CAMP: Re-connect with Family & Friends While Enjoying the Great Outdoors!

Today I met with the California Camping and RV Association Director Debbie Sipe and I talked with her about Camping. Now I must share I have been thinking about this for months with gas prices lower and my desire to re-connect with a few friends. I also feel camping is a great vacation alternative that is not real expensive.

In fact with the recession I think Camping is HOT right now. With the weather turning warmer and the desire to get together with family and friends I am planning a camping vacation this summer. It doesn't matter how you plan to camp -- motor home, fifth wheel, travel trailer, pop-up camper or stay in a cabin or tent -- just make the plan to get out with friends and family! CAMP for a few days, several weeks or a whole season

On the Camp California website, you can search by location, recreation facilities and amenities ... there is access to more than 400 RV parks and campgrounds! The parks included are generally privately owned and offer a wide array of features and services for their guests. Each park listing includes an amenity list so you can easily determine whether a park has the features you need! Their web site has camping discounts and a downloadable guide, event listings, RV sales and more.

Go to Camp California: http://www.camp-california.com/

CTTC Clothing Swap Postponed!

Dear Swappers!

Because of the interest and excitement around the “ CTTC Clothing Swap” the swap has been postponed to Thursday June 18^th, 2009. In fact the Building management has asked if they can make this swap available to all the building and expand the swap to the second floor conference room. We are forming a committee, if you are interested please let me know. I think this is a great opportunity to expand our swap offerings and exchange with other fashionable fellows.

We have expanded the offerings to swap. Now we are swapping Children’s clothes too! And all clothes not swapped will be donated to the very worthy cause “Women’s Empowerment” and “Weave.”

California Travel & Tourism Commission’s Green Group presents

Sustainable Style Clothing Swap

Today is Denim Day: Wear Denim to Show Your Support...

“Peace Over Violence” Denim Day, a campaign to raise awareness and educate the public about rape and sexual assault.

I hope you will join me in wearing Denim to stand in support of the survivors of sexual violence.

Why Denim Day?

Less than a decade ago Italian judges did not convict a rapist because the victim wore jeans.

Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, there were 1,117 rapes during the year 2003,

with only 260 rape suspects arrested.

82.8% of rapes committed by an intimate are not reported to the police.

35% of college men who voluntarily participated in psychological research conducted at several

universities indicated they might commit a rape if they knew they could get away with it.

Two million children around the world are forced into prostitution every year.

Law enforcement arrests for Internet sex crimes against minors is on the rise.

15,000 to 19,000 people with developmental disabilities are raped each year in North America.

Survivors deserve support and assistance, not shame and blame.

We want to build healthy relationships, families and communities free from sexual, domestic and

interpersonal violence.

Source: www.denimdayusa.org

This day we unite against the sexual assault of girls, women, boys and men. We stand in support of survivors. We break the silence to end sexual violence.

On Denim Day, wear your jeans as a visible sign of protest against the myths that still surround sexual assault!

Haute Couture Societe of Stockton Fashion Show

FASHION SHOW FUN!!!

On April 18th, my mother, grandmother and I went to the Haute Société Stockton's 41st annual fashion show at the Hilton Stockton.

The primary fundraiser of the group devoted to fashion design and fine needle arts features the work of club members and guest designers. Proceeds from the luncheon show went toward scholarships for students studying apparel design and fashion merchandising. Over the years the club has awarded more than $60,000 in scholarship money.

The day began with vendors opening their booths at 9:30 a.m. The lunch began at 11:30 a.m. and included a raffle and silent auction.


What a great way to spend the weekend with my mom and grandma!

Great Place to Shop and Play in Monterey!

While in Monterey I enjoyed a few hours of downtown shopping and wandered into a fun clothing store called Hangers Boutique. I loved being greeted by Molly, a fun, helpful sales girl. She had such a fantastic personality and was such a great help while looking for some fabulous finds!

This store has hip and casual attire that you’d love to wear. I have found some great treasures there. I bought a fun polka dot knit dress there last week. I plan to wear for work with a blazer jacket, or out for dinner with Richard with a pashima. Next time you are in Monterey go by Hangers Boutique, an affordable place to shop, with a clean store and friendly staff!

Check them out on MySpace at:
http://www.myspace.com/hangersboutique


Located on 574 Polk St.; Monterey, CA -- stop by the next time you are in Monterey!

Clovis Rodeo Rides Again: April 25th

It has truly been a good year for Clovis. One of my favorite small towns of California. Clovis earlier this year was host to the Amgen Tour of California, and later this month will host yet another important traditional event called the Clovis Rodeo.

Every year for nearly 100 the Clovis Rodeo welcomes guests from all over to see some of the most exciting early California style, western fun. The rodeo is filled with two days of rodeo activities, along with the popular Clovis Rodeo parade on Saturday, April 25.

The events may surprise you. They are considered everyday to many of those who will compete. Each event puts those competing to the test. The competitors are some of the region's best cattlemen and cattle women, who during the week may be found on working operations throughout the state. You really feel like a part of the old west.

