Category Archives: Travel

Observing The Seasons

I think that one of the most engaging activities you can do on your own, is to observe and make note of what goes on with a particular change of season. Reflecting on your surroundings can be inspirational. When you encounter a difficult or challenging passage in life, I think that looking outward becomes even more important than looking inward.

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Leo Tolstoy

Season changes are rarely the same. Especially these days, with the impact of global warming and the resulting changes in climate everywhere. This year in the northeast, the winter was unbearably cold and destructive. But the spring, summer and now the fall have been glorious.

A Rose in November?

On this off-season trip to Nantucket, I found roses blooming amid the fading hydrangea. What a contrast! Here, the autumn had already settled in. Leaves were falling and the chill of the air made it clear that we had already moved closer to the coming winter season. Summer was long over.

New Blooms in November

What’s really striking about this phenomenon is that it’s not a common one. These roses usually bloom twice on Nantucket. Once in June/July and again in September. I don’t recall ever seeing them bloom a third time, much less in November!

Autumn Roses!

I thought about how meaningful it is, to see new life burst out from the fading plants. It looked like a significant symbol. One that represents the notion that, just when you think a certain phase of your own life is coming to a finish, new growth appears and blazes through to remind us that there will be spring ahead. That, in order to let new things come into your life, you need to allow the old order to pass gracefully. To surrender to the change. Not fight it.

Sometimes, you will find yourself at “A Table For One” reluctantly. That’s OK. Life is full of twists and turns. Just remember to look around and absorb what your surroundings are telling you. It can be so richly rewarding. Let the old fade away and the new take hold!

Off Season is On

Leave a reply

Traveling off season can offer wonderful opportunities to explore. It sometimes seems that life is in such fast motion that it’s hard to recognize the special moments until they’ve come and gone. And it seems, they come and go far too quickly. The speed that we all move at these days, creates a blur. It’s difficult, if not impossible to focus. There’s always one more thing to rush on to. One more issue to address. Not enough time in a day. Off season can be slow and savoring.

“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” Soren Kierkegaard

The fact is, that most of the things we’re in a hurry about won’t really matter in the long run. It’s so important to understand this and to do all you can to really “experience” your life. Planning with purpose is an important aspect to exploring things on your own. Here’s a great example: having come and gone from Nantucket to New York so frequently and seemingly always in a rush, there are some things I just haven’t had a chance to do. Especially in the off season.

Nantucket Scallops Fresh from the Bay!

So this year, I decided to slow down the manic travel plans in November and take time out to enjoy a uniquely Nantucket Island experience. The anticipation of getting one of the first batches of succulent Nantucket Bay Scallops fresh from the sea can’t be overrated. This happens in the “off season”, specifically in November for the commercial fishermen. The bounty is fragile and every year, lately it seems somewhat diminished due to environmental changes.

Glidden’s Seafood Store

But it’s not just the future peril of this delicacy that draws special attention. It’s the fact that you can literally shop for them on the same day they’ve been harvested from the sea by the scallopers. We all love the “Farm to Table” movement. There’s something equally amazing about the “Sea to Table” phenomenon.

Fresh From the Sea

Glidden’s, one of my favorite fish shops sells daily catch, huge lobsters and the first scallops of the season. I decided to buy 2 pounds and freeze some of them for winter trips to the island. When the scallops are first in, most of the restaurants that remain open, make their own special recipes. As for me, I love to prepare them in EVOO with a bit of garlic and butter to finish. Salt and pepper to season, with fresh lemon, parsley and red pepper flakes. Keeping it simple allows the sweetness of the bay scallops to shine through. Nothing could be better. Visit the island, shop the fish and cook a delightful meal. “A Table For One.” Let the off season begin!

Art Inside Out

Leave a reply

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a New York icon. It beckons visitors from all over the world with complex, diverse collections of art and breathtaking one of a kind exhibits. For me, it’s also a prominent presence in my neighborhood. And there’s as much to see outside as there is to see inside The Met!

“Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.” Claude Monet

I love visiting museums when traveling and I’ve been lucky enough to visit so many, both here in the U.S. and overseas. One thing I find intriguing and sometimes also striking, is the exterior of museums. The setting. The building itself. How it sits where it is.

The Met Offers Inspiration in Color Inside and Out!

