Gary BUTTERWORTH Online

Stratford, NJ

Don’t blink; you might miss something.

As you probably know (since I haven’t really shut up about it), I just got back from a week in San Diego a little more than 48 hours ago.   It was my first time in California (my first time west of Arkansas, actually), and I had a GREAT time!

It’s funny; no matter how long you stay somewhere, it usually seems that you need one more day.  In a way, that held true with this trip, but in a way, it didn’t.  I mean, I could have easily found a way to spend another month out there.  But I did pretty much everything I set out to do, so one more day really wouldn’t have made all that much difference.  But I wanted it anyway.

Even having done all that I set out to do, or maybe because of it, the whole trip is a bit of a blur.  In a way, it doesn’t even feel real.  It happened so quickly: I decided to go away around March 28.  I booked my flight on March 30; I left on April 12, and by April 18, I was back on the ground in NJ.  Now, I can hardly believe that I went to California for a week and that I’m back.  It really did fly by.  I feel like I blinked and it was over.

I’ll type out a full report below (I doubt many people will read it, but I hope people will enjoy my pictures, and maybe it will be useful for someone planning their own trip), but first, here are my highlights:

• Seeing ice hockey, baseball, and soccer in new places, and also seeing 7 additional stadiums on top of the three where I attended matches.
• Reconnecting with some old friends.
• Watching wild seals in La Jolla.
• INCREDIBLE food.
• Visiting my 14th country–Mexico!
• Beautiful (and historic!) scenery.
• I can go on…
• and on…
• and on…
• And I will!

Background and Planning

About three weeks ago, I found out that I’d be able to take a week off, so obviously, I decided it was time to go away.  For a while, I was thinking about going somewhere in the Caribbean to watch the Cricket World Cup, but I decided against that.  I thought I’d probably have more fun visiting my friend, Dan, in San Diego.  Hindsight now confirms that this was definitely the right decision.

I hadn’t talked to my friend, Matt, in over a year.  I don’t think I had even seen him since the ButterBowl (at which, you might remember, he did his best impression of Tony Danza and showed everyone Who’s the Boss), but when Dan mentioned to him that I was thinking of coming out, he decided it might be a good idea to pre-pone his planned June trip so that we could go together.  I was down.

Now, I have to admit, I was a little bit nervous about this trip.  See, for a variety of reasons, I have been in the habit of travelling alone.  I do lots of things that many people aren’t interested in, and I do some things that are often (wrongly) perceived as dangerous.  So, I frequently end up going places alone.  In a way, that’s boring, but in another way, it’s liberating.  You don’t have to worry about anyone but yourself, and it’s easier to make new friends on arrival if you’re not already in a group. 
Since this was my first time travelling in a group in a LONG time, I was worried that I’d get impatient and anti-social.  Fortunately, this was not the case at all.  I LOVED having my friends there to share the trip with me!

Overall, the planning was easy.  (I’ve posted before about how easy “big” things in life can be, and how this fascinates me).

BUT, there was one other little bit of planning that needed to be taken care of.  Dan, being from the South Jersey/Philly area, has seen the light, and he acknowledges that Yuengling Lager is the greatest beer in the history of man.  He wanted me to bring him some, and I was happy to oblige.  However, Northwest Airlines regulations prohibit transporting more than 5 liters of alcohol per person.  That’s only 14 bottles of Yuengling, and Dan is worth more than that.  So, I bought a case of 24, padded it up really well, wrapped it inside a beach towel, put it inside another box, taped it up, hoped for the best, and went off to the airport!

The Flight

It was raining when I showed up for the airport for my 6:30am flight on Northwest.  I checked the beer with no problem, to my great relief.  (“What’s in the box?”  “Bottles.”  “Fragile?”  “Nah, not really.”  “Ok.”).

Things went uneventfully until I got to the front of the security line, at which point I finally noticed that the check-in agent had neglected to put my boarding passes into the envelope he handed me.  Oops! 

By this time, there was less than half an hour before departure.  So, I raced downstairs, got my passes, and the TSA folks nicely let me move to the front of the security line.  Thanks to that delay, I was the second-to-last person on the plane, but it was all good.

I spotted Matt on the way to my seat (the first I had seen him in years); he had gotten an exit row!  He’s a big guy, 6’6″, so he deserved it.

