We the People............think School House Rocks

What a whirlwind this holiday has been for us. As you know, my husband is on the road with a B'way Tour and so it brought us to Chicago for Thanksgiving (previous posts). The Christmas holiday was in D.C. I literally had 10 days to unpack, launder the clothes, X'mas shop (thank goodness for online shopping), pack up and go.

Did I get X'mas cards out? Nope. This is a first for me. I decided that I don't have to kill myself if I skip one season. Not only was I busy, but I came down with a horrible cough/cold that has lasted for a month now. Yup, still coughing, but not as much and feeling better. Needless to say, my entries in D.C. sacrificed due to lack of sleep and illness. sigh.

Things are looking up and so onward to my blog about D.C. First and foremost, the airline. We took Virgin America. Why? Prices were incredibly good. They were quite pleasant. Their website markets how they have a lot of amenities for the flier, but don't think they are for free. Everything has a price. They were running a special so it was nice to get free wifi, but movies were $8, video games $3(?), there was satellite tv for free, meals ranged from $8 - $10. Luckily, I had poked around the website long enough to see these prices and headed straight out the door to Trader Joe's.

I love Trader Joe's. It has been my staple since my college days in L.A. However, since my boys have nut allergies, my visits to Trader Joe's has been cut down by about 50% due to their products being "shared on equipment that has been in contact with nuts, tree nuts, etc." But, I love their ready-made lunches. So, I bought some for myself and tried to find the ones that my kids would eat. There wasn't much for them, so I made them their meals in our 5 hour long flight. Food, snacks, games (yes, the DS does come in handy) all contribute to a worry-free, tantrum-free flight.

We arrived in D.C. and I ordered car service again since we arrived in Dulles Airport which is about 45 minutes away from Downtown D.C. It would have been the same price for a taxi. The Townecars are so much more comfortable and the service is amazing which takes the stress off of me trying to move 3 large suitcases with 2 little ones beside me. I figured I had saved money on the flight by not ordering anything. So, this is some advice......it's well worth it!

We stayed at the Residence Inn by Marriott. It's one of our most favorite places to stay besides Embassy Suites. These two places are the best places to stay when you have a family. They offer a full complimentary breakfast everyday of the week and 3 nights out of the 7 you receive a full complimentary dinner. The employees are as nice as can be and they all love children. It just can't be beat. They had an indoor swimming pool which I knew would come in handy to burn off energy when needed.

I will continue this post as I must attend to the little darlings now.

We Are Family!!!

Can I just say that "Miss Saigon" had one of the best cast EVER?!!!! Anywhere I go, I can always call, email, or post on FB and get responses where we all get together and have a fabulous time catching up and just seeing where we all are these days!

Today was no exception. The boys and I met up with Joe Foronda, MoonHi Hansen, and Keith Byron Kirk at the Corner Bakery here in Chicago. MoonHi is here visiting her parents. She grew up here and went to college here, but lives in L.A. as a video editor. Keith is working on his Ph.D. at NorthWestern Univ. and is doing great!!! Joe lives here with his kids, who are all grown up now, and is still one amazing actor and musician. The boys are always impressed with the amount of people we know when we travel to various cities. Since Greg was working the show, we caught up till he met up with us after the matinee. Then Bob Billig and Steve Landau came by to say hello as they were done (conductor and assistant) with the show as well. They work on the same show as Greg. It still amazes me how we all just get right back to where we left off and catch each other up. It has been 10 years since the 2nd Nat'l closed and 11+/- yrs. since the B'way show closed. If you have done "Miss Saigon" with either Nat'l tour or B'way, you are considered family. Also meeting up with us later was Mike Flanigan and Melinda Chua. We had the best time!!! Thanks goodness for friends and "family".

By this point, our boys were beyond themselves (we were there for 4 hours). They were given m&m cookies and hot cocoa and they were zinging from their seats by the time we were ready to leave. The sugar or something must have hit. It was wild!! So, off Greg and I went to feed them. We took the subway back to our place and stopped into Giordano's Pizza. It truly is the best Chicago pizza!!! We had a lot to eat and they eventually calmed down. Now, Greg and I had some "drinks" that seemed to help the zaniness of our boys. LOL!!!

