Posted: May 23rd, 2023 | Filed under: Out Of Town
February 18, 2022
Flew across the country to the Bay Area and by 2:30 in the afternoon had already finished lunch in Half Moon Bay:
Stayed down the road in Santa Cruz near the boardwalk:
February 19, 2022
Monterey Bay Aquarium:
Then drove around in the sunny weather to see the striking Northern California coast in our boss red Dodge Charger:
And later on back in Santa Cruz, The Mystery Spot:
February 20, 2022
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and the Apple Park Visitor Center on our way to San Francisco, where we ditched the rental car . . .
February 21-22, 2022
To San Francisco, enjoyed blue skies walking through Fort Mason toward Fisherman’s Wharf:
…and at Lands End:
And whole fried crab at R&G Lounge:
February 23, 2022
Went across the bay to Oakland Jack London Square Station to catch the Coast Starlight Amtrak train to Los Angeles:
February 25, 2022
Disneyland!
February 26, 2022
Brunch at Magic Castle:
February 27, 2022
LA Galaxy vs. NYCFC at Dignity Health Sports Park in nearby Carson:
And Cambodian food for dinner in Long Beach at Sophy’s Restaurant:
Posted: May 17th, 2023 | Filed under: Out Of Town
April 8, 2023
We landed first thing in the morning flying in from NYC so the thing to do was stay up.
Novelty Automation in Holborn helped keep us engaged:
Then headed around the block to The Fryer’s Delight, wasting no time getting our fish and chips box ticked:
From there wandered down toward Westminster via the Strand:
And finally to Trafalgar Square:
And everyone stayed awake!
April 9, 2023
This being Sunday we had to visit Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park:
Walked around Kensington:
And then hit up The World’s End in Finsbury Park for Sunday Roast while watching Arsenal tie Liverpool:
April 10, 2023
A tour of Stamford Bridge, home of Chelsea FC:
Nearby, the Harrods food hall:
And why stop with one Premier League stadium? Fron there we checked in with Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium:
April 11, 2023
Morning run along Regent’s Canal in Islington near where we stayed in Canonbury:
Later, passing by St Paul’s Cathedral on our way across the River Thames:
…on our way to the Tate Modern:
The Queen’s Walk:
…toward Borough Market:
April 12, 2023
We and seeming every other tourist in London attended the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace:
…followed by a Full English Breakfast at Regency Cafe:
The checkerboard pattern of the Edwin Lutyens-designed Grosvenor Estate Social Housing on Page Street is really striking:
Camden Market:
That evening, we saw The Tempest at Shakespeare’s Globe:
April 13, 2023
Piccadilly Circus for some shopping:
Fortnum & Mason:
Nearby Chinatown:
Tea and Tattle in Bloomsbury before a visit to the British Museum:
April 14, 2023
Kew Gardens:
And Ted Lasso lives just down the road in Richmond:
…and his local:
Had to get back across town to see the strange and wonderful Viktor Wynd Museum:
April 15, 2023
A trip to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to catch a Premier League match:
A Hackney rainbow:
April 16, 2023
The Monument:
Sunday Roast at Blacklock City:
Brick Lane:
Posted: November 17th, 2022 | Filed under: Out Of Town
Basically got a good last-minute package deal to Guanacaste, Costa Rica between Christmas and New Year’s. Easy flight down direct to the airport in Liberia and fun mix of warm beach/relaxation and cool stuff to see. The country’s motto is “pura vida,” “pure life,” a sort of an optimistic affirmation (that apparently comes from a 1950s Mexican film featuring an unflappable happy-go-lucky protagonist) and the warm, dry desert-y vibe of Guanacaste certainly feels that way:
December 27, 2021
Beachside pool (access via the residence club we spent the week at) at Coco Beach in Playas del Coco, a lovely spot:
December 28, 2021
Hacienda El Viejo combination cultural tasting (sugar cane products and tortillas, etc.) and boat tour along the Tempisque River, where you see monkeys, birds and crocodiles:
December 29, 2021
The charming Llanos del Cortés Waterfall:
Looking at their official Facebook page, it seems that you can’t always swim there if there’s too much rain but we were there on a nice day.
December 30, 2021
Just over the border Alajuela Province in the rain forest region near the Volcán Tenorio is Spring Paradise Bijagua, a private reserve where you can see sloths up in the trees:
Costa Rica is known for its birding and there are lots of birds to see around the country, including at Spring Paradise Bijagua:
This overpass in Liberia is part of the Pan-American Highway, which we drove back and forth on:
We didn’t eat out a lot in Costa Rica but did have a nice seafood meal at Restaurante Mar Azul in Coco:
