A tale of two Broadway shows

We spent most of today enjoying New York's indoor cultural attractions. This was a welcome change of pace from confronting the crowds and cold temperatures on the streets. We began our day with a visit to the Morgan Library. Both the interior and the collections in the library were outstanding. Among the more notable items were Charles Dickens' original script for 'A Christmas Carol' and two Gutenberg bibles.

Then it was off to Broadway for a matinee performance of 'Lombardi'. The play was performed 'in the round' by Dan Lauria and Judith Light. I was familiar with them from their respective roles in 'The Wonder Years' and 'Who's the Boss?' The performance was outstanding and inspiring. Mr. Snootypurse is a lifelong Packers fan and enjoyed examining the Packers' memorabilia in the lobby. It's the first time I've ever seen the line for the men's room longer than the women's at a play!

We took a break between shows and visited the Christmas light display at the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle. The colors of the lights are synchronized with Christmas music. Both the the lights and the music were soothing and felt like an oasis of calm in the city.

And then back to Broadway for our second play of the day: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. It was quirky and different than anything we've seen before. It felt very off-Broadway and I doubt that it will come to Portland. I liked the show but Mr. Snootypurse did not. We stopped at Junior's for a slice of their famouse cheesecake before heading back to Brooklyn at the end of our full day and trip to New York.

Now that's a bagel!

A carbo-hound such as myself can't visit NYC and not have a bagel. We were fortunate to stumble across LeBagel Delight in Brooklyn when strolling the streets adjacent to our hotel.

And yes, it did live up to the hype surrounding New York bagels. I was impressed by the size alone. Note the tic tac case for a sense of scale...

From Times Square to South Street Seaport

Our day began early when we met my Australian cousins for breakfast at their hotel in Times Square. My cousins are touring the U.S. for 7 weeks during their summer break and just happened to be in New York the same weekend we were! We had a fun visit and look forward to hosting them in Portland in mid-January.

Our next stop was Behind the Emerald Curtain at the Gershwin Theatre. If you are anywhere near NYC and remotely interested in the theatre, I cannot recommend this backstage tour of "Wicked" highly enough. It's hosted in an entertaining fashion by two actors from the production. Their passion for their work was inspiring.

At the conclusion of the Emerald Curtain tour, we hopped aboard a Gray Line bus tour of downtown New York. We had an entertaining guide and enjoyed seeing some of the smaller neighborhoods of New York on our 2.5 hour ride.

And what visit to Times Square would be complete without lunch at the BK Whopper Bar? Our verdict? It tasted... well... like a Whopper.

Our final stop of the day was South Street Seaport. We learned on the bus tour that we could get half price broadway tickets on Saturday for Sunday matinees at the TKTS booth at SSS so that was our first stop. We enjoyed views of downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn across the river while listening to a Christmas choral concert near the tree in the first picture.

Holiday Train Show

Today we made our way to the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden. The NYBG is in the Bronx so it took us about an hour on the subway to traverse the length of Manhattan Island. We purchased a 7-day unlimited ride MetroCard for the subway/buses and it served us quite well for the duration of our stay.

The Holiday Train Show is a G-scale train layout with a collection of 140 buildings constructed solely of natural materials. I believe the building on the left is Grand Central Station. I know the building in the middle is historic Yankee stadium! The show is inside a conservatory which felt toasty warm compared to the colder than average temperatures gripping the city. We hadn't thought about all of the school groups touring the show but the children's excitement enhanced our experience.

On our way back through Manhattan we stopped on Fifth Avenue to do some window shopping at Tiffany's, Bergdorf Goodman, and FAO Schwartz. The crowds were too intense for me to do any actual shopping but the holiday decorations were beautiful. One favorite was a sparkling, lighted belt wrapped around the Fendi boutique.

We returned to Rockefeller Center for another look at the famous tree and a trip up to the observation deck. From Top of The Rock, we could see all of Manhattan including the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Statue of Liberty, and Central Park. We arrived at dusk so we watched the sun set over the skyline before seeing the Christmas lights turn on.

A trip starts in Brooklyn

I've wanted to visit New York City at Christmas for a long time. When Mr. Snootypurse found himself a few miles short of elite status on his airline of choice, we decided that this would be the year. I was shocked by the hotel prices in Manhattan. The Hampton Inn was $450/night! Fortunately a local friend recommended staying in Brooklyn Heights. Thus we found ourselves soaking up views of downtown Manhattan from the Brooklyn Promenade the morning after our arrival.
Mr. Snootypurse ventured across the East River to Wall Street hoping to see the interior of the NYSE. Unfortunately it's not open to the public but he was able to see the exterior with it's holiday Christmas tree. The stock exchange is the light colored building to the left of the tree.
We stopped by Rockefeller Center briefly before attending the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes. Following the show we met a friend at Grand Central Station for dinner. It was a double-win for us as we enjoyed the visit and found a good place to eat in the city. The downstairs food court has outlets for many well-known New York restaurants without the lines!

