The NorthEast Had Some Snow, I Went to The Big Apple

Winter Superstorm Jonas hit the mid Atlantic on Friday, January 19th.  I had been planning a funfilled theatre weekend for that very weekend in New York; I had shows on my radar that were closing.  I figured I could get out of DC and head to NYC, where the snow count would be less significant and the city was better equipt to deal with the snow dump.  Well, a few things went wrong:  (1)  NYC ended up getting WAY  MORE than the 6 inches predicted and (2) because of the extreme snow the mayor shut the city down.  Yep, NYC was shut down on Saturday, and I was there to play.




I grabbed one of the last trains out of DC on Friday and headed north for a wild ride.  The train was standing room only as we headed into Penn Station  - looks like I was not the only one getting out of dodge.  And while is was only mildly snowing, the train was delayed and train doors froze shut in transit.  Every stop the crew had to pry open a few doors.  And even with all the drama we arrived in the Big Apple only 1 1/2 hours late... enough time for me to drag luggage through the city, to Times Square straight to the TKTS booth.  I wanted to see Allegiance before it closed February 14th and this was my chance.  And lucky for me the show still had some available seats.  I was able to grab a ticket, dash to my hotel, check-in, dump my luggage and run back out to the show.




Typically a musical about Japanese internment camps would not be my first choice for a musical.  I typically love my high flying dance numbers, fun stories and happy endings.  But this show has been on my radar.  The subject matter is timely - in today's political environment there is a lot of talk of people as groups, registrations and citizenship.  When you stop and think about it, there are many similarities to draw.  In this time of the gazillionth revival of LesMis and endless shows based on movies, such a daring show needed to be seen.  It is frustrating that the theatre community wants new material, yet, this show is closing after only a few months.  Come'on people Lea Salonga hasn't graced the stage in a while - she alone is a reason to see this moving show.  And if you need more, Telly Leung will blow you away.  Or you can see George Takei (yes, the guy from Star Trek).  The story is 2-fold: a moving portrayal of how a family was ripped apart by internment, and a wider discussion of internment as an answer to fear.  Again - you need to see this musical.  Its not the strongest new show of the season, but it just may be one of the most raw and real things on the stage in a long while.




After the show,  I left the theatre to snow!  It had caught up with me.  But a little snow does not stop NYC.  A friend met me for one of those awesome after show dinners - the kind of stuff that just doesn't happen in DC because nothing stays open!!!  Oh how I love heading home!  After a yummy meal, we parted ways at the subway, making plans for the next day - we had tickets to see Mathew Morrison's last performance in Finding Neverland... or at least we thought we did.


Woke up the next day to the city bustling in the blizzard.  Looking out my 42nd story hotel room, I could make out little people wandering the streets in white clouds.  My friend called to say that she was stuck and could not make it to the city - bummed!  More like, super bummed!  But the show must go on... so I bumdled up and headed outside and back to Times Square.  The sidewalks were clear, the road crews were staying on top of the streets... it was fine.  It was just the sheer amount falling so fast, BUT TKTS was still selling.  All the theatres were open.  Just to be safe, I hopped on over to the Lunt-Fountaine to make sure we were still on... and with that yes, I went to walk and enjoy the views.  The city looked so pretty.


Well, the snow kept falling and the mayor closed the city... that announcement happened less than 1/2 hour before curtain call.  No show for me.  No show for anyone that came to the city for that matter.   Didn't matter that the theatres assured everyone they would go on.  The mayor called it.  And with the announcement that all cars had to be off the streets, he created a playground for anyone willing to walking in Winter Storm Jonas.  So what is a New Yorker to do?  Well, you head to Central Park obviously!  Where else are you going to walk down an urban jungle into the vast park and see people sledding on pizza boxes.  I swear I love this city!  I wandered endless paths, always retracing my steps, because visibility was so bad, I did not want to take a wrong turn.  I mostly stayed on the upper end of the park but did walk to a playground, a picturesque bridge, Strawberry Fields, and down the opposite side to the zoo.  I froze my phone taking pictures of snow covering railings, benches, building and other park structures.    It was truly an iconic city winter moment.


