e s p b L r

More pictures and Day 3 recap here:...

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 04:54:00 -0400

Part of the Cleveland skyline

Laurie, the owner of Jack Frost Donuts

More pictures and Day 3 recap here: http://espelio.tumblr.com/post/9326036683/wednesday-august-9th-2011-day-3-ohio

Wednesday, August 9th, 2011: “Day 3: Ohio, Indiana,...

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:19:53 -0400

Wednesday, August 9th, 2011: “Day 3: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois”

Good morning, Cleveland!

After a few hours of good night’s sleep, we found ourselves roughly 500 miles away from home and there was no turning back! Aided with the power of Brian’s new HP tablet (which would also play a pivotal role later in our road trip) and Yelp! user reviews, our goal was to be tourists and see as much of what Ohio had to offer as we possibly could. Number one on the to-do list was to grab some tasty breakfast grub and the first thing that popped up in our search was a place called “Jack Frost Donuts.”

As we approached the donut shop, we were a little turned off by the appearance, but learned an important lesson in not judging a book by it’s cover. We met the owner and founder of the restaurant, “Laurie”, and asked for her recommendations. Being the extremely fhat boys that we are, we ordered a half dozen donuts including flavors such as strawberry cheesecake, banana split, chocolate cake, caramel, etc. The donuts were incredible and lived up to the 4.5 star reviews, putting Krispy Kremes to shame in terms of taste, flavor and believe it or not, caloric intake. We each scarfed down one each and would annihilate the rest of the box before noon.

The GPS took us through a few local suburban towns on the outskirts of Cleveland and finally into the city, passing through landmarks such as Progressive Field (the Indians’ ballpark) and the building where LeBron’s poster had previously been ripped down (bitter much?). We drove towards to pier towards our next must-see location: the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame!

The museum was basically everything you’d expect it to be and more. Security was extremely strict about taking any type of video or photography, but we were able to snap a few good shots with the huge Michael Jackson white glove and a few guitars that were on display in the lobby. Still, it was well worth making a trip out to check it out, especially if you’re a fan of rock music. The building was shaped like a pyramid and each of the exhibits were displayed chronologically as you made your way towards the top. It was definitely interesting to see how rock music has progressed over the past few decades.

They had original lyrics, telegrams, letters and records from the Jackson 5, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, Elvis and the Beatles just to name a few. There were also several original outfits on display including Michael Jackson’s zombie jacket from his Thriller video and Lady Gaga’s meat dress, which she wore during the MTV Music Awards a few years back. There was a shrine dedicated to all of the Hall of Fame inductees, a pretty sweet video that detailed how “video killed the radio star” and a section about “Girls Who Rock” (even Christina Aguilera got her own display thanks to her “glory days” in the late 90’s). Since we didn’t have the time or patience to sit and read through all of the captions (that would’ve taken hours and hours), we breezed through each exhibit in about two hours. It was a cool experience that you should check out if you ever happen to be in Ohio.

After taking some touristy pictures by the enormous “FREE” stamp which was just steps from the R&R Hall of Fame, we got back in the car and headed west for lunch.

As we were planning out our road trip months in advance, we made it our goal to try as many restaurants featured on Man vs. Food as possible. Being in Ohio, we had our eyes set on the “Melt Bar and Grill,” a famous restaurant about 15 minutes west that featured good food, pretty awesome beers and the ultimate Melt Challenge: described on its web site as a “monster grilled cheese featuring 13 different cheeses, 3 slices of grilled bread and a pile of hand-cut fries & slaw. Over 5 lbs. of food!”. (See the Man vs. Food YouTube video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeFjYZAik3o).

We waited a good hour before we were seated (and remember, we were here on a random Wednesday afternoon!). The place was packed from the get-go. We spent our time boozing and talking to a local who got really excited once he heard that we were trekking across the country. I gulped down a “Creme Brulee” flavored beer. Now I’m not a fan of dark brews, but it was definitely a winner.

