Category: USA

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Boston

The bus from NY brought us to South Station pretty late. We grabbed some midnight burritos from Boloco and called it a night at the Midtown Hotel near Prudential.

The next day we went around the city seeing sights as it dumped snow on us. The weather slowed us down a bit, as I kept bringing us in places to warm up and thaw out my wet feet, but we still saw a lot in our unorganized wanderings. There was also the conflict of what I thought was the best of Boston based on my five years at Northeastern and what my library-loaned Fodor’s book convinced Daniele was the best. We managed to make it to the Prudential Center, Copley Square, Newbery Street, Boston Common, the Old and New State Houses, Faneuil Hall, North End, water front, Charlestown Bridge, and China Town. I took few pictures because it was snowing so hard they would not have come out well and I had taken some nice pictures in the summer when I was there last time.

We had lunch while we were in the North End. Daniele picked out one of the dozens of Italian places along Hanover and Salem streets. We went to one on Salem where the parents had started it and the son runs it now; the sisters have a place down the street. Daniele said he really wanted carbonara, but didn’t trust any place in the US to make it, but after we ate he was impressed with the food and wished he had gotten it. Although what they gave him was apparently called something different than what they called it. Oops. We went to Mike’s Pastry for dessert where I had hyped up the cannoli as better than Italy. It was a slow Friday afternoon and the ladies made friends when they heard us speaking Italian to each other. Anyone who has ever dealt with these business-only fast-dealing take-the-cash-and-give-the-pastry ladies understands how remarkable it is even on a slow day for them to make small talk with a customer. We chatted in Italian a bit. Talked about who looks Italian, how long those born in Italy had been in Boston, where everyone was from and how I had to visit there. I swear it really happened!

That night we took the train out to Sharon to stay with Alison and Tom. We made a creamy baked gnocchi dish by Giada de Laurentis [http://reservationsnotrequired.blogspot.com/2008/10/baked-gnocchi.html] for dinner then watched The Social Network. The next day they took us to the Massachusetts coast. We had lunch in a clam shack in Essex where we made Daniele eat New England Clam Chowder. We also went to Rockport and Gloucester where it was really pretty even in the winter. In the evening Rebbecca met up with us and we had Tex Mex (and too many margaritas) in Cambridge followed by scorpion bowls at Hong Kong followed by dancing at An Tua Nua.

Kevin and Andrea picked us up the next morning. We had lunch together at a mexican place and drove around the neighborhoods surrounding Boston a little. On a whim, we got sleds and went sledding. It was super fun. We recovered with a cheddar cheese snack. Then ate dinner in a nice place in Arlington.

The last morning was very, very cold. The kind of cold day in Boston where not wearing a hat is suicide and you think your eyes might freeze in their sockets. We had breakfast at Flour Bakery and headed back to NJ to get ready for Costa Rica.

[Edit] Link to Boston photos from this trip:
https://picasaweb.google.com/kaitlyn.hanrahan/20110121Boston#

Some pictures of Boston when it is not covered in snow:
https://picasaweb.google.com/kaitlyn.hanrahan/20100808Boston#

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New York

We headed into New York City the morning of the 18th. It was a cold rainy day, but what can you do? We stayed in midtown at the Mayfair hotel, which was nice. We went out to Times Square then walked Broadway to downtown. We stopped at a couple squares I can’t remember, Empire State Building (too fogy to go to the top), East Village, Union Square, then walked back up on 5th Avenue. We really liked downtown.

The next day we went to Little Italy. We went to the church from the baptism in the Godfather and discussed how commercial and not very Italian Little Italy is. We also went by China Town, Battery Park to take a view of the bay and Statue of Liberty, Financial District, Ground Zero, Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall, and Court House. I was so tired that night we got delivery to the hotel. Daniele was in shock by both delivery food and that we were allowed to have it in the hotel.

Our last day we went to Central Park. We walked around there and saw some uptown sights. We also made friends with lots of birds and squirrels by sharing a little Chex Mix. I really didn’t want to go to any of the boroughs besides Manhattan. But we went for lunch and to walk around in Harlem, as a compromise since it is the closest.

Then we caught the bus to Boston to spend a few days there.

[Edit] Link to New York pictures from this trip:
https://picasaweb.google.com/kaitlyn.hanrahan/20110118NewYork02#

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New Jersey

One the 16th we headed to my parent’s from Philly. We had dinner with my parents and Aunt Linda. My mom countered the dinner Daniele’s mom made for me with a citrus salad, cheese souffle, green beans, steak, and chocolate cake. The “american” salad is strange (in a good way) to Daniele. Italians always only dress their salads with olive oil and vinegar. My dad treated Daniele to lots of Irish Cream and even more stories.

