Last night, we went to see UCLA vs. CAL or UC Berkeley (official name).  It was my first college game, ever!  I have been to the Rose Bowl before to see Pink Floyd (way back) and The Rolling Stones, but never for the spirit, rivalry, gaiety and sheer fun everyone was having at the football game, last night.

Observations, Warnings and please heed:

1.  It’s a hike and a mess to park.  If you park inside the Bowl, it’s still a hike and it takes like three hours in line to get in.  If you park outside the Bowl, let’s say in a parking structure in downtown Pasadena, on the corner of Union and Pasadena you can pick up a shuttle.  Millions of UCLA students go this route.  We walked.  About two miles.  I noted on my phone the turns and streets we needed to retrace our steps from since I was out of bread crumbs and pebbles.  Another two miles on the way back, later, since I had posted it on my phone, I remembered how to return without the notes, of course.  On the walk we saw The Gamble House, The Pasadena Museum of History and beautiful old estates grown over with ivy and mature trees.  Worth the walk. Bring sneakers.2.  The largess and amount of time and effort that goes into the UCLA pre-game partying is indescribable.  We walked through what I thought was a tailgating party from afar and upon closer inspection realized it was a full scale, organized merchandise and food fest.  It was about three times bigger than the Verizon Wireless fair grounds and completely lathered in baby blue and gold.  I had a Bruins Sweatshirt at home, but I thought we would support our CAL freshman and alumnus children.  I couldn’t cut through the festivities fast enough.  I was on enemy grounds.  Note to self, when in Bruinland, wear your UCLA gear.3.  We walked around the entire stadium, looking for food, stopping at restrooms and general sightseeing.  There is no alcohol served because most of the attendees are minors.  It never occurred to me since I saw a lot of heavy drinking outside the coliseum where the Romans were partaking but it was clear you could sneak it in as witnessed precisely in front of where we sat.  Two overly excited, happy guys were sipping and sharing a water bottle containing amber liquid that perfumed the air with bourbon or whiskey fumes.  There are more women’s bathrooms than men’s and the lines were on the Men’s.  Imagine that?  Loved it.  So, no alcohol, great bathroom scene and anything from fresh gyros to barbecued meats to tacos to popcorn and pretzels.  I ate a raw vegan bar I brought with me and my better half bought and finished off a warm cinnamon bun for dinner.

4. Entertainment is great!  Two bands perform! Twice!  Before the game and at half time. I was in my marching band in High School and can attest to the amount of practice needed for even an amateurish performance.  Last night, both bands blew me away!  You are constantly counting as you are playing your instrument and moving your body and creating an overall group look. Both bands spelled out their college letters in script form!!! The mom next to me had her son in the Cal band.  He is a tuba player and a physics major in his Junior year at UC Berkeley.  She said “they practice everyday and make up the dance steps and design the moves and pick the music.”  The Golden Bears played a Britney Spears medley which we thought was odd but when a few of the musicians (the lady’s son next to me was one of them) dropped their instruments and shed their uniforms and proceeded to dance up a cute little spoofy number, I was delighted!  The Bruins had a better choice of music – bits and pieces of reliable Stones tunes we could sing along with.  UCLA also had a full band and was louder.  Next week, my informant who sat next to me assured me, the Cal band will have a whole new performance at Berkeley when they play against Oregon.  Maybe I will see her there!

UC Berkeley marching band doing a little dance while UCLA band waits behind them at half time show.

So, to recap.  Parking is difficult, expect to walk.  Wear your Ucla button or something, don’t bother to root for your team, we are expertly dispersed so we cannot hang together.  The atmosphere is pleasant without beer spilling and it’s comfortable because there’s always a restroom at hand.   Be prepared to be amused, even if not absorbed in the game, by hardworking, brilliant execution of footwork and lively marching bands.

REALLY?  How am I supposed to deny myself these wonder buns hot out of the oven?  My daughter V made them for all of us this morning on the occasion of her sister’s departure, our last chickadee to Berkeley.  She is a self-taught baker extraordinaire.  Everyone gains weight when she is home.  I don’t have the patience or inclination to work with yeast and dough and rising and waiting.  She whips up croissants, bagels, bread, cookies, cakes and pies like it’s child’s play.  Plus… and so appreciated, she cleaned up the whole kitchen and packed her sister up for college.  Thank you V!  

Last night E and V, my daughters on their way to freshmen and junior years respectively, said their goodbyes to some family, today some more friends and family. Tomorrow, very early, E goes off to Berkeley to start her life in the Bay area.  Friday, very late, V goes off to Columbia in NY to continue her life in the Big Apple.

Serious empty nesters.  Congratulations and good luck.  “Be good and be safe.”  I must have said that one million times in all their years sending them off to school, daily.  Be good, be safe.  Proud momma.  Emotional, life changing, transitional moment.

 AND

Lions and Bears

Last week we couldn’t believe we saw these two banners together, amongst a zillion others, at a local pizza hangout  on their wall.  Serendipity.

The experience of a few bites of quality, real authentic food is enough to fill me up because it does not define me entirely. I am more than the meals I consume yet the meals I consume are who I become.

I have been pondering.    My new philosophical approach ( because I have to over analyze everything) to nutrition is to enjoy food. Sound simplistic?  After experimenting with low fat, low carb, no fat, no carb, no sugar, high fat, vegetarian, vegan, raw, combining, Medifast, Jenny Craig and semi-fasting I have come to the conclusion and I am reading literature to support my intuitive sense that I just need to eat no additives, no artificial anything and no fake processed junk and I will be just fine. Easy?

