I haven't traveled in forever. And I've been reading a lot of friends' blogs about their vacations, and yes, I'm mad jealous.
But every so often, I take time out and just plan my future trips. And it's great to just plan:
- March 2008 - Vegas. Ahhh, Vegas in March can only mean one thing. And really, there's nothing like sitting, or more likely standing, in the Sports Book at Caesar's while 12+ hours of basketball flash before your eyes. And you have action on every game. Truly, March Madness.
- April 2008 - San Antonio, Texas. Talk about acting on faith. That's right. I've booked a flight at the site of this season's Final Four. My first trip to Texas. I couldn't be more thrilled.
- May 2008 - Philippines/Thailand. The big one. Original plan is to spend at least a week and a half with family in the PI, and spend a week in Thailand hanging out with family and friends. Philippines is confirmed, Thailand is iffy. This could be very well be my first solo vacation. The thought terrifies yet excites me at the same time.
And I'd like to take some side trips in between. I'm thinking Bay Area, East Coast, all over...
And it's great to plan long-term as well. To dream:
- 2009 - Back To Europe. I really want to spend a good three weeks there, in Spain, Portugal and Italy. And yet, there's so much left to see!
- 2010 - South Africa. World Cup. It'll be insane. And if I'm going to Africa, this is my shot to do it.
- 2011 - Wow, who knows? I kind of want to go somewhere random. Not too random like Antarctica (now THERE'S a thought!) but I'm thinking some place that's just crazy. Like India. Or Detroit.
And the next thing I know, it's 2012 and I'm thinking about going to London for the Olympics. Meanwhile, there are places in the US I've never been. Places in CALIFORNIA I've never been. Heck, there are places on the Westside that I've never even touched, and I've lived here for eight years.
And while I've laid out plans, I have no idea what's going to happen over the next three to four years. But it's still a joy to just plan, and dream away.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
L.A. Adventures: The County Fair
I had been looking forward to this day for weeks.
I like to read food blogs that display oddly interesting and slightly grotesque foods. More often than not, these foods are deep fried. Also, they're available at county fairs. And this past Sunday, several friends and I made the trek to Pomona(!) to the L.A. County Fair.
I used to go to the Del Mar Fair when I was growing up (it's called the San Diego County Fair nowadays, and that's just weird). But as a kid I was more concerned about the carnival games and the rides. Today, it was all about getting the grub.
And did I get the grub today.
This was the first sign to catch my eye coming into the fairgrounds.
Corn Dogs are pretty much required fare here (PUN). And these dogs are huge. HUGE. And for $7, they better be.
Quick note; From the time we entered the parking lot to the time this picture was taken, about 10 hours elapsed, give or take 2 or 3 or 8.5. My point is, if you plan on going anytime soon, give yourself plenty of time. Anyway, back to the food...
So you know that picture of the deep fried rattlesnake bites that I posted a while back? Well, we saw them at the fair but, they are not cheap. I saw a dish for $11, my friend Susan saw one for $14, and I'm sorry, unless these snakes are covered in bacon, I'm gonna pass.
However, I did not pass on this:
This is the Deep Fried Snickers Bar. According to my friend Peter, this was the craziest thing he had at the fair. The first bite is gooey.
And then you see the insides and...well, that pretty much sums it up. It tastes as it looks.
Next item up was Cheesecake On A Stick:
There really is no subtlety with fare foods. This really is a cheesecake on a stick. Cheesecake dipped in chocolate, topped with almonds, on a stick. It was awesome, but at this point I reached the moment where I "hit the wall".
And then we reached this booth:
Look at this menu. LOOK AT IT!! I spent a good 5 minutes staring at this. I was shocked. I couldn't decide what I wanted. Thankfully, I went with five other people, so...we tried most of the items here, such as:
Deep Fried Avocados. Not bad. There are some Deep Fried Tomatoes too, but..sorry, I'm still not eating them. Even if they are deep fried.
Deep Fried Coke. I tried a little, it too was not bad. Peter liked this. It's an interesting taste. By the way, I washed this down with Coke. Not weird at all.
