Master Index of Archived Threads


Vacations 2007

sharpie Mar 27 2007 02:56 PM

Leaving with the fam and a friend of my daughter's for Vienna on Saturday. A house exchange. I'll miss the first week of the season but will have internet access at the house I'm staying in. My first time there. We'll fit in a few daytrips to more alpine regions. The place we're staying in has a cat named Kurt Cobain.

Nymr83 Mar 27 2007 03:20 PM

Brooklyn for Vienna? you ripped him off like he was steve phillips.

Johnny Dickshot Mar 27 2007 03:26 PM

When will you realize Vienna waits for you?

sharpie Mar 27 2007 03:38 PM

]Brooklyn for Vienna? you ripped him off like he was steve phillips. I'm in geographically the Brooklyn counterpart of Vienna --- the other side of the Danube, still on the subway (U-Bahn) line but about 20-25 minutes from the center of town.

Nymr83 Mar 27 2007 05:05 PM

lol, i still think you got the better vacation spot. maybe next we can get Hawaii for Staten Island? nobody outside NY knows about the garbage dump or the fact that SI is the most inaccessible borough, right?

cooby Mar 27 2007 05:59 PM

]The place we're staying in has a cat named Kurt Cobain. Awww...I liked Kurt Cobain. And I like cats! I'm afraid our weekend trip to Philadelphia will be it for us. Had to use the vacation money to pay taxes. :(

Rockin' Doc Mar 27 2007 08:07 PM

I want sharpie to negotiate my next business deal. Vienna should be a great trip. Enjoy. The Mrs. and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary in June. I have a surprise trip for eight days in a private beach cottage on the island of Nevis. In July, the family is traveling to Chicago for a week of visiting old friends and sightseeing in the windy city.

Nymr83 Mar 27 2007 08:38 PM

unless she checks up on you on the CPF, then its not a suprise anymore.

soupcan Mar 27 2007 08:57 PM

Lake Tahoe (wedding), then to Anaheim (Disneyland), then the Anza Borrego desert (southeast of San Diego - visiting Grampa) for a week middle of April.

Edgy DC Mar 27 2007 09:14 PM

Can't seem to get my mind off of you Back here at home there's nothin' to do Now that I'm away I wish I'd stayed Tomorrow's a day of mine that you won't be in... When you looked at me I should've run But I thought it was just for fun I see I was wrong And I'm not so strong I should've known all along that time would tell... A week without you Thought I'd forget Two weeks without you And I still haven't gotten over you yet! Vacation, all I ever wanted! Vacation, had to get away! Vacation, meant to be spent alone! A week without you Thought I'd forget Two weeks without you And I Still haven't gotten over you yet! Vacation, all I ever wanted! Vacation, had to get away! Vacation, meant to be spent alone!

Rockin' Doc Mar 28 2007 04:59 AM

Nymr83 - "unless she checks up on you on the CPF, then its not a suprise anymore." True, but the prospects of that are extremely remote. I think she thinks I'm a little off for spending as much time on the internet as I do. She's more into books and television.

soupcan Mar 28 2007 07:39 AM

Rockin' Doc wrote: She's more into books and television. What a nerd.

sharpie Mar 28 2007 08:31 AM

Vienna is our big trip for the year. Going to Las Vegas in May and to Minnesota in August for weddings. It's my 20th anniversary this October, we'll prolly go somewhere then as well.

Edgy DC Mar 28 2007 08:37 AM

I read this last night and processed it thusly: Leaving the fam, with a friend of my daughter's, for Vienna on Saturday.

Vic Sage Mar 28 2007 11:14 AM

We're leaving Friday for Richmond, VA to visit friends for a few days. then, we'll head up to DC for a few days of touring.

Benjamin Grimm Mar 28 2007 11:17 AM

Texas in June for an in-law gathering. And we're looking at two weeks in California in August. The plan is currently to fly into LA, give the kids a day or two of Disney, then start working our way through the various National Parks until we get to San Francisco, from where we'll fly home. I haven't started making arrangements yet, though I probably will soon. Once I start focusing on the details the plan may change either by a little or a lot. (Eight years ago I started planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies and we somehow ended up in Spain instead.)

