Travel, Places

Miami

by Chansoda on February 12, 2017

Escaping winter to check out the Art Deco of Miami and some of that Florida sunshine.

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ChansodaMiami

The Pacific Northwest

by Chansoda on September 12, 2016

We took a trip out to Seattle, visited my family and explored the area. Great hikes, great coffee, fun city, beautiful outdoors. So much to do and see.

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ChansodaThe Pacific Northwest

Dengue Fever at LPR

by Chansoda on September 13, 2015

Fall is just around the corner… This past weekend Karla and I went in to the city to see Dengue Fever live at Le Poisson Rouge. Love seeing them perform! They put on a great show and we finally got to meet the super talented and beautiful Chhom Nimol. We also ran in to some friends at the concert, a nice surprise to be able to catch up with them over drinks after the show.

We had seen Dengue Fever perform at this same venue back in April of 2013 during the Khmer New Year as part of Season of Cambodia (a festival highlighting Khmer arts and culture through out NYC). It was a wonderful experience then because, not only did they rock out the show, we made new friends in the audience and even got to hang out with author Loung Ung of First They Killed My Father (which is being adopted in to a motion picture directed by Angelina Jolie). Long Ung’s book really opened my eyes to the experience of surviving the Killing Fields, so I’ve always been a fan. So honored when she was standing right next to us and didn’t mind me being a little star struck, instead she joined us in rocking out to the show. There really are not a lot of Cambodians in NYC, so the few Cambodian concert goers that night were clustered in the same, front, right standing row, and we all sort of gravitate towards each other trying to find solidarity in our similar background.

In our quest of connecting with other Khmers in the audience, we ended up befriending this lively Cambodian family who grew up in NYC. It was a loud and crowded club, but this woman opened up and told me this amazing story about how she and her siblings came to be where they were. After losing their parents in the genocide and escaping the khmer rouge, they were sponsored by a church organization that resettled them to a small apartment in the Bronx. Here is this family of young kids, post trauma, on their own in NYC, who don’t know the language and don’t even know where to get groceries or understand how to get around. So every day her brother would stand outside waiting on the side of the street, which caused the neighbors to worry that he might be a drug dealer or something else. Luckily, this man in the building took the time to knock on their door rather than calling the cops and what he found was a family of young refugees who were left on their own. When he realized that, he decided to take action and adopt them. Here they are now, over 30 years later, in NYC listening to a band that idolizes Khmer music and reviving the sounds that were almost lost to an era of violence. I was so deeply touched and inspired by the magic of that night.

Back to this same venue and Dengue still put on a phenomenal show.

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ChansodaDengue Fever at LPR

Maine!

by Chansoda on August 11, 2015

Second annual trip to northern Maine. We did the 10+ hour trek to Madawaska again this year with a short stop to the mid-coastal towns of Rockland, Rockport and Camden. Beautiful and charming little towns that I would have liked to explore more but time was limited. We had brunch in Rockland at the Home Kitchen Cafe, which was mobbed with people but a nice place to grab a bite. There we met a nice recently retired couple that were doing a trip across the states and camping out in their RV, very cool to talk to them about their adventures traveling.

Then we continued on to our Madawaskan adventure. Set up camp on Long Lake, meaning we pitch a tent on our friend’s lakefront. It’s so nice to sleep outside and listen to the loons, but have the convenience of an actual house, my kind of short-cut camping. (I’m actually not a big fan of real camping)

The weather was a little tricky this weekend, cloudy, chance of rain, then sunshine, it was unpredictable. We connected with Denise and Brigitte and went on the trails with the ATVs, got caught in the pouring rain. Ended up really cold and wet but it was so much fun! Next time we know how to dress for this kind of stuff. We spent some time on the water but it was too cold to go swimming. Explored a little bit of the neighboring towns, had dinner and conversation with fun people. Shirley and Angelo’s wedding anniversary was also that weekend, so nice of them to host us and include us in their milestone. It is a great place to get away, all in all a relaxing weekend.

I still have not seen any moose though. Next time, hopefully.

(check out our pictures from Maine 2014)

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We woke up before the sunrise to get started on our trip.

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Sunrise on i-84 as we passed Hartford, CT.

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Stopped in Rockland for brunch.

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Camden, Maine.

Arrived and set up our camp on Long Lake a.k.a. Shirley's front lawn.

Arrived and set up our camp on Long Lake a.k.a. Shirley’s front lawn.

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Exploring neighboring town Fort Kent

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paddleboat!

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ATV time!

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Denise and Brigitte were awesome to take us for a ride.

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ATV trails.

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Shirley and Angelo got the most dust.

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Beautiful marsh, no moose.

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We got caught in the rain, but this rainbow came out

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As the storm cloud rolled past, the sun was starting to set.

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Then the sky took a really dramatic turn, so beautiful.

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A pensive one.

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Karla.

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Pretty happy here.

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Love the sunsets up here.

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Waking up to fog over Long Lake

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Over the fields a wall of fog

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Yup, still looking for the elusive moose at dawn.

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More fog.

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Still so much to explore…

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ChansodaMaine!

