"Firsts" of Many

I traveled quite a bit in 1988. After the May trip to Disney, I was invited along with Ronna to Hedonism in Jamaica, an adult only resort. At the time, she was working with a lot of travel agents at Home Lines and was offered a “fam” trip which is one of the main perks of being in the travel business. “Fam”, short for familiarization were free or heavily discounted trips to various locations given by tour operators or hotels so agents could see the property for themselves and then sell it. It was and is a great promotional tool.

The funny thing was I was an actual travel agent and she wasn’t but had to fake it. It was June and the weather was gorgeous when we landed in Montego Bay airport. The ride to the resort was another 2 hours to Negril. When we arrived, we were greeted with the Welcome rum punch. Hello!

Ronna and I laughed hysterically when we entered our room for the first time. There was a huge king sized bed and a mirror above it! We had plenty of room sharing the bed. It was all-inclusive and all the meals and drinks were included. I had some photos…especially of us in the bed with the mirror but I can’t find them and I’m tired of looking!

One of the first nights we were there, Ronna and I took a walk on the beach after dinner. The sun was setting and we were alone. As the light faded and we just stood quietly talking by the lapping surf, when suddenly without much noise, a native Jamaican came out of the water wearing snorkeling gear and asked us..”Manja?” We shook our heads and he dived back down! Hilarious.

This was my first taste of traveling as a “single” woman again and I started to wear contact lens for the first time on a regular basis. It was an interesting time and Ronna made many friends. A couple of the guys worked in Forest Hills and I actually saw them a few times after this trip.

In November, I took Nikki to St. Maarten. This was the first trip that was just the two of us so there were a lot of “firsts” in 1988. We stayed at the Great Bay Hotel and it was in walking distance to town. It was quiet since it was the off-season. The pool was relaxing and I remembered bringing my needlepoint with me to work on. I also remembered very clearly, a mother and adult daughter also being there. The mom was youthful looking and in great shape and they both attracted some gentlemen to buzz around them. I had thought to myself at the time…I would like to do that one day with Nikki but it seemed so far away! But now I don’t think Nikki would be up to doing that!

Meeting Mickey & Friends

In May of 1988 when both Nikki and Kris were 3, we made our first trip to Disney World. We stayed at Fantasy Villas, the first time we were at a place that wasn’t just a hotel room. It was a 2 floor townhouse and we loved it. Fully equipped, it was as if we were staying in a friend’s home. Very roomy, very comfortable for the 5 of us with 2 bedrooms, a full kitchen, dining room and living room.



We rented a car and Tony did all the driving but Kris was at the stage where she insisted she sit in the front seat and her mom in the back. We had to tell her this was “Aunt Esther’s car” and she was okay with me sitting in front with Tony. Everywhere we went, that was the arrangement - only on the last day, I had Kathy sit in front with her husband because “Aunt Esther” said so!


On Main Street for the first time



It was a lot of fun and when we first entered Magic Kingdom and saw the Disney characters, Kris immediately wanted to hug them and shake their hands. Nikki was excited but from afar. She didn’t want to be near them and appreciated them at least 6 feet away.


Kris meeting one of the characters up-close


Nikki giving a wide berth


Yummy!!

The most memorable moment was on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. As our turns came up, Nikki and I grabbed the first car and not realizing we would be plunged into darkness, it scared Nikki and she started crying hysterically. Throughout the whole 3 minute ride, she was terrified. I couldn’t wait for it to end. Behind us, I could hear Kris also wailing. I couldn’t believe both kids got so frightened. But as we all got off the ride, Kris wasn’t crying because she was scared, she was crying because she felt Nikki got to sit “up-front” even though we had individual cars!





But all the other rides were fabulous, especially Small World. We went back to Disney many times after this but for me, this trip was the sweetest.

Close Call!

Nikki’s 3rd birthday was celebrated the next year on a cruise. Once again, we sailed from Miami and our first stop was San Juan where Stan had to get off and returned to work. My girlfriend, Ronna sailed with Nikki and me the rest of the way.



This was the cruise where Nikki discovered Cesar Salad (with extra croutons), caviar and cappuccino. She ended up having these 3 items every night even though the Cesar salad and caviar wasn’t on the menu. And double helping on the caviar no less. Other passengers stopped me on the ship to comment how delightful it was to watch Nikki eat her caviar. Using a heavy silver knife, she would start to put together her perfect bite…caviar, minced onion, chopped egg on toast points. The cappuccino was more milk than espresso. Till this day, Nikki has a fondness for caviar.


