tralev on Lev Lazinskiy

видно по глазам - you can see it in the eyes

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 15:59:19 -0700

I read a post today from Rene Coignard where he tells the story of unexpectedly being spoken to in Russian at a McDonalds in Germany. It reminded me of this time that I went to the Grounds for Sculpture in Trenton, NJ.

I was wandering around the grounds and enjoying all the wonderful sculptures when I came across a lake. There were two women standing near the shore and they were both chatting in Russian. Then one of them looked over at me and shouted to me in Russian “Hey! Can you take our photo?”

Buried in Greenlawn Cemetery

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 22:19:35 +0000

I found a draft of this campy book review, likely circa 2018 in an old journal. It’s probably not complete but I don’t remember reading this book. It made me laugh to read it so I am happy to share it with the world after all of these years.

I’ve never been to Greenlawn Cemetery, but I learned about a small cross-section of its corpses after reading “Wicked Columbus Ohio” by David Meyers. This collection of short stories describes the 19th and 20th Century criminal element that called the capital of Ohio home. The title is misleading. Maybe it’s because my millennial moral compass is only available as an in-app purchase via iTunes, but the whoring, drinking, and gambling didn’t feel very “wicked” to me.

I've Visited all 50 States

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 21:39:47 +0000

In October 2016 I arrived in Sacramento, CA and set off on a project to visit every state capital and see what all the fuss was about. I’m flying back to San Francisco from Madison Wisconsin tonight which means I’ve officially completed the journey!

When I started the project I was working at CircleCI. I remember leaving for Emeryville on an Amtrak bus from the temporary transit center before Salesforce park opened. I couldn’t believe that I would end up living across the street from there, and that it would be turned into a park/housing. I’ve also come full circle (pun intended) and am back to working on CI problems.

Harrisburg Pennsylvania

Mon, 30 Dec 2019 13:49:15 -0800

Trip Dates

May 24 - 26 2019

How I Got There

I was in New York for work the week before, so I took the Keystone train to Harribsurg from Penn Station.

Where I Stayed

For the first time in a decade, I stayed at a Hilton. This week was unlucky for me in terms of hotels because each hotel that I stayed at this week had massive elevator issues. The Hilton in Harrisburg was no exception. To add insult to injury, there were several weddings that weekend.

Springfield Illinois

Sun, 29 Dec 2019 12:00:00 -0800

Trip Dates

May 1 - May 3rd 2019

How I Got There

I was in Chicago for business, and I took the Amtrak from Chicago to Springfield. The train ride was similar to the one I took a few years ago from Indianapolis to Chicago, except we got off to a bumpy start and it took nearly two hours to get out of Chicago proper.

St. Paul Minnesota

Fri, 27 Dec 2019 12:00:00 -0800

Trip Dates

April 19 - 21, 2019

How I Got There

I flew in and out from San Francisco on United via Minneapolis.

Where I Stayed

I stayed at a Residence Inn a bit outside of downtown. In hindsight, I should have picked a hotel closer to the center of the action.

Santa Fe New Mexico

Wed, 25 Dec 2019 18:58:43 -0800

Trip Dates

March 22 - 23 2019

How I Got There

Santa Fe has a tiny airport that I flew in to on United from San Francisco via Denver. The airport is so small that it does not have an automated baggage system. Instead, a human hauls all of the luggage from the plane to a little window near the terminal and loads them in one by one onto a rolling rack.

Oklahoma City Oklahoma

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 09:00:56 -0700

Trip Dates

February 15 - 17 2019

How I Got There

I am quickly running out of places that have a direct flight from San Francisco, but luckily Oklahoma City is one of them.

Where I Stayed

I stayed at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City. It is conveniently located near everything and is an exceptional building with an awe-inspiring atrium.

How I Got Around

Oklahoma City has a small public transit system including a modern street car that helps you get around downtown. Like many other cities, it has been innundated with rentable e-scooters which I used to get around. Most of the major attractions are within walking distance if you stay downtown and they also have Uber and Lyft.

Is Austin Weird? One Woman’s Opinion on Why it Doesn’t Really Matter

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 12:44:33 -0700

Illustration by Katheryn Lavin

This post was written by Kate McDermott and originally appeared on tralev.net as a part of the lore series where I invited local writers to share their perspective on the Capital where they live.

If you read articles about Austin on travel sites or “Best place to live” lists, you’ll hear effusive praise.

“It’s so weird!”
“Such good tacos!”
“So much live music!

Phoenix Arizona

Fri, 03 May 2019 12:10:46 -0700

Trip Dates

January 18 - 21, 2019

How I Got There

I took a short direct flight on United Airlines from San Francisco.

Where I Stayed

I originally planned to stay at The Camby, which is a part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. However, after my experience staying in the middle of no where in Raleigh, I decided to find a place closer to the center of the city.

I stayed at the Renaissance hotel downtown. It was a lovely hotel right in the heart of the city. It had a great bar and restaurant in the lobby and the room was massive. It was easy to get to all the places that I wanted to go from here.

Hartford Connecticut

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 19:52:08 -0800

Trip Dates

November 16 - November 18 2018

How I Got There

I was in New York City for a business trip and I booked a ticket to Hartford on Amtrak. The trip ended a bit early so I sat around at Penn Station waiting for the late train up north. For some reason neither Google Maps or Apple Maps told me that there was a local commuter train that I could take from Grand Central Station to New Haven and then catch another commuter train to Hartford. This trip takes roughly the same amount of time as Amtrak and is half the cost. I was able to refund my ticket, and took a cab from Penn Station to Grand Central Station. I've never had a reason to go to Grand Central Station, so I was glad to finally get a chance to experience this majestic and historic train station.

Historic Fan Fiction on the Ohio River

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 17:00:26 -0800

The Ohio River surrounds the State like a hospital gown, protective on the front and exposing the back side for the entire country to see. Growing up in Cincinnati at the turn of this century, the river was always known as the place downtown that required a tetanus shot to swim in. Before the barges full of coal made their way downstream, before cars and trucks displaced the railroads which displaced the riverboats, even before Harriet Tubman crossed the icy river with runaways in tow, the river was home to many tribes of Native Americans.

Vonnegut's Memoir

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 16:04:15 -0700

Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite author. Whenever I meet someone new, and the topic of books comes up, I give them a copy of “Slaughterhouse Five”. I must have give away at least a dozen copies of this book over the years, and somehow I still have two copies (both unread) sitting on my bookshelf. His collection of short stories “Welcome to the Monkey House” is a master class in how to capture the readers imagination in a handful of words.

Raleigh North Carolina

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 20:16:44 -0700

Trip Dates

September 8 - September 12 2018

How I Got There

Once again, I was in town for work and arrived the weekend before to explore the city. I flew the friendly skies on a red eye from San Francisco directly into Raleigh airport.

Where I Stayed

I stayed at the State View Hotel, a part of the Autograph Collection on the campus of N.C. State University. When I booked the hotel I thought that the “state” referred to the Capitol, but it turned out that it refers to the state university. This hotel is really new, and it did not exist in the Autograph collection when this project started. It is located in the middle of the woods near the campus, and there is not quite a view of anything.

Capitol of the Commonwealth

Sun, 05 Aug 2018 17:56:13 -0700

Exploring the 120 year history of Kentucky's Statehouse.

Nestled in the bluegrass hills of Kentucky, where there river forms an “S”, a massive monument overlooks the sleepy Capital of the commonwealth. The fourth and final building to be known as the State Capitol is the result of nearly a decade’s worth of planning, design, and manual labor. Through artwork, sculptures, and a collection of artifacts, the building celebrates the history of the state and serves as a beacon of hope for the future generations of Kentuckians.

