March Break

Spring break is one of the most anticipated weeks in March. It's time to shake off the Winter blues, de-stress, unwind, and travel. Last year my sister and I visited Ireland and had an amazing time touring the emerald isle. This year, we were considering a trip to Boston, but rumours of a snowstorm were circling and we wanted somewhere a little warmer. After a chat with my travel agent, we settled on Riviera Maya in Mexico. We also gained a travel companion, my 11 year old nephew, Zach.


My travel agent booked us at the all-inclusive Grand Bahia Principe Tulum and after looking at images like this one, we knew our trip would be relaxing. I've been to Mexico a couple of times before, but this would be the first visit for both Bobbie and Zach. It would be Bobbie's first all-inclusive vacation as well.



We caught an early morning Delta flight out of Detroit but had to sit on the tarmac as they de-iced the plane. Of course it was snowing and cold when we left. After a short delay, we were in the air and anxiously awaiting to touch down in Cancun where the temperature was considerably warmer. Nothing better than swapping out boots for flip flops!

We reached our hotel after about an hour's drive from the airport and checked in. We grabbed a welcome drink and some lunch, then changed into our swimsuits and hit the pool. Our room was a junior suite located on the first floor and we had a great view of the resort. The grounds were lush and well tended and there were plenty of birds and iguana along the path. Zach wanted to get close to them but not too close.








The entertainment the first night was Michael (Miguel) Jackson. I've seen a few impersonators at various resorts and in Vegas. This show was pretty good and there was a large turn out. He did a lot of Michael's greatest hits including Beat It, Smooth Criminal, Billie Jean, and of course, Thriller. Zach was so tired after traveling, eating, being in the sun and drinking virgin Mudslides, he could barely keep his eyes open.









                                                 MEXICAN FIESTA 🎊

Hello Donkey

On our second night we attended a Mexican Fiesta that was located minutes from our hotel. It was situated outdoors with games and market stalls.  After getting our photo taken with the donkey, we were seated at a table close to the stage. We were instantly served drinks (tequila for Bobbie and I, red pop for Zach). We enjoyed a 5-course traditional meal. The wait staff were incredible and kept topping up our drinks. Aclamaciones!

There was a mariachi band that entertained us with lively music throughout the dinner.


After dinner, there was a performance showcasing the Mayan history and traditions. The story was of a human sacrifice which was common in the Aztec culture. These blood offerings would keep the gods happy and hopefully lead to both good weather and crop. They also sacrificed animals to the gods. The show was mesmerizing and the costumes were stunning.




ST. PATRICK'S DAY 🍀

Last year Bobbie and I celebrated one of our favourite holidays in Belfast and we didn't think we'd ever exceed that. We were in for quite a surprise in Mexico. We had just finished doing our morning water aerobics when the music changed, the entertainment staff came out dressed in green and the pool turned into a party with balloons and a conga line.

Zach has his balloon on his head

There was a trivia game and Zach won an Irish hat and headband. For lunch, there was a huge BBQ and lots of dancing. It did feel a bit weird to drink tequila on St. Patty's Day instead of green beer!

We had a wonderful 6 days in Mexico. The weather was glorious, the food and drinks delicious and plentiful,  and we met some nice people. I think Bobbie enjoyed her first all-inclusive, starting with mimosas at breakfast and ending the night with a Mudslide, or two.








We were sad to say goodbye to the sunshine but flying business class on the way home made us a feel a little bit better.  We were completely pampered by our flight attendant and Zach loved getting a blanket and pillow.






Now that we're back at home in Canada, we are still waiting to say goodbye to Winter, even though Spring has officially started. The cold weather is hanging on as our skin peels and tans fade. We had a fantastic Spring Break and those memories will keep us warmed until the next vacation.

Hope you all enjoyed your March Break!



~MT

Big 🍎 Apple-Part 4

The Brooklyn Bridge connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn and spans the East River. I was surprised they allowed pedestrians to not only walk across, but also bike. There's a dedicated walking lane and another for bikes. Thousands of people cross the bridge daily which takes approximately 30 minutes walking. The Brooklyn Bridge is slightly shorter than the Ambassador Bridge which spans the Detroit River, connecting my city of Windsor, Ontario with Detroit, Michigan. Pedestrian traffic is strictly prohibited on the Ambassador Bridge, so we were quite happy to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Liberty Enlightening the World

Since our time was limited, we decided to pass on taking the ferry to Liberty Island. Although the view wasn't the greatest, we were still able to see the Statue of Liberty from the bridge. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States and dedicated in 1886. The copper statue is a robed woman representing a Roman liberty goddess. She holds a torch in her right hand and carries a book in her left with the date United States declared Independence. She also has a broken chain at her feet. The statue is both a beacon and icon for freedom. I wish we could have got a closer look at her.





