Vacation Update Day 2

Today was going to be different. I had errands and fun shopping to do!

Yesterday's trip and lack of sleep turned into a knock-em-dead kind of drowsiness that surprised even me. But after a couple of nappy winks, I couldnt go to sleep until after 11 pm. Where's my melatonin pills when I need em?!

All the same, I took advantage and watched several episodes of Leverage on Netflix on my phone. My 5-year-old laptop's screen died the night before.

It's sunny and 64F at 10:00 am? I'll take it! Nothing beats taking a warm shower after good-enough sleep while warm, blindingly bright sunshine rays stream over me. A sunlight shower.

Head out in the car, then U-turn back to check whether I forgot to shut the garage door...nop it's all good, just old age ;o)

Ah, fresh air in my lungs and sunlight warming my skin.

Vacation Update Day 1

I escaped Chicago early on a Wednesday morning, just as the bitter chill of winter was hitting town after a warm front.

Sorry but the sun decided to peek out too late that morning.

I was definitely ready for a mental and routine break, though I would miss my dog Benny terribly.

Warm sunshine and green, tropical foliage where waiting for me.

I dozed on and off after scanning through my issue of InStyle magazine, this edition proved unusually boring considering it was the holidays one.

Two hours and a half later I reached sunny, welcoming Tampa. Where the air I breathe doesn't hurt my noise our lungs. Deep inhale. Ah, sweet air. A nice change after the sardine can bottled air of a plane.

No check-in luggage meant smooth sailing through the monorail shuttle on down past the luggage carousels, expectant luggage owners, wide longing eyes,  hoping their property arrived undisturbed in the next batch on the rolling belt.

Considering I was prepared for the worst at the car rental counter, just a couple minutes on the phone with my dad later, I convinced the attendant and her supervisor to invite me to step upstairs and grab my Corolla.

My first time with a Toyota, pishing aside rememberances of recalls and brake-related horror stories. It's black. My shoulders relaxed. I clicked the keyfob button and stepped into the drivers seat. The mirrors are a massacre of odd angles. The seat too far back. Lets get to work and on our way.

Clearwater Heaven

One of my all-time favorite things to do in the Tampa area (since 1999!) has been drive into Clearwater Beach near sunset.

I immensely enjoy the sun's rays reaching out playfully to almost blind me,  as I squint at it through sunglasses and straight palms.

The fluffy clouds are relaxed sentinels, quietly escorting us as we make our way through the Courtney Campbell Causeway (60).

I inhale the salt air and each and every muscle in my body feels like it's exhaling is tension away.

Heaven.

The promise of delectable seaside specialties, like broiled or grilled grouper,  are just around the next bend.

We continue cruising through Clearwater Beach and Sand Key with dinner cruises sailing under the Gulf Boulevard bridge.

The sea breeze welcoming,  the warm sunset hues caressing open windows in our vehicle. As we leisurely float on through the various barrier islands.

Heaven.

Thank you.

Florida

I am on a well deserved vacation in Tampa, Florida.
I had no idea how much I needed a vacation until I was here.
I've missed sleeping late. I also missed the lush tropical landscape and salt air from the Sea.

India Trip

The significant other unit and I visited our India side of the family for ten lovely days and just came back. This was my third trip, and I enjoyed seeing how much has changed since my first trip, in late 2003!

Here are some snaps that either I or other family members captured with my cell phone camera.

The main reason for our visit was attending a wedding, but it's so nice to be around lots of family for a change and visiting old favorite places.

I really enjoyed waking up while listening to the layers of sound of a waking city. Calls from a minaret to prayer around 5:30 am, while the musical and unusual honking of trucks and road traffic on a nearby highway rose up gradually, and, of course, the occasional dog fight in the street. 

A quick peek outside the front door into the entry courtyard revealed bright skies and lovely flora all around--instead of the icy snow of Chicago, ha! The weather was so much better during this trip, than when we visited in August of 2012--I certainly didn't miss the stifling heat and rain. FTW!

My favorite things while visiting were spending time/conversing with the significant other unit's sister and her husband, seeing how much the nephews (3) and nieces (2, one of which is now married) have grown up, and a quick trip to Bangalore (a new city for me!).

