Category Archives: Travel

California Cruisin’

What Happened in Vegas

Ok, I’m recovered. I think. I’m almost caught up on sleep and I’m able to look at a drink without being repulsed. They say that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But I’m a blogger so I’m naturally an over-sharer, so I think I’ll give you guys a glimpse.

We stayed at one of the nicest (in my opinion) hotels, The Cosmopolitan. When I visited Vegas in high school (a much different experience), it hadn’t even been built yet (opened in 2010). The Cosmo lived up to the crazy commercials of bunnies in the elevator – just the right amount of wrong. I didn’t see any bunnies, but we did find a Stonehenge of dog sculptures which we all vowed to meet by if we got lost. (Don’t worry, no one got lost.)

Meet by the dogs!

The first stop was hitting up Bamboo pool, getting some Miami Vices (and many other tropical drinks), and meeting some fellow vacationers.

Bamboo Pool – The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas

Then, we headed back to get all dressed up like we were back in college. We went to one of the best Italian restaurants in Vegas – Lavo at the Venetian – where I had spaghetti with Kobe meatballs and ricotta. It was so good I nearly cried when I was too full to finish it.

Then, for first night, we went all out. Thanks to a friendly promoter, we stopped by Tryst in the Wynn and skipped the line with free drinks for the ladies. Then moved on to another free entry (it really sucks to be a guy in Vegas) at Xs, also in the Wynn. Being in a group of six girls in Vegas is wonderful and it was pretty easy to have an awesome first night…for free.

Saturday was the pool party at Marquee, the club in our hotel. And, to make it extra special, Avicii – best DJ in the world – was there. Avicii is a big deal. But Avicii at a pool party in Vegas where I was able to get about four feet from him … unbelievable.

Avicii at Marquee, photographed by me!

The girls pool partying with Avicii

Saturday night we headed out to do it all again, with a fancy dinner at Tao in the Venetian. We had every intention of having a full night of partying Vegas-style but we were clearly exhausted from our vacation, only on day two. Wow, Vegas takes a lot out of you. But by happy accident I left my credit card at Tao which forced us to walk the Strip the next day and explore the amazing hotels of Las Vegas.

Me & Dee exploring the Strip.

Another happy accident (well, not so happy for Ashley) was that we ended up getting FREE day beds at the pool on Sunday…. as a result of Ashley nearly losing a finger while rearranging lounge chairs which had a dangerous nail protruding out of the bottom. Terrified we would be suing, the hotel staff gave us some royal treatment.

Free day beds!

And for our last big night we had dinner in the hotel at a Mexican Chinese place (or was it a Chinese Mexican place?) which ended up being really good.

That is salted pear foam on my margarita.

Then we went to the brand new club we had been hearing about all weekend: Hakkasan at MGM Grand. To me, the place had an identity crisis – too many stairs, too much incense, and a confusing layout. But it wasn’t until the cab to the airport the next day that we learned the story. As told by our cabbie: apparently a rich guy visited Xs (where we went the first night) and was an hour and a half late so they had given his table away. Angry and annoyed, he opened his own club, Hakkasan, to put Xs out of business, hiring all of their DJs in the process. My theory: with the amount of stairs in Hakkasan, lack of lights, and girls in too-high heels, in about a month someone will trip and break their ankle, sue the place, and put Hakkasan out of business. We shall see how the story ends… but in the meantime, we still had a good time on our last night in Sin City.

The last night.

Oh Las Vegas, the city where prostitution, weddings on a whim, and open containers are no big deal. It was a fun four days but I am so glad to be home. Maybe I’ll be back, but not for a long, long time.

Jai Vivas La Vie in Las Vegas

A Heavenly Nook in Hell’s Kitchen

My Double Life

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This past weekend I took the train home to my parents’ house. The two hour train conveniently starts in Hoboken and ends in Hackettstown, so my new favorite pun is that I literally moved to the other side of the tracks. (Cue hysterical laughter.)

