"Great"

The Webster's Dictionary defines the word "Great" as something or someone who is remarkable or exceptionally outstanding.  The dictionary also defines "Great" as someone who is highly significant or consequential.  Yesterday, my father passed away...  and as I look back, there is no doubt in my mind that my father was indeed a "Great" man. 

We so often associate greatness with words like "Power" or "Fame", but my dad had neither of these things. Was he truly remarkable?  Yes.  Was he exceptionally outstanding?  Yes.  Was he highly significant and consequential to the people who loved him most?  Most definitely, yes...  But do accolades really make the man?  Must I mention that he arrived into this country speaking not a lick of English, but ended up valedictorian of his class?  Must I mention that he had his pick of colleges with full scholarships being handed out like candy bars?  Should I even mention his service to this country or the important part he played in exploring the far reaches of space?  I do not think I need to mention these things, most certainly not to his family, and not to his closest friends.  Take away the awards, plaques, and distinctions that litter his office.  My dad was highly significant and consequential to me...  not as a man of distinction, but as the one person in my life who taught me right from wrong, who taught me how to be a man, and most importantly, how to be a father to my children. 

Last night, we went through my dad's wallet.  Hidden inside were the usual suspects, a Triple A Card, the ubiquitous Costco card and the like, but underneath it all were a dozen pictures of his grandchildren.  These weren't pictures he kept as keepsakes, these were his calling cards.  These wallet-sized snapshots of  "his kids" were the cards he would pass out to anyone who would take them.  People in business and certainly the Japanese know that you can tell a lot about a person from their business card.  When you hand out your personal card, you are sharing with that person what best represents you... what you are most proud of.  Instead of passing out cards that showed off his accolades or accomplishments, he handed out pictures of his grandkids...  the one thing that he was most proud of.  This sense of pride in one's family was thankfully and gratefully passed to me and also my brothers.  This is a gift that knows no greater value.  It is indeed priceless.

The term "Great" is overused and under appreciated.  We live in a society where things like a burrito can be considered "Great".  A new term is needed...   As I reflect upon my dad's life and try to come up with an appropriate term to describe my dad's legacy, two words quickly come to me.  Those two words are "Understated Excellence".  This "Understated Excellence" means achieving great things without having to call attention to yourself.  Striving for excellence, but always putting others first.  I believe these two words describe my father's life beautifully...

Dad...  I will miss you, but your legacy of "Understated Excellence" will live on in me and in turn, my children.  This is my promise to you.

As I raise Nash, McKenna and Evan to adulthood, I promise to not get caught up in their trophies, talents, or grades.  Instead, I will teach them to love others and put others first.  I will encourage my kids to achieve great things, but to always do so with a sense of grace and humility.  Dad, these are the legacies you have entrusted to me.  I will safeguard them and when the time is right, I will go out and continue your mission to plant seeds of "Greatness" in all of us...

New Directions (Or the post not about Glee)

One of my favorite lines that we as plus size people use from time to time is this one... When confronted with the question "Are you eating again?"  We reply "No, still..."  I think it's ingrained into every person who struggles with their weight to use humor to deflect scrutiny.  I'm not only a member of this club, I'm also the president.  That being said, I'm trying to get out of this mindset.  I'm a firm believer in "You get what you put out there."   If you are putting out negativity, you are certainly bound to attract it.  On the flip side, if you're walking like Marky Mark and putting out "Good Vibrations", positivity and great abs are surely headed your way.  Right now in my life, I'm working on not just losing weight, but being positive and staying positive.  That means I'm coming after you Mr. Wahlberg.  Do you hear me coming?  You and your Funky Bunch don't stand a chance...

Since my earlier posts regarding my thoughts on health and weight loss, a few things have changed.  If you would allow me, I would like to share with you some of the new processes and attitudes I have toward my health, wellness, and journey forward.  Let's take a look...

EXERCISE  ******************

"Do What You Can Do"

 In regards to weight loss and life in general, I still believe in the notion of  "Just do what you can do."  However, over time and hard work, your body does get stronger and you gain the ability to do more.  I now work out everyday and usually twice a day on weekends.  I know this flies in the face from what I've said in previous posts regarding that odious chore we call "working out".  My disdain for this cursed activity is well documented, but as I've said earlier, your body does and will progress.  So with my new found ability, I was now looking for an activity to push my body further.  While that might sound pro-active on my part, it really wasn't.  The True Hollywood Story is that my weight loss stalled, actually, it came to a grinding halt.   My existing weight loss plan had taken me up to this point, but seemingly no further.  I needed to change things up if I wanted to continue on my journey.  I needed a New Direction...

Previously, my only exercise regimen was walking for an hour each day. That has served me well thus far, but now I was at the point where something else was needed.  What to do?  When searching for wisdom on a wide variety of topics, the obvious place to look is... of course, late night television.   I had seen the infomercials for P90X on TV, and while they looked intriguing, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't for me.  But that was then and this is now...  Now, I was looking for something new, and like that Sizzler commercial from years past, "I don't have a lot of time and I don't have a lot of money."  It was then that I decided to look into this P90X thing.   Using the information super-highway, I did a little research, and garnering from the reviews on Amazon, the program does seem to work.  However, many of the reviewers cautioned newbies like me that this program is indeed EXTREME.  For us newbies, the reviewers recommended the earlier version of P90X called Power 90.  Deciding that it was worth a try, I bought a set from Ebay and I'm now on day 46. 

This program has been very good for me so far.  I haven't yet seen a super dramatic amount of weight loss, but I do know that I'm getting more exercise in a shorter amount of time than I was spending walking the neighborhood.  Plus, with it being a DVD based video, it was super easy to incorporate into my schedule.  Transitioning to Power 90 has been a cinch.  The workouts are 45 minutes long and the beginning levels are hard but not overwhelming.  I used Level 1-2 for the first 30 days and at first the scale wouldn't budge, but slowly it started to move in the right direction.  I transitioned to level 3-4 about 10 days ago and I think I'm starting to see some of those results I was looking for.  So far I'm happy with the switch and I feel like the train is finally back on the track and moving quite nicely down the road.

"Soundtrack to our lives"

Everyone knows that music is always with me, and it's been a very important piece in my workout regimen as well.  I have some 10 different workout playlists that I use daily and they help me push through the wall that is certainly coming.  Burning calories is much easier when you are pumping your fist in the air and imitating Billy Idol while listening to "White Wedding".  You have to purse your lips and sneer as well to get the full effect.


EATING  ***********************

I am still eating the way I've outlined in earlier posts, but I've made a few changes and I have a few different thoughts regarding food and the way I eat.    I will try to keep this as brief as possible.

"Eat every 3"

I now eat something every 3 hours.  All the research I've read tells me that this method is the best way to eat.  It's basically grazing.  Whether I'm hungry or not, I have a little to eat every 3 hours.  This prevents the body from entering Starvation Mode and keeps the body in Optimum Calorie Burning Efficiency Mode.  It also keeps your blood sugar levels at an even keel.

