Around the world in 72 hours

I was supposed to be far, far away this weekend, celebrating with my girlfriends in the BC Mountains. Instead, I’ve been right at home, enjoying the long weekend with my husband in Manhattan. It hasn’t been all that bad. Friday was a long day at work, and tomorrow promises more of the same, but the rest of the weekend has been pretty void of any heavy lifting. So instead, Zdenek and I made our own vacation here on this island (and a few miles outside of it). Some of the places we visited:

Italy: On Friday night, after getting off from work rather late, we hit the Mediterranean at our favorite restaurant and wine bar on the UWS. After one pitcher of Sangria, one bottle of wine, some prosciutto, cheese, and grilled shrimp, I was happy enough to pretend I was in Italy and almost too drunk to notice the difference.

Out-of-state and back again: On Saturday, we decided to take a little bike vacation. We cycled 75 km out to Piermont and back, through the Palisades and along the Hudson. It was tough going after a hard week of cycling and running, especially considering the marathon was only two weeks ago and that this week was absolutely exhausting work-wise. The one mile, 7% grade climb at the end of the Palisades may have been nothing compared to Saturday’s Giro stage, but I could hardly tell the difference. In Piermont I was rewarded with a fruit smoothie and a bit of rest. 23 miles later back in our apartment, I was rewarded with wobbly legs, a sore butt, and a huge sense of accomplishment.

I enjoyed my smoothie on this Piermont street

Spain: Saturday night took us down to Greenwich Village, where we were fortunate to stumble upon one of the most delicious and inviting tapas bars in the city, Las Ramblas. It was crowded but lively, the food was scrumptious, and the drinks were well deserved. We finished off the evening with homemade cake at Amy’s Bread. Best pink frosting ever.

Detox spa: Sunday consisted of lots of walking and hydration. We had fish and vegetables for dinner. Italy and Spain in 48 hours can tire a person out.

The beach (sort of): After a very hard but very fast run this morning in the Park (if I’m not going to run frequently this summer, I need to make every opportunity worth my while), and after a leisurely and delicious breakfast (once again courtesy of Amy), we spent this afternoon eating salami and cheese, Greek salad, and berries along the Riverside Park Hudson waterfront. It was almost as good as a beach vacation.

Only 5 minutes from our front door!

All in all, things could have been worse. And I learned that if I can’t make it to the vacation, I can always make the vacation come to me.