Dustinations

Dustin Proposes to Girl, Girl Says Yes, World Fails to Collapse Upon Itself As Promised - Story at 11

2012-01-30T21:59:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, January 28th, 2012, Dustin proposed to his girlfriend, Suzanne, in San Jose, CA. He was supposed to propose to her in sunny Big Sur, on a clifftop or dangling from a tree limb or something similarly romantic, but the powers that be - namely, the deli at Whole Foods Blossom Hill - decided to give his girlfriend food poisoning on Friday night [update = everyone at Suzanne's work got food poisoning, so the deli is innocent; please don't sue for libel, Whole Foods].

As bad as this was for Dustin, this was far worse for Suzanne. Compassionate boyfriend / fiancee-to-be that he is, Dustin did his best to nurse his girlfriend back to health as swiftly as possible, so Dustin's well-thought-out romantic plans would be realized.

Because here's what he envisioned:

Dustin envisioned putting a rock the size of Gibraltar on his girlfriend's finger while the Big Sur breeze swept through her hair.

He envisioned the sunlight taking root in the margins of the 1.19 karat emerald diamond and bursting forth with blinding exactitude. He also envisioned snobbish prose, apparently.

Dustin's clear vision was marred by the myriad options of a proposal site. Would it be here, with Bixby Bridge in the distance and a plethora of rocks and arches in the foreground?

Or would it be a stone's throw from the bridge itself? After all, "bridge" contains the word "bride," thought the reigning champion of the bar trivia circuit.

Although this option would have been fairly inconsiderate when factoring in Suzanne's acrophobia, not to mention Dustin's clumsiness when handling expensive (albeit insured) jewelry.

See how happy Suzanne is in Dustin's vision? Notice she is not looking down.

Dustin is also fairly happy in Dustin's vision, because he is looking at Suzanne.

To celebrate the envisioned vision of proposal, Dustin envisioned taking Suzanne to her favorite Big Sur restaurant.

Where they could relax and take in the million dollar views...

And think fondly about their upcoming lives together, instead of the massive bill awaiting them.

Dustin is a fairly romantic guy after all... a bit of a dork, but lovably so. Or so he envisions.

* * * * * * * * *

However, food poisoning is pretty ghastly, and Suzanne and Dustin were equally discouraged by the former's lack of progress in terms of health restoration that Saturday afternoon. Dustin let his girlfriend nap for a few hours, and went out bitterly for bitter beers with friends, confused and dejected by the curve balls of life.

Later that day, Dustin, somewhere in that territory between sober and intoxicated, thought soberly for a moment about his well-thought-out proposal plans, before deciding to throw caution to the wind and proposing to her anyway, as she lay sick in bed.

Which, upon sobering up, he actually did.

Fortunately for reckless Dustin, Suzanne acquiesced to his deman... er, agreed to marry him. She wore a wonderful smile from then on, including the following day when she was temporarily well enough to actually go out to Big Sur with Dustin after church to take the above photos...

Just like Dustin envisioned. :-)

New Orleans, LA - Day 12

2012-01-22T22:18:00.000-08:00

I had been to New Orleans previously, but it was the first time for my girlfriend. Here's what we did on our first full day in the Big Easy.

We stayed at the recently renovated Hyatt Regency in the Central Business District; we would see the Superdome every day at the elevators on the 24th floor.

The lines were long everywhere that day for some reason (they weren't so bad on subsequent days except for New Years); this is the line for the muffuletta at the Central Grocery.

It was about an hour wait. The interior of the shop is a simple Italian grocery store, although few come for the supplies.

Their muffuletta isn't as massive as some of the other knock-offs, but it tastes way better. If you're an average sized person, one half of a muffuletta will probably be your limit.

Time to walk off those calories at the Mississippi River levee.

Jackson Square

Semi-professional street performers in front of Jackson Square.

Quintessential French Quarter

The fleur de lys, for New Years.

Crescent City Brewery - I had the tasting flight, and she stuck to the red ale.

As full as we were, we decided to get all of our "must eats" out of the way, so we went to Johnny's Po Boys to share one. Another long wait...

Shrimp po boy (I wanted oysters, but the chica was not having it). Verdict = the shrimp was delicious but the rest of the sandwich wasn't very appealing. Overly dry bread, not very much taste, and way overpriced. Live and learn.

Time to go back to Jackson Square to enter the St Louis Cathedral.

Andrew Jackson, one of the more controversial presidents.

The weather was gorgeous that day, by the way.

The interior of the church doesn't fail to impress.

Right next door is the Louisiana State Museum, which was hosting a Hurricane Katrina exhibit.

This is Fats Domino's piano; he was feared dead in the flooding, but lived to tell the tale. His piano wasn't so lucky.

An example of notations made on doors / walls to show that a house had been inspected by an official agency for survivors, bodies, etc. Very sad about the dog.

Time for a drink - off to the Napoleon House!

They're famous for precisely one drink = the Pimm's Cup. Recommended.

The alleyways of the French Quarter are charming.

The Carousel Bar, maybe the best gimmick I've seen. The bar actually rotates (it takes 14 minutes exactly to make a revolution - I timed it).

While we waited for a seat to open up at the actual bar, we ordered our drinks. I had a Ramos Gin Fizz (yummy).

Our perseverance paid off - as silly as it sounds, the bar is a lot of fun.

I know it seems like we did nothing but eat and drink - and that's true. However, there was actually a fair amount of time between meals. Our last meal of the day would take place at the Acme Oyster House.

My girlfriend doesn't do oysters (especially raw ones), but I talked her into the cooked ones. She absolutely loved them.

The French Quarter at night is an exciting place.

But it can also be a bit spooky.

We finished the night watching jazz at the Snug Harbor in the Fauborg Marigny district (adjacent to the French Quarter). However, my camera died - this is the only photo I have of the district the club was in. Sigh...

To be continued...

Pensacola, FL --> New Orleans, LA - Day 11

2012-01-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

We got into Pensacola, FL on the later side, and while I wanted to go out, my traveling companion was exhausted. Sigh... but the next day we went to the beach before driving I-10 to New Orleans.

Pensacola Beach was remarkably empty, for being such a ridiculously amazing stretch of sand and surf.

"Where IS everyone?"

No, seriously... did we really have this beach to ourselves?

At least we had this extra large beach ball all to ourselves. ;-)

Oh rats, the masses showed up.

Time for me to check out the water conditions.

I've only been to the Gulf of Mexico once before (the last time I was in Florida), and it was a teaser. This felt right.

Oh yeah, no oil slick either (wooooo).

Frothy goodness.

The birds were digging it.

So was the chica.

Back in Pensacola proper = we had lunch at Hopjack, which had something like 100 beers on tap. I had one of the two purple highlighted ones (see below).

Dogfish Head's 120 Minute IPA is 17% ABV, and they only served it in a 4 oz. pour. It was incredible.

It went very well with this amazing pizza, featuring filet mignon.

Pensacola felt more southern than the rest of Florida that I had previously seen. Like the saying goes: "The further north you go in Florida, the deeper south you get."

I was rather proud of myself for discovering this brewery = Pensacola Bay.

Here, you buy the glassware, and they "give you" the beer to go with it.

