Travel

99 posts

Halloween Costume Idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LA County Museum of Art in Photos

This past weekend, my partner and I went to Los Angeles for a quick weekend away from life in the desert.  In the weeks leading up to the trip, he kept hammering me with questions about what I wanted to do while we were there.  This is generally how the conversation went (his part is in Italics):

So, any thoughts on things to do while we’re there? Not really. Was there any shopping you wanted to do?

Hon, I’ve been banned for life from all the McQueen stores in the country and you get mad when I buy things you think we don’t need for the house. The only thing that’s even on my radar is the Kubrick exhibit at LACMA and there will be hell to pay if I’m not allowed to go. Continue reading

Eat in New Orleans Like You’ll Never Eat Again

Yesterday, PoBoyNation shared tips on how to do Mardi Gras in New Orleans like a local, causing all of us to want to head down south immediately. Today as Lent begins and Carnival season ends, I thought I’d share with you my week in eating in New Orleans like a tourist (albeit a tourist who lived there for a bit and visits often) on an expense account. Get your antacid ready to go! Continue reading

Mauna Kea– The Tallest Mountain In the World

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What is happening atop Mauna Kea is a tragedy and a slap in the face to the native Hawaiian people.

Mauna Kea* (or White Mountain) is of tremendous spiritual importance to the Hawaiians. It is white because of the snow that often dusts the peak. It is the home of Poli’ahu, the snow goddess. This is contrasted by Mauna Loa (or Black Mountain), home of Poli’ahu’s rival, Pele, the goddess of fire. The number of legends and heiaus (temples) on Mauna Kea speak to its importance. Continue reading

Visiting My Childhood Home In Taiwan

taiwan_childhood_home-6From the ages of three to eight (1978-1983), I lived in that gray house in Taipei, Taiwan. It wasn’t until 2006 that I would see this house again. Join me for a tour of the house and my memories.

My maternal grandparents raised me in this house. My grandfather was a legislator, a scholar, and all around raconteur. Born to a well-to-do family, he graduated from Peking University, and was elected to China’s National Assembly in the 1940s. He, my grandmother, and their adopted one year old daughter (my mom) fled to Taiwan along with the rest of Chiang Kai-Shek’s government in 1949. Because the government no longer had control of Mainland China (where the electorate resided), National Assembly members got to hold onto their seats until the Communist rebellion was quashed. Because that quashing never happened, my grandfather became a legislator-for-life. Continue reading

Terrible Decisions in Sid’s Life: Cocktails in the Corner Pocket

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Luke’s father had some in with CBS and managed to score Final Four tickets. I lived in New Orleans at the time, so Luke and two other friends came down to stay with me and make it an informal bachelor party week for Luke.

Before they arrived, it was my job to head down to the French Quarter, where CBS had set up operations and a huge hospitality room, to pick up the tickets and the passes to get into the CBS parties. Five tickets and five passes.
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QOTD: What Did You Get for Christmas?

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Despite being an infidel non-believer, I celebrate Christmas. To me, it means spending time with family, days off, food, a tree, and a little gift giving. So to you fellow atheists, agnostics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians, I don’t mean to offend with this post.

Now, let’s get down to business. What did you get? Tell us.  And a fonz from me if you post a picture of your gift. Continue reading

Adventures in Turpan: Grapes, Buddhist Caves and More

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The Taklamakan Desert in western China was the Bermuda Triangle of the Silk Road. The word Taklamakan literally means– Once you go in, you don’t come out. It is still a wasteland. The military tests its nuclear weapons there and they just discovered huge deposits of oil underneath. For thousands of years, the oasis towns ringing the desert have witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations. They have been influenced by Greeks, Arabs, Turks, Indians, and Chinese. We visited one of them. Continue reading