Come Fly With Me

First of all, I want to tell you that we have moved to another Crashpad in New York with all the same 16 lovely ladies. Our new pad is called the Overhead Inn. We are now one street over from the original crashpad. Our new place is still 2 bedroom and 1 bath. The girls have put a lot of energy into making our pad cozy.

Marianne, Jennifer and I knew it was going to be a great trip when we saw the beautiful pink sky while we were waiting for the van to take us to the airport.

Land of the free, because of the brave!

Off to Buenos Aires to celebrate the 4th!

What a warm welcome we had in Buenos Aires when we arrived at our hotel for the 4th of July. Red, white and blue balloons awaited us along with our American flag standing proud!

After the patriotic welcome, we headed to bed to get a few hours of rest before we took on Buenos Aires.

San Telmo Market

San Telmo Market is a large indoor market that has stalls offering everything from antiques to fresh fruit. These days it’s a hotspot for food bars, coffee and fun shops to explore in.

We decided to eat Argentinian Empanadas for lunch. Origin of the empanada are not entirely clear, but it seems most likely that they first appeared in Argentina in the kitchens of immigrants from northern Spain. An empanada is a pastry or turnover that’s filled with savory ingredients and served hot.

We had a lot of fun exploring the different shops. We had one more stop before heading back to our hotel for dinner.

Milion

Barely visible from the street, the Milion bar-restaurant is a hidden pearl in the Recoleta neighborhood.  It’s known to be one of the coolest bars in the whole city. This former petit hotel cost the owner a million dollars (hence the name) to transform a crumbling ruin. With passion and perseverance, they managed to restore its old appearance.

It was quiet at the Milion. It is winter in Argentina now.  It has both indoor and outdoor seating which makes it a perfect spot to enjoy a drink and nibbles on a long summer evening. 

It was time to head back to our hotel. Our wonderful hotel was hosting a 4th of July dinner for us.

Obelisco of Buenos Aires

You can’t miss the Obelisk. The Obelisk of Buenos Aires is a national historic monument and icon of Buenos Aires. Located in the Plaza de la Republics at the intersection of two of the city’s most important streets. One of the streets is Avenida 9 de Julio, the widest street in the world with 16 lanes. The monument was erected in 1936 and marks the spot where the Argentine national flag was raised for the 1st time.

4th of July Dinner Celebration at our Intercontinental Hotel

I can’t say enough how wonderful the staff at the Intercontinental Hotel was to put on an exceptional fun 4th of July celebration dinner for all the airline crews that would be missing their 4th of July festivities with their friends and family back home.

The picture above is a photo of our fun crew from JFK.
Our hotel chef put a special menu together with all the 4th of July classics, BBQ ribs, chicken nuggets, cheese burgers, corn on the Cobb, potatoes and much more. Our fabulous dessert was an apple pie with ice cream or to my delight they even had a Sundae Bar. Scrumptious!! The hotel staff was so accommodating and of course kept the wine flowing.

Good food, good company and good times made our 4th of July special!

We still had another day in Buenos Aires to explore. Our flight takes off the 2nd day in the evening. Without fail, us girls were up early to make the most out of Buenos Aires.

La Boca of Buenos Aires

We decided to wonder in the La Boca area. La Boca, known as the birthplace of the tango, this one-time shipyard has a famous walkway, the Caminito, where tango dancers perform and artists exhibit their work.

La Boca is totally unique. I love the vibrant colors and all the fun shops. La Boca is one of the prime destinations to experience the traditions and customs that originated from the city’s immigrant past and which have shaped its distinct identity.

Santos Manjares

It was time for lunch. We went to a recommended Argentina Steak restaurant. The steak was mouthwatering! The Argentinians believe that they have the best steaks because of their cows that graze on the amazing grass of Las Pampas, a vast grassland in central Argentina.

Feeling full, we needed to get back to our hotel to take a nap before we worked the all nighter flight to New York. It certainly was a nonstop fun layover. We learned a little bit more of Buenos Aires and we can’t wait to come back!

Buenos Aires is a city where it is more fun to be seen with good friends. A toast to our friendship today and always, Star-spangled friends forever.

