Guest Bathroom Refresh - Jan - Mar 2014

Well, I should have started with a plan...

Instead, I decided that the grout needed to be replaced since it had not been sealed properly and I was tired of using bleach and a toothbrush.

 

This meant removing the toilet and cutting out the grout - Ryobi Job Tool

  

New Grout and Sealed tile

 

Now I realize that the trim and the door look really bad, so I paint the door and the trim. Then I realize the walls look like crap and I hate the medicine cabinet, so remove the medicine cabinet and I can paint the walls. Well, the previous owner though the best way to hang a medicine cabinet with Liquid Nails and screws into the drywall (thus the Liquid Nails). Result -

So now I have to repair that. Meanwhile, I realize I am going to have to paint the ceiling as well, so I should check out the ceiling vent. Yeah - that needs to be replaced as well.

 

Oh and since the toilet is out, I should replace it with a better one. The final list:

• Replace ceiling vent
• Replace toilet
• Paint walls
• Paint ceiling
• Paint trim
• Paint door

All because I wanted to replace the grout.

 

Pinball Hall of Fame - Las Vegas - Feb 2014

Between the shows and the restaurants, and losing at the casinos, Lynn and I decided to see some sights off the Strip. First Stop - Pinball Hall of Fame http://www.pinballmuseum.org/

10,000 sq feet of Pinball and vintage video games and they donate their profits to charity - last year $400,000.00.

We donated $20.00 in quarters in about an hour.

Cargo and Sail at the Port of LA - Dec. 2013

A few photos of the cargo ships and some sailing ships - Enjoy!

In My Backyard - WW II at the Port of Los Angeles - Dec. 2013

The Port is visible from my backyard. Back in December, Bob and I went down to the waterfront to take a look at the Maritime Museum. Additionally, it was a beautiful day on the water.

Enjoy the photos - WW II Era

SS Lane Victory in the foreground 

SS Lane Victory - http://www.lanevictory.org/

USS Iowa - http://www.pacificbattleship.com/

Vincent Thomas Bridge in the background

Blue Man Group - Pre-Show Feb. 2014

We last enjoyed the Blue Man Group several years ago when we were still dating. Since this was our first visit back to Vegas since we were married, and because the Blue Man Group has a new show, we were really looking forward to the evening. Still a great evening of percussion, marshmallows and modern plumbing.

Sadly, you can only take photos during the Pre-Show and during the finale. Enjoy.

Pre-Show

Blue Man - Finale - Feb. 2014

A Disappointing Event – Don the Beachcomber (Huntington Beach) Dec 2013

As a rule, our friend Bob comes down every December for a week or so to visit his mom and spend some time in LA. I mean Christmas in July, how could anyone from Seattle think LA in December is a bad idea…

Last time Bob visited, we took him to one of our favorite restaurants – Trader Vic’s in Los Angeles. Being a geek for Tiki bars – ever since I saw the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland as a kid – I understood that Don and Vic were competitors in the distant past, each claiming to have created the Mai Tai. Bob had become a fan of Mai Tais courtesy of Trader Vic, so we thought we go investigate the libations at Don’s.

I made reservations, but when we arrived, it was pretty apparent that reservations were not required. In fact, the restaurant was pretty empty… The bar seemed to being a good business with locals, but I think this was the first clue as to the disaster that loomed in our future.

Do you ever wonder what would happen if the Tiki Room at Disneyland was allowed to decay? Well, it would look a lot like Don The Beachcomber (Huntington Beach).

Sadly, the food did not redeem the night. The kitchen had already run out of Pork Ribs, so Bob and Lynn could not have their first choice. Strangely, 20 minutes after being told that the restaurant had run out of ribs, the table next to us was served two plates of the ribs. Must have ordered ahead, since they were not seated when we ordered. I had the pulled pork. Let me be clear, it was not the worst pulled pork I ever had, that award goes to the BBQ in Julian. But it was underwhelming to say the least.

The Mai Tais kept this from devolving into fiasco territory. 5 of these and you can excuse almost anything.

The night concluded with a “Luau” style show… After 6 Mai Tais, the show was entertaining, just probably not the way the management intended.

Go to Vics!!!!