All aboard for architectural history

With limited time in the city, we elected to take an architectural history cruise on the Chicago river first thing in the morning. It was an excellent choice as the sun was shining and we learned a lot about Chicago on the cruise. However, I had a crick in my neck for the next couple of days from looking skyward for over 90 minutes!

The first building is the Trump Tower. If you watched season 1 of 'The Apprentice' you'll recognize it as the project assigned to the winner of the reality show. Despite any misgivings about Donald Trump, it is a gorgeous building. I forget the names of the round buildings but they were certainly unique. It was an interesting design as the cars are parked on the lower floors and the apartments are up above. The final building is the Chicago Merchandise Mart. Although it is not as tall as most of the skyscrapers, it was building with the most square feet of floor space in the world until the Pentagon was completed.

We wrapped things up with a short stroll on the "Magnificent Mile" which is Chicago's shopping district. We took the Blue "L" line from our hotel to O'Hare airport. It worked great! Only $2.50 and we were at the terminal.

Millennium and Grant parks

We hoped to visit a museum in Chicago but by the time we dropped off the car and found the hotel, we were too late. Instead, we opted to explore two of Chicago's downtown parks. Millennium Park officially opened in 2004. Its more noticeable attractions are outdoor sculptures. Here you see the famous 'coffee bean'. We enjoyed looking at it from all angles. Notice how the skyline is reflected in the first photo. The second photo is a picture of our reflection on the underside of the "bean".

We also wanted to see Grant Park where Barack Obama gave his victory speech in November 2008. My favorite part of this park was Buckingham Fountain. It's much larger than it appears in the photo. All-in-all a nice evening.

It's fall in Wisconsin

Last Saturday found us at the farmer's market again, but not our regular one. We spent a long weekend in Wisconsin visiting Mr. Snootypurse's family. Mr. Snootypurse's sister has been a small-scale organic farmer in Wisconsin long before it was "cool". The Madison farmer's market is larger than our local one and we noticed a plethora of cheese and bakery booths in addition to the veggies. Unfortunately local zoning regulations restrict the use of propane so Mr. Purse had to go without his Saturday morning sausage.

We weren't the official trip photographer so we are missing pictures for a couple of days. On our drive to Chicago, we stopped at Lake Geneva. It's a cute resort community on a lake with some nice fall color in the background. The temperatures were much warmer than the preceding days and we savored the sunshine. I was happy to find a Caribou coffee shop so I could endulge my latest addiction: a mocha with half dark/half milk chocolate. When will they open in Portland?

Happy anniversary!

We celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary on the second-to-last day of sabbatical. Thus Mr. Snootypurse was in charge of planning the festivities. We started the day with a photo shoot at a local studio. We've talked about doing this for a few years, mainly for professional reasons, and finally got around to it.

The remainder of the day was spent with lunch at a great Italian restaurant in Portland, Taste Unique, massages, a stroll along the Willamette dinner, and an amazing Peruvian dinner at Andina. All-in-all a pretty good day and a strong argument in favor of 'staycations'.

Farewell Edinburgh (and Europe)

I was hoping to post this on our way home yesterday but didn't have any extra time. Our connections were just long enough to get us through security checkpoints and customs which is how it should be. Mr. Snootypurse figures we were on the road about 21 hours from rising in Edinburgh to reaching our home in Portland last night. Our checked baggage however, decided to spend some extra time in Chicago without us. Hopefully it will decide to come home today.

Overall this was an amazing trip with an array of memorable sites and people. I had thought it would feel like we were gone forever but the time went quickly. It was definitely worth the time, money, and effort and we thank those who looked out for the homefront and helped us out along the way.

The Open at St. Andrews

It seems I lied about the pictures yesterday. Photography was forbidden in the Scottish Parliament building with the exception of the Assembly Room. Mr. Snootypurse got a nice shot and it gives a good idea of the look and feel of the building.

We took the train to St. Andrews and attended the first practice day of The Open. It's not called the British Open over here, of course, because it is the original open. We were glad it wasn't raining but it was one of the windiest days we've ever experienced. The winds were clocked at up to 50 MPH! We camped out in the grandstand by the 13th to get some shelter where we met a couple of the course marshals enjoying the day on a break. They are members of Carnoustie golf club and were very nice.

We watched Tiger Woods (second picture) try to sink his putt 4 times before giving up. The ball got close to the hole but then the wind blew it back a couple of feet. It made us feel better about our putting. The wind also blew several of the portable toilets over requiring the golfers and their caddies to find alternate accomodation.