On this particular fall day, the exterior of The Metropolitan Museum of Art was ablaze with a full range of autumnal fire-like colors. The walls of glass reflected both sky and neighboring buildings in a perfectly arranged display.

Explore every angle of the museums you visit!

I like to take a walk around the exterior of the museums I visit, in order to understand and appreciate the eye of the architect/s who designed the buildings. To imagine how they were inspired to create and choose every detail of the structure. Architects are also artists in their own right.

Nature’s colorful bounty reflected as art

On this beautiful day, the colors of autumn bounce in the reflection of The Met’s glassed walls. The dappled light dances off the cement walls and inspires an unusual sense of life and anticipation of things to come. I think it’s a great idea, when you’re out and about for a museum visit on your own, to be sure to explore nature’s art and how the architect’s eye worked to create the building itself. If you do, it may even give you better insight into the art collections inside. And if you have a neighborhood museum nearby, be sure to observe how the changing seasons enhance the structure. Embrace the moment. “A Table For One.”

Day of the Month

Leave a reply

This year has been so beautiful in the Northeast. Very unusual, long stretches of balmy weather, blue skies, sunlit days. The Northeast is normally filled with unpredictable weather, ranging from cold snaps, to fog, rainy days and occasional blue skies.

“Climate is what we expect. Weather is what we get.” Mark Twain

In my mind, the best days are sometimes “good weather” days. Especially if the weather in a given month is unusual. I’ve decided to chose a “Day of the Month” every month. It’s another way to make yourself aware of the delight that each day brings. Something to look forward to, make note of and celebrate.

Look for the magical beauty of nature and light.

This month, November, I thought that “The Day” had already arrived on November 3rd. On a long walk through Central Park, I couldn’t help noticing how the autumn sunlight burst through the trees, amping up the contrasting colors of the landscape.

Such an unusual November!

On this particular day, I thought that the magical transition of seasons was so clearly evident. The floor of the gardens were covered with fallen leaves, while newly blossomed autumn plants and flowers were peeking through. The combination was startling and beautiful.

Summer passes the baton to Autumn as the seasons change

I find that the complexity of nature reflects the complexity of our lives and can be very reflective of our emotions too. It’s easy to lose yourself in the beauty of your surroundings, if you simply surrender to it. On this day, I fully enjoyed the wide range of thoughts and feelings, reflective of the landscapes.

The day mixed together a summer temperature of 72, the blazing reds and yellows of tumbling autumn leaves and the bittersweet reminder that winter will soon arrive. Yet, the promise of spring was also present in the newly blooming plants poking through. A truly perfect day. Perhaps the best “Day of the Month” for November. Well noted and captured in thought and memory for “A Table For One.”

The Pope Project

Leave a reply

I think it’s a great idea to focus your adventures on something exciting, whenever possible. For those of us in New York, this week will mark Pope Francis’ first and historic visit to New York. It coincides with the UN Assembly, so the city is awhirl and gridlock will be at an all-time high.

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller

Most days, New York is in full gear and locked in its well-known high energy mode. But for special events like the ones coming to our fair city this week, the electric frequency levels burst into full-on rocket liftoff mode! And the excitement it generates is unparalleled.

New York City’s Giant Pope Billboard near Madison Square Garden

At times like this, you can literally “feel it in the air.” So I decided over the weekend, to make this week my “Pope Project” and try to visit some of the places the Pope will see, while he’s here. I also find that the preparations for such events are just as exciting as the events themselves. And when you create a special project for yourself, such as this one, it gives you a full agenda for any and all time that you have on your own.

NYPD “blocks” all over the city in preparation for a whirlwind week ahead!

From the giant billboard hand-painted last week on a building near Madison Square Garden, where the Pope will say Mass, to the smallest detail of hand-hung “no parking” signs on the trees of the street where he will stay, you can see the anticipation take hold. There are honestly no contenders, in my mind, when it comes to the NYPD. And evidence of their hard work is already visible all over the city too. In anticipation of the crowds that will gather, starting on Thursday, there’s fencing, cement blocks, street closure warnings and all sorts of other indicators of what’s ahead for both the force and NYC residents!

Signs of preparation for the Pope and the UN Assembly this week!

