ROAD TRIP!!!!!!

Kittens,

I'm going to christen 2.0 (aka my new wheels) this weekend with a tres fab, good ol' fashioned, New England-highlighted ROAD TRIP!!!

It all started when I was invited to a wedding on Memorial Day. Yep, Monday proper. At first I wasn't terribly thrilled about spending my Monday off several hours away from home. I booked a hotel room for Sunday night, and the bride arranged for a late checkout so we didn't have to putz around town before the wedding.

I complained to my hairdresser about this the last time I got my hair cut, and she asked, "Why not make a weekend out of it?"

And that's what I'm doing.

Saturday I'm getting out of Dodge early and heading down to Newport, where I'll be spending the day. I booked a night at a little hostel down there. Sunday I'm driving up to Boston, and spending the day there before driving to Fall River, where I'll be spending Sunday night and then going to the wedding the next day. Monday's the wedding, I'm home Monday night, and I hope not to fall asleep at work on Tuesday.

Oh, and did I mention this is my SECOND road trip in as many months? Mama Cat and I drove to Niagara Falls, Canada in April. We had the BEST TIME. And we're already planning for next year.

I absolutely LOVE when the travel bug hits, don't you?

Will talk to you kittens next week, when I am back from my travels!

Ciao for now!

Travels with Kitten: And you thought KIDS couldn't follow simple directions...

When you travel, you can't help but observe others' actions of idiocy. My recent trip was full of them. Consider these:

• On my flight to San Juan, as I went through security, the lady in front of me was having her carry-on literally taken apart. Reason? She tried to carry full-sized toiletries on the plane. I'm talking, large, economy-sized bottles of shampoo, mouthwash, toothpaste, sunscreen, perfume--you name it, she had it. Her mouth was agape as the security agent confiscated all but her bag. Yes, it may have been quite some time since she last flew, but hasn't the 3-1-1 rule been widely publicized? And did anyone alert her to said rule?
• Before leaving the ship, our cabin steward left us extremely detailed directions on the whole disembarkation process. Now, one of those rules clearly stated that you could not take any produce item off the ship and bring it into the country. Well, as we were waiting in line at customs, a nice young agent happened to walk by with her nice young beagle, who happened to sniff the duffel bag of a nice young couple. The nice young couple had a gallon-sized Ziploc bag of bananas, oranges, and apples with them, directly from the buffet line. They didn't have it for long.
• If you've never been on a cruise ship before, on the last night of your cruise, you have to put your luggage outside your cabin. The cabin stewards collect the bags, and when the ship arrives in port, sends them to a large hangar where the passengers can reclaim them upon disembarkation. This is supposed to expedite the check-out process. In the extremely detailed instructions that your cabin steward leaves you, it specifically and clearly states that you must put any needed documentation--including your PASSPORT--in your carry-on. Imagine the shock on the face of the woman I sat next to in the martini bar when she realized she had PACKED her passport, thinking she could retrieve it when she got her luggage back. In some cases, you can, but not always!

And I could go on and on, but I will spare you. But it just amazes me how reasonably functioning, intelligent adults can't follow the most basic directions...

Travels with Kitten: A visit to The Strand

Finally, a night to kick back, relax, and chat with my darling kittens! How is everyone out there in the blogosphere? I've missed you guys!

There really isn't much going on right now, except to report that I've never been busier professionally. And never more satisfied with my job. The honeymoon continues, and I hope it lasts for as long as possible.

I must tell you, though, that I went to the city (that's NYC for those of you who don't live locally) over Labor Day weekend and made a booklover's pilgrimage to Mecca...in other words, I went to the Strand Bookstore, more commonly known as "The Strand".

Now for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, the Strand is the oldest and largest independent bookstore in the city, specializing in old and rare books. They also sell new books at roughly 10% cheaper than cover prices. (I'm not entirely sure about the discount; I don't speak math). Yes, it is a used bookstore, but when they say they have 18 miles of books, they're not kidding.

