On this day, we drove the 17 Mile Drive around Monterey Peninsula, which includes Carmel and Pebble Beach. We also down to the California coast to Big Sur. I don't have the words to express the beauty of the scenery. All I have to offer are these pictures, will have to speak for themselves:










Quote of the Day: "To My Wife Alma, who hates golf but let's me pursue my passion. Love, Steve." Inscription on a commemorative plaque at the Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, CA.

Meal of the Day: Pulled pork with horseradish coleslaw and sweet potato fries at Rio Grill in Carmel, CA. Southwest cuisine at its finest.

At first, Monterey was kind of underwhelming. Most of it looks like any other bland suburban sprawl area. But then we took a walk downtown in the historic district. It wasn't too hard to find because the sidewalks were engraved with the following:


They've done a great job of preserving certain key buildings, like the San Carlos Cathedral:


And the house that Robert Louis Stevenson lived in:


Even the children's playgrounds have a preserved Pacific Rail train engine:


Isaac and I enjoyed hanging out at the marina:


Mom and Isaac also chilled out at the pier:



I was trying to teach Isaac about etiquette. His response was unequivocal:


The cannery district at Monterey was the inspiration for John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row". They love to show their appreciation:


Quote of the Day: No real quote, but Isaac made the signs for "more" and "food" in consecutive order, thus officially counting as his first sentence.

Meal of the Day: For Teresa it was Huevos Rancheros for lunch at "El Palomar". For me it was Prawn Scampi for dinner at "Louie Linguine".

Started the day with a ride on a genuine SF cable car.

Next stop: Chinatown!

We were tempted to buy Ninja Boy a "coolie cap" with braided queue, but we settled on this picture instead.

Next we visted Alcatraz Island. "Gentlemen, welcome to the Rock!"

Although its now a national park, Alcatraz Island still has trappings that makes one uneasy.

NB sure didn't like being under constant scrutiny from the tower guards.
Imagine spending most of your adult life in a 6 ft. by 10 ft cell.

Quote of the Day: "I named this island 'La Isla de los Alcatraces' (Island of the Sea Birds) because of their being so plentiful here." Juan Manual de Ayala, 1775.

Meal of the Day: Dim Sum lunch in Chinatown. Alas, I forgot the name of the restuarant.

Ninjababy had a busy fall. He celebrated his birthday with Uncle Paul, Aunt Megan, and cousins "AC" and "JC":

A busy boy with big plans.

Halloween brought a little jack o lantern into our house. Instead of coming up with a catchy title to the picture below, I want to see what you are faithful readers have.

A)


Just another shot,

Costume courtesy of Nana who made the costume 20 years ago for Aunt Sarah. Wow I didn't realize it was that old until now.

(To the tune of "I Sing The Body Electric" from the Fame (1980) movie soundtrack.)

I sing to my Ninja Baby,
The one with all that brown curly hair.
He has about thirty-eight teeth,
and that was before he turned a year.

He loves him some Mommy,
and makes his Dad laugh.
He plays with his penis,
when he takes a bath.
And in time, and in time,
He will be a teenager and that won't be as funny or as appropriate to sing about.

(Okay, so the tune falls apart in the last line... sue me!)

Happy Birthday Ninja Baby!

Love, Daddy