Vacation snapshots

Dedication: "Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young."
from Baz Luhrman's song "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)"

I started this blog in June, right after my trip & I kept rewriting it. I think it's finally ready to post. : >

To ring in our 30th year of life, two of my high school friends, Cara & Kim, & I planned a special trip. I hadn't seen Cara in 12 years, since graduation! We all met up in Los Angeles, where we spent 3 days & then road tripped it back up to Portland. It was a week of fun, sun, drinking, reminiscing, & eating. It was a blast.

Here are some memory snapshots of my vacation with Kim, Cara & Dave.

Our first full day (Thurs., July 15) we took a "Hollywood Movie Star Experience Tour" from 9:30-3 p.m. This offered everything we wanted: movie star stalking, ahem, I mean houses, plus a studio tour & a Hollywood walking tour.

Before the tour I saw my first star on the Walk of Fame. It was one of my favorite singers...Nancy Wilson! (*Interesting factoid that I learned later on the Hollywood tour: anyone who pays 15 grand can get a star.)

The first part of our tour was stars homes. Some of the most memorable homes of Ozzy Osborne, Bob Barker, Ella Fitzgerald (!another favorite singer of mine!), & some house that looked like it'd been designed by Salvadore Dali. Johnny Weismuller (Tarzan & Olympic swimmer) had a swimming pool that wound around his yard. It was empty & looked pretty overgrown on his property now...what a shame...that was some pool. We also saw Tara (the plantation in "Gone With the Wind"! Can you tell I lived in Atlanta for awhile?) & the mansion of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

This was one of the few times that I actually think I saw a celebrity & it was someone I didn't even want to see. I think I saw Paris Hilton (or someone with that same brainless, bored expression as her at least) driving a Bently out of the area where the Hilton home is. Who knows maybe we saw some other people that we didn't recognize. But I didn't get to see Orlando (I did see where he stays when he's in town), Dom Monaghan or Tim Curry.

Next stop, Sony Pictures & Columbia Studios. As we walked through the gate a woman was talking to some security guards. She said she was a singer & then promptly started singing "Charles In Charge" themesong. Exclaiming "OH, MY GOD!", Cara's jaw dropped, her eyes widened & she ran back to the singing woman. She would have sang with the woman but the woman looked unwelcoming. For the rest of the trip she'd spontaneously sing the theme. She's probably still singing the song. : >

Columbia Studios offices were originally home to the Former MGM studios, so we were inside places of movie magic & history. The multi-level soundstage where the awesome MGM Musicals were made. We got to stand on the SAME soundstage where Wizard of Oz & Spaceballs were made!!!! I also got to see Columbia Pictures Oscars...including the ones for "Bridge Over the River Kwai" & "Lawrence of Arabia". We walked through a set for the new Nicholas Cage film "Next" & the area where they film some street scenes (NY, European, etc) for movies (these are actually false front buildings with studio offices behind them) & saw the Ghostbuster mobile. Apparently somewhere Kate Winslet & Jack Black were filming a movie but sadly we didn't get see them in person. We also stopped at a backdrop maker & saw them painting a new backdrop.

The Hollywood tour included an old Hollywood speakeasy (in the Stella Adler Acting School), three old movie palaces (Graumans Egyptian, the El Capitan, Grauman's Chinese theater), & the Kodak Theater where the Oscars are held & a view of the Hollywood sign. We actually got to go into the El Capitan, which Disney has renovated to its orginal rococo, over the top grandeur. I can't believe they hid that beautiful facade from the 50s through the 80s/90s! I'd love to see a movie there someday. At Grauman's we barely had time to look at all the sights...but I did see Sean Connery (he did it barefoot), Johnny Depp, & John Wayne (boots of course). I actually took a picture of my foot with John Wayne's boots...his feet look about the size of mine. In the Kodak Mall (or whatever it's called) we looked back at the Hollywood sign while our guide (a third generation Angelino) recited a poem he'd written about Hollywood.

