Peruvian Gifts

Nikki returned home this morning from her trip to Peru with Tom. She spent 9 days there visiting Lima and hiking Machu Picchu. From the sound of things, she ate fabulous food and had a tremendous experience - I am awaiting to see her 1000 photos.

More importantly is what she brought home to me! Prior to her trip, she threatened to get me a Peruvian poncho a la Ugly Betty..but more colorful.



Of course, I would LOVE anything she got me but a poncho is just sooo not me. I asked for a key chain...preferably with my name. I have a thing about that. LOVE seeing my name!! More so because it's hard to find. So if ever I see anything that has "Esther" printed on it...I buy it!

I had gone to Acapulco when I was 23 and was alone on the beach. A peddler came by and said he had necklaces with my name. I scoffed. No way! But he was adament. I challenged him and told him my name and he opened his black case and pulled out a gold necklace with a huge ESTHER plaque! OMG!! And as much as I was amazed, I actually passed on this one!

I have these 2 key chains...top one is from San Francisco - bottom from Hawaii. I also have a beautiful wooden pen with my name engraved on it which I found in Bar Harbor but I can't seem to locate it and you know it's driving me crazy right now.



Well...Nikki pulled out my first gift. WOW! I LOVE it! (already attached to my car key)- even she couldn't believe she found this for me!



And then my second and third..gorgeous alpaca wool scarves. So soft...really lovely.


As thrilled as I am for Nikki - I am more thrilled that she is home, safe and sound.

Go Yankees!!!

Nikki and I went to the new Yankees stadium last night. Although a beautiful night, it was pretty windy sitting all the way near the top along with the birds!


We're pretty high up!


Wearing my Yankees hoodie-b-day gift from Nikki

The stadium is gorgeous and we enjoyed the whole experience especially with the Yankees winning 9-1 against the Orioles. A couple of home runs (A-Rod and Texiera) certainly makes for a great game!


The Great Hall - great meeting place

Entering the stadium, they allowed food and bottles of water. And they don’t even need you to transfer it to a clear plastic bag. I like it!


Miss Yankee of Liberty

Nikki made a friend…as she seems to do a lot these days! A row of guys sat in front of us and one of them (Andrew) took a liking to her and sat with her a bit. He was also a little tipsy but it was all in good fun. After he left to smoke a cigarette -he never came back as Nikki predicted since she felt he would never find his way back!

I discovered “Garlic Fries” - omigosh…they are wicked good! Nikki said she is going to try to make them and I hope she does! I would prefer not having to pay $6 to eat them again!


Worth it!!!

I have always loved that first moment of entering a ball park. It is just exhilarating to see the green field and baseball players. I remembered one of the first times I was at a game and the vendors would come around hawking their wares. A guy was throwing bags of peanuts through the air and people were catching them! FREE PEANUTS…or so I thought and grabbed a bag - delighted at my prize…until I had to dish out $5! That was an expensive lesson especially since I don’t even like peanuts! Suffice it to say…I never made that mistake again!


Leaving the stadium at night...so pretty!


The crowds descending...

Tap Tap Tap...& Twirl

Today was Miranda's performance with Alvin Ailey and she showed off her tap-dancing and ballet. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take any photos of the actual show. Darn!

Miranda was gorgeous as usual and danced beautifully! Made all of us want to start taking classes.

After the show, I was able to snap away and so instead of sending photos to everyone, I will just post it here for all to see. Enjoy!


Miranda & her ballet teacher


Miranda & her beautiful friends & fellow dancers


Evelyn, Mark & Miranda


Miranda & her Nana, Shirley


Tom, Miranda & Nikki


Miranda & her favorite Aunt

My Baby's Babies

I think Nikki was born to be a mother. She is very maternal and children gravitate to her. At a young age, any child younger than she would immediately be drawn to her. We noticed that first when a little girl that Stan’s mother was baby-sitting just plopped down in Nikki’s lap without knowing her. We were all perplexed but the little girl seemed so happy and settled in.

And time hasn’t changed that. We hear a lot of “I want to sit next to Nikki!!” whenever we are around little girls. I have to admit, I love Nikki’s patience, compatibility and enjoyment with children.

But I believe it is innate since no one ever taught her how to be with kids. And it started a long time ago with her ‘babies” and she was a very serious mommy. I know a mommy is not supposed to have favorites but Nikki had a favorite and her name is Stacey.





I don’t remember exactly when Stacey came into our lives but whenever it was, she was here to stay. She traveled so much with Nikki that she had her own passport. -that Nikki made for her.

1990
1994
In Jamaica
In Montreal

Everyone who knew Nikki also knew Stacey…that was a given. Of course, she had many other kids and occasionally but rarely, someone else would come along on our trips. Goldie came on a Disney trip with us and on the plane ride down, Nikki’s Virgin Bloody Mary (sigh..yes, that was her drink of choice) spilled all over the doll. UGH. The condo we were staying at had a washer and dryer and we had to wash Goldie. She was a rag doll with long blonde curly hair. The tomato juice washed out but the stuffing moved around and poor Goldie was never the same after that. She lost her stuffing in her neck so her head wouldn’t stay up. For the longest time, whenever Goldie’s name came up, Nikki would gesture to her own neck and sadly shake her head while tilting to the side. But she was still loved.



To this day, her babies are still in her old room - just sitting and waiting for their mommy to come and visit.

We Voted for St. Thomas

My last plane ride for 1990 was in November and I flew to Houston to attend a computer course for the airline system we contracted to use in the office.

But prior to that trip, I made a quick getaway with Nikki to St. Thomas. It looks as if I took Nikki out of school over Election Day. She had started kindergarten in September. But in all honesty, I don’t remember doing that but it was only one missed day.



We stayed in a 1 bedroom condo with a kitchen. The property was right on the beach and Nikki, once again made a friend.

Beginning of an End

This next trip was a tough one. In the summer of 1990, Stan and I were getting along rather nicely. But I was going through a crisis. My business partner, Michael was very ill and my life was in turmoil. I was trying to see if I could savage my marriage and at the same time, stressing over Mike. I had been offered a free cruise on Royal Viking Line the first week of September which was the cruise line we were working for at the time. I had asked Stan if he would come with Nikki and me. I even had two cabins to off-set the strangeness of the whole thing. He agreed.

As things would happen, we lost Mike the same week I was scheduled to set sail. After much discussion, I made the difficult decision to sail. I needed to be away from what had been a roller coaster year and losing Michael was more than I was able to handle.

Royal Viking Line was a luxury cruise line. Much more geared to an older sophisticated clientele. We sailed to Bermuda. An island I had been to hundreds of times and never got tired of. No poverty and beautifully maintained.


Arriving in Bermuda

It ended up being a peaceful and relaxing time. Stan and I got along fine but I think we both knew we were better apart than together so it was bittersweet. It seemed appropriate I was on the high seas when Mike’s funeral took place. I met him at Home Lines and built a company together based on cruising. I had my own private farewell with him in the middle of the ocean. And there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t miss this wonderful person.




Stan, Nikki & a Viking


Ship's Pool


Pink sand beaches of Bermuda


On the streets of Hamilton, Bermuda (Ship is in the background)

A Palace for a Princess

At the end of April, Nikki and I flew to Nassau, Bahamas. I wanted to see the new Crystal Palace and it was a beauty. Large and spacious, the pool area was beautiful. The Atlantis wasn’t built yet. The Crystal Palace is noted for its very colorful façade. We were only there for 3 nights. Nikki did the usual, joining the kid’s club and finding a friend. Fun and relaxing.


Gorgeous landscaping


With her new friend