the Adventures of Adorian

And back from NYC. Our trip was a 4 day whirlwind including Central Park and everything iconic Manhattan and over to Brooklyn for a day. We walked the High Line (an abandoned metro track now turned city park), was amazed by the lights of Time Square by night, walked the Park watching its performers by day, saw the spectacular architecture of the Guggenheim inside and out, hitched the Subway down to Battery Park to catch the ferries to Liberty & Ellis Island. We were also a fortunate few to get some of the last tickets to the 9/11 Memorial Site that was very well-done and emotional on many levels. We then hiked it over to Greenwich & the West Village to stumble onto the NYBD = New York Band Draft where bands with drafted members battled with 2 original songs and 1 cover (it was crazy madness and great what some of the bands composed in a month…others not as much). The next day we ended up doing all things Brooklyn/Williamsburg like the brewery and record stores. Then spent the last day enjoying the last bites of a NY bagel and ended things on the Top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza to view the whole city from their observation deck.

This was no cheap trip… …but we did use apps like ScoutMob that saved us over $100 on food, and another app called HotelFinder that publishes last minute deals offered on rooms not taken…we saved at least another $100 on that (only used one of the nights).

We flew by the seat of our pants with no itinerary other than buying our reserved ferry tickets to bypass the 2hr long wait to see the Statue if we hadn’t (we hear the Staten Island ferry is another way of seeing it even though you don’t stop but you get a close-up view as you go by). We passed up the opportunity to go to the top of the Empire State Building…1) because we both had done it before 2) it was expensive…$42/person just for the lower observation deck & 3) the wait was over 2hrs. Instead we opted for the Top of the Rock which was an even better alternative…only $25/person, you get views that include the Empire State Building as well as Central Park, and there was no line going up or coming down. It was great!

It was an easy trip for us, taking the bus up from DC, so we’ll be looking for new things to do on the next one…

…I’m already being inspired creatively from this one

It is the best traveling when you don’t know where you’re going or where you’re staying, you get suggestions from friends or locals (and good deals!) along the way! So for my birthday we’ve got a wkend getaway planned over Oct 5th - 7th to New York City, but this time we’ve only got our bus tickets and ferry to Ellis Island booked. Everything else is a wait-and-see. And I can’t wait… to see!

What would you do if you were heading there?

IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS we’ll be off to our next adventure!  Over the course of my travels I have spent time in some pretty remote spots, Thailand, New Zealand, Bali, but have left off many of the more accessible spots including most of the left coast, California. Juxtaposing my week in the North West 7 yrs ago between Seattle, Vancouver & Portland, I’ll be trading up time from the place it rains a lot to where it’s sunny all the time!  Eight days has us seeing what San Francisco and the surrounding area has to offer:  3 days in Yosemite, 4 days in SF, and 2 days in Napa.

Yosemite Bug http://www.yosemitebug.com/ - situated right outside the National Park, we’re renting a tent cabin with bathrooms that are within walking distance of our site.  For me, I always prefer when in Rome you do as the Romans, so I think it’s a must that while in a rustic setting, you go a little more rugged.  We will have 3 days to enjoy the pristine sights Ansel Adams captured best. But Yosemite Bug also offers a cafe and health-spa and is considered a Rustic Mountain Resort. Perhaps after a good long day hiking up to Yosemite Falls would give us the perfect reason for getting a 1 hour couples massage on the way back :)

Encore Express Hostel http://www.encoreexpress.com/ - Yes that says hostel, though probably more sheik than the dormitory-style hostels I’ve stayed in before. We found this gem right in the heart of downtown San Francisco; an easy walking distance to all the have-to’s (including all the San Francisco hills we expect our calf muscles to be burning from!)  From here we’ll take in the sights, smells and sounds of Fisherman’s Wharf, take the ferry across to Alcatraz and over to Tiburon, and of course enjoy the night life in the Mission District and Union Square. This hostel is also situated over a practice space where a lot of SF’s up-and-coming bands play so who knows, I may drop in and see if I can sing for flowers in my hair!

As an added bonus,  my gal pal and her boyfriend will join us from San Diego to see the sites with us as well as head northward to wine country!

Calistoga Inn http://www.calistogainn.com/ - Our last and final stop finds us in a homier part of Napa Valley.  Considered to be the down-to-earth section of wine country, we staked claim to the last two rooms available in the Inn AND Brewery.  One thing mentioned on online reviews said the noise level coming from the bar and restaurant did last until 1am, but as I told the concierge over the phone, our party will more than likely be adding to that.  All four of us are very excited about the many different appellations we’ll be tasting over the 2 days and then coming back to a place where the party is just beginning with it’s very own brew.  There’s a lot to look forward to with this trip, and many more photographic opportunities to stretch the legs. Good Times!