Ratatouille

Every trip to New York is truly an adventure. My recent jaunt up to the city was no exception. The real fun started on Friday night as my mom and I were discussing what to do for dinner. My mom decided she wanted to venture down into Little Italy, which sounded like a great idea to me. However we didn't have internet access, so we decided to call up my brother to have him look up a good restaurant for us. In retrospect, this was really our first mistake. I will never stay at a hotel without free wifi ever again.

Before I jump ahead in the story, my brother went online and gave us the name of an Italian restaurant that sounded pretty authentic. So we headed downtown, and made our way to the restaurant, which looked innocent enough on the outside. The moment we stepped inside, however, I knew we had made a mistake. First of all, immediately upon entering the door we were hit with the shock of cigar smoke. And lots of it. The front of the restaurant was filled with, what could have been a movie scene. You know the one where the Italian crime family owns the family restaurant and they all hang out there. Anyway, at this point it was too late to turn back around. All eyes were on us. We smiled as we followed blindly into the back room where there were lots and lots of empty tables. Never a good sign. But we sat graciously at the table far in the corner against the wall. We both wore our uncomfortable smiles bravely.

As I was trying to decide what to order, a gruff Italian woman came over. I asked her what a 'potato pasta dumpling' was. She replied with, 'You don't know what a potato dumpling is? It's good. You have to order it." Regretting my asking, and not wanting to create any unnecessary trouble, I went with the potato dumpling pasta... still pretty unclear as to what a potato dumpling was. Before I knew it, our food was sitting in front of us, and I was pleasantly surprised. I actually liked my potato dumpling pasta with pesto. But as I took the third bite, that changed.

I was looking towards my mom, when out of the corner of my eye I saw something scurry. Before I could even identify the scurrying object, I was out of my chair. I confirmed loudly for the entire restaurant, "THERE IS A MOUSE RUNNING TOWARDS OUR TABLE." And as I'm on my two feet, visibly terrified, a man working at the restaurant was just standing there looking at me. He made eye contact with me. Appeared unaffected. Then, my favorite detail, he just walked away. He didn't even acknowledge that anything occurred.

At that point, to my mom's embarrassment, I decided to perch on my chair so that my feet wouldn't have to touch the ground. Meanwhile, my mom was giving me a play by play of the mouse's whereabouts. I was not comforted at all by the fact that he had taken refuge in the wall. Especially knowing it was the wall adjoining the kitchen. I really felt like I had somehow mistakenly stumbled into the restaurant in Pixar's Ratatouille. Needless to say we make a quick exit and it is going to be awhile before I rekindle my love for Little Italy.

Today is a good day in disguise.

Thank goodness I keep a blog. It reminds me that no matter how bad any particular day seems, it's really a good day in disguise. Mainly because I can blog about it later, pepper a little humor in there and WAHLA. I can look back on the misery and laugh about how ridiculous it all seems in hindsight.

Speaking of ridiculousness. This capture pictures the absurdity that has become my life. Yes, that is me playing Star Wars on my clarinet in front of my class while giving a talk on the joy of Twitter.

If you're wondering how that makes sense. It doesn't.

Turning Garbage Into Gold

Last night as my mom gave me a hug and welcomed me back home, she immediately jumped into talking about a quick and "easy" errand she needed me to do for her in the morning. Of course I was skeptical. My mom's errands are never easy. And after I heard the premise of this one, I was positive that it wasn't going to be a walk in the park. In fact, it got more complicated as small details were added in as I questioned the task. The request rolled out something like this:

Mom: Katie, would you mind exchanging this garbage disposal for me tomorrow?
Me: Exchanging it? Exchanging it for what?
Mom: Well there are two models that I'm interested in. [At this point, she hands me two different garbage disposal spec sheets]
Me: Which one am I supposed to get?
Mom: I'd really like this one [now marking a number 1 on the top spec sheet], but if they don't have that one I want this one [marking it with a big number 2]
Me: OK, so is there a price difference or is this going to be an even exchange?
Mom: There is probably going to be a price difference.
Me: So do you want me to just pay the difference or do you need to know the cost?
Mom: I want to know the cost. Just call me at work when you get there.
Me: But you can't take calls at work.
Mom: I'll answer my phone.
Me: OK.
Mom: Make sure you ask for Abdesh or Caroline when you get there.
Me: What if they're not there?
Mom: They should be there.
Me: OK.