I hope to one day maybe have an apartment in Hyderabad near sister's house so we can still drop by and stay up until 1 am talking about all sorts of topics, or just quietly enjoying their lively company.  We could keep some things in that apartment so we don't have to bring and take so much luggage each time. Well, maybe some day.

Oh, and maybe learning the local dialect/language would help too, on future trips. ;o)

Sunshine, Palm Trees, and Sand

Coming from the Mediterranean city of Genova--or as it's known in English, Genoa, which is located in the Ligurian Provice in Northern Italy--I feel that I cannot be too far from gorgeous, natural scenery; the sea and its seafood; and bright colors. Luckily I got to visit a seaside sunny location for Thanksgiving, Tampa, Florida.

Tampa is a hard working town of working-class folks, universities, and tourism service providers. There's also a growing and healthy affluent community built around some very lovely, privately gated communities and shopping areas.

Tampa is also the location of one of the US' most beautiful beaches (as ranked for a number of years by a variety of magazines and websites), on the natural refuge island of Caladesi. It's on my bucket list!

My family's first visit to lovely Tampa took place in late February or early March of 1999, when my mother and I took our "girls' spring break" vacation to Clearwater Beach. That first visit we stayed at the Hilton. We wanted to make it an annual tradition, so we went back again in 2000 at around the same time, but instead moved over to Sand Key--a quieter more residential area. Alas, I began  working full-time in 2001 and was no longer able to come yearly. But we have come quite a few times since, both together and separately.

Whenever we visited Tampa we daydreamed of how lovely it would be to live there rather than in a place with rather unruly weather *cough*Chicago*cough*.

If the white sand and inviting waters of the Tampa area don't capture your mind and heart, then the lovely sunsets surely will. At Clearwater Beach, there are a variety of boats to take cruises (with meals or without), and for sight-seeing and sunset photographing. Many beach-side restaurants provide a lovely setting for an evening meal while the sun goes down under the sea on the horizon. There's also the bohemian Pier 60 sunset festival each evening, which brings out happy tourists and locals alike for a stroll and maybe some souvenir shopping.

Mom and I are particular fans of the redesigned Salvador Dali museum in St. Petersburg, FL, as well as the Greek sponge diving community in Tarpon Springs, FL.

It's definitely one of the happiest places I've been, considering how far and wide I've been lucky enough to travel in my life. It's also an fiscally responsible destination that can be reached from almost anywhere within the US (both Southwest and Spirit Airlines have amazing deals most of the year).

Here is a photo slideshow made from snaps I've captured in the Tampa area during my last two trips (2011 and 2013).

Cheers to sunny and happy places!

Chicago Comic Con Update

Last Friday I attended my first ever Comic Con, which took place in Chicago's Donald E. Stevens Convention Center (Rosemont, IL). It was a wonderful, if a little crazy, experience!

There were so many people, so many artists, so much to look at...it was a little overwhelming. But getting to see famous celebrities (from far away), amazing collectibles, and dedicated/talented artists was an energizing experience.

The best part was seeing how some folks dressed up as their favorite characters. Lots of guys seem to be Dr. Who fans! I was trying to act normal around them rather than gawk at how cool their outfits were. Of course, a couple of midriff/rear-end baring beauties captured a lot of guys' attention and were very happy to pose for pics with groups.

I was a little sad that much of the stuff I'm into wasn't really featured. For example, anime (Vampire Hunter D, Ghibli Studio, Mazinger Z, Appleseed Ex Machina) and science fiction (Star Trek, Forbidden Planet, Auto Man, Aquaman, Supernatural, Scooby Doo) television series and movies that I am a fan of and grew up with.

Some merchandise stalls had some great finds though. There was one stall with vintage television and anime series DVDs that caught my attention and which I perused fondly reminiscing about old, old series I used to love (Automan, Candy, Man from Atlantis).

Otherwise, the majority of merchandise featured Pokemon and Star Wars collectibles--vendors know they need to meet demand for the more popular so as to increase revenue flow. People were not as pressured to make sure they purchased something while there, because online retailers  supply much and more of what we're all looking for. Among the thousands of purchases walking past me, I spotted a couple of kids happily waving foamy Minecraft pickaxes and I just loved that.

