Simsbury, CT

In October one of my oldest friends, Tony Costanza, got married in Connecticut. I decided that I had to be there and made Tony’s wedding a road trip weekend.

I was going to drive up to Connecticut by myself, but when Shelley heard that I was going to New England in the fall, she decided to come with me. I couldn’t ask for a better traveling companion to join me in my Gilmore Girls themed, Connecticut weekend. Plus, Shelley likes to listen to Harry Potter audio books as much as I do, so life doesn’t get much better.

The wedding guests and the reception were held at a lovely place called the Simsbury 1820 House. It was a beautiful home with an amazing front porch. According to MapQuest and my GPS it should have taken Shelley and me 6.5 hours to get to Simsbury; instead it took us over 10 hours – thank you very much George Washington Bridge and accident on I-95. We missed the rehearsal, most of the rehearsal dinner and were pretty exhausted by the time we went to bed.

Since the wedding wasn’t until the afternoon, on Saturday Shelley and I met up with a friend from our mission, Becky “Derbita” Ortinez. I have missed Becky like a mad dog and I was wonderful to see her again. It was extra fun because we also spent time with her sweet husband Cesar and her little boy Andrew. Andrew is just about the cutest thing in the whole world and because I only like kids on a case-by-case basis, that is a true compliment. We ate at this great deli, Rein’s Deli, in Vernon, CT. The food was fantastic – especially the French toast on challah bread and the cheese blintz (eat your heart out Mom).

The wedding took place at a Catholic church in West Hartford. The church had lovely stained glass windows. I especially liked how the soloist sang “Morning Has Broken” by Cat Stevens as everyone was being seated. Shaina looked absolutely beautiful and went 1940’s style with her dress and hair. It suited her perfectly. The reception was back in Simsbury at the Simsbury 1820 House. They had great food, a good DJ and plenty of cool people to talk too. It was fun to get to know some of Shaina and Tony’s friends that I have heard so much about but had never met. Good times!

On Sunday, Shelley and I headed back to DC. Before that we wanted to drive Washington Depot, which supposedly served as the inspiration for Stars Hallow from Gilmore Girls. Since it was only an hour away from Simsbury, we decided to take the trip. We made a lot of stops on the way to Washington Depot because Connecticut is so blasted beautiful. Everything we saw from the pumpkin patches to the New England style farm houses were so idyllic. I think Shelley and I used the word idyllic so much it has lost all meaning. Washington Depot is a sleepy little town, I would have to say that Stars Hallow is a much more happening place. It must be a wealthier area, as all the kids we ran into were talking about the prep schools they attend.
Getting us out of Washington Depot proved to be a bit more difficult than expected. My GPS had us going through some lovely farm land (I know I said lovely farm land and I hate farms – what is happening to me?) and woods. But instead of the roads turning into highways, they kept getting smaller. They also turned from asphalt to gravel to dirt roads with no trespassing signs. Needless to say, my TomTom was looking for a road that had not been built yet. Shelley and I were cool with the hour long detour - I can think of worse ways to spend my time then taking a scenic drive.

We eventually found our way to the highway and had a much quicker trip home even with all the stops. We bought apples as a cider mill, made a pit stop at a Costco in Yonkers and avoided getting in fights with toll workers on the New Jersey Turnpike (I am talking about you, Shelley). Thanks to Tony and Shaina for letting me share in such a wonderful wedding.

Next Trip – Dayton, OH

Yellowstone

In October I took some vacation time and headed to the family cabin in Island Park, ID. I have spent most of my summers up at the cabin and it is as close to camping as I ever want to get. Why sleep on the ground when you can sleep in a bed? Why cook on a camp stove when you can use an oven? Why tell stories and relate to people when you can watch satellite television? Ahh, the sweet cabin life.

When I was at Utah State, I would spend every Thursday to Monday at the cabin with my mom until about mid-October. The weather there is very unpredictable, I have seen it snow like crazy in October and I have also seen great sunny weather. Luckily, the weather was in my favor most of the time. I am not a snow person – as the front left fender of my car will testify.

The vacation got off to a rocky start as I was leaving just two days after returning from Moldova. While I made it back from Moldova in great shape, my luggage decided to stay in Frankfort, Germany. I harassed United Airlines and finally got my luggage a mere 5 hours before I had to leave for the airport to fly to Bozeman, MT. While I generally like flying United, they have lost my luggage a couple of times and when that happens the wrath of Jen is swift and fierce.

While there were many highlights to the trip, chopping wood is not one of them. Did you know that spiders live in wood piles? I threw several panicky fits because the spiders surrounded and even crawled on me. Yuck – I get freaked out just thinking about it. I try not to be a wussy girl, but when it comes to spiders all bets are off.

Roger and Diedra Mahaffey were there for part of the time and it was wonderful to see them. Roger makes awesome waffles and Diedra really likes bacon – so what is not to love about the Mahaffeys? It was good to see my dad go fishing with Roger, and they even caught (and released) a few fish this year – a new record!

I love to ride ATV’s and Island Park is awesome because there are several courses and trials to explore. Sadly, I only got to ride a few times as it hurt the scar on my leg too much. I am hoping that as time passes, I will be able to get back to where I was before and rock the countryside with my awesome moves. (This is pure bravado as I am a mediocre rider, but I think it is an activity that requires super high levels of confidence).

I decided that I needed to visit Yellowstone National Park while I was there. It had been years since I had seen the north loop of the park. Most people want to tour the south loop as there are more geysers, animals and Old Faithful. My parents were helpless against my whining and decided to come with me. We had a great time and the weather, aside from the freezing cold wind, was beautiful. At Mammoth there were about a zillion elk just lying around. Since they were in heat (I don’t know what the technical term is) we kept a good distance. They really are lovely animals. We almost saw a bear; missing him (or her) by just a matter of minutes. Poor Dad, he never gets to see bears.
We always go through West Yellowstone to enter the park. There are a lot of crappy places to eat, but in my vast experience there are two establishments that are definitely worth a visit: Ernie’s and Beartooth BBQ. Ernie’s has great sandwiches and I always stop there before I go into Yellowstone. Their “Fisherman’s Box Lunch” has everything that you need for a picnic and is reasonably priced. Beartooth started out as a summer place operating out of a small kiosk. Due to the popularity of the place, it is now a year-round restaurant. They have amazing pulled pork sandwiches. For sides I would recommend the french fries or the baked beans.

Overall, it was a great vacation. I hope to make it back next year maybe a bit earlier in the season so I can enjoy the outdoors without having to bundle up so much.

Next trip – Simsbury, CT

Chisinau, Moldova

I know that my announcement of a trip to Chisinau, Moldova has raised some eyebrows. What do I do that requires me to travel to Eastern Europe? Why Moldova? Good questions, but the answers are far more boring than the mystery they inspire. It is like learning the secrets of magic tricks – weren’t you happier not knowing? For those that like truth with a capital “T” here is the answer…I am a spy.