While walking around Times Square, we were approached by a guy selling tickets to the Times Square Comedy Club that night. Tickets were $30 but we talked him down to $10. The club was a hole in the wall and a bit dingy. There were 5 comics and a couple of them were really good. Worth the price!

I'd like to return and see a taping of Saturday Night Live or The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. SNL was on hold since the Olympics had started.

We visited the Rockefeller Center located in midtown Manhattan. Spanning across 12 acres, it's a famous tourist attraction with shopping, restaurants, studios, the famous skating rink and the enormous Christmas tree during the holidays.

We took the elevator to the Top of the Rock where we got our custom photo with Central Park in the background. The elevator takes you 850 feet up to a 3-tier observation deck on the 67, 69 and 70th floors. You have a 360 degree view of the entire city of Manhattan.

There is so much to do and see in New York, it's impossible to cover everything in a weekend. It rained on Sunday so we skipped the carriage ride in Central Park. Even missing a couple of things on my list of things to do, I was still so happy with what we were able to experience in such a short time.

Flight home-quicker than
the drive there!

The storm Mateo continued throughout the weekend back at home. After the snow came freezing rain. We checked with American Airlines and were able to catch a later flight on Sunday night, extending our weekend a bit longer. We were lucky that our trip wasn't cancelled altogether with the storm. It was hard to leave after having such a great time.  I hope to visit again someday!




~MT

Big 🍎 Apple-Part 3

Saturday morning brought us warmer temps in New York so we jumped in a yellow taxi and headed to lower Manhattan. Our first stop was the National September 11 Memorial and Tribute Museum. We all remember where we were on the tragic morning of September 11, 2001 when a group of terrorist hijackers crashed into the Twin Towers. The attacks killed almost 3000 people and the world was never the same.

Years later, the One World Trade Center (1WTC) or Freedom Tower has been rebuilt and is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. There are also two square reflecting pools in the center which mark where the Twin Towers stood. The name of each victim is edged into the bronze panels. On the birthday of each victim, a rose is placed by their name. This is a powerful reminder of all the lives lost on that fateful day.


We visited the 9/11 Tribute Museum which hosts personal stories of family members who lost loved ones, survivors, rescue and recovery workers, as well as volunteers. As a 9-1-1 dispatcher, I can't fathom the influx of calls that day, the hysteria of people not knowing if their loved ones were safe, and the horror faced by the first responders on scene. The hardest part of the museum for me was the Remembrance Room where there are more than 2000 personal photos of the people that were lost in the horrific attack.


We were able to visit the Fire Hall, which housed the very first responders on scene that day. They sadly lost six of their own. There's a dedication that runs alongside their House and there's a list of the names of those they lost.





My sister Bobbie and I took in a Broadway show later that day, titled Come From Away at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. This particular musical was fitting as it takes place in the week following the September 11 attacks. Set in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland in Canada, it tells the true story of what transpired when 38 planes were ordered to land in Gander, as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon.

The small town with a population of 7000 people, sprang into action to prepare for all the passengers and crew of 38 planes. They needed to house, feed, clothe and comfort thousands of people in a very short amount of time.

The play was both humorous and touching and filled with Canadian nuances that Bobbie and I found amusing. The cast of 12 represented nearly 16,000 people. The minimalist set had just a couple of tables and 12 chairs. The 100 minute play sends a message about the kindness of strangers and shows that there is human kindness in even the very darkest of times. Love and humanity triumphed over hate in this story.

Jennie and I posing

After the play, we met up with Jennie and Gerry at the Hard Rock for a couple of drinks. I got a souvenir glass and some drumsticks for my nephew Drew.  We stopped off at a couple more places before heading back to the hotel to change for dinner. The rain started so we donned our raincoats and dodged the many umbrellas in Times Square.







It was Jennie's turn to pay for our Mom's celebration dinner and she chose Carmine's. This family-style Italian restaurant with an old time atmosphere had great reviews and the pictures of the food on-line looked amazing. The menu is listed on the wall (which was behind Jennie's head) and we decided on Caesar salad, meatballs, bolognese pasta and veal parmigiana. We couldn't finish all the delicious food so we packed it up and Gerry reheated it for breakfast the next morning!

