Code Expiration: December 8, 2015
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 11
Sharon and Janie spent a long day on a private wine tour of Burgundy with Emma Barbier. Starting at 9 am, they visited three wineries and had lunch. They didn't get back to the hotel until after 5:30 pm.
Spending a second night at Hostellere Le Cedre, they finished the day with dinner at the hotel. Heading for the Swiss Alps, they have a long travel day tomorrow.
Spending a second night at Hostellere Le Cedre, they finished the day with dinner at the hotel. Heading for the Swiss Alps, they have a long travel day tomorrow.
ESPN 30 for 30 Shorts: First Pitch
Grant land and ESPN Films have released the thirty-eighth film in their 30 for 30 documentary short series.
You can find First Pitch on the ESPN web site at http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=13617860.
More about the film at: http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=firstpitch.
30 for 30 Shorts: First Pitch
In late October 2001, before Game 3 of the World Series, President George W. Bush strode to the mound in Yankee Stadium. He calls this the ‘most nervous’ moment of his presidency. More than 9/11. More than Katrina. More than the financial collapse. With the debut of ‘First Pitch,’ we visited with him in Dallas to ask why — and about the lessons of 9/11 fourteen years later.
You can find First Pitch on the ESPN web site at http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=13617860.
More about the film at: http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=firstpitch.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Brunch with Jack & Morgan
Morgan came over to do her laundry. After she got it started, she, Jack and I went to the Lido Cafe for brunch. Sharon and I had gone there for dinner in May and were not impressed with the food. We wanted to try it for breakfast. The place was packed. Morgan and my meals were solid, but not special, while Jack's was underwhelming.
Day 10 - Brunch with Morgan and Jack (@ Lido Cafe in Carmichael, CA) https://t.co/2J80HathSr
— Mark Heringer (@heringermr) September 13, 2015Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 10
After one night at Chateau de Vault de Lugny, Sharon and Janie continued southeast through Burgundy. They stopped in Dijon and then continued on to Beaune. They are spending the next two nights at Hostellere Le Cedre.
One of the books that Sharon read leading up to the trip was The Road to Burgundy: The Unlikely Story of an American Making Wine and a New Life in France by Ray Walker. She and I had actually looked at the web site for his winery, located it on Google Maps and looked at pictures of him.
While it was pouring rain, they had a leisurely lunch near the hotel. As they were getting ready to leave, Sharon saw Ray Walker and another person sitting at a table in the restaurant. They went over to say hello and were invited to join them. Sharon couldn't have been more excited when she FaceTimed me later in the day...
They finished the day with dinner at a restaurant that the hotel recommended.
One of the books that Sharon read leading up to the trip was The Road to Burgundy: The Unlikely Story of an American Making Wine and a New Life in France by Ray Walker. She and I had actually looked at the web site for his winery, located it on Google Maps and looked at pictures of him.
While it was pouring rain, they had a leisurely lunch near the hotel. As they were getting ready to leave, Sharon saw Ray Walker and another person sitting at a table in the restaurant. They went over to say hello and were invited to join them. Sharon couldn't have been more excited when she FaceTimed me later in the day...
They finished the day with dinner at a restaurant that the hotel recommended.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
2015 Holy Bowl - Jesuit versus Christian Brothers
For the fourth year in a row [2012, 2013, 2014], Jack and I went to the Holy Bowl at Hughes Stadium. Sharon missed this year; she is off on a European vacation with Janie.
I got there about 4 pm. Tailgating in the parking garage, I made a tactical error. I left the door open in the car. Without locking the car, the headlights stayed on. As a result, the battery was dead when I packed up and headed to the Jesuit tailgate.
I had a bite to eat at the Jesuit Tailgate. The Chappelles joined me. Checking on the car afterwards, it still wouldn't start..
I watched the painful fourth quarter of the JV game: lots of penalties and incomplete passes. The varsity came out fast and blew out Christian Brothers. Beau Bisharat scored on runs of 78, 71 and 21 yards in piling up 219 yards by halftime on seven carries. The Stanford-bound senior finished with a Holy Bowl record 315 yards on 16 carries. Jesuit won the game by the score of 51 to 9.
After the game, Jack bought me some jumper cables; Bridget had some in her car. I was eventually able to get someone to give me a jump. Although the traffic was backed up, I was able to sneak out the back way. People are sheep...
Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 9
Heading from the Champagne region to Burgundy, this turned into a long travel day for Sharon and Janie. When Sharon and I mapped out the route in Google Maps, it was about 150 miles and 2 1/2 hours. With a stop for lunch and coffee, this somehow turned into almost six hours; they left at 9:30 am and didn't get to the next hotel until 3:30 pm.
