California Trip, Part 1

A couple of weeks ago I visited California with Matt and some friends/family. We also visited 1600 miles of I-80 along the way. Holy. Hell. Four of the five people I went out there with are in a show that was touring California, thus the reason for the trip. And thus the reason for driving.

Have I ever mentioned that I get car sick? Because I do. Right around hour 16 I thought I was going to lose my mind. I didn't take friends' advice and get a motion sick arm band thingy before we left. It turned out to be a big mistake. Driving through the mountains was incredible though, despite the head spinning and gut churning. It is so very beautiful. The complete opposite of what I see on a daily basis at home in Nebraska.

Our first stop in California was San Francisco. We did a lot of the usual stuff. We ate at Taqueria La Cumbre, home of the Mission style burrito. I gorged myself on seafood. I drank so much coffee I returned home with my caffeine addiction at Threat Level: Orange.

We visited Haight-Ashbury, which was a less than wise decision. There are some really great stores in that neighborhood. I found an awesome t-shirt boutique, Loyal Army, where I bought several things. I also had my husband buy me a ridiculously overpriced belated Christmas present. Everybody, I'd like to introduce you to my Orla Kiely purse. Orla Kiely purse, this is everybody.



It rained a lot which sort of sucked. Considering it was -27° in Omaha the week before we left, a little rain was tolerable.





We also decided to go out to Alcatraz. So, after two days in a car, then two days of driving around a freakin hilly city in the back of a Tahoe, I got on a boat. I have never in my life put so much effort into not puking. I was looking at some pictures I took from the ferry and just thinking about it again made me nauseous.

But it was pretty once we got there.



And creepy.



I'll continue the post tomorrow... Too much bloggy for one day.

Chicago - Day Two

The next morning we filled our guts with Dunkin Donuts blueberry coffee and checked out of the hotel. How awesome is it that it cost $89 for the room and $22 for parking? We didn't really have anywhere to go or anything to do, so we drove downtown and just walked around for a while.

We walked to the Navy Pier...





Where I had my picture taken standing on yet another pier.



What is it about standing on a dock overlooking a body of water that is so interesting to those of us that are land locked? Seriously, here's pretty much the exact same picture of me in San Francisco at Pier 39:



Navy Pier is boring so we left and thought we'd go up to the new sky deck at the Sears Tower but we chickened out after viewing the building from the ground.



So, we went and got Portillo's instead.



I have to pause for a minute and explain what Portillo's means to my family. My mom's family lives outside Chicago and from the earliest memories I have of visiting them, I remember eating Portillo's. After stopping at my aunt and uncle's house, it was always the second place we would go when we got to Bolingbrook. Then after the invention of cell phones, it became the first. We'd pull onto Boughton Road, call and get everyone's order, and pick it up on the way to their house. Portillo's hotdogs and Italian beefs are two of the most delicious things in the world. Bar none.

After eating we were ready to go home. Leaving Chicago is a pain in the ass though. It took about 90 minutes longer to get home than it did to get there. But we got to check out the Iowa sunset on the way home so that was sort of okay.

Random.

Matt and I impulse-booked a trip to Chicago today. Or rather, I impulse-booked and he gave his approval with a text message that simply said, "K." I was searching around looking for a good concert to go see for our anniversary and I found Brendan Benson in Chicago, playing at some bar for $15. Pardon me? $15?

I'll take two.

Then I found a ridiculously cheap hotel within walking distance of the show, so I snatched that up too. It's been a while since I've been to Chicago so I'm looking forward to it. I'm also equally excited to stop in Amana on the way home and buy cheese, jelly and blackberry wine. Bless those dear European settlers and their quaint tourist attractions.

I also found this today and it made me laugh.



I used to live with a guy who looks exactly like Ringo. Sometimes he would wear a hat and ride his bike and then he would really look like Ringo. One night when we were all drunk, he got his bike and hat out to make us laugh and probably impress a girl. He rode down the hill in our front yard and ran straight into a parked car, flipping over the hood and landing in the street. He dented the hell out of the neighbor's car. It was one of the top five funniest things I've ever seen.

Vacation!

Here's a quick recap of our quick vacation. We went down to Clearwater, Florida (in the Tampa Bay area) for a few days. Matt grew up there. Or at least he "grew up" there as much as a military kid can.

