Surge 2
Sunday December 4th saw us heading out to Riverside CA again - this time it is going to be a full 2 weeks.
We used Uber for the first time and it is so cool, on Saturday evening, Gerald booked a ride for 4:15 on Sunday morning to take us to the airport. We walked out to the street and watched the progress of our ride on the app. Credit card was entered into the app when we booked and it was such a pleasure to be picked up effortlessly without worrying if the ride was going to be there on time - our driver Terrance was very friendly and dropped us off at the Southwest entrance well in time for us to get to the gate in time for boarding. We were both TSA approved so everything was a breeze.
We got in to Ontario airport around 9 am local time, picked up the rental car and took a long scenic route into Riverside. stopping off at some parks along the way, while deciding what to do with our day. We stopped at a local mexican eatery where we could see that locals were eating - we shared a great brunch and decided to go up to mount Rubidoux. The weather was lovely and we were lucky enough to find a parking space at one of the trail heads. It turned out to be a clear day and much warmer than expected so those jeans that we had chosen to wear for the cold morning start soon turned out to be warmer than we really would have like.
The hike up to the top has really amazing views and is a nice climb but not too steep - it has an elevation of 1,399'. Although there is a paved trail to the top, we opted to take a steeper unpaved trail on the lover elevation, picking up the paved trail about a third of the way up. It is a fairly easy walk with several historical points of interest along the way and the view from the cross at the top is amazing.
After that great exercise we treated ourselves to some really good caramel coffee and an orange pastry at the Coffee Bean while waiting for our room to be ready. At the end of the day, a beautiful sunset from our room then supper at Sam Bann Thai - wow what a great curry that was again.
Right now it is Festival of Lights time here in Riverside and the lights are really incredible especially at the famed Mission Inn. The streets are packed with people from all over the place, here just to see this this display of Christmas lights .. I was like a kid in Disneyland as yet another magical display came into site round each corner. Going to have to find an event free evening to take my camera out to record this.
My lunch time walks are an opportunity to discover hidden gems - one day I stumbled across Tio's Tacos - apparently also pretty famous. It is truly a folk art wonderland with all the art objects made out of trash - there are many 20' (or bigger?) 'people' built out of wire frames filled with tin cans, milk jugs etc. using the tall palms as the central core to build from. I only saw a tiny fraction of what I have since learned is there and apparently the food is pretty good too. This is a cultural must see and there is a beer bottle shrine and so many amazing pieces to discover, each with it's own story. This is going to need a visit with time enough (and my camera) to do it justice.
I also discovered a pair of lakes (Fairmont and Evans) and the most amazing houses that I have ever seen. It is also incredible to see all the citrus trees in everyone's yards - orange, lemon, tangerine and grapefruit trees laden with so much fruit that it is unharvested and dropping to the ground. One day I picked a couple of tangerines from a branch hanging over the sidewalk and they were the most beautiful tangerines that I remember having eaten.
The gatherings are legendary for this group.
Starting with our daily breakfast gatherings - everyone knows whose sits where and the staff know to bring Mindy's hazelnut creamer and Gerald's orange juice. We practice our Spanish with the omelette chef.
Some notable evenings (too many to remember them all):
I also discovered a pair of lakes (Fairmont and Evans) and the most amazing houses that I have ever seen. It is also incredible to see all the citrus trees in everyone's yards - orange, lemon, tangerine and grapefruit trees laden with so much fruit that it is unharvested and dropping to the ground. One day I picked a couple of tangerines from a branch hanging over the sidewalk and they were the most beautiful tangerines that I remember having eaten.
The gatherings are legendary for this group.
Starting with our daily breakfast gatherings - everyone knows whose sits where and the staff know to bring Mindy's hazelnut creamer and Gerald's orange juice. We practice our Spanish with the omelette chef.
Thomson Reuters hosted a cocktail party and taco supper for all these hard working surgers at the hotel. It was a lot of fun and the Marriott laid out some good quality food but the deserts really stole the show!
The Yard House at Tyler was quite an experience, I don't recommend sitting near that door to patio in winter but the food and beer and especially the company were worth freezing for.