Albany New York

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 19:38:42 -0700

Trip Dates

June 29 - July 1 2018

How I Got There

I was in New York City for work and came up to Albany for the weekend. I took a United flight from Newark to Albany. It may have been the shortest flight of my life. Wheels up to wheel down was roughly 30 minutes. It probably took longer to get from Penn Station to Newark Airport than it did to fly to Albany. I realized that there was fairly frequent train service from Grand Central Station to Albany. The entire trip is under three hours, and in hindsight I wish I would have experienced that train ride instead.

Denver Colorado

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 20:17:48 -0700

Trip Dates

May 18 - 20 2018

How I Got There

Once again, I merged a work trip with a tralev trip. I was in Broomfield for GlueCon 2018. I flew into Denver airport from SFO and began my adventures following a couple of work meetings on Friday.

Where I Stayed

I stayed at the historic Brown Palace Hotel which is a part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. The Brown Palace is one of the most luxurious hotels that I have ever stayed at. It has regal decor and and old world charm. It has several wonderful restaurants and they even have a tea service in the lobby.

Birthplace of the Gold Rush

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 09:00:52 -0700

On a warm January day in 1848 James W. Marshall discovered a speck of gold in the water near Sutter’s Mill in Colma, California. Over the next ten years, the period known as the California Gold Rush would result in one of the largest human migrations in history as hundreds of thousands of people made their way to the area in search of fortune.

Ten years prior to this fateful day, John Augustus Sutter received a land grant from the Mexican Government (who at the time owned all of the land in what is now California) and established a fort that he named after himself. The fort was located in what would become modern day Sacramento. It served as a base of operations for the industrial empire that Sutter hoped to build in the West. During this time many people from all walks of life found their way to the fort to rest, work, and explore the area. The now famous Mill was constructed in support of the efforts of the fort.

45,000 Fans Showed that Atlanta is Serious About Soccer

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 09:00:16 -0700

Atlanta United took the city of Atlanta and the entire MLS for a ride when it joined as an expansion team in 2017 finishing 4th in the Eastern conference and making it all the way to the playoffs. While Atlanta does have serveral major league sports teams, the city has lived through serveral decades worth of drought when it comes to having a winning team. Atlanta United plays at the beautiful, brand new, Mercedez-Benz Stadium which opened in 2017 and shares its space as the home of the Atlanta Falcons NFL Football team.

Augusta Maine

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 13:41:55 -0700

Trip Dates

April 20 – April 23 2018

How I Got There

I merged a work trip to Boston for Cloud Foundry Summit into a Tralev trip. For those of you paying attention, yes I went from SFO -> ATL -> BOS in the same week. It was amazing. I rented a car on Friday evening and drove from Boston to Augusta.

Cape Air does have flights from Boston to Augusta on tiny Cessna airplanes. The problem is that it arrived after the rental car office in Augusta closes. Although Lyft claims that the entire state of Maine is a service area I decided not to try my luck and drove instead.

Atlanta Georgia

Sun, 22 Apr 2018 07:17:12 -0700

Trip Dates

April 13 – April 18 2018

How I got there

I merged a work trip to Atlanta for DevOpsDays into a Tralev trip. I arrived a few days before the conference on a United flight from SFO.

Where I stayed

I stayed at the Glenn Hotel, which is a part of the Autograph collection from Marriott for the first few nights. I spent the rest of my time at a Courtyard downtown.

How I got around

Atlanta has a robust public transportation system. This includes a subway system called MARTA that takes you from the Airport to the heart of the city in 20 minutes. I used MARTA to get around the city most of the time. I took a Lyft here and there when I was going to a place that was far away from a subway station.

What I did

I got in late in the evening on Friday. I took the MARTA to my hotel and then explored the surrounding area including the beautiful Centennial Olympic Park. Martin Lawrence was in town that night so the downtown area was full of traffic. I had dinner at Waffle House and called it a night.

The next day I went to the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca Cola, and the Center for Human Rights. These were three very different experiences, but all enjoyable. I had the best fried chicken of my life for lunch, and some delicious catfish and peach cobbler for dinner.

75 Years of Culinary Tradition at Frank Fat's

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 12:00:00 -0800

In 1939 an immigrant dishwasher named Frank Fat borrowed $2,000 to open a restaurant a few blocks away form the California State Capitol in Sacramento. For the next five decades it would serve as the place to meet and get things done for local Sacramento politicians. One of the most famous anecdotes from it’s long history was the 1987 “Napkin Deal”^[2] where a group of lobbyists, lawyers and political insiders created a pact written on a Frank Fat’s napkin to support sweeping tort reform.

Exploring Washington's Majestic State Capitol

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:00:07 -0800

The Capitol grounds in Olympia are truly marvelous. In a book funded by the Capitol Furnishings Preservation Committee Cathleen Norman takes us on a brief journey on the history of the beautiful Washington State Capitol. Like other books about state capitols this one provides a great balance of history, lore, and historic photographs of the massive buildings as they were being constructed.

EXPLORING WASHINGTON’S MAJESTIC STATE CAPITOL By Cathleen M. Norman 64 pp. Washington State Capitol Furnishings Preserva $12

Crocker Art Museum

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 12:00:22 -0800

The Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento combines the old with the new to create a spectacular display of some of California’s best fine art. The original building, built in 1872, belonged to the Crocker family who commissioned a local architect named Seth Babson to construct the Italianate mansion. Since its inception it contained an expansive private art collection. It was donated to the city of Sacramento in 1885 by Margaret E. Crocker and has served as the center of fine art in the city ever since.

Tragedy on the Mountain

Sun, 21 Jan 2018 12:00:28 -0800

Could you love a man suffering from post traumatic stress disorder if he abused you?

She got down on her knees in front of the television. He pushed one side of her face hard against the TV screen, saying in his practiced voice, “No! No!” This was the way she loved him now.

What if the cause of his trauma was a single impulsive moment where his ex wife murdered his daughter with a hatchet? What if his other daughter was lost in the woods? What if he was also suffering from dementia?

He has lost his daughters, but he has also lost the memory of losing them. But he has not lost the loss.

In her debut novel, Idaho, Emily Ruskovich explores themes of tragedy, loss, love, and forgiveness as she slowly reveals the answers to some of these questions in this gripping story.

IDAHO: A NOVEL By Emily Ruskovich 322 pp. Random House $17

Next Stop, Carson City: The Capital of Nevada, from a Photographer's Perspective

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 12:00:12 -0800

I first passed through Carson City on my way back from a photo trip to Lake Tahoe. It didn’t take me long to decide that this charming capital city, nestled at the foot of the Eastern Sierras, with desert stretched out for miles to the east, was where I wanted to spend my retirement years.

The cost of living was a big improvement over my hometown of San Diego, but that was true of many other cities. What captured my attention about Carson City was the historic downtown, with a beautiful tree-lined main street, and a gem of a capitol building. I soon discovered there was also a rich historic district just west of the capital, showcasing all manner of Victorians and other fabulous oldies.

Trenton New Jersey

Wed, 17 Jan 2018 12:00:16 -0800

Trip Dates

October 2 – October 3 2017

How I got there

I was in New York preparing for a trip to Uzbekistan for my brothers wedding. I was staying near JFK airport so I took a combination of Q bus, LIRR, and NJ transit to make my way down from New York City to Trenton.

Where I stayed

Sadly, there were few hotel options in Trenton so I ended up staying at a Courtyard Marriott by JFK airport.

How I got around

Other than taking a cab to the grounds for sculpture, I mostly walked around to and from the NJ Transit station.

What I did

I arrived in the early morning and after a quick breakfast at the only sit down coffee shop in town, I wandered around the main downtown area. I stopped at the Old Barracks for an hour long tour where I learned a ton about the role of Trenton from the colonial period through the revolutionary war. The state house was under construction, but they still offered a tour of small parts of it. It was really cool to see some of the original Edison lightbulbs that were still in use throughout the capitol building.