After the tour, we went back to the hotel for a catnap. Cara & I had took a pilgrimage to Capital Records, which was just blocks from our hotel. We couldn't go in but we walked around it. That's where we saw the stars for Duran Duran & John Lennon (I kept looking for Bobby Darin's star but never saw one, not sure if he even has one). We also stopped in a vintage store, where we got in trouble for taking a picture of me with some of their funky sunglasses.

That night we had dinner at the Stinking Rose & met up with a Berkmar alum from the class behind ours. Dave had to put up with more reminiscing about Berkmar. At her suggestion we went to the Dresden to hear this ancient couple play. Both were apparently featured in the movie "Swingers", which I have never seen but will now. The woman looked like she'd been embalmed & was wearing an Elvira wig. The last song was saw was this crazy jam of "Staying Alive". Cara & Kim appropriately call it the fart keyboard. On a side note, Cara & Dave rewatched "Swingers" recently & said the have our hotel (the Best Western Hollywood Hills) & the coffee shop in the movie too.

Friday, 6/16, was a beach day. We headed out to Venice & wandered along the promenade. I found a kick-ass pirate beach towel, which I just had to buy for myself. Kim pointed out an old, leathery guy wearing a thong bathing suit or some such selling items at a table along the promenade. Later, somehow I totally missed this, a guy wearing a loin cloth walked by us. We chose the longest point from prom to ocean to walk on the beach & I thought I was going to get third degree burns on the bottom of my feet. I had only 1 pair of sandals with me for the trip, my dress sandals, & I was not going to wear those through the sand so I left Kim, Cara & Dave in my dust as I made a beeline to the ocean. I cooled my feet while I waited for them to catch up. The ocean was surprising cold...almost Oregon cold. I thought it would be warmer. We walked along the ocean & saw the surfer bay, many sailboats, some pipe running out to the ocean with a guy fishing on it, we saw lifeguards pull a tree (possibly from Oregon!) out of the water with their truck. We had to walk across that hellish sand again & I had to hurriedly put my sandals on because it was even hotter near the promenade. I don't see how people can lay on that or walk on it.

From Venice we went to Santa Monica. (*Suddenly I have the strongest desire to watch the "Lost Boys". That's on my hold list right now. : >) We ate lunch at the Kings Head Pub, which has my favorite Ginger Beer (Cock N Bull)!!!! Yummy ginger beer. Then we attempted to see "Nacho Libre" but the power went out in the entire theater 10 minutes before that was to start, so we had to get refunds. The young teens working wanted to give Kim & I vouchers even though we were from out of state....so we had to talk to the manager, who with barely a word of explanation from us told us to go back & ask for cash. Cara had no such trouble; she just said "I'm from Maryland; I want $20 cash." Go Cara!!!

Since we didn't get to do that we headed over to Santa Monica pier & rode some rides. Cara & I screamed our heads off on the Sea Dragon. We were louder than the little kids. One of the kids across from us, kept covering his ears & he was saying shut up. Then we rode the Ferris Wheel (awesome view!) & the roller coaster.

We went back to Third Street Promenade to meet one of Dave's friends. While walking to dinner, we ran into 2 Nacho Libres & got fan/masks. They took a picture with us & several others; Cara forgot to put her fan up & I was off to the side without mine too. We finally found a place to eat (Lago), with a pompous server who said hello & then just stood wordlessly waiting for our order. We all looked & felt bedraggled by the end of that day.

We headed North to San Francisco on Saturday at 7 a.m. Cara was weirded out driving in such hilly & mountainous; something that is so second nature to me that I barely noticed. We arrived around lunchtime in China Town. We ate at a rooftop restaurant with a great view & could see people's laundry drying on rooftops. We then explored China Town, North Beach & their street fair, on the way to Pier 39. From Pier 39 we took a Bay Cruise that took us out to the Golden Gate Bridge & past Alcatraz. It was beautiful...there were tons of sailboats & wind gliders or surfers. When were were practically under the Bridge, our boat was bobbing up & down...It was exhilarating.

