Journey to Cam...elot?

This is a post contributed by our good friend, Erin Riccio. Who says the journey of creating a life isn't a traveling tale on its own? Here is part 1 of her trip to producing young Cameron Riccio...

Expedition: Pregnancy - Part 1

I was so excited to hear that “3 Troopin’ Travelers” was being resurrected. While I am not one to follow many blogs, this was a blog I read religiously. Mostly because I think the writers are some of the funniest, smartest and wittiest people. I know firsthand, since I lived with all of them at one point or another. Those were some of the best years of my life, except for when they would leave me to go travel the world. While I was home alone, scared of a rapist climbing in my bedroom window, they were off in places like Argentina, Morocco and Paris.


One of the last real trips I went on was to San Diego to visit Lil’ Boozie of the 3 Troopin’ Travelers. It was a quick, fun, last minute type of trip to reunite with a good friend. My journey was complete with a few too many drinks at an airport bar, a bar crawl, a trip to the Hotel del Coronado for some (more) drinks, and of course, some Domino’s pizza. Two weeks after I got home, I found out I was pregnant, and that is where my next journey began. A very sober, 9+ months with a messy, painful, ridiculously good-looking end. Since pregnancy the only trek I have been on lately, I decided to write about it for 3 Troopin’ Travelers.

My pregnancy was a breeze. I felt great, and loved watching my belly grow bigger and bigger. Even the hormones worked in my favor. Instead of being irritated and irrational like most pregnant woman, the surge in hormones made me overly happy, and giggly. I thought everything was 10 times funnier than it actually was. Anything remotely entertaining resulted in a full on fit of laughter. My husband, John, never felt so good. He started considering a new career as a standup comedian. Things were great. So great, that it’s difficult to remember the first 3.5 months, when everything made me sick, and I threw up every day. I want to be pregnant again one day, so I am trying to erase that part from my memory.

The best part of my pregnancy excursion, aside from being a walking miracle, was all the weird food I gave myself free reign to eat. I wanted to eat barbecue potato chips dipped in ketchup? Don’t judge, I am having a “pregnancy craving”. I ate a whole pizza by myself? Well, I am growing a human life in my belly. I ate a giant pot of Kraft Mac & Cheese mixed with peas and carrots? Why not, my BABY is hungry. It was so fun! No one needed to know these were meals I would be eating anyway, in secret. Now I had no shame!

I could write all day about my love of strange foods, but I will cut myself off right there. In the conclusion of Expedition: Pregnancy, I will weave the tale of birthing a human. Stay tuned!

Getting Soxy in Seattle

As I was walking along the beach the other day, I came up with a simple, but BRILLIANT idea for a new Red Sox t-shirt: "I'm Dead Soxy". However, I Googled it merely moments later, and much to my dismay, it seems as though it wasn't as original as I had hoped. Back to the drawing board.. In order to quell my minor depression, I decided that I'd visit the hometown team itself to draw some inspiration from my dear Dirt Dogs, and boarded a plane up to Seattle where they'd be battling a 3-game series against the Mariners. While the Sox were certainly high atop my agenda, even higher was a pair of college cronies whom I shall lovingly refer to as 'Bacon & Eggs'.

I first visited Seattle about 2 years ago. Except it was March. And it rained. A lot. Contrary to my preconception about the weekend's forecast, I walked off the plane into 70+ degree weather. I was forced to acknowledge that this was not only warmer, but much sunnier than it has been in San Diego over the past month (fondly known as 'May Gray' in SoCal). Once I was quickly humbled, I opted to join Bacon & Eggs in taking advantage of the weather rather than indulging in the playful banter of "my city is better than your city". Before our journey to Safeco Park on Saturday night, we frolicked in the verdant scenery that encompassed much of Ballard. And, yes, we really did frolic courtesy of the energetic spirits of our companions, two Australian labradoodle puppies. Think wind-up toys with sharp nails. Jersey & Bailey tuckered us out so much, that we all took a 2-hour nap before BBQ & beer time.

Finally, the moment had come. Off we went to the ballpark. Through Pioneer Square and past Qwest Field, I saw it: Safeco Park. Now, I've always wanted to visit this stadium because of the spectator proximity to the bullpen. Fortunately, this was the only game of the series that looked to promise a positive outcome for the Sox. With that said, Jonathan Papelbon would inevitably finish the game. We scurried down for a spot flush against the fence that would allow us to get an extremely close-up glimpse of the closer with the crazy eyes. As I fought through several rows of people, I found myself pinned against the fence, less than 5 feet from my goal. It honestly felt orgasmic.

..Yet more importantly, I can now truly understand why Bacon & Eggs love their life in the Pacific Northwest.