They are spending one night at Chateau de Vault de Lugny. Sharon said that the woman at the front desk was snotty... After exploring the grounds, they had a very nice dinner at the hotel.
More of Sharon and Janie's European Vacation!
They are spending one night at Chateau de Vault de Lugny. Sharon said that the woman at the front desk was snotty... After exploring the grounds, they had a very nice dinner at the hotel.
More of Sharon and Janie's European Vacation!
Friday, September 11, 2015
Holy Bowl Kick-off
I went to the Holy Bowl Kick-off at the Croatian American Cultural Center. This inaugural event included: Tailgate Party Fare & Cocktails; Band Performance; Coaches & Team Captains, and; Brief Live Auction. It was a little odd. There weren't as many people as I expected. There were more Christian Brothers than Jesuit parents. Kelly Brother had a hard time getting people engaged in the live auction...
Day 8 - Holy Bowl Kick-off (@ Croatian American Cultural Center in Sacramento, CA) https://t.co/vJN5uKeTaa pic.twitter.com/dBQ0JltP7q— Mark Heringer (@heringermr) September 12, 2015Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 8
Sharon and Janie spent the day wine tasting in the Champagne region of France. They stopped at a number of small towns before ending up in Epernay. We got to the outskirts of Epernay in 2006, but never went into the town.
They had dinner at a "funky restaurant" in a small town near their hotel. They spent a second night at the Chateau de Etoges.
They had dinner at a "funky restaurant" in a small town near their hotel. They spent a second night at the Chateau de Etoges.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 7
Sharon and Janie took the high speed TGV from Paris to Reims. They picked up a Hertz rental car. Afterwards, they visited the Cathedral, toured Taittinger and stopped at the Hotel de Crayeres where we stayed in 2006.
They then headed to the Chateau de Etoges. They finished the day with dinner at the hotel.
They then headed to the Chateau de Etoges. They finished the day with dinner at the hotel.
Wednesday, September 09, 2015
Jesuit Galley Crew 2015 First Home Game
You can see Jack towards the front several times from about 0:29 to 0:50 of the video!
Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 6
Sharon and Janie spent their last full day in Paris touring the Musée d'Orsay and doing a Seine River tour. They are heading to Reims tomorrow.
Paris Apartment from heringermr on Vimeo.
Tuesday, September 08, 2015
Cisco Wireless Conversion
Starting 8 am Tuesday morning, I worked a 20 hour shift converting the hospital campus from Motorola to Cisco wireless as part of the foundation for the SmartHospital and SmartRoom projects. We had a team of 15 people from the enterprise and other sites working the cut-over.
Day 5 - 20 hour shift upgrading the hospital from Motorola to Cisco wireless for the SmartHospital project. pic.twitter.com/8SE8yXcrZq— Mark Heringer (@heringermr) September 9, 2015Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 5
Sharon and Janie spent the day doing a Fat Tire Tour of the Palace of Versailes.
Upon arrival in the town of Versailles by train, they rode bikes to the famous city market to shop for picnic supplies. Then, they cruised through the Chateau's enormous grounds along a network of fantastic trails and tree-lined paths to visit Marie Antoinette's Hamlet and both the Petit & Grand Trianons. They had a picnic at the end of the Grand Canal. After lunch, they continued through the grounds and entered the chambers of the Chateau itself.
Sharon said that it was fabulous. They had a great Irish guide who gave them lots of history.
Upon arrival in the town of Versailles by train, they rode bikes to the famous city market to shop for picnic supplies. Then, they cruised through the Chateau's enormous grounds along a network of fantastic trails and tree-lined paths to visit Marie Antoinette's Hamlet and both the Petit & Grand Trianons. They had a picnic at the end of the Grand Canal. After lunch, they continued through the grounds and entered the chambers of the Chateau itself.
Sharon said that it was fabulous. They had a great Irish guide who gave them lots of history.
Monday, September 07, 2015
Fish Hatchery to Granite Bay Bike Ride
I rode my mountain bike from the fish hatchery to Granite Bay and back. I covered 26.6 miles in two hours and 24 minutes. The last couple of miles to Granite Bay were on a dirt trail along the lake. It is astonishing how low the lake is!
Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 4
Sharon and Janie spent their third day in Paris. They toured the Louvre, the Tuileries Garden, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe, and Les Invalides.
Talking to Sharon on FaceTime at the end of their day, she said that they almost got crushed at the Louvre. There were so many people.
Talking to Sharon on FaceTime at the end of their day, she said that they almost got crushed at the Louvre. There were so many people.
Sunday, September 06, 2015
Dinner with Morgan and Jack
Morgan, Jack and I had Mexican food at Rey Azteca. I am enjoying having Morgan so close!
