SIDE OF FRYS

Look Who's Paying Us A Visit...

2010-10-07T19:14:00.001-07:00

That's right! After a long time of hoping, we're having a baby!
Stork flies April 3. We couldn't be more thrilled!!!!

Breakin' up is hard to do...

2009-09-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

...but sometimes it's for the best. Sorry "The Office," but you've just been dropped from our line-up of watched shows. We'd give you the "it's not you, it's me" routine, but honestly, it is you. You're just not funny anymore and haven't been for awhile now. We tried liking you, we really did, but it's just not working out. So with little regret we inform you that you've been replaced by Olivia Dunham and Pacey Witter, I mean Peter Bishop of Fringe. We're much happier now.

On Marriage

2009-07-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

It’s been a few weeks, but hey, it’s never too late to celebrate the old ball and chain (I mean, wedded bliss!) We celebrated our third anniversary in Newport Beach and it was sooo luxurious, partly because we beat the 107 heat wave at home in exchange for sunny 75. Newport Beach is just as I remembered it from watching the O.C. – all ritzy and boat-harbory and beautiful. But I had no idea it was so patriotic! Since I happen to LOVE the USA, I was pleasantly surprised.

Reflections on marriage: Before I got married, I always heard that you shouldn’t marry someone unless you’ve experienced four seasons and a road trip with that person. I happen to agree with that philosophy, but I have something to add. Four seasons, a road trip, and putting together a piece of IKEA furniture. I’m happy to report that the Mr. and I were able to pass all three tests, although there were some tense moments while building the KULLEN wardrobe right before the big day. Somehow we survived amidst the incessant barking of orders (him) and all of the unabashed swearing (me). (I’ve since seen the error of my ways and now reserve my swearing for the most extreme of circumstances – i.e. driving in SF suburbs and discussing politics.)

Now that it’s been a few years, I am even more convinced that I married the best. Someone who makes me laugh, someone who makes me safe and someone who I can’t wait to see every day. Oh, and someone who doesn’t mind me sleeping during each and every road trip – thanks babe. Here’s to 70 more (I’m optimistic)!

Top 5 follow up

2009-06-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

After reading the Mrs.' list of Top 5 Worst Male Actors (which I quite agree with) I thought I'd come up with my own. Feel free to comment with any suggestions, but just know that this list is set in stone baby. So to round out this category, here's a male's perspective on the....

Top 5 Worst Female Actors

5. Katherine Heigl - You didn't submit your name for Emmy consideration because you felt you weren't given the material to justify it. What a cop out! If you're given crap material then you do the best you can with it. And if you're able to create a great performance with horrible writing then guess what, you'd be a great actress! Unfortunately for you that's not the case. Your mom knew best when she said you “didn’t have a shot in hell of winning.” Congratulations, you suck.

Hey look at me, I have a cellphone! News flash, a lot of us do.

4. Tara Reid - Part of being a good actress is the ability to make the audience believe that you really could be the character you're playing. That if the story contained in the film were in fact some alternate reality you really would be that person. Tara was once cast as a "young genius anthropologist with an incredible memory." No further explanation necessary.

Sorry Tara, but I scowered the internet for the best picture
I could find and this is all there was I promise.

3. Paris Hilton - My, I don't even know where to start with Paris and really I think her being on this list goes without saying. My reasoning for placing her third and not first or second, is that she's a dimwit and really doesn't know what she's doing. She never should have been given a chance to act in the first place, but whatever.

Take my picture I'm famous! My contributions to society include crying
during my DUI court appearance and coining the phrase "That's hot."

2. Nicholas Cage - Surprise! He's a woman. Even though s/he's played some tough guy roles and tries at times to be a bad a**, s/he just can't do it without exuding his/her inner Fem prowess. But really, its not totally his/her fault s/he's a bad actor. Hollywood needs to stop giving free passes to relatives of previously famous people. Just because s/he's Francis Ford Coppola's nephew/neice doesn't mean s/he has any business acting.

This picture just SCREAMS chick.

1. Sandra Oh - Congratulations! You're the big winner! Each and every performance of yours I see I want to gouge my eyes out. After all, isn't that what acting is all about?

What exactly are you doing in this picture?

And then here's one more for good measure...

Der.

Top 5 Maiden Voyage

2009-06-18T00:03:00.000-07:00

Is it June already? Shoot, just wrote that pet post with the skanky lady on top. Where did the time go?

