Following Sara...

Indianapolis Marriott North - location, location, location!

2011-11-07T16:17:00.002-06:00

We stayed here for a wedding weekend, and the first and best thing I have to say about this hotel is that the location is AWESOME, especially for a wedding weekend. There's tons of shopping, restaurants, etc. It's a pretty good trek from the airport though, so you'll want to take that into account.

That being said, let's talk about the hotel. The pros:
-Staff is incredible and very friendly. We had a really late arrival, and they let us take beverages from the mini-mart downstairs at no charge. (It's the little things.)
-Housekeeping was incredibly understanding and helpful when we needed our room cleaned later due to the wedding festivities. They were kind, patient, and friendly whenever we ran into them.
-The rooms are large, comfortable, and the beds were soft. It was like sinking into a cloud.
-The pool/workout area offers water.
-Free parking at a full-service property!!
-We rarely heard our neighbors, if at all.

The "eh":
-The rooms are dated and even though the rooms have been renovated, they still seem dated, and I could see a lot of water damage on our room.
-Our toilet didn't seem to have enough water pressure to flush correctly, and we had to hold it down multiple times. The shower water pressure wasn't that great either, and we were on a lower floor.
-Our door didn't shut completely. Several times we thought we had pulled it closed, and we would come back to find it ajar. Not sure if it was our error, housekeeping, or a combination, but it was a little alarming, to say the least.
-CNN didn't seem to work or be included with the cable package - it was a constant car commercial.

The rooms overlooking the lake were really peaceful, and we would have liked to have one. :) Overall, at a lower rate, I think this hotel is a great value. It's not as nice as some full-service properties, but it is a lot nicer than older Courtyards or Fairfield Inns, and the rate was pretty comparable. I'd go back based on the location and the lake if I had business in the area.

Residence Inn, Bryan/College Station

2011-03-29T16:58:00.001-05:00

We were in College Station for an engagement party this past weekend, and while most people stayed at the Hilton, we opted for the Residence Inn. It looks to be brand new, the king rooms are large, well appointed, and comfortable. There are several restaurants nearby, there's easy access to TAMU and all the roads leading in and out of College Station. I stayed at the Hampton last time I was in CS, and this hotel is far superior. There is a nice indoor pool, complimentary internet, a decently sized exercise room, and an area to sit outside. They also have a small on-site convenience store. No complaints here, and I will be staying here again when we come for the wedding!

I'm OK with OKC!

2011-01-17T13:08:00.003-06:00

This past weekend, Boyfriend and I headed to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to see the George Strait, Reba McEntire, and LeeAnn Womack concert! Since the concert wasn’t until Saturday night, I proposed we drive down on Friday and make a weekend of it, and Boyfriend obliged.

I was able to get us reservations at the Hilton Skirvin Hotel, and boy, I’m glad I did! The hotel is just as luxurious as the pictures on the Hilton website. The service was absolutely impeccable. Even though our requested room type wasn’t available, the staff was extremely friendly and very apologetic. (They had a large wedding booked on Saturday night.) We had a large room on the 11th floor that was beautifully and comfortably appointed. The beds were new Hilton beds and extremely comfortable – it was like sleeping on a cloud! The bathroom was especially large and there was plenty of room to get ready. The ONE drawback about the hotel was the weak water pressure, but I understand this is an older hotel, and it’s just one of those things. Every time we retrieved the car from valet, they made sure to give us directions AROUND the construction going on downtown and tried to help us find our destination. They would always have the car pulled around by the time we got downstairs. I have zero complaints about this hotel, and it was only three blocks away from the concert hall, so we were able to walk and avoid the traffic! It’s also very convenient to Bricktown and the attractions in that area. Although we didn’t order room service or dine in the restaurant, the piano music coming from the bar was inspiring – it was almost as if we took a trip back in time. I would definitely stay here again, simply basis on the quality of the service received.

Anyway, we arrived a little before 6:00 on Friday, and I wanted to shower before we tried to go out to dinner. Tom tried to call Cattlemen’s to see if we could get a reservation for dinner, but they don’t take them, so we decided to try our luck. It was about 7:45 when we got down to the Stockyards, and we were told the wait was an hour. The restaurant wasn’t that nice and the service we received was quite brusque, so after taking one look at the waiting room upstairs with ONE bartender and a line across the room to get drinks, we decided to try our luck elsewhere. We ended up at Carino’s, which was ok. I had to send my food back because it was stone cold, but the service was friendly and we only had to wait 20 minutes. We had talked about going to a movie, but we were both so tired, we decided to go back to the room and relax.

Saturday morning, we woke up and Tom was ready to hit up the Oklahoma City Science Musuem, as they had an imax, and they were showing two films – Extreme and Everest. We bought tickets to both. ;) Everest was GREAT – go see it if you have the opportunity!! Extreme made me a little motion sick. The imax was really nice though – comfortable seats, clean, and not too loud. It’s definitely on our radar now. We decided to try Cattlemen’s again for lunch, but again, there was a crazy wait and people were lined up outside, so we decided to skip it again. We found a Chinese restaurant and had a late lunch there. By the time we finished, we decided to head back to the hotel to rest a little while before the concert. I fell into a deep sleep for a little over an hour and Tom watched TV.

I got up at 5:30 to start getting ready. I looked SO cute, and I’m so bummed I forgot my camera. (HOW DOES THAT EVEN HAPPEN?!) I wore the DVF skirt I bought for the Britney Spears concert in 2009, a yellow Kate Spade top I bought this past summer, and Camille’s ADORABLE boots. Tom LOVED my outfit, and I did, too. I looked ridiculously cute. Country chic? Maybe? Anyway, we walked over to the arena and were surprised to see how GREAT our seats were. Hello front row!! The security lady in front of us was super friendly, too. She asked if we were on our honeymoon; I guess we had stars in our eyes, lol.

The concert was incredible! Lee Ann Womack sang my favourite songs – I Hope You Dance and Think of a Reason Later… turns out, Boyfriend loves Think of a Reason Later, too. Lol… Reba sang an eclectic mix of old and new songs, and I belted them right along with her. I swear to God my boyfriend thought it was cute. ;) Then it was time for George… oh George, you haven’t aged a bit. He played for awhile, and Boyfriend would take my hands and sing to me. It was seriously cute. (Don’t be jealous.) There was an especially sweet moment during I Cross My Heart.

The thing that impressed me most about this concert was the lack of special effects – none of these artists needed the special effects to be good – you could tell they were ACTUALLY singing, and boy they were good at it! They sound exactly like the CDs. They are really that talented. We absolutely loved it! (So, thanks Mom!!!!)

After the concert, we headed back to the hotel to figure out what our late night dining options were. We barely missed Cattlemen’s (again)… so we ended up at Buffalo Wild Wings and had a smorgasbord of appetizers before heading back to the hotel and staying up way too late talking and telling stories. We slept extremely late on Sunday, checking out of the hotel at exactly noon, and getting back to Dallas at 3:20… which was followed by naps instead of grocery shopping… and scrounging around for dinner, but hey, it worked! ;)

And now it’s back to reality… but weekends like that, they’re pretty amazing, too. ;) I just wish I had pictures to share!

The impromptu New Orleans trip...

2010-12-15T09:51:00.003-06:00

Friday after Thanksgiving, Tom came in my room, laid down next to me, and said, "Let's go somewhere." I laughed and said, "Okay, where?" (A few weeks ago, we drove to Oklahoma for the day. I expected more of the same.) He starts throwing out ideas -- driving to a small town to get the truck inspected, driving to West Texas, driving to an observatory in the mountains... and finally he just says, "Pack your bags, we're going. You don't need a lot, we're only going two days." He went into the living room, and I pulled out the suitcase.

When I came in the living room, he had changed his mind. We were headed east to New Orleans. He had never been, and I, well, I was game for whatever. :)

So, away we went.

We drove 8 hours through East Texas and all through Louisiana, and we arrived in the French Quarter at 8:00 Friday night. We checked into our hotel, changed clothes, and I dragged him off to dinner at Louisiana Pizza Kitchen near the French Market... and then off to Cafe du Monde for benegiets. It was slightly magical to witness my calculated boyfriend embrace a bit of whimsy. :) He was all about the benegiets, too.

On Saturday morning, we headed to Royal Street for gallery hopping, including a stop at my favourite gallery, Joe Dunn. (He had a photograph of Florence that I was DYING to own. It was no longer there. Sad.) I took him to Jackson Square and we visited the cathedral for awhile. From there, we grabbed lunch and hopped on the St. Charles Streetcar to Tulane University. After spending a bit of time there and in Audabon Park, we headed back to the hotel for a short nap, and then we set out for dinner.

I convinced him that we should try and get into NOLA and he obliged. They told us it would be 30 minutes, but they were fine with us leaving and coming back, so we headed over to Pat O'Brien's for a hurricane on their patio before dinner. After dinner, we headed back to the hotel, picked up my tripod, and headed out to photograph more of New Orleans. And eat benegiets, because he was ADDICTED.

We got back to the hotel near midnight, and I fell asleep while he was watching Gangs of New York. As a side note, our hotel was the Courtyard by Marriott near the French Quarter. It was right across Canal near Royal Street, and it was a great location. The St. Charles streetcar stopped right in front of the hotel, and it was a short walk to Burbon Street, Jackson Square, and the environs of the French Quarter. We were on the 2nd floor, and while we heard street noise, we didn't have any trouble sleeping through it. The beds were standard Marriott issue, the room was huge, and we had a balcony. I highly recommend it for the area.

We woke up at 9:30 Sunday morning and we were on the road by 10. We got back to Dallas at 6, and I can honestly say, it was worth every minute of the 16 hour drive. There were lots of kisses, holding hands, bounding across streets holding on to each other for dear life, laughter, smiling, dancing in the car, and just being us. Together.

I'm thankful I have an amazing boyfriend who never ceases to amaze me. Or surprise me. Or catch me off guard. Who would have thought we'd end up in New Orleans? He gives new meaning to word spontaneous, that's for sure. (And he can't wait to go back...)

(To our families... we're sorry!! :))

Hilton Molino Stucky -- Venice 2010

2010-09-26T16:11:00.000-05:00

Owing to the fact that I have literally spent the last 3 days at work with nothing to do, I decided it’s time to get cracking on my trip reports from my Italy trip.

The second part of our Italian adventure was spent in Venice, and after spending a lot of time online trying to find the right hotel, I decided to book via Hotwire because I knew we would end up with the Hilton Molino Stucky based on my research. We ended up paying about $150/night for it by using Hotwire.

The first thing about the hotel is that it’s on a separate island from Venice proper in the Guidecca. We read Elton John actually has an estate in the island. We took a vaperetto from St. Lucia to Zattere and picked up the complimentary hotel shuttle from there. It was like clockwork, seriously. The hardest part was simply navigating a crowded vaperetto with our luggage. The hotel shuttle drops you off right in front of the hotel, and we were able to check in immediately. We were given a room in one of the back towers (this hotel is a maze – it was a former mill) overlooking a small courtyard. The room was quite large by Venetian standards and beautifully appointed. After Florence, we relished the luxury of the bathtub, the large marble bathroom, and comfortable bed. The staff was friendly, although not entirely efficient – they run on Italian time.

One thing that concerned me when I read the reviews was the hassle of the hotel shuttle, but truthfully, it was very easy. We could go to Zattere or directly to San Marco on a set schedule. There was also a vaperetto stop within minutes of the hotel when the hotel shuttle wasn’t running. We spent many nights roaming around Venice, and we were still able to get back via hotel shuttle. Additionally, I got up before the hotel shuttle was running one morning to photograph the city, and I was able to catch a vaperetto to San Marco without a problem. There is a period of time during the evening when they take a break, but you can schedule around that. You can get a full schedule from the front desk.

The location of the hotel is fantastic. Venice is very crowded during the day, so it’s nice to have reprieve from the crowds when you return to your room. The hotel was very peaceful and we never heard our neighbors, even though the hotel was sold out while we were there. Breakfast is pricy, so I suggest visiting the market and bringing things back to your room. There is a Billa market within a 5 minute walk of the Zattere stop with reasonably priced groceries. There’s also a wonderful rooftop bar with beautiful views of the city. We never tried the restaurants, but Gianni’s at the Zattere stop was pretty tasty with a varied menu. We had more than a few meals there after a long day of sight-seeing.

Overall, I would recommend this hotel over anything near San Marco, the Rialto or on the Grand Canal. The traffic is just too frantic, and I would tire of fighting the crowds. Plus, you have to contend with the aqua alta throughout the day. The Molino Stucky is a calm oasis and a beautiful place to rest after experiencing the beauty of Venice. The beds are comfortable, the air conditioner works well, the windows open, and the service is very friendly. What more do you want?

And, they have a spa on site so you can pamper your feet after a long day of exploring!

Florence, Italy -- planning!

2010-09-09T15:20:00.003-05:00

Okay, I know. It's been awhile since I checked in. The truth is, the furthest I've been these days in Lubbock. Well, okay, there was a Southern California stint. With no remarkable restaurants. So there.

But next Friday, my mom and I are off to Italy. Florence and Venice. I'm still working on everything, but we do have reservations at one restaurant. And a cooking class.

We'll be dining at the Golden View on Sunday. This is an especially exciting experience, as it's where the girls took me to celebrate my 22nd birthday. I hope it's just as tasty as I remember. They have live music and amazing views of the Ponte Vecchio, so I'm ecstatic to be going back.

Also, we'll be taking a cooking class at In Tavola one evening.

Almyra Hotel -- Paphos, Cyprus

2010-03-02T08:13:00.002-06:00

I stayed at the Almyra while attending a wedding of a friend that took place on the property in late November. As tourist season had recently ended, we often felt as if we had the resort to ourselves. Be sure and try the Cypriot walnut specialty offered during check-in – it’s unusual, but very tasty. We had booked a terrace sea view room, and I’m glad we did. We were on the third floor, and the view was absolutely breathtaking. Large picture windows looked out on the sea, and we could open the sliding doors and let the sea breeze in. Rooms were nicely appointed, though I truthfully didn’t notice the TV. We were so busy, it didn’t seem necessary. The bathroom had WONDERFUL products that smelled heavenly. Be sure and take them home with you! Our rate included breakfast, and the options were endless. Everything was fresh and tasty – I couldn’t believe the assortment. Eggs, sausages, fresh yogurts, fruits, nuts – absolutely anything you could desire. I’ve never seen a ‘free’ breakfast like that anywhere in the States. We often didn’t need lunch, because breakfast was so filling. The hotel also handled the catering for the wedding dinner, and everything was WONDERFUL. There was a chocolate torte that was out of this world! We also had a rooftop wine reception, and the appetizers served were very tasty. Everything Alymra does, they do well.

The pool area was so relaxing and peaceful. There are semi-private cabanas and plenty of comfortable areas to lounge in. I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t anywhere to sit down by the sea, but the pool overlooks the sea, and the setting is just beautiful.

There were two computers in the lobby available for internet use at no charge. A very nice amenity.

The girls who work in the Toni and Guy salon were so bubbly, friendly, and helpful. They did a great job styling the wedding party.

Everyone we encountered at the hotel was friendly, eager to please, and proud of their country. They were always helpful to provide recommendations, information on the area, and assist with any requests. The service was truly unparalleled, and the wedding weekend went so smoothly, and everything was absolutely lovely.

The hotel is well-located – a short walk from the Paphos Harbor and within walking distance of several restaurants and shops. We liked Café Vienna and the sushi restaurant across from Alymra. For coffee addicted Americans, there is a Starbucks nearby. The old city center is a short bus ride away, and the hotel staff is happy to assist with those directions. We enjoyed the market, but it packs up early Saturday afternoons.

Overall, we had a wonderful stay, made even better by the welcoming staff and their attention to detail. No complaints here.

Bike Copenhagen with Mike -- Copenhagen, Denmark

2009-09-04T11:36:00.000-05:00

Bicycling is a huge part of life in Copenhagen, and Mike knows this first hand. I arrived for the Friday evening tour, and I found that there would only be two of us. It didn't matter to Mike -- he planned a route and showed us on a map the areas we would be visiting and off we went. This is the absolute best way to visit the city of Copenhagen. Mike took us outside the standard tourist areas and into the areas where locals live. We saw various areas of the city and ventured out into the countryside as well. We didn't have a lot of photo stops, as Mike wanted us to see the city come alive. The ride from sunset through twilight was absolutely breathtaking at times. The ride was VERY comfortable, and I always felt safe. Copenhagen is a very bike friendly city, especially compared to where I'm from. On the way back into the city, Mike stopped off at one of the many churches that offers services during the evening hours and allowed us to experience the music and beauty of this church at night. Very cool experience that I didn't read about prior to my trip.

This was definitely my favourite experience in Copenhagen, and I urge everyone to attend one of Mike's tours. He is very knowledgable, friendly, and a wonderful guide.

www.bikecopenhagenwithmike.dk

Berryhill Baja Grill -- Dallas, Texas

2009-08-17T14:20:00.001-05:00

Stumbled in here on a Saturday evening for a quick bite, expecting it to be along the lines of Baja Fresh or something similar. We were pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t. We really didn’t know what to expect though, and we were concerned because the restaurant was empty.

They brought out chips and salsa immediately, and I thought the salsa had a good flavor. It had a good kick, but definitely no bite. Also ordered the mint lemonade, which was surprisingly tasty. I’ve ordered this at Gloria’s a couple times, and the flavors never seemed to blend as well as they did at Berryhill. Very refreshing and cool.

I ordered a variety of their tamales, and my dining companion ordered the corn enchilada, a beef tamale, and the fish taco. He’s from San Diego, so he has high expectations on fish tacos – and he thought they were pretty good. He did comment that it was quite a bit larger than the street tacos that he is used to, but it had a good flavor. He chose to get the fish grilled instead of fried, and is wanting to try it fried next time. He also said the corn enchilada was very good.

As for the tamales – know that they are HUGE. I’ve never seen tamales this big in a restaurant. My only complaint is that the masa was a bit thicker than I like to make them, but the meat seasoning was VERY good. I recommend the pork or chicken tamales, as the bean and beef were a bit bland. The pork was by far the best – very tender, flavorful, and filling. I don’t like to order tamales in restaurants, having been spoiled by homemade ones, but these were very good, all things considered. They are huge though – be warned.

The service isn’t anything to write home about, which is too bad. Our waitress was attentive enough, but she seemed incredibly distracted, and ended up sending someone else over to finish us up when a large party was seated in her section.

As a whole, we were sufficiently satisfied with this experience. It’s in a non-descript strip mall, but they have tried very hard to get away from that image by creating a restaurant with character and a memorable menu. Get the tamales and try the lemonade.

