Sorting through my boyfriend's mail the other day while he fixed a few things around the apartment, I found the July issue of GQ magazine. Now, I like myself a good magazine every now and again, and it looked pleasing and and interesting insight into the life of men's mags, so I found myself a comfy place on the couch and started reading.
Okay, truth be told, I didn't read. I looked. I tried to get my boyfriend to take the one quiz in the entire magazine (a serious cut from the number of magazines in women's magazines) and he thought I was ridiculous. So, succumbing to my new fate of not being the quiz giver, I continued to flip through pages.
At the end of the magazine were photos, the new fashion pages that are found in every good magazine. I started looking through them and by page three I stopped and noticed the white houses. I thought, "I know those!! I was just there!" And surely, when I hurried back to the intro spread it noted that all the photos were taken in Santorini, a famous island in Greece. AWESOME! I suddenly felt very worldly and that made me giddy, which made my boyfriend roll his eyes when I pointed happily to the magazine photo and said "Hey! I was there! Look!"
Still, if you've been to Greece, you'd appreciate it. Suddenly Greece is just popping up everywhere! It's kind of like when you really want a Louis Vuitton purse and you suddenly start seeing them everywhere you look. It's like that, but slightly more worldly.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Challenging the Human Spacial Concept
Always a fan of architecture, concepts which challenge people's current ideals of what is right, necessary, good, and true, Yahoo!news has provided again.
The article, World's Skinniest House, is an art installation in Warsaw Poland. As a technicality, it is only an installation and not a house because it does not meet certain Polish building code. Otherwise, it technically is livable, ranging from four feet across to a mere twenty-eight inches. It houses a bathroom, bedroom, what looks like one window, and will apparently be the workspace for Etgar Keret, an Israli writer. I cannot eve tell if it houses a kitchen, but that is because of the phone and lack of housing specifics in the article. Still, it's courageous. Or crazy. It all depends on your perception.
The article did comment, however, that it is a bit of an eye sore on the surrounding area and would even seem to hinder creativity, as the space is so small. Regardless, it rivals the 9.6-foot wide house in NY, which I had initially been surprised by. I'd like to say it's a nice change from the expansive demands of society up to this point. Everyone wanted bigger thinking it was better, but we can only expand so far as we will run out of space before we run out of greed. Maybe these smaller houses are more a testament to humans realizing sometimes more isn't better, it's just more. Now it's just time to find a happy middle ground.
The article, World's Skinniest House, is an art installation in Warsaw Poland. As a technicality, it is only an installation and not a house because it does not meet certain Polish building code. Otherwise, it technically is livable, ranging from four feet across to a mere twenty-eight inches. It houses a bathroom, bedroom, what looks like one window, and will apparently be the workspace for Etgar Keret, an Israli writer. I cannot eve tell if it houses a kitchen, but that is because of the phone and lack of housing specifics in the article. Still, it's courageous. Or crazy. It all depends on your perception.
The article did comment, however, that it is a bit of an eye sore on the surrounding area and would even seem to hinder creativity, as the space is so small. Regardless, it rivals the 9.6-foot wide house in NY, which I had initially been surprised by. I'd like to say it's a nice change from the expansive demands of society up to this point. Everyone wanted bigger thinking it was better, but we can only expand so far as we will run out of space before we run out of greed. Maybe these smaller houses are more a testament to humans realizing sometimes more isn't better, it's just more. Now it's just time to find a happy middle ground.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Personal Plugs
Hello readers!
Happy Friday and almost my birthday!! YAY!
In celebration of having a WONDERFUL June so far, I thought it time to update you on some fun news.
I have recently had two articles published in the International Business Times online magazine: One about Athens, Greece and the Riots and One about Finding Family in Italy
Also, there has been a new review on my book, Living with B, on the Amazon.com website! Click here to see it! Thank you Kelly!!
Okay, plugging over. Hope you enjoy the articles! I'm excited to share more with you in the future!
Happy Friday and almost my birthday!! YAY!
In celebration of having a WONDERFUL June so far, I thought it time to update you on some fun news.
I have recently had two articles published in the International Business Times online magazine: One about Athens, Greece and the Riots and One about Finding Family in Italy
Also, there has been a new review on my book, Living with B, on the Amazon.com website! Click here to see it! Thank you Kelly!!
Okay, plugging over. Hope you enjoy the articles! I'm excited to share more with you in the future!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
When Greek Unrest Moves Forward
Only three days ago I was in Athens, Greece, lamenting about how I had to leave a city with which I had fallen in love in such a short time. In the brief seven day trip, I had come to love so much about the city: the people, the food, the history, the atmosphere and weather, the personality, and even the language, despite its clear challenges. The one things, however, that confused me was the constant presence of upset and striking.
Now, granted, I did not see any full-blown brawls, but my friend and I witnessed a peaceful demonstration and a Syntagma Square full of camped-out Grecians in tents in protest of the government. As a naïve visiter, I admired it all from a distance but with little understanding of what the conflict involved and why so many Greeks were so passionate about their beliefs and in their frustrations. It took a local to explain to me some of the root causes of their displeasure, and while he was only able to explain a few of the concerns during our short encounter, I did understand that what he was explaining to me was only a brief skimming of the actual problem.
I left understanding that Greeks were unhappy about the debt and even the misrepresentation of what they owed in comparison to other countries. Some felt the media had expounded a debt issue to a "crisis" level that was not warranted. Some people felt the EU and the Greek government were not properly supportive of one another and that Greece might be better off on its own again, sans the EU. Still, some felt that the government needed to make reforms within the country to help pull the country out of its problem in a way that did not cut the legs out from under the middle class / working class people. And then there was the issue of general unemployment rates. In short, you can see why the brief conversation I had could not do justice to such an ingrained and involved predicament.
Ergo, I was able to continue enjoying my seven day vacation like any other tourist to any other city: parading around, strolling up and down the streets, drinking my strong Greek coffee at cafés and pretending I could speak Greek because I knew "Yiasas" and "Efaristo". Unfortunately, I returned home to find this article posted to the LA Times only a few days after my arrival back to a comforting home, shedding a quick spotlight onto the upheaval that had hit the city I had just left and loved so much. I missed the tear gas and the hours of conflict, the arresting of 12 protestors and the fleeing of tourists to side streets with the main government square turned into a brawl. I missed the police lining the streets and the shouting in Greek that filled the city. But more than that, I missed the true understanding that would have enabled me to empathize or truly comprehend the heart of the Greek youth, a heart that beat so strongly that it led the people to demonstrate and revolt for the inequalities they felt they faced. It's not that I missed the protest, per se, but rather that I missed the cultural awareness that it takes to be "present" in a city that I now understand I was merely "passing through".
How many times in history have we seen such actions: Tiananmen Square, the entire Civil Rights movement in the States, or the peaceful protests that just took place in Spain? It is people doing what people feel they must do to make their voices heard. In a matter of three days, the environment in Athens had changed drastically from a tourist-friendly city to one focused back on itself. And maybe it's not wrong. Maybe it's what Greece needs, or what the world needs to open its eyes to the problems people are really facing, the true reality, not the one we want to see "in passing". We need to be present in our world, not tourists with a visiting mindset. This is our world, our politics, our lives that are affected every day buy the decisions we make and the ones we allow others to make for us. It's just unfortunate that it takes something like a riot in Athens to make the news to make us readers, visitors, and onlookers face something we maybe should have taken note of before.
Yes, I love the Parthenon, and the Temple of Zeus, Santorini island and the wine tasting in Crete, but in order to love those things, I must not only understand the culture that created them but also the one that supports them now.
Now, granted, I did not see any full-blown brawls, but my friend and I witnessed a peaceful demonstration and a Syntagma Square full of camped-out Grecians in tents in protest of the government. As a naïve visiter, I admired it all from a distance but with little understanding of what the conflict involved and why so many Greeks were so passionate about their beliefs and in their frustrations. It took a local to explain to me some of the root causes of their displeasure, and while he was only able to explain a few of the concerns during our short encounter, I did understand that what he was explaining to me was only a brief skimming of the actual problem.
I left understanding that Greeks were unhappy about the debt and even the misrepresentation of what they owed in comparison to other countries. Some felt the media had expounded a debt issue to a "crisis" level that was not warranted. Some people felt the EU and the Greek government were not properly supportive of one another and that Greece might be better off on its own again, sans the EU. Still, some felt that the government needed to make reforms within the country to help pull the country out of its problem in a way that did not cut the legs out from under the middle class / working class people. And then there was the issue of general unemployment rates. In short, you can see why the brief conversation I had could not do justice to such an ingrained and involved predicament.