Besides, prices were not on the products and a lot of vendors inflated them anyway. For example, I asked how much it would be for a black messenger bag embroidered with the NERV logo in red thread: $38. I felt it was total "tourist pricing" so when I got home, I looked up the bag and found it for $25 (+S&H) on Amazon. But didn't buy it after all, since the last thing I need is another bag.

I got a little lost when it came to locating the session rooms. Which didn't seem important at the time with so much to look at. Not many sessions scheduled were that interesting to me. I'm only sorry I missed Wil Wheaton's session, the Psychology of Batman session, and the session on Cover Pages.

I did manage to sit in during a panel about developing fictional fantasy worlds for games, books, and more--which was pretty cool until the panelists (Keith Baker, Kenneth Hite, and Will Hindmarch) began out doing each other in self-promoting their upcoming work.

If I had to do it over again I would have gone to a lot of the sessions in the ballrooms--even if I didn't originally think they were interesting. I would also have stopped and asked questions of the local artists, instead of walking past with eyes as big as saucers trying to soak it all in. There were just so many amazing artists there. Lots of zombie art too.

I am glad I didn't spend money on sign and greet events with celebrities. Those booths and queues were claustrophobic. I gained new respect for those celebrities willing to put themselves out there like that and sit for several hours straight just signing and greeting. I saw the Harry Potter Weasley twins (James and Oliver Phelps), as well as the top of Wil Wheaton's and James Marsters'  heads. The highlight for me was seeing Robert Rodriguez sign autographs and greet fans at the Frank Franzetta art booth (alas I didn't want to pay $15 for the art exhibit in a far-away ballroom). I snapped a pic of him since there was a break in the crowd at the right moment.

All around I didn't take that many pics. I'm  not versed in convention etiquette on when it's ok to snap pics of people in outfits and there were a lot of kids so I know parents typically don't like strangers taking pix of their kids. Besides, photographing sights was a low priority...my senses were a little overloaded soaking it all in while not tripping over the dense amount of people walking around--this is definitely not like any other convention I've ever attended, which means the auto show or my company's annual conference! But what a fun time it was. I would totally do it again.

Going to Comic Con Chicago

I'm very excited that, in the span of just 24 hours, I was able to learn about, decide on, and purchase my first ticket ever to a Comic Con. The particular one I'm going to is taking place this weekend in Chicago. I got a one day Friday ticket. :o)

I've never been to this kind of conference! But been meaning to go for some time. I have to main goals for going:

• seeing some out of the ordinary, ordinary comic and maybe sci-fi fans 
• to see how the local industry is being represented, if at all

I spent a few minutes reading the program for Friday (today) and checking whether there were any pay-and-sign type events with famous folks. I know Wil Wheaton, Zachary Quinto, Robert Rodriguez, and Stan Lee (of course!) will be the even'ts top hitters. Talk about putting stars in fans' eyes. Literally.

I didn't sign up for any pay-get-an-autograph type events, because I think I'll leave my schedule mostly to serendipity and see who I may run into while walking around and attending sessions. I prefer checking the nooks and crannies and discovering things as they may come, especially since I'm not a 100% UHC comic fan. Then again, I've been enjoying comics, in three countries, since I was a wee child!

I hope my camera is charged enough, my shoes comfortable enough, and my smartphone camera is smudge free enough. I'll have a follow up post later with how it went. *teehee*

Traveling to Washington DC

Annual trip to Washington DC for my company took place. It's ever so nice to get back home!

I enjoyed seeing the sights, and it wasn't too terribly humid.

The Washington Monument is being repaired after 2011's earthquake.

My usual treat is taking a pic of the roof of the white house from the First Amendment Lounge in the National Press Club, where our event takes place each June.

DC has great architecture and green spaces. Plus, I discovered a Pret a Manger! Love it in London and wasn't aware this existed in the US.

Memorial Day Weekend Trip

We took a mini trip over the long weekend of Memorial Day. I had heard at church about a resort right next to an Illinois State Park, so we decided to spend a couple of nights there and bring Benny with us. It turned out to be quite relaxing!