I had heard bad things about Northwest Airlines (“Northworst”), but I didn’t find it all that bad.  Yes, the plane was pretty spartan–no free food and no in-flight audio, let alone any video.  But for $216.59 roundtrip across the entire country, taxes included, I really can’t complain.  The plane was clean and comfortable.  And it was only about 2/3 full, which was nice.

The flight to Minneapolis was uneventful. 
For the first time, I was using a set of noise-cancelling headphones, which worked WONDERFULLY.  I never realized how much ambient noise there was in planes before I tried these out.  I recommend them to anyone who flies.

Once we got off the plane, we had about half an hour to walk around.  The airport there was quite nice, and it was fun to catch up with Matt. 

As rare as it is to hang out with Matt, I actually saw something even rarer at MSP airport: an iPod vending machine!
(I feel bad for the poor sap who buys one on an expensive impulse before a long flight, only to realize that he doesn’t have any music on it.)

It was also fun to pretend I was a Vikings fan.

All in all, I’d say that, however brief,  my first visit to Minnesota (typed with a Minnesotan accent) was a success.

Soon enough, we were back on a plane (this one was full) for the San Diego leg.

This leg of the flight was also pretty uneventful.  I caught a little bit of a nap, but not much of one.  It’s kind of funny; even though I was flying westward (for my first time in the US), the flight felt more like an eastward trip to Europe.  At least it did to me.  I’d say this is mostly because it involved a long-ish flight leaving in the the dark, coming off of only a tiny bit of sleep in the hours beforehand, and arriving at my destination early in the day but still sleepy.  Fortunately, unlike I transatlantic, I was able to simply keep my body clock on Eastern time, and this actually worked well, since I’m a night owl at home.

San Diego International Airport is located pretty much right downtown (at least as centrally located at Reagan is to DC), and that’s where Dan met us.

Day One–04/12/2007: Coronado and more!

The beer came out with no problems.  Aside from an extra TSA sticker, nothing much set it apart from the rest of the luggage.  Which is good, because Dan and his friends were really looking forward to some Yuengling, and because I bought a new shirt for the delivery.

(This picture if funnier if you know me, because then you’ll realize that it’s kind of out of character.) 

Dan picked us up at the airport.  From there, it was off to pick up Emily, his lady, and then get some In-N-Out Burger. 

In-N-Out is a chain in California, Nevada, and Arizona.  Everyone raved about the burgers, which were good.  But for me, it was the fries that made the place.
Since it’s the banal things about a place that I like experiencing the most when I travel, I really enjoy trying new, local fast food places, and this did not disappoint.

After In-N-Out, we made a quick stop off at Dan’s.  His place was very nice, I thought.  It also reminded me how much I love group houses.  Maybe I should have grown out of that phase, but I just think it’s cool to have a large group of people around.

Then, we headed to Coronado, via the bridge from Anchorman. 

It was a really cool part of town, made all the cooler by spotting a NJ license plate.

(The Jersey Guys: me, Matt, and Dan, from left to right.)

I saw (and touched!) the Pacific Ocean for the first time!

Then, we ate dinner at McP’s Irish Pub, a place where all of the Navy Seals eat when they are in town for training.  It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t really anything special.  The prices were good, though.  In fact, that was one of my biggest surprises about the trip.  Aside from gas, nothing was much more expensive than in NJ, and some things were even a few cents cheaper.

From there, it was back to Dan’s via the supermarket.  I picked up some Karl Strauss Amber because I wanted to try a local beer, and it was pretty good (more flavor than a macro), although nothing terribly special.  Then, we just had a fun night in. 

Day Two–04/13: Anaheim Ducks Game at Honda Center

On Friday, we got a bit of a late start.  Some people don’t really like that when travelling, but my feeling is that vacation should be a time to recharge.  As long as you don’t waste a whole day, I like sleeping in.  And Friday was hardly a waste.

We (yes, it was truly “we;” believe it or not, I DID NOT remotely push this down people’s throats!) decided to go to the Anaheim Ducks NHL ice hockey game against the Minnesota Wild.

