Here are my thoughts on the experience:

Day 1 Friday

Columbus, OH to Chester, Vt ~700 miles 12 hours

Friday was the long day.  We had to go about 700 miles in order to make it all the way to Vermont in one day.  We made it despite the constant rain and nearly being bled to death by tolls on I-90E.  Luckily the rain slowed down as we passed Albany and things cleared for our drive through Vermont.  It was absolutely beautiful in Vermont.  We tried to snap a few pictures from the car (rule 1 of a road trip, no unnecessary stops) but I’m not sure we captured the full effect.

The important thing was we made it through the worst leg of the trip driving wise.

Day 2 Saturday

Vermont to Farmington, NH to Hartford, CT ~320 miles 5 hours

On Saturday we made the roughly two hour drive from southern Vermont to southern New Hampshire.  You might think this is a straightforward drive, but in actuality there are not many highways that run East-West in that part of the country.  Instead we traveled up I-91 and then back down I-89.

The day was rainy but fortunately it was more of a mist than anything else.  The service was small and informal but everyone in Sandy’s family seemed pleased.  I never had the chance to meet her Grandpa but after hearing people talk about him, I wish I had.  He was certainly a dapper fellow:

His obituary appeared in the NY Times on August, 28th.  (link)

After the service finished up, we got back on the road and made our way down to East Hartford, CT.  I’m normally not a fan of satellite radio, but being able to listen to Georgia Tech play Miss State while driving through Mass was certainly nice.  We did not get to Hartford until late and we left early the next day, so unfortunately I did not get a chance to look around the city at all.

Day 3 Sunday

CT to Millburn, NJ to Harrisburg, PA 300 miles 5.5 hours

As I said above, we left Hartford early to make it down to Millburn by late morning.  I had been advised to avoid NYC at all costs and I thought I had fooled the GPS unit into going around the city, but somehow we still ended up sitting in traffic to cross the Hudson River via the George Washington Bridge.

It was a beautiful day in New Jersey (I can’t believe I just wrote that) and I had a really good time exploring Sandy’s hometown.  Luckily one of her good friends from Millburn that lives in NYC was able to come hang out with us and help her remember the way around town.  If you think of New Jersey as one giant suburb as I do, then Millburn just reinforces that image.  It offers a little more than your typical sprawling suburb though.  It has a nice little downtown area and retains a lot of the small town feel while being less than hour (via train) from all the amenities of New York City.

We had two food stops that had been planned ahead of time.  The first was the famous Millburn Deli and the other was La Strada for a slice of pizza.  I tried the Sloppy Joe which the deli is known for and quite enjoyed it.  It was different from the typical deli experience but quite delicious.  La Strada is a nice little Italian restaurant that is also in downtown Millburn and basically serves as Sandy’s reference point to judge all other pizza from.  She does this with good reason.  Maybe I’ve just been eating too much Ohio pizza, but the NY style at La Strada was really satisfying.  Sorry Columbus, the East Coast wins when it comes to pizza.

The aforementioned deli.

The old movie theater also in downtown Millburn.

Of course no visit to Millburn would be complete without a visit to the now infamous Millburn High School, home of the slut list.  We drove by to take some pictures and noticed one of the doors was open.  We peeked our heads in and noticed several large, bold lettered signs reading “No Trespassing, all visitors must sign in.”  We decided not to go much further and a janitor quickly appeared to closed the open door after us.  I’m not sure if the school was always this way or if the recent press has made them more cautious of visitors.

In typical New Jersey fashion, we also made a trip to the mall.  Not just any mall mind you, we went to The Mall at Short Hills.  That’s right, not the Short Hills mall, but THE Mall at Short Hills.  Short Hills is the town next door that features such attractions as mansions belonging to the Arizona Ice Tea founder and what I was told was “the Six Flags guy.”  The Mall at Short Hills is a nice mall, home to many high end stores like one would find at Lennox or Phipps in Atlanta.  Going to the mall just seemed like a very Jersey thing to do, so I’m glad I got to see that on my tour of North Jersey.

That evening after pizza at La Strada, we had to say goodbye to New Jersey and continue on to Harrisburg, PA.

Day 4 Monday

Harrisburg, PA to Columbus, OH ~375 miles 6 hours

Harrisburg and the drive back were pretty uneventful.  The only purpose of stopping there was to break up the drive back from NJ.  It did however renew my hatred for the Penn Turnpike and toll roads in general.