Great night and more tomorrow as we head to the Field Museum.

Favorite Things

It's been quite festive here in Chicago. Yesterday, we stayed in all day except my jaunt out to the grocery store. Geoffrey has been coughing so we decided to keep him inside for the day and rest. Fortunately for us, he had homework to do since he took some days out of school to visit here. Nonetheless, this is the time of year where I make my favorites and they have become my boys' favorites. They love my peppermint hot cocoa! So, starting from here till X'mas, they get a cup of their favorite hot cocoa for the day. It's fun!

Our other favorite when we are here is Garrett's popcorn. Their Chicago mix is perfect for my boys. Geoffrey loves the caramel crisp and Seb loves the cheese popcorn. It's really delicious and of course, a line to get our bag of popcorn. We've been here at least 4 times now and it has never failed us. Yum!!!

The boys had a chance to see "Young Frankenstein, The Musical". It's nice to have my boys old enough to sit through a show. They had a really good time and all the "other R-rated" jokes flew over their heads. Thank goodness! Thank you to Judy, the company mgr., for getting us the best seats in the house. It was my third time seeing it and Mel Brooks is brilliant. He still amazes me. His humour is amazingly smart! The boys had a chance to see Bob conducting in the orchestra pit. They had a good time watching everything go on. Fun day for all!

Sunday at the Park

Today, we took it easy. It takes a couple of days for the boys to adjust and just wind down from seeing their dad. Yesterday was also a busy day.

We didn't do much today other than head to the grocery store. One of my favorites here is Potash Bros. market. It was fun to walk in the brisk weather and enjoy the city life. I love to walk and cities provide the best walking for me. I think the kids are getting used to it. Sebastian will get a little tired on occasion and so we'll stop at a park or something to rest his tootsies and then within 5 minutes he'll tell me he's ready to walk again.

This time we stopped at the park that I know of near the Chicago Fire Dept. It's right next to the Water Tower Place and has its jungle gym for the boys to climb and run. Last time we were here, we were staying at the Seneca Hotel (a great hotel with kitchen and separate bedroom) and found this park for Geoffrey to play. It was on the way to the theater and so we would always stop here for him play. Sebastian was too little then, but not this time. The boys had a blast. This time we're only a block north of the Seneca in a quaint little corporate apt. called 900 DeWitt place. We played at this park before grocery shopping and after. My boys have a pretty easy time making new friends at new places so all the kids were playing tag. Very cute and very fun for them.

That is all we did today and it was enough. Tomorrow Greg is off and it'll be a busy day for us. The kids will get a chance to see the show Wed (matinee) which they are excited about. It's great that they are old enough to sit through a show and enjoy it. Geoffrey enjoys the sets moving off and on and Sebastian will love the dancing and music.

Happy Holidays....While the merry bells keep ringing,

Again, the weather is pretty amazing here in Chicago. We really lucked out so far. We took the kids down Michigan Ave toward the theater since Greg had to go to work (2-show day). We came across the Holiday Light Festival here. We had been to this once before when Geoffrey was only 2y.o. The nice red tents were passing out hand warmers for everyone. Hmmmm.....I guess it'll be cold once the parade starts (@ 5:30pm). There was so much stuff going on walking down Michigan Ave. Freebies galore!! Well, it was being put on by Disney so it was all about their new shows and movies coming soon. This translated to posters, toys, etc for the kids. It was a lot of fun and a lot of people. But, I don't mind the people. The Chicagoans are the nicest people. People weren't pushing or shoving and the kids always went first. Kind of reminded me of Japan.

We get to the theater and it was great seeing all the old "Producers" people. Geoffrey knew these people since he was 18 mos. Sebastian was a "Producers" baby.....born while they were in L.A. A lot of fun. We had a fabulous lunch next to the theater named "Ruby of Siam". Their Tom Ka Kai was delicious!!! Very good. We had enough left overs for dinner.

Greg had to go back to work so we headed back down Michigan Ave. because the kids saw the Disney store and with our handy dandy coupon, the kids got to purchase a little toy and received free Disney Lightflashing paraphernalia. I have to hand it to Disney. The store was PACKED, but the line moved ever so quickly. They were extremely organized and that makes me so very happy!!!!

