California, here we come, episode 10. In which we surrender to Pink's.

Mari says I have an incredibly acute memory for minutiae (actually, it was more like an incredible memory for stupid details) and I'll be the first to admit that I tend to remember seemingly unimportant details like the cost of parking or what I paid for some relic on laundry Saturday thirty years ago or even that it was Wheel of Fortune I was watching when Mari first entered my life (Chicago-Indiana-Michigan, episode 1), but what is important to me is another man's junk, to paraphrase popular fleamarketing philosophy.  Unfortunately, we were only able to visit one flea during my five-day-birthday-weekend (I promise, that's the last time I'll hyphenate that), but it was indeed a great one.  I look forward to a revisit to the Long Beach Antique Market as well as a revisit to California some day.  San Francisco is on a list somewhere in the depths of my travel journal as is the second-Sunday Rose Bowl fleamarket.  Imagine a second-Sunday Rose Bowl flea, followed by a few days in San Francisco, then back to Long Beach for the third-Sunday?!

(Flea) Heaven.

Back to the current journey, though, because it's still the final day, the 2 Broke Girls are still broke, and (sound stage sandwich notwithstanding) Mari and I still haven't had lunch.  Or dinner.  That was all about to change with the final item to be crossed off my itinerary.

Now, I really don't eat hot dogs every day, of course.  Or meatloaf. I have been trying to eat healthier now that I'm 50, but traveling whets the appetite for new foodie experiences and what better way to experience a culture than to immerse oneself completely?

Here I am about to immerse myself in a chili dog at Pink's.

After leaving Warner Brothers we headed to the original Pink's Hot Dogs on LaBrea.  Pink's became an LA institution shortly after opening over 75 years ago and the original location near the intersection of North LaBrea and Melrose has become legendary for celebrity sightings.  Celebrities get cravings, too, and the open-early-open-late hours are perfect for busy A-listers and fleamarketer-tourists alike.  Pink's made our own LA A-list long ago after (you guessed it) seeing it featured on several Food Network programs.  An early sighting back in 2007 on an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay earned it a place on my "some day when we make it to LA" list.  A late-night lunch/dinner hot dog (or two) has now earned it a spot on the "next time we're in LA" list.

Pink's was still very active for a Tuesday night at 10:00 PM, but there was no line when we walked up to order.  Mari and I were fairly overwhelmed by the more than 30 temptalicious (take it for a spin before you pass grammatical judgment) hot dog combinations as well as a standard sampling of burgers and other tasty treats.  I stuck with what I consider the classics:  a basic Chili Cheese (lunch) and a Kraut Mustard (dinner). Part of Pink's legendary status has to do with their chili, which both Mari and I found to be fairly irresistible. Another aspect of the Pink's legend has to do with the hot dog's "snap" which is something I had never experienced in a hot dog and which I found quite enjoyable.  Along with Mari's own Chili Cheese (no raw onion sprinkles or we would probably not have been able to board our flight the next day), there was also the exotic temptation of the Guadalajara Dog (add relish, grilled onions, tomatoes, bacon, and sour cream to that snappy dog).

Having never been to Guadalajara, we were happy to see

such an "authentic" interpretation of Mexican cuisine on the menu.

Our long-delayed lunch and dinner at Pink's that last evening in LA were so good and savorily satisfying at the time--although not exactly the best time for a 50-year-old to have "dinner."  There are some celebrity-named hot dogs as well as lots of photos (presumably taken during the satisfaction of hot dog cravings) covering the walls inside although I really doubt Nicole Kidman has eaten an entire hot dog in her life and I was unfortunately forced to look at "celebrity" Kim Kardashian aiming a hot dog at her mouth the entire time. Hmmm.

Check out the detailed and colorful menu online for the full story.

pinkshollywood.com

I didn't want to leave LA without a final look back and without thanking my awesome wife for taking the time to indulge me as I marked a happily memorable occasion with happy memories once again.  She'll be the first to tell you that she didn't do anything, that she's just along for the ride, but her support and love and trust mean so much more than words and pictures (and the occasional piece of fleamarketed jewelry) can ever express.

