THANK YOU GINA for driving, organizing, planning, researching, photographing, and posting!

Elery is hereby deemed a SWEETIE and a KEEPER!

It was wonderful for Annie to meet Gina, Lars, Scott and Diana since Ellen and I had in past forum frolicks. 'The best friends I never met' indeed!

Shaun - here it is, down on Dawn's bday thread

Here is a link that might be useful: scroll down a bit

Thanks girlfriend! *high five*

What fun! I could almost hear the surf rollin' in. Thanks for the slideshow, Gina!

Enjoy your vacation, Annie and Elery! Meeting CF members in the flesh is such fun....wish I could do it more often.

Teresa

Wow -- what a good looking group and FUN. Can't believe I didn't have a get-together when I was in CA last August. Next time I will not tell the men in the family that I am there, so I can escape them and visit YOU!

Thank you for the pictures and videos. I feel like a know you even better. The best friends I never met -- that's so funny and sadly true. I intend to change that one of these days.

What a wonderful get together. I love seeing everyone together. Gina thanks for sharing the video.

Enjoyed Dawn's birthday video too.

Ann

Gina,
Great pictures! They really wish I was able to catch up with the group in the early part of the day. It was wonderful meeting Annie and Elery and seeing all the CA folks again.

After lunch, a few of us wandered over to an Argentine market nearby. I brought home a dozen empanadas and chimichurri sauce to the family for dinner. A really yummi finish to a lovely day.

What fun! I sure wish I lived closer to SoCal, it's the CF fun epicenter! Great pics and the sushi is making me salivate.

Thanks for the report everyone! Gina the slide show was great and Lars that's a cool little video for Dawn.

The Luguna Beach area sure is beautiful and looks like a great place to spend the day together. I would have had a great time in the cheese shop for sure. Not sure about the sushi though..lol. I'm curious about that surf fishing have to go google it.

Thanks again for the pics and report. Y'all look GREAT!!

David

It was most fun to meet Annie in person, and she couldn't be more delightful. We had great fun in the tide pools (we were lucky to be there at low tide) and could have spent many more wonderful hours together. The weather couldn't have been better either - 72° at the beach. The only thing was the chilly ocean water (56° brrrr!), but that's what wetsuits and surf booties are for.

It was great meeting Elery as well, but he told me that my reputation had preceded me, as his had for me. In fact, we all seemed like we had been lifelong friends - there was such a feeling of ease, warmth, and comfort being together.

Thanks for the great photos Gina - you did a bang-up job! Kevin has more video to edit, but that will take a bit of time, and he's not up yet. I'll see if I can grab some of it myself from his computer (we're networked). The outdoor shots should be better than the indoor ones, but I think a lot of the video he took may not have people in it(?)!

Everyone was all smiles all day - everything seemed to be just perfect! The cheese shop was fantastic, and we got a huge selection of sheeps' milk cheeses. I hope no one minded, but I mentioned to the shop owner than I couldn't have cows' milk, and all I wanted was two or three of the sheeps' milk options, but I think 90% were lactose free. The one that was cows' milk was a very hard Italian cheese that I am also able to eat. It had a nice peppery flavor.

The Argentine place that Diana took us to was really good as well, but Kevin and Elery sat outside in front of the shop while the rest of us looked around inside and shopped. They seemed to be quietly enjoying the sunshine and relaxed atmosphere.

In addition to meeting Annie and Elery, it was great to see Scott, Gina, Jessica, Anne, Diana, and Ellen again. Those who didn't show up were missed, but hopefully there will be more meetings in the near future.

Lars

Here you go David: Surf Fishing

What a wonderful time you all had. Forum get togethers are just fabulous. Thank you all for sharing the pictures, the stories and the video.

CFers are THE BEST!

Lee

Jessy, Thanks for anointing Elery as a keeper, now we can breath easier! I'm truly happy for them.

What a great pictorial, thanks for sharing this great get together for us.

oh Gina, those pictures are breathtaking. Thanks for the slideshow. Everyone looks fantastic - I would so love to meet each and every one of you...sigh.

OOOh, I just glanced up and saw Lee mention a video - gotta go look for that.

Stacy

Here's a direct link to the video on YouTube. We're going to have to spend a bit more time to get the other video edited. I checked out the raw video, and as I suspected, there aren't many people in Kevin's video - mostly just the beach. However, I will post a couple that do have people and may be of interest later, after Kevin helps me do the editing. My computer is very cold (from 2000), and only has minimal requirements for video editing, and so we'll have to do it on his, which is only a year old and is a media computer, put together specifically for editing video. The raw shots of the beach look pretty good.

