As always Los Angeles is a study in contrasts and that is the beauty of this incredible city. I'm just as comfortable at an exclusive party at a secret location on one of the blvd's in Hollywood or Beverly Hills as I am slurping up Menudo or enjoying Horchatas at a small taco stand in the heart of South Central or Watts. I'm always in town every year for the annual LA Times Travel Show. Like many things that are "big" in LA, this the largest … [Read more...]
Asia trip Videos
Here are a few videos from our most recent trip in Asia. The first one is a few clips in Japan and the Maldives - the 2nd one is of our adorable niece in the village in Eastern Thailand. … [Read more...]
GranMonte Vineyards, All in the Family
After returning from Brunei and a quick day of rest we set out for the jungles of Khao Yai National Park and part of Thailand's "wine trail". GranMonte Vineyards located in the heart of the small Asoke Valley was the highlight of our day. This winery was founded by Thai couple Visooth and Sakuna Lohitnavy. Their daughter Visootha (or Nikki) is Thailand's first female winemaker (only in her 20's, she has many harvests ahead of her). The entire … [Read more...]
Dream Communication
Sometimes the world works in mysterious ways. This is an interesting story from several weeks ago in rural Thailand. I never think of my high school history teacher (last I thought of him was about 5 years ago) and furthermore I never have vivid dreams (or if I do, I never remember them) and I don't believe in stuff that is not tangible. A day after the dream one of my former teacher's colleagues wrote me to tell me my high school teacher … [Read more...]
Thailand Village Rice Rats
I always tell people we eat rats here to varying responses including one of disbelief and disgust. However these are not Bangkok Rats, er, city rats, rather they live in the unpolluted rice fields. My wife's brother makes bamboo traps by hand for catching these rats. The traps are simple in design but very effective. They are spring loaded by a string which bends the long part of the trap into the shape of a bow when the trap is loaded. A … [Read more...]
Back in Thailand
There is such a contrast between the countries of Brunei and Thailand and nowhere is this more evident than at their respective airports. Usually for International flights I allow about 2 hours to get to the gate and with some extra time but in Brunei the airport is so small, quiet, and there are not so many flights that even 40 minutes is usually enough time to check in, go through security, get to the gate and still have time left … [Read more...]
Greetings from Brunei
After using Bangkok as a base to visit all its neighboring countries and their neighboring countries I had run out of new countries to visit within say a three hour plane ride of Thailand (don't get me wrong, there are many places I haven't yet visited in the countries I've already been to). However I had not yet visited Brunei and with a non stop Royal Brunei flight from Bangkok lasting about 2.5 hours it was fairly easy to get here and spend a … [Read more...]
Thailand Village musings
So I'm back in my wife's village after a hectic several weeks of travel in Japan and Thailand (hence the shortage of blog posts). This is Eastern Thailand, about 90 minutes from the wild outpost of Poipet, on the Thai/Cambodian border. I've been coming here at least once a year for nearly the past 10 years for 5-6+ weeks at a time. This is a great escape from the city and urban life not to mention the undesirable weather in most of California at … [Read more...]
Sport Chalet to Collect Coats for Clothes4Souls
Customers are invited to donate their gently worn winter coats and in return Sport Chalet will give them a special offer on any new winter coat Nashville, TN - November 16, 2010 - Coming alongside their nationwide drives to collect shoes, Soles4Souls announced in early 2010 the launch of their new charitable division Clothes4Souls. Due to the success of the recent Sport Chalet shoe drives the two companies are partnering again to launch a new … [Read more...]
An Inspirational Refutation of an Uncomfortable Stereotype
"People try to insult me by saying my success is from a falang (foreigner)," said Nate, smiling as she steered us through the moped-filled traffic, "but it's just me." The story that emerged as Nate (in her taxi-service capacity) drove me from her restaurant to the Phuket bus stop was inspirational. But was also a desperately welcome antidote to the uncomfortable Older-Western-Man-funding-Younger-Thai-Woman situation thick on the … [Read more...]
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