This was my third trip to SF & I finally made it to Ghiradelli Square. Across from there we happened upon a gallery for M. Keane, who I learned (although I have several works on the walls in my house) is a woman & not a man (apparently her husband made her paint in 2 different styles & he put his name on it! She had to paint a picture in court to prove that she had done them). She's still painting. We had a quick bite at In N' Out Burger, where none of us had ever eaten. I wish I knew all the secret codes for ordering burgers there. While waiting to order a woman with fake eyelashes & a short blue dress came in. She got in line behind me & was murmuring something about "They Take Numbers". We think she was a prostitute. The place we so packed people were hovering over tables like sharks; we ended up not being able to sit together.

We spent the night in Vacaville. Our room was huge...there was a sleeping porch & a third room (with no windows or circulation). They'd left the AC off so it was so hot & when we turned the light off, pitch black. I made the mistake of watching a few minutes of "jeepers creepers" so that I had totally weird dreams that the creature was in our room. It was probably just Kim walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Sunday 6/18: We were at the Jelly Belly factory as it opened. Breakfast was pretty much jelly beans. We each bought about 4 pounds of the belly flops (the imperfect ones) to bring home & this was before the tour. The factory wasn't working, which made it hard sometimes to figure out what the guide was talking about. But I will always remember fondly the packing area near the end. They had Mr. Jelly Belly plush doll (complete with cowboy boots & hat) sitting on top of one of the robots, who greeted us. Then all four of the robots danced to the tune of "Sugar, Sugar". I think the four of us found that more amusing than the kids did; we laughed our heads off. It was awesome!

Then we tried out 3 wineries in the Napa Valley. We had lunch in St. Helena, a beautiful town, at the suggestion of one of the winery people. Yummy, yummy...mac n cheese with bacon. Then we went to an olive oil place right next to the restaurant & I bought some mustard & a jalapeno olive oil. Mmmm, mmmm...good. Afterwards we made our way North to Ashland, where we met up with Ben.

Somewhere on this road I picked up the name Boobsy McTits because I accidently touched Kim's boob thinking it was the chair.

We had dinner at an English Pub there. The only thing really memorable about this was my beer. I camped with Ben (note to self, do more camping this year!) While in the ladies room getting brushing my teeth, a fellow camper came in & told me how she'd woken up this morning with a tick on the top of her head. Yikes!! I went to bed a bit freaked out...but telling myself at the same time I hadn't walked through any grass & that's where they are likely to be.

On way our way out of Southern Oregon on Monday we tried 3 more wineries & bought more wine.

We arrived with just enough time to unload our luggage on my lawn & then Kim & I sped to the airport to drop off the rental car. We just in time at 7 p.m. I was planning on cooking dinner but we opted to go to Kennedy School instead. We had dinner on the patio & then after dinner drinks in the Detention Room, being the good Beta Club girls we are. We girls watched our HS graduation video (yes, I still have this even after 12 years) & looked through yearbooks until we were all tired.

Tues. Ben & I made a huge breakfast (eggs, homemade hasbrowns, bacon). Then we took them out for the quicky Portland tour. We visited the International Rose Test Gardens & showed them the view from Pittock Mansion. Then we went to Powells Books, where all of us but Ben proceeded to buy items.

There was a ton of stuff I didn't get to show them but by this point we were all so exhausted from the preceding six days we headed back home for some R&R before our dinner sail on the Willamette.

When we got to the sailboat I found out Cara was thinking of a typical dinner cruise on a larger boat & that she was nervous. I was a bit worried but she was a trooper & joked her way through the trip. She kept encouraging Kim to flirt with the captain & even had her take pictures of his bum until they got caught. Kim & Dave tried their hand at sailing. Actually that was the most wind that Ben & I've ever had of any of our sailings on Scovare. Once we'd gotten near downtown we took down the sails & just floated. Captain Shane served us bread, a green/waldorf salad (apples with green salad, quite tasty), herb-rubbed chicken, cajun & lemon pepper salmon, with an apple pie for dessert. It was quite lovely. I think (& hope) everyone enjoyed it as much as Ben & I did.

Weds. 6/21
Up at 3:30 to drive Kim to airport. I had breakfast near airport with Cara & Dave before I dropped them off around 10 a.m. It was bittersweet to come home to an empty home. But I look forward to us planning the next trip, a cruise for our 35th birthday. I especially look forward to Cara's spreadsheets.