Ergo, I was able to continue enjoying my seven day vacation like any other tourist to any other city: parading around, strolling up and down the streets, drinking my strong Greek coffee at cafés and pretending I could speak Greek because I knew "Yiasas" and "Efaristo". Unfortunately, I returned home to find this article posted to the LA Times only a few days after my arrival back to a comforting home, shedding a quick spotlight onto the upheaval that had hit the city I had just left and loved so much. I missed the tear gas and the hours of conflict, the arresting of 12 protestors and the fleeing of tourists to side streets with the main government square turned into a brawl. I missed the police lining the streets and the shouting in Greek that filled the city. But more than that, I missed the true understanding that would have enabled me to empathize or truly comprehend the heart of the Greek youth, a heart that beat so strongly that it led the people to demonstrate and revolt for the inequalities they felt they faced. It's not that I missed the protest, per se, but rather that I missed the cultural awareness that it takes to be "present" in a city that I now understand I was merely "passing through".
How many times in history have we seen such actions: Tiananmen Square, the entire Civil Rights movement in the States, or the peaceful protests that just took place in Spain? It is people doing what people feel they must do to make their voices heard. In a matter of three days, the environment in Athens had changed drastically from a tourist-friendly city to one focused back on itself. And maybe it's not wrong. Maybe it's what Greece needs, or what the world needs to open its eyes to the problems people are really facing, the true reality, not the one we want to see "in passing". We need to be present in our world, not tourists with a visiting mindset. This is our world, our politics, our lives that are affected every day buy the decisions we make and the ones we allow others to make for us. It's just unfortunate that it takes something like a riot in Athens to make the news to make us readers, visitors, and onlookers face something we maybe should have taken note of before.
Yes, I love the Parthenon, and the Temple of Zeus, Santorini island and the wine tasting in Crete, but in order to love those things, I must not only understand the culture that created them but also the one that supports them now.
Monday, June 13, 2011
A Grecian Summary
Yiasas and Kalimera! (Hello and Good Day!)
Well, I'm home now. My trip to Greece has ended, as all good things must, but it was one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I know there were a lot of factors that aiding in that being true, but it was phenomenal and inspiring.
For those of you who have not yet visited, make sure to make it a part of you "must see" lists. My friend and I did the Athens and 4-day Greek Island cruise and booked through a travel company called Friendly Planet. Originally when I heard that it was "group tour" things, I was skeptical because I didn't want to be toted around in group formation for a week, but it wasn't like that at all and, in fact, our group was so wonderful that they only enhanced my entire experience. Also, if you do decide to book with them and you have the ability to request your guide, request Ioannis A. He is spectacular, really knows what he's talking about, can give you all the great inside scoops and information bytes, and has a great sense of humor!
Our stops? Mykonos, Turkey, Padmos, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, and, of course, Athens. I will explain more as I upload photos and narrow the breadth of future posts to more specific experiences, but this is the basic overview. The weather was sunny and 85-95 every day, there was so much to see, and the food was beyond mind-blowing. My favorites were Rhodes and Athens. I sadly didn't get to spend much time in Santorini so I can't comment on the island itself much, and Mykonos was breathtaking but is a quieter island during the day and a party-central area at night (but we were only there for the evening, not an entire night). But I will definitely be going back to Athens and Rhodes someday. That's a must!
Here are some photos of places we saw. Like I said, much more to come!
Some cool facts about Greece though: they are part of the EU, they do not have the "crisis" that most news articles have led us to believe for the reasons they have led us to believe; their main exports are olive oil (and it's subsequent products), food, wine, and tourism; they built a new airport and public transportation system when they held the Olympics in 2004; it has fallen under the rule of ancient Greece, Rome, and the Ottomans but has come away with it's own chosen religion (not one mandated by imperialism or mandated conversion); and it has 2500 islands of which 700 are inhabited.
Well, I'm home now. My trip to Greece has ended, as all good things must, but it was one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I know there were a lot of factors that aiding in that being true, but it was phenomenal and inspiring.
For those of you who have not yet visited, make sure to make it a part of you "must see" lists. My friend and I did the Athens and 4-day Greek Island cruise and booked through a travel company called Friendly Planet. Originally when I heard that it was "group tour" things, I was skeptical because I didn't want to be toted around in group formation for a week, but it wasn't like that at all and, in fact, our group was so wonderful that they only enhanced my entire experience. Also, if you do decide to book with them and you have the ability to request your guide, request Ioannis A. He is spectacular, really knows what he's talking about, can give you all the great inside scoops and information bytes, and has a great sense of humor!
Our stops? Mykonos, Turkey, Padmos, Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, and, of course, Athens. I will explain more as I upload photos and narrow the breadth of future posts to more specific experiences, but this is the basic overview. The weather was sunny and 85-95 every day, there was so much to see, and the food was beyond mind-blowing. My favorites were Rhodes and Athens. I sadly didn't get to spend much time in Santorini so I can't comment on the island itself much, and Mykonos was breathtaking but is a quieter island during the day and a party-central area at night (but we were only there for the evening, not an entire night). But I will definitely be going back to Athens and Rhodes someday. That's a must!
Here are some photos of places we saw. Like I said, much more to come!
Some cool facts about Greece though: they are part of the EU, they do not have the "crisis" that most news articles have led us to believe for the reasons they have led us to believe; their main exports are olive oil (and it's subsequent products), food, wine, and tourism; they built a new airport and public transportation system when they held the Olympics in 2004; it has fallen under the rule of ancient Greece, Rome, and the Ottomans but has come away with it's own chosen religion (not one mandated by imperialism or mandated conversion); and it has 2500 islands of which 700 are inhabited.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Greek Time!
So, it's official! I leave for Greece! Best part??
I"M GOING TO GREECE!!!!
.....okay, yes, there's more, but really, when you're going to Greece, do you need any more? I mean, hello....it's GREECE!
But, my friend and I will be visiting the ruins, the famous-person-frequented island of Santorini, and then even enjoy Mykonos, Crete, and Athens!
No I LOVE traveling Europe, having lived in Spain twice and visited countless cities and countries, but I always had a helping hand: my Spanish. I always knew I could default to Spanish if I needed, or I could pass as Spanish if I needed to not pass as English for the time being. Most of the languages I encountered: French, Italian, and even a little German, I could make out enough to know where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to do, for the most part. This time, though, I have no idea how to read or speak any Greek. It's a Hellenic language, not a Romance one, so it's basis, lettering, and understandability is completely different.
Ergo, I made myself a cheat sheet! I have a few key phrases written down and learned just in case I need them!
(spelled phonetically, not in Greek) Bolded and Italic parts are the parts that are stressed.
Hello: ya-sas, yia-sas
Yes: neh
No: Oh-ke
Please: pa-rah-kah-low
Thank You: ef-kah-ree-stow
Toilet: toy-let-ah
Water: neh-row
Food: fah-gee-tow
Do you speak English? - mee-las ahn-glee-kah
Oh boy! We'll see how I do! Maybe I'll just go around saying "¿Español?"
I"M GOING TO GREECE!!!!
.....okay, yes, there's more, but really, when you're going to Greece, do you need any more? I mean, hello....it's GREECE!
But, my friend and I will be visiting the ruins, the famous-person-frequented island of Santorini, and then even enjoy Mykonos, Crete, and Athens!
No I LOVE traveling Europe, having lived in Spain twice and visited countless cities and countries, but I always had a helping hand: my Spanish. I always knew I could default to Spanish if I needed, or I could pass as Spanish if I needed to not pass as English for the time being. Most of the languages I encountered: French, Italian, and even a little German, I could make out enough to know where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to do, for the most part. This time, though, I have no idea how to read or speak any Greek. It's a Hellenic language, not a Romance one, so it's basis, lettering, and understandability is completely different.
Ergo, I made myself a cheat sheet! I have a few key phrases written down and learned just in case I need them!
(spelled phonetically, not in Greek) Bolded and Italic parts are the parts that are stressed.
Hello: ya-sas, yia-sas
Yes: neh
No: Oh-ke
Please: pa-rah-kah-low
Thank You: ef-kah-ree-stow
Toilet: toy-let-ah
Water: neh-row
Food: fah-gee-tow
Do you speak English? - mee-las ahn-glee-kah
Oh boy! We'll see how I do! Maybe I'll just go around saying "¿Español?"
