Lesley and I just got back from a great trip to the central California coast.

It wasn’t a flying trip — I did a Norcal trip via plane the week before last.  But more on that later.

Those of you who know me know I don’t like driving long distances in cars.  I mean, isn’t that why God created the airplane?  But nevertheless, the trip was great fun.  Even the driving was low stress.

On Saturday the 3rd, we rumbled into Solvang, where the local time was holy cow it’s a bazillion degrees here.  You could’ve cooked an egg on the sidewalk.  In fact, maybe we did.  The heat was so intense that I might not remember it.  So we got our pastry and got the hell out of there.

The next stop was La Purissima, one of the original California missions.  Purissima is great because it was completely rebuilt by one of the New Deal companies during the Great Depression, so it’s in amazingly good shape.  On Sunday, we toured Mission San Miguel, which was closed due to earthquake damage.  We didn’t intend this to be a “mission vacation”, but it sort of turned out that way.  It might go a short way toward correcting my abysmal California history knowledge.

Anyway, in 2003, a major quake destabilized the 200+ year old San Miguel adobe structure, and it’s been uninhabitable since.  Very sad.  The cost of repairing the damage is more than $15 million, and it three years they’ve only been able to come up with about $1.5 million.  At this rate, they won’t have the cash until 2030.

It’s interesting to see how some missions are still in great shape, others are overgrown ruins.  Some are active parishes, while others don’t even have a visitor’s center to mark their presence.  As with all things, money undoubtedly plays a central role.

Speaking of which, later that day we took a garden tour of Hearst Castle.  This was the only tour I hadn’t been on, and it was well worth the wait.  Lesley thought so, too.  One of the most interesting facts the docent told us was that the entire grounds were maintained by only three full time gardeners.  They used to have a dozen, but state budget cuts have lead to some lean times.  I was amazed that three people could maintain an estate of that size.

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Steinbeck Center in Salinas.  Lesley loaned me “Cannery Row”, which I read just before we hit Salinas.  We also toured the sites Steinbeck writes about on Cannery Row. We walked Fisherman’s Wharf and had dinner there.  Took a walking tour of some of the downtown area.  Drove to Cannery Row, shopped, had lunch, went to Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Drove to Carmel, visited the Mission there.

A very busy few days!  Photos are online.

Lesley and I enjoyed a great 4th of July yesterday. Our schedules rarely mesh these days — she works Monday through Friday and I’m on from Wednesday through Sunday — so it was a welcome treat to have a whole day together.

We started with a picnic at Irvine Regional Park. There were quite a few people around, but I wouldn’t say it was uncomfortably crowded. There were just enough folks around to make for some interesting people watching.

Speaking of which, we ended up being the only non-Hispanic picnickers in the park. I’m not sure why, but it might have something to do with the fact that Irvine Regional Park is not located in Irvine but rather sits in the hills between Tustin and Orange. Whatever the reason, it was odd being in such a homogenous group. I’m used to seeing a far wider racial mix than that.

It reminded me of a concert tour I did through the midwest in the early 90s. Exploring Indianapolis one afternoon, nearly everyone I encountered had blond hair and blue eyes. It was like the Germans had won the war or something. The Confederate war memorials scattered around the city center didn’t help.

Anyway, after lounging away a few hours under a big tree at the park, we did a bit of shopping at Petco and set up a small aquarium at Lesley’s place. We also scoped out barbecues at Home Depot, but couldn’t find anything that was reasonably sized. I’ve been wanting to get her one as a housewarming present but they’re all huge. Is it just me, or have the barbecues become larger and larger over the years? They all seem to have what can only be described as significant counter space on either side of the grill. You’d think they would at least make these parts foldable so that those who are tight on space could conserve room when the grill was not in use.

Lesley’s new place in Aliso Viejo is amazing. Not only does it have more square footage, an extra bedroom, extra bathrom, vaulted ceilings, better air conditioning, and a garage, but it also sits on top of the highest land in the area. So her patio has a view that stretches for miles. Accompanied by a gentle breeze, the patio faces east, so the sun is mellow in the afternoons.

