Los Angeles: Day 1

We arrived in Los Angeles around 6am on Wednesday, June 13th. The station in LA is huge and it took us a few minutes to orient ourselves and figure out where we needed to go. On the train ticket, it said that we would be arriving at LAX, which we found out was not anywhere near the actual LAX airport. The LAX we arrived in was actually a Union Station in downtown LA and not at all associated with the airport. Unfortunately, we had rented a hotel room for our first night in LA near the airport instead of the train station. Oops! However, this made for an interesting first morning. Once we figured out where the buses departed, we spent the next 2 1/2 hours taking two different buses across LA. Luckily, the machine at the front of the bus where you put your money in to pay for bus tickets was broken in the first bus so we got onto that bus for free. Once we got off at our stop, a kind lady told us where to wait for our next bus. We lugged our huge suitcases across the busy LA intersection and waited. When the bus arrived, the driver saw us with our huge suitcases and let us go in the back so we wouldn't disturb the rest of the bus. So we got another free bus ride!

We finally arrived at La Quinta Inn & Suites where we stored our luggage until we could check in to our room. After we stored our luggage, we attempted to find the nearest Starbucks, which did not work out. Apparently all the Starbucks in the area are either in hotels or in the airport. We ended up going to the McDonald's next to the hotel and hanging out there for a couple hours. We ordered our food and iced coffee and went upstairs to use Lauren's computer to catch up on e-mails and work on our blog. Lynea received an e-mail from a professor at USC who agreed to meet with her on Friday. Lauren e-mailed a dean at the Gerontology school at USC while we were at McDonald's and was able to get in touch with other professors right away, allowing her to set up a meeting on Friday as well. While Lynea was catching up with her life, Lauren called Adey to figure out plans for San Francisco. Adey was serenading Lauren when she asked to be put on speakerphone so she could sing Justin Timberlake to both of us. A McDonald's employee walked by right when she was singing and commented on her (beautiful?) singing voice. He got a good laugh out of it... as did we. When noon came around, we walked back to our hotel to check in to our room. We both took long, luxurious showers after not being able to shower for the past 2 days on the train. We have never been so thankful to take a shower before in our lives.

Yes, unfortunately that IS what Lauren looks like after 48 hours of travel and no shower...

No idea what's going on here

Excited to get e-mails from USC!

Our hotel room in La Quinta Inn & Suites! We were so excited to sleep in our own beds.

After we made ourselves look presentable, we decided to go to the famous Pink's Hot Dogs in LA thanks to John's suggestion. We didn't realize it was over an hour bus ride away from our hotel. But, it was worth it in the end. After taking a couple buses, we finally made it to our destination. There wasn't a huge line at the hot dog place when we got there, but the line continued to grow quickly. There were a variety of hot dogs to choose from and Lynea particularly had a difficult time deciding which one to get. She ended up choosing the Mulholland Drive dog (bacon, onions, mushrooms, and queso) and Lauren had the Chili Cheese dog (exactly what it sounds like). As soon as we sat down to eat our hot dogs, we were approached by an MTV cameraman who informed us that a show was being filmed there and we had to sign release forms since we would most likely be in the episode. Unfortunately, we forgot to ask him what show they were filming because we got into a conversation about DC. So, we do not know what show to look for ourselves in. Oh well. We also didn't recognize the famous person that they were filming; I guess we don't watch enough television.

The famous Pink's Hot Dogs! We made it!

(L) Mulholland Drive dog, (R) Chili Cheese dog

Lynea gives Pink's Hot Dogs a thumbs up! 

The owner of the place is in the pink jacket and the supposedly famous person is sitting in front of her. 

