My Road to Recovery description starts in Poughkeepise, NY, which is located is in the Hudson River Valley, New York  (1.5 hours outside of NYC). Now in mid-fall, the colors are popping with greens turning to vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds.   Not unlike the thousands of other tourists in the Hudson River Valley, I too left each day to walk amongst the colors and became a “leaf peeper” (nickname for those that come to view the fall foliage and photograph).

For those considering a trip to the Hudson River Valley, here are my two favorite routes in Poughkeepsie and its neighboring town, Hyde Park for leaf peeping.

Hudson Valley recommendation #1: Walkway Over the Hudson State Park

Officially opened on October 3, 2009, the Walkway Over the Hudson State Park provides pedestrians, hikers, joggers, bikers (and even Ms Traveling Pants) access to the Hudson River’s landscape (see picture from the East side overlooking the Hudson River and fall colors).

The walkway is built upon a railroad bridge that was erected in the late 19th century. Struck by a fire in 1974,  the bridge was abandoned and sat for decades as an oprhaned relic. Now reworked, the bridge stands 212 feet above the river’s surface and is 1.28 miles long, making it the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world.

On Columbus Day weekend, just one week after its grand opening, probably a thousand of locals, tourists, and I walked this bridge.  It was THE place to be with the gamant of visitors, including bikers, rollerbladers, dogs, owners, children, strollers, and more. Truly, the only way that I could describe the phenomenon was that people were coming out the of the woodwork to walk for the first time across the bridge and take in the colors. Despite all of the crowd’s energy and the beauty, I was pooped and made it to the river’s edge only.  So, I must return to walk the entire bridge when I am further along on my Road to Recovery.

Hudson Valley recommendation #2: Vanderbilt Mansion

The Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is located in Hyde Park. Established in 1940, the grounds have been set aside as an arboretum for public enjoyment.  The park offers tours of the mansion and 211 acres of land with stunning Hudson River and Catskill Mountain views (see Mansion to the left and view of the Hudson at start of post).

Having taken the tour earlier in 2009 (roughly $8), I learned that this mansion was only a summer cottage for the Vanderbilts.   From May to September, the Vanderbilts would host social gatherings of New York City’s elite at the cottage.  So in essence, the Vanderbilts started the tradition that continues even today of New York City’s elite escaping the City to spend their summers in the Hudson River Valley.

Over the last weeks, I came numerous times to walk and take in the beautiful views. From the park’s road, you can see the Hudson River (both to the North and South) and the Catskill Mountains (to the North and West).  Having enjoyed its balance of majestic views and peaceful environment,  I have no doubt why the Vanderbilts chose such a place to entertain. Who could not be in awe of the vast grounds,  rose gardens, Hudson River, Catskill Mountains, or the worldly masterpieces inside?

So I will leave you with my two picks and share with you that I have relocated my Road to Recovery to be closer to family in Massachusetts.  I will continue to feature fall colors (now n New England) as well as daily insights.

As always remember that, “Every occasion in life can be categorized as either a good time or a good story.”

Thank you for letting me share my good times and good stories with you.

Ms Traveling Pants

Yes, without a sign or warning a very large tree limb tackled me and left me unconscious to be taken to the nearest trauma center (limb shown to the left).  Never in an accident previously and in basic good health, this took both myself and family for a very treacherous ride. The tree hit my head straight on and caused a skull fracture, internal bleeding, as well as a broken neck vertebra.  My husband was in the ER with me for the first day where they told him I was in very serious condition followed by four Cat Scans.

My poor husband had the duty of calling my parents one in Boston, one in Fort Lauderdale, and then various colleagues of mine also scattered throughout the continent.  All were in shock and many in route to the hospital. I don’t remember anything from exiting the house before the tree accident until the second or third day in the hospital where I was in an immobile neck brace with beeping monitors and nurses visiting numerous times per hour to check on my pain, vitals, and the like.

Not a good patient, I was itching to move and progress to the next stages.  Having never been in such a situation, everything was strange and rather limiting.  But, Thursday (5 days after being admitted) was the big day in which the neurosurgeon took me to operate on my vertebra and successfully fused the broken vertebra with metal .  Since that day, I have been in recovery.  The first day was without any movement, but it was a miracle that my first steps were just two days after surgery.