"Zone Bars to Full Bars"

 For snacks, I still use my Slim Fast shakes, but cost became an issue so I switched to the Costco version of Slim Fast.  I've also switched from Zone Bars to Full Bars which are also available at the aforementioned warehouse store.  Full Bars are bigger, less calories, and seem to curb your hunger better than Zone Bars.  A big plus for Full Bars is that they are more portable.  Zone Bars are often chocolate or creme coated so they'll melt if left in the car, Full Bars don't have that problem.  I keep a box of them in the van so I always have something healthy to eat whenever I want it.  To be honest here, Zone Bars taste better than Full Bars, but I'm not looking for taste here, I'm looking for effectiveness.  I'm not a Costco-aholic like my friend Annie, but another product I use there is called "EcoDrink"  It's basically a calorie free, vitamin infused drink mix that I add to water and drink all day.  It ain't cheap, but it's certainly cheaper than buying Vitamin Waters or Gatorades and it has decreased my daily Diet Coke tally by a significant amount.

"Eat in the morning.  Don't worry about eating at night"

 I read an interesting article the other day regarding whether it was better to eat a Jelly donut or to not eat anything at all during breakfast time.  So Family Feud fans, do you know what the research said?  The research said to go ahead and eat the Jelly Donut.  Isn't that interesting?  When you sleep, your body's metabolism slows down and you are basically fasting.  That's what Breakfast means.  By eating in the morning, you are breaking your fast.  Eating in the morning tells the body to start burning more calories and wake up from the "fast" or "sleep" mode it was currently in.  On the flip side, I eat past 9 PM all the time.  The research I've read simply doesn't support that eating after 9 is bad.  Your total calorie allotment should be your only concern.  If I eat dinner at 7, I often eat again at 10 to keep up my "Every 3" concept.  Your body heals and regenerates during sleep.  Having fuel for these processes is not a bad thing.

"Eating a big lunch so you can eat a small dinner is a fallacy"

I've proven this concept over and over with my own body.  It simply doesn't work.  From what I've seen, Food begets Food.  When I eat a big meal either for breakfast or for lunch, I'm basically telling my body to expect that same amount or more for the next meal.  By the time dinner rolls around, I'm just as hungry or probably more so than what I would have been if I had eaten a light lunch.  Women sometimes tell me that they aren't hungry for dinner cuz they had a big lunch.  I believe their statement to some degree, but I feel it has more to do with the amount of time elapsing between meals than their actual hunger. When you eat a big meal, yes, you will feel full for a while, but beware...  The Reaper awaits, usually around dinnertime.   I'm not saying you can't go out and enjoy yourself.  By all means, go ahead.  Falling off the wagon and hitting the Kogi truck is OK and even encouraged, but don't have the mindset of binging, then eating like a bird the next meal.  It doesn't work.

"Just Breathe"

If you watch enough workout videos like I have in the past 46 days, you will keep hearing the instructor harping on you to keep breathing. I get it. Your muscles and your brain need oxygen, especially during exercise.  However, I believe this concept can also work well with how you approach eating your meals.  When I eat, I often stop and take 2-3 cleansing breaths in between bites.  This accomplishes a few things.  It slows you down.  It appeases your hunger.  It feeds your brain the oxygen it needs.  By "just breathing" it makes every bite seem like more than it is.  Consequently, you get fuller quicker and with less.  There is a reason the term for eating your food quickly is called "Inhaling".  When you are shoveling double doubles down your throat, you barely have time to stop and breathe at all.  By taking these breaths, you're feeding your brain with oxygen at the same time you are feeding your face.  This works, it's just up to you if you want to use it.  I like to use this method at home, friends sometimes make fun of me when I do it out in public.

"Before you determine if you are hungry, first make sure you are not thirsty"

One of the items I always cross off my checklist before I sit down to eat is making sure I take care of my thirst before I take care of my hunger.  So before any meal, I drink enough water to satisfy my thirst until I'm good and satiated.  Once that is done, then I can go ahead and address my hunger.   By using this method, I will guarantee you this, you will not eat as much as you would have if you had not satiated your thirst first.  The body often times confuses thirst with hunger.  By tackling your thirst first, the confusion is removed.

"Outro"

So that's the new stuff I've recently implemented into my life.  Is it working?  Maybe not as fast as I would like, but since my last post, I've lost another 10 pounds.  I'm still very much "Pooh" sized,  (That's what plus size Disney Fans refer to themselves as) but I'm moving along.  OK, it's time for my last and best weight loss tip I can give you.  This tip is super awesome and completely foolproof... 

Whenever you are weighing yourself and before you get on that scale, make sure to... Pee first.

Be well my friends, hope this helps somebody...

K

Process

I am Stubborn...  There I said it.  Throughout my life, I just have never been good at receiving criticism and I'm even worse at receiving praise.  As for the reasons why I've come to be this way, it is unclear.  Is it some form of Bravado? Knuckle-headedness? I'm not really sure, I just know that I bristle up like a porcupine in heat whenever anyone tries to tell me how to live my life.  The mere thought of "Self Help" books were laughable to me, but one day my struggles bled to one part of my life that was sacred ground...  My golf game.  Sure, you laugh, but men are simple creatures.  We derive our self worth from either the kind of car we drive, the job we have, the girl we're dating, or our golf handicap...  Each of these categories are the pillars on which men build their self esteem.  So when my golf game was seriously struggling, (Tiger, are you listening)  I broke down and picked up a book to help me work on the mental aspect of the game.  Fast forward to now... Did it help?  Mmmm, in terms of shooting lower scores, maybe a little.   However, contained in that silly little golf book was one principle that has taken up permanent residence within all that I do and how I approach  living my life.  My golf game still kinda sucks, but despite my scores, I seem to enjoy the game more than I have in the past and more importantly, I now feel like I have the freedom to go out and live the life I want to live.

This principle I'm referring to is the simple notion of how to  “Focus on Process. Not Results”  In other words, Stay in the now.  Focus on what you have directly in front of you without worrying about the results or the destination that lies before you.  Free yourself from worrying needlessly about whether your actions will produce "The Desired Result".  It sounds simple, this "Focus on Process", but when done correctly, it can relieve you from all the pressure and unrealistic expectations that is surely intertwined with "Results" and "Goals".

Many times this year, I’ve had to explain myself and defend the path I'm currently taking.  I would often receive quizzical looks and get questions like “What is your Goal? What are you trying to accomplish?” And to that I will say proudly “I don’t have a goal. I’m only focusing on the "Process" of getting better and moving in the right direction." That’s one of the reasons why I have never set a weight loss goal for myself. The plan was to put the blinders on and just focus on the process of losing weight and getting healthy. Wherever that led me from there was OK by me. To my mind, goals are just disappointments waiting to happen. I can’t wait for my next job interview when they ask me if I’m “Goal Oriented” and to that I will honestly reply “Hellz No!” But what I will tell you Mr. Job Interviewer is that I will dedicate myself to the work I have in front of me, own it, and treat it as if it had my name on it.