The next day we had Pizza Hut buffet. There are no Pizza Hut’s in Italy and he wanted to go. Then we went shopping at Jersey Gardens, a very big mall where most of the stores are outlets. We met Michelle and Aleks for dinner at a Cuban restaurant they know. They brought my little godson, Nicholas, but Aleks Jr and Lucy stayed home with my Aunt Maureen.

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Philadelphia

Daniele is visiting January 14 to February 7. We are spending the first part in the northeast US and the second part in Costa Rica.

We started off in Philly since he flew in there. He arrived in the evening so all we did the first day was get dinner. We walked three miles (I think there was a little kilometer vs. mile miscalculation) to a fantastic Mexican place called Los Gallos. Daniele was thrilled to eat good Mexican food and to find out there are people living in the US who speak less English than he does.

We stayed in the historic center, right on the river. Our room had a really nice view of the Franklin Bridge. There was also breakfast with waffles, which Daniele really liked. He was excited about the “long” American coffee– but it was pretty disappointing at the hotel. That day we did the traditional Philadelphia sites. It was the first time doing them for me, too, even though I had been to Philly. We saw the liberty bell, independence hall (where they debated the Constitution, Articles of Confederation, and Declaration of Independence, also saw original prints and pen), City Hall, the Museum of Art with tributes to Rocky, and a few other buildings and squares.

The next day we walked up and down the Italian Market. Daniele got a thrill out of seeing Italian brands and surnames. I had Daniele eat a cheese steak at Geno’s. They had cheese fries for me, Pat’s across the street only has cheese stake. We also visited Washington Square, Rittenhouse Square and some other smaller sites. For dinner we had some very good Thai food in Chinatown.

Today we had more waffles at the hotel before heading back to New Jersey. We had lunch at Sonic, which are in NJ now. It was my first time there, too, and Daniele wanted to go to a burger chain besides McDonald’s or Burger King. Next up, dinner with the family.

[Edit] Link to Philadelphia pictures from this trip:
https://picasaweb.google.com/kaitlyn.hanrahan/20110115Philadelphia#

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Home for the Holidays

As planned, I got to spend the holidays at home. All the way from Thanksgiving through New Years. It was amazing! I have been only coming home for holiday cameos for seven years, since I left for college at 17. Between all the holiday excitement I got to find a little order and sanity in me life. I sorted through the disaster that I left in my parent’s upstairs; a gradual build up from each time I blew through New Jersey. It had become worse than ever as clear layers of my New Jersey, Boston, and San Francisco lives could be seen in the piles.

I got in from Rome on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. My mom hosted the Hanrahan Thanksgiving as she does most years. We had 45 people over. She made everything you could imagine. After the huge antipasto we had her bread, corn (she froze the neighboring farmer’s corn in the summer), mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, my Uncle Larry’s salad and baked brie, stuffed shells, meat balls, and of course a 26 pound turkey. There was also sangria and warm apple cider and homemade Irish Cream to add to all the beer, wine, and soda. Then for dessert the dinning room was filled with every kind of pie as well as cup cakes, cookies, a cannoli cake, and brownies.

We spent Christmas Eve with my mom’s side of the family. Besides catching up with all of them, I found out my cousin Corrine is getting remarried in May and she asked me to be in her wedding party again. I also got to meet Lori’s (Corrine’s older sister) and Tim’s second daughter: Brooke. She is cute as a button and has this adorable thing where her hair sticks straight up no matter what my cousin does. Lori had her two girls, Kayla and Brooke, and well as Corrine’s Celina in matching Christmas dresses.

Early Christmas morning was just my parent’s, grandmother (she comes home with us from Christmas Eve and stays over), and me. Santa brought me some goodies for my new vagabond lifestyle. The highlights were a Kindle and a waterproof point-and-shoot camera. Soon after my Aunt Linda and Uncle Larry come over. This year my Aunt’s friend Jane came too. We have a big breakfast and exchange stocking stuffers.

This year, since the big breakfast was at our house, my mom stayed with her family and my dad and I headed to the Hanrahan Christmas at my Aunt Debbie and Uncle John’s. It was an eventful Christmas this year at the Hanrahans. My Uncle John was home from Japan (he and Aunt Debbie moved there recently for his work). Aunt Debbie was home too of course, but had been since Thanksgiving, like me. My cousin Brian, who goes to BU, just came back from a semester abroad in Ecuador with all kinds of stories. My cousin David (the only one besides me and potentially Brian to leave NJ or one of the neighboring states) was home from San Diego for the first Christmas in 10 years. We had a 6-day-old baby– Mike and Bonnie’s little Keira. Marc proposed to Vivian that morning. My uncle Bill was in from Alaska. It was a really magical Christmas.

