Half my suitcase was packed with empty, unnecessary medication boxes-- I'm required to carry my medication in it's proper container, marked with my prescription information, along with a doctor's note. Sigh. I thought back to a recent trip to Florida in which I was stopped because security was concerned that my Cafe Du Monde beignet mix just might be drugs. I could only imagine what security would think of my box of syringes and vials of insulin. Starbucks had yet to open and it would be way too early for an interegation.
We arrived at the airport and were among a small crowd of travelers. At least we wouldn't be dealing with long lines. I slid my bags onto the conveyor belt, passed through the metal detector, and waited to be pulled aside-- if not for my medication, then for my unwillingness to comply with 3-1-1 for carry ons. I'm really not a morning person. My bag passed through without one word from the airport staff. I'm pretty sure it should've been flagged, but hey, I'm not complaining.
Due to the fact that we weren't stopped, we had an hour to kill before our flight. My dad went in search of coffee, while I grumbled to myself about Sneezy Mc-Rocks-the-Seat that sat down beside me. I really needed that cup of coffee before having any interaction with people that day. Once we boarded, the flight was smooth, and within the hour we were touching down.
We walked out of the airport and realized we weren't quite sure what mode of transportation we would be using to get to the hotel. With little help from the Hilton operator, we jumped on what we assumed was a public bus. In the end, we discovered it was a rental car shuttle, which worked to our advantage. We decided that we didn't want to be on anyone else's time schedule and drove off the lot in a Nissan Altima.
After dropping our bags off at the Hilton, we made our way downtown to visit the Capitol. The West steps were empty and we took full advantage of the rare photo op. We continued to wander the grounds and were pleasantly surprised to find that the Capitol is open to the public seven-days-a-week.
The inside of the Capitol is exactly how I remember it. The dome reminds me of a small scale version of European architecture. Christmas garland strategically hung from the bannisters. Herds of children in tour groups swept by us. I was most intrigued to see Arnold's name scrawled in gold above his door. Wow... The Terminator really does work here, huh? We circled the place in under an hour and decided to drive down to Old Town Sacramento.
I enjoy visiting small shopping areas like Old Town. They are filled with crazy nicknacks (that I would never purchase), old time photos (where workers dress customers in hideous garb and hand them props such as guns), and my personal favorite, the candy stores (filled with childhood memories aka candy dating back to the 90's).
We stumbled upon a gem named Candy Heaven. Barrels of sweets lined the shop. Abba-Zabas, salt water taffy, and Lemon Heads caught my eye. It's funny-- I love seeing candy from my childhood, but I would never be able to make a dent in it if I were to buy it. However, my dad did purchase a few staples for our Christmas stockings-- throwing in some sugar-free treats for good measure.
We spent the rest of the afternoon people watching, weaving in and out of stores, and enjoying a beer at O'Mally's pub.
We returned to the West steps of the Capitol that evening for the World Diabetes Day event. Blue floodlights beamed up at the pillars, blue balloons formed a half-circle above the podium, and the health fair was in place. I shamelessly grabbed samples from various vendors and was pleasantly surprised to discover these various companies:
Cabot Creamery: This Vermont company is family-owned and produces cheddar cheeses that are low in calories and carbohydrates.
Somersault Snack Co.: This company serves up healthy, bite-size snacks that are made with seeds and grains.
Crunchmaster: This company is by far my favorite. They produce delicious gluten-free multi-seed crackers that are low in calories and carbohydrates.
After we stopped by the various booths, we donned our lightstick necklaces and made our way to the front of the crowd to listen to the speeches. Jake of body by Jake spoke on the importance of exercise, Ben Vereen rehashed his story about living with type 2 diabetes, and a couple of dance groups got the crowd moving. Afterward, we walked through the gardens and visited the Law Enforcement memorial before heading to dinner.
The next morning, we decided to make the most of our time and drove over to San Francisco. We spent the afternoon at Fisherman's Wharf, watching as workers used cranes to decorate a massive Christmas Tree. It was a beautiful, clear day and we were able to snap some great pictures of Alcatraz among other things. We enjoyed clam chowder filled bread bowls for lunch before we began our trek home.
We took the scenic route back to Sacramento, passing over the Golden Gate bridge. This was a first for me and it seemed very reminiscent of Full House. I would really like to visit again and ride a bike across the bridge.
Our next stop was in Fairfield at One Jelly Belly Lane. No, I'm not lying... it really does exist! The Jelly Belly Factory is enormous and since we were already there, we decided to bring our family back some Belly Flops! :)
As I've gotten older, I have realized just how fragile time is and I am incredibly grateful for time spent with family. I know that as years go by, these opportunities will be few and far between due to hectic schedules. I had such a wonderful time and I am thankful for this time with my father and the memories that we made.
After dropping our bags off at the Hilton, we made our way downtown to visit the Capitol. The West steps were empty and we took full advantage of the rare photo op. We continued to wander the grounds and were pleasantly surprised to find that the Capitol is open to the public seven-days-a-week.
I enjoy visiting small shopping areas like Old Town. They are filled with crazy nicknacks (that I would never purchase), old time photos (where workers dress customers in hideous garb and hand them props such as guns), and my personal favorite, the candy stores (filled with childhood memories aka candy dating back to the 90's).
We stumbled upon a gem named Candy Heaven. Barrels of sweets lined the shop. Abba-Zabas, salt water taffy, and Lemon Heads caught my eye. It's funny-- I love seeing candy from my childhood, but I would never be able to make a dent in it if I were to buy it. However, my dad did purchase a few staples for our Christmas stockings-- throwing in some sugar-free treats for good measure.
We spent the rest of the afternoon people watching, weaving in and out of stores, and enjoying a beer at O'Mally's pub.
Cabot Creamery: This Vermont company is family-owned and produces cheddar cheeses that are low in calories and carbohydrates.
Somersault Snack Co.: This company serves up healthy, bite-size snacks that are made with seeds and grains.
Crunchmaster: This company is by far my favorite. They produce delicious gluten-free multi-seed crackers that are low in calories and carbohydrates.
After we stopped by the various booths, we donned our lightstick necklaces and made our way to the front of the crowd to listen to the speeches. Jake of body by Jake spoke on the importance of exercise, Ben Vereen rehashed his story about living with type 2 diabetes, and a couple of dance groups got the crowd moving. Afterward, we walked through the gardens and visited the Law Enforcement memorial before heading to dinner.
We took the scenic route back to Sacramento, passing over the Golden Gate bridge. This was a first for me and it seemed very reminiscent of Full House. I would really like to visit again and ride a bike across the bridge.
Our next stop was in Fairfield at One Jelly Belly Lane. No, I'm not lying... it really does exist! The Jelly Belly Factory is enormous and since we were already there, we decided to bring our family back some Belly Flops! :)
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