Day 3 - Nice dinner with Morgan and Jack (@ Rey Azteca Taqueria in Carmichael, CA) https://t.co/dNXToqHlfo
— Mark Heringer (@heringermr) September 7, 2015Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 3
Sharon and Janie spent their first full day in Paris. They toured Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle. We didn't visit Sainte-Chapelle when we were there in 2006. They did some shopping and explored the neighborhood. They took the metro to dinner. Sharon and I talked via FaceTime at the end of the evening.
Sainte-Chapelle from heringermr on Vimeo.
Saturday, September 05, 2015
2015 Jesuit Varsity Soccer versus El Camino
Mormon Island
With the water level of Lake Folsom at 364 feet, I hiked from Browns Ravine out to some of the ruins of Mormon Island. A map of the hike is here. Mormon Island was a gold rush town that was inundated by Folsom Lake. A California Historical Marker [#569] for the town is north of the site. With the lake at low levels, a couple of buildings have been uncovered.
The Natoma Ditch was a series of canals, ditches and flumes that supplied water to the ranches, miners and settlers in the Mormon Island area.
The Natoma Ditch was a series of canals, ditches and flumes that supplied water to the ranches, miners and settlers in the Mormon Island area.
Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 2
On the ground about 10:30 am local time, Sharon and Janie took a taxi to their apartment. They are renting an apartment for five nights on the Île Saint-Louis. This is one of two natural islands in the Seine river.
After a crepe and a nap, they headed to the Eiffel Tower. They finished the evening with dinner in the neighborhood near their apartment visiting with a couple of tables of Americans.
After a crepe and a nap, they headed to the Eiffel Tower. They finished the evening with dinner in the neighborhood near their apartment visiting with a couple of tables of Americans.
Friday, September 04, 2015
Dinner with Borjas and Renterias
With Sharon and Janie off on a European vacation, I had dinner with the Borjas and the Renterias at the Riverside Clubhouse.
Day 1 - Dinner with the Renterias and Borjas (@ Riverside Clubhouse - @riversideclubhs) https://t.co/T0Eva3eyxe pic.twitter.com/VrxNHC3I7C
— Mark Heringer (@heringermr) September 5, 2015Sharon and Janie's European Vacation - Day 1
Sharon and Janie took off for two plus weeks in France and Switzerland. They had a car pick up Sharon at 8:30 am and Jane at 9:00 am and take them to the San Francisco airport. They caught a non-stop United flight to Paris. Scheduled to leave at 2:40 pm, the flight left a little late. They will be landing in Paris late Saturday morning. They will be spending the next five days in Paris.
Thursday, September 03, 2015
California Historical Landmark #684
Working out of St. Helena from January through November of 2015, I have started exploring California Historical Landmarks in Napa, Sonoma and Lake Counties, including: Site of Stone and Kelsey Home [#426], The Battle of Bloody Island [#427], Sulphur Bank Mine [#428], Lower Lake Stone Jail [#429], Stone House [#450], Old Bull Trail Road and St Helena Toll Road [#467], Chiles Grist Mill [#547], Schramsberg [#561], Charles Krug Winery [#563], Site of York's Cabin [#682], Site of Hudson Cabin [#683], Sam Brannan Store [#684], Sam Brannan Cottage [#685], Site of Kelsey House [#686], Beringer Brothers Winery [#814], Old Lake County Courthouse [#897], Petrified Forest [#915] and Litto's Hubcap Ranch [#939]. I visited all seven of the California Historical Landmarks in Lake County and finished visiting all of the Napa landmarks.
Sam Brannan Store, Calistoga
California State Historical Landmark #684
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This landmark is located at the northwest corner of Wapoo Avenue and Grant Street, 203 Wapoo Avenue, Calistoga, California. There are 16 other California State Historical Landmarks in Napa County. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 38° 34.971 W 122° 34.628.
You can log your site to this site at waymarking.com
Sam Brannan arrived in Napa Valley in the late 1850s and purchased a square mile of land at the foot of Mount St. Helena. This is the store he built, in which he made $50,000 in one year.
California State Historical Landmark #684
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This landmark is located at the northwest corner of Wapoo Avenue and Grant Street, 203 Wapoo Avenue, Calistoga, California. There are 16 other California State Historical Landmarks in Napa County. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 38° 34.971 W 122° 34.628.
You can log your site to this site at waymarking.com
Sam Brannan arrived in Napa Valley in the late 1850s and purchased a square mile of land at the foot of Mount St. Helena. This is the store he built, in which he made $50,000 in one year.
Wednesday, September 02, 2015
Alfred J. Reach
Sharon and I walked by this waymark on the way to pick Jack up at UPenn.
Alfred J. Reach
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at 1804 Chesnut Street, Pennsylvania. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 39° 57.098 W 075° 10.237.
You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.
