tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166569762024-02-20T17:47:25.633-08:00VegasjuhlTales and Tidbits
from the Desert...Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.comBlogger1598125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-88988705935084864102021-01-01T08:03:00.002-08:002021-01-01T08:06:49.419-08:00Promise & Peace<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8KGZV9XFfMxbbMCmF_70Cufj1o0XzYDYm8kayDQMcLt2DDpyiydsPwgrwI45AXlCelcm1ApEpt9H2ObDpjQzV5Xpvqzmig0ML4ktx0QOWW3A5THH1DR4X6lm920OyR9scSPZ/s4032/PXL_20201230_000812961.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8KGZV9XFfMxbbMCmF_70Cufj1o0XzYDYm8kayDQMcLt2DDpyiydsPwgrwI45AXlCelcm1ApEpt9H2ObDpjQzV5Xpvqzmig0ML4ktx0QOWW3A5THH1DR4X6lm920OyR9scSPZ/w240-h320/PXL_20201230_000812961.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>As the sun rises over Las Vegas for the first time in 2021, I tighten my robe to cut the chill in the air. I feel a bit groggy as I adjust from Baja time. My fingers are slow as they type into google, but I search for a quote that resonated with me once before. One that seems fitting for this new day, for this start to the new year. As I stand at this crossroads emerging from two months in Mexico and transitioning back into the life we've built in Las Vegas. <div><br /></div><div><i>By the way, who else was a bit relieved the date didn't turn to 13/1/2020 when the clock struck midnight?</i> </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Aha! Found it.</i><div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>“May every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset hold more peace...” ― Umair Siddiqui</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>One word I heard used over and over again to describe La Paz was "tranquilo" maybe it is the calm and quiet that stole my heart? Perhaps it is what lures us to return to the city of peace time and again.</div><div><br /></div><div>As I reflect on our trial subscription to life in La Paz and the challenging year that 2020 unraveled to be I am comforted to think that the tranquilo experience was just what was needed to soothe my exhausted soul. Granted there is no magic wand to be waived; instead, we must weather the storm. Learn lessons along the way and never forget life is a mixture of sunshine and rain. </div><div><br /></div><div>2020 was a difficult year felt around the globe. My new year wish for us all is peace. May it soothe all of our exhausted souls and allow us to heal.</div></div></div>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-68916180673622319862020-12-04T11:06:00.003-08:002020-12-04T11:06:24.586-08:00Sunset Series: November 20 - 30<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTDLd1tGlFyo29s8fwoHpwqsVQi1g-ft6ZV0gCQfWov6Di_b1_4OjulHz2IJxjLTLa9QEWz8Ze1u4IBVjD6VHki6RA_Aoqreu0Bzbku6BDq6nSi9wdVJW8dVRmRG6rUXxIhQW/s4032/PXL_20201122_001450489.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRTDLd1tGlFyo29s8fwoHpwqsVQi1g-ft6ZV0gCQfWov6Di_b1_4OjulHz2IJxjLTLa9QEWz8Ze1u4IBVjD6VHki6RA_Aoqreu0Bzbku6BDq6nSi9wdVJW8dVRmRG6rUXxIhQW/w300-h400/PXL_20201122_001450489.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-86765915689466601872020-11-15T11:36:00.004-08:002020-11-15T11:40:00.707-08:00Sunset Series: November 6-12<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkORHGs_H3JKvHebDSkjoTYl5H4CiOF_KmzgbdyPxmXmAB6w7_VfBqv9_ehqTg56P4CmHSHr5ONf_ZVZhb7Q__BWny5mMkZ7_QMcK0ZyCNcLM9x94bEMK1bzcP7ByjQy2KbcF/s4032/PXL_20201107_003853529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkORHGs_H3JKvHebDSkjoTYl5H4CiOF_KmzgbdyPxmXmAB6w7_VfBqv9_ehqTg56P4CmHSHr5ONf_ZVZhb7Q__BWny5mMkZ7_QMcK0ZyCNcLM9x94bEMK1bzcP7ByjQy2KbcF/w400-h300/PXL_20201107_003853529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUX-UlY0NUb6RC0fWf_fui5j8gtsduLtqYB7rDISK8tRlq97DklzRacRSMqi6IHF0JWTQAeKPShADKRRdaolyJBbx3hCk3xHUXz0zMEPLYeeT6EEbyHLva4qr8l8qAkmk-wH2O/s4032/PXL_20201108_003243254.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUX-UlY0NUb6RC0fWf_fui5j8gtsduLtqYB7rDISK8tRlq97DklzRacRSMqi6IHF0JWTQAeKPShADKRRdaolyJBbx3hCk3xHUXz0zMEPLYeeT6EEbyHLva4qr8l8qAkmk-wH2O/w300-h400/PXL_20201108_003243254.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIbkqG76UD6MHq31JwxPSqzqjPDFiX2ekQibxX9rhufRcerev7Ph3Dw_Pr6ompFVLDUzAlRD5ynr3d1kZxFPCUu26-YbQMH90Ac2PwME6sg976YAQHw3zTu-dUPHxh2QrPeYp/s4032/PXL_20201109_003356828.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIbkqG76UD6MHq31JwxPSqzqjPDFiX2ekQibxX9rhufRcerev7Ph3Dw_Pr6ompFVLDUzAlRD5ynr3d1kZxFPCUu26-YbQMH90Ac2PwME6sg976YAQHw3zTu-dUPHxh2QrPeYp/w300-h400/PXL_20201109_003356828.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LPPrbJ8mF3Pcc8pSJSCkchjm9C7ziDueSjnPhHcRolVneOjGT3lin2Tu9-2JUeKI8MNzD4GMWTUchnq8DpZGJDg23dWPIhKwenNojeLeZOF6p_ovg_1vpfn-nTmiWhUFhwB1/s4032/PXL_20201112_001336923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LPPrbJ8mF3Pcc8pSJSCkchjm9C7ziDueSjnPhHcRolVneOjGT3lin2Tu9-2JUeKI8MNzD4GMWTUchnq8DpZGJDg23dWPIhKwenNojeLeZOF6p_ovg_1vpfn-nTmiWhUFhwB1/w400-h300/PXL_20201112_001336923.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0jNHxllkvey5UZVROIcIaNh2aC8oAYn95CKntzE-FRd4s41dSwdQll0Wvuvz_54LXMp9Q1bNLpNYnSHxmDCxsY0o7MsrF0L6QIc0QbD9dP5SEagi1KUy0zNj8eINTGvb-Idd/s4032/PXL_20201113_002227063.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh0jNHxllkvey5UZVROIcIaNh2aC8oAYn95CKntzE-FRd4s41dSwdQll0Wvuvz_54LXMp9Q1bNLpNYnSHxmDCxsY0o7MsrF0L6QIc0QbD9dP5SEagi1KUy0zNj8eINTGvb-Idd/w300-h400/PXL_20201113_002227063.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-27618501508800200622020-11-10T14:47:00.006-08:002020-11-15T11:43:42.648-08:00Baja Bound<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixih7WHVKG8i1klFGleO0Y86uSu_x8uWQ3YW8HIOhc3KtV0lcfqpfmJADa6kxi7VV3i4QsaHu1a32I8-2qkpGHpZgDfd1OqaHP1eIDxbBXpq5NuKhfJ7sBBm6664mdQPYZHhjK/s4032/PXL_20201031_025826583.NIGHT.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixih7WHVKG8i1klFGleO0Y86uSu_x8uWQ3YW8HIOhc3KtV0lcfqpfmJADa6kxi7VV3i4QsaHu1a32I8-2qkpGHpZgDfd1OqaHP1eIDxbBXpq5NuKhfJ7sBBm6664mdQPYZHhjK/w300-h400/PXL_20201031_025826583.NIGHT.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>We logged 1157 Miles in 18.5 hours on our drive from Las Vegas to La Paz. The drive to the border was the most agonizing. California had road construction that reduced traffic to one lane, we sat at a standstill multiple times waiting for our pilot car escort. It was a very slow start...</p><p>We made it to the border crossing outside Mexicali just before 2pm. It was a mighty good thing, too, little did we know the INM office closed at 2 o'clock. We assumed they kept the same hours as the crossing. We needed to pay for our FMM since we'd be staying longer than 7 days 575 pesos or $30 US. We were thankful we lucked out. </p><p>We were unsure of how to access the office from the left lanes (nothing to declare) so we instead entered right and were subject to search. Inspection was brief, and they kindly pointed out the proper set of doors for us to obtain our FMM when we questioned, "Donde es FMM?" </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLgLTY_Li0Y156F1mjHNPG4V_HDcnx8rtJthQu0g7JjCHRYCPmm0UFvAntleKNDPOyf0gnjEW5R6Yv2VhyphenhyphenWXqxpTmHfibdbNe2JiC4kjNcljFuZ1qzuibaSPHaCQw0q9mf71n/s4032/PXL_20201031_135914979.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBLgLTY_Li0Y156F1mjHNPG4V_HDcnx8rtJthQu0g7JjCHRYCPmm0UFvAntleKNDPOyf0gnjEW5R6Yv2VhyphenhyphenWXqxpTmHfibdbNe2JiC4kjNcljFuZ1qzuibaSPHaCQw0q9mf71n/w300-h400/PXL_20201031_135914979.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p><br /></p>Fortunately, the drive to San Felipe is familiar and it proved to be quick and effortless. We stayed at Frank's uncle's house in El Dorado Ranch. We were enjoying Chiles Gueritos con Camaron at La Vaquita Norte in no time. We followed up with a couple drinks at San Felipe Brewery, which expanded a few months ago to a new location even closer to El Dorado Ranch. <p></p><p>We basked in the moonlight on the roof top terrace, and then woke in enough time to watch the sunrise. Then, we headed out straight away. Our second day of driving was uncharted territory - to us, anyway. We heard the new highway made the drive easier, but we never imagined how nice it would be. Google didn't acknowledge the new route so we continuously shaved off minutes and eventually hours from our drive time. It was fantastic.</p><p>We crossed into Baja Sur way earlier than expected and we were delighted that we were able to arrive in Loreto well before sundown. So much so, we even considered making our way all the way to La Paz, but our favorite hotel HBlue was fully booked. We opted to take it as a sign to stay the night and finish the drive in the morning. I made a last minute reservation on booking.com for Hotel 1697. It was a cute boutique hotel with ideal location right near the plaza and walking distance to the malecon. </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIXjtL2NP2JxZHjTLF0F_EaMZL4mG0tr0QjaxZ-hO_dtEf0LTxqy1lztL89UlX_7vvf7qVpRigXB_YXt-WmVx3VQNqSwDllYnDj1R_JFxkGNXHcXY6ty7zgTSrSphZIo1XeWB/s4032/PXL_20201031_175847143.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIXjtL2NP2JxZHjTLF0F_EaMZL4mG0tr0QjaxZ-hO_dtEf0LTxqy1lztL89UlX_7vvf7qVpRigXB_YXt-WmVx3VQNqSwDllYnDj1R_JFxkGNXHcXY6ty7zgTSrSphZIo1XeWB/w300-h400/PXL_20201031_175847143.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>It was a much better experience than our last accommodations in Loreto. A couple years back, we stayed at Loreto Bay Golf Resort & Spa. On the surface it was nice enough, but in reality it was a bit of disaster. We made several room changes, the gamut included everything from finding crumbs in bed to an air conditioner that apparently identified as an ice maker... At 2AM it started spitting out ice cubes like it was happy hour.</p><p>We had dinner at Mi Loreto. We had both of the house specialties: mole and chile rellenos. Neither disappointed. The city was exceptionally quiet. Alcohol was only sold at a few places in attempts to keep crowds at a minimum, The usual cruise along the malecon was only a few cars. The precautions to minimize the spread of coronavirus is no different from upper to lower baja. To gain entry into any business: you must be masked, you step into disinfecting solution, hands are sanitized with antibacterial gel and your temperature is taken. I appreciate consistency in measures taken - It was so different last month when traveling around Southern California. Procedures varied widely between LA, Orange and San Diego counties. It grew tiresome to learn & adjust to each new drill.</p><p>Again, we were up at dawn and on the road shortly after. Frank was eager to arrive in La Paz before the NFL games kicked off. The rest of the drive was seamless and we easily coordinated meeting our property manager. We settled right into our new casa well before football was underway.