Monday, May 30, 2011
Road Trip Carmel, IN
As part of the Memorial Day excursions, I traveled to Carmel, Indiana to visit with family. With three birthdays all in that weekend and having not seen them since my grandfather's funeral in December (which, let's face it, doesn't really count as "visiting"), a trip down was much needed! I even brought the boy since my family lovingly joked that he must not exist if it's been a year and they haven't yet met.
So, the two of us piled into the car on that wonderfully cold, Chicago, Saturday morning and headed out! We didn't even have to worry about traffic as an 11:00am leaving time helped ensure the bypassing of traffic! We figured either everyone left Friday or earlier that morning because the roads were quite clear.
I'd become accustomed to the I-65 scene, driving down multiple times a year when I went back to school at Miami, OH. It's, let's see, flat...flat...and yup....even flatter. The only "excitement" is the windmill field you pass through around exit 200. Plus, I don't think that stretch of drive is ever truly sunny. It's always cloudy and gloomy, like if you depress your driver enough they won't actually leave Indiana because they just don't want to drive through the gloom. As a result, you'll need something to keep you interested since the scenery will definitely not do that for you! Music anyone??
Sadly, we forgot ours. Yup. Aren't we smart? Instead we actually had to talk to one another (eek! Shocking... remember that old art called 'conversation'?) We actually had a really good time and made a few pit stops along the way.
Note #1: Coffee right before road trips is not the best of ideas.
Note #2: A road trip to Indianapolis from really does not require very many pit stops.
We did however, stop at the following places. Exit 230. We picked up some coffee and a bathroom at the Marathon right there. It right next to a trailer park which is right next to a "waterpark", which is a waterslide into a lake located behind the gas station. In all my travels, that's a stop I had never made.
Exit 220 is the "Fair Oaks" stop at Winamac, or the "Look at how we milk cows and make all your favorite products" stop. It wasn't open when we went, and we only needed gas, but word to the traveling, do NOT stop here if you want a deal on gas. They are practically the same price as the suburbs of Chicago. I'm pretty sure they know people will stop there anyways so they can charge whatever they want. If you need gas, go to the "waterpark" Marathon or any of the stops further south of 220. It's not worth it. My boyfriend did however find it funny it's called Winamac. (Win. A. Mac. ... in case you didn't get it at first either)
Exit 130 is my favorite exit. I stopped there religiously as I traveled to and from Miami. As the midway point, it was perfect for a quick bathroom break and gas fill-up. However, it also houses a Starbucks. (*insert angelic "aaaah" sounds here*) Love, love, LOVE this stop! It's the Zionsville exit, in case you're more familiar with names of towns and not exit numbers, but still. YAY!
And lastly, you take 865 over to 465 to make the loop around Indianapolis to Carmel. The Keystone exit is the closest stop to my aunt's, and I recently discovered Carmel is now famous. It is the "Roundabout Capitol" with the most roundabouts of any city. They have transformed that town into an amazing winding rollercoaster. The ones on Keystone avenue are beautifully done, but the side street ones, while keeping traffic moving, cause more motion sickness than help to passengers. Take a dramamine if you have a weak stomach.
But, in all honesty, it was wonderful to see my family. Three hours is a brief moment in the car anymore. When I was younger I needed a break every hour or so, but now, with some good music and great conversation, three hours is almost a nice break. Now, we just have to talk to Mother Nature about making that stretch of Indiana a little more "sunny".
So, the two of us piled into the car on that wonderfully cold, Chicago, Saturday morning and headed out! We didn't even have to worry about traffic as an 11:00am leaving time helped ensure the bypassing of traffic! We figured either everyone left Friday or earlier that morning because the roads were quite clear.
I'd become accustomed to the I-65 scene, driving down multiple times a year when I went back to school at Miami, OH. It's, let's see, flat...flat...and yup....even flatter. The only "excitement" is the windmill field you pass through around exit 200. Plus, I don't think that stretch of drive is ever truly sunny. It's always cloudy and gloomy, like if you depress your driver enough they won't actually leave Indiana because they just don't want to drive through the gloom. As a result, you'll need something to keep you interested since the scenery will definitely not do that for you! Music anyone??
Sadly, we forgot ours. Yup. Aren't we smart? Instead we actually had to talk to one another (eek! Shocking... remember that old art called 'conversation'?) We actually had a really good time and made a few pit stops along the way.
Note #1: Coffee right before road trips is not the best of ideas.
Note #2: A road trip to Indianapolis from really does not require very many pit stops.
We did however, stop at the following places. Exit 230. We picked up some coffee and a bathroom at the Marathon right there. It right next to a trailer park which is right next to a "waterpark", which is a waterslide into a lake located behind the gas station. In all my travels, that's a stop I had never made.
Exit 220 is the "Fair Oaks" stop at Winamac, or the "Look at how we milk cows and make all your favorite products" stop. It wasn't open when we went, and we only needed gas, but word to the traveling, do NOT stop here if you want a deal on gas. They are practically the same price as the suburbs of Chicago. I'm pretty sure they know people will stop there anyways so they can charge whatever they want. If you need gas, go to the "waterpark" Marathon or any of the stops further south of 220. It's not worth it. My boyfriend did however find it funny it's called Winamac. (Win. A. Mac. ... in case you didn't get it at first either)
Exit 130 is my favorite exit. I stopped there religiously as I traveled to and from Miami. As the midway point, it was perfect for a quick bathroom break and gas fill-up. However, it also houses a Starbucks. (*insert angelic "aaaah" sounds here*) Love, love, LOVE this stop! It's the Zionsville exit, in case you're more familiar with names of towns and not exit numbers, but still. YAY!
And lastly, you take 865 over to 465 to make the loop around Indianapolis to Carmel. The Keystone exit is the closest stop to my aunt's, and I recently discovered Carmel is now famous. It is the "Roundabout Capitol" with the most roundabouts of any city. They have transformed that town into an amazing winding rollercoaster. The ones on Keystone avenue are beautifully done, but the side street ones, while keeping traffic moving, cause more motion sickness than help to passengers. Take a dramamine if you have a weak stomach.
But, in all honesty, it was wonderful to see my family. Three hours is a brief moment in the car anymore. When I was younger I needed a break every hour or so, but now, with some good music and great conversation, three hours is almost a nice break. Now, we just have to talk to Mother Nature about making that stretch of Indiana a little more "sunny".
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Oh the Monuments You'll See
So, back to Washington DC. I heard from a friend whose daughter is there right now that it is absolutely and unbelievably hot, so I am 110% thankful we lucked out with the weather! I little rain never hurt, and although a little heat isn't the worst of things, when you're outside all day trying to take in as much as you can, hot and muggy is not the most ideal weather.
As mentioned, though, the weather was wonderful when I was there. It rained the first day, which deterred from seeing Arlington Cemetery in its entirety, but otherwise it was sunny and beautiful! And, that just meant I was able to soak in even more of the information and beautiful surroundings. So, if you're heading the DC way anytime soon, here are a few things to know about the places you'll go (This gets long but has lots of photos!!!):
Arlington Cemetery: an average of 27 funerals are held daily. (that number, to me personally, is astounding!). Arlington Cemetery is reserved for people who served our country, their spouses and any children who die before the age of 18. It also holds JFK's grave, which gives a beautiful view of the DC area, and is the site of the Robert E. Lee house. Also, be sure to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which happens every half hour on the :00 and :30. Captivating!
Iwo Jima Memorial: Beautiful. Huge. Gorgeous. Looks like they're actually standing the flag straight up as you drive around the memorial...but I found the photo odd. "War between the states"? Isn't that called the "Civil War"? .... just saying....
The Cathedral: It has a more official name than that, but I can't remember it off hand. It's the largest or 2nd largest gothic cathedral in the US and houses a piece of moon rock in one of the stain glass windows. If you've ever seen any of the cathedrals in Europe it's practically identical.
The Lincoln Memorial: Please spend more time at these memorials to really look at the intricate details and soak in their historical significance, because I hurried through them a little quickly. Here, however, is a plaque on the ground stating "I Have a Dream" to show where Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his speech! SO cool! Then, when you walk inside the Lincoln Memorial, Lincoln is HUGE!!! He is 19 feet tall (which I learned is because the freedom statue atop the Capitol building is 19.5 feet and nothing can be taller than freedom)...but still...he's HUGE! And folklore says that his hands are making an A and L in American sign language and that the back of his head has the profile of Robert E Lee. Hmm..interesting. I believe the Hand one, don't know about the back of the head one. But, also, on the right side of the building, the builders misspelled the world "Future" and wrote "Euture". They fixed it, but if you look closely you can still totally see the mistake. Ha! Love it. Thousands of years from now when people study our culture and come to see our ruins they'll wonder what "Euture" meant and why we tried to cover it up!
