Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Milan in August
Been back for a while now and haven't updated since. Things have been good. After a brief test with an animation studio who couldn't offer me anything I got moving on working on the new short film that I want to submit to festivals this coming year. It's going great. I've finished the script, storyboards, and animatic in a very short 12 days. I've also enlisted help from a fantastic character designer named Lorenzo Milito and gotten Kosta to give me a few concept sketches. I'm currently working on building up the set and getting props ready. I'm going to need character modellers cause I'm not strong with organic modelling, but I've been studying systems for rigging and hair. I couldn't be happier about how it's going.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
AM BBQ 2009
My feet hurt all night. I put on my sneakers, but they don't help too much. After some research it's off to Haight-Ashbury on the bus. I'm still not inamoured with San Francisco and the bus trip doesn't convince me that I'm wrong. So far I haven't seen a part of the city I like or had an experience here I can relate to – I mean, aside fromt he AM stuff. We get to the Haight and have breakfast and walk around a while. I don't see much of the hippy culture that made the place famous but there were a few weirdy-looking big-pupiled guys in the coffee shop. They seemed to be familiar with the thoughts of Timothy Leary. No flower children about though.
We wait a while for the bus to take us to Chrissy Field and instead take a taxi when it doesn't come. I'm impressed by the last part of the ride when we're about to arrive cause it's basically like driving off a cliff into a park that ends at the ocean.
Registered at the BBQ I'm a little ovewhelmed as I look around. There are so many people. The next 5 hours go by in a blur of conversationing and joking around and chatting and eating hot dogs and burgers. I never do get to fly the kite I bought on the coast on the way up cause I forget, and I realise later that my scalp is burnt, but I also get to make contacts which I'm definately going to follow up, and generally just had a really really wonderful time.
Fabri and I walk all the way through Chrissy Field back towards Fisherman's Wharf and come across a few San Fran jewels. First, there's the guys kite and windsurfing. And I can see the possibility of rekindling my passion for watersports. Then we wander into a neighborhood which is so beautiful I can consider moving to this part of the world (... finances permitting... it seems like a pretty swish part of town).
We decide to stop for a glass of wine and try 2 types of Zinfandel, then move across the street to a chinese restaurant. I over order, but the food it good if a little too spicy. I want to try to make it to the AM gathering tonight but have to be honest with myself after we finish that I'm just too tired. It's been a crazy few weeks, and tomorrow we have the flight home.
Anyhow, that crews' all invited to stop by the next time they're in Milan.
We wait a while for the bus to take us to Chrissy Field and instead take a taxi when it doesn't come. I'm impressed by the last part of the ride when we're about to arrive cause it's basically like driving off a cliff into a park that ends at the ocean.
Registered at the BBQ I'm a little ovewhelmed as I look around. There are so many people. The next 5 hours go by in a blur of conversationing and joking around and chatting and eating hot dogs and burgers. I never do get to fly the kite I bought on the coast on the way up cause I forget, and I realise later that my scalp is burnt, but I also get to make contacts which I'm definately going to follow up, and generally just had a really really wonderful time.
Fabri and I walk all the way through Chrissy Field back towards Fisherman's Wharf and come across a few San Fran jewels. First, there's the guys kite and windsurfing. And I can see the possibility of rekindling my passion for watersports. Then we wander into a neighborhood which is so beautiful I can consider moving to this part of the world (... finances permitting... it seems like a pretty swish part of town).
We decide to stop for a glass of wine and try 2 types of Zinfandel, then move across the street to a chinese restaurant. I over order, but the food it good if a little too spicy. I want to try to make it to the AM gathering tonight but have to be honest with myself after we finish that I'm just too tired. It's been a crazy few weeks, and tomorrow we have the flight home.
Anyhow, that crews' all invited to stop by the next time they're in Milan.
July 11th - Grad in San Fran
Graduation day. I get up and spend a while being anxious and getting ready. I get into my dress and heels. With the help of a local (and we already know what the neighbourhood is like where we're staying) we get to the bus stop that takes us over to the waterfront where the ceremony is being held. It's 12:30 and there's a mandatory rehearsal for me.
I'm a little late so I get into the hall and struggle to find my name on the seats. It's alphabetical by first name and I find it in the end next to JJ Pastor, who I shared a few classes with, I think class 5 Pre-Production and 6 Short Film Production. We joke around for a while cause we're both up for student choice awards. I convince him that he's going to win his category because he got a mail requesting photos and I hadn't. He becomes nervous and we have a bit of fun with that.
The ceremony is brilliant. Shawn, Carlos and Bobby all top one another with their entrances. It's great to see them in person even if I had a chance to chat with Bobby yesterday. They're on form and in their element. They're really the same as you always see them in the lectures or in the video news. It's great.
The speeches are all touching. I tear up a little bit. There's alot of talk about dreams coming true and community and supporting one another. It's refeshing cause since ending class 5 and maybe Annecy I haven't really felt like part of something. Like a something. And everyone talking made me remember that I really am. On top of the AM someting, there's the bigger something of being part of my own goals and dreams. It's a concept I haven't quite got set in concrete yet, verbally, but it sure makes sense to me.
JJ doesn't win most supportive student, and I don't win most improved student, but ironically JJ does win the mentor's choice award so his relief was short lived and he had to make a speech anyhow. He he he.
Saw some of the guys from Annecy on the big screen saying they were sorry to not make it to grad. It was cool to think about the European crew back home... and on that I also got to meet the Italian boys from the course. Tommasso never made it though... hmmm.
The reception was really cool. I had the opportunity to chat with Shawn and Bobby, I finally met Dana Boadway and her hubby, and generally networked and socialised for 4 hours. I didn't eat much but it was too exciting going around and finally meeting everyone face to face that I'donly previously seen online. Everyone was so nice and chill and cool and full of great energy!
The after party was at an Irish pub and didn't start till 9 so Fabri and I went to the neighborhood it was in and looked for restaurants nearby. We settled on an italian place (Maccaroni, the name of the short film I almost made) and talk Italian with the waiters and host and so get preferential treatment. The food is really really good... and it's the first time in a month I've eaten pasta that hasn't been overcooked. We spill a glass of wine and the waiter brings us a new one. Tthat's a nice thing about being in NA.
After dinner we still have a bit of time so we wander around a bit. On the other corner is the Church of Scientology so we go in and get recruited... no no, just kidding. Outside there are a bunch of guys in creepy V for vendetta masks and we take some photos. They're protesting scientology and calling it a cult. Then we go over and I spend a few minutes talking to one of them, asking what they're doing and why they're in masks and stuff. He tells me that if their faces were uncovered they'd be in danger of retribution from the members inside. I ask if I'm okay for not having a mask and he says 'you should be'. I still don't understand exactly why they're there every Saturday night but I believe they believe that there's a reason to be there.
Inside the pub I spot some AM t-shirts and head over to chat with them. Alessandro is already in the pub as well having dinner with his friend. I talk to everyone for a while and then we head downstairs to where the official party is going on. More AM people are down there and I get introduced to Kenny and Keith, 2 mentors at AM I never had. There's a mutual embarrassing moment when Kenny and I decide to sit on the sofa and are simultaneously SWALLOWED by the worn out piece of furniture.
I spend the rest of the night talking junk. I tell a bunch of people the long version of why I moved to europe (yes, the one with the pinball machine), but mostly stick to the short version. I dance alot and am enthralled by Doug from class 12 who's a brilliant dancer and makes the night so fun for the rest of us. There's a moment when I'm talking with Alex, Ben and Leslie during a Michael Jackson song and I freak out and all my feelings on the whole MJ issue come out turret-syndrome like in a string of repetitive profanity. Luckily the Billie-Jean-Thriller-ABC medley is up loud enough to drown it out besides my immediate neighbours. Ben lables me officially insane.
Half the crowd disappears and is replaced by a younger more cheerleadery and gangsta group, as well as batchlorette partys and Irish twins. It's time to go soI head back to the hotel at 1am, and all my stress about not being able to find a taxi was completely ill-founded. I could have relaxed and enjoyed alot more, but still it was a great great time.
I'm a little late so I get into the hall and struggle to find my name on the seats. It's alphabetical by first name and I find it in the end next to JJ Pastor, who I shared a few classes with, I think class 5 Pre-Production and 6 Short Film Production. We joke around for a while cause we're both up for student choice awards. I convince him that he's going to win his category because he got a mail requesting photos and I hadn't. He becomes nervous and we have a bit of fun with that.
The ceremony is brilliant. Shawn, Carlos and Bobby all top one another with their entrances. It's great to see them in person even if I had a chance to chat with Bobby yesterday. They're on form and in their element. They're really the same as you always see them in the lectures or in the video news. It's great.
The speeches are all touching. I tear up a little bit. There's alot of talk about dreams coming true and community and supporting one another. It's refeshing cause since ending class 5 and maybe Annecy I haven't really felt like part of something. Like a something. And everyone talking made me remember that I really am. On top of the AM someting, there's the bigger something of being part of my own goals and dreams. It's a concept I haven't quite got set in concrete yet, verbally, but it sure makes sense to me.
JJ doesn't win most supportive student, and I don't win most improved student, but ironically JJ does win the mentor's choice award so his relief was short lived and he had to make a speech anyhow. He he he.
Saw some of the guys from Annecy on the big screen saying they were sorry to not make it to grad. It was cool to think about the European crew back home... and on that I also got to meet the Italian boys from the course. Tommasso never made it though... hmmm.
The reception was really cool. I had the opportunity to chat with Shawn and Bobby, I finally met Dana Boadway and her hubby, and generally networked and socialised for 4 hours. I didn't eat much but it was too exciting going around and finally meeting everyone face to face that I'donly previously seen online. Everyone was so nice and chill and cool and full of great energy!
The after party was at an Irish pub and didn't start till 9 so Fabri and I went to the neighborhood it was in and looked for restaurants nearby. We settled on an italian place (Maccaroni, the name of the short film I almost made) and talk Italian with the waiters and host and so get preferential treatment. The food is really really good... and it's the first time in a month I've eaten pasta that hasn't been overcooked. We spill a glass of wine and the waiter brings us a new one. Tthat's a nice thing about being in NA.
After dinner we still have a bit of time so we wander around a bit. On the other corner is the Church of Scientology so we go in and get recruited... no no, just kidding. Outside there are a bunch of guys in creepy V for vendetta masks and we take some photos. They're protesting scientology and calling it a cult. Then we go over and I spend a few minutes talking to one of them, asking what they're doing and why they're in masks and stuff. He tells me that if their faces were uncovered they'd be in danger of retribution from the members inside. I ask if I'm okay for not having a mask and he says 'you should be'. I still don't understand exactly why they're there every Saturday night but I believe they believe that there's a reason to be there.
Inside the pub I spot some AM t-shirts and head over to chat with them. Alessandro is already in the pub as well having dinner with his friend. I talk to everyone for a while and then we head downstairs to where the official party is going on. More AM people are down there and I get introduced to Kenny and Keith, 2 mentors at AM I never had. There's a mutual embarrassing moment when Kenny and I decide to sit on the sofa and are simultaneously SWALLOWED by the worn out piece of furniture.
I spend the rest of the night talking junk. I tell a bunch of people the long version of why I moved to europe (yes, the one with the pinball machine), but mostly stick to the short version. I dance alot and am enthralled by Doug from class 12 who's a brilliant dancer and makes the night so fun for the rest of us. There's a moment when I'm talking with Alex, Ben and Leslie during a Michael Jackson song and I freak out and all my feelings on the whole MJ issue come out turret-syndrome like in a string of repetitive profanity. Luckily the Billie-Jean-Thriller-ABC medley is up loud enough to drown it out besides my immediate neighbours. Ben lables me officially insane.
Half the crowd disappears and is replaced by a younger more cheerleadery and gangsta group, as well as batchlorette partys and Irish twins. It's time to go soI head back to the hotel at 1am, and all my stress about not being able to find a taxi was completely ill-founded. I could have relaxed and enjoyed alot more, but still it was a great great time.
Monday, July 13, 2009
July 10th, Job Fair and Day one San Fran
Awake after a cold night of tossing and turning. Not the best sleep to have before meeting execs and recruitment agents from all the big local and LA studios. I look like junk in the mirror and have aged 20 years overnight. I hope the interviews are brief.
We head out to retrun the car and drive with no problems (thank you navingator!!) to the Hertz office and are met, as expected, by simple rudeness, ignorance and stupidity. Fortunately, there's no thievery this time and we seem to manage to pay the quote from the beginning of the rental. They don't even question the 'maintenece required' light that's been on for the past 4 days. I'm not sure, but it's possible that Hertz might be the worst possible rental agent. I never rented a cross-country car before, so I can't be sure, but it's possible.
We stop at a diner for breakfast and I have the 2 eggs bacon jobby again. There's much map scrutiny and analysis and we decide to head towards the financial district and figure out how to get the subway to Emmerdale for the job fair. When we find out that the subway costs 6 dollars per person and look at the clock the navigator gets asked directions on foot to get over the bridge. There's 2 hours to spare afterall. Watching the seagulls dive in and out of the bay we wait for the calculation... final verdict 9 hours. Turns out you can't walk to Emmeryville using a bridge.
The BART subway is nice. I'm taken aback by all the carpeting and upholstery, cause everyone know's that's just not sanitary, but people seem decent and polite and commuting in a civilized manner. When we arrive on the other end I eavesdrop on a conversation between 2 tech guys for games companies and I laugh to myself. California.
Get to the AM headquarters and fill out my first of 20 nametags for the week. Start the office tour, but am too distracted to follow it properly. The headquarters seem like a very cool place to work and be. All of the staff are super friendly and nice and I get to meet a load of people I'm only until now seen on the internet. I also watch people play guitar hero and for the first time ever am not deafened by thoughts that it's a generation-ruining passtime. I am very impressed by the scores that people get up to. Saw a guy sing at 100% to Billy Idol's White Wedding.
During the break we head over to a food court for lunch and I can't, of 23069 options choose something. It all looks gross. We settle on the most restauranty of the bunch and I have muscles and clams in a coconut sauce.
At the hotel I chat with a few people and then plonk myself into line with the others. The truth is my heart's not in the interviewing process, but I'm having a GREAT time chatting with the people I'm waiting with. It's a little like the x-AMers from Annecy, everyone's up and excited and on form. There's humour everywhere. I drop my reel in a load of boxes and shake a whole bunch of hands.