I got the tasting flight: my favorite out of all of them (hardly a bad one in the bunch) was Lil' Napoleon IPA, which is now in my top 5 favorite IPAs (along with the aforementioned 120 Min., Pliny the Younger, et al.).

Afterwards, we needed to head to Perdido Key to fulfill a stupid dream of mine = seeing Flora-Bama. Along the way we thought we'd pop over to the Gulf Islands National Seashore, but the parking was $8. Since we weren't going to spend a long time, we turned around. Oh well.

Looked like a nice stretch of coastline, however.

I had no idea of what to expect at Flora-Bama, except that it straddled the Florida-Alabama stateline (hence the name).

Hmmmmm....

Ok, so it's a dive bar!

Very divey...

But we had fun... although we actually didn't drink or eat anything since we were full from Hopjack.

But it didn't matter, because the beach out back was a big draw. This is the Florida side...

...and this is the Alabama side. Gotta love the Redneck Riviera.

The beach entrance to Flora-Bama.

We were headed to New Orleans, which was where the BCS Championship was going to be held, so I found this appropriate. Of course, Alabama beat LSU a couple weeks later.

Back in Sweet Home Alabama (this picture was taken from the Flora-Bama parking lot).

Perdido Key wouldn't be a bad place to retire, actually.

I thought Cleveland, OH and San Jose, CA had pathetic skylines, but Mobile, AL rivals both cities.

However, the treelined boulevards made up for it.

Time for dinner = we went to the Brick Pit BBQ, recommended by various travel books.

It was decent, although my girlfriend ordered the ribs, which really gave her a stomach ache. I took a bite and noticed they tasted largely of carbon. My pulled pork was quite good, however, and the potato salad was amazing.

I like to document when I enter a state for the first time.

Finally we entered Louisiana, around 7:30pm.

The night was still young, and fortunately my girlfriend's stomachache got to manageable levels.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band was playing its last show of 2011, so we had to go, of course. It was worth the wait in line.

Fantastic set. I love this dingy looking box of a music hall.

Jackson Square at night is a delightfully spooky place.

I couldn't wait to delve deeper into New Orleans. To be continued!

Drive to Pensacola, FL - Day 10

2012-01-12T20:55:00.000-08:00

After our time in Chattanooga and environs, we planned on a few days in New Orleans, LA to celebrate the new year. However, yours truly being yours truly, we couldn't simply drive straight to New Orleans. That would just be plain boring. Here's what we did on Day 10.

First stop = Atlanta, GA, a reasonably short bus ride away. After picking up the rental car, we met my girlfriend's good friend and her husband at Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles restaurant near downtown. Mmmm mmmm good.

These two are destined to have photogenic progeny.

Don't ask me why, but of the 6 states I hadn't seen before this trip, I was most fascinated with Alabama. Surprisingly, the Lynyrd Skynyrd song reverberating through my brain didn't drive me nuts.

On the way to Pensacola, our ultimate stop that day, we passed through Tuskegee, AL, home of the world-famous Tuskegee Airmen and the subsequent National Historic Site, located at the airstrip.

The chain of command = seven white men at the top, two black men at the bottom. Sigh...

Contrary to popular belief, you were a "Tuskegee Airmen" if you worked there in some capacity, not just if you were a pilot. Here's a map of the distribution of origins of the Airmen.

The N.H.S. is being refurbished, so a compilation of the exhibits is inside one of the hangars (which is part of the permanent exhibit).

Two planes (possibly a test plane here, I'm the worst person to ask) are inside of the hangar.

Gotta give a shout out to this Bay Area Airman.

The exterior, with the door to the Tea Room (below).

This simple dining room was one of the only integrated dining rooms in America; it's been preserved as it originally looked, in its original location.

A short drive from the airstrip lies Tuskegee University, the successor to the famous Tuskegee Institute. On the campus is the home of Booker T. Washington, The Oaks (now managed by the National Park Service as part of Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site).

Beautiful campus.

The modern chapel, with the school's graveyard in the foreground.

Booker T.'s gravesite.

George Washington Carver's gravesite; I teach third grade, and I distinctly remember being fascinated by a biography of him when I was in third grade myself.

We spent a surprising amount of time in Tuskegee, so it was nearing dark when we rolled into Montgomery, just 40-some miles away. This is the state capitol.

Almost directly across the street, facing the capitol, lies the First White House of the Confederacy. I'm no fan of the southern states' secession, but I love preserved history no matter how controversial.

As the sign indicates, the building was originally located elsewhere in the city before being moved to its present location 90 years ago.

Down the street we briefly stopped by the Southern Poverty Law Center to see the Civil Rights Memorial. On account of winter (I think) the waterfall wasn't working.

The centerpiece is a sundial-looking structure with important dates in the civil rights movement.

The last event listed needs no introduction.

Final destination for the evening = Pensacola, Florida. Crossing this state line was fairly surreal = I don't think of Florida as being a state to which one drives. This was only my third time in my father's birth-state, making the visit even more strange for me.

Coming soon = beach photos, followed by NOLA photos!

January 10th - More than just my 30th birthday

2012-01-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

Today marks the 30th anniversary of The Catch, the famous play by Joe Montana and Dwight Clark in the 1982 NFC Championship between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys. That exact date also marked my birth (my poor mother was at the mercy of distracted Niner-fan doctors - I wish I were making that up, but keep in mind I was born about an hour after the game ended).

January 10th's a pretty cool date in history = here are some notable facts about that date.

NOTE = Because I was born at 9:04pm in the Pacific Time Zone, it was really January 11th in most parts of the world, including in New York City. Not that I really care, mind you.

THE CATCH = read about it here.

Ray Bolger, the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, was born on this day in 1904.

Frank Mahovlich, the Hall of Fame left wing who won four Stanley Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs (yeah, a while ago) and two with the Montreal Canadiens, was born on this day in 1938. Coincidentally, the head scout of the Canadiens during his last two Cup wins (Ron Caron, who was later the St. Louis Blues GM) passed away yesterday. Bittersweet birthday this year...

Another Hall of Famer was also born this day in 1938 = Willie McCovey, the San Francisco Giants' Rookie of the Year in 1959.

I'm not a fan ("Maggie May" is one of my least favorite songs of all time, despite its influence), but Rod Stewart was born on this day in 1945.

George Foreman, who makes some fantastic grills, was born this day in 1949.

Pat Benatar was born this day in 1953. One of my guilty pleasures is singing in the car to "Love Is a Battlefield."

Other notable things in history on January 10th:

1776: Thomas Paine published Common Sense.

1810: Napoleon Bonaparte divorced Josephine.

1862: Samuel Colt died.

1863: The London Underground opened.

1911: Coco Chanel died.

1917: Buffalo Bill Cody died.

1920: The Treaty of Versailles officially went into effect, ending World War I.

1927: The massively influential film Metropolis was released in Germany.

1929: The Adventures of Tintin was first published in Belgium (which reminds me, I need to go see the movie).

1951: The author Sinclair Lewis died.

1961: Dashiell Hammett (author of The Maltese Falcon) died.

