BetterMost, Wyoming & Brokeback Mountain Forum
Our BetterMost Community => BetterMost People => Topic started by: belbbmfan on January 28, 2011, 02:53:27 am
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At last! After talking about this for a couple of years, the tickets have been booked. This year our summer holiday destination is the Eastern US. Yeehaw!
We'll be flying to New York on June 30th and coming back home on June 18th from Boston. So that's a good two weeks.
We haven't figured out our itinerary yet, but we plan on visiting Washington too (I have yet to convince my daughters that we probably won't be meeting president Obama ::))
Other things on our list: Cape Cod, whale watching, Pennsylvania (Amish country maybe?), .... We definitely don't want to be traveling from city to city.
I'm going to buy some travel books this weekend and start planning. :)
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Congrats Fabienne! That sounds like a wonderful vacation! And there's lots of things to see and do up along the Northeast coast! Have you been to the U.S. before?
Maybe the next time you come over you and your family can explore the the Midwest and visit cities such as Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Cincinnati. (And we have lots of Amish here in Indiana too! ;) )
I hope you and your family will have lots of fun. I'm sure you will. And as you know we have many Brokie members living up there in the Northeast! 8)
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At last! After talking about this for a couple of years, the tickets have been booked. This year our summer holiday destination is the Eastern US. Yeehaw!
We'll be flying to New York on June 30th and coming back home on June 18th from Boston. So that's a good two weeks.
We haven't figured out our itinerary yet, but we plan on visiting Washington too (I have yet to convince my daughters that we probably won't be meeting president Obama ::))
Other things on our list: Cape Cod, whale watching, Pennsylvania (Amish country maybe?), .... We definitely don't want to be traveling from city to city.
I'm going to buy some travel books this weekend and start planning. :)
Congrats Fabienne and family! You'll have so much fun! I would so love to do this with my family.
(I have yet to convince my daughters that we probably won't be meeting president Obama ::))
He he. Precious kids.
I'm going to buy some travel books this weekend and start planning. :)
Yes, that's (almost) the best part of it. I bought my Alberta travel guide months before I booked the flight. I love the whole process of planning: the endless possibilities when you start looking into it, then narrowing down your interests (and financial feasability) and finally checking very concrete ideas/locations/accomodations.
The only thing better than planning a trip is actually taking it. :)
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Sounds like a fab trip Fabienne!
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Yay! I hope I get to see you!
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Pennsylvania (Amish country maybe?).
This is my home turf, where I grew up. Seriously, trust me on this--the region has been over-exploited and over-commercialized. It is no longer the rural, old-fashioned haven of my childhood. If you cannot fit this into your itinerary, you won't be missing anything. Don't make it a priority over something else, say, Cape Cod, example.
I'm sorry if this seems a bit of a downer. I'm sure you and your family will have a wonderful trip, wherever you decide to go. :)
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This is my home turf, where I grew up. Seriously, trust me on this--the region has been over-exploited and over-commercialized. It is no longer the rural, old-fashioned haven of my childhood. If you cannot fit this into your itinerary, you won't be missing anything. Don't make it a priority over something else, say, Cape Cod, example.
I'm sorry if this seems a bit of a downer. I'm sure you and your family will have a wonderful trip, wherever you decide to go. :)
I can´t agree with that (but then I don´t know how it used to be), but I visited this area last year and had a very good time. It was exciting to get a glimpse of the Amish way of life. The highlight was one night we spent on a farm (a B&B) in Paradise and we fell asleep to the sound of Amish buggies driving by the house. We also saw a couple of covered bridges in this area.
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We also saw a couple of covered bridges in this area.
Oooh! Like in beetlejuice!?
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I can´t agree with that (but then I don´t know how it used to be), but I visited this area last year and had a very good time. It was exciting to get a glimpse of the Amish way of life. The highlight was one night we spent on a farm (a B&B) in Paradise and we fell asleep to the sound of Amish buggies driving by the house. We also saw a couple of covered bridges in this area.