Deep Fried Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey Sandwich. Word has it that Elvis Presley ate these every day. And now he's dead. I had about 3 bites of this and then I gave up.
Deep Fried Twinkie. OK, after eating so many fried goodness, everything started to taste the same. I really couldn't taste this. It did nothing for me. It couldn't have been that bad, right?
And this is ultimately where I said no more. We all wandered the various exhibits, spending a lot of time around the farm animals. Some of the pigs on display were enormous, and all I could think of was, "mmm, bacon."
Oh, and some of the foods I passed by on our way out were Deep Fried Cupcakes and Chocolate Dog On A Stick. Sometimes I wish that I was a cow. That way, I'd have four stomachs. That way, I could probably eat a little more than what I did today at the fair.
I recommend the fair to anyone with an adventurous appetite, or if you're looking for an alternative to the major theme parks in Southern California. But be warned, there are massive amounts of people, you'll end up paying out the ear for your meals, and several areas of the grounds smell like total ass.
But you'll never forget your time at the L.A. County Fair.
I like to read food blogs that display oddly interesting and slightly grotesque foods. More often than not, these foods are deep fried. Also, they're available at county fairs. And this past Sunday, several friends and I made the trek to Pomona(!) to the L.A. County Fair.
I used to go to the Del Mar Fair when I was growing up (it's called the San Diego County Fair nowadays, and that's just weird). But as a kid I was more concerned about the carnival games and the rides. Today, it was all about getting the grub.
And did I get the grub today.
This was the first sign to catch my eye coming into the fairgrounds.
Corn Dogs are pretty much required fare here (PUN). And these dogs are huge. HUGE. And for $7, they better be.
Quick note; From the time we entered the parking lot to the time this picture was taken, about 10 hours elapsed, give or take 2 or 3 or 8.5. My point is, if you plan on going anytime soon, give yourself plenty of time. Anyway, back to the food...
So you know that picture of the deep fried rattlesnake bites that I posted a while back? Well, we saw them at the fair but, they are not cheap. I saw a dish for $11, my friend Susan saw one for $14, and I'm sorry, unless these snakes are covered in bacon, I'm gonna pass.
However, I did not pass on this:
This is the Deep Fried Snickers Bar. According to my friend Peter, this was the craziest thing he had at the fair. The first bite is gooey.
And then you see the insides and...well, that pretty much sums it up. It tastes as it looks.
Next item up was Cheesecake On A Stick:
There really is no subtlety with fare foods. This really is a cheesecake on a stick. Cheesecake dipped in chocolate, topped with almonds, on a stick. It was awesome, but at this point I reached the moment where I "hit the wall".
And then we reached this booth:
Look at this menu. LOOK AT IT!! I spent a good 5 minutes staring at this. I was shocked. I couldn't decide what I wanted. Thankfully, I went with five other people, so...we tried most of the items here, such as:
Deep Fried Avocados. Not bad. There are some Deep Fried Tomatoes too, but..sorry, I'm still not eating them. Even if they are deep fried.
Deep Fried Coke. I tried a little, it too was not bad. Peter liked this. It's an interesting taste. By the way, I washed this down with Coke. Not weird at all.
Deep Fried Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey Sandwich. Word has it that Elvis Presley ate these every day. And now he's dead. I had about 3 bites of this and then I gave up.
Deep Fried Twinkie. OK, after eating so many fried goodness, everything started to taste the same. I really couldn't taste this. It did nothing for me. It couldn't have been that bad, right?
And this is ultimately where I said no more. We all wandered the various exhibits, spending a lot of time around the farm animals. Some of the pigs on display were enormous, and all I could think of was, "mmm, bacon."
Oh, and some of the foods I passed by on our way out were Deep Fried Cupcakes and Chocolate Dog On A Stick. Sometimes I wish that I was a cow. That way, I'd have four stomachs. That way, I could probably eat a little more than what I did today at the fair.
