Wow, wow, wow...what a day. Today has been absolutely amazing. Want to hear about it? Settle in - it's a bit of a doozy!
So of course today started with another great breakfast at the Korean Cultural Center. I've eaten more figs than a person has a right to (outside of the always stellar Fig Newtons, of course...a person can never have too many Fig Newtons). They really need to stop serving that apple cinnamon bear claw though as I am sure to have withdrawals when I get home.
Our first act of the day was to watch a performance by the New York Philharmonic in Pyongyang. In case you are not up to speed on your Korean geography, Pyongyang is the capital of North Korea. It is a bit of a showcase city, not just for us - the casual observer of North Korea - but for those who live in Pyongyang themselves! They are not allowed to leave the city (I swear - learned it today) so that they do not see the devastation that runs rampant throughout the Korean countryside. As far as they are concerned, the rest of the country is just as brilliant as Pyongyang. A bit sad, right? Anyway, this was the first performance given by the NY Philharmonic, or any American orchestra for that matter, in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (that's North Korea to you and me). If you know anything about professional orchestras, you know that the NY Philharmonic is just spectacular, so that was treat #1. In addition to that, the orchestra performed the popular Korean tune of Ariang which some of us know better as the Korean Folk Song. For those of us who have been in concert band, you may have played Variations on a Korean Folk Song which is based on this tune. Anyway, gorgeous. I had very nice musical flashbacks to high school and one of my favorite pieces to perform, as well as good old Ben Hayes, who made my experience today so much richer because of the many musical selections that he introduced me to throughout the years. Thanks, Ben! Miss you!
We were next welcomed by Jae-Soo Kim, who is the Consul General for South Korea in the Los Angeles area. It isn't everyday that you have the chance to be face to face with a foreign government official, so that was cool!
Our next lecture tickled my Government funny bone - it was a lecture on the political situations that have shaped Korea's past, present, and its future. What I found particularly interesting was the sections on North Korea. North Korea intrigues much in the same way that the former Soviet Union did - it's a country that we know so little about. Oh to be a fly on the wall there! I still, without hesitation, recommend that you watch the National Geographic special Inside North Korea which gives a fascinating account of what life is like in Kim Jong-Il's secret state. I would LOVE to go there, but it just isn't safe, and I am sure that my loving parents would draw the line on that one. But, a girl can dream!
Lunch today was on the road - or at least not in the KCC. Oddly enough, we went to the same restaurant that Tim and I visited last night, the excellent Tahoe Galbi. Yum! Once again, I ate way too much. After lunch, we visited a Korean Buddhist temple where we sat down and meditated. Part of my body really got into it, as my left leg decided to reach its own state of nirvana and go to sleep. Of course, it hurt like crazy, and I kicked my leg out, knocking over my camera right during the meditation. Seriously. I was that loud person who disrupted everyone's cool state. Stupid leg.
Next stop was a Korean shopping mall, which essentially is like any other mall in the country with the exception that this one has a lot of signage in Korean and an amazing Korean grocery store. I bought some tea as that seems to be what I do know when I go places as well as some Korean drinks. Woo hoo!
The best part of the day came after the seminar. Months ago, upon finding out that I had been selected for this program, I decided to make a reservation at a Korean spa. Korean spas are just like any other kind of Asian spa, and if you read my Japan blog back in the day, you may remember that the most notable thing about Asian spas is that your are buck nekkid the entire time. Yep. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let's start with the basics.
So, I am in Koreatown, right? I am in the hotbed of all things Korean. There are spas everywhere! Helie Lee, one of the founders, put together a list of places to see in Koreatown, and one was the Olympic Spa. She recommended a treatment called the Goddess Treatment. I knew that this summer was going to be insane as far as things going on, and combined with the fact that this is the end of summer vacation, I felt that I needed a good treatment. But, there are a lot of caveats with Korean spas. Let me discuss.
As mentioned, you're naked. The entire time. This is no place for people who have any hang ups about their body. Let me be perfectly frank - I have all kinds of hang ups about my body. But I am never going to see these people again. The therapists at the spa are not naked. To make things even weirder, they are clothed in the standard Korean spa uniform of black bra and panties. Luckily Olympic Spa is a women-only facility, so I didn't have that to worry about. I checked in, and was given my keys on a stretchy coil bracelet. Because, remember, I am not going to have any pockets as I am going to be naked. For the rest of my time in Olympic Spa, I will now be known as 55, the number on my bracelet that corresponds with my lockers. That's right, lockers. One for my shoes at the door, and then the other for my clothes. After stashing the shoes, I went to the second locker and began to disrobe (there's no other way to put it other than, well, you know, getting naked). I opened the door, and there was a towel and a robe, which struck me as weird. What was this for? Aren't we all naked? Well, from the lockers to the bath room (note the space there), you can wear your robe. Like it mattered.
Inside the bath room, you take off the robe and stash it and your towel in a cubbyhole - mine was 55! Then you go off to shower. Getting into one of the baths without showering is a major faux pas. Besides, who wants to sit in other people's filth? Heck, I don't like taking a bath in my own home because sitting in my own dirt is just not appealing. So here you shower, wash all your bits and pieces, and then head out to soak. Just like in Japan! Olympic Spa had many choices and I went for the hot one first. Really hot. Like 104 degrees hot, or the air temperature of Southern Indiana this week. This particular bath was a "mugwort" tea bath. It was dark brown. I essentially was a tea bag floating in a big vat of tea. Let me tell you, it was awesome. I became friends with an elderly Korean lady here (it is easier to make friends when you're naked than you might think - please keep all inappropriate comments to yourself please). I don't like meeting new people to begin with, but for some reason, it is easier when you are both naked. I digress. She told me to soak for about 7-8 minutes in this pool, then go get in the cold bath and soak for 3-4 minutes, then back to the mugwort bath, and so on and so forth. So I did! The cold bath was FREEZING, but it felt so good to alternate between the two extremes. I did this for about an hour or so when my new best friend Moon showed up in her spa uniform and shouted "55!" That's my cue! Goddess time, y'all!
