my jaunts: for love of the game

a beautiful night for baseball at chavez ravine in los angeles

a beautiful night for baseball at chavez ravine in los angeles

all of this post-season baseball has me excited for, well, the best sport in america.  i haven’t always been a fan, though.  during a wildly fun trip to new york in the summer of 2004, my best friend dragged me to a new york yankees baseball game.  i was very skeptical of this outing (why do we need to go to the bronx again?) and frantically looked up safety issues for the surrounding burroughs.

my first ever major league game at yankee stadium with kim!

my first ever major league game at yankee stadium with kim!

once in the park, though, i fell in love.  the fans, the music, the hot dogs and beer, the players – i loved it all!  and it was so decidedly new york.  it was big and it was passionate and it was that crazy high of community you get at any great sporting event.  and it didn’t hurt that a-rod hit a walk-off home run to win the game (fact: i did not know who a-rod was at said game, but rather fell in love with hideki matsui).  riding back on the subway to manhattan (crammed full of fans, by the way – no safety issues there!), a long-time yankees fan struck up a conversation and, after hearing this was my first game, said, ‘after a game like that, you’re a fan for life.’  and so i am.

enjoying the game from the bleachers at the rangers ballpark in arlington

enjoying the game from the bleachers at the rangers ballpark in arlington

fast forward 9 years, and i’m now married to an avid baseball fan, which means we spend a fair amount of our summers watching baseball.  naturally, any trip to a major city involves catching a game or at least a stadium tour.  i’m looking for a map to track the stadiums visited (anyone have any ideas?  i’m all ears!), but in the meantime, please enjoy some photos and, of course, some lists.

the view of downtown pittsburgh from pnc park - stunning!

the view of downtown pittsburgh from pnc park – stunning!

  • favorite stadium overall: old yankees stadium (of course, it’s where the magic happened)
  • favorite view from the stands: tied between pnc park, where the pittsburgh pirates play, and petco park, where the san diego padres play.  one is on the water with the city in the background, and the other is in the middle of downtown san diego.  stunning.
  • favorite hot dog: the world famous dodger dog in dodger stadium in echo park, los angeles
  • favorite beer: the many microbrews offered at safeco field, where the seattle mariners play
  • favorite stands: the crammed and awkward stands at fenway park in boston (especially the green monster!)
  • favorite fans: the bleacher creatures :)
the view of downtown san diego from petco park

the view of downtown san diego from petco park

what are your favorite sports related sites to visit?

my jaunts: brooklyn, los angeles, oh my!

a beautiful day in brooklyn spent walking along the east river

a beautiful day in brooklyn spent walking along the east river

apologies for the delay in posting – there are just too many things going on! i haven’t had a chance to upload anything substantial these past couple of weeks, but there are so many places i’ve gone and things i’ve seen that i want to share. with trips to manhattan, brooklyn, and los angeles in the past several weeks, i have too much to write and not enough time to do it. in the meantime, a few things i came across during my travels that i just adore:

  • the sketchbook project in brooklyn – this is a library based in williamsburg that also roves across the country and encourages artists, writers, even YOU to sketch in a notebook, tag with themes, send back to the project, and then allow others to check out your work. you are notified each time someone checks out your book, and you can check out others’ books through random selection or by searching with key words for themes people have associated to books. so hipster, so fun.
the sketchbook project library in williamsburg, brooklyn

the sketchbook project library in williamsburg, brooklyn

  • my new book – one of my favorite things to do in new cities is check out their independent bookstores. my friend, matt, took me to powerHouse books in DUMBO (Distict Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass…seriously), brooklyn, and i purchased a copy of “a week at the airport” by alain de botton. basically, he was given access to an airport for a week, and he writes about what he saw, his adventures, and who he met. there are photos. i cannot wait to read it. problem: i still need to finish infinite jest, and i only recently made it to the halfway mark circa page 600.
powerHouse books in dumbo, brooklyn, where i purchased "a week at the airport" by alain de botton

powerHouse books in dumbo, brooklyn, where i purchased “a week at the airport” by alain de botton

