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Turn to the left…Turn to the right…FASHION!
It was bound to happen at some point: we slept through our alarms Saturday morning, our third day in Italy. Frantically, I texted our tour guide and let her know we would be late, and we did our best to get suitably pretty as fast as we could.
Looks mattered for this one, as I had booked a Milan Couture Fashion Tour through Context Travel. Much like the food tours, there were many fashion tour options, with Milan being the fashion capital. But none of the ones I found on the typical sites resonated with me. During my research, I stumbled upon this article, which led me to Context Travel and our lovely guide, Emilija Kelcher.
Emilija was waiting for us outside the Emporio Armani cafe when we breathlessly ran up. As our heart rates settled, she told us about her background, coming to Italy as a young woman from Croatia to be a model, and her later years working in the industry in other ways, and filled us in on what to expect. The tour was just the three of us (and the price was very reasonable — not much more than on the bigger group tours). We would spend the next few hours visiting various shops and ateliers in the fashion district known as the Quadrilatero, learning about the history of designers, and the industry, and would stop along the way if something caught our eyes. Oh — and so much did!
Our first stop was inside Armani, where we discussed his career and how he has changed fashion as we know it. from inventing the color greige, to, in his words “soften(ing) the image of men and harden(ing) the image of women” by creating less structured suits for men and power suits for women. We drooled over some of his fashions in the store.
Designers of course have long branched out from clothing. I was drawn to his love of flowers — in Milan, you can order from Armani Fiori and the designs are exquisite. The minimalist lines of the cafe decor were an interesting juxtaposition to the Christmas tree outside — and the view from the windows is a special treat all its own!
Besides the wonderful clothing, Emilija shared some of her favorite buildings and architectural hidden gems. These pictures are from the intersection of Via Santo Spirito and Via Gesu.
These two streets are connected by the Bagatti Valsecchi Museum and the private home of the people who own it. We did not visit the museum, but it is now on my short list of must-sees for a return visit. It is a “house museum,” showcasing the collection amassed in the late 1900s by a pair of brothers. The mansion, filled with items from the 15th and 16th centuries, is considered one of the finest examples of what a Lombardy mansion would have looked like at that time.
She had us stop in at the Four Seasons Hotel Milano. Besides stunning, as all Four Seasons properties tend to be, this one is remarkable for its history. The hotel is housed in what used to be a convent dating back to the 15th century. During recent renovations, frescoes were uncovered and preserved around the hotel, and they are definitely worth a look if you are in the area. The holiday decor was stunning as well.
Back on the fashion trail, Frankie and I discovered a store that Emiliji hadn’t visited before, and we were pleased with ourselves when she seemed impressed by it as well, especially when she saw the quality and the price point. Atelier Eme is a dreamy place, filled with bridal wear and special occasion dresses and all sorts of accessories, shoes, and the like. With the obligatory proffered glass of bubbles in hand, we explored while Emilija talked shop with the manager.
The prices were actually kind of amazing for the level of work done and the originality of the wedding dresses. The girl and I decided we would seriously consider coming back here someday when wedding dress shopping was on a to-do list!
Another well-heeled highlight was a stop at Dolce&Gabbana. These pictures show the items I would have chosen if offered: that fantabulous copper feathery loungewear set, and can you guess which accessory?
Next up was Gucci!
If you want more info on that poker chip set, click here. My birthday is in April, FYI…
Looking for fashion trends? These pictures at Prada really summed up a few things I saw often: Mary Janes with straps, bucket hats, purses with doodads, and lots of feminine details like flowers. This dress has straps made out of crystal daisies. Oh and this store, Pinko, made me salivate. It has inspired me to renovate my closet!
When the tour ended, we backtracked to some places we had to rush past. A favorite spot was the Piazza Quadrilatero—Ex Seminario Arcivescovile di Milano, an old seminary turned into a divine shopping area. We availed ourselves of the beautiful grounds for a quick photo shoot before visiting the stores.
One of our favorite shops there was Antonia, but the reason I really wanted to return to that shopping area was to visit a jewelry shop called SO-LE STUDIO. This really unique place features jewelry made out of leather that looks like metal. The founder is the granddaughter of the famous shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo, and she liked the idea of transforming leftover bits of leather and brass. This is where I picked up my souvenir for the trip!
That evening was our last in Milan before heading to Sicily in the morning. So we took our photo shoot back to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, and did what everyone else was doing: posed by the Christmas tree!
Afterward, we decided to find the bar we had seen from the roof of the Duomo on our first day and found ourselves at Duomo Terrace 21. After a cocktail and enjoying the view, we realized that there was another part of the building with a DJ, so we headed there. We soon found ourselves dancing with new friends from Turkey, having a ball listening to music by Andryx and sadly heading back to the hotel earlier than we wanted. At 1am, the party was just starting, but we had a plane to catch the next day!
Today’s totals: walked 12,646 steps or 4.95 miles and climbed 6 flights of stairs
Sunday’s flight wasn’t until the afternoon, so we had time to kill after packing. A European city is the best place for that, so a-wandering we went!
All roads from our hotel lead through the Galleria, so first we popped into Swarovski Crystals, which had always been closed when we’d been there before. The store took a jewel-box approach to displaying its wares. I was reminded of honeycomb, with glistening treasures hidden in the golden nooks and crannies.
We wandered past some holiday Lego displays…
…and ended up at, well, McDonald’s. We honestly just needed a bathroom break, but I couldn’t help marveling at the differences between a Milanese Mickey D’s and one in the States. Clean and classy, with multiple levels, everyone waiting patiently at different stations, depending on what they ordered at the automated kiosk. Of course, if you were simply ordering pastries and coffee, that was available at the espresso bar at the front. Yes: the full-service, high-quality espresso bar. Sigh…
We were headed towards the Castello Sforzesco, which we had seen lit up and looked up on our first night. This time we would be able to walk around the grounds, but would not have time to purchase a ticket and explore inside. Another item added to the “next time” list!
The castle was built in the 14th century and has been a symbol of Milanese glory and tyranny ever since. It has been the home of powerful people from many nations, as well as a fort and barracks for centuries. In the 1800s the city decided to renovate it, and in 1905 the castle and grounds opened to the public. The grounds house more than ten museums, including priceless works by Leonardo DaVinci. The park grounds cover more than 60 acres!
After a quick but delicious lunch at Bravo Bistro it was time to say ciao to the wonderful friends at The Street. But not for long: after Sicily, we would return to Milan for one last night!
When we landed in Sicily, my son Carter and his wife Lisa were waiting for us at the airport in Catania, where we secured our rental car and headed inland towards Mineo, Lisa’s hometown. Carter took the wheel for the one-hour drive for a few reasons. One, he gets car sick if he’s not driving, and the roads we were taking were not going to be exactly straight or flat. The second reason? Those roads. Steep, windy, and dark, the countryside was gorgeous in the daylight, but Carter didn’t really want me tackling it all for the first time in the dark. Fair — especially when he and Lisa argued over which map directions to take, in my small SUV rental (I wanted a smaller car, but when we realized that we would need a vehicle for 4 people plus luggage, my plans had to change). So we ended up on dirt roads in orange groves in the middle of the night, hoping neither sheep nor suspicious armed farmers crossed our path.
When we finally reached Mineo, high atop a hillside, we parked in a municipal lot and dragged our luggage up the ancient cobbled streets. There was no driving or parking within the city, that’s for sure. We made so much noise that one woman actually came out to investigate, fearful that a chunk of one of the ancient buildings had fallen off!
In the morning, we started to explore Mineo. The current village was founded in 459 BC, but there is archeological evidence of even older settlements. Like the rest of Sicily, the town’s fortunes, culture, and population bear the imprint of all the civilizations who have invaded and ruled over the centuries, including the Greeks, Romans, and Arabs. Many of the buildings in Mineo were built after the devastating Sicilian earthquake of 1693, but there are more modern ones as well, like the place we rented.
We stayed in an Airbnb rented out by the charming couple Marco and Maria, who, of course, knew Lisa’s parents (Mineo is a pretty small place). The 3 bedroom home had two living rooms and a rooftop deck with phenomenal views.
It was frankly way bigger than we needed, but there honestly weren’t a ton of options, the price for 5 days was less than a 2-night hotel stay in Milan, and the unit was literally around the corner from Lisa’s parents’ home, so it was perfect!
In the morning I was eager to explore Mineo a bit. We started with espresso and pastries, then meandered.
Sicilians embrace the Nativity scene like no one else. I learned this when we visited for the first time in 2021, and this visit cemented that belief. Mineo took it to the next level, as you will see in another post. But here are some miniature examples of their zeal:
Soon it was time for what I was most excited about: lunch with Lisa’s parents! The whole point of this trip was meeting Maria and Giuseppe. I had been worrying for months about what to wear, what gifts to bring, and if they would like me. They had welcomed my son into their family, and that meant everything. I know it had to be hard for them. I am sure they had to be leery of this dimpled Navy kid charming his way into their daughter’s life!
They were lovely.
Lisa played translator, as their English wasn’t stellar, and my Italian was abysmal (and don’t even ask about my Sicilian!). But we managed, and we laughed and smiled, bonded by our mutual love for our children. Oh — and over Maria’s amazing food!
Today’s total: walked 18,417 steps or 6.97 miles and climbed 19 flights of stairs
From Minnesota to Milan: Our Italian Holiday Adventure Begins!
When my Sicilian daughter-in-law Lisa asked us to meet her family over Christmas in her hometown, we jumped at the idea of Christmas in Italy. This wouldn’t be our first time spending the holiday in Sicily, but this one would be decidedly different, as the last time was in 2021 when Rich was segueing from a walker to a wheelchair. It was a bittersweet time, and we knew his ALS was cementing this as our last family trip. We did all we could that trip, but there is only so much you can do in towns built of stone and marble thousands of years ago when wrestling with mobility issues.
So this time would be different. I knew we would think about him a lot, but I also knew that this trip was, like so much of this past year, a turning point for the family.
We didn’t fly straight to Sicily, because, frankly, the airlines make that difficult (and expensive). So we needed to pick another city to fly in and out of, one which was easy to use as our “middleman” for the jaunt to Catania, the main airport in Sicily. We chose Milan, a city we’d not yet experienced, and one known as perhaps the most “Christmassy” of the Italian cities.
As always, I like to fly overnight to Europe, and we arrived at 945 am Italian time (245am back home in Minnesota). We had napped a bit on the plane, but it’s never quite enough. Nevertheless, the gal s always to stay up until 10pm. Boy did we surpass that…
We headed to our hotel, The Street Milan Duomo. One of the reasons I picked this particular hotel was because I could use my Chase Ultimate Reward points. Reviews and location were the other main criteria. I would absolutely stay here again! The staff was amazing. They utilized WhatsApp to communicate, checking in with me before and during the trip, asking what I needed, and how things were going, offering suggestions, and just generally being friendly and helpful. They even reached out after we checked out to wish us a Buon Natale!