Exhausted so it's back to the hotel for a bit of a lie down and then off to explore San Francisco. We walk for a little while before lining up for a tram to 'don't know where'. It's an experience. At first we're inside but the conductor teels us to get off and walk around... there are 2 spots on the other side. The spots are hanging off a 4 inch platform up 85° inclines and decents. It was crazy! Scary. A clichè, but in a good way. The tram takes us to Fisherman's wharf where we wander and then explore a bit. I'm still super tired, but keep going. Just when we decide to go home I convince Fabri we should hop on another tram that goes 'we don't know where'. It takes us to a nice area where we look for a vietnamese restsurant owned by Don Johnson. We can't find it but do find a wine bar and taste a load of wines. Then we get to the restaurant (at 8:30pm) and the bouncer (why does a restaurant have a bouncer??) tells us the kitchen is closed. Turns out we're not cool enough to eat there, but the good news is we go to a fish restauraunt instead and have the most beautiful view of the bay and golden gate bridge during our meal. Maybe one of the best views of the whole trip. And the food is great.
We get another tram on the way back but get off the wrong stop and walk through one of the worst neighborhoods in San Francisco. I walked the whole way back to the hotel with a yard between my feet and my arms bent up at the elbows like they taught me in the self defense classes I took in the spring. Sure I looked really stupid, but if anyone wanted to mess with me they'd for sure think twice!
We head out to retrun the car and drive with no problems (thank you navingator!!) to the Hertz office and are met, as expected, by simple rudeness, ignorance and stupidity. Fortunately, there's no thievery this time and we seem to manage to pay the quote from the beginning of the rental. They don't even question the 'maintenece required' light that's been on for the past 4 days. I'm not sure, but it's possible that Hertz might be the worst possible rental agent. I never rented a cross-country car before, so I can't be sure, but it's possible.
We stop at a diner for breakfast and I have the 2 eggs bacon jobby again. There's much map scrutiny and analysis and we decide to head towards the financial district and figure out how to get the subway to Emmerdale for the job fair. When we find out that the subway costs 6 dollars per person and look at the clock the navigator gets asked directions on foot to get over the bridge. There's 2 hours to spare afterall. Watching the seagulls dive in and out of the bay we wait for the calculation... final verdict 9 hours. Turns out you can't walk to Emmeryville using a bridge.
The BART subway is nice. I'm taken aback by all the carpeting and upholstery, cause everyone know's that's just not sanitary, but people seem decent and polite and commuting in a civilized manner. When we arrive on the other end I eavesdrop on a conversation between 2 tech guys for games companies and I laugh to myself. California.
Get to the AM headquarters and fill out my first of 20 nametags for the week. Start the office tour, but am too distracted to follow it properly. The headquarters seem like a very cool place to work and be. All of the staff are super friendly and nice and I get to meet a load of people I'm only until now seen on the internet. I also watch people play guitar hero and for the first time ever am not deafened by thoughts that it's a generation-ruining passtime. I am very impressed by the scores that people get up to. Saw a guy sing at 100% to Billy Idol's White Wedding.
During the break we head over to a food court for lunch and I can't, of 23069 options choose something. It all looks gross. We settle on the most restauranty of the bunch and I have muscles and clams in a coconut sauce.
At the hotel I chat with a few people and then plonk myself into line with the others. The truth is my heart's not in the interviewing process, but I'm having a GREAT time chatting with the people I'm waiting with. It's a little like the x-AMers from Annecy, everyone's up and excited and on form. There's humour everywhere. I drop my reel in a load of boxes and shake a whole bunch of hands.
Exhausted so it's back to the hotel for a bit of a lie down and then off to explore San Francisco. We walk for a little while before lining up for a tram to 'don't know where'. It's an experience. At first we're inside but the conductor teels us to get off and walk around... there are 2 spots on the other side. The spots are hanging off a 4 inch platform up 85° inclines and decents. It was crazy! Scary. A clichè, but in a good way. The tram takes us to Fisherman's wharf where we wander and then explore a bit. I'm still super tired, but keep going. Just when we decide to go home I convince Fabri we should hop on another tram that goes 'we don't know where'. It takes us to a nice area where we look for a vietnamese restsurant owned by Don Johnson. We can't find it but do find a wine bar and taste a load of wines. Then we get to the restaurant (at 8:30pm) and the bouncer (why does a restaurant have a bouncer??) tells us the kitchen is closed. Turns out we're not cool enough to eat there, but the good news is we go to a fish restauraunt instead and have the most beautiful view of the bay and golden gate bridge during our meal. Maybe one of the best views of the whole trip. And the food is great.
We get another tram on the way back but get off the wrong stop and walk through one of the worst neighborhoods in San Francisco. I walked the whole way back to the hotel with a yard between my feet and my arms bent up at the elbows like they taught me in the self defense classes I took in the spring. Sure I looked really stupid, but if anyone wanted to mess with me they'd for sure think twice!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
July 9th - Pismo Beach to San Francisco via Big Sur
Back in the pool this morning, first thing. Boy is it COLD. Grey and cold. But the water's warm and I have someone to pass me the towel. All this of course after a bagel and coffeee breakfast overlooking the pacific of course. 10 min in the pool and 20n in the hot tub and I think to myself how lucky I am.
Driving driving. First we stop at San Luis Obispo and have a look at some shops and bubblegum alley (an alley where there's billions of sticks of bubblegum chewed and stuck to the walls on either side... enough to make you sick even if you do like a bit of hubba bubba). Then at the Madonna hotel which has all different themed rooms and a crazy fuscia dining hall that would be perfect for Barbie's wedding reception if what they say about Ken is true!
Next stop was adorable Morrow Bay... which was a cute cute little fishing town, but I refused to eat lunch so early.... which I paid for because we didn't stop for lunch until 4pm in Big Sur, with the most beautiful restaurant view of the whole trip on a cliff overlooking the ocean and the rolling hills behind it. Made that turkey sandwich scrumptious I tell you! And 7 dollars for fries didn't even seem that crazy!
Keep on keeping on to Carmel-by-the-Sea where we hop out just to feel the sand in our toes and Monterey for a coffe... then Santa Cruz only to decide not to stop cause we can't find parking. It's clear we're over tired now and it's time to find the hotel. But first, a trip across the Golden Gate bridge when we get to SF. Of course it needs to be done before we return the car tomorrow! It's late and the bridge is amazing, but it's also very, very, VERY, cold out. Winter cold. Wind cold. It's unbelievable after the heat in Vegas but we're suffering. We get to the hotel, who doesn't have the reservation, clarify things, and go to sleep.
TRAVEL
Pismo Beach to San Francisco via Big Sur
MapBig
Pismo Beach to San Francisco via Big Sur
MapBig
ACCOMMODATION
Good Hotel San Francisco
112 Seventh Street
Boasting an exceptional location in San Francisco's SoMa district, minutes from Union Square, this unique, environmentally friendly hotel blends state-of-the-art amenities along with creative furnishings made from recycled products.
The Good Hotel is only moments from the Westfield Shopping Centre, the Moscone Convention Center and the Asian Art Museum. Many of San Francisco's most famous sites, including Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square, are also easily accessible with nearby public transportation.
In addition to vending machines in the lobby selling environmentally friendly wallets, guests at Good Hotel can enjoy in-room iPod docking stations as well as flat-screen TVs. The hotel also features a delicious on-site restaurant, serving artisan thin-crust pizza made with only fresh and local ingredients.
Restaurant, All Public and Private spaces non-smoking.
Outdoor Swimming Pool.
Wireless internet is available in the entire hotel and is free of charge.
Public parking is possible on site and costs USD 20.00 per day.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Deer
Having grown up in Canada, and having my birthday in the middle of the summer, and often having been in the middle of the forest in the middle of the summer, I often had close encounters with deer on or around my birthday. This trip proves no different except that it seems that I do not need to actually be in the middle of the forest at all for these encounters to take place. I just need to be in anyplace where there might be deer.
These were by the side of the road in a residential neighborhood on the very west coast of California. They weren't spooked by the car and just seemed to be hanging out. I have better photos on the other camera, but this was just to give you the idea.
I'm always taken aback when I see deer. Maybe it's because of how much i cried when I first saw Bambi, or maybe it's just cause they emit a sense of complete peace with everything (unless they're fighting... then watch out!) But most of all, maybe it's because with what I know about the world, when you see them you realise how completely fragile everything really is. Maybe that knowledge started with Bambi too.
Anyhow, I'm glad I live in a world and a time when there are deer. And I'm glad that every once in a while someone decides that our paths should cross in some brief moments. It's the best birthday present of all.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
July 8th - Los Angeles to Pismo Beach via Santa Barbara
We wake up and get ready to leave the hotel without too much stress. We start driving North West and stop to take photos at a drive in movie theatre. Then we stop in Santa Barbara for lunch at a mexican restaurant. The waitress is 100% redone. Including her voice. We drive further north and arrive at Pismo Beach around 3 or 4.
The resort is really nice. We get the north facing sea view which also looks over the pool, change into swimsuits and head down to the beach for a long walk. We pass all sorts of intersting things. Seaweed, flies, logs, rocks, giant gross jelly fish... then we walk along to the pier but decide not to go on it because it's very long and seems to be mostly for fishing.
We walk back along the beach and sit down for a little while int he sand. It's not at all warm out but it's sweet to watch the waves. We head up the stairs to where the pool area is and a guest at the top asks if we'd seen the whales as I'm washing my feet. 'No' I say and turn back towards where he's pointing to where I see some shoots of water and air fromt he surface. 'Oh wow! Whales!' I say as I look out at the distant commotion, knowing all to well the sand and sea I'm washing off is from that water moments before. And then I see them, frolicking in the waves; 'Are those dolphins?' I watch as I see the dark forms breaking the surface much closer to shore. They're not whales, no chance... not deep enough. Yup, must be dolphins... or maybe... Maybe... no... it couldn't be. Could it? No.... far too playful right? And anyhow they don't hunt in packs like that do they? Do they? Do they? No. No no no. Dolphins. Right?
Sharks.
No no no no no. Dolphins. And anyhow... I'm high up here on this bluff aren't I? I should n't be worriesd about what kind of sea creature is our there in the surf (now feeding off pelicans... spread of blood forming and bubbling in the foam). It's just my imagination.
I hop into the pool. Fabri joins me and we play around for a bit but there's even bigger kids than me around and they're better at jumping and shouting and splashing so it doesn't last too long. We switch to the hottub and then back to relax. As a final measure I sit at the edge of the pool with my feet dangling in and feel truly and deeply happy. The sun on my face, and my eyes closed.
Showered and changed for dinner we drive the nothing distance to the centre and give it a quick tour before deciding on an Italian and being seated at their bar while we wait. I order, again, erronously, a white wine that's FAR too sweet for my pallette (I curse Bennigan's bar for this misfortune ont he trip). Once seated we share and asparagus starter and 2 pizzas, which are actually very very good.
Satisfied.
Sudden sleep and no time for blogging. Too full and nice a day.
TRAVEL
Los Angeles to Pismo Beach via Santa Barbara
BigMap
ACCOMODATION
Sea Crest Resort
http://www.seacrestpismo.com/
2241 Price Street
Pismo Beach, CA. 93449
The resort is really nice. We get the north facing sea view which also looks over the pool, change into swimsuits and head down to the beach for a long walk. We pass all sorts of intersting things. Seaweed, flies, logs, rocks, giant gross jelly fish... then we walk along to the pier but decide not to go on it because it's very long and seems to be mostly for fishing.
We walk back along the beach and sit down for a little while int he sand. It's not at all warm out but it's sweet to watch the waves. We head up the stairs to where the pool area is and a guest at the top asks if we'd seen the whales as I'm washing my feet. 'No' I say and turn back towards where he's pointing to where I see some shoots of water and air fromt he surface. 'Oh wow! Whales!' I say as I look out at the distant commotion, knowing all to well the sand and sea I'm washing off is from that water moments before. And then I see them, frolicking in the waves; 'Are those dolphins?' I watch as I see the dark forms breaking the surface much closer to shore. They're not whales, no chance... not deep enough. Yup, must be dolphins... or maybe... Maybe... no... it couldn't be. Could it? No.... far too playful right? And anyhow they don't hunt in packs like that do they? Do they? Do they? No. No no no. Dolphins. Right?
Sharks.
No no no no no. Dolphins. And anyhow... I'm high up here on this bluff aren't I? I should n't be worriesd about what kind of sea creature is our there in the surf (now feeding off pelicans... spread of blood forming and bubbling in the foam). It's just my imagination.
I hop into the pool. Fabri joins me and we play around for a bit but there's even bigger kids than me around and they're better at jumping and shouting and splashing so it doesn't last too long. We switch to the hottub and then back to relax. As a final measure I sit at the edge of the pool with my feet dangling in and feel truly and deeply happy. The sun on my face, and my eyes closed.
Showered and changed for dinner we drive the nothing distance to the centre and give it a quick tour before deciding on an Italian and being seated at their bar while we wait. I order, again, erronously, a white wine that's FAR too sweet for my pallette (I curse Bennigan's bar for this misfortune ont he trip). Once seated we share and asparagus starter and 2 pizzas, which are actually very very good.
Satisfied.
Sudden sleep and no time for blogging. Too full and nice a day.
TRAVEL
Los Angeles to Pismo Beach via Santa Barbara
BigMap
ACCOMODATION
Sea Crest Resort
http://www.seacrestpismo.com/
2241 Price Street
Pismo Beach, CA. 93449
Rattlesnakes, Mountain Lions and Michael Jackson
It's Michael Jackson's memorial today so we have to be careful what we want to do cause anything in the centre of town is going to be a zoo.
We head back out to Malibu and have lunch at Paradise Cove. It's a cute place right on the beach, but we eat too much calamari (which they serve in a giant martini glass... Jess even tried to warn us last night to no avail) and are suddenly exhausted. We sit on the beach for a while and listen to the kids playing and seagulls trying to steal food and then we walk out onto the pier and look back at the scene.
We leave lunch to drive up sunset boulevard only to find that it's the longest road on the planet. When we get to the top we're in Hollywood and stare down at the walk of fame unimpressedly. Is that all? We see the sign from a distance and as we drive closer come to a park which we decide not to explore becuase the bright yellow warning sign says 'Caution: Wildlife Area. Likely presence of Rattlesnakes and Mountain Lions'. Mountain lions!!
I'm sooooo tired so we drive all the way back down to the coast and I retreat into the hotel bed for a few hours. I haven't felt this way in ages, but I can't keep my eyes open. It's a mixture of all the driving, the sun after lunch, the heavy food at lunch and most likely has quite a bit to do with the wine from last night as well. Plus, I ahven't slept for more than a few hours a night since this roadtrip started.
