SoCal.

Back to California I go! 

 

Orange County to start, which was nice to fly through John Wayne instead of LAX. This airport is so quiet!!  One could mistake it for a library...

 

I started my week off in the Fullerton/Anaheim area.  I stayed on Beach Rd close to Knott's Berry Farms.  This is when I realized this is the west coast version of Orlando.  Plenty of tourists, the west coast variety seem to be a bit more emo/darker, than the east coast trailer trash variety.  Same ridiculous traffic, same people who don't know what deoderant or a turn signal is.

 

I was able to have dinner with a dear friend of mine at a Portillo's - a Chicago staple.  My friend and I know each other from Chicago, she used to work for me.  She and her family recently moved to the Orange County area and love it.

 

Portillos

 

Nothing reminds you of great people and great times like the place you'd previously spend a Friday afternoon just unwinding over some delicious food in a fun atmosphere.

 

I was also able to visit a place in Brea called Cabo Grill & Cantina - great salsa!!  The grilled fish tacos could have been a little more grilled though.  Highlight of that meal was the creepy guy asking the bartender why there were cops outside as he hugged his laptop as tightly as he could.  When the cops came in for lunch, the guy ran to the bathroom with his laptop.  I never did see him come back out but I'm going to assume he was watching porn or having a medical episode in there.  I really didn't want to find out.

 

Oh and in Fullerton I went to a place called Heroes - the portions here are INSANE but the food is fantastic - you will eat the leftovers, trust me.

 

From there it was a quick (I mean California quick by the way, 30 miles almost 2 hours at 3pm) drive over to Ontario, CA.  I've never been to this area before, all I can say is STUNNING.  I have an office down in the valley of the mountains that were breath taking.  I would imagine my attitude would be a lot different if I got to look at those mountains every day.  Great people, good weather - couldn't ask for much more.  Oh, except parking at that hotel.  6 spots, really?  Parking at the outlet mall across the street??  Who planned THAT one??  Fail. 

 

My visit in Ontario was short; I have nothing exciting or new about food - oh!  I did see a Chic-fil-A out there, I hadn't expected to, it was next door to the In-n-out burger which we all know I LOVE.

Detroit.

Motor City.

 

I can honestly say, about the only good thing I think has come out of Detroit is... well, Ted Nugent.

 

 

 

  They do have a rather nice airport, kind of amazing given the current financial situation that city is in, but maybe that's because the airport is just outside of Detroit.  Who knows.

 

I have to say, it was eye opening to be there.  The obvious struggles this area is going through is depressing, no one deserves to struggle like that if they are working hard to be positive members of society.

 

I did love some of the old architecture downtown, there's some great historic landmarks, like the old Michigan Central Station in Corktown, Roosevelt Park area.  This building is stunning, and amazingly, still standing. 

 

 

 

Sadly, this is right smack in the middle of Roosevelt Park in Corktown - there are signs posted every where that this is a high crime area, and that's supported by all of the broken glass on the ground.

 

And that, my friends is where you will find Slow's BBQ

 

 

This is where I experienced the Triple Threat.  Pulled pork, bacon and ham on ONE sandwich?!  Really??  Mac-n-cheese to die for and split pea & okra fritters were divine!  They have quite a selection of sauces - pretty much anything to satisfy your every whim.

Triple Threat

 

Other than the architecture and maybe some BBQ, I don't really have anything else to say about Detroit.  It was very distressing to be there.  It's an absolute shame that a city like that can go broke and look like a virtual war zone right here in our own backyard.

 

I do not plan to go back anytime soon, but should I find myself in the area - I do know where I will go to eat!



 

Cleveland.

 

Ahh, Cleveland.  Home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Indians and Browns.  And what I quickly learned may be the best place on earth, Melt Bar & Grilled.

