Auld Lang Syne

I can't believe it's been an entire year since we were yelling Happy New Year-all the best in 2018! If you ask most people, 2018 wasn't their best year. A lot of people are looking forward to putting this year behind them and starting over in 2019. Don't we always feel like this at the end of the year?

There's something about December 31st that forces us to look back and reminisce. We look at our accomplishments, disappointments and failures. We wonder why we didn't stay committed to our New Year's resolutions and why we aren't where we want to be today, heading into a new year.

When I contemplate 2018, it's not with regrets or disappointment. I'm one of the lucky ones who had a pretty great year. I traveled quite a bit and visited places I'd never been to before. I saw a couple of great broadway plays and took in a few good concerts. I started playing the ukulele which I absolutely love. I read 62 books and although not a personal best, I was able to escape in the pages and "travel" to new destinations among the stories. Of course it hasn't been all good. My dog Kirby was diagnosed with epilepsy in January and then got very sick again in March. This year has been a balance of medications and numerous visits to the vet. He woke up with me today and each day he does, I'm grateful.

Many are posting their "Best of 2018" by using nine photos of the past year. It's hard to sum up your entire year with only nine photos but I did it. I noticed that most of my good times were spent with family (and Kirby!). Trips to New York, Mexico, Chicago, Antigua, a family reunion...I feel very blessed.

If you find yourself reflecting today, focus on the good things that happened this past year. Be happy for your health, your job, family and friends that love you. Even if this year didn't turn out how you wanted it to, be thankful there's a chance to start anew in 2019. Whether you ring in the New Year at a bar or party, celebrating with friends, family or even on the couch with your dog, BE SAFE. Do what feels fun, lower your expectations and don't make resolutions. Perhaps start a new tradition in 2019 instead.

Thank you for spending time with me on my travels and journey. All the best to you in the New Year.

~MT

Antigua

My sister Jennie and I just returned from a blissful, sun-kissed week on the luxurious Caribbean isle of Antigua. We'd been planning the trip for a few months and were indecisive about the destination in the Caribbean. We enjoyed Aruba so much last year, we weren't sure if we could top it. I'm happy to say we made a great choice. Rather small in size, Antigua is stretched along the coastline and peppered with numerous coves, bays, and white sand beaches.

Jennie is excited-she's
just hiding her cold sore!

We drove up to Toronto the night before our flight. We had a great dinner and a few drinks. It was nice to wake up in the Sheraton hotel, take the elevator down and walk straight through the doors to Terminal 3 of Pearson airport. It was definitely better than making the 4 hour drive before our 9a.m. departure.

The five hour flight went by quickly. Before we knew it, we touched down at V.C. Bird airport and met with a Sandals representative for transportation to our home for the week. For those of you familiar with Sandals resorts, you may wonder why my sister and I chose to stay there. The all-inclusive, adult only resorts are certainly geared toward couples. However, the service, food and locations can't be beat. I checked the reviews and with my travel agent and she assured me it was no problem for us to stay there despite not being a couple.



It took about 15 minutes from the airport to the resort. We were greeted with a cool towel and a glass of champagne, then swiftly checked into our Club junior suite. The room had everything we could possibly need. Our 2nd floor balcony faced one of the pools and the volleyball court. The grounds were gorgeous and well maintained. We quickly grabbed a drink from our fully stocked bar, unpacked, and made our way to the pool.




There were a few pools around the resort but we mostly stuck to the main pool. It was huge and not very crowded. The resort offers a butler service at an extra cost (we declined this) and they could be found at the pool and beach before 7a.m. reserving lounge chairs, putting up umbrellas and setting a cooler with ice and drinks for their assigned guests. Jennie acted as the butler and set her alarm for 6:30 each morning, guaranteeing us a sweet spot at the pool. Most guests didn't make an appearance until 10a.m. The aqua fitness classes started at 10:30, the same time the bar opened. We always got up early as the sun would rise at 5:59.

The beach was equally beautiful but more crowded. It was nice to walk along it in the morning. We were fortunate to see this rainbow 🌈 one morning while enjoying breakfast at one of the seaside restaurants.

With 11 restaurants and 7 bars, Sandals had much to offer and did not disappoint. Moving away from buffet style restaurants like most all-inclusive resorts was a nice change. We didn't have to wear wrist bands and no tipping is allowed (the staff even wear buttons reinforcing this). Despite the no tipping policy, it was likely the best customer service I've had at a resort. The entertainment was a bit lacking compared to other places I've visited but by that time of night we didn't care. It was nice to have a couple drinks with some Brits we met at one of the bars, or to sit outside on some comfortable couches in front of the fire pit.

