2011 A Year in Review: Our Favorite Things
One of the things I thought I would do a bit different this year was along with doing a recap of the year was looking at some of the things Jenn and I enjoyed throughout the year. So if one day we ever wonder what TV shows we liked or music we listened to in 2011 we will have this to go back to. So without further ado here is a list of our favorite “stuff” from 2011.
Favorite TV Show(s)
Joel: I could probably list ten or fifteen but I will narrow it down. For pure thrills you can’t beat Dexter. For acting you can’t beat Season 4 of Breaking Bad. For the inner-nerd in all of us Game of Thrones is an incredible fantasy adventure. And who doesn’t like a modern day cowboy, that’s why I love Justified.
Jenn: Hmm that’s tough. Can’t choose one, so I will break it down by category. Comedy: Parks & Rec; Drama: Breaking Bad; Thriller: Dexter; Reality: Top Chef; Runner-Up: Mad Men (it definitely had its moments)
Favorite Movie(s)
Joel: Another tough one. I’m a sucker for a good romantic comedy and you can’t beat Midnight in Paris and Crazy, Stupid, Love. For action you can’t beat Rise of the Planet of Apes and Thor. I’ll have another!
Jenn: Something Borrowed, cuz I loved the book, and it was cute! But I also really liked Midnight in Paris. I am hoping next year there will be an awesome doomsday movie!
Favorite Meal(s)
Joel: After a lot of persuasion we went to London in New York and it far exceeded my expectations. I still have the receipt in my wallet to remind me of what may be the most expensive meal of my life. I can’t forget that we made it to Gaucho Sloane in London a restaurant we were supposed to hit 3 years ago when I proposed. Better late than never.
Jenn: I would definitely say eating at Chef Ramsey’s in NY. Close second? Joel’s Pot Roast!
Favorite Song(s)
Joel: I’ve probably played “Good Life” by OneRepublic more than any other song this year. I also love Paradise by Coldplay.
Jenn: We Found Love by Rihanna. Life song became “The Valley” by Jars of Clay.
Favorite Video Game(s)
Joel: My favorite category of course but here is my short list: Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception, NBA 2K12, Zelda: Skyward Sword, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Assassins Creed: Revelations.
Jenn: Super Mario Kart! Duh! Although I am loving playing Mario with Joel right now.
Favorite Memory
Joel: Anytime we walked from our apartment down to PCH or around Fashion Island. I truly treasure those times.
Jenn: moving back to NB @ the Colony. But more so visiting CDM at night and listening to the sound of the bayou bell and the crashing of waves with Joel and looking up at the stars. Also loved our many walks to summer house or balboa; and lastly biking along HB with my dad…or should I say cruisin’?
Favorite Vacation
Joel: Although it took a lot of convincing to get me to go, New York, NY was incredible. Most fun I have had on a trip in a long time.
Jenn: Seeing NY for the first time w/ my boo
Favorite Purchase
Joel: Trading in the Ikea Couches for some slick new Modern Sofa and Chair. Mounting the TV and the new entertainment center weren’t too shabby either.
Jenn: hmmm…. I make so many. My VS luggage set. The perfect jetsetter look. Oh, I love all my clothes and makeup too…. And when I treat myself to facials or massages…. I can’t just pick one….
Favorite Electronic
Joel: As much as Jenn hates it my iPhone.
Jenn: My iPhone! What would I do without it?
Favorite Hotel
Joel: The Surrey in New York City, just a gorgeous boutique hotel nestled next to central park.
Jenn: The Wyndham in London. Great deal, great location, and continues to be my favorite place in the world.
Favorite Book
Joel: At this point I have listened to over 150 hours of the Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin and am still only half way through the fifth book. Yes I love this series. My favorite book so far in the series is A Storm of Swords.
Jenn: My mother’s devotional; reassuring me every day God is with me, and her spirit is with me, and to remember the beauty in life.
Favorite Place
Joel: Our apartment. More than any place Jenn and I have lived our current place just feels like home. Whether we are watching TV in bed or I am playing video games until the early morning hours I just feel at home and you really can’t beat that.
Jenn: Besides our awesome digs, and where we live (NB, Fashion island, etc), Disneyland; no explanation needed. In the world? Well anywhere with Joel, and still home, but London will always be my home away from home.
Most Thankful For
Joel: Jenn, without question. She is the light of my day, no matter what is going on she finds ways to make me smile, and push me to be the best I can be.
Jenn: Having God in my life, and having a husband I could only dream about when I was a girl: Joel, who has helped me realize that everything is going to be OK, and to re-find the love and laughter in life, and encouraging me to live my dreams. Also for the many years I was able to have with my mom, and that close relationship we had, for my dad, who continues to climb with me every day to a new life.
2011 Year in Review: Picking Up the Pieces
I remember sitting down to write my year in review in 2010 and wondering how I could possibly put into words the ups and downs of the year. There were a number of great moments but also many that if I could would never think about again. 2011 on the other hand was more about picking up the pieces of 2010 and trying to figure out how they all fit together again.
Jenn has this thing about New Year’s Eve; she thinks that there is a direct correlation between how the evening goes and the year to come. So we spent the day with Jake and Amy at the Newport Beach Marriott, enjoyed a great meal, had a few drinks, and just had a great time the entire evening. It must have done the trick because even through the pain of 2010, 2011 turned out to be a pretty incredible year.
Jenn Getting Her Ears Re-Pierced on New Years Day
We knew early on in January of 2011 that Jenn and I were going to need a change of scenery. Our main rationale for moving to a town-home in Irvine was for more space and better environment to raise a dog. Since having Bentley didn’t work out we decided that it was as good as time as any to start looking for a new place to live. We looked everywhere but our search ended abruptly when we set our sights back on The Colony. Since moving out in March of 2009 we had missed the close proximity to the beach and Fashion Island. With very little hesitation at all we made an appointment to view the available apartments, had a quick talk and signed a 15 month lease to move into a two bedroom apartment.
