Goodbye Asia - Hello Jetlag: Taiwan
I had no idea what to expect from Taiwan; no expectations. So it's no surprise that the trip exceeded my nonexistent expectations. This stay was all about food and I loved it for that.
Let's talk about the hotel. We stayed at the Fullon Hotel in Taipei. This hotel was THE BEST of our entire trip. So swanky and nice. Comfortable beds. Huge bathrooms. And consider this: this hotel was cheaper than any in Japan.
We visited the tallest building in the world (as of the date of this printing). Taipei 101. I was surprised to see the first floors filled with super high end stores. I mean, who could afford any of this stuff?
We ate at a night market, which is an alley with a giant assortment of food vendors. You can get just about anything to eat and boy did we eat. We had some pastries, takuyaki, spring rolls, oyster omelets, noodle soups, everything. And after all was said and done and tummies were full as hell, we spent an average of $6 per person. It's a wonder there weren't more fat people roaming the streets.
We also went to a Pixar exhibit which seemed to be attended by all of Taipei. And after, we ate at a very questionable hole in the wall with a Noodle Nazi woman. It was scary, but at about a buck for a bowl of noodles, worth it!
Then it was off to the tour of Central Taiwan. We jumped on a bright yellow bus with the cutest curtains. We visited plenty of farms (plant and livestock), a Gold Exposition, the coast, lighthouses, the jungle of Yilan, and the 2nd and 3rd highest elevated 7-Eleven stores in the world!
Oh the tour I saw the biggest espidereses that I have ever seen. These things set up giant web camps in the jungle trees and were so big, I didn't know espidereses grew to that size. But as we crept through jungle, they just kept getting bigger and nastier. These things were feasting on giant butterflies. I had to take video of me fleeing from Spider Town, running for my life with hands as blinders. Scariest moment of my life bar none.
The three weeks in Asia really flew by. It actually feels like I never went on vacation, which sucks. But this trip has inspired me to travel the globe! I want to see as much of it as I can. So in marking off one of the three destinations I need to visit before I die, I ended up adding an entire page. Now's the time!
World traveling,
Ricky
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Goodbye Asia - Hello Jetlag: Kyoto
After the Disney parks, we took a bullet train to Kyoto for some sightseeing.
We went around and visited the Gold and Silver Pavilions which had really beautiful gardens and landscaping.
We went to the Ryoan-ji Temple to visit the Rock Garden. You're supposed to sit and stare until you gain some enlightening. It was really very neat. We also ate the Yudofu, which they are apparently known for, but it just ended up being really really pricey tofu in water.
We toured the Nijo Castle which was huge. Some very nice gardens and artwork inside. The history of the creaking floorboards was really interesting.
The most popular temple seemed to be the Kiyomizu Temple which is really high up on a hill. You're supposed to lean out over the railing and leave all your troubles behind. We also saw the famous kissing stones. It was really crowded when we went with schools, but had an incredible view and was very refreshing.
We also visited the Heian Shrine which has maybe the most beautiful garden in Kyoto.
Also in Kyoto was the best Ramen I've ever had at Honke Dai-ichi Asahi. There was a long line out the door, so we knew we were in good hands. We also had Burnt Ramen from Gogyo, which is a more trendy ramen place. It was really good, but burned in lard makes for a heavy feeling. Didn't feel well after.
We also had some okonomiyaki from a crazy looking place with a statue of a dog pulling a boy's underwear down. Hilarious.
To be continued...
After the Disney parks, we took a bullet train to Kyoto for some sightseeing.
We went around and visited the Gold and Silver Pavilions which had really beautiful gardens and landscaping.
We went to the Ryoan-ji Temple to visit the Rock Garden. You're supposed to sit and stare until you gain some enlightening. It was really very neat. We also ate the Yudofu, which they are apparently known for, but it just ended up being really really pricey tofu in water.
We toured the Nijo Castle which was huge. Some very nice gardens and artwork inside. The history of the creaking floorboards was really interesting.
The most popular temple seemed to be the Kiyomizu Temple which is really high up on a hill. You're supposed to lean out over the railing and leave all your troubles behind. We also saw the famous kissing stones. It was really crowded when we went with schools, but had an incredible view and was very refreshing.
We also visited the Heian Shrine which has maybe the most beautiful garden in Kyoto.