Once seated, the fhat boys got to work. We each ordered our own starter - melted pierogas, spinach artichoke chips and dip, and crab cakes. And of course, for our main entree, we decided to split the ginormous Melt Challenge. What the heck were we thinking? The couple sitting next to us watched in disbelief and wished us luck. After we told them that we were planning to hit up some roller coasters at Cedar Point afterward, he straight up told us that we were going to puke. But more on that later.

Supposedly to make a 13-cheese, 5 pound grilled cheese sandwich(es), it takes about an hour for “preparation.” Already stuffed from the appetizers, the waiter came out with our grilled cheese behemoth. Keep in mind that I’m lactose intolerant. Not gonna be pretty. We basically stuffed our faces and ate as much as humanely possible. I thought that we did decently well considering how much we had already eaten. I would say that we conquered at least 2/3’s of the plate. Scratch that… I think Brian and I conquered at least one third of the plate and Clint conquered the other third.

With our stomachs full and different types of cheese swirling inside of them, we did perhaps the dumbest thing yet: we headed for the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World,” otherwise known as Cedar Point, in Sandusky, Ohio. Luckily, we had a good hour drive which gave our stomachs at least a little time to digest all of the food that we had devoured at Melt Bar. Whether it would be enough remained to be seen.

Thanks to a $58 Rock N Roll Hall of Fame + Cedar Point special, we saved some cash that would later be spent on waters and iced lemonades. We found parking easily and there wasn’t a line to get in. From the distance, we saw a few crazy coasters pop up in the distance. I haven’t ridden one in at least a few years and I was psyched. The couple from the grilled cheese spot told us to check out Millennium Force and the Top Thrill Dragster. The test was on to see how the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World” would compare to Six Flags Great Adventure.

FYI, Clinton is afraid of heights. Clinton does not like roller coasters. It was up to Brian and me to convince him to jump on a few of them with us. The lines weren’t too bad - we waited the longest for the Millennium Force (about 45 minutes or so).

- Raptor - We jumped on the first coaster that we saw. It was alright, very “Viper”-esque. As our car slowly made it’s way up the tracks, I think Clint soiled himself. I have never seen him more serious in my life.

- Mean Streak - A coaster made entirely of wood. It had some pretty sweet drops and was one of the better rides I’ve been on in a while. After this one, Clint couldn’t hold in his grilled cheese much longer and basically ran to the Men’s bathroom to hurl. Luckily, I caught it on camera!

- Magnum XL-200 - Great roller coaster. Topped 200 feet at speeds of over 72mph. We had to do this one without Clint since he was recovering from Barf Fest ‘11.

- The Mantis - Decent ride, lots of loops, but ended up with a huge headache.

- Millenium Force - Saved this one for last. We waited about 45 minutes and once it was our turn, we hopped into the car, stoked as all hell. All of a sudden, one of the attendants screams “POWER OUTAGE!” Just our friggin luck. We are soon told to get out of the car, fearing that the ride would be closed since it was already 8:30PM. A good 15 minutes of anxiety later, the ride is fixed and we get on. Verdict? 100% worth the wait. This ride is literally the mother of all roller coasters aka the best one that I’ve ever been on. In. My. Life. Their web site describes it as the following: “It’s a coaster so big and tall, we had to coin a new name for this type of steel scream machine - the Giga Coaster. Millennium Force is the park’s star attraction, standing 310 feet above the Earth. It broke 10 world records when it opened in 2000 and continues to deliver ultimate thrills to those who challenge it. Dive to the ground at an 80-degree angle and reach speeds of 93 mph during your two-minute journey.” Worth every second of waiting. At the top of the drop, you get a sweet view of Lake Erie and then plunge hundreds of feet downwards. Finishes at the top of my list, with Six Flags’ Nitro coming at a distant second.

We weren’t able to ride the Dragster, but we were fine with it. It looked like the King Da Ka on steroids, but thought it would be best to hit the road and starting heading for ChiTown, which was a solid 5 hours away.

