Trips: San Diego

First impression: I'm a fan of San Diego. 

San Diego is to Los Angeles what Boston is to New York.  But here's where San Diego is better than Boston: friendlier people, better weather, easier parking, and better Mexican food.  In my days before and after Coachella, I got to explore.  Not only was it easy to get from different parts of the city by car, but once I got there it was a walkable city. 

Balboa Park is beautiful.  Lots of museums that I didn't get a chance to explore.  Why?  I opened for the San Diego Zoo.  Come on, why not?  I was in a park, it was a beautiful day, and you know, I didn't mind seeing some animals, exotic or fluffy or whatever.  It was a beautiful zoo and the animals there were awesome!  I know I'm sounding like a kid, but isn't that the point?  Elephants, panda bears (including one taking a nap, that's my kinda panda), giraffes.  I had a great time.  

The Gaslight District and Horton Plaza even was quirky.  Walkable.  Busy but not overwhelmingly crowded.  Dense with bars and restaurants.  Great shopping too; I bought a few sweatshirts at the PUMA store (preparation for Coachella, of course.)  The ballpark is right there and tickets were cheaper than expected (I sat about 15 rows behind home plate).  Amazing views from the top of the Grand Hyatt of the Embarcadero.  I stayed at the Hotel Solamar (thank you, sniqueaway) and was very pleased.  And proving that this is a small world, ran into a fellow residency classmate Jennie Law, who was there for an endocrinology conference.  

As for the food: 

Phil's BBQ **** - Funny story.  I went to pick my up car at Enterprise.  The guy behind the counter asked me if I needed directions.  I asked him if he knew about Phil's BBQ; he said it was close by and he loved the place.  And yes, he had been to Coachella.  I was becoming a fan of Coachella.  When I got to the parking lot, the guy asked me why I was in town.  I told him I was there for Coachella.  He also loved Coachella.  He immediately upgraded my compact car to an all-wheel SUV.  He also knew about Phil's BBQ.  I went and yes, it was worth the hype.  Thank you, Adam Richman.  El Toro, or the tri-tip sandwich, is the best BBQ I've had in 2011.  Unbelievably tender and delicious.  Next year, I hope to be at SHM 2012 in San Diego.  I will return here. 

Hash House a go go *** - Okay, I deviated from my plan to get a bacon-based dish.  But I couldn't resist the famous fried chicken behemoth.  Ridiculously huge.  I was happy to see any part of the plate then stop eating.  Delicious.  Great atmosphere.  Great menu.  Great music selection.  I shall return.  Note to self: there's also one in Las Vegas.

Lucha Libre Taco Shop **** - It is exactly what it sounds like.  I ordered the Surfin' California Burrito.  Holy awesomeness!  This was the best burrito I had ever had.  And I got to enjoy it while staring at lucha libre memorabilia.  They even had a champions booth you had to reserve.  Joel, if you're reading this, you'd love this place.  First meal when I return to San Diego will be back here!  Loved it!

Broken Yolk Cafe ** - Post-Coachella.  In fact, this was my first meal of the day after having driven back from Empire Polo Grounds to San Diego.  A good meal.  I had the omelet of the day.  Hit the spot.  Otherwise, not anything terribly memorable.  But after Coachella and after a long night and a long drive, I was quite happy for the change in conditions. 

I did have plans to hit up Hotel del Coronado once I got back from Coachella.  But once I set foot into The U.S. Grant Hotel, those goals faded.  The hotel was so beautiful and the hotel room and bed and shower such wonderful (relative) commodities after several days in the desert that I was content to never leave the room until check out.  That's what I did.  I ordered room service.  I slept.  I napped.  I watched TV.  It was awesome. 

To the scheduling gods above, please let me available for SHM 2012 in San Diego.  I have some unfinished business!

Trips: Coachella 2011 (Day 3)

I slept much better.  I owe Jessica, my neighbor, thanks.  She wondered why I had come to Coachella with such few items and few rations.  I think she pitied me and gave me a pillow and blanket to get through Saturday night.  So yes, I did sleep better.  Festivals make you appreciate the small things in life: pillows, blankets, mattresses, toilet paper, showers, air conditioning, and soap.  

Sunday was an even lazier morning.  Jessica and I talked about random things in life, including music, while her sister continued to sleep away.  Jessica chanted "Mmm bacon" as we both noticed that glorious odor emanating from a neighboring truck, from a guy making breakfast.  Jessica vowed to bring bacon and avocados to Coachella 2012.