Ronna & Nikki with her caviar


In St. Thomas

One of our stops was Martinique, At the time, Ronna was a real sun-worshipper and we had to visit every beach on our route. When we came to Martinique, the ship needed to anchor which meant we needed to take a tender to shore. From there, we needed to take a small ferry to the beach. There was a huge billboard with the time table of the ferry and we had to be back in time to catch the last tender. The schedule was in French but read like a railroad time table - we pretty much deciphered it.


One of the many beautiful beaches

The beach was okay…small and quiet - we had a nice day. When it was getting to be time to catch the ferry, we packed up and headed to the landing. We waited and waited. No ferry. As we looked at the billboard again, we came to the realization that we read it incorrectly. The next ferry would arrive at our destination about the time the last tender would be leaving!!

I didn’t say a word. All I kept thinking was that Nikki needed to pee and there was no bathroom in sight. We didn’t have any change of clothes but thankfully I had my credit card and I was trying to figure out how we were going to find a hotel and then a flight to the next island! I believe it was St. Maarten but I don’t really remember.

Nikki was so GOOD! She knew something was wrong and even though she needed the bathroom - when I asked her to hold it, she did. The ferry finally came. Time was very tight. The ferry ride was about half n’ hour. As we got close to the pier, we could see the tender pulling away. Ronna, never one to be shy, picked up Nikki and shouted to the tender to “WAIT!! WAIT!!” and waved the baby at them. The tender returned to the pier and we were able to get on! Whew! What an adventure!


Happily back on board!

Everyone Aboard!

I have been trying to sort out the thousands of photos I have. I am an avid photographer and have been from the moment I found an old 35mm Pentax of my mother’s. Even now, I make sure I have a camera on me whenever I go out with friends or family.

I had picked up a couple of new photo albums and decided to make them “Vacation” albums. That in itself is a job and a half! But looking through the photos and all of the trips I have taken through the years brought back very good memories. Most of it has to do with Nikki and watching her grow. She was always a wonderful traveler. Her first cruise was at the age of 2. And the great thing is that she was always really well behaved in a restaurant so taking her into a fancy place was not a hardship to us or the patrons around us. And then when it was just her and me traveling alone, I couldn’t have had a better companion.

With so many photos, I want to share it with all of you and will be posting different photos at various times of mostly Nikki on our getaways.

Nikki’s first cruise was on the MV Homeric April 11, 1987. I worked for Home Lines at the time and the employees were allowed a free cruise once a year. I took advantage of that perk every year for the 6 1/2 years I worked there. This particular sailing left from Miami and sailed to the Caribbean. Nikki was still in diapers and I already had so much to bring. At the time, cruises still had dinner where you had to dress up - men in suits, woman in cocktail attire. So between Stan, myself and Nikki’s gear, there was quite abit to pack. Luckily, our ground operator in Miami, Rose and I had a good relationship. She was able to get me a box of Pampers and had it delivered to our cabin the day of sailing. What a big help that was! And Rose had a white stretch limo pick us up from the airport! I remember Nikki being able to just walk back and forth inside the car and marveling over the soda and TV that came with the car.


Nikki at the firedrill

Nikki did great on this cruise. The crew was all Italian and delighted in her, missing their own children. She was also still on the bottle and would take her empty milk bottle out to the hallway and the porter or cabin steward would fill it immediately. This was also the age where she was fascinated with playing with ice cubes and so the ice bucket in the room was her “toy”. I had a terrific time dressing her up every night in pretty dresses. When we were having dessert, the waiter would take her and carry her around the restaurant and call her “Bella”.


Nikki at dinner


On her first Caribbean beach

I start this “Vacation” blog on Nikki’s birthday today. Happy Birthday, my darling girl!

Winner....Not!

I was watching the 5000th episode of Wheel of Fortune. I hardly ever watch this show and hadn’t seen it in quite a while but for some reason when I heard of this milestone, I tuned in. They have changed the game a bit but I got the gist of it all. Doesn’t take a brain surgeon - probably why it’s so popular.

As I watched the contestants do their thing…it came to mind that in all my years of seeing participants in game shows and such - it was surprising to me that I have never known or recognized anyone on any of these shows!

I have been out in the world. I have met many people. Only once did I know of anyone and this I knew beforehand. In 7th grade, my homeroom and English teacher, Mrs. Catugno and her husband who was the gym teacher, both appeared on a game show called “Beat the Clock”. Now that was fun to watch! They both did great although I can’t remember how much they won. It was probably a washer and dryer. That was the big gift in those days.

A few years back, Nikki and I attended a taping of The Tony Danza show. It was a morning talk show and prior to our going into the studio, a staffer asked if I would like to participate in a game they were going to feature on the show. I said yes. It was both frightening and exhilarating.

