February 21, 2010 – Cross Country Trip – Day 4
After another night of heavenly sleep (courtesy of my friend bourbon), Cicely and I went on the road again.
Great sleep = Happy, Sunshiny Anne (photo by Cicely)
Our first stop was Lila’s Cakes and Chocolates. We didn’t do our research again because it was closed. I was heartbroken. I was looking forward to having some beignets and a mini kings cake. No luck. We trudged on.
photo from Film Shreveport/Bossier
The Hello Kittys & I pause for a photo op at the Log Cabin Grill (photo by Cicely)
I hoped to have Cajun food. Some time in the middle of the afternoon, I pulled off of the highway in search of some Louisiana style cooking. We noticed a restaurant called the Log Cabin Grill had a crowd waiting in front. We took it to be sign that perhaps there would be good local cooking to be found. When we sat down and looked at the menu, we realized we were wrong. It was a Tex-Mex restaurant and its popularity is based on the fact that it is DIFFERENT from the local flavor. {Sigh} The trip was turning into a comedy of errors. Being the clever gal that she is, Cicely reminded me that Louisiana has great seafood and that I should order the fried shrimp. It would probably be delicious. I’m glad I took her advice.
Fried Jumbo Gulf Shrimp with Cajun Roasted Potatoes
Crabcake Appetizer
The Hello Kittys try to blend in with the scenery
Cicely presents the ever versatile Hello Kittys
After our filling lunch, we journeyed on. Since her cold was worsening, I forced Cicely to take some Sudafed and rest. With Cicely asleep and the iPod fully charged, I sped through Mississippi. Once we crossed into Alabama, Cicely took over. Because we spent the previous day lolly-gagging, we were all business and drove straight through Alabama, only stopping to refuel the car. We were on a mission. We wanted to make it to Jennifer’s (a high school friend of Cicely’s) home in Atlanta at a decent hour. After 9 hours and 597 miles, we made it. True to form, we got there at a less than decent hour. Jennifer is a gratuitous hostess because she didn’t mind our very late arrival. Once we were there, Cicely and Jennifer caught up with one another and I passed out in Jen’s easy chair. The trip was taking its toll.
February 20, 2010 – Cross Country Trip – Day 3
I am well-rested. Can't you tell? (photo by Cicely)
After 8 hours of much-needed sleep, we started the day bright-eyed and busy tailed. Or rather, I started that way. Poor Cicely was fighting off the beginnings of a cold. I think the 16-hour day where she did 10 hours of driving did her in. I offered to take the first shift of driving.
photo by Cicely
photo by Cicely
We headed off to Dallas. Somewhere en route the piece of crap Magellan Roadmate 1440 I purchased at Best Buy decided to stop working. When I say stopped working, I mean total malfunction. The damn thing would not map ANY address in the Fort Worth/Dallas area. We’d put in an address or do a search and it would tell us that the GPS needed to be restarted. Of course, this would happen when we are in the first major metropolitan city on this trip, a time where we needed the GPS the most. I called Magellan Tech Support for assistance. They told me I needed to download an update. I explained that I was on the road. They told me that I could send it in for repairs. I asked if I could exchange it at another Best Buy. They explained that it would probably also need to be updated. At that point, I gave the customer service rep an earful. That poor pathetic thing had no idea what hit her.
Thankfully, we used my trusty iPhone as plan B. As part of our taking it easy plan, we decided to meet @KyraTX from Twitter at the Grand Luxe Cafe in the Galleria Dallas.
Cicely had a Pomegrante Margarita
I played it safe and just got a strawberry lemonade
Cicely was smart and got a few tapas plates
I had the Chicken Picatta, which was terrible.
We both REALLY enjoyed the crème brûlée
Even the Hello Kittys wanted in on dessert
Cicely with Kyra, and Kyra's husband
After lunch, we did a little browsing around the Galleria.
I used my trusty iPhone to find a cupcake bakery nearby - photo by Cicely
The Hello Kittys shopped at Sephora until a crazy sales associate ran us out while screaming gibberish - photo by Cicely
Cicely and the Hello Kittys
We found this awesome shirt, but unfortunately it only came in kids sizes... Boo!