Going “home” to my parents (still not sure where that word should refer to) is always relaxing because it’s easy to go out to dinner, watch tv, sleep late, and wake up to birds chirping without feeling the obligation to be active and busy every second (although I never can sit still). I love that I come from the country, even though I love city living. My real goal for the weekend was to go our local farm to get the BEST apple cider and some pumpkins, just like old times. My hometown is filled with nostalgia.

In the city, I see sights like a man in a pink bunny costume walking through the crowd on Broadway. No one gave him a second glance. I didn’t notice the film crew until a block later which just goes to show, everything is considered normal. NYC doesn’t even need extras, we all play the part of “disinterested passerby” flawlessly.

View from the City

In the country, everyone at the restaurant on Friday was staring out the window because the road crew was out late at night putting reflectors in the street. This was big news.

View from the Country

Having made the transition to the city and coming home time to time, I’ve learned to appreciate both. Eventually, I’ll have to choose, and I know where my roots are. Right now, I love where I came from and where I’m at.

Oh yeah, and I got my cider, pumpkins, and spaghetti squash!

NYC Getaways

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One of the great thing about New York City is the convenience of its location. There are so many great day trips and weekend getaways that are just a short drive or train ride away.

I’ve blogged about my recent trip to Ocean City, MD and my mini vaca earlier this summer to Newport, RI. I also had a quick trip out to the Hamptons a few weeks ago – another easy getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city.

If you have a whole weekend to escape, I highly recommend Ocean City, MD or Newport, RI. Other quick trips from the metro area that I’ve enjoyed are a romantic beach weekend in Cape May, NJ or hitting the historical tourist spots in Philadelphia.

But in addition to my list, CBS recently posted a list of Scenic Drives Within 60 Miles of NYC. If you have the luxury of car – or even access to NYC’s Zipcars – a change of scenery is just a short drive away.

Lyndhurst Mansion (Photo courtesy of Lyndhurst.org)

Lyndhurst Mansion (Tarrytown, NY): With a backdrop of the Hudson, take a tour through the mansion to gain unique insights into the three families that once lived here: railroad mogul Jay Gould; former New York City mayor William Paulding, and merchant George Merritt. Once outside, take advantage of the gardens, greenhouse and river walk trails.
Johnny’s Famous Reef Restaurant (The Bronx, NY): Open March – November, this 60-year-old restaurant is located at the very tip of City Island. Don’t be fooled by the cafeteria-style setting and dive-bar décor; this restaurant has the best seafood outside of New York City and even better views of the water to watch yachts float by on the Long Island Sound.
The Village of Sleepy Hollow (Sleepy Hollow, NY): Less than an hour outside the city, the village of Sleepy Hollow offers something for everyone, including farmers markets, street fairs, haunted hayrides, and of course – the headless horseman. Take a guided or driving tour through the hauntingly beautiful Sleepy Hollow Cemetery to see the final resting places of iconic figures including Andrew Carnegie, William Avery Rockefeller and Washington Irving, who brought the legend to life.
Salinger’s Orchard(Brewster, NY): Salinger’s Orchard has everything from handpicked apples to homemade pies and fresh strawberry preserves. Gaze upon thevast orchard while you snack on freshly made baked goods and coffee. Check out its beehive observatory, or take a slightly longer drive. A few more miles north, ride route 7, to Kent Falls State Park, where you may visit Connecticut’s largest waterfall.

Bear Mountain State Park (photo courtesy of NYSParks.com)

Bear Mountain State Park (Bear Mountain, NY): The park is located amidst the mountains rising out of the Hudson River, and features a swimming pool, shaded picnic areas, a zoo, a large play field, lake and river fishing, boat rentals, hiking trails and even a Merry-Go-Round with hand-painted scenes from the park.

Labor Day in Ocean City, MD

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Labor Day is the last beach weekend of the year. Considering I was lacking in beach weekends this summer, I was glad we had last minute plans to meet some college friends in Ocean City, MD for the holiday weekend.

