Vancouver for NYE: Days 5 & 6 + Return to Sac

Friday, January 3-Sunday, January 5: Oysters, Art, Foot Massage

I did a swim workout in the indoor pool this morning, which was a nice change from my standard in-room Zumba YouTube workout. Mr. E took the day off to do some shopping while I worked with my seagull companion nearby. Since I didn't have too many meetings, we were able to have breakfast together at the H2 restaurant and were both extremely pleased with the elaborate bowls of steel-cut oats and fruit. Yum!

I took a long walk in the middle of the day up towards Canada Place and admired the big lego-ish Orca statue overlooking the bay.

We took advantage of Happy Hour offerings at local restaurant Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House and finally got some oysters to share (yay!) along with some other snacks and beverages.

Then we strolled back along Robson Street for some more browsing and picked up some sushi and seaweed salad for me at H-Mart Downtown. Mr. E got takeout waffle fries poutine with pork at the H2 Restaurant for his in-room dinner.

On Saturday, I had a great view of the multiple crew sculls on rowing and racing in Coal Harbour just outside our windows. This is something we've seen during previous visits, and it's always interesting to see the different combinations of rowers (single, duo, quad).

We had discussed a few options for the day and decided to head to the Vancouver Art Gallery, where our membership in the Crocker gives us complimentary reciprocal admission. We've always enjoyed our visits to this museum, as their exhibitions tend to feature artists that we don't see other places and that offer intriguing and thought-provoking themes.

Mr. E focused his time on the first floor for Multiple Realities: Experimental Art in the Eastern Bloc, 1960s–1980s. That exhibition didn't appeal much to me, so I instead started on the second floor with the galleries devoted to Firelei Báez, whose work explores themes of identity and colonialism and racism. I wasn't familiar with this artist, and I wouldn't want to have her works as part of our collection, but I was really move and struck by her creative vision, especially after watching a short video clip with the artist explaining how and why she creates. I appreciate how she reuses historical documents as the basis for some of her paintings as a commentary on history and what is valued. I also appreciate her focus on women and strong female identities.

I spent the rest of my time on the third floor for the exhibition Shelley Niro: 500 Year Itch, and Mr. E joined me there, as I had suggested via text that he would enjoy these works by a very prolific and varied artist. Her works offer commentary on identity and culture, especially from an indigenous perspective, and often have elements of humor in them that help to draw in the viewer.

We shared a veggie omelette at De Dutch near Canada Place as we discussed plans and options for the rest of the afternoon. Although we'd considered checking out the Flyover Canada Place experience, we decided instead to save that for another time and see if we could get walk-in appointments (no pun intended) for a foot massage at the spa we'd noticed on Robson Street the previous evening. Luckily, our timing was just right for a 30-minute massage, and that was a great addition to our day. We both agreed that we'd want a longer massage next time and to include neck and back as well.

When we got back to the hotel, we discovered that they'd finally received some oysters. Yay! So we went to the Lounge for Happy Hour oysters and cocktails. The oysters were from PEI, which is actually our preference, so we really lucked out. We decided to go with Pho 37 takeout for dinner again, although this time we tried a few different items, including the yummy fresh papaya salad and some steamed vegges.

I did a final workout with seagull and crew boats as companions on Sunday morning and finished off some of our food provisions for a quick breakfast. The rest of the rice cakes got packed to bring home since our local Safeway no longer has the right kind! We somehow managed to fit in all of our new items (two towels, three sweatshirts, a long sleeved t-shirt, a mug, a dozen snack-size lion bars, magnets, ornaments, earrings, etc.) and didn't even need to use one of our foldable shopping bags for extra storage. We did, however, need to check our bags since another item that Mr. E acquired was Monkey 47 gin, and that clearly can't come on board the plane with us!

All was fine with our return flight (aside from the usual long-ish wait for our checked bags at SMF), and we were home with the kitties by mid afternoon, giving us enough time to start laundry and stock up on basic groceries for the rest of the week.

Next time, we really need to make a visit during the warmer weather!!!

P.S. I forgot to mention our discovery of the new potato rings at Subway. An order is just four rings for about 100 calories and $2 CA ($1.50ish US thanks to the favorable exchange rate). Yum!

