The Explorations of Mr. President

Exploring After Work

2011-04-01T21:02:00.001-07:00

There is nothing quite like a quick car ride further "up the hill" when I get home to Dani. So we hopped in Fitzgerald and headed to Sterling City. . . but first some food ;-)

2010-08-29T16:04:00.001-07:00

Yay for beer!

Coming To An End

2010-02-28T15:59:00.001-08:00

What a great way to end an amazing weekend, in hockey country nonetheless with the gold medal match on the TV.

The "Ultimate" Sampler @ Rock Bottom Brewery in Campbel Calif.

Hoppy New Beer

2010-01-01T16:48:00.001-08:00

You know I was going to say something smart and witty. . . but the beer says enough.

The Sampler @ Gordon Biersch in San Jose Calif.

Sorry Jared :-p
~Blake

A Good Ending

2009-11-08T20:11:00.001-08:00

So they lost, I'll just drown my sorrows in this. . .

The Sampler @ Blue Frog Grog & Grill in Fairfield, Calif.

Game = Kick Ass

2009-11-08T14:10:00.001-08:00

Touchdown niners!
~Blake

Play On The Field

2009-11-08T13:52:00.001-08:00

Go niners!

Another Dream Come True!

2009-11-08T13:26:00.001-08:00

My first game! And it is freaken hot!! I thought this was November. . . and SF!?
~Blake

Together Again

2009-10-25T11:04:00.001-07:00

Yay for brothers!

(That's my little brother Robert, he goes to CSU Long Beach)

The Most Magical Place On Earth

2009-10-24T14:55:00.001-07:00

Last time I was here this place just opened!
~Blake

One On Every Corner

2009-10-23T13:07:00.001-07:00

Time for a refreshment :-p

How's Work?

2009-10-23T12:27:00.001-07:00

Oh my GOD!!!

Krustyland!!!!

I Love LA

2009-10-23T11:02:00.001-07:00

Yay for Universal City!

Ore. Beer

2009-08-08T18:45:00.001-07:00

I love beer!

Wild River Brewing in Medford Ore.

Beer Up North

2009-08-08T14:09:00.001-07:00

We made it. . . to the middle of nowhere.

Welcome to Etna Calf. Pop 718 and home to Etna Brewing Co.

Dani's First Luau

2009-07-30T20:44:00.001-07:00

We're just soooooo sweet. . . and drunk (open bar).

On The Road To Hana

2009-07-29T14:54:00.001-07:00

A quick stop on our way to Hana Town.

In A Volcano

2009-07-24T18:27:00.001-07:00

We're so sweet we make others diabetic!

Yep, thats the crater in the back.

10 000 Ft and Climbing

2009-07-24T17:58:00.001-07:00

Here we are at the top of the world!

Easy ride on the '05 Honda Shadow

Shocked In Up Country Maui

2009-07-24T17:35:00.001-07:00

No matter where I go, there is always Sierra Nevada.

BBQ And Beer

2009-07-23T19:56:00.001-07:00

Back at Fat Daddy's with my baby... plus a big beer :-)

Waiting For Hawaii

2009-07-22T08:33:00.001-07:00

I know I'm a dork but this thing is soo cool... and it works too!

I give you the Dyson Airblade.

The Great American Pass Time

2009-07-19T12:09:00.001-07:00

Amazing seats at my first baseball game in 17 years!
~Blake

Back yard BBQ

2009-07-11T14:13:00.001-07:00

Back yard bbq with family. Good beer, good burger, cool pool nothing better.
~Blake

Getting Ready For Hawai'i

2009-07-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

Dani and her new toy.

Nintendo DSi at The Hookah Spot

A Weekend Of Beer

2009-06-27T16:51:00.001-07:00

Another weekend another brew fest :-p

A Few Brews and a Banjo in Chester Calif.

Another Weekend Trip

2009-06-14T14:19:00.001-07:00

On top of Soda Springs Peak with the gang and the Saine Family.

Hookah Time

2009-04-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

My Love And The Atomic Toph

2009-04-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

Another fun night at 'The Hookah Spot'

Welcome To The State Of Jefferson From The Heighth Of I-5

2009-03-22T17:50:00.001-07:00

Nothing quite like coming home.

On Our Way Home Thru Eugene Ore.

2009-03-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

It has to be 5 o'clock some where :-)

Beer: Three Point Porter @ Steelhead Brewing Co.

My First McMenamins In Eugene Ore.

2009-03-21T20:41:00.001-07:00

After a long drive (I drove a whopping 62 miles) there is nothing like taking part in the game of drink.