Not even a fully-loaded Guadalajara Dog can convey my profound and sincere gratitude.

A recent revisit to a "local" favorite next time.

California, here we come, episode 9. In which we go for Broke.

Since the summer of 1990 I have fantasized about living in Cicely, Alaska, a community which only exists in my mind and in the creative genius of one of my all-time favorite series, Northern Exposure. Unlike Dr. Joel Fleischman, this New Yorker would not have constantly balked at living in the (very) remote town and amongst its affectionately quirky townspeople.  It was with intense excitement that I planned a short (150 extra miles) detour during our first trip to Seattle back in 2009 to visit the town of Roslyn, Washington, home of the series' fictitious Alaska locale.

If I ever had an out of body (mind?) experience it was when we arrived in Cicely, I mean Roslyn (no, I really mean Cicely!) and we parked across the street from Joel's office and walked down to the end of the street for this photograph.  It still amazes me that 15 years after the series ended, the fictitious main drag afforded fanatical fans the chance to have their moment.
(We had another moment while enjoying burgers at The Brick although Ed Chigliak's favorite mooseburgers were absent from the menu that day.)


Before I return from my reverie entirely, here's a favorite travel photo of mine.  The bag contains a souvenir T-shirt from a local shop still busily supplying television tourists with NoEx merchandise.

Chris-in-the-Morning

was not spinning records

nor philosophy that day.

Getting back to LA and an entirely different realm of fandom, I must admit that I also have an affection (affliction?) for the wickedly comedic and sometimes dark (naughty?) side.  Let's just call it a guilty pleasure, but I've been a fan of 2 Broke Girls since Whitney Cummings' series first debuted in 2011, only a few days before her own self-titled and short-lived sitcom. The reason for Broke Girls' success is chemistry and comedy.  I'll be the first to admit that the comedy is for adults only and for certain adults only.  You've got to be flirting with Santa's naughty list to fully appreciate (and understand) the risque quality of the chemistry and comedy at Han Lee's Williamsburg (Brooklyn) diner. You've also got to be pretty hungry (and desperate) to order off that menu.

As I was filling in the remainder of my five-day-birthday-weekend itinerary, I checked the ticketing site through which I had secured tickets to The Price is Right taping to see if any other favorite shows were taping during our visit.  The Big Bang Theory and 2 Broke Girls were both taping on Tuesday, September 20th.  Score!  Two of my regular favorites!  Needless to say, tickets to one of the most popular network television programs were difficult to acquire.  Remember when Sheldon and the boys tried (fruitlessly) to secure ComiCon tickets?  It's the episode with James Earl Jones and (I miss you dearly!) Carrie Fisher.

Season 7, Episode 14

I've already admitted I watch too much TV, okay?

My similarly long and busy browser battle of "refresh, refresh, refresh" finally ended with a message that "tickets to my requested show were no longer available."  If you want tickets to a taping when you are visiting Los Angeles, check the site in advance and plan your strategy.  It also helps to have a back-up plan. You should know me well enough by now to know that there is always a back-up plan (or two).  In this case, 2BG was my back-up plan and, fortunately for fans looking for a Tuesday taping, the series is not quite as popular as the top-rated show on CBS.

tvtickets.com

For television viewers (fans and fanatics alike), attending a live taping is a great item for that (bucket) list of life experiences.

It is a behind-the-scenes experience that you really cannot otherwise imagine.

I know, no photos while driving,
but my trusty co-pilot
snapped this as we approached
the Warner Brothers Studio.

Mari and I arrived at Lot Number 8 at the Warner Brothers Studios at 4:00 PM, two hours prior to the start of taping as had been suggested on the website. (Remember, we had just come from The Griffith Observatory and before that the beach and before that our only meal so far that day!)  At that point, however, we were already #150 and #151, so I recommend arriving even earlier (and not driving in circles for 20 minutes looking for the right studio lot).