If it was possible, it was even hotter on Sunday.  Though we were initially seated on lawn chairs between our trucks using her truck as shade, the sun's continued ascent put us in a bind.  Despite the struggle and initial failures, we managed to fashion a makeshift "tent" by repositioning our trucks and creating a canopy out of blankets, secured in place by anchoring them via closed windows or doors.  It wasn't pretty but it did the trick.  

I initially had my sights on Phosphorescent at 12:15 PM.  This didn't come to pass as I was still under our makeshift tent at that time.  I eventually went into the site when I could no longer hold my urine and figured I'd stick it out until the end.  

Jack's Mannequin - A new band to me.  Great pop music.  I listened to them from afar since they played at the shadeless Coachella stage.  I was happy to listen from afar underneath my favorite shady palm tree.  

City and Colour - I just listened to them for the first time, I believe, in Hawaii.  The album reminded me of Iron & Wine and Bon Iver when I first listened to them.  Great voice.  Great acoustic guitar player.  In fact, I was most glued when it was only him and his acoustic.  I wasn't alone in this; many men in the crowd professed their love (aloud) for this man.  I hope the success continues.  Such great potential here.  

Health - These guys rocked.  These guys reminded me of Japandroids and The Battles.  Energetic and angry and dissonant, but incredibly likable.  The first post-Coachella music I listened to once back in San Diego was in fact Health's Get Color.  Somehow these guys got it very right live.  Maybe they can teach Animal Collective a thing or two.

Best Coast - I stuck around only for a few songs since I decided to set up camp for the big finish at the Coachella main stage.  Best Coast sounded great, better live than on the album., which sounded a bit too hollow if that makes sense.  They play, they play well, and they're having fun.  Can't ask for more really. 

Death from Above 1979 - I thought The Black Keys were biggest sounding two-man outfit.  I was very wrong.  Enter Death from Above 1979.  Now, just focusing on the music, these guys are heavy, heavy metal and do fucking rock.  Hugely approve on first listen.  Now focusing on everything else: this was the angriest mob pit I had ever seen at a festival.  I was on the front rail but to the side and away from the center of action.  But from my vantage point, I could see the victims that decided to vacate the pit.  I have never seen so many girls in tears, guys with blood noses, guys in tears, and girls with bloody noses in my life.  The band seemed to relish in that fact.  They got louder and angrier as the set moved on.  It ended with such a weird moment.  They urged the crowd to stick around for Duran Duran, as they appeared to be huge fans. 

Duran Duran - To complete the blast from the past, David Hasselhoff entered the VIP area (the VIP entrance was literally five feet away from me). I had never been a huge fan per se and admittedly I was catching them and missing out on The National so I could be in a good position to see Duran Duran's follow-up acts, The Strokes and Kanye West.  But hey, they sounded good and hell, it was fun.  Plus, I got to high-five David Hasselhoff when he left at the end of the set.  The girl to my left didn't know how David Hasselhoff was.

 

The Strokes - Huge anticipation for The Strokes.  They definitely did not let us down.  Julian Casablancas seemed to be the right degree of inebriated: he was funny, he was singing well, and he wasn't stumbling around greatly.  Hammond kept pounding out the licks.  The crowd got rowdy as the hits wouldn't let up.  "Last Night" and "Reptilia" were belted out with more energy and perfection than at ACL.  And as much as I love Punch Brothers' cover, it's The Strokes' song.  They did their job.  They kicked our asses but had us perfectly set up for the final act: Kanye West. 

Kanye West - It's universal: we hate him as a person, but damn he can produce some great fucking music.  And you know what?  He knows how to put on a show.  Arcade Fire put on the perfect close to Saturday.  Kanye West put on a near perfect close to Coachella.  He knows how to build the drama and peak the crowd's excitement.  His entrance was jaw-dropping; with the crowd singing along "Can we get much higher?  So high!  Oh oh oh ..." he appears from the middle of a crowd, up on the air by a huge crane.  Every iPhone, Droid, and camera in Coachella was out. The entire set picked up steam.  With each song, we all realized "Shit, he has a lot of hits!"  Sure, there were the "old" hits but combined with the genius of the latest album, the show nearly had no weak point.  The crowd involvement was unreal for every song.  A particular moving moment, was when he took a moment to recognize the fans despite all his stupidities and how this festival has been the one show he has been looking forward to since his mother passed.  He put a lot into this performance and it showed.  Justin Vernon was a fantastic guest to have throughout the show.  As good as this show was, there was still some universal disappointment: with Usher, Katy Perry, and Rihanna only a few of the stars present at Coachella, it seemed shocking that there were no other guest appearances.  It's hard to pick a favorite moment: the beginning, any song off of the latest album, Power, Stronger, Gold Digger, Flashing Lights ... Ending with Hey Mama was perfect.  If Kanye was sincere, and I hope he was, than this was the perfect ending to his show.  Amazing show. 

