Come Fly With Me

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.

It’t a start of a new year flying out of New York. Our first trip was a fabulous trip to Paris. We had one slight problem, Marianne forgot her walking shoes and socks. Marianne was a trooper, I convinced her that we could find her something that she could walk the streets of Paris in. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find much, but we found a fabulous pair of slippers. We then came up against another hurdle; it started to rain and the slippers got wet very quickly. I still thought Marianne rocked her new Parisian style.

We decided to just enjoy walking the streets of Paris, with no destination in mind.

Paris is a city built for walking.

We stopped at a great cafe for lunch.

Never a dull moment. We turned the corner and we came upon a peaceful protest. It was the police and city workers protesting for their rights. Members of the Military were there to support the protest. Marianne got all the scoop by talking to a nice officer.

It was time to head back to our hotel and have dinner. The rain and Marianne’s wet feet did not dampen our spirits.

Bonne nuit, fans de beaux reves.

GOOD NIGHT, SWEET DREAMS

We arrived back in New York. The next day we will be flying to Barcelona. We are always captivated by this admiral city, it is a city full of life.

BARCELONA

After taking our quick nap , we boarded the train to La Rambla which is the most famous street in Barcelona.

We ventured over to one of our favorite places, Mercado de La Boqueria.

LA BOQUERIA

La Boqueria is the most famous picturesque market in Barcelona. You get mesmerized by the beautiful colors and displays. It’s a must visit for anyone who enjoys food.

After our delightful sensory overload, we continued wandering the streets.

We were amazed at the photo on the right, seeing how a fire truck could fit down the street. They had to back the fire truck out. We are happy to say no fire was detected.

ANTIC TEATRE

What a great find. Marianne and Gillian had previously walked by the Antic Teatre and heard lively noises, but did not go in. Without hesitation, Marianne and I had to check this place out. We were pleasantly surprised.

It’s a local production company that stages intimate performing arts venue with a lively sizable garden. It’s a hidden gem. I can see why The Antic Teatre is known to be a secret local bar in Barcelona. Even though no one was performing when we were there, we truly loved hanging out and enjoying the fun atmosphere. This is going to be our new hangout!

After leaving the Antic Teatre, it was time to have dinner. We found this restaurant right around the corner from the Antic Teatre. We ordered a few delicious tapas plates to share. It was a perfect way to end a great layover.

“Live life with no excuses, travel with no regrets”

Wow, it’s hard for me to sum up the adventures and new experiences we had in 2023.  Marianne and I started this journey with apprehension. To much of our surprise, we dove head first into this new lifestyle with positive energy, which lead us to embrace the value of each new adventure.

Our last trip in 2023, was to Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona has a range of things to do , which never disappoints us on each new visit.

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA

La Sagrada Familia is the largest unfiinished Catholic Church in the world. It is Gaudi’s most famous works in Barcelona. It’s a giant Basilica that has been under construction, since 1882 and it’s not expected to be completed for some time.

After we left La Sagrada Familia, we walked through the neighborhood. It was full of restaurants and cafes. We treated ourselves to a cold beverage.

With recommendations from other crew members, we set out to go to Gilda’s Restaurant. We met up with Gillian, another fabulous flight attendant from San Francisco.

The owner of Gilda’s was very welcoming and wanted us to feel at home. He encouraged us to appreciate his ambulating art on the walls. He even had us wear 3D glasses to enjoy the depth of each piece of art.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM SAN FRANCISCO

We were so thrilled to ring in the New Year with a San Fransisco layover. Luckily, we were able to go home and spend the night with our families!

WE HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE

We started one year ago, February 2023, at our new base in New York. Our very first trip was to São Paulo. We ended our year in New York by working a trip back to São Paulo. Boy have we learned a lot! We have grown into our new role as International Flight Attendants.

On Sundays, Avenida Paulista is closed to traffic. People come to walk, dance and shop. We enjoyed this fabulous street festival with the live music and all that it had to offer.

We stopped at a cute coffee shop for a delicious cup of coffee to get more energy to carry on.

We had a fun time enjoying the festival. We found a good place for lunch.

It was time to head back to the hotel before dark. It was a nice 1 1/2 mile walk back to the hotel through the different neighborhoods.

After a full day walking in São Paulo, we decided to have dinner at our hotel accompanied with the famous Brazilian drink, caipirinha.

Can’t always be out eating and drinking! Marianne had me go to the gym the next morning in São Paulo.

Wow, what a year we have had! We overcame so many challenges, but the reward of all our new travel experiences was worth every hurdle! Looking forward to another year of unforgettable memories.💗

So blessed to have another trip to London before Christmas with Marianne and Tracey. The joy of Christmas comes when you share the beauty of the season with people you love.

All bundled and warm, we set off to shop at Harrods, the most luxurious department store.

From the moment you walk into Harrods, you feel the excitement of the Christmas shopping experience.

Shopping at Harrods is always a great experience. The staff at Harrods were so friendly and helpful. They all seemed warm and genuinely interested in our needs. We left Harrods with a smile.

Time to toast our good day of Christmas shopping.

We had our dinner at this fun pub. Now it was time to walk off our dinner and enjoy the Christmas lights.

Winter Wonderland

We walked by the Winter Wonderland which is a large annual Christmas event held in Hyde Park. It’s the world’s ultimate destination for festive fun. From rides to performances, festive treats from London’s food scene and cozy fire pit bars, there is something for everyone. Unfortunately, we did not have time to take part in the spectacular Winter Wonderland.