Cicely and I with the Dallas skyline WAY OFF in the distance
Even though we had dessert, we headed off to get some cupcakes. We went to Society Bakery, which was highly recommended by many Dallas locals.
photo by Cicely
Because of the malfunctioning GPS, we got there right as they closed. I tried to park the car and Cicely got to take pictures of the storefront. She even got to wave at the people closing shop inside.
The place closed at 5PM. We got there at 5:05. photo by Cicely
The Hello Kittys hanging out at the door - photo by Cicely
To console ourselves from our failed cupcake purchase, we went for the next best thing… Outlet Shopping! There was even a Best Buy. I was able to exchange the terrible Magellan for the incredible and reliable TomTom XL 340s. The difference in the two gadgets was surprising.
The Hello Kittys at Allen Premium Outlets - photo by Cicely
After some retail therapy, we headed to Shreveport, Louisiana. Cicely’s cold was worsening. So, I happily drove. I even tortured her with some off-key singing. I make even the worse American Idol contestants sound gifted. A secret vice of mine is 90s Slow Jams. I know the lyrics to most Jodeci songs. When they come on, I will sing them as badly as I want.
For Cicely’s sake, we made it to Shreveport in fair amount of time. I’m not sure her eardrums could have handle anymore of my bad singing. We tried to get Popeye’s Fried Chicken because supposedly it’s really good in Louisiana. I can neither confirm nor deny this since they were closed. It was a failure kind of day. At least our room was nice.
photo by Cicely
I was so starved that I settled for a dinner of a Spicy Chicken Sandwich from Wendy’s and bourbon, which turned out to be the best way to end Day Three. It really was a laid-back day. We only drove 6 hours and covered 350 miles.
photo by Cicely
February 19, 2010 – Cross Country Trip – Day 2
We started out bright and early. By 7AM, we were on the road. For those that know me well, that is a superhuman feat. Our ability to get up and go may have had something to do with the sketchy Motel 6 where we spent the night. We left Tempe, AZ and headed East.
Oh-so-classy decor
We stopped at the Horseshoe Cafe in Benson, AZ for breakfast. We got a little more than we bargained for…
At first, we were all smiles and kidding around. We thought the waitress was a little grumpy, but we didn’t think anything of it.
photo by Cicely
Then, we received servings of the most sour orange juice either of us have ever tasted. Keep in mind we were the ONLY customers in the restaurant at this time.
photo by Cicely
It wasn’t until a caucasian couple arrived that we realized that our waitress wasn’t grumpy… we just weren’t welcomed in their establishment because we weren’t caucasian. She was all smiles and bubbly with the caucasian couple. Whenever she returned to our table, she was sour and rude. We couldn’t complain or leave because quite frankly there wasn’t anywhere else to eat for miles.
Cicely discovers that "our kind" isn't welcomed.
The irony is that they had the best country-fried steak and biscuits and gravy Cicely has had in a long while.
My scramble was ok. I think the horrific service ruined my meal.
We quickly paid our bill and headed out. While on the road we stopped to take a few pictures of the Arizona landscape. The desert is more picturesque than most people realize. The sky was clear with amazing cloudscapes.
photo by Cicely
Cicely admires the unusual signage
We blew through New Mexico. {Read: I sped while Cicely snoozed} By lunch time, we were in El Paso, Texas. To play it safe, we had lunch at Red Lobster. We had some Hurricanes to take the edge off our unpleasant breakfast.
We also stopped to get cupcakes at Cupcakes and Cookies by T.
photo by Cicely
Cupcakes by T has cake and icing flavors of the day. You can mix and match your cake and icing. They ice all their cupcakes as you order. We sampled their Pink Lemonade, Red Velvet, and Slamming Chocolate. We were quickly reminded that cupcakes make everything better. Even our Hello Kitty driving mascots got in on the delicious fun.
Cicely enjoys her cupcake
After nearly putting ourselves into diabetic comas, we continued on. Cicely drove while I enjoyed the scenery. We noticed the houses seemed really rundown in El Paso. I jokingly commented that El Paso was a dump. Then, I looked at the GPS. I wasn’t looking at El Paso. I was staring at the shanties of Juarez, Mexico. We had no idea that I-10 took us that along the Mexican border.