Back to the camp site.  More reminiscing.  Many of my neighbors had already left by the time I got to my car.  Jessica and her sister came back so we took town our makeshift canopy tent.  They had to leave.  I decided to turn in.  I woke up early, 6 AM to be exact, and thankfully, made for a quick and painless departure.

When I made my way back to the car, everyone was greeting other with "Happy Coachella!  See you next year!"  Amen to a great Coachella 2011!

Trips: Coachella 2011 (Day 2)

As expected, didn't sleep great, was awakened by the son, and was both really cold and really hot.  Such is the life camping at festivals.  

I spent sometime hanging out with my neighbors.  Parked to my immediate right were two sisters from two hours away, and it was their first time at Coachella (or any music festival).  The day before I had met them when they not only parked next to my car, but also one of them dropped a beer on the ground causing it to explode and partially spray over me.  They were the ones that told me about the partial disappointment of The Black Keys the night prior. 

Despite the long lines for showers, I easily passed on that.  Bonnaroo builds character.  I again went back into the grounds early and loaded up on food.  The foot-long Italian sausage seemed to be the best bang for the buck, still costing $9.  But it was all overpriced. 

The focus of Saturday was the big finish: The New Pornographers, Bright Eyes, Mumford & Sons, Animal Collective, and Arcade Fire.  This became the important overall objective as we learned of the heat wave hitting desert.  A desert is already hot.  A heat wave in the desert?  I could only imagine.  It would push one-hundred degrees Saturday and Sunday.  

Mariachi El Bronx - To be honest, never heard of them and I was completely drawn by the band name. They all dressed like the Three Amigos.  But that didn't matter.  A tight knit and tight sounding Mexican band who were all thrilled to play Coachella and seemed to put on the show of their lives.  I kept gravitating towards the front until I was at the front rail.  Fantastic music, energy, and musicianship oozing from each member.  I really hope they continue to get recognized and do well.  These guys were awesome. 

The Joy Formidable - Typically I don't look to Wales for goth rock.  This my first exposure.  I love their energy and noise.  The lead singer reminds me of Courtney Love but likable.  Their future looks bright.  This would be the first of several bands this day that made me realize that a rock revival is in good hands. 

Bomba Estereo - They still have the energy from their great performance at Bonnaroo.  In fact, they had so much energy despite the mid-day sun that I had to retreat to a palm tree for shade.  "Fuego" was the perfect song for the moment.  Their music blared and the crowd cheered.  They played the main stage.  That was awesome to see. 

Gogol Bordello - These guys are hilarious.  I have seen them before, but if possible they had an extra hop in their step during their mid-day performance.  This may have been the best day performance of any band.  They sounded phenomenal.  They seemed faster and more acrobatic.  For a hot, hot day that promoted inactivity, this was one rowdy crowd.  

Two Door Cinema Club - The anticipation for them from the crowd was similar to Cut Copy.  They were good.  At times, the crowd seemed to have more energy than the band.  I wouldn't say there were off, but I hope they loosen up as time passes.  You couldn't tell if they were having fun up there. 

Cage the Elephant - I had no previous exposure to this band.  The lead singer showed up in a red dress.  I was intrigued.  The next hour was full of old school rock.  The band was completely in sync.  Lead singer was in command.  He liked to crowd-surf too.  "In One Ear" and "Ain't No Rest for the Wicket" were simply bad-ass.  Again, like The Joy Formidable, these guys have awesome potential.  

The New Pornographers - They were competing against another indie superband, Broken Social Scene.  But having seen BSS and having missed the TNP too many times, I favored The New Pornographers.  They were good, but I was a bit disappointed.  I thought they'd be better live.  Actually they were good, maybe it was because the crowd was smaller than I would've figured.  Or maybe my standards were just too high.  They also seemed a bit rushed.  That being said, Neko Case can do no wrong.  And "Bleeding Heart Show" is a fantastic closer.  