We got the keys for our new apartment on Saturday February 12th and were fully moved in the next day. I distinctly remember the feeling like I had arrived back home on the day we got the keys. I could even see it in Jenn’s eyes as we looked around our empty unit and unlike our Irvine Town-home we knew we had made the right decision. Moving in was a breeze, we ended up buying some new furniture, and Jenn managed to really make the place look incredible.
At the same time we were moving Jenn’s Dad also decided to take the plunge and move down to the Newport Beach area. After looking at a few different complexes he decided on Newport Ridge nestled in the hills of Newport Coast. The first few months of 2011 did involve a lot of moving around but we did manage to plan it out well enough to where it didn’t totally drain us.
During the first few months of 2011 Jenn and I used our Disneyland Annual Passes probably 5 times. Either going for the day, a couple hours or one ride we made use of our passes more in 2011 than any year previous.
Jenn and I Riding Splash Moutain Alone
In April we surprised Jake with an early birthday present. In fact we didn’t even give him a hint of where we were taking him just to meet us at our apartment and we would go from there. We ended up getting him tickets to go see Rain a Beatles Tribute Band at the Pantages Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Obviously not being old enough to see the real Beatles perform this is really the next best thing. It was an incredible concert.
On Our Way to the Pantages to See Rain
In late May things started ramping up for Jenn and I. We ended up renting a Ford Mustang Convertible to drive up to Sonoma, California for Ally’s College Graduation. We drove up to San Francisco on Friday the 27th in the morning to stay the night in San Francisco. We spent some time walking around the city eating a few good meals and turning in early.
Driving Up to the Bay Area for Ally's Graduation
Saturday we drove from San Francisco to Sonoma for her graduation. For the last four years I had heard so much about Sonoma and the surrounding area where Ally lived but never made the trek up. Maybe Sonoma just didn’t want Jenn and I to visit because as we made our way to her graduation it started to rain and didn’t stop until well after her graduation ended. We all tried our best to stick around for the entire graduation but it got to the point where we couldn’t see anything and all made our way to the car for some shelter from the downpour of rain.
Up in Sonoma for Ally's College Graduation
We ended up going out to dinner as a family and Jenn and I were left with a decision. Did we want to drive home from Sonoma (8 hour drive) or stop somewhere along the way for the night? I drove the first 4-5 hours down and we quickly realized at that point that we wouldn’t be able to stop until 2 hours outside of home so we pushed through to the end. Looking back it was not the best of decisions; we were both exhausted and should never have driven that far being that tired. Luckily the story had a happy ending and we made it home safe and sound.
It was only a week later that Jenn and I along with her Dad went on a 9 day trip to London England. Jenn’s parents had won the airline tickets on a radio giveaway the previous year and we needed to use them before they expired so we all after much debate decided to go to London. Since we all have been to London before we decided to rent a car and see what the surrounding area in England was like. I drove us to Stonehenge, Bath, Dover, and Windsor in our rented VW Golf. It ended up being a fantastic trip and we got to see a lot of sights we really never expected to be able to see.
Jenn and I at Stonehendge
One of the highlights of our new apartment is that instead of looking at other units (which was the case in our past two units) we have an open landscape of Newport Beach and Irvine. One of the highlights of the year was being able to stand our balcony and literally see 5 or 10 different fireworks shows in all directions not to mention one only a few blocks away.
Fireworks From Our Balcony in Newport Beach
For most a nine day excursion to London would be enough traveling for one year, but not for Jenn and me. After years and years of debate, Jenn finally got me to break down and we took a week trip to New York, NY. I can’t even begin to count the number of times Jenn has wanted us to go and somehow this year was the year she convinced me, and boy am I glad we went.
Dinner at Chef Ramsey's London Restaraunt
It was some of the most fun we have had on a trip in a long time. From eating at Chef Ramsey’s London restaurant to going to the top of The Rockefeller Center at night, to walking the streets of New York there were so many great memories made during our week vacation. You would think with temperatures reaching the mid 90’s that it would slow us down but we literally saw all of the sights and did everything we wanted to do while still saving time to relax and take it all in.
Jenn and I On Top of the Empire State Building
After New York it seemed like the rest of the month flew by and we were already at our 2 Year Wedding Anniversary. We had a really incredible celebration dinner at Flemings and just really enjoyed a nice weekend together. It is amazing how fast time has flown by. It feels like just yesterday Jenn and I started dating and now we have been married for two years and together eight.
One of the big kicks I have been on this year is buying Groupon, Living Social, Travelzoo deals. Basically they are deals on food and services that you buy online. My focus has been buying these deals for restaurants. My favorites are the ones that you buy for a flat price and get a 3, 4, and even 5 course meals for two. In 2011 Jenn and I have tried out probably fifteen new restaurants because of these deals. Not all of them are winners but a lot of them have been amazing date nights. In early October we ended up using our free night at the Marriott and a Living Social deal to a restaurant called The Bungalow on PCH. It was such a relaxing and incredible evening of great food and even better company that it just stands out as one of those great moments of the year.
October came and went and in late November Jenn and I went on our last adventure for the year. Jenn got invited to go to the BECC conference in Washington DC for work and being the supportive husband I am I agreed to come along for the ride. I ended up flying in a day later then Jenn and met her at the Hyatt on Capitol Hill where the conference was taking place. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, it was cold, but crystal clear. During the day Jenn would be at her conference and I would lounge around and in the late afternoon to evening we would head out and explore the city. We did have one full day left to sightsee around the city. We ended up seeing a play (Much Ado About Nothing) touring the city using the double decker tour bus, and walking around the city.
