A Sucker for a San Diego Sunset

In 2010 I had only been back stateside for a few months (after living in South Korea) before being asked to join my best friend out in San Diego for a few days. He was there for a work conference downtown, so with a free place to stay it was kind of a no brainer to show up. The minute I set foot in that city I fell in love. It was just so accessible, beautiful, clean, and sunny. We stayed in the Gaslamp Quarter downtown so everything we needed was within walking distance, including being just across the street from Petco Park, where I did get a chance to take in a game with a local friend of mine. We also did some exploring, and enjoyed spending an afternoon on Coronado beach - rated one of the best beaches in the US. By the end of my five days I was convinced I’d move there someday. Fast forward to 2018 and I hadn’t yet even been back once - something I felt the need to fix.

I was supposed to spend a week in Mexico City in the first week of November, but due to a series of unfortunate mistakes I had to cancel which left me with a United airline credit to use up. I happened to need 4,000 miles to keep my airline status for the year, and over Thanksgiving I had some vacation days to use up. I also just wanted somewhere sunny and warm to zone out for a week - which led me to San Diego. After changing my flight, and cashing in 80,000 Chase Points (a $1200 value) for a week’s stay at the Blue Sea Beach Hotel right on Pacific Beach, I was well on my way to a 7 day / 6 night solo trip to just relax and unwind.

I flew in on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, checked in early to my room, sat down on my balcony overlooking the ocean and literally said out loud, “Now what?” I had planned literally nothing for the week - which is 100% unlike me. I walked outside, put a blanket down on the beach, and just relaxed.

I made it my goal to catch a sunset in a different location each day, and try to treat my week as much like a local (and not a tourist) as possible. I went to Whole Foods and got a week’s worth of food/snacks on Day 1, and narrowed down spots not-downtown to go and explore that would be new to me. Day 1 brought me to La Jolla Shores Beach to watch the surfers during sunset (one of my favorite travel past times!). I thought I’d take myself out to dinner but jet lag got the best of me and I was dead asleep by 8pm!

Day 2 I went and hiked the majority of the trails at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. Easy, long hikes and breathtaking views. I did four miles over four hours and even did a little impromptu picnic on the beach.

Day 3 began with a half day at The Lodge at Torrey Pines Spa, and it was exactly what I needed. A relaxing, tranquil, beautiful old hotel with a luxurious spa. Unfortunately the rest of the day included working from my hotel, but at least I had a good view - and I did catch the sunset over Mission Beach.

Day 4 I had a bit of a sleep in, then wandered the local neighborhood. Took myself out to lunch at Waterbar (recommend) and wandered Crystal Pier. Then decided I wanted to go for a bit of a drive and went north to Solana Beach to hang out at Fletcher Cove for another sunset. This might have been my favorite spot of the whole week.

Day 5 was Thanksgiving, and even though it was quite bustling on the beach, not much was doing. Day 6 I went to read at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park during the day, and then popped over to La Jolla for lunch and my second to last sunset. It’s a little touristy along the water (everyone’s there for the Sea Lions), but it’s pristine, and clean, and palm trees for days. A very cute part of town. Ended the evening in Hillcrest, San Diego’s gayborhood, and wandered around before grabbing a bite at Crest Cafe.

Day 7 was sadly my last day and I hurriedly and begrudgingly packed up my hotel room as I was in complete denial that I had to leave. I took myself to lunch and was annoyed that evening I’d be on a plane back home. However, not before at least one more sunset, so I drove back to Fletcher’s Cove and went for a 3 mile walk along the beach to assuage my impending blues.

It’s incredible how a week of salty sea air, sun, and relaxation in a place you love can completely rejuvenate you. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend it. And if you need some more details here’s my Foursquare List of places to peruse.

Celebrating America in Montreal

When the Fourth of July falls on a Wednesday taking off Thursday and Friday is kind of a must. With five days to maximize in the dead of summer, one of the best options is a quick trip up to the Great White North in Montreal. What better way to celebrate the birth of America than by completely skipping it and going to Canada, eh?

A group of four, including myself all flew up on July 4th and got a super cute Airbnb just north of Old Town. I was the only one who’d been a few times before, so we pretty much hit all the highlights. Montreal’s the kind of town you could go a dozen times and there’s always something new and random to do. Unfortunately for us, the entire Northeast was experiencing a stifling and lingering heat wave, including Montreal which got up to temps near or maybe even over, 100. For a city that’s not used to experiencing those kinds of temps and doesn’t really have air conditioning in most places, this was less than ideal. At one point we walked into a vintage clothing shop and since it didn’t have AC I walked right back out. I remember walking into the next place and saying the phrase, “If I’m not immediately hit in the face with a cold wall of air, I shan’t be held responsible for my actions.”

