Bucket List

NYC 2017: Day 3

/ Dav / 1 Comment

09.15.17 | New York, New York | 15:50

Brooklyn: So much to write about- I hope I’m don’t get too tired before I finish this entry. I woke up this morning at about 08:00. I decided that I’d walk the 14 miles from where I was in Jamaica to where I needed to be. Yes, that is correct. My thought process was this: Think of how many beautiful pictures I can take along the way!

After 6 miles of walking through sketchy neighborhoods, I was done walking. I stopped at a gas station and bought an egg salad sandwich and a bottle of water. I ate it in the park across the street. With food in me, I felt like I could handle the next 8 miles. Keep in mind, I have a heavy backpack on and am dragging a roller bag behind.

About a mile later, I knew that enough was enough. I called for a Lyft. See- my intentions were good, but as they say- the will is strong, but the flesh is weak. Soon, a driver met me and took me to Brooklyn, near my next Airbnb.

Once he had dropped me off and had left, I realized I had left my backpack in front of the house where I’d called for the Lyft! I am such an airhead sometimes! I start to freak out a bit. Inside that bag is my iPad and other expensive things!

I considered not going back for a brief moment. I felt that by this time, my bag would have most likely been stolen. I didn’t know what I should do, so I stood on the side of the road and said a prayer. I can’t afford to be throwing away iPads (especially 12.9-inch ones)! I decided to call another driver to take me back to where I’d left the bag.

A guy named Joseph came to pick me up. I told him the story, and he sped the entire drive back. Most of the ride, I’m chatting with him, acting like this is no big deal. When I’m not talking with him, I’m praying, hoping that my bag hasn’t been stolen. We get there, and low and behold- my backpack is there against the tree where I’d left it.

I’m so happy now that I could cry! I’m trying to keep it together in front of Joseph as he drives me back to Brooklyn. He told me that if I’d have left it anywhere in Brooklyn, we would have never found it!

I found my Brooklyn Airbnb, which is an entire story in itself because the Airbnb app sent me to the wrong location when I’d asked for directions. Thank goodness I was able to find it on my own! By this time, I’m so exhausted from the walk and the drama that I bring to my own life, but I’m thankful. I tried to fall asleep for a while but was unable to calm my thoughts. So I just lay there, pretending to be asleep for about half an hour.

23:01

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Dinner was at a Chinese restaurant on 8th Avenue called Chef Yu. Incredibly delicious chicken with curry sauce. I love finding new places to eat! I love food! I’m surprised that I’m not four times my size!

Tonight I went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was so cool! It very much reminded me of the movie but didn’t follow the same storyline. I had to call Kas, my sister-in-law because I remember she’d once told me that it is a story that she enjoyed.

I haven’t read the book yet, but a friend sent me a link explaining that the original idea for Charlie was to write him as a little black boy. But in the time it was written, that wouldn’t have gone over too well, is my understanding. This was discovered in an interview with the author’s widow. Click here to read the article.

NYC 2017: Day 2

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09.14.17 | New York, New York | 09:06

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The Neighborhood in Jamaica, Queens, New York

Jamaica: The bed here is so comfortable! I was mentally checked out last night by about 20:00. I slept all through the night until about 06:00 and then got up, showered, and ventured out to find something for breakfast. I met Roseann, my host, on my way out the door and asked if she could point me in the right direction for breakfast. Something local that isn’t part of a chain.

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Authentic Jamaican Breakfast

The restaurant she suggested wasn’t open yet, so I walked down the street until I came to one called Tru Jerk & Soul. I asked the lady behind the counter if they had anything for breakfast. She turned around and started lifting the lids on a bunch of pans. This was not a traditional breakfast food in the western sense- no eggs, bacon, pancakes, or anything like that. She told me that the food was authentic Jamaican. She gave me a plate with white fish, potatoes, some greens, and okra. It would call it southern style, but nothing was fried. It was very delicious! She made me a to-go plate, but I ate it all there.

