Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Sunday, July 29, 2007
To Detroit and back
This afternoon, I returned from my road trip to the Detroit area with my family (Mom, Dad, Lori, Tita Marie, and Tito Gaddy). We attended the annual gathering of east coast and midwest members of PAUSA (Pangilenians Association of USA). This was my first time to attend such an event. I had a really good time, with only a minimum of the aggravation that inevitably comes with being cooped up with family for a few days straight. :-D
We left Chicago on Friday morning. The drive there took longer than we expected, because we ran into traffic leaving Chicago and then again as we approached Detroit, since we got there during the evening rush hour (oops). So we had just enough time to check into our hotel in Troy and get dressed before heading over to a nearby restaurant where a Hawaiian-themed dinner/dance was being held. It was fun seeing my mom and aunt meet up with people from their hometown who they hadn't seen or heard from in years. Lori and I also met some people from our generation :-) which was cool, since I was concerned that we'd be the only "young" people in attendance... I was almost certainly the oldest of the young'uns, but everyone initially thought I was still in my 20s, if not a teeneger, heh. After dinner, Lori headed off to hang out with some of our new friends, while I headed back to the hotel with the "grown-ups" (I was feeling my age and was pretty tired by that point).
On Saturday, we headed over to Metro Beach Park along the shores of Lake St. Clair, for a picnic with the PAUSA group (the main event of the whole weekend). The weather was great, there was a ton of good food, and I met some more people. After lunch, some of the "youngsters" and I walked over to the beach which was populated with seagulls and Canada geese (!) then headed back to the picnic area for some fun and games, photo opps, and more food. The picnic went on till sundown, then we headed back to the hotel to rest for a little while. Around midnight, Kevin (one of our new pals, who lives in Detroit) picked up my sister, me, and two of Kevin's cousins, and we headed into downtown Detroit for some late-night sightseeing. We saw Ford Field, Comerica Park, Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Center, Hart Plaza, and the Spirit of Detroit. We also got to see the Windsor, Ontario skyline, and we drove through Detroit's Greektown. After our little excursion, we grabbed a bite to eat at Steak & Shake and then got back to the hotel around 3am. :-) It was a good time, and Kevin now has a "tour route" that he can use for future Detroit visitors, hehe.
Today's drive back to Chicago wasn't quite as long as the drive out, although we still hit traffic heading into the city (I think a White Sox game let out just as we were driving through the south side... great timing). I had fun spending quality time with the family, and meeting new friends, but it feels good to be back home. Too bad I have to go back to work tomorrow. :-P
Here are a few pics... I will post more once I get access to the ones from my mom's and/or Kevin's cameras.
The PAUSA members
Egg game
In front of Comerica Park
Windsor, Ontario skyline
Mimicking the Underground Railroad statue
We left Chicago on Friday morning. The drive there took longer than we expected, because we ran into traffic leaving Chicago and then again as we approached Detroit, since we got there during the evening rush hour (oops). So we had just enough time to check into our hotel in Troy and get dressed before heading over to a nearby restaurant where a Hawaiian-themed dinner/dance was being held. It was fun seeing my mom and aunt meet up with people from their hometown who they hadn't seen or heard from in years. Lori and I also met some people from our generation :-) which was cool, since I was concerned that we'd be the only "young" people in attendance... I was almost certainly the oldest of the young'uns, but everyone initially thought I was still in my 20s, if not a teeneger, heh. After dinner, Lori headed off to hang out with some of our new friends, while I headed back to the hotel with the "grown-ups" (I was feeling my age and was pretty tired by that point).
On Saturday, we headed over to Metro Beach Park along the shores of Lake St. Clair, for a picnic with the PAUSA group (the main event of the whole weekend). The weather was great, there was a ton of good food, and I met some more people. After lunch, some of the "youngsters" and I walked over to the beach which was populated with seagulls and Canada geese (!) then headed back to the picnic area for some fun and games, photo opps, and more food. The picnic went on till sundown, then we headed back to the hotel to rest for a little while. Around midnight, Kevin (one of our new pals, who lives in Detroit) picked up my sister, me, and two of Kevin's cousins, and we headed into downtown Detroit for some late-night sightseeing. We saw Ford Field, Comerica Park, Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Center, Hart Plaza, and the Spirit of Detroit. We also got to see the Windsor, Ontario skyline, and we drove through Detroit's Greektown. After our little excursion, we grabbed a bite to eat at Steak & Shake and then got back to the hotel around 3am. :-) It was a good time, and Kevin now has a "tour route" that he can use for future Detroit visitors, hehe.
Today's drive back to Chicago wasn't quite as long as the drive out, although we still hit traffic heading into the city (I think a White Sox game let out just as we were driving through the south side... great timing). I had fun spending quality time with the family, and meeting new friends, but it feels good to be back home. Too bad I have to go back to work tomorrow. :-P
Here are a few pics... I will post more once I get access to the ones from my mom's and/or Kevin's cameras.
