Getting Ready

Packing for a six-week trip is an exercise in restraint. One rolling carry-on and tote bag is my limit. Music downloaded, check. Tickets, gift cards, and museum list, check.
I have two more bigOkumaya devam et
Feet on the carpet

Nothing wonderful about waking up at 3:50am for a 6am flight, but here I am, at 5am waiting for my trip to begin.
While staying with my friend Stephen Howard in Vancouver (BC - not the “Couve”)Okumaya devam et
Well, How's About Seattle?

I seem to be having bad plane karma in retirement. Flight from Seattle to Philadelphia (to connect to Ithaca) was cancelled. After the able assistance from my resident travel agent, you know who youOkumaya devam et
Finally Made it to Ithaca

I’m here in Ithaca staying with my dear cousin Leon and his beautiful wife Renate and their daughter Sylvie. Leon and I grew up together in the Bronx and spent glorious summers in Swan Lake. HeOkumaya devam et
Der Rosenmeister Estate

Ollie, Lee and Renate’s grandson, spent the day with us. What a cutie pie. We took a short hike up to Taughannock Falls Park. Gorgeous gorges. (Sorry, I had to do it.) The visible geology shows theOkumaya devam et
Road Trip!

Mr Sunny was out today! We decided to see some of the surrounding sights. First stop was the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls where the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention wasOkumaya devam et
Family, Art, Good Food, and Fun

Leon is the keeper of the family lore. He spent his youth visiting with our older relatives learning their histories and stories. We spent the morning flipping through his papers and photos. When andOkumaya devam et
Family Gathering at Swan Lake

Leaving Ithaca was made much easier because it was a see-you-later goodbye instead of a goodbye goodbye. I will see the whole bunch - Leon, Renate, Sylvie, Jules, Jean, and Ollie - later in August atOkumaya devam et
Another Lake Day and Carefree Acres

Everyone went home yesterday, so it’s just me and my dad and his wife, Chris. After a quiet morning, I took a walk up to Carefree Acres, a bungalow colony where I spent summer days swimming, playingOkumaya devam et
Arrived in the Big Apple

It rained my last day in Swan Lake so I got a chance to nap, read and do laundry - getting ready for my New York adventure.
I met up with Arif Khan, an old friend and bike advocate. He and hisOkumaya devam et
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island And

Started the day meeting Bob Dardano, a friend from DC. We decided to go to one of the things included in my NYC FlexPass (thanks to friends and family for this retirement gift). We were supposed to goOkumaya devam et
Whitney, Highline, and Met

Why have I never visited the Whitney Museum? It was incredible with powerful modern art with political sensibilities. It was also situated at the foot of the Highline. What a fantastic idea to place aOkumaya devam et
Oopsie! But a Fun-Filled Day in NYC

Summer Streets happens on Saturday here, not Sunday. Sad face. I made it a bike day anyway riding around Manhattan. Hudson River Parkway is beautiful. The eastside, not so much. Bicycling Magazine wasOkumaya devam et
Gordon Price Visit & Back to the Met

I took a relaxing morning to sit out in the tiny back yard to do a little reading with my French press coffee and yogurt and blueberries. I don’t think I have ever stayed anyplace that had such aOkumaya devam et
The Cloisters and The Guggenheim

I don’t remember visiting the Met Cloisters before. I always thought it was too far uptown in too rough an area. Well, I’m glad I went. The medieval art was exquisite. Tapestries, cloisonné,Okumaya devam et
Atlantic City with Jeanne

The ocean in Margate is so lovely. Every morning after a leisurely breakfast, I collect my sarong, sun hat, and beach chair and walk the 8 blocks to immediately get in the water. So cool with softOkumaya devam et
Old Friends - Visiting Vicky Funari

You know those friends who you haven’t seen for years and you get together and it is as if no time or gap exists between you? That describes my relationship with Vicky. We were roommates back inOkumaya devam et
Halfway

Just passing the halfway point in my trip. Already destroyed one pair of shoes. RIP comfy brown sandals.
Bocce, Aquatic Gardens, & Burning Man

Bob’s bocce ball team, Joanie Loves Bocce, won their match on Tuesday night. I tried my hand at the game. It was kinda fun.
We took the bus up to U Street. Crazy dude on the bus called Bob and IOkumaya devam et
Walking, Portraits, & the Wizard of Oz

It was a 24,000 steps day. We walked all over SW DC that was non-existent when I lived here. Whole neighborhoods have been created that were rather unsavory and where I would dance the night away atOkumaya devam et
Library of Congress and ERA Friends

I got a personal behind-the-scenes tour of the Library of Congress by Bob (a former staffer). This amazing book-lovers dream is a glorious architectural and art-filled wonder. I saw the stacks, theOkumaya devam et
Touring around by Bike

Started the day on the terrace for breakfast with Bob and his building neighbors. Weather is sticky even at 10am. I still just sweat it out and took a BikeShare ride to the MLK Jr Memorial. It was,Okumaya devam et
Hillwood House Visit

Another hidden gem in D.C. that I never visited before - Hillwood House. Marjorie Merriweather Post’s father started Post cereal and Postum (coffee substitute that my dad drank until it wasOkumaya devam et
African Amer. Museum & More Old Friends

It has been too long since I have spent time with three old friends: Mary Gill, Judy Nedrow and Chris Riddiough. Mary and I were co-workers at NARAL and good friends. She has battled breast cancer andOkumaya devam et
Sister, Brother and Frankie Time

Got into Boston and have been gabbing ever since. When cell phones first became a thing, Robin and I would talk until one of our phone batteries would die - a good three hours. Now, with cell phonesOkumaya devam et