You probably got the Disneyland view that it's in the interest of the toursim bureau to sell to visitors. I can't speak to Amish communities in other parts of the U.S., but in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, these are by and large NOT people leading the simple life style of 150 years ago. In the typical Amish home, you'll find all the modern conveniences in the kitchen--they'll just be run by propane instead of electricity. No TV, to be sure, and there won't be a land-line telephone, but these days most of them have cells. No computer that requires being plugged into something, like cable or telephone wires, but they have lap tops. They will drive a horse and buggy for local travel, but if they need to do any serious traveling, they will take a train or a bus, or hire someone "English" (their word for all non-Amish) with a motor vehicle to take them (someone my father worked with this does this all the time for his "retirement job"). It isn't even unheard of for teenage Amish boys to keep a car out behind the barn--they are allowed to get away with this until they actually join the church. A few years ago there was a scandal involving Amish using and selling drugs. In short, the "Amish way of life" that most tourists see in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is more than half fraudulent.
That's an insider's view.
And you can see covered bridges in lots of places in the U.S., including New England.
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Fabienne, that's great news! We New Yorkers will be sure to make ourselves available for a little sightseeing, especially if it involves good food! ;D
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Fabienne, that's great news! We New Yorkers will be sure to make ourselves available for a little sightseeing, especially if it involves good food! ;D
Yes, indeed, those New Yorkers sure know how to show you a good time! ;D
( :-* Meryl)
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Fabienne, that's great news! We New Yorkers will be sure to make ourselves available for a little sightseeing, especially if it involves good food! ;D
That's great Meryl. I'm already looking forward to good brokie company and good New York food. :)
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This is my home turf, where I grew up. Seriously, trust me on this--the region has been over-exploited and over-commercialized. It is no longer the rural, old-fashioned haven of my childhood. If you cannot fit this into your itinerary, you won't be missing anything. Don't make it a priority over something else, say, Cape Cod, example.
I'm sorry if this seems a bit of a downer. I'm sure you and your family will have a wonderful trip, wherever you decide to go. :)
I was hoping to hear your point of view on this ,Jeff. I've already visited a few websites dealing with rural Pennsylvania and I have to agree that some of them had a bit of a Disneyland feeling about them. 'Come join us for a real Amish buggy ride' and that sort of thing. :-\
Having said that, I don't mind doing some real touristy things, as long as you know that what you're getting is a touristy version of things. We stayed at at the Rafter Six Ranch in Alberta in 2007, which of course was a 'hotel with lots of horses', the 'cowboys' who accompanied you on the trail were of course also working in the tourist industry (although they looked like the real thing of course). I didn't mind. Frankly, I'd be more worried about feeling like an intruder, going to watch 'the strange Amish people'.
We'll see what we'll do. But thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's information knowledge like this that can really make a difference. We'll probably be travelling by car from Washington to Cape Cod and wouldn't like to do this in one day. So Pennsylvania looked like the state to visit next.
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Congrats Fabienne! That sounds like a wonderful vacation! And there's lots of things to see and do up along the Northeast coast! Have you been to the U.S. before?
Maybe the next time you come over you and your family can explore the the Midwest and visit cities such as Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Cincinnati. (And we have lots of Amish here in Indiana too! ;) )
I hope you and your family will have lots of fun. I'm sure you will. And as you know we have many Brokie members living up there in the Northeast! 8)
Thanks David. I've never been to the US before, my husband has visited New York and Washington, but that was a very long time ago.
And yes, I'm looking forward to some good brokie reunions too. :)
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Yay! I hope I get to see you!
Ahhh, of course! I'll look forward to getting some good tips on Boston and the surrounding area. :)
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if i'm still in Washington by then I could show you around!!
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I presume you know about the new electronic visa required by the USA
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html
I was told that I did not need to take a copy with me as it was on the USA customs computer. This is true but fortunately I did print it out as Lufthansa would not have let me board the plane in Munich until I produced it.
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I was hoping to hear your point of view on this ,Jeff. I've already visited a few websites dealing with rural Pennsylvania and I have to agree that some of them had a bit of a Disneyland feeling about them. 'Come join us for a real Amish buggy ride' and that sort of thing. :-\
Having said that, I don't mind doing some real touristy things, as long as you know that what you're getting is a touristy version of things. We stayed at at the Rafter Six Ranch in Alberta in 2007, which of course was a 'hotel with lots of horses', the 'cowboys' who accompanied you on the trail were of course also working in the tourist industry (although they looked like the real thing of course). I didn't mind. Frankly, I'd be more worried about feeling like an intruder, going to watch 'the strange Amish people'.