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3YJlAHMNYEizkFK50O_T8E8Nu3jFtg0wAxXRuYwmB3iHTm7D_csoAskyVAAWruLYG5ugbazQ1W2IFOltU5xz9uTef36wmIIZxzrgiORXf-nslgAAGgLbULj039sqDgQ-VLoh/s4032/PXL_20201101_182912474.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3YJlAHMNYEizkFK50O_T8E8Nu3jFtg0wAxXRuYwmB3iHTm7D_csoAskyVAAWruLYG5ugbazQ1W2IFOltU5xz9uTef36wmIIZxzrgiORXf-nslgAAGgLbULj039sqDgQ-VLoh/w300-h400/PXL_20201101_182912474.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p></p></div>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-53986262131995853132020-11-06T14:22:00.005-08:002020-11-06T14:22:41.693-08:00Sunset Series: November 5, 2020<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJ8VFy2X4IsNMC_aXWs5-XXPokkT5f8fUQxZnmzb0Oq_V8dGCYpaQKIFZHy1W4l64kqKrHegAW8aN-QADtYbFeLmx4xcnxep1aCdNk6GdUvMBnQWUygg2LorlLEFXaj0JD68Z/s4032/PXL_20201106_003354048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJ8VFy2X4IsNMC_aXWs5-XXPokkT5f8fUQxZnmzb0Oq_V8dGCYpaQKIFZHy1W4l64kqKrHegAW8aN-QADtYbFeLmx4xcnxep1aCdNk6GdUvMBnQWUygg2LorlLEFXaj0JD68Z/w480-h640/PXL_20201106_003354048.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-21590016606964616912020-11-05T13:44:00.003-08:002020-11-05T13:44:53.855-08:00Sunset Series: November 4, 2020<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEvbgqiYHTX-wjZRaD344L-2iP88bIlyV7T3B3EE3aQQg1xSwtzQizqlrMh7ysvJOYE60bWgm68AgnlipX8CbxJkaEWkQ0KaBgu1veGi7rSDF3Hwg8cUp9dF1JjRw7bUci9XY/s4032/PXL_20201105_003503418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEvbgqiYHTX-wjZRaD344L-2iP88bIlyV7T3B3EE3aQQg1xSwtzQizqlrMh7ysvJOYE60bWgm68AgnlipX8CbxJkaEWkQ0KaBgu1veGi7rSDF3Hwg8cUp9dF1JjRw7bUci9XY/w400-h300/PXL_20201105_003503418.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-65204928989252595472020-11-04T14:34:00.002-08:002020-11-04T14:37:34.039-08:00Sunset Series: November 3, 2020<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1PyOAUyKLeX2zy6RmhIuLl7ryrbD3bMz2nfOTawlnBAcsMu4oeAgEqEc95J_eJEVr3W1LMOn2sTYdMsnQy7Wj4X2Wm8RmnwmW7mKvsww3ctDSHnofLhp7LcjpuDqssg32_wH/s4032/PXL_20201104_005231182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1PyOAUyKLeX2zy6RmhIuLl7ryrbD3bMz2nfOTawlnBAcsMu4oeAgEqEc95J_eJEVr3W1LMOn2sTYdMsnQy7Wj4X2Wm8RmnwmW7mKvsww3ctDSHnofLhp7LcjpuDqssg32_wH/w480-h640/PXL_20201104_005231182.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-45458795754512006172020-11-03T12:06:00.001-08:002020-11-03T12:06:50.858-08:00Sunset Series: November 2, 2020<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkkjB4cXSjhVAXMhtMtUAj72V0nauD5Ht1JZV5klx3hFAd-IOX1QlTnHu0Db-QY64kIfKy9o5ddL6ljbvH6rCLBfUuj0hDeuY-ziOOxO07dzz2tiXlaOZCGcCIgOeYooZlsAz/s4032/PXL_20201103_010920320.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHkkjB4cXSjhVAXMhtMtUAj72V0nauD5Ht1JZV5klx3hFAd-IOX1QlTnHu0Db-QY64kIfKy9o5ddL6ljbvH6rCLBfUuj0hDeuY-ziOOxO07dzz2tiXlaOZCGcCIgOeYooZlsAz/w480-h640/PXL_20201103_010920320.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-35916627475618794322020-11-02T23:00:00.002-08:002020-11-03T12:06:19.378-08:00Sunset Series: November 1, 2020<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_5D4uwx9KrQiVNVoARRT0Bw4JpAiLMOiH2_37kfYo6Qwe2RimT5Y0U9yMm9n-I4FXov0PMnsRi8f-RNcguGNNqfJ_N0EiDpcmsdUZEEsOECSczhUWpME3BEvqiDK0p148R_q/s4032/PXL_20201102_003320393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_5D4uwx9KrQiVNVoARRT0Bw4JpAiLMOiH2_37kfYo6Qwe2RimT5Y0U9yMm9n-I4FXov0PMnsRi8f-RNcguGNNqfJ_N0EiDpcmsdUZEEsOECSczhUWpME3BEvqiDK0p148R_q/w480-h640/PXL_20201102_003320393.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-85795998133934684132020-11-02T14:18:00.007-08:002020-11-02T14:34:15.200-08:00So... We did a thing.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcS6Az5KogvJoxlio0YQDmxHiEWevYohRLuFRo3p8lzxD4c71GyA9t2wFevBkjO3isqllx77bF5xP-oWkj_s9wVA4OwXdkJVYpV3yYyBRs4KiaQQrftHLtTMFyg7RTYzTssQtn/s4032/PXL_20201102_005247845.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcS6Az5KogvJoxlio0YQDmxHiEWevYohRLuFRo3p8lzxD4c71GyA9t2wFevBkjO3isqllx77bF5xP-oWkj_s9wVA4OwXdkJVYpV3yYyBRs4KiaQQrftHLtTMFyg7RTYzTssQtn/s320/PXL_20201102_005247845.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Hola desde Mexico! Frank and I decided to make lemonade out of this lemon of a year. Or would it be a margarita from a lime? New things to ponder, but I digress.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We've talked about living abroad for ages. When Frank was cleared to work from home for the rest of the year we spotted an opportunity to snowbird in La Paz. It's felt most like home during our travels, after all. Plus, I've been telling Frank for what seems like years, now, that Vegas winters have gotten to be too cold for me... Well, the stars aligned, here we are, testing out life in Mexico for two months. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">We'll return home after the new year. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">We rented an Airbnb a couple blocks off the malecon, we opted to drive our truck down, we left Las Vegas on Friday and arrived in La Paz before the NFL games kicked off on Sunday. Frank will take meetings as needed. I committed to no more than 20 hours per week for my consulting gig. My plan is to use the extra free time to improve my Spanish, focus on hobbies, get back into and form better habits. It is much needed; this year has been extremely hectic. It's often felt impossible to get it "all done" so I welcome this time to slow down. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Bear with me, as I learn to all the new updates blogger has made. </span></p>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-13079347372353734592020-10-29T15:19:00.002-07:002020-10-29T15:21:27.476-07:00Circa Opens<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3d2EaxFADuJLJwZFogWBQhPeHGcB478aEvhxyG0GypuAPBpF2T4SmVX6gXhESJRX1w3ApLnGqdhuNsD5yQO2C59BDDNR7EYJxcFRB8VF_AGrmBO64kcQk0ExmorfWHW43wn7V/s4032/PXL_20201029_034913900.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3d2EaxFADuJLJwZFogWBQhPeHGcB478aEvhxyG0GypuAPBpF2T4SmVX6gXhESJRX1w3ApLnGqdhuNsD5yQO2C59BDDNR7EYJxcFRB8VF_AGrmBO64kcQk0ExmorfWHW43wn7V/s320/PXL_20201029_034913900.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Not even a pandemic can keep me from welcoming the newest kid on the block. Though, I did miss the celebrations at midnight. It was beyond my bedtime - damn! It's hell getting old! - and, if I'm honest, I felt it was beyond my comfort level for risk of COVID.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyhow, we still stepped foot in the multi-level beaut on opening day. I had to see where my favorite neon cowgirl calls home. <div><br /></div><div>We parked in the garage and wandered the property for an hour ($4/hour for parking). To gain entrance, we had our temperature taken before we could proceed to security to be carded. The property is restricted to 21+ to enhance the experience. The wait was short on our arrival, but the line to enter was lengthy upon our departure.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Fb9ABMmhgYK_ChuxO3odBpo7GT6pZnWuciwtl4Xk5EnP-eDXjiS9si9zeNYZ-5PwdDaNndTPU0-cz6jGvg8hZBHg3SS3rbQ2XMpMgATCytzk3qAeRCzC4jSm3TFwe4H4SAnp/s4032/PXL_20201029_035556836.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Fb9ABMmhgYK_ChuxO3odBpo7GT6pZnWuciwtl4Xk5EnP-eDXjiS9si9zeNYZ-5PwdDaNndTPU0-cz6jGvg8hZBHg3SS3rbQ2XMpMgATCytzk3qAeRCzC4jSm3TFwe4H4SAnp/s320/PXL_20201029_035556836.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPwg5aufe-As2I9RWNS4qJSWkSRcP5rcm_kcFlwYmgJqOzdYGX5A2w0ZoC1UOUg2bdI22dhyi3b9PynKhpr82kDfPrwAI2acX2Uf2KxS5VM_IQKkCVUFVdOwa92v4VtxXbiNT/s4032/PXL_20201029_032137064.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPwg5aufe-As2I9RWNS4qJSWkSRcP5rcm_kcFlwYmgJqOzdYGX5A2w0ZoC1UOUg2bdI22dhyi3b9PynKhpr82kDfPrwAI2acX2Uf2KxS5VM_IQKkCVUFVdOwa92v4VtxXbiNT/s320/PXL_20201029_032137064.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc71gLJZ45twTfY2tFh8UFp1AhaMj271lMZoqQUk7jlJLXG5nr4NvPyRB5P3hoSziXq4CvUC4dvaRaSxZTVNuo-U_BOGUYdJqrpoBHULhBRIaT1eik81JFsdyB9tNiJuGXcKFf/s4032/PXL_20201029_035609473.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc71gLJZ45twTfY2tFh8UFp1AhaMj271lMZoqQUk7jlJLXG5nr4NvPyRB5P3hoSziXq4CvUC4dvaRaSxZTVNuo-U_BOGUYdJqrpoBHULhBRIaT1eik81JFsdyB9tNiJuGXcKFf/s320/PXL_20201029_035609473.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWa_LsRfPlgpOCDmH_yx1tQcw3Eh8h6rr4RBghBXhfkaiQJmr-rgDJP3HQ-iMuOSUwGS4UovYZ5ByHJ9exHjGr_d6lq_JfldHMG2KU21fjsDJKKvS45zZ-llE6nq-W3qx8yUx5/s4032/PXL_20201029_034428562.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWa_LsRfPlgpOCDmH_yx1tQcw3Eh8h6rr4RBghBXhfkaiQJmr-rgDJP3HQ-iMuOSUwGS4UovYZ5ByHJ9exHjGr_d6lq_JfldHMG2KU21fjsDJKKvS45zZ-llE6nq-W3qx8yUx5/s320/PXL_20201029_034428562.jpg" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-FlGLfxtYvRE4W0UfLgxyYLegsa9WUWMOxiJLVuXJzae9azurDsyhPIPdb1TNQJNPoVSLQx475KLia7NOxcv6ahVdcrKX45xzzpXxbVo3pibQTM2RdG_-2V7S8TgWpqPDk5i/s4032/PXL_20201029_033255207.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-FlGLfxtYvRE4W0UfLgxyYLegsa9WUWMOxiJLVuXJzae9azurDsyhPIPdb1TNQJNPoVSLQx475KLia7NOxcv6ahVdcrKX45xzzpXxbVo3pibQTM2RdG_-2V7S8TgWpqPDk5i/s320/PXL_20201029_033255207.jpg" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>There is no doubt the sportsbook is the centerpiece! The video wall is a stunner.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzIb0uPe6mCo9sc2J2i67rEb9GjMcMUJAPfSvJ4RvJFEa7y7SqArr4T3pdieES-dWVfUorE1D7wq7owv9Nor_ZkOLLpBvjUAWwpRhkwoTHmsZvIMVVmw1ZJDLBdqIy6rQlQdR/s4032/PXL_20201029_033041474.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzIb0uPe6mCo9sc2J2i67rEb9GjMcMUJAPfSvJ4RvJFEa7y7SqArr4T3pdieES-dWVfUorE1D7wq7owv9Nor_ZkOLLpBvjUAWwpRhkwoTHmsZvIMVVmw1ZJDLBdqIy6rQlQdR/s320/PXL_20201029_033041474.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_8UoYvEra805aBJqs7IT0L69jCuRWSidb3TP5_6IyFTABUATQxrWIHbhjh48EVnEFGhTOSIgVD6BhYpSBLxeEDjfJh_CZpaWwG5atJESaeIx3OlvTxlpr7qIHYoL0-I58pNV/s4032/PXL_20201029_033825033.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_8UoYvEra805aBJqs7IT0L69jCuRWSidb3TP5_6IyFTABUATQxrWIHbhjh48EVnEFGhTOSIgVD6BhYpSBLxeEDjfJh_CZpaWwG5atJESaeIx3OlvTxlpr7qIHYoL0-I58pNV/s320/PXL_20201029_033825033.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8ntBnNIl_-hZXHGwPILqQNf4XovjhTkup9WGSUCEkxbYcdxFlkjdX9MiVO_mdtMziw9p-e2Y78a0_KkKLub85t_-QQqF3BUEWrust2N6HObH8mX9KDs-27dGyegTLfFWZWyS/s4032/PXL_20201029_033339915.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8ntBnNIl_-hZXHGwPILqQNf4XovjhTkup9WGSUCEkxbYcdxFlkjdX9MiVO_mdtMziw9p-e2Y78a0_KkKLub85t_-QQqF3BUEWrust2N6HObH8mX9KDs-27dGyegTLfFWZWyS/s320/PXL_20201029_033339915.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkStGTj9-C4L9ACTe-meJyUBeBiF_U9souv_V642n3QRgiO2h7sTRUHl9fM6UkB8YcQwKVNxAMEWtJpafigVlx2cUtkFKEO_HaEJ1lhyDbhKKuVGqwPNeMAu7EWj8XKShnBDG/s4032/PXL_20201029_033159724.