Time Away

To get away from all the insanity that is my life right now, I am heading west young man.

For the next two weeks I will be broadcasting directly from Southern California. I can’t wait. I need to see my peeps, the beach and eat delicious food. It’s gonna be awesome.

I am so grateful for this time. I am trying not too overplan it, just be flexible and schedule lots of downtime to think, write, take pictures and just be still. We’ll see how it goes.

Filed under: Things I love, Travelling , California, Get-A-way, southern california, travel

Quick Trip to Chicago

Needing to get away from family drama I escaped for the weekend to Chicago. It was also a great chance to visit my cousin Joey. We haven’t gotten to spend significant amounts of time together in years. So this was the perfect opportunity.

Besides, I love Chicago. It is one of my favorite cities. It is sophisticated without snobbery. The people are wonderful. There is wonderful architecture, great restaurants and a fantastic nightlife.

Since I was in desperate need of a change of scenery I really didn’t care what we did. I just wanted to hang out, have fun and forget about my life for a minute.

Continental Airlines wasn’t really helping with that endeavor. The flight from Cleveland to Chicago, which is only an hour was delayed for five hours. Yes, count them, five. It would have been faster for me to drive to Chicago. We were supposed to arrive at 7:30 p.m. instead I got in at 12:30 a.m. Then Joey and I stayed up talking until 4:30 a.m. It was great but we got a very late start on Friday.

After a yummy breakfast we headed into the city. It was so cold that we decided to do drive-by siteseeing. I’ve been to Chicago several times so I was cool with this. Honestly, we were so busy gabbing that I didn’t really pay much attention to anything. However, on one of the backstreets we found an amazing view of the city. So we drove through this deserted construction site and saw that there were two cars already back there. Joey pointed out that they were probably having an affair. I wanted to take a picture but he reminded me that we were in mafia town, so probably not a good idea.

We then ventured towards Oz Park, took some silly pics and went off to meet his friends for drinks at Side Track, the premier video gay bar in Chicago, so they said. We ended our night at a severely greasy spoon called Melrose.

Saturday we still didn’t make it out very early, but thats ok cause we’re off to see grandma. It was great to be with her. Sometimes no one gives you love, encouragement, and support like grandma. She surprised us by having our favorite meal – her traditional soup and brownies. It was hard to say goodbye to her but we had tickets to Jersey Boys and had to get back to the city. Jersey Boys is so much fun. I forgot how many great songs the Four Seasons have. We had another great night capped at Miller’s Pub, right by the theatre. It had a great vibe.

On my last day in Chicago I did the one thing I really wanted to do, visit Millenium Park, designed by my favorite architect, Frank Gehry. The park is spectacular and the view of the city is too. I highly recommend a visit, just go when its above 10 degrees. I’ve heard tale of the lake effect but until you experience the wind humming off the water to slice you in two, you have no idea. Brunch was at Ann Sather’s in Andersonville which was delicious. It is also a cute little neighborhood full of fun stores. I’d love to go back there and explore some more.

Sadly, it was time to go home. I had a delightful, wonderful time with some of my favorite people. We had a blast. It was just what I needed. Next time I think I’ll visit when its a bit warmer.

Filed under: Mi Familia, Pop Culture, Travelling , Andersonville, Ann Sather's, Chicago, cleveland, cousin, escape, Four Seasons, Frank Gehry, Frankie Valli, Jersey Boys, Millenium Park

Warm Climate from a Cold Perspective

It is very hard to pack for warm weather when you’re in a cold climate. It is a balmy 40 degrees today in downtown Canton, but it is 85 in California, where I’ll be heading tomorrow for a friend’s wedding next Saturday.

I’m trying to pack and all I can think of is, I’m cold. Yet I keep hearing reports of how hot it is in Southern California right now. I can’t fathom that. I have no reference for hot weather in the midst of cold. My memory cells have blocked out the gloriousness of blue skies, blazing sun and warm rays beating down on your face.

I was trying to cram a few more things into my carry-on, since it now costs $15-25 to check in luggage when I realized – hey I can take out the two sweaters I’m trying to pack and free up room. Whi-hoo. Now where did I put the summer clothes, no idea.

Ok, back to packing.