And on my way back through the city canyon/wind tunnel (where you had to walk head first into the blizzard) - I stopped into on of the city's delis that stayed open to feed the masses.  Many cups of tea, the most amazing meatloaf sandwich ever, and some red velvet cheesecake fortified me to walk more in the storm and back to the hotel.


I left the Big Apple Wonderland the next morning - dragging my suitcase 21 blocks to Penn Station  and onto Amtrak.  After stopping many times to de-ice, we were dropped off at Union Station and find DC in worse condition than NYC.  That was to be expected.  I grew up in that region - and we just handle the snow better.  DC could learn a thing or two! 

The Beach, 2 Parks, A Science Center and some Funky Golfing

The first 3 day weekend of the year... it's a great way to get away for a few days after the craziness of the holidays. This year, I didn't go too far (but far enough). Just 4 hours down the road to Virginia Beach. I know, I know, heading out to Virginia Beach does not make much sense in January, and typically it would not. This year, however, its been warm. Say it's El Nino, blame climate change, say it's a weird quirk... we all know it is NOT normal to have 60 degree weather in January, but that is what we had (on Saturday).




First stop on this weekend journey was the Coastal Virginia Wine Festival at the Convention Center. Friends know, I am not a drinker and I can't say that I have ever been to a wine festival before.. sure I have be to more than a handful of wineries before, but never something as big as this. I thought it would be fun to check out, taste a few of the sweeter ones (those are my style), look at crafts, listen to music and watch the grape stomp. Well, I found an awesome sangria with Athena Winery - just the winery name alone makes me want to visit - we are talking about my favorite Greek God people! There were some yummy fruit wines from Top Hill Berry Farms (we got a raspberry and a melon) and a great white and red semi sweet Breeze from Davis Valley. It was a great way to sample, because the pours were really just a small sip (just my style). Now, that small sip times 30+ venders times at least 4 tastes per winery meant there were plenty of drunk stumbling people all around. And that leads me to my major gripe of the festival - where was the food? There was a definite lack of food in a place where alcohol was being poured so freely. Not good! Some dip people with free pretzels, one crab cake guy and the convention center snack shop did not provide too many options. So, when my date and I got to the hotel - we headed out to eat. PRONOTO.

First Road Trip of the New Year

We are headed into Martin Luther King weekend. For a while now I have been using this weekend to explore on quick trips - I have headed to Florida, Memphis, took a bunch of trips to Vegas and had a great roadtrip last year to Palm Springs (from Vegas). I have seen a few national park sites - Death Valley, Joshua Tree and Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park.

This year, I am skipping the plane. Instead, I am headed to Virginia Beach and northern North Carolina. Virginia Beach is hosting the Coastal Wine Festival this weekend, and while I am not a wine connoisseur, my date loves a good glass of wine and I do enjoy the sweeter stuff. Besides, the festival also is host to arts & crafts, specialty foods and live entertainment. So, while it will again warm up this weekend, it is not warm enough to sit and enjoy the beach... we are headed inside to the convention center. If we are lucky, we can walk the "boardwalk" (I call it the cement walk) and listen to the waves.

I can't hang out in a convention center all weekend... I have my eye on the northern outer banks. I have spent my virtually entire life on the east coast, yet I have never been to the outer banks. It was never our thing. Growing up in Jersey, we had our own awesome beach. With family in southern Florida, a completely different type of beach awaited me there. We just never stopped in between. And now that I have lived in the DC area for 15 years, I find I still haven't made time to visit the banks. I have spent time in VA Beach, Ocean City Maryland and even the Delaware beaches. I haven't made time. That ends this weekend... We are taking the short 2 hour drive from VA Beach to Kitty Hawk and the surrounding areas. I have my sights on visiting the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh. Neither will be like the 2 desert parks I have visited the last 2 years, but that is good - this is a change of pace. Fort Raleigh recognizes the mysterious site of the first English attempt at colonization (1585-1587). The Wright Brother site preserves the location of the first successful airplane flight in 1903. And if the weather cooperates, maybe I can drag my date on a few trails where I can put my camera to good use.