Although it will be a long road to getting Ms Injured Pants back to Ms Traveling Pants shape, I am so lucky to have survived such a freakish accident.  It really put my priorities and values into perspective.  I have always believed that you should learn each day and above all have FUN, but sometimes with the daily grind and pressures, those things loose out.  So, as I make my way to full recovery through walking everyday, sporting a neck brace looking like a NFL superstar, and progressing to more challenging foods, I want to make myself a promise to remember the quote that started this blog,

“Every occasion in life can be categorized as either a good time or a good story.”

The tree falling and tackling me into a multi-month recovery certainly was not a good time, but I believe it is a good story that will be the basis of many good times in the future. It will limit my travels over the next three months, but I am certain that my daily adventures and insights will be material enough to draw upon.

To my family, friends, co-workers, and followers, I appreciate all of your support, calls, jokes, videos, flowers, cookies, and more.  I cannot repay you in any other way than getting back to my happy, vivacious self that explores new places, foods, wines, and cultures with my friends, family, and unknown people that will soon become part of the gang.

Keep you posted on my walking adventures to recovery. And to all, be cautious of trees. If you own a property or rent a property, please take this month to take care of limbs, branches, and general health of your trees so that no one else falls prey to a tree tackling.

On my last visit to the Hudson River Valley, I thoroughly enjoyed hiking in the “Gunks.” As a reward for the hikes, I toured the Hudson River Wineries.  Organized in both Ulster and Dutchess counties, the two wine trails are easy to navigate even for those engrossed by the natural beauty of the mountains, apple orchards, and small farms.  Once you are on either trail, just follow the grape cluster signs on the side of the road.

My first stop was Clinton Vineyards (pictured above), where I did their simple tasting of 6 wines for $8. I started with a light Seyval Blanc, then onto Champagne and their heavier and sweeter wines.  Clinton Vineyards is probably most noteworthy for its Cassis, which is an elegant black currant dessert wine.  To be quite honest, I am not a fan of sweet wines.  Instead of imbibing the Cassis, I would recommend using it for drizzling over desserts such as a shortcake or ice cream.

From Clinton, I drove to Millbrook Vineyards and Winery.  Upon arriving, you drive up through the vineyard and arrive at a converted barn now wine cellar, tasting room, and winery.  Called, “the Hudson Valley’s flagship winery,” by the New York Times, Millbrook certainly was a professional operation and very enjoyable.  The tasting was led by one of Millbrook’s staff, mine happened to be completing her education at the Culinary Institute of America.  She instructed our intimate group of 5-6 others through a list of 6 wines for $7.50 (includes glass). We began with a Tocai, a very crisp, tropical fruit white wine with origins from Italy (Yummy).  Then we progressed to two chardonnays, which I did’t particularly care for as I am a member of the ABC club (Anything But Chardonnay). After the tasting, we were given a tour of the barrel room, bottling room, and the vineyard to view the plants and trellises (see below).

On day number two of my Hudson River Wine tasting, I headed to Ulster county very near the Mohonk and Minnewaska hiking areas. Whitecliff Vineyard and Winery, located in Gardiner, welcomes you with a winding road through the vineyard, which leads to the intimate tasting room. As there is only standing room at the bar, Whitecliff offers an outside deck to enjoy the panoramic view of the Shawangunks.  A regular tasting of 6 wines and a complimentary glass runs $7 a person.  I chose two whites, one of which is the most well known of Whitecliff called Amosting White.  Quite coincidentally, this wine is named after a waterfall in Minnewaska State Park, where I hiked earlier in the trip. In typical Ms Traveling Pants style, for the rest of the tasting I leaned towards the reds, very much enjoying the Sky Island Red, which was a blend of Cabs, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.

So I raise my glass to the Hudson River Valley’s wineries.  A great way to “wine” a little and feel better (without the whining). Also, a special thank you to Level 9 Digital who assisted in creating and converting Ms Traveling Pants’ blog to its NEW LOOK! For more information about Level 9 Digital’s SEO services and web design, visit Level9Digital.

Keep you posted on my future Hudson River Valley adventures, trips to the Florida Keys, Las Vegas, and more.

On this Labor Day weekend, many are out adventuring for the last glimpse of summer.  My adventures and travel bug led me to the trails of the Shawangunks in New York.  Located in the Hudson River Valley about 1.5 hours from the City, I explored through two outstanding state parks,Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Mohonk Preserve.

At the height of its beauty, you can see from my included pictures that the Shawangunks have a lush landscape with deep greens contrasting with the exposed rock cliffs and ridges.  Both parks are a rock climber’s paradise, but they also offer carriage trails that can be walked or biked with varied difficulty levels.  I chose to “hoof” it on both of my hikes ranging from Castle Point in Minnewaska, which was around 7 miles (featured above), and the Undercliff/Overcliff Loop at Mohonk for 5 miles (featured below).

