Deepest Darkest Peru

Today was the longest day ever! I managed to get a couple of hours sleep on the plane, I was sitting next to Roxie - she's from Granada Hills and was on her way to Jordan. She didn't look like a chatterbox when I sat down but she just went off the moment they closed that door. She was also having hot flashes so no need for a blanket on the flight with a little human heater next to me. I enjoyed talking to her but at some point in the night you want to tell her just to stop talking, I'm too nice to just tell a stranger to shut up. Our flight arrived early and our gate was occupied so we had to offload remotely down some stairs and onto some little bus to the terminal. Roxie missed her connecting plane because it took forever to get the buses out there and it didn't help that the ride in through the back roads of Heathrow was like Star Tours, complete with near misses of some pretty big luggage trucks. I helped her find ground staff to get her on a new flight and then went on my way to Paddington, I told you I'm way too nice to strangers/elders.

I caught the Heathrow Express to Paddington - completely worth the extra cash over the tube. It was a quick walk over to the hotel I have for the night and I was able to take a little nap. I'm moving to my other hotel tomorrow, this was one I had to book because I was silly and did not check my dates when booking the Parkwood for the Blur concerts and realized I didn't have a hotel for my first night here. London is in the middle of a heatwave and its not supposed to let up any time soon, it's hotter here then it is in LA. This hotel is small and does not have AC fitted for the rooms, not sure if my other one does either. I've left the window open and now have a couple of pretty sizeable flies as roommates, they don't stay long though. A quick nap and then a shower in what is a surprisingly roomy shower for its smallish outward appearance. I wanted to try to get some top up minutes for my pre-paid phone but didn't make it over to the shop on time. I'll have to sort that out tomorrow.

I took the tube to Oxford Circus then wandered around there and walked up to Regents Park, the park was closing soon so I set off for Trafalgar Square to watch some opera. There were giant screens set up in the square and thousands of people were there to watch the broadcast from Covent Garden. I only stayed for a short while because the toll of the day and the humidity was starting to hit me and I wanted to get back to the hotel before I was completely falling down tired.

I stopped at the Sainsbury local to get a cheese baguette and some of the best cherries. I also found a packet of organic shortbread for just 83p. The sun was still setting and the weather had turned slightly cooler. The view from my room is a residential area, many of the houses have outdoor terraces. This one terrace a few houses down was having a bbq, it smelled so delightful. I snapped a picture of the two man grilling team of Devonshire Terrace, it was such a tempting smell I was thinking about going to find which house they were in but I don't think they'd want a sweaty American showing up at their door trying to get a grilled chicken wing or whatever they were cooking. Just weird that you can still have enough light to grill by at nearly 10 PM. I'm happy it doesn't get dark until late, I don't think I'd want to spend most of the Blur set in the dark.

Tomorrow brings the hotel change, this one is right across the street from Hyde Park. I also have my tour of the BBC Television studios at White City booked in the afternoon.

Prep Work

This week has been just a flurry of activity.  Starting the week with the Virgin Final Final Final Farewell party at the Cat & Fiddle then carrying on through the work week.  Yesterday just seemed like a blur with Michael Jackson dying the afternoon and evening were lost!  The story just kept unfolding, more scary details coming out, the helicopters taking the body flying over my route home.  A very strange evening indeed.

I'm glad it is finally Friday but that means I have just two days to pack and get the apartment back in order before leaving.  I hate coming home to a messy apartment after being away for a while.  All the fun starts with a long ride over to Montebello in the morning to drop the scooter off for safe keeping while I'm gone.  I don't trust leaving the Vespa in the carport for two weeks, the Echo on the other hand is on its own.  

Netbook

Last weekend I bought a tiny little netbook. $300 to have something that only weighs 2 pounds and has the same basic functions as the giant Toshiba is pretty cool. There are a few drawbacks such as the very very very small screen but being able to fit this into my purse more than makes up for that.