As you can tell, I hate the term “Goal Oriented” To me, this presumes that there is somewhere a Finish Line and from what I’ve seen so far in life, there simply isn’t one. Is he who finishes with the most toys and the fattest bank account going to finish the race first?  Life is about process... The process of living your life right and making the lives of people around you better. I could care less about winning and competing. Shows like “The Apprentice” just show me the ugliness in people trying to grasp at golden rings that hold nothing but empty shiny-ness… During my stint as a record executive in the music industry, (My Dream Job) I often hung out with the “Mail Room Guys” and it impacted me how happy they truly seemed.  The happiest guy in the bunch had a mortgage and 4 kids at home to support.  I simply couldn't fathom trying to survive, paying the mortgage, and supporting 4 kids all on a mail room salary.  Yet, here he was making it happen with apparent ease.  The pervasive notion of dog eat dog capitalism is shite… As I shook my fist at the sky, ruing my unfortunate circumstances of only making six figures in a corner office, others were making due with much less and living life. I was a fool and I realize that now. While I never really got too caught up in the rat race, it did consume me and spit me out to the point that I am just now making good on all those promises I made for myself all those years.

I can't say that my life is now a heaping bowl of cherries, but I can say that I'm liking the direction my life is heading right now.  While I'm far from any destination called "Success" or "Finish Line",  I'm purely focusing on the task at hand and the plate in front of me.  Speaking of plates... my plate is sadly a little emptier these days, but the good news is that I've lost another 20 pounds since I last blogged and I'm continuing to move in a positive direction.  I honestly don't know what this life has for me, but for now, I'm just going to continue on like Fred Astaire in that one animated Christmas Special where he sang

"Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon you'll be walking out the door"

A Job Well Done

It has often been said that everyday with your kids is a blessing from God...  Truer words have never been spoken, especially on a day like today.  Today we lost a good one.  Jamie O'Connell, son of Dan and Andrea O'Connell, has moved on from this life and is now brightening the heavens with his light. 

I wish him well on his journey while not forgetting the life he had here with us...  If Jamie has taught us anything, he has taught us that as parents, we must cherish each day with these children God has entrusted to us.  Yes, God entrusted to us...  The law states that we are responsible for our kids until they turn 18, but on that 18th birthday, do we really hand over the deed of responsibility to someone else?  Do we stop loving them any less?  18 is a number between 17 and 19, nothing more, nothing less.  The love we have for our kids is not bound by 18 or any other number, it lives on for eternity.

That being said, along with love comes responsibility.  I sometimes find myself struggling with my responsibilities as a parent while still trying to maintain my ability to pursue my own personal goals and aspirations.  Striking that balance of who you are as a parent and who you are as your own unique self is something I work on everyday.  I do not believe in sacrificing one for another.  Being a caretaker of children 24-7 only breeds resentment, and doing your own thing, forsaking all others is pure selfishness.  Is there a middle ground?  Am I destined for a life of compromise and middle of the road mediocrity?  I do not believe so.  I believe every parent can and should use their own unique personality and talents to enhance and "Bedazzle" their relationship with their kids.  Too much focus has been put on churning out "Perfect Kids".  My goal as a parent has never been to produce "Perfect Kids", rather it is to have a "Perfect" father and son relationship with Nash, a "Perfect" friendship and stewardship for McKenna and Evan.  Are all "Straight A" kids good kids?  Loving and responsible kids?  I do not judge my kids on their report card.  I will ultimately judge them by their strength of character and their ability to love.  If at the end of my journey, I have "Churned Out" kids that have a sense of family, that love others, and know right from wrong, then I will have done my job and done my job well.

Those who knew Jamie, knew that he had a "Sparkle" about him.  He had this twinkle in his eye that sometimes meant love and sometimes meant mischief.  All kids can and will make mistakes on occasion, but from the day he was born to the twilight of his life, Jamie was a kid that had a sense of family, he loved others, and in the quiet of his heart, he knew right from wrong.  He was a job well done.

Well done Jamie.  Well done...

Visiting The Mayors' Discovery Park in La Canada

Things have been good for me lately.  A good friend of mine, who is battling cancer, just had successful surgery and is proceeding to kick cancer’s ass... “Life is Good” just like it says on those faded T-shirts with the stick people.  Optimism is in the air people… Breathe it in and believe it.

So, I’m not sure what the weather is like in other parts of the country, but the weather in Southern California has been absolutely gorgeous. It’s bright and sunny just like my outlook and on a day like today, it would be a crime to not take my kids out for a day at the park.  I have a few places in mind, but one park creeped to the top of my list and that was The Mayors' Discovery Park in La Canada.  I had always wanted to visit this park and today, I was going to Carpe that Diem… For those who didn’t take Latin in high school, Carpe Diem means “Seize the Day”.  I’ve always associated that phrase with some brutish fellow like Russell Crowe in Gladiator or Mel Gibson in Braveheart yelling at me to “Just Do It” and “Seize the Day”.  However, courtesy of Wikipedia, I have found out that the Roman Poet Horace, actually intended for this saying to mean “Enjoy the Day”.  Isn’t that interesting?  All this time I thought it was some battle cry, but I find out the saying was simply a call to go out and enjoy yourself.  Well thank you Horace... I think I will go out and “Enjoy the Day”.  The plan is to take the twins to the Mayors’ Discovery Park and once there, we will endeavor to make my main man Horace proud…

On Fridays, I pick up the twins from school at noon.  I already have it in my mind to take them to the park, but the first order of business was to “Seize” some lunch.  After much consternation, we decide to pick up some tasty delectables at Panda Express.  Yes, I’m being slightly facetious regarding Panda, but if your kids are hungry, Panda works out great.  One 2 item combo will feed all my children easily.  Anyways, we arrive at the park to find only one car in the parking lot.  This is a fairly common occurrence because this park does have its quirks.  Let me run those down quickly:

First off, the park is tiny.  Apart from being tiny, it is also very difficult to see from the road even if it is located on a main street. (Foothill Blvd)  Another fun quirk is that the park always looks closed.  As you pull up, the gates are padlocked and the darn place looks about as welcoming as your mother in law.  So we’ve established that the park is small, hard to find, and appears to be closed… Great post Kyle!  You should get a lot of comments on this one for sure!

OK, here’s the skinny… While the park is small, it is modern, yet charming.  The fountain is gorgeous and so well laid out that it is simply a kid’s dream to play in.  The park appears closed, but the side gate closest to the bathrooms is open, so all you have to do is just grab the handle and pull.  The fact that the park appears closed is a good thing, because it thins the herd.  The park is also fully gated on all sides so you can let your kids roam basically free.

The Mayors’ Discovery Park had originally peaked my interest because I had heard of its unique fountain and water play area.  While more and more water play areas are popping up in parks around Southern California, this one claimed to be different, and I the intrepid explorer, set out to find the truth…

At first glance the fountain is not exactly awe inspiring, but as you walk closer, this fountain reveals itself to be a true piece of art that is also perfectly suited for water play. Colorful mosaic tiles beautifully decorate the bottom floor of the fountain and amongst those tiles, you will find many aquatic animals like turtles and other whimsical creatures that kids can reach in and touch.  Do you remember as kids when you used to take leaves and race them down the gutters when water was flowing?  Well, this is exactly that in a safe and clean environment. The water flows briskly from the top through 2 different troughs finally winding down to the bottom of the fountain.  This is a perfect set up for racing boats.  So much so that my kids are already referring to the place as “Boat Race Park”.  If you don’t have a suitable boat on hand, I suggest you dig up those old plastic Easter Eggs and use the half-shell as a boat. They work great and each child can have a different color.  We raced for a long time, yet against the law of averages, Daddy lost every race.  Somehow my Egg Boat was either capsized by a “Giant Sea Monster” or was sunk like a “German U-Boat”.  I could only laugh as the two other undeterred boats sped on by.  We had a great time and I’ve never felt so happy to be a “Loser”.