The location, as I mentioned, was great. We were less than a minute’s walk from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a very upscale shopping mall that is equal parts fashion mecca and Instagram hotspot, and the starting point for almost all of our walking expeditions.
It’s shaped oddly like a cross, with four open-ended wings meeting under a grand cupola, almost like a house of worship for the beautiful people frequenting it. Fashion models were everywhere, and everyone looked their best as they walked by windows for the likes of Prada, Louis Vuitton, Ferrari, and Chanel.
The Galleria was created to be a promenade, and Google Maps sent us through it on almost every adventure. Our first stop was a visit to the Duomo di Milano, set up by Amira, one of the outstanding staff at our hotel. As my kids will tell you, I cannot resist a good church. For me, it has little to do with religion — or, at least, my own. To me, old churches are art, architecture, history, and sociology, all rolled into one. I like to imagine the people who built it, worshipped in it, the politics that created them, the familial dynasties, minor and major, created and destroyed within the walls.
One of the things that sets the Milan Duomo apart from others I have visited is you actually get to walk on the roof. It truly is the best viewpoint of Milan. Purportedly this is the best place in the city to catch a sunset, but it was a drizzly day, so we weren’t treated with that experience. In fact, when we descended, they were stopping tours as the temperature was dropping so they worried the roof would become too slippery. I will visit again on a future trip and try to catch the sunset!
On the inside we were privy to a special treat: that night was the annual Christmas concert, so the choir and musicians were rehearsing. Hearing that kind of music, in that kind of setting, is a soul-stroking experience.
Visually, my favorite thing was the unique stained glass. Each brilliantly colored panel contained its own intricate story, as they were collectively intended to be an entire bible for those who could not read. We later learned (on a food tour, no less!) that the windows were colored with saffron!
Speaking of saffron; we were hungry. I did a ton of research (as I do for every trip), but I let the girl take the reins for this first meal. She knew my basic rules: never go to a restaurant with staff outside beckoning business off the street, never go to one with big laminated picture menus outside, and always try to go a few streets away from a major tourist attraction. We tried that and found a cute place, but alas, the food was not all that great (risotto in a taco shell?).
But it took the edge off our hangries, and fueled us for more sightseeing before it was time to prepare for our last stay-awake push.
We had already asked the hotel staff to make us dinner reservations at a restaurant they recommended, so we walked around as long as we could before we stumbled our travel-weary brains and bodies back to our rooms. We unpacked and organized, then allowed ourselves a one-hour lay down before heading out for our 8pm dinner at DVCA.
The place was stunning, and we were the only English speakers in the room — always a positive sign when traveling to a different country. It felt heavenly to sit and relax over our wine and food. I can still taste that duck and those artichokes…
After dinner I was determined to find a bar I’d read about, so we braved the drizzly weather and marched on, enjoying the almost deserted streets (the people of Milan were much more concerned about the 45-degree temps than we were).
We arrived in Chinatown, the neighborhood home of La Chiesetta (“Little Church”), the bar we sought. “Little Church” is a deconsecrated, 18th-century Gothic church. It is a tiny bar, but it is big on character. To that point, we ordered absinthe-flavored cocktails, and enjoyed next to a gin-bottle Christmas tree, while we admired the sinning disco-ball cross overhead.
Actually, I should say, I enjoyed the absinthe drinks. Frankie did not. She handed me hers and ordered something else. I took one for the team (I actually liked the licorice taste), as we soaked up the atmosphere (oh — and the staff and guests are super cool and welcoming. Go here for sure!), before agreeing that, at 1145pm, we had beaten the “stay awake until 10pm” goal and decided to head back to the hotel.
However…
On the way home, we passed a karaoke bar.
We stopped in and made new friends. They were celebrating a birthday and invited us to join them. Bottles were popped, fireworks candles were lit, and Frankie was asked to sing.
The next thing we knew, we were leaving them behind, protesting our “early” departure, and we were meandering through the streets of Milan, looking for dogs to pet on our way back to our now longed-for beds.
Lights out? 4am. Overachievers!
FYI Apple watch totals for the day: walked 15, 949 steps or 6.18 miles and 11 flights of stairs.
There was no sleeping late the next morning, as we had 11am tour tickets to honor. The hotel’s breakfast service was unique to us: you ordered it the night before, just like room service, but you could have it delivered or eat it in the rooftop cafe, which is what we chose. So glad we did! The view was stunning: as you gazed over the tiled rooftops, glowing in the morning sun, the Alps were beautifully framed by the surrounding buildings. It made the prosciutto, cheese, croissants, and apricot juice (my new obsession) even more delicious!
Well-fueled, we laced our shoes for another full-footed day and headed west towards the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie. A stunning church in its own right, this convent for Dominican friars, founded in the 15th century, is the home of Leonardo DaVinci’s Last Supper. While we awaited our designated entry time, we explored the Basilica. The first thing that impressed me, oddly, was the beautiful offering candles. Usually, they are in just one color of glass, but these were in a variety that made me think of the Duomo’s brilliant stained glass, and I was captivated. Odd that such a simple touch would draw me in, but it did.
The walls were adorned with stunning frescoes that were almost like appetizers for the main course (yes, I know — pardon the pun). This is a neighborhood church, and the locals were worshipping around us. Every time I am lucky enough to visit Europe, I am awed by the (luck) these people have that these are the places in which they get to worship. I am not a religious person by any means, but I find these ancient places more moving and spiritual, perhaps because they are inhabited by centuries of human stories.
One story we learned that made even a non-believer pause was about the Last Supper. In 1943, the Allies bombed Milan heavily to force an Italian surrender. A bomb landed 80 feet away from the fresco. The church was heavily damaged, and walls around the mural collapsed, but the wall remained standing. Dust covered, but intact. A miracle?
After our visit, we retraced our steps. We had rushed to make our tour, regretfully not being able to linger at the beautiful and intriguing shop windows we had passed. Now, we wanted to rectify that!
Milan is known as a fashion capital, and with good reason. It is also just a cool place to shop in general. Everywhere we saw holiday decorations and Christmas foodstuffs like the famous Italian Panettone cake. We stopped into hotel lobbies and restaurants, gift shops, clothing, and home goods stores. I even found an FAO Schwartz store, something I hadn’t seen in years, which was very fun. On our way back to the hotel we were able to spend some sun-filled time in the plaza by the Duomo, as opposed to the previous day’s grey and wet excursion.
After some downtime and regrouping at the hotel, we headed south to a new neighborhood, the Navigli.
This lively neighborhood features some of Milan’s canals. Milan was once known as a city of water, with miles of canals (Navigli) connecting the land-locked city to major rivers to increase and encourage trade. Now only the ones in the Navigli district remain above ground, and restaurants, bars, music venues, and shops line their banks.
We were in the area for a food tour (which is always a good idea when you visit a new city or country!). After much back-and-forth research, I settled on the Eating Milan: Navigli Food & Drinks Tour. The link I posted will take you to the Trip Advisor site, where you will also find my review. This was a great tour! Giuseppe, our host, married the history of the city and its food with a great overview of some of the culture’s cuisine highlights. Our group of six in particular swooned over the carpaccio at Chunk, and it is very high on my list of places to eat next time I am in town! And, as one who doesn’t really like Tiramisu (I know, I know), the reconstructed version at Mascherpa just may have converted me.
After the tour ended, our new friends Sam and Donny from Ohio joined us on our walk back to the city center, where we decided to have drinks at Savini Milano 1867 in the Galleria. I’d honestly been so enamored of the floral patterned suits the servers wore that I couldn’t wait to get in there! The first bartender we met didn’t speak English, so that was interesting. We tried to make it work with my piddling 8th grade French, and Frankie’s pretty good Spanish, but cocktail selections were definitely getting lost in translation (although he and I understood each other perfectly when I said champagne!). Another server was called, and we got down to business.
It was a great end to a really fun day, except for one curious thing. We had already run across this in another restaurant and quickly discovered the odd music choices were not isolated to that one place. Evidently, the Milanese had a quirky love of taking American music and making very weird, and not necessarily good, covers of them. Case in point: a not-great female jazz singer doing a loungy rendition of the Red Hot Chili Peppers “Californication.”
Maybe not the best musical styling I’ve ever heard, but it made for a fun memory!
Today’s totals: 32,116 steps or 12.62 miles walked and 12 flights of stairs climbed.
Last Days in London
Part 3 of 3
Upon arriving in London for the last part of our trip, we took a cab to our hotel. I just couldn’t deal with my sick girlie trying to wrestle all her baggage via the underground! I selected a different hotel for this second London leg, just to change it up a bit. We stayed at the Rubens at the Palace, which was just stunning. This was definitely the poshest place we would unpack! The staff was beyond kind and helpful, and it’s always nice to have wine and snacks waiting in your room upon arrival! Negative: the complicated light switches, lol! I had planned to go out, but we decided to simply dine in the lovely New York Bar in the hotel. We were pretty wiped out, so this was a perfect easy end to our long day.
Sunday morning we had a planned tour of Buckingham Palace. Our hotel was right across the street from the palace, so we left a few minutes early to grab a light breakfast of sausage rolls, smoothies, and coffee to nourish ourselves.
We were still a few minutes early, so we walked around to the front of the palace. It was almost the changing of the guard, so it was pretty crowded. I think I will try to witness that on my next London trip.
But on this trip, we were exploring the inside of the palace, not the outside. I wish I could share pictures from the tour, but they aren’t allowed. Suffice it to say, The Crown, Victoria, and other shows do a darn good job recreating the interior shots for their shows. I can’t believe how close we were allowed to get to the thrones, the priceless art, and more! Pro tip: even if you don’t do the palace, visit the gift shop. It was truly great and had a wide variety of souvenirs. Better than any other shop we saw!
Afterward, we wandered through St James Park, where we had to chuckle at all the tourists fascinated with squirrels. Frankie impressed a group of Italians by showing them how to feed them from her hand. We decided it made more sense to let them think she was a squirrel whisperer than let them know how many squirrels steal from our birdfeeders daily in the summer!
Continuing our stroll, we passed Westminster, Big Ben, and the London Eye on the way to our next destination.
Frankie had been jonesing for nachos for quite a while. After an unsuccessful search for them in Cork, we were thrilled to run into a place that had good chips and guacamole, if not true nachos. We were in the Borough Market, a great outdoor/indoor food market.
We had already tried samples of bread, bought berries and cucumbers which we ate on the spot, and I bought a great bottle of hot sauce (who knew?). But having a Bloody Maria, chips, and guac were just what we needed, and El Pastor Stoney was the place to get them! Didn’t hurt that we got to hang with two dogs, George and George (that’s a long story) while we noshed.