  • the magic castle – when i lived in la, i thought this elusive magic castle was dumb. basically, it’s this old castle-like house where a bunch of magicians go each night and perform tricks and illusions for members (and their guests!) who adhere to a strict dress code and pay a lot for dinner. except then i heard that neil patrick harris was the president. so off we went, underdressed in business casual but overamazed at the ridiculous amount of times i kept saying “no really, how did you do that??” no photos were allowed inside, but suffice it to say that the three stories worth of narrow hallways lined with pictures to the ceiling, a piano with a ghost that plays any song you request, and tricks performed up close and even in your hand will leave you amazed…and full from the delicious meal, as well. i shall return.
red carpet at the magic castle (like my work badge?)

red carpet at the magic castle (like my work badge?)

i hope you have been just as busy and exploring new places on your own. let me know if you’ve found any i should check out! i’m looking forward to being back in town for a few weeks to have some adventures around dallas.

my favorites: art museums

my friend, kate, and i on the lawn at the getty center a few years back

my friend, kate, and i on the lawn at the getty center a few years back

i’m a bit of an art junkie; i can’t seem to stay away from museums in any city i visit. the more modern, the better, but i appreciate it all. here are some of my favorite museums throughout the world. there is no way to narrow it down to just three, so stay tuned for additions to this list throughout the year. what are your favorites?

  • the menil collection, houston, texas – my friend, amanda, found this museum while we were both visiting my parents after they moved to houston. known for its surrealist art collection (it includes a room with other-worldly gadgets, knick-knacks, masks, etc. owned by the surrealists – a personal fave everytime i visit), this is a must-see for every magritte, dalí, and miró fan. and best of all, it’s free.
  • peggy guggenheim collection, venice, italy – i visited this museum, housed in peggy guggenheim’s former home in venice, while studying abroad in asolo, italy. overlooking the grand canal, the museum includes art peggy collected throughout her avant garde life. i highly recommend the tour, which provides scandalous insights into the life of the collector. sadly, i have no photos from the museum, so please check out this google images link to see how grand the setting is.
  • the getty center, los angeles, california – it’s hard to not fall in love with the getty. overlooking west los angeles, the getty’s unbelievable views are rivaled only by the architecture and bright gardens within the musuem’s campus. i love(d) bringing a picnic to eat on the expansive green lawn, and then taking a tour of the latest photography exhibit. while it does cost to park (discounted after 5pm!), entrance to the museum and exhibits is…you guessed it…free!
the cactus garden at the getty center in los angeles

the cactus garden at the getty center in los angeles

the gardens at the getty center in los angeles

the gardens at the getty center in los angeles

menil collection, houston, texas

my friend, amanda, and me at the menil collection almost 15 (yikes!) years ago. still one of my very favorites, even though my love for permed hair has lapsed.

jaunt chats: wine country, california

allison *trying* to overlook the castello di amorosa vineyard

allison *trying* to overlook the castello di amorosa vineyard

i’ve spent the last five years in california, and at times it is overwhelming to think of all the places within the state to visit. between the beaches and deserts of southern california, the cool and dramatic coastlines of central california, and the nature-defying beauty of the lush parts of northern california, there is always something to see (don’t even get me started on the cities within california and that little park out east called yosemite). i’ve tried to hit up as many sites as i can before leaving for dallas, but there were just some i had reserve for future jaunts. the northern wine country (i.e. sonoma and napa valley) is one such area that will remain unexplored by me for at least the near future. luckily, my friend, allison, spent some time there last july, and was willing to share some of her favorite places.

jaunt blog: where did you travel, and why?

allison: my boyfriend, dan, and i took a super relaxing trip to wine country in northern california over the summer (july). we stayed in sonoma for just under a week, but spent significant time in napa valley, sonoma valley, and the russian river valley. sonoma is in between the russian river valley (to the west) and napa valley (to the east). we were looking for a vacation spot that gave us a nice mix of opportunities for activity and relaxation, being indoors and outdoors, and didn’t require huge spending.

sonoma town square, one of many photos allison snapped of the square!