I recommend the fair to anyone with an adventurous appetite, or if you're looking for an alternative to the major theme parks in Southern California. But be warned, there are massive amounts of people, you'll end up paying out the ear for your meals, and several areas of the grounds smell like total ass.
But you'll never forget your time at the L.A. County Fair.
Monday, September 10, 2007
L.A. Adventures: Air Conditioned Supper Club
(When I'm not traveling, I like to explore my own backyard. I don't do enough of it. Los Angeles has so much to offer. So I thought I'd post some entries detailing some of the scenes that make up this city. Enjoy.)
Most go to clubs to have fun, hook up, or get drunk. I just want to find a comfortable place to sit and people-watch. I love people watching. However, there's a fine line between people watching and eerily staring.
The club scene in L.A. is fantastic for people-watching. However, you need to be in the right frame of mind. As in, you're not there to hook up. Now if you go to drink with your buddies and clown everyone on the dance floor, that that's what I consider a fun time. Which is what I had at The Air Conditioned Supper Club in Venice.
I saw quite a few guys dancing by themselves. I've seen this before at other clubs, and I've never understood why guys do this, but then again, I don't go to clubs often, so maybe this IS a common thing. Whatever. It's weird. I also saw a bunch of guys dancing together. Well, they weren't exactly together, but in a loose circle. I didn't find it weird it all.
Other characters of note were the dude trying really hard to impress his girl with his dancing, the asian woman with absolutely no rhythm, and some guy dressed like Waldo. We found him.
And all the while, I sat on my comfy sofa, knocking back Heineken after Heineken, cracking jokes with old and new friends, and getting up a total of three times to use the can. I regret nothing. While making fun of club-goers might seem a little harsh, I did envy them a little. At least they're putting themselves on the line. At least they're in the game, while I'm content watching from the cheap seats.
I could learn a thing or two from them.
Or I could just keep sitting on the comfy sofa...
Most go to clubs to have fun, hook up, or get drunk. I just want to find a comfortable place to sit and people-watch. I love people watching. However, there's a fine line between people watching and eerily staring.
The club scene in L.A. is fantastic for people-watching. However, you need to be in the right frame of mind. As in, you're not there to hook up. Now if you go to drink with your buddies and clown everyone on the dance floor, that that's what I consider a fun time. Which is what I had at The Air Conditioned Supper Club in Venice.
I saw quite a few guys dancing by themselves. I've seen this before at other clubs, and I've never understood why guys do this, but then again, I don't go to clubs often, so maybe this IS a common thing. Whatever. It's weird. I also saw a bunch of guys dancing together. Well, they weren't exactly together, but in a loose circle. I didn't find it weird it all.
Other characters of note were the dude trying really hard to impress his girl with his dancing, the asian woman with absolutely no rhythm, and some guy dressed like Waldo. We found him.
And all the while, I sat on my comfy sofa, knocking back Heineken after Heineken, cracking jokes with old and new friends, and getting up a total of three times to use the can. I regret nothing. While making fun of club-goers might seem a little harsh, I did envy them a little. At least they're putting themselves on the line. At least they're in the game, while I'm content watching from the cheap seats.
I could learn a thing or two from them.
Or I could just keep sitting on the comfy sofa...
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Undiscovered
From: Gadling.
10 Undiscovered Locations.
I LOVE reading stuff like this. The list has places all over. Several from Europe, a couple in Asia, even one in the US.
Where the heck is Escatada??
Now I have MORE places to add to my list of places to explore. Sweet.
10 Undiscovered Locations.
I LOVE reading stuff like this. The list has places all over. Several from Europe, a couple in Asia, even one in the US.
Where the heck is Escatada??
Now I have MORE places to add to my list of places to explore. Sweet.
Monday, August 27, 2007
A Family Affair (A Weekend in Vegas)
My brother and I are sitting on the top floor of Margaritaville. It's Saturday night, right when the clubs up and down The Strip start to open up and let the hedonism in. We can see Pure right across from us. The Strip is alive.
We down cup after cup of semi-watered down brew called Land Shark. Around us, clusters of people chatter in raised voices to rise above some Jimmy Buffet wannabe blaring through the loudspeakers.
