"There are several ways to react to being lost. One is to panic. Another is to abandon yourself to lostness, to allow the fact that you’ve misplaced yourself to change the way you experience the world."
Audrey Niffenegger - Her Fearful Symmetry
As most of you know, Tim's birthday is in November, so I'm posting a bit behind schedule. I did want to share some pictures though, because we had a great time and his entire family was able to come down and celebrate with us.
We picked Tim's parents up from the airport on Friday morning in Anaheim and headed straight to the Happiest Place on Earth. Our first stop was Space Mountain (Tim's birthday - Tim's choice!). This was the weekend that Wreck-It Ralph was opening, so the big guy was holding court in Tomorrow Land.
We had a lot of rides to go on and thankfully the park was relatively empty this weekend. Big Thunder is a family favorite and since it has closed (as of this past weekend) for nine months of repairs, we thought it best to go on it as many times as possible. :-)
In California Adventure, the line for the new Radiator Springs Racer ride was only 60ish minutes, but after waits of under 20 minutes...well, that 60 minutes felt like an eternity!
Saturday was the "official day of birthday celebration," so everyone wore the shirts I had made for the occasion. We met Tim's parents and headed straight to California Adventure to wait for Tim's sister and fiancé. By 'wait', you know that I mean 'go on more rides', right?
Finally we were all together and the party could begin!
(Don't you love those shirts?! We got tons of compliments from other park goers and the Disney cast members. Oh, you want to see the back...ok, if you insist!)
The weekend was pretty special for Disneyland - they were filming the Christmas Day Parade. We ended up missing most of it, but got over to Main Street to see them filming the end. Unfortunately, when we went to watch the parade on Christmas Day, they never included this section! I know that I would have been pretty upset if I were these kids - they were working really hard to get their lines and moves perfect for the cameras.
No Disney trip is complete without a castle picture!
For Tim's birthday dinner, he chose the Blue Bayou, which is in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. It was a delicious and FILLING meal for everyone.
Tim's family all had to leave on Sunday, so after we took his parents to the airport, we got ready to use one of Tim's presents. I had purchased tickets to Book of Mormon in LA! We had an excellent dinner beforehand and really enjoyed the show. Plus, the theater (The Pantages) was beautiful.
Finally it was Tim's actual birthday (Monday) and since we didn't have to checkout until noon, we went to Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast. It just happened to be at the Disneyland Hotel, where we had stayed for the weekend. I will say, that after staying at a Disney Resort Hotel...well, it's going to be hard to stay anywhere else again. It was such a wonderful experience and Tim (whether he'll ever admit it or not) had a great time getting a little extra spoiled by the staff.
Unfortunately it was back to San Diego for us. Tim actually had to work graveyard that night, so as soon as we got back to our condo he went to bed for a few hours before his shift started at 10pm.
On Saturday, Tim and I participated in the Great Urban Race - San Diego! This year the race was held in 20 cities across the US. San Diego was the last city before the National Championships (Nov. 10 in Las Vegas).
The premise of the race is to solve clues that lead to stops somewhere within the city. We were given all 12 clues at the beginning of the race and then it was our responsibility to crack them and create our own plan of attack.
I'm pinning on my bib number.
Like our shirts? I designed them the day before and we got them printed that morning!
Ok, I'm going to post the clue, post the picture and put the answer below!
Clue #10:Holy Flavors! Craving something above-the-clouds sweet? As seen on Good Morning America, this divine location as treats for you and your pup! When you arrive, match the famous flavors with their corresponding photos. Return to the finish line with a photo of ALL teammates with the cupcake on wheels AND the provided flyer as proof of completion.
Answer: Heavenly Cupcakes right in the East Village! We knew exactly where this delicious cupcakery was located!
Clue #8: Feel your way to this 3-digit address on 6th avenue:
Upon arrival, locate the GUR staff to get the clue break down. Return to the finish line with a photo of ALL teammates posing with your egg sporting its new markings AND a GUR stamp on your clue sheet as proof of completion.