Pioneer baseball professional; a great early 2nd baseman. Played for the Philadelphia Athletics, 1865-75. Phillies' first owner & president, 1883-1902. Published "Official Base Ball Guide." His A.J. Reach & Co., maker of sporting goods, was here.
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at 1804 Chesnut Street, Pennsylvania. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 39° 57.098 W 075° 10.237.
You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.
Pioneer baseball professional; a great early 2nd baseman. Played for the Philadelphia Athletics, 1865-75. Phillies' first owner & president, 1883-1902. Published "Official Base Ball Guide." His A.J. Reach & Co., maker of sporting goods, was here.
Tuesday, September 01, 2015
Monday, August 31, 2015
Milo Greene in Portland, Oregon
Drew and a few of his closest friends in an intimate setting down by the waterfront [8.21.15 : Portland, OR].
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Celebrating Jack's 17th Birthday [Nate and Sam's Wedding Day 3]
Up before 6 am, we packed up the room, got in the rental car and headed back to SeaTac Airport. It was an easy early Sunday morning drive. We dropped the car at the rental car terminal and breezed through the luggage check and TSA pre screening. I had prepaid for the bags on Saturday. Given what Alaskan charged me for the bags coming and going, I am not sure that it wouldn't have been cheaper to fly Southwest.It was an easy flight home. The flight was ahead of schedule and we were home before noon.
At one point, we had considered going to the Cardinals versus Giants game at ATT Park for Jack's birthday. I think that we were all glad that we didn't try to tack this on the end of the weekend.
Bridget spent the afternoon at the house. She and Jack spent some time in the pool. Bridget gave Jack a new bathing suit for his birthday.
We finished day with the chinese food, cake and presents on the back deck. Jack ordered enough food for eight people! I got him a projector and a Georgetown shirt, while Sharon got him a boom box.
Celebrating Jack's 15th Birthday
Celebrating Jack's 14th Birthday
Celebrating Jack's 13th Birthday
Celebrating Jack's 12th Birthday
Celebrating Jack's 11th Birthday and a party
Celebrating Jack's 10th Birthday
Celebrating Jack's 9th Birthday and a belated party
Celebrating Jack's 8th Birthday plus a party and a photo album
Celebrating Jack's 7th Birthday plus a party and a photo album
Celebrating Jack's 6th Birthday plus a party and a photo album
Celebrating Jack's 5th Birthday plus a photo album
Celebrating Jack's 4th Birthday and a party
Celebrating Jack's 1st Birthday Party
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Nate & Sam's Wedding Day 2
Back at the hotel, I lost a game of cribbage to Drew, while Jack lost to Nicki. Nicki then beat Drew to win the morning round. It is interesting to see Drew, Nicki and Jack playing cribbage. Cribbage is really a legacy of Lake Almanor. Drew and Jack watched Tomasin, Wallen and I play for almost 30 years.
Eventually, we took a group including Drew, Nicki, Jack, Hunter, Yuli, Snipes, Julie, Tomasin, Sharon and I to the Boat Shed for lunch. The weather continued to get worse. At some point, we got a text message saying that the wedding had been moved inside.
After lunch, I was walking through the downtown to catch up with Snipes and Tomasin when I bumped into Wallen. I helped him unload his truck and then ran a shirt up to Nate in his room. Wallen and I then tracked down Snipes, Tomasin and Hunter. The five of us headed back to the Kitsap Conference Center. The preparations for the wedding and the reception were in full swing. In one of the most unlikely scenarios, Tomasin and I ended up tying lace ribbons on chairs for the wedding!
Drew, Nicki and Jack spent most of the rainy afternoon playing cribbage in the room.
Heading back to the room, everyone got cleaned up and walked back to the conference center for the 5 pm wedding ceremony. Drew played a couple of songs as the wedding party and then the bride came down the aisle.
At the reception, Sharon and I ended up at a table with Chabrier and Kay, Hunter and Yuli and another couple. There were more than 200 people at the wedding and the reception. It was a great evening!
The kids had gone back to the hotel before Sharon and I. When Sharon and I started to walk back, it was pouring. We called Drew and he came and got us in the rental car. With an early start planned for Sunday morning, we crashed fairly early.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Nate & Sam's Wedding Day 1
On the ground about 1:35 pm, we grabbed our luggage and caught the shuttle to the rental car terminal. Heading to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the fun began. There was a car fire on I-5 just before the turnoff to the bridge and then a car in the median on Highway 16 near Gig Harbor. The world is a parking lot... As a result, it was about 4:15 pm by the time we got to the room. We are spending two nights at the Fairfield Inn in Bremerton.
