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Penelope Witherspoon's Travel Thread


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  • 3 weeks later...

Alright, I'm in London for work the week of March 18.  It is cheaper for me to fly home from Paris, so I'm going to be magnanimous and go to Paris for a weekend.  

Then I'm back in London for work the 16th of April.  That trip is a bit open ended, but I think I might try and hop down to either Rome or Cordoba once we've wrapped everything up and signed our accounts.  

Still playing with the second trip, but the first is done.  Flying JFK to LHR on the 16th of March.  I will train to Paris on Friday, March 22.  Not sure what time yet, but as I'm going to try and submit our draft accounts around noon, I'll try and get out early afternoon.  

I'm going to stay at Le Roch, because I love it.  Thinking dinner at MoSuke because I loved it and it's only open weekdays. No plans the rest of the weekend other than most likely flying back at 4:15 pm on Sunday.  

 

 

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On 1/28/2024 at 11:07 AM, midtown said:

I was in Nicaragua in last week of Oct.  Was awesome.  Esp Ometepe.  Headed to Guatemala in two weeks.  Will report back.  Panama last February.  It was OK.  I probably owe it another try.   Will hit both El Salvador and Honduras this year to close out all 7 Central America coutries

How was El Salvador? That's on my bucket list but it's been so dangerous for years. 

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1 minute ago, midtown said:



As far as El Salvador. Watch some documentaries on what their presidente has done about taking their country back
 

Pretty interesting NYT "The Daily" podcast about it maybe 2 weeks ago.  Free with Amazon Prime

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So, weekend in Paris in March.  Then thinking a long weekend in Rome in April.  Working these around work trips to London and celebrations for hitting big work deadlines.  

Will probably have something in June (will be in the UK), then Florence and Tuscany in September.  I was also hoping to do some Christmas Markets in December (another work trip to London to wrap up the year).

Still going to try and do a cheeky weekend in Central/South America as well if possible.  Maybe even Mexico.

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  • 2 weeks later...

London trip on March 16 is all booked.  Then Paris for the weekend at the end.  

While in London, I will be working a lot, but trying to make time for some outstanding meals.  Will hit up The Devonshire for an early Sunday dinner.  Monday night, I have dinner booked at Chishuru (the new one), though that one could change if my friend is up for meet up.  Tuesday, a colleague and I are hitting Brunswich House.  Wednesday is open so far.  Thursday, heading to The Grazing Goat in Marylebone to catch up with a bunch of former colleagues.

I am trying to get things signed off on Thursday before I leave so I can fuck off to Paris early on Friday.  Staying at Le Roch, where I always stay.  Hitting up Lafayette's for dinner on Friday.  Lafayette's is a new Mory Sacko restaurant in the former home of the Marquis de Lafayette, which is also now a hotel.  The space looks amazing.  I have my fingers crossed that a last minute cancellation means I can get into MoSuke, but this is a grand back up plan.

Doing lunch Saturday at Juveniles, with Saturday dinner open for now.  Then Sunday, I fly back to NYC around 4 PM with a layover in London (a very short one, so my BA status will be helpful!).  

The second trip to London will be in April, and will be until we have our UK auditors sign our UK accounts.  Afterwards, I am still trying to decide where to fuck off to.  I was going to go to Rome, but there is a national holiday smack dab in the middle of that where everything closes.  So then have thought about Vienna, but I think I want some sun.  Looking into South of Spain or Portugal at the moment, but nothing booked on this trip at all.  And 3rd time in London this year will be in Mid-June when a new member of my team joins.  I will at that point have 5 employees in London vs. 1 in NYC and 1 in Houston.  For that one, I have no idea what I am doing.