After registering and submitting our ticket vouchers (procured online after my fruitless attempt at Big Bang tickets), we waited on the lower level of the no-frills (no gift shop, no souvenir photo, no snack bar) parking garage until escorted past several sound stage warehouses and eventually arrived at the Williamsburg Diner.

Mari and I ended up with great seats near the middle of the back row where the diner set was front and center.  What you will see when you are (finally!) seated are a row of sets in front of you from left to right.
The "stadium seating" allows everyone to see as much as possible of all the sets (four in this case) being used for the current episode.  Large monitors hang along the bulkhead wall above the sets so you can still view what you can't see in person.  

I think we were there on a great night because not only did we have all of the 2BG "regulars" in attendance, but two guests as well:  Max's on-again off-again boyfriend, Randy, and special guest Telma Hopkins (fans of Family Matters and Bosom Buddies rejoice!).  Longtime fans of Jennifer Coolidge, Mari and I were thrilled to see Sofie Kachinsky featured in several scenes including a scene that was restarted over and over again because the cool Miss Coolidge kept stumbling over a frustratingly alliterative line and laughing (and swearing) harder each time.  Live freakin' bloopers are always the best!

You need to remember two things when attending a show that is "taped before a live studio audience." First, it is taped, which means that it's not going to be perfect the first (or second or third) time.  Which is why a 22-minute sitcom takes more than three and a half hours to record.  That includes plenty of time for dangerously loud stomach rumbles that were thankfully appeased by cartons of sandwiches that were passed around during a long break in which a mob of writers descended on the set for a not-so-quick dialogue rewrite.  Second, Mari and I were the "live" part of the studio audience!  We were encouraged to react and laugh out loud all over the place, so LOL we did.


I wish I could share my photo threesome with Sofie and Max (the vivaciously and voluptuously funny Kat Dennings), but that only exists in my creative imagination since photos were not allowed and there were no celebrity photo ops.

Their loss.

I do have this closeup of our souvenir T-shirt as well as the empty container that once cradled one of Max's velvety homemade cupcakes.  Yum.  

Between scenes, the live studio audience (hey, that's us!) was kept entertained by an erstwhile standup comedian who was indeed very entertaining and selected us to chat up when Mari told him it was my birthday.  I was gifted the T-shirt and a specially packaged cupcake from Caroline & Max's new dessert bar. Like TPIR on the previous day, there was also invigorating club music and lots of dancing during breaks.

Attending a live taping of a favorite show is an other-worldly experience.  It takes you off the couch and away from your television and plants you right in the middle (well, almost) of the action.  In this case, it was like having a seat at Han's diner and ordering one of Oleg's soup "specials."  Unfortunately for the "rumbly in my tumbly" (thanks for a great euphemism, Pooh!), Mari and I were nowhere near Williamsburg, but we were relatively close to a final LA landmark, the iconic Pink's Hot Dogs.

We'll spice things up in our final LA episode next time.

California, here we come, episode 8. In which we get to the Getty.

As I approach the end of my revisit to Los Angeles, I'm leaving mementos, monuments, and memories behind left and right.  I've been trying to leave my behind in the past for most of my adult life, but I certainly don't like to leave the past and any untold stories behind.  On our first full day I had planned to take a leisurely stroll with Mari down to the Santa Monica Pier, a scenic two-mile southerly walk from The Channel Road Inn.  A hotter-than-expected sunny day, a bustlingly-busy Pacific Coast Highway, and (let's face it, the real reason) a little bit of travel (laziness) lethargy left my 50-year-old self with no choice, but to drop the top on the rental car.  I know it was just two miles along the beach, but I was starting to feel my age, I suppose.

Here we are at the pier with the sunny Saturday multitudes.  A festively fun and colorful family experience whether you are with kids or, in my case, your best friend.  Although Mari was tempted by the ferris wheel, one of her favorite thrill rides, the "thrilling" combination of heights coupled with my vertigo kept temptation at bay.  Besides, the twistingly tangled and tight maneuvering I'd just experienced in the densely packed, paid ($15!) parking lot had more than fulfilled any daredevil desires I had been suppressing.