Drinkin' Booze in Santa Cruz

As part of my California-state tour, I jaunted up to Monterey this past weekend to visit some friends from my Glory Days.. high school.  As an aside, I had a layover in Los Angeles.  I barely buckled my seat belt before we touched ground in the big city.. what a joke.  Apparently it is quite difficult to get a direct flight into Monterey.  This made a lot of sense upon arrival as the size of the airport equated to the size of my elementary school, if that.  Many visitors to Monterey actually fly into San Jose International airport and rent vehicles to complete the hour long trip down to the peninsula.. just an FYI.

Anyway, I digress.  One of our leisurely activities consisted of visiting Santa Cruz to enjoy some delectable mimosas and Bloodys at a classy, little joint called 515 Kitchen & Cocktails.  We had intended on sipping our suds atop a roof-deck boasting sensational views, however, Mother Nature had other plans in store for us.  No big deal, the goal of the trip was to enjoy libations, which was clearly inevitable.  As we entered the 515, we walked upstairs into the dining room and were greeted.. or judged.. by a 20-something year old host that treated us as if we were a gang of vagabonds.  When you enter into a restaurant, doesn't the greeting generally go something like "Good afternoon, how many for lunch today?"  Well, this Judgy McJudgerson didn't get that memo.. his interpretation was more along the lines of "Excuse me, are you looking for the restroom?"

HA, joke's on you, Preppy Paul.  Not only are we staying, but we're probably going to get a little bit inebriated and unnecessarily loud.. after all, it was a reunion of sorts.  And that it was.  

Moral of the story:  If you're in Santa Cruz, visit the 515.  They make a hell of a Bloody Mary.  

Say Hello, Say Hello to Hollywood

Just recently, I had the pleasure of paying a long overdue visit to a friend from home that has resided in Los Angeles for the past 5+ years. My main concern in taking the journey was transportation. Although I do have a car here with me in San Diego, I'm not the most comfortable driver. So, I decided to look into train options. 

For anyone traveling from San Diego to Los Angeles or vice versa, I would highly recommend Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner service. Especially if you'd rather eat feces than sit in traffic (sorry for the graphic, but I know you know the feeling) or anticipate some sort of hangover on at least one leg of your trip. Allowing someone else to focus on the driving is always best in this scenario.  In my opinion, it is a logical and affordable alternative to driving.  Of course prices are subject to change, but when I rode, it was $29 each way.  I would have spent at least that amount on gas each way.. I'm assuming.. as well as an unquantifiable amount on stress and anxiety.  It makes quite a few stops, but still gets you to LA in about 2 and 1/2 hours.  Plus, it offers alcoholic beverages, snacks, sandwiches, and stunning coastal views for much of the ride.  If you hit the nail on the head, then you'll have the pleasure of riding under the leadership of a hilarious conductor.  This helped to cure my hangover on the way home.  Well, that and Dominos.

Anyway, my friend lives in West Hollywood.  I was sort of mesmerized by just the idea of being in LA as I'd never been.. we could have stayed in her apartment the entire time and I still would have been star-struck.  My one touristy request was to see the Hollywood sign.. I mean, why not?

What?  You can't see it?  It's close to the top of the hill - almost blends in with the clouds.  We took the photo from Mulholland Drive.  Weather wasn't the best that weekend, but I was quite intrigued by the clouds.  It doesn't take much..

If you've never been to the Los Angeles area, then I would highly recommend brunch at Hamburger Mary's.  While it's not unique to Los Angeles, the mimosas, Bloody Marys, atmosphere, and wait staff were top-notch.  I'd also suggest a stroll along Venice Beach.  They've both changed my life forever.  You'll understand once you've experienced for yourself.

Just a Brief Post from the Left Coast

Greetings from sunny San Diego! So what if I moved here for the fictional character of Ron Burgandy.. of course I didn't. It was actually all for Brick. Anyway, almost one week ago, I left everything I knew for sun, warmth and the security of no job. Pretty much all three of these factors have remained constant for the past 6 days.

Had I planned and prepared, I would have driven cross country and had plenty of adventurous photos to share with you all. Unfortunately, planning isn't really my thing. Things either happen on a whim or just sort of fall into my lap.. I shouldn't jinx myself. I ended up flying. On a half empty JetBlue flight. I had an entire row to myself. We didn't have to wait at all for the plane to taxi. Smooth sailing.. fast forward 20 minutes into the flight. Enter Pilot.

"Hi Folks, Thank you for joining JetBlue on today's cross-country flight from Boston's Logan International Airport to San Diego's Charles Lindbergh Field. One of the sensors in the cabin is flashing signifying that one of our doors hasn't been securely fastened. I assure you this is an anomaly, but to be safe, we'll be returning to Logan".

I knew the other perks of the flight were too good to be true. We remained grounded at the gate, on the plane, for 1.5 hours only for the engineers to determine there was some ice on the sensor. All's well that ends well, I suppose. I'd ride JetBlue any day, so long as I knew I'd have an entire row to myself. Keep up the good work, JB!

