Aruba

I must be doing something right if I can wake up and see this view from my window: 

View from my room of Palm Beach, Aruba

Everyone I know who has been to Aruba considers the island to be like paradise, so I was excited to finally see what all the hype is about. Our flight landed on Saturday night around 10pm and I fully expected to go to sleep after just a quick drink at the hotel bar.  Fortunately for me, the other two people on my team are a lot more fun and they insisted that we have a big night out. 

We got some recommendations from the Front Desk agent and set out for a night in the Palm Beach area. He recommended a night club called Confession, but the people waiting to get in looked ghetto to me so I suggested one of the many bars that were clustered nearby. We ultimately settled on Sand Bar, which was just my scene because it allowed us to stand at the bar and laugh at the people dancing on the stage. I think my favorite memory of the night was watching a drunk girl repeatedly try (and fail) to take "selfies" on a bar stool. The poor girl just couldn't find a good angle. 

Before ending the night, we stopped at the hotel casino for some alcohol-induced gambling. Our group joined a roulette table and I don't remember much other than winning on my last bet (thanks to my friend's fab suggestion). This trip is off to a great start!

I woke up the next morning with a huge sleep deficit, but I was inspired to go for a run along the beach. Before even getting 2 blocks from the hotel, I almost stepped on an iguana. (Welcome to Aruba!) The street heading north was surprisingly serene once I got out of the hotel district, and I could enjoy the postcard-quality views without many interruptions. One thing I will always remember about running in Aruba is the relentless wind. Aruba is known for always having a really strong breeze; Just look at the trees! 

Views like this make running a lot more fun

Aruba is always windy

Most of Sunday afternoon was spent at the pool and the beach. Our hotel has a swim-up bar/restaurant, which we had to try. I love being able to stand waist-deep in the pool, with a frozen drink in my hand and the sun beating down on my face. What happened to the old adage that you shouldn't swim within an hour of eating? This rule must not apply in paradise. 

The sun was starting to feel strong by mid-afternoon, so we migrated over to the beach and sat under a palapa hut. With WiFi available on the beach, we could have been checking e-mails and getting some work done. Instead, we decided to turn on some music and continue to enjoy the weekend. 

Enjoying the beach from under our palapa hut

We tried Aqua Grill for dinner and it was probably my favorite meal of the week.  The environment was upscale and the food was top-notch. From there, we went to MooMba Bar for a drink to close out the night. Moomba bar is a great choice for anyone looking to mix with the locals. However, it was pretty easy to identify the North American tourists because their dancing skills are not quite up to par. 

There are so many ethnic restaurants to visit in the Palm Beach area but I will admit that none tasted very authentic to me. One night, we went to dinner at a "French" restaurant called Papillon. The only thing reminding me of France was that the soft drinks didn't come with free refills. Another night, we had sushi in a brazilian steakhouse called Amazonia (ok, we can only blame ourselves for that decision)!
  
On Thursday, we finished work early to attend a happy hour with the staff. Thanks to our hook-up with the senior management, all of our drinks arrived in pairs!

Seeing double at Happy Hour

On our last night in Aruba, we went to the south side of the island to get a different type of experience. We started with drinks at a great bar called Arubaville. The traditional thatched roof and waterfront views may have implied a tourist hot-spot, but the chill live music and Papiamento-speaking waitresses were proof that we were hanging out with the locals. 

Arriving at Arubaville 

Words to live by

After our happy hour at Arubaville, we got back into the car and drove to an even more remote part of the island for dinner. The restaurant was literally in the water - a good indication that we would be eating some fresh seafood. 

The true definition of waterfront dining

As we waited for the food to arrive, we were treated to a remarkable sunset, followed by a brief (but intense) insect invasion that felt like were under attack.  All the diners passed around cans of insect repellent, but I was already feeling a few bites. Fortunately, the bugs were gone just as quickly as they arrived and we were back to our ideal setting. 

Sunset on our last night in Aruba

After dinner, we couldn't let the last night end without one last trip to the bars. We heard great things about Gusto, and it really delivered a fun atmosphere. Lots of great music, attractive people, and laser lights bounced off the walls. I noticed several parties upstairs with table service and I had almost forgotten that I was in Aruba. 

