Day 2 in San Fran: Our Foodie Experience

Honestly, I did nothing all day except eat on day 2.  And it was FABULOUS!  I love food and I’m not ashamed to admit it.  I don’t like to do it all the time, but a well-researched gem in a new city is a delicious splurge.  Here are my reviews of our picks.  First up for lunch was The Slanted Door, a Vietnamese restaurant in the Ferry building on Embarcadero.  Here are my ratings of it:

• Price/Value: $25-30 a person for lunch w/o alcohol.  More for dinner obviously.  I’m going to give it a 3.5 on value, as you had to pay $2 a person for rice.  That seemed a bit tacky to me.  Why not just include it with the dish??

• Food Quality/Taste: 4.5 stars.  Exceptional quality and taste.  Unique flavor textures and profiles.  We had caramelized prawns and vegetables, lettuce wraps, jasmine rice and clay pot chicken.  All were fantastic and very memorable.  The only downside for me was that everything came family-style and had to be ordered separately.  That made it more difficult to order because multiple people needed to all want the same thing.

• Ambiance: 4 stars.  Very sleek and modern, which isn’t my favorite – but GREAT views of the bay!

• Service: 5 stars.  Very attentive.  Our server automatically had a dish adapted so the vegetarian could enjoy it too.

• Location/Parking: 5 stars.  Located right on the bay in the delightful Ferry Building.  Lots of transportation options to get there.

• Overall Score: 4 stars.  Loved the food and service and location.  Wish it wouldn’t have been family style though!

We wanted our last meal in the US to be highly memorable, so we booked a reservation with Restaurant Gary Danko, one of the most challenging tables to get in San Francisco.  It’s only a 65 seat dining room and rated as one of the top 3 restaurants, so we were happy to land a 5:30 reservation.  This is definitely a special date restaurant, as your minimum meal option is a $66 three course tasting menu.  Add a glass of wine and you’re minimally looking at $100 per person with tax and tip.  Here’s my review of the restaurant:

• Price/Value: 3.5 stars.  They’re obviously selling out the dining room each night, so people are willing to pay what they’re asking.  For me though, in comparison to other restaurants with similar menus and food quality levels, I’ve been able to get more for my money.

• Food Quality/Taste: 3 stars.  Nick and I have been debating this one since we got home last night.  While the food was beautifully presented and perfectly done, there wasn’t any “wow” factor to it.  The flavor profiles were fairly standard and the food choices were what I would have expected to see.  There just weren’t any surprises… yet on the other hand, it’d be hard to find something to complain about.  To give you an idea of what we had, our courses were: An amuse bouche courtesy of the chef, bread, appetizers, salmon medallions for me, scallops for Nick, a cheese course and a chocolate souffle for dessert.

• Ambiance: 2 stars.  I was not a fan of the space or decor.  Ambiance is the most important thing for me, as I believe it sets the tone for how the meal will go.  It’s a conduit for conversation and good feelings toward the dining experience.  So why wasn’t I impressed?  We were crammed into a small dining space, I found it impossible to stay focused on my own conversation because of other tables on top of us, and the decor felt a bit outdated.  Nothing memorable about it.

• Service: 5 stars.  Not a question in my mind.  Best service I’ve ever had at a restaurant.  Amazingly attentive staff that paid attention to small things.  They even brought us an additional plate of mini desserts with Bon Voyage written in chocolate to celebrate our last night here.  Another thing that impressed me was that a taxi had already been called for us right when we were paying our bill.  Impressive.

• Location/Parking: 3.5 stars.  Not near the water, on a bit of a random street.  Seemed to be squished in to the location.  No parking except valet.  No idea if there was public transportation nearby, as we took a taxi.

• Overall: 3.5 stars.  High marks for service and execution, but lacked soul.  Food was perfectly done, but not memorable.  Ambiance left something to be desired.  I don’t like being a sardine when I’m paying that much!