Back to the hotel we went to change for the night. On a previous trip to London, the girl had been to a speakeasy and wanted to return, so we tracked it down and headed over there that night. Unfortunately, Cahoots had grown in popularity (and was no longer a secret), so we could not get in without a reservation. The doorman suggested another bar nearby, Disrepute. This lounge is usually open to members only, but they had room for us at the 1960s-inspired bar, so we settled in for a craft cocktail. Then we decided to backtrack to a blues bar we had passed earlier. What a find! We hung out at Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues Bar for the next couple of hours, enjoying the music and the people-watching. This was a great find, and I would totally suggest you check it out. The bartender told us to come back for open mic night the next night, which we considered strongly so Frankie could get herself up on the stage, but it wasn’t meant to be.
Monday was our last day, and I had packed it pretty full. First off was a visit to the Tower of London. I had visited it previously but thought the kids would find it cool so I happily returned (and I will go back again). I booked a tour with Get Your Guide, and the guide showed us around outside and told us info about the Tower, Tower Bridge, and other surrounding areas before handing us off to a Beefeater. Did you know that the Beefeaters and their families live at the Tower? I did not, but I do now. As we wandered around with him, folks kept trying to join our group. He politely but firmly told them that this was a private tour, which I appreciated, as we had paid for his time! Most folks were apologetic about it, although one woman got riled up and complained. She was full of consternation as she asked, “Well how would you ever find a tour?” I muttered under my breath about this new invention called the Internet. A few in our group chuckled at that as she huffed off.
After our tour, we were free to wander on our own around the tower grounds. Another perk for being off-season: there was NO LINE to get in to see the crown jewels. When you look at the Disney World-like metal line stanchions outside the exhibit, indicating that there were usually a lot of people waiting to get in, you realize how nice that was! The crown jewels are truly worth the wait, though. So much sparkly! I did really wish Carter had been with us, and we kept sending him pics of the old weapons and things at the Tower. He would have loved it.
We spent about three hours total there, and I would have spent more but the girl was done, and we had another tour to get to: a pub tour! Booked with Liquid History Tours, our guide shepherded us around London for a few hours, pointing out sights, telling tales, and introducing us to four different pubs. Highlights from the tour included seeing haunted jail cells from the now-defunct Old Bailey courthouse and jail, running into the Blackfriars, a pub that Rich and I had actually visited during our London trip many years before, and sitting in Charles Dickens’ favorite seat at his fave watering hole, the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. Two thumbs up for the adventure!
That evening, we had tickets to see the show Alan Cumming is Not Acting His Age which I understand will soon be coming to the States. We rushed back to the hotel to tidy up a bit then rushed back out again. The show was at the lovely Theatre Royal Drury Lane and for me, the high point of the evening was something I had booked as an add-on. For an added fee, we were to receive access to a private bar, replete with snacks and cocktails. I booked it frankly because I knew we wouldn’t have time to eat, and I honestly loved the idea of having a bar with a shorter line. Well, it was more than that. We were met by a “red coat,” a lovely young woman who escorted us to the lounge. Or so I thought. It was actually a private room with a fireplace, snacks, and a bottle of champagne, just for us!
Afterward, we realized that returning to the blues bar from the night before would be a very bad idea, as we were leaving for the airport at 5am and still had to pack. So, we headed back and corralled our belongings for one last time. Or, at least, until the next time!
This trip was clearly not perfect, but we managed. It would have been so much better if Carter could have stayed with us, and if Frankie hadn’t gotten sick. But you have to work with what you have. We shall just have to plan another adventure! And is it awful that, as much as I love spending time with my kids, following their schedules made me wistful for my solo travels. I have no other plans right now for any trips, but my brain is working on it!
Additional thoughts for travelers:
— use the underground! Just like the New York subway, it is super easy, especially when you tap your credit card instead of messing with an Oyster card.
— A lot of places don’t take American Express so make sure you bring a Visa
— London bathrooms almost always had lovely, scented hand lotion in them. This was true of all the bars, shops, restaurants and more
— In both Ireland and England you rarely saw paper towels, only hand dryers. Hence, the bathrooms were always clean!
Luck of the Irish Travels
Part 2 of a 3-parter!
Our flight to Ireland was early, and none of us were great in the morning. Our biggest concern, however, was the looming transportation strike. We were assured that the underground would not strike until the afternoon rush hour, so we should be fine in the morning. The strike ended up not being an issue, but the morning ride to Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 was not seamless. Once the train arrived at the first terminal, the train stopped cold. The train before us was having a medical emergency, so it would be a minute. Au contraire. After about 5 minutes, we were all told to get off the train, and that the train we were on had to reverse out so the other train could go. Good luck to all!
The throngs were nervous, as we all had flights to catch. We assumed we would just walk to the next terminal, but were quickly informed that it would be an impossibly long trek. Above ground, we found ourselves at a bus terminal, and we quickly divided to conquer. I ran to ask for help at the ticket counter, while the kids ran to the buses. I bought us passes for the bus to the next terminal, and we were off. Sweating.
I was hard-pressed to live my mantra “Don’t worry, because it doesn’t help.” Instead, I started planning in my mind. I knew there had to be more flights to Dublin that day, so worse came to worst we would try to get on one of those. We made it to the correct terminal after about a 15-minute bus ride (definitely too far to walk!) and rushed inside. Unfortunately, all of the self-check stations (and there were no counters) had lines, and many of those broke as we watched and waited. Again, we divided up. Everyone on their own, so to speak, and meet you at the gate. We got in line for security, and I made it through easily. I looked around, and when I didn’t see the kids. I assumed that meant they were ahead of me so I rushed on.
Nope, not at the gate, and they were boarding.
I called and texted Carter and Frankie. No answer.
I promised the nice Irish man taking tickets that the kids were on their way, and he said no problem, there was time. After a few minutes, and a few sideways glances at my pacing self, he asked, “Have you called them?” I told him I had with no response. We looked at his watch and said I’d be okay. But I knew he was getting concerned.
A few minutes later, Frankie rushed over. She had been forced to take anything vaguely liquidy out and place it in a baggie (mind you these were the same things she had already flown with). Final call for boarding, and still no Carter in sight. He came rushing up, and we hustled aboard. That was far too close for comfort! We had planned to have breakfast at the airport, but that clearly didn’t happen. So we were going to buy food on the plane, which was listed as an option. Nope. Not on this very short flight to Dublin! So we tried to quell the hunger by dreaming of Guinness and Irish potatoes to come.
I had agonized over our Ireland itinerary. Some places just didn’t make sense time-wise, others were not good for the season. I settled on two nights each in Dublin, Galway, and Cork. As always with my travels, I could have stayed longer in each, and can’t wait to go back and see the places we had to skip!
First was Dublin, where we stayed at the Fleet Hotel Temple Bar.
Highlights: The location was perfect, the lobby was stunning, the room was clean and the bathrooms were modern. Loved the free waters! Didn’t love that our room was so dark, and they needed heavier doors to keep out the hallway noise, but oh well. If you have issues with steps or long hallways, be forewarned that this is in an old building, so there will be some up two, down one, long hallways, and a couple more stairs kind of things. Not a huge issue for us, but could be for some.
After dropping our bags, our first priority was food. We found The Duke, a lovely pub that fits the bill perfectly, I enjoyed a traditional Sunday roast with all the trimmings, and the kids filled up on soups, stews, bread, and chicken wings. The beer and whiskey weren’t bad either!
Next, we were off to Trinity College, to see the Book of Kells. I had never heard of the book before planning this trip, but it is a beautiful religious text from about 800 A.D., a national treasure, and the showpiece of the famed The library is undergoing renovation, so many of the books are off the shelves, but it is a stunning place nonetheless. They have installed an interactive exhibit called the Book of Kells Experience, which was so cool.
I would have liked to have spent more time exploring the college grounds, but it was chilly and late, and, well: the kids, lol. So we headed back to the hotel to get ready for a night out in Dublin.
We started at the hotel restaurant, Cafe 1920, enjoying beverages and a light dinner.
While our meal was good, the most memorable part of this stop was our interaction with the woman seated at the table next to us. I didn’t take much notice of her at first, just a woman enjoying a solo meal out, much like would do while traveling. But at one point when the three of us laughed about something, she snapped “Do you have to be so loud?” We were just shocked! I mean, how do you respond to that? Well, we just kind of shifted in our seats and I stewed. When we stood to leave, I just turned to her, and channeled my inner-passive aggressive Minnesota voice: “I am sorry our happiness was so offensive to you.” Before I could even finish my sentence, she declared in a British, not an Irish accent: “Indeed!” I rolled my eyes and walked away.
“Indeed!” became quite the buzzword for the rest of the trip.
Next, we went next door to The Palace Bar, which our cab driver recommended as his fave local haunt. I had one thing on my mind: my first true Irish Guinness. Hokey and touristy, I know, but I’ve had Irish bar owners in the US wistfully tell me how they had tried and tried but could never replicate that Irish Guinness taste. One thing I found different? The Irish Guinness seems lighter: more like a drink than a meal. I tried them in various locations, and I loved them all!
After this bar, we wandered around to look for trad music. The first place we stopped was more like a college town bar, with a guy singing covers, while American football games played on the television. Fine, but not the vibe we sought. So we found a pub that was happening, The Auld Dubliner. It was lively and the singer was better, but after a round of “Sweet Caroline” (I cannot escape that song!), we decided it was time to move on.
In my research, I found a speakeasy that we went to next. It ended up having, in the girl’s opinion, the best martini on the trip (the second one was even better!). The Vintage Cocktail Club was a sexy joint filled with cooler people than me enjoying a wide variety of cocktails.
The cocktail list was 20 pages long, divided chronologically starting with drinks from the 1400s. I highly recommend visiting this place!
The next morning, we headed to a tour at Kilmainham Gaol. Consider this pace to be the Irish version of Alcatraz: a spooky, damp, sad old prison with a lot of history. But the history at Kilmainham is more important, as it figures prominently in the Irish revolution for independence in the 1920s. Before I came on this trip, I watched the mini-series Rebellion, which I would highly recommend. It familiarized me with the history of the rebellion and made it even more exciting to visit the places where that history occurred. I often do things like that before I travel, be it watching a movie, or reading a book about the area I am visiting. I think it’s important to be aware of why places are important and to not just treat them as Insta-fodder.
On the tour, our guide told us many heartbreaking stories, including the one Rod Stewart sings about in his song Grace. So beautiful! The museum you visit after the tour is equally important, so save yourself some time to go through all the many exhibits. I was particularly moved by the letters home from the condemned men.
After our tour, we needed sustenance. The only place I could find nearby was directly across the street, and I worried it might be a tourist trap. But The Patriots Inn was delicious (so far Ireland was kicking London’s culinary butt). I love me some bangers and mash (hey now!), and this pork and leek sausage was perfect. The only better thing was my Bailey’s Coffee, with a cream on top so thick I could have set a euro on top and it would have never sunk through. Yes, please!
I wanted to wander to our next destination, but the kids were cold. So I compromised and we grabbed a taxi to St Patrick’s Cathedral. My kids tolerate my fascination with cathedrals and graveyards. To them, it’s just another church. But they are more to me. I don’t see them as religious destinations, although clearly, they are. However, places of worship meant so much more to the people who frequented them hundreds of years ago. They were the social and political hub and seeing them from that historical vantage point makes them read differently to me.
