San Antonio Weekend

So, my friend Shanna called me up yesterday with a free trip to San Antonio and I took her up on it. However, I left so quickly that I didn't bring the connection to upload pictures. However, it's been a fun day.

I went and saw all the missions (except the Alamo which I've already seen plenty of times). The Top 10 San Antonio book said to try this BBQ place called Bill Miller's BBQ, or something like that, but it wasn't good. In fact, they didn't swear by their BBQ as much as their fried chicken...and last time I checked fried chicken was not bbq. Thanks, San An...

Then I met Shanna at the River Center Mall for some shopping. Got a cute San Antonio picture frame, ornament and children's book. Then we went to the Convention Center and watched a talent show of choir directors which is part of Shanna's convention.

After that we went to the River Walk and eat some Mexican food and a big margarita. [Not without waiting 30 minutes in the 95 degree heat.] Good times though! The mariachi band was great.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to see the Alamo IMAX, maybe the McNay Museum, and go to Market Square for some shopping and authentic Mexican food before heading home.

Houston

Ok, so I've talked to a few people and feel bad because I never finished the trip. I was getting tired of traveling so I made it home July 4 at like 3am. My dad breathed a sigh of relief and things went back to normal. I'm just working on school stuff and organizing things. As August approaches I'll be getting ready for school to start. Always exciting for a brand new start!

Check back for some fun places as time goes on. :)

Day 17: Old Lyme, CT

Ok, I finished up the Hill-Stead Museum today and stayed at the Bee and Thistle Inn. Time to go home! I'll leave tomorrow morning after a good night's sleep. It will probably take me about 3 days to get home but hopefully can see home by July 4. I'll post some more pictures if I get the chance. Thanks for reading and sharing my journey with me. Hope to see you soon!

Day 16: Ridgefield and Westport, CT

OMG FINALLY! I've been working on uploading these pictures for 2 days now. Last night I got the previous days up but then I couldn't get a wireless signal to save my life. Then today my the site is being goofy about uploading pictures. So....here's YESTERDAY's adventures... I started the day in Ridgefield, CT which is closer to the NY border so I drove a good hour or so from the northern coast.

The Book talked about Chez Lenard which is a hot dog stand that's been in business for over 150 years. The vendor was the actual owner and he couldn't have been nicer. These aren't your average hot dogs, though. They are french hoity toity dogs. The one talked about in the book has toppings of french cheese fondue cooked in a white wine sauce. I asked for that one but the vendor suggested the Le Suisse (I believe it was called) blah blah blah blah with something extra...which turned out to be horseraddish sauce. It was shown on an episode of Martha Stewart and won all these fancy awards. So I hesitantly tried it and it wasn't bad. Very filling. In case I didn't like it I ordered a regular, plain hot dog just instead and ended up eating that for snack after shopping haha.

After shopping in the coolest toy store and children's book store I went to the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. It was craaaaazy. I have some pictures I'll post on my regular sight soon that show some of the exhibits. Craziness for sure. You know how men hang antlers and animals on the wall? Well these were animal bodies with human heads. Definitely spooky yet, I think it was saying something.....

Then I drove a good 20 minutes or so to the Bruce Museum which was actually on my things to do list a week ago but Greenwich is just so far away. It's right on the border and I've been doing things about an hour and a half away. However, I was closer and, although the picture makes you think it's like 5 stories.....it was just one. So, it was cool. The greatest thing??? All museums are FREE on Tuesdays. :)

After the museum it was time to check in to the Inn at National Hall. GREAT place! It looks more like a NYC apartment building to me. However, when you go in those doors it's just an elevator. So, I was completely stumped. (You have to go up to the 3rd floor.)

Each room has a theme and I had the Lemon Room...everything was yellow...duh, huh?

For my evening entertainment I went to the Westport County Playhouse and saw "tick, tick...Boom!" about a guy who turns 30. Throughout the whole thing I started thinking...that is all gonna happen to me way too soon.

I'm going to go for a walk and take some pictures of where I am currently. Then I'll come back and post them on here. (There is no tv at this inn but there is wireless internet so we're good!)

Day 15: (Yesterday) Essex Steam Train

So, first off, sorry about not posting last night. I'm sure it broke your heart and you were probably biting your finger nails and now they're all bare. :( Eh, I was working on my real travel site. You'll see in the pictures that there wasn't really a work area so it was really uncomfortable to have the laptop out. So, YESTERDAY, I rode on the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat. It was quite the experience. How slow our previous citizens travelled! The Steam Train ran up about 10 miles and then back. In between there was an hour and a half trip on a riverboat. This was the engine. I LOOOOOVED the sound of the ..... "toot toot." I don't know what that's called ... :D

I rode in a pullman car. The seats were so squeaky. And you swish from side to side.

Here's what my view was on the inside...

and outside the window...... :D

This would be the riverboat...

Great views of the Connecticut River. I'd had quite a few of these lately.

