Pearl has gone totally indie-rock.
She's ready to move to Portland and catch a Grizzly Bear show. You need not ask if she owns a backpack; the answer is clear.
Shea, however, is none too thrilled. He's tired of Pearl raiding his wardrobe. He's over her style-copping ways.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJpC9JqSnJk
Greetings from Cocoa Beach.
Indiana family visits are good for the soul.
Lecanto was awesome. The 'rents live in Black Diamond (above), a lovely golf community. Great spending quality time with the fam. Especially great to see my grandparents. Extra especially great that I won at Crick, a board game that is totally unique to the VanDyke family. Yay, Crick!
This morning we braved the interstate once again (and, naturally, got cut off several times by drivers on cell phones), and headed to Zellwood, where DJB's family resides. Happy to report that we arrived safely. Wonderful to see the Browns, who are currently enjoying happy hour on the lanai with their son. Better get in there. Later!
First stop: The Edison & Ford Winter Estates, featuring an historical museum, 17 acre botanical garden and the winter homes of Thomas Alva Edison and Henry Ford, all along the majestic Caloosahatchee River.
Next, we headed to St. James City on Pine Island, for an awesome dinner with friends Dinah, Rod, Susan and Bob.
The next morn, we woke up and bid adieu to Ft. Myers. Next stop: Lecanto/Inverness, a four-hour drive north, to see my family.
Sad to report that my beloved little town is now sprawling and janky, stuffed with corporate restaurants and tattoo parlors. There also appears to be a fair amount of meth here. First, we visited the Shell Factory, one of my all-time fave places here as a child.
Fortunately, excluding all the scary, nearly-toothless clerks, the Shell Factory is still pretty cool. I'd completely forgotten there was a creepy, big game room... and I'm not talking about pinball and air hockey.
See? Creepy. Regardless, it was fun. Long live the Shell Factory!
Next, we went to Ft. Myers Beach. Verdict: blah. Sprawling tourist trap. No surprise. After 32 years away, things are bound to change quite a bit.
On the way back to our hotel, we passed another childhood fave: Jungle Golf! It looked the same, only better! Did we stop and play a round? Are you kidding?
The fabulousness of Jungle Golf made up for the lameness of the beach.
One more day in Ft. Myers. Fingers crossed.
Had a wonderful, relaxing time on Crescent Beach in Siesta Key. Happy are we.
Next stop, Ft. Myers, where I will relive my childhood. Lived here for a while when I was in elementary school. Haven't returned since... 'til today. Excited to visit some of the places that thrilled little Lisa.
A few final things before wrapping up the Bali adventure coverage. 1. This betch wins for her dedication to inappropriate footwear. Heels at the Sacred Monkey Forest of Padangtegal. Win.
2. Two-for-one daquiris. Period.
3. Untitled
4. Matchy-matchy in Taiwan
5. More Balinese street art
Finally fell asleep pushing 4 a.m.
Needless to say, it's a foggy kind of day.
Before we were literally home again, home again, however, DJB had to have Frontier. Immediately. We went to Frontier restaurant before we even went home. I had yet another cheeseburger. And a milkshake. Trainer extraordinaire Jonathan Rockwell is going to kill me. I'm schlubby. Beach soft and well-fed, that's me.
I'd like to thank the flash on my camera for pairing up so fabulously with the reflective strip on DJB's jacket. The red, glowing eyes + the illuminated jacket = evil Tron visits the diner. Pimp!
We've safely arrived in Los Angeles.
DJB is splayed out on our hotel bed, enjoying American television.
I'm reveling in high-speed internet heaven. After two weeks of very slow to nonexistent internet, I'm now giddy with excitement. Clickclickclickclickclick! Wheeeee!
Food delivery arrives soon. We couldn't decide between pizza or cheeseburgers, so we ordered both. Needless to say, we're ready for some greasy American fare.
Back in Albuquerque tomorrow night.
Can't even get a Paris break in paradise. She sat (in business class) behind two of our travel companions on their flight here a few nights ago.
Jakarta Globe --- High-profile celebrity Paris Hilton has been raving about Bali during an extended vacation, telling her more than 5.3 million followers on Twitter that the resort island is one of the most “incredible places I have ever been.”