sonoma town square, one of many photos allison snapped of the square!

jaunt: how did you plan for your trip? any good sites or books you’d recommend?

allison: we mostly perused the internet for things to do. i’m a loyal marriott member, and the website for our hotel (the lodge at sonoma renaissance resort & spa, which was amazing) had a little “local attractions” section that we used as a starting point. we also did clever google searches like “sonoma things to do” and “wine country visit.” we are clearly super advanced travelers. also, all the people we met in sonoma were super friendly and happy to offer tips on where to go, what to eat, etc.

old theater in the sonoma town square

old theater in the sonoma town square

jaunt: tell us about your favorite moments on your trip. what do you remember most?

allison: my absolute favorite thing of the whole trip was the sonoma town square. i know, it sounds lame, it’s a town square. give me a chance here. you wake up at your hotel that you love, grab your glorious cup of illy coffee, and take a stroll just under a mile to the town square. the square is a giant spread of grass with trees everywhere, paths lined with benches, and little fountains/ponds with ducks cruising around. surrounding the square are all independent restaurants, tasting rooms, art galleries, and little shops. there is no law against open wine bottles in the town square, so you can enjoy a picnic, which we did on the 4th of july, while we watched the fireworks. the bear flag revolt happened here, which, for those of you who didn’t have to learn california’s state history, was in the 1800s when california pulled a texas and became its own country for a hot second. did i mention the lack of open container law?

dan, geeking out at the rock commemorating the bear flag revolt

dan, geeking out at the rock commemorating the bear flag revolt

another favorite of the trip was our bike tour with ace it bike tours. our tour had us and one other couple, and our guide was awesome. the tour went through the russian river valley, which has adorable mom & pop wineries. we biked along the santa rosa creek, and through scenic backroads that went along farmland and vineyards; we tried some wine; it was grand. the total trip was about 20 miles of biking; while it wasn’t at a rapid pace or anything, this definitely wasn’t just a leisurely ride for a few miles.

jaunt: sounds pretty great – definitely feeling this trip. if i were to visit wine country, what are some places i shouldn’t miss?

allison: you must go to gott’s roadside (formerly known as taylor’s refresher); i recommend the st. helena location, but there is also one in napa and one in san francisco. their burgers will change your life, and you will be totally okay with the onset of the food coma from this, as it is the BEST CHEESEBURGER OF YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. you can’t go wrong—traditional cheeseburger (i recommend adding grilled onions and avocado), mushroom burger, BBQ burger. people say their fish tacos are good, but i mean, it’s a burger stand. get a burger.

delicious hamburgers at gott's roadside (formerly taylor's refresher)

delicious hamburgers at gott’s roadside (formerly taylor’s refresher)

you must go wine tasting, duh! we were aiming to hit up a place called far niente (which has a classic car collection dan would consider stealing), but didn’t plan far enough ahead. we went to castello di amorosa, which is a castle that has a winery, a little disneyland (literally – they had the brave premiere here not long before our trip), an awesome tour, and legitimately good wine. my favorite winery was silver oak—make a reservation for the tour because it’s really fun, and they literally just keep refilling your wine glass and giving you some of their super fancy reserve. the grounds are breathtaking. dan and i were recently back in the area for a wedding and went to a place called cade, which had a fantastic view of the valley and delicious wine.

if you also like beer, stop by the russian river brewing company in santa rosa. dan’s a big beer guy and apparently russian river has amazing stuff.

barrel room in the caves of the castello di amorosa winery

barrel room in the caves of the castello di amorosa winery

jaunt: what was the funniest thing that happened on your trip?

allison: if there is one thing we are all going to remember about the summer of 2012, it is going to be the great phenomenon of fifty shades of grey. given that dan and i were rocking some awesome hotel points to fund our stay at the lodge, and that the going rate for rooms is otherwise a bit out of our price range, we were more of the outliers in the hotel crowd. poolside, just about every woman was between the ages of 35 and 65, and just about every one of them was reading fifty shades of grey. my book of choice for the trip (recommended by the jaunt blog author herself) was the black dahlia. for those of you who don’t know about the black dahlia, it is a very dark novel about a detective who becomes obsessed with a very violent murder of a young woman. additionally, the cover is kind of gross and shows a dead woman with a giant cut coming from the side of her mouth. i totally fit in.

