Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

I profusely apologize for not updating right away. Honestly, I didn't know anyone was actually reading this blog! Hi mom! Thanks to [and so on} for reminding me differently.

So yes, I made it to and from CHA without incident or sickness, which is nice! Here's a quick recap:

Flew to Santa Ana airport. Is it possible to have a favorite airport? Because if it is, that's mine! Its like a strip mall with gates and a runway, and a whole bunch of TSA agents. And an overpriced restaurant. And chairs in the sun facing the runway. And its good, until some loud talking suit sits next to you starts barking into his phone.

I demo'd all the live long day, despite the presence of Paris Hilton being somewhere in the building. My real brushes with celebs were that I rode down the elevator with Anna Griffin (she's nice!), up the elevator with Mark Montano (of HGTV fame) (he's short!) and flew to CA on the same plane as Wendy Vecchi (but we know each other from a now closed LSS)(and she's nice too!).

There was a fire, or a fire drill in the building, but it only lasted about 5 minutes. The alarms sounded, turned off, sounded again, and they finally announced that everyone had to leave the building, opening doors and moving curtains to reveal exits. If they had opened the large garage doors from the get-go I think people would have taken it seriously at the first alarm.

My roomie Cathy always rents a car, which made it possible to stop at Trader Joe's and Target on the way to the Hilton, and back to Target later that night to buy some unmentionables that didn't make it into my suitcase. Let me tell you, when Hanes promises 'wedgie free', they deliver! We also bought Diet Coke, turkey sandwich fixins', and a case of water. Prices in the convention center are outrageous and there really isn't another less expensive option for cheap breakfast and lunch. We enjoyed dinner with the group (17!) at Buca De Beppo, and went back another time because the ravioli was calling our names. Luckily we had the car and we could escape the crowds to go to Mimi's and Chili's on other nights.

One of our favorites is a place called the Sand Box, a small bar and grill nestled in a hotel. We ate there then had a side show at the 7-11 next door, with 4 cars of Anaheim's finest, an ambulance, fire truck and news crew at the scene. We never found out what the ruckus was.

I'm off to the gym...more later with some photos!
Beth