Recap of Day 1 in San Francisco

Day 1 of our trek to Manila is complete.  The day started out a little rough, requiring us to awake at 4 AM to catch our flight.  I hadn’t slept very well, most likely because I was so eager to get going.  Any crabbiness I had in me was washed away by the fabulous in-flight experience we had.  It was our first time on Virgin America and I honestly have to say that it was the best airline I’ve ever been on (sorry Northwest).  It even topped my experience on Singapore Air, which is supposed to be the Creme de la Creme of airlines!  I was floored.  Here’s what I enjoyed about it so much:

• In-flight Wifi (first time I’ve ever seen that on a flight)
• Leather seats with the most leg room I’ve ever had in coach (even Nick wasn’t complaining about leg room, which is unusual!)
• A superb in-flight entertainment system with video games, on-demand movies and 50+ TV stations (I watched 3 hours of America’s Next Top Model and got caught up on season 10)
• A touch-screen key pad that allowed you to order food and beverage via an electronic cart system.  It then magically was brought to you on a tray by a flight attendant.  No embarrassment over pressing the button and having it ding and telling them what you want.  So slick!
• A Credit-card swiper for purchases in each console.  No cash taken on this flight, so it doesn’t feel like you’re at the ball game.  Just discreetly order your food and movies, swipe your card and presto, it shows up!
• Fabulously attentive, slight sassy attendants.  They reminded me of Brits.  Nick’s screen wasn’t working, so the attendant told him that he shouldn’t have broken it (with a little smirk).  She then worked at getting it fixed for a half hour and gave him a freebie for the inconvenience.
• Delightful mood lighting changes throughout the flight, which was surprisingly calming.  I enjoyed that the aircraft wasn’t start white.  It felt very mod!

Honestly, you must check out this airline.  Click HERE to learn more about some of the unique features they offer.  After our arrival we hopped in a cab and after some fun conversation, learn that the driver’s daughter is a diplomat as well, only 1 class ahead of Nick.  I was floored by how small the world is!  What are the chances???

Our afternoon was spent with Nick’s good friend Kurt who lives nearby.  We walked the town, picked up some great dinner and then split off from him to go our our night tour of Alcatraz.  I’d been to Alcatraz before, but the night tour offered some cool additional programs.  For example, they opened up the hospital wing for us to view and did a demonstration of the cell doors all closing at once.  It’s such a fascinating part of history… we somehow managed to stay awake for our long day.  Check out OUR SMUGMUG SITE to see pictures from the day!

And we’re off!

It feels like this day couldn’t have gotten here any slower, so I’m delighted to say that we’ve finally reached Wheels Up Day!  We’ll be in transit until Wednesday, so expect less blogging than normal.  We’re stopping off in San Francisco on the way and won’t arrive in Manila until late on Wednesday, July 1st (after 20 hours of flying).  I don’t know what kind of internet options will be available, but rest assured I’ll be back with updates as soon as possible!

Moving Day Recap!

449 Pounds of Air Shipment

Nick's attempt at a polite sign

2500 Pounds of Sea Freight

Well, pack-out day is over and we did manage to survive it…. While we did have a moving team running the move, we still had the difficult task of splitting everything up between 3 categories:

• Things we hand-carry (2 suitcases a person)
• Things we send via air shipment (up to 450 pounds)
• Things that go by boat (up to 7000 pounds)

The hand-carry stuff we obviously will have access to right away.  The air freight arrives 10-14 days later and the boat stuff comes after 2 months.  Our condo will have furniture in it, but nothing else, so it’s critical to think about what we absolutely MUST HAVE for the first two months.  Our sponsor is stocking the place with some basic food for our arrival and we get a welcome kit with the basics: (for example) sheets, towels, scissors, pots, pans, silverware.  The challenge is that the kit gets passed to the next family once you get your air shipment.  So those things better be in your air shipment, or you’re in trouble!!  It’s a bit like puzzle to put together, but we think we managed okay.

The day didn’t go quite as planned.  The moving team was supposed to arrive at 9 AM, but we didn’t end up getting a knock until 12:30 and it was just one guy (who proudly told us he was 55).  He did our air freight alone and then disappeared to go check on another job on the complex.  He was gone until abotu 4:30, when he came back with 2 college students.  There was still all our sea freight stuff to pack still, so I was skeptical that this would all get done before the end of the working day.  They ended up calling in 2 more reinforcements and made it out by 8 PM.  WHEW!  By this point I was starting to get annoyed because we had social plans that were supposed to start at 7.  Two spouses that I met a week before had offered to make us dinner on our moving day and now we were horribly tardy.  Nick ended up sending me ahead and then joined us when the last mover was out the door.  All I needed was a glass of wine and the crabbiness started to melt away.  Thank goodness for our generous new friends!