This is what I love about a small town. It's the line up of fun activities centered around their flagship events:

• Thursday Night, April 23, 2009 7:00PM - PBR Copenhagen Bull Riding Challenger Tour. $20.00 Reserved Seating
• Friday, April 24, 20095:30PM - Rodeo and Concert. $20.00 General Admission Includes Concert. $15.00 - 16 & Under, 60 & Over (Concert In Arena Immediately After The Rodeo). Family Packages Available - Friday Only.
• Saturday, April 25, 20099:30AM - Clovis Rodeo Parade - Downtown Clovis1:00PM - Queen Coronation2:00PM - Rodeo Performance$15.00 - Reserved Seating7:30PM - Clovis Rodeo Dance - Tickets $10.00
• Sunday, April 26, 2009. 12:45PM - Special Kids Rodeo. 2:00PM - Rodeo Performance - $15.00. Reserved Seating.

For more information, check out the Clovis Rodeo website at: http://www.clovisrodeo.com/

Favorite California Restaurant!

My favorite restaurant..... the envelope please..... would be Korbel Blue in San Luis Obispo -- on the Central Coast of California.

I loved the atmosphere and it's great for people watching! It was classy, chic, and modern. It's always super busy and crowded in the evenings! Make sure you make reservations! The food was very good, definitely more upscale in its presentation and preparation.

What really made the meal for me was their lava cake... expensive and worth every penny. I think they should change the name to the best-you'll-ever-have lava cake! Perfect texture and a good portion. Warm gooey real chocolate inside. Fresh fruit tossed around on the plate. The owners are always willing to accommodate and I was simply impressed with the waitstaff handling our quizical group of 8.

Erik and his wife Patricia are just the perfect hosts. Imagine my surprise when Eric came out of the kitchen and greeted our group and talked about his thoughts behind the menu that evening...an amazing experience in itself!

Erik's secret -- he selects the freshest and finest ingredients available, many from local growers and producers.

If you are on the Central Coast, you should check out their website and make a reservation to this terrific restaurant!

http://www.epkoberl.com/

Koberl at Blue is located in the historic J.P. Andrews Building, circa 1894 at the corner of Monterey and Osos streets across from the Court St. Centre.
998 Monterey St.San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

While in San Luis Obispo don't miss Thursday nights Farmers Market (6-9PM). Many of the restaurants have stands outside so that you can try and taste. It’s a very entertaining evening with lots of live music and entertainment as well.

California's Catalina Island

My daughters and I have traveled to Catalina Island and really enjoyed the resort style shopping and lunch out on the patio. The shops are within walking distance in the square-mile town of Avalon, so wandering from shop to shop is a great way to get acquainted with the town. Avalon’s Pedestrian walkway, located in the center of town along Crescent Avenue, has great views of the harbor. And stay on the look out for the handsome firefighters, my girls sure noticed them!

On this past trip to Catalina I decided to explore the interior and take the tour in jeeps that takes you 31 miles through the heart of Catalina's rugged interior. On this trip we explored the walkable parts of the Island so we wanted to explore Catalina Island on foot. I picked up a hiking permit and trail map at the Conservancy House in Avalon.

Perched 1602 feet above the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island's Airport-In-The-Sky is built between two mountain peeks in the island's interior. We had a wonderful lunch of Buffalo Burgers at the Buffalo Springs Station Restaurant, a wonderful gift shop where I bought a stuffed buffalo for grandson Beau. They also have historical displays, murals of their history, beautiful native plant gardens, scenic vistas, and great hiking trails. We explored the Botanical Gardens where native and desert plants were in full bloom.

I did tour the main landmark on the Island known as "The Casino." This beautiful rotunda building was built by William Wrigley Jr (Yes the chewing gum Wrigley) in 1928 as an event center of sorts on the Island. There we found a museum that had the history of the Island and their 19th century significant changes on Catalina. I loved the display of Catalina Pottery dated 1927 to 1947. (need web site)

Next time I visit I want to stay in the Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel. In 1926, author Zane Grey built a home the hillside overlooking Avalon Bay. He spent most of his later life in Avalon writing and fishing. His home is now the hotel that still includes some of Grey’s original furnishings.

I will also look at their world WarII history and film locations. I understand more than 500 motion pictures where filmed on the Island.

Spring: A Time To Be Inspired By Great Gardens!

Very near my home, in the Gold Country of California is a nursery unlike any other. In the small town of Loomis lies a garden of inspiration with tall trees, a coy pond, succulent haven and u-pick strawberry patch. At High Hand Nursery, artistry and nature meet. This lush and peaceful retreat just opened a restaurant under the stars where on Friday and Saturday night you can have a gourmet meal or wood baked pizza.

High Hand is located in the old Loomis Fruit packing sheds constructed in 1926. During their hayday High Hand Fruit Sheds employed nearly 100 workers at their peak of season. Seriously, you will have to plan a 1/2 day visit to see all of their grounds and experience their wonderful restaurant.

