Alissa L.

Okay, so there's actually more than Alissa L. on the Wheeler Team now.

2009-01-08T09:25:00.003-05:00

So...we've moved our posting (don't laugh! we are going to try to be better...) to another blog address: www.ajwheeler11.blogspot.com

We've had a tremendous 2008 with so many firsts!

Wishing you all the best...

aj&e

emmeline with grandma and grandpop enjoying some christmas goodness from santa.

home, sweet home

2007-06-15T14:27:00.000-04:00

we made it back safely late tuesday afternoon. the honeymoon is officially over....but, what an incredible time it was.

we flew from athens to paris on easy jet. a uk company much like the us domestic based jet blue. they failed to get my bag on the flight, so we missed our chance to go to amsterdam... BUT that meant two extra days in paris!!!

aw, paris. the boutiques, the history, the beauty. joseph wants to return to live in paris. as long as we have enough money for me to shop and wear the fashion that city affords...i am ALL game. :)

we flew from cologne/bonn to london, stayed monday night and then finished the trip on tuesday morning.

i'll have joseph contribute the honeymoontripwrapup post.....so that's all for now.

naxos, greece

2007-06-07T11:45:00.000-04:00

ugh!
we traveled by train, boat, boat, and taxi for 48+ hours, arriving at our AWESOME hotel in naxos last night..grateful to lie down! we are staying at hotel spiros (maybe it's online...) for two nights. today we scooter'd all over the central part of the island. tomorrow we are going to rent a dune buggy!! we've always wanted to do that!!! the prices in greece are a completely refreshing after mainland europe. we paid 10 euros for the scooter for 24 hours. absolutely reasonable!

the sea is MUCH warmer here than it was in italy and france. and we found a sandy beach. unfortunately (and of course!) the weather did totally cooperate with us...windy, windy, and during our lunch break there was a brief rainstorm.

we introduce the chefs in greece to the chefs we met last week in italy and we invited them all into the kitchen in an european iron chef-off. joe stands by the italian food being more delicious, but alissa is not totally convinced...

tomorrow night we head to athens to confirm that alissa's elementary school education regarding greek mythology was based (somewhat at least) on fact.

Update from France to Firenze

2007-06-04T11:42:00.000-04:00

We have not been great at updating the blog...internet is not that easy to find plus we are just really really tired/lazy.

We spent last week on the Mediterranean Riviera in Nice, France and San Remo, Italy. We did not like Nice much and failed to go to nearby Eze (a Medieval city where there is cliff jumping and cave swimming)....OOPS!!! So, we moved on to San Remo for two nights. We discovered 'happy hour' which is basically two plates of an Italian buffet spread and a drink (whatever you want, so we ordered this delicious strawberry pineapple concoction) for €5 (about 7 bucks) each. The moment we entered Italy, it became obvious that the best food in the WORLD is Italian. Everything tastes better here...fresh, cooked, cured, WHATEVER! The tomatoes are intense bursts of flavor that involuntarily (for alissa, anyway) produce verbal assent of their taste worthiness. We discovered foccacia...each region, each city has their own flavor, their own twist on the delicious bread wonder. However, we retain that the best milk is from Germany...and you know Joe is the expert on milk.

There have been several attempts to lay on the beach all day, but the weather will not cooperate. It is too windy...sand pelting our inner ears...or rainy...or..... So, we left San Remo with happy tummies and moved around the cost to Cinque Terre, an Italian National Park.

Basically it is a stretch of coastline that connects small little villages...very very old villages...together by train, boat ferry, hiking trails (through olive groves and vineyards on paths defined by stone walls built WITHOUT mortar hundreds of years ago). There are not too many beaches, rather rocky cliffs and spectacular views and stone launching ramps for boats of all shapes and sizes. The food is unbelievably delicious, fresh, local, and healthy (except for the desserts...crepes and gelato!!!!). We spent Alissa's 31st birthday hiking through the mountains of olives and grapes and deseret flora and lush foliage. Our market lunch that day of cheese, bread, tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, peaches, apricots, cherries, ham and prosciutto. Neither one of us has ever tasted anything so delicious and timely. On a side note, we love every gaget from REI that we received as gifts...especially our hip camel bak. The tap water is natural deliciousness that comes out cold enough to quench even the most fierce thirst. Our birthday lunch was feast indeed.

Our hikes yielded the most amazing vistas we could ever imagine. Seriously. It was like sitting inside a fairy tale illustration, but you can feel the sun on your skin and the wind cooling you off and your holding hands with your life companion. We both really love this place. We spent four days in this beautiful place, meeting people, watching the weather change...pretty much under spell.... and so happy.