We’re in the home stretch now.  The car was picked up today to get put on the boat.  We were in discussions with the warehouse all week and ended up selecting 48 boxes/pieces from storage that we’re taking as well.  That process was complicated by the fact that we didn’t get to go to the warehouse to select stuff, we just had to look at the packer’s notes.  I am fully prepared to end up with all the wrong boxes – I guess that’s all part of the experience!  At least it’s done… all that’s left now is to enjoy 3 more outings with friends and family before we hop our plane early Sunday morning!  All I have left to say is: “See ya, D.C!  We’ll be back in 4-6 years!”

The Escape Bag

Today I’m going to educate you on the concept of the Escape Bag.  First, a brief history on my introduction to the Escape Bag.  When Nick and I had been dating for a few months I started to become annoyed by this black messenger bag that sat right in his living room next to the TV.  We had spent weeks putting together this beautiful new living room arrangment and this bag was wrecking the experience for me.  I had deduced that it wasn’t a work bag and so one day I got on his case about it.  I think I said something like, “Why must this bag stay here?  Why don’t I find a new spot for it?”  To which he replied.  I need it there.  It’s my Escape Bag.  WHAT?  And so began my education on Escape Bags.

The Bag contains all vital documents including: wills, birth certificates, marriage certificates, immunization cards, etc.  The reasoning behind the Bag is that if there were an immediate evacuation at your post (or a fire or natural disaster), all you’d collect was your Escape Bag (containing all vital documents) and family members and get out of the country.  That was such a far-removed situation for me to imagine in Minnesota, that I ended up teasing him mercilessly for the bag.  “Quick Nick, where’s your bag?” or “Let’s do a practice escape!”  I just couldn’t fathom that this could be something you planned for… It turns out that this is not so far-fetched.  We were actually suggested to do this as a best practice in our Security Overseas Seminar – I was floored!

Well, here I am today proudly displaying our family’s Escape Bag.  It is fully loaded and ready to Rock ‘n Roll in Manila.  Bring on the evacuation – we’re ready!  3 days and counting until Wheels UP!

Funeral Planning Completed: Check!

I have a feeling that I’m going to get some flack for this post, but I’m going for it anyways.  Think of it as a Public Service Message (only via the internet).  Having gone through the recent process of completing our wills recently, I started asking around to get a sense of what age other people do their wills at.  I know that we’re on the front end due to our circumstances, but what has absolutely floored me is the number of people in the 40′s and 50′s that don’t have a will!  That got me thinking…. why do we avoid thinking about death so much?

When Nick and I first started doing our wills, I found that I had a lot of resistance to it.  He’s always teasing me about how I refuse to see the darker side of life (so sue me – I’m an eternal optimist!).  This time I was actually glad that he pushed me a bit.  I was all set to just return the standardized version of the will to the lawyer without any changes and celebrate that I had finished my will.  That’s about the time when he forced me to sit down and think about it.  And so that’s the challenge I put out to all of you today – think about the end of your life.  Do a will!  Write out some notes for your funeral!  Talk to a loved one about it… think about what you want to be celebrated for at the end of your life!  It will save your loved ones a lot of guesswork (and perhaps fighting).

I’m off my soapbox now and back to my story.  When I finally accepted that I was going to do this, I sat down and gave it 110% effort.  Nick and I talked about burials, memorials, if and how long we wanted to stay on life support and then we each picked an organization we wanted to set up an endowment at.  Where I got stuck though was that I couldn’t just skip to the burial and memorial without thinking about the funeral and what I wanted my life to have stood for.  Soooo….. if you’ll remember awhile back I wrote about the website My Wonderful Life.  I went back to the site and logged into the account I had opened (but done nothing with yet).  It was time.  And so I sat for 3 hours and planned my funeral.  The whole shebang – music, readings, the after-party (no pun intended), food and beverages I want served, the game I want played… and on and on.  It was a blast!  (And strangely similar to the wedding I just planned)   The biggest benefit from this process was that it shifted my perception of death from fear to acceptance.  I now feel fully grounded in what the purpose of my life is supposed to be and I honestly hope as many of you are there to celebrate my life as possible!  It’s going to be one heck of a party!!!