Edgy DC Mar 28 2007 11:17 AM

Love to show you the cool secret spots. Oh, wait, there are none. Just kidding. Drop me a line if you've got the time anyhow. Are you going to see Meet John Doe?

sharpie Apr 10 2007 10:10 AM

sharpie's back in town. Vienna is a nice town. Odd transit system where everything is done on the honor system -- we bought a weekly pass for everyone but one never swipes anything at a turnstile or any other such thing. Every once in a while, apparently, police will come on to check whether or not you have a pass but that never happened while we were there and apparently rarely ever happens. Good food, wine, beer and coffee. What else could you want? Went to an alpine village and a medieval place on the Danube. The house we stayed in was nice. An architect lives there and some of the design was more high concept than practical but it was still a very nice place in a good neighborhood. The Austrians had a fine time in Brooklyn. Glad to read of the Mets' start.

seawolf17 Apr 10 2007 10:47 AM

Pictures! Pictures!

Johnny Dickshot Apr 10 2007 10:54 AM

How did you find this Viennese architect?

Nymr83 Apr 10 2007 12:53 PM

]Vienna is a nice town. Odd transit system where everything is done on the honor system -- we bought a weekly pass for everyone but one never swipes anything at a turnstile or any other such thing. Every once in a while, apparently, police will come on to check whether or not you have a pass but that never happened while we were there and apparently rarely ever happens. lol i could imagine that system in new york, nobody would pay and the cops would get accussed of either racial profiling or police brutality in trying to check passes. then some liberal interest group would sue claming that checking for passes was unconstitutional.

Willets Point Apr 10 2007 01:07 PM

Nymr, you're on a roll with the liberal-baiting this week. The Munich U-Bahn also lacks turnstiles and works on the honor system. Very efficient. I bought a week-long pass (which was pretty cheap c/w NYC or Boston), stuck it in my wallet, and never thought of it again the rest of my vacation. They probably save a ton on not having to maintain turnstiles or pay a large staff to work at each station. I also once got busted by the controle on the Paris Metro for not having a ticket.

Nymr83 Apr 10 2007 01:17 PM

well, its entirely possible that it works (and by works i mean "turns a greater profit than turnstiles") for them, i'm just saying it wouldn't here.

Willets Point Apr 10 2007 01:32 PM

I hate to imply that Americans are dishonest, but it probably wouldn't work here.

sharpie Apr 10 2007 04:24 PM

I found the Viennese architect through an org called Homelink. Nice people, we met them right as we were leaving. They went to a Knicks game. Their kids had basketball posters on their walls. One of the cameras stopped working as soon as we got there. There aren't many pix. I'll try to get them up soon. One thing about the transit system is that it works amazingly well. Trains were frequent and comfortable. There were also streetcars and buses for areas that weren't served by the subway. The idea of German-speaking police conducting a raid on a subway car is scary enough for me to pay. From what I understand, however, many people ride around for free.

cooby Apr 10 2007 05:16 PM

sharpie wrote: . One of the cameras stopped working as soon as we got there. . Ooh! Haunted house!

Nymr83 Apr 10 2007 05:20 PM

]One thing about the transit system is that it works amazingly well. Trains were frequent and comfortable. There were also streetcars and buses for areas that weren't served by the subway. The idea of German-speaking police conducting a raid on a subway car is scary enough for me to pay. From what I understand, however, many people ride around for free. i guess they think enforcement is more costly than the crime. kinda like how NYC seems to feel (and quite wrongly) about enforcing the laws against selling cigarattes to minors.

