New York-style Foodie Adventure (and the Courtney Wedding)

We've been back from New York for a week now, but (being birthday week) it was a bit busy and I didn't have a chance to blog all of the tasty things we ate yet, so here it goes. (Beware, this is a lengthy post with lots of details about several course meals.)

Joe and I had both been to NYC on several occasions both separately and together before this, which released us from the pressure to site-see and tourist-it-up on this visit. We were mostly there to celebrate the wedding of our friends Devin and Amy, for which Joe was a groomsman. The wedding itself was in Connecticut, but the bride and groom live in Manhattan and JFK is the easiest airport, so we used the opportunity to cash in our last three free hotels.com reward nights (saved from our European travel adventures last year) and have a relaxing few days in the city, filled mostly with wandering from one gourmet experience to the next.

Devin and Amy live on the Upper West Side, so we situated ourselves mostly on the lower west corner of Central Park near everything we cared about: nature, restaurants, Shake Shack, the Hayden Planetarium, the Natural History Museum, and more trees than cars. Yup, just like in London, we like to trick ourselves into thinking we're not actually in a bustling metropolis by surrounding ourselves with an oasis of green.

Central Park, walking the plane off

First day:
We arrived on Wednesday afternoon and took the subway in to our hotel (after a year of nothing but public transportation, there was no way we would spend $60+ for a taxi; the subway is easy enough from JFK if you plan your suitcases accordingly and definitely have a working map app. I used CityMapper, the same app I used in London, which works in many major cities around the world.)

One of the things we definitely can't readily get in north county San Diego is good dim sum, so that was a priority. We chose Red Farm for its location but we would have traveled further if it hadn't also been on Zagat's top 10 lists for Chinese food, dim sum, AND soup dumplings in Manhattan. Three separate Top 10 Zagat distinctions for one restaurant in a city known for its restaurants? Sold.

Dim Sum choice: Pac Man Shrimp Dumplings
Pac Man was a tempura sweet potato on a stand of guacamole (weird for a Chinese restaurant but actually delicious). Each of the little "ghosts" had a different flavor combined with shrimp: lobster, leek & mushroom, blue crab, bamboo shoots. This is a Red Farm specialty and was recommended by our server. (A+)

Soup Dumplings: Pork and crab mix.
We'd never had soup dumplings before, but since we'd heard that Red Farm was one of the Top 10 places to get them, we had to at least try them. Basically, soup dumplings are exactly what the name suggests: soup in a dumpling. There was a soy mixture to pour into the dumpling once you'd drunk the broth part, but I preferred them without. Either way, yum. (B)

Main Dishes: Wok Fried string beans and brussel sprouts, BBQ'd beef fried rice
Drinks: Blackberry Ginger-Lime soda, Cucumber Thyme cooler
For the whole first trimester of my pregnancy, green vegetables have been a MAJOR food aversion. Even the smell of broccoli could put me off my whole dinner. Joe and I both commented many times throughout this trip how happy we were that my eating has basically stabilized, especially because I would not have enjoyed our cuisine adventures nearly as much (or at all) if this trip had been just a few weeks earlier.

One example is this dish of green beans and brussels sprouts. It was tossed with a savory blend of garlic, onion, and sweet brown sauce and was absolutely delicious. (A+)

The drinks were also extremely tasty, if also especially pungent. Mine was listed as blackberry ginger-lime, but it should've been GINGER (blackberry-lime) for better accuracy. It was distinctive and yummy but had more than a little bite of ginger. Joe's, similarly, was VERY cucumber with a little thyme, which he loved. (B, mostly because some people won't go for drinks this strong)

The fried rice dish was also good, though I'm the wrong person to ask about meat dishes at the moment. Joe thought the beef was delish, though, and ended up eating most of what I left behind. (B)

I'm not going to lie, Red Farm was expensive for us. We both agree that it was completely worth it and we knew that having a food-based vacation in Manhattan meant we'd have some steep bills, so we would absolutely recommend it to others looking for the experience. (overall A)

After dinner we walked down Broadway to the corner of Central Park and eventually made it back to our hotel via a quick detour to Shake Shack for evening treats - a strawberry almond milk shake for Joe and a creamy, strawberry cheesecake "concrete" (frozen custard) for me. More on Shake Shack later, though.

Day 2
Breakfast on Day 2 was at Good Enough to Eat, a comfort food stop that was highly recommended for us and I'm shocked wasn't covered wall-to-wall in Americana. We got the apple pancakes (B) and Astoria omelette (A) with a side of thick-cut, crispy bacon. We enjoyed our breakfast enough that we forgot to take pictures, but if you're on the Upper West side and have TWO days for big breakfasts, save one for this place (the first one should go to our other breakfast stop).

