A Glimpse of Christmas Present:

Pm

Christmas in Manhattan

     My husband and I have always wanted to see New York City at Christmas.  We celebrate our anniversary and my husband’s birthday over the Thanksgiving weekend, so this year we decided to cross off a bucket list trip.

     We got an excellent deal through Expedia for a direct flight into Newark and three nights/four days at the Waldorf Astoria on Park Avenue.  Also, thanks to opentable.com I was able to research, make all of our dinning reservations ahead of time, send to my calendar and map them out on my phone.

     I made arrangements through Leon Limousine Service (914.636.0406) who is used by many friends and associates to meet us at Newark Airport.  Victor, the owner, was waiting for us and drove with skill and care to the city.  We had never been that route before and were able to see the Statue of Liberty, the new Freedom Tower and the sights along the Hudson River.

     We arrived at the hotel in time to check in and admire the grand lobby.  The receptionist told us that as we were Hilton Honor Members we would receive free Wi-Fi and two choices from the minibar daily.  The bottled water from the minibar alone is worth the few minutes to sign up for hotel perks.

     We changed and caught a quick bite to eat before our scheduled “Holiday Light Tour” on the Gray Line Double-decker Bus at 6:30PM which I had reserved online weeks ago.

     While walking up 49^th Avenue towards 8^th Avenue, you could hear wondrous Christmas music.  Surprisingly we were in front of Saks Fifth Avenue and their magnificent 'Winter Palace' window display and light show with accompanying music was in process.  It was truly amazing and you can view the different store windows through this link.  

     Further up the street we came upon the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree which opened the night before.  Ice skaters whipped around the rink and crowds stood and gazed in awe.  It was truly a memorable site.

     We checked in at the Gray Line offices and choose a seat on the top level so we could get a good view and clear photos, as the weather was clear and tolerable.  For two hours the bus drove us around to see all the department store windows and displays.  There are longer tours available, however I found two hours was plenty, especially as most of the time was spent in stopped traffic.  The guide was informative and the driver did an incredible job of maneuvering that large bus through unbelievable traffic.

Park Avenue

Tiffany's

     After our trek back to the hotel we enjoyed a night cap at the very busy lobby bar - the Peacock Alley Restaurant - which had a very good wine list.

     The next morning we found one of the many coffee shops and had coffee and a banana, as we had an early lunch reservation at Del Frisco’sGrille in Rockefeller Plaza.  We ordered cocktails and I have to say the margarita was one of the best and strongest I’ve ever had.

     The steak salad with Gorgonzola and fresh bacon was delicious.  Husband had roasted chicken over mashed potatoes.  The decor was trendy and comfortable.  I really liked this restaurant and would recommend it for lunch.  

     We walked around the corner to get in line for our 1PM Radio City Christmas Spectacular.  I have wanted to see the Rockettes for 40+ years.  We had bought our tickets online and had them in hand when we were ushered into the doors.  Our bags where searched and our bodies frisked before entering the lobby where a grand chandler hangs and staircases lead to the different levels. 

     There are several gift shop areas upon entering in addition to refreshment bar areas offering cocktails and food.  You can have your photo taken with a Rockette to remember your visit.  We set off to find our seats which were on the third Mezzanine almost middle front row end – perfect seats to see the whole stage.  We had amply leg room, which I found interesting compared to all other Broadway theaters I’ve been in.


   
     The 1.5 hour show was truly spectacular and did not disappoint.  It included everything from a NYC bus to a live manger scene including camels, sheep and a donkey.  I cannot comprehend the hours of practice the performers must go through.  Every step, every line was perfect!

Macy's

Macy's

     After the show we took a cab ride to Macy’s which I found crowded and overwhelming.  After being accosted by the 10^th perfume salesperson, we decided to stroll back to the hotel.

   


     We avoided Times Square and ended up in Bryant Park which we’d seen the night before on the bus tour.  There were many stalls of artsy vendors set up for Christmas shopping.  We enjoyed a beverage at the outdoor bar before window shopping on Madison Avenue.

