Hearst Castle and Monterey

Wednesday marked our last day in LA as well as our two-year anniversary. We celebrated by driving up the coast to Hearst Castle. We passed Santa Claus Lane and made a pit stop in Santa Barbara on the way. Santa Barbara was pretty, but there were a lot of homeless people hanging out around the beach. The pier was big enough for cars to park and trucks to drive down to make deliveries to the restaurants, museums and shops located at the end of the pier. It was a nice place to stop.

As we were driving down the Pacific Coast Highway we stopped pretty often to take photos. It was so scenic. The ocean looked like it went on forever.

As we approached Hearst Castle we made a stop in Cambria for lunch. We ate at a cute restaurant called Robins. It was surrounded by antique shops and other local hot spots.

After lunch and a little shopping we headed to the castle. As we approached the castle we saw Zebras roaming the countryside along the PCH. It was crazy until during the tour they told us that Mr. Hearst had a zoo including zebras that still roam the grounds today. Pretty cool!

We took the Garden Tour, meaning that we spent most of our tour outside. It was BEAUTIFUL! The castle was huge and there were several large guest houses as well. We were able to tour the largest guest house, all of the gardens, the outdoor pool, tennis courts and indoor pool. Despite being the youngest people on the tour by far, it was a lot of fun. The flowers, the view, the stories about the Hearsts and the architecture were all amazing.

After our tour we drove up to Monterey to stay the night. We easily found our hotel and made it downtown for dinner. As we walked down the main strip every restaurant had representatives outside giving away samples of clam chowder, shrimp scampi or other house specialities. We chose a seafood restaurant right on the water. It was a nice spot for our anniversary dinner. While we were eating we noticed a fishing building located just out the window...Randy's! We were sure to get a photo of Randy's after we left for our favorite nephew in South Carolina, Randy.

We were pretty exhausted after all of our driving, so we headed back to the hotel and called it a night.

City of Angels

Grant and I left sunny San Diego after dinner on Sunday night. Grant was at the wheel for all of 30 minutes before he started almost falling asleep while driving. I took over and Grant slept most of the way to LA. We drove to Pasadena where we set up shop until Wednesday morning.

We drove up to the house where Grant's friend Nathan is staying while in Seminary. The house was really cute and we fell in love with Pasadena. When we got to the house we were exhausted, but managed to stay up for a good while catching up with Nathan and his brother who was in town visiting as well. We met Nathan's roommates Brady and Chris (who owns the house). It was a good time.

Grant and I woke up fairly early on Monday, excited to check out LA. All over LA were these beautiful blooming trees with purple flowers. It was really really pretty to see them everywhere. First on our agenda was finding the Father of the Bride house, which happened to be located just 5 miles from Chris' house! We found it easily. I was so excited. I wanted to jump out and give the house a big hug! We took several photos and then went to our next stop: the Walsh house from 90210. This house was just about 5 miles away as well. It looked familiar despite the fresh coat of white paint on the exterior. On the way back to downtown Pasadena we found the Rose Bowl!

Brady gave us some great recommendations for lunch and we headed to Aux Delices for lunch in downtown Pasadena. It was a cute French sandwich shop in downtown Pasadena. We were able to shop in downtown Pasadena after lunch. I found some really cute stores and bought some shoes and jewelry. After lunch we headed to Beverly Hills.

We were driving down to Beverly Hills with the goal of stopping by Kitson to buy my sister Tess some goodies for watching Penelope during our trip. We drove up and down Sunset Boulevard and over to Kitson. I got Tess a Kitson t-shirt and beach bag. We saw some cool restaurants and beautiful homes in Beverly Hills. We parked and walked around a bit and then had dinner at Il Sole on Sunset.

That night we spent some time with Nathan, David, Chris and Brady.