One of the absolutely coolest things we did (pun intended) was to snag tickets to see Aura. A new art light show in the Basilica Notre Dame de Montreal. This show is so immensely popular (2 shows per day, 600 people per show) that it was able to retrofit this 19th century gorgeous church with central air. The shows sell out daily and quite quickly so if you want to go - get tickets ahead of time. It’s only 45 minutes in total, but a great way to spend some time inside if you go when it’s absurdly hot, raining, or snowing. A truly unique Montreal experience. We followed it by then heading to Joe Beef, which might just be the best restaurant in the entire city - and I’ll stand by the statement even though there are so many great ones.

Once the heatwave finally broke (down to the 60s I might add!) we did a lot of walking, eating, and drinking throughout the various neighborhoods, but also spent some time getting up to Mount Royal and wandering the trails and enjoying the views. We walked down the mountain and found the most adorable cafe with indoor/outdoor seating that felt like an oasis in the middle of a bustling metropolis - Cafe Santropol. We kept walking and enjoyed the shops throughout the city, and down Rue Saint-Catherine, which is mostly closed to cars and is a pedestrian friendly street with great artwork throughout. We also happened to be in town during the Montreal Jazz Fest and caught Kimbra performing at Club Soda.

No trip to Montreal is complete without stopping in at Marche Jean-Talon. It’s one of the world’s best outdoor markets with incredibly fresh fruits & veggies, and great food stalls scattered throughout. Go there hungry!

After the market, we spent an afternoon in the Montreal Botanical Garden which was delightful. If you’re a millennial who likes to take photos of colored walls and great backgrounds, this place is full of Instagram worthy opportunities. It’s also gigantic so bring your best walking shoes!

Even though we were attempting to escape the Independence Day festivities, Montreal made us feel right at home with a Friday night fireworks display as set to the music of ABBA. We grabbed some sandwiches and found a spot to throw down a blanket and catch the show. I ended up bringing a portable speaker that’s loud as hell and ended up making friends. At one point I was referring to being quote, “a hero” which isn’t a bad way to end a great tip.

Instead of flying home, two of us decided to ride the rails from Montreal back to NYC. For $60 it’s definitely worth the money. Pretty cool to enter into one’s home country via train too (which is pretty rare for Americans). We had snacks saved from the market and enjoyed a nice 10 hour ride back.

As always, my Foursquare List of places I’ve been to in Montreal can be found here.

Montana: #HuckLyfe

Sometime in the Fall of 2017, the vendor that we work with at Oliver Wyman to power the alumni social network told a group of alumni directors that they would be hosting their first conference just outside of Missoula, Montana on a ranch - and that’s all I needed to hear to be all in. What other reason would I get in life to visit Montana?

You may be surprised to find that getting from New York City to Missoula isn’t exactly easy, or direct. Another alumni director friend of mine suggested we stop off in another city beforehand to break the trip up a bit, so we decided on just under two days in Denver. I fly United domestically exclusively, but their layovers stop at 4 hours so I had to book two tickets. According to the United representative, booking two roundtrip tickets was actually cheaper than trying to connect all the dots - go figure. We stayed at the Oxford Hotel, a historic hotel right in LoDo (Lower Downtown) by Union Station, which was great. Walking distance to shops and restaurants which was all we needed for the short stint. It doesn’t hurt that they had free bourbon hour every night at 5pm - and were not stingy with the pours! We hung out in City Park for awhile since it was the first nice weather we’d seen in months, and just did quite a bit of walking around.

Flying to Missoula from Denver was a very easy 90 minute trip. We were picked up at the tiniest airport with the most taxidermy, and drove into the woods and up a dirt road to Huson, MT to stay at the High Meadow Mountain Ranch. This was was one of the most adorable places I’ve ever seen - full with cabin, barn, cows, horses, and gorgeous snow covered Rocky Mountain views almost entirely circling the area. We got to spend just under three days in this space discussing and learning from each other - but more on that in another post. Taking a break one afternoon, we drove up to a little prairie house on government owned land. The caretaker was this bad-ass elderly lady named Betty who called herself a “Montana Feminist” and was tougher than a box of nails and an utter delight. She showed us all around the property and gave us a little bit of history about it and the forest fires that nearly destroyed it. I’d never seen the remnants of a fire like that and it was eye opening and devastating.