The next day I came back in the morning, had breakfast at the same coffee shop and then visited the New Jersey State Museum. I wandered around town, had lunch at an old Italian kitchen, visited the main library, and then took a cab to the grounds for sculpture which was the highlight of my trip. While its technically not in Trenton, it’s an amazing place full of life like sculptures.

2017 A Year in Review

Sun, 07 Jan 2018 18:19:37 -0800

2017 was a very exciting year for Tralev. We visited 10 state capitals, met with real life people for the first time, published some articles from local writers, took thousands of photos, read tons of books, got a drone and took some dramatic aerial videos. I think the best part of 2017 is that I was lucky to be joined by my brother Yuri on a majority of the trips.

I started the year by visiting Austin in January. This ended up not being the best decision since it was freezing cold. Then in February we escaped the cold winter and traveled to the paradise of Honolulu. After a short break in March, I visited Boston with Aosheng in April. It was just as cold as Austin in January. Yuri joined me for the next four trips. First to Indianapolis, where we met real life locals for the first time. Then we went to Salem and Olympia during the week of my birthday in June. We spent July 4th in Providence, and I ended the year on my own by visiting Boise, Columbus, and Trenton.

Columbus Ohio

Sun, 05 Nov 2017 02:44:00 -0800

Growing up in Cincinnati, two hours south of Columbus, I’ve been to Columbus many times. I’ve never traveled there with any specific intent to get a feel for the city, so this was one of my favorite trips because I learned so much about the state that I called home for so many years.

The added benefit of going somewhere so close to home is that my parents were able to join me on this trip and we had a great time discovering our state capital.

The Men Behind the Machine

Sun, 10 Sep 2017 09:41:12 -0700

An Oregon historian explores the complexities of creating a state.

During the 19th Century, as cities across the United States grew rapidly, powerful political machines emerged to fill the void created by inefficient government. These machines, and their bosses, had complete control over the majority of the electorate and were able to significantly influence policy. In “Salem Clique: Oregon’s Founding Brothers”, Barbara Mahoney documents the rise of such a machine, known as “The Salem Clique” in the Oregon territory.

Boise Idaho

Sat, 02 Sep 2017 22:28:59 -0700

Trip Dates

Aug 24 - 28 2017

How I Got There

I flew to Boise on Southwest Airlines from Oakland. It was an uneventful 90 minute flight.

How I Got Around

The public transportation system in Boise is very limited and does not run at all on Sundays. I decided to rent a car. In hindsight, this was a great decision. I ordered the "Manager's Special" from Hertz, which is the mystery meat of rental cars, and ended up with a white Toyota Sienna.

Where I Stayed

I stayed the the Townplace Suites just outside of downtown.

What I Did

The first few days of the trip I was on a "working vacation" so I squeezed in some tourist activities between work. I visited the downtown area, bought way too many books at Rediscovered Books, drove up Bogus Basin (where I got the awe inspiring photograph for this post) and ate at Elmers, Papa Joe's, Goldy's, and Hyde Park House.

I started off the weekend by visiting the Boise Farmers Market. Next I spent a few hours at Julia Davis Park, learned a bit about Basque history in the Basque block, and spent a few hours at Flying M coffee house reading and writing.

Rick's White Light Diner and the Best Beignets North of New Orleans

Fri, 25 Aug 2017 21:20:43 -0700

When we were in Frankfort last year we had the pleasure of once again following in the footsteps of Guy Fieri and getting breakfast at Rick’s White Light Diner.

I didn’t have high expectations when it came to the cuisine of Frankfort. Frankly, the last thing I was expecting to find was a Cajun and Creole diner in the middle of winter in this small city. I was completely blown away.

The atmosphere is very quaint an cozy. The walls are littered with various memorabilia that give the diner a unique charm. The diner has been a staple of Frankfort since it was built in 1943 and to this day is the oldest operating restaurant in the city.

Moving Back to Sacramento

Sun, 06 Aug 2017 12:44:33 -0700

Illustration by Xia Gordon

This post was written by Kara Green and originally appeared on tralev.net as a part of the lore series where I invited local writers to share their perspective on the Capital where they live.

Age is a funny thing. It seems that the progression of time and experience brings with it new perspective and appreciation. When I was in 5th grade my parents moved us from the California bay area to the Sacramento region with hopes of providing us a slower pace of life away from so much big city influence. We landed in a small suburb just North of Sacramento, quiet in all its suburban splendor but still close enough to access the bustling city life as needed. I hated it there. Throughout my youth I longed to get away, not to return to city life but to find even more remote stretches of land, further away from the city and into the stillness that can only exists in those isolated patches of the world.

Best Burrito in Olympia

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0700

After hanging out with Patricia and Shawna at Rhythm & Rye we went out foraging for food. There are surprisingly a large number of choices, that are not fast food chains, for late night dining in Olympia. Quality Burrito received high praise in “Olympia” the book so we decided to check it out.

The menu was standard Tex-Mex fare. We got guacamole and chips, a quesadilla, and of course a burrito. As we were ordering our food we were warned by our waitress (for the second time during this trip) that we were ordering way too much food. She was definitely right. We did not leave hungry.

Buffalo Trace Distillery and the Birth of Bourbon

Wed, 19 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0700

The funky smell of fermenting grains permeated our nostrils and clothing as we pulled into Buffalo Trace distillery. It was Saturday night the week after Christmas in Frankfort Kentucky. The freezing cold temperatures kept most folks indoors, likely drinking the same bourbon whiskey that we are about to taste. Each year, Buffalo Trace decorates the massive complex with Christmas decorations and offers a self guided, driving tour of the grounds. Buffalo Trace is one of the oldest distilleries in the country. It has been in continuous operation under various owners and names since 1787. It even made it through prohibition since, like modern day medical marijuana, whiskey was still available for purchase and consumption with a prescription.

Images of America Salt Lake City

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0700

“Images of America: Salt Lake City 1890 - 1930” covers a significant era of the development of Salt Lake City and provides some insight into how it was transformed from a Mormon refuge into a key economic hub.

Ever since the East and West met via railroad in Promontory Utah in 1869, Salt Lake City quickly became an important railroad hub. The railroad led to increased diversity in all of Utah in both religion and economy. While originally most of Utah was predominantly Mormon, at the turn of the century many other denominations and religions made their home in Salt Lake City. For decades, Utah struggled to become a state due to the controversy surrounding polygamy. Once the practice was banned in 1890, Utah became the 45th state of the Union.

Patricia and Shawna at Rhythm & Rye

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 04:45:24 -0700

We had such a great time meeting up with local folks in Indianapolis that we put up another Facebook ad for our Olympia trip hoping that someone would be kind enough to talk to us. This is how we met Patricia. We originally scheduled to meet for dinner at a local Oyster restaurant. Both Yuri and I fell asleep after our morning at Mt. Rainier and completely missed our scheduled time to meet for dinner. We felt horrible, but rushed over to Rhythm & Rye to see if we could still meet briefly and apologize in person.

Lunch at the Driskill Hotel

Fri, 14 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0700

The historic Driskill Hotel in downtown Austin is the oldest operating hotel in Austin Texas. Completed in 1886, this Romanesque Revival style hotel is one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Austin. The luxurious interior lobby and lounges are finely decorated and celebrate Texan themes. Paintings of prairies, lone stars in most tiles, and naturally a steer head mounted on the wall. I had the pleasure of stopping by for lunch during my visit to Austin.

Utah State Capitol Building

Wed, 12 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0700

The Utah State Capitol is a massive building that sits on top of a hill overlooking Salt Lake City. From the top of the Capitol stairs you can see a beautiful panoramic view of the entire city surrounded by the Wasatch Mountain Range.

Inside, there is a the typical luxurious marble staircase, murals showcasing the lore of the state, a beautiful rotunda, and various other artifacts.

