Revisiting Virtually -- A New York State of Mind

It is Sunday in New York City and we've  just moved into the Parker Meridien Hotel for our annual stay in "the city."  We're tired and hungry....and I want breakfast.  Of course, Norma's is there, the most fabulous breakfast place ever, with their wonderful oatmeal mixed with apples and pears topped off by a crunchy carmelized brulee or their to-die-for banana macadamia nut pancakes or take a look at the menu yourself.   But I realize there are many other options..I'm in New York after all.  There are the deli's on each of the nearby corners that serve up solidly good standard fare at close-to reasonable prices, but there is also Seppis, the charmingly French bistro with a Swiss chef, directly connected to the Meridien through a door by reception.  

And I am tired, so Seppis it is.  Sitting at the bar , I read my Times, and order an omelet with cheese and spinach -- not on the brunch menu, but it's what I want and they make it with pomme frites ( I can't call them French Fries -- they are just too good to be called French Fries -- thin delicate potato slivers,  gently fried and salted, no grease -- perfect.)  The room is pleasantly tan and beige with interesting period posters, mirrors and prints covering most of the wall space.  The jazz piano player starts tapping on the keys signaling the start of brunch. Seppis serves a delectable brunch, with many of the dishes as the chef explains in the restaurant's YouTube interview  oh so slightly hinting of chocolate, and with a full chocolate-lovers buffet table to boot.  But I just want to savor my omelet and sip my wine, and listen to the refrains of the jazz group now playing "I'll remember you." 

Yes, I will remember you...this New York moment.  For years I lived and worked here, then visited often, now too infrequently.  But I realize that living in a virtual age has made New York a keystroke away.  Within seconds I'm zooming in front of the Parker Meridian on Google Earth, walking down 56th Street, and spotting the deli I ruled out in favor of Seppis.  Viewing the rooms at the Meredian website, I recall  the exquisite functionality of the hotel - and as described there the "traditionally French, but decidedly New York" style, expressed so well in the glib writing, e.g.,  "Hi-speed internet: what do you think?"

If I choose I can browse over to the MOMA and check out favorite paintings or move over to Carnegie Hall and listen to bits of music as I peruse upcoming concerts.  On YouTube alone there are almost 400,000 video pieces  covering  some part of the city, 40,000 covering Central Park .  Then, of course, through TripAdvisor, Virtual Tourist, Trazzler, and many more travel sites I can read, view pictures and vicariously experience New York through the words, pictures, and videos of thousands of visitors and people who live there.  Not to mention, the bloggers...and tweeps who can be questioned to help retrieve a memory of a restaurant, attraction or other experience.  

I wonder though had I not smelt Nathan's  hot dogs and the other rich aromas of the City, not tasted the food and taken in the atmosphere of  New York restaurants and deli's, not brushed  up against New Yorkers rushing up Broadway or onto subways, not heard the blaring sound of taxi horns, not seen with my own eyes Central Park from a New York skyscraper, not watched Ice-skaters  nor the Today Show Live at Rockefeller Center, not mingled with crowds of people hustling into theatres would I be able to so clearly go to New York in my mind.  I don't think so.   Traveling can't be replaced virtually.   But what virtual  traveling  can do is amplify the  anticipation and memory  of a real experience. ...and oh, am I so very grateful for that.

Venice's International Art Biennale --70 Countries showcase the best in Contemporary Art -- on view through November 2009

While Venice's is typically associated with the Art of the Renaissance, it is a contemporary art exhibition that every other year draws artists from over 70 countries from all over the world.  When the first Venice Biennale Art Festival was held in 1895 the decorative arts were the centerpiece of the event. Through the years, the festival became more and more international and from 1907 on, several countries began installing national pavilions.   After World War I, the Biennale gradually changed its focus to modern art. Many well-known modern artists had their work exhibited there between the wars.

In the 1930s, under Facist leadership, several new sections of the event were established: the Music Festival in 1930, the now more famous  International Film Festival in 1932, and the Theatre Festival in 1934.  

After a six-year hiatus during  the Biennale was resumed in 1948 with renewed attention to avant-garde movements , contemporary art was introduced in the 1950s, pop art in the 1960s.   Currently contempory art is the focus of the Biennale.  

