Valentine's Weekend in Minnesota

Arne gave me an amazing gift...a valentines weekend in Minnesota. The idea behind this trip was to see Prairie Home Companion live at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. Here are some pictures and details on the amazing adventure.

Friday: Heading Out

Friday Morning mom took us down to SFO and while waiting in the NWA Security line, who was 2 people behind us? Garrison Keillor! I noticed the red shoes and Arne noticed the face that is perfect for radio. We boarded the fully packed plane and flew to Minnesota.



Once there, we took a cab to St. Paul and where we were staying - the St. Paul Hotel. It was the perfect hotel for a romantic weekend. After walking around a bit in the cold (it was sunny and in the twenties), we took an afternoon nap before heading over to the Science Museum to see Grand Canyon Adventure, an IMAX movie.



After the movie, on the way back to the hotel (2 blocks), we ran into Cay Hellervick, a local who had some extra box seat tickets to the Celtic Woman concert that was going on at the Ecel Center. For free, we thought why not, and enjoyed a the first half of the lovely concert before heading over to the St. Paul Grill for a great steak dinner and sundae!



Saturday: The Big Day



In the morning, while the sun was out, there was a bit of snow falling...it just sparkled and was the right way to start the day. We headed out to Minneapolis (which is not very close to St. Paul) and after a quick breakfast at SpoonRiver, headed to the Mill Museum. We LOVED the Mill Museum...it was filled with interactive exhibits, we learned about Minnesota's history and about flour. I just had so much fun.







After the Museum, we walked across the Stone Arch Bridge and checked out the waterfall, before going to lunch in an old Minneapolis bar. I had Walleye for lunch. I always thought this was a make believe fish on PHC...but it is real! Then we headed back to St. Paul to get ready for the show.





I loved going to the Fitz, seeing Prairie Home live and just being part of the whole experience. The Valentines show was just so romantic and such fun for us.





After the show we stopped in the Children's Museum to make cookies and play at Clifford the Big Red Dog's party, before going to late dinner at PazzaLuna
. It was the best Valentines ever.





Sunday: Relax and Return



After sleeping in, we headed up to Mickey's for a great breakfast. Then we stumbled upon a Scottish festivel, full of bagpipes and kilts...it was the Scottish Ramble.



After rambling through the Landmark Center, the Schubert Club opened and Arne was able to check out and play lots of old pianos. Very cool.



We then headed to the airport, only to find out our plane was delayed 3 hours due to rain at SFO, so we took that as an opportunity to ride the light rail into downtown Minneapolis for some dinner before the flight home.



All the pictures can be found here: Valentine's Weekend

MLK Weekend in LA

For MLK weekend, Arne and I headed down to Los Angeles and the Lei-Out beach ultimate tournament. It was a great chance for him to see some of my SoCal friends and me to meet some of his relatives and friends in the area. We were blessed by sunny warm clear weather all weekend.

Friday Night: Heading Down

We dropped the dogs off at our parents homes and then flew down to LA. We headed over to my friend Priya's house in Santa Monica. Once there we walked down to the Promenade and had gelato and hot chocolate and fun.

Saturday: Lei-Out



Saturday morning Priya and I headed down to the beach to play with the Supper Wobbly Amazing Pinata. It was sunny and beautiful out and I just had fun running around in the sand. Arne slept in, then I took a break from ultimate to go have lunch with him on the pier.



After the day of ultimate, we headed out to Arne's friends home in West Hollywood. George lives in a church and it was great for Arne to catch up and meet to get to know one of the characters from Arne's college days.



Sunday: Lei-Out and Dana Point



Sunday morning was more ultimate, where the team just kept winning...until we decided to play no more and just enjoy the day. After the morning of ultimate, Arne and I headed down to Dana Point and his Uncle Richard's house.



On the way we stopped at the Mission San Juan Capistrano, one of my favorite Missions, and then watched the sun set from Dana Point. After dinner with Richard and Myriam , I feel asleep exhausted.



Monday: Heading Home



Monday we had a great breakfast with Arne' aunt and uncle and then headed north. First to meet up with my friend Tracy for a beach walk and lunch, then to the airport.



