Exploring my bi-coastality

It has been exactly one year since I last blogged! Maybe I'll expand this beyond just being a travel blog and document adventures and thoughts more regularly? We'll see...

A bit on what I've been up to over the past year:

I'm grateful to have had the privilege (and some savings) to take time off from working, to travel and "reset." Reality is kicking in now, though, and I'm definitely ready to return to the workforce as soon as I can. Job hunting right now has been particularly brutal. After a lot of radio silence, a few potential opportunities and extended interview rounds that ultimately didn't pan out, and [occasionally soul-crushing] gig work required to survive...I'm still looking for a new full-time role with bennies. My focus is on finding something that's largely remote, either with an in-house legal department, an alternative dispute resolution-focused firm, a litigation firm that actually fights for what's right, or a secret fourth thing...idk, just putting all this out there to manifest good career vibes....!

My mom also had a heart-related health scare in March that shook our immediate family rather seriously. While she is recovering well now, having to fly across the country at a moment's notice brought into sharp focus that I do not want to be on the other side of the country all the time, particularly if an event like this occurs again. The dilemma, however, is that I still love Los Angeles with all my heart, and after 15 years, I can't bear the thought of fully leaving a place that still feels so much like my home. After a lot of deliberation (along with the financial reality of being largely unemployed), I've made the difficult decision to rent out part of my beloved LA apartment, and explore some other options for places to potentially call home. This effectively makes me a nomad, at least for the time being, which is really kind of awesome. I am still keeping the majority of my things and a room in my apartment, so I plan to return to LA as often as I can manage - but seizing this moment to keep exploring. I've been feeling a strong desire to head east to be closer to my immediate family (parents and sister), who live in Raleigh and Atlanta, respectively. So I'm starting there, but also considering D.C./Baltimore/potentially other places with relatively moderate climates along the Eastern seaboard? I probably don't want to do crazy winters again, but seasonal changes are certainly welcome! The bottom line here is: pitch me a fulfilling job idea or a fun new place to live, I guess? I don't know! 

Since I'd ideally love to keep my place in LA and explore an additional place to establish a base closer to family, I'm jokingly calling this next phase 'exploring my bi-coastality.' But honestly...embracing some freedom to see if this will be realistic feels like a worthwhile venture at this moment. Hence why I'm heading...

Back on the road!

The first leg of this journey is driving cross-country from LA to Atlanta, where I will be staying with my sister Hannah for a while. With only a week or so to make this >2,000 mile cross-country trek, I'm grateful that Alex could tag along, too (he remains a friend and travel companion). Suzy Sube is staying with her father in LA, so this time we drove my own Subaru Forester, Towanda. You may remember 'Towanda' as the rallying cry of female empowerment and inner strength from the queer Southern classic, Fried Green Tomatoes...which felt very appropriate for my green, queer car ;-) I'm so grateful that her first cross-country outing included the opportunity to travel over half of Route 66 in the centennial year of its existence, too!

Day 1: Los Angeles, CA to Holbrook, AZ

The first day was a long haul from LA to eastern Arizona (~560 mi). We set off early in the morning, stopping for lunch at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Needles, CA (not to be confused with another Route 66 landmark with a similar name, the Wagon Wheel Motel & Cafe in Cuba, MO). For travelers heading west, this CA/AZ border spot is notable for being the first stop along Route 66 in California. They had a delicious Monte Cristo sandwich, which is pretty hard to find nowadays (sadly I neglected to take a photo) - and for reasons unknown, there was also had a gorilla on the roof...but a solidly kitschy first stop on a Route 66-centric road trip. 

Crossing into Arizona, we had the opportunity to coast along a wonderfully preserved stretch of Route 66 into Seligman. While we didn't have time to drive the entire historic route, you get a very strong sense of the classic road by stopping in this small town, which has a ton of kitschy charm. The Black Cat Bar is the local watering hole, which had a lot of very colorful local clientale...(for LA folks, this place is quite a different vibe from the historic Black Cat gay bar in Silver Lake...). We also had to stop for sweet treats at Westside Lilo's (famous for their enormous pieces of carrot cake) and Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In for a milkshake. Built in 1953 from mostly scrap lumber and decorated in an extremely eclectic fashion by the enterprising founder, Juan Delgadillo, this eatery has become something of a Route 66 institution. Juan's brother, Angel Delgadillo, is considered to be a leading historian and "the Guardian Angel of Route 66." He is largely responsible for the preservation of Route 66 in Seligman and other parts of Arizona; Pixar's Cars lists the Delgadillo brothers in the credits for their advisory roles and contributions to preserving the historic authenticity of Route 66 for the film. 