     Upon return at the hotel, exhaustion convinced us to cancel our reservation at the recommended Trattoria Dell’Arte across from Carnegie Hall, as we simply didn’t want to deal with the traffic.  We decided to eat at the hotel steak house, the Bull and Bear.  The nice Irish Maitre'd gave us an excellent private table in the very busy establishment.  I was extremely pleased, as there is nothing I dislike more than to be seated only inches from other dinners in cramped areas.  As I was still full from our early lunch, I enjoyed a small filet which was cooked perfectly and hubby had the filet and lobster with creamed spinach as a side dish.  We were not disappointed in our choices and afterward slowly limped back to our room.

     The next morning we decided to order room service – my FAVORITE part of vacation – as we had lunch reservations at noon.  Our pot of coffee and pastry basket arrived.  I heard from across the room, as my husband flipped the pastry basket napkin open, a loud curse word.  A roach had crawled out of the napkin fold.  After killing it, he called to complain.  Many apologies and three pastry baskets that I really had no appetite to eat followed. 

Bergdorf Goodman Window

Bergdorf Goodman Window

     Prior to our noon lunch reservation, we left in time to take walk through New York's famous Bergdorf Goodman department store - which was having a sale.  With nothing in my price range, we moseyed through Central Park to Tavern on the Green for lunch.  I was thrilled to learn that they had reopened in April of 2014, as I loved the ambiance of the Crystal Room and masculinity of the Hunting Room.  The food had been good, but I wanted to return to experience the old world romance of the beautiful Murano chandeliers hanging in the glittering Crystal Room.

     I was sorely disappointed to find that the restaurant has been completely redone.  In an effort to restore the establishment to its original facade of a sheep barn, it now resembles a trendy cafeteria.  I hated it.  The beautiful Crystal Room is now a glass box which on this glorious sunshiny New York day was more like a microwave oven.  After moving to three different tables to avoid direct glare from the sun, sunglasses and sunscreen we enjoyed a view of Central Park.

     To drown my sorrow I ordered a golden margarita and reviewed the menu.  Again to my disappointment the offerings of about 20 items consisted mainly of breakfast egg items rather than luncheon items.  As I hate eggs, my choices were quickly narrowed to Caesar Salad, salmon with aioli sauce (mayonnaise being my second most disliked food) or a burger.  Rather than following my instinct and ordering the salmon, I took the waiters recommendation and ordered the burger – a rare occurrence for me.  It was good, but later in the evening was so ill we were forced to cancel our dinner reservations. 

     Back through Central Park, we ventured into the Plaza 'Food' Hall in search of a restroom.  To our surprise, the whole bottom level is now a gourmet market and food court.  If only I'd known about that sooner!  Before heading back to the hotel, we checked out Bloomingdale's where I pointed out to my husband the Chanel purse with a price tag as much as some new cars.  He didn't leap to buy it for me!

     Not feeling well, with regret we cancelled our dinner reservation at Glass House Tavern, which I had picked because of the 4.2 stars from reviewers.  Hopefully next time!

     The next morning, still recovering from a rough night, we got up and found a French pastry shop and enjoyed fresh pastries and coffee for breakfast. 

     Upon returning to check out we reviewed our bill.  Unbelievably we had been charged for the room service ‘experience’ and the waters from the minibar we’d been told was included as Hilton Honor Members.  This is when I decided to add to the list of complaints regarding our room:  safe battery was dead and therefor unusable, towel rack in bathroom was broken, minibar waters had not been restocked but once in our four day stay, telephone on night stand didn’t work and the noise from the street coming through the A/C unit was unbelievable.  Even though we were on the 7^th floor, I could hear every auto, train and I’d say boat horn and smell every street vendor and exhaust fume for miles.  A huge disappointment after staying at the Waldorf in Boca Raton where everything was perfect.