From there we decided to head down to the southern tip of Manhattan for one site that we had not seen (because it wasn't done yet): One World Trade Center. A few weeks before our trip, Joe saw this video of the elevator ride to One World Observatory and, since we can't pass up a high place with a sweeping view, we knew this newest of New York sites had to be on our itinerary.

southern facade from directly below

Walking up to the tower is somewhat daunting. Even in NY, this building is meant to stand out and the symbolism of the whole area hits pretty hard. The 9/11 memorial, which can feel like a park if you are just enjoying the scenery, is pretty spectacular. (My photos didn't do it justice, so I borrowed some.) The spots where each of the towers used to stand is now a recessed multi-level waterfall into an infinity pool. It has the illusion of falling directly into the ground forever. Each is bordered by a ring that bears the names of the people who died and the police and fire stations who came to the aide of survivors. Moving but also beautiful.

The elevator to the See Forever observatory ascends over 100 stories in less than a minute and includes video that takes the rider from the prehistoric bedrock of Manhattan to modern day in the same time. When you arrive on the observatory deck, the "reveal" is also breath-taking, but it's worth not spoiling it for those who will have the experience themselves, especially since it had been open for less than a month when we got to go.

Downtown, with the Empire State Building almost dead center 

view of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges

The day we went was a bit hazy, but sometimes you can't do anything about that. We've both seen the view of the city from the Empire State Building and now from way down south, but we still have one high place to knock off our list: Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. (We've been told that this is actually the best of the views, despite not being the highest, because you can see all of the major landmarks - Empire and WTC included - PLUS Central Park, which is one thing we couldn't see from the One World Observatory.)

Thursday evening was the Rehearsal Dinner at Calle Ocho inside the Excelsior Hotel. When choosing our first hotel for the weekend we were between this one and another but quickly decided on Excelsior when we realized it would give us zero commute to the rehearsal dinner. Great option even if you don't have an event there - it's less than a block from the 81st Street Subway station, one street over from the Natural History Museum and faces Hayden Planetarium. It's on the corner of 81st and Columbus, ridiculously close to Central Park, Shake Shack, and tons of great restaurants - all of the amenities we cared about. The room was decent-sized, too, especially for Manhattan; we even had a small sitting room in addition to our bedroom.

Calle Ocho is a Latin restaurant with exciting takes on traditional dishes and drinks. They're known (partly) for their extensive sangria options, which I was particularly disappointed about missing out on (I don't miss wine really, but damn I could go for a cocktail sometimes). We were on a limited menu because of the event, but Joe has already agreed to go back to this restaurant the next time we're in New York because there are so many things I still want to try (Chivita salad and Langosta ceviche just to start). Here's what we did have:

Appetizers
Arepa: sweet corn cake, ropa vieja, creole salad, crema nata (A+)
This dish was excellent. Everyone who had it couldn't stop commenting about how rich and wonderful it was and how we all would've eaten it as a main course. Honestly the sizes of the appetizers here was really satisfying and it might be possible to make a meal out of a few of them, especially if you want to do a tapas-style dinner and share with someone else.

Calamari frito with honey, cashews, salad (B)

Mains
Vegetarian Mushroom Paella, chosen entirely because I'm having a major aversion to chicken and I didn't want steak or fish. If I had had the whole menu to choose from or I hadn't been pregnant, this would have been a very different story. (B-)
Bistec: steak with chimichurri verde and steak fries - delicious but not enough veggies to please Joe (A-)

Dessert:
Crema Catalana - basically coconut and dulce de leche creme brulee (B+)

Afterwards we headed out to a few local bars for the after party. I, of course, couldn't drink, but Dive 75 did have candy!

with the bride- and groom-to-be

Friday morning we had time for one more big breakfast in the city, so we chose to walk a few blocks west to Sarabeth's. In terms of atmosphere, Sarabeth's is the absolute opposite of Good Enough to Eat - chic, white, and clean, though it still felt comfortable and homey. This, again, was a bit of a splurge but definitely worth it. There are 5 locations, so if you're near any of them, it's worth going for breakfast or lunch.

We ordered the Four Flowers juice (A++), Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (A+), and Spinach & Goat Cheese Omelette (A). Everything was completely scrumptious and filling. We couldn't even finish the famous scone and jam that came on the side of the omelette we were so full. The lunch menu, it should be said, also looked amazing and there were definitely items we would go back to try, especially after seeing the flight of ice cream sandwiches delivered to a nearby table. (O.M.G.)

After breakfast, we wandered Central Park for a bit before taking the train to Connecticut. Here's me at 18 weeks pregnant and Joe, just because.

In Connecticut we stayed in Stamford. I have no idea why anyone we know would be going to Stamford, but if they are we would recommend the Sheraton hotel. It's walking distance to the train station and a cute little downtown that had a bunch of restaurants that looked worth trying. The hotel itself also had a pretty tasty menu and a nice bar area.

