Day Seventeen - Jo Jo, Napoleon Dynamite and Emperor Norton I

Our last full day in Santa Rosa for a few days. We've decided to come back! Most of what we really wanted to see, we've already seen, so we're coming back for the weekend. We'll get here the night or evening of the 7th.

So today Nikki's pal, Jo Jo, who oddly lives in Santa Rosa, came around. When she walked in the door, Cole recognized her as the girl she gave grapes to at The Market. Small world. They went out of breakfast, then we all met up and attempted to see the movie Napoleon Dynamite.

It was playing at 1:30, but we went to the wrong theater. So we went out to eat instead. Our food took a little long getting to us, so we missed the second showing, at 2:30. We took our time eating some amazing Indian food and then almost missed the 3:30 showing because (surprise) Nikki had to pee.

After finally seeing the movie, all I can say is that it is amazing. Just wonderful. Insanely weird and funny. Though I don't think my mom would like it. My dad would though. He should see it. Nikki thought it was ok. Ashley had problems with it, but doesn't know why. I think she liked it, but doesn't know why. Cole didn't seem to enjoy it much either. But everyone else I've ever talked to about it has loved it. Maybe it's a movie for a certain type of person. Not sure.

Here's the official site: http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/napoleondynamite/epk/index.php
Here is the trailer for the film: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/napoleon_dynamite.html

After that, Jo Jo had to meet up with other friends, so we said our good-byes and hung out a bit at a bookstore. 

Ashley and I were hungry again, so we all trekked to Subway, but only the two of us ate. There was a creepy guy who was semi-hitting on Ashley, but mostly just being... I can't describe it really. He was just really goofy and told really bad jokes and then explained them. It was like something out of the movie we just saw. Just not as extreme.

From Subway, we tried to get to an all vegetarian restaurant about 30 minutes away from Santa Rosa in a town called Guernville. It's a mostly gay town, but it was also Monday night and everything was closed, including the place where we had hoped to eat (again).

On the way to Guernville, I stopped to look at this cute convertible VW bug. I'm in love. I've gone through a series of cars that I would like to have. VW Bus, Mini Cooper, Stella scooter and VW Bug. The bus and the scooter are still things that I would very much like to have and eventually will. The Mini is just too far out of my price range and is becoming somewhat of a status symbol, which is something I could really do with out. True, it's better than a gas-gussling status symbol, but still.  The Bug is actually something which I *could* afford. Ashley offered to drive it behind the car all the way to home. But I think I'll look for something local after I'm through with my car payments (January).

We found ourselves back at Cole's and on the computer looking up things on Emperor Norman I, the Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico. He's a very wonderful character who lived in the mid to late 1800's. He's sort of a local legend in these parts, but at the time was known all over the US. I mean, come on, he was emperor. See:
At the pre-emptory request of a large majority of the citizens of these United States, I Joshua Norton, formerly of Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope, and now for the last nine years and ten months past of San Fransisco, California, declare and proclaim myself the Emperor of These United States. - September 17, 1859 .

If you haven't already, check out the post about him.

Around 9pm, the girls left and not even an hour later came back with an all vegan cake with a buttload of candles on it (THAT many??... wow). We all had cake and it was quite yummy! Woo! Hurrah for cake!

That was our day. Here are the...

Stats
Miles traveled today: 86
Hours on the road: n/a
Miles traveled in total: 5556

Pictures
Pictures from Eric's Camera.
No pics from Ashley yet again!

Where are we?
Map showing where we are today!
(Purple = where we've been. Red = where we traveled today.)