Paris, finally.

Paris, was one of those places that I am surprise I didn't get to until now.  London,  Athens, Munich, Vienna, Dublin, Milan, Rome, others.... been there, some more than once.  But, Paris, oh Paris.  I finally made it, thanks to my employer being a global company.  Better yet, all expenses paid.  I didn't have to stay in a hostel and eat street food to save money.  Instead, I stayed in a decent hotel and eat real French/Parisian food.

Paris was everything I imagined and more.  Even though I only have 2-3 hours after work to play tourist, I was able to visit the big sights.   Eifel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc d'Triomph, Champs Elysee, the Louvre, the Seine, and the Food (it's an attraction in itself).  All the majesty, immensity, and beauty.  I was awed.  I think the last time I was speechless at a touristy site was at the Parthenon in Athens.

I'm so happy that I finally made it to Paris.  One thing I wish tho was that my little baby girl and the Mister were there with me.  One day, soon, I will introduce my little girl to the amazement that is Paris.

 
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When I was your age.....

Okay, I'm not really that old to be allow to say that. As a working mom, living in the 'burbs, on the downside of the 30-something mountain, there are things that I use to do, but don't anymore. See, I work in a big NYC ad agency. The average age of the people sitting around my cubicle is probably 26. I overhear things. These things bring up memories, and my inside voice starts to say "When I was your age...."

1 - Bars
Then: I remember hitting a new bar every night after work. My goal was be a regular in my local watering hole and have at least one drink in a bar south of Union Square. I think I did that. I don't really remember. Side effect of drinking too much??
Now: I don't remember the last time I step foot in a bar. (more side effects??) Honestly, the last time I was in a bar was for dinner at the local bar and grill.

2 - Dating
Then: I had a healthy dating life. Had my share of heartaches and broken my share of hearts. Also had a goal of dating someone from every country Western Hemisphere. I think I got 3 or 4 down. Oh well.
Now: The Mister, end of story. He's of Russian decent and from Long Island. Maybe I can count that as 2 countries.

3 - Traveling
Then: Loading 5 friends in a rental mini-van, driving straight to Vail for a 5-day snowboarding trip. Piling 20+ people into a rental house in Lake Placid for Thanksgiving Ski Trip. Flying to London on a whim to crash at a friend's flat for New Years Eve. Trekking solo from Milan to Samos (small Greek island) for a week-long sailing trip.
Now: Vacation? what vacation? Flying with a baby and everything that goes with it?? You must be joking. Taking the baby and the in-laws to a beach rental in Maine for a week is closest thing to a vacation in the last 2 years.

4 - Living arrangements
Then: Lucky to not have to deal with roommates. But had a Manhattan apartment the size of a closet. Only used it for sleeping and cleaning up.
Now: Mortgage, property taxes, school quality, resell value, fancy kitchen, keeping up with the Joneses. At least I can fit 2 of my old apartments in my kitchen now.

All you city-dwelling young'ens. Enjoy your twenties coz your thirties will catch up with you. Your baby will guide your decisions, not just you.


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Time to Induce

Our little nugget is around 8 lbs.  Yup, 8 lbs, plus or minus, according to my OB/GYN.  I'm of relatively small  stature.  I'm almost 5 ft 3 inches if I wear thick soled shoes.  I was around 113 lbs before I got  pregnant.  So, my doctor, Evan, and I decided that the best action for me is to induce me early so that the baby doesn't get too big to give birth.  

I'm still shocked that our little nugget got so big.  I was barely gaining weight during the entire pregnancy.  I think I gained a total of 20 lbs.  Apparently, most of that weight went to the little being inside me.  Now, I have to mentally prepare for induction.

I'm not sure what is better, waiting for the surprise contraction or knowing that contraction will most likely start at a set time.  I am definitely starting to stress about the impending induction.  Well, not the induction itself, but the fact that this whole baby thing is real.  The massive stomach, the pain in my back, and the  hormonal cocktail coursing through my body don't make the baby thing real.  But, this, a set time to "get the show on the road", is real.

 

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Martha's Vineyard

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All the pregnancy guide books and website recommend that a romantic getaway is a perfect escape during the 2nd trimester.  Since we always took a summer vacation, we weren't going to skip it this year.  However, we didn't want to spend too much money nor fly anywhere.  So we picked Martha's Vineyard.  It's closed enough that we can drive to and far enough to feel that we were away.