We were so close to Mexico that my iPhone picked up a Mexican mobile carrier.
Driving through east Texas felt endless.
That is until we got to a section of I-20 where the speed limit was 85 mph. This, of course, meant Cicely drove a touch faster than that.
I was so jealous. She got to drive MY car at racing speeds for a prolonged period. I told her to let me have a turn. No dice. There was no place to stop… unless you count the five prisons we passed along the way.
Again our stomachs chose an inconvenient time and place to begin growling. We stopped in Odessa, Texas at a Sonic Drive-In. It was a poor choice. Without getting into details, we got another taste of racism, only this time it was a touch scarier. Thankfully, we were safe and continued on for another 4 hours. We thought we could make it to Forth Worth.
Somewhere around 2AM, we decided that 16 hours on the road was enough. We found a La Quinta Inn in Eastland, Texas where the night manager felt sorry for us and gave us a room at a discounted rate. A hot shower and comfy bed never felt so good.
In a day, we were on the road for 16 hours and covered about 956 miles. Despite the long day and the crazy run-ins with the locals, we kept our cool, didn’t kill one another, and managed to enjoy ourselves.
I know I’m supposed to be recapping my cross-country road trip, but I want to do a little backtracking.
February 8-16, 2010
The last week that I spent in Los Angeles was emotional. As one might it expect, I was simultaneously ecstatic and upset about closing this chapter of my life. The plan was to spend the week taking care of paperwork, packing up the last of my things, spending time with those nearest and dearest to me, and purchasing craft supplies. Despite my planning, I did not do nearly as much as I set out to do. The week went by so fast. I feel like I blinked and suddenly it was time to head out on the road.
Here are some of the things I was able to squeeze into my visit.
- I had some quality time with Dottie.
- I hung out with my Aunt, Uncle, Cousins and Nieces.
I’m happy to report that little Brooklyn is doing well despite her very early arrival last summer. My cousin Jasmine and Brooklyn’s dad moved into a gorgeous apartment in Laguna Beach. They’re within walking distance of the beach. {So jealous!}
Brooklyn with her momma/my cousin Jasmine
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Since I’m so food-obsessed, the rest of my activities were centered around food. I wanted to go to some of my favorite culinary establishments.
Rob and I went to Little Tokyo to grab a bite to eat. Yes, you’re reading that correctly. Despite the divorce, Rob and I are still on good terms. Besides, I’ve never known that man to pass up on a meal. We had Ramen at Daikokuya.
We grabbed dessert at Fugetsu-do.
I had meals with various other friends.
Carne Asada tacos from a Taco Truck on Figueroa St. in Highland Park
Chile Rellenos from La Llamarada in Lincoln Heights
Beef Stew with Handmade Noodles at Mandarin Noodle House in Monterey Park
Steamed Dumplings from Mandarin Noodle House in Monterey Park
Shrimp Cakes from Sanamuluang Cafe in Hollywood
A few of us headed out to the over hyped, terribly crowded L.A. Street Food Fest. For those that follow me on Twitter, you already know how terribly this went. All I got to do was take a few pics. We didn’t get a single morsel to eat.
Instead we headed to Hodori in Koreatown and had Korean BBQ.
Galbi - Short Ribs
Jap Chae
What I did not capture are all the fantastic people who work at my fave eateries. I’ve been frequenting many of these establishments since I moved to L.A. Many of the servers already know what I’m going to order. {I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.} I will really miss those unspoken relationships.
There you have it. That was my week in L.A. Somehow, it feels like I didn’t do it any justice or that I didn’t give L.A. the proper “goodbye”. Then again, maybe this just means that I’m not completely done with this city. I learned a long time ago, not to swear off any city.
I’ve arrived safely at my destination in Virginia. Cicely is back in Texas. I am sorting through the 600+ images that Cicely and I took. That’ll definitely take me a bit. In the meantime, I thought I’d share a few realizations.
- I am not a good travel blogger.
Or rather, I’m not good at blogging while on the road. I don’t have the stamina or wherewithal to write after a long day of traveling or sightseeing. Also, the perfectionist in me won’t let me post my photographs without editing them first. - Do not count on staying with friends when you don’t have a set travel schedule.