Bright Eyes - Bright Eyes fails to disappoint.  I was surprised to make my way to the front right rail.  He was completely on the money this night.  He played all the right songs, hit after hit, with one glaring omission: the solo acoustic version of Lua accompanied by trumpet, which would have undoubtedly been musical ecstasy.  From talking to different people, he wowed the socks off those who hadn't seen him live or heard him at all. 

Mumford & Sons - These guys were at the top of every Coachellan's list.  With every right and reason.  They put on a spectacular show.  They four members are synergistic in their play.  Marcus Mumford has great stage presence.  Marcus Mumford admitted this was the biggest gig they've ever played and that they were stoked.  Same here.  The girl to my right said she was going to start crying since they sounded good; she actually did start crying.  "Little Lion Man" provided the loudest chants: "I really fucked it up this time!"  "The Cave" was a fantastic end to their set.  As good as they are on the record, they are infinitely better live.  They played even new songs: if these are any indicators of what might appear on their sophomore album, then Mumford & Sons will be here to stay and that's a wonderful, wonderful thing.   

Animal Collective - Mumford & Sons giving way to Arcade Fire would've been an incredible one-two punch.  But Animal Collective put on possibly the worst and most annoyingly disappointing set I've ever seen at a music festival.  Though their music is typically dissonant, it was such a stark contrast to Mumford & Sons, that it was almost nauseating to hear.  No danceable rhythms.  Few lyrics.  I don't think I have ever done this before during a live concert, but I sat down at the front rail, my back to the artist, and took a nap.  Sadly, my neighbors on the front rail did this.  The entire population of fans on the front rail did this.  Overwhelmingly the worst and most disappointing act of Coachella 2011. 

Arcade Fire - If there was any salvation, it would be Arcade Fire.  Having listened to an hour of near garbage, the sounds of Arcade Fire rescued the entire crowd.  I had seen them before and they easily catapulted to be one of my favorite live bands and I could only imagine what it would be like in a festival setting.  With louder than life sound, a humble front man and band, tremendous energy, and some of the greatest melodies and chants by a modern band, they certainly did what they were supposed to do: they dominated Coachella.  They had the right set list, picking the right tracks off of all their albums.  The crowd was dancing, jumping, fist-pumping, and chanting.  "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" for lack of a better phrase fucking rocked.  Who am I kidding?  Every song rocked!  Of course, the perfect way to end the night: "Wake Up."  This was even louder (from both the band and the crowd) when I saw them back in Georgia.  The sensory overload continued further as Marcus Mumford emerged from backstage and took up a spot three feet to my left to cheer on Arcade Fire.  Then out of nowhere hundreds of three-foot diameter LED-light balls spilled from above the stage and came from the security pit, pummeling the crowd, and transformed everyone into children.  No better song to do this too.  No better moment to do this.  Amazing.  Arcade Fire put on a show to remember. 

My neighbors and I stayed up until 3 AM.  We drank beer and relived the day.  We ate snack foods, like Frosted Flakes.  We relaxed and listened to music in the background.  We turned in.  There was still Sunday to go.

Trips: Coachella 2011 (Day 1)

I took advantage of still being on East coast time to leave early, real early from Hotel Solamar in downtown San Diego.  I made it to the camp grounds by 8 AM.  At that point, there were only a hundred cars in front me.  This was a much better scenario than the twenty miles of traffic to enter Bonnaroo last year.  We all gladly waited until 9:30 AM when the gates opened.  

I nearly had a stroke at 9:30 AM; my wristband broke.  I talked with security, who reassured me it would be okay.  Turns out when I was one of hundreds of Coachellans who were online at the wristband customer service line past security with a defective wristband.  Sure, it was a high-tech wristband that allowed security to scan you in.  But the basic function of the wristband, mainly the part where it should remain banded to your wrist, was highly overlooked. Thank the world for superglue. 

It was very organized leading me to my car camping spot: basically, you paid to have a defined area, which included your car and whatever else you could fit into your defined space.  I was surprised; they actually spray-painted the defined areas.  I parked my SUV (thank you, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, for giving me the SUV rental) and prepped it for sleeping conditions (mainly lowering the back seats and having a larger sleeping area that I've ever had at Bonnaroo).