Just in case this post inspires you to go plan your own funeral or write a will, here’s a bit more about the website.  It’s a free site that walks you through all the aspects of planning.  It’s very user friendly and you can even upload the pictures you want used and write letters to loved ones that will be delivered later.  I appointed 5 “angels” to carry out my wishes.  They were notified by email that they are one of my angels and will receive a reminder every 6 month for the rest of my life.  Upon my death, they will receive access to the account, allowing them to see all of my wishes.  Pretty cool, huh?  It’s so much more fun to be focused on living rather than dying!

Envision Life Coaching Gets a Make-over!

Well, given that nearly every facet of my life is in transition right now, it makes sense that my business would need an evolution as well.  I think most of you know this, but I’ve been a life coach since 2007.  It was by far the best leap I ever took (next to marrying Nick, of course!).  I started doing it as a side job first, focusing on coaching women in career transition.  I got more heavily involved in 2008, completing my certification classes and becoming officially certified in December of 2008.  I am proud to say that I am one of around 5,000 certified coaches in the world out of the estimated 40,000-50,000 practicing!

As I pondered what should become of Envision, I realized that in order to make the most of this opportunity to be an American overseas with the State Department, I needed to center my coaching around my new lifestyle.  And thus my direction was found!  Going forward, I will be focusing on life transition coaching for spouses of diplomats and expats.  There seems to be a real need present, as spouses don’t have the everyday support that a government employee or businessperson does.  Spouses are along for the ride, but they often need to create their new existence from the ground up!  And that’s where I come in – helping them recreate their identity, find meaningful work/hobbies and adjust to life in a new country.  I’ve learned over time that it’s best for me to coach what I’m immersed in myself, as I don’t have to be the expert – merely the listener, supporter and accountability partner!

Envision Life Coaching got a head-to-toe make-over with new logo, business cards (pictured above), letterhead and a website!  Not only am I on the world-wide web but I’ve also gained a presence on linkedin, twitter and facebook (please become a fan!).  I’ve also accepted the fact that I’m addicted to blogging and am launching a business-related blog called Inspired Overseas Living.  This blog will focus on providing resources and inspiration to make the most of life in a foreign country!  Please check it out!  I’m thrilled about this new direction and truly believe this is a niche that will afford me the opportunity to make my mark on the world.  Let the evolution officially begin!

For the LOVE of Ravioli and Diet Coke…

The shopping is done.  FINALLY.  I feel complete now with my Ravioli and Diet Coke rations.  Nick and I comprised on the final numbers and here’s what I ended up bringing:

• 20 – 12 packs of coke for a total of  240 cans over 730 days (roughly 1 every 3 days).  I currently drink 2 per day, so this will be a substantial reduction!
• 16  – 8 packs of Ravioli for a total of 128 cans over 730 days (roughly 1 per week).  I currently have 1-2 per week, so that shouldn’t end up being too tough on me.

Getting these coveted items ended up being quite a trial.  As I mentioned before, Costco didn’t have them so we ended up getting them at a regular grocery store.  Everyone kept staring at our cart and the check-out guy couldn’t stop laughing.  And then we couldn’t find a cart to haul them up last night, so I tried again by myself this morning.  I got the entire stack loaded on a bell-hop cart, but the darn thing wouldn’t move.

Five people had already passed me and made a comment like one of these variations:

1. Having a party?
2. You might want to work on your diet.
3. I hope that’s not all for you!

To which I replied:

1. I wish!
2. Mind your own business.
3. Yes it is and I refuse to share.  I feel immense gratitude for the gifts of Diet Coke and Ravioli today and despite however much passersby want to judge, I WILL NOT feel bad about myself.  I realized that if I could only take 3 things with me to Manila, it would be Diet Coke, Chef Boyardee Ravioli and Heinz Ketchup.  What 3 food items would you take if you knew there was no other way to get them for 2 years?

