Here's something you might be interested in.
This week is one of many interesting weeks on the North- South corridor along the Pacific coast. On the train, on the streets, in restaurants and bars, and on TV. Wednesday was Opening Day at Del Mar, Preview night at comic Con, and some sort of soccer game. Traffic and parked cars are clogging every lot, every street, every station. The opening day crowd is festive and fueled by wins or cocktails- loud laughter, lots of talking, glares from the older folks nearby. The Comic Conners seem to be for the most part a sober lot, but that may just mean no booze or morning coffee. It may also mean that the quiet ones aren't staying downtown to party.
Every morning the regular commuter, those of us with office jobs, respectable AARP Citizens serving on grand juries, teachers and students, security guards and and docents from the Midway join Comic Con workers, exhibitors,sponsors and guests with red lanyards for a moment in time.
In the afternoon on early post days it's the Turf Club crowd or the gamblers who bring their own chairs and sit in the sun. It's easy to start conversations with the visitors. They are all excited about their reason for being here, whether to win big on their favorite horse, or to dress us as their favorite character, or to just be around a lot of happy people for a couple of days a year.
One of my regular commuter friends is going to Comic Con this weekend. His wife is an author and is featured in two events that day. He is an attorney.
Yesterday I sat across from a guy in street clothes but he was carrying a camera. going to Comic Con I asked? He was thrilled I asked. Half my office is shut down, he said. The boss knows we are all going to take off. Where do you work? I asked. Software company- (surprise surprise). I told him to look around on line because someone would probably pay if he got some good shots. He was so happy to be spending a couple days inside the convention center.
Today I sat across from a young guy from Los Angeles who is working as part of the street marketing team outside wearing a teenage mutant turtle costume. Do you get breaks? I asked. he laughed, we get sugar, we eat all the crap- running over to 7-11 for a slurpy or drinking tons of coffee. We work right through, the adrenaline keeps us going. It's fun!
It's really pretty down here, what do you call those swampy areas? The lagoons, I said, there's several of them, you can walk out there- dogs too on leash. Can you kayak or do that stand up board? Yeah, I have a friend who's really into that- it's called stand up paddle board 'supping' I think. She takes her dog out with her. Can he swim? The dog ? Yeah. Don't think she goes in the ocean with him though. She's really athletic. What about kayaking- it would be cool to come down and kayak here.
I've never done that either, but on your way home, before Carlsbad village station, you can see a rental place. you should try it.
Comic Con secret spots
A guy on the platform with the VIP pass said that a great place to meet stars is in the bathroom, there's nowhere to hide to get a break. Interesting. Hey Joey let's hang out in the men's room.
A guy at work, a computer guy, an IT guy, said he met that Toby - that guy from Spider Man in the smoking area on the bay side of the convention center the year it came out. Another secret spot, at least for non-smokers.
This week is one of many interesting weeks on the North- South corridor along the Pacific coast. On the train, on the streets, in restaurants and bars, and on TV. Wednesday was Opening Day at Del Mar, Preview night at comic Con, and some sort of soccer game. Traffic and parked cars are clogging every lot, every street, every station. The opening day crowd is festive and fueled by wins or cocktails- loud laughter, lots of talking, glares from the older folks nearby. The Comic Conners seem to be for the most part a sober lot, but that may just mean no booze or morning coffee. It may also mean that the quiet ones aren't staying downtown to party.
Every morning the regular commuter, those of us with office jobs, respectable AARP Citizens serving on grand juries, teachers and students, security guards and and docents from the Midway join Comic Con workers, exhibitors,sponsors and guests with red lanyards for a moment in time.
In the afternoon on early post days it's the Turf Club crowd or the gamblers who bring their own chairs and sit in the sun. It's easy to start conversations with the visitors. They are all excited about their reason for being here, whether to win big on their favorite horse, or to dress us as their favorite character, or to just be around a lot of happy people for a couple of days a year.
One of my regular commuter friends is going to Comic Con this weekend. His wife is an author and is featured in two events that day. He is an attorney.
Yesterday I sat across from a guy in street clothes but he was carrying a camera. going to Comic Con I asked? He was thrilled I asked. Half my office is shut down, he said. The boss knows we are all going to take off. Where do you work? I asked. Software company- (surprise surprise). I told him to look around on line because someone would probably pay if he got some good shots. He was so happy to be spending a couple days inside the convention center.
Today I sat across from a young guy from Los Angeles who is working as part of the street marketing team outside wearing a teenage mutant turtle costume. Do you get breaks? I asked. he laughed, we get sugar, we eat all the crap- running over to 7-11 for a slurpy or drinking tons of coffee. We work right through, the adrenaline keeps us going. It's fun!
It's really pretty down here, what do you call those swampy areas? The lagoons, I said, there's several of them, you can walk out there- dogs too on leash. Can you kayak or do that stand up board? Yeah, I have a friend who's really into that- it's called stand up paddle board 'supping' I think. She takes her dog out with her. Can he swim? The dog ? Yeah. Don't think she goes in the ocean with him though. She's really athletic. What about kayaking- it would be cool to come down and kayak here.
I've never done that either, but on your way home, before Carlsbad village station, you can see a rental place. you should try it.
Comic Con secret spots
A guy on the platform with the VIP pass said that a great place to meet stars is in the bathroom, there's nowhere to hide to get a break. Interesting. Hey Joey let's hang out in the men's room.
A guy at work, a computer guy, an IT guy, said he met that Toby - that guy from Spider Man in the smoking area on the bay side of the convention center the year it came out. Another secret spot, at least for non-smokers.