Not really, but I wanted to see if anyone would believe me for even just a second. I work for a software company. That is it. Boring, no spy stuff required. My company makes a suite of software used by law enforcement, intelligence, and military analysts to find patterns and commonalities in data sets. The boredom increases. If you think of an episode of “Law & Order” or “Without a Trace” where they are running suspects phone or financial records to look for anything interesting; that is the kind of stuff I help analysts with. I like it, but I realize that I am getting paid, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Now for the Chisinau, Moldova part of the story. Moldova is located in Eastern Europe between Romania and the Ukraine. If you have never heard of Moldova, no worries, I hadn’t either until I was assigned the trip. According to the CIA World Factbook, Moldova has several issues impeding its progress as a world player:
•It is the poorest country in Europe.
•Moldova is no where near being admitted to the European Union because of corruption and a troublesome break away region known as the “Transnistria Republic." Transnistria has attempted to seperate from Moldova and has its own currency and ruling government. This seperation is helped by the occupying Russian forces, so think of Transnistria as a Basque or Northern Ireland type region that would like to break free from the ruling government due to ethnic ties.
•Moldova is still reeling from the fall of the Soviet Union, as they were a former Eastern Bloc country. Although Moldova is a republic, their leadership is from the new Communist Party.
They have a lot going on there, and while the country may be in hard times, there are some wonderful people in Chisinau trying to make a difference.

My trip to Chisinau was sponsored by the SECI Center (Southeast European Cooperative Initiative), which is a coalition of 13 countries to help fight crime that crosses borders. One of the big issues that SECI is trying to fight is human trafficking. I won’t get into human trafficking much here, but just know that it is a real problem, especially in poorer countries like Moldova. To that end, my co-worker Kevin and I went to Chisinau to conduct a training session for Moldovan and Romanian crime analysts at the Center to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

There are very few travel books about Moldova, making it hard to plan a trip. One reason is that Moldova is not really a country ready for tourism. If you are interested in Moldova, I would recommend reading, Playing the Moldovans at Tennis by Tony Hawks. It is a hilarious travel biography and absolutely spot on when it comes to life in Moldova.

When Kevin and I arrived in Moldova it was raining and gray. It stayed gray most of the time I was there. My hope is that Chisinau improves a bit in the sunshine as the city is bleak and overcast. Tony Hawks describes Chisinau best, to paraphrase “You look to the left and there are gray concrete buildings. You look to the right and there are gray concrete buildings. You look in front of you and behind you and there are gray concrete buildings.” That is Chisinau in a nutshell. Kevin and I stayed at a hotel that was not all gray and concrete, the Leogrand Hotel. It was nice and had an excellent restaurant. Kevin and I ate there more than once and the beef was very, very good.

The US Embassy in Chisinau provided our transportation, which consisted of a big van driven by a surly Russian named Sasha. On the first day, Sasha dropped us off at the Center, but didn’t tell us which entrance to use. That was the beginning of our adventure. I don’t think I had ever felt that afraid to be traveling abroad. I was in a country where I didn’t speak the language, no one spoke my language, my cell phone wasn’t working and I had no idea where I was or how to get back to my hotel. I suffered a good 30 minutes of panic – but it all worked out in the end.

Kevin and I entered the building which was sort of creepy with dark, dank halls and florescent lights that flickered on and off. Later in the week I found out that the building was typical of Soviet-style architecture. The woman at the front door kept asking where we were going in Romanian and all I could answer back was “human trafficking” in English (sadly, the phrase “human trafficking” was not covered in my English-Romanian dictionary). The woman called someone and determined that we should go to the 7th floor. Kevin and I eased into an elevator the size of a coffin and made our way to the 7th floor. Turns out our office was not on the 7th floor. I kept wandering around the halls saying “human trafficking” as if I was making offers. Since no one spoke English it was hard to find help. Someone suggested the 5th floor so off Kevin and I went to the 5th floor. No such luck there either. I continued to wander the halls like Lady Macbeth and found an office that had the word Oxford in the title. With the hopes that someone British worked out of the office, I knocked on the door. No Brit worked there, but they were able, through a lot of hand signals, to show us to the right floor.

The Center’s office was so nice. It wasn’t like any of the offices I had seen on the other floors. Once we got to the Center, everything went smoothly. It was interesting to have to work through interpreters as very few of our students spoke English. At the end of the week the interpreters said I was very easy to translate for, which I took as a compliment. I think it goes back to my mission when I had to translate for people and I know how hard it can be. I think the class was very successful and the students were so much more attentive and interested than probably any class I have ever taught here in the US. Kevin and I were very impressed.

The highlights of the trip were:

The Romanians – they all spoke English and stayed in our hotel. Kevin and I loved hanging out with them. The Romanians were excellent students and take their job very seriously. I hope to go to Bucharest and work with them again. I am truly honored to have them as friends.

Wandering through Chisinau – The pollution is tough on the lungs so we didn’t spend too much time outside. Kevin and I went to Central Park and walked up and down the main street, “Stefan cel Mare.” Stefan cel Mare was a very powerful king that won a lot of battles and kept the Ottomans out of the areas that are currently Romania and Moldova. In 1991 when Moldova became its own republic, all the streets that referenced Lenin, Stalin or anything Soviet were changed to something more Moldovan. The street “Stefan cel Mare” is a prime example.

Milestii Mici – This is a very cool winery. There are miles and miles underground tunnels just to house wine. To give you an idea, we drove our minivan round in the tunnels. Milestii Mici has the world’s largest wine collection. My group wonderful dinner and wine tasting in a huge, underground hall that made me feel like royalty. Since I don’t drink, Kevin took one for the team and drank my glasses of wine for me. He is a true friend.

Dinner at Symposium – Danny, our FBI liaison, his wife Jane, Kevin, Dorina, our US Embassy contact, her boyfriend Oleg, and I all had dinner at this fantastic restaurant. I had a traditional Moldovan dinner of chicken and potatoes that I totally enjoyed. Symposium is a great restaurant that wasn’t listed in my guide book. I would highly recommend it to westerners as the food is high quality. At some places in Chisinau you just don’t know what you might get when it comes to ingredients and quality.

Appreciating America, especially our sanitation system – I didn’t realize that toilet paper is not customary in some countries. Thank heavens I brought a travel size package of Cottonelle with me. I just came home realizing how lucky I am, how good I have it and how I really take 2-ply TP for granted.

I have a lot of stories that I won’t share here since this is getting so very long. I am glad to be home and a bit stronger and wiser for the journey.

Next trip - Yellowstone

Lobster Knife Fight and Darth Vader

Ft. Leavenworth, KS and Kansas City, MO

I had the assignment of teaching a 10 day class at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. It was really my first visit to the Mid-West, other than driving through on I-80. I didn't see either prison (military or federal) during my time there. But I did spend a lot of time on Post (I learned the hard way not to call an Army installation a "Base") getting my car searched and parking very far away from the training facility.

