I am happily looking for to saying GOODBYE to summer as I do not like the heat or humidity. I am gladly looking forward to the fall season and the crisp fall weather. However, I know I am not like everyone, and many or sad that summer is ending and want to extend it as long as they can. Why not do an end of summer tour right here in the US? I found this fun-looking 8-day tour through Trafalgar where you will spend time in NYC, Niagara Falls, and Washington DC. FYI, this trip does take you to Canada so you can see both sides of the falls, so you will need a passport. Here are the details. (from Trafalgars website) Continue reading “End of Summer Tour – 8-Days in NYC, Niagara Falls and Washington D C.”
While in New York City we ate a quite a few nice restaurants, but there was one that I really had wanted to visit while in the city, Serendipity 3. I had heard a lot about this renowned Upper Eastside restaurant and thought it would be fun to visit and try one of their famous Frozen Hot Chocolate drinks. I have to say I love their definition of Serendipity: the art of making happy discoveries or finding the unexpectedly pleasant by chance or sagacity. They also state that they are more than a mere coffee shop, more of an ice cream parlor on steroids, Serendipity has been synonymous with fun. Since September 14, 1954, its menu of outrageous desserts and fun food, served in a Manhattan townhouse amid exuberant Victorian decorations, has charmed children and their parents, not to mention celebrities from Marilyn Monroe, Andy Warhol, and Beyonce. Sadly we didn’t see any famous people while we were there, but we did have a great time with a New Yorker friend that I use to work with. 
Gene and I were in Buffalo exploring the area and 
I was talking with a friend the other day who was trying to find a specific doll for her granddaughter’s upcoming birthday. It immediately reminded me of the miniature dolls I saw at the American Girl Place store while in Manhattan in October of 2015. Gene, a local friend, and I checked out their amazing store when we were in Manhattan last year. We had been to the 
Niagara Falls New York was the highlight of my birthday trip to Buffalo in October of 2021. To say they were breathtaking would be an understatement. They were phenomenal and we were lucky enough to see them from both the US side and the Canadian side. I absolutely love waterfalls and with all our traveling, I still can’t believe we hadn’t been to see these iconic falls before. So glad we finally made it to Niagara Falls New York for the first time!!
I love all the crime scene dramas set in New York City such as Castle, Law and Order, Blue Bloods, Elementary, and Person of Interest. When I started this post several years ago (and sadly forgot about it) I was going through summer hiatus withdrawals and was watching re-runs of Blue Bloods. I am always fascinated with the various New York Bridges during these opening credits and started wondering which bridges they were. Thus, I decided to do some research and find out which bridges we want to see while on our first trip to New York City. I was amazed at how many bridges there actually were in the Manhattan area. There are quite many but I decided to stick with the main eight that cross the East River. With that said, here are the East River Bridges that I found the most captivating and that I wanted to see when we visited the city. They are in no particular order. 
Growing up I always watched I love Lucy with my mom as she grew up watching it. The series aired from 1951-1957. Today, more than 70 years since the last episode aired on May 6, 1957, this amazing comedic icon named Lucille Ball is still entertaining people everyday. Thus when Gene and I were in Buffalo NY for my birthday in 2021 we had to make sure and visit the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum in her hometown, Jamestown. I didn’t know what to expect really, but I was excited to visit, and it didn’t disappoint. We had an amazing I love Lucy experience.