When I wake up I feel refreshed and Fabri tells me the news of the world. There was a flood in Milan (I hope out house is ok, but there's no way to know till we get home). Then we decide to hit the hotel pool.
But Los Angeles is a good 20 degrees cooler than Vegas was. It's really cold! In fact I've been consistently cold since we got here. The pool water is hot though so I get in anyhow, but not for long cause there are no more towels and I have to send Fabri back to the room to get one for me. He's my hero when he comes back and my new destination is a hot shower.
Then we head out to Santa Monica for the evening. We park and walk the 3rd street prominade speculating on where to go eat. Then we go to check out the pier and see all the rides and corny pier-stuff they ahve going on there. Then it's back to the promenade and 3 slices of pizza and a cheery coke (which Fabri HATES but I love) for dinner because we decide that it's better for the evening than a real restaurant. We also passed a guy earlier who gave us a coupon for a comedy show, so we decide to go to that.
The show is really intimate and cute and you can tell they're all trying really hard. Some of the comedians are better than others and I laugh quite a bit during the one woman comic's bit. It was a nie change and the only show we've seen so far on this trip.
Exhausted we plow back to the hotel. Everything in LA is a billion miles from everything else. It's tremendous and so tiring. I liked Santa Monica and Malibu, but doubt I'd be very happy living in LA. Not that it was something I was considering too much. Right?
We head back out to Malibu and have lunch at Paradise Cove. It's a cute place right on the beach, but we eat too much calamari (which they serve in a giant martini glass... Jess even tried to warn us last night to no avail) and are suddenly exhausted. We sit on the beach for a while and listen to the kids playing and seagulls trying to steal food and then we walk out onto the pier and look back at the scene.
We leave lunch to drive up sunset boulevard only to find that it's the longest road on the planet. When we get to the top we're in Hollywood and stare down at the walk of fame unimpressedly. Is that all? We see the sign from a distance and as we drive closer come to a park which we decide not to explore becuase the bright yellow warning sign says 'Caution: Wildlife Area. Likely presence of Rattlesnakes and Mountain Lions'. Mountain lions!!
I'm sooooo tired so we drive all the way back down to the coast and I retreat into the hotel bed for a few hours. I haven't felt this way in ages, but I can't keep my eyes open. It's a mixture of all the driving, the sun after lunch, the heavy food at lunch and most likely has quite a bit to do with the wine from last night as well. Plus, I ahven't slept for more than a few hours a night since this roadtrip started.
When I wake up I feel refreshed and Fabri tells me the news of the world. There was a flood in Milan (I hope out house is ok, but there's no way to know till we get home). Then we decide to hit the hotel pool.
But Los Angeles is a good 20 degrees cooler than Vegas was. It's really cold! In fact I've been consistently cold since we got here. The pool water is hot though so I get in anyhow, but not for long cause there are no more towels and I have to send Fabri back to the room to get one for me. He's my hero when he comes back and my new destination is a hot shower.
Then we head out to Santa Monica for the evening. We park and walk the 3rd street prominade speculating on where to go eat. Then we go to check out the pier and see all the rides and corny pier-stuff they ahve going on there. Then it's back to the promenade and 3 slices of pizza and a cheery coke (which Fabri HATES but I love) for dinner because we decide that it's better for the evening than a real restaurant. We also passed a guy earlier who gave us a coupon for a comedy show, so we decide to go to that.
The show is really intimate and cute and you can tell they're all trying really hard. Some of the comedians are better than others and I laugh quite a bit during the one woman comic's bit. It was a nie change and the only show we've seen so far on this trip.
Exhausted we plow back to the hotel. Everything in LA is a billion miles from everything else. It's tremendous and so tiring. I liked Santa Monica and Malibu, but doubt I'd be very happy living in LA. Not that it was something I was considering too much. Right?
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Las Vegas to Los Angeles: July 6, 2009
I get up early and head to the pool with my book underarm, for one last swim in vegas. The building's gold windows are bouncing the sun down into the pool area and it's all aglow. I read a few chapters, then get in and float around for a while looking up at the tower and trying to count the floors to the 33rd where I'm sure sooner or later I'll see Fabri and his lens appear. A while after they do and a few chapters more I go off to buy some coffee and another bagel to bring up to the room.
We get ready, check out, and wait for the valet with the car. We head to Downtown Las Vegas because we didn't get to see it yet and we have visions of the ghosts of Frank Sinatra running around. We get there and park the car and wander around for 20 minutes. It's definately different from the strip, but still has the same sad undertones. Frankie's nowhere to be seen and it seems like the old Vegas days are gone. I wonder what they'd make of the new sections and all the theme hotels.
I read for most of the drive from Vegas to LA. It's a flat, desert road with nothing to look at and no place to stop. I finish my book. We drive through the creepiest town in America cause we get off the highway 1 exit too soon to go to Patty's 50's diner for lunch (but by now it's 3pm). Every window of every building has had a brick thrown through it. Most properties had fences around them, some even with barbed wire. The diner was nice and dinery, but weird that it was so much in the middle of nowhere.
We're tired when we get into LA and are actually on freeways in the city itself for over an hour before we arrive at the hotel. We're angry with the girl at the front desk cause she claims that we ahve to pay 22 dollars a night for valet parking and that there's no other option, but then Fabri finds a spot for free in a lot across the street. The hotel is artsy and designed nicely but we decide it's a failure because of the attitudes of the staff members.
I call my friend Jess from the room and we arrange to meet later.
We head off to Venice beach for the sunset because I promised myself 18 years ago (roughly) that I'd return there someday. I had even bought a silver ring there with 2 dolphins on it as a promise to myself. I must have worn that ring for 2 or 3 years. Anyways, it's much as I remembered it but I couldn't remember exactly why it was such a symbol for me the first time around. Maybe cause on that trip I was mostly listening to the Doors, or maybe cause I had never been anywhere so far from mainstream before that trip. We were approached by kids of about that same age all dressed up as pixies and giggling who wanted to know all about us. It was weird and fun.
We meet Jess and John at Moonshadows bad and restaurant in Malibu for a drink. The place is awsome, overhanging the pacific and is stewing in amurky, foggy mist tonight. Seagulls bob languidly up and down in the middleground and every 8 minutes or so a wave becomes violent and stirs us from our bottle of wine, crashing up against the wall at our shoulders. It's great to catch up. Sometimes time doesn't pass at all with certain people and things just continue on nicely. The conversation and wine flow freely and we all move outside on the overhanging patio before we realise it's already gotten late. We agree to try to meet tomorrow and head off in opposite directions along California highway 1.
I'm nausious in the car on the way back to the hotel and ask Fabri to pull over. It's clear i've drank too much. We get to the hotel and he drops me in front with my key as he goes to park the car. I go upstairs and try the door but it doesn't work. I try a few more times before doubting I'm at the right room. I go back downstairs and tell the front desk the situation, but they are not helpful at all. They tell me that because my name isn't on the registry they can't tell me if the room number is right or check if the key is working. Thank goodness Fabri came in just then cause it's a pretty silly policy, especially when it's not my fault the key got demagnitised. Had I come home without him they would have had me sit in the lobby all night.
TRAVEL
Las Vegas to Los Angeles
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
295 mi – circa 4 ore 31 min
We get ready, check out, and wait for the valet with the car. We head to Downtown Las Vegas because we didn't get to see it yet and we have visions of the ghosts of Frank Sinatra running around. We get there and park the car and wander around for 20 minutes. It's definately different from the strip, but still has the same sad undertones. Frankie's nowhere to be seen and it seems like the old Vegas days are gone. I wonder what they'd make of the new sections and all the theme hotels.
I read for most of the drive from Vegas to LA. It's a flat, desert road with nothing to look at and no place to stop. I finish my book. We drive through the creepiest town in America cause we get off the highway 1 exit too soon to go to Patty's 50's diner for lunch (but by now it's 3pm). Every window of every building has had a brick thrown through it. Most properties had fences around them, some even with barbed wire. The diner was nice and dinery, but weird that it was so much in the middle of nowhere.
We're tired when we get into LA and are actually on freeways in the city itself for over an hour before we arrive at the hotel. We're angry with the girl at the front desk cause she claims that we ahve to pay 22 dollars a night for valet parking and that there's no other option, but then Fabri finds a spot for free in a lot across the street. The hotel is artsy and designed nicely but we decide it's a failure because of the attitudes of the staff members.
I call my friend Jess from the room and we arrange to meet later.
We head off to Venice beach for the sunset because I promised myself 18 years ago (roughly) that I'd return there someday. I had even bought a silver ring there with 2 dolphins on it as a promise to myself. I must have worn that ring for 2 or 3 years. Anyways, it's much as I remembered it but I couldn't remember exactly why it was such a symbol for me the first time around. Maybe cause on that trip I was mostly listening to the Doors, or maybe cause I had never been anywhere so far from mainstream before that trip. We were approached by kids of about that same age all dressed up as pixies and giggling who wanted to know all about us. It was weird and fun.
We meet Jess and John at Moonshadows bad and restaurant in Malibu for a drink. The place is awsome, overhanging the pacific and is stewing in amurky, foggy mist tonight. Seagulls bob languidly up and down in the middleground and every 8 minutes or so a wave becomes violent and stirs us from our bottle of wine, crashing up against the wall at our shoulders. It's great to catch up. Sometimes time doesn't pass at all with certain people and things just continue on nicely. The conversation and wine flow freely and we all move outside on the overhanging patio before we realise it's already gotten late. We agree to try to meet tomorrow and head off in opposite directions along California highway 1.
I'm nausious in the car on the way back to the hotel and ask Fabri to pull over. It's clear i've drank too much. We get to the hotel and he drops me in front with my key as he goes to park the car. I go upstairs and try the door but it doesn't work. I try a few more times before doubting I'm at the right room. I go back downstairs and tell the front desk the situation, but they are not helpful at all. They tell me that because my name isn't on the registry they can't tell me if the room number is right or check if the key is working. Thank goodness Fabri came in just then cause it's a pretty silly policy, especially when it's not my fault the key got demagnitised. Had I come home without him they would have had me sit in the lobby all night.
TRAVEL
Las Vegas to Los Angeles
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
295 mi – circa 4 ore 31 min
Juky 5th in Vegas
We stop at Starbucks for an 'everything' bagel and a coffee and grab a loungy sofa by the water's edge at the hotel's pool to draw all the things we want to do and see on the map. Afterwards we have a swim and pop in the hot-tub for a half hour before heading back up to the room and getting ready.
We walk through the MGM again and stop at the lion exhibition where we find the tenant on a glass ceiling above our heads. Two lion guys are also in the habitat with the lion about 8 feet away from him and with the postures of construction workers on break. I figure this lion is well fed, but watch out guys ont he day he gets bored of the chew toys and yoga balls he's provided with for comfort.
We cross back into New York New York and are relieved that the crowds aren't the same as yesterdy cause it's Sunday and no longer independance day. We eat a pepperoni pretzel and a jalapeno hot dog pretzel. They haven't quite got the recipe to the same quality as New York (or in fact at all) but it fills a hole in our stomachs.
For the next 4 hours we weave our way through the casinos. Stopping only at 2 slot machines (my big Vegas gamble equals 2 dollars which I lose immediately). I don't have a gambling bone in my body and at both machines I wonder why it is people keep spending their money on it. I guess had I won anything (ever, in my whole life) then I might feel different.
We see Ceasar's Palace, The Mirage, Bellagio, and Treasure Island and we're exhausted. We stop in the heat to watch the fountain show at the Bellagio and have a drink during the Pirates show at TI. We don't even understand what time it is. We did wait around for a show to start at the Forums' shops but it was weitrd and anamatronicy and decided not to wait around to see who Atlantis chose as the successor to his throne. We also thought about going to Sigfried and Roy's Dolphin and big cat containment, but ti cost more than most Zoos cost in the rest of the world and it was outside in the furnace like heat. We stopped in FAO Schwartz and played with all the toys for a while, but were sad when we realised that there were no children there. We stopped in a photographer's gallery and found out his pieces start at $2000 and go up to $1 000 000. They better give you the negatives too if you're paying a million dollars for a photo right?
All the casinos are the same. They're all bigger and better than the next one and more themed than the previous. It's a crazy crazy thing. We wonder briefly if we have any steam left to make it to the downtown Vegas part of town, where the crooners all got started, but decide that we don't and instead spend the nxt few hours satisfying our stomachs and going to see a movie.
Transformers. I don't understand what's happening in any of the fight scenes. I can't follow all the shiny metal or know who's winning at any point in time. I liked the action and I think Shea LeBoeuf is really great (still remember seeing him for the first time in Disney's Holes at an outdoor theatre in Greece). Overall the movie was a great idea considering how sleepy we were and I'm glad we got to see it.
Watched an episode of True Blood and read a few chapters of my book while Fabri played a game on his phone to finish off the day and then fell into a deep sleep... in the fluffy cloudlike bed.
We walk through the MGM again and stop at the lion exhibition where we find the tenant on a glass ceiling above our heads. Two lion guys are also in the habitat with the lion about 8 feet away from him and with the postures of construction workers on break. I figure this lion is well fed, but watch out guys ont he day he gets bored of the chew toys and yoga balls he's provided with for comfort.
We cross back into New York New York and are relieved that the crowds aren't the same as yesterdy cause it's Sunday and no longer independance day. We eat a pepperoni pretzel and a jalapeno hot dog pretzel. They haven't quite got the recipe to the same quality as New York (or in fact at all) but it fills a hole in our stomachs.
For the next 4 hours we weave our way through the casinos. Stopping only at 2 slot machines (my big Vegas gamble equals 2 dollars which I lose immediately). I don't have a gambling bone in my body and at both machines I wonder why it is people keep spending their money on it. I guess had I won anything (ever, in my whole life) then I might feel different.
We see Ceasar's Palace, The Mirage, Bellagio, and Treasure Island and we're exhausted. We stop in the heat to watch the fountain show at the Bellagio and have a drink during the Pirates show at TI. We don't even understand what time it is. We did wait around for a show to start at the Forums' shops but it was weitrd and anamatronicy and decided not to wait around to see who Atlantis chose as the successor to his throne. We also thought about going to Sigfried and Roy's Dolphin and big cat containment, but ti cost more than most Zoos cost in the rest of the world and it was outside in the furnace like heat. We stopped in FAO Schwartz and played with all the toys for a while, but were sad when we realised that there were no children there. We stopped in a photographer's gallery and found out his pieces start at $2000 and go up to $1 000 000. They better give you the negatives too if you're paying a million dollars for a photo right?
