My main thought is: Thank God for mashed potatoes and gravy. We had the best Thanksgiving dinner I can ever remember, at Robin's brother's house in Tappan, NY. Turkey, the aforementioned potatoes and gravy, dressing, rolls and butter, homemade cranberry sauce, squash baked with nuts and pomegranate seeds, a salad of collards, lime juice and red peppers, and pie. Pumpkin, apple, cherry, and, my contribution, chocolate cream. There was wine, but I had sparkling cranberry-apple cider and Jack had milk. So, so delicious. I could eat it all over again right now.
New York was fun: we went to the circus, ate at a great place across from Lincoln Center (crab cakes and those thin Belgian frites, Jack had homemade shells and cheese, cheesecake for dessert) and made a trip to the Cloisters on a gorgeous sunny day and took a nice hike up through Fort Tyron Park. We took Rick and John out for dinner the last night we were there. It was an Italian place in North Yonkers, we had a cold antipasto with bread and olive oil, and then chicken with sausage, mussels fra diavolo, pork chops, homemade meatballs with penne & lobster ravioli.
Jack played with his cousins and wore himself out. He enjoyed his plane rides very much and seemed unfazed by New York in general, despite having left there when he was very small. I got a tremendous amount of reading done, mostly Dorothy Sayers, did absolutely no work, and came back with a great desire for a jasmine plant and a Meyer lemon tree.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Monday, December 1, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Vancouver BC travels - Oddments
We toured the gardens at Queen Elizabeth Park on 8/8/2008 - luckiest day in the Chinese calendar. LOTS of couples having their wedding photos taken that day. Here is a shot of an Indian couple posing for their photos. They had the most gorgeous wedding clothes ever. And he had a sword.
French bakery on Granville Island - divine macarons
Recycle, or you will be crushed by a Soviet satellite. On a Vancouver bus.
I didn't know you could buy that...
Groovy, dude, let's make a peace sign out of CDs.
It's 4-wheel drive, too. I'm not kidding.
Some wicked graffiti by the Science Center.
Lifeguard station at Spanish Banks
A helpful sign.
Possibly the most beautiful place on earth - Bowen Island, BC
Yaletown pier.
French bakery on Granville Island - divine macarons
Recycle, or you will be crushed by a Soviet satellite. On a Vancouver bus.
I didn't know you could buy that...
Groovy, dude, let's make a peace sign out of CDs.
It's 4-wheel drive, too. I'm not kidding.
Some wicked graffiti by the Science Center.
Lifeguard station at Spanish Banks
A helpful sign.
Possibly the most beautiful place on earth - Bowen Island, BC
Yaletown pier.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Vancouver BC travels - Gardens
If you love gardens and flowers, Vancouver in the summer is the place to be. There are lots of community gardens where the plots are gorgeous, flowers and veggies just tumbling over one another. Queen Elizabeth Park and Stanley Park have immaculate formal gardens.
Someone's front yard.
Community garden under the Skytrain rails
This garden also had a neat mural of veggies.
Planting in front of old city hall.
Someone's street-side garden.
Garden patio on Bowen Island
Small Quarry Garden, Queen Elizabeth Park
Small Quarry Garden, Queen Elizabeth Park
Queen Elizabeth Park
Queen Elizabeth Park
Stanley Park Rose Garden
Someone's front yard.
Community garden under the Skytrain rails
This garden also had a neat mural of veggies.
Planting in front of old city hall.
Someone's street-side garden.
Garden patio on Bowen Island
Small Quarry Garden, Queen Elizabeth Park
Small Quarry Garden, Queen Elizabeth Park
Queen Elizabeth Park
Queen Elizabeth Park
Stanley Park Rose Garden
Friday, August 1, 2008
Air Travel Isn't What it Used to Be
You know, some day our children are going to laugh at us when we tell them that airlines used to serve meals, and that taking your baggage with you on vacation was free. Flying is just not the glamorous adventure it was when I was a kid. Anyone seen those little salt and pepper shakers lately? Or wine in real glasses?
I actually like to fly (I hate airports, but that's another story), but I have 2 big advantages. My sister is a cosmopolitan type who accrues many hotel points and airline miles and distributes upgrades generously. Thus, I have flown with Jack in first class twice this year, and it's heaven. Not only do you get your wine in a real glass, but the purser shows you all the wine and asks you what you want, and then opens the bottle especially for you. And they call you by your name, as in "Mrs. _______, would you like the omelette or the fruit and yogurt plate, and perhaps some fresh coffee?"
I also bring a child along, and as any seasoned traveler will tell you, a child is like gold. Anyone who works in a plane or in an airport is so sick of looking at and listening to unhappy, exhausted people who would rather be anywhere else in the entire world. Enter a starry-eyed child who loves airplanes and airports and thinks people who work there have the COOLEST JOBS IN THE WORLD, and doors magically open. Hatchet-faced flight attendants smile. Cookies appear. Two seats together will be found on even the fullest plane. Baggage will be carried and checked at the gate. If the child doesn't scream, kick seats or refuse to sit down/get up, so much the better.
And children are small. If you sit next to one, you have 50% more room than if you were sitting next to an adult.