Also in Kyoto was the best Ramen I've ever had at Honke Dai-ichi Asahi. There was a long line out the door, so we knew we were in good hands. We also had Burnt Ramen from Gogyo, which is a more trendy ramen place. It was really good, but burned in lard makes for a heavy feeling. Didn't feel well after.
We also had some okonomiyaki from a crazy looking place with a statue of a dog pulling a boy's underwear down. Hilarious.
To be continued...
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Goodbye Asia - Hello Jetlag: The Disney Parks
The Asia trip is but a distant memory, but the jetlag remains. But it was such a rockin' trip that it was worth it. Any time spent with the entire family (especially with new sister Amazing Grace) is the best.
First three days were dedicated to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. On our first day we got to the park plenty early and in a typhoon to boot. We were waiting for them to let us in and start our day, but something was wrong. They weren't letting anyone pass. Half hour passed. An hour passed. I tried asking a cast member, but they either did not know what I was asking or didn't know what was going on. Then when 1.5 hours passed, I asked a lady in a blazer and she said in broken English, "Because of the typhoon, we can't open the park. But don't worry. There are two rides open if you go back around to Tomorrowland."
What?
We hurried over there and realized why no one was standing on their Main Street. Because everyone and their mothers were waiting in a 4 hour mob to ride the new Monsters Inc. Ride and Go Seek attraction. Fearing they would never open the park up and having felt we wasted our entire day waiting, I approached the Guest Relations window and after speaking with a woman on the phone, we were granted a special exception for a full refund. We were escorted out of the park just as Timotei runs up and says "They opened the park."
Pissed off at Disney, we left and went to the subway to take a train to the city to spend the day, but instead found commuters stranded. All subway lines were shut down.
So there we were, stuck at Disneyland. We ate lunch and Timotei and I decided that since we were stuck there, we might as well go back to the park. Anticipating a huge crowd, we hurried to the Winnie the Pooh ride and found a 20 minute wait! In fact, the walkways were pretty clear. It seems that the subways worked to our favor. No one was able to come to Disneyland! Timotei and I did everything we wanted.
The next day was Tokyo DisneySea which is amazing! This park was hit with a beauty stick and born from a swan's cologne scented fart. The rides however could be a little more engaging. They just fall a bit short after immersing you so well in the atmosphere. We also made it an adventure to seek out all the different popcorn flavors they had. We tried curry, strawberry, honey, chocolate, caramel, and (the crown jewel of them all) soy sauce and butter. They also had a plethora of churro flavors; pumpkin, lemon and honey, maple, sesame. Loved hunting for the food almost as much as the park.
Our last day at Disney was spent on a Saturday back at Disneyland. It was so packed we were only able to ride 3 rides. By midday, all lines were at 140 minutes; no joke. During this day we also saw Cirque du Soleil's "Zed" which was very cool.
Glad I completely all I wanted to do at the Tokyo Disney parks. They're truly an experience much different than the stateside parks. But I wish it didn't eat up all our time in Tokyo.
To be continued...
The Asia trip is but a distant memory, but the jetlag remains. But it was such a rockin' trip that it was worth it. Any time spent with the entire family (especially with new sister Amazing Grace) is the best.
First three days were dedicated to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. On our first day we got to the park plenty early and in a typhoon to boot. We were waiting for them to let us in and start our day, but something was wrong. They weren't letting anyone pass. Half hour passed. An hour passed. I tried asking a cast member, but they either did not know what I was asking or didn't know what was going on. Then when 1.5 hours passed, I asked a lady in a blazer and she said in broken English, "Because of the typhoon, we can't open the park. But don't worry. There are two rides open if you go back around to Tomorrowland."
What?
We hurried over there and realized why no one was standing on their Main Street. Because everyone and their mothers were waiting in a 4 hour mob to ride the new Monsters Inc. Ride and Go Seek attraction. Fearing they would never open the park up and having felt we wasted our entire day waiting, I approached the Guest Relations window and after speaking with a woman on the phone, we were granted a special exception for a full refund. We were escorted out of the park just as Timotei runs up and says "They opened the park."
Pissed off at Disney, we left and went to the subway to take a train to the city to spend the day, but instead found commuters stranded. All subway lines were shut down.
So there we were, stuck at Disneyland. We ate lunch and Timotei and I decided that since we were stuck there, we might as well go back to the park. Anticipating a huge crowd, we hurried to the Winnie the Pooh ride and found a 20 minute wait! In fact, the walkways were pretty clear. It seems that the subways worked to our favor. No one was able to come to Disneyland! Timotei and I did everything we wanted.