I entered the grounds at 11:30 AM, at which point it was still pretty empty.  I could see the draw of Coachella: the beautiful grounds and views, the rather small grounds (making it easy to run from stage to stage), and good organization.  After soaking these things in, I changed modes.  Having been to several festivals now, I figured I'd apply lessons learned: memorizing the map at the start, eating at off-peak hours, finding the right balance between dehydration and over-urination, having a basic itinerary, screening all potential music conflicts, identifying all opportunities for shade, strategically urinating before known long-periods of standing (i.e. the big acts at night), and deciding to always sacrifice survival for music (seeking shade, taking naps, etc.).  Thankfully, having seen so many bands and acts like, there were only a few acts that I was desperate to see, Mumford & Sons being the biggest one.  This afforded a good deal of flexibility.  

Miguel - Never heard of him, but with great stage presence, a good singing voice, and good music, he could be a pop-star on the rise.  A great start to Coachella.

Hurts - Again, another new band.  This one drew a big crowd, with many people towards the front knowing the lyrics inside and out.  They seemed to be a cross between The National, LCD Soundsystem, and The Smiths.  Except Hurts had an opera singer as a backing vocalist.  Enjoyed them greatly.  

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - I saw them at ACL before.  Great soul, great band, and great fun. 

!!! - I caught the end of their act trying to get a good view for Titus Andronicus.  Let me just say on initial impression more appropriate band names would be ??? or WTF!!!  Puzzling and not so great live. 

Titus Andronicus - They put up one of my favorite albums last year in 2010.  I had never seen them so I had them marked.  They were full of energy.  Sounded great and had the full sound I didn't think they'd be able to pull off live.  A smaller crowd than I would've liked.  I hope they continue to be recognized.  "No Future, Pt. 3: Escape from No Future" was an awesome sing-along, with its "You will always be a loser" chant.   

The Drums - The band sounds like The Beach Boys and The Smiths combined.  Their lead singer looks boyish and slightly psychotic at the same time.  My brother has seen them before; his flailing arm dance has not changed.  Yet he still is mesmerizing to watch.  Fantastic live band, who were the band to beat as of 5 PM.  

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - I've been wanting to see this band for years.  They're a New York band too.  They've been to Atlanta a few times, and I missed them every time.  A tight and shy band playing polished shoegaze, if such a thing is possible.  Young, fun, and modest (their band members seemed to be the most modest and humbled to be at Coachella).  Great to see them up close.  I think they're better suited for smaller venues though.  Playing the Mojave tent suited them perfectly. 

YACHT - I decided to see them since The Pains of Being at Pure at Heart recommended them.  I only caught a few songs.  I couldn't quite figure them out.  Energetic, but their music didn't resonate with me.  

Lauryn Hill - I caught the end of her act.  She was soulful and had the command of the large crowd at the Coachella stage.  Rousing cheers for a fun, fun act.  

Interpol - I never quite into Interpol.  I figured I'd catch them live.  I like them better live than on the record.  They did a good job.  But I still remain unswayed.  

Brandon Flowers - Vocally, sounded excellent as I heard a song or two en route to Cut Copy. 

Cut Copy - I was hoping this would be a good show, since a sacrifice was made: passing up on The Black Keys, my favorite act at Bonnaroo 2010.  Well, the sacrifice was well worth it.  As much as I love their records, they sounded even better live.  They had the right tent (Mojave) and picked the right songs.  This was one of the liveliest crowds at all of Coachella.  It was bliss.  "Lights & Music" rivaled the energy of "Electric Feel" or "Kids" by MGMT.  The girl next to me said, "I lost my friends, but you're here and a Cut Copy fan.  Let's dance!"  So we danced!  I felt even better about my decision when I later heard from neighbors that The Black Keys were disappointing.  

Crystal Castles - The masters of electro-Tetris music.  In the same way Thievery Corporation was probably one of the best tents at Bonnaroo last year for those stoned or on mild-altering-but-calming drugs, Crystal Castles was the best nighttime act for those under the influence of a psychostimulant or ecstasy.  The music was mesmerizing.  The lead singer Alice Glass was psychotic, flinging herself about the stage and sometimes off the stage.  She appeared injured on several occasions; only not to miss a word or verse.  It was a chilling but amazing performance.  