Vancouver for NYE: Days 3 & 4

Wednesday, January 1-Thursday, January 2: Polar Plunge, Seagull Co-worker, Holiday Lights

I didn't get another brilliant sunrise during our stay, but I still had some lovely views during my morning workouts of the mountains and water and seaplanes.

On New Year's Day, Mr. E and I strolled over to English Bay in the mid-morning to pick up our pre-ordered Polar Bear Swim swag (two towels, sweatshirt for me, long-sleeved shirt for Mr. E). For our second time around, we had decided to wait until the "official" plunge time of 2:30pm and join the masses in the quick run in and out of the water. Yikes! It was CROWDED! If [when] we do it again, I think we'll join the early birds again and take our dip before the rest of the masses arrive.

We had planned pretty well for our attire and towels, and the water temperature was about the same as the air temperature (mid 40s), so it didn't feel too bad. But on the walk back to our hotel, I definitely got chilled! We jumped into the heated outdoor pool for a quick warm-up, but it really wasn't enough for me, so I headed up to the room for a very hot shower.

Mr. E had his massage appointment at 5pm, but I had cancelled mine earlier in the day since I had picked up a nasty sore throat the previous weekend that was starting to morph into a dry cough. Drat! (again) Instead, I relaxed in our room and then headed to the hotel restaurant H2 Kitchen & Bar to enjoy Happy Hour at the bar with my book. Mr. E joined me there, and then we got takeout from Pho 37, the great Vietnamese restaurant we'd discovered during our previous trip. Unfortunately, my order for crispy chow mein with seafood and veges wasn't correct (allium allergy), so Mr. E had to go back to get a fresh batch. Which they had to make twice before it was finally allium-free!!!

Thursday was back to work for both of us. I created my best so far DIY hotel room workstation with a metal table from the lanai on top of the coffee table along with two couch cushions and the awesome new portable monitor that I had just purchased. Not a bad view from this remote office!

I was joined by a seagull friend who became a rather constant companion and co-worker throughout the week. We dubbed him Stanley VanWestin (after the park, the city, and the hotel).

In the early evening, we headed to the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens for the annual Festival of Lights. I'm glad we had our umbrellas, since the weather was drizzly all evening. This was another event that we had discovered during our previous NYE visit, and we enjoyed it just as much this time around, noticing quite a few new and different light displays scattered throughout the grounds.

When we got back to the hotel, we went to the bar at the restaurant to take advantage of the Beer & Burger Daily Deal (for Mr. E). I had a delicious beet salad with a skewer of grilled shrimp, and we both enjoyed the excellent customer service and friendly personality of bartender Luc.

Vancouver for NYE: Days 1 & 2

Monday, December 30-Tuesday, December 31: Cocktails, Lookout, NYE Dinner

Mr. E and I headed back to Vancouver, British Columbia for another New Year's Eve visit. We had a late afternoon departure on Air Canada and were pleased that the weather cooperated with no rain so that we could take the train from the airport into downtown Vancouver and then walk to our favorite hotel, Westin Bayshore (our fourth time staying here!). We checked into our awesome corner lanai suite with the great view over the pool, Coal Harbour, and Stanley Park and then grabbed cocktails and food at H Tasting Lounge.

On Tuesday morning, I enjoyed a spectacular sunrise over the water but didn't get any photos of it. Drat! We thought about getting breakfast at the hotel restaurant, but the wait was too long, so instead we grabbed some items from Tea & Co coffee shop and ate in our room looking out at the water and mountains and skyline of North Vancouver. 

The weather was beautiful, so it was a perfect day to stroll to the Vancouver Lookout for a panoramic view over the city. We were also in search of a replacement for my maple leaf earmuffs that had lost a part, but we didn't find them in the same souvenir store at the Lookout as where we bought them originally. Drat!

