I left Florida in September on a short trip planned to the Hudson River Valley, New York with only one carry on. My week trip turned into four months of recovering and resulted in filling four large suitcases and that same carry on for my return home. Typically, I am a light traveler, but this time I was not moving or sightseeing, but limited because of my injury; thus, I turned to my natural instincts to, “pack like a rat,” everything from DVDs, magazines, books, clothes, and the like.

During my time away from home, I missed people the most, but in this story I would like to mention , in particular, the things I missed: the ability to hang up my clothes in a closet instead of piling them on a chair and on my suitcase, knowing the ins and outs of my own tv and cable remotes, having a junk drawer for things you just don’t know what to do with yet, adjusting the water temperature to just right in the shower, the taste of a my particular brand of coffee, and the smell of my laundry detergent.  Yes, many of these things may seem rather trivial but my trip was not a chosen hiatus, but a short trip turned very long via, “an act of nature.”  (If you would like to read about my accident click here)

Regardless of the circumstances that extended my stay, I bet that many avid adventureros and even business travelers can attest that the number ONE missed item when traveling for long periods of time is………

Your BED.

Despite the newer sleep number beds, decorative throw pillows, turn down service or no, there is no substitute to your own bed and pillow whether you like it with one sheet, two sheets, comforter, quilt, throw blanket, or more or even less.

I have just recently returned to my bed; “Oh how I missed you.”  I will not include a picture because I have chosen not to make my bed today. And, I can do that because it is my bed. The pillow is just right, not too big, not too flat.  The mattress is also just right, not too soft, not too firm. I almost feel like I am recounting Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but my bed is just right for me.  Now, bear in mind that I have been known to sleep very well on docks in Southern Spain, boats transversing the seas between Turkey and Greece, every transaltantic flight possible, and even camping in the Rockies or the Sahara.  However, a night’s sleep is never as sweet as in your own bed.

For those traveling and reading this, I leave you with, “sleep tight don’t let the bed bugs bite.” For those that are home, “sweet dreams.”  I will be enjoying my bed tonight, tomorrow night, and the next.  I will let my suitcases rest for awhile; thus, I will unpack later.

Coming to Fort Lauderdale to escape the wintry weather for Super Bowl 2010 or perhaps Spring Break 2010??

Here’s a list of my favorite spots to enjoy in FTL…

Must do:

1) The beach and boardwalk: Take in the main beach drag, A1A, that follows the blue Atlantic Ocean waters and is lined with a beautiful boardwalk for pedestrians, bikers, roller bladers, and more. You will see the Super Bowl numbers featured in the post’s picture at the A1A & Las Olas Intersection, which is my favorite section of the beach for laying out as well as in front of the Elbo Room & Spazios (both worth a visit for a beer with a view).

2) Intercoastal and Water Taxi ride: Often called the Venice of the United States, a trip to Fort Lauderdale is not complete without witnessing the architectural beauty of the houses or as I like to call them, “McMansions.” You can see some of the canals from the waterside restaurants such as Shooter’s, Taverna Opa, Pier 66, but there is something about getting the feel of the New River, Las Olas, and doing it from the water on the Water Taxi which allows for getting on and off at multiple stops all day.

3) Are you a high roller or looking for a good club scene? The Hardrock Casino is ideal for a little gaming and a night at Pangea (especially on Friday or Saturday night). The casino is located a short drive or cab ride from Fort Lauderdale in Hollywood, Florida. There you will find a Mecca of restaurants, nightclubs, shopping, and an array of concerts.

4) Interested in gator watching? Holiday park is located West of Fort Lauderdale past the suburbs of Plantation and Weston and into the Everglades.  At Holiday park, you can take an hour long airboat ride through the Everglades to see birds, alligators, and other “swamp things.” Afterwards, you can take pictures and hold alligators as well as witness an alligator expert demonstrate the strength and agility of the park’s many alligator residents.

5) If you are interested in great views of the beach (like picture below) and some of hot South Florida beauties stop by the W Hotel for its pool party called Salvation Sundays from 12:30pm to 8:00pm (21 and over).

Must eat:

1) For something with a beach view for lunch or dinner, try Casablanca – Right on A1A sits this historic home serving up seafood, American and Mediterranean fare, & nightly entertainment.