St Patrick’s was built in the 12th century, and is the final resting place of the author Jonathon Swift (Gulliver’s Travels), and, interestingly, his “best friend”, Esther Johnson. One of the best things about travel is that it inspires me to learn, so I immediately started looking into this relationship. Not much is known, only that he was her tutor (when she was 16 and he was 30), and that when she died he was so bereft he couldn’t even look out the window towards her funeral. He insisted that she be buried at the cathedral, and he beside her when his time came. It is rumored they were secretly married, but we will never know.
See? Old churches can be cool!
Next, we visited Dublin Castle. This more than 1,000-year-old building was the home base for English rule, until the 1922 revolution, when it was handed over to Irish rebellion leader Michael Collins. While we did not get to see the tower or dungeons, as we didn’t book a tour, we did visit the State Apartments. The State Apartments are a museum, filled with art and historic memorabilia. They are still used today for political events, such as the swearing-in of the Irish president, entertaining visiting heads of state, and hosting state dinners.
I do think the kids found it interesting as well, although they could’ve been happy just because they were in a warm place. If asked, I bet they would say their favorite part of that visit was seeing a fox outside on the grounds. This shocked and excited us, but evidently, wild foxes are common in London and Dublin. Who knew?
Our final planned destination that afternoon was Silver Works where we were taking a ring-making class. I learned about this opportunity in one of my Facebook groups on travel in Ireland. We, along with a couple from Dublin on a date night, were given small strips of silver which we then turned into rings. It really was a great activity, and we all walked away with a fun souvenir. As I’ve mentioned before, I have started purchasing jewelry on my travels as a souvenir, and this was extra special because it was part of a shared experience with my kids.
When we returned to the hotel, the girl had to make a call, so we changed for dinner then Carter and I went out for a walk. It was bittersweet because we knew he was leaving in the morning. I was glad to eke out some one-on-one time.
He and I stopped at Flanagan’s for an appetizer, which should have gone smoothly. However, when they were delivered, they gave us the wrong thing. I grabbed what I thought was a piece of fried brie, only to sink my teeth into a deep-fried mushroom. I gagged and spat it out, while Carter laughed so hard, I think he was crying. I detest mushrooms! The restaurant apologized and brought us the cheese (which was awesome). I ate a lot of it to purge my brain of the mushroom incident.
We met back up with Frankie and headed to dinner at Kathmandu Kitchen. We originally had planned to get Indian food while in London, but the place we wanted to try there had an hour-long wait, so we tried this one instead. Actually a Nepalese and Indian food combo restaurant, the food was warm and savory and happy. Visit if you are in Dublin!
Sadly, Carter left us early the next morning. I am glad we got part of the trip with him but we were all beyond frustrated with the Navy for screwing up his paperwork, necessitating a return to Sicily. I will be quite happy when he is finally a civilian again! We sleepily bade him farewell before the sun came up and tried to fall back asleep. But my brain remembered my big adventure coming up, and no more sleep for me!
Today was to be an adventure of a whole other kind: I was getting a rental car and would be driving for the rest of our time in Ireland. Gulp. I was apprehensive but sure that I could do it. Good news: they upgraded the rental to a beautiful Volvo SUV. Bad news: they upgraded our rental to a beautiful Volvo SUV. I had asked for a small car, as that was everyone’s advice for navigating the narrow roads. Turns out the “upgrade” is one they foist on tourists because the bigger cars just sit on the lot. Ugh. I was immensely grateful for the myriad cameras on the car, which ended up being absolutely vital. FYI: upon the advice of the Irish travel sites I followed, I rented through My Irish Cousin, a rental car agency that contracts with other companies. Our car was actually an Enterprise vehicle but used MIC for all the paperwork. I opted for ALL the coverage, as I didn’t want to worry about scrapes and scratches and wanted roadside assistance if needed (American auto insurance does not often extend to rentals in Ireland).
Our first stop on our way to Galway was the little town of Athlone, home of Sean’s, the oldest bar in Ireland. Dating to 900 AD, this place is a charmer!
When I return to Ireland, I will try to stay a night in Athlone to see Sean’s in its full evening glory. As it was, we enjoyed a cup of tea around the fire and marveled at the pub. Note: like most European countries, there is a zero alcohol tolerance policy for driving, thus the Guinness abstinence at Sean’s! After our drink we briefly explored Athlone. Whenever we travel, Frankie’s highlights are always animal-centric, and running into a Merle French Bulldog named Drogo in a park, who loved running around with us, was a great road trip break!
As we approached Galway, I started to get a bit nervous. I find driving in unfamiliar cities can be a bit daunting, no matter what side of the road you are on. Mind you, I am not afraid of doing it. But I do feel like the tighter and more crowded the space, the more possibilities there are for mistakes. As I entered the parking garage, I encountered the most stressful driving experience of the whole trip. The turns in this garage were ridiculously tight (man I wish I had the smaller car!) But those cameras proved invaluable. I didn’t hit anything, even if it did take me about three attempts per turn, eventually figuring out the correct turning radius by about the 6th try. We had been told that while this garage was closer to our hotel, there was a more navigable one down the road. I decided that when we left this one, we would use that one instead, no matter how long of a walk it was!
We stayed at The Residence Hotel Pluses: great staff, super cute decor, free water, nice beds, clean, comfortable, attached pub, location. Downside: oddly, the location. We were on the streetside, and the live music downstairs definitely made me grateful for earplugs!
Frankie and I guiltily chose Italian food for dinner that night. I say we felt guilty simply because we knew we wouldn’t be eating it if Carter had been with us, as he didn’t come from Sicily to eat pasta in Ireland, lol. Our meal at Venice Ristorante was a trip food highlight for sure.
From there we headed towards a recommended pub for a pint and some trad music. Tig Choili is in Galway’s Latin Quarter, just a few minutes from our hotel.
It was crowded with locals, with a few tourists squeezing in for good measure. They have live music every night, so check it out if you are in town.
On Wednesday, our goal was the Cliffs of Moher. I had planned an early-ish morning start, but my girl just felt so sick I let her sleep an extra couple of hours. While she rested, I took some time to wander the streets of Galway. It was quiet and beautiful. I do love this part of travel!
I enjoyed coffee and a sausage roll at a branch of the British chain Caffe Nero before bringing some hot tea and a chocolate croissant from Bar Italia Ciarlantini back to the hotel for Frankie. Fortified, we returned to the wretched parking garage and headed out.
When planning the trip, I asked the kids what they most wanted to do. Frankie chose castles and ruins, so I did my best to find what I could. On the way to the Cliffs, we took a slight detour to find Tyrone House. Built in 1779, it was not as old as many of the things we marveled at, but beautiful and eerie and worth a visit. Oh yeah: and it is currently inhabited by very friendly donkeys! And another oh yeah: we had to hop fences to get there. No signs that said no trespassing, but it isn’t exactly open to the public. But it is out in the countryside, surrounded by fields and sheep and private homes on their own acreages, so we felt it was worth the risk.
Back in the car, the girl napped while I admired the gorgeous countryside. I know this was the dead of winter, but it is scary to think the place gets prettier in the warm months! This was an adventurous day for me, where I learned how to navigate the narrow roads and share them with tractors, buses, and people who drove waaaay faster than myself!
Upon arriving at the Cliffs of Moher, we suited up, expecting it to be horribly windy and cold as we had been forewarned it would be. It really wasn’t that bad! I don’t know if we had a good day for it, or if everyone else was a little bit wimpy. We walked around and marveled at the scenery, and climbed a beautiful tower. Unfortunately, being outside was not making Frankie feel any better, so we didn’t hike around as much as we had planned.
My goal was to get back to Galway before nightfall. I just didn’t want to drive those narrow roads in the dark! I mean, there were zero streetlights on pretty much any of the roads we traveled, whether they were country lanes or freeways. But we were hungry, and we opted to detour to the town of Doolin, which was highly recommended for its charm, shops, and restaurants. On our way, we chanced upon Doonagore Castle.
Built in the 14th century, The castle was once the site of a mass hanging of more than 170 Spanish sailors whose armada ship crashed on the cliffs below. Now, it is privately owned and closed to the public, but you know us: we clambered over a stone wall and walked on over. We took a few quick pics before someone came and told us to leave, and continued on our way.
We came to where Google told us the bustling town of Doolin was located and found a couple of houses and a closed restaurant. I am not sure how we went wrong, but clearly, I’d put the wrong info into my GPS. Frustrated, I decided we would just go straight back to Galway since darkness was quickly closing in. Availing ourselves of the hotel receptionist’s suggestion, we parked at the harbor parking garage, which was spacious and easy to navigate. (However, when it came time to leave the next day, I screwed up by not prepaying and causing a minor traffic jam for those also trying to leave. Ugh).
For dinner, I tried to find a place that served lobster, as we had heard it was good in Ireland (mind you, this was for the girl. I don’t do seafood, but she had been feeling so yucky I wanted to make it happen for her). Google sent us to McSwiggan’s back in Galway, but: no lobster on the menu. So, she settled for calamari with her steak, which she liked very much. I got a very weird burger. It didn’t taste bad, just odd. I kept trying it over and over, trying to put my finger on it. It was just so dense! I think it was overground and overworked maybe? I don’t know. I have found that steaks in Europe are rarely up to my Midwestern standards (except in Florence, Italy), but burgers can be good. This just wasn’t to my taste. The beet tartine appetizer was amazing, though!
On Thursday we left Galway and headed southeast to Cork. But first, we had a very special stop to make.
Ashford Castle has belonged to many families over the years, including the Guinnesses. The medieval castle has been continuously inhabited and improved and has been a hotel since the 1930s. It is featured in many movies and TV shows and has had guests ranging from music stars to heads of state and everyone in between. It is gorgeous, and I want to go back and stay there. But for this visit, we were due first at the Ireland School of Falconry!
We met up with our guide, who showed us around the immaculate and spacious grounds. These birds have a stunning setup! We were outfitted with our gloves and received some basic instructions before we met our hawks, Mya and Atlas. With the birds on our arms, we wandered out to the grounds, and let them fly about, raising our arms when we wanted them to return. Watching them fly from tree to tree, hunting and soaring, was something I will never forget. Absolutely a highlight of the trip.
Afterwards, we were due for tea inside the castle. Sandwiches, pastries, tea, and champagne were a perfect cap off. Then we wandered the grounds, and explored the castle, dreaming of a return trip, before it was, sadly, time to get back on the road.
There was no way to avoid darkness this time, but as most of the drive was on multi-lane highways it wasn’t too bad. We were pointed towards Cork, the one destination I was unsure of. The travel boards kind of dismissed it, but it worked out well for us. We stayed at the River Lee Hotel. This was the most modern hotel of the trip, which was fine. It was large clean and well-located. The staff was great, and the parking was easy (yeah!). The only downside was the room temp. It was just cold! The staff felt terrible and brought us a space heater, which definitely helped.