Filed under: Living in Ohio, Travelling , cold, hot, packing, summer, sun, weather, winter

Day in the Garden of Good and Evil

Booking it from Atlanta we arrived in Savannah last night. It’s only a 3 hour drive but it felt like forever. Maybe because we could feel the humidity creep up on us. Our air conditioner had to keep being turned up the closer we got. By the time we were 20 miles out there was a fog on all the windows. Stepping out of the car my glasses fogged up and so did the lens on my camera. It was muggy and HOT. Wow. We were really sweating by the time we got to our hotel room. It was after 10 p.m. and it was still 85 degrees with at least 75% humidity. Insane.

But I am so excited to be in Savannah. I have wanted to be visit forever! I don’t know why. I’m sure I’ve seen too many movies, read too many stories or entertained too many romantic notions about the South, but nevertheless I’m fulfilling a long-time desire.

We started the day taking in an overview of the city on the Old Town Trolley Tour. It offers on and off service at over 14 locations in Savannah. It’s a great way to get the layout of the city and figure out what you want to see.

Our day itinerary included: lunch at Mrs. Wilkes Boarding house, tours of the Telfair’s Owen’s Thomas and Davenport House.

If you’re ever in Savannah you must go to Mrs. Wilkes Boarding house. It is a treat! Served family style you eat with perfect strangers and quickly become friends. The table is set and full of food when you sit down. We were given: fried chicken, beef stew, ribs, collard greens, mashed potatoes, gravy, rice, sweet potatoes, macaroni salad, cabbage, black-eyed peas, corn muffins, biscuits, stuffing, creamed corn, and more I can’t even remember. It was all delicious. We were all so full and happy when we left. It’s a good thing we planned on walking a lot.

Our next stop were the house tours. We started with Telfair’s Owens-Thomas house, designed by English architect William Jay in 1819. He is a man after my own heart and designed this English Regency house on balance and symmetry. Every door, window, column and staircase has its mirror, even if it has to be a false front. The house itself is beautiful and beautifully restored.

The Davenport House (1820), which someone today described as a common man’s house. It is the project that sparked a historic preservation movement in Savannah in the 1950s. I didn’t particularly care for how the Davenport House was restored. It felt cheap, gaudy and awfully decorated. Now, I’m not a restoration expert, but I have toured a lot of restored homes. (I’m not a doctor but I play one on tv). And Debbie kind of is – she headed up the design team that restored the Queen Mary. So she knows her stuff. To us, it didn’t feel authentic or typical of its period. The colors were too bright. The wallpaper was loudly patterned and distracting. The doors were poorly stained and designs on the floor. There were three or four people on our tour who kept asking the docent if she was sure the wallpaper, flooring and colors were accurate. So it wasn’t just us.

On a sidenote I’m amazed at how much of the South has been destroyed, not in the civil war, but in the states own lack of interest in preserving its past. This was definitely the case with Atlanta and also seen here in Savannah. “Why are we doing to ourselves what we hated Sherman for doing.” (Margret Mitchell).

We had dinner at a local favorite, Blowin’ Smoke BBQ. Just outside the historic district, down by Forsyth Park. Debbie and I both had pulled pork. It had been slow-smoked for 24 hours and it showed, deliciously moist and juicy. It was nice to be out of the touristy area for a bit. There was live jazz, water spritzers on the patio and a fun bean-bag toss while you wait for your table. The restaurant also has a done of microbrews to try, which we did not. Still a fun place to visit.

My favorite part of the day, even though it was 92 with 89% humidity, was just walking around the city squares with the amazing architecture, beautiful live oak trees with spanish moss (that is neither spanish or moss and is full of bugs), and soaking up the peaceful, laid back atmosphere of the city.

So great to be here.

Filed under: Travelling , Davenport House, historic square, Savannah, Telfair's Owen-Thomas house, tour

Day two in Hotlanta

Today the temperature got a bit toastier and a bit muggier. Just walking outside induced sweat and a bit of labor to breathe. Come to find out it was about 95 with 95% humidity. Yikes.

Our first stop was The Margret Mitchell house. Now I must confess. I have never read Gone with the Wind. I have never seen the whole movie and the parts I did see drove me nuts. So it wasn’t my first choice of a stop but I complied.

I thought we’d roll up to a grand home of the late 1800s, instead it’s an apartment building. It seems that in her loathing of the fame and celebrity that came with the book Margret Mitchell had her childhood home burned down once her brother died. She didn’t want any commentary on it. That was my first glimpse into the character that is Margret Mitchell.