While I was training in Kansas, I ended up staying in the northern part of Kansas City, MO. It took me about a half an hour to drive to Ft. Leavenworth and it was a great drive. There was no traffic and the drive took me through some lovely farmland. Plus I didn’t have to stay in Leavenworth, where the hotels were a bit sketchier than in Kansas City. Everyday I passed these amazing farm houses. I couldn’t believe how big they were. I also wasn’t freaked out by the farms, which is a sign of real growth. I think I handled the farms with such grace because the land was hilly. Long stretches of flat land freaks me out. I don't know why, but I think it is because I grew up surrounded by hills. I just don't trust those flat horizons.

I don’t think I have ever met so many nice people as I did in Missouri and Kansas. Everywhere I went people were kind, friendly, and helpful. More impressive than the friendliness was the sincerity behind it all. I really felt that everyone wanted me to have a nice day.

Unfortunately, most of my time in Kansas City it rained but I did get a few nice evenings to see the sights. One of the first nights I drove into the city and went to the Savoy Grill. It is a restaurant founded in 1903 and is the oldest restaurant in Kansas City. I love the décor, as it is every early 20th Century. The murals on the walls are original and date back to 1903. While the Savoy Grill specializes in seafood (the lobsters are HUGE) I had a tenderloin steak in mushroom sauce that was fantastic. Although the place is a bit pricy, it was totally worth it for the great food and cool atmosphere.

I used one of the local Kansas City independent newspapers, Pitch, to find good places to eat. Since I love potstickers I decided to try a place called Po’s Dumpling Bar. Po’s is located in the hippie section of Kansas City, right next to the alternative bookstores, incense markets, and vintage clothing shops. I didn’t love Po’s as much as I hoped I would. The pork buns were some of the best I have ever had, but the potstickers and lo mein were not great. The potstickers looked more like Chinese crepes than the more traditional dumpling. The lo mein had way too much garlic. The car smelled for days of garlic from just the ride home. Afterwards I found yet another Half Price Books (I look in every place I visit) and I spent a good amount of time shopping for books I don’t need.

In Kansas City there is an area called the Zona Rosa that has a lot of shopping and restaurants. I decided to go to Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy. While I don’t think the food stood out from any other chain restaurant Mexican food, the guacamole and the service were excellent.

On my last day in Kansas City I took a side trip to Liberty, MO. In Liberty is a historical site for the church where Joseph Smith was illegally incarcerated for about 5 months. I generally avoid studying religious history, but I figured I was in the area. It turned out to be a nice hour long tour that was interactive.

After the tour I headed back into Kansas City to go to Arthur Bryant’s BBQ. According Pitch it is the best BBQ in the area. I love pulled pork and theirs was moist and well smoked. I decided to also try the brisket, but I don’t like brisket as much because it generally is a bit dry. Arthur Byrant’s is visited by a lot of celebrities. There were pictures of Sally Fields, Stephen Spielberg, John Lithgow and I just missed John McCain and Sarah Palin by a week. I will say that I didn’t care for the house barbecue sauce as it had a lot of vinegar. I preferred the Hot and Sweet because I like sweeter barbecue sauce.

While I was glad to get home after 10 days of work, I had a good time in Missouri/Kansas. I would love to go back and eat more food.

Next Trip – Chisinau, Moldova

Wolf Trap

In September Shelley and I went to Wolf Trap to see Les Miserables. It is my favorite musical and Shelley had never been. I had seen the production once before when I was 14. My parents gave me tickets to see the play at the Curran Theater in San Francisco. It was the first time I had ever seen a Broadway-level production and I had such an amazing night. I dressed up and went into The City, ate at a nice restaurant, and headed off to a night at the theater. I think very fondly of that night because I felt so sophisticated and grown up.

When I found out that Les Miserables was playing at Wolf Trap I decided that I had to go. While I was willing to go by myself, I was able to sweet talk Shelley into not only coming with me but also forking out good money for expensive seats (sadly Seabreeze was out of town). It turned out to be a good investment as it rained most of the night and the poor saps on the lawn seats got totally drenched.

I didn’t really understand the concept that Wolf Trap was an outdoor theater with some covered seating. While it is really cool to have the outdoors and the theater together in one (it reminded me of the times I went to the California Shakespeare Festival in Orinda) I don’t like getting rained on. Also, being open to the outdoors also means no air conditioning (which I have professed my love for on various blogs). The humidity was killer and I could not fan myself enough. The play, however, was outstanding and worth every penny; Les Miserables never disappoints.

Getting my car out of the parking lot proved to be difficult to the torrential rain. Luckily I plan for every contingency so Shelley and I sat in the car and watched episodes of “The Soup,” until the lot cleared out. God bless Joel McHale for being so hilarious.

Please note that I know I look slightly demonic in this picture. I am a bit freaked out - but there is no reason to punish Shelley because I am not photogenic. We tried to capture some more visually interesting pictures but lighting made it really difficult to capture any of the cool architecture of the facility.
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Prepare Thyself for Merriment - the Maryland Renaissance Festival

My friends Cameron and Lindsay Sanders invited me to attend the “Maryland Renaissance Festival” with them back in September. I had never been to a “RenFest” (as I learned to call it after overhearing some hardcore fans refer to the festival) but I felt it was worth a shot. I also remember a lot of references to renaissance festivals on the show Gilmore Girls. In any event I was not going to miss out on an exciting day of medieval fun.

When Cameron and Lindsay picked me up, there was a guy sitting in the front seat. At first I though they were trying to casually set me up, but no such luck. The guy turned out to be married so I didn’t bother remembering his name. I know that sounds callous, but I have to remember so many names that I am not going to waste my time on some guy that I will never date. No offense dude.

The first thing I remember about the RenFest is the absolute culture shock I experienced. It was surreal and that doesn’t even begin to describe how out of sorts I felt. I cannot believe how much effort people put into getting medieval. They must spend hundreds of dollars on outfits and accessories. Personally I would rather shop at Nordstrom than at a booth at a renaissance festival – but I have my own weird stuff that I do so I am not really in a position to judge. The details that go into the clothing are astounding. The whole festival carries the gravitas of a Goth prom. I left being very impressed by peoples commitment to the Renaissance. One thing I would like eliminate from the RenFest is the bad, fake British accent. It was painful…please just speak in your native accent. A good costume will compensate for the fact that you are not really from 16th Century Britain.

I guess what shocked me most is that I had no idea that this subculture existed. I had heard of renaissance faires but I never knew anyone that attended. I guess this explains all those students that liked to fake swordfight on the lawns at BYU. I also found it kind of refreshing that all these people have found a way to embrace their love of Henry VIII, drinking horns, jousting, and bralessness.

There is also a very predominate “bimbo” subset of the RenFest crowd. So many women saw this as an opportunity to wear little to no clothing. Every culture has their tramp contingent so I shouldn’t have been too surprised. What was strange is that so many people put a lot of effort into wearing so few clothes. I would also venture to say that Renaissance clothing is particularly challenging for the busty gal.