The PAUSA members
Egg game
In front of Comerica Park
Windsor, Ontario skyline
Mimicking the Underground Railroad statue
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Map time
Just updating my visited states map to reflect my recent Seattle trip. :)
create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.
create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Seattle trip: The (longer-than-expected) voyage home
Well, I'm back home in Chicago! My trip home was a little longer than anticipated but at least I got home safe and sound. The day started off with a traffic jam heading into Seattle airport. Luckily I had left the hotel with plenty of time to spare. Then I managed to miss the ramp to the rental car return area *twice* (it was marked, but due to road construction the entrance to the ramp was partly obscured by cones and barriers). Anyway, I eventually was able to return my car, check in for my flight, go through the (slow) security line, and grab some lunch while I waited to board. Due to storms in Chicago, boarding was delayed about 30 minutes. That wasn't so bad, but then we had to wait on the tarmac for another hour (ugh). Finally we took off, and the flight went pretty smoothly from there, aside from some turbulence as we flew through storm clouds approaching Chicago; this elicited some screams from the elderly ladies seated near me, and the little kids sitting towards the back of the plane (I was jostled awake from my nap, but I've been through worse bumps in flight). After landing I made my way to the CTA station and boarded the train home, which itself was delayed due to track construction along the Blue Line. So, about 2.5 hours later than I had expected, I'm home. :-)
Aside from the slight delays getting home, I had a really good time on my Seattle trip. Here are a few of my lasting impressions of the city:
- So. Many. Trees! And mountains. And bodies of water. There's a lot of topography in/around Seattle that we just don't have here in Chicago!
- The roads are kind of confusing, partly due to point #1, but also because of the naming/numbering scheme. I got lost a few more times than is typical for me. :-P
- It only rained one day during my four day trip. So much for that preconceived notion. :-)
Thank you again to Suzanne and Dave for their hospitality and company over the weekend! I got to experience a lot of Seattle with their guidance, but there's still lots more to see, and I'm looking forward to my next trip there.
Of course, I took many photos, some of which I posted in previous entries, but more of which can be found here:
Monday, June 25, 2007
Seattle trip: Rainy day and Monday
After a busy day hanging out with Suzanne and her family, I decided to take it relatively easy yesterday, which worked out because the weather was not very pleasant - chilly and off-and-on rainy most of the day. I started off the day at the Bellevue Square shopping mall where I bought a bunch of souvenirs for family and a couple items for myself. :-) Next, I ventured over to Redmond to catch a glimpse of the Microsoft campus. Finally, I drove back the other way on 502 to University Village, an outdoor mall near the University of Washington campus. I got a bit lost on the way back :-) but otherwise, it was a nice little road trip. The rest of the day and evening I just spent relaxing in my hotel room.
Inside Bellevue Square
Today, Dave (Teknodave) picked me up from my hotel shortly after 8am for a full day of sightseeing. We started off by heading over to Snoqualmie Falls. In addition to the falls, we also saw the lodge that was featured in the tv series Twin Peaks some years back. Next we drove through North Bend and then back up through Seattle. We stopped at the Ballard Locks and watched a few boats go through. Our next stop was Gasworks Park where I took more pics of the Seattle skyline. Next we saw the Fremont Troll, a neat sculpture situated under an overpass. Also in Fremont we saw a statue of Lenin, and "the center of the universe" (hehe). Eventually we ended up in northern Seattle where we had lunch at Wedgwood Broiler (very tasty burgers).
Snoqualmie Falls
Me and the Fremont Troll
After lunch, we hit the road again and drove down towards Puyallup hoping to catch a glimpse of Mount Rainier. As luck would have it, the fluffy clouds parted just enough for us to see the peak of the mountain as we drove into Orting. We grabbed some smoothies at Emerald City Smoothies then drove back towards Seattle, this time heading into the west side of town. We drove along the waterfront for a while and stopped a few times for some photo opps, including a few more shots of Mt. Rainier, whose peak was now in full view as the skies cleared even more.
Mount Rainier
We crossed back into downtown Seattle and visited Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle and other attractions. The weather was now really clear so I got some nice shots of Seattle and vicinity from atop the Space Needle, including more pics of Mt. Rainier (since we have no mountains in Chicagoland I had to get my fill of mountain peak photos here, heh). We also checked out International Fountain and got misted upon by some of the higher-flying water jets. After leaving Seattle Center, Dave took me into the Capital Hill neighborhood, where we visited Volunteer Park, including a trip up the old water tower (100+ steps!) where I took more scenery photos. Finally, we grabbed dinner at Dick's Drive-In and headed back to Bellevue where Dave dropped me off at my hotel.
View of downtown and Mt. Rainier from the Needle
Space Needle and International Fountain
It was a very full and fun day, and I greatly appreciate Dave taking time out of his long weekend to drive me all over the Seattle area! My camera and I got quite a workout but it was definitely worth it. :-D
Me and Dave, exhausted :-)
Inside Bellevue Square
Today, Dave (Teknodave) picked me up from my hotel shortly after 8am for a full day of sightseeing. We started off by heading over to Snoqualmie Falls. In addition to the falls, we also saw the lodge that was featured in the tv series Twin Peaks some years back. Next we drove through North Bend and then back up through Seattle. We stopped at the Ballard Locks and watched a few boats go through. Our next stop was Gasworks Park where I took more pics of the Seattle skyline. Next we saw the Fremont Troll, a neat sculpture situated under an overpass. Also in Fremont we saw a statue of Lenin, and "the center of the universe" (hehe). Eventually we ended up in northern Seattle where we had lunch at Wedgwood Broiler (very tasty burgers).
