August 12, 2016 - Participating Restaurants in NYC Restaurant Week and some of the Best Things that happen unexpectedly

Elisa's Daily Scoop

Horse Riding & Great Eats

HELLO!! It's Friday and no driving out to the barn on this end!! yippee!!

Wow, yesterday wiped me out.  It was over 90 degrees and with the humidity, I don't even want to know what the temperature was like.

All I can tell you is that I get more tired not moving for six hours in the heat then I do walking 8 miles, cleaning my house and running around doing errands in the cool temps.

I don't know how the girls do it - tack, ride, groom; in the heat.

Anyway, the weather is not much better today, but at least I can get stuff done and not be confined to hanging out at the outlets all day.

This nomad thing is starting to get to me (yes, I'm venting).  As you may remember, when I was married, we had a house in Remsenburg (which I always talked about and LOVED).  So, that is how the girls wound up riding out there in the first place.

Since our divorce has ensued, the Remsenburg house became his official temporary residence and so I'm left to fend for myself when the girls ride.  Of course, some people are able to bridge the gaps and work together under such circumstances, but that has not been the case for us.  Such is life.  

I do it for my girls and that is why I never get angry.  I never allow myself to forget that their childhood is not forever.  Plus, I have to admit, being there and being a part of the process of them becoming very talented equestrians is something I could never replace.

Speaking of riding, both girls did AMAZING yesterday!!!! Their excitement was through the roof as they watched the videos of them jumping 2-feet and 1.9-feet over and over after we got home.

Kelsey "graduated" so-to-speak to a different horse yesterday, named Tigger and Gianna is still movin' and groovin' with All-Star, her beloved leased horse for many years.

Kelsey "graduated" to Tigger yesterday (c)travelincousins.com

(c)travelincousins.com

These videos haven't been edited so excuse the background talking and noise!

Kelsey riding Tigger...

Gianna riding All-Star...

Am I a proud mama or what!!!


So what's on your agenda this weekend?

Today, we'll continue doing work around the house, which will include growing our pile for the Veterans' pick up next week.  Boy, is this pile growing!!

What I'm most excited about is that my little girl (Kelsey) is a thriller movie fan just like her mom!  That's right folks, Kelsey is hooked on the Bourne Identity movies!  After watching all three in the series, we are both ready to go see the newest, Jason Bourne, based on the Robert Ludlum books.

Well, today also happens to be Foodie Friday here on TC and I found a terrific article on AMNewYork this week Restaurant Week NYC 2016: Where to get the best deals.

Georgia Kral has assembled a list of 35 NYC restaurants, that will be participating.
​For participating restaurants, the deal includes a three-course prix fixe $29 lunch or $42 dinner.

I was happy to see two of my faves on there, Barbetta and Delmonico's - both of which are two of the oldest restaurants in The Big Apple.

Just a bit about each of these...

Barbetta
321 W. 46th Street
New York, NY  
barbettarestaurant.com

Barbetta (photo credit: Georgia Kral)

Opened in 1906 Barbetta is still owned by the same family! Barbetta is participating in Restaurant Week for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday.

​Dishes include the classic northwest Italian dish cold chicken tonnato (tuna mayonnaise sauce), Atlantic salmon with herbs and orange bittersweet chocolate mousse. 


​Delmonico's
56 Beaver Street
New York, NY
212-509-1144

Delmonico's (photo credit: Jeremy Bales)

​Opened in 1827, Delmonico's is the birthplace of the widely imitated Delmonico steak and is credited with being the first American restaurant to allow patrons to order from a menu à la carte, as opposed to table d'hôte. It is also claimed to be the first to employ a separate wine list.

The restaurant is participating in Restaurant Week for lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday. Dishes include: Lobster Newburg ($15 supplement), Chicken a la Keene and baked Alaska ($6 supplement).

Definitely take advantage of these great deal and check out all the restaurants that Georgia Kral details in the link above.

