Tag: travel

That’s how they do it out in Modesto, California

~ dannyhong ~ Leave a comment

At first glance, this looks like a photograph taken inside of any old liquor store.  Jack Daniels, various vodkas, whiskeys and wines available, and then entire aisles dedicated to beer.

This is actually inside of a CVS, in Modesto, California.  A CVS drugstore.

So upon entering this CVS in Modesto, California, it’s the same kind of stuff you’d find at any other CVS across the country.  Over the counter drugs, a pharmacy, lots of toiletries, cosmetics, cheap Taiwan-made knock-off toys, magazines, candy and a small variety of snacks and drinks.  But then you take a sharp right, and then BAM it’s a full-fledged liquor store.

And there’s no segue into it, either.  It’s the same carpeting, shelving and bright, fluorescent lighting.  It’s like cruising the aisles of target and going from baby clothing, sporting goods, sex toys.

The funniest thing is that there really were liquors and whiskeys that were available for discounts if you scanned your CVS Extra Care card.

Sonny Chiba approves, since he loves CVS.

People who complain abotut Atlanta’s airport clearly haven’t been to San Francisco’s

~ dannyhong ~ Leave a comment

I have a belief that when many non-Georgians that exclaim that they dislike Atlanta, it has mostly everything to do with the fact that their sole interaction with Atlanta stems from an airplane layover gone awry.  Sadly, this often as accurate as it hyperbole.

Atlanta’s airport isn’t by any means the best airport in the country, heaven’s no, but I can easily say that I have been to many, far worse.  Included in those would be San Francisco International airport, where I have just flown in from this morning, and am writing this while I wait for Jen to pick my tired ass up.  Upon making excellent time at 5:00 a.m. PST to prepare for the cross-country flight, with the earlier-than-scheduled arrival of the taxi, the lack of line at the Delta kiosks, I actually had a modicum of hope that I could made the earlier flight out of SFO to ATL.

Then I ran into the security line, which turned out to be the worst-handled security checkpoints I’ve ever seen in my entire life.  The last time I can honestly recall spending more than 40 minutes in a security checkpoint was literally the first few flights I ever took, post-9/11.

Continue reading “People who complain abotut Atlanta’s airport clearly haven’t been to San Francisco’s” →

I won’t put flowers in my hair

~ dannyhong ~ Leave a comment

But I am off to San Francisco for the next few days. I am very excited to visit an area I have never been to before, and I look forward to eating a lot of good food, wandering around aimlessly, doing touristy shit like seeing the Full House house, and traversing the Golden Gate Bridge, and of course, most importantly, visiting three new ballparks, two of which are MLB parks. #22 and #23, respectively.

To be honest, despite the fact that this trip had been planned all the way back in like February, it kind of feels like this weekend got here a little insanely quickly. A part of me wouldn’t mind at all if I had another week before the trip, but it’s all good. That part of me is wanting to be home for the first weekend of having a new dog, and helping ensure the dog acclimates to his new surroundings, instead of me jetting off just days after bringing him home. But it wasn’t meant to be in the cards, and both Jen and I will have to deal with what we were given; it’s not like we could have waited on rescuing Chase, because it was made evident that if we didn’t claim him when we did, there were at least two parties that would have.

Not to say I don’t expect to enjoy my time out in San Francisco due to these circumstances, I’m just saying that I’m going to miss my new dog. But Jen’s a successful competent dog owner, so I know the boy’s in good hands in my absence.

There’s a good chance that I’ll make some random mobile photo posts throughout the weekend, not to mention the slew of posts, picture posts, and baseball park posts that will come in ensuing days and weeks afterward.

Photos: A day in Montgomery, Alabama

~ dannyhong ~ Leave a comment

The pursuit of travel and baseball took me down to Montgomery, Alabama for a day, to take in some local sights, and eventually watch some baseball.  Compared to Birmingham from just a week ago, I have to say that I liked Montgomery more.  Ironically, a lot of it has to do with the historic feel of the area, and walking around what I suppose was a major home of the Confederacy.

The first White House of the Confederacy is what’s pictured above, and it’s kind of interesting to think that I never heard of such a structure even existing in contemporary school, despite the fact that Virginia too was a “southern state.”

As much as I thought I would be looked at with a strange eye for being a Chinaman in Montgomery, Alabama, I was pleasantly surprised to have not really run into such incident.  Well, not openly.  Then again, being a Sunday afternoon, pretty much the entire city was deserted, except for the sparse church-goers and baseball enthusiasts at the park.  I’ll save the park opinions for when I eventually update the baseball site, but as for the rest of the pictures, beyond the jump.

Continue reading “Photos: A day in Montgomery, Alabama” →

I Am Legend, southern style

~ dannyhong ~ Leave a comment

If you were to tell me that I Am Legend took place in Montgomery, Alabama, I would be inclined to believe you. This is a picture of downtown Montgomery, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and there isn’t a single soul in sight. I am literally standing in the middle of the street, with no fear at all of any oncoming cars. Because there simply are none. I really imagined that this is what Robert Neville felt like when wandering about in Los Angeles in the story, notating any dark and shady crevices in which vampires could be hiding in.

Apparently in the god-fearing south, and then deeper in, in Montgomery, they fear him just a little bit more, to the point where they go into complete hiding altogether on Sundays outright.

Continue reading “I Am Legend, southern style” →

Photos: A day trip to Birmingham, Alabama

~ dannyhong ~ Leave a comment

Since I was kind of sick at the start of the baseball season, I pretty much missed the entire opening homestand for the Braves.  Which is kind unfortunate, considering the Braves won five out of the six games they played in Atlanta, but now they’re on the west coast, and will be out there for like another week, or so it will feel.  Or maybe it’s just that I really relish the novelty in visiting ballparks I haven’t been to before, over my home park, who knows really.  So the first baseball game I went to live this year would be a new one.

Despite having lived in Atlanta for the past nine years, I’d never actually stepped foot in the state of Alabama before.  I’ve never had any reason to, and I can’t say that I’d never felt compelled to visit for any other reason than baseball.  Living where I live, I’ve had my share of exposure from Alabamans, most of them less than positive.  Too much Roll Tard and absurd loyalty to college football spawning irrational idiocy.  But with Rome and Lawrenceville already off the list, it left me with few alternatives.  And with the Braves’ double-A affiliates from Mississippi playing in Birmingham, it looked like good of reason as any to make my first ever trip into Alabama.

Continue reading “Photos: A day trip to Birmingham, Alabama” →