Snoqualmie Falls
Me and the Fremont Troll
After lunch, we hit the road again and drove down towards Puyallup hoping to catch a glimpse of Mount Rainier. As luck would have it, the fluffy clouds parted just enough for us to see the peak of the mountain as we drove into Orting. We grabbed some smoothies at Emerald City Smoothies then drove back towards Seattle, this time heading into the west side of town. We drove along the waterfront for a while and stopped a few times for some photo opps, including a few more shots of Mt. Rainier, whose peak was now in full view as the skies cleared even more.
Mount Rainier
We crossed back into downtown Seattle and visited Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle and other attractions. The weather was now really clear so I got some nice shots of Seattle and vicinity from atop the Space Needle, including more pics of Mt. Rainier (since we have no mountains in Chicagoland I had to get my fill of mountain peak photos here, heh). We also checked out International Fountain and got misted upon by some of the higher-flying water jets. After leaving Seattle Center, Dave took me into the Capital Hill neighborhood, where we visited Volunteer Park, including a trip up the old water tower (100+ steps!) where I took more scenery photos. Finally, we grabbed dinner at Dick's Drive-In and headed back to Bellevue where Dave dropped me off at my hotel.
View of downtown and Mt. Rainier from the Needle
Space Needle and International Fountain
It was a very full and fun day, and I greatly appreciate Dave taking time out of his long weekend to drive me all over the Seattle area! My camera and I got quite a workout but it was definitely worth it. :-D
Me and Dave, exhausted :-)
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Seattle trip: Island hopping
Yesterday I hung out with my friend Suzanne and her family, who live on picturesque Bainbridge Island, across Puget Sound from Seattle. I picked up my rental car in the morning and drove into downtown Seattle and onto the Bainbridge Island Ferry - the first time I ever drove onto a boat! I took a bunch of photos of the Seattle skyline and waterfront while I was on the ferry (it was about a 30-minute ride).
The Seattle-Bainbridge ferry
Once we docked on Bainbridge, I headed off to meet Suzanne at her beauty products shop (Ambrosia Beauty). She was there with her two adorable kids (PJ and Charlotte) and her friend Ariel and Ariel's two equally adorable children. I got a brief tour of the shop, then headed over with the gang to the toy store next door. Afterwards we all headed up the street to have lunch at a little Mexican restaurant. I had a great time catching up with Suzanne. We hadn't seen each other since she rolled off the project we were both working at in Alabama almost five years ago.
Suzanne in front of her shop
After lunch, we headed over to a cute little candy store where I bought a few items (someone I know will surely enjoy the chocolate espresso beans I picked up, hehe). Then we parted ways with Ariel and her kids, and I followed Suzanne back to her lovely home along the northwest coast of the island. Words cannot describe how beautiful her family's house is! It's like something straight out of a Restoration Hardware catalog. :-) Anyway, we hung out, played with the kids, and chatted some more before deciding to head back to Seattle for dinner, where we would meet up with Suzanne's husband Pat, a pilot who was flying back in from California.
Suzanne & Pat's backyard
We went to this awesome Asian fusion restaurant in downtown Seattle called Wild Ginger. It was crowded, but we managed to find a few seats in the bar area. Pat was running late so Suzanne and I had to keep fending off people who wanted to take his chair, LOL. Anyway, the food was sooo good. We got a bunch of satays (lamb skewers, prawns, and these amazing bbq short ribs) and a seven-flavor beef entree. I also had a yummy mango daiquiri that tasted more like a smoothie than an alcoholic drink. It was a great end to a fun day. Many thanks to Suzanne and her family for spending part of their weekend hanging out with me!
Me and Suzanne at Wild Ginger
Today I plan to do some shopping in/around Bellevue, and if I'm feeling adventurous I may try to drive over to Microsoft HQ in Redmond, just to be able to say I saw it. :-) Pics to come...
Edit: Pics added!
The Seattle-Bainbridge ferry
Once we docked on Bainbridge, I headed off to meet Suzanne at her beauty products shop (Ambrosia Beauty). She was there with her two adorable kids (PJ and Charlotte) and her friend Ariel and Ariel's two equally adorable children. I got a brief tour of the shop, then headed over with the gang to the toy store next door. Afterwards we all headed up the street to have lunch at a little Mexican restaurant. I had a great time catching up with Suzanne. We hadn't seen each other since she rolled off the project we were both working at in Alabama almost five years ago.
Suzanne in front of her shop
After lunch, we headed over to a cute little candy store where I bought a few items (someone I know will surely enjoy the chocolate espresso beans I picked up, hehe). Then we parted ways with Ariel and her kids, and I followed Suzanne back to her lovely home along the northwest coast of the island. Words cannot describe how beautiful her family's house is! It's like something straight out of a Restoration Hardware catalog. :-) Anyway, we hung out, played with the kids, and chatted some more before deciding to head back to Seattle for dinner, where we would meet up with Suzanne's husband Pat, a pilot who was flying back in from California.