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1 hour ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Hitting up Lafayette's for dinner on Friday.  Lafayette's is a new Mory Sacko restaurant in the former home of the Marquis de Lafayette, which is also now a hotel.  The space looks amazing.  I have my fingers crossed that a last minute cancellation means I can get into MoSuke, but this is a grand back up plan.

first i was like 'oh is that THAT Lafayette??' and then i was like 'duh!' and then i looked it up. and checked out the website and menu. and immediately tried to make a reservation lol.

i'm several months out but 'Malheureusement, il n'y a pas de disponibilité pour l'heure sélectionnée.'

they're either booked three months out (wow!) or it's like the trains and it's too early to book. ha... i'm gonna guess probably the latter? but that looks fantastic and is not far from where we're staying. it's going on the list and i'll keep trying. merci 😊

 

 

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London trip on March 16 is all booked.  Then Paris for the weekend at the end.  
While in London, I will be working a lot, but trying to make time for some outstanding meals.  Will hit up The Devonshire for an early Sunday dinner.  Monday night, I have dinner booked at Chishuru (the new one), though that one could change if my friend is up for meet up.  Tuesday, a colleague and I are hitting Brunswich House.  Wednesday is open so far.  Thursday, heading to The Grazing Goat in Marylebone to catch up with a bunch of former colleagues.
I am trying to get things signed off on Thursday before I leave so I can fuck off to Paris early on Friday.  Staying at Le Roch, where I always stay.  Hitting up Lafayette's for dinner on Friday.  Lafayette's is a new Mory Sacko restaurant in the former home of the Marquis de Lafayette, which is also now a hotel.  The space looks amazing.  I have my fingers crossed that a last minute cancellation means I can get into MoSuke, but this is a grand back up plan.
Doing lunch Saturday at Juveniles, with Saturday dinner open for now.  Then Sunday, I fly back to NYC around 4 PM with a layover in London (a very short one, so my BA status will be helpful!).  
The second trip to London will be in April, and will be until we have our UK auditors sign our UK accounts.  Afterwards, I am still trying to decide where to fuck off to.  I was going to go to Rome, but there is a national holiday smack dab in the middle of that where everything closes.  So then have thought about Vienna, but I think I want some sun.  Looking into South of Spain or Portugal at the moment, but nothing booked on this trip at all.  And 3rd time in London this year will be in Mid-June when a new member of my team joins.  I will at that point have 5 employees in London vs. 1 in NYC and 1 in Houston.  For that one, I have no idea what I am doing.

Cool as shit. Really trying to absorb as much as we can about London - the daughter is moving there right before you get there (the 14th). She’s heading there to find a job, as the opportunities for polylingual folks looking for entry level stuff is better there (and she has a 2 year blanket visa now). Don’t think her budget will have her visiting many of your haunts, but might as well learn. She’ll be living up in Hackney.
We’ll be heading there in August - main purpose of the trip was Scotland, but now we’ll spend a coupla days in London with her. Figure we’ll spring for a nice dinner or two while we’re there.
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22 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

London trip on March 16 is all booked.  Then Paris for the weekend at the end.  

While in London, I will be working a lot, but trying to make time for some outstanding meals.  Will hit up The Devonshire for an early Sunday dinner.  Monday night, I have dinner booked at Chishuru (the new one), though that one could change if my friend is up for meet up.  Tuesday, a colleague and I are hitting Brunswich House.  Wednesday is open so far.  Thursday, heading to The Grazing Goat in Marylebone to catch up with a bunch of former colleagues.

I am trying to get things signed off on Thursday before I leave so I can fuck off to Paris early on Friday.  Staying at Le Roch, where I always stay.  Hitting up Lafayette's for dinner on Friday.  Lafayette's is a new Mory Sacko restaurant in the former home of the Marquis de Lafayette, which is also now a hotel.  The space looks amazing.  I have my fingers crossed that a last minute cancellation means I can get into MoSuke, but this is a grand back up plan.

Doing lunch Saturday at Juveniles, with Saturday dinner open for now.  Then Sunday, I fly back to NYC around 4 PM with a layover in London (a very short one, so my BA status will be helpful!).  

