Jay in Los Angeles

Caroline Wise, Jay Patel, John Wise

It’s Sunday, and our friend Jay Patel is off work. He’d asked the day before if we had anything planned and if we’d like to hang out; I suggested he be up early and join us for something crazy. We are on that crazy trip, and you are about to go along with us.

Jay Patel

If we are in Cabazon, we are either here because Pee-wee Herman is filming a new installment to his Big Adventure, or we are heading into Los Angeles on our own big adventure. The latter is the case today.

Jay Patel

First, we head into Chinatown and hit the bargain stalls, looking for anything that might be appealing. Jay starts with a vendor we’d never have considered stopping at; the guy is running sugar cane stalks through a crusher that makes fresh sugar cane juice. He’s not had a glass of this since leaving India, where it’s a popular drink.

The next stop is Little Tokyo for the chance to try imagawayaki, a favorite of ours and a new flavor for Jay. On this perfect day, we stop in various shops, check the sights, and strive for a different experience than hanging out in Phoenix.

Jay Patel

A quick tour of downtown L.A. and soon we are moving down the freeway towards Orange County.

Caroline Wise, Jay Patel, John Wise

We were looking for Artesia, also known as Little India. Besides some shopping and hanging out with the other Gujus and various other Hindus, we were aiming for the Jay Bharat restaurant for a Gujarati Thali. A Thali is an assortment of dishes and translates to a “full plate meal.” This type of traditional meal is not found in any Arizona restaurants, though we have experienced some of the flavors at Sonal’s, Anju’s, and Jay’s place.

Caroline Wise, Jay Patel, John Wise

After about seven hours in the Los Angeles area and getting a cultural taste of China, Japan, India, and some Spanish influence, it was time to head right back to Arizona. Who could argue that 11 hours of driving is not worth half a day of big adventure doing things that take us out of our ordinary?

Tubac to Tumacácori – Solo

Tubac, Arizona

Arturito has enjoyed his time hanging out with us for some travel and once again asked if he could join me on a visit down south. Today’s destination after my detour through Tucson is Tubac.

Tubac, Arizona

Tubac is looking more and more like an alternative to Sedona and Bisbee as a serious art colony. This is a nice place to visit, though, here in the middle of June; I guess with the snowbirds all having returned to Minnesota and other points back east and the threat of Arizona’s scorching heat, it’s a bit quiet down here right now.

Printing Press in Tubac, Arizona

Wow, this is the printing press that published Arizona’s first-ever newspaper. The Tubac Presidio State Historic Park is a treasure well worth a visit, and it’s where I found the press.

Tumacacori in Tubac, Arizona

Welcome to the Tumacácori National Historical Park which’s just a few miles south of Tubac. This old mission was gutted over time, but it’s still interesting to visit.

Tumacacori in Tubac, Arizona

Not sure what happened to the altar. I’ll need to bring Caroline back so we can investigate this together and learn what is to be known beyond simply taking photos of this spot on the map of history.

Tumacacori in Tubac, Arizona

Nothing is quite as nice as an oasis in the desert for offering a respite from the hostility of the larger desert that surrounds us. No wonder Tubac is an up-and-coming destination.

Southern Arizona

Coronado National Monument in Hereford, Arizona

Our friends in Tucson, Arturo, and Guadalupe, have three children: two young girls and their son, who is about to leave for college. While this young man’s name is Arturo, too, we call him Arturito, though, on occasion, I’ll call him Artoodeetoo. He’s known us since about 1998 and had recently voiced an interest in taking a road trip with us. So, seeing we were taking a day trip around the southern end of the state, we asked him if he’d like to join us today, and on the way through Tucson, we stopped and picked him up. Our first stop was some sightseeing at Coronado National Memorial in Hereford, Arizona, which is 90 miles southwest of Tucson, close to the Mexican border.

Coronado National Monument in Hereford, Arizona

While I could be mistaken, I think we are looking at Mexico in the distance.

Caroline Wise, Arturo Silva, and John Wise at Chiricahua National Monument in Willcox, Arizona

The kid is camera shy, and it took some serious cajoling to get him to join our photo. Now, at Chiricahua National Monument in Willcox, we are again about 90 miles from our last location. Do you see a pattern? Was it planned?

Chiricahua National Monument in Willcox, Arizona

So far, our investigation into places we’ve not been before is suggesting that Chiricahua is a location we must come back to.

Caroline Wise and John Wise at Fort Bowie National Historic Site in Bowie, Arizona

Oh well, we are only 19 miles from Chiricahua so I won’t be able to pull that one on you that all of our stops today are 90 miles apart.

Fort Bowie National Historic Site in Bowie, Arizona

Fort Bowie was opened in 1862 and abandoned not too long after that in 1894. The Fort played a role in the fight with the Chihuahuas, while its most famous prisoner was Geronimo himself. As you can see for yourself, there’s not a lot left out here.

Yucca Lodge Motel in Bowie, Arizona

Who knows the last time this old motel in Bowie saw guests? At one time, Bowie was an important stop on the American experience for people traveling across the states where the Yucca Lodge Motel on the corner of Lincoln and Highway 86 (now the 10 Business Loop) was competing with Home on the Range Motel just across the street on the opposite corner. Another block up the street, you could get a bite to eat at Geronimo’s Castle Cafe, which was shaped like a teepee; it’s still there, but it’s closed too. The town had one last hurrah when, in Rambo Part 2, it was divulged that John Rambo (played by Sylvester Stallone) was from Bowie, Arizona. Happy Memorial Day!

