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March/April visit to the US

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Impenitent
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Sat 30 Jan , 2010 3:38 am
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Thanks for the tips on SF.

As I said above, I'll be in LA for three days/two nights and then in SF for five days/four nights. I'm sifting through the Lonely Planet guides to plan my days.

I'll be in the US in late March and April and would love to meet with any virtual friends who are up for it. An update of my itinerary:

CONFIRMED

21 Mar Arrive LA

23 Mar Arrive SFO

28 Mar Depart SFO at 00:40 (just after midnight) Arrive Boston 9:10 am

31 Mar Depart Boston (bus) Arrive NYC

14 Apr Depart NYC Arrive Philly

16 Apr Depart Philly


To be confirmed:

Washington DC

Charlotte

1 May depart Miami

Miami is definite - I'll be there from approx 20 April until my departure on 1 May (with side trips to the Keys)

Proposed moot dates in NYC: 9-10-11 April.

Would enjoy meeting any virtual friends who are interested.

I'll be staying with a friend who lives on the Upper West Side, in case you're wondering about locations. Jewelsong's accommodation suggestions in Manhattan in this post: http://www.thehalloffire.net/forum/view ... 607#180607

Anyone seriously interested?

I'll edit this into the opening post and keep it updated.

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vison
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Sun 31 Jan , 2010 12:29 am
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I am seriously interested. Stuff is going on that might put the kibosh on it, but I'm still wanting to be there.

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elfshadow
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Sun 31 Jan , 2010 1:53 am
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Impy, I can't believe I didn't realize this before. I am going to California, with my parents, for the first half of my spring break to visit my little brother at college. They are leaving halfway through the week, but I was planning to stay somewhere in California for the rest of the week. Well guess which week it is? March 21st through the 27th! I would love to be part of an SF moot. My brother goes to college near San Jose, which is just a train ride away from SF.


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Impenitent
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Sun 31 Jan , 2010 3:08 am
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vison, I know you and your family are confronting some hard stuff right now, so I'm aware of how difficult it is to take time out for yourself, especially when there's expense involved. I'm in a similar position, though the hand I'm playing is different to yours. I'm very VERY fortunate to have the opportunity and I hope it will have positive repercussions for my family.

Meeting you really would be a highlight; it's been on my wishlist for a long time but I'm aware of the obstacles. I hope you can do it, for your sake.

elfsha, sounds like SF is doable! Will be a lot of fun to meet up. I'll start constructing a list in the first post, of people interested in meeting up in SF, and in NYC, and in Boston.

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Cenedril_Gildinaur
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Sun 31 Jan , 2010 4:49 am
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Since you're going to Los Angeles, here's a tip.

China Town and Mission District (Olvera Street) are very close to each other. Many people doing the tourist thing can do both, taking one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.

Moreover, there's an added bonus. At the intersection of Alameda and Ord, at the edge of Chinatown near Olvera St, is Philippe's Historic Restaurant. These are the guys that invented the French Dip Sandwich. It's a great place to stop for lunch as you transition between one tourist attraction and the other and some of the best sandwiches you will ever have.

And if I'm not on a business trip, meeting someone for lunch is always a good excuse to go "down below".

Last edited by Cenedril_Gildinaur on Sun 31 Jan , 2010 4:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Last edited by Cenedril_Gildinaur on Tue Feb 30, 2026 13:61 am; edited 426 times in total


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vison
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Sun 31 Jan , 2010 4:55 am
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I saw your name and thought maybe you were planning to m00t? Are you, C_G?

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Impenitent
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Sun 31 Jan , 2010 5:07 am
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Thanks C_G.

I figure I'll do what I can on foot on Sunday, the day of arrival, and then take a tour of the beaches on Monday. Not the optimal way to see a city but I'm going to be there for such a short time! Hoping to see the Getty Museum on Tuesday before I leave for SF.

If you're available for a quick bite, that would be great.

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Lidless
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Sun 31 Jan , 2010 12:15 pm
Als u het leven te ernstig neemt, mist u de betekenis.
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We might well be able to make NY.

*gets out spreadsheet*

We can probably make NY.

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Cenedril_Gildinaur
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Mon 01 Feb , 2010 4:27 am
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Hm, then on Sunday you want either Chinatown or Olvera St, depending on what time you land.

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It is a myth that coercion is necessary in order to force people to get along together, but it is a persistent myth because it feeds a desire many people have. That desire is to be able to justify hurting people who have done nothing other than offend them in some way.