We'll see what we'll do. But thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's information knowledge like this that can really make a difference. We'll probably be travelling by car from Washington to Cape Cod and wouldn't like to do this in one day. So Pennsylvania looked like the state to visit next.
I'm glad if I was able to be helpful. I didn't mean to be a wet blanket. There is so much to see and do between Washington and New England, and I'm sure the time you will be here will go by very fast. I would hate to see you waste time on something inauthentic and disappointing.
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I presume you know about the new electronic visa required by the USA
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html
I was told that I did not need to take a copy with me as it was on the USA customs computer. This is true but fortunately I did print it out as Lufthansa would not have let me board the plane in Munich until I produced it.
That´s interesting to hear. I almost thought they had given up on the electonic visa because I have never been asked about it once. I wonder why you just have to show it at some airports.
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That´s interesting to hear. I almost thought they had given up on the electonic visa because I have never been asked about it once. I wonder why you just have to show it at some airports.
When did you last visit the USA? it only became compulsory in June 2010. Do not try to travel there now without it.
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Sorry, I am assuming you are not a US citizen.
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When did you last visit the USA? it only became compulsory in June 2010. Do not try to travel there now without it.
I visited US this year and last year as well. I have registered for the electronic visa (have never carried a copy with me though) but have never been asked about it. But it probably is a good idea to bring a copy - just in case.
(and no, I´m not a US citizen)
Ooops....I´m still living in 2010 ::)
The last time I visited US was last summer (2010)
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I visited US this year and last year as well. I have registered for the electronic visa (have never carried a copy with me though) but have never been asked about it. But it probably is a good idea to bring a copy - just in case.
(and no, I´m not a US citizen)
I guess it was just an over zealous Lufthansa agent in Munich. No problems at O'Hare in Chicago but I asked bout going to Canada and coming back again later in my trip. He said it was good for 2 years but did suggest I have the printout when I went through customs. Actually when I enterd the USA again at Toronto airport, the official was more interested in the fact that I was an Australian citizen and NZ resident. He asked did I need a visa and surprised when I said "No, I just got on the plane and moved" :)
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I presume you know about the new electronic visa required by the USA
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html
I was told that I did not need to take a copy with me as it was on the USA customs computer. This is true but fortunately I did print it out as Lufthansa would not have let me board the plane in Munich until I produced it.
Brian, thank you for this tip. I'll make sure to have a copy with me.
I did already know about the Esta thing, but I haven't checked it out yet. One more thing to do.
I'll be honest, one of my biggest worries at his point is the whole security and patting down thing at the airport. I'm not sure how to explain this to my teenage daughters at this point... Maybe we'll get lucky and we'll pass through security without a hitch. Fingers crossed.
Meanwhile, we booked our first hotel. I love all the looking around, checking websites, reading reviews (Tripadvisor is very helpful), but it's time consuming. We'll be spending 6 days in New York, including the fourth of July! We're already looking forward to the big fireworks that day. Yay!
Next stop: Washington. :)
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Attention all New York Brokies!
The Belgians have arrived in New York. No, not us ;D. Our crown prince Philippe and crown princes Mathilde took a stroll through Central Park and ate a Belgian waffle (what a typical New York thing to do :laugh:).
They'll travel to Washington and Boston next on a big business mission.
(http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m312/Belbbmfan/PhMath.jpg)
We'll follow in their footsteps next week. :D
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Attention all New York Brokies!
The Belgians have arrived in New York. No, not us ;D. Our crown prince Philippe and crown princes Mathilde took a stroll through Central Park and ate a Belgian waffle (what a typical New York thing to do :laugh:).
They'll travel to Washington and Boston next on a big business mission.
(http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m312/Belbbmfan/PhMath.jpg)
We'll follow in their footsteps next week. :D
Can´t wait to follow you. :P Whats your Twitter account? :)
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Ate a Belgian waffle? That's like a New Yorker going to Belgium for a bagel. ;D
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Have a fab time Fabienne!
