Hollywood...

Skylight Books

Fred 62

This weekend was full of excitement and exploration.  I was able to take a walk around my neighborhood, Los Feliz, and wander around the shops and places to eat along Vermont Street.  In search of a tourist book on LA for Tamara we discovered Skylight Books which, aptly, has skylights and a tree growing out of the middle of the store.  We then looked up Los Feliz in the guidebook and found Fred 62, a 24 hour diner that seems to be a favorite of many.  We were going to eat lunch there but the prices were unexpectedly high for diner food.  

I paid a visit to the Act One's office at the bottom of the Hollywood Hills and took advantage of the street view of the sign.  Then I drove up through the neighborhood and hiked a bit up towards Sunset Ranch where you can take horseback tours along the Hollywood Hills.  

Later that night Tamara and I hike up the hill to the Griffith Observatory and were able to see the city lights at night.  It seems that Griffith is a popular date-night spot as well as a prime tourist destination so cars were parked all up and down the hill on the road, it was a good thing we were prepared to walk  a bit.  I can't wait to go back up during the day.  Maybe next time I can actually catch the sunset!

The Observatory and downtown in the distance.

A view of downtown.

Sunny Southern California

Driving into Los Angeles for the first time.

Well it certainly seems true that it never rains in southern california.  I just looked at my weather for the next five days and its all glowing orbs with numbers like 75 under them, go figure.  It's certainly been a busy couple of days.  I arrived in Los Angeles around 2pm Wednesday and met 2 of my apartment-mates (Cori and Tamara) for the first time! They were very helpful in bringing up my things from my fully loaded car (full of stuff not fun gadgets and gizmos).  After putting everything in my new room we ventured off to Long Beach for some errands for them and sight seeing for me.  

 

My street.  That little white building in the distance is the Observatory.

Tamara and me at the Pier in Long Beach

Colorful house-like shops

As soon as I saw the area around the pier I said "this looks like Miami" to which Tamara began to explain how it doubles for it in many TV shows including Dexter.  This then became a theme of our outing.  Tamara would point and say "these are the offices in Dexter," etc.  We proceeded to walk along the pier past the multicolored pastel house-like shops, lighthouse in the distance, and we came to the chocolate/ candy shop.  Forgive me but I was jonesin' for some salt water taffy.  I don't know why, I guess it was a combination of sun and sea air that made me want that sweet and sticky rainbow colored treat.  

After taffy, we headed back to Tamara's old apartment for a bit and then off to Bible study with her crew down there.  As our last stop we went to In-N-Out Burger, a place which I had never been to before (*pause to hear the exclamations of all who have tried it*).  Almost the entire Bible study came out to see me try my first burger.  Along the way I sampled some of the others' fries and fries with animal spread.  Next time I'll have to get a milkshake.  It was a very good burger and not too expensive, I think I'm a new fan.  

The next day (Thursday) was a flurry of organization.  I organized and put together my bed.  I also had my first interview for an internship.  The interview was on the corner of Hollywood and Vine which was a little surreal.  After the interview I got a little turned around and drove past Grauman's Chinese Theater. It was awesome to see it outside of Disney World (The Great Movie Ride).  I headed down Hollywood Blvd. (straight shot to "home") and caught my first glimpse of the Hollywood Sign.  I know that I'll get used to it eventually but for now I'm a tourist.   

I also got to take a small break and get some Yogurtland.  It's pretty much the same as Sweet Frog or Dream Berry but it was delicious non-the-less.  I'm wondering if I can find any small frozen yogurt/custard places nearby, something like The Dairy Godmother in Alexandria.  Now I'm off to another full day of unpacking, meeting my roommate (Harley), another interview, visiting my program's office, hiking up Griffith for sunset, and all of the other unplanned excitements of living.   

Grauman's Chinese Theater

The Dairy Godmother

Sedona

The desert off 160.

From Pagosa Springs, CO to Sedona there is a lot of desert.  I took US-160 most of the way there.  At points there I could only see orangish dirt and miles of road ahead and behind me.  There are few towns along this road and the ones that I passed through present the idea of a completely new way of life.  There is no shade, there is no water, there are few trees.  I admire the people who manage it.

First green after the desert.

I was able to pass through the four corners on my way to Sedona (one of the big plusses of being on 160).  As I was doing a backbend over the state lines I couldn't help but feel I had bested poor Jamie Sullivan who only got to be in two places at once (see: A Walk To Remember).  Once I got to Flagstaff, however, I was surprised (and a little relieved) to find a lot of green.  The Coconino National Forest on the way to Sedona is one of the most beautiful parks that I've ever seen.  Driving down the canyon on 89 A (my friend Bianca joked "how many 89s do they need in Arizona") I decided that this was my favorite part of the trip so far.  The red rocks tower over a forest of evergreens as the road winds downwards towards the town of Sedona.

