I had been to the Global citizen Festival 2019 recently which was celebrating 10 years of powering the moment to end extreme poverty. Through this campaign Global Citizens have taken over 1 million actions. These actions have resulted in 18 commitments worth $932.1 million, and set to affect the lives of 7.6 million people. The festival also saw partners and members of Congress make announcements worth $1.6 billion.
The event took place in the open lawns at Central Park which could accommodate as many as hundreds of thousands of people. We arrived at the location at 3ish. There is a boat house restaurant at central park where I planned on having our brunch/lunch.
Central Park never fails to impress. Does it ?
Being a Saturday our lazy bums got lazy and we didn’t get out till 2:00pm. So, we did not get to eat at the boat house restaurant.(there was a waiting time of 2 hours and the event started at 5:00pm). We just grabbed burgers, Salads and fries at a cafe nearby and headed to the event.
Shredded Chicken and everything else!
Oh wait. There was a lemonade truck (very small one which doesn’t qualify to be called a truck) where they offered free lemonades if we followed them on Instagram. Of course all of us did (who doesn’t want a free lemonade).
We got extra lemonades when we promised to tag them on Instagram (So cheap of us, I know but don’t judge).
By the way the lemonades were awesome. I took the pink bottle which was both fancy and tasty. Probably one of the best I have had. ! You should try it if you find one (2-3$ won’t hurt – So just give it a try and Thank me later). Holding our bottles we headed to the event.
Sip while you walk – the line was really big and it took us about 25-30 minutes (including the security check) to get into the venue.
This event was sponsored by Comcast and NSBC. We got free water in free pretty bottles labeled Comcast and NSBC.
While we settled on the lawns, we took few pictures.
The wallpaper is a picture I clicked recently!
Enter a captionShades of Brown!
Okay! So now the festival had the amazing people who performed that evening. With a blend of pop and policy, Saturday night was filled with music from headliners including Queen + Adam Lambert, Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys, OneRepublic, H.E.R., and Carole King; and special guest performances by French Montana, Ben Platt, Jon Batiste & Stay Human, David Gray, and NCT 127.
Enter a caption
Oh wait. The special guest at the show was Leonardo DiCaprio – the wolf of the wall street and an Oscar winner. !
This is one of the longest (in terms of days) and largest (in terms of people) trips I have been to in The United States. We have covered Four states (Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona & Nevada) in a span of 10 days.
We flew into Denver International airport and flew out from Vegas International airport. I have made an itinerary covering each state for about 2-3 days and in this post I will stick only to Colorado.
Let me tell you – two days in Colorado is not enough to relish such a beautiful state. ! However, if you are a first time visitor then this itinerary should do justice to Colorado. I divided my first two days in Colorado between Rocky mountains and Colorado Springs. I have missed a few things which I will put on the list for you to cover.
We stayed at Alphine Ridge Inn which is really close to The EAST entrance (Estes Park) of Rock mountains. Most people spend two-three days just at the Rocky Mountain National Park.
View from my Room!Coffee with a View!
There are four entrances to this national park and it might get confusing if you do not have all the information regarding the park because you might end up going through the wrong entrance and wasting a lot of time.
The two entrances to the east are better than the west entrance is what I have read from various sources. Initially, when I was beginning to plan, I wanted to see the entire park – But, given the time constraints I wanted to stick only to the east entrance from Estes Park.
I have also read about the numerous hike options in Rocky Mountains and have opted To hike the dream lake which is 2 miles round trip with astonishing views(From the Instagram Pictures).
The hike started from Bear lake trial parking. If you have time and the energy for a longer hike, You can get to Emerald lake which extends to another mile or mile and half.
I have read in many blogs/articles about how traffic could affect trips and I haven’t considered it very seriously. Let me tell you – The entire parking was full at 8:00 am in the morning. If you want a parking spot you should be there by 6:00am. Also, if you do not get there before 6:00am just leave your vehicle where the shuttle starts and take the shuttle – There is no point going all the way up only to head down. Rocky Mountains have exceptionally good shuttle service free of cost. Please Do not forget to carry your own water bottles and also a jacket or a rain coat. Colorado can surprise you with unplanned showers during the day.