Overall I had a really good time, far better than I expected. Lindsay and I got massages (from local massage therapists so it wasn’t creepy) in this lovely grove of trees. Cameron and the other guy got to see jousting and sword fighting.

I also learned a lot about entertainment and history while I was there. Primarily:
• In olden times, all food was served on sticks. This includes but is not limited to turkey, macaroni and cheese, chicken, fruit, and cheesecake.
• People really like tricks that include swords and whips. I guess that helps to explain some of the appeal to men of the Indiana Jones series. I think for women it is just a young Harrison Ford in a fedora. Yum.
• Medieval humor can actually be funny and quite bawdy. I guess some things that are funny never change.
• Guys find anything made for a woman out of chainmail sexy.
• Drinking horns are far too expensive.

Thanks again to Lindsay and Cameron for the invite. I had a blast. Shelley was so disappointed that she couldn’t go. Maybe next year Cameron and Shelley can go to the RenFest while Lindsay and I go shopping at the Ikea near by. Sound like a good time for everyone.

Jordan

Portsmouth, VA

Instead of teaching a course, I had the opportunity to attend a course by the National White Collar Crime Center on investigating financial crimes. While I tried to attend the course in Anchorage, Alaska my boss wouldn’t go for it. Instead I attended the course in Portsmouth, VA. I decided to drive from Reston to my hotel in Norfolk. A road trip that was supposed to last about 3.5 hours took me almost 5.5 hours. Stupid I-95. I chose to stay in Norfolk, which is close to Portsmouth, because the Hilton there was offering double points. I can’t resist.

Driving in Norfolk and Portsmouth is a lot like driving in the Bay Area. You have to take into account bridges and tunnels. According to MapQuest it should have only taken 13 minutes to get from my hotel to the Portsmouth Police Station. That is not the case as it usually took me between 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. I probably should have stayed a bit closer, but there is not a lot in Portsmouth to make it appealing.

The best part of the course was the fellow attendees. I had so much fun learning from all the police officers and prosecutors in the course. We often went out at night and had dinner together. We even went and walked on the Virginia Beach boardwalk, which I must admit looked a lot better than when I was there six years ago. The statue of Neptune is spectaular. I was a bit of a buzz killer as I was recovering from a sinus infection and didn’t have a lot of energy.

Next trip – Ft. Leavenworth, KS

Mt. Vernon, VA

My friend Evan is awesome. He decided that we (Shelley, Evan, and I) needed to go visit Mt. Vernon, the home of George Washington. Luckily, I was in town for the weekend and the weather wasn’t too terrible for August in Northern Virginia.

Evan picked Shelley and me up and here is where Evan’s awesomeness really came into play: his car was pristine and he packed a cooler of snacks. Anyone that packs a cooler of snack (including waters and soda) is perfect in my book because I rarely think that far in advance.

Now I had been to Mt. Vernon about 12 years ago during my high school DC trip. I wasn’t that impressed by the place and had never been eager to return. Shelley, however, was dying to go and who can say no to that face? Also, the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association just renovated the museums and visitor’s center. Perhaps it was time for me to give Mt. Vernon another chance.

When we arrived we first went to the visitor’s center and watched a movie about George and Martha Washington. The movie was pretty good and I swear there were some actors that I had seen on Law & Order episodes. Pat Sajak also introduced Mt. Vernon and the video. It is always good to see Pat.

Evan arranged for us to take a boat ride up the Potomac. I don’t go on boats often, but I am always glad when I do. It was a lovely ride and the breeze off the water kept us very comfortable. I will admit that the girl reading the narration was not very enthusiastic – but it didn’t ruin the experience in any way.

The new visitor’s center had a lot of cool multimedia presentations. There is one theater that accounts Washington’s crossing of the Delaware. It was an interactive presentation that had falling snow. Now because I am nosy, I overheard that the snow was falling only on the right side of the theater. I was Machiavellian in getting us on the snowy side of the theater, and it was so worth the trouble.

The actual home of Washington is quite lovely with an incredible view of the Potomac. I enjoyed my trip much more this time around. I think I could have lived in that home (as long as I could modernize with air conditioning). Overall I really enjoyed the tour, except for the annoying little kids – but that is a long rant that I won’t repeat.

Evan told us that there was a restaurant at Mt. Vernon that serves colonial cuisine, and Shelley loves colonial cuisine. Unfortunately it was closed for a wedding (stupid wedding). It worked out just fine in the end as Shelley and I took Evan to Kabob Palace, which serves the best kabobs in the DC area. So delicious.

I just want to give a shout out to Evan for planning such a great excursion. I had a blast.

Sacramento, CA

Luckily I get to go to Sacramento, CA for work on occasion. I love it because I get to go home and see the family, friends, and state that I miss so much. While my trips to CA are rarely action-packed, it is wonderful just to be home again.

Dad, Roger, and I went to Tao San Jin, my favorite Chinese food place on my first night back. I am such a Chinese food snob that I refused to eat Chinese food in Utah and I haven’t found a satisfactory place yet in Reston. I had my favorite chow fun with black bean sauce and it was as delicious as ever.

My friend Katie and I had a chance to catch up on the weekend over breakfast at the Sugar Plum Coffee Shop. Katie looks fantastic and every time I see her it just reminds me how much I miss our instant messaging and just general hanging out. She is the best. I also want to give a shout out to Katie for finding the absolute best volunteer work for her ever. Her job is to pet cats in animal shelters for an hour one day a week. For an avid cat lover like Katie (but not a creepy, crazy cat lady kind of way) it is a win for both her and the cats.

I also saw my friends Shariyah and Derrick. They are an adorable couple and they deserve the best of everything. We drove around in my cool Mustang rental car and went to the Riverview Lodge in Antioch. If you like seafood, the Riverview is a great place to eat. It has a nice view of the San Joaquin (if you can call the river nice) and the décor has been the same since the 1940’s, which I love. My mom swears by the crab louie salad. Katie and Shariyah are my friends from Bank of America and we all have lived to tell the horror stories. Next time I go I hope to see my other Bank friends.

In Sacramento I went out to dinner with Larry, Jody, and my dad. I love seeing Larry and Jody as often as possible. I was also totally jazzed to spend so much time with my dad while back home again. We ended up going to Frank Fat’s which has often been highlighted as the best Chinese food in Sacramento. If you ever go, the Honey Walnut Prawns are to die for.

My dad and I also headed to the Rusty Duck. We had an excellent meal. The fish at the Rusty Duck is always fresh. It has a very classic steakhouse look and vibe. I also enjoyed the intimate atmosphere and good service. The chef even came out to introduce himself, which I love (but only if the food is good).

My students and I decided to go to dinner and a movie after class. Near the theater were a variety of chain restaurants, including Hooters. I said I was up for anything except for Hooters because they objectify women. One of the guys in my class turned to me and rightly observed that, “You wouldn’t be the one objectifying them.” He had a point.