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkStGTj9-C4L9ACTe-meJyUBeBiF_U9souv_V642n3QRgiO2h7sTRUHl9fM6UkB8YcQwKVNxAMEWtJpafigVlx2cUtkFKEO_HaEJ1lhyDbhKKuVGqwPNeMAu7EWj8XKShnBDG/s320/PXL_20201029_033159724.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">My personal favorite aspects are The Mega Bar and the return of Vegas Vickie. And I dig the casino floor vents that really do a phenomenal job of filtering the cigarette smoke in the air. This was my first time in a casino since February, I should have been extremely sensitive to the smoke from not having been around it in ages, but it wasn't bothersome and I didn't leave reeking of smoke.</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVrjIZX7Pvt4nQr-1rqxNqphdJtLkFHnXNTcH8RuH_5SnhSXlOHFS9RrqmcPajSlu79-28tZsg2dmw08AkLO4gVd8QbefXJFvGK09DefDuC4tcuUIjLOtMGkyjsToMTupmTAd/s4032/PXL_20201029_034025506.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVrjIZX7Pvt4nQr-1rqxNqphdJtLkFHnXNTcH8RuH_5SnhSXlOHFS9RrqmcPajSlu79-28tZsg2dmw08AkLO4gVd8QbefXJFvGK09DefDuC4tcuUIjLOtMGkyjsToMTupmTAd/s320/PXL_20201029_034025506.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRkWD0pfiThQUl8jb05UURw4F8k3HrAeRwugCnQeFwXvX4crmefDgS4W6haq5FjNzOC_550GlJ4uuFyXUErj7sl9bjdbOqlMzko-dthRE6x4bM14UFfVzRrn_clAirOM98J9t/s4032/PXL_20201029_034335054.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqRkWD0pfiThQUl8jb05UURw4F8k3HrAeRwugCnQeFwXvX4crmefDgS4W6haq5FjNzOC_550GlJ4uuFyXUErj7sl9bjdbOqlMzko-dthRE6x4bM14UFfVzRrn_clAirOM98J9t/s320/PXL_20201029_034335054.jpg" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UJcvGBBMNUaaCi0ET255Lp1vxbzEaRN45dY4uwWP4ymjBQnrmH18O6IsJQpj3FNp5rdZp-ymeE5T50Wc5vNFeAPM-Bttx1L8HXkQVPgIvS6M_cmYcf6mc6rIna6kyc_gLn1d/s4032/PXL_20201029_035126122.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UJcvGBBMNUaaCi0ET255Lp1vxbzEaRN45dY4uwWP4ymjBQnrmH18O6IsJQpj3FNp5rdZp-ymeE5T50Wc5vNFeAPM-Bttx1L8HXkQVPgIvS6M_cmYcf6mc6rIna6kyc_gLn1d/s320/PXL_20201029_035126122.jpg" /></a><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw0Wzu3xJJiD3kz4vyNWi3c5Y9WmsqgYAiod17JLoB4PAckhfRRyXwUhuLgLZf_T0SXSCnPtdb_fA6gqWOEmDLKuWUux_kEkfO91xqW2E7Cg5-qmeKnCLzgHRGanparI-yebf/s4032/PXL_20201029_034054701.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpw0Wzu3xJJiD3kz4vyNWi3c5Y9WmsqgYAiod17JLoB4PAckhfRRyXwUhuLgLZf_T0SXSCnPtdb_fA6gqWOEmDLKuWUux_kEkfO91xqW2E7Cg5-qmeKnCLzgHRGanparI-yebf/s320/PXL_20201029_034054701.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ceBQi08ek7e5azdmhVH78sYRQWBCDETwELEQpnZO7EZCNZQj96zy0vOhXtV7p1MsEpXXTYuLY9zfFq53v9ePs8FkvpjEj9cW1I1TBg-SNFQAOgG4qpW1oL1ly1BeseHSXZle/s4032/PXL_20201029_034212220.jpg" style="clear: left; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEFB-QYG1Kx-y6NP5mLzmfpW-tqsxydIXAsxNRGSgAVYtN7Lw3lMaIeNGVkcqPh-WQrrGdKxbtkUwG1ou-6hlodKZsO7HFc4wCbucZ6pE-fZRiGI8vUgQ7XV1407miMpksJOE/s4032/PXL_20201029_035013774.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEFB-QYG1Kx-y6NP5mLzmfpW-tqsxydIXAsxNRGSgAVYtN7Lw3lMaIeNGVkcqPh-WQrrGdKxbtkUwG1ou-6hlodKZsO7HFc4wCbucZ6pE-fZRiGI8vUgQ7XV1407miMpksJOE/s320/PXL_20201029_035013774.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ixwNnva0CxYfb134ziayEcgifayGJUgLeCcUr3sRzuxeODynEC0bCcaGBc7pytl_YC_PUVPhT1HhfcO8HW7OJv3Rhl5EHTIw9jMvLFWWr1lSkhQFfuSXxC1gtjabXS30xSpQ/s4032/PXL_20201029_035119130.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ixwNnva0CxYfb134ziayEcgifayGJUgLeCcUr3sRzuxeODynEC0bCcaGBc7pytl_YC_PUVPhT1HhfcO8HW7OJv3Rhl5EHTIw9jMvLFWWr1lSkhQFfuSXxC1gtjabXS30xSpQ/s320/PXL_20201029_035119130.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The hotel is not scheduled to open until late-December so all banks of elevators are off limits. I'm told guests of the D can access Circa Swim until the hotel welcomes guests. On our visit, it was $10 per person to gain admission to the pool area. I wasn't interested in forking over the cash. I am certain it is an experience like no other. I'm hopeful to attend a Golden Knights Watch Party sometime in the future.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-75978732372208810292020-04-08T23:25:00.000-07:002020-04-09T12:09:28.066-07:00I'd Like to CancelI am sure I am not the only one looking to cancel this three month trial of 2020! I mean, golly gee willikers!! Who saw this coming?! I, for fact, did NOT! Holy shit! I was ill prepared. We traveled every weekend of 2020 until March hit. I also avoid stores like the plague - ahem, COVID - from Thanksgiving... until Valentine's day. When the virus hit, I had zero supply of toilet paper or paper towels, I was down to the last of my Clorox Wipes. bleach and hand soap. All are items, I buy -- I don't know? Quarterly?? Honestly, it's nothing I've ever given thought to before. You bet, I will, <i>now! </i><br />
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I've been asked what do you think you'll be doing after this is over? Honestly, I was never a fan or people or crowds; I was social distancing before it had a name, and I'm a bit of a germaphobe - so, on that front, it has been an easy transition. I want to get back to traveling ASAP, I'd like to think a future of working remotely is possible. And, why didn't I try grocery delivery sooner?<br />
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But preparing meals twice a day?! Now, that is much harder. And my goodness, how do I fill the dishwasher daily? We only have two of us, here? Quarantine math does not compute. Frank and I are both working from home and laundry is still a tale told by the never ending story. I really have no reason to complain, though. I have a home with a backyard; windows that open, etc. My heart goes out to those that are truly cooped up, waiting for their turn in an elevator. Note to self: Scratch high-rise living off my wish list.<br />
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On a slightly similar note; My sister, man, she is astounding! She is holed up in a house of five with one bathroom and no dishwasher. She's also been left unemployed - unless you can add teacher, chef, etc. to her resume. She is showing up everyday, dressed and hair styled. I cannot say the same for myself. I have not worn a bra in three weeks. Anyone else up for a game of quarantine confessions? No? Okay, moving on...<br />
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It's been so eerie; here, in Vegas, I'm sure it is - everywhere, but especially, so, here - I've never seen the casinos close. Frank and I have gone out for two date nights - quarantine style - by simply cruising down the strip on Saturday night.<br />
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I've celebrated my 40th birthday and my 23rd year with Frank since our self inflicted house arrest. My family found ways to spoil me despite quarantine life and Frank and I have learned that there are always uncharted waters to navigate, and new experiences to share - even, after, all these years. I vowed to never feed him to tigers; like that bitch, Carole Baskin. Have you seen that train wreck? I mean no one would have watched it if it wasn't for Corona Life - but I think that might just be the most perplexing part of all of this, how in the eff? Did that disaster unite us??? Maybe, Joe Exotic for President, after all.<br />
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<br />Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-88779930375092592402020-02-11T04:00:00.000-08:002020-02-12T06:56:13.287-08:00February, At Last!Was January not the longest month in history?! I've never so happy to welcome February. It shouldn't have been bad. We traveled each and every weekend; making every attempt to dodge the cold. Unfortunately, it follows us everywhere we go.<br />
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Laughlin seemed like a good way to kick off the 2020 travels. We had a nice time, but brrr! I don't think we've ever felt it so cold. Thankfully, the machines were warmer. I was able to break even after a long run playing video poker.<br />
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The following weekend we tried our luck in San Diego. It was sunny, but cool. We ran across the border chasing the sun, but winter was there too. At least, tacos make everything better. We also snuck in one last visit to Con Pane Bakery. When, we were noshing on the best damn sandwiches (Italian on Rosemary and PB&J) and cinnamon bun known to man we had no idea it would be the last. They closed permanently two days later. The news was devastating! I'm so glad we got one last taste.<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/California/San-Diego-Jan-2019/i-XfhTZkt/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/California/San-Diego-Jan-2019/i-XfhTZkt/0/c252b807/S/IMG_20200111_115410-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/California/San-Diego-Jan-2019/i-VmJJqPj/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/California/San-Diego-Jan-2019/i-VmJJqPj/0/11bcd6d4/S/IMG_20200111_125507-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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The third weekend of January, we were back in Mexico. This time we drove down to San Felipe, we met Frank's family in El Centro. They flew in from Chicago, and would stay at his uncle's house in El Dorado Ranch. We rented an Airbnb nearby. We stopped for lunch in Mexicali on the way. We've been told the Chinese food is amazing. Who would have thought that, but it's true. It was fantastic. I love the twist and fusions too like limes on the table; avocado or chorizo in the fried rice. The flavors were spot on, but somehow, brighter, with farm fresh produce. It was a delight, and a must stop on all future trips.<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Mexico/BAJA/San-Felipe-MX-Jan-2020/i-SMTpNdz/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Mexico/BAJA/San-Felipe-MX-Jan-2020/i-SMTpNdz/0/6074baa3/S/IMG_20200117_113357-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Mexico/BAJA/San-Felipe-MX-Jan-2020/i-sL6VPTk/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Mexico/BAJA/San-Felipe-MX-Jan-2020/i-sL6VPTk/0/982cda8b/S/83031245_3140081346006166_3269269336950308864_o-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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We had nice visit with his mom, Dennis, aunt and uncle. We grabbed bites at all our favorites, we discovered, Restaurant Toro; a new (to us) diner with killer breakfast and revisited the Valle de Gigantes. It's too beautiful not to repeat and it was neat to show Dennis. Living in KY, he's not seen anything quite like it.<br />
