Hot Mess! - Happy New Year from the Fairs!

This blog is usually intended for my travel experiences but this year has been a journey of it's own. Every year on New Years eve we enjoy fireworks, Champagne and Dick Clark before the Big Ball drop. It's always been pretty fun really but each year, as I get older, the concept it being the last day of the year becomes more and more of a real thing.
    
        I like to think of myself as a constant work in progress. This is also something that I take more and more seriously as I get older. It means that everything I experience through the year and everything I learn grows more and more significant. I like it that way though. Who wants to be on a lifelong Hamster Wheel?

        I want this not only for myself but for my children as well. I have never really considered my self to be a "conventional" parent. I was never once a soccer mom, I never felt very comfortable at play groups as I am introverted and I could never get those cute little bows to stay in the pigtails. So how does a year for someone like me and my family unfold?

Rebecca, 20

         Having a child who is special can be a reason to be a little more accommodating when searching for our "normal" but never a reason for excuses. This year Rebecca got a job working for me as a personal assistant. At around 2:00 every afternoon, I receive about 20 photo that she sends of all the cleaned areas of the house which I will get to come home to that night. She finds great recipes on Buzzfeed and loves cooking them. There is always a meal waiting for me in the refrigerator on nights that I work late. We go to Planet Fitness and workout together and she tells people about Jesus. I am very much spoiled by her. It was a good year.


Madi, 19
       
            I see a little bit of myself in all my kids in one way or another. I think Madi has my drive and ambition only she has discovered it at a younger age. However, she does better in school than I did and makes me feel shorter than my actual height (she's 5'10). Earlier this year, we went together to Augusta Ga. for the Bethel Worship experience. We praised God for 3 hour straight! When you have experiences like that, you are not the same afterwards. Since then, she has taken center stage leading worship at our church, got into Liberty University and is not home with us tonight on New Years eve because she is at the Passion Conference downtown.

Emma, 14

            This year has been a year where I have probably spent more time with Emma than ever which I am grateful for.  A lot of our time together is in the car as she has become more active with orchestra. She is winning auditions and is in two different ensembles so there is a lot of commuting and Ariana Grande on the radio. Our trips to the Circle-K on the way will be treasured as memorable times of bonding. She is also at the age where going to the mall for clothes shopping and Fro Yo is a thing. More charming memories.

Laurel, 11

            Ok, now here we go. If you have ever read my blog you may be familiar with descriptions such as "Hot Mess" or "Dark Horse." These are by no means bad things. I don't typically involve my kids in anything unless they are wild about the idea. Extra curricular activities can get expensive and are not worth doing if there is little interest but I do require 2 things: They have to play at least one musical instrument for at least a year and gain an appreciation for an international travel experience. Laurel got to be the star of the show in my blog this year after her visit with me to Tokyo, Japan. It was her idea which began 2 years prior. I was hopeful she would change her mind for many obvious reasons but it happened anyway and we made the 6852 mile trip (minus layovers). I almost cried only once. She is the author of her own Anime youtube series "Happy Ball" and has almost enough subscribers to be monetized.

Deidre, 8

             Deidre is and always will be my baby. I will always be overprotective to the point of still holding her hand in the parking lot after she is still in high school probably. As I was preparing lunch for her the other day, I found her in the living room watching Blue's Clues on Nick Jr (I didn't even know this was still a thing!) She's a little beyond Blue's Clues and there are probably not a lot of moms my age with that show playing on the television but I didn't do anything stop it. She may be a little bit of a late bloomer but so was I (I still watch classic Sesame Street on youtube sometimes. There I said it. Don't judge me). The point is I'm not sure I want to let go of these moments. It will be a while before I am an emptynester but I'm not really in a big hurry.

              I turned 50 this year. My birthday was on Superbowl Sunday but I did not watch a football game. I drove into Atlanta with Rebecca and a few cans of spray paint and added to the many works of art at Krog Tunnel. I will probably return at some point this year as my work is probably no longer there. Celebrating this milestone was also another reason for me to take my journey with Laurel to Tokyo. I am obsessed with studying languages. I have been regularly studying Spanish, French and Italian. I also got my first acting gig this year which led to a job under the direction of Tyler Perry (as a background artist but who cares!).

              Another milestone was the celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. Mike and I have had a year of enjoying tacos and burritos at our favorite Mexican restaurant every Saturday night after I play for my church service. We enjoy nights in front of the television watching classic MTV and making jokes about it (it's a wonder how we ever got by without High Definition TV!). We took a 4 hour roadtrip this past weekend in the rain and winding roads to Nashville to meet with family and pick up our years supply of Persimmon beer and eat hot chicken (my brother in law owns a brewery). I enjoyed every minute! It was a road trip after all! He still pulls the covers away at night. We have been through counseling over this and the situation has somewhat improved but we are still in the process of changing our ways. Additionally, though the actual day of our anniversary came and went, it will be a year long celebration. Which means there will be travel. We have already flipped a coin and our destination has been finalized. Keep an eye out for the blogs!

