Everything here is based on truth. There may be on occasions where I take a humorous look at a situation or I will change who the story happened to to protect the innocent and sometimes the guilty.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Zombieland Review
The next thing you notice is that Columbus is not your typical hero, his rules are just structured cowardice so that he can survive. While he is alive, he is also very alone and not only has no one after the virus hit but also had no one before the virus hit.
Most importantly this movie is just fun. Its not a political commentary. It's not a reimagining of a classic. It's a thin story more suited for a video game that relies on it's humor and horror to entertain and it does so with out apology.
With scenes of little Zombie girls attacking a soccer Mom or a zombie stripper chasing after patrons you can't help to have the bar set high for the movies silliness factor and this movie does not disappoint.
Action scenes that are impossibly over the top and a kick ass red neck stereo types (Woody Harrelson) are just a small part of what makes Zombieland so great. The truth is that this movie takes it's cue from one of my all time favorite TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There's comedy, there's action and there's even a sprinkle of drama that you don't expect but is actually quite touching. It combines these elements in an unexpected way but entertains none the less
All in all I would say this movie was a pleasant surprise and I highly recommend it. I give it 4 stars out of 5.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Day 8
So on the last day of my trip I got on the road not a moment to soon. I loved being out on the road but you do eventually get home sick (Plus I was running out of money.) I also had the feeling Mercedes* was looking for her/my car. So I figured t was time to head out.
Now overall I have to say my GPS has been invaluable on this trip. But on occasion I have argued with it. I mean I know shortcuts that it doesn't but never having been to Ocean City before I had only the vaguest way to go back. It wanted me to take a ferry. I originally didn't want to take a ferry. So when I changed the settings on the GPS and told it no ferry it refused to give me a route.
Wilson: What’s wrong?
Eric: When I change the setting to no ferry it freezes...
Wilson: So can't we just pick up a map and figure it out ourselves.
Eric: A good map costs us about ten to twenty dollars. We loose a half hour to an hour by looking for a map and on top of that. On top of that if we don't take the ferry It will take another hour to 2. So screw it we will take the ferry.
Wilson: So you have given up all free will to the little box.
Eric: When the robot apocalypse comes I can either be a house slave or use as a battery. I'm listening to the GPS!
Wilson: You need help.
Eric: You have no idea. Yesterday morning I tried to use Ax body spray as shaving cream.
Wilson: WHAT?!?
Eric: I was so out of it that after I took my shower I grabbed the Axe and sprayed it into my hand like it was shaving cream.
Wilson: Than what happened?
Eric: I shaved my armpits.
So after a nice ride on a ferry we headed to Atlantic city because I still had a few hundred dollars to burn. Now I like to gamble but I'm not very good at it. But today I was up a little than down a little for over 4 hours. Normally I win big or loose big with in an hour and than I’m done. This time I broke about even but while I’m gambling I get a message telling me there is a huge storm coming at 8 o’clock and that I should find some place to crash instead of driving home. I figured I would just wait till late to drive home and solve the problem that way.
So afterwards we hit up the boardwalk and I take some pics. I love AC for 3 reasons. All you can eat buffets, gambling, and all you can eat buffets… I like food. So obviously while walking the boardwalk I got some food and checked out the girls in bathing suits (I’m still a guy).
After a couple of hours of killing time and loosing whatever money we had left we head home. Now I hate the GW bridge I will normally take the extra hour it takes ad go by the Tappan zee than deal with the GW. I should have done the same thing instead I took the GW I was 2 exits away around 12:30 AM figuring that I would be ok. Too bad they closed the lower level.
I didn’t get home till 3:30 in the morning.
Overall I had a great time. I was very lucky the only bad time I had was one bad hotel night, considering that I was doing most of this by ear it worked out well. My car was able to take it, I drove 1156 miles hit New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware & Virginia. I saw some great sites and met some very nice people, because of this I have decided to do mini trips like this. Instead of covering so many places in a week every month or 2 I will pick a place and go away for a weekend. In a few weeks I am taking my older brother to the Philly for the cheese steak challenge. The Cheese steak challenge is when you hit Pat’s have a sandwich and than head to Geno’s and have a sandwich and decide which is better. My older brother never got a chance so it will be nice to see what he thinks.
