Sunday, July 23, 2006

Jake


Los Angeles, California
Saturday,
July 22, 2006


Only one thing could drag us away from beautiful Newport Beach...and that would be the one and only Jake, Tom's nephew. Jake was part of a fabulous teen cross country summer tour (Rein Teen Tours). We knew that we were all going to be in LA at the same time and we had permission to steal him away for the day. We set our alarm and drove the hour and half to the UCLA dorms where his tour was staying. Our day started at Pink's, Hollywood's famous hot dog stand. Tom has been talking about Pink's since we left DC, and even though it was only 10:30 a.m., we were all looking forward to hot dogs for breakfast.

Paul Pink started with a large-wheeled pushcart vending his hot dogs at the corner of La Brea and Melrose in 1939. The depression was on and money was scarce. Pink's chili dogs, complete with a large warm bun, oversized hot dog, mustard, onions and thick chili sold for 10 cents each. His hot dog wagon was located in "the country", rolling hills of weeds and open spaces. Tha
t was sixty-five years ago!

Times have changed, but not Pink's. Oh, in 1946 Paul Pink did trade his hot dog wagon in for a small building (constructed on the very same spot where the wagon stood). But the stand hasn't changed since those days. Today, Pink's chili dogs sell for $2.50 each (with inflation and the shrinking dollar, they are a better bargain now than in 1939!). Pink's still gives that very same quality now as then...mouth-watering chili, generously topping an all-beef hot dog with mustard and onions. Quality and service (an average Pink's chili dog can be ordered, prepared and delivered to the customer in less than 30 seconds!) have been the two reasons Pink's has not only survived, but bec
ome famous. And free parking really makes it the best deal in town.



After we filled up on dogs, we took Jake for a tour through the mansions in Bel Air, the Pier in
Santa Monica and the frightfully dirty Venice Beach. It was Thea's first time there and all the idyllic visions she had of Venice Beach were immediately dispelled when she saw the indigents and grime...Tom and Jake thought it was way cool!

PS If you can find Tom in one of the photos in this posting, you could win two weeks free housesitting (offer only valid if you live within one block of a beach or resort area).

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Surf's Up

The Wedge
Mid July

We realize and appreciate that this opportunity doesn't come around often so we've settled into a comfortable routine, reacquainting ourselves with each other, reading books and magazines, and continuing to explore the perfect little town of Newport Beach. One of the places we were determined to visit was The Wedge! A surfer's Paradise.

The Wedge is a world-famous spot for surfing, bodyboarding, and bodysurfing located at the extreme south end of the Balboa Peninsula. In 1928, the Corona Del Mar Surfboard Club hosted the Pacific Coast Surfboard Championship. The club was the largest of its kind in the United States with members such as surfing greats Duke Kahanamoku, Tom Blade of Redondo, Gerrard and Art Vultee of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, and other world class surfers who brought international attention to California beaches.


When supplied with a south swell of the proper size and direction, the Wedge can produce shore break waves as spectacular and intimidating as any in Hawaii, Tahiti, or Australia. Waves are often 3-5 feet larger than waves at other Newport beach. According to a 2004 Sports Illustrated article, The Wedge is “the toughest bodysurfing spot in the U.S.” Tom and I opted to watch vs participate as we weren’t sure our health insurance covered surfing accidents!

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Balboa Fun Zone

Balboa Island
Saturday, July 15 & Sunday, July 16, 2006

Ready to take on a healthy lifestyle, our first weekend in Newport Beach we ventured on a four mile walk to Balboa Island. Once we crossed the small bridge onto the Island we strolled by adorable gift shops, galleries and restaurants and enjoyed peeking into the windows of some of the exquisite waterfront homes.

From the tip of the island we hopped on the Balboa Ferry (for a whopping .50 cents Round Trip) which took us over to the Balboa Peninsula. There, we took in the Balboa Fun Zone, one of Southern California's oldest and last great coastal amusement areas. Attractions include the old horse carousel built in 1938, a 14-foot trampoline, an arcade, and a Ferris Wheel, one of Thea's favorite amusement rides. We learned that this will be the last summer for this charming amusement park as it will be torn down in the fall to make way for the expansion of the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.

We passed the rest of the day on Balboa Pier watching surfers trying to catch the waves, while fishermen hauled in their daily catch.

