Laurie's light travel travel tips

Dear tourists: Save a grand flying roundtrip from Omaha in June and come enjoy the splendours of a New York winter. From ice skating in Bryant or Central Park or Rockefeller Center to enjoying a hot cocoa with friends in the Village, the city is oozing warmth this time of year. True, you must pack that winter coat, a good hat and gloves, and another layer for every body part (I wore jeans and sweats yesterday). You must also check your vanity at the door, ladies -- caught my reflection and realized my face looked like a very white raisin. Remember to moisturize! I recommend dining indoors, not out, even when restaurants offer heaters oitside. It is impossible to heat the entire space and you will freeze running inside to the bathroom. Book ahead if you really want a decent table. My favorite restautants include Butter (butterrestaurant.com) in Midtown and Balthazar (balthazarny.com) in lower Manhattan. But for simple good eating either buy a hot dog from a street vendor or pop into...

August 21, 2018: I needed to get out of town. I know that sounds rich coming from someone living in London this year, but it's how I felt. I'd bought the ticket months ago for just one night in Stockholm, a birthday celebration designed to punctuate a thesis already written. Unfortunately, that didn't happen; nor did plans to make my student loan stretch til October. I'm not even done with chapter one, and I'm so broke I'm 'borrowing' a bit of honey from cafes in order to add zest to a piece of bread. This is real. And yet, yes, I was in Sweden just yesterday. 🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪 January 16, 2024: I just found the above paragraph in draft form. I had forgotten I had written it because the next day, my mother died. While in Sweden, she had told me to be sure and look at the bright, beautiful flowers in "Europe", telling me "I remember how beautiful they were." She had said this August 19th, my birthday. And so the next day, I just wandere...