South Dakota Cheese

We spent most of today driving through South Dakota, which is miles and miles of nothing but highway and flat plains (besides the Badlands in the western end). As boring as this may sound, the ride was made more enjoyable by the oozing American Cheese that spilled out of South Dakota towns and along the sides of Interstate 90.

It all started in a small town named Custer, where we learned that a huge biker festival was taking place just 90 minutes away in a town called Sturgis. The town was filled with motorcycles, Wrangler jeans, mustaches, and hair spray. We all agreed that bikers get a bad rep, probably because we associate bikers with the Hell's Angels. In fact, everyone we met, talked to, or ran into was entirely friendly, and really, we thought, soft like big teddy bears. That said, our encounters with locals or traveling bikers at the Old Pan Saloon (yes it had swinging doors and sawdust on the floor) revealed a streak of weirdness as well as their desire to befriend the locals (and tease Doug, the Aussie we now have traveling with us). A night in Custer is not complete, however, without a visit to the local gas station, which also serves as a casino and bar. [As a postscript to this town I must add that the four of us witnessed the most incredible lightning we had ever seen in our lives. The sky, which is huge out here, was completely streaked by lightning, which criss-crossed and flickered throughout the sky. The first time it happened we actually jumped a little at the sight and could not stop talking about how amazing it was.)

So, today we drove east across the entire state on I-90, starting with a drive-by past the Crazy Horse Memorial and a visit to Mount Rushmore. The carvings of the four presidents are definitely cool and if you park in the monument's park you can see cool exhibits, listen to music, take pictures, etc... From there we headed back to I-90 and kept seeing amusing billboard signs for a place called Wall Drug, in a town called, yes, Wall. Wall Drug exemplifies the kitschiness and cheesiness of the South Dakota tourist industry and we loved it. This place became famous for offering free ice water to passer-bys and also sells 5-cent coffee and pretty much anything you can think of that you might by at any tourist shop. But it's huge - spanning a full block on all four sides. It is decked out with silly statues for people to take pictures with, fake dinosaurs, a number of cafes, free bumper stickers, and on and on.

The road east then took us to the famous Corn Palace in Mitchell. Even cheesier than Wall Drug, the palace is a theater decorated completely with corn on the cobs. It has some corn exhibits, sells corn on the cob, popcorn, and corn paraphanelia, and shows a movie about the history of itself every couple of hours.

We then crossed the border into Minnesota, tired and weary, but satisfied from all the pictures and cheesy charm of the Dakota to the south.

Portland Fresh

Of anywhere we are traveling on this trip, the city I was most looking forward to visiting (besides maybe Austin) was Portland, Oregon. I have heard from many friends that I would love this city, that it was "just for me" etc. So is't or is it not?

The city is laid out in a way that's easy to understand (good for the directionally illiterate). Our motel, the Thriftlodge was on the east side of Burnside St., which divides the city into northern and southern halves. The river that runs through the city divides it into eastern and western halves. Thus, we have a quadrant! We rolled in at around sunset on Friday night and made our way across the Burnside Bridge into the Northwest quadrant, where, supposedly, we would find hipster bars and a young, but not too young scene. We walked past several missions and rows of homeless spilling out into the streets. Welcome to Portland! However, our first destination, a place called "Tube" was not far away. This is where our story begins.

The Food Scene
Surprisingly enough we did not make food the centerpiece of our time in Portland. We ate what we found. An interesting law in this city is that all bars must serve food - not bad, ey? The city is booming with food carts and an abundance of vegetarian and vegan offerings. What stood out the most, though, was the prevalence of fresh, local food. The city prides itself on its farmers' markets and natural, sustainable ingredients. At Tube I opted for the meat hot dog while Binh chose the vegan hot dog and vegan taco. Bar food above par. Late that night we got some snacks at the Galaxy Diner, right outside our motel. Again, bar food above par. We ate sushi on our second night at a place called Mazi on SE Division. I'm sure the city has good sushi, but this was nothing if not average. They did offer some interesting menu choices, such as the fried grasshopper roll and pop rocks roll with spicy tuna.

Our best meal of the weekend was definitely the brunch we had at Simpatica on Sunday morning. Located underground, Simpatica looks like a small dining hall. Patrons stand outside in the hallway sipping free coffee as they wait for their name to be called from the lengthy wait list. Binh and I both tried the pan-fried trout brunch, served with over easy eggs, roasted potatoes, and polo beans. We also couldn't resist trying the fried chicken and waffles, so we splurged and split that as well. The trout was delicious - lightly battered (not like a fish and chips at all, more like a thin, light crust, with the fish maintaining its dominance over the batter) and perfectly savory. The salt of the fish matched well with the sweetness of the roasted potatoes and polo beans. Even though the wait was long, the experience was well worth it.