The next day was Tokyo DisneySea which is amazing! This park was hit with a beauty stick and born from a swan's cologne scented fart. The rides however could be a little more engaging. They just fall a bit short after immersing you so well in the atmosphere. We also made it an adventure to seek out all the different popcorn flavors they had. We tried curry, strawberry, honey, chocolate, caramel, and (the crown jewel of them all) soy sauce and butter. They also had a plethora of churro flavors; pumpkin, lemon and honey, maple, sesame. Loved hunting for the food almost as much as the park.
Our last day at Disney was spent on a Saturday back at Disneyland. It was so packed we were only able to ride 3 rides. By midday, all lines were at 140 minutes; no joke. During this day we also saw Cirque du Soleil's "Zed" which was very cool.
Glad I completely all I wanted to do at the Tokyo Disney parks. They're truly an experience much different than the stateside parks. But I wish it didn't eat up all our time in Tokyo.
To be continued...
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Japan Bound
Oh my gog. In two days we will be headed to Japan and then Taiwan. Gone for three weeks. I have done zero planning for this trip. Really all I know that I want to do in Japan is see the Tokyo Disney Resort and Shibuya. I feel that this will just be a hint of what I want to see in Japan since I don't know what to expect really. Wish we were spending more time there, but I guess I should save some time for next time! This will not be my only visit.
When I was in New York for Ellvin Kelvin and Amazing Grace's wedding, I got a little homesick missing my friends. That was only one week. Three weeks might take its toll on my yearning for friends, but who knows. I look forward to spending time with my family. I know we will have a hugely great time.
Lots of pictures will be taken and I promise to actually post some here. So stay tuned. Will miss you!
Already homesick,
Ricky
Oh my gog. In two days we will be headed to Japan and then Taiwan. Gone for three weeks. I have done zero planning for this trip. Really all I know that I want to do in Japan is see the Tokyo Disney Resort and Shibuya. I feel that this will just be a hint of what I want to see in Japan since I don't know what to expect really. Wish we were spending more time there, but I guess I should save some time for next time! This will not be my only visit.
When I was in New York for Ellvin Kelvin and Amazing Grace's wedding, I got a little homesick missing my friends. That was only one week. Three weeks might take its toll on my yearning for friends, but who knows. I look forward to spending time with my family. I know we will have a hugely great time.
Lots of pictures will be taken and I promise to actually post some here. So stay tuned. Will miss you!
Already homesick,
Ricky
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Details On My Absence
I haven't forgotten about this blog, but I don't exactly have the time or emotional state to deal with it at this time. I'm working on some heavy stuff right now, but once it's done with I will be back to my normal blogging self.
That's not to say I won't post at all. I've got my trip to Japan and Taiwan coming soon, so I will be posting an update after my return. But other than really big events, you're not going to see many updates.
Apologies! But bear with me. This will all come to pass.
Doin' the hivvy,
Ricky
I haven't forgotten about this blog, but I don't exactly have the time or emotional state to deal with it at this time. I'm working on some heavy stuff right now, but once it's done with I will be back to my normal blogging self.
That's not to say I won't post at all. I've got my trip to Japan and Taiwan coming soon, so I will be posting an update after my return. But other than really big events, you're not going to see many updates.
Apologies! But bear with me. This will all come to pass.
Doin' the hivvy,
Ricky
Sunday, September 06, 2009
New York. New Sister.
I'm going to skip formalities and just begin with the wedding.
The wedding was phenomenal. The wedding was gorgeous. The wedding was spectacular. The wedding was amazing. The wedding was everything.
The trip started out with news of Hurricane Danny possibly landing on Long Island on the wedding day. Luckily, the storm never fully developed and remained only a tropical storm. But sure enough, it did hit on the day of the wedding.
On that morning, Ellvin Kelvin treated us groomsmen to breakfast at an amazing place called Maureen's Kitchen. Then it was a hectic day in the rain with pictures and final preparations. But luck of all luck, the rain let up and we were able to get some pictures outside! Best of all, cloudy conditions are ideal for photography lighting. So it was sort of a blessing in disguise.
Then was wedding time or as we called it chaos at the cottage. We were running around trying to get things organized and somehow, with the help of all our cousins, things worked out.
