Kingston Road Tripping

We arrived back in Calhoun County at 1:30. I have mentioned this before, but when I have to come home from vacation, I head straight there. No stops along the way, except for a quick bite and restroom breaks. We left our Airbnb at 6:00 CST and the only thing I regret about leaving that early is that we barely had time to enjoy our stay at what has to be one of the top Airbnb’s in the country. It is located in Roanoke, VA and I recommend it over any hotel room in the area. The hosts live right next door and they rent out the house and the basement apartment. There were two ladies renting out the house and I looked it up on the website, and it is every bit as stylish as the basement. The house is called Ms Helen’s, and the basement is Ms Helen’s Down Under. One of the hosts is also a beekeeper and they have a koi pond and some raised garden beds that they give tours of if you have time. We did not have the time, but would love to go back again some day soon. It is just the...

Today was leaving day, and any time I have to end a vacation, I am left feeling a little melancholy that I have to go home. Today was tougher than usual, because not only did I drive away from that wonderful city, I drove away from a huge piece of my heart. I hugged Kira goodbye and offered to take her with us, but she adamantly refused. I also offered to stay and move in with her, and she gave me the immediate side eye and shook her head vehemently. Pretty sure she doesn’t have time in her daily life to look after a mother who can’t even understand avenues and streets. The night before, my own mother encouraged me to spend some time with Kira by myself after her event ended, so when she texted that she was on her way to the hotel, I decided to meet her halfway so that she would not have that long walk from the subway. I left the hotel, and started walking up the street, not having a clue where I was going, and foolishly thinking I would just “run into her” along the way. Yeah, that do...

Day 3 started like every day should, with wonderful fresh Italian food!!  Kira met us before 11 (the much needed sleep and late start to the morning was just what we needed), and we headed down to the Flat Iron District and a restaurant/grocery/fine foods place where I wish I could have ordered up a nice permanent corner and called it home.  It is called Eately Caffe, and it is Italian food heaven.  We entered through the grocery side and I fell in love immediately.  Kira just looked back at me and smiled, because she knew there would be an instant adoration.  Just look at all of this beauty!! I could have spent hours and hundreds of dollars just picking out apples and tomatoes.  Never mind the olive oils, the canned tomatoes and jarred sauces, the fresh pasta, the rows and rows of pesto, the displays of chocolate, the kitchen wares, the cheeses and containers of antipasti, the everything!!!  It was so wonderful that I declared it the only p...

Today was exhausting but full of fun at the same time.  We started the day in Central Park, and ended it with a touristy bus ride through Manhattan and Brooklyn.  We rode on the upper level and I now have wind burn on my face.  It was totally worth it, and was a great way to see the city at night, and to see places we just didn't have the energy nor the time to walk to. First up though was Central Park.  What a beautiful place in the heart of the concrete jungle.  We did not see everything, but did enjoy what we did see.  The last time I was here, all the trees were bare and the fountains empty, because it was still feeling the effects of winter.  This time, however, it was just beautiful!  The leaves on the trees are getting ready to turn, but there is still plenty of green.  I consider Central Park a must see in New York, because it is just perfect. After our walk through the park, we headed to subway station so w...