Antigua blessed us with 29 degree weather daily and although there was some rain, it didn't last long or ruin our time there.

Here are some tips in case you go...

1) Drinking copious amounts of vodka martinis (extra dirty) 🍸,  Wadadli beer, and Jameson will affect you (your speech, your walk, and perhaps your memories). I feel like I need a detox now.
2) Your lips will burn. Use SPF on them or risk sun blisters. Abreva is a great preemptive to avoid that. Splurge on lipbalm with SPF 30 or better. Your lips will thank you. This will also help lessen the sting when eating hellfire jerk chicken at lunch.
3) Mimosas are completely acceptable at breakfast. They will help tide you over until the bars open at 10:30. The vitamin C from the OJ will make you feel better from the night before.
4) Swapping books 📚 is a great way to pay it forward and make a new friend by the pool. Plus you will likely pick up a book by an author you aren't familiar with but will enjoy. Leaving your books for others will lighten the load of your suitcase on the way home.
5) Enjoy activities offered such as Bingo, Movie/Sports Trivia, Aqua Fitness 🏊, Corn Hole challenge, Flip Cup competition, Ping Pong tournament, etc. You will meet other guests and get your competitive streak on.
6) You will hear music that was popular a few years ago but will still know all the words to the songs. 🎼 Now watch me Whip (kill it!) Now watch me nae nae (okay!) 🎶 
7) If you are a light sleeper, you should bring earplugs. The tree frogs 🐸 make quite the racket at night. You will likely never see one but you will certainly hear them.
8) The resort is fogged daily from 4-6p.m. If you aren't aware of this, you will be alarmed at the smoke around the resort. This is done to repel insects and you'll be thankful this is done. No bug repellant required.
9) The beach is public so there are vendors but if you tell them you aren't interested, they will move along.
10) It's your vacation! You aren't at work or dealing with the day-to-day stresses you usually have to. Your biggest decision is what to eat or drink and which water sport to partake in. Enjoy yourself!

This trip was wonderful. We met some great people, ate delicious food, enjoyed way too many drinks, read books, soaked up the sun and relaxed. Stepping out into 13 degree temps when we landed in Toronto was a bit of a shock since we were still dressed in flip flops and beach clothes. I look forward to our next vacation and where that will take us. Many of the people we met said they'd only stay at a Sandal's resort. Although we often times were mistaken for twins, and most recognized as sisters, one of the staff members referred to Jennie as my husband. We had a good laugh about that for the rest of the week. It wasn't too couple-y and we had a fantastic time. Back to the grind tomorrow. My Grandma always told me that it's not a vacation if it doesn't end. So until the next one...

~MT

The Windy City

My brother Gerry and I recently took a trip to  Chicago. The main purpose of the trip was to see two Pearl Jam shows at Wrigley Field. It takes about five hours to drive there. I hadn't been to Chicago for years so was excited for this trip.

We arrived early afternoon but couldn't check into our hotel right away. We drove around getting familiar with the area and stopped at Manny's for lunch. Open since 1942, this deli has the most amazing food. They are known for their corned beef/pastrami sandwiches and they are loaded with meat. The prices are reasonable and they also have a bakery and serve liquor.

After lunch, we checked into the hotel and got ready to make our way to Wrigley. We walked through Chinatown to catch the L train. As we got closer to Wrigley, the train filled with Pearl Jam fans, evident by their concert shirts. When we exited at Addison station, there were crowds of people hanging around before the show.

We had some time to kill so went to the Irish Oak to have a couple drinks.
The decor was all wooden and the menu had classic Irish fare. The music was great and the bar was packed with Pearl Jam fans. It had been 25 years to the day that I saw Pearl Jam in Toronto with Blues Traveler, Soundgarden and Neil Young. I last saw them in 2014 in Detroit and was looking forward to the show.

The setlist was epic with 32 songs and 2 encores. They played for just under 3 hours. It was a beautiful night and with 40,000 fans screaming and lighting up their cell phones, it felt magical.
It turned a bit bizarre when Dennis Rodman brought out Eddie Vedder's ukulele and promptly brought up North Korea. They did a number of cover songs, paying tribute to Chris Cornell, Tom Petty and David Bowie. Steve Gleason also made a guest appearance and it was nice to see his smile as he enjoyed the music.

