As Promised: In-n-Out Burgers!

We made it!

That's right, folks, we did it! I (Dizzle) have been talking about little else regarding Los Angeles than having a burger from the famous In-n-Out burger chain located here on the west coast.

The closest one to our hotel was 1.68 miles according to the map on the website. So, this afternoon, we hoofed it over there. It was 70 degrees and sunny here today, so it was a perfect day for a walk.

After grabbing the food (reasonably priced, by the way), we walked back and had a carpet-picnic on the hotel room floor.

And how did it taste? The verdict is in.

Baby G: Fries, D. Not so much cuz everything's trying to be all healthier out here, and they didn't contain the trans-fats I require.
Burger, A. Delicioso!

Dizzle: Fries, B-. Agreed. 100% colesterol free is a good thing, but I would've almost rather had Fritos.
Burger, A. Easy. This is one of the best fast-food burgers I've ever had, and that's saying a lot. As enjoyable to eat as a White Castle Slyder (for very different reasons), and as filling as a Big Mac. It blows Sonic, Checkers, Wendy's and BK out of the water.

There you have it, kids! If you get a chance to come out here, it is recommended by two people you can trust.

Next episode: How are the burgers in New Zealand? We'll try to let you know within the week. Until then, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ciao.

Sunny California

We're in LA. It's sunny and the air is yellow. We are trying to keep track of all the implants that we see. The plan today is to walk 1.5 miles to an In-N-Out Burger, come back and eat it by the pool, get some sun (through the hazy smog) and then organize ourselves for a long day in the airport tomorrow. We'll take pictures, and you should all know we're thinking of you.

Have a happy, safe, and healthy New Year!

Love to you (and to whomever this gets forwarded),
Baby G & Dizzle

12/2006 pics

Jocelyn, one third of the Ridgewood Power Trio (with Baby G and Jamie). Caption: "Having my picture taken is excellent!"



Jamie & Tony (Sorry they're not in the same pic. We swear they're engaged!)


Dizzle's Sister Ya and her hubby Murph


BG&D w/ Paul & Sue ... in a New Jersey diner! Our waitress took the picture, which was amazing since we are pretty sure she'd never seen a camera before.


Jasper & Nezzie

Happy Holidays (and all that)!

Well, BG and I have finished up celebrating Christmas with each family. We've had a lovely couple weeks and are leaving for LA in well under 48 hours. We'll be able to post from there, but after that your guess is as good as ours as to when there might be another post. We'll certainly try our best.

In the meantime, please enjoy this anecdonte.
Our time in NY/NJ has been split primarily between Warwick, NY, Ridgewood, NJ, and Manhattan. We've been taking busses, borrowing cars, riding along with people and walking a ton. Last week, Baby G's dad Chemical Bridge came up to us with a fun 'send-off' gift. He had scored a couple seats to the James Brown concert in northern Jersey and wanted to know if we felt like tagging along. We said, "Hell, yes," or something to that effect and he managed to grab us two tickets right behind where he and Lady T would be sitting.

Fast forward to Christmas Night. I'm sitting in Chemical Bridge's office with D, Baby G's sister, watching an episode of "Lost", when I hear BG calling me from the kitchen. "Diz? You better c'mere..." Don't pretend you don't know the end of this story. The bad news is James Brown died. The good news is that now Chemical has four tickets to his concert that if he frames, keeps in mint condition, and forgets about, will be worth a ton of money in about 25-30 years. So, you know, RIP, but at least there's that.

Thanks for such a wonderful send off and close to '06. We've had a really nice time and are looking forward to trading stories about the next 6 months. To those whom we haven't seen in the last 2 weeks: You're not far from our thoughts. We miss you already, and please pour some out to our homies in DC next time you have any of that 40oz. to spare.

Peace out, Happy New Year, and we'll see you in LA.

~DZ

Going Away Gift

Thanks Patrick and Erika for the beautiful little video you made for us! It's on YouTube now -- to view it, just click on the link!

Phase V - Bye, DC... Hello, NY!

"Bye, Apartment!" This picture means, of course, you will never see another picture of our apartment ever again. For those of you who've been complaining that all there is to this blog is pictures of our apartment, I've done this for you. For everyone else who didn't think there was a problem, here's a cute picture of BG saying "Peace!"


