Meh

[rkold]

I am starting to wonder if it is really worth it for me to schlep out to my brother's wedding in Southern CA. For one thing, I am somewhat shocked by how many hotels in Southern CA CHARGE FOR PARKING. This is not an area where you can get around via public transportation or just walking, this is an area you need to drive! I suspect everyone else but me is going to insist on staying at the La Quinta and honestly, the pool area is ugly, a bunch of people complained about the rooms being dirty at check in and it just feels cheap and unpleasant. Considering depending on how I feel and what the weather is like, I'm only going to able to be so active, I'd really like a hotel that or place to stay that is attractive and where I can just relax. Most of the news my mother had after going out there last week consisted of: how great the froyo places were. Wow, gee mom, so helpful. ~.~

I just got pictures of where the ceremony is taking place. It's a lovely outdoor arboretum, and it seems they expect everyone to sit on the ground. I sat on the ground 3 weeks ago at Coventry and had a really really hard time getting up. I'm larger now and I'm only going to be larger then. I can't get up easily from the ground. And I really need places where I can sit. This is so not happy.

And of course my parasol which I desperately need because I can't find any sunscreens that don't irritate my skin was stolen at the baby naming last week end. *sighs*

EDIT: My brother promises that there is some sort of seating at the ceremony. I am just being anxious about this and it does not help that I am just anxious in general.

Happily, my mother had realized that the LaQuinta is not a great choice without me saying anything.

Comments

[winter]

In a pinch, a light-coloured umbrella works ;) That's how I got through the first week in Japan!

[reynardine.livejournal.com]

If it wasn't your brother, I'd say skip it and send a nice present. But since it is immediate family, that is kinda awkward to do. :-/

The arboretum here has a lot of weddings--almost every weekend in summer and autumn--and they do set up folding chairs for the guests. (When they have concerts, you have to bring your own chair, but they are allowed.) So perhaps this place may be the same way?

Sorry no one returned your parasol to you. That sucks!

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

I think you should insist your brother offer you somewhere to sit for the ceremony if he expects you to be there. I am not saying you are handicapped, but if you were you would expect them to accommodate you and a freaking simple folding chair shouldn't be too much to ask.

[nikittin.livejournal.com]

Sit on the ground? Wow! I hope you will have a comfortable alternative (shade and seating) in your delicate situation.

[dilettantka.livejournal.com]

I bought you a parasol!! I'll email you, sorry I was busy <3

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I've been using a regular umbrella when I go out for now, it's just not the same.

I really don't know why they can't offer parasols for sale here, it seems a lot more practical than slathering yourself in God knows what chemicals to try to prevent burn.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

The problem is I really do want to be there for him and a part of me is so excited since this is my baby brother getting married. :/

I really really hope there is going to be folding chairs because that would be perfect, I think the fact my brother is only so responsive in emails and the whole wedding itself is starting to make me super anxious (It's going to be over 200 people attending!)

I'm really sad about the stolen parasol, I wish I had some pictures of it to even show you because it was so lovely, but I never expected something like this to happen!

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping I read things wrong and that there will be folding chairs. It's not even so much the ceremony itself, so much as after the ceremony when we are served some food I am going to be exhausted and need to sit.

I'm hoping that I've just misinterpreted things, I think I am mostly just stressed since the wedding is so far away and is going to be so incredibly huge. That and we've not booked hotel rooms yet!

[rkold.livejournal.com]

It is possibly I was just misreading what they meant. I went back and re-read the messages and it's still unclear. I wish my brother had the time to clarify. I'm just a little nervous because the wedding is so big and so complicated.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

No, no worries! I am just wangsting because I did really love the one that was stolen. >>;

but THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! it means so much to me!!! *hugs* ♥

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

Maybe when you get to SoCal you can look in Japanese stores? Thy should have some somewhere...

[twotone]

Aw, sorry to hear the parasol still hasn't been returned. :( That's really rotten. Can't the hosts e-mail or call all the guests to ask if someone might've accidentally taken it?

I hope that your brother will remember to make sure that you get priority for the seating, and not just give the seating to seniors and elderly guests.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I think at this point my brother is too overwhelmed trying to get the wedding organized. Weddings are a lot of work and it's some ridiculously huge # of attendees as my future SiL has a HUGE family.

My aunt and uncle did call up and no one has returned it. ~.~ That is why I say now it has been stolen. *sighs* And it was so incredibly pretty.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I've never found the Japanese stores in the US to have a good selection of anything outside of manga/books/magazines/multimedia, food and pottery. ^^; This is true of the ones I've been to around here and the ones I've been to in SF.

A friend got me one in Japan, so now it is just a matter of waiting. The bigger problem is what to use around here until then.

[spazzygirl19.livejournal.com]

YES, hotels in SoCal 'tend' to charge for parking. Public transportation?!? Hahahahaha ... you'll see when you get out here how SPREAD OUT Southern California is (that's Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County and technically San Diego County too). This whole area alone is probably bigger than a number of small Eastern states combined!

I'm not sure what kind of 'parasol' you got in Japan, but I'm pretty sure they sell them in Chinatown here (it's the real touristy kind of store - but I actually bought some fairly inexpensive folding fans). Would you have time to check out NYC's Chinatown to see if you can find one there?

I hope you still decide to come out & that we'll finally get to meet!

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I got a high quality and nice one. It was not as nice as this one (http://www.carasolparasols.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Morgan08) but was in a similar style and more reminiscent of this than any of the other ones I've seen for sale here. Most of the ones that I've seen for sale in the US are made of paper which does not afford a lot of sun protection vs. UV fabric. The other type that seems popular here is covered in lace and screams "I am obsessed with Goth/Loli" look.

I live really really far from NYC and their Chinatown now. It's a good 2+ hours away and involves lots of transfers. (I drive to the park and ride, then take a bus, then a train and then a subway! Driving into NYC is not really option ignoring the price because trying to drive in lower Manhattan stresses me out faaaaaaaaaar too much.