I've decided to revisit an old pasttime, but this time in the blogosphere. Top 5. It will never be quite as good as it was when scrawled in dry erase marker on the mirror at the Albright house, but will hopefully garner at least some of the serious thought and respect given back in the day. I distinctly remember discussing at length the "Top 5 Action Movies of All Time." I don't remember what was at the top, but I remember "Heat" was definitely in the mix. Come to think of it, there was a lot of discussion about "Heat" in that house.

Here's how this is going to go. Each week (or whenever I feel like it) I'll post a "Top 5" list on a particular topic. I'll provide justification for my choices (when needed; some will be obvious.) I would looooove your feedback. If you disagree with my list (or the order thereof), leave me a comment, with a sound argument, of course, and if I decide to revise the list, I'll post the revision and credit you (and/or your blog) for it. You can also leave a comment with a suggestion for a list topic (cause I might run out of ideas and then have an excuse not to post for another 6 months.) Ok. On to the first list.

TOP 5 WORST MALE ACTORS

5. John Travolta. Two words: Battlefield. Earth.

4. Kevin Costner. His most believable character had to be Robin Hood.

3. David Caruso. One-liners+sunglasses+The Who = Awesomely bad. He is good in a montage, though.

2. Nicolas Cage. Kinda reminds me of that guy in high school who is always on the downhill of a really low-grade mj high. He delivers every line like a token "stoner" from the 80's.

and drumroll...

1. Keanu Reeves. When your best role of all time is Ted Theodore Logan from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, it's time to get out of the business. Although, to be fair, he plays a pretty good alien robot. Robot voice, robot voice...

Happy New Year!

2009-01-08T20:29:00.001-08:00

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION: Find more ridiculous things to blog about.

I'm starting off this year with a DOOZIE.

If you're a pet lover or know someone who is (and I mean Real Pet Lover), here are a few ideas to jump start your holiday shopping for Christmas '09. And I'm not making these up, folks. (Just kicking myself for not thinking of them first.)

I present to you:

The Puppoose

Awwww. The perfect petcessory. (Might want to sedate Fido before trying this one out...)

Pet Cremation Urns

Complete with a digital photo slide show. Kinda sad, but, well, funny.

The Life Jewel Pendant

For $75, you could have "a wearable charm made with DNA collected from a cheek swab from your pet." FINALLY a company exists that will collect your pet's slobber. It's not like they're just GIVING it away.

The Dog Walker

Sure hope that little guy can keep up. His neck is literally on the line.

The Hotdoll

Knick, knack, paddy-whack, give your dog a bone.

R U a princess 2?

2008-11-26T21:27:00.000-08:00

The Mr. and I were having a long conversation about this after seeing one of these frames on a car in the Outback parking lot the other night. According to him, "people who have these plates are either stuck up b's and actually think they are royalty, or they really wish they were and need validation from other people who see their plates (and/or velour pants)."

Well said, my love. I couldn't agree more.

Anyone else out there feel the same way? Or are you guilty of this gross offense? (If so, do you fall under category A or B?)

At a venue near you...

2008-10-31T17:22:00.000-07:00

Slash and Darth Maul. Making beautiful music together.*

Happy Halloween!

(*We're still voting YES on Prop 8)

Farm animals attempt world domination

2008-10-28T00:11:00.000-07:00

California voters have the chance to voice their opinions in regards to many things this coming November 4th, one of them being Proposition 2. Prop 2 would create new standards for the confining and treatment of farm animals. I don't know about you, but personally I don't need to feel like the chicken I'm eating lived in a penthouse suite in order for me to enjoy it. A little bit of the bbq sauce is about all I need.

Prop 2 would require farms to provide animals with "an adequate exercise area." Hell, I don't have an adequate exercise area! Whether or not animals have enough space to do their morning pilates routine should be the least of our concerns. Sure, it starts with space but then where will it end? Gym memberships? Personal trainers? Total World Domination!?

More on Prop 8

2008-10-18T14:18:00.000-07:00

Just saw this video - thought it was informative... (and features an old friend from LA1/SM3 days) Nice work.

Preserving Marriage

Me Venting.

2008-10-17T00:16:00.001-07:00

I'm all for following politics (see previous post). But the word "look" has been waaaay overused in debates, interviews, etc. Fred Armisen on SNL does a good Barack impersonation, beginning most of his remarks with "Look..." and it's funny. But enough is enough. It seems the word is contagious. Now, Joe Biden starts every sentence with the word "look", and tonight on Letterman, McCain was doing the same thing. STOP IT ALREADY. And p.s., shouldn't it be "Listen..."? AAAAHHH.