The Main Event:

Amy & Devin's Wedding at Waveny House

#thedevinandamyshow

Introducing Benjamita

Congratulations, Courtneys!

With just one full day back in the city after the wedding, we went full fledge gourmet and jumped on Benjamita's reservation at Lincoln Ristorante, a Michelin-rated, locally-sourced, Italian experience in Lincoln Center. At $76 pp for a 4-course prix fixe meal, we felt this was an opportunity we couldn't pass up. The menu changes regularly depending on seasonal ingredients and various themes, so it doesn't make much sense for me to give specific recommendations. Instead, you can drool over these:

Appetizer:
Caprese salad made with mozzarella di bufula, heirloom tomatoes, basil, and mint (A+ - even Joe loved this and he usually won't eat raw tomatoes)

Primi:
Strozzapretti Neri: squid ink pasta, shrimp, pork sausage, beans, basil, bread crumbs for texture (A+)
Ravioli di Piseli: English pea and ricotta filled pasta (separately - I've never seen anything like it), shiitake mushrooms, brown butter (A+)

Secondi:
Anatra Arrosta: Duck breast and confit of leg, grilled peaches, and peppercorn-cardamom au jus (A+)
Bisteca alla Griglia: Wagyu top sirloin, parsnip puree, spring onion (A+)

Dessert:
Cheesecake: Goat's milk & ricotta cheescake, pistacio sauce, limoncello cream, honey ice cream (A+)
Chocolate & Hazelnut: Chocolate gelato, hazelnut cream (A+)

We honestly can't say enough about this restaurant and have vowed to embrace the Michelin experience whenever the opportunity presents itself again. We were lucky enough to share the event with two other amateur gourmands, Ben and Amita, who savored every course with as much appreciation as we did. (Lincoln also offers a wine pairing for the 4-course, which is absolutely worth sharing with another person., like they did.)

Our last day in New York had only one major event on the schedule: Shake Shack. Fortunately, this was also on Devin and Amy's schedule. (For this last part we stayed at the Warwick Hotel just south of the park, which we would also recommend though it was a bit noisier.)

There are many people with opinions about hot dogs in New York, and I know there are probably thousands of options, but Shake Shack is the only one we care about. They also serve burgers, frozen custards, and crinkle cut fries with the best cheese sauce you've ever had. The outdoor location in Madison Square Park has been featured in movies and television shows, but we tend toward the one at the corner of the Natural History Museum on the corner of Columbus and 77th. No trip to New York would be complete without a visit. (Each location does have a slightly different menu, though, and the frozen custard and shake flavors vary, which could be fun to try.)

After lunch we took one more walk through the park and then it was off to JFK. Thanks for a great city-break, Devin & Amy!

I found a book sculpture!

Lily

Courtneys & Reschans

Book Review: The Lifeboat

Two weeks, three books, and one 6-day trip to New York and Connecticut under my belt (food-filled blog post about that is forthcoming). I thought I'd do more reading on the flights to and from JFK, but alas, I like to sleep on planes. I did finish book #3, though: The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan.

The Basics via Amazon:

Grace Winter, 22, is both a newlywed and a widow. She is also on trial for her life.

In the summer of 1914, the elegant ocean liner carrying Grace and her husband Henry across the Atlantic suffers a mysterious explosion. Setting aside his own safety, Henry secures Grace a place in a lifeboat, which the survivors quickly realize has exceeded capacity. For any to live, some must die.

As the castaways battle the elements and each other, Grace recollects the unorthodox way she and Henry met, and the new life of privilege she thought she'd found. Will she pay any price to keep it?

THE LIFEBOAT is a page-turning novel of hard choices and survival, narrated by a woman as unforgettable and complex as the events she describes.


Why I picked it up:

Whenever I teach Lord of the Flies, I start with an activity called "Who Should Survive" that mirrors this novel's opening plot. I thought it would be interesting to see that activity played out long-form. I also thought it might be a little bit Titanic and a little bit Life of Pi, which was intriguing.

If my Nook version had had this hardback cover, 

I probably would've gravitated toward it faster. 

This is my kind of cover.

What I did know beforehand:

The reviews I read before choosing this book made two points that I now agree were valid: a) there are a lot of characters at the beginning and it can be hard to keep them straight; b) the novel may have been more interesting if it had been told as a multi-perspective piece including more than one of the survivors. (I was reading this purely for pleasure, so I combatted the first problem by simply glossing over most of the names and not trying too hard to remember exactly who was who. Worked for me.)