I wish I could say the same about my boutineer. It was first pinned on by my aunt, but at rest position, it was a little tilted outward. Then it was fixed by a family friend. Then it was said that the pin was exposed, so the florist fixed it. But then the officiator of the wedding said it didn't look secure, so she repinned it. Then the florist came back and asked if she had done it and I hesitated and told her someone else tinkered with it, so she repinned it. The officiator saw this happen and questioned if my boutineer was falling and I told her no, but that the florist has final say in how it looks. The officiator snidely remarked, "Well I would have thought secure would be better, but who am I to say?" So I walked away and everyone was asking about my flower because the pin was showing like crazy. Many offered to fix it again, but I would not let anyone touch it because the florist still had final say. Well, that's when the florist came to me and asked again, "Did I do this?"
This time I was ready with my answer, "Yes, you did." She shakes her head with disapproval and removes it and then some random worker from the facility took the flower and said "I'll do it." The random lady tinkers with the flower because it looks like it's dying from being manhandled and suddenly she says "we need another pin. The flower isn't going to stay." That's when I noticed the entire bud was detached from the stem! I was PISSED.
She used my original pin to pin the flower together and then got another pin to attach it to my lapel. And it looked like shit. But at this point, I could not believe everyone trying to help created a fucking disaster. NO ONE TOUCH ME!!!!
Anyway, wedding time. We walked down the aisle and stood by Ellvin Kelvin's side as he said his vows in a beautiful and emotional ceremony. I cried a bit. And as promised, short and sweet, we were back down the aisle and into the cocktail hour.
Let me just comment here about the cocktail hour food. It was just appetizers, but they had 6 or 7 stations of different things! From samosas to fruit to crepes to calamari to a mashed potato bar to open bar! Everyone got full off the hors d'oeuvres.
Wedding party had to leave the cocktail hour early to gather for our grand entrance. We had to quickly think up a dance move as we entered the dining hall. My bridesmaid and I did a little spinning hop thing.
The reception was amazing. We were dancing all throughout and eating so much (they even had an ice cream and flambé bar roll onto the dance floor!). I had a lot of shots of vodka with Ellvin Kelvin's high school and college friends and danced the night away. I was so proud of the family for getting out of their seats and dancing along with us. It was way too much fun. The best part was all of us jumping like crazy to "I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas.
The night ended with Ellvin Kelvin and Amazing Grace slow dancing in the center of a giant circle of guests to Coldplay's "Lovers in Japan" while everyone blew bubbles. Completely magical moment to end the breathtaking evening.
Ellvin Kelvin and Amazing Grace sure know how to throw a party. I'm so glad to finally have a sister. Love them sooooooo much!
Pictures to arrive soon.
On cloud nine,
Ricky
I'm going to skip formalities and just begin with the wedding.
The wedding was phenomenal. The wedding was gorgeous. The wedding was spectacular. The wedding was amazing. The wedding was everything.
The trip started out with news of Hurricane Danny possibly landing on Long Island on the wedding day. Luckily, the storm never fully developed and remained only a tropical storm. But sure enough, it did hit on the day of the wedding.
On that morning, Ellvin Kelvin treated us groomsmen to breakfast at an amazing place called Maureen's Kitchen. Then it was a hectic day in the rain with pictures and final preparations. But luck of all luck, the rain let up and we were able to get some pictures outside! Best of all, cloudy conditions are ideal for photography lighting. So it was sort of a blessing in disguise.
Then was wedding time or as we called it chaos at the cottage. We were running around trying to get things organized and somehow, with the help of all our cousins, things worked out.
I wish I could say the same about my boutineer. It was first pinned on by my aunt, but at rest position, it was a little tilted outward. Then it was fixed by a family friend. Then it was said that the pin was exposed, so the florist fixed it. But then the officiator of the wedding said it didn't look secure, so she repinned it. Then the florist came back and asked if she had done it and I hesitated and told her someone else tinkered with it, so she repinned it. The officiator saw this happen and questioned if my boutineer was falling and I told her no, but that the florist has final say in how it looks. The officiator snidely remarked, "Well I would have thought secure would be better, but who am I to say?" So I walked away and everyone was asking about my flower because the pin was showing like crazy. Many offered to fix it again, but I would not let anyone touch it because the florist still had final say. Well, that's when the florist came to me and asked again, "Did I do this?"