Due to the lack of parking and the crowded shuttles, we have decided to go back to the hotel and dint get a chance to hike the Rockies. I am definitely going to come again just for the Rockies.
esson Learnt – If you want good lakes with good views GO EARLY.
We got dressed up for the scenic drive through the Trial Ridge Road. It is also called the Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway that traverses Rocky Mountain National Park from Estes Park Colorado in the east to Grand Lake, Colorado in the west.
Grand Trial Ridge Road
Let me assure you that the views are breath taking and if you are a photo addict give yourself some extra time to the drive because you will want to take many pictures along the way. !
Traveling through Rocky Mountain National Park can be both breathtaking and frustrating. Beautiful views and wildlife abound, but holiday and weekend traffic can make enjoying the scenery tough even for the calmest of drivers.
ZOE
1)Rainbow Curve: From here you are able to get unique views of Horseshoe Park, Alluvial Fan and the Beaver Ponds. 2)Lava Cliffs: A stunning contrast to some of the lingering snow on Trial Ridge Road, the Lava Cliffs are the result of some faulting and regional up-warping and volcanic activity leaving young volcanic rock in contact with Precambrian rocks 3)Toll Memorial Trail: Located at Rock Cut near the top of Trail Ridge Road the trail traverses across the open tundra. The trail gets its names from Ranger Toll the former superintendent of Rocky Mountain National Park from 1921 to 1929. 4)Rock Cut:come across Rock Cut – a landmark section of the road that cuts through the mountainside You’ll find so many photo-worthy views, you’ll quickly fill your phone/Camera with pictures and videos!
My husband/Best friend/Obsession
This is just half of the group
We headed to hit our next destination- The famous Red rocks Amiptheater which can accommodate 1000 people at a time and is considered one of the most unique and largest amphitheaters in the world.
The natural amphitheater which was once listed as one of the seven wonders of the geological world took more than 200 million years to form. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is more than just the coolest concert venue in Colorado. It’s one of the most unusual in existence. In fact, it is the only naturally occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world.
Dine with a view: The Ship Rock Grill is the on-site restaurant, built around two huge boulders both inside and out. For breathtaking views, dine on the outdoor deck. You can even book dinner here before your show, or just visit for the photo opps.
Sadly, there was a concert on the day I planned to the red rocks Amphitheater. I vaguely checked the dates of the concerts but forgot updating my itinerary.
Disappointed, we headed to Red Rocks Open Space. We reached there at around 8:00pm and walked around for about 20 minutes. With the failing light I dint manage to get any good pictures.
However, we managed to click a couple of group pictures at the entrance with headlights on!
Thus we ended the first day of our trip.
The second day I had Garden of the Gods, Manitou Cliff Dwellings and Royal Gorge Train Ride on my to do list. We started at around 8:00 am to the Garden of the Gods. I haven’t planned any adventures on this trip, but this place is popular for hiking, technical rock climbing, road and mountain biking and horseback riding.
The park’s famous red rocks formed millions of years ago due to upheavals in the earth’s surface and erosion. The rocks are conglomerates of red, pink, and white sandstones and limestone. You can travel back in time to learn more about the history of these rock formations by watching an entertaining 15-minute film during your visit to the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center.
There are different varieties of rock formations and you can get the complete guide here. It took us about 2 hours to wander and take pictures at the garden of the Gods.
We headed to Manitou cliff Dwellings which are 4miles away from the Garden of the Gods. It took us 10 minutes to reach the dwellings.
The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are a group of relocated Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings and museums located just west of Colorado. The process of relocating these cliff dwellings began in 1904 and was completed in 1907 when the preserve was open to the public. William Crosby, the original founder/owner of the Manitou Cliff Dwellings Ruins Company, wanted to preserve and protect these dwellings from looters and relic pot-hunters. His company spent many months mapping out a blueprint of the dwellings in Mc Elmo Canyon.”