The drive from our house to Woods Hole ferry took about 5 hours because we stopped at Mystic, CT.  I wanted to stop at Mystic Pizza to get a slice of heaven.  Yes, it was from the cheesy Julia Robert movie.  Mystic was very cute, the pizza was nothing special.  Many NY pizzas I had were better.

We decide not to take our car to Martha's Vineyard since most of the tour guides I read said that it's not necessary if we were not going to stay on the island for too many days.  And our Bed & Breakfast was only only about 200 yards away from the ferry dock.  So, we went car-less.

The B&B (Capricorn House) was very nice.  It was right across the street from the town beach at Oaks Bluff.  Our room and balcony had the best view of the ocean.   The B&B was very clean, comfortable, and definitely very romantic.  However, the room didn't have our usual distractions, no TV and no Internet.  We actually spent time together without interruption.  We even spent time reading our books.

We rented a moped to see the island.   The moped was a simple machine, but it was regulated to go no faster than 30 mph on flat ground.  It barely hits 10 mph going up a hill.  We actually reached 60 mph on a long and steep hill.  Evan called it the death-trap.  He didn't like the fact that every vehicle on the road passed us.  Stopping and going were unsteady.  Evan did not like the thing.  Instead of recreating scenes from the Roman Holiday, we looked more like the scenes from Dumb and Dumber.

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3 Hours of Delay

Count me as another frustrated traveler. I flew out of NY's LaGuardia Airport today to Chicago O'Hare. The original itinerary was, fly out of NY LGA at 10:35AM EST and arrive at Chicago O'Hare at 12:20 central time. But, that was the original plan...below is what exactly happened.

I arrived at LaGuardia at 9:30AM. A full hour ahead of my departure time just like the TSA recommended. Boarding was scheduled to be at 10:05AM. Around 10:20AM, we were told that there's a instrument issue that will delay us a bit. Eventually we boarded the plane at 10:30AM. Not bad.

But, when 10:35AM rolled around, we were told that technicians have to be call in to check on the instrument issue. After about 25 minutes, the doors were closed and we were about to push off. A few minutes later, we were told that one of the door sensors wasn't working. The sensor shows the door as open when it was closed. Of course we can't fly with a faulty sensor. The technician is called out again.

Another 30 minutes passed. The sensor fixed, we pushed off. However, we were 27th in line to take off. Ouch. After waiting for 45 minutes, the plane veered off from the take off line. Apparently, Chicago is raining, they issued a ground stop for planes heading there.

Another 45 minutes later, the ground stop is lifted, but we lost our spot in the take off line. Oh boy. We get back in line. Finally at 1:20PM EST, we took off. That's nearly 3 hours after the original itinerary. 3 HOURS!

I'm not sure who to blame, American Airline for having faulty instrument panel and door sensor, or LaGuardia for allowing 27 airplanes to wait for take off, or Chicago for issuing a ground stop for rain. I hope my flight home is much less eventful.

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Breckenridge, CO

Now that we are somewhat used to the high attitude with its "brisk" air, we are ready for the Rockies. Breckenridge is owned and operated by the same corporation that operates Vail, Heavenly, and other high-end ski resort. Therefore, the price for a daily lift ticket per person is pretty steep. $86 per day!

With that said, I have to say it was worth every penny. The first day, we hit mostly the blue trails after we got found out that the green trails are very mellow. The groomed blues are amazine. Long, wide, and empty. There was no risk of running into anyone. The weather was also perfect. Sunny and clear in the 20s, after a night a light snow.

The night-life was quite lively. Dinner at the Irish Bar near the Village Hotel. The mozzarella sticks could have fed and army.

The second day up the mountain was just as rewarding. We attacked the blacks and un-groomed trails. I love those because I can ride on days of powder. Skimming on water and riding on powder must be very close experience. I can only think of one word, AWESOME. The Rockies, after allowing my body to get use to the mile-plus high air.

