I hope all you dads out there had a great Father's Day weekend. At least mine did, considering that I treated my parents to lunch again. :-)
Saturday
The day began with a trip to Muir Woods National Monument as we hadn't been there in a while. The trails were beautiful and made for a great hike. Our next stops were Muir Beach Overlook and Stinson Beach, followed by the Point Reyes Lighthouse in the afternoon. Although we had been to the lighthouse before, this was our first time going inside. It was a busy day as we were out for 10 hours!
Sunday
The best part of the weekend was taking my parents out to lunch. They chose Sino again because I still had about $43 left on my gift card. Mom suggested ordering everything from the dim sum menu this time as some of the entrées were overcooked when we came here last month. It wasn't a bad decision because the dim sum was delicious, especially the shrimp dumplings and pork buns.
All in all, this was an amazing weekend. I've uploaded pictures from our day trip and yesterday's lunch.
Currently listening to: "Nemo" by Nightwish
Monday, June 20, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Memorial Day weekend + Northern California trip report
I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. At least my family did, considering that we went to far Northern California. It was a crazy trip with road closures, food poisoning and whatnot. Despite the mishaps, the trip was a great way to start summer.
Day 1
The first stop was Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown. The park is known for its steam trains and not unlike Roaring Camp in Felton. The train rides looked fun, but we weren't eager to find out the ticket prices. Nevertheless, Railtown 1897 is an attraction I'd like to visit again.
Not too far away was Columbia State Historic Park - located about 15 minutes to the north. Unlike our last visit six years ago, the weather wasn't too hot this time. This made our visit much more enjoyable. Dad also took us to Sonora afterwards. Browsing the stores there was the best part of the trip.
The plan was to stay two nights in Mammoth Lakes. But there was some bad news: Route 108 was closed due to the weather when we were just 20 miles from town. To make matters worse, the deadline for canceling the reservation had passed. Although my father chose to take the 250-mile detour rather than let the money go to waste, the distance proved to be too much. Just when it seemed we were out of options, he managed to get the credit transferred to a partner hotel in Auburn. It was decided to cut the trip short as we were all tired.
Day 2
I felt refreshed after a good night's sleep. Thinking it was a shame to go home so soon, especially after having spent so much time planning the trip, my parents extended it back to three days. Dad booked a hotel in Redding as we were packing up. Hell yeah!
Auburn was a quiet city with a rustic feel. The restaurants in the Old Town looked nice, but we just had breakfast and were pretty full. I'd love to try the local food on a future visit to Auburn.
The plan was to go hiking in Clear Lake State Park in the afternoon. But when we got there, Mom noticed the trails were dry and had no shade. That made us change our minds - paying $7 for a sunburn wasn't exactly a good deal. The rest of the day was uneventful aside from a stop at Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay after dinner. The bridge was a cool sight and made for great pictures.
Day 3
Mom wanted to return to Sundial Bridge in the morning for more pictures. It was equally impressive in the daytime. She then suggested going to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park after lunch. Because we really enjoyed Burney Falls on our trip to far Northern California five years ago, that was our next stop.
We were told there was a "medical emergency" in the park as we arrived. Lots of police, firefighters and paramedics soon showed up. Some rangers watched the river while a CAL FIRE helicopter circled above. It quickly became apparent that someone had fallen into the water. The rangers then began clearing the area, at which point we decided it was best to leave.
I later learned that a 16-year-old boy had drowned near the waterfall. This is a sad situation and not what we wanted to hear. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young man's family during their difficult time. Upon leaving Burney Falls, I realized how precious life really is.
The three of us headed to Lassen Volcanic National Park after digesting what just happened. Aside from a quick stop at Lake Manzanita, our stay was short as much of the park was inaccessible due to the recent storm. However, this wasn't a big deal as we had been to Lassen before.
The other thing is that my father got food poisoning from bad quiches. He was very tired and didn't eat much when we went to Denny's for dinner. Despite not feeling well, Dad was OK with stopping at WinCo Foods for groceries. The drive home was otherwise uneventful.
Conclusions
I'm not going to lie - this was a crazy trip. Due to the road closures and long drives, all of us were exhausted when we got home. I can hardly believe we were only away for three days!
The tragedy at Burney Falls was a sobering experience and certainly put a damper on the mood. That said, the rest of the trip wasn't too bad. Sonora was my favorite stop, although Old Town Auburn was also pretty nice. All things considered, I really enjoyed this trip. Feel free to check out the pictures on Flickr.
