Mmmm...Cinnamon Toast

DCI Finals Week

Travel Day

Sunday, August 9, 2026

Bro and I were the only ones who woke up at our regular times this morning, so we walked across the street to Cafe Patachou for breakfast.  It's good we got there before 9am as there were still several tables open.  We had tried to eat here a previous year but it was very crowded.  I'm familiar with the place because they used to have one in the airport and I liked to get breakfast there before going to my gate.  They don't have one there anymore, so I'm glad Bro was interested in it.  

They have a coffee bar with unlimited coffee, but I wanted herbal tea.  Bro ordered a make-your-own omelettte that sounded like the flatbread we used to get a Tastings.  I got a basic eggs & chicken sausage breakfast, but the highlight of my plate was the cinnamon toast.  It was soooo good that I ate all 4 slices that came with my meal.   Bro also had the cinnamon toast and it reminded both of us of our mom toasting buttered bread with sugar in the oven, but with cinnamon.  

We lounged in the hotel room until checkout time and took an Uber to IND.  We still had lots of time before boarding, so we had time to relax and eat lunch.  I also bought candy from the expensive candy place at the gate, and my Jelly Belly flavors included "Assorted Bubble Tea", which had matcha, strawberry, taro, and Thai tea.   I now need to see if I can get those as a pack by themselves.  

As we were boarding the plane, a guy in front of us was having trouble with all of his carryon items, and we wanted to help him, but V said that we would make it worse because then unknown people woul be handling his bags.  He ended up sitting next to the nephew.  I was happy to see that he was wearing a Pacific Crest corps jacket.  

During the flight, I watched "Rocky" because I had never watched it in its entirety.  

When we go to LAX, we took a shuttle back to the economy lot.  One of the guys on the bus had a signed drum head from SCV.  I think his mom was carrying an age-out feather in a box.  They were talking to another family about what food he missed while he was on tour.  I think he wanted a burrito from a certain restaurant, but someone was already making some good home cooking for him at home. 

I was jealous of the sticker on his water jug, because I had never seen it before.  It's probably only available for corps members, because it's not in the store online, nor was it in the booth at Finals.  

See how cool it is with the chains?

When we got back to Bro's place, I got my stuff that I had left there before the trip, and Bro and I were going to go by ourselves.  But the nephew hadn't eaten all day and was asking for In N Out.  Then the niece wanted to join.  Then V didn't want to just be by herself.  So everyone piled back into Bro's car to go to my house and exchange me for Coda after picking up In N Out near my house.  

I had a great time on our trip!  Bro and I will be making arrangements this week for next year, because it will be SCV's 70th anniversary.  We might make plans for other places because I'll have more free time next summer.  Also, so that maybe we can travel elsewher with the kids for drum corps.  The niece's school schedule conflicts with Finals next year, and the nephew found the whole Finals experience to be too exhausting and will not be joining us next year.  

Until then:  Drum Corps Withdrawal