The Wildflower Hike!

The Wildflower Hike on Russian Ridge is an event we all look forward to -- Welcome Spring! The weather was perfect and this trail offers so much, great views, changing landscape and an opportunity for hikers, photographers, and flower lovers. The woodsy smell of sage and bay just adds to the enjoyment. We can almost see the ocean - Half Moon Bay, we can see the fog this time. The California Poppies are bright orange dots all over the hillside and since it is our native California State flower - it is a nice opportunity for several of our hikers to ask questions, because they are learning all these new things about their new home. Even the drive up is nice winding road, lots of bike riders are out there too. After we got back down, we decided to go to Buck' s Restaurant, more history and silliness, the location of many big-money Silicon Valley deals. What a great day - friends, food, fun, and fresh air.
Events and Adventures San Francisco

Another Great E&A Hike!

Hikes at E&A are a constant reminder of the incredible natural beauty of the Bay Area. Recently we gathered for a hike around Phoenix Lake but the numerous waterfalls from last week's rain made the path especially wonderful.  The sun came out and made the views of Mt. Tam and Phoenix Lake even more special.  

Of course, beauty and serenity are wonderful, but the group made it great too. Scott who become our leader at the back of the group had a walkie talkie so we could communicate if necessary.  He jokingly told me to call him "cupcake" which made the rest of the group laugh and, of course, they wanted us to communicate just to keep sharing new names:

"Are you there Cupcake? Over."

"Yes, I am Powder Puff. The group is doing great." Over.

And on and on...

Serenity, beauty, and the laughter of fun friends.  Another great E&A hike!
Events And Adventures San Francisco

Kate & Rich First Met Over A Year Ago At Trampoline Dodgeball.........

Trampoline Dodgeball is a favorite for many & a first event for most. This last Trampoline Dodgeball was different though this last time. Kate & Rich first met over a year ago at Trampoline Dodgeball… His first event & one of the events she hosted. Although they didn’t really speak to each other, that night stuck out in their mind. It was where they met & where everything else blossomed from. This last Trampoline Dodgeball event had a huge turnout to say goodbye to Rich, although, many wondered why he was letting his membership expire. Upon arrival everyone realized pretty quickly what happened. Kate & Rich got engaged! They decided to announce at Trampoline Dodgeball surrounded by their closest friends & at their favorite event. It was a fun night that ended in a champagne toast at Bennigan’s in their honor. So many members came out to congratulate them! The funniest thing that I noticed was all the men standing off to the side, while the women crowded around Kate to hear the engagement story. After that, there were mutterings of “how am I supposed to top that?” from many of the men. It was the cutest story! Kate – you’ve found a winner! And Rich – job well done! I wish you both the best in your new life together.  Events And Adventures Santa Clara

Who Needs An Indoor Movie Theater?

I never knew I needed an indoor movie theater, until I had one over the weekend. Now it seems like a must. It was a weekend tucked away in South Lake Tahoe. At least, that’s what I did this last weekend. It was an intimate group of 17 people… And although there was no new snow, it was a very eventful weekend, of doing nothing. I rented a mansion. I mean, a REALLY, REALLY, REALLY nice mansion (hence the indoor movie theater, oh, and the indoor sauna, indoor steam room, indoor pool, game room, bar, 8 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, hot tub… the list goes on and on). It felt like we were living like kings! A large group of us decided we never wanted to leave… So we didn’t. Friday through Monday was filled with pool parties, movie premiers (we had some of the newest movies still out in theaters to watch), delicious meals, sauna parties, and pure laziness. It was so much fun! Granted, not everyone just enjoyed being lazy. Keith, Steve, Alvin and Todd all went snowboarding. And George & Gary went to the casino’s (where they walked away with $460!). Olivia took a helicopter ride around the lake & Laura got her morning exercise by running by the lake. With everyone in one house together we really had the feeling of family. It’s so true when people comment about their E&A family, because that is really what it is like. After spending so much time together, friendships were made & strengthened. Oh yea… watching the 49’er/Seahawks game was great (even though we lost) because we saw it in a movie theater! I can’t wait to go back. Events And Adventures Santa Clara

Here At Events And Adventures We Often Break Out Of The Mold.....

No better example than the event last Tuesday, which turned wine tasting and a scavenger hunt on their heads! This was not just any sip "more wine and skip from wine bar to wine bar" event. We started with a wonderful, friendly, and sociable place that agreed to remain open just for E&A (it's good to have friends who sell great wine).  Start with an unusual glass of Hungarian sparkling wine and hors d'oevures just wake up our palates and get a chance to mingle with our friends (and meet some new ones).  Then the teams were created: men had to find two ladies to discover the wine.  Already, men and women alike were smiling and laughing.  

Next were 5 different wines (all poured into identical bottles.  Each person got a small pour and each team a sheet of paper.  Located around the room were a number of descriptor cards with clues attached to a bottle of wine.  Was the clue helpful to what you tasted? Was it trying to deceive you? The job of each team: match what you taste in the glass to the bottle of wine.  Prizes for even those who could answer one correctly!

Every team went at their own pace but there seemed to be more teamwork happening among all of the teams as each wine had its own unusual characteristics.  Even after all of the name were revealed, people were still excited, except all they wanted was to purchase some wine and get some dinner! We all left having had a wonderful time and looking forward to the great Mediterranean place next store. Events And Adventures San Francisco

It Started As A Dark & Stormy Night........

And left me feeling warm. I have a love/hate relationship with all our parties. I love the idea of them, I love the outcome, and I love seeing the members have a wonderful time… sometimes I just hate the amount of work and stress that goes into them. This one was no different, although all the planning went relatively smooth, the weather just had to change to the biggest storm we have had this winter (granted this is California & it really wasn’t that bad). After months of planning, the rain came in & tried to ruin the V-Day Hoedown. It was at the coolest barn you can imagine with an extremely talented band, caller, and DJ. We had the BEST natural, organic, “straight from the farm” hors d'oeuvres, and a full bar with many delicious drinks being poured. I even rented a mechanical bull! The rain really made our numbers drop though, many didn’t want to make the drive on such a stormy night. What happened that evening though really changed my whole perspective…

I was surprised with a gift from Elizabeth for my birthday & had the entire barn singing happy birthday to me! It was a complete surprise! I hadn’t told anyone about my birthday coming up! Elizabeth brought in a beautifully wrapped package that had a gorgeous bathing suit cover up for my trip. Throughout the night, everyone gave me hugs and wished me a happy birthday. It was so special to see how grateful they all were for the hard work I put in & how they helped me celebrate my birthday! I felt so lucky to be surrounded by E&A friends celebrating this special day. It made me forget the stormy weather outside and truly enjoy the party.

Beautiful Day To View The Elephant Seals!

We could not of had a better day for the Elephant Seals Hike. Timing was perfect. The sun was shining with warm, clear, and gorgeous. On top of that, many of the pregnant elephant seals had just given birth so we were able to see tons of babies and boy were they cute! The 3.5 mile hike didn’t seem like a hike at all, we were all talking and laughing and looking at the beautiful scenery. Our guides were super knowledgeable & showed us all the great spots to see the seals. Megan brought out her GIANT camera that took some really amazing photos. Jacob shared his binoculars so we could all see the male elephants seals fighting out in the water. Walking around in a tank top on the beachin January, what a wonderful day! I even got a tan! Events And Adventures