By this time, it was nightfall, so we made our way to Indiana, where we snapped our first state border picture. We finally got to Chicago around 2AM and I had the chance to see the skyline - awesome view!

We drove about an hour north to Clint’s relatives house, where we would be staying for the night. Luckily for us, there was a huge pie of deep dish pizza waiting on the kitchen table.

We were now about 15 hours away from home with a lot of asphalt ahead of us, but satisfied with being able to conquer a few of our road trip bucket list items. Good day. Good day, indeed.

Tuesday, August 8th, 2011: “Day 2: New York, New Jersey,...

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 05:33:00 -0400

Tuesday, August 8th, 2011: “Day 2: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio”

Day 2 starts off with promise: I get a wake-up call at 8AM saying that the Jetta will be ready by 1PM. Awesome. Just a few steps away in the kitchen, I hear my mom preparing her world famous breakfast. Double awesome. To top it off, it’s a beautiful day in New York. Things are looking up for the Fhat Boys.

By the time 1PM rolls around, we get a call from Volkswagen Lynbrook. The Beast (aka “Tinkerbell”) will “definitely” be ready by four. Nervous time, yet again. Tip of the day: never get your car serviced here. Worst experience of my life. Anyways, four days, five delays and six false promises later, we finally get the go-ahead to pick it up. Of course, the minute I leave the house, the sky turns black and I am suddenly caught in a torrential downpour. Just our luck.

The good news is that the car is FINALLY ready to roll. It takes us about 45 minutes to pack everything, but all in all, we’re able to squeeze all of our stuff into the back seat and trunk. I kiss my parents goodbye and hug my sister, then take one last look at my house and throw up the deuces to my life in New York for now. How nostalgic. (I would come back about ten minutes later after forgetting my I-Pod).

We’re actually doing it! 3,000 miles and more than a dozen states ahead of us! Cue “Born To Be Wild” music now. I decide to take the wheel first.

If any of you reading this are planning to take a cross country road trip in the future, heed this advice: plan ahead, but don’t expect that you’ll follow your itinerary from start to finish. In retrospect, the best part of our entire escapade was being spontaneous and adventurous, doing whatever we felt like doing at the moment and making sure that there wasn’t a single dull moment. The fact that we were delayed two days forced us to be creative and made for an even better experience.

Anyways, the first day was spent primarily on the road. We were unfortunately heading into rush hour traffic through the George Washington Bridge, which, as you know, can never be good. Not to mention it was still raining pretty hard. Thank God for those windshield wipers, right?

Once we drove over the GW, it was smooth sailing. In fact, we didn’t hit any kind of serious traffic until we got into Los Angeles (go figure). The sun came out as we drove along the I-80W, cruising through New Jersey and Delaware with my sister’s mix of Disney songs blasting through the speakers. This would be the first of many times I would hear the “Circle of Life.”

Our first pit stop was Long John Silvers in Pennsylvania, where we stuffed our faces with fried fish, chicken and lobster bites. This rest stop was significant for three reasons:

1. It would also be the site of our very first “plank” (seen above). Our master plan was to plank the U.S.A. by the end of our road trip. Stay tuned for our progress on this mission.

2. We followed the advice of Christina Hoang and Tony Du (who had road tripped from Seattle to New York previously) and took pictures of my license plate as our journey progressed. Each day, we would take a new picture to see how much dirt and bug guts had accumulated. We took one here - at this point, we had only logged in a few hundred miles and it was relatively clean. In just a few short days, it would be a graveyard for insects and other small unidentified creatures.

3. In addition to “Planking the U.S.A.”, you can also look forward to another photo series - “Clinton Eats the U.S.A,” a collection of photos dedicated to Clint’s masterful eatability.

We switched cars at this junction. Our goal was to switch every 3 or 4 hours each day so that we could keep each driver fresh. For the most part, it was a good strategy.

As we drove through Pennsylvania, we had the opportunity the experience the first sunset of our road trip. In a few days, we’d get the chance to see the same sun set in the Badlands of South Dakota, the Colorado Rockies and Monument Valley.