Hilton, who describes herself on the social media site as “Model, Actress, Singer, Brand, Business Woman, Fashion Designer, Author, Philanthropist and Empire,” arrived on the Island of the Gods on Wednesday night for a week-long holiday after a short stint in Singapore.
“Just landed in #Bali! So excited to be here for my first time! I’ve been wanting to come here forever! This is going to be amazing! #YES!” she tweeted. A day into her visit, Hilton said she was not disappointed.
“I’ve been getting in some amazing R&R time, hitting up the spa and just relaxing for some girl time!” Hilton wrote. On the same day, Hilton elucidated about Bali on her Web site.
“Bali has been pure paradise! I can’t believe I didn’t come here sooner! I have seen so many beautiful places around the world, but I definitely believe that Bali is one of the most incredible places I have ever been,” she said. Hilton was in Bali to attend the opening of her friend’s hair spa in Seminyak on Thursday. She will be in Bali until Wednesday.
The socialite was scheduled to visit Jakarta last year for the opening of her namesake store at the Grand Indonesia mall, but she canceled her trip after being barred from entering Japan, two days after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge in Las Vegas.
Via Jakarta Globe
Photos: DJB
We've moved on to the Temple Lodge (we're in the Spice Suite) in Uluwatu.
Very rustic. Jungle times. Open-air rooms. Huge geckos. Monkeys and biiiiiiig bugs.
More than anything, however, it's absolutely gorgeous.
I've been swimming in the pool a lot.
Now, thanks to chlorine, my hair is green.
We're stopping by the market today. I shall purchase lemon and vinegar to use as a rinse. Naturally, I'll let you know the results. Fingers crossed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpiIWMWWVco
Hotel internet was out for the last few days. Here's what's been happening in paradise. There was a 5.2-mag earthquake two days ago. We didn't feel it... likely because we'd just had a few cocktails, so everything was a bit wobbly already. It was a harmless quake; no injuries or damages.
Other than that, there's been a lot of shopping...
Dining and imbibing...
Beaching...
And---perhaps the best part of all---receiving copious spa treatments. We visit the spa every day; sometimes more than once. A one-hour full-body massage is about $7. Yes, seriously. Facial: $9. Mani/pedi: $6 each. One-hour foot reflexology/foot massage: $6.50. Same rate for the one-hour back, neck and shoulder massage. There are body scrubs galore, special hand and foot treatments, waxing, tinting, aromatherapy baths... the list goes on and on, my friends.
There are no words to describe my joy.
Tomorrow's selection: the Bunga Briella Package. Here's the description from the spa menu:
Treatment begins with a 1 hour traditional body massage, followed by a body scrub with your choice of exotic body scrubs [I'm going with the Balinese boreh scrub, which incorporates a blend of pepper, cloves and ginger], then tantalize your senses with a candle-lit aromatherapy bath filled with fresh flowers. A truly divine experience. Served with ginger tea or fruit juice. 2 + hours. Rp 275.000 [about $30].
Needless to say, we're totally blissed-out.
Today we checked out of the Bali Court hotel and moved on to the private villa in Seminyak. When we entered the courtyard, I honestly got a little misty-eyed. It's so beautiful.
Just as we settled down in our room for the night, it began to rain. Perfect soundtrack for sweet dreams.
Taipei to Bali was smooth. We stepped outside the Bali airport... and Cali (our globetrotting pal who's been here since October 10 and departs November 13) was waiting for us! We didn't expect to see him until after we got into town and checked into our hotel. Seeing a familiar, friendly face immediately upon arrival was a very awesome and welcome surprise. You rule, Cali. We wasted no time getting our poolside social time on.
We're all still poolside. It's late at night (early morning in the U.S.), the weather is perfect and I'm the luckiest girl in the world.
The marathon flight was quite pleasant... thanks, Xanax! We noshed on Hindu meals, watched movies, slept like ka-ray-zay and did our fair share of covert smooching. Now, we're waiting to board our Bali flight, which leaves in just over an hour.
The Tapei airport is incredibly clean and posh. High-end shops galore, mucho liquor and cosmetics... and, of course, gobs of Hello Kitty.
'Til Bali, dahling. xo!