You can easily spend an enjoyable morning or afternoon at the pier. Lots of amusing activities, convivial vendors, fast food, and vividly vibrant views for you to enjoy.  Visit the official site for extensive visitor information including (far too many) details about that parking lot.

santamonicapier.org

The overflowingly-peopled pier, along with our previously savored dinner at Nobu, made up most of our Saturday.  In between, however, we were able to cross another item off the travel list.


The Getty Center had not only been personally recommended by a trustworthy fellow traveler, the Top 10 Los Angeles guide also featured the sprawlingly colorful museum complex as a "must see" and I'm always about a "must see."  The gardens alone are worth a sunny afternoon, but an afternoon alone is not enough to do justice to the incredibly vast and important art collections housed at the Getty.  Mari and I amused ourselves mostly with the beautifully lush gardens, a welcome site to those of us living in arid (and often colorless) climes everywhere.  My photos do not do justice to the meticulously groomed grounds and luxuriously lush central garden we so enjoyed on that beautiful Saturday afternoon, but I wanted to share as many inviting images as I could.

Be sure to thoroughly investigate the informative site before planning a visit.  You'll be thrilled to learn that admission is free as is the scenic tram ride up the hill from the parking garage (not free, but discounted to $10 from $15 after 3:00 PM).  

getty.edu/visit/center

For those of you who keep track of such things, that's $30 in parking for the day and we are thousands of miles from New York City!

We enjoyed a refreshing nosh at the Garden Terrace Cafe overlooking the central garden, but there is another cafe and a restaurant with gorgeous mountain views as well.

Mari and I were markedly mesmerized by the clever brilliance of these bright bougainvillea arbors.  Almost otherworldly, like something spotted from the Griffith Observatory, these lushly colorful creations pepper the paths between the museum complex and the central garden.

I realize I'm putting off our final two stops again, but I'm going to savor the memory of those Pink's hot dogs just a little longer and wrap up our California, here we come visit next time (maybe).

California, here we come, episode 7. In which we gaze.

Among the first items on my LA list was The Griffith Observatory.  It is not so much that I am a star gazer, although I do appreciate a clear night sky in which I can observe the heavens and imagine that I may be the object of another's gaze from a similarly serene cross-galactic perch, but like many a traveler (on this planet at least) I am on constant lookout for a breathtaking view.  There's nothing like returning from a trip, exhausted (completed list of crossed-off activities in hand), and admiring that perfect photo panorama (except experiencing the panorama itself, of course).

Consulting my favorite travel guide series, DK Eyewitness Travel's
Top 10, for Los Angeles, I was assured that a visit to the Griffith Observatory would help me cross at least two items off my list.  First, it is a practically perfect spot to capture a panoramic photo of the Hollywood sign and, second, following in the (literal) steps of a favorite actor and a favorite film. The climactic location of 1955's Rebel Without a Cause was filmed here and is now marked with a nice memorial to James Dean.

I resisted the urge to run down the steps formerly trod by Dean as he tried to save Plato (Sal Mineo) at the end of the film, but it was difficult not to feel the actors' presence (along with that of Natalie Wood) while walking the carefully manicured (and crowded) grounds in front of the observatory.

Not sure if everyone visiting on that Tuesday afternoon, our last full day in LA, was channeling that talented trio of young actors (whose talents triangulated in perfect star alignment for a favorite film), but the LA landmark (and its majestic views) lends itself to quiet contemplation, however busy and boisterous (and un-sentimental) the crowds may be.

Mari and I actually ran into a young couple with whom we had waited in line the previous day at The Price is Right taping, proving that it is definitely a small world.

Visit the detailed site for up-to-date information about exhibits and family-friendly activities.

griffithobservatory.org

Unfortunately, Mari and I had only given ourselves two hours for the visit, which may seem like a lot of time, but the scenic and upwardly winding drive, coupled with a similarly spiraling search for parking and a bit of a hike up the hill to the observatory, didn't leave enough time to observe the interior of the actual building.

My fault for

baring my beach bod

a little longer than expected

that morning. 