The next morning, we got up early for a 90 minute architecture boat tour on the Chicago River. The weather was perfect and the guide was both extremely informative and entertaining.
















The architecture was astounding and we got to see many of the famous buildings as we made our way under the numerous bridges. We also learned that Chicago didn't earn it's moniker Windy City from weather conditions. Our guide informed us that the name actually originated as an insult to the politicians, the "windbags" with inflated egos that only cared about profit. The boat tour was a great way to see some of the sights of Chicago. We even got discounted tickets on Groupon!



There was a matinee of Hamilton that afternoon at the CIBC theatre. The tickets were pricey but I heard such great reviews and really wanted to see it. The theatre itself was a bit disappointing as our seats had an obstructed view of the stage. However, once Act I began, I was enthralled with the show as they sang and rapped the story of America's Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton. I'm not much of an American history buff, but the play was so interesting and entertaining. We loved it!



Afterwards we were starving so headed to Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, home of the Chicago deep dish.

My brother ordered the Malnati Chicago classic, a deep dish with Lou's sausage, cheese and tomatoes.

I prefer my pie with a thin crust and kept it simple with garlic, basil and mushrooms. It was the best pizza I've had in ages!





Monday was raining but we didn't let that stop us. My brother wanted to try Portillo's for lunch as he heard great reviews of their beef and sausage sandwich. We then made our way to the Magnificent Mile district, to 875 Michigan Ave, formally known as the John Hancock Center.

This architectural icon, is a 100 story, 1,128 foot skyscraper. It's home to a number of restaurants, shops and condominiums. We purchased tickets to 360º Chicago as well as the TILT. We took the elevator to the 94th floor, in what has to be the fastest elevator (I believe that's what was announced as we ascended in about 38 seconds). The observatory is 1,030 feet above street level. You can see 4 states and across many miles from that height.














The TILT faces the south side of the building and has 8 individual bays that tilt outward from the top at 10-30 degrees. It provides a great view of Chicago and Lake Michigan. My only complaint was it didn't last long enough!

From there, we jumped back on the L train to head to Wrigley for the second Pearl Jam show. We had general admission tickets this time so had to wait in line (which was blocks away from the stadium). It moved pretty quickly and once inside, we nabbed a great spot not too far from the stage.                                                 

It had been raining off and on all day and a storm was in the forecast. Minutes before the show was due to start, the crew came out to cover everything with tarps and lower the speakers. When the lightening started, the announcement came that the show was to be delayed and everyone had to clear the field. Thousands of people were herded inside where they were crammed together to await the go ahead to return to their seats.

After a 90 minute delay, the band took the stage and played for as long as they could. When you play an outdoor show in the Summer, you run the risk of tempting Mother Nature. When the band played here in 2013, they faced a rain delay then too. Even though this band hasn't released an album in five years, they have incredibly loyal fans and thousands were captivated by frontman Eddie Vedder as he talked about his love of the game, the Cubs, and many of the influences like Joe Maddon and Theo Epstein. While I enjoyed seeing the band outdoors at Wrigley, I think next time I'll stick to an indoor venue.

The next day we were headed home but decided to make one last stop for pizza. It'll be a while before I get pizza that good again. Thank you Chicago for a great vacation and to my brother Gerry for the great company. Next trip booked is in October with my sister Jennie to Antigua...stay tuned!

~MT
                                                                                                                                                                        

Summer Vacation

My friend Cheryl pointed out that I haven't posted for a while. I figured it's because I haven't really done much traveling. During the Summer, I tend to stay close to home and enjoy the pool and backyard.  I was off work for 12 days and decided to enjoy a staycation (yes, it's a real thing).

stay·ca·tion

ˌstāˈkāSHn/

noun

informal

1. a vacation spent in one's home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions.

For the past twelve days, it's been nice to enjoy the pool, hang with my dog, read five books, catch up on HBO's Sharp Objects (it's really good), practice my ukulele and relax. As much as I enjoy traveling, it's sometimes nice to not be on the go, and just chill at home.

My sisters and nephews went on a road trip so my Cockapoo Kirby and I got to "dog-sit" their Bullmastiff, Lucy. Luckily, they get along well, despite the difference in size. Lucy is gentle unless food is involved. Then she'll knock Kirby (and anyone) out of her way.







When they returned home, my sister Bobbie and I took a day trip to Stratford, Ontario. It's located in Southwest Ontario along the Avon River and home to great shops, fine dining, and most importantly, the theatre.