1976: The musician Howlin' Wolf died.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC / TN - Day 9

2012-01-08T17:27:00.000-08:00

Following our two excursions to Kentucky and Lynchburg, we took it easy leading up to Christmas Day. However, on December 26th we were ready for another adventure, so we drove east into North Carolina and visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

If you're able to choose your approach to the Smokies (which straddles the TN / NC state line), I highly recommend the North Carolina approach. 1. It's more scenic. 2. The traffic is sparse (unlike in Gatlinburg, TN; see below).

My girlfriend's mom's car was decked out for the holidays.

Cue the cute photo op.

At the North Carolina visitor center there's an old mill and other historical buildings to look around.

But no one comes for the buildings - they come for the view. (Note - this is the North Carolina side).

The state line runs through the crest of the mountains.

This view is technically from the Tennessee side (near the sign seen above).

The Appalachian Trail scurries along the state line through the park and beyond. We decided to leave our hike to Maine for another day.

John Rockefeller's memorial plaque to his wife.

One of the reasons I don't recommend the approach from the Tennessee side is because this is all you see. The nice views are at the top, near the state line, or on the North Carolina side.

This sign was pretty much the cutest thing in Gatlinburg, TN, the tourist trap town that assaults you as you leave the park on the Tennessee side.

If you think this is bad, you should(n't) see Pigeon Forge. Mercifully, my camera decided to temporarily die, but trust me, these two towns are the bane of Tennessee. Who comes to the mountains to go to laser tag or the arcades? Unfortunately, more than a few.

International Towing Museum, Chattanooga - Day 6

2012-01-07T09:45:00.001-08:00

After a couple of days of road trips in the region, it was nice to just stay in Chattanooga. But we just had to do something with our day... so we went down the mountain to its base, where the International Towing and Recovery Museum is located. Wait, what?!?

That's right folks, the tow truck was invented in Chattanooga; hence the location of the museum (which used to be a touring museum).

There are a surprising number of old rigs (polished and restored to perfection).

When you need your tow in a hurry, this one's got you covered = the world's fastest wrecker.

The g.f. was having fun trying out the kiddie rides.

This was my favorite = "Dad."

Pretty bad a**.

Logo on a different wrecker - gotta love it.

One of the wreckers had a Canadian flag on one side...

...and the stars and stripes on the other. Go North America.

There was a wall full of children's towing toys.

This wrecker saw action in WWII.

The museum also has a hall of fame (hold your snickering).

Here's a Bay Area boy.

Because it's the international museum of towing, there are many non-Americans, like this Scottish lad.

There are also women included (although let's face it, it's a typically male profession).

Outside the museum is a Vietnam Memorial-type place of remembrance for those that died while working.

It was quite moving.

After the museum we went to have dinner at Urban Stack. Here's a look at Lookout Mountain from the street.

We were ecstatic to be back a second time.

Bacon manhattan! The perfect warm-up to their awesome bacon burger.

Coming up = Great Smokies.

Lynchburg, TN - Day 5

2012-01-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

The morning after our Kentucky excursion, we planned to go to Huntsville, AL and Lynchburg, TN. However, our bodies said SLEEP, and we ditched the Huntsville part of our plans. We had lunch reservations at Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House in Lynchburg, so we used the time zones to our advantage (Chattanooga is in Eastern Time while Lynchburg is an hour behind) and left around noon ET. Here are the photo highlights.

When driving west of Chattanooga, large fireworks stores are prominent (especially due to the lead up to New Year's).

Miss Mary Bobo's is fairly well-known in this part of the country.

It was amazing that we were able to get a reservation for 4 people (it was completely booked for the day otherwise).

Miss Mary Bobo's serves country-style food in a communal seating. Even the hostess ate with us (she sat immediately to my right, so I was on extra good behavior!).

Brownie pie for dessert - yum!

However, Miss Mary Bobo's is only the second most famous institution in Lynchburg. Number one needs no introduction = here's the man behind it all.

The tour of Jack Daniel's Distillery was extremely impressive, although we had to put up with the rain.

My girlfriend was digging it.

The most photogenic part of the tour, by the little cave / grotto.

It was so loud because of the rain that I couldn't hear the tour guide, but this area is important to the distillery.

Lucky for her I'm not the jealous type.

Suck on this, teetotalers!

Portraits of all the master distillers.

The original building (I think).

Onward with the tour (no photos inside, unlike Maker's Mark).

I liked this tour even more than Maker's Mark (which was pleasant enough).

But the one knock against it is that there isn't any whiskey tasting, since (irony of ironies) the distillery is located in a dry county. Stupid antiquated laws. Oh well, here's the lemonade...

Lynchburg's courthouse.

After driving back to Lookout Mountain, we crossed over to the Georgian side to go to the Canyon Grill for dinner. It's regarded as one of the top 10 restaurants in the whole state.

I had a filet mignon burger, sans bun. It was delicious.

My girlfriend was loving it as well.

Coming up next = the weirdest museum in Tennessee.

Kentucky = Day 4

2012-01-04T07:44:00.000-08:00

On my fourth day of my trip, my girlfriend's father had the day off from work. He was intrigued at a slightly insane road trip idea I had, which would take us first to Nashville for breakfast and then onward to Kentucky, land of Lincoln and bourbon. Here are the highlights.

First stop = Nashville, TN for the famous Loveless Cafe.

Their breakfast spread was delicious; they also had moonshine on the menu, which we had with our orange juice.

Nashville's a great town, but we had bigger fish to fry.

Mainly, the Bluegrass state.

Illinois may be the "Land of Lincoln," but Kentucky was his birthplace and spiritual home. During the Civil War, he was quoted as saying, "I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky."

The memorial is built over the location of his birthplace cabin.

There are 56 steps, one for each year of his life.

My girlfriend is a ham... which is why I love her.

Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, helped the memorial come to be in 1909, when the cornerstone was laid.

The cabin inside is not the original cabin, but was believed to be so when the memorial was built. The location is correct, however (or so said the ranger).

I had been to Kentucky before, but this was the first attraction I had seen in the state (previously I was just passing through).

Abe Lincoln's family (he's in his mother's arms).

The family Bible.

About ten miles away lies Abe's boyhood home at Knob Creek. Like the memorial, the cabin isn't a Lincoln cabin, but unlike the memorial, the cabin is that of one of Lincoln's childhood friends. We couldn't go in, however.

My girlfriend's dad is a bourbon connoisseur, so we went to Maker's Mark. Lo and behold, Loretto, KY also proclaims the majesty of Rock City, GA. We howled with laughter.

Make yourselves at home at Maker's Mark (before the tour, that is).

Maker's Mark is the oldest continuously used bourbon distillery in the US, although it wasn't always owned by Maker's Mark.

Since Maker's Mark is part of the official Bourbon Trail, its tours are quite popular.

Many hundreds of gallons of mash are in this vat.

Their bottling conveyor belt system had their own signature touch.

Of course, no bourbon tour is complete without a taste of the good stuff.

We were having a grand time.

Last stop in Kentucky = Mammoth Cave National Park, home of the longest known cave system in the world. We got the last tour of the day, the Frozen Niagara tour, which covered only a small fraction of the cave. I found it amusing that the entrance to the cave was through a door.