Currently listening to: "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins
Day 1
The first stop was Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown. The park is known for its steam trains and not unlike Roaring Camp in Felton. The train rides looked fun, but we weren't eager to find out the ticket prices. Nevertheless, Railtown 1897 is an attraction I'd like to visit again.
Not too far away was Columbia State Historic Park - located about 15 minutes to the north. Unlike our last visit six years ago, the weather wasn't too hot this time. This made our visit much more enjoyable. Dad also took us to Sonora afterwards. Browsing the stores there was the best part of the trip.
The plan was to stay two nights in Mammoth Lakes. But there was some bad news: Route 108 was closed due to the weather when we were just 20 miles from town. To make matters worse, the deadline for canceling the reservation had passed. Although my father chose to take the 250-mile detour rather than let the money go to waste, the distance proved to be too much. Just when it seemed we were out of options, he managed to get the credit transferred to a partner hotel in Auburn. It was decided to cut the trip short as we were all tired.
Day 2
I felt refreshed after a good night's sleep. Thinking it was a shame to go home so soon, especially after having spent so much time planning the trip, my parents extended it back to three days. Dad booked a hotel in Redding as we were packing up. Hell yeah!
Auburn was a quiet city with a rustic feel. The restaurants in the Old Town looked nice, but we just had breakfast and were pretty full. I'd love to try the local food on a future visit to Auburn.
The plan was to go hiking in Clear Lake State Park in the afternoon. But when we got there, Mom noticed the trails were dry and had no shade. That made us change our minds - paying $7 for a sunburn wasn't exactly a good deal. The rest of the day was uneventful aside from a stop at Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay after dinner. The bridge was a cool sight and made for great pictures.
Day 3
Mom wanted to return to Sundial Bridge in the morning for more pictures. It was equally impressive in the daytime. She then suggested going to McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park after lunch. Because we really enjoyed Burney Falls on our trip to far Northern California five years ago, that was our next stop.
We were told there was a "medical emergency" in the park as we arrived. Lots of police, firefighters and paramedics soon showed up. Some rangers watched the river while a CAL FIRE helicopter circled above. It quickly became apparent that someone had fallen into the water. The rangers then began clearing the area, at which point we decided it was best to leave.
I later learned that a 16-year-old boy had drowned near the waterfall. This is a sad situation and not what we wanted to hear. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young man's family during their difficult time. Upon leaving Burney Falls, I realized how precious life really is.
The three of us headed to Lassen Volcanic National Park after digesting what just happened. Aside from a quick stop at Lake Manzanita, our stay was short as much of the park was inaccessible due to the recent storm. However, this wasn't a big deal as we had been to Lassen before.
The other thing is that my father got food poisoning from bad quiches. He was very tired and didn't eat much when we went to Denny's for dinner. Despite not feeling well, Dad was OK with stopping at WinCo Foods for groceries. The drive home was otherwise uneventful.
Conclusions
I'm not going to lie - this was a crazy trip. Due to the road closures and long drives, all of us were exhausted when we got home. I can hardly believe we were only away for three days!
The tragedy at Burney Falls was a sobering experience and certainly put a damper on the mood. That said, the rest of the trip wasn't too bad. Sonora was my favorite stop, although Old Town Auburn was also pretty nice. All things considered, I really enjoyed this trip. Feel free to check out the pictures on Flickr.
Currently listening to: "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins
Monday, May 9, 2011
Mother's Day weekend report
I took my parents out to lunch for the first time ever this weekend. It was quite a special experience!
Saturday was a busy day as I mostly helped out in the garden. Dad is putting up nets as my mother wants to protect the vegetables from birds. The first step was to install the supports. This took up the morning and afternoon, but we got most of it done.
The highlight of the Mother's Day weekend was treating my parents to lunch. I took them to Sino, an Asian fusion restaurant at Santana Row in San Jose. Because I had a $100 gift card to that place, Mom figured this was the perfect time to use it up. I owe my gratitude to my boss Bing at Cisco as she gave me the gift card a few weeks ago.
Service was relatively fast despite the crowd. The entrées were slightly overcooked, but the dim sum and dessert were really good. One thing that caught my eye were the hot hostesses. I couldn't resistflirting chatting with them while waiting for the food. Of course, that's as far as I went because they probably get hit on all the time. ^_^
You can see pictures from the lunch on Flickr. This is definitely something I want to do again. This reminds me - Father's Day is next month. I'm looking forward to it for sure.
