Chelsee & Richard

Travel Time

2008-09-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

We're perhaps at our happiest when we're traveling (second only to being with our families). Last month we finally left the country again, headed for our first trip south of the equator -- Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. We were gone 11 days in all -- and in that short time I think we still tallied 6 planes, 5 bus trips, 2 ferry rides, 3 bumpy speed boat escapades, 1 private jeep ride, a horseback ride, and countless taxis. We didn't drive once, but boy did we move!

Ecuador proved to be an adventurous, diverse, and welcoming country. Our first stop was the capitol. We were lucky to stay with friendshere --Quito -- and I can't BEGIN to do their apartment justice. Let me just say that this 3-story townhouse is rented for one-third the cost of our tiny LA apartment -- and it offers a ridiculous 180 degree view of the entire city and the spectacular Andes mountains! Needless to say we loved this city... the markets, the taxi rides, the lodging, and the company were perfecto!

We then traveled by bus out of Quito and up into the Andes. Once you've escaped Quito and its outskirts, you see mostly mountain towns centered around weekly, sometimes daily, mercados. All the nearby indigenous people in the mountains load their haul here to sell. In Latacunga, a town about 2 hours south of Quito -- we wandered a sizable produce and animal market and took in the sites.

From there we headed through the more of the Andes, passing a section of the Inca Trail and various volcanoes. Thus began the Quilatola Loop, a circle that traverses through a few Andean villages and many, many, indigenous farms. Nestor, our personal tour guide, stopped the truck over 10 times, insisting "photos! photos!" He, and we, found that every turn handed us another breathtaking view.

Our destination -- we needed to sleep, yes? -- was the Black Sheep Inn, a eco-lodge that has put this loop on the map, essentially. Only pictures can explain this place. Many photos can be found at R's website: thisisrichard.com

We used the BSI as a jumping off point for the town of Chugchilan and Laguna Quilatola, a volcanic crater lake that you can hike down into. One day we wandered the streets of Chugchilan, shopping in the women's knitting co-op and watching the locals play volleyball in the church square. The following day we rode in the back of a truck for 2 hours to the Laguna, where we hiked down and -- in true American fashion -- found we were too tired to hike back up. So we took horses. HA!

Being high in the Andes was the highlight of the trip for me. What better way to experience a landscape than on back of a rickety 4 by 4, driven by a crazy local driver who takes turns like Dale Earnhart -- despite the precipice on his left. The wind ripped at our jackets and hats and hair, and our butts were beyond bruised, but to wave at the kids on the roadside as you go! So awesome.

We were sad to leave BSI, I think. We headed into Quito again by bus, spent one night with our friends, and headed out once more -- the Galapagos calling our names. A short flight put us down in Baltra, the island just north of Santa Cruz. One bus, one ferry, and another bus ride later took is to Puerto Ayora -- the only place, really, to stay when you're cutting back costs and not taking a cruise ship around the islands. We ran into a few snafus in Puerto Ayora -- canceled boat trips, a leaking bathroom, bed bugs, pounding morning rain, weird tour guides -- wow, maybe more than a few. In the end, though, the beaches we walked on, the animals we stood next to, the waters we swam in, and the travelers and locals we met were once-in-a-life-time.

To Richard, Michael, and Rebecca: what an inspiring, phenomenal trip!! I love you, and what fabulous memories we made. Ready to head out again? Where to?

March Madness

2008-03-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

Richard and I have been watching a lot of basketball. A LOT!

I'm rooting/screaming at nearly every game, because at the end of it all I COULD end up with about $200 in our college b-ball pool. Then I could shop!

Check out all of Richard's information on March Madness and especially the Bruins at his website bruinology.com. : )

Extra Time

2008-03-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

If we ever get enough time on our hands, I planned out our 125-day trip across the globe :

Los Angeles to Sydney--6 days
Sydney to Thailand--4 days
Thailand to Vietnam--4 days
Vietnam to Japan--7 day
Japan to S. Korea--2 days
S. Korea to China--14 days
China to India--6 days
India to Russia--3 days
Russia to Egypt--2 days
Egypt to Kenya--3 days
Kenya to Morocco--3 days
Morocco to Portugal--3 days
Portugal to Spain--4 days
Spain to France--4 days
France to Switzerland--2 days
Switzerland to Italy--6 days
Italy to Greece--4 days
Greece to Turkey--2 days
Turkey to Hungary--2 days
Hungary to Czech Republic--2 days
Czech Republic to Austria--2 days
Austria to Germany--5 days
Germany to Finland--2 days
Finland to Sweden--2 days
Sweden to Norway--2 days
Norway to London--3 days
London to Ireland--4 days
Ireland to Brazil--5 days
Brazil to Argentina--4 days
Argentina to Chile--3 days
Chile to Peru--6 days
Peru to Ecuador/Galapagos--6 days
Ecuador/Galapagos to Belize--3 days
Belize to Yucatan Peninsula--3 days
Yucatan Peninsula to Mexico City--2 days
Mexico City to Los Angeles...

