Day 4 Friday
It started with the traditional Suarez basketball game the day before the wedding. Like Brandon had written on his website, “my Dad will be there with a ball”. Yes, I was !! Then Mel appeared and I was so glad to see Brandon and Austin. MY BOYS !!! and finally the Hammies…
We played a little 3 on 3 and this old man hit a few threes. Of course I had Austin and Brandon on my team, so that always helps.
Then the MIT guys appeared. I had to make teams quickly….i gave them Billy (6’9” plays professionally in Costa Rica) and we took Bradley (MIT’s point guard). I also took 6’7” Tommy (MIT football player…about 300 lbs). We won 3 out of 5 games with Bradley hitting the winning three.
Then Sophia (the bride) showed up and the MIT guys all gave her a sweaty hug. It was cute.
Then I had to run with Kathy to pick up Charlie (from NJ), Cristina (Atlanta), Margy (Seattle) and Father John from Boston. It was fun piling them all into the mini-van with all their luggage.
As we drove into LaJolla, I drove along the water and let them out to see the coves and sea lions and surfers, etc…..they were all thrilled.
Friday nite was the rehearsal at the church…the “hitler” at the church took over…actually these poor woman are usually volunteers and no one pays attention during rehearsals….lol…..
Then we drove up to the Cross where B&S got engaged…again Cristina, Charlie, Kathy, Father John all piled out to see the wonderful view of La Jolla and San Diego in the distance…you can also see the mountains to the east.
Brandon had found this Mexican place for the dinner. We had about 50 people there. It was pork and black beans and rice. The usual. After about an hour, I stood up (as the father of the groom) and welcomed everyone there. Special thanks to all those that traveled from the East coast. Then I began the roasting of Brandon and Sophia. I told the famous dog story and Austin followed with the Salsa dancing story from Cuba. The MIT guys told some great stories and we also heard from Sophia’s friends.
Then Karen Harrison (the mother of the bride) showed the slideshow of the B&S growing up. There was not a dry eye in the room (at least not at our table).
Xavier came in late from the airport and Jimmy (the MIT superstar) from Denver. We were NOW complete !!
Brandon and Sophia
The Wedding
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Day 3 Thursday
Day 3 Thursday
Thursday everyone was sleeping in (I wonder why) and Kathy and I went to visit San Diego Zoo and the park around it called Balboa…it has 11 museums and 8 gardens…while Kathy took pictures at the Rose Garden and the desert garden, etc…I read a book in the car…afterwards we went to Caradona Island (across the Bay from San Diego)…it is mainly a naval military base for the carriers…
That night there were about 10 MIT guys in town and by the time we caught up to them, they were sitting around the tables by the hotel pool side smoking Cohiboes and telling Brandon stories….the hotel manager finally came out at 9 pm and kicked us out…she said it was illegal to smoke on property, illegal to have a KEG…and we were way too loud and hotel guest were all complaining….LOL
Some of the guys wanted to rent a Limo for $500, but Austin convinced them to let me drive them to the Pacific Beach where all the bars are and college kids hang out…
We loaded up the mini-van with about 10 guys and Mel took another 4 guys in his car…the guys got all excited because there was a search light at the main bar…and the streets were full of college girls heading towards the bars…the guys all piled out and formed a circle around Brandon while they sang some Frat song…Austin was in heaven….
Thursday everyone was sleeping in (I wonder why) and Kathy and I went to visit San Diego Zoo and the park around it called Balboa…it has 11 museums and 8 gardens…while Kathy took pictures at the Rose Garden and the desert garden, etc…I read a book in the car…afterwards we went to Caradona Island (across the Bay from San Diego)…it is mainly a naval military base for the carriers…
That night there were about 10 MIT guys in town and by the time we caught up to them, they were sitting around the tables by the hotel pool side smoking Cohiboes and telling Brandon stories….the hotel manager finally came out at 9 pm and kicked us out…she said it was illegal to smoke on property, illegal to have a KEG…and we were way too loud and hotel guest were all complaining….LOL
Some of the guys wanted to rent a Limo for $500, but Austin convinced them to let me drive them to the Pacific Beach where all the bars are and college kids hang out…
We loaded up the mini-van with about 10 guys and Mel took another 4 guys in his car…the guys got all excited because there was a search light at the main bar…and the streets were full of college girls heading towards the bars…the guys all piled out and formed a circle around Brandon while they sang some Frat song…Austin was in heaven….
