2003-05-26 - 11:07 p.m. When Zelda emailed me that she was flying out to see her sister in San Diego, and that there was a possibility of us all getting together.....I immediatly started looking for hotel deals (yeah, I know San Diego is only 2 hours from where I live....but I'll use any excuse to stay at a spa!) As it turned out, hoteldiscounts.net had a deal that was too good to pass up at La Costa.....a spa I've always wanted to stay at! Let me tell you, this place is incredible!! The bathroom alone was bigger than some hotel rooms I've stayed in......and the room itself was almost as big as my apartment! If you ever get the chance to stay there, you must. Unfortunately, I did not afford myself any of the spa treatments....which range in price from $88 to over $300 (there are even packages that cost up to $3000....but that's a whole post in itself!) So....about meeting Zelda. It's been over a year of anticipating the moment that we might actually meet. It was almost like a first date, or a blind date. I must have had about 18 martinis before I called to tell her that we had arrived....and about 18 more while we (Alan and me) waited for her and her sister to get to the hotel. When they did get there, they were wearing the infamous pink and blue wigs (and tiaras).....so we recognized them immediatly! But we were all so nervous!! And the whole scene was just a bit intimidating (I mean, Ted Turner was in the lounge for heaven's sake! It was that kind of place.) But anyway, Alan and I had brought practically a full bar with us (which is not unusual)....so the four of us basically hung out in the room, drinking everything from martinis to champagne to margaritas......and of course, having room service! It was fabulous!! But I do wish we could do it again.....I think we were both too nervous this time....(or at least I was!).....this was just an ice breaker!! comments??? (4 so far...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2003-05-25 - 9:23 p.m. My weekend in a nutshell: Stayed at this spa resort. Saw Ted Turner at the bar. Met two fabulous women in fluorescent pink and blue wigs with diamond tiaras. Full story tomorrow....after it all sinks in. comments??? (1 so far...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2003-05-23 - 11:56 p.m. What could be better....the Corpse Flower bloomed on my birthday! This is a flower that only blooms once every 3 years in captivity....if they are lucky. The bloom only lasts about 24 hours, gets to be about 6 feet tall.....and smells like a rotting corpse (thus the name). But it bloomed on my birthday......how cool is that?!! Hmmmm......... comments??? (3 so far...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2003-05-23 - 12:31 a.m. Oh look! It's my birthday!! comments??? (14 so far...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2003-05-23 - 12:13 a.m. Honey, I'm home! Hey, we're back....and it was a long hot drive. It was still 91 degrees at 10:00pm! Fortunately, we live near the beach so it was only about 60 degrees (brrrrr) when we finally got home. Now I'm going to bed.....stay cool everyone! comments??? (1 so far...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2003-05-21 - 10:23 p.m. For the last hour or so, we've been hearing some loud explosions.....at least 8 so far. There have been helicopters and sirens....but we can't see anything from where we are (the East bay area...approx 15 miles from SF). And there is nothing on the news. What's up with that??! Anybody know what's going on? It's kind of disconcerting....especially since there is an oil refinery not all that far away. Hmmm. Well, if I hear anything I'll let you know. Otherwise, posting will probably be light for the next few days. Tomorrow we'll be heading back to Los Angeles....then Saturday we'll be driving further south to finally meet the fabulous Zelda! She and I have been corresponding for about a year.....but have never actually met or even spoken to eachother. The plan so far is to meet up at a swanky resort/spa.....so stay tuned....I'm sure there will be stories to be told! Goodnight everyone! comments??? (1 so far...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2003-05-19 - 2:49 p.m. I'm sure by now Chey must be convinced we are stalking her. First there was Las Vegas, then San Francisco, and of course the big do in Los Angeles.....then we practically followed her back to San Francisco last night. But Chey....it's just coincidence, really! Anyway....so here's my version of the big *get together.* As always, Alan and I are sort of the resident observers at these events. We tend to sit on the edge and watch things unfold while everyone else runs around snapping pics, dancing, and going crazy. It's not that we don't interact (Yvonne even got me to dance....something I always vow I'm not going to do!).....but for some reason we are usually the spectators and not the players......but this can be quite entertaining! We arrived early in hopes of scoring the best chairs.....the place is famous for it's recliners....unfortunately they were all occupied so we had to settle for a regular table. Since we were starving, we wolfed down a pizza.....knowing that with this crowd, the food situation can be unpredictable. Slowly, familiar faces started arriving (and a few unfamiliar faces)......building to the climax of Yvonne's arrival. Nobody was sure she was if she was going to come....but we were all really hoping.....so when she walked in there was a big flurry and commotion. It was like Chey and her were long lost friends (but this is the first time they've met in person, I think).....they hugged and hugged.....a few tears were shed. And the party started! Unfortunately, this is where things get a little foggy.....I was deep into the martinis by this point. I remember ordering nachos (why? we had already had pizza! but they were soooo good!!).....then I got dragged out onto the dance floor for some body hugging hip hop dancing that was beyond my control (I hope there are no pictures!)....then everybody wanted to go to Inn Out Burger. And that's when we decided it was time to bail. Of course you know me, the evening was not really over yet. Alan and I decided to go have one last drink at the Veranda Bar at the Casa del Mar Hotel (why? was I not already drunk?! well, I'm just wild like that (*wink*)). Anyway, it turned out to be a fabulous place, and we stayed until they closed (which might explain why we slept until after noon the next day!). So that's my version in a nutshell. Now for the links: Chey: the wild child, the star of the show Yvonne: the entertainment for the evening...the dance flo ho! (we love you Yvonne, you know I mean that in a good way!) Joz: Yvonne's designated driver, thank God! Mikey: the uncommon denomitator....he is where the party is....gotta love him! Skits: the instigator, the organizer....without her, the show does not go on. Fran: without a doubt, the self designated sex symbol of the group! also known as the compuslive picture taker. Keith: I don't know much about this guy, but I do know he LOVED the music at the club. Eve: I have a feeling all the guys wanted to do Eve (just ask Mikey!)....but she was a good girl and didn't even drink (I think!) Christopher: I never got to talk to this guy, but he handed out chocolate condoms to everyone....so he was a big hit! Becky and her guy: These people were all about having fun and hanging out....wish I'd chatted with them more. I remember they had just spent the weekend out on a fishing boat, which sounded fun. Lomara: I recall that she does some big time web design. Unfortunately, by the time we got chatting with her, I was on my 4th? martini....so I don't remember nearly enough. Shelli and her guy: These were the mysterious couple of the group. She had on the most amazing black dress with skirt entirely made of fringe....fabulous! Didn't talk to them enough either (or if I did, I don't remember it now...oy!) Anyway, I think that's everyone! (If I left someone out, please do forgive me!!) comments??? (12 so far...) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ previous - next Of course, you know, all of this is copy right protected. None of this information may be reproduced without my permission.