Beer: The sampler @ High Street Brewery & Cafe

God Bless Beer

2009-03-21T13:27:00.001-07:00

One of the things I love about traveling is the fact that you can always find a brewhouse.

Beer: The sampler @ The Pike Seattle Brewing Co.

When God Created A Coffee Chain

2009-03-21T12:29:00.001-07:00

That's right, the first Starbucks in the world!

Back In The U.S.A.

2009-03-20T15:53:00.001-07:00

As weird as it might sound it's good to be back in the land that I love. . .

and gas by the gallon. . .

and money that does not have the queen on it. . .

and where you can own a firearm for the hell of it!

Off To Canada Via the Black Ball Ferry Line

2009-03-17T14:28:00.001-07:00

Right at the tip of my finger is Canada. . . and yes, they did check our Passports.

Day Three Stop Three: Silverdale Wash.

2009-03-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

I owe Dani and TomTom and big thanks for getting hungry and knowing exactly where to go!

Beer: The sampler @ Silver City Restaurant & Brewery

Day Three Stop Two: Tillamook Ore.

2009-03-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

Tillamook Cheese. . . I love cheese!
~Blake

Day Three Stop One: Pacific City Ore.

2009-03-16T12:14:00.001-07:00

Ever since Steve at work pointed this place out I have been wanting to try it.

Beer: The sampler @ Pelican Pub & Brewery.

Stop Two Day Two: Newport Ore.

2009-03-15T20:31:00.001-07:00

Oh yea. . . the sampler at Rogue Brewing Co. in Newport Ore.

Getting Thirsty. . .

2009-03-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

I have been looking forward to this day since we started the trip.

Rogue Brewing Co. in Newport Ore.

On The Oregon Coast Up US 101

2009-03-15T17:26:00.001-07:00

I have no clue where we are but it's amazing! Can you see the lighthouse in the background?

Welcome To Oregon

2009-03-15T13:51:00.001-07:00

So much for stopping in Brookings, I thought there was a brewery there. On to Newport Ore.

Just A Pit Stop

2009-03-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

What a place for a bathroom break, and right next to the big man and Babe themselves. Next stop Brookings Oreg.

Day One!?. . .What?

2009-03-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

So here is the story in a nutshell. Dani and I decided to do a road trip up to Canada for her first College Spring Break (for those of you that don't know Chico State and Butte Community College have Spring Break during the week of St. Patrick's day in hopes that we all leave town and don't cause any more shenanigans with our champion game of drink).

Nevertheless as many of you know I am a flyboy, I prefer to fly places and detest spending more than 5 hours in a car. But what was it about this trip that made me WANT to spend the week driving to what my co-worker Jared called "America's Hat"

One word: Beer

There are soooooooo many breweries between here and there that I have made it my goal to stop at a minimum of one per day. Adding to my collection of glasses and sampling some of the best brews in the world is going to be quite an adventure.

With my Passport in hand and my girl at my side. . . bring it on North America. . . I'm ready to taste them all!

Stop One Day One: Eureka Calif.

2009-03-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

Eel River Brewing Co. in Fortuna Calif. for dinner! What an awesome start!

Beer: Organic English Ale

And So It Begins

2009-02-25T08:26:00.000-08:00

And this year I am not going at it alone, although she will not have to follow the diet :-P

Just A Little Beer

2009-01-24T16:13:00.001-08:00

Nothing like haveing a little beer with my brother @ The Yard House in Long Beach.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T17:31:00.001-08:00

Life Is Always Good

2008-12-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

I love dateing sisters :-p

A Nutcracken Weekend

2008-12-14T18:44:00.001-08:00

Nothing quite like staying the weekend at a Holiday Inn Express in Walnut Creek, taking a quick 30 minute ride on the BART to get here: The War Memorial Opera House.

Why?

To see the Nutcracker of course!

After Eight Years Something Amazing Happened

2008-11-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight, like every first Tuesday after the first Monday in November since 1996 I was glued to the TV. Regardless of the outcome, history was being made. On one side of the spectrum there was a possibility that a women could be our Vice President (which I guess was a possibility in 1984, but Mondale had no chance of beating Reagan). On the other end, the end I support, a young African-American stood to be our next President-elect.

And after the frustration of an election being stolen from us in 2000 and feeling bewildered by a population that voted in the illusion of fear in 2004, today I got the honor to cast my ballot for someone that promised change, for someone who was change in a monochrome world. A man that would introduce us to a vivid spectrum of solutions because, to put is simply, something different needed to be done. For to long we have been living with the status quo, implementing either solution A or B for a problem that time and time again rears its ugly head and stares us down to the point where we know no matter what we do, this beast, will never leave us.