Everyone's in high spirits. A randy bunch of dudes and semi-hot chicks at the table across from us are especially high. Or drunk. Most likely drunk. They drink from the weirdest looking alcohol-containing contraption I've ever seen, probably built for the sole purpose of producing embarrassing pictures that'll show up on the Internet. Two of the chicks are seated on one guy whom my brother dubs Stifler. He had me going. I really thought that was him. Another girl is seated on another dude's lap. They make out for five minutes straight. The waitress as she gives us the bill notices the two of us staring at the couple is disbelief. "Apparently, they just met," She snorts.
Ahhh, Vegas.
I go to Las Vegas twice a year; Once in the Spring to partake in the glory of March Madness, and once in the fall to immerse myself in football, college and pro. This time however, the brother was graduating UNLV, so Mom and I made the drive through the unforgiving Mojave Desert. Here's a tip, unless you absolutely need to, don't go in August. Unless you plan on spending your time buck naked, which I'm absolutely positive some people do. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
But ANYWAY, this trip was a family affair, so no wild and crazy partying this time around. However, Vegas with Mom is not as dull as you might think. While thinking of things to check out in LV, I jokingly suggested Thunder From Down Under. "What is that, a play?" She asks me. If only.
I admit, the options of things to do in Las Vegas with your mother are slim. But when you're talking about MY mom, there are three; Gamble, eat and gamble. Fortunately, I enjoy all three, so I didn't have a problem finding things to do.
However we did find some time out of our busy schedule to check out the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. If you're not into gambling, or if you have kids in tow, I would definitely recommend checking out the Reef. They have a lot more than sharks, they have stingrays, jellyfish, barracudas, and so much more. The kids will go nuts.
This is the Lionfish. Why it's called the Lionfish...I'm not sure. I guess I'm not too good in aquariums either.
And that's the extent of what my family and I did in Vegas. I could tell you about the slot machines that robbed me senseless with their cute cartoon characters and Star Wars motifs, or the travails of playing craps with surly old men, but that's not that interesting. Not compared to walking down the Miracle Mile Shops and having mom attempt to pronounce the name of this boutique:
"Fa-CUCK!!"
Yes, mom.
Ahhh, Vegas.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Hotter Than Hades
The forecast for Vegas this weekend:
I just have to change my plans. Instead of doing a tour of off-strip Vegas, I just might tour all the Resort Swimming Pools.
By the way, there are European-style swimming pools on the Strip now.
Now there's a thought.
- Thursday: Sunny. Highs 104 to 108F and lows in the low 80s.
- Friday: Mainly sunny. Highs 105 to 109F and lows in the low 80s.
I just have to change my plans. Instead of doing a tour of off-strip Vegas, I just might tour all the Resort Swimming Pools.
By the way, there are European-style swimming pools on the Strip now.
Now there's a thought.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Prayers For Peru
"Thank God we were there a month ago."
That was my first thought when I heard the news that a monstrous earthquake hit Peru, just miles away from Lima. The place that I came to love so dearly, now in a state of distress. I admit, I felt relief.
In the case of most worldly disasters, I would think, "Oh, that's a shame.", then move on with my daily life. However here and now, I feel strained within.
Having walked the streets of Lima and Cusco, laughed with their residents, and having felt like a guest being lavishly cared for by his hosts, my heart goes out to those affected by the quake.
My prayers and thoughts are with you, Peru. May you stand on your feet once again.
That was my first thought when I heard the news that a monstrous earthquake hit Peru, just miles away from Lima. The place that I came to love so dearly, now in a state of distress. I admit, I felt relief.
In the case of most worldly disasters, I would think, "Oh, that's a shame.", then move on with my daily life. However here and now, I feel strained within.
Having walked the streets of Lima and Cusco, laughed with their residents, and having felt like a guest being lavishly cared for by his hosts, my heart goes out to those affected by the quake.
My prayers and thoughts are with you, Peru. May you stand on your feet once again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