Lars

Gina I really enjoyed your slide show too! I'm sad that Diana and I couldn't make it down there for the earlier part of the day. (FYI CF'ers, we live about 1.5 hours further north)

Isn't that just the best! (Statement not question). I am enthralled by you all. Everyone looks so genuinely happy to be together. And no wonder, there are no better people than the CF band. Thank you so much for sharing the photos and video.

The beach is gorgeous but pales in the face of friendship. Congratulations to all of you for seeing this realized.

New York, anyone?

Bubbe

Great video! I sure wish I could have been there. Have fun Annie and Elery!

Bubbe, maybe in October?

I'd like a trip to NY in October as well!

Here's the next video, featuring Annie and me exploring the tide pools. I'll start another thread on conversations, since this will probably be buried.

Lars

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie & Lars at Laguna Tide Pools

Great video Lars! I especially loved your choice (or was it Kevin's?) of background music. The Cars, right? So what did you find in the tide pools?

DONNA

Donna, we found Anemones in the tide pools, along with hermit crabs (lots of those). I picked the background music and did the whole editing myself. I decided not to get too fancy and left off any scrolling credits, like I used in my spanakopita video. The music is The Cars, as you guessed, "Dangerous Type" from their Candy-O album. Lately, I've been capturing sound from vinyl so that I won't have to spend a lot of money getting CD versions. I recently bought GoldWave audio editing program, which has great filters that remove Pops & Clicks and also Hiss. It's very fast. Before I had to remove the pops and clicks manually, and that took forever.

Lars

Super duper day, you guys! I just know it was a blast! Nice that you could all get together. Thanks for sharing!

Lars,"not fancy," LOL.

Not fancy is DH yelling," blank, blank, it, blank, do something" in the background. You are Speilberg to me.

Hey, Karen, NY in Oct...you bet!!!

Bubbe

Sounds like everyone had a fabulous time together! Glad so many of you were able to meet up!

Unfortuately, I can only see the very first photo in Gina's slideshow. Oh well....

It's always fun to hear about CF gatherings, and even better to be a part of one!

Linda

Thanks for the link Gina! Man, they sure do real in some interesting, down right scary looking, things. I bet some of them put up a heck of a fight.

Great vids Lars and Larry. It sure is a beauitful area of the coast.

David

It looks like you all had a great time! Gina, thanks for the slide show! The beach there is very pretty.

Looks like I'm going to get to meet a forum member this coming Saturday... how exciting :o)

Fun, fun, fun!!! Thanks so much for the gorgeous pictures, Gina.

Annie, I think you need to get the picture of you walking into the surf blown up and framed. What a perfect shot!

Tracey

Sounds like a wonderful time! How special for you all to get to meet Annie & Ellery in person, and them you! I'm so jealous!

I'll have to watch the slide show tomorrow as we turtle seed here at the cottage.

Bubbe, if you get a NYC get-together organized, I'll be there. I'd love a day in Manhattan with a CF meet up and a visit with my niece who lives on W. 72nd.

Woo hoo. Amtrak, here I come.

The videos are a real treat. Thank you, Lars!

I'm all for it!! NYC get-together in the spring. What could be nicer?

April is beautiful and we won't likely have cold weather issues.

Who besides Pam is game?

I'll start a post.

I'm game, but it depends when in April. Holidays, I usually have to deal with cooking for 36. I'll be looking out for the details. I would love a get-together!

I enjoyed the pictures and videos. Thank you Gina and Lars.
The group looks like one big happy family. How much fun you must be having, and no arrests have been made. ;-Ã
And Diana you sound exactly as I thought you would, you're adorable.

Sol

LOL, Sol. We can't promise no arrests were made. Annie was going out topless and she hasn't been heard from since. I hope she didn't mistake our directions for the gay beach instead of the nude beach. ;)

In any event, no one here has been asked to post bail.

What great pics now that I am finally able to see them. Some very hot Mammas and Pappas!

Gina , I spent 10 minute trying to figure out who was on the bench....duh! LOL

I snuck behind those people and quietly took that pic!

Annie will be home later this week - she doesn't have internet access right now. You'll just have to wait for her pix and story. It's TOTALLY convertible weather right now, duuuuudes!