About 6:30 pm, we headed to the Wallens. They hosted a fairly big crowd for a rehearsal dinner. Although it was raining lightly, the Wallens had tents set up in their backyard. Jack and I went out and picked up Drew and Nicki at some point in the evening. They had taken an airporter from SeaTac to Bremerton. It was a nice evening; lots of Wallens, friends of Nate and Sam and others from out of town.
Although they were originally planning to stay at the Wallens, Drew and Nicki ended up going back to the hotel with us. Luckily, I had gotten a large two bedroom suite for the weekend; it had a enough room for the five of us.
When we got back to the hotel, I ended up going out with Tomasin and Snipes. I didn't get back to the room until 1:30 am!
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
California Historical Landmark #604 revisited
Walking through Old Sacramento to the River Cats game on Friday night, a historical plaque caught my eye. Although I had finished mapped all of the California Historical Landmarks in Sacramento County almost six years ago, I hadn't remember seeing this plaque before. It looks like it has only been put in place in the last year.
I have updated the page for the Site of the Sam Brannan House [California Historical Landmark #604] with the new plaque.
I have updated the page for the Site of the Sam Brannan House [California Historical Landmark #604] with the new plaque.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Masonic Temple Philadelphia
After dinner on the first day of the East Coast College Tour, Sharon and I wandered by this waymark exploring the area around Penn Square and city hall.
Masonic Temple Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
National Register of Historic Places #1971000727
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at 55 North Broad Street, Pennsylvania. The GPS coordinates for this location are N N 39° 57.226 W 075° 09.790.
You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.
The 1873 Masonic Temple, a National Historic Landmark, is home to the Grand Lodge of Pa. Its lodge rooms, featuring varied architectural themes, and its stonework are widely acclaimed. Its prominence in size and location reflects Free-masonry’s importance in American history.
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
National Register of Historic Places #1971000727
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at 55 North Broad Street, Pennsylvania. The GPS coordinates for this location are N N 39° 57.226 W 075° 09.790.
You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.
The 1873 Masonic Temple, a National Historic Landmark, is home to the Grand Lodge of Pa. Its lodge rooms, featuring varied architectural themes, and its stonework are widely acclaimed. Its prominence in size and location reflects Free-masonry’s importance in American history.
Monday, August 24, 2015
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Sunday Brunch
Drew and Nicki spent the night with us after the Milo Greene Show on Saturday. We invited Morgan over to join us for brunch on Sunday morning; she bought her laundry. Sharon made a nice breakfast of huevos rancheros.
We had a leisurely morning. Although Jack took off to go wakeboarding on the river, Drew, Nicki and Morgan hung out until about 1:30 pm. It was really nice to have everyone in the same place and have a chance to visit! With Morgan living on the East Coast, I don't think that the five of us have been in the same place since December of 2011.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Milo Greene at Harlow's
Saturday afternoon, we met the Foys and Rod and Kathy at Zocola's for an early dinner. Liz showed up just as we were finishing dinner. Jack and Bridget had dinner across the street at Paesanos.
From there, we wandered over to Harlow's to see Drew's band Milo Greene. It has been more than three years since we have had a chance to see Milo Greene play in Sacramento.
Madison Sipes played for about 30 minutes; Drew is working on producing an album for her. Milo Greene then played for about an hour and twenty minutes.
There was a nice crowd, including the Tomasins (John, Julie, Chris, Mikey, David plus Stephanie), the Snipes (Kurt, Joy, Keith, Craig), the Hunters, the Bachmans, the Foys, the Sanborns, Lee Ann and Dean, Deborah and Cole Cunningham, the Santanas, Rod and Kathy, Liz, Janie et al. I really appreciated the show of support for Drew and the band.
We had a chance to visit and take some pictures after the show. Drew and Nicki ended up spending the night with us. They rolled up about midnight.
Friday, August 21, 2015
2015 River Cats versus Zephyrs
After meeting Tomasin and Snipes at the Plainfield Station on my way home from St. Helena, I headed home to change and then caught up with them at the River Cats game. We had some great seats [Section 113, Row 13, Seat 6, 7 and 8]. The game was sold-out.
Mac Williamson went 4 for 4 with a home run, a double and four RBIs as the River Cats crushed the New Orleans Zephyrs 14-3 to extend their franchise-record winning streak to 12 games.
Jarrett Parker added a home run, a triple and three RBIs in Sacramento’s 15-hit attack.
New Orleans tied the score 3-3 with one run in the sixth inning, but the River Cats erupted for four runs in the sixth, five in the seventh and two in the eighth.
We finished the night at the Back Door Lounge in Old Sacramento.
Thursday, August 20, 2015
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
ESPN 30 for 30 Shorts: Delaney
Grant land and ESPN Films have released the thirty-seventh film in their 30 for 30 documentary short series.
You can find Delaney on the ESPN web site at http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=13417657.
More about the film at: http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=delaney.
