The sharing of the green

image: albanysigns.com

Spending winter skiing at Albany Muni Capital Hills has been one of my favorite outdoor activities for many years.  The quiet beauty of the Normanskill, the cardinals and bluebirds, the sense of isolation in the midst of a residential neighborhood in a small city...it is a special place.

This winter, there wasn't a single day's worth of skiing there, for me.  The right conditions never arrived this year to entice me out to ski those hills and paths, yet,  I probably spent more time on those greens than ever before.  Running.

The coincidental timing of lack of snow and my excess of interest in running was perfect. The consolation was an easy one to swallow during the most mild winter I can recall and, as the almost anticlimactic seasons shift, I am struggling with giving the course exclusively back to the golfers.  With the date of the course opening moved ahead to today, St. Patrick's Day, I'm wondering if there isn't a way runners and golfers could share this wonderful jewel.

From what I understand (total hearsay), runners are not permitted on the course during posted hours.  The rationale I've heard involves the perils of golf balls and the distraction of Lycra clad joggers.  I understand how these may be dangerous to both those with the clubs and those with the Nikes, but are the risks to a runner greater than the dangers of riding in one of those golf carts?  Wouldn't the odds of a rider being hit by an errant golf ball be similar to those of a runner?  Has this been studied?  Damn it, is there empirical evidence?!?

I don't play golf but imagine there is a certain focus required to be an exceptional golfer. Seems to me that professional golfers hit the ball with thousands of people surrounding them.  The only behavior of the crowd that I've seen (on television when absolutely nothing else was on or I couldn't find the remote) corrected was their volume.  I mean, I've seen some shushing.  When I run, I don't really talk, so that wouldn't be a concern at all.  Promise.

With some creativity, mutual respect and a wee bit of luck I am certain golfers and runners could share the green.  No malarkey.

Get a room! (Part 2)

Continued from here -

For nights 2 and 3 of our winter break, we shifted our base to an Embassy Suites in the Old Town area of Alexandria, VA, a 15-20 minute ride on the Blue Line of the Metro system.  I've stayed here before and I like the location.  It is close enough to D.C., around the corner from some great retail shopping and restaurants on King Street and very comfortable.  We did, however, have an issue.  The hotel is being renovated, which meant that the breakfast service was a bit disjointed.  I don't expect to eat in a hotel using disposable flatware - call me princess if you must.  The other issue was something we had, ironically, encountered during our other stay at this particular hotel.  The pool, other than our first day, was unavailable due to maintenance.  Had I been made aware of this scheduled maintenance, we would have perhaps stayed all three nights at the Foggy Bottom location.  Here's what's cool, though. I Tweeted about my annoyance and within an hour, received an email from corporate apologizing for the situation.  Ultimately, I was credited the price of one night's accommodations to compensate me for the inconvenience, a nice gesture on their part.  I would still consider staying at this hotel in the future, but I would certainly confirm the availability of the advertised amenities.

The magnificent marble stairs at the Monaco

In Baltimore we stayed in the plushest digs of our trip, the Kimpton Monaco.  This recently opened hotel is in a gorgeous historic building and our room was fantastic!  The superior quality of this place was apparent even to my 7 y/o, who quickly declared it to be the "best place" we stayed.  Our room was spacious, quiet and included a banging bathroom complete with garden tub and walk in shower. and my favorite Aveda products as a bonus. Our two days here were exceedingly comfortable and we were very well taken care of by the staff.  Price-wise we lucked out with a deal from Hotwire and paid only $200 and change total for 2 nights.  Speaking of Hotwire, another special offer came my way while we were in Baltimore which provided me the opportunity to cancel the reservation we had in place for our final night in NYC at the Radisson.

