Fountains at Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas

I got to go to Las Vegas for the first time ever a couple weeks ago. It was for a conference, and I was alone and poor, so it wasn't exactly a ton of fun. But I was still happy to see the strip for the first time. Now I look forward to returning for pure leisure!

Anyway, while I was there I recorded this impressive display of fountain technology. Pretty sweet!


(YouTube version here.)

Fun with tar

One interesting Los Angeles park where our fantastic hosts/tour guides took us was the La Brea Tar Pits. In pre-historic times, animals used to go drink from the water and get sucked into the tar.

The cries of the animals attracted more animals, and they would get stuck as well. That sucks for the animals, but it's great news for paleontologists today who can dig out the fossils.

It's also great news for tourists and locals who can enjoy a nice afternoon at the La Brea Tar Pits.


(Click here for YouTube version.)

Santa Monica Pier

The Santa Monica Pier is an icon of Los Angeles and a staple of American pop culture. It's at the end of Route 66, and it's been in a bunch of movies and TV shows. Much like Venice Beach, visiting for the first time feels like you've been here before. Maybe that's why it's constantly packed with tourists (like us).

On the day we visited, the sun was elusive. It was a weekday so the beach wasn't packed. But it sure was nice to sit and watch the waves crash on the shore. Hadn't been to an ocean for a while and the white noise of the waves is always soothing.

(Click here for YouTube version)

We also rode the ferris wheel. It's normally five bucks, but they had a weekday special going on, so it only cost $3/person. The ride gives you great views of the surrounding area.

Statue at George Bush Intercontinental Airport

I posted a video of this place several months ago, but I never realized that Houston's international airport includes this larger than life statue of H. W. Bush.  I love how he is flinging his jacket over his shoulder with such a carefree, jet setting finesse.  Note how his tie is frozen in mid-flutter.  This statue is called "Winds of Change."

US Highway 31 in northeast Central Texas

You don't have to go far outside Austin before you start to see the "real" Texas depicted in popular culture. Here are some images from a drive on US Highway 31 in northeast Central Texas.

High in Vancouver

Vancouver is such a beautiful city, and on a trip this weekend for my late dad's "Celebration of Life" (which went wonderfully, by the way), S. and I had a kick ass time taking it all in. The weather was perfect for our stay: clear blue skies and pleasantly mild temperatures.

The city is aesthetically pleasing up close, but it's also a delight to see from high above. Here are two videos I took that offer elevated views of Vancouver.

This is the view out the window when coming in for a landing at YVR. You can see the Vancouver neighborhoods of Burnaby, New Westminster, and Richmond. Unfortunately, downtown is just out of view. It's still a nice view!


Here's a look at downtown from the 23rd floor of the Sandman Suites on Davie. It's a centrally located hotel right in the Gay Village/West Van that offers relatively affordable suites. The hotel is not perfect but it puts you right in the middle of a bustling commercial district and a few blocks from the beach. The room is equipped with a kitchenette, hardwood floors, and stunning views.


I can't wait to visit again!

The only Dunkin Donuts in Austin

Finding fancy coffee made by a smug barista is easy in Austin, Texas. Drive-thru Starbucks are everywhere. And independent coffee shops thrive in this small business incubator. But finding a cup of the simple working class brew that helped build America takes a level of determination.

We mustered that determination recently and drove twelve miles to the only Dunkin Donuts in Austin. (Those other results you'll find in Google Maps are not Dunkin Donuts anymore!) This is the scene outside, off Highway 183.



This Dunkin Donuts may also be the only one in America that serves kolaches, those delicious Czech treats that are all too often bastardized in Central Texas with sub-par ingredients. A hot dog is not a sausage!

Dunkin Donuts said last year it will open fifty stores across Austin by 2018. So far no action on that front.

Austin from the sky

The view flying out of town on a passenger jet.