Why I recommend it:

It's quick and easy but still intriguing. The vocabulary level is good enough to include in one of my PSAT reading camps, but I don't think the storyline is complex enough to stand up to literary scrutiny. It's mostly for recreational readers who don't want traditional beach lit. This novel is set in 1914 and isn't some flighty love story. There is a philosophical element to it because you're forced to ask if you might do the same as Grace given the circumstances (my answer is a resounding NO). It's a fun read that I will probably forget most of 3 months from now.

It's also (of course) in pre-production for a movie. I'm kind of sick of this theme right now, actually, even though I love that books are being adapted into movies. I think it's kind of the lazy road for everyone - movie makers don't have to come up with their own stories and audiences get just the gist of a novel from seeing the movie but then think they don't need to actually read the book. Lame. Anyway, this one is possibly going to star Anne Hathaway. I like Anne Hathaway, so I really hope that if this movie gets made they do some movie magic to beef up the main character and give her something to really DO with it. I don't see this being a particularly exciting movie otherwise.

Who should read it:

- People who liked Titanic
- People who like a quick read but are sick of reading about romantic relationships or crime dramas
- People who liked Life of Pi (the movie version)
- Students who loved the "Who Should Survive" activity (which a lot of you did)

What the pros say:

New York Times Sunday Book Review

The Guardian Book Review

"An enthralling story of survival at sea.... One hell of a debut." (Jonathan Raban, New York Review of Books)

"An eerie, powerful debut you'll want to race through, but try to resist the urge. A slower read reveals a psychological depth that'll leave you thinking." (Helen Rogan, People)

A beautifully constructed first novel.... Rogan crafts a harrowing, suspenseful take of survival.... The Lifeboat raises forever fascinating questions without moral posturing or sentimentality. (Jocelyn McClurg, USA Today)

"In her assured debut, Rogan has written a layered and provocative tale of survival and impossible decisions. But her biggest achievement is the disarmingly demure yet fiercely shrewd Grace, a narrator as fascinating and unreliable as they come."―Stephan Lee, Entertainment Weekly

"Rogan manages to distill this drama about what's right and wrong when the answer means life or death into a gripping, confident first novel...Other novels have examined the conscience and guilt of a survivor among the dead, but few tales are as thoughtful and compelling as this."―Christina Ianzito, Washington Post

Book Review: The Girl on the Train

I'm one week into summer break and have completed book #2, The Girl on the Train. Not bad progress, though I think if it had been a bit more gripping from the start Paula Hawkins' 288-page debut novel should have only taken me 1 day, maybe two. Instead it took 3 days to complete and I only really enjoyed the last one.

The Basics via Amazon:Intersecting, overlapping, not-quite-what-they-seem lives. Jealousies and betrayals and wounded hearts. A haunting unease that clutches and won’t let go. All this and more helps propel Paula Hawkins’s addictive debut into a new stratum of the psychological thriller genre. From the opening line, the reader knows what they’re in for: “She’s buried beneath a silver birch tree, down towards the old train tracks…” But Hawkins teases out the mystery with a veteran’s finesse. The “girl on the train” is Rachel, who commutes into London and back each day, rolling past the backyard of a happy-looking couple she names Jess and Jason. Then one day Rachel sees “Jess” kissing another man. The day after that, Jess goes missing. The story is told from three character’s not-to-be-trusted perspectives: Rachel, who mourns the loss of her former life with the help of canned gin and tonics; Megan (aka Jess); and Anna, Rachel’s ex-husband’s wife, who happens to be Jess/Megan’s neighbor. Rachel’s voyeuristic yearning for the seemingly idyllic life of Jess and Jason lures her closer and closer to the investigation into Jess/Megan’s disappearance, and closer to a deeper understanding of who she really is. And who she isn’t. This is a book to be devoured. -Neal Thompson


Why I picked it up:The Girl on the Train is basically the It novel of the summer. I've been seeing it everywhere. It started on a list of debut authors everyone should read that I saw back in February or March and just kept popping up. Plus, several friends have read and loved it.


What I didn't know:Everything. I don't even think I read any jacket copy before downloading this one. I especially liked that it was set in London and the train the protagonist takes her to and from Euston station, my stomping grounds near University College London. She even ends up at University College Hospital in one scene, which gave me a nice warm, homey feeling as everything about London does these days.


Why I recommend it:
Mostly because everyone else is reading it and so it's going to be talked about. Plus there is (inevitably) a movie being made. It's almost always better to have read the book before seeing the movie, so...
HOWEVER

I wasn't as enthralled as some people. The book was good, but it didn't amaze me. I felt the ending was satisfactory, but not great. I also didn't really like the main narrator; it's hard to get into a story when you don't actually sympathize with the person whose eyes you're seeing it through. But that's just me.