The second trip to London will be in April, and will be until we have our UK auditors sign our UK accounts.  Afterwards, I am still trying to decide where to fuck off to.  I was going to go to Rome, but there is a national holiday smack dab in the middle of that where everything closes.  So then have thought about Vienna, but I think I want some sun.  Looking into South of Spain or Portugal at the moment, but nothing booked on this trip at all.  And 3rd time in London this year will be in Mid-June when a new member of my team joins.  I will at that point have 5 employees in London vs. 1 in NYC and 1 in Houston.  For that one, I have no idea what I am doing.

houston is becoming quite the foodie town.  you might be surprised.

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On 3/2/2024 at 6:12 PM, Brisketexan said:


Cool as shit. Really trying to absorb as much as we can about London - the daughter is moving there right before you get there (the 14th). She’s heading there to find a job, as the opportunities for polylingual folks looking for entry level stuff is better there (and she has a 2 year blanket visa now). Don’t think her budget will have her visiting many of your haunts, but might as well learn. She’ll be living up in Hackney.
We’ll be heading there in August - main purpose of the trip was Scotland, but now we’ll spend a coupla days in London with her. Figure we’ll spring for a nice dinner or two while we’re there.

If you have time, the Churchill bunker looks amazing.  It was closed when I was there (Christmas week). It's at the top of my list for my next trip. 

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If you have time, the Churchill bunker looks amazing.  It was closed when I was there (Christmas week). It's at the top of my list for my next trip. 
I've been twice and will take my buddy in May. It never gets old
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5 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

You do know I lived in Houston for 12 years, right?  Left in 2019, thank goodness given the shit going on in Texas since 2019.  

seems like you've been in ny longer than that.  yes, it had started to become a foodie destination by 2019.  probably a little moreso now but what isnt?

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7 hours ago, thrillhammer said:

seems like you've been in ny longer than that.  yes, it had started to become a foodie destination by 2019.  probably a little moreso now but what isnt?

5 years in August.  Granted Covid felt like forever.  

I am leaning back towards going to Rome in April.  As I do more research about Liberation Day in Rome, the more I think it would be fun to be there.  

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Per usual the photos are top notch and the food always looks sooooo good. That roast beef from back in March, oh my word, that is one of my favorite meals--beef with potatoes, carrots, and homemade rolls or a Yorkshire pud.

One of my kiddos is working for a company that has offices in Dublin and London and I keep waiting for the news that a move to there is coming because those two cities were places to which he wanted to return for an extended stay.

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we're right at a month out from Paris! i'll be updating my thread shortly...

man, your London pics are fantastic...and the food looks incredible, which is something i never thought i'd say about British food lol. looks like some different cuisines though.

back to Paris...is it really horrible, or more just inconvenient, scaffolding, etc. around some big attractions (the tower, etc...Notre Dame i know is still undergoing repairs - i bet they are really trying to rush to finish before the start).

made reservations at Lafayette's today, woohoo 😁

 

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7 hours ago, mchookem said:

we're right at a month out from Paris! i'll be updating my thread shortly...

man, your London pics are fantastic...and the food looks incredible, which is something i never thought i'd say about British food lol. looks like some different cuisines though.

back to Paris...is it really horrible, or more just inconvenient, scaffolding, etc. around some big attractions (the tower, etc...Notre Dame i know is still undergoing repairs - i bet they are really trying to rush to finish before the start).

made reservations at Lafayette's today, woohoo 😁

 

Lafayette's fried chicken is absolutely fantastic.  Also, the inside of that restaurant is STUNNING.

It isn't really horrible.  There are TONS of people, but Paris has been like that since we got out of COVID (a lot of people who never traveled are suddenly traveling).  Just scaffolding and improvements.  You don't really see it in the hearts of the neighborhoods.  However, I am avoiding tourist places and just wandering around.  

