Friday, February 29, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
You have reached your destination!
We got into lovely San Francisco last night ... CG just walked out of the bathroom beardless. Sad.
So yes. In Cayucos we went to a bar called, I think, the Saloon. Eighties-rock cover band, all members with long flowing hair. Mullets abounded, as did mustaches, and all were dancing. Lesbians, bikers, and almost everyone trapped in decades past. But all seeming to genuinely have fun, no pretention (how could there be?), none of those blank stares, those We-should-be-having-fun looks you see in schmancy Boston bars.
And in the morning up the coast, up Route 1 between cliffs and sea. I've written this before, I'm sure, but it's something to take on the whole continent on wheels and then drive along its very edge. It's a good thing we holed up for the night. The storm knocked loose mud and dirt and rocks into the road, and some of the slides were being cleared by bulldozers and plows as we drove, and others just marked by dirty traffic cones. We ate in Carmel, at a Black Bear Diner, which had a menu so perversely filled with puns ("Breakfast, for the bearly awake," and "Coffee's bruin," and the like) that I wrote on the comment card, "There were more puns than I thought paws-ible." Har har.
And then into San Francisco, to CG's brother's place on Russian Hill. We went out for beers in North Beach, and to Tommaso's for pizza (OH MY GOD) and wine, and back here for the night. Now it's about 11:30 and we'll be taking off soon, CG to check out his new office and me to explore the city, and hopefully meeting up with our friend Aaron, since he has an air mattress with my name on it.
Wednesday morning I fly home, in time for the beloved Boru's two-dollar-beer night. I'm making plans in my head; something that involves packing up the Malibu, again, and moving to Santa Barbara or somewhere similar, job or no.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
From the Eye of the Storm
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
From the Kings Inn in Kingman:
So ... the last time I wrote was ... Oklahoma?
Well. Now I’m in Arizona. Beautiful Kingman, Arizona. Looks like it sprung up at the turn-off for Vegas from I-40 and eventually spawned a Wal-Mart Supercenter. On the TV there’s an episode of the Simpsons (the one where Homer and Mr. Burns are trapped in an avalanche), which I’m finding particularly hilarious. Like I found Cracker Barrel’s chicken and dumplings particularly delicious.
Yum.
Last night we stayed in Santa Fe. Luckily, even with skiers, February is definitely part of the city’s slow season. We got to stay at the Inn of the Governors, a fancy place with fireplaces and a heated outdoor pool.
That was super. I’ve never floated in a pool and looked up at the stars in February. I could see Orion, and you know ... he’s my dog.
Dawg?
We went out and got margaritas and green chile chicken enchiladas. Yeah. There was no one around, and it was cold, so it wasn’t a Santa Fe I’d seen before. Touristy area in winter. Go figure.
And in the morning ... oh man ... my favorite meal of all time, huevos divorciados at the Plaza diner. As good as I remember, although I think they have new, non-Greek owners. And no sopapilla after. So that’s a big thumbs-down. But delicious, as always.
We got our first (and only, dammit!) (knock on wood) winter driving today. In Arizona. Apparently it snows in the mountains, and maybe we shouldn’t have poo-pooed the giant signs that warned about winter road conditions. Whoops.
But we made it here. We’re only a couple hours from Vegas, which is really exciting because we haven’t driven less than 8 hours since going from New York to Virginia. That was ... Sunday. Tomorrow we should get there about check-in time (Mandalay Bay, how swank) and start drinking. Presumably there’ll be a pool and general fabulousness involved.
This may just be the kick in the ass I need.
Monday, February 18, 2008
From the center of Hell
Sunday, February 17, 2008
From the Red Roof Inn in Charlottesville, Va.:
(This was written last night in the town where UVA is. I'm in Nashville now.)
The hotel room is throbbing. I can’t tell what the constant mechanical thrumming is, but it seems to come from the very walls. The heartbeat of the hotel, if the hotel were being attacked by wolves. Or thought it was in the midst of a wolf attack, after taking an overambitious dose of acid.
I figure two things will happen before I fall asleep. I’ll get used to the noise, like a bad smell, or I’ll go to the corner store for a big bottle of Nyquil.
God. It couldn’t be worse unless I was feeling guilty about murdering someone and hiding their dismembered parts in the walls. Didn’t Edgar Allen Poe go to the University of Virginia? How fitting.
CG dropped me off this afternoon before heading to his grandparents’ house in the hinterlands. I’m not there because, one, I don’t like old people and, two, they wouldn’t like their grandson cavorting about the country with a common hussy. Fair enough.
It just occurred to me that I’m eight hours from home, without a car, and my ride doesn’t have cell service out there in the mountains.
Anyway. Last night we were in Manhattan. The Doubletree upgraded us to a junior suite, an 18th-floor room with a concrete balcony and little signs explaining everything. The sheets and duvet have been laundered. The tub is anti-slip, but if you’d like a bathmat, call housekeeping at x803. You may pick up anything from the minibar for 20 seconds before it is automatically charged to your room.
Nice, though. We went to an Irish pub, a restaurant with live jazz, a gay (as in rainbows, not lame) piano bar and a new wave dance party.
This morning we got on the road early, after CG learned what I’m like in between being woken up and eating. It’s unpleasant or something ...
Nashville tomorrow night. Last time I was there, I was too tired to go out and in the morning was greatly disappointed by the status of the Grand Ole Opry, which was facing an Old Navy and Bed, Bath and Beyond. Although I hear that’s not the real one, which is relieving. But hopefully there’ll be a Cracker Barrel involved again. Can’t get enough of that.
With any luck, my stomach will settle, I won’t hear the throbbing, the people in the next room will finally go out and I can fall asleep.