A-S-P-E in the L-B-C

This past weekend I was sent to Long Beach for the ASPE convention. Being my first product show that I was going alone to, I was really freaked out. I mean...what the hell do you do at these things anyway? What do you wear? and most important...what the hell kid of shoes are appropriate?

Rudy told me to take Jon with, oh...okay sweet!!! So we left on Saturday after my test I had to take at school. Probably botched it...but who cares in a couple hours I will be free from the Vieta's and in 85 degree weather!!!

Our Hotel was really cool! We had a view of the harbor and were really close to the Queen Mary.

Coast Long Beach Hotel

View from our room

We arrived that evening and ventured out to eat at this restaurant called the Reef down from the hotel. At first it looked really good, then I got a little worried when the waitress referred to the oysters as "good ones" when I asked what kind they were...then they showed up with a cellophane package of oyster crackers. To me that is like wearing a $1000 dress with Payless Shoes! To my surprise, the food was actually really good!

The Reef

We still had some time to kill....and my darling husband reminded me that we had seen something on Travel Channel about the Haunted Queen Mary!!! Wait...hold up.....did my husband, who hates haunted houses just volunteer information to me...a Halloween freak, about a haunted house?????!!!! I jumped at the chance.....hoping that between the hotel and getting to the Queen Mary he didn't change his mind. Especially when he found out it was $37 each to get into this thing.

Queen Mary Haunted House

I kept my finger crossed as they split the crowd into "Men left, Women right" to assume the position of running a metal detector over your body and check your purse for your gun...good thing mine is made of plastic, or I would have never gotten in!!! Only in Long Beach I tell you! We rejoin each other and walk in. OMG!!!!! Its is F*&^*() amazing!!! There is not one...nor two...but 6 haunted houses! There is a live band and cocktails!!! Yes you heard me..COCKTAILS!!! Now that my friend is a haunted house!

We stand in line at the first one...it was lame. I got a little disappointed thinking they will all be that way. SO I tell Jon that I want to go on one of the ship ones. We stand in this monster Disney Land type line and it was sooooo worth the wait. You go through all these areas on the ship and see all kinds of cool stuff and the people try to scare the crap out of you! The best one for me was the Ghosts and Legends tour....oh my gosh..seriously! They filled the pool with fog, I remembered for the TV special that there was a little girl parision that hangs out there...I asked on of the guys and he confirmed it. Not that's scary shit!!!

Jon's favorite was the Hallucinations one....it was in 3D. I rarely jump in haunted houses but this one I did...you are so busy tripping out on they really good 3D effects you are not paying attention. It was awesome!

We hung out, had some drinks and laughed at all the "screamers" and walked back to the hotel. Talk about the best date EVER!!!!

Sunday we went for a boat tour around the harbor. We drank beer and took in the sights. There were this sea lions that were sleeping on a barrel...they were sooo cute.

I don't get it...he was so happy to see the good year blimp, when he has her sister ship the Kikinei at home :)

Pirate Ship!

These guys were funny...one big one and a bunch of little ones, "Don' t touch the water...it's hot lava!"

Three Fisting it!!!!

Sea Lions on a Mexican Boat :)

Next went to the Aquarium. We went to the shark tank where we could pet the sharks...it was funny. They all come over to where we were and I notices that they loved to have their belly and under their tails rubbed. Talk about an awesome experience. Jon made a friend out of this HUGE ray...he came over by him at lease 4 times.

No Comment :)

Jon and his new friend

We went back to the hotel and got ready for the Speakman dinner over at Parker's Lighthouse. That was really nerve racking, I am supposed to be talking to the high Maka Maka's over at Speakman, but I have no idea who they are....what they look like. Lucky for me, they came over to talk to us...we wound up talking to them till they closed the place down. Really great guys!!!

Parker's Light House

The show the next day was probably one of the most ridiculous testosterone fests I had ever seen!!!! Jon pointed out that he was expecting at any minute the male grunt that Tim the Tool Man Taylor used to do. It was funny when we were reading the information packet at registration...it states that spouses were allowed but the expo center had activities to keep them occupied, and they get a gift of a cashmere shall and a mini pocket umbrellas. Naturally he was bummed out that he didn't get one. The thought of a room full of bored women sounded so much more fun then going into the show...I agree ;) He wanted to take them out and "show them a real good time" sick-o!

First Day of School

We left the expo after seeing our vendors and doing a lap of the place....there were some cool stuff and innovative ideas but come on...what is intriguing about plumbing? Really?! We at at a place called Yard House...where they have over 200 beers on tap...oh yea, that's impressive! The food was good. The spicy tuna roll was odd...I mean you order sushi and they bring you this 5 layered thing with fish in the middle, guacamole on top and cucumber and edemame on the bottom...no friggen rice?! There was no Roll in this...well ...uh roll! We headed back to the hotel and as we walked through the park, Jon pointed out that he was kinda getting chilly and that cashmere shall would have really would have helped him get warm at this point....tard!

We came home Monday night and are so glad to be back. It was a blast but there is nothing like sleeping in your own bed and talking with your own kids...oh and Pig.