For an affordable option for a weekend of adventure, both around $8-10 for entrance to the park, the “Gunks” are worth it.  They offer a good workout as well as unforgettable scenic views.  Stay tuned on my future posts on Hudson Valley Wine tasting and other Ms Traveling Pants adventures to the Florida Keys and Las Vegas.

This is the conclusion of my I Luv NY series of culinary and cosmopolitan explorations in the Big Apple. After a night at Momofuku, I thought I would not be wowed, but the combination of the food and a more traditional fine dining ambiance at Aquavit was impressive.

The Aquavit entrance is rather indescript as it is on the first floor of a business and residential space between Park and Madison. The clean designs of the interior would be exactly what one would expect coming from the Scandinavian theme of the restaurant. I chose to await my seating at the bar, where canisters filled with Aquavit or “Water of Life” and drunken fruit highlighted some of their drink specials. I must admit that the warm, spiced nut mixture served at the bar is definitely worth a little cocktail pre-dinner (but don’t let that spoil your appetite).

I was seated at a small table located in the back dining room for a late evening reservation. The restaurant was full, but rather intimate because of the thoughtful layout of the dining room. As a tasting menu is one of the best ways to understand and experience a chef’s repertoire, I decided to do the featured tasting menu that evening in conjunction with the wine pairing. This ran me a little north of $100. However, I thought, when in Rome do as Romans, and when in NYC take advantage of the Creme de la Creme. (My reality eating is cheese, bread, fruit, and wine on a TV tray at home.)

Below is the list of the courses. During the tasting, I was unable to keep track of the drink pairings that ranged from Aguavit (vodka like libation) to Riesling to Pinot Noir.

• Tuna Tartar, Oysters with fennel cream and caviar, Herring Sampler (Loved the tuna & I officially did my first raw oyster…still don’t think it is a aphrodisiac)
• Lobster Roll garnished with pickled apple, trout roe, bacon, lemon aioli (very nice and delicately presented to make Sushi chefs jealous)
• Foie Gras Ganache with quail egg, pickled tomato, mustard (Foie gras is always very rich and especially pared with a soft boiled egg…you can a theme from Momofuku’s soft boiler egg with chips.)
• Hot-Smoked Arctic Char with celeriac, fennel frond, apple-horseradish broth (Two thumbs up, a very hearty fish and sweet cider-like broth with a kick of horseradish)
• Seared Tuna with pea shoots, snap peas, lemon vinaigrette (I guessed that the next step in this progression was to a heavier fish, like tuna. It did have a bbq seasoning that led well to the net course)
• Vension Loin,smoked & wrapped in bacon with huckleberries, dumplings, morels (This dish brought me back to the Midwest with vension. This was a definite favorite, especially as it was wrapped in bacon. Goooooood!)
• Grapefruit Granite with frozen yogurt & orange (This certainly would clean a palate, but I really didn’t like this course as it was too much Grapefruit. It needed additional sugar or alternate fruits to make it work for me.)
• Arctic Circle: goat cheese parfait, blueberry sorbet, & passion fruit curd (I have never been a fan of goat cheese, but I do admit the passion fruit curd was very nice, a change from a typical lemon curd. I would have to say the desserts were a strike out.)

As you can see and assume from a Scandinavian menu, it was fish heavy. Now to be very honest, I am not a fish lover. As my husband would say, I have a “food aversion” to fishy stuff in taste or smell. I have come to realize that this is the fault of food preparers and the fact that I come from a non-seaside state. If done correctly and fresh, I love fish.

Can I recommend that all parents and school systems, please stop preparing frozen fish sticks and really bad tuna fish! It has turned me off to fish and it has taken many decades to erase such experiences. However, both of my NYC experiences, proved that fish and seafood has such a broad spectrum.

Check out my complete NYC cosmopolitan and culinary tour with my video:

While in New York, tasting the creations of some of the best culinary minds in the world is a must. However, getting a reservation for these hot spots is tough; especially, when one of the restaurants on your list is David Chang’s Momofuku Ko. This East Village hot spot has taken the reservation system to the next level, where elitist host staff and phone calls are obsolete.

