2006 Galleries

New Years - Willamette Valley wine tasting : With our friends Austin and Meghan secured in the backseat, we kicked the rented Caddy into gear and set sail for Oregon's Willamette Valley, known for its Pinot Noir wine and historic buildings. We hit 6 wineries, saw numerous pets (a few outfitted with 'wide load' or 'i ride the short bus' signs) and ushered in the New Year in McMenamins style at Hotel Oregon in McMinnville, avoiding cellar flooding and hotel ghosts in the process...

New Years - Willamette Valley wine tasting

With our friends Austin and Meghan secured in the backseat, we kicked ...

Updated: Jan 01, 2007 9:31pm PST

Christmas 2006 w/Geoff, Anita : Geoff and Anita travelled down to Seattle to visit us for Christmas, our first in the new house. Even Jasper got into the Christmas act, sporting his new festive toque and giving us his "Blue Mouse" look for a quick photoshoot.

Christmas 2006 w/Geoff, Anita

Geoff and Anita travelled down to Seattle to visit us for Christmas, o ...

Updated: Dec 28, 2006 7:14pm PST

Engagement! : On November 18, 2006 I proposed to Laura and she accepted. We're both very excited about the future :) More photos and details to come...

Engagement!

On November 18, 2006 I proposed to Laura and she accepted. We're both ...

Updated: Dec 20, 2006 10:16pm PST

China - Top 13 photos : Most days were overcast with average to poor lighting; we still managed to perservere and select the top 13 (out of > 600) photos from the trip. An eclectic mix of landscapes, people, colour, and humour.

China - Top 13 photos

Most days were overcast with average to poor lighting; we still manage ...

Updated: Nov 19, 2006 5:43pm PST

China - Pingyao : October 31-November 2, 2006. An ancient walled city located 10 hours SW (by train) of Beijing. The only city in China that still has an intact city wall (built in the Ming Dynasty) surrounding it. We toured the area on foot, as well as renting bikes (circa 1942) to see the countryside and an outlying temple.

China - Pingyao

October 31-November 2, 2006. An ancient walled city located 10 hours S ...

Updated: Nov 20, 2006 9:27pm PST

China - Beijing Rickshaw Tour : We hired a rickshaw and driver to show us some of the "hutongs" of Beijing. These are the old, traditional one-story dwellings that have communal courtyards, toilets, etc and are being displaced in many situations to make way for highrises. A fascinating glimpse into Beijing life, the way it used to be.

China - Beijing Rickshaw Tour

We hired a rickshaw and driver to show us some of the "hutongs" of Bei ...

Updated: Nov 03, 2006 4:15pm PST

China - The Great Wall : Definitely the highlight of the "sights", we drove 90 minutes by taxi from Beijing to Mutainyu, one of the (now interrupted) sections of the Great Wall. This part has been "restored" although the character has not been lost (it still looks like it was built a thousand years ago; it's just not crumbling).

China - The Great Wall

Definitely the highlight of the "sights", we drove 90 minutes by taxi ...

Updated: Nov 14, 2006 4:59pm PST

Beijing - Historic Sites : Attractions in and around Beijing. In order: Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Jingshan Park, Summer Palace. Highlight: Renting a boat and puttering around the lake at the Summer Palace (after walking around the amazingly beautiful grounds). Lowlight: Forbidden City's combination of horrible audio tour and mostly in-renovation state meant that we saw very little and understood even less.

Beijing - Historic Sites

Attractions in and around Beijing. In order: Temple of Heaven, Tiananm ...

Updated: Oct 28, 2006 6:00pm PST

China - Rickshaws and Bicycles : All manner of bikes and miscellaneous transportation devices. The general rule of thumb is that a device can carry (number of intended passengers)+3. Eg. a bicycle can accomodate 1+3=4 people; a scooter can carry 5. You see it everywhere!

China - Rickshaws and Bicycles

All manner of bikes and miscellaneous transportation devices. The gene ...

Updated: Nov 14, 2006 5:26pm PST

China - Beijing's culture : October 22-30, November 2-4 2006. A mix of shots from across Beijing, including our two hotel rooms (first is actually an apartment rented by the week; second is the Holiday Inn). Biggest surprise: the rate of growth - I'd guess there are TWO HUNDRED 25-storey construction cranes dotting the horizon, all building skyscrapers. Oh, and they're doubling the size of the subway system and airport, too.

China - Beijing's culture

October 22-30, November 2-4 2006. A mix of shots from across Beijing, ...

Updated: Nov 14, 2006 5:30pm PST

China - Laura travels to Shanghai : October 8-21, 2006. Laura spends a few days working in the APCO Shanghai office, creating media releases by day and eating hairy crab/drinking rice wine by night.