In any case, for those of you semi-familiar with San Diego, I'm living in Pacific Beach by Mission Bay Park. It truly is amazing.. expensive, but amazing. Once I purchase a working camera, I'll be happy to upload photos of paradise. But for now, I'll leave you to dream as I jaunt off to meet some strangers (soon enough, they'll be friends) for a vast amount of adult beverages.

Happy Friday wherever you are!

Happy New Year!

This past week, I had the pleasure of spending New Year's with 16 of my very good friends on Long Lake in Bridgton, Maine. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this small lakes region town and for those of you that are fans of the infamous Stephen King, Bridgton is the scene of his horror novella, The Mist. Very briefly, "The Mist" tells the story of how the small town of Bridgton becomes enveloped by an unnatural mist that releases strange creatures which attack the human population.

As luck would have it, there was a light snow storm, but a thick fog hiding the lake on New Year's Eve Day. Fortunately, the house has huge windows which helped to makes these natural elements even more real. And even more fortunately, I was left alone in the house for about an hour after we had watched a couple of scary movies, while several of my friends went to go New Year's Eve shopping. And perhaps even most freaky, there was a strange man working on the hot water pump on the outside of the house. Needless to say, all of these elements combined inevitably led to twisted & gruesome thoughts in my head. I'm ok though - don't you worry.

Anyway, hope y'all had a Happy New Year!

Holiday Beachcombing

Merry Christmas from Nauset Lighthouse in Cape Cod, Massachusetts!

The tourists may be gone until Memorial Day weekend, but there are still plenty of beaches to walk on and lighthouses to see. Off season on Cape Cod t'aint really that bad. I retract my "Bah Humbug" from earlier in the week. My family and I spent the afternoon walking along the GORGEOUS National Shoreline, and driving past some of the "summer homes" in Chatham, MA. For a low-key holiday...this was perfect.

A Festivus for the Rest of Us

I get EXTREMELY restless this time of year. Over a month of shopping and listening to Christmas songs - it is enough to DRIVE ONE INSANE. The only times I have enjoyed Christmas is when I have been fortunate enough to wave goodbye to Santa Claus, Christmas lights, eggnog, mistletoe, caroling, Christmas trees, chimneys, stockings, hung, and care - okay, well maybe not the last two, but you get the point. Back in my college days the fam and our closest family friends spent one or two Christmas eves packing and Christmas day on a plane down to Key West, Florida. Which is a brilliant trip  that I would highly recommend, but a story for another day.

This year money is a little tight and "the mom" is planning a Christmas at home. So, the travel plans are a lot less tropical, and doing a lot less to get me away from the Santa Claus. This year the plan is to head up North for New Years Eve to a little place called Maine, for 5 days of skiing, sledding, Wu-Tang Clan-ing, and hot tubbing. 

I've never done anything quite like this for New Years, so I'll have to let you know how it goes. However, pulling together this type of trip really proved to be rather easy. You see there is this thing called the internet - ahh kidding - most ski areas have Ski & Stay packages that are semi-reasonable. Or, if you are willing to stay off the mountain sites like VaMoose.com,  VacationRentals.com, and VacationHomeRentals.com will provide pricing, descriptions, availability, and pictures for houses & cabins in the surrounding areas. There are definitely some great deals to be found.

Stay tuned for pics & tales. 

NYC Through an "Adult's" Eyes

I did it, I G.D. did it! I visited NYC this past weekend and managed to not get completely and utterly...okay, stop that thought. Full stop. I managed to do a good job of balancing nightlife and sightseeing. The secret to my success? I convinced my fellow troopin' traveler, Kristen (you'll know her as the ever elusive Skiddies), to pony up and get a hotel room for one of the nights that we were in town. After a couple of weak attempts at searching for a hotel through Kayak.com and Hotels.com, we ended up with the cheapest, non-hostel, midtown Manhattan hotel we could find: The Hotel Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, I left the task of actually making a decision up to Skiddies, and she neglected traveling rule #22: look at the online review before booking a hotel. With the hotel already booked, we immediately noticed the rating was a measly 1.7 out of 6.Boo, Skiddies, Boo. And of course, the room could not be cancelled. Rule #36, be aware of online cancellation policies before you book, not all sites have a 24 hour policy. Well, it was only going to be one night, and there wasn't any mention of rats in the reviews, so we decided to just go cheap, and TROOP-UP!

I will officially report that my faith in online reviews has been shaken. The Hotel Pennsylvania wasn't nearly as big of a dump as the reviews claimed. It was totally acceptable for anyone who needs a place to crash. Central location right across from Madison Square Garden, felt safe, flexible check in (we dumped our bags off before 1pm), and friendly enough staff (they checked us in). Lesson learned: take some time to critique online hotel reviews. Read between the lines.

Beyond the hotel, we hit up some great tourist destinations. The top of the Empire State Building:

Yay! View! Burr! Cold!

Skiddies Lives!