It's rumored that Balboa Island is where the frozen chocolate banana—rolled in ground nuts or candy sprinkles, was first marketed. If you were ever a fan of the TV show "Arrested Development," which we were, the frozen chocolate banana stand owned by the Bluth family is inspired by ones on Balboa Island.

The following afternoon, our friend Sheri, from Manhattan Beach, spent the afternoon with us. Thea shared the new discovery of Balboa Island with her and then we all dined at
Avila's El Ranchito Restaurant, an authentic little Mexican restaurant whose motto, Family Owned, Family Operated, Family Loved seems fitting. The Nachos Ranchitos were most worthy of our praise, as was the friendly service, and while the prices were low, the heat from the salsa was high...Just the way we like it!

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Newport Beach

Corona Del Mar
Friday, July 9 til September 9, 2006

There really is nothing quite like it. Both Tom & I have traveled extensively, but
Corona Del Mar is a Paradise like no other, and the "Crown of the Sea" is a perfectly fitting name. Corona Del Mar ranges along a bluff at the south end of Newport Beach and includes some of the city’s most prestigious residential areas. It's hard to find a home under $3 million.

The streets, which are cleaned twice a week, are named after flowers, and run in alphabetical order from Acacia to Poppy, each lined with a different variety of trees. Beautiful flower gardens on each street display the flower from which the street is named. The cars are equally beautiful...Ferraris, BMWs, Mercedes, Porches, and Lamborghinis...and all spotless.

And spotless are the beaches. No jellyfish, no mosquitoes, no flies and NO HUMIDITY. Just the most beautiful blue waters and white soft sand. We find that we can be very happy being beach bums in Paradise. Although we know reality is looming in front of us, we are most content in the present. And, we are able to tend to our friend's home, look after her fish, and water her plants. We've thought more than once about becoming professional house sitters...

The photo above is taken from Little Corona Del Mar Beach...Tom & Thea's favorite. It's also a favorite for wedding photographers! No, we didn't elope yet!

Friday, July 14, 2006

LA in 5 Days

Los Angeles, California
Sunday-Thursday, July 8-13, 2006

On our first day in LA, Thea was in dire need of a Starbuck’s fix. Since our tires were melted, we set off on foot to explore our new neighborhood. But thanks to our best friend TomTom (the little GPS system we've come to rely on daily) who finds restaurants in addition to getting us from Point A to Point B, we found ourselves at
City Walk in Universal Studios. Yes, our first day in LA and we end up in one of the biggest tourist traps in town…all national restaurant and retail chains…everything not indigenous to the State! Still, we did get to watch Italy defeat France in the World Cup finals on a huge outdoor screen and Tommy enjoyed his first Original Tommy's Burger. Then, we did what everyone does in Hollywood...we went to the movies ("The Devil Wears Prada"...not bad)!

Later that day we received a call from our friend telling us that unfortunately for us the real estate market really isn’t as slow as it's been reported in LA and that the house was sold, although we'd have some time before we had to move on. The very same day, another dear friend called to say she had been in an accident back east and would find it helpful if we could house sit at her home in Corona Del Mar (next town to Newport Beach) while she recuperated in Connecticut for the rest of the summer. So, we quickly got new tires for Tom's car and took delivery of my mine.

We attempted to acquaint ourselves with parts of LA—Westwood for exotic combinations of sushi at Tomodachi, Laurel Canyon for organic Italian fare at Pace with our friend Jason, and Hollywood for glimpses of the stars (real or embedded in the pavement) at the Kodak and Grauman's Chinese Theatre . But after just five days, the heat and traffic were so brutal that we decided it was time to head south to Newport Beach.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Hurray for Hollywood!

California

Saturday, July 8, 2006


One week and 2,684 glorious miles were behind us. The last leg of the trip through the Mojave Desert was intense. Not only was the temperature over 110 degrees but we soon realized that we were running on empty and there wasn't a gas station within 100 miles. We had to close the windows and kill the A/C to conserve gas. Thea swore she lost five pounds in the Mojave Sauna! Tom’s Blazer also lost a few things…the tires literally melted from the intense heat. We rolled into Ludlow on fumes and we fumed about the price of gas (now $3.56 per gallon).