We spent the twilight hours hanging out on the deck, snacking on grape leaves, cucumber salad, hummus, French bread and a very special Zivio dessert wine we picked up at the Milat Vinyard in Napa last year.

We hadn’t planned to watch any fireworks, but around 9 pm noticed that we could see a large display that had begun in Laguna Beach. Then a few minutes later one started up in Aliso Viejo. Then Mission Viejo. Then Laguna Hills. Within minutes we were literally enveloped in large-scale professional fireworks displays. It was outstanding! Even more so because not only was it an unexpected surprise, but we had amazing seats without having to fight any crowds.

All in all, it was one of the most enjoyable relaxing 4th of Julys in memory.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Christmas. I’m talking about June. It’s Lesley’s birthday–time to celebrate!

And we did. But it started out on somewhat of a bad note. We’d previously planned to spend the whole day at Disneyland, but I later realized that the Opera Pacific “Opera Under the Stars” concert was that evening at the Pacific Amphitheatre. I couldn’t figure out how I had mixed up the dates. I’m not the best at keeping my schedule straight, but that’s why I have a PDA.
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Poor Lesley! She got into an accident today. I swear that Saturn of hers has been through the wringer. First she had to defer a lot of maintenance on it because she was out of work for a while. Then someone vandalized it in her complex. Now this.

Here’s what happened: Lesley was on her way back to work after lunch and was sitting in some traffic on the 405-South onramp when a white SUV struck the Saturn from behind, pushing her into the vehicle in front of her. Then the SUV driver took off!

A simple accident is one thing. Accidents happen. But a hit-and-run will land you in jail. Now it’s a criminal act. She wasn’t able to get the plate number before the bozo in the SUV (why is it always an SUV?) bolted. And to add insult to injury, no one even stopped to help or see if she was hurt.

The damage to her car is mostly cosmetic. The hood is badly scratched and bent, and there’s probably some damage to the rear bumper system but I think the engine escaped injury. The Camry that was in front of her apparently really got banged up, though. And of course Lesley’s insurance is going to have to pay for that in addition to fixing her own car.

It really pisses me off that someone would hit her and then run! Wherever that scumbag is, I have no doubt karma will find him eventually. If nothing else, he’s probably going to have a few sleepless nights wondering whether the police are going to show up at his door.

Lesley and I just returned from Las Vegas. It’s such an interesting place. I’ve experienced Vegas so many different ways. I’ve been a resident there. A student there. A bachelor party attendee there. It’s been an Angel Flight destination for me as a pilot. And so on.

Vegas can be the most fun you’ll ever have. It can also be a truly unpleasant experience. For the occasional visitor, the two biggest factors that affect your enjoyment of Sin City are a) your hotel, and b) the time of week you visit.

In this case, we really did it right. We spent three days and two nights at the Bellagio. Now, the last time I was in Vegas it was for my friend Rich’s bachelor party. We stayed at the Imperial Palace, which is just about as polar opposite to the Bellagio as you can get! On a Sunday, it can take 30 minutes or more before an elevator reaches your floor at the Imperial Palace! I’m not kidding. For a bachelor party it’s fine since you’re never in the room anyway. But if you can stay at the Bellagio, do it.

Trust me.

Our room was freshly renovated. It had high definition flat screen TV, high speed internet access, the best view on the Strip, and the finest amenities. When you picked up the phone, an operator answered “How may I help you, Mr. Rapp?” When we heard some construction noise on our floor, the Bellagio responded by insisting we eat at one of the hotel’s restaurants–on them. Everyone was pleasant and friendly, right down to the valet who parked our car. And when it comes to the aforementioned elevators, the Bellagio has seperate elevators for each block of floors. So you virtually never wait more than 20 seconds for an elevator, if that.

I’ve put up a bunch of photos that tell the story pretty well.

Lesley had never gambled before, so I showed her how to play video poker. She won–as did I at the blackjack table. On Monday we both spent several hours at the Bellagio Spa. And that evening we had drinks at the Baccarat Bar. We ate far too much gelato, had coffee on the edge of the canal at the Venitian, and watched the fountains do their thing.

Every time we stay at the Bellagio I discover some new bit of service they provide. This time I realized the housekeeping stops by the room more than once a day! They do the mid-day stuff you’ll find any any hotel, but they return later to turn down the beds, tidy up, and leave mints on the pillows.