Let me tell you about the treatment. Or, let me let Olympic Spa tell you about it. I lifted this off of their website:
The ultimate moisturizing experience. We start with a full body Korean Scrub to exfoliate the skin, followed by an aromatic seaweed body shampoo. Now relax and enjoy a wonderful Darphin Aromatherapy Massage to melt all those knots away. A rejuvenating essential oil scalp massage will instantly lift your spirits. It doesn't end here, your face is then massaged with toxin releasing strokes and a purifying facial mask is applied to refresh and tighten the pores. After an aromatherapy hair shampoo and rinse, a luxurious body emulsion is soothingly applied to hydrate and moisturize. This treatment is exclusive to us and not available anywhere else.
The Korean scrub means business, kids. Moon scrubbed me everywhere. My dead skin littered the massage table like volcano ash litterd over Pompeii right after Vesuvius decided to blow its stack. It was sick and wrong. I kept telling myself this was going to be worth it. Moon meant business with her scrubbing mitts. This took a good 40 minutes or so. Then it was massage time! Lots of oil and lotion. Pure indulgence. Moon was little, but she was powerful. The backs of my shoulders carry a lot of stress, and she worked on those for a while. It was absolute torture, but I bore it. Besides, it didn't make sense to ask her to stop because her English was very limited. The best part of the massage session was the scalp massage with some peppermint aromatherapy oil. AMAZING. After Moon finished beating me up and making sure that I was all lotioned up and happy, she sent me to the jade floor room. It was nap time! I curled up on the heated jade floor and took a quick nap.
Three hours later I was done. Yep, three hours. It was totally worth every minute. I want to go back. I want to live there. I want to take Moon to my house and let her change the guest room into my own personal massage parlor. I got a taxi back to the hotel as it was dark, and let's face it, I'm staying right in the middle of where the L.A. riots took place. Watts is right down the street. I don't need to ba walking in the dark. I ran over to McDonald's for a sweet tea to finish off this Night of a Thousand Indulgences, and am currently ready to pass out in the hotel room.
If you EVER go to Los Angeles and you are a woman, do yourself a favor and go to Olympic Spa. Let go of the American hang ups about nudity that we have and go the way the good Lord made you. Ask for Moon and tell her that I said hi. You won't regret one single solitary minute of it.
Song of the Day: I don't have one. I am way too Zen right now to have music in my head. Sheesh.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Day Five - August 3, 2010
Again, placeholder. I need more time in my day!
1. Back at KAFE for another round of lectures - the morning instruction included religion and literature.
2. Frustration at the teacher next to me who texted throughout the day and kept falling asleep. Wondering how her students act in class. Hoping now that karma is real, more than ever.
3. BIG lunch today. Eating it all was a bad idea of epic proportion.
4. Why do people who win door prizes more than once in one day decline the second prize so that others get a chance? Rudeness. And yes, I didn't get one. Yes, I am bitter.
5. Afternoon session on education.
6. Viewing of film clips. Have decided that my classes this year will all be centered around East Asian countries. Am certain that will not go over well.
7. Visit to the Korea Center next door. Free stuff!
8. Massive headache forming (thank you, SHCSC Board!), so skipped LACMA tour.
9. Met Tim for dinner - amazing Korean BBQ! Yay for galbi! Dessert at Milk.
1. Back at KAFE for another round of lectures - the morning instruction included religion and literature.
2. Frustration at the teacher next to me who texted throughout the day and kept falling asleep. Wondering how her students act in class. Hoping now that karma is real, more than ever.
3. BIG lunch today. Eating it all was a bad idea of epic proportion.
4. Why do people who win door prizes more than once in one day decline the second prize so that others get a chance? Rudeness. And yes, I didn't get one. Yes, I am bitter.
5. Afternoon session on education.
6. Viewing of film clips. Have decided that my classes this year will all be centered around East Asian countries. Am certain that will not go over well.
7. Visit to the Korea Center next door. Free stuff!
8. Massive headache forming (thank you, SHCSC Board!), so skipped LACMA tour.
9. Met Tim for dinner - amazing Korean BBQ! Yay for galbi! Dessert at Milk.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Day Four - August 2, 2010
This blog entry is just a place holder. I will fill in the details later today!
1. First day at the Korean Cultural Center.
2. Amazing speakers - Korean history, music
3. Lunch was a Korean box lunch. Why don't we pack lunches like this?
4. Persimmon and cinnamon tea = extra awesome and must be in my house soon.
5. Lesson on the changgo drums - believe that I am a suppressed percussionist.
6. Museum tour.
7. Dinner at El Cholo - green corn tamales, anyone?
8. The forever walk to get to Pinkberry, a frozen yogurt place. I was like a fat kid in an ice cream shop...oh...wait...
1. First day at the Korean Cultural Center.
2. Amazing speakers - Korean history, music
3. Lunch was a Korean box lunch. Why don't we pack lunches like this?
4. Persimmon and cinnamon tea = extra awesome and must be in my house soon.
5. Lesson on the changgo drums - believe that I am a suppressed percussionist.
6. Museum tour.
7. Dinner at El Cholo - green corn tamales, anyone?
8. The forever walk to get to Pinkberry, a frozen yogurt place. I was like a fat kid in an ice cream shop...oh...wait...
Monday, August 2, 2010
Day Three - August 1, 2010
Today I slept in a little, and it hit me that today is the last day that I am going to be able to sleep in for a while. Oh, summer vacation! I feel as if I have squandered you, but you have truly been an adventurous little break! I guess that I better make the most of my last week of summer while I still have it, and how better to make that happen then a sweet little bruch stop in Los Angeles? It's a start, right?