Although the game was sold out, the Ducks have a “ticket exchange” on their website, where people can sell their extra tickets legally and conveniently, as long as they aren’t trying to rip off their fellow fans.  Dan had used it before, and it worked very well.  We just printed the tickets off of the computer.

We left around 3:30pm, and, after sitting through some of that infamous SoCal traffic, made it to the arena just before 6. 

The Honda Center (formerly the Arrowhead Pond) is, quite simply, beautiful.

I have now been to over 120 stadiums and arenas, and I don’t think any of them can really hold a candle to Anaheim as far as how the building looks from outside. 

I have to admit that there is something strange about going to an NHL playoff game in a building surrounded by palm trees, but it works.

The building is beautiful inside, too.

With the tiles floors throughout the concourses, I thought this place felt more like a theatre than a sports arena.  It’s high-class all the way.

Here is a photo of the seating bowl and ice surface during warm-ups:

Inside the seating bowl, though, the building is pretty much identical to all of the other post-1990 arenas in North America.

This isn’t a terrible thing; the sight-lines are good enough, and the seats are pretty comfortable.  But at the same time, it is kind of boring when it’s virtually impossible to distinguish between the ice surfaces and seating in Philadelphia, Washington, Ottawa, and Anaheim.  I’ve now been to six NHL arenas, and, in some ways, those four are virtually identical in terms of seating.

I know I’m in a minority here, but, as beautiful as it is, I would prefer an older,  grittier, less palace-y arena if it meant cheaper prices, closer seats, and more uniqueness.  I want a sports experience, not a corporate experience.

Other observations:

• During the second intermission, I could see fireworks from Disneyland from the concourse windows.  Very cool.
• The Ducks had a very good game presentation.  It included a full 13 minutes of pre-game video, and it was all well-done and interesting.
• Before warm-ups, they were showing Eastern Conference Playoff games on the ArenaVision.  Very cool, and an interesting reminder that you’re now in the Pacific Time Zone! 
• I saw a Hershey Bears jersey!  I said hi to the guy wearing it, but we didn’t chat all that much.
• Excellent crowd!  They came out large in numbers and in voice.  I didn’t expect that.  (Although maybe I should have, given how much of the NHL playoffs I saw on TV in area bars and restaurants all week).
• Very large Asian fanbase.  Very cool!  It’s nice to see hockey growing beyond a white guy’s sport.
• For a new arena, there was very little in the way of restaurants other than basic concession stands offering standard arena fare.  Good BBQ pork, though.
• I believe this is the 7th city in which I’ve seen ice hockey this year.  I think that’s my 2nd best all-time.

The first period took almost an hour, but aside from that, it was a good game.  A fight, too; those are pretty rare nowadays in the NHL playoffs.  Despite a shaky blueline in the first half of the game, the Ducks were still mostly dominant.  They won 3-2.

After that, it was time to head home.

I enjoyed the ride!

(Dan’s lady, Emily, is on the left, and her friend, Tisha, is in the middle.)

After that, it was more In-N-Out, then into the bed, where I drifted out.

Day Three–04/14: La Jolla, Old Town, and Gaslamp Quarter

Saturday, we drove just a little bit north and checked out La Jolla.  (“Lah HOY-uh”)

After a quick bite to eat at Azul, a slightly-above-par restaurant that advertised being showcased by the prolific Rachael Ray on the Food Network, we walked around the coast. 
In some ways, the Jersey shore is still my favorite beach area.  But, in terms of beauty, La Jolla wins.

As much as I would have loved to lay on the beach and go swimming in the Pacific, it was just a little too chilly for that.  But the die-hards below didn’t seem to think so!

Nor did these die-hards:

Haha…La Jolla is known for being the home of a bunch of lazy seals who enjoy sunning themselves on the public beaches.  I had never seen seals in the wild before (not even in McP’s!), and I thought it was very cool.  It was hilarious to watch them waddle down the beach and into the water, where they’d catch a wave and hang-10 off into the ocean.

I’m not completely sure, but I think I may have even spotted Jesus walking on the water in La Jolla.

After La Jolla, we very briefly visited the Presidio of San Diego. 
Unfortunately, I was not aware of the historic importance of this place until after I got home.  It probably deserved more attention than we gave it.

From there, it was just a short ride to Old Town San Diego.