After breakfast, I walked around for a while, wondering what there was to see and do. I consulted the internet, and it didn’t offer much help. I saw a park, a few churches, some more restaurants, but that’s all there was. I did come across a grade school, just as all the kids were making their way inside. The students wore uniforms, and as much as I wanted to take some pictures, I didn’t want to be the creepy guy who is by himself, taking pictures of the little kids. They were cute as hell, though. Instead, I headed back to the house to prepare for whatever was next.

The house was shaking because they’re doing construction nearby. I noticed on the map that it’s about a 3-mile trek to the nearest train station. I plan on walking there, to avoid having to stand around waiting for any busses. I need to get an early start toward Manhattan. Wicked tonight!

23:04

My walk to the rail station was just over 3 miles! I could have called for a Lyft, but the more I walk, the more money I can save since this entire trip will be on a credit card (thanks to a $1400 mistake by my bank)- the less I swipe my card, the better.

When I stepped off of the subway in Manhattan, it was only a few blocks walk before I came upon a street that had been blocked off by the police. This was the yearly San Gerrano Festival. I had no idea that I would find this, but there was every kind of street vendor imaginable. All the fried food a guy could ask for in life, games with prizes, and all the restaurants had set up select dining areas out on the street itself. It was awesome!

From Wikipedia: 

The Feast of San Gennaro (Festa di San Gennaro) is an Italian-American festival. Originally a one-day religious commemoration, the festival was first celebrated in the United States in September 1926, when immigrants from Naples congregated along Mulberry Street in the Little Italy section of Manhattan in New York City to continue the tradition they had followed in Italy to celebrate Saint Januarius, the Patron Saint of Naples. His feast day is September 19 in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church.

I grabbed lunch at a restaurant called Paesano. I wasn’t craving Italian food, but I had to pee like a racehorse, and I saw a sign that read: RESTROOM IS FOR CUSTOMER USE ONLY. At that point, it didn’t matter what kind of food they were serving. I was going to eat something so that I could use the facilities. The food was good!

I made my way to the SoHo Apple Store for a few minutes. I was hoping they’d have the iPhone X on display, but the guy in front told me that they wouldn’t get any until we can preorder them. I’m going to have to wait, in other words. I’m not sure if I’m going to order one or not. Yes, I’d love one, but there’s nothing wrong with my iPhone 7. If I do get one, I’ll pay for it by working extra trips, so I don’t have to spend any of my savings or go into any debt for it. I’m a responsible adult, after all (yeah, right).

I walked further south and then ended up coming north to Washington Square Park. That was a great place to sit and rest for a while. There were thousands of people in the square. It was mad! Many people love to be in the city, but I think they need these parks to keep their sanity.

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It is amazing the number of looks a person gets when strolling around New York City wearing a Reba McEntire shirt.

I walked north until I got to Time’s Square. This is the place to go if you ever want to people-watch. Every kind of person is here, including this man whose name is Jason Hunter. This is his song/art piece called Ignore. It’s was catchy, albeit annoying. You can Google the words ‘Jason Hunter Ignore,’ and this same song comes up on YouTube. It seems as if he’s been pushing this same art piece for a while now.

Finally, it was time to make my way to The Gershwin Theatre and see Wicked. My seat was next to a girl who was visiting from Pahrump, Nevada. She told me she is in town for a continuing education seminar, something to do with nursing. She’s traveling by herself and says this is her first time in New York City.

This cast of Wicked is probably the best cast I’ve ever seen! The girl playing Elphaba had an incredible range, and she did some things with the high notes that I’d never heard before. This is my fourth time seeing this musical, and every time it just gets better! The first time was with Colee when she came to visit, the second time with LaDawn, the third time was when the traveling company came to Louisville, and I went with friends Ashly and Tammy.

Every time I see this play, it just gets better! There were even moments when I got goosebumps or a little bit teary-eyed. I know the storyline, and I know what’s coming, but this cast did so well, I was in constant chills!

I grabbed a Lyft outside when the play was over and rode back to Jamaica. This was a long ride and one that cost me about $60! So much for saving money- I only did this because I wanted to get back faster. I’m not sure how late the subway runs, but I knew that even if I rode back that way to Jamaica Station, I’d still be getting a ride for that last 3 miles.

