Johnny Jet

At last! After three long weeks I have finally returned home to Los Angeles. Yeah! It feels so gooooooood to be back!

Except for one problem: On Friday night I hit the jet lag wall for the first time in a long time. Around 8:30 p.m. I sat on the couch, and the next thing I remember is Amber Airplane trying to wake me up. It was an hour later, and I couldn't even speak. She said noises were coming out of my mouth, but nothing she could comprehend. That's not like me, but now I know how someone who doesn’t travel often feels. I got jet lagged because I was out late the night before for my cousin AJ's bachelor party (more on that later), and got up at the crack of dawn for my flight back to L.A. Be sure to scroll down to see plenty of great pictures, from AJ's farewell party to places I went to in Connecticut.

As usual I frequented a bunch of restaurants this week. What a shocker, huh? The first one I had never been to, the others I haven't written about (at least I don't think so). Let's start with Villa Del Sol in Westport, where my brother Frank took my dad, Cricket and me. I usually don't eat south-of-the-border food when I’m in the Northeast because my home is practically in Mexico, but because I had been away so long it was perfect. I liked Villa Del Sol. The ambiance and food (especially the tortillas) were all good! Sorry I forgot my camera that night, but you can see for yourself the next time you crave Mexican and are in Fairfield County. Villa Del Sol: 36 Elm St., Westport, CT, tel: 203-226-7912.

The following night I went to dinner with my Dad and Frank Fay, a writer from The Hour (my hometown newspaper). The Hour wanted to do a huge story on JohnnyJet.com and our book "You Are Here Traveling With Johnny Jet.com." I asked if we could do the interview over dinner, because my dad and I were starving. Of course he agreed, so we went down to Sono (South Norwalk) to Match. The food is always good there, and the atmosphere is even better -- especially on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night in the summer. Match: 98 Washington St., Norwalk, CT., tel: 203-852-1088.

If you’re ever in South Norwalk and want some local flavor at something a little more reasonably priced, try Sono Seafood. I'm not a big seafood fan, but everyone else in my family is. It was a nice day, perfect for taking relatives to lunch. Every few months or so we get together with my mom's relatives to catch up and reminisce about her. Everyone liked the food. My non-seafood cheeseburger was good, and the seagul behind me liked the fries Frank fed it. Sono Seaport Seafood: 100 Water St., Norwalk, CT, tel.: 203-866-9083.

As I mentioned last week, summer finally appeared in the Northeast. It went from cold and rainy to hot and hazy in exactly one day. Mother Nature just skipped spring. It was boiling -- you know, so hot you can’t even lean back in the car seat. The best place to be was by the pool at my dad's place, or out on the water.

We went on Long Island Sound almost every day in Frank's boat. If you’re not sure where Long Island Sound is, check out this map for the body of water between Connecticut and Long Island. We did a little exploring on the beautiful and peacefully deserted Cockenoe Island. We found all kinds of sea life, including hermit crabs to horseshoe crabs (Amber Airplane hates those, and if you’ve seen those bad boys you know why). Make sure you bring some flip-flops, because there are plenty of shells. The water is still cold so you might not want to swim yet, but you can always soak up the sun and fishing.

One last suggestion if you find yourself in southern Connecticut this week. Go to Rowayton and see Shakespeare on the Sound (an open-air production of plays by William Shakespeare). This week it’s The Merchant of Venice . It takes place in Pinkney Park, on the banks of the Five Mile River. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m., but I’d go as early at 4 (when the gates open). You can reserve a seat, then stop by Rowayton Pizza or Rowayton Seafood for a nice dinner, then hit Brendans 101 for some tasty pre-performance. Shakespeare on the Sound is free, but a $15 donation is recommended.

Let’s see, what else? As you have probably heard my cousin AJ is marrying Jamie-Lynn Sigler who plays Meadow Soprano. I'm AJ's best man, but he keeps calling me his worst man because I waited so long to put his bachelor party together. I told him it wasn't my fault, because he keeps changing the date and plan. I originally had an awesome three-day Bahamas cruise set up. People even bought their plane tickets, but he canceled it because of a last minute engagement.

