Lots happening

Since we last updated this blog, much has happened. We've traveled extensively to places like Italy, Brazil, Turkey, Egypt, Utah, Miami, Alaska, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, and China. We recently moved from the Los Angeles area to the Washington DC area for Jonathan's new career.

Honolulu again

Back again where it all began for us: Hawaii ... just for a few days this time. Loving the perfect weather, breezes, beaches, green, food, etc.

Jonathan in Beijing

We are both in Beijing, China for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Follow the adventure at:

http://jonathaninbeijing.blogspot.com

The Tesla Roadster

On Saturday, I went up to the Tesla dealership (the world's first) on Santa Monica Boulevard in West L.A. While there they let me test drive the Tesla. I took it for about a half hour and took it up the 405 to Sunset, through UCLA, Bel Air, Holmby Hills, and down through Westwood Village and past the Mormon temple.

While I was driving the auto, 6 people stopped me to ask about or comment on the car. It really is a gorgeous car and fun to drive. Everyone notices the car and is intrigued by its sleek design and futuristic look. I enjoyed the Jetsons-/Star Wars-like sounds that the car produces as it accelerates. The acceleration is smooth and the suspension and steering wheel are great. Very tight on corners.

The car is 100% electric, and gets over 200 miles per full charge. You just plug it in at home or work. That's nice.

Bad: low visibility in the car, not so luxurious interior features, and the seats are very deep and low. For such a futuristic car, why are the seats not automatic? For lumbar support, I had to squeeze a pump similar to the ones used for measuring blood pressure. I thought that was odd. The GPS in the car is mediocre . . . terribly tiny screen, but it's all okay. Really, the car is made for sporty fun and speed -- it's not a Mercedes. To get in and out of the car is a pain in the butt - figuratively and literally. The bucket seats are so extremely low because the car is modeled after the Lotus Elise. I am a little disappointed with some of the car's features and the lack of some interior luxury, but overall I like the car because it's just so cool and unique.

Also, the trunk storage space is as big as that of a Porsche 911/Turbo - it fits a set of golf clubs perfectly.

It's exciting that Tesla is a California company. It's also exciting that Tesla is contributing to the effort to move America's drivers away from gas-guzzlers. Tesla has already unveiled plans to produce and sell a 4-door sedan called the Model S. Stay tuned for more info on that! It should be available in 2011 and will be selling at about $60,000.

A bicoastal life

So I recently (like a year ago) discovered the term "bicoastal". What a fascinating concept!!
So, what exactly is a bicoastal life?

From the dictionary:

bicoastal |bīˈkōstəl| adjective of or relating to two coasts, esp. the east and west coast regions of the U.S. : a bicoastal custody settlement.
• traveling frequently from one coast to the other : a bicoastal businessman.
• located along both the east and west coasts.

These articles offer an interesting look at "bicoastal" life:

• Click here for the first article.
• Who is living bicoastally?
  
• An interesting blog post referring to the bicoastal thing.

A little while ago I read a book by a guy who lives in New York, Hong Kong, and Buenos Aires, splitting his time evenly among the three. That sounds great - why not, right? I could probably spend a few months in Hong Kong every year. But anyway the bicoastal life is kind of appealing. I would love to live in two great and lively cities. So, why should we have to choose between Los Angeles and Washington, DC? Why not just live in both places? Perhaps a bicoastal lifestyle is for us!! Any thoughts?

Wow . . . so we've been busy

Some of what's been going on since late April 2008 (WOW!!! three months went by so quickly):

• Sunny's dad's 60th birthday party at the Beverly Hills Hotel
• Our trip to Washington, DC for friends' wedding 
• Friend's wedding reception in Philadelphia
• Jonathan's participation in the Milken Institute's Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton on Wilshire - amazing group of folks in attendance.
• Many visitors in L.A. - lots of guests at our home! we love entertaining visitors...
• L.A. Dodgers game vs. St. Louis Cardinals (we left early because it started raining)
• Our quick trip to China for Sunny's participation in a religious freedom conference at the Chinese National Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing
• Sunny planning for Sunrider's Grand Convention which is to take place this coming week in Anaheim and Torrance
• UCLA Department of Public Policy 10th Anniversary
• Finish my first year of grad school at UCLA . . . only one more year left.
• I started working to help create the World Trade Center of Orange County
• Many events at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
• Our joint sunset birthday party at a restaurant on the water in Long Beach
• Trip to San Jose and Silicon Valley for Swedish family reunion/Midsummer festival
• Fourth of July celebrations in Torrance
• breakfast with Larry King
• the only movie we've watched recently in a theater is Kung Fu Panda - with our niece and nephew
• Matsuhisa
• our friend, Erik, will be moving to Los Angeles for good! Go UCLA Law!
• lots of work
• lots of fun
• I did not make it to Portugal this summer... State Department very slow
• I found out that we live within walking distance of THREE See's Candies stores!

