we made it home!

Lots of BC blogging to come in days ahead - fun! - but for now, a hello and a reassurance that we made it home.  See?  That there is Pasadena at the foot of the mountains there.

See you all soon! 

and now in Vancouver

Another quick check in.  We headed back to Vancouver yesterday, here until Wednesday (Courtney and Robert head home tomorrow).  The forecast is gorgeous weather, and we’ve already hit the ground running when it comes to dining well!  More to come later in the week….

up in BC

Howdy!  A quick check-in here.  We’re up in BC until next Wednesday, currently enjoying the north end of the Okanagan.  Some lovely weather happening!  I’ll post a bunch when I get home, but for now, here is a sunny Saturday morning at Predator Ridge near Vernon.

teacups

My sister shared this on a group chat today, and I was delighted.  The two of us on the Mad Hatter’s Teacups ride at Disneyland.  In 1977.

We intend to re-create this when she comes down in October!

third weekend in July

Well, howdy!  I guess that after getting all that NYC blogging out of my system, I needed a few days off.  It's more the case, though, that there were just quiet easy days at home and at work, and I didn't take photos of every single thing.  That's OK!  Really.

So let me check in today.  I've got travel ahead this week, and that will bring some fresh material to blog.  In the meantime, the weekend that was....

Conrad and I did an early and light dinner at Maestro on Friday.  We simply weren't that hungry, that's all.  A cocktail,

a light meal, home to watch some Netflix.  See?  A mild life.  No complaints from us!

Saturday I was in the kitchen.  I made some bread and a chocolate cake and the Prudhomme South Miami Cuban Stew recipe

for dinner (that we had over at Van's) with Lessa and Christian as our guests.  Again, few photos - we were having a nice evening, and I just wanted to enjoy it without documenting every minute of it.  Great to see them again!

Yesterday the three of us

headed to the Los Feliz neighbourhood of LA for an anniversary dinner - tomorrow marks 6 years since we met.  Van had suggested a classic old place, The Dresden, and boy, we were not disappointed.  The food was alright, I won't lie, but the cocktails menu was terrific (this is their Martini '54),

and there was live music in the adjoining bar. 

But I loved the setting - creamy leather booths

and those light fixtures, oh my! 

A place to go back to, maybe when my sister visits later in the year.

Otherwise?  Laundry, morning walks, naps.  A typical weekend.  And I'm very glad for it! 

spritz night!

It was the July online happy for us, and the theme was spritzes.  A fun summer drink, and lots of ways to modify it.  So I did!  Here's a stoplight:  cassis spritz, limoncello spritz, and a Hugo (elderflower spritz). 

I also tried making a Cynar spritz and an orange liqueur spritz, but no, alas, they were not as good.

Ultimately, the Hugo won out

(and an Aperol spritz for the second round).  And so we sat outside and sipped and got caught up before I pulled out a grazing board for dinner.

Fun times! 

Saturday morning in NYC, and then coming home

Last.  Post.  From.  The.  NYC.  Trip.

I swear!

Hi!  Eleven days after we got home, I'm finishing off the blogging.  And yes, in some ways, it's just getting home from NYC.  And hey, who doesn't love airport and aerial shots?  But we squeezed in a little more into that last day, so why not blog it?

A shorter early morning walk for me, again alone.  Ah, all my walks alone (10.72 miles this morning here in Pasadena - that was a good one!).  Over our time on the east coast, the weather had gotten milder, less humid, so it was a real pleasure enjoying those walks, seeing NYC.  I set out for Starbucks first, then sipped my decaf latte as I roamed nearby, including Madison Square Park again. 

Back at the hotel, we got packed, and then headed out to meet up with Jeff and his husband, Andy, for breakfast.

I've known Jeff for years online, but I've never had the chance to meet him in person.  I was having a conversation recently with another friend I know from online about how some people get so weirded out by the notion of meeting online friends in real life (and even just making online friends).  I've met dozens over the years.  Some have stuck, some have not.  But it's a perfectly fine way to meet people.  And really, even if this was the first time meeting Jeff, I know far more about his life in NYC than about members of my own family!

All of which sounds defensive.  Sorry!  It was simply great to sit down and have a diner breakfast and catch up.  I'm especially grateful they came to meet us given they don't live on Manhattan and they just got back from Greece the day before.  A lovely time, and I was especially touched that Jeff gave me a small piece of his pottery as a memento.

And then it was off to LaGuardia.  Lounge time, then aboard a flight to Denver. 

I was able to pick out CitiField

and the old World's Fair grounds as we took off out of New York. 

The meal on the plane was entirely reasonable. 

And Denver - the city and the airport!

- was a welcome sight given the delays we had already experienced.  We made it home after 10 that evening, and I was happy to be in my own bed once again!  

Friday in NYC

Alert!  Alert!  This post may be a little photo-dumpy as well.  A little.  Not too bad, I hope.

It was a day in 3 parts.  First up for me, but not those lazy, sleeping-in other two, was a good morning walk. 

5+ miles for me,

heading west across Manhattan to walk most of the High Line.  So nice to have it mostly to myself early in the morning.  I came back to the hotel by way of Madison Square Park again,

and strolled past Wine:30

before stopping at Starbucks.  So here you go:  photo-dump one of the sights on the walk.  Enjoy!

After everyone was awake and out of bed and freshened up, we headed up to the Met Museum. 

It was a holiday Friday, a long weekend, and our cab cruised up 50 blocks without a single red light.  Mind-blowing.  Van had never been to the Met, and it had been years for us, so we were delighted to be able to head there.

The top thing we wanted to see was the Superfine:  Tailoring Black Style exhibit.  We headed past a number of galleries,

barely pausing in our intent to make it to the Costume Institute section of the museum.  The exhibit did not disappoint.  It was so cool to see modern fashion set within a historical and cultural context that spotlighted Black style and artisanship. 

Stunning pieces.

After that, we wandered through various other galleries, taking a few photos here and there, mostly just admiring the art. 

Mid-afternoon we were outside again, heading into Central Park, wondering if we could get a drink at the Boathouse.  Nope!  Very busy on a warm, holiday Friday.  I suggested that we head over to The Mark Hotel for a drink, and so we did.  Spritzes! 

Refreshing.  Don't I look cheery? 

🤣

Dinner that night took us over to the chaos of Times Square and up to the revolving restaurant at the Marriott Marquis.  Conrad and I have watched most seasons of Top Chef, and several years back were able to go to one of the challenges, the first episode of Season 13 wherein all the chefs set up stands in a park below the Hollywood sign.  My favourite bite that day was the lamb tartare with smoked egg yolk by a chef named Marjorie.  She did well on that season, making it almost to the finale, and I was rooting for her.  I had looked her up earlier this year online to see where she was now working and found that she was the chef at The View in NYC.  I booked a table when I was able to.  A handful of days before we dined there, the NY Times critics gave the restaurant a good review.  So it was set, we were definitely keeping that reservation.

Truthfully, I liked the food, but it seemed to me a bit basic, catering to a hotel/Times Square crowd.  It was good, don't get me wrong, I just kind of wanted something more interesting.  Still, we enjoyed the views from the slowly revolving restaurant, and we had excellent service.  Last Words! 

Hooray - it had been ages since we had found a restaurant or bar that could make them (one place had the chartreuse but no maraschino!).  A salad for each of us,

then I enjoyed the prime rib. 

We shared a dessert.

Then it was back into the madness of Times Square,

a cab to the hotel, and while Van headed off to bed, Conrad and I squeezed in a last drink at Wine:30.

A little more to come on the NYC trip, but for a last full day in the city, I think we did pretty well!