Afterwards we walked and walked all the way down to visit the hipsters on St. Mark's St in the East Village. Checking out the farmers market in Union Square on the way. Got some Urban Outfitter style clothing for Kmart prices on Broadway (stay South of Houston) - Amsterdam Clothing Store on Broadway was addictive - 10% off when you spend over $100 - oops/wahoo!

I really feels like you can walk anywhere in this town. It allows you to earn all those beers and late night mac 'n cheese - might have been the booze, but P.J. Clarke's is open until 4am, and theirs is MAC-tastic.

Seattle: Shooting Up with a Space Needle!

I typically reserve Fridays for preaching about social responsibility & global non profit organizations, but I have a tiny surprise that I want to share with you today instead. Though my post title might suggest dirty habits, I promise that the Space Needle photos you're about to indulge in will pacify your fears about my [lack of] substance abuse.

My pal, Ben from Seattle, was kind enough to give me access to pieces of his artistic genius. If you like what you see, then stay tuned! I will be adding a link to Ben's Flickr page once he updates his account.

Enjoy!

Discovery Park, Discover Seattle

A couple of years ago, I went to visit my good friends, Bacon & Joe. Now residing in the Grunge Movement capital of the world, they call Seattle home.

It's true - initially, my desire to head to the Pacific Northwest was fueled by my early 90s obsession with the lead singer of Nirvana. If we could only visit one landmark, then it was going to be Kurt Cobain's pad. Bacon & Joe did grant my wish, but also enthusiastically showed me that there was much more depth to this city, a place dedicated to music, culture, and the performing arts.

On my last day in Seattle, we hiked around Discovery Park taking advantage of its many walking trails. Located in the Magnolia neighborhood, Discovery Park was created in the 1970s and is arguably the best place in the city to see some of Seattle's wildlife. From the park's south meadow, you can catch an awe-inspiring view of Puget Sound. The park's South Beach (not to be confused with Miami's famous plage) is certainly worth a visit as well, just be prepared for the hike back to the parking lot.

My one regret about this last minute adventure: my shoes. We sort of decided to venture through the park on a whim. The skies had just cleared, a rare feat for Seattle in mid-March. Unfortunately, my feet were enclosed by uncomfortable high-heeled black boots.. You be the judge.

Feast your eyes on these.





And lastly, a random view of the Olympic Peninsula.. too pretty to keep out of this post.


**Photos courtesy of Bacon - thanks, Cath!**

Running a Marathon + Sightseeing = Not a Vacation

Don't try to fool yourself. I did. It is extremely difficult to take a weekend trip where the main focus is work or some other commitment (whether it is athletic or family), and turn it into a sightseeing vacation.

Last fall I headed down to Washington, D.C for Halloween weekend to run in the Marine Corp Marathon. I had gone through months and months of training. I was ready to go. And, looking at the course map (and considering my "amazing" level of fitness), I was ready to take this 26.2 mile run whilst enjoying some of the major monuments in the D.C. area: the Pentagon, the Watergate, the Lincoln Memorial, the Capital, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian museums, the Jefferson Memorial, and actually crossing the finish line at the Iwo Jima Memorial. Silly, naive Molly. While it was surreal running past all of these national monuments, I was way more focused on trying to make my legs move another step and not passing out by the side of the road.

(The Iwo Jima monument never looked so good with thousands of sweaty runners, and orange security fencing).

While it wasn't totally unexpected that I didn't fully enjoy my marathon sightseeing experience, I thought for sure I would be ready to go the following day before my friend and I had to get our flight back home. As I hobbled around the Reflecting Pool, past the Vietnam Memorial, and then through the Aerospace Museum (I touched a moon rock - I'm basically an astronaut now), I knew that my D.C. vacation experience just wasn't meant to be. While it was a beautiful day, and the monuments were impressive, I was so exhausted from the race the previous day, I really couldn't enjoy half of what I was seeing.

I have made a bunch of similar attempts while on work trips, and have run into very similar issues. I always seem too busy with work commitments and obligations, that the sites I do see seem tainted, and while not completely ruined, at the very least seem less charming or enjoyable.

Yes, it may seem that I am advocating not even bothering to try to turn this type of trip into a "leisure" vacation (ewww, I don't like calling it that), I'm don't mean that exactly. It is more meant to be a cautionary message: don't raise expectations when going on trips where you have larger obligations (such as work - the most cursed obligation of them all).  I feel that even when you are squeezing some fun into the trip, those obligations will generally act as a cloud over most of what you do...I'm still hoping to prove myself wrong on this point.

Chillin' in Seattle and Freezin' at Mount St. Helens

Mi hermano (my brother, for those of you who don't watch "Arrested Development" or speak Spanish), Kris, moved to Seattle, WA for three months for work, and being the mooch of a sister that I am, decided that my friend Meriel and I should go out to visit him for a long weekend. Ahhh shucks, I'm not really that selfish, from that moment in Jr. High that I first heard Pearl Jam, I knew I would, nay, must visit the mecca of Indie music known as 'Seattle'.