Our most touristy eating trip of the weekend, which I did not partake in, was at the famous Voodoo Doughnuts. This is the place you've seen on some Food Network and Travel Channel shows, the place where people can get married, the place where you can get a bacon maple donut. According to Binh and Mackenzie, it was aight.



The Coffee Scene
Impressive! We found excellent coffee right by our motel at a place called Grendel's. On the last day I tried the coffee at Stumptown, which is right near Voodoo Doughnuts. It seems that coffee is taken seriously here. It is not weak and it is not sweet. It's real, it's fresh, and it's delicious. In fact, I will be so bold as to say this: Since traveling across the country I have been impressed with coffee around the country, even in the South, making me question New York's skills with the beverage. I know coffee is such a New York thing, but I'm not sure most New Yorkers are drinking the real thing. Light and sweet? C'mon.



The Great Outdoors
One thing that really struck us about this city is the high level of physical activity that many Portlanders partake in. People are on bicycles everywhere, the river is filled with boaters and swimmers, people jog around the park marinas. And, of course, Portland is a smallish city in such close proximity to the beauty and nature of the great northwest. Not all parts of the city are beautiful (some parts of the city are sparse and industrial, others a bit run down), but by the riverfront it is a peaceful and aesthetically pleasing experience.

The People
We really didn't meet anyone significant during our time in Portland. Overall we found the people to be friendly and the population to be young. The city is liberal-minded and committed, much like San Francisco and Austin to encouraging healthy lifestyles and sustainable businesses and energy sources. While not really diverse racially, the city maintains diversity in character and thought. Unlike most cities with a very specific gay neighborhood, Portland seemed to be more integrated.

Nightlife
Day One: We started at a hipster bar called "Tube" recommended by our travel book. The crowd was fun and moderately attractive, the music indie and dance, the food vegan. They served cheap drinks up until 10pm. In general the drinks in Portland are cheap. We spent a decent amount of time there until wandering aimlessly around the Southwest District and then heading back over the Burnside Bridge to an outdoor spot. We finally ended up at Mackenzie's (least) favorite place, the Galaxy Diner, where karaoke was winding down and the crowd was eh, kind of lame.

Day Two: We stayed on the East Side this night and in general the scene was much chiller. We started at a place I was lured to by its name and awning - "The Morison Hotel", modeled after the Doors' album. The friendly bartender made Binh and I deliciously refreshing John Daly's, perfect for a hot summer night, and the whole bar enjoyed watching Usher make some movies on the TV. Next we went to "Plan B", a punk bar not too far away with a huge outdoor space (many spots in Portland sport large outdoor spaces). The crowd was decidedly punk, but friendly. After a drink we checked out a live music festival closer to the river, but they were between acts and the place was mobbed. So we went upstairs to a balcony bar to check out the views of Portland and the street from above. (This place was rather clubby and sucky, but had nice views outside.) Binh and Mack went home after this but I was determined to find another cool scene and landed at another place on Burnside, which (finally) had some attractive girls and a generally more laid back vibe.

The Oregon Brewers Festival
One last highlight worth mentioning is the Oregon Brewers Festival that was happening all weekend along the riverfront. Mack and Binh didn't want to day-drink so I explored it on my own. Huge crowds swarmed the celebration, which took place underneath two huge tents and grassy space in between. Over two-hundred breweries offered tastings or full mugs of some of their proudest creations. I must admit that drinking a lot of beer on a hot summer day is difficult to do, especially if you don't really have a group of people to do it with. But I did enjoy tasting some exceptional pilseners and ales and taking in the Portland scene. Live music played between the tents and people got up and danced or sat and grooved to the rhythm; others played in sprinklers and mist showers set up to keep people cool.

Overall
This is a city I would like to come back to. I feel there is much more to explore. Generally speaking I felt like the mood and vibe of this city suited me well, but I just don't know enough about it and didn't have enough time to explore to determine just how much I like it.

(500) Days of Summer

I have to write about this movie. You might not want to read this if you plan on seeing it.

I saw it on Saturday evening in Portland and it's been stuck in my head ever since. Those of you who know me well know that I have somewhat of an aversion to theaters, since I worry about people in the theater talking, using cellphones etc... or I worry about the screen being too small and the volume too low. I went to this on an impulse and had a couple of hours to kill before meeting up with Binh and Mackenzie for dinner. I really didn't know what the movie was going to be about, but I knew it starred Zooey Deschanel. And those of you who know me well also know what a big fan I am of her =)

While this film may be labeled as a romantic comedy, it is smarter than most and definitely not a "chick flick". (500) Days defies normal genre conventions (as many great movies do). The audience for this film, I believe, will similarly defy one target audience. The theater was filled with all types - young, old, men, women, gay, straight, and when it ended everyone had a big smile on their face. The vibe during the movie was also great. Completeley engaged, the intelligent audience laughed at all the right times and was altogether silent the rest of the time.

