Mayflowers might bring Pilgrims, but June showers brought US!

Despite the rain and somewhat chilly temps, our trip to Cape Cod was a great success! Contributing greatly to that success was our bus driver, Etta, who, in addition to being incredibly skillful, was a joy to spend time with. Thanks again Etta!!

The accommodations at the Sandwich Motor Resort were very good and I would not hesitate to stay there again. I will admit to a little trepidation because of some not-so-flattering reviews on the Internet, but I made some advance phone calls and was assured that I would be pleased with the resort. What I experienced was an efficient staff, clean rooms, plentiful coffee and breakfast items, and an overall welcoming atmosphere. Just goes to show that you shouldn't rely solely on what you read on the Internet.

This was my first visit to Cape Cod, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I did think I would see more beaches and lighthouses, but it's hard to cram the entire area into just a few days. Had the skies been bluer, I'm sure I would have come home with lots of beautiful photos, but I managed to get a few fairly good ones that at least capture the essence of the Cape.

We stayed in Sandwich, the oldest town in Cape Cod, located in what is considered the Upper Cape. There are a total of 17 towns in Cape Cod; Hyannis, where the Kennedy compound is located, is considered the hub. The JFK Museum was much smaller than I expected, with a lot of the small space dedicated to Jackie and her fashions.

Our local tour guide, Sandra, showed us the highlights during her three days with us and she shared lots of interesting trivia. Having never heard of beach plum jelly, I came home with a few jars based on Sandra's recommendation. Yup, it's pretty good stuff! I'm also now officially addicted to dried cranberries.

I enjoyed our day in Provincetown where the Pilgrim Monument is located. Lots of interesting, artsy, funky shops and it's a great place to sit and people watch. After hiking up the steep road to reach the monument, I decided I didn't need to also climb the 116 steps to get to the top. The monument, at 252 feet, is the tallest all-granite structure in the United States. The Pilgrims actually spent five weeks considering Cape Cod as their home before deciding to sail across Cape Cod Bay, where they found a more protected area to settle at Plymouth. Plymouth Rock is surprisingly small. I was expecting a huge, honking boulder, but it's just a pretty average looking rock. (Yes, I took a picture of it anyway!)

Our visit to Martha's Vineyard, via a 35-minute ferry ride, included Edgartown where the houses and gardens are absolutely beautiful. Lucky are those living right on the water in the homes of former whaling captains!

The little gingerbread houses in Oak Bluffs were cute and charming, but once you're done viewing them, there's not much else to do in the area. Let's face it—you can only shop for souvenirs for so long before you get shopped out.

Next visit to Cape Cod will include a trip to Nantucket and, hopefully, a bit more sunshine!

Another great annual trip to Baltimore Inner Harbor!

It was looking a little iffy weather-wise for our annual trek to Baltimore Inner Harbor, but the rain held off until our ride home, so we ended up with a fabulous day and the sun even made an appearance! It was a little humid, but there are plenty of air-conditioned shops and restaurants to duck into and the Water Taxi is a wonderful way to cool off.

I met up with my friend Carol Wright who lives in Baltimore and we spent the day shopping, eating, and catching up. My first visit ever to Inner Harbor was with Carol back in the mid 80's. It's hard to believe that it's been almost 30 years since Carol and I worked together at Du Pont in Wilmington. Seems like it was just yesterday...

Everything looked pretty much the same except for a new Urban Pirates attraction that I didn't remember seeing before. On checking their website, I learned that the attraction was formed by three Baltimore moms, inspired by their children's love of pirates. It seemed that everyone on the ship was having a great time, so it might be something worth checking out if you're looking for something fun to do with the kids.

On the way home Mother Nature treated us to an absolutely beautiful rainbow--the perfect end to a perfect summer day!

Next up: Our first trip to Cape Cod!!!

I made it to Carnegie Hall and I didn't even have to practice!

Took the Carnegie Hall tour on May 9 and it was a real bargain at only $10. Our guide, Beverly Stern (no relation to Isaac), is a former teacher and she really enjoys sharing her knowledge with others. The tour lasted about an hour and, while we were there, we were privileged to catch a few minutes of a rehearsal of Staatskapelle Berlin with conductor Pierre Boulez. Classical music is not my cup of tea, but sitting in that world-famous concert hall, I was absolutely mesmerized.