Glasgow

Unfortunately we don't have any photos from the last couple of days. This is in no way an editorial statement on the beauty of Glasgow. We didn't have as much time as planned in Glasgow due to a traffic jam but enjoyed our student-led tour of the Glasgow School of Art. This is a first-rate working art school designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Much of the design reminded us of Frank Lloyd Wright but Mackintosh preceded Wright by many years.

We then walked the streets of Glasgow which are in many ways prettier than those in Edinburgh. They are set in a grid pattern which makes it easier to get around. And the upper exteriors are beautifully designed and decorated in many cases.

We spent the following day in Edinburgh. Again our sightseeing plans were cut short, this time by spending too much time returning our rental car. We started with a tour of the Scottish parliament building. The new Scottish parliament met for the first time in 1999. The building was gorgeous with a well-coordinated use of wood, stone, concrete, and glass. It was also interesting to learn how another democracy works. We wrapped things up with a whirlwind 1-hour visit to the Scottish History Museum (Scotland's version of the Smithsonian).

Glamis Castle

We took a bit of a drive to Glamis Castle. Glamis is about 90 minutes north of Edinburgh. It was worth the trip. There are many Scottish castles open to visitors but this was an outstanding specimen. The castle has been held by the same family since the 1600's resulting in the interior and furnishings being intact. Because the castle was a private residence, it has never been under siege so the exterior is also in great shape. And the castle was the childhood residence of the Queen Mum so there photos of and references to the royals.

After touring the castle we strolled around the manicured grounds and visited the Scottish Highland cattle. We got to comb/pet some of the cows on our last trip and enjoyed the chance to see them again.

We made a quick stop in Dundee to see the RRS Discovery. This ship was built in Dundee and used by Scott and Shackleton for their successful voyage to Anarctica. We didn't actually visit the museum because it was late but snuck a peek over the back fence.

The World Cup and the octopus

We have enjoyed following the World Cup during our sojourn through Europe. Many nights, it was the only programming on the TV that we could follow. I will also always remember hearing cheers rise-up from the shores of Lake Bled during the final Slovenia match. We were high above the town touring the castle but could hear the fans in the pubs and restaurants down below.

I have been a supporter of Spain for less than scientific reasons from the first round and am pleased to learn that Paul the psychic octopus has chosen them as the winner. Paul's predictions have been headline news here in the U.K. We are curious. Has Paul received much coverage in the U.S.?

Loch Katerine

We ventured into Trossachs National Park. This area is also known as Rob Roy Country and is the beginning of the Scottish Highlands. Due to the lighting, our pictures aren't all that great but you can see the unusual vegetation on the top of this hill. There are few trees and lots of heather.
Our destination was Loch Katerine which provides water to Glasgow. We took a cruise on the Sir Walter Scott which is the only screw driven steamship still in service in Scotland. It runs on biodiesel! We were hoping to walk along the lake afterwards but a squall dropped in and ruined our plans. To our friends and family enjoying the heat wave at home, our thoughts are with you. I believe it might hit 65F here in Edinburgh today.

Stirling Castle and Inchmahome Priory

We had a busy travel day leaving from Italy for Scotland. The drive to Bologna from LTM was longer than expected and complicated by construction and traffic. We changed planes in Brussels before arriving in Edinburgh. Hertz was swamped so Mr. Snootypurse had to choose between a minivan with an automatic transmission or a small manual car. If you’ve ever driven in the UK, you know this is an impossible choice but we are plugging right along with the small car.

We spent a good part of yesterday at Stirling Castle. The castle is located in a strategic area of Scotland so it is steeped in history. He who controls Stirling, controls Scotland. We then drove further out in the country to visit Inchmahome Priory. This is an Augustine Abbey from the 13th century. It’s not in as good condition as others we’ve seen but it is located alone on a small island. It’s about a seven-minute boat ride on a small launch to the island. We didn’t spend much time there as the wind and rain started to kick-up and drove us back to the car.

La Tavola Marche

We've had the pleasure of spending the preceding four nights at La Tavola Marche (LTM). LTM is a agriturismo/cooking school run by two very hospitable American ex-pats. The accomodations are in a big farmhouse and meals are served outside on the patio when weather allows. The pool is refreshing if a little cool. There are several areas around the grounds to linger and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

We've included a picture of the LTM laundry facilities. About 4 hours after this photo was taken, we got the first rain we'd seen since leaving Ljubljana. So it goes. The final photo is from our visit to Fano Gorge.

Mr. Snootypurse and I shared an amazing private cooking class on our final afternoon here. We learned how to make three pasta sauces and two types of antipasti. Our focus was on vegetables (zucchini in particular) as we were looking for creative ways to use our farmer's market veggies. We were in a pasta coma following the class and look forward to practicing the lessons at home.