Answer: 355 6th Avenue is The Broken Yolk Cafe, also in the East Village! Tim had to take a pizza box with stickers on it and roll the egg around until all of the stickers were on the egg. He did a great job, but the stickers never wanted to stick!
Clue #9: Ezra Pujols and Edward VII have something in common. Determine what it is to discern the name of this grocery store on 14th Street. Upon arrival, go hog wild and locate the designated area in the parking lot where a GUR staff member will explain each participant's role. Return to the finish line with a photo of ALL teammates completing their responsibilities AND a GUR stamp on the clue sheet for proof of completion.
Answer: Albertson's. The task - Tim had to hold a pickled pig's foot in his mouth while I translated a phrase from Pig Latin to English. I did it so quickly, the guy next to us threw his answer sheet over to me to translate because his partner was still googling how to speak pig latin! Tim definitely took one for the team!
Clue #5: Have you heard the buzz? Use the Yelp reviews below to find this clue location that will bring extra color to your life and your skin! (There were three reviews.) Return to the finish line with a photo of ALL teammates in front of the studio showing off your new ink AND the provided flyer as proof of completion.
Answer: Superfly Tattoos, in downtown SD. Tim actually did read through several reviews on Yelp to find this one! When we got there, I was blindfolded while Tim described what I was drawing on him - a fly. I'm sure Tim will want my artwork on his hand forever, right?!
-At this point, we got on a bus and headed to Little Italy. The rules of the GUR say that you can go on foot, or you can use public transportation. While waiting for our bus, another group passed us and, in all seriousness, asked if taxis were considered public transportation... -
Clue #4: Voted Best Yoga Studio in San Diego, you'll never want this clue to end! Nestled among art galleries and antique dealers, use the icon to the right (Click here to see) to serve as your guide through the winding hallways off Kettner Boulevard. Return to the finish line with a photo of TWO teammates in the yoga pose AND the provided flyer as proof of completion.
Answer: Infinite Yoga in Little Italy. And the hallways really were very winding. Oh, and that's the "Titanic" pose, according to the instructor taking our picture.
Clue #1: Repeating parts of words to make new forms is called "reduplication." Unscramble the letters needed to complete each reduplication below to spell out this two-word reduplication, which is the founder's name that started this art store located in Little Italy!
Answer: Dick Blick Art Supplies. We had to complete the canvas puzzle (above) and grab a flyer. This was actually really weird, because the store was so busy and no one was supervising the clue area. We thought we were going to get a penalty here, because we picked up a different flyer than some other people. (But it was all good!)
Clue #6: Discover the correlation between the letters to figure out the correct number that completes the statement. For example: ___ D in a W would be 7 (Days in a Week). This 4-digit address will be your next location on Columbia Street.
___ = Number of W on a U
___ = Number of H on a U
___ = Number of D in a ZC
___ = Number of W of the W
Upon arrival, the GUR staff will explain the clue brewed up for you! Return to the finish line with a photo of ALL teammates in front of their completed challenge AND the provided flyer for proof of completion.
Answer: 1157 Columbia Street -or- The Karl Strauss Brewery. I had to blow a deck of cards off the top of a beer bottle, until only four remained. (1 wheel on a unicycle, 1 horn on a unicorn, 5 digits in a zip code, 7 wonders of the world)
It was REALLY hard and I got so close! But after 5 tries, they let us move on.
Clue #11: Vroom! Pack your bags and head to the Office Depot by the bay parking lot because you're going on a road trip with this mental puzzle driven by Chevrolet. Brush up on your vehicle knowledge and get ready to ride! Using the puzzle pieces found inside each vehicle, write the six items you will need on your road trip on the lines below. Return to the finish line with a photo of ALL teammates outside of a Chevrolet vehicle and a GUR stamp on your correct answer sheet as proof of completion.
Answer: This was lame. When we got there, we used the six spaces to COPY down the things we would "need" on our road trip. It was the token advertising clue, since the six things we "needed" included how many MPG the car got and that it came with 6 months of OnStar. Moving on...