We head to the Water Tower Place (mall) for a bathroom break. Boys had to go! So, off we went and since I wanted some tea, we stopped at Teavana. I ended up with a lovely tea called Swiss Melange (herbal). I must say.........it's wonderful! I might have to get some more before I head home. The boys enjoyed the decorations.

Then it's to the Hancock Bldg since we are only a few blocks from there. They had the cutest train set with all the holiday decor. The boys stayed there for quite some time. I was fascinated by it as well. The details in the scenes were so full. One could have stayed there for over an hour soaking up all the lovely "towns".








Now, those of you who didn't get a chance to read up on Geoffrey............he LOVES cheesecake! Well, right in the Hancock Bldg is The Cheesecake Factory. We get in line and found that we accidentally cut in line, not intentionally. There were so many people there that we didn't realize we had walked into a line. The couple behind us were so sweet! They told us to just stay there and put in our order. We get Geoffrey's slice of cheesecake and head back to the hotel.

After resting our feet and eating dinner, we head back out for the parade. It's 5:15pm and dark. We walk to Michigan Ave and there are even more people. We keep walking looking for a little opening. We find none, so I decide to stop where there are little children and my boys can look over their heads. This mom was so nice.......she told the girls to scoot over and to let my boys in so they can watch the parade. I can't get over how nice everyone is here!!! We watch for a bit and then my California boys decide it's way too cold now. We had hats, gloves, and those handy dandy hand warmers, but no. They decide it's too cold. So, we walk to find a place where we can get hot chocolate and a cookie. By the time we got out of Frango's (Macy's taste bar), the parade was over. Wasn't a long parade which I am glad. They had a lot of other festivities closer to the river, but we had done enough walking for the day. We head back to the hotel.













Another great day in Chicago.

Razzle Dazzle

Here we are in Chicago. We are visiting my husband who is on the musical, "Young Frankenstein". It's my 5th time here? Here with Saigon, then with The Producers, Sweeney Todd, Pippin...

I love coming to Chi-town! The people are just so awesome. It has always felt very "homey" to me and yet it's a metropolitan city. Full of wonderful stores, culture, and the food is out of this world. The flight is only 4 hours long so not too bad when it comes to travelling with children.

Our day started yesterday from the Oakland airport. It's always pretty stressful for me when travelling with children. Even after doing it for so many years (my oldest started at 17 mos. and he's now 8y.o.; youngest started travelling @ 6 mos.), it's just filled with anxiety for me. I have to keep the kids occupied while waiting, slip on shoes ONLY due to security, backpacks filled with snacks (they are allergic to nuts).

We flew Southwest because it was direct to Midway. If I can, I avoid O'Hare airport at all costs. It is such a nightmare airport....busy, delays, FAR from Chicago, terminals are miles apart, etc. Southwest was great in that they allowed us to preboard due to my kids. As you know, they do not have reserved seats and my concern was being split up in a very full flight. Kudos to Southwest for that, but I was disappointed with the guys loading the plane. He kept saying, "preboarding for families with children under 4". Well, my youngest is 5 and very tall. Thought about just sneaking on, but the guilt ran over me and I tried to follow the rules. So, we sat there waiting for our "group" to be called. When they preboarded us, I heard the guy say, "she was just sitting there..." I wanted to turn around, but thought, nope....get our seats first and then complain later. I know where my priorities are when it comes to flying.

Southwest is truly a no thrills airline. I packed the DVD player and DVD's for the kids to watch (this is a staple, even if they have screens on the back of each seat (sometimes they don't work)). Their backpacks had lunch and their snacks and DS games. Due to security, I am forced to buy drinks at the airport at $4 for a bottle of water. I hate that, but what do I do. Go with the flow here.

We arrive and I had already had car service arranged since it wasn't any less or more than a taxi ride. With 2 children, 3 huge pcs. of luggage, and carry-ons.....no way was I going to wait in a taxi line. NO WAY! Chicago Limo Service was great and they got us to our corporate apt in good time. Very nice driver, but then again, I have always had nice encounters with Chicagoans. Great suggestions for food from him.

