IRWING AND THEN HOME

Eunice and I went back to the other shopping center called the Spectrum. We had gone there during the TMS but only to eat at one of the restaurants and then go across the way to the Improv Comedy Club.

This time we walked around noticing that the South Coast Plaza was more on an upscale level than the Spectrum. Lot's of shops, eateries and more geared for entertainment. There was a ferris wheel in the middle which came from Italy and this pretty fountain.

We had a sandwich outside of a new French bistro bakery called Le Napoleon Patisserie. It was such a great day weather and otherwise.

Last stop was to Pretend City Children's Museum. Yes, we were there before but there weren't any little humans around.

Our trip came to an end. It was time to buckle up and go back home.

OFF TO IRWING

Although Eunice and I had gone to Irvine (now renamed Irwing), we needed to return to see some of the things that were missed. We checked into the Embassy Suites Hotel and soon dashed off to the Barclay Theatre located on the campus of the Califowlnia University. We were hoping to get something to drink, but the theatre wasn't opened yet, but there was this fountain just outside of the entrance.

Across the way from the campus was this food court area. We noticed this place called Britta's and decided to have something to eat.

Eunice insisted on shopping and there were two shopping centers. The first one that we went to was one called South Coast Plaza and it was huge. They gave us the royal treatment as we went into an area called Access. It's a VIP thing. They serve drinks and snacks as well as having a room that is especially made for taking a nap. We first explored doing window shopping and then returned to the VIP lounge to hang around and talk about our plans for the rest of the few days.

That evening we ate a restaurant called Elements. They were there at the Tasting during the Travel Media Showcase. The food was great and so was the sake!

FIRST DAY OF THE TRAVEL MEDIA SHOWCASE

The first day of meetings was a short one as there was another FAM tour after lunch. We met with: Capitol-Saratoga Region in New York; Chicagoland's Fox River Valley; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; San Mateo County, California; Irvine, California; Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Yucca Valley, California; Southern Indiana; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Montgomery, Alabama; and Fort Worth, Texas.

Brief lunch and then off to an Irvine FAM tour beginning with the First America Title Building which had a whole bunch of old photos depicting the history of the area as well as few artifacts. Eunice was caught trying to open the vault. I don't why she would need money unless she was really looking for the deed to the Rubber Chicken Forest, which is not even in this part of California. We later found a relative of some sorts made of something other than rubber.

Eunice and I hit the Performing Arts Center and the Irvine Museum. We expected the museum to have artifacts but instead had art work about Irvine. Painting, photos and some sculptures.

Next was the Irvine Historical Society which had lots and lots of artifacts. We checked out a saddle, played an old piano and got our photo taken with Merle Exit and some Native American Indian thing.

After that is was back to the hotel. There was this Taste of Irvine set up that had a lot of the local restaurants giving samples of their cuisine. The food was great although we were a bit pooped and didn't feel like taking photos.

BACK TO IRVINE

After our Catalina Island trip we went back to Irvine and checked in at the Hyatt Hotel, where the TMS was being held. Eunice and I were off to a cocktail (pardon the word) party at a restaurant called Yard House located in this huge shopping center. We had a drink and some food before going directly across the way to the Improv Comedy Club. They had this sign up on their marquee welcoming us.

After dinner and a show we went to this place called the Pretend City Children's Museum for dessert. Eunice and I got play with a few pretend things and met some relatives. Time to go back to the hotel and get ready for the first day of meeting folks.

TRAVEL CONTACTS

Eunice and I wanted to make some contacts with folks running the tourism offices around the country. Well, there was this Travel Media Showcase being held in Irvine, California which was a sort of 15-minute speed dating thing. It was a long trip from New York so we brought our head and neck pillow.

We arrived in Irvine and first stayed at the Atrium Hotel where we had lunch and met both the Executive Chef Chris Reischl and the pastry chef/sous chef Tyler Kotta. Eunice and I each had a salad. I had the Asian salad and Eunice lunched on the spinach salad.

The hotel had these cool cabanas near the pool where we met some of the writers that were also attending. I couldn't believe that Judy Bayliff was there! I met her and her husband Wayne when I went to Niagara County. That was before I found Eunice. I gave Judy a kiss and she fed me some of her food. Then we both took a photo with the waitress.

Up early the next day and having their Japanese breakfast instead of the buffet. Ron Nugent, the General Manager was happy to see us.