Mount Vernon: When you visit Mount Vernon, make sure to bring a book so you can sit on the back porch and just admire the amazing view of the Potomac River. Oh. My. God. It's absolutely gorgeous! The grounds on the rest of the plantation are beautiful as well, but this view is nothing short of stunning. It's absolutely no wonder Washington wanted to be buried there when he died. It was comical, though, to walk through the house and realize that back then they had no running water and therefore no bathrooms nor indoor plumbing. "Roughing it," by today's standards. :-) But they were also much shorter back then, as evidenced by the 5'8" clearing on the back stairwell. Better duck!
The Newseum: This amazing building is where I had the incredible privilege of seeing the Presidential Entourage from the top balcony! Holla!! But really, this place is amazing. They're 4D video at the beginning is fun and reminds me of "Hunny, I Shrunk the Audience" at Disney World! The varying floors have so many wonderful things to see like a part of the Berlin Wall, the remains of one of the towers of the Twin Towers, and the Pulitzer Prize Picture winners that you'll easily stay busy for a good two hours if you really take the time to look at everything. And it's true what the intro plaque on the wall to the photos says, you'll cry and laugh out loud at some of the photos. I know I cried. Twice. HOWEVER....be SURE to stop by the bathrooms while you're there!! "To err is human" is the quote on the wall and then within different tiles are different newspaper headlines that probably could have been written better. I have included two for your enjoyment!
As mentioned, though, the weather was wonderful when I was there. It rained the first day, which deterred from seeing Arlington Cemetery in its entirety, but otherwise it was sunny and beautiful! And, that just meant I was able to soak in even more of the information and beautiful surroundings. So, if you're heading the DC way anytime soon, here are a few things to know about the places you'll go (This gets long but has lots of photos!!!):
Arlington Cemetery: an average of 27 funerals are held daily. (that number, to me personally, is astounding!). Arlington Cemetery is reserved for people who served our country, their spouses and any children who die before the age of 18. It also holds JFK's grave, which gives a beautiful view of the DC area, and is the site of the Robert E. Lee house. Also, be sure to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which happens every half hour on the :00 and :30. Captivating!
Iwo Jima Memorial: Beautiful. Huge. Gorgeous. Looks like they're actually standing the flag straight up as you drive around the memorial...but I found the photo odd. "War between the states"? Isn't that called the "Civil War"? .... just saying....The Cathedral: It has a more official name than that, but I can't remember it off hand. It's the largest or 2nd largest gothic cathedral in the US and houses a piece of moon rock in one of the stain glass windows. If you've ever seen any of the cathedrals in Europe it's practically identical.
The Lincoln Memorial: Please spend more time at these memorials to really look at the intricate details and soak in their historical significance, because I hurried through them a little quickly. Here, however, is a plaque on the ground stating "I Have a Dream" to show where Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his speech! SO cool! Then, when you walk inside the Lincoln Memorial, Lincoln is HUGE!!! He is 19 feet tall (which I learned is because the freedom statue atop the Capitol building is 19.5 feet and nothing can be taller than freedom)...but still...he's HUGE! And folklore says that his hands are making an A and L in American sign language and that the back of his head has the profile of Robert E Lee. Hmm..interesting. I believe the Hand one, don't know about the back of the head one. But, also, on the right side of the building, the builders misspelled the world "Future" and wrote "Euture". They fixed it, but if you look closely you can still totally see the mistake. Ha! Love it. Thousands of years from now when people study our culture and come to see our ruins they'll wonder what "Euture" meant and why we tried to cover it up!
Mount Vernon: When you visit Mount Vernon, make sure to bring a book so you can sit on the back porch and just admire the amazing view of the Potomac River. Oh. My. God. It's absolutely gorgeous! The grounds on the rest of the plantation are beautiful as well, but this view is nothing short of stunning. It's absolutely no wonder Washington wanted to be buried there when he died. It was comical, though, to walk through the house and realize that back then they had no running water and therefore no bathrooms nor indoor plumbing. "Roughing it," by today's standards. :-) But they were also much shorter back then, as evidenced by the 5'8" clearing on the back stairwell. Better duck!(We done yet??) haha. Almost! Stay with me!!
The Newseum: This amazing building is where I had the incredible privilege of seeing the Presidential Entourage from the top balcony! Holla!! But really, this place is amazing. They're 4D video at the beginning is fun and reminds me of "Hunny, I Shrunk the Audience" at Disney World! The varying floors have so many wonderful things to see like a part of the Berlin Wall, the remains of one of the towers of the Twin Towers, and the Pulitzer Prize Picture winners that you'll easily stay busy for a good two hours if you really take the time to look at everything. And it's true what the intro plaque on the wall to the photos says, you'll cry and laugh out loud at some of the photos. I know I cried. Twice. HOWEVER....be SURE to stop by the bathrooms while you're there!! "To err is human" is the quote on the wall and then within different tiles are different newspaper headlines that probably could have been written better. I have included two for your enjoyment!World War II: And lastly, for now, the World War II monument. Wow. Just Wow. It's understated when you first drive up. I thought, "Please, pillars? More pillars? Really?" And then I walked through it. The sheer size of it will turn you speechless. I highly recommend just sitting on one of the stairs and taking it in. Don't talk. Just sit and look. It's overwhelmingly powerful and the crispness and proportion of everything just encompasses you and makes you feel very small, like you should be honored to be an on-looker. It's really cool. And, just for fun, if you have a chance, take a walk around the outside of the monument (on the Lincoln Memorial side) and you'll see the graffiti of "Kilroy was here". It's illegal to deface monuments, but this was the artist's own doing in memory of all the "graffiti-ing" the Kilroy stamp created. Lovely touch. Touché.
So, whilst only a really small chunk of everything the city has to offer in terms of memorials, I hope your next visit affords you time to see all the above mentioned locations. It's well worth your time and you'll love every minute, even if sometimes only in retrospect. Happy Travels!
Monday, May 23, 2011
DC - The Overview
Hello again! Sadly, I will be the first to admit that I know I went missing for quite some time. My apologies! I have spent most of the last week (well, three days I guess hardly amounts to "most" of the week) in Washington DC with the 8th graders for the 8th grade DC trip! QUITE an experience, needless to say.
Yes, there is a LOT to discuss and a lot to share, but I'll save specifics for specific posts to come, but right now we are in dire need of an overview!
Categories: (drum role please) . . .
Yes, there is a LOT to discuss and a lot to share, but I'll save specifics for specific posts to come, but right now we are in dire need of an overview!
Categories: (drum role please) . . .
- Worst Part: Waking up at 2am on Wednesday to make our flight.
- Worst Part (part 2): rushing through the White House tour as it was moved to 7am and ...let me tell you...7 am is not "peak time" for 8th grade interest. When a tour revolves around self-started questioning, there might be a better time for students than 7am. All I'm saying. More that 20 minutes inside said building would be been wonderful.
- Most Unfortunate Part: Pouring rain during the Arlington Cemetery tour because so much was lost with people trying to squeeze into umbrellas and not seeing the beautiful scenery and all it had to offer.
- Most Surprising Part: being privy to a hearing and seeing a 14-gun-shot salute during a burial at Arlington Cemetery.
- Most Emotional Part: Visiting the Police Monument and watching a student lay a bouquet a flowers above his father's name. I cried. A lot.
- Most Beautiful Part: Standing at Mt. Vernon in the backyard overlooking the Potomac River. ... now if I only had a book and a blanket...
- Most Relaxing Part: Enjoying the outdoor sun for an hour on Friday, 11am.
- Most Amazing Part: Standing atop the Newseum balcony, hearing sirens in the background and thinking it was just another ambulance, only to turn around and see the 8-car Presidential Entourage speeding down Pennsylvania Avenue!!!
- Funniest Part: Having our ghost tour lady say that funeral homes used to call up the ice shops because they had dead bodies to preserve, except, instead of saying it that way she said they called up the ice shops saying, "they needed ice because they had a stiff one". Absolutely the wrong wording or an 8th grade audience.
As basic overviews go, that's a pretty awesome synopsis over the overall experience. Most specifics to come about places to visit, inside scoops, and take on "tour" food. :-)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Eat Pray Love...and Review
When Eat Pray Love first hit book stores in 2006 it turned into a sensation. I picked it up in 2008 while working in a school district, having found it on a "read and swap" bookshelf in the teacher's lounge. I had heard great things about it, and having traveled to Italy (and just having a love for traveling in general) I decided it would probably be a great read!