On Tuesday I had to go and get some drug tests done for my new job...it was not a fun experience. The first Quest center I went to would only do one test and didn't give any advice on where I should go for the other test...so I called Quest and got an address for the other center location to finish my testing. It took me a while to navigate through Pasadena to find the other center. I parked and walked into a waiting room filled with people. In all it took about 2 hours to get both tests done and get back to Chris' house. Not the highlight of the vacation!!

When I got back we had lunch and then went to Griffith Observatory. It was up in the hills with an amazing view of downtown LA, Hollywood and the surrounding hillside including the "Hollywood" sign. It was really amazing and beautiful. We spent some time there had a bit to eat and then Nate took us on a driving tour of his new city. We drove around Beverly Hills and Mulholland Drive. It was nice to have a driver who knew his way around the city!!

That night was our last night in LA. We had dinner with Nate and David at a great little Thai place and spent the night watching a movie and getting our things together for the next leg of our trip.

Traveling

I'm blogging tonight from my 5th hotel room in the last 8 days. I'm in Indianapolis. Tomorrow is my first official day at my new job. I have training for much of the day, but will post more about our trip through California and to Vegas. It was a really fun week and a half, but we were excited to get home and see Penelope! We missed her SO much!!

I've posted some new pics on flickr - so check them out!

Stay Classy San Diego

It's been a fun trip so far. Here are a few photos and some information about our time in San Diego.

My Mom, Tess and Penelope dropped me and Grant off at the airport on Saturday morning. Penelope cried when we got out of the car. It was so sad! She tried to get us to take her with us by jumping into our half packed suitcase with no luck!

We went to check our bags and were told that our bag was too heavy...so we put 8 pounds of shoes into our carry-on in order to avoid the $25 bag fee for bags weighing 50+ pounds.

At the gate they made an announcement that our plane had some cracked window or something and that we'd have to wait for them to locate another plane for us to take. Knowing that we only had a 45 minute lay over in Houston, I knew we'd miss our connecting flight. Luckily there was a plane headed to San Diego flying through Birmingham and Phoenix in the next gate over. We jumped on that flight just as they were about to pull away from the hanger. However, our checked bag did not jump with us.

We arrived in San Diego around 1P. I was hoping to get our rental car quickly and head to get a drug test done for my new job before the clinic closed at 2P. That plan quickly changed when it took us 2 hours to get our rental car. The line was crazy long and then our first car had a flat tire. Good news is that we upgraded for free from an Impala to a fun Eclipse...that doesn't fit all of our bags in the trunk...but at least it has a back seat!

The timing worked out after all because Kayla got off work at 3P. We drove out to Coronado and met up with Kayla at her place. It was so cute!! I LOVE Coronado.

We went to lunch at the Village Pizzeria and then Kayla took us on a walking tour of the downtown and out to the beach near Hotel Del Coronado. The hotel itself was BEAUTIFUL. It looked a bit like the Grand Floridian at Disney World, but bigger and more authentic. Inside it had an original Thomas Edison elevator still taking guests to their rooms.

While on the beach I was able to put my toes into the Pacific Ocean for the first time! It was pretty chilly and full of seaweed. Just 15 miles South of San Diego is the border to Mexico. You could actually see Mexico from the beach on Coronado Island. On the way back from the beach we went to a bar with some of Kayla's friends from Cross Fit. We learned a lot about Cross Fit. It is a pretty interesting gym that Kayla and her friends are quite obsessed with...in a good way!

That night we were exhausted. We had to run back to the airport to pick up our suitcase that didn't make it out on the flight we took. When we got back to Kayla's she had made us homemade apple pie. It was the perfect way to end a great day in Coronado.

On Sunday we got up early and headed out to Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. We got to the park at around 7:45A and were able to see the amazing rose gardens and cacti. It was a real taste of the Southwest.

We arrived at the zoo just minutes before it opened at 9A. We only had a few hours, so we walked fast and saw the entire property before noon! It just started getting busy as we left. The Pandas were super cute, but lazy! They didn't move one bit. Our favorite animals were the hippos, the tortoises and the polar bear who acted just like Penelope. It was a fun morning.