The park has bathroom facilities that are nice and clean, a number of picnic tables, an open stretch of grass to run and play, and a sand area.  The sand area is a “buried treasure” sand box with a road underneath to uncover.  It sounds cooler than it actually is to be honest.  The picnic area will have some shade one day when the vines grow in, but for now, they don’t offer much protection from the sun.  Other than that, this is a really nice little park to visit if you want a quick picnic or need to burn 40 minutes or so.  It is not a full featured park that can entertain your kids all day, but then again, if you are looking for a quick, wet diversion, this park is a great choice.

In 23 BC, the Roman Poet Horace encouraged us to “Enjoy the Day”.  If you plan to visit The Mayors’ Discovery Park, you will be afforded ample opportunity to do just that and Carpe that Diem…

Here’s the details…

Mayors' Discovery Park

The Park is located at 1830 Foothill Boulevard in La Canada Flintridge, California 91011 where the 2 (Glendale Fwy) and Foothill Blvd. meet.

The post I'm not sure I want anyone to read...

I am now 43… These days I approach life very differently than when I was in my 30’s. In my younger days, I considered myself impervious to any health risk or injury that could or should come my way. While I have been lucky so far in that regard, I now take better care of myself and use every opportunity to better my existence. I have only one caveat. I refuse to swallow the “Dramatic Life Change” pill some people might take in my position. Working out and going to the gym has never been for me. I don’t get it, I don’t like it, and I’m pretty sure it doesn’t like me very much either. One day early in 2009, I woke up and I was heavier than I had ever been and I knew I had to make a change. I looked into various diets and workout programs, but none really spoke to me. Every commercial was yelling at me to “Take Charge of Your Life” and “Turn Your Life Around Right Now”.  When people yell at me or try to “Sell” me something, I instantly shut it down.  I’m not sure why, but I resisted the “Dramatic Life Change” methods of dieting and exercise with every fiber in my body.

So the status quo life continued on when one evening I was watching TV and a guy named Paul McKenna came on the "Telly". Paul briefly had a Self Help/Weight Loss show on NBC. While I didn’t really connect with all of his theories, a few of his concepts really hit me like a sledgehammer. His notion of “Just Do What You Can” instantly resonated with me and spoke to me in a way that no other Diet or Exercise program ever has. I’ve already chronicled my disdain for working out, so his take on exercise was right up my alley. In his program, Paul encouraged me to just go ahead and do what I can do. He also stressed that any physical activity is exercise. Instead of adopting a rigorous and daunting exercise regimen, why don’t you try this… If you took 400 steps during your day on Monday, can you take 405 steps on Tuesday? How about 500 steps by Friday? Can you do that? If you don’t like going to the gym, can you go out for a nice walk around the neighborhood? It was these subtle life changes that so appealed to me. This I could do. This wasn’t daunting and unattainable as other programs seemed to be. I decided right then and there that I would just do what I can do and see where it leads me.

I am by no means where I want to be and can hardly be considered a “Success Story” but I can say that I am over 40 pounds lighter this year than I was last year. I now walk an hour a day just around the neighborhood and I take my vitamins daily.  I have no weight loss goal hanging over me, I just do what I can do and try to live a balanced  and well rounded life.  What I find interesting is that I haven’t had to make any of those dramatic changes to my life I’ve been fearing for so long. That being said, I definitely eat much differently than I did a year ago. I attribute some of that change to Mr. McKenna, and some of it to a little bit of “Mad Scientist” tinkering of my own to come up with a program that I can actually stick with.

If you would indulge me, I am going to talk a little bit about my program and how I was able to get from there to here.  It all began by first changing the way I approach and think about Food. For that, I used Paul's 4 Rules for Eating.  I can recite these from memory even though I have never bought his book or attended his seminars.  I have 2 of his shows on my Tivo, and that’s about it. Well anyways, here are the Rules:

1. When You’re Hungry, Eat…

2. Eat What You Want.

3. When You Eat, Eat Consciously

4. At the First Sign of Being Full… Stop.

That’s it. Those are the Rules I have been living by for the past year and they have served me well enough. Again, I’m no poster boy for weight loss and life change. To be honest, I lost that 40 pounds in what amounts to 7 months, and for the last 5 months, I have just been battling to keep it off. However, most of my struggle was of my own making for getting away from the program that has brought me this far.  Sometimes bad habits die hard.

The “Mad Scientist” part of my program is admittedly kinda kooky, but it has worked very well for me up to this point. As a disclaimer, I must mention that I have designed this program for myself and myself only. I really can’t promise that any of these concepts will work for you. This is merely a telling of my story and my thoughts along the way…

One of the great realizations I have found about myself is that I love food… Stupid right? Yes of course, Kyle loves food and everyone who has ever met me knows that simple fact, but this revelation has really changed the way I approach food. Sometimes, when my love for food takes over, I overeat. I found out that when I am eating the foods I really enjoy, the alarm or signal your body sets off when you are full, either never gets sent or is summarily ignored by yours truly. Conversely, when I am eating food I don’t like or simply tolerate, the “Full Signal” comes in loud and clear. This notion was like one big giant light bulb for me. I call this the “Pringles Theory”. “I Bet You Can’t Eat Just One!” the TV screams. Well you’re right asshole, I can’t… I also can’t eat just one piece of Fried Chicken or one Bowl of Rice. I love and crave those things way too much. In my pure euphoria of eating those items, any sense of reason flies out the window and surely you can’t expect me to make a rational decision at that point. What I’ve learned from this is, in order to achieve my goals, I must eat foods I can tolerate, but not necessarily like all that much. When I do this and “Eat Consciously” I can actually hear my “Full Signal” when I eat. This tiny fact changed my life…

I guess I should explain “Eat Consciously”. This Rule basically means that when you are eating, that is the only thing you are doing. You are focusing on eating and nothing else. When you eat, think about eating your food, think about chewing, eat slowly and pay attention and listen for your “Full Signal”. When I am doing this, it’s amazing how little it takes to satiate me. Overeating is so often caused by distracted eating. That’s why eating while watching TV is the most evil of sins. You eat, but you are really paying attention to the TV, and not your food and definitely not your “Full Signal”. How can you expect to hear the alarm bells going off in your stomach when you are watching The Simpsons? The answer is simply… “You Can’t”.  When The Simpsons are over, you will look down and notice that your plate is empty and the whole Bucket of Kentucky Fried Goodness is gone too. The awful ending to that story hits you  when you don’t remember eating and you might even still be hungry. Who made us this way I want to know!