I had already made reservations at a well-rated restaurant that was supposed to have lobster (they didn’t, lol). Cork has a foodie reputation, and I would agree with that based on our experience at The Cornstore. Beautifully decorated, the food was lovely and the drinks delicious. A terrific cap to a fantastic day.
Anyone who knows me thinks it’s probably ironic that I wanted to kiss the Blarney Stone, but I did. Legend has it that all who kiss it will be blessed with the gift of gab. I wonder: for the chatty Cathies that kiss it, does it have a silencing effect? Guess we will have to wait and see!
Blarney Castle was a short drive from Cork, which is one of the reasons I picked the town. The grounds were almost deserted, which is such a great perk about traveling in the shoulder season! It was clear from all the signage that this place must be packed in the warmer months. But the grounds were magical in the misty damp, and there was no way we could have enjoyed them if we weren’t basically all alone. And since you spent about 47 seconds at the actual stone, I would have hated waiting in line for it!
That evening we went pub hopping and found one of our favorite ones in Ireland, Sin E was a snug little jewel box filled with handsome men in wool sweaters, tremendous music memorabilia, and even better trad music. It also had an adorable pit bull just hanging out, waiting for pets, which we happily doled out!
On Saturday we were to say goodbye to Ireland and head back to London. On the way back to the airport, I wanted to stop at various sites, but Frankie still wasn’t feeling her best. So, we just did one stop, and it was stunning. The Rock of Cashel has been around since pre-Christian days and was reportedly where St Patrick himself baptized kings and banished Satan (busy dude). In the interest of time, we didn’t book a tour, and if I go back, I will do so because I know I missed out on so much. But just walking around this amazing site was tremendous. One of the things I found fascinating was that the graves there are both ancient and recent, as it is the oldest working graveyard in Ireland.
After our quick stroll, we had brunch at a lovely local restaurant, the Ladyswell. A shared full Irish breakfast was a great last meal on the Emerald Isle!
A Jolly Good Time
Part 1 of 3
One of my goals this year is to visit three new countries. Having recently returned from a trip, I am a third of the way there!
The girl and I met the boy in London for an almost two-week trip. This trip was a pivot from what we had planned (avoiding Christmas at home by visiting the European markets), thanks to the Navy vetoing our original idea, and giving us their blessing on a January adventure instead.
Frankie and I arrived early, around 730am. I had worked hard to pack light, but my girl did not get that memo. So with our three suitcases, a backpack, and two purses in tow, we headed off to the London underground. When we arrived at our hotel, the Royal Horseguards, our room wasn’t ready. We dropped our things and headed out to find some food. The hotel was in the Westminster district, so we walked towards Trafalgar Square, catching glimpses of the London Eye and Big Ben as we went.
I knew Soho was a good place to find grub, so we headed in that direction, making our way through Chinatown before we found the Toi & Moi cafe.
This meal was the beginning of our quest to find a great sausage roll. While the food here was good (my avocado toast with roasted tomatoes was a thing of beauty), the sausage roll did not meet what we wanted. The quest would continue!
Next we decided to do a little vintage shopping. Traveler’s note: if you are headed to London right now, pack a suitcase full of your USA sports team’s clothing. London vintage stores are FULL of it!
While it was fun to find American sports teams’ garb, we didn’t travel across the pond for it. The girl was searching for cool stuff to wear on stage, and I just wanted to see what I could see. I had to come to terms with fashion from the 90s being considered vintage, which just felt wrong to me. I wanted stuff at least 20 years older than that! We finally found Blackout 2 Vintage, which was AMAZING. They had fashions for men and women from the 1920s through the 1970s. I bought myself a wool shawl that I ended up wearing multiple times on the trip!
We were fading, so went back to the hotel to wait for Carter, and our room. I was disappointed that the hotel bar was closed for renovations and remained that way for the entirety of our stay. I had used that bar as one of the things swaying me towards that hotel. The restaurant let us in, but they could not do mixed drinks. So we settled for snacks and some wine, and shortly made our way upstairs.
How did I choose the hotels for this trip? The first thing I needed was hotels that would allow 3 adults to stay in a room. Location was of course key: we needed to be able to step outside to readily reach restaurants, pubs, attractions and more. Additionally, an onsite bar/restaurant, a cozy fireplace, and decor that made it not look like it could be found in America were all big selling points. So it was pretty disappointing when one of the reasons I picked for our first London hotel, a gorgeous onsite bar, was closed for renovations during our stay. We had stopped by while waiting for our room and for Carter. We were able to sit in the restaurant, but it didn’t have that cozy vibe I wanted, nor could it do mixed drinks. A bummer, really.
When we did get into our room, we were pleased to find it was spacious, charming, and had a beautiful view of the river Thames and the London Eye. They also put US hotels to shame, with a fridge you could actually use, and complimentary beer, wine, waters, and soft drinks, that were replaced nightly, free of charge! We did have a few glitches during our stay, but the staff worked very hard to rectify those for us. Carter kept saying, “I can’t tell if this is a fancy hotel with some small issues or a hotel with issues trying to be fancy.” I totally got that.
After Carter arrived, and everyone got tidied up, we headed out. My plan to keep us awake was to do a self-guided tour of Christmas lights I’d found online. Unfortunately, it POURED that night. As the kids left their raincoats in the hotel or in Italy, they used the umbrellas I packed, while I used my new Eddie Bauer insulated raincoat, which I heartily recommend. Luckily it was the only day it rained on the whole trip, but that one night was a downpour. We headed out to the underground and did our best to get to our first stop. We did not navigate well (I did better in NYC for sure. Wonder if I do better when solo because I know it’s all on me?).
Anyway, we ended up walking in a downpour farther than planned, and once we arrived at our first destination, we hunkered down at the Churchill Arms for beers and Thai food.
This pub is supposed to be one of the most beautifully decorated outside, but the Christmas lights had been removed already, and the flowers hadn’t been put up yet. Oh well. Wasn’t the best weather for standing outside anyway.
We hopped back on the underground and headed back to the hotel. I suggested we get off a stop or two before our hotel, as the rain was abating and we could at least get some more sightseeing in before we succumbed to travel exhaustion. Carter picked the Westminster station, and as we exited, Big Ben was right in front of us. I would totally recommend that you do that on your trip, especially at night! We needed a bathroom break and stopped at the first pub we saw, St Stephens Tavern. Big mistake. This was a tourist-trap fish and chips place. It smelled bad, and buckets were catching the rain over the tables where we sat. The bathroom was vile, and the drinks were gross (although to be fair I learned that the British ale I ordered was supposed to be warm and flat, after having that experience at 3 different pubs. Didn’t order that anymore!). The place is pretty highly rated online, but I wouldn’t go back.
The next morning we decided to do some more wandering and shopping, starting in nearby Soho. First, we stopped at a bakery my friend Kristi recommended. The kids weren’t moved by any of the offerings, but I got a pastry filled with gruyere and ham and I was happy! Instead, the kids found the Arcade Food Hall, which was kind of a fancy food court, more than a traditional food hall. But the service was good, as was the kids’ brunch, and my margarita was even better, so no complaints!
I decided we should head towards East London, which is a decidedly younger, hipper area.
In Shoreditch, we found more vintage shops, where Frankie found a cool corset top made out of recycled fabrics, and Carter bought a great leather jacket. Then Mama needed a cocktail, and we stopped at a pub in Spitalfields called the Ten Bells before we went back to the hotel.
We were having dinner that night at a highly-touted restaurant called Rules. Rules is the oldest restaurant in London and serves traditional, high-brow British food. The place was stunning! We pushed ourselves out of our comfort zones, trying food we would never have had at home. First up it was cocktail time, and I picked the best of the bunch: a Black Velvet, made with champagne and Guinness. I know, I know: it sounds weird. But it was sooo good! Frankie tried the first of many attempts at getting a good martini. The girl likes them dirty, and the Brits don’t seem to like making anything untidy. For apps and starters, the caramelized onion and thyme tart was awesome! For mains, Frankie had duck, Carter had pheasant, and I had a steak Diane. All were good, but not amazing. For desserts, I wanted to do a cheese plate, but I knew the kids wouldn’t share that with me. So I tried my first sticky toffee pudding (yep, that’s a yummy thing!) and Frankie got a fruit crumble, which she loves on both sides of the pond!
There was a bar I wanted to try near our hotel (Velvet), but it was closed (one of the downsides of off-peak travel, I’m afraid). But the Northal bar, also at the Corinthia Hotel, was gorgeous (and open), so we pulled up and took over. I mean, there was hardly anyone there when we arrived, but it started to fill up after that. Coincidence I think not, old chap!
Frankie tried another dirty martini, which was better, but still too clean for her. I was craving a pear ginger martini, which they had never heard of. I told them the basics, and they huddled together and figured it out. They watched me as I drank. I nodded my approval. They exhaled, looked at each other, and decided to add it to the menu. My work here was done.
We had originally planned to take the train to Nottingham the next day, but everyone slept in so we had to pivot. Instead, we wandered around, checking out architecture along the way.
For lunch, we stopped at the Old Bank of London pub, a restaurant that, as you would expect, lives inside a previous branch of the Bank of England.
It is a beautiful venue, but the food was just eh. I liked my trio of pies, but the mashed potatoes were so bland. So far we were not impressed with English food.
I mentioned Nottingham. We weren’t going there to find Robin Hood, but to see the headquarters of the Warhammer tabletop game. The boy is very much into their models, and it has been a dream of his to go there. I felt bad that we didn’t make it, so when we chanced upon a store filled with Warhammer stuff, we of course went in. Carter looked around and chatted with his fellow mini-men, while the girl tried her hand at painting a mini herself. I watched.
We realized we were close to the British Museum so ran over there before they closed. Late in the day, off-season: no line to get into this free and beautiful place. Worth it just to see the Rosetta stone! Back to the hotel after it closed, then a quick stroll back up to Soho to find dinner. Chanced into Sophie’s, which smelled divine with its roasting meats!
Sated, we went back to the hotel to pack and rest up for our flight to Ireland in the morning.
But first…
Our hotel room was very warm, so every day I left the window open. That was never a problem until we arrived back that evening when we realized a visitor had joined us. I mean, I am all for wildlife, but a mouse running around all night was not going to let us rest. So the hotel sent two well-dressed fellows up to assist. It truly was a comedy, watching 5 of us, suitcases everywhere, trying to corral and trap this frightened creature! Took us a few, but we managed, and the staff removed him to, they assured us, release him back into the wilds of London.
Good night, mouse!
Final (Apple) Core Memories
Sunday found me ready to carbo-load.
My first scheduled activity was a tour with NYC Bagel Tours. My little group (just me and a family of 3) hit up three bagel shops, tasting a variety of the ubiquitous doughy delights and a smorgasbord of tasty schmears while learning about the history of the bagel. I typically gravitate towards the savory side of the bagel world, and tours like this one expose you to choices you might not ordinarily make. On this adventure, we visited the Bagel Pub, Liberty Bagels (home of the rainbow bagel!), and the Bagel Market.