The boys were so excited to see Greg. It was all fun and I wanted to keep them awake since I try to keep them on pacific standard time. We go back and they go straight back to school the next day so it's easier to stay with our time.

We awoke to a lovely day a few blocks off Michigan Ave. We take a nice stroll to the Navy Pier because our boys absolutely love the Chicago Children's Museum
We always get our membership there because our boys go there more than three times a week to play with all of their fun exhibits. With the membership, we get free or 50% discount off all other museums in the U.S. Definitely worth it for us since we travel a lot when Greg is on the road.
There are so many things for the boys there. Because Geoffrey attends a Science Magnet, he gets his academic fill here at the museum. This year, Geoffrey really wanted to play Chess with Greg on their room size, floor board, chess room. The pieces are about as tall as Sebastian. Unfortunately, they replaced the large chess floor board with an ice-skating rink and a lot of snow play. It was fine because Geoffrey enjoyed what was there.


We'll be here for another 12 days or so. Many more museums and people to see.

Why C an't You Behave

I'm so sorry. I've neglected my blogging. It's been months and well.............I'm a mom who works and tries to stay fit amidst the chaos.

My husband and I survived the summer with our children going to summer camps and all. My schedule was FULL at ACT and our business kept us busy. But, there is nothing more satisfying than going on a vacation when all the work is done.

We went to Northern, Northern California to experience the Giant Redwoods. We rented a beautiful farmhouse in Ferndale called "Morningstar". My cousin decided that she and her family would like to join us and off we went. Thank goodness for minivans. All 8 of us drove up and it was a blast!!! The house was huge and everyone slept comfortably in their own rooms. The weather couldn't have been more perfect.

These redwoods were GINORMOUS!!! Our boys and my nieces had the best time finding their "caves" inside the trees. As I walked near these trees, I couldn't help think how old these trees were and how much history these trees have witnessed. It was quite profound. We looked so small in comparison to the large tree trunks.

The kids did a great job with all the hiking we did in the forests. My husband had to teach the kids about poison oak which was in abundance. The kids got really good at spotting them and leaving them alone. We eventually came upon a river that had little water in it, but enough for the kids to experiment.

What we also loved about our vacation home were the dairy cows that would greet us. We were on a few acres of land and right next to the house was a pasture for these cute yearlings. The kids just enjoyed them and I think the cows enjoyed watching them as well.
As fun as the giant redwoods were, the kids really enjoyed the beaches the most. I think the tidepools were a hit and just playing in the water. It was quite overcast on one day, but we had another day at the beach where it was sunny and windy (quite cool actually).


We had the best food up there. I had a great time relaxing and getting the "city" out of me. It was fun, fun, fun.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Now, is that the real title of the song? Hmmm.......

Well, Greg was home from the road and we decided that we were not going to fly anywhere too far or drive across 2 states for our family vacation this year. We decided on staying in California and exploring it. I'm getting excited about it since it's so typical of us to not really get to know the state we live in because we're always thinking about what's "out there". Greg, being from Arizona, really wants to see the Sequoia Redwoods. After he brought that up, I realized it's been eons since I've visited them. The Avenue of the Giants, if I remember.

So, off we go doing research on the area. Luckily, I"m a member of AAA and just received the Via magazine. Lo and behold, it's Ferndale. The Victorian Village of Northern California!!! Wow, what amazing kismet. I look around and find some great B&B's; however, not much for kids. Hmmm...I think.....and then I do the "I Love Lucy" look....BINGO! A vacation home rental is the answer. I find this 3,000 sq. ft. farmhouse that has been converted to a home with modern amenities (http://www.vacationferndale.com/) . I"m getting excited now. It's about 1 mile from the main street of Ferndale which has one grocery store, one gas station, and one pharmacy with a lot of boutiques along the main street. It's about 2 miles from the Lost Coast and has farmland all around. Even better, the kids are welcomed!!! The backyard is huge and a private patio for BBQ's. The best part is that the land is also used to raise Arabian horses. My kids will think I'm the bomb!!! My in-laws have a quarter Arabian. They are horse lovers and ride a lot. My children love my in-laws horses and now we'll have them nearby. The Avenue of the Giants is only 30 minutes away. This is just heaven for me as well as my family. We are very excited!