BACK TO THE STORY…. I got distracted.  And I so I pushed.  I pulled.  It was clear that the cart was not going to move for me.  Then my angel showed up…. a wonderful diplomatic security guy (who must have felt sorry for me)!  Not only did he push the cart all the way up to my apartment, but helped me unload it as well.  And all I had to withstand was a little commentary (see 1, 2 and 3 above to get a sense of what our conversation looked like).  I will forever be grateful to this kind stranger!  (And yes Nick, I promise that when we get to Manila I will work on not talking to strangers.  I know I make it more difficult for you to keep me safe but I am from Minnesota after all and it’s a hard habit to break!)

Temporary Residences: A superb alternative to hotels!

Sorry folks!  All this packing has been getting in the way of my blogging.  I’m going to attempt 2 posts today to make up for it!  This tardy post is a follow-up from last weekend’s trip to Philly.  We found this incredible lodging and I just have to share it with you so that others can take advantage!  This new lifestyle has introduced me to extended-stay residences.  I’m sure you’ve heard of extended-stay hotel chains, but you may not know that there are reasonably-priced apartments that you can book for just a night or two.  Not all places will let you do it, but if there are vacancies, it is very much a possibility.

We are currently staying at the Oakwood Residence in DC and the one we took advantage of last weekend in Philly was the AKA Residence.  Our accommodations were incredible, as evidenced by the photos below.  We were in the heart of the city, in the most desirable location in town, for around $200 a night (other hotels near us were $100-200 more a night).  It was great having some space to spread out too.  I could nap in the bedroom while Nick relaxed on the couch.  We also liked having a fully-stocked kitchen with plates, glassware, stove, fridge, etc because it allowed us to save some money and eat lunch or breakfast there each day.  For families, there are larger units you can take advantage of.  These places are definitely worth checking out for your future vacations!

This is what $1,150 gets you at Costco

Today was a big day – we knocked out all the Costco purchases in one run.  Pretty amazing!  It’s a huge relief to have that crossed off.  I used to feel like $1000 got you so much more – welcome to 2009, I guess!  While this pile in itself would be manageable, unfortunately we have a pile equal in size waiting for us to pick up at Nick’s parent’s house this weekend.  They were so kind to receive all of our consumable packages!  Sadly, Costco did let me down – no Ravioli or Diet Coke in stock.  I already warned Nick that we’d be making another trip tonight, as those are non-negotiable items on the pack-out list!  The movers arrive one week from tomorrow, so we’re running out of time.  Our little 1 BR apartment is about to get very, very crowded!

A Weekend in Philly

We got back on Sunday from a relaxing weekend in Philly.  We were in desperate need of a getaway, as our place is becoming overrun with foodstuffs and paper products as we wrap up our shopping.  It seemed like an ideal destination – only 3 hours away and home of my sister Beth and her boyfriend Jim.  Beth is studying to be a PA and is currently in rotations for the next year.  It’s a rare occasion that we get to spend time together.  Sadly, we were so worn out from all the “doing” we’ve been busy with lately, that the idea of tromping around the city from sun-up to sun-down didn’t hold much appeal (very rare for me).  As a result, I have very few pictures of Philly.  Our time ended up being spent hanging out in our fab apartment on Rittenhouse Square (more on that tomorrow), seeing Beth and Jim and exploring the local “foodie” scene.  Oh, and did I mention sleeping?  We did that LOTS.  Here are some pictures from the weekend (full gallery at Smugmug).  No overly exciting stories to tell.  Just know that I have a fresh burst of energy from getting away!

Any album from Philly must have the bell in it - a pre-requisite!

See the resemblance?

The Cute Couple - Beth and Jim (and my attempt at protrait photography)

My beautiful sister!

What a 4 Package Day looks like…

Wow!  We are officially less than 2 weeks out from Wheels Up.  It’s hard to believe.  I want to thank you all for being such diligent followers of the blog – it topped 150 readers one day last week.  We really appreciate your support and the fact that you’re keeping tabs on us!