Check out my pics at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=103757&id=528577688&l=0d4aece623
*The stripper from Day 1. If you haven't read that blog go here.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Day 6 & 7
So after I woke up and took a shower I ran out of that hotel from hell, but before I left I put everything on. Every light, the TV and I even the put the sink on a slow leak. I was going to cost them as much as I could, I didn't damage anything but I was bumping up there utility bill for the day. As had become our habit we headed to a mall so I could check what hotels were available in Ocean city. Since I did not have a full itinerary and was playing things by ear I needed to see what I could get. I lucked into this decent hotel called the Thunderbird that was only a few blocks from the boardwalk. I booked us for 2 days and than drove into OC.
After checking in I had to take a nap because of the horrible sleep I had in the room from hell. I have no idea what happened with Wilson I know I passed out till about 10. Just in time to go to a club called the Party Block. We had a great time the drinks were cheap the women were hot and the music was great. It was a little disturbing that the music seemed to be off of my I-pod. I actually checked the car to make sure it wasn’t stolen.
Now some of you may not know but I am not a heavy drinker, I have a beer here and there and I if I plan to drink a lot it usually tends to be “Bitch” drinks like Pina Coladas, Strawberry Daiquiris & don’t get me started on Jell-O Shots. I was surprised how hard my “Bitch” drinks were hitting me till I realized my stomach was empty and I was still off from the missed nights sleep. After a little while Wilson & I went to go check the dance floor. Eventually I headed to the bathroom, when I came back Wilson is missing. Now he’s a grown man so I’m not too worried about it especially in my inebriated state so I grab another drink and head back to the dance floor. After a while I notice that Wilson is on the dance floor surrounded by hot chicks.
Let me explain something Wilson is a great guy but he is not what you picture when you say the phrase chick magnet but every now and than he just attracts babes. I don’t know if it’s the Artists mystique or if he bathes in Catnip for women but some how women are drawn to him. I am not putting him down, actually I’m jealous I have to buy drinks for women and crack every joke I can, once the ice is broken it’s not a problem but to get that initial meet takes work. Wilson just stands there and sends out vibes and women just come a running. Son of a Bitch!
Overall I had a really good time at the Party Block and the end of the night was a little hazy. I remember stopping at a sub shop that was open late saying something to the affect of the following:
Eric: I have money, can I have food.
Counter guy: Sure what do you want?
Eric: Food.
Counter guy: What kind?
Wilson: Give him a sausage hero.
Eric: Ohh that sounds good can I have one too.
Wilson: Yes you can.
Eric: You’re a great friend; if I were gay I would marry you.
Wilson: Uhm I’m not gay Eric.
Eric: I don’t think you are trying that hard.
Counter guy walks away laughing.
Wilson: You’re not really that drunk are you?
Eric: No, but I’m funny.
The next day we wake up around 1 in the afternoon and head to this cool restaurant/club called Seacrets. It’s on the beach and you can actually grab a table in the water. It was really cool place and the spicy shrimp was great, messy as hell but the food was great. I would recommend the place to everyone families during the day party at night.
After eating I hit up the boardwalk while Wilson went swimming. I have to tell you the boardwalk in OC beats Virginia Beach. See what I like are small shops to look at stuff and find knickknacks, my brother and I both have Silver yin & Yang medallion on a chain that my father made for us. My dad based them off a cheap silver plate one I got in Virginia Beach 16 years ago. He used that one to make the mold for the one I wear now. When I was in Virginia I noticed all the stores were one block over but in OC the boardwalk had the kind of little stores I was looking for. There was even this really cool kite shop with all these huge kites staked down in front of the shop. At one point I was so hot from walking that I just walked into the ocean cooled down than continued walking down the boardwalk.
The only drawback with all the walking I did and Wilson going swimming is we fell asleep around 7 and woke up the next day. We had missed a chance to go to one of the other clubs that the girls told us about. But we had a blast and I hope to go back soon.
If you want to see some pics go to:
Monday, August 24, 2009
Day 5 August 18th (this one’s a short one)
So the day before I get a text from Nando telling me a mutual friend, Jade*, would like to meet up. So I text Jade and after a few texts back and forth we decide to meet up for dinner. She is about 2 hours from where I am but she would cook for Wilson and I. We headed out of Virginia Beach a bit too early so we decided to kill some time near her house just walking around one of the malls because it was raining hard.