I couldn't decide, truthfully, about going to the city. Then, that Friday, I saw Julie and Julia with a friend of mine. There is a scene where Julie Powell and her best friend are searching through the carts of $1.00 books in front of the Strand. I took it as a sign.

Anyhoo, there are several carts of books in front of the store that have books that sell for $1.00. They were mostly travel guides from the 70s, locally published poetry books, and other various slim paperbacks. However, it was a lot of fun to dig through these carts and see what you could find. There were old, outdated dictionaries in languages ranging from Polish to Gaelic. There were lots of children's books. You never know what treasures you'll find in those carts.

After searching through the $1.00 bargains, I stepped into the store. Oh. My. God. It was three floors of heaven. When I die, I hope that my heaven is very much like the Strand. There were shelves of books everywhere. There were tables and tables of bestsellers and staff favorites. I found a copy of The DaVinci Code for $4.95, hardcover, first edition, prime condition. I bought it immediately.

I kept browsing and discovered a huge wall of cookbooks of every genre you could imagine. Every type of cuisine was represented there. Of course, there was a huge display of Julia Child cookbooks, given the Strand's brief appearance in Julie and Julia. The store was running a special where, if you purchased the two books that the movie was based on, you got a free Strand apron. I already owned both books, so I did not need to do this.

The main floor housed the fiction section, as well as biographies of film and television personalities, world history, and more. The ceilings were so tall, and the shelves so immense, that in many cases, you had to ask an employee to climb a ladder to get the book for you. (I would have taken pictures, but A), I wasn't sure if they were allowed, and B), I was having camera problems). But I digress.

I ventured down into the basement. This is where they house their technology and foreign language collections. But the best part of all is--ok, brace yourselves, kittens--there is a very, very, very extensive collection of advance review copies of books--hardcover ones--that are sold for 50% off the cover price. There were many recent bestsellers there--I think I saw the latest Sophie Kinsella--and other past favorites. Oftentimes authors will visit the Strand to promote their latest work, and whatever leftover copies there are, get shipped to the basement where their price gets cut in half. If I had a bigger budget, I would have delved into some of treasures.

The second floor houses a rather impressive, extensive collection of children's books. I didn't allow myself enough time to thoroughly browse this floor, but I did go to the third floor--the one which the Strand is most famous for.

The third floor houses the rare books. I'm talking first-edition, leather-bound rarities that can sell for thousands of dollars. Books so rare, you need to be escorted to the cash register to pay for them. Again, I didn't take much time to browse through this section, but the atmosphere itself was worth the visit. It reminded me of the quietest of college libraries, with that wonderful old book smell. I can't quite describe the scent, for words won't do it justice, but it was a heavenly aroma.

I must have spent about an hour at the Strand, and even though I budgeted for my purchases, I still spent slightly more than I wanted to. Still, it's a place I plan to return to again, this time with some fellow bibliophiles. I want to spend more time on the children's floor and on the rare books floor. Hell, I want to spend more time in that store, period. If I lived in Manhattan, I'd try and get to the Strand as often as I could!

But enough of me babbling about this glory of a store. Click here to visit the Strand's official website. And if you're in Manhattan, and you're a book lover, make sure you pay a visit. Take the subway to Union Square (the 4, 5, or 6 lines will get you there). Then cross Broadway and proceed on East 12th Street; the Strand is not that far down. You won't regret this, ever! I'm already planning my next trip there!

"I love Paris in the winter..."

I have no idea how I found this blog, Paris 2e, but I am in love with it.

I studied in Paris for the fall semester of my junior year of college. It's hard to believe that was twelve years ago this month that I departed the City of Light to return to my home soil.

I want to return in the worst way. I know that, with my lifestyle, it's not possible for me to stay there for a month, but even a week back there would be wonderful.

Anyhoo, to get a taste of this blog, click here and here to see how the City of Light festoons itself for the holidays. Click here and here to get a taste of French politics.

Bon voyage!

My Next Trip to New York

I'm most likely returning to New York in the fall, once the weather's cooled down a bit, to visit the New York Public Library. I got the inspiration from PeaceBang's latest post. I didn't know there were exhibits at the New York Public Library, like the Gutenburg Bible.

