My First Yoga Class at Core Yoga

Aloha Everyone,

I have no core strength. Our son provided me with 3 contact information for physical therapists located all within 5 miles from his home. As instructed, appointments are made online. All 3 are fully booked until middle of August. Mentally ready to get started, to do something to regain my core strength, I stopped by at CorePower Yoga located in La Jolla UTC.

CorePower Yoga system is whoever teaching the class opens the front door 20 minutes before the next class starts. My first class was hot yoga class. We did mostly sitting and standing poses. After 45 minutes of workout, I was sore and couldn’t push myself up.

Little steps at a time. Happy to be back in a community of yoga practitioners. I have a long way to go.

Aloha -- Cathi

Storage Locker, Shopping at Walmart, & Bentos at Tokyo Central

Aloha Everyone,

At the beginning and at the end of our stay at ESA in Del Amo Fashion Square, we go to drop off items we don’t need for now and pick up items we will need for our one week’s stay. The storage spaces elevator is working, and we are relieved that the two of us won’t have to walk upstairs.

J.J. commented that he is out of shape. So am I. At least during our stay here, we plan to get 2 or 3 miles a day.

I purchased protein bars and will have it for breakfast with cold water. 

Aloha -- Cathi

Traveling Day Back to Los Angeles

Aloha Everyone,

The tempo of driving as we approached Los Angeles vicinity increased. After spending only 3 weeks away, but in mostly wide-open spaces and facing the Pacific Ocean, our senses have become more relaxed.

Pismo Beach, where our sons wanted to see because of Bugs Bunny and Coyote from their childhood cartoons brought us happy memories.

Coming back to ESA in Torrance gives me mixed emotions of nostalgia and ready to go.

Decided on an early lunch at Olive Garden. J.J. and I both had our minestrone soup plus shrimp scampi. J.J. ordered a takeaway pasta for tonight.

Watched 3 episodes of Godfather. It was good way to also relax ourselves and prepare for activities for the coming week.

Aloha -- Cathi

Morrow Rock & Solvang in California

Aloha Everyone,

Morrow rock is composed mostly of dacite, an igneous, volcanic rock. Depending on the time of the day, or the weather this gigantic igneous volcanic rock seems to stand floating in the ocean, attract writers and artists and dreamers to this coastal area.

Solvang, is a town with a rich Danish heritage. The town was founded in 1911 by Danish immigrants who wanted to preserve their culture. Solvang means “sunny fields” in Danish. Community focused on preserving and promoting Danish traditions and culture through its architecture, educational institutions and Danish Days are widely celebrated where you see Danish flags decorating the buildings and streets.

Our personal connection to Denmark goes back to when we were students at Art Center in Los Angeles. Per Volquartz, a Danish student from Randers, Denmark introduced us to wonderful Danish pastries.

We bought a few pastries from Mortenson’s. Little too sweet but we were starved that two of us made them as our unconventional meal.

Aloha -- Cathi

Golden Gate Bridge & San Francisco, Here We Come!

Aloha Everyone,

A long day being on the road. We missed our usual scheduling of the following day hotel reservation. After finding out that the hotel we stayed was fully booked, J.J. suggested, “Shall we just wing it?” This was another new episode of our adventures.

What we didn’t anticipate was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, driving through the city of San Francisco and finally getting a room in Salinas, wine countryside. There are at least 5 or more hotels congregated in this area. We chose Best Western and got a room for the night including breakfast.

Our lunch on the road was Chili’s and with hamburgers and fries for dinner. My stomach is upset.

By evening, the temperature has dropped to the 50’s and it was comfortable to walk to Inn & Out Burger to get takeout meals.

Reflecting the day, it was a wonderful and memorable. I must have taken over 50 photos. I will have to make selections to see if I have sufficient pictures to tell our stories of Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco.

Aloha -- Cathi

Avenue of The Giants,

Aloha Everyone,

Took a side trip on the Avenue of The Giants, truly a magnificent 31 miles scenic drive through Ancient Redwoods.

It’s hard to imagine that this drive is only 200 miles north of San Francisco and 150 miles south of the Oregon border. When J.J. and I meandered through Humboldt Redwoods State Park, we were among the largest remaining virgin redwoods in the world. Encompassing 51,222 acres, we uttered ahhhs and ooos. Our favorite sites were growths so thick that sunlight disappeared.

Some visitors were running to purchase souvenirs. I took photos and breathed in the clean pure air.

“The redwoods once seen creates a vision that stay with you always…they are not like any other trees we know…they are ambassadors from another time.”
— Quote by: John Steinbeck

Our dinner at Ohana Hawaiian BBQ in Santa Rosa Market Place, we met Sai from Oahu.  A brief encounter but Hawaiian connection is bonding.

Aloha -- Cathi

Back in California!

Aloha Everyone,

This morning’s drive started on Interstate 191 North. This is curving coastal road. Young and not so young thrill seekers sped by us, stopping where there’s no viewpoints officially allocated. J.J. is cautious, defensive and experienced driver. Without realizing I was pressing the brakes making my toes tingle.

Drove through Redwood National & State Forests. It was passed our normal lunch hour. At Spinners, I ate over-cooked baked potato plus garlic toasted bread. J.J. had ham, turkey and cheese sandwiches plus clam chowder.

Staying at Ramada Arcata in a small seaside town of Arcata. Our room is comfortable. Dinner at Mexican restaurant located within the complex. Main dishes were just okay, but our churros con chocolate improved our dinner as well as the total bill and our tip.

Aloha -- Cathi