We were going to Columbus OH with Fred and my parents for a cousins wedding. Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time to visit because we had already planned out our days off for other trips. On Saturday morning we woke up and were at my parents house by 5 a.m. We loaded our stuff into their SUV and settled Fred for the road trip. I am definitely an over-packer and here's where I get it from. For 3 days away we brought 1 small suitcase, my purse, and a tote bag for Fred's stuff. My parents brought a suitcase, hanging bag, hanging clothes, a carry on, a tote bag, a cooler, and a bag full of snacks. With the car loaded we left their house. We hit our first snag right away. My dad's tire was very low so we circled back to a gas station and filled it up properly. Back on the road we headed out west. We made plenty of stops along the way for gas, food, and walks for Fred and finally arrived in Columbus around 7 p.m. We pulled up to the Valet of the Hilton Columbus Downtown. The staff helped us with all of our luggage and the car itself. At the check in desk the friendly staff provided us with our key cards, door hanger saying there was a dog in the room, and helped us bring our luggage up. We reserved a 1 bedroom suite for us and my parents. There was a small entryway with a bathroom off to the left. The living room offered a flat screen tv, wet bar, pull out sofa, and chairs. The bedroom offered a king size bed, sofa, desk, and bathroom. My parents decided to stay in with Fred and order room service. Greg and I decided to go a block up and get dinner at Bareburger. We checked in without a reservation and had about a 5-10 minute wait. We ordered cocktails and a couple of glasses of water. Greg ordered the Matador (a southwest type burger with pico, guacamole and more) and I customized a burger on a gluten/dairy free bun and dairy free cheese. The service started out great, our meals came out in a reasonable time, and another server asked if we would like refills on our drinks. After we finished our meal it did take a pretty long time for our waiter to come over and ask if we were done and then bring us our check. I understand that the restaurant was very full but it doesn't take long to bring a check and turn over a table for those waiting. The next morning we woke up and my parents decided to go down to the restaurant for breakfast while we ordered in with Fred. Greg and I ordered the pineapple upside down pancakes and the Nutella stuff french toast. Greg's french toast was delicious but my pancakes ended up having a strange taste. I wonder if the pineapples weren't ripe and therefore left an aftertaste. After breakfast we realized we forgot to pack toothpaste. Greg went down to the front desk where the staff had packages of toothpaste for just such an occasion. The 4 of us got ready for the wedding and that's when we also realized we forgot shampoo, conditioner, and face wash. We were lucky yet again that the hotel provides toiletries. Our next small disaster was that my mother realized she left the wedding card at home. Greg, myself and Fred walked 15 minutes down the street to CVS and then had a short wait for them to open. There were a couple of really fun pieces of art, architecture and history along the way. Back at the hotel we finished getting ready and made our way to the wedding venue. The wedding was wonderful! It was a great mix of touching sentiments, laughter, good food, drinks, and family time. We had to leave the wedding a little early because Fred had been left alone and it was time to make him dinner. At the hotel Greg went to our room to take Fred for a walk and I headed to the bar area to order a burger for him. Once again the staff were so helpful and very friendly. I purchased a medium rare burger for Fred and received it quickly. Greg, myself and my dad went upstairs to the concierge lounge for cocktail hour. We enjoyed a couple of drinks, coconut lobster rolls, and vegetable spring rolls. The food was delicious and the drinks were reasonable. The woman who was working in the lounge was so cheerful and helpful it was a pleasure speaking with her. Later in the evening we came back for some waters and chocolate chip cookies. With everyone tired and our early departure time we decided to stay in and order room service. Our burgers, sandwiches, and nicoise salad were cooked well, seasoned perfectly, and delivered in a quick time. The Hilton Columbus Downtown is one of the best Hilton's we have stayed at (we're Diamond members who usually book with only Hilton). The staff, rooms, food, and location are well worth the visit!
In the morning we left Columbus and started heading home. The drive home was again filled with laughter, small hiccups, and me dropping my phone into the toilet. Yup! I did that! I suppose there is a first for everything. A phone case thrown out, soap, antibacterial wipes, and a phone standing upright helped bring my phone back from the dead. We made it back to my parents house where we unloaded the car, loaded our stuff into our car, and went home to get ready for work the next morning.