Instead we would tour the apartment where she wrote most of the book. A place she affectionately called, The Dump. It is a dark, three room dwelling that faced Crescent Street. It is small, comfortably decorated and laden with hints at her vivacious and precocious personality – hidden on one of the walls is a risque boudoir photo of Casanova and one of his conquests. She loved to shock guests with it. Also strewn about the house are manilla envelopes, each containing a working chapter of her book. It was also the scene of many parties for their friends, which she loved to host.

What was most fascinating to me to learn was of her 2nd husband, John Marsh and their relationship. He was her biggest fan. He adored her and was wholly devoted to her. He waited over four years for her, even as she married someone else. He even served as best man in her first wedding. A wedding she was forced to go through with because of games she played trying to get the very shy Marsh to show signs of jealousy and win her over another suitor. It backfired and she married another, that ended in scandal, abuse and abandonment.

But John her biggest fan and faithful companion through it all was patient and compassionate with her always. He was also an integral part of her succes. He was key editor on the novel, drawing on his years as a journalist and public relations experience. He helped her mold the story and characters. His entire life was for her and about here. I don’t know if that’s romantic or sad. Maybe if I ever experienced love like that I’d know.

Also included in the tour is a Gone with the Wind movie museum – which includes many props, notes, actor information and set pieces; and an exhibit on Martin Luther King. I was a little confused about what the civil right’s museum had to do with Margret Mitchell but it seems that she was a quiet supporter of it. She gave much money to Morehouse College for scholarships and helped fund hospitals were African Americans could be treated. It doesn’t surprise me. Margret Mitchell was a flapper who loved to go against the grain and test the status quo. In many ways she was also Scarlett O’Hara her heroine.

It was a great two hours. The museum houses many of her (and John’s) personal letters and artifacts so you really get a sense of who she is, how she came to write the novel and the effect its success had on her life. It was a wonderful afternoon. The museum is curated amazingly well, one of the best I’ve been to about a specific person. I left feeling like I knew her. So great. Maybe I also felt especially connected to her since her favorite Aunt’s name was Martha Ann (same as me only I spell Anne the proper way, with an ‘e’).

From there we took a tour of the historic Peachtree Street and somehow wound up in an unsavory neighborhood – scary. So we meandered our way back through Buckhead and ended up downtown at the Atlanta Underground. I wish I would have gotten Erika’s warning sooner. It was really lame. It was at one time interesting I’m sure but now its just rundown stores with a questionable cliente. We saw a group of teenagers harassing a female police officer, that’s how scary it is. Not worth the stop. Also located near there is the Aquarium, which I did want to see, we just didn’t have time.

In our quest to get as far away from the Atlanta Underground as possible we ended up in Kennesaw, to get something to eat. I’m not sure exactly how that happened. But Bailey’s Pub and Grille was good, a bit noisy, but tasty.

Another good day in the city.

Filed under: Travelling , Atlanta, Atlanta Underground, Buckhead, Gone with the Wind, Margret Mitchell, Peachtree Street

Marti in the City

It’s been four months since my last trip out of Canton. Only this time I’m not in California. I’m in Georgia. Atlanta to be specific.

I was excited for the break. I was excited to see Debbie, who flew out from CA to hang with me. I was excited to see a new place. But I didn’t realize how happy I would be to return to an actual city – with freeways, lots of tall buildings, traffic, smog, lots of cars, history, culture and many non-chain restaurants.

Aaahh a real city.

I had some time to kill this afternoon so I drove around and soaked it all in. It is gloriously lovely. I did a little drive-by siteseeing and saw Centennial Olympic Park, Underground Atlanta, art deco architecture of the government building, CNN building, Buckhead and several historic districts.

Tonight we had dinner at Pitty Pat’s Porch. It boasts as “the place” for downhome southern food. So we checked it out. It was good. I had the fried chicken and Debbie had the pork tenderloin (dressed up with raisins and pureed sweet potatoes). A little pricey for what it is, a kitchily decorated southern plantation, ala Disney. Very touristy. Nothing fancy. Average price is $22/entree.

The best part was driving around the city at dusk. Armed with a GPS we did another drive-by of the downtown and even ventured over to find Ebenezer Baptist Church. It was a little scary for two white girls after dark, but still worth it. We want to make it back during the day to check out the historic preservation center.

Six more days of city goodness.

Filed under: Travelling , Atlanta, Buckhead, Georgia, siteseeing

Shedding PST

No I don’t have some weird skin condition. Instead I am still on Pacific Standard Time in a very EST (Eastern Standard Time) world. I was in CA just long enough to get three hours behind. Now its 1:36 in the morning and I’m wide-awake. Three hours is just long enough to be ridiculously off schedule for no real good reason. I mean I didn’t go to China or New Zealand.

