Travel Catch-Up: NYC for Class + Shows

January (6) 7-15

For my first class in the NYUSPS MSTI Program, I was able to take advantage of a new offering for an intensive J-term course that combined one week of in-person sessions in New York City on the NYU campus with two weeks of virtual pre- and post- work to complete a full-credit elective that would typically be taught over 14 weeks of a regular semester. Definitely a very compressed format! But it was great to have the opportunity to connect in-person with eight other MSTI students, one professor, and three program staff as a way to kick off my participation in this program.

I stayed at the Sheraton Tribeca, which was about a 12-minute walk from my classroom in the Paulson Center. Since I wanted to have some time to settle in and get familiar with the neighborhood, I took a red-eye direct flight on Saturday 1/6 and arrived in Newark around 8am on Sunday 1/7. The trip to NYC was less than 30 minutes at that time of day, and I had paid for the room to be reserved beginning on Saturday evening so that I could access it when I arrived rather than needing to wait until Sunday afternoon. 

The room was on the 22nd floor, overlooking the Hudson River and the New Jersey skyline, and had access to the Executive Lounge on the 21st floor. The lounge area included an outdoor terrace overlooking the skyline, including the Empire State Building, although the weather wasn't really welcoming enough to spend time in that area.

I grabbed a few items from the lounge for breakfast later and then took a nap for a couple of hours. My room was pretty spacious, with a larger living area as well as a small dining area along with a mini-fridge, which was very helpful to plan meals for the week.

Once I got up, I unpacked, worked out, and admired the snow falling outside the window!

My first destination was to figure out the walk route and timing to the Paulson Center, and I discovered some lovely quieter streets with pavers and a surprising number of high-end luxury stores (Tiffany, Esprit, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, etc.). When I got to the building, I noticed signs for NYU Athletics and was thrilled to learn about the pool available as part of the facilities in that location! Of course, I hadn't brought any swim gear with me since I knew the hotel didn't have a pool, but thanks to Amazon, I was able to place an order for the basics (swimsuit, swim cap, goggles) and got them delivered to the hotel by Wednesday night.

I found a bagel shop nearby to grab some lunch (an "egg cup" that was literally a paper cup of scrambled eggs mixed with tomatoes, cheese, spinach, and avocado). Then I picked up some provisions for the week at the Gourmet Garage location just a handful of blocks from the hotel. After I unloaded my groceries in the room, I decided to make a visit to the Tenement Museum for a late afternoon guided tour. Then back to the hotel in time for the evening Happy Hour in the Executive Lounge followed by dinner in my room (sushi from the local market) before turning in early to catch up on some sleep.

On Monday morning, I was provided with a beautiful sunrise over the river as I worked out.

I had breakfast in the lounge and then headed to my first day of class. During the lunch break, I was able to get my NYU student ID and still have time to walk back to the hotel for lunch (poke from the spot in the next block). I took advantage again of the evening refreshments in the lounge while I worked on my homework before returning to my room for yoga, dinner, and bed. For the remainder of the week, I grabbed snacks from the lounge to take with me to class for lunch and found a quiet spot to study and work during the break.

On Wednesday evening, I treated myself to a ticket for Six: The Musical, which Mr. E and I had first seen last year during my birthday weekend in San Francisco (and we're going when it comes to tour in Sacramento as well). Trying to fit in time for my homework was a bit challenging this day, but it was well worth seeing the show again! I also made time for a lunch meet-up on Thursday with L, an MSTI alum who had been very helpful in offering her insights into the program as I was considering my options late last year.

Once my Amazon delivery arrived on Wednesday night, I was able to swim laps in the Paulson Center pool on both Thursday and Friday mornings. Yay!

During the lunch break on Friday, I returned to the hotel to check out of my room and check into the suite that Mr. E had reserved for the weekend. Although the suite was ready for me to unpack and settle in, I discovered that it unfortunately didn't have any physical barrier between the bedroom and living area, which is what we'd been counting on. Uh oh... Luckily, I was able to reserve another regular room on the same floor, and the Front Desk manager provided us with breakfast vouchers for the next three days to compensate for the inconvenience.

My class wrapped up on Friday afternoon with a group field trip to RiseNY, an engaging multimedia museum and virtual ride over the city. Mr. E flew in that evening to join me for the holiday long weekend (and to celebrate our anniversary, which was on 1/11), and J and C also came from Austin for some NYC adventures.

On Saturday morning, Mr. E and I enjoyed breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Henrietta, and then walked to the One World Observatory and lucked out with beautiful sunny weather and clear skies to admire the 360-degree panoramic views.

We then met up with J and C for the matinee of Hell's Kitchen, as our cousin's daughter S was part of the cast. A-maz-ing. We were so lucky to see the show during its final weekend off-Broadway at the Public Theatre near the NYU campus, as it gave us such an intimate experience of the performance, including a show-stopping solo that wraps up Act I. Wow. We didn't know whether to applaud or cry or just sit in silence to honor the moment! In the evening, Mr. E and I decided to head to the Empire State Building and braved the windy conditions to walk around 3/4 of the outdoor observation deck. Then dinner and bedtime (in our separate rooms).