La Cubanita -- Dallas, Texas

2009-08-17T14:05:00.002-05:00

After our original plans fell through on a Friday night, we were able to haphazardly get everyone together for dinner around 8:00 at La Cubanita. I was dubious at first, thinking it would be a more pricey version of Cuba Libre, but I was pleasantly surprised.

First off, this is McKinney Avenue, and during peak times, you’re going to have to valet. It’s frustrating, yes, but it’s just part of coming down here. Some areas have more parking than others, but I find it to be less of a hassle, if you just go ahead and valet. I think it is unfortunate that they don’t validate valet, but it’s just part of it.

While we waited for everyone to arrive, the waiter recommended we start off with the mariquitas con Guacamole and a pitcher of Mango Sangria. The black bean dip that was served with the appetizer was extremely tasty. The Cuban salsa was so-so, but it did have a good flavor. Everything was fresh. The Mango Sangria was out of this world. I thought the flavors meshed well together, and it was very smooth. Absolutely incredible. We finished off three of these throughout the meal.

Entrees around the table included the churrasco, the churrasco de pollo, Cuban Lechon Asado, the garlic shrimp, and a side of sweet potato fries. Our waiter recommended the churrasco and the Cuban Lechon Asado as being the best things on the menu. He wasn’t kidding. The churrasco had a great flavor; it was extremely tender, and cooked to perfection. My mouth still waters thinking about it. The Chimmichuri sauce had an excellent flavor, and it wasn’t overpowering. The Cuban Lechon Asado was so tender; it literally would fall apart with a fork. They served it with a garlic sauce on the side that really added another dimension to it. Very tasty. The chicken was slightly overcooked and dry, but the seasoning was tasty, though admittedly, the steak received more rave reviews at our table. All the sides had good flavor, though it can be a LOT of food. Finally, the garlic shrimp was good – served in a sauce, not unlike the Chimmichuri sauce with an addition of cilantro. The shrimp were tiny, but everything was flavored well. The Cuban flatbread was fresh, too. The sweet potato fries weren’t greasy at all.

La Cubanita has a lot of character, with doors that open onto the patio throughout the restaurant and beautiful lighting during the evening. It has old world charm, reminding me of many restaurants I visited in small towns in Italy. The slight breeze that comes in through the open doors can be refreshing. The dining room is very small, but it’s cozy in a good way. The service was unassuming and prompt. Our waiter was always there when we needed him, but not intrusive throughout the meal. My only complaint is the large television that can be distracting, but it’s not a deal breaker.

As a whole, we felt it was a great experience, though it can be on the pricey side. The food was quality and tasty. If you go, be sure and try the mango sangria. It’s a great way to cool off on a hot summer night. I haven’t been to Cuban, so I can’t comment on the authenticity, but this is definitely one of the better restaurants I’ve been to in Dallas. Everyone in our party of 6 thoroughly enjoyed it.

Emeril's Nola -- New Orleans, LA

2009-07-13T15:52:00.001-05:00

I traveled to New Orleans for the weekend to meet up with my mom while she was on a consulting job in New Orleans. Having always been a huge Emeril fan, she wanted to visit one of his restaurants while we were there. After studying the menu at each, I decided that Nola sounded like the best bet. We were able to get a reservation for Sunday dinner through Open Table. We arrived at exactly 6:00, and we were seated in the downstairs dining area immediately. We had paid attention to the dress code and noticed that patrons who were wearing shorts and/or otherwise extremely casual apparel were seated upstairs. Upon being seated, we were immediately introduced to our three waiters who doted on us from arrival to departure. We were shown the wine list, and the servers made recommendations based on our likes/dislikes. I thought the house Riesling was pretty good, but I’m not an avid wine drinker like my mom. We ordered the pocket bread with garlic, basil and parmesan for an appetizer, but while we were waiting, one of our servers brought around the bread basket. They had a cornbread and a focaccia. The onion focaccia was fantastic, though we didn’t try the cornbread. The bread server came around several times, offering more. The nice thing about him serving it was that it always seemed to be piping hot and fresh. Now, on to the food.

The pocket bread was extremely tasty, and it was relatively light for a bread appetizer. The flavors complemented each other nicely without overkill. For entrees, I ordered the grilled pork porterhouse and my mom ordered the southern fried chicken. The pork porterhouse was absolutely incredible. The reduction sauce was nothing short of perfect, and the caramelized onions and pecans were a nice touch. Sweet potatoes were soft, but not overcooked. Portion sizes were quite a bit larger than I expected at a restaurant of this caliber. The chicken was also good, but it paled in comparison to the pork tenderloin for me. The serving size for it was even larger than the pork tenderloin, and it was served over a bed of mashed sweet potatoes. Very tasty, but the pork was just incredible.

For dessert, I decided to try the banana pudding layer cake and my mom had a glass of Grand Marnier. The banana pudding cake was especially tasty – just like the dessert I enjoyed so much at my great grandmother’s house. Everything was fresh and served cold – just like banana pudding should be.

I expected Nola to be quite a bit more expensive, but the total for everything – a couple glasses of wine, appetizer, two entrees, desserts, and an after dinner drink – came up just short of $110. It’s an incredible value for the food, portion sizes, service, and ambiance. The décor reminded me of Chelsea Market in New York City, and while not overly romantic, really seems to fit Emeril’s personality and theme. Service was efficient, friendly, and we never felt rushed by our servers. Nola has quickly risen in the ranks of one of my favourite restaurants in the world.

New Orleans Weekend with Mom!

2009-07-10T08:52:00.001-05:00

Airline: Southwest Airlines
Hotel: Wyndham Riverfront

My mom got called to a consulting job in New Orleans for two weeks, so she offered to fly me up for one of the weekends. Having not been to New Orleans in many years, I obliged.

I hopped on a Southwest Airlines flight out of Lovefield at 5:35pm on Friday. I paid to upgrade to their highest ticket, so I could bypass security line. Good thing, too. The traffic on I-30 was awful, and I was afraid I was going to miss my flight! I parked in the front of the parking garage and literally RAN to my gate.

I was in the first group to board the plane, so I grabbed a window seat in the second row. Amazingly enough, I found myself missing assigned seating. I enjoyed a pre-New Orleans drink for free with my “upgraded” ticket and away we went. Flight was smooth, relatively quiet, and quick. As we descended into New Orleans, I was struck with a few stark images of fields that were clearly in re-growth with small piles of debris scattered about. Remnants of Katrina, no doubt. It was startling, to say the least.

Navigating the New Orleans airport was easy enough – it was completely dead at 6:30pm and many of the vendors were already closed! I hopped in a cab and headed to the hotel – Wyndham Riverfront near the Convention Center. Not the most glamorous hotel, but it served its purpose. The cab rate was a flat $35 dollars from the airport. Traffic was semi-heavy, and it took about 45 minutes to get to the hotel.

The hotel is located directly across from the Convention Center, a few blocks from Harrah’s, and a few blocks from a street car stop. It’s a bleak area, devoid mostly of character, and it backs up to a more industrial area. That being said, it’s a nice enough hotel. The staff at the front desk is friendly and seem competent. The layout of the hotel is interesting – it seems as if they have combined several buildings, so you may have to navigate up and down stairs within your hallway. Hallways are dark, but everything is clean. The rooms are standard issue with no real personality or defining characteristics. Beds are comfortable with LOTS of pillows. Bathrooms are average with decent water pressure. Maid service is prompt and friendly. We ran into the maid one day when we ran back to the room to drop some things off, and she gave us lots of hints and friendly advice on sight-seeing. There are Bath and Body Works amenities in the room. The biggest disappointment was that the internet is not wireless – and they charge a pretty penny for the wired service. I wouldn’t have minded quite as much if it had been wireless and I could work throughout the room. The air conditioning worked REALLY well, and it was refreshing when coming in from the New Orleans humidity. As a whole, this is a basic hotel with standard rooms. If you aren’t looking for charm or character and need to be near the convention center, go ahead and book it for the right rate. They do have a business center and a work out room, and I was able to print my boarding pass for free in the business center.

I met up with my mom, and we decided it was time for dinner. She was pretty tired from work and wanted to have a low key night, so we headed to Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar and Grill, which was a couple of blocks from the hotel. The area around the hotel is deserted at night, but it felt safe enough. Once we arrived at Lucy’s though, the atmosphere had completely changed, and there were tons of people around and enjoying themselves. We figured there would be a wait, but we were shown a table immediately. This seems like a great group meeting spot and has an anything-goes vibe with young professionals and regulars. We had chips and salsa trio – tasty (!) and knocked back a couple margaritas. Their mango margaritas were EXCELLENT! I had the jerk chicken skewers for an entrée, and they were tasty. The spice was really mild, but was complimented well by the sauce. The sauce is really sweet though, so you might want to go easy on it. My mom ordered grilled shrimp, and she really enjoyed them as well. Cooked perfectly. The one thing that really started to resonate with me was how friendly everyone in New Orleans is. Our waitress was very attentive, friendly, and helpful. You can definitely tell that New Orleans is a service oriented city, and they want people to visit and come back again. I really enjoyed the laid back vibe of Lucy’s, though I was admittedly very dubious when looking at the menu online and the reviews on Yelp and Trip Advisor. It was just a casual place with people hanging out, having a good time after work. As we were leaving, a large group associated with the Running of the Bulls showed up in full regalia – definitely seems to be a place on the local scene. Prices were extremely reasonable.

On the walk back to the hotel, Mom and I decided to detour over to Harrah’s and gamble for a bit. Harrah’s is HUGE. They were IDing at the door – not a big deal, I’m over 21. It looked like there were mostly slot machines, though I noticed a few table games. There was a sports bar that had a huge crowd, and the standard casino buffet. There are apparently quite a few restaurants within the casino complex, but we didn’t see any of them. (My mom went back during the week and tried a few of them.) We each gambled $20 – lost it, and that was it. We know when to hold and when to fold. ;-)

We headed back to the hotel around 10 – lame by New Orleans standards, but it was a good night for us!

Breadwinners -- Dallas, Texas

2009-07-06T15:36:00.001-05:00

I had been to Breadwinners for lunch, but I’ve heard that breakfast/brunch is truly their forte, so when I had company in town over the 4th of July weekend, we decided to give it a try. We arrived around 11:00 on Saturday morning, and we had a short wait until our entire party arrived. We opted for the patio, as we had a dog in tow and they are a dog friendly establishment.

The hostess was very efficient, but definitely not much on personality. I expect the crowds get overwhelming on the weekends – even on a holiday weekend, this place was hopping. Once we were seated, the service was good. The waitress even brought out a water dish for the pooch.

The various breads they brought out before the entrees were fresh and tasty. There wasn’t a crumb left of any of them, especially the pumpkin and tomato breads. Everyone’s meals were exceptional – BW’s Benedict, the Farmhouse, and Julio’s Huevos were the favourites around the table. I opted for the classic breakfast, and it was TONS of food. There was more than enough bacon. I definitely prefer the brunch potatoes here to Café Brazil’s, but Charlie Palmer still has the best potatoes in my opinion.

Presentation isn’t much, but the food is tasty, fresh, and served warm. The prices are average for this area, and I think the quality surpasses other cafes around Dallas. The orange juice tasted extremely fresh. If you want to do traditional breakfast, Breadwinners is definitely where it’s at.

Jiang's -- Dallas, Snider Plaza

2009-06-25T13:18:00.001-05:00

We had read a lot of positive reviews on this place, so we decided to try it out for dinner on a week night. The staff was incredibly attentive and friendly, which is why I hate to mark this place as average at all. Our glasses were continuously filled, the waitress was friendly, and the service was prompt. The food was simply okay -- nothing spectacular. They brought us a basket of won ton chips with our soup. We both had won ton soup -- the broth was good, but the won tons were lacking flavor. For entrees, we chose the beef with broccoli and the mandarin chicken. The nice thing about Jiang's is they don't smother the food in sauce. The broccoli on both dishes also appeared to be steamed, instead of frieds. I thought the flavor of the Mandarin Chicken was good, but it definitely didn't need to be labeled as a spicy dish. The beef with broccoli was so-so. The owners have tried to make it nice, but it doesn't have much in the way of character or ambiance. They seem to do a steady takeout business though. Parking was no problem -- plenty of 2 hour spots on a week night. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience, it just didn't live up to the hype.

Paddling my kayak alone, day three

2009-05-24T16:36:00.001-05:00

Sunday mornings in London always start slower for me. Usually, I stay out late on Saturday evenings, photographing the beautiful London night. I like to sleep in on Sunday mornings, paying homage to the Grosvenor House bed monster.

Once I got up and around, I decided to head to the Sunday morning art market that runs along Bayswater Street. Not much had changed from the February market, except the artist I was looking for wasn’t there! I was so disappointed. From there, I decided to soak up the beautiful London weather in Hyde Park. It was seriously a beautiful day – the whole weekend was beautiful. I bought an ice cream cone from a vendor, and I sat for hours, legs stretched out, watching the families and children enjoy the beautiful day. It was so relaxing. I just wanted to stay out there forever.

From Hyde Park, I caught a bus and headed to Westminster Cathedral – there is a difference. It’s beautiful, too, but not quite as stately or ostentatious as Westminster Abby. It was nearing time for vespers though, so the bells were ringing. From there, I walked back towards Victoria Station and headed off in the direction of Buckingham Palaca, hoping to jog my memory from my layover in London. I found the Royal Mews, but nothing else looked familiar. After visiting Buckingham Palace, I walked along the mall through St. James Park, which is quite a bit larger than I thought. It’s an interesting walk along the path though – many beautiful buildings.

As I made my way to Westminster, with hopes of watching the sunset over the Thames, I encountered a writer who stopped me to talk about how I had the most positive energy surrounding me. We chatted for awhile – photographer to writer, and I continued on my way. I bought postcards from a vendor, found a bench in front of County Hall, and spent another hour, soaking up the beauty of everything. From there, I decided to head down to the Tower of London, another beautiful place to sit and enjoy. I love the Tower Bridge, and on late Sunday afternoon, it seems like you have the place to yourself. Lovely.

As the night started to cool down, I hopped on a bus to St. Paul’s. It was completely deserted. Rarely will you ever be able to stand in front of this beautiful structure and feel as if you are the only person in the whole world experiencing its beauty. I made it Trafalgar Square (again) as the sky was beginning to turn purple, and I watched twilight overcome Big Ben in the distance. Beautiful, beautiful moment.

It was time to look for dinner by then, so I hopped on a bus until I found Chinatown. I proceeded to follow my nose from place to place until I had my fill of Asian street foods. I must have walked miles that day, but never even felt them pass. I decided to call it an “early” night, stopping off at a grocery for my last bit of chocolate before retiring to the hotel around 10:00.

London is such a beautiful city, because the old favourites are always standing strong, tried and true, but there are always new neighborhoods to explore. This time it was Chinatown. Last time it was Seven Dials. One day I’ll make it to all the places in London – or perhaps I won’t. That way, I’ll always have a reason to return. I did a lot of thinking on this trip and I made a lot of decisions about my personal life.

There’s no better place for contemplation than a park in London when it’s 70 degrees and sunny.

Oh, beautiful world.

Paddling my kayak alone, London Day 2

2009-05-23T16:28:00.001-05:00

Saturday morning, I woke up feeling well rested and ready to take on another day in London. First order of business: a memory card! I decided to head to Piccadilly Circus, because I figured I would be able to find something there since the tourists are out in droves. I found an independently owned photo shop, and I chatted it up with the owner. He knew my camera and told me a lot of things about it – then he showed me what he had in the way of memory cards. 40 pounds later, I had a 2 gig memory card. OUCH. I have learned to never make that mistake again.

However, he was a kind soul, and I felt better patronizing a local business. He even took a couple of pictures of me with my camera to show some different features and lighting.

My second stop was, of course, Leicester Square, for Saturday evening theater tickets. Again, I got hosed, lol. They advertised the tickets as being discounted, but the price I paid was higher than the face value. GRRRRR. I ended up with tickets to Sister Act, which was schedule to open a week later at the Palladium theater – another massive theater by London standards. I did get a good seat though – row L, front and center.

My third stop was Waterstones books, on a mission for the lovely Julie. Her daughter, Ava, loves the Ladybug books, and apparently they are really expensive in the US. They are 2-3 pounds in the UK, so Julie sent me a laundry list of the books she wanted for Ava. Two stores later, I had collected all of them. I decided to wander down Oxford Street to get back to my hotel, and there was a festival going on for the release of Night at the Museum. It was crazy! There was a parade and vendors and TONS of people. It was fun to see how caught up it everyone got, though it made navigating the streets a little difficult.

From there, I dropped off the books at the hotel and decided to head to Kensington Palace and Gardens. I had walked through this area on my first trip to London and embracing my inner nostalgia, I decided to head back. It was a beautiful day in London, and I wanted to be outside, soaking it all up! The gardens were BEAUTIFUL, and I loved photographing the beautiful flowers. There were also a few sweet old couples muttering sweet nothings to each other, so I just sat and watched. What a beautiful moment to share. You just wonder what their stories are and how they ended up there, too. At least, I do. ;-) I did spend quite a bit of time trying to stay far, far away from the bees though. They were out in numbers! I guess they enjoy beautiful weather, too.

I headed back to the hotel to rest my feet and get ready for the show. I always have a hard time remembering that London has a 7:30 curtain time for most shows. I headed down Regent Street to find an Italian restaurant that was written up in my guidebook, but I couldn’t find the side street for the life of me. I decided to see what was around the Palladium, and guess what I found? Wait for it… Bella Italia, again. I realized that I was probably bordering on the absurd visiting the same restaurant again, but they had outdoor seating and I knew the food was good. So, away I went. I did decide to order something different this time – I ordered their pizza, and it was excellent! Light and tasty, just like Italy! After dinner, I had a bit of time to kill, so I headed to the Apple store to check my email for free and ponder the beautiful iMac.

Sister Act was absolutely nothing like the movie with none of the same music – that was disappointing. BUT, as a standalone show, it was AWESOME. The cast was PHENOMENAL. The woman who played Delores, played by Patina Miller, had a set of pipes. She was SO talented. She is going to go FAR, trust me. It was a really fun show with beautiful sets and costumes, though it was inappropriate in the way that only British musicals can be inappropriate. It worked though – the show was excellent. I don’t know if it will make it to Broadway or not, but the London theatre scene LOVED it. They were on their feet before curtain calls even started. It’s been a while since I’ve been to a show that was as well received as Sister Act. The notable exception being Guys and Dolls, but the critics HATED that. It may not have any humdingers, but it’s still an entertaining show, once.

After the musical, I boarded a bus for Westminster Abby for my evening photo rounds. Unfortunately, I seemed to get off at the wrong stop, so I had quite a trek. Luckily, I know my way around fairly well, and I managed to get over there. I spent awhile taking pictures of Big Ben, wandering on both sides of Westminster Bridge. A guy and I made eyes at each other, but I started to get uncomfortable, so I headed off. He was probably a nice enough lad, but I was just dubious. I’m so not that girl. I don’t do well with it, at all.