This time I was ready with my answer, "Yes, you did." She shakes her head with disapproval and removes it and then some random worker from the facility took the flower and said "I'll do it." The random lady tinkers with the flower because it looks like it's dying from being manhandled and suddenly she says "we need another pin. The flower isn't going to stay." That's when I noticed the entire bud was detached from the stem! I was PISSED.
She used my original pin to pin the flower together and then got another pin to attach it to my lapel. And it looked like shit. But at this point, I could not believe everyone trying to help created a fucking disaster. NO ONE TOUCH ME!!!!
Anyway, wedding time. We walked down the aisle and stood by Ellvin Kelvin's side as he said his vows in a beautiful and emotional ceremony. I cried a bit. And as promised, short and sweet, we were back down the aisle and into the cocktail hour.
Let me just comment here about the cocktail hour food. It was just appetizers, but they had 6 or 7 stations of different things! From samosas to fruit to crepes to calamari to a mashed potato bar to open bar! Everyone got full off the hors d'oeuvres.
Wedding party had to leave the cocktail hour early to gather for our grand entrance. We had to quickly think up a dance move as we entered the dining hall. My bridesmaid and I did a little spinning hop thing.
The reception was amazing. We were dancing all throughout and eating so much (they even had an ice cream and flambé bar roll onto the dance floor!). I had a lot of shots of vodka with Ellvin Kelvin's high school and college friends and danced the night away. I was so proud of the family for getting out of their seats and dancing along with us. It was way too much fun. The best part was all of us jumping like crazy to "I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas.
The night ended with Ellvin Kelvin and Amazing Grace slow dancing in the center of a giant circle of guests to Coldplay's "Lovers in Japan" while everyone blew bubbles. Completely magical moment to end the breathtaking evening.
Ellvin Kelvin and Amazing Grace sure know how to throw a party. I'm so glad to finally have a sister. Love them sooooooo much!
Pictures to arrive soon.
On cloud nine,
Ricky
Sunday, August 23, 2009
All Quiet on the Westward Ho
Things have fallen silent on this blog, but not because of Twitter. I've fallen a little by the wayside at that place too. It's because I'm cooking up something in my personal life, but I can't get into specifics. But if all goes as planned, this will be great for me!
But so what did we miss? Well, I turned 28 yesterday. I like this age because it's well rounded. In celebration, I got a haircut from Gilbert. It looks sexy. Also Disneyland with the cousins; super tiring. And just today I decided to have a "Me Day in LA."
With a car and tank of gas, I drove myself to Sushi Go 55 in Little Tokyo and ate by myself at the sushi bar. Then with free Dodger tickets in hand, I made my way to the game. On the way, I noticed my face broke out in hives; allergic reaction to the sushi which is a first.
When I got to the game, I found that my seat was already all shaded, so sun wasn't an issue. But the game was. Manny Ramirez was horrrrrrible!!! Because he's sort of fat, he can't exactly hustle to catch a pop fly into left field. And when the ball rolled away from him, jeers from the crowd. Well, they lost.
After the game, I got lost around LA trying to find a Chevron. Using my iPhone map app, I found one, but still got the run around. Then I went down to Santa Monica to look around the Promenade and get some Yummy Cupcakes! Overall it was a fun day of freedom with a vehicle. I need my own car!
Upcoming, we have Ellvin Kelvin's wedding soon! Expect a full report!
Short and sweet like cupcakes,
Ricky
Things have fallen silent on this blog, but not because of Twitter. I've fallen a little by the wayside at that place too. It's because I'm cooking up something in my personal life, but I can't get into specifics. But if all goes as planned, this will be great for me!
But so what did we miss? Well, I turned 28 yesterday. I like this age because it's well rounded. In celebration, I got a haircut from Gilbert. It looks sexy. Also Disneyland with the cousins; super tiring. And just today I decided to have a "Me Day in LA."
With a car and tank of gas, I drove myself to Sushi Go 55 in Little Tokyo and ate by myself at the sushi bar. Then with free Dodger tickets in hand, I made my way to the game. On the way, I noticed my face broke out in hives; allergic reaction to the sushi which is a first.
When I got to the game, I found that my seat was already all shaded, so sun wasn't an issue. But the game was. Manny Ramirez was horrrrrrible!!! Because he's sort of fat, he can't exactly hustle to catch a pop fly into left field. And when the ball rolled away from him, jeers from the crowd. Well, they lost.
