California
So yesterday I hopped on a plane for the land of California. I arrived in Sacramento to a bright and smiling Ann as well as 90-something degree temperatures. It feels oddly like Phoenix has the last week, with the humidity. Ann and I hung out until Tim came home and then we walked a couple miles to a farmer's market outside downtown Davis. I bought some great jalapeno jelly from an Afghani who promised the opening of some Afghani cuisine in the Phoenix area. I also picked up some white peaches that were amazingly good. I typically don't like peaches, so they must have been good. After that we had Indian food with two of Ann and Tim's friends at a local restaurant. I hadn't had Indian food in a while so I had to return to my staple of lamb curry, which turned out to be wonderful. Next we returned to Ann and Tim's and I helped Ann make some watermelon margaritas with watermelon also purchased from the market. They were a bit odd, but it was fun. After a couple of those and a gin and tonic I was feeling pretty good and had a good night.
So today I went to heaven. It involved jelly beans. I got to see how they made jelly beans at the Jelly Belly Factory. I even got to sample Jalapeno flavored jelly beans. How can you top that? Well, Ann and I had planned on topping it with a tour of the Anheiser Busch plant across the street but the Jelly Belly line was too long and we didn't have time. We did manage to make it to the Banana Republic outlet store where I got a few new shirts and some boxers. You've got to love outlet stores.. I know at least Dan is jealous.
We returned to Ann and Tim's to eat some kimchee, zuchini, and korean barbeque that was amazing. I haven't actually had kimchee in a couple years, so that was a definite treat. Tim had to head to bed and Ann and I talked about life for a couple hours while I sucked down more gin. I think I'm going to owe them a new bottle of Bombay Sapphire before this trip is over.
This morning Ann and I went grocery shopping at the local Safeway which they just remodeled. I am no longer impressed with the remodeling job they did at my local Safeway since Ann's was just redone in the exact same fashion. It seems they're redoing them all over the place. Ahwatukee is not special after all.
Anyways, tomorrow we head back to Anheiser Busch, then on to some Napa Valley wineries, and finally out to dinner and maybe a bar or club. It should be a fun day. For now, I sleep.