So as you can see, this was no longer just an easy exchange. I now had to search down people, confirm costs, and navigate my way among different models of garbage disposals. Of course, as anticipated, when I arrived at the kitchen store this afternoon to endure the pain that comes with any "easy" errand, I encountered several barriers. The first being that Abdesh was nowhere to be found. My mom wasn't answering her cell phone. And then Caroline sent me to some back room to deal with a woman who had no idea what I was talking about. After feeling like the gig was up, I made my way toward the door and low an behold, Abdesh appeared! He flashed me a smile and led me to his desk. We talked about garbage disposals, but that only got us so far, so I changed the subject to running. I noticed that he had a Marine Corps Marathon certificate on his wall and I was looking for some helpful hints. Apparently I came to the right place because Abdesh is a firm believer in the transformational power of running. We had a good 20 minute conversation about that before even sorting out the garbage disposal debacle.

Tomorrow I'm making another trip out to the kitchen store because Abdesh is lending me a movie about marathon running. I should thank my mother more often for sending me out on her wild goose chases. Sometimes you find the things you're looking for in the most unlikely places.

The End of the Road: Day 11

12:50PM
I'm sitting in seat 25F on United flight 873 headed home to Dulles. After barely sleeping last night, despite the luxury of being on a bed rather than on the ground in a sleeping bag, I awoke this morning at 6:30AM without an alarm. (I have a feeling that the combination of the time zone changes and the generally strange sleep schedule that comes with camping is going to make it hard to adjust back to normal East Coast living.) I think the main reason for my restlessness last night was the fear that our car would get broken into and somehow force me to miss my flight this morning. The fact that I'm a nervous traveler always complicates matters. But unlike many of my unfounded/irrational fears, this one was brought on by: A) John telling us we parked about two blocks from the San Francisco ghetto B) John insisting that we take everything out of the car unless it was able to fit in the trunk and finally C) John telling us about his roommate's car that got broken into on their first night sleeping in their house. So essentially my fear was brought on by John.

After hearing all that, of course I spent the entire night sleeping like a mother, keeping one ear open for her child. The only difference being that my child was a silver Jetta with Virginia vanity plates spelling out CHAPES. I felt for sure my baby would stand out as a prime target for crime, but luckily she survived the night unscathed!

This morning, we quickly repacked the car since we had hastily shoved everything in the trunk the night before. After saying our goodbyes to Mark, we were off! And then there were two.

Victoria got us to the airport in a jiffy and before I knew it, Tyler was gone and I had a few hours to kill roaming around the San Francisco airport. I discovered the San Francisco Soup Company near my gate, which was a pleasant surprise since I had been craving a sourdough bread bowl after seeing everyone and their mom eating them down at the Fisherman's Wharf yesterday.

After a nice solitary lunch, I loaded up on snacks for my 5 hour flight. Not that I really needed all of these snacks, but the arrival time of my flight being 9:15PM and the non-existence of an operating kitchen at my final destination made food seem like an important carry-on item. And now that I'm trapped on the plane, I'm feeling no buyer's remorse.

Although, I did just finish a book Mark let me borrow entitled, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, while eating my bite sized Chips Ahoy cookies and I did feel a little guilty. During my 10 day trip, I only manage to sneak in one little 5 mile run. I'm hoping I'll be able to get back on track when I get home. I've been itching to wear my super cool fuel belt since the moment I left it looking sad and lonely on my bed at home. It's hard to believe that in just a few hours we'll be reunited.

Oh and I guess it will be nice to see my friends and family too. I've missed them. Almost as much as I've missed my fuel belt.

Almost.