I hopped on a bus shortly after midnight to head back to the hotel, knowing that the fountains at Trafalgar Square usually turn off at midnight. I stopped again at the Tesco Station and bought chocolate to enjoy back in my room. When I arrived at the hotel, there was clearly a big event going on – men in tuxes and women in the most gorgeous evening gowns I’ve ever seen. I pondered going to sit in the hotel bar and people watching, but I decided I really didn’t have the appropriate attire, so I retired for the night. Another beautiful day in London… and beautiful men before bed to boot! ;-)

Friday in London -- paddling my kayak alone...

2009-05-22T10:45:00.002-05:00

Friday in London always starts the same for me. Heathrow Express to Paddington, black cab to Grosvenor House, and off to the West End for theater tickets and to email my mom from the visitor's center. I had planned to see what was available at the TKTS booth and play it by ear. When I arrived, there wasn’t much of a line, but there wasn’t much of a selection either. I headed across the street to another ticket outlet and picked up tickets for Wicked. I had hoped to see Dirty Dancing or Jersey Boys, but the seats weren’t too great, so I chose Wicked. Haven’t seen it in London, so it seemed like a good choice.

From Leicester Square, I decided to take a walk down memory lane and head to Kensington. On my first overnight trip to London, I stayed in a little hotel off Kensington High Street, and I wanted to go back and make sure everything is the same. There’s also some fun shopping off the High Street, including Laura Ashley. Everything is still the same – and The Muffin Man is still there! I was thrilled! The Boots (think CVS or Walgreens) over there is really nice, too. They even carry YSL cosmetics. Unfortunately, they didn’t have their prices listed, so I couldn’t compare costs. I wandered along Kensington High Street, pondered purchases at Laura Ashley (if I had only remembered that there’s a VAT refund!!), found a TJ Maxx (in London? Really?!), and eventually hopped on a bus headed towards Harrod’s for lunch. Believe it or not, Harrod’s has food stalls that are reasonably priced and tasty! I also wandered through the beautiful children’s department and lamented the fact that Kimberly is having a boy. They had the sweetest little girl clothes! It’s so fun to just wander around in there – I’ve been multiple times, and I always get lost, and I’m confident I haven’t seen a FRACTION of the whole place.

I headed back to the hotel to get ready for the show, with the idea that I might just grab a pre-theater snack, and do a meal after the show. However, my stomach was disagreeing with that idea from the get go. The Apollo Theater isn’t as close to the West End as the other theaters, so I didn’t know of anything near the theater. As I started to wander, a branch of my little Italian restaurant found on my last trip caught my eye. Bella Italia it would be.

I decided to start with an appetizer of the Garlic Grossini, which was basically breadsticks served in olive oil and sprinkled with garlic. They were fairly tasty, but I know they have to be terrible for me. It did help to curb my appetite a little though. I ordered my standard – the linguine rustica. It was very fresh, warm, and the flavours were WONDERFUL. This is the best pasta dish – rich with flavor. One thing I love about the Bella Italia restaurants is how cosy they are. You just get a warm feeling from the moment you walk in the door. I spent the meal reading a newspaper and enjoying the company of myself. The waitress was incredibly kind.

Wicked. Oh Wicked, what can I say? I love you so much, but you just don’t seem to work with British accents. The staging was beautiful, the music is incredible, but the cast with British accents just doesn’t work. That being said, my discounted ticket was center stage, row T, and I had an excellent view of everything. The Apollo Theater is HUGE by London standards, so you’ll want the best seats you can afford. They had a water globe for sale that I haven’t seen anywhere else, and I seriously considered buying it to commemorate my trip. I decided it might be a hassle with TSA though.

After the show, I figured I’d walk from Victoria to Trafalgar Square to Westminster on a photo walk. Switched on the camera to photograph the Billy Elliott Theater and it started flashing at me: “NO CF card”. I FORGOT MY MEMORY CARD.

I wanted to cry. And kick myself. And I knew exactly where it was. Back home in my card reader.

First item on Saturday’s agenda: buy memory card.

I headed back to Grosvenor House by bus, stopping at the gas station for a PowerAde and a chocolate bar. Oh how I love European chocolate.

Luckily, my comfortable bed and beautifully appointed room soothed my feelings about forgetting the memory card. Grosvenor House is seriously the happiest place on Earth, though I am disappointed they got rid of the free computer in the lobby. You can now use the business center upstairs -- at a price.

"No minute gone ever comes back again. Take heed and see ye nothing do in vain." -- clever saying on a clock tower off Marlborough Street (shown above).

Paddling my kayak alone, London 2009

2009-05-21T19:11:00.003-05:00

This was my second trip to London this year, and I ended up paddling my kayak alone, as Mary Beth had plans to visit a spa for the bank holiday weekend, and no one else wanted to come with me. I had originally planned a trip to Copenhagen, but when AA offered their DEQM promotion again, I changed my ticket and headed to London town.

I ran by DFW early Thursday morning to check about an upgrade. No dice. I headed back to the airport around 4:00 that afternoon and asked about standing by for the 7:15pm flight. No standbys on international flights. (It's worth asking, right?) So, I headed to Reata for dinner, bought a day pass for the Admirals Club, and settled in for a couple hours of reading and email checking in the lounge.

Head down to the gate around 8:00pm. See my name on the upgrade list. Go ask agent if it's my name. She confirms it is and says they really need my seat. Asks me how I'd like to pay. I offer up the least expensive option -- denied. My ticket is booked into a different class. I offer up cold, hard cash. Denied. It's $5600. I mention the six magic words. She smiles, hands me my new boarding pass, and I'm on my way. No cash left my pocket. Incredible. Absolutely incredible.

We boarded around 8:30, and I settled into my biz seat, visions of being able to rest peacefully and waking up refreshed dancing in my head. I've said it once, I'll say it again. American Airlines' business class far eclipses the business class I experienced on United in February. The menu is better (though on this trip I only managed to barely stay away and enjoy my ice cream sundae), the IFE is exceptional, and the service is stellar. I cannot say enough good things about AA business class. The lie flat seats are comfortable, the blankets are soft on the skin, and the new amenity kits are GREAT! This girl has been converted to an AA flyer for life. They definitely have the superior product and service when it comes to AA vs. United.

As I said, I managed to stay away just long enough to enjoy an ice cream sundae before falling asleep. I can promise you we weren't even two hours in flight by the time I nodded off.

I woke up just in time for breakfast and I enjoyed my fresh fruit and yogurt before filling out my arrivals forms. We landed at Heathrow around lunchtime, which is a bit later than I like to start my day, but the sun was shining and within minutes I had boarded the Heathrow Express to Paddington.

Final Destination: Grosvenor House -- my favourite hotel in the world.

Chelsea Flower Show -- London

2009-05-14T10:22:00.001-05:00

Closing weekend of the Chelsea Flower show will occur while I am in London. I will have to attend.

Mi Piaci -- Dallas

2009-04-21T08:59:00.001-05:00

I studied abroad in Italy, so I'm generally pretty harsh on Italian restaurants. My cousin had her birthday at Mi Piaci in the wine cellar, and I cannot say enough good things about the experience. If you want to have a private, intimate dinner with a few friends, consider Mi Piace. The setting was incredible -- the main dining room is beautiful as well, overlooking beautiful fountains. Definitely a great date restaurant.

We started off with several appetizers that were brought once everyone was seated. They had arranged the meat and olive tray, bruschetta, calamari, and a shrimp appetizer. The shrimp was beautifully seasoned and quite large by Dallas standards. I'm not a big shrimp person, but these were incredible! The crackers served with the various meats also had a great flavor and were fresh.

I ordered the linguine putnanesca, and it was very tasty with fresh ingredients. There were definitely more vegetables than pasta, but the pasta was perfectly cooked and not overpowered by too much sauce. I wish there had been more of the oven dried tomatoes though. Also popular among our group was the Penne all'Arrabbiata, which was ordered by 3 people who were repeat patrons. The Ravioli al Funghi was ordered by two and enjoyed by all. Every single meal was perfect and there wasn't too much left! They have an extensive wine list available.

They allowed us to bring in our own birthday cake, though they did charge a serving fee of $2pp -- no big deal. The service was fantastic -- they kept our drinks refilled and responded to requests quickly. It was a completely relaxing evening, and we never felt rushed by the server.

Altogether it was a perfect private experience, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to impress.

Mother/Daughter NYC Trip, Day Three

2009-03-14T14:35:00.001-05:00

Saturday ended up being a really low key day for us. Mom actually slept until 9:00, so we didn’t get up and get going until after 10:00. We decided to head to Chinatown for lunch, because I had been wanting to try soup dumplings for a long time. We ended up at Joe’s Shanghai, and unknowingly ordered two orders of the pork soup dumplings. WAY too much food. Two people can easily split one order.

For those of you who are curious, soup dumplings are Asian dumplings filled with pork and broth. You bite off the top of the dumpling, add a soy-ginger sauce to the broth, and try and eat the thing without squirting it everywhere. Very tricky, but especially tasty. They are served in a bamboo steamer, so they stay warm while you eat the others. We easily made a meal out of these.

After exploring Chinatown, we headed over to Chelsea Market – another staple on our visits to NYC. Mom and I buy a lot of oils and spices here because it is so much less expensive than at home. We also like buying the fresh pasta from the Italian market, because it’s so much more fresh and authentic than anything we can get in Texas. Unfortunately, both of my vices (Italian cookies and chocolate) were out of stock, so I couldn’t blow my diet. ;) Laden with bags once again, we grabbed a cab back to the hotel.

I ended up taking a nap Saturday afternoon, because I hadn’t slept exceptionally well on Friday night. Mom ended up napping too, and we slept until around 4:00. We got up, showered, and did our make up before heading to dinner. I decided to take her to one of my favourite places in Hell’s Kitchen, Empanada Mama.

Empanada Mama is a TINY restaurant with maybe 10 tables in the entire place, but it’s so tasty. I decided to try their pork empanadas this time, and they were even better than the beef I had last time! Incredible! Mom had the spicy chicken and the Cuban. We also ordered a medium pitcher of their red sangria. TASTY! Although… it was a LOT of sangria for the two of us. We had SEVERAL glasses, which helped keep me warm. ;) After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and got dressed for the theater.

We went to see Phantom of the Opera, as it’s definitely Mom’s favourite show. We had second row, center orchestra seats again. While I love Phantom, I was most disappointed with this cast. It was one of the weaker casts I’ve seen. However, I love the story, and the music is SO powerful, it’s hard to be truly disappointed. It was also Broadway Cares week, so I was able to get a new autographed poster for a donation to BC. (The prices have come down in this economy, lol.)

After Phantom, we headed to Sardi’s for our traditional post-Phantom dessert. As always, I ordered the profiteroles. They were especially good this time. We always do that, and anytime I have someone in NYC and we go see Phantom, I take them to Sardi’s after. It’s always fun to try and guess the celebrities from their caricatures on the wall. The service has always been good, too. I don’t know how their regular food is though.

Mother/Daughter NYC Trip, Day Two

2009-03-13T14:12:00.001-05:00

Friday morning, we woke up around 8:00 and Mom was craving breakfast. We did a little research and ended up at Ellen’s Stardust Diner. The food was standard breakfast fare, and certainly no more expensive than what I pay at Café Brazil in Dallas, and most definitely better than what I had at Café Rouge a couple weeks ago in London. However, the real treat at Ellen’s Stardust Diner was the entertainment.

All the waiters and waitresses are most likely aspiring Broadway stars, and they sing while waiting on you. These guys and girls are truly talented, singing a myriad of oldies that everyone can enjoy. I figured this place would be a bit of a cliché and not worth its salt, but the singers were truly talented and made for a fun morning.

After breakfast, we set off for some serious shopping at Bloomingdale’s. We started on the top floor and worked our way down. I found two Ralph Lauren dresses in stock for $70 each, and the sales girl located another one I wanted in my size and offered to have it shipped to my house. Mom ended up with approximately $2000 worth of clothes for less than $300. No lie. With all the discounts, coupons, and sales, she saved a TON of money. Why can’t I ever find deals like that? Mom and I were both excited, because we were able to buy things in smaller sizes. Our weight loss is paying off. Mom also decided to get a makeover at YSL, since I let her try some of my products and she LOVED them. We spent a couple hours there and decided to take a cab back, instead of lugging our purchases through the streets.

After dropping everything off at the hotel, we headed downtown to Anbar Shoes. This place is incredible. They sell overstocks and last season’s shoes at a marked down price that continues to go down every 15 days or so. They had a pair of $700 Manolo’s for $249. I bought a pair of Lily Pulitzer shoes for spring for $125. The store is divided up by color, and prices range from $29-299. I saw several shoes that I would have loved to take home with me. I settled for the Lilys though, because they will go with so many things I already own and they will be great all spring and summer.

It was nearing 5:00 when we headed back uptown, so I suggested we go ahead and do dinner and beat the pre-theater crowds. We ended up at John’s Pizzeria, one of our favorite restaurants in the theater district. Within 30 minutes, there was a line out the door and starting to head down the block. It was just as good as always though.

We headed back to the hotel to get ready and stopped by the Center Stage Bar in the hotel to have a drink before heading down to the Nederlander Theater to see Guys and Dolls. The drinks were EXCELLENT, but very pricy at $14.00 each. The bar is in the middle of the hotel lobby, so it’s not really an intimate place, but it did the job. At 7:30, we headed towards the Nederlander, arriving in time for the show, but not so early that we had to wait in line.

Guys and Dolls was a fun show, though admittedly, it didn’t seem like it was ready to open. Both Oliver Platt and Lauren Graham looked a little lost on stage at times. THAT BEING SAID, Lauren Graham is BRILLIANT as Adelaide, and the show was really well done. I know a few people haven’t liked it, and it got trashed by the critics, but it’s a new spin on an old classic. The audience LOVED it, especially during Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat. I’ve never seen such enthusiasm from the crowd as there was during the curtain call. This is not an audience who hated the show, proving that critics don’t always know what they are talking about. It just goes to show that we don’t need the sex, violence, and language to have a good show. It’s a fun show – see it with a discount, they’re readily available on Broadwaybox.com.

After the show, my mom and I hung out at the stage door in hopes of getting Lauren Graham’s autograph. We did! She and Kate Jennings Grant were both very personable and signed autographs for awhile. Oliver Platt didn’t stay as long, but he did sign a few. We were so excited about getting Lauren Graham’s autograph – we absolutely love her on Gilmore Girls.

Not a bad Friday the 13th for us!

Mother/Daughter NYC Trip, Day One

2009-03-12T13:38:00.000-05:00

Airline: American Airlines
Hotel: Doubletree Guest Suites, Times Square

My mom and I were originally booked on a 1:20 departure to LGA, but when we got to the airport at 11:45, our flight had already been delayed until after 2:00. The kiosk offered us a confirmed flight change on the 12:15 flight for $50, so we decided to take it, not knowing how late the other flight would eventually be delayed. This flight would get us into NYC around 4:40. Since we weren’t checking bags, this wasn’t a problem. We cleared security and ran off to SkyLink, since we were in the wrong terminal… of course.

The flight was boarding when we reached the gate, and we weren’t able to get seats together. However, we were on the flight, and that was all that mattered. I didn’t get lunch though, and since I had gotten up at 4:00 to go into the office that morning, I was pretty hungry. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get to the bag of nuts I had packed in Mom’s bag either.

When we got to the airport, we called Carmel Car Service for our scheduled pick up. They were there promptly, and despite the fact we arrived during rush hour, the car service only cost us $24, thanks to the handy $4 off coupon that we got off their website. We were settling into our hotel well before 6:00, and I called Ruth’s Chris to see if we could move our dinner reservation up from 7:45, and they agreed, giving me a 6:45 slot.

We stayed the Doubletree Guest Suites in Times Square, and it is the most disappointing hotel we’ve stayed at in the Times Square area. We are regularly in NYC and have stayed at many hotels in the theater district and around Times Square. This hotel is extremely average in all categories, except for service. When we arrived, we were upgraded to a conference suite by a very friendly gentleman at the desk. All the staff was incredibly friendly and went out of their way to make us feel welcome in their hotel.

The room itself was very dated in decor, though they have upgraded the beds. The bathroom was large though, and the Neutrogena amenities were replaced every day. The windows offered a panoramic view of Times Square, and you could shut the lights out with the shades at night.

We had a drink in the lobby bar one night -- the drinks were good, but very pricey. $14 per drink is a little steep, even for New York. The lobby bar is beautiful, but as a previous poster mentioned, it's not private or secluded -- it's right in the middle of the check in/out madness and next to the elevators.

The elevators were faster than I expected, and we rarely had to wait very long for an elevator, even though we were on one of the higher floors.

The wi-fi was TERRIBLE while we were there. It faded in and out, and often didn't work at all during half of the stay. At $12.95/day, I expected better.

Overall, it's a pleasant enough stay at the right price, but had I paid the $3000 they were asking for New Year's Eve 2008, I would have been severely disappointed. However, it is not one of my favourite hotels in the area, and I don't know that I would return. The hotel is rather bland.

At any rate, we headed to Ruth’s Chris for dinner, and it was superb. The service was exceptional. This is the second time I’ve visited this location, and I’ve been impressed both visits. Mom ordered their prix fixe dinner with the tomato salad, a filet and shrimp, and a chocolate mousse and berry dessert. I ordered a petite filet au poirve and ate most of her dessert. I know it’s terribly cliché to go to New York and eat at a chain restaurant, but I have been wanting to take Mom to Ruth’s Chris for a LONG time, and I was craving their au poivre sauce.

After dinner, we walked back to the hotel. I tried to convince Mom that we should grab TKTS tickets and head to a show, but I was unsuccessful. We went back to the hotel and unwound for the night.

Persistence and the great ticket search!

2009-03-10T08:38:00.000-05:00

My persistence has finally paid off! I found Mom, Ashley, and I tickets to see South Pacific at Lincoln Center without having to use a broker or ticket service! For weeks, Telecharge (the official box office) has listed this show as sold out. Today, while making the rounds to check tickets for Jersey Boys, Wicked, and South Pacific, I found tickets 5 rows from stage almost center orchestra!!!! I can’t wait! We’ll be seeing the Sunday matinee. How FUN is that?!?

Moral of the story?

Don’t ever give up. :-D

(This happened to me while looking for Wicked NY tickets in 2007... Sold out, sold out, sold out, until 2 premium seats opened up.)