The good news is I'm back to being called the best man (at least until I give my speech). With some help from family and friends we sent AJ off in style last week in New York City. Over 40 guys showed up at a private room at Coppola's (East) on Third Avenue. My brother Frank fired up his limo, and a bunch of us piled in like we were in the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus. The hour ride went by quickly, because we were ragging on Frank. I thought he was joking when he asked me if he should wear these shoes, so I said of course. Do they look they belong to Ronald McDonald or what?

The party was a blast. I can't tell you what went on because that would break the code, but I can say we had a great time. The food was good, and the company even better. A bunch of friends, family and Soprano's showed up. Not bad for putting it together a week before, and it being 95 degrees at midnight. Coppola's (East): 378 3rd Avenue, New York, NY, tel.: 212-679-0070.

That night I slept in the city. When my alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. it felt like some cartoon character had come out of the wall and hit me over the head with a frying pan. I was dazed and confused. Luckily I remember to call Tel Aviv car service (212-777-7777) the night before (I didn't use Carmel's car service because I of their evil phone number: 212-666-6666). Many people don't know the cost of these car services is the same as a taxi. The plusses are that you don't have to worry about hailing a cab, and can pay by credit card. The minus is that they’re not always on time, but this Friday they were.

I got to JFK, breezed through check-in and security, and fantasized about getting on the Concorde that was boarding at the gate next door. The last day this bad boy is going to be in the air is October 24. So if you want to travel at supersonic speed, buy your tickets now (it would be nice if you used our new travel agency: 1-800-JohnnyJet). But my fantasy didn’t come true, and I boarded a 767 that took 5 hours and 18 minutes to fly across the country.

Next week I’ll tell you about 4th of July in L.A., plus the amazing MTV bash I went to the other night. Peace.

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LOS ANGELES TIMES (Free Registration)
Trying to clear the static on using electronics aloft TRAVEL LOG Expecting a burst of tourism Slim volumes with special heft Great vistas are etched in granite TOURS & CRUISES All the world in a Goleta warehouse No bingo, just Alaska wilderness Booking online can save you big bucks Waltzing into magical Avignon In Rome, a different kind of love among the ruins In the footsteps of miners with minors in San Bernardino San Francisco's magic carpet ride No one's singing the blues in this laid-back delta Finding the nuggets in Gold Country Pacific pastures in Marin Observing San Diego County Readers recommend LETTERS Crunching El Capitan numbers Choose a bank that skips the fee For the record Door County: See it in summer

USA TODAY (Free Registration)
Screener lets passenger handle gun American lays off 3,100 flight attendants Discount airlines go shopping for jetliners Firecracker residue can set off security Historic sites may be closed to save money Bag checking can slow down online check-in Increased Internet check-in predicted Hilton recruits sleep-study volunteers Pittsburgh plane charges dropped Airlines may apply for Baghdad service Air Canada pilots accept deal United restores more Asian flights TSA blamed for lost, stolen luggage More travelers leads to security delays Construction adds to Sea-Tac's lines Gulfport-Biloxi to double in size Japan's ANA orders 45 Boeing jets Hudson River rail tunnel plans dropped > Low fares chip away at Midwest's perks Airport screeners may get X-ray vision House approves $6B for Amtrak NWA unhappy with airspace plan Mainline customers await refunds NWA, new flight attendants union clash Hawaiian Airlines trustee resigns Low fares chip away at Midwest's perks Airport screeners may get X-ray vision House approves $6B for Amtrak NWA unhappy with airspace plan Mainline customers await refunds NWA, new flight attendants union clash Hawaiian Airlines trustee resigns Monorail: Las Vegas's new attraction Bard looms large in the valley of the Po A 'hidden treasure' in the Smokies New Jersey: More than gangsters Park brings Civil War battle to life Building Solomon's Castle