For some excellent illustrations of the art being exhibited see the Boston Globe's piece on the event. 

The exhibition, which opened on June 7, continues through November, 2009.  Ticket and venue information can be found on the Biennale's website. 

Favorite Place Travel Tweets of the Week

Here are our favorite tweets about places (we only choose those with links to a travel blog or article) for the week ending August 1.  

Place Visited: Russia

Take a train ride back to the 19th century Russia -l Theroux travels by train from Moscow ... The Guardian http://ow.ly/iNSd

Place Visited: Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA

RT @SimpleTourism: Best Bets for August in the Outer Banks: During the height of the summer season  http://bit.ly/3VwIK #travel

Place Visited: London, England, UK

A Personal Experience for students going abroad. A semester in London - The Boston Globe http://ow.ly/iRbz

RT @janelasky: Sherlock Holmes stars Jude Law Robert Downey Jr. take over 1 of London's oldest churches http://bit.ly/vFpSD

48 hours in Bath .. England that is #Travel - Independent.ie http://ow.ly/iNX6

Place Visited: Camogli, Italy (Italian Riviera)

Nice article on towns along the Italian coast S. of Genoa- Hiking along the Mediterranean Coast: Camogli http://ow.ly/iDXo #italy

Cheap Tickets, Crowded Planes, Carry-Ons Galore and $4 chips.

Flight sales continue through the Fall, e.g. JetBlue has one-way, online fares as low as $49. (You have to book before Aug. 6, and fares require up to a 14-day advance purchase from travel between Sept. 8 and Dec. 16 with Thanksgiving holiday period blacked out.) Both AirTran and Southwest have launched similar sales, and other carriers are matching suit with fares to keep pace with the competition.

While recent business travel media reports indicate that ticket sales are still off, my own observations over the past few weeks are that the sales appear to be working. Every flight I have been on in the last four weeks has been full and usually over-booked. However, as I watched a pregnant mother with a small child in toe drag a hefty piece of luggage through the plane on a recent flight, what came home to roost is how the tough climate in business travel was driving airline pricing strategies to extreme measures. Most of the major airlines have recently upped their checked baggage charge to $20 for the first bag checked coaxing budget-minded travelers to opt for the lug-onto-the-plane route. Also, I noticed that airline check-in staff have become much more diligent about charging for overweight bags, so there is no overloading one bag thinking you're going to save on a second bag charge. 


Struggling to attract customers, airlines will continue to offer discounts on fares through the Fall while simultaneously trying to compensate for cuts in ticket prices by increasing fees for such previously taken-for-granted services as checked baggage and snacks on the plane. Combining this with cost cutting measures, such as: fewer flights in all, much, much fewer direct flights, and more seats on planes with no leg room, has led to often miserable flight experiences.

There is , however, in addition to lower ticket prices, another bright spot-- more on-time arrivals. Chicago O'Hare has reported a 20 percent increase in on-time arrivals, and, just as an observation, in the past 10 flights I have taken over a one-month period, not one was late and most arrived ahead of time.

Regardless, I'm addicted to travel, so I'll munch on my $3, or maybe even, $4 bag of chips, while a not-so-frequent and discourteous budget-vacationer sits in my lap, and a guy coming up the aisle with a humongous back-pack bruises my shoulder. Ah the things we do for love.

Brown Palace Hotel -- a Presidential Experience in Denver

My first solo hotel stay as a working young adult was at an historic hotel --Brown's in London. This marvelous hotel set the bar for what I would expect from accommodations far higher than what could reasonably be required for  a business hotel. Brown's was not just a hotel -- it was an experience, a time tunnel back to another more gracious era. From that all too brief stay, I learned to look for more from each and every hotel encounter from the little motel on the prairie, to the B&B by the sea, to the convention hotel in Chicago, to the grand hotel in Paris or Monaco. There had to be something out of the ordinary--whether it was a journey back to another time, a trip into exciting new living features that weren't yet the standard for ordinary homes, a full immersion into the culture of the city or town I was visiting, or even just something quirky that would give me a story to tell.