At right is another reason to visit Griffith, a spectacular view of the massively majestic complexity that is Los Angeles.

Also could not resist snapping this street sign photo on the way up to Griffith.  Thanks, as always, to Mari for hanging out the passenger window at a moment's notice to capture a future memory.

One of my earliest forays into classic films, 1950's Sunset Boulevard remains a rewatched favorite in our home, not just for the obviously iconic performance by Gloria Swanson, but for an equally magnetic William Holden. Maybe it's because he's a writer and we all know how sexy and mysterious writers are, right?

Did I mention there is a cafe at the observatory?  Perhaps I should have reminded myself of that little travel tidbit when Mari and I later discovered we wouldn't be able to have lunch or dinner until about
10:00 PM (more than 12 hours after our healthy fruit and granola laden B&B breakfast).  

Not only was The Café at the End of the Universe (fantastically fitting name for an observatory cafe that fans of Douglas Adams and hungry tourists alike can appreciate) ideally situated, it could have prevented a few surly stomach growls from a 50-year-old Texan slash native New Yorker during a taping of 2 Broke Girls later that evening.

More on my date with Sophie Kachinsky (and a couple of AWESOME hot dogs) next time.

California, here we come, episode 6. In which we dropped the top.

When I was a kid playing with my Hot Wheels cars (toy of choice unless you count books), I fantasized about having a (red) sports car some day and, better yet, a convertible. Of course, growing up in New York didn't exactly make owning a convertible a practical dream, but it was a dream. A dream which eventually followed me to the sunny and impossibly warm ("hotter than the mouth of hell" to quote my dad's first impression) heart of South Texas.

My 30th birthday present to myself (which pooped out last April at barely 86K miles and almost 20 years if you are keeping up) was a convertible, of course. One of my happiest memories is driving the car to Florida for the 1996 Christmas holidays (trusty copilot Mari safely ensconced in the passenger seat for two thrillingly long days) and surprising my dad, who was a bit of a car enthusiast himself, but who always thought a convertible was an impractical (stupid) car to own.

Driving my parents to the beach with the top down the day after Christmas that trip is one of my happiest memories. Eventually, Mari and I enjoyed a long drive all the way to Key West, stopping halfway for the best key lime pie ever. Maybe it was the South Florida sun, or driving a few hundred miles with the top down, or maybe it was simply singing along with Mari and The B-52s, but that was damn good pie.

While I was planning our LA trip, I decided it was a good time to revisit my childhood fantasy, if only for the (five-day) weekend.  I'm also the prince (not quite king yet) of online coupons, so the convertible was actually cheaper than a standard car thanks to a coupon-code-favored-customer-discount combination that will likely not repeat until I turn 60.

I want to indulge in a moment to highly recommend The Channel Road Inn, a 5-minute walk to Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica.  We were treated better than family at this beautiful B&B and made to feel as special as a 50th birthday celebration warranted.  I was actually welcomed with a birthday card and warm chocolate chip cookies!

Much to Mari's disappointment, she learned long ago that a vacation for me is about being out and about checking one landmark, museum, church, concert, Broadway show, restaurant and/or hot dog (and/or meatloaf) off my travel list (don't forget fleamarkets!) and not about lounging around in a hotel no matter how cozy.  You can sleep and relax when you get on the plane and return home.  I must admit, though, that The Channel Road Inn did certainly invite rest and relaxation and I would love to return some day just for that.

Visit the inviting site to be sufficiently tempted.

channelroadinn.com

Sorry, must be present for warm cookies (and smiles) and evening wine & cheese.

I discovered this especially charming and comfortable place to sleep and stash our luggage by searching the hotels.com site and ticking the "Bed and Breakfast" box under "Accommodation type." Hotels.com is one of my go-to searches when planning a trip, but I don't always book directly through them.  Sometimes, contacting an inn or hotel directly and explaining how special your upcoming stay will be goes a long way to snagging a correspondingly special discount or a remarkably resplendent room.

I'll tell you about our 20th anniversary room upgrade at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in a future series, but (fair warning) a lot of smiling was involved.