The red banquette was a nice touch

We had absolutely no room for dessert. Our Mom would  have been disappointed as that was her favourite part of a meal. This dinner was a wonderful way to finish off a busy day in New York and honour our Mom. Both great food and atmosphere, Carmine's is definitely worth a visit.




Stay tuned for the fourth and final instalment coming shortly....

~MT

Big 🍎 Apple-Part 2

At 2Bros Pizza across from our hotel

Imagine arriving in New York on International Pizza Day. What better place to be for a slice of pie? You can't beat the price...$1 for a slice with cheese. If you want more toppings, you pay extra. This slice hit the spot after the 9+ hour drive and being awake for over 24 hours. The 2 pints at the Irish pub next to our hotel didn't hurt neither. Sláinte!


Since this was our first trip to New York, we booked The Ride, a 75 minute guided bus tour of Manhattan. The bus had side-facing theatre seats and floor to ceiling windows.

The tour guide was both knowledgable and humorous while he shared some interesting facts about the city. It was exciting to see so many famous landmarks such as Times Square, the Chrysler Building, the fountain at
Columbus Circle, Grand Central Terminal, Bryant Park among others.

Horse drawn carriages at Central Park

We even felt the floor shake during a simulated subway ride, and the entire bus shook side to side when we passed the Empire State Building while images of King Kong scaling the building flashed on the t.v. screens.

You can see the original gas lamps
hanging by the 20-foot-high entrance

Perhaps the most interesting part of the tour, was driving by the Dakota apartment building. Built in 1884, the building's architect and location are both extraordinary. It's housed some famous people including Lauren Bacall, Judy Garland, Gilda Radner, Joe Namath, U2's Bono, and Connie Chung. However, the most famous residents of the Dakota, would have to be John Lennon and Yoko Ono (she still resides here). At the age of 40, Lennon was shot and killed in front of the Dakota, by crazed fan Mark David Chapman on December 8, 1980.
I still remember hearing the news and where I was when I learned of Lennon's death. Just shy of my 8th birthday, my brother came home from hockey practice and said John Lennon had died. At first, I thought he said John Lenigan (our favourite WGAR DJ-see part 1) but he quickly made it clear that it was one of the Beatles. We were devastated to hear the news. If you're a fan and want to visit, you can't enter the Dakota but you can visit the Strawberry Fields Memorial in Central Park which is a garden dedicated to John Lennon.

Jennie, Bobbie and I getting a selfie
with Radio City Music Hall in
the background

Imagine the thousands of
people that visit to watch
the ball drop on NY's Eve

After the tour, we took a quick power nap then hit Times Square. It was still early enough to enjoy happy hour at a
few places.

We asked some locals some of their favourite watering holes and did our best to try them out.

CHEERS!

My favourite place we visited Friday night was an Irish Pub called the Playwright. The ambience was great and the waiter was from County Donegal. The food was delicious and I even got a couple of free pints!


Stay tuned for Part 3....


~MT

Big 🍎 Apple- Part 1

I sadly lost my Mom on February 10, 2006, just two days before her 59th birthday. Each year, my siblings and I get together for  dinner and drinks and honour her memory. This year we all happened to have the weekend off and decided to step up our celebration by booking a trip to New York. The plan was to fly out Friday morning and return Sunday night. However, Mother Nature intervened in the form of Storm Mateo.

I discovered on Thursday afternoon that our Friday morning flight was cancelled due to the impending storm, but American Airlines was offering a later flight. With Mateo on his way,  there was no guarantee that later flight would depart as scheduled. After a brief discussion, we decided to rent a car and drive through the night to New York, avoiding the storm. We would drop the car off in New York and fly home as scheduled on Sunday. We called Hertz, booked a car and crossed the border to Detroit to pick up the rental.

It would take approximately 9 hours to drive through Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania before arriving in New York. The Chevy Traverse we rented had both Navigation and SiriusXM radio. I remember family road trips where my Dad would ask, "Can you grab the map out of the glove box?" (how did we ever reach our destination without GPS or MapQuest?) We would turn the radio dial until we found our favourite DJ, John Lanigan, the host of WGAR in Cleveland. If we lost reception, we had no music. We weren't able to choose between 460 channels like SiriusXM offers. We were lucky to have two or three stations. We also didn't wear seat belts and my parents smoked Rothman's in the car (with the windows slightly cracked) but kids of the 70's lived on the edge!

