Thursday, August 26, 2004

12:25pm  Goodbye to the ATL

Its our last few hours in Atlanta, Georgia before our flight back to Toronto.  We met up with the Ticar family last night for dinner and one more Godiva coffee and cheesecake fix.  Thank you so much for your southern hospitality.  I will certainly miss what has been home for the last month - Midtown Atlanta.  Its been peachy keen and I hope to spend a few more weekends here before Jay is finished with his training at the Atlanta office.  See you on the northern side! 

Tuesday, August 24, 2004

12:24am  My Life as a Tourist with Other Tourists

Our good friends, Jane, Paul, Eric and the kids, made the 13 hour trek from New Jersey to spend a day and a half with us on the weekend.  It was wonderful to see them out here.  Clearly this is a friendship that has certainly spanned the length of this great nation.  We did a few of the famous Atlanta must-see spots together. 

After they rolled in Friday afternoon, we stopped for a quick lunch and a Starbucks run then paid a visit to The World of Coca-Cola and posed in front of the Philippine jeepney in true Filipino tourist fashion.  After sampling the various international Coca-Cola flavors and browsing in the Coke store, we walked over to the Georgia State Capital building and took more pictures. 

We drove around the pretty little suburb of Alpharetta and admired the beautiful homes and the landscaped grounds.  The same kind of homes we marked as "completely unattainable" out west are still within reach in Georgia.   But we all still concur that there is no place quite like the SF Bay Area for its beauty, the weather and the vibe. 

 After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and the guys went to shoot some pool in the lounge.  The girls went upstairs to relax and chat while Brianna and Jessica happily entertained themselves. 

We visited the CNN Corporate Headquarters and did the CNN Studio Tour.  My inner-journalist was completely fascinated with the behind-the-scenes look of a news broadcast, the blue screen, the teleprompter and the busy newsroom floor (even for a weekend skeletal crew).  Jane definitely had my vote when the tour guide asked if there were any aspiring news anchors in the group to try their hand at reading off the teleprompter.  Go Jane!  But a guy named James beat her to the punch.  Did he say bear or beer?  Reporting live from Atlanta, I'm Judy Gamez.  What do you think?  Do I have Paula Zahn potential?  Hee! 

After our stop at CNN, we crossed the street and walked around Centennial Olympic Park - the final remains of the 1996 Olympics. 

We decided to drive out to Stone Mountain.  We took the skylift one way and instead of taking it back down, one adventurous soul who shall remain nameless suggested we hike down the 1.5 mile walking trail.  Some of us where inappropriately dressed in flip-flops, COACH and LV. *cough*  But they were undaunted by the weird looks shot at them by other hikers wearing more environment-friendly gear.  Nevertheless, we all made it down the mountain right past the sign that said Hikers must wear appropriate footwear without any cuts, scrapes, or injuries. 

We stayed to watch the laser and fireworks display that lit up the carving on the mountain with each explosion.  Instead of trying to fight the crowds we sat at a distance - strategically in front of the bakery that had the awesome fresh baked peach turnovers and park entrance.

After catching the Olympic men's swim relay on Saturday night, the gang headed back to Jersey.  We had a great time and hopefully our next visit will be a little longer.  Thanks for making the trip to see us in Georgia.  Can't wait to see you guys again.    I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other in Toronto and New Jersey.  *big hugs*  Lots of pictures in the photo gallery for your viewing pleasure. 

In other news, Cindy and Norman hosted a successful Hawaiian-themed 1st Year Anniversary Celebration at their home on the weekend.  Congratulations you two!  Wish we could have been there to hear the family jokes.  Hee! 

Wednesday, August 18, 2004

9:58pm  Blogaholics Unite! 

So apparently blogging is something of a phenomenon and not just a senseless hobby for people with way too much time on their hands.  I'm hooked!   Next month my blog will celebrate her 1st birthday and I will, without fail, blog about it. 

I've learned by reading other people's blogs (blogs also serve an educational purpose) that there is such an animal as BloggerCon to celebrate the art and science of weblogs on November 6, 2004 in Palo Alto, CA.  But that would be obvious since everything tech geek seems to originate from Silicon Valley.  That would be a cool experience, except for the fact that I'd probably be surrounded by Google people who get paid to blog, and well, I don't.

