Catalina 2007: The New Chief Gets Painted May 25, 2007
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Last weekend Mallory and I journeyed over to Catalina Island for our annual, end-of-year campout for Indian Princesses. We were a little worried because due to recent fires which ravaged the island, electricity was questionable right up to the day we arrived, but the camp was back online. On Friday night all the Sunshine Nation tribes gathered by the beach for the traditional “Joke Night”, where some 100 little girls each got up on stage to tell a joke. Last year, Mallory’s joke was used by another girl just two spots in front of her, so when it came time to deliver on stage she could do nothing but say “I don’t have one”. This year we came prepared with some 10 ringers. “What do you get when you pamper a cow?….. Spoiled milk!”. On Saturday, following a day at the beach kayaking and soaking up sun, I was inaugurated by our tribe girls as next year’s Chief with a head to toe body painting. For a moment, I felt like Nightcrawler from the X-Men.
Yahoo for Tahoe and Yosemite April 16, 2007
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We just got back from our 10 day trip with big bro Jerry and family to Lake Tahoe. The trip was one to remember…we did it all!! Snowboarding, skiing, swimming, hot-tubbing, casino gambling (could have done without that one), and big family sit down dinners in the suite. Upon the end of our Tahoe trip, we decided to tag along with Jerry and Pam down to Yosemite, where we stole one more day in what is truly the most spectacular valley on earth. We felt cheated only having one day for Yosemite, but the visit left an indelible mark that surely draw us back for a longer stay.
Louisville + Final Four = Impossible? March 15, 2007
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Two years ago the Cards put on a magical display, making their way in an overtime win against West Virginia and Pitsnoggle to advance to the NCAA Final Four. After settling for a final four NIT appearance last year, the Cards might be set to surprise everyone with a return to the Final Four. This year’s team has played both brilliantly and horrendously. They managed to turn around the season at the right time. I’ll be on a plane headed to the ‘Ville while they’re playing Stanford….hopefully we’ll get to see them in action on Saturday (and against perhaps the Ivy Leaguers of UPenn).
A Happy New Year’s Gift: Cardinal Orange in South Beach Miami January 5, 2007
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Mission accomplished! I just returned from an incredible trip to South Beach Miami to join my dad to watch Louisville earn its first Orange Bowl victory. We met up on New Year’s Eve at The Palms Hotel and had no idea what the night had in store for us. After a great Italian dinner outside near Lincoln promenade in South Beach, we continued our people watching and drinking at a few adjacent bars. I called my friend Jean-Marc, who lives in Aliso Viejo near me but was also in town for the game, and he proceeded to invite us to one insane-off-the-charts New Years party at Nikki Beach. Jean-Marc ushered us in to the quintessential VIP table, on the VIP floor, to kick back an open table bar and great company. It had to be the best New Year’s parties I’ve attended – topping the black-tie bashes I used to throw in New York City for five years.
We spent the better part of the next day recovering, but rallied to attend the Orange Bowl Fan Fest and have dinner at The Clevelander bar, which happened to be the Louisville fan headquarters. Despite all the fun, the highlight was the Orange Bowl game, which saw Louisville prevail in a sloppy game against Wake Forest. (more…)
A Little Vino in Napa November 13, 2006
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This past week, we journeyed up to Napa to meet Dad and Cheryl for a special wine weekend in Napa. We’ve been looking forward to this trip all year and it surpassed expectations! Click here for (more…)
This Is It: Louisville vs. West Virginia November 2, 2006
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Louisville (#5) takes on West Virginia (#3) tonight in the biggest game of it’s recently revived football program. At stake is a on-ramp to the BCS National Championship football game. Last year, Louisville squandered a 23-7 fourth quarter lead to lose in tripple-overtime to West Virgina 46-44. To quote the euphoric theme song by Kenny Loggins of Louisville’s 1980 National Basketball Champions, “This is It!”
Twick or Tweet November 2, 2006
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Ah….Halloween..the first of America’s Triple Crown of holidays (the second and third being Thanksgiving and Christmas, respectively). Annually we kick off the occasion by watching “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown“. We’ve established some great traditions over these past seven years living in Aliso Viejo, and Halloween is no exception. First there was our annual pilgramidge to the pumpkin patch with the girls to pick out our pumpkins and enjoy some carnival rides. Yours truly (Daddy) once again got to carve two intricate, detailed pumpkins, first at the Jackson’s annual party and then at the Reagans party. I made the mistake of letting Nathalie and Mallory watch Michael Jackson’s Thriller, after which Nathalie was crawling in our bed every night scared to death that werewolves were going to eat her. Mallory put considerable thought into her costume this year and was a very scary Spider Witch, while Nathalie donned her Sleeping Beauty dress (of which she wears almost every day of the year anyway).
“The Land of Magic” Barbie Movie October 22, 2006
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What does a dad do with his two young daughters when mom goes away for the weekend, especially when all his girls want to do is play Barbies all day? He gets creative…! We turned a normal Barbie doll playing session into a movie set and created our own short film. Join us on a magic adventure as King Dominic and Queen Blair defend their castle and daughter Lacie against the evil Fire Queen.
And the Hamburger Cookoff Champion Is…. August 18, 2006
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Mr. Barnes. Mr. Eric Barnes, that is. Yes indeed, the strategy of focusing on good beef instead of some crazy magic marinade paid off as I managed to win both the Pit and Grill competition. The competition was hot (pun intended) and intense. After a brief “sit-down” of the Barnes / Bloink / Ridge families to firm up the rules, we tossed our wrapped-in-foil burgers on Mr. Jerry Barnes Jr.’s immaculately created fire pit. Five prominent and impartial judges sampled each burger and scored their burger cards. Following my major upset of Jerry and Jimmie (they was a 200:1 Vegas line on Team California pulling the upset), the noble and attractive judges proceeded to vote Team Cali’s grill burger perfect – receiving a perfect score of “5″ by all five discerning and wise judges. In all seriousness, this had to be the most fun I’ve had with my family in my 38 years of being a Barnes!
Sleeping with the Enemy July 28, 2006
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Well, not exactly sleeping, but hanging out for sure. My Notre Dame Dad will have me excommunicated from the Barnes family. (However, he should know I was searching for a mole within the squad to admit last year Reggie Bush pushed Matt Leinart illegally over the goal line to “upset” Notre Dame in South Bend and thereby negate that victory.)
Last week our Entrepreneurs Organization (“EO“) group held an event at the historic Los Angeles Colisium, home of the 1984 Olympics and USC home football games 
Our guest and speaker was none other than Bruce Jenner, who shattered the Olympic record in the Decathlon on his way to winning gold. Upon entering the Colisium, we were greated by the USC Marching Band and Cheerleaders. Bruce gave an inspiring speech about digging deep down within your soul in order to acheive great heights. In his words, “my victory in the Decathlon was 20% physical, 80% mental”. You hear repeatedly from the best of the best (Jordan, Bird, Tiger) that’s it’s mental fortitude that separates the great ones.