Brunch was at one of Gerrad's fave brunch places (I personally love that he has brunch places) called bld. bld. No capitalization. Breakfast, lunch, dinner - get it? Oh, it was some tasty yumminess. I had stuffed French toast. Stuffed with what, you might ask? How about cream cheese, berry compote, and the piece de resistance, BACON!!! Oh, children...top that stuff with some maple syrup and some whipped butter and it was so good that it made you want to slap your mama (I would never slap you, Mom, seriously)! I washed it down with freshly squeezed OJ (and it was VERY fresh), and felt about as content as I could muster with a week left of vacation.
We then headed off to The Grove, which is a pretty fancy shopping center. Next to it is the Original Farmers Market in LA, at the intersection of Third and Fairfax. It was a nice day to be out walking and finding some really cool shops. I got some lip balm at Kiehl's (seriously, it is the best - I am not lying) and had fun flipping through stuff at Shine, which has some vintage souvenirs. Another cool thing about this area? Celebrity sightings! I saw Melissa Joan Hart from "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", Kevin Frazier from "Entertainment Tonight" and John Slattery from "Mad Men."
It was now time to drop me off at the Garden Suites Hotel in Koreatown so that I could begin the working portion of this trip. As I am here technically here to study Korea, it only makes sense to be staying in the heart of Koreatown in a Korean-owned hotel. The hotel isn't bad, but the first room scared me to no end (wooden boards across the windows didn't help any), so I requested a new room. I wasn't going to be here long anyway. Our dinner tonight was at Helie Lee's house. Helie is one of the co-founders of the Korea Academy for Educators, and was gracious enough to have all of the workshop fellows over to her house for a Korean meal and time to get to know each other. The food was out of this world!! I have no idea what it all was, but it was tasty, that much I know for certain. Bulgogi (marinaded meat), kimchee (preserved cabbage), glass noodles...mucho tastiness. It was also celebrity sighting time there as well, although I had NO idea who the guy was. Turns out that we were joined by Vince Papale, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in the late 1970s. He was the inspiration for the movie "Invincible." Why was he there? Well, the producer of that movie, Ken Mok, is Helie Lee's husband. Ken also produces "America's Next Top Model" and "Making the Band" among other shows. Helie herself is also an actress, and someone said she was once on "Saved by the Bell." I am definitely going to have to get more info on that!
I was glad to get back to the hotel and snuggle down. Tomorrow it is essentially back to work!
Song of the Day: "Variations on a Korean Folk Song" - classical piece that I once played in high school band!
Brunch was at one of Gerrad's fave brunch places (I personally love that he has brunch places) called bld. bld. No capitalization. Breakfast, lunch, dinner - get it? Oh, it was some tasty yumminess. I had stuffed French toast. Stuffed with what, you might ask? How about cream cheese, berry compote, and the piece de resistance, BACON!!! Oh, children...top that stuff with some maple syrup and some whipped butter and it was so good that it made you want to slap your mama (I would never slap you, Mom, seriously)! I washed it down with freshly squeezed OJ (and it was VERY fresh), and felt about as content as I could muster with a week left of vacation.
We then headed off to The Grove, which is a pretty fancy shopping center. Next to it is the Original Farmers Market in LA, at the intersection of Third and Fairfax. It was a nice day to be out walking and finding some really cool shops. I got some lip balm at Kiehl's (seriously, it is the best - I am not lying) and had fun flipping through stuff at Shine, which has some vintage souvenirs. Another cool thing about this area? Celebrity sightings! I saw Melissa Joan Hart from "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", Kevin Frazier from "Entertainment Tonight" and John Slattery from "Mad Men."
It was now time to drop me off at the Garden Suites Hotel in Koreatown so that I could begin the working portion of this trip. As I am here technically here to study Korea, it only makes sense to be staying in the heart of Koreatown in a Korean-owned hotel. The hotel isn't bad, but the first room scared me to no end (wooden boards across the windows didn't help any), so I requested a new room. I wasn't going to be here long anyway. Our dinner tonight was at Helie Lee's house. Helie is one of the co-founders of the Korea Academy for Educators, and was gracious enough to have all of the workshop fellows over to her house for a Korean meal and time to get to know each other. The food was out of this world!! I have no idea what it all was, but it was tasty, that much I know for certain. Bulgogi (marinaded meat), kimchee (preserved cabbage), glass noodles...mucho tastiness. It was also celebrity sighting time there as well, although I had NO idea who the guy was. Turns out that we were joined by Vince Papale, who played for the Philadelphia Eagles in the late 1970s. He was the inspiration for the movie "Invincible." Why was he there? Well, the producer of that movie, Ken Mok, is Helie Lee's husband. Ken also produces "America's Next Top Model" and "Making the Band" among other shows. Helie herself is also an actress, and someone said she was once on "Saved by the Bell." I am definitely going to have to get more info on that!
I was glad to get back to the hotel and snuggle down. Tomorrow it is essentially back to work!
Song of the Day: "Variations on a Korean Folk Song" - classical piece that I once played in high school band!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Day Two - July 31, 2010
Ah, I have been waiting for this day for years.
If you know much about me, you probably know that I am a huge Disney freak. I absolutely love every part of it (well, okay, maybe not Disney Channel programming...). What I love most of all is Walt Disney World. It's huge, endlessly entertaining, and one of the things in life that can melt stress away from me like nothing else. So, naturally when I found out that I was going to Los Angeles, I knew that a trip to the Mother Ship had to be part of the trip. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I was going to Disneyland no matter what.