To get a reservation, you must use the official Ko site. First, create an account and enter your credit card information (yes, you need a credit card to even set up an account). Now, one week prior to your desired date, log on at 10 am. As there are only 12 seats per seating and the rest of the City wanting in, click and pick from any of the green check marks. Don’t be bothered that perhaps at 10:00:30 am that a dozen others have beat you. In fact, this happened to me despite being rather quick at the computer. Needless to say, I settled for a 9:30 pm reservation, entered my credit card information, and agreed to pay in full if I cancelled the reservation with less than 24 hours notice.

I arrived on time (for fear of loosing the sought after reservation) and was led to a stool. It was set up like a bar where the diners would sit side by side. There were a total of five couples that were seated at the bar during the meal. The kitchen itself was small with room for only three chefs. Each took the responsibility of preparing several of the coursing dishes, but also explaining the intricate plates to the diners. It seemed to me that each course had at least 5-6 ingredients of which many were unfamiliar to me (despite being married to an executive chef).

It was a coursing menu that included ten dishes. As pictures are not permitted (boooooo, bad policy Momofuku Ko), I was unable to photograph the courses, but if my memory serves me right, this was the list of the treats.

• Homemade soft tofu served in a spoon topped with a slice of plum, sweet biscuit with pork renderings and mirin, & a chicharron (The tofu was light and sweet, the biscuit scrumptious, and the fried pork rind brought me back to my trips to Mexico and street cart Chicharrones.)
• Smoked sea urchin in consomme with Asian greens (This was a first for me with sea urchin. It is definitely not one of my favorites for the strength of the seafood taste as well as texture.)
• Scallops sashimi (This dish was very light and clean. It was my favorite seafood dish of the evening.)
• Crawfish and Japanese sausage risotto (It was not technically a risotto as it was more like barley than Abrorio rice.)
• Shaved foie gras, lychee nuts, & peanut brittle served in a bowl like a sundae (It was definitely a combination of salty-sweet, but it was also incredibly rich. I couldn’t finish all of mine.)
• A soft-cooked egg that had been smoked, served open so that the yolk ran onto a mix of caviar and crunchy, nickel-size potato chips. (This was a yummy chips and dip.)
• Seared trout, skin on from the grill (This course was simply plain, but good.)
• Sous fise beef short ribs with spring onions. (The ribs were slowly cooked to be very tender. Then right before serving, they were finished by deep frying for crispiness.)
• Cantaloupe sorbet with sea salt and lemon ice(This was probably one of the best dishes. The sorbet was refreshing with the salty-sweet contrast. This combination mimicked the taste of a prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe slice at an Italian bistro.)
• Olive oil ice cream with seasonal berries and peppered ganache (The ice cream had a faint taste of olive oil that paired well with the blueberries and strawberries. This may sound strange, but it had almost a sour cream flavor. The peppered ganache was there for contrast, but I chose to omit the ganache.)

At Ko, the libations are limited to wine, beer, and sake. As the menu is all over the place, I opted for wine. I had anticipated fish, beef, and pork, so I thought that neither red nor white would compliment the entire tasting menu. I selected a sparkling white from Spain or cava (Yet another reference to Spain).

I have to say that the experience was unique from the beginning of the process of the reservation to the open kitchen to ten courses of surprising combinations. If one is looking for a culinary experience that is above and beyond the norm, Momofuku Ko is it. Now, don’t get me wrong; Momofuku Ko is not cheap. This is a place that will set you back around $100 per head before your drinks.

Ms Traveling Pants would give Momofuku Ko two thumbs up. To check out all of my NYC adventures, view my video summary.

As I wanted to see the island from the harbor as well, but without having a guided tour or wasting my culinary dining tour money, I chose to take the Staten Island Ferry. There are not many frills with the ride. The ride is free leaving every half hour from Manhattan and taking roughly 25 minutes to Staten Island. The ferry employees open up the doors for hundreds of commuters and tourists to rush to get the good seats or better said the best standing spots. Really you have to see it to believe it, but I would recommend wearing your running shoes, be strategic, and hold your ground.

Boarding at Manhattan, head to the starboard side or the right side of the ferry. Don’t bother with the seats. You will want to take a standing space along the open window section. From this position, you will be able to take great pictures of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. If you don’t have the chance to get this space, a second option is the stern, which will lead to great views of Manhattan as well as a less crowded environment. The third option would be on the return trip where you may have a better chance to get a spot in prime location, which would be on the port or left side of the boat.