 

I'll get that back to that in just a second.  I have to vent for JUST a second first.  I lost my headphones a few days ago, I'm sure they are somewhere in my apartment, heck, I am not entirely sure I didn't look right at them and not realize it.  I forgot to get new ones yesterday, so I had a panic moment and bought some at Hartsfield this morning.  Worst. Idea. Ever.  They were super expensive, don't fit and the quality sucks.  Oh and then there's the fact that they sell headphones at the airport in hard plastic containers that you need a degree to get into.  I literally went to 4 stores in the concourse asking for scissors (they all gave me strange looks like they might run away screaming), finally found a pair and it still took 2 people to open the dang container. 

 

I really tried to be smarter than the packaging, this just wasn't my day. 

 

Then I get on the plane and I am SURROUNDED by the used car sales types, but they were amusing - made me think of "Tommy Boy".  I would have peed my pants from laughing had one of them done the fat guy in a little coat thing. 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, pretty uneventful flight to Cleveland - until the 12 year old pilot had us in a fairly smooth descent when he inexplicably pulled us back up so hard I'm pretty sure this is what I looked like:

 

 

Maybe not a stellar beginning to my day. 

 

Thank God for lunch and this one redeemed the entire shit start to my day.

 

Melt Bar & Grilled

 

I have to first admit, I have NO idea which location I went to - I'm not driving nor am I from here.  I was still trying to fix my face, so I zoned out during the car ride.  I had no ideas of what it would be, but 2 steps in the door and I knew I was in love. 

 

There's fun art work and decor everywhere - not gaudy though.  There were cartoons playing on a huge TV next to sports.  There's beer.  And the menus are printed on the back of album covers. I was  mildly amused that I had a Village People menu.  Anyone who knows me might even say that was fitting. 

 

I was a little overwhelmed at the grilled cheese possibilities!!  You can put THAT in a grilled cheese?  Heck yes, you can!!  I had the Parmageddon, pierogies, kraut and cheese.  SERIOUSLY?!  Now might be the time to let you know the portions are HUGE.  I have half of the dang thing & it's little fry friends staring at me right now.

 

 

 

I have heard they had the most amazing deep fried Twinkies.  I will have to take everyones word for this, because of the national Twinkies shortage/crisis I didn't get to find out for myself.  That's OK.  I'm already going to have to run like 10 miles tonight to undo the work of the Parmageddon and I will gladly go again!  If you find yourself in the Cleveland area - do your taste buds a HUGE favor and go to Melt.

 

So now I will have to run those miles and I can't do that without music...  You know I went to the local Best Buy and bought yet another pair of headphones.  That don't suck.  And were half the price of the turds I got this morning.  Two purchases of headphones in one day is a bit ridiculous I will admit, but I can't live without my music.  Period.  Besides, a back up pair never hurt anyone.  Just a thought, but some people might want to start looking at underwear, pants or deodorant that way.  If I know you have holes in your drawers, you need a backup plan or upgrade.  And yes, that totally happened in the Cleveland airport this morning. 

 

Not enough brain bleach in the world some days.

 

 

 

 

 



Toiletries.

Stand in a security line at any airport in the United States and you will likely see the "3-1-1" postings and maybe even hear the "3-1-1" recordings.  If you are flying through Boston Logan you may even get the hologram explaining the "3-1-1" process.  She's really creepy. 

Her name is Carla.

"Carla"

What is the "3-1-1" business anyway??  This is your liquid allowance (3 oz), toiletries basically.  Medicines, stick deodorant, toothpaste and make up don't count towards this allowance - though it is very amusing to see how much crap people try to, and sometimes successfully do, cram into a 1 quart bag (1-1 qt bag per 1 passenger).  I still wonder if the TSA has some kind of contract with Ziploc because it seems that they hand those bags out at nearly every airport I've been in.  Anyway, this "3-1-1" limit is not unreasonable if you are on a short trip, don't mind refilling those 3oz bottles or using the supplied toiletries at your temporary abode.

 

I have learned that those little bottles of liquids have minds of their own.  If they're too hot, they explode.  Too cold, they explode.  Turbulence?  They explode.  There's nothing like getting to my hotel, opening my suitcase and discovering a mass of mystery liquid goo in that 1 quart bag.  If I wanted it all mixed together I would have just done so to begin with. 