It did start getting difficult to find somewhere new to eat around here especially with all the crowds coming into 'our space' for the lights festival. It is so crowded everywhere but one evening Mindy expertly steered us to The Hideaway and it became my favorite place. It really is hidden away down in the basement of a building opposite one side of the Mission Inn. What a genuine place with an incredible mix of people - it was noisy and there was live music playing most of the evening, a great atmosphere and a great place to let your hair down and relax with real people, no pretences, no airs and graces. Gerald and I split a Cuban Sandwich - we had seen these made on one of those travel programs that we love to watch on TV and this one certainly lived up to the expectations.
For those of you who really want to know what is behind that door - the exit that only Gerald and I found. Here is proof that it is more than an emergency only exit :)
It is so nice to be able to walk to supper and walk back to the hotel afterwards, somehow there is always something different to see on every walk around this town - nothing has changed but you just notice different things every time that you go out.
The Yard House at Tyler was quite an experience, I don't recommend sitting near that door to patio in winter but the food and beer and especially the company were worth freezing for.
It did start getting difficult to find somewhere new to eat around here especially with all the crowds coming into 'our space' for the lights festival. It is so crowded everywhere but one evening Mindy expertly steered us to The Hideaway and it became my favorite place. It really is hidden away down in the basement of a building opposite one side of the Mission Inn. What a genuine place with an incredible mix of people - it was noisy and there was live music playing most of the evening, a great atmosphere and a great place to let your hair down and relax with real people, no pretences, no airs and graces. Gerald and I split a Cuban Sandwich - we had seen these made on one of those travel programs that we love to watch on TV and this one certainly lived up to the expectations.
For those of you who really want to know what is behind that door - the exit that only Gerald and I found. Here is proof that it is more than an emergency only exit :)
It is so nice to be able to walk to supper and walk back to the hotel afterwards, somehow there is always something different to see on every walk around this town - nothing has changed but you just notice different things every time that you go out.
Saturday 9:10 AM - Celebrate good times - 2 test cases just passed !
10:30 AM - another 2 test cases passed
11:15 AM - taking care of business, yet another test case passed!
2:15 PM - and yet another one, taking care of business, working overtime.
2:50 PM - is this for real?? Test case number 7 just passed and that was AFTER Connie said that we should finish early at 3:30 because we have made such good progress. This is amazing.
Great job everyone !
Just to finish the surge off right, Friday - last day of Surge 2 ends with a total of 41 TCs passed on this surge and a 222 of 311 overall.
I am so proud to be part of your family and your successes !
Can you believe that I am actually looking forward to surge 3 - save a seat for me Gerald, I am going to be joining you 'in the office' :)
Celebrating 41 Tests Cases passed out of the goal of 40 - way to GO guys !
On our last night here, we finally got a table at La Bella Tratoria at the Mission Inn. In fact when we got there at around 5:30 we were told that they were already booked for the evening so we wandered off. Now THIS is amazing customer service, we had wandered to the other end of the inn, amongst the (not so bad) crowd and the host came running up to us and told us that is we still wanted to be seated, they had just had a cancellation. Wow, amazing huh?
We were serenaded by carol singers that are hired by the Chamber of Commerce for the season. The singing was beautiful and the singers so obviously loved what they were doing.
Anyhow we had a lovely meal and I can recommend the Barbabietola (beet and goat cheese antipasti) and the Inn Keepers Pasta. There is a great ambiance there, classy without being over priced or snobbish and the patio seating with outdoor heating is perfect even on a cooler mid-December evening. Great finish to this surge.
10:30 AM - another 2 test cases passed
11:15 AM - taking care of business, yet another test case passed!
2:15 PM - and yet another one, taking care of business, working overtime.
2:50 PM - is this for real?? Test case number 7 just passed and that was AFTER Connie said that we should finish early at 3:30 because we have made such good progress. This is amazing.
Great job everyone !
I am so proud to be part of your family and your successes !
Can you believe that I am actually looking forward to surge 3 - save a seat for me Gerald, I am going to be joining you 'in the office' :)
Celebrating 41 Tests Cases passed out of the goal of 40 - way to GO guys !
On our last night here, we finally got a table at La Bella Tratoria at the Mission Inn. In fact when we got there at around 5:30 we were told that they were already booked for the evening so we wandered off. Now THIS is amazing customer service, we had wandered to the other end of the inn, amongst the (not so bad) crowd and the host came running up to us and told us that is we still wanted to be seated, they had just had a cancellation. Wow, amazing huh?
We were serenaded by carol singers that are hired by the Chamber of Commerce for the season. The singing was beautiful and the singers so obviously loved what they were doing.
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