Tall order, but having the bellman tell me as he pushed our luggage towards reception that every President with the exception of Coolidge from Theodore Roosevelt through to George W. Bush had stayed in the hotel got my attention. Then as we walked into the lobby of the Brown Palace (no relation to Brown's in London) as high tea was being served in the atrium and the sounds of 30s style piano music wafted through the air, my eyes swept upward capturing almost instantaneously the cast-iron balconies, stained glass ceiling, huge American Flag, and remnants of a massive fireplace.  It was then that I felt that tumbling back in time sense that only an assiduously maintained historic hotel can deliver.  I knew this was going to be an experience.

Competing now with a number of stylish, boutique hotels that have opened in recent years in Denver, the Brown Palace still manages to set a contemporary standard (including an excellent spa) while maintaining it's elegant and historic charm.   From its dramatic eight-story atrium lobby adorned with Mexican onyx to clubby restaurants and quaint, comfortable bars to its high ceiling guest rooms with attractively remodeled bathrooms, lovely furnishings and finishes, and slanted windows that let the sun stream in, the Brown Palace exceeds expectations.

While gradually modernizing, the Brown Palace has retained the feel of an historic Denver and American West. The triangular Colorado red granite and sandstone building has been continuously operational since opening in late in the 19th century.   And as you walk into Churchill's Bar, opened in 1996, you can easily imagine turn-of-the-century gentlemen drawing on their cigars while discussing the politics and business of the day in such an establishment. And more of that somewhere-in-time feeling has been created by the historic artifacts and paintings that adorn the public rooms. The windows near the entrance to the Palace Arms and Churchill Bar, for instance, contain French military band figures carved by a French doll maker imprisoned during the Napoleonic wars. Replicas of flags prominent during the exploration of the American continent and dueling pistols said to have belonged to Napoleon can be observed while dining in the Palace Arms Restaurant. An incredible painting, "The Sultan's Dream, a part of the hotel since it's opening in 1892, can be viewed in the Churchill Bar. Touches throughout like an antique black phone, an historic postal box, and changing displays of memorabilia such as old guest registers, menus and brochures in the entry lobby further sustain the historic character and feel of this grand old hotel.  

And beyond the building, service is as gracious as you would expect from a hotel that has catered to Presidents and other world dignitaries.  If Mr. Obama chooses to keep their record of Presidential stays going, I am sure the Brown Palace will not disappoint.

And just to demonstrate how an older lady can keep up with the times, there is a tweeter for the hotel, with whom I made the arrangements for my stay:  BrownPalace. After I tweeted my compliments, BrownPalace tweeted: @thetraveltweet So glad to see you enjoyed your time here. Hope to welcome you back. Please let us know if you need anything in the future!  To be sure @BrownPalace thetraveltweet will be back.  

I love Twitter.  

Historic Train from Denver to Cheyenne for Frontier Days

It was 142 years ago on the Nation’s Birthday that General Grenville M. Dodge and his crew platted what is now known as Cheyenne, then in the Dakota Territory, later in what is now the state of Wyoming.  Named for the Indian tribe that dominated the Great Plains, Cheyenne, like many of the towns built to support the growth of the Union Pacific railroad west, was intrinsically linked to the railroad.

Fittingly then in the summer of 1897, Cheyenne was coaxed by a Travelling Passenger Agent for the Union Pacific Railroad to have a festival that would become a destination for an excursion train. Little did the agent realize that it would be drawing folks there for over a hundred years to come.  Held annually, this year’s Cheyenne’s Frontier Days is the 113th celebration of the event, whose centerpiece is what is claimed to be the largest rodeo in the world. 

Tweeters have been tweeting in droves about the event.  Among them is the Tweep for the Union Pacific Railroad whose tweet concerned the legendary steam locomotive No. 844 that pulled a special fund-raising train into Cheyenne from Denver on Saturday, July 18 celebrating the historic link between Cheyenne and the Union Pacific. 

Check out the video of the train making it's way to Cheyenne this past weekend on YouTube.

Cheyenne's Frontier Days event continues through next weekend, July 26.  