Back in Antioch my dad, Roger, Diedra, Mary, and I headed to Bridgehead Café. While Bridgehead is not my favorite place to eat, you cannot beat the welcome you get as a regular. The place has been owned by the same family for forever and you can tell they love the place. If you like chicken fried steak or fried chicken they are both very good.

Dad and I also headed to Prevots in Antioch. They serve continental cuisine that is pretty classy for Antioch. They have a marvelous rack of lamb and their bread is always served fresh from the oven. Unfortunately, is it located in a not-so-great part of town and I don’t think the place gets the recognition it deserves. If you go before 6:00 pm you can get a three course dinner for about $15.00. It is amazing.

I have been worried that all of my blogs revolve restaurants. Aside from enjoying eating far more than I should, I love anything related to restaurant reviews and travel advice. Also, when traveling for work, there isn’t a whole lot of time for sightseeing and wacky adventures. I have to eat and I have a very small window in which to go out and see the world. Enough excuses – I like dining out.

Next trip – Portsmouth, VA.

Akron, OH "Flee to the Cleve"

I have put off writing about my trip to Akron because I never thought I could adequately represent how much excitement I had in Ohio. I know that sounds strange, but Akron turned out to be one of the coolest trips I have been on so far. I also ate very well because they really like food, especially fried food, in Akron.

First off, my hotel was circular and I mean circular. I stayed at the Quaker Square Inn which used to be a grain silo for Quaker Oats back in the day. Everything there was round and old fashioned. The inn also smelled like a grandma’s house. I don’t mean that in a bad way, it just smelled of old furniture and baking (they made homemade oatmeal cookies daily). They also had an old railroad train car that the Inn converted into a diner. It was fun to sit in the train car and have a side order of nostalgia with my lunch.

I worked with the Akron Police Department and they are a fantastic group of people; very friendly, considerate, and hospitable. They took excellent care of me while in Akron and introduced me to some nice restaurants. I had my very first taste of fried macaroni and cheese at the Lockview. Fried Mac and Cheese highly decadent and surprisingly good. It is very rich, so take it slowly.

At Bricco I had fried dill pickles with garlic aioli and a well-cooked, moist pork loin. I don’t really like dill pickles that much, but it just goes to show that everything taste better when deep fried because I loved those blasted fried pickles. I had great time that night because many of the officers came out to dinner with me and then took me on a tour of Akron. There are some lovely parts of the city, especially the neighborhoods with brick streets and large trees.

On Wednesday I had to “Flee to the Cleve” as they say on 30 Rock and drove up to Cleveland. I decided that it was essential for me to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame juts out onto Lake Erie and the water really made the setting lovely in the sunlight. The building itself is architecturally interesting with a large glass pyramid. I spent quite a bit of time in the museum (what a shock!). I would have to say the highlights were:
• Madonna’s bustiers from the Blonde Ambition tour
• The hand written lyrics of John Lennon’s “In My Life” which is one of my favorite Beatles songs
• The guitar that Paul Simonon smashed on the Clash’s “London Calling” album
• And the red jacket from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” which 8 year old Jen would have died to have seen
I really enjoyed all of the videos and credit given to the roots and founders of rock – especially one of my favorites, Sam Cooke.

The new Iron Chef, Michael Symon, is from Cleveland and has several restaurants in the area. I tried to get into both and could not get a reservation at Lola and I couldn’t find Lolita. It got totally lost in Cleveland trying to get back to Akron because of construction; a 40 minute trip took me over and hour and a half. Good times!

I had the opportunity to go out on a police ride-along with the Akron PD. It turned out to be one of the most exciting and enlightening experiences I have ever had. I got a tour of the police station, attended roll call and went on patrol for 4 hours. I rode with Officer Evans in one of the more sketchy neighborhoods of Akron. We drove around and answered a few minor calls. Then we got to ride lights and sirens across town to a 30 person gang fight. It was so cool to go that fast. When we arrived at the fight, one of the suspects started to flee and Evans followed him down alleys in the car which rocked. Evans jumped out of the car and chased him down. It was straight out of an episode of “Cops.” I sat in the squad car with the suspect for a few minutes (I was in the front seat so no worries) and the suspect kept asking me to roll down the windows. I did not. I got to witness a gun shot residue test and how they process gang members. I got to ride lights and sirens again because a fight broke out again in the same location a little later in the evening. I also got to go to a homicide crime scene and watch them process the scene. I am so grateful to the Akron PD for letting me tag along.


When in Akron you must eat at Luigi’s. It is, hands down, the best pizza I have ever had in my life. It is also a local favorite of the Akron PD. I went out after my ride along (around midnight) with the captain who set up my ride along. If you order a salad you can add mozzarella cheese on the top. When they talk about cheese, Luigi’s isn’t kidding; you can’t even see the salad because of all the wonderful, fresh mozzarella cheese. I cannot emphasize enough how fantastic the pizza is…just know that they don’t take credit cards so go with cash.

Who knew Akron would be so awesome?

Fourth of July - Washington, DC

The one Fourth of July I spent in DC in 2002, it was so hot I ended up staying home and watching TV. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate heat and humidity. This year I had Shelley to celebrate with me and that meant that I couldn’t sit home all day watching the Law & Order marathon like I usually do on national holidays. I wonder if there will be a marathon on Labor Day – I can only hope!

Members from our tennis group decided to get together for a BBQ at our friend Evan’s home. His roommate Monica is a grill master and I enjoyed my annual grilled hot dog. I made fruit pizza for the first time and it was, if I do say so myself, totally awesome. I also think I won over Tammy as a friend for life – who knew fruit pizza had such diplomatic powers? I had a great time hanging out with my tennis buddies.

Shelley wanted to go to the National Mall to watch the fireworks. While I was not ecstatic about the idea, I didn’t want her to go alone. I also didn’t want to say that I had the opportunity to celebrate the 4th in the Nation’s capital and I chose to sit around and watch TV instead. I did have a couple of conditions on my attendance; first, if it was too hot or humid I could bow out without guilt and second, I wanted a chair so I wouldn’t have to sit on the ground. I am so spoiled.

We almost didn’t go to the Mall because of the severe thunderstorm warnings. However, the rain subsided for a bit and Shelley got the fireworks itch. There were huge bouts of indecisiveness and some good Law & Order episodes coming up, but adventure prevailed. We ended up riding the Metro into DC and arriving about two minutes before the fireworks.

It is always interesting when large, diverse groups of people get together. There was an adorable little boy that just loved the fireworks and made precious comments about each one. Then there were the ladies standing behind Shelley and me – they were either the cheesiest patriots ever or totally drunk; I vote for drunk. They kept shouting, “Happy Birthday America” very, very loudly. I would have to say that my favorite quote from the drunken ladies went like this, “Only in America could you have fireworks like this…except for maybe Communist China.” How true and God Bless America.