Dunes at Illinois State Beach Park

Saturday I slept in until 11 am and I ended up exceeding my walking goal by quite a few percentage points when we took a long walk through one of the outlet malls in Gurnee/Kenosha. I also walked away with a new dress, skirt, top, and clutch bag out of the deal. Not bad at all! hehe

But what I really liked most of all was being able to be next to a natural preserve of flora and fauna, and some pretty amazing sandy dunes and views of Lake Michigan. It looked so lovely I couldn't help think of Florida's own lovely beaches.

Benny was a total prince and did not mess up the room at all. Though he was incredibly anxious whenever we left him there and so happy to see us whenever we came back to walk him.

a low horizon moon rise

The first night, when we sat down to a casual dinner in the hotel restaurant, I couldn't help but notice the lovely moon rise. The moon was huge and clear yellow. And watching it rise above Lake Michigan and illuminating a trail of yellow water as it went up on its way was just lovely.

We also took a tour of the Jelly Belly distribution center. I've loved Jelly Belly candy for quite some time (at least since 1999!), and was thrilled to take a faux tour with a trolly and getting the full story behind the product and the company. It reminded me so much of those "behind the scenes" shows I used to watch religiously on the Food Network! Such as Unwrapped.

I was also very happy when I got a free baggie of Jelly Belly beans after the tour. We perused the shop and I got a Harry Potter chocolate frog, Bertie Bott's Gross Beans (I skipped the gross ones), and a box of 14 flavors of Jelly Belly beans.

The Jelly Belly Factory Tour

It was a great weekend and we even got to go to downtown Chicago on Sunday night to one of our new favorite restaurants, Howells and Hood in the Tribune Tower. They have amazing food, a spectacular list of booze for those who indulge, and great sports up on the screens. Highly recommended if you haven't been there.

That's what we did on Memorial Day weekend. It was good to get away a little bit, with our furry buddy Benny :)

Trip to London Town

I finally got a long-time wish fulfilled, to visit London! Four days of a whirlwind of activity and must-sees.

I really enjoyed the city and all we saw, tasted, and perused: tea time, pubs, British Museum, Stonehenge, Lacock, Windsor Castle, and Bath. I wasn't too keen on the unseasonably frigid Spring weather.

Teatime is something I can totally dive into, and am going to make a civilized tea break a part of my daily routine, whenever I feel the need.

I also visited famous department stores such as Harrods, Selfridge's, and Marks & Spencer. I even got to visit a tiny Boots (I like to call those Booties). I was searching for rose scented anything, and got a great rose jelly and a Scottish rose soap in a tin from Harrods. I bought a pair of Thomas Sabo sterling silver rose disc stud earrings from Selfridge's, and nothing from M&S :( I didn't like anything there.

Good times all around, and lots left for a future visit. Here are some pics I captured during my trip.

Gettin' on a Jet Plane

I am very excited! I get to go on a short vacation/long-weekend trip to London. Yey! I definitely need to unplug from my day-to-day and rest a little, and soak up some exciting new sights.

This mini-vacation comes courtesy of my parents who are traveling elsewhere in Europe attending a conference. We'll meet up Thursday and have a full itinerary of things to do and see. It's very exciting. Mom is a great planner.

I've been going through my little carry-on luggage at least 3 times since last Monday. And yes, all my liquids fit neatly into a quart baggie. Amazing right? I've got it all down. Everything's ready to go.

I'm definitely nervous and happy about my trip. What little I've seen of England and the United Kingdom in general, I've really liked.

I've often heard my mom discuss her memories of growing up and going to college in the UK. Inspiring my very own appreciation from afar. Many gals my age dream with one day going to Paris. Well, I've instead dreamt of London.

I actually get a little verclempt. One of my all time favorite people ever, my maternal grandpa, was from London. I wonder what sights he would show me if he could have come along on this trip.

I was planning on taking the underground (tube @ £6 from zone 6 to the city center) from the airport to the park near our hotel and walking over to get a full taste and immerse myself rather immediately. So, unless it's raining, which it may very well be during our trip, I'll be taking the Tube. If I'm overly tired from the trip and/or it's raining I'll likely just cab it over (~£65)--I hope it's a little black cab, I love those!