I love historic old towns, and it was interesting to see how a real “Old West” town differed from their historic cousins on the East Coast and overseas.  In a way, it felt foreign, but not too foreign, considering how much it resembled the Old West you see in movies.

It was fun, and definitely worth seeing; but for some reason, it didn’t really grab me.

Emily’s sister met up with us there, and we went out for appetizers and drinks. 
I had a maragarita for the first time, which I didn’t particularly enjoy.  I’m glad I tried it, though.

We ate and drank at a counter that ran perpendicular to some tables.  For a while, I was worried that Emily might get jealous, because Dan made a new friend who insisted on playing footsies with him the whole time we were there:

We rested up at Dan’s house for a bit (while watching National Treasure on tv.  It’s probably the best terrible movie ever made! I loved it!), then decided to hit up the bars/clubs in the Gaslamp Quarter downtown.

Now, I’ve gotta tell you–I can count on my fingers the number of times I’ve gone bar-hopping/clubbing before, and it would only take a couple of those fingers to count the times I enjoyed it.  Tonight was different, though.  Maybe it was because I was out with some of my favorite people, but it was just a REALLY fun night.

Matt was simply on fire.  He’d walk in the door, all smiles, and just say hello to EVERYONE.  A couple people told me he was the funnest, or friendliest, person they had seen in forever.  One of the things I hate most about the Philly area is that, if you go out, everyone is a tough guy, and it gets old.  I didn’t see any people like that here, and it struck me as ironic, but wonderful, that the nicest person in San Diego that night was Matt, from South Jersey.

Not surprisingly, Matt made A LOT of new friends.

When I was in the bathroom, I met a cool Rajasthani guy who really want to teach me “how to have game.”  I kinda wanted to talk about cricket. 
Now, I really don’t care to learn how to “have game” in clubs, and the last thing this guy wanted to do in a club was talk about cricket.  So, I said phir melingay (I really said that), and that was that. 

I’m sure that guy succeeded in getting whatever he was after, but even without “game,” I made some new friends anyway.

(Full disclosure: Matt ended up with about 20 of these type of pictures, compared to my 1, but it’s my website, so I can make us look equal if I want to!)

The night ended in an odd way. 
In the unwitting Jersey accent that occasionally and unconsciously finds its way out of my mouth, I ordered “five boddles of wooder” for my friends.
The girl at the counter was clueless. 
Emily had to translate.

“You’ll have to excuse him; he’s from NJ.  He wants five BOTTLES of WATER.”

Day Four–04/15: Tijuana, Mexico, sports via the San Diego Trolley

On Sunday, I added a 14th country to my list: Mexico!  My main reason for going was to see a soccer game and a baseball game, but in doing so I think I got a pretty good taste of the local flavor (literally and figuratively).
It was fun, and I’ll have a whole post on TJ sometime within the next few days. 

Day Five–04/16: Balboa Park, PetCo Park, and a really cool mall

Monday morning, we got *gasp* an early start!

Emily suggested this place that had great huevos. 

(Don’t feel bad; I had to ask, too.  “Huevos” simply means “eggs.”)

Dan, like all of us, enjoyed his.

Matt thought about taking the Broken Yolk Challanged–a 20-egg mushroom omlette.  But he decided against it.

After that, we went to walk around Balboa Park.

The park, like just about everything else I’ve mentioned, is beautiful.

There were lots of museums there that looked interesting.  I was specifically interested in the Museum of Man and the International Cottages, which I think are run by the UN.  And the San Diego Zoo is considered a must.  But, with less than a week in a city, I usually save museums for last.  Generally, I’d rather see the city than see specific things within the city.  Assuming I go back, these museums (along with going to the beach, if the weather cooperates) will be one of the first things I do.  But for now, I was content just to walk around the park with my friends.

After that, we went downtown–back to the Gaslamp Quarter.

For a weekday afternoon, I simply could not get over how empty the city was.

But there were still gnarly things to see.

(I’m doing the official California-surfer-dude-hang-10-gnarly/cowabunga sign.  You see LOTS of that around here, for sure.)

PetCo Park, the baseball stadium where the SD Padres play, is home to “The Park at the Park.”  They keep the outfield cheap seats open as a public park when there is no game going on.  As a stadium nut, I loved that!
(Pittsburgh does something similiar).