All the casinos are the same. They're all bigger and better than the next one and more themed than the previous. It's a crazy crazy thing. We wonder briefly if we have any steam left to make it to the downtown Vegas part of town, where the crooners all got started, but decide that we don't and instead spend the nxt few hours satisfying our stomachs and going to see a movie.
Transformers. I don't understand what's happening in any of the fight scenes. I can't follow all the shiny metal or know who's winning at any point in time. I liked the action and I think Shea LeBoeuf is really great (still remember seeing him for the first time in Disney's Holes at an outdoor theatre in Greece). Overall the movie was a great idea considering how sleepy we were and I'm glad we got to see it.
Watched an episode of True Blood and read a few chapters of my book while Fabri played a game on his phone to finish off the day and then fell into a deep sleep... in the fluffy cloudlike bed.
Saturday, July 04, 2009
July 4th 2009 - Green River to Las Vegas
Green River is a ghost town. 10 years ago it may have been a place where truckers stopped for gas and a night's sleep, but when we wake and check out (of the worst hotel on our trip so far, if you don't count the Bavarian Inn) we find the streets empty and barren. If there were tumbleweeds in this type of desert, Green River is where you'd find them. 70% of the gas stations were closed and boarded up and the same goes for the rest of the motels (good thing we had at least booked one, as bad as it seemed). Creepy setting with the sheer rock cliffs off in the distance and the only other vehicles 18 wheelers. Reminded me of Duel.
We wanted to drive straight through to Vegas but were shortly hit in the face with natural scenery that didn't allow us to zoom through it. We had to stop at several lookouts and just marvel at the view. Apparently G-d decided to put a giant sandstone wall between this part of the world and that (and then man decided to blast a 2 lane highway through it, but that is a fact that actually worked out in our favor... shortening the trip by days). I know that the Grand Canyon is something everyone wants to go see, and I know it's a wonder to see it, but I'm certain that this part of the world definately comes close.
At one of the stops (where there's nothing but the view and an outhouse by the way) I decide I need to go to the bathroom and head off on the 100 meter walk from the car without my bag or anything before it occures to me that if Fabri suddenly goes crazy in the 2 minutes I'm inside and drives away I will be alone in the desert with no water, food, sunscreen, hat, phone, money, or ID and only an outhouse for shelter from the sun. In the 10 seconds it takes for me to make this realisation I already see myself waiting for the next truck or family sedan to pull in, talking to the drivers, hoping desperately they're not psychopaths (do psychos pull into majestic lookouts to hunt for victims? I decide this probably isn't the case), driving with my new friends (hoping for the family scenario here, not the trucker one... but stranded in the desert people can't be choosers right) to the next city (someplace in Arizona or Nevada), going to the sheriff's office (I'm not sure why but it's what I think of), and then what? I don't know. Could go a whole bunch of ways at this point. I turn around and tell Fabri, already in the driver's seat of the car, not to drive away. Of course it's never occured to him (till now) to drive away, so he laughs.
I get out of the bathroom and see he's pulled up in front of the outhouse. He OBVIOUSLY pretends to drive away at this point but finally stops joking with me and I get back in the car. Safe from abandonment or rattlesnakes. I decide that from the sheriff's office I would have started a new life in this inhospitable land. Like the pioneers!
We drive through crazy, craggy canyons, are surprised when we see some cows on a patch of grass about the size you'd use to fix a hole in your jeans, it rains and then we finally get into Cedar City Utah for some lunch. The meat market and grill we want to go to is closed today for the holiday so we go to Wendy's. They're festivly tied up some red, white and blue balloons to the counter where you order.
We stop at the Nevada welcome centre just after crossing out of Arizona (which we only touch a corner of for about a half hour) and already it's clearly Nevada. They've got a casino right there when you cross. We're hit by a gust of oven hot air when we open the car doors cause it literally, no kidding is as hot as an oven, and the same dryness. We start to laugh in nervous anticipation of the next 2 days in this state. We worry about surviving. I get loads of brochures on Vegas and they all seem glossy and nice. There are a few advertisements that have me a little concerned however. 'Bite' seems to be some sort of club you can go to to get bitten by vampires. 'The Gun Store' is where you can go try out a machine gun and take the target home with you (presumably in the shape of a human right? I'm pretty sure you don't use machine guns for hunting) 'Try it today!' is their slogan and they're the main billboard advertisers for the rest of the highway into town.
We don't have too much trouble getting into town or finding the hotel and the traffic isn't too bad, but it is frustrating because I'm so desperate to get out of the car and into the shiny pool from the brochures. It's supposed to be huge and have a lazy river, and get this: McHammer and Vanilla Ice are playing poolside TODAY!! Ha! The valet whisks the car away and the woman at the desk says 'How can I pretend to help you today?' Ok, I either look younger or stupider than I am, because I'm sure she gets away with that sort of stuff all the time here in Vegas (and I don't YET know exactly how easy it is) but I flash her a look and she straightens up.
On the way up we're in the elevator with some vocal 20 somethings who are carrying giant bong-style glasses full of Daquiris and other indigestable drink-stuffs, all dressed in bikinis and complaining that they have to pee. There's a guy with an accent talking to a tall guy who gets off on the 2nd floor and the girls all yell at him and shove him out of the elevator cause he 'could have walked'. The tall guy tells them they're rude and then they say he's rude for telling them they're rude and then they get off all giggly on the 24th floor. This revelas a timid girl in the corner. The tall guy then says wow! Who's in the penthouse? And I look at the buttons and see that indeed our floor has the PH symbol on the button. The room is great. 33rd floor with a balcony and facing the strip (though the strip is under construction). Giant tub and shower. Very nice indeed.
We go down to the Grand pool. It's a ten minute walk and we get there and I'm all excited until I see it. Have you ever seen any footage of Daytona Beach on spring break? Well, this is it, but couple that with hotdogs and kids and 16$ tubes for the lazy river ride and you're starting to get close. You can't sit on the edge of the pool because there are too many beer cans and bottles. It's really disgusting and I feel tears welling up in my eyes. My expectations were SO different. We start to laugh and comment on al the grossness and I feel a little better and we do manage to go into the water at one of the 12 pools there, but not for long cause it really is very gross and all the people have really let themselves go. Really gross.
We decide to try the pool directly beneath our tower, also part of our complex and so march back the 10 minutes and suddenly all my pool dreams come true. Clean water, normal people and not many of them, and a hot tub. Nice. We spend an hour or so here till they tell us they'r closing. Back in the elevator there are 2 guys. At first we think one is a terrorist cause he's praying, but then when he turns towards us I realise he's not going to blow up the elevator and is instead being a jerk. His friend is laughing. He says he's clearing out the negative energy. I say 'Into the elevator?? That's not so smart is it?' I think he's really wasted cause he doesn't even respond. His friend is embarassed. We get out of the elevator giggling.
We get showered and dressed and get back in the elevator and a couple gets in with this giant, twisted and tangled gold chain. Her dress is basically a bandage wrapped around the bits that would get her arrested if she showed them. She puts the necklace on him to start untangling it and he says to us 'You didn'ìt see this.' and tells her that she has 20 floors to get it undone cause he won't be seen in public wearing a girls necklace (honestly I don't know what he was worried about... it's not like you could tell it was a girls, or he was the one you were looking at at any given point in time). I tell him the necklace suits him anyhow and they both start to laugh and say 'No!! It's too Mr. T!!' Too Mr. T? Is there a moderate version of Mr. T?
We walk around all of the MGM grand and New York New York before deciding that Vegas is not really our town at all. I'm getting depressed cause I'm sponging and vaccuming up all the negative energy of the gamblers and Fabri's all stressed because there's no place to eat that isn't like eating inside a shopping mall. In the end we have a drink at a steak place where the steaks cost over $150 and then move over to a Sushi place next door which ends up being very delicious and I'm happy cause I make a perfect order.
We rush back to the hotel (though in all actuality we never left it) and I'm freezing cause the air-con is up so high. We jump in the elevator and meanly don't hold it for anyone cause we can't handle any more crazy for today. We get upstairs and fall into the cloudy soft bed. Pretty memorable 30th birthday.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
We wanted to drive straight through to Vegas but were shortly hit in the face with natural scenery that didn't allow us to zoom through it. We had to stop at several lookouts and just marvel at the view. Apparently G-d decided to put a giant sandstone wall between this part of the world and that (and then man decided to blast a 2 lane highway through it, but that is a fact that actually worked out in our favor... shortening the trip by days). I know that the Grand Canyon is something everyone wants to go see, and I know it's a wonder to see it, but I'm certain that this part of the world definately comes close.
At one of the stops (where there's nothing but the view and an outhouse by the way) I decide I need to go to the bathroom and head off on the 100 meter walk from the car without my bag or anything before it occures to me that if Fabri suddenly goes crazy in the 2 minutes I'm inside and drives away I will be alone in the desert with no water, food, sunscreen, hat, phone, money, or ID and only an outhouse for shelter from the sun. In the 10 seconds it takes for me to make this realisation I already see myself waiting for the next truck or family sedan to pull in, talking to the drivers, hoping desperately they're not psychopaths (do psychos pull into majestic lookouts to hunt for victims? I decide this probably isn't the case), driving with my new friends (hoping for the family scenario here, not the trucker one... but stranded in the desert people can't be choosers right) to the next city (someplace in Arizona or Nevada), going to the sheriff's office (I'm not sure why but it's what I think of), and then what? I don't know. Could go a whole bunch of ways at this point. I turn around and tell Fabri, already in the driver's seat of the car, not to drive away. Of course it's never occured to him (till now) to drive away, so he laughs.
I get out of the bathroom and see he's pulled up in front of the outhouse. He OBVIOUSLY pretends to drive away at this point but finally stops joking with me and I get back in the car. Safe from abandonment or rattlesnakes. I decide that from the sheriff's office I would have started a new life in this inhospitable land. Like the pioneers!
We drive through crazy, craggy canyons, are surprised when we see some cows on a patch of grass about the size you'd use to fix a hole in your jeans, it rains and then we finally get into Cedar City Utah for some lunch. The meat market and grill we want to go to is closed today for the holiday so we go to Wendy's. They're festivly tied up some red, white and blue balloons to the counter where you order.
We stop at the Nevada welcome centre just after crossing out of Arizona (which we only touch a corner of for about a half hour) and already it's clearly Nevada. They've got a casino right there when you cross. We're hit by a gust of oven hot air when we open the car doors cause it literally, no kidding is as hot as an oven, and the same dryness. We start to laugh in nervous anticipation of the next 2 days in this state. We worry about surviving. I get loads of brochures on Vegas and they all seem glossy and nice. There are a few advertisements that have me a little concerned however. 'Bite' seems to be some sort of club you can go to to get bitten by vampires. 'The Gun Store' is where you can go try out a machine gun and take the target home with you (presumably in the shape of a human right? I'm pretty sure you don't use machine guns for hunting) 'Try it today!' is their slogan and they're the main billboard advertisers for the rest of the highway into town.
We don't have too much trouble getting into town or finding the hotel and the traffic isn't too bad, but it is frustrating because I'm so desperate to get out of the car and into the shiny pool from the brochures. It's supposed to be huge and have a lazy river, and get this: McHammer and Vanilla Ice are playing poolside TODAY!! Ha! The valet whisks the car away and the woman at the desk says 'How can I pretend to help you today?' Ok, I either look younger or stupider than I am, because I'm sure she gets away with that sort of stuff all the time here in Vegas (and I don't YET know exactly how easy it is) but I flash her a look and she straightens up.
On the way up we're in the elevator with some vocal 20 somethings who are carrying giant bong-style glasses full of Daquiris and other indigestable drink-stuffs, all dressed in bikinis and complaining that they have to pee. There's a guy with an accent talking to a tall guy who gets off on the 2nd floor and the girls all yell at him and shove him out of the elevator cause he 'could have walked'. The tall guy tells them they're rude and then they say he's rude for telling them they're rude and then they get off all giggly on the 24th floor. This revelas a timid girl in the corner. The tall guy then says wow! Who's in the penthouse? And I look at the buttons and see that indeed our floor has the PH symbol on the button. The room is great. 33rd floor with a balcony and facing the strip (though the strip is under construction). Giant tub and shower. Very nice indeed.
We go down to the Grand pool. It's a ten minute walk and we get there and I'm all excited until I see it. Have you ever seen any footage of Daytona Beach on spring break? Well, this is it, but couple that with hotdogs and kids and 16$ tubes for the lazy river ride and you're starting to get close. You can't sit on the edge of the pool because there are too many beer cans and bottles. It's really disgusting and I feel tears welling up in my eyes. My expectations were SO different. We start to laugh and comment on al the grossness and I feel a little better and we do manage to go into the water at one of the 12 pools there, but not for long cause it really is very gross and all the people have really let themselves go. Really gross.
We decide to try the pool directly beneath our tower, also part of our complex and so march back the 10 minutes and suddenly all my pool dreams come true. Clean water, normal people and not many of them, and a hot tub. Nice. We spend an hour or so here till they tell us they'r closing. Back in the elevator there are 2 guys. At first we think one is a terrorist cause he's praying, but then when he turns towards us I realise he's not going to blow up the elevator and is instead being a jerk. His friend is laughing. He says he's clearing out the negative energy. I say 'Into the elevator?? That's not so smart is it?' I think he's really wasted cause he doesn't even respond. His friend is embarassed. We get out of the elevator giggling.
We get showered and dressed and get back in the elevator and a couple gets in with this giant, twisted and tangled gold chain. Her dress is basically a bandage wrapped around the bits that would get her arrested if she showed them. She puts the necklace on him to start untangling it and he says to us 'You didn'ìt see this.' and tells her that she has 20 floors to get it undone cause he won't be seen in public wearing a girls necklace (honestly I don't know what he was worried about... it's not like you could tell it was a girls, or he was the one you were looking at at any given point in time). I tell him the necklace suits him anyhow and they both start to laugh and say 'No!! It's too Mr. T!!' Too Mr. T? Is there a moderate version of Mr. T?
We walk around all of the MGM grand and New York New York before deciding that Vegas is not really our town at all. I'm getting depressed cause I'm sponging and vaccuming up all the negative energy of the gamblers and Fabri's all stressed because there's no place to eat that isn't like eating inside a shopping mall. In the end we have a drink at a steak place where the steaks cost over $150 and then move over to a Sushi place next door which ends up being very delicious and I'm happy cause I make a perfect order.