But what really makes me want to visit? It's not the Gutenburg Bible, but the REAL, AUTHENTIC, ONCE PLAYED WITH BY THE ACTUAL CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Winnie the Pooh and friends!!! Go to the link above and you'll see a picture!!!

A day at the New York Public Library, then a trip to the Strand bookstore, and finally, a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge...yep, it sounds like the perfect fall day in the city!

Brooklyn Bridge

It's become my tradition to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge whenever I go to the city by myself. And yesterday was the perfect day to do it.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the Waterfalls public art display, and even heard one of the installations underneath the bridge as I walked to Brooklyn.

All in all, between Bastille Day and the Brooklyn Bridge, it was a great day to be in the city.

Bastille Day on 60th Street, New York, July 13, 2008

Yesterday I attended the Bastille Day celebrations on 60th Street in Manhattan. 60th Street is home to the New York branch of l'Alliance Francaise, the largest world language school in the United States. The FIAF has lots of cultural events, movies, and goodies to sell, in addition to language lessons.

The FIAF was selling tickets to a "Wine and Cheese" tasting all day, which took place in their building. By 3:00 they had crossed off the word "cheese" from their signs. Malheureusement, I did not purchase a ticket, since my tummy was full on a chocolate crepe and some pommes frites. These weren't as good as their Parisian counterparts (the crepe was made with HERSHEY SYRUP--or at least it tasted an awful lot like it!), but it was still a noble effort, and made me want to return to La Belle France in the worst way. Time to save my pennies!

Anyhoo, enjoy these pictures from the event. This was the first thing I saw when I got off the subway.

Crepe makers were the first chefs I saw when I stepped onto 60th Street. My mouth started watering--it had been years since I had a good chocolate crepe!

Here's my crepe in its finishing stages...

...and here's the finished product, une crepe a la americaine. For it to be authentically French, it would be served in paper and not on a plate.

There were lots of yummy pastries along the way.This could very well be one of the next books I read. I'm a foodie, and I speak French, so that would be perfect!

In addition to the great food, there were lots of beauty treatments along the way, such as mini facials.

Here are some more French goodies, made with monoi and tamanu oils. According to the brochure I got, Tahitian women use these oils for hair and skin ailments.

I saw this little French tea party set at one of the vendor booths.

At the end of 60th Street, right at the entrance to Central Park, there was a car show full of antique Citroens...

...and Peugeots. My mom had a friend who drove a model similar to this one.

No French street fair would be complete without a mime...

...or can-can dancers!

A Visit to Birdland: Baltimore Orioles, July 2, 2008

Exactly one week after I paid my New Britain Rock Cats a visit, I found myself in Oriole Park at Camden Yards for a game between the O's and the Kansas City Royals.

You can tell that Baltimore is really proud of its team. The ballpark is almost smack dab in the middle of downtown, not far from the Inner Harbor. The streets around Camden Yards are full of stores and restaurants like this one:

There is so much detail in the planning and design of the park. Take a look at the Eutaw Street gates. All of the gates around the ballpark are like this one, with the orioles facing one another. I just thought it was a neat little detail that made you feel like you were at an old-fashioned ballpark (which was exactly what the designers of Oriole Park at Camden Yards were going after).

Here are some more examples of the thoughtfulness and care that went into the design of this ballpark. Here's one of the seats. The original logo of the first Baltimore baseball team is built into the seat.

Signs like this one were posted all over the stands. We didn't have to worry about batted balls in our left field section, at least not in this game. By the way, that oriole you see? It's taken from the logo from the 1983 team, the last Baltimore team to win a World Series.

Here's a wide shot of the outfield, with a great view of the old B&O warehouse behind right field. The warehouse now houses restaurants, team offices, and some apartments.

This was my favorite feature of the jumbotron--the Baltimore Sun clock and logo right above it. It added a really classy element to the ballpark. The orioles you see on either side of the clock are weathervanes, and they kept spinning in the breeze all night.

