New York at Christmas: a road map



Enjoying Korean food at BCD Tofu House.

We have never experienced Christmas in a hotel and this year, with Beau's loss still hanging over us, we decided to give it a try.  We took the train up to New York City and spent two nights in the Ace Hotel, which is a very easy walk from Penn Station.  On our way to the hotel, we made a lunch stop in Korea Town at BCD Tofu House, a chain from California that makes a phenomenal tofu stew.  If you think you don't like tofu, try the silky kind at BCD and you might change your mind. 

The Ace Hotel's lobby is quite the scene--very hipster, very cool.  It's dimly lit 24/7 and has a shabby chic decorating approach.  I'll admit I was skeptical of this hotel, but the location and the amazing deal we nabbed on Travel Zoo ($149 night, thank you very much), well I was willing to give it a try.  The staff were friendly and our room was spacious, the bed was comfortable.  Plus, it was quiet despite being in a busy part of town.  I could quibble with the shower, but overall, I would recommend this hotel for anyone who likes an easy walk from the train station and a lot of major sites (both downtown and Times Square are easy walks).

We hit the ground running with a happy hour extravaganza at The Pony, which serves only American Craft Beer.  After a few rounds with an old pal, we headed to dinner at db Bistro Moderne for a pre-Rockette meal.  I had an amazing piece of skate in beurre blanc sauce while Kevin had sea bass in a red wine reduction with figs.  We then headed to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes!  I must say, the production was cheesy and over-the-top, but it was fun and I'm glad I went once in my life.

Rockefeller Center all glammed up

After the show, we sauntered over towards Rockefeller Center and took in the tree, the ice skaters, the crowds (filled with people at 11 pm on a cold night)--it was thrilling and magical.  One of the observations we took away from the moment was how diverse the crowd was; in fact, I would wager most of the people did not celebrate Christmas, but the Christmas spirit is bigger than a religious holiday.  I like that.  I like it very much.

The next morning we feasted on bagels at Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee (you just cannot get bagels like that in DC) and then we walked up to Macy's to check out the holiday windows and on to Bryant Park Holiday Shops.  I love Bryant Park.  The space has a European feel to it with its ornate green buildings.  We then made our way downtown to Eataly, the Italian food emporium and hall created by Mario Batali and Lidia and Joe Bastianich.  It was swarming with people, but we enjoyed wandering the aisles.  Next up was lunch: John's Pizzeria on Bleeker in the West Village.  We are repeat visitors to John's.  The coal oven does something amazing to the crust.  Just get a plain cheese--trust me you'll love it.  We wandered further south the Jacque Torres Chocolate shop on Hudson in seek of a wicked hot chocolate.  At this time, we were seriously bursting but both ordered small hot chocolates and happily slurped them down and bought a tin to make more at home!

For Christmas Eve dinner, we had one more culinary trick up our sleeves: a proper Feast of the Seven Fishes meal.  This time we headed to The Hearth in the East Village.  We had a lovely meal and wandered back to the hotel along empty streets humming Christmas tunes.  The next morning, Christmas morning, we had the streets to ourselves and trekked up to Scotty's on Lexington for a proper diner breakfast.  The diner was packed and it reminded me that not everyone gets Christmas off.  Before heading back to DC, we made one more homage to Rockefeller Center for a final glimpse of the holiday magic.  Of course, it was still filled with people snapping pictures and smiling.

London: a lovely stopover.



Kevin in front of Tower Bridge during our 1-day stop.

When we travel, we strive to have few connections and for the trip to take the fewest hours (because who likes the actual act of getting from Point A to Point B?).  This means we are willing to pay a bit more for nonstop flights and it also means loyalty to a specific airline is not that easy. 

Getting to Symi, Greece this summer was not possible in one simple flight as it was when we headed to Vienna on Austrian Airlines later in the year.  Because of turmoil on Athens, we also made the decision we wanted to fly directly to Rhodes (the island with the closest airport to Symi). 

We made the decision to book a flight on our favorite airline Virgin Atlantic to get from DC to London.  Spend a day and night in London and then book a flight on our least favorite airline Ryanair to finish the trip and arrive in Rhodes in the middle of the afternoon in time for lunch and the afternoon hydrofoil. 

A pretty pub in South London near the Globe.

We strategically booked a hotel in the financial district because (1) we had not really explored this part of London and (2) the train to Stansted Airport (more on that in a later post) left from Liverpool Street Station, which was right around the corner.  We stayed at the Apex London Wall, which was sophisticated and tucked on a quiet street. We dumped our stuff and headed towards the Thames, walking by the Tower of London and crossing the Tower Bridge into South London.  Walking the footpath along the Thames, we passed the Globe and stopped into the Tate Modern, which I had not visited since 2002 so it was time for a return visit.

We stopped for a requisite fish-and-chip lunch and a warm ale (it was surprisingly brisk for late June!) before heading back to shower and relax.  It was fun to be in London's Financial District on a Friday afternoon in June.  Office workers packed all the pubs, literally people were pouring out of the establishments and empty pint glasses littered the sidewalks.  We decided to visit Brick Lane in the East End for Indian food as one must have Indian food when visiting the UK from the US. Before we reached Brick Lane, we stopped at a pub to have a pre-dinner drink and take in the Murray/Nadal semi-final match being played nearby in Wimbledon.  Murray lost.  We finished our pints and headed to dinner.