The next two things that have helped me on my way is a combination of Slim Fast and Atkins dieting.  This is where things get a little kooky, but it works for me so I will continue to do it. I drink a Slim Fast shake every morning and one directly before every meal. I kinda got the idea from my wife who one time wanted to pick up Del Taco on the way to a 4 star restaurant because she was “So Hungry”. The basic concept is that I will drink a Slim Fast before every meal in order to take the edge off my hunger. The shake also partially fills my stomach before I venture into the “Lion’s Den”. If I were to foolhardily walk into a restaurant completely famished, I would have already lost the battle. It’s a lose-lose situation. There is no conceivable way for me to eat a reasonable portion and walk away satisfied. By drinking a Slim Fast directly before dinner, I tame the “Wild Beast” of my hunger and I can walk into any restaurant calmly and under control. They say to never go grocery shopping hungry and this is basically the same concept. The funny side benefit here is that, by doing this, you actually get MORE enjoyment eating your food than if you were famished. When you are really hungry and eat quickly, you are swallowing more than appreciating and savoring your food. By taking the edge off my hunger, I actually get to taste my food, savor every bite, and enjoy it like a normal human being rather than the “Ravenous Beast” I have been in the past.

The next change to the way I eat is a weird one. My main staple of what I eat on an every day basis has been “Sandwich Meats”, primarily turkey. I do subscribe to the Atkins theory that most carbs are bad so I needed a protein option that could work for me and my new lifestyle. I first tried Turkey Burgers, but I found that I enjoyed the burgers too much and when I ate them, my “Full Signal” would always come in a little bit hazy. I eventually settled on Deli Style slices of turkey. I found that it was the perfect balance of “I like this enough to eat, but I don’t like this enough to overeat.” Sounds crazy, but it worked for me.

My last approach to food stems from the “Eat What You Want” concept. In this new way of thinking and eating, I rarely deprive myself from the foods I like and enjoy. I don’t see how I could ever survive a diet of just plain white meat chicken and broccoli for weeks on end. If I did that, I would turn into a craven mad man who is a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. I still eat fried chicken. I still go and eat out with family at whatever restaurant we so choose. However, instead of eating whatever I want whenever I want. I let myself eat what I want once a day and for the rest of the day, I would eat turkey slices or a protein bar. That way, I still get to enjoy life, enjoy the foods I love, and never have the hollow feeling that I’m missing out. But like I said earlier, before I walk into Sam Woo BBQ, I do guzzle down a Slim Fast first.

You know when I started writing this post, I never meant to end up here, but somehow it just did. My initial objective for this post was to review the Skechers Shape Up shoes I had bought a few days ago. Isn't that hilarious?  It’s interesting to me that I’m not really in complete control of what comes out of me when I’m writing. In many of the endeavors I take on, I like to treat each exercise (no pun intended) as a “Work of Art”. Sometimes the piece tells you what it wants to be rather than the other way around I guess…

So that's my philosophy on staying healthy and eating right. I know and understand that I will never really be a “Skinny” guy and that I’ll always have a little bit of love around my waist, but I’ve come a long way in accepting that “It’s OK”. I’m going to do what I can do and I’ll end up where I end up. You got a problem with that?  I didn’t think so… I’ve been told on several occasions that I care way too much about what other people think of me and I know inside how truly self conscious I am regarding my self image and my weight. I have never before shared my thoughts and feelings regarding these matters, and certainly not in a public forum such as this.  However, I feel like maybe I wrote this post for a reason. While embarrassing for me, I do accept that this is something I must go through. I welcome it as a part of my journey… 2010 is a new and exciting year for me. I’m doing things I’ve never done before and maybe by me “Coming Out”, I can finally move on to the new and wondrous things life has for me.  Thank you my friends… for reading and supporting me on my journey forward.

Visiting The Annenberg Community Beach House

So the age old question is surely “What do you feel like eating today?” but the second, and the most vexing for parents is “What do you want to do with the kids this weekend?” Well, the answer is simple... take them to The Annenberg Community Beach House.

The Annenberg Community what?   Let's let the City of Santa Monica website explain...

“The Annenberg Community Beach House is the only public beach club in the United States. The Beach House was built on the site of the former Marion Davies Estate, built in the Gold Coast era of the 1920s by William Randolph Hearst as a playground for actress Marion Davies and her Hollywood guests. The building was severely damaged in the Northridge earthquake of 1994. With a generous grant from the Annenberg Foundation, the City was able to rehabilitate the site, which involved extensive remediation of underground pollutants, as well as preservation of the historic Guest House. Adding to the already impressive story, the facility undertook many sustainable measures to reduce the environmental impact of the new building. The Beach House was awarded LEED Gold Certification in 2009 in recognition of its achievements.”

This Ultra Modern facility is brimming with all things new and shiny.  There is a sparkling pool surrounded by tangerine tinged umbrellas and chic lounge chairs, a children’s playground on the sand, a splash zone play area with dancing fountains, a café that serves lunch and breakfast right on the beach, a rental shack where you can buy or rent anything your husband forgot at home, a sleek special events building, beach volleyball courts, the Marion Davies Guest House, public parking and more… And for all this?  No Membership Fees… Unbelievable, especially for being on the Santa Monica beachfront.

Sure, you have to pay for parking, 4 dollars an hour or 10  for the day.  There is also a separate fee if you choose to use the pool. (10 bucks) The food can be a bit on the pricey side, but these costs are a whole lot cheaper than coughing up a six digit membership buy-in while still having the privilege of paying exorbitant monthly dues like at the exclusive "Jonathan Club" next door.  As the summer months arrive,  the weekends will  certainly get crowded.  On those days, the parking lot may actually “sell out”.  So if you choose to go on a day that is surely to be busy, a tip for you is to call ahead and reserve a parking spot ahead of time.  I, however, will just recommend avoiding summer weekends altogether and target weekdays or maybe a warm weekend day in May or June before the summer rush.

The "Beach House" has been open since April, 2009 and I am kicking myself for not finding it sooner. Being much too far east of La Cienega does have its drawbacks I guess.  Ahh well... The past is the past, and now I'm looking forward to warmer weather and the chance to load my car up with eager kids and multi-colored sand toys.  That day is coming soon.  This Sunday perhaps?  Can't think of a finer way to celebrate Mother's Day...

My kids are well traveled, but when a certain place holds as much charm for me as it does for them, it marks this spot as truly special indeed... The developers on this project have achieved something very rare.  They have created a magnificent facility that has dual appeal for parents and kids alike with its sleek modern aesthetic, yet kid friendly spaces.  All in all, the "Beach House" is a true delight and the best thing is that it is available to all.  I came up with a line that I find very fitting for this little gem in Santa Monica,  "It is a place where your kids want to go and a place where you want to be."  Cya there...

Here's the details...

The View Deck, Splash Pad and Garden are open daily 8:30 am - 5:30 pm.

The Marion Davies Guest House and Event House Gallery are open Mondays and the 2nd Saturday of each month 11 am - 3 pm

415 Pacific Coast Highway
Santa Monica, CA 90402
(310) 458-4904
beachhouse.smgov.net

Keeping Kids Appy

I am slightly ashamed to admit this, but I am a confessed latecomer to all things iPhone and iPod Touch. I had heard of the App Store and all its treasures, but it had never sparked my interest because of my continued love affair with the “Click Wheel” and the iPod Classic.  Making the move up to the iPod Touch would be like “cheating” on your best girl... and I was no cheater.