Who should read it:- People who like chiller/thriller/suspense novels and quick reads
- People who liked Gone Girl, etc. (I kept thinking as I read it that it was like Gone Girl but just not quite on the same level. Gone Girl was extraordinarily intricate and shocking, something the Girl on the Train lacked in many ways. When I started looking for pics to include in this post, I found this article from someone else who felt the same way.)
- People who like books told from multiple points-of-view, which I usually do

What the pros say:

“The Girl on the Train marries movie noir with novelistic trickery. . . hang on tight. You'll be surprised by what horrors lurk around the bend.”—USA Today

“[The Girl on the Train] pulls off a thriller's toughest trick: carefully assembling everything we think we know, until it reveals the one thing we didn't see coming."—Entertainment Weekly

“Hawkins’s taut story roars along at the pace of, well, a high-speed train. …Hawkins delivers a smart, searing thriller that offers readers a 360-degree view of lust, love, marriage and divorce.”—Good Housekeeping

“There’s nothing like a possible murder to take the humdrum out of your daily commute.”—Cosmopolitan

"Paula Hawkins has come up with an ingenious slant on the currently fashionable amnesia thriller. . . . Hawkins juggles perspectives and timescales with great skill, and considerable suspense builds up along with empathy for an unusual central character."—The Guardian

“Paula Hawkins deftly imbues her debut psychological thriller with inventive twists and a shocking denouement. … Hawkins delivers an original debut that keeps the exciting momentum of The Girl on the Train going until the last page.”—Denver Post

“The novel is at its best in the moment of maximum confusion, when neither the reader nor the narrators know what is occurring” – The Financial Times

“This fresh take on Hitchcock’s Rear Window is getting raves and will likely be one of the biggest debuts of the year.”—Omaha World-Herald

“Hawkins’s tale of love, regret, violence and forgetting is an engrossing psychological thriller with plenty of surprises. . . . The novel gets harder and harder to put down as the story screeches toward its unexpected ending.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

“A gripping, down-the-rabbit-hole thriller.”—Entertainment Weekly Hotlist

Book Review: The Light Between Oceans

So this is what it feels like to stay up late to read for fun again. I remember this but it's been a while. 

My summer break is 3 days old. So far I've created new year-long unit maps for both of my classes and written a completely new syllabus from scratch (something I haven't done in about 5 years). I've also finished the first book on my way-too-long-to-actually-manage-it summer reading list.

Buy It Here

I'll be honest: I put this book on my list mostly because it matches my house and would look pretty on a bookshelf. (Ironically I then read it on my Nook, so I still don't actually own a physical copy.)


So here's the basics from Amazon:
"Tom Sherbourne is a lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, a tiny island a half day’s boat journey from the coast of Western Australia. When a baby washes up in a rowboat, he and his young wife Isabel decide to raise the child as their own. The baby seems like a gift from God, and the couple’s reasoning for keeping her seduces the reader into entering the waters of treacherous morality even as Tom--whose moral code withstood the horrors of World War I--begins to waver. M. L. Stedman’s vivid characters and gorgeous descriptions of the solitude of Janus Rock and of the unpredictable Australian frontier create a perfect backdrop for the tale of longing, loss, and the overwhelming love for a child that is The Light Between Oceans. --Malissa Kent"

Here's why I decided to pick it up:My sophomores just finished reading All Quiet on the Western Front (a book I hated when I was 15 but absolutely LOVE now) and I was looking for an easy transition into summer. The Light Between Oceans features a protagonist who is a WWI soldier navigating the difficult return to civilian life. Plus it sounded like a bit of a love story and a bit of a mystery and takes place in Australia, so that sounded cool.

What I didn't know:One of the main threads of the novel has to do with the loss of children, especially through miscarriage. Tom's wife Isabel suffers three increasingly traumatic miscarriages in a row and the book explores the effect of such devastation on her before she finally has a child to call her own. My own miscarriage experience last August has made me identify with stories like this in ways I never could before. While my experience was not physically traumatic and I am now experiencing what seems like it will be a healthy, successful pregnancy, it's hard to explain the scar that miscarriage leaves on your psyche. It's always easier to like a book when you can see yourself in one of the characters, so Isabel hooked me.Why I recommend it:
There's enough intrigue and suspense to keep you turning the pages, the characters are well-formed and believable, and you can't help wondering what you would do if you were in the same situation. The last 100+ pages were all read in one swing that happened when I was planning to read for 15 minutes before bed and instead stayed up an additional several hours because I kept saying to myself, "Well, alright, just a little more..." and around 2 am that turned into, "Well, alright, I'm so close to the end now it just seems silly to stop..." Most of my favorite books have ended that way.