Jenn and I In Front of the US Capital Building
We flew home from DC on Sunday and came straight home to decorate our apartment for Christmas. Each year Jenn gets better and better at decorating, she definitely has a lot of her Mom in her who was notorious for decorating each room of the house with its own Christmas tree. Jenn hasn’t gotten to that point yet but she definitely stepped up her game this year. Needless to say in a few hours our apartment was literally transformed and looked gorgeous. From the dangling lights on the balcony (which I was unable to do) to the two beautiful trees the place just said we were ready for the holidays.
December as it normally does flew by with all of the normal holiday activities. Since Jenn and I spend Christmas with our families we have designated Christmas Eve for the two of us. This year we went to a local restaurant Pizzeria Mozza which is new this year and is a place we have wanted to try for a while. We split a pizza and wine and came home to watch Charlie Brown’s Christmas (a yearly tradition) as well as Christmas in Connecticut. Our original plan was to stay up until Midnight to open gifts but by 9PM I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to make it so we got up at 5AM instead. All in all it was a great Christmas; we had far too many gifts for the two of us but I guess that’s also what makes it so much fun.
Jenn's Beautiful Christmas Decorations
Going into 2011 all I can remember praying for is that things would somehow get better. I didn’t know what that would look or feel like, but I knew it was possible. When I look back on the year I can’t help but smile, we accomplished a lot, and did a lot of things we wanted to do. I can’t help but be excited for what is to come in 2012 because from my perspective it may be one of the best years ever.
New York Trip Day 6 (August 3rd, 2011): Bittersweet Symphony
Having back to back birthdays is never easy. I worry about Jenn's upcoming birthday on my day and she is busy making sure I have a great day just a day before its her big day. Regardless over the almost eight years we have been together we have managed to work it out exceptionally well.
Each day Jenn and I have woken up and looked at the weather to make sure our itinerary jived with the upcoming forecast and adjusted as needed. Since today was forecasted to have rain on and off for the entire day we decided that a carriage ride in the park would be best done in the sunshine so we switched the American National History Museum for today. We woke up at (surprise, surprise) around 10 AM and began to get ready for the day. We were feeling exceptionally lazy this morning and since it was Jenn's birthday we laid around for as long as possible.
We made our way out of the beautiful Surrey Hotel at around noon and made our way through central park and on over to Central Park West down to the Lincoln Center on 65th street. However we didn't make it all the way to 65th before realizing it was time to stop for a much needed birthday lunch. Since it was Jenn's pick we went to a really quaint little Italian Restaurant called Bello Giardino on 71st street. We were seated in this really quaint back patio with a roof filled with grape vines and ceiling fans to keep it cool. Jenn had spaghetti with meatballs and vanilla ice cream and I had penne alla vodka with a house salad. Both of our meals were fantastic, super rich with flavor, and just an all around great experience.
Jenn Walking Through Central Park
Jenn Sitting at the Italian Restaurant Ready for Her Birthday Lunch
Enjoying Jenns B-Day Lunch
Delicious Vodka Pasta
Jenn's Spaghetti with Meatballs
Eating at Bello Giardino
From the really nice lunch we walked down to 65th street to the Lincoln Center to pick up our tickets for our symphony that night. We picked those up and then walked all the way back to 79th street to the American National History Museum. The weather today was a good ten to fifteen degrees cooler then the past few which made walking everywhere much more bearable. The museum itself was actually a lot of fun. Both Jenn and I walked around making up much of our own versions of history for many of the different areas of the museum.
One of the big highlights for both of us within the museum was the dinosaur section. They have some of the biggest dinosaur exhibits around and they are truly breathtaking to look at. Not only are the bones in amazingly good quality but their recreations and stature are incredible. One of the things we got free with the City Pass besides skipping all of the lines was an IMAX viewing of "Journey to the Stars". We missed our designated 3:30 showing but were allowed to come back and see the 4:30 which we did and were kind of bummed we hung around to watch it. It was an incredible quality of video but I think both Jenn and I were snoozing a bit during the thirty minute long performance.
Standing in Front of an Awesome Dinasour
Jenn Showing Her Inner T-Rex
When we got out of the museum the weather took a huge turn for the worse and started pouring rain. Jenn in a skirt and a blouse was in no way dressed to walk the mile back to our hotel so she nabbed us a taxi (nailed it again) and we got back to the hotel safe and sound.
We had around 3 hour gap between the time we got back to the hotel and when we needed to leave for the symphony so we ordered a pizza and picked it up a few blocks away. This is our first and only time eating New York pizza on this trip so we were both pretty excited about it. Walking to the pizza place wasn't bad it was pretty dry and was only sprinkling rain. From the moment we picked up the pizza it started to pour again and being the two smartest people in New York we didn't bring an umbrella with us so we pretty much ran back to the hotel. The good news was the pizza survived and we chowed down on it right when we got back to the hotel. According to Yelp we got the pizza from one of the best in the Upper East Side but neither Jenn and I loved it. It was good don't get me wrong but it wasn't the amazing pizza that people have raved about.
A Big New York Pizza
Chowing Down on A Gigantic Pizza with a Coke
We had about an hour or so to get ready for our symphony that started at 8PM. Both Jenn and I have always talked about going to a symphony but have never been to one. When we booked New York that was one of the things that we said we wanted to do while we were here so Jenn booked us tickets to a symphony called "Mostly Mozart." Let me just say that Jenn looked absolutely stunning in the dress she wore for the symphony. It might have been raining outside but you would have never known it by taking one glance at her. She had only wore this dress one other time on our Europe Cruise in 2008 and it still fit her like a glove. When we went to get a taxi about 30 minutes before the start of the performance it was once again coming down cats and dogs outside. With the help of people staying at the hotel (Jenn couldn't help due to her dress) we were able to nab a cab and make it to the symphony with plenty of time to spare.
