June to July Places and Spaces

Since selling our equestrian business and moving to start Mayflower Wealth Management, we have made a concerted effort to arrange our lives and plan for the future.  This planning has reached a frenzied pace.

As part of this blog, it is my intention to discuss not only the planning involved but also provide description and resourses and yes even travel related reviews.

Here is a outline of activity since June 2012.

- Planning for a future life first entails planning for a financial future! I will discuss the dollars and cents related to such a plan in later posts.

- June 2012- Began research on locations to move to. At this point we have:

•  Upstate New York, Albany Troy area June 7-10,2012: This relates to our daughters prospects for boarding school at Emma Willard, an all girls school founded in 1814.

We started here with a trip to visit the school during the alumni weekend for the class of 1977. I attended The Thacher School in Ojai California, but had the opportunity to spend a semester as a student at Emma Willard in 1975. To say the least it was a unique opportunity, and allowed me a unique perspective having my daughter apply.

Noteworthy stops:

- Albany.
Early June is the perfect time for a visit. Not too hot and not too cold. We overnighted in Albany, and the only thing of note in the downtown area is the State House and a few odds and ends. I am sure Albany has more to offer, but maybe next visit. We stayed at the Radisson Hotel. A so so hotel undergoing some level of restoration.

-Emma Willard School
Wow what a fantastic campus and historic buildings. It is actually worth a walk through.












Emma Willard School Campus






















Ana in a dress!






 Troy, NY

The home of the original "Uncle Sam" has a cute downtown area one wouldnt expect minutes from Albany. It has quite a few restaurants and galleries.
   

Ana in Downtown Troy

 



July 2012

We made a quick trip over the Fourth of July weekend to visit McKenzie. He was involved in an internship program with the Center for hemispheric Defense Studies at Ft McNair. As a student at George Washington University he had never had the pleasure to summer in Washington D.C. Anyone who has traveled to D.C. in the summer knows that I am being sarcastic. Our visit was one of the hottest periods on record.

As humidity is already the norm in D.C. the 104 degree mark adds a particular hot and sweaty attitude to the city. We also suffered through a recovery from a freak wind event that had knocked power out all over the city.
   
Over the years we have had many trips to D.C. All have been a fantastic educational and touristic experience! I will highlight just a few for this trip and remember to add more about future trips.

Noteworthy Hotels:

We have been very loyal visitors to Kimpton Hotels. They have nine hotels in D.C. proper, and several others in Alexandria Va. If you are not familiar with Kimpton, it is a unique collection. They have several different level of hotels: Palomar, Monaco, Four Star Collection and a Three Star Collection.

We have stayed at Kimptons in Denver(Monaco), Minneapolis( The Grand), Philadelphia (Palomar). In D.C. we have stayed at Helix, Palomar, Rouge, and Topaz.

Why Kimpton?. Well each hotel is unique, and the location is terrific. We have stayed at so many in D.C. as they are located conveniently to George Washington University and all in interesting neighbourhoods. They are all smaller, boutique hotels. They have a good frequent visitor program, free happy social hour and while small, at least one decent food operation. My kids appreciate hot coco in the winter and the cucumber water in summer. They are dog super friendly and while we havent taken our dog, we always get a gold fish!. It was particularly cute that some properties email you in advance of your visit requesting a picture of your pet and then framing it for your room on arrival. P.S. -No I don't work for Kimpton!

This visit we stayed at
Topaz
1733 N Street NW
Washington D.C. 20036
202-393-3000
Res 800-424-2950

The staff was helpful and friendly as well as apologetic for the a elevator that blew a fuze in the storm. Some of these smaller properties are rennovated older hotels or apartment houses.

Tabard Inn
1739 N Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-331-8528

Wow what a find! I have stayed at Topaz several times and always wanted to stay at Tabard which is right next door. This time I looked around and dined with Christine, McKenzie, and Spencer at the restaurant.

The lounge is very clubby and comfy, and while we looked at the delighful outdoor patio, it was so smoking hot that they didn't have it open.

The restaurant was excellent but $$$$ as any place in D.C. Christine eats like a bird and the four of us ran $210.00 total. Still it is a treasure.

Shake Shack
1216 18th Street NW
Washington D.C. 20036

A, D.C. mainstay has great burgers, fries, and wow the Purple Cow Float was great on a hot evening. Made to order and great...but it takes time.
A bunch of food for three: $$ $29.00

Founding Farmers Restaurant
1924 Pennsylvannia Avenue NW
Washington D.C.

Stopped in for Saturday breakfast. It is a wait to get into this huge restaurant at 1924 Pennsylvannia Ave NW Crab eggs benedict were fantastic.
Brunch for two: $$$$ $43.00

We also visited Alexandria:

It was a lunch visit, but Alexandria is a great place to stroll. We almost dropped dead from the heat and had to stop at the nearest Kimpton: Monaco in Alexandria for cucumber water before hitting the Metro!
  
Fish Market Restaurant
Alexandria, VA
703-836-5676

In a quandry as to where to eat with all the choices we settled on the Fish Market. We had a fantastic lunch with lots of great fresh seafood. Oysters were fresh and delicious...
Lunch for four $$$$ $160.00

 

Hidden Spot           

Jessie Taylor Seafood
1100 Maine Ave SW
Washington, D.C. 20024
Lo
As our student seems to get by and get around in D.C. he took us for a stop under the bridge by the estuary to pig out! It was kinda gross and hot out but I couldn't resist fresh crab legs, shellfish and corn on the cob!
The three of us had a great brown bag of seafood from one of the vendors Jessie Taylors. Wow it was great!


 Looking for fresh seafood!

Walk around the estuary

Heading out from of seadfood feast we took around the estuary. We worked up a sweat but took in the monument I had never seen after all these years.

The Jefferson Memorial was just a short walk. Very impressive but my son says its better at night!
I bet with girl friends!  

Resting before the walk

 

FDR Memorial is a bit further along. Very impressive!
Here is Spencer posing..."The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"

Further along around the park and estuary is the new MLK  monument. Another must see but for some reason my picture didn't work out !

 

Be sure to see my next posting for the August - September period