No. Try to find what we take for granted and disguise as food or know is junk and eat anyway.  KISS. Keep it simple sister.

I’m staying away from man-made faux food and eating what had parents or came from the earth not a factory. To validate me, I am reading The Perfect Ten and The French Don’t Diet Plan. Check it out.

I am convinced that obesity, autism, allergies and many diseases are environmental and my food choices matter and our food supply is impacted.

I am not the perfect hippie or hipster but I have a strong streak of anti-establishment, anti-big brother government, anti-pharmacy, anti-insurance etc (need I go on?) because it plays on your fears not your sense of compassion, humanness or connectedness.

In order to do my part, I can make a difference by spending my money (read The Soul of Money by Lynn Twist) on organic ( which was regular food before WWII and chemical companies -like Dupont-didn’t know what to do with their warfare after it ended so they sold it to farmers as pesticides which in turn killed beneficial insects and natural predators as well as bugs and disease-upsetting the biological equilibrium)  food.

From my research I have learned enough about how greed has ruined our food supply on so many levels (meat industrialization, fish farming, mono-culture, GMO’s and on and on…) and I just want to get back to basics.

It’s the least I can do and I am truly sorry I haven’t always raised my kids properly nourished. I was overwhelmed, under informed and too easily swayed. HFCS, hydrogenated fats and artificial coloring are in all sorts of child like  “friendly” forms.  Forgive me.

Please take accountability for your own health.

There’s something in the air in Berkeley that makes me want to change the world!  Or at the very least-speak my truth, let you know what’s really on my mind and practice being a better earthling by taking responsibility for my own actions and choosing those actions wisely.

I have one whole day to walk around Berkeley, relax, eat, take in sights, read and lounge all by myself. It’s raining now so I am in my cozy, free wi-fi room tapping on my I-pad ( much more travel friendlier and lighter than my laptop ).

I therapeutically already told three people ( that’s the magic number ) and wrote about my Southwest ordeal yesterday so I will spare you details but needless to say I felt helpless and out of control. Then I ventured the BART system with my saavy, techie freshwoman/child and arrived with nerve endings splitting, thankful to be on terra firma.  Dinner and some movie/nail polishing time with my youngest and then a good four hours rest.

After being told I wasn’t needed anymore at the orientation line full of teens doing the wave, I headed over to the free speech movement cafe for a cup of fair traded java. Then I picked up some mom and dad pride filled t shirts and had a delicious lunch in my Durant hotel restaurant.  Macaroni and cheese with three different cheeses: cheddar, jack and mascarpone in a red chili flaked sauce with organic chicken and organic veggies.

I love Berkeley.

I am a nervous, anxiety-ridden flyer and although I love to be somewhere else in less time than it takes to watch a movie, I still kind of freak every time.  I have tons of tools and just packing is fuelled with decisions, doubts and drama.  What’s the weather like? What colors should I wear so that I only need to bring one pair of shoes, make-up and jewelry? What am I going to be doing at any given time? Do I need a sweater, sneakers or SPF?  Electronica? Books? Umbrella? You get the crazy in my head.  And…. I actually have a list!

Just as long as we are safe, I will be fine.  Breathe.  Meditate.  Write.  Reading trash can sometimes pass the time and other times, praying is my only solace.  The more I travel, the more paraphernalia I need with me to cover all my bases.

The serenity prayer holds the truth.  Bottom line, I am not in charge.  Self –centered fear is really the bane of my existence.

Berkeley here we come!

What a crazy day/week.

I have one daughter interning in LA this summer.  Needed to find her an apartment, get her new glasses and clothes, then drive back to LA to sign the lease then return to move in all weekend.

Other daughter is graduating High School.  Senior projects, field trips, permission slips and special nights of awards, dinners, etc… PLUS, book flight, freshman orientation and hotel for Berkeley for the two of us, late June.

In the next few weeks, book annual checkups and teeth cleanings for both college bound offspring.  Graduation, baccalaureate, dinner at Medallion Awards, parties and eventually,  breathe.

My mom came back from Argentina after visiting for two months and I still haven’t had a chance to catch up in person, yet.  I have candy and chocolate gifts that hopefully will keep and won’t melt or be eaten by the time I get over there to pick them up.

I just feel a little flustered.   Everyone else seems to be taking it all in stride but for some reason I feel as if I just drank ten cups of coffee (and incidentally, I am down to anywhere from half to one cup only).

Mixed in of course is the emotion of it all coming to a head and the baby is graduating and soon flying away and my NY daughter is now going to live all alone in LA (which for some reason is more intimidating than the Big Apple to me).

I think it’s time for some tools from my anxiety bag of tricks.  Meditation, breathing, affirmations, exercise, music and quiet time alone are my instant prescriptions.  And, of course, writing it all out.  Welcome to my nerve wracked, self – induced apprehension blitzkrieg.  Ahhhhh.  This too shall pass.  All will be well.  Inhale, Exhale, slow and deliberately.

That was three hours ago.  I feel much calmer.  I practiced some of my interventions on myself and am much relieved.  I took care of the most immediate “to do” listings and am planning on a visit to my mom in a few minutes.  I do not do well under stress.  That is plain to me.  I give myself the ulcer. Every item on my agenda is nothing but enjoyable next to the hassles my wonderful husband lives through every day, just to make sure we are comfortable.  Here’s to my loving, adorable and unfortunately ‘under the weather’ husband.  Happy Anniversary Eve! Twenty four years tomorrow of pure bliss.