The Great American Road Trip: Day 10

7:16AM
My last night of sleeping in the tent is officially over. We are currently driving to our final destination on this west-bound trip: San Francisco. Tomorrow morning Tyler will drop me off at the airport for my flight back to NOVA and then he'll continue on the next leg of his trip: 7 nights of east-bound soul searching. Mark will stay behind in San Fran (Also known as Frisco as we learned from the grocery store clerk yesterday. When Tyler told her we were going to San Francisco, she replied, "Oh you'll love it. I was up in Frisco last week." To which Tyler replied, "Oh really? Where is that?") to start his internship.

I'm excited to see San Francisco, but I really wish I could shower first and meet the city looking a little more presentable. I was planning on taking one last night, but it was so cold out that I couldn't bear the thought of even removing one layer. So here I am, frizzy hair and dirty feet, headed to the Golden Gate Bridge. I'm hoping Photoshop can work its wonders on my pictures.

8:20PM
I'm sitting in Mark's friend John's apartment in San Francisco. Mark's friend John has kindly offered up his roommate Sam's bed for me to sleep on since Sam is currently in Alaska. So right now I'm sitting on Mark's friend John's roommate Sam's bed. Got all that?

Anyway, our day in San Francisco was action packed. We started off at the Golden Gate Park area and then walked along the bay, which also happened to be the mecca of all San Francisco dog owners as well as the go-to exercise locale (probably because it seemed to be the least hilly area of the city).

The one thing that really surprised me most about Frisco (that's right, I'm using the Cali lingo) was how cold it is! Today I was wearing a sweatshirt, fleece, and wind breaker jacket and could have benefited from another layer or two. I think due to that fact alone, San Fran might be crossed off the list of my potential future residences. But other than that, San Fran is actually a pretty cool city that is definitely full of character. We took a tour around the city on an old cable car and ventured up all the hills and around the neighborhoods. That old car even managed to take us over the Golden Gate Bridge! I think my favorite part of the city (other than the dog park) is all the quirky houses. It sort of reminded me of the Fan in Richmond, but more colorful and on unreal hills. I can barely parallel park on a flat street, so parking here would essentially be impossible. Yet another barrier standing between me and Frisco.

After our cable car tour, we wondered around the Fisherman's Wharf and hung out by Pier 39. By the time we had exhausted all touristy activities and made it to John's apartment, we had definitely worked up an appetite. So John, Mark, Tyler, Me, and Sam's dog Rhonan (Remember Sam is Mark's friend John's roommate whose bed I am currently sitting on) walked about 10 blocks to Haight Street, which as I soon learned is Hippie central. I'll just say that Marijuana doesn't appear to be illegal here. But among the mass amounts of drug paraphernalia, there were actually some pretty tasty looking restaurants. We ate at one called the Squat 'N' Gobble that served some delicious crepes. It definitely hit the spot after all the campfire cooking...

When we got back to John's house, I promptly asked to use his shower. I was counting in my head on the walk back and figured out that I had taken a total of 3 showers on this trip. I've never felt so gross in my entire life. My hair was just one big knot at this point, and I could have sworn I was just going to have to cut it all off. But luckily, after a nice LONG shower, I think I've managed to scrub off at least the first layer of dirt and my hair is on the road to recovery! I figure I'll be back to normal in about a week. I fly home tomorrow and if all goes smoothly, I'll be sleeping like a baby in my own bed tomorrow night with all the comforts a house with no furniture on the first floor can offer. Compared to this trip, the garage cafe (the affectionate name we've given our makeshift kitchen that is now located where my dad used to park his car) is going to seem pretty classy.

I can't wait.

The Great American Road Trip: Day 9

10:30AM
We're driving up the coastline this morning and it is absolutely beautiful. Wildflowers and waves, what more could a girl ask for? I'm also pretty sure I saw some seals sunning themselves on a rock, but no one else in the car would believe me.

The other thing plentiful on scenic highway 1 is cyclists. I've never seen so many bikes. Where are they all coming from? It makes me feel like we're driving alongside the Tour de France... and winning by a landslide!

But enough of this positive talk, the negative Nancy in me has been dying to write about how ungodly curvy this road is. They forgot to mention that part in the guide book. I could use an airplane bag right about now.

Too queasy to write

any

more

words.