The Hotel Belleclaire, a small boutique hotel on the UWS, was offering a special for approximately $115 a night and I pounced on it.  The hotel was just west of Broadway on 77th  Street - a great location for exploring, or revisiting, one of my favorite areas of Manhattan.  The lobby was being renovated, which made for some noise and dust upon entry, but the staff couldn't have been more accommodating, storing our luggage and providing a suite to guests complete with snacks and beverages.  The room itself was standard NYC small, but it was clean (no skeevy carpet!) and equipped with a modern bathroom and a comfortable bed.  I would definitely consider staying here again, although it is more appropriate for a couple than a family.  Guess I'd better work on that!

I've come to the conclusion, however, that my favorite hotel in New York City is the Millenium Hilton, on Church Street in the financial district.  A week after my epic train trip with my youngest, I headed back to the city with my oldest and this is where we stayed.  I believe I've stayed at this particular Hilton at least a half dozen times and I've never had a bad experience. The staff is always pleasant, the room immaculate and the location perfect for my needs. And there's a pool! I know that I've landed at this place through the luck of the draw when using Hotwire and/or Priceline, but most recently I've been booking using a combination of Hilton Honors points and cash. The going rate for this place on a weekend is often a bit less than the more centrally located Hiltons in Manhattan, generally about $250 a night, I'd say. Using a combination of points and cash brings it down to about $100 a night - a real New York bargain. The added bonus of staying in the business district is that onstreet parking is generally available on weekends and holidays, which can save you a bundle. If you're unfamiliar with this part of the city, be aware it is NOT like midtown - at all. There isn't much in the way of shopping other than Brooks Brothers (natch) and Century 21. No worries - there is a Starbuck's around the corner and tons of green space for kids and adults alike, as well as the 9/11 Memorial, the Staten Island Ferry,  Southstreet Seaport and the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm already thinking about gathering up the girls and getting down there again - asap.

Can't get no satisfaction

If only everything was as good as Yono's pork belly

Maybe this is the payback for eating a mess of pork belly and bakmi last night?  Despite the brilliant warm sunshine today, I seem to be having the most frustrating day I can remember.  Here's how it has gone down, dare I say, so far...

Woke up and recognized that with that hour being stolen from me (and you, too!), there was no way I could do the three things I had hoped to manage.  And still feel like I had a day off, that is.  Immediately cancelled my lunch plans via text and allowed myself to imagine an afternoon reading the paper and puttering.  Ate some breakfast and walked to yoga and found the parking lot surprisingly crowded.  Realized that today was a special workshop or something and there was no Sunday morning Sadhana.  Consoled myself with thoughts of leisurely reading the paper and perhaps doing some yoga at home.

Bought the paper, walked home and grabbed my scissors to clip coupons.  What?  No coupons?  Did some investigating and determined that none of the "good stuff" was in my paper - no coupons, no book reviews, no weekly restaurant skewering or "journalistic" ridiculousness to mock for the week.  Someone at Stewart's didn't do their job correctly.  Crap.  Hopped in my car to go to Lowe's for some moth traps so I can finally confirm that the closet moths are truly gone.  Guess what I found on the shelf?  Yep, nothing.  They're all out.  Merde.

Decided to stop in at Marshall's in the still optimistic mindset that perhaps I could find something green for next week's Running of the Green.  Nope, definitely not experiencing the luck of my people today, unless you're considering the Potato Famine era.  Drove to the pharmacy to pick up the two prescriptions I dropped off last week, fully prepared for them to be closed.  Was slightly gratified to see the Open sign illuminated.  Was completely nonplussed when the pharmacist said he didn't have enough synthroid to fill my order.  Of course, he doesn't.  Why would he on such a day? Scheisse.

So...what to do?  How about a load of laundry and hope the machine doesn't break down?  Maybe rake the front yard and release those crocus from the leaves and debris which have sheltered them all winter.  Rake the back yard, as well, because it is something I can do without relying upon anyone or anything else.  And go for a run.  Better make it a long one.

7 Days, 3 cities, 1 boy

Check out my latest post over at Vinoteca.

7 Days, 3 cities, 1 boy

Delso cookies!