They seated us in the front row and miked me! Wow. The guest was John McGinley from Scrubs and I was the first person to answer a multiple choice question for a prize. Before the show, I was prepped on where to stand (between Tony & John like below) - to be lively and smile and have lots of energy. Sure…not a prob..a snap. ..what’s the big deal? But the weirdest thing happened when the camera came on and I was ON. It was so “deer in the headlights’ moment. I didn’t stand where I was supposed to. I wasn’t peppy. And I got my question wrong! I might have even stuttered! Sheesh!



For my efforts, I was rewarded a plastic bed-pan. And the first season of Scrubs. All which I gave to Nikki.

My big moment. To be discovered. Down the bed pan.

Sky's the Limit!

A few years back, at a family get together, my sisters and I were sitting at the dining table gossiping and chatting. Somehow the subject of “money is no object” came up and we were discussing what item or thing was so important to us that we don’t look at the price tag.

Evelyn said restaurants. She never looks at the right side of the menu. She will order whatever she feels like having and I don’t blame her. I have tried not to look at the right side of the menu but I can’t help it. My eyes are drawn to that side and I will admit that sometimes the cost will deter me from having something. Unless I am feeling “rich”…I will go for it but for the most part, I will choose an entrée in the mid-range. That’s why being on a cruise is so fabulous. Order anything you want! And if you don’t like it…order something else! All the way on the other side of the spectrum is Kathy who balks if she misses the early bird special. Once we missed it by mere seconds! I can’t blame her for that one!



My “money is no object” is air-conditioning in warm weather. I must have it. All the time. I don’t care how much the electric bill is going to be and it always surprises me when it’s not as high as I anticipated. I hate being hot when I am sleeping so that’s a must have! I purchased the only house upstate that had an air-conditioner. It was meant to be.



Kathy, who is the thriftiest of all three sisters and the most cost-conscious wracked her brain to think what she would just spend money without a qualm. And she couldn’t come up with anything. Finally I suggested an idea. I believed it’s in regard to her daughter, Kristina. Yep, when it came to Kris, in most cases, Kathy sometimes paid top dollar for certain things. If I mentioned them here, she would kill me so I will just leave it at that.


Young Kristina

There are probably many other things that I feel this way about. It definitely depends on how filled my pockets are. In my hey day…I would opt for field seats versus bleachers. A suite in the George V versus the Holiday Inn. A full spa treatment versus just a pedicure. Movado versus Timex. Louis Vuitton versus Filene’s Basement. First class versus anything else!!!

Missing Hawaii

I have been to Hawaii twice in my life. The first time was in 1980 when I was 3 months pregnant with Nikki. Stan and I visited San Francisco and Honolulu. Honolulu was great but I couldn’t eat sushi because of the pregnancy so I missed out on all that good fish. It was also during the US Open and I was addicted to tennis. The beautiful Kahala Hilton had a TV out by the pool and beach and I parked myself there. Poor Stan…besides the Open, I was also so tired all the time. But we did all the tourist stuff…Pearl Harbor, Dole Pineapple Factory and Don Ho as seen below.

In San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, people would be flying colorful kites on the grass and Stan was intrigued and purchased one. The Hawaiian resort was on the outskirts of the city and we had rented a car. We had to pass a gorgeous park each time going to and from the hotel to “town”. He wanted to fly the kite in the park but tennis was on so he went off on his own. Much to my surprise. he returned half n’ hour later. Apparently on the first try, his kite flew into a tree and was stuck there. That was that. Think Charlie Brown.

The second visit was with Nikki in 1997. We flew into Honolulu for a few days and then went onto Maui. It was a great trip. We both learned how to make leis in Maui and excitedly purchased the supplies to make them at home. Suffice it to say, we never made another lei ever again!

Nikki wearing her handmade lei

Having never traveled to Asia, Hawaii was the only destination that I have ever been to, that the locals thought I was a native. It was so strange to just automatically “belong”. When I was buying tickets for the zoo, the clerk asked to see my driver’s license which I thought was odd. But he said this way I could get a resident discount! Then at a supermarket where I was purchasing cold cuts for lunch, the counter man asked me if I was taking a day off from work or did I get out early for the day! It was quite amusing.

I love Hawaii…I love how in Honolulu, one side of the street is like being on Fifth Avenue and right across the street is the beach. What a sight. All really fabulous.

But my title of this piece doesn’t really have to do with all I have just written because as much as I love Hawaii…I don’t have any real ties there. No….“Missing Hawaii” refers to my last quarter for my collection!
Anyone have one???