My ride back to the airport always provides a good opportunity to reflect on the week and I will always look back on this trip with a smile (and a slight hangover)! Even though we spent our working hours in a conference room, the overall trip felt like a vacation. People on the island are friendly and laid-back, restaurants are almost always open-air, and music/dancing are commonplace.

The license plates in Aruba all display the mantra: "One Happy Island". After spending a week on the island and meeting plenty of locals, I couldn't agree more.   

Aruba truly is 'one happy island'

Orlando

Orlando without kids? 

In my mind, the home of Mickey Mouse is only meant to be enjoyed by people with families. Water parks exist in all corners of the city, hotels are all filled with kid-friendly activities, and restaurants always have crayons and coloring books readily available. 

Don't get me wrong - Orlando is a great place for adults, too. The weather is warmer than most other parts of the United States and almost everyone likes theme park rides.  Orlando may not top my list of vacation destinations, but I am happy to spend a week there on business. 

On our way to the resort, we saw some dark clouds up ahead and immediately got stuck in a 5-minute downpour. Fortunately, we were sitting dry in a chauffeured car instead of running to buy an emergency poncho like all the people at Disney World. Classic Florida. 

Check-in at the hotel included a glass of champagne and a nice suite upgrade.  With all this extra space, I felt like I should invite some friends and family down for the week. It didn't take long for this hotel to win me over!

Hotel Suite

I looked out the window and the only buildings to stand above the tree line were high-rise hotels and strip malls. From the atrium lobby, EPCOT created the familiar Disney skyline. The sprawling resort pool below also looked inviting. The greater Orlando area just screams "vacation" and it is such a welcome contrast from the chaotic city life I usually see from my hotel rooms. 

View of Lake Buena Vista "skyline" from my hotel room

View of the resort from the hotel lobby

The work week, as always, included some excellent meals. My favorite was Nine 18, the Forbes 4-star restaurant at Grand Cypress Golf Resort.  The carefully crafted dishes and mature atmosphere were almost "too nice" for a random Wednesday dinner.  The meal was a huge contrast to the night before, where our team had an unusual experience at a place called Miller's Ale House. On first glance, it seemed like just another casual bar with countless beers on tap. However, it was surprisingly filled with families and small children. In fact, the restaurant catered so much to small children that it even had a balloon artist circulating around the tables to make the animals of our choice. If this restaurant doesn't proliferate the bar culture at a young age, I don't know what else would.

Balloon Animals and beer (and a 4-year-old peeping Tom)

After the work week was over, I spent a little extra time in Florida before flying to my next destination. My morning started with a vibrant rainbow (one of the benefits of the Florida rain). 

Beautiful rainbow over the resort pool

I purposely avoided any of the theme parks in Orlando, opting instead to stay on property and enjoy the on-site recreation activities. Between the kayaking and the "water-ski" bike (something I have never seen before), these 'family-friendly' activities were starting to grow on me. 

View of the hotel from the adjacent lake.

I have never heard of a bike on water skis...but it was fun!

I may not have any kids of my own, but I was never very far removed from them throughout the past week. Orlando is clearly a city geared towards tourism and the younger generation seems to rule the world when it comes to local activities. 

Walking through the resort on the last day, I actually felt out of place as a single adult. Everyone else seemed to be surrounded by family and friends. I had a great time working in such a relaxed environment, but it's not a destination that I will rush back to without a family of my own or a big group of friends.

Minnesota Half Marathon

I spent this past weekend in Minneapolis for a quick escape from Chicago. The main reason I booked the trip was to run the Minnesota Half Marathon on Sunday morning, but an added bonus was being able to hang out with Craig the night before the race.  

View of downtown Minneapolis from my hotel room

My hotel was located on Nicollet Mall, which is the major downtown hub for shopping and restaurants. I had a couple hours to spare before meeting Craig, so I decided to do a little shopping. While it may look like there are a lot of stores, I was disappointed by a noticeable scarcity of physical items filling the racks. A former Saks 5^th Avenue (now a Saks outlet store) is a mere shell of its once high-end positioning. Signs for 70% off were filling the store and even those prices weren’t enough to entice me to buy any of the dated styles on the racks. Places like Macy's and The Gap were not much better, so I quickly abandoned my quest to purchase something.

