Tag Archives: NYC

April 15, 2015 · 12:29 pm

Why I Travel

I have all kinds of reasons for traveling. Most of all is the overwhelming curiosity that lives inside me to know more about the INCREDIBLE world we live in. The more I travel, the more I want to travel. It is a real need of mine.

Sometimes I travel for work. Sometimes I travel for vacation. And sometimes I travel to reconnect with those that mean the most. No matter why I travel it is ALWAYS a pleasure. I’ll be crisscrossing the country spending time in New York, LA and Miami in the upcoming weeks. Admittedly, these are all great cities but not really anything new for me. I don’t mind though. I’m going first and foremost to catch up with important people in my life. Sometimes you have to just stop and make the time to show you care to those who support and love you. While there will be a bit of “work” and, at the end, some vacation, the main purpose of these trips is to share the love back to my friends of the world.

In New York there is a travel conference going on. No doubt, it will be good for learning and networking. But I’m not gonna lie, that is not why I’m going. It’s because conferences bring together some of my favorite people who I love and admire. It is a wonderful opportunity for me to reconnect with great people and to make some new friends. Plus, with little agenda that leaves A LOT of room for ADVENTURE! And future adventures to be planned.

In Los Angeles it’ll be much the same. One of my dearest friends in the world is flying through California and since I’m not sure when I will see her again this year I took this chance to see her now. Sometimes you realize that you have to make the investment in people who get you and are always there. It’ll be a BIG catch up with many awesome people but also an opportunity to do something a little different. We plan to do a small road trip to see a bit of the Cali coast. Stay tuned for some pretty pictures and new discoveries.

From there it’ll be back to my love, Miami. There’s a conference to attend so a fantastic opportunity to learn and network. But it is also a locale that I can never get enough of…my HAPPY spot. I should just go on get a place there already!!

And from there, well this is where the vacation comes in. I’m finally going to Eleuthera – the Bahamian island with PINK beaches!! And, seriously, while I call this vacation, you KNOW I’ll be sharing the prettiness of that place with you. Plus, write about what you should see and do if you ever go!

Why do you travel? Do you try to get the most out of your trips even when it’s for work? Would you criss-cross the country in a few weeks time to catch up with special people in your life?

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Filed under bahamas, los angeles, miami, new york, travel

Tagged as coast-to-coast travel, Eleuthera, LA, miami, NYC, usa travel

April 7, 2014 · 10:48 am

#TakeWalks with @WalksofNewYork

As I’ve written before, once upon a time, I was a Manhattanite, a New York City dweller. When I lived there, parts of Manhattan still were very undesirable. Like the Lower East Side. One the best Mexican restaurants was located there and you literally got dropped off in a cab and didn’t emerge back out of the restaurant until your taxi to your next destination had arrived. Today, things are different in many of these sketchy neighborhoods of the past. The Lower East Side is now a hotbed with cool places opening up all the time. So, when I had the opportunity to preview the Lower East Side tour with Walks of New York, I jumped on the chance. This was one neighborhood I knew very little about.

With Walks of New York’s Lower East Side Stories walk, you can expect to learn how immigrants lived, worked, worshiped and celebrated for the last two centuries here in this important neighborhood. There are several historical sites here including landmark storefronts and synagogues. But there is really no better example than Eldridge Street Synagogue to show the historical significance of this neighborhood in shaping America.

Opening its doors in 1887, Eldridge Street provided a place to worship and build a community for hundreds of Jewish immigrants from Russia and Poland. This was notable as it was the largest synagogue for Jews plus it represented the declaration that they could worship openly and freely. For 50 years the synagogue flourished until the Great Depression and in the end Eldridge Street declined into disrepair until it was rediscovered in the 1980’s. 20 years and 20 million dollars later, the majestic synagogue was returned to its glory. So much so, Eldridge Street Synagogue was named a National Historic Landmark and given the National Trust for Historic Preservation Award. It truly is a treasure and place not to miss. It made my day to have the opportunity to tour such a special place.