We drove back over to Kayla's just in time to have some of her famous Monkeybread for lunch. It was SO good! After we ate we walked to the Coronado Island ferry to take it to downtown San Diego to see the Padres face the Reds. The ferry ride was really pretty and downtown San Diego was very nice and very clean. I was really impressed. Next time we come we'll have to spend more time down there. There was a lot to see and do. We walked from the ferry stop to Petco Park. Petco Park is located in the heart of downtown San Diego and is surrounded by hotels with rooftop viewing areas. It was a beautiful ballpark. The game was tied going into the 11th inning when we left and I predicted the game would go on for 18 innings...later that night I found out that my prediction was correct!!

After the game Grant and I headed to Old Town to meet up with my friends from Nashville who recently relocated to San Diego. We ate at an authentic Mexican restaurant - a must while your in Southern California.

We got back to Kayla's at around 9:30, packed and headed to the City of Angels.

An end and a new beginning

Just after Nick's graduation PLAYERS week was upon us. THE PLAYERS Championship is one of the best golf tournaments on the PGA TOUR and takes place right here in Ponte Vedra. This year it was a bittersweet week as on Monday of PLAYERS week the announcement was made and it was officially my last PLAYERS week as a TOUR employee.

Given that it would probably be the best opportunity for me to snag a photo and meet my favorite golfer, Camilo Villegas, I spent every free moment on the course before play started on Thursday. On Wednesday I found saw him practicing his putting near the clubhouse. I patiently waited for him to finish and walk towards the clubhouse. When he left the putting green I made my move. I walked up to him, introduced myself and asked if I could get a photo with him. I tried explaining how big a fan I was and that we both went to UF. I probably came off completely ridicules, but he stopped said hi and I was able to get my photo and, in turn, leave the TOUR knowing that I had met him.

The week was crazy busy in the office. Grant had a few friends who came to visit. We had a great week. By Saturday night I was EXHAUSTED. We all went out, but I had to leave early fearing that I would fall asleep out at the bar. Sunday morning I took my Mom to Mother's Day brunch at the clubhouse and we were able to catch Camilo finish up his round on 16, 17 and 18. It wasn't his best tournament finish, but it was nice to see him finish.

I came back later in the day to see the end of the tournament and spend time with some friends. That night my brothers, Tess and I took my Mom out to dinner. It was a fun Mother's Day and PLAYERS Sunday.

Now back to the part about me leaving the TOUR...I've accepted a new job as a sales rep for Eli Lilly. My territory will be Jacksonville and down South towards Port Orange/Sanford/Deltona. I am really excited about starting something new and different. I cannot wait to learn about a completely different industry, one that I never really thought I'd work in. I think it will be a great opportunity for growth. I start for Lilly on June 6th, leaving 2 almost 2 weeks for a break in between positions. Grant and I already had a trip planned to California and then decided to add on a few days in Vegas to celebrate the new job. I am very excited about our vacation, but I know we will both miss Penelope very much.

Graduation

There is not much better than Graduation Sunday in Gainesville. Gainesville will always be a place that I hold near and dear. I spent 5 and a half years there, met and fell in love with my husband there, met some of my closest friends there and so much more. I think in a way I discovered who I was there. It is a great town with a great university and wonderful people and now no Zaccardis. Nick graduated from the University of Florida's College of Journalism on Sunday, May 4.

Let's start at the beginning...


In the early morning hours on Sunday I was out with Jordan and Marin at a fabulous restaurant in Chicago called Carnivale. We had a great time chatting over amazing food and drinks. Jordan and I got back to her place around 1:45A. I went to pack my things - trying to fit all that I brought and all that I bought (a couple suits at the Limited, 2 pairs of shoes and goodies from Kirschbaum's) into my one carry on suitcase and shopping bag. It was quite a feat once I got it all to fit. We got into bed around 2:30A.