Weighing In

2008-10-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love election year. I really do. I enjoy all of the political banter (CNN on the left, FOX on the right, SNL in the middle (?) (side note: Tina Fey = hI-LARious), and the debates are interesting too (except that last one. bo-ring.) I also really like learning about the issues and voting my conscience on election day. And I even like watching the results roll in, although my votes aren't usually *winners*, oh the plight of a conservative from California.

Anyway, I've been giving a great deal of thought to Prop 8 these past few weeks. I've been working at a phone bank speaking with voters about the issue, and I feel like there are some misconceptions out there, and some of the ads and signs I've seen are perpetuating them.

Misconception #1. People who are PRO proposition 8 are ANTI gay. That is a pretty broad generalization, and I'm sure that there are some who are, but I would say that most of us aren't. We are pro preserving the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman.

Misconception #2. Proposition 8 denies same-sex couples the rights of marriage. As of 2007, California domestic partnerships are afforded ALL of the same rights and responsibilities as marriages under state law (California Family Code Section 297.5).

Misconception #3. Proposition 8 is analogous to the "separate but equal" racial laws of the Jim Crow era. Everyone has the right to marry if they choose. Everyone has the right to be in a domestic partnership if they choose. But those are two different things, by DEFINITION.

It's an important issue, the implications of which we may not fully understand. So study it and all the issues in your handy voter guide, be an informed voter, and don't forget to vote on November 4th! What an awesome country we live in - thank goodness for democracy and for our constitution. God Bless America!!

Red Box Etiquette

2008-09-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for a deal. DVDs (new releases!) for $1? From a vending machine? I'm just sad I didn't think of it first. For those of you unsure of how the process works, it goes (or should go) like this:

Step 1 - Find a Red Box near you. (You can even reserve Red Box DVDs online.)

Step 2 - Wait in line at the Red Box (usually not a long line, but that depends on when and where you go. I would avoid Friday night at, say, 6pm.)

Step 3 - Follow the instructions on the screen, and press the right buttons. (I'm always amazed at people who seem to be BAFFLED by touch-screen technology, excluding of course the extremely aged or foreign.)

Step 4 - Choose your movie selection(s). (Here's a tip: Do a little thinking in advance of red-boxing. What genre might you be in the mood for tonight? What movies have actually been released? What has your spouse/bf/gf/children already seen? Don't wait until you are standing in front of the RB to work through this thought process.)

Step 5 - Checkout. (Kind of a no brainer - just swipe your card. Preferably one that hasn't been maxed out or canceled.)

Step 6 - Take the movie home and enjoy. Bask in the $1 goodness and then guiltlessly splurge on $8 worth of Ben and Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk.

Step 7 - Return the movie the next day. (You can return it to ANY REDBOX LOCATION. Genius.)

Step 8 - See steps 2 and 3. (Don't ask to cut in front of those waiting in line to "really quickly return my movie so it's not late" or worse, ask someone who is waiting ahead of you to return your DVD for you. Plan ahead.)

Aah, the miracle of Red Box. Now you can be a responsible Red Boxer too!

Our Bucket Runneth Over...

2008-08-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight we went on a quest for some diet A&W root beer. Not easy to find, but after striking out at a few places, we saw the bright glow of the A&W/KFC restaurant in the night sky, and figured, why not go to the source? So, we pulled up to the window and here's the exchange that followed:

Drive-thru guy: "All we got's chicken."

Me: "What about drinks? Do you have drinks?"

Drive-thru guy: "Yeah. We have drinks."

Me: "Diet root beer?"

Drive-thru guy: "Yeah."

Me: "I'll take the biggest one you got."

Drive-thru guy: "It's a half gallon."

Me: "Does it come in a bottle?"

Drive-thru guy: "It comes in a bucket." --pause-- "It has handles."

Me: "Sold. I'll take two."

--long pause--

Drive-thru guy: "I can make you a deal on some chicken."

--laughter from us, silence from the window--

Drive-thru guy: "That'll be $4.68 at the second window."

One stop at the second window, and we were on our way. He wasn't joking about the handles.

mmm mmm root beer with the colonel.

Olympic Fever......