/ Dav / 9 Comments

NYC 2017: Day 1

09.13.17 | Denver International Airport | 07:10

I love my life so much and so I often I feel guilty that I need a vacation. I guess need is a harsh word. I want a vacation, that is. I would like a brief escape from my everyday, where I won’t have to set an alarm in the morning. I thought that it was time to check off another item on my bucket list. I’ve always wanted to spend a week in New York City, as I first mentioned here on December 10th. (Link: https://davsaddiction.wordpress.com/2015/12/10/2189/) As of today, this dream is becoming a reality.

Years ago, I went to New York City for 4 or 5 delays with my friend Colee and her friend Amy. Even though that’s close to a week, I haven’t checked off bucket list item #72. This is because it wasn’t a full week in the city and because we actually stayed on the New Jersey side, taking the Weehawken ferry over each morning.

I arrived at the airport way too early! That’s the thing- if I’m going somewhere that is fun or exciting, I don’t sleep very well. I woke up at 04:00 and after 45 minutes of laying there, I decided it was time to get up and get ready. My flight doesn’t even leave until 10:20. I remember the same thing happened last year when I was going to Scotland. My body woke up so early, long before the sun even came out. My flight wasn’t leaving until about way late in the afternoon but I want to get to the airport. I remember Dawn having to tell me to relax and go back to sleep. There is no way I’d be able to fall back to sleep! Why even try?

08:42

I’m having trouble staying awake in the airport. After I get my boarding pass, in another 38 minutes, my mission is clear: Find a Pepsi.

DEN > LGA | 10:54

My seat is 27 C. The girl in 27 A told me that she is an art student on a class trip. There are about 20 students in their group, and they’re going to spend a week in New York City where they will go to different galleries. She told me that she is excited, but a bit nervous about getting around in the city. I told her not to worry and that it’s very easy.

The guy in seat 27 B is a Yogi and he’s making his way to London where he is going to attend University for the next 18 months, this will be his first time flying internationally and he’s also excited. London is wonderful, and he’s going to love it! I’d like to get back there someday. I’m somewhat jealous. At the moment, he’s sitting cross-legged doing some kind of meditation. At least he doesn’t smell like he hasn’t showered. I sometimes worry when the person next to me has dreadlocks. It’s my understanding that you can’t really wash your hair with dreads. Yes or No? Who knows?

I’m watching Lara Croft: Tomb Raider on my iPad. I don’t think Angelina Jolie does a very good job with the Lara Croft character. I’m scratching my head wondering what caused me to purchase this movie in the first place. It must have been on sale for like $4.99 or something on the iTunes store. Perhaps I bought it because Daniel Craig is in it. That’s very likely- he’s a great actor!

Jamaica, New York | 18:42

img_8018I finally made it to New York City! After a 50 minutes Lyft ride (that only cost about $32), I’m happy to have found the first Airbnb. The neighborhood is very cozy and homely. It seems rather safe. My studio apartment sits above the family home. It’s small, but more than I need. I will post more tomorrow. It’s early still but I’m extremely exhausted!

Forward to NYC 2017: Day 2

I have been making plans for Scotland 6

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Yesterday I was perusing the internet to estimate what my flight to Edinburgh is going to cost. Even though my job gives me great flight benefits, those benefits are usually on a space-available basis. This should happen in the early spring of next year. Overseas flights don’t usually fill to capacity in the early spring. Still, since I like to book my lodging and transportation in advance, I don’t really want to be stuck in an airport somewhere, waiting for the next plane that happens to have an empty seat.

In pursuit of a good deal, I checked kiwi.com and noticed that Norwegian had some excellent deals going on. They are the airline that I flew on from Denmark to New York last year (see post). I clicked over to their site, Norwegian.com, to find out which U.S. airports they fly to. In doing so, I found a killer deal! PVD-EDI for $99 + taxes and fees! The grand total: $186! They may charge me for checking my one bag (it’s usually a colossal backpack), but even if they do, it’s still a great price- and this is for an exit row, window seat! I couldn’t pass up this kind of deal! I whipped out my credit card, and bam! It finally feels real- Scotland 6 is happening!