The Russian Tea Room is located right next door to Carnegie Hall. I was completely unimpressed with the exterior of this place. I'm not a fan of la-de-da food (i.e., high prices, small portions, and names that I usually can't pronounce with ingredients I wouldn't eat on a dare), but I thought I'd stop in to at least see what it looked like and maybe have a cup of coffee. Alas, they weren't opened yet, so I had to pass.

On the other hand, the Plaza Hotel is just GORGEOUS and I stopped inside to take a few photos. The Baccarat candelabra on display has to be seen in person to truly appreciate. When this business of mine finally takes off and I'm swimming in cash, I plan to spend several days at this joint. In the meantime, I'll have to settle for wandering the lobby doing my best impression of a gawking tourist.

Next I went to 77th Street to check out the Housing Works Thrift Shop on East 77th Street which I had read about in a recent issue of WHERE magazine. It cost me $20 in cab fare to find out that the stuff in this shop is no different than the stuff I've seen at local flea markets. Didn't see any Hermes purses or any of the other designer labels that the article had suggested might be available. Surprisingly, there were a lot of people buying a lot of stuff, including clothing and shoes. Now, I know that clothes can be laundered and dry-cleaned and what I saw on the racks appeared to be in very good condition, but I draw the line at used shoes. Ick! The good thing is that this store donates 100 percent of its profits toward housing, health care, and job training for homeless New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS. Great cause, but I'm still not buying used shoes!

Ended the afternoon by attending a performance of The Marvelous Wonderettes, an Off-Broadway musical about four high school girls getting ready for their upcoming prom. The show was upbeat and tons of fun. I was surprised to see so many men in the audience and even more surprised to see how much they were enjoying themselves.

Had a delicious meal at Frankie & Johnnie's with Georgie Mokoid, Linda Rathbone, Jean Merkel, and Gloria Congleton. Nice bunch of ladies who know how to have a good time! Hopefully Georgie will convince the rest of the ladies to join us on our July whitewater rafting trip to West Virginia!!

I'm including a photo of Times Square taken on my April 25 visit. I FINALLY got a few decent daytime shots and since I neglected to do a post from that trip, I'm including a photo here.

Have several weeks off until our sold-out trip to Baltimore Inner Harbor trip on June 13. We do this trip every year and, every year, it sells out. I'm going to do my best to stay out of the Cheesecake Factory this time.

Still trying to get the office organized from my recent move, so the time off will be put to good use.

Happy Mother's Day--enjoy the beautiful sunshine!!!

A Beautiful Day in St. Michael's, Maryland

I'm behind schedule on my posts, so today I'm trying to catch up. Went to St. Michael's, MD, on April 26, for the annual Food and Wine Festival. These folks really know how to do it right! Unfortunately, I didn't realize that they don't start the tastings until noon on Sundays, so we had to spend some time "browsing" before the vendors starting popping their corks (so to speak).

Last year the weather was cold, dreary, and rainy, but this year we were treated to beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures. This year the festival also included live entertainment in the dining tent which was a nice way to relax and cool off when the sun started feeling a little too warm.

The cooking demos are fun and interesting and at the conclusion of the demo, you get a free sample of what was made. I have to say that, while I was intrigued with the idea of Chocolate Ravioli with Goat Cheese and Baby Arugala Filling, after taking a bite, I discreetly found the nearest trash can and quietly disposed of the rest of my sample. Chocolate and peanut butter is a great combo. Chocolate and goat cheese…not so much.

What I particularly like about the St. Michael's festival is there is a separate tent that features samples of mixed drinks along with a few beer selections. I spent a great deal of time in this tent since I'm not a big wine connoisseur (most of the wine that I consume comes out of a cardboard box with a plastic tap on the side). If I have to smell it and swirl it before I drink it, it's just too much hassle.

Had less folks on this trip than I would have liked, so I'm not sure if I'll do it again next year. Take a look at this year's festival website and shoot me an e-mail if you think you'd be interested in going next year. I'll make my decision based on the number of positive responses that I get.

Next up…New York City!!!

Washington was...WINDY!!!

