Arrived in Jackson Heights at 3PM - had to buy rubber boots b/c mine were soaking wet along with my socks and feet.
Had a great visit with the Arandas: we sang, danced, played with many toys, read books, and had delicious Indian food for dinner.
Got back rather easily - the sleet is now mostly rain. I'm having a drink at the bar in my hotel.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
NYC in a Nor'easter...
Arrived about 45 minutes ago in my snow boots -
feet now slightly wet b/c snowboots are made of fabric.
7 train isn't running so have to go from bryant park.
A bridal party sits next to me in Mexican Restaurant at Grand Central Station
feet now slightly wet b/c snowboots are made of fabric.
7 train isn't running so have to go from bryant park.
A bridal party sits next to me in Mexican Restaurant at Grand Central Station
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Mount Vernon - Day #3
We were ready to go by 8:15 - off to breakfast at Pain Quotidien in Old Town - NMac and I love this place, and now B and G do, too! After the best latte and brioche ever, we headed south to Mount Vernon, about a 15-minute ride. We learned at this moment that it is nearly impossible to make a left turn anywhere in Old Town...so frustrating!!! We finally got onto the Parkway, looking all the while for fall foliage. There wasn't too much to be found - everything was kind of dull - the only disappointment of our trip.
After getting tickets for the house tour, we watched a video and then walked around the grounds for about an hour and a half. It was a beautiful day, and some guy took amazing pictures of the four of us standing in front of the house. The house tour took about 1/2 hour, and then we had a quick lunch. The next destination was the museum on the grounds, which I had never seen. It was interesting and not overwhelming, thank goodness, since I was a bit tired by then. After checking out the gift shop (where I bought a replica Bastille key - Washington actually had one in the house given to him by the Marquis de Lafayette), we drove down to the grist mill and watched demonstrations of the making of cornmeal and the distilling of whiskey. NMac, B, and G bought some cornmeal to take home, and then we rushed back to the hotel to freshen up for our cupcake and dinner expedition. We took the subway to Rosslyn and then walked over the Key Bridge into Georgetown for some cupcakes. By the time we got to the cupcake place, it was 6PM, and the line was pretty long. We waited for about 20 minutes and then decided that we'd have to give it up if we wanted to get to the restaurant in time for our reservation (we had about a mile walk to get to the Founding Farmers restaurant).
Even though we were ON TIME for our reservation, we didn't get seated for 1/2 hour. All of us were a bit perturbed, but the manager offered us free deviled eggs, fried green tomatoes, and homemade cornbread as a gesture of apology. We ate every free morsel!!!! Dinner was again incredibly good - and the carrot cake for dessert more than made up for missing a Georgetown cupcake.
We caught the metro at Foggy Bottom and got back to King Street at about 10:30. NMac discovered that the layers of government bureaucracy extended to trying to consolidate two Metro cards into one - she would have had to go to the Pentagon station to do that - how ridiculous.
Bed at 11PM - exhausted and SOOOO full.....
After getting tickets for the house tour, we watched a video and then walked around the grounds for about an hour and a half. It was a beautiful day, and some guy took amazing pictures of the four of us standing in front of the house. The house tour took about 1/2 hour, and then we had a quick lunch. The next destination was the museum on the grounds, which I had never seen. It was interesting and not overwhelming, thank goodness, since I was a bit tired by then. After checking out the gift shop (where I bought a replica Bastille key - Washington actually had one in the house given to him by the Marquis de Lafayette), we drove down to the grist mill and watched demonstrations of the making of cornmeal and the distilling of whiskey. NMac, B, and G bought some cornmeal to take home, and then we rushed back to the hotel to freshen up for our cupcake and dinner expedition. We took the subway to Rosslyn and then walked over the Key Bridge into Georgetown for some cupcakes. By the time we got to the cupcake place, it was 6PM, and the line was pretty long. We waited for about 20 minutes and then decided that we'd have to give it up if we wanted to get to the restaurant in time for our reservation (we had about a mile walk to get to the Founding Farmers restaurant).
Even though we were ON TIME for our reservation, we didn't get seated for 1/2 hour. All of us were a bit perturbed, but the manager offered us free deviled eggs, fried green tomatoes, and homemade cornbread as a gesture of apology. We ate every free morsel!!!! Dinner was again incredibly good - and the carrot cake for dessert more than made up for missing a Georgetown cupcake.
We caught the metro at Foggy Bottom and got back to King Street at about 10:30. NMac discovered that the layers of government bureaucracy extended to trying to consolidate two Metro cards into one - she would have had to go to the Pentagon station to do that - how ridiculous.
Bed at 11PM - exhausted and SOOOO full.....
Annapolis - Day 2
We ate breakfast at 8am while watching hunters returning from wherever they were hunting. Apparently it's deer season - we wondered why there were so many pick up trucks in the parking lot!
Annapolis was only about 45 minutes away. We snagged a prime parking spot and walked into the first shop, a general store. 35 minutes later, we left said store - too many funny cards and a whole wall of fabulous flip flops!
We spent another hour+ checking out all the shops and then headed for lunch at Hell's Point Restaurant, a spot right on the water.
After a delicious lunch, we walked to the US Naval Academy. They were getting ready for the start of Homecoming -lots for us to see. We went to Memorial Hall, a beautiful building, and took some pictures. The time was almost up on our meter, so we had to leave beautiful Annapolis.