Adirondack Winter Adventure

by Chansoda on February 22, 2015

We headed up to Minerva, NY for a small Adirondack Winter Weekend with Karla’s Caramoor crew. The weather was frigid but we had a great time exploring a little bit of the area and staying in this cozy house playing games with some fun people. Late nights with Cards Against Humanity, Lunchbox, and some improvisational songwritng. Karla and I had to head out early Sunday to celebrate a best friend’s birthday, but it was a wonderful weekend. Definitely coming back for some real adventures next time. Highly recommend this wonderful Adirondack Getaway that we stayed at.

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Karla and Morgan. Daria. About to head out to explore a little bit of the area.

How excited does Morgan look?

 

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The most adorable couple: Steve and Emma.

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“Charla!”

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Attempting a karate kick.

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Let’s walk and experience the tundra.

A frozen Lake George.

A frozen Lake George.

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My darling Karla, smiling, but really saying, “it’s bleeping cold out here!”

Me on the frozen lake, I would like to hop on one of this snowmobiles.

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It’s chowder time.

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Serving up cold at the ice bar.

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Ahhh heat!! Let’s warm up with some whiskey.

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Dylan and Daria in for a pose. But I missed it with a poor light setting.

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Found a heart on the ground. Look at the lovebirds working together to stack the pool balls.

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Venturing back out in to the cold.

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Ice sculptures. Karla loves Olaf.

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Let’s all pet the snow elephant.

We’re being “those people.” 🙂

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Yay! Let’s just check out any open stores here.

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Running to the car. Headed to the Sagamore.

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Then decided it’s best to stay in. Warmth. Food. Games. Friends.

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Relax.

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Music.

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Finally, a picture of Christine and Tim.

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Pretty awesome mosaic in North Creek.

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Some animals on a farm.

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The sun came out on our way home, gorgeous winter day. This was up by Bear Mountain on our way back.

 

 

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ChansodaAdirondack Winter Adventure

Sailing and Wine Tastings

by Chansoda on September 27, 2014

Went on an outing to Mystic with our friends Francia and Krista. It’s nice to be able to show our city friends a little bit of Connecticut. Just so happened Tom and Skip were also there on their weekly sailing adventure, so we met up with them to continue our partying at the marina.

First stop, Saltwater Farm Vineyard, where we had a few tastings and explored their amazing winery ( I was actually here for Tom’s daughter’s wedding a few years ago). It’s such beautiful setting and the weather was perfect, sun shine, nice breeze. Then we had lunch at this cute gourmet deli a couple miles away. Meandered along the back roads of southeastern Connecticut to our next stop, Jonathan Edwards Winery. This charming vineyard is situated on top of hill in North Stonington in the midst of some beautiful farmlands. We enjoyed the wine here and met a nice couple celebrating their wedding anniversary.

I highly recommend visiting the wineries on the Connecticut Wine Trail, they have so much charm and are fairly easy to get to considering it doesn’t take that long to drive across Connecticut! There’s also a passport program with grand prizes that include a trip for two to Spain! Defintely signing up for that next year.

After that, we headed to party on the boat! Margaritas, wine, storytelling, barbecue, it was such a fun time we ended up crashing in the hotel room with Krista and Francia to get up early for a morning sail with Captain Tom and Skipper. They were happy to have four lovely ladies tour the ocean with them.

The view at Saltwater

 

Inside the hangar, pretty cool!

 

The lovely Francia and Krista.

The lovely Francia and Krista.

Charla!

Charla!

Down and out.

Down and out.

Entrance to Jonathan Edwards

Entrance to Jonathan Edwards

The couple celebrating their wedding anniversary, took a photo for them!  Congrats ladies!

The couple celebrating their wedding anniversary, took a photo for them! Congrats ladies!

Stroll.

Stroll.

Another Charla sighting.

Another Charla sighting.

More of the lovely ladies.

The group!

The group!

Stroll through their vineyard.

Stroll through their vineyard.

That's how we do wine tastings!

That’s how we do wine tastings!mystic-7334

Our old guys! Love them.

Our old guys! Love them.

Trying to look the part of a sailor.

Trying to look the part of a sailor.

Ladies ladies.

Ladies ladies.

The marina at dark.

The marina at dark.

We were all hurting, but we made it up for the morning sail.

We were all hurting, but we made it up for the morning sail.

Marina in the daytime.

Marina in the daytime.

Leaving the marina.

Leaving the marina.

Can you see the seagull?

Can you see the seagull?

Captain Tom.

Captain Tom.

Skipper at work.

Skipper at work.

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Great morning to be out.

Enjoy the sail.

Enjoy the sail.

Ocean!

Ocean!

Karla at the helm.

Karla at the helm.

shooting the breeze.

shooting the breeze.

All the sailboats hanging out.

All the sailboats hanging out.

Smooth sailing.

Smooth sailing.

at the front.

at the front.

Skip, my "pseudo dad" and me.

Skip, my “pseudo dad” and me.

:)

🙂

Cool track that opens to let boats in to the marina.

Cool railroad track that opens to let boats in to the marina.

Pulling the sails down.

Pulling the sails down.

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We enjoyed the sail.

Beginning of a colorful fall.

Beginning of a colorful fall.

Our sailors!

Our sailors!

Off to town.

 

Strolling in to the town center for lunch.

Strolling in to the town center for lunch.

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ChansodaSailing and Wine Tastings