So now I’m up. Watching re-runs of Little People Big World. I love that show. I am also attempting to catch up on emails, organize photos and convince myself I’m tired and should go lay down. But I don’t really want to. UGH!

I feel like I’m in a weird lala land. I miss California tremendously, or more precisely I miss my friends. Coming back to Ohio is always a shock to the system. I’ve decided that I need to more deliberately engage in life here in the big city. I’m going to attempt to look for a church and volunteer somewhere.

I’m also in a bit of a panic because the tags on my car expire this month. I’m not worried about the renewal fee or anything silly like that, but because with the simple thing my life in California will be officially over. I will have to hand over the two things that tangibly tie me to my former life – my California license plates and my California driver’s license. I am so proud of those two things. I love them. I like seeing them when in the parking lot or a store. It somehow reminds me of who I was.

They almost make me feel snobby. It is how I keep myself separate from Ohio, not that there is anything wrong with it, but still. I like letting people know that I’m not from here, I’m just passing through. But am I? I have no idea. And the odd thing is I am kind of from here. I lived a lot of my life before the age of 12 in the great Buckeye State. Maybe I need to reconnect with a different part of myself. I know I’m being ridiculous. It took me years to feel at home in CA. I used to reject the notion of being there too.

I think I am just resistant to change. I need to learn a more healthy way to let go and move on.

Filed under: Living in Ohio, Travelling , adjustment, California, jet lag, letting go, moving on, Ohio, transition

Trip to the City: Pittsburgh

This weekend mom and I took a quick overnight trip to Pittsburgh. It’s only two hours away but we got a great rate on Hotwire for the historic Omni William Penn and decided to make an adventure of it.

We left early Saturday morning and wound our way through the backroads of Ohio, WV and PA to reach Pittsburgh. There are some seriously small towns out there. I decided that what determined exactly how middle of nowhere someplace is, is how far away Wal-Mart is. If Wal-Mart decided it was too small to build you knew it was too small to live in. Forget about measuring with Target, that place is to shi-shi-la-la for the backwoods. The drive was beautiful though, but I was happy to get to the city.

Our first stop was the Duquesne Incline. I have no idea how to pronounce it but its an amazing view of the city. You see the sweeping views of the river, the stadium, the bridges and the skyline. It reminded me of Angels Flight in LA. I got to ride it in 2000, a year before someone died on it and it closed indefinitely. Honestly though, in PA, you can drive to the top of the ride (1220 Grandview St) and you don’t really need to ride it unless you really feel the need.

Then we drove to the University of Pittsburgh to tour the Cathedral of Learning. 24 classrooms were created representing the different nationalities that make up Pittsburgh: Lithuian, Irish, Polish, Indian, Hungarian, Scottish, English, Chinese, Yugoslavian, Swedish, Romanian, German, Italian, Czech, Syria-Lebanon, Russian, Norwegian, French, Austrian, African, Armenian, Ukranian, Israeli and Japanese. Each room is decorated to represent the countries’ highest periods of creativity. Many of the countries sent over their own artisans, architects and planners to decorate their rooms.

What’s funny is that to tour the rooms you’re given a tape-recorder and cassette with the narration. I kid you not. My favorite rooms were the English room because of the history. It was decorated with actual materials from the house of commons that was bombed during WWII. My other favorite was the Romanian. It was just spectacularly simple and beautiful with deep rich reds, black wrought iron and an incredible mural with encrusted gold leaf designs of the kings of a march of somesort.

It took us about two hours to tour, and that was rushing through the second floor. We needed at least 30 minutes more. Across the quad we went to see the Heinz Memorial Chapel, spectacular stained glass, so beautiful. The University of Pittsburgh is great. However some event was happening and we got locked on campus. All exit roads were closed. The GPS was freaking out practically screaming to turn left and we could not. Finally a policeman sensing our dismay opened a barricade and let us out.

Exhausted we headed towards the hotel. Upon arrival we discovered that they have an afternoon tea in the terrace room. Oh yea. I love tea. So we made reservations immediately. They had about 8 different teas – I opted for the Orange Pekoe and mom got the black currant. I liked her better. We got the Victorian Tea (for $17). It was fun, a good way to relax and absorb everything. The lobby of the hotel was beautiful. We wanted to get a manicure at the in-hotel spa but they were booked, so we went shopping at an 11-story Macy’s instead.