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Life has been going quite well. Yes, I dropped off the face of the earth, but here I go, posting again. I’ve spent so many layovers in June in Washington. This meant so fun visits into Seattle, but also an amazing hike with my friend and fellow flyer, Jordan. You’ll have to wait on those pictures- they’re at home on my other machine. Tonight I’m in Brighton. I just finished a three-day work assignment today, and I start another one tomorrow.

I have some fun plans in the works- and I can’t wait to tell you more about them as they happen. Two non-work trips are in the making. I’m talking about bucket list item number 72 (Stay for 7 days in New York City) and working toward number 84 (Go to Scotland 25 times) as I have begun to make plans for Scotland 6. I can hardly wait for these two trips! The first, coming up this September.

Even though Scotland 6 won’t happen until next year, I’m going to be able to visit some more places where my ancestors came from. Also, I may have some crashpad roommates joining me for the adventure. I’ve had people tell me before that they’d love to go with me, but nobody has ever followed through. It would be fun to share the journey, but at the same time, I find great value in traveling alone. So no matter what ends up happening, I’m looking forward to another great adventure.

Ok the real reason for this post:

I had an amazing experience at work yesterday, the Fourth of July. I was working a flight from Denver to San Francisco and as I greeted the passengers. Two of the passengers boarded the plane with musical instruments. One carried a guitar, and the other a fiddle. My coworker, Melody, asked them if they’d be willing to play a song on our flight. Much to our excitement, they agreed.

After our completing our service, I got on the P.A. and told the passengers that we had a special surprise. I then called Adam and Jon to the front and asked them to bring their instruments. The played a couple musical numbers- they are amazing! Such beautiful music and both highly talented- they make the perfect duet! Jon asked me to record it on his phone. During the second song, they decided to walk through the cabin. It was brilliant! The passengers ate it up!

I sent them a message later that evening, asking for a copy of the video. Here it is:
For more about Adam and Jon (or to get their CD), check out http://adamageejonsousa.com. These guys are great! I plan on stalking them.

Every Southwest Overnight?

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So much has happened in the last few days- I hope I can do this story justice. First off, I’m happy to report that I am another step closer to checking bucket list item number 74 off (which is to stay at every single Southwest overnight). I will admit that this is one bucket list item that I may never check off wholly. The reason why is because my employer constantly changes what overnights are available to the flight attendants. Since I’m based in Denver, there are some places where we just don’t go. Now, if I were still Baltimore-based, there would be some other places that I would not be able to go- layovers that may be only available to Denver-based flight crews. Does that make any sense? Regardless, it’s good to have goals and reach for dreams, even if they may never come to fruition.

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That being said, I finally spent my first night in Memphis. After checking in at our hotel, Ashley, Will, and I changed into “regular people” clothes and had the hotel’s van driver take us to “the best Memphis barbecue.” We ended up about a mile away, at a restaurant called Central BBQ (map). Ashely and Will (who happen to be my roommates at my crashpad) got half racks, but I opted for a full rack! It was so delicious! The sauce was incredible, and the meat fell off the bone pretty magically! And just like that- bucket list item number 66 is checked off!

The Civil Rights Museum: Across the street from the restaurant is the Lorraine Motel- this is the place where the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed as he stood on the motel’s balcony. It was such an unimaginable experience to be there. The motel has been preserved in the same condition that it had been back on April 4th, 1968, the day of his assassination.

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot while he was standing right beside room 306. 

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This is the marked path of the assassin’s bullet.

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Next, we headed up to historic Beale Street, stopped in a few gift shops, and then sat down to hear a live blues band play. It was incredible! The perfect day, with the ideal weather- the upper ’70s and not too humid. Later, I walked back to the hotel by myself, wanting to see more of the city. Ashley and Will weren’t feeling it, and they opted to call the shuttle driver back from the hotel.