Suisun Valley Review

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0700

When I was at Beers Books in Sacramento, I picked up a small book called the Suisun Valley Review. This is a literary magazine of Solano Community College that celebrates emerging literary voices. The majority of the work inside is poetry, but there are also a couple of short stories and some wonderful artwork throughout.

One of my favorite stories was called “Honor Book 1” by Marc Concepcion. Its a tragic tale about life, family, and hope. Another highlight was a heartwarming story about friendship and illness called “Gentle Skin” by Natalie Francel-Stone. My favorite poem was the raw and provocative “July in Fresno” by Patrick Fontes.

Sacramento Then and Now

Sat, 08 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0700

By: Seth Sandronsky

It was a hot summer day in Sacramento, California’s capital city, in 1965. The cool water of a local public pool beckoned, three blocks away. Alone, I strolled there, ambling past manicured lawns in a suburban burg next to the American River. This pool, part of the city of Sacramento Parks and Recreation, opened on Memorial Day and closed on Labor Day. My male friends and I, dressed in swim trunks, t-shirts and rubber flip flops, gathered outside the pool entrance. We traded insults. In no time, we paid the pool entrance fee, ambled through the mall dressing room and arrived outside on the brown cement deck. Jump in the cool water. Feel refreshed. We spent the day there, minus sun block, munching on Payday bars. This was the daily routine until the neighborhood public school opened in early September.

Providence Rhode Island

Fri, 07 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0700

Trip Dates

July 2 - 5 2017

How We Got There

I flew on Jet Blue from Oakland to Boston and then took the "T" Commuter Rail from Boston South Station to Providence. Yuri flew on Southwest to Providence Airport via Baltimore from Cincinnati.

How We Got Around

The public transportation system in Providence consists of buses that arrive every hour and take you to all corners of the city. Lyft and Uber both operate in Providence. The train station and hotel were right next to each other and a few blocks away from downtown so we mostly walked around. Yuri did rent a car, and if you plan on exploring areas outside of the immediate downtown area, I would recommend getting a car as well.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the beautiful Renaissance Providence hotel. The hotel was inside a classic building and directly across the street from the State Capitol. Our room had a beautiful day and night time view of the Capitol building. We've been blogging about the Marriott Autograph Collection, short of staying at one of those I think my favorite "regular" Marriott brand is the Renaissance. They are always located in spectacular buildings, the customer service is impeccable, and the bedding is heavenly.

What We Did

I took a red eye and didn't get much sleep. Yuri didn't arrive until the evening on Sunday. I checked in early and slept in. Once Yuri arrived we got dinner at the famous and quirky Haven Bros. food truck. The next day we got up bright and early and walked nearly twenty miles exploring the Capitol, Roger Williams Memorial, waterfront, downtown area and the hills around Brown University. We drove to Roger Williams park, checked out the Park Museum and the Zoo. We had a delicious seafood dinner at Hemenways before calling it a night.

The next day we went back up to Brown University and got lunch in the trendy restaurant packed main street of college hill. We explored the campus and stopped at the historic Avon Cinema to watch “The Beguiled”. Yuri had to leave early so we said our goodbyes shortly after this. I walked down to India Park, watched the Navy Band play some amazing patriotic tunes, got BBQ from a food truck, and watched the fireworks show at the harbor with at least one thousand other people.

Big Ass Burger at Roaring Fork

Wed, 05 Jul 2017 17:35:53 -0700

File Under: Things I Learned the Hard Way.

Let me give you a bit of advice. If you are at a restaurant in Texas, and you see a menu item called “Big Ass Burger”. Do not, I repeat do not, attempt to test to see just how big it is. In addition, do not eat for 24 hours before hand, and do not order any additional appetizers, drinks or sides. Otherwise you will be like me and limp back to your hotel room in shame with a couple of pounds of Grade A beef in your stomach.

Pioneer Memorial Museum

Mon, 03 Jul 2017 19:00:00 -0700

In the middle of the 19th Century tens of thousands of members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints began what has been called the largest human migration in American history. Led by Brigham Young, the pioneers escaped religious persecution in the East and made the treacherous journey to what is now Salt Lake City. Thousands died along the journey, but the ones that remained were able to build a life for themselves. Their stories, belongings, and other artifacts are kept across the street from the State Capitol at the Pioneer Memorial Museum.

Vegan Rock at Space Concert Club

Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:31:30 -0700

On the west side of Salem there is a place called the Space Concert Club. It’s easy to miss, other than the red paint on the side of the building there is small black box that indicates that you are in the right place. However, as you make your way down the stairs and through the courtyard filled with a giant mural of sixties rock stars, you suddenly begin to feel that you might just be in for a treat.

Conversation with David Scherer Water in Olympia

Sat, 17 Jun 2017 17:52:55 -0700

“Bad writers become historians,” David said to me when I shared my experience of reading local history books during my travels. I suppose this means that good writers create comedic nonfiction works of art like “Olympia”. I was so thrilled to be able to meet with David Scherer Water in Olympia after reading his book by the same name. We had an enthralling conversation over breakfast at King Solomon’s Reef where he sat and wrote most of the book. We talked about Olympia, writing, culture, history, and life.

Salem Oregon

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 19:00:00 -0700

Trip Dates

June 10 - 13 2017

How We Got There

We took the scenic route from Olympia via US-101 down the Washington and Oregon coast. This added about five hours (3 driving, 2 stopping to take in the scenery) to the total trip but it was well worth it.

How We Got Around

Like Olympia, Salem also has a nearly nonexistent public transportation system. Unlike Olympia, it has an Amtrak station right downtown so if you were to take the train from Portland and stay in a downtown hotel then you would not need a car to get around.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Residence Inn by Marriott which was about two miles from the center of the city and down the street from the Oregon State Penitentary. Residence Inn is an extended stay hotel offered by Marriott so the room had a full kitchen and separate living and sleeping areas. Sadly, it was bigger than my apartment. They offer free breakfast, fitness center, pool, and a basketball court. My only complaint was that their wifi was not the best so it took hours to upload videos during our stay.

What We Did

We arrived pretty late in the evening and Salem is definitely the kind of town that closes up early. After checking into the hotel we headed to West Salem to check out a vegan restaurant that one of our new friends recommended called Space Concert Club. This was an amazing place. We had some really great food and listened to an awesome local band rock the house. For a venue of its size it had the best sound that I have ever heard. Huge shout out to the sound guy at Space, he really knows what he is doing.

In addition to closing up early, pretty much everything is closed on Sundays. We started the next day by going to the Book Bin to pick up some local books. We then walked around downtown a bit and took some photographs. Afterwards we went to the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. We spend most of the rest of the day at a couple of parks in the city. We met a local person for dinner at an Italian restaurant and had a great conversation and delicious food.

My Landlord Wrote This Book

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 03:31:25 -0700

I walked up to the cashier at Browsers bookshop with a stack of books that all had to do with Olympia. The staff was puzzled and mildly excited. The cashier spotted “Olympia” by David Scherer Water in my stack and told me “My landlord wrote this book.” That is when I knew that I was in for a treat.

I purchase more books than I have time to read between trips to capitals. For the first time I started and finished this one during the trip. I am really glad I did because I learned about the city, culture, people, and history before seeing some of it for myself. In addition it gave me an opportunity to reach out to the author while we were still in town and we were lucky enough to be able to meet him in real life.

Olympia Washington

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 01:38:40 -0700

Olympia Washington

Trip Dates

June 6 - 10 2017

How We Got There

Yuri flew on Southwest from Cincinnati to Seattle during their first week of operations in that airport with a layover in Midway. Per my friend Nathan, I "turned a commuter flight into an event" by taking Jet Blue from Oakland to Seattle with a layover in Long Beach. We rented a Car in Seattle and drove about an hour down I-5 to Olympia.