I would imagine that the gigantic Mall of America is where most local residents go for their shopping needs. It’s amazing how much different some Midwest American cities are from their European counterparts. In Europe, all of the action happens downtown – from shopping to nightlife. This is simply not the case throughout the United States, where city centers become ghost towns after regular office hours. (Anyone who has ever been to the Chicago Loop at 5pm on week days will see people literally running to the train station so they can get back home to the suburbs). 

Despite my disappointment in the shopping options along Nicollet Mall, I was highly amused by the people along the street. There was a group of young kids wearing headphones and dancing enthusiastically to their music (which was silent to everyone else). They attracted a lot of attention – including mine – and I watched for a while, hoping for a flash mob. Unfortunately, the big finale never materialized, so I was just walked away with a combination of amusement and confusion.

My first real feeling of “Minnesota” happened in Target, when the clerk asked me if I wanted my Powerade in a bag.  It sounded more like he was saying “beg” or “egg”, but I luckily noticed him pointing at a plastic bag and understood based on context clues.

Shortly after my shopping adventure, I met Craig (who conveniently lives next door to my hotel) and we set off for dinner. Weather was absolutely perfect, so the restaurants were all pretty busy. We ended up getting burgers and beer (the perfect pre-race meal). After dinner, we stopped at his friend's place – which was absolutely beautiful – and had a couple more drinks. There, I was treated to more Minnesota accents. Our final stop for the night was at a trendy bar, which was cool enough to thrive in even the snobbiest of cities.

By the end of the night, I had concluded that my earlier impression from Nicollet Mall was slightly misguided. The city of Minneapolis actually does have a vibrant city center and offers a pretty impressive selection of bars and restaurants. If the only thing missing is good shopping, this city still makes the grade in my book.

One of many outdoor dining options in Minneapolis

The next morning, my alarm clock went off FAR too early and I still felt a little drunk when I peeled myself out of bed. What was I thinking to only allows three hours of sleep before a half marathon?  I quickly threw on my shorts and jogged to the light-rail since I'm too cheap to pay for the $60 cab ride between Minneapolis and Saint Paul.  I also just enjoy riding public transportation. (My overall assessment is that there were far too many stops, but the train was super clean and modern). 

By the time I arrived at Upper Landing Park for the race start, I was finally starting to wake up. I picked up my race number and was amazed by all the different options to participate, from in-line skating to a 5k or half-marathon relay. It truly was an event for people of all skill levels. 

View of Saint Paul from Upper Landing Park

The course, itself, was out-and-back along a 3-lane highway. The river ran along one side of the street and the city of Saint Paul was perched above on a cliff. I wouldn't characterize the views as "scenic" but it was certainly pleasant enough. 

The back half of the course felt monotonous to me because I was essentially running alone.  The runner in front of me maintained a consistent pace and I used him as an anchor for my own effort. Part of me enjoys being alone on the course, but maintaining an aggressive pace requires internal motivation - something that does not come easily when I am so tired. 

Closing in on the finish line, I was really proud to see a sub-1:25 time on the clock. I didn't clear it by a lot (8 seconds, to be exact), but that time always marks my mental distinction between a solid performance and a disappointing one. 

I was actually impressed by the pockets of people who came to cheer on the runners and skaters, even though I didn't personally know any of them. After the great support a few weeks ago in Maine, I was actually a little sad to know that I would finish the race without an entourage to cheer me on. Perhaps my internal drive to "just race" is starting to fade, as I seek out a more social experience.

Finish Line of the Minnesota Half Marathon

Race Medal

I still had a few hours before heading back to Chicago, so I walked through some cute urban neighborhoods near my hotel.  There was a craft fair in a nearby park, filled with a variety of art vendors and food trucks. I smiled as I watched people casually browsing through the items for sale and enjoying the relaxed afternoon. Summers in the upper Midwest are so short that it's great to see people really maximizing the warm weather. Although Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota, I get a very "small-town" vibe there. A perfect example was a small box that was filled with books for people to borrow and return at their convenience. I doubt you would see a "little free library" in Manhattan!