Here's to lovely places, wherever they may be for each of us.

Discover: Native American Museum

Free Things To Do In Aurora's Facebook page the other day led me to an art show at Aurora University's Schingoethe Center for Native American Cultures.

I had no idea Aurora University had a Native American Culture program, and much less a museum. Since I didn't have anything more important to do that evening, I headed right out after taking my dog for his afternoon walkies.

I enjoyed perusing slowly through the entire Native American exhibit space. Taking special care to enjoy the silver jewelry and Hopi Kachina doll displays. The bear claw necklace is huge and features real bear claws! I flashed back to the great time I had in New Mexico a few years ago, visiting the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque.

A special room, located just off the library and museum main exhibit room, is dedicated to artist showings. The evening I went was the grand opening for the Bullets in the Chest, Arrows in the Back show by artist Bunky Echo-Hawk. His exhibit runs until April 26.

Echo-Hawk created portraits that are modernist and simplified. Rich in color, deeply pigmented, and eye catching. What I found most fascinating was the accompanying card for each of the pieces, providing a brief biography for each portrait and narrating the impact that person's work and life had on the Indian Nation.

As I was walking out I got to meet Meg Bero, the museum curator. Meg came over to introduce herself, thank me for stopping by, and invite me to help finish some of the appetizers and cookies that had been ordered for the show's opening. Meg has a bubbly, contagious personality and you can very easily tell she's passionate about her museum.

There's a great little shop at the entrance of the museum with lovely handmade products ranging the entire span of the American continent: Mexican blouses, South American wool bags, and Native American books. And more! Great gift ideas for a special someone or for yourself.

If you drop by, which is well worth your time, make a donation and ask to fill out a card so you can be kept in the loop of upcoming events. The Schingoethe Center is located in the basement of Dunham Hall, at the crossroads intersection of Marsellaise and Dunham in West-Central Aurora, Illinois.

Aurora University is actually easier to find than I expected. Its campus not unlike North Central College in Naperville or the old Marycrest International University in Davenport. It's a small private university with several architecturally interesting buildings spanning several decades.

Country Lanes

One of the things that I love best about watching Midsomer Murders, one of my favorite crime TV shows, is the landscape and country lanes in small, British villages.

I think the first time I first noticed how charming country lanes are was when I still lived in Italy as a small child, and we had to weave our way up a meandering lane to get to our summer home or to the local sanctuary (+800 meters) up a mountain. I also recall watching The Avengers reruns during my teens, and I believe I spotted Mr. Steed and Mrs. Peel in a small sports car traveling somewhere. I also remember fondly country lanes featured in films such as The Legacy and Three Men and a Little Lady.

These little country lanes and villages inspired in me fantasies of traveling village to village enjoying a bed and breakfast, the local history, the pub, and afternoon or high tea. What about the occasional resale, vintage, or antique shop, too!

Of course, the little villages and lanes that undergo filming for movies and television series are narrowed down and selected just because of their natural charms and photogeneity. When traveling, one might become a little jaded with a few of the realities of traveling between small villages...

I can imagine that tight space make the lanes hard to navigate with today's larger vehicles, campers, or whenever encountering farming equipment. During special, seasonal events traffic must be terrific. Parking must also be terrible, as most folks tend to probably walk or bicycle around town. What about no street lighting on roadways with meandering curves just ahead of your headlights? What about poorly maintained,  muddy, or pot-holey winter months? All these potential situations can lead to a perilous visit. For example, I offer you the film The Holiday, where Kate Winslet lives in a little hamlet that's completely snow bound during the holiday season--and she has quite away to walk after the local bus drops her off. And yet...

Be it a reality check, or pessimism,  I can't stop daydreaming of country lanes. In breezy greens in the spring or summer, of lovely autumnal shades, of stark contrasts with snow piled on in wintertime. Thinking about visiting or even living on a quiet, nature-landscaped, country lane is a lot of fun for me. A way to live vicariously. I've often searched for "English countryside" and "country lane" images on both Flickr and Pinterest, and am developing a Pinterest board around this theme. Without crossing the pond, I imagine that the Northeastern United States could satiate this longing as they have some truly wonderful foliage-lined country lanes.

