Friday, December 26, 2014

Watershed moments

I had an incredible time with Zach and Sami on our road trip to Florida!   Tonight I’m writing this after I dropped them off earlier today in Longboat Key with my ex’s family.   Our trip was one for one for the ages, after leaving a week ago from Toronto, we hit NYC (New York), Washington (DC), Raleigh (North Carolina), Charleston (South Carolina), Savannah (Georgia).  Initially we had also planned to stay in Daytona Beach but the weather was not great so we decided to forego it and drive straight over to Longboat.

It’s hard to pick just one or two moments that stand out, but I think Zach would agree on his personal high point was taking the subway (L line) to Williamsburg and exploring.  He had been researching his visit furiously for the past month or so and had a laundry list of places he wanted to visit on his half day in Brooklyn.  The centrepiece of his visit was to be the world famous record store and music venue “Rough Trade” on 9th street.  I think it also had something to do with the over 100,000 estimated records that it has on its shelves at any given time, and you already know what vinyl buff he is so he was in his element, he spent much of his holiday money on building out his collection. J  Of course I strongly encouraged him to do so, as per my motto "what are you waiting for?"  At almost sixteen Zach is about as independent and self sufficient as any teenager could be and so I'm very comfortable letting him doing his own thing whether its Brooklyn, Manhattan or Los Angeles I just know he can look after himself. 

Sami and I hung out with him for about an hour but then left him to it and headed off to explore Bedford Avenue. I didn’t realize that it’s such a cool area, with loads of unique stores, boutiques and the like.  Surprisingly both Zach and Sami like to shop at Thrift shops and Sami had a couple in mind as we wandered the streets, yes, she'd done her research as well!  When we located them we both realized that these were no ordinary Thrift stores, they were mega-stores!  An unbelievable inventory of everything you could imagine, from 1980's retro to modern day...wow!

It was about this time that Zach caught up with us and we collectively decided, at Sami's behest to find the world famous Mast Brothers Chocolate shop at 3rd and Berry Street.  As soon as we crossed the threshold it was literally like a curtain of chocolate enveloped you at the door, the pungent aroma so thick and heavenly that by just breathing you felt like you were eating chocolate.  OMG!   After purveying the copious varieties of chocolate we selected three different bars to consume later on our trip. After paying, I literally had to pry the bar from Sami’s grasp as I swear she was going to devour it right there in the store, not that the chocolate lasted more than a couple of hours after our visit mind you.

At this point we realized how hungry we were and so as we turned to walk to the corner we found ourselves literally standing outside the Radegast Hall & Biergarten, and before I could look at the menu Zach was already heading inside…problem solved!  Just go with the flow TW!

Over the school break Zach has a Business Studies project to complete, which centres on creating a business and developing a business and marketing plan for it .  I’ll give you one guess what he chose…  Yep, a record store/recording studio/music venue, he also had to choose a location (the Biergarten was to become his venue for his homework project) and incorporate the competitive landscape (Rough Trade being the obvious choice, but apparently there are a number of other Indie music labels in the neighbourhood so he had a rich selection to choose from.  Over lunch he described the layout of his project and dissertation in fine, and well thought out detail. Sami and I both quizzed him on various aspects of his plan, which he easily answered.  Clearly he had been thinking it through. Impressive!

After a terrific lunch we wandered the streets of Williamsburg, with me getting tons of great photos, mostly of the amazing murals, graffiti and street art (see below).  By mid afternoon we were done and ready to head back to Manhattan.  Zach’s planned trip to Williamsburg had been an enormous hit with us all!

One of the other things I love about traveling with Zach and Sami are their adult sensibilities.  Each day in New York had to begin with a visit to Dean & Deluca's for coffee (me), hot chocolate (Z&S) and pastries.  Yum!

Sami is a huge foodie and loves to try different restaurants wherever we go.  You can almost time her to the minute because, like clockwork she always enquires as to what we’re going to eat for dinner that night at about 10:00 am. She always has a suggestion of a place she’d like to try or a type of food she’d like to experience that night, without fail.  Too funny! 

She loves to dress up and go for dinner (that’s my girl!), and so over the course of our trip, thanks to her we sampled Italian, Chinese, Pan-Asian, Fusion, American (Tribeca Grill – delicious!), Seafood and Southern over the six nights on the road.  It was a culinary delight, and we loved it.  She likes to rate them against each other and the pros/cons for visiting each plus her overall favorite meal on the trip.  The Tribeca Grill won hands down, and it truly was an amazing gastronomic experience, if you go to New York you have to try it. A reservation is always required and it's located on Greenwich Street in the old Meatpacking district.  You'll also need to dress the part though...as its a little high end

As I sit writing this, I'm smiling at all the great experiences we had over the course of the week, and I’m already missing my travel companions and it’s only been 24 hours. It's always the same sense of deep loneliness when we part, especially after a wonderful week together and to be expected.  

