just in from the "Best Side" (aka West Side)

Sorry for the blogging hiatus. I'm sure ya'll were waiting with bated breath for my next post. I went home for the weekend and just got back yesterday. It was quite the quickie visit, just long enough for me to want to stay longer. The weather wasn't that good to me--it rained on Sunday and Monday morning. But true to form, the OC averaged 70 degrees over the few days I was there. Some notes on my trip:

• Irvine Spectrum looked nothing like what I remember. There's an Anthropologie now! And a Nordstroms. I remember when it was just a movie theatre and a food court.
  
• My niece (and goddaughter) has no idea who I am. In fact, I came bearing gifts, which she suspiciously handed back to me (as the BIGGEST lump in my throat was forming). I have vowed to shower her with gifts during future visits in order to buy her love.
  
• On Monday morning, I made it from Orange to Aliso Viejo in 15 minutes, thanks to the carpool (or HOV for you East Coasters) lanes on the 5, 55, 405 freeways. Even so, traffic was flowing in the loser lanes. In fact, I don't think I sat through a single back up on the 405 for the first time in my life.
• The Prime Outlets in Camarillo are the best outlets I've ever been to. Gives Potomic Mills a run for their money.
• Apparently, there are tons of girls in the OC with babies. And by "girls" I mean chicks that are in their late teens and early 20s. I felt a little behind (for just one second, Jesse, I promise).
• I saw how much work it was to care for my neice for one day (and I didn't even change her diaper, yuck)...she's like an 8-hour public service announcement for family planning services.
  

Ah...it was good to be home.