Sadly, our plane was delayed several hours, but eventually we made it home to the bay area after a great SoCal adventure.

Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful 2008 and is looking forward to a great 2009. Looking back on my 2008, I can truly say it was one of the more amazing years of my life.

In January, I got settled into my new house in downtown Palo Alto, and started a few house projects to get everything just right in the new home. With some furniture and a new bathtub, it became a great place for me to live - my Forest House.

Over the course of the Spring, Summer, and Fall, I competed in 4 triathlons, from big ones in Hawaii and Wildflower, to some short local sprints. I had a great time swimming and biking, and, well, I ran when needed. I also got into the swing of rowing, competing locally, up in Sacramento, and down in Southern California. All those early morning workouts were worthwhile at the end of the year, when I got another gold medal from a woman's 8 race.

In May, I brought home Summer Doodle, my little Aussie rescue dog. It has been GREAT having such a wonderful addition to my home. She also gets to spend lots of time at mom's house when I am off on work travel - and sometimes she doesn't want to leave the big yard and source of lots of treats!

Work at Intuit has been amazing. I have a level of responsibility and control that I have not had before. It has been great getting to know the different businesses, taking on additional responsibility, running open source programs, and working on my favorite task, M&A. I received various awards throughout the year and feel that I have found a great workplace for me.

Onto the most exciting news, Arne, my boyfriend, moved into the house in Palo Alto! We met over the summer and it has just been amazing having him in my life. You can see some of our adventures here, in the picture book of our first 6 months together: Arne and Karna Photobook He brings to the house, Bogey his beagle, who adds company for Summer during the day.

All in all, 2008 has been great, and I am looking forward to an even more amazing 2009!

Arne Moves In!

Arne and Bogey are now living at the Forest House!

It is so wonderful to have a full house, filled with much love and bits and pieces of Arne's family history as well.

Cooking and Enjoying

It has been a great summer at the house. My Summer Doodle dog has settled in and I have been cooking. It has been great to make meals and desserts and other fun stuff in my lovely kitchen. I am so happy with my home.

End of Summer: Tri at Pacific Grove

It has been an amazing summer. The trip to Michigan with Arne,



crew regattas,



enjoying my new home, and my dog Summer Doodle.



For the last summery event, Arne and I headed down to Monterey for the Pacific Grove Triathlon. I was doing the sprint distance with my crew teammate Lehmann, and after doing Olympic Distance at Lavaman and Wildflower, I have to say, I think I am a sprinter.

On Sat we headed down, enjoying the sunshine, although it was so pleasant on the drive, Arne fell asleep!



We went to the Aquarium, where I ran into Shelly Straus! I went to nursery school with Shelly and she now lives up in Portland, so it was a real treat to see her and her lovely 2 boys.



After time with the fishes, we checked into our hotel...we were in a 1830's adobe building called Merritt House.



Sat night it was dinner with Lehmann and Jason at Passion Fish - a wonderful meal, and then home to set everything up for the race in the morning.

Sunday morning came and we headed out to the course...



Lehman and I got into our wetsuits, then Arne needed to leave the transition area.



The swim was short (only 400 meters), but through kelp and sometimes called the kelp krawl. While the water was cold, I had a wetsuit and a headcap (with red ear covers) and it was actually a good swim. When I got out of the water it was just as the last wave was entering, making my swim a 9:54 leg.





The bike was a lot of fun. It was 2 6 mile loops around the bike course which went along the water. Each loop I got faster as I tried to overtake more bikers and just kept thinking "light and bright" the way my crew coach tells me to row. I ended the bike section in 44:53 and it felt good.



The run is always tough for me, but since it was only 2 miles, it was a lot easier then the 10k of the Olympic distance. The run was two loops along the water and then a sprint through the finish line in 22:23.







The whole race was over (with transition times) in 1 hour and 23 minutes with a huge smile on my face. I just had such a great time doing this race.



Then is was a lazy afternoon of sleep and shoe shopping before heading home.