I'm not going to write a long in-depth review because, well, first of all, I haven't got all my thoughts organized on it and there's too much I want to say. I can say this, though - this was one of the most enjoyable movie experiences I've ever had. I wouldn't say this is necessarily one of the best movies ever, but it was the right time and place and the movie is damn good. I really connected to the main character and through this movie I re-experienced many of the emotions I have felt in past relationships. It was wrenching and utterly engaging. As I was watching there were times when I felt the movie was made just for me. Even many of the pop culture references, such as to the author Alain de Botton (whom I've tried to get others to read), the allusions to many other classic and familiar films, and the shots one has to take before doing karaoke in public spoke directly to my experiences.

Aesthetically, not only is Zooey remarkably beautiful, but the director, Marc Webb, employs a number of creative techniques that make the movie more than a simple narrative storytelling. In addition to pleasing visual surprises, the plot and ultimate resolution are also surprising. Deschanel nails the "girl who breaks your heart" so much so that many of the feelings I haven't felt in a really long time came flooding back. I found myself drawn to her like a moth to light (just as Tom, the protagonist is) while at the same time hating her for not fully engaging or giving herself over to him (just as Tom, the protagonist does). I hope she finally gets her due from critics and moviemakers as a true talent. We all know her as the cute sister in Almost Famous, but see All the Real Girls for her first great role (and a seriously good film). The great acting (on Joseph Gordon Levitt's part as well) and artful direction allow this film to navigate between the lighthearted, the slapstick, the fantastical, and honest emotional groundedness like so few movies have been able to.

The movie is not without its flaws or occasional indulgences, but I can't wait to see it again even though I know I will be sad a second time around. I think movies that provide us with an experience are the ones that stand out and the ones we want to keep living. Like Eternal Sunshine and All the Real Girls, the movie forces us to consider (and hopefully feel) how life affirming, real, and indispensable painful experiences with love can be.

Not for the emotionally cynical. For everyone else. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Recharging in San Francisco

From the moment I stepped off the BART at the Powell St. station I felt refreshed. A cool, almost chilly breeze whipped through the streets. What a welcome relief after weeks in smothering, uncomfortable heat. (Incidentally the temperature would remain at just about 60 degrees all three days, with foggy/cloudy skies, and brisk gusts of wind.) The timing, too, for our singular adventures was perfect. Our time here falls pretty much exactly in the middle of our trip and hopefully has allowed each of us to come back fresh and ready to go on. It's not that we're not getting along, because we are (better than some may have anticipated in fact), but the time apart to be on our own and with old friends has been quite healthy.

I opted to stay in a hotel for my first night. I really longed for at least one night that I could have a room to myself and spread out in pseudo-luxury. My room was small, but very pretty and ornate; the bed lavish and comfortable. Weeks of undersleeping had finally caught up to me and I spent much of the day laying in bed, browsing online and watching TV.

I decided to meet up with my old friend Pilla, whom I met at NYU for our "fast-track" masters degree in teaching. Pilla and I were best friends at school and became close very fast. Of course, when she moved back to her home in California after school ended our relationship took the unfortunately quite normal path of little to no existence. Needless to say it was really exciting to catch up. Apparently I had forgotten a LOT and it was fun to relive those memories as we drank margaritas in the Mission and played darts further uptown in Nob Hill. The time flew by and before we knew it we were closing out the bars. We met up again on Wednesday and we hung out in the Mission during the afternoon. We got the chance to begin anew our long-standing pool rivalry (both of us not that great, but always competitive) at a place called Zeitgeist, which also has an outdoor beer garden (which was too cold to sit out at). Despite the crooked cues and slanted table we had a blast. I then had the opportunity to meet her fiance Joel and we went to Udubi, a vegetarian Indian restaurant on Valencia. The time spent with Pilla reawakened a friendship and a part of my life I don't think about enough these days. I hope that we can keep our rekindled friendship going.

On day two I slept pretty late and had to rush to check out on time. I had a relaxing and long breakfast at a place called "The Grove" on Fillmore, where I camped out with my little laptop for awhile before setting out on a hike around the city--my favorite way to explore any city. I wandered over to the Haight and up all the way to the famed Haight-Ashbury. As I walked along I noticed that this really is not much more than a tourist trap, which I suppose is a shame, but that's the way these things go. Homeless (or fake-homeless) and destitute people crowded corners, vintage clothing stores and pipe stores dominated shopping options, and a couple of seemingly yuppie bars and higher-end clothing stores filled in some of the gaps. So I walked past and toward Golden Gate Park, where Pilla suggested I check out the DeYoung Musuem.