2) For something on the Intercoastal with a constant parade of the luxurious boats, experience Taverna Opa.  At this Greek eatery, let the ouzo flow freely with dancing staff, napkins flying, expert belly dancers, & sturdy tables to loose your inhibitions with your dinner companions or new friends.

3) For high end, fine dining experiences, try Johnny V’s on Las Olas, da Campo Osteria, or Steak954

4) Off the beach on Sunrise Blvd, you will find Canyon. It is a small, but very popular Southwestern restaurant with a twist.  Whatever your choice from the menu, do try their specialty drink, the Prickly Pear Margarita, which is well worth the trip.

Look forward to seeing you down here in Sunny Florida for a festive Super Bowl, Spring Break, and beyond!!

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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.

I start this post regarding the weather as I wanted to test a very familiar theory that many people comment to me since I hang my hat in Southern Florida.  It is the theory that heat is much more bearable if it is dry rather than wet.  So, it was on my third trip to Vegas that I tested this theory.  At roughly 102 degrees each day of my stay, I did come to a clear conclusion- IT DOES NOT MATTER IF IT IS DRY OR WET HEAT WHEN IT IS 102 DEGREES.  IT IT JUST PLAIN HOT. So, the wet vs. dry theory has been shot.

To piggyback on the fact of the heat, let me stay with the hot and spicy theme and comment on some of Vegas’ culinary delights as well as its racy entertainment.

Despite the fact that everyone says what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, one must not keep a dirty little secret about this locale, the culinary scene is picking up.  Below find two of my favorite culinary spots: Mesa Grill and Olives with a recommendation for a sexy show and a video of the Las Vegas Strip Ms Traveling Pants’ style.

Two spots for foodies:

Mesa Grill:

Yet another notch in Bobby Flay’s array of restaurants and accolades, Mesa Grill is an upscale, Tex-Mex influenced restaurant located in Caesar’s Palace.

Arriving on business to Las Vegas rather late for a Eastern Time Zoner, I decided to indulge in what I have seen documented on the Iron Chef as well as numerous of Bobby Flay’s own shows on the Food Network.  With a reservation at 10:30PM (which my body understood as 1:30AM), I stuck out my tired body to see what Southwestern inspired dishes could bring me back to life prior to a long three day stretch of networking functions and eating on the go, where picked over cheese trays and chaffing dish style appetizers are the norm and hard to stomach. (Those of you familiar with trade show and networking functions can relate.)

I gave my jet-lagged self a treat of a duck quesadilla for an appetizer with a chile relleno (Manchego cheese stuffed) for my entree both complemented by a glass of wonderful red wine from France, but coincidentally made by a Las Vegas native (I didn’t know there were Las Vegas natives??). I would give the meal two thumbs up or a sobresaliente.

Olives:

On another night on the Strip, I was feeling like a taste of my once hometown, Beantown.  Low and behold, the iconic chef, Todd English, has spread his wings and expanded from Boston to numerous cities including Las Vegas.  Located in the Bellagio hotel, Olives is a Mediterranean themed restaurant.  As this wasn’t my first time to dine with Olive’s or one of English’s concepts, I knew my poison would be a glass of red wine, this time Layer Cake, and a dinner of a fig and prosciutto pizza.  For those of you that have not tasted a flatbread pizza with figs and prosciutto, it is an epic blend of salty and sweet. Definitely the experience was worth the repeat.  And, I will be back yet again.  In fact, I treated myself upon return to Florida to Da Campo, yet another Todd English establishment located in Fort Lauderdale.  I am a raving fan!

More than just food:

Although the body was well feed in Vegas, a trip is never complete without entertaining the mind.  Las Vegas is known for having wonderful entertainment from the early days with the Rat Pack, Sonny and Cher, and now Celine Dion and umpteen versions of Cirque du Soleil.  As I am one that enjoys a combination of humor, music, and dance, I thought that stepping out on a limb with a sexy, cabaret show would be quite fitting.  I purchased tickets to Zumanity, which is advertised as an adult themed Cirque du Soleil show.  It was definitely racy, but the humor certainly outweighed the sexiness.  I was in awe of the physical stamina and beauty of all of the dancers.  The sheer flexibility of the crew combined with the super human strength and courage was outstanding.