SteveJRogers Apr 10 2007 07:02 PM

It's mundane (compared to a Europeon city, and considering I'm a half hour outside NYC) but I am heading to Chicago when the Mets play there the first weekend of August. Going with a cousin of mine who has plenty of college friends (Dayton University in Dayton, OH) living out there so a good time should be had by all.

sharpie Apr 10 2007 07:11 PM

]i guess they think enforcement is more costly than the crime. It is a 60 Euro fine if they catch you without a pass and I believe it is payable immediately. A weekly pass costs 12.50 Euro and one ride costs 1.50 Euro. If you buy 5 weekly passes and they never conduct an inspection it would make sense to not pay. I know that the couple we exchanged houses with got weekly passes.

Nymr83 Apr 10 2007 11:27 PM

its just a fine with no court appearence? if you get caught 1 out of every 10 times you come out ahead? i'm amazed anyone would pay at all.

Giant Squidlike Creature May 16 2007 02:40 PM

Squid is going to Disneyland. TO EAT PEOPLE!

Farmer Ted May 16 2007 08:02 PM

A week at the Jersey Shore for the Teds. Margate to be exact.

A Boy Named Seo May 26 2007 10:48 AM

Looks like I'm going east this summer afterall. I'm meeting a friend in Boston to watch a Red Sox/Devil Rays game and will be in there 5 days or so. Then like Guthrie in "Bound For Glory", Kerouac in "On the Road", and Candy in "Home Alone", I think I'll just ride the rails and pound the pavement for another week or so and maybe follow the Mets like they were the Grateful Dead - to Pittsburgh, DC, then back to Shea. I've got my 1-way to Boston, but haven't figured out where I'm going to be to fly back home. If any of you peeps near any of those places have recommendations for things a guy should look at, let me know and I'll try to look at them.

Edgy DC May 26 2007 10:54 AM

Farmer Ted wrote: A week at the Jersey Shore for the Teds. Margate to be exact. I hope you're staying in Lucy's belly.

Willets Point Jun 05 2007 06:20 PM

I'm traveling three times this summer. June - business trip to Washington for the American Library Association conference. July - baseball trip to Southern California to see the Mets play the Padres and the Dodgers. August - vacation to a lake house in Michigan.

cooby Jun 06 2007 06:55 AM

Definitely going to the King Tut exhibit, no date set and also we are hoping to have at least a quick trip to the beach.

sharpie Jun 06 2007 07:00 AM

After Vienna and Las Vegas it doesn't look good for us going anywhere this summer. Maybe a long weekend or two. Driving my daughter to college in North Carolina in August while mrs. sharpie and Lenny fly to Minnesota for her niece's wedding which is on the same day as college reporting.

Johnny Dickshot Jun 06 2007 08:04 AM

The Shots spent Memorial Day weekend in Miami. Junior the lap passenger slept the entire flight both ways. We stayed in one of the few surviving Miami Beach hotels (just about every one is under construction/converstion/renovation or being replaced). Highlight of the trip was walking along the boardwalk one morning when the skies opened up for a Miami style downpour, and we ran for cover. Turned out we'd run into the Setai, which is a spectacular new $1,000/night luxury hotel and where we were forced to drink Mojitos poolside while we dried off and Junior napped.

Edgy DC Jun 06 2007 08:09 AM

A shadow crossed the blue Miami sky As we hit the causeway by the big hotel We fought, now I can't remember why After all the words were said and tears were gone We vowed we'd never say goodbye When we kissed, we could hear the sound of thunder As we watched the regulars rush the big hotels We kissed again, as the showers swept the Florida shore You opened your umbrella But we walked between the raindrops back to your door In my dreams, I can hear the sound of thunder I can see the causeway by the big hotels That happy day we'll find each other on that Florida shore You'll open your umbrella And we'll walk between the raindrops back to your door

Johnny Dickshot Jun 06 2007 08:23 AM

Poifict.

Rockin' Doc Jun 06 2007 10:43 AM

sharpie, I hope you don't mind my asking, what college will your daughter be attending in North Carolina?

sharpie Jun 06 2007 12:04 PM

UNC Asheville.