We meandered back to the hotel along Robson Street, making a few stops for browsing and picking up provisions for the week at Safeway and the BC Liquor Store near the hotel. We went back to the Lounge for Happy Hour but struck out on the oysters due to some challenges in the supply chain for West Coast oysters. Drat! (for the third time)

In the evening, we returned to one of our favorite eateries, Showcase Restaurant at the Marriott Downtown, for NYE dinner. I had included my dietary restrictions in the reservation on Open Table, and the restaurant staff had called to follow up on the possible options. I ended up talking directly with Chef Arie about what sort of menu could be created to accommodate my restrictions, and he was absolutely AWESOME about crafting something special just for me. Such great service and outstanding food! We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner, and I made sure to send thank-you notes to Chef Arie and the hotel General Manager once we got home. That sort of exceptional service truly deserves recognition!

We walked back to our hotel along the waterfront and enjoyed the animal holiday lights right by our hotel. Very festive!

We had a bit of engine and generator noise from the boat docked nearby that was hosting an NYE dinner cruise, but not too bad once they left the dock. And I didn't hear anything when they returned, so the partygoers must have been pretty well behaved. Ha, ha. 

Happy New Year 2025!

Wine Country + Family Christmas in Austin

Saturday, December 21-Sunday, December 22: Wine Country with Friends

Mr. E and I preceded our interstate holiday travel with a quick wine-country trip with friends E&C, heading up to Sonoma Valley on Saturday for a noon appointment at Nickel & Nickel followed by a Bubble Room visit at J Vineyards at 3pm. Great to take advantage of our memberships at each winery for some complementary tastings and experiences!

[NOTE: Our beloved 20+ year old Honda Civic Hybrid does not like hills anymore!!!]

Then back to Santa Rosa to our respective hotels -- the Hyatt for Mr. E and me and the Courtyard across the street for E & C. Instead of going out for dinner, we hung out in the comfy lobby lounge at hour hotel, ordered takeout sushi, and played cards for several hours. Fun! 

On Sunday, I went for a nice long morning walk along the river trail followed by a swim workout in the lovely heated outdoor pool before we met up for brunch and some browsing in the Railroad Square shops. Mr. E and I made a stop at Scandinavian Designs on the way home to check for side chair options and then continued back to Sac to regroup with the kitties and get ready for our trip.

Monday, December 23-Thursday, December 26: Holiday Happenings with Family

As usual, Mr. E and I headed to Austin to spend Christmas with my sister and her family. We arrived on Monday afternoon with plenty of time to unpack and get settled before making a trip to HEB as a first round of stocking up on necessary items for the holiday food plans. Then a casual dinner with family at home and some games.

On Tuesday, J and C went to yoga in the morning, and Mr. E and I headed off to Whole Foods and a different HEB to procure the rest of the provisions. We didn't have any set plans for the day, until J and family left for the Christmas Eve service around 4pm. Mr. E began some food prep prior to that, and then we finished everything up [almost] in time for their return to the house. B and C definitely appreciate the customary "roast beast" as a featured part of the Christmas Eve dinner. Options for the rest of us included swordfish and lots of yummy veggies, including an awesome shaved Brussels sprouts salad. And of course cookies and holiday candy for desert.

The kids weren't up too early on Christmas Day, but they did get to open a few stocking gifts before Mr. E made it downstairs to cook the now-traditional biscuits & gravy holiday breakfast. Then we spent a few hours leisurely opening the rest of the stocking and tree gifts. B's sister K and her spouse A came over around lunchtime for presents and DIY leftovers. Some outdoor play time and splashing in the hot tub rounded out the day, and more leftovers provided sustenance for dinner and family games.

J and B both had to work on the 26th, but we were able to say goodbye when we headed out for our mid-day flight back to Sac. The kitties welcomed us home as we enjoyed the holiday decorations for a few more days.

Denver: Quick Family Visit

Friday, December 6-Sunday, December 8

Mr. E and I headed to Denver for a quick weekend visit to A and family. I'm so glad we could make the trip, given all that had been going on with her mom's health. We had planned to meet up with her at the airport upon arrival and give her a ride home, but our flight was delayed so she got a ride from a friend and we just headed to our hotel, Residence Inn Highlands Ranch, after we picked up the rental car. Luckily, there was a nearby spot with sufficient food choices for both of us at the Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, so we had an easy spot for takeout dinner given the relatively late hour.