The thing with Disney parks? They aren't cheap. I'll admit that the admission prices are ridiculous, but it hasn't stopped me from going yet. I'm pretty good at finding bargains, especially when it comes to park admission. Disney came up with a wonderful program this year called "Give a Day, get a Disney Day." The basic premise was to encourage volunteerism across the country, with volunteers who had completed a sanctioned activity receiving a free day's admission to any Disney theme park. Well, well, WELL! You KNOW I was all over that! When I signed up in January to do this program, I had no idea that I would be in Los Angeles, much less Orlando, but I felt it was too good to pass up. I did my volunteering, received my voucher, and then was blown away by the fact that my trip to Disneyland was going to be paid for by a simple act of volunteering! Props to Disney on this one!
Our plan was to arrive at Disney around 10, but traffic messed with us, and we showed up a bit later. After getting our tickets, it was into the park! I was literally about to pee my pants over this one. This was DISNEYLAND, the first park! The model for all other Disney parks! The original! Oh, the excitement. I think Gerrad got a good laugh over it. My plan for the day was simple - seek out what the parks in Orlando did not have, and tackle those rides.
First stop was Indiana Jones. This one had the longest line of the day, so it was nice to get it out of the way early in the day. It was fun, but really jerky. It reminded me of the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom. While in line, we decided to call Disney Dining to get a reservation for the Blue Bayou restaurant, which is also not in the Orlando parks. Unfortunately, the earliest reservations for the day were at 9:20 and 9:30 - that's PM, folks. We decided to pass. When we got off of the ride, we saw that we were very close to the restaurant - couldn't hurt to try, right? Guess what? WE GOT IN! Woo hoo! This restaurant was very cool, overlooking part of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, and it served great Cajun food. What was really cool was the fact that our impromptu seating was amazing - right on the water, and you could see the ride boats passing along. I had the Monte Cristo sandwich, which I am pretty certain isn't quite all that Cajun, but you just can't go wrong with a deep fried sandwich. Besides, it was the cheapest thing on the menu, and I was trying to be good.
Stuffed to the gills, we then rode Pirates next, which is in many ways cooler than the Orlando version. There is a big drop at the beginning of the ride which was fun. Haunted Mansion was next, identical to the Orlando version with the major exception of the outside facade - here, a Southern plantation style home. We then wandered over to Critter Country to check out Splash Mountain, but it had a HUGE line, so we skipped it. Gerrad didn't seem too keen on getting wet regardless! After riding the Winnie the Pooh ride, it was back out to experience more rides - this time, in Fantasyland!
After stopping to get a frozen apple juice (extra tasty), my sights were set on riding Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, an attraction that could once be found in Orlando but had been shut down many years ago. I may have ridden it in 1979 (the first trip), but I remembered nothing about it. It was pretty aimless, but at least I could check it off of the list! We hung around Fantasyland for a while, riding the Storybook Canal boats (oh, the cheese factor here was off the charts), Gerrad got a churro, trying to figure out what was up with the Matterhorn Bobsleds (they weren't working) and why the line to It's A Small World was so long. Puzzled completely, we went to Tomorrowland to see the Captain EO tribute. Captain EO was a show that Michael Jackson did with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola back in the 80s. Let's just say that the whole experience there was stupefying. It's about 15 minutes of my life I will never get back and I am pretty certain that I don't feel good about that at all. Weirdness. We tried to then ride Space Mountain, but it had broken down, so it was back to the Matterhorn Bobsleds, which were now up and running. That was so much fun!! I wish that they would put it in Orlando. We then tackled It's a Small World, which was different from Orlando in that there were Disney characters interspersed throughout the ride.
It was Dole Whip time after that, so back to Adventureland. Alice, these Dole Whips were not as good as the ones in Orlando, just so you know! I had done very well at watching my money throughout the day, so I felt completely justified in getting some shopping done!
We took the tram back to the parking garage, and Gerrad then mentioned that his stomach was getting that "Oh no, I've eaten nothing but sugar since lunch" feeling. After a brief stop back at the apartment, we headed to In-n-Out Burger, a regional chain that serves pretty amazing burgers and fries. By this point, exhaustion was once again taking over, and I very happily crawled into bed, happy beyond all measures of happiness. That's right, happy. It is, indeed, the Happiest Place on Earth. Thanks, Uncle Walt!
Song of the Day: Of course it is "It's a Small World." How could it not be??
If you know much about me, you probably know that I am a huge Disney freak. I absolutely love every part of it (well, okay, maybe not Disney Channel programming...). What I love most of all is Walt Disney World. It's huge, endlessly entertaining, and one of the things in life that can melt stress away from me like nothing else. So, naturally when I found out that I was going to Los Angeles, I knew that a trip to the Mother Ship had to be part of the trip. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I was going to Disneyland no matter what.
The thing with Disney parks? They aren't cheap. I'll admit that the admission prices are ridiculous, but it hasn't stopped me from going yet. I'm pretty good at finding bargains, especially when it comes to park admission. Disney came up with a wonderful program this year called "Give a Day, get a Disney Day." The basic premise was to encourage volunteerism across the country, with volunteers who had completed a sanctioned activity receiving a free day's admission to any Disney theme park. Well, well, WELL! You KNOW I was all over that! When I signed up in January to do this program, I had no idea that I would be in Los Angeles, much less Orlando, but I felt it was too good to pass up. I did my volunteering, received my voucher, and then was blown away by the fact that my trip to Disneyland was going to be paid for by a simple act of volunteering! Props to Disney on this one!