While we saw some AMAZING live music at a seemingly endless number of clubs - I've legit never been so impressed by the vibe of a live music scene - and saw some really cool landmarks:

Pike Place Market

The Space Needle. Which is accessible via a monorail...the concept of which still boggles my mind. What's the f-ing point of a MONOrail that isn't in a loop. I just don't get it, I don't...also was the only sunny day of the entire trip!!

Not to mention Easy Street Records in the Queen Anne neighborhood for a little Pearl Jam worship and alterna music worship. Okay, this might not be a true landmark, but dude-ski it is where the band played a live concert, and they sell all sorts of rare singles and records.

It actually turns out that one of the most enjoyable (and at the same time disappointing) moments of the entire trip was when we decided to hop in the fire red Pontiac Grand Prix (rental car - woot woot), and take a road trip to Mount St. Helens about 96 miles outside of Seattle. Going to see a volcano, fun times, right? Well...I think I may have forgotten to mention that it was November...

We start out the morning, hit our first Starbucks of the day, and start busting down the highway listening to Johnny Cash and Black Star. It actually really isn't a bad drive (not overly scenic though) if there isn't bad traffic, and you've got some good, sleep deprived conversation. The weather was overcast as it had been all weekend, but nothing too messy as we took the exit off the highway. However, as we got closer to the Mountain and higher in elevation, the snow started to come. While snow would normally excite me - if i were heading to a mountain with chairlifts and groomed pow-pow - we were going to see an active volcano, and I WANTED to see that gosh dern volcano. Going 15 mph for the last 5 miles due to treacherous roads, I think we all kind of realized there would be no volcano peeping that afternoon, and we were right.

Complete white-out at the base of the Mountain only allowed us to see about 20 ft out of the observatory. Even with this disappointment, I still feel like the trip was a success.

Main accomplishments:

1. The observatory (even without the view) at Mount St. Helens does a great job of telling the story of the eruption that occurred in 1980, and paying tribute to those who perished.

2. Had some great bonding time with mi hermano and my friend.

Minor accomplishments:

1. I hit mi hermano with a snowball at the base of a volcano
2. I got the most delicious Taco Bell at the end of the day.

One Bank(sy) in NYC You'll Want to Know About

I'm going to be completely honest with you: for me, New York City has always been a toss-up. I'm usually not intimidated by large cities (at least for a visit), but something about NYC can seem overwhelming, dirty, congested, harsh...have I used enough cliche adjectives for you? In all my most recent trips to the Big Apple I guess when it comes down to it, I have spent the majority of my time in a bar or club, on a couch trying to "get over" that bar or club. Hangovers don't really lend themselves to wanting to hike around the city trying to find knock-off Rolex watches.

Truth be told, I did go to NYC a couple of times where site-seeing was the main goal. However, both times were before the age of 13 years old, and I think I may have been more concerned with getting a pressed penny at the top of the Empire State Building, rather than actually taking in the view (I do remember the Russian Tea Room was fun...but the memories are hazy).

This past weekend I had every intention to mature my appreciation for the "City". While I cannot confirm that my appreciation was totally matured, I can most wholeheartedly say that I have expanded my respect for the city that never sleeps - after all - getting drunk at a dive bar in one city is surprisingly similar to getting drunk at a dive bar in another city (okay - the bars do stay open longer, which is actually part of the problem).

So, after a very long Friday night, and a pretty long Saturday night, I found myself doing my standard Sunday afternoon stop on Canal Street to purchase approximately 20 "pashminas" for $10 (seriously it was 3 for $10, and while it is a tourist trap, you can find knock off everything), I was re-introduced to one of the wide range (as I am continually told) of things that makes NYC worth at least a weekend visit. Beyond the art in the MANY art museums around the city, graffiti and murals have been expanded into a true art form, that I think you can truly only see in big cities like NYC and London.* Currently, in SoHo & Chinatown, there are some great murals by a British graffiti artist named Banksy. Many of his pieces have a decidedly political feel while still remaining 'light-hearted'. I absolutely couldn't stop laughing at one of his murals that I came across while walking down Broadway - see, a global financial crisis can be funny:

Any time you travel keep an eye out for any piece of local culture that you can't see in a museum, they are always the things you will remember the most. I would also recommend that you check out the coffee table book called "Banksy", it is a great compilation showing some of the artist's other works (mainly pictures taken in London) - H-h-h-h-ilarious.

*Not a dig at you smaller cities! It just seems like NYC has given more opportunities to artists.

What Happpened in Vegas is all over Facebook!

I was the second of my 10 g-friends to arrive in Sin City this past Friday and enthusiastically greeted at baggage claim by a Devan – vodka tonic in hand. We grabbed my suitcase and headed for the curb.

The first cab line we came to was completely vacant – which we were beyond psyched about because the airport was a zoo. Unfortunately we were informed that it was a handicap only line and we had to follow the masses to the other end where hundreds (I kid you not) of people were standing around looking buzzed/pissed.