Just as soon as I laid my head on my pillow the alarm went off at 4:30A. I brushed my teeth, washed my face and we hit the road to the airport. At the airport I grabbed some breakfast and boarded my 9:35A flight to Jacksonville. We stopped in another one of my favorite cities, Nashville, on the way to Jax. Too bad I didn't have a few days to spend there! Instead I arrived in Jacksonville at 10:30A. I was so excited to see Grant as he picked me up to take me straight to Gainesville.

We drove the 1 hour 45 minute drive through Baldwin, Starke and Waldo to Gainesville and arrived at around noon. Graduation was at 2P. Perfect timing for a quick bite to eat. We snagged a spot at the bar at Ivey's Grille - one of my most favorite breakfast spots in Gainesville. After brunch we went to the O'Connell Center for Nick's graduation. Luckily my family saved us seats.

Before graduation I spoke to Nick on the phone. I told him that he should put something on his graduation cap so that we could find him in the crowd. I suggested an "I" for his favorite college, the University of Illinois - Champaign Urbana. I noticed that he took my advice and his hat was decorated with a large "I" fashioned from masking tap. Other interesting decorations included the always popular "Thanks Mom" and a very unique Chicago Cubs graphic/logo.

After the ceremony the family (me, Grant, my Mom, Dad, Aunt Diane, Uncle John, Nick, Mike, Zack and Tess) walked over to the College of Journalism for an after party. Somehow in the madness of hundreds of graduates and family members we lost my Dad, which, in turn, made my Mom get very stressed. That is never a good thing. Grant and I decided to leave the after party to guarantee a table for a celebratory dinner at Carrabba's, Nick's choice for his family dinner. On the way back to our car we ran into my Dad in the parking lot. I called and told my Mom so she could stop stressing and enjoy the afternoon. We took my Dad to Carrabba's and got a table for the group. Dinner was had, presents were given and then we drove back to Ponte Vedra Beach. At this point I was pretty exhausted, yet still lasting with just 2 hours of sleep. What kept me going was the fact that I'd get to see Penelope when I arrived back home and boy was she excited to see me!

It was the longest day ever, but I was/am so proud of Nick. He did amazing things during his time at UF both academically and socially. However, most importantly, he became a very amazing young man whom I am proud to call my brother.

Comings ang Goings

Let's start where I left off. A couple of weeks ago I went to Chicago to visit my Aunt Dorothy who is sick with stage 4 colon cancer. I arrived in Chicago late on Wednesday night. On Thursday and Friday I spent most of the day with Do, going to lunch and to the mall while she napped. She was in great spirits. We spent a lot of time talking about everything. There were many moments when I was fighting back tears, knowing that this could be one of the last times I am able to spend quality time with her. I was able to help her do some laundry and other household chores. I also went to the store to pick up some food for her. On Friday we even went for a short walk together. It was the first time she'd been outside for a walk other than going to the car to go to the hospital or doctor's office in weeks. It was a blessing to see her doing so well.

While I wasn't with Do I was able to spend much needed time with my best friends. Jordan and Marin were there to cheer me up and help provide some balance to the trip. We went out to eat, shopping and just enjoyed being together.

On the plane ride home it really hit me that I might not see Do again or be able to hug her. I know that on one of my next trips up I'll be going to say my final farewell to Do. I am not sure how to prepare for that...but I know that I'll be surrounded by my friends and family and so will Do and that is all I can really ask for.

I'm going home

It's been a stressful past couple of weeks. I am, though, looking forward to a trip I have coming up tomorrow. I'm traveling up to Chicago to spend some quality time with my Great Aunt Dorothy. I am really excited about having some great one-on-one time with her, which I now value more than I ever had before. While that is the main focus of my visit, I am also going to meet up with a colleague of mine from work who lives in Chicago, spend some time with my closest friends, shop and eat great food, all the while missing Penelope and Grant a ton.