I absolutely recommend this tour!
Bagel Pub: Cinnamon raisin with pumpkin cream cheese 
Bagel Pub: Egg with cucumber dill 
Bagel Pub: everything pumpernickel with chipotle bacon 
Bagel Pub art gallery! 
Jalapeno with avocado herb and rainbow with birthday cake 
Liberty Bagels: rainbow with birthday cake 
So many bagels 
Bagel Market: Salt with green olive and pimento
That afternoon I was scheduled for another trek, this time to cross the Brooklyn Bridge. I had never walked it before, so this was another NYC bucket list item. I picked a tour guide that sounded irreverent and fun, and that didn’t take themselves seriously. I’m not sharing the company, because, well, I wasn’t ultimately impressed. They had good info, and I did learn things. I found it particularly interesting that the bridge’s building was secretly overseen by a woman, the wife of the ailing bridge engineer. If you watch The Gilded Age, you will see her character this season! But I just didn’t dig this guide’s approach (they actually seemed like they couldn’t wait to get the tour over with, and wanted to talk about themselves more than the bridge). I don’t want to disparage someone who might be terrific on another day and with another crowd, so I won’t name names. A suggestion for other guides: when you have a solo traveler, offer to take their pictures, and suggest great vantage spots to do so (my bike tour guide was great at this).
It was a rainy day, which was great because it cut the crowds down. Unfortunately, not all the views were the greatest due to the clouds, but that’s okay. I enjoyed the walk!
When I was done, I wandered around the area right under the bridge. I would like to do more of that on a future trip, as it was a very cool area. I cozied up to The Lobby Bar inside the Time Out Market under the bridge, which I really enjoyed. The bartender was chatty and companionable, and I enjoyed the respite from the drizzly weather. Then it was back outside for a few more pics!
That evening I decided to try a new cuisine — Cuban! I dined at Guantanamera, a highly recommended place with a live salsa band and dancing. A little chorizo with plantains, a mojito (maybe 2!), and a gorgeous hunk of saucy pork, and I was content!
My Monday tour was another long-time wish list destination. The Tenement Museum gives a glimpse into the lives of immigrants, migrants, and refugees who have lived in New York. My biggest problem with this place was deciding which tour to take! This museum is not one where you wander aimlessly through exhibits; rather, you take a tour focussing on a family’s experience. I opted for the 1865 German immigrant tour, which told the story of John and Caroline Schneider. The knowledgeable guide really brought the family’s experience to life and left me eager to try other tours on a future visit.
The Tenement Museum was a few blocks from Chinatown, so I headed that way to explore further and grab some lunch. I ended up at the Mott Street eatery food court and stopped by the highly praised Sanmiwago booth for some Taiwanese dumplings.
I am a sucker for dumplings, and will almost always choose them when they are in front of me! It was a perfectly sized lunch to tide me over until my big dinner that evening.
I headed downtown to visit some more historic landmarks. First up was Federal Hall, where George Washington took the oath of office.
This was not the most interesting place I visited, but, to be fair, it was undergoing some renovations. But it was free, and around the corner from a place I really was excited about, so it was certainly not a mistake to stop in.
Trinity Church is a working house of worship but is also a fabulous place to visit if you are fascinated by graveyards and the stories they tell. Founded more than 300 years ago, it has gained a lot of recent attention, as it is the final resting place of Alexander Hamilton, his wife Eliza, and her sister Angelica. It is a beautiful place, and there is a great, free, downloadable walking tour that makes many of the stories come alive, so to speak.
I enjoyed the visit, although I did have a little emotional breakdown. This cemetery reminded me so much of the one Rich and I visited in Boston, that spring when we started to realize something was seriously wrong. I tried to contain my tears, but I just couldn’t. Thankfully people were respectful and just let me have my space.
After I finished, I went back to my hotel to get cleaned up for my last planned big night out. Dinner was at Quality Bistro, a stunning jewel box of a restaurant. I luxuriated on a blue banquette seat, sipped champagne, and watched the night progress. I overate and loved every minute of it.
One of the reasons I chose the restaurant was its proximity to the Hudson Theatre, where I had tickets to the newly opened Merrily We Roll Along (starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathon Groff, and Lindsey Mendez). It was an exciting night, and the crowd was buzzing.
Two thumbs up on the performance!
I walked all the way back to my hotel, enjoying the lights, sounds, and activities of the city. So many people worry about walking around New York at night, especially as a lone female. I never once felt unsafe in the city. It was glorious!
On my last day, I tried to squeeze in as much as I could (and as long as my energy held up!). I started at the Morgan Library This stunning place started as the private library for Pierpont Morgan, the incredibly successful financier that helped shape New York. After his death, his librarian Belle da Costa Greene (read the book, The Personal Librarian. You will not be disappointed!), helped transform it into a public institution we all can now enjoy. If you like books, history, or art, do not miss this place.
The Morgan Library houses a vast collection of manuscripts, books, documents, and art. I actually found a new artist there with whom I am now obsessed: Ferdinand Hodler. This Swiss artist was prolific in the 19th century, and the Morgan had an exhibit that showcased many drawings. I was drawn to his paintings of women, which showed both their beauty and strength equally. I am on the hunt for a print of one of them in particular, the “Study for Joyful Woman.” I am trying to track down a copy of it for my home!
The exhibition also showed some pieces from a series he did on the illness and death of his mistress. These haunting works really brought back my months of watching Rich fade away. I was very moved. You can see a video about the exhibit here.
After the Morgan, I went to the High Line, another NYC institution that I had never previously visited. Thanks to the drizzly weather, it wasn’t very crowded, which made it a lot easier to enjoy all the amazing artwork and the spectacular views of the city and its architecture. I got off at the Chelsea Market food hall to grab a quick lunch. I did not anticipate that it would be so vast, and varied. It was a visual feast as well as a tempting culinary one. I grabbed a spot at the very pretty bar at Corkbuzz, where I enjoyed a wine flight with some olives and jambon croquettes. Delish!
Thus fortified, I headed back up to the Highline and went in the opposite direction. One of the things I did on this trip that probably wouldn’t have worked had I been with companions: I only looked to one side of the high line on my way down, and then the other on the way back. I know that probably sounds peculiar, but it allowed me to focus better on everything around me, without missing something on one side by crisis crossing to the other.
My NYC time was quickly coming to an end. I debated going out for dinner, but I just couldn’t be bothered. Instead, I just pressed the up button in the hotel elevator and went to the rooftop.
Top of the Strand comes up on many lists of top rooftop view bars in New York, and no wonder. I had been meaning to check it out for my whole visit, and I am so glad I finally did. The Empire State Building was RIGHT THERE! I soaked it all in while I enjoyed my final cocktail and charcuterie board before calling it a night.
I had planned to take the subway and Airtrain back to the airport for my return flight, but I was just wiped. So I asked the desk to hire a car for me instead, which was such a great end to a trip that was truly all about me.
I can’t wait to do another solo adventure! I know not everyone likes the idea of traveling without companions. The bike tour through Central Park was really the first time I talked with other visitors about it. I found the varied reactions fascinating. Some were baffled: why would I go alone? Wasn’t I lonely? Afraid? Some were delighted and even envious. A few people seemed to get a longing gleam in their eyes, especially when I said I got to do what I wanted when I wanted, and for however long I wanted. If something was boring me, I would move on. If I wanted a detour, I took it. If I wanted to hang out longer, what was stopping me? Throughout the trip, I reveled in those moments and was grateful I didn’t need to consult anyone else’s wishes.
Don’t get me wrong: I want to travel with other people. In fact, the next three trips I have planned are not solo. And I would like to go back to New York, either with friends or by myself. But I like exploring on my own. It helps me realize how interesting I really am, and how much I don’t need to be in a couple. I think that realization will make me a better partner if I ever take that step again.
But for now, I am working on a 2024 travel mood board. I am ready to do a solo international trip, but I haven’t figured out where yet. I also want to do a road trip this summer. I remember fondly that trip decades ago driving cross country with just a tape deck to keep me company.
This trip, I have so many new memories. Please enjoy this last slideshow, featuring some of the stunning street art and architecture of NYC.
Enjoying Another Slice
My body was chatting at me after my trek the previous day. Evidently, my 56-year-old, out-of-shape legs did not enjoy the Tip to Tip adventure. No rest for the weary, however: I had a bike to ride!
I started out my day with breakfast at Zucker’s by Bryant Park. My first NYC bagel of the trip (new trip cuisine: Jewish!), but nowhere near my last! Went with one of my standards: an everything with scallions cream cheese. Yum.
Sufficiently fueled, I headed uptown for a Central Park bike tour with Unlimited Biking. I was not the only solo cyclist in my group, but I WAS the only solo traveler. People volunteered throughout the tour to make sure I had pictures of myself, which was just grand. I honestly think I am in more pictures on this trip than in the ones I take with other people!
The tour was fun and quick, and while it had a few tough hills, it was a great break for my tender toes. Again, I would heartily recommend this tour, and this company!
Afterward, I had originally planned to grab a hot dog in the park, but I wasn’t feeling it, so I took off on a wander. I had an afternoon to kill, before some very fun evening plans. I decided to indulge my reality TV inner fan and headed towards the garment district. On the way, I tried my third culture/cuisine of the trip, with stupendous tacos at Los Tacos No. 1, the Times Square location.
Worth the wait!
As an avid Project Runway fan, I have always wanted to go to Mood Fabrics. It was even more amazing than I anticipated!
I am by no means a seamstress, but wandering through the aisles on all the levels of this place made me want to pick up a needle (well, almost). I had decided in advance that this was where I would get my souvenir for the trip: I wanted to pick out fabric for curtains for my office. Since I figured I would be taking them, I needed something lightweight, almost but not quite sheer, that didn’t fray too much on the neds (I will basically be hanging it with clip-on curtain rings, and don’t intend to put any trim or edging on). I settled on a gorgeous, deep red lining material. I haven’t gotten it up yet, but when I do, it will be an everyday, practical reminder of this expedition!
Next up: Kleinfeld! If you’ve ever watched Say Yes to the Dress, you know why I had to visit. I didn’t have an appointment, and they were filming, so I couldn’t go into the salon, but I could peek in, and go downstairs to the accessories and alterations area. Just like Mood, the place was bigger and more breathtaking than I had imagined from the TV shows!
I headed back to my hotel to get ready for a very fun night out. Dinner reservations were at Il Buco Alimentari, a darling little Italian joint.
I was seated near the kitchen at a fun bar where I was served by the amazing Justus. I mentioned in my previous post how eating at the bar is a great call for solo travelers. If you are uneasy about eating alone, the bar is perfect, because you instantly have a dinner companion: the bartender. Justus was so fun and chatty! He told me about how Martha Stewart had eaten in the spot next to me just days prior, and about Taylor Swift’s dinner there a few days before that. Evidently, she arrived with Zore Kravitz and Laura Dern, and a few bodyguards. If you go on the website, you’ll see a picture of a cozy banquette-type table. just down a flight of stairs. That’s where they sat. Taylor told Justus to just order one of everything on the menu. He confessed that, as an avid fangirl, he felt awful suggesting that was too much food. She just let him decide. Then when Laura Dern tried to pick up the tab, the bodyguard shook his head: Taylor had already taken care of it.
