Archive for the ‘Road Trip’ Category

BronyCon: Day 3

The last day of BronyCon!! I already knew we were probably going to leave before the official end at 7pm because of the 9 hour drive back, but our day ended up being even shorter than I anticipated. I think we were both kind of tired.

But, don’t worry, I still had plenty of time for science observation:

There was also a moment, right before the writer’s panel started, where I can only guess that I was starting to assimilate:

Security pony? Really? In my defense, they were wearing shirts with the show’s royal guards on them:

In Equestria, there’s apparently a strict only-blue-hair guard hiring policy

But they did end up having to guard us from something after all!!

I was too busy evacuating the area in a calm manner, but Steven stopped to take some pictures

Some blurry pictures, but you get the idea

Along with everyone else

BurnyCon: My Little Pyro: Fire is Magic

But eventually they got everyone to evacuate outside. We didn’t know how long we would have to wait or what the schedule would be like when/if the con started up again. So we decided to start our journey a little earlier than expected. Luckily, it wasn’t as terrible as the drive up, but it wasn’t entirely without incident:

It’s a legitimate fear. Do you tip them? How much? Why do they exist still? I will probably never understand. New Jersey is a strange, strange place, you guys.

Also, an awful place. Did I mention that?

But, we made it home okay, at like 9pm instead of 2am like I had been anticipating. What a fun trip!! Although…

Just a hunch, but I think Klimpaloons rock at karaoke

Previously: BronyCon Day 2

BronyCon: Day 1

In case you missed my hard hitting Live Science Coverage of BronyCon on twitter, I’m going to reconstruct it for you, scrapbook style!

Day 1 for us was Friday, June 29th and mostly involved the drive to Seacaucus, New Jersey.

9 hours and $25.55 in tolls. Why are your roads so expensive, The North?

The only good part was when we stopped for lunch at Steak and Shake and everyone dealt with Steven’s startling hair by badgering the wait staff till they were able to move as far away from us as possible.

Spotsylvania, Virginia just doesn’t know what’s cool

I don’t know what it was like where you were on June 29th, but I95 was the most miserable place to be. I find that this is often the case, but it was over 100 degrees the entire drive.

At one point Trixie’s thermometer hit 110 and I wept. Although I think terrifying traffic and getting lost were probably contributing factors.

Let’s pretend that I am being hyperbolic. Only Steven, Trixie, and a homeless guy at a DC Shell station will know the truth.

Anyway, after much travail, we finally arrived!! Just in time to pick up our badges and interact (reluctantly, at least on my part) with the roving bands of keyed up bronies.

Maybe it was driving 13 hours in sweltering heat, but I was really in no condition to withstand someone complimenting “your mane” in a piercingly squeaky fake pony voice. Don’t worry, I am always in a better mood after sleep and a shower.

Next: BronyCon Day 2
Previously: Bronycon: My hat

Carrboro Tour: Elmo’s Diner

Elmo’s Diner is, hands down, my favorite restaurant. I know it’s nothing fancy or really all that special, but if Steven asks me where I want to go to eat, the only reason I might not say Elmo’s is that we went there yesterday. Not that I could ever get sick of Elmo’s–I just don’t want the waiters to think I’m stalking them. If you visit us from out of town, chances are we will be taking you to Elmo’s. Example:

THE 434 Elmo's reunion! Plus Steven.

The first point in its favor is that it’s super close to my house and has a good sized parking lot, since it’s part of Carr Mill Mall. Unlike real malls, Carr Mill is actually an old timey cotton mill from 1898! Now filled with fancy hipster stores, the fanciest Rita’s I have ever been in, and Elmo’s Diner!

Lucky there is nothing too fancy about Elmo

You can see inside where some old windows have been bricked over, and the green booths sometimes make me feel like I’m in a train.

A pre-haircut Steven, shy about having his picture taken in his natural environment

The second best thing about Elmo’s is its massive variety of food! The menu itself is large, and you can get breakfast any time! This is great news for me, since I pretty much only want to eat breakfast food after 3pm, and Steven hates eggs. Anywhere I can eat an omelette for dinner is a good place in my heart. Also, they have new breakfast and lunch/dinner specials every day, AND a bewildering list of “[Insert Food Category] of the day”. For a blurry example:

Yes, Cobbler and Dessert are two separate categories. I know, it's genius.

That’s right, every day there is a different Hot Soup, Cold Soup, Salad, Veggie, Quiche, Enchilada, Cobbler, and Dessert. THIS is why I could go to Elmo’s every day and not get sick of it. It is always different! Case in point:

Steven politely set aside his voracious hunger while I photographed our meal

I’m a big fan of Elmo’s sandwiches. There’s lots of different kinds, but they come with crinkly fries OR applesauce! I almost always choose applesauce for the joy of its randomness. And because it makes me feel like I’m eating lunch in the middle school cafeteria, except nothing smells like despair. This particular sandwich was a special that day; it was delicious turkey and avocado! Observe:

Glorious!

Steven chose one of the dinner specials, Shepard’s pie with ground turkey. Most of the dinners come with 1+ sides (also a bewildering variety of choices) and a bread choice. There is no wrong bread choice! I usually go for the biscuit, but this time Steven chose cornbread. No shame in that.

