- Golfing in Reno with Seb almost every morning.
- Taking in some Broadway Shows.
- Watching the World Cup Final from a Dublin pub.
- Attending the British Open at St Andrews on Sunday.
- Pamela's 40th birthday blow out in London.
- Going to a Bareclona FC game in Camp Nou.
- Road trip to France.
- The incessant heat that has only lost us in Scotland for a few days.
- Kai's 3rd birthday on 15 Aug - we celebrated with Cava and pintxos.
- Our babysitter (Annie from Seattle) who lets Anju and I duck out for 10pm tapas.
RENO, NEVADA
On 26 June 2010 we landed in The Biggest Little City in the World for 10 days of sun, cheap beer, golf and go-kart riding. It’s always good times (I say, “GTs“ as shorthand and so should you.) with Baldev and Gargi. We were there for 10 days of wonderful hospitality and rest.
Pamela and Ben drove up from San Francisco one weekend with baby Kirin and the 4 of us were able to sneak out for some Margaritas at Chevy’s. The local municipal golf course had an unbelievable early bird special. Most morning I played a quick 9 at 7am and was home by 9am. Sebastian joined me for a few rounds. The weather that time of day was sublime. We also discovered the new outlet shopping mall, go-kart track and mini-putt nearby. I was able to cruise around town in Gargi’s sweet new Volvo S60. One morning Sebastian and I drove to Lake Tahoe and went for a nice boat ride with friends. On the 6th of July we said goodbye, grabbed our new Kindle (which we now fight over) and boarded our mid-day flight bound for the Big Apple.
Pamela and Ben drove up from San Francisco one weekend with baby Kirin and the 4 of us were able to sneak out for some Margaritas at Chevy’s. The local municipal golf course had an unbelievable early bird special. Most morning I played a quick 9 at 7am and was home by 9am. Sebastian joined me for a few rounds. The weather that time of day was sublime. We also discovered the new outlet shopping mall, go-kart track and mini-putt nearby. I was able to cruise around town in Gargi’s sweet new Volvo S60. One morning Sebastian and I drove to Lake Tahoe and went for a nice boat ride with friends. On the 6th of July we said goodbye, grabbed our new Kindle (which we now fight over) and boarded our mid-day flight bound for the Big Apple.
[BTW - Here is my running reading list. Please send me your recommendations.]
NEW YORK CITY
We booked a room at the Helmsley Hotel on 42nd (near Grand Central Station) and arrived around 11pm. EST. NYC was going through a heat wave and it hit 100 a few days. Took the kids to the American Museum of Natural History, walked through Central Park and visited FAO Schwartz and the Apple Store. We were only here for 3 nights, but it was fun walking around the city and introducing Sebastian to all the sites.
Anju took Sebastian to the Broadway show American Idiot by Green Day one night and I took him to Mary Poppins. Anju mentioned she had to close Seb's eyes a few times. Ha!
DUBLIN, IRELAND
On the 9th of July we took a red eye on Aer Lingus (I like saying Aer Lingus) from JFK to Dublin.
We thought the kids would sleep on the flight, but, of course, they only slumbered for the last 2 hours of the flight. We arrived exhausted and grouchy. Unfortunately the hotel I booked us in wasn’t very good and upon arriving at 10am they did not have a room ready for us. We napped in the lobby for a few hours before our room was finally ready.
The one redeeming quality of the hotel was that it was across the street from The Four Seasons Hotel. So, upon awaking at 5:30am and finding zero amenities available at our hotel and merely strolled across the rainy street and had a wonderful peaceful breakfast alone. It was blissful. Solitude and I are good friends.
We thought the kids would sleep on the flight, but, of course, they only slumbered for the last 2 hours of the flight. We arrived exhausted and grouchy. Unfortunately the hotel I booked us in wasn’t very good and upon arriving at 10am they did not have a room ready for us. We napped in the lobby for a few hours before our room was finally ready.