My Swiftie friends back home kinda freaked out when I told them this story.
After dinner, I was off to the theater! Everyone knows NYC is the home of Broadway, so seeing a couple of shows was definitely on my docket. First up was the MUST SEE off-Broadway production of Titanique. This hilarious show is a loose retelling of the movie Titanic but from Celine Dion’s over-the-top view point. When I told local New Yorkers that I was going they all lit up and said it was the best thing in town (and seemed frankly surprised that a middle-aged Minnesota mom would be so hip as to go, which I found amusing). I laughed so hard I wept — and the singing was phenomenal. Go. Immediately.
After the show, I headed to Minetta Tavern. The place was jam-packed, which was fine because frankly, I wasn’t really hungry. But this was a place on my list for great burgers and cocktails, so I waited. While I did, I chatted with locals and had a ball. The place seemed chic, vibrant, and old-school classic all at the same time. And the food (and drinks!) did not disappoint.
Saturday was a rainy day, but that was fine. I had planned this to be a museum day, so I was going to be inside anyway. I quickly learned that New Yorkers absolutely throng to museums on rainy days (and especially weekends!).
I was glad I had made my reservations in advance.
I started the day at the Museum of Modern Art, where I had never been before – and was absolutely wowed. My before hours tour with an art expert was done through Get Your Guide tours. Our little group got to wander the vacant museum before the crowds descended, which allowed access to some of the most amazing pieces of art in the world.
After the tour ended, I explored the rest of the museum before it was time to get lunch. I found a great Thai restaurant, Thai @ Lex, thus extending my “new cuisine a day” goal. It was only about 4 tables, which was just lovely on a drizzly gray day.
The scrumptious curried beef and noodles didn’t hurt either!
Fortified, I headed to my next tour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I have been to the Met before but thought it might be fun to have a guide this time. Once again, I booked a Get Your Guide tour: the best of the Met. I had a little glitch, as I arrived on time for my tour, but did not anticipate the very long line to get inside. I asked if there was a door for pre-paid tours, and was directed to another, far shorter line But that line was for museum members. I frantically called the tour company, hoping to reach someone on a Saturday. Thankfully the person at Get Your Guide was incredibly kind. She wasn’t able to contact the guide but assured me they would wait. I managed to get inside and found a group patiently waiting — and not just for me. They even said I had time to go check my very wet raincoat and umbrella. The guide was interesting, patient, and thoughtful. The Met is enormous, and there is just no way to see it all. But having a guide really helped. I 100% recommend using this company!
When I was planning this trip, I had planned to go upscale barhopping after the museums, catching the sunset and city views while enjoying fancy drinks and apps. But the rain had put a damper on that (pun intended). Instead, when I got off the subway near my hotel, I ran a few errands. First stop: a liquor store for a bottle of red. Second: a neighborhood bodega for a pint of very chocolatey ice cream. Back at the hotel, I asked who they recommended for pizza, and wasn’t surprised when they suggested Joe’s (which was on my list!). My pie arrived quickly, and I hustled it upstairs. After a quick wardrobe change into pjs, I enjoyed my fabulous girl dinner with a side of Netflix. Happy mama!
Stay tuned for the last post on my trip!
Taking My Own Bite
I recently took myself to New York. I have been to NYC before, but not for a full week, and never alone.
This was to be another “widow trip.” What does that mean? Well, for me, a widow trip is something purely solo, and designed to push as well as entertain me. My first widow trip was within days of Rich’s death when I packed up the dog and went to a cabin for a few days. The second was to Maui in January. This trip would “up the ante,” in terms of challenges, and I was determined. As the old song goes, if I can make it there…well…you know!
When I arrived, I headed to the AirTrain and then to the subway. This was where I made one of the few “oopses” of my trip. The AirTrain was free, but the subway was not. In my extensive research, I had correctly learned the right routes and also had happily discovered that you did not have to buy physical subway tickets. Instead, you could just tap and pay with your credit card. This is a fricking genius evolution, one which means less fumbling with wallets and money and a huge time saver and stress mitigator. After 10 charges in a week, the rest of the week would be free. Great deal, super fast and easy — except it didn’t work for me on my first trip. Rather than ask why, I decided to try figuring it out independently. Big mistake. I went to buy a single pass, and couldn’t find an option, so I just bought a week pass. It wasn’t until I arrived at my subway stop that I learned I had bought a pass for the AirTrain, which I would ultimately never use again. Ugh. Advice: ask for help BEFORE you make the money-wasting mistake.
My next error was one I knew I was making. I packed a big heavy suitcase. What can I say: I am high maintenance. I tried to leave the subway to go to my hotel, but could not find the darn elevator and I did NOT want to carry it up the stairs. I went around and around in circles and finally humbled myself to ask for help — again.
But I learned a great thing during my conversations with folks, one that would bear out for the duration of my vacation: New Yorkers were so kind, friendly, and helpful. I never once, on the entire trip, met anyone sour or grumpy! They are justifiably proud of their city, and want everyone to enjoy it to the fullest.
Once I managed to finally get street-level, I broke into a huge grin. I love the hustle and bustle of a city! It was a bright sunny day, and the city was my apple to bite. I pointed my feet in the right direction and quickly arrived at my hotel, the Marriott Vacation Club Pulse. I chose this hotel because I could swap it for the week at my timeshare. It was a great location, mere blocks from Bryant Park, Grand Central, Times Square, and more. I was pleasantly surprised that my room was ready when I arrived, some 4 hours before check-in, as long as I was okay with a low-level room, which was just fine. In my opinion, there are certain places where it makes sense to go for the view, and crowded cities are rarely that, as your view is usually of another building. I unpacked a bit, and headed out!
I made my way towards Grand Central terminal for a tour with Take Walks. Unfortunately, this was where I made an additional “oops”: I was actually an hour early. Note to self: when you book in one time zone, check the time for the other! So when I booked a 2 p.m. tour, that was for 2 p.m. central, not eastern. So to kill time, I wandered around. I happened to be in NY during the United Nations General Assembly, I know locals were hassled by the added congestion, but personally, I loved seeing all the SUVs with international flags, the people in traditional garb all over the place, and all the myriad languages spoken around the city were an added layer of music to my ears.
When I headed back to GC Terminal, I happened upon a beautiful flower exhibit, courtesy of Crayola.
Then it was time to meet my tour group. We donned nifty headsets, which I wish all tour guides would use. It made it easy to hear the guide, no matter where you were in the pack! The tour was a great peek behind the curtain. I learned a lot about the Vanderbilts, and about why the building looks the way it does. I heartily recommend this tour! Note to self: on your next NYC venture, hit The Campbell, a beautiful bar tucked away in a corner. It used to be a wealthy businessman’s office.
Back at the hotel, I changed for dinner. I was meeting my good friend Christi for dinner at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse. What a fun place — the service was just terrific (and I think they knew we were faking about it being my birthday, lol).
The food was good, but I think it would have been better if I had ordered my usual, a ribeye steak. I got the filet mignon instead, simply because of its size. Filets are always so tender, but I like the flavor in a big fatty piece of meat!
Christi and her husband Jim were fascinated with my plans for the next day: I was walking Manhattan, tip to tip! I saw this suggestion on TikTok. Once I watched that video, I plugged the plan into my Wanderlog itinerary and started supplementing it with restaurants and sights I could experience along the way. After all my fine-tuning, the trip was anticipated almost 7 hrs and 31 miles!
My plan was to be out of the hotel by 830 but ended up being 45 minutes late, so I knew I might have to trim things off if I wanted to be done before dark. I changed my original plan and got off the subway earlier than planned, and got off in Inwood. One of my goals for this vacation was to eat a different cuisine or culture every day. Today was Ethiopian, at Buuni Coffee. Sadly, they are no longer serving the full breakfasts I wanted, but I had great Hummingbird loaf and their delicious java, then headed off.
The best thing about this trek was the opportunity to go off the tourist trail and see neighborhoods I never had before. I loved seeing just day-to-day life. This morning was my first experience seeing all the great dog walkers around Manhattan, where one individual wrangles a posse of pooches. As one who can’t really get her GreatPyraHuskaDoodle to walk in a straight line, I was humbled.
One impetus for doing this trip was to finally visit the Met Cloisters. I have always wanted to, but it is so far north of anything else that it just never worked out. But this time it did. What a gem! It is literally like someone moved Medieval Europe into Manhattan. Fort Tyron Park up there was gorgeous too, Views of New Jersey.
From there I headed towards Harlem. Along the way, I saw the Morris-Jumel Mansion. I couldn’t go inside, as it wasn’t open yet, but I was intrigued. Built in 1765, it is the oldest surviving residence in Manhattan, and was at one point George Washington’s headquarters!
Next up was lunch at Red Rooster, owned by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. On this trip, I embraced the “eat at the bar” thing, which is a great option when traveling and dining solo.
The bartender is an instant companion, which often makes for some lively and informative conversation. More on that later.
As I walked past the historic Apollo Theater after lunch, I made my first “delete” decision of the walk. I had planned to stop at the Hungarian Pastry Shop, but a belly full of fried chicken and mac and cheese and a time crunch made me reconsider. I’ll add it to the list of places to try next time!
Trudging onward, I skirted the edge of Central Park, but chose not to enter the grounds, as that was a stop for another day. At about this point in the day, my body started to complain. For about an hour I internally discussed the need for chemical reinforcements and started keeping my eyes peeled for a drugstore of some sort. I passed Columbus Circle, Times Square, and Herald Square, before finally finding a CVS — but they were sold out of ibuprofen. Fortunately one of the ubiquitous New York newsstands had what I needed. Grabbed some Advil, bought a highly-caffeinated iced tea at a cute shop, made a quick trip to a dispensary, and Mama was set.
I passed Union Square and found Washington Square Park, which was one of my highlights. It is such a vibrant area, full of college students, artists, musicians, tourists, and locals all enjoying the sunshine. From there I found Sugar Wood dessert shop. Your mama does NOT make waffles like this, lol.
BTW I have decided that next trip I may stay in Greenwich Village. I loved the culture there, and would have enjoyed exploring the shops and restaurants more. In fact, one of my favorite meals was in the Village, which I will fill you in on in another post.
Heading on farther south, I passed the famous Ghostbusters headquarters (aka Hook and Ladder Company 8 in Tribeca). I enjoyed watching the families chatting with the firefighters and headed downtown.
As the buildings got taller and newer, the city’s tenor changed. This was where people worked, not played. A new building had just opened nearby, one which is bound to be a highlight in a city full of architectural marvels. The Perelman Performing Arts Center is an exquisite cube of glass overlooking the 9/11 Memorials. When lit up at night, it feels like a block of light pulled from the dark empty square hole across the street. It is beautiful.