After the game, I got lost around LA trying to find a Chevron. Using my iPhone map app, I found one, but still got the run around. Then I went down to Santa Monica to look around the Promenade and get some Yummy Cupcakes! Overall it was a fun day of freedom with a vehicle. I need my own car!
Upcoming, we have Ellvin Kelvin's wedding soon! Expect a full report!
Short and sweet like cupcakes,
Ricky
Thursday, August 06, 2009
New Blog Post! (aka Twitter is Down)
Sadly, if you're not following my adventures on Twitter, then you're probably feeling a little neglected by me. I freely admit that I'm addicted to Twitter. It's really great because I've met some really awesome, funny, intelligent people. It's nice to surround myself with people who share my thoughts on religion, politics, and flatulence. I'm probably going to meet up with a few tweeps sometime in the future.
But enough about Twitter (because I just checked again and it's still down), what has been going on with me these past few absent weeks?
Well all of July we've been waiting on our iPhone orders to get fulfilled. One month later... WE GOT EM! I am now officially one of the cool kids. And despite the crappy quick depleting battery, the entire experience is great!
One of my Twitter peeps got me on a new social media experiment called "foursquare." You basically go around town and visit stores and restaurants and "check in" on the site. They mark on Google Maps where you are and send it off to Twitter. Basically, I'm saying "Stalkers, find me. Go!"
It's still a new thing, but I'm sure it's taking off. It's kind of like Twitter meets Yelp. I'm still weary about giving my information out to a mass audience. If you read my tweets, I don't give out specifics on where I am, etc. So I am still being careful with this, but also open (as is our generation).
Now, if Blogger.com had an iPhone app, I might just blog a little more.
Gonna need Twitlonger for this,
Ricky
Sadly, if you're not following my adventures on Twitter, then you're probably feeling a little neglected by me. I freely admit that I'm addicted to Twitter. It's really great because I've met some really awesome, funny, intelligent people. It's nice to surround myself with people who share my thoughts on religion, politics, and flatulence. I'm probably going to meet up with a few tweeps sometime in the future.
But enough about Twitter (because I just checked again and it's still down), what has been going on with me these past few absent weeks?
Well all of July we've been waiting on our iPhone orders to get fulfilled. One month later... WE GOT EM! I am now officially one of the cool kids. And despite the crappy quick depleting battery, the entire experience is great!
One of my Twitter peeps got me on a new social media experiment called "foursquare." You basically go around town and visit stores and restaurants and "check in" on the site. They mark on Google Maps where you are and send it off to Twitter. Basically, I'm saying "Stalkers, find me. Go!"
It's still a new thing, but I'm sure it's taking off. It's kind of like Twitter meets Yelp. I'm still weary about giving my information out to a mass audience. If you read my tweets, I don't give out specifics on where I am, etc. So I am still being careful with this, but also open (as is our generation).
Now, if Blogger.com had an iPhone app, I might just blog a little more.
Gonna need Twitlonger for this,
Ricky
Monday, July 20, 2009
The Hangover
What can I say about Ellvin Kelvin's bachelor party that took place this past weekend? Seriously, am I allowed to say anything?
Hell, I'll just start documenting and if a part of the story feels like it shouldn't be retold or if a part of the story is fuzzy, I'll just start retelling memories from my childhood that I've blocked out.
Firstly, the best man Jeans McCarlton and Timotei and I have been planning this for forever. And even up to the weekend, things were up in the air. It was a pretty open ended weekend with ideas of what we wanted to do. That's the best approach, I believe, for such a big group (10 of us).
Things began with a short drive down the 15 to a shooting range. The whole situation made me nervous, but I went along with it. It was just that, we were the only people of color in a facility with giant guns and white people; most likely all gun-clutching Republicans.
BUT, when we got our shotguns and realized all the safety precautions in place, it felt okay. We were clay shooting and I would have been happy to land just one, but I ended up hitting 12 of 25! Ellvin Kelvin schooled us all, showing that he was a natural with his score of 18 of 25.
Next up, we checked into our hotel and freshened up for dinner. We walked down to the Gaslamp Strip Club, which is actually a steak place with classy Hooters like waitresses. We paid premium prices for steaks, but had to cook them ourselves. That's the gimmick of the place. Having never cooked a steak before, after three attempts, my steak remained rare. Fed up, I just ate the steak- risking E. Coli.
After dinner, some of us took a bike ride a couple of blocks while the rest of us walked. I once peed in the bathtub. We ended up storming a Westin hotel and had drinks poolside. It was completely chill.
