Tacos and Rainbows

I had a great post in draft form and then my Internet cut out… pooey! Plan B: use the iPhone to create a blog post so I don't fail my personal challenge of one blog post/day.

Today I woke up as UNusual as possible, after snagging a full 8 hours of sleep! That's practically unheard of in LO-land. I went to work and watched as the skies turned from sunny and clear to slate gray and overcast. After work I went with Dave, Victor, Tyler, and Max to El Torito's Taco Tuesday. We haven't been in a while and it was nice to get out there... We grabbed a table right against the window with a prime bay view. The water below us was crashing in a miniature pool, creating the most beautiful green sea foam -> sea foam green! A rainbow popped up a couple of minutes before we left...

Mission Beach, San Diego

This morning I woke up in beautiful San Diego. Kali and I (unknowingly) donned matching outfits and set out on our walk along the beach.





Kali lives within walking distance of the walkway spanning from Mission Beach and PB.




I was craving coffee, naturally. We stopped at an acai berry smoothie/granola place in an area called the Promenade. Just like Mary Kate and Ashley, we ordered matching acai bowls. The Rasta: blended acai, granola, bananas, strawberries, and honey. Kali (MK) got hers without granola for cleanse reasons.



Absolutely delicious! We chomped down on these while sitting on a stoop overlooking the ocean. Then Amy walked up and we walked with her to grab food at The Cantina. She ordered an artichoke scramble...

I'm excited to see how these next few hours will go as I surprise Kerry for her 23rd birthday!

Location:Ocean Blvd,San Diego,United States

Coast Guard rescues PG surfer

On Saturday, around 6:30 pm, the U.S. Coast Guard received a call about an inexperienced surfer who could not get back to shore on his own. The 31-year-old was rescued by a 47-foot motor life boat in the waters of Pacific Grove.

Did you know that I get to work with some people in the uniformed forces? Last week, at work, we had an informational meeting about the Coast Guard. How applicable! We learned a little bit about the history of the Coast Guard and what they are up to now. They have had various titles in the past hundred-ish years, including Lifesaving Service, Lighthouse Service, and Revenue Cutter Service. They have been a part of the Dept. of Homeland Security since 2003. Why not the Dept. of Defense? Simple: they have law enforcement capabilities!

Members of the Coast Guard go through a boot camp (just like the Army, Marines, Navy, etc) and they have a similar Officer training camp. They have a budget of 9.7 billion, compare that to the 225 billion Army budget. WHOA, smaller! The Coast Guard has a bunch of different units, including a Canine Unit and Dive Unit. Located globally, the CG deals with pirates, shady fisherman, drug smugglers, and "inexperienced divers!" Each day the CG saves 14 lives and assits 98 people in distress.

After the meeting there was a raffle to tour the local Coast Guard hub. Sadly, I didn't win.

- Heads-up thanks go to The Californian for this article about the rescue.

Monterey's Waterfront Master Plan Community Meeting on Wednesday

Waterfront Master Plan's first community meeting Wednesday March 10th from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at Gilbert's Restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf


Monterey's City Council began developing a long-term, visionary master plan for the City’s waterfront on December 1, 2009. The goal is to make the waterfront a fun, gorgeous, easy-to-access multi-day destination. The Waterfront Master Plan (WMP) will cover land at the west end of San Carlos Beach to the east end of Monterey Bay Park (Del Monte Ave. is the southern boundary). The WMP hopes to focus future development efforts into a more coordinated machine with a common direction. Altogether, the WMP document will have policies, maps, and implementation strategies. Old development documents from the target area will still be of use, but must be combined into something more comprehensive. For example, the WMP "will address a variety of regulations and functional needs, such as the State Coastal Act, long-term recreation needs, and leasing requirements. "

WMP Issues:

• sea level rise
• relationship of waterfront to Custom House Plaza, Monterey Conference Center, downtown, and Cannery Row (especially in terms of parking & pedestrian, bicycle, mass transit, and automobile circulation)
• types of commercial and recreational land uses that should be accommodated
• location of the Monterey Branch Line Station that would best benefit Monterey citizens and visitors.

