roadtrip, day 5

Today was crazy-exhausting.

We had great intentions, but things didn't fall into place exactly how we had hoped they would.

We woke up in Pennsylvania and decided that we had plenty of time for some fun. Our plan was to drive to Brooklyn and take Aidan to Coney Island. He was thrilled about the prospect (one of his favorite Wonder Pets episodes involves rescuing a baby squirrel off a Coney Island roller coaster).

Unfortunately, we completely underestimated the amount of people who would have the same "great idea" we did -- it was packed with thousands of people. We drove around for about an hour looking for a parking place anywhere in the vicinity, but in the end, had to give up without so much as a nibble of a Nathan's famous hotdog or taste of saltwater taffy.

And bless is his little heart ... Aidan was such a trooper about the whole thing, despite the fact that we kept passing ferris wheels, roller coasters, hot dog stands, balloons and the beach. Talk about torture for a four-year-old. But we've promised to make it up to him, and he seems o.k. with the agreement.

But our New York City [mis]adventure had only just begun. According to our trusty Garmin GPS, we should have arrived in Stamford, CT by 3:15; however, at almost 5:00 pm, we were still sitting in some of the worst traffic I've ever experienced (which is saying a lot coming from a Houston girl). It was especially baffling, considering it was mid-day on a Tuesday.

So in the end, we spent most of the day in traffic in New York City while Aidan watched Thomas & Friends DVDs in the backseat. Again, he was awesome.

Tomorrow is our last day on the road, as we finally arrive in New Hampshire. Unfortunately, our house won't be ready until July 6, so we'll still be sleeping in a hotel until then. But at least the drive will be over.

Finally, I wrote the other night about missing the fireflies ... last night they came out to play again, and I was able to snap a picture of Aidan with them. So if you look real carefully, you can see the speck of light to the left of Aidan's head in the picture. Those little flashing buggers are hard to take a pic of! :)

roadtrip, day 4

Today's highlight -- visiting the Gettysburg Battlefield.

I can't imagine any tourist walking this hallowed ground is ever able to prevent his or her mind from wandering, as well as wondering, at the 50,000 young men who occupied the same sacred ground, spilling their blood and giving their lives in such a violent conflict. The peace and beauty of the area today makes it almost impossible to fathom the original carnage of the area -- the emotion it inspires is incredible.

We left Virginia after breakfast and crossed back and forth across the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania until reaching Gettysburg. After spending a few hours in the historic area, we ended up in Harrisburg, the state capital of Pennsylvania, for the night. We just ordered Chinese and are planning to kick back for the evening at the hotel.

It looks like we've got about two days of driving left before we reach New Hampshire. I'm so glad we made this drive together as a family. Seeing America in the way we have is pretty cool.

roadtrip, day 3

I'm sort of cheating and writing my day 3 update on day 4, but last night I was just too beat to do anything except fall into bed and sleep.

Which was actually kind of a bummer, because Ty and Aidan informed me that when they were outside walking the dogs, thousands of lightning bugs came out to visit once the sun started to set (apparently disturbed by the frolicking pooches). I wish I'd snapped a picture of it, but I was sawing logs in room 218 of the Best Western in Lexington, Virginia -- home of the Virginia Military Institute and Washington & Lee University, as well as birthplace of Sam Houston.

Yesterday took us across the remainder of the Tennessee portion of our trip, and then through Virginia. I especially enjoyed the Black Hills and passing through Blacksburg, home of Virginia Tech. It's a scenic drive, no doubt.

Tomorrow we head up to Pennsylvania, officially taking us out of the South. The adventure continues ....

short trip to the alamo city

A big chunk of my heart lives in San Antonio, Texas. My dad's "half" of the family all reside in Bexar County, with only a small number of exceptions scattered outside the area.

Growing up, trips to San Antonio for me meant visiting Grandma and Grandpa's house and playing with cousins. If anything else existed in SA beyond the walls of my grandparent's home, it didn't really matter to me -- I didn't need, nor was I interested, in much more.

As I've grown up, I've discovered that San Antonio is a fun place to spend a few days away from home. The culture is uniquely and perfectly Tex-Mex, on a much greater scale than any other city of its size. There's a touristy element (beyond just the Alamo and the Riverwalk) that lends itself to visitors from out of town, but not in an overly garish manner, but just enough to be entertaining.

Tomorrow Ty, Aidan and I are hitting the road for a few days and heading over to the Alamo City. I'm most excited about meeting my new second cousin, Baby Bryson, and visiting with family. But hitting any of the following spots ... some of my favorites in San Antonio, would be queso on top.

1. The Menger Hotel -- one of my favorite hotels in the world. Within walking distance of the Alamo and the River, the Menger sits in a centrally perfect location in downtown SA. But my two favorite (yes, it's a tie) aspects of the Menger are its historically gorgeous bar, built in 1887, as well as the mysterious ghosts and spirits who reside inside the old hotel. I've even had my own unexplained spooky encounter at the Menger ... but that's a post for a different day. :)

According to the hotel's website, the watering hole at the Menger was where Teddy Roosevelt recruited many of his Rough Riders, volunteers for the American volunteer Cavalry in the Spanish-American war. The pub has a paneled ceiling of cherry wood, booths and beveled mirrors from France. It's cozy in size, yet perfectly so. Oh, and they serve a killer a cosmo.

2. Dolores Del Rio Ristorante & Grill Room - Betcha thought I'd be writing about a Tex-Mex restaurant in a post about San Antonio, didn't ya?! Believe it or not, one of the best overall experiences I've had at an Italian restaurant has been in San Antonio. Dolores Del Rio is a magnificent hidden gem. Look for the little place where a tree on the river grows right out of the building.

The restaurant is located in one of the less-travelled areas of the Riverwalk, and if you blink as you walk by it, it's easy to miss. With live jazz 7-nights a week, as well as a belly dancer who makes a sexy appearance at 8:30 in the evening (don't miss it!), the eclectic bohemian ambiance of this tiny restaurant is a total feast for all the senses.

Oh, and the menu and wine list (mostly Italians, heavy on reds) is top-notch. Menu tip du jour: go for the gnocchi and chicken in bay leaf sauce -- divine.

If you're lucky enough, you'll be seated right by the kitchen, which usually isn't the best location in most restaurants. But the owners and chefs at Dolores are eager to share old world stories about Italy, as well as tidbits about the menu. Again, such a super overall dining experience. It's hard to leave!

3. Alamo Fiesta on Main - THE place to go for gaudy (yet fun!) Tex-Mex party supplies, arts and crafts, as well as furniture and textiles from abroad -- an explosion of Dia de los Muertos, sugar skulls, papel picado, piñatas, and cascarones.

Located in an old white house near San Antonio College close to downtown on Main, Alamo Fiesta epitomizes color. It's also from where most of the ornaments on my Mexican tin ornament tree originated!

¡Felíz año nuevo!