2008-08-11T09:43:00.001-07:00

“The Americans? We’re going to smash them. That’s what we came here for.”
- Alain Bernard, France

"Au contraire, mon ami."
- Bob Costas, USA

Ch Ch Changes...

2008-07-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, loyal readers, we are moving again. I've always liked the idea of moving to a new place - a fresh start, new people, new experiences, the thrill of finding the closest Target...

I dislike, however, the physical packing & lifting labor involved in moving. Packing is just sooooooo tedious. This is partly due to the fact that I inherited the trait of packing things "tetris-style" from my dad. Everything must be packed utilizing space in the most efficient manner possible - the boxes, the trunk of the car, the Uhaul, the dishwasher...

And I don't know about you, but no matter how organized I try to be, I always end up with way too many boxes like this:

Hence, me sitting here blogging instead of packing.

I love the 4th of July

2008-07-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

The 4th of July has always been a memorable holiday for me. Our family's tradition of celebrating the 4th includes a parade with drum majors (ending in a flag raising ceremony), a program (each family sharing a story/song/piece of American history or trivia, etc.), a yummy picnic, complete with watermelon and sugar cookies decorated as American flags (which we baked and decorated with Granny), swimming up at the pool, and a family baseball game. Oh, the memories...

So, in honor of our family tradition, and even though we won't be with family during the 4th, I offer this quiz to see just how much we all know about America... (and anyone who wants to bake some flag cookies for me, make sure there are 7 red stripes - Granny said so.) Good luck!

Being an American

Lastly, a tribute to America the Beautiful...enjoy!

Move Over Bacon...

2008-03-30T17:14:00.001-07:00

Lately, all the mirrors around our place have begun to resemble fun house mirrors, so the Mr. and I decided to take a chapter (page?) from our friend Greg's blog and do a dietary intervention. For Greg, life-long change. For us, month-long pain (or pang, I suppose). It's been 12 days (and counting), and we've been very conscientious eaters indeed. Here's the deal: Yes to fruit. Yes to vegetables. Yes to beans. Yes to other "legumes". Yes to whole grains (brown rice, barley, oats, wheat, etc.) No to meat. No to poultry. No to dairy. No to complex carbohydrates. No to refined sugar. No to oil. No to pre-packaged, processed foods.

Fresh is in.

Flavor is out.

Ok, that last part isn't entirely true. You can find a great deal of flavor in the fresh herb section of the supermarket (where is that, you say? Hint: Not in the ice cream aisle.)

So far, it's been going pretty good - minus the bouts of hunger and changes in "plumbing" (need I elaborate?) and we're feeling healthier and leaner, which was sort of the goal to begin with. Combined total weight loss to date = 12 lbs. Not bad. We're only in this for another two weeks or so, and after that we'll begin to phase back in some of the things on the "no" list. For now, we have to make do with dreaming about those Robin's Eggs from the Easter aisle that we stashed away for later...

I too, have a dream.

2008-03-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

I realize that I am a few weeks late, but in honor of Black History Month, I've come up with a list of things, in addition to slavery, that would be abolished if I were the ruler of the world (free or otherwise). These are in no particular order.

1. Skinny jeans for men. I may be speaking out of turn here, but since when did men want to accentuate their skinnyness? Back in 7th grade, it wasn't cool for a boy to be the "skinny kid", and as far as I'm concerned, it still isn't.

2. Moment of Truth reality show. I admit to having watched the first episode out of curiosity, but now I'm convinced it is of the devil. A game show that ruins relationships and people's self respect for some quick cash? Whatever happened to nooooooo whammys? Now that was some good, clean fun.

3. Steroid hearings before Congress. I may be wrong, but aren't we in the middle of an extremely controversial war? Economic downturn? Environmental melting crisis? How does a professional athlete's use of steroids make it to the top of Congress' agenda? If members of Congress wanted to be on ESPN that badly, they should have gone into sports broadcasting. Does anyone even know who this guy is (far right)? (side note: steroid hearings look very unpleasant.)

4. Rosie O'Donnell.

5. No Child Left Behind. I am, however, okay with "No Child Left Behind by its Parents" which makes a lot more sense. If more parents spent some time teaching their own kids the principles of hard work, respect, responsibility, ethics, initiative, and integrity, public education would be far more effective.

6. Cell phone earpieces. I'm sure they are very convenient. They just look ridiculous.

7. Myspace. There, I said it. I realize this is EXTREMELY controversial. But since when did we start counting screen names and photoshopped images as friends? Sorry, Dale. Your book has just been replaced.