30 for 30 Shorts: Delaney
The latest film, directed by Grant Curtis, tells the story of a man who seemed to have everything, but sacrificed it all for a chance to save people in distress.
You can find Delaney on the ESPN web site at http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=13417657.
More about the film at: http://espn.go.com/30for30/film?page=delaney.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
To the Dry Creek Store
After work, I drove through Calistoga, up the Alexander Valley and across Highway 101 to the Dry Creek Store. I met Tomasin there.
We eventually headed to their house in Windsor for dinner. Tomasin barbecued a tri-tip for dinner.
I enjoyed the Dry Creek Store. I always enjoy Tomasin's company.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Morgan
Morgan is starting a year long teachers program at the Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks. Sharon, Jack and I had her and Bridget for dinner. Sharon made chicken cordon bleu.
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Philadelphia
After dinner on the first day of the East Coast College Tour, Sharon and I wandered by this waymark exploring the area around Penn Square and city hall.
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at North Broad Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, just north of City Hall, Pennsylvania. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 39° 57.210 W 075° 09.810.
You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.
Founded by William Penn. Laid out in 1682. Chartered a city, 1701. Pennsylvania's capital until 1799; the nation's to 1800. County was one of Pennsylvania's original three, formed 1682 and consolidated with city in 1854. Name means "City of Brotherly Love."
Pennsylvania Historical Marker
See this location on Yahoo Maps in Flickr
See this location on Google Maps
This marker is located at North Broad Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, just north of City Hall, Pennsylvania. The GPS coordinates for this location are N 39° 57.210 W 075° 09.810.
You can log your visit to this landmark at waymark.com.
Founded by William Penn. Laid out in 1682. Chartered a city, 1701. Pennsylvania's capital until 1799; the nation's to 1800. County was one of Pennsylvania's original three, formed 1682 and consolidated with city in 1854. Name means "City of Brotherly Love."
Friday, August 14, 2015
Frame Family Function
With Erin and Dylan moving to Southern California for Dylan to start college, the Frames got together for dinner at Pete's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Midtown. The group included Tom, Kevin, Eric, Tim, Kathy, Eileen, Will, Erin, Dylan, Jack, Sharon and I.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Chinaman's Chance by Ross Thomas
I finished reading Chinaman's Chance by Ross Thomas. I bought the book after hearing Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald mention the book on their Grantland Hollywood Prospectus Podcast. They were previewing the second season of True Detective.
Set in Southern California, the plot of the book includes the fiction town of Pelican Bay which has some similarities to the True Detective Season 2 town of Vinci. Like True Detective season two, the book also includes the murder of a politician. One side note, Sharon and I stopped watching the second season of True Detective after episode three. I am not sure that we will ever pick it back up and finish the last five episodes.
I don't know where to start to talk about Chinaman's Chance. Set in the 1970s, the principal characters are two orphans; one of the orphans is a pretender to the Imperial throne of China. By the way, this pretender to the Imperial throne of China is married to a descendant of the Scottish kings?!? The plot includes everything but the kitchen sink. There is a millionaire, a female folk group from the Ozarks, money hidden during the Vietnam War, some kind of secret spy agency and the Mafia. This is just a start of the list of the plot elements.
Initially, I kind of enjoyed the book. As I got further into the story, I liked it less. The plot is such a mishmash of stuff that it felt outlandish. I didn't dislike the book. I just don't' recommend it. I rated three stars out of five in Goodreads.
Set in Southern California, the plot of the book includes the fiction town of Pelican Bay which has some similarities to the True Detective Season 2 town of Vinci. Like True Detective season two, the book also includes the murder of a politician. One side note, Sharon and I stopped watching the second season of True Detective after episode three. I am not sure that we will ever pick it back up and finish the last five episodes.
I don't know where to start to talk about Chinaman's Chance. Set in the 1970s, the principal characters are two orphans; one of the orphans is a pretender to the Imperial throne of China. By the way, this pretender to the Imperial throne of China is married to a descendant of the Scottish kings?!? The plot includes everything but the kitchen sink. There is a millionaire, a female folk group from the Ozarks, money hidden during the Vietnam War, some kind of secret spy agency and the Mafia. This is just a start of the list of the plot elements.
Initially, I kind of enjoyed the book. As I got further into the story, I liked it less. The plot is such a mishmash of stuff that it felt outlandish. I didn't dislike the book. I just don't' recommend it. I rated three stars out of five in Goodreads.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Future Stars
Jack, Sharon and I spent an hour at Future Stars with Scott Hamilton. Future Stars is a college counseling center designed to guide families through the college admissions process. In addition to a parent admission forum, this is our sixth session [9/9/2013, 1/14/2014, 9/24/2014, 1/25/2015, 3/23/2015].