Kings of Leon - They sounded great, as they also do.  But the better set was at Bonnaroo: I think it was because they were too heavy on their latest album, which isn't their best.  That being said, not a bad way to end the first day. 

Of note, the sunset at Coachella was gorgeous, with all the stages, palm trees, and mountains in silhouettes.

Trips: Coachella 2011 (Best & Worst List)

Best Morning Smell: 
Waking up to a neighbor cooking bacon on the grill.

Worst Morning Smell: 
Piles of horse shit.  

Best Donation from a Neighbor at Campsite: 
A pillow.  

Best Snack to Have with Beer: 
Frosted Flakes.  

Worst Snack to Have with Beer: 
Sour Patch Kids.  

Worst Weather Related News: 
On the radio: "The desert can expect a new heat wave this weekend." 

Best Emergency Shade: 
Under a palm tree (on site) or under a car like a mechanic (camping).

Best Daytime Act: 
Tie between Gogol Bordello & Cage the Elephant.
 
Best Nighttime Act If Under the Influence of Drugs: 
Crystal Castles. 

Worst Act: 
Animal Collective (by far).

Biggest Disappointment According to Me: 
Tie between Animal Collective and lack of guest stars during Kanye's set (interesting given that Rihanna, Beyonce, Katy Perry, and Usher were present for Kanye's show). 

Biggest Disappointment According to My Neighbors: 
The Black Keys were reportedly "off" and "flat." 

Most Lively Tent: 
Tie between The Drums and Cut Copy.  

Worst Time Slot Conflict: 
Tie between Friday 8:30 PM featuring The Black Keys vs. Cut Copy and Saturday 6 PM featuring Broken Social Scene vs. The New Pornographers. 

Most Difficult Tactical Decision Made: 
Skipping The National in order to claim front row access for The Strokes and Kanye West.
 
Most Puzzling Sequence of Artists on a Stage: 
Sunday, Coachella stage (in order from 5 PM to the end): Nas & Damian Marley, Death From Above 1979, Duran Duran, The Strokes, and Kanye West.

Biggest Surprise (Non-Musical): 
Non-congested and surprisingly good phone service. 

Biggest Surprise (Musical): 
The Black Keys having an off night.

Best Discovery (Artist to Whom I Had Never Been Previously Exposed):
Four-way tie between Hurts, Mariachi El Bronx, The Joy Formidable, and Death From Above 1979.  

Most Psychotic-Looking Lead Singer: 
Jonathan Pierce of The Drums.

Most Psychotic-Acting Lead Singer: 
Alice Glass of Crystal Castles.

Most Bloody Noses: 
Death From Above 1979.

Most Fans Leaving an Act Crying or Physically Hurt: 
Death From Above 1979.  

Most Balls: 
Arcade Fire.

Most Ballet Dancers: 
Kanye West.  

Most Random Line by a Lead Singer to Energize a Crowd and Succeed: 
"Do you believe in love?!" Julian Casablancas of The Strokes.  

Best Crowd Chant Before an Act: 
Phonetically chanting before Kanye's show "TAY-LOR SWIFT!  TAY-LOR SWIFT!"

Best Entrance: 
Kanye West entered via crane while "Dark Fantasy" starts.  

Best Stage Presence: 
Kanye West.

Loudest Sing-a-long: 
Tie between Arcade Fire's "Wake Up" and Kanye West's "Dark Fantasy".

Best Guest Appearance: 
Justin Vernon of Bon Iver performing with Kanye West. 

Best Ending:
When hundreds of LED-lighted large balls spilled into the crowd during "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire.  

Most Fun Moment:
When hundreds of LED-lighted large balls spilled into the crowd during "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire.  

Best Comment:
Tie between "Dude, Rihanna was at Kanye's show!  Yeah, Rihanna was at Coachella, ella, ella, ay ay ay" and "Oh, the post-festival hangover.  I'm gonna vomit lyrics."

Worst Comment: 
Before the Arcade Fire show, some guy standing behind me, saying to a friend, "So, who are these Arcade Fire?"  

Most Random Thing:
Tie between high-fiving David Hasselhoff at the Duran Duran show and Marcus Mumford three feet away from me rocking out to Arcade Fire.

Worst Thing About Coachella: 
Defective wristbands and lack of water stations. 

Best Thing About Coachella:
The backdrop; you can't beat the palm trees and mountains.