We rush back to the hotel (though in all actuality we never left it) and I'm freezing cause the air-con is up so high. We jump in the elevator and meanly don't hold it for anyone cause we can't handle any more crazy for today. We get upstairs and fall into the cloudy soft bed. Pretty memorable 30th birthday.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
408 mi – circa 5 ore 55 min
Luxury Suites International at The Signature
125 East Harmon, NV 89109 Las Vegas
Friday, July 03, 2009
July 3, 2009 - Denver to Green River
A long but very memorable day today and I'm touched byt he fact that most people know will never see the sites I've seen in the past 16 hours. We woke in Denver, an hour earlier than we were supposed to cause we forgot that we were in Mountain time and had to set the clocks again. It didn't matter because I was having an anxious moment and wanted to repack the whole suitcase again anyhow. We watched a bit of Good Morning America on the television as I progressed and realised we'll be in Los Angeles during the Michael Jackson hullabaloo.
We decided not to eat breakfast as that worked pretty well for us yesterday buit then changed our minds en-route when we realised that Idaho Springs was so close to Denver we couldn't justify stopping without eating something. It's a nice little gold-rush starting town with its one main road, a guy that sells antique stoves and a family group of teens and preteens singing on the corner telling us to find Jesus or we'll burn in hell. I wonder thow much success they have. We also saw some amish running around but by the time I sent Fabri out of the cafe for photos they'd disappeared. I had buttermilk pancakes. Yum.
We head back out and only stopped at the bisitor centre at Eagle for a second to grab a cup ofr coffee and a bathroom stop. The scenery was breathtaking throught he canyons and the Rockies. Got quite a few photos. I especially likes the 'out of control' truck ramps, rising almost vertically off of the highway for that fatefull day Jimmy-Joe's brakes give in and just give up. There's a rainstorm and we see the lightning jump from sky to earth. We see the mountains and distance erased like someone spilled old coffee on a watercolour. And then it clears.
Crossed into Utah when I wasn't paying attention and just looked up from my book when the 'next gas station in 56 miles' sign popped up on the side of the road. I looked over at the meter and saw we had 3 bars left. 'How long has that been at 3 bars?' I aksed Fabri. He shrugged and we both started to wonder exactly what 56 miles felt like. In a momantary pause fromt he impending panic and doom (we're really taking middle of nowhere here... if you've never been to Utah, goodle it) we stop at a lookout to have a good view of the expansive rocks and nothingness. Fabri goes to the truck to change the lens of his camera and looks up at me after shutting the lid. He's locked the keys inside. LUCKILY the doors of the car are still unlocked... cause it's a billion degrees, we're int he middle of the desert and our car keys would have been locked in the truck. Resolving the issue we go to the lookout and thouroughly enjoy the view with our newfound gratitude. Later, thinking about it, I resolve the inner anxiety the keys in the trunk issue afforded me by working out that I would have wrapped my shirt around my arm and broken the car's window (or something else equally Macguiver). I feel much better with this revelation, even though nothing actually happened.
We find a gaz station and are relieved for that too. The town has a gas station and a gfuy selling beef and bison and buffalo jerky. That is all.
We turn down the road towards the Arches National park and after all the waiting up until now it comes up pretty fast. We arrive, pay the 10$ car fee and head up amongst the red rocks, fomations, arches, balancedc sphere's of rocks in top of pillars and desert shrubbery. We go to the very far end of the park (about a 25 minute drive) and work our way back taking photos and commenting on all the crazy people who are actually taking the 3 hour hikes closer to the formations. 'Nuts' we think, walking is hard! It's hot, we're tired. Walking is hard. The rocks and scenery and setting are beautiful. Utterly awesome...
We go to Moab for dinner because Green River is barely spoken about in our guidebooks, except that it's the watermelon capital of the world. We eat at a place caller Centre Cafe which is the best restaurant in Southern Utah , and it lives up to the hype. I've never eaten anywhere else in Southern Utah, but I don't know how someplace can top this place as it's the best I've eaten since I've been back on this continent. I have a beet and goat's cheese salad followed by a beef tenderloin. It's delicious. I wash it down with a heavy wine. I'm all sandy and sunned out from the day and it's good to really kick back.
Darkness falls on Utah (and my 20's) as we drive to our final stop on this long day, Green River. Fabri's my hero cause he sacrificed his relaxation this evening to be able to drive us safely the 45 min to our destination even though I gave up and gave into the day about 2 hours ago. Our my window now, the highway, desert and sky are all the same colour; a deep, dark, midnight black. After all the changes in scenery today the uniformity of the scene is refreshing, like going to sleep after you've been at a movie.
Tomorrow's a big day for me and I don't know how I feel about it. But by the same account, it's not at all big at all. It's just tomorrow, right? I guess it's what you make of it. I'm going make it Las Vegas – ooh, and I hope I can start with a swim.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
We decided not to eat breakfast as that worked pretty well for us yesterday buit then changed our minds en-route when we realised that Idaho Springs was so close to Denver we couldn't justify stopping without eating something. It's a nice little gold-rush starting town with its one main road, a guy that sells antique stoves and a family group of teens and preteens singing on the corner telling us to find Jesus or we'll burn in hell. I wonder thow much success they have. We also saw some amish running around but by the time I sent Fabri out of the cafe for photos they'd disappeared. I had buttermilk pancakes. Yum.
We head back out and only stopped at the bisitor centre at Eagle for a second to grab a cup ofr coffee and a bathroom stop. The scenery was breathtaking throught he canyons and the Rockies. Got quite a few photos. I especially likes the 'out of control' truck ramps, rising almost vertically off of the highway for that fatefull day Jimmy-Joe's brakes give in and just give up. There's a rainstorm and we see the lightning jump from sky to earth. We see the mountains and distance erased like someone spilled old coffee on a watercolour. And then it clears.
Crossed into Utah when I wasn't paying attention and just looked up from my book when the 'next gas station in 56 miles' sign popped up on the side of the road. I looked over at the meter and saw we had 3 bars left. 'How long has that been at 3 bars?' I aksed Fabri. He shrugged and we both started to wonder exactly what 56 miles felt like. In a momantary pause fromt he impending panic and doom (we're really taking middle of nowhere here... if you've never been to Utah, goodle it) we stop at a lookout to have a good view of the expansive rocks and nothingness. Fabri goes to the truck to change the lens of his camera and looks up at me after shutting the lid. He's locked the keys inside. LUCKILY the doors of the car are still unlocked... cause it's a billion degrees, we're int he middle of the desert and our car keys would have been locked in the truck. Resolving the issue we go to the lookout and thouroughly enjoy the view with our newfound gratitude. Later, thinking about it, I resolve the inner anxiety the keys in the trunk issue afforded me by working out that I would have wrapped my shirt around my arm and broken the car's window (or something else equally Macguiver). I feel much better with this revelation, even though nothing actually happened.
We find a gaz station and are relieved for that too. The town has a gas station and a gfuy selling beef and bison and buffalo jerky. That is all.
We turn down the road towards the Arches National park and after all the waiting up until now it comes up pretty fast. We arrive, pay the 10$ car fee and head up amongst the red rocks, fomations, arches, balancedc sphere's of rocks in top of pillars and desert shrubbery. We go to the very far end of the park (about a 25 minute drive) and work our way back taking photos and commenting on all the crazy people who are actually taking the 3 hour hikes closer to the formations. 'Nuts' we think, walking is hard! It's hot, we're tired. Walking is hard. The rocks and scenery and setting are beautiful. Utterly awesome...
We go to Moab for dinner because Green River is barely spoken about in our guidebooks, except that it's the watermelon capital of the world. We eat at a place caller Centre Cafe which is the best restaurant in Southern Utah , and it lives up to the hype. I've never eaten anywhere else in Southern Utah, but I don't know how someplace can top this place as it's the best I've eaten since I've been back on this continent. I have a beet and goat's cheese salad followed by a beef tenderloin. It's delicious. I wash it down with a heavy wine. I'm all sandy and sunned out from the day and it's good to really kick back.
Darkness falls on Utah (and my 20's) as we drive to our final stop on this long day, Green River. Fabri's my hero cause he sacrificed his relaxation this evening to be able to drive us safely the 45 min to our destination even though I gave up and gave into the day about 2 hours ago. Our my window now, the highway, desert and sky are all the same colour; a deep, dark, midnight black. After all the changes in scenery today the uniformity of the scene is refreshing, like going to sleep after you've been at a movie.
Tomorrow's a big day for me and I don't know how I feel about it. But by the same account, it's not at all big at all. It's just tomorrow, right? I guess it's what you make of it. I'm going make it Las Vegas – ooh, and I hope I can start with a swim.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
351 mi – circa 5 ore 28 min
Ramada Limited Green River
1117 East Main
1 mile N of I-70 at Exit 164
Green River, UT 84525 US
1117 East Main
1 mile N of I-70 at Exit 164
Green River, UT 84525 US
Thursday, July 02, 2009
July 2, 2009 North Platte to Denver
Today started and ended 100% country. First up we headed into Buffalo Bill Cody's homestead and ranch for a tour, seeing where this famous american cattleman, showman and hero lived with his family and drew his inspiration. We had a tour of the home (love the wallpaper on the ceilings idea... thinking of stealing it) and barn, watched a 20 minute documentary ont he man ((which froze in the 19th minute) and then saw some live buffalo in a caged off section. Definately worth the stop if you're ever round these parts.
All of North America is starting to seem around the corner from everything else to me now though. I can't see anything odd about this trip anymore and wonder why in earth anyone would do it any other way. Why are the roads so clear?
We didn't stop after North Platte again until th Colorado visitor's centre just across the state line. There we had some free coffee and advice from locals on what to see. Alot of the advice was for tomorrow though as we decided to spend most of today just getting to know Denver. We stopped in Brush at a diner and I had a BLT before we could start seeing the rockies in the distance. The weather started to get angry, but we entertained ourselves listening to Dr. Lauras Schlessinger on the raido giving rude, but sensible advice to folk with issues.
The hotel is great. Our suite is much more like an actual apartment than a suite, and we have views of the city and the rockies. Couldn't ask for more.
We head off on foot towards downtown and the minute it starts raining we manage to break the umbrella. We see the capital building and the gift shop of the art museum and get to 16th street where all the shops and pedestrian areas are. We realise shops might be closing down at 5 so we hop the free tram all the way to the top of the street to the Tattered Cover Bookstore which was recommended in the guidebook. Ok it IS the best shop in Denver, and also the best place I've been for a while. I loved it. All liberty style furniture and shelves for the books, lots of armchairs and nooks and crannies and overall heaping with character. I bought 2 novels, another Obama paper doll (ok... there's definately a theme nhere now), a audio book, and a book for Fabri. He also got a photo book and the Time special edition on Michael J.
Hopping back on the free bus we get to the Crown hotel and decide to have a drink. They've got 5 stories of balconies onto the atrium and a huge stained glass roof. It was really really nice, had a pinot noir.
We walk back to our own hotel and change to go to Grizzly Rose, a honky tonk bar just off the highway. We have our apprehentions but get ready and go anyhow. On the way there I'm thinking it can be 1 of 2 things: The equivalent of Walkabout on the embankment in London or the bar from Tarantino's From Dusk till Dawn. I feel I've had enough vampires for the summer (and one of the books I bought today is on that same theme) so I'm hoping it's not a crazy vampire bar. But then, the walkabout alternative isn't any better. We get in and the place is awsome!! It's wonderful and country and full of cowboys and people smiling and just so much fun! There's line dancing and couples swinging and a live band and it's ladies night so my drinks are free and there are chicken wings and the wings are good and it's so uncool it's cool!! I love Grizzly Rose! It was also great to have a glimpse at an alternate reality. If I had been born in Denver, I'd know all the steps to those dances and they'd be just as natural to me as anything I do in my life. Painting or whatever... These people are detached from me in so many ways and the realities are different in so many ways, but there's some security in that. In knowing there's other stuff out there that you can't even IMAGINE. Grizzly Rose bar was one of them... it had to bee seen to be believed (I do understand that there are already many things that also fall into this category that I've witnessed and perhaps others haven't ... the fat kid getting his leg cut off comes to mind... or that new years at the Moroccan party but this was different and alternate reality enducing in a positive way. I saw that people can be at the Grizzly Rose and happy and I can go for a night and be happy and there's no threat to my actual existence.... I might be rambling). Anyways... a country-western kind of a day.
The Burnsley All Suite Hotel 
1000 Grant Street, CO 80203 Denver
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
July 1, 2009 - Des Moines to North Platte
A slate grey dotted with white lines kind of day. The road is long and straight on this bit of the trip. It's always the same hue of geen on the borders and ash-blue in the sky. There aren't even any clouds to keep us company.
No murders that we know of at the Bavarian Inn last night. We wake up slowly and check out quickly passing through the centre of town to inspect the Capitol buildings (golden domed... impressive) and stop for a fill'em-up brekkie. Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and toast – it's become something of a ritual by now.
I fell asleep in the car on the highway and awoke in rural Iowa on the way to a Dutch Windmill. It was a nice detour but when we arrived at the windmill we weren't exactly blown away by the novelty of it. We did manage to find another this n' that shop with antiques and great treasure-junk stuffs. Today we bought a Kodak Duaflex II Camera. I don't know what year it's from and they no longer make the 620 film it requires but I love the thing. At first we thought it didn't focus properly, as the viewfinder's up on the top of the camera and everything seems distorted, but then we realised that this camera has to be held at stomach height and looked at with your head facing perpendicular to the floor to see the image you're taking properly. It's a square format and really makes you LONG for the film to come back into production. I don't care if there are digital cameras or if those old formats yellow over time. Old photos never hurt anybody by being yellow. Memories fade and change over time too, and I'd rather embrace the square format, rather than pretend it never existed.
Omaha is a great little city. What a surprise. We didn't see most of it of course, but what we did see, the old market town, I liked. Cute little designer shops, art galleries and nice restaurants. It seemed very cultured and refined and I think Omaha is a city, given more time, I'd explore further. The sense of humour of the locals is lost on me however. The old man in the tourist info place kept making jokes I didn't understand and his face kept going from full smile to flat, evil stare, without warning. It reminded me of breakfasts in my childhood, passing the cereal box back and forth in front of my face and changing expressions with each obstruction of view. I was better at it than my brother and was glad that it sometimes made him laugh. But back to Omaha's locals, the same thing happened with our waiter at the 'Twisted Fork' restaurant who fancied himself a bit of a comedian. He was trying to make jokes, but they didn'ìt work at all and when he joked that we couldn't leave cause he was keeping our credit card I called him creepy to his face. He agreed. It was a quite creepy delivery of an obscure joke.