Truth be told, I'm not much of a museum person and find that I can experience local culture in ways that are more enjoyable and meaningful to me, but I hadn't been to any on this trip and I do enjoy modern American art. Plus, it was rather chilly out and I needed a break. I thought I would be able to check my behometh bag, but instead they made me carry it my hands (apparently wearing a backpack on my back was a safety issue). Yes, it was a typical museum experience. I took some pictures that in my head I thought I might use as 'thought-provokers' in my classes next year. I then walked all the way back through the Haight, the Lower Haight and finally to Kim's, which is at the northern border of the Mission, near 14th St. and Market. By the end of my marathon day of walking (with at least a 40-pound backpack on the whole day) I had a very sore right foot, which I suspect will be with me for some days to come. But I look so cool with my limp.

It was great to see Kim and her husband Ashish, who welcomed me to their very nice abode with a home-cooked meal, some wine, and some relaxation. It was good to just relax and catch up and live the normal workaday week routine that my friends have here in San Francisco. I slept in, had some great coffee (delicious Blue Bottle drip) and chocolate croissant from the Mission Beach Cafe and relaxed in Kim's apartment until it was time to meet with Pilla at Zeitgeist. Kim and Ashish were married in May and their beautiful apartment is still filled with boxes of Cuisinart appliances, boxes of leftover wine, and other artificats of a recent wedding. I haven't felt this relaxed since we started the trip and I am grateful to them for the chill times, good food, and good conversation

All in all these few days have been refreshing and endearing, and even a bit surreal. It is strange to think I'm out here on the west coast after three weeks of driving. As I keep coming back to San Francisco, which many of you know I have a long-standing grudge against, I learn to appreciate it more and enjoy its depth and nuances. This time around I spent most of my time near the Mission and I enjoyed its good food, fun bars, and young crowds. It's not quite yuppie and certainly not hippie... the best I can compare it to is a cool neighborhood in Brooklyn. I enjoyed an excellent carne asada "super taco" from a random hole-in-the-wall Mexican taqueria, tastes of delicious Samosas at a vegetarian Indian restaurant, and a creamy, and a delicate, creamy seafood crepe at a French place called Tikouz, all in one day within the radius of a few blocks.

Like many big cities you can get different descriptions of the city from the locals depending on who you talk to and that makes sense because a big city can be experienced in so many ways. I have found it to be the most metropolitan place we've visited on the trip (i.e., the closest to New York). I did not find that San Franciscans are trying to impress anyone. As such they are neither rude nor overly friendly, they just kind of "are". I didn't sense a vibrant singles scene (but it could have just been where I went out to) and the people, well, with the exception of my beautiful hosts, are not as attractive as let's say the people in Austin, for example. I can happily say, though, that I am ready to once and for all put my grudge against the city to bed for good. I plan on visiting again and continuing to explore this diverse and multifaceted city on the Bay.

Vegas Baby!

Not one of us had ever been to Vegas before. I had always associated it with the slow, confident swagger of Frank Sinatra or George Clooney. I pictured high-class, well-dressed men peering out over the pond at the Bellagio smoking cigars.

We actually stayed in a town adjacent to Las Vegas called Henderson. This town (or suburb?) reminded me of New Jersey, give or take 120 degrees. Situated on what seemed to be a main road called Sunset Rd., it featured strip mall after strip mall of shopping centers, fast-food and mid-range food places, and of course mini-casinos.

Our hosts were Joel, Binh's longtime friend from elementary school, and his roommate Chris. Both Joel and Chris were extremely gracious and accommodating hosts. They were eager to help make us feel comfortable and give us the grand tour of Sin City.

Our first stop was to a Hawaiian fast food joint called Aloha, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I ordered a barbecued meat sampler platter and it was just what I wanted: a sweet, crispy, tender mix of pork, beef, and chicken, served with Hawaiian fried rice (not greasy like Chinese fried rice) and macaroni salad. After eating, Binh and Mackenzie took their customary afternoon naps while I spent an hour or two with Chris trying to figure out how to log onto their online network (it never worked out).