Suzanne & Pat's backyard
We went to this awesome Asian fusion restaurant in downtown Seattle called Wild Ginger. It was crowded, but we managed to find a few seats in the bar area. Pat was running late so Suzanne and I had to keep fending off people who wanted to take his chair, LOL. Anyway, the food was sooo good. We got a bunch of satays (lamb skewers, prawns, and these amazing bbq short ribs) and a seven-flavor beef entree. I also had a yummy mango daiquiri that tasted more like a smoothie than an alcoholic drink. It was a great end to a fun day. Many thanks to Suzanne and her family for spending part of their weekend hanging out with me!
Me and Suzanne at Wild Ginger
Today I plan to do some shopping in/around Bellevue, and if I'm feeling adventurous I may try to drive over to Microsoft HQ in Redmond, just to be able to say I saw it. :-) Pics to come...
Edit: Pics added!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Seattle trip: Greetings from the Emerald City
I'm in Seattle! Well, technically, I am in Bellevue, which is the town where my hotel is located. My flight went smoothly and arrived on time (and I even got upgraded to an exit row in Economy Plus - not that I really needed the extra legroom, but it was a nice little bonus anyway). Teknodave was kind enough to give me a ride from Sea-Tac airport to my hotel, saving me cab fare or a day's car rental. I will be picking up a rental car tomorrow morning though from a nearby Avis. Then I will be heading over to meet my friend/former co-worker Suzanne and her family, who live on Bainbridge Island. Apparently I need to take a ferry to get there. :-) I'll get the details in the morning. Speaking of, I should get to bed, since it's almost 2am here (meaning 4am Chicago time... though I did nap for about two hours on the plane).
Friday, June 01, 2007
Summer vacation plans!
Well, I have decided to follow the results of the survey which my vast readership (ha) responded to, and will be going to Seattle for four days at the end of next month. I'll arrive there late in the evening on Friday, June 22, and will return on Tuesday, June 26. I will be staying at a hotel in Bellevue.
I've never been to Seattle before, so I'm excited. I'll be going alone, which will be interesting, but I do have some acquaintances there, including a former co-worker, and a couple of online friends, so hopefully I'll get to hang out with them during my stay.
I've never been to Seattle before, so I'm excited. I'll be going alone, which will be interesting, but I do have some acquaintances there, including a former co-worker, and a couple of online friends, so hopefully I'll get to hang out with them during my stay.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Where oh where
So I requested the last week of June off as vacation from work, and my request was approved (yay!) so now I'm wondering where I should travel to, or if I should just stay home and chill for a week. I could try to hit up Seattle, which I had hoped to visit last summer but it didn't work out. Or, I could visit relatives in either San Diego, San Fran, or DC. Or I could check out some other town. It'll probably have to be within the lower 48 or Canada though, since I'll only have one week off. :-)
So tell me... Where do you suggest I should go?
So tell me... Where do you suggest I should go?
Monday, July 31, 2006
NYC trip: That's a wrap
And I'm home from NYC! My flight back to Chicago was on time and very smooth. The only slight snafu was that there wasn't enough room on the plane for everyone's carry-on luggage so some people (including me) had to check their larger carry-on bags. No biggie.
I didn't get to see any shows while in NYC, but other than that my mini-vacation was pretty satisfying. :-) Some things I learned/experienced on this trip:
- Newark Airport is one of the nicer airports I've ever flown into/out of, and it's very easy to get from the airport to midtown Manhattan.
- Staying at a hotel near a subway stop is very helpful. Also, NYC subways are pretty easy to navigate (not much trickier than Chicago's).
- It turns out that the side pockets of my camera bag can hold a small bottle of water. This was essential during the hot and humid afternoons!
- I don't understand modern art, but some pieces are really cool to look at even if they defy explanation.
- While "free-forming" a weekend schedule keeps things interesting and usually works out fine, I still prefer planning things out ahead of time. :-)
As always, I took a bunch of photos. Check out my NYC photo album on Flickr!
Many thanks to Brian, Mel, and Greg for showing me around town this weekend! I'd love to visit NYC again and maybe even explore some boroughs other than Manhattan. :-) Now to figure out if I'm gonna be able to take another trip before school starts back up in September...
Sunday, July 30, 2006
NYC trip: Uptown, downtown
I finally got into NYC late Friday night after a lengthy delay. I took the NJTransit train from Newark airport to NY Penn Station and walked two blocks to my hotel on 32nd St. Since it was past midnight already, I just called it a night after letting my mom and my Manhattanite friends know that I had finally arrived safely.
On Saturday I spent most of the day roaming around midtown Manhattan, doing some shopping (mostly of the window variety :-)). I was hoping to meet up with Brian in the early evening, but he had to run some errands with his girlfriend so we didn't meet up till about 11pm. However, the wait was worth it as we hit up a Korean bbq spot on the same block as my hotel. We had a good meal (bulgogi, mmm) and caught up on lots of stuff. We've kept in touch via e-mail but I hadn't actually seen Brian since he left Chicagoland for law school in Philly four years ago.