Best Act: 
Stay tuned for a Top Acts of Coachella 2011 List.

Trips: Hawaii (Part 2: Kauai)

In progress ...

Trips: Hawaii (Part 1: Oahu)

A fantastic second time around in Hawaii.  It all started with an idea: Katie was planning a medical elective there and I figured why not try to visit?  Next thing I know, I'm crashing at my friend Lisa's place, while she and my cousin show me around Honolulu and Oahu, rushed since I have to head to Kauai with Katie and Sarah.  It really is a small world.

Gosh, I was in Hawaii back in 2000.  I went with my family and we spent some time in Honolulu before making our way to Maui for my cousin's wedding.  Yes, the same cousin who took me around this time around in Honolulu.

Honolulu is expensive.  I was quite grateful to have Lisa and Josh put up with me in their apartment, which, sigh, is a ten minute walk from Waikiki Beach.  Such is life.  They graciously picked me up from the airport.  I got settled in their home.  They took me around Waikiki.  We hung out on the beach.  We ate and drank at Duke's.  By sunset, I was successfully and unsuccessfully able to direct my friend Katie, who was doing a pediatric surgery elective at University of Honolulu, to our location at Duke's.  Her journey was complicated by a pigeon defecating on her.  Such is life.  Nothing that good food, alcohol, and company during a Waikiki sunset can't fix. 

Thursday I grabbed breakfast at Wailana Coffee House, a local dive and diner.  It was a delicious breakfast.  But no, I didn't have any urgent need to eat spam on this vacation.  My cousin picked me up at Lisa's place around 11 AM and proceeded to take me on a guided tour throughout the south and eastern parts of Oahu.  Lots of great stops: Diamond Head, Gold Coast, a random secluded area in what seemed like some random person's backyard, Hanauma Bay, Halona Cove (best known for the beach scene in From Here to Eternity), and the Pali Lookout.  Words can't describe the views at all these places.  I thank my cousin for this: we went to Big City Diner where I had my first loco moco: a local dish involving a burger patty on a bed of rice, topped with a sunny-side-up egg and gravy.  Delicious!  We picked up Katie at her on-campus housing site and my cousin took us on a tour of the historic part of downtown Honolulu.  I didn't get to see any of this when I was in Honolulu more than ten years ago.  Thank heavens for a cousin willing to give the tour for free!  We wrapped up by going to dinner back near Waikiki, at a sushi place called Sansei.  "It's great sushi," my cousin told Katie and I, "but not the best view."  We were seated at a table with a view of Waikiki Beach.  I guess Hawaiians get spoiled with what's a good view.  The sushi was fresh and delicious.  But I'll admit, I didn't eat as much as I would've wanted.  After a huge breakfast and an even bigger loco, and dinner at 6 PM, my poor stomach had no more room!  That being said, it was awesome to catch up with Ranilo and Katie, both who I hadn't seen in person for years.  We ended the evening with some ice cream and relaxing on Waikiki Beach at night.  We decided to turn in early though: Katie had to be up for work and I had to meet Sarah, who had just landed at the airport, who was going to head to Lisa's apartment.  Then Sarah and I had a morning flight to head to Kauai. 

You can read my last post about our ordeal with Go! Airlines on Friday morning.  I'll fast forward to the part where we arrive in Kauai.  

Sarah and I arrived in Kauai around lunchtime Friday. In an instant, we could sense how Kauai seemed completely at odds with Honolulu.  There was rain.  It was lush.  It was seemingly deserted.  It was quiet.  You never really get to escape when you're in the heart of Honolulu.  In a minute, I knew I had escaped.  

We picked up our rental car and drove.  Ignoring Sarah's directions to our hotel in Lihue, I kept driving north.  There's I like more than a relaxing and therapeutic drive.  Next thing I knew, hunger swept over both of us and we were approaching hypoglycemia.  Sarah spotted a true hole in the wall place: Duane's Ono-Char Burger. This looked promising.  Despite a long wait (we would soon find out that any order on this island took a while because well, who really is in a rush?) I got my local boy: essentially like The Vortex's Yokohama Mama Burger, with cheese, pineapple, and teriyaki sauce but on a more human and less behemoth portion.  Absolutely delicious!  We continued to push north, stopping by a fruit stand for looks, and hitting up the scenic Kilauea Lighthouse and it's surrounding wildlife and birds.  As the rains were starting to come down, we retreated back to our hotel, the Aston Islander on the Beach.  I must say, I was quite happy hear.  Centrally located on the island in Lihue and with a pool, jacuzzi, and the beach outside your porch, I'd definitely stay there again.  A quick nap on the beach.  A quick dip in the jacuzzi, where, go figure, we run into an endocrinologist from Britain and his teenage daughter (she was surprised by her dad by having her 19th birthday in Kauai) and a nurse and her husband from North Dakota.  So not only is it a small world, but it's also a small medical world.  Later that night, amidst numerous delays, Katie finally made her way into Lihue. 