There are little to no frills with the Staten Island Ferry, but the views are better and much less costly than the other tourist versions. The roundtrip will probably take you an hour and a half. It takes around 25 minutes to arrive in Staten Island, but it is difficult to catch the return trip immediately as typically others have been waiting prior to your arrival.

Keep you posted on other NYC adventures!

New York City is famous around the world for being the Big Apple, the City that Never Sleeps, and the home of the best pizza in the world. This summer, I had the opportunity to revisit NYC. This time it was not on business as my past two trips, but a relaxing weekend. Believe it or not, it has been nearly twenty years since my first tourist tour of the City. At that time, I went to many of the museums, shopped the garment district, saw Cats on Broadway, and visited Lady Liberty and Ellis Island.

As you can imagine, much can change in twenty years; however, most of the changes were in me. Now having traveled the globe, lived abroad, and married, the city looks so different. I appreciate its diversity, embrace its buzz, envy those that live in the thriving city, and jealous of those foodies that get to experiment with the countless numbers of cafes, bistros, fine dining establishments, and street food carts.

I have to admit, over the course of three days, two areas of my body got a work out: my feet and my stomach. The whirlwind culinary and cosmopolitan tour of NYC did span the city with just enough sightseeing in between stops to burn some calories. The first day began at Grand Central with a quest for one of the New York musts, pizza. The difficult decision was where to get the best pizza. Knowing that I could use a seat and a cold beer to pair with a New York pizza, I passed the numerous Ray’s pizza shops, so and so’s places, and headed to John’s Pizzeria on Bleecker Street. My better half and I got off at Prince Street and walked Bleecker Street taking in the eclectic surroundings and envying the diners that had already settled at the street side tables, but we were on a mission and wanted the best margarita pizza in New York.

With its typical Italian sign in Red, Green, and White, John’s pizza is a nondescript restaurant that advises that the line starts outside as the seating inside is little, only two small rooms with wooden booths and tables that have been carved with previous pizza eaters’ names. Having missed the rush hour of Friday’s lunch, we got a booth and a whole pie, as slices are not an option.

Being in New York, the Midwestern style of Chicago pizza that I grew up with is not its claim to fame. New York pizzas have thin crust. Each slice is about the size of your head. In fact, the real New Yorkers only eat pizza by folding it in half to do a couple of things, eat it faster and avoid the grease. As I enjoy a little spice, of course, I needed the cracked pepper flakes to kick it up a notch.

So the libation of choice at John’s is draft beer. They offer either pints or pitchers. We chose to go outside off our typical beer comfort zone and tried a Yuengling, which appeared to be a darker beer, but it was an absolute delight with the pizza in the mid-afternoon.

From John’s, you are only a quick walk from Washington Square, the home of musicians, chess matches, the “Arc de Triomphe” look a like, and great people watching. Just steps from NYU, the park is a place to see college students reading, catching some rays, and then the rest of the city enjoying playing in the fountains, listening to area musicians, and watching the city’s best mimes, magicians, and the like.

As a whole pie deserves a long walk, I opted to navigate a course to another New York icon and may I mention it was free. Yep, we hopped the train to City Hall/Brooklyn Bridge and headed for the pedestrian walk/bike path of the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge itself is a beautiful architectural wonder, but it also facilitates great views of downtown New York City and most importantly Manhattan’s mid-town with the Chrysler and Empire State Building. The walk takes about thirty minutes each way if you are taking some pictures and enjoying the sights.

As New York City is the city that never sleeps that doesn’t mean that Ms Traveling Pants toured the city without rest. After a train ride and day of SoHo, Washington Square, and the Brooklyn Bridge, it was time for a nap before a world class meal, which I will highlight in future posts.

Do you have a recommendation for Ms Traveling Pants for New York Pizza? Or a favorite spot in along this NYC route?

Keep me posted.

From thousands of miles above the earth aboard a plane in my typical aisle seat, I once again open my laptop to unravel the recent days of adventure and exploration. Although the Hudson Valley in New York is a place that is new to me, it will become a repeat place away from home for the next two years as my husband completes his education at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).

I have just spent three and a half days primarily in Poughkeepsie, Hyde Park and Rhinebeck, all rather quaint Northeastern towns. Known as the New Yorkers’ getaway or the “New” Hamptons, the Hudson Valley has always been a place for the rich and famous. You can be witness to this while taking a drive along Route 9 with the FDR library and of course the Vanderbilt Mansion, which the Vanderbilts claimed to be just a cottage.