Soon, a day came when I maxed the capacity on my 80 gig iPod, and I was faced with a dilemma. Should I stay true and stick with an iPod Classic, albeit with larger capacity?  Or could I add an iPod Touch to this once monogamous relationship?  I chose the latter option and went with the Touch solely on the basis of the App Store. Now that I have given in, I finally realize what Charlie Sheen and Tiger have been trying to tell me.  Sometimes, "cheating" is good...  really good.  It took me all about 5 minutes to realize how eye openingly and jaw droppingly fantastic these new iPhones/iPod Touches were.  I have been missing out.  I have been missing out big time...  These days, my best girl and I still have a healthy relationship cuz she still holds all my music and treats me to my favorite tunes everyday in the car, but now I get a little on the side with my new flame, the iPod Touch.

While originally intended for me and my own uses, my Touch is now almost exclusively for the kids.  On it, you will find kids videos, kids games, learning apps, and McKenna's favorite Miley Cyrus songs.   My children are now 4 and 6, soon to be 5 and 7.  Trying to find apps for them has been fun, yet arduous at the same time. There is a mountain of kids apps out there and very few of these are worth the time to download.  In my quest to find for age appropriate, non-violent apps that have some learning components added in, I have found a select few to be worthy or at least enjoyable.  Check them out and then just maybe, your iPhone or iPod Touch will become your friend too… with benefits.

Among the available kids apps, the "Baby and Toddler" category is by far the largest. Most of these apps are simply to keep the little one occupied while Mom catches her breath, but some of them do have merit.  Here are some of our favorites for this age bracket.

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox – I love this app, and to top it off, my kids do too. It is the perfect mix of fun and learning and it is incredibly age appropriate. My kids love the reward system of earning stickers and of course, they love that monkey. It might be for more for early preschool, but my kids at 4 still enjoy it.  Since it is relatively easy, you would think that they would get bored easily, but I haven't found that to be the case.  It is easy, but it is also a great confidence builder.

First Words - You might want to start with First Words Sampler and if you like it, you can purchase their full version apps like First Words Animals and First Words Deluxe.  This is an early childhood app that is great for letter recognition and it introduces kids to spelling. 

Dr. Seuss ABC - If you or your kids like Dr. Seuss and who doesn't, this interactive book is a great place to start.  It looks fantastic and the narrator's voice is clear and concise. (important when you are learning your letters and letter sounds)  You can interact with the book, by touching the pictures on screen and the narrator will tell you the name of the object as well as the word will pop up.   Cat in the Hat, Grinch, and the Lorax are also currently available.

Super Why! - For fans of Super Why! on PBS, this app is a nice extension of that show.  The app is excellent on many levels, it contains 4 different games, it has characters your kids are familiar with and the game is easy to navigate.  The games are letter recognition, word choice, letter tracing, and a rhyming game. 

Little Bella "I Close My Eyes" - I absolutely adore Little Bella...  She is enchanting and completely endearing in this little animated storybook.  The animations are top notch and look like they got pulled straight from "Ponyo"  Two thumbs way up for Little Bella.  Can't wait for the next one...

Kero - If you look in the dictionary under “Cute little kids game” This would be it. It’s perfect for really young kids and at least funny for the older ones. In this game, you are Kero the frog, and you must help Kero eat as many flies as he can. It doesn’t get much simpler than this and it doesn’t even keep score, but the kids all love the ending of this game so I won’t spoil it.

Treat Street – This is a Trick or Treating game that my Evan really loves. It’s great for Halloween time, but my kids want to trick or treat all year round with this little app. This app is super simple, yet still fun. It begins with dressing your character up for Halloween then going out and knocking on doors for tricks or treats... Sometimes you get a trick, sometimes you get a treat. There’s not much to it, but it’s definitely worth 99 cents.

Make Me a Princess – I don’t see how you can NOT have this on your Touch or iPhone if your daughter like princesses and dress up. My daughter McKenna adores this app and this is clearly her favorite. There are other dress up apps, but we think this is the best.
 

Cookie Doodle - This is the latest game all my kids love.  I like it because it involves decorating virtual cookies and not shooting virtual aliens with virtual guns.  Start by choosing a cookie dough, bake, then make a dizzying number of choices to decorate your cookie.  When you're done, you can eat it or save it in the cookie jar.  Excellent, just excellent.

Other recommendations - Animal Hide and Seek, Preschool Connect the Dots, The Rescue of Ginger, Pickin' Time.

Moving on to apps for the Kindergarten set, I found this category to be surprisingly small. There are tons of apps for the toddler in your life, but not much for kids who are at the next level.  I’m sure the market is dictating what kind of games get developed, but the dearth of options here is certainly disheartening.

Teach Me Kindergarten - Really like this app, but it starts off way too easy. The questions get continually harder, but it seems like it takes too long. I wish you could adjust the level manually.  That being said, Nash and I really do like this app. Hopefully an update comes...  KidCalc is another choice here for more math options.

I Spy Spooky Mansion - Nash loves I Spy and also all things spooky, so this is a match made in heaven. We'll sometimes turn down the lights and play this in his room and get creeped out together.  This app is beautifully rendered and makes good use of the pinch and zoom feature.  Highly recommend.

Where's Waldo - This is another seek and find app that's a lot of fun and quite different from the I Spy apps.  There is a storyline, different destinations, a world map and best of all, it has a kid level and a normal level for Dads who want to play too.

Word Girl - I like this app, but I wish I could love it.  It is very short and I wish it would teach more words.

Math Bumpies - This app is a nice mix of learning and gameplay.  It is really simple using the accelerometer to move your character and jumping to the correct multiple choice answer.  It has 3 difficulty levels and while the gameplay is a little too simple, the magic here is that they are learning while playing a "game"

WeeMee Avatar Creator - This one is fun for all ages.  I admit to using this app for over an hour creating an avatar for each of my kids and for myself of course...  The kids have a good time creating avatars for themselves, their parents or friends.  Again, good fun without the blasting of robots or aliens.

Other Kid Games

Rat on a Scooter

Doodle Jump

Crazy Penguin Catapult (Nash loves this one and Crazy Penguin 2)

Toy Story Mania (just like the ride)

Disney Fireworks (a little bit hard even on easy level, but pretty good)

Fish Frenzy lite
Nut Chuckin lite
Sneezies lite (pop the bubbles)
Phineas and Ferb (My kids love Phineas and Ferb, but I haven't got this cuz they would go straight for this and ignore everything else. I'll get it eventually)

Chop Chop Ninja  - There's some violence in this one, but it's pretty tame compared to what kids see these days. You are a Ninja and you do fight Bad Guys so I'll let you use your discretion, but it is fun, beautifully done in cartoon style and the controls are very easy for the kids.

Well, that's about all he wrote... There are a few other apps worth mentioning, but this is a good list to get started.  Beware, there are a lot of horrible apps out there so it's always best to try to find a "Lite" or "Free" version before buying.  I have bought several apps that have made its way immediately into the recycle bin after only a few minutes of play.  The only other advice I can give you is to treat each app like a "present".  Give them out one by one.  Just like at Christmas, when you give a kid six "presents" he will pick one favorite and the rest will be ignored.  Let him open one, play it, exhaust it, then move on to the next.  That way, you will get the most mileage, and your kid will too.