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After our late night, we slept in and started our day later than originally planned. Once we were ready we made our way on foot to Buckingham Palace. Halfways there we realized that we were hungry. Up and to the left of us was Giraffe World Kitchen. On our previous visit to London we dined here for lunch and knew we could get a good meal. Greg ordered his usual sweet breakfast of pancakes with a side of bacon. I decided to give the Shakshuka a try. Shakshuka is a North African dish of eggs cooked in a tomato sauce with herbs and served with crusty bread. I was hoping to include chorizo but that item contained dairy. The service was friendly, fast and the food was good and filling. We continued our walk to Buckingham Palace. We stopped along the way and were able to catch the end of the changing of the guard. After a few pictures we made our way to Harrods. Our first stop inside Harrods was to the food halls. Yes we're foodies, yes we always think about food, and yes we are thrilled when we try something new. We were at the fruit section and were thrilled to be able to try some Custard Apple. Custard apple is creamy, slightly sweet and delicious (keep in mind that it does contain seeds though). The wonderful staff helped us purchase a couple custard apples and a Mangosteen (a favorite fruit I first tasted in Bali). We then shopped for tea, curds, cookies, jams, and also just had to purchase a couple very pretty Cronuts (I know it's years later but this was our first time trying them). Greg's co-worker met us inside Harrods and we explored the other departments (mainly women's clothing) before heading to lunch. For lunch we all agreed on The Burger Bar (who doesn't love greasy burgers and french fries after a night of delicious cocktails). Unfortunately, the service at The Burger Bar was awful. We were seated right away which was nice but we couldn't get anyone to look at us even though we were seated at the bar. I eventually asked for menus and then we had another incredibly long wait for someone to take our order. The woman working at the bar area seemed to only be able to work on drinks and milkshakes. The waiters seemed to be helping everyone but us. Again, I had to ask if we could order which was derailed yet again by me stating that I have a dairy allergy. Finally, a supervisor or manager came over and took our order. All of our burgers were good and the french fries were crispy but it definitely wasn't worth the cost. Now we can say we shopped and ate at Harrods though. We decided to walk back to our hotel via Picadilly Circus so that we could get a few touristy gifts for family/friends. Once we did our shopping I had to take a cab back to the hotel, my tendon was starting to hurt again unfortunately. This evening we had dinner reservations for the 3 of us at Hutong. If I'm being honest I wasn't that excited about dining at Hutong. I thought dining inside the Shard would be unique and offer us amazing views of the city. In the end the service, food, ambiance, and views wowed us!
When you enter the Shard you have to go through a security scanner and then the staff check your name and reservation and show you to the elevator. The three of us checked in and were helped with our coats. We were a little early for our reservation so we opted to enjoy a cocktail in the lounge. The lounge service was a little on the slow side but the relaxing environment and the delicious drinks made up for it. Before we could settle our bar bill we were told our table was ready. The staff helped carry our drinks to the table and instructed the staff to add our drinks to our dinner bill. Our table was right up to the windows offering us fantastic views of London. The ambiance was low lighting, dark wood, red lanterns and welcoming staff. We ordered vegetarian spring rolls and Iberico pork dumplings to start. The starters were hot, savory, and delicious. For entrees and side dishes we ordered dan dan noodles, roasted Peking duck (served two ways), and seafood fried rice. The dan dan noodles weren't as spicy as I hoped but they were tasty. The Peking duck was first sliced table-side for us and served with sliced green onions and rice wrappers. The second part of the duck was served stir fried with lettuce wraps. I can't speak to the seafood fried rice as it didn't appeal to me that evening. After dinner, the sleet let up so we decided to walk back to the CitizenM and enjoy the fresh air.
My first full day in London was spent exploring with Greg (no work until Monday). A couple blocks from the Citizen M Bankside hotel is Borough Market. Our breakfast was definitely unorthodox. Greg enjoyed a porchetta inspired sandwich (pork, herbs, arugula, and crunchy skin) from Roast Hog. I decided to go a sweeter route and ordered a delicious dairy free cupcake from The Free From Bakehouse. To wash down our breakfast we went across the street to Starbucks. I can't live without my Matcha Lemonade. Unfortunately, London doesn't know how to make a Matcha Lemonade. The barista was happy to listen to me on how to make it and was happy with the end result and was all ready to Instagram it. Later on in our stay a barista (at a different location) tried to give me lemonade, milk, and matcha in a glass - so thankful I looked at it before sipping!!
We walked along the river to Shakespeare's Globe Theater where we had tickets for a tour. The tour takes you through to the outside of the theater, inside to the first level, and then up to the second level. During our tour there was a youth group performing and so they ask you not to take any photographs. Luckily we were able to get a few in while the group was backstage. Hearing about the history of the original theater and this theater was wonderful. We both agree that if we get back to London during the season we would love to see a play here!
After the tour we had a very windy and cold walk across Millennium Bridge to St Paul's Cathedral. We pre-purchased tickets and had no wait. Whenever I visit a church I always make sure to light a candle, say a prayer, and be thankful for our blessings. The church is beautiful and I wish we were allowed to take pictures so that I could share them with you.
We did climb all the way to the top of the Dome and the views were well worth it! The climb up and down did help us to work up an appetite and while it is something we could get at home, Wagamama on a cold and dreary day sounded perfect! Wagamama's new Tantanmen Beef Brisket Ramen was hot, savory, and slightly spicy. Perfect! After lunch we continued walking east to Leadenhall Market. Sadly, the market was closed but it turned out to be a good thing for uncrowded photographs. As we walked back to our hotel we took the longer route and went over Tower Bridge. It was around this point that my foot was killing me (I apparently had a pulled tendon in my foot and saw my dr right before the trip). I was hoping that a cab would cross our path but we had no such luck. We continued walking to our hotel where I finally sat down with a glass of wine and some Motrin.
I was so hopeful for a wonderful dinner at Maze by Gordon Ramsay. After checking in for our reservation the staff helped us with our coats and showed us to our table. Once at our table the sommelier showed us the wine list but we opted for a cocktail followed by a bottle of Sake. Unfortunately, it took at least 15 minutes for our waiter and our drinks to come to the table.