Lovers of Route 66 (and/or the Eagles) should absolutely stop in Williams and Winslow along this route, as well, but since we visited both of these on our previous trips (check older posts from April and May 2025), our destination for the night was the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook. While the name/facade/everything about the place is problematic for a whole host of reasons...it was still kind of a hoot to spend a night there. This motel also clearly served as the inspiration for 'Cozy Cone Motel' in Cars the film, and Carsland of Disneyland. Holbrook is pretty small and everything closes pretty early, but luckily we arrived with just enough time to grab some sopapillas at the local Mexican/Southwestern joint, Romo's, before conking out in the teepee for the night. 

​Day 2: Holbrook, AZ to Tucumcari, NM

With another big day of driving ahead, we rose early(ish) and hit Route Sixty Sips for caffeine on the way out of town (a fun coffee bar/soda fountain; very sugary). A slight backtrack was in order to rectify a previously missed opportunity to stop at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post last April. This long-standing gift shop (est. 1949) had sadly closed early the last time we were passing through, but luckily it was open on our 2nd attempt, and we were able to get some fun attire. The "Here It Is" sign with a jack rabbit is largely responsible for the Trading Post's enduring popularity (remember this sign, there's a quiz later...). 

A common refrain on these trips is not having enough time to spend everywhere...but I also believe that even a brief stop is better than nothing. ​With some ideas floating around, but no firm plans for our day in New Mexico, we could afford to be somewhat spontaneous. After enjoying the Acoma Pueblo so much on a previous trip (see April 2025), we decided to take a slight detour through the Zuni Pueblo. Photography was not allowed on the Pueblo without a permit (which we sadly couldn't get because the visitor center was closed), but it was still very informative to visit the A:shiwi A:wan Museum Heritage Center, and fun to browse a couple of jewelry stores, too. I will include one permitted photo of Dowa Yalanne (Corn Mountain), a sacred mesa to the Zuni. At the time of Spanish invasion, the Zuni (like the Acoma) initially escaped colonization by fleeing to the top of the mesa. It is quite breathtaking at a distance.

Dowa Yalanne (photo credit: Alex)

​As we left the Reservation, a sign appeared for the El Morro National Monument, which ended up being a wonderfully unexpected surprise stop. Another prominent mesa top that was home to Ancestral Puebloans in the 13th-14th centuries, it is most notable for the many inscriptions carved into the rock, spanning several centuries (sort of like very historical graffiti?). The Zuni call it A'ts'ina ('place of writings on the rock'), the Spanish called it El Morro ('the headland'), and Anglo-Americans called it 'Inscription Rock.' Remarkably, many of the very old inscriptions have been preserved, and are very visible along an interpretive trail around a portion of the epic mesa. While I wish we had time to hike to the top of the bluff to see the Ancestral Puebloan dwellings, I'm so glad we stopped here and at least got to admire beauty of this space and its inscriptions. ​

The next couple of stops in Grants, NM were admittedly Alex's choices...but both were worthwhile. We learned a lot about the history of mining in New Mexico at the NM Mining Museum (especially uranium mining), which even included a recreation of a real mine in the basement of the museum. Afterward, to stave off hunger for the couple of hours of driving we had left, Blake's Lotaburger had some surprisingly yummy mini burritos...its blatant ripoff of Whataburger's name AND logo is also naturally very funny to me as a Texan.

As we pulled into Tucumcari around sunset, watching the glorious neon along Route 66 slowly begin to illuminate was truly a sight to behold. Our home for the night, the historic Blue Swallow Motel, was easily my favorite stay of the trip. Family owned and operated since 1939, all of the original details (lovingly preserved by the devoted owners) make this old school motor court motel such a worthwhile stay. Book early though, it fills up fast! Blue Swallow has absolutely some of the most beautiful neon I've ever seen in person. We also had to grab some Christmas enchiladas at La Cita, of course; in case you're new here - that is New Mexico-speak for "smother it in red AND green chilies, please." And don't miss the Jack Rabbit callback photo :-)

Day 3: Tucumcari, NM to Oklahoma City, OK

​I needed one last chili fix before leaving New Mexico, and was delighted to find some delicious green chili egg bites next door to the motel at Carlson Coffee Company. It also didn't hurt that they appeared to be fervent supporters of Deb Haaland for Governor (our first ever Native American Cabinet Secretary, and just overall awesome political rock star I greatly admire)! 