     At promptly 11AM, Leon Limousine’s picked us up and we were at Newark Airport in 30 minutes.  We checked in and enjoyed a lunch at the Vanguard Kitchen which we ordered from electronic tablets at each table.  Being a gadget guru, I really liked that. 

     With exception to the few issues, we had a wonderful time and could not have asked for more perfect weather.  Seeing the Rockettes and the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was worth it and we are truly glad we made the time to experience Christmas in New York!

Boca Raton, Florida

See my reviews on Trip Adviser of our recent overnight trip to Boca Raton, Florida.

We stayed at the Boca Raton Resort, A Waldorf Astoria Resort and were not disappointed!  I loved the room which was decorated beautifully and very comfortable.  The bathroom was very spacious with a tub and separate bath, two sinks and a separately enclosed toilet. 

Our room was in the Yacht Club wing on the 6^th floor overlooking the water.  The view was beautiful.

We lunched on site at the 501 East Kitchen and Bar and had one of the best salads I can remember – the Sonoma with chicken breast.  It was delicious and the atmosphere was very trendy and comfortable.

We had cocktails in the Blue lounge overlooking the city from the 27^th floor.  Quite a site. 

I would definitely visit this resort again and stay longer!

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Bermuda 2015

Celebrity Summit

Bermuda Cruise Aboard the

Celebrity Summit

My husband has wanted to see Bermuda for more years than I can remember.  We just never found the time nor could I garner the energy for the challenging flight schedules. They don’t make it easy to get from South Florida to Bermuda. I discovered that my relatives were booked on Celebrity Summit that departed on July 26 out of Cape Liberty, New Jersey, and decided “why not? Just do it!”  

I booked our departure flight through Celebrity since we were arriving the day of Embarkation. This way they guarantee we will be on the ship! The price was the same as if I would have booked it. For our return flight, I booked directly with United Airlines because Celebrity won’t book a flight before 1:30 p.m. We all know how early you are up on the last day and I knew I could make the 25 minute cab ride to Newark Airport before 9:00 a.m.

I booked Concierge Class and chose a room on Deck 8 at the back of the ship. We have always wanted to try the back and the opportunity was there.  Concierge gets you on the boat faster and in a different disembark lounge than the bulk of the passengers. There are perks like daily hors d’oeuvres, show seating, and specialty dining reservations. We spent our time visiting with family so didn’t utilize the perks. I really just wanted the room!

So let’s talk about the ship and our room. The ship was built in 2001 but remodeled since then. If you want more Ship details, please visit http://www.celebritycruises.com/ships/celebrity-summit and yes, the exterior of the ship shows age. However, the interior was very clean and I didn’t notice the age around the décor. The crew does a great job with the interior maintenance.

With our room at the back of the ship, it was very quiet. You don’t hear the typical hallway traffic since there are limited rooms in that area.  Having a floor above you that is rooms and not a public area also makes for a quiet room. The balcony/deck was almost as large as our room! If we had been alone, I probably would have spent my days at sea sitting there.  A table with 4 chairs and two lounge chairs were awesome! The downside of that room that I will mention is during rough seas (anything over 5 feet for me) you will feel the motion. Everyone feels it different, but keep in mind the boat goes up and down in waves and being at the back, you will feel that.

The crew was very professional and very friendly. I think http://www.celebritycruises.com/home is my favorite cruise line. I feel you get the personalized attention without breaking the bank and the crew always have smiles. They love working with http://www.celebritycruises.com/home is my way of thinking. And keep in mind Summit has a female captain!!! The food was very good. We usually ate breakfast in the dining room. I prefer not to start my day walking with a plate of food. Lunch was the buffet, even though we tried for the dining room but could never get there before they closed the doors. Our group had the 8:30 seating and that’s my favorite time.  We usually have cocktails before dinner and it gives everyone time to get ready. My only complaint was the limited selection of food between the hours of 3-5 p.m. Since dinner was so late, I need food and my choice pretty much was pizza. It was delicious pizza but they need to double the oven and staff because they could not keep up with demand. We also purchased the Premium Drink Package. Not necessarily because we drink so much but because I can’t stand signing my name every time I order something. I feel like I’m spending a fortune when required to do that! I love to have a great wine with dinner and this way, I can usually get the good stuff.