Mother/Daughter NYC Trip

2009-03-05T11:26:00.004-06:00

In one week, Mom and I are headed off to New York City for a long weekend. Several times throughout college, we spent my spring break there, and Mom has been missing that trip, so off we go. We’re going to see the newly opened Guys and Dolls with Lauren Graham and Phantom. I’m working on tickets to Jersey Boys, South Pacific, or Wicked… though admittedly, I am hesitant to go through a broker. It’s truly unfortunate that New York passed the legalization of scalping, because ticket prices have climbed even higher than usual. I’d really love for Mom to see Jersey Boys, but not at $250/ticket. I could buy premium seats from the theater for $300/each if I wanted to pay that. It used to be that you couldn’t sell for a certain amount over the face value of the ticket. Now all that is gone. Grrrr.

I am looking forward to our trip, but truthfully, I go to New York so often that it’s hard for me to be REALLY excited. I told Mom that we need to look into going elsewhere after this. I’d really love to take her to London, because she would love the West End theater, and we could mix it up a little. Maybe next year.

I still have a lot of holes to fill in on our schedule, but it’s a start I suppose.

March 12, 2009

Arrive LGA, transfer to hotel
7:45 – dinner reservations at Ruth’s Chris
Empire State Building or Top of the Rock

March 13, 2009

Shopping day!
Chelsea Market
Dinner – tentatively Empanada Mama, Hells Kitchen
8:00 pm – Guys and Dolls, Nederlander Theater

March 14, 2009

Late lunch at Peter Luger's, Brooklyn
8:00 pm – Phantom of the Opera, Majestic Theater
Dessert at Sardi’s after the show

March 15, 2009

Costume Institute at the Met
3:00 – South Pacific, Vivian Beaumont Theater, Lincoln Center

March 16, 2009

Lunch at Grimaldi’s, Brooklyn
Walk back across Brooklyn Bridge
Transfer to LGA, flight home

London 2009 -- Day Three

2009-02-15T14:19:00.000-06:00

Sunday started late with breakfast at Prêt a Manger. I had hoped to visit an outdoor art market that I had read about, so we headed down Bayswater Road along Hyde Park until we found the artists peddling their wares. Having seen a small handful of street artists in Florence, I was unprepared for the number of artists that we were out in full force on that beautiful Sunday morning. There were photographers, painters, watercolorists, clockmakers, and every sort of artist in between stretching from Hyde Park to Kensington Gardens. I loved walking along seeing their pieces, longing to take the largest and most beautiful home with me, but knowing how impractical it was. Given that I had difficulty finding an ATM, I didn’t bring anything home with me. :-\ Sad.

From there, we headed up to Oxford Street for some window shopping which morphed into Tottenham Court road (another HP reference for some of you!) before heading to the National Portrait Gallery to meet Todd. We didn’t end up finding him, so we ventured into the museum on our own. It’s one of the free gems in London, though on that Sunday afternoon, someone was a little overzealous with the heater. It was quite uncomfortable. We did manage to visit a few old friends in the museum though.

After the museum, Mary Beth and I headed to the Texas Embassy just off Trafalgar Square for chips and salsa before she had to head back to Leeds. The Texas Embassy, though not the best Tex-Mex food, holds a special place in my heart when I get homesick while abroad. It’s a big restaurant with all sorts of Texas memorabilia scattered throughout. A little piece of Texas in London. A little bit of trivia for you – the Texas Embassy restaurant actually exists in the same place that the Texas Embassy actually existed when Texas was its own entity. Previous occupants of the building also included White Star Shipping Line, infamous for the ill-fated Titanic.

Mary Beth headed to the train station around 4, leaving me to wait for Todd to determine how to spend our last night in London. We headed out in search of a pub and ended up at Ye Grapes in Mayfair where we watched soccer and had a few drinks. From there, I convinced Todd that we had to go visit the sites at night, as he hadn’t truly experienced the beauty of Big Ben yet. We tried to take the Underground, but the lines we needed were shut down, so we hopped in a cab.

We ended up having a late dinner at Locale, an Italian restaurant in Westminster, not far from where we had lunch on Friday. I ordered the basil pizza, and it was very much like the pizzas I had ordered in Italy. Thin crust, light cheese, light toppings, very flavorful. I really enjoyed it. Todd also seemed to really enjoy his pasta, as there was none left by the end of the meal. (Lots of Italian food this weekend, I know.)

We grabbed the subway up to Tower Hill, so I could photograph Tower Bridge at night. It was a little eerie to wander around the Tower of London at night, but the bridge was absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed seeing it all lit up in the evening. We stayed up there for awhile, but decided to head back to Grosvenor House before the Underground stopped running.

Overall, it was a very laid back trip without too much excitement. The highlights for me were definitely seeing The Sound of Music, the long leisurely dinner with two good friends, and photographing London at night. London is such a beautiful city, I’m not sure I’ll ever get tired of it.

More pictures can be found on my photoblog, or I can send you the whole collection on Kodak. :)

Happy Heart Day -- London 2009 -- Day Two

2009-02-14T13:52:00.001-06:00

Saturday morning, Todd and I once again set out for brekkie. Since we planned on visiting St. Paul’s that morning, we headed over there and found a small café serving breakfast, Café Rouge. We both ordered the traditional English breakfast, and although my eggs were a little runny, everything was good, especially their fresh orange juice. Service was a little spotty, but it was in the European tradition of letting you truly enjoy your table and your meal without being, as opposed to the hurry up and leave technique often practiced by American establishments. I can definitely say I prefer the former. At any rate, we finished up our breakfast and headed to St. Paul’s for some sightseeing. I love St. Paul’s, but it is darn near impossible to get a good picture of that structure! Like Notre Dame, it’s just too big for a good picture.

After St. Paul’s, we headed to King’s Cross to find Platform 9 and ¾s. If you aren’t a Harry Potter reader, you won’t understand. The whole experience was pretty underwhelming, but it was a fun photo op. It was funny, because as we were wandering around looking for it, Todd and I both stated that if we didn’t find it, there was no way we were going to ask where it was. Todd happened to see a flash, and thus we stumbled upon Platform 9 and ¾s…

From there, we headed to Leicester Square so Todd could get tickets for a West End performance. He ended up getting decently priced tickets to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, so he would be entertained while Mary Beth and I saw The Sound of Music. He wanted to go check into his hotel afterward, and I needed to meet Mary Beth, so we headed back to Grosvenor House.

Mary Beth arrived shortly after 3, and we headed to Prêt a Manger near the Marble Arch tube station for a light lunch. I had fresh fruit and orange juice, and she had a salad. We managed to secure a table upstairs, and we spent time just visiting and catching up. It was absolutely wonderful. We finally headed back to the hotel for more visiting and to get ready for that evening’s events.

Todd was supposed to stay at the Hilton Park Lane, but they were completely booked, so they walked him to the Hilton Green Park a few blocks away. It wasn’t nearly as grand, but it did the job for one night. The staff was very pleasant when we popped over to pick him up on our way to the West End.

We walked from the Hilton Green Park to Piccadilly Circus and ended up having wine and appetizers in the bar of Tiger Tiger. It was the only place we could get into, and we watched a bit of a soccer game while visiting. Eventually, we all scampered off to our respective theaters with the promise to meet up afterwards for a proper dinner.

The Sound of Music was at the Palladium Theater off Oxford Street which is actually quite a large venue, especially for London. We had right orchestra seats that were pretty good. I was really disappointed though – the will call line was RIDICULOUS and they started the show with a will call line about a block long. We missed the opening number. However, other than that, the show was absolutely flawless. It was spectacular. The cast was extremely talented and spot on, the staging was beautiful, and the music was just as beautiful as the original. Captain Von Trapp was a little smarmy, and Mary Beth and I privately shared a good laugh when he thrust his daughter in front of him when asking Rolf not to shoot, but otherwise, it was an absolutely flawless production. I’m so glad we chose to see that before it closed the following weekend.

We met up with Todd after the show, each comparing notes on the show we had just seen and started looking for a restaurant. We found an Italian place, Bella Italia, near Leicester Square, and they seated us at a warm table in the back room of the restaurant. For the next two hours, we dined on fantastic Italian food (I had the linguine rustica – so tasty!), sipped wine, split dessert, and had great conversations. It was one of the most wonderful nights of my entire life, and I wish I could hold on to it forever, especially when I am lonely. Cliché and corny, I know, but it was such a beautiful night.

Together, we walked back to Todd’s hotel, getting a little turned around along the way. We laughed at the silly girls without their coats, the differences between American and European fashion, and those who were already so very drunk early in the night. It was quite cold out, but I never even noticed. It was truly the most perfect Valentine’s Day date I could have ever imagined.

London 2009 -- Day One

2009-02-13T15:56:00.001-06:00

I know, I know. I’m really behind in updated the travel blog, since returning from London. I promise, it’s been non-stop since I returned, and it seems like so long ago. It was such an amazing trip though, I can’t even tell you!

I left Wednesday night for an overnight in Chicago, and while the weather looked fine here, it was apparently bad in Chicago. I managed to get standby on an earlier flight, which resulted in me getting to ORD around the same time I would have on the original flight. The original flight didn’t get in until after 11:00 that night. However, I was stuck WAY in the back of the plane, perhaps further back than I’ve sat in YEARS, and it convinced me that I needed to see about an upgrade for the IAD-LHR leg. By 11:00, I was settling into my hotel room after my 2.25 mile run in the fitness center.

While at the airport, I asked about the possibility of an upgrade to business for the Washington-London leg of my flight. The gate agent was able to take care of it for me, so I didn’t have to worry about getting there extra early on Thursday. He was so friendly and helpful – United needs more CSRs like him.

I spent my night in Chicago at the Springhill Suites, and it was perfectly adequate. They had a free shuttle to/from the airport with the nicest shuttle driver! He was so entertaining. My room was fairly large with a separate sitting area. The bathroom was TINY, but what can you expect? The workout room had two treadmills and a couple of weight machines. They had a business center with free internet which was nice, since I don’t like to take my laptop on international trips unless I have to. The staff at this hotel was wonderful though – I cannot say enough good things about them.

Thursday morning, I went for another run in the hotel fitness center and had breakfast at the hotel. It was standard continental fare, but it was good all the same. I had a muffin and orange juice before heading upstairs to shower and get ready for the long day that laid before me.

My flight from Chicago to Washington-Dulles left at 1:10pm, and I was seated in the first row of economy plus. I had more than enough leg room and the seat was fairly comfortable, as far as airline seats go. There was a nice blanket and the standard airline pillow, though I didn’t need either one of them. We were on a 777 that would obviously go on to an international destination later that night. Very comfortable plane. We ended up getting stuck in a holding pattern because of the winds in DC, and it was a fairly turbulent ride, but we touched down only a little bit later than we should have. Good enough.

I had enough time to grab Subway for dinner before boarding the plane to London. I am not crazy about Washington-Dulles as an airport. They still have smoking rooms, so the whole airport has that musty, smoky smell. There also aren’t many dining options in the terminal that I was departing from, so Subway was the best I could do. Seating is very limited around gates, so it can be a bit chaotic. I gladly boarded the plane as soon as they opened up business class and accepted a glass of champagne.

I will say that United’s “old” business product does not even begin to compare with American’s business product. Doesn’t even come close. The menu was extremely limited, the amenity kit was lacking, the seat comfort was terrible (I spent the whole night with the metal lumbar support digging into my back), the blanket and pillow were the same offered in Economy Plus, and the flight attendants attitudes were TERRIBLE. It was not a pleasant experience, and not worth the money, miles, or any combination of the two. Economy Plus would be just as good, if not better. Unlike when I flew American, I was not able to sleep much of the way. They also had very limited entertainment options, especially compared with American’s video on demand service, which was quite extensive and allowed you to watch whatever you chose. United only offered the same couple movies on replay – there was no starting it when you felt inclined. Overall, I was very, very disappointed in United’s business class product.

We ended up in yet another holding pattern outside of London but ended up landing relatively on-time. I cleared customs with only a few questions as to what I was doing in London, and I immediately headed to terminal 4 to meet Todd’s flight.

They were delayed by about an hour, so by the time he got his bags and cleared customs, it was probably after 8:00. I grabbed him and we headed to the Heathrow Express – the best way to get into London, in my opinion. It’s so easy. Buy a ticket, get on the train, and within 20 minutes, you are in the heart of London.

Todd and I each changed $20 at Paddington Station, and I ran outside to grab us a cab to the hotel. We stayed at Marriott’s Grosvenor House again – my favorite hotel in London. They offered us a better room, but it was a smoking room, so I politely declined and we decided to wait until a non-smoking room was available. We checked our luggage and headed out to explore the city.

We ended up walking through Chelsea and Kensingon, originally headed to the Muffin Man, but getting a little turned around along the way. We grabbed some Starbucks to clear our heads and hopped on a double decker bus to Victoria where we wandered around for awhile, and then we headed out towards Westminster on foot. London is such a wonderful walkable city. It’s marked so well, you can get anywhere if you follow the signs.

We spent some time around Westminster Cathedral, Parliament, and Big Ben before deciding that lunch was imperative. We asked a street vendor, and he pointed us down a street behind the Marriott County Hall that had an Italian place, a few fast food places, and Yo Sushi! My friends, the Norvilles, had recommended Yo Sushi on my last visit, and since Todd really seemed to want sushi, I decided to oblige. I had a few of their chicken dishes, and they were decent. They have the sushi rotating around the restaurant, and you pick things off a conveyor belt. They total it up based on the color and number of containers you consume. It’s really a very interesting concept.

After lunch, we decided to head back to the hotel and see if they had a room prepared for us yet. We were both exhausted and in need of a nap. Luckily, a room on the second floor was ready, and after checking our email and letting everyone at home know we were safe, we succumbed to the bed monster and took a much needed nap.

I had tickets to see Avenue Q at 5:30, so I got up around 4 and started getting ready. Todd tried to figure out how to text internationally, so he could meet up with his friends that evening. I really enjoyed Avenue Q, though I definitely recommend seeing it in New York (or anywhere in the US for that matter). They changed a bit of the script to make it relevant in London which I can appreciate. After the show, I walked down to Trafalgar Square for a bit a poetic moment.

When I was in London in December 2004, I had hazy memories of turning a corner and coming upon these beautifully lit fountains. I had made it my mission to find them again, and there they were in Trafalgar Square, just as beautiful as I remembered. I headed back to the hotel to make sure Todd found his friends and to change into my comfortable clothes. From there, I headed back to Westminster to photograph my favorite monuments at night. It was absolutely beautiful. Magical, even.

I headed back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep, though Todd got home around 1:30, waking me to tell me all about his evening. Definitely a good interruption. We planned to sleep until we got up and around on Saturday morning.

The Grosvenor House bed monster wins again.

A few recent Dallas restaurant reviews...

2009-01-19T07:48:00.004-06:00

Cuba Libre
2822 N Henderson Ave
Dallas, TX 75206-6504

Had dinner here late on a Friday night after finding out there was a 45 minute wait at 9:45 at another restaurant. We only waited 10 minutes for a table. The entire menu is very reasonably priced, though it's high for tacos. The ingredients are a bit more gourmet though. I had the brisket tacos with crispy onions and a mango-BBQ sauce. The brisket was extremely tender and everything had a great flavor. There were 2 tacos on the plate. They do allow you to mix and match though, which I think is nice. My companion had the spicy shrimp tacos, and she really enjoyed them, too.

It was served with black beans and rice, which was too much food for me.

Overall, it's a good value, fresh ingredients, and something a little different. There seems to be a hopping bar upstairs with loud music, but we didn't check it out.

Village Burger Bar
3699 McKinney
Dallas, Texas

A friend and I decided to run in here for a quick dinner on a Friday night before catching a movie. I ordered the Chicken Pesto Panini with the famous sweet potato fries. She ordered the Cheddar Burger with regular fries. I had a Watermelon Mojito and she had the Mangorita. Her Mangorita was strong, but extremely tasty. My watermelon mojito tasted like a regular mojito -- perhaps they forgot the watermelon. The place was extremely busy with a line out the door at 8:00. We grabbed a table inside, and there were ample tables for patio seating, which will be nice when the weather is better. Our food came fairly quickly, and the fries were fresh and crispy. My chicken panini was good, but there wasn't a lot of pesto on the chicken. I could have done with a little bit more. Her burger was cooked to perfection with fresh vegetables on it. (Don't you hate limp looking lettuce??) The fries were EXCELLENT. I had never had sweet potato fries, but they were extremely tasty with the right crisp-factor. The regular fries were great, too. Altogether, I was impressed and thought it made for a tasty quick meal..

Gloria's -- The Original Location
3715 Greenville Ave
Dallas, TX 75206-5311

A friend and I visited this restaurant on a Sunday afternoon as a celebration lunch. I was surprised that it wasn't busy, but apparently they do a busy evening crowd. The salsa and bean dip served was quite tasty. The salsa has a really good flavor. We ended up splitting fajitas for two, and there was PLENTY of meat. We probably could have split an order for one. The beans served with the fajitas were different than the ones seved with the salsa, and they had a fantastic flavor. The beef was extremely tender, and the chicken was well seasoned. The pieces could have been cut a little smaller, but not a big deal. Service was great -- I don't think our drinks ever fell below half a glass. It was a little overwhelming, to tell you the truth... but I'll take it!

Over all, we had a fantastic lunch experience. The food was good, the service was great, and I'll definitely be back. I have heard that this is the original and best location in Dallas -- so I'll stick to it.

Get into theater!

2009-01-14T15:10:00.000-06:00

I stumbled upon an AMAZING website today. From January 1 – February 13, the UK offers something called “Get Into London Theatre”. During this time, they offer 15, 25, and 35 gpb tickets to shows in the West End. The tickets go on sale in December, but they continue selling until sold out. I checked this out to see what was available for the Friday I’m in London, and they had tickets to hits like Billy Elliott, Wicked, etc. I was hoping they would have tickets for Jersey Boys, but they only have those available until Thursday… Anyway, here’s the website:

http://www.getintolondontheatre.co.uk/

It’s AMAZING!

The hills are alive!

2009-01-13T13:54:00.000-06:00

Mary Beth and I have planned our Valentine’s Day (celebration!) evening in Londres.

We will be going to dinner (not sure where yet), seeing The Sound of Music (thanks Mom!), and going out for drinks afterward. A very subdued affair. Should be fun. :-D The Sound of Music is closing the following week, so we were lucky to be able to get tickets. Very exciting.

Now, I must figure out what I am going to do before Mary Beth gets there. (As if it’s hard to find things to do in London.)

Le Londres -- planning!