Here's a shot from where I was sitting, right above left field:

PLAY BALL!!!

Here's a better shot of the action:

And here are two O's outfielders, warming up before the inning starts:
And how did the O's do that night?
It was an incredible game. The pitcher, Daniel Cabrera, had pitched a complete game. He went 0-3 in the month of June, with a 7.06 ERA, and really needed this win. He retired 14 straight batters between the fourth and eighth innings.

And that's not all! Aubrey Huff hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. Nick Markakis had an RBI double. I'm pretty sure there was a triple somewhere in there, but orioles.com didn't have that listed in the game's recap (which helped me tremendously in reviewing the game's stats.) And what a feeling it was to hear "Orioles Magic" play in the stands as the crowds left the ballpark.

That game left me a fan of Orioles baseball. They're not quite up there with my love for the Mets yet, but they'll get there. (Remember, the O's played the "Miracle Mets" in the 1969 World Series--and no Met fan who was alive then will ever forget that year. Me? I'll always remember the '86 Series. I was alive then).

Finally, I leave you with this photo. Take a look at the Esskay Meats logo to the left of the scoreboard. Between innings, Esskay sponsored a "hot dog race" on the jumbotron, a computer-animated race between Mustard, Ketchup, and Relish hot dogs. Three hot dogs, each with their condiment of choice, ran, or should I say, bounced around the bases. The first hot dog to completely circle the bases was the winner--and tonight it was relish.

I mention this because Esskay, back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, sponsored a brief, five-minute kids show on WRC-TV in Washington, DC. One of its stars went on to become a major international icon.

Who is this superstar? Find out in the next post!

Ms. Kitten and Mr. Roosevelt

While I was walking along the Tidal Basin, I came across the FDR memorial, a memorial that was long overdue in Washington, but well worth the wait.

The memorial is divided up into five "rooms", four representing a term of FDR's presidency, and a "Prologue Room." The Prologue Room starts with the presidential seal, with the first year of his tenure in office, 1933, carved below it:


Then we are introduced to the man himself. President Roosevelt had polio, and was wheelchair-bound for the duration of his term.


For some reason I never took pictures in Room One, but I took a few in Room Two. In Room Two, sculptures depict some of the hardships of the times. This first sculpture depicts a man listening to one of FDR's Fireside Chats on the radio.


This next one, and the one that follows, symbolize the poverty and unemployment of the times. The quotes in the walls, which didn't come out well in the photos, talk about some of the New Deal Programs like the Works Progress Administration, which helped the unemployed find jobs.



These relief sculptures are supposed to depict some of the conditions that inspired FDR to create his New Deal programs. Unfortunately, you can't see too much detail in the photos, and I haven't figured out how to "click and enlarge" for detail. (Jane Redmont is an expert at that in her blog.)


One of the organizations that FDR created under the New Deal was the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). The TVA created many jobs for a region hit particularly hard by the Depression. A large series of dams and a few fossil fuel plants were built provide electricity and flood control to the citizens of Tennessee and some parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky. This water sculpture, one of many in the memorial, symbolizes the creation of the TVA.


Room Three has a marvelous sculpture of FDR and his beloved dog, Fala.

There's another terrific water sculpture adjacent to FDR and Fala. These water sculptures, according to the brochure supplied by the National Park Service, are meant to give the memorial more of a relaxed garden feel, as opposed to a monstrous building.

Room Four begins with a statue of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, which honors her work with the United Nations and human rights issues.

The monument ends with a sculpture of FDR's funeral cortege, which hangs in a small alcove just before you walk out.

This was a truly beautiful monument, and there really is nothing like it in Washington. You really get a feeling of peace as you walk through it, and you don't feel intimidated by imposing sculptures. While I was there, many tourists took the opportunity to pose for pictures of themselves sitting with FDR and Fala. And this memorial is adjacent to the Tidal Basin and the cherry trees; I can only imagine how beautiful it must be in the spring.

I think this has replaced the Lincoln Memorial as my favorite monument in Washington.

