when you are hungry...

When you are hungry, you're hungry.  Unfortunately for all of us frequent travelers, there are limited options when you are in a hurry to catch your next flight or run off to your next meeting.  Whether you are running late or not quite hungry yet but YOU KNOW you will be sometime during your flight...God has answered our prayers or in some cases, given us hell in cellophane.

The pre-made sandwich has been around for quite sometime.  Although I would never be caught dead eating the disgusting egg salad at my local 7-11, I do consider myself somewhat of a pre-made sandwich connoisseur and with that said, a list of the good, the bad and the DO NOT EAT IT EVER pre-made sandies from airports and convention centers around the U.S. Along with other recommendations in case the pre-made's are not edible or there is just a better option.

McCormick Place Convention Center [Chicago, IL]

One of my favorites!  The delicious ham and swiss sandwich comes on a pretzel roll and already has a hearty helping of grainy beer mustard - a safe bet all around.  But if you aren't in the mood for a sandwich and have some time to sit down, they have a wonderful salad bar and for a mere $11.50 you can have salad bar along with a cup of soup - what a deal as far as convention centers go!

Georgia World Congress Center [Atlanta, GA]

Unless you are starving - don't even bother and if you do bother...get a few extra mayo & mustard packets because it is all you will want to taste.  I will say in the GWCC's defense, they do offer a wonderful chicken noodle soup...nice and creamy and after you load it with oyster crackers, you actually have yourself a meal!  Or if you have time, there are many options within walking distance, but depending on the time of year you may not want to be subjected to the awful humidity, especially if in a business suit in the middle of August!

Wolf Gang Puck Sandwich Carts [anywhere airport USA]

If you happen to bump into one of these on the way to your gate, you may have a good experience.  It really all depends how long they have been sitting there!  For instance, the chicken pesto sandwich is made with real chicken breast and offers a nice hearty taste but BEWARE, if you are planning on eating this once you get on the plane...you may get dirty looks!  The pesto is overpowering as soon as the wrapper is taken off.  Might want to eat this one before you get on the plane, this way you can wash your hands properly and make nice with your soon-to-be new neighbor in seat 18C.  

On another note if you are lucky enough to find a cart that has the Asian Chicken Salad, you would be a fool not to grab it and go!

Logan International [BOS]

The best hands down breakfast sandwich...not pre-made BUT it is ready before you finish paying, now that's what every busy & hungry traveler needs...fast service with a smile [ok so the smile was on my face not the annoyed airport workers] Unfortunately I have no name for the place this sandwich exists because I was still drunk when I arrived and scarfed it down!

Sands Convention Center [Las Vegas. NV]

Don't bother...go to the Venetian and eat at Grand Luxe Cafe...but get there early because they get really busy once people catch onto the food at the Sands!  Or if you can't leave the Sands and you have plenty of gum with you...go for the hot dog, not the healthiest choice but you are starving so who cares.

CPK ASAP [anywhere airport USA]

Now if you are ever so lucky to bump into a CPK ASAP cart - you have hit the motherload!  I have only recently seen them in San Jose and Phoenix’s airports.  But if you do - forget about the sandwich and move straight onto the BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad.  It's the best of the best - JUST GET IT!

Las Vegas Convention Center [Las Vegas. NV]

So you are pretty much stuck here, nothing close by to eat...you have 3 options...food court, sbarro and nathan's hot dogs.  Personally, I am going with their salad bar.  Again, a convention center that realizes not everyone wants a cheeseburger and fries for lunch.  Very good selection with a ridiculous price, but it's salad and you are making the right decision.

San Diego International [SAN]

Chili's To Go...chicken caesar wrap - period and end of story.  In fact wherever you can find a Chili's To Go, this is a good bet.  Real chicken breast with just enough caesar dressing and  FRESH lettuce, yes I said FRESH.  Now if you have more time I would personally hit up the Boudin Bakery, always an amazing choice for your sourdough needs but in a hurry and when in doubt, it's Chili's To Go.

Orlando International [ORL]

No need for a pre-made here, get there early and enjoy a nice lunch or dinner at Outback...it's one of the best airport surprises I have ever had. 

