Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #13

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Up at 3:30 am East Coast time, Sharon and Tom drove to Albany International Airport and dropped the rental car. They caught a 6:00 am American Airlines flight to Chicago O'Hare.

On the ground on time in Chicago, they ended up sitting in the plane on the runway for an hour and forty-five minutes due to weather. There was lightning in the area and ground crews weren't allowed outside. As a result, they missed their connection.

While it continued to pour in Chicago [see 49ers versus Bears NFL game], Sharon and Tom worked with American to figure out how to get home. Initially, they were automatically rebooked on a 5 am flight on Monday morning. Eventually, they got scheduled on a 1:39 pm American Airlines flight to San Francisco. The flight didn't end up leaving Chicago until 2:42 pm.

I drove to San Francisco to pick them up. Thankfully, the traffic was light. With one quick stop, it only took two hours and fifteen minutes.

Parking in the hourly parking, I caught up with them in the baggage claim area. It turned out that their luggage somehow was in Dallas?!?.

It was fairly easy drive home. By the time we got Tom's keys at Eric's house, dropped Tom at home and got some food, it was after 8:30 pm when we got home.

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #12

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Sharon and Tom spent the loin's share of the day hiking in Saratoga Spa State Park. They covered seven miles.

They finished the day with dinner at the Salt and Char restaurant in the Adelphi Hotel, a farm to table steakhouse. With a very early start home tomorrow, they crashed early.

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #11

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Sharon and Tom started the morning with breakfast at Cafe Mutton.

Checking out of the hotel, Sharon and Tom spent the day visitng the Thomas Cole Historical Site and the Olana State Historical Site. The later was the home of Artist Frank Church.

They ended the day at the Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga Springs. Sharon and Tom are spending two nights there. They had dinner at Boca Bistro sharing Paella Mixta [Calasparra rice, chicken, Chorizo Bilboa, clams, calamari, mussels, shrimp, scallops, cauliflower, red & green bell peppers, peas, tomato, saffron, paprika] .

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #10

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Thursday morning, Sharon and Tom toured the Vanderbilt Mansion. Sharon and I both read Anderson Cooper's book Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty. The mansion features in several chapters of the book.

In the afternoon, they took a boat tour on the Hudson. Sharon described it as a bust.

Sharon and Tom finished the day with a tour and dinner at the Culinary Instuitute of America in Hyde Park. They had dinner at the America Bounty Restaurant.

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #9

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Sharon and Tom started the day at Val-Kill, the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site.

Afterwards, they stopped at Milea Estate Vineyard for local New York wines and charcuterie.

From there, they visited FDRs house at Hyde Park.

They finished the day with dinner at Le Petit Bistro, another farm to fork restaurant.

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #8

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Sharon and Tom picked up an Avis car in Midtown and drove out of the city. It was raining hard as they drove north from Manhattan.

After stopping at the Sleepy Hollow cemetery, they went to West Point. Sharon and Tom ended up spending almost three hours at West Point. They stopped at the Visitor Center and then got a pass to drive through the campus. Sharon said that she was very impressed.

They are spending the night at the Beckman Arms Hotel in Rhinebeck. Sharon visited the area in 2005 when Liz was working at Omega.

Sharon and Tom finished the day with dinner at Terrapin. The farm to fork restaurant in rhinebeck is located in a former church. Tom had Taste of Summer Pasta [Gemelli with a daily assortment of farmer's market vegetables and camembert sauce].

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #7

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Sharon and Tom's plan for the day was to walk the Highline and visit Little Island. Taking refuge from Labor Day crowds and oppressive humidity after walking the Highline, they ended up at the Fig & Olive.

They stopped for for tapas and basque wine at Mercado little Spain in the Hudson Yards. Tom noted you could really do the equivalent of a pub crawl walking Highline and popping down to street level for little pubs and taverns.

They finished the day with dinner at Quality Meats Steakhouse. Tom said that some good came from Covid; they got to dine in their own animal themed street cabin with a ceiling fan and giraffe wallpaper and lamp. The giraffe's head is sticking out the top of shade.

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #6

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Sharon and Tom started the day with Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Jack, Sharon and I went to Easter Mass there in 2018. We also attended Mass there in June of 2009 and I attended Mass in May of 2009.

After Mass, they went to the top of the Empire State Building. Jack, Morgan, Sharon and I went to the top of the Empire State Building in 2009. A picture from the top is here.

Sharon and Tom saw a matinee of Hamilton at the Richard Rogers Theatre. Jack, Sharon and I saw a performance there during our 2018 visit.

They finished the day with dinner at the Russian Tea Room. Sharon said that the ambience was nice, but the food was so, so.

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #5

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Sharon and Tom spent the morning at The Met Cloisters. The Cloisters is a museum in Fort Tryon Park in Washington Heights specializing in European medieval art and architecture with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods. I have never been there. They both raved about it.

They finished the day with dinner at Gramercy Tavern. Sharon and I have been there several times [2015, 2013].

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #4

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Sharon and Tom spent the morning exploring the financial district and Wall Street, including the 9/11 Memorial. They had lunch at Fraunces Tavern. The tavern is New York’s oldest and most historic bar and restaurant. It is a National Landmark building that once served as a watering hole for many of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America.

Friday night, they went to see Six at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Tom's description was "fantastic broadway musical all female cast and musicians telling their stories of being married to Henry VIII, including 1-Divorced, 2- beheaded, 3- died, 4-divorced, 5-beheaded, 6-survived."

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #3

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Spending another day in Manhattan, Sharon and Tom spent the morning at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

They had lunch at the Tavern on the Green.

After lunch, Sharon and Tom went to the the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. They went back to the Met briefly before it closed.

They finished the day with dinner at Darling Rooftop, an elegant rooftop bar and lounge, 47 stories high atop the newly reborn Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South, with panoramic views of Central Park and the surrounding city.

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #2

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Tom's cruise ended on Wednesday morning. He met Sharon at the hotel.

They spent the afternoon taking a Circle Line Boat Tour. Jack, Sharon and I did the Circle Line tour in 2018. I did it by myself in June of 1998.

After a Greenwich neighborhood walk, they had a drink at Buvette. Owned by a high school classmate of Sharon, Jack, Sharon and I had dinner there after our Circle Line Tour.

They finished the day with dinner at Via Corota.

Sharon and Tom's 2022 New York Adventure - Day #1

Sharon and Tom's New York Adventure

Up at 3 am, Sharon and I rolled to the airport at 3:45 am. Sharon caught a 5:30 am United flight from Sacramento to Chicago. She then took a 9:45 am United flight to New York City's LaGauardia Airport. Using points, Sharon upgraded to first class on both legs.

With storms on the east coast, the flight from Chicago was routed over the Great Lakes and into Canada. Sharon was on the ground in New York about 4:20 pm.

Sharon took a cab into Manhattan. She is spending seven nights at the Westhouse Hotel.

Sharon's brother Tom is showing up tomorrow. He has never been to New York City. They are going to spend six days in the city and then six days in upstate New York.