One of my first outings back in the states was a night at the newly renovated Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami. The transformation is absolutely outstanding. This legendary hot spot on South Beach has really taken the prize and has become the place for the latest shows, such as Max Weinberg ‘s Big Band.
Meet the Big Band
Weinberg is known as the drummer for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band and longtime drummer for the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and now but maybe not for long Conan O’Brien. Besides directing the Tonight Show Band and touring with the E Street Band, Weinberg has been organizing a Rat Pack come back, with a full 15-person band, with horns, piano and of course drums.
Weinberg and the Big Band Show debuted on December 27th and 28th at the Fontainebleau’s Bleau Bar Room. The crowd was a great mixture of hotel guest and fans of the E Street Band and The Tonight Show, but clearly present were fans of Max Weinberg, who was now taking center stage as the front man.
The crowd getting rowdy.
The show was a good hour and half, with classics along with new music material. The mood was exciting as if the spirits of Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra had resurrected from their old suits when they use to make the Fontainebleau their second homes.
The night was lively, as some got up and began to dance, including my father and I, who is a big E Street Band fan. Max Weinberg is back in L.A filming with Conan O’Brien and it looks like his schedule will allow for more performance with the latest NBC drama.
On a side note, for those of you who have been following the blog and are aware of my St. Germain withdrawal in Europe, be assured my old friend and I were reintroduced several times over.
As my friends put it, I was in store for a very fun homecoming back to the states.
After being away for so long it was nice to know that your family and friends actually missed you. At one point, when 6 months was beginning to feel like forever away from everyone I loved, I questioned does my presence matter or not? Would I even be missed? So, after my touch down on U.S soil and my phone beginning to ring with the familiar caller I.D names and answering to the familiar voices, I was even happier to be home.
I decided that my first stop back in the states would be in Miami. Europe and London were so cold it only seemed right to be in the warm South Florida sun for Christmas, but more importantly to be with my family.
The transition from Europe to Florida wasn’t too bad. I guess its’ due to my ever-changing living situations. Constantly moving literally every 6 months. I have become such a pro when it comes to packing cardboard boxes and figuring out how to make it all fit in one SUV. I can’t count the number of leases I have signed and how many different keys my Shreve, Crump and Low key chain has watched after.
Needless to say, I didn’t get to experience the culture shock I was expecting, which made me wonder if I was becoming numb to the adventures in my life. Am I so immune to this hectic life, that it no longer feels hectic?
My life will always be hectic, but I suppose because I love it so much, I don’t feel overwhelmed and I think my friends have something to do with that. When you have good friends, your life could be falling apart, but with a true and good friend you know you can overcome what may.
So being back in Miami with childhood and college friends, along with family, my crazy life was set back to equilibrium and I felt ready to take on 2010.
Of course, some good Cuban food may have also had something to do with the easy adjustments back to the states.
You know when you are driving somewhere and you always find that the way back is always faster? Well that was the case with my flight back to the U.S.A. Quick movie rental, a few chapters of my book and bit of shuteye and we were preparing for landing.
Once in Philly, the news of the terrorist attempt on the Northwest/ Delta flight to Detroit was spreading. Security was a bit tighter and the delays started taking over the electronic status boards including my flight, which was delayed by 3 and half hours. At this point, I was just happy to be back on U.S soil.
As anxious travelers, all eager to get to their destinations before Christmas day was over, stood witness to more chaos in the Philadelphia Airport, everyone’s attention was brought to more Christmas Chaos. What seemed to be a three-year-old boy, was driving in reverse on one of the terminal electronic cars, speeding down the terminal aisles. He apparently snuck away from his father who was on the phone, before he had to chase after his son, running and throwing himself on to the car, to slam on the brakes. The car went so fast, pedestrians had to dodge the getaway car and the boy seemed clueless to the dangers. Luckily, no one was hurt, the father was more shaken up by the event and witnesses in the terminal immediately took to their phones to share the news of what had just happened.
After that I knew I was certainly back in the United States and it felt great. You couldn’t help but laugh at the events, that helped ease the tension brought on by the day’s earlier terrorist scare.