Jenn Never Ceases to Amaze Me
Jenn as always did not let us down with amazing seats for the symphony. We were in the box seats almost directly above the orchestra and somehow managed to get the box all to ourselves. The symphony itself was incredible to say the least. The music was amazing, the environment electric, and the experience was simply memorable. Although the performance was almost two hours long it felt like 15 minutes. They had a few songs with two famous violinists, and a few more with a world renowned opera singer. It definitely ignited a flame in both of us to get out and experience more symphonies in the future.
Sitting in our Box at the Symphony
Getting Ready for a Beautiful Symphony
From the symphony we grabbed a taxi in the pouring rain and headed back to our hotel to pack for our 5:45 AM flight home tomorrow. You couldn't ask for a better way to not only finish off Jenn's birthday but also an amazing trip to The Big Apple.
New York Trip Day 5 (August 2nd, 2011): A Carriage Ride Through the Park and a Meal Fit for Kings
Spending your birthday on vacation in New York City is probably enough for ones birthday right there. But when you combine that with an absolutely incredible day, life just can't get any better. Like every day on this trip we woke up well past a "normal hour" at around 10:30-11. After the last few days have been jam packed with sight seeing we decided that the rest of the trip would be more centered around enjoying the experience of New York. So we woke up got some hot dogs and a pretzel from the corner street vender and walked over to Central Park. '
Eating Yet Another Awesome Hot Dog
When we got to 5th Ave and 61st Street we made our way over to the beautiful horse drawn carriages that will take you on a nice walk through the park. We were lucky enough to get a very nice Irish man who talked to us about some of the different movies with scenes filmed in the park and random historical tid bits. Jenn and I had a great time laughing and taking in the beautiful park. When we did get to the end of the trip we learned that they were shutting down the carriage rides for the rest of the day. New York City has a mandate that if it gets past 90 degrees (it was 92 at the time) that they had to shut down the carriage rides for the day. So we were even more stoked that we got the ride in before it was shut down.
Carriage Ride Through Central Park
Close Up in the Carriage
From the beautiful carriage ride we took a leisurely stroll through central park, people watched, and just enjoyed the nice day. From there we headed back to 76th street and even picked up Jenn some vanilla gelato along the way. This gave Jenn and I an hour or two to regroup and get ready for our big night.
Beautiful Shot of Jenn in Central Park
Another Beautiful Shot in Central Park
The Sun is Shining Through
Jenn Chowing Down on Some Gelato
After a lot of debate we decided to go the Chef Ramsey's London restaurant. We knew going into it, it would be a pricey affair but were ready to take on a brand new experience and one that would be memorable for a lifetime. Jenn got us a taxi (3 for 3 in nabbing a taxi within a minute of stepping out of the hotel) to take us to the London hotel. The doors were immediately opened for us as we got out of the taxi and we let them know we had reservations for Chef Ramsey's London Restaurant and they took us through the Maze Restaurant and through double doors to a very private dining room that seats at most 30 people. We were given a beautiful corner seat with a great view of the rest of the dining room. Our reservation was for 6 PM and when we got there we were only joined by one other party who was at the other end of the restaurant. So really we felt like we had the restaurant to ourselves.
I would be lying if I said I didn't do a ton of research about the restaurant and the experience beforehand. What was amazing that even after all the research the evening far exceeded my expectations. We were immediately greeted by three separate staff members who talked to us about the restaurant, the menu, and the specials. There was really two options in terms of ordering either do there 3 course meal or there 7 course tasting menu. Jenn and I in the "go big or go home" mentality decided to both get the 7 course tasting menu. Jenn ordered a cosmo to start with and I had the wine pairings to go along with the 7 courses.
Prestige Menu
Course 1: Amuse bouche
Course 2: Poussin roasted on the bone, foie gras torchon, baby lettuce, Burgundy truffle
Course 3: Maine diver scallops, curried cauliflower, pressed mango, spiced chickpeas
Course 4: Filet of turbot “gratiné,” marinated sungold tomatoes, white asparagus, basil velouté
Course 5: Colorado lamb, Moroccan couscous, braised artichokes, Meyer lemon, lamb vinaigrette or Caramelized Long Island duck breast, sweet rutabaga, potato rösti, Szechwan consommé
Course 6: Peach, thyme crumble and lemon verbena ice cream
Course 7: Lime ganache, coconut dacquoise, passion fruit, tequila gelée, Thai banana ice cream
With each course came a new work of art. Each dish was portrayed in the most unique and beautiful setting it was hard to imagine anything was even edible on the plate. Some of our highlights from the meal was the scallops, the chicken (which didn't taste like chicken it melted in your mouth), and our main entrees of Lamb and Duck were both out of this world.
Throughout the meal I had 5 total glasses of wine (3 white, 1 red, and 1 desert) and each of them was amazingly paired with the food. Jenn later on in the meal got an Espresso Martini which was extremely strong but delicious. I think what Jenn and I enjoyed most even over the food was the experience. Every second you had someone asking how they could help or explaining the cooking methods or the vintage of the wine. I for one have never been treated like such a king in my life.
Eating at Gordan Ramsay at the London Hotel
Eating at a place that cost as much as The London did is not something you would do everyday. But its those rare occasions in life that you just sit back and feel tremendously blessed to be alive and to be able to experience something as amazing and as delicious as the experience we had at the restaurant. Nearly three hours after we sat down the experience was coming to a close and we just spent another ten or fifteen minutes sitting and enjoying the now much busier restaurant.