After showers, the night began with us connecting to an old friend of Mackenzie's, Izzy. He works at an indoor skydiving place and offered us the chance to try it for free (with a nice tip). Still recovering from an awfully painful stiff neck and pinched nerve, and fearful of getting nauseous, I abstained, but Binh, Mackenzie, and Chris took up the offer. This place totally exemplified America's "Disney culture"... a chance for young adults or families to experience the sensation of real skydiving for ten to fifteen minutes for only $75. Everyone who participates has to go through a mini training course, watch a safety video, and get garbed in a colorful skydiving suit, helmet, and goggles. When it's your turn to go you enter a padded octagonal room, which has at its center a gigantic fan that spins so fast that it can elevate you off the ground. The instructor spends several turns guiding participants through techniques that will help them stay up and hover in the air. I didn't try it, but I can tell you that all I saw of Binh and Mackenzie were the wide grins peeking out from their costumes.

Following that and dinner at a kitschy neon diner, we headed toward the "old strip" in downtown Las Vegas. We experienced the cheesy ten-minute Queen tribute show that projects overhead the whole casino area and toured through some of the old casinos. We basically just played some slots, and no, there were no free drinks. While Binh turned up lucky, Mackenzie grew quickly frustrated with any machine that did not pay out after three or four spins.

We then headed to the famed Strip and into the Bellagio and through some of the beautiful and ornate casinos. We did not play anything here, but really just came for the experience of seeing it, taking some pictures, and moving on. We spent some time at the outside part that you see in all the movies, by the water, with the fake Eiffel Tower in the background. We were having fun and grew quickly exhausted, heading home by 3am.

I have not yet mentioned the heat in Las Vegas. The heat there was like nothing I have ever experienced. Some say that because it's "dry heat" it's okay, or better than a 90 degree hot and humid day in New York. Not true. It's awful. It's utterly uncomfortable and energy-draining. Joel told us that no one there walks anywhere -- it's simply too hot and ultimately dangerous. For example, he wouldn't let me walk across the highway to a supermarket to pick up some laundry detergent. We had to drive. it really was that bad.

So, on day two we avoided outdoors at all costs. The place we went to for brunch, Eggworks, reminded me a lot of Eggspectations in Montreal. All of the dishes have some pun with the word "eggs". The three men actually all ordered the special, which was a combination scrambled eggs, cheese, and green chile. It was quite good. We then drove to an indoor shopping outlet where Binh added to his collection of hats, particularly winter ski hats, which in fact, he did wear in the 120 degree heat of the desert. Joel, Binh, and Mack then went to the movies to see Bruno, while I drove around to find a coffee shop at which I could update this here blog and catch up on some self-time.

That night we skipped the casino culture and instead went for a typical downtown night out. We started with sushi and sake and then headed back to the same mall where the movie theater was for drinks and a night out on the town. Time flew. We had a great time. We tried a bacon martini and played some pool.

I don't think we ultimately had enough time in this city and I think the heat really detracted from what we could have done. It made us seriously tired and it made going around town draining. I personally preferred the "normal night out" to the casino night, but it's one of those things you have to do when you go to a new city. I could not quite get a read on what a shared culture might be in Las Vegas among the locals. I'm not sure if it's ultimately more of a tourist town or if we needed more time to explore.

The Pros: the Strip really is cool to look at and the kitschyness of the city with all of its neon glory is fun; people are here to have a good time; tons of entertainment options; easy to get around in with a car; we had really great hosts; the spirit of fun
The Weird: the fact that people drive everywhere; casino culture in general; indoor skydiving; the mini-replicas of major world cities (New York really did represent the skyline well)
Not A Huge Fan Of: the heat, the heat, and the heat; sad and old-looking casino patrons; Disney culture; lack of viable public transportation

A New Turn in Santa Fe

Santa Fe was the first place we visited where we really had no connections or significant prior experience to guide us along. We booked a motel based on a recommendation in our travel guide and similarly went to restaurants and attractions based on books and hearsay from friends.

I may differ on this point with my companions, but I was not overtaken by the same sense of welcome and friendliness I had felt in most other spots along our trip. Santa Fe is a little rough around the edges and a bit too touristy and expensive in the small downtown area. People weren't mean, but rather soft-spoken, and no one went out of their way to invite us into their town.

That said, we had an excellent time. I particularly enjoyed the first place we went to eat, "Maria's", which was within walking distance from our motel. They are known for having the best margarita in Santa Fe and I certainly concur. I did not know this, but Santa Fe is a tequila town and even the house tequilas in many places are quite good.

We spent our evening at a place called the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, which is a huge barbecue restaurant with a bunch of rooms on an inside and a large outdoor seating area in the front. Monday night was karaoke night and the place took on a fun, intimate feel. Fun videos forthcoming. We then tried another place called "Corazon" where we met some friendly folks traveling across the U.S. through an overseas trip group: Doug, from Australia, Claire, from Ireland, and Claire, from London.

We spent our next day there taking in the beautiful sights downtown - adobe buildings, old churches, a plaza where locals peddle their wares.