This week we will be super busy running around Los Angeles and Orange County:

• Sunrider Grand Convention begins and lasts until Sunday
• Pacific Council event with U.S. commander in Iraq (in Century City)
• Carlos in Orange County - to enjoy the O.C. and start an international trade business project
• Newport Beach
• work for the WTC
• prepare for upcoming overseas trips
• I teach Sunday School next Sunday!

Los Angeles 2020

Los Angeles should host the 2020 Summer Olympics.  So there.

2 days in the San Francisco Bay Area

Sunny and Jonathan spent Friday and Saturday in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jonathan had a meeting on Friday at the University of California headquarters in Oakland.

We flew on Virgin America, a new and very good airline.

Anyway, we had a wonderful time visiting friends and family.  SF was considerably cooler than L.A. (helping us be more grateful for Los Angeles' climate, but we still had a fun time up there.  

We went to dinner at Yoshi's jazz club and sushi bar at Jack London Square - fun ambience.... we ate with Jonathan's East Bay/Oakland relatives, and Sunny's friends.  We spent plenty of time with our friend, Wendy, who recently moved to the Palo Alto area.  Her husband, Brandon, is/was out of town.... We also drove down to San Martin to visit Jonathan's relatives - what a lovely drive through that beautiful area!!

For more photos, click here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2176211&l=90f43&id=17818536

We stopped by Stanford University's beautiful campus, In & Out in Morgan Hill, the Golden Gate Bridge, and even the LDS Temple in Oakland.  It was a very busy trip.... we put over 200 miles on the rental car!

We enjoy traveling in California - there is so much to see and do in this beautiful and exciting state!!

My other blog

I maintain a blog called "Who Are Mormons?" as a hobby.

Please visit it at 

http://whoaremormons.blogspot.com

I try to publish interesting stories and articles on Mormons in public life, the media, politics, business, law, medicine, entertainment, etc.

Utah for one day . . . for cousin's wedding

We went to Utah to visit Jonathan's cousin Josh's wedding.... COLD in Salt Lake!

HOT in L.A.

our niece pretending to drive our Highlander....

93 degrees F in L.A. yesterday and today!!! Heat wave! WOW

Korean Air now flies from Los Angeles to São Paulo!

We're excited (especially Jonathan) about this news: Korean Air now offers daily nonstop service between LAX and GRU.  The service begins in June, and they are offering introductory sale fares!

Sunny at Mt. Fuji, Japan

Sunny just arrived from the Far East....  this photo of her and her parents while visiting Japan.  

old portrait

early 2007: group picture; it's missing person(s)

Around the World in 10 days

Jonathan successfully circumnavigated the globe: having logged 25,351.65 air miles since March 22.  

Jonathan's crazy trajectories: 

Los Angeles - Taipei, Taiwan - Hong Kong - Munich, Germany - São Paulo, Brazil - Lima, Peru - Los Angeles!  (Sunny & J were together until Hong Kong... Sunny to Japan)

Photos from the Munich leg:  HERE.

More photos from Taiwan: HERE.

More Photos from Hong Kong: HERE.

Now back in L.A., starting the third quarter at UCLA!

Brazil

Jonathan went to Brazil as Sunny went to Japan.

Jonathan went to Brazil to attend the wedding of Juliana Tabata & Wagner Souza in São Paulo.  Juliana was baptized in 2004 during J's mission down there... She since served a mission in the south of Brazil, and got married in the São Paulo temple this weekend and Jonathan was honored to attend, serving as witness, etc.  

For pictures from Jonathan's Brazil trip, click HERE.  

For even more photos from the Brazil trip: HERE.

Despite the brevity of the stay in beloved Brazil, it was a great trip, and Jonathan got to see many of his close friends there.  

ASIA again . . . Taipei & Hong Kong

We departed Los Angeles for Taipei on Malaysia Airlines... direct flight to Taipei.  Anyway, we got to Taiwan early Sunday morning and stayed til Monday late morning.  Church in Taipei was nice and we got lots of good food there too. 

Monday, we left Taipei for Hong Kong... one of our favorite cities on Earth!  Great food, shopping, nightlife, beautiful skyline, etc.  Love it!!!  

For more photos: click HERE.

In fact, we are still in Hong Kong right now as I type this.... LIVE from our hotel room! :)

Jonathan's final exams....

UCLA Final Exams week . . . . Jonathan is busy and stressed! Friday can't come soon enough: VACATION!

Jonathan's parents love St. Patrick's Day!

Friend Jerry is famous!

Our friend was featured in CES material. He is the second from the left. Go Jerry!