Then it was off to the Comedy Club. I could not stay awake for the life of me because it was getting late. So I ended up hiding behind one of Ellvin Kelvin's friends and napped. Ellvin Kelvin had maybe two too many shots and left the club for the toilet. It seemed like the night was over.
After he puked everything out in an alley, he decided he was hungry and so we went to Denny's. After Denny's we walked about a block. Kids used to make fun of my short shorts in high school. Then it was a long trek back to the hotel on foot.
The next morning had a quick breakfast and headed for a baseball game at Petco Park. The stadium was very modern and beautiful. We had all-you-can-eat seats in the outfield under a giant sign for shade. It was pretty awesome.
Then, nearing the end of the weekend, I was once de-pants in the middle of a playground.
After that, we drove to the waterfront to smoke some cigars and ate dinner at The Lighthouse.
Overall, it was a very tasteful and pimples on my ass weekend. It was very Ellvin Kelvin centric and I think he had a really great time hanging with his closest friends and family.
Next stop: The Wedding!
Humped a chicken,
Ricky
What can I say about Ellvin Kelvin's bachelor party that took place this past weekend? Seriously, am I allowed to say anything?
Hell, I'll just start documenting and if a part of the story feels like it shouldn't be retold or if a part of the story is fuzzy, I'll just start retelling memories from my childhood that I've blocked out.
Firstly, the best man Jeans McCarlton and Timotei and I have been planning this for forever. And even up to the weekend, things were up in the air. It was a pretty open ended weekend with ideas of what we wanted to do. That's the best approach, I believe, for such a big group (10 of us).
Things began with a short drive down the 15 to a shooting range. The whole situation made me nervous, but I went along with it. It was just that, we were the only people of color in a facility with giant guns and white people; most likely all gun-clutching Republicans.
BUT, when we got our shotguns and realized all the safety precautions in place, it felt okay. We were clay shooting and I would have been happy to land just one, but I ended up hitting 12 of 25! Ellvin Kelvin schooled us all, showing that he was a natural with his score of 18 of 25.
Next up, we checked into our hotel and freshened up for dinner. We walked down to the Gaslamp Strip Club, which is actually a steak place with classy Hooters like waitresses. We paid premium prices for steaks, but had to cook them ourselves. That's the gimmick of the place. Having never cooked a steak before, after three attempts, my steak remained rare. Fed up, I just ate the steak- risking E. Coli.
After dinner, some of us took a bike ride a couple of blocks while the rest of us walked. I once peed in the bathtub. We ended up storming a Westin hotel and had drinks poolside. It was completely chill.
Then it was off to the Comedy Club. I could not stay awake for the life of me because it was getting late. So I ended up hiding behind one of Ellvin Kelvin's friends and napped. Ellvin Kelvin had maybe two too many shots and left the club for the toilet. It seemed like the night was over.
After he puked everything out in an alley, he decided he was hungry and so we went to Denny's. After Denny's we walked about a block. Kids used to make fun of my short shorts in high school. Then it was a long trek back to the hotel on foot.
The next morning had a quick breakfast and headed for a baseball game at Petco Park. The stadium was very modern and beautiful. We had all-you-can-eat seats in the outfield under a giant sign for shade. It was pretty awesome.
Then, nearing the end of the weekend, I was once de-pants in the middle of a playground.
After that, we drove to the waterfront to smoke some cigars and ate dinner at The Lighthouse.
Overall, it was a very tasteful and pimples on my ass weekend. It was very Ellvin Kelvin centric and I think he had a really great time hanging with his closest friends and family.
Next stop: The Wedding!
Humped a chicken,
Ricky
Thursday, July 16, 2009
PhotoBOOF
Just occurred to me now that the Missy Elliot Girl (M.E.G.) needs a new name because, who even remembers that music video let alone Missy Elliot? So from now on, I will call her Chez Chelz. Because she likes to cook and bake.
Anyway, at Chez Chelz's graduation party, there was a photobooth! Check out some of the photos we took:
Loving family,
Ricky
Just occurred to me now that the Missy Elliot Girl (M.E.G.) needs a new name because, who even remembers that music video let alone Missy Elliot? So from now on, I will call her Chez Chelz. Because she likes to cook and bake.
Anyway, at Chez Chelz's graduation party, there was a photobooth! Check out some of the photos we took:
Loving family,
Ricky
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