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Voodoo Shrine

Now- to report on two nights ago. We ended up in one of my favorite places: Nashville, Tennessee! Before our last flight landed in Nashville, I logged on to our plane’s wifi signal and checked to see if there were any tickets left for The Grand Ole Opry. Thank goodness- there were a few left! I asked Will if he was interested in getting tickets, and he wasn’t. I then walked to the after galley and asked Ashely and Lori the same question (Lori is our “D” flight attendant who wasn’t with us yet in Memphis but had worked with us this second day and would be staying with us in Nashville). They said they were indeed interested!

After checking in at our hotel, the four of us Uber’d into Nashville and found dinner at Dave & Buster’s, adjacent to The Opry House (map). Will was with us for dinner, but we said our goodbyes since he didn’t want to go to the Opry. He headed back to the hotel, then Ashley, Lori, and I went to the show.

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This was my second Nashville overnight, where I attended the Opry (the first time having been at the Ryman downtown- see post). Some of the artists were the same, but I was also introduced to a few new ones. Unfortunately, there were no surprise visitors, as there had been on that first visit. Maybe this is a good thing since we had to head to the airport this morning at 05:00. When Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood showed up that night, that stretch things out pretty late, and even though it was a fantastic experience, I was a zombie the next day.

Still, the show was incredible, and I need to research and find out if they do some kind of Opry season pass. I will love to get one of those if they’re not too expensive (and if they even exist).

Tonight I’m back in my own home, getting ready to sleep in my own bed. I was supposed to work another trip yesterday, but unfortunately, I have something going on with my throat that I hope doesn’t turn into laryngitis. The last time I experienced this (that I can recall) was back in December of 1996. I can remember the experience so well because I was required to sing in Handel’s Messiah over the Christmas break, and even though no sound would come out, I stood there with the choir and mouthed the entire thing. Good times!

When I worked back to base yesterday morning, I had no voice left and even had to ask the other flight attendants to make my required announcements. Today I’ve been sipping on herbal teas, and unfortunately, I can now am being bugged with a headache and sore throat as well. I hope I’m better by Wednesday when I’m planning on commuting back to work.

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Just as I thought, today was a struggle of needing to get things done and wanting to relax. I woke up before the sun and had planned on driving into Salt Lake City to give Lyft rides to the morning commuters, but on my way, it started to rain. I decided to grab some groceries and head back home. I was back home by about 09:30 and I soon fell back to sleep and got a nice, long nap. This was great, especially since I’d been going since 05:30 or so.

Tonight I’m packing bags, getting everything ready. I have a work trip tomorrow morning. The reason I didn’t commute to my base is because the first leg of the trip is a deadhead from Denver to Salt Lake City. My plan is to call scheduling tonight and ask them to release me from the deadhead, and just meet my trip at SLC tomorrow morning. I’ve never tried this before, but I know plenty of coworkers who have. I hope I’m with a great crew- I haven’t even checked who I’m working with yet.

Number 18 on the bucket list is to raft on the Colorado River. I remember about 18 years ago, or so, my buddy James surprised me with a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. What I remember about that trip is going to a dinner show where the Bar J Wranglers performed, camping, and rafting down the Snake River. There were two parts of the rafting trip, one that was slow and serene and the other was more rapids. Somewhere in my stuff, I have a picture of us rafting in the white water. Once I come across it, I’ll have to post it. I remember it’s hilarious!

I’ve been told that the Colorado River has some of the best whitewater around. I decided that I’d love to have this experience. I have enough coworkers who live in Colorado that I don’t think it’ll be too hard to find friends who are interested. This could be an amazing trip!

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I love the fact that I am sitting in my own home. I do love all of my travels, and it’s nice to stay in hotels (not having to make a bed), but I will never underestimate the comfort of my own bed! IMG_7318And just between you and I, I rarely make my bed at home. I don’t understand the point… I’m just going to mess it up anyway. Sadly I’m only in my own bed for two nights. On Friday morning I’ll wake up extremely early to head into Salt Lake City and join my work trip that will already be in progress. That’s the plan.