Back in the car we're too late for the Pioneer Village and The Arches Roadway Monument nearby Kearney so we push through, stopping at the Sapp Brother's truck stop for gas and a coffee. Our waitress is surprised all we want is coffee and offers us pie (if she doesn't we get it for free, says so on the wall). Fabri picks up a copy of the New Testament (“take your free copy now!”) and realises that if he reads the first 4 pages of this version he'll have the summary of the whole old testament, he puts it back before we leave and as we do the waitress recommends some things to do in North Platte, where we should arrive in about an hour.
We don't see too much of North Platte on the way in but I have my suspicions that there's not too much of North Platte to see in the first place; more investigations on this come morning. The Inn isn't offensive though it's very motelly. There is an outdoor pool so I rush up to the room to change and hop right in. My co-swimmers are all pre-teen and supervised by a texting 14 year old. We're not sure if she's the mother or what.
Back at the room I shower and change and then we head out to the Depot, which is just around the corner and the restaurant the waitress at the truckstop recommended ('but have never been to, just looks like a place I'd like to go to someday'... she says the same thing about Chicago and Italy during our conversation). It turns out to be a really nice place; a converted train depot and really adorable and afforable. I have ribs (which always make me think I should go back to not eating red meat) and Fabri has nachos and rice. We vow again to stop eating this much. Both of us look much more spherical since we've been here.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
No murders that we know of at the Bavarian Inn last night. We wake up slowly and check out quickly passing through the centre of town to inspect the Capitol buildings (golden domed... impressive) and stop for a fill'em-up brekkie. Eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and toast – it's become something of a ritual by now.
I fell asleep in the car on the highway and awoke in rural Iowa on the way to a Dutch Windmill. It was a nice detour but when we arrived at the windmill we weren't exactly blown away by the novelty of it. We did manage to find another this n' that shop with antiques and great treasure-junk stuffs. Today we bought a Kodak Duaflex II Camera. I don't know what year it's from and they no longer make the 620 film it requires but I love the thing. At first we thought it didn't focus properly, as the viewfinder's up on the top of the camera and everything seems distorted, but then we realised that this camera has to be held at stomach height and looked at with your head facing perpendicular to the floor to see the image you're taking properly. It's a square format and really makes you LONG for the film to come back into production. I don't care if there are digital cameras or if those old formats yellow over time. Old photos never hurt anybody by being yellow. Memories fade and change over time too, and I'd rather embrace the square format, rather than pretend it never existed.
Omaha is a great little city. What a surprise. We didn't see most of it of course, but what we did see, the old market town, I liked. Cute little designer shops, art galleries and nice restaurants. It seemed very cultured and refined and I think Omaha is a city, given more time, I'd explore further. The sense of humour of the locals is lost on me however. The old man in the tourist info place kept making jokes I didn't understand and his face kept going from full smile to flat, evil stare, without warning. It reminded me of breakfasts in my childhood, passing the cereal box back and forth in front of my face and changing expressions with each obstruction of view. I was better at it than my brother and was glad that it sometimes made him laugh. But back to Omaha's locals, the same thing happened with our waiter at the 'Twisted Fork' restaurant who fancied himself a bit of a comedian. He was trying to make jokes, but they didn'ìt work at all and when he joked that we couldn't leave cause he was keeping our credit card I called him creepy to his face. He agreed. It was a quite creepy delivery of an obscure joke.
Back in the car we're too late for the Pioneer Village and The Arches Roadway Monument nearby Kearney so we push through, stopping at the Sapp Brother's truck stop for gas and a coffee. Our waitress is surprised all we want is coffee and offers us pie (if she doesn't we get it for free, says so on the wall). Fabri picks up a copy of the New Testament (“take your free copy now!”) and realises that if he reads the first 4 pages of this version he'll have the summary of the whole old testament, he puts it back before we leave and as we do the waitress recommends some things to do in North Platte, where we should arrive in about an hour.
We don't see too much of North Platte on the way in but I have my suspicions that there's not too much of North Platte to see in the first place; more investigations on this come morning. The Inn isn't offensive though it's very motelly. There is an outdoor pool so I rush up to the room to change and hop right in. My co-swimmers are all pre-teen and supervised by a texting 14 year old. We're not sure if she's the mother or what.
Back at the room I shower and change and then we head out to the Depot, which is just around the corner and the restaurant the waitress at the truckstop recommended ('but have never been to, just looks like a place I'd like to go to someday'... she says the same thing about Chicago and Italy during our conversation). It turns out to be a really nice place; a converted train depot and really adorable and afforable. I have ribs (which always make me think I should go back to not eating red meat) and Fabri has nachos and rice. We vow again to stop eating this much. Both of us look much more spherical since we've been here.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
423 mi – circa 6 ore 22 min
Americas Best Value Inn
602 E 4th Street
North Platte NE 69101
US
602 E 4th Street
North Platte NE 69101
US
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
June 30th 2009 - Chicago to Des Moines
I don't want to get out of bed when the alarm goes off. I didn't sleep well and had nightmares but I can't remember of what. Begrudginly I roll over and start to repack.
We leave the bags at the front desk, have a quick breakfast and walk our way back to the Hertz office, 10 blocks north. When we get there not only do they not have our reservation for today but they also don't know anything about us dropping off the car on Sunday. After quite a bit of telephoning, being irritated and nervousness they finally confirm the closure of the last rental contract and open up a new one. We get the same car in a different colour. This time cobalt blue.
We miss the onramp for the highway out of town and detour through a latin-american neighbourhood. Then we have a straight drive for the next 5 hours. The woman at the toll booth gives Fabri our change with this friendl greeting: 'Go kill yourselves, motherf*$%&rs'. I swear. I couldn't make this stuff up. It took us at least 2 minutes to register that that's ACTUALLY what she said.
We stop along the way at the I-80 truckstop. It's the biggest in the world! We see alot of trucks parked. See a store full of things to buy for the trucks. Take a photo in front of a truck and then eat tacos.
We divert off the route to the Amana Colonies in Iowa. It's a group of villiages that were once run communally and are now very tourist friendly. They're not like the Amish but did start in a similar way. We popped into an antiques shop and ended up spending quite a lot of time and a little bit of money there on things that surely only Fabri and I see as having any value. A few items on the list: a fan, a wagon, a milk bottle, mustard seeds, Jughead comic book.
We get into Des Moines only to find out that I've done it again. It seems I've booked a Inn on the outskirts of town instead of actually in the city and the Inn is inhabited only by long-term residents who are either running from the law or fighting with their wives. The only lady round these parts is the landlady. Oh, and the only thing Bavarian about it is the name. I feel terrible about it at first but then remember that it's all part of the adventure, and anyhow, the restaurant we thought about going to isn't even that far...
... by American standards. It's actually quite far if you think about it, 6 miles away, but we get there in a flash and order a steak and a plate of spaghetti with meatballs. I don't manage to eat even a third of my portion as I'm overwhelmed by the size of the plate and was force fed a soup as a starter. Why do they give you soup or salad with everything???
We rush out of dinner to catch the 9:15 screening of UP in 3D nearby the hotel. We get there in time and are even provided free popcorn (which I accidentally spill all over the floor). The lights go down and we watch the billions of 3D trailers of films coming out. Then we watch Partly Cloudy, which is adorable and fantastic and I have a signed poster in my office!! I liked UP but I cried through most of the movie. I don't know why they had to make it so sad. Is that a style that's going on now? I also cried in Mary and Max but at least int hat one I was spared until the end. With UP I was waterworks from the getgo. Embarrassing as there were a total of 3 of us in the cinema... sniffle sniffle... wipe wipe.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
We leave the bags at the front desk, have a quick breakfast and walk our way back to the Hertz office, 10 blocks north. When we get there not only do they not have our reservation for today but they also don't know anything about us dropping off the car on Sunday. After quite a bit of telephoning, being irritated and nervousness they finally confirm the closure of the last rental contract and open up a new one. We get the same car in a different colour. This time cobalt blue.
We miss the onramp for the highway out of town and detour through a latin-american neighbourhood. Then we have a straight drive for the next 5 hours. The woman at the toll booth gives Fabri our change with this friendl greeting: 'Go kill yourselves, motherf*$%&rs'. I swear. I couldn't make this stuff up. It took us at least 2 minutes to register that that's ACTUALLY what she said.
We stop along the way at the I-80 truckstop. It's the biggest in the world! We see alot of trucks parked. See a store full of things to buy for the trucks. Take a photo in front of a truck and then eat tacos.
We divert off the route to the Amana Colonies in Iowa. It's a group of villiages that were once run communally and are now very tourist friendly. They're not like the Amish but did start in a similar way. We popped into an antiques shop and ended up spending quite a lot of time and a little bit of money there on things that surely only Fabri and I see as having any value. A few items on the list: a fan, a wagon, a milk bottle, mustard seeds, Jughead comic book.
We get into Des Moines only to find out that I've done it again. It seems I've booked a Inn on the outskirts of town instead of actually in the city and the Inn is inhabited only by long-term residents who are either running from the law or fighting with their wives. The only lady round these parts is the landlady. Oh, and the only thing Bavarian about it is the name. I feel terrible about it at first but then remember that it's all part of the adventure, and anyhow, the restaurant we thought about going to isn't even that far...
... by American standards. It's actually quite far if you think about it, 6 miles away, but we get there in a flash and order a steak and a plate of spaghetti with meatballs. I don't manage to eat even a third of my portion as I'm overwhelmed by the size of the plate and was force fed a soup as a starter. Why do they give you soup or salad with everything???
We rush out of dinner to catch the 9:15 screening of UP in 3D nearby the hotel. We get there in time and are even provided free popcorn (which I accidentally spill all over the floor). The lights go down and we watch the billions of 3D trailers of films coming out. Then we watch Partly Cloudy, which is adorable and fantastic and I have a signed poster in my office!! I liked UP but I cried through most of the movie. I don't know why they had to make it so sad. Is that a style that's going on now? I also cried in Mary and Max but at least int hat one I was spared until the end. With UP I was waterworks from the getgo. Embarrassing as there were a total of 3 of us in the cinema... sniffle sniffle... wipe wipe.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
355 mi – circa 5 ore 40 min
Bavarian Inn
Chicago All Day Long
Morning awake to the alarm and haven't even rolled out of bed when the maid knocks and I have to send her on her way. Get ready and am downstairs in a flash, backpack filled to the rim with supplies for the day. First stop is the poster shop where a kind old man shows us all the vintage posters he has from the 1920's to 1980's which are over 8 feet tall (cause I told him I was looking for something to hang on the staircase). I feel bad because I know instantly I will not purchase anything from him (prices start at 1000$) but I want to have a look at what he has anyhow. He doesn't catch on for another 20 minutes, after which we salute him and are on our way.
We stop for a bagel and a coffee. There's a language barrier here because I ask for an all-dressed bagel and am asked what kind of bagel another 4 times before I ask her what kinds they have. She tells me the list of 30 different kinds of bagels, I point to the one I want (and have wanted since the beginning and she says 'oh! An 'everything' bagel'. Languages huh?
We walk and walk. We walk along the river and stop at a fountain. We walk towards a construction site and then away from it (later I am to find out that it's for the newest of the modern Chicago skyscrapers planned, now on hold due to the recession - aka 'crisis' in Europe), we walk along Navy Pier and I don't want to ride the ferris wheel (mostly because it's sponsored by MacDonalds, but I don't admit this at the time). Then we walk to the beach.
I stand 20 minutes up to my knees in icy cool water, palms of my feet on the smooth, possibly imported form someplace else sand and watch the goings on of the city in the near distance. Lake Michigan huh? Alright by me. I decide that the next city I live in MUST be on a lake. I decide I like Chicago. It's alright. I watch the lifeguard switch posts in his rowboat with another lifeguard, but miss the crutial moment when I can watch how he got out of the boat and the other guy got on. This new lifeguard paddles much further from shore than the last one. I sit on the sand for a while.
We walk back into the concrete mass of the city and find ourselves in the shopping district right in front of 'American Girl central'. American Girl is a doll I never owned but wanted to as a kid so I begged Fabri to let me go inside. It was all pink and full of 18 inch child-dolls and children dressed as dolls and mothers dressed as children and frankly, I have to admit, the whole thing was a little creepy. Fabri got some grerat photos with his camera on the repetition of the whole thing. The mom has the daughter the daughter has the doll, the doll has her doll and so on and so forth. Again, I admit there's somethign entirely unholy and muder while you're sleeping aboutt he whole thing, but on the other hand, it didn't prevent me from possibly, one day, wanting an American Girl for myself. Incidentally, the brand no longer produces paper-dolls.
We stop into Brooks Brothers as we head towards the pizzeria we've chosen for lunch but decide we already own too many shirts.
At Bella Bacino's we order the Chicago style small pizza and a salad only to find we have no time to eat it and change the order to a thin crust instead. In the morning we'd purchased tickets for an architectual cruise along the chigaco river and it's north and south arms and that was to be at 3:30pm. We enjoy the food. I make a sketch. We rush the 100 feet to the dock where the boat waits.
The tour was extremely educational and pleasant. The woman describing all the building was super knowledgeable and held my attention for 90 minutes, which is hard for anyone but especially someone talking about architecture, a subject for which I have barely any passion at all. I liked to be on the river, sitting after the long walk and having the time to look up at the building I otherwise wouldn't have.
Afetr the cruise, exhausted, we headed back to the hotel stopping again at the poster shop (this time purchasing a modern poster for a very modest price, but not for the staircase) and Starbucks. Fabri got a book on reportage photography and I bought a Barrak Obama paper doll (holidays are for buying paper dolls it seems). In Starbucks there was a hallabaloo with a guy who had to leave cause his girlfriend called and was bleeding and waiting for the ambulance. I don't have more information than that.
We relax briefly, choose a restaurant and get dressed.
Walked to a place called Avec for dinner. It was a nice walk followed by a 45min wait for the counter. The place was adorable, all done up in wood panneling and the kitchen in site of the few tables in the place. We had Italian wine thought the irony wasn't lost on us. The girl sitting next to me told us we HAD TO have the dates so we ordered that and a plate of brushcetta and hummus. The food was good and service friendly though I'm sure that one of the servers has seriopus pscosiopathic tendancies.
After dinner we caught a cab back into town to the Signature Lounge at the top of one of the tallest buildings in Chicago. Brilliant place. Even though we didn't have a seat with a view at first we got one eventually and anyhow, the view from the ladies' bathroom is the best in the place. Staring out into the lights from above I got to thinking about how beautiful and unbelievable we really are as a species. I also felt a little sad about it. And also a little confused. How was I on the 95th floor of anything??? I decided the meaning of life is the same as the meaning of sambuca... or that joke with the difference between a duck, right?