I was going to spend New Years with my cousin’s on my mom’s side. They have a party every year. But last minute everyone was sick and they almost canceled. I ended up at my cousin Marc’s where I had a wonderful time. In the morning I was painfully reminded that I have not been drinking like I did in SF.

Between the big holidays I got to see some old friends. Caught up with NJ people and made a trip to Boston. Like I said, I has been just like I hoped.

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And I’m off!

Yesterday afternoon my mom dropped me off at Newark Liberty International. I flew to Stolkholm, where I had a two hour layover and was very confused about going through customs. I got by just following all the Italians, who luckily are always easy to spot. Overall I give SAS a positive review. I stopped at Vodaphone in the Milano Airport and bought their only Android phone, a Nexus One before getting a shuttle from the airport to Centrale station. From there I bought my ticket to Levanto no problem and transferred to the local train to Riomaggiore. I was counting on having my phone to direct me to my Hostel, but it wasn’t working. Luckily there are always plenty of people to ask and I found it easily enough. There is a little to be desired, lots of stairs, little water pressure, the internet is stolen from a neighbor, and it is super hot, but none of that is too bad. The girls in the room seem really nice.

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New Jersey!

Friday morning I left Boston for NJ. The bus was really delayed and I ended up late for Nicholas’s baptism. But I guess it was OK because Michelle apparently only got there 10 minutes before me. Uncle Bill had me do the first reading, the responsorial psalm, and help give communion. I never even take the wine, so that was exciting!

Sunday my mom had a BBQ / pool party. A lot of the family came. Unfortunately it rained all day. Still a great time! Everyone wished me well. I even got a few birthday gifts, since I’ll be gone for my 25th birthday. It’s going to be weird when I see everyone again in 3 months for Thanksgiving, when we would see each other again anyway, after having such epic goodbyes.

I’ve spent the past week going through boxes taking out what I want and putting the rest away. I hoped to leave everything nice and neat, I’m mostly meeting that goal. I gave myself plenty of time to pack, thank goodness! I feel really good about what I have picked out to bring. I just hope the suitcase closes :)

[Edit] Link to New Jersey Photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/kaitlyn.hanrahan/20100817NJVisit

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The Sprint Home

Friday morning we left Walsenburg, CO and pretty much drove straight until we were all home (or I was at Alison’s). We each did one-tank-of-gas driving shifts through the next two days and nights. We only planned to stop for gas, breakfast, and dinner. However at 4,100 miles, we had a tire blow out in Western Pennsylvania. We had to go 100 miles to get new tiers after the spare was in place. We also dropped off some of my extra things at my parents, since we were driving right past. I got to Alison’s at about 3AM Sunday morning.

[Edit] Link to Road Trip Photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/kaitlyn.hanrahan/20100802RoadTrip#

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Great Sand Dunes National Park

This morning we packed up camp early to start the drive to Colorado. The few mosquitoes that were at the site yesterday (I wouldn’t have thought there would be any mosquitoes in the desert, but I also wouldn’t expect so much rain) appeared to have quadrupled overnight with the storm. That was pretty unpleasant. I think we drove practically right past Four Corners, but didn’t realize it until we were way past. We stopped for breakfast in a little town, something like Smiley Bakery. During the drive we crossed over the Rockies. The summit there was 10,800 feet.

In the early afternoon we reached our destination: Great Sand Dunes National Park. There the wind blows sand into these huge dunes. Seriously a lot of sand! We climbed to the top of the closest peak, which was 750 feet high in 45 minutes. It was pretty hard climbing that high in the sand, but really fun frolicking back down. The camp sites and cabins there were all full, so we went East a while before stopping in a little town off the highway. The hotels were all full here, too. Tourist season apparently, which is pretty weird if you could see where we are. We found a room eventually and got dinner at the Iron Horse. It was the perfect example of a nice restaurant in shitty town.

[Edit] Link to Road Trip Photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/kaitlyn.hanrahan/20100802RoadTrip#

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Canyonlands National Park

We packed up camp nice and early and headed into town. The car needed an oil change. So we dropped it off and walked to the Golden Stake Restaurant for an amazingly cheap breakfast. After, we drove to Canyonlands National Park. On the way we stopped at Hole in the Rock. It was a hole in the rock. You would really have to go there to understand. At Canyonlands we set up camp at a nice site, waited out the mid-day heat and a little rain shower. There is a shocking amount of rain here in the desert. Then we went on the Slickrock hike. It was 2.5 miles and took us about an hour. It was all on rock, really looked like the desert.

In the evening we came back to the site, grilled, drank, and hung out until it was dark. In the middle of the night it rained– poured actually. The lightening was really bright in the tents and the thunder was deafening in the canyon.

[Edit] Link to Road Trip Photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/kaitlyn.hanrahan/20100802RoadTrip#