2009-01-12T09:34:00.001-06:00

Now that I’ve gotten back and settled in, it’s time to start focusing on the upcoming London trip! As it stands right now, I will be putting in an appearance at the one and only Grosvenor House, my favourite hotel in London. Mary Beth won’t actually be arriving until Saturday, so I will have all day Friday to be left to my own devices. I will probably see a show Friday night, but I’m having difficulty picking! The Sound of Music and Dirty Dancing are at the top of my list… though it has been awhile since my last Wicked fix, so I could always see Wicked again. I’ve never seen it in London. ;-) (But is 10 times excessive? Is it?) The Sound of Music is closing the following week, so I may end up choosing that. We’ll see. I need to decide quickly though, as tickets for West End shows seem a bit harder to come by. Oh, I love theater!

One thing I definitely want to do is photograph the Tower Bridge at night, and hopefully get some dusk pictures of the Parliament/Big Ben/Tower Bridge areas. I am debating whether or not to take my tripod with me. I guess it will depend on how much I pack. ;-) There was no way I could take it to NYC and not check luggage. I really don’t like to check luggage on international trips, so we’ll just have to see how the packing goes.

I’m also hoping to visit the British Museum and the Sunday morning outdoor art fair.

I love planning trips. :-D

Nothing much to do at work today… yet. So here I sit, planning trips, looking up theater tickets, and debating which show to see.

Life is good, isn’t it?

New York, New York -- Day Five

2008-12-30T10:00:00.004-06:00

Day Five started out just as sunny as day four, though the winds were up and it was quite a bit cooler. My first stop was to see the Radio City Rockettes on their home turf in an early morning performance. I was really looking forward to this, but it ended up being my biggest disappointment of the trip. Radio City is a HUGE venue, but I had decent seats. It's very comfortable with padded chairs, a little more legroom than normal, and warm. This being the last day of the Spectacular, I expected a high energy show. The first problem for me was that even though it was announced that no photography was allowed, and this would be strictly enforced, there were people taking photographs the ENTIRE time. It was so distracting, especially since the mom next to me was fidgeting around, dropped her HUGE purse on my feet, and taking pictures the entire time. She kept turning around in her seat, leaning in my lap, and taking pictures of her kids watching the show. It was SO annoying. Why do I always end up next to that person?? Testing my patience, I know.

As for the Rockettes, the whole show seemed to move very slow, the numbers lacking true character and warmth. It was almost mechanical in slow motion. The precision of the Rockettes is truly amazing, but this show just lacked in every other aspect. I was really disappointed. I was climbing the walls to get out of there as fast as I could.

After that, I went back to the hotel and picked up my bags from Central Market. I decided to UPS it all home. The closest UPS was in Toys R Us in Times Square. I braved that madhouse, and then decided it was time to get the heck out of tourist central and adjust my attitude. I headed to the Upper East Side for some tasty Beijing Wok and uncrowded streets. I found a few children's stores, and I ended up getting something for Baby Summer at Belini. They had the SWEETEST things in there. I wish I could have brought everything home. :) The people in there were so friendly, too. I bought Summer two poems to go on the wall that talk about when Mommy first saw you and Daddy first saw you. It has spaces for two pictures, and on the back, there are two envelopes for you write a letter to baby. It's so, so sweet.

I decided to head to Bloomingdales, since I didn't have time to head downtown and check out my favourite shoe outlet, but Bloomie's was on the way home. I ended up finding an Anne Klein dress that I had fallen in love with on the mannequin at Neiman Marcus for $80 (regularly priced at $490), so I bought it. I can wear it to work, and I can wear it out to events, so I was really excited! I started skulking around the make-up counters, and I ended up getting a makeover at Trish McEvoy. I bought a few of their products to try, so we'll see how that goes. By the time I finished at Bloomingdales, I had just enough time to run back to the hotel, change my clothes, and head out to see Boeing-Boeing.

I thought Boeing-Boeing was BRILLIANT. It was certainly a comedy of errors in the traditional French way, but the cast was stellar and stole the show. The people next to me left at intermission with a somewhat snide comment of "not being slapstick people", but for all the "cheap shots", it was truly a French comedy in every sense of the word. (For other French comedies, Netflix The Dinner Game or The Valet... I thought The Dinner Game was hilarious.) A bit simple, yes, but not terrible. The stereotypes ran strong, much like The Producers, so I suppose that might offend some people. I was not offended -- it was all in fun, not malicious or evil intent. Anyway, it's unfortunate that it's closing, because I truly enjoyed it.

Afterwards, I had thought I would grab dinner, but nothing in Times Square vicinity sounded good, and it was terribly cold... I considered room service, but the menu did not look appetizing enough for the prices... so I just ate some of my left over cookies and headed to bed.

New York, New York -- Day Four

2008-12-29T15:35:00.004-06:00

I woke up this morning, and the sun was just shining away. Of course, it's the first day I've truly seen the sun since being here, and I was scheduled to spend all day at the ICE -- the Institute of Culinary Education.

From 10-3 today, I was in the Basic Cookie class. We started out by dividing into "teams" of two and making a butter cookie recipe. The instructor went over each ingredient and step of the recipe and gave us tips and tricks. Eliz, this would be such a great recipe for one of your cookie parties! I'll send it to you. We also rolled out our cookies and cut them out using cutters. So much fun!

The next part of our class consisted of going around the room, naming a color and associating a flavor with it. We then used different liquors to flavor our icings. For example, red was flavored with a cherry brandy, brown was flavored with Godiva, etc, etc, etc. Then, as a team, we made two batched of icing and colored and flavored each one to be used with by the whole class. I was brown, and let me tell you, the Godiva chocolate icing was TO DIE FOR! Amazing! The instructor also taught us how to make paper icing cones, so we could decorate our cookies without using icing tips.

The third part of the class consisted of actually decorating the cookies we made. I learned a lot of cool tricks, and it's really not as difficult as it looks. Again, she had some tricks for us, suggesting perhaps that we use squirt bottles (with the tiny tips) for icing, instead of paper cones. I think that would work better for me. I have a tendency to get icing all over me when using cones or bags! At any rate, I learned a lot, and 5 hours FLEW by!

After my class, I decided to stop and get a snack, so I ducked into a dumpling bar on W. 23rd Street called Rickshaw! I love dumplings! I had standard pork and chive dumplings with a sesame dipping sauce, and it was SO tasty. It was also $7 with a drink. I have definitely eaten well and cheaply on this trip. I love tasty ethnic food!

Tonight, I have another cooking class. It's a New York steakhouse class. I'm really looking forward to it. You can expect an update on that one when I return tonight. ;)

I definitely recommend taking a class or two at the ICE though. It's so much fun, a great learning experience, and a tasty way to pass the time.

Update:

I have just returned from my New York Steakhouse class, and oh my. So delicious. I had such a wonderful time, despite being the only person there not attached to a +1. We made Shrimp Cocktail, a Ceasar Salad, Creamed Spinach, Truffled Mashed Potatoes, a New York Strip Steak, a filet mingon with a congac cream sauce, a dijon mustard pork chop, and almond bread pudding. It was all SO tasty, but I was completely, miserably full after trying everything. I am bringing all the recipes home, if anyone wants them.

I decided to walk back from 23rd Street to 42nd Street. Along the way, I took some pictures of the lights at Macy's, a few of the theaters, and I tried (in vain) to capture a picture of the Empire State Building. AHHH I wish I had a tripod. (Mine's at home.) It's so frustrating!

I can't believe in a few short days, I'll be back at the office. Seems kind of sad, to tell you the truth. I wish I was happier at work. I know I'm just bored, but..

Ah well, I'm on vacation. Let's not think about that nonsense now.

New York, New York -- Day Three

2008-12-28T23:50:00.003-06:00

This morning, I woke up and headed downtown. My first stop was on 23rd Street where 5th Avenue meets Broadway... the Flatiron Building! I have been trying to photograph this building for YEARS, but I never seem to make it down there. Well, I finally made it. Goodness, it's a beautiful building. New York, especially as you venture further and further downtown, has some of the most beautiful architecture. At one point, I turned around, and there was the Empire State Building, a beauty in her own right, but not nearly as beautiful as the Flatiron Building. In fact, I think she's lost a bit of her luster. My favourite skyscraper in NYC is the Chrysler Building... and my other two favourites are the Flatiron Building and Grand Central Terminal. Just beautiful.

After snapping several photos, I headed even further downtown to Chelsea Market! My mom and I LOVE Chelsea Market, and everytime I visit in NYC, I end up sending boxes of stuff home. Spices and oils are so cheap here. They have an Italian store that has only things I could get in Italy, and I LOVE it. Today, they had another one of my vices that I have been unable to find, but have dreamed about for 4 years. The one and only Dupolo with whole hazelnuts. This chocolate is AMAZING. It is a wafer with three hazelnuts placed on it. The hazelnuts are covered with another wafer, and a creamy hazelnut chocolate is injected into the middle. WOW. So good. I FOUND THEM! Oh me. Amazing. At any rate, my mom and I are completely stocked until we come back in March for everything else. ;)

I dropped the bags off at the hotel and headed to John's for lunch. In the great pizza debate, I think John's wins this year. I walked in, waited about 10 minutes, and was shown to a table in the main area. The scents of fresh ingredients were wafting to my nose. It was incredibly good. Last year, Grimaldi's won. This year, John's wins.

I had planned to take a class at Broadway Dance Center today, but I had a major breakdown in the Capezio store. Suffice it to say, I won't get into it here... but there's a lot of work to be done in 2009. Since I decided not to take the class, I decided to try and get tickets to watch someone else dance. I was able to score tickets to Billy Elliott for tonight!

I headed back to the hotel to close my eyes for a little bit and regroup, then I proceeded to get ready for the show. I happened upon an elevator full of British men who informed me, "You know, you're covered in glitter... Is that intentional?" I was a bit embarrassed, as I thought I looked rather pretty... and the glitter didn't seem that noticeable when I was putting on my eyeshadow... Ah well. They thought it was hilarious.

I settled into my seat (3rd row, center orchestra) for Billy Elliott, not really knowing what to expect. The show was BRILLIANT. Absolutely, positively BRILLIANT. The kid who played Billy was an incredible dancer and he acted the part so well. I cannot believe how young and talented some of these kids are. The dancing was so well done, I enjoyed the mixture of tap and ballet. The last number of the first act did for Billy Elliott what Defying Gravity did for Wicked. Simply brilliant. I did notice that there weren't a lot of children in the audience. A word to the wise, there is a lot of language in this show, so if you find that offensive or bothersome for your children to hear, you might want to pick another show. You shouldn't miss Billy, but I understand other people's choices.

After the show, I ran upstairs, pulled on some jeans and a sweater and took to the streets with my camera. I think I was able to get some decent shots tonight... though not the ones I was actually hoping for. Pictures will probably be posted when I get home.

Now off to bed... two cooking classes tomorrow!

New York, New York -- Day Two

2008-12-27T22:16:00.003-06:00

I slept considerably better last night than I did the night before, although my legs were very stiff and VERY sore. I slept until around 9:00 when I finally forced myself out of bed. I showered and got ready for the day, deciding my first stop would be Berdorf Goodman.

While I was deciding whether or not I would go to Bloomingdale's first, I ended up at Bergdorf's by foot. My main purpose was to replace the foundation I bought there last year. I love this stuff, and I have yet to find somewhere in Dallas that carries it. I started wandering around the other floors, but truthfully, I was too hot in my coat, and the salespeople were just NOT friendly. They were looking at me like I was scum on the bottom of their shoe, despite the fact that I was dressed appropriately, wearing make up, and sporting some very nice "bling" that I received for Christmas. No dice. They weren't interested in helping me, and I wasn't interested in patronizing their store. Easy as that.

After Bergdorf's, I headed towards Bloomingdale's, but realized if I was going to make it through the day, it was time to eat. After much deliberation, I hopped on the 6-train to the Upper East Side. Those of you who followed my adventures last year may remember a certain Beijing Wok that I became obsessed with because of their tasty wonton soup. I decided to make the trek up to 70th and 2nd JUST FOR WONTON SOUP. (You might say my obsession has reached epic proportions now.) Anyway, while enjoying my "LARGE" wonton soup, I witnessed the Upper East Side Must Stay Skinny Phenomena.

I kid you not.

The woman after me came in and ordered a wonton soup WITH ONE WONTON. Now, I have to tell you, the wontons are the reason I am obsessed with Beijing Wok. They are plump, huge, succulent, and TASTY. You cannot eat just one. But, in her effort to remain waif-like.... she only ordered ONE wonton in her soup. Blasphemy.

Beijing Wok was just as cheap and tasty as I remembered. Lunch cost me $4.14. NICE.

After Beijing Wok and my LARGE soup (many wontons), it was time to head back downtown to Bloomingdale's. Wouldn't you know that I picked up the only things in that store that weren't on-sale?! I did find a few things that I want to watch for in the spring collections though. Ralph Lauren has some FANTASTIC things coming. :) I didn't end up buying anything, because before I knew it, it was time to head back towards the hotel for my matinee.

Now, I had read many reviews about this show that weren't very good. However, I really like the movie, the music, and since it's closing in January, I thought it would be fun to see. Ace Young (the American Idol guy) was PHENOMENAL as Kenicke. I thought Derek was stellar as Danny, too. The musical is nothing like the movie, but the staging was totally fun, and the cast, for the most part, was really talented. I have NEVER warmed up to Ashley since the reality show, and she did not endear herself to me as Sandy. She just comes across as really cold, which I never thought Sandy did in the movie. In the movie, she's the kind of girl I would want to be friends with... in Ashley's portrayal, she's not even someone I would recognize. I just am NOT impressed with that girl, at all.

After the matinee, I headed to the TKTS booth to try and score tickets for tonight. I waited about 40 minutes, and when I got to the desk, I asked about three shows, and the woman gave me the option of rear mezzanine tickets for every show. They were running about $90. I thought to myself, "HAH! If you think I'm paying $90 for rear mezz tickets, you are OUTTA your mind, lady." I walked over to the box office for Billy Elliott. They had ONE partial view, 2nd mezzanine, rear seat. Thanks, but no thanks. I ended up getting 6th row, dead center orchestra seats to The Little Mermaid. From there, it was off to Hell's Kitchen to find dinner.

I ended up at Empanada Mama. I started off by ordering a glass of red sangria. I figured I needed it to contend with tourists and children at The Little Mermaid. I ordered the shredded beef empanadas (less than $3.00), and a "USA" (apples and cinnamon) empanada for dessert (also less than $3.00). It was all delicious. The service was friendly, the food was good, and my bill with a large glass of sangria came out to $13.01. AMAZING.

So, it was off to The Little Mermaid. My seat was actually, a little close to the stage where I was sort of craning my neck up to see it. It was okay though. I got through it. The musical is NOTHING like the movie, and many of the songs are NOT in the movie. I am of the opinion that too many people expect musicals to be EXACTLY like the movies, and for that reason, they are often disappointed and gripe about them. Some that come to mind are Grease, Mary Poppins, and the Little Mermaid, all of which haven't gotten great reviews. You really have to look beyond what you know, and forget that part of it. The Little Mermaid is beautifully staged with incredible costumes and an AMAZING cast. But, it's not the movie, and it's not going to be. I will say that while Disney does put on some beautiful musicals, I'm not sure that's where their forte is, and perhaps they should stick to something else. Adjust your expectations and see it on a discount.

New York, New York -- Day One

2008-12-26T21:55:00.001-06:00

Airline: American Airlines
Hotel: Marriott Marquis

There must be a better way to differentiate between my New York trips, but for the life of me, I have yet to figure it out. Anyway... I ended up staying at the Courtyard by Marriott -- DFW South so my parents didn't have to try and take me to the airport on the 26th at some ungodly hour. I slept terribly, but sometime around 1:54am, my upgrade cleared for my flight, so I slept on the plane.

We arrived into Newark 30 minutes early, so I was on the AirTrain by the time I was supposed to actually be arriving. I love the AirTrain -- it's so easy. The ticket costs $15, which is substantially less than a cab from JFK or LGA, depending on the time of day. It puts me in Penn Station, which is one subway stop dowtown from my hotel. It works perfectly.

I arrived at the Marriott during a peak time, and there were many people in line around me. My king corner room wasn't ready, and I wouldn't be able to check in until after 4, so I went ahead and accepted a regular room. Last time I did this, the guy at the desk gave me a fantastic room with THE view. This time, the [snide] girl at the desk gave me a terrible room. I am very disappointed, but I don't want to complain. For as little as I'm here, it will do. They are out of their mind if they think I would pay $600+ for this room on the 31st though. I still haven't talked to reservations about extending my reservation. Ah well.

So, I dropped off my luggage, grabbed my camera, and headed down to South Street Seaport. Admittedly, I was only going down here for one reason -- a shorter line at TKTS and the ability to buy tickets for Saturday's matinee. Well, I took a wrong turn on Fulton and ended up at the WTC site. They are definitely working on that. You can't even see any of the site anymore, because they have the construction barriers up. It's hard for me to believe that they are truly going to replace the towers. I can't imagine that they are having a lot of luck leasing office space. I'm of the opinion that we need to simply build a memorial and leave things as they are... but that's just me.

Anyway, I finally made it down to South Street Seaport, and what a sight that is. It's so cliche in the middle of this 'real' NYC neighborhood. Baffling, really. I had heard that you wouldn't spend more than 20 minutes in this TKTS line, but that is WRONG. I spent about an hour in line. I did manage to score 5th row, center orchestra seats for Grease tomorrow, which was exciting. From there, I walked back uptown towards the Brooklyn Bridge. I went back and forth about whether or not to walk across it, and ended up deciding to go for it. I thought I would reward myself with pizza at Grimaldi's.

I ended up wandering around Brooklyn, as I didn't have a map with me. Luckily, I [eventually] found Grimaldi's... and another line. I joined it, and one of the owners told me it wouldn't be more than 20-30 minutes. WRONG. It was an hour. I was FREEZING. However, when I did get a table, the pizza was fantastic, and the owner serenaded me... lol. I do love that place. It's got such character, and everyone has always been so friendly. If you want gooooood pizza, Grimaldi's is where it's at.

By the time I finished, it was getting to be that mysterious blue hour in New York. I hopped back on the footpath for the Brooklyn Bridge and started trying to take pictures. I could NOT get my camera to stabilize. I could NOT get a good picture. There was vibration on the bridge, so I couldn't get long exposures. I was completely exasperated. I finally had to put my camera away, I was so angry. I grabbed the 6 train back uptown from City Hall, transferred at Grand Central, and came back to my hotel to get ready for The Fantasticks.

If there's any one thing you should know about me, it's that I LOVE Broadway. It's my favourite thing, ever. I adore musicals. I attend theatre events whenever I can, wherever I am. I challenged myself on this New York trip that I would try and see things I haven't seen before, especially with so many things closing in January.