Sunday morning I took my first NY subway ride up to the Rockefeller Center area to attend mass at St. Patrick's cathedral. Afterwards I phoned Melissa V. and set up a brunch meeting in Union Square. We caught up and lamented our single status over a nice meal at a coffee shop next to Union Square Park. :-) We then rode the subway back uptown to meet Brian at MoMA.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
At the museum we wandered around aimlessly for a bit until we got the brilliant idea to pick up a museum map, heh. There was some neat and famous artwork on display but I must confess that I don't really "get" most modern art. Anyway, we wrapped up our MoMA visit by checking out the sculpture garden and chatting over some gelato.
OOF? Or GOOF? :-) (Brian at MoMA)
Melissa and me
I parted ways with B and M and headed back to midtown to do a bit of souvenir shopping and to recharge for a little while at the hotel before heading down to Chelsea to meet up with Greg. He and his partner Mitch took me to dinner at a neat little Italian place called Tello's (I had penne con meat balls, very tasty). We walked off the meal by trekking through Chelsea to the waterfront, stopping to rest at Christopher St. Pier, and continuing on through Greenwich Village. After a stop at Rafaella Café for some dessert, we walked back to Greg & Mitch's neighborhood where I caught a cab back to the hotel.
Greg and me
While the weekend got off to a frustrating and slow start, it has turned out to be a lot of fun. It was great hanging out with my friends and seeing more of the city. Here's hoping my flight back home tomorrow goes more smoothly than Friday's ordeal!
On Saturday I spent most of the day roaming around midtown Manhattan, doing some shopping (mostly of the window variety :-)). I was hoping to meet up with Brian in the early evening, but he had to run some errands with his girlfriend so we didn't meet up till about 11pm. However, the wait was worth it as we hit up a Korean bbq spot on the same block as my hotel. We had a good meal (bulgogi, mmm) and caught up on lots of stuff. We've kept in touch via e-mail but I hadn't actually seen Brian since he left Chicagoland for law school in Philly four years ago.
Sunday morning I took my first NY subway ride up to the Rockefeller Center area to attend mass at St. Patrick's cathedral. Afterwards I phoned Melissa V. and set up a brunch meeting in Union Square. We caught up and lamented our single status over a nice meal at a coffee shop next to Union Square Park. :-) We then rode the subway back uptown to meet Brian at MoMA.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
At the museum we wandered around aimlessly for a bit until we got the brilliant idea to pick up a museum map, heh. There was some neat and famous artwork on display but I must confess that I don't really "get" most modern art. Anyway, we wrapped up our MoMA visit by checking out the sculpture garden and chatting over some gelato.
OOF? Or GOOF? :-) (Brian at MoMA)
Melissa and me
I parted ways with B and M and headed back to midtown to do a bit of souvenir shopping and to recharge for a little while at the hotel before heading down to Chelsea to meet up with Greg. He and his partner Mitch took me to dinner at a neat little Italian place called Tello's (I had penne con meat balls, very tasty). We walked off the meal by trekking through Chelsea to the waterfront, stopping to rest at Christopher St. Pier, and continuing on through Greenwich Village. After a stop at Rafaella Café for some dessert, we walked back to Greg & Mitch's neighborhood where I caught a cab back to the hotel.
Greg and me
While the weekend got off to a frustrating and slow start, it has turned out to be a lot of fun. It was great hanging out with my friends and seeing more of the city. Here's hoping my flight back home tomorrow goes more smoothly than Friday's ordeal!
Friday, July 28, 2006
NYC trip: Off to a fine start
My original flight into Newark this morning was cancelled (ugh) so I'm now booked on a flight that is scheduled to get in around 8:30pm tonight. So much for my plans to check out MOMA this afternoon/evening. On the bright side, at least I found out about the cancellation before I left home, so I'm not stuck at the airport for several hours.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Start spreading the news
In just over 12 hours (barring unforeseen flight delays) I'll be en route to NYC for the weekend. I'm looking forward to lots of sightseeing, catching up with friends, and taking lots of photos. :-) My knee is feeling better from Tuesday's procedure, so it shouldn't keep me from fully enjoying the weekend (I'll just have to remember to change the bandage regularly). Hopefully it won't be too hot, although the forecast on weather.com isn't looking too encouraging. :-) Anyway, I'll be sure to report back on my Manhattan adventure when I return (and I may even try to post to the travelblog occasionally while I'm away).