Have a great weekend everyone - Get Outside. Appreciate diversity. Enjoy life.

Time To Start Planning

I bought my first plane ticket of the year this week. It is not to Hawaii (the place I must get to this year) and it is not somewhere in the Caribbean (the place I am trying to convince my boyfriend to join me for a weekend getaway), instead, I booked a trip to Phoenix, Arizona.

Yeah, I know, I have been there several times. But, there are over 21 main national park units in that state. I have only been to 6 of them, and in reality, I need to spend more time at the Grand Canyon. My trips to Arizona have been scattered- I have visited the south eastern section the most, with multiple visits to Tucson and Saguaro National Park. I have stopped off to see Case Grande ruins while driving between Phoenix and Tucson, and driven out to the Chiricahua's to escape the heat during a heat wave of over 120 (where I went for a hike in 90+degree temps). I have been up to Flagstaff and saw a crater. I have detoured for the Petrified Forest, on a road trip based primiliarly in New Mexico. And I have visited the Pipe Organ Cactus but missed the visitor center. And yes, there is more to do in Arizona then parks - I have spa'ed it, spent some time in Scottsdale's old town, seen historic towns (Tombstone), visited art towns (Bisbee, Sedona and Tubec) and shopped all around. Still, I feel Arizona is incomplete... and a United sale was a good reason to head back.

Knowing I will have a few big trips this year, this could not be a long trip, so as much as I still yearn to make it up to Canyon de Chelly, I can't this time around. I will have to stay in and around Phoenix and Tucson again - That is not a problem since there seems to be some great cliff dwellings at Montezuma Castle only a few hours north on the city. To date, the only Native American cliff dwellings I have visited on my travels have been at Mesa Verde (CO) and Bandelier (NM). Both were beautiful. I would love to see more. These sites leave you with distinct impressions of what life was like for these communities - its an amazing experience. And a few hours south of the city, I hope to visit Coronado and get in a good first hike to start the year taking in the expansive views of Sonora, Mexico and the San Pedro River and San Rafael Valleys.

Of course, this is just hopeful planning right now - I have to map it all out to make sure it is doable in my time there. As much as people think I rush through these trips - I don't. The Griswolds, I am not. My camera and I need this time away from the computer to just soak nature in. I need to stretch my legs from the constant sitting at work. And its hard to deny the lure of the SW in the middle of an east coast winter (even if it only hit this week).

Of course, I love connecting with friends I have all over... and here, I have 2 friends in the Phoenix area. It would be great to see them too! So, Paige and Megan - head's up! If I plan this right, maybe we can head to the spa.

Year End Summary 2015 - 2 more states, a new list and Lots of Great Travel

It’s the end of another year and while I started out strongly, writing about some key adventures, I lost momentum in the middle of the summer. I need to go back and fill in those holes because I had a truly amazing travel year. The end of my “See The Country” bucket-list is almost near; I did 2 more states, and only have 1 left. I started my new bucket-list obsession – “See Our Neighbor To The North” with 2 quick visits to key cities. I spent some serious time exploring our national parks and monuments – seeing a few “new to me” ones in my new states as well as revisiting a key childhood park. Though out the year, I visited friends scattered across our vast country, saw my fair share of concerts, art exhibits and special events and even the Mouse. I went on another New Kids cruise to a “new to me” Caribbean island and soaked up the sun in the Art Deco’est place in the USA. But the biggest trip of all was to Iceland its northern most capital in the world, Reykjavik.
 