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The next weekend we traveled to Austin. Frontier was offering dirt cheap fares we could not refuse. When the drinks on board cost more than the flight itself how can one refuse? Plus, BBQ. I mean there is no arm twisting here. Better yet, I snagged my favorite hotel - the Fairmont - on Hotwire. Sometimes the stars just align. We were also able to meet up friends from Chicago and grab a bite with Frank's coworker born and raised in Austin. We gorged ourselves silly on brisket, links and ribs. Smoked turkey and Frito Pie can be included in the lot. No matter how often we visit I am still stunned by the sheer number of BBQ joints and shocked by how many are outstanding. We are always on a quest to try them all.<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Texas/Austin-2020/i-DxKPpS7/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Texas/Austin-2020/i-DxKPpS7/0/c8edb732/S/IMG_20200125_121121-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Texas/Austin-2020/i-97g3Wgf/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Texas/Austin-2020/i-97g3Wgf/0/be1009a8/S/IMG_20200125_192313-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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This time a dent was made by trying Terry Black's and La Valentina. We revisited old favorites like Rudy's, Cooper's and Stile Switch. And to further prove that kismet exists and we are meant to be happy, our favorite whiskey bar in Los Angeles is now open is Austin too. But wait for it... Seven Grand is connected to a Mezcaleria... by a cigar friendly patio. It could not have been more perfect. Although, we did kick a dead rat on the way back so do not be mislead I am not able paint a complete picture of perfection. Curious, though, is that bad luck or good luck since it's the year of the rat? I guess we'll see how the year pans out. For now, I'll default to my belief that there is an ebb and flow to all things. The universe, included. To further prove the notion, winter followed us to Texas too. Pity was taken on us on our last day. The sun shined and offered hope that warmer days are ahead. I soaked up every last drop!<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Texas/Austin-2020/i-pxrbqsf/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Texas/Austin-2020/i-pxrbqsf/0/90961fd1/S/IMG_20200125_155250-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Texas/Austin-2020/i-jNWXcLM/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Texas/Austin-2020/i-jNWXcLM/0/4d943627/S/IMG_20200125_155324-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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January concluded with a trip to the south. We thought we'd be welcomed with sunshine and warmer temperatures than home but the joke was on us. A cold front met us in New Orleans and hung around for the entire Superbowl weekend in both MS and AL. I mean we experienced cooler than normal temps in three states; only to return home to a cold blast. It dropped 30 degrees in 24 hours. Dust off the hot hands. Winter isn't over yet.<br />
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Fairhope, Alabama<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Alabama/Fairhope-AL/i-CrfcSKb/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Alabama/Fairhope-AL/i-CrfcSKb/0/e7a75040/S/IMG_20200131_151529-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Alabama/Fairhope-AL/i-LZKkXdt/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Alabama/Fairhope-AL/i-LZKkXdt/0/08ba1595/S/IMG_20200131_154709_1-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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Mobile, Alabama<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Alabama/AL/i-F9rwGTc/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Alabama/AL/i-F9rwGTc/0/15d93703/S/IMG_20200131_142759-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Alabama/AL/i-j9JTkHN/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Alabama/AL/i-j9JTkHN/0/da96348d/S/IMG_20200131_185842-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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New Orleans, Louisana<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-8s9kGFC/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-8s9kGFC/0/9499c637/S/IMG_20200129_162339-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-DTnMw7D/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-DTnMw7D/0/90b34fd3/S/IMG_20200129_162820-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-rnhcpzf/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-rnhcpzf/0/5f1231fd/S/IMG_20200129_170652-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-pzR346m/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-pzR346m/0/b5339f88/S/IMG_20200129_181530-S.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-kDVW865/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Louisiana/New-Orleans-/i-kDVW865/0/c35c4ce5/S/IMG_20200203_132611_1-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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Biloxi, Mississippi<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-tZ5hRTG/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-tZ5hRTG/0/0f2e5ee0/S/IMG_20200130_133019-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-jjBwCTM/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-jjBwCTM/0/bd403adb/S/IMG_20200130_115302-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-XLvJb8f/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-XLvJb8f/0/1670b486/S/IMG_20200130_155640-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-mB9fks6/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississipp i/Biloxi-2020-/i-mB9fks6/0/d855935f/S/IMG_20200201_121814-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-46XqGMh/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-46XqGMh/0/aabcf5ce/S/IMG_20200201_212039-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-vjL7qLK/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-vjL7qLK/0/803e0ce8/S/IMG_20200201_200615-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-bHz7527/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/United-States/Mississippi/Biloxi-2020-/i-bHz7527/0/9733c1b1/S/IMG_20200131_224231-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-10550701703946682292020-02-06T04:00:00.000-08:002020-02-06T04:00:06.518-08:00Once in a Lifetime<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't get the rest I so desperately craved. My slumber was disturbed by a 2AM fire alarm. There was no announcement stating it was only a drill. I quickly dressed, grabbed my passport and met the other guests in the lobby. Thankfully, it was a false alarm. Apparently, it happens fairly regularly too because guests try to sneak a smoke in their room - opening the window isn't enough to stop the alarm. I felt they should have opened the honesty bar to us to quell the adrenaline. There was zero chance I was falling back to sleep. I kept routine and planned my day.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-PH2g3PT/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-PH2g3PT/0/9159f509/S/IMG_20191117_102534-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3BpdHNd/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3BpdHNd/0/79ca8f52/S/IMG_20191117_102525-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-tmwfhks/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-tmwfhks/0/ad7e436a/S/IMG_20191117_103312-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Since it was Sunday, it only
seemed natural to go to church. First stop was Notre Dame. It's a shame about
the fire. It maintains my record of a major attraction undergoing repairs. At
least the exterior wasn't shrouded in facade or scaffolding. I hear Notre Dame
had more tourists than the Eiffel Tower which is pretty remarkable.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Next, I walked over to Saint Chappell. It
might not be as famous but it is still quite beautiful. I purchased a skip the
line pass, but it was totally </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">unnecessary</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">. It was a
cloudy morning on my visit but the stained glass was still stunning.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-JQ3qswc/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-JQ3qswc/0/f0651ced/S/IMG_20191117_104302-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3LLN7mZ/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3LLN7mZ/0/1e9ff486/S/IMG_20191117_105116-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-DJVkdbc/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-DJVkdbc/0/dd1ef776/S/IMG_20191117_104539-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3nTVdGL/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3nTVdGL/0/e81388d3/S/IMG_20191117_104723-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-4W8rGNp/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-4W8rGNp/0/441ba2e7/S/IMG_20191117_105242-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-nWvcfkg/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-nWvcfkg/0/03c4d9c4/S/IMG_20191117_105346_1-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-hsC6w7c/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-hsC6w7c/0/afd80708/S/IMG_20191117_105426-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-sJcMhDv/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-sJcMhDv/0/f767a520/S/IMG_20191117_110125-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-m4RSkRw/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-m4RSkRw/0/e00108c8/S/IMG_20191117_110217-S.jpg" /></a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I also purchased a
skip the line pass for the Arc de Triomphe. Google showed the route only taking
15 minutes by train. However, little did I know that metro and RER closures
continued throughout the city due to the yellow vest anniversary. It took two hours
to get to the Arc de Triomphe only to find it closed. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-R8hzGK4/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-R8hzGK4/0/dfcc9bc4/S/IMG_20191117_130218-S.jpg" /></a> </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-SXdDZsx/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-SXdDZsx/0/d4bcc2de/S/IMG_20191117_125844-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Police were searching anyone with a back pack. Traffic down </span>Champs-Élysées <span style="font-size: 11pt;">was halted due to random searches and even by foot I was redirected.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-QZ4BF6R/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-QZ4BF6R/0/ac65492d/S/IMG_20191117_144623-S.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I had time to kill
before my Eiffel Tower skip the line tour with guide. So, I opened up the Fork app in search of lunch. I was led to La Marée. The reviews were solid and I