Post-show entertainment:

In utter amazment, I left the show to experience the part of Vegas that is my absolute favorite, walking the Strip at night to live the glitz and gam as well as practice my favorite hobby, people watching. Zumanity was at New York New York which allowed me a good walk down the Strip past Caesar’s Palace, along Paris, in front of Bellagio for the fountain show, & further down past the Wynn and Encore.

For those of you that have not yet experienced Sin City, Las Vegas certainly is an adult entertainment theme park.  There is 24-7 gambling, eating, drinking, shows, and shopping.  To be quite honest, it is not one of my favorite destinations, but certainly I cannot hide the fact that anyone can have a great time in Vegas.  I certainly have and successfully now three times.

I would only caution those that do not like smoke or heat, that Vegas will be challenging.  I would suggest drinking plenty of water, bring your most comfortable walking shoes, and invest in chapstick as the desert is not kind to your lips. Also, regarding gambling, everyone suggests staying away from the slots, but gambling isn’t my Vegas vice of choice as you can see from this post.

To see more,check out my video, Only in Vegas with Ms Traveling Pants to experience first hand the Strip, Bellagio fountain, and the decor of my two foodies hot spots.  If I forgot some of your Vegas favorites, please send me comments as I am sure that I will be in the Sin City yet again.

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.

The truth is that many travelers don’t document the area in which we live. Ms Traveling Pants has been a culprit of this. However, I am changing my ways by doing a little summer documentation of South Florida.

As a non-native (but almost as I have officially competed the 5 year mark), I came to Florida for its weather and particularly the beaches. I will over the next few weeks highlight some of my beach favorites of course including any hot tips on food, fun, or other adventures.

So if you haven’t visited Florida and are looking for some nice beaches or oceanside eateries, come and take my first video in this series for a spin.

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.

In the last installment of See Beantown Like Nobody’s Business, I wanted to at least touch upon what is across the Charles River with tips on Cambridge. With a simple hop on the Red Line at Park Street, you can arrive at Harvard Square, which is of course home to Harvard University and its Harvard Yard (pronounced Ha-vad Yad). With such a prestigious reputation throughout the world, it is a nice attraction to visit, take a few pictures, and walk amongst the collegiate elite.

But, Harvard is not the only thing to do in Cambridge. There is the Harvard bookstore if you want to take home a sweatshirt or a coffee mug to inspire your studies, funky stores for window shopping or buying like Urban Outfitters, and small markets to whet your appetite before visiting the many places to eat well in Cambridge. My absolute favorite is the Border Cafe. It is a Tex Mex establishment that if you don’t get there early on weekend nights the line can be around the corner. The chips and salsa are some of the best in Beantown (believe me I have taken on the quest to fine the best everywhere I have lived) . I would recommend three items at the Border: the chicken fajita salad, carne asado, or vegetarian quesadilla, all with a large dose of Cholula. For those of you wondering, yes, I am somewhat a chilihead; everything must have a little hot sauce. However, whatever your selection, I would wash it down with a margarita (I prefer on the rocks with salt). They do them up well at the Border (another item that I have taken as a quest in each place I have hung my hat).

If you are in the mood for Hamburgers, I would recommend Bartley’s Burger Cottage located on Massachusetts Ave. You can get a plain hamburger, but sometimes it is just fun to order a burger with a cool name like the Stimulus Package with bbq sauce, grilled onions, bacon and baked beans or the Viagra (rise to the occasion), which is topped with blue cheese, bacon, tomato, and lettuce.

Right in Harvard Square there are other options from Bagels to Chinese and even croissants and coffee at Au bon Pain, which was the place of the famous seen with Matt Damon and Minnie Driver in Good Will Hunting. All are great for a bite as well as the street performers, chess matches, and just funky passerbys.

To see another trendy area of town, hop the Red Line back towards Boston to MIT’s station. Near to the station there are many interesting restaurants, but I must say that the Middle East is the top. It provides an eclectic menu with falafel, hummus, baba ghanoush, and more. In the evenings, they have live bands and a very eclectic clientele from artsy to funky to wild.

So that’s it for Seeing Boston Like Nobody’s Business. If you haven’t seen my Boston for the Fourth Video, here it is:

Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be posting good times and good stories of my travels to yet another Northeastern city. Yes, Ms Traveling Pants explores the culinary and cosmopolitan sites of New York City. Keep you posted!