They have:

• Knowledgeable sales staff
• Landscape design services
• Aquatic gardens
• Rustic pottery
• Topiaries and designer palms
• Bronze statues
• Blacksmith shop for iron designs
• Art gallery
• Restaurant
• Deli for a quick lunch
• You pick strawberry garden

To find out more information, check out their website at: http://highhand.com/

Christmas Scavenger Hunt for the whole family!

I am looking for a fun idea for something to do this Christmas with my adult children when they come to visit. I want to have a Christmas Scavenger hunt in my neighborhood. Raising my kids in a small town we conducted numerous scavenger hunts for birthdays when they were little. But this Christmas, I thought it would be fun as they could collect seasonal items.

Planning a scavenger hunt for Christmas can be as much fun as the hunt itself. Here is my scavenger hunt list for a general Christmas themed party. The objects listed here are easy to moderate to find. The more difficult items will help me distinguish a winner.

Do you have any ideas to add to the list?

I plan on letting my neighbors know in advance that we will be having a scavenger hunt at the party so they won't be surprised if anyone's seen wandering around their yard.

Christmas Scavenger Hunt List:
· Acorn
· Apple
· Bow
· Button
· Candle
· Candy Cane
· Carrot
· Cashew
· Christmas Card
· Christmas List
· Cinnamon
· Cookie Cutter
· Eggnog
· Gingerbread Man
· Gumdrop
· Hershey's Kiss
· Holly
· Homemade Cookie
· Lifesavers
· Lip Balm
· Marshmallow
· Mistletoe
· Mitten
· Ornament
· Pie Tin
· Poinsettia Flower
· Ribbon
· Sugar Cookie
· Taffy
· Thread
· Tinsel
· Tree Bulb
· Walnut
· Yarn

Be Green!! Personalize a "Travel Mug"

One of my very favorite travel mugs is a photo collage mug of my family that I can take on my car trips. Travel mugs are great gifts. If you haven't seen one they are plastic travel mugs where a personal photo is inserted into the mug. You can also use scrapbook paper to make a wonderful keepsake tumbler - customized with your own photo's and memento's. For Easter I sent one to my son-in-law, Smokey, with photos of their son Wyatt. I copied the photos off of my daughter Jenna's Facebook profile's photo section. I bought my photo mugs at Starbucks last Christmas. You can also order them online at the site below:

http://www.lorysueenterprises.com/photo-gifts/photo-gifts_00000b.htm

Tech Savey Woman Unite

I, like YOU, am trying…trying to keep up with technology and NOT be a technology neophyte. So I stay tuned to the Kim Komando radio show and receive her weekly newsletters and tips. I want to pass this on to you as there is never a week I don’t learn something new from this self-proclaimed “godess of all things digital.”

Kim writes this weekly column for over 100 newspapers, two columns a week for the USA Today Web site, and hosts a three-hour weekend radio show. E-In fact every Saturday morning, Kim talks about computers, helping you figure out what's going on with you PC or Mac. Plus Kim talks with listeners about some of the big tech issues of the day. Many radio stations carry a weekday Computer Minute too. You can also subscribe to one of several newsletters or search her Web site for answers to everything from buying digital cameras to finding the cool Web site of the day.

Recent Columns
Save time and money with cellular secrets
Bring an old PC back up to speed
Tech helps keep the elderly safe
Bridging the gap between PC and TV
Using tech to save money
The best free apps for your iPhone or touch
Windows 7 is coming. So what?

My favorite places on her site are:

Tip of the Day
Show Picks
Cool Web Site of the day
Daily The News
Video’s of the Day
And of course her newsletter

I so admire her success story, really shows perseverance! Read here: http://www.komando.com/about/

Spooky Shout Out!

Interested in Ghosts? Richard and I are taking a weekend for a special Ghost Hunt on board an old Navy ship. June 27, 2009 we will be investigating ghosts aboard the historic and allegedly haunted USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier. More than 300 have died on this ship and there are stories of many hauntings.

We will meet and investigate with select television personalities from paranormal shows -Ghost Hunters (TAPS), Paranormal State, A Haunting, and Haunting Evidence. We will also attend Friday night with Chip Coffey's for a Reading. Chip is a psychic-medium so you never know what we might find out. As many of you know we enjoy the thought of ghosts and any paranormal contact. It’s all in fun and a great way to get away for the weekend and tour a historic vessel. Stay tuned for more information.

http://www.hauntedhornet.com/ for more information about the trip.

Meetup!

Do something • Learn something • Share something • Change something

I’m a social person and always want to learn more and meet new people who share some of my same interests. I tend to join small meet-up groups.

Meetup is a web site that helps groups of people with shared interests plan meetings and form off-line clubs in local communities around the world. There are 58,747 Meetup Groups around the world and about 3,684 interests.

Find a Meetup Group Near You!

www.meetup.com