Clue #2: Don't blink...it's time for your vision examination! To determine the three-digit address of this spot on West Harbor Drive, find the three numbers (0-9) hidden in the sentence below (for example: vision examination would be 'one').
Surrounded by boats of all different heights, there is always something fun happening at this Beach House! Don't let the beautiful sights keep you in a daze, "roll" through this challenge using this mode of transportation that kids, even adults, use to get around.
Upon arrival, locate the GUR staff member near the back patio to get started. Return to the finish line with a photo of ALL teammates balanced on their pair of wheels AND the provided flyer as proof of completion.
Answer:
Surrounded by boats of all different heights, there is always something fun happening at this Beach House! Don't let the beautiful sights keep you in a daze, "roll" through this challenge using this mode of transportation that kids, even adults, use to get around.
807 West Harbor Drive is in Seaport Village and is the address of Buster's Beach House and Longboard Bar.
-By this time, we were SO close to being done and we decided to tackle the "tic-tac-toe" clue.-
Clue #12: Let's play Tic-Tac-Toe! This clue will require three separate boxes to be complete. Your team must complete three of the nine challenges listed in the Tic-Tac-Toe squares to the right. The three challenges you complete must be in the "Tic-Tac-Toe" order - either three boxes in either vertical column, any horizontal row, OR on any diagonal. NOTE: All required items in the pictures much be clearly visible. Strangers must be non-GUR participants.
-We opted for a vertical row-
Box #1: Take a photo of ALL teammates with 2 store employees in uniform.
Box #2: Take a photo of ALL teammates holding a fish.
(Those are swedish fish - Arianna for the win!)
Box #3: Take a video of ONE teammate surprising a stranger with flowers.
(It's a good thing I'm so outgoing! We had to film this a few times...)
Clue #7: San Diego's Ronald McDonald House offers a loving home away from home where families can find support and share experiences with others during their journey to overcome a critical childhood illness. Head to the CVS located at 71 Horton Plaza and contribute to the cause by purchasing TWO of the following: A toothbrush, an umbrella, a hairbrush or comb, a stick of travel-sized deodorant. Drop the items off at the Ronald McDonald table outside of CVS. Return to the finish line with a photo of ALL teammates clearly visible holding the donated items AND the provided flyer as proof of clue completion.
Answer: Well, the clue was pretty specific! This was also a sponsored clue, because the GUR partners with St. Jude's Hospital to raise funds. This was the local contribution.
AND FINALLY...
Clue #3: Miller 64 is brewed for the better you! They've also brewed up a challenge that's sure to test the better brain in you. Head to The Local and use the materials provided to sole the puzzle that awaits. After your collection of cans reflects the sample shown, receive approval from the GUR staff and rest your board as your found it. Return to the finish line with a photo of ALL teammates posing with your completed puzzle AND the provided Miller 64 swag as proof of clue completion.
Answer: We had to move the cans around, one at a time, to form a 64. It's hard to see in the picture. Tim did this SO quickly and I was thankful for the all the time he spent doing that "Rush Hour" game. The first place team said this was their most difficult challenge!
After this, we raced back to the finish line!
We officially made it back in 3:19:03 -or- 81st place! We were hoping for Top 100 and we did it! (There were 187 teams and over 500 participants.) And we didn't get ANY penalties for missed or wrong clues. GO LIGHTNING SHARKS!
And here's the map of where we went:
In all, we did about 6 miles, with about 5 of those on foot! It was exhausting!
Monday was the day of our television debut. We were meeting our fellow TV stars at 11:00am to get in line for the taping. Everyone made it safely from San Diego and we were ready for our close up!
Too bad we had to wait several hours for the taping. It was actually close to 4 1/2 hours of waiting!
At one point we got our picture taken:
And then everyone in the audience was interviewed by the producer, Stan, for the opportunity to be a contestant.
About an hour later, it was time for the taping! I've attached the link to the online video below, in case you didn't see it when it aired on October 15th.
Sunday morning, we were up bright and early so we could go on a tour of The Dolby Theater. Did I mention my love for The Oscars? Yes. Ok, so this is one of about a million pictures I had Tim take of the outside for me.