Who should read it:
- People who appreciate poetic writing and an author who can craft a beautiful phrase.
- People who wondered what might have happened to Paul after AQWF (if, ya know, he hadn't died).
- People who like a little suspense and a little crime and a little "but how?" in their reading but aren't looking for a thriller or a full-on mystery novel
- Pretty much anyone I talk to in the next few months, who will all be getting this recommendation from me. 
- Anyone who might be tempted to see the movie version that is supposedly coming out this year. Michael Fassbender (young Magneto) is playing Tom, so I'll definitely be there. (Side note: the Tom in my head was not that sexy by a long shot...) It's a Disney/Dreamworks production and the few shots I've seen of filming make it look like a Nicholas Sparks adaptation, but I promise it's more inspiration and less devastation than that.

Some professional reviews:
"Irresistible...seductive...a high concept plot that keeps you riveted from the first page."—Sara Nelson, O, the Oprah magazine

“An extraordinary and heart-rending book about good people, tragic decisions and the beauty found in each of them.”—Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief

“M.L. Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans is a beautiful novel about isolation and courage in the face of enormous loss. It gets into your heart stealthily, until you stop hoping the characters will make different choices and find you can only watch, transfixed, as every conceivable choice becomes an impossible one. I couldn’t look away from the page and then I couldn’t see it, through tears. It’s a stunning debut.”—Maile Meloy, author of Both Ways Is the Only Way I Want It

“Haunting...Stedman draws the reader into her emotionally complex story right from the beginning, with lush descriptions of this savage and beautiful landscape, and vivid characters with whom we can readily empathize. Hers is a stunning and memorable debut.”—Booklist, starred review

“This fine, suspenseful debut explores desperation, morality, and loss, and considers the damaging ways in which we store our private sorrows, and the consequences of such terrible secrets.”—Martha Stewart Whole Living

“Elegantly rendered…heart-wrenching…the relationship between Tom and Isabel, in particular, is beautifully drawn.” (Elysa Gardner USA Today)

“Sublimely written, poetic in its intensity and frailty…This is a simply beautiful story that deserves the praise and wide audience it’s receiving. A stunning debut from a new voice that I can’t wait to hear again.” (Karen Brooks, author of Illumination)

Our Travel Adventure: a 2014 Wrap Up

I had intended to do this post sooner to when we returned to the States, but my perspective may actually be better now. This was the post as it would've been if I'd published it when we got home at the end of July:

"Let's talk about culture shock. Specifically, let's talk about reverse culture shock.

Less than 24 hours after return:
Everything is HUGE. And overwhelming. Joe is thrilled to be home but I'm not so sure. After 3.5 weeks traveling in Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy, I really just wanted the short flight back to London and our tiny, tiny flat. 14+ hours of flying means everything feels weird when you land. LAX is my old stomping grounds - my uni and my old apartment are visible from the runways, but it still just felt weird.

Also, parking lots. I don't know why but these stick out for me. I haven't seen a real parking lot in almost a year. In London I often wondered where people who had cars ever put their cars when they were out. No parking lots, no parking structures, not even a lot of street parking. California is the opposite. All I see are massive parking lots in front of massive stores. Stores I have always loved (Target, Costco, Ikea) but still. Everything seems so HUGE right now. I was originally planning a visit to the mall but I've backed out because it sounds WAY too overwhelming."

So now that we've been home for 5 months, here is a look back at our adventure.

Time Away: 336 days

Countries Visited: 20

Visitors from Home: 5

Checkmarks on our London & Beyond List: 63/85

In case you need a refresher, here is our original list of goals:

Cities

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Barcelona, Spain

Bath, England

Berlin, Germany

Bled, Slovenia

Brussels, Belgium

Budapest, Hungary

Cambridge, England

Copenhagen, Denmark

Dublin, Ireland

Edinburgh, Scotland

Florence, Italy

Geneva, Switzerland

Helsinki, Finland

Madrid, Spain

Milan, Italy

Munich, Germany

Normandy, France

Oslo, Norway

Paris, France (x2)

Prague, Czech Republic

Rome, Italy

Salzburg, Austria

Split, Croatia

St. Petersburg, Russia

Stockholm, Sweden

Stonehenge, England

Stratford-Upon-Avon, England

Venice, Italy

Vienna, Austria

Wales (not sure where yet)

Zagrab, Croatia

Tours & Activities

Abbey Road

American Thanksgiving (host or attend)

Anne Frank’s house (Amsterdam)

Beatles landmark

Bike tour of a major city (Helsinki, Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, Munich)

British Library (for research, believe it or not)

Buckingham Palace (kind of)

Charles Darwin landmark

Church on the Spilled Blood (St. Petersburg)

Cider mill tour

Collect a set of British edition Harry Potters (pictures to come)

Collect an international set of multi-lingual Harry Potters (pictures to come)

Cooking class (Sarah - London, Budapest, Tuscany, Florence; together - London)

Debussy landmark (France)

Drive “British”