After that, it was lunchtime, and Matt tried sushi for the first time.

It might not have been my first time trying sushi, but I had never had it this close to Japan before!

(I’d also bet that no one has ever worn a Gottéron cap this far west before.  Allez, Fribourg !)

After that, we went to Horton Plaza, a really cool outdoor shopping mall.

We grabbed some pizza later, but early to rise meant early to bed.

Day Six–04/17: San Juan Capistrano and Hollywood!

Tuesday was our last full day in California.  And it was a great day, as is any day in which you wake up in Dan’s bed. 

First thing that morning, Matt and I walked over to the SDSU campus to get something to eat.

We had walked around Dan’s campus several times prior, and it is very nice. 
A few days prior, I tried a fish taco there.  Even though a food court probably isn’t the ideal place to try a signature local dish, especially one that didn’t really sound all that good to me, I actually enjoyed it.  We ended up with Mexican food on this morning, too.

The southwestern style of the San Diego State University campus is really striking. 
Speaking of tacos, I know this sounds funny, but it struck me how much it reminded me of Taco Bell.  The thing is, Taco Bells are built to resemble this because the southwest is part of their gimmick.  Here, these buildings are real, and built in this style because of where they are, not because of a marketing plan.  I know it sounds stupid, but that really hit me.

After that, we got a little bit of a late start on the rest of the day. 
(It’s incredible, and wonderful, that we managed to see SO much on this trip while also taking things at a relaxed pace).

Around 1pm, we stopped off at Qualcomm Stadium so that Matt could get a San Diego Chargers cap. 

Then, it was off to San Juan Capistrano!

As it turns out, I was the only one in our group who was aware that this place even existed.  That kind of surprised me, because I always thought it was pretty famous.

See, when the Spanish were busy colonizing their New World, they set up a series of “missions” up and down California.  They were mostly religious in nature, i.e., places to convert the natives.  I believe they had some military role, too.

Regardless of my respect for the (very valid) debate on missionaries in general, I wanted to see this place.  I knew of it mostly because of the swallows, which famously stop there every year during their migration to South America.  But I had also heard that it was one of the most beautiful, and most historic, missions in California.  “The Jewel of the Missions.”

The drive up was a lot of fun.  The northbound traffic on the 5 (I just said “the 5.”  How California is that?!) wasn’t bad at all; a big difference from what we encountered on our way to the Ducks game on the same road a few days prior.  I also saw a US Customs and Border Patrol secondary inspection station along the highway, which made the IR student in me geek out just a little.  (A few people also told me to watch for the road signs warning of migrants crossing the interstate, but I’m pretty sure those signs are no longer there). 
I also saw some people working in berry fields (the real heart of the current immigration debate in the US), the Navy practicing helicopter maneuvers at Camp Pendelton, and, last but not least, I HEARD SPOONMAN ON THE RADIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We arrived at Mission San Juan Capistrano just fine, and I was the first one inside.  I could tell you that this was because I was most excited about it, which is true, but the real reason I sprinted inside was because I really had to use the bathroom.

After using the modern facilities, we spent a good hour visiting the historic facilities, and we were all blown away.  Matt and Dan were surprised that they had never heard of the place, and Emily now thinks she may have visited as a child.

I’ve visited LOTS of historic churches, and this one easily falls into the top 5, and I’d say it’s in a fight for the number one position.  These photos don’t do it justice.

If you’re in Southern California, this is a MUST SEE for anyone interested in history, political geography, religion, architecture, birds, horticulture, or just simply beauty.

For me, it may have been the highlight of my trip, although it has some tough competition.

Above is a photo of the ruins of the Old Stone Church, which didn’t stand for very long before being mostly destroyed in an earthquake.  Another church was built within the complex to take the place of the above.

We finished seeing the mission around 4pm, if I remember correctly, and that left us in a bind.  There wasn’t much else to see in the area; traffic home would be terrible, and traffic to LA was unknown, but infamous.  We all kind of wanted to see a little bit of LA, but none of us could decide if it was worth risking hours in traffic.

We finally decided to risk it and head north, and, miraculously, the traffic was all in the opposite direction.  We made it to LA quickly, and our driver, Emily, did a wonderful job delivering us to a reasonably priced parking lot in the heart of touristic Hollywood!