Jay and I can't seem to go anywhere, or eat anything, or laugh about something without him saying "You're going to blog about this aren't you!" usually around the same time I'm thinking "I'm blogging this!"  He knows me too well. 

I don't do the daily newspaper with my morning coffee, I blog.  You'd be impressed to know that I've never spilled coffee on my keyboard.  *knock on wood*  And then I read other blogs to keep abreast of friends and family who don't otherwise call or write.  Then again I suppose there is no need for you to call or write since you know exactly what I'm doing and where through my blog of course. 

Hope you're all having the kind of summer that is worthy of some blog space.  "Just be sure to use grammar and spell check before you publish!", say the Grammar Police. 

Monday, August 16, 2004

9:37am  My Life as a Tourist

We played the role of tourist quite hard this past weekend.  Jessica and I only have another 2 weeks here in Atlanta before we head back to Toronto. 

Coca-Cola Corporate Headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia.  We visited The World of Coca-Cola, a museum that houses an unparalleled collection of over 1000 memorabilia tracing the rich heritage and global reach of the world's most popular soft drink.  Jane if you're reading this, um, don't worry we're still going with you guys when you get here.  Jay didn't think he'd be able to tag along since he'll be working so we had to get it in on the weekend.  An interesting aspect of the tour was the opportunity for guests to sample various Coca-Cola products sold in foreign markets not currently available in North America.  Thankfully, there wasn't an adobo flavored soda from the Philippines, but there was a Coca-Cola Philippine jeepney on exhibit in the International Gallery.  Of course I just had to have a photo of it and after much begging and pleading, my husband begrudgingly got into the squat pose to up the authentic pinoy factor.  A bit of trivia for you:  Coca-Cola Philippines Bottlers Inc. is one of the largest Coca-Cola bottlers in the world and employs more than 19,000 Filipinos. 

We wandered among the little shops, carts of tacky souvenirs, old-fashioned fudge and cotton candy and watched the street performers at Underground Atlanta.

We stood atop Stone Mountain and enjoyed breathtaking panoramic views of Georgia 825 feet above the ground.  The mountain covers 583 acres or 25 million sq. feet of exposed granite.  Featured on its side is The Memorial Carving which depicts three Confederate heroes of the Civil War: President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee, Lt. General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. 

A great weekend of Georgia fun and a gallery full of pics to prove it! 

Sunday, August 15, 2004

11:43pm  Robert

Yesterday we met a man named Robert.  He is homeless and currently lives in a shelter.  In the short time that we were able to sit down and visit, he told us about his childhood and being raised in the church in Miami, Florida, his long career with a major airline, his home and his love of Harley-Davidson's and how in an unfortunate turn of events he lost it all.  The streets are an unforgiving place.  And it was in this same unforgiving place that he came upon a book entitled The Purpose Driven Life.  He told us that it gave him hope and that his life has been a series of miracles since then.   

We shared a little about our lives too and told him how we have moved around the country in the past four years.  He told us that we have much to be thankful for and after meeting Jessica he commented on how smart she is and that we have much to be proud of. 

It made me come to the realization that I've been rather thankless lately.  I've spent alot of time sulking about having to leave our home and friends in New Jersey, grumbling about our temporary no-fixed address status and failing to see just how many blessings have gently fallen into our laps in the last few months. 

I'm glad we met Robert and listening to his story was worth more than the weight of 20 sermons in gold.  Before we parted ways, I told him that I hoped we might bump into each other again next week at church.  With much hope in his eyes, he told us that he doesn't really know where he will be from one day to the next and that if we don't see each other again here, we will surely meet again in The Great Upstairs. 

Friday, August 13, 2004

10:44pm  Birthday Presents & Sound Business Advice

My birthday was in June, but I received a birthday present today.  No, my sister who is also the Queen of Organization didn't forget my birthday.  Due to our move in June and the subsequent cancellation of our California vacation and then because of the lack of a semi-permanent US address she decided to hold off on having the present sent out until I got to Atlanta. 

I got my special delivery from Macy's Newport Beach and I just love my brand new Citizens of Humanity jeans.  Thanks sis!  Hugs! 