The focus on the meeting was finalizing the college list and walking through the calendar for this fall. The next four months are where this investment is really going to pay off. Scott will be working directly with Jack on reviewing the essays. Additionally, Jack will completing and submitting the applications while working with Scott a couple of times a month in small groups.
The focus on the meeting was finalizing the college list and walking through the calendar for this fall. The next four months are where this investment is really going to pay off. Scott will be working directly with Jack on reviewing the essays. Additionally, Jack will completing and submitting the applications while working with Scott a couple of times a month in small groups.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Twelve States plus Washington DC
Talking during our east coast college tour, we realized that Jack is going to visit twelve states plus Washington DC this summer.
As part of his immersion, he visited Kansas and Missouri.
During the Wharton Sports Business Academy, he visited Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
On the east coast college trip, we added Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Washington DC.
We are going to finish the summer with a trip to Washington state for Nate's wedding.
Although Sharon wouldn't let us count them, Jack changed planes in airports in Arizona, Colorado and North Carolina!
As part of his immersion, he visited Kansas and Missouri.
During the Wharton Sports Business Academy, he visited Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
On the east coast college trip, we added Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Washington DC.
We are going to finish the summer with a trip to Washington state for Nate's wedding.
Although Sharon wouldn't let us count them, Jack changed planes in airports in Arizona, Colorado and North Carolina!
Monday, August 10, 2015
College Tours
At this point, we have done college tours of 15 schools, including:
You can find the posts for all of the college visits here.
- UCLA
- Stanford
- Notre Dame
- Northwestern
- University of Chicago
- Loyola University of Chicago
- University of Pennsylvania
- Villanova
- Georgetown
- George Washington
- New York University
- Boston University
- Boston College
- Northeastern
- Tufts
You can find the posts for all of the college visits here.
Sunday, August 09, 2015
2015 East Coast College Tour Day 10
Up at 5 am, we packed up the room, got the car and headed to the airport. One of the odd things about booking the trip was that it was a lot cheaper to pick up the rental car in downtown Philadelphia than it was to pick it up at the airport. It cost about 45% of what we were quoted for getting the car at the Philly airport.
We got a 7:40 am United flight from Boston to Denver. Changing planes, we had a 11:30 am flight from Denver to Sacramento. We were back in Sacramento by 1:00 pm and home by 2:00 pm. It was a series of uneventful flights home.
We have a meeting with Future Stars on Wednesday night to work on the list of colleges where Jack will be applying.
We got a 7:40 am United flight from Boston to Denver. Changing planes, we had a 11:30 am flight from Denver to Sacramento. We were back in Sacramento by 1:00 pm and home by 2:00 pm. It was a series of uneventful flights home.
We have a meeting with Future Stars on Wednesday night to work on the list of colleges where Jack will be applying.
Saturday, August 08, 2015
2015 East Coast College Tour Day 9
While Jack watched Tottenham play the first game of the Premier League Season, Sharon and I walked to Starbucks for some breakfast. The plan for the day was to walk the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston.From the hotel, we walked up to the Visitor Center in the Boston Commons. The trail is actually marked on the sidewalk. We made a number of stops including: Massachusetts State House; Shaw Memorial; Granary Burying Ground; King's Chapel; Ben Franklin Statue; Old Corner Book Store; Faneuil Hall; Paul Revere House; Old North Church; and, Bunker Hill.
After we got to the Old North Church, we looped back to the Union Oyster House for lunch. The Union Oyster House started serving in 1826. It is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the US. The building dates from 1742.
At Bunker Hill, Jack and I climbed 300 steps to the top of the monument. From there, we walked back to the hotel. My Withings iPhone app showed that we walked 23,400 steps and 11.2 miles.
Once we got back to the hotel, I took off to explore the wharf and then headed to the Quincy Market. Sharon eventually caught up with me at a restaurant called Cheers.
We finished the night with a late dinner at Strega Ristorante. I had one of the specials: Zuppa di Mare. It was very good. In fact, I was so focused on my dinner that I have not idea what Sharon or Jack had for dinner. Afterwards, we stopped along Hannover Street for some gelato.
Friday, August 07, 2015
2015 East Coast College Tour Day 8
After breakfast in the concierge lounge at the hotel, we grabbed the car. We have our last two college tours of the trip. The first stop of the day was Northeastern. I was surprisingly impressed by this school. They have an intern program that they call Co-op that mixes traditional classes with work experience. I was more than a little appalled that their slideshow was cut off on both sides of the screen...
We had an interesting lunch at Summer Shack. Sharon and I split oyster and lobster sandwiches.
We spent the afternoon at Tufts College. For the informational part of the program, Tufts had one person speak for almost an hour. While he was well-spoken, an hour is a long time; I had trouble staying awake. It is a nice campus, but I don't think that it is the right place for Jack. It is probably the only college that we visited this week where I wouldn't even encourage to apply.