Our plan was to arrive at Disney around 10, but traffic messed with us, and we showed up a bit later. After getting our tickets, it was into the park! I was literally about to pee my pants over this one. This was DISNEYLAND, the first park! The model for all other Disney parks! The original! Oh, the excitement. I think Gerrad got a good laugh over it. My plan for the day was simple - seek out what the parks in Orlando did not have, and tackle those rides.
First stop was Indiana Jones. This one had the longest line of the day, so it was nice to get it out of the way early in the day. It was fun, but really jerky. It reminded me of the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom. While in line, we decided to call Disney Dining to get a reservation for the Blue Bayou restaurant, which is also not in the Orlando parks. Unfortunately, the earliest reservations for the day were at 9:20 and 9:30 - that's PM, folks. We decided to pass. When we got off of the ride, we saw that we were very close to the restaurant - couldn't hurt to try, right? Guess what? WE GOT IN! Woo hoo! This restaurant was very cool, overlooking part of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, and it served great Cajun food. What was really cool was the fact that our impromptu seating was amazing - right on the water, and you could see the ride boats passing along. I had the Monte Cristo sandwich, which I am pretty certain isn't quite all that Cajun, but you just can't go wrong with a deep fried sandwich. Besides, it was the cheapest thing on the menu, and I was trying to be good.
Stuffed to the gills, we then rode Pirates next, which is in many ways cooler than the Orlando version. There is a big drop at the beginning of the ride which was fun. Haunted Mansion was next, identical to the Orlando version with the major exception of the outside facade - here, a Southern plantation style home. We then wandered over to Critter Country to check out Splash Mountain, but it had a HUGE line, so we skipped it. Gerrad didn't seem too keen on getting wet regardless! After riding the Winnie the Pooh ride, it was back out to experience more rides - this time, in Fantasyland!
After stopping to get a frozen apple juice (extra tasty), my sights were set on riding Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, an attraction that could once be found in Orlando but had been shut down many years ago. I may have ridden it in 1979 (the first trip), but I remembered nothing about it. It was pretty aimless, but at least I could check it off of the list! We hung around Fantasyland for a while, riding the Storybook Canal boats (oh, the cheese factor here was off the charts), Gerrad got a churro, trying to figure out what was up with the Matterhorn Bobsleds (they weren't working) and why the line to It's A Small World was so long. Puzzled completely, we went to Tomorrowland to see the Captain EO tribute. Captain EO was a show that Michael Jackson did with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola back in the 80s. Let's just say that the whole experience there was stupefying. It's about 15 minutes of my life I will never get back and I am pretty certain that I don't feel good about that at all. Weirdness. We tried to then ride Space Mountain, but it had broken down, so it was back to the Matterhorn Bobsleds, which were now up and running. That was so much fun!! I wish that they would put it in Orlando. We then tackled It's a Small World, which was different from Orlando in that there were Disney characters interspersed throughout the ride.
It was Dole Whip time after that, so back to Adventureland. Alice, these Dole Whips were not as good as the ones in Orlando, just so you know! I had done very well at watching my money throughout the day, so I felt completely justified in getting some shopping done!
We took the tram back to the parking garage, and Gerrad then mentioned that his stomach was getting that "Oh no, I've eaten nothing but sugar since lunch" feeling. After a brief stop back at the apartment, we headed to In-n-Out Burger, a regional chain that serves pretty amazing burgers and fries. By this point, exhaustion was once again taking over, and I very happily crawled into bed, happy beyond all measures of happiness. That's right, happy. It is, indeed, the Happiest Place on Earth. Thanks, Uncle Walt!
Song of the Day: Of course it is "It's a Small World." How could it not be??
Day One - July 30, 2010
#1 - Holy cow, it’s early.
It’s 7:20 am and I am sitting in Starbucks at the Cincinnati airport, waiting to hop my connecting flight to big bad LAX at 9:30. The fact that I am sitting in Cincy at 7:20 should tell you that I have been up far too long. My flight left Louisville this morning at 6:00, which meant I needed to be there around 5:00, which means dear Mom picked me up at the ungodly hour of 4:15. At that point, I had been up for 20 minutes. It is amazing how fast I can get ready when there is little to no time to spare. Kids, this is going to be a long day.
I’ve not blogged much about this trip to Los Angeles. I have no excuses other than a combination of laziness and being extremely busy. I’m excited about this trip to LA, more so about getting out of Corydon for a while. I am NOT wanting to go back to work, and this is just another way to delay it another day – or nine. There is so much to look forward to on this trip! Hanging out with Gerrad today, a trip to Disneyland tomorrow (oh, the Motherland!), brunch on Sunday, a dinner reception that night, a week learning about the Koreas, a Korean spa experience…the list goes on and on. But for now…
Man, am I ever exhausted. This is my third trip this summer, and I really need to learn how to stay home for a change. That’s a bit of a handicap when one loves to travel as much as I do. I am not in any way, shape or form a fan of Mitch Daniels, but at the moment I am an ardent supporter of that “Start in September, End at the Beginning of June” school calendar idea. I have a lot of stress about the upcoming school year, and especially how the new technology component is going to fit in with what I do, especially considering the fact that I have no technology in my room to speak of but am expected to teach as though I have it. It’s frustrating, and is putting me in a really foul mood. Luckily, I know that I am not alone in this frustration. However, I am going to try to leave it behind for the coming week and enjoy this amazing experience that is awaiting me.
Until then, I will continue to sip my quite excellent chai tea latte, look for a place to buy a blanket because I am freezing, and try to catch a nap. Did I mention that I only had around 3 hours of sleep last night? Oh, the humanity!
Catch you guys from the West Coast!
Song of the Moment: “Theme from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” (played as I went through the gate to board the aircraft.