We decided right then that the theme of the weekend was going to be “VIP - no lines” and headed back inside in an attempt to cut (because it’s always a good idea to try to aggravate already irate strangers). Devan got tired of dragging her bag and we took up one of the skycap’s offers to help. BEST move ever because he paraded us right back to the handicap area and quickly tucked us into the first cab for only a $10 tip.

Checking into THEhotel was a smooth transaction, despite the fact that Expedia had incorrectly put my room in the regular part of Mandalay Bay. It only took an additional $90 (on top of the $1000 already paid) to get a room 3 doors down from the other.

The rest of the ladies slowly trickled in while we pre-gamed with a bottle of vodka and mixers (bought at a liquor store outside the hotel for way less than the little bottles you could get inside), and by midnight we were actually ready to go out. We headed to the Palms and up to the Fantasy Tower (Moon and Playboy Club). That’s pretty much where my memory ends.

The next morning I dragged a few of the ladies out of bed at 9am to head down to Moorea Beach Club (the 21+, tops optional pool at Mandalay). Not deterred by the $10 cover, 60 degree weather, or fact that we were the ONLY group at the pool, we actually managed to strip down to our b-suit bottoms and get a few hours of color. The $12 pina coladas were a huge help in tolerating the cold.

Later a group of us headed to the Bellagio to see the early showing of “O” (for which we were lucky to get tickets 3 months in advance). I’d been to 4 other Cirque du Soleil shows so I thought I had a good idea of what to expect but I was still blown away. It’s a combination of synchronized swimming, high diving, circus (contortionists, clowns, acrobats), and opera on acid.. and I would pay $168 to see it again in a heartbeat.

After the show we decided to hang around the Bellagio for a bit and grab sushi at Yellowtail (6 people + no reservation = 10 minute wait) and see the seasonal flower exhibit (very cool). We were on our way out, but got sidetracked by promoters offering to have us cut the line and skip the cover at The Bank (club with entrance up escalator from the casino - used to be Light). Since this matched the VIP theme we decided to try it.

The music was fun, the lingerie-clad go-go dancers and free shots they carried were great, but we were kind of stuck in a corner so we decided to bounce - although not before watching some girls get dragged out of a bathroom stall by security for doing drugs (very COPS).

We jumped in line for a cab and a girl fight broke out right behind us. Security wasn’t too concerned about the hair-pulling and name-calling, but then one girl ended up on the hood of a cab and they stepped in. We eventually made it to the Palms and headed in to Rain (not having to pay a cover because we’d received free vouchers the night before). I was pleasantly surprised to find out Paul Oakenfold was the guest DJ for the evening. The vibe in Rain was much like Ibiza (with crazy performance artists – kind of like in Cirque du Soleil). It was only enhanced by the fact that some random Canadian guys invited us to hang at their table and drink for free all night.

Towards the end of the evening Devan and I hopped into a stretch limo (found in the cab line) with two strangers and headed to another club to meet up with one of her guy friends. At 4am the bouncers didn’t want to let us in (since the club was closed and they were kicking everyone else out), but they did after her friend paid them $200. For that money we got about 15 minutes of club time then headed back to our rooms to sleep.

Sunday morning was a little rougher for me than the day before, but I was enticed out of bed to hit up the buffet (and endless champagne) brunch for $25 each. We made it back to Moorea – where there were actually a few other people – for a few hours. At this point I decided it would be a great idea to get a tattoo (under the influence of 4 glasses of champagne, pina coladas, bud light and a shot of tuaca – from a rando guy at the pool).

Conveniently I didn’t even have to leave the hotel to get said tattoo. We went to Starlight Tattoo (just off the casino – like everything else) and I was able to get an appointment in an hour. I didn’t care that I was charged the $150 minimum for a tiny tatt on my foot. I was going to commemorate the trip in ink. I was allowed to bring one friend into the room with me – and everyone else in the lobby watched through the glass wall.

Post tatt, we all started getting ready for dinner at China Grill in Mandalay. Dinner was AMAZING (family style dishes, delicious food, great décor and staff). We did a little gambling (black jack) and stumbled into a club in the middle of the casino when some rando guy insisted on buying us a bottle of grey goose (no arguments). Then we found ourselves in Forty Deuce (club with burlesque dancers and live music). The go-go dancers were very tolerant of us when we decided WE should be onstage dancing instead of/next to them. More free bottles of booze ensued (I consider it our tip) and then I went to sleep.

Monday was rough.. but the hangover was well worth all the good times, crazy pictures, and silly tatt that resulted.

South Bend to Boston: The Long Way Home

After a sleepless night in our cold RV, it was time to head to the field of the Fighting Irish. We picked up a few extra travel companions during the night.. I think because of the need for body heat. In any case, one of our guests did something we had forbidden before the trip in our tiny RV bathroom. To this day, the culprit will not come forward so we've accrued a plethora of twisted toilet theories. None of which I need to mention here - I do need to maintain some sort of integrity.