San Jose International [SJC]

Here's the deal, if you can't find the CPK ASAP then forget it and head straight to Gordon Biersch Brewery.  Once again...garlic smells are NOT TO BE TAKEN ON THE PLANE...so eat your garlic fries in the restaurant and wash your hands properly so me or anyone else doesn't have to smell you the entire flight!

Baltimore/Washington International [BWI]

It's all about the Au Bon Pain pre-made tomato, mozzarella and basil.  Can't go wrong and really, you have no other choices unless you feel like McDonald's - which is very rare for me.

San Francisco International [SFO]

If you missed it down at the wharf this trip…then have no fear the Boudin Bakery is hear!  I have said it before and I will again, you can’t go wrong.  Their quality is consistent and you can get that one last bowl of clam chowder! You can also buy sourdough bread at every gift shop in the place! 

Chicago Midway [MDW]

So you have Harry Carry’s bar, a large foodcourt with many options and Miller’s Pub.   But you don’t have time to stand in line for 30 minutes to get a PotBelly sub nor do you have time to wait 30 minutes just for a beer and homemade potato chips at Harry’s [FYI, worth the wait if you can manage to get a seat at the bar]  So we find ourselves in another familiar situation, what is fast and easy. 

We are in luck…there is a place called Let Them Eat Cake, off the beaten track of the packed food court, they offer a variety of pre-made nitrates to go which are actually edible.  I prefer the turkey…has an herbed mayo – can’t go wrong.

Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International [FLL]

Here we have another classic example of why Chili’s stays in business.  Not only is there a Chili’s too but you also have a plethora of Chili’s To Go’s…so go ahead…I am not lying the Chicken Caesar wrap is a winner.

Oakland International [OAK]

This one is easy…Pyramid Ale Tap Room.  They have a large selection of grab and go food along with a great line of beer.  Done.

I have a few more but this will get you started…hope it helps!

Do you?

Do you have someone in your family that constantly takes and takes but never gives back?  
Do you have a family member or friend that somehow went off track, while everyone else productively went along with their lives? 

Do you have problems but whatever they are the addicts problems are more important?  
Do you trust them?  
Do you enable them?  
Do you watch while others enable them?  
Do you feel like you are the only one who doesn't believe a word coming out of their mouth?  
Do you wonder what happened in their lives that made this switch of addiction go off?  
Do you ever think they will REALLY get better?  
Do you encourage counseling?  
Do you wonder what the F these clinics are that keep heroin addicts on methadone for years?  
Do you wonder why people think that is ok?  
Do you want to smack someone who thinks they are on the right track?  
Do you think the right track is now being addicted to methadone?  
Do you want them to get out of their own head and onto the real world?  
Do you think that it's easier for family to be in denial than it is for them to deal with the problem?  
Do you want to tell them "I told you so" when you are all gathered around a casket in black?  
Do you wish they cared about your life, like you are forced to care about theirs?  

[photos courtesy of Getty Images & random google images]

please re-pot me.

You know, I walk by this plant every morning and it asks me to be re-potted. It's not dying but it could be doing a lot better in a larger pot.

I would like to formally pronounce this plant and bench my "I ignore you because I can't deal with you area" kind of the same way I go about ignoring my infertility month after month. Could I improve my lifestyle for better chances - YES...do I - NO, I need those vices to get me through each month of counting days, peeing on sticks and then the dreaded cycle starts itself again and then vodka finds itself in a very familiar place on my shopping list.

I need a bigger pot and so does this plant.

And once again, another month flies by...

I guess this will just be my "thing" you know, me only getting on here once a month, but since I only have one other blogger friend, I guess it will do. So let's see where we left off...oh yes, leaving for San Diego, another successful work trip and there was even time for some "day-cationing"...meet Scott, my best friend's boyfriend who lives in Pacific Beach...

Scott was nice enough to take Tommy surfing for the first "real" time...NOTE:there were no photos to post of Tommy actually surfing.


We also got to go to a party on the USS Midway and amazing aircraft carrier!




And then upon return to Las Vegas, we received horrible news that my grandfather had fallen very ill. To make a long story short, my grandfather, Harvey William Goulder passed away late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. I don't think there is really anything I can do to explain how much our family will miss him.

With that being said, I decided to start a blog for my family...The Goulder Family Blog, not only was this started for people to leave words of comfort for our family during this time but we will be using it for announcements such as births and graduations, so stay tuned.