Here's to happy daydreaming on chilly autumn days ^_^

The Fine Line: Excitement to Exhaustion

The build up to conference was palpable this year. We had incredible amounts of work ahead of us as we scheduled educational sessions, track chairs to lead them and speakers to speak in them. Not to mention networking events, meals, and meetings galore. Oh my! We got as many ducks as possible in a row, and after a last minute scramble, headed to Atlanta to work onsite.

There was a lot of walking to do, but it all worked out with a little patience and planning. Pre-arranged and printed schedules assured all coworkers were consistently where they needed to be. We were excited, helped each other, and coalesced during the few venting sessions.

How can we not be excited when there's 3,100 of our best friends and family walking around us from 7 am till 7 pm or later every day for four days?

Long hours of smiling, answering questions, walking, walking some more, and walking again led to weary souls, but a little rest and a little food helped to keep the steam going.

The Georgia World Congress is a very interesting convention center, because it is basically three long buildings next to each other. Our event was in building B, the middle building. Conference events took place anywhere within the two Omni towers adjacent to the CNN center to the five levels of the long Building B.

I love seeing old friends again after a long time. There are past research committee members from my early days or folks I've worked on projects with, that bring just such a joy in me to see them, give them a big smile, give them a quick hug, and catch up a little. Some other folks have had personality and temperament differences with me and therefore it's painful to see them and have to be customer service oriented when attending them during events and such, but still, quite doable with some ole professional elbow grease.

I went in not knowing what to expect, and came out elated and exhausted. The conference creates a contagious sense of excitement that's not really comparable to anything else. Especially fun committee dinners were we all relax and have a glass (or two) of an adult libation.

Gotta get some rest and plenty of water after all this excitement though, I'm completely worn out.

Travel: Montreal Canada

I have wanted to travel to Quebec since I was in my early teens. For some reason the place got emblazoned in my mind as a must-visit locale. I was right. It's as lovely as any European City, with an undeniable Canadian sensibility.

Here's my Flickr set to help remember a lovely, if a little short, trip to a grand city:




So many things are done so well in Montreal, that I can't help count the shortcomings in the City of Chicago upon my return from this trip. I am sad. But hope Chicago can one day match the loveliness and urban practicality of Montreal. Maybe. One day.

Family Visit Road Trip

I finally got to visit my parents at their weekend house on Sunday. The significant other unit, Benny, and I squeezed into my silver bullet and prepared for the long, three hour each way drive.

The significant other unit brought a couple of books he's studying and a quiz on his laptop, which, together with his cell phone kept him plenty busy. I was enjoying the scenery, revisiting long-ago memories of driving through this seemingly interminable stretch of highway past my old alma mater and into my old home grounds.

Benny didn't enjoy the drive at all, like most car rides, and spent the entire time panting all over his blanket. The doggie safety belt helps him stay snuggled good and tight so he doesn't get overly excited and hurt himself around the car. He definitely enjoyed the car stops way more than the car ride. He smelled new doggie emails and caught some of that lovely river breeze that flopped his long ears on that unusually hot Sunday afternoon.

I had fun driving through downtown Moline and parts of downtown Rock Island (thought traffic detours abounded and limited our navigation) and then seeing my old workplace (where I left because the owner kept bouncing my paycheck!). Finally our tour ended at my parents house, which was recently remodeled with new overhangs, gutters, electrical system, and siding. The new landscaping was smart looking as well, and the significant other unit, Benny, and I enjoyed sitting under the front tree for a while. I almost forgot we needed to wave as people drove by, I must have seemed so antisocial (who me?!). Go figure.

So much is the same, and yet so much has changed. Me included.

It was a short visit, but we capped it off in a most excellent way, with an early supper at one of our all-time favorite restaurants in the area, The Cellar in nearby Geneseo. Delicious, charbroiled specialties and unique, reliable service. Gotta love it! I even got to take home the leftover sweet buns that no one touched. YUM!