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Thanks Kelda. :)
Two more nights! Yay! :D
Ate a Belgian waffle? That's like a New Yorker going to Belgium for a bagel. ;D
:laugh: I know! Well they are on a trip to promote Belgium, I'm sure we'll see them eating Belgian chocolates and drinking Belgian beer. ;D
When I'm in NY, I'll go for the bagel. ;D Incidentally, our hotel is very close to Levain Bakery which, according to tripadvisor, has the world's best chocolate chip cookies. Maybe that's the first thing our daughtres will want to do. :D
Can´t wait to follow you. :P Whats your Twitter account? :)
Sorry Sophia, no tweets from me. :P I'll 'tweet' some on the forum.
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When I'm in NY, I'll go for the bagel. ;D
Go here, Fabienne, best bagels in NYC (now than H&H closed this past Sunday!!)
http://www.murraysbagels.com/index2.htm
http://nymag.com/listings/stores/murrays-bagels01/
Murray's Bagels
500 Sixth Ave between 12th and 13th Streets
212-462-2830
(http://images.nymag.com/listings/stores/2murraysbagels.jpg)
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Go here, Fabienne, best bagels in NYC (now than H&H closed this past Sunday!!)
http://www.murraysbagels.com/index2.htm
http://nymag.com/listings/stores/murrays-bagels01/
Murray's Bagels
500 Sixth Ave between 12th and 13th Streets
212-462-2830
(http://images.nymag.com/listings/stores/2murraysbagels.jpg)
GREAT!
I knew I could count on you to give us a good address.
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I hope you all have a wonderful time on your trip, and drink plenty of water. ;D
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GREAT!
I knew I could count on you to give us a good address.
And it's just 4 or 5 blocks away from Washington Square Park, which you MUST see--
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Square_Park
and as you walk North, you will also see THIS on the SW corner of 10th Street and Sixth Ave:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Jefferson_market_edit_2.jpg/250px-Jefferson_market_edit_2.jpg)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Market_Library
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I hope you all have a wonderful time on your trip, and drink plenty of water. ;D
Thanks Truman! We're already drinking lots of water. Temperatures reached in the 90°F over here. :o It's madness.
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GREAT!
I knew I could count on you to give us a good address.
Here's something that might be useful: Le Pain Quotidien is now the best restaurant chain in New York re reasonable price with really, really decent food--and it's Belgian!!
http://www.lepainquotidien.us/#/en_US/menu
There are more than 20 locations--VERY convenient!
http://www.lepainquotidien.us/#/en_US/locations/new_york/see_all
Re New York Taxi cabs:
A VERY necessary evil. You have very little time, and you don't want to waste precious time if you find yourself in a boring part of town when you could be doing something better. The subway can be problematic for a variety of reasons: Delete and Edit your life--GRAB A CAB and go!
Just remember--DON'T GO TO A TAXI STAND AND WAIT. I see tourists walk out of Grand Central Station or Penn Station, or even their hotel and queue up. And wait. And wait. Uhm, WHY??? No idea. In the airport, YES. In Midtown, NO!!! Just look around, and if you see one, stick out your hand HAIL A CAB.
Look closely at the illuminated sign on the roof of the cab:
(http://www.luxuryloft.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/new-york-taxi-cab.jpg)
If the sign is NOT illuminated, it means it is engaged. Don't bother.
If the sign is entirely illuminated, including the useful "OFF DUTY" part of the sign (see above), again, DON'T BOTHER.
BUT if the numbers ONLY in the center of the sign are illuminated--you're in luck--GRAB THAT CAB! Just don't be shy--half the drivers are half-unconscious, you have to let them know you exist.
Sorry if this too much information, but--EVERY DAY I see tourists who stand in the street windmilling away at cabs who are already engaged or finishing their day, going home--VERY frustrating! Maybe this little bit of knowledge will help.
One very frustrating thing for ALL New Yorkers re taxis: the dreaded "Shift Change." Between 3:00PM and 5:00PM, just when you really, really, REALLY need a cab--there are none. Or rather, there are hordes of them, but ALL of them have their "OFF DUTY" sign illuminated. The Early shift drivers are bringing their cabs to their various garages (mostly in Queens) to give them to the Late shift drivers. AND THEY ALL DO IT TOGETHER, instead of staggering them. Grrrr. If you find yourself ready to kill because you can't find a taxi ANYWHERE at 4:00pm--well, you are now a true New Yorker.