Before we left DC we knew we had a place to stay for awhile once we arrived in LA—a house in the Hollywood Hills that belonged to a friend of ours Mom who recently passed away. We arrived at dusk to the very, very, very (did we say very?) old house. But this 1922 fixer upper had most of the essentials...a bed, bath, and kitchen; however in addition to no A/C, we soon realized there was no cell reception, no wireless Internet,and NO TV. Without one of those comforts we could survive, but without all four we went into a slight state of apoplexy!
After driving the last 446 miles and realizing we had reached our final destination we were suddenly overcome by exhaustion. We were asleep by 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Batman in Flagstaff

Flagstaff, Arizona
Friday, July 7, 2006

We found the little town of Flagstaff to be welcoming and enjoyed pizza in the town's Heritage Square at dusk watching “Batman Begins” on a huge outdoor screen with the denizens of Northern Arizona University students who rule the town. Ironically, the server at Alpine pizza was home on summer break from George Mason U, so we had fun chatting up DC with him.

In some ways, Old Town Flagstaff reminded us so much of Georgetown-dozens of locally owned bars and restaurants, historic buildings, and a small community feel. But where it differs is that it is surrounded by the largest pine forest in North America. The other difference is that everyone was attired in Eddie Bauer-styled clothing vs suit and ties.

The only mistake we really made was searching for a hotel on a weekend night so near the Grand Canyon. We ended up at in a place that makes the Bates Motel look like a five star destination.

Petrified and Petroglyphs

Arizona
Friday, July 7, 2006

We crossed the Continental Divide and gasped at the beauty of Arizona. Nature really got it right. The Petrified Forest and Painted Dessert were mind blowing.
We were so glad we detoured onto the 27-mile drive for this National Treasure. In addition to the beautiful desert scenery the National Park also contains a rich collection of archaeological remains from centuries of human occupation. Chief among these are the remarkable petroglyphs—figures carved into the dark "desert varnish" which covers the sandstone.


Detail of some of the petroglyphs can be seen in the picture on the left. Most striking is the large wading bird--an avocet, perhaps--pictured just to the left of center. It isn't known whether the artist depicted a frog, or a person, in the bird's mouth. These ancient drawings date from the 1100's and are some of best examples of petroglyphs found in the southwestern United States. They were probably carved by the Anasazi Indians. We found ourselves, once again, in awe of those who pioneered this land so long ago.

Farewell New Mexico


Continental Divide, New Mexico
Friday, July 7, 2006

Just before crossing the border into Arizona we came upon the Continental Divide. Somehow seeing the "backbone" of our nation seemed worthy of a photo-op.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Sangre de Christo

Taos, New Mexico
Wednesday, July 5, 2006

After Santa Fe, we continued north to Taos- an Indian Pueblo, a Spanish village, a world-class ski resort, and an historic art colony... all in one. The 70 mile winding road through the Sangre de Christo Mountains lead to more breathtaking landscapes.

Ivan snagged us a great rate for a suite at the charming Fechin Inn situated in the middle of the quaint town. Carved woodwork, smooth adobe walls, and open courtyards complete with chile ristras made us understand why the hotel was the 2006 recipient of the prestigious Condé Naste Gold List Award. Feeling a little lightheaded from the 7,000 foot altitude we took advantage of the rocking chairs in the courtyard where we enjoyed the cool mountain breeze, sipped wine, and read the paper catching up on the news of the world.

Later that evening we experienced the first rain since we left DC and enjoyed watching it from the balcony of our suite rather than watching it fill our basement! The high altitude ensured a good night's sleep. 6’s and 8’s are great, but a little extravagance sure is nice!

After a bountiful complimentary breakfast in handsome lobby we explored the town, once again taken with the charm of the one-of-a-kind boutiques and galleries. We looked for Julia Roberts and the twins, but to no avail!

We made it back to Albuquerque in time for dinner and enjoyed some downhome BBQ with Ivan and Tamaya, this time at Mr. Powdrell's BBQ, a great little dive that specializes in smoked barbecue, beef, chicken and fish. While Tom indulged in the pulled pork sandwich, Thea gnawed on the spareribs. We took it all in as we knew Friday we were back on the road to California.