The drive to Alexandria was LONG because of an accident on the Beltway - we drove through the heart of DC and then past Reagan Airport on our way to the hotel. We finally arrived at about 4:45.
After settling in at the hotel and catching our collective breaths, we went to dinner at an Italian restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. The outside was so NOT Old Town - more like Restaurant Row in NYC - white lights and plants. The place was tiny - the wine was homemade. The others had been looking forward to some chianti, but this chianti was kind of...vinegar-like. :( The dinner was actually very good, and other than the two fruit flies in my pinot grigio, it was a fine meal. Wine was not their forte, I would have to say.
B and G had recently returned from a trip to Italy, so I checked Google map for a gelato place in Old Town. Of course, there was one a few blocks from the restaurant, so we had our dessert there - delish!!
Bed before 10PM for me...!
Annapolis was only about 45 minutes away. We snagged a prime parking spot and walked into the first shop, a general store. 35 minutes later, we left said store - too many funny cards and a whole wall of fabulous flip flops!
We spent another hour+ checking out all the shops and then headed for lunch at Hell's Point Restaurant, a spot right on the water.
After a delicious lunch, we walked to the US Naval Academy. They were getting ready for the start of Homecoming -lots for us to see. We went to Memorial Hall, a beautiful building, and took some pictures. The time was almost up on our meter, so we had to leave beautiful Annapolis.
The drive to Alexandria was LONG because of an accident on the Beltway - we drove through the heart of DC and then past Reagan Airport on our way to the hotel. We finally arrived at about 4:45.
After settling in at the hotel and catching our collective breaths, we went to dinner at an Italian restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. The outside was so NOT Old Town - more like Restaurant Row in NYC - white lights and plants. The place was tiny - the wine was homemade. The others had been looking forward to some chianti, but this chianti was kind of...vinegar-like. :( The dinner was actually very good, and other than the two fruit flies in my pinot grigio, it was a fine meal. Wine was not their forte, I would have to say.
B and G had recently returned from a trip to Italy, so I checked Google map for a gelato place in Old Town. Of course, there was one a few blocks from the restaurant, so we had our dessert there - delish!!
Bed before 10PM for me...!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Road Trip Day #1
After signing out of school early and meeting up with B, G, and NMac at 1:30, we headed down the blue route and 95 to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, specifically Chestertown. With a teeny detour, we arrived at our hotel at 3:45. There was a bug (not a bedbug) incident, so B and G changed rooms. Then it was off to the Narrows Restaurant. Great crabcakes and pumpkin brownie!!
Bedtime now - Annapolis and Mount Vernon tomorrow!
Bedtime now - Annapolis and Mount Vernon tomorrow!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Sunday, Sunday - so good to me!
Both nights this weekend included a couple of hours awake at 3AM or so - quite annoying!
This morning, however, I'm enjoying some French Roast coffee while reading the paper and doing the Merl Reagle crossword puzzle -staving off Alzheimer's...
We just got back from seeing Moneyball with Brad Pitt, a movie produced by Sam's boss. It was really good, and of course I cried during part of it because I could imagine how excited Sam would have been to have been a part of this particular movie.
Frank, Bob, and I saw the movie and then had dinner at an Irish pub across the street - we saw it in the same theater where Stop-Loss premiered - so appropriate.
Bob leaves at 4AM tomorrow morning; I have 4 days this week before my 3-day weekend on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and old town Alexandria, Virginia, with my RETIRED teacher friends.
This morning, however, I'm enjoying some French Roast coffee while reading the paper and doing the Merl Reagle crossword puzzle -staving off Alzheimer's...
We just got back from seeing Moneyball with Brad Pitt, a movie produced by Sam's boss. It was really good, and of course I cried during part of it because I could imagine how excited Sam would have been to have been a part of this particular movie.
Frank, Bob, and I saw the movie and then had dinner at an Irish pub across the street - we saw it in the same theater where Stop-Loss premiered - so appropriate.
Bob leaves at 4AM tomorrow morning; I have 4 days this week before my 3-day weekend on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and old town Alexandria, Virginia, with my RETIRED teacher friends.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
A beautiful Saturday morning
Another busy week gone by. There's sadness in Philly - our beloved Phils are out of the play-offs -- Frank was at the game, poor guy.
I had my first 3 meetings with parents - all went well. I also gave my first test of the year. I have to say that the assessment course I took at Wilkes has been invaluable in creating new tests.
Dinner yesterday was at The Farmer's Daughter in Normandy Farms, Blue Bell.
It was quite good except for the beer orders - a weizen beer is NOT a stout -- and NMac had just returned from Munich - a true expert!!
Tomorrow we're headed to Chestnut Hill for their annual craft fair - it's supposed to be a beautiful day.
I had my first 3 meetings with parents - all went well. I also gave my first test of the year. I have to say that the assessment course I took at Wilkes has been invaluable in creating new tests.
Dinner yesterday was at The Farmer's Daughter in Normandy Farms, Blue Bell.
It was quite good except for the beer orders - a weizen beer is NOT a stout -- and NMac had just returned from Munich - a true expert!!
Tomorrow we're headed to Chestnut Hill for their annual craft fair - it's supposed to be a beautiful day.
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