You have to love California and it's diversity in land and people.

It's a Small World

So, we have been officially deemed parents of a child in elementary school. Why? Well......just think spring break at Disneyland with half the other part of the world. It was crazy!!!! Just a sea of people with children having meltdowns by midday. It was nuts!

We hit Disney Monday and Tues. Geoffrey's best friend from school was meeting us down there with his family. Well, being it was their first time (our second) and both of them Civil Engineers everything was down to a science. They had subscribed to a program called Ridemax.com. This program will figure out for you where you need to go at what time and who should be getting the fast passes. All to maximize "ride time" during a busy time of year....like now. We weren't sure if it worked or not, but worth the try. So, Monday morning, Greg drops us off at the Guest Drop off and he goes to park the car (7a.m. right now) We find gate 13 or 20 like the program tells us to do. We meet up with Geoffrey's friend, Michael. We do the whole Disney count down thing and gates open at 8a.m. We get through, Michael's mom goes to rent a stroller, Greg runs to get fast passes at....don't remember, but somewhere while the kids and I literally are jogging to the Finding Nemo attraction. So far so good because our wait time was maybe 10 minutes and it moved quickly. Then off to other places. By the end of the day (11pm), we got in about 10 rides if not more. Pretty good is what I'm thinking considering the amount of people there.





Day 2 is a little more relaxed after Space Mountain and we had a blast! Greg and I were thoroughly exhausted. We needed all day Wednesday to just chill out. My college roommate let us stay at her house while she was on spring break with her kids so it was so nice to have a kitchen, backyard, and tons of toys for the kids rather than a hotel.



Caught up with a dear friend of mine from my dance years in L.A. It was great!!! Francine and I go way back when we used to dance and just hang out. We had our dogs and it was just such a special time. It was great to catch up with her and her 10 year son, Adin. All of our boys had a wonderful time.

Then to UCLA (go Bruins) and the La Brea Tar Pits on Friday. Why not brainwash my kids to my alma mater! We start them young even though I know I would support them in whatever and wherever they want to do or go. Go Bruins (had to put that in).



For the last 2 days of our stay, we'll be at the Kyoto Grand in Downtown L.A. as Greg has to continue working the show. Then back home. Wow, spring break does go by quickly and then back to the grind, eh? Well, it was great to see everyone and to have had such a success at Disneyland. Pictures to come when we get home.

New York, New York part deux

My cousin and I have been back from New York and loved our time there. Although it was short and quick, it was well worth the trip. As I mentioned before, having kids and travelling without them can create 1) worry whether the kids are all right 2) stress to make sure homework and permission slips are filled out and turned in 3) guilt that we, as moms, are having a blast. So, what do we do to combat such emotions? Ahhhhh..............a drink. Martini? Gin and tonic?

Yes, our trip started out by taking the red-eye and sleeping on the plane. Well, my cousin is a nervous flier and so as before, we take Nyquil to knock us out. My cousin likes to fortify it with some alcohol. Whatever it takes to sleep on the red-eye, right? This time we realize we can't take the Nyquil through security. So, my cousin says to take it prior to security and just dump out the bottle. We do just that. We get through security and get a nice bowl of soup from the Soup Exchange. My cousin, Tami, looks at me and says, "Gee....I"m feeling like I'm walking on clouds?"
Me: "No, it's the Nyquil."

We get to the gate and we discover that we're delayed an hour. Now, Tam says: "Oh Vivian, I'm hurting. I want to sleep right now". Me: "You can't or else you won't sleep on the plane. Go for a walk." Tam comes back with coffee. I tell her she shouldn't, but she does and shares some with me. She goes for a longer walk and comes back to find me asleep! We finally board and we sleep till we arrive in Jersey where my sister comes to pick us up.

Let me backup a bit, the theme of this trip was all about service!!! We arrive at the Park N Fly (I had already had my reservation through the internet) and the shuttle follows us to our parking space and picks up our luggage and then hands me a card with our parking number. Tam was so impressed. She was shocked how efficient they were!