The Santa Fe Trail

Santa Fe, New Mexico
Wednesday, July 5, 2006

Thea unpacked her turquoise jewelry and we headed north to Santa Fe.

By the time we arrived we were ready for another dish showcasing flavors indigenous to New Mexico and Plaza Cafe didn't disappoint. Centrally located in Santa Fe's Plaza, this 90-year old restaurant served up a platter of Huevos Rancheros that we sopped up with delicious golden, hot sopaipillas. Tom thought this was the single best dish he had ever tasted!

Fully energized, we couldn't wait to explore the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Having only spent two days in New Mexico it was easy to understand why it, and Santa Fe especially, became O'Keeffe's adopted home. Amazingly, I learned that her happiest years were in NM when she was in her 40's, 50's and 60's. Hmmmmmmm.

We browsed through the myriad galleries brimming with spectacular and colorful art, so many depicting the intoxicating landscape. The good thing about packing hundreds of boxes is that it deterred both of us from wanting to purchase even the smallest token as a memento.

As we glimpsed remnants of the Santa Fe Trail the irony wasn't lost on us that the trail was once used by the stagecoaches and pioneers heading to California seeking a new adventure.

The Native American statue in front of the St Francis Cathedral was particularly enchanting.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Ivan & Tamaya
& the Balloon Museum


Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tuesday, July 4, 2006

Although only on the road for three days, more than 1900 miles separated us from our families, so we were delighted that our arrival in Albuquerque meant we would be visiting our dear friends Ivan & Tamaya. After hugs and oohing and ahhing over Tamaya's new tummy (sporting the soon-to-be born Sean Raymond) we took a tour of their hometown and then we got down to the serious business of discovering our first taste of New Mexico.

Ivan & Tamaya gave two thumbs up to Roadfood's suggestion of
Frontier. This gigantic restaurant (literally spreading across an entire block), caters to U. of NM students, locals and visitors like us 24/7. It looks more like a school cafeteria (with the exception of Western art adorning the walls and the abundance of paintings paying homage to John Wayne) but that's the only comparison to any cafeteria we'd been in before. The food, served in nano seconds, is stupendous! Ivan and Tamaya steered us through the seemingly endless menu. We indulged on perfectly piquant green chile stew, gargantuan chicken enchiladas, and super crispy beef tacos. Nirvana!

Ivan is on the board of the
International Balloon Museum so we were privileged to attend a private party on the balcony of the museum where we saw a spectacular 4th of July firework display. What made it even more fabulous was while the colorful rockets and flares exploded in air, Mother Nature simultaneously hurled bolts of lightning across the mountains, for as far as our eyes could see.

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

The Buckaroo at Tucumcari

Tucumcari, New Mexico
Monday, July 3, 2006

By nightfall we navigated into New Mexico. When we saw signs leading to Tucumcari, we knew that's where we would rest for the night. As we cruised into town, Tom attempted to sing Little Feat's 1971 song, "Willin' "

I've been from Tuscon to Tucumcari,
Tehachapi to Tonapah

Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made
Now I driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed
And if you give me: weed, whites, and wine
and you show me a sign

I'll be willin', to be movin'

We could tell from the plethora of roadside motels with the half flickering neon signs that in it's heyday Tucumcari probably rocked, but that's when Route 66 paved the way west and went right through the town. But, Route 40 replaced the storied highway, veering traffic around the little town and Tucumcari quickly fell into a tired and sad state. The only things we encountered were the tumbleweeds. However, it did permit us to have our pick ofcheap spots to hang our hats for the night. Our favorite was the Buckaroo Motel for $20 buckaroos a night!



Tucumcari is named for the scenic flattop Tucumcari Mountains acting as a background for the city. The meaning of the word Tucumcari is a loose derivation of a Comanche word for "lookout."

Factoid: Tucumcari's median household income: $22,560; the median house value: $48,900. Once again we were reminded that it's not only the miles that are separating us from DC!


Cadillac Ranch

<>
Amarillo, Texas
Monday, July 3, 2006

We thoroughly enjoyed some of America's quirkier Landmarks, including Cadillac Ranch in the Texas Panhandle (Located along the tatters of historic Route 66, Cadillac Ranch was built in 1974. It was the brainchild of Stanley Marsh 3, the helium millionaire who owns the dusty wheat field where it stands. Marsh and The Ant Farm, a San Francisco art collective, assembled used Cadillacs representing the "Golden Age" of American Automobiles (1949 through 1963). The ten graffiti-covered cars are half-buried, nose-down, facing west "at the same angle as the Cheops' pyramids.").