After 5 days in Wisconsin and numerous mosquito bites, we have returned to our lovely 112 degree weather here in Vegas! Honestly, I think to myself, how did I get through the summer last year and a better question would be, how the f*c^ am I going to get through this one?

Well, that's it, onto moving into our new house! Until August...

Another month flies by...

I cannot believe this! Another month gone...how is it that as we get older the months and years for that matter seem to get smaller? Since my last post this is what I can remember...Went to Chicago

had the Sweet Lux launch party [sold out of merchandise and received 12 custom orders]

went to Wisconsin to visit my family over memorial day [many photos to come later, here's me & grandma]

and made it through one of our biggest shows of the year [JCK] and just finished celebrating my best friend's 29th birthday! Now if that wasn't enough we are off to work in San Diego for almost a week! And it won't stop there because as soon as we get back the moving extravaganza starts!

May Day Is "J" Day

So, I have been busy, really busy...I would like to express the last month through interpretive dance but instead I will show you in photos. Funny my life is so busy and I am doing things today I never thought I would be. I mean, come on, exactly 10 years ago today, I marched in the million man marijuana march in downtown San Fransisco. I can remember how we all scraped together to put gas in my friend's '64 VW Micro bus and made our way to San Fransisco, and sad enough, I bet I was wearing a flower in my hair. Those were the days. And now onto my current life or at least the last month of it...

St. Petersburg, FL.






Chicago [Kitchen & Bath show]



Engagement photo shoot @ Neon Museum [Kristi & Brian, old high school friends]




And finally rounding it off...the launching of my new business Sweet Lux! We do not have our website up yet, but we do have samples on our myspace page...more to come!





Well, off to get a root canal and then pack for a long weekend in Chicago!

Baltimore, MD [March 2008]

Fells Point can make you fall in love with Baltimore, but Baltimore will change your mind immediately. Nothing too special happening there, just a nice baseball stadium, a bunch of touristy aquariums, museums and a ton of amazing history that I will never have time to go see on a work trip and will enjoy much much more when we have children. We had about 6 hours total free time while we were there and like I've said before, we find the hearts of the city in the hearts of the people who love there and this time, once again we found them in a bar...

But backing up a bit before Cat's Eye Pub, we made our way to Bertha's mussels [side note: best mussels I have ever had but the experience was completely ruined by one bad mussel that decided to torture me at 2am the next morning, all you need to know is that it was not pretty] anyone will tell you that it is a MUST SEE, and it is, bumper stickers on the walls, bathrooms so small your knees hit the wall, great local beer on tap and a bartender who seemed to know every little nook and cranny in the area. Like Guru records... in a tiny walkway next to Bertha's you will find what has to be the coolest record shop of all time. You ring a buzzer, a friendly voice yells "be right there" and here he comes, a man in his 50's, retired photography teacher turned record shop owner walking down the dark walkway and mumbling. He unlocks the door and asks us to lock it behind us...and that was that, 2.5 hours later we knew everything about each other. Sadly it was time ot move on, that's when we headed to Cat's Eye but of course had to stop for gelato on the way to soak up a bit of the Stella Artois I was pounding at Bertha's...

So off to Cat's Eye, we found out about it on the Internet before we went and was well worth the entire trip! As soon as we walk in from the rain, 2 old bikers greet us with "well, look what we have here, some fresh blood" as the story goes...they buy us a beer and the next 3.5 hours are spent with them on the back patio of the bar, which butts up to a city garden, where, yes it's true we found yet another alley/walkway...
And that was that, our entire 6 hours of free time spent drinking at 2 of the coolest bars I have ever been to. Now we are off to St. Petersburg which piggy backs a Chicago trip, it's all about creative packing here, one suitcase for shoes and coats and one for bathing suits and flip flops!
This blog will temporarily be neglected until April 16th.

Temporarily missing...not that anyone noticed.

I forgot I started this blog! I have been busy...between visits from friends & family and random photo jobs, we been working around the clock and it's not over yet...I have added yet another work trip on and we [me & my adorable husband] will now officially be gone for 12 days straight during the beginning of April but of course that's after we get back from freezing in Baltimore next week! I fear for my greenhouse plants lives! I am currently in the process of begging my best friend to live at my house while I am laying on the beaches of Florida one week and then freezing my ass off in Chicago the next week!