For dinner we ordered 5 piece sashimi for 2, Scallop, Octopus, Foie Gras, Eggplant miso, Congee, and the Duck. I wasn't thrilled with the the way the restaurant brings out multiple dishes at once. We basically had two sessions, appetizers and then entree. I know it's several weeks later but the only dish that was memorable was the Eggplant Miso. The eggplant was tender without being overcooked and the flavor was bold and unique. Our second favorite dish was probably the Scallop. All of the others were just average. My biggest problem is that we hardly ever saw our waiter. We had empty dishes sitting in front of us during both courses for over 10 minutes. The table next to us was seated after us and finished their desserts before our entree dishes were cleared. We asked to see the dessert menu but after waiting and waiting and waiting we decided to say no thank you. The manager came over to ask if there was a problem and we said yes. There was a big problem with the service. I explained that the food was good, the speed of the kitchen wasn't a problem, but that our waiter was hardly ever around. We spent at least 45 minutes (out of the 2 hours and 15 minutes we were there) waiting for assistance with dirty dishes, had to pour our own sake's, and took forever to receive the dessert menus. The manager was apologetic and wanted to do something for us but we already paid and weren't looking for any special treatments. I was happy though that he read the notes in our reservation asking for permission to take pictures in the kitchen. It was very nice getting a quick tour, taking pictures, and hearing about the chefs process. My final thoughts are that for the cost there are many other restaurants in London that offer terrific food and wonderful service.
We ended our night at the bar inside of Citizen M Bankside Hotel with Greg's co-worker. We thoroughly enjoyed many cocktails, waters, and laughs before heading to bed!!
Greg and I both love London, England. Naturally when Greg had to make plans to go to London for work I quickly said yes to tagging along.
Friday morning we woke up very early and brought Fred to my parents house (they spoiled him rotten and he actually gained a pound). We parked in central parking at Logan Airport and made our way to the British Airways check in desk. Once inside we had a short wait for the British Airways counter to open up. We checked in the day before and printed our boarding passes so all we had to do was drop off our checked luggage. Since getting Global Entry we have yet to be able to use TSA pre-check (only certain airlines participate). We waited in the security line and after a short while we made it through. The British Airways staff in Boston were very efficient and boarding was incredibly easy. We had economy seats (paid for seat assignments when booking though) and settled into our window and middle seat. What I don't like about British Airways is the lack of leg room and the lack of personal air vents. Our 6 hour flight was relatively smooth, had friendly flight attendants, and a decent selection of movies. When it came to meals Greg opted for the regular meal and I chose the lactose free meal. I was pleasantly surprised to see ripe fruit, breakfast polenta with stewed blueberries, a roll, and vegan butter (this is the first flight I actually received dairy free butter).
We landed in London a few minutes early and unfortunately got stuck in an hour long line at immigration. Luckily we arranged a pick up with Eddie Manning Transfer Service. Our driver patiently waited for us and also called us to check in just as we were picking up our bags. We met our attentive driver right at the exit and had a short walk to the car. We made our way from the airport to CitizenM London Bankside. We noticed a major difference between London 4 years ago and right now....Construction! Construction is happening at the same time all throughout London. You will find narrowed lanes, closed roads, detours, and tons of congestion!
We arrived at CitizenM Bankside and walked into a fun and vibrant atmosphere. The self check in computers are easy to use but we did also get some assistance from an employee. We made our way to our assigned room but once we got there we weren't thrilled with it being right next to the elevators. The employee at check in gladly switched our room to one further away. We had room 546 which offered a large bed, desk and chair, sink/shelf, mini fridge, rain shower, toilet, safe, hanger space. While I can appreciate the design, the tv, ipad, and mood lights I must admit the room is small. We had to leave 90% of our belongings in our suitcases (which would take up the entire width of the floor when open). The other downfall to the room was that when you would turn on the sink for the first time each day there would be an unpleasant smell from the drain. During our stay we didn't dine at the hotel but we did enjoy drinks downstairs on multiple locations. The bartenders were friendly, fast, and made excellent cocktails. If you would like to tip your bartender you must have cash on you as they can't process tips on cards. Everyday the cleaning staff did a wonderful job. Our room and the entire property were always immaculate! The location of the CitizenM Bankside is perfect! It was a 10 minute walk to Greg's work, easy walking distance to to multiple sites (Shakespeare's Globe Theater, Borough Market, Tate Modern, London Bridge, Tower Bridge, etc), has a lot of restaurants nearby, and a small grocery store across the street. While the room size was a problem for us I would stay at this property again and recommend it to others.
After dropping off our luggage we realized we were starving so we walked up the street towards Borough Market and decided on our favorite burger restaurant Honest Burger. I find it incredibly interesting that in London people readily queue up for restaurants. There was a line of about 3 couples ahead of us but we only had a 10 minute wait.