Flying Christmas morning was my most stressful flight ever. The day started early and with most, if not all of London shut down for business, it was impossible to get a cab to the airport. I had no choice, but to go with a car service. I told them I was leaving Gatwick Airport flying US Airways and after my English Christmas breakfast they came to pick me up.
Twenty minutes into the ride and I fell asleep and awoke to find myself in Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5 for British Airways. Either the car service was still drunk from all the eggnog or just completely unreliable, but I found myself at the wrong airport and still having to pay £ 90 that’s $150 for one-way on Christmas Day.
At this point it would have been impossible to make it to Gatwick Airport in time for my original flight. I went to Terminal 1 in Heathrow to US Airways, hoping and praying there was something the airline could do.
If I didn’t know what a Christmas Miracle was before that day, I certainly do now. Luckily for me the one flight out of Heathrow to the United States that day departed in two hours and had a few open seats. The US Airways attendant worked her magic, cheating the system, trying to find a way to avoid me having to buy a completely new ticket priced at over $1000. She simply made the change and I was set to travel to Miami with a lay over in Philly. Christmas Miracle at its best if you ask me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, US AIRWAYS.
I’ve been lucky that all my postings thus far have been reporting back about all the great things that I have come across in Europe. I never thought that I would be writing of such tragic things, but here is one I feel I have to address.
Descending the stairs at one of London’s Underground tubes, I noticed a man’s body lying on the floor. My first thought was that he was a homeless man trying to escape the cold of the streets. I heard a few grunts and he was twitching a bit. As I came closer and turned the corner, I discovered that my assumptions were wrong. The pool of blood coming from behind the man’s head and his pained expression, quickly made me see that this man was severely hurt. He apparently, slipped on the wet floor that was marked by one of those yellow slippery signs. He must have hit his head, which caused the bleeding.
A woman who seemed to be a doctor or nurse comforted him. Repeating, “ Excuse me. Sir can you hear me. Sir can you hear me.” After no response, she took his wrist and checked her watch, trying to find and count his pulse. A small crowd was gathered and everyone stood wanting to help, calling for police, screaming for help, but it seemed like forever till a man with a useless walkie talky came. At that point I looked back at the man and saw how his eyes were fixed on me. Eyes with desperation, his mouth open gasping for air, his body jerking and then it all stopped. No movement, no sound, no life.
No longer could I cope with the situation in front of me. I was useless. I couldn’t help him. I couldn’t make the pain go away. I walked away trying to cope with what just happened, trying to understand how one moment you could be walking down stairs from a day of Christmas shopping to lying lifeless on a subway floor. It made me think how short life is and how precious our days here on earth are. I thought of his family and how they would hear of the terrible news instead of a cheerful Merry Christmas.
The image of the man looking at me as if pleading for his life could and would not escape me. Before this terrible event I had planned to go shopping on Regent street, but I couldn’t look at clothes, I couldn’t be around all the festive spirit. I had become so nauseated by the look of the blood, the shock of death. The fresh images haunted me for the rest of the day.
I went back to my hotel to mourn the life of a man I didn’t know. This had certainly made me depressed, making me ask why and how. “Why this man? Why must he die this way and why now?”, questioning God or the Universe’s decision to take this man on Christmas Eve.
Later that evening I made it to Midnight Christmas Mass and while others were praying for a joyful New Year and a Merry Christmas, I was pleading with God to help this man, to spare his life. Maybe, he hadn’t died and that there was hope. I asked to give his doctors guidance and his family strength.
The rest of my trip I gripped the railings of stairs tightly, replaying the times I myself have slipped or almost fallen down stairs and how that could have been me. It reminded me most of my incident in New York’s Penn Station when a homeless man kicked me down a flight of stairs, which luckily I only received bruises.
At the Christmas mass, seated half listening to the sermon, I realized, that my life as short as it has been up until now, has been fulfilling. Filled with so many accomplishments and adventures. I questioned, “If we all had an expiration date, in the end would I be pleased with my life.” Honestly, I can say I would be. This blog especially has forced me to bring these accomplishments to light and I hope that my own accomplishments motivate others and allow them to see the possibilities that are there for the taking.