[cross-posted to my LJ and my travelblog]
[cross-posted to my LJ and my travelblog]
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Destination: Big Apple
My travel plans to NYC are set! I'll be there from July 28-31, flying into and out of Newark, and I've reserved a hotel room in Midtown Manhattan in case I'm not able to crash at my friend/former co-worker Brian's apartment. I don't really have a set itinerary of stuff to do while I'm there. I hope to hang out with Brian and/or my childhood friend Mel, who both live and work in Manhattan. There's also a promising new musical called Spring Awakening that "New Yorker extraordinaire" (hehe) Greg has told me about. I would also like to check out the Museum of Modern Art, which I did not get to see the first time I was in NYC (two summers ago). Other than that I'll probably just roam about Manhattan, do some window shopping, take random photos, and such. I'm excited already! :-)
Saturday, May 06, 2006
IU baby one more time
I've just returned home from a trip to Bloomington, Indiana, to attend my sister Lori's graduation from Indiana U. with a bachelor's in elementary ed (woohoo!). I drove down yesterday with my parents and grandma. Traffic was really bad along I-80/94 on the way there due to construction. Our trip took about one hour longer than usual. When we got there Lori and her roommate Clarissa had a yummy dinner waiting for us and we had fun chatting and relaxing for a bit, then we headed over to our hotel room (Motel 6 - they left the light on for us ;-)) for some shut-eye. Unfortunately I did not get a whole lot of shut-eye, as both of my parents plus my grandma burst into a cacophony of snores before I fell asleep. :-P My grandma even talked in her sleep a few times (in a conversational tone, even... it was like she was chatting on the phone with a friend in her dreams, LOL). Anyway, I was a little cranky this morning but after breakfast at McD's I was in better spirits.
The graduation ceremony at IU's Assembly Hall was very nice. The keynote speaker was Michael Uslan, IU alum and the man behind the Batman movies. The Assembly Hall was packed to the rafters. After the ceremony it took a little while to locate my sister, Rho, Jaclyn, Ben, and my mom and grandma (they were seated apart from my dad and me, in an accessible area since my grandma can't handle too many stairs) but eventually we all got together and found Lori's roommate Clarissa and her family and fiance. After some photo-taking (picture! picture!) we headed over to Lori and Clarissa's apartment for another home-cooked meal, this time spaghetti with spinach salad and garlic bread, with chocolate pie for dessert (yum). After commiserating with Clarissa's family, we headed back onto the road for our trip home, which thankfully went a little quicker than our drive down yesterday.
So, this was probably my last trip down to Indiana University, at least to visit my sister. It's a really nice campus so if the opportunity arises I wouldn't mind driving down there again some time. But preferably not until after the road construction on 80/94 is done. ;-)
The graduation ceremony at IU's Assembly Hall was very nice. The keynote speaker was Michael Uslan, IU alum and the man behind the Batman movies. The Assembly Hall was packed to the rafters. After the ceremony it took a little while to locate my sister, Rho, Jaclyn, Ben, and my mom and grandma (they were seated apart from my dad and me, in an accessible area since my grandma can't handle too many stairs) but eventually we all got together and found Lori's roommate Clarissa and her family and fiance. After some photo-taking (picture! picture!) we headed over to Lori and Clarissa's apartment for another home-cooked meal, this time spaghetti with spinach salad and garlic bread, with chocolate pie for dessert (yum). After commiserating with Clarissa's family, we headed back onto the road for our trip home, which thankfully went a little quicker than our drive down yesterday.
So, this was probably my last trip down to Indiana University, at least to visit my sister. It's a really nice campus so if the opportunity arises I wouldn't mind driving down there again some time. But preferably not until after the road construction on 80/94 is done. ;-)
Sunday, January 15, 2006
St. Louis wrap-up
I'm back home from my St. Louis trip. The flight home was uneventful... I slept for most of it, hehe. I did end up dropping over $40 (including tip) on a cab from my hotel to the STL airport though. Good thing I stopped at the ATM last night, since the cab driver said he didn't take credit cards on Sundays.
On Flickr I've posted a bunch of skating championships photos and general sightseeing photos from my trip.
Overall I had a great time in St. Louis, watching the skating, doing some sightseeing, and visiting with friends. I wasn't sure if my decision not to get a rental car would hamper me, but most everything I wanted to see was within walking distance or a Metrolink ride away from my hotel, so it turned out fine. And now I can add Missouri to my "visited states" map! :-)
create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.
On Flickr I've posted a bunch of skating championships photos and general sightseeing photos from my trip.
Overall I had a great time in St. Louis, watching the skating, doing some sightseeing, and visiting with friends. I wasn't sure if my decision not to get a rental car would hamper me, but most everything I wanted to see was within walking distance or a Metrolink ride away from my hotel, so it turned out fine. And now I can add Missouri to my "visited states" map! :-)
create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
St. Louis day 3
I made my way to the Gateway Arch this morning. My plan was to hop on the Metrolink to the Arch and take the tram up to the top by 11am, take photos, grab lunch somewhere, and get to Savvis Center by 1pm. I did arrive at the Arch by 11, but my grand plan was thwarted as the first available tram ride was scheduled for 12:15 (oops). Still, I decided to wait around, since I was there anyway, and I wouldn't be too disappointed to miss the first group of skaters at the men's long program event. So, I walked around the Museum of Westward Expansion exhibits before queueing up for the tram ride up. Once up top, I took some scenery photos while trying to not fall down on the curved floor. :-)
The Gateway Arch
View from the top of the Arch
I hustled back to the Metrolink after leaving the Arch and made it to Savvis Center shortly after 1pm. Turns out that the men's event started a few minutes late so I didn't miss anything after all, although I didn't have a chance to get lunch beforehand (I made do with a soft pretzel later). The skating was mostly just so-so until the final group. The top four all skated inspired programs that drew standing ovations. Two of my fellow native-Illinoisans, Evan Lysacek and Matt Savoie, finished second and third and will be on the Olympic team with the US champ, Johnny Weir. Michael Weiss ended up in fourth but also gave a strong performance.