We were seated and brought drink and food menus. Greg ordered a beer and I chose a mint julep for drinks. For food we both chose the Beef burger (mine was on a gluten and dairy free bun). All of the burgers come with rosemary salted chips known to us as french fries. The burgers are seared beautiful and cooked to the correct temperature. The onion relish is sweet and tart and the lettuce is fresh and crisp. The chips are hot, crispy, and the addition of rosemary is perfect! We settled our bill and had a fun chat with a friendly staff member about other travelers/visitors. We would have loved to stay for another drink but the long day of traveling was catching up with us and we were ready to crash so we left and walked back to our hotel and easily fell asleep. We made plans to celebrate my sister's birthday at The Cliff House Maine and so we decided to turn it into a long weekend getaway. Instead of staying at The Cliff House we chose Portland Maine. Portland is only 1.5 hours north of Boston on interstate 95, or if you want a leisurely ride take old Route 1 North. The city offers a variety of hotels, quirky stores, amazing restaurants, a lighthouse, a harbor, and so much more. When getting ready for a trip I used to pack at least 2 weeks before we would be leaving. I would lay out all the things I wanted to bring (from clothes to toiletries) and then add or subtract as the days went on. For some reason I can not pack early anymore! I actually keep packing later and later. On Saturday morning we woke up, packed, took out the trash, and hopped in the car to head north! Our first stop along the way was in Kittery, Maine. I absolutely love gummy strawberries so we made a quick stop at Yummies Candies and Nuts. For the kid in you or for actually kids, you will find an enormous variety of candy along with some products from Maine. Further up the road we stopped in for some bread for later in the weekend at When Pigs Fly Bakery. I am now obsessed with their Pineapple Jalapeno Bread. The bread is savory, a hint of heat from the jalapenos, and then just a touch of sweet from the pineapples. A perfect bite! Nearby is Cape Neddick, home to Nubble Lighthouse. The lighthouse is beautiful and we've seen it a ton of times, but whenever we're in the area we always stop for a quick walk and pictures. We arrived in Portland and pulled up to the valet at Hilton Garden Inn Portland Down Town Waterfront. I have never seen this hotel so busy! Cars were constantly coming and going, people were checking in and out, and the elevators were always busy. I will say the valet staff were working very hard so that customers didn't have a long wait. We checked into our room and were given vouchers for breakfast (thanks to being Hilton Diamond Members). Our room offered a view of the harbor, a king bed, pull-out couch, desk/chair, microwave, small fridge, and an average size bathroom. The room was clean when we entered and felt pretty well maintained. After the staff cleaned the room the next day we did notice that the floors weren't vacuumed and some items were left behind. We didn't try the breakfast during our stay but my parents did and it could have been better. The eggs made to order were very good (especially the omelets) but the potatoes were under-cooked. The staff are friendly, the rooms are clean, bar, room service (after 5 pm), and the location is great. We recommend this hotel for your Portland getaway. Sunday morning we woke up to at least 3 inches of snow. Last time I checked the weather report it showed just a dusting for Portland (we also had a very slow ride to Portland from The Cliff House Maine the night before). Instead of having breakfast at the hotel we put on our winter gear and headed to The Holy Donut. The Holy Donut makes delicious natural Maine Mashed Potato Donuts!! Inside you will find a variety of flavors, gluten free donuts, and vegan donuts. On this visit I tried the vegan lemon and triple berry donuts. Both donuts were very satisfying but the lemon was the clear winner. The combination of tartness with the sweet glaze was addicting. Greg opted for the dark chocolate sea salt and the maple bacon donuts. I can't recommend a visit to The Holy Donut enough! On the walk back to our hotel we stopped at Starbucks so I could get my usual Matcha Lemonade. After breakfast we hopped in the car with my parents and tried to get to Portland Head Lighthouse. Unfortunately, the park was still closed and covered in snow. We then had to turn around because just up the road was a 3 car accident and the road was closed. We decided to drive back to Portland and head to Vervacious. Vervacious is usually a wonderful spice store, unfortunately, it didn't live up to past visits. I was only able to find 1 spice blend in the store. The woman working informed us they were actually out of a lot and hadn't had the spice blends in stock since the holidays. We quickly popped into Bam Bam Bakery before heading out of Portland again. Bam Bam Bakery offers a lot of gluten and vegan baked goods. We purchased some gluten free rolls for a friend and I opted for a cinnamon and sugar "pop tart." My mother was really hoping to visit Fiore Artisan Olive Oils and so we decided to enjoy the 20 minute ride to Freeport Maine. We are so glad we did! Freeport is an adorable town and we all agree we definitely want to return for a stay. We popped into LL Bean, Fiore, and my dad enjoyed a crepe for a nearby restaurant. Back in Portland we were ready for lunch and called in an order to The Thirsty Pig. The four of us ordered a plain hot dog with mustard, the reuben dog, Matt's bbq banh mi, the Lithuanian Kielbasa sandwich, baked beans, and potato salad. All of our sandwiches were good and filling. My sandwich was the Matt's bbq banh mi and it had a wonderful combination of sweet, salty, crunchy, and freshness thanks to the cilantro. I didn't try the baked beans but heard they were good. The potato salad was good but only if you like dill so keep that in mind. At the hotel we spent the afternoon relaxing with a bottle of wine and good conversations. For dinner we decided on The Honey Paw. The Honey Paw does not skimp on portions and so we actually ended up over-ordering. We ordered the fried wings to start (as well an a 2nd order for Greg's meal). The wings were crispy, salty, and unique with the addition of coconut. One order would have been plenty for us! The scallion pancakes were crispy and savory but a little too salty for me. The other entrees were wonton noodle soup, ramen, and half chicken. The wonton soup was delicious and slightly hot. The noodles were chewy and the wontons were nicely filled. The ramen was delicous and filled with vegetables. The half chicken was outstanding. The chicken was hot, crispy, and full of flavor. I didn't try the accompanying corn bread but more than half of it was definitely gone! Monday morning we got up and were still full from last nights dinner so we opted for just beverages from Starbucks. While I went inside Greg had a nice chat with a gentleman who was in the area for work but lost his job. Without realizing what the other was doing I bought the man a hot drink and hot sandwich and Greg gave him some money towards a phone card he needed in order to look for work. Instead of just passing by a person looking for help take a second and help them out. Trust me it's a wonderful feeling to make someone else happy.
