Beelman Family Reunion

Today marks a special day as Daddy and I headed into San Francisco in order to meet up with the Beelman's: Dale Beelman, Glenn Beelman, Rosy Beelman and Dianne Pattison. With the exception of Dianne, all of these folks are in the high 70s up to the 90s, so it is important for me to spend time with these folks while I can.

The Grups

Today El Padre and I awoke to the pleasantness that is Gramps and Gramma J's house in Santa Rosa, CA. What's so pleasant about Santa Rosa you may ask? Well, it's warm, the birds are chirping, rain isn't part of the forecast and the unrequited love of a certain pair of great-grandparents.

After some breakfast manoeuvres, we drove caravan-style to Santa Rosa's Howarth Park. Daddy and I were trippin' that Howarth is a bit like Hogwart... And we all know how cool it would be to visit a Hogwart's Park. And how strange to be playing a the park that Mommy grew up playing at.
We ain't taking any bull!
I was pretty into hanging out on the cow until I noticed the P I G ! ! After finding pig, that's all she wrote... I wasn't too interested in anything else. Daddy split after a few minutes because he needed to head into San Francisco for a rendez-vous with Scott Mahalick, Program Director of KBWF, or the New 95.7 The Wolf in San Francisco. KBWF is a client of Daddy's employer and it was a nice touch to hand-deliver the new IQ Beats stuff that they've been feverishly making for The Wolf's launch in the City by the Bay.

This of course was fine by me as Grammy J, Jerry the King and I all had WAY TOO MUCH FUN without any parental units around. Eventually we headed back to their crib and got some quality time with my great-aunt and uncle, or Jim and Suz. And hey, anyone bringing me stuffed animals and cool block puzzles are going down in my hall of fame.

Headed to SF

Preparations and packing are the order of business around here this morning as Daddy and I ready for a San Francisco bound flight this afternoon to visit the Beelman clan and spend a little time with Gramma J and The King, aka Joan and Jerry Herzog, or my great-grandparents.

We'll be staying at their El Rancho Luxurio in Santa Rosa as a home base from which to stage our daily trips into the city. Daddy has actually got a job to do this time: He'll be heading downtown to the newly launched 95.7 The Wolf to hand deliver a bunch of IQ Beats imaging products to the very overworked PD Scott Mahalick and production man Dean Kattari. I think afterwards he plans to catch some lunch at Taylor's Automatic Refresher at the Ferry Terminal Plaza. YUM!! Oh, and if downtown, perhaps a little shopping for presents for two very special someone's in his life?

Surely we'll have pictures and we'll letcha know how everything turns out.

Class Pictures 2007

It's that time of year again. Check out last year's pics for a blast from the past.

MEA

It is with great pride that Daddy and the family Beel would like to announce the showing of Daddy's world class photographs at the MEA, or Museum of Ella Art for those unfamiliar. The show opened yesterday and we're very pleased with the turn out. Please stop by for a look/see and to show your support!

Play Dates and Dinner Dates

This morning Mrs. Tia Smith, Miss Campbell Smith and Mr. Carter Smith all paid us a visit at chez Beel for a casual morning play date. Mommy was off on Mercer Island doing the Rotary Run with some of her Starbuckian teammmates while Tia's beau Doug was recently departed for an annual Microsoft conference in Orlando. That's what Doug says , but we think he's actual a Disneyworld junkie.

Apres play date and nap the parentals and I headed to Green Lake to burn of some steam, take a lap around the lake and spend some time at Green Lake's playground. And immediately upon arrival guess who we see? None other than the Smith's themselves! Two Campbell play dates in one day!!

Time went by, slides were slid, swings were swung, gossip was exchanged before a quick look at our watches told us we had to make a hasty exit as we were already late for dinner at the Tiritilli's. Mirta's mom has been here from Peru for weeks and weeks to help with new baby Leonardo and we were invited over for a little Peruvian home cookin'. Yum yum.

That little scamp Campbell


Everyone's favorite knucklehead

Jimbo and Treats

Tonight Jimbo and Treats made a rare appearance for some yummy home-cooked Vietnamese food.

Tea Party With Silver

A conversation between mother and I:

Sasha - "Guess who is coming over tonight?"
Ella - Blank stare
Sasha - "Silver! Silver is coming over."
Ella - "You and Daddy go on date?"
Sasha - "Yep, with Doug E. and Tia."
Ella - "I listen for the doorbell."
Ella - "We have tea party."