His side was salad, which is like the least exciting choice, sorry

Elmo’s also does a mean milkshake, and gives you the extra in the metal cup thing like any really classy milkshake place should. Since today was a special photo session, we opted out of milkshakes so we could order dessert!

If this doesn't fill you with joy, you're either lactose intolerant or dead inside. Multi-colored sprinkles!!!!

Come visit me and we can go to Elmo’s together!! You haven’t lived until you’ve ordered the hot and cold soup of the day in one order or seriously discussed with a waiter the exact degree of chocolateyness you want in your chocolate milk (70% chocolateyness, 100% tastiness always).

Elmo’s, if you’re reading, you can repay me in milkshakes and Greek Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. With applesauce.

Carrboro Walks: North Carolina Botanical Garden

My friend Brian Reinhart (the weather witch) has inspired me to document some of Carrboro’s amazingness for others! Okay, so it’s nowhere exotic like London, but Rachel Kinney, noted Carrborophile, has definitively proven that it is “the best place. EVER.” She is currently working to secure funding for a further study titled “Carrboro: Paradise or Poseur?” Today I bring you another great place to walk in (okay, near) Carrboro, the North Carolina Botanical Garden! It’s part of UNC and mostly features plants native to North Carolina, through a variety of different habitat areas! I always enjoy going because it always looks different at different times of year.

Steven so excited to be accompanying me!

Probably my favorite part of the botanical garden isn’t even the plants (sorry), it’s the random sculptures and art that are used to enhance them!

This entrance to the poison plant garden is maybe one of my favorites!


The poison plant garden is actually really interesting; there are signs telling you how the plant is poisonous (ex. if you eat it or just if you rub against it or maybe just to certain animals etc.). I never knew daffodils were poisonous!

Life size chess!!!!!


This might be my favorite part of all, even though I’m not very good at chess. I’ve hardly ever seen anyone else playing on it either, which is super weird, since who doesn’t like life size chess??

This tree is strewn with kitchen implements since it's at the entrance to the Kitchen Herbs Garden!


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Vermont: When Nature Attacks

One of the things I liked most about our trip to Vermont was all the nature we got to enjoy while we were there! The Green Mountains are beautiful, and the area was riddled with streams, ponds, and waterfalls.

Unfortunately it was still too cold for swimming!


Also, Rachel only had one pair of shoes!



The bed and breakfast we stayed at had its own pond, which was beautiful, especially at 6:00am! The best time to wake up! Yeah, little known fact: my body thinks I’m a farmer.

Not pictured: the hammock to the right I made friends with

They also had a bunch of different trails in the woods! One climbed the hill to a “skyloft” which Rachel and I were determined to see! Even if it did start raining pretty soon after we started.
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Vermont: Ben and Jerry’s Factory!

A few weeks ago Rachel was complaining that she didn’t have anything to do until grad school and wanted to take a road trip. I suggested Asheville, and then we went to Vermont. Ben and Jerry’s Factory, you guys!

So totally worth driving for 14 hours!



My favorite part definitely ended up being the Flavor Graveyard where you can mourn departed flavors:
I think we could be hired as professional mourners, or at least professional ice cream mourners.

The tour was really fun (and funny), and we got free samples of Americone Dream at the end! Jeff, the tour guide, said that employees receive THREE free pints of ice cream every day they work. I asked him what he does with fifteen pints a week, and he said he usually trades it for things. Apparently people are totally willing to return to the barter system for ice cream! The tastiest economy. We were so psyched about Ben and Jerry’s that we decided to get tattoos!



Don’t worry, I have plenty more left over for an awesome, ice cream themed tramp stamp. I also have more pictures of our adventures to share later!

Next Vermont Adventure: When Nature Attacks!

Keith Richards & DC

I have always known that librarianship is awesome, but apparently Keith Richards agrees:

SHHH! Keith Richards, the grizzled veteran of rock’n’roll excess, has confessed to a secret longing: to be a librarian. After decades spent partying in a haze of alcohol and drugs, Richards will tell in his forthcoming autobiography that he has been quietly nurturing his inner bookworm.

He has even considered “professional training” to manage thousands of books at his homes in Sussex and Connecticut, according to publishing sources familiar with the outline of Richards’s autobiography, which is due out this autumn. He has received a reported advance of $7.3m (£4.8m) for it.

The guitarist started to arrange the volumes, including rare histories of early American rock music and the second world war, by the librarian’s standard Dewey Decimal classification system but gave up on that as “too much hassle.”

The rest of the article can be found here.

Also, I’m going to DC today! I hope to relive my childhood and also show Steven what is what. It will be just like The Roadtrip, but much shorter.

Misguided Travel Guides: Roanoke and the Outer Banks

Over the past weekend I searched tirelessly for clues that might solve the mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke. I’m pleased to say that I am once again successful. Honestly, if people would just put me on the case they could saved themselves centuries of doubt.

The first place we looked was Jockey’s Ridge State Park, home to one hang gliding school and one giant sand dune. The signs all said it was easy to get lost there, so I figured the colonists could easily be wandering around in the sand.
roanoke-1
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