Sometimes I think I am a pretty lucky lady, other times I know I am a very lucky lady. Like Thursday evening when I got to participate in a Cookie Tasting. Yeah, I said Cookie Tasting. You may not know this, but I love cookies. If I had a choice between cookies, cake or pie, it would be cookies all the way for me, although I would eternally miss this pie.  Maybe it is their shape (I like circles) or the fact that I can eat many of them without feeling too guilty.  Or perhaps the way the pair so perfectly with a glass of cold milk.  And talk about varieties!  There are seemingly an infinite number of variations on these simple treats - and I'll try them all, holding a special place in my heart for New York City style black & whites, Linzer Tarts and good old fashioned chocolate chips.

You all know the exciting news about All Good Bakers relocating to the DelSo, yes? The owners of this terrific business already reside in the neighborhood and they, along with Linda Kindlon of Bake for You, decided that it would be appropriate to create a cookie that represented their new location - the DelSo cookie. Although I didn't officially submit a recipe, in my mind the winning cookie needed to be a combination of wholesome and indulgent, traditional yet with a surprise component, and definitely had to demonstrate an artistic flair without an iota of preciousness. That's kind of a lot to pack into 3 bites, isn't it?

The event was well organized with 6 varieties of cookies to be tasted. There were beverages, including Meadowbrook Farms milk, scorecards and plenty of cookies for those inclined to go back for seconds. Me? I was the annoying person who broke the cookies in half so as to not weigh myself down for my return run home. No worries - my hands were clean, I swear.

Of the six, I had two strong favorites but the cookie pictured was my ultimate number one - or number six since the scale was 1 to 6 with six being the best score. What set this cookie apart was the inclusion of popped corn,which added a completely unexpected airy crunch to the cookie. A close second was the Mexican chocolate cookie which had a wonderful chili pepper spice, making it very much a grown up cookie, which just might keep the children's hands out of the cookie jar.  Each of the different cookies, regardless of the ingredients (dried apples, orange zest, coconut...) was perfectly baked and there truly wasn't a bad one in the bunch.

It was a really fun way to spend an hour and I enjoyed chatting it up with the Fussy and the friendly. The winner has not yet been announced in the battle to be the DelSo cookie, but I know we, in the DelSo neighborhood, are certain that we are the ultimate winners with the upcoming arrival of All Good Bakers, complete with cookies from Bake for You,  in our little Best Up and Coming neighborhood.

Get a room!

The Westin in Boston

Radisson on Lexington, NYC

There's a part of me that keeps waiting for life to slow down a little - it has been a pretty wild ride for the last 6 weeks or so, and I really am hoping to spend some quality time at home, putzing in my front garden and getting a few spring cleaning chores accomplished.  My busy family/ social calendar has provided me with a number of recent opportunities to stay in hotels and I thought it might be interesting to relate my experiences to you all, for what it's worth.

In the last month and a half, I have stayed at 6 different hotels in 4 different states - 5, if we include the District of Columbia.  We all know that hotels can be expensive, and I'm a fan of getting a good deal in all things travel related, so let me offer you some tips. 

1. Create an email account just for travel related websites.  I receive offers from Hotwire, Hotels.com, Travel Ticker, Groupon, Living Social and Travelocity and it's nice to have them all in one place devoted to travel. 
2. Consider linking your credit card with a rewards program.  I like the Hilton family of hotels (Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Embassy Suites, etc) and often use my credit card to earn points even if I have the cash in my pocket to make a purchase. 
3. If there's a problem with your accommodations, don't suffer in silence!  Give the business an opportunity to correct the issue and make you happy.  That's how companies create repeat business and brand loyalty. Now, some specific hotel information from my recent travels...

I was in Boston at the end of January for a wonderful surprise birthday party. The Westin was the perfect place to stay for me - an easy walk to my transportation hub, South Station, and a Starbuck's right in the lobby.  My most favorite thing about this hotel, though, was the available map of recommended running routes.  It definitely is a niche thing, but one that I found to be the perfect amenity for me.

