On this Throwback Thursday I am reminiscing about the beaches I have enjoyed in my annual trips to Humboldt County. My BFF lives in McKinleyville and I have made many trips over the last 30 years. I would make more if it was not a 6 hour drive one-way.
I just returned from my first adventure with Lulu where she had her first exposure to the ocean. She still smells like the weird stuff she rolled in!
Beach at Trinidad, California
The best beach has got to be Patrick’s Point. We have spent many happy hours here with our children. There is a creek that provides lots of opportunities to play Army Corp of Engineers. It is north of Eureka and Arcata and also can be a launching point for hiking.
Radar smelling the mysteries of Trinidad beach.
There are other great beaches like Moonstone, and my next favorite is the beach at Trinidad. This is where Radar and I spent a very happy Christmas break. Harriet brought her dog Ted almost everyday to walk with us.
Ted loves the beach too.
This weekend I introduced Lulu to sand and ocean waves at Clam Beach in McKinleyville. She loved it! She chased her friend Ted through waves and along the shore, only momentarily distracted by birds.
Lulu at Clam Beach
Humboldt County beaches are colder than SoCal beaches. The ones we go to do not offer waves for surfing–they are generally too wild and rocky. They are unsurpassed for beauty, rarely crowded and great for cleansing your mind of clutter and stress.
Even though Lulu got carsick on the way up, I am thinking about when we can go back and chill with our friends on the beach.
I learned about BrickCon in Seattle in the movie A LEGO Brickumentary. I looked up the dates and was pleased that it was only a month and a half away. The tickets were affordable so I bought a group of four–a kind of family discount. I invited my son Tevis to join me and we figured out how we could fly up and back for the day. I have never thought to go to Seattle for the day from Sacramento. Thanks to Alaska Airlines it is very easy, affordable and pleasant. We were even able to change our ticket at the last minute to return earlier for just $25 fee per person.
Alice Finch in the center of the photo (in green shirt) is one of the most popular and talented LEGO designers.
The documentary gave the impression that the premier LEGO hobbyist expo was bigger than we found it. Still we enjoyed seeing the many expressions of creativity in LEGO brick. People are clever.
Robotic R2D2 in LEGO ready for new Star Wars release.
There is also a fair amount of shopping opportunities. Memories of stepping on LEGO brick while Tevis was growing up inspired me to purchase a Swoop Bag that keeps LEGO brick together and speeds clean up.
Swoop Bags
After we satisfied our curiosity about designers and played with R2D2. We walked around the Exhibition Hall. We ate lunch at Dick’s and walked round the Space Needle and compared it to the LEGO version.
There is a nifty light rail option for getting to the airport. We were fortunate to have Spezia cousins willing to take us back to the airport.
Seattle Space Needle in LEGOActual Seattle Space Needle
Tevis was definitely inspired, And I made some good contacts with LEGO designers for a work project.
I am so thankful I am not lactose intolerant. I enjoy cheese so much. Even I can have too much of a good thing. This is what I discovered at California’s Artisan Cheese Festival in March at the Sheraton Sonoma County in Petaluma.
The first 10 booths were great. I enthusiastically bought cheese I liked and tasted all they had to offer. Then I hit a cheese wall–smooth, slightly creamy with a pungent smell. No one was hurt but I had to slow my tasting and drink more water and eat more bread.
Cheese is so rich that a little can go a long way. I remember this every time I dine at The Rind, a restaurant and bar featuring cheese and charcuterie. I have enjoyed several meals or drinks and a cheese board with friends. It is is tough place to find a seat past 6:30 p.m. And if you do enjoy your evening and leave late at night–please speak softly. I live just 2 floors up and I can hear your conversation.
A few months ago my dog Lulu experienced a traumatic event that has made her afraid to go on walks near our apartment. As part of her recovery I met with the behavioral team at UC Davis Veterinary Clinic and they taught me a number of dog training techniques. I learned Lulu is highly motivated by cheese in a can. (Eww, I know, but dogs love it.)
It is always delightful to spend the day with my friend Stephanie, but difficult to schedule. It took us months to line up our schedule and the available space at Ramekins cooking school in Sonoma, California. It almost did not matter what we were going to learn. As luck would have it, we learned to make the elements of the menu featured in the movie, Big Night. If you are not familiar with the movie–it translates as an Italian feast. This much food would work for a big family party or a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal.
We had a lovely drive over and a delicious lunch at The Girl and the Fig. We had just enough time to walk to the excellent independent bookstore just past the town square. Readers’ Books is a treat. It offers used and new books–all in good condition.
We arrived at Ramekins at the appointed time and signed in. The class was $95 per person for about 2 hours of cooking and then an hour of eating what we prepared paired with Sonoma wine. The classroom is set up for teams of 3 or 4 to work on various menu components.