Max 

               He's a cat. Enough said. 

He still makes me smile everyday!

                             Happy New Year!

             

               

              

               
  
                 

Dark Horse - Tokyo Eats

 I had already made the decision to hold no restrictions once we arrived to Tokyo so KETO
no-nos were out of the question. You can't have sushi without the carbs.

 Actually, our eats in Tokyo went way beyond just sushi and we learned a few things along the way about how Japan does food and eating.


Ramen


This goes without saying! Ramen is everywhere in Japan. Laurel was especially thrilled because she is perfectly happy with her Cup O' Noodles and eats them all the time at home. I am thrilled by the fact that she easy to please by me giving her something that only costs $0.29 cents. Ramen in Tokyo however is a bit more than that but much more authentic and more embellished.

  My first real Japanese experience with ramen was after we visited a convenience store named Family Mart (they call it "Famama") which was conveniently located a stones throw from our hotel. Family Mart is just like your average 7-11 and located on nearly every street corner. (7-11 in Tokyo is as well for that matter). I don't think there was a single day we did not go there at least once. I found my Ramen in a refrigerated section. I did not know of the contents because it was all in Japanese but it looked colorful and appealing.

  The nice lady at the register offered to heat it up for me but I wasn't hungry at the time.
Later that evening I enjoyed my manna. It had clear rice noodles, red cabbage, carrots, chunks of chicken and a savory broth. I wanted to have it again so much but wanted to stay as diversified as possible.
  
 
McDonald's


Okay, so when I travel internationally, McDonald's is usually a place I avoid. Simply for the reason that would lead to the question "Why bother leaving the US if you go to McDonald's overseas." It's a legitimate question but there was a particular reason for the visit. We knew there was a chance it would be different. And we wanted to explore and compare these differences just for fun.

  So by Laurels request we decided to go. We noticed that there were many consistencies to the US but there were some noticeable observations from the Tokyo menu. Well, first of all they had an actual menu you could hold in your hands to choose your items.

  So here's what we learned. Of the different chicken sandwiches here in the us, McDonald's in Tokyo had, of course, the Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich which is what I ordered. It was sweet and messy, and you can't get it in the US! Another observation was that you can order the nuggets as a side along with your burger. You can also get steamed corn as an available side item as well. And most ironically, for dessert, the waffle cone sundae. Something very American, but not in the American McDonald's. Another similarity is the clientele. If you go at about 4:00PM (which was dinner time for us while we were there), it is full of adorable teenagers in their school uniforms laughing and giggling as they nibble on their fries.
 
 
The Market



Our hotel in Tokyo was that of a small apartment. We had a mini kitchen with a stove and a microwave, a mini refrigerator freezer and a small bar. Almost everyday, we went to a local market called Gourmet City, again, just a short walk from us. Since we didn't eat out all the time, we enjoyed staying home and enjoying the culture of Japan in the comforts
of our hotel. Having done this, we felt like we were one with the culture as though we "lived there." Since the citizens of Tokyo walk or ride bikes everywhere, they grocery shop daily for what they need instead of one large trip once a week in a society such as mine where everyone  drives almost exclusively.

  
Sushi


 Well, needless to say it is very consistent with how it is prepared in the US by the native Japanese who reside in the US. But I wasn't in the US. It was an experience.

     About four years ago, I visited Orlando Florida and stopped into a mall to get some Spring clothes. We walked around and just outside the food court, we noticed a Japanese sushi bar but it was different. The plates with many different decorative selections were on a conveyor which constantly moved throughout the entire bar available for self serve. While I was traveling with Emma on our England excursion, I once again saw the same concept on a smaller scale at Charles de Gault Airport while on a stopover in Paris. I was wildly fascinated by this idea and wondered if there was anything like this back in Atlanta.

Bikkura Machine

  We were so lucky as Kula Sushi had just opened! There was a 90 minute wait despite the fact that there was no alcohol license yet and no air conditioning but it was worth it all!

  We pigged out on spring rolls, edamame, Spider Rolls (Softshell Crab Sushi) even New York cheesecake. You pay per plate and you get a bonus if you eat enough! The bonus is in the form of a video game or if you really eat a lot, you get what's called a red Bikkura Ball with a toy inside!

  I was now ready to have my experience in Tokyo. I searched online and found a location close to a store Laurel wanted to go to (they still have Toys R Us in Tokyo. More on this later). We were expecting to see bright lights and visible signage similar to our experience in Atlanta. But that was not the case. Something even better.... a hole in the wall dive!