Have fun and let me know if you have any apps to recommend as well.  Maybe now, you can eat your Beef Noodle Soup in peace.

Spring Break with the Wongs

It's pretty rare when I need to twist my wife's arm, but as Spring Break approached, a family vacation was on the docket and I needed to push my proposal through Congress and fast... For once, in what seems a very long time, The Twins (Evan and McKenna) and my oldest son (Nash) had vacation time on the same exact week and we simply needed to capitalize on this opportunity.

Our story begins with our Hero nearing Spring Break and he is tired and hungry for "arm twisting" can take a terrible toll. Finally, the Evil Queen relents and agrees to a "little" vacation. Victory is so sweet...

Like so many other families these days, budget is an issue, so we agree to a destination that is within driving distance. San Diego is in the "been there, done that" category so it was time to head back up North. As every family in LA will attest, there are really only 3 vacations within driving distance. South to San Diego, East to Las Vegas, or North to San Francisco. There are things in between like Palm Springs and Mammoth and the like, but with a family with smaller kids, surely these are the options that lie before us. San Francisco was the choice this time as the Twins have never been north and Nash has never been higher than Monterey (Nash was 2 at the time so I don't think he remembers much anyways)

I enjoy seeking out new adventures for myself and my family on our trips and not just doing the same things over and over. So when you think of "New Adventures", what immediately comes to mind? Gilroy, California of course. Hey, don't knock it, many adventures await us in the Garlic Capital of the World.

There are many reasons to visit the alluring and seductive town known as Gilroy, (the Gilroy Outlets, the ubiquitous smell of Garlic) but my main reason to visit the illustrious Gilroy is that this town is home to a theme park I have been eyeballing for a while now called Gilroy Gardens. Over the years, I have become a theme park enthusiast and Gilroy Gardens came onto my radar as one of the best theme parks in California for kids and the only horticulturally based theme park. Let me tell you that this park lived up to my expectations and more, but more on that later. Let's start at the beginning...

Day one started like any other day, an alarm clock that rings at 5 AM and bloodshot eyes. I would like to say that we were in the car and driving by 5:30, but alas, what road trip ever starts at the appointed time? 45 minutes or so later, we were officially on our way, and with 3 kids under 7, that is a feat worth applauding! As a sidebar, getting our kids up in the wee hours was surprisingly easy for the fact that my kids simply adore vacations and going places. Yes I know, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I get it... Drinking my prerequisite early morning Diet Coke we head up the 5 toward Sunny Bakersfield. My kids are yammering about Pokemon while unbeknownst to them, the Journey has officially begun. Sidebar #2, for the foreseeable future, I don't see myself getting away with any family vacations that do not include "rides" in some way or fashion. My kids just love "rides" and theme parks and they do no consider any trip a "Real" vacation without "rides." Yes, Apple... Tree... Got it.

Day One continues uneventfully with the occasional threat of "Do you want to go home?" "I can turn around right now if you guys don't start behaving" but other than the idle threat-making, the drive was pretty smooth. Why do we parents continue to make these idle threats? And what offense seriously constitutes the act of actually turning around and going home? Good thing, the kids don't know that I already booked and prepaid my hotel stays and theme park tickets. Slightly off topic, I must comment that, in my number of years driving, I have never seen so many cops and speed traps on the road. City budgets must be low... Be careful out there.

We arrive at Gilroy Gardens in decent time and thank God for GPS for the signage to the park was not very helpful. We finally find the entrance to the park and are immediately put off by the large sign that is weather beaten and badly needing some paint. Usually this is an ominous sign like in Scream, when the caller tells Drew Barrymore to turn on the backyard lights... However my disappointment is short lived as I pull into the parking lot and a beautiful world unfolds before my eyes. This property is lush and gorgeous. Set back up against a tree filled mountain, this park is situated in a true Wonderland. Only Busch Gardens in Virgina can match the natural beauty surrounding this park. As I read the literature on the place, Mr. Bonfante wanted to create a place to host his beautiful gardens, but he also knew that financially, it didn't make sense. In order for his dream to become a reality, "rides" would need to be added and the result is a perfect mix of flora, fauna, and fun. If you have kids under 10, I highly recommend this place for your next trip. In my mind, it comes very close to rivalling Legoland as the best park for younger kids in California. Legoland has more money behind it and some better rides, but Gilroy Gardens makes up for it in charm and a hometown feel. I can't help but think that with a little TLC, this place could be one step short of amazing. I salivate at the idea of Disney buying it and putting their dollars behind this little park. It would make a fine sister park under the Disney umbrella. That idea of course is pure Fantasyland... I could get into the details of this park, but that would make this blog 10 pages, so let if suffice to say that I adored this park and my kids did too. Nash is already asking to go back there for his birthday...

The rest of the day is spent catching some Mexican food at Victoria's. Decent food, but Americanized Mexican food is not making my Hot List. We chose to stay at the Best Western Forest Park Inn, Tripadvisor's #1 rated hotel in Gilroy! Whoo Hoo! Basically a motel, but it was very clean, beds comfortable and lacking any detracting smells I get from similar motels at this price point, so I recommend the place. 89 bucks a night to stay here.

The next morning, the kids arise from their newly acquired sleeping bags raring to go. The plan is to hit the Monterey Bay Aquarium when it opens to avoid the crowds. After a distinctly mediocre hotel provided breakfast, we pile into the car and drive south to Monterey. We arrive early and Lily does the math and decides that street parking is a cheaper option to parking in a pay lot. The meter devours every last quarter in my car . I have a bag of quarters on my dresser from a long lost poker game that would have been greatly utilized on this trip, but hindsight is 20/20. If you trip up north, bring quarters. The meters up here are much hungrier than its counterparts in LA.


As our quest continues, we find our Heroes entering the museum flashing their AAA Card around like Wayne and Garth only to be told that discount tickets can be purchased by AAA members at a AAA office, but not here at the museum. Kyle pays full price... As an Asian, I am offended to pay full price, but for the kids I suck it up and bite the bullet. For the kids man... for the kids. The Aquarium is nice and empty and we head straight to the kids area as that particular area gets very nutty very quickly. We enjoy our time there as the crowds start to swell. There is a whole new side to the aquarium and it is very welcome as I have always considered the Monterey Bay Aquarium rather small. We enjoy our time and Lily takes the kids for the last few exhibits while I use the Yelp app on my phone to search for some clam chowdery goodness. Yelp leads me to Old Fisherman's Grotto on the Wharf. We head there and immediately hawkers and dime store merchants accost me, I wonder what I am doing in this tourist trap. With only a shred of my sanity left, I finally set my eyes upon a ghastly yellow building and on the sign out front read "Old Fisherman's Grotto" I want to turn and run and find my mommy, but I found a good parking space and I can't give it up. We decide to stay and after a short wait, we order a Lobster, Combo plate, Linguine and Clams and receive a free appetizer by mentioning Yelp. True to my over-indulgent history, I order way too much food, but the food we had was surprisingly darn good considering good food never exists in tourist trap hells like this. Portions were large and the Clam Chowder was very tasty, a little light on clams, but very tasty. It was served in a huge clam shell and I felt like asking for 2 straws, some liquor and some little umbrellas to put in it and then light it on fire. I definitely can recommend this place if you are looking for that typical tourist seafood restaurant. Big portions, solid food. Overpriced, of course, but that's what you expect from these kind of places.