On the menu read:
Snacks 11$ Mini Cheeseburgers – Ketchup, Mustard, Pickle
We stop for a bagel and a coffee. There's a language barrier here because I ask for an all-dressed bagel and am asked what kind of bagel another 4 times before I ask her what kinds they have. She tells me the list of 30 different kinds of bagels, I point to the one I want (and have wanted since the beginning and she says 'oh! An 'everything' bagel'. Languages huh?
We walk and walk. We walk along the river and stop at a fountain. We walk towards a construction site and then away from it (later I am to find out that it's for the newest of the modern Chicago skyscrapers planned, now on hold due to the recession - aka 'crisis' in Europe), we walk along Navy Pier and I don't want to ride the ferris wheel (mostly because it's sponsored by MacDonalds, but I don't admit this at the time). Then we walk to the beach.
I stand 20 minutes up to my knees in icy cool water, palms of my feet on the smooth, possibly imported form someplace else sand and watch the goings on of the city in the near distance. Lake Michigan huh? Alright by me. I decide that the next city I live in MUST be on a lake. I decide I like Chicago. It's alright. I watch the lifeguard switch posts in his rowboat with another lifeguard, but miss the crutial moment when I can watch how he got out of the boat and the other guy got on. This new lifeguard paddles much further from shore than the last one. I sit on the sand for a while.
We walk back into the concrete mass of the city and find ourselves in the shopping district right in front of 'American Girl central'. American Girl is a doll I never owned but wanted to as a kid so I begged Fabri to let me go inside. It was all pink and full of 18 inch child-dolls and children dressed as dolls and mothers dressed as children and frankly, I have to admit, the whole thing was a little creepy. Fabri got some grerat photos with his camera on the repetition of the whole thing. The mom has the daughter the daughter has the doll, the doll has her doll and so on and so forth. Again, I admit there's somethign entirely unholy and muder while you're sleeping aboutt he whole thing, but on the other hand, it didn't prevent me from possibly, one day, wanting an American Girl for myself. Incidentally, the brand no longer produces paper-dolls.
We stop into Brooks Brothers as we head towards the pizzeria we've chosen for lunch but decide we already own too many shirts.
At Bella Bacino's we order the Chicago style small pizza and a salad only to find we have no time to eat it and change the order to a thin crust instead. In the morning we'd purchased tickets for an architectual cruise along the chigaco river and it's north and south arms and that was to be at 3:30pm. We enjoy the food. I make a sketch. We rush the 100 feet to the dock where the boat waits.
The tour was extremely educational and pleasant. The woman describing all the building was super knowledgeable and held my attention for 90 minutes, which is hard for anyone but especially someone talking about architecture, a subject for which I have barely any passion at all. I liked to be on the river, sitting after the long walk and having the time to look up at the building I otherwise wouldn't have.
Afetr the cruise, exhausted, we headed back to the hotel stopping again at the poster shop (this time purchasing a modern poster for a very modest price, but not for the staircase) and Starbucks. Fabri got a book on reportage photography and I bought a Barrak Obama paper doll (holidays are for buying paper dolls it seems). In Starbucks there was a hallabaloo with a guy who had to leave cause his girlfriend called and was bleeding and waiting for the ambulance. I don't have more information than that.
We relax briefly, choose a restaurant and get dressed.
Walked to a place called Avec for dinner. It was a nice walk followed by a 45min wait for the counter. The place was adorable, all done up in wood panneling and the kitchen in site of the few tables in the place. We had Italian wine thought the irony wasn't lost on us. The girl sitting next to me told us we HAD TO have the dates so we ordered that and a plate of brushcetta and hummus. The food was good and service friendly though I'm sure that one of the servers has seriopus pscosiopathic tendancies.
After dinner we caught a cab back into town to the Signature Lounge at the top of one of the tallest buildings in Chicago. Brilliant place. Even though we didn't have a seat with a view at first we got one eventually and anyhow, the view from the ladies' bathroom is the best in the place. Staring out into the lights from above I got to thinking about how beautiful and unbelievable we really are as a species. I also felt a little sad about it. And also a little confused. How was I on the 95th floor of anything??? I decided the meaning of life is the same as the meaning of sambuca... or that joke with the difference between a duck, right?
On the menu read:
Snacks 11$ Mini Cheeseburgers – Ketchup, Mustard, Pickle
Sunday, June 28, 2009
June 28, 2009 - Ann Arbor to Chicago
Notice* Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood or eggs may increase your risk of foodbourne illness.
We awoke at the Lamp Post Inn without any serious side effects of sleeping there, though in the middle of the night I did roll over and try to convince Fabri to do something about the heat. He was out cold from all the driving since just after dinner so no convincing happened at all. Returned the keys to the desk and stole a cup of coffee and a cup of orange juice for the car. Fabri turns to me and says 'Are you sure this isn't just Fanta that's gone flat?' He's spot-on about the taste. Where we come from orange juice is made from oranges and makes tyour face go all twisty and sour-like.
We drive to Ypsilanti to find a diner but when we get there it's closed so instead off to the Bomber restaurant which was a pleasant surprise. It's all decked out WWII bomber style and has planes and old ammunition hanging for the ceiling (Let's hope they're no longer live rounds, but you never know). The walls are covered in framed old photos and newspaper clippings and adverts for war bonds. Scrutinising the menu I decide to remain with what I know and do the 2 scrambled eggs and bacon but Fabri is feeling adventurous and goes for the 'Bomber Skillet'. The waitress asks if he would like a half or a full and to my surprise he risks and goes for the whole nine yards. It's 3pm as I write this and we haven't eaten since.
We stopped in Battle Creek at the Seventh-day Adventist Historical Villiage and saw the inventions of Dr. Kellogg (brother to Mr. Kellogg who's fortune was found in the bottom of a box of Corn Flakes). He came up with light therapy tables and massage chairs and electro-muscle stimulators... all beautifully crafted in wood and polished metal of course. We are talking the 1800's, what a time. Then Rohandinald (names may vary according to memory) showed us around a few of the buildings in the villiage. He offered to change into his traditional dress for the full effect but I'm glad he didn't cause people in costume really make me uncomfortable. I never know if they're being sincere. The town was cute. We saw a little house where slaves came to become free on the underground railway and a school house (really LOVED the desks and blackboard) and an old style log cabin. The guide was great cause he was in his 20's and seemed to really care about what he was talking about and didn't care at all we didn't know anything about his church. He is studying physio-therapy and his parents are Mexican. I'm glad we stopped... it's nice to see other realities of this world and that people are happy in them. Like I said, I'm glad he wasn't in the traditional costume or it would have all been different.
Traffic getting into Chicago but mostly due to waiting in line for the toll booth on the skyway. Once we get downtown it's all clear... in fact, very empty for a city, but then it's Sunday so maybe that has to do with it. We get to the hotel and ask the valet guy to watch the car as we check in and get the bags up to the room. It's clean and large enough to stretch out in.
Back at the car and we off to Hertz to return it. It turns out the stupid and very mean woman at the Hertz in Toronto didn't even give us the rental agreement papers when we picked up the car and that she's just full-on BAD at her job. The nice clerk at the desk here told us she couldn't close the contract at the moment but we wouldn't be charged extra and she'd send us a fax in the morning with the final reciept. Apparently Toronto lady messed EVERYTHING up on this one. I'm hoping all goes smooth and we don't have to complain too much about this in the end. Especially since yesterday we switched our second rental to Hertz as well.
We walked back to the hotel through the city and the park, stopping at some very fine sculptures. One of a chrome organic sphereish thingy and another water-wall sculpture where we watched kids (and also not so kids) having a really great time on the hot day that it is. The cutest little girl was not allowed to go play in the water no matter how many times she kicked off her sandles, poor thing.
At the hotel we got ready to go out but couldn't decide where and so hopped a cab into Wicker park. We wandered around a bit and then ate at a pub that had beers in buckets and baseball on the Tvs. Very Chicago style.
We got a cab back into town but messed up and head to Michigan Ave. south instead of north and then were too tired to walk the 16 blocks back up to the other locale. I was in new sandals too, so that didn't help my mood at all. Instead we stopped not far from the hotel at a bar/eatery and had another drink. I had a cider which I didn't like at all. It was awful. We decided to try the place on Michigan North tomorrow night. Walking back we had to avoid fist wielding nutters and drunken psychos. There are definately less crazy people in europe than here. Chicago is also odd in that everyone shows so much SKIN. I saw alot of upper thighs, cleavage, stomachs, buttocks and chests today. That's something I really didn't expect... not to mention all the spandex and lycra. It's an all you can eat buffet for the eyes you know you're going to regret come morning.
Yikes!
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
http://www.centralloophotel.com/
111 West Adams Street
Chicago, IL 60603
We awoke at the Lamp Post Inn without any serious side effects of sleeping there, though in the middle of the night I did roll over and try to convince Fabri to do something about the heat. He was out cold from all the driving since just after dinner so no convincing happened at all. Returned the keys to the desk and stole a cup of coffee and a cup of orange juice for the car. Fabri turns to me and says 'Are you sure this isn't just Fanta that's gone flat?' He's spot-on about the taste. Where we come from orange juice is made from oranges and makes tyour face go all twisty and sour-like.
We drive to Ypsilanti to find a diner but when we get there it's closed so instead off to the Bomber restaurant which was a pleasant surprise. It's all decked out WWII bomber style and has planes and old ammunition hanging for the ceiling (Let's hope they're no longer live rounds, but you never know). The walls are covered in framed old photos and newspaper clippings and adverts for war bonds. Scrutinising the menu I decide to remain with what I know and do the 2 scrambled eggs and bacon but Fabri is feeling adventurous and goes for the 'Bomber Skillet'. The waitress asks if he would like a half or a full and to my surprise he risks and goes for the whole nine yards. It's 3pm as I write this and we haven't eaten since.
We stopped in Battle Creek at the Seventh-day Adventist Historical Villiage and saw the inventions of Dr. Kellogg (brother to Mr. Kellogg who's fortune was found in the bottom of a box of Corn Flakes). He came up with light therapy tables and massage chairs and electro-muscle stimulators... all beautifully crafted in wood and polished metal of course. We are talking the 1800's, what a time. Then Rohandinald (names may vary according to memory) showed us around a few of the buildings in the villiage. He offered to change into his traditional dress for the full effect but I'm glad he didn't cause people in costume really make me uncomfortable. I never know if they're being sincere. The town was cute. We saw a little house where slaves came to become free on the underground railway and a school house (really LOVED the desks and blackboard) and an old style log cabin. The guide was great cause he was in his 20's and seemed to really care about what he was talking about and didn't care at all we didn't know anything about his church. He is studying physio-therapy and his parents are Mexican. I'm glad we stopped... it's nice to see other realities of this world and that people are happy in them. Like I said, I'm glad he wasn't in the traditional costume or it would have all been different.
Traffic getting into Chicago but mostly due to waiting in line for the toll booth on the skyway. Once we get downtown it's all clear... in fact, very empty for a city, but then it's Sunday so maybe that has to do with it. We get to the hotel and ask the valet guy to watch the car as we check in and get the bags up to the room. It's clean and large enough to stretch out in.
Back at the car and we off to Hertz to return it. It turns out the stupid and very mean woman at the Hertz in Toronto didn't even give us the rental agreement papers when we picked up the car and that she's just full-on BAD at her job. The nice clerk at the desk here told us she couldn't close the contract at the moment but we wouldn't be charged extra and she'd send us a fax in the morning with the final reciept. Apparently Toronto lady messed EVERYTHING up on this one. I'm hoping all goes smooth and we don't have to complain too much about this in the end. Especially since yesterday we switched our second rental to Hertz as well.
We walked back to the hotel through the city and the park, stopping at some very fine sculptures. One of a chrome organic sphereish thingy and another water-wall sculpture where we watched kids (and also not so kids) having a really great time on the hot day that it is. The cutest little girl was not allowed to go play in the water no matter how many times she kicked off her sandles, poor thing.
At the hotel we got ready to go out but couldn't decide where and so hopped a cab into Wicker park. We wandered around a bit and then ate at a pub that had beers in buckets and baseball on the Tvs. Very Chicago style.
We got a cab back into town but messed up and head to Michigan Ave. south instead of north and then were too tired to walk the 16 blocks back up to the other locale. I was in new sandals too, so that didn't help my mood at all. Instead we stopped not far from the hotel at a bar/eatery and had another drink. I had a cider which I didn't like at all. It was awful. We decided to try the place on Michigan North tomorrow night. Walking back we had to avoid fist wielding nutters and drunken psychos. There are definately less crazy people in europe than here. Chicago is also odd in that everyone shows so much SKIN. I saw alot of upper thighs, cleavage, stomachs, buttocks and chests today. That's something I really didn't expect... not to mention all the spandex and lycra. It's an all you can eat buffet for the eyes you know you're going to regret come morning.
Yikes!
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
250 mi – circa 3 ore 58 min
Restaurants:
http://www.citechicago.com/citechicagoentreesmenu.htm
--for the view and or cocktails--
M. Henry (Breakfast)
5707 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60660
Avec
615 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661-2203
Bandera Restaurant
535 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
Etheopian Diamond Restaurant
6120 North Broadway Street
Accomodation:
http://www.citechicago.com/citechicagoentreesmenu.htm
--for the view and or cocktails--
M. Henry (Breakfast)
5707 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60660
Avec
615 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661-2203
Bandera Restaurant
535 N Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60611
Etheopian Diamond Restaurant
6120 North Broadway Street
Accomodation:
http://www.centralloophotel.com/
111 West Adams Street
Chicago, IL 60603
The Central Loop Hotel is located in the heart of the historic Loop, Chicago’s business and cultural district. The hotel is just a few short blocks away from legendary sites such as the Sears Tower, Civic Opera House and the ‘Magnificent Mile.’
The state-of-the-art guest rooms range from single rooms to suites with kitchenettes. All of the rooms feature custom-designed furnishings, comfortable beds with down duvets and plush pillow top mattresses. In-room business amenities include complimentary internet access and work stations with ergonomic chairs.
The hotel’s 24 hour guest services/concierge desk is available to help find dining locations, theater tickets and to assist with sight-seeing arrangements and activities.
The state-of-the-art guest rooms range from single rooms to suites with kitchenettes. All of the rooms feature custom-designed furnishings, comfortable beds with down duvets and plush pillow top mattresses. In-room business amenities include complimentary internet access and work stations with ergonomic chairs.
The hotel’s 24 hour guest services/concierge desk is available to help find dining locations, theater tickets and to assist with sight-seeing arrangements and activities.