I miss not living in that side of the state anymore. There's something absolutely charming about the greenery, the breeze, the hot sun, and the rivers (Mississippi River and Rock River). Some call it a lazy river type of town, but there's plenty of activity year-round.

What I don't don't miss is the quirky people, economically depressed area, and lack of jobs. And the three hour drive of course, that's a lot of ga$oline. I guess I wouldn't mind going back more often if we happen to coincide with my parents being there again, and during one of the major seasonal festivals. Or to visit that awesome art museum, The Figge, in nearby Davenport.

Then again, there's so much to do, see, and experience right where I have been living for the past 12 years, that I really don't need to tear up all that asphalt to have a good time. It was a good trip, but it's nice to be home again.

The USS Midway

One of the benefits of coming to my company's annual conference, for the attendees, is the numerous, behind-the-scenes tours we offer to showcase local logistics and supply chain related...er...things.

This year is a sold out tour of the USS Nimitz, which is calling port in San Diego, California to refit and head back out to duty at either Afghanistan or Iraq. Now, of course, being staff we don't get to go on the Nimitz...but I know someone who is going and I will be grilling him ;) for all the juicy details!

Photo borrowed from the
2007 Preserve America Presidential Award Winner Photos

So last time (2004 or 2005) I visited San Diego (which was also my first visit by the way!) for conference I invited mom to join me. The significant other unit had declined, even though I had made special arrangements for his birthday...

So part of mom's and my adventures together included a whirlwind tour of the USS Midway, a retired aircraft carrier that's now essentially a floating museum.

I've read up on it again this time, because I want to visit it and take my sweet time to absorb as much as possible. There's a self-guided audio tour, 25 restored aircraft, and the possibility to walk through with a docent who can properly explain everything.

It's just a matter of deciding when to go... right now I think I could get away with going as soon as I land on the Saturday, but I do need to also report for duty at the convention center. Decisions, decisions!

I really liked seeing the USS Midway the first time around because it brought me back memories of when I visited the Queen Mary anchored in Long Beach, CA in the 1980s, or else, when my mom and I talked to British and American officers as their frigates called port in Veracruz, Mexico, where I grew up.

Here's me crossing my fingers that I get to tour the Midway! ;)

Of Summer and TV: American Pickers

Summer always makes me yearn for Americana. Pies, softly drifting breezes, trees, fairs and festivals, bare feet on grass...Some of my strongest memories and sense of Americana are from the three years I visited and then lived in the Quad City Area (QCA), where the Mississippi splits Illinois and Iowa.

Then there's funny coincidences that can't be readily understood but bring a bittersweet smile on my lips, as they bring up old memories to share with mom.

Back in March or April, during a visit with mom while she was staying at the hospital, she urged me to take a look at a new show she had discovered, American Pickers. A duo of antique hunters (Mike and Frank) who dig and pick through discarded antiques and memorabilia, search for items of value in today's "mantiques" market--or guy interest antiques related to automotive industry, old bicycles, gas lamps, and that sort of thing.

The show stuck in my mind and I labeled a new favorite after only the first episode. They have really great personalities and offer a good price to the owners, while being respectful of who they're with and where they are. When they recap their purchases they point out what the going price is and it's always above what they bought it for. The spice in the show, besides the two guys' incredible and funny personalities, is the receptionist/store chick (Danielle). She keeps the business running when the guys are off chasing after their latest acquisitions. This is a rocker chick well-prepared to match the two guys' energy and activity level. She actually reminds me of a bodacious, older version of NCIS' Abby.
 
Well, little did we know, my mom and I, that the guys and their show are actually based out of one of our favorite haunts in the old Quad Cities area,  Le Claire, IA (Antique Archaeology is the store name). This I found out while casually reading updates on the QCA area newspapers on Facebook this past month. What a surprise this was. I immediately forwarded the info to my mom and we began reminiscing.

Le Claire is a typical, sleepy little Mississippi river town. I think there's but a street's worth of business district  and that's pretty much it. There was a restaurant, the Faithful Pilot, which we've never been able to find no matter how hard we tried. We began thinking it was a joket the area was pulling on us "city folk."

