Melissa & Shane

Well, it has been a wonderful year. We got married (thus the anniversary), bought a house and had a  great deal of fun. We are certainly looking forward to the next year!

We traveled to San Diego to visit with Jeff and Penni who recently returned from Africa! We had a fun filled day, ate some great food and found a new activity that we think we will thoroughly enjoy.

1. Bodies: This was an amazing exhibition of the human body. I think we were both a little apprehensive of viewing human bodies in various states of dissection, but it was an amazing experience. My favorite exhibit was the primary nervous system. I had no idea that the major nerves running through the body were so large. I was also amazed to see that we have so many tendons running through our hands and our feet. I think the thing that we all found extremely educational was the organization and sizes, of the major organs in our bodies (especially the liver, it is huge!).
2. San Diego Zoo: Always a treat. The San Diego Zoo is, by most accounts, the premier zoo in all the world. We arrived just as the park was closing it’s entrance gates, but we had plenty of time to wander around and see some things that Melissa and I missed on our last trip. My favorite exhibit is, and always has been, the Orangutans. These gentle giants look so thoughtful and intelligent that it is sad to see them enclosed in any type of non-natural setting. My love of the zoo and the joy that seeing such exotic animals brings me is tempered by my wish to see animals left alone in their natural habitats. The main saving grace of the zoo is that so many people get to see, learn about and hopefully appreciate these animals from far off lands. I truly think that the zoo does a fantastic job of educating each and everyone person about the importance of habitat preservation.
3. Turf Supper Club: Very cool restaurant and bar. It seems to me to be a throwback to simpler time, with a bit of a hipster flair. The food was fantastic, but be warned, you have to cook it yourself!
4. Shakespeare Pub & Grill: We recommended this to Jeff and Penni on the recommendation of an acquaintance of ours. We were told about a trivia game that they hold on the last Sunday of every month. When we finally got there, the game was in full swing and looked to be super fun! I certainly hope that we will be able to actually participate in the future.