Again--hope this helps!
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Great taxi tips John, thanks!
We were in London a couple of weeks ago and my daughters had a great time hailing for a cab. It's the same system as in NY, the only queue is at the station, no hailing there.
And I have heard of Le Pain Quotidien, although I've never been to one. I guess they're more successfull abroad than they are in their homecountry.
I'm getting a bit anxious, still lots to do and I have to work till noon today. Thank God my husband is doing laundry today. ;D
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Bon voyage, Fabienne! See you very soon.
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Great taxi tips John, thanks!
We were in London a couple of weeks ago and my daughters had a great time hailing for a cab. It's the same system as in NY, the only queue is at the station, no hailing there.
And I have heard of Le Pain Quotidien, although I've never been to one. I guess they're more successfull abroad than they are in their homecountry.
I'm getting a bit anxious, still lots to do and I have to work till noon today. Thank God my husband is doing laundry today. ;D
God, I hate laundry--but I'm very good at packing! Used to be, anyway.
Here's your successful compatriate (I'm in one of his restaurants at least once or twice a week):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Pain_Quotidien
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/30/Le_Pain_Quotidien_logo.png)
(http://essentielle.lalibre.be/fr/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/ess-126-alaincoumont.jpg)
Le Pain Quotidien
Le Pain Quotidien (The Daily Bread) is an international chain of café-style restaurants specializing in bakery items.
History
Founder Alain Coumont opened Le Pain Quotidien on 26 October 1990 at 16 rue Danseart in Brussels, Belgium. As a young chef, Alain was dissatisfied with the quality of bread available in Brussels, so he began making his own, mixing flour, water and salt into the familiar loaves of his childhood. He furnished the store with cabinets scoured from antique stores and a large table purchased at a local flea market: the first Le Pain Quotidien’s many communal tables. Gradually, items were added to them menu to complement the bread, including pastries, salads, beverages, tartines (traditional, open-faced sandwiches) and specialty retail products.
Menu
Le Pain Quotidien offers tartines, soups, salads, quiches, pastries and desserts. The menu includes vegan and vegetarian options.
International
Le Pain Quotidien currently operates 151 bakery-restaurants worldwide in 26 cities and 19 countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain, France, India, Germany, Turkey and the United States (with a strong presence in New York City and Los Angeles).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Coumont
(http://essentielle.lalibre.be/fr/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/pain-quotidien-livre.jpg)
Alain Coumont (born 4 March 1961) is a Belgian chef and restaurateur, and founder of Le Pain Quotidien.
Alain Coumont is the son and grandson of grocers. His grandmother ran a hotel in front of the train station in Huy, Belgium. As a child in Belgium, Coumont spent countless hours perched on a chair, watching his grandmother make bread. Then, in 1977, after a voyage to the United States, where he was impressed by the success of Michel Guérard, he abandoned his classical studies and enrolled in the Hotel School of Namur in Belgium. After graduating, Coumont worked in a number of highly regarded restaurants including Michel Guérard (Eugenie Les Bains, France), Georges Blanc (Vonnas, France) and Joel Robuchon (Paris, France).
As a young chef in Brussels, Coumont could not find the right bread for his restaurant. Passionate about quality, he returned to his roots and opened a small bakery where he could knead flour, salt and water into the rustic loaves of his childhood. Coumont opened his bakery in rue Antoine Dansaert in Brussels in 1990, in those days an avant-garde quarter of Belgian fashion. He named his bakery “Le Pain Quotidien.” Brussels quickly took to the taste of this traditional bread. Alain evolved his offering to include simple salads and tartines, keeping bread the cornerstone of the menu. At a local flea market, Coumont found a long table where his guests could sit to eat together; it became Le Pain Quotidien’s first communal table.
Success was rapid and Coumont had numerous candidates who wanted to open other Le Pain Quotidien outlets. In the space of a few months, 10 locations opened in Brussels. Coumont then followed his dream to open restaurants in the United States. In 1997, Coumont opened his first store on Madison Avenue in New York City, which was an instant success. Shortly thereafter, he met a group of Belgian investors who backed his U.S. expansion plans. With this financial support, he opened several locations in New York City and later in Los Angeles.