#2 – Seat Numbers and Various Other Lessons on How to Behave in Flight
So, I have this fear anytime that I have a ticketed seat that once I get to that seat, someone is going to be in it. This may surprise you (a LOT), but I really don’t like confrontation. I would prefer that everything just go my way without me having to make an issue out of it. Not such a bad thing, right? At any rate, the idea of having to cause a scene because someone is in my seat is something that just isn’t that appealing to me. I mean, the thing is, it’s my seat, right? It shouldn’t even be a situation. But it sometimes unfortunately is, and today’s flight to Los Angeles was one of those times.
To start with, and to be perfectly clear, I bought my ticket for this flight months ago. I was able to easily choose my seat, which was a window seat. I always shoot for the window seat because I am a tad claustrophobic, and I like that window (and the little bit of extra space that comes along with it). So imagine my dismay to find someone else in my seat! What!?! I very nicely explained to the lady that she was in my seat, to which I was given the reply that someone else was in her seat. I failed to see how this concerned me. As I was trying to work this out, a lady who sat in the row in front of my assigned seat said that her boys had messed up the seating situation, and she gave a little shrug and a smile as if to say, “Ah, boys. What are you going to do with them?” How about get them in their assigned seats? There’s a start! It’s not that I am heartless, but the only seat open was the dreaded middle seat, my chief nemesis when flying. So the flight attendant comes up and asks if there is a problem. I said my seat was occupied. The mama (who was trying really hard to pull off a Sarah Palin look) explained her situation. The boys had been assigned seats apart from each other, and they wanted to sit together. Would you mind, the flight attendant questioned of me. Ah, crap. Stuck in a situation here. If I say no, I’m the mean woman. If I say yes, I get the middle seat. Definitely a no-win situation.
So I am in the middle seat. Mom, I did the right thing. But I am NOT happy about it. The lady in my seat (which I am conveniently sitting next to), is a space hog. It is a good thing that I can dislocate my shoulders as I have had to sit with my left shoulder pushed forward for close to an hour now. Only three more hours to go!
Yep, I’m bitter. You try typing with a shoulder out of socket and then talk to me. As such, allow me to present some handy tips for flying:
1. When buying an airline ticket, you can choose your seat onboard at the same time. Do it! Pick one you like! And if you are buying your tickets late, understand that your choice of seats may not be available. Never at any time is it appropriate to board the plane and sit wherever you wish. Other people may have planned their trip earlier than you, and they chose their seat for a reason.
2. If you gave up your seat because someone sat in yours and you didn’t want to cause a problem, understand that you may cause one when sitting in another seat. If you volunteer to move, then you move. Don’t make others do it.
3. When in a close environment, like plane seats or concert seats, understand that you have your space. Don’t take others’ space. As a fat girl, I am extremely conscious of this. If you sit next to me, and I am already struggling to stay in my area, it would be helpful if you would stay in yours.
4. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are the victim of the above crimes, you should probably pop a Benadryl and take a nap. I took one, and it’s starting to kick in. I’m napping and just daring anyone to ask me to get up so that they can go to the bathroom.
\
Song of the Moment: Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi. Apparently I am feeling violent at the
moment.
#3 – Contemplations on Moving to the Greater Los Angeles Area
After a nice two hour nap on the plane, I finally arrived in Los Angeles. Woo hoo! Getting off of the plane and out of the general travel mode would prove to do wonders for me, as the rest of the day was FANTASTIC!!
Gerrad picked me up at big bad Los Angeles International Airport, and then we proceeded to play tourists. It’s hard to recall all of the places we went, but I am going to do my best! Our first destination was to head to Santa Monica. Gerrad had a couple of things that he wanted to pick up, and I literally didn’t mind where we went because everything was going to be new to me. Santa Monica was a fantastic start though!! Santa Monica’s pier is famous, and we walked the length of it. Along the way there were people selling various souvenirs, dressed up as movie characters with whom you could have your picture taken (including the saddest Mickey Mouse and Elmo that I have ever seen in my life!)…just the usual gauntlet of things to see and do. We had lunch at Bubba Gump’s, where we were tested on our knowledge of all things Forrest Gump and had some amazing seafood! I had fish and chips, which I ordered just for the halibut. Seriously. It was made of halibut. I also had my picture taken at a sign marking the end of the famous Route 66, which has its terminus in Santa Monica. Oh, but I haven’t mentioned the weather!! It is glorious out here. Nice and breezy, temperatures in the mid to upper 70s. Having left a humid inferno of epic proportions (oh, Ohio Valley – what fun you are in summer), this weather was quite welcome.
Next we took a driving tour. Gerrad drove me past some famous houses, including Hugh Hefner’s pride and joy, the Playboy Mansion, of which I could only get a picture of the entry gate. I saw Aaron Spelling’s house, Bob Hope’s, and a lot of other pretty high end properties that only left you wondering as to who could be living inside. Of course we traveled through Beverly Hills, where I really wanted a rocking chair to put on top of Gerrad’s car so that I could ride through those pal-lined streets in style. I saw the famous Rodeo Drive, the Regent Beverly Wilshire at the end of the street (you may remember it from “Pretty Woman”), the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Hollywood Bowl…oh the list goes on and on! I really need to go back and look at all of the pics to see what I have seen! It’s all a bit overwhelming!