Rome is an incredible city to visit, but when the temperatures rise, it can become quite stifling which can be a challenge. Rome had been experiencing a heat wave, but with our luck the heat was not too bad on our layover. Marianne and I came up with a good solution, always walk on the shady side of the street and this helped immensely.

First things first, we needed to get a slice of pizza before we got under way to roam the streets of Rome.

We found a great pizzeria! In Rome, you pay for the weight of the pizza, not the slice. It’s fun because you can have as many small slices you want and this enables you to taste all the scrumptious flavours.

Who couldn’t resist trying French fry pizza, along with prosciutto and cheese. To our amazement, we realized that adding French fries cut thin on a pizza is very yummy!

We will definitely go back to this pizzeria. So many more types of pizza to try.

We continued our walk through the city. Of course, we saw a line of people up ahead and had to find out what they were all doing. We immediately got in line; we shortly realized the crowd was waiting in line to be let in to see a gorgeous cathedral.

The Church of Saint Louis of the French

The Church of St. Louis of the French was built since 1518 to welcome the increasing French community in Rome. The interior, divided into three naves with five chapels on each side and a rich central choir decorated with marbles, is a true jubilation of  baroque art.

We were fascinated with all the exquisite artwork. Marianne and I were glad to have found this hidden gem in Rome.

Next, we decided to head over the river to visit Trastevere. Trastevere is one of the most charming neighborhoods in Rome.

Trastevere never disappoints. We enjoyed our short visit to this neighborhood. We could not stay long because we were meeting 2 other crew members for happy hour. We were going to try this new rooftop bar that Camaryn had told us about.

We took a different route back and came across some interesting monuments and beautiful views.

So much to see, but we were running out of time. It was Happy Hour Time.

Colonna Palace Hotel

The Colonna Palace is located in front of the Parliament, in one of the most characteristic and ancient districts of Rome. It has a beautiful roof garden that has a solarium and a jacuzzi, in which we could cool our hot feet in, while we enjoyed sipping a cold beverage.

It was so delightful soaking our feet. Two other crew members, Jose and Will met up with us at the Colonna Palace.

We had a grand time at the rooftop garden enjoying the view. It was time to go to a nearby Italian Restaurant to have a fabulous Italian dinner.

The food was absolutely delicious. I had a plate of carbonara and Marianne had a pizza.

A day in Italy is not complete without finishing your day with gelato. We went to Gelateria La Romana, one of Rome’s best places for Italian ice cream. It was a bit overwhelming with so many scrumptious flavors to pick from. We changed our minds many times, but in the end we were all so happy with our final decision.

It was a grand day roamin the streets of Rome. We never know what kind of adventure lies ahead for us on our layovers. It’s fun to walk the little side streets, find the hidden restaurants and shops. A walk through these streets is a journey through time, an immersion into the life and soul of one of history’s greatest civilizations.

Life is like an ice cream. Enjoy it before it melts!

Marianne’s son Erik told Marianne about these mouthwatering cookie dough croissants in Paris that he had heard about on TikTok. We were determined, rain or shine to eat one of these croissants.

The bakery was a little over an hour walk. So we decided to take the train halfway and then walk to enjoy the sights along the way.

The Louvre Museum

We got off at the Louvre Museum train stop. The Louvre is one of the largest, oldest and grandest museums in the world. It hosts a treasure trove of artworks spanning diverse culture and periods of history, such as, the Mona Lisa. We did not go in, but it was exciting to look at the buildings and get a glimpse of many sculptures.

We continued on our walk to the bakery and came upon the Palais-Royale. The Palais-Royal is a former French royal palace. It is an architectural highlight known for its scenic gardens and regal heritage.

It’s hidden from buildings so easily missed. The garden is peaceful and very well maintained.

We continued on our walk past luxury shops and apartments.

Walking in the rain has lots of benefits. The Parisians stay home and lots of visitors take cover in many of the museums. We had many of the streets to ourselves.

We came upon this beautiful fountain.

Marianne was a good sport. I loved the look of this cafe and I made her run across the street so I could take a photo.