The formations inside are pretty cool = this is the best photo of the bunch.

To end our day, we had dinner in Nashville at Amerigo's.

I'm not normally a tiramisu fan, but theirs is easily the best I've ever had.

Coming next = Lynchburg!

Chattanooga, TN and environs = Days 1 - 3

2012-01-02T22:14:00.000-08:00

For Christmas I went with my girlfriend to visit her parents, who live outside of Chattanooga, TN. It was a fantastic trip, and it allowed me to discover a corner of The South that I hadn't previously explored. Here's the first batch of photos showcasing the highlights.

My girlfriend's parents live up on Lookout Mountain, which rises dramatically above Chattanooga. Their house is palatial, but costs less than a simple two bedroom house in the Bay Area.

Everywhere you go in The South, you see signs saying "See Rock City." So we did.

Rock City is located on Lookout Mountain, but on the Georgian side (all of fifteen minutes from Chattanooga). This is my girlfriend crossing the rickety bridge en route to the grand viewpoint.

Lover's Leap, Rock City, GA

I personally don't buy the oft-referenced "See Seven States from Rock City." From this Georgian lookout, you can legitimately see Tennessee (a half mile away), Alabama, and kinda-sorta North Carolina (you can definitely see the Smokies, which form the border with NC). South Carolina is a pretty big stretch, but I'm a firm believer that you cannot see Kentucky and Virginia (120 miles away).

Still, gorgeous view.

Rock City is, of course, named for the rock outcroppings that form a sort of city, complete with crevasse-avenues as well as overhangs like the one here.

One of several photos of me wearing local garb.

Next up, we went back to the Tennessee side of the mountain to visit Ruby Falls, which shouldn't be missed if you're visiting Rock City. Rock City needs to be visited during daylight hours, but you can go to Ruby Falls once the sun sets.

That's because it's located inside a fantastic cave system.

When you enter the chamber that has the natural waterfall, the lights remain off as cheesy music crescendos to a triumphant blast, at which point a series of colorful lights illuminate the falls. For all of the sophomoric production values, the waterfall itself is certainly impressive and definitely worth seeing (although be warned it's a pricey $18... Rock City is even more, at $19).

Cynicism aside, it's a wonderful piece of nature (and according to the literature, it's the highest underground waterfall in America).

Plus, the gift shop gave me yet another opportunity to try on local attire.

URBAN STACK = the greatest burger joint you've never heard of, located in Chattanooga proper.

Without hyperbole and at the risk of carelessly throwing around superlatives, Urban Stack makes the greatest burgers I've ever had in my life. This particular burger is Wagyu beef (essentially US bred Kobe) with blue cheese and bacon.

Each bite was moan inducing. Also, their onion rings were top notch, and their bourbon list is comprehensive (including some 23-year old Pappy Van Winkle, a sort of holy grail for bourbon connoisseurs).

My girlfriend and her mother have a wicked sense of humor when it comes to streets named after Union generals.

Point Park on Lookout Mountain, part of the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, a site run by the US National Park Service.

At this location, the Union forces routed the Confederates in what was coined "the Battle Above the Clouds." Thus, the Union gained control of Chattanooga, a major railroad town, which crippled the Confederacy's ability to transport goods, etc.

History aside, the Point offers fantastic views over Chattanooga and the Tennessee River.

Monument to soldiers in the battle

When I sat on the cannon, I didn't realize how close to the edge I was perched. Oh well.

Remains of a fortress at the Point, presumably used by the Confederacy (since the Union actually routed them off the mountain from below, without fully ascending the mountain).

In preparation for dinner = bacon strips, and bacon strips, and bacon strips (Epic Mealtime would love this place).

Link 41, whose motto is "For the Love of Pig." Highly recommended.

A visit to the Terminal Brewhouse was also in order... I had their White Shadow and Magnum P.A. I love the name of their Maibock. :-)

Downtown Chattanooga is undergoing a bit of entrepreneurial revival, from what I'm told. In any case, the Terminal was another excellent dining and imbibing location.

Tennessee River

On the morning of Day Three, we crossed the bridge seen above to get to Aretha Frankenstein's, a local hotspot. Kim Jong Il had just died, hence the allusion at the bottom of the sign.

Their pancakes were delicious, but even better were their omelets.

Fortified with food, we made the short drive across the state line to the Chickamauga portion of the military park.

Luckily for me, my girlfriend is also a history buff. This trip could have been miserable if it were otherwise. ;-)

The Spencer rifle, a highly sought-after weapon during the Civil War, as it dramatically increased the number of shots one could fire within a minute (a normal rifle could be shot around 3x a minute, but this rifle could be shot around 15x).

Chickamauga is set up as a driving tour, with many wide expanses punctuated by artifacts such as this cannon.

Monuments are essentially "littered" throughout the park. I believe this one had to do with soldiers from Indiana.

There are much larger monuments that were erected by the many states represented on both sides of the war. Chickamauga was an especially bloody battle, which the Confederacy won. However, in a matter of weeks the Union redeemed themselves at Chattanooga, and Chickamauga proved to be a fleeting and inconsequential victory for the Confederacy.

More to come, stay tuned!

Dustinations - New Name, Same Great Flavor!

2011-12-31T15:33:00.000-08:00

Hi all - I've decided that I should follow my girlfriend's mother's advice and change the moniker "Blah Blah Blog" to "Dustinations." I think it's a good way to go into 2012, and to get on her "Most Favored Persons" list. I'll have photos of my current travels up once I get home, since apparently it's too much to ask to have a decent upload speed at my NOLA hotel. Coming soon = Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama, Pensacola, FL, and New Orleans, LA.

Happy New Year, everybody!

Photo Nostalgia - New Orleans, 2009

2011-12-08T15:53:00.001-08:00

I'm going to be going to New Orleans over the Christmas holiday, and I thought I'd revisit the first time I went there, during Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend nearly three years ago. $250 round-trip airfare did me in. ;-)

New Orleans is meant to be seen at night, especially the French Quarter.

One of my first orders of business was going to the venerable Preservation Hall for some jazz.

I stayed for about a set and a half.

Some only stayed for less than a set.

Cafe du Monde, open 24 hours

All they serve is chicory coffee and beignets (including a ton of powdered sugar... don't wear black while eating, trust me).

St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square can be spooky at night.

After all, this is the city featured in Interview with the Vampire.

Acme Oyster House.

So fresh, and so cheap.

Great digs.

Saturday night in NOLA.

I got fleeced for a few bucks after I held this sign (I'm naive).

The architecture in the Vieux Carre (French Quarter) is striking.

Pirates Alley, behind St. Louis Cathedral

Faulkner's House

St. Louis Cathedral, seen from the banks of the Mississippi

Andrew Jackson's statue, featuring the controversial post-Civil War quote "The Union must and shall be preserved" (Old Hickory saved New Orleans from the British in 1815, long before the Civil War).

Inside the cathedral

New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA)

A painting by Alex Katz, one of my two favorite living painters

"O Lord, bless this Thy holy hand grenade, that with it Thou mayest blow Thine enemies to tiny bits, in Thy mercy." The hand grenade is, of course, a famous drink in NOLA (it's incredibly powerful).