How We Got Around

The public transport system in Olympia is virtually nonexistent. In addition they do not have Lyft either. Our hotel was located downtown so we were able to walk to most places when it was not raining (which was rare). We got around with our rental car to places outside of downtown.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Town Place Suites which was the only Marriott in the city. This was a pretty new hotel with comfortable furniture, beautiful decor, a modern design, free breakfast, and great wifi.

What We Did

We both skipped sleep the day before so once we arrived in the hotel we passed out. We awoke at around 11PM to forage for food and ran across a diner on 4th street called King Solomon's Reef that was open. After dinner we went back to the hotel to plan the rest of our day.

While driving into Olympia you can’t miss a gigantic mountain in the distance. It’s size becomes even more impressive when you realize its roughly 60 miles away from town. We wanted to watch the sun rise so we headed to Mt. Rainier at around 4AM. Two hours later we entered the national park, and then spend the next 3 hours making our way up the mountain with very frequent stops to take in the beautiful vistas, wildlife, and waterfalls.

Chicken, Waffles, and Beer at Avenues Proper

Sun, 11 Jun 2017 03:04:24 -0700

On my last night in Salt Lake City I went to Avenues Proper for dinner. Avenues Proper is a local restaurant and micro brewery that specializes in “elevated pub fare”. It was a bit out of the way from any public transport so I took a death defying Lyft with a woman driving the hell out of a Kia Rio.

The restaurant had great reviews, but when I arrived I was the only person there. The interior is tastefully decorated and creates a very calming atmosphere. I was greeted and seated by a friendly waiter.

Mecca for Mormons

Fri, 09 Jun 2017 22:57:44 -0700

In 1847 a group of Mormons led by Brigham Young escaped religious persecution in the east and founded Salt Lake City. Originally a part of Mexico, it became an official part of the United States in 1850. Salt Lake City has always been the headquarters of the Church of the Latter Day Saints and its presence can be felt throughout the entire city to this day. The monumental temple which can be seen from most parts of the city was built between 1853 and 1893. Today, temple square is a large complex with beautiful landscaping and architecture. It is one of the most popular attractions in all of Utah.

Thai Food and Stories with Asma and Rachel

Wed, 07 Jun 2017 22:19:46 -0700

During our recent trip to Indianapolis, for the first time, we met up with some local people to get their perspective on the city. I’ve had an open invitation for breakfast, lunch, dinner or coffee on my blog since the beginning of this project, but it wasn’t until Yuri made our Facebook page that we started to have conversations with real people.

We met with Asma and Rachel for lunch on Memorial Day. We originally planned to go to The Eagle, but it was closed, like most of the restaurants on Massachusetts Ave that day for the holiday. Instead, we decided to go to a new Thai restaurant called Thaitanium. Asma and Rachel are young professionals, best friends, and roommates who live in the center of the city. Asma has lived in Indianapolis for her entire life, while Rachel moved there in 2005 from New York City. It was really nice to get the perspectives of someone who has lived in the city their entire life and someone who moved there later on.

Coming of Age in the Craw

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 19:00:00 -0700

The Capital Plaza shown in the cover photo of this post in Frankfort was built in 1960’s and is one of the most prominent landmarks in the city. However, before it was built, this area of town was known as “Crawfish Bottom” or the “Craw” for short. This was the part of town that you tended to stay away from if you knew what was good for you. In “Concerning the Matter of the King of Craw” , Ron Rhody tells a story about two boys that come of age in the Craw during the roaring twenties and their perspective and relationship with the notorious “King” John Fallis.

Hip Hop Hawaii

Sun, 04 Jun 2017 03:39:35 -0700

At the same time that this blog migrated from Wordpress to Ghost we also began to use Vimeo and Flickr in lieu of self hosting photos and videos.

This weekend, while browsing the Vimeo blog, I came across their weekend challenges and decided to make a submission for this weekends Hip-Hop Montage challenge. I have a ton of very short videos from our travels so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to make use of them. The final result is shown below:

Images of America - Early Carson City

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 19:00:00 -0700

At the Nevada State Museum I purchased another of the Images of America series that has a great collection of images from the early years of Carson City.

The book includes images in all categories from prominent people, to notable events, to early architecture. It was interesting to see some of the early buildings that are still standing to this day. Notably, the Federal Building (shown in the Cover Photo of this post) which is still standing, the St. Charles hotel that was built in 1862 which I wrote about in a previous post and the Frank Murphy home built in 1874 which is the modern site of Adele’s Restaurant.

Indianapolis Indiana

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 00:05:12 -0700

Trip Dates

May 28 - 30th 2017

How We Got There

Yuri was kind enough to drive us. Indianapolis is just under two hours away from Cincinnati, OH where I was to celebrate my cousins wedding.

How We Got Around

The public transportation system in Indianapolis is essentially nonexistent. Luckily, our hotel was in a perfect location and we only needed to drive to a few places. We mostly walked around. If you are visiting Indianapolis I would highly recommend staying downtown because it is very walkable and most things that are worth seeing are located pretty close to each other.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Courtyard located near the Capitol building. There are about a dozen Marriott hotels in town, but due to the Indy 500 race being the same weekend as our trip our choices were limited.

What We Did

We arrived in the late afternoon on Saturday to an ominous sky. Since pretty much everything worth seeing closes at 5PM we decided to check out the Indiana War Memorial after checking into our hotel. This was a stunning structure that paid tribute to those who have lost their lives in America's many wars with a special emphasis on the impact and toll of Hoosiers. Afterwards we went to the canal and rented a paddleboat. We made it to one end of the canal when all of a sudden lightning, thunder, and pouring rain drenched us. We paddled for dear life and made it back to the rental office soaking wet. After a change of clothes and some lounging around while the rain calmed down we went to have dinner at the Spoke and Steele restaurant. I say this without a hint of hyperbole that this was one of the best meals of my life.

The next day, which was Memorial Day, we started off the day by trying to see the state capitol but sadly it was closed for the day. Instead we visited the Indiana History Museum. Afterwards we met up with real life people from Indianapolis for lunch. We planned to go to the Eagle, but that restaurant along with essentially every other one on Massachusetts ave. decided to close for the holiday. Instead we went to Thaitanium. We had a great conversation which I look forward to writing about soon. It was wonderful to meet real people and I look forward to doing more of this as I continue through this project. After lunch we went to the Etiljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library and then checked out Holiday Park per our new friends recommendation. For dinner, we wanted to try a local pizza shop but it ended up being closed as well so we went to Giordano’s instead and had a delicious and filling Chicago style pie.

A Brief History of Kamehameha

Tue, 16 May 2017 19:00:00 -0700

I got a handful of books at the gift shop of Iolani Place. One of these was a short book called “Kamehameha: The Warrior King of Hawai’i” by Susan Morrison. The book is a lot shorter than I thought, I was able to finish it in a single 40 minute reading.

Morrison pieced together the history of Kamehameha through various primary and secondary sources. Since his reign predates the written history of Hawai’i much of the story will never be known. The author liberally fills in the blanks with bits of fiction and narrative to keep the story moving.

Firkin & Fox

Mon, 15 May 2017 06:04:27 -0700

The last place I visited in Carson City before returning back to San Francisco was Firkin & Fox restaurant for Lunch. This restaurant is located in one of the oldest and most distinctive buildings in Carson City. It is right below the St. Charles Hotel which was built in 1862.

The interior of the restaurant is very charming and casual. The booth seats are bright red and comfortable. I had a salad and a perfectly cooked bacon cheeseburger with fresh cut fries for lunch.

Images of America - Sacramento's Capitol Park

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 19:00:00 -0700

In my previous “Last post about Sacramento” I completely forgot to mention two books that I picked up at Beer’s books while I was in town. So it turns out that I still have two more things to say about Sacramento.

