This ain’t too shabby a wat of traveling. Catching the Amtrak for a few hours. A little bumpy but climate controlled, big seats, and free Wifi.
So my bottled Starbucks iced coffee costs $3.25, but I’m enjoying it and the ride while blogging on the railroad.
Sadly, do not add watching fireworks in our Nation’s capital on Independence Day to your Bucket List. Washington DC on July 4th – can’t get more patriotic than that right? Well, yes, but in reality, it’s also a little underwhelming. Additionally, the weather conditions were not great with light showers throughout the day making the National Mall muddy and the skies hazy.
Maybe the live music of the fireworks show would have added to the experience, but we, like many others, stayed outside the security perimeter. Didn’t know if the weather would hold up, making a departure easier from the outside. The fireworks launched above the reflecting pool couldn’t break through the hazy night. There were lots of aerials, but most were muted only discoloring the night sky.
The show was decently long and after the last aerial lit the sky, the crowds dispersed. Wow, the amount of people! But with so much security and roads blocked, there was enough thoroughfare for the mass exodus.
Walking the streets of DC at night offered some nice illuminated views though.
Overall, an enjoyable experience but not worthy of a bucket list.
During our tour of the U.S. Capitol, the gun control protest of “No Bill, No Break” went down. We had started our tour of the rotunda when a group of people planted themselves on the floor and started chanting, “No bill, no break,” while holding pictures of their loved ones claimed by shootings. The media was there taking picture and capturing video footage as each protester proclaimed their loved one was not a political stunt.
All the public tours at the time were somewhat confused about the proceedings wondering if this incident was planned. But being a working federal establishment and not an amusement park, this protest was indeed real. The moment was realized when the police showed up in minutes and cleared the rotunda, warning that any who remained would be arrested. Our guide, Walt, calmly ushered us to the next tour stop where he explained that excitement can come at any time but is definitely not the norm.
Here’s more info about the protest. Here’s extra Pulpconnection coverage.
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I was somewhat surprised to find the new Adidas AlphaBOUNCE running shoes at Macy’s via Finish Line. But there they were in men’s and kids sizes.
The original zebra-ish colorway is still available in kids sizes.
I tried on my usual size 10 in this core black version, and these felt narrow. Only $100, these runners feature some new Adidas tech, but they can’t compete with the more expensive UltraBoost. 
The ForgedMesh is pliable, but I much rather prefer the give of PrimeKnit. There’s no tongue and is like a one-piece bootie.
The lacing is slightly asymmetric, but I couldn’t tell if that had any effect.
The Bounce is stiffer and heavier than Boost. Not sure if that translates to better or worse cushioning. For me, I’d need a stability version like the Ultra Boost ST. Arch support is essentially nonexistent, and I could feel my arches crashing inwards with every step. The shoe offered nothing in the midfoot to control my pronation.
So a little narrow, no arch support, and slightly heavier, I’m sticking with the $180 Ultra Boost.
$10 for a replacement cap for a TigerSahara insulated water bottle.
Thanks yet again Uni-King (the Waipio location that is).
What? Some USB 3.0 hubs seemingly cause interference with nearby wireless devices such as wireless keyboards and mice along with Wifi connections. Luckily, this Anker model doesn’t seem to cause interference.
First, the handle cracked and now the flapper has problems opening and closing. Time for a flapper replacement.
With the migration of Nordstrom to Ala Moana’s Ewa Wing, the Mauka Wing has lost its main draw and businesses there must be hurting. Throughout the mall, there are signs telling shoppers there’s still life in the Mauka Wing.
Is that President Barack Obama on the side of a building? Yes, yes, it is.
While cruising in China during the summer of 2015, I saw this native wearing this shirt which is my personal contribution to Oblivious People in Asia Wearing Racy English T-Shirts.
Had to say no to both of these shoes found at Ross aka #rossfinds. While each had its merits, they didn’t win me over in the end.
I’ve been looking for shoes featuring the full length Air Max 360 for a long time. Finally, I came across these LeBron 11 Lows in the lava colorway in my size. While I could have definitely rocked the lava colors, King James and me don’t share the same foot shape. Even with the solid Air Max foundation underfoot, the arch support wasn’t enough. I could feel the inner, medial sides of the shoe flexing with the smallest of steps. I was targeting the 11 Lows as a lifestyle shoe, but if they can’t provide the support while walking around, what’s the point? Sadly, I put these and their paint-speckled Air Max bubble back on the shelf.
For the longest time, I never knew what these Jordan-branded kicks were. For the record, they are the Jordan Flight Time 14.5. I always thought the 14.5 looked distinctive for a Team Jordan shoe. Each colorway works, especially these Chicago Bulls-inspired red, black, and white version.
The look is clean. The padded collar is a nice touch, and the fit was great for my feet. Although narrow mid-foot, these provided better arch support than the LeBron 11 Low. There’s decent tech in the shoe and best of all, they’re only $40. But look at them. They’re made to see court action, and that’s no longer me. I held on to these for some time before also putting them back on the shelf.
Instead, I’m actually looking forward to the upcoming Adidas Crazylight Boost 2016. Even at full price, this shoe looks uniquely different from other shoes on the market and features full length Boost. But I won’t find these at Ross for some time if ever.
I can’t quite place my finger on it, but personally, I felt a sense of chaos while touring the new Nordstrom in the Ewa Wing of Ala Moana. It was just weird and different from the vibe of the original Nordstrom.
While the store is nice and new, the layout just felt chaotic for me. Like the recently-added Bloomingdale’s, distinguishing each department means decorating it differently. There are no walls or exceptionally tall partitions to separate floor space and departments. Multi-storied, the new location is essentially different floors of empty, flat space, not rooms or sections. I guess the original location was similary built, so maybe it’s the high ceilings with all that extra space that exacerbates that bad vibe.
Then I hit the men’s shoe department. Usually, I enjoy the great finds here, enjoying some unique kicks. But I could hardly make my way through this “department.” It just felt so confusing like I was going the wrong way, and it was like I couldn’t get a good look at the shoes. Do I walk clockwise, counterclockwise, straight through? Even with the variety of shoes there, I just couldn’t bring myself to enjoy or even look at them with the chaotic layout too distracting.
And you know what I think the cause is? Again, it’s weird, but I think it’s the right side of the all the pairs of shoes on display. Thinking about it, I think most stores display the left shoe. Why? I don’t know, but I’m sure there’s some reason. So browsing amongst all the right pairs was just so disconcerting. The shoes were pointing one way, but I felt like I had to walk against this natural direction. Or maybe it’s because I’m right handed and picking up the right shoe in the displayed orientation, I would see the inner, medial side of it. But really, the outer side of the shoe is where it’s at.
I have to go back one day and see if that sense of confusion is still with me, but man that new Nordstrom just feels too chaotic.