April 4 was our annual cherry blossom trip to Washington, DC. Between the rain earlier in the week and the high winds that started the day before, I had my doubts that there would be any blossoms left on the trees. Happily, there were plenty of beautiful trees to be seen. Unhappily, the traffic was horrendous and there were a lot more tourists than we've experienced in the past. Normally the Cherry Blossom Parade and Cherry Blossom Festival would have been held the week after our visit; however, those events were moved up a week this year to avoid conflicting with Easter. So it took us far longer than normal to arrive at the Tidal Basin area and we weren't able to drop off and pick up at the Smithsonian Castle like we usually do.

Despite those inconveniences, everyone seemed to end up enjoying themselves. I had a 12:30 reservation for a tour of the Capitol. Because of the traffic delays, I JUST made it. A couple of things I wasn't expecting: Even though I had booked my reservation online, I still had to wait to enter the building in order to go through the security checkpoint and, to my dismay, you cannot take bottled water inside with you. That meant I had to toss out an almost full bottle, in addition to the banana I was saving for my afternoon snack. They are very strict about not allowing you to bring any cans, bottles, or food of any kind inside.

Once I made it through the security checkpoint, I then had to take my reservation confirmation to the check-in desk to get my ticket, which is really a sticker that you have to wear while inside. The [very slow moving] woman at the desk gave me my sticker, I went to the back of the line that was queued up, and about five minutes later, we entered the building at almost 1 p.m. If you decide you want to take the Capitol Building tour, allow yourself plenty of "standing in line" time. Also, the entrance to the Visitors Center is around the back of the Capitol Building and there are NO signs that indicate where you go. After hoofing it from the front to the back (which is a LONG walk), I finally asked a security guard where the entrance was. If anyone from the Capitol Building is reading this, PLEASE put up a sign or two so that folks know where in the heck the entrance is!

The orientation film was OK, but I had a small child and mother sitting next to me who kept whispering to each other so I was pretty distracted by them. I noticed that there were quite a few very small children on the tour (age 5 and under). Doesn't seem like a very good idea to me to take along little kids who are most likely going to be bored out of their minds. Anyway, I didn't get a whole lot out of the tour because it was very difficult to hear our tour guide. The rotunda (which is absolutely incredible) is basically a gigantic echo chamber and there were multiple tours going on which made it even more difficult to focus on what our guide was saying. We didn't see nearly as much as I had hoped, but what we did see was pretty impressive. You can't help but look up and gawk at the ceiling as soon as you enter the rotunda. It's an interesting thing to do if you want an indoor activity, but make your reservation in advance to ensure that you are able to get in.

After the Capitol tour, I decided to follow the tunnel that connects that building with the Library of Congress (LOC) Jefferson Building. I had planned to just wander around for a few minutes on my own, but by the time I got to the main entrance (it's a pretty long walk through that tunnel), I discovered that a public tour was about the begin and I decided to join it.

There was another orientation film and then we were divided into groups and assigned a tour guide. It was much easier to hear our guide on this tour and we had more actual "tour" than at the Capitol. I would actually recommend this tour over the Capitol tour. The interior of the Jefferson Building is breathtaking. Photographs don't do it justice--you need to see the beautiful marble and mosaic tile work for yourself to truly appreciate it.

What I didn't realize is that the LOC consists of multiple buildings. I had always assumed that--what I now know to be the Jefferson Building--was THE Library of Congress.

If you ever decide that you want your very own LOC library card, go to the Madison Building with a government issued ID (e.g, passport) . It takes about ten minutes to get your card which entitles you to enter the Reading Room of the Jefferson Building. You can't actually check anything out, but it would be a pretty neat experience to sit inside that amazing room and do some reading or research. It's also worth spending a little time to check out the LOC website. Other than the fact that Art insisted on referring to the LOC as the "Li-BERRY" of Congress, he was very knowledgeable and the tour (which was free) was well worth it.

A word of caution to those of you who may have difficulty with steps: There are a lot of steps to be walked in both of these tours. The Capitol tour begins with an escalator ride, but after that, there are several flights of stairs. Not as many stairs on the LOC tour, but still plenty to be walked.