After we got home, I helped Dad with yard work for the rest of the afternoon. The good news is that we got the poles and wires in place. All we need now are the nets!
Saturday was a busy day as I mostly helped out in the garden. Dad is putting up nets as my mother wants to protect the vegetables from birds. The first step was to install the supports. This took up the morning and afternoon, but we got most of it done.
The highlight of the Mother's Day weekend was treating my parents to lunch. I took them to Sino, an Asian fusion restaurant at Santana Row in San Jose. Because I had a $100 gift card to that place, Mom figured this was the perfect time to use it up. I owe my gratitude to my boss Bing at Cisco as she gave me the gift card a few weeks ago.
Service was relatively fast despite the crowd. The entrées were slightly overcooked, but the dim sum and dessert were really good. One thing that caught my eye were the hot hostesses. I couldn't resist
You can see pictures from the lunch on Flickr. This is definitely something I want to do again. This reminds me - Father's Day is next month. I'm looking forward to it for sure.
After we got home, I helped Dad with yard work for the rest of the afternoon. The good news is that we got the poles and wires in place. All we need now are the nets!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Good riddance, Osama.
In case you haven't seen the news, Osama bin Laden has been confirmed dead. Some sources say he was shot while others report he was killed in an airstrike. But that's not important - the matter of fact is that the mastermind behind 9/11 is now where he belongs.
Although I'm not one to gloat over someone's death, I'd say Osama has gotten his comeuppance. Justice has been served.
Currently listening to: "God Bless America" by Irving Berlin
Although I'm not one to gloat over someone's death, I'd say Osama has gotten his comeuppance. Justice has been served.
Currently listening to: "God Bless America" by Irving Berlin
Sunday, April 10, 2011
my first corporate party!
Last night was The Armada Group's staff appreciation party at The Tech Museum in San Jose. This was my first time attending an office party as an employee. It was so much fun!
The museum had changed a lot since my last visit 12 years ago. Though we only had the second floor, that was more than enough space for everyone. The exhibits were fascinating and brought back memories of going to the Exploratorium as a kid.
I got to meet the other contractors and the team at Armada. It was great to see the Jaus again as Kitty had recently left Cisco. However, the best part was connecting with other young people. Among them were three interns and two of their girlfriends - all UC Santa Cruz students. I was only at UCSC for a quarter, but we still found common ground.
Of course, no party is complete without lots of delicious food. There was also a DJ and a dance floor, although everyone seemed more interested in socializing rather than busting a move. On the whole, the event was quite enjoyable. I definitely can't wait for the family picnic in October. In the meantime, feel free to check out my pictures from the party on Flickr.
Currently listening to: "Red Red Wine" by UB40
The museum had changed a lot since my last visit 12 years ago. Though we only had the second floor, that was more than enough space for everyone. The exhibits were fascinating and brought back memories of going to the Exploratorium as a kid.
I got to meet the other contractors and the team at Armada. It was great to see the Jaus again as Kitty had recently left Cisco. However, the best part was connecting with other young people. Among them were three interns and two of their girlfriends - all UC Santa Cruz students. I was only at UCSC for a quarter, but we still found common ground.
Of course, no party is complete without lots of delicious food. There was also a DJ and a dance floor, although everyone seemed more interested in socializing rather than busting a move. On the whole, the event was quite enjoyable. I definitely can't wait for the family picnic in October. In the meantime, feel free to check out my pictures from the party on Flickr.
Currently listening to: "Red Red Wine" by UB40
Thursday, April 7, 2011
RuneScape account hacked again :-(
I had trouble logging into RuneScape today and went to reset my password. It turned out my main account somehow got hacked. The person must have guessed the answers to my security questions because a virus scan came up negative.
The good news is that the bank PIN did its job. This was a close call because the PIN was just seven hours from being deleted. On the downside, the hacker wiped my friends list as well. It'll be a pain in the ass to re-add everyone. >:(
I searched some RuneScape hacking forums but didn't find any mention of my name. Back when I got hacked eight years ago, being the 36th person to get 99 Cooking made me somewhat famous. Though 99's are very common these days, I'm also one of the first 2,000 players to sign up as well as a former player moderator. From what I've heard, these accounts are often targeted.
Of note is that my AIM account was also recently hacked, although I have no idea if that was related. At any rate, I should probably be more careful.
In other news...