Dutch flowers/tulips

Flying Fantastic class

Formal High Tea

Galileo landmark (Pisa)

Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia (Barcelona)

Go ice-skating

Guinness Brewery tour

Harry Potter studio set tour

Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg)

Hike 10+ miles somewhere

Holi festival

IceBar

Issaac Newton landmark

Jane Austen landmark

Led Zeppelin landmark

live dramatic performance (Sarah in October, Joe & Sarah with Moms; together)

live orchestra performance (Berlin, Prague, London, Vienna)

live other sporting event (tennis, cricket, rugby)

live singer/band (Sarah - Vienna Teng; Joe - Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, YES!)

live soccer game

London Museum of Natural History

Norwegian fjords

Pink Floyd landmark

Ravel landmark (France)

Richard Dawkins event

Ride the London Eye

See a live hockey game  (Winter Classic in LA in January)
St. Paul’s Cathedral

Swim in the Mediterranean

Take a spontaneous vacation (Paris - booked 5 days ahead)
Tate/Tate Modern

The British Museum

Travel by boat (Gothenburg; Baltic Cruise; Norwegian fjords)

Travel by train (Flam, Norway; Prague; lots of times between cities)

Use all of the fruits/vegetables that come in a VegBox

Van Gogh museum (Amsterdam)

Westminster Abbey (front only)

Winery tour

I'm quite proud of this list, actually. We didn't tick off every item, but what this list doesn't reflect is our shifting priorities the longer we were away. Certain items were completed multiple times or in ways that make me really proud. Some things were skipped because by the end we realized we didn't really care to make them a priority. Other items became priorities later on (cocktails in London, picnicking in Waterlow park, etc) but were never added to the official list.

We didn't just travel by train to say we did it, we travelled by train to get ourselves through Spain, and from Hungary to Austria to Germany, and all around Italy. We took miniature adventures every time we changed cities because we always did it without the convenience and comfort of a car. As native Southern Californians, that was a big deal. I'm proud of the way we adjusted to using public transportation.

I'm also proud that we took advantage of London - we went to museums, we tried things, we bought tickets to shows and performances, we saw advertisements on the Tube and then actually sought out those events and participated. We aren't big city people. Participating in the life of the city was a big deal.

Certain places were skipped because that was the pragmatic decision. Greece and Poland were cut before we even committed the list to paper. Switzerland was cut very early on. But what this list doesn't show is all of the places and items we added along the way. Barcelona was on the list, but in the process we also went to Seville and Cordoba and Granada. We cut Salzburg because of rain, but we added Scotland almost at the last minute and it was one of our most relaxing getaways. Brussels was almost cut but then we got to do it with Ryan when he visited, which was even better. I didn't go to Shakespeare's birthplace (Stratford), but I did go to his birthday party.

Since we've been back, one of the questions we get most often is What was your favorite part? Really, it depends on my mood. On different days, I miss different facets of this adventure. Memories of the many places we went and things we did are sparked constantly and I miss London every single day. I think that I will for the rest of my life.

It's hard to explain to people what a year away feels like. We slid back into our normal life again, and it was both harder and easier than I'd expected. We came back broke, so we lived separately with our mothers for almost 4 months before we were financially viable enough to get our own place again. On the other hand, I was back to work teaching high school full time only 3.5 weeks after we landed in California from Rome. Since I was still writing my dissertation for my MA program, it felt like I was living two different lives at once - my London life as a student was still going while my California life as a teacher was in full swing already. I spent August and September mentally and emotionally exhausted and overwhelmed. Being back in California felt both normal and completely uncomfortable at the same time. 

After spending nearly all of my time exclusively with my husband for more than 11 months, we were living apart and had to plan to see each other almost like when we started dating. The logistics of moving out of the country and then back in aren't what people talk about. In London, there were things about my life here that I missed every single day. Now that we're back, there are parts of the life we made there that I will miss every single day. (It doesn't help that I see bits of London in so many of the movies and TV shows I watch. Or maybe it does help. I'm not really sure.) Our life here picked up where we'd left off in a way that was almost seamless, but I feel different in my life now than I would have if we hadn't gone. Maybe that was the point.

I don't know what my favorite part of our year away was. I can't tell you which city was my favorite. Sometimes they all were. Sometimes I wish I could be eating in Budapest or sitting on the deck in Split or walking through the rain in Dublin and other times I'm happy to get good Mexican food and drive my car. Sometimes none of the places we visited compares to the one place we lived (and then I miss London so much I could cry). Sometimes the part I miss most is our friends (which was true in London, too). Sometimes I miss the impromptu visits to Brewdog on the way home from school. Sometimes it's British food and Camden High Street and sometimes it's the ride on the 214 and the walk from our bus stop to our little, little flat. In our three-story townhouse now, sometimes the 1700+ square feet feel like way too much and I miss our little one-bedroom home where the full-sized bed touched the walls on three sides. Sometimes I miss exploring a new city with Joe and having nothing on our schedule but whatever we wanted to see or do there that day. Sometimes I'm just happy to be home, doing a job I love (and missed terribly for 3 years), and living close enough to see friends we've had since high school. Sometimes the London Instagram feed features a picture that includes the 24 bus or Gower Street and I miss the life I had there so badly. Then I discover that I can get mocha lattes at Coffee Bean and I don't feel so far from London anymore. There's always been a travel Sarah that was more independent and spontaneous and brave than regular Sarah, and London brought me closer to merging the two. 