After fulfilling our hunger needs we decided to wander around Melrose Avenue. We walked down the street for a while and came by many funky shops and boutiques. Our favorite one was a store solely dedicated to selling leggings of all colors and patterns. Unfortunately, the store was closed when we passed by but we still enjoyed window shopping. Before heading back to our hotel, we stopped in a frozen yogurt place. The person working there was very friendly and told us about places to hang out in LA. He also took us behind the store to show typical graffiti that was on the back of the building. Graffiti like this is very common in the alleyways off of Melrose Avenue. The artists are very talented and we enjoyed looking at their work. After another hour on the bus, we were finally back in our hotel room and we watched some Law and Order as we settled in for a solid night's sleep.

48 Hours on the Train... Oy Ve.

Early Monday morning on June 11th, we began our 48 hour epic journey across the southern region of the U.S. We do not recommend this journey for anyone. This was the longest 48 hours of our lives. We passed through Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and finally into California. We were in Texas for the longest amount of time. Even though Lynea is a huge fan of Texas, she was ready to move on to the next state after the first day of travel through the state. However, we did see a LOT of pretty scenery throughout the 2 days on the train. Lynea enjoyed all the desert scenery because it reminded  her of her time spent in Utah with her grandparents. Lauren did not have a favorite part of this journey. She dreaded it. 

Passing over the Rio Grande (we think...)

We passed over miles and miles of barren land like this when riding through Texas

While on the train, we had to find ways to entertain ourselves. While we watched a couple movies together, we spent the majority of the time doing our own things. Lynea practiced writing Japanese characters and learning key phrases to pass the time. She also read a book entitled "Getting Stoned with Savages" and reading articles about primate behavior. Lauren spent most of her time listening to music, watching Netflix on her phone, or sleeping (but not really cause it's physically impossible to sleep on the train). While Lauren may seem less intellectually inclined with her choice of activities on the train, it's just because she gets sick if she tries to read on the train.

Nerd alert! :P

We got to experience a little of the Amtrak dining services during this train ride. We got dinner in the dining car one night and sat with an older couple who make the trip from Tuscon, Arizona to Louisiana twice a year (WOW!). After his wife ordered the salmon fillet, he told the server to give him the same order and explained to us that this is what happens after you have been married for so many years. We then both ordered the pasta dish, and he jokingly asked how long we had been married. Even though the food was okay, it was a little pricey and so we stuck to our snacks for the rest of the trip. When we made the stop in El Paso, Texas, the conductor announced that a lady outside was selling $2 burritos. We jumped on the chance to get some fresh air and some cheap, local food. However, when we stepped outside of the train, we discovered it was over 100 degrees F, and after getting a couple burritos each, we went back into the air conditioned train.

These were definitely worth $2

We came across many interesting characters while on this train ride, many of whom traveled the whole 48 hours with us. There was one couple who sat across the aisle from us that brought a big cooler filled with enough food to feed a family of 6 for two days. Talk about prepared! We also sat by a young lady who completely wrapped herself up in two blankets (probably because she was wearing a very skimpy outfit underneath). There were lots of small children on the train as well, more than any other trip that we have taken so far. Surprisingly, they were mostly well behaved, other than an occasional outburst, which is expected among children that age. 

We wish we could sleep like this on the train!

Our friendship almost came to an end after the two FULL days spent on the train. Thank goodness California finally came because we deep down, we really do love each other. 48 hours on a train would probably make anyone go crazy. Luckily, we did manage to get a few hours of sporadic sleep. We're glad our next couple of train trips along the West Coast are only a few hours each. We dread the trip from Seattle to Chicago, another 48 hours. Wish us luck! 

Sleeping like a baby!

Still looking beautiful after several hours of traveling (can you tell who wrote this post?)

Our friendship on the brink of destruction...