Coumont currently serves as the Company’s Chief Creative Officer. In this role, he remains the driving force behind the brand’s dedication to organic ingredients. Coumont spends most of this time traveling to support the concept throughout the world. Coumont is also the co-founder of BioGhetto.com, which he established in 2005 with Gilles Valeriani. The company produces a line of organic vins de pique-nique (picnic wines) under the RN13 label, which are produced in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. Coumont currently resides with his family in Clermont l'Hérault, France.
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hi Fabienne,
I am not sure if you are still planning to come to Washington but if you are I would love to meet up with you again. Please let me know, I live nearby in Alexandria, Virginia.
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Can't wait to see you on Saturday, Fabienne! It's looking like you'll have fabulous weather this weekend, too. Here's a little article about the Statue of Liberty. You'll be visiting on its 125th anniversary and will see some preparations for featuring her during the Macy's fireworks display:
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/141938/lady-liberty-to-be-honored-during-macy-s-fireworks-spectacular (http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/141938/lady-liberty-to-be-honored-during-macy-s-fireworks-spectacular)
Just look around, and if you see one, stick out your hand HAIL A CAB.
I love our omnipresent New York taxis. I stayed at the opera office deep into the night trying to finish up my production book for Seance last night. I arrived at the corner of Columbus and 62nd at ten minutes til 4:00 am. Birds were heralding the as yet invisible dawn. In less than 30 seconds I had my cab. 8)
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Greetings from the Big Apple :)
I'm on the hotel computer (pesky keyboard again ;D). We've had a wonderful day so far, Top of the Rock was a terrific thing to do. Fabulous views from the 66th floor of the Rockefeller building.
Off to lunch noz 9arrghhh, thqt keyboqrdm grrrr :laugh:
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Greetings from the Big Apple :)
I'm on the hotel computer (pesky keyboard again ;D). We've had a wonderful day so far, Top of the Rock was a terrific thing to do. Fabulous views from the 66th floor of the Rockefeller building.
Off to lunch noz 9arrghhh, thqt keyboqrdm grrrr :laugh:
Yeehaw! Been wondering what you were up to. Glad the weather is so great! 8)
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Glad you made it safely. Say 'hey' to all the NYC gang.
(I feel the same way about the 'azerty' keyboard.)
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Greetings from the Big Apple :)
I'm on the hotel computer (pesky keyboard again ;D). We've had a wonderful day so far, Top of the Rock was a terrific thing to do. Fabulous views from the 66th floor of the Rockefeller building.
Off to lunch noz 9arrghhh, thqt keyboqrdm grrrr :laugh:
We did top of the rock when in NYC - its a great view of central park and the empire state building..
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Greetings from the Big Apple :)
I'm on the hotel computer (pesky keyboard again ;D). We've had a wonderful day so far, Top of the Rock was a terrific thing to do. Fabulous views from the 66th floor of the Rockefeller building.
Off to lunch noz 9arrghhh, thqt keyboqrdm grrrr :laugh:
You are in NYC!!! YAY! Love that city!! Was there already twice this year! ;D
What you gonna do there and for how long are you going to stay?
Edit: Oh just read the initial post! Good for you, have a great two weeks journey!!
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thanks everyone! :D
We went to Washington Square Park this afternoon and took a stroll through Greenwich Village. Great fun for people watching (and recovering from another scary cab ride - those cabdrivers drive like maniacs :o).
The kids are in bed already, tired from traveling and all the walking we did today. Tomorrow it's Liberty and Ellis Island and discovering the High Line and dinner with Meryl and John! Can't wait. :D
I love it here. :) :)
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I'm glad you had such a great day, Fabienne! We can hear more details tomorrow. Got your text from Washington Square Park. It was nice to know you were having a good time. I didn't reply because I don't know how to text! :P
See you soon! 8) 8) 8)
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So glad to hear you are enjoying New York City. :D
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very jealous!
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Hey Fabienne, have a wonderful time in the USA! I keep great memories of you and your family in our Canada Brokeback trip :-*
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hey Mouk, Canada was such a great vacation for us. We have very fond memories too.