Pregaming, a big BC win, and many hours later, game day had come and gone. I don't need to get into specifics. After all, this is a travel blog not a tailgating blog. Although I do enjoy the latter activity almost as much as the former.

Fast-forward to 1 hour into the trip home. It's dark. Everyone's tired. Most people are hung-over as hell. The anticipation and excitement of the trip has lost its charm. We all secretly wish we had the ability to teleport. No one wants to steer this large vehicle anymore. Lucky me had never signed up for that task. My poor eye-sight and questionable driving skills quickly erased me from the driving line-up. We've spent enough quality time with each other for the rest of senior year. Is graduation tomorrow? Just kidding. I never once wished for that.. and in hindsight, really wish that Cher had found a way to turn back time.

We spent the night in Gates Mills again. Is this Groundhog Day? Why am I now Jekyll instead of Hyde? Do I really like the idea of this road trip? Do I even like to travel? Who signed my permission slip? After feeling like a caged animal for what seemed like years.. and just when we thought things couldn't get any worse.. CRASH.

Were we on the highway?

No.

Did we tango with a wild animal?

No.

Did we pull out of a gas station and hit a cement block?

YES!

Was the driver at the time on the driving insurance contract thingy?

NO!

Was the driver me?

NO.

That's all beside the point. We did arrive back in Boston in one piece. We got some sleep, loved each other again, used a real bathroom.. and the fact of that matter is: if I could do it all over again, would I?

Without a doubt.. one of the best trips of my life.

Oh, and I didn't really feel any of the negative emotions listed above - I love my friends dearly and only wish that Bacon would have been there to partake in the festivities.

Leaf Peeping & Campaigning for an Obama/Palin Ticket?

Nothing says fall in New England more than going "leaf peeping" and canvassing for a Democratic candidate in New Hampshire. This past weekend I was actually fortunate enough to do both at the same time.

Growing up in Massachusetts I have always had a spoon-fed appreciation for the Fall, and all of its glorious foliage. I guess when you are younger you tend to totally disregard pleasant scenes in nature, and focus more on how much candy you are going to be getting this Halloween or how much it sucks to be back in school. Ahh youth. Foliage in New Hampshire is as beautiful as any cliche you've seen in pictures or movies. I swear we could practically smell the apple cider and pumpkin pies as we drove through the towns surrounding Exeter, NH (due to a slight navigation misstep).

Hmmmm...so how would one ruin something so seemingly perfect? Answer: go to a conservative community and canvas for a democratic candidate along a busy rural route (re: tons of motorcycles, honking, and trucks). We ran into the avoiders (sent their children to say they were "busy"), the aggros ("I'm voting for John "F-ing" McCain"), and the unexplainable ("I wish Palin would switch sides and run as Obama's VP" - wa wa what!?).

Yes, it may sound like I am bitching a bit, but canvassing is definitely something I would recommend every adult does at least once (begrudgingly: no matter your political leanings). Get involved and stop complaining about the state of our country.

On the flip-side, if you should ever decide to go to New Hampshire for the "peeping", make sure you go during the right time of year for the area of the state that you are going to be visiting. This is typically early to mid-October in New England. Get you booties out there.

D-R-I-V-in' the USA: Boston to South Bend

And the Holy War began on September 15, 1975. Since then, Boston College & Notre Dame have competed in 17 football games to battle for bragging rights and victory of the Vatican Bowl. Between 1992-2004, this momentous occasion became a highly anticipated annual event - and not just for the players and coaches.. but for all Screaming Eagle & Fighting Irish fans, old & young alike. Although we Super Fans have helped the boys in maroon & gold to victoriously take the last 5 games, the Irish are still holding onto the series by a thread.

As part of this customary tradition, when the kickoff is slated to occur in South Bend, Boston College's [primarily] junior and senior students make the trek out to the Midwest. There's no better way to celebrate than by cramming between 6 - 10 of your closest friends in a spacious RV.. To pioneer our escapade from Boston to South Bend in October of 2002, we used Cruise America out of Middleboro, MA.

If you can recall, in my post about our vacation quarters in Lagos, I was very impressed by the size of & space in the unit. Um, this was kind of like that.. if instead of college females in their last year before entering 'the real world', we were actually baby ants.

Get car sick? Be sure to bring this to the attention of your traveling companions well before mile 1, and not abruptly before your already inexperienced driver of monstrous vehicles tries to pull out onto the first major highway of the trip. Thank goodness that Massachusetts is renowned for its lack of road rage and inviting driving circumstances.

In any case, we got off without a hitch.. for the most part. Adrenaline flowing through our otherwise alcohol-energized bodies [remember, we were seniors in college], the 9 of us were having a blast. With a surplus of food & beverage options, car games, stories, coloring supplies [like I said, remember: we're seniors in college] & trinkets to carry us across the Mass Pike, into New York State, and through the eerie & Amish Pennsylvania countryside, we were just living life on the road. The way truckers do. Except without cigarettes, beards, or flannel.