We continued our walk through the streets of London to bring in the holiday joy!

We continued our brisk walk back to our hotel. The temperature was dropping. All the pubs were over crowded with patrons. To our amazement, we came upon a welcoming pub that actually had some room for a night cap.

London sure knows how to make you feel festive for the holiday season.

Thank you London for giving us the magic of Christmas and more joy in our hearts. We will see you in 2024!

A Christmas bonus was spending time with our friend Jennifer back at our London hotel!❤️

Our goal on this trip was to do some shopping, find the Christmas markets and enjoy the festive lights. Marianne and I were thrilled that our crew member Jace wanted to join us.

This artisanal shop offered traditional Spanish nougats and delicious chocolates.

Our next stop was to the Christmas Market in The Plaza Mayor. This is the most classic of all the Christmas markets in Madrid.

We then continued to walk the beautiful streets of Madrid and stop in many of their shops.

It was now time to take in an afternoon beverage and some tapas. One must keep up their stamina to be jolly and to enjoy the Christmas cheer.

With our energy restored, we were ready to do some more shopping and take in Madrid’s Christmas lights.

The Christmas lights through out the city turn on at 6pm. Madrid did not fail in creating a magical Christmas atmosphere.

The main avenues and buildings across the city twinkle with creations by renowned Spanish architects and designers.

We had a special day shopping, eating and enjoying the decked out streets with its twinkling lights. We definitely found the Christmas spirit in Madrid.

FELIZ NAVIDAD! FROM MADRID

It was time for us to get into the Christmas spirit with the much talked about Christmas lights displayed throughout London. After our quick nap, we jumped on the tube to enjoy the amazing designs of lights.

Churchill Arms of Nottingham Hill

Nothing will make you feel more Christmassy than the most Christmas decorated pub in London. Of course, Marianne and I had to venture out to find this pub.

Now that we were merry, we were ready to tackle London’s spirit of Christmas. Marianne had found a walking map on instagram which would lead us to all the famous streets which had the festive lights lit up on. It was a 1 1/2 hour walking tour. It took us about 3 hours stopping along the way to enjoy the shops.

Regent Street Christmas Lights, the largest holiday lights display in the UK, light up the skies of Regent Street and St James’s. The Spirit of Christmas decorations run all the way from Oxford Circus to Waterloo Place, making it a perfect destination for an evening stroll.

Every corner we turned, more magnificent Christmas lights were displayed.

One interesting note about the glamour of the lights is that the lights are formally switched on each year by celebrities at crowded ceremonies. These “switch ons” are usually organized to create a buzz, bring people together and kick-start Christmas shopping. This year the lights were turned on November 2.

On our walking tour, we came upon the Leicester Square Christmas market.

Too our delight, we found Chinatown looking so festive.

We loved our stroll through London’s spirit of Christmas. So much to see, but not enough time to take it all in. We stopped at a pub on our way back to the hotel for dinner.

Looking at these Christmas displays filled our souls with joy. May your holiday season sparkle and shine and all your dreams and wishes come true!

Marianne and I enjoyed a brisk walk in our New York neighborhood to enjoy a beautiful fall day before flying to Barcelona.

We were ready to enjoy are Barcelona layover.

On our way by train to the Monserrat Monastery.

MONSERRAT

The Monastery of Montserrat is one of the most famous monasteries in the world. Monserrat is a spectacular beautiful Benedictine monk mountain retreat about 1 hour North West from Barcelona by train. Not only is Montserrat Monastery of significant religious importance but the natural beauty surrounding the monastery is simply breathtaking. It is now a National Park and great for hiking. It was mind blowing to realize how high up the mountain the monastery was.

Marianne and I thought we were so prepared for this adventure. We purchased a train ticket to Monserrat in Barcelona which included transportation up the mountain. We disembarked at the last Monserrat station with a crowd of people only to find out that we purchased the train ticket that included a funicular (gondola) ride up the mountain to the monastery. To our dismay, we found out the stop we needed to get off was the stop before the one we were at. Unfortunately the train going back in that direction was in 1 hour. Our goal was to hear the boys choir at 12 noon. If we waited for that train, we would miss the boys choir. It would be a 10 minute taxi ride, but there was no taxis in sight. I heard 2 American boys from Oregon complaining that they were in the same situation as us. The boys were calling for a taxi. We asked if we could join them. They pleasantly agreed.

The taxi arrived in 10 minutes. Time was ticking. Our taxi ride was slower than expected because of a bike race. We had to let 100s of bikers go by before getting on our way back to the funicular. With all our delays, we were still going to make it in time to hear the boys choir.

The funicular ride offered us a spectacular panoramic view of the Monserrat mountain and the monastery.

There was a tranquil , untouched beauty that we discovered at the Monserrat.

Boys Choir In Monserrat

The Boys Choir is home to one of the oldest boys choir in Europe. Documents show that the existence of a religious and music school goes as far back as the 14th century. Listening to the Boys Choir was going to be the highlight of our trip. We made our way to where the boys would be singing. We quickly found out the choir would only be singing at the noon mass which we needed a reservation for. Unfortunately, the mass was full. A nice usher took pity on us and opened a roped off area into a courtyard so we could listen to the mass on a screen.

It was hard to hear the boys choir on the screen, but we were blessed to be able to go into the church and receive communion.

After mass, Marianne and I lit a candle asking Virgin Mary for our prayers

We then continued to take in the beauty of the grounds.

Monserrat offered us a captivating day of spirituality and natural beauty. We left awestruck with the stunning landscape high above where the angels do sing.