just got back

a stroll through Central Park

Hubby and I just returned from San Francisco and New York and although it’s still hot in Hawaii, I finally feel like it’s fall. Both cities were vibrant with people out walking and restaurants bustling. There ares lots of shop fronts that were out of business due to the pandemic but I think that’s everywhere, and that will take some time to get back to normal. We ate lots of delicious food and drinks and saw a Broadway show called Come From Away. A couple of my favorite meals were cocktails at The Campbell Bar in Grand Central Station, tapas at Little Spain, and Lombardi’s Pizza. We really kept the plans to a minimum this trip and decided to just go with the flow and it worked out beautifully.

All of these tables were filled with kids playing chess

I made sure to pace myself and rest for a little bit in the afternoons which worked out well. Marc had a few things to do in the city so I flew there by myself and stopped in San Francisco to see my son Austin. I booked my seat with my right side facing the aisle, which is my more symptomatic side. I left for the airports with plenty of time so that I wasn’t stressed and tried to time my medications so that they were hitting at the right times. Even though I only had a carry on, I checked it anyway because I wanted to get through security and board the plane without having to lug lots of stuff and deal with the overhead bins. All of those things really helped make the flights easier to navigate with PD.

The slight chill in the air in both cities were fantastic and the people watching on the streets and what they were wearing was just what I needed to kick my brain into fall. There is no real fall or winter in Hawaii so you have to trick your brain into thinking there is. I’ve picked up a few fall scented candles, pulled out some darker colored clothes in my closet, along with swapping accessories like bags and shoes. I also have my pumpkin spiced tea, bookmarked my cozy ambience rooms on you tube, and darker nail polish and I’m ready for fall!

Have a good weekend ❤️

traveling with parkinson's

I’m traveling this week to visit my son Austin in San Francisco. I’m so excited to spend time with him and it’s the first trip that I’ve taken since the pandemic started. Plus, I get to wear a sweater (trust me, if you live in Hawaii, it’s a big thing).

I’m fortunate that my symptoms are pretty manageable so I won’t have to make too many preparations for traveling, but I do want to be prepared and make the most of my trip. My right side has more motor problems like tremor and dyskinesia, so I’ve chosen a seat on the plane so my right side is either next to the window or the aisle. It’s less distracting to the person next to me and makes me feel more comfortable during the flight. If I’m on a long flight, I like to be on the aisle because it’s easier to get up and stretch my legs or use the restroom.

Traveling from Hawaii always takes a long time with many being overnight flights, and I cannot sleep a wink on a plane. Which means I’m a wreck when I arrive, so I try to plan my trip with only waking hour flights. That can mean I have to add a few connections and/or stay overnight on a connection but for me that works out much better than losing a nights sleep.

Next is packing. I’ve got my hospital kit for an unexpected hospital trip which I highly recommend if you don’t have one. For home or traveling, it’s free in the US, you just pay for the shipping. If you’re out of the US there are some free downloadable forms and you can create your own bag.

Take photos of my medication bottles, ID, Covid-19 vaccination card, & credit cards in case I lose any of them I have all the information. Also a tip for even at home is to take a photo of your Covid vaccination card and your ID in the same photo. When I go somewhere that requires it, I don’t have to fumble looking for both.

Check my phone apps that I use for traveling and make sure the passwords are auto loaded, and any credit card information in the app is ready to go. For this trip I’m using Uber/Lift, my airline app, google maps, and the TSA app which is the government travel app. Another tip is before I leave home I go onto google maps on my computer and I pin/star all the places that I plan to visit. Then it’s easy to locate when I’m looking at the map on my trip. But the funnest part is that when you’re done with your trip, you can look back at the map and you have an instant travel log.

Pace out my day. I tend to have a laundry list of things I want to do but that can lead to burn out, so I plan out down time. I also make sure I don’t stop exercising on my trip. The mornings are usually the best for me before the day gets busy. I’ve got my laptop so even in a hotel room I can get in a good workout.

Here are a few sites with good information on traveling with Parkinson’s. Hope you have a good week. 💖

Parkinson’s Foundation

Davis Phinney

Michael J. Fox

summer of brazil

We just returned from a fantastic trip to Brazil. My son Bronson lives in Rio so we started there and enjoyed many breathtaking sights, fabulous food, and experiences. It’s the perfect time to visit as it’s winter there and the low tourist season, so it felt like we had many places to ourselves.

In Rio we stayed in Ipanema a block from the gorgeous beach. Some of the favorite foods we ate were the Pao de Queijo which are chewy bread rolls with cheese in the middle, the Portuguese custard pastries called Pasteis de nata, and a fresh farmers cheese and guava paste they call Romeu e Julieta. And of course the Caiparinha’s were flowing.

From Rio, our next stop was Paraty, a charming small colonial seaside town where we took a small boat to along the coastline which was incredible. Then to the big city of Sao Paulo and the falls of Iguassu. The people throughout Brazil were very friendly and welcoming, the scenery is spectacular, and the food delicious.

When I travel, my PD symptoms seem to lessen. It’s probably the adrenaline of being on the trip, coupled with wanting to keep up with everyone that keeps my focus on other things. I did rest when I needed to and did my best to eat well which did help quite a bit. It was a memorable trip!

road trip here i come

For the last few weeks we were on a road trip. San Francisco, Atlanta, Savannah, Charleston, Charlotte, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and New York! Marc and I have never driven many of these southeast states and we had a fantastic time. We had a lot of wonderful conversations with people we met. Everyone from our Lyft driver to random folks on the street, and along the way ate some incredible food.

San Francisco –the weather was blazing hot everywhere we went except in San Francisco. The skies were sunny with cool breezes and we stayed in an airbnb in the Bernal Heights neighborhood, and enjoyed a wonderful little cafe across the street called Precita Cafe & Grill.

Golden Gate Park was in full bloom and has lots of interesting things to see including the Conservatory of Flowers.

Lolinda restaurant in the Mission. A bustling Argentinian restaurant with mostly small plates, melt in your mouth shortribs & provoletta which is melted provolone cheese drizzled with a chimichurri sauce. It was all delicious.

Redwood Regional Park in Oakland is a great place for a walk, hike, or picnic. The bed of green below are clovers and it was wonderful to soak up the nature. We will definitely be back for a hike.

Atlanta - What a terrific city. It was vibrant, tons of great places to eat, bustling businesses, and was the start of the incredible southern hospitality that was to come. A few highlights were the Ponce City Market, One Eared Stag, Piedmont Park, & The Lawrence.

This incredible place is called Wormsloe in Savannah Georgia. Savannah is just overflowing with old Southern charm and the antebellum architecture was just stunning. B. Mathews & A.Lure were two restaurants we enjoyed.

Charleston, South Carolina has a great buzz to it. It's a beautiful mix of older homes, newer buildings, and lots of young people moving into the city for opportunity. I loved it! We stayed at the Andrew Pickney Inn which was right in the heart of the historic district and walkable to great shopping and restaurants. Although we had many fabulous meals, one of my favorites on the entire trip was at Husk. If you visit, it's a must.

More to come in my next post with Charlotte, DC, Philadelphia, & Brooklyn!