First, Tom and I started the weekend by driving to central Jersey for the wedding of a former colleague. She of course looked amazing and it was obvious how excited she was to be married which made everyone there so happy for them. Congrats Kelly!!

After lots of catching up and many glasses of wine, we Tom drove all the way to Ocean City so we didn’t arrive until 2:30 am. Fortunately everyone was just coming home from the bar so it was an interesting arrival. It was the gateway into a weekend of flashing back to college days and the partying that I’m sadly realizing has now aged me. It’s hard to keep up with our old habits but the nostalgia was a good reminder of how worth it those four years were. And I guess we’re not too old to have fun – we just head home a bit earlier.

The Bay at Seacrets

As part of the festivities we went to the infamous Seacrets – the outdoor beach bar that is literally in the water. I’ve always wanted to go and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. The first time we went (yeah there were several visits in two days) we threw our shoes on the beach and hung out in the water. (Warning: my friend’s shoes got stolen so it’s best to carry them with you.)

Dirty Banana – best drink at Seacrets!

There are tables, rafts, and a dock all in the bay so you can drink in the water. Waitresses wade out to take your drink order and the music and frozen drinks gave it the atmosphere of Cancun. I had many Dirty Banana drinks which were delicious and tasted like spring break. At dark they kick you out of the water so we weaved through the palm trees and twinkle lights to the different bars and of course drank more Dirty Bananas.

We had a great fried food dinner around the corner at Dumpser’s and went back for more Dirty Bananas. And did it again the next night…

So this week I will be running like there is no tomorrow and trying to eliminate the food baby that I developed from the weekend of living like I was 21. Half marathon in 3 weeks…. Ugh.

Summer Bucket List

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This past weekend Tom and I were able to cross a few things off of our summer bucket list! With access to all of the wonders of New York City, I sometimes forget to take advantage of them. But sometimes, it’s ok to be a tourist and experience the city for all it has to offer.

The many macaroons at Macaron

So on Saturday we paid a visit to Central Park. I’ve actually never gone for a good, long walk through the park and it was time I took the time to enjoy it. Tom had also wanted to take me to Macaron – a French macaroon cafe that was on my restaurant bucket list. It’s only a few blocks from the southeast corner of Central Park and of course the macaroons were AMAZING. At $2.50 each, they were a little pricey so we each had a dark chocolate one and iced coffee. I felt like I was back in Paris, sitting in the park with a macaroon and a cafe au lait in a city I love.

We walked almost to the reservoir and then took the subway down to Chelsea. We intended to go to another NYC restaurant bucket list stop – the Rare View Rooftop bar that I mentioned in my last post. Instead, we got caught up in Chelsea Markets (how have I never been here?) and walked around the adorable indoor shopping market. I never realized it was such a cute, classy (and pricey) place.

Tom had never walked the High Line (another check off the list!) so we started our walk from the market and headed north along the outdoor park. We eventually realized how tired we were (we had both gone on a very long run before walking Central Park) so skipped the Rare View and headed back to Hoboken.

While we checked a decent amount off our summer list in just one day, there are still plenty of activities for us to complete in the next 2 months! I’ll be checking them off as I go!

~~The Standard Beer Garden~~
~~South Street Seaport~~
~~Visit Central Park and Macaron~~
~~Walk the High Line~~
~~Chelsea Markets~~
Eat some Mac n Cheese at S’Mac
Go to a comedy club
Red Bulls Game

What’s on your summer bucket list?

A Weekend Away in Newport, RI

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Last weekend, Tom and I took a trip to Newport, RI for a weekend getaway. Since I just finished my master’s and Tom finally completed his CPA, we REALLY needed a vacation. As an added bonus, my company lets each employee take off on their birthday. So, being my birthday was on Saturday, I had a Friday free and a three-day weekend it was!