Malls are a great place to kill time for me because most of them have bookstores. I can kill an hour just reading some graphic novel and if they have current comics Wi Fi and a Star Bucks I’m good for hours. The other cool thing about malls is that they are climate controlled. So you can walk all day and not be too hot.
After hanging for a little while I had a great time talking to Jade and her friend. Jade is amazing, the number of things she has gone through as a single mom and only came out stronger for it. Maybe some day I will tell some of her stories. She has only one problem, actually it’s my problem When I am sitting talking to some one who is interesting this weird time phenomenon happens where we talk for 5 minutes and suddenly 3 hours have gone by. I have had to over tip a few times at restaurants when I realized I took up one of their tables for 3 or 4 hours.
So Jade and I start talking around 6 and magically it turns into nearly midnight and we still have 2 hours to go. Before we make it to Ocean city. I finally get out of there about an hour after I said we should get out of there. We finally get out of there and I was good for a half hour but than all of a sudden I started drifting asleep.
Eric: AHHHHH
Wilson: What happened?
I rip the GPS off of my dash and hand it to Wilson.
Eric: Find us a motel now.
Wilson: Are you tired?
Eric: Not after the little nap I just had but I think we should stop the car before I take another one.
Wilson: WHAT DID YOU SAY?
Eric: I SAID FIND US A MOTEL BEFORE WE DIE!!!
Wilson: Geez you are cranky after a nap!
On this trip we discovered that my GPC also provides a phone number for the local hotels. SO Wilson called every hotel & motel with in a half hour and there was only 1 room available. It was a smoking double but I figured what the hell I needed sleep plus it was the first one we found that was within a half hour.
We got into the room and it was like walking into a flaming ashtray. The AC was broken and the room reeked of smoke. Both Wilson & me had survived summers in the Bronx so we figured we could tough it out. But there seems to be one big difference between the Bronx and wherever the hell we were in Maryland. In never got cooler, In the Bronx at around 2 or 3 it gets cool enough to sleep. It never got cooler and I tried every trick I knew. Wet towel on my neck, cold shower, putting the mattress on the floor. I honestly don’t think I fell asleep I think I passed out.
*If I have not heard back from a friend or forgot to ask them if I can use there name I will use an alias. Different people have different feelings about their name being listed on the web so I will use aliases for now.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Day 3 & 4 August 16th & 17th
When I got up on the 16th I decided to see if there was any place nearby that would take my Marriot points. Over the last few years whenever I could I would try to stay at a Marriot for conventions. Mainly because they always seemed the official hotel of most of the conventions I did but also because I was part of the Marriot rewards point program. I punch it in and find I have enough points for a 2-day stay a hotel on the beach and it will only cost $12.50. So I quickly booked a room before my luck changed and told Wilson the good news.
Wilson: Are you sure it will only cost $12.50.
Eric: Yeah thanks to the reward points.
Wilson: Well since you got us the deal I’ll pay the $12.50
Eric: (Just staring)
Wilson: Fine if you want to pay the 12.50 I won’t stand in your way. I was just trying to contribute.
Eric: (Still staring)
Wilson: Remember you invited me.
Eric: I’m trying to remember why.
So to kill some time we decided to hit the movies and kill 2 hours. We saw the movie “District 9” very enjoyable and very surprising. Several times in the movie I expected it to go left and it went right. For all the sci fi fans out there I would highly recommend it. I do have one complaint I felt that there was too much camera movement and scene cuts. It just constantly felt like he jumped from angle to angle of each scene. I know it’s supposed to create the feeling of a fast pace but to me it actually took a little away from the film.
After the movie we went to a Barnes & Noble because we love free Wi Fi. While at B&N Wilson got an email from one of his clients who needed some work done. Wilson gave him the whole spiel about being on vacation but said he would get it to him soon because freelancers can never turn down work. So while we spent most of the days checking out the boardwalk and eating Wilson spent his nights working to get the project done. Which worked out because I was getting a head cold and at night I was dying. Yeah that’s right I go on vacation and I get a head cold. So the first night that we are on the beach we turn on the TV while Wilson is working the first thing we hear is ”Hurricane’s are expected to hit land sometimes in the next day. “
Wilson: Is that for here?