We rolled out Wednesday morning satisfied with our stay but ready to move on. As we drove through New Mexico we finally began to see the breathtaking landscapes we had been waiting for. I am too tired to try to describe it in an articulate way (look at the pictures or maybe Binh will scribe something). Now, in a motel in Flagstaff, we await the Grand Canyon.

Pictures to come...

Keeping Austin Weird

An Addendum to Binh's Austin Post...

It's been five years since I last visited Austin. Both times I absolutely loved this city, so much so, that I could picture myself living there (something I don't often feel about other cities). As a New Yorker it is important to recognize that virtually any other city will not be as large or have as much to offer as NYC, but that other cities can offer a lifestyle more nurturing to a healthy, spiritual, and happy life.

One of Austin's mottoes is to "Keep Austin Weird". This, I think, is an appropriate motto for a city that works hard to keep all of the businesses local and city life unpredictable. There is SO much to do here and lots of it is tucked away in different corners of the city. Like a Quentin Tarrantino movie, Austin seems to have an interestingly modern feel with a decidedly classic and nostalgic personality -- outdoor food shacks, random neon, drafthouse movie theathers, etc...

So, here's another short list:
Pros: cool stuff to do; attractive people; lots of green space; local businesses; good live music; a good variety of good food; inexpensive; beautiful capital building; can walk around most of downtown; feels safe
Weird: people gathering to watch bats fly at dusk under the bridge; women dressed to the nines in the downtown warehouse district (alongside others in flip flops); trailer park eating complexes;
Not a Huge Fan of: The 6th Street nightlife scene -- too fratty and produced (but is at least cheap); the heat - it was well over 100 degrees each day we were there.

Schlitterbuhnk

So, Mack and I decided to have an excursion today to what is apparently known as America's best waterpark, Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels, Texas. Apparently this town was originally settled by Germans, hence the name of the park and its sub-parks Surfenberg and Blastenhoff. We decided to go after 3pm, not only because we were exhausted from our stay in Austin, but also because it would save us fifteen bucks on the cost of admission. To keep this short, this place is huge and strangely organized. I'm sure the locals know how to navigate it a lot better than we did, but essentially we managed to get on two "rides" during the four hours we were there. The first, "The Congo Expedition" turned out to be a very enjoyable (and lengthy) tube ride down an intricately designed river. Mack and I kept getting stuck while other tubers slid by us. We couldn't figure out what we were doing wrong. But the real reason this park is bunk is that the famed "Master Blaster" (voted best water ride in the world time and time again) had us on a line for over two hours. The ride? Thirty seconds of utterly non-thrilling, un-scary, anti-exhillerating sliding through blue tubes. We enjoyed the change of pace on this little trip, but do not recommend you go.

What I Learned In N'awlins

We spent three nights in the Crescent City and despite what many of you might think about New Orleans, there were lessons to be learned...

(1) The air is thicker and wetter here than anywhere else I've ever been. There were times that our skin was wet just from being outside... and not from oppressive heat... just from the humidity. And when it rains, it pours. There is a threat of rain everyday, but it comes and goes. The three of us agreed that we actively hate those who can walk around in this weather in a full suit.


(2) There is more to New Orleans than Bourbon Street. Don't get me wrong, Bourbon Street is great fun in all of its novelty, but this time around the city I got to see other neighborhoods, such as the Garden District and the strip of bars and restaurants on Magazine Street. Binh and I spent some time at Community Coffee, finally getting the chance to sit down, relax, and catch up on emails and other news.

(3) Acme Oysters are worth the wait. We didn't even wait that long actually. This is one of those restaurants that all the travel guides tell you to go to, so you would figure huge tourist trap. However, there were both locals and tourists alike in there and the oysters were seriously delicious: fresh, cold, clean, and bright, Binh and I split a dozen of the raw variety. We also tried the char-grilled oysters, which I was skeptical about trying, but would now argue are a must-have. Similar to baked clams, the oysters are flash broiled in a buttery, garlicky sauce. They are topped off with the perfect cheese that grills to a perfect crunch on the top. There isn't enough bread in the world to sop up the delectable drippings. So, add a dozen of those. Finally, we split a softshell crab po'boy, perfectly solid. Sadly, Mackenzie, allergic to shellfish could not partake in this food event and could not even order what she wanted because it was cooked on the same grill as the shellfish. Trooper though she is, she hung in there and was ready for an afternoon and evening and night of fun after Acme.


(4) Streetcars are fun. There is something adventerous about riding in a rickety, wooden cable car, windows open, in and out of the downtown area. The cars don't go very fast and I probably wouldn't love them if I had to use them to commute, for us visitors, they were great.

