Summer Vacations

[Ron Thorne]

Ah.

Well having spent our first weekend alone in 13 years this past weekend, I don't get the crying smilie.

Perhaps it's in reference to Evanston.

[BeBop]

Hey, I like Evanston okay. (It ain't Chicago-proper or anything, but what is?) They've even got one of the few Peet's Coffees off the West Coast.

[BeBop]

I walked right by a Peet's this past weekend. They have one at Lumiere Place in St. Louis.

Someone must be masquerading. Or Peet's doesn't know about it. http://www.peets.com/stores/stores-store-list.html

There are some people who serve Peet's and hang out a sign (ING Cafes in Manhattan, a kiosk at the Sheraton Waikiki...)

I was a Peet's customer back in the mid-1970s, learning coffee roasting and making from Alfred Peet himself, and I was a shareholder when they went public. But they got sold off. Oh well.

[Ron Thorne]

I love Peet's coffee. I first experienced it in Portland, Oregon years ago. We can get Peet's at our supermarkets, but Starbuck's has a stranglehold on the regional coffee shops in Anchorage. I refuse to patronize them if I have other good choices, and we do ... three local roasters who do a great job.

Do we need a coffee & tea thread?

[BeBop]

I'd say Peet's simply needs to update their store locator.

https://www.lumiereplace.com/dining/pee ... e-and-tea/

If I was still a shareholder (i.e., if I hadn't been bought out) I would demand...

Unlikley I would make it to this one, but I do have clients in St. Louis.

[Blue Train]

The only Peet's I knew about not on the West Coast was in CO, IL & MA. I just checked their site and Ohio is also listed.

Apparently, Peet's doesn't even know they have a place in the Show Me State.

[Blue Train]

I think you mean a product franchise.

[moldyfigg]

I can never get the obsession of some folks about coffee. The reason I drink the stuff in the morning is to get my heart started.

I did like the mid-afternoon little espressos in Italy.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

C'mon, fellas, caffeine is a drug. Those of us that drink coffee are addicted. We can't help ourselves. Have a little compassion, will ya?

[steve(thelil)]

I heard the best argument about coffee being addictive: "A truly addictive drug is one an addict needs just to be normal (not necessarily high)." Coffee qualifies. (OK, I'm never normal but you know what I mean)

[Blue Train]

Change of plans. No, Hawai'i. After the latest ultrasound and positioning....on doctor("s"). My wife concurred....(for those that forgot, or missed it....she is about to start her third year of medical school and let's say she's nowhere close to last in her class. ) advice by the time we would be returning to the mainland it wouldn't be wise to fly.

Still staying in Chicago through Lollapalooza (beside it being Lollapalooza....a family member will be performing for the first time @ Lollapalooza.) and then the west coast.

[walto]

Back from Block Island. Very expensive. Like a blend of Martha's Vineyard, Rockport, and Chatham. Doubt we'll be back there.

[Blue Train]

Back from Block Island. Very expensive. Like a blend of Martha's Vineyard, Rockport, and Chatham. Doubt we'll be back there.

Did you run into Christopher Walken, or Steven Wright?

P.S. It's an island off Rhode Island.

[tippy]

Los Angeles next week for my brudder's Silver Needle farewell concert. I am going to rent a car for the first time down there. I expect to be in collisions and to get lost a lot. But I am mapquesting everything right now. To Rose Bowl aquatics, to Wi Spa. Will probably hit Newport or Laguna for a change - I am kind of over Santa Monica and even Malibu. And maybe, just maybe, head northy to Santa Barbara or El Capitan. I wonder if People Under the Stairs are playing? Google says Nope. I'm missing Erykah Badu in SLC for Twilight Concert Series (used to be free, now it is $5). That's sorta PAINFUL. But I know I will have fun hanging with the sibs. And getting a good massage at Barai. And eating Halibut tartar at Speranza. Someone told me Huntington Library is cool.

[walto]

I don't think we crossed paths with any celebs on Block Island, Blue.

Some very rich-looking folks, though. Along with a bunch of seedy-looking drunks on the ferry back. Everything there costs about 1/3-1/2 more than it does on the mainland. I guess that's only to be expected, but who has the money for that (except guys like Christopher Walken)? Before we left, we joined some relatives of mine for a few hours at a gorgeous inn called The Spring House (y'all should look it up). We were schlepping our backpacks around and basically out of money. So while everyone on the lawn was being served cherrystones and Long Island Ice Teas, we were literally scraping peanut butter out of a jar with slices from a loaf of bread we were carrying around with us. It was like that white trash scene from the W.C. Fields movie.