Before:

After:

Enough said. I guess I should have labeled this post "Soapbox with a Twist". But thanks for reading!

Ahh, the golden years.

2008-01-30T15:51:00.000-08:00

So yesterday's trip to the grocery store proved that one can find humor in almost any situation. It started out as a typical Safeway run until, while waiting in the checkout line, the Mr. pointed out the items behind ours on the conveyor belt which belonged to the 70+ year old man in line behind us...

followed closely by...

I don't know who was more surprised/amused - us, or the lucky little lady waiting back at home...

Achin' on Broadway

2008-01-26T21:21:00.000-08:00

There are no words...

What can Brown do for you?

2008-01-19T13:19:00.000-08:00

Like most people, we enjoy the thrill of receiving packages. Whether it's in the mail or some other delivery service, there's nothing quite like ordering something new and having it magically appear on your doorstep! The joy of tracking the package online and viewing its current whereabouts is fantastic. Eclipsed only by tracking said package and finding out that it's waiting at your front door!

Now depending on where you live and the demographics in your neighborhood this news may cause you a bit of worry. Not us! Our UPS driver hides our packages! For FREE! Take this shipment of our new digital camera for instance:

Completely concealed to the naked eye. Any would be thief would pass by totally unaware of the treasure hidden beneath the door mat. Much like David Copperfield, our UPS man is able to make things magically disappear. If you don't believe us just check out this shipment, full of hundreds of dollars worth of computer parts:

Invisible! Thanks UPS man!

Project Ricky

2008-01-18T18:43:00.000-08:00

I love Project Runway. It is one of the only things that really gets me over the hump that is Wednesday. This is only my second year of being a loyal watcher, and each week, I get so excited to see what the new challenge will be. Thus far in the competition, I think the judges have done a pretty fair job deciding who should be sent home each week. Except when it comes to Ricky.

Why is he still in the competition? Week after week, weep after weep, he fails to impress the judges, and somehow, GOOD DESIGNERS get the boot instead. Like Kit. I liked Kit. And Kevin. I'm no conspiracy theorist, but I think Michael Kors must own stock in whatever company makes those hats?

um, yeah. I guess you should have thought of that sooner.

2008-01-17T21:02:00.000-08:00

As many of my readers (wait, do I even have readers? I doubt it. My last post of the record 3 posts on this blog so far was july-ish) know, I teach high school. Now, there are many things I like to complain about when it comes to the teenagers I work with (for). However, I guess I shouldn't complain too much, seeing that I chose this profession and wasn't duty bound because of family traditions (although coincidentally, my mother was also a teacher).

Anyway, it happens to be the midpoint of the year (148 days until the last day of school, according to my Google countdown calendar), which means final exams. It also means it is the time when students feel the need to come up to my desk before/during/after class and ask if there is anything they can do to raise their grades so they won't fail the semester, thus not getting 5 units toward graduation. Um, TODAY is the final. And you have a 36%. Out of 100.

My first year of teaching, I took pity on these students. Sometimes their pleas involved tears, begging, even bribing, and I felt bad, and also hungry for chocolate chip cookies. I would allow them to turn in whatever makeup work they could possibly complete in a day's time and then I even tried to offer extra credit. I'm not so nice anymore. Now it goes something like this:

Failing student: "I really need the credits for this class. Is there anything I can to do raise my grade?"

Me: "Well, the way I see it, the only thing you could do at this point is build a time machine, and go back to when you could have come to class instead of cutting and do some work."

Do you think that's too insensitive?

The World's Most Greatest Male Singer of All of Time

2007-09-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

Let me start this entry out with this: Shame on me for taking so long.

For those who know me, and now for those who don't, my favorite band of all time is Soundgarden (followed by Led Zeppelin as a close second). Some of you may share my sentiment and to those people I tip my cap. Some of you may now be laughing or thinking, "This guy has horrible taste in music," to which I reply, "Suck it." Much of the music you hear today was directly influenced by the grunge era, specifically Soundgarden and a few other bands. It may not be all that noticeable because most of today's music lacks musicianship and is full of sucky electronic crap. The 80's are not a musical era I want to revisit.

But I digress. Anyways, I remember the day I heard that Soundgarden was breaking up. You can imagine my dismay. If felt like a close friend had just dropped a deuce on my forehead. Not an enjoyable experience. So I did what any grieving person would do, I refused to believe it. For a year. But eventually I had to come to terms with reality.