I've been doing some preliminary research on possibly starting my own business when we get back to Toronto.  I grabbed a stack of how-to books at the local Borders and found one heck of a strong business tip / life skills advice:

You can gossip on the phone with half the world and not do the kind of damage one bitchy word in an email can do.    - Girl's Guide to Starting Your Own Business

As a self-confessed obsessive email user, that bit of advice speaks volumes.  Take notes girls and guys! 

Thursday, August 12, 2004

11:58pm  Another Day in the A-T-L

Jessica and I had a date to catch the 1:30pm showing of The Princess Diaries 2.   We made it to Phipps Plaza in Buckhead on time despite lunch hour traffic.  I was quite surprised that there was quite a line at the ticket booth.  School officially re-opened this week for Georgia students.  But then again Buckhead is an affluent town and probably stay-at-home mom capital of the state.  Anyway, it was a cute movie with a cute message for girls everywhere.  And Jessica wants to have a mattress surfing party just like Julie Andrews did in the movie.  Just great! 

Tonight we ventured out for dinner in the nearby suburbs of Alpharetta.  Imagine our excitement upon accidentally stumbling upon a Sweet Tomatoes, one of our favorite haunts in the SF Bay Area.  I am so excited and we're definitely going there for a meal this weekend.  And in the words of the southern peeps, "Well buttah mah biscuits!"  which loosely translates into woot woot! 

Alpharetta is a pretty little suburb that looks slightly akin to San Ramon and Pleasanton in Northern California.  Atlanta, Georgia has many of the favorite restaurants and shopping spots that  we enjoyed out west.  I've only been here for three weeks and I love it here already.  Metro Atlanta is new, modern and vibrant.  I love the architecture and the beautiful landscaping.  People are very friendly.  There are great restaurants and plenty of culture.  And when its not humid, the weather is quite nice.  Real estate is quite affordable in most areas for those of us still not in the million dollar household income demographic.  That impresses this writer who has rented in and amongst the exorbitant markets in the states of California and New Jersey. 

So all the Atlanta radio stations have been busting on the Garden State all afternoon after the sudden resignation of New Jersey Governor James McGreevey because "his truth is that he is a gay American".  Its such big news that even my aunt in NYC tracked me down on my cell to tell me "Hey, YOUR Governor resigned!"  But alas I've clicked my heels and I'm not in Watchung anymore.  *sigh*

11:25am  Birth Congratulations

Move over - there's a new little princess in town!  Congratulations to Ced and Sunny on the birth of their baby girl and firstborn.  Linnea Sonia Lofstrom-Abary was born on Monday, August 9, 5:11pm at 8 lbs. 5oz. 

We can't wait to meet your cutie who will undoubtedly be swathed in all the hottest couture taking drives in a fancy ride so clean you can eat off its shiny hood!  And I'm not even kidding about that.  Hee! 

Wednesday, August 11, 2004

5:05pm  Blind as a Bat

Since Jay's new employer has finally given him all the appropriate information regarding Vision benefits, I went in and had my eyes examined for new contact lens and glasses prescriptions.  I wear monthly disposable contacts and should have disposed of this pair months ago, but they were my last pair and my old prescription expired last year sometime. 

The glasses I have now are from the pre-university era and embarrassing enough that only family and very few friends ever see me wear them.  Probably because I don't wear them out of the house and only at night when I take my contacts out right before I go to bed.  Hee! 

There are some days when its either too much of a hassle or way too early in the morning to be fumbling with my lenses.  It would be so much easier to just slap on the specs and some sweats and go on with my day.  But I don't because my glasses aren't too cute. 

I went out in search of the perfect glasses today right after my eye exam.  I hate shopping for frames because I'm not a good judge of what looks good on me.  Somehow the frames always look cuter in my hand than on my face.  I always need a second opinion to tell me "oh heck no, put those back!" or "yeah those are very stylish!"   If my sister lived any closer, I would have snagged her today to come out shopping with me since I hear she took a sick day today.  But wait, I think I hear her yelling out "Dang girl, it's about time!"  Ha!

But I think I've found the perfect stylin' pair!  I'm in the middle of doing a little more comparison shopping, but I think this one's in the bag, or rather on my face. 

