This is my last "free" friday before I am, once again, laid up in bed. After that, I will be full force looking for work, so I figured I should live it up now!
As I mentioned yesterday, I decided that I was going to try to go 2 places I had been before, and 2 places I had never been. Well... I went 3 places under each category!
Lots of pictures, so here we go!
Someplace I have never been - #1: Goldilocks Bakery
Goldilocks Bakery is on Mira Mesa Blvd. I chose this place to go today because I had been wanting to check it out for awhile. When I worked at "The Pen," one of the ladies I worked with took a trip to see family in the Philippines. When she returned, she brought each of us at work a Polvoron. They're very tasty, round shortbread things that are fun to watch people eat because of how powdery they are. The brand she brought us: Goldilocks. I hadn't had a polvoron since she brought those back - about 9 years ago - so I decided to go get one! While I was there, I noticed they had Madeline cookies.
Madelines are my favorite cookies! (I reserve the right to change my opinion on that in the future.) They are buttery goodness with a scalloped edge. So of course, I bought some of those as well.
While I usually enjoy these cookies, this particular brand isn't so much buttery goodness, as just rubbery. Good try, but not a brand I will buy again. Very disappointing. C'est la vie.
Someplace I have been - #1: Sea World
I went to Sea World to turn in my resumes to see if I could get a job there. They are having auditions tomorrow, but I have some plans that will get in the way of me going. Plus, I was hoping to get something more than an entry level job, since I have worked there previously.
Again, disappointing. They wouldn't take my resumes (work & technical theater) because they can only take them if a position is open online. Even then, you have to upload your resume to their website.
I have the e-mail addresses for a couple of people I worked with in summers past. I think I will probably e-mail my stuff to them, and see if there are any loopholes I can get through that way. Maybe the initiative and creativity will pay off!
Someplace I have never been - #2: The Olympic Training Center!
This was the highlight of my day, and where I took the most pictures. It's down south in Chula Vista, but it was free and worth the drive. I admit, I have had preconceived ideas of the south county... Those were shattered by the Otay Ranch/Eastlake area. It's beautiful down there! It's a cross between the area where I live, the greener areas of Irvine, and a little reminisscent of one of my favorite neighborhoods in Texas. Plus it's really quiet. I could live out there. It's close enough to family that you can visit/take care of them, but far enough away that no one will want to come visit/stay with you! haha!
They added BMX biking as an Olympic sport in the last Olympics. I went into the Visitor center... I was the ONLY person there! The lady in charge was named Doris. She was adorable. I was able to look through the BMX bike exhibit, and then I got to watch a video about the Olympics and the paralympics.
They had maps you could take of the facility. I picked one up when I walked in the center. As I was watching the video, I looked at the map display, and realized there was some printed e-mail in the tray... I was curious... Apparently, someone printed out a bunch of their e-mails and accidentally stuffed them in the tray amongst the facility maps. They were behind the map I had taken. Good thing there was no one there but me! It seemed like a lot of e-mail addresses and probably information that should not be out for general viewing...
I gave them to Doris.
After the video, Doris took me on a tour in a golf cart! We walked out of the center and past the Olympic torch. Usually it is lit, and the flag poles have flags on them that display the different Olympic sports. In order to save money, the torch wasn't lit, and the only flags that were out were for the countries hosting the upcoming summer and winter games.
The first place we drove by was the soccer fields. They are currently being used by the US Olympic Rugby team. They looked so nice... I wanted to just lay down on them in the sun...
Next was the field hockey field. It's astro turf. Apparently they have 6 water cannons that they use to wet the field before the game and during half time. It makes the field less brutal on the body when one falls, and also makes it easier for playing.
Behind the field you can see one of the 3 BMX courses. That course is an exact replica of the one from Beijing. Created by the same architect. The ramp at the start of the course is 3 stories high, and 8 athletes at a time are sent down the course. Apparently, they are getting ready to make the hills more extreme. My guess is that if the athletes practice on a more difficult course, that by the time they get to the Olympics the real hills are no sweat!