   We were in Toshima-Ku  in the very heart of Tokyo. The city was bustling around us, we had been on the go all day and we decided to slow down for the moment. It was quiet as we had missed the afternoon rush. The conveyor belts were still actively circling around for the few that were still dining at the bar.

  We took our places at the bar where tea mugs and warm water was available to us. The chef worked right in front of us slicing and dicing freshly caught fish, seaweed, avocado and everything needed for the edible work of art.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       I looked at my menu card and picked what I

thought was to be the most attractive items. The menus were in Japanese so we didn't really know what we were ordering. It wasn't until later that day that I had done my research:

The Ebiko - Rice and seaweed topped with Shrimp roe (tiny eggs) which are as orange as a tangerine flavored Dum Dum lollipop, and my little dark horse had it all over her face.

The Kanpyo - Is a dry gourd roll from a Lagenaria siceraria plant. It is wrapped in rice and seaweed.

Now I am not a fan of the type of fish that starts with a T and is packed in a short cylindrical can (I can't even say the word).


 The Tekka Maki - A small roll containing maguro (ahem, that word in Japanese) and it's near raw!
Like I said before, I did my research later that day but had my suspicions. But it didn't matter. I was in Tokyo. I was okay with it. I did sushi! In Tokyo!


The Tokyo Banana Heart  



All throughout the city, there are numerous bakeries, eateries and gift shops on the streets, in businesses and train stations. I could not help but notice one particular item that continued to show up nearly everywhere we went.

   In a separate post I will write about our experience at the Tokyo Skytree. However in this post I will make mention that it was here when I decided export these little Japanese Twinkie-like cuties back home. There was a nice Japanese lady in a bakery who helped me that day. She took the time to show me that the box had an expiration date two weeks out. She put it in a bag and sent me off. I guarded that bag for life until I got home!

   In case no one believes I actually went to Japan, this right here is proof as it is only available here and no where else in the world! It is the most brilliant paradigm shift ever! They are different from Twinkies in that they are packaged individually and made with a sweet banana cream with real banana. There are many varieties and flavors, and as with sushi, Japan once again impresses to the eye. We saw many of these little cakelets designed with little hearts, leopard print, as panda bears and Hello Kitty.

  I liked the little hearts that were maple flavored. I then realized that these little goodies are Tokyo's #1 souvenir! I took very small bites.

  McDonalds:
  
  Place visited:  McDonalds, Ota-Ku
                         Date visited, June 12th 2019

                         Tenkazushi, Toshima, Tokyo
                         Date visited, June 13th 2019

                         Tokyo Banana Tree Skytown, Soramachi
                         Date visited, June 14th 2019

 



  

Dark Horse - Blast Off!

Fifty years ago we watched the Apollo 11 launch and we saw a man walk on the moon as it was happening on live television. Fifty years ago, something else happened. I dropped in to say hello. Now there were many obvious reasons  as to why I should not take a trip to Tokyo. It's too far. Laurels too young. I don't speak Japanese. It's too expensive, etcetera, etcetera. Though I did have
these concerns, I made a promise, I had a plan and I turn 50. I knew I would regret not doing something big this year.



   I know I talk all the time about the extensive planning involved in my travels but this trip is set apart and at a whole different level. Los Angeles was a breeze but I knew I had a project ahead of me once I left it's comforts. For months I spent hours researching geography, lifestyle and culture, navigation, time zones and conversions, train maps and routes, weather patterns, virtual tours, currency conversion, and where to find conveyor belt sushi. I even watched a YouTube video of a guy getting of at the Otori Station (the station near our hotel in Ota City) so that I could verify the landmarks according to Google maps.

   My stomach would be in knots each day as the big day grew close. So here it goes. Here is the low down of how all my planning helped me to prepare and a few other things I learned along the way.

 Geography

Out of the twelve days I was gone (besides the bag fees mentioned earlier), there were really only two major fails  this trip on my part.

   Sometimes when I plan, I can be a little impulsive with regards to clicking buttons. I think it's all part of being a beginner at this and having some growing pains. With this being the case, I am learning that one simple loss of attention to detail can throw off your travel plans significantly.

   So here we were. We were booked, arrived to LAX and finally found our check-in point for our luggage. Once you are in place and on time, it's like a huge burden is lifted. I was in my jammies and finally feeling confident about everything.

   We did not have a direct flight into Tokyo. We actually flew 14 hours into Hong Kong Monday morning and four more hours to Tokyo from there. That along with everything that needed to be done at the airport with immigration and customs made for a very long arrival process. When I initially booked the package, I had planned to be sure that our hotel was close to the airport so that we would have a short ride after this long arrival flight and to be sure we would have that same short train ride on our departure day.