It was nice. Hot, but nice.



For lunch one day we went to a burger place called Five Guys. It was ridiculously good. Everyone should find one close to them and go try it out. They have buckets of peanuts all over the restaurant for customers to snack on. Apparently word got out about the nuts because this guy was hanging out outside the front door.



Even though the year round humidity and subsequent sweating suck, the gardens are fantastic down there. The family we stayed with grows fruits and veggies in Earth Boxes. The plants were just exploding everywhere. In Nebraska, you plant for veggies in May, they fruit in July, and then by October they're dead. It's early May and look what they had out of their garden already:









It's funny because I ended up with about ten pictures of the beach and then twenty pictures of vegetables and thirty pictures of their dogs.

We really didn't do a whole lot other than drink beer, hang out with friends, drink beer, see a Kings Of Leon show, and try to avoid sunburning. We succeeded in all areas.

O Bikini! My Bikini!

In six weeks we leave for Florida! That means in six weeks I will be face to face with beaches and swimming pools. I will be squeezing my pale and untoned butt into a piece of glorified underwear, and then be seen in public. I don't know what the hang-up is with my behind, but the thought of it being seen outside of my pants by people who are not either married to me or a medical professional freaks me out.

Terrifying.

The paleness I can do little about. I sunburn like a crazy person, then it turns back to white without stopping at the pretty bronze phase in the middle. Short of a spray tan, I'm stuck with it. I fake baked for a month a few years ago in preparation for a trip to San Diego and the results were disappointing to say the least. I would have had just as much luck getting a tan from sitting in front of a 60 watt bulb for eight minutes a day, as I did laying in that stupid tanning bed. Yes, eight minutes. That's what I managed to work my way up to. My belly burned every time I went. The rest of my body did see negligible signs of a tan - but I'm pretty sure that was from the bronze tinted post-tanning lotion rather than the actual tanning process. When all was said and done I was "tan" by my standards, but still "ghostly" by normal standards. Not what I was expecting out of $100.

The squishiness of my lower body however, I'm hoping to overcome. I have six weeks to run and do Wii yoga. And in six weeks when I still haven't done either of those things, I will admit defeat against my butt and pack the extra bikini bottoms with the cute little skirt on it that hides my shame from the world.

Know where I wish I was right now?

Anywhere but the office.

How about on vacation?

During the winter months it's always nice to visit somewhere that's warmer than the place you just left. Last winter we went to San Francisco. (Then again on our honeymoon.)






The year before that we went to Memphis and New Orleans. We drove! It was snowing when we left Omaha but by the time we got down to NOLA, Matt and I were wearing shorts and t-shirts.



Anyone else notice that Matt and I are standing in the same positions in both pictures?





Technically those two trips weren't "vacations." At least they weren't for Matt. He had to go to those places for work. Poor baby. I tagged along to get a break from winter and work. This year though, he's going to South Bend, Indiana. Not exactly warm and sunny I wouldn't think. Maybe I'll sit this winter trip out...

Vegas Part II - In Which I Gush

So, back to the LOVE show...

I don't know if I can adequately describe what the show meant to me, but I am going to try. In my house and family, John, Paul, George and Ringo are not people who happened to be in a band. The music that The Beatles brought into the world is a treasure that changed everything permanently. The planet is a better place for them being in it. They are the sum of everything we believe in and a way of life. I'm very serious here. Matt and I are essentially flower children. We try to be the peace keepers, neutral ground in things. We try to keep good karma and do right by the universe. We aren't religious but we believe in the collective spirit of the world and loving your neighbor. We love our friends and family dearly and we don't take them for granted. We enjoy art and creation and seeing the beauty in things. It's not easy to hold true to your ideals on a daily basis but we really try. You can almost smell the patchouli, can't you? I'm just trying to fill you in on us so you can appreciate why we loved this show so much.

LOVE is the closest that anyone will ever come to seeing the Beatles live again and let me tell you... It's damn close. It's more than a concert or a Cirque du Soleil show, it is the music of the Beatles come to life. It moves and breathes. It felt like they were in the room with us, telling us the story of their lives and music. It was so overwhelming, both sensory and emotionally that I cried for nearly half of the show. I was simply stunned. My jaw was on the floor and I had tears in my eyes. The imagery and costumes are so well thought out, nothing is arbitrary. Everything serves a definite purpose and is beautiful beyond belief. There are times when the performers are gone and the only thing on stage are silhouettes of The Beatles, and those moments are haunting. It ceases to be a show and it feels real.