The Images of America series can be found in museum gift shops across the country. It seems that they have a book full of historic photographs for nearly any topic that you can think of. So far, throughout my travels I picked up a total of 5 of these books. The main reason so far (especially in Salt Lake City) was my inability to find anything else to read.

Capitol Complex and Nevada Day Parade

Sat, 15 Apr 2017 19:00:00 -0700

I intentionally visited Carson City during the Nevada Day festivities because I felt like I could really get a sense of the people and culture of Nevada that way. Nevadans are very serious about Nevada Day. The day commemorates Nevada’s admission to statehood on October 31, 1864. The Parade is the main attraction, but there are also a ton of other events in and around town to celebrate.

I woke up bright and early at 7AM to see the hot air ballon launch. I have never seen one up close, and they are truly marvelous. Unfortunately, due to poor weather conditions they ended up not launching any of them. However, watching a hot air ballon deflate is a pretty interesting sight in itself.

Nevada State Museum

Thu, 13 Apr 2017 19:00:00 -0700

I visited the Nevada State Museum while I was in Carson City. This modest museum is a tribute to the history of the city, the surrounding areas, and Nevada itself. I was lucky enough to get in for free since I visited during the Nevada Day weekend.

It was cool to see the old gambling equipment including miniature slot machines and classic table games.

Boston Massachusetts

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 03:29:05 -0700

Aosheng and I packed our bags and left the warm comforts of California to explore Boston at the tail end of their winter. We spent a few days playing tourist and then were joined by my best friends Mike and Bell that weekend where we spent the next two days being geeks at the LibrePlanet conference.

Trip Dates

March 21 - 26 2017

How We Got There

We flew direct on Jet Blue from SFO to BOS. The flight east is always significantly shorter than the flight west. On the returning flight we sat right in front of a gaggle of high school girls and directly next to a baby. It turned out to be two babies half way through the flight.

How We Got Around

Boston has a world class public transportation system with Trains, Subways, Trolleys, and Buses that can take you anywhere you need to go. We mostly rode the T everywhere except for a handful of Lyfts.

Where We Stayed

We spent the first three nights at the lovely Envoy Hotel in downtown Boston which is a part of the Autograph Collection by Marriott. We transferred to the Marriott in Kendall Square for the remainder of our trip on Friday so that we could be closer to the conference.

What We Did

We arrived in the evening. I immediately went to Dunkin Donuts at the airport to get some of their consistently mediocre coffee. I miss it a lot. We made our way to the hotel and grabbed a late dinner at the South Street Diner.

The next day, we had breakfast at the Envoy hotel and went exploring. First we went to the State Capitol, it was absolutely marvelous. Next we went to the Tea Party museum which was a bit cheesy but surprisingly entertaining. We ended the evening at a theatre and watched a production of Finish Line which is a very moving documentary play about the Boston Marathon bombing.

Thoughts on "Historic Tales from the Texas Republic"

Tue, 04 Apr 2017 19:00:00 -0700

In “Historic Tales from the Texas Republic: A Glimpse of Texas Past” Jeffery Robenalt tells the story of the birth of Texas. This brief book provides a great overview of some of the more important events between Mexico’s independence from Spain and the struggle for Texas to become one of the United States.

Reading about the early history of Texas was interesting because in a lot of ways, compared to the current political climate in that State, the tables have been completely turned. Once Mexico declared independence from Spain, the new constitution favored states rights. The Mexican government encouraged immigration and cultivation of the land but as time went on they began to grow worried about the lack of respect that the settlers from the United States had for Mexican law. After some time, they banned all future immigration from the United States and made generous offers to European citizens who were willing to move and work the land. The US made an attempt to purchase Texas from Mexico, but this ended up offending the Mexican government. There were a few people in the Mexican government who warned of the trouble to come from Texas, but not enough was done to prepare.

American Railroads: The True Story of Hell on Wheels

Sun, 02 Apr 2017 21:08:11 -0700

I bought American Railroads by John F. Stover at the Nevada State Railroad Museum when I was in Carson City. Although this book has little to do with Carson City or Nevada directly, the railroad played such a significant role in the development of the United States that this book certainly felt worth reading.

In the early parts of this book, I was reminded of AMC’s Hell on Wheels. I am sure that AMC took some artistic liberties in the development of the story but it was nice to see some familiar names in this book. In fact, this book tells the true story of Hell on Wheels and the aftermath. It is slightly less dramatic, and at times flat out boring, but still a great story nonetheless.

Migration to Ghost and Other Goodies

Sat, 01 Apr 2017 00:56:43 -0700

I recently migrated Tralev from Wordpress to Ghost. I have always been a fan of Ghost, but one day while looking around for a new theme for this blog, I came across the wonderful Hit the Road theme in the Ghost Marketplace which prompted the switch.

I could not be happier with this theme. It has a lot of neat features like showing the weather in various cities, and maps for various locations. It feels like a lot of love and thought was put into this theme. In addition, I was super impressed with the developer because I reported a bug with the Yahoo Weather integration and he shipped me the fix within two hours.

The Hidden History of Utah is still hidden for me

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 12:00:00 -0700

I just finished reading “The Hidden History of Utah” by Eileen Hallet Stone which I got from a book store in Salt Lake City. I picked it up because I believe that one of the best ways to learn about a culture of a place is to read about its history. The book promised “a revelatory collection of tales” but instead the entire thing felt like a hastily assembled afterthought once the “Living History” column of the Salt Lake Tribune ran its course.

Nevada State Railroad Museum

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:24:24 -0800

Other Railroad Museums have some huge shoes to fill compared to the California State Railroad Museum. Nevada’s museum is much smaller, with fewer trains, and a more forgotten history. However, I was still pretty impressed with the exhibits and the focus on local railroad history.

Most notably, the Virgina and Truckee railroad which was a short line that operated in the local area during the height of the mining boom in western Nevada received a lot of appropriate coverage and contained many relics from the golden age of this line.

Honolulu, Hawai'i

Sat, 04 Mar 2017 12:00:18 -0800

I went on a week long trip with my entire family to Honolulu, Hawaii. This was my first time visiting Hawaii and it was better then I could have ever imagined. The island of Oahu is truly paradise.

Trip Dates

Feb 22 – 28 2017

How We Got There

I flew to Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines from Oakland, CA. I was surprised at how far away Honolulu was (roughly 2,500 miles) and how long the flight was. I am used to getting from SFO to JFK in under 5 hours and this particular flight seemed to drag on and on for nearly 6.

How We Got Around

I originally planned to use Lyft to get around, but was surprised (and slightly annoyed) that Honolulu Airport does not allow Lyft to pick passengers up at the terminal. We ended up renting an SUV through Hertz at the Airport, which was a great call because we were able to see parts of the island in the coming days, that would have been nearly impossible to get to otherwise. Oahu has a surprisingly robust public transportation system with buses going to nearly all the major parts of the island.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at the Courtyard in Waikiki Beach.

What We Did

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon, rented a car, and headed to the hotel to check in. After dropping off baggage we walked around Waikiki, got a quick lunch at Rock Island Cafe (a rock and roll themed diner), and enjoyed fresh coconut water out of a real coconut from the farmer’s market afterwards. We headed back to the hotel and I was so tired that I passed out at around 4 PM and did not get up until 3 AM the next morning.

A few hours before sunrise, my brother and I left the hotel and drove to explore the southeastern part of Oahu. Minutes after leaving the hotel, we were pulled over because the streets of Honolulu at night are so well-lit, my brother, the driver, forgot to turn the headlights on. The police officer was very nice and let us go with a warning and a statement that “there are no streetlights where we were going”. After thirty minutes of driving, and being close to the city limits, we found a Starbucks that opened at 4 AM. We grabbed some coffee and worked on side projects while waiting for the sunrise. The valet at the hotel suggested the best viewing point for the sunrise was at Hālona Blowhole, approximately 12 miles from our hotel, and only minutes away from the Starbucks we were drinking coffee at.