Eh, it was okay. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't like. Personally, I found the Italy part of the book too long. I loved the India section because I found it intriguing and exotic, although I know people who didn't much care for it because they couldn't relate. The Bali part proved indifferent to me, but it is what it is. Overall, I think the hardest part about the book, for me, was that I felt like I was supposed to feel sympathy for someone who could take the advance she received on a book she hadn't yet written to go spend a year "finding herself"...aka on vacation. And I couldn't seem to get my sympathy meter working. That, undoubtedly, was the hardest part for me with the book.
Therefore, when the movie came out, I determined it was not a theater-must-see, that I could wait until it hit Netflix to make a point of watching it. I do love Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem so even if it was just for them I would watch it. I even heard it was better than the book, which is a rarity in and of itself, so I knew I wanted to watch it eventually.
So today, while recovering from mild detox-dehydration (yay gallons of water and cheese!) I watched the movie version of a book I didn't care for so much, and what they say is true. The movie is better, although it is still very flat. I didn't mind that there wasn't much depth to the movie, but it is definitely worth noting. I did find, though, that I connected with Liz much better in the movie than in the book. I found her need to find who she was and escape the monotony that seemed to encompass her life a reverberating echo with the way I sometimes perceive my own life. As a result, some people might find it hard to connect with the main ideas of the movie, but it was almost nice to know it wasn't just me that felt that way sometimes.
Overall, the movie was okay. It's a great "I'm sick and want to watch a movie to pass the time" kind of a movie. And who knows, maybe I'll even carve out a little space in my own day for some meditation and late night pasta soon. Ciao!
Eh, it was okay. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't like. Personally, I found the Italy part of the book too long. I loved the India section because I found it intriguing and exotic, although I know people who didn't much care for it because they couldn't relate. The Bali part proved indifferent to me, but it is what it is. Overall, I think the hardest part about the book, for me, was that I felt like I was supposed to feel sympathy for someone who could take the advance she received on a book she hadn't yet written to go spend a year "finding herself"...aka on vacation. And I couldn't seem to get my sympathy meter working. That, undoubtedly, was the hardest part for me with the book.
Therefore, when the movie came out, I determined it was not a theater-must-see, that I could wait until it hit Netflix to make a point of watching it. I do love Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem so even if it was just for them I would watch it. I even heard it was better than the book, which is a rarity in and of itself, so I knew I wanted to watch it eventually.
So today, while recovering from mild detox-dehydration (yay gallons of water and cheese!) I watched the movie version of a book I didn't care for so much, and what they say is true. The movie is better, although it is still very flat. I didn't mind that there wasn't much depth to the movie, but it is definitely worth noting. I did find, though, that I connected with Liz much better in the movie than in the book. I found her need to find who she was and escape the monotony that seemed to encompass her life a reverberating echo with the way I sometimes perceive my own life. As a result, some people might find it hard to connect with the main ideas of the movie, but it was almost nice to know it wasn't just me that felt that way sometimes.
Overall, the movie was okay. It's a great "I'm sick and want to watch a movie to pass the time" kind of a movie. And who knows, maybe I'll even carve out a little space in my own day for some meditation and late night pasta soon. Ciao!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Lost in Corn
You've all heard about corn dogs, corn hole, corn rows, and even just mazes, but what about corn mazes? Yup, corn mazes. These are the latest in what people are starting to call Agricultural Tourism, or people visiting agricultural areas for their vacations and escapes.
Featured on the news last night with the other "sudden millionaires", if you will (think Burt's Bees, 1-800-Flowers, and Kernal Seasons - people who made millions "off the cuff" almost), the CEO of The MAiZE, Brett Herbst, has created a booming company of making mazes in farmers' cornfields so that visitors can "GET LOST", as his slogan goes. And, apparently, a lot of the visitors are actual from urban areas who are looking to escape life or see something totally new. And, at only 39, Brett has definitely made something substantial to both sell and support his family on for years to come.
Want to visit one of these exciting behemoths? Check out the link on the website which lays out locations of different MAiZEs in your state! For you Chicagoans, there are some right here in our back yard (plus a few miles) in Kankakee, Maple Park, Crest Hill, and Malta. No, they're not five minutes or even just fifty minutes away, but it was never easier to get away for the day and do something totally different. I actually really want to visit one!!...when the weather warms up, that is...
It's a little bit like Crop Circles meets Signs meets the Pumpkin Patch...meets Harry Potter movie #4. And hey, the corn has to be harvested anyways, so why not have some fun and make some extra cash doing it? Happy trails! ... or should I say, Happy Getting Lost.
Featured on the news last night with the other "sudden millionaires", if you will (think Burt's Bees, 1-800-Flowers, and Kernal Seasons - people who made millions "off the cuff" almost), the CEO of The MAiZE, Brett Herbst, has created a booming company of making mazes in farmers' cornfields so that visitors can "GET LOST", as his slogan goes. And, apparently, a lot of the visitors are actual from urban areas who are looking to escape life or see something totally new. And, at only 39, Brett has definitely made something substantial to both sell and support his family on for years to come.
Want to visit one of these exciting behemoths? Check out the link on the website which lays out locations of different MAiZEs in your state! For you Chicagoans, there are some right here in our back yard (plus a few miles) in Kankakee, Maple Park, Crest Hill, and Malta. No, they're not five minutes or even just fifty minutes away, but it was never easier to get away for the day and do something totally different. I actually really want to visit one!!...when the weather warms up, that is...
It's a little bit like Crop Circles meets Signs meets the Pumpkin Patch...meets Harry Potter movie #4. And hey, the corn has to be harvested anyways, so why not have some fun and make some extra cash doing it? Happy trails! ... or should I say, Happy Getting Lost.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
From Paris to Italy
This morning, after helping dig myself and my family's cars out of the thundersnow's leftovers, I sat to watch some tv and stretch my back. I turned on Passport to Europe, a show I love because I wish I could get paid to do what she does: travel Europe and talk about it!
Today's episode was Paris culture, where she peruses Paris, learning about it's history, culture, food, etc. I loved Paris when I was there, but it's definitely somewhere you want to go with a friend or, preferably, with a Paris native. There's just so much you miss when you don't know where you're going. However, one of her stops brought her to a park where a handful of men were playing a pick up game called Boules. The cool part? It's the same as Bocci, a game Italian's are known for playing, and one I played lots of time growing up. Basically, you and your partner are playing against another team of two (the Italian way), and you throw the small ball and the teams have to try to get their colored balls closes to the small one.
It's actually extremely fun, and great for passing the time cheaply and with friends, much like today's midwestern game of Bags, and I was ecstatic to see the game cross cultures in such fashion! Go Paris!
Today's episode was Paris culture, where she peruses Paris, learning about it's history, culture, food, etc. I loved Paris when I was there, but it's definitely somewhere you want to go with a friend or, preferably, with a Paris native. There's just so much you miss when you don't know where you're going. However, one of her stops brought her to a park where a handful of men were playing a pick up game called Boules. The cool part? It's the same as Bocci, a game Italian's are known for playing, and one I played lots of time growing up. Basically, you and your partner are playing against another team of two (the Italian way), and you throw the small ball and the teams have to try to get their colored balls closes to the small one.
It's actually extremely fun, and great for passing the time cheaply and with friends, much like today's midwestern game of Bags, and I was ecstatic to see the game cross cultures in such fashion! Go Paris!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
San Fran / Napa Valley
Okay, while this might have taken way longer than I had hoped, I have officially uploaded my photos from my California trip and want to share pictures of all the places I had previously discussed! Enjoy the photo frenzy!
Climbing up Indian Rock at Indian Rock Park in North Berkeley, and the view of the Golden Gate from above (yes, note the fog)
Lombard Street - serious driving ability :-)
Artesa Wine. Their Cab Sav Reserva was my favorite, but the actual winery was a huge disappointment. Buy their wine, pass on the "must see" stop.
Jacuzzi!! Yes, the makers of the hot water tubs. Their winery was very appropriately modeled after Italian architecture, but it's still very commercial feeling. The wine is good, the samplings are tiny, but the price is right. FREE!! Plus, they have free samplings of olive oil! Always a plus.
And then our finishing point: Gloria Ferrer's sparkling wine. YUM YUM! Sit and enjoy the scenery, and just make sure you have a DD!
Climbing up Indian Rock at Indian Rock Park in North Berkeley, and the view of the Golden Gate from above (yes, note the fog)
Trolley!!
Lombard Street - serious driving ability :-) Caffé Sapore - a block from the end of Lombard Street and their Vegan Broccoli Soup and Soy Latte. Yum Yum!