Eric: No, Florida.
Wilson: Do we have to worry?
Eric: No but if you hear any loud noises and I drop to the ground and yell “get down!” You do it.
Wilson: Fair enough I mean I really Doubt
BOOM!
Eric: Are you serious?
For a hot second I thought it was thunder, but it was too rapid.
We pull back the shades and see they are just randomly setting of Fireworks in front of us. We sit and watch for 10 minutes me taking pictures from inside the room while Wilson sits on the balcony. (I’m afraid of heights.) It was actually pretty cool.
The next day we walk the boardwalk and enjoy some of the sights (the statues, the shore, and the girls in tight bikinis… Don’t judge me, I’m still a guy.) and we have some grub I notice something Virginia beach seems more geared to families, not a bad thing just an observation, and the really cool stuff is not actually on the boardwalk but actually 1 block over. I go to Atlantic City all the time and that is geared towards keeping you on the boardwalk. You go one block over and you are reminded hey I’m in Jersey. In Virginia Beach there are more little shops 1 block over.
The other weird thing is that Virginia doesn’t have an actual Boardwalk, a boardwalk is a walkway made up of wooden boards. This was concrete just bouncing the sun back up at you. I drank a lot of water walking just half the boardwalk that might also be because I am out of shape but I like to blame the sun.
Below is a list of places we went to:
Oasis Bar and Grill: a little hole in the wall but the food was awfully good for under 20 bucks for 2 people.
Laverne’s/Chix Café: one side of the place is restaurant; the other side is a bar. It was a nice ocean side restaurant where they played live music. While the music was good it was not really my style of music. The food was good and the service and ambience made the place very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this place to visitors.
Captain George’s seafood buffet, this place is great. I recommend everyone go there, the place has so much good seafood; I didn’t try anything and not like it. Besides it being a good restaurant the place is gorgeous. It has 2 huge stained glass domes that are just amazing.
If you would like to see some pics go here.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Day 2 Saturday August 15, 2009
We had stopped for the night at a Motel 6 in Delaware. It was a small 2 bedroom place but it served our purposes, and after staying at the Pickwick* few places scare me. I will admit I was a little disturbed by the bed being right under the window. I kept expecting an axe murderer to just crash through or maybe Mercedes would come looking for her/my car.
The next morning we were off to Geppi’s Pop Culture museum www.geppismuseum.com. Now I was not sure what to expect, a lot of the museums I have been to that focus on comics have just been fancy comic shops but this was actually quite impressive. Each room seemed to be filled with more and more memorabilia. I mean it was insane. One of the coolest things was that the comic room had a display where you could read a digital copy of a couple of comics. It was a nice blend of history and technology. And since you can’t interact with the books directly this was a great substitute.
The museum is located above the Legends of Sports Museum and is next to Oriole Park at Camden Yards and because it was a game day admission was $1.00. I was so impressed by the museum that I didn’t argue too much when Wilson walked through the comic book room 3 times. I did eventually have leave a trail of Swedish fish out so he would leave the museum.
Now the great thing about going without a plan is you don’t have to be anywhere. You go when and where you want. The bad thing is you sometimes can’t get into some of the really popular sites. I wasn’t able to get into the Baltimore Aguarium so I am going to have to come back some day. Unfortunately while it was a beautiful day it was hot as hell so we went to a Panera to upload my first blog www.panerabread.com. Never been to a Panera restaurant before it’s another chain like Atlanta bread company but the food was pretty cool and the free wifi was great. Afterwards we walked around Baltimore. It is amazing seeing some of the old architecture being reused for corporate greed. The United Railways Electric Company is now being used as an ESPN Zone, a Barnes & Nobles and a couple of other places. I normally can’t deal with companies taking over historic sites like stadiums and having them renamed after banks but in this case I think it was a great idea. I haven’t had a chance to look it up yet but I would guess if these companies did not step in than the building would have been torn down and that would have been a shame.
After a while we decide to get some food and I have been seaching the Diner Drive in and Dives web site so I can find some good cheap places to eat and I found this place called Chaps Restaurant www.chapspitbeef.com. And this is the conversation that happened on the way.
Wilson: So what are we doing after we eat?