So, I have read opposite views about these Manitou dwellings being a replica. These cliff dwellings are not original to the site – they were originally built in the Southwestern corner of Colorado – close to Mesa Verde National Park’s cliff dwellings. They were collected, packaged and moved by railroad from 1904 to 1907 to the Colorado Springs area and rebuilt using concrete and mortar – which is why you can tour, walk on and climb these ruins with no chance of damaging them.
The move was to protect the ruins from looters and relic collectors before the federal government passed The Antiquities Act of 1906. Check the museum for detailed history.
Finally, do not skip the cute gift shop. The chain that I am wearing in the pictures is from that store and all of them are reasonably priced.
After both of these places you can do the Royal George train ride in noon and Cave mountains in the evening. I did not get tickets for the noon ride – So had to skip and proceed to Taos, New Mexico. I cannot stress how much I miss not going on the train. On this trip I also learnt not to rush things and you should try not rushing too.
You could do Aspen mountains and The city of Fruita if you have an extra day in Colorado. Hope you loved reading as much I enjoyed putting up as much information as possible for you guys.
Did you know there’s a quaint country-like island just off the tip of the Bronx? It was a sunny day in New York and I’ve never been to City Island before. The trip to The City Island felt worlds away.
City Island, the Seaport of the Bronx, is what you would get if you crossed a New England seaside village with the Bronx. City Island is a neighbourhood in the Bronx, New York City, located on an island of the same name approximately 1.5 miles long by 0.5 miles wide. The population is under 5,000 and it’s a strange place to visit in the summer when everything is (mostly) open.
We kicked off our day with brunch at the City Island Diner.This classic diner, popular with locals, is also where Jerry Seinfeld took Ricky Gervais on an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
City Island Diner
We strolled, stopped and clicked pictures through the roads we walked.
Ruth Markowe, the namesake and proprietor of this City Island antique shop, is a genuine lover of art and ephemera, and it shows in the collection she’s amassed here. Visitors will encounter not just the typical antiquing finds—though there are plenty of beautiful old things about—but also a wide breadth of found objects and unexpected, even unusual, art finds. The difference between junk and a masterpiece is in the eye of the beholder, but shoppers are assured they’re likely to find both here if they look hard enough.
The difference between junk and a masterpiece is in the eye of the beholder
We needed a place to have our lunch and we choose the Fancy Artie’s. Oh ! The vibrant colours of the place left me amazed. We were so exhausted at this point – Did not bother taking pictures of the food.
City island is really great for sea food lovers. I personally am not a Sea food lover and I choose to have from some place that looked cute from the outside. There are a lot more options if you wish to taste the sea food.
Of Course Open !!
Keep looking for wall arts because you are sure to find many while you walk. This is a wall art at the Sundco Gas station opposite to the Artie’s.
Wall Art – Gas Station
Also, Look out for Pretty Little Spaces.
Pretty Little Spaces !
We have come to the houses with a view.
Impossible not want to live in one of these !
That is us – Famished !
It was oppressively, when we visited City Island – Lickety Split is a really great place to cool down with a generous scoop of ice cream and/or an iced coffee.
My husband and I planned this trip with our besties. This trip to Yellowstone National Park was part of our trip to Mt Rushmore and Badlands. I carried my Canon 80D and my two lens Canon EF-S 18-55mm and Tamron 70-300mm. All of us choose to meet at the Salt Lake City airport. These are the itineraries I made before we started for the trip.
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Best Time to Visit: If you prefer to experience the park with fewer tourists, consider visiting in May or September. Pack some cold-weather clothes just in case, because we dint carry our jackets and it was cold. If you don’t mind the crowds I would recommend June-August when the weather is warm and allows you to camp outdoor.
On the first day we landed at 10am in Salt Lake city and had our early lunch in an Indian restaurant which I don’t recommend because the food was so bad. We headed to Bonneville Salt Flats which was about 2 hours drive from the airport.
We took tons and tons of pictures !