No doubt all of the media will be out front covering the Pope’s every movement. But I find it really exciting to capture the week from my own humble perspective. Although I tried to get tickets to see him in Central Park or along his journey down Fifth Ave., I didn’t win any of the many lotteries that were held. So, now, I have a really perfect “A Table For One” week ahead, as I document my own experience. Maybe I’ll get lucky and catch a glimpse of him somewhere along his many routes. But if not, just getting out and about to see the preparations and experience the city as it lights up in anticipation is really very special. I think everyone should take on a special project once in a while, to enjoy their time with “A Table For One.”

Day Trippin’

Leave a reply

I think that day trips are highly underrated. While we spend hours planning for major getaways, we frequently overlook the fun that can be had from just spontaneously hopping in a car, taking a train ride or even a bus to a nearby location for the day. Taking a break from your own routine surroundings, even if just for a few hours, can rejuvenate and reenergize your perspective.

“I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see.” John Burroughs

I have found that there are an infinite variety of things to do when you’re on your own. Breaking out of the scenery you live in is always invigorating. It gives you a different way to see your everyday environment. When you return, after exploring a totally different landscape, you feel that you’ve been far away, even if you’ve just gone an hour or so away from home base.

Break away for a spontaneous adventure, somewhere nearby!

The town of Greenwich, Ct. is not far from Manhattan. I grew up in Rye, N.Y. and attended elementary and high school in Greenwich, so it too is very familiar territory. Greenwich is a great choice for a day trip from New York City. Nestled in the northern end of Greenwich, there are acres and acres of meadows, lines of old stone walls meandering up and down hills, trees as old as those hills and a plethora of expansive fields to explore. And there, you will find the Audubon Center…an absolute treasure, so near and yet so far from the intenseness of city life.

The Audubon Center nestled in the northern corner of Greenwich, Ct.

The Audubon Center of Greenwich is a nature center comprised of over 200 acres of land and offers 7 miles of trails to walk. Who would suspect that such a rich resource as this would be so close to the city of New York? The beautiful welcome center has a gift shop, lots of reading materials, rooms for their regular talks and the people are lovely. Here is where you can rest after a long walk, sit on their back deck overlooking the property and enjoy the spectacular view.

The Audubon Center of Greenwich, Ct.

Pack up your favorite sandwich, snacks and bottled water for a picnic. Don’t forget your sunscreen, a hat and be sure to wear good walking shoes. This is a day trip made to order. The trails are long and complex enough to make it a return-to favorite. For me, the complete contrast from the concrete pathways of the city is a welcome relief. Open sky, earthy terrain, beautiful flora, fauna and birds…what a magnificent way to spend a day! It would be great to go with a friend too. But this is a perfect day trip just for you! Revel in the freedom of a very special adventure on your own.

Create your own backyard habitat!

The Audubon Center also offers great ideas on how to create your own backyard habitat. It doesn’t have to be fancy. These are great ideas from the best experts. Since the Center also offers interesting talks and tours, this will be something to consider doing for another “A Table For One” experience. Try not to waste any time, if you find yourself alone, set out on a day trip! You’ll find it’s one of the best ways to enjoy “being” on your own!

B&B’s…and Pensiones!

Leave a reply

B&B’s (Bed and Breakfasts) are a great option when you first begin to travel on your own. They tend to be the most intimate lodging experience, since they are typically small and personally run by the owners. B&Bs are everywhere. Here in the U.S. and overseas as well. On a recent trip to southern Italy, I stayed at a lovely little B&B, (called a pensione in Italy), in tranquil Piano di Sorrento.

A lovely private entrance to an Italian pensione in Piano de Sorrento, Italy

A lovely private entrance to an Italian pensione in Piano di Sorrento, Italy

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known”. Carl Sagan

Since traveling solo can sometimes feel daunting, choosing a small B&B or pensione, in this case, is a great way to get yourself into a good “comfort zone”. Owners are usually happy to see you and they will cater to you in a way that’s very friendly and helpful. They’re great at recommending places to see, eat and shop.

Delightful entrance to my own little Italian “apartment”

Every B&B is unique and different. There’s nothing “standard” about them, with the exception that they each provide a room and your morning “wake-up” breakfast meal. It can sometimes feel like you’re visiting friends, because B&B’s tend to have very homey bedrooms and they will generally all vary in size and style.