Year End Summary
States Visited: NJ, NY, PA, DE, MD, VA, FL, LA, CA, WA, CO, MN, ND, SD
Countries: Canada, Turks & Caicos, Iceland


Key Cities: NYC, Philly, Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Minneapolis, St Paul, Duluth, Fargo (does that count?), Denver, San Diego, Seattle, New Orleans, Richmond. Montreal, Vancouver, Reykjavik
Art Towns – Palm Springs, Golden



Parks: Joshua Tree NP, Delaware Water Gap NRA, Voyageurs NP, Teddy Roosevelt NP, Pipestone NM, Grand Portage NM, Cabrillo NM, Shenandoah NP, Great Falls NP, Eisenhower NHS, Maggie L Walker NHS




Concerts: Frankie Vallie, Stevie Wonder, Pat Benatar, Kool & the Gang, Shaka Khan, Weird Al Yankovik, Maroon 5, Sutton Foster and the National Symphony Orchestra, and New Kids on the Block plus a few new Broadway shows



New Aquariums: Great Lakes Aquarium, Miami Seaquarium, Vancouver Aquarium, Minneapolis Sea Life Center, Sea World San Diego


Ghost Tours: Reykjavik, New Orleans, Williamsburg


Iconic or Plain Ole’ Amazing Sites: Disney CA, Gulfoss, Geographic Center of North America, The Geysir, Mall of America, Lake Superior scenic highway, Mississippi River (the headwaters and the endwaters), Vancouver Harbor and the site of the Olympic Opening & Closing Ceremonies, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Delaware State Fair, USA National Bike Race in Golden, Luray & Skyline Caverns, Roadside Americana in ND and MN…. And so many waterfalls! (falls in Delaware Water Gap, though out MN, Iceland, Canada and here in Great Falls).

Fried Foods, Huge Veggies, Rides and New Kids = Delaware State Fair

It has been a few years since I have been to a state fair. In fact, the last one that I remember attending was the Alaska State Fair about 4 or 5 years ago. And it left quite the impression – how could it not with cabbages larger than a pre-teen? (Not kidding – I saw one that weighed in at 136 lbs) I have to say that the Delaware State Fair wasn’t even on my radar until the New Kids on the Block announced a stop there… and while it did not make sense to me at the time, I had to take it. Fair equal summer fun and everyone knows I love a good New Kids show!

Off I headed to Harrington, Delaware and its State Fair Grounds… in fact, this place looked oddly similar to the Pumpkin Chuckin location when I went to go see giant gourds flung through the air via air cannons and catapults. * Cue the jokes on Delaware being so small* (Poor DE)

As with any state fair, there is much to see and do. There were quite a few barns to house the animals – it is a requirement for any state fair to have cows, horses, ponies and other assorted domesticated farm animal on hand. And if we did not see them in the barns resting, we saw they in the arena show (horses), or at the races (hello, pig races). Straight out of a FX television show, there were side-freak shows – see the smallest horse on Earth, see the 2 headed lamb, and see the reptile woman (does that qualify as a human or animal?) Had to skip the bearded ladies, the tiny ladies, the snake ladies (wait, why were all these ladies?)

When you think of state fairs, you think of food… right? I think state fairs are synonymous with some of the worst sounding artery-clogging concoctions every dreamt up. I could never wrap my head about the fried stick of butter! I still refuse to try fried Twinkies. I have relented on fried pickles, only because I lived in the South for a very short while and I think I wasn’t allowed out without saying I liked them! Here, I stared at a sign for fried lemonade and ran… why, oh why, in the extreme heat of the day are you going to fry lemonade AND how does that work? In reality the only fried fair food I want is a funnel cake (or some Zeppolis). That funnel cake was fantastic, perfect to share and just enough. The entire day, we tried to make the best fair food choices we could. Barbeque, roasted corn, a roasted turkey leg, sausage sandwich , a fruit smoothie, plain iced teas… lots of tea. Did I say it was HOT? It was a scorcher. And soda was not going to quench our thirsts. Its not easy to avoid the corn dogs, fried gator, the fried Reeces, fried everything really…

You can’t eat all that and go on rides. And I wanted to ride some thrill rides. I was always the thrill seeker as a child; the crazier the ride the better it was. As I have grown up, I may not frequent Six Flags, the Boardwalk, fairs or other parks as often as I used to, but damn if I don’t go straight for them when there are in front of me! So after a sweet ride on the big ferris wheel, it was up the “Freefall” like attraction that dropped you ten stories. My evil laugh came out in full force as we fell; I think my date’s stomach is still up there somewhere! There was a boardwalk style rollercoaster that jerked you around in lady bug carts… a horrible horror house… some swings … and this contraption called the Scorpion that left even me dizzy (after this, my date was out)… spinning in three directions, I could not even “spot” to keep my head on straight. This ride is not for the weak! No more partner in crime after I climbed my way through a Grease style fun house singing “You’re the One That I Want” (you have to sing that as you work the moving stairs), nor when I rode yet another spinner! I can't get enough.

