Namm Saturday

Finished a lunch meeting with my work. We are all free! Starting with our favorite Greg Howe again!

The sound quality was better than yesterday.

Frank came to get his guitar again

I had been wanting to see Lisa X! She was there! Again it is shame on me taking a picture with a cute young girl, but I couldn’t help it! Lisa chan kawaii

Then I kept a promise to see Nathan. He is such a sweetheart!

Love his funny face. He is shy to show off his incredible skills

I can totally relate to it except that I am not an excellent player

Albert Lee and Steve Morse! Country time!

Then I saw my coworker’s daughter, Yvette! I was just thinking that Cort guitar dropped her, but she got a promotion! This booth is way bigger and more exposure!

She is so cute and talented!

I think that’s Chris Broderick! Thank you for turning us on to Fractal audio system!

We left NAMM early and headed to a Japanese Market for dinner. It’s nice to eat good cheap Japanese food compared to overly priced mediocre hamburgers at convention center in the crowds. This big billboard is in Japanese! Just for a second, I thought I was in Japan

NAMM Saturday was started with Greg Howe and finished with Greg Howe. We are stalkers

Simon Phillips Protocol show! We joined the table with our friends. This venue is hard to see! All in one level

I thought we came early enough to get a nice table but we were again ones of the last people who showed up

Ken said he could see only Greg’s eyebrows

What a great band! I felt Simon’s drums on my fat stomach every hit

Amazing sound! Love the keyboard player! Greg is the king

Guitar Guitar Guitar

Yesterday was really NAMM day. We listened to so many great guitar players and got numb

I finished most of my business on Thursday so we could see what we want to see.

The view from our hotel room. These are all fender boxes. So many guitars were shipped.

The first thing in the morning (for us is 1pm

). Mr. Greg Howe

Luckily we got headphones! Audio is only from the headphones.

I thought this is his guitar case sitting where we were standing.

Then Frank came to pick the case up

Love his smile. He is one of the friendliest artists.

His pedal board. My friend who recognized me from facebook last year was happened to be next to me. He was checking Greg’s pedal board, so I took the picture, too.

Ken was saying Greg was giving a cold glance to the bass player for chord changes or something. I think he didn’t like the audio mixing. He had to give the up and down fingers to the soundman. From the headphone, the sound was so dry and hardly ever distorted. Every single note can be heard exactly the way he played. The sound from headphones were not preferable but he was perfect!

Then at the same booth, Mr. Frank Gambale! I like my two favorite artists are in the same picture. A few years ago, I caught Allan Holdsworth checking out Frank and caught the moment in the picture.

On the way, we caught Ethan demonstrating at ISP. Nathan was there, too. He recognized us first and gave us hugs. He is such a nice guy. I promised to catch his demonstration later.

After lunch, we caught another Frank’s demonstration at the different booth. We really love his guitar playing.

In these crowds, we still run into the same people. I think it is because we are meant to be in their lives and they are meant to be in our lives. Here is Ken’s band leader we ran into. Well we were gonna stay in LA longer and skip Monday rehearsal with him, but I guess we’d better make it

Later on the way we walked to catch a show, I saw Michael Angelo and Doug Aldrich talking on the street. We run into these artist all the time

I don’t wait in lines to take pictures with artists but I thought it would be a killer photo if I am between Michael and Doug! I tried not to disturb their conversation and waited too long. I almost missed two of them. I stopped Doug to take a picture together. I had a doubt that he was Doug first because he looked so youthful. Maybe because it was dark and I didn’t see his wrinkles. Facelift?!?

Top musician like him who played in Whitesnake still has to bring his own equipment just like a local musician

Well I want as less pictures as possible with my tooth retainer. I don’t know how to smile with it. Specially next to a tiny beautiful young lady.

At Elements of Sound show, Gretchen was behind of us in the line to get in. Since we played a gig together I’d better say hi to her

She was so friendly and nice. It was my mistake to take a picture with this beautiful lady

I look aweful next to her, so no pic here

She came to catch her friend, Nili Brosh. The first artist started playing at 6:20pm and NAMM closes at 6pm. Walking takes 20 minutes. Everybody thinks 6:20pm is door time, not a show time

Plus it took a long time to go inside the venue. We just missed Nili

Thanks for her Facebook posting so that we were the ones of the first people to get tickets. All seats are the same price! Might as well get the front row! Our seats were excellent! I have never seen a concert this close sitting with my dinner in front

Many manufacturers sponsored this concert. Many Suhr guitar artists played. We saw Andy Wood and Andy Timmons a few years back at Suhr factory tour at Namm time. We liked them. This time I specially liked Andy Wood’s music.