The best part is that we are already discussing March break and have some good ideas floating between us, although a little too early to tell you just yet but stay tuned for our next big adventure. J

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 As promised this weeks photos come from our day in Williamsburg/Brooklyn.  I hope you enjoy them as much I did taking them.

Every free space in Williamsburg has graffiti or a mural painted/sprayed onto it

Zach standing in front of this unbelievably lifelike portrait mural 

Some building just don't need a mural

Even the fire alarm box on the corner is a piece of art

Zach in front of "Rough Trade" on 9th Street in Williamsburg -
its vinyl heaven!

Funky hotel sign

Cozy little cafes dot the streets as well... 
This mural was a favorite for the pigeons

Even the food trucks are motorized art in Williamburg

Awesome restaurant name

Zach over lunch at the Biergarten

Fire escapes above Bedford Avenue - how cool is that streetscape?  Its soooooo NY!

The wall of another Indie record store

Loved the message

As I said - every free wall was a canvas

It was like a giant outdoor gallery

Even the local Kung Fu gym got into the act

Garage door

Such a cool old store front that's seen better days - it was almost
too perfectly run down...like a movie set

The "in" look is not to smile...oi vey!





Friday, December 19, 2014

Stories from the road...

By the time you read this Zach, Sami and I will be in New York City after our eight hour drive from Toronto, barring any weather related challenges.  J    When I asked the two of them what they’d like to do for our week at Christmas they both responded that they’d like another road trip to Florida.

So here we are – on the road!   As you remember the rule when we travel together is that each of us has a half-day (time permitting) where the individual becomes the tour guide and have to research and define an itinerary for their time as tour guide, included in this is arrangement is an understanding that the other two have to go along with whatever each of us decided to do irrespective of whether we want to do it or not.  So positioning and polling each of us is an important first step on the way to solidifying the itinerary.

Zach has already announced, weeks in advance by the way that his half day is going to be spent in Williamsburg, Brooklyn exploring the music scene and soaking up the cool, hipster vibe. Sami has made it clear that her half-day is going to be shopping on 5th Avenue.  In addition, she’s thrown in Bloomingdales and Dillon’s Candy store on 60th.  So when they questioned me about what I’d like to do I told them skating at the Rockefeller Center under the golden statue and 60 foot high Christmas tree.  During the discussion we all chorused that we’d all like to spend some time in and around Union Square and in particular the Strand Book Store at Broadway and 12th, sure nothing more I like that to spend an hour browsing through a book store, especially love the Strand!

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Greetings from NYC!  Well, yesterday was memorable for all sorts of reasons, least of which was my 2:30 am wake up call so we could leave the house by 3:00 am.  I can hear you all asking why would you do that when you’re already on holidays?  Well, if you knew me well, you’d also know that I have a tendency to pack a lot of stuff into my days, so the day before leaving Toronto I booked the three of us in to go ice skating at Rockefeller Center from 4:30 – 6:00 pm as it was something that we all had wanted to do, plus its such a cool thing to do at Christmas in New York City. 

Therefore, to ensure we made it to NYC with plenty of time I decided that I’d have the car packed the night before, rustle the kids at about 2:50 am and bundle them into the car so they could go back to sleep while I drove.  It was a smart plan!   I had to wake them for the border crossing at Buffalo but other than that they slept all the way through to breakfast at 8:00 am, so an additional 5 hours of sleep in the car which was a bonus.  They woke, non-the-worse for wear.  

Driving at that time of day is perfect as the roads were completely clear of traffic all the way to within 40 miles of Manhattan, plus I  like to drive.  I think I enjoy the solitude of the road...

We made it to our hotel via the Holland Tunnel just before lunch, and after dropping our bags we headed out into the clear and chilly city.  Both yesterday and today have been particularly beautiful with blue skies and lots of sunshine!  The afternoon saw us take the N-R-Q line down to Union Square so we could visit the Strand as per our collective plan.  Then a subway ride back up to Time Square before the walk up to 50th street and over to Rockefeller Center for our skate date around sunset. 

