A driveless trip

I went up north to the LA area for a funeral and decided to make a long weekend and visit with old friends. I hate the 5 freeway and will come up with all options to not drive on it. I took the metrolink from Oceanside to Union station then the Metrorail Gold line to Pasadena to visit my friend Becky. The ride cost me only $14.25 although Becky said I was supposed to pay 1.50 for the transfer. Nobody checked tickets and on the pamphelt from metrolink it says the transfer is free. Either way the cost is fair considering gas is 4.20 a gallon.
 The train ride was nice in the begining, getting to watch the marines surfing out the windows and  watching people fine on at well groomed orange county stops. The train filled up with passengers young and old and behind me sat quatro muy bonita hispanic girls. They talked about their relationships en claro Ingles with Spanish words dropped in randomly. This Spanglish intrigued me.
At union station I have to transfer to a new train, rail line or shuttle or bus. Its a crowded place but once I get down to the main hall it is well marked with gates and track numbers. I hastily jumped on what I hoped to be the Gold line Metrorail to Fillmore exit.
I sat across from an older, slim, black gentleman with leather shoes and a smoothe lean and an old, slim, white guy with beard, flannel and bible. Just as the doors are closing, in flys the homeless guy who bangs his old stereo into the leg of the harmless old white guy. As the speaker drops off  the homeless guy yells at the nice man"What the fuck are you doin? look at that, man." As if it was his fault. Thank goodness everyone around me was cool and did not engage him any further and the speaker easily reattaches.
Of course the guy sits down beside me. I have my head hard cocked to the left avoiding eye contact. But then he proceeds to dig through his sturdy plastic bag full of what Im glancing to be bills and other personal belongings. Now I am feeling like I want to give the poor guy my bag or a couple bucks but then he breaks out the syringe of insulin and lifts up his shirt for the tastful injection. Needless to say I was glad he got off the train shortly after. Then the two old guy across wanted to talk politics and I was glad to get off quick. I think the metrorail is like a bustrain.
My litlle experience was brief in an otherwise pleasant ride that only took 2 hours 40 minutes. I was picked up soon by my girl Becky. From there we met Lauren in cute little Montrose. We ate at the Star Cafe but should have eaten at the Three Drunken Goats. The conversation beat the food by far.
We shopped around the town looking at how the place had changed from our youth. My other friend Rachelle came to have a glass of wine and pick me up. We went to her house in West Hills. We went to the Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas. It was mellow but fun to watch the cougars dance to the 90s cover band who ended up hitting on us at the end of the night. Yeah atleast one free drink.
The next day I had some laughs at a bbq with my lifelong friends about our not so perfect childhood and how sad it was for the first one of us to loose our dad. The next day after the funeral I headed back to West hills to say good by to my girl rachelle.
She took me  took the metrolink Chatsworth station not far from her house on the Ventura County line and headed back south.  It took me about 3 hours including the transfer at union station to the Orange County line. The cost was 18.25  and the ride home was pretty empty the whole way. I made it more than half way through Chelsea Handlers new book. I was laughing the whole way home thinking of all my comparable lifetime experiences with the girls I just visited.
Moral of the story:
Overall I suggest the Metrolink. It is half as much as amtrak and it is pretty easy to get to many places in Southern California. There is no food cart and scheduling may be limited because it is a commuter system. The Metrorail was stomachable but if traveling through downtown LA I would take a buddy or pepper spray and stick to the rail lines.
http://www.metrolinktrains.com/
http://www.metro.net/
http://www.sagebrushcantina.com/

Exercise and free fun for kids

Take the infant/ toddler/small child or 2 to the Quail Botanical Gardens, in Encintas the 1st Tuesday of every month and it is free. Bring the jogger stroller, pack a picnic lunch, a change of clothes and make a day of it. They can get dirty or wet.
Sometimes, I park northeast of the garden in Encinitas Ranch by the park and walk in. Its free although probably frowned upon! But if strapped on cash....why not? Watch for the cars at the bottom of the hill where there is no sidewalk. There is a sidewalk up the hill.
Hmmm... maybe just pay for parking for 2 dollars since it is a donation. Just write it off.  
When in take tour first. The toddler sees that fun park and there will be no jog. Pick up a popscicle in the gift shop and that will keep them busy for the first few minutes.
There are some nice hills and shady places to run. Walk fast up hills, run down hills and give a set of 10 push ups and dips at any empty bench. When in foot traffic or at turn around spots teach the children about biology and geography. The whole park can take 30-50 minutes and its possible to burn up to 600 calories depending on how much you walk and talk.
There is beautiful artwork, a frog pond, a waterfall and of course greenery and flowers that should keep the children visually occupied until arrival at the fun zone.
Once at the Hamiltons children garden there is a big tree house, music center, art center and homemaking center. Above that there is a shallow stream that the little ones love to play in. Bring sandals since shorts and shoes are required.
They are open 9-5 everyday 
Admission
$ 12  adult
$ 8 seniors, students military
$ 6 children 3-12
free children 2 and under  
$ 75  will get the whole family in for the year with free parking
http://www.sdbgarden.org/

cadence's second birthday featuring " yo gabba gabba"

My daughter loves the tv show Yo Gabba Gabba. Being that we are on a budget this was not an easy theme to accomplish and be super cool. With some creativity and some craft staples I was able to create some cool things to impress the children and adults alike.
I made DJ Lance's stereo out of an old diaper box and tin foil. I made a 3 foot tall Plex from 2 boxes, some paint and dryer duct. My husband hand painted an eyeless Muno on some poster board and cut out 10 eyes for each kid to pin it on at game time. I also made all 5 characters for my daughters present. I made them with no sewing for under 10 dollars with felt and hot glue and my daughter LOVES them.  To buy all of them would cost over 100 dollars. I made Foofa flowers out of old gift boxes and colored paper and drew funny faces on them
I did buy some official gabba products on line. I mixed the official plates and napkins with some colorful plain ones. I bought the centerpieces too but could have done without. I made a Toody cake from a box but decorated myself.

I went on the http://www.nickjr.com/ website under games and activiteis and printed out the safety coloring book( five pages) and stapled together 10 of them as one of the party favors. I bought 2 big boxes of crayons and split them into 10 bags so the kids could color at the party (good for shy or artistic). I gave plain white bags kids could decorate and the bubbles were a hit too. I found some stuffed guitars and microphones in the dollar bin at target and they went great with the rockin gabba theme.