Flagstaff

Once I got to my great Aunts' house I was taken on a little tour of their community...by golf cart!  It is a cute area with small roads and small houses with beautiful and unique gardens.  They took me out for a lovely meal at the Bistro located at the resort just down the streed.  I had vegetarian lasagna with everything from fried carrots with espresso powder on top to yellow squash, snap peas, and corn salad (with crushed corn-chips).  The lasagna was also rolled in individual sheets rather than layered so it looked much fancier.  The rest of the night was spent looking at picture albums of the family and then it was off to bed early because I was getting up the next morning at 5AM.

The red rocks of Sedona

The tourist bit of Sedona

 So, the next morning I got up at 5 and was surprised to find that the sun was up (or nearly there) and it was rather light.  This was very helpful (plus the cup and a half of coffee my Aunt Patti made for me). The three of us (my aunts and me) sat around drinking coffee out of mickey mouse mugs (they love Mickey) as I made a PB and J (not your average "J" either, I had Prickly Pear Cactus Jam!) and they loaded me up with an assortment of groceries including chips, 2 half loaves of bread, Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies, oatmeal raisin cookies, and a couple apples and oranges.

My aunts' backyard.

The sign for the community my aunts live in

So it was a bit over 7 hours but I made it to LA by 2pm PT.

Pagosa Springs, CO

  

For the last day and a half I've been hanging around Pagosa Springs, a place I've heard about pretty much all my life from my friends Casey.  Casey and I were trying to explain our relationship to some of her friends last night and we decided on adopted cousins.  This, of course, is a completely made up term as neither of us were adopted and we aren't related in any way really, but we've grown up together, kinda.  Casey's grandparents live in the neighborhood that both me and my mom grew up in.  So my mom knew Casey's dad growing up and I knew Casey.  Every summer for a week Casey would come and visit her grandparents and I got to hang out with her.  It's funny waiting a year to see someone, especially in childhood when you change so much from year to year.  Finally, after two years  (college has put a little wrench in our yearly reunions), we are re-united only this time I'm in Pagosa!

To get to Pagosa (by car from NM) you have about three hours of small highways (with no easy bathroom stops, beware!).  It's a beautiful drive but I was happy to reach town.  I drove through the downtown area to get out towards where Casey lives.  After about a mile of gravel roads I found her mom waiting for me in a beautiful house overlooking "the best of Colorado" with Tangerine/Grapefruit margaritas at the ready! It was a wonderful and relaxing night (we had delicious pork tacos).  The next day I had the pleasure of sightseeing all over the area around Pagosa with Casey's dad.  We hiked a waterfall, stopped at an overlook, saw a mountain that looks like an "Indian Head" (no offense meant), ate some Sonic, saw a forest fire (or the smoke from it at least), and visited Casey at the coffee shop she works at.  Later that evening we went to Kip's where I thoroughly enjoyed my grilled fish tacos with fresh salsa and XXX jalapeno sauce with a piece of Strawberry Rhubarb pie for desert.  Then, Casey and I met up with some of her high school buddies at "The Springs" (Pagosa has a bunch of natural hot springs...hence pagosa springs) where we soaked the night away under a full moon (despite the fact that a high school wrestling boys were all there as they are here for some kind of camp).  I wish that I'd had more time to hike and camp and explore this awesome town.  I'll be back soon I hope. 

View from Casey's front porch

Treasure Falls

the same waterfall he just hiked.  view from the overlook

Indian Head (he's looking at the sky)

Kips

I heard you moved to West LA (not quite), New York, or Santa Fe...

Unfortunately this was just a drive by through Santa Fe (I know I'm like a pizza w/ extra cheese, sok)

Yesterday after my first trip to the gym since attempting Jillian Michaels with my friend Alison in Nashville.   Then it was off to the Church St. Cafe in old town Albuquerque to eat with Diane and her friend Diana.  This seemingly quaint cafe is surprisingly big.  Diana, a local, took us through several rooms until we reached the enclosed outdoor patio where we sat well shaded in a perfect summer morning.  We all got the huevos rancheros, Diana and I with the red chili and Diane with the green, and after I'd eaten almost my entire plate of deliciousness (2 eggs over medium on blue corn tortillas smothered in red chili with a side of beans and potatoes, mmm) Diane and I each got a sopapilla, a name which I find a perfect translation of Spanish to English because you can use this delicious fried dough to "sop" up the honey you eat it with.  This is my personal translation.

San Felipe Church in Old Town Albuquerque

awesome benches!

Then we walked around Old Town Albuquerque for a bit, taking a look at the preparation for a fiesta they were having later on in the day.  Then it was goodbye to Diane and Diana and hello to the open road.  