I mean, we're not exactly poor, but after you've blown through maybe $1500 in two days, you start to get....careful.

[Ron Thorne]

Someone told me Huntington Library is cool.

The Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens is a wonderful, gorgeous oasis, tippy! Patti and I visited there several years ago with our son, his wife and our grandson, and we spent hours touring the gardens and buildings.

If you have time for an afternoon, or even part of one, it's a no-brainer. There over a dozen principal gardens.

Click below to access their website.

Huntington Botanical Gardens

[Ron Thorne]

Another couple of shots from my Summer Mini-Vacation in our front yard. We've broken records for the most consecutive days above 70° ... 38, with 14 consecutive days above that mark. It's been a fantastic summer, but we have some clouds predicted to roll in this weekend and wipe the smile off our faces.




Relaxing in our hammock, strung between two old, very large White Birch Trees.




A soothing view.

[tippy]

I wanna go where you are! Hey thanks for the photos and for seconding the rec.

[steve(thelil)]

If what you love is days of above 70, you just can't beat Alaska.

[Ron Thorne]

I wanna go where you are! Hey thanks for the photos and for seconding the rec.

You're welcome, tippy. I think you'd like it here.

[moldyfigg]

Los Angeles next week for my brudder's Silver Needle farewell concert. I am going to rent a car for the first time down there. I expect to be in collisions and to get lost a lot. But I am mapquesting everything right now. To Rose Bowl aquatics, to Wi Spa. Will probably hit Newport or Laguna for a change - I am kind of over Santa Monica and even Malibu. And maybe, just maybe, head northy to Santa Barbara or El Capitan. I wonder if People Under the Stairs are playing? Google says Nope. I'm missing Erykah Badu in SLC for Twilight Concert Series (used to be free, now it is $5). That's sorta PAINFUL. But I know I will have fun hanging with the sibs. And getting a good massage at Barai. And eating Halibut tartar at Speranza. Someone told me Huntington Library is cool.

Tip,

I would strongly suggest you rent a GPS. I could save your sanity.

[Mike Schwartz]

My 2 favorite girls on the planet [ daughter & grand daughter ] are coming to Cali from Utah for a whirlwind weekend Aug 9-11

Day one scheduled highlights.....Grandpa's pool ( in our condo ) I think she'll wear a bathing suit right off the plane and a night game SF Giants which will be a high point for my daughter who is a major Giants fan, and remembers going to games with me since age 2-3.

Day 2 San Jose Jazz Festival VIP passes; they'll have a New Orleans street parade before Rebirth Brass Band and Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, then a walk to the Children's Discovery Museum right by the festival sight.

Day [1/2] 3.....Olivia is quite interested in, and wants to go to see what's up and go to the radio station with me, as she listens to the show on the Interweb. I have a fill-in doing the show that morning, and set up a brief visit to do a couple of segments and have Olivia be my 'assistant engineer,' followed by brunch and a trip to the airport.

[moldyfigg]

My Baltimore son, Casey, and his family including our two teenage granddaughters blow in tomorrow for 10 days. The big event is taking the Amtrak from Irvine to San Diego for a Padres/Orioles day game. Plus I have a new Mexican restaurant to introduce them to.

[Mike Schwartz]

My Baltimore son, Casey, and his family including our two teenage granddaughters blow in tomorrow for 10 days. The big event is taking the Amtrak from Irvine to San Diego for a Padres/Orioles day game. Plus I have a new Mexican restaurant to introduce them to.

We'll be seeing the Orioles too Clint....Orange & Black series.

[tippy]

Tip,

I would strongly suggest you rent a GPS. I could save your sanity.

It's in the hardwires to know where I am spatially. It's almost crazy to me that people don't think that's important. We always figured out before how to get where we were going with maps, which at one time were a form of technology. But I *will* out of due diligence let you how things work out. I may end up screaming for the GPS, and if so, I'll be honest about it. However, I do feel that I am already getting a most basic feel of things through my studies. Kind of excited. Worked an hour later than I was supposed to - grrrrr - but I am officially on vacation, my first of the year, SO excited!!!