We visited Liberty Island today. And although it's probably the most touristy thing you can do in NY, I wouldn't want to have missed this. We had thought about taking the Statten Island ferry because Liberty Island would be too crowded but it was fine. You have to have reserved tickets though (the waiting line for people without was ridiculously long) and go early.
Lady Liberty looked magnificent. It's such an iconic image but there's nothing like seeing the statue for real. Very impressive.
We also visited ground zero and took a look at how the memorial is going to constructed. All four of us were really affected by the visit. The enormity of the huge loss of life that happened there gets to you. People were silent, reading about that day, looking at the images that were on display. :'( The tributes are very moving and very well presented. And the new WTC will look good, life goes on.
After that, time for some more shopping (two teenage daughters!) and went to Macy's. It's very easy to get lost there. :P
Did I already say I love it here? :D
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Fabienne, Derek, Ann, Elena and John, thank you for a wonderful evening! It was perfect. I'm really sleepy now, but more tomorrow. Have a great bike ride. Hope the rain holds off! :)
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Fabienne, Derek, Ann, Elena and John, thank you for a wonderful evening! It was perfect. I'm really sleepy now, but more tomorrow. Have a great bike ride. Hope the rain holds off! :)
Fabienne was hoping the bird chirping in the tree immediately over her head (in the restaurant 'Park') would hold off too! ;D
(http://www.opentable.com/img/restimages/1688.jpg)
Oops, though--the weather tomorrow does look a bit dicey--Yike!! (http://i.imwx.com/web/common/wxicons/45/38.gif)
Good luck to our intrepid bicyclists in Central Park! :o
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Fabienne, I hope today's rain and overcast weather didn't affect your doings too much today. Tomorrow's supposed to be nicer. 8)
Last night was lots of fun. The girls have shot up from little kids into quite the lovely young ladies. Our walk on the High Line was beautiful, and there was such a nice breeze. The Park restaurant is as nice as I remembered it when we were there with Sophia and Debbie. We ate under trees inhabited by chirping sparrows. They were so cute! But we were a bit nervous about you-know-what. Fortunately, they gave us no "gifts." ;D
The food was delicious. I had a dish that consisted of one giant ravioli filled with ricotta and a poached egg, garnished with snap peas and fava beans. The girls had pizza, and John, Derek and Fabienne had various salads, calamari, octopus and mussels. My drink was great--Hendricks gin, muddled lemon, cucumber and St. Germaine liqueur. Yum! Afterwards Fabienne gifted John and me with bags of beautiful Belgian chocolate and wafers. Such a sweet thing to do, thank you! :-*
Before the evening ended, John insisted on kidnapping the Belgians via taxi and taking them to see Bryant Park and the NY Public Library. He can't bear the thought of people missing out on his favorite spots! He's a born tour guide. We finally waved them into a cab at 42nd and Fifth. Another prime Brokie meet-up accomplished! 8)
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sounds fun!
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Yes Keld, it was fun! :D
I love the High Line (and apparently so does the rest of NY, it was very busy op there). The restaurant was great, the kind of place you can sit for hours, eating and drinking and all...
It was great seeing Meryl again and meeting John. I can highly recommend being 'kidnapped by John', like Meryl said he's an excellent tour guide and talks about his city with such enthousiam, you never want to leave.
Thank you both for a wonderful evening. :-* :D
The cycling tour was cancelled due to the rain, so we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art instaid. We spent a lot of time in the Egyptian section, which is amazing. A stunning collection, Anna took pictures of everything she liked (lots! :D). I'm glad I didn't miss this.
After a rest back at the hotel, we walked over the Brooklyn Bridge (yes, in the rain :laugh:), took more pictures and then headed to Chinatown to stroll around for a bit.
The girls were saying how strange it was to see so many adds only in chinese, no english. You don't really hear much english on the street either, except for the guy who was trying to sell us a footrub ('foot massage, 10 dollars for two' ;D) We kindly declined, he was no Cassie Cartright.
We'll do the cycling tour today instead of yesterday. The weather looks much better.
