Where Do We Go From Here?

Last Saturday night we had some nice, fun plans. Go out for a couple of drinks and just enjoy the night at some of the local bars in West Hollywood. Living closer to the area, it's just a short drive on the streets. So we got ready and head on out. We arrived to the area and park in our usual valet parking lot. "We close at 2:30," the guy tells us. Ok, fine with us. They kick us out of the bars before 2 anyway. So we had a couple margaritas at Fiesta Cantina, ran into our friend Carlos celebrating his birthday and made a couple of random new friends along the way. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours and before we knew it...closing time. We didn't have to go home but we can't stay there (at the bar) as the song would say. hehe

It was 2:00 already, as I kept looking at the time on my cell, keeping track of how soon we had to head back to the car. While walking along the sidewalk we started talking to some random people, accompanied them to a pizza place, talked about travels and whatnot...and before I knew it, I looked at the time. 2:40 am! Dammit! "We gotta go get the car, think they'll still be there?" Turns out...they weren't kidding with the original "we close at 2:30" warning!

We got back to the parking lot and my car was just one of a few left! The little valet parking kiosk was all locked up now, nobody in sight. :( Hopeful, I went and tried to open the doors to my car. Maybe they left my keys in there? lol Part of me wanted it to be so, but part of me would've also thought it was irresponsible of them. There was only enough irresponsibility that night on our part! lol



We were pretty much stuck. Juan had left his keys at home. My house keys were with the car keys. We didn't go out with others that night and even if we did get a ride home we couldn't go inside! Juan called the number on the valet's sign, and they said we'd have to come back the next day...at 2pm! So we had no choice...we went to a hotel a few blocks down, the Ramada, and spent the night. It was actually nice and comfy! Not the cheapest, but hey, we couldn't be too picky. Though walking in there did feel a bit awkward. Two guys, no luggage, no car, walking into a hotel at 3am in a mostly gay area. Hmmm....what could the front desk have thought? lol

As night-out-drinking stories go, this one is way too tame when compared to others I've heard about. lol We didn't have to sleep in the park or anything. Phew! We ended up leaving the hotel at around almost 1 pm the next day, after having had a good night's rest. It did suck we didn't have any toothpaste or contact solution, etc. At least we were able to shower! We then had a nice filling breakfast at the IHOP nearby and finally picked up our car keys...12 hours after the bars closed the night before, and an extra $15 day fee later!

Good times. :)

AIDS WALK L.A. - One Year Later

First off, before anything else, I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone that supported me and our team during and leading up to the AIDS WALK L.A.

To the following, thank you so much for sponsoring me this year... Peter, Reyna & Family, Hypnos Reveur, Christian, Francisco, Juan, Kevin & Marcial. I appreciate your support (and your dinero!), as do those that it goes toward helping. And to Gabe, thanks for the team donation. And everybody else that donated to any other member of our team, you all rock!
And to our team this year, Friends 4 Benefits (aka Friends With Benefits), thank you all for making this, our fourth year, another successful one! I had set a team goal of $4,000 this year, and we got pretty close. As of the last numbers given to me, we raised $3,295 with a team of 28. Though some of you didn't or couldn't make the walk. Tsk tsk! lol Next year, then!

Special kudos to those that made it this year for the 6 mile walk! Anthony A., Ramiro C., Xavier E., Andy G., Oscar G., Juan G., William H., Juan L., Xavier M., Craig M., Richard R., Connie R., Adolfo R., Miguel T. Thank you all for walking this year! I expect each of you back, plus many more, for year 5! FRIENDS WITH BENEFIT5! ;)

I wasn't able to dedicate as much time this year as I would've wanted putting the team together, but I did my best. Whenever I had time, I tried to promote it, spread the word, recruit, encourage and at the same time still try to get some donors for myself. hehe It was all worth it though, and I'll do it again! All the support and positive energy from everybody is what makes it all worth it for a great cause. Just being there, surrounded by thousands upon thousands of fellow walkers on that one morning...and knowing we are all there for a united cause...that alone, is totally worth it.

Thanks again everyone!
-Nel