   It was at that moment before check-in that I had learned something. There are TWO airports for Tokyo travelers. Haneda International, the one I assumed we would fly into, and Narita is the other one that is located North East of Tokyo, an hour and a half away from our hotel. One could imagine, my reaction when the check-in attendant informed me that we would be flying into Narita. I had no idea what she was even talking about.

   I now had to scramble in a short amount of time to create a plan B where we were about to board and I would have no internet access. It wasn't really that detrimental as we would not have to worry about that much during our stay. It only meant that the already very long arrival day would be even  longer as well as the departure day. It was an oversight where I definitely learned a lesson about attention to detail when booking.


Time Zones

I was not exactly sure how two time zone changes along the way would affect us. We were in Los Angeles for three days where we were three hours behind Atlanta. After three days, we adjusted pretty well to this it's just that we were ready for bedtime earlier in the day.

   When you cross over the Mid-Pacific Ocean you pass over the International Date line which is where the present day runs into the next. Along with a very long arrival and not certain how the time change would affect us, I thought it would be a good idea to have a built in recovery day once we arrived to Tokyo which is sixteen hours ahead of Los Angeles. With that being the case and our flight leaving LAX at 1:30 AM Sunday morning with a short sleep on the plane, Sunday pretty much for the most part did not exist for us.

   Now here's what I did not consider but certainly makes sense. We left that following Sunday afternoon a week later, spent most of the day getting back to Narita and took a direct flight back to Los Angeles which left at 6:40 PM. We flew ten hours straight once again through the night and arrived the next morning at 11:00 AM. It had been Sunday the day before and here we are and Sunday is just now getting started. That is a grand total of TWO back to back Sundays with one of them as a freebie!
 
  Jet lag, however did not really affect us at any point. We slept well that first night and enjoyed our hang out day that first day at our hotel. We strangely fell in to a daily groove where we awoke at 5:00 AM each morning and went to bed around 8:00 PM which is completely off from my usual Summer night owl and sleep in the next morning routine.

Tokyo


There is really a lot to be touched upon here but there were some very significant cultural ways of life in Japan that gripped my attention.

 
No Eating While Walking

The first thing that I noticed about the streets of Tokyo is that there is no trash. Anywhere! In fact it is difficult to even find a trash receptacle on the streets.The reason for this is because the Japanese people believe that it is polite to not eat while walking on the streets or on the train and that food should be enjoyed with chopsticks while seated at a table. That impressed me.



No Shoes Inside Homes or Hotels

While I work with Vietnamese children in their homes, this was a no brainer. In Japan, as well as all of Asia, it is expected that you remove your shoes before you enter. When we arrived at our hotel, the host was kind enough to provide us each with a charming pair of white slippers.
 
 
Don't Walk Means: Don't Walk

I thought it was interesting that everyone rode bikes or walked everywhere in the community we were in. However in Tokyo, don't walk signs do not mean walk anyway even if the next car is at a distance like we do here in the US.


They Speak, Well, Japanese

With the exception of the host at our hotel and one of the staff members at the Shinagawa train station, there is very little spoken English in Tokyo. I was confident when the host sent me a welcome email after booking the hotel room and was very impressed with his English skills. This led me to believe that the English language is spoken and understood here. The only time the English language is used was typically on signage only throughout the city or in the train announcements in between stops. If you can get a good internet connection, it is best to have a translation app open to communicate important information. This was helpful one morning when I woke up with a headache and went to Seven - Eleven for help. The attendant did not understand that I only needed IBU profen but instead some how thought I needed the hospital at first.


Japan Does Not Like Germs

Many citizens of Japan where protective masks around the city. Typically in the US, someone who is very ill with a compromised immune system may wear one of these. However, if a Japanese individual has merely a common cold, they want to be considerate of others while out in public. It is for this reason that they don't often shake hands. I learned my lesson after I attempted to shake someones hand at a church service! You politely bow instead.


This was all just the beginning of an incredible journey. We are here! We are here to walk around, look at things and take pictures, eat sushi, ride lots of trains, go shopping and celebrate 50 years. There were a lot of unknowns just as there were for the Apollo astronauts. I might get scared at times but I will never let my daughter see me cry and I have no choice but to succeed!


Fun Fact

The second of my two major fails on this trip was when we arrived to Los Angeles the first time. We had bought matching luggage with a blue-green floral pattern. This was so that our luggage would be easily identifiable at baggage claim. We had the two suit cases and a brown overnight bag that was checked in on that flight. The brown bag contained all my hair and make up supplies, vitamins, a cork screw and a little bit of Vodka. Sure enough our two suitcases were quickly and easily spotted. Then we picked up our two bags and, well, just walked away.....while the poor brown bag just kept going around.... and around..... and around...