Last edited by Cenedril_Gildinaur on Tue Feb 30, 2026 13:61 am; edited 426 times in total


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BrianIsSmilingAtYou
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Mon 01 Feb , 2010 7:33 am
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I'm in Philly and New York is just a hop away.

I'll keep an eye on this.

BrianIs :) AtYou

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Impenitent
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Mon 01 Feb , 2010 7:46 am
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Brian, it would be so great to meet you! I will be in Philadelphia for two nights and hope it may be possible for you. Admittedly, my friend there seems to have plans that will take at least a week to get through but she has family to take care of which may give me the opportunity to sneak away for a while.

C_G, are those recommendations? Because I kinda need some. I'm going through a few LA tourism sites and everything seems to revolve around celebrity stuff other than the museums. Suggestions would be welcome.

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Cenedril_Gildinaur
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Mon 01 Feb , 2010 11:22 pm
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Yep.

Most people visiting LA like to visit Hollywood Blvd. You'll see a bunch of overpriced stores, as well as all the stars on the sidewalk. It's cool to visit for the purpose of saying "I've been to Hollywood". You'll see some interesting people. Don't bother driving if you're there.

Of course, Hollywood is the only place where "Fredericks of Hollywood" is simply known as "Fredericks". You don't meet as many stars as you think you would in Hollywood, even if you get one of those "maps to the stars homes" that they sell on every corner. Heck, many studios are relocated to Culver City.

If you only have one day, a great place is Mission District, Olvera St. It's the original mission on which LA was founded, and while there are tourist spots there it's not nearly as busy as Hollywood, it has more of a relaxed atmosphere. I'm surprised the tourist websites don't mention it more.

Olvera Street is history. It's cool for that reason.

Los Angeles is far too big and vibrant for just a few days.

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It is a myth that coercion is necessary in order to force people to get along together, but it is a persistent myth because it feeds a desire many people have. That desire is to be able to justify hurting people who have done nothing other than offend them in some way.

Last edited by Cenedril_Gildinaur on Tue Feb 30, 2026 13:61 am; edited 426 times in total


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Impenitent
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Mon 01 Feb , 2010 11:44 pm
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Thanks C-G. The Mission district sounds interesting to me. I've effectively got two and a half days.

I arrive early morning. I figure I drop my stuff off at the hotel then go explore a little, on foot. I can probably take in two different areas on that day.

Second day, I'm booking a bus tour of the beach areas (I think. I have to read the itineraries they make available a little more closely). I'm carless, so unless I take a bus somewhere, I won't see much.

Third day I leave early afternoon, so I've only got the morning and I think I want to see either the Getty Museum or the Broad Contemporary Art Museum which houses a lot of seminar contemporary works.

I'm trying to squeeze as much in as I can and hope that jetlag doesn't cut the legs from under me. I know it's a short time for such a huge city, but hotels are damned expensive!

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm still mapping things out.

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Cenedril_Gildinaur
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Tue 23 Mar , 2010 6:09 pm
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I'm glad to say that Impy and Meril and I had a thoroughly pleasant visit down in Los Angeles yesterday, seeing some of the sights around Mission District and China Town.

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It is a myth that coercion is necessary in order to force people to get along together, but it is a persistent myth because it feeds a desire many people have. That desire is to be able to justify hurting people who have done nothing other than offend them in some way.

Last edited by Cenedril_Gildinaur on Tue Feb 30, 2026 13:61 am; edited 426 times in total


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vison
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Tue 23 Mar , 2010 6:11 pm
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Cenedril_Gildinaur wrote:
I'm glad to say that Impy and Meril and I had a thoroughly pleasant visit down in Los Angeles yesterday, seeing some of the sights around Mission District and China Town.
Yay! I envy you!

*sighs*

I hope to post a similar post about New York.

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LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Tue 23 Mar , 2010 7:08 pm
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That's great! I was wondering how it went. :)

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Impenitent
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Thu 25 Mar , 2010 8:07 pm
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I'm embarrassed that I haven't reported back before this. My excuse is that I'm still fighting off jet-lag and a certain amount of anxiety about what's happening back home with my girlie, and the handful of neurons that haven't gone out on strike are grappling with acclimatising to all the new stuff around me.

First, LA was lots of fun, but I have to admit I didn't take full advantage of my three days/two nights (except for the hotel room bed; I took full advantage of that because I was practically unconscious much of the time, lol!)

I tried to connect with Sassy, spoke with her once on the phone but wasn't able to catch up witih her. That was a disappointment, but I know she's facing a very difficult time. I wish her well.