I’m thinking that Rockefeller Center has to be one of the most celebrated and photographed places in NYC, especially at this time of year with the 60’ high Christmas tree, golden statue and ice rink all laid out and lite up.  The crowd was at least 5 – 6 deep with everyone hoping to get a glimpse and perhaps an unimpeded photograph of themselves in front of one of them.   Fortunately for us the pre-paid ticket was a blessing as they only let 150 people on the ice at any one time, so after checking in and getting our skates (yes, figure skates with the toe picks) we laced them up with excitement and anticipation.

It wasn’t until we were all set to go that Sami asked when the last time I took them skating… 

Hhhmmm, it would have been at least five years ago I said, with that she let out a nervous laugh as we all watched the Zamboni finish its final lap of the ice surface and head to the gate. 

I’m putting it down to the damn picks on the skates, but I can tell you I was soon acting as though I was a human Zamboni, as I found myself spread eagled on the ice quite a few times…yes, there may have been a curse or two under my breath as I landed heavily on the ice for the umpteenth time.  Now I realize why I was never a big fan of ice skating, that surface is incredibly hard!

Meanwhile, Zach had picked it back up pretty quickly and although his style is – shall we say “Australian” when it comes to ice-skating he was soon moving pretty well around the rink.  Sami was taking it a little easier by the boards, and after a few laps built her confidence enough to venture out into the rink proper, eventually making her way around without falling once.

At one point a little guy, probably 5 or 6 years old skidded and fell near her, she bent down and picked him up, next thing she knows he’s taken her hand and is skating with her confidently around the rink.  Well-played Sir!  Personally I think he’s figured out that if he falls in front of a pretty girl and she helps him out, then she’s fair game to skate with.  Smart kid indeed!

At one point I stood against the boards (no, not only cos’ my body was killing me from the constant spills) but because I wanted to soak in the atmosphere and moment that I was sharing with Zach and Sami.  We dragged ourselves off the ice at 6:00 pm, all exhausted but still reeling from the amazing experience we’d just shared.

I hope this memory will be one that they will look back on with fondness and joy and they remember our stories from the road.

Happy holidays everyone!


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This weeks photos are from our first day in New York City.  Enjoy!


It's not NY unless we visit a Dean & Deluca!  This one is a block from our hotel...

Nothing beats subway art in NYC - very cool mosaic 

Zach on the NYC subway - fitting right in


Christmas lights and decorations in the neighbourhood trees

NY fire escapes are the best backdrop ever!

Sami and Zach have become good friends and seem to enjoy each
others company - such an awesome thing to see

For all my choc-o-holic friends out there...yes, you know who you are - this is for you :-)

Union Square Christmas market reflections

My patient side kick 

Reflections in the sunshine at Union Square

Subway platform - I love the grittiness of the steel girder, its very 1930's

Zach & Sami in Times Square



Sami on the rink at Rockefeller Center

Such an amazing experience for us all!


Gorgeous Christmas decorations at the Rockefeller Center




30 Rock from the ice surface

Just gorgeous!

TW - the human Zamboni!

The lights at night are stunning

Reflections in the windows at the Rockefeller Center

Very festive lights under glass



I could very well be a replacement option if this breaks down...ouch!






Skates for rent


Night sky at the Rockefeller Center


Yes, that would be the ice surface at the end of our time - pretty chopped up


Large Christmas decorations on display

No other place like NYC at Christmas

Broadway shows

The Jackie Gleeson statue near the NYC Bus Terminal 


Friday, December 12, 2014

Starting early

Last Thursday night Zach, Sami and I were sitting around the table after dinner and the subject of learning to drive came up.  Early in the New Year Zach will be turning16 and therefore able to sit for his driver’s license. I guess I knew it was coming but, where did the years go?  

I still remember the day Zach was born and the nurse weighed him on the scales shortly after being delivered, with his strong and powerful crying still reverberating off the walls of the operating theatre.  He looked at up at me with such curiosity, but as I spoke to him he seemed to calm down.  Strangely he seemed to recognize my voice but I suppose this is rather normal especially given that I'd been speaking to him via my ex’s stomach over the course of the pregnancy, and I mean every night.  I have very fond memories of being in bed together at night and me reading him stories from our newly acquired library of story books that we'd invested in - such a new parent thing to do.

He looked up at me quizzically as if he was trying to connect the visual of me and the sound of my voice, his eyes wide with wonder his face still red from his crying but with a true look of recognition at some level. The crazy part is that this memory feels like it was just yesterday, the memory etched so clearly in my mind that I shake my head every time I think of it.  How on earth can he be turning 16 early in the New Year?