We spent the weekend in Philly (more details to come tomorrow) and came home to 4 packages waiting for us.  Just to give a sampling of the random things that we’re purchasing right now, here’s a photo of what arrived on Saturday.  From left to right, we have:

• Ooma, a fabulous VOIP system that doesn’t have any monthly charges (YAY! – I”ll definitely do a whole post on Ooma, but I want to spend some time trying it out first.  I am certain it’s going to be delightful though; the reviews were sensational).
• A D-link Wireless Router for the computers and VOIP system
• Transformers – We got 6 of them to start.  The littlest ones are for alarm clocks and very low-voltage items.  The biggest one (which is still in the box and not pictured) was 3000 watts and close to $100.  It’s HUGE.  Since it won’t be easy to move that one around, we’ll probably need it in the kitchen, which means my 1875 watt blow dryer needs to go unless I want to do my hair in the kitchen every day!
• The four items in the rear right corner of the photo are dual-voltage power strips.  They are highly functional – protecting from power surges, able to use both 110 and 220 voltage, and equipped with plug adapters for no matter where we end up in the world.  (Can you see now why this stuff is taking so much time to purchase?? – every decision requires extensive research)
• Finally, in the front right corner are some basic plug adapters.
• Not pictured: My new business cards and a beautiful office chair for me!

Just in case you’re in need of some items like these – Ooma and the router are easily purchased on Amazon.  The remainder of the items came from Overseas Best Buy, Inc.  Now I’m off to put the finishing touches on my will and then Nick and I are separating out what we’re hand-carrying, putting in the air shipment and sending via boat… what a weird time period right now!  Just think, in 13 days, I’ll have a whole new set of to-do’s facing me in Manila!

Dance Series Day 3: Parson’s “Caught”

If I was to pick out the one singular dance performance I’ve seen that’s stuck with me for years, it would be Parson Dance Company‘s “Caught”.  In this video excerpt, you’ll see David Parsons himself performing.  The first half is more lyrical in nature, but it picks up about halfway through.  What is hard to fathom about this performance is that the artist is wearing a flash belt and each time they leap into the air they hit the button and activate a strobe.  So what the audience perceives is a dancer constantly in the air for what seems like an unbelievable amount of time.  It took my breath away in person, it was so incredible!  The video doesn’t do it justice….

If you like the excerpt, go look up the full version on Youtube.  Parson’s is out of New York and I’ve posted the link to their website above so you can check out their touring schedule.  And so ends the 3 Day Dance Series.  I hope you enjoyed it!

Dance Series Day 2: Diavolo Dance Company

If we’re talking about all-time favorites in dance, then I would definitely have to give my vote to Diavolo Dance Company, which I’ve seen perform 3 times at St. Ben’s.  They blow my mind each and every time!  The company is out of Los Angeles, where Artistic Director Jacques Heim pushes the boundaries of using dance to explore everyday human patterns and emotions.  It’s a lot like Cirque De Soleil, with two major differences: 1.) No crazy costumes and 2.) Large architectural structures.

This excerpt from Jacques Heim’s artistic vision on Diavolo’s website articulates their aim more beautifully than I ever could.  Please take a moment to read it.  It’s very thought-provoking:

As Modern society becomes more complex with new technologies and marvelous possibilities, the everyday act of survival becomes increasingly fraught with danger and anxiety. My work investigates the latent absurdities of contemporary human life and seeks to recontextualize those absurdities through the body, exploring the influences of the environment, possessions and relationships. My aim is to capture and comment upon the ironic and frequently humorous patterns, as well as the darker consequences, of human behavior. I am also searching to expand the boundaries of what is considered to be dance by trying to create movement that offers audiences a cinematic experience of powerful images and abstract narratives.

Through the company, I try to convey an appreciation for movement by breaking down barriers to dance via a vocabulary based on everyday activities. Diavolo is made up of people of varied abilities and training – dancers, gymnasts, rock climbers, and actors – all of whom are teammates. Building a team that allows for complete trust has been essential to creating a kind of work where dancers are inspired to take serious risks. Architectural structures or sculpted adaptations of everyday items – sofas, doors, stairs – provide the backdrop for dramatic and risky movement, revealing metaphors for the challenge of maintaining human relationships in modern environments.

Nicely put, huh?  In closing, all I have to say is that if and when Diavolo comes to your city, you MUST GO!

3 Day Dance Series Starts Now!

It’s all dance for the rest of the week!  I’m feeling inspired by the arts lately, so we’re going to feature some great work.  Since I haven’t done any dance videos on the blog yet, that seemed like the perfect selection for this week.  First up is Complexions Contemporary Ballet out of New York.  A friend posted this on Facebook and I watched it over and over again.  I’ll have to see them in person sometime!  Maybe they’ll come to the Philippines?  This video was part of So You Think You Can Dance Australia, so they were practically in the neighborhood!  Enjoy – it’s stunning!