Speaking of food - I'm going to get me some.  
Have a fabulous day!!

-E
xoxo

Tanya's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 4 DAYS

The Best Things happen unexpectedly...

Hiya Folks!

Guess what I didn't do yesterday - pack. UGH
Packing for this trip is going to be such a chore and I swear that I didn't put it off...

But my duties as the IPC Board President went through the roof! 
As it turns out I had received an urgent message from our executive director regarding issues with our reservations for summer travel in 2017.

I immediately called to find out that there had been a mishap on the account of the owners of the beautiful Idaho property, that somehow our reservation wasn't locked in and that another family had reserved our dates!!!!

Oh this wasn't good news whatsoever!       
​                   What to do. What to do.

Well first we needed the owner to find out if there was any chance that this other family was flexible.
We had crossed our fingers and prayed while we  were awaiting the news.

Turns out that the 'other' family was not at all flexible and it was time to take action and contact all of our associates about the problem.
However...because the owner felt so guilty and bad for mishandling our reservation she had done the unthinkable.

The owner had offered us the accommodations for FREE.
Needless to say that we were speechless!
Me speechless - now that is unheard of!!!
​
The only catch was that we needed to choose a date that was still available on their calendar.
The obvious choice was a mid-August date and confirming that she was actually holding it so it too didn't get swiped up by another group.

Next thing was contacting the rest of the board as well as each and every member that signed up for the 2017 trip.
How could we turn down FREE accommodations for the choir?!

The only possible issue would be if our Ambassadors were going back to school in early August, causing them unable to travel. I of course had no worries there...
Ahhh the life and flexibility of a home-schooling family!    

The rest of my day - while at the gym - while shopping - while at Dominic's class - while just about doing everything I had to do (aside from packing) was spent on the phone explaining the situation to our association and polling the situation.

As it turns out we lost one ambassador due to her school schedule - but she is the ONLY one!
Not only was each and every other last person who was already signed up for the trip able to adjust their calendars and still be on-board to make the trip. 

But with the new travel dates there were even additional members who the dates work better for and who are now signing up!

Our prayers were not only answered, but exceeded!

On a person note - I am really the only one (aside from the ambassabor with the early school schedule) who the new dates effect...
The new dates will be over Dave and my anniversary - of which we always do an anniversary get-away or trip & as of right now the plans for next year are to go to Greece!

Exciting I know!!

Here are a few FLASHBACK FRIDAY samples of our past anniversary trips:

Chicago (c)travelincousins.com

Heading to Cozumel onboard a cruise (c)travelincousins.com

Yukon Rail in Alaska (c)travelincousins.com

Ålesund, Norway (c)travelincousins.com

St. Lucia (c)travelincousins.com

So I guess next year we'll just have to celebrate our anniversary either before of after the actual anniversary. I'm sure we can manage. 

​When all seemed to be working out perfectly Dave had reminded me of another issue with MY calendar...
The Total Full Eclipse trip that my bud Jeff is planning for us to go on. 

So with crossed fingers I checked the date and it so happens to be the very next day after this choir trip wraps up. Whew!
​
Jeff had been thinking that we would watch it from a rural location out in Nebraska - which at the time worked fine for me.

However now, with this new situation I'm hoping that maybe we can choose someplace that will be easier for me to reach from where I'll be out in Idaho. But in looking at the map, it appears that the eclipse will pass directly overhead much closer than Nebraska.
​Now if only Jeff can be flexible on the location! ​

Now I can't let anything get in my way of packing today!        Which also means - laundry.
Our weekend is just too jam packed and I have no more time. I NEED TO PACK!

Later tonight I'll swing by Dave's and we'll get his packing done. Then hopefully if all goes well I'll be able to share with you tomorrow that we are packed and ready to go on our Magical Anniversary Trip!!! Check out the link - I've updated the page :)

Now wish me luck,
​-T