The Wharf! and Boudin's Sourdough animals
ALCATRAZ!!!
Okay, and now, off to Napa Valley. By the way, I have officially decided I want to be married at Napa...it's that beautiful, and maybe even at Frog's Leap itself, because it was my favorite of the day. They were, by far, the most accommodating and the most warm and welcoming of all the wineries we visited.
Frog's Leap: Wine bottles + Grounds. They won an award for their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and their Zinfandel was one of the lightest and easiest Zins I've had.
Artesa Wine. Their Cab Sav Reserva was my favorite, but the actual winery was a huge disappointment. Buy their wine, pass on the "must see" stop.
Jacuzzi!! Yes, the makers of the hot water tubs. Their winery was very appropriately modeled after Italian architecture, but it's still very commercial feeling. The wine is good, the samplings are tiny, but the price is right. FREE!! Plus, they have free samplings of olive oil! Always a plus.
And then our finishing point: Gloria Ferrer's sparkling wine. YUM YUM! Sit and enjoy the scenery, and just make sure you have a DD!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Napa Valley
Okay, readers, as promised, the long-awaited Napa Valley experience. For those of you who have been, you probably already know much of what I am about to explain and can therefore appreciate it from an entirely different perspective.
For starters, I official experienced San Francisco fog. Not the cold, only the fog, and woah. You guys definitely aren't messing around out there. For a moment my friend and I thought we might not actually get to see any of the vineyards because the fog was so thick. Luckily, by around noon the fog started to lift, so I was able to see the scenery in all its beauty. The hills and cyprus trees reminded me of Italy, but then two seconds later I pass all these pine trees and can't help but think of Washington State, and then suddenly five feet later the street is lined with Palm trees and I'm in Florida. It was so weird. I was so confused; I didn't know where I was supposed to be! Still, the scenery was breathtaking and just looking at it made me breathe slower and forget all of the worries bubbling about in my outside San Francisco world.
So the first stop on our list? Frog's Leap, a cute little winery on Conn Creek, and it came as a recommendation from my boyfriend's persistent search for highly rated wines. He'd never been, but their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon won an award, and after showing my friend and her noticing they were LEED certified, it was a dead certainty we were heading there. In fact, we were the first to arrive and we drove up to the home styled vineyard and sat on their wooden back porch in high chairs overlooking the countryside. We had generous pours and nibbled on cheese and breadsticks. The story of how their name came to be was charming and the service and company divine. They even put out bags (cornhole if you're from the Midwest) and we totally made a fool out of ourselves playing in front of all the guests, but we didn't care. It was the best 2 hours we spent all day.
Notes: The Zinfindel = delicious. Not jammy or spicy or rich like many, but extremely delicate and easy to drink. The Merlot I found leathery. Wine tasting = $20.
Artesa was next, and while it was supposed to be this Barcelona-inspired modern art meets wine tasting and environmental architectural "wow"-sperience, it receives negative points in my book. The service was awful, and after coming from a "pay when you're done with the experience" winery to a "Card and ID" upon arrival was a quick turn. Plus, the interior looks like a college cafeteria: metal tables and chairs, sparse decorations, and just a very unfriendly atmosphere. The wine, though, was delicious, but the view from the balcony unimpressive.
Notes: The Cab Sav Reserve = DELICIOUS! Highly highly recommended, but via the store, not the actual winery. Tasting price? $15.
Third was Jacuzzi because I wanted the Olive Oil tasting. Both the Olive Oil tasting and the wine tastings were free, but the samples reflect said free-standing. Though the wines are good, and it is more welcoming than Artesa, it is still very commercial and consumer driven, so I felt like I was in any old wine store, not some special Napa Valley hideaway. The atmosphere reminded me of Carraba's Italian restaurant.
Notes: the olive oils were amazing. Tasting Price? $FREEEEEEEEEEE :-)
Fourth and final stop? Gloria Ferrer, a beautiful sparkling wine winery, and the perfect ed to the day. After all the wines I was starting to be able to only distinguish them as "white" or "red" because the tastes all blended together and I wanted nothing more than to sit and have space to look out over the land and chat with my friend, so she recommended this place. And it was great! A) the views from the balcony were stunning and perfect B) the sparkling rosé was the best thing I'd had all day and C) they came with complimentary red-pepper flaked almonds. A-MAZING!!!! And all for around $6-10 a glass. De-lish!
Notes: LOVED the rosé. Price for mine? $8.
Overall, a beautiful experience. I understand why people love to visit and I can't wait to go back and spend a whole three or four days just seeing and experiencing everything. I have also decided I want to get married there. Done and done. Wine and weddings? Maybe someday in the next 20 year future. :-)
For starters, I official experienced San Francisco fog. Not the cold, only the fog, and woah. You guys definitely aren't messing around out there. For a moment my friend and I thought we might not actually get to see any of the vineyards because the fog was so thick. Luckily, by around noon the fog started to lift, so I was able to see the scenery in all its beauty. The hills and cyprus trees reminded me of Italy, but then two seconds later I pass all these pine trees and can't help but think of Washington State, and then suddenly five feet later the street is lined with Palm trees and I'm in Florida. It was so weird. I was so confused; I didn't know where I was supposed to be! Still, the scenery was breathtaking and just looking at it made me breathe slower and forget all of the worries bubbling about in my outside San Francisco world.
So the first stop on our list? Frog's Leap, a cute little winery on Conn Creek, and it came as a recommendation from my boyfriend's persistent search for highly rated wines. He'd never been, but their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon won an award, and after showing my friend and her noticing they were LEED certified, it was a dead certainty we were heading there. In fact, we were the first to arrive and we drove up to the home styled vineyard and sat on their wooden back porch in high chairs overlooking the countryside. We had generous pours and nibbled on cheese and breadsticks. The story of how their name came to be was charming and the service and company divine. They even put out bags (cornhole if you're from the Midwest) and we totally made a fool out of ourselves playing in front of all the guests, but we didn't care. It was the best 2 hours we spent all day.
Notes: The Zinfindel = delicious. Not jammy or spicy or rich like many, but extremely delicate and easy to drink. The Merlot I found leathery. Wine tasting = $20.
Artesa was next, and while it was supposed to be this Barcelona-inspired modern art meets wine tasting and environmental architectural "wow"-sperience, it receives negative points in my book. The service was awful, and after coming from a "pay when you're done with the experience" winery to a "Card and ID" upon arrival was a quick turn. Plus, the interior looks like a college cafeteria: metal tables and chairs, sparse decorations, and just a very unfriendly atmosphere. The wine, though, was delicious, but the view from the balcony unimpressive.
Notes: The Cab Sav Reserve = DELICIOUS! Highly highly recommended, but via the store, not the actual winery. Tasting price? $15.
Third was Jacuzzi because I wanted the Olive Oil tasting. Both the Olive Oil tasting and the wine tastings were free, but the samples reflect said free-standing. Though the wines are good, and it is more welcoming than Artesa, it is still very commercial and consumer driven, so I felt like I was in any old wine store, not some special Napa Valley hideaway. The atmosphere reminded me of Carraba's Italian restaurant.
Notes: the olive oils were amazing. Tasting Price? $FREEEEEEEEEEE :-)
Fourth and final stop? Gloria Ferrer, a beautiful sparkling wine winery, and the perfect ed to the day. After all the wines I was starting to be able to only distinguish them as "white" or "red" because the tastes all blended together and I wanted nothing more than to sit and have space to look out over the land and chat with my friend, so she recommended this place. And it was great! A) the views from the balcony were stunning and perfect B) the sparkling rosé was the best thing I'd had all day and C) they came with complimentary red-pepper flaked almonds. A-MAZING!!!! And all for around $6-10 a glass. De-lish!
Notes: LOVED the rosé. Price for mine? $8.
Overall, a beautiful experience. I understand why people love to visit and I can't wait to go back and spend a whole three or four days just seeing and experiencing everything. I have also decided I want to get married there. Done and done. Wine and weddings? Maybe someday in the next 20 year future. :-)
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Welcome to San Francisco!
Hello all! I am currently spending this lovely long weekend in the Berkeley area near San Francisco, CA with a friend, and it is WONDERFUL. I know there's the old saying, "The coldest winter I ever had was a summer in San Francisco," (Mark Twain), but this weekend has been everything on the contrary. It's 60 and sunny, and I absolutely love it. I left all the snow and cold in Chicago, and found myself a clear sky and a place where no coats are needed during the day.