The Bonneville Salt Flats is a densely packed salt pan in Utah. The formation of the Salt Flats began at the end of the last Ice Age, when the waters of Lake Bonneville began to recede. Lake Bonneville covered approx. 2/3 of Utah and was almost 1000 feet deep in the area of the Salt Flats. When this large amount of fresh water slowly disappeared over time, large concentrations of dissolved minerals were deposited in the soils that form the watershed for the Bonneville Salt Flats.
For Good pictures Wear bright/dark colours preferable sky blue !!
We spent about an hour taking pictures making weird poses. before we started our drive to YSNP. I, initially dint have Shoshone falls on my itinerary, but included a stop at Shoshone falls on our way which isn’t a big detour. It is also called the Niagara Falls of the west for a reason and I strongly suggest you visit it. We also made a quick stop at Perrine Bridge. This may be the only man-made structure in The USA which allows base jumping all through the year without a permit. We saw about 2-3 people jump off while we made a quick stop for 10mins.
Perrine Bridge
Snake River
Shoshone falls are located at the edge of Twin Falls and is a natural beauty on the Snake River. At 212 feet, the falls are higher than Niagara Falls. I have seen many blogs that suggest visiting Idaho falls, but I replaced Idaho with Shoshone falls which I don’t regret.
Shoshone Falls !!
Visit and you will not regret !
After the falls we headed directly to Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel where we booked our stay. Book your hotels much ahead of time if you are sure of visiting YSNP. We had free breakfast which included over 20 breakfasts in the buffet. The views from the hotel were beautiful. The mountains covered with snow reminded me of Kashmir, India.
We reached the hotel at around 2am in the morning the second day. Do not drive during late hours like we did. The roads are narrow we regretted the drive.
On the second day we toured few places in Yellow Stone National Park. The places I covered were Mammoth Hot Springs, Norris Geyser, the Canyon Village, Yellow Stone Lake, Grand Prismatic and Old Faithful. Mammoth Hot Springs being 6miles from our hotel was our first stop.
Mammoth Hot SpringsWalk through the trails to the highest point to appreciate them !
Then we went to the Norris Geyser which I could not appreciate that much, then the Canyon Village where we had our lunch at the Canyon lodge.
After lunch we went to the Yellow Stone Lake which is also called the Grand Canyon of YSNP. We had to stop at many places to get a proper view. There are trails all over the place. One of the hikers slipped calling for an emergency while we were at the Grand View, so be mindful while walking on the trails. We passed by creeks, water falls, and a lot of different views which we stopped at, every now and then.
The Grand View !Grand Canyon of YSNP !
The second half of the day we had time only for the Grand Prismatic Springs and the Old Faithful Gyser. On our way to Grand Prismatic Springs it started raining really bad which left us all in disappointment. We decided to go anyway. The rain stopped by the time we reached but it was really cold and the dress I choose to wear was not appropriate for the climate. You can see in one of the pictures where everyone was wearing a jacket.
Everyone in Colourful Jackets !!Turquoise Pool !Of Course, Grand !!
Our last but the best stop for the day was the Old faithful geyser. It is said that Old Faithful erupts every 35 to 120 minutes for 1 1/2 to 5 minutes. As I said its worth the wait and if you have time, I strongly urge to make time to see the eruption. While we waited we got coffee from Yellow stone Ice cream and cafe.
We waited for about 90mins to see the Old faithful eruptions which was totally worth the time.
Finally, I have searched many blogs hoping to see what to wear when in Yellow Stone National park and I found nothing. So I have decided to play and experiment with colours on my friends. Sky blue looked really beautiful in Bonneville Salt flats. I wore a yellow top with white pants and I liked how it looked in pictures. My husband wore a white shirt and I am sure he stood out in the pictures. You can also try wearing a bright pink at the geysers. If you are going in winter, carry a bright coloured Jacket. Check out these pictures for colour suggestions.
Yellow and White – Grand Canyon YSNP
Everyone in Colourful Jackets !!
Sky Blue in Bonneville Salt flats !
Yellow and White at the Geysers !
I hope you now know what to expect, what to see and what to wear, Happy travel !