The adventure was big but it was also small. The parts I think about are bus rides and tea shops and restaurants we found in cities all over Europe. I think about the time I spent alone and feeling comfortable by myself for maybe the first time ever. I wouldn't go to the movies by myself here, but I did there and it made me feel independent. I think about all of the beauty and history and the way it mixed in with feeling lonely and cold and happy and brave and accomplished. I think about the fact that I wanted to go on a big adventure and that somehow, my husband and I actually did it.

The truth is, I don't know how to answer the small talk questions about our adventure. The whole experience is way too big for small talk answers. 

Last Stop on the Italy Train: Rome

Traveling with 6 people and 11 suitcases (plus purses/backpacks) is a challenge. Traveling by train is a challenge. However, once you make it onto the train with all those people and all those bags, it's a relief and feels pretty awesome.

I have said before that I'm not a big fan of capital cities in general. Our year of capital-hopping did improve my outlook on these over-crowded, over-touristy, over-everything destinations, but I'm afraid Rome still falls into the category of Not-My-Favorite. This visit was perhaps the best of my three trips to Rome, but that had a lot to do with the company.

Janis had very few requests for this vacation, but a steadfast one was a chance to take her kids to the Vatican. I figured that was as good a place as any to centralize our stay, so this was the view from our hotel.

Well hello there, St. Peter's 

We were even able to walk over for a night view:

Since my mom and I had both been to the Vatican museums (twice) and St. Peter's Basilica (twice), we decided to split from the group and take a walking food tour in Testaccio, a Roman neighborhood known for cucina romana, while the others visited Vatican City. (Favorite quote from Rome: "What time does Vatican City open?" Since it's a country, that's basically like asking, "What time does Argentina open?")

Our food tour had many stops from bakeries to butchers to gelaterias, but what made it memorable was unfortunately not the food, but the pouring rain. For the third time during our vacation, we were hit with a freak rain storm characterized by booming thunder, flooded streets, and two soaking wet travelers. This was not the environment for a walking tour, especially once we started wading through calf-deep water in order to cross the street. It was a memorable experience, but definitely not my favorite food tour. (Under different circumstances, I think it could have been amazing and is definitely worth booking if you are not going to be rained out.)

Meanwhile, the others were inside until the sun came out and dried up all the rain, literally. Here we are at the Vatican (and possibly being a little inappropriate with a statue of Pope John Paul II). I've been to Rome three times and each time there has been a different pope - John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and now Francis.

After their Vatican tour, we headed out to Piazza Navona, home to my favorite fountain, Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers). This fountain represents the major rivers on each of the four continents that had been touched by papal influence by the mid-seventeenth century. They were the Nile (Africa), Ganges (Asia), Danube (Europe), and Rio de la Plata (America). My favorite part is the Nile; Bernini chose to cover the face with cloth because at the time no one knew where the river started.

the Ganges river god

Our evening began with a walk through the city and included a visit to my favorite gelateria in the world: Il Gelato di San Crispino next to the Pantheon.

San Crispino boasts flavors like cinnamon ginger, rum chocolate, and malpighi (balsamic vinegar), as well as more traditional flavors like stracciatella (chocolate chip), hazelnut, and pistachio. It was also mentioned in Elizabeth Gilbert's most famous book, Eat, Pray, Love. If you are in Rome, it is a crime not to visit.

we went twice!

The next day Julie and Val wanted to see the Colosseum. The rest of us took a walk and got a delicious lunch.

Our last major stop was another Roman must-see, the Pantheon.

groupie with the Pantheon's most identifiable feature: the oculus in the dome

It was hot and we were tired. Time for fun with fountains!

teaching the new tourists about Roman drinking fountains near Circus Maximus

in front of the the Pantheon

imitating the fountain in front of the Pantheon

Italy, as always, was beautiful, welcoming, and delicious, but we were ready to go home. Thank you, Janis, for an amazing vacation!

It was time to take a break from travel adventures, which we did for exactly one day before heading up to Sacramento for a wedding. Then we really settled back in and didn't leave San Diego for 5 months. More on our Hawaiian Christmas soon.

The Colosseum looks like a nest!