My mom and I became acquainted with Le Claire the summer of '96-'97. We were staying in nearby more "urbanite-friendly" Bettendorf, and on Fridays, when the cleaning lady came to my dad's company-leased apartment, we took our dogs or just ourselves to the Mississippi Valley Welcome Center and spent hours in its gorgeous gazebo enjoying a book, our company, and view of the river and I-80 bridge. Of course, another place we used to chill in was nearby, at Lock and Dam 14. That was the era when we were moving away from the Chicagoland area into the Quad Cities.

Besides the lovely gazebo at the visitor center, there are nomadic bbq trucks that can set up at a spur of the moment in a little nearby park that also doubles as an on-off platform for fishermen and leisure pontoons in the Mississippi. There's a fascinating Buffalo Bill Cody museum which may potentially have been developed by the Antique Archaeology guys, and when we went in '97, we got to visit the Lone Star paddlewheel/steamer dry docked there. The two main attractions in Le Claire, however, are a deliciously luxe restaurant called Steventons and the famed, yearly Quad City Tug Fest.

Today, I spent some time catching up on episodes of the show, and reading up on Danielle, the tattoed beauty on American Pickers. She apparently has a great presence in the QCA in the burlesque and roller derby areas. She's an amazing woman and I like her go-getter attitude.

It's fun reminiscing, but I'm looking forward to new Americana experiences I create today and tomorrow. Here's to a great start making new memories!

Vacation to the Pacific Northwest - onward-ho!

Took some time off at the end of the year with the significant-other unit to celebrate Christmas with him and our niece, and then to take a vaca in the lovely Pacific Northwest. Though we saw nothing of the lovely Pacific, we did see plenty of lovely Seattle.

Seattle seems to mix the best of all worlds: urban center, outdoor sports, temperate (if a little wet) climate. As a center for a couple of industries (retail and gourmet coffee with Nordstrom and Starbucks/Seattle's Best/Tully's, computers with Microsoft and Google, and manufacturing with Boeing and many others) it showcases good dining, great shopping, an urban (walkey) feel, and plenty of things to do and see.

I thoroughly enjoyed the great Seattle Space Needle at Seattle city center, which also featured the really awesome Science Fiction Museum. The architecture was very a multicolor, very creative, array of metal that reminded me of the music stand at Chicago's Millenium park.

Science Fiction Museum	Seattle Space Needle and Monorail

And of course, no visit to Seattle is complete without a traipse around Pike Place Market.

On this trip I focused mostly on aerospace engineering and history through the Museum of Flight and Boeing's Everett manufacturing plant tour. Why? I really miss my annual pilgrimage to NASA in Houston every year from the mid 1980s until the early 1990s. This was a new branch to explore in a similar discipline.

Museum of Flight	Boeing, Everett Washington

I learned all about the principal elements for flight: thrust, lift, weight/gravity, and drag. I learned about the most amazing historical engineering feats, and the courage that military men (and women) exhibited during the world wars.

Check out my Flickr account for additional images under the Washington State collection of photo sets.

Speaking of drag...we also got to visit Vancouver. It was an underwhelming experience...very gray and an intensely-populated urban area. I was expecting so much of my preferred North Americans, and yet there was so little that jumped out at me...

There was an agricultural plain immediately upon entering the border which progresed into Surrey, British Columbia. After Surrey you continued past into a Mexico City-suburb-like Vancouver, and forward-ho into what is downtown Vancouver. Very cute cobbled streets on the very far end. Lovely pub. Cute tourist trap stores...excellent Rogers Chocolates and Maple Delights shop. But else? Not much.

I noticed no special preparations in the city or water front for the Olympics...something folks at home and the rental car attendant had told me to look out for.

I wish I had more time to enjoy some of the natural wonders, such as 10-hour long tours of the Olympic Penninsula, Mt. Rainier, or forays into the Cascades. I think this is one of the cities where you can be the most outdoors-active in the US year round (snow, mountains, hiking, boating). Lots of walking! Loved every aching minute of it...especially coming up the oh so steep climb from pier 56 up to 4th street! San Francisco eat your heart out.

Seattle is very different from the California vibe, but knows how to show guests and locals a great time: lots of good food and healthy living.