Ok ladies we all know that we love a girly room with all the feminine accents of flowers, pastel colors, soft sheets and slippers, but that is hard to come by in the hotel world. There’s no reason you should have to expect the same stuffy hotel setup for your fabulous getaway to London. The Mandeville Hotel managed by the Summit Hotels is a truly chic boutique hotel that strives to deliver a perfect stay for the princesses we really are.
Deville Restaurant
Weeks prior to my four day trip to London, I continuously was researching the best hotels to stay at. This was important to me as I would be traveling over the holidays and I wanted a room I would be able to unwind and enjoy during Christmas even if I was alone.
I looked into the big chains like the Grange or the Hilton, even looking into B&B and new hotels that opened in 2009, checking their sites for photos of their rooms, promotional rates and amenities. The next test was to check reviews online. Every time I would go to tripadvisor.com I was disturbed by half the comments left. Instead of feeling comforted I was left back at square one.
Hotel near Oxford Street.
I decided to look to the Summit Hotels knowing they were dependable to offer a good experience and I came across the Mandeville. They had single room rates at £95, but what most attracted me was the décor the seemed to be geared towards women travelers.
Each of the rooms decorated in different unique styles, each that a chic girl would approve of. The location was ideal, one block from the shopping on Oxford Street and the Bond station metro stop.
Whether at the Mandeville or any hotel you book it is always worth checking to see what sorts of deals you may be in for. For instance at the Mandeville if you pay with your American Express you are guaranteed a rate with a 20-50% discount, but also one of the following amenities, such as free daily breakfast, a welcome bottle of champagne or wine, a room upgrade or a special amenity.
Loving my room.
If you aren’t already I suggest you also become a member of IPrefer, an online membership that offers you superb deals when it comes to luxury travel. The Summit Hotel works with IPrefer and offers a free room upgrade, plus a complimentary drink at the hotel’s bar. So with all that said after I had booked a single room at The Mandeville at £95 I was put into a superior double room, which at the time was going for £165. After a wonderful night, I was unfortunately woken by construction going on one block away. Before leaving for a day of excursions I had mentioned it to the front desk and they promised me that all my belongings would be moved to a room on the other side of the hotel where there would be no noise disturbance.
As promised I came back exhausted to find they had moved me to the deluxe room, which was going for £200. Both rooms were great one room set in soft brown tones and the other in green and lavender with throw pillows and furnishings set for a princess.
Devine Bar
Each night concierge was a great help, booking me theatre tickets and the ballet. They always had a taxi waiting for me and was always ready with an umbrella for me to use throughout the day. Even the hotel’s restaurant DeVille, offered superb service with a great breakfast menu and Devine, their bar was fully stocked in a classy setting.
I must say that if a hotel can pass my test, than that means they have gone above and beyond. It’s not that I am high maintenance or spoiled, but I can appreciate good service and strongly feel that part of traveling is your hotel experience, down to the room.
So if you are lady traveling abroad to London for a unique getaway certainly consider The Mandeville. Thanks to the hotel and their staff I had a wonderful Christmas holiday, that made me forget that I was left without my family and friends.
Visit www.mandeville.co.uk to see rates and get more information about the hotel.
Trying to get into the Christmas spirit I made sure I didn’t leave anytime to feel lonely or sad. I made plans for every night to be filled with a show and a nice dinner. If you are ever in London during the holidays here are three great ways to spend your nights.
First Night:
The English Ballet’s Nutcracker at The Coliseum
You can’t spend the holidays without being moved by the Nutcracker, whether they are in store front windows or on stage dancing live. The story of the Nutcracker helps bring the Christmas spirit alive. The English Ballet took a modern approach to the classic Russian ballet, directed by Gerald Scarfe. As the opening act began and the characters started to reveal themselves I realized this wasn’t going to be the traditional ballet, which I was expecting, being a former dancer. Instead, the dancers seemed to be characters out of Dr. Seuss story, straight out of Whoville, with crazy hair wigs in odd colors and costumes that seemed too extreme. Costumes are just as much a part of the ballet as is the technique. The costumes were distracting and took away from the dancer’s performance. Even the set design was a bit outlandish. I suppose when you are expecting one thing and you get another you can’t help but feel disappointed.