I grew up in Chicago and really miss the city and all it has to offer. Luckily, I have been able to make frequent visits to the city in the past few years either planning my wedding, going to my friend's wedding or visiting family. I am trying to convince Grant that one day we should live in Chicago. Our last trip up was in December and it did not help my case nor did the flurries in the weather forecast for last night!

I will be sure to post some photos and speak of my time in Chicago next week. Sometimes there is nothing much better than quality time with your girlfriends. Perhaps Grant will make a special blog appearance while I'm out of town! Yeah right!!

All grown up

I've always been the oldest in my family. First born in my immediate family. First grand child born on each side of my family. I've enjoyed being the first for a lot of things growing up. Next Sunday is another first for me. My first college graduation for one of my brothers. Nick is graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in journalism.

Nick and I have had our moments growing up, as most brothers and sisters do. We've probably fought more than we've been friends, until college. In college I spent much of my time as a resident assistant and graduate hall director in the dorms. When Nick was a freshman he was able to select his residence hall. I was shocked when he chose to live in Mallory Hall, the residence hall I supervised. Actually, I was more than shocked, I was touched. I was really happy that he could put aside our differences and that he would chose to live so close to me. Perhaps it was a good taste of home for him every now and then.

While we lived in the same building we rarely spent much time together, both so busy in doing our own thing. Now that I look back on it I really wish we could have done more together. When else will we both be able to live away from the rest of our families, yet so close to one another. Other than that regret, we were able to truly work on our friendship over the 2 years we spent in Mallory Hall.

I have one memory that I'd like to share. One Sunday night my phone rang. It was Nick. He had just returned from a weekend at home. It turns out that he wanted to take a shower...but...he had forgotten his towels at our parents' house. That is probably one of the moments he was most happy to be living a floor above me.

In the past four years Nick has grown into a remarkable young man. He has been ridiculously successful in his professional endeavors as a sports journalist. Some might think that it comes easy to him given all that he has accomplished. Writing does come easy. He has a way with words. However, I've seen him work for everything he has gotten. He is by far one of the hardest working and most diligent person I know. Perhaps not when it comes to cleaning his dorm room, but in just about everything else he gives a consistent 150%.

This week I got a phone call from my mom. She told me to read Nick's last column in The Alligator (a local Gainesville newspaper that Nick has written for while in college). I looked it up online and read it. While reading it I felt my eyes swell with tears. It was Nick's last column in The Alligator, a paper I read every day while in college and grad school. Nick was a staple in the sports section. He went from covering golf and women's basketball to 3 National Championship in 12 months. It was heart-felt and quite touching how he was able to find meaning in some of the hard times he's had and we've had as a family this year. He wrote about faith, timing, friends and the future. The future will be quite bright for Nick. According to his fellow writer's column,

"Nick Zaccardi, you have been the glue that has held the sports department together. Nobody works harder than Nick, and nobody has worked more unselfishly to help make the sports section something to be proud of. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the best college sportswriter in the country."

Nick has touched many. From his fellow writers, friends and classmates at UF to his family here and elsewhere. I look forward to all that he will accomplish and most of all, a life of memories with an amazing man, brother and friend.

Elvis lives...at the mall in Ocala

So a few weeks back I promised my Mom I'd go with her to one of my brother Zack's basketball tournaments in Ocala, FL. For those of you who don't know, Ocala is in the middle of the state, right in between Gainesville and Orlando.

We met at a high school in St. Augustine at 9:30A on a Sunday. We drove in a caravan with Zack's coaches and other teammates all the way to Ocala. We arrived at about 11:45A, just before Zack's first game. When we arrived we were told that Zack's team would play at 12:30P and and 4:30P...so that meant we had to find something to do to pass several hours in Ocala. This was not exactly my idea of fun.