7 Must-Dos Traveling in London

Having spent the equivalent of months in London a week or two at a time -- I note that my view of the must-dos or must-sees, while consistent with what most travel guides or writers have concluded, differs somewhat because of particular interests.  Here they are, all with the caveat of time permitting:

1) A Yoman Warder tour of the The Tower of London is a must, including seeing, of course, the Crown Jewels.

2) Not just touring the The Houses of Parliament, but sitting in the galleries during debates. The galleries are open to the public when the Houses are meeting , which is from Monday to Thursday and on "Sitting" (meeting)  Fridays, with differing times for each House. The galleries are not open during recess, when neither House is meeting.

3) Having High Tea at one of the finer hotels in London.  My favorites:  Browns or the Lanesborough

4) Watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.   However, if you miss this or are visiting London in the Summer between the end of July and the end of September, you can visit the state rooms of the Palace.  For more information.

5) Seeing Shakespeare preferably at the Globe or if not you cup of tea -- a West End show.  Going to the theatre in London is a special experience not to be missed.

6) Perusing  major museums -- most importantly the British Museum

7) Taking  one of the  Double-Decker Bus Tours and jumping  off to see highlights like Westminster Cathedral or to walk through Harrods.

Most importantly, walk, take the Tube, and enjoy the street life  around this great town while doing the must-do's.

London is perhaps my second favorite city in the world.  There are endless things to do and see there..limiting this list to seven is painful.

Cheyenne's Frontier Days Grand Parades

The first of four Frontier Days' Grand Parades rolled through the streets of downtown Cheyenne Saturday with marching bands, dignitaries on horseback or historic carriages. U.S. Senators from Wyoming, Miss Wyoming, rodeo champions, Cheyenne's mayor and others waved to the crowds that lined the parade route starting from the Capital building.

The next Parade is tomorrow, July 21, followed by parades on Thursday and Saturday expected to attract visitors from all over the world. If you're thinking about coming to Cheyenne for Frontier Days, don't miss the chance to see one of these spectacular events. Here's a sample of what you might see:

Frontier Days Tweeting

Before heading over to Cheyenne for Frontier Days this weekend, I did a search on Twitter and was amazed at the amount of tweeting occuring about the event. Experimenting with use of Friend Feed to embed twitter searches led me to try the following search. Here are the results:

Sidney, Nebraska a landmark of the American West

While driving from Denver on Route 76 in Northeastern Colorado, it is only the event of a roadrunner skirting across the highway and the intermittent patches of brilliant yellow wildflowers that break the monotony of vast nothingness. We’re heading to Sidney, Nebraska by way of Route 76 and then Nebraska Highway 19 ……destination Cabella’s.

The importance of Cabella’s to Sidney is evidenced by the first landmark you see approaching the town. Like the Eiffel Tower to Paris, the shining green water tower boldly imprinted with Cabela’s brand is to Sidney.

Established in 1867 as a railroad town, better known as a jumping off point to the Black Hills of South Dakota for gold seekers, Sidney had a rich history prior to Cabella’s. Originally a settlement of the Union Pacific Railroad designed to provide living quarters for railroad construction workers, the town got it's name from Sidney Dillion, who was at the time head of the Union Pacific.

While the railroad was being expanded across Western Nebraska in 1867, the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahoe intensified their attacks in attempts to thwart construction. To protect the railroad workers and the track being laid, a troop station was established and later a Fort, Fort Sidney. Today in what remains of the original fort, an authentic restoration of the living quarters of the post commander from 1867-1894, operates as a museum.

A walk through the Fort Sidney Museum is a journey back to a critical period in the history of the American West. Along with period furniture, household items and clothing from the the late 19th and early 20th century, eye-catching photos of cowboys, railroad workers and townspeople from the time pull you back to this mythical era. The railroad memorabilia is especially noteworthy, in particular, the advertisement for the Union Pacific Line from Omaha to Sidney that warns against "bad storms, bad lands, and bad ferries" encountered when not using the rail line.

Because the Sidney-Deadwood Trail was the shortest route to the gold fields, and Sidney was the main link with military outposts and Indian agencies and a trailhead for cattle drives going both East and West, the town attracted some not so welcome characters, like the noted horse thief, Doc Middleton. Sidney's main street became lined with saloons, gaming halls, houses of ill-repute, boarding houses, and the world’s first all night theatre. Today the historic downtown Sidney is much quieter and has a charm of its own with some restaurants and shops.