Ask me about the 734 square foot luxury suite at the Austin Renaissance Hotel for all of $1.34 last month if you are wondering about hotels.com rewards, too.

Anyway, we didn't need to drop the top (or anything else, thank you very much) to get ourselves down to the beach on Tuesday morning. What a great way to spend a work day!  Naturally, the morning at the beach was actually on our itinerary, but that's because we had a few other to-dos to do Tuesday including rendezvous with James Dean, 2 Broke Girls, and a couple of "Pink" hot dogs.

Not surprisingly, as you can see, not too many people on the beach on a Tuesday morning to admire my 50-year-old beach bod.

Their loss.

A few hours, a few dips in a very refreshing Pacific Ocean, and a few snapshots of our well-rested tootsies, and we were off to not spend our day relaxing at the inn.

Channeling my inner rebel next time.

California, here we come, episode 5. In which the price is right.

The plan was to hold onto my 30th birthday present to myself until I won a "brand new car!" on The Price is Right.  When said birthday present pooped out after 19 years and seven months (and only 85K miles) this little old lady from Pasadena was crestfallen but still determined to win big.  No longer in need of a car after an unscheduled (you know how much I hate unscheduled) visit to a local car dealership this past April, the plan now was to win a brand new pool table.  In particular, a pool table emblazoned with TPIR logo on its fabulous felt.

Winning a pool table was the only way I would be able to get one in the door of our home, since Mari would never approve such a frivolous purchase.  She suspects (knows) I would play billiards and practice my trick shots for all of a weekend before I grew bored with it and then it would sit there like a ten by five foot lump of uselessness and constant reminder that she is (almost) always right.  If a 50 square foot prize, delivered via TPIR and my superior game show skills, however, arrived on our humble doorstep, then what could we do but invite said lump into our home?

Remember that The Wicker Lounge, even with all its World Bazaar glory, was still only

(I can't believe I lived in an 84 square foot space!) twelve by seven.

That was the plan, anyway.  I was also planning to bid $50 (in celebration of my birthday) every time Drew asked me my best guess.  Fortunately for everyone involved (except yours truly), my best laid plans never had a chance.  I did not win a prize on TPIR, but I still feel like a winner.  I'm hoping everyone in our live studio audience during the September 19 afternoon taping feels the same way.  It was an incredibly uplifting and happy experience.  I can only imagine what it felt like for those called to Bidders' Row and those six who earned their way up on stage.  The Price is Right is not about winning fabulous prizes nor getting the prices right.  It's about communing with happy, excited, and (yes, of course) hopeful people.

All I really wanted,

to be completely honest,

was a lousy T-shirt.

Our experience began when we lined up at 11:00 AM along Fairfax Avenue outside the CBS Television City complex.  The line on the sidewalk was already about 100 people deep, but we had reserved tickets thanks to my fanatical (2:00 AM on the morning of July 7th) internet persistence.  Still, we didn't want to take any chances.  Eventually (and in this case eventually felt more like an eternity), we walked through heavy velvet drapes into the lusciously loud and incredibly colorful Bob Barker Studio at 4:30 PM.  That five-and-a-half-hour black hole of time was our audition process.
While you wait you are being watched and you are interacting with fellow future contestants who have also traveled from afar to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays and milestones public and personal alike with similarly silk-screened and cleverly colorful T-shirts.

There is a little (smaller-than-expected) gift shop and (thankfully!) bathrooms in the first holding area with long benches where you sit facing another row of fans.  Your picture is snapped (not exactly sure why), you are given a neatly-printed name tag (no cool nicknames like "Lou" allowed), and you are also presented with a multiple-page contract detailing the legal implications of "winning" a fabulous prize. Basically, you are responsible for paying taxes on winnings and there is no cash option in case you win a pontoon party boat for which you have absolutely no practical use.

Does anyone have a practical use for a

pontoon party boat?!