After the first game Zack's assistant coach said that Ocala had a "huge" mall where we could spend all afternoon. I was a bit skeptical. I had never heard of the malls in Ocala. We drove to the mall. It looked pretty small from the outside. We went inside. It was tiny. I think there were 3 department stores: Sears, JCPenney and Dillards. I was not impressed. That was the last time I'll trust a guy's opinion of a mall!

We had lunch at the food court, circled the mall a few times and then I saw him...

There was a man dressed up as Elvis, dancing and wearing shades. I was determined to get a photo with Elvis. Who knew Elvis lived in Ocala?!

Timing is Everything

Sometimes it can be hard to see God working in your life...sometimes it can be crystal clear.

Two Fridays ago Grant and I planned to drive down to Fort Myers. That same morning my Great Aunt Dorothy was scheduled to have surgery in Chicago. I asked my boss if I could leave around 1P to make the 6 hour drive down to Fort Myers during daylight. He said I could leave early. Grant was able to take a 1/2 day at work as well.

I left the office at 1P, went home, packed up Penelope and had lunch. Then, we hit the road. About 30 minutes into our drive we were on I-95, Grant was driving, Penelope was in my lap and my phone rang. It was my Mom. I answered.

I asked her how she was doing. She didn't sound that great. I asked her how things went with Dorothy. She said not too good. My heart sank. My mom went on to tell me, in the strongest voice she could find, that my Great Aunt Dorothy had stage IV colon cancer and was given 6 months to live.

Do, as we all call her, has been there for everything. She was there at all of the birthday parties, graduations, celebrations for anything, church, you name it, she was there. She used to take us to church every Sunday. I remember one Sunday on the way home from church we convinced her that we could lead the way home (we were in elementary school at the time). My cousin Kari did the leading, telling Do when and in which direction to turn. We ended up at Kiddieland - a little amusement park for kids. Do laughed.

It is hard to believe that someone who you thought was so healthy and vibrant could really be so sick.

God's timing is everything, though. The fact that I was not in the office and that I was not driving when my Mom called to break the news, the fact that I was able to have a great weekend with family to get away and take it all in - God has a way with showing you his presence especially at times when you need it most.

I've talked to Do a few times in the past week and a half. She is in good spirits. I cannot wait to see her and give her a big hug. Until then, I'll continue to pray, knowing that God is looking out for me and for Do.

Camillllooooo

So a while back I posted about how I won a world-wide fantasy game on PGATOUR.COM. The grand prize was a trip for two to the 2008 Sony Open in Hawaii, a spot in the Pro-Am tournament, air fare, hotel, rental car...the works. Unfortunately, I could not accept the prize since I work at the TOUR. It went to the runner up, Moose1. He ended up taking his wife and staying in Hawaii for 2+ weeks this past January.

Fast forward to last Wednesday. We had a New Media team meeting at work over lunch. We went over typical business stuff and updates. However, the highlight of the meeting was a complete surprise to me. Lee, our VP and GM of PGATOUR.COM, recognized me for winning the fantasy game out of every TOUR fan who participated. He noted that I never really got a prize. Then, he reached out for a bag under the table...in it was a photo frame. The photo in the frame was my favorite Gator golfer, and TOUR Pro, Camilo Villegas. He was crouched down reading a putt.

It gets better...

The photo was signed by Camilo! He wrote: "Becky, Thanks for believing in me. Camilo Villegas"

I love it!! =) It means a lot because I chose Camilo to be on of the four players on my team and he was the kicker. If I would have picked a different player from his tier I would have lost. I cannot wait to perhaps meet him at THE PLAYERS Championship in May. =)

A Taste of Home

Last weekend Grant and I took Bella (our new BMW) and Penelope for their first road trip. We drove down to Fort Myers to visit Grant's parents. Grant's brother Eddie and his wife and 3 kids all were in town visiting as well.