We ended up extending our trip and seeing the show twice. We couldn't not see it again. That extra day cost us a lot of money but we would have regretted not doing it. I've always felt that life experiences are priceless and I'll pay any amount of money for an important one. We could have come home and spent $300 on a new TV rather than LOVE tickets, but what do you think I'm going to remember more when I'm sixty, that TV or that show? You think I'm going to sit around at Christmas and tell my grandkids about the day that I went to NFM and bought a 19 inch flat screen for the kitchen? Possessions won't get you far in life. You have to value your experiences and the moments that shape you because that's what life really is and that is what is worth every penny to your name. It's not the house you live in, the car you drive, the clothes you wear. Life is how you live and what you experience. Life is what the music of The Beatles is about.

The first time we saw LOVE, we were at about the top of the second tier of seats. The second time we saw it, we were nearly eye-level with the stage in the fifth row. Sitting back farther gives a better overall view of the show. You can take everything in as a whole. But sitting up close allows you to see the real acting and the story. Those performers do an amazing job. The theater is set up so the show essentially surrounds you. You can see and hear and feel it from every side of you.

Whether you're up close or farther back, the message remains the same. Love. Love will change the world. And you know what? I believe it. Why do you think the message that they shared with the world has stayed at the forefront of Western culture for over forty years? Because we want to believe in it, want our neighbors to believe in it. Peace, love and happiness. Why wouldn't you want to believe in that? I think it's a message we could all benefit from.

What happened in Vegas didn't stay in Vegas. We stayed in Vegas.

This is going to be part one of a two part series, just to alert you ahead of time...

Matt and I just got back from the Vegas trip today. We were supposed to get back yesterday, but drunk impulse-purchased a new return flight so we could stay one more night. (I'll get to that... ) The trip was a gift from Billy and Rach, who met us there via Mexico. Billy unfortunately was unable to make it to our wedding, so he wanted to do something very special for us to make up for the lost memory. He definitely delivered.

We arrived early Saturday morning, which may or may not be the beginning of the day in Vegas, depending on how you look at it. Of course we started off by pigging out at a buffet. We then went to Madam Tussaud's and posed with/groped as many wax celebrities as we could. Then lots of walking, a little gambling (I won $16 on my first slot machine!) and a trip to the Stratosphere. I wasn't even going to pretend that I have the balls to ride a scary ride on the roof of a building so I hung out on the observation deck while everyone else did the ride. We then drank some cocktails to ease the fear. I also encountered everclear for the first time this side of 21 and I was not impressed. Rach and I went hoe boot shopping and the guys went to get tattoos. Unfortunately, tattoos were going to cost way too much money and Rach is the only one who found her some hoehoes.

And then it was time for the reason we went to Vegas. LOVE.

That show quite possibly changed my life. I'm serious. It was beyond amazing. It was the most incredible thing I have ever seen in my life. I cried the entire time. There was just no getting over what I was witnessing. It completely and utterly blew my mind.

Matt and I were scheduled to go home Sunday night around 7:00, but after some noon time cocktails we got to waxing about the show and things changed. We started by wishing there was a matinee. And then we started planning our next trip back in the spring. And then that turned into us wondering, just out of curiosity, what it would cost to transfer our flights to the next morning because we could just stay in Billy and Rach's room for the night so it's not like it's that big of a deal.... Right? And then that turned into me and Billy in the business center with my credit card rationalizing the price of new plane tickets. It was probably the most impulsive moment of my life. The transfer wasn't exactly cheap, but I was so excited and a wee bit intoxicated so I just rolled with it. The general consensus of the night was that we only live once so we better enjoy it. We then ran across the street and bought tickets to the late LOVE show.

It was just as incredible the second time.

Europe 2009, Maybe?

I emailed a travel agent today for a rough price estimate for a trip to EUROPE! How exciting is that? She's probably going to tell me that it's twice our budget and that I'm out of my mind, but until that time comes I am going to be excited.