Andy Timmon’s guitar sound was the best. I was all numb to good guitar playing by this time, but when he played Bohemian Rhapsody with the very nice guitar arrangement, it woke me up again. All crowds stood up and applauded after the song.

He is one of the difficult ones to take a good picture because his complexion is so white and the face becomes all blur with the stage lighting. Touching the iPhone screen many many times on his face and finally got good exposures

Then the headliner, Mr. Paul Gilbert!

Did he become Eric Clapton?!?

Just reminded me of this cartoon

I like him without glasses!

Guitar battle of Paul and Andy was great!

Ending was all star jam, but no Nili! Was she intimidated? If I were her, I would be!

Our first time watching Mark Lettieri. His improvised solos were tasty. He is also photogenic!

Everybody did a guitar battle with Paul. Nili finally showed up at the last song. She looked so cute in all male guitar players.

From the front row, I was able to take nice pictures without efforts

Walking back to the hotel, we stopped by Roscoes for fried chickens yum yum

Quiet view of night NAMM.

Nice city Corona

We are here in Southern California for NAMM. This time we decided to come early and look for a house. My boss is old and we don’t know how long he can stay in business. Might as well coming back to Southern California, which is our favorite area, if no more employment. Checked in the hotel last night. Love it! New, roomy and cheap! Plus breakfast is included!

View from the room. It is right next to the busy freeway but I don’t mind the noise. I have to wear ear plugs anyway for Ken’s world’s loudest snoring

Today was a nice date! We relaxed until in the afternoon at the hotel and went to see four houses. The realtor is a nice Korean lady. We like her because she is quiet. This is the first house. It is totally different from the pictures. The backyard is way smaller.

The second house and the third house were similar. I thought the houses were on the hill, but not really.

Then last minute, we added to see this house, which is little over what we want to pay.

The owner is a designer and did a lot of add ons. Gorgeous stairs!

Love this view

The bath tub is little too small.

This house is an amazing deal! Over 3000 sq foot, but not too expensive. It is little too Gordy. Marbles are everywhere, but it was little too much. Still a killer deal and hard to let it go! After leaving the house and cooled down, I really liked only backyard and the view. A house doesn’t have to be that nice, but I just wanna have a great view.

Then we headed to a hot spring facility. I thought it would be nice to be able to come here occasionally if I lived here. The place was closed last week due to the mudslide from Holy Fire. On the way to the hot spring, we stopped by antique places.

I will buy this if we buy a house here!

It ain’t food if it ain’t fried

This is good for our current small house.

The way Ken stands is funny again

Inside of the old truck.

So cute! They are sheds! Like a little town!

Arrived at the hot spring. We didn’t bring swimsuits because I wasn’t planning to be inside. Just wanted to check the gift shop and restaurant.

I thought it was a healthier place, but I smelt choline from people passing by. The restaurant uses Starbucks

Dinner time at Rock & Brew! Wow

This places rocks!

Even Van Halen on the front of the menu!

The name of each dish rocks, too

I got this sandwich on the picture. It was so so.

Hard to smile with a tooth retainer.

We enjoyed music videos. Then Ken’s saxophone player friend was on the screen. It is so funny. I met this guy in Japan and had a lunch with him 5 years before I met Ken. He came to my city backing up Eikichi Yazawa. He came to sell his saxophone to the music store I used to work for. Then he asked me to go to lunch. I took him to the okonomiyaki place next door. Anyway I didn’t get closer than that. At that time, my mom was very ill. Plus this guy was bragging that he had a wife and children, but he was giving me the taxi money to come to his hotel room

Then about 10 years later, we ran into each other at his gig in a small restaurant! Hahahaha!

The lights are toms and sticks!

Came back to the hotel room

Ken started watching YouTubes on TV. When he gets drunk, he starts listening to his own works.

I like his shadow

We don’t have a big TV connected to internet at home so it’s nice to see ourselves on TV.

My missing tooth

I have to wait until April to get this implant completed.