 

This is My Father's House - The Basilica of St Lawrence

While still in the afterglow of having visited both Los Angeles and Tokyo last month, I still cannot seem to get Asheville, North Carolina off my mind. I don't think I ever will completely.

    I love traveling with my kids but when I travel without them, I seem to accomplish more as I have more freedom to do things that may not be so kid-friendly.

    Recently, I have been compelled to visit cathedrals when I travel to a different city. Whenever I arrive to my destination and see one of these iconic storehouses as I pass through town, it is as though it is a pilgrimage and the visit has to happen sometime before I leave. I already feel as though I have missed out having not done this already at cities I have visited in the past.

   As if there isn't enough to see already in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina, a monarch of all structures within the city stands just on the edge of downtown since 1909.

   For 110 years, inscence has permeated the air, hymns have resounded and babies have cried while being baptized while loved ones surrounded them. I now will bask in the wonder of this place.


   Not all who wander are lost. Though we may admire the beauty of these places, if we are people of faith, they are very much places where we feel we are at home. In most cases, the doors of the Catholic church are always open for anyone who needs a time of solitude for meditation and for those who seek the comfort of being in God's presence. I have only been to one cathedral overseas and I'm not even sure I have ever been to a basilica. However based on photos I have seen and research I have done, the artistry and fine detail inside the Basilica of St. Lawrence appeared to resemble those which are in Europe. There are many reminders in these cathedrals that are tied to the foundations of our faith. Here I have found a few favorites.

  

   The nice thing about a cathedral is that it is difficult to take a bad picture as long as the camera is in focus. Everything is so colorful with great detail and diversity all that have their own stories.

  The adoration chapel was the first place I felt compelled towards. For Catholics, adoration is a time to be in the presence of God the father in a consecrated host which is visible in a Monstrance. Though there are conflicting views across many religions regarding this, the presence of God here is very powerful. Candles are lit without ever being distinguished.

  

I continued to admire more of the beauty behind this magnificent place. On the opposite end of the sanctuary, was the Chapel of Our Lady. The marble statue of Mary was  molded after a Baroque painting by  Bartolme Murillo titled "Our Lady of the Assumption." The base of the alter honors eight well known women of history who were canonized as saints.

I was greatly inspired when I discovered that there actually were many elements here that reflected works of European art. Beneath the adorned domed ceiling, there was a painting in the Chapel of Our Lady by a Baroque Italian artist named Massimo Stanzione titled "The Visitation." It's image presents Mary who is visibly with-child and in the company of her guest.

          
                                         "The Visitation" 
                                       Massimo Stanzione
  


Rafael Guastavino

   The achitect of the St Lawrence Basillica is from Spain! I may not be in a European cathedral but in a sense, I kind of am. Rafael Guastavino settled in Black Mountain, North Carolina in 1890 after he was commissioned to work for George W. Vanderbilt. Rafael's architecture is unique and very effective as it of tile and morder structure. The layout of the structure is of horizontal fashion making it highly durable and fireproof and contains no wood of any kind. Before his death in 1905, his work will have included tiles for the Grand Central Station Terminal and Carnegie Hall in New York City as well as the Boston Public Library and the Supreme Court building in Washington DC.

The tile placement in the workmanship of Rafael Guastavino is evident in the dome structure of the Basilica. The free standing elliptical dome measures at 82' X 58' making it the largest in North America.

Dark Horse - LA Picks

From an aerial view of about 30,000 feet over the western half of the US, miles and endless miles of wasteland is visible through the airplane window. As you grow closer towards the San Andreas fault, this barren dessert soon instantly becomes a home to a sea of civilization known as Los Angeles California.

   I had not been to California since I was about 7 years old. We were living in El Paso, Texas at the time and we took the family truckster for the 800 mile distance to the city of Ventura, CA. While we were there, we would visit family, go to the beach, and go to Disneyland and Universal Studios. I remember the crabs and the many shapes and sizes of starfish from the sunny beach of the west coast, the Matterhorn was my first roller coaster and I remember just how fake Jaws looked up close and in person.

   Over 40 years later, I now have had the opportunity to return. It was for somewhat of a limited stay but the beloved family that was hosting us made sure that we saw as much as possible in that short amount of time. We saw many places and shot photos of numerous things such as Capital Records, the well known Hollywood sign which overlooks the city, and saw a lovely sunset at the Santa Monica Pier. There were however, a few experiences that really stood out for me as favorites. Some of which may possibly be overlooked by tourists.



Westfield

Visiting a shopping mall isn't necessarily on my
priority list when I travel from out of town.