jaunt: any travel tips for others taking this trip? any must-pack items?

allison: plan your trip loosely in advance so that you don’t end up driving all over the valleys; we chose one or two things to do each day in generally the same area so that we could minimize the time in the car. when we were up in napa later in the year, we spent a lot of time in the car and wished we would have planned as well as we had over the summer.

outside the silver oak winery

outside the silver oak winery

yep, it's a castle: castello di amorosa winery

yep, it’s a castle: castello di amorosa winery

reading my way around the world

marfa book company, where i found the history of giant, which was later written into a movie filmed in marfa

marfa book company, where i found the history of giant, which was later written into a movie filmed in marfa

in case you haven’t heard, my husband is now a doctor. not the real kind of doctor, as he likes to say, but the kind that still gets some awesome initials after the name (i’d like to think that “cpa” still counts for something, but so far it’s not working in my favor). these initials (ph.d. in case you haven’t yet caught on) are from his five years spent learning everything there is about government and history. this proves to be a really useful skill when we travel and i say things like “now this country was on which side of the war?”

it's official: he's a doctor!

it’s official: he’s a doctor!

history was always my worst subject (ok, and chemistry). i could never remember the names and the battles, and the years just always blended together for me (is there really much difference between 1225 and 1290?). thankfully, travel is changing that, and making it more real to me than the pages of my former textbooks.

i have found that i really enjoy immersing myself in a travel destination through books, movies, and music. when traveling last summer to monterey, california, i read john steinbeck’s cannery row. not only did we visit cannery row and see the places on which the book was based, but we were also able to visit the steinbeck center in salinas and learn about steinbeck’s life growing up in salinas, and the true stories that inspired the book.

the pacific biological laboratories, fictionalized into western biological labs in steinbeck's cannery row (monterey, ca)

the pacific biological laboratories, fictionalized into western biological labs in steinbeck’s cannery row (monterey, ca)

i watched vicky cristina barcelona before my trip to barcelona. i read giant while traveling to marfa (still a favorite).  i picked up a copy of a moose and a lobster walk into a bar while stopped at a light house in portland, maine. and a tale of two cities made the french revolution come to life much more than that world history class i took as a freshman.  what better way to learn about the people and culture of a place than to read their stories and learn the history that defines the location?

interior of marfa book company, with tons of books on art, texas, and art in texas

interior of marfa book company, with tons of books on art, texas, and art in texas

other suggestions:
– read don quixote when in madrid and alcalá de henares (alcalá claims to be the birthplace of cervantes)
– read the age of innocence when in new york
– watch paris, je t’aime before heading to paris

what are some of your favorite location-specific reads/movies?

update: after writing this post, i was strolling through elliott bay book company in seattle (great bookstore if you are in the area), and came across an amazing resource, book lust to go. this book lists reading options (fiction and non-fiction) based on destinations. since i was about to head to barcelona, i checked the spain section, and it had the recommendation of the shadow of the wind, which takes place in 1945 barcelona, and was perfect for my trip (and long enough for the trans-atlantic flight). book lust to go is exactly what i’ve been looking for – pick up a copy!

visiting park guell in barcelona, as seen in vicky cristina barcelona

visiting park guell in barcelona, as seen in vicky cristina barcelona

map of steinbeck's travels in "travels with charley" at the steinbeck center in salinas, ca

map of steinbeck’s travels in “travels with charley” at the steinbeck center in salinas, ca

bidding adieu to los angeles

clouds ain't gonna scare crowds - santa monica beach in the middle of june gloom

clouds ain’t gonna scare crowds – santa monica beach in the middle of june gloom

it’s official: we’re leaving los angeles. parker was offered a position at a university in dallas, and we are headed back to texas in a few short weeks. what started as “westward, whoa!” (a very unsuccessful blog we started many moons ago before life took over) is now “tally, ho!” as we head home.