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Mile High Adjustment

Our west-coast snowboarding trip was Breckenridge, CO. The last time I was near the Mile High City and its mountains were in early 2002. My friends and I drove there from NYC. I think the slow adjustment to the high altitude made my transition much easier to handle. This time, we flew there from NY. Denver, at about a mile above sea-level wasn't so bad. I didn't feel any adverse affect during the short period of time from landing, picking up the rental car, and driving out of the city limits.

However, when we reached Breckenridge, the thin air hit me. Breckenridge is 9,600 feet above sea level. That's almost 2 miles above sea level. The first 12 hours in Breckenridge was us wheezing after easy activities, such as walking to dinner.

The Village Hotel at Breckenridge was definitely prepared for sea-level-dwellers like us. They had a humidifier in the hotel. We had that thing running the whole time. When we left, the room had the humidity level of a swamp. More comfortable for us than the "brisk" mountain air.

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Putrid MetroNorth

After moving out to the 'burbs from Manhattan, I'm glad to not have to deal with the NY Subway. Taking the MetroNorth for my daily completely and totally label me to be an adult. No more staying out late and just hopping on a cab and be home in less than 20 minutes, as long as I don't get off the island of Manhattan.

The MetroNorth on most days are fine. I get a seat 99% of the time. The people on the train don't usually look like that just escaped from Bellvue. The trains are usually clean and comfortable. Since the train have the toilets on select cars, some of those cars can get stinky from the patrons taking advantage of the convenience. But, today, the train ride home was just horrible. Less than half way into the ride, the entire car started to smelled like someone has just released himself 2 seats away from me. Even though I was seated at the opposite end of the car, the smell was terrible.

As the ride continued, the smell got worst. By the time I stood up to disembark the train, the stench was unbearable. I had to hold my breath to walk pass the toilet. My recommendation to the MTA, please clean the toilets. My monthly ticket cost $300+. With so many commuters paying such high price, spend some of that on the stinky toilet. And my suggestion to the riders who would do Number 1 and Number 2 on the train, please try to do them before you get on the train. Some people have to waft in your putrid scent for a very long ride home.

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Riding video at Belleayre

We went up the Bellearye Mountain again. This time we brought a small camera a made a mini-move. The movie is of me going down a green trail and Evan followed me down with the camera in hand. I'm glad that Evan didn't wipe out.



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First ride of the season

Evan and I took a day off from work and headed to our local mountain, Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills. Evan bought new board, jacket, and pants, the whole package. I even bought a new jacket. We were totall psyched for the first ride. Belleayre was great last year when we went after the Valentine's Day snow fall.

The mountain was just as nice as I remembered. Since it was the Friday before the peaked season started, there were no more than 30 cars in the parking lot. The mountain belonged to us. Even with only 14 of the 47 trails open, the condition was great. Machine-made snow powdered the opened trails. Without the normal weekend crowds, the trails were powdery the entire day. I even had the opportunity to sneak behind the "closed trail" sign to get a run at the pure powder trail. Reminds me of Utah. Evan wasn't so fond of that run. He ran over couple of rocks and scratched up his new board. Oh well.

Belleayre is by far the better ski resort than Hunter Mountain which is about 20 minutes closer. I feel like everyone in NYC who ever ski'ed or thought of skiing go to Hunter. Everytime I went to Hunter Mountain, I can barely ride for more than 2 seconds before performing a giant slalom move to avoid a hapless skier.

Belleayre has more varied trails, friendlier staff, less crowd, and better terrain. It is definitely worth the extra 20 minutes drive.

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NASCAR in NYC

On our hurried 10 minutes walk from Grand Central to work, we had to stop and gawk. 42nd Street was blocked off. Cars, trucks, and cabs were stopped from crossing one of the busiest street on the island. Evan, the forever rubber-necker insist that we stop and see what's going on. I, never want to be mistaken as a tourist, insisted we keep walking and get to work. My curiosity compromised. We walked along 42nd Street slowly. I figured, if nothing happens by the time we reach Broadway, whatever going to happen is not worth it.

When we reached the public library, across the street from the Grace Building, we heard it. Loud rumbling. Very loud rumbling. Evan wondered aloud what that sound can be. I thought, it's probably some construction truck on the corner of 7th and 42nd. Instead, we saw a race car, followed by a double-decker bus. Then, even louder rumbling. Now, I can tell that it's not a construction truck. It's engine reving up. Big engines.