Skylink train at DFW Airport

Sitting here in the airport in Portland, OR en route to Vancouver with two hours to kill and free WiFi so I thought I'd upload this video of a nifty Skylink train we rode today at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Apparently, DFW is the third-busiest airport in the world by traffic, so sometimes you need a fast, light train to get you to your connection on time.

New York in November

We had a great time in New York last week! We purposefully spent a lot of time in Brooklyn, baby! Here are some pics.

Philadelphia in November

We went on a trip to the City of Brotherly Love last week. It was my first time there. We also visited New York City. I'll upload those pictures in a bit. But first, take a trip with me to the Cradle of Liberty.

Scenes of Vancouver

Sonia and I went to Vancouver last week and took in some amazing views of the city from atop the legendary Harbour Centre! Sure, it cost 13 bucks to ride the glass elevator to the top but it was all worthwhile. The pass was valid all day so we went back after dusk for a view of the magnificent Vancouver skyline at night. Afterwards, I took some shots of West Hastings Street. Say what you will about Vancouver's drowsy disposition, it sure is one good lookin' city. The song is one I wrote and recorded several years ago, forgot about, and recently rediscovered by Googling "phonecallsolved". The power of the Internet is unbounded!

The taste of terror

As you can see from a picture I took this morning, the current threat level flavor in the U.S. is orange. This is considered worse than a lemon or lime threat but better than a cherry flavored one. JUST LIKE IN REAL LIFE!

"Standing tall, on the wings of my dream"

I'm heading to the Windy City for the weekend to visit my grandfather on his 80th birthday. I love Chicago, the few times I've been there at least, and one of the great opening scenes in television history captures the excitement of entering the city. I'm speaking of course of the intro to Perfect Strangers! Enjoy! I'll say hi to Barack for you.

Hello Austin, Texas!

Looks like nature heeded the warning call posted on this blog only days ago and pushed Hurricane Dean away from our flightpath. In other news, S. and I are throughly enjoying the beginning of our new lives and new lifestyle in the southern USA. It's hot here (when I checked the thermometer yesterday it was 101 Fahrenheit, which is 38 Celsius), but it's really not as difficult to cope with as I expected. Just like any old hot summer day in Canada. People go out and do stuff anyway. Avoid running any marathons or tarring any roofs and you'll be just fine. And like many hot places, the temperatures seem to coincide with a more laid back attitude, just the thing we needed after living in uptight Yankee land for the past eight months. So yeah - life is fucking good.

Out of my way Mother Nature!

On Friday - in just three days! - we board our one-way flight to Austin, Texas. That asshole storm Hurricane Dean better not mess with air traffic. Fuck you Hurricane Dean!

Okay, time to take apart my computer and put it in a box.

Austin or Bust!

In just two weeks we'll be boarding a one-way flight to beautful and awesome Austin, Texas! I'm totally in countdown mode. At work I feel like a Dead Man Walking, especially because I gave three weeks notice instead of two, and because I worked at WBZ for only two months or so. People keep asking me -- in jest -- "You're still here?" and while it was funny at first, now it's just getting fucking annoying. Those grizzled journalists sure have a twisted sense of humor. That's why I'm anxious to finish my last seven days of work and get a move on this motherfucker!

MTL

Can't wait to visit in June!

Our trip to Austin, TX

We had a great time visiting the "Live Music Capital of the World"! Austin is truly as cool a city as it's made out to be. There's vintage Americana art all over the place, neon signs, steel statues, and weird sculptures like this thing pictured above. Live music is everywhere. The BBQ kicks major ass, as does the TexMex, a wide variety of beers and wines to satisfy the palate and the pocketbood, housing prices rival those in Montreal. It rarely snows. And it's smack dab in the middle of Texas, one of the greatest states in the Union! Definitely plan to go visit Austin again, the sooner the better.

New Boston pictures

Flying out of Boston, Massachusetts
Originally uploaded by zedtozee.

At my Flickr account