Our Sunday morning destination was the Met, as I really wanted to see the Women Dressing Women exhibition. Thanks to my NYU student ID, I was eligible for a discounted ticket, which was a nice perk. I had brought my swim stuff with me to the museum so that I go to the afternoon lap swim in the Paulson Pool and had just enough time to grab a snack before we needed to grab a Lyft and get to our matinee of How to Dance in Ohio. We met up at the theatre with J and C and also our cousins D and G who live in New Jersey and came into the city for the performance. The four of them went out to dinner afterwards, and Mr. E and I found a nearby diner for our meal.

Our flight on Monday was at a reasonable time, so I grabbed breakfast again in the hotel restaurant before we headed back to the airport. We took advantage of Mr. E's United Lounge annual membership to spend our hour+ wait time doing some work and enjoying the food and beverage offerings. Unfortunately, our connection through SFO ended up being nearly three hours delayed, which was so frustrating because by then we could have gotten home sooner by car! But the lounge membership certainly came in handy again, given the unexpected wait time. And luckily, S was able to make a second visit to the kitties that afternoon since we didn't get home until later in the evening.

Louis XIV and Marlene greeted us with the usual purrs and meows. It was a wonderful trip and a great experience to begin my time with NYU, but I was VERY glad to be home!!!

Travel Catch-Up: Oahu for NYE

December 28, 2023-January 2, 2024

We only had about 1.5 days at home in Sac with the kitties after our Christmas with my family in Austin before we took off again on Thursday 12/28, this time to Oahu for the New Year's Eve holiday. We did manage to find time to go to the CalFit on K Street to join the network since we wanted to take advantage of the deal they were offering to CAC members, which was set to expire on Dec. 31st.

Our early-morning flight connected through Maui, getting us to Oahu by early afternoon. Unfortunately, we had a VERY long wait for the rental car, despite having a reservation. Frustrating! We stopped at the Foodland at Ala Moana Center to pick up some provisions for the week on the way to our hotel, the Aston Waikiki Sunset (where I had stayed during my solo trip last year). We then discovered that one of the elevators at the hotel was out of commission, meaning that we sometimes had rather long waits, which we learned to incorporate into our plans and timing.

We settled into our condo, figured out why the fridge wasn't cold (not plugged in!), unpacked our clothes and groceries, and made plans for the rest of the afternoon. Mr. E went out for a walk while I did my Zumba + yoga workout, and we met up with his family (mom, sister, brother-in-law) in the evening for a drink at a quiet lounge in the "sister" hotel across from where they were staying.

On Friday 12/29, we enjoyed breakfast on our lanai overlooking the ocean and part of Diamond Head. 

Our primary activity for the morning was to visit the Queen Emma Summer Palace, where we enjoyed our self-guided tour and seeing the historic site still decorated for the holidays. We met up with Mr. E's family at Orchids in the Halukelani Hotel for lunch, and had a lovely meal with a beautiful ocean view. Their return flight to Chicago was for early evening, so it was perfect timing to visit with them for a bit before they headed to the airport and we returned to our hotel, doing some souvenir shopping along the way.

The next morning (Saturday 12/30) started off with a scuba diving trip. I had brought my own wetsuit from home as an extra layer, which was VERY helpful! We had two decent dives but only saw one honu even though our boat was anchored at "turtle canyon." Still a great way to get out onto the water and enjoy some beautiful views of the ocean and the landscape.

Later in the day, we took advantage of having the rental car to go back to Ala Moana Center for more shopping, and the timing was just right for me to catch the evening Hula show in the main entertainment area.

On Sunday 12/31, our morning adventure was the Koko Crater Railway Trail. We had talked about doing this hike in the past, but it's not that easy to access without a car, and it's also not necessarily a great destination during warmer parts of the year. I convinced Mr. E to get up early to avoid the crowds and the sun, and we lucked out with shade for our entire hike, thanks to the time of year and the position of the sun still hidden behind other mountains. The hike was definitely strenuous (maybe also because our bodies were still recovering from scuba the day before?), but the views were amazing and well worth the effort. We even got to see a surprise Christmas tree in the platform at the top. That must have been quite an effort to bring up the trail...!!!

 

 

After getting back to the hotel and cleaning up, we went to afternoon tea on the Veranda at the Moana Surfrider. This was our designated indulgence for our New Year's Eve celebration, so Mr. E added the local beer flight to his tea set and I ordered a glass of sparkling wine as an enhancement for my special tea set (pescatarian and allium free).

Mr. E had to return the car by 3pm, and I was able to swim some short laps in the hotel pool before doing my daily yoga practice out on the sun deck, with beautiful views of Diamond Head as a background. 