On Saturday, we had breakfast at our hotel before meeting up with A, R, F, and C at a nearby holiday craft market. Mr. E joined the boys for some chatting and browsing to give A and me some time alone to catch up. We had some beverages and snacks from the food trucks and then headed to local favorite spot to pick out their Christmas tree. Mr. E and I took a pause to grab lunch and then joined the family at their house to watch the tree trimming festivities. Since I needed some time for NYU final projects homework, we headed back to the hotel for a few hours in the afternoon before rejoining everyone at F's basketball game in the early evening. He did great! Several baskets and some awesome defense, too. Then we placed a takeout order at the Japanese restaurant near their house so that Mr. E and I could pick up dinner for everyone on our way back. We gathered in their cozy basement to eat and watch sports before Mr. E and I returned to our hotel for the evening.

We had enough time on Sunday morning for the family to come to the hotel for breakfast before we needed to go back to the airport for our return flight to Sac. No delays this time, so we were home with the kitties by mid-afternoon. A quick visit but so very important to be there with A and have time with her in person to support and grieve.

Our Second Month in Evanston: Sac Travel, Cultural Events, Family Thanksgiving (long post!)

Friday, November 1-Sunday, November 3: Back to Sac!

I flew from PDX and met up with Mr. E when he arrived at SMF on Friday afternoon. We had a quick weekend in Sac because we had purchased tickets several months ago to the annual Feast for WEAVE fundraiser, which was on Saturday, November 2. It was SO weird to be in our townhome without the kitties!!! Just didn't feel right at all!!! Neither of us had expected to feel that way, but then we realized that the only other time we've been at home without any feline fur babies is when we've recently had to bid farewell to one of our kits. Definitely an important consideration for future back-and-forth visits.

We managed to fit in an impressive number of activities during our 2ish days in Sac. I got my hair cut on Saturday morning (hadn't been able to find anything acceptably affordable in Evanston -- I just refuse to pay $40+ for my short hair!!!) followed by Book Club at an unusual mid-day time on Saturday and then an afternoon pedicure at my favorite eco-salon, Nature Love. Then we met up with friends E & C for the WEAVE event at Mulvaney's B&L. Sunday was the birthday of friend and fab kitty auntie S, and we were able to gather our monthly brunch group for that event before Mr. E and I headed back to the Midwest on a late afternoon flight. 

Cultural Events & Other Happenings Throughout November

For the rest of the month, we enjoyed really settling into our new home and getting into a new routine. I tried out the Northwestern Wellness Suite for a massage and found a great chiropractic practice, Wellness Revolution, thanks to a recommendation from a neighbor of M & L. I was able to make morning appointments that coordinated nicely with my swim workouts at the Y and definitely benefited from the dry needling treatments. Yay!

We hosted M & L for dinner one evening as a thank you for all of their assistance as we made this transition to our new apartment, and we had a great time chatting with them and playing games. They even brought us an amazing multi-piece charcuterie set as a house-warming gift. Mr. E spent time with his family and other friends during some of the weekend days while I was studying. 

We took advantage of several cultural events and performances during the month, starting with a Saturday evening choral concert, Literary Greats, by the North Shore Choral Society at the Presbyterian Church just a few blocks south of our apartment (we can see the steeple from our kitchen windows). The next afternoon, we caught the final amazing performance of Until the Flood by Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre.

The following week, I attended an evening talk by Cara Romero at the Block Museum, which was really intriguing and inspired me to learn more about her work. I just found out that she and her partner will be featured in an upcoming exhibition at the Crocker in Sac later this year, so that's definitely something I don't want to miss. I also met up with one of my NYU instructors in person for coffee later in the week, which was such a nice way to make a stronger connection instead of just seeing her recorded video lessons each week!

Throughout the month, Mr. E and I toured a few more condos with L to get a sense of the options and what we really prefer. I'm so glad we started with a rental, because that really helped me better understand the type of unit, building, and directional orientation that I would want in anything we purchase. And we're not in any hurry, so it's good to be particular. If we end up just staying in this rental, that's absolutely fine and better than "settling" for something not as ideal.