Well I'm pretty much a newbie in a way. I have been lurking for some time so when you lurk, you start to "know" people. What a great video and I LOVE the Cars and haven't heard them in some time. Great background music and great pictures. It looks like you all are having such a great time. I love the beach - just beautiful. And everyone has such a great sense of humor...really nice to hear and see in this day in age. Thanks for sharing!!!

They should be home by now....Annie, we want a report!

Hmmmm, Annie was supposed to be home by now???

Hmmm, they went off by themselves... Hmmm, in sunny California, looking for a nude beach, close to Las Vegas where they have many chapels and no wait time... Hmmmm,, do I hear wedding bells...

Rita

Hey, it's dirty job but someone has to start the rumors... LOL

yes, but what a fun rumor Rita. Great to hear everyone's take on them!

OK, I'm BACK!!! Not married, not arrested, but I did get a little sunburn, drank some chocolate port and almond champagne, took lots of pictures.

I'm completely and totally whipped, but I had the most wonderful time. OMG, I cannot thank the California contingent enough for taking care of me. I did call Jessica once when I was hopelessly lost, and then promptly went into the nearest gas station and bought a map!!!

I ate oranges and fish every single day, went to the beach twice more, I even swam.

I'll post pictures as soon as I get unpacked and get the pictures on the computer.

THANKS AGAIN, CALIFORNIA. A special thanks goes to Gina for driving, arranging, reserving. Elery says his new favorite food is sushi. Thank you, you were such a sweetheart and the next time I'LL drive and come to visit Odo.

Diana, your a** looks great, trust me. So does the rest of you, you are absolutely gorgeous, truly you are, and you did a great job on the sushi. I don't think twice as many people could have eaten all that sushi. Elery liked the one wrapped in cucumber but I liked that tempura battered and deep fried one, of course.
I loved all the guys, Lars was as sweet as I thought he would be. Scott and Kevin were adorable. Ellen and Jessica were just like I remembered, Ellen was friendly and outgoing and Jessica is evil. LOL

Jessica, I hope your back feels better.

It was great meeting Ann, a former Michigan girl hiding out on the coast. Who'd a thunk it?

It's past midight here and I'm tired beyond belief. I'll post a REAL response tomorrow.

Annie

Welcome home Annie. WOW it sounds like you had a fabulous vacation.

Can't wait to see your pictures.

Nancy

This was such a fun thread and I am sooooo jealous! It's gray, 4" of snow here, and sleeting. I'm California dreamin'. Thanks for sharing your day with us you lucky CA CF dogs! So Annie, what's the verdict on sushi? I love it and was lovin' those sushi pics. All the pics and media were great, a way for us to feel like we were kinda there too.

Come back tomorrow? This ain't Emerald City!

But, you know I always unshackle myself from the computer on weekends. Dammit. Well, then I'll just have to sneak back in here and read all about your California shenanigans.

Sol

Good to know you are home safe and sound Annie....I was thinking all kinds of things...LOL! Sound like y'all had a great time. Like Sol, I'll be back to get the FULL report.

David

What a great slideshow! (Love the captions. And, no, I really don't want to live there, but you did come close to getting me to a "but a short trip might now be so bad. *grin*)

Annie, you look like you were having a blast.

Oh, and Scott? California certainly agrees with you. You look so relaxed and happy and very tan. Forgotten all about the midwest, have you? :)

OK, I posted pictures over in Conversations, this was getting long and I was afraid my pictures would overload it, since I still haven't been able to successfully link to a photo album. LOL

We won't talk about those two rolls of film I took with my trusty old 35MM with the zoom lens, will we? It takes really good pictures, so I used it to get some scenery shots and a nice shot of the lunar eclipse which occurred the night we came home!

David, think what ever you can, LOL. It's probably all true, except that part about eloping......

Beanthere, I had a great time, but it feels good to be home. Maybe next time I can drag you here for a visit too?

Annie

I just knew you would have a fabulous time - I'm off to look at the pictures.

Lee

I'd definitely consider it, Annie. Especially if you taught me to can those green beans. LOL! Amd if you plan your next CA visit for parts SF bay area north (or...ahem...Tahoe?) I know I can swing that.

Hmm...my back yard looks a little like your first picture right now, including the same table with snow piled on it!

I am so glad Annie had a great time. She is a special person.