Mon 11 Sep 2006
Vicky’s boyfriend introduced us to a great seafood champagne brunch on Sunday at Tom Ham’s Lighthouse in San Diego. The restaurant has some of the freshest tasting seafood I’ve ever had, and the buffet was just $25 a person. The big window overlooking the city skyline across the water was great, and service was more than tip-worthy. Our waiter kept calling champagne “grape juice,” as in “Ready for some more adult grape juice?” I didn’t know champagne was made from grapes. But I guess everything is. After brunch, the four of us walked around Seaport Village and explored the shops. There was a jewelry place that had a nice little selection of Alexandrite, so I got all excited, but then it turns out it was all simulated. Ever since I made the very difficult decision to turn down a $1000+ genuine Alexandrite/diamond/white gold ring on the cruise Mr. W and I took in February, I’ve been regretting it. Although the simulated Alexandrite at this place claimed to be better quality than natural Alexandrite, I did not see the dramatic color change from purple to blue-green when I put my ring-clad finger out the window into the sunlight. Mr. W noted that a genuine Alexandrite ring would make a better engagement ring for me than a diamond, because it’s my birthstone and it’s a rarer stone than a diamond. I agreed, and recalled a time when I’d told an ex a few years ago how I’d prefer not to have genuine diamonds because of the violence surrounding their mining in Africa. I’m gonna have to go another cruise again for the ring, it looks like. =P
I washed my car for the first time Saturday morning. Drying is a pain in the arse! Chamois, my butt! Those things just smear the water around.
Hey that sounds like a cool restaurnat. I’ll have to remember that one and try it next time I’m down there.
As for drying. I guess you figured it out 🙂 Chamois suck.
I stopped using those a long time ago. On the lighter colored cars I use a synthetic chamois called “The Absorber”. It works great.
However, I would probably not use it on a darker colored car for fear of scratches / swirls. For those, several pure 100% Cotton terry cloth towels are the ticket. Either that or a very high quality microfibre (there are some that believe poorly made microfibre can scratch).
BTW, to make your drying life easier — use the hose to dry your car off first with some more water. You can aim the water in such a way to “Sheet” most of it off. Then you only have to dry up what litle remains with your towels.
Actually, I scraped most of the water off first with a California Dry Blade squeegee thingie.
Dry blade is pretty nice. I usually only use them on windows though.
Using them on the body will save you a good amount of towel work. Just be sure of 2 things if you do:
1) Make sure the car is thoroughly cleaned. (No dirt or stuff to get stuck under the dry blade).
2) Make sure the dry blade is very very clean. (Wash it off everytime you use it).
As long as you do those it should be OK. But if a piece of dirt or dust gets caught under the dry blade it could cause a significant scratch on your car.
You’re scaring me.