A Beachy, Beautiful Weekend

I have just spent two glorious days on the beach--two separate beaches, that is. I cannot remember the last time I spent two consecutive days on a beach. Needless to say, this is the first time I have sunburn in a long time--even though I lathered up with the SPF 45. Still, it was all worth it. Yesterday I spent some time with some girlfriends from work, and it was great to spend time with those gals. Then I got to spend more time with some girlfriends at book club, where we discussed The Devil in the White City. One of our members brought us each bags of Cracker Jack, since this confection was invented at the World Columbian Exposition in 1893.

At book club, most of us agreed that The Devil in the White City was not one of those books you could really get into and plow through; there were so many facts, you had to read a little, pause, and take some time to absorb what you had just read. Many said that the print in the book made it hard to read, it was so small. (As the book club's youngest member, I didn't have a problem reading the print).

Then today, I spent the first half of the day at Ocean Beach Park in New London, a return to my old stomping grounds. I discovered that Ocean Beach was just as nice as it was when I left, if not nicer. They're sprucing up and rebuilding the boardwalk and raising funds to renovate the arcade and the Sandbar Cafe. I wish I had taken pictures, but it felt so good to just relax in the sand. The one bummer, however, were the sporadic jellyfish that were in the water, a feature which is not all that common to Ocean Beach (at least the times I've been there).

From Ocean Beach, around 2 PM I headed to Sailfest. I stayed there for about two hours, then returned home, bummed that I didn't feel like staying for the fireworks. To be truthful, there were many Sailfest veterans who had come prepared to stay for the fireworks: they set up camp along the City Pier during the wee hours of the morning. They arrived with their beach chairs, food, and even pup tents to take naps.

And Sailfest organizers were prepared for these people! They took blue painter's tape and they taped a line along the center of the pier! Signs were posted that directed people to put their beach chairs, blankets, and pup tents at the waterfront side of the pier. Safety first, according to the signs!

And I especially wasn't prepared for the parking situation. New London is a city with an area of only six--that's right, six--square miles. There were areas with very limited parking, and it wasn't cheap. I parked in the cheapest lot, at $7.00, which was also the lot farthest away from the action. And I was wearing my flip flops from the beach, not the wisest choice of footwear. (My blisters from last week have healed, but now my left heel is bothering me beaucoup). These lots were actually the parking lots of various corporate buildings around the area, and they charged between $10 and $25 for parking.

I had gotten there at 2 so I could hang out for a while, then drive to Mystic for a while to spend some time there before returning at 6 to secure a place for the fireworks. However, the combo of expensive parking, sore feet, and crowds led me to return home. I know I could have caught the fireworks from Conn College or the Crystal Mall, but I didn't have much to occupy myself for the hours in between. That, and I was by myself, so it wasn't like I could ask someone to hold my place for me.

So, now I have experienced two occasions coming so close to seeing live fireworks, but barely missing out. I watched the DC fireworks from my hotel room, but could hear them, in full stereo, because my hotel was a couple of miles away from the Mall. I am bummed...but determined to see fireworks sometime this year!

Still, I've gotten more time at the beach this summer than I did last summer...and that makes me feel pretty good. :)

Ms. Kitten and Mr. Jefferson

Call me crazy, but the one monument I absolutely, positively had to visit during my sojourn in DC was the Jefferson Memorial. Why was I so desperate to visit this tribute to one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence? Let's take a trip back in time, kids...

November, 1997. The first semester of my senior year of college. I was a member of the Fairfield University Glee Club, one of the premier singing organizations on the eastern seaboard. (OK, I may be a bit biased, but our concerts were always sold out). Anyhoo, a group of us decided to go out to dinner, then do the nighttime monument tour. We did the Capitol, then proceeded up the National Mall to the Washington Monument and then to the Lincoln Memorial.

Once we saw the Lincoln Memorial, two of my girlfriends and I wanted to see the Jefferson Memorial, but the rest of our group did not. So the three of us separated and went to find it, visit it, then take the Metro back to our hotel.