The first night, and also the last night, of my February train trip was booked at the Radisson on Lexington Ave in NYC.  Well, initially, that was the plan.  I had jumped on a Hotwire deal ($118 a night) and reserved the "bookend" nights of our vacation in a spot that would be convenient to Grand Central Station.  Upon our arrival, though, I began to consider other options.  The hotel wasn't bad, it just wasn't great.  The carpeting seemed dirty and the bathroom was really small.  The proximity to Central Park was good and the staff was pleasant, but, I certainly wasn't looking forward to returning to this place.  

Koi pond!

Since we were arriving in D.C. after dark, I thought we should spend our initial night in a location convenient to Union Station.  I selected the an Embassy Suites in the Foggy Bottom area of D.C. and then proceeded to navigate our way to the wrong Embassy Suites.  Oh, well, it was a lovely, mild night and we ultimately jumped into a cab to get there.  We were feeling beat and we indulged in takeout delivery, which is one of my fairly new, favorite things to do - very self-indulgent.  This hotel was nice and the standard Embassy Suites courtyard was kicked up a notch by the addition of a Koi pond, a cool bonus that came with an opportunity to feed the fish in the morning.  The best thing, though, in my opinion, about the Embassy Suites is how perfectly they are set up for families.  From the two-room suite to the generous breakfast and the evening cocktail hour (manager's reception), they really know how to provide value.  And how to address a less than happy guest, but that story is for part two of this post.

To be continued...

Domestic violence or how I got a black eye from cleaning the bathtub

After my recent week away, I felt compelled to accomplish some household chores over the weekend.  Now, you know I believe that nothing says welcome home like clean sheets, but you may not know that I have a fondness for taking baths.  In a clean bathtub, naturally.  

Seeing as how I'm the only person who has ever cleaned either of the two bathrooms in my house, I got right on that task Saturday morning.  I even utilized all of my favorite tools - scrubbing bubbles, abrasive cleanser, window cleaner...When I stepped into that shower a short while later it was clean.  Unfortunately, I stepped in with a little too much haste and immediately lost my footing, slamming my face on the top of a shampoo bottle to stop my fall.  Ouch - it really hurt!  And not just because it was the cheap inexpensive Suave brand stuff.  I've accepted that the Fekkai would have caused the same pain, right?

I'm not really good in medical situations, so I avoided looking at the damage(s) until I was safely out of the shower.  And dressed.  There was blood, but not too much and I didn't think there was a need for medical attention, or even ice.  (I hate the way ice feels - give me a heating pad any day.)  I posted a picture on Facebook in the hopes that I could immediately subtract 579 from the grand total of times I would need to tell the story of my injury, but it has led to an interesting week.

Some observations from having a black eye... I often forgot that I had a glaringly obvious injury, at least until I noticed someone awkwardly staring at my face.  Once that happened, I immediately launched into my story, tossing in a joke about "walking into a door" and how I "wasn't going to date Chris Brown ever again."  The situation usually was smoothed over after a giggle or two, but there definitely was a residual sense, call it a bruise if you'd like, of discomfort. The Rihanna/Chris Brown bad romance brings me to my next observation, but it's one you should be making about me.  

At the risk of protesting too much, do I strike (ha!) you as the kind of woman someone who would ever tolerate abuse*?  When have I ever permitted anyone - male or female, to take unfair advantage of me?  Please.  Just because I reveal my bruises doesn't mean I have more of them than anybody else. 

*When I was 19 I was involved with an asshole a guy who slapped me across my face. Once. I have friends who were physically abused by their partners and I am completely sympathetic to the realities of domestic violence. It isn't a joke to me, but I also know from experience that I did not, and would not, allow anyone to physically abuse me. I hope that those who are victims find the means to seek help. Here's a resource for those in NYS.