Doris said she was going to take me down to the lower level of the facility. This is a picture of the cycling conditioning trail. I was just excited to go through the tunnel (simple pleasures...) but we never actually got to go on that part of the trail. **sigh**
Isn't this a great view? The white buildings are the athletes gym and break area. Beyond that are buildings for other sports, and beyond that is Otay Lake, where the rowing team is currently working.
There is a trail that you can walk that goes down the center of the Olympic Training grounds. It's one mile out from the Visitor's Center, so if you go to the end and back, it is a 2 mile walk. I decided to do this as my walk for the day, so after I was done with Doris I went back down here. The following picture is the end of the trail. There are the (empty) flag poles and a BUNCH of orange trees. Doris stopped the cart and had me get out to pick oranges. Apparently this is something they encourage! Doris said that people that come from the East Coast always fill their pockets with oranges...
I only took one.
I gave my "Olympic Orange" to my mom. I hope it tastes good!
We also went by the Track & Field fields. There were some girls practicing the shotput, and some guys running around the track. Mostly, due to the time of day I was at the center, all the athletes were eating or taking naps. But I saw a few people practicing. While I was walking, for example, I saw a few of the archers. Very impressive!
Just past track & field there is a turnabout with a statue in the middle. The title is "The Winged Runner." Apparently it is worth $100,000, and there are only 6 of them in the world.
Here are the new sand volleyball courts. They are filled with 11 feet of fancy sand that won't stick to you. I asked what they do to the sand when it rains. Doris said, "Nothing. They just leave it there." :)
Obviously the athletes don't use the same areas to enter the facility as the visitors. Here is a picture of the Athlete Check-In area, as well as the Sports Medicine buildings. Behind it (I don't think you can actually see it in this picture...) is the cafeteria for the athletes, which is just east of the dorms.
Here's a closer view of the Strength Training building (ie, the gym.) To the right is an identical building that is the break area. It's very nice inside! I thought the overhead lights in the break area looked like air filters for your car, though.
One more picture of the Olympic Center. I took this on my walk back toward the center and my car. It was a really nice place to walk around. I'm glad I picked it as a place I had never been! It would be fun to go back and see it sometime when they have the torch lit. I bet it is VERY cool!
Someplace I have never been - #3: Stone Flats
Oh my holy yum. I was very hungry after my time at the Olympic Training Center. I had decided I was going to try this place.
Stone Flats is in Scripps Ranch off of Mira Mesa Blvd. I had noticed it before it opened, and actually visited their website previously because they had a banner up saying they were hiring. (Their website never had any place I could apply, however.) Finally, noticed it was open a few weeks ago. Today was my day to go!
The best way I can describe Stone Flats is that it is a cross between a wood-fired pizza place and a Subway. You pick your flat, your sauce and your toppings. Then they cook it, cut it and bring it to your table. They also have a few "specialty flats" that you can order if you don't want to make your own, and a cinnamon apple flat that I want to go back and try.
They use all natural ingredients. I got a wheat flat with marinara sauce on it. I added a little bit of chicken, olives, mushrooms, onions, a few tomatoes, chives, cilantro... and I think at least one more vegetable that I can't remember. You can choose low-fat mozzarella, regular mozzarella or goat cheese for the top. I went fat, and chose regular mozzarella. The whole thing? $5.50! So worth it.
Someplace I have been - #2: Claire's
With my hair being a bit shorter right now, I wanted to get something cute to help pull my hair back. They were having a buy 1, get one 50% off sale. So, I bought some headbands. One of them has a big, crazy, black flower on the side. I think I will wear this one to church on Sunday. :)
Someplace I have been - #3: CVS
Talk about a fast CVS trip! Uploading pictures from my everyday exploits made me realize I have 2 years worth of pictures on my memory card. I was going to put the pictures on disks, and erase them from my camera, but all the photo kiosks were out of order. Well, la-dee-dah. I'll have to go back tomorrow... or Monday... maybe Tuesday... or whenever.
That was my day! It was an adventurous day. I know there are a lot of people that never go places unless they have someone to go with them. I'm glad I'm not one of those people. I think I would be a lot sadder if I was. Look at all the fun places I would have never experienced!
I'm a lucky girl. ;)