A tooth missing holiday

Two more weeks until 2019!

After my hair was done, we went to eat at our fav restaurant and hang out until I became sober.

His roots

Bear with a bear hat

This is where we got married.

My band’s last gig of 2018 was done and gathered a lot of people

The sound guy there is meticulous and mixed my guitar so low. I had to fight for the better sound, but finished alright with turning up 🖕

My fav photographers showed up

This looks like a clown

Then I finally went to my implant surgery. The doc said I get a temp tooth right away, but I ended up with needing bone grafting

Now he is saying I have to treat my next tooth in order to heal the implant. His skills are great, but he is a

sucker

Today I am resting in this nice weather! Luckily it isn’t hurting much. My holiday will be missing a tooth so I stay home 🏠 . Feeling like I am leaving all bad burdens behind of me and having a fresh great new year!

Before flight back home

Good morning!

Well, today is Sunday. We are already back home last night. Just neglected to upload pictures yesterday. From our hotel room in the morning. Huge waves

Breakfast buffet at our hotel.

Very close to the water. Wave sound was really loud even though the window was closed. I liked it cuz it covered Ken’s snoring.

Our fat cat

When it comes to music, USA is number one! Quality of musicians there was’t very impressive.

Hit Trump and get candies

Many gay populations here.

This is my chiropractor’s office. I wish he was working....

This is our third visits to The Blue Shrimp restaurant

Only air conditioned place in the town

Service and food are excellent!

We will be back in the future, Puerto Vallarta

Day 5 in PV Jardin Botanico

It’s cloudy, the first English sentence that my mom learned by herself. We missed tours and didn’t know what to do. Something not too hard physically and we can come back in a few hours, we decided to go to the botanical garden. Sounds like an old couple’s choice, huh

The cab driver was a speed racer

It was fast, but nice scenic drive to the jungle.

Sound amazing!

Nino waterfall

Finally flat surface whew. We got all sweated.

I expected to meet more jungle creatures, but not many at all!

Conservatory. Not very impressive. Similar to plants in California.

Ken was cracking up. Nice comfy music was coming from the Marshall speaker

We want one!

The bridge of dreams. We crossed! Make our dreams come true!

Chapel. People have weddings here. Make sure to wear insect repellent

This lady looks like the one who was dancing last night

I like these things.

Ken wanted to rent this. Not now for my back.

Finally lunch time yay!

Complementary mango juice!

Great view

Finally saw colorful birds!

Food and service were excellent here! Shrimp fajitas.

Chicken Cesar.

Again them! I like them

Our goal in this garden was to the river. There were many steps.

We got much closer to the black birds we saw from the restaurant.

We went further and saw the hummock!

My first time!

Lol

I left Ken there and dipped my feet in the water.

Felt so good! My unfashionable Niagara Falls sandals worked after all

Look Ken’s feet! Funny angle again

Going back up.

Bee hive? Huge!

Spider

It was a good exercise.
Back to the room.

Day 4 in PV

We were supposed to go to Marietas Island hidden beach tour, but I cancelled it due to my back pain and Ken refused to go in the water because his friends were stung by something, still in the hospital. This is the hidden beach I wanted to go.

This pic is from google image search.

The departure point was little far and too early. It is a 7 hour tour. I don’t think I can do it

. Then I thought to go on an easy tour to see monkeys and stingrays etc, still takes 7 hours. Again Ken said the crocodile guy died by stingray’s stung and a lady’s face was peeled by a monkey brah blah blah.... we can’t do anything! He just want to drink all day! Weather focast was a thunder mark. I gave up this time. On the way to chiropractor’s appointment.

His treatment was effective. We had breakfast at this restaurant, terrible

I had to ice my back. Back to the room. It wasn’t too hot sitting on our balcony. Nice breeze.

The pool at this hotel is typical. I didn’t even bother bringing a camera. Good thing is that Ken learned how to swim! He was afraid of water. I taught him from how to move his feet to various forms of swimming. He made it to swim all the way across the pool without touching his feet on the ground!

The water in the ocean was warm, but not clear. Swimming made my back hurts.

Later we walked south to find a restaurant for dinner.

Our previous hotel in the background, the highest on the hill.

This set me to eat lobster for dinner.

Somebody’s romantic dinner. A cameraman was at stand by.