But after today. . . after today we have another option, an option we never considered. For the first time in our lives we will look at this beast, from the melting of the middle class to the financial meltdown that my 91 year old grandfather never though he would see again, with new eyes, a new focus. Starting today America will get a new lease on life, a second chance to create the "Great Society" that FDR, JFK, and LBJ were trying to build but could never finish.

Starting today America is a better place. Starting today America overcame a battle that our parents fought in the 1960's. Starting today America is anew with hope and a joyous look at the path that leads into the unknown. Starting today the youth, the minorities, and the fed-up spoke with one unified and clear voice shouting "we are tired of being ignored!"

Starting today. . . chance for the better will start to happen. The end of an era is coming to a close, and the dawn of anew is about to happen.

The Magic Of Tahoe

2008-08-24T01:17:00.001-07:00

OH MY GOD!! So here is the scoop, Dani did not want gamble at all but I made her put $5 down on 21 in roulett.

Well. . . WE WON!

My Baby Is 21

2008-08-24T00:28:00.001-07:00

Besides the free birthday shot the waitress gave us (it was called a chocolate cake), this is my baby's first leagle drink. Its a 'Tropical Rock'

Tahoe For The Two Of Us

2008-08-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

On our drive around this great lake (that would be Lake Tahoe) we decided to stop at North Shore and take a picture.

Sampler Day

2008-08-13T19:26:00.001-07:00

Lets see, from left to right:
Gran Centenario 100% Agave Tequila, Crema De Almendrado Orendain, Maui Gold Rum, Maui Dark Rum, Maui Platinum Rum, and Disaronno.

Some of these bottles haven't be opened in two years!

So good. . . oh so good!

The Last Maui Bike Ride Of 2008

2008-08-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

I thought this would make a good 'last bike ride of the year in Maui' picture.

In the background is the last sugar mill in Hawai'i.

Ever wonder where C&H sugar comes from? Right from that mill.

Heading Down The Volcano

2008-08-07T19:28:00.001-07:00

Now that was one hell of a bike ride!
~Blake

Ten-Thousand Feet Up And Its Cold!

2008-08-07T18:23:00.001-07:00

That's right foks, 10,000 feet up!

This Honda Shadow rocks!

On Top Of The World

2008-08-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

Wow! This is amazing!

Above The Clouds

2008-08-07T16:56:00.001-07:00

Not quite to the top, but I am above the clouds. How cool is that!

Last sign said 8,000 feet.

Going To The Top Of The World

2008-08-07T15:47:00.000-07:00

Next stop is near the top.

Ending elevation is 10,000 feet, right now I'm about 2,500 feet.

Ending At The Beach

2008-08-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

Even though sunset is at least 30 minutes away, this isn't bad for the conclusion of my 25th birthday.

More Birthday Drinking

2008-08-03T19:45:00.000-07:00

I just realized that all I've been drinking today has been from Maui Brewing Company.

Birthday Dinner

2008-08-03T19:08:00.000-07:00

Oh, now this is the life!

Big beer and good BBQ here at Fat*Daddy's in Kihei.

Birthday Beer

2008-08-03T15:09:00.001-07:00

My first birthday beer of the day: Big Swell IPA by the Maui Brewing Co.

And it was amazing!

A Lot Of Forgivness To Ask For

2008-08-03T13:58:00.001-07:00

Where does my mom take me on my 25th birthday?

Thats right, to church.

I Love Flea Markets!

2008-08-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Now this is the place to buy anything you want at amazing prices!

Nothing like haggleing for the best price in paradise!

From The Top Of Haleakala

2008-08-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

From the top of the world. This is what we are going to hike into.
~Blake

2008-07-31T21:05:00.001-07:00

See, not all prices are high.

A case of Pale for $25 at Costco
~Blake

Maui Tropical Plantation

2008-07-31T18:52:00.001-07:00

Baby pineapple. . . they look cool don't they?

What A Movie

2008-07-31T03:52:00.000-07:00

Wow, worth every penny.

A Movie With No One Around

2008-07-31T01:05:00.000-07:00

So here I am at the Kukui Mall 4 about to see Batman, by myself.

Why the post?

Because I had to tell someone that counting myself, there are only two others in here!

It feels like a private screaning.

Drinking At The Beach

2008-07-30T14:38:00.001-07:00

And here I am, sitting in the shade, drinking a Bud Light 'The Offical Beer of Hawaii'

Another Morning At The Beach

2008-07-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

We're all here but in this picture you can see Nora, Monica, and my mom.

