Quick Sunday Update

Sorry that I didn't blog during the week. Each day went really late into the early evening, then needed to get dinner and socialized/networked with my colleagues from all across California.

I had a fabulous time and learned so much about the transportation system in the Los Angeles basin. I got home on an earlier flight on Friday, which was nice because I wanted to see my kids and Dawn and I was exhausted.

Im frantically trying to do laundry, house cleaning and spend time with Evan and Lauren because tomorrow morning I head out to Squaw Valley for the 3-day CalAct conference.

I will try and do a post tomorrow night as I expect the evening to be slow for me. I will catch up and post photos from last week.

Weekend in SoCal

So, I am sitting here in my swanky hotel room at the Renaissance Hotel located on the corner of Hollywood and Highland located in the Kodiak Theatre complex here in Hollywood. I can't believe the state shelled out this kind of jack for these rooms and hotel space for our Field Academy starting tomorrow.

Anyway, flew down on South-worst on Friday night to spend the weekend with my Grandma Marlys. We had a great time catching up. I forgot how quick it is to fly from Sacramento to Burbank. Immediately after you get to cruising altitude, you start decending. I had this 24 year-old girl who sat next to me in the exit row, completely drunk, telling me and the guy next to me how at her age she has sworn off men because of their game. I found it quite amusing and it helped pass the 45 min. flight.

Got to Burbank about 9pm and then over to Grandma's house in Lake View Terrace. It was the first time I have been back since Papa passed three years ago and it was kind of weird not seeing him there. I got some great photos of the valley and I have never seen it so clear there (as well as hot as it was 92-95 all weekend).

Here is a cute photo of Misty, playing out in the backyard:

Those were on Saturday. On Sunday, I took Grandma to the Dodgers game against San Diego. It was a great pitching duel as Greg Maddux got the 1-0 win over the former Brooklyn Bums. I thought it was a great game, Grandma didn't think so.

After the game, went back to Grandma's and grabbed my stuff to then head to the hotel. I then met up with Ron who flew in at 5pm. We got settled, I grabbed a quick shower and we headed out for dinner at Miceli's Italian Restaurant. I had the Chicken Cannelloni and glass of Mezzocoraon Pino Grigio and Ron had spag. Since yesterday was his birthday, I surprised him by getting him his first canoli. He loved it.

After we finished, we headed out and strolled the sights before heading back to the hotel and calling it a night.

That's it for now. Will take more photos and fill in more about the trip in the next couple of days.

LA, Hollywood and Some Squaw

Tonight I fly out to Burbank to spend the weekend with my Grandma before attending the Field Academy next week in Hollywood. We are going to go to a Dodger game on Sunday (against the Padres). After that I will check into the hotel (the Renaissance) and catch up with my friend Ronaldo (he and I started the same day with Caltrans in Mass Trans 2 1/2 years ago).

We get to go to a lot of operational places in transportation while in the LA Basin: including one day at the Port of Long Beach/Port of LA. I wish I could stay the following weekend because I would have liked to have gone to the Long Beach Grand Prix (since its now an IndyCar race again), but maybe next year.

I then come home for the weekend before getting up early Monday the 21st and head to Squaw Valley for the 3-day CalAct conference. CalAct is a trade organization for rural and elderly/disabled transit providers. It will be going back to my roots with Caltrans. Over the next two weeks I will get to see a lot of friends I have made since joining Caltrans.

I will be taking my camera for both events and I will try to update the blog during the trips so stay tuned.

All of that means that I will be physically out of the office for two weeks! Wish I could do that all the time, but all of this will help me for the upcoming Associate Transportation Planner exam coming up in a couple of months.

Lauren Turns 2 Today!

Happy birthday to my Lovebug, who turned 2 today. I made her a Luxe card, courtesy of Jen and Pam. Thanks ladies!

Happy Birthday Lovebug!