(5) I can do karaoke in a public place... This was big... Mack and Binh convinced me to go up on stage and sing. The three of us sang "Brown Eyed Girl" at the classy "Cat's Meow" on Bourbon Street to a crowd filled with (at least by the time we got on stage) women and men in their early to mid 40s.

(6) The drinks are colorful. For all of you young people, one thing New Orleans is pretty famous for is partying. In many places they serve very fruity mixed drinks, bright in color, and usually not cheap. While not my favorite kinds of drinks, we had to try... it just seems to be part of what you do. One of the most famous drinks is called a "Hurricane". It is a big, red drink that you can get in pretty much any place and even on the streets in take-out windows.

(7) Finallly, the jazz is real, and so is the Dr. John. New Orleans really does have a musical sound of its own. NOLA really is the birthplace for jazz in America, the home of Louis Armstrong and marching jazz bands. Street musicians flood the downtown scene and most places feature live bands that play some form of classic dixieland jazz. Of course, as with Memphis and Nashville there are also a slew of places that play classic rock covers and crowd-pleasers that everyone can sing along to. And the jukeboxes in the local places are just what you would expect - down and dirty rock and roll with tons of gumbo-style , bippity boppity jazz funk soul rock, or however you want to describe it.

Crossing the Louisiana-Texas Border and Other Scenes From Inside the Minivan

Yee-haw, y'all! The drive from New Orleans to Austin was long! We left early this morning, and after three nights of sleeping in sub-human humid conditions we were a little groggy to say the least. Mackenzie and I did a fine job pushing the entire trip and we made it in just about eight hours, including a McDonald's stop-off (only our second one y'all should be happy to know). Surprisingly Binh spent more hours awake today than any day previously and it was great to have his energy throughout the day, especially on the long, straight, and flat Texas roads.

We've, in my opinion, done a good job mixing it up with the music so far. Here's how it usually goes: Mackenzie is a big fan of Sirius Station 61 (Prime Country). Somehow she knows all the words to all the songs. Now, in my younger days I think that might have driven me crazy, but I've taken to be okay with it and even enjoy some of the stories those folks tell and the sing-along aspect of most of them. When I am not driving I spend a good twenty or thirty minutes creating a themed playlist on my "iPod" (it's a Zen). The idea of the playlist is that many of the songs directly mention or reference the state or city we are traveling to, others just have the right sound for the geographic region we're in, and then there's just some random stuff to mix it up. I don't get to listen to Phish much (my favorite driving music) because I know it can be hard to listen to for the initiated, but I have to say when I've put some chunks of shows on or mixed some songs into the mix, Binh and Mackenzie have gone with it (I'm not sure they even know what it is, but I'll take it). Other than that we flip around on the Sirius stations and in the morning we get us some news from NPR.

And finally, there's cruise control... To those who haven't used it on a long trip you are missing out. I especially think it will be helpful down here in Texas so we don't get caught by the law. We hear they don't always like us Yankees much...

Walking in Memphis

The drive to Memphis from Nashville clocked in at under four hours. We stayed at the Court Square Inn in downtown, right near Beale Street (which is where mostly all of the scene in Memphis is). We were greeted in the lobby by a young black woman, whose personality we could not ascertain, until she laughed at Binh's karaoke to "Man in the Mirror". MJ comes through again...

We immediately headed to Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken, which I had seen on some Travel Channel show and which is written about in almost any travel book. Although it was only a mile away from our motel, we were informed that it was "too far to walk", something I suspect we will hear a lot outside of New York City. Walking into Gus's you could quickly see how Memphis bears a different soul than Nashville. A mix of black and white patrons hankered over picnic-checkered table cloths, some cheering on Tiger Woods, playing on the TV in one corner, others, like Binh and Mackenzie, admiring beach volleyball in the other corner. For a review of the food, see Binh's post, "On Southern Cuisine".

Later that night when it was time to go out we darted for Beale Street, which is a stretch of two or three blocks, roped off for pedestrians only. Like Bourbon Street in New Orleans (but much smaller and tamer), you can walk down the street with a drink in a plastic cup, which can be purchased in to-go windows throughout. Similar to Nashville, live music can be heard blaring out of almost every place on the street, but the music, somewhat suprisingly to me, was quite different.

Memphis, while clearly still a little bit country, is way more about the blues, and soulful blues at that. Both places we went to on this Sunday night featured bands with singers who crooned from the raspiness of their hearts. The guitar work was distinctively clean and the bands tight, but loose enough to allow for extended blues jams and stage play. One particularly memorable scene occurred at the Rum Boogie Cafe when the house band began playing a cover of Prince's "Purple Rain". A typically white country couple got up to dance their two step to the bluesy take on Prince and were followed to the front by an African American couple who grooved in a more hip-bumping, finger snapping style. The contrast of the two dancing couples with the backdrop of the blues band playing a Prince cover pretty much sums up what we found beautiful about Memphis.