After saying goodbye to my parents and checking out of the hotel we decided to give a drive to Portland Head Lighthouse/Fort Williams Park another try. I'm so glad we did Fort Williams Park has walking trails, ruins, and fabulous ocean views. Portland Head Light house is stunning and provides wonderful pictures. We can't wait to return when the weather is warmer! We continued on south and decided to stop back into When Pigs Fly Bakery for a loaf of bread for home. I was thrilled to see my delicious Pineapple Jalapeno Bread again. I also picked up their German Sourdough for breakfasts. Back at home we unpacked the car, started laundry, got groceries at Whole Foods, and settled in to watch Wonder. It was the perfect end to a great long weekend! The Cliff House Maine (part of Destination Hotels) offered an Ice Bar party over the weekend and it was a perfect idea to celebrate my sister's birthday. We arrived at the hotel around 4:00 pm and found the outdoor terrace where the party was being held. Our first impression wasn't great. To start there was a long line of traffic pulling into the resort. The staff were turning away anyone who didn't have a dinner reservation as they were at capacity. Luckily, my brother in law made a dinner reservation for us. Out on the terrace there was only 1 ice bar and it had a long line of guests waiting for drinks. We purchased drink tickets (mixed drink, beer, or non-alcoholic options). The bartenders were very friendly and did keep the line moving. The mixed drink was kind of a cosmopolitan and while tasty it would have been nice to be able to select from a menu. Our drinks were poured down the ice luge and into our cups with a lime garnish. To the right of the terrace there was an interior party as well. Inside we found a good live band, dancing, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Eventually we found a cash bar inside as well. Around 5:00 the staff brought out complimentary shrimp cocktail, oysters, and ceviche. As you can imagine these went very fast! At 6:00 we made our way back outside. We enjoyed standing around the fire pit and watching the fireworks. Once the show was over we made our way to the hotel and to The Tiller Restaurant. The interior of the hotel was packed with people and we had a very long wait to order drinks. I feel that the hotel wasn't prepared for the amount of people attending the event. It would have been much better if they created an event page and sold tickets that way they could have better prepared themselves. We enjoyed our time at the Ice Bar party however things then took a turn for the worse.
We checked in for our reservation and were seated around 7:30 pm. We ordered the lobster chowder, duck meatloaf, ricotta gnocchi, parsnip soup, grilled romaine, mussels and the charcuterie board to start. The parsnip soup was overly sweet, the romaine was barely grilled, and the mussels were bland. The most upsetting was the charcuterie board. The board offered only 2 pieces of meat and was mostly cheese and fruit. If we wanted the cheese board we would have ordered it. Most servers would recognize that a full bowl of mussels left on the table is a problem. Our server didn't ask if we were done nor did she ask if they were okay. The server merely took the bowl away. For entrees we ordered the short rib, oxtail ragu, scallops, and the lobster pasta. The short rib was incredibly dry, the oxtail ragu was sent back because it was ice cold, the scallops were over cooked, and the lobster pasta was so undercooked that it felt as though there were shells in the bowl. When we explained why none of us finished our plates the server basically said oh that's not good and then continued to talk about the snow outside. For dessert the server stated that we would get complimentary dessert to make us happy. Two dishes were ordered along with 2 coffees, and an espresso. The server brought over 2 coffees and 2 espressos even though one wasn't ordered. The worst offense of the evening was when I tasted the espresso. The espresso tasted rancid that I couldn't force myself to drink it and had to spit it back into the cup. The others at the table tasted the 2nd espresso and it was just as bad. We aren't sure if your machine isn't clean, the water temperature wasn't right, or the grinds were old but it was incredibly unpleasant. The server came back to our table and I apologized for having to complain again but the espresso was unacceptable. The server again didn't apologize just tried to force me to take a cup of coffee. I had to state over and over that I didn't want one. At no point did a manager come to our table. For an over $300 meal the food and service were incredibly lacking. I read a negative review on the ice bar party page and couldn't believe it but after our experience I understand the gentleman's frustration. With so many other wonderful options on the coast of Maine we wouldn't recommend the restaurant and wouldn't return. We woke up Saturday morning and were excited to attend the New York Times Travel Show. After getting ready we walked down to 42nd St and stopped for some Starbucks. Once we were done with our drinks we hopped into a taxi and made our way to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Once inside we found the coat check which was immensely helpful. Greg had purchased tickets for me as part of my Christmas present so we were able to pick up a couple lanyards and head right on into the main area. Our first stop inside was Asia. We sat down and discussed a tour of China focusing on visiting the Great Wall. We looked into information to Tokyo, South Korea, Nepal, and Thailand (we're planning a trip for early 2019). I've never really been one to want to go on set tours but some of the travel companies we met with had unique and fun options at pretty reasonable