Overall I think the trip was successful.  We made it with little problem.  It was nice to get away from Ohio for a little while and it was nice to be back on the right side of the country even if we were a little too far north.  I would definitely do the trip again or a similar one.  I would first invest in an EZ Pass though to make the toll roads less painful.  We were worried we would run out of cash paying the tolls at one point in upstate NY.  I’m thankful I had a GPS unit and would make sure I had one if I were doing it again.  There were times where we had to take detours or wanted to hop off the interstate to get a bite to eat and it really came in handy.

I hope you enjoyed my thoughts.  I do recommend checking out Vermont and New Hampshire in the fall if you like the mountains and beautiful scenery.  At the very least Sandy and I are planning to head back that way for a little skiing this winter.  Jersey wasn’t bad either.

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Our game plan is to make it to Vermont in one day to visit Sandy’s brother.  The next day we’ll head to New Hampshire for the service.  From there we’ll make our way south staying the night in Connecticut on our way to Sandy’s hometown of Millburn, NJ.  Millburn High School has actually been in the news because of “hazing” carried out by the senior girls.  (Story)  After spending the day in Millburn, we’ll head back to Columbus stopping in Pennsylvania for a night on the way.

New England is supposed to be really nice this time of year so I’m looking forward to the trip.  It will be a lot driving but I’m no stranger to that.  Look for some upcoming posts about the trip and my experience on the road.  We’ll be making the obligatory stop at the Millburn Deli but I’m open to any other interesting stops or things to check out along the way.

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The High Line is a 1.45-mile (2.33 km) section of the former elevated freight railroad of the West Side Line, along the lower west side of Manhattan, which has been redesigned and planted as a greenway.

I had a chance to walk on the High Line and came away very impressed.  It is an old, elevated railroad line that runs along 10th avenue between Chelsea and the Meat Packing District.  The line has been converted into an above street urban park/walk way.  What impressed me the most was rather than escape from the city like a traditional urban park (Central Park or Goodale Park locally), the High Line celebrates and embraces its urban setting.There are still green spaces but there is also a hotel as well as an apartment/condo building integrated right into the park.  A further celebration of the city, 10th Avenue Square is a sitting area where park goers can simply sit and enjoy a view of the street.  The street is behind a glass wall like it was an exhibit at an aquarium.

I believe this is the future of urban parks.  The park is not an escape from the city, but rather a hybrid of green space and urban architecture.  It was built with a mixture of public and private funding.  It offers integrated living and uses existing architecture and infrastructure.  In the end the idea is really simple.  On the surface it is just a walk way above ground, but a closer look reveals it is so much more.

If you’re interested in learning more, I recommend checking out the High Line page and blog.

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When I was living in London, my friend and then-flatmate Manic, who works in IT, once complained that Bristol had far better opportunities than London did for someone in his field. We asked him why he didn’t just move there. He talked about all the arts, culture and entertainment available in London that he wouldn’t be able to find in Bristol. In response, we pointed out to him that most of his leisure time comprised the same few pubs and Indian curry houses and playing Xbox, not London’s great museums or nightclubs. Upon further thought, he corrected himself: “all my family and friends are in London.”

Read the rest.

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The ceremony was at a vacation home right on the water in Cambridge, Md. It was a short, non-traditional (read: hippie) ceremony. Short is the key word there. The ceremony was not more than ten minutes long and did not even require the guests to take a seat, in fact seats were not even provided for those outside of the wedding party. No complaints here, with the wedding out of the way we could get to the food and festivities.

First a note on attire, the dress was casual for the most part with everyone given instructions to bring clothes to change into as the activities would be almost entirely outdoors. On top of this the forecast was oppressively hot with a strong chance of rain. Summer + wedding = seersucker right? I stuck with this formula despite the warning of rain. The only change I made was ditching the white bucks for the more casual top siders.

• White OCBD shirt
• blue/white seersucker pants
• navy/green ribbon belt
• classic brown/white top siders

It was comfortable in the heat and given the nature of the wedding and the other guests, it was just formal enough without being overdressed. The beer is Yeungling for those that are curious and yes, it’s just coincidence that the bottle coordinates with the belt so nicely.

Things got decidedly more casual after the ceremony and when the crabs were brought out. The crab experience was pretty cool. It took some time to get used to opening them up but after a few crabs I wasn’t bad at it.

The crab feast works like this: the table is covered with paper for easy clean up, everyone is given a wooden mallet and a knife, and the crabs are pilled up in the center of the table. It is basically a free fall once the crabs out. Everyone grabs a crab, opens her up, and digs in. There was Old Bay and vinegar available for dipping. I wasn’t a fan of the vinegar but Old Bay is always appreciated.