2008-07-29T23:40:00.000-07:00

I love our Tuesday dinners here in Kihei.

Why? Because of two-for-one fish and chips at Kihei Fish'N'Chips and Taqueria.

Plan B

2008-07-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

Now this is the place to have a picnic after canceling the Poli Poli State Park hike due to bad weather.

This is the view from our park table here at Rice Park in Upcountry Maui.

Our Final Destination

2008-07-28T16:49:00.001-07:00

Bubba Gump's

Oh hell yea!

Stop Number Four

2008-07-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

Somewhere I have never been, the Maui blowhole.

Stop Number Three

2008-07-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

Some art gallery in the middle of nowhere.

Stop Number Two

2008-07-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

Somewhere on Highway 36 North.

Stop Number One

2008-07-28T13:32:00.001-07:00

Ioa Valley.
(Thats the Ioa Needle in the background)

Riding Day Is Here!

2008-07-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

The bikes for our trip.

On the right a 2006 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail.

On the left a 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 750.

And in the middle you have my 2004 Honda Shadow.

The 6 of of us going around the island . . . this is going to be fun.

My Hawaiian Dream

2008-07-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

This is my new Hawaiian love. Last year it was the Honda Rebel.

This year, it's a 2005 Honda Shadow with custom Cobra pipes.

For the next 2 days this bike is going to alow me to relive my dream of bikeing Maui.

Life is good!

Saying Goodbye To A Good Unit

2008-07-25T16:29:00.001-07:00

Well this one bedroom with a loft was a wonderful home. But now its time to move to our 'usual' condo. And like a lot of things we say goodbye with a beer on the lanai.

One Big Moco

2008-07-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Oh hell yea!

A Welcome Back

2008-07-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

There are only a couple of things that you can find here in Hawai'i, like POG by the gallon and a Mocha Coconut Frappachino at Starbucks.

But at Denny's there is the Local Moco. Fried rice topped with a beef paity smothered with brown gravy with 2 eggs on top.

I'm home. . . I'm finaly home.

The Start Of Hawai'i 2008

2008-07-20T01:59:00.000-07:00

So here we are, just settling in to our first of two condos of this vacation (they did not have one open for three weeks in a row).

Why am I starting to blog again?

Well. . . its time for one thing.

And I found an unsecured wireless network so I had to tell someone!!

No more AOL free trials of dial-up when we go on vacation!!

Thank you linksys, Clearwire (the ISP), and the poor sap that forgot to put a WEP key on their network!

Mountain Shooting

2008-05-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

See what happens when two guys go up into the mountains with guns!

What to bring: guns, ammo, a half gallon of good beer, soda, and more guns!

~Blake

Holly Pancakes!

2008-05-04T10:02:00.001-07:00

Nothing beats all you can eat blueberry pancakes at the convent (Mt. St. Joseph Novitiate and Minor Seminary) here in Loomis!

Another One Off The List

2008-05-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

(Monica on the left, Rachael on the right)

Dinner time at a new brewery.

See my ladies holding up the Rubicon Brewing Company coasters, very nice!

Another Wonderful Salena Wednesday

2008-04-30T23:58:00.001-07:00

So here is a first, Salena and I at LaSalles seeing Greg (Target Food Ave) kicking ass with a guitar!

He rocks! And being over 21 helps!
(By the way, that is Greg kissing Salena, guitar in hand.)

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

2008-04-25T00:32:00.000-07:00

Today was a good lack-luster day up until tonight.

An overwhelming wave of malaise towards my former employer hit me tonight. . .

I have been drinking since 9:30 tonight and I'm not stopping anytime soon.

All I have to say is God bless my friends, and God bless Erick for having beer on tap at his house.

The Picture Of The Day

2008-04-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more relaxing than having coffee with my parents at a Starbucks in Auburn.

Another Another Salena Wednesday

2008-04-02T18:52:00.000-07:00

This time we are exploring the inner Chico city. Today we are at one of my favorite bars.

There is nothing quite like The Oasis. A couple of Gin and Tonics and Sevens Sevens, plus several games of eight ball. All for $10.

Another amazing day with Salena.

Once Again, Starbucks Has All The Answers

2008-04-02T15:02:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how one cup of coffee not only revitalizes your body, but also your soul.

As a continuation to an early post from February 2006 (see Starbucks Has All The Answers), "The Way I See It #270" not only gave me hope at the conclusion of one of the worst months of my life, but made think of the good people I had the pleasure to meet along the way.

