El Gran Cañón: Una Vida en el Extremo

el cafetería Mr D'z en el famoso autopista 66, Kingman, AZ.

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Desde Las Vegas, el camino hacía el Gran Cañón dura 6 o 7 horas. El paisaje que encuentras durante el camino es muy plano y a veces se siente como que eres la única persona en el mundo, porque pasa tiempo sin ver ni una casa, ni un área de reposo. Es importante tener bastante comida y agua en el coche. Parabamos para ver la Presa Hoover, que está en la frontera de los estados Arizona y Nevada.

Las Vegas: One-Night Stand

Mandalay Bay on the Vegas strip.

(la versión en español está abajo)
Snap! Snap! Snap! That was the sound that greeted my travel companion Gemma and I during our first and only walk along the iconic Las Vegas strip. As we made our way past the new $8.5 billion City Center 7-building complex; Luxor and Mandalay Bay hotels, in the direction of the classic Las Vegas welcome sign, we were accosted by mini-teams of florescent clad folks flicking stacks of naked lady cards in our faces. This was just one assault on our senses as there were pungent scents of perfume and cologne wafting through the air, mist from peculiar outdoor bar mist machines hitting our skin and the dizzying flashing of multi-colored lights from the massive hotels and billboards. Here are some tips for surviving the sensory-overloading adult playground that is Sin City:

*When renting a car, as we did, get a comprehensive quote before making a reservation. Ask about upgrade (for power locks and windows), GPS and insurance costs. Also see if there are penalties for returning a car late/picking it up early. Take photos of the vehicle at pickup, so you won’t mistakenly be charged a surprise later!

Bar Basque: Worth it for the drinks and view, but not for the food

(la versión en español está abajo)
I was really looking forward to sampling the fare at Bar Basque, a tapas restaurant on the second floor of the swanky new Eventi hotel between 29th and 30th on 6th Avenue in Chelsea. I ventured there after work with my friend Danny, a former Barcelona, Spain resident as well.

As we approached the hotel, there were no signs indicating BB's existence. When we stepped off the elevator on the second floor we were confronted by a red wall with plastic computer chip replicas embedded into it. We were confused. The decor was deranged, with a sci-fi meets coastal Mediterranean fine dining restaurant weirdness.

Napa Shmapa: Go to Sonoma!

Ledson winery

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On a tip from a co-worker, while I was visiting my brother and his fiancée in San Francisco, I was to instruct them to take my friend and I wine tasting in Sonoma County. Less crowded and less pretentious than Napa, the same co-worker suggested we head to Healdsburg and tour the Alexander Valley and Strykker wineries. My brother had other plans. After living in San Francisco for nearly three years and taking many house guests wine tasting, he had committed a personal wine tasting tour map to memory. We were driven to the city of Sonoma and sampled sips at Jacuzzi, Schug, Ledson and Chateau St. Jean. The one thing I was not prepared for was the mass quantities of wine I would be imbibing.

San Francisco: City? Borough? Hippy? Fifties?

San Francisco cable car

Many people told me that I'd fall in love with San Francisco as I had with Barcelona, Spain, my former home. I was shocked to find that the two are quite different and was surprised when I didn't fall as hard for SF. While the two don't look all that alike, both cities are at the core wholly European. In San Francisco the pace of life is slower, palm trees abound and the skyscrapers only block the sun from shining down on a small portion of the city, something this NYC gal can appreciate. Electric public transportation rules and buses even have racks in the front to carry your bicycle to your final destination. It's a curious city that feels more like an expansive borough, even though it's only 7 x 7 square miles. The style is a bit hippy, with plenty of Jesus lookalikes walking around, yet at the same time it has a 50s rockabilly air. Here is a sampling of the best SF has to offer:

*A small airport warning for traveling ladies: Do NOT wear maxi dresses or any other long/flowy garment to the airport, that is unless you fancy a security pat-down.*

Heinchon's Old Farmhouse: An Upstate NY Ice-Cream Institution

Heinchon's Old Farm House

For nearly eight years, I scooped ice-cream at Heinchon's Old Farm House on Rt. 22 in Pawling, on a stretch of highway connecting Manhattanites to their weekend homes in Connecticut and Massachusetts. It was hard work. Don't laugh. Over the years I nearly sprained my wrist several times digging into the hard, homemade ice-cream. I even had to wear a wrist bandage on more than one occasion for extra support. I also endured teasing from my brothers: "Carey: cone or cup?" "It's so much more than that," I would screech back. 

What's harder than scooping the ice-cream is making it. It is both costly and time-consuming to recreate traditional family recipes, but Heinchon's keeps doing it. 

Falafel on Broadway: Life-changing hummus and hot sauce

I was first introduced to Falafel on Broadway by a colleague, whose boyfriend stumbled upon this Middle Eastern fare jewel by accident. Located in Harlem, near the 1 train station at 125th street on the West side, it opened several months ago. Occupying a slightly cramped space, it has a high takeout counter that would dwarf anyone but the tall Turkish men who stand behind it preparing kebabs. There are four small dining tables in the back corner and nothing more. What it lacks in decor, it makes up for in the food, providing cheap and delicious treats. Highlights include their life-changing hummus and hot sauce.