We passed LeBron James’ hometown of Akron and at around 1:30AM, we finally arrived in Cleveland, Ohio, and spent the night at the Homestead Studio Suites - a sweet $40 value that even came with complimentary mystery stains on the bed sheets. Nevertheless, it was a relief to be able to sleep on a bed after a long day of driving, even if it was next to Brian who tried to spoon me all night.

Our road trip was only beginning. History was in the making!

Pictures from Day 2 of our cross country road trip can be found here:
August 2011: Road Trip - Day 1 & 2 - NY, NJ, Pennsylvania, Ohio

Monday, August 7th, 2011: “Day 1: New York” After...

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 04:01:00 -0400

Monday, August 7th, 2011: “Day 1: New York”

After months of anticipation and planning, the day had arrived! It was August 7th, 2011 and the plan was to leave at 6AM Sunday morning to avoid any type of traffic and get to Cleveland, Ohio by 2PM (see my previous post for our ideal itinerary). Only one problem: we were having car trouble with the “Beast,” otherwise known as my 2006 Volkswagen Jetta, the four door sedan that we would be lugging 3,000+ miles across the country with 25 years of my life packed in the trunk.

It wasn’t the engine. It wasn’t the transmission. Of all things, the windshield wipers weren’t working! After a week of frustration, the dealership in Lynbrook had promised that the car would be ready to go by the previous Friday morning. Lo and behold, Friday rolls around and I get a call informing me that the car wouldn’t be ready until Monday morning, which basically threw everything off schedule. Months of planning and Brian Apurado’s infamous Excel spreadsheet would have to be altered in order to deal with what we thought was a “minor problem.”

At 8AM sharp on Monday, I give the dealership a call and I am now told that the car won’t be ready until late afternoon. UGH! Anxious and not willing to lose a minute of our cross country adventure, I scoop up my two travel buddies - Brian and Clinton Panday - from their respective houses in Jamaica Estates and Elmhurst, Queens, and hit up Auto Zone to pick up all of the essentials: a liter of oil, a protective sun screen for my windshield and most importantly, a Tinkerbell decal (a strategic decision that would ward off any potential thefts - who would want to steal from a little girl? Plus, it added a lot of character!). The plan was to be ready to hit the road shortly after picking up the Jetta.

We finish some last minute shopping at the nearest Duane Reade and eagerly await the call. At about 4:58 PM, we are greeted with more frustration! It turned out that they were “working on the car all day,” but only finally found out how to fix the problem two minutes before the shop closed. How strangely convenient for them.

At this point, we were considering taking the car across the country without working windshield wipers since we were so annoyed that this Jetta drama had prolonged for days and days. When we were on the way to pick it up, we get a call from the store manager, who said that the car was “in pieces” and we wouldn’t be able to drive it at all. After a series of expletives and kicked holes in the wall, we decide to make the most of the night, so Day 1 of our road trip is spent in… New York!

We decided that the best way to spend our “final, final” night was in a massage chair in Flushing, Queens. One hour for $25 (sans the happy ending)… we’ll take it! 60 awesome minutes later, we headed down the street to Joe Shanghai’s, home of some of the best soup dumplings on this side of the coast (see image above).

After we demolished about seven orders of dumplings split amongst five people, we loaded up on booze and head back to Franklin Square, LI for an exciting game of Quelf - quite possibly the weirdest yet most entertaining game in the world. Thank you, Justin Wong, for stealing all of our dignity. A few ridiculous pictures and several drinks later, we pass out in the living room “high school summer style” while watching the cult classic “Blank Man.”

Whether or not we would kick off our road trip the next day was still a lingering question mark. A week later, we found out that there was good reason for us not leaving that Monday. “Day 1” in the books.

Pictures from Day 1 of our cross country road trip can be found here:
August 2011: Road Trip - Day 1 & 2 - NY, NJ, Pennsylvania, Ohio

Coast-to-Coast Road Trip 2011Starting Point: Long Island, New...