prices. After Asia we visited the Africa section. We looked at a couple different lodges, safaris, and spoke with South African Airways. Unfortunately, we didn't spend too much time here as we know we won't be getting a trip together to Africa for a while. Nearby we came across the booth of Rare Finds Travel Club. Melanie created Rare Finds Travel Club and offers her members ideas, tips, and plans for short getaways. Melanie is passionate, intelligent, and very funny; we loved chatting with her. During the travel show a monthly discount was offered, we took full advantage of it and joined the club. I can honestly say, that after reading a couple of the escapes, Rare Finds Travel Club does offer a unique perspective. There were definitely some places I have never heard of that I just have to visit now. The next section we visited was Europe. We looked at Access Trips and their culinary tours. They do seem to be a little on the high side of pricing but I liked their itinerary's. I was most intrigued by GAP Travel booth. We discussed the new options of active travel on Avalon Waterways with Robin. We have heard great things about Avalon Waterways but knew that it was geared to an older crowd. With their new active options, we agree that if feels like it's something more in line with our travel desires. After a few hours and about 40 pounds worth of booklets we were ready to head out for some lunch. I would have liked to go to more of the special events or speaking sessions but I am really saving that up for the Boston Globe Travel Show. In Boston I will be attending show during trade day and hopefully meeting up with the group from Travel Massive. After dropping off all of our brochures and cards we decided to try a casual restaurant nearby. Yaso Tangbao offers Shanghai street food. The restaurant is counter service and offers a large menu. We ordered easily ordered 4 dishes to try. Unfortunately, this is when things went bad. The staff were very disorganized, slow, and other than 1 individual unapologetic. After a long wait we received our spicy pork soup dumplings, chicken shao mai (sticky rice dumplings), sweet and sour pork ribs, and garlic cucumber salad. The soup dumplings were pretty flavorful, the sticky rice dumplings were filling, the ribs were okay, and the cucumbers were too bitter from the garlic. I wasn't expecting gourmet cuisine but we both felt that this restaurants options were more like reheated food. After lunch we decided to be gluttons and walk back up to Sprinkles Cupcakes for some dessert. The cupcake ATM was out of vegan cupcakes so we had to be traditional and go inside to order. The staff were very friendly, were happy to package my vegan cupcake alone so it wouldn't be contaminated, and had us quickly on our way. For dinner we had a reservation at Reichenbach Hall. Our sole purpose for going to this restaurant was to order the pork shank in hopes of having a similar experience to those in Frankfurt. When we arrived, we were brought to our reserved table and given menus. The first thing I noticed was the pork shank was no longer on the menu. What?! I confirmed that this was true! We weren't off to a great start. Our waitress was very busy dealing with multiple tables so after a bit of a wait we finally ordered drinks (beer for great, bourbon for me). To start our meal, we ordered the large pretzel with just mustard. The pretzel was hot and delicious although we had to wipe off a lot of the salt. For entrees I ordered the currywurst and french fries (usually an appetizer) and Greg ordered the bratwurst sampler. My meal was awful! Currywurst should be cooked bratwurst topped with curry ketchup served with french fries. This dish was bratwurst cooked in a curry ketchup sauce that had been cooking for a while and had been reduced down. It was overpowering and unappetizing. Greg's dish was good although when the best part of the dish is the potato salad I feel like that isn't saying much either. Unfortunately, I think Reichenbach Hall has become more of a bar scene rather than a restaurant. When looking around you had most of the people drinking only. I noticed that those who did order food didn't finish their dishes either. Needless to say, we wouldn't be back and wouldn't recommend a visit. On Sunday morning we condensed all of our purchases, brochures, and luggage. After a bit of confusion with the hotel we got our car from the valet and left New York City. 3.5 hours later we were home and happy to see Fred!
We attempted to create a post about how we pack but life got in our way and we ended up throwing together our stuff 10 hours before leaving. On Friday morning we put our luggage in the car, stopped for Starbucks and brought Fred to my parents (where he was spoiled rotten). After the 4 hour drive we pulled up in front of the Hilton Millenium One U.N. The bellman helped us with valeting our car and welcomed us to the hotel. Since we only had one suitcase we brought it in ourselves to the check in desk. The following experience wasn't up to their normal standards. We weren't welcomed as Hilton Diamond members, we were handed 2 bottles of water, and weren't offered an upgrade. We asked about an upgrade and at first were told we were given a nice King room. This is what we booked. After a while of searching on her computer the staff member was able to secure us a corner room. Room 3240 offers a hallway closet, coffee bar with safe, a King Bed, a couple of chairs, large desk, large bathroom, and 2 very nice views. The downsides to this room can be easily rectified by the hotel. The first is the rug is shredding a bit right in the middle of the room and should be trimmed. The second issue is that the wall behind the bathroom sink is quite stained and could use a fresh coat of paint. Otherwise we were very happy with the selection.