After the conference was over, I was picked up at the airport by two of my friends I spent time in Korea with. I had convinced one of them to spend his birthday in Montana and the other actually lived in Missoula and offered to show us around. Missoula is a sweet mountain side city, and the food and fresh air is exactly what I needed for four days. It’s also home to huckleberry fields, and if you’re anything like me - you’ve never heard of a huckleberry outside of a Mark Twain book. Huckleberries are a more tart cousin to the blueberry and this town goes nuts for ‘em. Seriously they’re in everything - jam, milkshakes, pies, martinis, you name it. After my first Huckleberry milkshake I became belligerent about their superiority. You don’t choose the #HuckLyfe - the #HuckLyfe chooses you.

The first thing we did was go to my first ever national park - the National Bison Range. A giant area of land meant for the preservation of Bison that you enjoy from the safety of your own car. Within minutes of driving into the range, we were greeted by a rather large group of Bison who stubbornly refused to get out of the way. And well… you sit there until they’re ready to go. We also saw Elk and plenty of deer, and it was a great way to spend a couple of hours.

The biggest highlight of the trip was a 2 hour ride up to Glacier National Park. We were there in the beginning of May, which is apparently still winter so most of the park wasn’t actually open to visitors. We were able to drive along Lake McDonald, and check out the grounds of the Lodge. Nothing was open other than some of the facilities (which is a plus) and a shop or two, but no restaurants. So if you’re going to go - try after Memorial Day. We took the Sperry Trailhead up about 1.5 miles before turning back to head down. Along the way back down there were two girls in full ski outfits with their skis & gear on the back who were going to hike the 6 miles up to the top and ski down. THAT is commitment. Also, there’s bears. So - be prepared for that.

We took the two hour drive back, but not without stopping at Flathead Lake for a sunset dinner at the brewery. Montana is one of the biggest craft beer states in America, so it was kind of a must. The beer was great, and so was the food. One of the few places with a nice view too.

The last thing we did in Montana…. was go to Idaho. When you’re that close it makes sense just to pop on over the border and cross off another state, and this time it was in search of hot springs. We were looking for the Jerry Johnson Hot Springs, which are naturally occurring right next to a raging river alongside a trail. At first we walked about a mile in the wrong direction, but it was a fun stroll through the woods. We doubled back and found the correct trail with all the other people. Being that it was just a hole in the ground with hot water, I opted out. My friends got in, and I went to sit by the river and stick my feet into the cold water. No regrets.

We left Idaho and on our way back into Montana stopped at the Lolo Hot Springs and spent the next few hours here. They have two pools - one outdoor that’s hot and one indoor that’s hotter than hot. I much preferred the pools to the one in Idaho, but that’s just me :)

All in all… I only experienced a small portion of the state, but it was incredible and highly underrated. Very much recommend it if you’re any kind of outdoor enthusiast. If you’re on Foursquare and log your travels, here’s my list. It’s not 100%, but it picks up the big things.

Solo in Seattle

Vancouver was my first taste of the Pacific Northwest two years ago, and I knew then that it wouldn't be my last. That trip was so amazing it made me wonder about Seattle, its American counterpart 143 miles to the south. Luckily for me, a work trip came up this spring and I did what I always do - tack on a few extra days to spend it exploring. I did every single thing you're supposed to do and then some in four full days, and thanks is owed to The Points Guy for their 9 Most Instagramable Places in Seattle post that sparked a few ideas. It was colder than I expected the last week of March into April, but that didn't bother me at all.

In a 6.5 hour flight from New York City, I flew in style in United's Business Class and a lay flat bed made all the difference for when I showed up at 11am. I cashed in 90,000 Marriott points to stay at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront for two nights (and a third for work), which is practically inside of Pike Market. What I was not ready for was how hilly Seattle was! It's more like San Francisco than Vancouver. The hotel being right on the flat waterfront was nestled into the mountain-like hill, and fortunately had an  elevator next door outside to go up four floors to be at the base of another hill leading up to the market.  Since I got in early my room wasn't quite ready which meant that I had no other choice than to spend many, many hours and many dollars at Pike Market.  I quickly bypassed the original Starbucks tourist line that was easily a quarter mile long, and went right for the local jewelers. Pretty sure I purchased something from the first five booths I saw, especially because I know these vendors change daily. Anyone who knows me knows that local jewelry is not only my souvenirs, but my weakness. 

After exercising my wallet more than I anticipated, it was time for food. Fresh seafood in the PNW was like a beacon calling out to me. I ended up grabbing a shrimp sandwich from the Market Grill which is rated one of the Top 50 Sandwiches in Washington - an honor that absolutely must be true. I found a little area to sit and look out over the harbor, and it was my everything in that moment. Talked to other tourists who came and went and picked up a few tips. 