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:26:01 -0400

Coast-to-Coast Road Trip 2011
Starting Point: Long Island, New York
Destination: Irvine, California
Approximate miles: ~3,300

Day 1 - Monday, August 8, 2011: Leave at approximately 5PM: Depart from Long Island, New York, drive through Pennsylvania, and dinner and sleep in Cleveland, Ohio
Day 2 - Tuesday, August 9, 2011: Breakfast in Cleveland, Ohio, visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; chill in Cedar Point (the “Rollercoaster Capital of the World”) in Sandusky, Ohio, drive through Indiana and dinner and sleep in Chicago, Illinois
Day 3 - Wednesday, August 10, 2011: Breakfast and explore Chicago in the AM + Deep Dish Pizza lunch at 12PM; drive through Iowa and eat steaks in Omaha, Nebraska; drive and sleep in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Day 4 - Thursday, August 11, 2011: Breakfast in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and check out Wall Drug Store; drive through the Badlands to Mount Rushmore, SD, for lunch; drive through Wyoming to and eat rattlesnakes for dinner in Denver, Colorado; drive to Glenwood Springs, CO and sleep
Day 5 - Friday, August 12, 2011: Breakfast in Colorado, chill in the Yampah Springs in CO; drive down to Four Points (connects Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona); drive through Monument Valley in Utah; eat and sleep in Flagstaff, Arizona
Day 6 - Saturday, August, 13, 2011: Breakfast in Arizona, drive to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam; drive to Las Vegas, Nevada, check in to the Paris Hotel. Drink, drink, drink, party rock at one of the clubs and throw up.
Day 7-8 - Sunday-Monday, August 14-15: Spend a few days in Vegas; eat Bellagio brunch, pool party at Rehab, etc. etc. etc.
Day 9-10 - Tuesday-Wednesday, August 16-17: Wake up in Vegas and begin the drive to California; check into Santa Monica, California. Check out Los Angeles, Hollywood, etc. etc. etc.
Day 11 - Thursday, August 18: Drive down to Irvine, California, look at apartments and reminisce how awesome our road trip was.

And that’s our itinerary! I’ll do my best to update the blog as the trip goes on. Lots of pictures and good times ahead!

“Sleep No More” (McKittrick Hotel in Chelsea,...

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:25:56 -0400

“Sleep No More” (McKittrick Hotel in Chelsea, NYC)

One of my major Bucket List NYC items that I wanted to check off before leaving for the West Coast was somehow securing tickets to “Sleep No More,” an interactive play based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. I first heard about the production from a co-worker who had experienced it for herself and I soon became even more intrigued as I read reviews in the Metro and on Yelp. Priced at $75, I had second thoughts about buying tickets, but ultimately decided to cough up the cash and see what all the hype is about. The verdict: Worth every penny.

I trekked to the Chelsea area on the West Side and met up with my good friend Avi at the McKittrick Hotel (the same venue where the popular “Blood Manor” haunted house is set up every October). We found our place in line and headed into the dark entrance shortly after our assigned 7:30pm time. We followed the sound of music through a dark hallway and ended up in a swag bar, where the ambience felt as if we were in the 1600’s. Unfortunately, we had to pay 2011 prices for drinks! From the moment we walked in, everyone was in character from the host to the waitresses to the bartenders. Even the bathroom had some old school soap next to the sink. Great way to start the “show.”

After chugging our strong mixed beverages, our cohort was called and about a dozen of us were ushered into a small elevator, where everyone was given “Venetian-style”/Scream masks (see above) to distinguish ourselves from the actors in the play. We were taken to the 4th floor, not knowing exactly what to expect when the elevator door opened.

From top to bottom, the entire hotel was set up like a old European town (not that I know what a typical old English town would look like, but you get the idea). Keep in mind that the last time I read “Macbeth” was way back in high school and even then I was using Spark Notes. While it would help, it didn’t seem to matter. Equipped with our white masks, we were free to wander throughout dungeons, cemeteries, bed rooms, infirmaries, town shops and more as the characters were acting around us. You could shuffle through old letters from Macbeth, open drawers and look at old books, or even grab a handful of candy in the candy shop located in town. This was the best part of the experience: this play was a “Choose Your Own Adventure” kinda thing, where you could choose to follow whichever character you wanted as they were dispersed throughout the four floors of the makeshift world. As an end result, everyone has their own individual and unique experience.