However, when I was planning my trip to London in 2017, I did want to see what this experience would be like in another country. I had researched that there was a lovely resemblance of the American shopping experience at a place called Westfield. Unfortunately, the location closest to our area in Kensington was not accessible due to the Grenfell Tower disaster which happened that summer during our visit.

    I was happy to learn that Westfield locations are also in Los Angeles and even better, within walking distance from the home of my beloved family!

   It had been a day of sightseeing and adventure and we were cooling our heels for a while back home. Laurel was working on her Anime drawings and it was very quiet at home. After a while, I began to feel a little restless as there was more of  LA to see right outside my window.

   I put a little groove in my step as I made my way through the swanky area of Century City. I was proud just to take in the moment to celebrate the fact that I had intentionally made the choice to be free from all worries and on go on a vacation. Regardless of the sacrifice, it felt amazing!

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to be a little hokie (as if I haven't been in this paragraph already) and make a reference to one of my favorite songs by Pharell Williams:"Happy."  In the chorus, he refers to being happy as
 though you are in a "room without a roof." It is really no different than the malls we have here at home with that exception... Well, in actuality that is the concept of this particular location. Since there is very little rain in Los Angeles, it is possible to have a roofless shopping mall. In doing so, it is also possible to chill on hammocks located around the premises and walk your dog. It was also where I was able to have a taste the local culture of the city. Luckily, my timing was good in this capacity. It just so happened that there was a promotional event for Hendrick Scottish Gin. The floral themed promotion was for a new variety called Midsummer Solstice infused with floral essence (read this of the bottle.) Here I was met with a beautiful marketing display, fresh flowers to take home and was followed by a walking human garden.








Westwood Village


It would be our big day before our plane for Tokyo would go airborne for a sleepy time flight at 1:00am the next morning. Before the chaos of this evening to follow, we were in the need for a visit to a special place with some tranquillity. It was very sunny and quiet in the heart of the city. My beloved family took us to a very well kept secret in the midst of this bustling metropolis. I was in awe and speechless as we were surrounded by beauty and pleasant memories.

(Next that same day after lunch, we visited Venice Beach. There will be a slide show for that one!)

Rodeo Drive

Now I just wanted a pair of socks. That's all. Or something of that nature.  Even if I had to shell out $20.....but only Rodeo Drive. No where else. So in case anyone asks, I can simply say: "I got it on Rodeo Drive!"

   When we left Tokyo, we were fortunate to not have to say goodbye to vacation right away. Our beloved family once again welcomed us as we passed through one more time and this is where we spent our afternoon. It was just as swanky in real life as it was for Julia Roberts and I couldn't get the Pretty Woman theme song out of my head!
  







When we we first approached Tiffany & Co. we thought "Are we actually allowed to go inside this place?" The store employees knew we likely would not be buying anything today but with tourist around often, I'm sure they already knew that. 

This was the only item with a price tag.

   Before the Little Blue Box, Tiffany & Co. had a rich history starting out with general merchandise in Brooklyn, Connecticut. As the company evolved over time and changed hands in management, this mecca of luxury now has locations all over the world (including Westfield in London!)

   It was really more like a museum. Each piece we saw was beautifully crafted and uniquely designed like a work of art. Some of the collections at this store are designed by a woman named Paloma Picasso. Anyone with the name "Picasso" is worthy of a considerable price tag.

We walked through the area and saw names like Versace, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors and other smaller retailers where you could find a pair of shoes for about $1000. However, ice cream is available and affordable from the ice cream man and can be purchased between Gucci and Prada!

   I came away with a little more pizazz than a pair socks and on Rodeo Drive that I could afford!

                                                                     Only $25.00!



Paloma Picasso is a direct descendant of world-famous artist, Pablo Picasso.

Fun Fact: 

In 2008, my identity was compromised and my so called "avatar" had loads of fun at not only Tiffany's but also American Girl and Old Navy until I pulled the plug after receiving a call from my bank. The charges were disputed and reversed thankfully but I still however receive the Tiffany & Co. Blue Book in the mail since this pilferer likely used my billing address for the purchases. My credit has been frozen ever since.

Laurels favorite part from Los Angeles:

In the midst of the craziness of the Hollywood streets, many posers of superheros in cheap costumes attempt to try to manipulate the tourists into having photos made with them and "collecting" afterwards. That's not even the funny part. The really funny part was the reaction of the Superman wannabe to the smarter tourists who knew to flee.

Dark Horse - LA Eats!