As you can see, she was jumping with joy! We are almost there to savor this delicious croissant.

Maison Louvard

We made it!!! So excited to taste these mouthwatering croissants.

I can’t describe how delicious this cookie dough croissant was to me. Marianne thought it was a bit too sweet.

It was worth the walk in the rain and all the wet clothes to get to enjoy this scrumptious treat. Now we had to walk off all those calories we just consumed. We continued wondering the streets in the rain.

We came upon this charming pub to get out of the rain and to quench our thirst.

It was getting late, so we decided to take the train back to the area of our hotel to find a place for dinner.

Nothing like a steak and chicken dinner after a day of walking around in the rain. The food was delicious.

Marianne summed it all up! Another great layover in the books.

Life is like walking in the rain. You can hide and take cover, but if you want to go on you have to get wet!

No better way for us to celebrate Marianne’s birthday in Rome, than by taking in the gorgeous views from rooftops. It felt like we were on a scavenger hunt to find these prime locations, but we persevered and found some amazing views.

Swiss Institute

Every time we visit Rome, we walk by this gated historic villa right across from our hotel. To our surprise, the gate was opened for visitors. This villa now known as the Swiss Institute stands on a hill surrounded by splendid gardens. It’s the cities second highest point. We throughly enjoyed our time looking at the maintained gardens, trees and of course the first of our many perfect views of this wonderful city.

It was time to move on to find a special rooftop at the top of the Spanish Steps. It was easier said than done. Our Google map was no help. We knew we were at the right location, but could not figure out what building we were suppose to go in. We went into one hotel and they had never heard of the Cielo Rooftop. Funny though, it was in the hotel next door.

Cielo Terrace

Perched high above the Eternal City, Cielo is known as one of the most glamorous rooftop bars, offering the most extraordinary sunset experiences and views in Rome. We did not realize that we needed a reservation or we needed to be staying at that hotel for a table. The hostess was very nice to us. She said she could sit us at an undesirable table directly in the sun not suited for their hotel guests. We were elated! The direct sun wasn’t going to hinder our good time.

We enjoyed basking in the sun and taking in the beautiful view. Well worth having sun on our faces.

Trevi Fountain

We made a stop at the Trevi Fountain to throw a coin in and make a wish. The right way to throw a coin is to toss with your right hand over your left shoulder, with your back to the Fountain.

Next stop was lunch!

Pane e Salome

Marianne had visited this hidden gem of a restaurant before. It is a tucked away modern bistro known for platters of meats and cheeses, paired with Italian wine and beers.

Lovely little place. The board of meats and cheeses were delicious.

Giro d’Italia 2024

As we continued our walk through Rome, we came across the bike riders of the Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy) riding through Rome. It was very exciting to see how fast they flew by us. Three weeks of intense racing around Italy then coming to a close with a circuit around Rome.

Marianne and I continued on to our next rooftop.

The Raphael Hotel

The Hotel Raphael is a beautiful boutique hotel that has a rooftop terrace that offers amazing panoramic views of Rome. The hotel is in a wonderful setting beside the Piazza Navona but a world away from tourist mayhem.

We walked into this charming hotel and asked the concierge if we could go to the rooftop terrace. Again, we were nicely asked if we had a reservation and we sadly said no. She called the terrace and explained the situation and the terrace staff said we could come up. The concierge walked us to the elevator.

We were so excited to see what lies ahead. We were greeted by the hostess when we got off the elevator. The hostess said she had a table for us, but we could only stay 1 hour. The table was already reserved for other guests. One hour was perfect for us jet-setters.

I felt like we hit the lottery being able to partake in seeing Rome from this stunning terrace. The staff was very friendly and we had some watchful residents that didn’t miss any move Marianne and I made.

This darling caretaker of the terrace swooped up and grabbed Marianne’s unattended hors-d’oeuvre off her plate.

We quickly clued in on why the silver cover was on all the food, excluding the chips. Our special guests do not like chips.

Our fabulous hour was up! It was such a memorable and fun experience.