In the middle of the month, we went to a matinee of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago at the Steppenwolf Theatre. I first saw this dance company back in 1993 when I was living in Portland, OR, and have been a huge fan ever since. During other visits to Chicago over the years, Mr. E and I never managed to be there at the right time for a performance, so I was thrilled that the company's fall show was during the time we were in Evanston. And it was just as amazing and enthralling as I had remembered. Can't wait to go again! After the show, we took the train to meet up with Mr. E's mom at her condo for dinner. I hadn't seen her since the early October weekend for his dad's photography show, so it was nice to have some quiet time with just the three of us to chat.

The next week, I attended a Monday evening talk about Sudan at the Evanston Public Library. A couple of days later, Mr. E and I walked through some light snow flurries to the Evanston History Center to hear a talk about the history of football in Evanston. Not typically a topic I would seek out, but the speaker was very engaging and it was pretty fun to hear about the evolution of the sport and the role that Evanston played. At the end of the week, we attended the opening night party of the annual Holiday Bazaar at the Woman's Club of Evanston and then hopped over to the First United Methodist Church to hear their Festival Choir's concert of Handel's Messiah Part 1. I always think of Mom when I hear this music, because she loved the Messiah and sang it multiple times with various community groups.

That weekend, Mr. E spent Saturday with M doing errands and watching the Badgers while I worked on my NYU final projects. Then we wrapped up our month of cultural events with a matinee performance on Sunday afternoon of Antigone at Northwestern University. I was familiar with the play from my undergraduate theater studies, but I don't think I'd ever seen a performance of it. Both Mr. E and I really enjoyed the show and the interesting treatment of integrating various aspects of Korean culture into the production design and presentation.

The next week led us into Thanksgiving. Mr. E's aunt and uncle from the Bay Area and cousin with two kids from SoCal flew out for the family gathering. His mom, aunt, and uncle came up to Evanston on Wednesday evening to see our apartment and meet the kitties, and then we went out to dinner at Trattoria D.O.C.. Mr. E had rented a car for a few days so was able to drive his family back to his mom's apartment in downtown Chicago. On Thanksgiving day, we went to a matinee of Moana 2 at our local AMC and then spent time packing, planning, and organizing for our upcoming return to Sac. The family gathering for the holiday was at 7pm at Shaw's Crab House in downtown Chicago, so no one had to host or worry about making anything. Sometimes that's the best way to holiday! On Friday morning, we met up with M for brunch at Lucky Platter, one of Mr. E's favorite breakfast spots in Evanston (my first time). Then the rest of the day was full of laundry and packing.

Saturday, November 30: Final Coffee Kiosk Visit + Return to Sac!

When I headed out for my morning walk, the temperature was 15 degrees but felt like 1 degree due to the wind. Brr! I was so bundled up! But I didn't want to forego a final walk by the Lake before we headed back to Sac for the winter. Mr. E and I both braved the cold again to get our yummy Americanos at the Arrington Lagoon coffee kiosk (see previous post for link). Then we did our final cleaning and packing, bundled the kitties into their carriers, and headed to O'Hare to return the rental car and catch our late afternoon flight home to Sacramento.

I wasn't sure what it would be like to fly with both kitties, but they did great overall! They joined us in the United Club pre-flight, and their new carriers fit under the seats just fine, with Louis XIV at my feet and Marlene with Mr. E.

We had to plan carefully for this trip and change up our usual packing strategy, since each cat counts as a carry-on, meaning we could only have one other personal item for each of us instead of our usual roller board plus personal item. I needed some extra space anyway, to bring back a few pairs of shoes and some clothes, so we checked two bags. We couldn't sit in the Exit row with our in-cabin pets, and we also needed to make sure we got a window and middle seat since we've learned over the years that the aisle seat in some planes doesn't have as much under-seat storage capacity as the other seats. But we managed to figure out all of the logistics, including the removal and carrying of each cat through the TSA screening process! Very helpful and reassuring as we plan for future transitions between our two home bases.