Usually, when I get home from working a bunch of trips in a row, I like to take most of the first day off and get some relaxation. You’d be surprised how your body just needs to shut down for awhile. I rarely feel what I would consider jet lag because of my work, but it still sometimes runs me into the ground. Normally, I’ll keep my phone off, at least for the first half of the day and just do light chores around the house- maybe even pop in a movie or something. Since I only have one full day off, however, this may be an interesting combination of trying my best to be lazy whilst simultaneously getting a whole lot done. We’ll see which part prevails in the end. I think I already know the answer.

Before I fall asleep, I want to discuss two more things on my bucket list. Number 22 is to attend 50 different state fairs. This is awesome. I remember growing up in southern Arizona- I would so look forward to attending the Graham County fair each year. This was even before my dear friend LaDawn introduced me to guinea pig night. Let me tell you- this changes everything! This is the first night of the fair, which was always a Thursday. You’d get to pay one fee and ride as many rides as you wanted. The other nights, however, you were required to buy tickets. The rider operators would take anywhere from one to four tickets, depending on how cool the ride was. But not tonight- tonight we are guinea pigs- but back to what I was talking about: this summer, I hope I’m able to attend a bunch of county fairs. I started to do the research a couple years ago, and most of the counties in Utah are involved in this.

Coming in at number 93 is to attend 10 different state fairs. Picture county fairs, but add way more rides and way more people. The entertainment is much, much better too. I remember once when I was in high school, a bunch of friends and myself road tripped three hours to Phoenix to attend that Arizona State Fair. This was so that we could go to a Vince Gill concert (Vince just so happens to be one of my mom’s country music singer crushes). There is just something wonderful about large gatherings of trashy people- I live for it.

My alarm is set for 03:25!

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Even though it has been a long day, I thought it would take a few moments to post before I fall asleep. The pressure is on since I have been posting so frequently. Today I worked three legs, and this afternoon I ended up in Warwick, Rhode Island. It’s funny that yesterday I was in the sun of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and tonight it has to be 30-something degrees here in the Northeast. I was chatting with one of my coworkers earlier, and she told me that she always has a swimsuit, sandals, a jacket, and an umbrella in her flight bag. You never know exactly where you’re going to end up, and even when you think you do, that can all change in an instant. It usually happens right after you make plans for your family over. Somehow the scheduling gods know this, so they change everything up.

Speaking of Albuquerque, one of the things on my bucket list that I failed to mention in last night’s post is bucket list item number 83: I’d like to ride on the Sandia Peak tramway! This is one of the things that our Lyft driver who took us to the restaurant told us that we simply had to do. I didn’t mention to her that this was something that was already on my list.

I leave you tonight with a picture of my dinner. I don’t want this block to become all about food, but since food is something that I am rather passionate about, I guess it works. Yet another addiction of mine- I’m surprised that I don’t weigh a lot more than I do.

Pork Osso Bucco: braised pork shank served with roasted root vegetables and mashed potatoes

This afternoon, I ended up in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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What’s my favorite thing to do while in New Mexico? I’m glad you asked! Eat! Duh! One of our passengers told us that her favorite restaurant here is called Sadie’s. She told us that she’d been gone from Albuquerque for 5 days and desperately needed to “get her green chile on”. I concur! My coworker Kendall and I decided to do just that. After checking in at our hotel, and changing into normal-people clothes, we grabbed a 13-minute Lyft ride. Since a picture paints a thousand words, here is a thousand words for you:

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Chile Rellenos at Sadie’s

Whenever I am in this great city, I think about the time when my parent’s gathered up some of my nieces and one of my nephews and drove them 8-hour from southern Arizona to see the famous Albuquerque Balloon Festival. When they finally arrived, they found out that the festival had been canceled, due to excessive winds. My mom tells me that they took the kids out to eat, and then turned around and drove all the way back home. Ugh!

Number 101 on my bucket list is to attend the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. Along the same lines, number 51 on my bucket list is to ride in an untethered hot air balloon. I did get to ride in one when I was younger but unfortunately, it was tethered to the ground, so I don’t count it.

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Image Credit: imgur.com