1. There is an upcoming five-day furlough at Cisco, but my supervisor said it doesn't apply to me because I'm on the core team. So that means no spring break for me. On the other hand, being exempt from a furlough is usually a good sign. :-)
2. I recently mentioned that we were removing our swimming pool. The demolition has been completed and took about a month. You can see a few pictures on Flickr. I'll have to admit that I'm a little sad as the pool was a part of my childhood. Oh well, that's life.
Currently playing: RuneScape
The good news is that the bank PIN did its job. This was a close call because the PIN was just seven hours from being deleted. On the downside, the hacker wiped my friends list as well. It'll be a pain in the ass to re-add everyone. >:(
I searched some RuneScape hacking forums but didn't find any mention of my name. Back when I got hacked eight years ago, being the 36th person to get 99 Cooking made me somewhat famous. Though 99's are very common these days, I'm also one of the first 2,000 players to sign up as well as a former player moderator. From what I've heard, these accounts are often targeted.
Of note is that my AIM account was also recently hacked, although I have no idea if that was related. At any rate, I should probably be more careful.
In other news...
1. There is an upcoming five-day furlough at Cisco, but my supervisor said it doesn't apply to me because I'm on the core team. So that means no spring break for me. On the other hand, being exempt from a furlough is usually a good sign. :-)
2. I recently mentioned that we were removing our swimming pool. The demolition has been completed and took about a month. You can see a few pictures on Flickr. I'll have to admit that I'm a little sad as the pool was a part of my childhood. Oh well, that's life.
Currently playing: RuneScape
Sunday, April 3, 2011
back from Yosemite
I just got back from Yosemite National Park with my parents. Dad realized we hadn't been there in over five years and decided to take us there over the weekend. It was a refreshing trip!
Day 1
The traffic was light and allowed us to arrive earlier than expected. Our only stop along the way was Merced Fruit Barn. The place had a homely feel, especially the café. I wouldn't mind having lunch here in the future.
Dad had originally booked the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. The lodge is located inside the park and supposed to be quite beautiful. But because it was closed for repairs, management gave us a room at the Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp instead. This was actually a better deal because the latter was more expensive. I'm not complaining about the free breakfast either. :-)
Though it was raining when we arrived in Fish Camp, the weather cleared up shortly afterwards. The timing couldn't have been better. From our experience, the alpine air is always fresh after a shower. This made for a great hike.
The afternoon ended with a visit to Yosemite Village, one of my favorite stops. Seeing that it would take an hour to get back to the lodge, my parents bought dinner at the Yosemite Village store. The chicken drumstick was slightly overcooked, but the carnitas was delicious.
Day 2
The breakfast at Tenaya was wholesome. We decided to explore the park some more as the weather was even better. Hiking on the Yosemite Falls Trail was the best part of the trip. Of course, all good things must end: my parents didn't want to stay too late because tomorrow is Monday and they didn't want me to go to work tired. The drive home was mostly uneventful, although we had dinner at Applebee's in Tracy before heading to the nearby WinCo Foods for groceries.
On the whole, this was an awesome trip. Feel free to check out the pictures on Flickr.
Currently listening to: "Oh My Darling, Clementine"
Day 1
The traffic was light and allowed us to arrive earlier than expected. Our only stop along the way was Merced Fruit Barn. The place had a homely feel, especially the café. I wouldn't mind having lunch here in the future.
Dad had originally booked the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. The lodge is located inside the park and supposed to be quite beautiful. But because it was closed for repairs, management gave us a room at the Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp instead. This was actually a better deal because the latter was more expensive. I'm not complaining about the free breakfast either. :-)
Though it was raining when we arrived in Fish Camp, the weather cleared up shortly afterwards. The timing couldn't have been better. From our experience, the alpine air is always fresh after a shower. This made for a great hike.
The afternoon ended with a visit to Yosemite Village, one of my favorite stops. Seeing that it would take an hour to get back to the lodge, my parents bought dinner at the Yosemite Village store. The chicken drumstick was slightly overcooked, but the carnitas was delicious.
Day 2
The breakfast at Tenaya was wholesome. We decided to explore the park some more as the weather was even better. Hiking on the Yosemite Falls Trail was the best part of the trip. Of course, all good things must end: my parents didn't want to stay too late because tomorrow is Monday and they didn't want me to go to work tired. The drive home was mostly uneventful, although we had dinner at Applebee's in Tracy before heading to the nearby WinCo Foods for groceries.
On the whole, this was an awesome trip. Feel free to check out the pictures on Flickr.
Currently listening to: "Oh My Darling, Clementine"
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