Anyway, the first thing I've seen this trip is The Fantasticks, which is playing off-Broadway at the Jerry Orbach Snapple Theater right down the street from Wicked. My best friend Kristin LOVES The Fantasticks, and she sent me the original cast recording some years ago that featured Jerry Orbach. (I would have DIED to see him in it.) Anyway, Kristin had told me the theater was small, but I didn't realize what she meant by small, so when I was able to secure 2nd row center orchestra seats, I was stoked!

I walked into the theater tonight and was I shocked. I was practically sitting on the stage! There is not a seat in that theater with a bad view.

And now I must say this, if you haven't seen The Fantasticks, you need to RUN (not walk!) to see this show. The cast was SUPERB. Seriously. When they started singing "Try to Remember", I got chills. I absolutely love that song, and it always makes me think of New York when I hear it... It's an absolutely beautiful song. At any rate, although El Gallo wasn't Jerry Orbach, he still gave me chills when he sang it.

Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.

Try to remember when life was so tender
That no one wept except the willow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.

Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Although you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Without a hurt the heart is hollow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
The fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December, our hearts should remember
And follow.

Every time Louisa came on stage, I couldn't help but smile like the child I am on the inside. She reminded me a lot of myself... and even, a little bit of Glinda from Wicked. Just blonde with those beautiful rose colored glasses that only children can have. How beautiful it all is. The fathers made me grin, and I think that Soctt Robins would be AWESOME as Louisa's father. In fact, everytime I looked at him, all I could see was Scott. Weird! They were both so talented -- who couldn't help but smile when Louisa's father was watering his plants and Matt's father was clipping them. Matt's father reminded me of my great grandfather, which also made me smile.

Finally, the two "actors"... The only discrepancy I noticed was that the "Rape Ballet" has been renamed to the "Abduction". I'm sure that this has to do with the PC-ness of the term. At any rate, both the Indian and the "man in the light" (I'll call him that for lack of a better term) were FANTASTIC(K)! I loved when the Indian did his death scenes. He was so good. If they ever do a revival of Annie Get Your Gun again, I'm nominating THAT GUY for the chief!

Finally, "the Mute". How he stood as the wall for as long as he did without noticeably flinching, I will NEVER know. He pulled it off though! His role is fairly large, as he's constantly throwing confetti around to change the seasons, but he does so without being obtrusive and stealing the limelight from the cast. Well done, Mute.

The story line is one that is so simplistic and beautiful, it's unable for me to fathom how anyone couldn't love this musical, if not just for the songs, "Try to Remember", "They Were You", and "Plant a Radish". It's a beautiful show, performed with a minimalistic set and orchestra, a stellar cast, and beautiful music. I wouldn't miss this one if I were you.

Ironically, the worst part of the entire night were the Negative Nellies I was seated around, who saw it fit to go through the Playbill and complain about every, single show they have seen. Seriously?! If it's that bad, why go? I can only think of one show that I didn't truly love every moment of, but this isn't it.

Go see The Fantasticks. Take your kids to introduce them to theater. It's wholesome, family-friendly fun for everyone. I can only imagine how incredible it would be for a child to sit in that tiny theater and feel as if the entire cast was performing only for them.

It's what I felt like, and I'm 26. ;)

After The Fantasticks, I came back to the hotel for a nice long soak. My legs were pretty stiff after all that walking -- it usually takes me a day or two to get my "NYC legs".

Ah, things are coming together!

2008-12-18T09:43:00.001-06:00

I got into a new cooking class while I’m in New York! They opened up another section of “The Great New York Steakhouse”, and I was able to get into this one! Apparently it’s a really popular class – the last one had a waiting list of 11 people last time I checked! I had originally planned to see the Rockettes on that evening, but I decided I wanted to take this class more. I’m trying to sell my ticket to see the Rockettes on eBay, and I ordered one for another performance while I’m there. I am not looking to make any money off the ticket, I just want to break even. So… yay! I’m going to take two cooking classes while I’m in NYC.

I was realizing yesterday that if I really wanted to, I could turn this whole thing into a “Dancation”. I could literally dance all day long. How fun is that?! I’ve always wanted to take class with the Rockettes, but alas, I don’t think this is the trip to do it. So, I’m planning on taking other classes. I’m going to have to buy a leo and tights, since I don’t have mine anymore… *hrmph*, but I still have all my shoes!! How fun!

So, what are my plans? There are the only things set in stone.

December 26, 2008

Arrive EWR, transfer to Marriott Marquis using AirTrain
Tickets to The Fantasticks at 8:00pm

December 29, 2008

10:00 – 3:00 – Cooking class (Cookie decorating!)
6:00 – 10:30 – Cooking class (Steak!)

December 30, 2008

Radio City Rockette Christmas Spectacular at 11:00am
Boeing-Boeing at 7:00pm

I’ll probably see a show each night, and I’m really going to focus on seeing shows I haven’t seen yet. I’m definitely going to take some dance classes, but I just don’t know when. I’m going to play it by ear. I’m probably going to use the time between my cooking classes to photograph the Flatiron Building… something I’ve always wanted to do. I may use that time to run down to Chelsea Market, too. Who knows? The possibilities in “my city” are endless!

Oklahoma...

2008-12-11T20:42:00.002-06:00

Road trip to Woodward, Oklahoma
Hotel: Northwest Inn, Fairfield Inn-Norman
Purpose: Funeral

Not too much to say about this trip. I had no idea how far in the middle of nowhere Woodward, Oklahoma was. We attended a funeral and got caught in the winter snowstorm. The Holiday Inn Express was booked days before we made the trip, so we ended up at the Northwest Inn, which was recommended by Holiday Inn staff. Review is below. I was disappointed at how rude some of the locals were in Woodward, particularly at a diner we had breakfast at. We decided to drive to Norman after the funeral, which was halfway home. Stayed at the Fairfield and had dinner at Charleston's. Tasty food, HUGE portions. Definitely split if you end up there.

Northwest Inn

We came to Woodward for a family funeral. The Holiday Inn Express across the street was sold out, which seems to be a regular event. They recommended this hotel over the other chains (Super 8, Days Inn). The rooms are outside entry, and many of the doors are scuffed and look like they have seen better days. The check-in desk was friendly, but they never asked to see my ID nor the credit card I made the reservation with. The rooms have been updated with new beds, furniture. The beds are relatively comfortable, though the entire room does look dated. The bathrooms are TINY, about the size of the door, so I'm not sure how one is supposed to close the door without standing in the tub. The water was hot though, and the water pressure was good. Paint was chipped, faded, and there are cracks in the walls. The cleaning job seemed to be cursory and a surface job, as we found corks and little bits of stuff throughout the room. There is a computer in the lobby area, though I just used the free wireless. We tried to get a late check out, and they allowed us to stay until 1:00. The door never closed properly, you had to really work to get it to close tightly. The road noise didn't bother us at night.

Overall, not a horrendous experience... there were many seedier looking motels on down the road, but you would think Marriott or Hilton could come in and put one of their budget hotels (Courtyard, Fairfield, Hampton?) in Woodward.

Fairfield Inn -- Norman

Weather turned bad on the drive home, so we decided we would drive halfway and stop in Norman. Chose the Fairfield for the Marriott name and the price was right. We arrived around 7:00pm, and both rooms reserved were ready. Rooms were very clean and standard Fairfield issue. Beds aren't as comfortable as some Marriott properties, but they were warm and comfortable enough. Staff was friendly. Pool area looked clean, but we didn't try it out. There is a restaurant or two within walking distance, which was nice after being in the car all afternoon. Breakfast was served from 6-10. It wasn't anything to write home about, but it was free muffins, pastries, juices, coffee, fruit, cereal, etc. Wireless internet was free, and there was a computer for guest use in the lobby. The only downside was that they are replacing the carpet, which means there is a lot of noise starting early in the morning and working until around 6:00pm. We had trouble navigating the hallway with our suitcases as they had all the furniture out of the rooms. Over all, not a bad place to spend the night though.

The sad state of affairs on Broadway, but good news for me!

2008-12-04T10:18:00.001-06:00

I was supposed to get back from Australia yesterday evening. Sad. Instead, I’ve been playing at work all week. I got another group completely caught up on their processing, so I am again without anything to do. Sad. I’d rather be in Australia.

At any rate, I have started the planning post-Christmas New York trip. The Institute of Culinary Education opened up some new classes during that time, so I’m going to take a cookie decorating class! I’m also on the waitlist for a French class, as well as a New York steak class. I think the cookie class will be fun! I’m always making things, so it will be neat to hone my skills.

I’ve been monitoring the activity on Broadway, because there have been a lot of shows closing, undoubtedly due to the economy. There aren’t usually discounts between Christmas and New Year’s, because there are so many visitors to the city. I was truly planning on banking on the availability of TKTS. Yesterday, it was announced that Boeing-Boeing, a play my mom and I were planning on seeing, is closing January 4. I logged on to Broadway Box, just to see if there were any updated discounts, and I found one for Boeing-Boeing! So, I have half price tickets to see Boeing-Boeing one night. I’m excited, my friend Ashley recently saw this and said it was hysterical.

Other shows that are closing include Young Frankenstein, Hairspray, Gypsy, Spamalot, Spring Awakening, A Tale of Two Cities, and Grease. It will be interesting to see if more shows start offering discounts during the holiday period, simply because of the abysmal performance at the box office during Thanksgiving week which is traditionally a week of heavy attendance. I’ve been able to find discounts for 39 Steps, Dividing the Estate (which Ashley said was fantastic), and Gypsy (which Ashley also raved about) so far.

As sad as it is, there are some great things in the works for 2009 including revivals of West Side Story, Anything Goes (with Reba McEntire!), Father of the Bride, Guys and Dolls (with Lauren Graham!) and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.

I have also found discount tickets to the see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular during my visit! I am really excited about this, because I haven’t seen them in almost 10 years. I had hoped to see it last year, but with all the other Broadway shows we decided to see, it was just too expensive.

So, the trip is coming together, slowly but surely (22 days!). I plan to make it a theater-themed trip if at all possible. There’s nothing better than being ensconced by Broadway on a cold December night in New York.

Beantown...

2008-07-28T18:34:00.005-05:00

Elena and I woke up early, and we headed back to Cambridge for brunch. We ended up at Grafton Street across from Cambridge. It was a very cool place with a very chill vibe. They had a diverse menu and the portions were HUGE.

From there, we headed back toward Kendall Square and we wandered around the MIT campus. The stark difference between the traditional buildings and the more modern ones was fascinating. I cannot imagine getting much work done though, the view of the river was incredible. I could just sit there and watch the world go by all day long. Focusing on school would be impossible.

I got to the airport at 2:30, and I tried to go standby on the 2:50 flight. The standby list was 38 people deep. My flight was oversold, and I volunteered to give up my seat for a $300 voucher and an aisle seat on a flight an hour later. BIG mistake. We loaded, pushed back from the gate on time, and then they announced we would be sitting on the tarmac. We sat for 3.5 hours, and I am currently on route. There are over two hours left on this flight, so instead of getting home at 8:45, I am now getting home at 11:30. Sucks.

Beantown...

2008-07-27T18:34:00.003-05:00

Saturday morning, we sleep in, but I am still awake before everyone. Of course. I'm showered dressed and ready to go.

We end up at lunch at a bagel place (Finagle a Bagle) across from the park which is awkward again. (I do the fruit things again, add a muffin, and drink some OJ. Awesome.)

We end up heading out to Cambridge from there. We ended up losing the boys at Harvard. Period. No idea. They just walked off while we were photographing campus. Elena and I wandered Harvard for a long time, looking for the law school, so I could take my Legally Blonde picture. We didn't find it.

We went down to Kendall Square and sat on the shore and watched the world go by... we headed back to the hotel and got ready for our gondola ride.

The gondola ride is the BEST kept secret in Boston. I looked FOREVER to find something really special... and that was it. The company uses true Venetian gondolas... and the package I booked included an accordion player who played some of my favourites like Moon River, strawberries, chocolates, cheese, and crackers... and of course, it was at sunset. We were told to take our shoes off, put our feet up, and enjoy the trip. It was SO relaxing. Absolutely incredible. Anyone going to Boston MUST do this.

Afterward, we photographed the night lights of Boston, walked along the Esplanade, and ended up having dinner in the North End at a fabulous little Italian restaurant called Piccolo Venezia. The North End made me really homesick for Italy. Elena also studied in Italy, so we love all things Italian.

We ended up pub hopping until 2:00, when we headed back to the hotel.

Beantown...

2008-07-25T18:34:00.003-05:00

I woke up at 8:00 this morning. Everyone was passed out, and I was ready to GO! I showered, did my hair, put on the sweet little Tahari dress I bought specifically for the trip, did make up, etc... and NOBODY was moving! I left a note saying I was out exploring Boston and for them to call me when they got up. I sent Elena and Matt text messages... and headed to the JFK Presidential Library, which was only one stop up from our hotel. I am fascinated by Jackie. She is my idol. I am also fascinated by JFK's presidency and all he dealt with during a short term. I like his call to service.

I spent awhile photographing it and perusing the exhibits, when I get a text message from Elena around noon saying they are ready. I head back to the hotel, and we decided to do seafood for lunch. I find a place that was recommended by Horace, The Union Oyster House, and off we go.

Food seemed alright to me, though I feel as if most everyone was pretty lackadaisical about it. I had planned that we would do Freedom Trail and lunch in the North End, but they had visited a lot of the Freedom Trail before I arrived the previous day... so I was totally thrown. We ended up wandering downtown... photographing buildings, monuments, etc... and then we decided to explore the Boston Common. I even went wading in the Frog Pond. Don't judge me. Elena has photographic evidence of me wading in the Frog Pond, carrying my shoes, in a simply darling white dress.

We decide to head down to the Sam Adams Brewery tour, which would have a free shuttle to Fenwey for the game. Tour is sold out. Another one of my great ideas goes up in smoke. I'm bummed, but they let us go to the beer garden and try a few of their unreleased ales. Not at all the same... but... what can you do?

We take the subway back to Fenway, arrive shortly after the gates open, and the guys drag us into a sports bar for a pre-game beer. We head over towards the park, but Elena gets distracted by needing to buy a Sox sweater. I FOUND A YANKEES HAT... and YES, I totally rocked that hat with my sweet, little, white dress to the game.

I start photographing the game and I get over it. Big Papi has come back from the Sox, so it promises to be an exciting game. I finally find some common baseball ground with Elena by mentioning how HOT Derek Jeter is... so we talk Jeter and A-Rod. The Yankees win... and the boys are dragging us off to a sports bar.

We end up getting separated in the crowds leaving Fenway. Elena and I are following Matt and Chase, and suddenly, we get down to a corner and they are NOWHERE to be found. We stand there for 15-20 minutes, trying to call them. No answer. I send Matt a text, and he finally texts me back that they are at Game On, the same bar we were at earlier. We get over there and there's a huge line. We wait 20 minutes, then we spend another 15 trying to find the guys. Game On is a HUGE sports bar, with lots of music, a small dance floor, and huge Red Sox crowds. It's as close to the game as you can get without tickets. Luckily, we had both. :)

Bar closes at 2. We consider after hours clubs, but end up just grabbing a cab back to the hotel. Elena finds a 24 hour place to order some snacks from and the boys are sound asleep by the time it gets there (15 minutes).

Beantown...

2008-07-24T18:34:00.000-05:00

Airline: American Airlines
Hotel: Courtyard by Marriott -- South Boston

I should preface this entry by saying that Boston is a perfectly lovely city.... for someone else. To me, Boston felt like another big city. There are things about it that are absolutely beautiful and amazing, but it's definitely not one of my favourite places I've ever been. Great city, but not my favourite. That's all. The more I travel, the more I try to figure out what my cities are.

So. To the meat of it all.

This morning, I went to the doctor, and they were able to get me in really early, so I was out of there by 10:00 and headed straight for the airport. I went standby on the 11:35 flight, since the 12:50 flight was already delayed an hour. I made the flight, but no upgrade. I was in the window seat though. It was a LONG flight. I had to store my bag in the front of the plane, so I couldn't even get up to get my trusty laptop. Luckily, I had my iPod. I landed and headed straight for the hotel shuttle.

I was a little hesitant, because it was "out of the action", but there was nothing disappointing about this Courtyard. The location was great -- the Andrew T-stop was a 5 minute walk away, making it easy to get into the city and transfer to the various lines. The hotel grounds were very well maintained and the rooms were decently sized.

We had one problem with the air conditioner the first night (it wasn't working), but I asked the front desk to send an engineer up to look into it the next morning, and by the time we returned Friday night, the room was completely cool and we didn't have any problems for the rest of the stay.

ALL the staff was very friendly. The front desk staff even remembered my name when I would come down to the lobby. That's near impossible to find these days. They were helpful with maps, finding late night delivery dining, small inconveniences, etc. You name it, they can handle it, and with a smile!

The hotel offers a free shuttle to the airport every half hour on the hour. This was a great ammenity and had a lot to do with my decision to stay at this property.

When I called Elena, they were already at Cheers, so I dropped my bags off, slipped into a hot little black dress and my stilettos, grabbed my raincoat and umbrella and headed to the T. (No cabs necessary for this city girl!) Yeah. Well. I'm walking to the T, and a car drives by and totally splashes me, head to toe. Poor Italian shoes.

I make it to the T, grab a pass, and connect with no problem. When I emerge from the Arlington station, it is POURING. Like torrential rains. I had to cross Boston Common in stilettos IN THE RAIN. My plans of arriving at the bar and looking effortlessly stunning and beautiful (even if I smelled like airplane) were dashed. I looked like a drowned rat.

We had a couple drinks at Cheers, which is a lot smaller than it looks on the old television show. It wasn't as busy as I thought it would be. The drinks were reasonably prices for a tourist joint, too.

Around 7:00, we decided it was time to grab some dinner. It was STILL pouring, so we decide to grab a cab. I step out and hail one immediately. We decided to go to Quincy Market and let everyone fend for themselves.

After dinner, it was *still* raining... so we found a pub close by, Sissy K's. It was pretty slow when we first arrived, but things picked up rapidly. There was a lot of awkward standing around until Shakira's Hips Don't Lie came on and Elena and I headed to the dance floor. From there, we were able to drag the guys out onto the dance floor... which was fabulous. After dancing for awhile, we finally decided to settle down into a booth downstairs for a little while and watch fratastic boys do karaoke, which was at least entertaining....

We decided to head home around 1:00, and the rain had finally stopped.

New York City 2008

2008-07-05T18:34:00.005-05:00

Saturday, I slept away most of the morning, which was fine because it was pouring down rain! I woke up, showered, and got ready for the day, and it was still pouring and you could have cut the humidity with a knife. I had thought I would head over to Brooklyn for Grimaldi's and views of the new waterfalls at the Brooklyn Bridge... but the weather wasn't having any of that.

I ducked into my old haunt in Times Square, John's Pizzeria, for an easy lunch. I was a little disappointed, but it was still good. It is my favourite old standby. While I was in there, it finally stopped raining, albeit briefly.