The lovely Sugar Plum Fairy.
Luckily, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Prince saved the performance, wearing thankfully classic costumes and stole the show with a great performance during the Land of Snow act. Their technique and grace was beautiful and impressive. If after watching their performance you can’t appreciate the ballet, something is wrong with you. It brought me back to the days when I was little girl watching the Nutcracker at the Jackie Gleason Theatre thinking “If I could only be the Sugar Plum Fairy”. It was characters like her that made me become a dancer. I forgot and forgave Act 1 and remained mesmerized by the rest of the performance.
I must say without trying to sound rude that it was odd to see the Nutcracker, with Clara being performed by an asian dancer. I suppose when you have seen the Nutcracker in the United States all your life, you have this idea of who Clara is. It took awhile to get over that fact.
The night was wonderful either way and being inside the Coliseum was an extra treat. Here is a promotional video for the show, make sure to see the Sugar Plum Fairy at 34 seconds.
Second Night:
Billy Elliot Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre
The musical sensation, which took home 10 Tony awards, including Best Musical, Billy Elliot was outstanding. Who would have thought a story of a boy wanting to be a dancer, would be such a sensation? Maybe, anything Elton John touches, does turn to gold, as the scores were written by him.
The story was beautiful and the delivery of Billy was moving. You really wanted him to succeed. At one point in the performance Ollie Gardner, the 12 year-old actor playing Billy Elliot a mere young boy got hurt and the show was stopped. They had to bring in the understudy, which really is another one of the actors who plays Billy on the other nights. All of us in the audience wondered if Ollie was ok and if this new Billy would be able to pick up where Ollie left off, which was a lot of pressure considering the show had been fantastic.
Sure enough, the other Billy rocked the show just as good and we were all happy to see the boys overcome their small adversity. I have to say my favorite act was “Expressing Yourself” and I have to point out that George Maycock was an outstanding sidekick as Michael, playing Billy’s flamboyant friend. The act was comical and enjoyable. One of the best by far.
Here is the trailer for the show in London, if I still haven’t convinced you enough to go see it. If you need more convincing or feel shy about going to Broadway, rent the movie.
Third Night:
Carols by Candle light at the Royal Albert Hall
Trying to sneak a picture
Christmas Eve and I was humming carols all day long to myself. So going to the annual Royal Alberto Hall carol sing along, seemed right up my ally. Families joined in the magnificent theatre all dressed in Christmas dresses and suits. It was nice to see families coming together, to listen to classic carols. We all took our seats and we were each given a lyrics sheet. This really was a sing along. Accompanied by an orchestra dressed in period costumes and a coed choir, director Steve Devine, kept us on our feet singing along to classics such as O little town of Bethlehem, The first Nowell O come, all ye faithful. Everyone had a great time and really made my Christmas Eve. This is a great performance to be a part of if you are in London during Christmas.
While searching for a video to show you guys, I came across this ridiculously funny video of friends who attended the show and my guess was that they went sauced up, meaning wasted. It looks like they enjoyed the show, even from high above, but hey they had fun.
I hope this gives you a few ideas of what you can do during the holidays. From me to you Merry Christmas!
With all the worries of how I was returning back to the states and all the feelings of being alone during the holidays, I was actually excited to be in London. I had never been and I always wondered what all the fuss was all about. With a heavy itinerary I made for myself in hand I was ready to take on London for the next 4 days and really get into the Christmas spirit.
London during the holidays is a magical experience. Seeing London for the first time with streets such as Regent street, all decorated with Christmas lights and attractive window displays, luring in the thousands of Brits getting their last-minute gifts, made for a holly day of wondering through shops and popular sites.
I knew I would have to spend the holidays alone without my friends or family and I thought it was going to be hard to get through it without them, but a city like London, helps keep your mind off the things your missing and your eyes on all the great things about London.