 

I personally carry my own toiletries everywhere because I don't like to use HBA's that are tested on animals and most hotels don't provide the non-tested brands, though I am seeing more who do - including some who use Aveda (LOVE!).

 

 

After trying several variations of and much troubleshooting with the pesky bottles - I have found my travel soul mate. 

 

LUSH 

 

They have the most amazing solid personal care products!!  That's right, SOLID.  I love that I don't have to mess around with the "3-1-1" business AND I eliminate some of the potential mess factor.

 

Let's start with the hair care, shall we?  I am completely addicted to the Squeaky Green & Jumping Juniper shampoos and the Jungle conditioner.  These small rounds pack quite a punch!  Great lathering power, super cleaning and best of all - last longer than the liquid stuff I had been carrying around (maybe in part to my inevitable spillage).  LUSH does claim that one bar of shampoo lasts longer than 3 medium bottles of regular shampoo.  I use the Squeaky Green nearly every day; the one in the picture below is about 6 weeks old now.  I have a chunk of the Big Solid Conditioner, but I don't usually travel with it because I have naturally thick, curly hair and this one is meant to encourage volume and curl.  Kind of makes straightening my hair in the morning a test in patience.

 

Squeaky Green, Jumping Juniper, Jungle

 

I spend a lot of time in hot, stinky warehouses - it's a dirty job.  I leave work covered in dirt and sweat and want nothing more than to shower it all off and feel like a girl again - these hair care products completely satisfy that need.

 

Also, if I am in a rush or need a quick "clean up" I go to the No Drought dry shampoo.  This stuff smells so good.  I would say it's a bit messy to work with, but please consider that I may not be the most graceful person around.

 

 

 

 

For the face, I can't live without Coalface.  I have combination skin and after a recent surgery, my skin was freaking out a little bit.  This Coalface cleanses and leaves my skin feeling great.  A word of warning on this one though, if it's left in the heat (suitcase in car while at work 8+ hours before hotel check in, maybe?) it starts to soften and it seems to separate a little bit.

 

Coalface

 

For the body -  I am all about the Sugar Scrub.  Travels well, smells amazing and I love the way my skin seems to glow after my shower.  Do NOT put this under the running water in the shower, it will melt!!

 

Sugar Scrub

 

So there you have it.  I'm beginning to think I should have just called this my love letter to Lush.  I can't help it.  I am a die hard LUSHie.  I originally looked into them for the solid products but have fallen hopelessly in love with everything they do AND they are cruelty/testing free.  What more could a girl ask for??

 

 

 

 

 

 



City of Angels.

Ahhhh Los Angeles.... it's been several years - 7 to be exact, since we last saw one another.  After dealing with the nasty people at Hertz and the ridiculous traffic, I remember why I dreaded this trip.

 

Let's start with LAX. 

Can we please have more than 3 stalls in the only restroom in each terminal?  Regardless of time of day or night this place is jam packed with passengers - there's only so much these tiny facilities can handle.  Other than the lack of facilities and  very few seating areas or charging stations, it's not a terrible airport.  I'm sure the story would be different if I had been connecting through a different terminal, but for the one stop it's ok.
 

 

I landed around 10pm local time; ran outside to catch the bus to the rental car counter.  That ride took nearly an hour with all of the stops and traffic on airport property, maybe because I was at terminal 1.  Once I arrived at Hertz, I learned my reservation wasn't on the outside board so I had to go in to see an agent.  After waiting in line for what felt like an eternity, I was informed I didn't have a reservation.  Not so!  Instead of waiting patiently for me to pull my reservation, the counter agent tried to up sell me into a luxury car then got upset when I declined and asked her to give me a minute to find the information needed for the reservation.  She literally got up and walked away for almost 10 minutes.  After I gave her the reservation information and got things sorted, I had to walk across a very dark, sketchy parking lot to find the car.  Cute little Jetta, must have been in the stars - I'd had Jetta's all week.