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Posted (edited)

@PenelopeWitherspoon i am sure the fried chicken will be one of our selections! i saw they also have a 'TexMex Duck Breast' which i cannot even imagine what that may be like😄

but that reminds me, i do have a question for you since you've visited Paris so much...we are going to be traveling around France for like 11 days, from one side to the other, and obviously i expect we will be eating a variety of delicious FRENCH cuisine. so since we are going to be eating so many 'french' meals, i thought it might be fun to try something different...and i'm actually really curious about french mexican food haha.

not their version of TexMex, but like actual French-Mexican - have you tried any place like that, or do you have a recommendation?

interestingly there seem to be quite a few mexican restaurants (not including things like Chipotle)...along with soul food, cajun, and bbq. i just think it's interesting to see what American cuisines end up over there besides the standard hamburger of course. anyway, i doubt we'll try any of those...but i am actually pretty curious what French-Mexican food might be like! 🙂 

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On 4/28/2024 at 7:20 PM, mchookem said:

@PenelopeWitherspoon i am sure the fried chicken will be one of our selections! i saw they also have a 'TexMex Duck Breast' which i cannot even imagine what that may be like😄

but that reminds me, i do have a question for you since you've visited Paris so much...we are going to be traveling around France for like 11 days, from one side to the other, and obviously i expect we will be eating a variety of delicious FRENCH cuisine. so since we are going to be eating so many 'french' meals, i thought it might be fun to try something different...and i'm actually really curious about french mexican food haha.

not their version of TexMex, but like actual French-Mexican - have you tried any place like that, or do you have a recommendation?

interestingly there seem to be quite a few mexican restaurants (not including things like Chipotle)...along with soul food, cajun, and bbq. i just think it's interesting to see what American cuisines end up over there besides the standard hamburger of course. anyway, i doubt we'll try any of those...but i am actually pretty curious what French-Mexican food might be like! 🙂 

I have not tried to find Mexican in Paris. Lafayette's was about as close as I got.  I do know of Candelaria, but I cannot opine on how good it is.  I do hear it is popular.   

However, if you get tired of French cuisine, I recommend Moroccan.  Some really good Moroccan places in Paris (Le 404, Le Tagine).  

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So, finally figured out the rest of the year.  In July, back to the UK for work (new joiner on my team), and then we are hitting up Silverstone for the F1 race.  We are either going to stay 3 nights in Oxford or Warwick.  Just waiting on my friends to decide on place, then we will book (tickets already in hand).

September, during UN week, we are most likely having an all hands accounting meeting in London (too expensive in NYC, and easier for colleagues in South Africa and Singapore to get to London vs. New York).  After that, I am planning on jumping on a plane to Naples.  I have been to Naples before, but the last time I was there, we might have partied a bit too much, and definitely were too hung over to make it out to Pompeii.  So that being said, my plan is to enjoy baths, visit Pompeii and Herculunaem, eat lunch here (Lo Scoglio), and other stuff I have yet to even think of.  Most likely won't go to Capri or the Amalfi Coast as I have done that before, and I want to return to both when I have more time to spend.  After 5 nights in Naples (the first, I arrive late from London so that is just a wasted night), I am popping up to Rome to catch a flight to Madrid.  Then I will train to Cordoba.  

The plan is to spend 3 nights in Cordoba exploring.  I might have dinner at Noor, which just got its third Michelin star, but we shall see.  I have been wanting to go to Cordoba for years, so I am super excited about this.  Then I am headed to Estepona for the next 5 nights.  I have a house that opens right onto the beach, which is awesome.  It is about a 30 minute walk into the historic city center, but I can also rent a bike, and then it is only about 5-10 minutes, which is the plan.  By doing this in early October, things will be less crowded, but the weather should still be very nice.  

Ultimately, my plan is 7 days of exploring and history followed by 5 days of relaxation.  AirBnBs are already booked, and should dates change, they are fully refundable.  Too early to book flights yet, but that is usually when I head to London in Q3, but I alreay have three flights I need to have reimbursed at the minute, so want to hold off booking this one until I finish up my expnese reports.  LOL.

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