Upon arrival in Bermuda, the skies were overcast which helped keep the temperature down. We did book an excursion the first day to get the lay of the land and it included a walking tour. I did enjoy the commentary but I felt the price was high for what we got; especially when we bought Ferry tokens later that day for $18.00 round trip to return to Hamilton. We walked around, shopped, people watched, and had a snack at http://www.flanagans.bm/ while waiting for the street party to begin for the http://bermudacupmatch.com/ which was canceled due to rain.  The following day we took the 45 minute $18.00 ferry to St. George’s to check out the cup match. Keep in mind, the whole country pretty much closes down for 3 days during the match; however, it’s quite enjoyable to experience a Country that does this. We walked the streets which were deserted and tried to walk to the match but the heat wore us down. A few stores and restaurants were open, but since St. George’s was hosting the game this year, the people were at the match. Talk about a deserted town! On our third and final day at Bermuda, we walked off the ship and booked a taxi for 4 hours and $280.00. We had a great driver, Steven, who we found to be a past student of a coach at my relatives school. Talk about a small world! He gave us a great tour of all of Bermuda and showed us some very interesting points. We made a stop at http://www.caves.bm/ which was pretty interesting, the lighthouse, the oldest house, just to name a few. I would suggest this option on your first day in Bermuda. It’s the best way to decide how your remaining visit should go. The majority of our group took the bus to Horseshoe Bay on 2 days. They love the beach and wanted to get their time in but us Florida folk can do the beach all year. The dockyard is designed to cater to passengers off the ship, easy transportation and water sport bookings. Several in our group took a half day fishing excursion that was booked independently.  They caught several fish and had a great day!  

Bermuda residents took our U.S. dollars with no problem. I also noticed on my Visa that all charges were U.S. dollar. We were told they use the Bermudian dollar and U.S. dollar the same since the value is equal.

http://www.bermuda.com/ is a beautiful country to visit. The residents are friendly and the beaches and streets are clean. I think 3 days there was plenty but I’m not one to hang at the beach. If I want to return, I most likely will book a cruise on http://www.celebritycruises.com/ again.  Make a week out of it!

I did learn a very important lesson on our return flight. I will share, even though it makes me look really dumb. We took a cab for $75 to http://www.airport-ewr.com/ before 8:00 a.m. day of disembarkation. We asked for an earlier flight and the counter Agent at http://www.united.com/web/en-US/default.aspx    told us the flight details and we paid the extra fee to change our flight. I did not verify the boarding pass, foolish me. Departure was to be at 9:59 a.m. and after sitting at the gate for 30 minutes, I looked down and noticed she booked us on a 9:24 p.m. flight!!!!! Panic ensued! Long story short, my 30 minute phone call while standing in line got me nowhere. They could not help since I was “checked in”, even though it was their error. My husband found a shorter line in another concourse. That counter Agent was able to get us back on our original noon flight but didn’t hesitate to inform him that he should have checked his boarding pass earlier because they are only human. Luckily, he looked at the new boarding passes and requested that agent give me a seat assignment. This has never been a problem before since their programs make it so easy to book flights. I call it pure incompetence and feel that there is no accountability so buyers beware. Nor does http://www.united.com/web/en-US/default.aspx put the passenger first when it’s their mistake and don’t have a system in place to expeditiously remedy mistakes. Don’t trust the person, verify the writing. I can guarantee this will never happen to me again. The flights were both great, maybe if you can avoid the Counters it will be an enjoyable flight.

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Sunday Brunch at The Breakers on Palm Beach