Time for some more jazz, this time at the Maison Bourbon.

And a nightcap at Pat O'Brien's, home of the Hurricane (and a cool fountain).

New Orleans looks great from the Mississippi.

MLK Day meant a parade.

An extravagant one.

St. Louis Cemetery Number 1, a famous burial site, and long considered one of the most haunted places in the United States (it was pretty empty and calm when I went by).

There's a legend about someone relatively famous (this century) making off with this head... can't remember the legend now.

Buskers, French Quarter

The Presbytere, adjacent to St Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square

I'm really looking forward to returning to New Orleans: laissez les bons temps rouler!

Pixies @ Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium

2011-11-22T21:23:00.000-08:00

On Monday night, the Pixies closed out their "Lost Cities" tour, in which they played their classic album Doolittle in its entirety. Fortunately for me, their final date was a short drive away in Santa Cruz, CA. Even more fortunately for me, I bought a ticket before they sold out (which was pretty fast).

Opening was the Winnipeg band, Imaginary Cities. Decent.

The Pixies came out following a sped-up version of Un Chien Andalou, the classic short film by Salvador Dali and Luis Bunuel.

I'm too young to have enjoyed the Pixies during their heyday, but I saw them in Washington state during their first reunion tour in 2005.

It was good seeing them much closer up than at the Sasquatch Festival.

Joey Santiago, pride of the Philippines.

The band had interesting visuals behind them - including videos of themselves.

Frank Black's voice was still sharp (I think that's the best adjective), and David Lovering's drumming was solid.

After the band played Doolittle in its entirety, they took leave of the crowd.

They also celebrated their road crew.

Is it possible that this is the last Pixies show ever? It certainly is for the time being.

Of course the band would come back for an encore... and they sent fog straight into the crowd just for the occasion.

The final song of the night was "Gigantic," sung by Kim Deal.

Great show - check out the setlist here.

Blind Pilot @ Great American Music Hall (photos)

2011-11-20T02:21:00.000-08:00

Last night (Saturday) I went to see the "indie folk" band Blind Pilot at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. For the benefit of those who are going to the show today (Sunday), I thought I'd post some photos. I don't have their set list, sorry.

Portland-based band Port Juncture, WA opened the first of the two shows - I really enjoyed their style and arrangement of music. Sadly, the crowd decided to try and drown out their music with talking. Why people show up to a concert early just to talk is beyond me...

Blind Pilot isn't just lead singer Israel, but he's certainly the focal point of the band.

...as this photo seems to illustrate.

The band's set began just before 10:30pm...

...and didn't end until midnight (including encore).

The lighting was very good at points.

I was quite taken by it.

Did I mention that I liked the lighting? :-P

The end of the show was pretty cool = Blind Pilot came onto the floor and the audience sat down to listen to an entirely unplugged song. Some people can't stay quiet to save their lives, but the audience was mostly compliant with the band's wishes.

Chez Panisse

2011-11-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend my girlfriend had a milestone birthday, so I took her to world famous Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley.

The restaurant is a curious sight along Shattuck Avenue.

We were a tad early, so we relaxed upstairs in the cafe with a couple glasses of vino.

Hands off, she's mine.

Bread and almonds to whet the appetite.

The menu is different every night. First course = leek salad with farm egg, prosciutto, and mustard vinaigrette. Really fantastic.

Second course = local fish and shellfish soup with rouille and croutons. Decent, but my least favorite of the night (although the rouille tasted delicious).

Main course = grilled Wolfe Farm quail with grapes and Banyuls sauce, potato gnocchi, and greens. The largest quail I've ever had, and truly a delectable dish.

It's only every so often that we get all dolled up.

Kudos to our waiter, Gianni, who took us into the kitchen for my girl's big day.

Gianni points out the organized chalkboard (I was too busy taking photos to catch its importance).

The kitchen was closing for the night; before I forget, Alice Waters herself was in the house (as were a few other famous people, according to the cafe staff upstairs - never caught the names).

The pastry chef, about to serve us our dessert.

Meat locker.

They really let us take photos wherever we wanted.

"Isn't she lovely?"

Dessert = red and white wine poached pear galette with zabaglione.

Yes, I probably come off as a dork for taking photos of the meal - but I was just following orders. :-) Not every day you get a meal like this (or a price tag to match - oomph!).

Willamette Valley

2011-11-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Most wineries in Oregon's Willamette Valley close around 4pm, and my stay at the Columbia River Gorge meant a late arrival. Fortunately I found two wineries in Newberg that were open.

Penner-Ash was open until 5pm.

I wasn't the only one interested in the hillside vineyard's fall colors.

I chose to go with the $10 option instead of the $15 all-pinot option. The Viognier was my favorite... although, to be honest, I wasn't crazy about Penner-Ash's wines.

But the view over the area was pretty.

Next stop = Utopia Vineyard, perhaps the only winery in Willamette Valley open past 5pm (they close at 6pm).

Special deal for the weekend = tastes of all the wines for $10.

The majority of the people visiting the winery (not me, since I'm not a local) were there on account of an Oregon magazine's list of the best pinots. One of Utopia's was listed at #2 (2008, $48 a bottle).

The owner / wine-maker Daniel Warnshuis was also the one pouring at the bar and telling stories. Fantastic wines, and a great end to a wonderfully long day. Recommended.

Columbia River Gorge

2011-11-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

After spending time in Portland, I escaped for a brief spell to the Columbia River Gorge. I've seen the river itself on numerous occasions, but I had never properly done *the gorge.* Time to fix that...

First view of the splendor (Washington state on the left, Oregon on the right).

The Vista House is visible on the cliff to the right.

The fall colors were surprisingly vivid.

It made the drive extra worthwhile.

Yours truly in front of Latourell Falls, west of Multnomah Falls.

Wahkeena Falls, further east.

The grandaddy of them all, Multnomah Falls.

The Multnomah Falls Lodge, which is very handy for plugging in GPS coordinates, since waterfalls don't have addresses. :-)

Next stop = wine country. To be continued...

Portland

2011-10-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I escaped to Portland and northern Oregon. Here's part one.

Friday night in Portland = drinks. First stop = the Kennedy School.

McMenamins turned a historic 1915 schoolhouse into a hotel with multiple bars.

Besides the Brewery, seen here, there was "Detention," where you could smoke cigars.

There was also the Boiler Room, where I spent most of my time. Outstanding cocktails.

Boiler Room

Stop #2 = the world-famous Horse Brass Pub, which had just begun their 35th anniversary celebration week. Specially on tap = "Don the Younger" from Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa, CA. I'm an aficionado of RR, and of course I jumped at the chance to try this unique brew. Verdict = outstanding, and even though it was listed at 5.5%, it packed a punch.

The Horse Brass had plenty of other beers on tap, obviously including Portland-based breweries.

As a nightcap, I headed to Voodoo Doughnuts (#2 - less of a line), to get some of their kooky creations.

Yum... the bacon maple donut was easily the best (it's just to the left of the pure maple bar).

Raspberry-filled donuts never looked so cool. (Reminds me of Psycho Donuts in Campbell, CA)

Morning after = food cart time. The breakfast burrito at Nuevo Mexico (owned by the ex-drummer of the Shins) is outstanding (and half of it will fill you up).