New Orleans, LA: The Nightlife

New Orleans certainly lives up to its reputation of having a wild nightlife.  We boarded the street car not knowing what to expect and were greeted with neon lights that set all of Bourbon Street aglow while street performers played lively jazz music.  The first band we encountered was especially popular and had a huge crowd dancing in the street around them.  We were overwhelmed by the mass of people walking up and down the middle of the road on Bourbon Street.  People stood on balconies above the bars and shouted down to the crowds, promising beads to those below.  We walked by many scantily clad ladies beckoning passersby into their establishments.  After taking in the sights for a bit we headed to Pat O'Brian's to try their famous hurricanes and New Orleans style food.  Hurricanes are tasty rum-based fruit drinks that creep up on you (so be careful if you ever order one).  For dinner we each ordered the trio special, which let us sample our choice of four dishes that New Orleans is known for.  Lauren got the gumbo, jumbalaya, and red beans and rice while Lynea ate gumbo, jumbalaya, and crawfish etouffle.  We loved the spiciness of the food.  Lauren especially enjoyed the rice and Lynea was a big fan of the gumbo.

Young street performers

Lynea trying her first hurricane

Left: crawfish etouffle; Right: Jumbalaya; Front: gumbo

  

When we left Pat O's it was drizzling and one gentleman offered us his $12 umbrella (of which he was very proud).  He kindly rotated covering each of us with his umbrella as we explored Bourbon Street.  We think he may have had a few drinks, which would explain his friendliness.  After walking up and down Bourbon Street for a while we decided it would be a good idea to actually go in to some of the bars.  We especially enjoyed Cat's Meow, which is a very popular karaoke bar.  The performers were very enthusiastic and weren't shy about sharing their stories with the crowd.  One lady got up on stage and explained that she had just gotten married five hours ago and had met her husband in Cat's Meow (and pointed to the corner where they first drunkenly made out).  We definitely had fun dancing and singing along with the people around us and would highly recommend this bar to anyone visiting New Orleans.  

The next night we went back to Pat O's to enjoy some drinks in the piano bar.  Lynea tried the skybar (a mix of rum, vodka, apricot brandy, blue curacao and pineapple juice) while Lauren had a rum and coke.  We really liked listening to the piano music.  The piano players were very entertaining and enthusiastic, involving the crowd in many of their songs.  We were by far the youngest and most sober people in the bar.  The group of gentlemen who sat beside us were there for a bakers conference (lucky them) and offered us beads if we followed the New Orleans tradition.  We declined but continued chatting with them for a bit.  They generously bought us another round of drinks and gave us each a strand of beads before heading out.  We wandered over to the local pizza place and enjoyed a delicious slice of pizza before calling it a night.  New Orleans was certainly and exciting city and we are eager to find out what LA has in store for us next.      

One of the piano players at Pat O'Brian's 

We were so excited to get our own strands of beads

We wanted to give a shout out to Rachel for letting us stay in her house and telling us about the best place to visit in New Orleans.   Thank you so much!  We had such an amazing time and can't wait to go back.  
   

   

New Orleans, LA

New Orleans is crazy! We arrived in New Orleans at 7:30pm on Friday June 8th. Rachel picked us up from the train station and took us back to her place to get ready for our first night in New Orleans. After taking showers, we set off to the local po boy joint that Rachel had suggested.

Lynea with her "Peacemaker" po boy (fried oyster, bacon, and cheese)

Lauren with her roast beef po boy (sorry John)

Thanks for an enjoyable dining experience Mahony's

After feasting on our giant po boys, we headed to the local bar Bulldog. We tried the local abita beer called Purple Haze. It wasn't our favorite beer, but it was good to try something local. 

The next day, we traveled by street car for the first time. We went to downtown New Orleans to go to Cafe Du Monde for their beignets and cafe au laits. WE LOVED THIS PLACE. Seriously. Lauren, being the expert on bakeries, decided that the beignets were better than any pastry Panera has to offer. Sorry Panera. Cafe Du Monde was absolutely crazy (in a good way). They were extremely busy and we were unsure how to order. After realizing that you have to seat yourselves to order, we found an empty table and patiently waited to be served. 