27 June, 2009 - Erie to Ann Arbor
Traffic Bad. Iced Mocha Makes You Feel Good
Up early today to get back ont he road and also explore Erie PA a little bit. We helped ourselves to coffee in the common room of the B&B and said goodbye to Chris, our host as we settled the bill. We got hugs at no extra charge. We decided to visit the Presque Isle State Park by car and got out to have a look at the beaches and the lighthouse. The sand was very very soft under my toes and the water warmer than I expected. As lake Erie is freshwater the sand fell right off even befoer I managed to get back to my shoes. I love lakes. We saw a young man helping a turtle cross the road. A highlight of the tour. I also saw a deer again. That's the third time in 4 days.
Big Brekkie at McDonald's just before the 11am cutoff. Fabri wanted to know how I knew about it and I explained that I'd been traumatised many a time in my yough hankering for the MickeyD's brekkie just after 11. We turned back to the counter at the end of the conversation to see that the board has already changed. There was a full-on American weirdo at McDonald's and I had forgotten that was their haunt. He was mumbling behind me that 'someone's asking to get their head kicked in in a minute'.I just gave him a bit of space. Then I saw on the other end of the people waiting was the random psycho for that end of the restaurant yelling at a lady saying 'I don't tolerate nobody standing behind me m'aam'. She quickly displaced herself (makes it hard to stand in line though). I swear, I think there's something in the water or the vaccinations here are doing more than the Canadian ones are. I think we're gboing to try to avoid McDonald's as much as possible from now on. Thinking about it that's probably good pèractice in any situation.
Stopped in Cleveland but not for long. We couldn't find quarters for the meter and weren't really all that motivated to explore the rocka nd roll hall of fame so we decided to head up o where the University is to see some of the museums around there, but when we got there we weren't feeling like going in there either. Instead we tried out a few gas stations which were very dodgy and didn't work, then we decided to try to find a bank to take out some money but it turns out all the banks are closed on Saturdays and they don't have cash machines on the outside. At the second attempt we decided it was time to get out of Cleveland and head someplace a bit more our style.
We stopped in Avon at a county yard sale to see what they had and decided that come retirement it would make sense to ship junk from the states to Europe. A Rosebud style sled sold for 10 dollars here could claim at least 200 Euros in Milan. How much could a shipping container cost? People must make a fortune int he import export market. People only want what they don't already have and can never see what they do. This applies to all things, not just the material. I'm also guilty. I bought another paperdoll.
I doze in and out of the leg to Ann Arbor and accidentally cause a detour when I do awake and distract Fabri with my harmonica practice. Yesterday I learnt to play Silent Night by ear and it's the first time I've ever figured out ANYTHING on an instrument all by myself so I'm completely psyched.
We arrive to the dodgy motel around 5:30pm and I struggle to remember why I chose it out of all the options. It is neither convieniently located or nice in any way possible. I decide my choice must have been strategic to offset the cost of hotels further along the trip. We quickly change shirts and head to the downtown area.
We walk up and down main street scrutinising the restaurants before stopping at the Ann Arbor Brewing Company for a pint. I have a strongbow from the bottle and Fabri has a home brew off their menu. I paint an innacurate depiction of the place and Fabri deletes some of the photos he was unsuccesful taking while driving. I notice all the studently folk being young, free and completely clueless. I concur.
After the cider, which always puts me in a good mood, we head back off on the restaunt hunt and settle upon a seafood place, of all things. I ahve clam chowder and swordfish with pineapples and Fabri has a Filet Mignon. We finish a bottle of Californian Pinot Grigio and call it a night. We're both tired and it's best not to have another discussion about hw stupid tipping might be in North America. I see it all as part of the journey. I remember the guys trying to steal our bags in India for a tip.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
Accomodation:
Up early today to get back ont he road and also explore Erie PA a little bit. We helped ourselves to coffee in the common room of the B&B and said goodbye to Chris, our host as we settled the bill. We got hugs at no extra charge. We decided to visit the Presque Isle State Park by car and got out to have a look at the beaches and the lighthouse. The sand was very very soft under my toes and the water warmer than I expected. As lake Erie is freshwater the sand fell right off even befoer I managed to get back to my shoes. I love lakes. We saw a young man helping a turtle cross the road. A highlight of the tour. I also saw a deer again. That's the third time in 4 days.
Big Brekkie at McDonald's just before the 11am cutoff. Fabri wanted to know how I knew about it and I explained that I'd been traumatised many a time in my yough hankering for the MickeyD's brekkie just after 11. We turned back to the counter at the end of the conversation to see that the board has already changed. There was a full-on American weirdo at McDonald's and I had forgotten that was their haunt. He was mumbling behind me that 'someone's asking to get their head kicked in in a minute'.I just gave him a bit of space. Then I saw on the other end of the people waiting was the random psycho for that end of the restaurant yelling at a lady saying 'I don't tolerate nobody standing behind me m'aam'. She quickly displaced herself (makes it hard to stand in line though). I swear, I think there's something in the water or the vaccinations here are doing more than the Canadian ones are. I think we're gboing to try to avoid McDonald's as much as possible from now on. Thinking about it that's probably good pèractice in any situation.
Stopped in Cleveland but not for long. We couldn't find quarters for the meter and weren't really all that motivated to explore the rocka nd roll hall of fame so we decided to head up o where the University is to see some of the museums around there, but when we got there we weren't feeling like going in there either. Instead we tried out a few gas stations which were very dodgy and didn't work, then we decided to try to find a bank to take out some money but it turns out all the banks are closed on Saturdays and they don't have cash machines on the outside. At the second attempt we decided it was time to get out of Cleveland and head someplace a bit more our style.
We stopped in Avon at a county yard sale to see what they had and decided that come retirement it would make sense to ship junk from the states to Europe. A Rosebud style sled sold for 10 dollars here could claim at least 200 Euros in Milan. How much could a shipping container cost? People must make a fortune int he import export market. People only want what they don't already have and can never see what they do. This applies to all things, not just the material. I'm also guilty. I bought another paperdoll.
I doze in and out of the leg to Ann Arbor and accidentally cause a detour when I do awake and distract Fabri with my harmonica practice. Yesterday I learnt to play Silent Night by ear and it's the first time I've ever figured out ANYTHING on an instrument all by myself so I'm completely psyched.
We arrive to the dodgy motel around 5:30pm and I struggle to remember why I chose it out of all the options. It is neither convieniently located or nice in any way possible. I decide my choice must have been strategic to offset the cost of hotels further along the trip. We quickly change shirts and head to the downtown area.
We walk up and down main street scrutinising the restaurants before stopping at the Ann Arbor Brewing Company for a pint. I have a strongbow from the bottle and Fabri has a home brew off their menu. I paint an innacurate depiction of the place and Fabri deletes some of the photos he was unsuccesful taking while driving. I notice all the studently folk being young, free and completely clueless. I concur.
After the cider, which always puts me in a good mood, we head back off on the restaunt hunt and settle upon a seafood place, of all things. I ahve clam chowder and swordfish with pineapples and Fabri has a Filet Mignon. We finish a bottle of Californian Pinot Grigio and call it a night. We're both tired and it's best not to have another discussion about hw stupid tipping might be in North America. I see it all as part of the journey. I remember the guys trying to steal our bags in India for a tip.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
312 mi – circa 5 ore 23 min
Accomodation:
http://www.lamppostinn.com/ann-arbor-breakfast-bed.html
2424 E.Stadium Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI 48104
2424 E.Stadium Blvd. Ann Arbor, MI 48104
In the heart of downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, and only moments away from the University of Michigan campus, this hotel offers comfortable accommodations in a centralized and convenient location.
The Lamp Post Inn is ideally situated close to many of the city's most popular attractions. A variety of sports venues, the university's renowned medical centers, shopping districts and restaurants are located only a short distance from the hotel.
Guests at the Lamp Post can start their morning with a complimentary continental breakfast or check their email with the hotel's free wireless internet access.
The Lamp Post Inn is ideally situated close to many of the city's most popular attractions. A variety of sports venues, the university's renowned medical centers, shopping districts and restaurants are located only a short distance from the hotel.
Guests at the Lamp Post can start their morning with a complimentary continental breakfast or check their email with the hotel's free wireless internet access.
Wireless internet is available in the entire hotel and is free of charge. Free public parking is possible on site.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
June 26, 2009 - Toronto to Erie
Got a ride downtown to Union station to pick up the rental car after a great bagel and lox brekkie at Esther & Mel's. They loaded us up with paper maps, advice and guidebooks. The woman at the rental desk was an absolute useless witch and it didn't give us a great impression of the Hertz rental car company at all. In fact the new estimated cost is already 200 dollars more expensive than the last one... not impressive at all.
On the road to Niagara on the lake listening to a bit of Jazz and absorbing the high sky. I think NA and Australia have competitive sky heights, and it must have to do with the sheer mass of land creating the cloud formations. In Europe the sky'd much closer to the ground somehow, more present, and don't even get me started on the UK. In London you know you're short if you can't reach up and have your fingers wiggling around in the grey clouded ceiling. Oppressive.
Arriving at Niagra on the Lake we have a moment of crisis as we realise the rental company has charged us 200 dollars too much, this on top of the 200 extra dollars on the quote. We've now officially doubled the cost of the trip! And only on the first day driving! We rush back and forth to the parking lot and finally off to a payphone for clarification. The only thing really clarified however is that Hertz is a very bad company to rent a car from. More to follow on this topic... maybe they'll read this blog, feel bad and give us a discount... or at least their orignal quote.
Niagara on the Lake is quaint and pretty. The one main street has a whole load of pretty little cafes and shops, but we don't stay long and instead still our undying hunger in a little restaurant which doesn't take credit cards, but does serve vinegar with its frenc fries. Fabri had a bean soup. 'It's just like baked beans but less sweet.' the waitress explains.
Back int he car we onward onto Niagara falls and park the car in a median as soon as we can see them. No sooner have we crossed the road and focus our cameras as I shout to Fabri that I can see the parking attendant poised to ticket us. We rush back across the road only to find that it's simply a man with conspicuous behavior who happens to be wearing a day-glow fluorescent orange shirt.
We move the car and refuse to pay 18 dollars for parking before finding a place where we can pay 5 (hint... it's up near the IMAX theatre) for the whole day. We explore both the falls and get many a photo. We also get sprayed by the mist up there at the top and I am soaked through the back of my jeans and top before we decide to head back to the car and on with the journey.
We're stopped crossing the border and the quite unfriendly and indecipherable officer asks us to go intot he immigration building. He threatens us something about an I-85, some white paper Fabri should have. I can tell he's bluffing and the only concern the officer inside the building has is the 6 dollars we owe him for the processing of the visa and the fact that we didn't give himt he opportunity to practice his Italian. Poor guy.
We get into Buffalo in time for wings at the Anchor bar but first stop on a bridge to watch the goings-on in a little river. We watch some boys jump into the water from an old decrepit bridge int he centre. The wings were the best I've ever had. I still have some in the trunk of the car. That's proabably not a good idea.
From Buffalo (no touring, just wings) we drove straight onto Erie to the lovely little B&B we booked. It's calm and relaxing to finally be able to put our feet up. There's lots to think about tomorrow and the plans we need to choose to have another great day. Another treat on the road today was the sunset... all apricot, cottoncandy and lilac for a good 45 minutes.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
http://www.georgecarrollhouse.com/index.html
401 Peach Street, Erie, PA 16507
Sara's (Ice Cream) - 25 Peninsula Dr, Erie, PA 16505-2003
Oakwood Cafe / McGarrey's (Breakfast) - 38th street, Erie, PA
On the road to Niagara on the lake listening to a bit of Jazz and absorbing the high sky. I think NA and Australia have competitive sky heights, and it must have to do with the sheer mass of land creating the cloud formations. In Europe the sky'd much closer to the ground somehow, more present, and don't even get me started on the UK. In London you know you're short if you can't reach up and have your fingers wiggling around in the grey clouded ceiling. Oppressive.
Arriving at Niagra on the Lake we have a moment of crisis as we realise the rental company has charged us 200 dollars too much, this on top of the 200 extra dollars on the quote. We've now officially doubled the cost of the trip! And only on the first day driving! We rush back and forth to the parking lot and finally off to a payphone for clarification. The only thing really clarified however is that Hertz is a very bad company to rent a car from. More to follow on this topic... maybe they'll read this blog, feel bad and give us a discount... or at least their orignal quote.
Niagara on the Lake is quaint and pretty. The one main street has a whole load of pretty little cafes and shops, but we don't stay long and instead still our undying hunger in a little restaurant which doesn't take credit cards, but does serve vinegar with its frenc fries. Fabri had a bean soup. 'It's just like baked beans but less sweet.' the waitress explains.
Back int he car we onward onto Niagara falls and park the car in a median as soon as we can see them. No sooner have we crossed the road and focus our cameras as I shout to Fabri that I can see the parking attendant poised to ticket us. We rush back across the road only to find that it's simply a man with conspicuous behavior who happens to be wearing a day-glow fluorescent orange shirt.
We move the car and refuse to pay 18 dollars for parking before finding a place where we can pay 5 (hint... it's up near the IMAX theatre) for the whole day. We explore both the falls and get many a photo. We also get sprayed by the mist up there at the top and I am soaked through the back of my jeans and top before we decide to head back to the car and on with the journey.
We're stopped crossing the border and the quite unfriendly and indecipherable officer asks us to go intot he immigration building. He threatens us something about an I-85, some white paper Fabri should have. I can tell he's bluffing and the only concern the officer inside the building has is the 6 dollars we owe him for the processing of the visa and the fact that we didn't give himt he opportunity to practice his Italian. Poor guy.
We get into Buffalo in time for wings at the Anchor bar but first stop on a bridge to watch the goings-on in a little river. We watch some boys jump into the water from an old decrepit bridge int he centre. The wings were the best I've ever had. I still have some in the trunk of the car. That's proabably not a good idea.
From Buffalo (no touring, just wings) we drove straight onto Erie to the lovely little B&B we booked. It's calm and relaxing to finally be able to put our feet up. There's lots to think about tomorrow and the plans we need to choose to have another great day. Another treat on the road today was the sunset... all apricot, cottoncandy and lilac for a good 45 minutes.
Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa
323 km – circa 3 ore 45 min
________________________________________________
ACCOMODATION:
________________________________________________
ACCOMODATION:
http://www.georgecarrollhouse.com/index.html401 Peach Street, Erie, PA 16507
Sara's (Ice Cream) - 25 Peninsula Dr, Erie, PA 16505-2003
Oakwood Cafe / McGarrey's (Breakfast) - 38th street, Erie, PA
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