Our Chef Lisa Lavagetto and her assistants had done most of the prep work to be able to make:
Fried Calamari with Garlic Dipping Sauce
Roasted Beet and Beet Greens Salad with Apples and Goat Cheese
Timballo – Pasta Drum with Meatballs, Fresh Ricotta, Asparagus and Hard Boiled Egg
Roasted Eggplant stuffed with Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella
Italian Apple Cake with Grappa.
Participants got to choose their stations but it was a bit of scramble like musical chairs. Stephanie prepped the roasted beet salad and I made the apple cake with grappa. I am not actively cooking in this season of my life. My skills are still sufficient to keep up. I enjoyed the buzz in the room as for many of the people cooking was a passion. We were all talking and tasting as a calamari appetizer was finished early or as the marinara sauce was ready. Chef Lisa based her recipes on those her Italian mother-in-law taught her. We were provided the recipes to take home and the appropriate specific recipe at our stations.
Chef Lisa brought in cooked Timballo ready for serving–a dramatic climax.Slice of Timballo
The assistants also did the hard clean up work. We got to retire to the dining room and enjoy our wine until Lisa and her staff brought in the salad, the eggplant, and then the dramatic Timballo. We finished with the Italian apple cake my team made topped with fresh whipped cream. Everything was molto delizioso.
Finished Apple Cake with Grappa. Yum!
We enjoyed the experience so much that we signed up for another class in December before the week was out.
Yes, I am mocking my own tendency –and travel writers everywhere– to use numbers in headlines. I was trying to find a hook that explained my sense of urgency. There is one main reason to go now: Miami is living on borrowed time. I wanted to see Miami before climate disruption wreaks Katrina or Sandy-like damage.
Al Gore dedicated many hours to training the Climate Reality Leadership Corps.
I am so glad I saw New Orleans before Katrina because now every story is how it is coming back. While it is still a special place, it is still an echo of its former glory. Just as articles are encouraging people to see Cuba before it loses its Cubanness, see Miami while it is in its prime.
Building construction and growth is rampant. At the same time the oceans are getting warmer. Miami Beach is flooding during king tides and it is one big storm or hurricane away from major damage. Over time this will fundamentally change Miami. I hope the leaders and citizens of Miami make smart decisions and adapt in advance of major property damage and loss of life. I am also glad I saw it now.
Miami at night from hotel balcony.
I went to Miami for the Climate Reality Leadership Conference to learn more about the challenges facing our home planet because of the choices made by humankind. It is emotionally challenging listening to the scientific news and to see example after example of natural disasters related to climate disruption. The only thing that saved me was some good news about the growth rates of clean energy adoption, and the enthusiasm and commitment of 1200 other participants from 80 other countries. People are organizing support for their governments to make more serious commitments at the next climate talks in Paris. There is still time to change our behavior and reverse the damage.
I had very little time to get out and about and enjoy Miami. The Hotel Urbano where I was staying was inconvenient far from the main conference hotel Hyatt Regency. It was a 36 minute walk in the intense humidity or rain. There is a free trolley but I never allowed time to take it. The hotel is better located for the aquarium or the Vizcaya Gardens. So I relied on the Lyft app a lot and it proved affordable and super responsive. Once I got over the disappointment about Hotel Urbano’s location, I could appreciate the beautiful pool and quality food. The formica tables and cafeteria style layout does a disservice to the very good food they serve. Both my All American breakfasts and my cheeseburger on a pretzel roll were excellent. The rooms are just okay. I never could figure out the lights—why some worked and others did not. Housekeeping was lackadaisical. Overall I would still say it gave good value at $95 a night.
One night I joined some colleagues for a Cuban dinner at the Versaiiles restaurant. It had the same formica tables as Hotel Urbano Though it was set up for larger groups. The menu was expansive and included all the Cuban classics. I had the good fortune to go to Cuba about 15 years ago and eat some amazing food. This did not match those memories. It was moderately priced and a mediocre experience.
I met up with Jim, my friend from my Trek Travel Tour de France experience. We met in Coconut Grove where his maritime law office is located. We ate at Monty’s where Jim assured me I would have another average experience. At least I finally got some great clam chowder. The popcorn shrimp caesar salad was also tasty. He described some of the challenges of bike riding in Miami. If you cycle, check out the once-a-month Critical Mass rides when there is less potential conflict with cars. Or look for the Gran Fondo rides that start in October.
After talking to a half dozen drivers I learned a lot about the city. Miami is a very Latin city of hustle. People are very transient. They are also moving from job to job chasing the American Dream. Miami seems to be giving people a foothold. It is definitely an advantage if you speak Spanish and English.