While not quite as bad as Thursday night driving back from Boston College, it probably took us 45 minutes to drive 6 miles back to the hotel. I just can't believe the amount of traffic.
We finished the night with a late dinner at Mama Maria in the North End. I had lobster pasta, while Sharon and Jack had rabbit pasta.
I was amazed at the amount of people on the streets in the North End. All of the bars and restaurants were packed!
We had an interesting lunch at Summer Shack. Sharon and I split oyster and lobster sandwiches.
We spent the afternoon at Tufts College. For the informational part of the program, Tufts had one person speak for almost an hour. While he was well-spoken, an hour is a long time; I had trouble staying awake. It is a nice campus, but I don't think that it is the right place for Jack. It is probably the only college that we visited this week where I wouldn't even encourage to apply.
While not quite as bad as Thursday night driving back from Boston College, it probably took us 45 minutes to drive 6 miles back to the hotel. I just can't believe the amount of traffic.
We finished the night with a late dinner at Mama Maria in the North End. I had lobster pasta, while Sharon and Jack had rabbit pasta.
I was amazed at the amount of people on the streets in the North End. All of the bars and restaurants were packed!
Thursday, August 06, 2015
2015 East Coast College Tour Day 7
After breakfast at the concierge lounge at the hotel, we got the car. We have four college tours in and around Boston over the next two days.
The first stop for the day was Boston University. BU had a very nice visitor center near the Charles River. At least for me, they had a unique presentation. They had an admittance counselor and a student. After a video, they tagged teamed the presentation back and forth. Sharon said that one of the schools on their Chicago trip used the same approach.
BU is an urban campus stretched out over a mile along the Charles River. It didn't feel quite as urban as George Washington or NYU.
After the BU tour, we drove to Boston College and parked on the campus. We walked over a mile to Chesnut Hill for some lunch at Aquitaine. Back on the campus after lunch, we bought some BC swag.
The BC presentation was also a little different. It included a panel of five students answering questions for about 30 minutes. BC has a very nice campus. It is much more a traditional college campus compared with GW, BU and NYU. I was surprised how much the students talked about going to the football games!
It took us over an hour to drive 5 miles back to the hotel after the BC tour. The traffic is making me more than a little crazy.
Over the course of the day, we decided to go to Mission Impossible at the IMAX. After getting a snack at the concierge lounge, we walked more than a mile to the theater near the Boston Commons.
We finished the evening with a late light dinner at the hotel bar.
The first stop for the day was Boston University. BU had a very nice visitor center near the Charles River. At least for me, they had a unique presentation. They had an admittance counselor and a student. After a video, they tagged teamed the presentation back and forth. Sharon said that one of the schools on their Chicago trip used the same approach.
BU is an urban campus stretched out over a mile along the Charles River. It didn't feel quite as urban as George Washington or NYU.
After the BU tour, we drove to Boston College and parked on the campus. We walked over a mile to Chesnut Hill for some lunch at Aquitaine. Back on the campus after lunch, we bought some BC swag.
The BC presentation was also a little different. It included a panel of five students answering questions for about 30 minutes. BC has a very nice campus. It is much more a traditional college campus compared with GW, BU and NYU. I was surprised how much the students talked about going to the football games!
It took us over an hour to drive 5 miles back to the hotel after the BC tour. The traffic is making me more than a little crazy.
Over the course of the day, we decided to go to Mission Impossible at the IMAX. After getting a snack at the concierge lounge, we walked more than a mile to the theater near the Boston Commons.
We finished the evening with a late light dinner at the hotel bar.
Wednesday, August 05, 2015
2015 East Coast College Tour Day 6
We had breakfast in the concierge lounge at the Eastside Marriott. After getting packed, we got the car about 9:30 am and headed north. I had explored visiting Cornell or Colgate, but neither offered tours and were 4 plus hours out of the way.
The roads in New York are horrible. Once we got to Connecticut, the roads improved markedly.
I suggested that we drive to Boston via Providence. I had made a very quick trip to Providence in February. I thought it would make a great stop for lunch. This turned out to be a fiasco. Traffic was backed up trying to get into the downtown. Once we parked and started to walk around, the downtown seemed full of empty storefronts. We eventually found a restaurant [Circe] for lunch and Sharon's salad had a long hair in it.
We finally got to Boston about 3:30 pm. We will be spending four nights at the Long Wharf Marriott.
After getting into the room and unpacked, we walked into the downtown and along part of the Freedom Trail. We are planning to explore the trail more fully on Saturday.
We finished the evening with dinner at Legal Seafood. I had crab cakes, Sharon had haddock and Jack had pasta.
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