Memories of Sacramento

Tue, 21 Feb 2017 12:00:57 -0800

This will be my final post about the California State capitol. You can see everything that I have written about Sacramento here. This was the first city I visited in my capitals project, and the first one that I have finally completed writing about (a whopping 5 months later). I enjoyed my journey to the city and the corresponding reading about the the history that I did in the weeks that followed.

California State Railroad Museum

Sun, 19 Feb 2017 12:00:42 -0800

The California State Railroad Museum is located in Old Town Sacramento and was my favorite attraction. Ever since I was young I have always had a love for trains, so you can imagine that it was a dream come true to be surrounded by dozens of original and replicated old trains. The history and importance of the railroad in the development of California and the United States in general during the 19th century cannot be understated. It is arguably one of the most important technologies of the era and it is difficult to imagine what life would have been like without the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Sacramento History Museum

Sat, 18 Feb 2017 12:00:12 -0800

The Sacramento History museum is located in Old Town and provides a glimpse into the rich history of California’s state capital. It’s a fairly sized museum and offers tours of the infamous old town underground which resulted from the cities attempts to curb flooding damage by literally raising the entire city. Sadly, I was not able to make it on one of these tours.

They had a really neat exhibit of old Sacramento Bee things.

Old Town Sacramento

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 12:00:49 -0800

One of my favorite places in Sacramento was old town. It attempts to recreate the Sacramento that I read about in “Sacramento Chronicles: A Golden Past” and is the byproduct of the redevelopment efforts that were featured prominently in the Sacramento History museum and covered in “Sacramento Renaissance”.

This part of town recreates the 19th century Sacramento waterfront. It is full of shops, restaurants, and various attractions such as the Delta King, the historic Eagle Theater, Sacramento History Museum, and the California Railroad Museum.

South Lake Tahoe

Wed, 01 Feb 2017 12:00:01 -0800

If ever wonder what heaven might look like, I found just the place. While technically not in Carson City, South Lake Tahoe is a scenic 30 minute drive away and once I got tired of losing all of my money in Carson City’s many casinos, I decided to leave town for a little while to take in the natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and Lake Tahoe.

Austin Texas

Tue, 31 Jan 2017 12:00:48 -0800

I started 2017 off on the right foot by visiting the Texas State capital during the first week. My only regret is not checking the weather. I assumed Texas never got below 40 degrees but I was sorely mistaken.

Trip Dates

Jan 4 – Jan 7 2017

How I Got There

I flew to Austin on Delta Airlines from Dayton, OH via Atlanta, GA.

How I Got Around

Austin famously had both Uber and Lyft cease operations earlier in 2016. Other companies have filled the gap and in addition to walking and taking the bus to various places around Austin, I enjoyed using a local ride sharing service called Ride Austin.

Thoughts on "Sacramento Renaissance"

Sun, 29 Jan 2017 19:00:29 -0800

I previously wrote about a book that I picked up while traveling to Sacramento that discussed Sacramento’s Golden Past. I also picked up a book about the more modern history of Sacramento called “Sacramento Renaissance: Art, Music and Activism in California’s Capital City” by William Burg. Burg is a long time resident of Sacramento and has written several books on the history of various parts of the city. The book primarily takes the reader on a topical and geographic journey through the evolution of several Sacramento neighborhoods during the 20th century. It covers a great deal of the history of the struggle against racism, xenophobia, homophobia, and general civil rights that took place and in some cases were even started in Sacramento.

Cafe at Adele's

Sat, 14 Jan 2017 12:00:14 -0800

The first thing I did when I got to Carson City was grab dinner at a lovely little restaurant just outside of the downtown area called Adele’s. This is one of the fanciest restaurants in all of Carson City and certainly not a place where you would go eat alone, therefore I got a handful of looks while sitting in a corner table snapping photos. The restaurant is located inside of a quaint old building with beautiful decor.

Frankfort Kentucky

Sat, 07 Jan 2017 12:00:31 -0800

Trip Dates

December 29 – 30 2016

How We Got There

I was visiting my family in Ohio for the New Year, and my brother drove me down to Frankfort which is roughly 90 minutes away from his house in Liberty Township, OH.

Driving Through Kentucky from Lev Lazinskiy on Vimeo.

How We Got Around

I was lucky enough to have my brother with me so we mostly drove around to various places in his car.

Happy New Year and Happy Travels!

Sat, 31 Dec 2016 10:21:38 -0800

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the progress that I have made in 2016. I officially kicked off the capitals project with my trip to Sacramento in early October. Since then, I have made steady progress by visiting Carson City in late October, Salt Lake City in late November, and I just returned from a trip to Frankfort. I started this project to figure out what all the fuss was about in various state capitals and so far I have not been disappointed. Each city that I have visited has been better than the last one and I am consistently surprised and inspired by the people, places, and things that I see.

Thoughts on "A Short History of Carson City"

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 09:00:00 -0800

I picked up “A Short History of Carson City” by Richard Moreno at the Nevada State History Museum when I was in Carson City. As I mentioned in my previous review about the history of Sacramento, one of the best ways to really learn about a city is to study its history. Moreno is the former publisher of Nevada Magazine and currently works as the director of student publishing at Western Illinois University.

UTA Trax

Tue, 27 Dec 2016 09:00:05 -0800

Getting around Salt Lake City could not be easier thanks to the awesome public transportation system. While I was in town I rode around on Trax, and only got a Lyft a handful of times. The light rail runs roughly every 15 minutes and takes you all the way from the airport right into downtown Salt Lake City.

Wikivoyage

Tue, 13 Dec 2016 09:00:39 -0800

It seems that the scope of the type of projects that Wikimedia creates and promotes grows each year. Starting with Wikipedia, which by now everyone knows, we now have projects dedicated to free access to books, courses, media, news, and my most recent discovery, travel. The goal of the Wikivoyage project is to create a free worldwide travel guide that anyone can edit. In addition to providing information on many cities around the entire world, this project also fosters a sense of community by allowing anyone to ask travel related questions in the tourist office.

California State Capitol Building

Sun, 11 Dec 2016 09:00:53 -0800

Sacramento’s Capitol Park is an awe inspiring place that is full of reminders of the city’s rich history and importance in the development of the western United States. The centerpiece, of course, is the capitol building itself. I picked up an excellent book in the gift shop of the Capitol building that was a part of the “Images of America” series. Sacramento’s Capitol Park shows images of the capitol building through its various phases of construction and remodeling. In addition it has a brief section that discusses the history of the capitol itself.

Red Iguana, Holy Mole!

Tue, 29 Nov 2016 09:00:09 -0800

I stopped by Red Iguana for dinner on Friday night since it was claimed to be the one of the best restaurants in Salt Lake City and I was not disappointed.

The waitress was magical, I ordered the “Classico” Margarita and she told me that it was disgusting, “too sour”, and brought out the following gem instead.

Clark Planetarium and "A Beautiful Planet"

Sun, 27 Nov 2016 09:00:52 -0800

I’ve never been to a planetarium, so I was excited to learn that there was one directly across the street from the hotel where I was staying. The Clark Planetarium offers free entry and they have a handful of exhibits that explore our planet, black holes, and space in general. They also have an IMAX theater and a traditional planetarium dome where they do light shows and other exhibits.

I watched “A Beautiful Planet” on the 3D IMAX. It is a short film that follows several astronauts on the international space stations and showcases awe inspiring views of earth from space. The international space station is a magnificent testament to what we can accomplish as a human race when we work together. The film has conversationalist undertones and shows the impact of climate change as viewed from space.

Other than the screaming children running around everywhere, the Clark Planetarium is a wonderful place and definitely worth exploring if you are ever in Salt Lake City.