In theory, we weren’t going to have to pay for any accommodations while on the road. In actuality, we made so many stops that we were arriving at our destinations later than we expected. We didn’t think showing up on someone’s doorstep at 12AM was very polite or proper. - Racism is more blatant and rampant in some parts of the country.
I’ll go into more detail in my day-to-day posts. - Everyone should travel across the United States at least once.
The view from your car window is far better than the view from your airplane seat. We saw some amazing things and gained a great perspective of the diversity of the country. I’d love to do this again, but really take my time and travel during a warmer part of the year. - Do not buy a Magellan GPS.
We started our trip with a brand new Magellan Roadmate 1440. On the way to the Fort Worth/Dallas area, it decided to stop mapping addresses. I got an error that stated I needed to restart the GPS. It would not map any address in Forth Worth or Dallas. This was frustrating since I got the GPS primarily for use in metropolitan areas. I called Magellan GPS for assistance. The customer service rep told me I needed to download an update. I explained that we were on the road and had no internet access. She then suggested I send the unit back for repairs. At that point, I gave the woman an earful and found the nearest Best Buy to return the unit. - Do purchase a TomTom XL 340S Live.
The TomTom was on Sale for $10 less than the Magellan. It worked 100x better. It gave us the traffic and weather reports. In other words, it did exactly what a GPS should do. - When going on a Cupcake Bakery Tour, check the operating hours of the bakeries you’re visiting.
Two of the bakeries we visited were closed. One closed as we got to the door. The other wasn’t open on Sundays. - Do not stay in hotels with numbers in their names unless you’re absolutely desperate.
We stayed at a Motel 6 in Tempe, AZ. That was the sketchiest place I’ve been in a long time. That’s saying a lot considering I lived in L.A. for some time. - Outlet Malls are fantastic and dangerous for your wallet.
This is self-explanatory. - I cannot eat at McDonald’s.
I haven’t eaten at McDonald’s in over 5 years. I ate some French Fries and got a terrible reminder why I don’t eat at that establishment. Blech:P - Bourbon is a useful friend.
After a long day, a little nip of bourbon can help you sleep or make a rough day on the road melt away. - Cicely and I are great travel companions.
We’ve been friends for a long time, but I wasn’t 100% certain we wouldn’t want to kill each other at the end of the trip. Even Oprah and Gayle were sick of each other at the end of their trip. We are even better friends after this trip. After 18 hours on the road, neither of us snapped at the other. We also work well as a team. I’m eternally grateful that she joined me on this adventure. I can’t wait to plan more trips.
That’s all I the observations I can muster. I’ll get back to editing pictures.
photo by Cicely
This is our longest day on the road and it has been interesting. We’ve seen beautiful vistas and eye-opening contrasts. Because we’ve been driving since 6AM and we’re still not at our destination. I’ll keep this post brief. I promise. I’ll have lots of photos and a full post to share tomorrow.
our mascots are taking a Wi-Fi break at Starbucks
For my move to Los Angeles to Virginia Beach, my best friend Cicely and I decided that now was as good a time as any to take a mini-vacation. Instead of having my car shipped, we decided to drive it across the country.
My clean and very full car at the beginning of our trip
We spent the night at my Aunt & Uncle’s home in Orange County. I spent my first night in California in their home. It seemed fitting that I would spend my last night in California with my Aunt, Uncle and Cousins. They have a very special place in my heart. It was because of their love and support that I made the leap to move to Southern California. They gave me a place to stay while I got on my feet and supported me through many difficult times. It goes without saying that I will miss them terribly.
Cicely and I before we hit the road
We left Orange County and headed for Phoenix…
My Hello Kitty driving mascot
Cicely's Driving Mascot
… and we got distracted along the way.
Of course, I tried to take some photos from the car.
We were supposed to stay in Phoenix with some old friends of Cicely’s, but unfortunately they didn’t return our calls. We were running a tad late and I guess it was a little too late. So, we are resting at a Motel 6. It’s very modern. I think they’re going for minimalist with burlap sheets. I know, I know… We are splurging on some luxury accommodations.