My friend Paula and I try to visit Stratford once a year to see a Shakespearean play. Having studied a play each year in high school, and then two semesters at university, I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to Shakespeare. My sister wanted to see two plays, a matinee and evening show.

The first play we saw was Julius Caesar. I studied this in grade 9 and it all came flooding back to me. "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears."

Our seats were in the balcony but there really isn't a bad seat at the Festival Theatre. I've watched a number of plays here and am always amazed how they can transform a small, plain stage into what they need to.

This is the stage right after Brutus and others killed Caesar. "Et tu, Brute?"


After enjoying dinner in the downtown core, we returned to the Festival Theatre to see To Kill A Mockingbird. My sister studied this novel in school (grade 8!) and my book club read Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee when it was released in 2015. It was published as a sequel to Mockingbird, the only novel Lee ever published.

Our seats were better for this play and I was enthralled as we watched Scout, Jem, Dill and Atticus perform. I was amazed that the actor who played Brutus in Julius Caesar also played Atticus in Mockingbird! I can't believe that he did both plays in one day and performed two very different roles so well.

The stage was transformed from the Finch's house for half the play, and into a court room for the other half. Even though Mockingbird is based on an event that occurred near Lee's home in 1936, the story is still very relevant today. I think children should read this book as it teaches empathy, and what it means to walk in someone else's shoes.

Stratford is always a great day trip. Hopefully Paula and I can go before the season is done, as The Tempest is also playing.

As my vacation comes to a close, I feel sad that I have to return to work. My Grandmother always told me that "it's not a vacation if it doesn't end". I loved everything about my staycation and feel completely relaxed.  Hope you are all enjoying your Summer and that you got to enjoy either a vacation or staycation.

~MT

Carrousel

I haven't traveled out of town since March, however these past two weekends have felt like a trip around the world. My city hosts a Carrousel of Nations where you can sample food, music, and entertainment from a variety of places.

Last week we started at the Greek Fest where we sat outside enjoying the beautiful weather while watching the children dance in their traditional outfits. I visited Greece in 2012 and was blown away by the beauty of both the country and the people. This brought back some great memories.

The ticket booth was manned by two older Greek men and they were extremely efficient at keeping the line moving in a quick, orderly manner. We sampled the cheese and spinach pies but the line for gyros and honey balls were too long.

The Brooks kids

After the crowds got to be too much, we made our way to the Bavarian Fest. I traveled here in 2014 and was lucky enough to be in Munich for Oktoberfest. At this festival, we had pretzels, schnitzel, and sausage. Of course we also had beer! We sat on the patio and watched the sunset. Musicians and dancers came outside to perform. I had to work at 7 the next morning so our carrouseling had to be cut short.














Paulaner beer reminded me of Oktobertfest. PROST!
The food was also delicious here.








This past Saturday, we visited the German Fest which coincided with the World Cup, Germany vs Sweden game. Again we had pretzels, sausage and schnitzel. We had a debate over which place made the best pretzels.  It was a tie!

Erdinger beer was on
tap and it went well
with the pretzels

The festival was busy and there was lots of dancing before the game started. My nephew Zach is a huge fan of soccer (football) and was excited to be a part of the crowd. Germany won 2-1! ⚽️⚽️⚽️🍺🍺🍺








Zach tapped out after the German fest but my sisters and I continued on. Our next stop was the Caribbean festival. We were pretty stuffed and just a little buzzed from the German fest. We rallied though as we wanted to try their jerk chicken.






It's been close to 9 years since I visited Jamaica. Our resort had a jerk hut on the beach and it was incredible. This was pretty good too. I ran into a couple friends here (Nicole and George) who travel to Jamaica almost every year. They didn't go this year so this was a good festival for them to visit.


By this point, we were full and definitely buzzed but felt we had room for one more festival.

The Scottish club was definitely worth the visit. We were entertained for hours with dance and music. Hearing the Border Cities Pipe Band play Amazing Grace almost brought me to tears. They are so incredible!

We had to try the fish and chips!

This young lad is a student
at the school my sister
teaches at. He did a great job!

It was so fun to "travel" to these villages the past couple of weekends. I feel so fortunate that I've been on many trips and have seen some wonderful places. For people who don't get the chance to travel, the Carrousel provided an opportunity to try new foods and experience different cultures. This event occurs every year and I try to go to a couple of the venues. Hopefully your town offers something similar so that for a few hours you can feel transported to a different place.

~MT