Tonight we had reservations for dinner at a restaurant that I have been wanting to visit for a while. We arrived a few minutes before our reservation time at Roki Le Izakaya. You should definitely follow them on Instagram! The restaurant didn't disappoint and has become one of my favorites in NYC. We were seated at the bar which we love! It's wonderful to be able to watch the chef's create and interact with them. Greg and I both ordered the Old Fashioned cocktail while we perused the menu. We ended up ordering a lot of small plates for our meal because everything looked so good! Our Japanese canapes were Uni, Ahi Poke, and Truffle & Mushroom. The Canapes come on small squares of crispy rice and each one had a wonderful balance of taste and texture. My favorite was the Poke. Next up was the beautifully presented small Sashimi Platter. We had two types of tuna, crab, amberjack, and three other types of fish (one was from New Zealand). Every piece was fresh, portioned nicely, and didn't need any accompaniments. The third course was the special for the night. A fatty tuna hand roll which was very tasty but needed to be eaten quickly as the seaweed would get soggy. The fourth course was the highlight of the evening! Powdered Foie Gras over Duck Chashu is a perfect dish. The Chef brought over a dish of duck chashu topped with arugula. He then proceeded to shred frozen Foie Gras over it and top it with pink peppercorns. The duck was savory, the arugula peppery, and the Foie Gras melted in your mouth. An absolutely perfect bite. The Pork Belly Bun was next for us. The dish is presented for you to configure your own sandwich. You have the bun, cucumber, the pork belly, and then an aioli. I enjoyed this dish but I did find it a little messy to eat. Our final dish was the Organic Chicken Karaage. The flavors of this dish were nice. You had the hot and juicy chicken with the sweet and sour sauce on the side (nice so you can add as much as you wish). My complaint is that I wish the chicken was a little crispier. With the cool atmosphere, friendly staff, and delicious food we highly recommend every dine at Roki Le Izakaya when in NYC.
After checking out of the Hilton Burlington we loaded up the car and made the 5 hour trek to New York City. Along the way there were a few adorable towns and shops that we would love to get to again. When we got close to our hotel we hit some major traffic. Sadly an accident occurred nearby where a car ran into several people. We were detoured all around the hotel never being allowed to turn right. We finally pulled up in front of the Hilton Millennium Downtown. The doorman helped us with our luggage and calling over the valet. The lobby was small but nicely decorated. Our check in was easy and we were upgraded to a high floor room (thanks again Hilton Honors). Our room was a King room with plenty of room for the two of us and a good size bathroom. Our view was the stunning and moving sight of the 9/11 Memorial and One World Trade Center. Hailing a cab at this time and in this traffic was nearly impossible. We ended up walking several blocks north and finally snagged a cab from across the way. We were dropped off in front of Chelsea Market a few minutes later. For lunch we decided to keep it simple and order sandwiches from Num Pang. I opted for the Ginger Barbecue Brisket sandwich while Greg chose the Pulled Duroc Pork. I thought I was being smart by not order my favorite 5 Spice Glazed Pork Belly because it can be a little messy to eat. My brisket sandwich ended up becoming extremely messy but oh so worth it. Num Pang sandwiches are full of flavor and texture. After lunch we walked up to the David Zwirner Gallery for the Yayoi Kusama exhibit. Score! The line isn't that long! After a 40 minute wait (which wasn't bad just cold) we entered the gallery. We waited inside for our turn to enter the 1st infinity mirror room. Afterwards we had to put booties on our shoes for the 2nd infinity mirror room. Our last stop was in the flower room. All in all we were probably inside the gallery for 5 minutes but it was a very cool 5 minutes that we'll always remember. At this point we needed to warm up so we stopped at Starbucks for warmth and to fuel up! Back outside we continued on to Desigual for some shopping. I am in need of a winter coat and a gift for someone and Desigual is one of my favorite designers! Most of my wardrobe is black, grey, or navy but something about the colors and combination of prints just makes me happy. Inside the store I ended up trying on jeans, dresses, scarves and coats! I totally needed to reign it in and settle down. I chose a scarf for a friend, a coat for me, and a dress for a party I had coming up. Perfect (especially because of a sale)! We are running out of time before our dinner reservations so we hopped into a cab and made our way back to the Hilton Millennium Downtown. Time to drop off our bags, freshen up and change clothes for dinner. Jungsik is close to the hotel so we opted for a refreshing walk. We were greeted and our coats were taken for us before showing us to our table. I keep going back and forth on my feelings about our dinner at Jungsik. On one hand the service was incredibly slow to start. Our greeting, drink order, and food order took a good amount of time. From the time we sat down to the time we left we were at Jungsik for 3 hours. We decided to drink cocktails along with dinner and the cocktails were well crafted. For dinner we chose the Signature Tasting Menu. The meal started with an amuse bouche which represented Korean side dishes. These small bites were a beautiful start to dinner. We enjoyed a variety the flavors, textures, and scents. Our 1st course was the OSETRA CAVIAR. The caviar was a good dish although not memorable. The 2nd dish was FOIE GRAS MANDOO (not dairy free so I decided to risk it with a lactaid pill). The Mandoo and the Japanese Wagyu were delicious but the star was the broth. The broth was scrumptious and satisfying. 