Opening the crab wasn’t too hard once you learned the proper method. My hands were definitely sore after breaking apart the crabs but it was worth it. If you’ve never had fresh crab like this I recommend it. All the crabs we ate were Maryland caught. From what I heard they weren’t cheap either. Apparently Maryland crabs have been in rare supply over the last few years and a bushel was going for roughly $175! A bushel is about 7 or 8 dozen I think depending on the crab size.

It turned out to be a great trip. The weather held up with no rain. It felt terrific to be back near the water again and the drive was not bad at all. I was able to get the use of an Acura TSX complete with the navigation system and a sweet 6 speed manual transmission for the weekend which made the drive extra special. The crabs were tasty and I got to meet more of Sandy’s family. If you ever get an invite to a Maryland style crab feast I highly recommend attending.

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• Long Suffering Trad
• TNSIL
• Ivy League

My first stop was J. Press at 380 Madison Ave. I’d never step foot in a J. Press before, only ogled the catalogs. I had never even purchased anything from them before (my budget typically won’t allow it). I had spotted a nice looking long sleeve Madras shirt in the catalog beforehand and was also interested in a gold tie bar, so I had a shopping agenda on this visit. I’m a fan of gold accessories. What is everyone’s infatuation with silver or stainless items?

I was surprised when I first walked in. It was all very white and very bright. The racks were full of tweed, navy, flannel, and all those other “frumpy, old man” styles but the rest of the decor screamed of an upscale Gap or J. Crew. I was expecting old dark wood, paintings of the store’s founders on the wall, and maybe even an old crotchety fellow in a bow tie smoking a cigar in the corner. I was disappointed. I’ve heard the other Press locations are more traditional.

My shopping time was limited but the clothing selection was overwhelming. I had no idea where to even start. I could have spent all day in there trying on blazers, suits, etc. Unfortunately I think Sandy would have strangled me. The store was crowded also (it was Friday evening). I was helped by a busy but still attentive salesmen. He directed me toward the madras shirts (they didn’t have what I had seen on the website) and helped me with a tie bar. I did not purchase a tie bar though and instead I decided on something more practical. I picked a scarf, specifically a wool “schoolboy muffler.” It is made in England of 100% wool and in a yellow and navy stripe specifically for St. Anthony’s Hall at Yale. I have no affiliation with Yale or any Ivy League for that matter, but pale yellow and navy looked good to me and seemed most appropriate for my alma mater.

The scarf was immediately useful. My combination of a pea coat, sheltland sweater, and oxford shirt was not cutting it against the miserable NYC cold and wind. It even snowed later that night. It was on sale too so no complaints on my end. That scarf has probably turned out to be one of the more rational and better clothing purchases I’ve made as far as need and use. It’s up there with my Bean boots. I wore it the entire time we were in NYC.

The next stop was a Brooks Brothers at 346 Madison. I’ve been in Brooks Brothers many times (there are stores in Raleigh and Atlanta), ordered from the catalog, and purchased their clothing at thrift stores or off eBay. 346 Madison is the flagship store and it is an impressive experience. When we walked in we were greeted by a gentleman who I’ll refer to as “Steve” who described himself as the “Brand Ambassador” (his business card even says this). He inquired what we needed today and after telling him of my pilgrimage from Georgia to see the flagship store he stopped everything and proceeded to take on us on a grand, hour long tour of the store.

The store is 10 stories and steeped in history. Each floor has a slightly different theme and decor based on the items sold on that level. I believe he said the sixth floor is the runway used for all fashion shows and product releases. We saw everything, from the goofy, expensive Thom Browne collection, called “Black Fleece” to your typical OCBD (oxford cloth button down). A guide is almost a requirement to find anything because the selection is so extensive and separated by floor.

Steve was quite enamored with all of it himself and took great pride in showing us the most expensive items even though it was readily apparent we had no interest or even means of purchasing most of the items in the store. It meant a lot to me to be treated as though I could and given the same level of service. I have to give Sandy a lot of credit also. She kept a smile on her face despite the fact she was ready to leave as soon as we stepped in. I thought she was going to flip out when Steve started showing us the high end gator luggage, bags, and belts. Sandy is a vegetarian. She was a trooper.

I had not really planned to buy anything in BB but did end up purchasing a yellow OCBD. I wanted a slim fit but all they had in “must iron” was the traditional fit, so I settled. I almost felt obligated after the level of service we were given. I imagine it would be a treat to get fitted for a custom suit there. Apparently they have a little room where they can take all of your appropriate measurements digitally. It was being used while we were on the tour though so I didn’t get to see it.

