ON THE ROAD

Last year, I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in downtown Cleveland. On Euclid, literally 50 yards from the gates of Gund. A renovated, much older building, but they have redone the interior completely.

Very nominal prices, nice rooms (the building used to be an office building and I believe all rooms, even singles, are suites -- as I remember, I got a single, at the bottom of their price list, and it was still a semi-partitioned suite-type room with a couch in the 'living room' area), and also a yummy brunch.

Right next door, also, to a pretty lively Irish pub, the name slips me, but plenty of cold beer was drunk, and so was I. So what's not to like?

I've stayed at the Renaissance in C-town, too. Also very nice, but much much more expensive. If Mr. Publisher is footing the bill, hit the Ren, otherwise, if it's coming out of your pocket, save the C-note a night and stay at the Express. Although, with its location, it does fill up fast.

 

that's just fuckin' wrong

 

It's a little off the beaten path in San Diego, but the suburb of Chula Vista to the south east, aka "Chula-juana" has a tremendous hole-in-the-wall steak house known as "The Butcher Shop."

The steaks are just as generous and excellent as the kitsch factor. Red vinyl booths, velour wallpaper, oversized photos of the owner with everyone from Muhammad Ali to Steve Garvey, waitresses with skimpy hankeys masquerading as skirts, a fat guy in a Duran Duran Panama hat butchering songs with his keyboard, drum machine and guitar...seriously, it's right out of a Tarantino movie. Great prices, too.

556 Broadway
Chula Vista 91910
619-420-9440

 

I suggest the Holocaust museum in DC. Might give you an upset stomach but it was well worth it.

 

I don't get to go on nearly enough road trips. However, I've apparently earned a reputation for visiting odd (for a sportswriter) sights along the way. <shrug> Guess you can't take the nerd outta the girl... :-*

As I flip through old photo albums...

Wow, there lots and lots o' shots of the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade.

Miller Brewery in Milwaukee

Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago, and the Aquarium too.

the water show in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas

Cleveland MetroPark Zoo (if only for the kangaroos)

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in downtown Cleveland, and the science museum right next door

La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles (a favorite since my first trip out there, when I was six!)

Acres of Books in Long Beach, Calif. (and the aquarium a few blocks away ain't too shabby either!)

The Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles (though I've been told it's nowhere near as amazing as the Holocaust museum in D.C.)

Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days! Gotta love those cowboys!

West Virginia Penitentary in Moundsville. There's also a huge Hindu (I think) temple out in the middle of nowhere.

Museum of Natural History in NYC

The Bronx Zoo is my all-time favorite, though I'm looking forward to seeing San Diego's when I'm there this spring. I'll be checkin' back for more "must see" ideas then!

 

Off topic: I saw two Galapagos turtles mate at the San Diego Zoo during my honeymoon. Nearby zoo employee said it was rare to see them mate in public. Boy turtle was unloading one heck of a grudge fuck on poor girl -- knocked her all the way across the exhibit during an epic, 20-minute session.

I took that as an omen.

 

As someone whose hobby is visiting zoos, all I'll say is that you better be prepared to walk miles if you want to see everything and not settle for the guided tour. The place is HUGE. I still think the Bronx is better, and not just because of JungleWorld.

 

Armchair,

What do you like? There are several great eats on Frankfort Ave. and in the Highlands. Downtown has a few pretty good ones, too.

 

Have only been to Boise once, but spent a week there. Can't remember the name, but there's a little place not far from downtown that serves unbelieveably good fried prawns. If you're there, ask around. People will know what you're talking about. Knight's Inn or King's Inn. Something like that. And downtown has a pretty good bar/nightlife scene, too.

 

ARG,

Tumbleweed is actually building a nice new restaurant at Waterfront Park. Yes, Mellwood has history, but the new digs will be a lot nicer and pretty close to the Extreme Park and Slugger Field.

Of course, Tumbleweeds in Louisville are a lot like weeds. They're everywhere.

 

Good for you paperdoll,

When I travel, I like to see something unique or special on the area.

Of course, I don't always have time when working.

But if all you do is go to the game, Denny's and Applebee's you don't get the full gamut of the American Experience.

 

For those who like to look for rare or out of print books, there's a great place in Houston near Rice University called the Detering Book Gallery. It's in an old house at 2311 Bissonnet. As an extra added attraction, it's directly across the street from a neat old bar called Kay's, a hole-in-the-wall place that used to be a big sportswriter hangout although I'm not sure it is anymore. And if you're into walking, the area in and around Rice is great. Neat old homes and huge oak trees that form a canopy over some of the streets.