3rd course was OCTOPUS. With it's perfect combination of crunchy exterior and tender inside this dish was outstanding. Our 4th dish was BLACK COD. Black Cod isn't usually my favorite but I found that this dish wasn't overly sweet so I enjoyed it. 5th dish was TUNA KIM BAP. This was probably the most inventive dish. The Kim Bap was rolled into a small cigar and was a wonderful taste and crunch. The 6th dish was GALBI. This dish confused me honestly. I still am not sure whether or not this was supposed to be served cold or not but it definitely was. I found it rather off putting and would have said something but there wasn't staff nearby. Next came OMIJA which means "five flavors", which are sweetness, sourness, bitterness, saltiness, and pungency. Enjoyable. The 8th dish was the start of dessert. Greg was given a Baby Banana which was actually a small pastry. Unfortunately, it didn't wow him. He felt the focus was more on the presentation that actual flavor. I was given Pears along with Pear Sorbet. As a person with a dairy allergy, there are two desserts which always disappoint me from a fine dining establishments; fruit or sorbets. Other restaurants with the same amount of notification have stepped up and presented pastries and/or composed dishes to me. In addition to this I have to ask, where was the Korean influence? I basically ended up with pears tossed with cinnamon and sugar. The 9th course was the ROASTED CHESTNUT. Greg was presented with a bowl of roasted chestnuts (for show) and a chestnut truffle to eat. Unfortunately, Greg felt it was truly lacking any chestnut flavor. I was given a different sorbet (not thrilled again). To end the meal we were given a small bowl of petit fours. Luckily these were a combination of sweet flavors and textures that saved the ending of our dinner. We enjoyed most of dinner but in comparison to other like restaurants we agreed we wouldn't return. On our walk back to the hotel we discussed our plans for the next day. We were considering the Guggenheim Museum, the Intrepid Museum, Christmas Markets and more. Sadly, we then checked the weather and saw that snow was coming and it would be coming earlier than originally thought. In order to not have a miserable drive home on Saturday we decided to be adults and spend Friday morning in New York but then check out early and make our way home.
After waking up and getting dressed we walked up to Church St Marketplace in search of Starbucks. Church St is adorable and welcoming with it's decorations, stores, and restaurants. I can't wait to come back later today and explore the area more. Once back at the hotel we hopped in the car and made our way to Mount Philo. Along the way we passed lots of shopping and dining venues. We also passed a placed called Shelburne Museum which looked incredibly interesting. Definitely going to make a pit stop on the way back! We decided to take the trail up but skip the Devils Chair rock formation. Along the way we let those hiking faster than us to pass. We were taking our time and stopping for photographs along the way. The climb is relatively easy but does have some areas of scrambling and a few steep inclines. At the top of Mount Philo we were greeted with amazing views and an accomplished feeling. We took the road down for something different and were happy with the relaxing route. On our way back to Burlington VT we definitely made our way to Shelburne Museum. The Shelburne Museum is odd, a little eerie (when you are the only ones walking around), but incredibly unique and interesting. We paid our entrance fee inside the gift shop and were given a map that showed us the entire museum but circled the buildings that were currently open. We wandered around on our own stopping at different exhibits and entering a couple of them. Along the way Greg helped keep us in good spirits with his silly side! We weren't here very long as it was kind of cold and we were also getting pretty hungry. Shelburne Museum is a worthwhile stop for everyone! For lunch we made our way back to Church St for some lunch and then some shopping. A cold winter day and energy used for hiking calls for a comforting bowl of Ramen! At Gaku Ramen we were greeted and shown to a table. Our server brought us some water and asked if we'd like to order any other drinks. Sake please! For a starter we chose Karaage (Japanese fried chicken). The chicken was hot and seasoned nicely however it felt more like chicken fingers. I felt that there was too much flour vs a well mixed batter. I ordered the Spicy Tonkotsu with a soft boiled egg. My Ramen had a flavorful broth with for the most part nice toppings and good noodles. I do wish that the pork Chashu was cut to be thicker. Unfortunately the pork seemed more like deli meat. Greg ordered the Black Garlic Tonkotsu along with pork belly and a soft boiled egg. Greg's Ramen was good and the pork belly was a thicker cut. Time to walk off all of those noodles! Church Street had so much for us personally and also for gifts we needed. We shopped inside Saratoga Olive Oil Co for delicious vinegars, salts, and agradolce's. Our next stop was for some delicious chocolates at Lake Champlain Chocolates. Our last stop was to Homeport where we looked through gifts, home goods, and Christmas ornaments. To end the day we brought our bags back to our room and headed back out to catch the beautiful sunset. We crossed the street and first wandered about Battery Park. Our next stop was down the street to Waterfront Park where we walked along the water and admired the sunset and surrounding scenery. We would have loved to continue on to the Burlington Greenway however at this point the wind was turning bitter and we were ready to relax.
Back at the hotel we re-organized all of our bags and purchases so that we would be ready for New York City in the morning. |
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