Hotel Savoy

One last rooftop to relish the incredible view. We took in the view from the rooftop terrace at the hotel we were staying at.

What a day we had seeing Rome from above. It was a fabulous way to enjoy the views and soak in Rome’s history and beauty. It sure was a great way to celebrate Marianne’s birthday.

Happy Birthday Marianne!

Marianne and I had grandiose plans for our layover in Milan. Unfortunately, we had a delay in our arrival, so we did not have enough time to venture out of Milan. So we did what we do best….we enjoyed some shopping and eating.

It was a spectacular sunny day in Milan. It felt great to walk around and enjoy the hustle and bustle of all the pedestrians.

If you love fashion, shopping in Milan is a quintessential destination. To our delight, one may always find a discount store amongst all the luxurious high end shops.

Marianne and I loved seeing the fashion these teenagers were exhibiting outside a local coffee shop. Thus, we decided to sit at an open window pub next door and take in all the youths’ clothing styles.

It was a perfect spot. We got to sit at the open window seat and watch all the Italians walk by.

It was time to move on and do some more window shopping. If you have ever traveled with me, you are aware that I always need to find a restroom. We came upon a beautiful restaurant that I felt we should meander in and see what we could find.

Such a beautiful spot. We wanted to look like we belonged, so we did not ask the Maitre D where the restroom was located. We could only imagine that the restroom that we did not find was very luxurious.

We ended our day of shopping at a restaurant near our hotel. This restaurant is known as the Chinese Italian by us flight attendants. The restaurant serves Italian food, but it’s owned by Chinese. Subsequently, the Pizza is very yummy!

As the Italians say, “ Pizza is not a trend, it’s a way of life.”

BUONANOTTE!

GOODNIGHT

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games countdown clock is located on the banks of the Seine river, in front of the Eiffel Tower, and at Port de la Bourdonnais. The clock counts down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the start of the games, which will take place on July 26, 2024. 

As Marianne and I walked around Paris, we witnessed all the construction being done in this glorious city. So much to do before the arrival of more than 10,000 athletes and tens of thousands of spectators to partake in the 33rd Summer Olympic Games, a 16-day extravaganza.

This is a photo of the Parc du Champ-de-Mars in Paris. It is a great place to share a bottle of wine and watch the Eiffel Tower’s lights twinkle at night. A temporary outdoor stadium is being built in the Champ de Mars, in front on the Eiffel Tower, which will host beach volleyball, blind football, judo, wrestling Paralympic wheelchair rugby, and para judo. It’s amazing how fast a grand structure can be built. It will be accommodating nearly 13,000 spectators.

In this photo, Marianne and I are on the other side of the Seine river by the Eiffel Tower, looking up at the Champ de Mars new arena being built. An interesting note is the Olympic Games will take place at 35 venues, including stadiums and sports facilities. Paris is ready to go! The motto of the 2024 Paris Olympics is “Games Wide Open.” The slogan represents the idea of bringing sport to the heart of the city.

Even with all the construction going on, it didn’t take away the beauty of the city.

We found a quaint place to quench our thirst and watch all the young children walk home from school.

We had a nice time down by the Seine River. It was a gorgeous day with the sun shining.

We always love walking down new streets and seeing how the Parisians live.

A great end to another fabulous layover in Paris.

Marianne and I have decided not to fly to Paris during the Olympics. American Airlines will be removing us from our hotel in the city and we are being placed at a hotel at the airport. We are going to leave room for the Olympic lovers to enjoy this beautiful city. We look forward to return to Paris after the Olympics.

Another great week of work with Marianne. First trip was to Milan, followed by a trip to Paris.

MILAN

Navigli Canal

Marianne and I decided to venture out to find the Navigli Canal in Milan. It was a short train ride to the Canals. In the Navigli District, we found many restaurants, bars and artisan shops. The Navigli area is centered on the two remaining canals that once encircled Milan. We had a lot of fun strolling along the Canal.

It was a Monday, so a lot of the shops were closed. However, we didn’t let that sway our good spirits. We found a cozy cafe to people watch.

