How Many Movies Have You Watched On One Flight?

by Kelly Amabile on

I’m not exactly embarrassed to admit this, but I’m not sure if it is something to be proud of either?! On a recent 13-hour Qantas flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles, I managed to watch five movies in a row, and could have probably snuck in a sixth if my eyes were not so weary. And for some reason, I feel compelled to admit that I engaged in this obscene in-flight marathon film fest. I’m actually quite curious to know about the movie-watching habits of other long-haul fliers out there.

Who else will ‘fess up?

I had only planned on watching one movie, and then figured I’d pop some Sudafed Nighttime pills to knock me out. But the drugs never kicked in after my own private screening of No Reservations. Or maybe deep in my psyche I knew that I just HAD to watch Blades of Glory before bedtime. After that, I blame it on the seat — I just couldn’t get comfortable. Or was it that burning desire to watch License to Wed and Evan Almightly?! By the time I got to Borat I had really surpassed my (or any normal sleep-deprived human’s) film-viewing limit and should have certainly been fast asleep…but once you start watching that movie, you just can’t stop. My cranium hurt and my eyes were surely bugging out of the sockets by then, but I had to know if Borat would ever get his dream date with Pamela!

So who else has been hooked by their in-flight entertainment system? Please tell me that I am not the only who has denied herself sleep on a plane in order to catch up on all the romantic comedies and mockumentaries she’d been missing? I had brought a good book with me on the plane, as well as my laptop, so I could organize the photos from my trip. Instead, the in-flight entertainment system got me good, proving to be a much stronger drug than the decongestant I thought would have brought me at least a few good hours of sleep.

Skybus to Cut Flights and Add More

by Jamie Rhein on

Rats! Be still my heart. I just heard that Skybus is canceling its Columbus to Bellingham flights starting in the spring.

I wrote that line last Thursday after I heard it on one of my local news stations, but I couldn’t get a confirmation if this was indeed fact. Skybus wasn’t talking on their website and whatever I did find, was a vague might. Today, it’s official. My husband even called me downstairs with the news. “No more flights to Bellingham,” he said, pointing to the headlines on the front page of the paper. I, of course, went into my, “Oh, I knew that,” mode.

What a disappointment. Besides Bellingham’s flights ceasing in March, so is the San Diego route and one of the LA flights. Triple darn. My husband was getting ready to book a cheap flight to San Diego to see his cousin. I do have to say, that if you plan ahead, you can get a flight to Seattle for almost as cheap as our Bellingham flight was this summer. By the time we were finished paying for luggage, two beverages and priority boarding, I think we were up to $360 a piece. I’d rather pay a little more for the service and not have to be at the airport with a child before the crack of dawn.

Skybus has a new round of $10 tickets through May on all their locations, but we can’t make up our minds where we want to go or when. It’s too hard making decisions so early in the morning and by the time the caffiene has kicked in, it’ll be too late for us, but if you’re awake, go for it. There are more flights to Ft. Meyers, Florida and Greensboro, North Carolina now, and you can fly directly from Portsmouth, New Hampshire without going through Columbus on a few of the flights.

The Unsung Masterpieces of Los Angeles Architecture

by Neil Woodburn on

Although frequently lambasted as a cultural wasteland, Los Angeles holds its head up high when it comes to architectural masterpieces.

Unfortunately, the City of Angels is frequently overlooked by aficionados of the arts. In fact, earlier this year when the American Institute of Architects published a list of the America’s 150 favorite buildings, only eleven from the Los Angeles area made the cut. Obviously there’s some kind of East Coast bias here.

In response, journalist Jamie Stringfellow interviewed an esteemed group of LA based architects to come up with her own list–albeit with a West Coast bias. The result is a smattering of styles ranging from art deco to modernism and everything in-between–such as the futuristic looking, arched building at LAX.

If you’re a fan of architecture and would rather spend time exploring the masterpieces Los Angeles has to offer instead of tromping around Disneyland, check out the Stringfellow article for a details on what to see and how to get there.

One for the Road: Ghost Hunter’s Guides

by Kelly Amabile on

Calling all paranormal adventurers — ready for a Halloween ghost hunt?
Cardiology specialist and ghost hunter Jeff Dwyer’s latest guide reveals details about over 70 haunted hangouts around the Crescent City. The Ghost Hunter’s Guide to New Orleans provides historical background on the spooky stories that have made these locations legendary.

But no fears or frets if NOLA is not on your Halloween travel agenda. Ghost-lovers in Los Angeles and San Francisco can do hunting as well, using Dwyer’s guides to those cities. Folks who might be up for hunting goblins in between sips of chardonnay will want to pick up his Ghost Hunter’s Guide to California’s Wine Country, due out next year. (A guide to haunted locales in Seattle is forthcoming as well.) Whether or not you believe in the paranormal, these guides might be fun to have if you are traveling to these cities this Halloween season, or on any family vacation when you want to spook the heck out of your Aunt Martha.

Bonus for California residents: You can actually join up with Dwyer for ghost hunts taking place on Saturday, Oct. 13 at Acres of Books (1 pm) and Under the Bridge (5 pm). And he’ll be signing books at the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose on Oct. 27 (6 pm). Boo!

Yes Virginia, There is Something to do in Los Angeles after 2 a.m. in the Morning

by Neil Woodburn on

Friends of mine from New York who come to visit me in Los Angeles often express dismay and surprise at how early the city shuts down. Bars close at 2 a.m.?!??! There’s no where to eat at 3 a.m.?!?!?

Well, that’s not entirely true. Los Angeles does have its share of late night locations, but you really have to know where they hiding. Or, even easier, you can consult a recent LA Times article, Playing in the Dark, for a smattering of what the city has to offer; late night bowling, museum sleepovers, midnight movies, flower marts, dancing, casinos, and of course, restaurants.

So next time you visit LA, please don’t complain that there is nothing to do in the wee hours of the night; it might not be as spectacular as New York City, but we do have our late night haunts, thank you very much!