I was in Hartford for Dan's and Melody's wedding. I stayed in the Farmington Inn and Suites, a country inn that combines New England elegance with luxury hotel amenities. This hotel is 15 minutes from West Hartford Center, a community hub with restaurants, shops, offices, and condos. I recommend Elbow Room for brunch, and The Counter for build-your-own burgers. The Counter also serves onion strings, sweet potato fries, and crispy regular fries.
I also went on a hike in Talcott Mountain park with 2 friends from Austin. The views are definitely worth the hike. Most of the hike is under trees, so there is lots of shade. Fall would be the best time with the fall colors in full swing.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
St Louis
Short weekend trip to the Gateway city. St Louis was where the Louisiana Purchases was signed and the city often is a starting point for expeditions west, including the Louis and Clark expedition.
Missouri History Museum. Includes an exhibit about Charles Lindbergh, who became the first solo pilot to fly non-stop across the Atlantic.
Old Courthouse, site of the Dred Scott case.
Riverboat tour on the Missouri river
Museum of Westward Expansion
Gateway Arch - commemorates the westward expansion of the US
Missouri History Museum. Includes an exhibit about Charles Lindbergh, who became the first solo pilot to fly non-stop across the Atlantic.
Old Courthouse, site of the Dred Scott case.
Riverboat tour on the Missouri river
Museum of Westward Expansion
Gateway Arch - commemorates the westward expansion of the US
Thursday, August 5, 2010
New York (July 30 - August 2, 2010)
I was in New York for Solar's and Karen's wedding reception. Since I was already going to be in the Big Apple, I made a trip out of it. Weather for my trip was very good - mostly sunny and pleasant temperatures in the 70s and 80s. I walked a lot and hardly broke a sweat.
July 30
Arrived at New York's JFK airport on American Airline's non-stop flight from Austin. Took the JFK Airtrain to Jamaica station to connect to the E subway line to mid-town in Manhattan. An Austin friend of mine traveled with me and we shared a room at the Hilton hotel on 53rd St/6th Ave. This Hilton is in an awesome location - walking distance to subway stations, Times Square, Central Park, Whole Foods, Rockefeller Center, etc. Right in the middle of the action in New York. We had a comfortable room with lots of space and a view of 6th Ave.
After settling in walked around Times Square, then 5th Avenue and made my way to Rockefeller Center. I went to the Top of the Rock, an observation deck with great views of the city, including Central Park and the Empire State Building. There is also a room with colored lights that feels like Times Square.
July 31
In the morning, I went for a walk in southern Central Park then went to Whole Foods (inside the Time Warner building) to buy fruit and water - by the way, water fountains are scarce in New York. Early afternoon, I walked to Grand Central Station to meet my friends Dan and Melody who were coming in from Hartford, CT. We then went to Chinatown to have a dim-sum lunch. Then we walked the Brooklyn Bridge and enjoyed views of downtown Manhattan. We closed our afternoon together with bubble tea drinks.
I then went to the evening showing of the Lion King broadway show at Minskoff Theater. It incorporates the same themes and characters of the animated movie. I liked the acting, costumes, and music. The Lion King is one of the best shows out there - it is so popular that tickets rarely make it to the discount booth. If you want to see the Lion King, get your tickets in advance. The only drawback is during the parts where the lion roars, the actors simply shout "Roar", as if you are reading from a book - using simulated lion roars would give a much better feel for the action. But other than that, Lion King is a great show.
August 1
In the morning, I went on a tour of the Radio Music City Hall. It is one of the largest, if not the largest, theater in the world. The auditorium is designed with no pillars in order to maximize views, and the acoustics actually allow people sitting in the top row of the mezzanine section to hear conversations on the stage. The tour consisted of going back stage, to get a feel for what goes on behind the scenes. We visited lounges, a private studio, and even met one of the Rockettes. As an added bonus, we got to go on stage, a treat normally not available for tours because it is usually packed with props and stuff for shows. We were definitely one of the lucky tour groups.
We were at the reception at Swing 46 during the afternoon. Good food, live band, and a swing dance lesson where I learned a new dance sequence. I met some new people there and of course talked to Solar and Karen. A great way to send them off into marriage. Afterwords, I walked around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis reservoir in Central Park before grabbing a late dinner in Times Square.
August 2
I visited the Chrysler building in the morning. It consists of 77 stories, mainly offices and residences with a few stores on the bottom floors. There is no observation deck but the main draw is the indoor murals in the lobby. Then I went for a walk around the pond in the south east corner of Central Park.
July 30
Arrived at New York's JFK airport on American Airline's non-stop flight from Austin. Took the JFK Airtrain to Jamaica station to connect to the E subway line to mid-town in Manhattan. An Austin friend of mine traveled with me and we shared a room at the Hilton hotel on 53rd St/6th Ave. This Hilton is in an awesome location - walking distance to subway stations, Times Square, Central Park, Whole Foods, Rockefeller Center, etc. Right in the middle of the action in New York. We had a comfortable room with lots of space and a view of 6th Ave.
After settling in walked around Times Square, then 5th Avenue and made my way to Rockefeller Center. I went to the Top of the Rock, an observation deck with great views of the city, including Central Park and the Empire State Building. There is also a room with colored lights that feels like Times Square.
July 31
In the morning, I went for a walk in southern Central Park then went to Whole Foods (inside the Time Warner building) to buy fruit and water - by the way, water fountains are scarce in New York. Early afternoon, I walked to Grand Central Station to meet my friends Dan and Melody who were coming in from Hartford, CT. We then went to Chinatown to have a dim-sum lunch. Then we walked the Brooklyn Bridge and enjoyed views of downtown Manhattan. We closed our afternoon together with bubble tea drinks.
I then went to the evening showing of the Lion King broadway show at Minskoff Theater. It incorporates the same themes and characters of the animated movie. I liked the acting, costumes, and music. The Lion King is one of the best shows out there - it is so popular that tickets rarely make it to the discount booth. If you want to see the Lion King, get your tickets in advance. The only drawback is during the parts where the lion roars, the actors simply shout "Roar", as if you are reading from a book - using simulated lion roars would give a much better feel for the action. But other than that, Lion King is a great show.
August 1
In the morning, I went on a tour of the Radio Music City Hall. It is one of the largest, if not the largest, theater in the world. The auditorium is designed with no pillars in order to maximize views, and the acoustics actually allow people sitting in the top row of the mezzanine section to hear conversations on the stage. The tour consisted of going back stage, to get a feel for what goes on behind the scenes. We visited lounges, a private studio, and even met one of the Rockettes. As an added bonus, we got to go on stage, a treat normally not available for tours because it is usually packed with props and stuff for shows. We were definitely one of the lucky tour groups.
We were at the reception at Swing 46 during the afternoon. Good food, live band, and a swing dance lesson where I learned a new dance sequence. I met some new people there and of course talked to Solar and Karen. A great way to send them off into marriage. Afterwords, I walked around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis reservoir in Central Park before grabbing a late dinner in Times Square.
August 2
I visited the Chrysler building in the morning. It consists of 77 stories, mainly offices and residences with a few stores on the bottom floors. There is no observation deck but the main draw is the indoor murals in the lobby. Then I went for a walk around the pond in the south east corner of Central Park.
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