Where Can We Escape the Heat?? I Know! Newport Beach!

Wha' da ya do 

when the temps are soaring to over 110 degrees

and you have Marriott points for some free nights?

You head to the cool breezes of the west coast - 

specifically, Newport Beach, Ca.!

We left Wednesday morning, July 20, and got to Vegas in time for lunch at our favorite, Mon Ami Gabi.

I couldn't wait to get to the coast and I ordered steamed mussels and Roger ordered the Cubano - 

new to their menu and outstanding!

When we arrived that evening, we got a recommendation from our hotel of this seafood restaurant on the bay.

We ordered clam chowder, crab salad and scallop ceviche.

It will become more and more obvious that 

this trip is all about the seafood!

Next morning, we had a tasty breakfast, 

which included this wonderful cinnamon twist, at this French bakery/restaurant that is located at Fashion Island, a huge outdoor shopping complex in Newport Beach.

We took a drink break in the huge food court and I took this pic of my cute husband.

There are five anchor stores - Nordstrom's, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Macy's and Brooks Brothers -  

and boutiques, a theater complex, cafes and restaurants.

It is a beautiful complex and a shopping mecca.

The Anthropologie is huge! 

I had to take a pic of my dream dress. 

The pic does not do it justice.

It has sparkly jewels sewn all over the tiny little bodice 

that I can only hope 

that such a one will fit me in the next life.

There is absolutely no hope that it will ever again in this one.

Sigh!

But I was thrilled to find an entire store selling Johnny Was tops.

I was in earth Heaven!

We  shared a Pinkberry yogurt with fresh mangoes, toasted almonds, mochi and mango poppers.

Mindy introduced us to this in NYC, and it is the

Best Yogurt Ever!

We took a drive south along the coast that afternoon, going through Corona del Mar, 

Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove and Crescent Beach (pics later). 
Our daughter, Stacy, told us to be sure to drive up into the neighborhoods of the charming homes, 
which we did, and we enjoyed seeing the unique architecture and the beautiful views.

We could hardly wait to have seafood on the bay again.

Newport Beach Bay is loaded with expensive boats of every kind. 

On special were whole Maine lobsters.

I had a New England clambake, which included a whole Maine lobster 

and steamed clams, my favorite of all seafood.

One of Roger's favorite desserts is Key lime pie.

Next day, we decided to have our big meal at lunchtime and try Rick Baless's restaurant - Red O.

He is an expert of authentic Mexican cuisine, 

and I remember watching his cooking show long before Food Network 

came on the air.

What an amazing treat this meal was!

Roger ordered wild white Mexican shrimp enchilada suizas

and I ordered the fish of the day, 

grilled fresh barramundi, served with guajello chimichurri and fresh grilled veggies.

Honestly, this meal was truly delicious!

Our server recommended this dessert that we couldn't pass up - 

passion fruit butter cake, 

baked to order and served with grilled strawberries, 

passion fruit custard, coconut crumble and homemade coconut ice cream. 

It was all I could do not to burst into song when I took my first bite!

After this wonderful lunch, we went sight-seeing again, heading to Dana Point and San Clemente.

Stacy also mentioned finding this home furnishing and accessories store 

that she loves to visit when she comes here. 

She lived in Chino Hills when Tom went to medical school, and she knows the ropes of the area. 

The southern California coast is their favorite place to vacation.

We heard about the yummy half-priced sushi during Happy Hour at this place.

We shared a couple of rolls for our dinner 

and had it all scarfed down when I took this pic.

We also shared a virgin pina colada.

Next morning before we left for home, we had to have one last seafood meal, 

and we heard about this walk-up on Balboa peninsula.

This place was a find!

I got my last fix on steamed mussels and clams,

 and Roger loved his fresh yellowtail sandwich.

We got caught in a huge traffic jam between Baker, where the temp was 115, and Primm.

There was an accident with a travel trailer and it backed traffic up for an hour, in that heat.

Yikes!

We found some great bargains at the Williams Sonoma outlet in Primm, 

shared a burger in Vegas at Stripburger, and headed for home.

We're now back in the heat, but what a nice respite it was!

Okay, So ROGER Had Fun - Lake Powell, 2016 - And I Had Fun Up North!

But before I talk about our adventures,

I want to tell you about this . . . 

I just love that this happened!

Ever since Syd arrived with her new husband, Jake, in Hong Kong, she has been on the look-out 

for her cousin, Josh, who is serving an LDS mission there.

Missionaries, while serving, are not supposed to have family members visit them, 

but Syd thought if she just happened to run into him, it would be great. 

They are our first two grandkids, and they are very close, and our sweet, nineteen-year-old Sydney 

is hungry to see loved ones from home. 

He is in an entirely different area, but every Elder she would see for the last six months, she would ask,

"Do you know Elder Stratford, serving in the New Territories, Mandarin speaking?" 

 Last week Sydney was giving a tour of Hong Kong 
to family friends from Mesa.

The first place the friends wanted to see was the Hong Kong Temple. 

 When she asked her usual question to a couple of missionaries, she found out 
that there was a missionary Zone Leaders' Conference going on in a building nearby.
Josh had just been called to be a zone leader, so she ran to the building, 
asking her question and an Elder said, 
" Yes, I think he's in there (pointing to a room) and they're soon breaking for lunch."
The door opened, and there he was!
Syd said she sobbed the entire time, and well after their brief exchange. 
Her friends captured the moment.
Oh, joy!

