Gosh, January in Corona del Mar might be one of the Nations’s best kept secrets with temperatures ranging from cute sweater cool to summer shorts sizzling. Yes, the days are shorter this time of year but they are on the “grow” and anyhow, there are lots of us who would rather endure a flu shot than to sit indoors from Spring through Fall, so Restaurant Week is really the only time to get a “taste” of what those patio and view impaired local zagat restaurants have to bring to the table. Okay, I have used up my pun allowance for this post.

There are two of these events each year. One in October and one in late January. If u come hungry, you can savor the best of the chefs in this city for around $15 for a three course lunch and around $25-35 for Dinner. I’ve already enjoyed a great meal at the Port in Corona del Mar and I have my eyes on a few contenders for this evening.

There is never a dull moment here in Corona del Mar and I hope that you can come by to join me in some delicious food. C’mon, it will be a gas(tronomical experience)….er, sorry. Definitely over quota.

And so it goes for SES. No Danny Sullivan. No Google Dance. Few attendees. The workshops are still good and access to programmers is fair, but this is not the same show.

Google had a 12 year old giving the keynote speech today. he stumbled over his facts and figures and in the end, it was not much more than an infomercial. I remember by contrast, the fireplace chats with Danny Sullivan and Sergey Brin and chatting with them and many other legends freely on the showroom floors.

Okay, my rant is over. I suppose Nothing gold can stay.

Dad’s Day adventures in Corona del Mar Freshly back from Boston and so glad to be home.  had some egrets drinking from the pool on this golden Father’s Day.  What a fine weekend with family and now I know the secret to the perfect Father’s Day.  Yes, I am amazingly dim for my ripe old age beacause everyone else already knows this: prepare gobs and gobs of barbecued dead meat and the man will love his family 4ever.  Atop that, Lauren chauffered Dad out for  spin to Seal Buoy. We actually started the day with a broccoli fest for my very healthy grandpa “B”  Broccoli pesto and pasta, Broccoli wraps, salad, stir fry…so we ended up eating our veggies first on this very fine day.Here is hoping that each of you had a fantastic day with your families.Egrets at Pool in Corona del Mar

James and melinda herndon at cabo azul in Los Cabos, Mexico

This report is for Steve and Shirley or anyone interested in learning more about Cabo Azul. Steve and Shirley are our fabulous friends who joined us for a charity auction where we both bought these packages to visit Cabo Azul Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico.

The resort is gorgeous. Rooms are perfect. U will want to rush home and redecorate. Elegant and romantic touches everywhere. Try to request an ocean view. They are very accomodating.

I am going to give you a couple of tips that I wish we’d had before we set out.

The resort arranges ground transportation coming, but not going. See if the driver will take the toll road if u agree to pay the extra 3 or 4 bucks. It is worth it to see Cabo untouched.

The boys will have a fine and dandy time and you can kick them out of the room often for grown up time and feel fine doing it. The boys can play on the beach. Calm with occasional 2-3 foot sets. Good shore break. They can use the internet cafe that is on campus. They can rent jet skis or swim in the pools. Oh, speaking of pools, there are three. The top one gets heated and feeds the heat to the second (less warm) and third (freezing). More kids are at the top though so it may be worth it to brave the cold and have more privacy. Lots of jacuzzis. Mariachi singers come out around 4:00pm and do a muy romantico job of setting the tone.

Food is to die for. It is Javiers, like on the newport coast. Everything is fresh, healthy, brilliant. There is also a great and well stocked grocery store so you can easily make meals in the well outfitted kitchen.

Oh, I should mention, when u get there, they will try to do the time share thing. Just say u r not interested in free stuff and they will respect your wishes.

Oh, towel trick. Same one as for everywhere with card towels. Just trade them in at the beginning of the trip and bring them home each day to the room. Trade for fresh in the a.m. Lose a towel and pay $50.

Okay, I am off for the pain of the season’s first triathlon and looking forward to seeing you guys in the very near future. Are you up for bid of excitement this year? Did they send u tickets or should I get some for u?

james melinda and lauren herndon new years eve london

Okay this section will be my daily life, random thoughts and some ideas about parenting. One thing that is for sure, is there will be no order to this section.