The success of the WMP is entirely dependent on the support of the community it impacts. Community members are the key factor in the project’s successful development and implementation. "The work plan includes multiple opportunities for community outreach that will strive to engage as many community members in the planning process as possible." Y-O-U can participate by attending the public workshops that are planned for the project, or if you cannot attend, follow the project on the City’s website, and participate in the on-line questionnaires.

- Heads-up thanks go to the Monterey County Herald for this article about the WMP

Baby I'm such a wreck!

On February 12, 1935, the U.S. Navy airship USS Macon was damaged in a storm and sunk to the bottom of Monterey Bay. Airship ≠ Blimp? The USS Macon was used to launch Sparrowhawk biplanes. Macon's sister? Ever heard of Hindenburg? (Hint: blimp-like thing that caught fire and was completely engulfed in flames in 37 seconds).

Over 1,500 feet below the bay's surface, one will find an airship hangar with four biplanes, five engines, parts of an aluminum stove, dining table, and bench. Seventy five years after the Macon sunk, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the wreck site was added to the National Register of Historic Places. 83 of the 85 crewmen were rescued by Navy ships back in '35.

It's like our own, less tragic, Titanic.

Monterey Bay Coastal Trail

Saturday morning I took Lukefrancis (my bicycle) on an oceanside bike ride. I had roughly an hour and a half to spare :) so I pedaled down General Jim Moore towards Hwy 1. I was a little nervous when I pedaled down a one way street, but my instinct was good and I found the Monterey Bay Coastal Bike Trail.

The trail stretches from Castroville to Pebble Beach. Most of the trail I was on was an actual bike path, but some bits were along a road or behind the stores of Sand City. The views were spectacular, it was sunny out, a cool breeze, lovely riding conditions indeed! The whole trail is about 30 miles long - I rode from Fort Ord to Robert S. Beach, and back. However, I did manage to not-so-gracefully unclip from my right pedal, accidentally lose my balance while still hooked into my left pedal, and fall like a tree to the ground. Now my left shoulder is super sore.

Nicole - bring Maple down here and let's go for a ride on this same trail... All the way to the Cottage of Sweets!

All aboard the PG Trolley!

According to the Monterey County Hearld, all members of the Pacific Grove city council voted 'yes' to the Pacific Grove Free Trolley idea. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, a free trolley will run "between Monterey Bay Aquarium and Asilomar Conference Grounds, following a route that would include Ocean View Boulevard, Sunset Drive and Point Pinos Lighthouse and would return via Lighthouse and Central avenues." The proposed trolley will cost various people a grand total of $60,000. Who's paying: city of PG will take $15,000 from its golf fund, $5,000 from the lighthouse fund; the city Business Improvement District will pay $5,000; the Hospitality Improvement District will pay $15,000; and Asilomar will pay $20,000. All parties are hoping that the ROI will be at least $3 million to cover the $60,000 cost.

I'm liking this idea! It would be really fun and convenient (FREE!) to get from Cannery Row over to the Asilomar area. The views are spectacular and I would definitely consider this as a thing-to-do when people visit. (If they visit?!) The whole point is to draw tourists into Pacific Grove, a quaint little town that many visitors of the Monterey Bay Aquarium don't even know exists. Apparently "the aquarium would market the trolley and provide an audio tape guide for passengers explaining Pacific Grove's history, amenities and attractions." I wonder if that is free as well? Two thumbs up for a history lesson with a view!

Message in a Bottle

This is an amazing story: Message in a Bottle Makes its Way Back.

2 and a half years at sea, the bottle drifted from San Diego to the Philippines, all in honor of a loved, lost friend. Eight Monterey and San Francisco fishermen saluted their fellow fishing friend by placing the letter into a bottle and throwing it overboard while at sea. A man in the Philippines found the bottle and sent it back to the men, as this is what the letter asked of whoever might find it. This bottle crossed miles and miles of ocean! Inspiring in a way, isn't it?