OH YEAH, I also throughly enjoyed the foodie side of Walks of New York’s Lower East Side tour. Pitstops were made at Kossar’s Bialys, Matzo Factory, Knishery and Doughnut Plant to name a few. My favorite was Pickle Guys, where everything you can think of might be pickled. I LOVED the pickled okra best…MMMM. There really is so much to see and discover in this neighborhood and the 3 hour tour with Walks of New York was the perfect way to catch the best of the best.

Another Walks of New York walk I was lucky enough to preview was the Highlights of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Even living in NYC for a few years, I’d only ever been to the MET for drinks on the rooftop or to see a special exhibit. SOOO this was another home run of a tour for Lola. I am not a big museum goer, 1) because I get overwhelmed and, 2) I’d rather be outside discovering than inside for hours looking at collections. However, with Walks of New York, the Met tour was a perfect bite-sized amount of information that takes you through some of the most important highlights and makes sense of it all connecting the collections from beginning to end. I’m sure you can relate to the feeling of being overwhelmed by an entire museum with important works…the Met Museum has the world’s most comprehensive collection of art! On this tour connections in art are made starting with ancient Egyptian temples to Greek & Roman works rounding out the tour with European masterpieces and American classics. AND all shared in a concise and entertaining way that you’ll never believe you spent 3 hours covering so much ground.

The Lower East Side Stories walk starts at $43 and Highlights of the Metropolitan Museum of Art walk starts at $49. Check out their website for more information on these tours and others Walks of New York is offering. Whether you’re a first timer to NYC, dweller or repeat visitor, you can be sure that Walks of New York can show you things about NYC you didn’t know!

Walks of New York officially launches this month and is a brand extension of Walks of Italy, the well-known European tour experience that helps travelers avoid long lines and gain special access to popular sites. Walks of New York will provide the same high-quality, small group insider tours that have won Walks of Italy praise from Fodor’s, The Daily Telegraph, AFAR Magazine and USA Today.

15 Comments

Filed under new york, travel

Tagged as Eldridge Street Synagogue, Lower East Side, Met Museum, NYC, tours in NYC, tours of the Lower East Side, tours of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, walks of new york

December 20, 2013 · 2:30 pm

New York City – One of My Favorite City Breaks

I’m super fortunate to live close enough to New York City to dash off for a quick overnight or two and get my fill of a BIG city break. I love Boston but there’s nothing like New York. A few weeks ago, mid-week, I popped down there with a couple of my girlfriends. We had a great time be-bopping around the city and catching up with a few Big Apple friends.

Some highlights were getting into the holiday spirit by watching people ice skate at the Bryant Park rink and grabbing a cocktail and some laughs at Celsius, the pop up bar located right off the rink! I can’t even remember the last time I watched people ice skate and outside in the crisp air to boot! Celsius is heated, of course, and if this place can’t get you toasting to the holidays, I’m not sure what would!

The girls and I also enjoyed touring a bit around the Lower East Side. It was fun to learn more about this once “better stay away” hood and discover a few other famous places in that neighborhood besides Katz’s Deli. My favorites were the Doughnut Plant and The Pickle Guys. I tried a seasonal special at Doughnut Plant, the pumpkin doughnut, and a VERY delicious pickled okra at The Pickle Guys. Seriously, listen to me now, BOTH of these places are not to be missed. Get down to the LES and take some of both to go!

But one of my favorite things to do whenever I have a New York city break is to go out dancing. It’s a fun way to blow off steam and meet new people. There are tons of spots in the city to go, but somehow, we always seem to end up down in the Meatpacking District. Gaslight, repeatedly, is one of our favorite “get down on it” spots. Again, meeting up with NYC pals, we had a blast shaking our groove thang. Naturally, Lola, found herself a dancing sandwich, because, why not?! 😉

But in all seriousness, I love NYC. You just never what zany thing is going to happen in that city! I know it’s a big destination for a lot of people but I really think it’s also the perfect place for a quick getaway too. New York City break with Thomas Cook is a great way to find your next city break deal for NYC, whether it’s a hotel or flights or both. Go get yourself a bite of the BIG APPLE soon.