Indeed, I have a strong and powerful memory of Sami and her birth, but for different reasons. Hard to forget Super Bowl Sunday I suppose, yes she was born right around kick off time and although I have no idea who won, or indeed, who even played in that game but I always tell her that’s why her initials are S.B., cos’ we named her after the Super Bowl, fortunately for me she is a good sport about it even with my occasional teasing. I think we should keep her in the dark for a little longer shall we? 

Actually Sami's first few days were rather traumatic in that every time she tried to nurse she would projectile vomit across the room, it more closely resembled a horror movie set than a nursery.  There was a real concern about dehydration and this coupled with her weight loss were not good signs...  Fortunately for us she was well taken care of at Sick Kids Hospital, where they were able to stabilize her weight loss and get her feeding via a tube but I can tell you it was a very traumatic and emotional week as we watched our beautiful little girl stuck with needles and tubes while they sorted everything out, just so difficult to standby and watch.  The birth of your child is already such an emotional time, but even more so when your new baby isn't thriving... 

These memories are etched strongly in my mind, and I often wonder if my parents had the same feelings of love when I was born.  After all our generation seems to have approached parenthood in a very different way to that of our parents.  It was clearly a different era and to be fair I'm sure they were doing the best they could have given the knowledge, circumstances and social mores of the era.  

Growing up the three simple words – “I love you!” were never uttered in our household, not even once. I'm sure many of you can relate to this as it wasn't something totally unusual or foreign just to me or my household but to that generation and likely the many generations before.  All I can say is that the Victorian era has a lot to answer for…

To illustrate this, even when dad was in his last weeks of life, and I had the conversation with him to tell him how much he meant to me and what a strong influence he had on me he was flustered when I told him that I loved him.  After a short silence he cleared his throat and said with watery eyes said “you know we're not a family that says that type of thing”. Sorry but I'm changing the rules I felt like screaming.  I had vowed long before that moment that I was going to make a point of telling my kids that I loved them as often as I could without being too sappy or overly sentimental, and have stayed true to that promise.  

Each night they are with me the last thing I tell them before I turn off the light is that I love them, and strangely they reciprocate, which is pretty amazing for teenagers.  And up until this past year, I still used to read Sami stories before bed, which I particularly loved.  It’s been quite an adjustment for me to just tuck her in kiss her goodnight.  Oh how I loved the years of stories and snuggles in bed, and how much I miss them now, yes I know its just the natural evolution of growing up but I still miss those moments.

I suppose that’s why I'm savoring our trips and creating new memories of our time together now in the hopes that it will help carry me through the inevitable years ahead, after all it's only going to be two more years before Zach goes to University and then the chances of the three of us spending much time together significantly diminishes.

As I mentioned in a prior blog our road trip starts this coming Thursday…via NYC, Washington DC, Raleigh, Savannah and Daytona Beach before dropping them at their grandparents place at Longboat Key (Florida). What could be more fun than a week long car journey lazily making our way down the eastern seaboard, especially as it was their suggestion. 

We've already got some great ideas about each of the cities and regions that we're visiting, so next week's blog will be from the road!  

Giddyup!

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As many of you who follow me on Facebook and Google + (to see more photos feel free to follow me on both) plus will already know last weekend I was in Los Angeles with my camera.  This weeks selection of photos are just a handful of the more than 2000 photos I took over the course of the weekend.   Enjoy!

Something about the light in SoCal that draws me back 

Walking on Malibu beach
Precarious to say the least - caught between the hills and canyons and
the ocean, but sure makes for a beautiful setting

Friends on the beach at low tide 


Red plant at sunset

Malibu deck bulbs

Stunning sunset from the Malibu pier


Final rays of sun


Cool location for dinner - Malibu Pier

Nighttime reflections on the water at Malibu

Tide rolling in

Simply stunning!

Vibrant Venice Beach

Simple - yet effective!


Venice is a visual feast - is a mural or graffiti?
Sculpture and painting on the beach

Afternoon surf at Venice Beach - not too bad for winter time!



Shell and footprint

Just something about blue sky, ocean, sand and palm trees
that makes my heart sing...


Handball courts on the beach at Venice

Perhaps its time for me to get my second tattoo?

Venice skatepark bowl 

Getting air at the skatepark


Stuck the landing as well - very skilled!


Awesome location for the locals 

Loved the above grade water mains - almost a scultpure



Santa Monica pier in Monochrome - old school!

Santa Monica pier is the end of the famous Route 66

One of these days I going to drive Route 66 - now that will be a roadtrip

The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica - love the Art Deco design and decor



This is my favorite photo from the weekend - textured walls
behind reflected glass

Santa Monica Boulevard - too cool!


So LA!

Awesome fire escape in a Santa Monica alley