a wonderful performance

Christie and I posing with Herr Drosselmeyer

Later that evening, we had reservations at the Melting Pot. We had planned to go to a 10:30 church and candle light service, however, we spent too much time dipping and eating that 3 ½ hours passed and we missed church.

At the Melting Pot

On Christmas Day, Wei-Jung, Liz, Christie, and I, got together for a late afternoon dinner of king crab legs. We opened gifts (thanks for the coffee maker, Christie, and the fuzzy socks, Liz!), talked for hours, and ate way too much…similar to my traditional family Christmases.

Liz, Christie, and Wei-Jung

I hope this Christmas weekend brought you all joy in your hearts. It has defiantly made me appreciate the wonderful friendships I have created here in Seattle over the past year.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Concert

2006-12-22T13:47:00.000-08:00

This past Wednesday evening, Christie, Bridget and I met for dinner at the Wild Ginger and then headed across the street to Benaroya Hall for the Seattle Men’s Choir Christmas Concert. Although the concert itself was a bit disappointing, Benaroya Hall was a beautiful space. Dale Chihuly has a couple of installations in the vestibule…..absolutely gorgeous!

Apocalypto

2006-12-22T11:08:00.000-08:00

“A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within.” -W. Durant

Last night, Dan and I went to the movie Apocalypto. I am not sure if any of you have gone to this movie, but it is definitely not what I expected. It was a very interesting movie and gave you a glimpse of what life was like during the Mayan civilization, as bloody and sometimes barbaric as it was. Here is the synopsis of the movie:

“a heart stopping mythic action-adventure set against the turbulent end of times of the once great Mayan civilization. When his idyllic existence is brutally disrupted by a violent invading force, a man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression where a harrowing end awaits him. Through a twist of fate and spurred by the power of his love for his woman and his family he will make a desperate break to return home and to ultimately save his way of life.”

Second Annual Christmas Party

2006-12-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, I held the second Annual Christmas. This years event had a much different mix of people than last years…I wonder what next year will bring?!? Actually having the party with year was a little touch and go since about 1 million people lost power due to the nasty windstorm that blow through the Pacific Northwest a few days before. Luckily, my lights came back on Saturday morning (at 8:19 to be exact!) As you can see from the pictures (curtsies of Christie and Dan), everyone had a great time!

Jenneatte, myself, and Dan

Rebecca and Michelle

Christie and me

Sammy

Bridget, Ed, and Christie

Christie, myself and Bridget

Office Christmas Party

2006-12-20T15:57:00.000-08:00

This year for our office Christmas party, it was decided that Prom Night would be the theme of the evening. Although most people chose not to wear prom attire, there were a couple of white tuxedos (I am assuming blue is not longer an option at Knight’s Formal Wear!) Here are some photos from the evening.

Michelle, Heidi, and I getting ready at the office.

Shane and Kathryn

Brad Butterfield..nice shoes!

Mike and Michelle salsa dancing

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-19T16:45:00.000-08:00

Well, here it goes, my very first blog posting! I figured since both my sisters have become pros at this blog thing, I might as well jump on the bandwagon. Plus, I did not send out a Christmas letter this year and thought this would be an easy way to send my well wishes to each and every one of you!
If I would have written a Christmas letter this year, it would have sounded something like this:

Dear Friends and Family,
I hope this letter finds you all happy and healthy and enjoying this wonderful holiday season.

Then I would probably write something like:

"I can't believe 2006 is almost over, it has gone by too fast...blah blah blah..."

Next, I would give you some highlights of the past year, like my wine tasting trip to Walla Walla, as well as my spontaneous adventure to Vancouver, BC. I would then write a little blurb about my apartment flooding and the huge power outage. And of course a paragraph dedicated to the Breast Cancer 3-Day and the rest of my wonderful team, Fight Like a Girl. (by the way, thanks again for all you who supported me on my 3rd event!...still not sure about number 4!)
My closing would probably be this:

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2007!

Love,
Gina

See...now wasn't this condense version a lot better than reading an entire letter about me and my not so exciting life?!?! I know, you are asking yourself "If her life is not so exciting, why on earth is she starting a blog?" To that I say, if my sister's can do, so can I!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!