China - Laura travels to Shanghai

October 8-21, 2006. Laura spends a few days working in the APCO Shangh ...

Updated: Oct 25, 2006 6:27pm PST

Evergreen Speedway Racing : Sept 30, in Monroe, WA about 40 min NE of Seattle. Mid-80s FWD car racing, followed by schoolbus races, cars towing boats, rollover contest, schoolbus demo derby, figure 8s, the big car demo derby, and a 20-min fireworks finale. With our $5 cans of Bud, the mullet-toting guy in a NASCAR jacket in front of us, and 1,000 other country folk, how could you not have a good time?

Evergreen Speedway Racing

Sept 30, in Monroe, WA about 40 min NE of Seattle. Mid-80s FWD car rac ...

Updated: Oct 01, 2006 10:28pm PST

Fremont Oktoberfest : Sept 22nd with Meghan and Austin. Avoid the pumpkin beer :)

Fremont Oktoberfest

Sept 22nd with Meghan and Austin. Avoid the pumpkin beer :)

Updated: Oct 01, 2006 10:22pm PST

2Fast Motorbike Track Day : Thursday Sept 21 was the Microsoft company meeting, held annually at Safeco field (where the Seattle Mariners play). It's typically cold and drawn out (lasts for 3-4 hours) so I decided to skip it and take my motorbike to the track instead :) I went with my friend and co-worker Howard and although we feverishly prayed for dry weather, it pissed with rain ALL DAY. I learned a bunch of useful skills but felt like I didn't really have a chance to practice them on the track as I was too worried about losing grip and dropping the bike. Howard had fewer inhibitions and, trying to push it a bit to catch up to the bike in front of him, lost traction on his front tire and slid off the track. Fortunately he wasn't hurt but it did make for a spectacular in-the-air flip of his bike as it hit the grass and went down the embankment. All in all minimal damage, though, and it makes for a great story!

2Fast Motorbike Track Day

Thursday Sept 21 was the Microsoft company meeting, held annually at S ...

Updated: Sep 23, 2006 9:32am PST

Spirit of Washington Dinner Train : September 14th was our (2yr-1mo) anniversary so we hopped on the dinner train which runs from Renton to Woodinville (along the E side of Lk Washington, in Seattle) to celebrate. Sitting high up in a dome car, we quickly came to realize that the thing rolls back and forth like a ferry in big seas...pouring (and drinking) wine is somewhat challenging.

Spirit of Washington Dinner Train

September 14th was our (2yr-1mo) anniversary so we hopped on the dinne ...

Updated: Sep 23, 2006 9:25am PST

Puyallup Fair - "It's a Doozy" : Sept 9 saw us head south of Seattle to take in the sights (mullets, huge belt buckles, and chewin' tobacco), sounds (screaming children, buckin' broncos, and sheep) and smells (fire-roasted chicken, corn on the cob, and fresh-made fudge) of the Puyallup fair and Rodeo. Nothing quite like 2 hours in the Rodeo beer garden to get a feel for the event :)

Puyallup Fair - "It's a Doozy"

Sept 9 saw us head south of Seattle to take in the sights (mullets, hu ...

Updated: Sep 10, 2006 9:01pm PST

Brad's 28th birthday : Almost as old as Laura!

Brad's 28th birthday

Almost as old as Laura!

Updated: Sep 02, 2006 10:21am PST

Lopez Island sailing : Up bright and early Saturday Aug 5th, we hopped aboard the motorbike and drove to Anacortes to catch the 10am ferry. We arrived at 10:03 and, miraculously, drove onto the ferry as the last vehicle. Unfortunately, all of the cars for Lopez were at the bow of the vessel and we had no way to get off, so we visited Shaw, Orcas and then back to Lopez by 12:15pm. We spent the rest of the weekend walking around the village, farmer's market, Vineyard and cafes. Very relaxing indeed!

Lopez Island sailing

Up bright and early Saturday Aug 5th, we hopped aboard the motorbike a ...

Updated: Aug 06, 2006 9:59pm PST

Whidbey Island - motorbiking :

Whidbey Island - motorbiking

Updated: Jul 29, 2006 5:50pm PST

Bruce Hornsby concert : Held at Chateau Ste Michelle, July 15 2006. Austin, Megan, Ben, Alison, myself and Laura were all hangin' with the hippies...

Bruce Hornsby concert

Held at Chateau Ste Michelle, July 15 2006. Austin, Megan, Ben, Alison ...

Updated: Jul 21, 2006 5:44pm PST

Misc House Work : Miscellaneous house improvements...mostly undoing the damage that the previous owners did in their numerous shopping trips to Target and WalMart...

Misc House Work

Miscellaneous house improvements...mostly undoing the damage that the ...

