A Whirldwind of a Trip

Last week, we embarked on an excellent adventure. Our first stop was NJ for a wedding where we knew only the bride and groom (a couple other folks we had met once before, but other than that, we knew NO ONE ELSE!) We did make friends with some of the folks at our table during the reception, but up 'til that point, nada. Still, it was a nice wedding, and it was nice to get out away from the kiddies (my parents came along to watch 'em.) We would have taken more pics but the battery(ies) on our camera died and I didn't have our other cam handy. Oh well.

After that, we headed to NYC for a few days. It was a lovely time, as we got to hang out with Jeremy's cousin Mary and her fam in their schwanky Manhattan apartment (which has an AWESOME view! Could have stayed up there, just looking over the city all night.) Again, no pics, because I didn't want to drag out my good camera for just a few shots, and our other camera was.... dead. Yeah. But we had a good time, the food was yummy (Mary made Texas style bbq, as that's where they've been for the past 4 years!) And all of her siblings also came to dinner, which was an unexpected surprise (well, we were pretty sure one would be there, with her new hubby, as they also live in the city, but her brother, James, is nearly impossible to track down. Always globe trotting somewhere.) They even got cupcakes for dessert! Mmm... yes, America, NYC cupcakes ARE worth all the rave. Well, not from Magnolia, but more on that later.

The next day, we did head out into the city a bit, FINALLY venturing into Toys R Us Time Square (meh, it's just a big toy store... Jeremiah was too upset to ride the ferris wheel because he wanted to go in the "beep beep" and not the "truck." Oh well. He did get a Thomas train out of it, so he was happy.

One thing we did learn about NYC while there is that it's really difficult to traverse with kids. At least, if your kids are stroller bound, and your stroller is heavy (as ours is...) Yeah. It was way more hassle than it was worth to take the bus or subway anywhere, and cabs made me nervous, too (since the kids wouldn't be in car seats, and they drive crazy...) So we walked quite a bit. And it was all good. At least we were able to justify the cupcakes we ate later that day, right before we headed up to the Top of the Rock. I will say, though, Magnolia is totally NOT worth the hype. The cupcakes were so dry! The frosting was good, and necessary, but I do not pay $3 for frosting, so I was disappointed.

Top of the Rock was fun! Jeremy's Uncle Chuck and his family was able to meet us there (they live in NJ) so we had some company to enjoy the sights with (and help watch the kiddies!) We timed it right around Sunset, so we could see the city during the day, and get a nice view of Central Park, yet still be able to see it fully lit up, and watch the sunset. It was a little more crowded than last time I went (around 8:30, I think) but by the time the sunset, almost everyone was gone, and we could take it all in ourselves (and Jeremiah and Jesslyn could entertain everyone with their little dances.) 'Twas a good time had by all!

Those were the highlights of NYC. Off to RI we go! This part of the trip was crazy. We basically were there to eat. And eat we did! The night we got there, we had a bunch of RI favorites--fried clams, clam cakes, and lobster rolls. The next day, sampled some Portuguese fare at Sagres. We had papsicos! (Portuguese hard rolls... can't get 'em here in VA!) And Sumol (a Portuguese soda. You CAN get it here in VA, but there are only two places that sell it, and both are a little hike [and overpriced...]) We also had quejo fresco, a soft goat cheese with a texture very similar to greek yogurt--very fresh, indeed! And of course, we had to have the caldo verde, or Portuguese Kale Soup. Not as good as homemade, but nice, since there version is very smooth and refined, whereas our version is more rustic.

For our entrees, Jeremy had what I had wanted to order, which was a Portuguese Steak. They put fried eggs on top of EVERYTHING in Portugal, so of course, that's how it came to us! And the fried potatoes were nice and crispy, like thick potato chips. I had the "bacalhau" or salted cod. It was cooked with potatoes, olives, and LOTS of olive oil, with, of course, fried egg on top. It was yummy, but I would have preferred Jeremy's dish. Oh well. Maybe next year, when we go to the Azores to visit my Grandparents (my Avó and Avō) I can have it then!

We did visit Battleship Cove, because I thought Jeremiah would think it was cool. Well, he played along with that idea for all of 5 minutes and then decided he'd rather run around on the waterfront (pics coming soon...)

We also took a trip to Fogland beach, which was our beach of choice growing up. We didn't spend a lot of time there, though, since it was VERY chilly, with a stiff breeze coming over the water. I wanted to stay, since the kids obviously did, but it was just too cold for me, and we didn't have the proper outerwear to justify it (and I don't care how tough Jeremy thinks he is--wearing just a short sleeved polo shirt and shorts in cold like that is crazy.) But it was nice to stop by and see the place.

We didn't really do much else. I was able to find fresh malassadas (or malasadas, depending on who you ask,) and it came with a huge breakfast (2 eggs, 2 strips bacon, 2 sausage, 2 french toast, 2 pancakes, potatoes AND the malasada... crazy!) for $8! Jeremy got a chourico, cheese, and egg omelette that was a steal at $5. Jeremiah was perfectly happy with just his malasada, though. :)

Before heading to Pittsburgh (why did I think that would be a good idea....) we had breakfast with a friend of mine from High School, Ali. I don't think I've seen her in... 8 or 9 years now? So that was a nice way to end our trip. :)

The Pittsburgh part of the trip was not the highlight, that's for sure. Endless traffic, en route, miscommunication about a reunion meal at Jeremy's ol' college campus, meh food that kept me near the bathrooms, swarms of bees that wouldn't go away, chilly temps, and uncomfortable shoes made for a rough day. And I didn't even get the sandwich I wanted (a Pittsburgh staple: meat, fries and coleslaw, between two huge piece of Italian bread,) so it was a bust for me. Oh well. Next time (yeah right... not a lot of reason to go back at this point.)

Needless to say, we're SO glad to be home. I won't do a trip like that for a while. Poor Jeremiah was so desperate for stability and his own bed, instead of a different hotel room every other night, practically. Yeah, too much in too little time. But it was fun. Unfortunately, we're all sick now (and were partly on the trip, as well!) so it's hard to be cheerful at the moment. :( Hopefully, we're getting this all out of our system now, so we don't have to worry about it come the holidays!

And with that, I sign off. 2 a.m. is too late for bed when you're supposed to be getting as much rest as possible. Ah, screw it. Too sick to care. :p