The ladies' event wasn't quite as well-skated, but Sasha Cohen won with a nice program that only had a couple of minor stumbles out of jumps. Kimmie Meissner moved up from 4th place to take the silver by landing more triples than anyone, although I didn't much care for her program. Emily Hughes (sister of Sarah) had some mistakes and dropped to third. After the event, I found my SkateFan friends Erik and Catherine and we watched the medal ceremonies for both the ladies and the men. Several of the SkateFan folks headed off to dinner, but since they were going to eat near their hotel which was in the opposite direction of mine, I opted to say my farewells at this point and headed back to my hotel. It was great to see them this weekend though.
Sasha Cohen receives her awards
Tomorrow my flight home is scheduled to depart around 2:30pm. I think I'll be taking a cab since there is a service disruption on the St. Louis Metrolink due to construction that would necessitate me transfering to a bus between two intermediate stations, and I don't want to have to schlep my bags off the train and onto a bus and back onto the train again. :-P Aside from that though, I have to say that the Metrolink was very comfortable and clean, as was most of the downtown St. Louis area that I saw.
The Gateway Arch
View from the top of the Arch
I hustled back to the Metrolink after leaving the Arch and made it to Savvis Center shortly after 1pm. Turns out that the men's event started a few minutes late so I didn't miss anything after all, although I didn't have a chance to get lunch beforehand (I made do with a soft pretzel later). The skating was mostly just so-so until the final group. The top four all skated inspired programs that drew standing ovations. Two of my fellow native-Illinoisans, Evan Lysacek and Matt Savoie, finished second and third and will be on the Olympic team with the US champ, Johnny Weir. Michael Weiss ended up in fourth but also gave a strong performance.
The ladies' event wasn't quite as well-skated, but Sasha Cohen won with a nice program that only had a couple of minor stumbles out of jumps. Kimmie Meissner moved up from 4th place to take the silver by landing more triples than anyone, although I didn't much care for her program. Emily Hughes (sister of Sarah) had some mistakes and dropped to third. After the event, I found my SkateFan friends Erik and Catherine and we watched the medal ceremonies for both the ladies and the men. Several of the SkateFan folks headed off to dinner, but since they were going to eat near their hotel which was in the opposite direction of mine, I opted to say my farewells at this point and headed back to my hotel. It was great to see them this weekend though.
Sasha Cohen receives her awards
Tomorrow my flight home is scheduled to depart around 2:30pm. I think I'll be taking a cab since there is a service disruption on the St. Louis Metrolink due to construction that would necessitate me transfering to a bus between two intermediate stations, and I don't want to have to schlep my bags off the train and onto a bus and back onto the train again. :-P Aside from that though, I have to say that the Metrolink was very comfortable and clean, as was most of the downtown St. Louis area that I saw.
Friday, January 13, 2006
St. Louis day 2
Today I had lunch with my UIUC engineering classmate Diane who lives in the St. Louis area. We met up at the Houlihan's in Union Station. It was nice to catch up. We hadn't seen each other since our friends Steve and Sarah's wedding back in 2003.
Diane and me at Houlihan's
My left ankle was still in pain from the new boots this morning, unfortunately. Yesterday I had noticed that the Foot Locker store in Union Station was having a sale, so today after lunch I stopped in and ended up buying a pair of casual sneakers. :-) They felt very comfortable, and I didn't have a pair of casual (as opposed to athletic) sneakers yet anyway, so it was $40 well-spent, hehe.
After chilling at the hotel for a bit I ventured back out to Savvis Center for more skating action. It was snowing and windy so it was a brisk walk. :-P The first event was the senior pairs final. I sat with my fellow skatefans (including Erik, Liz, Sylvia, Catherine, and Jessica) for the last three groups. The winners, Rena Inoue & John Baldwin, landed a throw triple axel - the first one done in competition by any pair in the world. It was quite a feat, and they received a huge standing ovation from the crowd.
I grabbed a hot dog for dinner then went back to my assigned seat for the senior ice dance final. As expected, Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto (who's from Chicago!) won easily, but a number of other top teams turned in strong and entertaining performances that got loud ovations. After the event I stuck around for the medal ceremonies for senior ice dance, junior ladies, and senior pairs.
Senior pairs medalists
Tomorrow I plan to check out the Gateway Arch. The weather is supposed to be nicer so I hope to get some good photos!
Diane and me at Houlihan's
My left ankle was still in pain from the new boots this morning, unfortunately. Yesterday I had noticed that the Foot Locker store in Union Station was having a sale, so today after lunch I stopped in and ended up buying a pair of casual sneakers. :-) They felt very comfortable, and I didn't have a pair of casual (as opposed to athletic) sneakers yet anyway, so it was $40 well-spent, hehe.