We made dinner in our condo and were able to see some fireworks from our two-sided windows, although the main fireworks on Waikiki Beach were almost completely blocked by a building in front of ours. Darn!

We slept in a bit on Monday (New Year's Day) but made it to the Royal Hawai'ian Center by 9:30am for the Taiko drumming performance to welcome in the Year of the Dragon. A little more shopping as we strolled along, including several bags of the only-on-the-islands 100% Kona coffee from Starbucks.

Since I'm no longer able to run, I suggested to Mr. E that perhaps we could take a walk around Diamond Head in the afternoon, as that route is typically part of our visits to Oahu. We lathered on the sunscreen and sun hats for the urban hike and finished off with a quick dip in the ocean at Waikiki Beach. For our final evening, we headed down to Kuhio Beach to watch the sunset. 

On Tuesday 1/2, we both worked for a bit in the morning since our return flight wasn't until the mid-afternoon. The direct flight got us home to Sac and the kitties around midnight. They were quite happy to see us and welcome us home with meows and purrs!

Travel Catch-Up: Family & Holidays (cont.)

December With Family

Mr. E and I headed to Austin the weekend before Christmas for the Celebration of Life for my Mom. The gathering was at St. Christopher's Church on Saturday, and we were joined by nearly all of my cousins, for whom Mom had a special place in their lives as "Auntiebelle." J had arranged for a light lunch reception in the Parish Hall after the celebration, followed by a locally catered dinner just for family at her house later in the evening. Mr. E and I had decided to stay at a nearby hotel rather to have a bit more autonomy, which also gave us the opportunity to interact with family during breakfast, since nearly all of my cousins where staying at the same location. I also got to hang with A on Saturday evening while Mr. E kept his mom company. So very thoughtful and supportive of her to come for the celebration!

One surprising piece of news that reached us during the weekend was the sudden and unwelcome notification that our gym, the Capital Athletic Club, would be closing as of Dec. 31st. Only two weeks notice, and apparently the news was just as surprising to most of the staff and instructors as well. So we started to think about options, knowing that we wouldn't have much time to make any decisions or transitions due to other upcoming travel plans.

We came home to Sac on Sunday but were back in flight to Austin the following Friday afternoon for the Christmas holiday. As usual, Mr. E was excited about cooking a couple of special meals for the family, both on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. For the Eve dinner, we were joined by B's sister K and her partner, and they also stopped by for a bit on Christmas afternoon. The holiday was the first without any grandmas, since both B's mom and my mom died in the Fall of 2023. We all felt the absence but were still able to enjoy being together and making some new memories. Mr. E and I stayed at the house for this visit, and then returned to Sac on Tuesday for our quick turnaround time before our NYE trip to Oahu.

Travel Catch-Up: Family & Holidays

Thanksgiving: Vancouver (Mr. E's Family)

Mr. E's family headed to Vancouver, B.C., the weekend before Thanksgiving, and he joined them that Monday. I waited until Wednesday to travel up north for the holiday. We stayed at our favorite hotel in downtown, the Westin Bayshore, which has amazing views out over the water and of Stanley Park. 

I was able to swim laps in the indoor pool and take three classes at the Just Add Water Yoga studio on the lobby level of the hotel, which was an unexpected perk since the last time we stayed at the hotel the studio was still offering only virtual classes.

We enjoyed the hotel restaurant and lounge, having drinks and dinner the first night with Mr. E's mom and the excellent breakfast buffet each morning. 

With Mr. E's mom, we embarked on two viewing adventures -- the observatory at the top of the Harbour Center Tower and a float plane tour over the city. We totally lucked out with the beautiful clear and sunny weather!

On Thanksgiving Day, we met up with Mr. E's family, including L & D who drove up from Seattle, at Joe Fortes for an early dinner, including Happy Hour priced oysters. Yum!

Mr. E and I found time for massages at Vida Spa, housed within the hotel, and for some strolls around the Bayshore neighborhood to stock up on snacks and beverages at the nearby Safeway. We always love seeing the interesting architecture of the buildings in the downtown peninsula.

For our final dinner with Mr. E's mom, sister, and brother-in-law, we returned to Showcase restaurant in the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle hotel, where Mr. E and I have had wonderful NYE dinners in the past. I was excited to see that they were featuring their holiday cocktails again, and I couldn't resist the innovative A Wonderful Christmasthyme, which is served in a clear holiday ornament and then poured into the glass.

Being in Vancouver for the Thanksgiving holiday was great timing, since it's not a holiday in Canada so all businesses and activities were open for their typical hours. At the same time, almost all retail stores have jumped on the American "Black Friday" tradition of offering major sales during this week. And given the strength of the American vs. Canadian dollar, we got some great deals with the small amount of shopping we did during our visit. If we make a return trip for the holiday, we'll definitely have to bring a larger suitcase and plan for additional purchases!