After my tours, I walked from 1st Street to 15th Street and stood in line for a LOOOONG time to get a drink. The refreshment stand was right across from the Washington monument, so I could at least do some people watching while I was waiting. By the time I got my drink, it was getting close to the time that we needed to meet the bus on 14th Street. The day went by quickly and I didn't have a chance to visit the American History Museum which recently reopened. I'm doing a Monuments by Moonlight tour on August 22, but because there are so many things to do and see in Washington, I'm also considering doing another day trip later this year. If you're interested in going to DC in the fall, please shoot me an e-mail and let me know.

GREAT SHOWS, RUDE SERVERS, EXPENSIVE CUPCAKES...NYC HAS IT ALL!!

The day started out with rain and a road detour that delayed our departure, but, happily, the rain stopped and we still made it to NYC in good time. Better yet, I was able to get a student rush ticket to see "Exit the King" with Susan Sarandon. My seat location: Front row, center for just $26.50! Student rush tickets are the best deal going. Usually you need to show your student ID at the box office; however, occasionally you can get the student rush price without ID if a show isn't selling very well or if the person at the box office decides to cut you a break. Not all theaters offer rush tickets and typically you need to pay in cash, so check the theater's policies in advance. It's always best to hit the box office as soon as the theater opens, especially for the more popular shows.

So if you've still got a college ID (and it doesn't have an expiration date), keep it in your wallet. In addition to getting rush tickets, I've used my ID to save $10 off admission to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Have a Triple A card? AARP card? Take them with you too because some places honor them as well. The Times Square Information Center, 1560 Seventh Avenue, near 46th Street, also has a ton of coupon savings offers for popular attractions and discounted tickets for Broadway shows (and decent public restrooms), so that's a good place to hit if you're looking for bargains.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Walk, walk, walk! I had planned to do the tour, but they weren't being offered due to an extended rehearsal schedule. Decided to stop for a bite to eat, so I went to Serafino at the corner of 55th and Broadway. I doubt I'll be going back. I waited patiently to be seated but was ignored by every person who worked there. A couple came in after me and was seated immediately. As politely as I could, I pointed out to the hostess that I was also waiting to be seated. She passed me off to one of the servers, I was handed a copy of their menu (but not the brunch menu which was what I really wanted), and I waited to have my drink order taken. And I waited. And I waited. Finally, a very congenial gentleman, who turned out to be the manager, came over to see if I needed anything. He was genuinely upset that no one had taken my drink order and that I had not been given the brunch menu. "Nobody leaves here not happy," he said as he rushed off to get the menu for me.

My server finally showed up and was more pleasant than the person who seated me, but after she took my order, I never saw her again. The pepper mill guy waited until I was half finished my meal before finally asking if I wanted any pepper. I was never asked if I wanted dessert. To his credit, the manager came back several times to see if I needed anything, but he just couldn't make up for the rudeness and inattentiveness of his staff. The food was adequate (it's hard to screw up an omelet) but it was just not a comfortable dining experience.

I still had plenty of time to kill before the show, so I stopped by the Pig & Whistle Pub and Restaurant on 47th Street for a drink. The bartender was visibly annoyed when I asked if he had Coors Light on tap (is it wrong to drink Coors in an Irish bar?) and he was even more annoyed when I later asked for a receipt. Won't be going back there either.

Hard to believe that the Virgin megastore has closed--Sunday was their last day. On the other hand, the Naked Cowboy doesn't seem to be suffering from the economy. He had no problem making sure that folks knew it would cost them a buck to take a photo with him and there were plenty of takers. I always wonder what he's going to do when he's past his NC prime—will he retire gracefully or get himself a fancy walker and a pair of Depends? Scary thought…

"Exit the King" was quite good. Susan Sarandon is a living legend and I was just in awe sitting ten feet from her. Lauren Ambrose ("Six Feet Under") gave what I thought was an incredible performance given the fact that her character was basically a ditzy little thing so she really had to stretch to give her some substance. Andrea Martin is funny just standing still, but she really worked for her laughs. And Geoffrey Rush, well, there's certainly no question why he won an Oscar. I snapped a quick photo of the stage after the show to give you an idea of how close I was. You aren't supposed to take photos inside a theater (not even before or after a show), so do NOT follow my bad example!