Reflections Gallery

I drove the one hour up to Santa Fe from Albuquerque and found street parking (after 20 minutes).  It was fun to walk around the plaza and discover a small art show near the art museum.  One of the paintings was so striking to me I had to stop and walk over to it.  It was a large oil on canvas of a winding river in golden grass.  Four fifths of the canvas was sky though.  I was staring for so long the artist came over and started talking to me which made me feel bad because I can't afford to buy anything so I quietly slipped away into the ally (no joke it was really an ally) towards the hubub of the plaza again.  Taking the advice of Diana and Diane I walked over to Canyon Road which is filled with galleries.  I walked into Reflections and discovered Pedro Fraile's landscapes. From there I walked across the street to the Cafe Des Artistes where a very kind frenchman made me a deliciously strong latte.  

Then it was back across the very underwhelming Santa Fe "river" to the car and off to Pagosa Springs!!!

Santa Fe River

what could be new "abrevs" in a text message but isn't: OK, TX, NM

Today Diane and I drove from Oklahoma City through Amarillo (north Texas) and into New Mexico where I am dropping her off in Albuquerque.  It's been nice to share the driving a bit for these longs stretches of land.  Fly Over States by Jason Aldean is quite appropriate for this section of my trip and I've been listening to it for inspiration.

Along the highway we saw a cyclist pedaling along under the amarillo sky (youtube Jason Aldean again if you don't understand this reference).

It was really awesome to go from Oklahoma through north Texas and then into New Mexico watching the landscape go from being so flat that it must have been possible to see a hundred miles in every direction, to seeing small lumps in the landscape and more small shrubs, to having small hills surrounding you on all sides.  I'm officially in the desert now and I'm completely out of my element.  I'm so unfamiliar with the landscape (although I've ridden through it on a train before and spent a little time in Arizona) and with the culture it's hard to imagine what daily life is like.  The air is so dry I can't help but think of Virginia and how the humidity must be setting in for summer about now to the point of walking outside and finding yourself engulfed in heat which is inescapable, even at night.

Downtown Albuquerque

Tonight we went to an Italian place Diane's friend in the area recommended "downtown".  It was nice and all of my food was good (a "Mariposa" cocktail which reminded me of my new LA address, which had Elderflower liqueur and grapefruit juice, and some ravioli with marinated ribs inside bathed in a marinara with asparagus, cooked onions, peppers, and olives--which I gave to Diane).  I'm looking forward to Santa Fe tomorrow afternoon and Pagosa Springs, CO for a couple days!

New Mexico Sunset from near the hotel

Arkansas, Missouri, Oooooklahoma (where the wind comes sweeping down the plains)

Hello from Oklahoma City! I am sorry that I didn't get to update you for the past couple of days.  I tried yesterday morning (from Branson, MO) but internet was being spotty.  Let me fill you in.  After Memphis I drove through what seems to be the entire state of Arkansas to Golden, MO where I stayed for two nights at KAA (u know!), a camp that I worked at for 2 summers.  This is a christian athletics camp for inner city youth (three "KAA"s for different ages).  I worked at KAA 3 with the oldest campers aged 16 to 18.  I've learned so much about servant leadership, loving others beyond their similarities to you, and patiently just "being there" for kids even when they don't seem to like you at all.

        It was wonderful being back for a full day to volunteer.  I was working with the komos, girls who help the cooks out in the kitchen.  My first summer I was a komo and it was interesting to remember all of the different procedures and tasks the komos cover.  They work so hard and it's dirty work.  One of my friends, Bri, and I cleaned out pots leftover from cooking ribs.  Let's just say that there was still a lot of red liquid in the pan that needed to be dumped and scrubbed.
         If you don't know anything about this area of Missouri it is not like St. Louis.  It's in the Ozark Mountains and it can be quite beautiful out in the country.  There are lots of rolling hills and cows but in a distinctly middle-of-the-country-way, not a central Virginia way.  Here's an example:

Camp, as always, was tiring but fulfilling and I left Golden yesterday for Branson, MO (some would describe this town as the "Country Las Vegas") where I waited to pick up my Aunt Diane from the Branson Airport.  I went to the Branson Mal(l) which features stores such as Wal-Mart and Subway and picked up a few things for the trip.  Then I went to Panera for wi-fi and coffee.  Making trips to these places in Branson was distinctly more fun when I went with people from camp but it was nice to be semi-familiar with the place.  The drive to Branson Airport was very pretty as the road there winds through several golf resorts (something my dad would have appreciated). I picked Diane up successfully and we made it to OK City in time for dinner.
     OK City is unlike any other that I've been to so far.  I can't describe it very well except to say that it's probably a lot like some texan cities?  I haven't been through much as Diane and I didn't feel much like exploring once we reached the hotel.  In fact, after a drink at the bar, we walked to dinner not even a block away to Charleston's, a nicer American place.  There we both had the Mahi Mahi with fresh steamed vegetables, side ceasar, and key lime pie.  It was all delicious and I'm still full this morning!  The sunset coming out of the restaurant was incredible and the perfect precursor to a long bath and an early bedtime.  Now we are fully rested and off to Albuquerque, NM!