The craziness of Cafe Du Monde

The delicious beignets and cafe au lait

Lauren is very dainty and likes to drink her coffee with her pinky up

After this delicious breakfast, we aimlessly wandered around the French Quarter. One of our favorite parts of walking around was seeing all of the street performers. The first band we passed by was a lively jazz band who enjoyed including members of the crowd in their performance. After playing a few songs, they went around to the crowd to collect money. The flute player noticed Lauren's particular interest in his solo performance and correctly guessed that she played flute. 

It's amazing how long these guys can stand completely still

These guys were so good!!

While walking through New Orleans, we passed a huge farmer's market. We didn't buy anything, but we did enjoy some window shopping. We also passed through the Creole Tomato Festival and the Zydeco Music Festival. We bought ice cream daiquiris at a cafe near the farmer's market. Lynea got a Mudslide daiquiri while Lauren got the pina colada daiquiri. Lynea was impressed to learn they put actual ice cream in the drinks, instead of just a mix. They were delicious. We enjoyed walking around the city with the drinks, since we can't do that back home!

Enjoying our ice cream daiquiris :) 

Having fun window shopping! 

So of course we had to stop at the local Starbucks in the city. We found one when heading back towards the streetcar after a day of exploring the French Quarter. This Starbucks was much smaller than the one in Atlanta. So far, the Starbucks in Atlanta is our favorite. We'll see what Los Angeles Starbucks has to offer us next. 

Big smiles that only Starbucks can put on our faces

There is so much to see in New Orleans, one weekend isn't enough. We particularly enjoyed all the live music and street performers. We had fun people watching and the city certainly lives up to its reputation. New Orleans is filled with a variety of all kinds of people, such as this hippie we saw walking around. The nightlife is even crazier! We will write more about the nightlife in our next post.

Oh the things you see in New Orleans... 

Atlanta, Georgia

We arrived at the train station in Atlanta around 8:15am and Will picked us up and brought us back to his apartment. After showering off the train smell, we decided our first stop should be the local Starbucks. We surprisingly did not get lost, thanks to Lauren's iPhone. We were VERY impressed by the size of the Starbucks. 

Afterwards, we met up with Emily and toured a potential apartment for Lynea and her roommates in the Virginia Highlands.  We spent some time catching up with Emily before heading to the Corner Bakery near Will's office for a bite to eat. Lauren, being the expert on bakeries, was impressed by the food at Corner Bakery. However, she still gives Panera a higher rating.

After lunch, we walked to the World of Coke. It started out with a mini tour with a very enthusiastic tour guide that gave a brief history of coke and coke products. Afterwards, we walked around the rest of the building and explored the different exhibits. We took a picture with the Coca Cola bear, who was very friendly and wanted to come along with us. To his dismay, they wouldn't let him.

With our new bff, the Coca Cola bear. 

We enjoyed tasting all the different coke products from around the world. Lynea enjoyed the coke products from Asia the most while Lauren enjoyed the coke products from Latin America the most. I wonder why... ;) After trying ALL the different coke products, our energy was very high. 

The other exhibits included a 4-d movie about the secret of coke, a history of the pop culture involving coke, old coke advertisements, etc...

Sitting on the couch that was used by American Idol during Season 4.

Lauren loves her cops!

After this great learning experience, we walked around the Centennial Park and then proceeded back to meet up with Will. We then headed to Taqueria del Sol to meet up with Emily, Virginia, Louisa, Boyce, Jonathan, Tara and Mike for dinner. We were very impressed by the tacos and enjoyed the margaritas as well. Everyone then walked over to Ormsby's for drinks and games. We played shuffleboard, which we lost against Will and Jonathan. We also played skeeball and bocceball before heading back to Will's apartment for a good night's sleep.

Although our stay in Atlanta was brief, it was great to see friends and spend some time in Lynea's future hometown. We would like to thank everyone who came out for dinner and especially Will, who hosted us and let us use his car (a very unwise decision to anyone who knows us). We were sad to say goodbye but excited to continue on with the rest of our adventure.