And thus, Silver and I had the tea party of all tea parties while Mommy and Daddy joined Doug Smith and super-mom Tia Smith at Eva Restaurant in Wallingford for their Twenty-Five for $25 offering.

Growing Up Fast

Or so Mommy and Daddy claim. Just wait 'til I've got a cellphone, one of their credit cards and a vehicle. Oh yeah, and sexy jeans and a boyfriend.

Sprung

How nice is it to walk out of work or daycare at 5:30PM and it is warm and the sun is out? Are you there Spring? It's me, Ella.

Wet and Wild Weekend

On Saturday The Dad and I headed to Sponge for some caliente Spanish learning action. Absent was our usual maestra Lorena and in her place was otra maestra Val. Both teachers are fantastic, but it was nice to experience some of the fun and different ways that Val conducts her classes. Most notably is the repetitive and fun singing with each new and familiar word she is featuring. Also absent from this session was my pal Campbell due to her being in sunny and warm Scottsdale, AZ with papa Doug, mama Tia and baby bro Carter. Highs in the mid-80s and lows in the 60s... I'm pink with envy.

Our post-nap activity on Saturday was to brave the elements and head down to the Seattle Aquarium for what turned out to be a very fun time. I was fascinated with the seals and otters as well as watching the jellyfish go around and around in their installation. Perhaps most fun of all was being able to touch the creatures in the tide pool. Um, scratch that... The most fun of all was heading to Baskin & Robbins afterwards for Strawberry ice cream!

Mommy split early on Sunday morning to go run in the 23rd Annual St. Patrick's Day Dash. Meeting her for the shenanigans were: Nana, Jeff Anderson, Jessica Anderson and 3 year old A.J. Anderson. Based on Mommy's report, fun was had and wetness was experienced. After the race they dined at the not-so-swank Ozzie's in Lower Queen Anne. No green beers afterwards?! Wimps!

While she was off doing this, Daddy took us to the Mountlake Terrace pool to meet up with the Abulhosn's: Mak, Lynn, Marques and Brandon. The play date was actually organized by Amy Light, but the Light's passed as Amy and baby Audrey were both getting over ear infections. The pool is divided up into different sections: a main lap pool, the Lazy River, and the Leisure Pool. The Leisure Pool was our domain and features geysers, a slide, tons of toys and noodles, a poolside basketball hoop, and Toddler Island. Nastily chlorinated, but a lot of fun and something we'll definitely revisit. It was great seeing the Abulhosn's too... Brandon is getting so big and those boys are perhaps the cutest in the world.

The Weekend

On Saturday Mommy and Daddy dropped me off at Mary and David Barrett's in North Bend so that Mary and David could score some Ella time and so that Mommy and Daddy could have a date weekend. I don't know about you, but I always love going to the plush confines of the Barrett's to hang out with some good and loving peeps. All of their Grandson Gabriel's cool toys don't negatively impact things either.

Mary and David recently got a new puppy named Lexi that I think is some kind of Shiitzu. I'm notoriously sketchy around dogs but finally warmed up to her by the end of Sunday. She is so cute and we even got to give her a bath.

Extremely pooped on the way back from North Bend.


Mommy and Daddy took full advantage of their free time and casually notched a few things into their bedpost:

Saturday

• Trader Vics - Rum drinks, sharing a kobe burger and edamame


• Starbucks/Hear Music - Bought two cool remix CDs of Nina Simone and Motown artists


• lululemon - Scoped out some new exercise and casual wear


• Eyes on Fremont - New specs for the bespectacled one


• Theo Choclate - Stopped by the factory and got the 411 to go with their confections


• Brouwer's Cafe - A couple of beers and some pomme frites in the uber cool Fremont spot


• Lynwood Honda - Checked out a couple of phat Honda rides. Experienced the difference


• Norm's Eatery - Exercised a gift coupon and gnoshed curried chicken on couscous


• Chez Beel - Watched Flag's of Our Fathers while sipping boxed wine

Sunday

• Green Lake - Run the perimeter


• Starbucks - Lattes and breakfast sandwiches

And in fine fashion, we capped the weekend off with a nice visit from Nana and Papa. Papa kept me well entertained as we cooked upstairs in my kitchen while Nana and the parents sipped Champagne. Not bad at all.

Alice Waters

You may remember that back in January Mommy and Daddy headed to San Francisco to visit Daddy's Aunt Rosy, who is the inspiration for my middle name of Rose. While there, they headed over to Berkeley to partake in the culinary nirvana that is Alice Waters' Chez Panisse. Daddy was scanning around the net this morning and found this:

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