It was time to move on to explore another district in Milan called the Brera District. Brera is an elegant and artsy district in a charming area in the heart of Milan. Here, you will find quaint cobbled streets, historic buildings, which are lined with fashion houses, cafes, restaurants and galleries. Of course we had to stop in at the Iconic landmark, the San Maria del Carmine Church.

We enjoyed our walk through the charming streets of the Brera District.

So much pasta to see and eat in Italy!

Another end to a great day in Milan. We were off to get a good night sleep. We would be flying back to New York, then jet setting off to the city of love, Paris.

PARIS

We arrived in Paris, with rain in our forecast. Come rain or shine Paris is an incredible city to explore. We wanted to visit the Le Marais district.

Le Marais

The Marais is one of the most popular quarters of Paris. It has old-world charm, narrow cobblestone streets, hidden courtyards and gardens, filled with cafes and great places to shop.

Marianne and I started out from our hotel by ourselves. With our good fortune, we ran into two other crew members. We decided the best thing for all of us to do is to stop and enjoy a tasty lunch together.

We were drawn to this cafe because the restaurant’s name was Marianne. How could we go wrong?

The weatherman was not kidding when it said it would be raining in Paris. After a fun lunch, Marianne and I said goodbye to our friends and continued our walk in the pouring rain to explore the different shops. Paris is still pretty and full of energy even with the rainfall.

Seeing the Arc de Triomphe on our way back to our hotel, always gives me a sense of awe. This famous monument honors those who fought and died for France during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. No matter how many times I see it, I’m mesmerized by its structure and beauty.

Even though, Marianne and I were feeling weathered, it didn’t stop us for enjoying a yummy dinner.

Bonne Nuit Paris

Tracey and I were lucky to work a trip together to Rome after we returned to New York from Milan. Rome is home to numerous iconic landmarks that are a testament to its rich culture. We had a lot of fun wandering the streets in Rome with no destination in mind.

The Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps are probably the most famous stairs in the world. The 135 steps are dedicated to the holy trinity which is represented by their three tiers: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The steps were completed in 1725. Our hotel which we stay at, is very close to The Spanish Steps.

The Trevi Fountain

Next, we stopped by the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain represents a sea scene, it depicts Oceanus, God of water surrounded by the statutes.

After enjoying the atmosphere at the Trevi Fountain, it was time to find a delicious pizza al taglio (slice of pizza). Rome is famous for their slices of pizza, which they cut in rectangles and then you pay for the slice by weight. The pizza was very yummy!

Onward we went to enjoy the streets of Rome. At each corner we turned, we were met with amazement and awe of the beauty, history and all the people from around the world.

We walked a lot of steps in Rome to take in all the history which crawls from every crevice and crack. It was now time for a cold beverage.

La Botticella, a taste of Pittsburg Steelers in Rome is one of our favorite bars.
This bar never disappoints with its cold beverages, shelled peanuts and lots of fun people to talk to.

Venchi Chocolate and Gelato

The gelato at Venchi is a great way to end a wonderful day in Rome.

Time to get back to our hotel to get a good night sleep. So happy to end our great day in Rome be walking back up the Spanish Steps at sunset.

BUONA NOTTE

Good Night Rome

Let the fun begin. I was so blessed to be able to celebrate my birthday in Milan with two of my besties… Tracey and Camaryn. Marianne was with us in spirit and missed. She is on a much deserved vacation.

Such a great start to my birthday. We had a great crew working to Milan. We even had 2 more SFO flight attendants to make the trip more special.. Dana and Cori.

The Pleasanton girls take on Milan.

Before we set out to enjoy Milan, we started the day with a birthday champagne toast.

So thrilled to be in front of the Duomo. It’s such a stunning cathedral in Milan. The distinctive white marble material and Gothic architecture leave quite the impression, as does the size of the Duomo.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Italy’s oldest active shopping gallery and a major landmark in Milan. The Galleria is filled with luxury shops and restaurants. We found the hidden gem of a roof top bar over looking the Duomo. It was an incredible way to enjoy my birthday!

After enjoying the stunning view and beverages, we continued strolling the streets of Milan.