The one redeeming quality of the hotel was that it was across the street from The Four Seasons Hotel. So, upon awaking at 5:30am and finding zero amenities available at our hotel and merely strolled across the rainy street and had a wonderful peaceful breakfast alone. It was blissful. Solitude and I are good friends.
We moved closer to town the following evening. Our 2nd hotel was chic and right in the heart of Temple Bar area. We enjoyed watching World Cup matches at nearby restaurants. After 3 nights it was time to move on.
SCOTLAND, UK
We flew into Glasgow and rented a car at the airport. Thank goodness I wasn’t drunk as I usually am after a flight because I had to drive on the left side of the road to Greenock, Scotland (30 mins away) to spend some time with Anju’s uncle and aunt (Jang and Rani).
They have an amazing 140 year old house on a street named Esplanade which overlooks the water. We went to Edinburgh for a few days and Sebastian and I made it to St Andrews on Sunday afternoon to watch the end of the British Open.
That was very cool! Sebastian made a friend in Greenock named Max and the two of them played soccer at the park a few afternoons.
They have an amazing 140 year old house on a street named Esplanade which overlooks the water. We went to Edinburgh for a few days and Sebastian and I made it to St Andrews on Sunday afternoon to watch the end of the British Open.
That was very cool! Sebastian made a friend in Greenock named Max and the two of them played soccer at the park a few afternoons.
The weather was spotty as it tends to be there. We were in Scotland for about a week.
LONDON, ENGLAND
Flew down to London to meet up with Pamela and Ben and Kirin. They were there to celebrate Pamela's 40th birthday. Lots to do in London and we were lucky in that we were able to stay around the corner from Pamela's inlaws where they were staying.
The 40th bday bash was a splendid affair. Pamela rented a private room and there were about 50 of us rockin' till late. I even managed to stay up past midnight! The Prosecco was flowing that night.
The 40th bday bash was a splendid affair. Pamela rented a private room and there were about 50 of us rockin' till late. I even managed to stay up past midnight! The Prosecco was flowing that night.
BARCELONA, ESPANA
We had a great non-stop flight on British Airways from Heathrow into Barcelona’s new airport.
We hopped in a cab and took the 15 minute ride to our hotel. Through hotwire.com I was able to score a room at the relatively new and trendy W Hotel. (Not really a kid friendly place, but since it was summer time there were lots of families.) The building is an architectural marvel.
We hopped in a cab and took the 15 minute ride to our hotel. Through hotwire.com I was able to score a room at the relatively new and trendy W Hotel. (Not really a kid friendly place, but since it was summer time there were lots of families.) The building is an architectural marvel.
We came down here without a place to stay so we got really lucky in that a friend of a friend has an apartment in the heart of Barcelona and they were not going to be in it during August so we were able to rent it. We can walk to the main street - Rambla Catalunya - which is super convenient. Our typical day in Aug was -
10am - get kids ready to go and fed (soy milk and cereal)
11am - stop at coffee shop so Anju can get her java (sometimes Starbucks)
12pm - go to a Museum, Zoo, Aquarium, Beach, small town nearby, shopping district, etc
3pm - have lunch at a restaurant and drink lots of water to beat the heat (mostly tapas)
5pm - taxi home (reasonably priced here)
6pm - mellow out and watch Ice Age 3 or Phineas and Ferb DVD
7pm - Annie our babysitter shows us (about 2 times per week)
8pm - Anju and I head up to Gracia neighborhood to stroll, drink cerveza "Damn" and have dinner
10pm - come home and crash
We drove up to Argeles Sur Mer, France one weekend and Ceret's Musee d'Art Moderne which hold's some nice Picasso ceramic plates and cups. We are settling in here and looking forward to Sep and Oct which should be filled with visitors, concerts, school for the kids and more quiet time for Daddy. Hope you are all well and look forward to seeing everyone in January if not sooner!
What a wicke(dly) great read! Glad I stumbled across it. Hope all is well. - your ex roomie - Doug A
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