Johnnie's World Famous
Onion-Fried Burger


El Reno, Oklahoma
Monday, July 3, 2006

Gas prices were decreasing ($2.76 per gallon) but our cowboy/cowgirl appetites were increasing as we crossed just some 300 of the nearly 70,000 square miles of Oklahoma. We moseyed our way to El Reno, OK, in search of Johnnie's, another cool little place recommended by Roadfood, that's been around since 1946. There we inhaled Johnnie's claim to fame--the onion-fried burger. Ribbons of onion are mashed deep into the top of a patty of ground beef as it cooks on the grill, resulting in a hamburger that is a delicious intertwined mix of meat and caramelized onion. Of course, we had to have the extra large order of fries to accompany it! MMM Good!!

After downing our grub and paying the whopping $8 tab, we wrangled the Blazer and left Johnnie's in the dust. The landscape continued to change as wheat fields replaced houses and we were becoming one with the road. We marveled at the thought of the pioneers making their way cross country without benefits of A/C , four wheel drive, and a GPS system! Thea suddenly wanted to watch every Western ever made (did you know Oklahoma has the largest American Indian population of any state?).

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Ohio to Oklahoma


St. Louis, Missouri
Sunday, July 2, 2006
After just one day of driving the open roads across country (Thea's first time, Tom's third) we started to decompress ever so slightly. Our first night we dined at the exotic Olive Garden (Tom's first time, Thea's third!) but after breakfast at good ol' Bob Evans, we vowed to follow the guidance of Jane & Michael Stern's book Roadfood (not to be confused with Roadkill). It lists hundreds of classic dive restaurants around the country that still exist, many from the original days when Route 66 was the only major road going west. Real food indigenous to the area…right up our alley!
Our first Roadfood experience was A Slice of Pie, a tiny, and I do mean tiny, little hole-in-the-wall in Rolla, Missouri (halfway between St. Louis and Springfield) that made us feel like we were eating in someone's kitchen. In addition to enjoying the midwest hospitality we dove into an enormous, and I do mean enormous, slice of heavenly flake-crusted home made chicken and mushroom pot pie. We then mustered up enough of an appetite to dive again, this time into the most velvety coconut cream pie we have ever experienced.
Having traveled some 725 miles through Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri we took in such sites as The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the MISS-I-SS-I-PP-I river, llamas grazing along the highway, and one of my favorites...a Starbuck's! We were ready to rest our heads at the Super 8 in Vinita, Oklahoma (most famous for its annual Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo and world’s Largest Calf Fry Cook-off where they brag about the consumption of nearly 2,000 lbs. of calf fries. Calf fries or "Rocky Mountain oysters", as some prefer to call them, are testicles of an animal such as calf, sheep, or boar. The younger the animal the better). We began to realize that it's not only the miles that are separating us from DC!

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Ready To Leave...At Last


Washington, DC

Saturday, July 1, 2006

After what seemed like months of boxing and storing our belongings, fixing up the house for renters (have you ever noticed how the house looks so much better just when you're ready to leave it?), saying goodbye to loved ones, and cleaning up the aftermath of the Biblical rains that swept through the East Coast in June, we filled the Chevy Blazer with gas ($3.05 per gallon) for a 3,000 mile trek across country to California on Saturday, July 1, 2006. We have a funny feeling we may have to fill it again before we reach California!

Between the route planned out for us by AAA's TripTik and the incredible navigation help from TomTom, our GPS system, we were ready for an adventure. With the amazing technology available to us (including Writely, the free on-line web word processor that allows multiple users to collaborate simultaneously on the same document from different computers) and Tom's innate ability to understand it, we decided to keep this Blog of our adventures, so friends and family can stay updated on our Nomadic travels. We also figure it's a good way to keep tabs on us in case we disapear...too bad Amelia Earhart didn't have a Blog!

Our first day we tacked on about 500 miles weaving through Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia on Route 70 before settling near Dayton, Ohio at a Motel 6 (not bad for $42).