received a discount. I ordered the </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">bouillabaisse</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> I was all about trying as many
classic French dishes as possible. It was good, not great. Cioppino will always be closer to my heart. I finished the meal with the largest dessert I've ever
seen. I made a dent but finishing it was out of the question.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-Q9zX69q/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-Q9zX69q/0/50a97779/S/IMG_20191117_133425-S.jpg" /></a> </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3T35pbc/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3T35pbc/0/b3c03c87/S/IMG_20191117_140544-S.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I walked to the
Eiffel Tower Tour office a bit early</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">in
hopes that they'd accommodate me. They tried to upsell me to a summit visit a
bit later than my scheduled tour, it was only 10€ more so there was value to be
had, but I refused due to other plans. I was told to return closer to my 4:15PM reservation. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-cbXPJZn/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-cbXPJZn/0/c00ca19d/S/IMG_20191117_150857-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-mrqDFcq/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-mrqDFcq/0/86a27159/S/IMG_20191117_150903-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-XfZ5Jj8/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-XfZ5Jj8/0/2fd6ebfe/S/IMG_20191117_151043-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I went to a nearby bistro for a glass of wine to pass the time. It
fit the bill perfectly. I was able to join the group departing at 4pm. The
guide shared many details that I had already known. However, she also pointed
out the Louis Vuitton Fondation. Which is a museum designed by one of my
favorite architects, Frank Gehry. It was immediately added to my must visit
list. After the tour, the guide set us free to explore. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-f3MtSQt/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-f3MtSQt/0/f82a50dc/S/IMG_20191117_163228-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-WZsC73S/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-WZsC73S/0/baf5fc8d/S/IMG_20191117_163827-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-P4TNb5W/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-P4TNb5W/0/2a63c7f1/S/IMG_20191117_163833-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-9r83cH6/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-9r83cH6/0/b3e523c1/S/IMG_20191117_164812-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-P6GS3mn/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-P6GS3mn/0/b67a0d69/S/IMG_20191117_165438-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I hung out on the tower
til sunset </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">in case</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> mother nature decided to put on an impressive display. It
never dazzled so I bailed to see the hourly light show from Tracadero Park. I
ended up stopping short, at the Siene River; the view was spot on.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="640" scrolling="no" src="https://api.smugmug.com/services/embed/8965405264_ssrHHf4?width=360&height=640&albumId=200680136&albumKey=Jshrbn" width="360"></iframe></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Plus, I
figured Uber would be easy to catch from the carousel. I had to get to La
Maroquinerie for a Stick Figure concert and knowing the disaster train service
had been all weekend, I wanted to avoid it altogether. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After securing an
Uber I was on my way to the venue. I sent my ride to Frank, I was solo, my
driver spoke no English. Since I was stranded and exposed to tear gas the day
before; If I had learned anything, it was that havoc was possible at any turn.
Fortunately, I arrived without incident despite a few road closures and even
more close calls. A reminder I never want to drive in Paris.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-TZCDkCW/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-TZCDkCW/0/e3d1db52/S/IMG_20191117_190344-S.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I joined the line
outside La Maroquinerie. Frank questioned if I was in the right place. I
doubted it myself until I saw the sign welcoming Stick Figure. Doors opened and
we had free reign. Had I not been solo I could have secured a spot front and
center. My thirst got the best of me and I went in search of a water and beer.
There was no coat check so I was pleased I brought my packable jacket
especially since it was already warm before bodies filled the space. I was able
to roll it up and tie it onto my purse so I would not lose it. </span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-czwqKX5/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-czwqKX5/0/4af73543/S/IMG_20191117_192556-S.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The venue is
described as a sweatbox, it did not take long to learn why. I also quickly
discovered why perfume is so popular in France... Though deodorant should be.
It was not the ideal situation for those of us that are vertically challenged.
That said, it was so worth while. Stench and all. No one in the place spoke
English. Then, Stick Figure took the stage and the sold out joint sang word for
word in unison, with more accuracy and enthusiasm I have ever encountered in
the states.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-RHJD9DM/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-RHJD9DM/0/0fc7672c/S/IMG_20191117_210713-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-9HwLWs8/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-9HwLWs8/0/c6ec8b5a/S/IMG_20191117_215413-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-dfj47Nr/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-dfj47Nr/0/22a3e007/S/IMG_20191117_222303-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-wSdmzXS/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Stick-Figure-Paris-/Stick-Figure-Paris-/i-wSdmzXS/0/3025f62b/S/IMG_20191117_222340-S.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Beforehand, I was
fortunate to meet Stick Family. The moniker given to fans on Facebook. It was
the only English I heard before Stick took the stage. It was incredibly cool to
meet people from all over that we brought together by the love of music. Once in
a Lifetime. Actually... I hope not! Truly, the experience, only encouraged me to
travel outside the US to see my favorite bands. Also, don't hesitate to attend
a show solo. Sure, there is no one to hold your spot, but it definitely has its
perks too. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.</span></div>
<br />Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-13654590797431863152020-02-04T04:00:00.000-08:002020-02-04T04:00:02.445-08:00A Date with my Friend, Mona.<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">Sleep did not come easily in Paris; the routine became to catch up with everyone back home, wind down
and force myself to get shut eye around 2am. I'd sleep 3-4 hours at best. In the
wee hours, I'd plan my day, purchase tickets, read restaurant reviews, etc.</span><br />
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11pt;">This morning, I was starved and
sought out a little café across from Luxumbourg Gardens named Au Petit Suisse. I had a cappuccino and
a croque madame. It hit the spot. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-gMDTTG6/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-gMDTTG6/0/cac34478/S/IMG_20191116_084512-S.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-5HkFT4m/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-5HkFT4m/0/6383ede7/S/IMG_20191116_084858-S.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Belly full, I wandered the </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">Luxembourg</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> gardens. The fall
colors were lovely.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-Ptp89qg/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-Ptp89qg/0/996458fb/S/IMG_20191116_092615-S.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-GKnHbsb/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-GKnHbsb/0/bacfce90/S/IMG_20191116_092735-S.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-9vMN4kQ/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-9vMN4kQ/0/4a5065c1/S/IMG_20191116_093408-S.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-RbJSrLG/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-RbJSrLG/0/b136a9c0/S/IMG_20191116_094512-S.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next, I decided to
see Sacre Coeur. The route I was given was unpleasant. When I arrived at the Chateau Rouge Metro stop, I was on edge. The surroundings were intimidating; I pressed on hoping for improvement. Surfacing street level did not change things. I was
overwhelmed by the activity. I did not feel comfortable so I took the train
back to Gare Nord. My instincts were not wrong according to reviews on Google (many have been robbed) and it was noted to avoid this route and take the Anvers station instead.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I tried to find an
alternative route, but Google failed to provide directions to anywhere via public transit- it continuously offered
Uber. It didn't seem like a feasible option. My frustration grew and I looked for
anything on the map that was familiar.; traveling by foot seemed like the best option... at least, I was on the move. I found Pink Mamma on the map and opted to walk 20 minutes from
Gare Nord via Boulevard de la Chappelle. I don't recommend this route either, but it seemed to be the best alternative. I walked with purpose and ignored
hawkers and made my way through the crowd.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After the Barbes - Rochechouart <span style="font-size: 11pt;">street market (under the Metro line), there was an odd smell in the air. Everyone
coming toward me had their faces covered with scarves. As I continued onward,
my eyes, nose and throat began to burn. It took a minute to register - tear
gas! By the next block, I was certain it was tear gas.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">To the south, you could see a huge crowd and insane police
presence. I'd later learn that there were protests all over the city for the yellow
vest anniversary. This stopped trains and forced closures through Sunday.