Walking along the water in Newport, RI

We were trying to think of an easy weekend trip that was drivable. We thought of Cape May but a three hour drive just to end up at the Jersey Shore seemed like a waste. My sister suggested Newport, RI, where I had never been and then my mom later saw a special on the Today Show for The Attwater, a bed and breakfast in Newport. When my mom offered to pay for the room as a “graduation present,” I was convinced. Unfortunately, The Attwater was booked (and so was my other choice, The Mill Street Inn) so we ended up at the cheapest B&B we could find – The Inns on Bellevue.

I’ve never stayed in a B&B and it was exactly as I thought – little old houses that kind of feel like your grandmother decorated the inside. It’s called a “European” hotel, which really just means old and tiny, but I have to say, at $205/night on a weekend in tourist season, it was worth every penny. It was the best location possible, situated right in the center of the Newport peninsula. It was easy walking to the west side where all the shops and restaurants are and short trip to the east side where you can tour the famous Cliff Walk.

The Old Stone Mill in Touro Park – a piece of history right near our hotel!

The first night we wandered around town and walked to the marina. It’s exactly what I pictured – a beachy boat town with bits of history ingrained in the city. At night, we tried to find a nice BYOB (we’re huge fans of not paying extra for our wine) but apparently Newport does not believe in BYOBs. (The only one we could find was Lucia which kindly informed us – as we stood there with our wine – that they recently got a liquor license.)

So, we ended up at Pasta Beach – a modern Italian restaurant near our hotel that had a touch of … well, “beach.” We had a house red, which of course was delicious, and the Caprese salad. I had pumpkin ravioli and snuck a few bites of Tom’s gnocchi with gorgonzola cream. Both were DELICIOUS and worth the long hunt for good Italian.

Don’t worry – we ended up killing the BYOB bottle back at the hotel.

At the bottom of Forty Steps at the Newport Cliff Walk.

Day 2 started with the “breakfast” part of the B&B which was pretty good (a small buffet with pastries and pancakes) and then we headed to the famous Cliff Walk. Newport is known for this trail that hikes along a cliff full of mansions and it did not disappoint. We started at the Memorial Boulevard entrance and walked about 2 miles (that’s a rough estimate) and even hiked down the “forty steps” that lead to the water. We walked back up Bellevue Avenue and made a pit stop at Chateaux sur Mer to see this gorgeous mansion from the front. We turned around when we realized it was about $20 to tour the place.

We then headed a few miles north to Newport Vineyeards for a quick winery tour and tasting for only $10. It was short and sweet but I recommend bypassing the part where you pay for the “entrance” badge because no one even checked for it! We did meet a few interested people who suggested some bars in the city. We took their advice.

Future Beverages at Newport Vineyards

After a drink at the Top of Newport rooftab bar (at the fancy Viking Hotel across the street from us) and delicious dinner at Christie’s near the water (and some of the BEST mac n cheese I’ve had in a while) we started at Star Bar – a chill bar above Starbucks (appropriately named) that was described as the perfect place to start or end the night. It was relaxed, with leather couches and pool tables. After our first drink, we attempted to go to the second bar that was suggested – One Pelham East. However, with a $10 cover, we quickly turned around and went next door to Studio 3 (free entry until 10:30 p.m.). It was a great place to drink the night away and watch multiple bachelorettes get “wild” by Newport standards (we’re not in Manhattan anymore!). I guess I had a rougher night than I thought because I could feel it in the morning!

Mac N Cheese and Pomagrita at Christie’s in Newport.

The one thing we did NOT find in Newport (other than a BYOB) was a decent private coffee shop. I take my coffee seriously and love trying the local private brews. Unfortunately, three out of three were disappointing. So on Sunday, before our departure, we took our last stroll along the water with … Starbucks. Not to mention, the line was out the door so I guess Newport is just not known for their coffee.

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this city as a weekend getaway. If you need more suggestions to eat, drink, or shop, I have plenty to last you three days!