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Day 2 Wed.
Day 2 Wed
We woke up early to pick up Brandon for the tour of his work place where they build the Predator (un-man flying machine used in Iraq and Afghanistan)….it was so cool…we had to leave all cell phones at the door…we saw the assembly line for the Predator…they build 2 per month and it was so cool to see all the different stages of completion….Brandon gave us a step by step analysis of each compontents…
Then we ran some errands for the wedding and saw Sophia’s apartment where they will be living…real cool with a A frame ceiling….and their new California bed…Austin went with Brandon as they ran more errands (picking up people at the airport) while I took a nap and Kathy explored La Jolla.
While picking up some more MIT people at the airport, I get a call from Austin that they need the car to carry something heavy they bought (a KEG)…10 mins later he called and said don’t worry, they have solved the problem…the “borrowed” a shopping cart….by the time we got back to the hotel, they were on the third floor balcony drinking beers….the hotel sign said 4 people max…I counted about 8 guys…lol
Wed. nite started the partying as some of the MIT guys were flying in…Kathy and I went up the coast looking for a nice restaurant to eat…we also saw some surfers out in the Pacific Ocean and the sunset.
We woke up early to pick up Brandon for the tour of his work place where they build the Predator (un-man flying machine used in Iraq and Afghanistan)….it was so cool…we had to leave all cell phones at the door…we saw the assembly line for the Predator…they build 2 per month and it was so cool to see all the different stages of completion….Brandon gave us a step by step analysis of each compontents…
Then we ran some errands for the wedding and saw Sophia’s apartment where they will be living…real cool with a A frame ceiling….and their new California bed…Austin went with Brandon as they ran more errands (picking up people at the airport) while I took a nap and Kathy explored La Jolla.
While picking up some more MIT people at the airport, I get a call from Austin that they need the car to carry something heavy they bought (a KEG)…10 mins later he called and said don’t worry, they have solved the problem…the “borrowed” a shopping cart….by the time we got back to the hotel, they were on the third floor balcony drinking beers….the hotel sign said 4 people max…I counted about 8 guys…lol
Wed. nite started the partying as some of the MIT guys were flying in…Kathy and I went up the coast looking for a nice restaurant to eat…we also saw some surfers out in the Pacific Ocean and the sunset.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Day 1 Tues.
Brandon and Sophia’s Wedding
Aug. 20, 2011
La Jolla, California
Day 1 Tues.
We flew from Tampa to Houston and then to San Diego. At Houston Continental overbooked the flight and 30 people got bumped (we were lucky)….they started offering $300 to people to take a later flight…then $400…and finally $500….Austin almost jumped at the money (I was thinking 3 X $500 = $1,500) but it would have put us in a bind for the car rental and hotel rental etc.
They tell us that San Diego Airport is in the Top 10 worst airports to land…something about a 6% descent as oppose to the usually 3% at most airports (Brandon later told us, you have to get a special license to land at San Diego)….great !! Apparently there is a mountain (they call it a “hill”) right in the runways path.
We drive to La Jolla (about 15 mins north of San Diego)….it is true, it is beautiful and about 65 degrees with the rest of the country at 100 !! degrees (Houston was 105)
La Jolla is a nice little sea town with cute shops…we meet Brandon and Sophia for a late burger…and since it is 10 pm pacific time, it is 1 am eastern time…we go to bed.
Aug. 20, 2011
La Jolla, California
Day 1 Tues.
We flew from Tampa to Houston and then to San Diego. At Houston Continental overbooked the flight and 30 people got bumped (we were lucky)….they started offering $300 to people to take a later flight…then $400…and finally $500….Austin almost jumped at the money (I was thinking 3 X $500 = $1,500) but it would have put us in a bind for the car rental and hotel rental etc.
They tell us that San Diego Airport is in the Top 10 worst airports to land…something about a 6% descent as oppose to the usually 3% at most airports (Brandon later told us, you have to get a special license to land at San Diego)….great !! Apparently there is a mountain (they call it a “hill”) right in the runways path.
We drive to La Jolla (about 15 mins north of San Diego)….it is true, it is beautiful and about 65 degrees with the rest of the country at 100 !! degrees (Houston was 105)
La Jolla is a nice little sea town with cute shops…we meet Brandon and Sophia for a late burger…and since it is 10 pm pacific time, it is 1 am eastern time…we go to bed.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
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