If you have followed my blog recently this year (if so, thank you!) you might remember my series titled "Keto Along the Way" from last December. For health reasons, I have been on again off again with this insanely low carb diet. Before leaving for Los Angeles and from there to Tokyo, which is the sticky rice capital of the world, I knew in the back of my mind that it wasn't realistic to stay nearly carb-free during this travel time. I thought I would however, maybe try to "play it safe" with minimal intake and not necessarily as low as the Keto diet which is supposed to be limited to 25 grams of carbs or less. Well, just like my money at the airport after bag fees, that also went out the window fairly quickly. What was I thinking??


In and Out Burger 


  Yes, I know it's a well know chain but just like Whataburger, it is not in Georgia. There was even a rumor on the internet that an In and Out was coming to the Atlanta area. It turned out to be a hoax but it created somewhat of a frenzy for us here in Georgia who were already familiar with the chain. In and Out burgers are known for a special sauce and are overloaded to where you enjoy the challenge of not being messy and not ruining your make up. There is also the John 3:16 bible verse at the bottom of your cup which I like.

  While well intended, I thought the bun would be my "cheat" for that day. A few of the fries wouldn't kill me either and they had a killer sugar free lemonade that tasted the same as the regular. I didn't even really bother to check the nutrition facts of any of it (in Tokyo, there all in Japanese anyway so there's my excuse).


Diddy Riese





If you have read my Disney blogs from last year, you might remember that we had beloved family who worked for Disney and lead the way the whole time. Since we were staying with this same beloved family who has lived in LA for many years, we once again had well versed tour guides. We
were led to the Westwood district close to the campus of UCLA. My brother and law and my niece were talking about a place nearby and a rich sounding dessert with the follow words "We have to take them there." Once again it was decision time. Before I knew it, I had caved and was eating a chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream sandwich in between two made from scratch chocolate chip cookies which was the same size as the burger I ate-something of which I had not eaten in probably in a year! Then I just felt like a
fool. Not for caving but for resisting something like this on my vacation and in Los Angeles. Diddy Riese has been in business since 1983 and is a one of a kind business that has never been a chain.

Sprinkles


    Cupcakes are a thing now, yes I know, but in the heart of swankytown just off Rodeo drive surrounded by homes probably showcased at some point by Robin Leach on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (back when that was a thing), you can get a Red Velvet cupcake for about $4.50. That's actually pretty reasonable since many celebrities and other people who have more money than me often pop in regularly. The cupcakes are colorful, moist, rich and perfect in every way. Laurel had pineapple upside down cake and I selected strawberry. They were all place in an adorable box which we had to pay extra for. When we returned home, I went to a place of solitude outside on the balcony which looked over the busy streets of LA. I cut the cupcake into little bites and savored each one of them accompanied with a glass of white wine.



Urth Caffe


     Since I had the pleasure of visiting Los Angeles for both the beginning of my vacation as well as the last stop before returning home, I was treated to a kind of place that was a bit more up my ally.Though I had just returned from Tokyo and my Keto diet had been long since abandoned, there were many entrees loaded with things like avocado, grilled chicken as well as vegan and gluten free selections. I ordered an entree known as simply just "The Tostada." There was no picture on the menu but the description given, it had everything I was into that was keto-friendly plus a few other things that were no no's like black beans and the fried flour tortilla bowl that everything would be piled into. It was actually my last day of my vacation and we were planning on returning to Sprinkles anyway after lunch.
   

    The salad looked like something that would be featured quite possibly on a televised eating contest. Everyone else at my table had something modestly portioned and properly eaten with a fork and knife. I, however had food before me that would need to be tackled with no polite way of eating along with the challenge of once again keeping my make-up fresh and the floor clean under the table. Needless to say, I failed miserably at both of those things. I didn't eat the whole thing but did some pretty significant damage. Any regrets? None! Additionally, I found my self wondering why the heck am I avoiding things like ice cream sandwiches with cookie dough while it's okay to eat fried pickles but I can't have an apple. It just doesn't make sense. So what happens when I return home? I will probably return to my old ways and old habits of cheese slices, nuts and strawberries which isn't such a bad thing. But I will also soon most definitely return to Los Angeles!

There are Urth Caffe locations in Santa Monica, LAX, Los Angeles and Melrose. The amazing location I visited was in Beverly Hills.


Dark Horse Moment of the Day:

Dark Horse - Tokyo 2019

It all starts a day or two before I leave for these international experiences that I have the nerve to set up. Well really, not just a day- six-months before actually. In doing this, I am not only responsible for myself but for Laurel as well. I need to be sure that everything is taken care of before I leave such as bills, map studies, currency conversion, performing time and nautical calculations, finding the closest church, memorizing the itinerary, studying airport floor plans, and everything else that has to be done so that I don't look like a buffoon in front of my child. And Laurel being Laurel, she will be sure to call anything to my attention should something go wrong on my end. I even watched a YouTube video of a man getting off the train in Tokyo near where our hotel is and walking out of the station so that I would know the landmarks should my wi-fi navigation not be working. Does all this cause for some anxiety? It just might. There are some folks that think I am crazy for even putting myself through this but looking at the bigger picture, I know that Laurel will always remember fondly the experience for the rest of her life.