We picked up a cab and got dropped off at our hotel ten minutes later. Literally for the rest of the night all Jenn and I could talk about was how amazing the experience was. The food, the atmosphere, the art on each plate, it was just incredible. We spent the rest of the evening watching great old re-runs of The Office and Friends and even caught half of the Mark Whalberg version of Planet of the Apes.
I can honestly say I enjoyed every second of my 25th birthday.
New York Trip Day 4 (August 1st, 2011): It Smells Like B.O and the Ocean
After a full day yesterday Jenn and I knew that waking up at a decent time was unlikely. We ended up waking up at around 11AM and headed out about a half hour later to Central Park to pick up the Double Decker Bus. Our plan was to take the bus all the way to the Statue of Liberty stop which is about twenty stops after the central park stop.
We made it about ten stops in and realized that there was no way we were going to make it all the way to the Statue of Liberty without picking up some food. So we got off at the stop for China Town and walked our way up to Little Italy. The walk through China Town was interesting there was definitely some drug movements going on up there. You also couldn't walk a few steps without someone hassling you for money or to buy some knock off purses or watches. When we finally reached Little Italy there were quite a few restaurants to choose from. We randomly selected one called Luna which was a very cool little restaurant. We split some mozzarella sticks again, and then I got chicken parmesan and Jenn got lasagna. It was the perfect energy booster to get us through the heat and onto the Statue of Liberty.
Mozarella Sticks from Luna in Little Italy
Lasagna from Luna in Little Italy
Chicken Parmesan at Luna Restaraunt in Little Italy
Luna Restaraunt in Little Italy
When we finally made it to the Statue of Liberty the heat and humidity were definitely the worst they have been all trip. We got in line and for the first ten minutes or so didn't move. I looked over at Jenn and asked her which was worse the horrid smell of the ocean or the overwhelming smell of body oder in line. Either way we made it through the line and onto the ferry to take us to the Statue of Liberty. We made our way quickly off the ferry and onto the island that holds the Statue of Liberty. We walked around Lady Liberty took a bunch of photos and sat down under a tree for a good fifteen minutes to just get away from the heat and relax. It was actually a very peaceful island to be on. We ended up making our way back to the ferry and skipped going to Ellis Island to make our way back to New York City.
Statue of Liberty
Jenn Standing in Front of the Statue of Liberty
A View Back at New York City and the Massive Storm Coming
To our shock on arriving back on land there was a massive line waiting for the double decker bus so Jenn and I spotted the subway entrance and jetted our way over there. For 5 bucks we got onto the subway got some quick directions to Time Square and were off. We had to make a transition at Grand Central Station which Jenn had always wanted to see and then got to Time Square a few minutes later. Jenn as always was the master navigator and literally got us there like she had been doing this for years.
Jenn Navigating Through the Subways in New York City
We got to Time Square and immediately went on a search for a restaurant to eat at. We for the first time picked a horrible restaurant to eat at. We ate at a place called Charley Co Bar and Grill which just was far from edible. We both got a fixed three course meal, for our first course we got soup and salad, for our main course Jenn got prime rib and I got surf and turf, and we got cheesecake and ice cream for dinner. There was not one part of the meal that was up to New York standards.
We weren't about to let that stop us from having a great evening. We walked from the restaurant to the Regal Movie Theater down the street and saw Crazy Stupid Love starring Steve Carell. The movie theater was top notch and the movie itself was one of our favorites in a long time. The theater was jam packed which made the experience even better.
Regal Cinemas in Time Square
From the movie theater we walked throughout Time Square, stopped at Forever 21 where we were supposed to go shopping for Jenn but ended up just buying me a shirt. From Forever 21 we walked over to the Rockefeller Center. With our city pass we had tickets to go up to the top of The Rock and skip the line in. So we made our way into The Rock and were up to the 67th floor within a matter of ten minutes or so. The experience here was so much different then that of the Empire State Building. For one we were seeing everything at night which I think adds an even greater appreciation for how magical the city is. From the moment you step in the elevator and can see a beautiful projection at the top of the elevator that lets you view the entire ride up to the top floor.
View from the Top of the Rock
We spent quite a bit of time at the Top of the Rock enjoying the magnificent summer evening. There was even some lighting and thunder in the distance which lit up the night sky. Being up there was truly one of the highlights of the day.
From the Top of the Rock we decided to walk back to our hotel over twenty blocks away. It was getting close to 11PM and you couldn't ask for a better time to walk both for the beautiful weather and the peace and quiet you get in the city at this time. We had a great time walking, talking, and taking in the beautiful summer night.
New York Trip Day 3 (July 31st, 2011) Living it Up in the City
Where did the morning go? At around 10:30 AM I woke up in one of those "what time is it" sort of panics. My two guesses were either 2 AM or 7AM but never did I guess it was actually close to 11 AM. Jenn was nice enough to let me sleep in while she surfed the web and continued to tweak our itinerary for the rest of the trip.
We ended up getting out of our hotel room at around 11:30 and took a Taxi to Time Square where we planned on picking up the double decker bus to use to tour the city. The mass chaos that is Time Square was pretty surreal. You see it in in both Movies and TV, but you don't realize how chaotic the square can really be until you just stand and look around at all that is going on. We did manage to make our way to the double decker bus and got a great seat up top to take us around the city.
Our First Time in Time Square
Hanging Out on the Double Decker Bus
Our first destination which we decided on the fly was the Empire State Building. Jenn had bought us the City Pass before we got to NY so we literally skipped all of the lines and made our way through security and straight up to the elevator to take us to the top and boy was it crowded up there. Jenn in her amazing ability to weave through crowds got us some great spots to sit and take in the amazing view from the 86th floor. We got some great photos, enjoyed our time up there, and then made our way down and back to the entrance.