And the dry ribs were damn good too.

The Stage

During the torrential downpour of rain on fireworks night we ran back through what felt like war-torn streets, filled with people running, dodging this way and that to avoid massive puddles and streams of rain. The sky turned a grayish yellow behind Nashville’s low buildings as the booming explosion of fireworks ricocheted throughout town. Back at the hotel hordes of sopping wet people crowded the lobby waiting for the next elevator back to their rooms. While it may seem like a major and uncomfortable inconvenience, the whole experience was rather energizing.

After changing into fresh, dry clothes and rain slickers, Mackenzie and I headed out for a second night of music on the main drag in downtown. We ambled back toward a place we had been at for awhile the night before, “The Stage”. This place differs from many of the other music bars on Broadway in that the crowd is younger and the music more contemporary. The bands that play here play mostly covers of country and pop songs that everyone can sing along to, naturally with a country twang.

We made our way to the front-right, staking our territory right in front of the stage. Strangely enough, it is roomier up there than toward the back of the bar. The band on this particular night was strong and filled with personality. The lead guitarist looked a lot like Ron Wood, with long British-like rock star hair, while the drummer appeared to be sixteen years old. The band leader, from Ohio, wore a simple white v-neck t-shirt and blue jeans and rocked hard. While Mackenzie and I were not impressed with the excessive PDA put on by some couples we were impressed with the music, which ranged from covers of Nirvana and Metallica teases to country music that only the locals (and Mackenzie) could sing along to. A great nightcap to our Nashville experience.

In Nashville

Sitting at a bar, having some Bud Selects and enjoying real live country music. Good stuff. Just had some great BBQ at Jack's and it was delish! To the right is Mackenzie admiring Binh's ribs. Mack didn't eat anything at Jack's and well, she had more room for everything else later in the night. By the way, the brisket was the best offering (according to Locker), while Binh votes for the pork shoulder (for its smokiness).

After filling our bellies at Jack's we headed around to the main strip on Broadway in and out of the local honky tonks. There are literally twenty spots all overflowing with live music. The music ranges from classic country to classic rock covers. So, for example, we heard "Sweet Child of Mine" at least four times last night and "Mama Tried" (which most of us know from the Dead not Merle Haggard) at least three. The night was long my friends and after belting our lungs in less than proud moments (yes, "Don't Stop Believing" has happened once so far) we went to the famed Wildhorse Saloon. Apparently Mack grew up watching a show on CMT that was taped in this place. It's a huge theater with three levels of balcony seating and a large dance space in the front for line dancing. We witnessed a line dancing competition in which skinny-jeaned Nashville hipsters defeated drunk all-American boys. Not to be shown up, Mack and Binh learned some moves in a public, 12am line-dancing lesson.

We are now sittting at Dunn Brothers Coffee updating the blog and planning our 4th of July festivities. Plenty more to come, including a note about our meal in Knoxville, TN and a link to all of our photos in a public Picassa album

[This was a collaborative post.]

Prepare For Ignition

Only four days left until we sink our shiny keys into the ignition of our beautiful (color yet unknown) minivan, which will be the home of Locker, Thai, and McDowell for the next six weeks. We have a lot to prepare for, and Locker still hasn't cleaned up his classroom from the end of the year. (Anyone want to help on Monday?)

As I get set to leave I must acknowledge the reflective and bittersweet nature of these past few days. First, while the end of the school year is always a relief in that we can start to catch up on the 349 hours of sleep we lost during the year, it is also sad to say goodbye to students with whom we've made authentic attachments to, students who are moving on in their lives to new schools and new experiences. The 8th grade graduation was great this year. Less teary and emotional than others in the past, but perfectly fitting for the personality of the Class of '09 - the funlovers.

Second, and I know everyone is talking about this, but the death of MJ has sent ripples of reflectiveness and bittersweet emotions through the entirety of America. Our collective consciousness has been awakened in ways it has not since the election of Barack Obama or the tragedy of 9/11. I will never forget the absolute joy and feeling that overame any room I was in this past weekend - in Grater's room on Friday afternoon when the staff played insane dance games; at the staff karaoke party Friday night when we belted out "Billie Jean" and "Beat It"; at my former student Liz's family barbecue on Saturday when the backyard cheered and did some serious "bailar-ing" for "Thriller" and "Smooth Criminal"...

So, goodbye MJ, goodbye Class of '09, goodbye UNMS staff who are taking a new step in their lives. Bring on the open road...