  So let me begin with the first step along my journey. I want to just briefly talk about an integral part of the trip - the airport and flight experience. Since I don't travel for work purposes and have mostly taken road trips everywhere, I have not flown super often up until these recent years. But now that I have been bitten with the travel bug, I have discovered an adrenaline rush associated with this experience. Everything from getting through security to the fear that your name won't be in the system at the time when you check in.
 

    Flying Domestic


 What is different about this trip is that I am flying out of both domestic and international terminals. Since the last two trips were both international only, I have learned a few things about flying domestic so far on this trip.
 
   I arrived to the airport pretty calm for the most part. I was happy to be on time and Laurel was excited. However, it was time to check in and I really did have a genuine sense of paranoia for whatever reason that our reservation did not exist. My previous bookings, as well as this upcoming trip to Tokyo, were all booked through Expedia. Since the trip to Los Angeles was separate from Tokyo, I had to book separate one way trip flights which I purchased online with some unused credit card points from some debt I paid off a lot of years ago. So the flight was actually booked through some third party organization associated with my bank. Though I had a confirmation, I could imagine the possibility of somehow my reservation getting lost in the system. I was, however proud of myself for being resourceful as I was able to book two tickets to Los Angeles from Atlanta with Spirit Airlines for under $150. After a year saving up and collecting loose change here and there, I was able to afford a comfortable spending allowance of about $100 a day if I am savvy. It was finally time to approach that counter. All went really smoothly until it was time to check in our bags. At this time, my first $100 went pretty quick. Bag fees?? Ok. So now I know. But at least my name was in the system! Right?
 


 What I Forgot and then Remembered about TSA
 


I was still in a good mood anyway. Things were running like clockwork and I had a pretty good idea of where to go - Security then the concourse train to our gate.

  The security line was pretty long and I couldn't help but notice the expression on people's faces. It was visible that there was much waited anticipation of travel. Most looked like they were on vacation. I saw a guy that look just Garth from Wayne's World. Once you are through the line the security part of the airport experience is by far the most stressful. At Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson, you have to remove your shoes, grab a bin and separate all of your items to be scanned while trying not to disrupt the flow of traffic.  Luckily, the TSA staff was positive and celebrated with me as I made my way through the metal detector successfully. Now that I had that behind me all I had to do was wait for my belongings to sail through as well. So I waited. And waited..Well, I finally saw my bin come though but was sent through to the solitary confinement line where all the bad bins go. Oh yeah. Next time, take the laptop out!



The Flight on an Economy Airline



After being out $5.00 more for a small packet of Belvita cookies for Laurel and a bottle of sparkling water for me, it was time for us to transition from the comforts of the gate through to the boarding process. It has been a while since I had flown and the thought of this mammoth sized 12-day international experience lying ahead of me, I was feeling very nervous as this take off was the initial launch for Project Tokyo. The plane accelerated and lifted off the ground and became air-borne.

  The flight so far has been pleasant as well as the cabin crew and with very little turbulence.(I am in flight as I am writing). However, while being spoiled on the long international flights with complimentary dinner, a comforting glass wine and a movie, I was not sure what to expect on this domestic flight. At first I was delighted to find the snack menu that was provided at our seats.  There was a variety wines, spirits, snack combos and even Cup o Noodles were offered, but, uh, not complimentary. Of course now that I am already broke for the day I can't even afford to eat ramen which is $5 a pop!

  Ok, so now I know to plan ahead a bit more. I have discovered that these less expensive airlines are really better for shorter excursions with very few bags and I have also learned that it is a good idea to take your own food along. This experience was very informative that way. Though this may sound crazy but I love airplanes and airports. It's probably just a honeymoon phase that I'm sure will wear off at some point (likely this trip as we will have flown through 4 different airports with 5 take offs and landings). It's expensive and it can be hectic but it's just how things works in the vast world of the airline industry and I am still in the process of learning it all. I know it will get easier and easier. My only goal now is for it to get cheaper and cheaper for me the more I learn.
  


Dark Horse moment of the day:

The Toy Story quote: "To Infinity and Beyond!" resonated from Laurels mouth to the ears of those throughout the cabin as the wheels lifted off the ground for her first ever flight!



Spirit Airlines
NK #404
Airbus A320 (Sharklets) | Economy Class
Atlanta (ATL)
12:17 PM
Thu, Jun 06     4hr 49min
traveling to destination
Non-stop
    Los Angeles (LAX)
2:06 PM
Thu, Jun 06