Welcome To Your Amazing Race

{home: daly city, ca}

i met nico at snow park yesterday at dusk….

where it all started..

and it continues on…

btw, in case you were wondering what i bought at banana….

thanks to everyone who came out to bubble lounge to celebrate! special thanks to nico’s accomplices - you guys are bad ass! =)

{barnes & noble: oakland, ca}

i remember a little over three years ago coming to this very barnes & noble to meet up with a friend of many friends to kill some time between work and a birthday dinner. there was no expectation of the experience, except maybe some company while the time passed.

three years ago, we walked around this very place, talking about … well, everything! we had something in common… we liked reading books, learning new things, wanting to know more. three hours later, there was so much more to talk about. the experience of learning about each other was just the beginning…

… into a train. on a track, parallel traveling the same direction.
… on a rollercoaster. up and down. exhilarating!…
… on still waters. ever so calm, wanting to move. not knowing where to paddle. without a paddle.
… throwing each other a line, and pulling each in. safe haven, then pushing on to the next adventure…

through it, patience, warmth, love, thoughtfulness, understanding, giving, caring, sharing…

so you ask me what i think my prize will be if i complete my Amazing Race?

i already have my prize. i’ve had it all this time, beginning here at this barnes & noble.

it’s just a matter of going to meet him.

…. this race is just beginning. ;-*

All set? Ok, log on here and blog what you think your prize will be if you complete your Amazing Race? Are you sure?

Next, go to the Lake Merritt area in Oakland. Across from the Bank of America building where you once worked is a small patch of grass called Snow Park. Drive to Snow Park with all of your purchases and a smile. When you get to your destination, find your next clue after 8:30pm.

Ah, you just missed me. Oh well, here’s your next clue. The City of Oakland is a bustling urban area with one of the busiest harbors in the world. Next to this harbor is the touristy Jack London Square. Go there and use the Barnes and Noble gift card to buy a book. Oh, but not just any book. Buy a Frommer’s Guide for the common theme among the items you bought at Target – choose wisely. Once you’re done, log in again to http://bernadette.openthelight.com to find your next clue after 8:00 pm.

{”home”: fremont, ca}

whew! i made it! (got here at 5pm) and some time to spare.. hm, a lot of time, as a matter of fact… okay, maybe not that much time, but enough time to breathe, change, and eat! but who can eat! not too hungry, just wanting to see what i’ll find in san leandro!

i figured he wouldnt be home.. it would be too soon.

okay, before going off to target, here are my answers to the quetions, plus my self-portrait in the master-bath:

1. How would you pack for an adventure?
Light. Light. Light. I will pack practical clothing. You have to.
2. How will you be able to carry all your stuff in one backpack and carry it all across the world?
Very easily. okay well, maybe not so easily. haha! I have trouble carrying things on my shoulder for very long, hence the packing light. But surely if it’s around the world and it’s a race, and it’s for a million dollars, I will be carrying it as fast as I can!
3. Are you ok with not being able to dress nicely during this trip?
It’s a race, I’m not sure I want to be running around in high heels. but yes, I’d be cool with roughing it. just make sure that every couple of days, we can at least get some sort of running water.

you dont know what i bought to wear… it’s a surprise! you can’t have all the fun!

Nice, nice, nice, you found that quickly. Inside this package are the various tasks for this section of your adventure. Find them and read them in order.

TASK #4
Now that you have that outstanding outfit from Banana Republic, put it on. This is your chance to dress up. Fix your hair, put on a little bit (only a tiny bit) of makeup, and get in those shoes. Are you ready for a night out in town? Hold on, you still have to do the next task.

TASK #5
Take a picture of yourself in front of the mirror in the master bathroom. Log in to http://bernadette.openthelight.com and post your picture up. In the same post, answer the following questions:
1. How would you pack for an adventure?
2. How will you be able to carry all your stuff in one backpack and carry it all across the world?
3. Are you ok with not being able to dress nicely during this trip?

Once you’re done, you can grab some dinner in the refrigerator then move on to the next task.

TASK #6
Now, go to Target on Whipple Rd. and purchase the following items with the accompanying gift card:
1. Ragu Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta
2. International Delights Italian Cappucino
3. Baci Perugina Chocolate

Once you complete these three tasks, proceed on to the City of San Leandro, 938 Hollyhock Dr. and find your next clue after 7:00 pm.

Surprise, there’s no one here! Wasn’t that shopping fun? Your next destination is still in the Nickel-Dime where the cherry blossoms bloom in the spring and Mang Johnny cuts hair. But before going there, find the next package in the house and follow the instructions.

{san mateo, ca: barnes & noble}

okay, so like shopping was a little stressful. i was limited to one store, and while there was a lot of selection, i was worried i wouldnt find anything/nothing would fit (i brought something just in case). but at least i found something! i’m running bit late cuz i tried on a bunch of stuff and of course i couldnt decide! so now i’m here at barnes (it’s 4:15pm right now) answering the next questions to my amazing race! (hehe, it’s the application questions! killing two birds, great thinking!) btw, why does the date on the blog say june 12 (it’s june 11)? hm, also need to fix the picture of the roses…

anyways on to the questions:

1. Why should you be chosen to participate in the Amazing Race?
I think I would not only be a great competitor (I’ve been wanting to apply this race for a while!), I would definitely see this as a life experience. you only live once, you know? Also, once I set my mind on something, a definite goal, a deadline that cant be broken, I give my 110% and try to meet that goal. I see that finishing this race is a great goal. And I think I’d look cute on camera. haha!

2. How well do you think you will do in the Amazing Race?
We’ll win. for sure. you dont think so? okay, just let us prove you wrong.

okay, gotta go. see you in the five and dime….

Home Sweet Home – The Nickel-Dime is where the sun is – but before moving forward, answer these Amazing Race questions in a post here. Remember, your login is cloudnihne, and you know the password.

1. Why should you be chosen to participate in the Amazing Race?

2. How well do you think you will do in the Amazing Race?

Now go to the city of Fremont and find your next clue. It will be available at 4:00 pm.

denise and i went to zen beauty spa in west portal this morning to try out the nail place she wanted us to go to before her wedding in august. when we got there for our appointment, there were about 8 girls (clients) in the pedicure chairs asking if one of us was “bernadette david”…

i introduced myself as she, and everyone ooohed and awwwed…i was confused. nees smiled. apperantly, someone came by from the flower shop to deliver flowers for me! (of course, i hadnt been there yet, they tried to deliver it earlier!). all of the girls wanted to find out who was the recipient of the special delivery…

i thought, wow, nico sent me flowers! how sweet! everyone wanted to see a picture of him, if i had one. luckily i had the pic of us from when we first started going out. so i showed everyone… they were curious:

“so is it your birthday?”
no.
“is it your anniversary?”
hm, that was about a month ago, and we did something already… so no.
“are you guys fighting?”
haha, no, actually we’re not!

when i got the flowers (pretty!! =)) there was a card that told me to find my next clue at home. hm, so that got me thinking… nees thought, “do you think it’s what you think it is?…” nah, i said. i think he’s just being cute… so here’s a picture of my special delivery:

i also got a special message to start this blog… and start my amazing race! ;-*