Back to Jersey. We arrive around 7:30a.m. and my sis is there. We head over to her apartment and clean up for our day. My sister gives us directions via bus to Manhattan since we had our facial appts at 11:30a.m. and my sister didn't have to go into work till 12:30pm. We figure our way through and head onto the subway to the East Village. We run into Christine Chin's Salon and are greeted with the most exquisite complexions. Let me slow down here, this place is not the foo-foo facials that I really don't like. I want to get some work done. And here we are at Christine's where it's the more clinical facial that I like. I'm talking extractions where they will even go there with a "scalpel" and get rid of stuff. After my microdermbrasion (diamond) and then my extractions, I had this very icy cold green tea mask that left my skin looking great when I left. Nope, no beat up face here. It was wonderful!!!

Off to 88 Orchard for our lunch. A quick and lovely meal. Then some shopping and then uptown to my sister's office in midtown. On our way there, we were so relaxed!! I don't think I've ever been that relaxed in Manhattan and I lived there. I think it was combination of our Nyquil and the facial that left us feeling like we were finally taking care of US! So off to the subway and as we were walking, Tami says, "hey, here's a cab waiting for us!" I'm thinking...no, cheaper to take the subway. Tami: "Come on....it's like it was waiting for us?" So, off we go on the cab. This was the typical NYC cab driver that I LOVE!!! In and out weaving throughout the traffic and really pushing the metal to the pedal. It was awesome!!! I think NYC cab drivers should teach a course on "How to drive a Taxi".

We meet up with my sis and change at her office. Off to Le Bernadin for dinner. This place was all about service. As a mom, I appreciate this so much. We get in and no need to wait to get our coats off. Three people take off three customers coats. NO waiting! Our table is ready for us and the decor is not over the top too visually stimulating. Our server introduces us to the taste menu and prixe fix meal options. Most importantly, asks us if we're off to see a show, which we were and suggested we don't do the taste menu due to the time. Our food is excellent, but not over the top great. The service was ............let's just say I haven't to a restaurant with this kind of service that was so "smart". Tam and I agree that really good service is knowing when to gauge the clients. Our whole wait staff did not once interrupt our conversations with "is everything okay?" They only asked when the timing was appropriate. It was amazing!

Finally, to a show which was great. Then we meet up with my girlfriend, MaryAnn, who is in South Pacific at the Lincoln center. We go to The Mandarin for drinks and some catching up on old times. It was just fabulous.

We head back to my sis' apartment and sleep very soundly. We fly out the next day late afternoon. We have a stop over in Dulles where we take pics with Obama, Clinton, and McCain....lifesize cardboard cutouts. Yes, we had fun.
please note: do not confuse pics with political affiliations
Park N Fly picks us up and we are back to our car. It was exactly what we needed and deserve.

New York, New York

Well, I'm still getting over the end of the flu/cold. You know, that hacking, annoying cough that lingers. Sigh! I've been so busy getting ready for my presentation with some architects tomorrow and now I'm afraid I might go into a cough spasm. I just hate that!

In addition to the presentation, I'm getting ready to head to NYC to meet up with my sister. My cousin is coming along with me. We, as mothers, don't have a lot of time to ourselves and this has become our annual or every other year trip. We can only afford the 48 hours that we are gone. So, we take the red-eye out and arrive early next morning. Then we hit Manhattan. I lived there a while ago and it's always so fun to walk the city and bump into my friends. My sister and my cousin want to see "Young Frankenstein" and so I will be seeing it again. I saw it this past summer since my husband was working on the premiere in Seattle. It was a fun show, but I had an opportunity to see Patti LuPone for "Gypsy". Love Patti. Oh well. Maybe next time. Of course, there will be drinks after the show. My sister mentioned some place that will give me 50% off drinks if I show my Equity card. Have to make sure I have that with me. Yup, still Equity and proud of it!

Till the next time................I'll have to write about this new facialist we'll be seeing and the restaurant we chose. Wow, after all that we fly right back. The conflicts of mothers...want time to ourselves and then feel guilty the minute we leave them. sigh...again.