We want to spend two or three nights each in Berlin, Amsterdam, London and France. And if that doesn't break the bank we want to throw in a couple nights in Ireland. Why not, right? If we're going as far as London we might as well toss Ireland in there too. Matt has been to England and Ireland before, but he missed Liverpool (a sin for such a Beatles lover) so we have to make sure we go there as well.

We can do all that for $5K, can't we? I really have no idea how much these things cost.

We'd really like to take this trip in 2009, maybe as early as March. We're not afraid of a little cold and rain. Everyone around me is popping out babies and I'm starting to think about babies of my own... It's very strange. My plan was always to take a long trip to Europe with Matt prior to having kids, and I'm afraid that all this exposure to preggos is going to cause my baby center to override my efforts to prevent getting knocked up. And going to EU and not being able to drink Guinness and wine isn't exactly a trip I want to take.

Although, waiting a couple of years to travel overseas might not be a bad idea either since 99% of the world hates Americans right now.

Flight Price Went Down Again!

Geez! Gas prices drop and all of a sudden airlines follow suit. I checked in on our flight again and prices dropped another $36. I now have a $98 credit with Southwest. I plan on putting it to use when I go to Chicago in January. Matt's going to be in South Bend for a few weeks so we're going to rendezvous in Chicago for a couple of days. January isn't exactly an ideal time to visit a city situated on a Great Lake. (Chilly winds anybody?) But the post-Christmas shopping will probably keep me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Chicago is awesome and a lot of fun with tons of things to do. But my favorite thing to see every time I visit are the belugas. Yup. Whales. Unfortunately, Matt and I won't be able to see them when we're there. The habitat is being remodeled and the belugas are elsewhere. You can't imagine how incredible these things are. In the old exhibit, the top of their tank was accessible to visitors and completely open. There was a little plexiglass wall about chest high to keep people from falling in the water, but otherwise there's nothing between you and them. You can look them right in the eye. And they look at you right back. They're as interested in you as you are in them. They watch and stare and it makes me wonder what they're thinking about.

I found a good picture of it here on LilySea's Blog.

My second and third favorite things about Chicago are Portillos and Pot Belly's, respectively. Then there's the Art Institute. Actually, maybe the Art Institute ranks higher than Pot Belly's... Then that leaves "never having to drive anywhere" for the number five slot.

The Honeymoon is Over... For Reals.

Well, the honeymoon, as well as two weeks off of work, is over. Back to the daily routine.

We got back from San Francisco on Saturday night. I was happy to be back in our home, but I was definitely sad to see California get left behind. I really like it out there. The trip was a huge inspiration to me. It inspired us to redo our living-room, it inspired new foods for us to create, it inspired me to spend wads of cash on new clothes... Seriously. I spent my yearly allowance on clothes in the span of five days. Totally worth it though. I scored a pile of great stuff.

We're still (not patiently) waiting on the wedding photos to come back. So until then, here's some honeymoon photos... The full album is right here on Flickr.

This is the view from our hotel room. We casually mentioned to the front desk lady that we were on our honeymoon and she hooked us up with a mini suite on the 27th floor.



Here's me all dolled up to go see some drag queens...



We walked to the wharfs where we found lots of food, bay water and sea lions. The sea lions reminded me of Ringo. (When you pull his ears back he looks like a little seal pup.) I really wanted to take that little white guy home with me, but disturbing the sea lions (as well as throwing food and harassing them) is prohibited.



Also, on the wharfs: a great view of Alcatraz. It looks really close but it's actually about 1.5 miles out from the shore. The entire bay is much larger than it looks.



Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park... Makes you completely forget you're in the middle of one of the largest cities in the country.



Matt in Haight-Ashbury. This place had a sign on the door explaining that they do not sell pot, they will not help you score pot, they do not know where you can get pot. Hint though: Everyone in the park will try to sell it to you. And the guy in the parking lot of McDonald's has some methamphetamines if that's more your style.



This is the People's Cafe in Haight-Ashbury. It was one of the best meals we had while we were there. Ya. Exactly. Of all the food in California, we loved the omelets at a corner cafe the best. This was one of my biggest food inspirations while we were there. The avocados in my omelet were unbelievable. They tasted incredible and were the brightest green I've ever seen. It also had tomatoes on top that were sweeter and juicier than any you can find in the midwest. And the oranges. My god the oranges.



And of course we wouldn't have been proper tourists if we hadn't gone to the Golden Gate Bridge.