Travel tip – when going to see the fireworks in DC go to dinner after the fireworks. Eating out after provides enough time for the streets and the Metro crowds to thin out. This tip came from some locals and Shelley and I were able to have a nice meal and a comfortable ride home.

A Few Reasons Why California Is So Awesome!

Washington Nationals Game

Once again Seabreeze’s many connections have paid off. She hooked us up with tickets to a Washington Nationals game. I have not been to a baseball game since I went to an Oakland A’s game when I was 12 or 13. While I am not a huge baseball fan, I am usually up for a new adventure (especially when it is free).


Seabreeze, Shelley, Lindsay Sanders, and I could not have asked for a better night. It was an ideal summer night: not too hot and very little humidity. I think that was the most remarkable event of the night – a pleasant evening in Virginia. Since it is the first year that the Nationals have played in the new ballpark, the whole arena is very clean and nice. I had a great hot dog and some very good fries; although like all stadium food it tends to leave you feeling sick a few hours later. I think I just tend to get caught up in the moment and all of a sudden a hot dog is the only food that can satisfy you.

The Nationals handily lost the game. The Anaheim Angels were ahead by 6 runs after the first inning. I may not know a lot about baseball, but I do know that losing by that much so early on is rarely a good sign. I do think that the t-shirt cannon made up for the lack of excitement on the field. I had no idea a t-shirt could fly that far!

Seabreeze gave us all a great girl’s night out. I would happily go again, assuming I could insure another night of amazing weather.

San Antonio, TX

Texas – again!!!!

While I couldn’t believe that I was heading off to Texas for the third time in six months, I was nonetheless excited to go to San Antonio. My friend Camy and her husband moved to San Antonio a while ago and I would finally be able to see them again. While San Antonio isn’t my first choice (I am still holding out for a chance to return to Houston after almost nine years) I was more than happy to reconnect with Camy.

United Airlines is not on my good list right now. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time to make my 8:22 am flight to San Antonio only to have them bump me. It was unceremoniously done as they tried to blame me for arriving to late. Seeing as I arrived at the gate at about 7:15 am, I don’t think the blame should reside with me. Additionally, they bumped several members of the military that had orders to report to one of the Air Force bases in San Antonio. According to my fellow bumpees, the airline cannot bump travelers with military orders. The woman at the gate could not have been less helpful. She actually disappeared and someone else had to come help us, although he was fairly useless as well. I had purposefully chosen an early flight, and paid full price for the ticket, because I have to ensure that if I do get bumped, that I can catch another flight. United finally got me on an American Airlines flight to San Antonio with a stop in Dallas. The problem was that I didn’t even arrive in SA until 11:45 pm CDT. By the time I checked into my hotel at about 1 am Monday morning, I was exhausted. But I am pro and tried not to let it show when I arrived at USAA.

San Antonio is the headquarters for USAA, the banking and insurance company dedicated to the military. The USAA complex is absolutely enormous: tennis courts, driving range, two pavilions, Frisbee golf courses, about ten zillion entrances to the complex and enough room for deer to roam freely on the grounds. What really blew my mind was that I rode around on golf carts inside the building in order to get from the visitors building to the training room. It reminded me of that scene in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery when he is on that stupid cart trying to do a thirty point turn. Luckily these halls were wide enough for us to easily make U-turns.

I had a great time with my class because they were super nice people and they were very interested in where I ate dinner every night. I went to places they recommended and every day I had to write the name of the place I ate the night before on the board. I loved that they were interested in my nightly escapades and were very upset when I neglected to update the “Dined At:” list.

Monday night I returned to Pappadeaux for my favorite Citrus Crusted Tilapia because their fish always tastes so fresh. I can only go to Pappadeaux when I am in the south so I always take full advantage of my time in Texas and Georgia (I don’t know what other states have a Pappadeaux). I ordered dessert, which I rarely do as I eat poorly as it is when I travel, but I was wooed by the Praline Cheesecake. It took me 3 days to finish it, but was worth every bite. The caramel that accompanies the cheesecake was perfectly done as it was not burned or too oily – as Goldilocks would say, it was just right.

Tuesday I went to Tomatillos which received the City Search award for best margaritas in San Antonio. I can’t comment on the margaritas, but their Tres Colores Enchiladas were very good and gave a nice variety of Tex-Mex cuisine. They also had very professional waiters and excellent guacamole which is always a plus. Tomatillos is also located across the street from a Half-Priced Books so you can totally make a night of it…if you like cruising bookstores.

Wednesday Camy, her sister Becky, and Camy’s daughter Sierra (2) picked me up for a girls night on the town. I had so much fun catching up with Camy and getting to know Becky better, as the last time I spoke with Becky was at Camy and Jason’s wedding. Sadly Jason had to work as he is completing his medical residency with the Air Force. We missed you Jason. Sierra is a doll. She is crazy smart and definitely has a mind of her own. She spent a portion of the night being a duck. I must say that with a few more months of practice she could go pro.

We first went to the Bass Pro Shop which was ENORMOUS. The place has a multitude of taxidermy animals that Sierra likes to look at and pet. When Camy mentioned looking at the animals I thought it would be some deer, elk and maybe a bear. Boy did I underestimate the Bass Pro Shop. They had lions, wolves, zebra, longhorn cattle…quite the menagerie. They also had a laser tag like shooting range. I have to admit that I am not very good, but after three rounds I increased my score from some type of Very Bad score to “Needs Practice.”

When in Texas you are morally obligated to eat BBQ. Camy suggested a place called Rudy’s (which my students confirmed as wonderful). When you walk up to Rudy’s it smells like a campfire because the food is all smoked and cooked over the flame. We ended up ordering brisket, turkey, chopped meat, and sausage. The potato salad and peach cobbler were also wonderful. Their creamed corn is to unlike anything I have ever had. The recipe is top secret, but I would swear that they put grits in mix. It was classic, no-frills BBQ, complete with the half a loaf of white bread, and I loved it.

On Thursday I knew I needed a steak (again, a moral imperative in Texas) and my class recommended a place called the Little Red Barn. When I pulled up to the restaurant, there were 4 police cruisers in the parking lot. I took that as either a really bad or a really good sign. It turns out to be a good sign as there were probably 8-10 police officers in the cashier’s line. Aside from the fact that they put me behind a wall (“A woman dining alone – UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN”) I still enjoyed the experience. I felt that my steak was too done but at least it was reasonably priced. Also, the cowgirl outfits that the waitresses wear are outrageous.

On Friday I returned to the Tip Top Café. I had tried to dine there earlier in the week, waited in line for 20 minutes only to realize that they don’t take credit cards. This time I came prepared and happily ate lunch at the counter. The Tip Top had been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network and the place was packed all the time. The portions were gigantic, I ended up giving my onion rings to 2 women sitting next to me. They have the best apple pie that I have ever tasted. I would highly recommend the restaurant if you are ever in San Antonio.