I'm on a turnaround trip for work, hanging in Pleasanton. I was supposed to be here around 3 PM with a stop at the hotel before going to visit a client. After 2 plus hours of delays on the ground in LAX I missed my meeting. The client was understanding and I'm stopping by in the morning since my hotel is just a few blocks up from their office.

Tomorrow is going to be another long day but I'm looking forward to the luncheon, it's supposed to be pretty big turnout for this one. But first its back to SFO to turn in the Prius and get on the BART. I just don't see the point of driving into the city to pay $30 to park for a few hours. Plus I don't think I'd make it back to the airport as fast as I will on the train. I'd hate to miss my flight and have to wait a couple of hours. But the airport does always have some museum exhibits to peek at while you're waiting. Last trip through they had Victorian Era kitchen equipment, it was an extensive display and I had plenty of time to check everything out while the security line snaked through the display cases.

It never stops

There are two family parties this weekend.  A quincenera for a girl I probably have only met a couple of times and a birthday party for my Dad.  The quincenera is at a casino in Compton, I know!  I know!! Seriously!  Yeah don't know what to wear to that, I'll have to look through the closet and find something "appropriate", I mean you have to be able to look good and possibly run away or get thrown to the ground / tased by the police so wardrobe choice is key.  The second party at my Dad's is supposed to be a surprise.  I don't know if she's managed to do it but my Stepmom says he doesn't know it's going to happen.  

I could let this weekend be lost to the family - I'm very happy and in an agreeable mood because the Blur ticket I bought off of someone on the forum arrived today.  I was starting to get seriously worried that someone had signed on just to scam us all desperate to get into the Friday show by taking our cash and not delivering tickets.  I should learn not to think the worst and trust things will turn out ok.  

Sick

I've been battling a minor cold for the last couple of days.  I think this was obtained at the other driveway activity that our family is known for - our amazing yard sales.  This wasn't one of our best but the neighbors still came out for the cookies my sister made the night before.  The money raised at the bake sale is being kept in a special piggy bank that the kids are not allowed to touch, this money is used to buy items to donate to Toys for Tots.  The kids are really good at donations and charitable giving in general.  My brother's kids are also really into this and my oldest niece is very into saving turtles and other environmental issues.  

My sister is denying that her carrier monkey children gave me this illness but I'm blaming them, she had the same thing a couple of days ago and it's always them.  They leave a path of illness everywhere they go.  Reason #1 not to have children of my own.  

Well hello there!

I helped my family throw a 60th birthday party for my Mom a couple of weeks back.  60 is a pretty big number to be celebrating and we wanted to do this right.  To mark the occasion we didn't turn to a fancy ballroom or book a banquet room at our Mom's favorite restaurant, we instead held this party where most of our family parties are held - my sister's driveway in Montebello.  This driveway has been the site of most of our family parties.  Everything from children's birthday parties, graduations, baptismal and yes even my own wedding reception.  It isn't a particularly spacious driveway and doesn't come equipped with anything other than a nice even concrete slab for the tables and an extension cord to the garage.  

Montebello (or the 'bello as I now call it) is somewhere very near and dear to my heart, its where we spent our formative years and it's shaped who we are.  We didn't actually live in the 'bello growing up, we lived in Pico Rivera - not the good part either, the weird little part that the city didn't even want to claim and just let Montebello Unified stick a school in this little neighborhood.  That little school moved us into the school district and onto Montebello High School where we truly grew into the lovable weirdos we are now.  When I went off to UCLA I left Pico Rivera and I don't think I'll ever live in "East Los" again but you never know.  When my sister and her husband bought the house in Montebello we saw that as the new party central for the family, it wasn't long before the first party was held.  I've been lucky enough to attend many a swanky party here in my neighborhood but the driveway parties can give some of those a run for their money.   We've now perfected the art of the house party and figured out who is better at handling what and who not to ask to bring food.  My sister has become an ace at finding ways to make the backyard shine with simple decorations, if I get hard up about things to write I'll share some of them with you but for now you're going to have to put up with my ramblings and hope to find some useful party tips.

-Berny