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Filed under new york, travel

Tagged as New York, New York city breaks, NYC

August 28, 2012 · 5:14 pm

i spy eye candy! – New York

This week where in the world is lola? picked the EYE CANDY topic of the NEW YORK CITY! once upon a time, lola actually lived in the ole BIG APPLE and had a great time there. now it’s just a place i enjoy visiting a few times a year. i’m so glad i once called myself a New Yorker but i prefer to just be a tourist these days. there is something so thrilling about NYC. it’s like everything is on high-speed. it’s definitely a city full of all kinds of EYE CANDY be that fabulous hotels, amazing restaurants, rich culture or burgeoning fashion trends.

and, from the looks of it, i will be returning to the CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS in October to celebrate one of my favorite girlfriend’s birthdays. CAN’T WAIT to check out a new hotel property, have a great meal & cocktails out on the town and maybe pick up a favorite new fashion find.

have you been to NYC? what’s eye candy about the Big Apple to you? let me know!

XO – lola – in a NY state of mind

4 Comments

Filed under eye candy, new york, travel

Tagged as new york tourism, NYC, photos, the big apple

August 10, 2012 · 8:49 am

my 3 favorite travel memories…

and how they tell the story of who is lola

when i got wind of this blogger relay series going on, and then asked to join #teamBLUE by Christina from Jandal Road, i actually didn’t struggle much with which 3 memories i would pick. even though i’ve done my fair share of traveling, 3 really stand out for me and do a great job of representing who i am and what i believe in.

thanks to Christina for being our team captain and to Lowcost Holidays for sponsoring this campaign. the goal of the campaign is to have the longest chain of memories – one blogger passes the baton to next and so on. AND if you win the gold then you may win some great prizes too. if you’re interested in following along you can by following the hashtags #BloggerRelay and #teamBLUE on Twitter.

now onto my memories that make me moi

my minxy mouse encounter: DISNEY WORLD

Growing up in Texas, as a family of 6, we would drive EVERYWHERE for our family vacations. Florida was a popular destination as we could go to the beach or Disney World after a couple of days driving. i’ll be honest with you, i was a BIG fan of both of these vacation destinations. Florida is still one of my favorite places because of my childhood memories and fondness for the state. anyhow, i digress. this favorite travel memory is about me FINALLY meeting Minnie Mouse. here it goes…

even though we went to Disney as a family on several occasions, i somehow, after multiple visits, never seemed to be able to find her, shake her paw & get that precious photo-op. it was an inside joke within our family and an obsession of mine. i’d see her in the distance running off with Mickey and not be able to catch up. OR she’d be swarmed by a crowd and need to take a break from the heat of the Florida sun just as i was about to have my turn. it was RIDICULOUS the luck i had with that sassy mouse!

never was there a happier adult-child! (and i mean lola not the kid in the costume)

fast forward. many years later, my mother suggests we have a girls weekend at Disney. my mom, my sister & me. OK! sign me up – here’s my chance AGAIN!! going back to Disney as an adult was great. it brought back a flood of happy childhood memories and how magical the place can actually be. i found myself teary on many an occasion. AND i no longer had to chase that minx of a mouse all over the park. at this point, Disney had wised up and had the popular characters on continuous rotation over at the Toontown Fair. i waited patiently in line. over 30 minutes at least. they let in groups of 10, then you go one at a time to get your photo-op. i was so excited. i would be the first in our group of 10. it was finally my moment and unscripted i said “i’ve been waiting all my life to meet you!” WHAT?!?! this is a teenage person inside a mouse costume. i said to my mother “you better not mess this photo up!” my mom broke down laughing and said that the whole experience of me & my mouse encounter made the trip worth the expense. i proceeded to leave the meet & greet tent and buy myself a princess hat because, after all, i felt like one. the rest of the day little girls all over the park asked for my autograph!

