Yup, we're just a couple kids crazed on kicks, out there searching for that next mega-superfunky magna-bounce to tweak our pleasuremeters into the red zone. We're nuts! We're wacky! We're eating popcorn in the lobby of the Residence Inn! Shortly after this picture was taken, a bit of popcorn hull managed to lodge itself under my gumline. It took fifteen minutes with a dental scraper to extract that little bugger from my mouth! Hoo-wheee! Extreme is as extreme does, and we're out there taking the chances so you don't have to.
| We greeted the dawn with a smile on our face, happy to be alive on a glorious day such as this. Well, we greeted the dawn anyway. We had a fair piece of highway to cover before Calvin and Rosalie's flight arrived in LA at 10:24 AM, so we hit the ground running. Before we'd even managed to clear the cobwebs from between our ears, we were at LAX, newpaper and coffee in hand. As luck would have it, though, the flight was delayed by about 45 minutes. No biggie -- we sipped coffee and read our horoscopes to pass the time in front of the United Airlines terminal. |  |
Eventually, Calvin and Rosalie arrived, full of horror stories about the vagaries of airline travel. We lent a sympathetic ear as we headed off to the Residence Inn, our home for the next couple days. We were in LA for several reasons. First off, it's LA, and no trip around the country is complete without a visit. Secondly, we both had friends in the area. In particular, Kristanne's friend, Kristen, was to be married this Friday, August 15th, a wedding in which Kristanne would be a bridesmaid. No marriage is complete without lots of shopping, so we headed off to the mall to get Kristanne ready to be a bridesmaid and me ready to attend a wedding. See, I only brought one shirt with a collar, and I seem to have lost it. Since I didn't think Kristen would really want me to wear the Jimmy t-shirt to her wedding, some shopping would have to be done. And what better place to shop than LA, a town practically predicated on the practice of consumerism? We dove into the maw of the South Coast Plaza mall, ready to run up some credit-card debt. Three hours later, we emerged, scarred but unbroken from the experience. We headed back to the Residence Inn to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. |
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That's right -- rehearsal dinner. You think you can just do one of these babies without practicing? Waltz right up there, light some candles and say, "I do?" No way, baby -- it takes practice. Training. You got to know when to walk, when to bow, when to restrain the flowergirl from diving into the fountain. You've got to be able to cope with adversity -- malfunctioning organs, stuck zippers, maybe even a minister with a lisp. We got dressed and headed off to the rehearsal, ready to practice. As you can see from the picture below, Kristanne needed the practice. She's dropping an Extreme Hand Gesture right there during the rehearsal! Perhaps, someone is not taking this rehearsal very seriously? Apparently, she's never heard the old saw, "as you practice, so shall you play." Take it from me, folks -- a wedding is no place for Extreme Hand Gestures, sanctioned or not. The stakes are just too high. |
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The rehearsal seemed to go well. Kristanne managed her part with stunning aplomb -- she walked down the aisle without tripping, took her place near the altar without stumbling, and stood there for the duration without falling asleep. Beautifully done! We can only hope the real thing goes so well tomorrow.
With rehearsal done, it was time for dinner. As would the wedding tomorrow, the rehearsal took place at La Hacienda, a beautiful Mexican-style compound combining outdoor courtyards, ivy-covered trellises, and attractively rustic indoor dining areas to a pleasant effect. We had dinner inside with the bride and groom, feasting on Mexican delights as the conversation flowed. Here's your Bride and Groom Rehearsal Dinner Picture, featuring Kristen and Miguel.
And, no, they don't always look that shadowy. The digital camera just had a tough time with the lighting.
Too soon, the dinner was over, and we headed back to the Residence Inn, Home of Free Popcorn. Check in tomorrow for the main event -- the wedding of Kristen and Miguel.
Total Miles for 8/14 = 143