Grant and I were both able to leave work just after lunch, affording us some much needed daylight to make the 6-hour trek. Penelope was great in the car. We stopped for dinner at a Quizno's near Tampa and were able to walk over to a PetSmart that was right next door! It was a nice break for Penelope I'm sure!

We arrived at Grant's parents about 30 minutes before Eddie and Cari did. Perfect timing! That night we were able to introduce everyone to Penelope and spend some quality time with the family. It was really nice to see everyone and meet Eddie and Cari's 6-month-old daughter Brenna. She was absolutely adorable! It was a good baby fix for me!!

On Saturday the kids went straight for the pool while we hung out and went shopping. Penelope enjoyed all of the attention she got from Meredith. I think she misses her a lot now!

Saturday night I was able to meet up with my good friend Mandy. Mandy and I shopped a bit and then met up with Grant, Josh, his wife Adrienne, Nate and his girlfriend Rachel. It was so nice to be in town the same weekend that Nate and Rachel were visiting from LA. It was also nice to see Adrienne. Her and Josh are expecting a baby girl in July. =)

Me & Mandy

Nate & Rachel

Josh & Adrienne

On Sunday we all went to church and then I went to drop in and see my friend and former RA, Kellie. Kellie and Jon have one of the cutest 1-year-olds I've ever seen, Lorelai. She is really quite amazingly adorable. Lorelai really liked our new car!Right before we left for home, we had a birthday lunch for Grant, who is now 26! These next few weeks between now and June 23 are some of my favorite because I can joke around with Grant that he is older than me! ;)


It was a really fun weekend.

Danielle's Visit

One of my very close friends, Danielle came to visit last weekend. Danielle and I worked together as Resident Assistants in Broward Hall - by far the best dorm on the UF campus - while we were undergrads. We became close friends after taking Jogging class together - yes they have such classes at a first class institution such as UF. Danielle and I have been places together. She came to Jacksonville with me one year for the Florida Georgia football game - also know as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. We planned a Spring Break trip together to Miami and Key West. While in Miami we partied with P. Diddy. We vowed to save money that we'd eat only Balance Bars the entire trip. It was a good time.

Right after college Danielle moved to Pensacola, then to Atlanta and now lives in DC. While she lived in Atlanta she helped me shop for wedding dresses. In DC she has taken me to Annapolis, the Washington Monument, the Holocaust Museum, Old Town, GWU and so much more. In the middle she was a bridesmaid in my wedding.What is truly remarkable about our friendship is how it has grown over the years despite the distance. I've learned since college that it is much harder to make close friends in the "real world" than it was in college. However, all of my "real world" experiences have helped to bring me closer to my core group of friends though many live so far away.

Danielle came to visit last Thursday. We spent most of our time at the beach and hanging out with new and old friends at night. Danielle got to meet Penelope and go for many rides in my new car. We stayed up late talking about everything and anything. What is best about great friends is that whenever you are together it is hard to remember that you really live apart.

On Monday, I had to take Danielle back to the airport. It was bittersweet. While I hate seeing her go, I know that it will only be a few short weeks or months until we see each other again - in DC, Jacksonville or maybe somewhere new.

One of the bizarre events of the weekend happened on Friday night. We were out and I looked across the bar and saw this guy who looked very familiar. I knew that I knew him. This happens to me a lot. I remember faces, but have a hard time of remembering names or where I know the face from. I was convinced this time that I knew this face from housing at UF. I turned to Danielle and asked her if she recognized him. She said she did. We both tried to think of where we knew him from...was he an RA? a student at UF while we were there? Danielle went up to him and said that we thought he looked very familiar. He said he went to UF. We said we did too. That is pretty common around these parts. Then he did a double take and ran to get his friend. He turned to his friend and said do you know who this is, pointing at me. He was in shock. They said omg you were our RA! It turns out they lived on one of my floors in Broward Hall. It was great to catch up with them. Back in the day they were both Freshmen, now they are grown up with real jobs, serious girlfriends and in town to go to a wedding. Crazy!