After chilling at the hotel for a bit I ventured back out to Savvis Center for more skating action. It was snowing and windy so it was a brisk walk. :-P The first event was the senior pairs final. I sat with my fellow skatefans (including Erik, Liz, Sylvia, Catherine, and Jessica) for the last three groups. The winners, Rena Inoue & John Baldwin, landed a throw triple axel - the first one done in competition by any pair in the world. It was quite a feat, and they received a huge standing ovation from the crowd.
I grabbed a hot dog for dinner then went back to my assigned seat for the senior ice dance final. As expected, Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto (who's from Chicago!) won easily, but a number of other top teams turned in strong and entertaining performances that got loud ovations. After the event I stuck around for the medal ceremonies for senior ice dance, junior ladies, and senior pairs.
Senior pairs medalists
Tomorrow I plan to check out the Gateway Arch. The weather is supposed to be nicer so I hope to get some good photos!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Meet me in St. Louis
I arrived in St. Louis today for my first vacation trip of 2006!
View of downtown St. Louis from the entrance to my hotel
My flight from Chicago arrived on time, and I took the Metrolink (light rail) from the airport to Union Station in downtown St. Louis. From there I walked a few blocks to my hotel. The weather was nice and spring-like today - sunny and warm (for January). My hotel room wasn't ready yet when I got there (which I kind of expected since it was not even 1pm) so I had them store my luggage while I walked back to Union Station to grab some lunch and buy a few souvenir trinkets for the family. :-)
St. Louis Union Station
Around this time the back of my left ankle started hurting from the new boots I was wearing. I should have brought a second pair of shoes but I when I first put my boots on this morning they felt fine. Doh! Anyway, after I went back to the hotel and checked in I put a second sock on my left foot for extra padding which helped a little. Hopefully the boots will feel more "broken in" tomorrow.
After a short nap, I headed back to Union Station for dinner before making my way to Savvis Center to watch the ladies' short program event at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. I called my friend Erik from Texas who was also in town attending the championships and found out where he was sitting. During the zamboni break, I moved from my original seat in the nosebleed section down to where he and his friends were seated (lower bowl, much closer to the ice). The action felt much more intense from there. I've always been in awe of what figure skaters can do on the ice on those skinny blades! This is the biggest skating competition I've ever been to and I enjoyed tonight's event even though a lot of the skaters had mistakes. I'm looking forward to watching all the senior-level long program events tomorrow and Saturday.
Kimmie Meissner skates her short program
Tomorrow I plan to sleep in :-) then meet up with my enginerd friend Diane for lunch, before heading back over to Savvis Center. The weather is supposed to be cooler and rainy tomorrow. I'm glad I brought my umbrella!
View of downtown St. Louis from the entrance to my hotel
My flight from Chicago arrived on time, and I took the Metrolink (light rail) from the airport to Union Station in downtown St. Louis. From there I walked a few blocks to my hotel. The weather was nice and spring-like today - sunny and warm (for January). My hotel room wasn't ready yet when I got there (which I kind of expected since it was not even 1pm) so I had them store my luggage while I walked back to Union Station to grab some lunch and buy a few souvenir trinkets for the family. :-)
St. Louis Union Station
Around this time the back of my left ankle started hurting from the new boots I was wearing. I should have brought a second pair of shoes but I when I first put my boots on this morning they felt fine. Doh! Anyway, after I went back to the hotel and checked in I put a second sock on my left foot for extra padding which helped a little. Hopefully the boots will feel more "broken in" tomorrow.
After a short nap, I headed back to Union Station for dinner before making my way to Savvis Center to watch the ladies' short program event at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. I called my friend Erik from Texas who was also in town attending the championships and found out where he was sitting. During the zamboni break, I moved from my original seat in the nosebleed section down to where he and his friends were seated (lower bowl, much closer to the ice). The action felt much more intense from there. I've always been in awe of what figure skaters can do on the ice on those skinny blades! This is the biggest skating competition I've ever been to and I enjoyed tonight's event even though a lot of the skaters had mistakes. I'm looking forward to watching all the senior-level long program events tomorrow and Saturday.
Kimmie Meissner skates her short program
Tomorrow I plan to sleep in :-) then meet up with my enginerd friend Diane for lunch, before heading back over to Savvis Center. The weather is supposed to be cooler and rainy tomorrow. I'm glad I brought my umbrella!
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Welcome! Bienvenue! Bienvenido! Mabuhay!
Welcome to my new "travelblog" which will chronicle my current and future travels for work and (hopefully more often!) pleasure. To get this blog started I have copied over some travel-related entries from my old Blogspot, the RONaround. As of today, I have no major upcoming travel plans other than a long weekend trip to St. Louis in mid-January. I will be meeting some friends from when I went to UIUC and attending some of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where the 2006 Olympic figure skating team for the USA will be determined. Later this year I would like to visit my cousins in California and/or Maryland, and maybe make a return trip to NYC where I first traveled to in summer of 2004.
I hope to share lots of fun travel stories in the coming months and years!
I hope to share lots of fun travel stories in the coming months and years!
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