Fortunately, I was a safe distance away, and the further I walked the air cleared. Approaching Pigalle Ave, I felt I could finally
breathe.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> The red light district</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> was a</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">little seedy with strip clubs, massage and
sex shops, but tourists walked the streets and the tear gas no longer lingered.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-XFp74ZS/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-XFp74ZS/0/977a04a3/S/IMG_20191116_151141-S.jpg" /></a> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-HXcRf5j/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-HXcRf5j/0/854c3ab4/S/IMG_20191116_145807-S.jpg" /></a> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was relieved to
arrive at Pink Mamma. It was quite the journey. I was able to walk in and be
seated at the counter on the third floor. There are perks to being solo. Before
seeing the menu, I knew I'd be having the truffle pasta. One of the dishes they
are most known for. I also enjoyed a well deserved glass of wine. The pasta was
a perfect al dente. It was good, but honestly, I thought the dish was a little
light on truffle flavor. Typically, I find dishes completely intoxicating even
when it is only truffle oil used. This was very mild. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-RsMWxZn/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-RsMWxZn/0/d86db067/S/IMG_20191116_145816-S.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-tN2mRv5/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-tN2mRv5/0/35ae825d/S/IMG_20191116_142126-S.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Train schedules were
still unclear. I opted to walk to the Louvre. Again, it took longer than
expected. Crowds were diverted by a huge group of police.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-PwdFK9F/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-PwdFK9F/0/9d18efb5/S/IMG_20191116_161118-S.jpg" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-7DjbXvn/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-7DjbXvn/0/5d5aa1e9/S/IMG_20191116_160000-S.jpg" /></a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I had trouble
finding the pyramid at the Louvre. Imagine that - something so iconic hiding in
plain sight I was so annoyed. Time was ticking away and I needed to gain
entry by 4:30 to receive priority. I only had minutes to spare, but I made
it. Phew. Once my ticket was scanned I scoured the wing signage seeking a
bathroom. I had zero success. Defeated; I asked staff and was told to go back to the pyramid. I was not having any luck. I had to exit where my
ticket was just scanned, I had no idea if there was re-entry. I figured there
must be, if you had to leave for toilettes, but I was leery given my luck of late.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-CBJpMQv/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-CBJpMQv/0/5e32fc41/S/IMG_20191116_171320-S.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-MCnq8gR/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-MCnq8gR/0/df067f83/S/IMG_20191116_172716-S.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Fortunately, my pass
was rescanned without issue. I wandered the Richellieu </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">wing taking in the sights and noted
the time. There was only an hour til closing and I had yet to locate the Mona
Lisa. I made it priority and figured I could wander with any time I had left. Scanning
my ticket in the Denon Wing didn't go as smooth. It initially denied access, but
they after reviewing the ticket they waived me on. Mona was easier to locate
than initially thought - just follow the horde. Our meeting was brief, but I saw my girl. Then, I was
able to leisurely stroll until the museum closed. Everyone departing at the
same time led to long queues to exit and the longest lines for the restroom. </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I ended up paying to use the one in the connecting mall's food court. It was the only time it cost me to pee. I planned or timed accordingly otherwise.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3fQp8n7/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-3fQp8n7/0/6ef62e2b/S/IMG_20191116_180801-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-5cFL2nK/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-5cFL2nK/0/0b1d8014/S/IMG_20191116_181356-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">From the Louvre, I wandered the grounds to see the Carrousel Arc de Triomphe and then made my way to Le Relais de</span></span> Entrecôte for traditional steak frites. The dining experience is unique. Queues begin before the doors open, and despite rapidly turning over tables, crowds build during business hours. There is only one question asked immediately upon being seated - How do you want your steak cooked? You can also choose wine: white or red. The rest is streamlined. You'll begin with greens and walnuts and your steak-frites soon follow. You can have a second helping if you choose. The secret is in sauce.<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-hC3dXmX/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-hC3dXmX/0/af55abb6/S/IMG_20191116_202144-S.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-tNKvbrk/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-tNKvbrk/0/b3001130/S/IMG_20191116_191144-S.jpg" /></a> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-gHqVfxQ/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-gHqVfxQ/0/8c8b336e/S/IMG_20191116_193152-S.jpg" /></a></span><br />
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<br /></div>
I walked off my dinner by wandering the neighborhood taking in the sights and sounds of Paris. I retired to the hotel early the events of the day left me weary. I was hopeful for a good night's rest.</div>
<br />Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-21820290048350352072020-01-31T11:48:00.000-08:002020-02-01T10:39:10.089-08:00Truckin'What a long, strange trip it's been! I said to myself, and it was only January 16. This year has had a rather bizarre start. If it's any sign of what's to come in 2020; the only certain thing is to expect the unexpected.<br />
<br />
January 2, I went for my annual exam. All was routine until my doctor felt a lump in my right breast. I left with a referral for an ultrasound and mammogram. The next day, I scheduled the tests for Jan 15. I was sure it was nothing, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I was a tad nervous. Things have been so good.... I know life has an ebb and flow; nothing lasts forever. The good, the bad, it is all temporary. Most days are somewhere in between. I didn't stress, but it was definitely in the back of my mind.<br />
<br />
I'm turning 40 this year so I've not had a mammogram previously. I intentionally did zero research, I did not want to be anxious over it. The technician explained that she'd take a few slides, send them to radiology for review, and then, I'd likely be sent on my way; and the ultrasound might not be necessary. The positions are awkward especially since I'm not blessed in the chest, but it wasn't as painful as my mom had made it sound many moons ago. Perhaps technology has improved things?<br />
<br />
I was set to the waiting room while radiology got familiar with my girls. I was brought back in for a better look and more detailed shots in specific areas. Then, I was shuffled over to ultrasound.<br />
<br />
I'm told to lay on the table; they'll take a few snapshots - easy peasy. She stopped in her tracks and said she'd return; she needed to send slides to radiology for review. Left alone in the room, chilled and exposed it was hard not to think the worst. I mean both scenarios did not go as easy as explained. I'm sure it's nothing... But doesn't everyone have that pep talk in this position? Shit. Plus, there is family history. I decide there and then whatever it is, is beyond my control, and I'll take it as it comes.<br />
<br />
The ultrasound technician returns and takes several more photos and dials into a specific area she listens, records and collects more snapshots. Finally, I'm free to go and I'm told to contact my doctor in 48 hours. I left feeling more concerned than when I entered, but at least I knew they were thorough.<br />
<br />
My heart sank when the doctor's office called the next day. Why so soon?! "Do you have a moment to discuss your test results?" Uh huh... I take deep breath; and her words came so slowly, it felt like eternity. "Your scans had no change." Wait. Huh? This was my first time! There's nothing to compare it to, no change from what? "Oh, I'm sorry. It was clear." Are you sure? I question. "Yes," I'm told. I confirmed some details to be sure.<br />
<br />
I hung up the phone and let out a sigh of relief. It's not lost on me that every day hundreds of people receive the same call, without the all clear. I know how lucky I am.<br />
<br />
Thanks to legislation passed by advocacy groups I learned by letter sent to my home that I have heterogeneously dense breast tissue. This means it is more difficult to detect cancer. A mammogram alone is not an effective screening. Those affected by dense tissue have a higher risk of cancer. I am fortunate to live in a state that requires notice be sent. Otherwise, I would never have known. I had never heard of such a thing. Joys of nearing 40, I suppose.<br />
<br />
On lighter note, there was the whole firing of Coach Gallant. I am still stunned. I come from Chicago, we lose for years and accept it. This was a four game losing streak!<br />
<br />
My initial reaction when Frank shared the news was damn! they mean business! I thought it was shitty to fire them on the road like Gallant experienced before with the Panthers. I did not learn until later that he was being replaced by Boer. I mean... EW! Why our rival?! And the Sharks fired him, why do we want him?! Man, I hope I eat those words. I'm currently processing the stages of grief. The only silver lining I can find is the day we beat the Sharks in the fortress with their former coach or later this season we are lifting the Stanley Cup or at the very least gaining bonus hockey. I don't know the sport without the post season. I like hockey beyond March! Last year was a hard enough pill to swallow.<br />
<br />
I have a long way to go before I reach acceptance.<br />
<br />
Oh, and there's also the fact that my sister is currently providing foster care for an adorable little girl that is 2.5 years old. That's a story for another day. In the meantime, we are taking it as it comes and expecting the unexpected. I am very thankful for good health and life's blessings. Thanks for the mems, Coach Gallant.<br />
<br />Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-52897874108010448952020-01-06T04:00:00.000-08:002020-01-06T04:00:09.510-08:002019: The Year To Thrive For several years, now, I've chosen a word to guide me through the unwritten chapters of the new year.<br />
<br />
Thrive was the theme for 2019. That's just what we did. It was a year of great successes, wonderful memories; and, of course, we traveled a bunch. Most of my yearly recaps also include best bites, but we did not try too many new places. We mostly frequented old haunts, but we had to say goodbye, to yet, another favorite; R.I.P. Cleo (SLS). Though, honorable mentions go to newcomers, Kame and Best Friend. However, the best meal of the year is awarded to Sparrow + Wolf. We dined with a group and ordered nearly the entire menu to split among us. No one left hungry or disappointed. It was outstanding. The bread alone is glorious!<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-Lj8RQjz/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-Lj8RQjz/1/8530cdff/S/20190601_181936-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-NmF4Q9L/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-NmF4Q9L/0/52b68c84/S/20190601_192348-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-XpqsVHc/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-XpqsVHc/0/8ec488b8/S/20190601_185741-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-HqqmL3Z/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-HqqmL3Z/0/ae405858/S/20190601_191039-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-CSFrGqg/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Twist-wolf/i-CSFrGqg/0/c851442b/S/20190601_191357-S.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Our travels took us to California multiple times (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Sonoma). No year is complete without a trip to Tijuana, I mean... Tacos are life. We also gallivanted around our old stomping grounds in the Riviera Maya by playing tour guide to our friends and Frank's family. We also explored new cities like Mérida and Valladolid. We returned to London and Frankfurt, and we wandered Stockholm and Amsterdam. And I roamed Paris. We were warmly welcomed in Fort McMurray. Traversed cities that feel like going home because we have visited so often, such as Austin, Boston, Denver and Phoenix. Then, there is Chicago, our first home. Plus, I can't forget the trip with my family to Netarts on the Oregon Coast. For anyone keeping tally, my travels spanned eight countries, seven states and countless cities. Frank exceeded those numbers crisscrossing the Midwest and east coast. Needless to say we logged many miles. It's a big world, I'm determined to see it. We've only begun to scratch the surface.<br />
<br />
Which leads to my word for 2020... Explore. It's time to turn dreams into plans.<br />
<br />
How about you, do you choose a word to set the tone for the year to come?<br />
<br />Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-72615358867505463992019-12-31T11:17:00.000-08:002019-12-31T11:17:31.578-08:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjc81A3J9LFo4rQWLosPm0UERRGhpFJEZHh_Oc-_b-zu_HRUmkIimqm-w1-5yvBLiCc_lDPccH-R3LCK4oVtJyKqP7a0HQRIN8sfaSXm9lO6HhzLhdfUOXrRn4O_A_r_yrS4X0/s1600/social-curator-12-2019-45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjc81A3J9LFo4rQWLosPm0UERRGhpFJEZHh_Oc-_b-zu_HRUmkIimqm-w1-5yvBLiCc_lDPccH-R3LCK4oVtJyKqP7a0HQRIN8sfaSXm9lO6HhzLhdfUOXrRn4O_A_r_yrS4X0/s320/social-curator-12-2019-45.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Last I remember I was in Paris. Then, I blinked and I've been whisked away to the eve before 2020. How and the hell did that happen?! This year has been a whirlwind filled with adventure. I have followed my heart and it's led me to amazing places. I have set intentions some I stuck by, others fizzled out. At least there is next year to try to get right.<br />
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I had an incredible time exploring Paris. I came home seriously jet lagged. I slept a day, and then, I was called back to work. Life has been a blur since. I am consulting now. I share my expertise on my terms and my schedule. I might be really bad at quitting, but it has worked out for me. I'm still helping out my sister, watching the kiddos overnights so she can work and pull off doing it all. She's amazing. Those kids are growing like weeds. It's unreal. Soon, they'll all hover above me.<br />
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Days after Paris, I flew to Chicago for a benefit to support my aunt and uncle. The lost their home, belongings and a kitty to fire in October. They have had a tough go at it, it was nice to see so many friends and family come together in a time of need. I was reminded how generous the circle I am surrounded by truly is. My heart grew three sizes, at least.<br />
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On Thanksgiving, Frank and I set off for a two week adventure around Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. Friends and family joined us to celebrate Frank's 40th. It was not at all the trip we expected, but we did have an enjoyable time. I have that and so much else to share in 2020. Especially since I did such a bad job in 2019. Here's to the best of everything in the New Year!Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-90770829983857830052019-11-29T20:11:00.000-08:002019-11-29T20:11:54.177-08:00A Rainy Day in Paris<span style="font-family: inherit;">I headed out for the day. My first stop was for coffee at a café around the corner from the hotel. This was my only encounter with staff that seemed annoyed I wasn't able to speak French. I had read that it was impolite to grab a table. So, I asked for a table for one despite being surrounded by empty seats. I was given an eye roll and wave - OK, then, I'll take my pick. There was no menu offered but I let a local lead the way and I followed suit with an espresso and bread. Aside from the awkward start, it was the perfect little pick me up before wandering Musée d'Orsay. That baguette was the best all week too. </span><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-NR5Mp8F/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-NR5Mp8F/0/ae5a1dc9/S/IMG_20191115_092601-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-dxBc8TK/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-dxBc8TK/0/5f5d74e5/S/IMG-20191115-WA0001-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once I knew it would be rainy all day, I figured a museum was in order. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I opted to skip the line and buy my admission via tripadvisor ($17). It allowed me to enter at the C doors. The wait was just for baggage screening and metal detection. There were 5 floors, but only three were currently open with plenty to see. It was formerly an old railway station. It is really beautiful.</span><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-n9SSPSq/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-n9SSPSq/0/5d32d870/S/IMG_20191115_111126-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-NXRpFv4/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-NXRpFv4/0/aab7e3a3/S/IMG_20191115_112636-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-RfFSmrQ/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-RfFSmrQ/0/2ee1bf5d/S/IMG_20191115_112028-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-QZ3D6Ld/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-QZ3D6Ld/0/cf8dafbc/S/IMG_20191115_112218-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Prior to my trip, I learned of The Fork. Which is a free app great for booking reservations. I was able to reserve a table at Le Bistrot de Paris. It was a short walk. I was excited to try the escargot after reading reviews.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was warmly greet
at the door. My name was scratched off the list and I was led to my table. I
was given a break from attempting to speak French, since my waiter spoke English. Though, he did seem to appreciate the effort. He offered to help with
the menu (all in French), but I was able to navigate it and knew that I wanted the
small order of </span>escargot<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and the </span>ravioli<span style="font-family: inherit;">. He did assist in choosing a white wine.