While visiting, I had the opportunity to be graced with great weather allowing for runs along the FDR bridge from Poughkeepsie to the West side of the river as well as spending an afternoon touring the Vanderbilt Mansion only to plan for my Monday morning jog through the same Vanderbilt gardens and along the Crum Elbow Creek.

With one of the most world-renowned culinary institutions as well as a local wineries, cheese makers, and organic farmers, the foodie scene is pumpin’. (See above picture at an organic farmers market in Rhinebeck) I had the opportunity to experience what I would consider the top three in the area: Gigi’s Trattoria, Twist, and Terrapin.

On Friday night, I enjoyed Twist. The restaurant is small nestled among other specialty stores in Hyde Park. The kitchen is open, which I always enjoy, but it is rather ballsy for any operation, as the staff and hygiene need to be spotless. The staff, primarily from the CIA, was definitely used to the spotlight. The food was great from perfectly steamed halibut to a spinach and yellow beet salad to filet mignon sliders. However, the icing on top of the cake was a great homemade banana ice cream with a slide of two slices of bacon hand-dipped in dark chocolate. One of my colleagues asked if I was pregnant after she heard that I had eaten it. However, it was a salty-n-sweet fantasy.

Terrapin is a converted church located in Rhinebeck with both a bistro/bar as well as formal dining. I had eaten at this establishment before, but I always return for two of my favorites. As I had spent a couple of years in Spain, I am a sucker for tapas. This place has everything from great sandwiches, full course meals, and then my favorite a tapa by piece menu (especially great if you are solo waiting for your of traveling buddies). I had the duck quesadilla with a sweet guacamole and two pieces of the mango and Brie crostinis. Delicious!

The last recommendation for a fun, taste bud wowing experience is Gigi’s Trattoria. It is an intimate restaurant with seating for around 75-80 and then a street side patio in the summer. Gigi’s menu is locally inspired Mediterranean cuisine. If you are looking for something light to snack upon, I would suggest the skizza, a thin flat bread pizza. The mama is with various meats, but the traditional margherita is my favorite with plenty of crushed red pepper. Also, for my love of tapas and another European tradition is the tabla (or literally tablet of food served on a wooden tray). I have had the vegetable platter with grilled zucchini, squash, eggplant, asparagus, cheese, nuts, and fig puree crostini. However, I have had my eye on the homemade pastas including the gnocchi.

As I will be visiting this area quite frequently, I hope to be able to find other places perhaps some off the beaten path or even venture into “The City” to experience some of the best in the world such as Le Bernardin or an encore at The Spotted Pig.

Bon Appetite!

In my usual style, an aisle seat, I have taken out my laptop to reflect on my last seven days (see picture for view from my seat).  Since boarding, it has been a rather interesting flight with various infants, one yappy little dog, and everyone afraid of sneezing with the worries of Swine Flu. It is during this said “quiet time” (with headphones on) that I reflect on where I have been over the last seven days.

I crossed the country last week.  I left the West Coast leaving from San Diego, California with a pit stop in Atlanta, Georgia with arrival in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. After empting one suitcase of dirty clothes and repacking another, I then traveled by car for a Spring Roadtrip up I-95 through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and today just a smidgen of Connecticut. Yes, that is right seven days and eleven states.  I would have to say I did a 7-11.

During this week, I rode in a double-decker bus (Yes, like in London), four taxis, various planes ran by three distinct airlines, one car for over 1,800 miles, one bike, and by foot.  However, I was grateful that none of my travels had been my motor home, semi, or horseback; all I would consider rather unpleasant ways of travel. I did see a Segway along the journey that I wanted to try, but I passed.  I will keep it on my to do list.

I have said many times, “If the government had a GPS tracking system on me, they would think that I am doing something illegal.”  It is not a secret that they most likely already know my every location and move; and, if the government doesn’t know my every move or happens to lose my location, I have helped them by tweeting my travels.  My twitter name is MsTravelingPant (The character limit of Twitter is disappointing.).

Heading back home, where I hang up my laptop bag (I rarely wear hats), I am looking forward to warmer weather as San Diego was unseasonably cool as well as the Northeast was rather cool with rain showers bidding me farewell today.

My next adventure will be my third trip to Costa Rica. This, as my last year’s trip was, will be for business. Regardless, all travel whether for pleasure or work leads to stories, experiences, and learning.  I am hoping that my colleagues in Costa Rica make some VIP calls to make sure that the typical hot, humid weather is ready for me. Please no more unseasonable weather.  Maybe Ms. Traveling Pants can wear some shorts since it is already May.