People in Miami love, love, love air conditioning. The conference organizers warned us in advance to wear layers. I brought a jacket and scarf and a light sweater. At different times I used all of them. When I met up with Jim we sat outside. The evening had cooled slightly. It felt like a warm hug and after a short while I did not think about it again. Another occasion I was outside but in the direct sunlight and I wilted after just 10 minutes. Another time it was raining so hard I could hardly see across the street. Miami is a city of extremes and can be stressful.
Sorry for the blur. There is little headroom for your average United passenger and even less leg room.
Why does anyone fly with United Airlines? Really. Tell me if you know.
I thought I would fly to New York City on United Airlines as they offered a number of choices for routes from Sacramento at reasonable prices.
Then my plans changed and I needed to revise my ticket to start in Nashville. United Airlines charged a $200 fee to change my ticket.
Goodbye any savings.
Plus I had to call Customer Service and spend 30 minutes on a very poor quality line. If I had not slogged through the automated computer answering service to speak with a representative I would have had to pay even more.
Really? A $200 fee for changing my $436 ticket!
There was no room at my feet for carryons, so I popped open my overhead and bin to find this. Where are you supposed to put your bag on United? I am not talking suitcase–just briefcase.
Why does anyone fly with United?
I wrote the above in January but did not post. I do not like to rant as a rule. Then I decided to branch out of my usual Southwest Airlines rut and booked round trip tickets to Miami with Delta Airlines. I booked on-line and I distinctly remember selecting an early morning flight on Sunday because I am too old to do red-eye flights any longer. My bad: I just put the Delta confirmation in my travel folder instead of checking it. Turns out the website assigned me the red-eye flight afterall.
My hotel booking is now off by a night and I will be arriving just as the conference starts. Plus I will likely be sleep deprived.
I was hoping to find an alternative to Southwest because sometimes they are not the lowest fare or the most convenient times or in this case they fly into Ft Lauderdale (not Miami).
So I am making the most of the extra day at home with my dog. I checked with the hotel so I can access my room (that I am paying for anyway) for a quick shower before I got to the conference. Plus I will try my old buddy Tylenol PM and hope I sleep.
This is why no one says “travel is glamorous” anymore.
The plot is fairly predictable…spiced up with cross-dressing actors who can really do a high kick!
Our last full day in New York City and we had one more Broadway Show. We were tired and so we took the morning easy and and then had the bellman hail a cab to Amy’s Bread in Hells Kitchen on 9th Street. This is where Cousin Carrie works and also where you can get an amazing chicken salad sandwich and a pastry. We also had our first opportunity to do a bit of shopping in the neighborhood. It was the first time I had spent so much time in New York City without the challenge of lugging shopping bags home. I was packing lots of great memories though.
We arrived at the theater in plenty of time to get our tickets from Today’s Tix and get in the lengthening line. Mom really wanted to see Kinky Boots because the music was by Cyndi Lauper and she had seen “numbers” done on television and like it. Apparently lots of groups of women who were in the City for a girls weekend or day had the same idea. The line moved quickly and we had great seats. Today Tix was able to buy them for less than originally quoted so we received a voucher towards our next purchase. It is only good for 60 days, so I passed it on to Carrie.
We were excited to see Kinky Boots at the Sunday matinee.
Mom’s review:Of all the shows we saw (all fantastic), this one was what I would expect from a Broadway show: singing, dancing and big production numbers. All extremely well done. Lola was a delight–funny and sympathetically played.
We really enjoyed the enthusiastic performance and I am once again impressed with how open-minded my 80 year old mom is. She did not bat an eye at the unconventional plot details.
Even though our next stop at Ray and Jim’s was about three quarters of a mile, we caught a cab and went to my friends’ for a great conversation and Thai delivery.
We ended the evening with a Lyft to the hotel. Both Mom and I were completely satisfied with our theater experience and our time together in New York. We were also tired and the bed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Chelsea felt marvelous.
The next day we just had to get up, walk a half block to get an egg McMuffin and be back to meet Lincoln Limousine for our ride to Newark airport. God willing we will do it again in a few years only we will stay in the Theater District and save money on cabs.
This drink is named after one of their most famous literary customers Dorothy Parker.
Our Beautiful matinee was over about 5 p.m. and our next play did not start until 8:00 p.m. I got out my trusty Google maps and looked at what was close by. The Algonquin Hotel! I stayed here a number of years ago and remembered that they lovingly maintained the historic bar and lounge in the lobby. We sat down and ordered a couple of very expensive cocktails.
The Dorothy Parker is tasty gin concoction. Mom had a peach flavored mojito. We both sipped and soaked in the atmosphere. We also used the ladies’ room (this becomes very important in NYC when you are away from your hotel for long stretches of time!)
