Yesterday we woke early and headed to SFO. We weren’t sure if we’d hit traffic or long lines for security since APEC is going on. Nope. No issues. Thankfully Dan had two passes for the United lounge so we enjoyed the slightly less noisy area (but it sure was crowded).

Then it was board the plane and fly off to New York!

We arrived at our hotel (The Hotel Belleclaire, to be precise), enjoyed okay glasses of wine offered to us there, and met up with Jameson. I had been in contact with the hotel because it seemed each time we came here we’d get a smaller and smaller room. My “friend” (well, he seems like one by now) Benedict assured me he’d give us a nice room and, indeed, it was exactly like the very first one we stayed in. It might be, in fact, the same one. We can’t tell for sure — the first time we stayed here was shortly after the pandemic had lightened up and the hotel had only just been refurbished after housing homeless during the worst of the pandemic times and the room had one table and chair, the bed, and not much else. Now it does have art on the walls. But the bathroom door sticks and Dan and I both remember that so we are thinking it’s the same room.

Anyway, I ramble. As always. About nothing!

So … getting to this room that might be the same as before … we were greeted by a bottle of wine and some macarons, and a Happy Birthday to me. Yes, we came here so I can celebrate my birthday with some of our kids. How sweet is that?! I must, I’m sure, credit Benedict for the treat as well.

After dropping off our luggage Dan, Jameson, and I headed to Amsterdam Ale House. We grabbed some appetizers and beers, and yakked away. A bit later my brother Timothy and sister-in-law Margaret also arrived and we had dinner. Sadly the place got extremely noisy which made hearing pretty difficult for me. (We really need to search for quiet restaurants now. Sigh.) What a fun night, though, despite the noise.

Then we walked back to our hotel and hit the hay.

(No photos … didn’t even think to take any, silly me!)