A couple of carts down was a waffle cart, and their cornbread waffles are now in my top 3 all-time. I think this mixture of eggs, meat and waffle was called the Incredible Strong Man.

Next, it was off to Belmont Station to buy (surprise!) bottles of beer.

Their selection is outstanding, especially when it comes to local brew (like Rogue, seen here).

I was especially impressed with the number of beers from Hitachino Nest Brewery in Japan (one of my personal favorites). The Lacto Sweet Stout was pretty good, if mild on the alcohol (only 4%). You could pay an extra $1.50 to drink a bottle on the premises (good deal!).

After this, it was off to the Columbia River Gorge before heading to wine country. To be continued...

Weekend Food for Thought - The least in the kingdom of heaven...

2011-10-22T17:49:00.001-07:00

... is the luckiest of all.

Genealogy Numbers - Weekend Food for Thought

2011-10-15T15:58:00.000-07:00

The other day in my class, we read a story involving the ancestry of the narrator. That led to an interesting discussion about each person's number of ancestors.

I'm no genealogist, so perhaps my understanding of the following is completely off base, but nevertheless I thought I'd use simple mathematics to point out some fascinating numbers.

You = 1 person

Your parents = 2 people

Grandparents = 4 people

Great-grandparents = 8 people

Great x2 = 16 people

Great x3 = 32 people

Great x4 = 64 people

Great x5 = 128 people

Great x6 = 256 people

Great x7 = 512 people

Great x8 = 1,024 people

Great x9 = 2,048 people

Great x10 = 4,096 people

Great x11 = 8,192 people

Great x12 = 16,384 people

Great x13 = 32,768 people

I work in a city with a population of about 40,000, so knowing that I have nearly as many great (x13) grandparents (and considerably more great x 14 grandparents) is virtually impossible to fathom.

If the pattern continues up to great x20 grandparents, each individual would have 4,194,304, or roughly the size of Los Angeles proper.

Most fascinating of all, most peoples' great x20 grandparents wouldn't have lived even just 1000 years ago. If you take me, for example (b. 1982) and go back in increments of 25 years (a good average in my case, since it's approximately how old my parents were when I was born, how old my grandparents were when my parents were born, etc.), my 4,194,304 great x20 grandparents would have lived in the 15th century.

I don't know about you, but I find it extremely humbling to know that my existence is the result of millions of individuals procreating.

That's your weekend food for thought. :-)

San Jose Sharks' Lokomotiv Tribute Decals

2011-10-13T18:02:00.001-07:00

As the venerable David Pollak reported today on Working the Corners, the San Jose Sharks will be wearing decals on their helmets this season honoring the 44 people killed last month in the Russian plane crash that wiped out the entire Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL team, including San Jose prospect Daniil Sobchenko.

I noticed the decal on Brent Burns' helmet during the home opener, since I was much, much closer than my usual last-row-of-the-upper-deck seats (thanks Bill). Here's a less-than-in-focus picture, but you get the idea. The letters are Cyrillic (Russian).

It's a nice touch. I'd buy a few to help support the families of those killed - please leave a URL in the comments if you know of a website offering them, provided the money goes their way.

By the way, on the opposite side of the back of the helmet is a Hockey Fights Cancer decal.

Go Sharks, and rest in peace, Lokomotiv.

Loose Ends Photos

2011-10-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy lately in my professional life that I haven't done many updates about my equally busy personal life (work hard, play harder). Here are the odds and ends of the last month and a half.

I went geocaching for the first time with the bros. Haven't been since, but it was "an experience."

I went to San Diego (previously posted), and loved Coronado Beach.

So did this couple.

The Hotel del Coronado is worth seeing even if you're not staying there (and I wasn't).

Got to see my only road MLB game of the season = Giants @ Padres. Pablo Sandoval hit 2 home runs that day (his second one is seen here).

Gorgeous ballpark - almost a shame it was entirely orange inside. ;-) Giants won 7-2.

I scored tickets to Band of Horses @ the Fillmore, right before it sold out. Very good show (third time seeing them).

Got to see one of my favorite musicians, Patrick Wolf, at Bimbo's 365. Completely different show from his normal sets = quiet and subdued rather than loud and rambunctious. Still amazing.

Got to go up to Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. This is the set of Measure for Measure, which I HIGHLY recommend (it closes in early November, so get a move on - it's worth the drive).

Jim Vandermeer stares into my camera at the San Jose Sharks Teal & White autograph session.

My buddies Patrick, Keith and I got about 10 to 12 autographs, including Dan Boyle and Douglas Murray, seen here.

I usually don't post work related stuff for privacy reasons, but I took my class to Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California.

We hiked to Bumpass Hell, seen here.

We also saw the Jelly Belly Factory on the way home (I had never been, and I'm a Bay Area native).

In one show, I got to see (for the second time) Buddy Guy...

...and (also for the second time) BB King.

The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival this year was pretty fun - this is my alternative rock idol, Bob Mould.

Big crowds for HSBF (Fitz & the Tantrums are onstage).

I succumbed to the hype regarding Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco = this is their Ma Po Tofu, recently listed as the #1 culinary dish to try in SF this year. It's good... without superlatives, though.

Got to see Abigail Washburn and Robyn Hitchcock in Felton (right across the street from my church).

Even got Robyn Hitchcock to autograph my copy of The Soft Boys' Underwater Moonlight.

Artisanal ice cream is all the rage in the city. Bi-Rite (menu seen here) and Humphry Slocombe are equally amazing. Where else can you get bourbon ice cream?

Fleet Week was impressive - it was even better from the rooftop of my friend's fiance's place.

I hadn't attended Off the Grid before last Friday. All the main food trucks in the city congregate in one location (on this occasion it was at Fort Mason). The Chairman Bao truck served some pretty awesome steamed bao rolls.

It was pretty popular.

Another awesome find from Off the Grid = the $5 Moroccan veal tongue taco from the Taco Guys truck. Worth every penny - I wish I could have one every day.

These guys are definitely worth seeking out in the North Bay (or even more easily at Off the Grid).

My buddy Bill and his wife Christina finally made it out to San Jose for a Sharks game. His fandom is now complete (he's been a fan since 1991, despite being a New Jersey native).

We got excellent seats for the occasion. :-)

I had been to Alcatraz only once before in my life; having Bill in town was the perfect excuse to go again.

Not to mention that it was during Fleet Week.

I enjoyed my visit much better the second time around (18 year olds don't appreciate anything ;-) ).

Despite its reputation, Alcatraz wasn't all bad, considering its amazing views.

Lastly, I made it to see the stellar SF band Girls @ the Great American Music Hall.

Excellent, excellent show. It helped that I was front row, esp. since it was sold out.

So that's what I've been up to lately... pretty boring, right? ;-)

World's largest corn maze, Dixon, CA

2011-10-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

For the past few years, Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon, CA, has held the record for the world's largest corn maze. I wasn't able to make it last year, so I made sure to budget time for it this year. It's definitely worth the $10 - whatever you do, don't lose your map!

My buddy Nathan and I entered the maze right at sunset. Bring a flashlight if you're like us.