Trips: No Go for Go! Airlines

Kauai is an amazing place so let me get this post out of the way.  The other bad thing that happened is my iPhone died.  But that doesn't need any more elaboration.  Not yet anyway.

Go! (or Mokulele) Airlines is the last name this airline company should have.

I'm surprised there isn't more graffiti on the Go! signs.  Things I'd rather call this airline: No Go!, Go Already!, Go(tcha)!, Are We Going Anytime Soon?, Go F**k Yourself! Airlines, Go! Please?, For the love of Go(d)!, or Go(d)! No!  

We had a 9 AM flight on Friday morning, going from Honolulu, Oahu to Lihue, Kauai. Sarah and I got up nice and early, caught a cheap shuttle from Lisa's place to the airport, and arrived at the inter-island part of the airport.  Here's what follows:

08:45 AM: We notice our flight status says "Boarding" though we aren't
08:55 AM: Not a single plane within view from Gates 71-80
09:00 AM: Go! announces a 15 minute delay
09:30 AM: Go! announces a 45 minute delay
09:31 AM: Increasing unrest in the terminal
10:15 AM: Go! announces flight is cancelled
10:16 AM: We notice all Go! flights are delayed or canceled for the day

The rest of the morning is a blur.  Two guys who were on our flight assessed the situation and came up with the conclusion "Fuck this!"  I researched alternative airlines while Sarah talked with an Island Air member at the desk, who basically implied that Go! has this reputation. Go! said they would announce passengers by name to reassign flights.  Yet we never heard them call names.  An angry line formed.  Yet when Sarah walked up to ask about retrieving bags since we were entertaining booking another flight, they basically told her, Oh by the way, we already reassigned your flight, here are your tickets since you're here!  WTF? 

The general seating process seemed consistent with the lack of organization.  

Thankfully we caught our flight and got to Lihue around noon.  The flight was short and rattly. 

Katie was going to catch a flight around 8 PM that Friday.  Turns out she booked Go! too.  Not surprisingly, she had a similar experience.  It sounded like she had a more angry respective mob; she was one of the rare persons keeping a cool head.  Long story short, a flight that should have got her to Lihue at 9 PM arrived near midnight. 

Between all of us, we never seemed to get any updates, most updates were solicited.  No one seemed to acknowledge the obvious conclusions: the planes are broken and they need to be fixed!  Just be honest with us!  What boggles my mind is that with two planes down and hundreds of angry passengers, they left the masses uninformed and still continued to sell tickets!  It wasn't until early this morning that Go!, for the first time, acknowledged to Sarah that they were handling this badly.  Sarah decided to stick with her return Go! flight (she'll be in Honolulu a bit longer; I didn't want to chance missing my Atlanta flight).

I'm currently at Gate 24 in Honolulu.  I'm waiting for my 4:30 PM flight back to Atlanta.  I was supposed to fly Go! coming back this afternoon.  I lost my faith in Go!  I accepted my losses.  I booked a one-way ticket with Hawaiian airlines, departing on Monday at 11 AM.  In fact, I did this Friday night.  How did that flight go this morning you ask?  Check in went smooth and in fact was helped by a very, very pleasant member of Hawaiian Airlines at Lihue airport.  When I got to my gate, everyone appeared calm and relaxed.  The plane pulled up to the gate.  The passengers that deplaned looked calm and happy (not stressed or relieved like our flight into Lihue).  I boarded on time.  We left ahead of schedule.  We landed ahead of schedule.

Unfortunately, just before I boarded my plane, Go! announced a delay to Sarah's flight.  Sadly, this isn't surprising. 

Lesson's learned.  No Go for Go! Airlines.  Correct it all or shut it down before any disasters occur.  Please avoid this airline unless you are eager for an unsettling and disappointing inter-island flight experience in Hawaii.