it is unreal to me that we have spent the last five years in this crazy city! i remember the night we decided to move to LA and try our hand at the big city. half a decade later, and it’s one of the best decisions of my life.

blueberry/lemon and grapefruit donuts - thanks, pinterest!

blueberry/lemon and grapefruit donuts – thanks, pinterest!

this past weekend we decided to explore a few sites of the city with our friends who have made these five years so special. all were invited as we took one last jaunt (westside on saturday and eastside on sunday) to explore some new places and return to some old favorites. the westside day started out at the beach with some homemade blueberry/lemon and grapefruit donuts (see above), courtesy of pinterest (yum), and a whole lot of june gloom (if you’re not from LA, it is the creepily prevalent gloomy mist that hovers over the beach cities for the entire morning in the months of may and june).

next up was a spin around the santa monica pier, which i’ve always found a little tacky, but let’s be honest, it was really fun (although i’m not sold on the safety of the roller coaster; there were a few too many bumps along the track while i was parallel to the pier).

ambiguously safe carnival rides at the santa monica pier

ambiguously safe carnival rides at the santa monica pier

i purchased an “old LA” map from poketo last month that spotlights the vintage sights around the city. first on the list was the carousel on the pier and it did not disappoint (don’t forget to buckle your seat belt – apparently carousels are danger waiting to happen due to the high amount of injuries from children falling off).

the carousel at santa monica pier, open since 1916

the carousel at santa monica pier, open since 1916

we were ready for lunch at that point, and walked a few blocks north to the blue plate oysterette, a delightfully east-coast-ish oyster bar that i’ve been dying to try since kate spade and fathom added it to their los angeles city guide. one clam chowder, one peruvian ceviche, a glass of allagash, and a half-dozen east coast oysters later, i was sold. i’m not sure if it was the spicy fresh seafood or the crisply dressed waiters (not matching, but all in the same sky, navy, and white hues), but it made for a satisfying stop.

lunch at the blue plate oysterette on ocean boulevard

lunch at the blue plate oysterette on ocean boulevard

east coast oysters at the blue plate oysterette

east coast oysters at the blue plate oysterette

a few blocks further north, we cooled off the at the bungalow, a much-too-cool yet i-can’t-get-enough-of-it bar set in a bungalow on ocean boulevard in santa monica. beautiful twenty-somethings wander from room to room (and patio to patio) wearing bright sundresses and crisp blazers playing games of ping pong or checkers while sipping on mojitos. love? love.

the bungalow at the fairmont on ocean boulevard

the bungalow at the fairmont on ocean boulevard

once the buzz wore off, we headed east to century city for the annenberg space for photography. i have been meaning to check out this place for years, and finally had the chance – oh, and it’s free (free!). i thought we were going to see a war exhibit, but instead we were welcomed with a retrospective of helmut newton’s strong nudes. lucky us! i used to love looking at newton’s photographs in vogue (i saved his obituary from vogue after he passed away, and still have the article – also from vogue – that sofia coppola wrote about his photo of charlotte rampling), and couldn’t believe we unintentionally arrived on opening day of the exhibit. what luck. you must visit.

annenberg space for photography

annenberg space for photography

we ended the day at a westside institution, also listed in the old LA map: the apple pan. a burger bar in its simplest sense, we plopped down on the red bar stools, ordered burgers and egg salad sandwiches, cream sodas, and pieces of pie. simple, flavorful, classic, perfect. maybe the west side isn’t so bad after all.

the steak burger and famous dollop of ketchup from the apple pan

the steak burger and famous dollop of ketchup from the apple pan

the apple pan

the apple pan

do you have any westside favorites i need to check out before leaving? please let me know!

my favorite: parks

barndall art park in los feliz, los angeles

barndall art park in los feliz, los angeles; looking north toward griffith observatory

i grew up in tulsa, oklahoma, which is a city full of parks. you can’t stroll more than a few blocks before running into one, so much so that i took green spaces for granted until i moved away. parks remind me of friends and family, picnics (i’m a sucker for a good picnic – check out my picnic board on pinterest), late-night walks, shakespeare in the park and, more than anything, lots of green space. in my opinion, the best provide a place to hang out with friends, beautiful surroundings, and a little bit of the arts. here is a small sample of my favorite parks i have found throughout my travels.