It was great to be in a country that spoke English, especially one with such a great accent that makes you feel so special and proper. By the end of the trip I found myself attempting the accent, but failing big time (Something Mrs. Durning would know about).
When it comes time to say good-bye there are always loose ends to tie. Maybe I’m just not as organized or better prepared and it seems I leave everything for the last-minute, feeling more frustrated and stressed than sad and nostalgic. I wish in the midst of all the craziness I had a moment to take it all in and say a proper good-bye. That very brief moment usually comes when I’m in the cab on my way to the airport, until that moment becomes interrupted by anxiety about leaving something behind, having to pay ridiculous luggage fees or getting stuck in customs for god knows what.
Bilbao during the holidays
Leaving Bilbao brings a different feeling from when I left Venice or Santiago de Compostela. I love Bilbao, the people, the food, the art scene, I was so fortunate to find this city, which many have never visited or heard of. I am usually not one to get homesick, but I was beginning to at the end of this trip. It wasn’t that I was missing home per say, as I am never home for more than three of four days every few months, but I guess I was more culture-sick.
There’s not much to say about the culture in the United States. It is certainly not Italy and it is certainly no Spain. However, I think there is something to the American culture, however corrupt and young some people may see us. We are a unique blend of people and cultures from around the world. We get the very best of everything.
Don’t think I am taking my time in Europe for granted for surely I cannot be more thankful and appreciative of the experiences I have gained in the last six months. As they say distance makes the heart grow fonder and I am sure when I return to the states I will begin to miss Europe terribly.
Louise Bourgeois, Maman
I will miss Bilbao, just like I miss Venice and Santiago de Compostela. Bilbao was another great learning experience, really putting myself out there working in an atmosphere that didn’t accept English, so I was fully immersed in the language and the culture. Like I mentioned before in previous post, I find the people of Bilbao so hospitable and such lovely people, that it is hard to understand how the Basque country and Bilbao are known around the world for terrorism.
I will miss the food and the wonderful view of the city I had from my apartment. Bilbao is located in a large valley surrounded by snowcapped mountains in the winter and green cascading backdrops in the summer. I will miss the Grand Via, their large avenue lined with shopping stores and restaurants. It reminded me a bit of 5th avenue or Newbury Street. I will most miss the Guggenheim of course, as my office always becomes my second home. Getting to walk into Frank Ghery’s designed building is a luxury. I enjoyed my time at the Museum and felt lucky to be able to wander through the galleries as I pleased. Lastly, I will miss Palacio Euskalduna. Once and sometimes twice a week this is where I could be found catching a show of the symphony or one of the many concerts that were drawn in for large crowds. It was a beautifully designed auditorium perfectly settled along the Nervion River, which made it easy to get to.
Day at Work
I can’t believe I am saying good-bye as I feel these two months have flown by. It is hard to believe it was two months ago I was in my hotel freaking out, not knowing if I would find an apartment, if I would like my job, how I would get on with the Basque people and now I come to find I made it out just fine, actually better than fine… great.
Wireless Internet connection around the world can be hard to come by. However, if you seek you shall find. While at the Philadelphia Airport, I was lucky to pass a sign that read free Wi-Fi for students. I went to the information desk and asked what was the deal. And so, if you are a student with a student ID, AT&T is offering free wireless Internet service. Give the information desk your information and they will give you a coupon with a username and password to use. Free, easy and convenient, this Wi-Fi helped me get through three and a half hours of delays.
Another great way to get free wifi is to go to Starbucks. You’re probably thinking, you have to pay, which is sometimes true, but there are ways around it. If you have a Starbucks gift card or get one of the Starbucks card and put money on it, that card will give you access to their Wi-Fi when you are in their store. Just go to the connection page enter in your card number and the pin on the back, create a username and password and kazaam, free Wi-Fi.
Of course, there is the timeless mooching of the Wi-Fi, using an unprotected connection. I shouldn’t support it but, hell it’s free.
Did you know that when you fly with Virgin Airlines, you get wireless in the sky? Thank you Santa. Now you can avoid spending dreadful hours of starting at the head rest in front of you or flipping through the duty free magazines and actually be getting work done or surfing the web high in the sky.
