Hotlanta

When my sleep-away camp bunk mate invited me to her wedding, I was super excited. She's my oldest and dearest friend and I was honored to celebrate her happy milestone in her current home city of Atlanta.

The wedding itself was absolutely beautiful at The Wimbish House and everyone radiated joy through the entire evening.

Our former roommate, Harold, also lives in Atlanta and we were able to see him for a day packed full of activities including a trip to The World of Coca-Cola (an overall underwhelming experience), some exploring at the Georgia Aquarium (which completely exceeded my expectations - there were beluga whales!!), and a delicious dinner at King and Duke.

We also spent a morning taking in the exhibitions at the High Museum of Art and enjoyed some time walking around Midtown Atlanta. But we didn't go to any of the outdoor attractions in town because it was way too hot. Most days, the temperature felt at least 5 degrees warmer than it actually was. And that meant it felt like nearly 100 degrees.

Looking back at my childhood summers in the mountains of the Adirondacks, heat was never an issue. In fact, sometimes it was so cold at night, we'd be in jackets with our hoods up. My time at Long Lake Camp brings back wonderful memories. I'm glad to know that this friendship has stood the test of time.

O Canada!

Alex and I took a vacation to Canada as a birthday present to ourselves. We split our time between Quebec City and Montreal and it was fabulous. After a quick flight, we were ready to spend a week exploring.

In Quebec City, we took a walking tour of the city, spent time at the fine arts museum, visited the cathedral in town, and rode the funicular. We took a day trip to Montmorency Falls and hiked around the beautiful waterfall. We went on a historic tour of the Hotel Chateau Frontenac the dreamy castle-like hotel where we stayed. On a particularly warm day, we toured the Citadel and walked the boardwalk. The food scene in Quebec City was absolutely amazing. We ate at: Chez Boulay, Saint-Amour, Initiale (our favorite meal!), La Bouche, and of course a trip to Canada wouldn't be complete without poutine, which we devoured at the Snack Bar. We had beautiful weather most days, perfect for strolling the streets of the city, taking in the sights, and relaxing.

The train ride from Quebec City to Montreal was scenic and only 3 hours. And the train stations were cleaner than those in NYC by leaps and bounds.

In Montreal, we stayed at another historic hotel, Le Mount St. Stephen, formerly a gentleman's club. We spent a day walking the piers, checking out the markets, and sightseeing around the old city section of town. A tour of the Notre Dame Basilica was a surprising highlight of our time in Montreal. On a particularly rainy day we went to the fine arts museum. We also visited the Jewish Museum of Montreal, took a walking tour, and learned some history. We had two fun and memorable dinners: a decadent foie gras filled meal at Au Pied de Cochon and a fancy dinner at Toque! On our last day, we explored McGill University before our flight back to NYC.

It was fun spending time in two cities that are so close by and yet so different from the one we live in. Quebec City is mainly French speaking and looks more like Europe than America. And although Montreal looks a bit more American, it definitely feels Canadian with French alongside English on the street signs and friendly people at every corner. Now I should probably learn more words to the Canadian national anthem than "O Canada!"

A fun side note: it was Easter while we were there and Alex became totally smitten with the huge rabbit at the Hotel Frontenac.

Bermuda Triangle

Alex has been handling a case that has allowed him to travel for work to Bermuda a number of times. The first time he left for the island, I jealously stayed behind in a very hot and sticky NYC. The second time he was called to Bermuda, I decided to tag along and I'm so glad I did!

In November 2018, we tacked a few days on to his work trip and took a mini vacation. This was the first beach time I'd had in a while. Usually, our vacations are action packed with full itineraries. This trip felt so luxurious (for me at least). I lounged around by the pool. I took a barre class and a Pilates class. I hit the gym. I hit the beach. I drank a cocktail before noon. I read an entire novel. It felt so indulgent!

Despite Alex's grueling work schedule, we managed to slip away for two nice dinners at the Waterlot Inn and Marcus Samuelsson's restaurant and one nice lunch at Devil's Isle.

It was fantastic to get away for a few days and trade the beginning of winter for a bit of sun.

When Alex was called away to Bermuda again at the beginning of June, I was unable to join him. I stayed behind and longed to be back in the land of pink sand.