With full bellies, we want to do one more activity and work off lunch so we head to Dennis the Menace Park not 5 minutes from the Wharf. This park is certainly impressive from the street with it's rope bridge and giant archway. There's even a full size locomotive (Train) in front of the park that the kids can climb all over. My kids did indeed climb all over it, but I was right behind them because this thing is full size and some 20 feet tall. I don't recommend young people on the train, I cringe at thought of someone falling from that height. We spend over an hour here as my kids slide down hills, climb rock walls and run through a small maze. Great park with not your run of the mill playground equipment. Definitely worth stopping by and it's completely free!

Head back to the hotel and it starts pouring rain. Still need to eat dinner so I go back to my trusty Yelp app and find Famous Dave's Barbecue. Famous Dave's is a chain and most you know, I am allergic to most chains outside of maybe Houstons. I break out into hives when someone even mentions Applebees... Using extreme caution, I put my allergic reactions aside and we proceed to have a terrific meal. Baby back Ribs, Barbecue Chicken, Brisket, Baked Beans with Bacon, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and some really good Corn Bread Muffins. This was a rare meal where every dish that hit our table was bordering on delicious. Sometimes with chain restaurants, locations vary in quality, so can't speak for all the Famous Dave's locations, but I can tell you that they have won numerous awards for their barbecue and this location lived up to the hype. They have location in Long Beach and I'm planning a trip there very soon.

During every vacation Lily and I take, there will come a time in the trip where we simply must have Chinese Food. I don't know exactly what it is, maybe it's in our blood, but eventually rice and greasy MSG ridden food call out to me. As San Francisco Chinese restaurants sing their Siren's Song, the next day we make our way to San Francisco and Hong Kong Lounge for Dim Sum. We arrive at 9:30 or so and the darn place doesn't open till 11. We call an audible and head to the Exploratorium. The Exploratorium is closed on Mondays. This day is going swimmingly... Another audible is called and we head back to Hong Kong Lounge. It is now 11:30 and there is a considerable wait for tables now. My intolerance for waiting is legendary, but I really want to try this place so I stay, and I am happy I did. Dim Sum in San Francisco is always a little different than LA. I'm not sure why, but different things are served here. My head was on a swivel as I walked in to the restaurant looking at everybody else's food. As I gawked at every table like Charlie Bucket in the Candy Shop, everything looked so delicious and it was. Hong Kong Lounge actually still use Bamboo Steamers to serve their food. I haven't seen Bamboo Steamers since I was a child. Even on my trip to Hong Kong, we never saw a hint of bamboo so we were very pleased and left satisfied. I can definitely recommend the place as well, but go right at 11.

With the Exploratorium closed and being in San Francisco, we decide to ride the cable cars down to the Wharf. The kids really enjoyed the first 5 minutes, but after that, it just became a bumpy, uncomfortable ride. We get to the Wharf and immediately again wonder what the heck we are doing here. We walk for a bit, hit a candy store to appease the tykes and head back to the cable car station. The line is long and the a cable car employee told us that it will be an hour wait. After waiting some 40 minutes, a cable car breaks down and we give up and take a taxi back to our car. My kids enjoy the "crazy taxi ride" way more than the cable car. Go figure.

We have time for one more quick jaunt and Lily has a hankering for Ice Cream. Lily has done her research so we head to Mitchell's. This is really a small unassuming place and thank goodness there wasn't a long line like we expected. This is some of the best Ice Cream I or Lily has ever consumed. Better than Blue Bell, much better than Fosselmans. It was creamy without being too rich and it was just Ice Cream perfection. We will be back. Full of ice creamy goodness, we head to the Bay Landing Hotel and check in. We decide to stay by the airport as we were only in the city one day. An added bonus was the cheaper rate, 99 bucks and free parking. The hotel was located right on the bay and had a great view of airplanes landing at SFO. The kids loved watching the planes land against the setting sun of another great day.

That night, I leave the kids with Lily and head back into the city. Angels and Airwaves are playing tonight in San Francisco for their First date on the American Tour. Funny coincidence don't you think? Somehow my vacation perfectly syncs up with a show I really want to attend and already hold tickets for... Hmmm. Well, I'll let that mystery go unsolved so I park the car and immediately head to Blondies for a huge slice of pepperoni pizza. Who doesn't love Blondies? The show was very good and it felt good to be out on the town eating pizza and rocking out without the kids for one night. My kids go down at 7:30, 8:30 at the latest on vacations, so with one room, I am forced to go to sleep then as well. I find it torture to go to bed that early and it was nice to be back on some sort of adult sleeping schedule if only for one night. Next time, a suite will be in order.


The last day of our quest arrives and the Little Heroes are begging for "more vacation" I consider it, but Lily needs to get back to work. I google search an activity we can do on the way down and I find the Coyote Point Park in San Mateo. This park is only minutes from the hotel and not in the middle like I was hoping, but it looks super cool so we head there. 5 bucks to park a car and we find a beautiful park with a playground, museum, beach access and a golf course that I pined for, but could not partake. The playground here is called Magic Mountain Playground. I don't get the name, but either way, it's one of the best playgrounds I have ever taken my kids to. It is awesome with a tall 3 story castle in the middle of the playground. Coming out of that castle is a tube slide running all the way down from the top level. Nothing in LA like this exists period. I wonder why No Cal has all the good parks? Nash made a friend as he so often does and the kid even gave Nash his phone number so he could call him for future playdates. My kids thanked me profusely for bringing them here and McKenna kisses me on the cheek. We should have hit the road, but the explorer in me wouldn't quit without at least taking a look at the museum. This little museum is part small zoo and part kids museum. My kids loved all the science exhibits and the little zoo was landscaped in such a way that nature and functionality flowed seamlessly. Throughout this trip, I have really noticed a connection to nature that Northern Cal has and that Southern Cal seemingly does not. Oh well, I shan't dwell over it lest I become bereft... Overall, it was a pleasant and unexpected experience and one that I am so happy to have stumbled upon. Well, at this point we really needed to hit the road, but of course, we need to eat first. I saw a In N Out a mile back so we head there. The line is 20 cars long so we go to L+L Hawaiian BBQ next door. L+L is super hit and miss with me, but this location in Burlingame was spot on. Chicken Katsu Curry... My tummy is still warm just thinking about it. Things works out perfectly as full kids get food coma, and food coma leads to napping in the car. The silence was golden as we drove right on down the road.

After many pee breaks, we finally return home to spoiled milk and a house that smelled like old laundry. Ahhh... Home sweet home. This was a wonderful trip and like all of our trips, a gastronomic adventure even with kids. Kids definitely limit your food choices, but good food can be had with kids in tow and my belly is living proof.

Eat on everybody, eat on.

K