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He recommended a sancerre</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span> It was pleasant.
The snails were a bit tough and difficult to chew. Great flavor, though.
The ravioli was extremely rich. While delicious, I was happy that it was a
smaller portion. Dessert seems to be a given; I asked for whatever is best.
Minutes later, an apple tart was placed in front of me. All in all, it was a
nice find.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I walked back to the
hotel to burn off some of the zillion calories I had just consumed. Like most
cities, my favorite activity is to wander and discover. This walk did not
disappoint. </span></div>
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-4gjBz8S/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-4gjBz8S/0/f2321ec2/S/IMG_20191115_145829_2-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-X3T7KtR/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-X3T7KtR/0/8df2eb70/S/IMG_20191115_125928-S.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I opted to nap
before the 8:30 show at Crazy Horse Paris. I bought the show and champagne
ticket from Tripadvisor since I was unable to complete the purchase on the
Crazy Horse website. Getting to the venue took longer than expected. There was
an issue with the train that delayed the trip. Then, the station was under
construction and I had trouble finding my way. GPS wasn't connecting and I
didn't realize I was headed in the wrong direction until after I had RAN three
blocks. I arrived at the theater 5 minutes after showtime. Thankfully, I was
still warmly welcomed and whisked to my seat in the first row. I thought the
show was great. Plenty of eye candy. These ladies have buns of steel. Simply
gorgeous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I had no difficulty
finding my way back, but trains were few and far between. So, it still took
longer than expected. The first full day was done .</span></div>
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Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-60358095227109505132019-11-22T17:49:00.000-08:002019-11-22T17:49:27.493-08:00Arrival into ParisArrival into Orly could not have been easier. There was no paperwork to complete. We were shuttled to the airport terminal and led right to passport control. There was a line, but it went quickly. I greeted the agent with my first "bonjour"as I handed over my passport. I was cleared without having to answer any questions.<br />
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I only brought a carry on so there was no wait at baggage claim, and I had nothing to declare. The trains are accessed at the airport and signage is clear so no issues there. Once boarded I was able to sit. There was only one transfer from the Orly bus to RER B, it was pretty flawless.<br />
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There are two main multi passes sold for transport. The first is more expensive, it is a Paris Viste pass sold by your choice of days and zones. The other is Navigo which is a better value it is strictly valid Monday morning to Sunday midnight, regardless of what day of the week you buy the pass.<br />
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The right one depends on your length of stay. I actually bought both. First, the three day pass for zones 1-3 (26,65€) This covered Thursday-Sunday. It would have been slightly cheaper if I had purchased two weeks on Navigo (one pass is 22,80€ + 5€ for the card good for 10 years)... Lesson learned. Before purchasing a Navigo pass you need a passport size photo. The stations have photo booths. You get a sheet with 5 photos for 5€. You bring it to the window and the agent cuts and pastes and presents you a hard plastic smart card. Both passes cover RER, Metro and Bus. Only OrlyVal train from Antony is excluded.<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-mNWz9V5/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-mNWz9V5/0/90cd7e45/S/IMG_20191114_164721-S.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-hdKcGFf/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-hdKcGFf/0/65468a83/S/IMG_20191114_210544-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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I booked my hotel via Hotwire. I stayed at Hôtel Le petit Paris. It is only a couple blocks from the Luxembourg station. Again, the hotel was easy to find. Check in was painless. My room is small, but comfortable. It has a king bed made-up with two twins. I kept rolling into the crease no matter how much I tried to avoid it. The bathroom is adequate. It is worth noting there are no washcloths. I bought facial cleansing wipes, too, before the trip. But, of course, I forgot them. Washing my face with a giant hand towel feels awkward. That's my only real complaint. Though, I find it difficult to make the room a comfortable temperature. I've been leaving the window open, because it gets warm and stuffy otherwise.<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-sx7skw2/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-sx7skw2/0/064f68e1/S/IMG_20191114_191750-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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My first dinner was Italian at Pizzeria Arrivederci. Go figure. But it was delicious. I enjoyed wine from Orvieto and pizza with speck, olives and truffle oil. After, I popped into a bar named Confessionnal. It was extremely crowded, but the bartender was friendly and juggled the crowd well. I had a pint of their "fucking last 1" and continued on my way. I strolled past the pantheon and was stunned to catch my first glimpse of the Eiffel tower as I turned the corner. It is much more impressive than the one in Vegas.<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-6GXjXqb/A"><img alt="" src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Europe/Paris-2019/i-6GXjXqb/0/89ed450d/S/IMG_20191114_183936-S.jpg" /></a><br />
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I found it difficult to sleep my first night, and now my second and every night since. I was only capable of napping. I could not string together more than three hours of shut eye. The sun does not rise til 8am. I was able to plan my day, exercise and dress bright and early. Then, I waited for the city to wake.<br />
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Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-23618578835451615092019-11-14T06:56:00.000-08:002019-11-14T08:22:24.346-08:00Level Airlines <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbK8jG9WFGAdWq7pVEie7hOMIrMzNpR9Gy6p4bf2C7CYCdhGF20zWDIEiW6-aoN08Cgx4e8KW7K5XUIZ8P6NUaNpyrlorLN3e-OqtnBeWe33-JpmjkZ9goSOGMJ8DBB325H8q/s1600/IMG_20191114_063834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbK8jG9WFGAdWq7pVEie7hOMIrMzNpR9Gy6p4bf2C7CYCdhGF20zWDIEiW6-aoN08Cgx4e8KW7K5XUIZ8P6NUaNpyrlorLN3e-OqtnBeWe33-JpmjkZ9goSOGMJ8DBB325H8q/s200/IMG_20191114_063834.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
I am two bottles deep. My drink of choice is Black Edition JP. Chenet Brut sparkling wine at 6 euros a pop, it feels like deal. I mean anything to pass a 10 hour flight, am I right?<br />
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Prior to my trip, I read all sorts of terrible reviews, but so far, I have no complaints. I packed my carry on to an appropriate 9.6 kg. I was rewarded with an approved carry on tag. Technically, my bag depth is over 2 cm for European flights, but I was able to cram it into the overhead space. Some compartments are larger than others. Mine was the smaller one. Good thing I've been working out. They take their size limits seriously.<br />
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I secured the last aisle center seat on the plane for minimal disruption. So far, it seems like I made the right play. My dining selections are promptly delivered, well, let's be honest... my drinks. The worst part is that the overhead lights have yet to dim. So, I'd advise anyone light sensitive to choose a seat more centrally located. Being in the rear of the plane is a decent option since traffic is low and it's rather quiet. The bathroom isn't too far away, either. I'm seated in row 43 and the restrooms are next to row 28, which is an exit row.<br />
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There is in-seat entertainment. We'll see if I get that desperate. I am pleasantly surprised that there is also in-seat charging. A welcome convenience on long haul flights. I will add, use caution with beverages on your drink tray; the person in front of me was eager to throw his seat back and I could have easily had a lap full of water, but thankfully the cap was tight.<br />
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Purchases are initially restricted, once those that paid for food and beverage are serviced, it seemed open to the rest of us. Items do sell out and have low quantity. You are instructed to pay via wifi, but despite several attempts, it did not work for me or my closest neighbors. Fortunately, there was an option to call the attendant to complete the order. I saved a euro going this route with each transaction.<br />
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The flight only had a few bumps. I was able to sleep a few hours and nap off and on. I passed the time listening to music and reading. I didn't get antsy. So, all in all, it was a good flight. I recommend Level economy. $151 (+$23 for seat) well spent.<br />
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Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-34228786214058393582019-11-13T19:18:00.000-08:002019-11-14T08:19:13.167-08:00Bon Voyage <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxP2z7YJRCAfhU4jb9rwyrKUTTswwXj59D8HNWFxmtB4V78UmtFgOoFxTQu4mpk0y8LQZJ4CfpXBFARhWRER5Plz7a6kl7WUjuN1zP6TaFg2Is3q6N2VUEvEsAyuo1UaThQMi/s1600/20191113_180117_0000.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCxP2z7YJRCAfhU4jb9rwyrKUTTswwXj59D8HNWFxmtB4V78UmtFgOoFxTQu4mpk0y8LQZJ4CfpXBFARhWRER5Plz7a6kl7WUjuN1zP6TaFg2Is3q6N2VUEvEsAyuo1UaThQMi/s200/20191113_180117_0000.png" width="200" /></a> I'm on my way to Paris. Alone. The response has been wild. Some are envious, others are horrified. Either way, I'm excited for my adventure to begin. Level airlines has just debuted in Las Vegas. This is the third week of service. I have booked economy on the way there and premium on my return for a complete experience. Airfare was too cheap to pass up. I am excited to see the sights and enjoy all that Paris offers. I hope to share in real time. Stay tuned. </div>
Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-49362214686002865242019-11-05T21:39:00.000-08:002019-11-06T10:54:19.146-08:00#NotAirCanadaThis summer, Frank and I took a Canadian adventure. There wasn't a moose, bison or bear in sight, but we did see a motorcycle riding German Shepherd. <br />
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In fact, that's just what brought me to Fort McMurray, AB. Some how I convinced Frank to join me and learn to ride a motorcycle so he could haul me in a sidecar to raise funds for Cancer in my mom's memory. Honestly, I did not do any convincing he willingly volunteered. I have no doubt that I am loved. Especially since we departed on this adventure on the 4th of July. Which happens to be his very favorite holiday, by a a long shot. <br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Fort-McMurray-/i-jRQv927/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Fort-McMurray-/i-jRQv927/0/261dfd17/S/FB_IMG_1562450799568-S.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Allow me to back up a few years. Before my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer, she was actively seeking help for her German Shepherd, Kasey. Her sight was diminishing and my mom was worried she'd further damage her eyes and she ran through mesquite trees with large thorns and thick bushes of Salt Cedar. At some point this search led her to Winky and his human, a Harley loving best friend, Sandy. The duo started to build a fan base outside of their home in Fort McMurray so Sandy created a Facebook page to spread word of their adventures. My mom was their first friend on the fan page. <br />