I headed downtown to Century 21 for some bargain shopping. Being a holiday weekend, that place was a MADHOUSE. I was hoping to find a deal on ABS evening gowns and cocktail dresses. I've been needing a few to supplement my collection, but it was just too crowded. While I was perusing a rack of DVF dresses, my cell phone rang and it was my brother. He and Chastity were headed to the hospital, because she was going into labor! I cannot believe I missed it. I knew that's how it would happen.

From Century 21, I headed back uptown to Chelsea Market. I know I've mentioned this before, but this is my FAVOURITE place in New York! I spent quite a bit at Ciao Italia on cheap olive oils and tasty treats. I LOVE that place so much! I was still feeling really tired from my night out, so I decided to take a short nap before getting ready to see Legally Blonde that evening.

Legally Blonde the second time was GREAT, although I was sitting under the mezzanine in orchestra, so at times, it felt as if the sound was muffled. Nikki Snelson had already left, but much of the original cast was still intact, including Laura Bell Bundy. I also was able to see the lovely Kate Shindle as Vivienne! Legally Blonde is SUCH a fun show. Laura Bell Bundy almost brought me to tears at the end of the first act, she was so powerful. I had a great conversation with the man next to me, who seriously could not believe that I attended the theater alone.

After Legally Blonde, I wandered down to the Chrysler Building to take pictures of it at night. The Chrysler Building is one of my favourite architectural work in NYC. I love the gargoyles that keep watch over it. I love the way the light reflects off of it. It's absolutely beautiful. It has become the new symbol of NYC to me, since the Twin Towers are gone. It is just a marvel, and I get a little excited every single time I see it lighting up the sky.

I also decided to nip into Grand Central Station while I was down there. I spent some time trying to catch action shots of the quintessential New York yellow cab. I had a little success. Around midnight, I decided to duck into Cafe Metro for a light, late dinner. I meandered my way back to the Marriott Marquis, stopping to buy some art to take back to Texas from a street vendor. I thought I was getting a good deal until I stumbled upon another vendor, selling the same thing for $3 in Times Square. Who knew?

Times Square was still bustling, and I managed to grab a few more pictures of the taxis and the street vendors with their incredible smells wafting through the air. Once I got back to my room, I got on the phone with Continental, and I was able to change my flight for $50. I had planned to leave NYC later in the day on Sunday, but with the arrival of new baby Summer, I wanted to get home and see her!

What is there not to love about my favourite US city?????

New York City 2008

2008-07-04T18:34:00.004-05:00

Airline: Continental Airlines
Hotel: Marriott Marquis

I transferred via train from Newark to Penn Station without incident. I headed straight to Times Square to check into the Marriott Marquis. The lobby was bustling, as always, but I was able to figure out the elevator system easily and get to reception on the 8th floor. I had reserved a corner room, but it wasn't ready. The clerk offered me another room that was ready, and I readily accepted. I headed to my room on the 43rd floor, and it was huge! I actually looked down on the theater posters in Times Square! It was incredible! I unpacked my luggage and realized that I had forgotten my make up. Since I had theater tickets and dinner reservations, it was not going to work. I immediately headed to Bloomingdale's to get a few essentials. I ended up finding a few things in the make up department, as well as a new shirt to wear to the game, so I headed off to the Yankee game.

I got to Yankee stadium right before the opening pitch, and the excitement was INTOXICATING. It was quite possibly the most exciting event I've ever attended! I climbed/skipped my way up to the Upper Tier, and I had a great view of the third baseline! I was up there with the rowdy Yankee fans! I loved being able to see my team take on the Red Sox. It was SO MUCH FUN. I am so disappointed they are tearing down Yankee Stadium in favor of a new one. There is a feeling in the air of greatness. It's completely hallowed. You know all the greats have played here. It is the coolest feeling ever! I love the old ball parks. They have so much more character than the new ones.

Around 4, there was a rain delay on the game, so I decided to head back to Midtown to get ready for my dinner reservation at Ruth's Chris. I'm always dubious of chain restaurants, but I've heard a lot about their filet, so I decided to give it a try. I made reservations on Opentable.com, and I was seated as soon as I arrived. I do appreciate that the hostess did not even attempt to seat me at the bar, which is common for a single diner. I don't enjoy sitting at bars to enjoy my meal, and I am always a little put off when restaurants try and do that. Score one for Ruth's Chris. The restaurant is very dark and could be formal, but there were several people sporting ball caps and shorts. It ruins the 'business casual' ambiance, in my opinion... but tourists will be tourists. The waiter was very friendly and quick to make suggestions on everything from the potatoes to the different options for the steak. I ordered a petite filet au poivre and shoestring potatoes. The steak was EXCELLENT. The filet practically melted in my mouth and the au poivre sauce was flawless. The potatoes were good, too -- but they were very difficult to eat and the portion was MASSIVE. It is definitely meant to share -- 4 people could have easily shared this. The service was friendly, but not overbearing. I never once felt rushed throughout my meal. I really enjoyed it, and I would probably return, even though it is a chain restaurant. Midtown near Times Square isn't known for fabulous restaurants, but I don't have any qualms about recommending Ruth's Chris to someone looking for a good steak!

After my fabulous dinner, it was off to A Chorus Line. I wasn't sure about this show, but it is closing in August, and Mario Lopez had just taken a role in it. I was only able to get mezzanine tickets, but they were at least center. The theater was very small, so every seat in the house was a good seat. The show was GREAT. It really came alive. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn't at all what I expected, and it's quite a bit better than the show that was produced as a movie in the early 80s. Mario Lopez did a fantastic job. The final scene was beautifully choreographed and executed. Well done for a revival cast.

I walked out of the theater and headed to Top of the Rock. I wanted to try and get better pictures of the New York skyline at night. Unfortunately, it was raining and some fog had rolled in at the high altitudes. I was able to get a few pictures, but I was disappointed. Top of the Rock was SO much more pleasant than the Empire State Building, and it had fantastic views of it. The staff was so friendly, and I literally walked up to the elevator and went straight up with my timed tickets. I was even a little early, and they let me go ahead and go up. There were also two observatory decks, and they used glass, rather than the fencing, so your views aren't as obstructed. I practically had the viewing platforms to myself. It was absolutely incredible. Avoid ESB and head to TOTR. You'll thank me. :)

From there, I headed over to the Waldorf Astoria to meet up with some friends from high school who were in NYC for the weekend. We tried to go down to the Cutting Room, but it was closed. We ended up bar-hopping in the Village, and it was so much fun. We went to Metro, Joshua Tree, a C&W bar that was playing some Willie, and an after hours club that was quite sketchy. I've never stayed out that late in my life, but I really enjoyed hanging out with my friends from high school.

I grabbed a cab back to the hotel and marveled at the number of the people still wandering the streets. I severely regretted my decision to stay out so late, since I had such a short time in NYC, but it was worth it seeing my friends.

London Calling

2008-05-26T11:10:00.004-05:00

I woke up early on Monday and decided it would be best to go to the airport early, since I’ve heard horror stories about Heathrow, and it was pouring rain. I actually hopped in a cab to Paddington station and boarded the Heathrow Express from there. I arrived at the airport shortly after nine, checked in, cleared security, and wandered around the duty free shops… considered a new Burberry coat… considered chocolates… considered make up… and in the end, decided that a filling lunch at TGIFriday’s and exchanging my leftover pounds sterling was a better plan. The gate opened at 11:30 and I headed that way, only to find out we were delayed. (Surprise?) We finally got out about 30-45 minutes late, an I was so grateful to have an aisle seat. American’s coach on international flights is perhaps worse than it is on domestic. My knees actually touched the seat in front of me. There wasn’t anyone in front of me though, so I didn’t have to contend with a laid back seat. (Always a good thing.)

A few hours into the flight, I was thinking we were within 3 hours of Dallas. We had to be. I was more than 300 pages into my Jackie Kennedy biography. When they flashed the map up on the screen, I was completely deflated. We still had over FIVE hours left! They didn’t show any movies – just that Eye on CBS crap, so the time just crawled along. I woked on my crossword puzzle book, wrote in my journal, finished the Jackie Kennedy book, and we still hadn’t seemed to make any progress. Finally, we started our descent, landed, and I was home. Turns out, the flight ended up being almost exactly TEN hours… which is a very long flight when your knees are around your ears.

Since I didn’t check bags, I breezed through customs and straight out to my mom’s waiting car. We had a wonderful dinner at home, and I slept like a baby that night. When my alarm went off at 6am, I awoke with a start, wondering where I was and what country I was in – that was the only jet lag I encountered. I have been a little tired this weekend, but I blame that on the fact that I haven’t seemed to be able to get my butt in bed early. I seem to spend a lot of time piddling around the apartment, not doing much of anything.

It was very difficult to say goodbye to London, because I had such a wonderful time. Being abroad seems to awaken something in me – a zeal of life that I feel devoid of in the United States. Perhaps Samuel Johnson is right…

“Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

London Calling

2008-05-26T11:10:00.000-05:00

Sunday was another late morning. It was as if the Marriott bed monster refused to let us go before 10:00 each morning, but it certainly was relaxing.

We spent a leisurely morning wandering around Hyde Park, stopping for lunch at a riverside café that reminded me terribly of the Boat House in Central Park (NYC). We also visited the Princess Diana Memorial, which I thought was very sanitized. It’s very peaceful and impeccably constructed, but it was not what I was expecting at all. The flowers were in bloom though, and due to the morning rain, they had beautiful dew drops on them. I enjoyed photographing the gardens very much.

We spent awhile perusing Harvey and Nichols and Harrod’s, enjoying the stores for their artistic displays. Harrod’s is completely daunting to me. It’s a maze of departments and impossible to wind around in a few hours. I saw things today that I swear weren't even there on Friday!

Our next stop was Westminster, so we could pay homage to Big Ben, Westminster Abby, Parliament, and of course, that garish London Eye. Not quite as garish as the Eiffel Tower, but still garish. Just kidding. I love the Eiffel Tower, and I certainly found the London Eye intriguing to photograph. Westminster Abby is beautiful, but I found it a lot like Notre Dame – very difficult to get a good photograph. Big Ben is more beautiful than I remember – the intricate details of the clock tower are absolutely astounding.

Our third stop was Piccadilly Circus, where we wandered around, enjoying the sites and attempting to decide what to do for dinner. A few turns through Piccadilly and Leicester Square and we found ourselves in Chinatown! This seemed like the perfect place to have dinner, so we ducked into a restaurant, had a leisurely dinner, and grabbed Ben and Jerry’s for dessert. We decided to head back to the hotel and relax for a few hours before heading back out to photograph London by night.

I had hoped to get over to the Tower Bridge that evening, but the Tube stopped running, and I couldn’t determine the best bus that would get us in that direction – rather than get lost in late in London, we decided it would be best to stick to the Westminster areas that we were familiar with from our daytime wanderings. Our final ride in London was on top of a double decker bus, which truly seemed like the perfect ending to a perfect weekend in London.

London Calling

2008-05-24T11:10:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning, we slept until late morning, which was a wise move, because we were able to spend the rest of the day out and about in London.

Our first stop was Notting Hill Gate for the Portabello Market. While the goods were a tad bit disappointing the crowds completely overwhelming, and the Italian restaurant we finally stopped at for lunch delicious, it was a fantastic place for people watching and photography. It was there that Mary Beth decided that a blog entry on London fashion needed to be written. We certainly saw all sorts! We also turned off onto a rather dodgy street that was off the London map. We decided to turn back and head to less sketchy areas. ;)

From Portabello Market, we headed to St. Paul’s for photographs and I went off in search of a soccer jersey for Kristin. Unfortunately, Soccer Scene was nowhere to be found. St. Paul's is absolutely beautiful though. The whole time, With all the saints and apostles looking down on us, I thought of the Vatican City, though honestly, I find St. Paul's so much more beautiful than the courtyard area of the Vatican City. It's much like Notre Dame in a lot of ways -- incredibly difficult to photograph. It's so beautiful though. I think the outside of the structure is so much more impressive than I could ever imagine.

We crossed the Millennium Bridge and decided to visit the Tate Modern, which was well worth a visit, though it was terribly crowded. There was an amusing highlight to the day, when Mary Beth decided to try and convince a guy in the elevator that he looked like Prince William. He denied it twice, then decided to say thank you. He’s an attractive lad, you know? We made dinner plans with Jordan, a friend of Mary Beth’s, and headed back to the hotel to change for dinner.

We barely had time to fluff our hair, change our clothes and head off to meet Jordan at Crazy Homies, a small Mexican restaurant run by Dallas-ites. Luckily, Jordan was able to get us one of the few tables available. The salsa burned my mouth, and yet I kept eating it. I’m a glutton for punishment. After dinner, Jordan suggested we hop a cab and head over to the Mayfair area for après dinner drinks. Mary Beth and I were dubious – London cabs are expensive! We started out at Donavan’s and promptly followed Jordan out, as it was completely dead. We ended up at the Four Seasons, which was very posh… and I’m not sure I can ever stomach another drink after converting pounds sterling into dollars, but I certainly appreciated Jordan’s generosity. It was there that Mary Beth launched the question game. I find the question game to be a great way to get to know people further than “What do you do?”, which is my most hated question. Inevitably, it always comes up, but I hate that question more than anything.

At any rate, we finished up our drinks at the Four Seasons and Jordan escorted us to The Metropolitan, a “members only” club that had a few more people than the Four Seasons. (Apparently the bank holiday killed the bar scene in Mayfair?) We had a nightcap here, and Jordan revealed that his biggest pet peeve was tardiness. Oops? I blame the fact we had to switch trains so many times. It was inevitable. Anyway, Mary Beth and I walked back to our hotel and promptly fell asleep.

London Calling

2008-05-23T11:10:00.003-05:00

Airline: American Airlines
Hotel: JW Marriott, Grosvenor House

My trip started out on a promising note with an upgrade to business from JFK to Heathrow, though got off to a rocky start from that point forward. I was sick on the plane [most likely from exhaustion], but I quickly fell asleep, tossing and turning a bit throughout the night… but awakening an hour and a half before landing feeling better. I changed clothes, brushed my teeth, touched up makeup, and prepared for my assault on London.

I breezed through customs easily and boarded the Heathrow Express without incident. I arrived at Marriott’s Grosvenor House shortly after noon, checked into my room, and immediately showered.

Shameless plug for the hotel: It was absolutely fabulous, and I found it reminscent of The Plaza (NYC) in many ways. From the time we were ushered in the door until the time we checked out, the service was excellent. The doormen were always helpful and friendly, the front desk staff did everything the ensure that we had a pleasant stay, even the maids were friendly when you encountered them. One night, we rushed back to the hotel to change for dinner, and the maid was in the process of turning down our room for the night -- she was very gracious and understanding, even though we were interupting her work. The lobby areas had a beautiful scent, and the front desk staff went above and beyond to find me the name and contact information of the distributor, as well as the name of the fragrance. EXCELLENT service.

The room was HUGE, especially by European standards. It was well appointed, well lit, and extremely comfortable. The beds are the updated Marriott beds, and we enjoyed them after a long day of exploring London. The bathrooms are beautiful as well -- dual shower heads and a comfortably sized bathtub. Very well lit, but no outlets in the bathroom, except for a razor.

There are 2 restaurants, a bar, and a small cafe on site. The bar closes early, as do most hotel bars in London, unless you are a guest. The cafe offers pastries, coffee, and small things to be taken away. We didn't have tea in the restaurant, but their afternoon tea service looked delicious!

The location was also excellent. Marble Arch (central line) is the closest tube station, although Hyde Park Corner station is very close, too. It is directly across from Hyde Park in a very posh neighborhood, and we didn't have any trouble with noise at night. Everywhere we went seemed to be a short tube ride away in one direction or another.

This is far and away the best hotel I have stayed at in London, and I cannot understand why it isn't rated higher than it is. I was extremely impressed and enjoyed my stay immensely.

I digress.

After my shower, I headed to Knightsbridge for a bit of shopping and lunch. I browsed Harrod’s (too expensive) and wandered into boutiques for a few hours, before stopping at La Dolce Vita for lunch. I had a very relaxing (and filling!) lunch before heading to Piccadilly to pick up my tickets for that evening’s performance of Phantom of the Opera. I went back to the hotel to rest my feet and get ready for Phantom.

Oh, Phantom. What more can possibly be said?

I LOVE Phantom of the Opera. I see it every chance I get, and London was no exception. It has always been my dream to see it at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, since it originally opened there… and Sir Andrew is from the UK. I hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed. I wasn’t. The cast was absolutely stellar, the theatre beautiful, and the production was magnificent. London’s Phantom has replaced Toronto’s at the top of my list, and I thought nothing would beat Toronto’s after last year! It was absolutely incredible. I really enjoyed hearing the little old ladies behind me proclaim that Sir Andrew was a genius. This is, of course, nothing new to me! I am so glad I chose to see Phantom in London when I had the opportunity!

I took the tube back towards the hotel shortly after 10:00, and it was all I could to keep from skipping and dancing the whole way home. I had this incredible moment where I stepped out from the Phantom’s theatre onto the streets of London and realized I’m in LONDON!... and it was all I could do to contain my excitement. I probably looked like a fool! I was just so happy! Mary Beth and I walked into the hotel within minutes of each other, and thus began our exciting weekend in London together.

*Mary Beth and I were two out of three girls from Texas Tech that studied abroad at The Art Institute of Florence in Fall 2004.

New York, New York ' 07 -- New Year's Eve

2007-12-31T11:10:00.000-06:00

Meghan and I headed back downtown to the Jewish Museum. I found it very interesting, and it's actually a very beautiful structure. It reminded me of the Jewish Museum in Berlin on a much, much smaller scale. Instead of embracing American sensationalism and emotionalism like the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, it focused on history. I definitely recommend it. It was a very slow museum day, apparently. At times, it felt like we had the place to ourselves.

We walked back through downtown, on the other side of Ground Zero, and decided to go our seperate ways for the afternoon. I was meeting my friend Todd for coffee, and Meghan wanted to do a few more tours with her NY Pass.

Our New Year's Eve plans originally included Ruth's Chris near Times Square, but the more I thought about it, the more I didn't want to get into the cluster. So, I made reservations for us at Peter Luger's in Brooklyn, which required a cash deposit.... I found this highly amusing. We took the subway over there and found it easily. We were shown to our table immediately, and the service was truly impeccable. I wasn't expecting much, as everyone says you go solely for the food. Our waiter, Jack, was personable and had a great sense of humor. He made recommendations and answered our questions with honesty. The food was excellent. I have high standards when it comes to steak, and I wasn't disappointed. The steak sauce is very different but tasty. Our waiter even comp'ed our desserts. We were able to have a leisurely dinner and not feel rushed by the wait staff, which can be difficult to do in some NYC restaurants. Altogether, I'm definitely glad we made the 'trek' from Manhattan to Brooklyn for this classic NY experience. Just be sure to take cash, as it is a cash only (or house account) establishment. We made friends with the table next to ours, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful way to end 2007.