-----

Perhaps one day...

Notable exceptions are New Zealand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Scotland, south South America (like the Strait of Magellan), and Canada. But c'mon, adding those countries would be unrealistic.

UCLA v. Stanford

2008-03-06T22:34:00.000-08:00

We just watched an incredible basketball game tonight. I thought I'd note it in our blog --- mostly b/c I know that in 5 years Richard will still be referencing it and I'll probably have already forgotten. Down a billion points for practically the entire game, UCLA managed to somehow pummel Stanford by 10 points in the end, in overtime. That's right. Love and Collison and Moute and Shipp and Westbrook and Mata took on the ridiculously huge Lopez brothers and conquered (though they took their sweet time, much to my distress). We were screaming like crazy at the SF Saloon on Pico with Scott and Nicole... and I mean screaming! GO BRUINS!!!!

Richard's Baby Video

2008-02-22T13:41:00.000-08:00

Here's an old baby video of me. Enjoy!

Visiting Chelsee's Grandmother -- Healdsburg CA

2008-02-19T21:54:00.000-08:00

This past long weekend Richard and I flew up to Sonoma to visit my Grandmother and her husband. They live in a dome house that they constructed themselves in the early 80's. Outside the dome they have a huge garden that in the summer provides them lots of the food they eat. They use a woodburning stove for heat and have no airconditioning (but for windows of course!). It's a pretty efficient and simple place; quite a lovely change from the city. The landowner above their lot trains and breeds horses so we had lots of fun with that. Richard fell in love with the shetland pony named Izzy (which he decided to rename Gus). Here are some pics from our trip!

That Picture!

2008-02-19T21:48:00.001-08:00

My husband is such a jokester! That's why I love him!! I should add more silly photos of him to the site... perhaps I will. : )

For My Fans

2008-02-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

A photo of me.

Wedding Website

2008-02-07T17:32:00.000-08:00

Due to popular demand (thanks, Janine), I've reposted a link to our wedding website in the sidebar. There won't be anything new added to it, but if you want to look at it, it's there. I'm pretty proud of it, actually, so yeah, why don't you take a look?

Happy Chinese New Year!

2008-02-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year! We had a giant dinner at our favorite local (and nearly authentic) Chinese restaurant last night, Hop Woo. Thirteen of us made it out, so it was nice to be around good food and great friends. No better way to start the year, I say.

Chelsee vs. Dentist

2008-02-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

Chelsee went to the dentist today. She hates the dentist.

Chelsee vs. Diddy Riese

2008-01-27T19:19:00.000-08:00

Chelsee eating Diddy Riese. It's hard to resist a good cookie.

Wedding Photos

2008-01-26T16:37:00.000-08:00

I finally added photos from our wedding! Yes, it's been four months, but they're finally up for your viewing pleasure. Click on each giant photo to see the individual albums.

I've sort of been on a kick with this web stuff, so make sure to check out my webpage for updates, too! And visit here often. You don't want to miss Chelsee's first post--whenever that is. :-)

Shameless plug: Michael has a website up now, too. Check check check it here.

Family Photo

2008-01-21T11:57:00.000-08:00

"The Family History In 1,000 Words"

Tim & Gary Lowe, December 2007.

photograph by Richard Lowe

Ellice Schwartz

2008-01-18T19:13:00.001-08:00

For those of you getting married (or having a baby), you should consider Ellice Schwartz, our wedding photographer. She did an amazing job--and she also put us on her website, which makes her extra rad.

Check it out here. We're under the "Love" section and we're the last two photos. Can't see our faces but I think she already has a lot of face pictures up there. Plus, our butts are hot, so that's understandable.

Ellice Schwartz Photography

Hakolowe!

2008-01-18T12:04:00.000-08:00

Turns out we're part of Ben Howland's game plan for Saturday's game vs. USC.

If It's A Close Game, Watch Out For Hack A Lo

Expect to see this on the court Saturday:

A New Year!

2008-01-17T21:36:00.000-08:00

It's a new year!

We did so much in 2007 and it was amazing, but we're really looking forward to 2008. With the wedding behind us, we have so much more free time now. And as a newly married couple starting their first full year together, we took the advice of our parents and decided to make a list of goals.

Here are a few of them:

Buy Richard an iPhone.
Go bowling!
Hike around LA. At least twice.
Try new restaurants in new neighborhoods (i.e. Los Feliz).
Buy two pairs of football tickets, one for us, one for friends.
Start a giant March Madness pool. Like GIANT.
Become better chefs! Practice cooking.
BBQ’s: two this year.
Crab bake on the beach.
Golf!

We actually have three pages of goals, but those are a few of the more interesting--and entertaining--ones.

We'll keep you updated!

Happy new year!