 

The 405 is under construction; it was a bumpy ride but that late at night the traffic was almost non-existent.  I was well on my way to Camarillo, CA for the night where I stayed at the Hampton Inn where the staff were fantastic and my room was great.

 

  I am absolutely in LOVE with Camarillo and Thousand Oaks (where I worked).  What a stunning part of the state, heck, even the country.  Breath taking.  Relaxing.  Perfect weather, low 80s, low humidity, chilly enough at night to sit by a fire pit if you wanted to. 

While I was in town, I had the pleasure of working with some really amazing people.  Highly intelligent, funny and genuine.  That's what makes all of this travel and time away from a personal life worth it.

 

I of course, need to mention food here.  Being an east coast girl, I am like a kid in a candy store here with so many options!  Let's start with my favorite...

 

in-n-out

Do they even MAKE bad food?!?  I think not.  I am a bit of a creature of habit, I love a good cheeseburger.

 

Next, and still in the burger family:

 

Islands

Big Wave cheeseburger on wheat, fries and a coke?!  Don't mind if I do...

 

  

Lastly, a bit of a departure from the norm for me, BBQ:

Billy D'z

 

I had the Tri-tip sandwich with sides of slaw & mac-n-cheese, it was pretty good!  There are several sauce options here, I went with Blonde.  It amused me there was such a creature.

 

 

As always, this trip had to come to an end.  I was on a red eye home to ATL out of LAX.  While I was sitting in traffic on the 405, I thought "hey, they have great radio stations out here" - which might be why people just deal with the traffic, certainly made the 45 mile 2.5 hour trip more pleasant for me.  If I had to sit in that mess every day I'd probably have even more road rage than I do. 

 

 

 

OH!  That reminds me...  honkaholism.  This is a thing! 

 

 

 

The commercials for this crack me up, the honking quotes on the website are priceless.  I think I need a honk suppressor for my own vehicle.  I may even need a honkervention.  Admitting you have a problem is the first step, isn't it?

 

stop honkaholism

 

 I left the LA area with a very different perspective than I had going into it; no city is without their own set of issues.  So LA has crappy traffic and an "OK" airport.  They also have fantastic people, beautiful scenery, great radio stations and good food.  I'll visit again, but I will probably fly into Burbank or Ontario depending on where I'm going...

 

Houston

After a few hours delay in Atlanta due to weather, I made it to Houston, TX.  I have been there a few times for personal trips; I have nothing bad to say about it!  It's Texas, the roads are like nothing I am used to (the frontage road just throws me off), but it's big and beautiful out here.



I flew into Houston Hobby Airport - this is such a clean facility!  Unfortunately, I had to drive over to the GBI side of town since my office is over there.  I didn't realize my hotel was 1-under construction, and 2- at the end of the runway... guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I walked into my swampy room and found ear plugs.  I have to admit, this was the first time I've seen this and at that point in the day I was so completely slap happy all I could do was laugh!

 

 

While in Houston, I did get to go eat at a few places unique to the area.  First, "Chinatown" is pretty much Bellaire Blvd - there's a lot of construction, and some of the locals think it's kind of a sketchy area to go, but I met up with a friend for dinner at Tau Bay  I had noodles with chicken and shrimp - fabulous.  I can't say enough about the great food and wonderful family who runs this facility. 

 

On my last day, I stopped at a little drive-in near my office called Lia's  That might have been the best cheeseburger and fries I have had in a LONG time, and I LOVE some cheeseburgers and fries people.  Ever want to know WHY I run a few miles each day?  Partly to destress, but mostly to justify my cheeseburger intake.  Hey, I'm honest.

 

If you ever find yourself in the area, stop on in for a bite to eat and enjoy the local personality.

 

 

It takes all kinds.

Let's talk about passengers, shall we? 

 

 

 

There are a few distinct types of people I regularly see in the airports who I feel deserve mention. 

 

The "comfortable" traveler.