It was a perfect day to walk the streets of Milan. We came across a cozy bar with fun music . We had time before meeting the rest of the girls for dinner, so we decided to keep the birthday celebration going. Tracey and Camaryn were so much fun and made me feel very special.

We met at Trattoria Milanese, a real Italian restaurant. It was full of locals. The pasta was delicious. To top off the birthday celebration, an Italian musician with his accordion played happy birthday.

It definitely was a fabulous day celebrating my birthday. I loved making memories with my fun crazy birthday crew.

Good night Duomo. I am truly blessed having Tracey and Camaryn in my life. They fully embraced making my birthday and me feel very special.

Creating memories one celebration at a time! Make sure you make every celebration count.💗

What a beautiful day to be back in Paris! The sun came out to warm our souls.

Marianne and I love starting our day with a delicious croissant. It is difficult to consume a croissant, without feeling like you are perhaps consuming the very idea of Paris.

It was time to take advantage of the beautiful sunshine and walk the streets of Paris. We took the train to explore Paris’ Latin Quarter. The Latin Quarter’s home to the Sorbonne University and student filled cafes.

SORBONNE UNIVERSITY

THE LUXEMBOURG GARDENS

I just loved the Luxembourg Garden. The garden is 60 acres with ample green space for sunbathing , people-watching and just relaxing. Plenty of seats for people just to sit and enjoy.

I truly believe the Luxembourg is the place where Parisians do what the French do best – relax and enjoy the good life.

Cheer’s to Paris for reminding us to take the time to smell the roses!

Breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower from our train ride back to our hotel. It will always be a symbol of the city we love.

LOTS OF LAUGHS IN MADRID

Marianne and I came back from Paris and spent the night in New York at our Landing Pad (former named the Crash Pad). We would be working the next day to Madrid. We knew it was going to be a fun trip because we were going to be flying with Karmen, a dear friend and SFO family member.

It was suppose to rain in Madrid all day, fortunately the rain held out. We got to enjoy walking the streets in the heart of Madrid. Exploring new places is always sweeter with your favorite people.

Our first stop was to the Mercado De San Miguel. The Mercado de San Miguel is one of Madrid’s oldest and most beautiful markets. It’s a must visit for any food lover which is located in the heart of Madrid’s old quarter. It’s a great place to grab a bite to eat with a drink.

Mercado do San Miguel being so popular was too busy for us to enjoy a bite to eat. We had to move on. By recommendation from another flight attendant, we had a new destination in mind. Getting there was another story. Same destination, but comically Marianne and I got totally different directions on our phones. Karmen was amused watching us. Thank goodness for Google maps.

Off we went to find Meson del Champinon.

MESON DEL CHAMPINON

We found it! Meson del Champinon. “El Mesón del Champiñón” was opened in 1964 with the illusion of making people spend a great time, eating well. It is a magical place to eat the best and most delicious mushroom in the world! .

We walked in to see the chef making hundreds of mushrooms in the bar area. The restaurant had a unique cave bar atmosphere. To eat the mushrooms properly , we watched a short video at the table. It was a fun experience even though, I don’t eat mushrooms.

After having so many laughs enjoying the mushrooms and small tapas plates, we were ready to keep exploring. Our next destination was to find a leather shop that had a spectacular rooftop terrace. The flight attendant that had recommended this place to us did not remember the name of the store. Not knowing the name of the shop, made us more determined to find it. We wandered the streets with no luck. We asked a police officer who didn’t know what we were talking about. However, he pointed us in the direction of the tourist bureau. We described the place that we wanted to go to and she thought she knew of the place. We were not too far from it. We would have walked right by this shop with out knowing how awesome a place it was.

The store itself was amazing, so many beautiful things to look at on the first 2 floors. Then we found the stairs to the rooftop bar. We were surprised and delighted to see how special this place was. It had a lovely ambience, so exotic and beautiful with flowers and plants. The cocktails served were so pretty and delicious.

So much fun having a layover with Karmen and exploring new places in Madrid.

Good friends are a connection to life – a tie to the past on a road to the future. Embarking on new adventures is a million times better with good friends.