This roadie was smooth as we headed away from the snow, towards slightly warmer temps. My brother Gerry and I took turns driving and had our very own concert, singing along to the 70's on 7,  80's on 8, and Pearl Jam. By morning, my sister Jennie awoke and took her turn at the wheel, navigating us through Jersey and the Lincoln Tunnel into Manhattan. We arrived in Times Square at the time our original flight was set to depart from Detroit so our trip started earlier than planned. We dropped off the rental, checked our bags at the hotel, and began our adventure in the Big Apple.

Stay tuned for Part 2....

~MT

Seasons Greetings

My Grandma Brooks made this tree years ago in her ceramics class. I forego putting up a real tree and instead put this on display. I love this tree as it holds so many memories of Christmases past and of loved ones that are no longer here.









I find the holidays are always a time for reflection. As 2017 winds down and 2018 looms around the corner, I look back on this year, on the trips I've taken, the people I've met and all the experiences I've had. I look forward to the new adventures next year holds and to the new places I'll visit.





Whatever you're doing this holiday season, I hope you are surrounded by loved ones. Thank you for sharing this blog with me and all the best to you in 2018.

~MT

Anne of Green Gables

Kip and Henry

Anne and Diana

Before Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari became Bosom Buddies, Canadian author Lucy Maud (L.M.) Montgomery had already penned the term in her 1908 novel, Anne of Green Gables.



Montgomery tells the story of Anne Shirley, an 11 year old orphan who comes to live at Green Gables with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. Set in the fictional town of Avonlea in Prince Edward Island, the Cuthberts are middle-aged siblings looking to adopt a boy to help on the farm. Instead, they get Anne, a talkative, dramatic, intelligent, freckled, red-haired girl. Matthew was taken with her straightaway and he and Marilla agree to keep her. Anne settles into her new life in the close-knit farming town. She meets her bosom friend Diana Barry,  and confides to Marilla, Miss Barry is a kindred spirit after all.  She also meets Gilbert Blythe who teases Anne about her red hair, calling her "Carrots". Anne hates her red hair,  red hair is my life long sorrow  and despises Gilbert for teasing her. Gilbert becomes Anne's adversary in school but will eventually become very important in her life.


My sister and I read the book as children, and eventually the entire series. Montgomery decided to continue Anne's story and there were eight books published in total, following Anne throughout her life. Millions of fans of the book have traveled to Prince Edward Island, where they can see numerous Anne-related attractions.

In 1985, the CBC created a four hour television miniseries which I spent more than a couple Sunday afternoons watching with my Grandma Kennedy. It starred Canadian actress Megan Follows as Anne, and Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe. They went on to film Anne of Avonlea in 1987, Road to Avonlea in 1992, and Anne of Green Gables:The Continuing Story in 2000.

Gilbert Blythe played by Jonathan Crombie

The Brits may have Mr. Darcy, but we Canadians have Gilbert Blythe. When Gilbert first meets Anne, he is immediately smitten. He teases her to get her attention but this backfires and Anne resents him. They become rivals at school, competing for the highest grades and a scholarship. Gilbert saves Anne from drowning when she's 16, and although her friends find this romantic, Anne still refuses to warm to Gilbert. He eventually gives up a teaching job so Anne can take the position and continue to live at Green Gables. This act of kindness finally cements their friendship. Eventually Anne and Gilbert marry and have children. Gilbert sets the bar high for romance!

Adelaide, Andrea and myself

Imagine my delight when my very own bosom friend...my kindred spirit Andrea, asked if I'd accompany her and her daughter Adelaide to an Anne of Green Gables play. It was showing at the Community Centre about an hour and a half away in Petrolia. When Andrea got the tickets, she realized it was a musical and her cousin had a role as Miss Stacey, Anne's teacher. The play followed Anne's adventures from 11-16 years old and for the most part, stayed true to the book. Andrea and I both think Adelaide would make the perfect Anne with her red hair and just the right amount of dramatic flair!

The book has been a favourite of mine for years. It's a must-read that will make you laugh and cry. As Anne says, I love a book that makes me cry. I was so happy to share this musical experience with Andrea. We both share such a love for the book and Gilbert Blythe! If you're not much of a reader, than check out the miniseries. I'm sure you will love it just as much as I do.

~MT