Some of our most enjoyable Summer nights have been spent in the company of dear friends at Moonlight Amphitheatre.

"From book writer Tina Fey, the comedic genius behind the hit 2004 movie, comes the Broadway smash that redefines high school hierarchy with razor-sharp wit and infectious pop energy. When Cady Heron moves from the African savanna to suburban Illinois, she quickly learns that surviving high school is a jungle of its own—especially when facing off with The Plastics, led by the iconic Regina George. Packed with clever humor, show-stopping numbers, and a heartfelt message about staying true to yourself, MEAN GIRLS is a fiercely funny musical that proves popularity isn’t everything—it’s so fetch."


What a night! Everyone agreed that this was a fantastic production from the incredible talent to the inventive scenery. Wow!

It's hard to believe the film that thrilled us and truly gave us a need for speed turned 40 on May 16th. To celebrate, we dined at Kansas City Barbecue where some of our favorite scenes from one of our favorite movies, Top Gun were filmed.

For those unaware, the movie tells the way awesome story of the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School, where the best of the best train to refine their elite flying skills. When hotshot fighter pilot Maverick (Tom Cruise) is sent to the school, his reckless attitude and cocky demeanor put him at odds with the other pilots, especially the cool and collected Iceman (Val Kilmer). But Maverick isn't only competing to be the top fighter pilot, he's also fighting for the attention of his beautiful flight instructor, Charlotte Blackwood (Kelly McGillis).
Kansas City Barbeque in San Diego is globally famous as the "Top Gun Bar" where Maverick and Goose famously sang Great Balls of Fire. Today, the restaurant operates as a popular movie landmark and dive bar, offering casual BBQ, a jukebox, and extensive military memorabilia.

In the 1986 Top Gun film, the venue was used for two prominent scenes. First, Maverick, Charlie, Goose, and Meg Ryan’s character sit around a piano while Goose sings. Second, the closing scene features Maverick drinking a beer and listening to "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" on the jukebox.
The upright piano used by Goose during filming is still here. It was bought at a garage sale for $20 and brought to California by one of the owner's mothers from Kansas City in the 1960s.
This was the film that introduced us to Meg Ryan. Oh man, how many times have I seen this 80's cinematic masterpiece?

We have been to THREE San Diego Padres' games and each time they won. Steve and I believe that today's victory was because we were there to root, root, root for the home team. There was no shame at Petco Park. What a game!

Hundreds of fans came with their laptops. It was hysterical!!!
This phenomenon was new to us. "Tarps Off" is a viral fan craze where spectators take off their shirts and wave them in the air like helicopter blades. Originating in college football in 2025, it exploded across Major League Baseball. Many teams have even dedicated specialized, high-energy seating sections to the movement.
Over the course of the game, the number of half naked fans grew. Their energy was infectious. What fun (what sunburns)!

The game was fantastic. It was very close which kept us on the edge of our seats.

The excitement was interspersed with interesting player facts on the jumbotron.
Gavin Sheets not only shares his birthday with National Asparagus Day, the chant for him is "Holy Sheets". What a hoot.
This was an article written about the Cincinnati loss and the Padres victory, "It's not just a hard flight back to Cincinnati because the Reds won only one of six games on their road trip through St. Louis and San Diego. It's knowing that they led all six games and couldn't close most of them out with more wins.



What a game! What a day!

Sunday and Monday were days of connecting with friends... A main purpose of our visits to Temecula.

After saying goodbye to Leslie, I met up with Suzanne and Nancy, two of my 39-year-old's 6th grade teachers. We were a trio of women whose conversation never stopped. What fun!
After lunch, Suzanne and I ventured to the Temecula Valley Museum for its current exhibition, Am I An American or Am I Not? which asks visitors to think about examples of unfair treatment from our country’s past and present in order to protect the American promises of life, liberty, and justice for all.
The exhibition’s title comes from Fred Korematsu, who famously challenged the mass imprisonment of over 125,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. When faced with criminal charges for not following the military orders to leave his home without due process, the U.S. born citizen remembered his Constitutional rights and asked, “Am I an American or am I not?"
Developed in partnership with the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, the exhibition draws on timeless themes to bridge past and present, highlights stories of connection, and encourages civic participation to stand up for equal rights. It features stories of loyalty and resistance, belonging and othering, and solidarity and resilience. It explores how fear, discrimination, and government actions led to the violation of Constitutional rights during the war and how this history relates to the experiences of other communities, including Native Americans and African Americans.

Importantly, the exhibition addresses stories of other historic and modern-day events that parallel aspects of the incarceration of Japanese Americans to encourage visitors to take action today and stand up for the rights of all Americans.





We were directed to walk in a specific direction with exhibition sections titled: Immigration and Citizenship: Who gets to be an American?; Othering: What does it mean to be an American?; Loyalty and Resistance: What do you stand for?; Resilience and Solidarity; and How do you respond to injustice? The Conclusion poses the question, "How will you make a difference?"
Fred Korematsu and Rosa Parks were two iconic ordinary citizens who sparked pivotal moments in American civil rights history. Both defied unjust, systemic discrimination and bravely took their fights to the highest levels of the U.S. legal system, ultimately reshaping the landscape of civil liberties in the United States.After the heavy history lesson, the mood was one of frivolity as we met David and Karen at Cougar Winery for Karen's birthday fête.

Monday, after a very crazy day of medical commitments (another reason we are in Temecula), we dined at Lynne and Scott's to celebrate her 80th birthday!