Speaking of Florida...I love South Beach, I think it is one of the hippest places on earth...I love Cuban espresso, News Cafe, sunshine, wearing little to nothing and not feeling self conscious at all while walking amongst America's next model/heroin addict...but I also love that there is a quiet side to it...mainly you can find this "quiet side" during the hours of 8am-2pm, this is of course when all the party goers are still sleeping. I don't think I saw one menu that did not serve some kind of breakfast all day long...kids these days, fortunately my wallet or liver cannot afford South Beach nightlife. So, this is the peace I enjoy while strolling along the beach with coffee in one hand and camera in the other...



And while we are on the subject of peace, I had the opportunity to spend some time with my favorite person, my grandfather. He is currently fighting cancer, although the fight is not in his favor, he has a way of making sure that I am finding comfort in his finals months, weeks, days? I love him so much, he is the silliest, best grandpa ever! Here he is, my grandfather, the leader of the pack...looking as handsome as ever...

It's Official!

Can you smell it? I can, it's Spring! Almost as if it's easier to get out of bed in the morning? I am looking forward to breathing the fresh air, putting an extra bounce in my step, a tad bit more of a smile on my face, increasing my tanning schedule to one more day a week [at least], leaving the doors and windows open, not having to decide what shoes to wear because my only choice is flip flops, hearing children playing outside [but not too loud], riding my tandum bike with my husband and just genreally being in a good mood because it isn't cold!

But with all good things, there must come some bad, for example, bees are flying all around my pretty pink tree, which woudln't be so bad but I hate them. And the begining of Spring just means we are closer to the end of Spring which then means we will soon be sweating our asses in the disgusting Summer months here in fabulous Las Vegas. And one more thing, the fresh air I speak about in Spring, yep that beautiful air will soon turn into something no one needs to breath. Any of you who live in Vegas will know, when the wind blows in the Summer, it's almost like you just locked yourself into one of those cash booths, but this booth has no cash to grab, it only has 115 degree air blowing at you around 40 mph and piles of dirt to breath in.

But for now, let us enjoy Spring!

horny

Can you tell me what type of tree this is? Please say it has horny in the title!

spring fever

3 posts in my first 2 days, my first 2 days of doing this and now, already addicted and speaking of addiction...

I was out having a cigarette [no need for a lecture, I have a date set and I am going to quit, more to come on that later] and I looked up and sure enough she was right, she being...one80three60...there are tons of buds on the trees! It's February, in fact the dingy leaves that fell, oh I don't know, the middle of December, still lie on the ground beneeth these beauitful buds that will soon bring me happiness as tiny little pink flowers to look at on my smoke breaks.

The Boys

My husband and I do not have children yet but we do have a 10 year old cat with a serious attitude problem, named Simon [named after Paul Simon, picked Simon up while in college during the stage where I wasn't shaving my legs]and the newest edition...the cutest 3 yr. old mini-dachshund named Frank [named after Frank Black] If you don't know who Paul Simon or Frank Black are, I cannot help you.

"Jealousy is a very stinky perfume Mrs. Killian," said in a deep southern accent.

I will never forget the day my Crimson tide lovin', crawfish eatin' friend said that to me. It made me realize that no one should live their life wanting to be in other people's shoes, instead you should be going and buying those shoes for myself.

I personally can't stand women who are potentially ruining the ozone layer because of the amount of prefume they are wearing when they walk out of the house. So this example hit home, home meaning my sinuses or the extreme headache I get when I have to be stuck in the elevator with someone like that.

Anyways, I decided to start this blog because I find myself traveling all over the country with my husband, for business. We always find a way to get into the heart of these cities [let me note that the heart, usually is a dive bar off the beaten path] But in this dive bar is where we get into the soul of the city, the people that make that city what it is, we love meeting new people...as I look at my calendar now I see the following booked trips already for the year...Chicago-6 times, Baltimore, Atlanta, San Diego, Miami, D.C. and San Francisco. For a total of 12 trips and that does not include Reno family visits [usually 2-3 a year], road trips to L.A., particularly Hermosa Beach and my dying need for a week in Mexico, doing nothing but laying out and drinking, of course, which comes few and far between with our already hectic travel schedule!

Stay tuned...next up Chicago!