We ended 2007 with a walk across the Williamsburg Bridge, watching the fireworks, and celebrating the New Year with others who were crossing the bridge. Quite a different experience than those in Times Square, but we didn't have to sit out in the cold for 8 hours with them either.

Oh, New York.

2007-12-30T11:10:00.002-06:00

Meghan was going to the NY Jets game, so I was paddling my kayak alone again. Lucky for me, New York has plenty of my favourite thing: theatre! I had evening tickets to Mary Poppins, and TKTS had been looking bleak since all the tourists were in town, so I decided to hit up a couple box offices to see what I could find for matinees.

But first, I had soup from... you guessed it... Beijing Wok! Don't judge me! :)

I ended up getting tickets to see the matinee of Legally Blonde. I was a bit dubious about seeing it, but I ended up loving it. The cast was PHENOMENAL, probably due to the fact most of it was the original cast. I was disappointed to see that Kate Shindle was out for the performance, but Laura Bell Bundy and Nikki Snelson were FANTASTIC. It's very upbeat, girlie, and I don't think it should be written off yet. The music has some very girl power, I can do this numbers in it, and it made me feel GREAT when I left!

In between shows, I ducked into the ONLY place worth mentioning around Times Square for dinner: John's Pizzeria. When I got to the door, I was told there would be a 45 minute wait, so I took a number and tried to stay out of the way. Within 10 minutes, my number was called and I was led to a table. The waiter was friendly enough, and my meal came quickly. I come here for the pizza, though their other dishes are good too. I really enjoy the character of the restaurant, as it is a converted church. It's a great place for families, tourists, couples -- anyone, really. The food is consistently tasty and the service is more than adequate.

I'm hesitant to write about Mary Poppins, because I was disappointed. My mezzanine seats were partial view, even though that wasn't marked on the tickets. Parents were up and down with their children, despite the fact that this isn't supposed to be allowed. The staging of the show was phenomenal, but from my seats, I couldn't truly enjoy it. I ended up sitting on the stairs for awhile, because I just couldn't see anything. I realize it is a kids musical, but with the price of Broadway tickets, I expect to be able to enjoy the show AND see what is going on. If I wanted obstructed view tickets, I would have paid a lot less. A lot of people have complained about this show, but I think they are disappointed when they learn that many of the songs are new and the musical does not follow the movie. I'd like to see it again from the orchestra without having to contend with the jack-in-the-box parents, but I don't know if that will happen or not. Either way, it was one of the shows I was most looking forward to, but ended up being the biggest letdown.

New York, New York '07

2007-12-29T11:10:00.001-06:00

Meghan and I did our own things on Saturday. I slept in, as I felt like I was getting sick and I couldn't have that affecting my time in New York. I spent the morning wandering in and out of shops, taking pictures of the city, and simply wandering. I love the neighborhood that surrounds the Upper East Side. It's just so full of character that is lacking in Midtown.

I ended up making an afternoon appointment for a full body massage at a spa in midtown. I could get used to that luxury, easily. I ended up buying a gift certificate for Sarah there, since she was loaning me her apartment at the most expensive time to be the city, after all.

Meghan and I met up for dinner at The Public House near Grand Central Terminal. We both had salads. It was completely dead. The food was alright -- nothing special. I expect they have a bustling lunch crowd and apres work happy hour, but I don't know. Service was great though. It was probably the quietest meal we had while in the city.

It was back to Times Square for us. We saw Avenue Q that evening. We were in the third row, center stage. It was perfect for seeing all the action. The theater was VERY small, so I imagine most seats in there had a good view. The cast was stellar. This was my second time to see this show, and I found it absolutely hysterical. Meghan really enjoyed it, too. It's not for everyone, and it's not for kids, but if you don't take yourself too seriously, you can enjoy it, too. I don't like that there isn't a lobby to wait in, and you stand in line outside, but minor inconveniences...

We headed down to The Flatiron District after the show to go to my favorite place for drinks in New York, The Cutting Room. Yes, I know about its celebrity co-owner. It's part of the allure, you never know if you'll see him. BUT, I really like the vibe of the place. There are multiple rooms, and the atmosphere is very chill, very relaxing, and it has a good vibe about it. It seems almost vintage New York with old chandeleirs, low lights, and red velvet curtains over the windows. The girls and I have always loved going down there. There is usually live music or a show going on, but we mostly stick to the front room. One day, we'll see Mr. Big.... ;-)

New York, New York '07

2007-12-28T11:10:00.000-06:00

We started out an early morning by hopping on an express train headed downtown on a beautiful sunny, chilly day. We wanted to try and get this first ferry of the morning out to Liberty/Ellis Islands. I think once you've been once, unless you are going with someone who hasn't been, you've been. That being said, Lady Liberty is absolutely beautiful and her size is absolutely daunting. I enjoy getting off at Liberty Island and wandering around for awhile. There's a gift shop and cafeteria type concessions, but I tend to avoid both.

Ellis Island is more interesting with a number of exhibits that highlight the immigration experience. It is easy to stand in the arrivals hall, seeing the beautiful Lady Liberty standing tall in New York Harbor and the skyline in the distance and imagine the excitement and trepidation the immigrants must have felt when they landed here. I feel like this should be an American pilgramage.

From there, we headed up to Chinatown and Little Italy. My study abroad budy, Erin, had recommended La Mela for lunch, so we were on a mission. Chinatown was swamped. I recommend getting there early, if you must shop for your knockoff goods. It was wall to wall people. We found the warm atmosphere and tasty scents of La Mela inviting, so we ducked on in for a late lunch. The service left a little to be desired, but it is typical New York. I can't fault them for that. The menu had a variety of choices, and our waiter did NOT try and push the family style menu on us, though I read reviews of others have trouble with this. The bread was fresh, warm, and delicious. I ordered the chicken picatta and my friend ordered the Alfredo. My chicken was excellent -- no complaints there. My friend seemed to enjoy hers, as well, although the portions were very large and probably should be ordered to be shared. Overall, I thought it was an excellent dining experience in Little Italy. Be aware that the tables are extremely close together. Having lived in Italy, I was used to this, but some people seemed uncomfortable with the proximity to other guests.

Meghan really wanted to go to FAO Schwartz, so we headed back uptown. There was a wait that stretched from 5th Avenue to Madison, and it wasn't worth the wait. The crowds in the store were terrible. If you must see FAO Schwartz, I suggest going at a less busy time. They do have beautiful things for children though. I imagine it's magical as a child.

From there, we headed over to Central Park for a carriage ride. I know it's cliche and it's touristy, but in the winter, I think it's one of the best ways to see the park. Our driver was very friendly and pointed out the points of interest around the park. I think it would be fun to skate at the ice rink there sometime. The sun was setting as we rode through the park, so the lights of the city were starting to come alive. Incredible.

That evening, Meghan had plans to meet up with some friends from college, and I was off to Lincoln Center to see the New York City Ballet's Nutcracker. It was absolutely awe-inspiring. I cried twice. The girl who danced Dew Drop made everything look so effortless. I wish I was that talented. She had more talent in her pinky toe than I have in my entire body. I had center orchestra seats, and the view was perfect. I loved watching the expression of children around me. Lincoln Center is HUGE. I cannot even imagine performing there. I think everyone should do this in NYC at Christmastime.

I took a cab home (which was near impossible to hail), because it was raining and ended up venturing out with an umbrella for some tasty Beijing Wok soup. Seriously.

New York, New York '07

2007-12-27T11:10:00.001-06:00

After being out late in the cold rain the night before, Meghan and I decided to take the morning off to do our own thing. She decided to go down to South Street Seaport to see the Bodies Exhibit and the NY Police Department museum. I decided to hit up the after-Christmas sales at Bloomingdale's.

Truthfully, I was looking for Christmas ornaments and a NYC snowglobe I had seen in the Bloomingdale's catalog. Apparently everyone else had been looking for the same things. I perused the clothing sections too, but there were TOO many people and it was pretty warm in the store. I find it difficult to shop with winter clothes on most of the time. The stores crank up the heat, and there is nowhere to check the coat.

I picked up lunch from Beijing Wok on the Upper East Side while shopping over there. It was absolutely the best wonton soup I've had in a LONG time. It's this tiny little restaurant, and I actually ended up stopping there multiple times over the course of my vacation. (At this point, I had moved from the Doubletree into Sarah's Upper East Side Apartment, so it became very convenient.) :-X The soup was warm, the weather was cold, and the price was right. (Less than $2.00.)

I ended up getting a free makeover from a very bored looking guy at the T. LeClerc counter at Bergdorf's. I bought the foundation, even though I knew there was a possibility I would not be able to find it at home. It was very, very light and the colour was perfect for me. It also was nice to be able to have my make up done for the evening, as opposed to doing it myself. Little luxuries, you know.

We had dinner at Tacocina on 9th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen. Now, I know better than to try and have Mexican food in New York. Mom and I have tried and failed many times. However, Meghan loves Mexican food, and again, the price was right. There are so many cheap eateries along 9th Avenue -- much better options than Times Square. *Tourists, take note. I had a steak quesadilla, and the steak was unbelievably tender and well seasoned. The decor was inviting and innovative, I especially loved the tabletops filled with various spices. They offer 2 for 1 deals on margaritas on Sun-Wed and have an extensive drink menu. The service was excellent -- not overbearing, not lackluster. All-around amazing for New York.

Wicked at the Gershwin Theater was absolutely incredible. I have seen Wicked SEVERAL times. I'm almost embarrassed to admit the number of times I've seen it since it came out. However, this staging was the BEST cast and the BEST staging I've ever seen. Absolutely faultless. I really appreciated the coat check, the ability to wait in the lobby before the show, and the comfort of the theater overall. I paid a premium for these seats (center orchestra), and I felt like it was worth every penny. Absolutely, positively fantastic.

New York, New York '07

2007-12-26T11:10:00.004-06:00

Wednesday morning, Meghan and I met up and headed downtown to the Financial District and Ground Zero. There isn't much to see at Ground Zero anymore, but Meghan had never been. I know it has become a pilgramage of some sort for many, so I certainly obliged her desire to see it. It doesn't seem like much has changed the past couple times I've been down there.

We visited St. Paul's across the street, and it was actually open for visitors. There are some cool exhibits in the church, highlighting its role on and after 9/11. I love seeing the examples of how the entire world came together to support New York City, as well as the United States, after the terrorist attacks. I wonder now where that unity has gone and if it will take another national tragedy to capture it again. From there, we headed down to Trinity Church, which Meghan found especially interesting. Surprisingly, there are several very old graveyards in this area, and she finds them fascinating. I find the fascination with anything related to death a little bit morbid, but I can appreciate the artistic vision of those who created them. It's amazing to find things that are truly 'old' (by US standards!!) in a city with such far-reaching skyscrapers.

From there, it was down to Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange. We were distracted by the Federal Hall National Memorial, which I found interesting. I hadn't seen it before. It was too cold to sit on the steps and watch the men in suits go by (a summer pastime with the girls, for sure!), so we opted to grab a train over to Brooklyn and have lunch at Grimaldi's!

I never thought I would find NY pizza that I liked more than John's, but I have and Grimaldi's is it. It lived up to all the hype. There was a short line, but Meghan and I were able to get in easily as a table of two. We waited less than 10 minutes. The restaurant is cozy and intimate, and it has great character. The menu was easy enough and we were able to order quickly. The pizza was fantastic while it was hot -- fresh toppings, vibrant flavors, tasty crust, everything you could hope for in a NY style pizza. We weren't disappointed at all. They only take cash though, so be prepared. It definitely warmed us up, as Wednesday was quite a bit cooler than Tuesday. The sun decided not to make an appearance, but the weather held for us, thank goodness!

After lunch, we were sufficiently stuffed, so it was time to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. This is such a beautiful structure, often overlooked by tourists. Its gothic architecture and cables just seem to reach for the skies, and it makes for some beautiful photography. When you get off the bridge, you are near the New York City Hall, another beautiful structure. It probably took us 30 minutes to walk across the bridge and grab photographs. The foot and bicycle traffic is steady, but as long as you aren't obtrusvie, you shouldn't have difficulty grabbing pictures of the bridge or the beautiful skyline.

We spent the afternoon at Chelsea Market -- one of my favorite places to shop in New York! In addition to cheap oils, spices, fresh produce, and kitchen supplies, they also have these amazingly tasty cookies I used to buy in Italy! They are a bit more expensive, but so far, Ciao Italia is the only place I can find them. They also have amazing displays of culinary talent -- cupcake and cake decorators, fresh breadmaking, the scents and smells are intoxicating for anyone who enjoys cooking. When my mom visited, we practically had to buy another suitcase for all the goodness she brought home. I came prepared this time with a flat-rate USPS box and sent her all her requested goodies home. This has become a must visit for us.

Since we had a later lunch, we headed back to our respective hotels for R&R before seeing Phantom of the Opera that night.

Oh, Phantom. We had a heck of a time getting there. I stopped by Meghan's hotel (in the middle of the RFC hub-bub) to pick her up, and by the time she was ready to go, it was pouring down rain! We ran to the subway station in our frippery, changed trains twice, and eventually made it to 42nd Street. So much for being effortlessly stunning and beautiful in my polka dots. I was windblown, cold, and wet, as evidenced below, lol.

Phantom was wonderful. The staging of this play is what truly makes it incredible. I've been it so many times, and each time, I am completely enthralled with it. Now, I maintain that the Toronto cast was the best I have seen, but Christine in NYC was INCREDIBLE. Admittedly, the rest of the show is looking a little bit tired, and it might be time for it to close briefly in NYC. However, it is one of my favourite musicals, and I will never miss an opportunity to see it in NYC.

Afterward, I took Meghan to Sardi's, which is across the street from the Phantom's theater. Mom and I have started going there for dessert after shows, so I thought it would be fun to take Meghan. There are literally hundreds of charactures on the wall, depicting everyone from Lucille Ball to modern day performers. The waitstaff has always been top-notch, and it was no exception this time. It's just a fun place to unwind after a show. Even my stepdad has stories of coming there after shows as a kid!

As it was raining when we were preparing to leave, I decided to splurge for car service back to the hotel. Sometimes I'm worth it. ;-)

New York, New York, '07 -- Christmas Day

2007-12-25T11:10:00.005-06:00

Airline: American Airlines
Hotel: Doubletree Metropolitan (Excellent location, comfortable beds, free cookies.)

I left DFW early on Christmas morning for NYC. I was able to get an upgrade, and I sat next to a kind older woman for Astoria. We ended up splitting the cost of a cab to Midtown.

I was able to check-in to the hotel a little bit early which was also nice. I found out at the very last possible minute before leaving for my trip that I needed to book a hotel room for two nights. I was able to get this hotel for $110 the first night and $199 the second night by going through Hilton.com. For that price, I wasn't expecting much. I come to the city on a regular basis, and I have stayed in some fantastic hotels and none of them were anywhere near that price point.

The location (51st and Lexington) is excellent with a subway stop right outside the door. It is an easy walk to shopping, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, etc. It was nice to be a little further away from all the hub-bub around RFC and Times Square during the holidays, too. I was given a corner room on the 14th floor, which was a decent size by NYC standards. The bathroom was tiny, but the water pressure in the shower was excellent. I did not have any problems using the safe, and I found it very convenient for my electronics. The staff was very friendly and accommodating, and I had no trouble with them letting me keep my room when I needed to extend my stay. There were vending machines with drinks on every floor, which was also convenient. I would definitely stay here again.

Meghan and I met up mid-afternoon and the city was bustling along already. It was hard to believe it was Christmas day with the number of people that were out and about. The weather was chilly but not unbearable. The first thing we did was take a subway to Brooklyn and walk across the Manhattan Bridge. Why the Manhattan Bridge, you ask? I wanted to get better views of the Brooklyn Bridge from this side of it. It's not an exciting bridge by any means, but it offers great views of the city and the Brooklyn Bridge with fewer crowds.

Immediately after getting off the bridge and finding a subway station, we headed for the Empire State Building. I had pre-bought tickets and Meghan had an NY Pass, so we thought we would be up in no time. Wrong. The lines were amazing. I've never seen anything like it on a holiday. However, we found friendly employees who gave us advice to buy the ride, and we would get up to the observatory faster. It worked. We bypassed most of the lines. It probably took us 30-45 minutes to get up there, as opposed to the hours we would have spent waiting in line. I had hoped to get up there by sunset, and we made the very end of it. We probably spent another 45 minutes up there taking pictures. It was so crowded. I do NOT recommend the ESB at Christmastime. I wonder if they would have better success if they tried to do timed tickets like Top of the Rock does.

After visiting the ESB, we had some time to kill before our dinner reservations, so I decided to take Meghan to one of my favourite buildings in NYC -- Grand Central Station. I think this is such a beautiful building, and the constellations on the ceiling in the arrivals hall are so romantic. They were having a light show complete with Christmas music while we were there, so we stayed a bit longer than necessary. New York at Christmastime is absolutely MAGICAL.

I made Christmas dinner reservations at Alfredo's of Rome near Rockefeller Center for 8:00pm. It was a disappointing experience, mostly due to the service. We saw our server twice, once when she took our order and again when she dropped off the check. Meghan ordered 2 cokes, and both times she was brought a flat Diet Coke. We saw more of the waiter for the table next to us than we did of our own, and when we asked to see a manager over the lack of service when she dropped off our check, our server acted surprised. When I told the manager about our experience with the service, he didn't seem to care. We saw he and the cook arguing with another table, so clearly, there were more problems than the spotty service. The famed alfredo was alright -- I've had better and I've had worse. There are much better Italian restaurants in NYC. Avoid.

Ice skating at Rockefeller Center was probably the most magical experience for me. First, I love ice skating, even though I am quite unsteady on my feet and I'm not very good at it. There's just something romantic about outdoor rinks. I felt the same way when I skated in Salzburg. No matter how often I fell and how often Sarah laughed, my spirits were buoyant. Second, the Christmas lights surrounding RFC are enchanting. There's the humongous tree, beautiful angels, and suspended snowflakes all around. The fountain has a light show on it and it's constantly changing. Third, Christmas music is just enchanting, no matter how old you are. You'd have to be a Scrooge not to enjoy yourself! I just skated around in disbelief. No matter how many times I've been to NYC, there is always one experience that simply takes my breath away and makes me say WOW! RFC ice skating was it on this trip.

We finished skating at midnight, and I headed back to my hotel for a hot bath and a nice long sleep.