Could it be true: A Saved By the Bell Reunion?

I’ve been reminiscing about my childhood recently and was thinking about the TV shows that I couldn’t live without.  Full House and The Price is Right were definitely favorites, but the one MUST-SEE show each week (or day sometimes) was Saved By the Bell.  I can’t decide if I’m sad or proud of this fact, but I can definitely quote a significant amount of Saved by the Bell episodes.  How about: “I’m so excited.  I’m so excited.  I’m so… so…scared.”  Anyone???  Or how about that baseball bat episode where Kelly goes crazy?  Okay, enough.

That brings me to the purpose of this posting…….I was delighted when I learned that Jimmy Fallon had hosted Mark-Paul Gosselaar on his show recently and Mark-Paul showed up in full character as Zach Morris (complete with the old-school cell phone and classic clothes).  It was HILARIOUS!  You’ve got to watch the 9 minute interview to find out if there’s actually going to be a live reunion!  Wouldn’t it be fun to see the old Saturday morning gang?  They don’t make wholesome shows like this anymore….

I’m on my way…

….to becoming an amateur photographer!  Today I ventured out with our brand new Canon Rebel Xsi Digital SLR camera.  If I’m being honest, I must confess that we’ve had the thing for 3 weeks now and I’ve been so scared of it that I mostly just stared at it in its case.  Oh the beauty of it… and all the glorious buttons and terms that I don’t understand yet!  Well, today I boldly decided I’d go out and use the thing instead of just looking at it longingly.  I picked out two techniques that I wanted to try.  One was shooting moving water.  The other was playing with blurring and focus.  My friend Beth had recommended the D.C. Botanical Gardens as one of her favorite spots and with a little prompting from Nick and a friend, I was off on my adventure!

Here are a couple of my favorite shots from the day.  For the full gallery, go to: www.minnesotagal.smugmug.com

I’m committing to this as my new hobby, as it seems like a fun new creative pursuit and a way to share the beautiful things we see with those of you around the world in other places.  I just found out that I got accepted to a 5 week photography course in the Philippines that runs for 5 Sundays in a row for 8 hours a day.  I had to beg, but I’m so excited that Nick agreed I can start the series on Sunday, July 5th (4 days after we arrive!)  The Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation puts it on for a mere $75!  Check out this great schedule:

Day One

• Camera operation and handling
• Basic camera parts and icons
• Correct exposure by adjusting aperture and shutter speed
• Reading the camera meter
• Practice shoot inside Fort Santiago

Day Two

• Review of Day 1 lecture
• Critique of photos from last session
• Understanding composition: leading lines, rule of thirds, frames, foreground and background, S-curves, patterns, light and shadow
• Practice shoot on composition

Day Three

• Art History & Elements of Design

Day Four

• Critique of photos from last session
• Portraiture and posing
• Lighting theory and practice
• Using flash and studio lights
• Choosing filters for portraits
• Hands-on shoot indoors and outdoors using studio lights, reflectors, and available light

Day Five

• Basic lighting, shooting setup, using props
• Flash photography & use of filters
• Introduction to basic digital imaging
• Critique and judging of prints
• Presentation of certiticates of attendance, awarding of prizes for photo contest

Talk about a thorough introduction to Photography!  Bring it on!  There’s even an advanced course I can take if I really love it!

The Coolest Business Cards EVER…

Hi all- These are another great find from my conference on Friday and they are just too COOL to keep to myself.  I only found it because someone handed me their business card and I stopped dead in my tracks because it was so beautiful.  Vibrant colors, unique photos on every one -  what’s not to like!  So… I’m sure you’re curious who makes these works of art!  I’ll share, but do try and keep it to yourself.  There’s this great website called www.moo.com that produces this fine product (strange name, I know).

NOTE TO: Photographers and entrepreneurs especially!  Think about how cool it would be to feature YOUR PICTURES OR PRODUCT on the cards!  For those that don’t fit in that category, you’re welcome to select from hundreds of images already available on the site (for no extra charge).