Much of my denial stemmed from the fact that I was only able to see them perform live once. Unfortunately while they were at the height of their popularity I was still at an age that fell under parental rule. So the day I came to terms with the break-up I swore to go to every and any show that involved Soundgarden or Chris Cornell.

Flash forward to July 10, at the Warfield in SF. I made good on my promise for the second time (the first being his tour for Euphoria Morning.) The show kicked what I like to refer to as "Ass." Tons of energy, great performance all around, and the crowd was way into it. It left me wondering why a Soundgarden reunion tour doesn't happen. At least 50% of the songs he played were Soundgarden songs and they were still awesome after all these years. It makes me wonder what all those tight pants wearing, mascara applying, no talent ass clowns on the radio these days think they're doing.

ps The phone on my camera sucks, but doesn't it just look like an awesome show?!

The Giant Factory

2007-07-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I had lunch with a friend and we chose to go to The Cheesecake Factory (henceforth to be known as The Giant Factory).

Now, this is not the first time I have gone to TGF, but this is the first time after creating a blog that I have eaten there, and now I have a forum through which I can share my thoughts on the subject. Let me preface this by saying that I like the restaurant, and we go there fairly often. This is not a "boo you cheesecake place" posting. All right then.

When I first went to The Giant Factory (sometime in the late '90s, possibly early '00s), I mistakenly thought it was a dessert place. It wasn't until I saw their giant menu that I realized it was much, much more. Those of you reading this who went to the BYU will understand when I say that the menu reminded me a little of the student directory. You know, the phone book where you are provided the names and contact information of everyone in your dating pool, and then, conveniently on the next page, are shown the places where you can buy everything you need to marry one of them (engagement rings, tuxedos, bridal gowns, you remember...)

Anyway, TGF has the same idea. Menu with all of their dishes (and there is a giant selection, thus fulfilling their slogan "something for everyone") interspersed with some local advertising. The first thing I ever ordered was the Santa Fe Salad - still one of my favorites - and although the picture doesn't do it justice, it was possibly the most giant salad I have ever eaten in my life. And I eat a lot of salad. Most everything I've ever ordered from TGF is truly giant. And if you don't believe me, order the lettuce wraps. Then there is the dessert selection, and in that department, TGF really excels. Not only do they have a giant selection of cheesecakes, but they also have about 15 other desserts, just in case you don't like cheesecake. However, if you would just try the Snickers Chunks Cheesecake, I'm sure you would change your mind. mmm mmm delicious.

During lunch, my friend commented that she had forgotten how large the restaurant was, and as I looked around, I realized that yes. yes it is. Yet another reason to call it The Giant Factory. And to think, all these factories all over the country with their giant interiors are all decorated with the same faux finishing.

Just who does all of that painting? And how in the world can TGF afford it? Maybe it's all that money they're getting from the menu advertising. But that's just a guess.

Only one downside of eating at TGF. Giant belly.

One Year and Counting...

2007-07-11T19:30:00.000-07:00

Well, we recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary by taking a trip to Baja, California - a.k.a. Mexico for people who didn't get their passports in time. Apparently, you need a passport to fly anywhere in Mexico, but you don't need one to go "by land or sea". So, we flew to San Diego, rented a car and drove to Mexico. It was great!

We stayed at this nice resort overlooking the ocean and had four days of relaxation and Mexican food. Technically, the Mexican food only lasted 2 days, and then we were hitting the Comercial Mexicana (think Wal-Mex) for pizza by the slice and McDonald's for some good old fashioned 'merican food. Food aside, there were many great surprises during our vacation. Much to our delight, our hotel room was anything but ordinary. Check out the romaaaaaaaantic touches:

In case you couldn't tell, you're looking at bath towel swans and toilet paper "fannery". A daily treat!

Another great surprise was the validation that we were indeed Smart People, which we discovered after eating burgers and fries (we said smart, not healthy) at this great place in Ensenada...

And then there was the giant pair of underpants we discovered at Foxploration in Puerto Nuevo. Not sure of their origination, but is that really important?

One of the biggest surprises of our trip happened while waiting to cross the border. See the giant ceramic turtle? Sold. Within seconds. Long live border commerce!

Adios, Mexico. It was a fun place to celebrate our first, and here's to many more! Oh, and good luck Nacho Garcia!

and this other border salesman...