Artisan Hipster Coffee in Sacramento

Sat, 26 Nov 2016 09:00:35 -0800

If you visit most coffee shops in San Francisco and order a regular coffee, you will likely wait for a few minutes but then be rewarded with a delicious, freshly ground pour over. It seems like San Francisco is not alone when it comes to hipster artisan pour over coffee. I had the pleasure of visiting several different coffee shops. Each one of them was better than the last without an industrial coffee maker in sight.

Thoughts on "Sacramento Chronicles: A Golden Past"

Thu, 24 Nov 2016 09:00:29 -0800

One of the best ways to really learn about a city is to read about its history. I picked up a handful of books about Sacramento, one of which was “Sacramento Chronicles: A Golden Past” by Cheryll Anne Stapp. Stapp is a Sacramento native who is heavily involved in the local writing scene. She has written several books about California history and has a delightful blog that explores the rich history of this state.

Salt Lake City Utah

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 09:00:28 -0800

Trip Dates

November 17 – 20 2016

How I got there

I got to Salt Lake City on the same Turbo Prop Alaska Airlines plane that took me to Carson City the month before. It was a pleasant flight, and since it was longer than the 45 minute flight to Carson City they had a beverage service.

I learned that Alaska airlines (on Horizon Airlines flights) serves free local beer from Alaska, California, and the Pacific Northwest that is in rotation. I enjoyed a refreshing IPA, they even asked if I wanted a refill!

Citizen Hotel

Sun, 20 Nov 2016 09:00:11 -0800

The Citizen Hotel is a part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. Located in the heart of downtown Sacramento, the Citizen Hotel is a truly unique, beautiful, and historic boutique hotel. It is a place that both celebrates and pokes fun at American politics with quips posted throughout the property.

The interior and lobby has a very regal look to it. The room I stayed in was modest but very comfortable and tastefully decorated.

Autograph Collection by Marriott

Sat, 19 Nov 2016 09:00:37 -0800

I traveled a lot in my first tech job and the company I worked for used Marriott for everything. Over the years I have had the pleasure of staying at several of Marriott’s Autograph Collection hotels. Not only is each of these hotels unique and interesting in its own special way, they often have attached restaurants that serve some of the best food in the city.

Driven by the knowledge and vision to go beyond the commonplace, we handpick and celebrate the world’s most unique boutique hotels. Each one is chosen for its founder’s passion, the thoughtfulness of its design, its inherent craft, and its connection with the locale. Our aim is to showcase some of the most beautifully orchestrated hotel experiences the world has to offer.

Source: About | Autograph Collection

While doing research for the Capitals Project I realized that there were quite a few of these in the cities that I aim to visit. The full list is shown below. I intend to stay at each of these and am looking forward to sharing my experience. This list also has the added bonus of me not having to figure out where to stay in a dozen different cities.

Fish Face Poke Bar

Sun, 06 Nov 2016 09:00:59 -0800

I tried Poke for the first time while I was in Sacramento. I was wandering around the downtown on my way over to Beers books area and came across the historic R street district which had a neat little market called Wal Public Market which contained a couple restaurants, a record store, and some hipster trinket stores.

Poke; an interesting dish that is made with raw fish. Its Hawaiian ceviche, and is absolutely delish.

Fish Face Poke Bar is an interesting restaurant concept. It reminded me of a burrito shop except everything was raw fish. I tried tuna with a side of brown rice, it was delightful! In addition to the delicious food, they also had a really awesome mural on the wall of an octopus.

Delta King Restaurant

Sat, 05 Nov 2016 09:00:49 -0700

My final meal in Sacramento was on an old big wheel river boat called the Delta King. This boat, along with hundreds of others, used to make its way up and down the river between the Bay Area and Sacramento. These days, this historic boat is permanently parked on the river in Old Sacramento and acts as a restaurant, hotel, and banquet space.

The entrance to the restaurant has an elegant wooden staircase that leads to the dining area. Inside there is a small bar, some tables, and deck side seating on all sides.

Casinos of Carson City

Thu, 03 Nov 2016 09:00:52 -0700

A trip to Nevada would not be complete without losing money playing Craps at various Casinos. Carson City is is no short supply of gambling houses, slot machines, and bright neon lights. Even places that are not “officially” casinos, such as gas stations and convenience stores, have slot machines inside. I checked out a handful of Casinos while I was in town and while most of them are much smaller than any Casino in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, they each have their own special charm.

Carson City Nevada

Tue, 01 Nov 2016 09:00:00 -0700

Trip Dates

October 28 – October 30 2016

How I got there

Carson city is kind of in the middle of no where. The nearest major city is Reno, Nevada. I took Caltrain from San Francisco to San Jose, and then I took a death defying ride on an Alaska Airlines turbo prop plane to Reno. Once in Reno I rented a car from Hertz and drove the 30 miles south to Carson City.

How I got around

The public transportation system in Carson City is virtually non-existent, and things are pretty far apart so I mostly drove around to various events.

Where I stayed

When a Motel 6 is on a cities tourism website, you know that you are going to be in for a treat when it comes to hotel selection. I stayed at the modest Courtyard a few miles south of Downtown. When I checked in, they upgraded me to a suite for free which was awesome. The hotel was a typical Courtyard, which is not a bad thing. The suite was huge, bigger than my apartment, and had a wonderful view of the nearby mountains from the balcony.

What I did

I got in late Friday night and had a delicious dinner at Adele’s. Afterwards I checked into my hotel and spent the rest of the night exploring various casinos.

I woke up bright and early at 6 AM the next day and drove downtown to watch the hot air balloons launch. Even though they were all set up to go they did not end up launching due to the bad weather. I visited the Nevada State Museum, took pictures around the capitol complex, and watched a bit of the Nevada Day Parade. Afterwards, I drove 25 miles west to South Lake Tahoe. This was one of the most beautiful places that I have ever been to in my entire life. I took a ton of pictures, and had a great lunch at a lodge. I made my way back to Carson City after lunch and after recharging my phone I spent the rest of the evening losing more money at various casinos.

Blue Oaks at Starlite Lounge

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 04:08:39 -0700

Sacramento has a weekly free paper called the SN&R, in between all of the adult entertainment hotlines and marijuana ads, there was an events section that featured the Blue Oaks playing at Starlite lounge. I checked them out on Sound Cloud and decided to head over to Starlite lounge. This was my first time to a live performance in quite some time.

Sacramento Regional Transit

Tue, 18 Oct 2016 05:41:35 -0700

Sacramento is fairly walk-able and has a very robust public transportation system. I took it the entire time that I was in town and never felt that I needed a cab or car. I was also very impressed with how easy it was to purchase a fare pass. Some public transport systems make it impossible to get around without using cash or tracking down an information booth in a random part of the city to buy a pass. Sacramento uses an app called RideSacRT which allows you to purchase a single ride fare or a daily pass directly on your smart phone.

Capital Corridor

Sun, 16 Oct 2016 01:43:18 -0700

The easiest and most cost effective way to get from the bay area to Sacramento without driving is by taking the Amtrak Capital Corridor train. This train runs several times per day, and the round-trip fare is $66 which includes a quick thruway bus connection between the transbay terminal in San Francisco and the Emeryville Amtrak station. It is a very tolerable train ride at just under two hours, and exposes you to the beautiful vistas of Northern California.

Sacramento California

Sun, 16 Oct 2016 01:23:00 -0700

What better way to kick off the capitals project than by visiting the state capital that is closest to me.

Trip Dates

October 9 – October 10 2016

How I got there

I got to Sacramento from San Francisco via the Amtrak Capital Corridor corridor train.

How I got around

Sacramento, especially the downtown area, is fairly walkable. I mostly walked around but I also took the lovely Sacramento Regional Transit when needed.

Where I stayed

I stayed at the Citizen Hotel in downtown Sacramento.