That being said, it’s not so much the normal business cards that I got hooked on, but the MINI CARDS!  Here’s why I adore them: You can use them for your wedding favors (as shown above) or put quotes on them or use them as gift tags (shown below).  Or perhaps you make a product and they become your product tag.  They’re printed on thick, high-quality cardstock and the image clarity is breathtaking!  I just love the variety of images you can put on them and the ability to customize the back side too.  And did I mention that it’s only $20 for 100 different cards!  Good deal, if you ask me.  Take ‘em or leave ‘em, but I’m taking them even though I have no idea how I’m going to use them yet!

Find Your Great Work

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a fabulous coaching workshop in the DC metro area.  One of the keynote speakers was a man named Michael Bungay Stanier, the 2006 Canadian Coach of the Year and owner of Box of Crayons. The premise of his recent work is that we  spend too much time doing GOOD work – that familiar, useful, productive work that we do often and do well.  We all need good work.  But the problem is that it takes us away from GREAT work – the work that (in his words) matters, inspires, stretches and provokes.  Challenge, risk, failure – all are possibilities with GREAT work.  But the outcome can be so rich!  Have you done any recently?

I’m very passionate about this topic, given that it’s something I’ve struggled with in my own life for years.  His work really struck a cord with me, especially this video that I’m about to show you.  In order to get the full impact out of the 9 minute video, take a moment to answer this question for yourself:

“What current challenge or situation would I like to be different in my life?”

While watching the movie,   pay attention to the 5 Great Work Truths and see which impacts you most.  It may shed some light on which direction you need to proceed.

Like what you see?  At www.FindYourGreatWork.com he has created a free 13 week e-course, useful tools to find your Great Work and 50 interviews with people who do Great Work.  Then check out his book: Find Your Great Work.  Happy working!

Fun Facts about the Philippines

The Rice Terraces

Today we’re going to learn some fun facts about the Philippines, so that you can be as knowledgeable as I am about this great country!  Here we go:

• The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,107 islands.
• Luzon is the largest island in the archipelago and includes Manila.
• Tagalog is the National language (with English also being spoken widely.
• Adult literacy is over 95% in the country, as education is highly valued.
• The average temperature is 90 degrees.
• The capital of Philippines is Manila.
• With a population of about 90 million people, the Philippines is the 12^th most populous country in the world.  Manila’s population currently sits at around 12 million.
• The Philippines is a democratic nation with a President, Senate and House of Representatives.  The current President is a female, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
• The currency is the Philippine Peso (PHP or P are the abbreviations)
• There are more than 200 volcanoes, though only a few are active.  In 1991, Mount Pinatubo (100 miles from Manila) erupted killing 900.  Earthquakes are common as well and 30 typhoons pass through the country between May and December each year.
• The Philippine flag is the only flag in the world which is hoisted upside-down when the country is in war.
• The Philippines is home to the Rice Terraces in Northern Luzon, often called the 8th wonder of the world. (pictured above)
• Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer, was the first European to visit the Philippines.
• About 85% of the country’s total population are Roman Catholics.
• The people of the Philippines are from different ethnic origins such as Malay, Chinese, Spanish and American.
• This nation was baptized the Philippines, after King Philip the 2nd of Spain.
• Its capital city Manila was named after a white-flowered mangrove plant, the nilad.
• The Philippines was a Spanish colony from 1521 to 1898.  After that, it was a US territory until 1946 when it gained independence.
• It was the first Southeast Asian country to gain independence in 1946, following World War II.
• The Philippines covers an area of 115,830 square miles, making it equal in size to Italy.
• With more than 11 million Filipinos overseas, the Philippines has the largest diaspora network in the world.
• The Pacific Ocean is known to contain the deepest ocean trenches in the world, which makes for great diving.
• The Philippines is regarded the “text capital of the world”. About 350 to 400 million text messages are sent daily by 35 million cell phone subscribers in the country, which is more than the total daily text messages sent in the U.S. and Europe together.
• The “Conus Gloriamaris”, which the rarest and most expensive seashell in the world, is one of the 12,000 species of seashells found in the Philippines. And about 488 coral species, out of the 500 coral species known worldwide, are found in the archipelago.