4:19PM
So I survived the crazy curves of Highway 1 and was even brave enough to drive a stretch of the road myself! We located our campsite in Monterey after stopping at a Motel 6 for directions. (I'd grown tired of making u-turns at that point and was in no mood for "winging it." Anyway, our campsite is actually on a legit Mazda Raceway. It's called Laguna Seca and it has plots with gorgeous scenic views of rolling hills on one side and then views of the race track on the other. I have a feeling I'm going to be surrounded by an interesting crowd this evening.

After settling in at the campsite, Tyler was antsy to get out and DO SOMETHING! I think his favorite line on this trip has been, "You don't want to just sit around the campsite, do you?" So since rest and relaxation were not on the agenda, we ventured out to Pebble Beach. Of course, immediately upon paying our $9.25 entrance fee, we looked out of place in what we decided is the swanky part of town. However, our grungy appearance didn't stop Tyler from getting out and exploring the golf course. We finally located the 18th hole, sweatpants and all, and I pretended to understand the reverence with which Tyler was treating that moment.

While I'll probably never get very excited about a golf course, I definitely wouldn't mind residing on Pebble Beach. The multi-million dollar homes and ocean views were enough to keep me content as we drove down "17-mile Drive." I have to wonder--Who lives here? And do they have a nice, dashing, preferably 23 year old grandson they could set me up with?

The Great American Road Trip: Day 8

6:15AM
Today is a new day! We've just set out from Joshua Tree and we are headed to Jalama Beach. Nothing too exciting has happened yet other than Peter Rabbit himself watching us pack up the tent this morning. The rabbits in Joshua Tree are surprisingly cute with their big ears sticking up and their fluffy white tails.

Oh, an important point I forgot to mention, our beloved GPS woman has changed her name from Melanie to Victoria. Somewhere in Texas, Tyler decided she should have a British accent and the name Melanie just didn't seem to fit anymore. I'm just happy to have another girl in the car with all this testosterone.

6:52AM
We must be in the land of wind turbines. They are everywhere. Note to self: Look up how wind turbines generate energy so the next time I'm driving in a car and see them I have something more intelligent to say than, "Ooo pretty pinwheels!"

5:56PM
I'm currently sitting in what I've deemed to be the safest location on our current campsite--the car. but let me start from the beginning. Today we drove through Southern Cali, through LA and up the coast. While I didn't see a while lot through the haze, I got good vibes that make me think I'll end up living somewhere in CA at some point. The palm tree cell phone towers were the real selling point for me.

Anyway, after a few hours in LA traffic and then through winding roads, we finally arrived at our camping destination: Jalama Beach. We were immediately greeted with a sign that said "Campground Full." Since you can't make reservations, we were banking on pure luck. After reading the sign, we decided to resort to plan B- begging. As we pulled up to the gate, Tyler prepared to tug on the heart strings of the woman behind the glass. Tyler did his best and said to the woman, "Is there ANY way we can camp here tonight? Please? We came all the way from VIRGINIA!" Her response, "Campground's full. It's been full since Wednesday." However, somewhere deep down, the woman had a soft spot for us Virginians so far from home and she gave us a free 90 minute pass to park near the beach. So we decided to hang out and eat lunch at the beach--during which time I made an effort to not freak out about not having a place to sleep tonight.

The beach was beautiful and judging from Tyler's goosebumps after his quick dip in the ocean, the water was frigid. After our nice 90 minute break, we talked to the guard on duty at the gate, who gave us uplifting news: all campsites within 250 miles were all full. However, he did give us one small sliver of hope to cling to when he mentioned a city park nearby that might have a few sites open. Might.

Hoping that our luck would kick in, we followed his vague directions and made it to the River City campground in Lompoc, CA. After thankfully finding an open site, we set up our tent... and that's when Tyler pointed out the mouse's tail sticking out from one of the holes on our site. After surveying the area and realizing our plot was covered a hundred similar looking holes, I realized there was no way I will be getting any sleep tonight.

This fear growing inside me was exacerbated by our campsite neighbor who saw me freaking out about the mouse and came over to visit and tell me about the 7 ft snakes that are prevalent on the campsites as well as several other rodents that I've tried to block out. She assured me that they won't come in our tent and that they are much more afraid of me than I am of them. To which I agreed to disagree.