Of course, our little snafu is easily remedied…
I'm trying to make the best of our luxury hotel
Cicely's Elixir
I’m off to bed. Tomorrow is going to be our longest day of driving.
photo by Flickr user chbu
I’m writing the post that I’ve been wanting to write, but never thought I would ever write. This is my “goodbye” to Los Angeles. After 7 years of struggling and surviving here, it’s time for me to go. This is my last night in my tiny cottage in the city.
Being here has taught me so much about myself. I discovered that I am a city girl and have probably always been one. I learned that I could do so much on my own and that I am highly adaptable. I arrived as naïve suburban gal from VA. I leave as a worldly urbanite.
Despite some of the negative things I’ve said, I will miss this place. I advanced my career and launched my design business here. I fell in love with Rob, got married and sadly divorced here. I rescued and raised my first puppy Dottie here.
I will especially miss:
- The weather.
The temps have been in the 80s the last couple of days. I’ve been walking around in flip-flops… in February! - The variety of restaurants
The number of ethnic restaurants has been mind-boggling. In a single day, I can have Mexican, Japanese, and Argentinean food. I’m sure my waistline will thank me for the move. - Creative resources
For any number of creative projects, I can find the raw materials. Fabric? I can find obscure prints at reasonable prices. Paper? You name it. I’ll find it. Oh the Flower Mart! I shall miss the Flower Mart. - The Great Outdoors
I didn’t get to enjoy it as much as I would have liked, but I will miss the foothills and the nearby mountains. - Dottie
I cannot say it enough, but I will really miss my girl. I watched her grow up and can’t believe she was once a tiny puppy that once fit in a beanie hat. Cold winter nights are not going to be the same without her.
As sad as I am, I know that this is not the end. It’s only the beginning of my next adventure and L.A. can go back to being a really fun place to vacation.
In case you didn’t notice the little formspring box, I opened a formspring account.
Feel free to log in and ask me anything {within reason} that you want.
I promise I’ll answer as best I can.
Jen & Kipp’s wedding was one of the most anticipated weddings I’ve attended. You see, they’ve been together for 14 years and I have known them for that long. Jen has been my sister Cathee’s best friends since they were old enough to have crushes on boys… or so it would seem. Because we’ve known Jen and Kipp for so long, we were very happy for them and very much involved in their wedding. I had the pleasure of designing their Save the Dates and their Wedding Invitations. Cathee was a bridesmaid. Franky was a reader during their ceremony.
iPhone pic
Having a wedding in February is a tricky thing. For the most part, the weather in Virginia Beach is tolerable. It’s cold, but we don’t usually have snow. Unfortunately, this has been one of those freak winters where we not only have snow, but lots of it. At around noon, the snow was falling heavily. It was disconcerting, but we were determined to attend. We (mom, Nate, Franky and I) got decked out in our finery and headed to the ceremony. Let me add that dressing warmly and attractively is a REALLY tall order.
My handsome nephew Franky & I on our way to the church
As the snow continued to fall, the church continued to fill. 
Amazingly, the church was almost completely full despite the weather. The ceremony began without a hitch.
Kipp and his parents
Cathee and her escort Gerry
Jen and her parents
It was a beautiful ceremony. Despite being very nervous, Franky did a fantastic job with his reading.
Franky reads during the ceremony
Jen and Kipp exchange vows and rings
In what seemed like the blink of an eye, Jen and Kipp were husband and wife.
After the ceremony, I stopped by Jen & Kipp’s hotel to check on their dog Jager. He was supposed to be in some of their wedding photos, but the inclement weather prevented that. {This will be remedied at a later date}
We all headed off to the reception. They had a photobooth, which I always love at weddings.
We crammed the whole family plus our friend Amanda
We had dinner and enjoyed all the festivities.
Me, Mom, and Cathee
Franky, Nate, and Mom
Although, it would seem that some members of the family enjoyed the festivities more than others.
They even tried to teach Ethan how to "fist pump" like the guys from Jersey Shore
As a surprise, Jen and Kipp’s friends from Richmond had t-shirts made.
Even with the snowy weather, it was a wonderful, heartfelt celebration honoring the new Mr. & Mrs. S.
Anne K.
Myles K.