(The pictures didn’t turn out very well, but we had a great view of the Hollywood sign).

Frequently, when I go to a new place, I try to shun the ultra-touristy stuff. 
Lonely Planeters might shun me for saying this, but, just as often, the touristy things are what I just have to do.  LA/Hollywood fell into the latter category.

None of us had very extensive lists of things to do (which, given the late hour of our arrival, is probably a good thing).  Fortunately, I got to do everything on mine!  First, I saw the Hollywood sign.

Then, we found Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, where we got to see the stars’ handprints!

In true Hollywood style, I converted to Scientology.

(JUST KIDDING!)

And then we met up with my friend, Nikki, for dinner and drinks. 
Our half of the table had a mini SU reunion.

And, of course, we walked down the Walk of Fame.  Here’s Emily:

We weren’t there for very long, but I’d say we packed a lot in. 
I’m sure LA deserves it’s own trip, but I think I speak for all of us when I say that I was very satisfied with what I saw there.

And our stomaches were all satisfied with another visit to In-N-Out on our way back to Dan’s.

Day Seven–04/18/2007: Coming Home

Six days sounds like a long vacation until you wake up on the morning of the sixth day.  Fortunately, I had no regrets, so that made packing just a little bit easier.

But, it was still sad to collect all my things and walk out the door.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: one of the things I’m most proud of myself about is the fact that I can carry twice as much luggage as a guy twice my size.  I now have photographic proof! 
Check that out: I have all of my bags, all of Matt’s bags, and I STILL have a free hand in my pocket!

We left Dan’s house and made a quick stop at Tony Gwinn Stadium, home of SDSU baseball and the independent pro Golden Baseball League’s San Diego Surf Dawgs.  It was a nice little ballpark.

I also had a triumphant moment for a stadium geek: on the way to the highway, we passed Cox Arena.  From behind, there was something strange about it.  I asked, “was that place built on the field of an old football stadium?”  Everyone else in the car thought it was an odd question.  “Umm…I don’t think so…”  Once I got home, I confirmed that it was indeed built inside an old football stadium.  As long as I’m bragging about my baggage-handling skills, I might as well continue my bragging with my stadium-identification skills: I’m good!

I was determined to suck every last ounce of fun out of my trip, so even in front of the airport I was still taking photos of the city skyline.  Here is the city and the embarcadero.

But alas, even the end of the vacation has to come to an end.  Soon enough, we were in the air.

Matt got the exit row again, and I got a window.  This was possibly the clearest flight I have ever taken, so the window was a real treat for me.  I could see the ground for almost the entire flight, and it was fun to be able to see some of my country’s cool sites pass below me, like the mighty Mississippi River:

The connection in Detroit went well (cool airport; they have a shiny new metro train directly ABOVE the terminal!), and the flight back went even better…Matt got us an INSANE exit row.  I could put my feet fully out in front of me and still not touch anything.  More legroom than first class, at no extra charge. 

It’s good to be tall, huh, Matt?

All good things must come to an end, and, 6.5 days and 694 pictures after I started, I was back in Philadelphia International Airport (the ghetto-ass wing, too, not even the nice shiny new international terminal).

As if the weather wasn’t enough of a giveaway, the monitors let us know that it was not a dream–we were indeed back in the City of Brotherly Love. 

Half an hour later, I was at Wawa in NJ.  Wawa might have softened the blow a little bit, but I still wish I was back in California.

So, there you have it!  A wonderful trip spoiled only by the fact that it had to come to an end, and that the follow-up to that ending involved hundreds of gallons of water in a New Jersey basement. 

I hope you enjoyed my trip report as much as I enjoyed my vacation.  I will have another post soon about my daytrip to Tijuana, and I may do another one on the stadiums that I saw while I was out west. 
After I get those out of the way, I’ll go back to my normal, boring blogging, and I’ll also do a little more work to get this new site cleaned up a bit.

Whew!  I’m finally done with typing that all out!  Cookies to anyone who actually reads it all!
Comment if you’d like.  I’ll type to you soon!

SHAKE AND BAKE!

Link du jour:  I posted some more of my pictures here, but honestly, I’m not too fond of flickr, so I may move them.