Soon it was time to go to for a quick bite to eat and then to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. It was our only non-musical and highly recommended by Cousin Carrie. I found it fascinating. Mom enjoyed it too, but she much prefers musicals.
I saw a stagehand go in with a “Curious Dogs” polo shirt. Makes sense to shorten the title for staff.
We were in our seats in plenty of time to have fun with the card in the seat’s pocket that challenged us to figure out if our name added up to a prime number. Mine does (163) and I got a button for my effort.
It is difficult to believe this is the lead actor Alex Sharp’s first big break. He recently graduated from Julliard and this is his Broadway debut. He crushes it. Also, stay until you catch his “encore” explanation of how he solved one of the math problems on his A level exam.
Seeing 4 plays in 3 days requires that you see a matinee and an evening performance on Saturday. Beautiful was always in the top 3 shows Mom wanted to see. It is the Carole King life story. We both had great memories of her music. The reviews were also very positive. First we ate at L’Amico, a new restaurant just a few blocks from our hotel that we found through Open Table. Then we cabbed it to the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
Chilina Kennedy wows audience as Carole King. (official photo)Pick up your tickets 30 minutes before the show from a Today Tix representative. The app has many great features. Check it out.
We bought our tickets through Today Tix. We were not sure how it worked. My email said to look for the person in the Today Tix red shirt to the left of the box office 30 minutes before the performance. It all worked just as the emails said it would. Our person was there with our tickets. We signed for them and voila! We had terrific seats every time at a reduced price. The concept is similar to the Bargain Ticket hut on Times Square, except that you purchase through an app on your phone or iPad and you can shop up to a week ahead. We got all of our tickets, except Hamilton, through Today Tix. Not all shows are available because they are helping the theaters sell unsold tickets and ensure theaters are full.
All I knew about Beautiful was that it was the story of Carole King’s life accompanied by the music she wrote or co-wrote. It was delightful. The performances were superb. As Mom says: Music I can relate to…beautifully sung and a lovely plot well told.
During the closing song I started crying and could not stop. Suddenly I had a vivid memory of all the happy hours I spent with my best friend Harriet in her living room listening to Carole King’s Tapestry album over and over again. Good times then and now.
The view from the rooftop restaurant at the Hyatt on Herald Square
Our plan was to meet Cousin Carrie at the Den restaurant at the Hyatt on Herald Square. We were going to enjoy dinner and then walk to the play. Mom and I walked from our hotel to the lobby bar at the Hyatt. We were enjoying a drink when Jordan, the restaurant manager came down to greet us and offer us a choice of the lobby level restaurant or the rooftop. He asked what we were doing in New York and we explained Mom’s birthday adventure. Then Carrie arrived and agreed that the roof sounded like fun. As Jordan escorted us up to our table, he offered a complimentary bottle of Prosecco to celebrate Mom’s birthday! Woop! Woop!
Cousin Carrie, Mom/Karen, and me on the roof
The view was amazing. The service was impeccable and the food was delicious. The variety of small plates and large plates allowed everyone to get just what they wanted. Mom especially loved her prawn and avocado salad. The atmosphere on the roof was celebratory. When we asked the party next to us to help us take pictures they happily said yes. And one funny guy photo bombed the last few shots. We laughed together and then set off for the theater.
Here’s where my planning broke down. I had now asked my Mom to walk several miles already today. I needed her to walk one more mile in about 40 minutes. She needed to stop and fortunately there are red tables and chairs in the middle of Times Square. We got to the theater just in time. And we already had our tickets. Mom’s knees were wobbly but we got to our seats on the main floor in the last row.
As you can see by Mom’s smile, she was enjoying New York in spite of her tired knees.
Mom’s response to Hamilton:
It was no small feat (for Hamilton) to live up to the hype for this show. But it did and more! I was told I would not like it because it was modern music. I didn’t like it; I LOVED IT!! It is a history lesson in rap and understandable at all times. The author/lead actor who played Alexander Hamilton was GREAT, although it is impossible to think a road show version could be done without him. Aaron Burr was also so well done that one almost felt sorry for him.
Hamilton is the hot ticket on Broadway and for good reason. It was fantastic. Carrie, Mom and me represent three different generations and we all thoroughly enjoyed this musical. The play is based on Ron Chernow’s book Alexander Hamilton. I had started to read it the week before we left for NYC, but the book is a doorstop and I had barely dented Hamilton’s life story. It helped to know a little more about his life, and it was good to be open to learning as the play unfolded.
The cast is amazing. I am so glad we spent the money for the tickets. We bought them from the theater, so no mark up. Still $168 per person is a big night out and, in this case, completely worth it.
americanjulie.com 