Nathan hams it up.

There are 3 different platforms that mark your progress throughout the maze. This is the first.

Nathan is immersed in the maize... see what I did there?

This is the third station...

...but first you have to go here!

Some paths are wider than others.

We made it to the second station, completely in the dark.

Spooky...

...he made me tinkle.

Woooooo, third and final station! Not out of the maze yet, however.

We made it through in just over 90 minutes - and that was with us running in the dark (not recommended, almost twisted my ankle on multiple occasions).

The maze is open through the first week of November. Hop to it!

Beirut @ The Independent, SF (Oct. 2, 2011)

2011-10-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

Last week it was announced via email that notable indie band Beirut was going to play the Independent in San Francisco. I was at their first SF show at the Great American Music Hall five years ago, but I had avoided seeing them as of late because of the size of the venues they had become accustomed to playing (like the Fox Theatre the previous night - good for them, by the way). I managed to score a pair of tickets, plus I got there early enough to be front row. Here are my photos.

Laetitia Sadier (of Stereolab) opened... sadly, many people talked during her set, earning a rebuke from the Frenchwoman as well as Kelly Pratt from Beirut.

The setlist doesn't show their extended encore of 3 extra songs.

Zach Condon, the heart of the band

Zach and Kelly

Perrin Cloutier

While there was a ukelele and a bass guitar, there were no six strings in the house.

Perrin was definitely into it.

Fantastic set. Extremely glad I went - hopefully they play smaller venues more often in the future.

San Diego Zoo, Labor Day Weekend 2011

2011-10-04T16:06:00.001-07:00

A major highlight of any visit to San Diego is the world-famous zoo... and I had never been before. Here's a quick summary of my 4+ hour visit.

This wasn't in the zoo itself, but rather on the streets near it. Thought it was funny.

Primates grooming

An ibis from Madagascar

A crocodile staying stock-still

Pensive gorilla

That's one way to take a photo

The gorillas went ape for lettuce... see what I did there? Groan.

I had fun taking this photo.

A crowned eagle

It was very active, if not a bit aggressive.

Malayan tiger

Albino Burmese python

There was a long line to see the pandas... not sure it was worth it.

A dog and a cheetah occupied the same cage... interesting relationship.

This rhino looks depressed.

The zoo is in Balboa Park; the tower is an additional icon of the park (part of a museum).

Don't look down...

Galapagos tortoise

Chimpanzee

Mission San Diego, Labor Day Weekend 2011

2011-09-30T16:08:00.000-07:00

In San Diego, I stayed near Old Town, the most famous part of which is probably the Spanish mission, the first of its kind in California. Here's a quick peek.

I got there just as a later service was starting. Whoopsie.

The exhibits are similar to those at other missions.

There was an archaeological dig just behind the mission.

This mission was (I believe) the only one to see Native American rebellion against the Spanish priests. The priest depicted here is remembered in the Roman Catholic church as a martyr.

The man who started it all, for better or for worse.

Later that afternoon = the San Diego Zoo. To be continued...

Mission San Juan Capistrano, Labor Day Weekend 2011

2011-09-29T23:05:00.000-07:00

After leaving Los Angeles, I headed down to San Diego on I-5. Along the way I wanted to stop at the "Jewel of the Missions," Mission San Juan Capistrano, in Orange County.

I had been to all but 3 of the 21 Spanish missions in California before coming here, and right away I felt that this was the top contender for "Most Beautiful Mission."

Because it receives so much tourist money compared to the other missions, the exhibits are extremely well done.

Of course, the swallows are the big reason for the mission's fame (September isn't their season, though).

I found it interesting that wine in California began here.

You just need a little imagination to picture it.

One of the temporary exhibits had a document signed by Abraham Lincoln that transferred ownership of the mission land.

Some parts of the mission property reminded me of South America.

St. Peregrine's chapel

The main altar (I think Fr. Serra served here but it could have been elsewhere in the complex).

Every mission has its bells and whistles... groan.

One thing that sets this mission apart from the others is the complex of church ruins dating from the early 1800s, when an earthquake hit mid-service. Forty-some people were killed, and the church was never rebuilt.

After the mission, I drove inland down I-15 to go to Stone Brewery, in Escondido. This is their 15th anniversary Black IPA. Delicious.

I was looking forward to a fun and relaxing next two days in San Diego. To be continued...

Los Angeles en route to San Diego, Labor Day Weekend 2011

2011-09-25T17:01:00.000-07:00

Truth be told, I venture outside of the state and country more often than I go to Southern California. I think it's the smell... kidding. Here's Part One of my Labor Day Weekend fun.

First, I made it down Friday night to a buddy's place in Glendale. Not a bad part of Los Angeles County.

A major highlight of Glendale is Porto's Cuban Bakery.

Their sandwiches and savory pastries are incredible.

I had never been to Griffith Observatory, so my buddy Rob took me up there. Surprise surprise, LA has smog.

The James Lick Observatory in San Jose isn't as easy to visit as the Griffith, which gets tons of tourists, especially on weekends.

Rebel Without a Cause was partly filmed up here... ah, Hollywood.

The observatory is a major complex.

The observatory's first exhibit, the Foucault pendulum (1935).

The observatory has great views over (smoggy) Los Angeles.

I have no idea what type of telescope this is, but it looked easy to operate... (cough).

The architecture of the place is very fetching.

This pillar honors various astronomers throughout history.

Next stop, Orange County to see Mission San Juan Capistrano, before venturing onward to San Diego County. To be continued...

A Step in the Right Direction

2011-09-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

To the average 5 foot 7 inch American, 199.6 lbs. is heavy. Actually, it's obese.

So why celebrate such a gordo weight?

I started the summer at just about 220 lbs., the heaviest I've ever (knowingly) been. I finally got sick of it, and started exercising and cutting calories religiously.

My hard work has finally paid off. By losing those twenty pounds, I'm now actually under 200 lbs. (albeit it ever so slightly) for the first time in over 2 years. I still have about 25 lbs. to go before I reach my old, normal weight, but this most recent weigh in represents a step in the right direction.

Lokomotiv, Memory Eternal

2011-09-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday I got to work a few minutes earlier than normal, and decided to catch a glimpse of the news before my daily 7:30am meeting.

I wish I hadn't.

Forty-five people had been in a plane crash in Russia, including the entire Russian KHL team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Details were sketchy, but it appeared (correctly) that virtually the entire team was lost. There would mercifully be two survivors, both of whom are currently in medically-induced comas with severe burns.

No life should be valued more than others, but some of the names of the dead were instantly recognizable to me.

Pavol Demitra. Ruslan Salei. Karlis Skrastins. Josef Vasicek. Daniil Sobchenko, who was drafted this year by the San Jose Sharks.

It was all I could muster to keep myself from losing it in front of my students that morning.

Karlis Skrastins, #37, playing in Dallas against San Jose in Dec. 2009

It didn't matter to me that the former three once played for some of the teams I hate most in the NHL. These weren't exactly my heroes, but neither were they absolute strangers or (worse) absolute villains.

They were family men, playing for a sport that we mutually adored. The oldest of the players was two years shy of 40. Four of them, including Sobchenko, weren't old enough to drink legally in the United States.