Before we left we were also given a few handy little pocket maps of the subway and the city (pictured above with my scarf) as well as bottles of water, and a bound Brooks Brothers guide to the city. Steve even gave us a weather report on our way out and thus was affectionately known as the “Brooks Brothers Weather Man” the rest of the trip. He called for snow though and it did snow as we were leaving dinner late the evening.

I wish I had more time and budget in each of these stores but unfortunately neither of those things were on my side. I feel somewhat accomplished now that I have actually visited a J Press store. It would have been nice though to try on a few jackets to get a feel for size for online ordering. I guess I’ll have to do some traveling whenever I want to purchase something. Despite being familiar with Brooks Brothers stores, 346 Madison was worth the experience. If you are a fan of traditional men’s clothing and happen to make your way to NYC, consider the Madison store a tourist attraction. It almost is.

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Our last day and a half included a Broadway performance of Spam-a-lot (featuring none other than Clay Aiken), more cheesecake, tea by Moby, 5th and Madison Ave shopping, and a sushi meal beyond description.

Clay Aiken was not too bad. His singing was on par and probably better than most of the other players but his dancing was awkward and somewhat uncoordinated. It was not even a dance intensive show either. He was tolerable though and did not detract from my enjoyment of the show in anyway. More distracting were the classless fans that would hoot and holler whenever Clay would take the stage. Why do middle-aged women love this man?

All that said Spam-a-lot was really a great show and a great Broadway experience. If you’re a fan of anything Monty Python then check this out if you get a chance. I know it’s playing in Vegas as well.

Fifth and Madison Avenue are fun to window shop and people watch along. It’s boutique and high-end designer after boutique and high-end designer. Everything from stalwarts like Tiffany’s (a very impressive store) to up and coming designers, everyone wants to be on one of those two streets. It was funny to see the women with their coffee and pastries doing their best Audrey Hepburn impersonations outside of Tiffany’s. I don’t think Miss Hepburn drank Starbuck’s though.
TeaNY, Moby’s cafe/tea shop in on the Lower East Side, got a mention on Single Guy’s Kitchen as well. It was a fun experience. We actually opened them up at a little after 10. I guess not eating meat makes you sleepy. It was a rather unopposing storefront and more closely resembled a hole in the wall then the restaurant of a famous musician. Moby has never been the loud, look at me type though so this is fitting in a certain light. The food was good and the tea selection was excellent. It gets my recommendation. If I ever go back I’ll be sure to pick up a tea pot and a cook book.
Sushi, like I said, was indescribeable. My sushi lexicon is pretty weak anyway. I usually trust Sandy on matters of sushi and I’ve been spoiled to the ultra-Americanized maki rolls. Basically I eat whatever she puts in front of me at a sushi restaurant and usually enjoy it. Maki, Sandy’s Japanese sister-in-law, selected the restaurant and gave us a recommendation on what to order. I wasn’t about to question anything when what we ordered ended up being a huge tray full of chunks of raw fish with no rolls in sight. We each ate sushi until we couldn’t think about putting another piece in our mouths. The restaurant was called Takahachi and we ate at the Tribeca location.

While eating sushi we drank sake. This doesn’t sound out of the ordinary but I’m not used to sipping on straight booze while eating supper. The sake tasted like a really weak vodka but in a good way. For the record I hate vodka but this wasn’t too bad. I don’t think I want a bottle of sake with every meal but it was a new experience and a good one.

Our last meal in NYC was at the world famous Carnegie Deli. The Carnegie Deli is my most vivid and fondest memory from my first trip to NYC so we had to go back. It was the only restaurant I knew in the city. I covered the experience in depth at Single Guy’s Kitchen so I’ll direct y’all there.

We were sad to leave NYC but unfortunately our trip had to end. Our legs were tired and our checking accounts were empty. We had a wonderful time and started talking about a return trip on the flight home. Having knowledgeable, local guides definitely enhanced the experience as well as not planning too much. A lot of our time was left to just exploring and not worrying about a schedule or rushing to see a certain exhibit or attraction before it closed. Also get a good subway map and get comfortable with the idea of the riding it. The subway really is the best way to get around. Lastly, don’t bother with taking a cab if you come from JFK. As much as I bitched about the train ride into Manhattan, the cab ride out was more expensive and took longer due to traffic. I now think private car is the only way to go (Mr. Big style). Really just avoid flying into JFK if you can.

Thanks for reading and I encourage anyone who has yet to experience this city to start planning a trip.

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