Happy Thanksgiving!

“Gobble, gobble.”  That’s what the (very helpful and friendly) lady at the Post Office said to me last Friday as I posted a package for a friend.  Thankfully I heard her say it to a couple of customers before me so I wasn’t as taken aback as when I first heard it–I think I would have (rudely) laughed in her face.  This is my second Thanksgiving in America but the first time I’ve heard that.

“Gobble. Gobble.”  I feel like I’m doing a cameo for Sesame Street.

As everyone firms up plans for Thanksgiving the supermarkets are filled with cans of pumpkin and turkeys.  Signs saying “It’s baking season” with pre-prepared pie crusts, pie fillings, creams and marshmallows are lined up in prominent positions.  At upmarket supermarket Gelsons they even have thanksgiving-inspired cakes—turkeys, corn-on-the-cobs and pumpkins.  Yes, I’m serious.

 

Told you.

Thanksgiving is America’s only four-day weekend so it’s their longest holiday in the year.  Yep, it’s big: bigger than Christmas and Easter.  So it’s no surprise that Thanksgiving is the most popular time of the year to travel and most chaotic for airports and the roads.  Last year we stayed home but this year we’re braving the roads and doing a quick roadtrip.

My thought was to head up to Sedona in Arizona.  This was one of our friend’s favourite places when he travelled on a Harley down Route 66.  It works well because one of our friends lives in Chandler, Arizona and we’ve been wanting to visit them for sometime.  So I got on Google maps trying to research our drive.  And the strangest thing happened …

Do you know there is no Route 66 marked on Google Maps?  Is it just me?  I can see Route 60, route 95 and Route 93 but no Route 66.  OK I know the whole story with Route 66 (I’ve watched Cars) is that it became obsolete because of the interstates and “progress” but hey Google Maps wouldn’t you mark it so those who want to do a little pilgrimage can?  Isn’t that, like, a no-brainer?  I realise there are parts of Route 66 that are near impossible to find now but get with the program Google.  This is 2014, the Internet is not a new concept—make it easy for us to find.

So, I bought Lonely Planet’s USA Best Trips: 7 Amazing Road Trips (Sampler edition for Kindle) and it didn’t even mention the “mother road”.  Hang on?  Isn’t Route 66 supposed to be legendary?  Bucket lists around the world are built on cruising Route 66 aren’t they?

I finally got around to buying Lonely Planet’s USA.  There are a couple of pages on it and it sounds like a lot of work & planning is required to successfully complete this roadtrip.  But love a good challenge … it’s just not going to be on the busiest weekend of the year.

Instead, we’re going to spend Thanksgiving with friends in Palm Springs then head up just outside Phoenix Arizona to spend a night with our friends from Shanghai in Chandler.  Can’t wait!

Pretty Little Liars

On Friday night the kids and I had dinner with some good friends we met here from Australia who are moving to Greece.  We went to their hotel (the Mondrian) to check out the scene and have dessert.  There was a private function on in the Skybar so we sat in the lobby/bar area to order food and drinks.

A few groovy people were walking into the private party.  We all agreed there’d be some good people watching to be had and we were in the prime position.

We were right.  Ashley Benson (Hanna) and Tyler Blackburn (Caleb) from Pretty Little Liars walked in.  The girls took a look did a retake then got very excited.  Then Shay Mitchell (Emily) came in and the girls thought things were looking up (my son wasn’t sharing their love!).  Not long after Troian Bellisario (Spencer) and Brendan Robertson (Lucas) walked in. Chad Lowe (Byron) walked past and said hi and they also saw Lesley Fera (Veronica).  Bonanza!

One of the girls and I went to the toilet and there was a chalkboard.  They had written on it something about the PLL cast and she got so so excited.  Obviously she ran out to tell everyone so there was an immediate party in the toilets.  Photo opportunity!

A big burly security guard seemed to follow the girls into toilets but surely he wouldn’t.  He lingered for a while and I just knew he had a problem.  Eventually he came up to us addressing my girlfriend and said, “The girls can’t act like that.”

“I’m sorry … what?”

“The girls can’t act like that squealing and giggling.  If they continue we’ll have to ask you to go back to your room.”

“I’m sorry … what?”

Very unlike me I shut my mouth.  If I wasn’t with my friend I would have let rip.  I told the girls to keep it cool but given they were guests in the hotel we had every right to be there and it’s not like they tried to crash the party (like we had been planning).

That was the first time I’d felt like because he didn’t know who we were (ie. we weren’t celebrities) we were second-rate citizens.  Not a great way to treat one of your guests who is occupying one of your suites Mondrian Hotel.  Shame on you.

Bucket lists

All this talk of bucket lists got me thinking about mine.  I talk about my bucket list all the time but I’ve realised I don’t actually physically have one.  Do you?  Sure, like many others I’ve got a Pinterest board that says “Bucket List” but it’s totally random.  So, I thought I’d put some work and energy into creating one.  For now it’s USA-centric with a sprinkling of destinations I’ve had on my list before our move to LA.  I also imagine it’s an ever-changing list but here’s take one.

1. Machu Picchu, Peru
   Ever since I climbed the Great Wall of China I’ve been drawn to the Natural Wonders of the World and Machu Picchu is on top of my bucket list by a long shot.  Now I just have to find time in the holiday calendar to lock it in.

2. Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park—two of five amazing National Parks
   It’s a case of careful what you say out loud with Utah being high on my bucket list of USA.  We were wine tasting in the Napa at the start of the year and a comment was made about drinking in Utah (being a Mormon state and all).  I didn’t realise it had such incredibly beautiful landscape that I’m totally drawn to.

3. Miami, Florida.
   Pink Flamingoes & Pink Champagne sounds more like a line from Hotel California but it screams Miami to me.  Except for the fact that Mr H has his own Don Johnson suit and the theme for his 40^th was Miami Vice I had no real desire to head to Miami.  But lately it’s been sneaking its way into top of mind and I think I’m sold.  The home of art deco, great food, art and architecture Miami has made its way to my top 5.

4. Route 66 in Arizona
   After seeing photos from a friend that recently rode a Harley down Route 66 I’m hooked.  Like a cross between a trip down memory lane and something out of the movies the scenery looks spectacular and it’s a part of pop culture I want to get on board.

5. Boston
   Everyone I know that’s been to Boston falls in love with it.  I’m completely drawn to the charm of Boston and can’t wait to check it out.  I just can’t decide between visiting a friend for Christmas or going in the summer.

   While I’m in the ‘hood I’m pretty keen to drive around and see Cape Cod (I’ve already been and loved it) and Martha’s Vineyard.  I think this part of America is worth exploring.

6. New York
   When I first went to New York I hated it.  Then I went back for work and loved it.  Now the kids are keen to for a White Christmas.  Apparently there’s nothing like New York in the winter and especially around Christmas.  I’d love to make their dreams come true.  Just have to get around braving the cold first.

7. Seattle
   I’m not really sure what the attraction is (apart from visiting a really good friend who lives there) but I’ve always been attracted to Seattle—a trip up the Space Needle and a visit of the Boeing Factory and it’s high on our list.

8. Washington DC
   The nation’s capital.  I loved Washington DC when I first went and I’d love to take the kids—one of those must-do destinations.

9. Niagara Falls
   I’ve temporarily forgotten about Niagara Falls which is precisely why I decided it was time to get this bucket list down on paper.  Another natural wonder I think it’s a must-see.

10.  Alaska
I’d love to visit Alaska the problem is I don’t know how to tackle it.  There are many options to cruise to Alaska but given cruising isn’t our thing.  Either way I need to work out how to get us to see it.

11.  Chicago
My dream is to do a mother-son weekend in Chicago and do a Ferris Bueller tour of the city.  Wouldn’t that be fun?  Now I just have to convince my teenage son as somehow he doesn’t think it would be fun as I do.

12.  Texas
No real reason, just to see the big hair, big cars and guns!

13.  New Orleans
I’m torn as to whether I really want to do New Orleans—I think I want to, I used to think I wanted to but it’s not high enough on the list that I’ll make it here.  Also not the sort of place to go with kids—much more fun if I could leave them at home.  Let’s see how we go getting here but it’s on the list nonetheless.

14.  Southern States
I’ve been to Atlanta but I wouldn’t mind exploring some other Southern cities/states like Savannah and South Carolina.  There’s something quite intriguing about the South.

15.  Carribean
I thought I wanted to go here desperately but most of the resorts do nothing for me.  My re-thinking is if I’m going to do the Carribean I should sail around.  Just need to get hold of some of my fellow 90210ers bank accounts to do it the way I’d like to do it.

My further-afield bucket list

16.  Angkor Wat, Cambodia
We had a glorious trip planned here before we were due to leave Shanghai but we cancelled it instead going back to Wales to be with my Dad.  We were lucky we got to say good bye to him but the trip home ended up being a sad, sad time for me and we haven’t made it back to Angkor Wat yet.

17.  Africa on Safari & Victoria Falls
Continuing my affinity with the natural wonders of the world I can think of no better holiday than glamping on Safari.  Victoria Falls has captivated us so this is high on our list.

18.  Greece
Our Australian friends from LA are moving to Greece next month and we’re dying to go and visit them.  It’s fortunate I’m yet to hit Greece because it’s always best to visit a place when locals can show you around.

19.  Champagne
I think this is pretty self-explanatory!

20.  Northern Lights (from Sweden)
One of those natural phenomena’s that need to be seen to be believed.

21.  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Absolutely.

22.  Marrakech, Morocco
The colours, food and markets … love to visit Morocco.

23.  Dead Sea and Egypt
This is on my daughter’s wishlist but I agree.  And, I’ve always wanted to cruise the Nile and see the Pyramids in Egypt.

24.  India
I’d live there given half a chance.  Mr H on the other hand doesn’t want a bar of it.  I’d still like to visit and see the Tag Mahal for myself.

25.  Ayer’s Rock/Uluru
It’s not really at the bottom of the list but realistically it’ll take a while for us to see this natural wonder in our own backyard, a sad indictment that when it’s in your own backyard you never really get around to seeing it.

 

Phew!  That took a while but I’m so happy to have it.  Now I look forward to taking some of these holidays.

What’s on your bucket list?  Love some extra inspiration from you.  Share with me on Facebook or here in the comments section.

Happy Thanksgiving. Gobble Gobble.

xx It Started in LA xx