Then on the outskirts of Sidney is what draws most people to the area today --- Cabella's, the world famous outfitter....a topic for another post.

There's a tourist tweeter in Sidney, NE: SidneyNebraska. Then, of course, there's cabelasfishing, currently the only official Cabela's tweeter.

Custer State Park --- Part of Norbeck's Scenic Byway in South Dakota

I wasn't prepared to be enchanted nor was I prepared for buffalo crossing the road at their leisure as we headed up to Custer, South Dakota for a night's stay and visit to Mount Rushmore. But once we saw the majestic bison with their enormous heads and proud steady gait, I knew we'd arrived at a special place. So while in this area of South Dakota, in addition to our visit to Mount Rushmore, we ventured to Custer State Park. And just by way of our journey from Custer, SD to Mount Rushmore, we drove on other parts of Norbeck's scenic byway which takes you through lush forests and past eye-catching rock formations.

Peter Norbeck, Governor of and US Senator from South Dakota, who brought artist and sculptor Gutzon Borgium to South Dakota and acquired the federal funding needed to carve four presidential images into the side of a mountain in his state, also contributed to development of the system of scenic roads leading to Mount Rushmore and the development of national and state parks in South Dakota among them Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park and Custer State Park. Singlehandedly, he created lots of reasons for tourists to visit this amazing wilderness area.

If you are coming here...do use the map of Mr. Norbeck's scenic byways and spend the time traversing these winding scenic roads all leading to what amounts to an American Oz. As you wander on these curvy roads, realize the intent was for you to enjoy the scenery. One of Norbeck's goals was to also lead travelers to the 71,000 acre, Custer State Park. And it was Mr. Norbeck's road and some roaming buffalo that led us there.

The Lakota called them "tatanka," early explorers named them "buffalo," the huge, raggedy creatures that once roamed the praries in the millions. And Custer State Park is probably one of the best places in the country to see an abundance of what are technically bison, the largest animals in North America. About a century ago, two men who realized that these magnificent beasts were disappearing did something about it. Just as American bison were nearing extinction due to over hunting, Pete Dupree kept five bison calves and raised them; later Scotty Philip purchased this small herd which ultimately were the forebearers of the 1,500 bisons that roam Custer State Park.

And roam they do, through meadows, and very slowly across roads in front of cars, sometimes arrogantly standing in place in front of a vehicle visually commanding " go ahead, make my day." Seeing them and their calfs in multitude are a wonder as is just gazing across the green, yellow, and purple meadows aligning the Wildlife Loop Road spotting a prarie dog, or a meadowlark, a herd of burrors, remnants of was once a tourist trek to the top of Harney Peak, or seeing pronghorn ( I thought they were antelope as most neophytes to the park do), or if you are lucky an elk. There are also whitetail deer (which we did see), mule deer, mountain goats, coyotes, bighorn sheep, numerous varieties of birds and mountain lion (yes I said lions) that make their home in the park.

Our stay here was too brief. We did manage to walk a bit up one of the numerous trails (on most trails you can horseback ride or hike, on some mountain bike or just walk), stop at the State Game Lodge, "Summer White House" for President Calvin Coolidge (one of four lodges in the park), and admire the attactive campsites throughout the park (260 which can be reserved beginning in early January for May to October visitors at http://www.campsd.com/). Swimming is allowed at the park's five lakes, boating is permitted with some restrictions, and fishing is allowed anywhere with a valid South Dakota fishing license. Check out all the details on the park at http://www.custerstatepark.info/.

Tweeters in the area:

www.twitter.com/KOA_MTRUSHMORE

Tweets about campsites near Mount Rushmore

www.twitter.com/travelsd

Official Tweeter for South Dakota tourism 

www.twitter.com/rushmrfireworks

PR about Mount Rushmore and fireworks

www.twitter.com/sdexplorer

Discusses South Dakota events, culture

References:

Tatanka, the 2009 Guide to Custer State Park.