After all that twisting and turning, we headed towards the veggie houses to get out of the sun and into some AC. While there were no huge cabbages, we did see large watermelons, big eggplants and garlics that I would love to have in my kitchen. There were tables that looked like vitamin rainbows. Plates arranged in rows filled with green beans (yum), peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes stretched in rows at least 30 feet long. I was drawn to the beets that remind me of my nana, her garden and her wish for us to like them (I do now Nana, I swear). There was a cannery section where judges taste-tested so many jams, marmalades and gooey goops I am sure they didn’t need to eat for days. The flower sections were just as colorful full of beauty in sight and glorious scents. My eyes, nose, heart, mind (and skin) enjoyed the show and the much needed break from the sun.

The main event of the fair was the concert, held at the race track. I never tire of seeing these guys. And the show that night was no exception. It was the first time I ever had a date to a New Kids show. There is a first time for everything and this was honestly a blast. It was a concert, it was a party, it rained confetti. We danced, we laughed, we sang. How could this not be fun? And I got to watch a newbie marvel at the show, the sound, the energy … and to have someone that had rolled their eyes at your “favorite group” admit that they are amazing live and they had a great time– HA! I win! I never understand why this is a surprise to people. They are still putting out music and honestly, as adults, would I be subjecting myself to something bad and wasting my money? Please – New Kids rule! I made them a new fan – I deserve a hug, a #twug and maybe a dance… man, am I getting greedy!

All in all it was a fabulous day at the fair. Cows, Rides, Funnel Cakes and New Kids, oh my!

Off Montreal for my Birthday (sort of) & to See the New Kids

Every year since I finished law and grad school I try to keep my promise to myself… I want to see and do something new. Most of the time, that means travel. This year, that was going to be a rough promise to keep – I just came off my thorough trip though ND &MN and I have an upcoming trip to Iceland. I could not go nuts. I had toyed with the idea of playing Russian Roulette with the United weekend specials. I played with the idea of a road trip to a Southern locale. But in the end, New Kids and a good friend (and a decent airfare) saved me. Off I went to Montreal Canada!

I have not spent much time in the lands of our northern neighbors. I will be tackling many of her cities and sites once I finish my US state goal. It’s a crying shame I have never been to Toronto. My best friend is in Seattle, yet, we have yet to go to Vancouver. I have lived in and around DC for 15 years but I haven’t visited the Canadian capital of Ottawa. No Winnipeg, no Edmonton, and until this trip, I believed no Montreal. What I have seen of Canada consists of the Niagara Falls area, and St John (and that area above ND & MN – ha). So with a New Kids tour date, a girls trip with a few good friends, and a decent airfare, I hopped a plane to start my Canadian list a little early.

When planning this quick excursion, my mom informed me that I was in Montreal as a baby; I am not counting that! I don’t remember a thing about it. I don’t have pictures (lost to a fire). I am starting fresh. So with a quick internet search, I learned that sites in Montreal are spread out! There isn’t much you can do when you only have a day and a half in a major city… but anyone that knows me knows that I tried to see as much as possible.