Willets Point Jun 06 2007 12:19 PM

Asheville is like the hippiest town I've ever been to outside of Ithaca, NY. She'll be doing drum jams with the Rainbow People soon.

sharpie Jun 06 2007 12:27 PM

Yeah, I know. You take the Billy Graham Highway to end up in Berkeley. She's not a drumjam type but she is always interested in being in a place with a scene and with good food and weather so Asheville won out over the other 6 schools she was accepted to. I wasn't complaining as it was one of the less expensive ones on her list (and it just came in second in Princeton Review's best education value list).

Rockin' Doc Jun 06 2007 04:11 PM

Asheville is a great small city. Beautiful vistas, particualrly in the fall, and a vibrant downtown area. Nice mild climate. I think she will really enjoy it there.

Rockin' Doc Jun 15 2007 05:33 AM

Heading out with the Mrs. as soon as I can get out of the office this evening to start our 25th anniversary celebration. Will have a nice dinner in Raleigh tonight, then check into a hotel near the airport so we can get some rest before catching our early morning flight tomorrow. Flying away for a week of relaxation on the tiny caribbean island of Nevis. Will see you all again when I get back. Hopefully the Mets will have finally fought of the June Swoon and be once again playing winning baseball.

Benjamin Grimm Jun 15 2007 06:00 AM

I'm going to be in Texas next week, departing tomorrow morning. It's not exactly a vacation. (Who would vacation in Texas? Not me, surely.) My mother-in-law, unfortunately, lives in Texas, and as a result I end up going there every once in a while. Yee-hah! My real vacation will come later this summer, when we spend two weeks traveling around in California.

Willets Point Jun 15 2007 06:53 AM

My tickets for the Mets games in San Diego and Los Angeles arrived yesterday. Just imagine me giddy with excitement.

Rockin' Doc Jun 24 2007 10:18 AM

Arrived home last night around midnight after a relaxing week on the West Indies island of Nevis. The Mrs. didn't know where we were headed until we were at the airport for our connecting flight and saw we were departing for St. Kitts/Nevis. We both absolutely loved the hotel and she was planning our return trip by the second day. It will be hard to return to the daily routine of work tomorrow morning. Of course, I only have to work for the week then we will depart as a family for a week in Chicago. Have tickets to see the White Sox host the Orioles on July 3rd. Meeting friends for a picnic and fireworks in Grant Park on the 4th. Should be a great time.

Sandgnat Jun 29 2007 08:36 AM

Leaving tomorrow morning with the girlfriend for a week in the Dominican Republic. Sorry, not a scouting trip, just vacation in Punta Canta at an all-inclusive. My best friend (a MFY fan) and his wife are flying down from Jersey and meeting us there as well. I will have a full review of Presidente Beer when I return. Don't forget to check www.sandgnats.com all next week, cuz the SSGSP will not be updated until at least July 8. Happy Independence Day everyone.

cooby Jun 29 2007 08:40 AM

King Tut, August 18. Very excited.

cooby Jul 06 2007 06:32 PM

Going to see the Mets and Pirates in Pittsburgh on August 15 evening. We will be traveling on Fullington Bus Lines, the "Tour Line that Wanders through and Stops in Every Town in Western Pennsylvania Even If Nobody is Getting On or Off", so we will probably get home around dawn the next day. Then off to Philly to see King Tut on that Saturday (same bus line, only stopping at every town in Eastern Pennyslyvania....) Still, I'm excited about both trips! I hope someone besides me is going to see King Tut.

cooby Aug 17 2007 05:29 PM

King tut tomorrow, nobody else is going?

Edgy DC Aug 17 2007 10:16 PM

Already saw it. You'll like it, but don't think of it as King Tut. Think of it as Age of the Phaoroahs. Tut stuff is there, but the masterpieces are from other kings and queens.

Valadius Aug 18 2007 10:20 AM

I'll be in the Berkshires with my family Sunday to Friday.

cooby Aug 19 2007 11:01 AM

Yes it was, but I liked it anyway

sharpie Aug 19 2007 04:15 PM

Been outta town, taking my daughter to college, stopping in Philly to see King Tut last Tuesday (I liked it too) and then to Minnesota for a wedding. Kind of want to be home for a little while now.