Naturally I stopped by Frankie & Johnnie's which, I'm happy to report, will remain open indefinitely and the wait staff there continues to be the best I've ever met. The one bright spot in this horrible economy is that the plan to demolish F&J and put up condos is on hold.

I also spent a few very relaxing minutes people watching in Times Square. Sitting on the steps of the new viewing platform at Duffy Square (where the TKTS ticket booth is located) is a great way to rest your feet and entertain yourself by watching the tourists.

Ended the day with a stop at the newest location of Magnolia Bakery on Sixth Avenue. They are well known for their cupcakes and I figured they must be absolutely phenomenal because there was a line snaked outside of the place. So I stood there, anticipating the world's most delicious little cakes and, after paying almost as much for a half-dozen cupcakes as I did for the show ticket, I just knew I was in for a wonderful treat. However, there are times when I'm wrong and there are times when I'm really wrong. This was a really wrong time. If I ever pay $3.50 for a single cupcake again, I would like the person nearest to me to reach over and smack me. It was a CUPCAKE for crying out loud. No better or worse than you can get from a box of Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines mix. Just WAY more expensive. Learn from my mistake folks—skip Magnolia and make a stop at the grocery store instead.

Hitting Washington for the cherry blossoms on Saturday. Fingers crossed for a rainless day!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Our first trip in 2009 was back to our favorite destination--New York City! While a couple dozen folks enjoyed a matinee performance of Jersey Boys, the remainder of the group spent the day seeing the sights in and around the city. In case you missed seeing it on New Year's Eve, the Waterford crystal ball is now on permanent display atop One Times Square and will be used to celebrate other holidays such as Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, and Halloween. Just goes to show you that there's always something new to see!

Traffic was even lighter than I had expected, so we arrived in the city in less than two hours. Even more surprising, the drive home was just as quick. There were still plenty of tourists around, but not nearly as many as before the holidays, so it was much easier to mill around Rockefeller Center and Times Square.

On this trip, I decided to head to Lower Manhattan and test out the subway system. I've always been a big fan of taxis, but I'm in the process of writing a NYC tourist guide, so I wanted to be able to speak more knowledgeably about the subway system in my book. I'm happpy to say that the experience was much easier than I had expected. The main thing is to do your homework in advance so you know which trains you need and make sure you're heading in the right direction--Uptown or Downtown. The cost is significantly less than taking a cab, but there's a trade-off as far as time waiting in the station and having to walk from the station to your ultimate destination. Make sure you're wearing practical footwear too--going up and down the subway steps in heels isn't a great idea. If you're lucky, you'll be entertained on your ride by some of the interesting characters that hop on board to serenade passengers in the hopes of earning a few tips.

Our first stop was the new Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Annex in Soho. I wouldn't put it on your "must see" list. Tickets are very expensive at $29.55 for adults, $20.88 ages 4-12, and $27.38 ages 65+. I had a discount coupon for $6 off and still felt that I had spent way too much. It takes about an hour and a half to see everything at a leisurely pace and, to be honest, there wasn't a whole lot to see that was all that interesting. There were actually more people across the street waiting in line (in the cold and snow) to get inside the Ugg store than there were at the Annex. That should have been my first clue...

On the plus side, the wireless guidePORT technology used by the Annex is pretty cool in that it recognizes where you are in relation to a specific exhibit and automatically adjusts what's playing in your headset based on where you are at that point in time. Another nice touch is that entry is timed so it's easy to move about the exhibit space. All in all though, I wouldn't rush there unless you have absolutely nothing else to do.

Our next stop was the Sports Museum of America (SmA) that opened last year. Now THIS is a place to visit! Tickets are very reasonable at $16, $13, and $9 (tax included) and you'll walk out feeling that you definitely got your money's worth. No matter what your favorite sport--or even if you're not a big sports fan--you'll be impressed by the overall layout, the quality of the exhibits (including the Heisman Trophy!), and the interactive opportunities throughout the museum. We were so impressed that we'll be offering a trip to Lower Manhattan on July 25 that will include a discounted group ticket to SmA--mark your calendar now! Special thanks to Russ Martonis, SmA Sales Associate, for taking the time to give us a personal tour of the museum.

All in all, it was another great day in New York City. Here's wishing you and your families a safe, healthy, financially secure, and happy New Year ahead!