So here it is in its entirety, I hope you find it as uplifting as I did.

The Way I See It #270
Taste is subjective. Taste is democratic. Taste is powerful. Taste – the combination of texture, aroma, temperature, aesthetic and environment – is also a window into someone else’s life or culture. Be confident in your taste, but remain curious and expose yourself to new tastes. Allow your taste to constantly evolve and grow – while keeping and cherishing the memories that taste creates.

~Marcus Samuelsson
Chef, co-owner of Restaurant Aquavit and author of The Soul of a New Cuisine

As Betty Williams, one of the greatest bosses I ever had the pleasure to work with, once said "variety is the spice of life."

So taste it all, and never hold back from your next great adventure.

A Happy Easter

2008-03-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Dinner time.

I have just finished smoking two chickens and a mess of turkey legs. So what is the family's dinner conversation about? How about my recent unemployment.

Keeping my spirits high while reliving the death of my career to the pace of our "cheerful" banter, someone chimes in with "There all crooks, like the manager from Auburn."

What?!

That was the store that I was going to work at.

That was going to be my store.

I was going to be the ETL-HR of Auburn T-1096.

I mean that was my plan. Their STL (head store manager) Sean loved me. I mean, come on, he was the one who interviewed me for team lead. A great, moral, and dedicated person to work for.

I guess I was wrong.

According to the Auburn Journal, on the 18th Sean Ryan (Auburn Target's STL) was arrested for embezzling $10,000 over 3 months from the store's safe at night. The best part is he was caught by his own AP (that's basic store security).

All of the sudden getting let go over $50 isn't all that bad. I did not steal like he did, but when I got let go I did not face jail time.

There is always a silver lining. Always.

As a side note, I love how he is in his red & khaki for the mugshot. That means he was arrested at the store, during business hours, while he was working.

Another Salena Thursday

2008-03-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

You know its funny how much I look foward to Thursday. It gives me a chance to rediscover the things Chico is known for. Today, we hiked upper Bidwell.

We started at Bear Hole, this picture was taken overlooking Salmon Hole. I wonder where we will go next week?

(This was posted LIVE using my Samsung-u740)

It's A Bright Dark Day

2008-03-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

It's cold outside, but I can feel the sun on my face. In the distance I can here the train going through town, and if I close my eyes, I can smell the damp earth of a recent rain storm far away. It has been a while since I last posted a "real" entry on my beloved blog. But a lot has happened since my days at the "Townhouse." I have changed, the world around me has changed.

It took me a while to come to grips with what just happened. . . I think that is why I have not posted anything about it. To be honest I am still trying to recover from the dishearting malaise of their quick action to, and I quote, "end their relationship with [me]." After 5 years of dedication, loyalty, and personal defiance of all the evils the outside world would say about my beloved employer; Target fired me over a return which created a $50 loss to the store. And that's it. That's all of it. I did not steal, I did not pocket any products, and to quell a rumor that I still get phone calls about, I did not rape anyone on the clock. If that last one was true don't you think I would be in jail right now?

Five years, then poof, gone. I always volunteered when help was needed. I always traveled when other stores need help (the best was the 2 and a half weeks I spent in Auburn as Human Resources), and I gave up precious time with my ever shrinking family because "they" needed a closer in a position that only I knew. I interned with them, and was even on the right road to becoming an ETL. But all that didn't matter. Once again they saw a return, which gave a guest a $50 gift card, not cash or a refund to their credit card, but in-store credit, as an error.

Even now I feel I did the right thing. I was helping a guest who, for lack of a better term, I fell prey to their sob story. She was old and got the classic runaround from the operators, and her receipt was about to expire, so I wanted to help her out. Target's revenue for Christmas '07 was $19,900,000,000.00. So what is $50 in store credit? I mean just the day before I saw Debbie (the store manager) give a guest a $30 gift card just to shut her up. Nevertheless, I was wrong and $50 dollars is all it took to terminate my employment. Not a suspension, dock in pay, final warning for a year, or a letter of reprimand; all of which you would receive if you worked in a public institution or at the very least a union job.

They may have taken my job, I would not let them take my pride. I walked out of there with a smile on my face and my head held high. Because, in the end, that's all you have left.

Coming Home With Happiness In A Bottle

2008-02-24T23:27:00.001-08:00

There is no more room and there is still beer left! It almost feels as if we live in a mini-mart right now.

We might have gone a little bit overboard, but we have 5 cases of the North Coast's finest Ales! That's 120 bottles of beer!