Unfortunately, right now I do not have any pictures to post, so I will have to do so when I return home. However, I have already visited some wonderful places. Since I'm staying at a friend's in Berkeley, we saw the downtown areas which are both within walking distance and completely charming. They have a very Mediterranean feel about them, which may stem from the nature of the community, or simply the fact that it is all very walkable and all very unique. The buildings are 1-3 stories tall, the shops are all original stores from the area, which is so nice when the rest of us live in cookie-cutter, factory-produced, chain-store land. In fact, I even visited a cute little Italian cheese and meat shop, which reminded me of my family's own in Negrar, Italy, and a beautiful bakery that lay catty-corner from the italian grocery store. Also, I saw the rock park which is a cool 20-25 foot rock with stairs carved in, and when you climb to the top you can see the entire bay area, from Oakland to San Fran, and from the Golden Gate to the area with all the houseboats. It's gorgeous - and, yes, the fog really does exist everywhere!
In the afternoon we took the BART (their public "l" or train) into the city, and let me tell you, it is not on the cheap end. It is much like the Tube in London where you pay for how far you want to go and therefore have to put in your ticket at the beginning of the trip AND at the end to ensure that you paid correctly and didn't just sit on it for ages. It is not the cleanest train by any means, and the fact that everything is fabric based is a little creepy, but it definitely gets you right into the middle of the city. When we arrived we went to take the trolley to Lombard street, but the "touristy" stops are packed with people. The best thing to do is to go to the next trolley stop a few blocks away (there are no signs so it's best to ask the natives) and hop on there as you will not be forced to wait in a line. The cool thing, though, is that at Powell they still manually turn around the trolleys which was fun to watch!
The trolleys are great, if it's warm and you can sit on the part that is open and can see everything. If you're stuck on the inside of the trolley it's a little like sitting at the back end of a truck's exhaust...a little smelly and hard to breathe. The trolley, however, is also expensive, but a great alternative if you know where you're going and don't feel like paying for a cab or walking up block after block of 95% inclines. Our particular stop was Lombard street, which we walked down since we had no car, but watched the line of cars wind slowly in neutral down the coolest street I've seen in a while. Sadly it's currently too cold for flowers, but the brick street and it's accompanying neighborhood view is breathtaking. If you continue down Lombard street another block you run into Caffe Sapore, which is a cute café with drinks and food, and you can sit outside and just watch the foot traffic. I had an iced soy latte and cream of broccoli soup, which was vegan and good for that fact, but a little on the bland end.
Then it was off to the WHARF! Fisherman's wharf to be exact and to take pictures of Alcatraz and see the sea lions on pier 39, and let me tell you, they are a fun sight to see, even when there are only a handful. They're playful and loud and just make you enjoy being alive. Definitely recommended. Afterward, I also recommend walking back up to China town. Why? Well, it's definitely a fairly long walk, but it's not the worst, and you really get to see the nature of the city and the personality of all the different little sections along the way. My friends, who live here, were even surprised how much they loved the walk because they'd never done it before, but since I forced them to be tourists for the day, they found it rather refreshing. China town, itself, ultimately, is worth it.
China town was AMAZING!! It's busy and bustling, and the deals are incredible! We stopped into a tiny, little, whole-in-the-wall bakery for red-bean-paste, sesame coated dough balls. Sounds a little gross, tastes phenomenal! Then we stopped in some little stores and some really huge tourists stores along a street parallel to Stockholm (the name eludes me at the moment). Chinatown deals are incredible, first off, but if you want anything of value - cast-iron tea sets, chinese/japanese sushi plating sets - THIS is the place to be! Bought a few soup ladels and fine chop-sticks myself! Very excited!
Then we finally caved in and "cab"d it up to the Mission - or 18th and Valencia St. to be exact where we stopped for drinks in the Luna Park and then dinner at Ti Couz. Luna cafe had some great drinks and a very lively environment, but it lends itself towards the pricier end, and Ti Couz is a gorgeous whole-in-the-wall creperîe. Yum Yum!
And that, my friends, is the way to do the city in a day. Shop here and there on the way from neighborhood to neighborhood, and really see some great things and eat at some fine fooderies.
Today? Napa valley!
Unfortunately, right now I do not have any pictures to post, so I will have to do so when I return home. However, I have already visited some wonderful places. Since I'm staying at a friend's in Berkeley, we saw the downtown areas which are both within walking distance and completely charming. They have a very Mediterranean feel about them, which may stem from the nature of the community, or simply the fact that it is all very walkable and all very unique. The buildings are 1-3 stories tall, the shops are all original stores from the area, which is so nice when the rest of us live in cookie-cutter, factory-produced, chain-store land. In fact, I even visited a cute little Italian cheese and meat shop, which reminded me of my family's own in Negrar, Italy, and a beautiful bakery that lay catty-corner from the italian grocery store. Also, I saw the rock park which is a cool 20-25 foot rock with stairs carved in, and when you climb to the top you can see the entire bay area, from Oakland to San Fran, and from the Golden Gate to the area with all the houseboats. It's gorgeous - and, yes, the fog really does exist everywhere!
In the afternoon we took the BART (their public "l" or train) into the city, and let me tell you, it is not on the cheap end. It is much like the Tube in London where you pay for how far you want to go and therefore have to put in your ticket at the beginning of the trip AND at the end to ensure that you paid correctly and didn't just sit on it for ages. It is not the cleanest train by any means, and the fact that everything is fabric based is a little creepy, but it definitely gets you right into the middle of the city. When we arrived we went to take the trolley to Lombard street, but the "touristy" stops are packed with people. The best thing to do is to go to the next trolley stop a few blocks away (there are no signs so it's best to ask the natives) and hop on there as you will not be forced to wait in a line. The cool thing, though, is that at Powell they still manually turn around the trolleys which was fun to watch!
The trolleys are great, if it's warm and you can sit on the part that is open and can see everything. If you're stuck on the inside of the trolley it's a little like sitting at the back end of a truck's exhaust...a little smelly and hard to breathe. The trolley, however, is also expensive, but a great alternative if you know where you're going and don't feel like paying for a cab or walking up block after block of 95% inclines. Our particular stop was Lombard street, which we walked down since we had no car, but watched the line of cars wind slowly in neutral down the coolest street I've seen in a while. Sadly it's currently too cold for flowers, but the brick street and it's accompanying neighborhood view is breathtaking. If you continue down Lombard street another block you run into Caffe Sapore, which is a cute café with drinks and food, and you can sit outside and just watch the foot traffic. I had an iced soy latte and cream of broccoli soup, which was vegan and good for that fact, but a little on the bland end.
Then it was off to the WHARF! Fisherman's wharf to be exact and to take pictures of Alcatraz and see the sea lions on pier 39, and let me tell you, they are a fun sight to see, even when there are only a handful. They're playful and loud and just make you enjoy being alive. Definitely recommended. Afterward, I also recommend walking back up to China town. Why? Well, it's definitely a fairly long walk, but it's not the worst, and you really get to see the nature of the city and the personality of all the different little sections along the way. My friends, who live here, were even surprised how much they loved the walk because they'd never done it before, but since I forced them to be tourists for the day, they found it rather refreshing. China town, itself, ultimately, is worth it.
China town was AMAZING!! It's busy and bustling, and the deals are incredible! We stopped into a tiny, little, whole-in-the-wall bakery for red-bean-paste, sesame coated dough balls. Sounds a little gross, tastes phenomenal! Then we stopped in some little stores and some really huge tourists stores along a street parallel to Stockholm (the name eludes me at the moment). Chinatown deals are incredible, first off, but if you want anything of value - cast-iron tea sets, chinese/japanese sushi plating sets - THIS is the place to be! Bought a few soup ladels and fine chop-sticks myself! Very excited!
Then we finally caved in and "cab"d it up to the Mission - or 18th and Valencia St. to be exact where we stopped for drinks in the Luna Park and then dinner at Ti Couz. Luna cafe had some great drinks and a very lively environment, but it lends itself towards the pricier end, and Ti Couz is a gorgeous whole-in-the-wall creperîe. Yum Yum!
And that, my friends, is the way to do the city in a day. Shop here and there on the way from neighborhood to neighborhood, and really see some great things and eat at some fine fooderies.
Today? Napa valley!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Road-Trip Louisville, KY
Recently, my family and I road-tripped to Louisville, KY for my grandfather's funeral. Although a sad occasion, it was nice to see my mom's side of the family and just get in the car and go somewhere. Mini, last-minute road trips can be really fun! And this one was such.