Oh look, here's another one...
Unfortunately (and I'm so serious about this), we couldn't take any pictures inside the theater. Supposedly one of the networks owns all the rights - blah, blah, blah - crushing dreams - blah, blah. LAME!
After our great tour, we found out we could get super discounted tickets to the resident Cirque du Soleil show, Iris, with our tour tickets. We decided to get some for that night and we ended up with tickets in the fourth row, center section, on the aisle. I'm pretty sure someone super famous sat in my seat. Yeah, I shared a seat with like Brad Pitt or something. No big. :-)
Next door, is the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater. This is a picture with Anne Baxter's prints - which was really special for me (I didn't know she was in there) and definitely reminded me of home.
And I couldn't leave without a picture of the Harry Potter trio - which Tim had to ask some people to move so their shadow wasn't covering it. (It was actually more of a "TIMMY - MAKE THEM MOOOVE!" from me - they got the idea.)
Proof that Tim was there...
And after all this, we still had about an hour to kill before our Brunch reservation, so we went to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. Points for whoever can name these celebrities. Are you ready?
How'd you do? Pretty easy - yeah, but it was awesome!
Finally it was Brunch time at our hotel.
Then we headed out to find The Grove shopping center and the CBS studios, so we would know where we were headed the next morning. While at The Grove, we spotted Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson shopping at Nordstrom. Smart girl. And short. Very short.
Our next stop was Rodeo Drive!
We looked in some of the boutiques, which sadly, weren't what I was expecting. I say this because we've been shopping in the Ginza district of Tokyo, which is so over-the-top and so overwhelming, that the snooty little boutiques of Rodeo just didn't compare. Later, we found out from friends, that most of the merchandise is "in the back," but I just wasn't as impressed. And surprisingly, it was empty. There was almost no one shopping that day, so we couldn't even people-watch. The upside - CUPCAKES!
We left Rodeo Drive and tried to go see The Beverly Hills Hotel, but all of the surrounding streets were blocked off for an event, so we headed back to our hotel via The Sunset Strip.
We had a lot of rides to go on and thankfully the park was relatively empty this weekend. Big Thunder is a family favorite and since it has closed (as of this past weekend) for nine months of repairs, we thought it best to go on it as many times as possible. :-)
In California Adventure, the line for the new Radiator Springs Racer ride was only 60ish minutes, but after waits of under 20 minutes...well, that 60 minutes felt like an eternity!
Saturday was the "official day of birthday celebration," so everyone wore the shirts I had made for the occasion. We met Tim's parents and headed straight to California Adventure to wait for Tim's sister and fiancé. By 'wait', you know that I mean 'go on more rides', right?
Finally we were all together and the party could begin!
(Don't you love those shirts?! We got tons of compliments from other park goers and the Disney cast members. Oh, you want to see the back...ok, if you insist!)
The weekend was pretty special for Disneyland - they were filming the Christmas Day Parade. We ended up missing most of it, but got over to Main Street to see them filming the end. Unfortunately, when we went to watch the parade on Christmas Day, they never included this section! I know that I would have been pretty upset if I were these kids - they were working really hard to get their lines and moves perfect for the cameras.
No Disney trip is complete without a castle picture!
Tim's family all had to leave on Sunday, so after we took his parents to the airport, we got ready to use one of Tim's presents. I had purchased tickets to Book of Mormon in LA! We had an excellent dinner beforehand and really enjoyed the show. Plus, the theater (The Pantages) was beautiful.
Finally it was Tim's actual birthday (Monday) and since we didn't have to checkout until noon, we went to Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast. It just happened to be at the Disneyland Hotel, where we had stayed for the weekend. I will say, that after staying at a Disney Resort Hotel...well, it's going to be hard to stay anywhere else again. It was such a wonderful experience and Tim (whether he'll ever admit it or not) had a great time getting a little extra spoiled by the staff.
Unfortunately it was back to San Diego for us. Tim actually had to work graveyard that night, so as soon as we got back to our condo he went to bed for a few hours before his shift started at 10pm.
