jasonlefler

Am fine, will update soon. XO Jason... read more

This is as accurate and honest an account of my time in Bordeaux as memory, decency and legality permit. It was a place and time where the laws of man and nature were momentarily suspended to permit me a gulp of life direct from the mountain source. From Berlin These are the exact kind of spirited, lively and attractive Spanish people I am born to love! They are the poster Euros, the new generation. I can't believe I ended up in a sleeper car with 5 of them! I wish they would shut the hell up and let me get some sleep! Sensing my exhaustion, the girl opposite me chews her lip and her eyes roll back in her head as she searches for the right words. They inch out, one at a time. There's drama. ... read more

After my day in the sun, taking useless pictures of animals and generally enjoying myself, I was overcome by a strong sense of guilt. It had to be guilt. Either guilt or heatstroke. Surely there was some imbalance in the Jason, as I'd indulged my whimsy but not my intellect. Cavorting about Berlin on a rickety bicycle, drinking cheap beer and laying in the sun was all well and good, but when was I going to grow up, put on long pants, and play adult? Hoping to avert disappointment and expand my mind, I visited the two most immediately appealing of Berlin's MANY (MANYMANYMANY) museums. Berlin is serious about its history and culture and seriously good at marketing it. There is even an island in the city devoted solely to museums. First, the Jüdisches Museum ...heavily ... read more

That train ride was positively Brutal. The family opposite me in the six-seater cabin refused to put their luggage overhead. So, I query, where should it be placed? Why, directly on the floor! Who needs a place to put your feet on an 8 hour overnight ride!!?? Not the stinky, grumpy American in the hilarious sleeping mask and earplugs. Everytime the floorspace (approximately 2 square feet) shifted in dimensions, there was a mad tapdance as we all jockeyed for a place to put our barking dogs. For eight hours straight, everyone is barely asleep. Jostling occurs. As does tossing, turning, scooching and squeezing. I have a good idea. Take this slice of heaven and knock about 30 degrees off of the cabin temperature. This makes the floor in Dublin International look like a room full of ... read more

California Dreaming From the moment I landed, I could recognize the echoes of the Bay Area in Dublin. It's younger inhabitants are hipper and more distinct from the old UK guard than I had expected. Perhaps it is because I walked out of my hostel and straight into the throbbing heart of the youth culture, on nearby Camden Street. In a glut of organic eateries, juiceaterias, cafelounges and multipurpose pubspaces, I found the two-headed monster that is Whelans and The Village. A pair of shiny nouveau loft buildings so out of place amongst the weathered brick that I half expected them to be plyboard fronts, hollow in back. Instead, the rear end of the block offered additional entrances to musical venues atop the well-kitted throngs of the portobello and prosciutto set. I just made that ... read more

I am not ashamed to admit I overate at the same sushi place on consecutive days. 2 out of 3 meals. Distended belly. Elevated mercury levels. Look of concern and revulsion on the face of the chef. All indicators that I ate sushi with authority. American Style! I cannot say for certain how a fantastic sushi restaurant named Mikado found its way to tiny Glens Falls, NY. I also cannot say for certain that I feel right about publishing it's presence on the internaught. What if the Sushi Commission finds out and redistricts Danny and his family to San Francisco or New York City? My relatives would be crestfallen. Deprived of his wondrous creations, they might lose interest in the area, move away, and change their names. It's happened before. But, like Richard, I'm leaving behind ... read more