Awesome Shot of the Empire State Building
Jenn Looking Gorgeous Right Inside Empire State Building
The Skyline from the Top of the Empire State Building
Us Checking Out All of the Sights From The Top of the Empire State Building
Beautiful View from Central Park
By this time we had become extremely hungry and found a great place right next to the Empire State Building called Heartland Brewery. Originally they sat us downstairs which was empty outside of a family with 3 little kids so we asked to be sat upstairs and just decided to sit at the bar and I am glad we did. Jenn got this awesome kind of Rum Punch and I got their own Empire Brew which was really good. We split some mozzarella sticks and a burger and called it a meal. It was just such a laid back experience and it came at a perfect time in the day.
Jenn Enjoying Her Rum Punch
Enjoying the Nice Local Brew
From the Empire State building we hoped back on the Double Decker Tour bus and made our way further through the city. Our next destination on the bus was the construction site for the new World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) which looks gorgeous. It is still a surreal experience to be standing in the same spot where all of the devastation happened almost ten years ago. We both really appreciated the beauty of the new building and the memorial they are building to never forget what happened there.
The Beautiful New Freedom Tower
From there we were back on the bus and literally took it to the end of the downtown loop to Central Park about 8 blocks from where we are staying. We walked our way back getting Jenn an Ice Cream Sandwich along the way. We got back to our hotel room and took the hour or two gap in our schedule to relax and get ready for our play Cirque du Soleil: Zarkana which was playing at Radio City Music Hall.
As I mentioned earlier we got a Taxi to Time Square which Jenn nailed right when we walked out the door of our hotel. She once again nabbed one with no effort at all to get us down to Radio City Music Hall. Radio City Music Hall itself was absolutely stunning. It was really everything you would imagine from this historic site. Jenn got us amazing seats for the performance and we enjoyed every minute of it. We have seen a Cirque du Soleil performance before in Vegas and this one managed to live up to our high expectations. It was just a lot of fun to see all of the various talents that the performers had and I can't count how many times Jenn and I would look at each other and say did they just really do that?
Jenn Looking Amazing Right Outside Radio City Music Hall
Inside The Beautiful Radio City Music Hall
A View of the Stage at Radio City Music Hall
Once the performance let out at around 10PM we decided to walk our way back from 49th to 76th street hoping to find something to eat. One of the bummers of seeing the performance on a Sunday is that a lot of the restaurants in the area closed well before the end of the performance and the same to be the case as we walked closer and closer to our hotel. We ended up not finding anything that really hit either of our fancies so we made our way back to the hotel and ordered room service.
Chicken Quesadilla from Room Service
Jenn's Pasta from Room Service
By the time we got our food at around 11PM we were pooped but starving. Jenn got her goto Spaghetti Bolognase and I had a Chicken Quesadilla. The food although extremely pricey was really tasty. We ended up sending the remaining time of the day talking about the rest of the trip and falling asleep to an episode of The Office and Everybody Loves Raymond. Truly a fun filled day.
New York Trip Day 2 (July 30th, 2011): Hot Dogs, Rocks, and Wine
There is of course only one first time, and I am so blessed to be able to say that my first time seeing NY out of the corner of the window in the airplane was sitting next to Jenn and marveling at the city we have seen so many times in movies, television, photographs, but for the first time seeing for ourselves.
We made it into the Laguardia airport without any hassles. My bag was checked so we had to go pick it up and made our way to the taxi line to hitch a ride to The Surrey hotel where we will be staying for the entire trip. The Surrey is located on 76th street near Madison and Central Park in the upper east side. It's not your typical 30-40 story high rise hotel but actually is a modern small boutique hotel. We got to the hotel in twenty minutes, paid the taxi and proceeded to check in. We got to the hotel at 11am far before their designated check in time (3pm) but were lucky enough to upgrade our room and get our room right away. Jenn and I took an hour or two to lie around, rest up, and then get out on the road and take in New York!
Jenn in the Taxi From the Airport to Our Hotel
Jenn made us an absolutely beautiful and comprehensive itinerary and for the first time followed it down to the very last detail.
We walked from our hotel down to the Guggenheim Museum about a fifteen minute walk from where we are staying. For both of us the museum is memorable from the movie The International and the epic shootout that happens in that movie in the museum. However before we got to the museum we stopped at one of the many hot dog stands got a Hot Dog and a drink and kept going. The guys in the Hot Dog stand were the prototypical New Yorker a bit rude and short with words however the hot dogs were delicious.
The Front of the Guggenheim Museum
Beautiful View Inside the Guggenheim Museum
Sitting on the Steps of The Met Eating Hot Dogs
We got to the museum and were taken away by the beautiful of the circular architecture of the building. Jenn and I have visited many art museums in the past and so we are accustomed to the very abstract nature that comes along with them. One of the exhibitions going on at this current point is one that involved these massive rocks/boulders and their dimensions with paintings. It was sort of a weird exhibition and often times I would look at Jenn and ask well what's the point with all of these rocks. Another thing about the Guggenheim is that since it is all circular you can get a bit dizzy from walking around the infinite loop to the top. We spent a little over an hour walking around the many different levels and taking it all in. Throughout the whole experience Jenn was constantly poking me saying can you believe that is a so and so. She really has an appreciation for the arts that I wish I had. The museum did have some pretty big names though like Matisse, Monet, Van Gogh, and Picasso.
From the Guggenheim we made our way to The Met which was incredible. We had the City Pass so got to skip all of the lines and literally walked in, got our pin to show we had tickets and were into this massive museum. Although Jenn and I have traveled all throughout Europe it was still incredible to take it all in one big building. We walked through the Ancient Rome and Greece rooms, made our way through the Asia & Pacific room, the US, European, and even Egyptian room as well. The Met was quite the experience and I could totally see how people just get totally lost in there. There is a ton to see and do at The Met and you couldn't ask for a more stunning way to take it all in. The building itself is intimidating to say the least with its massive rooms and structures and literally never ending maze of art, sculptures, and artifacts.