While I’ve read that some people choose to follow a single character to better understand the flow of the story, I thought it was a better idea to bounce from actor to actor according to how I felt seemed interesting at the moment. At times, I would hear dramatic music playing in the distance and I would over run over to see exactly what was going on. In one room, a man was writing a letter to his lover and you could actually look over his shoulder to see what he was writing on his typewriter. Being the jackass I am, I actually picked up one of the letters he was reading just to see if he would break character. No deuce!

Following Lady MacBeth was always an adventure - expect a lot of fake blood, nudity and choreographed intercourse. If you happen to go and don’t mind getting creeped out a little bit, be sure to check out the graveyard and infirmary.

This went on for about 2 hours or so, but since there was so much going on, the time seemed to fly by. The actors would run from room to room and chasing them down added more suspense. Eventually, all of the characters end up in the same place for a grand finale. I’d tell you more, but I think it would be more beneficial to actually go see it for yourself.

If you can somehow get tickets before the production ends on September 5th, follow my advice: go with a group of friends, drink a little beforehand and explore the hotel on your own. I found myself trying to weave through couples holding hands and making out. Not cool. If you ride solo and take your time to walk around and experience everything for yourself, you’ll have a lot to talk about with your friends at the bar afterwards when its all said and done.

Andrew James Formanes’ Holy BaptismMay 15, 2011 / The...

Mon, 16 May 2011 23:44:00 -0400

Andrew James Formanes’ Holy Baptism
May 15, 2011 / The Church of St. James, Basking Ridge, NJ

Nike+ Running Challenge Final Results

Sat, 14 May 2011 11:24:41 -0400

BOOM. The final results for the Nike+ Running Challenge are in! Congrats to the dudes for...

Wise man say, “forgiveness is divine, but never pay full...

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:09:34 -0400

Wise man say, “forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza.”
Michaelangelo

View of the Hell Gate Bridge and RFK Bridge from Astoria Park

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:02:00 -0400

View of the Hell Gate Bridge and RFK Bridge from Astoria Park

“Only one kid in history had ever attempted… what...

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:21:32 -0400

“Only one kid in history had ever attempted…
what Benny was about to,
and he got eaten.
So we were worried - real worried -
even when Benny brought out the secret weapon:
shoes guaranteed to make a kid run faster and jump higher,
P.F. Flyers.”
The Sandlot

I stopped by The Running Company on 3rd Ave. (between 62nd and 63rd) and finally got my hands (or feet?) on a fresh new pair of running kicks - Brooks’ “Revenna 2’s”. Ridiculously flat feet is a characteristic that runs in my family and I’m no exception. These shoes are perfect for me since my feet tend to pronate terribly inward and I get shin splints easily. The sneaks have awesome support and only weigh 10.8 ounces. I definitely recommend checking out the store if you’re looking for new running shoes - they let you try on different pairs, have you run on a treadmill and basically help you find the best fit for your running style. Just went on my first run in Astoria Park and felt great!

Bring on the Spring Running Season!

“Three things to remember when you get older: never pass...

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:45:42 -0400

“Three things to remember when you get older: never pass up a bathroom, never waste a hard-on, and never trust a fart.”
The Bucket List

I am putting together a Bucket List for these next few months before moving out to the West. Suggestions are welcome and encouraged! I plan to chronicle all of our crazy adventures on this blog. Number one on the list: Learn how to ride a bike! FYI - We didn’t have an extra bucket hanging around the apartment, so I used my roomie’s Tabo (click the photo for full instructions on how Filipinos use this magical device as a supplement to/instead of toilet paper).

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your...

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 20:56:06 -0400

“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”
Dr. Seuss