Monday, August 9, 2004

9:32am  Beneath the Blue Sky

I can't remember the last time I stopped to look up at the sky.  I mean really look at the sky and appreciate its beauty.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous this weekend.  We took advantage of the beautiful 85 degrees without a hint of humidity and went to Piedmont Park nestled right in midtown.  We sat on a blanket on the grass and watched people walk, jog, and rollerblade by.  Jay was so relaxed and fell asleep while Jessica and I looked for animal shapes in the clouds.  It was nice to take a moment and just enjoy the warm sunshine, cool breeze and the beautiful expanse of green. 

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra presented a free evening concert in the park so we moved our blanket over to the hill to enjoy some classical music.  People came prepared with their fancy picnic baskets, blankets and pillows, portable tables and camp chairs, candles and wine.  Fancy!   We had our turkey and avocado on wheat and Dunkin' Donuts coffee.

One very not-shy-at-all 4 year old Clara and her 3 year old brother, Matthew, came over and introduced themselves to Jessica while we were waiting for the concert to begin.  Within an hour, she was hugging Jessica like they'd known each other for years.  Chalk one up for Southern hospitality. 

Jay went into the office for a few hours yesterday.  When he got back we grabbed late lunch at The Varsity - the world's largest drive-in and an Atlanta tradition since 1928.  Its certainly something you have to experience at least once while in town.  We had the chili dogs with a side of onion rings, a burger with fries, Orange Frosty, chocolate shake and Coke (Pepsi is a bad word remember).  Yummy greasy goodness!   Pics are in the Family Gallery.

Jonathan and Gi flew back to Toronto yesterday morning.  They swooped in for some additional shopping deals on Saturday before heading back.  We had dinner with them again at his brother's home.  They whipped up a serious pasta dinner.  And we laughed over tiramisu and Godiva coffee at Jay's fishing as a kid antics and debated the merits of a bootleg $40 Louis Vuitton vs. a real $700 one (just think Canadian Tire fishing rod vs. Bass Pro Shops fishing rod, Jay).  Hee! 

Oh and cheers to the Starbucks guy who recognized my Elsa Peretti Alphabet Pendant yesterday.  Gay men really do have great taste! 

Friday, August 6, 2004

9:51am  Birthday Celebration

Jonathan and Gi are nearing the end of their vacation in Atlanta.  Well actually, Jo's got another week so he'll be golfing and fishing back in Toronto the rest of the time. 

Yesterday was Gi's birthday.  We met up with them after Jay got off work and after their shopping trip.  Ahem - one soon to be mommy is going to look ultra-chic with her new Burberry diaper bag. 

 In celebration of her birthday,  Jo treated everyone to dinner at Pappadeaux last night.  I would highly recommend the charbroiled salmon with the garlic mashed potatoes and pecan pie with vanilla ice-cream for dessert.  Funny thing is that I'm not really even big into fish, but this was very tasty indeed.  The servings were monster!  Whoa that banana and vanilla ice-cream crepe looked divine too.  I'll have to try that next time.  Geez, my blog is beginning to sound like Zagat.   Here's a pic of Jessica with Jo's niece and nephew. 

And today is Jo's brothers' birthday so he and his wife are hosting a birthday dinner at their home tonight.  We've been forewarned not to eat all day and to save ourselves for the feast that they'll be preparing. 

We can't wait for Jo and Gi to finally head back to Toronto so this insanity can just stop.  We love them and all, but all this eating is outta control.  Hee!  Its been fun experiencing great Atlanta eats with you guys, but next week is all about salad. 

On a sidenote, the temps have come down to a more comfortable high-80's.  It was a beautiful day yesterday so Jessica and I did some running around.  In our daily walks along Peachtree Street., I've noticed the beautiful manicured lawns and gardens in front of the beautiful churches and modern office towers that line this busy street.  Its almost like an oasis of green in what would otherwise be a concrete world. 

After some errands and a quick stop at Target, we left the store in a sudden torrential downpour.  Peachtree St. was getting flooded and I was just waiting for a car in front of me to hydroplane.  It rained furiously for about 20 minutes and then stopped as suddenly as it had started.  Remind me to buy an umbrella!