My last day there I headed to the Alamo and the River Walk. To paraphrase Shelley, “Leave it to the Texans to take a huge failure and play it off as a success.” I decided that as a historian and a mocker of Texas, I should see the Alamo. I found the grounds to be surprisingly lovely. As for the actual Alamo, it was fine and slightly forgettable. The River Walk, however, far exceeded my expectations. The landscaping and architecture are charming. I ended up walking up and down the river and enjoying all the people watching. I also took a dinner cruise so I could see all of the sights. I had a great time even though I was the only single person on the boat. Good times!

Next trip – Akron, OH

Bank of America

Truer words were never written:



Thanks for sharing Katie M.

West Palm Beach, Florida

I made my first trip to Florida during the first week of June. Everyone at work voiced their jealousy that I got to go to West Palm Beach. I don’t think I was appropriately excited as I had never been to Florida and had very low expectations. Overall I enjoyed my time in Florida, although I found the humidity to be very oppressive (I am sure this is not big surprise as I hate the heat and humidity).

When I arrived in West Palm Beach I was so excited to see palm trees again. I am always surprised at how much I miss palm trees. Those blasted trees made me miss California even more than I already do. I just found myself staring at the palm trees and hoping to go home and visit sometime soon. The palms are all strategically placed, especially in Palm Beach. Palm Beach differs from West Palm Beach in that Palm Beach is on a slip of sand separated from the Florida mainland by a waterway called the Intercoastal. Palm Beach is also home to huge homes and country clubs (see Mar-a-Lago which is now owned by Donald Trump and cost around $125,000 for the yearly dues). They work very hard to keep people like you and me out of town as it was founded by Old Money. Aristocratic mentality aside, they do know how to create a community that is lovely and meticulously maintained – palm trees and all.

Luckily I was working with the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and they told me what parts of town to avoid. Apparently the Crowne Plaza I stayed at was not in a good neighborhood. I think the phrase, “Don’t walk outside at night,” came up several times. I love working with the police I always feel like I have a great insight into the community.

I was very excited to have authentic Cuban food. The way I see it is that the best place to get Cuban food outside of Cuba (which I don’t think I will be visiting anytime soon) is south Florida. I went to a restaurant called Havana that was listed as one of the best Cuban places in West Palm Beach. I had tostones and a skirt steak that had been marinated and seared. I love a tender steak and this one was so flavorful and tender.

I ate at another local restaurant called E.R. Bradley’s. This restaurant/bar has a lovely outdoor and covered eating area. I sat right on the edge of the covered porch and overlooked the Intercostal as I ate blackened Mahi-Mahi. The food was okay, mostly forgettable, but the combination of outdoor dining and a lovely water view made the night worthwhile.

On Thursday nights in downtown West Palm Beach they have a street festival called Clematis by Night. They have bands, food, and vendors that you can enjoy for free. They also have this giant fountain that kids, and only kids, can play in. My students suggested I make a night of it, so I headed downtown.

I really enjoyed the band as they played a lot of Motown hits that I enjoy. It was also a people watching hotspot: watching the public dancing, kids playing in the fountain, etc. I found a French bistro called Pistache. I had a wonderful table that overlooked all the activity at Clematis by Night, it was perfect. I had the best prime rib I have ever had. The steak must have been cooked in some red wine reduction because it was so flavorful. While I was eating my dinner I saw someone walk by my table that looked familiar. I realized that it was Pretentious Stephen from the first season of Top Chef. Remember the jerky sommelier with the double Windsor knots in his ties. I didn’t say anything to him, I just had the sense of satisfaction that he is just as pretentious in real life as he appeared on TV.

I feel like it would have been insulting to my co-workers, Florida and the Atlantic Ocean if I didn’t go to the beach while in Palm Beach. Now I didn’t go swimming in the water for a number of reasons, but I did enjoy walking on the sand and getting my feet wet. I cannot get over how warm the Atlantic is compared to the Pacific. It was like a bathtub…am I used to West Coast beaches where you suck it up because you are at the ocean and the ocean is awesome regardless of how cold it may be. I can also see why there are no great East Coast surf legends. The waves were practically nonexistent. You definitively need to hit the Pacific if you are going to surf like a pro.

Overall I really enjoyed my time in Florida. I spent my last night driving down the island from Palm Beach to Boca Raton. Some of the architecture is so distinctive of south Florida; I think I could live well with a house that had a beautiful terrace overlooking the Atlantic. One interesting aspect of the island is that it is obvious when you cross city lines. The second you drive over the city line the whole dynamic of a town changes. It goes from being ritzy and old money to a much more lower or middle class lifestyle.

Next Trip - San Antonio, TX

Ft. Gratiot, MI or "Care Bears are Yucky"

I recently returned from Ft. Gratiot, MI to visit my college roommate Kristine and her family. I always love to visit Kristine as she and I are just two peas in a very strange pod. I also adore her children (since I only like kids on a case-by-case basis, it is a real compliment that I like all three of her kids). I see it as my job to spoil them as their Aunt Jendavis. Her children all call me Jendavis. When I have tried to explain to them that my first name is Jen and my last name is Davis the response is generally one of incredulity. I think we are all at the point where Rachel, who is 4, thinks my name is Jendavis Davis. Although it is progress in the arena of name comprehension, it love that they call me Jendavis and wouldn’t change it for the world.

I was only up in Michigan for a few days but I had a blast hanging out with the kids, spoiling them, and chatting with Kristine and Jon late into the night. Ft. Gratiot is located about 60 east of Detroit on Lake Huron. I have to say that Detroit leaves a lot to be desired. I know that Michigan is way ahead of the country when it comes to an economic slump and it shows. Luckily Jon has a great job and that makes Michigan a great value when it comes to housing. I am content to visit at this point.

We mostly hung out and went to some of the kids favorite places like Golden Corral and the Rainforest Café at Great Lakes Crossing. The kids love Rainforest and the mall is pretty cool. They have a very kid friendly Chuck E. Cheese like place that they just adore. I let them go to the Disney Store and pick a gift. It was so awesome to be able to just spoil Rachel, Carter and Katey rotten and be the favorite for a good 10 minutes.

I was also able to go to Rachel’s preschool graduation which was appropriately adorable. They sang songs and fidgeted and ate cookies brought in by the parents. She was so proud of her achievement and is far too smart for her own good.


Carter, 2, is talking so much more than when I last saw him in October. It is great to see his personality come out. He has so much energy and is the quintessential boy. He refuses to watch Care Bear cartoons as they are “yucky.” He sat in the car for 30 minutes with his hands over his eyes rather than watch the Care Bears. I don’t think Jon has ever been more proud.

Katey,1, is so well mannered and easy going. She entertains herself so well and loves to laugh. She is my kind of kid.

I can’t wait to go back.