Camp Blue and Blue Lake

It's late July and it is time for Camp Blue again! This year my sister is in Puerto Rico, so just Mom and I made it up to the Lair along with my friend Julia's family. After the Lair I stayed up in the Sierra's for a little backpacking trip to Blue Lake with my boyfriend Arne.

Saturday - Arrive at the Lair

Around noon on Saturday, mom met up with me and we headed up to the Lair. We had a good drive up, with less traffic then previous years. It was nice to be welcomed home to lair again by Mike White, the Blue manager for the summer.



This year, our tent was #4, with Julia Ken and Caleb right next door in Tent #5! After a relaxing late afternoon at the pool we had some drinks with the Browns' before heading to the dining hall and Thanksgiving Turkey dinner...a Saturday night staple.



Sunday - Walk around the Lake and Settle In

After breakfast I headed out for a walk to Pinecrest Lake and around it. I think this is one of the first times I have hiked around the lake! It was a fun 7 mile outing with the Browns, that ended in an It's It!

The afternoon was interrupted by scattered showers, which were good at dampening down the dust and clearing the air. It was an afternoon for reading in the lodge and an evening for playing card games like Lost Cities and Ticket to Ride.



Monday - Boulder Lake Hike



I went on the Lair hike up to Boulder Lake, which is off of the Clark Fork in the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness. It was a beautiful hike up along a riverside through trees and meadows. Once we got to the top, I swam in the lake and then dried on the granite rocks.





Monday night, of course, was Disco Bingo.

Tuesday - Tie Dye



On Tuesday, I introduced Julia to Tie-Dye! She had never done this before. We made a series of shirts for me, her, our friends kids. I even made a matching set for me and Arne.



In the afternoon it was the staff softball game. I was first baseman again, and while it took and extra inning we did will. Then it was back to the art grove for some lanyards and pottery!



Wednesday - Walk to the Lake



After breakfast, I walked by myself over to Pinecrest to read and enjoy some quiet time, while mom played tennis.



It was nice to take a break and just enjoy the lake. I also went down to creakside to see the little memorial marker that has my dad's name. He loved the lair and it is always great to hear stories of him when I return.



In the afternoon, I played 2 on 2 volleyball with Ken. Sadly, we lost our match, but it was fun to participate in the tournament.



Wednesday night was the talent show...so many fun skits, the best being the Class on 2026 (a bunch of 2 year olds painted with cal colors jumping to Who Let the Dogs Out)

Thursday - Mom and the Lake



On Thursday, I played volleyball versus Gold in the morning and then hung by the pool. In the afternoon, we headed back to Pinecrest with our neighbor in Tent #1 for an afternoon by the lake.



We had pre-dinner drinks and music with fellow campers and Mike White.



Thursday night was the best...the Hootanany.

Friday - The Big Game

Friday morning it was time for the softball game. I played 1st and we crushed Gold, 24-0! It was amazing. Part of the reason for this was great hitting (I got a home run), but part of it was excellent fielding from some of our recent high school graduates. It was also nice to hear the guys say how my dad must be watching over me and so proud of my home run.



In the afternoon, I got a henna tattoo on my leg and then headed off to the dining hall for the last dinner of the week. The show was not good this year.

After the show, Arne showed up at the Lair, and got to have his first Lair Burger.



Saturday - Hike up to Blue Lake

Saturday morning, after packing up Mom, Arne and I headed up the Sonora pass to the "trailhead"/pullout for the Blue Lake Trail.



It was a long hike uphill. I don't really like hiking up. This particular hike had the most spectacular array of wildflowers I think I have ever seen...every color, all sorts of types...it was wonderful.



It was great to finally make it to Blue Lake, where we set up camp, had a snowball fight (it seems all of Arne and my hikes include snow), and then after a nap, go for a swim in the freezing cold water!



Sadly, over night the area filled with smoke from the Yosemite fire.

Sunday - The Road Home



In the morning, it was clear again and we headed down to the car on a mildly different path - so more lovely flowers and waterfalls. Then it was a long drive home, with a stop in Pinecrest for a It's It and then singing in the car till the Bay Area.



Once home, I picked up Summer from my coworker Mike's house and prepared to do a lot of laundry! It was a great summer holiday. More pictures can be found here: BLUE.