Having visited it in the past, I skipped the emotionally charged 9/11 Memorial this time (but if you have never been, go. Wear waterproof mascara and pack Kleenex). I strolled through historic Zuccotti Park, then saw the lines of folks trying to get pics with the Charging Bull statue. I didn’t get in line, but did ask myself, would I have chosen the line at the front of the bull, or the back? You rub decidedly different parts for luck… Then I headed to Battery Park where I gazed out at Lady Liberty, just as the sun was sinking toward the horizon.
I did it! After 46,693 steps, covering 19.40 miles and the equivalent of 49 flights of stairs climbed, I had walked Tip to Tip Manhattan! If I did it again (I totally would), I would definitely have left earlier in the day and I would try to visit new places. I think the number one joy of travel is trying new things, seeing new places, and talking with new people!
I celebrated my victory with a cocktail at the Dead Rabbit, NYC’s oldest bar. The good news about the timing of my walk was arriving before sunset to see the Statue. The bad news? Happy hour crowds in the financial district. Polished off my beverage, and headed back to the hotel, where I ordered a flatbread, and a glass of wine, and was off to dreamland, ready for the next day!
BTW: if you are interested, my TikTok from that day was filmed on the walk, with posts every few stops or so!
Father’s Day With No Fathers
Today is Father’s Day, and it is the first time in my life I don’t have a dad to celebrate.
Yes, I see all you men out there who I know, saying: you can buy me golf clubs, or cook me a steak, or let me sleep in. But you KNOW it’s not the same.
My dad died in 2021, right about the time we were realizing something was really wrong with Rich. He had had Alzheimer’s for a decade, so we lost him by degrees. I honestly feel like I stopped having a dad about 5 years before he passed. I had a father, but not a dad, you know? He wasn’t the same smiley guy who always looked me in the eye when he asked how I was. Wayne Rice was a warm, passionate, friendly man who loved travel, hosting parties, coaching and playing sports, and had friends everywhere. Like many of you, my memories of him are countless.
Dad was self-employed, so he pretty much set his own schedule. That meant he came home in the later afternoon from work, and was thus able (and willing) to attend every parent-teacher conference, to coach our sports, to join us at the dinner table. He always got up way too early — like by 5am, and then he went to work out (always in full sweats, and graciously deposited those wet smelly clothes in the laundry room sink upon his return home, much to y mom’s dismay). Because he was such an early riser, he always fell asleep in his lazy boy while watching TV. He insisted he was never asleep. We would call his name, and he would open his eyes with a big smile. “I’m awake! Just resting my eyes!” Yeah, right.
As I said, dad was our coach for soccer and baseball, and played both sports as well. My folks had us pretty young, so they not only kept up with us, they did things with us. Dad and Mom learned to both water ski and snow ski as adults, and we were there for the ride, often whether we liked it or not. Like when he made us ski from the the top of the bowl at Alpine Meadows (even though the chair lift operators said the windchill was dangerous), and making us go down, against the wind, tears streaming down our faces. Then there was the time he taught us to waterski in Lake Tahoe. He couldn’t understand why we complained about the frigid water — mainly because he had a wetsuit and we didn’t.
Dad was hardly mean; he just thought everything was fun, and was baffled when we didn’t. He did Indian Guides with my brother and Indian Princesses with me. Super fun experiences (I was Little Bear to his Big Bear), usually. When we went away for an Indian Princesses retreat in the Santa Cruz mountains, he again thought I should enjoy something more than I did: the polar bear plunge. Now, as a Minnesotan for more than 25 years, I know that by Midwest standards, the water wasn’t really freezing. But for a me, being forced to jump into that unheated mountain pool and swim, I thought I would die. Payback for dad came a few days later. On the last day of the retreat, we had a cookout, and the dads were really not paying attention. They were kind of over the nonstop parenting. Dad let me eat as many of those little ice cream cups with the wooden spoons (can’t you taste that splintery wood now?) as I wanted. Flash forward a few hours on the drive home — the windy drive home. I told him I didn’t feel well. He didn’t believe me. I threw up all over the back of his neck.
Good times.
I may have gotten my love of good times, and good people, from Dad. He and Mom socialized all the time, and he chatted with everyone. Their 4th of July parties were epic, and surely the inspiration for my annual Spooktacular. Dad loved a good costume — I’ll never forget the time he used Vaseline to slick his hair back for a 50s costume. Mom had to wash his hair three times with Pine Sol. Dad wasn’t exactly known for his good hair, as he had a legendary comb over for decades. Watching it fly in the wind, straight up, as he drove our boat, was always a good laugh.
I remember the day he surprised us with our first puppy, hiding Tuffy in his shirt while my brother Trevor and I sat unawares in our pjs, watching the Hardy Boys. I don’t know how he convinced Mom to get a dog, but it changed all of our lives forever.
Dad had a sweet habit of always checking on me before he went to bed, tucking me in no matter how old I was. I’m sure as a teen I rolled my eyes, but I remember those moments so vividly now, and treasure them.
Rich as a dad had big shoes to fill. Since my dad had always been present and involved, that was what I expected of my children’s father. I chose well. Rich loved hanging with kids, acting the fool and playing whatever game they wanted. He was never one to stand on the sidelines — unless they were the sidelines of a sports field. But even then he pitched in. I giggled when he volunteered to coach a soccer team one year, since he really had no idea what he was doing. But he had fun, and so did the kids.
It took him a minute to decide he was ready to have kids. I was ready almost immediately after we got married, as I wanted to be the kind of young, active parent I had had. But it took Rich’s looming 30th birthday to convince him it was time, and he never looked back, even if he sometimes infuriated me.
When I was pregnant with Carter our first, I had preeclampsia. It was clear I would not make it to full term. Or, I should say, it was clear to everyone but Rich. We lived in Ohio at the time, but Rich periodically had to fly up to Minnesota for work. When I was 37 weeks along, he had one of those trips. I told him he shouldn’t go, but he looked at me like I was nuts, insisting that I wasn’t due for 3 weeks, so he was fine.
You know where this is going.
At my 38 week check up, my blood pressure was too high. My doctor said to get it checked again in a couple days but to do it at the hospital in case they needed to induce. I called Rich and told him he should come home early. He poo-pooed me again. The night before I went in, I started having clear signs of early labor, and I called him again, asking him to come home. He grumbled, because of course his meetings weren’t done, but grudgingly agreed. In the morning I drove myself and my packed suitcase to the hospital, where they confirmed that I wouldn’t be going home. This was before cell phones, so I couldn’t contact him to see where he was. Hours went by with no word. By the afternoon, the doctor said they couldn’t wait much longer to get things moving, but I begged. Surely Rich was rushing as fast as he could?
When he finally sauntered into the room, I was so stressed out. I asked what took so long?
“The flight was overbooked and they needed volunteers.”
Wait. He gave up his seat? While his wife was in labor?
He never understood why this bothered me. In his opinion, he made it before the birth, so that’s all that mattered, right?
The second time we were in a labor and delivery room was a completely different occasion. We were about 16 weeks along with our second pregnancy, and the baby had passed away. I had to be induced to deliver the baby. We were broken, just devastated. But this time Rich was there 100%. I had called him from my appointment, sobbing, and he left work and came home. Our time in that darkened, far too quiet room was wrenching. Rich was so focused on me, and getting me through it. He put his own grieving on the back burner. But when he got to hold that baby and say goodbye, I saw the love he would have had for her, and saw in his eyes the death of dreams.
Luckily he got another chance, and just under a year later we were back. This was a normal delivery, albeit very fast. This time, he was more concerned about getting a nap, because my body had had the audacity to start the process after his bedtime. When I woke him to tell him to go get the nurse, he tried to convince me I was overreacting, and that I couldn’t possibly be ready yet. I looked him in the eye and said “Fine, but if I’m right and you’re wrong, you better be ready to catch.” He wasn’t interested in being that much of a hands-on dad, so he got the nurse, and just in time.
Rich worked hard to make sure the kids and I had everything we needed, but his commitment didn’t stop with the financial. He was eager to share in their experiences. He was so happy to impart his love of the water with the kids, excitedly introducing them to snorkeling and scuba diving. Since he could hold his breath for weirdly long amounts of time underwater, he was well known for sneaking up on kids while swimming, pulling them under for “deep shark rolls” or “alligator death rolls.”
He found many ways to bond with the kids, like playing tennis and going running with Frankie, or playing Pretty Pretty Princess. He would paint her nails and braid her hair, and he treasured her.
His time with Carter often centered around a funny bravado. I remember one of Carter’s birthday parties, where Rich’s sole duty was manning the pinata. I told him to find a good place to hang it, and he assured me he had it covered. He took the kids outside, while I stayed in to get organized for cake. I heard cheers and squeals, and went out to investigate. First thing I noticed was the neighbors watching. Curious, I rounded the house to the driveway where the kids were gathered. I followed their eyes: Rich was standing on the roof, having climbed through Carter’s window. Balancing precariously on the edge of the roof, he dangled the pinata while they swung at it wildly. I did not approve. Once again, my charming husband left me flabbergasted, and once again he was puzzled at why I was so freaked out.
Like many a good dad, he participated in things that really brought him little joy, just to make the kids happy. One time Carter and his buddies wanted to go to a Monster Truck rally, and Rich took them all. He hated the noise, and was never a fan of driving anywhere. He of course got lost on the way home, but the kids had a ball. When Frankie and then Carter joined School of Rock, we spent many a weekend on loud clubs listening to music he would never have chosen. He had terrible tinnitus, but he came to every concert. He was so proud — even if he was miserable afterwards.
We took so many trips, and while he may have grumbled a bit, he was always a willing participant. A favorite travel memory of mine was a trip to Italy. We came across an ancient site where chariots used to race in Rome, and Carter and Rich decided to race each other. Frankie and I cheered them on as they raced around the oval, and then we laughed as they both lay gasping for breath at the end. I don’t remember who won the race, but we all won the day.
He taught the kids how to make tamales and tortillas.
When the kids moved away for college or the Navy, he called them often, checking in. He helped Carter understand the world of investing, and I know how proud he was when Carter would tell him of the financial decisions he was making.
When we had to tell the kids about his ALS, he was so worried about how to do it. He wanted to make sure they would be ok. One of his biggest fears was that his disease would be genetic, and that he had passed it along to them. Thankfully, it was not.
Watching my kids say goodbye to their dad was incredibly hard. In a way, it took me back to watching him say goodbye to the baby we lost, but the tables were turned. Carter had to say his goodbyes in the Covid ward, while Frankie had to do it before hopping in a car and driving back to Michigan. They sobbed, and all I could do was hold them. And all I could do for him was hold him.
My brother reached out a few hours ago, asking me how I was doing today. I am okay. I purposefully stayed home today, as I really didn’t want to see happy families celebrating. While I can no longer celebrate with my dad or my children’s dad, I will celebrate forever the time I had with these amazing men.
I miss them both every day.
A little Ado About Everything 