Onward to the next state (Texas), which we wouldn't be spending the night in, but had a few important Route 66 stops to make along our quick jaunt through the Panhandle. Vega, TX was a very cute town that I had never been to before, and is totally worth visiting just for Mama Jo's Pies and Sweets alone (some of the best coconut cream pie I've ever had)! We obviously had to stop at Buc-ee's in Amarillo, too, of course…

The last stop of our brief visit through the Panhandle was Shamrock, TX - home to some spectacularly well-preserved historic Route 66 landmarks. The Conoco Tower Station is a very striking 1936 Art Deco building, supposedly meant to emulate a old nail stuck in the dust (I think it's a lot more impressive than that, though). Attached to the station is the U-Drop Inn Cafe, where we were lucky enough to sit in the very booth Elvis sat in when he ate at the cafe in 1956! We also stopped by another historic Magnolia Station down the street, and the blue, blue sky really did its thing. 

​Waving goodbye to TX in the rearview, we made it to Oklahoma City with enough time left in the day to do a bit more exploring. An attempt to visit the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum was thwarted by a gala full of patrons in their finest Western wear (would that be black bolo-tie?), so we opted for an early dinner, instead. It felt mandatory to eat at Cattlemen's Steakhouse, the oldest continually operating restaurant in Oklahoma, and it turns out that was the correct decision. Originally opened in 1910, this place has an impeccable vibe, fantastic steaks (for an extremely reasonable price), and some very colorful history...as in the restaurant once changed hands in the 1940s thanks to an unlucky roll of the dice in a game of craps, among other lore....

Alex and I are both big fans of the Oklahoma-based psychedelic rock band The Flaming Lips…so while we were in OKC, it felt really important to find the home of their frontman, Wayne Coyne. While we didn't catch him this time, apparently Wayne is quite comfortable with visitors who want to gawk at the exterior of his trippy compound, and will even sit in the yard sometimes and talk to looky-loos (which is obviously a great excuse to return to OKC again!). Driving around Wayne's neighborhood led us to stumble upon an OKC Pride event - which included lots of great art, an outdoor drag show, and wonderful vibes all around.

The day ended on a much more somber note, with a visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial - which of course honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all others who were affected by the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in 1995. While the museum was already closed, the outdoor memorial is free and open to the public 24/7. There is a field of 168 empty chairs (to represent the victims who lost their lives), flanked on each side by two large gates, with a reflecting pool. It's extremely well done, and the quiet stillness we experienced at sunset was very moving. 

​Day 4: Oklahoma City, OK to Tulsa, OK

We finally got a bit of a break from several hours of driving in one day...but only because there are FAR too many things to do in Tulsa, OK! Stop #1 was sustenance at Pops 66, a fun diner/soda pop emporium just outside of OKC (anywhere with specialty soda is a mandatory stop for Alex). Tulsa is only an hour and a half or so from OKC, which gave us plenty of time to spend at two of the most important stops on the trip - the Bob Dylan Center and Woody Guthrie Center (which conveniently happen to be on the same block in the heart of the Tulsa Arts District). I have been dying to visit the BDC since it opened in 2022, and having the fantastic WGC right next door is a huge incentive to visit, as well. 

A casual fan will definitely find these museums interesting, but deep lovers of Dylan and/or Guthrie can easily spend a whole day here, or more. We spent 5 hours between the two museums, and definitely could have stayed longer. I will let the photos speak for themselves, but it is well worth a visit to Tulsa to visit these fantastic archives of two majorly important artists. 

As if this day couldn't be any more music-filled...a trip to Tulsa would not be complete without visiting one of the most historic dance halls in the country - Cain's Ballroom! Thanks in large part to Bob Wills, this 100+ year old venue is the hallowed birthplace of a literal genre of music, making it colloquially known as the "Carnegie Hall of Western Swing." We were fortunate to get some great BBQ at the venue, and then heard two fantastic younger "woke country" artists, Joleen Brown and Kat Hasty. So many country & western legends have grace the stage at Cain's - and any lover of live music will tell you that the best sounding concerts will always be...in an old wooden room :-)

Congrats, you made it to the halfway mark of another whirlwind trip! Part 2 (Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama) coming soon...