Off to have breakfast, eggs sunny side up and blueberry pancakes, hmmmm
And tonight, it's Macy's fourth of July fireworks! :D
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The cycling tour was cancelled due to the rain, so we went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art instaid. We spent a lot of time in the Egyptian section, which is amazing. A stunning collection, Anna took pictures of everything she liked (lots! :D). I'm glad I didn't miss this.
I'm sorry about the tour being cancelled, but if it meant that you saw the Met, it was a good thing! And as long as you're doing the biking today, all is well. 8)
You don't really hear much english on the street either, except for the guy who was trying to sell us a footrub ('foot massage, 10 dollars for two' ;D) We kindly declined, he was no Cassie Cartright.
:laugh:
And tonight, it's Macy's fourth of July fireworks! :D
Yeehaw! :D
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I am glad you and your family are having so much fun, Fabienne! Enjoy the rest of your vacation, sweetie! And please keep us posted! I love reading these travel logs. 8) 8)
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*resurfaces*
thanks David. We're in New Paltz, in the Hudson Valley, in a gorgeous b&b which has a computer. Yay! (even if it's a teeny one)
The bike ride in New York was great fun, we cycled through Central Park and Harlem, saw Bill Clinton's office and the Apollo Theater. We had some soul food for lunch in a small Harlem restaurant, the fried chicken was so good. The bikes were very good and the guides kept us all very safe (although it was the fourth of July, not much traffic on the roads). They even gave me a nice pink riding helmet! Lovely :D
After dinner we went to Times Square to check if the billboard really are as big as we know them from the tv. Yes they are.It's a madhouse there. After that we joined the rest of the city to go see the fireworks. What can you say? Thank you Macy's for putting on such a terrific show. It was amazing. :D
Too bad we couldn't get a cab afterwards, we walked from 46th street to our hotel on 75th. :o I really could have done with that chinese guy's footrub then. ;D
We were sorry to leave New York. We loved it!
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Hey, Fabienne, I'm glad you are all having a wonderful trip!
We had some soul food for lunch in a small Harlem restaurant, the fried chicken was so good.
Ooo! Where did you go? Did you go to eat at the Red Rooster? Please let us know (New Yorkers always want to know where. :) )
After dinner we went to Times Square to check if the billboard really are as big as we know them from the tv. Yes they are. It's a madhouse there.
Yup. Guilty as charged. ::)
Too bad we couldn't get a cab afterwards, we walked from 46th street to our hotel on 75th.
Seriously, we walk a lot. (Some of us, anyway.) Shoes are key! ;)
We were sorry to leave New York. We loved it!
We are so glad you came and visited! Come back soon! 8)
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We're all primed for "the Belgians" to arrive tomorrow! Fabienne & Co., we're so excited to see you! I have a dozen lobsters on order at Harbor Fish, will be picking up treats at Standard Baking, have laid in a stock of interesting beers (including a Belgian white wheat ale from Blue Moon that Lance tells me is very good). If you don't arrive in time to visit Portland Head Light tomorrow, that's fine, we'll push it off to Tuesday. We have lots of fun things planned...*very* different from NYC! No cabs! LOL
In anticipation of your visit, here's a preview of Portland Head Light:
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/lnicoll/maine16-420.jpg)
and Standard Baking
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/lnicoll/DSCN0270.jpg)
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/lnicoll/DSCN0271.jpg)
Sorry I don't have any pictures of Harbor Fish, but I did find this...
http://www.harborfish.com/
Big hugs until tomorrow...
L
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Fabienne, great to hear from you! That bike tour sounds like it was well worth signing up for. I've been wondering if you got to see the fireworks and all. Sorry you had to walk all the way home. Once I had to walk from 42nd to 93rd--that was the big blackout of 2004. I had on new sandals that luckily turned out to be the most comfortable, durable shoes ever. I still wear them! 8)
When you get a chance, let us know how Washington and Amish country worked out. And give Leslie a big hug from me. You're going to eat very well, obviously! :D
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Enjoy your time together!
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It's wonderful to hear you're having such a good time! We're looking forward to Friday!! 8)
(Paul - we were right that Leslie would have the lobstahs covered ;))
Enjoy Maine!!
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Hi Fabienne!
Hope you and the family are having a great time! You'll be with Leslie now I'd think?
Also, we have a new travel forum.. can we move your thread to there?