For those of you that haven't headed down from Chicago to Louisville, it's a really easy trip. It's just 65 South to 64 West...and then YAY Kentucky! Note, though, I-65 changes from 65 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour when you are within the 465 loop around Indianapolis. Sadly, had to find that out the hard way a few years back...stupid Indy cops, lol. However, if you ARE doing such a road trip, might I recommend a few fun stops on the way down??
1) Winemac. It's the Indiana stop where they also have the dairy farm you can visit. It was closed when we went, but you can see the farm from the BP gas station and it's definitely huge. It apparently has delicious dairy products to by, but you'll have to take that as hearsay as opposed to fact as I was not privy to a taste. Personally I think it's a little creepy, but I also think the whole milking like an assembly line is a little creepy and morally wrong...but that's another story for another time. From what I've heard, it's an interesting stop.
2) - my all-time favorite stop?? Exit 130 - Zionsville. Go east on the exit and immediately to your right is a gas-station / Starbucks marriage. Most brilliant idea EVER, and it's literally a mid-point stop, which means you'll need gas and mental stimulation anyways! There's a drive-thru for the Starbucks too, if you're really lazy, but if you're already out of the car to pump gas, go walk in and take in the atmosphere, the smells, and the 5 minute break of amazingness.
Otherwise, the rest of the trip was fun. We headed to Anchorage to spread his ashes at something like Owl Oaks golf course, which is gorgeous, and the houses of that town are AMAZING. In fact, right next to my mom's old house is a house that is on the historic register. It's a log cabin that has, what used to be, slave quarters next to it, and in the 1700s a young girl was scalped there by a native american. So fun! And all right in their back yard. :-) You should definitely take a look if you're in town.
For lunch around Anchorage (I believe it's in MIddletown) is a cute restaurant called Mimi's. HUGE portions, delicious food, and even alcohol - perfect for post-funeral get-togethers. The sandwiches are delicious, the fries perfect, and the petit-seafood alfreado just that....petit. It was REALLY small, although probably what was a perfect portion for most normal and sane people, but it was beyond delicious. I highly recommend it.
So, if you find yourself along these highways someday, hope you find a chance to stop and enjoy the scenery for yourself!
For those of you that haven't headed down from Chicago to Louisville, it's a really easy trip. It's just 65 South to 64 West...and then YAY Kentucky! Note, though, I-65 changes from 65 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour when you are within the 465 loop around Indianapolis. Sadly, had to find that out the hard way a few years back...stupid Indy cops, lol. However, if you ARE doing such a road trip, might I recommend a few fun stops on the way down??
1) Winemac. It's the Indiana stop where they also have the dairy farm you can visit. It was closed when we went, but you can see the farm from the BP gas station and it's definitely huge. It apparently has delicious dairy products to by, but you'll have to take that as hearsay as opposed to fact as I was not privy to a taste. Personally I think it's a little creepy, but I also think the whole milking like an assembly line is a little creepy and morally wrong...but that's another story for another time. From what I've heard, it's an interesting stop.
2) - my all-time favorite stop?? Exit 130 - Zionsville. Go east on the exit and immediately to your right is a gas-station / Starbucks marriage. Most brilliant idea EVER, and it's literally a mid-point stop, which means you'll need gas and mental stimulation anyways! There's a drive-thru for the Starbucks too, if you're really lazy, but if you're already out of the car to pump gas, go walk in and take in the atmosphere, the smells, and the 5 minute break of amazingness.
Otherwise, the rest of the trip was fun. We headed to Anchorage to spread his ashes at something like Owl Oaks golf course, which is gorgeous, and the houses of that town are AMAZING. In fact, right next to my mom's old house is a house that is on the historic register. It's a log cabin that has, what used to be, slave quarters next to it, and in the 1700s a young girl was scalped there by a native american. So fun! And all right in their back yard. :-) You should definitely take a look if you're in town.
For lunch around Anchorage (I believe it's in MIddletown) is a cute restaurant called Mimi's. HUGE portions, delicious food, and even alcohol - perfect for post-funeral get-togethers. The sandwiches are delicious, the fries perfect, and the petit-seafood alfreado just that....petit. It was REALLY small, although probably what was a perfect portion for most normal and sane people, but it was beyond delicious. I highly recommend it.
So, if you find yourself along these highways someday, hope you find a chance to stop and enjoy the scenery for yourself!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Coffee Break? Language Please!
So, I found this wonderful website. Ever wanted to learn a language, but don't really have time? Have an iPod??? I DO!!!! Even if you don't, you can do all this online as well.
So what language do you want to learn? Spanish? French? Italian? German?? Well, I just found this podcast / website, and it's wonderful. I'm using it with my Spanish class, and it's called Coffee Break Spanish. Otherwise, the website is called Radio Lingua, and you can choose your language and then scroll down to access the "Free Audio Files". They're great. You can listen to them right there on the website, or download them to the computer. You can also find it on iTunes. Search "Coffee Break Spanish" in the iTunes store and subscribe for free to the podcast. That way, you can download them to your iPod and listen to them as you go.
They're great. It's not perfect, and you might find you have some questions here and there, but they have different extras you can pay for to supplement the audio files, but, for the most part, they're great. And they really focus on "survival" in the country. They jump right in with how to start talking and how to make basic conversation and ask for things. It's great. The two running the Spanish program are from Glasgow, Scotland, so if you're not familiar with the accent it might take the first few to grow accustomed to the accent, but it's a great resource to either catch up on what you know, take a "crash course" before traveling somewhere, or just see what the language is like.
Happy listening. Grab a friend. Practice together. !BUENA SUERTE!
So what language do you want to learn? Spanish? French? Italian? German?? Well, I just found this podcast / website, and it's wonderful. I'm using it with my Spanish class, and it's called Coffee Break Spanish. Otherwise, the website is called Radio Lingua, and you can choose your language and then scroll down to access the "Free Audio Files". They're great. You can listen to them right there on the website, or download them to the computer. You can also find it on iTunes. Search "Coffee Break Spanish" in the iTunes store and subscribe for free to the podcast. That way, you can download them to your iPod and listen to them as you go.
They're great. It's not perfect, and you might find you have some questions here and there, but they have different extras you can pay for to supplement the audio files, but, for the most part, they're great. And they really focus on "survival" in the country. They jump right in with how to start talking and how to make basic conversation and ask for things. It's great. The two running the Spanish program are from Glasgow, Scotland, so if you're not familiar with the accent it might take the first few to grow accustomed to the accent, but it's a great resource to either catch up on what you know, take a "crash course" before traveling somewhere, or just see what the language is like.
Happy listening. Grab a friend. Practice together. !BUENA SUERTE!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Lake Front Fun
I spent this weekend on Lake Michigan with a friend, Chicago style. The air and water show was either going on or at least practicing, and we decided we would head down to the lake to watch after hearing the planes fly by the apartment.
However, after making it to the lake, we sat and chatted, watching boats sail, people in wetsuits train, and random tourists, families, and couples pass by us. We noted two very fun facts. (1) People from Chicago don't really think too much about heading to the lake or actually do it. Most people we saw this weekend were definitely tourists. We deduced it's probably due to annoyance or logistics. (2) People watching is an excellent sport. You see everything: happy families, people fighting in public, women in clothes they should never be allowed to wear, sunburns that hurt you for looking at them, and people doing funny things when they think no one is watching. Unfortunately, you also run into people asking you for money or something, but that goes along with the territory I guess.
Overall, great afternoon. Somewhere between the Jersey Shore boat on the lake pumping music so loudly it became the soundtrack for the afternoon and watching the people walk by us while we chatted, we passed two hours on the waterfront. Hopefully we'll find our way back there sooner rather than later. My recommendation? Go enjoy everything the lakefront offers before we all start wondering when double-digit temperatures will return.
However, after making it to the lake, we sat and chatted, watching boats sail, people in wetsuits train, and random tourists, families, and couples pass by us. We noted two very fun facts. (1) People from Chicago don't really think too much about heading to the lake or actually do it. Most people we saw this weekend were definitely tourists. We deduced it's probably due to annoyance or logistics. (2) People watching is an excellent sport. You see everything: happy families, people fighting in public, women in clothes they should never be allowed to wear, sunburns that hurt you for looking at them, and people doing funny things when they think no one is watching. Unfortunately, you also run into people asking you for money or something, but that goes along with the territory I guess.
Overall, great afternoon. Somewhere between the Jersey Shore boat on the lake pumping music so loudly it became the soundtrack for the afternoon and watching the people walk by us while we chatted, we passed two hours on the waterfront. Hopefully we'll find our way back there sooner rather than later. My recommendation? Go enjoy everything the lakefront offers before we all start wondering when double-digit temperatures will return.
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