I mentioned “time of the week” as a factor in how enjoyable your Las Vegas visit will be. We arrived on a Sunday and left mid-week, so traffic on I-15 was minimal and the table limits in the casinos were low. The room prices were, too.

If you get on the mailing lists for the top hotels like the Bellagio, Venitian, Paris, etc. you’ll find they have respectable deals from time to time. That’s about the only way we were able to afford an extended stay at the Bellagio. Maybe it’s just because I’m getting older or something, but I’d prefer to spend one day there than a week at a lesser hotel. Despite the high cost, I always come away feeling that it was well worth the price. And I always look forward to returning.

The rumor on the street in Vegas is that the new Steve Wynn hotel is going to outshine even the Bellagio. I find that hard to imagine, but we’ll see. If nothing else, the competition will be healthy. Since Wynn sold the Bellagio and other Mirage Resorts properties to MGM, I’ve been waiting for the high quality of service at the Bellagio to decline. So far, I’m happy to report that it hasn’t happened.

And how was your Thanksgiving? No knock-down, drag-out family arguements, I hope? Lesley and I spent a simple but pleasant day together. We didn’t even cook–we ate out!

Scandalous.

It’s the first time I’d ever done that, and it was actually fun. Leaving the kitchen duties to someone else allowed us time to relax, laugh, and think about what were thankful for. Sounds hokey. But with all the cooking, preparing, decorating, and traveling that most folks do, the “core” of Thanksgiving can get lost in the static. So it was refreshing to spend Thanksgiving just being Thankful.

Earlier in the day we had a light brunch in Costa Mesa, then walked around Balboa Island and admired the holiday decorations. Lesley pointed out that this is a weird time of year for that sort of thing. The laggards still haven’t taken down their Halloween stuff, while some have Thanksgiving decorations up, and still other homes are already adorned for Christmas or Hanukkah.

There’s one house right on the water that we’ve always admired. The architecture is a fascinating amalgam of glass, copper, and concrete. When we took the Newport Harbor Tour last year, the guide told us this was his favorite home.

Anyway, as we sauntered down the sidewalk today, Lesley said, “Hey–that’s the one the tour guide loved so much.” A kindly old lady trimming plants in front of the property said, “You like this one, eh? Go on in and take a look!”

After confirming that she was the owner and not just some stranger egging us on, we looked at each other and thought, “Why not?”. So in we went. Margie gave us some insight into the fascinating choice of materials. The walls are plain concrete. Ceilings are Douglas fir, and the steel beams that support the structure are exposed throughout the house. She also showed us how the famous motorized glass facade worked. With the push of a button, an entire wall of the house retracts into the side of the building. It’s like putting the top down on a Ford Mustang. But instead of a $15,000 car, this was a $4 million island home.

Margie was very kind and we didn’t want to impose, but bless her heart–she insisted we take our time and really look around. Add people like that to the list of things I’m thankful for!

I did a Google search this evening, trying to find a photo of some Balboa Island real estate to give you an idea of what the houses down there look like. Lo and behold, Google turned up an entire L.A. Times article dedicated to this very home! Apparently the architect was a well-known student of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Anyway, now that the turkey day is behind us, the Christmas season can officially begin. Sure, it’s been going on in the malls, catalogues, and stores for months now. But I don’t do any holiday shopping, decorating, or singing until after Thanksgiving. I know we’re supposed to celebrate Christmas in our hearts all year long, but when the twelve days last twelve months, I can’t help but think “when is this gonna end?”.

To celebrate the start of the holiday season, I’ve created a new skin for the House of Rapp. I’m not thrilled with the greyish colors for the content and menu containers, but oh well. If any of you have suggestions for better colors, let me know.

Now let’s get out there and shop, shop, SHOP!

Ever heard the phrase “bread ‘n butter”? If a couple walking down the street hand in hand are seperated by a pole, mailbox, or other obstruction, you say “bread ‘n butter”. I don’t know why, but you just do.

I consider myself fairly cultured, but this one completely escaped me until I met Lesley. I figured it was an English thing, but maybe not! Someone else wrote about it.