First day in Le Marche

Who can resist a cute kitten picture? The agriturismo where we're staying had six kittens in two litters about five weeks ago, and the kittens are a riot to watch.
Today we drove to the walled hill-town of Urbino and visited the Duke’s palace. The area adjacent to the walls was crazy busy and it took us a few tries to find the parking garage. We almost gave up but were glad we didn’t.

The palace is huge but it felt empty and cleaned out. The picture is of the courtyard. The highlight of the visit was the Duke’s study which is covered with inlaid wood. We tried to take pictures but unfortunately it was too dark [see here, here, and here for some pictures of the paneling]. There are also several sets of doors with wood inlay. I’m a fan of Rafael and enjoyed a painting of his on display. Rafael is from Urbino but did most of his work in Rome.

Mother's magic hour

We dragged ourselves out of bed early on our last morning in Venice to see St. Mark’s Square in the soft morning light without swarms of people. It worked!

Reluctantly leaving Venice we drove to our next stop in Italy’s Le Marche region via Ravenna. Ravenna is well-known for its mosaics and we visited two fine examples at Basilica di San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. The colors were brighter than I expected and had a Byzantine feel.

Our posting may be sporadic for the next few days as we are off the grid at an agritourismo/cooking school. We’re talking gravel roads and about 20 minutes to the nearest village where no-one speaks inglese. The peace, quiet, and breezes are a welcome respite from Venice. And there are two mama cats with several kittens here so we are getting our gatto fix.

More Venice and Murano

As we headed out for our third morning in Venice, we watched a pigeon family take their morning ablutions in a fountain outside our front door.

We visited two churches: the Frari Church and the church of San Rocco. The Frari church was our favorite. Titian’s tomb is inside this church. It’s a large marble monument and the backdrop is a marble relief of his painting behind the altar in the same church. If you stand in the right spot, you can see them both at the same time.

That afternoon, we ferried out to the island of Murano. We watched a “free” glass-blowing demonstration and were able to extract ourselves from their high-pressure sales pitch. The street was lined with shops selling glass and we popped into a few.

We found a neighborhood hosteria for dinner and enjoyed a lively scene on the street. The adults enjoyed an apertif while their kids and dogs played on the street. It was a warm, congenial atmosphere that I’d like to see more of at home.

Our gondola ride

Last night treated ourselves to a gondola ride. Mr. Snootypurse and myself shared a pre-gondola dinner while watching boats pass back and forth through the lagoon. As you can see, Mr. Purse is winding up to deliver a stiff right hook. Too much togetherness, I guess.

We started our ride around 9:00pm which was just about perfect. We had some twilight starting out and things were almost completely dark as we finished up. I enjoyed the ride more than I expected. It’s so quiet and peaceful as you glide along Venice’s back canals. Quite a contrast to how things are during the day. And it is very romantic to share the experience with someone you love.

Benvenuti a Venezia

  
We arrived in Venice a couple of days ago. The weather has been quite hot and humid and temperatures remind me of Hawaii. We parked the car in the Tronchetto garage and arrived at our hotel by vaporetto (water bus). We are staying in a clean one-room apartment close to St. Mark's Square. It's sparsely furnished but is quiet and air-conditioned. It's associated with a hotel so we have the benefits of daily breakfast and concierge service.

Yesterday we toured the Accademia gallery. It was somewhat disappointing because they are renovating a few of the important rooms. They are in the process of moving the paintings to other rooms but this won't be complete until July 1 :-( We tried to view some modern art but this area is closed on Tuesdays. The nice thing was these streets weren't very crowded and there were some fun windows to peek into including wood sculptures of clothing and fabric.

In the afternoon, we toured the Doge's Palace. The middle picture is a photo of the courtyard. This complex served as the Capitol Building, White House, Supreme Court, and Sing Sing prison for the Venetian republic. It was a beautiful building jam-packed with art and exhibits. In retrospect we could have skipped the Accademia and spent more time here.

Austria and the Dolomites

On our route from Bled to Cortina, Italy we stopped at the Worther See in Austria to look around and grab some lunch. It was an interesting stop because although it was a large lake, it was built-up like a seaside resort. There was a Euro sportscar rally scheduled for the following day so we got several glimpses of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, etc racing by.

From Cortina we took the chairlift(s) to the top of Monte Cristallo. There are two lifts. One goes up to about 2000m and the second covers the additional 1000m up to the summit at 3000m. We took both lifts up to the summit where we snapped some photos. Unfortunately the camera failed its high altitude drop test.

It sounds trite but the photos don't do the area justice. The peaks are magnificent and rival any mountains we've seen in North America. The wooden building shown in the last picture is called a refugio. They are the Dolomite version of a ski lodge. We spent some time at this one sharing a light lunch and soaking in the views before hiking down the bottom half of the mountain.