Rev. J planned a surprise meeting yesterday morning of everyone in BOTH families getting together for a meal. It was not as scary as you might think, and everyone had a lovely time. Especially Molly, it seems. Her top priority was offering and then grabbing back an old tube of Blistex from The Chemical Bridge (Baby G's Dad. These nicknames were all explained in a previous post. You'll have to go back to read what the hell I'm talking about). It was pretty funny. Here's a picture of everyone in the same room as proof that this happened.

1 week till Christmas, 11 days till LA, 13 days till we're in a land where the quickest, cheapest way to see us will be to dig real deep and not stop. :)

Phase IV Complete

Yesterday, Kev-Bo and I (DZ) got back from NY/NJ with the last of the bulk of our stuff. Here is a picture of the same stupid wall of our apartment I've posted before:



It's almost over, now...the whole "Moving process". Over the next couple weeks, we'll update where we can from further north on I-95 than where we are now, but it won't be as frequent.

The excitement level builds as I write. We hope you all are well.

~DZ

Impromptu employment!

Hey, Dizzle here.

So our friend Derf called me up this afternoon to ask me if I felt like working one night for his job. He works for Dean & Deluca, which, if you don't know what that is, think white people with fat wallets, bad haircuts and NO sense of humor. BG and I had been worrying a little about money right now, as we don't have as much as we thought we would before we left. The freakout ends when we remind ourselves (or each other) that it'll be okay and we have each other's back, but still...we've gotten comfortable here in DC, and so any change is stressful change. But I digress.

At this gig, there were a lot of power-suit type people and a coat check and high-end food and wine. It seemed like a nice Fortune 500 holiday party, which I had no problem with. It was only from 3-10, and the money Derf promised me was right, so no worries. But there was an additional perk. Someone left his name tag on one of the tables I had to bus at the end of the night. For those of you with a sense of humor beyond the 6th grade, stop reading. Just check this blog later for when Baby G writes something much more mature and sage. For everyone ELSE, on the other hand, check THIS out:




I'm DYIN', here!

Also

And...

This is gut-wrenchingly funny:

Worlds are colliding, Jerry.

DIZZLE:

So. I've got two things for you today. One is a current pic of our apartment. Kevin and I are removing most of these boxes tomorrow morning.



In addition, I've included a screen shot that I find interesting. This is an email chain from yesterday that included Kevin, my best friend growing up; Dan, my best friend from High School; and myself (never really my best friend). We talked about music and video games mostly. I just find it strange (and more than a little heartwarming) that just before Baby G and I embark on this adventure, an episode of "This is Your Life" is unfolding on my GMail before my very eyes:


There'll be another picture this week. Thinking of you all.

POST Post Script (This isn't what this blog is about!)

In regards to the last post:

I've now tried to go there twice, and niether time were they open (though both times were within the hours posted online. I even called ahead for one trip!).

I just got done writing them a scathing letter, which Baby G won't let me cut-and-paste here because it makes me "That Guy", and this blog is about New Zealand, not delicious hand-dipped donuts. However, you should all know, if you're in the DC area, that this place SOUNDS worth trying, but won't be open when you get there. Word of Warning from a Dizz.

Peas.
JDZ


(i am the only guy i know getting this pissed off about donuts - don't judge)

Post Script

Oh, Man.












I'll let you know.
~DZ

Why Baby G doesn't post.

I know you all have been asking, "I love this blog! It is my homepage and my wallpaper and my screensaver and in my favorites list on my Blackberry, but how come I never hear from Baby G?"

The answer is simple: She doesn't like you. She posts all the time, but has the settings as such that YOU cannot read them, thereby allowing passive-aggresive trash-talking that you can't access but that everyone else talks about behind your back. Happy now?

In all seriousness (because THAT ever happens), Baby G is working really hard for the last couple weeks in DC. Once we get over the ocean, she'll start blogging like a madwoman and posting pictures and all sorts of things - I promise.

In the meantime, please accept my apologies that, for now, you seem to be stuck with the rambling prose of a Dizzle - which is his first foray into any kind of creative writing since community college, where he once wrote a story about his friend falling into a bonfire by accident. They're making it into a movie. It's going to be called, "El Fuego de Dizzle". Start keeping an eye on your favorite Central American DVD shelf, as it will be coming soon.

Peace.