Sunday, arrival day, I had very fine plans to see the Getty Centre and spend the afternoon down at Venice Beach and walking around. Didn't happen. I went for a brief walk around downtown to purchase a cheap cellphone for use during the next 6 weeks, then went back to the hotel room and toppled over. Barely woke up for dinner.

Monday, was up early because Meryl and C_G and their little boy (he's just so gorgeous!) had offered to spend some time doing touristy things. It was really great to meet them - they're lovely young people, hospitable and welcoming and I enjoyed the conversation and getting to know them a little.

We wandered around Olvera Street and the mission district (where I bought souvenirs for the kids), had lunch at Philippe's (the original French dipped sandwich was delicious) and then meandered through China town.

Their young son was such a trooper through all this; he's only 5 and all that walking must have exhausted him but he didn't complain at all. When his little legs finally gave out, C_G carried him around, but even then, he was bright and sweet.

Thank you C-G and Meryl! It was really a lovely experience. I loved meeting you and getting to know a little of your lives and you helped me to overcome some of my timidity in venturing out into a strange city.

With my new-found courage, I decided to do some exploring on my own. Consulted my handy-dandy google map and decided the easiest areas to access by public transit were on Hollywood Boulevard - and besides that, I don't think I'd ever live it down if I reported back home that I'd been in LA but skipped Hollywood altogether.

So I took the train to the centre of the action, stepped out onto Hollywood Boulevard and walked the entire strip (and a little beyond, where it's all residential and surprisingly empty of people). I walked and walked, purchased an LAPD t-shirt for my son (he's a fan) and got back to the hotel as the sun went down. Managed to eat without falling asleep on the plate.

Next day, took in MOCA and wandered around downtown some more - Walt Disney Concert Hall is a beautiful building - before taking off for the airport. As I flew out, I felt I hadn't done LA justice; was just too wiped out to be systematic and scheduled.

Landed in SF just after 6 in the evening and discovered BART is amazingly efficient! Took the train to North Berkeley, where Teremia picked me up and took me home for a home-cooked meal - heavenly! She has a lovely family (as many of you know) - three beautiful girls - and I got to stay in the guest suite with my very own sauna! LOL!

It feels so comfortable here - homely and easy. There's even a pup - Zushka, a 7 month border collie who has helped me feel at home without my Pixel doggie.

Yesterday, I accompanied Teremia to Berkely Marina to walk the dog and that was a terrific introduction to the beauty around SF. The Marina is a wide expanse of green, not manicured but left comfortably wild, with panoramic views of the bay and the hills. I felt I could breathe out there. Just beautiful.

Got home just in time for Narya's arrival. We drove down to Fisherman's Wharf and set off on bicycles (I borrowed her daughter's) along the bay cycling route, over the Golden Gate Bridge, along the Marin coast to Sausalito, where we wandered through the galleries and ate a very late lunch. We barely made the ferry (were much taken up with the photographic exhibition of Rodney Lough). Back in SF, we bought some gourmet tidbits in the food hall at Pier 19 and drove back (in peak hour traffic) to Berkeley. Was a lovely day - perfect weather, peerless company.

Thank you Narya! :) Not sure I was entirely with it all day, though; my eyes keep closing of their own accord.

Today, I had plans to head into SF first thing in the morning and visit some galleries, but jetlag caught up and I slept through my alarm.

Thank goodness for Teremia! :D I'd still be sleeping, I think, if I hadn't heard her knock on the door.

Jetlag is odd; I'm completely exhausted - eyes feel like they've been sand-blasted - but I can't sleep. The clock seems to have no meaning; I'm up until 3 am, finally fall asleep, drag my body out of bed at 7 am and have narcoleptic episodes throughout the day. It's all playing havoc with my appetite too.

So, now I really will head off to SF, then take BART back toward Richmond to meet Olga after work.

:D

It's very exciting!

A reflection: I'm quite shy and reserved generally, an introvert as well, and I wondered how I'd cope with meeting new people and new situations. So far, the people have been so lovely! My nervousness evaporates. I feel so grateful for the generosity of spirit I've met with.

So...onward and upward.

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"Believe me, every heart has its secret sorrows, which the world knows not;
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LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: March/April visit to the US
Posted: Fri 26 Mar , 2010 3:52 am
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:banana: :banana: :banana: :horse: :horse: :clap:

It sounds like a lot of fun so far (except for the jet lag and the worry over family issues at home)! :hug: Thanks for the update!

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