The charm is in all the quirky details!

I love the quirky details that come with B&B’s. Here’s a photo of the safe in my room at the pensione in Italy, complete with a cleverly devised piece of framed art to keep it hidden from sight! You will find unique touches in every B&B or pensione you visit. It’s worth every moment and you will find it’s a great way to travel with “A Table For One”!

Mementos

Leave a reply

I always try to keep some of the things I need and collect when traveling. Like train tickets, a timetable, a matchbook, CD of the local music and so on. They are small, but evocative prompts that help me to recall where I’ve been.

“I have more memories than if I were a thousand years old.” Charles Baudelaire

Starkly different from the things I shop for, these are smaller mementos that remind me of very specific experiences I’ve enjoyed while on a trip…a hotel, a train ride, a restaurant, a place I enjoyed visiting, local music, a show, and so on.

Small mementos prompt sweet memories!

Even better, these mementos can be brought together in a collage. Or an online “scrap book” of photos. I sometimes assemble these little cards and tickets in a large decorative envelope with the name of the place they’re from and dates of the trip. It’s so much fun to “re-discover” these souvenirs when I want to recall the feelings of a trip I made on my own.

Small reminders can evoke Big Memories

These maps, cards, tickets and such are so helpful when you’ve been out and about on your own. Traveling with a spouse, friends or family provides an opportunity to create a collective memory. But when you’re traveling on your own, it’s important to collect these little reminders that will help jog your memory back to a place you enjoyed. Hotels, cafes and restaurants too frequently have a card or photo available to take along with you. Don’t hesitate to take one and add these to your collections.

Be sure to take these with you after a meal or a stay!

They will be your “companion pieces” when you want to recall a wonderful trip you made with “A Table For One”.

Small Hotels

Leave a reply

Small hotels, sometimes in out-of-the way places can be a great option when you first start out traveling alone. Recently, I stayed in a small hotel, just outside of Sorrento, Italy. Located in Vico Equense, it was just a quick 11 minute train ride into Sorrento. The Hotel Aequa featured all the advantages of a small hotel for solo travelers.

Hotel Aequa, Vico Equense

Hotel and Garden

“The true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground.” Gilbert K. Chesterton

The price included a European style buffet breakfast each morning. I had asked for a double room with small balcony and view, thinking that the single rooms in Europe are still quite small. It was a good choice, because the bed was bigger and the balcony provided access to beautiful views of the hotel property, Bay of Naples and the stunning Mount Vesuvius.

View from the Balcony

Small hotels can be both intimate and private, depending on how much you want to engage with the people around you. Again, this can be ideal for those first venturing out alone. The hotel clerks are there to help, the guests at breakfast and around the pool can sometimes be friendly and engaging. But if you really just want to relax, read, sun yourself, etc. you can easily opt to do this without interruptions.

Things to Pack

Leave a reply

When packing for a trip anywhere, I think it’s a good idea to pack a few essentials that you can use to support any adventure!

Bring these along!

“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” William Morris

I always pack plastic utensils and some napkins. No matter where you stay, (bed & breakfast, hotel, etc.), you will find these things very convenient to have on hand. For example, I like to explore local farm stands for fresh fruit when I’m on the road. Even if I’m working, I’ll keep my eye out for local treasures like fresh peaches, apples, strawberries, etc. Having the utensils, and some napkins already in my room means that I can make a purchase and enjoy a snack anytime!

Farm Fresh!

You might also want to consider packing some gourmet nuts and raisins too. I love pistachios and have found that some brands add a twist, like chili or salt & pepper to spice them up. Chose whatever your favorites are and make sure what you pack has a special “twist” to make it new and different.

Another treat I always look for is dark chocolate. Wherever I go, inevitably, I find a new type of gourmet chocolate bars that may not be sold at home. It’s a great opportunity to try something new that you wouldn’t think of trying ordinarily!

Dark Chocolate Treats!

A TABLE FOR ONE

THE ART OF "BEING" ON YOUR OWN

Category Archives: Travel

Observing The Seasons

Off Season is On

Art Inside Out

Day of the Month

The Pope Project

Day Trippin’

B&B’s…and Pensiones!

Mementos

Small Hotels

Things to Pack