 

This one is amusing and nauseating at the same time.  This is the one who looks like they rolled out of bed, scratched their ass then went right to the airport.  These are usually the girls wearing sleepwear (this is ok if for children, questionable at best for adults), sweatpants with some ridiculous advertising across the butt, or even worse - wearing tights as pants.  There is NOT enough brain bleach in the world to erase of the ass and crotch I've seen over the last couple of years.  Ladies, I don't need to see your naughty bits as I am trapped behind you on the escalator and certainly not before the sun comes up.  STOP IT.  Really.

 

 

If you aren't sure if you are wearing pants or not, please reference the chart below.

 

 

 

Please let me be clear, I am no fashion model.  Most of the time I am in business casual wear or jeans and a t-shirt.  Not runway worthy but I won't traumatize anyone either.

 

Second to that would be the crop dusters.  I am still not sure if they are really comfortable or really nervous - they just break wind all over the place.  Normally, I think this is hysterical.  There is nothing like seeing someone's reaction to a good old fashioned fart,  that is until you are standing behind said crop duster in a jet way in the dead heat of summer and YOU are the one choking on the fumes.  Well played farty guy, well played.

 

 

 

The first timer.

 

Ahhh the first timer.  This is the one who will ask TSA what they need to remove and still forget to empty their pockets, neglect to take the laptop out of the bag or carry open top shopping bags as luggage.  They will sit next to you at the gate or on the plane and despite the fact you may have in headphones or be reading they will strike up a conversation and tell you their entire life story before you even get off the ground.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, I have met some really amazing people this way.  If I have helped keep someone calm just by listening to their story, so be it.

 

 

The self important douche bag.

 

Gah.  I see this one much more than I care to.  You know the guy, bum rushes the gate before the previous flight even finishes deplaning so he's sure to get on before anyone else, is rude to the gate agent if he can't get a business class upgrade and barks on his phone so we can all hear him and recognize how "important" or "powerful" he is.  I don't care what you status is - you need to be kind and respectful to the airline teams and shouldn't be rude to fellow passengers.  I mean really, does that really help you get anywhere?  I cannot even count lately how many times I have seen flight attendants tell passengers not just to turn their phones OFF but to hang up the call they felt they HAD to take as we are on the runway in line for take off.  REALLY??  Oh, I'm sorry, are you Alec Baldwin or the President or something?  I couldn't tell by your appearance that you were so super important you could risk the safety of us regular folk.  I have one thing to say to these jackwagons.

 

 

 

 

Atlanta to Orlando

This week I am on a very familiar route, Atlanta to Orlando.  For almost 2 years I had to make this trip every other week. Here are some thoughts on both.

 

 Atlanta

 

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) is kind of my home base, so I do not completely understand when I hear people say that they hate this airport.  I don't really get "why".  It's huge, there are people everywhere and at times, construction may add to the confusion - but it's a nice airport, there are plenty of food choices (new healthy choices and your traditional grab-n-go fare and recently the Varsity, a true Atlanta favorite, was added in Concourse C), adequate signage to get around, plenty of restrooms and I do love the art and history in each concourse and in the pedestrian paths underground. 

 

There are some downsides, of course.  The "plane train" only has an entry and exit door on one side of the train so at times you could feel like a salmon swimming upstream - and when the doors are closing make sure you and your baggage are not in the way, the doors will still close.  Most of the stores and concessions are only open 6am-10pm local time, seems strange to me with this being the world's busiest airport.

 

I am from Atlanta, so of course I have nothing but great things to say about food and entertainment in this city.  Traffic sucks and can be intimidating if you aren't from here, but it's managable.  If you are in town for a few days, check out the Creative Loafing (http://clatl.com/) to find an event or activity to tickle your fancy.