We ended up with having dinner at our hotel, which was actually the best choice around here.

My mission was to watch the sunset from the table, but I missed it while taking salads bar

Sitting in the front row, venders didn’t leave us alone. Tired of saying no gracious. I ignored them.

Getting dark. I couldn’t see well.

Followed by singing, there was a Spanish tap dancing entertainment.

My back was hurting so much, I couldn’t take good pictures.

Day 3 in PV

Grand Miramar’s service was excellent and we got spoiled. I already miss it!

Today we are downgrading to the ordinary class hotel in downtown because we wanted to stay at ocean front. We checked in little after 12 and we are the one of the first guests to check in, hoping to get a good room. I requested the highest floor since we had to deal with almost the lowest floor at GM. We had to kill a couple of hours until their official checking in time. First, we went to check my chiropractor’s office. Found the place

The appointment is tomorrow. Then we walked around and did some shopping.

Lol

I bought a hat for Ken. We have to bargain in Mexico. Ken thinks he looks like a Mexican now

My feet started hurting and we looked for sandals (I have a complaint about it later lol). A lot of venders are hussling and talking to us here. Ken is too friendly to ignore them. A guy started talking to us and he knew we are from California, even Ken was wearing a Mexican hat. He knew because of Ken’s stomach fat

Americans, specially Californians who drive everywhere, are the fattest in the world. Ken is a normal size in America

Then I couldn’t take this humidity and we went to this air conditioned restaurant. Margarita and fish tacos were so good!

Here is my complaint. Ken told me he lost his sandals that he bought in Hawaii. So I packed our free Niagara Falls unfashionable sandals for us, but he brought his Hawaiian sandals with him! I asked him at least three times if he found the sandals and he said no. I would’ve brought my light very comfortable Hawaiian sandals with me if Ken had told me he had his. I told him he had to wear our matching Niagara Falls sandals, but he didn’t bring them

I was pissed, but I didn’t want to stay mad in our vacation. I told him to buy sandals for me. Grand Miramar’s shop was closed. There are tons of shops in downtown, but not many sandals are sold. I was limping with my bad back and blisters on my toes looking for sandals. I thought it was easy to find them near the beach, but not many selections

They are even selling used sandals yuck! I want a light cheap easy sandals that are not geta type. Finally found the pair, but this ended up giving me more scrapes on my feet. It is very small thing if Ken would’ve informed me he found his sandals, I didn’t have to go through this. Moreover my scrapes will hurt in the salty ocean water when we swim. F**k!

Then finally time for checking into the room. We were given a dark room which was far from the ocean. Totally different from the description from the website

We are staying here for three nights. I couldn’t take it. I argued for the better room and the guy at the front desk was reluctant to give us a better room, but I told him to shorten our stay. Then he gave me the room that was on the website. What an ass! I am happy with this room whew.

We can see the restaurant we ate at from our room.

Let’s see what we can do next. Not many choices with this bad back.

Funky bathtub.

Walking around beach walk.

Land mark of PV.

We become religious only when we come to foreign countries and visit churchs. We attended the service, but we left after 30 minutes to catch the sunset.

Nice!

Puerto Vallarta!

I saw this in a guide book!

Weird statures.

Lights up

This is where we ate dinner.

Delicious! Ken ordered another one, the same plate, Rib with demi-glacé sauce.

Back to hotel. Much calmed down with no people in the pool.

Infinity Pool

Mission accomplished! I was dreaming about swimming in this pool! Luckily only another couple was there and we got to use the pool mostly all by ourselves

Ken is happy drinking

My back feels better in the water.

Welcome to the Jungle

Palm trees are on the top of the building!

A huge grasshopper

Beautiful sunset from Grand Miramar Resort.

2nd Day at GM

Buenos Dias! After the dinner last night, I slept all the way through morning. Muy Bonita morning!

I have been checking PV’s weather very often for last five months. It was all thunder marks. Again we brought California sun with us. Only the time we stay here has sunny marks

Because of off season, the restaurant isn’t offering the breakfast buffet. Instead we could order anything as much as we want from the menu

We ordered two breakfast plates each. Ken loves them! He is on low carb diet. He can keep it here.

After the breakfast, we explored in this resort. It isn’t as big as I thought.

Look at this ugly building on the side! It is right next to our room. We asked for another room, but the bell boy said all master suites are next to this