Updated: Jul 21, 2006 5:37pm PST

Willamette Valley (Oregon) Wine Tasting : Graham, Kerri, Josh, Laura and I drove down to Oregon to sample some wines, see a little scenery, and do some hiking on the July 4th weekend. Day #1 was wineries and live music in McMinnville at Hotel Oregon (great hotel!); Day #2 was hiking at Silver Falls St Pk, and Day #3 was more wineries and the trip home.

Willamette Valley (Oregon) Wine Tasting

Graham, Kerri, Josh, Laura and I drove down to Oregon to sample some w ...

Updated: Jul 04, 2006 11:44am PST

Memorial Day Motorbiking : Seattle-Winthrop-Oroville-Republic-Coulee Dam-Ephrata-Seattle, all in 2.5 days! 645miles of riding on Brad's 2002 VFR 800 (the new Ventura luggage rack arrived Friday afternoon :)).

Memorial Day Motorbiking

Seattle-Winthrop-Oroville-Republic-Coulee Dam-Ephrata-Seattle, all in ...

Updated: May 29, 2006 11:07pm PST

Audi Streets of Tomorrow event : Every few years, Audi throws a ton of money at their marketing department and tells them to build the brand's image... This year they decided to do a big North American tour, carting 30 new vehicles to 10 different U.S. cities. At each stop, they wined and dined the clientele on fine food, provided free massages, and arranged for a jazz quartet to provide ambiance. Oh, and there were cars there too. Lots of fast cars. And they let you drive them. On a closed autocross circuit. Only one rule: no driving the RS4. (On the first tour stop, you COULD drive the RS4, but the clutch didn't last to see the light of tomorrow, so those shenanigans ended quickly). Boo. They gave us 2 hot laps with a professional driver instead. My friend Alex and I went for the day, flogging the A3, A4, A6, A8 and Q7. Total price for all this: free.

Audi Streets of Tomorrow event

Every few years, Audi throws a ton of money at their marketing departm ...

Updated: May 23, 2006 10:56pm PST

Geoff's 63rd Birthday : Back in Victoria for my 10 year high school reunion (where we apparently took zero pictures), we helped my Dad celebrate his 63rd birthday in style with a delicious DQ motorbike cake. He easily handled both candles, in case you were wondering.

Geoff's 63rd Birthday

Back in Victoria for my 10 year high school reunion (where we apparent ...

Updated: May 23, 2006 10:32pm PST

Brunch at the Edgewater Hotel : It was a joint celebration - Steve Query's birthday and Mothers Day so we headed out for brunch...and a big spread of seafood, exotic desserts and a great view of the Seattle waterfront awaited.

Brunch at the Edgewater Hotel

It was a joint celebration - Steve Query's birthday and Mothers Day so ...

Updated: May 07, 2006 9:55pm PST

Spokane: B&B and Golf : We booked 2 nights at Fotheringham House bed and breakfast (www.fotheringham.net) in Spokane. It's a beautiful old Victorian house with authentic decor and furnishings. Oddly enough there are dozens of other 5000 sq ft mansions in the area (Browne's Addition suburb of the city) built from 1890-1910. Weather was perfect so we toured some vineyards on Sat afternoon and played a round of golf on Sunday before heading home and hitting the 10,000 mile mark in Laura's car.

Spokane: B&B and Golf

We booked 2 nights at Fotheringham House bed and breakfast (www.fother ...

Updated: Apr 24, 2006 9:11am PST

Our First House! : We purchased our first house on Feb 21 - here are some photos (before and after move in/fix-up). It's located in Green Lake, half way up the east side of the lake just west of I-5. The street is great, very quiet and super convenient (4 blocks to Green Lake and it's jogging trails, playing fields, etc). The owners before us were investors and renovated the house top to bottom - great that we have new "everything" but the house lost a bit of it's 1907 character in the process. We'll try to restore some of it over the next year...

Our First House!

We purchased our first house on Feb 21 - here are some photos (before ...

Updated: Apr 15, 2006 1:32pm PST

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival : The Festival runs for 3-4 weeks each year and attracts visitors from all over the world. We got there early to avoid the crowds and enjoyed the tens of thousands of tulips, daffodils and irises. We also enjoyed the Asian tourists taking photos of each other while making the "peace sign" (required for all photos, apparently). We headed over to La Conner, a small town on the Swinomish channel, for lunch and a bit of shopping before heading back to Seattle and dropping Stephen Nees, our guest from Canberra in town for a conference, at the airport for his return flight. http://www.tulipfestival.org/

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

The Festival runs for 3-4 weeks each year and attracts visitors from a ...

Updated: Apr 15, 2006 10:52am PST