Perseid meteor shower 2023 & Light Pollution | Joshua Tree National Park

Hey party people! So, I pulled an all-nighter with half of Southern California to catch the Perseid meteor shower at Joshua Tree National Park. It was like the celestial Super Bowl, only with shooting stars instead of touchdowns. I saw dozens and dozens of shooting stars and even managed to photograph a few.

Now, would I do it again? Maybe, but hold on to your telescope. There was way too much traffic to get into the park, even at 2:00 am. And escaping the headlights of passing cars? Easier said than done. Back in the day, during the Geminid meteor shower, I could've counted the cars on one hand. Now? It's like a stellar rush hour. The light pollution from the nearby towns is also worse than it used to be.

But fear not, I found a semi-secret spot in JT without needing a spaceship to get there. It was just me, a handful of fellow starry-eyed folks, and the occasional jackrabbit trying to join the meteor party. Sadly, I had to abandon my dreams of light painting out of respect for my fellow stargazers. Sacrifices were made, my friends. I set my camera up on a tripod and used the intervalometer to continuously shoot for the time I was there. After that, I just sat back, drank wine, and enjoyed the show.

Here's the deal: let's talk about light pollution, shall we? I want you to enjoy the stars, not a glare festival. So, be a star and join the fight against light pollution. Let's all take a cosmic vow to reduce light pollution. It's time to let the stars have their moment in the spotlight (or, you know, the lack of it). Turn off unnecessary lights, shield those pesky bulbs, and let the universe sparkle without interference. Let's keep it stellar, my friends! 

#SaveTheStarryNight

Kruang Tedd Thai Restaurant | Los Angeles, CA

Kruang Tedd

Kruang Tedd
5151 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone: (323) 667-9800

Hey folks! Just had the most epic late lunch hangout with Pam at Krung Tedd in LA. And yep, we totally ordered enough food for a small army, but let’s be real, snapping pics got in the way of the most important job—devouring all that deliciousness! Sometimes, you gotta prioritize the eating over the ‘gramming, am I right?

Seriously though, Krung Tedd is the real deal. Legit authentic flavors, portions big enough to feed a hungry Grace, and oh boy, those signature cocktails are something else! If you're in LA and craving some darn good eats, this spot's a winner. Cheers to good food and even better company!

Dishes Ordered
Kai Jeaw Moo Sap (Thai-style omelet with pork) | ไข่เจียวหมูสับ
Yum Woon Sen (glass noodle salad with pork, shrimp, and squid) | ยำวุ้นเส้น
Khao Mok Gai | ข้าวหมกไก่
Som Tum Plara (Papaya Salad with Fermented Fish Sauce) | ส้มตำปลาร้า
Tom Yum Soup | ต้มยำ
BBQ Pork | หมูย่าง
Andaman Sea Cocktail

Spicy Glass Noodle Salad ยำวุ้นเส้น

Khao Mok Gai ข้าวหมกไก่

Andaman Sea

Return to Blogging

Hello dear readers - all 2 of you (maybe less now - it has been a while). I’ve said several times over the past few years that I would return to writing here regularly, but I didn’t. Life just got in the way. You know how that goes….

Well, as it turns out, part of that life recently got out of my way and, suddenly, here I am with a bit more time on my hands than I used to have.

Several people have told me over the past decade that I should start blogging, not knowing I’ve had one since 2006. Hardly any of my friends knew about it because I never told them. They told me to write about my travel and dining experiences, to expand on my short posts from Facebook. I said, “Sure,” but never actually followed through. I never thought anyone would care enough about what I had to say, let alone be any good at writing. A part of me still doesn’t. 

Recently, I started writing theater reviews for the La Mirada Blog. I suppose Tony Aiello, the blog’s owner and editor, just wanted more content and was willing to help get me free tickets in return for a few notes on the show. Well, I guess he liked my writing. He wasn’t the first person to tell me that. I’d heard it a handful of times, but they were from my friends and I assume they just said that to be nice. Maybe. Just maybe. I’m not as bad I as think I am.

Well, FUCK IT. I like to write, so I’m gonna do it… even if I think I suck. 

NICHES

I’ve heard that in order to have a successful blog, you have to have a niche. “They” say If you’re interested in a topic, chances are, other people will be too. And I subscribe to that notion. I subscribe to YouTube channels, Instagram pages, and Podcasts that are niche specific. I don’t subscribe to anything in which the topic changes from day to day. 

I’m interested in so many things though!!! Budget traveling. Eating Out (not that kind of “eating out”). Arts. Entertainment. Etc. I’d hate it if I had to pick just one. So I’m not. I’m going to keep writing about EVERYTHING I’m interested in. If certain topics resonate with people more than others then I’ll consider creating a blog that is specific to that niche. If there are topics you want me to write more about, let me know. I’m open to suggestions. 

PICTURES

I like taking pictures. Rest assured, future posts will contain them (and maybe even videos), but not tonight. Not right now. Sleep calls to me.

Right now, this post is for the readers amongst us. 

CHANGES

I haven't updated this blog in YEARS. Be warned. I will be cleaning up this blog over the next few weeks. Posts I now find cringy will be removed. Links will be updated. If you have any suggestions to make this better, please let me know.

Love you all!

I’m Reading Books Again

I read a total of two books last year - and one of those books was half comprised of illustrations. The decade before that: none (that I can remember). I do BUY lots of books though, but never really read them. 

I used to read a lot in my childhood and through my teenage years. Oh, how I looked forward to those cheap newsprint Scholastic Book order forms each month! And no matter how many books I wanted to order or what books I wanted to read, my family just handed me the $$$ - no questions asked. Any time I wanted to go to the library, I was just taken. 

I don’t know if that was a deliberate choice by my family in order to encourage me to read or if it was just because I was spoiled. In any case, I’m grateful for that. I was never forced to read any books (to the detriment of my academic career), but I was never stopped from reading anything I wanted to either. I read just as much fiction as non-fiction. I swapped back and forth as my mood dictated. Because of that, reading and learning have always been considered pleasurable activities. I LOVED reading. 

As I got to college I read fewer and fewer books until it trickled to a stop. 

So why did I stop? I thought about WHY I used to read so much in the first place. It was because it was a source of entertainment and information for me. There weren’t many choices back then. Once a more robust internet came along I had a different source of entertainment and ways to gather information. That, coupled with the demands of academic life and work life, I just felt like I didn’t have time to read for pleasure anymore. It just wasn’t a priority for me. 

After a decade of barely reading anything (short of social media posts and a couple of online articles), I finally remember that books are still a good source of entertainment and they are a great source of in-depth information too. So here I am, starting to reading again. 

Oh, how I miss that feeling of getting lost in a story that I just don’t get when I watch a TV show. I miss the depth of information that a 15-minute YouTube video just doesn’t give me.

Don’t get me wrong, I still think the internet is fantastic. I can communicate with friends half a world away practically in real-time. I have access to far more information now than I ever did in the first 40 years of my life combined. It’s still a rich resource I would never want to give it up. But there’s room for books too. The more the merrier, right?