My two tips for traveling with a child:
1. Bring more Cheerios than you think you need.
2. Don't bring toys with lots of parts. They'll get dropped, roll to the back of the plane and disappear. Books are good, all the pages are attached and they pack flat. Or a crayon and some paper. When your child asks "Why only one crayon", tell him it's Red Day, or whatever color you happened to bring.
I actually like to fly (I hate airports, but that's another story), but I have 2 big advantages. My sister is a cosmopolitan type who accrues many hotel points and airline miles and distributes upgrades generously. Thus, I have flown with Jack in first class twice this year, and it's heaven. Not only do you get your wine in a real glass, but the purser shows you all the wine and asks you what you want, and then opens the bottle especially for you. And they call you by your name, as in "Mrs. _______, would you like the omelette or the fruit and yogurt plate, and perhaps some fresh coffee?"
I also bring a child along, and as any seasoned traveler will tell you, a child is like gold. Anyone who works in a plane or in an airport is so sick of looking at and listening to unhappy, exhausted people who would rather be anywhere else in the entire world. Enter a starry-eyed child who loves airplanes and airports and thinks people who work there have the COOLEST JOBS IN THE WORLD, and doors magically open. Hatchet-faced flight attendants smile. Cookies appear. Two seats together will be found on even the fullest plane. Baggage will be carried and checked at the gate. If the child doesn't scream, kick seats or refuse to sit down/get up, so much the better.
And children are small. If you sit next to one, you have 50% more room than if you were sitting next to an adult.
My two tips for traveling with a child:
1. Bring more Cheerios than you think you need.
2. Don't bring toys with lots of parts. They'll get dropped, roll to the back of the plane and disappear. Books are good, all the pages are attached and they pack flat. Or a crayon and some paper. When your child asks "Why only one crayon", tell him it's Red Day, or whatever color you happened to bring.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Heaven, with Horses
We spent the weekend in Lexington, Kentucky, in the heart of Bluegrass Country. What an amazing trip! I came here with my parents when I was a little girl and I wanted to see if it was as beautiful as I remembered. You be the judge:
We visited the Kentucky Horse Park, and the Bluegrass Railroad Museum. We also stocked up at Whole Foods and did a lot of swimming. I would like to get out into the country a little bit more on the next trip and see Ward Hall and some of the bourbon distilleries.
Lexington is one of the few places in this country where wealth equals taste (and I lived on Long Island, so I know of what I speak). It has that romance of the south, and for a wealthy community, is surprisingly affordable to visit.
We visited the Kentucky Horse Park, and the Bluegrass Railroad Museum. We also stocked up at Whole Foods and did a lot of swimming. I would like to get out into the country a little bit more on the next trip and see Ward Hall and some of the bourbon distilleries.
Lexington is one of the few places in this country where wealth equals taste (and I lived on Long Island, so I know of what I speak). It has that romance of the south, and for a wealthy community, is surprisingly affordable to visit.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Travelogue
I haven't been writing much because I've been very busy. My husband is away for three weeks, and so I have more to do. Jack has been (fairly) good about "helping" (going for walks with me and the dog in the morning, putting his shoes on, etc.) He's also been writing on the walls, spilling his apple juice, screaming when we went for ice cream, and waking me up really early (before 8:30! No!). I try to be patient with him - I know it's hard for him to have his Daddy go away.
Jack and I tend to do a fair bit of traveling together when Robin is away. We are going to Lexington, KY this weekend to see the Kentucky Horse Park and some railroad museums, and generally revel in the beautiful Bluegrass Country. We're staying overnight to take advantage of a hotel pool. We are also flying to Vancouver in August to visit my sister. Vancouver is a fun city and Jack likes to travel, especially to fly.
I used to be a terrible traveler - I had crippling anxiety before I flew, and I got upset and angry when there were delays and cancellations. I made elaborate preparations and packed a week in advance. And then I had a child. A child who loves airports, who sits happily for 5 hours on a plane looking at clouds, eating snacks and flirting with the flight attendants. A child who eats happily in any restaurant and sleeps in any bed. After our first ten or so trips together, the anxiety just ebbed away. Traveling with a happy person will do that. And can I recommend flying First Class with children? They can't kick the seat backs, and you get free wine. Business class on a 777 is like being in a living room, except my living room doesn't have massagers in the chairs. You do have to put some nice clothes on, and people generally aren't as friendly, but it's worth it.
Jack and I tend to do a fair bit of traveling together when Robin is away. We are going to Lexington, KY this weekend to see the Kentucky Horse Park and some railroad museums, and generally revel in the beautiful Bluegrass Country. We're staying overnight to take advantage of a hotel pool. We are also flying to Vancouver in August to visit my sister. Vancouver is a fun city and Jack likes to travel, especially to fly.
I used to be a terrible traveler - I had crippling anxiety before I flew, and I got upset and angry when there were delays and cancellations. I made elaborate preparations and packed a week in advance. And then I had a child. A child who loves airports, who sits happily for 5 hours on a plane looking at clouds, eating snacks and flirting with the flight attendants. A child who eats happily in any restaurant and sleeps in any bed. After our first ten or so trips together, the anxiety just ebbed away. Traveling with a happy person will do that. And can I recommend flying First Class with children? They can't kick the seat backs, and you get free wine. Business class on a 777 is like being in a living room, except my living room doesn't have massagers in the chairs. You do have to put some nice clothes on, and people generally aren't as friendly, but it's worth it.
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