1.stanley park, vancouver, canada – i visited stanley park on a beautiful day in august with my best friend. we rented bikes, and cycled around the perimeter of the grounds, looking across the vancouver harbor and the burrard inlet, passing lighthouses and totem poles, and lazy beaches on the west side. after turning in our bikes, we looped back to the theatre under the stars for a performance of singin in the rain with a glass of wine and some themed photos during intermission (see below).

central park, new york city

central park, new york city

2.central park, new york, new york – ok, this is a given. it’s expected because it’s the best. it’s classic. where else can you find an ice-skating rink in the middle of green space with sky scrapers framing the backdrop? stop by the castle or run around the reservoir, or simply enjoy the plentiful art throughout the park (my favorite is the alice in wonderland sculpture on the southeast side of the park). and when you’re finished with the outdoors, step into the metropolitan museum of art, located inside the park and worthy of its own day entirely.

3. barnsdall art park, los angeles, california – this is my local neighborhood park, and i couldn’t be luckier. set on a hill in the neighborhood of los feliz, the park has views of griffith park to the north and the city and ocean to the west. frank lloyd wright’s hollyhock house sits atop the hill, as well as gallery space, a theater, and classroom space with weekly art classes. wine tastings and open air movie nights are huge perks, but my favorite thing to do is arrive on a saturday, spread out a blanket with a good picnic (told you), and enjoy a great book.

do you have any good parks i should check out?

themed photos during intermission of singin' in the rain in stanley park

themed photos during intermission of singin’ in the rain in stanley park

cycling around stanley park in vancouver (always wear a helmet)

cycling around stanley park in vancouver (always wear a helmet)

my favorite: bed & breakfasts

the inn at cooperstown

the inn at cooperstown in cooperstown, new york

i’d like to start a section titled “my favorites” and use it to explore my favorite things from around the world. this week: the b&b. i used to be a bit leery of bed and breakfasts. sometimes the floors creak, you can hear your neighbors, and you may be forced to talk to someone over morning coffee (not good for me). after having a few really wonderful experiences, though, i’ve done a 180 on the b&b and like to seek out the great ones. here are a few i’ve stayed at recently that were truly exceptional:

  • cass house inn, cayucos, california – this was our first stop on my husband’s and my first anniversary trip last summer. cayucos is a sleepy beach town on the central coast, and cass house is just across the street from the pier. a young couple own the inn, which is housed in the former victorian abode of the cass family (photographs of the family line the walls). the staff are amazing, and the personal touches are great (a glass of wine and a blanket to enjoy the chilly night in their gardens greeted us upon arrival). but if you do find yourself in cayucos, you must eat dinner at the cass house restaurant. the husband is the head chef, and the ever changing prix -fixe menu with wine pairings and ingredients from the garden out back is not to be missed.
  • la otra orilla, buenos aires, argentina – my best friend, kim, found this b&b in the heart of the palermo district of BA. close to shopping, restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife, we couldn’t have asked for more. the lush gardens and european decor provided for many great photo opportunities, and the breakfast in the morning was delicious and filing (not the case in all b&bs). we weren’t even disappointed when we were rained in one afternoon.
  • the inn at cooperstown, cooperstown, new york – my husband and i stayed here during our trip to see the baseball hall of fame. this b&b is walking distance from the hall of fame, as well as the cute downtown area (i recommend alex and ika restaurant – so good!). a long porch stretches across the front of this colonial house, and it was sitting in one of the many rocking chairs, sipping ice tea while enjoying the warm night, that i somehow met babe ruth’s granddaughter. in town to speak at the hall of fame, she and her husband were staying at the inn, and happily chatting with the other guests. delightful!

i’m interested in hearing your thoughts – do you have a favorite b&b you would recommend?