Brick Lane is quite the experience.  As you walk down the street, restaurant staff badger you, imploring you to come into their establishments, promising the best deal on the street!  It's not a typical scene for London, but it was fun for an evening and after wandering the street for a bit, we decided on a place and had a lovely meal before wandering back to the hotel.

Holland Park, London.

On the flip side of our journey from Greece, we also spent a day and evening in London.  This time, we chose to be on the Piccadilly Line near Earl's Court.  We stayed at a small, boutique hotel called Twenty Nevern Square.  It was situated on a leafy square and an easy walk from Holland Park.  We enjoyed wandering through the green streets and park space, reveling in the lush plants after the arid climate of Symi.  We found a Thai restaurant right outside Holland Park and enjoyed a break from the Greek taverna fare that had dominated our dinners.

The blur of monument and nature: Brompton Cemetery

The next morning we had a chance for one final walk through the streets of London and we stumbled upon Brompton Cemetery.  We were charmed by the wild, yet managed space.  Because it was early morning, we had the cemetery to ourselves and quietly strolled along the path.  Overhead, international flights rumbled in for landings at Heathrow.  As we made our way to the gate to collect our luggage and head to the airport, I took a deep, appreciative breath that we were able to bookend the trip with breaks in London.

Travels with Beau: a tribute to our four-legged travel companion.

Beau enjoying a morning walk along
Holden Beach, North Carolina

One of the reasons the blog has been quiet this year (despite some great trips) was a lot of my energy was devoted to caring and then mourning our dog, Beau.  Within days of returning from our trip to Asia in January, Beau had a mysterious discharge from the one side of his nose.  Trips to the vet and then a specialist vet theorized he most likely had a tumor (we chose against a $3,000 rhinoscopy to confirm this).  You can look up nasal carcinoma; it's a bleak outlook.  There's little to do and eventually they have seizures or bleed to death. With Beau inching to 13, we decided to make his final months on this planet as comfortable as we could and when the time came, we allowed him to peacefully pass.  He did make it to his 13th birthday and boy, what a wonderful life Beau had with us!  Some of our happiest memories come from our travels with Beau. 

He started his adventures at just six weeks old, riding all the way from Columbus, Ohio to Athens, Georgia.  He was still so tiny his belly grazed the ground, picking up red dust from the famous Georgia clay.  Beau traveled to the beaches of Florida and North Carolina (at least 8 times).  He hiked through the Shenandoahs.  He paddled through the Potomac, the Chesapeake Bay, the Olentangy River, Lake Erie and countless other streams, ponds and rivers.  He was shuttled back to Ohio for holidays and family visits more times than I can count.   For 13 years, he was a steady road companion and we picked up some good tips from our travels with Beau:

1.  Cars.  Start young, travel often.  As I said, Beau was taking major road trips as a tiny puppy.  His early exposure to long car trips made traveling easy.  He was comfortable and at ease.  If you do not have any major car trips planned when you first get your dog, be sure to at least go on regular day trips to trails and parks further from your home.  Get them used to highway driving as well as quick jaunts around town.  The earlier and more frequent car trips, the calmer your dog will be in the car. 

Anne and Kevin along Skyline Drive in Virginia
heading to a memorable cabin weekend.

2.  Provisions.  Fill up a jug of water and keep a few treats with you for longer trips and day trips.  Both of our cars were always stocked with tennis balls, waste bags, and towels for park and water trips.  When traveling to a destination with your dog, bring their dog bed (if it fits!) and several extra towels and sheets to cover furniture and keep your dog's paws clean and dry.

3.  Pet-friendly rentals.  The Web makes it so easy to find places that can accommodate your dog.  One of our favorite rentals in Holden Beach, North Carolina, was discovered from the Real Estate company's Web site as you are able to narrow down your search to just pet-friendly options. 

4.  Research before you go.  Before you take your pet, spend some time researching the area to ensure it will be a positive experience.  For example,  the beaches of North Carolina are pet-friendly most of the year, but in the high season, dogs in some communities are prohibited from 9-5.  Ocean City, Maryland does not allow dogs on the beach at all during high season. 

5.  Be respectful.  As a dog owner, I cleaned up after my dog, kept him leashed when I was supposed to, and realized that not everyone loved my dog.  Be a good pet owner and keep the rental property clean and try to keep your dog on their best behavior.  If you are staying with friends or family, remember to thank them profusely for including your dog in the trip. Sending a little note afterwards would be a good idea.

Traveling with Beau was a joyful and happy experience for the DINKs.  We miss our old pal, but have so many happy memories from our adventures. 

The DINKS blog is back!

So, I know it's been almost since months since I wrote a blog post.  With summer travels and an ailing dog (who has now sadly passed), I just put this blog on the back, backburner!  But it's time to catch everyone up on what the Traveling DINKs have been up to.  Stay tuned in the coming weeks for posts on:

The DINKs in Pedi on the island of Symi, Greece.

1. Symi, Greece
2. Austria
3. Princeton, New Jersey
4.  Travels with Beau the dog