I love you all! Thanks for the fabulous trip!!

Thoughts on "An Inconvenient Truth"

Some of you have already read this post on my myspace blog but I wanted to repost it here too.

Last night I saw "An Inconvenient Truth", the documentary about Al Gore & his powerpoint presentation on global warming. Maybe not becoming president was a good thing because now he's traveling the world & trying to get individuals to take some action about global warming. I really admire his passion on the subject. I wish he'd have showed some of this passion & humor while campaigning for president in 2000.

He admitted that he put too much faith in the democratic process to solve this issue. I knew that he had been interested in environmental issues but I had no idea that he'd been interested in it since the 1960s (before he was a politician). He wasn't pushy or whiney about it either. He just laid of the information & even joked about it at some points. How refreshing!

Even as a tree-hugging environmentalist, Gore's data enriched my knowledge & made me even more determined to do to further decrease my footprint on the planet (note to self: get my bike out of the basement & tune it up; plant more trees particularly in the southern hemisphere; & get solar panels for our house!). He did discuss the cyclical nature of global temperatures. Although it is a natural cycle to have hotter & cooler periods, based on historical data at this point higher our temperature & CO2 levels are higher than any other time. Based on current data, these numbers are expected to increase many times more than previous eras.

He also talked about the reasons people choose to discount the idea of climate change & global warming. One argument opponents often use is "the economy OR the environment". Even as a middle schooler I never could understand this whole idea. If we use up all the resources (fish, trees, etc), what are we going to use in the future? Well, if we total the planet, what are we going to need money for? We can have both economy & the environment. There's money to be made in the environment, either in saving money by using new, cleaner technologies or by new companies creating new or environmental technologies.

Interesting factoid that I just remembered from the film. There's a scene where Gore is talking about average Miles Per Gallon (MPG) for cars. The US has the lowest Miles Per Gallon for its cars in the world. Even China has higher standards! Meaning GM & Ford cannot sell our cars over there.

The issue is not too big for us to do something about. One by one we can do something about this! Gore also said that we can solve the climate crisis, just as we solved the hole in the ozone layer. And he gave examples of how we can do it; these were carried on into the closing credits.

Find out more for yourself. See "An Inconvenient Truth". Visit www.climatecrisis.net to see where it's playing & for ways to cut down your footprint. See the links I have on my website too; many are environmental or sustainability related.

4th of July quiz

Taken from wwwfreedomtofacism.com

How much do you know about the U.S. government's involvement in your life? Answer the three questions below ... see how you do!

1) Congress first attempted to impose an income tax in 1894. The Supreme Court struck the tax down as unconstitutional. In 1913, Congress amended the Constitution in order to impose an income tax without being overridden by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court responded to the 16th Amendment by:

A. Respecting Congress' power to alter the Constitution as it sees fit and declaring the Income Tax Act legal.

B. Refusing to hear any cases brought before it challenging the Constitutionality of the income tax and therefore allowing the law to stand.

C. Ruling that the 16th Amendment conferred no new power of taxation in the cases Stratton Independence v. Hobart, Southern Pacific v. Lowe, Bowers v. Kirbo Empire and five others, meaning -- the income tax is unconstitutional.

2) Because the Federal Reserve is a private consortium of banks and not a government institution of the people, an amendment to the Constitution had to be ratified to surrender to them the power to create money. Which Amendment to the Constitution took the power away from Congress to control money and put it in the hands of wealthy private bankers?

A. 16th

B. 23rd

C. 33rd

D. The Constitution was never amended and therefore the Federal Reserve's activities are unconstitutional.

3) Recently in England a national ID card was issued to all citizens of the UK. One of Adolf Hitler's first acts as Chancellor was to establish national ID papers for the German people in order to assert domination over them. Now, some want a national ID card for the American people. When do you think Americans would allow this?

A. Never

B. After another major terrorist act, for the sake of security.

C. When the technology becomes available to implement it.

D. May, 2008. Legislation has already been passed.

Answers: 1) c, 2) d, 3) d.