Thursday, August 5, 2004

10:42am  Territorial Much?

My mobile service sucks in Atlanta.  The signal is somewhat flaky here in the city probably because we're surrounded by modern edifices of steel and glass.  Then again that was also the case in New York City and I never really had a problem with dropped calls.  Its almost like I have be in Buckhead (the chi-chi shopping district) to get solid service.  Ha!

Last week, the call dropped at least three times in one conversation with my sister on the west coast and my aunt in the northeast.  I've noticed that my signal sometimes switches from digital to analog to no service then back to digital - and I'm not even walking around the room, my phone is on the desk beside my laptop. 

Cingular Wireless headquarters is in Atlanta so undoubtedly this is a total Cingular market and all VZW customers just want to dash their phones on the sidewalk.  Oh and Coca-Cola rules and judging from the size of their corporate park and its gated entrance you'd probably be met with a frown if you order a Pepsi! 

Um, territorial much? 

Tuesday, August 3, 2004

10:28am  Love

Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary to Cin and Norm!  I still can't believe that its been an entire year since your beautiful day at the Grand Newport Plaza in Costa Mesa.  The day was planned with Martha Stewart precision and everything was perfect.  Everyone who was there could sense how each and every detail had special meaning to the couple.  And that's how it should be. 

It was obvious that Cin and Norm are loved by so many wonderful people who came from near and far.  They wanted to be surrounded by all their favorite people, people who are special to them and who have impacted their lives in so many ways.  It was an event filled with love and laughter!  It was a day that we all still talk about fondly. 

Have a wonderful day you two!  Congratulations!  Love you both! 

And speaking of love, we happened upon a great Thai & Vietnamese restaurant here in Midtown Atlanta last night.  I've been craving a hot bowl of pho for weeks and they served up a delicious concoction of chicken, basil, cilantro, onions and noodles in a huge huge bowl.  Absolutely delicious! 

Monday, August 2, 2004

10:27am  Georgia Tax Free Holiday

Wow...is it August already?  Its been a weekend of great shopping deals and major gluttony.  Our friends from Toronto arrived on the weekend and went straight to Lenox Square from the airport.  It was the annual Georgia Tax Free Holiday that apparently occurs just before students return to school.  Needless to say the malls were packed!  We met them in Buckhead then followed them to the home of Jo's brother. 

Jo's brother and sister-in-law prepared a wonderful steak and ribs dinner and topped it off with cheesecake and Godiva coffee.  None of us could breathe, much less move, after dinner.  We had a great time socializing in their beautiful home! 

Jay and I are completely fascinated by the fact that real estate in these parts is insanely inexpensive.  We've been driving by new home developments advertising gorgeous 3,000+ sq. ft. homes with huge lots for low $200's.  There are beautiful brand new luxury condo complexes near modern business parks everywhere.  We really like the newness here! 

We met our friends again yesterday to do some premium outlet damage at the North Georgia Premium Outlets - the Woodbury Commons, Cabazon and Napa Outlets of the southeast.   It was hot hot hot, but we managed to survive the heat by sipping on smoothies.  Picked up some great deals and Gi found the cutest Puma baby sneakers. 

After shopping for several hours in the heat, Jo's brother and sister-in-law suggested that we grab dinner at the Golden Corral Buffet & Grill.  Oh my goodness, this place was out of control.  There was such a huge selection of food that our heads were spinning trying to figure out where to start.  It was good southern eating for dirt cheap.  I don't think I've ever eaten so much steak in one weekend ever in my life.  The Southerner's like their steak, fried chicken and potatoes. 

With all that great southern comfort food, I don't know how most of the women around these parts can be Miss America perfect. Atkins Diet? What's that? They've got great hair, perfect makeup, trendy clothes and all the right accessories, great shoes and a killer designer bag...and that southern twang! Y'all come back now, ya hear!

Jay's college buddy from Toronto and the new hire from Arizona flew in last night.  Today is their first day at the company and Jay is excited to have the team on board. 

So that's the latest from HOTlanta!  Gotta run and do some laundry before Jessica and I head out to do more exploring.   

Update:  Pics taken at the High Museum of Art and Colony Square where Jay works are up in the Family Gallery.