Sorry - I've Been Out of It

First of all, Happy New Year! I've been totally out of it the last few months because I've been so busy. Also, I've been seriously contemplating whether I want to continue this blog or not. I started this particular blog as a direct request from a very close friend. I started writing the entries specifically for him so he can get a chance to "eavesdrop" on the conversations I was having with myself inside my head.

Well, when Edward passed away - I lost the drive to do this. I think I want to continue the blog but I might change the direction a bit. Hang in there for a bit more? I promise I'll make a decision soon. In the meantime, I guess I'll catch you up with the trips I mentioned back in August.

Trip #1: St. Augustine, FL - August 13th
Very quaint, old town. This is suppose to be the "oldest city in the nation" and it does have that old-town feel. I stayed at the Casa Monica hotel which was built in 1888. It was a very trippy trip and I enjoyed it. There were so many historic sites to visit within walking distance from the hotel. We even participated in a walking ghost tour of the old fort and historic cemeteries! I would definitely want to visit this place again.


Trip #2: Napa, CA - August 27th to 29th
I stayed at the Silverado Resort - it's nice and elegant but a bit hoity-toity for my taste. I would have picked a more down-to-earth B&B if I had the choice. I could just be bitter because the resort staff treated me badly. Needless to say, I spent as little time as possible in that resort. I explored the downtown area and bought fresh fruits, cheeses, and ate at organic small restaurants. I spent some time at COPIA but they are now closed, which is a shame.

Instead of staying in Napa on my second day, I decided to drive up to Calistoga. I went to California's Old Faithful Geyser, which was a total bust. I could have put on the same show from my backyard with a garden hose and a smoke machine. Boo!!!! Then I took a solitary walk through the Petrified Forest. It was so hot that day (about 110°F) so I was a bit distracted by the heat. According to the locals I sat with at the diner, it was the hottest day they've experienced that summer. Of course, I picked the worst day to visit, right?

After lunch, I decided to visit the Sterling Vineyard. I enjoyed that little excursion. To get to the actual winery, I had to take an aerial tram ride from the parking lot to the top of the hill. I'm a bit terrified of heights so it was a very interesting 5-minute ride for me. I was treated to a special wine tasting because the sommelier felt sorry for me. I guess it was unusual for them to see a solitary person going through a wine tour, especially one who doesn't drink alcohol. So they made it more of a culinary experience for me. I bought some wine that I served for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The highlight of the trip is the panoramic view you get to see from the winery's deck. It was absolutely breathtaking. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to post to pictures one of these days.

So after Napa, I went on other business trips not worth mentioning because I've been there several times before (sorry St. Louis and San Francisco). The real highlight of my year is Trip #3.

Trip #3: New York City - December 12th to 14th
This is the only trip I took that was purely for personal reasons - no business mingled in with this jaunt. Veronica & I got tickets to see Equus on Broadway, so we scheduled our weekend around that show. We arrived at JFK early Friday morning. The sight that greeted us when we got off the shuttle was Grand Central Station. We stayed at a little hotel on 31st Street (Hotel 31) and it just added to the whole charm of the weekend. It's one of those older brownstones with an old-fashioned elevator complete with accordion doors. We walked through Central Park cold and shivering but I was in awe of the full moon's reflection on the icy lake that I didn't feel anything. We shopped the holiday shops on Columbus Circle, rode the subway and had drinks at an Irish Pub.

The following day, we show Daniel Radcliffe in his Broadway debut. The play was awesome and it's not because of the nudity. Afterwards, we tried fighting the crowds at Rockefeller Center but we lost. We rewarded our efforts with some hotdogs off a vendor and took refuge inside St. Paul's Cathedral. We finished off our day by having a big authentic Thai dinner while having great conversations. All in all, it was a great weekend for me. Exactly what I needed and what I wanted but I wish I could have stayed a bit longer. Here's some of the photos from this trip.


So there. Those are all the trips I took at the end of 2008. Now I just need to plan my 2009 adventures. Let me know if you've gone anywhere fun last year and share your photos.