Unwillingly, we said goodbye to Cinue Terre and headed to Florence to visit David (all three of them!!!) and of course Charity Sunshine! We have been here in Florence since Friday. Our first night was our first camping experience...and it was wonderful. We camped in the hills of Florence overlooking the Duomo. Saturday we bussed to Fiesole, just outside of Florence, but still within eyesight, to spend three lovely days with Chari and her momma, Annette. Just up the hill from their beautiful farmhouse flat is an 11th century castle their friends own. So, we are heading to Rome this afternoon and then on to Greece, determined to find some sunshine and beach time.

Hoorary for being married!!! Hoorary for honeymoons!! Hoorary for happiness!

Europe!

2007-05-26T02:47:00.000-04:00

Joseph and I have made our way down the Rhine river in southern Germany by train, boat, chair lift, and foot (hiking through the 'Wildpark'), overnight trained from Frankfurt to Paris, spent time in Paris, Rouen, and Caen (to see the Caen Memorial largely dedicated to D-day), got caught in a TORRENTIAL downpour at Versailles, and are now resting our very abused feet on the French Riviera in Nice. This hostel has internet....so we will post some pictures tonight when we get back.

on the road again

2006-01-12T18:20:00.000-05:00

i love traveling. you know that, though.

my holidays were busy at home hosting family and fun! NYC! broadway! santa and his reindeer on the potomac! urban vistas! holiday cheer! a whirlwind!

and now it's time for snowboarding in utah powder, family dinners, a week-long work trip to long beach california, then more utah powder and neice and nephew spoiling.

i am looking forward to heather's visit this month, my choir concerts in the kennedy center and lincoln center with russian baritone dimitri khovorotovsky, a visit to the biltmore mansion next month, the start of a new semester, and a focused effort to master some ballroom dancing.

waves and leaves

2005-09-21T18:24:00.000-04:00

the end of my summer has come too quickly. i spent july and august exploring the beaches between delaware and florida and traveling across the country. my favorite spot is hilton head, south carolina. that place is so peaceful. there is, however, NO beach like a west coast beach. the east has its flavor and its appeal, but i am a california dreamin' betty. my skin is finally the color i was born to be, all post-mission whiteness terminally resolved.
the season is beginning to change colors now and i am going to boston in october to see the sight in panorama.
this world is a beautiful place.
school has begun and this may it will be done. come celebrate my graduation if you can!

choral venture

2005-06-20T12:32:00.000-04:00

as of saturday, i am now a member of the national cathedral choral society (2nd soprano). our summer concert is july 21st...

the flaming lips

2005-06-20T11:57:00.000-04:00

fantastic tunes. a little intro if you please.

obx pictures

2005-06-06T16:03:00.000-04:00

the pictures are rolling in from our trip to the beach.

check these out:
http://community.webshots.com/album/362889145IUtsCz
http://community.webshots.com/album/362877213ebRAVy
http://community.webshots.com/album/362966585QtfULL
http://community.webshots.com/album/363026729LKxetT
http://community.webshots.com/album/363066208rEXFMa
http://community.webshots.com/album/363089444nCVjVG

we will be releasing a DVD later this summer with all key players duly introduced and represented.

OBX

2005-05-27T01:54:00.000-04:00

i am in love.
the lucky recipient of this love is outer banks, north carolina. the sun kissed my complexion leaving me a year older (my birthday was monday) and tan! the water and sand exfoliated and smoothed my skin. the house rocked my party-world. the company kept me laughing the entire week.
obx highlights:
1. the karaoke bar (dan is the man!)
2. the crabs (seriously, april)
3. the men (could they have been any more beautiful?!)
4. the waves (boogey and skim boarding)
5. the hot tub
6. the surprise birthday visit from daron and heather
7. church (the couple from poland was incredible)
8. the motorcycle ride with chris from maine (H-O-T)
9. mike's convertible
10. night fishing
11. 5 sweet birthday kisses

