Read more about the article Colorado & Utah (Including Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Rocky Mountain National Parks) Itinerary

Colorado & Utah (Including Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Rocky Mountain National Parks) Itinerary

I wanted to go somewhere that didn’t look just like home. For several years I had been researching the Grand Canyon, but flights were expensive. After talking to a friend who did a 2-week tour of the national parks, we came up with this 5-day itinerary. The focus was on the three Utah parks – Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef and we made Moab our base. The nearest airports are Salt Lake City and Denver. Since Denver was significantly less expensive and we’d get to explore some of Colorado, we chose that route. It sounds like a lot, but it worked and was the perfect amount of time. One more day and everyone would be getting cranky. Here’s our Utah and Colorado itinerary. Be sure to click on the hyper-links for detailed posts on each place. (more…)

Read more about the article The Metropolitan Museum of Art – NYC
The lobby at the Met

The Metropolitan Museum of Art – NYC

You can’t visit New York without going into the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The architecture alone is something to see.

A school orchestra serenaded us on the balcony above the large lobby. Going up the stairs, we walked quickly through the Greek and Roman art to get to the Impressionist paintings. Rooms filled with glorious paintings of my favorites – Monet, Cezanne, Pissarro, Renoir delighted my visual senses!

“Can we go now?” she said. (more…)

Read more about the article Walk from Fifth Avenue to Times Square – NYC
Grand Central Terminal

Walk from Fifth Avenue to Times Square – NYC

Since we had to wait a few hours until check-in began at our hotel, we ate lunch in Times Square after storing our bags with the hotel bellman.

From there, we walked along 42nd to see Grand Central Terminal, then up Madison to walk into the lobby at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Afterwards, we walked into St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

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Read more about the article Greenwich Village, Chelsea Market and The High Line – NYC
The Highline

Greenwich Village, Chelsea Market and The High Line – NYC

I wanted to show my daughter more of the real New York where the residents and locals hung out versus the touristy Times Square and Statue of Liberty from the previous day. Greenwich Village is a great place to start.

We met my brother-in-law and his family for lunch at Monte’s in Greenwich Village. As owner and chef, Pietro Mosconi greeted his friends in Italian at the bar, an older, robust waiter seated us. One wall boasts framed photographs of famous people who have dined here since it opened in 1918. In the back corner, a group of 12 people gathered for the Foods of New York Tour. (more…)