My trip good fortune seeped into much of my trip. So while I was there for only a short while, there was much excitement to be had. My trip coincided with the US Womens Soccer Team’s semi-final match. I was there during a very special art exhibit at the Museum of Art, showcasing Rodin (of Thinker fame). My day in the city meant fitting all this in… after an evening out with the girls, we went for a fabulous French breakfast, of fruit and crepes and other yummy goodies. Following our 2 hour eating (and line waiting) extravaganza, we parted ways as I meandered the streets of downtown Montreal, with my trusty map and an IPhone to find some “culture.” With no time, I walked right past what looked to be the 5th Ave of Montreal – a shopper’s mecca. Nope – Keep walking Janine, you have art to stare at and some vibes to soak up. So I walked and come up to the 4 building complex of the Fine Art Museum – with some funky statues (haunted with “The Eye” with its hands for a face), a fantastic Chihuly red and yellow glass sculpture in front and a road maze on the street. Lovin it already! At check-in, I learn about “Metamorphoses: In Rodin’ s Studio” exhibit and how could I pass that up. Sign me up! So with my special pass, I took in hands, feet and limbs of all proportions. Saw Hell’s (Dante’s) Door, The Walking Man, saw the little ladies in the cups aka women in vessels(don’t start me on that), Eve and Meditation and the Thinker. Yeah, we have all seen reproductions of him, and maybe you saw him in Night at the Museum, but after looking at rooms of hands and feet, and limbs intertwined, seeing this enormous man striking that pose” is so grand. I circled the room at least 3 times to go back and see him again… he really looks alive. But the museum was more than Rodin, it was filled with a fantastic collection of Canadian art, a whole section on design, decorative arts & textiles (I loved the stuffed animal chair), and international contemporary art! I spent way too much time in the facility … but it was worth it. It’s a fantastic place with a great layout. The 4 interconnected building separate the collections providing a space between the art styles that allows you to feel each section individually.

Leaving the museum, I wandered the streets trying to figure out my next move. With a concert that evening, I couldn’t just take off free willy nilly… I needed to be sane with my choices. So while I wanted to head to the costume museum and the major city park, they were a 2 mile walk (each way) and it was already 4pm (told you I spent all day in the Art Museum). Instead, I wove around the streets, getting a feel for the city energy… and it was surprisingly American – HA, I stumbled across the bar hosting the USA rally for the World Cup. Flags, face paint, shirts, banners, and crazy head gear were everywhere. It was joyous. I swear team USA fans took over. After enjoying that scene I continued on only to weave some more and find Team USA’s hotel. I joined the crowds waiting for the ladies to board their bus and cheered “I Believe” as they left. So to anyone that thinks that women’s soccer doesn’t have fans, let me know, I have pictures of the blocked street, of hundreds of people lining up to bid them good luck, of little kids (boys and girls) screaming players names… this team were like rock stars to everyone there!

My journey through the streets took me around a mall, and into a city plaza and park. I got serenaded by an elaborate chime sequence, saw a domed cathedral and just missed the pouring rain (of course it rained, I was on a trip!)… I made it back to my hotel to change and head to the arena for the New Kids on the Block… my friends were there, but in the fancy seats… so I was solo concerting this round. Having seen this show a few times already, I knew what to expect, but was no less happy to be there. These guys put on one hell of a show. It’s full of energy, power, excitement, and sexiness. The only thing killing my mood was the strange area set-up and the strictest security I have ever seen. We could not move from our seat area. With a floor seat, I could not dance, nor could I move more than a few feet. There was absolutely no moving towards the stage when one of the guys reached out a hand. Boo-hiss! No worries, I still had an amazing view on the floor of a few key moments in the show, especially Joey’s Twisted dance and the Right Stuff head bob. And, of course, I had boogied my heart out at a few other shows ; they still sounded amazing here. After the show we all met up and went for much needed food (I had not eaten since brunch). On our high from seeing our favorite boy band croon to us for 2 hours, we were giddy… so we flirted unmercifully with the waiter turning him all sorts of shades of red. Poor guy had no idea what he was in for when we walked in. And while the morning was filled with sweets and fruits, dinner served us yummy yummy MEAT. Ribs, steaks and lobsters, oh my. We were not kidding with a fancy girls night out.

I stayed up all night with my friends because at 3:30 am, we left to take me to the airport. Ahh, the glories of a 6am flight… why do I do that? It is cruel and usual punishment. Good thing customs was a simple process because I know I was not working on all cylinders. Just hope that the picture from that machine for processing was destroyed after it was used… cuz, damn, did I look tired.