La Quinceanera

Yadell Perez and Roberto Perez in Phoenix, Arizona

Yadell Perez is turning 15 years old today. She’s being helped out of the car by her father, Roberto Perez. Today is her La Quinceanera.

Her mom is Socorro Perez, and with this special event, the family and friends will be celebrating Yadell’s coming of age.

Caroline and I are here because of Arturo and Guadalupe Silva, who invited us along. They are Yadell’s godparents. Prior to this Caroline nor I had any idea what a Quinceanera is.

Ximena Silva-Avila and Melissa Silva in Phoenix, Arizona

Arturo and Guadalupe’s daughters Melissa and Sophia were already having fun at the church before everyone headed to the resort for the festivities, but first, Yadell received blessings from the priest. With the proceedings finished, Yadell and her closest friends piled into the white stretch limousine for the ride to the party.

I could be mistaken, but I believe this is Yadell’s grandfather; if he’s not, he looks like a great guy to have as one.

Roberto Perez and his brothers in Phoenix, Arizona

Roberto and his brothers.

Arturo Silva and Yadell Perez in Phoenix, Arizona

Yadell had a short dance with all of the guests of honor, including my friend Arturo.

Yadell Perez in Phoenix, Arizona

Food, dancing, music, and about 100 guests kept the place jumping into the late night. Thanks to everyone for welcoming Caroline and me into this beautiful event. Congratulations to Yadell on her entry to womanhood.

Little India and Disneyland – Day 2

Disneyland in Anaheim, California

Well, I hope the Patels like this place because Caroline and I will easily be entertained, with our inner six-year-old selves giddy with excitement to be here again.

Sonal Patel with Hemu, Kushbu, and their Ba at Disneyland in Anaheim, California

We can stand in any line as many times as anyone else would like to, as there’s nothing in Disneyland that we don’t like, including those sold-out days when it’s jam-packed in here. How many times have we been on the Raiders of the Lost Ark? Who knows, who cares? We’re ready to do it again, and so is Kushbu.

Caroline Wise and John Wise at Disneyland in Anaheim, California

Of course, we had to have a selfie of us with the kind of smiles only Disneyland can create.

Hemu Patel at Disneyland in Anaheim, California

The awkwardness of Hemu, who’s a teenager, has us wondering if she’s having fun, would rather be out with friends, or is intensely too aware that she’s not getting homework done. To be fair, she’s a bit quieter and reserved than her more rambunctious sister Kushbu, who seems more assertive.

Sonal Patel with Hemu, Kushbu, and their Ba at Disneyland in Anaheim, California

We need to get this family to practice their on-camera skills at showing some emotion, smiling, and keeping their eyes open when there are cameras around. Everyone had fun today and enthusiastically went along everywhere Caroline and I wanted to take them. Time for the long drive home before it gets too late.

Little India and Disneyland – Day 1

Sonal Patel and her family in Blythe, California

It was just last summer that we’d first met Sonal and shortly after that, I volunteered to update the way she rented videos from three thick handwritten notebooks. I thought I would knock it out quickly after I found a shared database listing of Hindi movies and then just cross-check what she had in inventory and be done with it in a few days. Turned out I couldn’t find that list, and after having volunteered my services, I sat down in her store and started entering every title by hand. It took a couple of weeks sitting with her in Indo Euro, and we had the opportunity to chat quite a bit.

When I was finished, she asked me what she owed me; I told her that I’d volunteered and she owed me nothing. She persisted, and I told her if I allowed her to pay me, it would be at my billable rate; she said okay. I told her the number, and she grimaced and I reminded her that this is why I volunteered my help. I took this opportunity to let her know that, seeing she wanted to do something in return, I’d love it if she would invite Caroline and me into her home and have her mom cook for us. Not the kind of stuff we’ve had in Indian restaurants but the kind of food she’s been eating in the shop since I started coming by. She agreed.

Sonal Patel and her family in Hollywood, California

So, towards the end of summer, Caroline and I arrived at her house and were greeted by Hemu (left), Sonal (center back), Kushbu (center front), and Ba (that means grandmother, and she’s on the right). We had an amazing dinner that included bitter melon, drumstick (not the chicken type, as this was a vegetarian meal; the scientific name is “moringa”), doodhi (bottle gourd), and a couple of other things. Our meal with the Patels changed our relationship with Indian food as we’d never eaten Gujarati-style cooking; we were hooked. By this time, our friendship was getting well-cemented.

Before moving to Arizona from New Jersey and buying Indo Euro Foods, Sonal had been to Los Angeles one other time while visiting; back then, Kushbu was only two years old. Since moving permanently to the desert, she’d not been back, and Caroline and I suggested that she and the family drive out with us. They agreed. So we loaded up in her van and drove out to visit some family in Blythe, California, first (top photo) and then on to Hollywood (photo above).

Shopping in Little India Artesia, California

Our next stop was for market research; we went over to Little India in Artesia. Funny that it would be Caroline and I introducing a Hindu to an Indian shopping district.

Shopping in Little India Artesia, California

We strolled from shop to shop and learned a lot on the way while being entertained by peaking into shops that we’d never stop at on our own.

Caroline Wise and John Wise shopping in Little India Artesia, California

After a ton of browsing and shopping for stuff that would end up in Sonal’s store in Phoenix, we ate at Rasbhog on Pioneer Boulevard and had our first taste of Gujarati Thali and Indo-Chinese cooking. I love our lives. By the way, look closely at the mirror in the photo above; I took a selfie of Caroline and me.