Eric: Well it’s still early we could head straight to Virginia or we could go to a bar or a club.
Wilson: You want to go to another strip club?
Eric: No I meant a dance club. Not that I’m opposed to a strip club but I know that if we hit another strip club we’ll have to go back home. Besides I already gave Mercedes the registration to my car she may have people on the look out for me.
As we are driving towards Chaps We see a huge sign for another Gold’s strip Club.
Eric: How many Gold’s clubs are there?
Wilson: Are you sure you don’t want to go a strip club.
Eric: I swear it’s the GPS.
Wilson: Yeah, right.
GPS: Arriving at Destination.
Wilson: We are not eating at a Strip club Buffet.
Eric: No, look the Restaurant is in a corner of the strip clubs Parking lot.
And the place was a dive but it was so good. I had this huge burger with BBQ sauce and Wilson had a rib sandwich. We both had cheese fries. Now the food is all cooked over charcoal and it tastes really good. I would highly recommend this place the only thing is you should know that it is on a porn section of the highway. From Chaps I could see 2 Porn Shops and a strip club… I was so happy. However we decided that we would just drive straight to Virginia. Near DC we realized another flaw with Chaps they don’t have a bathroom. Wilson had to piss like a racehorse but I also needed gas so I didn’t make him piss out the car window… Again.
We than headed to Virginia Beach which was about a 3 hour drive. And got there around midnight lucky me it looks like a biker convention in the area and all the cheaper hotels were booked but after several phone calls and begging we finally found a cheap room. So after driving and being tense and needing time to unwind I finally got to sleep at 3 in the morning, but I was in Virginia Beach. VACTIONS ROCK!!!
If you want to see my trip picks click here.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=102167&id=528577688&l=6871c50621
* The Pickwick hotel was a hotel in San Diego I used a couple of times when I would visit San Diego. This place was a dive, as you walked by rooms you could swear you smell the scent of dead hooker permeating the air. I was often embarrased or proud to tell people I was staying there. It all depended on whom I was talking to. On the one hand staying at the Pickwick is not for the faint at heart and I slept with my knife in my hand. On the other if I found a female who was of low enough caliber to sleep with me freely I could not take her back to my room. Hell I would rather they thought I slept at the convention center than be at the PickwickSaturday, August 15, 2009
Day 1 Friday August 14, 2009
So instead I wake up at 9 when the phone rings. Now fortunately for me (and my other buddy who I was providing a reference for.) I can wake up quickly when I want to. So when I spoke to the very cheery women and I was able to give a very favorable recommendation. In my head I am just saying “FUCK, FUCK, FUCK… I am so late!” Now the funniest part is the cheery lady starts feeling me out. It appears that she runs a staffing agency and started to ask me questions about my job past and plans. I had to nicely but quickly redirect back to my friend’s job reference and than finish the conversation.
So obviously I did not get to work out and was a mad man getting to Wilson but thanks to no traffic was able to be at his place at 10:10. So I’m only off my schedule by 10 minutes not bad right and I really am playing things by ear. I had said I would like to check certain things out but if I don’t I don’t and that just means I have to try for another road trip in the future. But the first place we were going to was the Brownstone diner and Pancake Factory in Jersey City. www.brownstonediner.com/ Now I had heard about this place from a friend and even saw it on the list of Locals on the Diners Drive in & Dives website so I knew I wanted to check it out but as with every time I go to jersey something went wrong. I plugged in the address into my GPS and it said we should be there in 30 minutes. Now I knew with NY/NJ traffic it could be more but we where stuck in gridlock for over an hour. Here are some of the things being said in the car as we are stuck in traffic.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
So it Begins
Now I will admit I do have a rough idea where I am going but I don't know where I will end up or even when the trip will end. My initial plan is to go down to Virginia beach by way of Philadelphia, Baltimore & DC. I have never really been free to travel for pleasure, most of the places I have gone have been for my comic book company and while I enjoyed them I really can't say I got to be a tourist. So I have decided I will take this road trip go see a few sites and eat a lot of food. I am kidnapping my business partner tomorrows and I will be braving the hell that is New Jersey so that we can get to Philadelphia. From there who knows where we will actually go.
Just a warning, I will try to update this every night or morning with pictures of the prior days journey depending on Internet service.