why is this one of my favorite travel memories? it shows that even if it takes multiple attempts and many years, DETERMINATION CAN & WILL PAY OFF!

if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere: NYC

i am a determined & strong-willed person. i’m sure you can see that just from my Minnie Mouse meeting determination! 😉 so after several visits to the fine metropolis of New York City, i announced to the world that i would be moving there a few months down the road. ya know, after i paid off my post-college credit card debt & saved some money for rent, etc. it took me about 6 months but in that time i’d been working connections for roommates, places to stay while i apartment hunted, got a temporary job at the Gap as a back-up until i landed a “real job” and was working my “real job” connections too. NOTHING WAS GOING TO STOP ME FROM GOING FOR MY DREAM. much, much, much to my parents dismay.

look at that crown! not the Lady Liberty’s – MINE!

so, one day in late January, i took my one-way ticket and boarded an airplane to my future. the contents of my life were already en route via UPS in boxes. i just had to get to the big apple and find a place to call my new home. as soon as i landed i met up with a college-pal-turned-future-roommate and we began our apartment search. as it turned out we found the place we lived for the next year that very first day. AND, as they say, the rest is history. i did work at the Gap until i landed my first “real job” working in PR at a multimedia company.

now you are thinking…why is this a favorite travel memory?? because lola went for her dreams and succeeded. AND i made it there, so, you know…I CAN MAKE IT ANYWHERE!!

some of the best couple of months of my life: EURO TOUR VIA EURAIL

after some time in the big apple, i decided it was high-time for a new challenge and, heck, i was changing jobs & apartments anyway so why not just pack up all my stuff into storage and go off for a few months on my own to a continent i’ve never been. seems to make perfect sense, right? well…i did to me. again, not my parents so much but they knew me pretty well by this point in my life and didn’t try to hold me back.

just wait and see how differently i’ll look in front of the Louvre next time!

i’m a planner, so again, i saved up and plotted my attack – chasing the better weather as i headed to Europe in March and left in May. it was one of the most thrilling times in my entire life. i knew where i was generally going next but not everything i would see & do OR where i’d be sleeping each night. that made it exhausting too and by the end of my couple of months i was ready to get back to a normal routine of sorts. many friends met up with me along my journey and, of course, i made new friends everywhere i went. it was incredible in every way!

i love this travel memory because it was life changing. I WENT OUT ON A LIMB INTO THE UNKNOWN & RETURNED MUCH RICHER & WISER THAN I EVER EXPECTED.

so, there you have it. i would like to add, by this year’s end i expect a couple of these memories could be knocked off by new ones. i have 2 BIG trips coming up that i believe to be opportunities of a lifetime. i head off to Cambodia in two weeks to build a house for Habitat for Humanity. this is similar to my 3rd favorite memory in that i’ve never been to Asia and i’ve never done a house build. i think it’s a fantastic example of putting myself out on a limb into the unknown & i fully believe i will be richer & wiser from the experience. my second big trip is with my wonderful friend, Leah, of Leah Travels all over Europe from November 5 to December 5. having the opportunity to revisit so many of the special places from my prior Euro tour with my travel partner in crime is something i never dreamt i’d be able to do. i’m beyond excited to share in the precious memories from my past and make new ones with Leah! you’ll want to stay tuned to this plot line for sure! the Minnie Mouse story can never be outdone 😉

thanks for reading my special travel memories!

the travel memories baton was passed to me by Henry from Fotoeins – check out his FAB memories from New Zealand. AND i get the pleasure of passing the baton now to a lovely chap, Tom, of Waegook Tom. we ALL cannot wait to read your favorite memories, sir.

Go #teamBLUE – let’s capture the gold!!

46 Comments

Filed under europe, florida, new york, travel

Tagged as Disney World, European tourism, NYC, travel memories