Our First Month in Evanston, Part 3: Starting to Get Social + Some Travel

Photography Show, Film at The Woman's Club

One of the reasons we timed our initial foray into life in Evanston for October and November was for the show of photographs from Mr. E's dad as a belated celebration of his life and work. Mr. E's sister did most of the logistical planning and arrangements, and Mr. E was able to help out more with supplies and set-up during the weekend. The premiere of the show was on Saturday, October 5, and quite a few of the S family members flew in for the occasion as well. Mr. E rented a car for a few days so that he could help with transportation. I spent the morning doing homework for my NYU classes and then grabbed a ride to the show with M & L. In the evening, a bunch of the S family gathered for dinner at a favorite restaurant in Oak Park. It was a really lovely event, and I'm pretty sure that Mr. E's mom was very pleased by the turnout and support she received from her colleagues, family, and friends.

On Tuesday, October 8, I attended the screening of a documentary film, Discovering Catharine, at The Woman's Club of Evanston and very much enjoyed the presentation. However, the opening remarks were a bit lengthy, and the whole event was rather tardy, so I opted not to stay for the post-film discussion. But I did grab a couple of bags of Smart Pop to take home!

Friday, October 11-Monday, October 14: Travel to Austin for Family Time

I flew to Austin on Friday to spend the weekend with J as a way for us to have some sister time together to celebrate and remember Mom on what would have been her 90th birthday (10/14/24). We went to the show MJ: The Musical on Saturday afternoon and then stayed at a stylish boutique hotel in a 2-bedroom 2-bathroom suite overnight so that we could have our own time and space. The weather cooled enough in the evening for us to sit out in the garden with some snacks and wine as we talked and reminisced about Mom. On Sunday morning, J went to her yoga class while I worked out in the room and did a short swim session before we met up for breakfast and coffee. Then we stopped for pedicures at the salon near her house before regrouping with the rest of the family.

Monday, October 14-Wednesday, October 16: Travel to NSPA Pre-Conference in Salt Lake City

I worked part of the day from J's house on Monday before heading to the airport for my late afternoon flight to SLC. On Tuesday, I went to the NSPA Pre-Conference session focusing on AI for scholarship providers, which was an interesting perspective on how AI is already being used by students and organizations and offered some considerations for future uses as well. During my walk from my hotel to the conference site, I passed by the Residence Inn where we had stayed with the kitties during our cross-country drive from Sac to Evanston just two weeks earlier!

Badger Games, Local Events, Remembering Loved Ones

Mr. E joined his friend M to watch the UW Badgers play Northwestern at the nearby stadium in Evanston on Saturday, October 19. So convenient rather than traveling up to Madison for the game! I was able to spend the day working on homework, meal prep, and Quicken updates. I also took a break to check out some of the local clothing stores. 

On Sunday, October 20, Mr. E and I strolled south to check out the Main/Dempster Street Fair, which was celebrating the re-opening of Main Street after some renovation work. This day was also the one year mark of my Mom's death, so we made sure to remember and celebrate her throughout the day as well.

Monday, October 21, was Calypso Day, so I pulled out her book and put it on top of the electric fireplace to honor and remember her. We miss all of our four-legged friends who have crossed the rainbow bridge, but we also cherish their memories and the time we were lucky enough to spend with them, even if it ended too soon.

Mr. E headed up to Madison on Saturday, October 26 with his friend M for an overnight visit since the Badger game was in the late afternoon. I was able to meet up for coffee in the late morning with my friend R, who lives in a northern part of Chicago. So great to catch up in person rather than just our monthly check-in via Zoom! I also visited the Block Art Museum on the Northwestern Campus when I had time for a break from my NYU and Spanish homework.

Wednesday, October 30-Friday, November 1: Travel to ATA Conference in Portland

I originally registered for this conference thinking I'd be on a nice short flight from Sac to PDX but decided it was still worth exploring even though the trip from ORD was a bit longer. I stayed at a hotel in the Pearl District and was able to walk or take the light rail to the Convention Center for the conference. I met up with a few other NYUSPS students, including some I'd met during last year's in-person J-term class in NYC. I'm still at such a beginning part of my encore career in the language professions, but it was helpful to get a sense of what may be available for future opportunities. And I was pleasantly surprised to find Kiva among the exhibitors, as I've been a fan of that organization for years and didn't realize that they have a whole volunteer program for translators and editors. I'm hoping to join their volunteer team to gain some experience as I continue with the MSTI program over the next couple of years.