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A friendship grew from my mom's curiosity about Winky's Goggles he'd wear on motorcycle rides. Her and Sandy kept in touch and they planned to meet on his next ride to the States. He often visits Las Vegas to attend boxing matches, and often rides his bike down in summer months. Meanwhile, the duo gained more followers and they used their fandom to support local charities like the SPCA. The following grew with an avid group of supporters. Winky Rides was a grand success! <br />
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My mom anxiously awaited their visit. She checked in on Winky and Sandy daily, their adventures brought her such joy. Unfortunately, a month before their visit she was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. Inpatient Chemotherapy was scheduled during their trip. The reality of missing this opportunity to meet them was a crushing disappointment. <br />
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A year had passed and it was time for Winky and Sandy's annual ride to Vegas. My mom was not missing this opportunity. Her and Sandy, made plans for him and Winky to ride to her house in Pahrump. My sister had just relocated the month before so she was thrilled Nick would also meet Winky the motorcycle riding dog, and Sandy offered to take Nick for a spin. <br />
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Days before the meeting, my mom's health declined. Whenever it did, I would keep her at my house. For extra care and to keep her within proximity to hospitals and her doctors. This time was no different. Instead of Pahrump, they rode to my house for the meeting. <br />
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My mom was beside herself for the days beforehand she was so excited. She told me if I saw the duo riding around town to let her know immediately. I never spotted them until they pulled in front of my house. My mom immediately had pep in her step and a smile from ear to ear. <br />
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She was utterly overjoyed. The visit exhausted her, but she thought it was simply the greatest to finally meet Winky and Sandy. They were quite the team, bonds like those are rare! They were definitely the ying to each others yang. Winky showed off his tricks, played with his football and my mom loved every minute of it. Sandy was incredibly kind, he brought down some t-shirts and took Nick for the promised ride. I quickly understood they spread joy everywhere they went. The world was a better place with them in it. <br />
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10 days later my mom passed away. And then, 13 months later, Winky passed away. We were all overcome with grief. From that grief more friendships blossomed. <br />
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In time, Sandy, found a new pup. He'd name him after another legendary boxer, Greb. He hoped Greb would love riding as much as Winky did, but only time would tell. A ride in memory of Winky Rides was the fundraiser that introduced Greb to all of Winky's fans. Thankfully, he took a liking to the sidecar and they continued to spread the joy that Winky ignited. <br />
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Much to my surprise, Sandy had asked for our blessing to raise funds for Cancer by hosting the first Ride for Patty. It was such an honor, my family and I were so deeply touched. The first ride was followed by a second a year later. Both were held in September and both rides were chilly and wet. The time of year was difficult for my siblings and I to travel so we were unable to be present other than in spirit. <br />
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This year, Sandy opted to move the Ride for Patty to the first weekend in July. Hoping the better weather would make for a more enjoyable ride. It also allowed a trip possible for me. My sister had every intention of going too, but her request for time off was denied. My brother's time off is limited due to health stuff monopolizing his paid time off. When there was no way for Amy to come, Frank committed to joining me. <br />
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So, on the 4th of July, We set off for the furthest North in Canada either of us had ever been. I was really ignorant just how far and remote Fort McMurray is. Initially, I thought we could fly to Calgary, and pair it with a trip to Banff. Then, I learned it was much too far of a drive. I thought we could fly into Edmonton, but I was shocked to learn that Fort McMurray was still 5 hours north. A connecting flight directly to Fort McMurray was the only option. I secured the best price on airfare with the help of the Hopper app. It meant flying WestJet there and Air Canada home, but with a few weeks to go we were fully booked. <br />
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I began searching things to do, places to stay and eat and I came up with the fewest search results I've ever encountered. We have traveled to several off the beaten path locales before, but nothing ever like this. Most that visit Fort McMurray is purely for work. The oil sands are the life blood of this community. <br />
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TripAdvisor is not alive and well in these parts. Yelp has old outdated info, while Google offered the most help, it was pretty slim pickings when it came to reviews or suggestions of things to do. I came to realization we'd just have to roll with it. <br />
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I had a difficult time pulling the trigger on a hotel. Usually, I weed through the options quickly by selecting 3+ stars, king bed and desired location. The trouble in Fort McMurray was that I had no idea which of the three locations would serve us best. I was torn between the Best Western, Clearwater Suites and the Radisson. All reviews agreed pointed to BW as the nicest option, but the price was quite a bit more and nothing seemed to be nearby. The Radisson was at the opposite end of town but it seemed to be a solid choice. The wild card was Clearwater right in the center of town, it had favorable reviews. The swaying factor was each suite had a balcony. I thought it might give Frank the opportunity to enjoy a cigar.<br />
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I learned about the boreal forest beforehand and devastation of the 2016 wildfires. Neither prepared me for extent of the damage. I thought I knew about wildfire, living in the desert, I mean the carpenter fire and California fires were devastating but this? This was catastrophic. I knew going in that a Northern Lights sighting would be difficult due to the long days, but I never imagined just how bright it was at 230am. <br />
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Spoiler alert! It never got dark. There were definitely no Northern Lights to be seen. There was little to pass the time. We did use our balcony quite a bit. Frank would enjoy a cigar, while I worked on my Molson Muscle.<br />
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Ketchup flavored chips were more popular than I ever knew. I'm not a fan, however, it just tastes like something was off with the BBQ recipe.<br />
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Fortunately, we did find good eats. We had lunch at Mitchell's Cafe to try sunshine bread. Poutine at the Canadian Brewhouse and surprisingly tasty mediterranean at Shawarma Palace. I also had Timmy Ho's for the first time. <br />
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Gregoire Lake was our favorite place to relax. It was so scenic and the locals really enjoyed themselves. It was fun people watching. We were a bit cool, but they were living their best hot girl summer. Soaking up the sun and playing in the water.<br />
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Giants of Mining is the big area attraction. It's definitely worth the drive. The sheer size of the equipment is so impressive. I mean, look how little Frank appears!<br />
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We also checked out the Oil Sands Discovery Centre. The museum is the closest to the Athabasca oil sands as you can get without a hardhat and boots. Again, look at Frank! 6' 3" has never looked so small.<br />
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The real attraction in Fort McMurray, though, is the people! The hospitality of this city is unlike anywhere else. I knew Sandy had an amazingly kind heart, but the entire town is special. We met so many new faces that became instant friends. The support for Greb's Third Ride for Patty's was truly touching.<br />
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The ride began at Follow the Son Tattoo to nearby Anzac. We had so many join us. The generosity was unreal. Even the Harley Davidson store hosted a barbecue a donated the proceeds to Alberta Cancer Foundation raising a combined total of more than $2600. We had a beautiful day too. We could not have asked for better weather.<br />
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Frank did so well. He had only just learned to ride the Harley Softail. Sandy gave him a lesson, lent his bike and let Frank practice several times around the block to get a feel for it.<br />
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It was a really special trip. The joy Greb and Sandy spread is truly remarkable. I am so fortunate to call them my friends.<br />
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As I mentioned before, we flew Air Canada home. Little did we know that the flight was on Rouge. I was unfamiliar with the airline, but quickly learned what turd it is. Our connection was in Calgary and the boarding process was the biggest cluster I've ever experienced. We fly quite a bit, especially Frank and it's never been so bad. Once finally, on the plane, we encountered the tightest seats. Frank's knees did not fit in the sitting position. It was so uncomfortable. The wing was taped and the interior call light panel was held up with masking tape. Fortunately, we did arrive safely. Though, we swear we'll never book Air Canada again. <br />
Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16656976.post-89155846349813968732019-11-02T05:00:00.000-07:002019-11-02T05:00:07.359-07:00My Braceversary!Yesterday, marked one year since my top teeth were put in braces. I'm now 22 months into treatment for TMD. I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.<br />
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<a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Before-After/i-3P6TjqV/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Before-After/i-3P6TjqV/0/a91dc527/S/20191101_154325_0000-S.png" alt=""></a> <a href="https://vegasjuhl.smugmug.com/Before-After/i-g3PWzPN/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Before-After/i-g3PWzPN/0/55af71f5/S/20191101_154833_0000-S.png" alt=""></a><br />
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There is still work to be done with my twin block and elastics before my lower teeth are ready for braces. I don't know how long that will take, but I've gone this long. What's a few more months?<br />
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This has been such a long journey, but I'm so grateful for the relief it provides. I look forward to the final result. There was a time early into treatment that I really didn't think I'd could stick it out for the long haul. I was so miserable those first three months in the expansion appliance. I'm glad I stuck it out. You got to fight through the struggle. It was just a reminder that we can do hard things.Kelleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01475807221565619155noreply@blogger.com1