For dinner we went Church Brew Works. A restaurant in former Catholic Church built in 1902. As a former Catholic we felt slightly blasphemous eating. Deciding it was no worse than a coffeeshop/restuarant most mega churchs have. Besides, we got over it when we tasted the pierogies, so good. The food was great, I highly recommend it.

On Sunday, we had brunch across the river at Grand Concourse in Station Square. It is a converted railway station. It is gorgeous, full of stained glass and amazing views of the city across the river. Food was good too.

Then we headed home. As we drove down the freeway we passed the closest Ikea to us and my mom casually informed me that she’d never been. So we had to stop there too. I missed Ikea. But I quickly realized its no fun to shop there when you don’t have a space of your own to decorate. I got a little sad walking through there.

But now it was time to head back over the river, through the woods to mom and dad’s house in OH. There is a lot more in Pittsburgh I want to explore. It will have to be another weekend. I also can’t wait to see the drive when all of the trees are full of leaves and life. It will be beautiful.

Filed under: Living in Ohio, Travelling , cathedral of learning, duquesne incline, ikea, pittsburgh

Day 5: Arrival in Ohio

Missing his family Mike, the primary driver, was determined to get from Kansas to Ohio today. We made the 783 mile trip in about eight hours of heavy rain. At one point we hydroplaned across the freeway it was so wet. Mike said that if we hadn’t been so weighed down with all my stuff the car would have ended up in the ditch. So thank God for his protection and all my junk.

Undaunted Mike pressed on. I went to sleep. As the cold of the rain settled into my bones my general enthusiasm for the trip faded. We were in the home stretch. This was it. No turning back.

I took a video at the state line of Ohio, waiting for my official welcome from the state. Then at about 60 miles away I started to sob. All of the emotion was caught in my chest and throat. I couldn’t stop crying. I did not want to be there.

But we rolled in and my parents were so excited. I tried to put on a brave face until my mom hugged me and I lost it. She cried with me and we talked until about 12:30 a.m. and then I went to sleep.

It’s going to be an interesting ride.

Filed under: Living in Ohio, Mi Familia, Travelling

Day 4: Time with God and Friends in KS and MO

We started out the day in Wichita KS. After a lovely hot breakfast at our hotel we were off in search of IHOP in Kansas City, MO.

Not to eat but to spend time with God. See, it’s the International House of Prayer. Since 1999 people have spent 24/7 in prayer for the world and for revelation from God for our times. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Mike has friends that have been there and he’s heard stories of people healed in the parking lot, prophesy, vision and dreams emerging from this place. Now I was just a little scared.

So we arrived at a coverted strip mall with a coffee shop, bookstore, offices and a sanctuary. I was hoping to go into one of the prayer rooms, to be prayed over as I seek God’s direction, presence and peace for my next step in life. It turns out those rooms aren’t available until Thursday of this week.

So we went into the main prayer room where there is ongoing worship and well, prayer. It was a generic sanctuary full of people on laptops, some are praying, others are whispering, some are reading, and some are singing. It was very normal, for lack of a better word. I think in my head I was expecting something strange to be going on. But there wasn’t, just normal people seeking God.

So we sit down and just start praying, listening, and observing. Mike, who is much more familiar with this than I am immediately gets immersed into the moment. It takes me a little longer. Of course my mind is going 8 gamilion miles an hour. Wondering, what should I be doing? Will God speak to me? Should I sing? Should I pray? What do I pray for? So many questions. It reminded me of the first three hours of my experience with the movie Into Great Silence. Again I was having trouble surrendering to the moment. This time my mind is full of worries about the future, getting back to Ohio, all that I left behind in CA. I can’t hear God because I’m talking too much and its way too noisy in my head and heart.

But the environment is so peaceful. There is a calming presence. I began to be still. I was able to rest, after a while. I’m glad we went. I needed to stop and surrender everything to God. I needed to give him the pain, the expectations, the fear, the anxiety, the hope and my plans. I’m a little bit more ready to face the final leg of our journey and the beginning of this next phase of my life.

We spent the second half of our day with a former co-worker and his wife. They were gracious enough to let us stay with them in Kansas City and give us an official tour. We had delicious Kansas City BBQ, saw The Plaza, walked around the shops and saw some great architecture. I really liked it, I highly recommend visiting. If you know Dave, give him a call and get a tour We deemed him the official ambassador of Kansas City.

It was a good day.

Filed under: Travelling