One Busy Bee

With my experience at the driving range and meeting Tiger Woods via the Madame Tussads. I am no Michelle Wie , nor a Hawaii native (sadly). But I'm not bad on the greens. The mini golf greens, that is...against a 12-year-old. On our recent trip out to the South with my nephew, I think I got him hooked on a sport!  Thank goodness! His parents aren't into sports but Auntie is! I remember teaching him to throw a ball when I would babysit him as a kid and it never stuck at home. He preferred video games and helping their machining business. Do you, Kid, but I can't help but be happy that he's into a sport now.  After an amazing meal at the Michelin star Sea Captain'sHouse in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, we walked over to Captain Hook MiniGolf . It was a Captain kind of evening. They were open late and it was warm out so we enjoyed the evening. The course had a waterfall, skeletons, boats to climb, a cave and even surprise bursts of water fr...

Now that Highway 1 is completely open after the landslide, travelers can go from San Francisco to Los Angeles all along the coast if they wish. Pack snacks for the road, the dog if you have one like I do and prepare for oohs and aww moments at every turn. Have to represent my Los Lonely Boys The plan was for my roommate and I to have our Roommate Day with my dog, Bevo. I planned it out and we were going to go to a dog beach, come back up to Carmel Valley for a hike -  and either dine in Carmel by the Sea or Monterey. Well, none of that didn't happen. Listening to oldies, the moon roof open on a gorgeous day and spotty cell coverage, we missed the dog park by an hour or so. Oops! However, on the way, we stopped at what we thought was the Bixby Bridge and took photos. Little did we know, it just a bit further down. I did think it was smaller than I remembered. My 26-pound Puppy Love Los Lonely Boys hat Reigning Fury Victoria's Secret Moon roof...

You've seen the videos of people holding up signs for FREE HUGS and people receiving them very well. After a hike up Steiner from Lombard Street to see the Mrs. Doubtfire house, we ended up on Fillmore Street to explore that neighborhood. What did we find? After some catching our breath, we had our breath taken away as we gasped at a sign saying there were free cuddle sessions at the SPCA SanFrancisco . As animal lovers, my roommate, Kim, and I went in! Above the veterinary hospital is the area that has animals available for adoption. There were quite a few cats available in their mini office-like areas with glass doors. I didn't see too many dogs but the pups were offering the free cuddles on Saturdays. Free cuddles by cats are on Sundays. We stepped up to the desk and signed up to redeem our cuddle session. We were asked to wash our hands at the sinks behind us, a good step to keep the animals healthy for potential adoptions. Through another glass door and in th...

Today, through the pain of arthritis in my foot, clavicle pain on my right side and perhaps still full of delicious fried chicken from North Carolina, I managed to run 4.3 miles to reach a record of 100 miles of training for my first half marathon. I haven't ran since I did so on the beach in Myrtle Beach and that was only two miles, but at least I got some kind of work out during that vacation. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - SnapChat: bappletree Back home in Hayward, CA in my San Jose Fit Expo shirt with Bodybuilding.com  - SnapChat: bappletree Nelly, my Team in Training running buddy, and our cheerleaders, Kim and Sandra, met over a delicious dinner at InternationalSmoke (link to blog post) in San Francisco and we are basically all set for our January 2019 adventure. Southwest flights are booked, a hotel thru Wyndham and Sandra's timeshare has been reserved and we are almost all set with actual Walt Disney World  tickets. International Smoke, we...

If you’re looking for cheap eats in San Francisco, they’re pretty hard to find. Happy Hour is at a discount but not crazy cheap. Rubio’s may be a chain but you can get a fish taco for $1.75 each after 2:30 pm on Tuesdays.  I remember going to the one in Brentwood and enjoying their food and their salsa station. On my way to work from Embarcadero Bart station, I saw a sign for Rubio’s special on the window as I walked by their Embarcadero 4 location. As I have dined at most places at the Fisherman’s Wharf and with my time limit, I decided to give it a shot. Yup, they’re still the same. They come in paper boats with fried fish, cabbage, a bit of salsa and a wedge of like. Top it off with their tomatillo green sauce and you’re good to go. I always get two. Thanks for being consistent, Rubio’s, but please work on the cleanliness of the dining room. Though not cheap, check out the fluffy tacos at the revived Cadillac Bar at the Twitter building. They’re tasty! Bac...

Seabiscuit, War Admiral, Mr. Ed - famous horses from the race track, silver screen and black and white sit-com era. Unfortunately, I am unable to get close to anything like them in reality. I am allergic to the dander of these beautiful creatures. I have always excitedly said 'horsies' in a little girls' voice whenever I see them. I just can't help it. I was never one to want a pony as a little girl but I always thought they were beautiful, strong, amazing animals. My first opportunity to get up close and personal with one was when my then boyfriend scheduled a romantic horseback ride on the beach for our anniversary. During the middle of it, it felt like my throat closed up. It was hard to swallow, my eyes were watering and couldn't stop sneezing.  Years later, another boyfriend and I were exploring the wine tasting hills of Saratoga and came across a winery that had a barn. I went in and petted the horses. Bad idea. HA-CHOO!!! This continued thru din...