Next, your party is photographed at a "green screen" for a souvenir photograph like my jazz hands photo to the left and you are moved to the next holding area where you wait and mingle (and smile and chat everybody up if you want to be considered as a viable contestant).  Next, you are lined up 20 at a time for a quick interview and screening with veteran TPIR producer Stan Blits.  This is your one and only opportunity for a close-up slash audition, so DON'T BLOW IT!

I blew the interview.  I'm fun, funny at times, and sincere.  That almost-as-big-as-my-sophomore-year-dorm-room pool table was mine!  For some reason, though, I stood there and smiled at Mr. Blits and answered his simple questions like any old unprepared non-DVR-recording-fan.  "I'm from McAllen, Texas and I'm a high school librarian."  I might as well have said, "I'm Lou and I'm an idiot.  Don't pick me."

True, I was only asked two simple questions, but that shouldn't have stopped me from telling him I knew every rule to every game, knew the odds of winning every game, knew how easy it was to win $10,000 playing Pay the Rent the "safe" way, but that I was savvy to winning $100K by not playing it safe, that anyone can win Cliff Hangers by guessing $25 then $35 then $45 for the three prizes...  Wait!  You'll get no more insider super-fan secrets from me.  I'll save it for next time.


Several more hours, "holding areas," and (thankfully) a snack bar await before you finally enter the Bob Barker Studio.  Walking in from the back, I felt like I was entering Wonderland. There was loud it's-got-a-great-beat-and-you-can-dance-to-it music playing and everything was so freakin' colorful!  The ushers were most methodical in their arrangement of colorfully-attired audience members and directed us to specific seats.  It seems they were trying to balance T-shirt colors on a broadcast palette so there would be an even "mix" throughout the studio.  Even after being seated, people were asked to switch seats until someone deemed the placement practically perfect.

Our episode aired Monday, December 12th. Given my own persnickety penchant for pre-planning, I'm impressed that a seemingly simple game show is prepared that far (nearly three months) in advance.  That's a long time to keep a contractually-bound secret, especially if you win a car playing Let 'em Roll as did the really nice young man (Donovan, a youth counselor from NYC) next to us in line and first one up on stage.  Mari and I were anxious to watch the episode (amateur screenshots at left) because there was so much we missed sitting in the audience.

It was nearly impossible to hear what was going on because it was just so loud in the studio. George's and Drew's microphones didn't seem to serve at the pleasure of the studio audience, but the home audience.  That's why it sometimes takes a while for contestants to realize their name has been called.  It's not because they are shockingly stunned, but because they must read their hand-printed name from a cue card (waved frantically by a page standing on stage) as George announces the name.  We also found the studio and stage to have a cozier feel than expected.

The stage is not as big as it appears on television and at any point there are up to a dozen crew, pages, and ever-present contestant coordinator (AKA birthday-pool-table-dream-crusher) off to the side while Drew takes center stage.  Even from our cozy perch near the middle of the back row, you couldn't see all the prizes that were being offered when they opened the doors on stage.

Between games, the audience is kept energized by thumpingly stimulating music, insider stories from a very funny George Gray, as well as questions and interactions from a very warm and genuine Drew Carey.  For about an hour and a half you are transported to Game Show Realm, a colorful, loud, and frenzied fantasyland where everyone is deliriously happy with or without a new car.

This last photo is our afterglow view of CBS Television City (white building off in the distance) from a patio table at the Cheesecake Factory at The Grove shopping mall were it was wisely recommended TPIR contestants and future pontoon party boat owners park their car for the day.  It took three glasses of tropical iced tea before my 50-year-old body rehydrated and I stopped seeing the impossibly bright colors of the Bob Barker Studio every time I blinked.

Birthday wish list experience and birthday cheesecake slice both crossed off the list.
A productive day if ever there was one.

We take a slightly less psychedelic, but ever refreshing respite next time.

California, here we come, episode 4. In which a Chicago dog bites back.