Stock cars. A line of approximately 10 NASCAR stock cars drove slowly in front of us. The famous cars and drivers passed in front of us, reving their monster engines. It was definitely cool to see something like that on the humdrum commute to work. Of course, we had Evan's iPhone to take some pictures.

After I got to work, I did some quick search on NASCAR and NYC. I found out that today's event was the parade of cars (Victory Lap in New York). But I also found out that this might be the last time NASCAR will drive through NYC. Due to lack of interest and general NYC apathy toward this sport, the event will move to Las Vegas. I was glad that I caught a glimpse of the event. I am sad that it's leaving NYC. But, I can also understand. I was one of those New Yorkers that didn't know or cared if Evan didn't make us gawk.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/tom_bowles/11/27/banquet/

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Flushing, Queens, NY

Okay, Flushing, Queens is not quite a travel destination by any means. But, traveling is a method to experience different culture and a way to be outside of one's comfort zone. And, Flushing Queens definitely fit the bill. Even though I grew up in Flushing, I've moved away from that area for nearly 20 years. So, every time I visit Flushing, it's like going to a new place.

Well, today is the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. That's the day my family gather in my grandmother's house for a whirlwind lunch. Everyone show up, set out the food, sit around the table, eat, chit-chat, and we are out. All within 2 hours. None of the niceties like Evan's family. No bother with the hors d'Oeuvres, no liquor, no hours of catching up. It's a different culture.

Exactly what a quick jaunt to a new culture is suppose to be.

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Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany, 2007

Oktoberfest was on my mind, but not on the initial itenary. The travel agent mentioned that all hotels were booked and anything we can find would be extremely expensive. So, when we had one extra day after the bike tour, we jumped on the opportunity. About 40Euro, 70 minute train ride, we are in Munich. Another 10 minutes walk, we are in the middle of Oktoberfest, 2007.

The sound and the smell on the fairground reminded me of a traveling fair; hotdogs, pretzels, ferris wheels, puke inducing rides. But, beyond the usual fairground staples, massive tents poked through. Tents, more like giant wooden barns with local brewery names and colors occupied majority of the fairground.

It's took some doing to get into one of the tents. We gave up on finding a seat within the second we walked in. The humanity that filled that tent. Men and women, beer and more beer. Of course, we had to join in. Even though the beer cost twice as much. But, gosh darn it, we drank a beer at the real Oktoberfest!

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Vienna, Austria

Vienna is the first stop of our Bavarian trip. We flew from NY JFK to Vienna, with a stopover at Frankfurt Germany. Red-eye flight, my favorite. Getting from the Viennese airport to downtown Vienna was extremely easy. A quick 4Euro trip on the CAT and we were in the center of town. I don't think we had to pay the 4Euro since no one came along to collect our ticket.

We stayed at the Hotel Goldene Spinne (Hotel Golden Spider) near the center of town. The hotel was about 5 minutes walk from the main tourist area, Stephanedom. With its proximity and cleaniness, the 65Euro a night was a good deal in my book. The bathroom in that establishment was awesome. The bathroom was almost worth the money.

First meal in Austria, horse goulash and beer. Yes, horse. I ate horse meat. Tasted a little like lamb and beef. It was good, and it was cheaper than beef goulash. Go figure. One thing I never anticipated or warned by the guide books, pushy Mozarts. Everywhere we went, someone is dressed like Mozart handing out pamplets or coupons for the night's Mozart concert. Mozart and Vienna, sure. But pushy Mozarts in every corner? That's worst than cheesy souvenir shops.

The best food in Vienna was the "hotdog" from the sausage stand. The only similarity between the Viennese "Hotdog" and the dirty water dog in NYC has a sausage in a bun. That's where the similarity ends. The stand is a permanent street structure, like a newpaper stand in NYC. There were at least 10 different type of sausages. I picked the spicy one. The vendor cuts the top of baguette, inserts a heating rod into the baguette. The rod creates the hole for the sausage and toasts the baguette from the inside. He inserts the cooked sausage into the freshly toasted bun, poured some cheese in the hole, and voila!. Hotdog. It was the best thing I have tasted yet. And it was cheap. Perfect as a quick snack or cheap dinner.

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