The Beautiful Met Museum
Jenn Checking Out the Egyptian Room Inside The Met
The Day Is Beginning To Catch Up With Us and we are Hungry
As we neared the end of the road in The Met you could tell right away that Jenn and I were ready to throw in the towel. I hoped on my iPhone and looked up Yelp reviews of near buy Italian Restaurants and found the Caffe Grazie a small eatery on 84th street a few blocks away from where we are staying. We had a fantastic time at the restaurant. I had a glass of wine (they were out of Pinot Grigio so I went with their recommendation) and Jenn had water. Jenn had pasta bolognase for dinner and I had lobster ravioli. We split a capachino ice cream dish for desert. It was a very small and intimate setting but we really enjoyed our meal.
Jenn Sitting at the Restaraunt for Dinner
Enjoying a Great Glass of Wine
Lobster Ravioli
Jenn's Spaghetti Bolognase
Jenn Chowing Down on Some Ice Cream
The Outside of Caffe Grazie
From Caffe Grazie we ended up hitting up a Starbucks getting me my goto Grande Mocha and picking us up some breakfast for the next morning. We walked back to our hotel at around 6PM and by this point we are nearing exhaustion and literally have no clue what each other are even talking about. We got back by 6:30pm and by two episodes of Seinfeld later we were gone for the night.
Enjoying Some Late Night Starbucks
After a red eye and a full day of touring what more could you ask for then a great meal and an extremely comfortable bed to come home to sleep to. It was a great way to start off the trip.
New York Trip Day 1 (July 29th, 2011): The Battle of the Red Eye
Lets face it life goes by far to quick. Days, weeks, months, and even years go by and we can sit here wondering what happened to them all. Jenn and I on the other hand are doing everything we can to live in the moment. Enjoy the many blessings that God has provided for us and enjoy the wonderful world He has created. So only months after our recent trip to London Jenn and I are back on the road for our first ever trip to the Big Apple.
This trip is many years in the making in fact. We have talked about going to New York for years but have instead gone to Europe or other destinations. However this year we said we really need to make our way to the big apple and see what all the fuss is about. So Jenn a few months back got us an amazing deal to come stay in New York over our birthdays and tour the beautiful sights and sounds of this massive city.
In order to maximize the amount of time in New York we booked a red eye on a Friday night out of the Orange County airport. We booked a complimentary car through our apartment complex to come pick us up at 7PM to take us the 10 minute drive to the airport. We were told he would call us when he arrived. So 7:10 came and went and I told Jenn I would go check in the circle to see if he was already there which he was. So we picked up our stuff and headed down to the car and off to the airport.
Jenn and I at the Orange County Airport
We got to the airport in ten minutes and went through security without any major hassles which if you have read our trip updates is a huge win. Our first flight was to Atlanta which is about a three and a half hour flight and went super smooth. One thing I liked about the Delta flight to Atlanta flight was that each seat had access to Satellite TV so I got my Sportscenter fix in while Jenn attempted to sleep throughout the flight.
We made it to Atlanta on time and had a tw0 hour layover before our flight to Laguardia airport. The layover was a bit brutal it was really the middle of the night for Jenn and I so sitting in an empty airport for a few hours isn't really what you want to do at the point but we made it through and made our way on our second and final flight of the day.
Jenn Taking a Nap in the Atlanta Airport
It's always a surreal feeling to be one place one minute and a few hours later literally across the entire country. You really couldn't ask for a smoother journey across the country.
London Trip Day 7: Whatever You Do Don’t Go on the Grass (June 8, 2011)
I'm going to start sounding like a broken record but once again sleep was not an issue for Jenn and I. We are averaging on the trip about 10-12 hours a night of sleep and an average wake up time of about 11 AM. Today was no different as we got up at around 11:30 and started to get ready to go out to Wimbledon to take a tour of the grounds.
You may be wondering why we would be going back to Wimbledon; haven't we been there before? Yes in fact we have all been there multiple times but have only got to tour the museum never the grounds. So we met Jenn's Dad down at the lobby at around 1PM, walked over to the overground station only a minute or two walk from the hotel, took that one stop and then jumped on the tube to Wimbledon.
Waiting for the Overground To Take Us to Wimbledon
So if you have never been to London you might not realize that one of the main tubes final destination is a stop called Wimbledon. So from an outsider perspective you would think go to Wimbledon station and it would take you to the All England Lawn & Tennis Association but you would be mistaken as we were. You might even think the stop before that Wimbledon Park would be the right one to get to the famous tennis center but you would be wrong as we were. We first chose the Wimbledon stop and realized right when we got off in this very industrial area that we were not on the right stop. We took the tube to Wimbledon Park and asked for directions and took a good 30 minute walk in pouring rain to get to the beautiful grass courts of Wimbledon.
When we got to Wimbledon we missed the tour by 5 minutes and were told we had to wait another hour to get the last tour of the day at 330. So we walked around the beautiful museum (which we all had been to before), walked around the gift shop, and even got some food at the museum cafe. I got a chicken sandwich, and Jenn's Dad got a bag of chips. When 3:30 rolled around we were off to tour my favorite tennis tournament and the place I have wanted to tour since coming to Europe six years ago.
Welcome to the All England Lawn and Tennis Club
Wimbledon 2011
Immediately we were told that it would be obvious but under no circumstances could we touch or even get near the grass. The tour took us through some of the side courts, Henman Hill (that's right not Mount Murray or whatever they are trying to change the name to), Court 1, Press Area, and Center Court. Throughout the tour the sun would pop out and then a cloud would come over and literally just throw buckets of water down on us. The tour lasted a little over an hour and we were back to walking to the Tube and to our hotel.