Among my list-making travel rituals is hunting down fun places to break bread (or cheesecake) with my travel companion.  Although she is not quite as adventurous as I am when it comes to new food experiences, Mari sometimes surprises me with the occasional piece of sushi (Nobu), grilled calamari (the former Ruby Foo's in Times Square), or fried oyster (K-Paul's in New Orleans).  Most of the time, though, we both enjoy revisiting familiar foodie favorites and comfortingly tasty reminders of past journeys.  Little did we know that we would find such a familiar reminder in the familiarly friendly form of an authentic Chicago dog at an authentic Chicago institution.  In California!  I have previously waxed Portillo's poetic (Chicago-Indiana-Michigan, episode 8), so it was a special birthday (still my 5-day-weekend birthday, remember?) treat to come across that comforting combination of Vienna Beef, radioactively emerald green relish, tomatoes, sporty-spice peppers, mustard, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun.  It was also a most satisfyingly welcome relief to two market-weary fleamarketers in bad need of nourishment.  

The Buena Park diner is Portillo's first location outside of Illinois and was just a 10-mile easterly jaunt (a detour in the seemingly wrong direction as we headed back to Santa Barbara if you really must know) on fleamarket Sunday.

Sometimes going 10 miles in the wrong direction can be oh-so-right.

Unfortunately, my favorite chocolate eclair cake did not make it onto the local menu, so I was still birthday cakeless.  I really didn't mind substituting an Italian beef sandwich for dessert, however.

I really didn't.

Back to the calorie-free business of fleamarket finds.  I couldn't pass up one final opportunity to tempt you with a colorful photo safari from our three-hour-tour of the Long Beach Antique Market.

From clothes to phones to photos to furniture refurbished and refinished, found objects galore (that's right, I used "galore") line the longitudinally long and laden rows.  You may not be following Mari with her magically bottomless fleamarket bag like I was when you visit the LBAM, but you will marvel in wonder at the magnitude of this market and the incredible variety of collectibles carefully laid out before you.  This being California, of course, there were some local "specialties" on display as well.  I'm venturing a guess, but the booth below contained some unusual, if not slightly familiar forms of film and television props (God, I hope they were props) and prosthetics.  Before you ask, no, I didn't.  If previous tussles with TSA have taught me anything, it's that attempting to board a plane with a spare arm would definitely cost me some extra time (not to mention an arm and a leg in checked bag fees).

Here are a couple of items we did successfully rescue from the friendly vendors that Sunday morning.  As you all know (and I love) Mari is a vintage jewelry finding fiend.  Fleamarkets are (in)famous for costume jewelry, both new and used, but on this particular Sunday the dearth of typical fleamarket jewelry baubles was overwhelmingly apparent.  The few vendors and former jewelry collectors (hoarders) who did proffer their wares, then, were a welcome sight for Mari's collector's eye.

Here, Mari presents a vintage silver Southwestern-style necklace with naja acquired from a very knowledgeable vendor who happily transferred possession to a long-time admirer of historical American Southwest jewelry.  While no blossoms were squashed here, the traditional and familiar crescent-shaped symbol of protection caught Mari's attention immediately.

Say, wasn't this MY birthday adventure?!

Now that I'm 50, my memory is not what it used to be.  Have I told you that I collect snuff bottles? If not, I collect snuff bottles.  Add it to the limitless list.  I'm not sure why I collect snuff bottles.  It has to do with my love for Asiana, I'm sure, but I don't know how that started, either.  I have just always been a great admirer of Chinese culture and artisan craftsmanship.  We'll explore that another blog time.  Like my hovering parliament of well-traveled owls, there is a shelf of snuff bottles collected from all over that help me re-collect my travels when I have a moment to admire them.

The bottle pictured here is the newest and I fully intend that double meaning.  It certainly doesn't appear to be antique, but I just fell in love with it at first sighting.  It caught my collector's gaze immediately amongst an assemblage of scattered miscellany advertising itself as a five-dollar table.  I couldn't believe my cross-collectible luck!  The five-dollar fortuitous find did present a common collector's dilemma, however. Would it wind up nestled among the snuff bottle collection or merged with its rooster relations (there's a rooster collection) in the kitchen?  Tune in to a future series to have that melodramatic mystery solved.

In the meantime, there is more birthday adventure to explore next time when I finally come on down!