The annual Lake Powell trip with the WHS Class of '62 friends on Jerry's houseboats 
has rolled around already, 
this time in July when it's usually in slightly-cooler June.
This is kind of a blessing, because Roger said, "I know it really is too hot for you, Pam." 
And when I cooked up the brilliant idea of going up north to stay with my sister, Patty, 
he said he would drive me up a couple days early and play some golf with her husband, Hal.
Then I knew the plan was meant to be when our daughter, Stacy, was up north for a couple of weeks 
for the Youngs's annual 4th of July reunion with Tom's family.
 She and her kids would be heading to Lake Powell for a family vacation with friends and their kids 
and she would meet Tom (who had flown home after the 4th to work), on the same day 
that Roger would be getting off of Jerry's houseboat. 
That left a seat for me in their SUV to drive to Lake Powell to meet up with Roger, 
then we could drive home to St. George.
Hallelujah!

It was so fun to get together with Patty and Hal!
Mickelsen's youngest daughter, Jessica, and her husband, Adam, who are living in Minneapolis, 
were visiting them with their two darling kids, Gigi and Ian.
Patty and Hal had been serving in the temple that afternoon, so Patty, Jess and I prepared a linguini bar 
with Bechamel sauce, mushrooms and onions and your choice of sauteed chicken or shrimp 
and steamed broccoli and fresh garlic sticks. 
Patty is such a great cook, and we Gabrielsens are such foodies!

\

What with keeping up with our eleven kids ((Patty and Hal have six and Roger and I have five) 

and our 43 grandkids, church work and trips, we don't get together very often, 

but when we do we just pick up where we left off. 

It seems that the older we get, the more we realize how many of those Gabrielsen genes locked into us, 

from aches and pains to food likes and dislikes to habits and mannerisms 

to attitudes and ways of thinking  . . . and on and on.  

I just love this special sister and my two other wonderful sisters 

and my lone and surprisingly normal 

(who was flanked on each side of us growing up) brother!

The Gladstan Golf Course is a stone's throw down the mountain from Patty and Hal's. 

Hal plays nearly every morning. 

Roger, Hal and Adam shot eighteen holes the first morning, 

then they played nine the next morning before he loaded up and headed for Lake Powell.

It is so gorgeous where they live, taking in the wonderful nature.

We saw several deer with their little Bambis right outside their windows 

and the guys saw them also on the golf course.

Roger and I drove to Salt Lake to meet up with BJ and leave a wedding present for her daughter, her only child. 

We go way back with BJ - 

she worked with Roger at Murdock Travel, and she even babysat our kids a couple of times when we traveled - 

they and we love her!

We first had a yummy lunch downtown at Eva's Bakery, then met BJ at the Marriott where she works 

and had a wonderful catch-up chat with her.

Patty made a wonderful Italian beef sandwich dinner that night.

Patty and I enjoyed lots of good chats while we were there.

Friday morning, she drove me to Thanksgiving Point, where we shopped, had lunch 

and Stacy picked me up to take me to my hair appointment in Ogden and to take her kids to visit Grandma. 

Stacy always brings Grandma roses when she visits and they adore each other. 

After I was finished at Jessica's, Stacy picked me up and we drove to Bountiful to meet Rick, Jodie and kids 

for sushi at the Mikado.

We had to take three pics to get everybody in the pic.

I took a quick pic of the cousins walking out of Mikado hand-in-hand.

Ooo, that sun was bright!

I stayed with Rick and Jodie Friday night, and Saturday went shopping, then went to lunch with Jodie and Blake while Stacy took the cousins to Lagoon.

We stayed in Mindy's house Saturday night (they were at Disneyland with their kids), 

then headed for Lake Powell the next morning.

Meanwhile, Roger's Lake Powell Adventure began!

He arrived at the Antelope Crossing Marina near Page, Az. Thursday afternoon, then boarded the Big Dog.

He took a panoramic view of the main floor, where all of his classmates were already there.

Roger's high school class has remained extremely close through the years, 

due in great part to Jerry and Vickie inviting them on his houseboats every summer 

and to his ski lodge in Deer Valley every Holiday time.

Some of the "cronies"

He got to catch up with them all (which is the part that I really did miss).

These guys are super great!

Vickie always brings all of the delicious food, some prepared ahead, then everyone helps.

"This wedge salad is almost as good as Players!"

It was a little unusual this year.

Jerry and Vickie had to leave at noon on Saturday to pick up Vickie's family up north 

to go to the Calgary Stampede in Canada.

So they didn't actually take the houseboats out, but stayed at the marina.

On the onset, it sounded a little crazy, but here's the deal.

The 21 classmates who came come mainly to be with each other,

and Roger said it didn't really matter a lot 

that the houseboat didn't head out, because they took the three jet skis out on little jaunts 

and went on lots of boat rides.

Antelope Canyon

"Better get a shot of this (when Rog took his hat off). . .

(reflection in the boat window)

. . . Mormon horns!"

They enjoyed lots of hands of cards.

Roger couldn't resist taking pretty scenery shots, although he takes lots of them every year.

Roger and Patrick took the jet skis on a little trip to the dam.

Though Vickie and Jerry were gone the last night, Vickie had made spaghetti and meatballs ahead, 

and the girls made a big green salad.

She also left gourmet cupcakes for them.

Fred Thompson, Fred Stettler, Jimmy Mann, Lyle Johnston, Roger and Patrick Collins

They enjoyed hanging out on the upper deck that last evening.

And they played Idiot.

There isn't really a winner, but a loser at the end.

Thus, the name.

Roger was glad that, in all of the hands they played, he wasn't it.

He said it was really fun.

Since they were in port, he got great shots of the sunset.

The sun has set on another Lake Powell reunion,

and next year they will celebrate their 55th year since they graduated. 

They said they are going to make up special t-shirts with that on it,

 and Jerry is planning to have a new, bigger houseboat then.

We'll have to see how I'm feeling about going next year when it comes,

but I have to say that this year it worked out to be a win/win for both of us!