A definite fun stop of the evening for me was to hit Hollywood Boulevard and see the sights there. I was able to see some stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, see Grauman’s Chinese Theater with all of the footprints and handprints outside (Eddie Murphy’s feet are ridiculously small, by the way). Then, oh yes, a trip to Disney’s Soda Fountain, located right next to their theater, the El Capitan. Gerrad had an ice cream sandwich that I am pretty certain almost made him pee his pants in delight (and truth be told, it was the best ice cream sandwich ever). I had a milkshake-y kind of drink made with vanilla ice cream and orange soda. It was to die for. We then waddled back to the car to head for dinner – there’s nothing wrong with starting with dessert, right? We ate at one of Gerrad’s favorite restaurants, Bossa Nova, which is a Brazilian restaurant. The food was killer. Our appetizer was simple yet delicious – it was shredded chicken mixed with cream cheese, then wrapped in dough and deep fried. You ate it with hot sauce, and it was pure heaven. My entrée was a pasta dish, cheese filled raviolis topped with chicken, prosciutto, asparagus, and onions in a cream sauce. I couldn’t eat all of it! I tried my best. Another great part was the fact that it was cold outside, kids, and we sat under one of those outside patio heaters. That’s right. On July 30 I ate dinner under a heater outside. And this, for various other reasons, is why the thought of moving here ran through my head multiple times today. LA rocks. Period.
It’s 7:20 am and I am sitting in Starbucks at the Cincinnati airport, waiting to hop my connecting flight to big bad LAX at 9:30. The fact that I am sitting in Cincy at 7:20 should tell you that I have been up far too long. My flight left Louisville this morning at 6:00, which meant I needed to be there around 5:00, which means dear Mom picked me up at the ungodly hour of 4:15. At that point, I had been up for 20 minutes. It is amazing how fast I can get ready when there is little to no time to spare. Kids, this is going to be a long day.
I’ve not blogged much about this trip to Los Angeles. I have no excuses other than a combination of laziness and being extremely busy. I’m excited about this trip to LA, more so about getting out of Corydon for a while. I am NOT wanting to go back to work, and this is just another way to delay it another day – or nine. There is so much to look forward to on this trip! Hanging out with Gerrad today, a trip to Disneyland tomorrow (oh, the Motherland!), brunch on Sunday, a dinner reception that night, a week learning about the Koreas, a Korean spa experience…the list goes on and on. But for now…
Man, am I ever exhausted. This is my third trip this summer, and I really need to learn how to stay home for a change. That’s a bit of a handicap when one loves to travel as much as I do. I am not in any way, shape or form a fan of Mitch Daniels, but at the moment I am an ardent supporter of that “Start in September, End at the Beginning of June” school calendar idea. I have a lot of stress about the upcoming school year, and especially how the new technology component is going to fit in with what I do, especially considering the fact that I have no technology in my room to speak of but am expected to teach as though I have it. It’s frustrating, and is putting me in a really foul mood. Luckily, I know that I am not alone in this frustration. However, I am going to try to leave it behind for the coming week and enjoy this amazing experience that is awaiting me.
Until then, I will continue to sip my quite excellent chai tea latte, look for a place to buy a blanket because I am freezing, and try to catch a nap. Did I mention that I only had around 3 hours of sleep last night? Oh, the humanity!
Catch you guys from the West Coast!
Song of the Moment: “Theme from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” (played as I went through the gate to board the aircraft.
#2 – Seat Numbers and Various Other Lessons on How to Behave in Flight
So, I have this fear anytime that I have a ticketed seat that once I get to that seat, someone is going to be in it. This may surprise you (a LOT), but I really don’t like confrontation. I would prefer that everything just go my way without me having to make an issue out of it. Not such a bad thing, right? At any rate, the idea of having to cause a scene because someone is in my seat is something that just isn’t that appealing to me. I mean, the thing is, it’s my seat, right? It shouldn’t even be a situation. But it sometimes unfortunately is, and today’s flight to Los Angeles was one of those times.
To start with, and to be perfectly clear, I bought my ticket for this flight months ago. I was able to easily choose my seat, which was a window seat. I always shoot for the window seat because I am a tad claustrophobic, and I like that window (and the little bit of extra space that comes along with it). So imagine my dismay to find someone else in my seat! What!?! I very nicely explained to the lady that she was in my seat, to which I was given the reply that someone else was in her seat. I failed to see how this concerned me. As I was trying to work this out, a lady who sat in the row in front of my assigned seat said that her boys had messed up the seating situation, and she gave a little shrug and a smile as if to say, “Ah, boys. What are you going to do with them?” How about get them in their assigned seats? There’s a start! It’s not that I am heartless, but the only seat open was the dreaded middle seat, my chief nemesis when flying. So the flight attendant comes up and asks if there is a problem. I said my seat was occupied. The mama (who was trying really hard to pull off a Sarah Palin look) explained her situation. The boys had been assigned seats apart from each other, and they wanted to sit together. Would you mind, the flight attendant questioned of me. Ah, crap. Stuck in a situation here. If I say no, I’m the mean woman. If I say yes, I get the middle seat. Definitely a no-win situation.
So I am in the middle seat. Mom, I did the right thing. But I am NOT happy about it. The lady in my seat (which I am conveniently sitting next to), is a space hog. It is a good thing that I can dislocate my shoulders as I have had to sit with my left shoulder pushed forward for close to an hour now. Only three more hours to go!
Yep, I’m bitter. You try typing with a shoulder out of socket and then talk to me. As such, allow me to present some handy tips for flying:
1. When buying an airline ticket, you can choose your seat onboard at the same time. Do it! Pick one you like! And if you are buying your tickets late, understand that your choice of seats may not be available. Never at any time is it appropriate to board the plane and sit wherever you wish. Other people may have planned their trip earlier than you, and they chose their seat for a reason.
2. If you gave up your seat because someone sat in yours and you didn’t want to cause a problem, understand that you may cause one when sitting in another seat. If you volunteer to move, then you move. Don’t make others do it.
3. When in a close environment, like plane seats or concert seats, understand that you have your space. Don’t take others’ space. As a fat girl, I am extremely conscious of this. If you sit next to me, and I am already struggling to stay in my area, it would be helpful if you would stay in yours.
4. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you are the victim of the above crimes, you should probably pop a Benadryl and take a nap. I took one, and it’s starting to kick in. I’m napping and just daring anyone to ask me to get up so that they can go to the bathroom.
\
Song of the Moment: Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi. Apparently I am feeling violent at the
moment.
#3 – Contemplations on Moving to the Greater Los Angeles Area
After a nice two hour nap on the plane, I finally arrived in Los Angeles. Woo hoo! Getting off of the plane and out of the general travel mode would prove to do wonders for me, as the rest of the day was FANTASTIC!!
Gerrad picked me up at big bad Los Angeles International Airport, and then we proceeded to play tourists. It’s hard to recall all of the places we went, but I am going to do my best! Our first destination was to head to Santa Monica. Gerrad had a couple of things that he wanted to pick up, and I literally didn’t mind where we went because everything was going to be new to me. Santa Monica was a fantastic start though!! Santa Monica’s pier is famous, and we walked the length of it. Along the way there were people selling various souvenirs, dressed up as movie characters with whom you could have your picture taken (including the saddest Mickey Mouse and Elmo that I have ever seen in my life!)…just the usual gauntlet of things to see and do. We had lunch at Bubba Gump’s, where we were tested on our knowledge of all things Forrest Gump and had some amazing seafood! I had fish and chips, which I ordered just for the halibut. Seriously. It was made of halibut. I also had my picture taken at a sign marking the end of the famous Route 66, which has its terminus in Santa Monica. Oh, but I haven’t mentioned the weather!! It is glorious out here. Nice and breezy, temperatures in the mid to upper 70s. Having left a humid inferno of epic proportions (oh, Ohio Valley – what fun you are in summer), this weather was quite welcome.
Next we took a driving tour. Gerrad drove me past some famous houses, including Hugh Hefner’s pride and joy, the Playboy Mansion, of which I could only get a picture of the entry gate. I saw Aaron Spelling’s house, Bob Hope’s, and a lot of other pretty high end properties that only left you wondering as to who could be living inside. Of course we traveled through Beverly Hills, where I really wanted a rocking chair to put on top of Gerrad’s car so that I could ride through those pal-lined streets in style. I saw the famous Rodeo Drive, the Regent Beverly Wilshire at the end of the street (you may remember it from “Pretty Woman”), the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Hollywood Bowl…oh the list goes on and on! I really need to go back and look at all of the pics to see what I have seen! It’s all a bit overwhelming!
A definite fun stop of the evening for me was to hit Hollywood Boulevard and see the sights there. I was able to see some stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, see Grauman’s Chinese Theater with all of the footprints and handprints outside (Eddie Murphy’s feet are ridiculously small, by the way). Then, oh yes, a trip to Disney’s Soda Fountain, located right next to their theater, the El Capitan. Gerrad had an ice cream sandwich that I am pretty certain almost made him pee his pants in delight (and truth be told, it was the best ice cream sandwich ever). I had a milkshake-y kind of drink made with vanilla ice cream and orange soda. It was to die for. We then waddled back to the car to head for dinner – there’s nothing wrong with starting with dessert, right? We ate at one of Gerrad’s favorite restaurants, Bossa Nova, which is a Brazilian restaurant. The food was killer. Our appetizer was simple yet delicious – it was shredded chicken mixed with cream cheese, then wrapped in dough and deep fried. You ate it with hot sauce, and it was pure heaven. My entrée was a pasta dish, cheese filled raviolis topped with chicken, prosciutto, asparagus, and onions in a cream sauce. I couldn’t eat all of it! I tried my best. Another great part was the fact that it was cold outside, kids, and we sat under one of those outside patio heaters. That’s right. On July 30 I ate dinner under a heater outside. And this, for various other reasons, is why the thought of moving here ran through my head multiple times today. LA rocks. Period.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Tickets purchased!
I will be getting reimbursed for my plane ticket once I get to L.A. Kind of cool, because this gives me the opportunity to spend a few extra days in Los Angeles before and after the workshop. I decided to fly out on Friday, July 30. I'll get there around 11:30 in the morning, and will spending time with my friend Gerrad (hey, Gerrad!!). I'm hoping I can sweet talk him into spending a day at Disneyland - I simply CANNOT go to Los Angeles without visiting the Mother Ship! It would be crazy! The workshop starts Sunday night, and ends Friday night. My hotel reservation runs until Saturday morning, and I am taking the red-eye out that night (one more thing to cross off of the bucket list), so I have another full day in the city. GREAT rates out and back - $277 roundtrip, which Gerrad tells me is a fantastic price.
In the meantime, I have been researching a lot of stuff about Koreatown. Helie Lee, one of the co-founders of the Academy, has a list online of Koreatown hot spots, and I am seriously thinking about visiting a Korean spa one night. Massage, body scrub, facial, serious pampering. It's at the Olympic Spa, very near the hotel. Still thinking about it, but I think that will be a great end-of-summer treat - the only thing is, like Japan, the spa is experienced while you are buck naked. Hmm. Will require serious thought, but since I have dropped that fear as a result of visiting a hot springs resort in Japan, I think I can do it! What would you do?
In the meantime, I have been researching a lot of stuff about Koreatown. Helie Lee, one of the co-founders of the Academy, has a list online of Koreatown hot spots, and I am seriously thinking about visiting a Korean spa one night. Massage, body scrub, facial, serious pampering. It's at the Olympic Spa, very near the hotel. Still thinking about it, but I think that will be a great end-of-summer treat - the only thing is, like Japan, the spa is experienced while you are buck naked. Hmm. Will require serious thought, but since I have dropped that fear as a result of visiting a hot springs resort in Japan, I think I can do it! What would you do?
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