Little Free Library in Minneapolis

My last stop before heading back to Chicago was to visit the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Other than the well-known "Spoonbridge and Cherry", I was a little underwhelmed by the sculptures. Lots of people were enjoying the park with their families, but I wouldn't recommend this as a "must-see" attraction in the Twin Cities. 

Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture

I am very happy as I reflect on my weekend in Minneapolis. For a long time, I have taken racing so seriously that these trips started feeling like business. This time, I decided to take a different approach and balance the social element with my racing goals. My race performance may have suffered a little, but it was totally worth the sacrifice for a fun night out. 

Chicago

One month in Chicago. 

After all the non-stop exotic travel this year, I was initially a little disappointed when I first heard that I would be spending so long in the windy city. Don’t get me wrong – Chicago is a fantastic place to visit. It just seemed less exciting to me than somewhere new would have been.

As I started making plans for the trip, I quickly realized how much fun it will be to spend the summer in a city I called home for two years.  I will be able to catch up with all my old friends, work in a relaxed office environment, and return to a typical American lifestyle. 

Well, almost typical.

I will still be living in a hotel and eating all my meals at restaurants. But, at least I will be walking to work, understanding the local language, and hanging out with people that I have known for more than 2 weeks.

I was upgraded on my flight to Chicago (a great way to start a trip). Approaching O’Hare airport always offers beautiful views of the city and I peered out of the window like an excited child. As my taxi reached downtown, it was nostalgic to see the buildings that I used to pass every day. There was comfort in knowing exactly where I was going.

Walking to the office on Monday morning reminded me just how busy the city can be during the morning commute. Sidewalks are filled with people – all walking with a clear destination in mind.  The signature Chicago commuter 'look' includes business casual office attire, a leather bag over one shoulder, ear buds playing music, a Starbucks cup in one hand, and a phone in the other. Everyone is connected, but not to each other. 

Although I am living in a hotel, it already feels like I am back at home. For me, the comforts of home are less about my accommodations and more about the overall lifestyle. Summer in Chicago is filled with street festivals, al fresco dining, volleyball games on the beach, and non-stop concerts at Pritzker Pavilion. These events aren’t the most exciting to recall in a blog post, but they are a reflection of the high quality of life that Chicagoans enjoy during the few months of nice weather each year.

One of the best outdoor music venues in the country

One of my favorite weekend activities in Chicago has always been to run along the lakefront path (surprising, I know). The path is always a great place to scope out fellow runners, bikers, and anyone enjoying the beach. Overall, the people seem to be in better shape than I remember.  Maybe I have just spent too much time out of the country, where TV and stereotypes perpetuate the idea that all Americans are overweight.

All Americans do not look like the family on Honey Boo Boo!

As the weeks progressed, I realized that I took Chicago for granted when I lived here before. It's such a vibrant city, but it is easy to ignore the outside world when life feels routine. I used to get on the bus and read my kindle without even noticing the people around me or the views from the window.  I would eat at the same restaurants, drink at the same bars, and complain when I had to travel more than 5 miles to see my friends. I think most people get stuck in the same routine when they're at home.

This time around, I have made a concerted effort to accept every social invitation, to visit places that are usually geared towards tourists, and to try new restaurants in different parts of the city.  I almost always take my camera with me so I can take pictures like as if it were the first time I had ever seen Chicago. Here are some of my favorite pictures of the city from the past month:  

Chicago sky-scrapers in River North area

Water Tower, with John Hancock Tower as a backdrop

Passing the familiar Civic Opera Building in the Chicago Loop

People cross one of many bridges over the Chicago river

Wrigley building at night

 

When I finally do settle down in one place, I need to remind myself to spend some time appreciating the beauty of my surroundings.  Chicago, like any other city, is filled with great architecture, wonderful people, and plenty of photo opportunities.  

I'm so glad I have gotten the opportunity to revisit Chicago this summer.  It has given me the chance to catch up with old friends, make new connections, and enjoy the city like a tourist. 

This will always be the Sears Tower to me...

Michigan Ave skyline

Cloud Gate at Millennium Park

Chicago River at sunset