New York City

I received the coolest assignment back in April because I got to go to New York. I had only been to NYC once before, for two days, and I definitely wanted to visit again. While the downside to the assignment was that I had to work and couldn’t spend all my time out on the town, the upside was that work allowed me to visit Manhattan in style. Here is a breakdown of the trip:

I stayed at the Millennium Hilton which is located in the Financial District. My room overlooked Ground Zero so I got up close and personal to the construction site. It does not bear any resemblance to the Ground Zero (thank heavens) that I saw in October 2001. It looks just like any other construction site that also serves as a tourist attraction. The restaurant in the Hilton, Church & Dey, is unremarkable. The food was on par with an Olive Garden. What really angered me is that they used Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup on my ice cream. For heaven’s sake, spring for some hot fudge people!

Monday night one of my students recommended a restaurant called Brasserie Les Halles. I have since learned that there is one located in DC (and is owned (?) by Anthony Bourdain). It was wonderful, although too dark to read (I know, I know but what are you supposed to do when eating out by yourself?), and I would highly recommend the steak, the amazing French fries (soooo good), and the chocolate mousse. I am told that the service at the Les Halles on Park Avenue is better than the downtown location (I went to the Park Avenue café).

Monday was also my first solo foray onto the NYC Subway. I have lived to tell that it is a very convenient and accessible mass transit system. That being said, I found it to be dirty, especially in comparison to the DC Metro system. I only took the wrong train one time (to which I received applause from my students). I also saw a small child fall between the platform and a departing train. Luckily his mother was able to pull him onto the platform before he was hurt. The child was totally fine, but I think his mother lost a few years off her life. She was sobbing and hugging the boy like crazy. I was glad to see so many concerned citizens try to help as I expected that New York apathy. I have also decided that the grossest dare in the world would be to lick a step on a NYC subway station stairway. I gag just thinking about that.

Tuesday I got tickets to Young Frankenstein. It was hilarious, smart, goofy, and very well acted. Roger Bart, who you have all seen but don’t know by name, played Frederick Frankenstein and Megan Mullally (of Will & Grace) played Elizabeth. Both are excellent comedians and wonderful singers. I had 3rd row center, orchestra seats that blew my mind. Good times!

I had a pre-theater dinner that night at a place called Barbetta. It was okay, if overpriced, with very good polenta. Apparently it used to be one of Sinatra’s old haunts and the restaurant is housed in home at one time owned by the Astor family.


Wednesday I went to Serendipity (yes the one from the movie) and had a lovely ham and brie sandwich. The highlight was the frozen hot chocolate, which was very refreshing. Be warned that it causes severe brain freeze and the serving is too large for one person. Otherwise I just walked all over Midtown, stopping at Bloomingdales, the Plaza, and Rockefeller Center. I walked down 5th Avenue and looked at all the amazing clothing and jewelry that I cannot afford. I really want to participate in wanton consumerism (at times).

Thursday I saw Mary Poppins. The two leads in the show are so talented. I enjoyed the story and the child actors we much better than I expected. They had some lame back story about Mrs. Banks and her attempts to find herself and reconnect with Mr. Banks. I found it boring and longed for the suffragette Mrs. Bank singing “Votes for Women.” There was one number in Mary Poppins that freaked me out a bit. It was like a combination of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer’s Island of Misfit Toys and Dumbo’s Huffalumps and Woozles. I didn’t like it at all. Although I had front row seats, I had no leg room. I am not tall and I was dying. I don’t know how tall people can sit that long in seats that are worse than economy class.

Before the theater I had pastrami and corned beef rolls at Junior’s off Times Square. I also had some of the best cheesecake ever at Junior’s. I guess they are well known for their cheesecake and it is not without reason. I was going to go to Roxy's but all the online reviews said the staff was rude and the restauarnt was unclean. Junior's was the exact opposite, go if you want good food, although it is very busy.

On Friday I just walked around the Financial District until I had to catch my flight. I went to St. Paul’s and saw George Washington’s pew, Trinity Church (of National Treasure fame), the Stock Exchange, and to the Federal Hall museum which is a national park.

I had a blast and I would love to go there again. I would happily live there, if I had the paycheck to make living in Manhattan fun and exciting. For now I will just let work send me.

Philadelphia

Back in April our ward planned an activity with the Philadelphia singles ward. I normally don’t participate in ward activities (I am lazy and would rather be home watching a movie) but Shelley and I decided to go. Now the plan was to drive up to Philadelphia and stay with people up in Philly, doing some urban camping. Now I am far too old and far too pampered to sleep on someone else’s floor. So I talked Shelley in splitting a hotel room with me. Now that I am in my 30’s I have gone totally soft and I want a comfortable night’s sleep. I am worried that I am about two years away from having a bed time of 9:30 pm and nodding off while reading Reader’s Digest Condensed Books.

Shelley and I arrived in downtown Philly on a Friday night so we could do a little sightseeing on our own. When we arrived at the hotel, we were informed that the hotel had given my reservation to another Jennifer Davis from West Virginia. To make up for it, they gave Shelley and I a Junior Suite, which was like a regular hotel room except that it had two TVs. It was awesome.

Now I warned Shelley that Philadelphia is kind of gross, but I don’t think she really believed me. Luckily the city hadn’t changed much since I was there seven years ago and I did not come off looking like a liar. That being said, we had a great time wandering around Old City. We ate a place called City Tavern which was very cool. City Tavern offers “authentic colonial-style cuisine that is served in this historically accurate reconstruction of the original 1773 tavern. There are three floors with colonial décor and staff in period costume.” It was surprisingly good and I gladly wasn’t freaked out by the living history performers.

Shelley and I spent Saturday wandering around Philadelphia with our friends Kasey and Justin. We saw the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Ben Franklin’s grave and ate cheesesteaks at Jim’s. I had a great time and I think Shelley really enjoyed all the historical buildings. I really liked the cheesesteaks.

Cherry Blossom Festival

Despite having lived in the DC area on two separate occasions before moving out here last November, I have never lived here in the spring. I don’t know how I managed it, but I always seemed to miss the famed cherry blossom season. I was excited to finally be able to go and see what all the hype was about.

Seabreeze thought that we should go to the Cherry Blossom Festival for Shelley’s birthday. It became a bit dicey as it had rained the day before and was supposed to rain the day of her birthday. Miraculously, it stopped raining just in time for us to go to the festival. I stand by my claim that God really likes Shelley, as the day turned out to not only to be rain-free but was also beautiful, warm, and sunny.

Amber, Shelley, Seabreeze and I spent a lovely evening in DC. We headed to the Mall and the Tidal Basin to enjoy the cherry blossoms. I must admit that the cherry blossoms were far more impressive than I imagined. They are so soft, light, wonderfully scented and are the epitome of spring.

Later, we headed for a nice restaurant called Rosa Mexicano. They had great food, including awesome guacamole. Seabreeze sure knows how to pick a restaurant.

I have been enjoying Spring this year for the very first time. It was a long winter, and I love watching the blossoms appear on the trees and then the leaves return. I understand now why people look forward to Spring. Good times!