Then I stayed at a well-known CT Inn named the Copper Beech Inn. It was quite nice. My reward for hassling with them was staying in a suite for the price of the regular rooms. However, my credit card still shows that I paid for a suite. (I'm totally getting screwed on these deals but I'm harrassing them until my credit card bill shows otherwise.)

The bedroom area...

The seperate seating/tv room...I ended up eating dinner here in their nice french restaurant. It wasn't that good....

Day 14: Essex, CT

Today is the two week mark. Wow, I've been gone for two whole weeks. I must be outta money. Good thing payday is on its way! Well, today I was in Essex, CT. It's right off the Connecticut River so more beautiful scenery. In fact, I just spent some time by the dock reading and talking to Mom. Very peaceful here. No fast food. No traffic lights. It's like a whole other world. I started my trip to Essex at The Griswold Inn, opened since 1776. They have a famous Sunday Hunt Brunch which I ate at. The waffle station was my favorite :) I'm also staying here tonight.

Then I walked down to the Connecticut River Museum. As you can almost tell it's right on the water.

Apart of the museum was the Mary E, a schooner boat. I chose to get the more expensive ticket so I could ride on my first sail boat. I was really excited because it said it went all over the river and it said it was an hour and a half. Well, we didn't use the motor other than to get up to the dock and out....and the wind wasn't really blowing....so we kind of went out into the river and came back. I could see the museum at all times. So, note to self, sail around the world in a MOTORIZED boat.

However, the views were great and the weather was a perfect 75-80 degrees.

Then I walked up and down Main St looking at the not-so-many shops. Most of them were real-estate companies haha.

But I did find.....ESSEX BOOKS :)

Then I walked back towards the museum and water and got some coffee here. I took my book and walked to the water and just sat and read and relaxed, remembering what vacation was reallllly about!

And here's where I stay tonight. You can actually see my room with the lights on in the top left-hand corner. There's a band playing in the bar down below so I'm just sitting in bed, listening to music and blogging. Not bad for a Sunday night. Tomorrow I'm going on my first Steam Train and River Boat. And I told Mom today I'll probably head back to Texas around July 2-3. I've been making reservations and they're annoying to set up at these little inns. I'm starting to get that spark back, too, to get some school stuff done this summer.

Day 13: Seafood Fest

Today started out with a letdown. I don't know if I told you yesterday but some bad storms came through CT yesterday and threatened with twisters. I don't think those are very common here so the news was full of warnings. Because of that, my first stop at the Hill-Stead Museum was interrupted. The town of Farmington, where the museum is, still had no power from the previous night so I went about 20 total miles and an hour out of my way. But the main objective for today was to have a seafood fest based on the 3rd tip of 1000 Things To Do. There were three different seafood restaurants I tried. Each very casual and two had quiiiiiite the view as you'll see. First, was the Blue Oar. I couldn't find anything on this place online. The book said the popularity was spread through word of mouth. I can't see why, though, the view is wonderful!

Isn't it?

After you order your food you sit on a colorful picnic bench. It's BYOB so a lot of people came with a cooler. I envisioned Terry and Barbara, Aunt B, Mom, Dad and I enjoying a place like this on Cedar Creek. Anyone wanna go into business? :) Here I had a lobster roll (sandwich).

Then I found a museum that I missed yesterday. This was the Florence Griswold Museum. She was left this beautiful house and, never marrying or having children, decided to take in boarders. Those boarders would be very famous American artists. The galleries and house housed many landscape pictures (most done in pastels--adult crayons hehe).

Then I was off to Seafood Fest #2, otherwise known as Abbott's Lobster on the Rough. Beauuutiful place in Noank, CT about 10-20 miles from Rhode Island. Again, you order at the stand and then pick a picnic table. I had a 5-shrimp cocktail and some cheesecake.

Isn't the view AMAZING!?! It was definitely my favorite place so far in CT!

To give you an idea of the seating... I SHOULD have sat under the tent...but I sat right next to the water.

See, the temperature was like 75 degrees. Don't shoot me TX! So I drove to all these places with the top down on the convertible. Problem? My shoulders are a bright red right now. One coat of aloe vera is doing well, though. Anyways, in between eateries I stopped off to do some not-so-shopping. I almost fell victim to Dooney and Bourke and then Coach but I came out alive and with money still in the bank, thank goodness.

Then I drove down the coast to Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale. I was seafooded out and got some shrimp and crab to go. The crab was like whole and then fried. I couldn't eat it. So I'll munch on the shrimp tonight for dinner.

However, this place was CRAZY. Look at all those people ordering. Not only do you have to find a line, yell your order, and then find a place to sit. They call your number and you have to hurdle back through that crowd to fight for your order they sit on a counter. Like I said, I didn't stay, I was pretty tired.

Now, after such a beautiful day....as I was driving back to the hotel....it started RAINING, POURING, and yes...that's what you think it is. ICE....it was HAILING on June 27. Can you believe it?!? I was pretty stunned...but with some help got through the storm and am resting nicely at the hotel for the night.

Tomorrow is the exciting Hunt Brunch at the Griswold Inn and then Essex, CT. I'm hoping to ride on my first train!!