Standing on Henman Hill
Touring in the Rain
Hanging Out on Center Court
Such a Beautiful Place to Watch Tennis
We needed to get back relatively quickly as we had booked tickets to go see The Lion King at the Lyceum Theater in London. We got back to the hotel, bought Jenn some blueberry muffins, she took a 20 minute power nap, and we took a taxi to the play. Somehow we managed to get center front row tickets to the play for a reasonable price. We got to the theater with plenty of time, picked up our tickets and headed to our seats. I did get a glass of white wine and Jenn got toffee pop corn to eat during the play.
Drinking Some Wine Before The Lion King
All in all we enjoyed Lion King. The music is of course good, the costumes are pretty crazy, and it was just a fun play to go see. We ended up getting out of the play at around 10PM and decided to take the tube back to our hotel. On our way to the tube station we stopped at a restaurant called Maxwell's which was very much an American style restaurant. Jenn and I split a three course meal which included calamari, ribs, and ice cream. Jenn got a shake and a cosmo, I got an Amstel and Jenn's dad got a rose wine and BBQ chicken. After a week without American food it was nice to get a meal that reminded us all of home. We ended up getting on the tube at around 11:15 PM and made our way back to the hotel arriving there at around 11:55 PM with only a few minutes left on our tube pass.
A Great Quick Bite to Eat After the Play
First Course of Calamari
Jenn and I Split Ribs
Chicken and Fries
London Trip Day 6: The Perfect Day (June 7, 2011)
We have officially given up trying to wake up at any sort of reasonable hour. Even though we are averaging 11-12 hours of sleep a night I don't think Jenn and I have got going once on this trip before lunch time. Today was no exception.
The plan of today was a simple one. Go down to St James Park where I proposed almost three years ago (July 3, 2008), hang out on the bench down there, walk around the massive park, and head out to dinner at Gaucho Sloane the restaurant we had reservations for the night we got engaged but decided not to go to, to rest up for the rest of the big trip.
Jenn Directing us to St. James Park
We ended up getting up at around noon time and walking to Fullham Underground and taking it to St. James Park. It is about a 15 minute walk from our hotel and luckily the weather cooperated all day. Jenn being the navigator got us to the Tube Station quickly and on to the park with no trouble at all. We walked straight into the park on what looked like a mirror replica of the day I proposed chances of rain but the sun shining through. We made it back to the same bench I proposed on, took pictures, and just sat and talked for a good half hour. Also nearly identical to that day three years ago a squirrel came up and joined us on the bench looking for food.
Beautiful View of the London Eye from St James Park
Sitting on the Bench Where I Proposed
Jenn Sitting Just As She Was 3 Years Ago
From there we stopped at a small food stand for lunch, I got a hot dog and a coke and Jenn got a waffle with whipped cream and syrup. We then walked over to some lounge chairs spread out around the park and sat there for a good hour talking, eating, and enjoying the sun shine. It wasn't until we saw the guard collecting the money for sitting in those seats that we decided to head out and take in some of the main tourist attractions in the area. We walked around Buckingham Palace and then jumped back on the underground and came up on the Westminster Tube Stop and took pictures around Big Ben, London Eye, and Parliament. We then jumped back on the tube and headed back to our hotel. This time instead of going to Fullham we took the Tube to West Brompton and then switched to the Overground to take us literally a minute from our hotel at Imperial Wharf. I didn't believe it the first time I came with Jenn to London many years ago but she is the master of Tube travel.
Eating Waffles in the Park
Standing in Front of Buckingham Palace
Jenn Standing In Green Park
Standing By a Tree in Green Park
Beautiful Day to Be Walking in the Park
London Eye
Big Ben
At that point we had about two hours until our 7PM dinner reservation at Gaucho Sloane so we went back to the hotel room and relaxed. Once Jenn got ready in her beautiful dress we walked back to the Overground and took the Tube to South Kensington and had a five minute walk to Gaucho Sloane. You may be wondering what is so special about this restaurant. Well first off we have been wanting to go back ever since I made reservations for the night we got engaged. Secondly it was highly recommended from the American Express travel agent I went through a few years back. Lastly it is a world renowned steak house and if you know Jenn and I you know we both love our meat.
Jenn Getting Ready for our Dinner Date
So we made our way to the restaurant they opened the doors as we walked in, got us seated and walked us through the different cuts of meat they offered. Jenn started with a Cosmo (her new favorite drink) and I had a glass of sauvignon blanc. We started off with King Scallops which looked like anything but "kind scallops". They also had baby scallops on the menu which we joked we would have loved to have seen how small those were. Regardless for the small portion that was offered they were delicious. There was a really interesting seasoning to them that made us go through them within seconds.
Jenn Loving Her Cosmo
Ready to Go with the Wine
King Scallops
Our main course we go the 500 gram Rib Eye for two. We got a side of potatoes and a salad, and I switched over to a red wine for dinner. The steak was the best piece of meat I have ever eaten and Jenn concurred. Not only was it extremely tender but the flavor was out of this world. The pairing of that with the red wine that the waitress recommended really made me feel like I was in heaven. We finished off the meal with dessert, Jenn got a slice of cheesecake and I had a chocolate tart cake with ice cream and a glass of dessert wine. This was by far the best meal I have had in London and one of the best meals I have ever had, it was worth the wait.
Delicious Rib Eye
Side of Potatoes
Side Salad
Delicious Desert
Jenn's Cheesecake
Jenn Standing In Front of Gaucho Sloane
We ended up taking the Tube/Overground back to the hotel and it worked out perfectly with no problems at all. Today was one of those days that six months, a year, maybe even five years Jenn and I will look back and talk about and smile. In a lot of ways today was a perfect day.