Lewis and Clark

2005-05-23T22:31:00.000-04:00

portland, oregon. ahhhhhh...
this city is incredible. the panache, the boutiques, the food, the hippies, the aura of art and creativity, and free love.
multnomah falls is truly breathtaking (both the view of the falls, as well as the hike up the steep mile high switchbacks to the top of the falls for a spectacular panoramic view of the columbia river!)
mt hood, st helen's, and larch mountain (scenic drive through vineyards, orchards, and quaint communities) are also incredibly beautiful.
two of my favorite spots in the city this trip were the chinese gardens (the gardenia room was a fragrant, visual feast) and the grotto (reflective and peaceful way to end the trip).
of course, i continued my quest to visit every lds temple in the world by visiting the portland temple. and, of course, true my bohemian inclination, i ran into a transportation adventure when the bus that took me out to lake oswego stopped running after rush hour and i had no idea how to get back downtown. it all worked out thanks to marci mapquesting from maryland, and a nice trimet employee giving me a lift.
tomorrow we head down to corolla, north carolina to ring in my birthday on the outer bank beaches for a week.

the 1980 superbowl champions and true love

2005-05-16T18:09:00.000-04:00

i had the awesome experience of listening to josi and burgess owens last night at the dc temple visitor center. she is one feisty lady, full of love and wisdom. burgess admires her and proclaims so openly. what a man. what a woman. what a love. i chuckled when noticing that he wears a superbowl ring on his right hand, but no wedding band on his left. *chuckle*
check this story out for a few more bio details.

re-entering my life

2005-05-13T10:41:00.000-04:00

the season is over, the stress removed, ahhhh... enter summer.
yes, last night i took two finals (practically back-to-back) marking the end of my second year. just one more to go, baby!
i joined a club of fabulous traveling people, and our first trip is this weekend to monitcello.

pitching mounds

2005-04-29T16:36:00.000-04:00

i played fast-pitch softball up through high school. what i never knew is that the center of the pitching mound for adult female fast-pitch softball is 43' away from the back of homeplate . this is significantly shorter than professional baseball (center of the mound is 59' from the back of homeplate).

dayenu!

2005-04-25T13:51:00.000-04:00

happy passover! (hag somayach!)
here are a few pictures of the seder saturday.

lyrics

2005-04-19T16:08:00.000-04:00

I wanted everything for a little while.
Why shouldn't I?
I wanted to know what he was like.
Now you can pull a little bit,
There's a little give and take.
And love will stretch a little bit,
But finally it's gonna break.

everything but the girl, 'wrong', 1996

thrilling decatur, indiana

2005-04-18T09:38:00.000-04:00

weekend algorithm: 18 hours in the car yields 16 hours in thrilling decatur, indiana.
betsey and richard are happily married.
the swim-in-place pool is most excellent!
and remember:
1. pray for linda
2. pray for lindsey
3. pray for bryan

nats, again

2005-04-15T15:55:00.000-04:00

oh yeah! last night was incredible: i witnessed the return of baseball to washington d.c. and the first home win for the nationals. my new man crush is vinny castilla and his homerun last night has everything to do with it. my boys are in first place after the game last night!
highlights from the experience:
1. security (thanks, bush! i was standing in line to go through a metal detector during the opening ceremonies)
2. my seats (they are on the aisle in the first row of the section)
3. castilla's double down the third baseline deep into left field
4. castilla's homerun (did i mention this already?)
5. watching this guy try to start the wave about 15 times in the section to our right (he was tireless! and it never caught on with the crowd)
6. castilla's triple which brought in the first scores of the game
7. the firework display at the end of the game celebrating the win
8. night view of downtown from the top of rfk
can baseline life be any better than this?
monday night i am going back for more...

land of the beehive

2005-04-11T23:28:00.000-04:00

betsey gimbel and richard hawkins are now married. the event was incredible and joyful.
true to utah weather form, there were literally four seasons this weekend --snow, rain, sun, and wind.
do you know moment: one of utah's nicknames is the beehive state. on all highway and state signs you will find a small black beehive. take a close look at the state flag as well...

favorite american pastime

2005-04-07T10:55:00.000-04:00

i can hardly contain my enthusiasm!!!!! i just bought season (okay so they are half-season, but that's 41 games!) tickets to the WASHINGTON NATIONALS! i love watching baseball. it was probably a matter of love it or kill myself because i have to watch another one of daron's games growing up--but i truly love the game, the atmosphere, and the pace. the best part is i have never had my own team. the sf giants were my brothers' and father's pick. the A's were not even an option (akin to preferring Ford to Chevrolet...). so, here i am. new place i call home. new team. alissa is a nationals girl.
if you are in the area and want to go to a game, let me know (we have two-four seats).
GO NATS!

Trying something new

2005-04-03T12:41:00.000-04:00

My family has had a family website for years www.janisfamily.com. We decided it was important to maintain some solidarity as a family unit and set the website up to keep track of each other with ease. My personal page on this website is horrendous (gone-bad html programming class project), so I am not going to fight it and will post as the mood strikes.
Enter, the blogger.