Once we reached Ohio, we decided to head to roommate Mary's house in Gates Mills. It was dark, late and we all wanted to use a real bathroom*. Enter problem 1: As we turn off the exit, we had noticed a different feel to the way our motor home was riding.. lo' and behold - flat tire. Now, being the good-natured Midwestern folks that they are, Mary's parents came out to help us.. here's a glimpse into their conversation upon reaching our troubled vehicle:

[Imagine this exchange in a Midwestern accent]

Diane: What are we gonna do, Charrrles? Oh no, that's bad. How are we going to fix it?
Charles: I don't know, Diannnne. What am I - the Good Year answer maannn?

[Words elongated for accurate reflection of accent.. help me out here.]

Eventually, we make it to Mary's house. We have a good sleep, a hearty breakfast, and get on the road early the next morning to make it to Indiana by dusk. All that I can remember upon arrival in South Bend is the Walmart parking lot which resembled an endless sea of RVs, and a night of drinks at "The Library" to unwind from our journey. Note, it was very cold that October night.. sleep before the big game didn't come without a price.

Stay tuned for Game Day & Return Trip posts.

Important Note: This post does not mean much without images. Unfortunately, I did not have a digital camera until late 2003 and will be investing in a scanner in the near future to gloss up my matte white photos that may resemble 1970 when all is said and done.

*The bathroom becomes quite symbolic throughout this tale.

US Cities: The Results are In!

While I can't help but be slightly offended at the fact that 0% of our poll respondents expressed that Boston would be their US home of choice, I can agree with the desire to live in the winning city: San Francisco, with 57% of all votes. A close second, New York City garnered 42% of votes cast. The ironic thing is that these two cities exude a similar feel. One on the left coast and one closer to the right, San Fran & NYC offer the hustle & bustle, historic landmarks, and unique history that many great cities possess.

Funnily enough, I've been told that Boston & Chicago boast a similar atmosphere. Living the majority of my life in or around Boston and never having visited the Windy City, my understanding is that they both radiate a large town feel rather than that of a small city. Both Beantown & Chi-Town attract a large percentage of college students as well as eager post-grads.

Did You Know...

• Boston built the first subway system in the US in 1897
  
• Chicago style softball is played without a glove and with a 16" softball
  
• New York City boasts the largest Chinatown / Chinese enclave in the Western Hemisphere
  
• San Francisco features the only moving National Historic Landmark courtesy of its beloved cable cars
  

Would you most like to visit a US city not listed in this article? If so, where would your heart take you?

San Diego: A Whale's..

I couldn't resist. If you don't know the saying, then I'm sure you can come up with something creative. I'll give you a hint, essentially much of what I reference will be Will Ferrell inspired. Or a direct quotation from Zoolander.



Other than fictionally translating to the genitalia of a sea creature [except maybe in the case of the sperm whale], San Diego hands-down boasts one of the most awe-inspiring coastal landscapes in the west. It's the only cross-country destination I've visited more than twice, and the only city in which I've sported a bathing suit since my 10th birthday. Ok, ok - I jest. I never wore traditional swimwear in good ole Diego.

In the handful of times that I've had the pleasure of basking in the southern California sun - hoodie and all, I'd have to say that the most memorable visit was during the summer of 2005. Reason being, my two female friends and I met some strapping Australian lads at Petco Park while taking in a Padres vs. Reds ballgame. There's nothing like some Aussie spirit to really get you motivated.

Prior to meeting these fine folks, we made the drive of our lives. After having flown into Long Beach by way of Jet Blue, we were fortunate enough to be hooked up with a very cheap rental car courtesy of a friend of a friend. The exchange was very Sopranos-esque. I just realized that after Molly's scam reference in her most recent post, we're beginning to sound like a bunch of delinquents. I promise you that there is only a small degree of truth to that theory. In any case, we were afforded the opportunity of cruising down the Cali coast in a Sebring convertible. I realize those are no longer cool whips, but at the time, we were living the dream.

Having our way with the highways of California - including the infamous '5' / Pacific Coast Highway - we flashed our wheels through the affluent areas of surfer-saturated Huntington Beach, wealthy Newport Beach, and even wealthier Laguna Beach. Clearly, Laguna Beach was a large thrill for us as our trip happened to coincide with the height of the popular MTV reality series of the same name. I can't speak for myself, but I know that Tine & JazzFace were subtly keeping their eyes glued to the scene, hoping to get a glimpse of Lauren Conrad. We're kind of like Peter Pan - we'll never grow up [neither will this guy? - make your own judgment call on this one]..

In any case, if you ever get the chance to travel to SoCal, I'd highly recommend making this 2 hour journey. It didn't hurt that it was 85 degs and sunny from point A to point B. Of course, be sure to check out Long Beach rental car prices before you commit. Unfortunately, we can't trust past experiences / costs when considering today's flourishing economy.