After tearing myself away from the market I checked into my hotel (free balcony room upgrade!), spent a few lazy hours enjoying the breeze, and then hopped in an Uber up to Kerry Park to catch the sunset.  As you can imagine the weather doesn't always cooperate, but I got lucky with a truly gorgeous day to see the skyline. Didn't quite catch Mt. Rainier in the background, but I'll take what I can get.  Since I was traveling solo I took the opportunity to walk the two miles down a very steep street to the Olympic Sculpture Park and catch the remaining parts of the sunset, before ending up at The Pink Door for dinner.  I timed it perfectly to catch the aerialist that performs there, which was a complete surprise. The food (Italian) was again, perfection. 

Day 2 was a busy one.  Lola for breakfast (greatest donuts I've ever had in my life, no exaggeration), some shopping (hello, Patagonia!), and up to the Fremont Troll.  Fremont's the cutest little hipster neighborhood worth your time, especially if you're a coffee fan. I then wandered over to Gas Works Park just for the hell of it (found the Sleepless in Seattle House!), and then onto the Chihuly Garden & Glass Museum. It was absolutely stunning, and I highly recommend it. Especially at night if you can time it right. 

Because I ended up buying a combo ticket, and had nothing else to do, I went up into the Space Needle. It's getting a massive facelift inside and out and was 85% under construction.  Glad I did it but very skippable. I took the monorail back to the Westlake center (because why not? MONORAIL!), and went to a very subpar place for dinner and off to bed. 

Day 3 was the busiest but the best. Up early to take a shuttle up to Everett,WA for the Boeing Future of Flight Factory Tour.  If you're an aviation nerd like me, this is a must. Three to four hours up and back, and Boeing takes you into and out of a few hangars where you get to see the creation from soup to nuts of their 737s, 747s, 767s, and the brand new 777 Dreamliner.  There's no photos allowed, but amazing to see American production at work. I was nerding out in silence amongst 30 strangers that were on my coach bus.

I made the shuttle driver drop me off at the Amazon Go store on our way back because, of course.  This store is very much the future of retail and incredibly frictionless.  I bought a random assortment of things and just walked out, feeling as though I stole stuff.  Don't worry - I didn't, and they sent me a receipt within 10 minutes of walking out - 100% accurate. Pure Magic. 

Then it was onto Bill Speidel's Underground Tour in Pioneer Square.  A 90 minute walk through the history of Seattle's underground city which was recently unearthed in the 1980s.  If you're a fan of city planning, history, and architecture - this is your tour.  Wandering around dingey, dark, dirty tunnels listening to a very knowledgeable and comedic tour guide was well worth the time and money. 

And last, but not least, was the thing I was looking forward to the most. A ferry trip to Bainbridge Island. As a lover of everything nautical, hopping on one of these boats was so much fun. I had absolutely no idea what I'd do once the 45 minute ride ended and I got to the other side.  However, I got lucky and as I was standing on the deck (freeeeezing, btw), someone leaned over to ask me a question thinking I was a local.  Turns out, we were all tourists, struck up a conversation, and once we got to the other side my new friends, Ty and Ethan - geologists from Oklahoma, invited me to grab a beer with them at a local brewery.  

A stop over at Alehouse on Winslow, followed by a stop at the Harbor House, and we were feeling pretty great. We realized at 6:45 we wanted to catch the 7pm ferry back to Seattle, and it was a 20 min walk. Knowing that we were unlikely to make it, Ty does something only someone with a southern accent could do: knocks on the window of a white van and sweetly asks them to give us a ride down to the ferry. Turns out - they were going there too! Next thing I know, we're hitchhiking our way to the boat. Also oddly, the driver was in the same field as the boys from Oklahoma, and his wife was from Lancaster, PA - a town I've got great friends in.  Oh were there laughs!  Which is great, and better than the alternative considering we randomly got into a stranger's car. We bid our van friends goodbye, and quickly ran up to the bar on the boat, blowing all their rules out of the water. We ended the evening at Cutter's Crabhouse, and at 11pm we called it a day.  We were all leaving the next day, so our friendship was short and sweet. I hope our paths cross again some day as these two were an absolute blast to hang out!

Day 4 was my final day, filled with meetings and such, but I didn't leave without the chance to see the visitor center at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  I was meeting with someone from the organization who recommended checking it out and I'm so glad she did.  A free exhibit next to their offices covering the incredible work that they do and their attempt to eradicate diseases around the world. I spent nearly two hours in this museum, and it was worth it. 

I flew home that evening, but not before getting one last meal in Pike Market. All in all - an incredible trip, and an amazing city.  The Pacific Northwest continues to impress and I'm sure I'll be back again soon enough. 

What did I miss?  Anything to add to my trip, or a second return?