 

 

Orlando

 

Orlando International Airport (MCO) is a place I see more than I would like, but it's not terrible as far as airports go.  It's smaller than Atlanta, easy to navigate and I love their train - doors open on one side of the train to let passengers out then the doors on the opposite side open to let passengers in.  Very efficient!  There are healthy food choices here, but a lot of kid friendly options as well.  Now the downside.  There are not enough restrooms for the traffic in this place, the lines for restrooms are always long and you will likely run out of toilet paper or paper towels.  There's a smell there, I am going to guess from the sulfur in the water.  Be on good behavior, you might have to ask your stall neighbor to spare a square.

 

 

If you are in town on business or maybe tired of the Disneyworld scene, there are a few places I would recommend.  I am completely in LOVE with the Ravenous Pig in Winter Park http://www.theravenouspig.com/  I have never had anything bad there, great atmosphere and the staff are fabulous.

 

If you want to stick to the downtown area I am a big fan of Wall St plaza (http://wallstplaza.net/).  There are a few venues all within walking distance to Lake Eola Park where there are shops and usually on the weekends some kind of events going on.

 

I absolutely love Fischer Park down at Cocoa beach to break away and get some "me" time.  Sure, there are plenty of beaches here but I am a fan of Fischer Park because for a $5 parking fee, you get decent parking, a bathroom that's fairly well maintained, a shower and lifeguards. 

http://www.cocoabeach.com/beachinfo.html

 

Be very careful driving around Orlando/Central Florida - I have literally seen vehicles stop on I-4 and back up to a missed exit.  If someone is driving straight and their left turn signal is on, they are probably going to turn right at the last second.  Just back off and give them space.  It's not their fault, they can't be expected to pay attention to the road with all that texting and facebook updating.

 

 

 

 

 

Germs and delays.

Germs.

 

When I began this journey I was horrified at what I would see people touch or do on a regular basis.  I got over that rather quickly on one of my first trips when I sat next to a man in scrubs (he wasn't a doctor) who had a hacking cough on a flight from New Orleans to Atlanta.  At not even 20k feet the man turns to me and confesses his doctor was concerned he could have pertussis, but this trip had been planned for months and he wasn't going to miss it.  Fantastic.  Trapped in a tube hurdling through the air and I can't escape.

 

 

 

 

Short of showing up at the airport wearing a full hazmat or bubble boy suit, I needed to find a way to psych myself out of the germ thing.  That's where my "sanity placebo" comes in.  I never go on a trip now without some form of Airborne and hand sanitizer.  Thanks to a pilot friend, I've recently discovered I love the chewable form of Airborne - tasty and I don't need water.

 

 

 

 

Now, I'm no Dr. Sheldon Cooper using hand sanitizer or spray every 5 seconds, but if I get particularly skeeved out (airport bathroom stalls) I have no problem using it.

 

 

 

Besides, clean hands and a boost of vitamin C never hurt anyone. 

 

 

Delays.

 

We have all been delayed for one reason or another; weather, maintenance, crew swap, computer issues - take your pick, it happens.  I've never quite understood why people get so angry and ugly with the airline representatives like they are the ones controlling these things.  It's a huge waste of energy and it's just plain rude.  Call me crazy, but you might not want to aggravate the person who has the power to move you to a middle seat in the back of the plane. 

 

That being said, I have learned that I get a bit cranky when I get hungry which happens sometimes with delayed flights.  Knowing this, I carry a small stash of snacks in my bag and I try to keep an empty water bottle to refill if I am stuck in an airport before or after stores open.  Emerald 100 Calorie packs of mixed nuts and turkey jerky have been a savior on more than one occasion, satisfying without the crash I'd get with a candy bar.  I also carry a pack of oatmeal and a pack or two of tea - both can  be prepared on a plane with a cup of hot water and I feel a little more balanced when I get where I am going.

 

 

I am not a health nut by any means, but I do try to make healthier choices with what I carry in my bag when possible.

 

Anyway, eat something, take a deep breath and take a look around.  There's plenty of good people watching at every airport in the world.  Whatever you were going to will still be there when you finally get there, so just relax.

 

 

So remember, people can be gross and follow the "sharing is caring" school of thought with germs and please, eat something and take a deep breath before you get upset about a delayed flight.