Posts made in May, 2012

Day 142: There’s no place like home!

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Day 142:  There’s no place like home!

Day 142. There’s nothing like traveling to make you realize how awesome your home is.  I had an incredible time on this trip.  It was simply amazing.  But, after a 16-hour day with 11 of those in the air, I’m happy to be home because there’s simply no place like it. London is incredible though!  What a fun city.  I have to get back there when I have more time to spend.  But, I got in most of the majors.  I didn’t have a lot of time to savor the scenery, it was more like the moment where Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo are at the edge of the Grand Canyon in the movie Vacation—granted I hadn’t just stolen money from my hotel but still, it was basically a quick look and...

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Day 141: Where to go?

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Day 141:  Where to go?

Day 141.  Arrived safely at Heathrow via Aer Lingus.  Quite a nice airline.  Too easy to have fun with the name though.  Yes, I’m a 16-year old boy at heart.  We took the tube to the Hyde Park stop where we jumped off and were basically right at our hotel, The Lanesborough.  After our afternoon tea in the room we set out on foot and explored Hyde Park.  So beautiful!  We stopped by some old haunts of Uh-mazing Romantic Partner from when he studied abroad here 25 years ago. We didn’t have much gas left in the engine after our walk about so we had dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, Apsleys.  Incredible food, incredible service.  We closed the place down.  At the end of the...

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Day 140: Goodbye Dublin, Hello London!

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Day 140:  Goodbye Dublin, Hello London!

Day 140. Finally, eight hours of sleep!  The last couple of days were a bit dicey in that department.  As Uh-mazing Romantic Partner said at 3am the other night when we were unable to fall asleep, “we’ve got the jet lag.”  I’m sure we’ll be perfectly acclimated just when it’s time to fly back to California. As I contemplate packing up this morning, I feel a tad like a traitor.  After all, England and Ireland have quite a checkered past and they still don’t seem to have the warmest feelings for one another to this day.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Dublin and the Irish people are amazing but I’m not going to lie, I love the Brits and I can’t wait to spend some time in...

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Day 139: Day 3 in Dublin

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Day 139:  Day 3 in Dublin

Day 139.  I now know where everyone is in Ireland:  on Grafton Street.  It’s pretty much a combination of 5th Avenue and Third Street Promenade with its high end shopping options and street performers with their guitar cases open for donations.  It had more character than 5th Avenue and certainly more than Third Street Promenade but still, the minute I got on it, I wanted off.  Crowds and shopping aren’t exactly my cup of tea. The highlights of day 3 in Dublin were Trinity College, Christian Church Cathedral and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and right next to it, Malton park.  I was feeling some serious divinity in the presence of these historic and stunning pieces of...

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Day 138: The Insider

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Day 138:  The Insider

Day 138.  We are so lucky because a nice local Irish lad by the name of Peter O’Connor is our unofficial guide on this trip.  He’s one of the experts on Bar Rescue—a whiskey and cocktail expert to be exact—and he’s here for the shoot.  How lucky are we?  We all met at our hotel bar last night.  After a tour of the rest of the hotel he proceeded to take us to two local pubs instead of the standard tourist traps.  Any questions we had, Peter was at the ready with a detailed, passionate answer.  Along the way, we walked by the beautiful General Post Office.  Peter shared the history behind the statue of Cú Chulainn, the mythical Irish hero who tied himself to a tree (a...

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Day 137: Temple Bar and Guinness Storehouse

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Day 137:  Temple Bar and Guinness Storehouse

Day 137.    After we napped, we hit the streets near our hotel, walking and taking in the area.  Our hotel is right in the heart of an area called Temple Bar.  It’s referred to as the Bohemian quarter of Dublin.  Some say it’s way over commercialized.  Case in point, our hotel is right next to a Hard Rock Café.  Personally, I love this area!  It’s charming and adorable with its cobblestone streets, cafes and Irish bars. Taxi driver Jerrold recommended O’Neill’s and it did not disappoint.  I highly recommend the Guinness Irish Stew and a pint of Guinness.  Totally awesome.  After O’Neill’s we stopped off at a bar called Bank where we imbibed a Bushmill’s Blackbush.  We...

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Day 136: Arriving in Dublin

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Day 136:  Arriving in Dublin

Day 136.  Uh-mazing Romantic Partner scores us this awesome first class-esque cubby stationed in the middle of coach with two luxurious spa type seats with full, horizontal recline, foot rests and lumbar adjustments.  There is even a little curtain to enclose us in there.  But a stern stewardess dashes that idea the second we sit down.  “You can’t close these,” she curtly informs us as she taps the thick grey, pleated cloth.  She is gone before we can ask her why.  What does she think we are going to do in there?  Oh.  Right.  Maybe 10 years ago but now, please, all I want to do is recline and rest.  Because of our amazing digs, the flight over flies by and is...

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Day 135: Admirals Club

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Day 135:  Admirals Club

Day 135.  Reporting live from LAX in the American Airline’s Admiral’s Club.  Fancy schmancy!  Can’t say I’ve ever been in one.  I’m a simple (read “cheap”) girl.  But, I must admit, it’s quite nice to be in a comfie seat with free wi-fi sipping on a complimentary mimosa. I’m on my way to Dublin. I’m so excited!  But I actually slept a solid eight hours last night.  Totally shocking.  Before flying anywhere I’m normally up all night.  So awesome to start a trip rested!  Dublin is eight hours ahead of us.  Hopefully, we’ll sleep a bit on the flight across the pond.  I have my list of the top ten sights to see in Dublin.  Luckily, I’ll see number 10 on the list right...

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Day 134: Multiple Mamas

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Day 134:  Multiple Mamas

Day 134. I have an incredible mother.  One I’m pretty much thankful for every day and talk to almost as much.  But when I moved to California, I gained another mom, a California mom, my Aunt Wanda.  I was 20 years old when I came out west and probably the only reason my Missouri Mama let go of my leg was because I had family less than 15 minutes from the college I was transferring to.  My Aunt Wanda fast became not only my California “mother” figure but also one of my best friends, margarita drinking pals and my home away from home to go to.  How lucky am I? Until tomorrow, create from what you have…awesome aunts. Kelli Joan Bennett is a filmmaker, actress, writer,...

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Day 133: A Killer of American Women

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Day 133:  A Killer of American Women

Day 133.  I wake with a start.  It’s 12:39am.  I fell asleep just two short hours ago, exhausted from the intense week.  I’m drenched in sweat.  The urge to vomit is strong.  I stumble to the toilet ready to retch.  Nothing comes out.  I peel off my pajamas, pee, sip some water, crawl back in bed.  I toss and turn trying to get cool and comfortable.  I have no idea when I finally fall back asleep.  When I wake up again, it’s 5:30am, I’m not hot anymore but I’m still queasy.  WTF?  I grab my iPhone and Google “waking up nauseous and sweating.”  Apparently, I either had food poisoning, a perimenopausal episode, or a heart attack.  At least I have options.  After sipping...

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