Normally, the Jefferson Memorial is lit up like this at night:

But on this night, we couldn't find it, and we didn't know why. We had no map, no sense of direction, and no idea how dangerous it was for three young women to be out by themselves at night in Washington DC. And we had a concert the following morning, and had to be out of the hotel by 10 AM.

Long story short, after crossing a couple of bridges and following the shores of what we thought was the Tidal Basin, we found the Jefferson Memorial--unlit, and under a lot of scaffolding. There was a small sign next to it: "Under Renovations." Disappointed, we started to head back--but since there were no lights anywhere, we had no way of retracing our steps.

One of us looked up and saw a highway, and suggested that we follow it, under the theory that it was the Beltway. So we kept walking, keeping an eye on this highway at a distance, using it as our North Star. We kept getting lost.

Then we came across a truck in the middle of the park. There wasn't a soul around. All of a sudden a spotlight came on, and we heard a deep voice: "Got a toke?"

The three of us ran faster than we ever did, until we found a street. By this time it was well after midnight. We soon learned that none of us had enough money for a cab, and we didn't know which Metro stop to take to our hotel. All we knew was that our hotel was on O Street.

Fortunately, Washington DC is a well-planned city. We figured we'd walk up the streets, and if the streets went up in alphabetical order, we'd eventually wind up at O Street. And that's exactly what we did.

We wound up back in our hotel at 3 AM. The next morning two of us went to Starbucks and reflected on the night before. The other slept in.

Eleven years later, I made it my mission to go to the Jefferson Memorial and pay my proper respects to good ole Tom. And I made it my mission to go during the daytime. (I was with five other people when I took the nighttime picture above, not to worry).

So I walked from the Lincoln Memorial to the Jefferson Memorial. It looks like a quick walk on a map, but it really isn't. I got some really pretty photos along the way:

It was a long walk, and I wasn't wearing the proper footwear, and the blisters are still healing. But it was worth it, I tell you, worth it for all of the awesome shots I got. (I have a few more, but I won't bore you with them, since they all look similar).

Along the way, I found out that the FDR Memorial was near the Jefferson Memorial, so I figured, while I was there, I'll pay my respects to him as well. And that, my friends, is for another post.

P.S. I didn't go anywhere near O Street during this past trip. There were some memories I didn't want to relive--like that long walk back to our hotel that ended at 3 AM. I don't even remember the hotel's name.

Ms. Kitten and Mr. Lincoln

Out of all of the monuments and memorials in DC, the Lincoln Memorial is my favorite. If you think it resembles a Greek temple, you have good reason: it was designed to look like one.

Regardless of the angle from which you approach the Lincoln Memorial, it looks majestic, imposing, amazing...a grand tribute to a grand man.

I love the Lincoln Memorial for all of the symbolism in its design. There are 36 columns around the building, each representing one of the states that was in the Union upon Lincoln's death. The names of these states are carved directly above each column. The names of the 48 states in the Union when the Memorial was completed in 1922 are carved in the exterior attic walls. A plaque in the plaza commemorates the admission of Alaska and Hawaii.

Photographs do not do this monument justice. It looks even more spectacular from the air, as you approach landing at Reagan Airport.

Here's a view of the Washington Monument and the Reflecting Pool from the top of the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

And here's Honest Abe himself. Legend has it that the sculpture's designer, Daniel Chester Finch, designed it so that Lincoln's left hand would sign the ASL letter A, and his right hand would sign the ASL letter L. The close-up of the statue in the brochure at the Lincoln Memorial seems to indicate this, but no one knows if this was done on purpose.

Legend also has it that Robert E. Lee's image is carved into Lincoln's right profile view, but I haven't been able to see a good photo of this to judge for myself.

So much has happened at the Lincoln Memorial. Marian Anderson once sang there. It was the spot from where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech (a spot that is marked permanently in the steps now). A drum corps band played there this past July 4th.

Sadly, I didn't get to visit this majestic spot at night, when it is at its most regal and splendid. That is for my next trip to DC, to take a nighttime monument tour. I hope I get to go back soon.