Ruslan Salei (#24), playing in Detroit against the San Jose Sharks in February 2011.

Coming right on the heels of the back-to-back suicides of two NHL pugilists (Rick Rypien on August 15, and Wade Belak on August 31), and less than four months after the accidental overdose of Derek Boogaard, the Lokomotiv tragedy took our hockey off-season to another level of despair.

Wade Belak in Nashville, vs. San Jose in February 2010

But in that despair, there was something hauntingly beautiful = the hockey world coming together, putting aside national differences and team rivalries, and consoling one another in our collective loss. USA vs. Russia, Sharks vs. Red Wings - it didn't matter any more. A loss for one is a loss for all.

Hockey is the brotherhood that binds.

Requiescat in pace, Lokomotiv and B-R-B. You are gone but not forgotten. As is said in Russia and the Orthodox lands, MEMORY ETERNAL.

End of Summer Serenity

2011-09-04T01:40:00.001-07:00

Summer doesn't end for a couple more weeks, but the Labor Day weekend marks the emotional end of summer for me, and presumably others. Carefree days are replaced by ones with greater concern for our work at hand, our obligations and deadlines, and potential *zingers* lying unbeknownst in the weeks ahead as we march into the colder months.

So why do I feel so serene?

It has nothing to do with my personal preference for fall, or the start of the hockey season (sorry fellow Sharks fans), or even that I'm away on a brief vacation in San Diego as I type this. It has to do with how I'm choosing to interpret the reality that this is the last summer of my twenties. Turning thirty hardly marks the death of youth, but it's a psychological paradigm shift for many like myself, who are obsessed with nice round numbers that we associate with transitions.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The mental echo of my childhood self boldly predicting, "When I grow up..." hovers like a murky fog over the awareness of who I've become as an adult. What would that child say to me now? Would he be content with what he sees? Would his disappointment be visible on his face? Or would he start hyperventilating with excitement, knowing that he's going to *make it* after all?

And what does it mean to *make it*?

The adult in me, despite my vain concerns over career, money, weight, and eventual progeny, feels content and serene knowing that many of my childhood ambitions have been accomplished, even if some of them (a Porsche in the driveway of my Hawaiian mansion, ha!) remain dramatically unfulfilled.

I'm content knowing that I spent my *youth* doing what youth was meant for = taking risks, learning from mistakes, and building a modicum of character that will serve me in true *maturity*. All the travel didn't hurt, either... bank account excepted.

I'm content because I finally feel ready to turn 30, to finally leave my wanton years behind while still retaining the essence of who I am. I'm still going to take risks, but they'll be more calculated. I'm still going to have to learn from my mistakes, but (fingers crossed) the errors won't be as severe, even if the lessons are.

I'm content because I have even greater things to look forward to in this coming decade than my 19 year old self had to look forward to a decade ago.

I'm content because my childhood self grew up.

(Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, June 2008 - the most serene photo in my personal collection)

Fork in the Road

2011-08-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

This picture (Konevets, Russia, 2009) is a photographic representation of my psyche's current state. Read into it what you will... could be that I'm turning 30 soon.

Off topic = Sorry the blog has been quiet, as I've been busier than ever.

The Long Way Home - Final South America Photos

2011-08-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

Idiot that I am, instead of taking a one-way flight home from Rio de Janeiro, I opted to "save money" and take return flights back to 1. Buenos Aires and 2. Lima. Here's a quick look at my last time in each city.

I got back into Buenos Aires late, so the next morning before I flew to Lima, I quickly went to Recoleta Cemetery, final resting place of Evita among others.

If it weren't for the crowds, Evita's grave would have been nearly impossible to find in such an enormous cemetery.

Next stop = Santiago de Chile (again!). Just passing through this time...

Finally, back in Lima, I went to see the historic center, Plaza de Armas.

It was a school day, and multiple field trips were occurring in the plaza (like this one to La Catedral).

I believe this was the bishop's palace, adjacent to La Catedral

One side of the plaza was almost entirely yellow and... oh look a horse!

La Catedral, Plaza de Armas

Jiron de la Union is a pedestrian street that links Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Martin. It's a nice walk.

Inside La Merced, a major church along Jiron de la Union

Gran Hotel Bolivar, allegedly the birthplace of the Pisco sour.

Plaza San Martin

My lunch at the Hotel Bolivar, including a pint-sized sample of their famous drink (very strong and acidic).

Final tourist attraction before going back to the Miraflores district = the Monastery of San Francisco.

For some very odd reason, this group of students on a field trip decided to surround the gringo. Very amusing.

The monastery is famous for its catacombs, which are highly recommended (note = photos aren't allowed, but if you linger at the rear end of the tour group line..........)

The highlight of the catacombs was this display of bones... very macabre. I wasn't the only tourist breaking the photo prohibition at the sight of this.

This man is guilty of surreptitious photography in 49 countries...

A sneak peek into La Catedral (which cost money that I didn't want to spend; this was taken just beside the ticket counter)

Back in Miraflores, just in time for sunset.

Miraflores is known for funky art installations by the water.

"Love Statue" and some, uh, lovers...

Hahaha...

Last meal in South America = pizza! But not just any pizza = this is Glorietta's signature eponymous pizza, which features ham, bacon, and white asparagus. Outstanding.

Glorietta was on "Pizza Street," a hot spot of local restaurants and nightlife... and of course, pizza.

Thanks for looking at my photos... not sure where my next trip will be, but hopefully it won't be as crazy as this "vacation." Lesson learned!

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Part 2

2011-08-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

I was pretty lazy in Rio... after Ipanema and Corcovado, I only did a few other things. Here's the rest of my time in The Marvelous City.

The Jardim Botanico (Botanical Garden) in Rio is a must-see.

The Avenue of Palms, just inside the entrance

It was almost sunset, and I wanted to see Rio at nighttime from above; so I went to Pao de Acucar, commonly known in English as Sugarloaf Mountain. The only way up was by gondola (about $40 US).

The first of two gondola rides.

Copacabana is the curve on the left (Ipanema is behind it, not in view).

Pedra da Gavea in the distance, the world's largest monolith on a coastline.

Dinner was at Frontera, with friends. Frontera serves all-you-can-eat pizza, including at least a half-dozen different dessert pizzas (chocolate and various other things substituted for cheese and toppings). This particular slice had bananas.

Matt, from England, mocks my American-ness.

Daniel from Norway also mocks me.

Daniel, Ingrid, and Matt all liked Frontera as much as I did.

Copacabana (Sugarloaf is to the right, but invisible for the fog)

Arpoador, the small peninsula that separates Copa from Ipanema

Some fat dude... ;-)

I'm a sucker for moon shots.

Last night in Rio... I passed by this church and peeked in.

Then I went for a beer at a Belgian-style cafe. This was the cheapest (I was low on local currency).

The pub was right next to my old hostel in Ipanema.

One of the guys that came out to the pub was this fellow from Egypt. I'm not used to seeing Egyptians abroad. He had saved up for three years and was vacationing in Latin America for a few months.

After Rio, I would take the long way home, by taking return flights to each of the places I had been previously. To be continued...