My Ultimate Concierge and I spent an unexpected week in the Big Apple. I had two choices. I could pout and place blame, or I could bloom where I was planted! As a woman over 50 who has suffered through many adversities, I am sure you know my decision. Darling, I decided to live each day with passion. To live in the present moment. To move forward, not backward. You may also benefit from reading my stories How to Create Peace of Mind When the Going is Rough, and How to Travel Stress-Free and Enjoy the Ride.

Planted in the Big Apple After 50

We left Chicago for New York on Sunday. It was to be a turnaround trip. My Ultimate Concierge had an important meeting on Monday. We expected to fly home on Tuesday. Instead, we found ourselves planted in the Big Apple until Saturday. Reason? All flights were canceled to Chicago in the three airports because of the FAA and fires in Canada until Saturday, July 1st.

We spent Tuesday at La Guardia with false promises of the next and the next flight leaving. With passion, I started the ball rolling when I realized we were not going to go to fly to Chicago. We were going to drive back to Manhattan! 

“What gives me a head start is my ability to see my glass half full, even in the worst of times.” — Honey Good

When in Trouble, Ask!

Darling, when in trouble, feel comfortable asking for what you want.  Advice, help, wisdom, guidance. Asking=Information. When you find yourself in a tough situation, go to a source who has wisdom. Ask, ask, ask. In our situation—stuck in New York without a room or airline tickets home—I called our travel agent.

Learning early on in life that it is not what you know, it is who you know, I felt 100% at ease phoning our travel agent Ayse; a trusted professional. In Frankfurt, Germany she arranged to have our family of five who lived in four different states fly on four different airplanes and meet at the same time in Frankfurt to board our flight to Kenya, East Africa! If she could work her magic in Frankfurt, Germany she would work her magic getting us hotel reservations, driver, and plane tickets home.  

The moral of the story: choose a qualified travel agent and never fear asking for assistance. 

Our New Journey in the Big Apple

We arrived back in Manhatten on Tuesday at 8:30 PM. Our home away from home, the Regency, was booked! Ayse made reservations at the Pierre. We had a candle-lit dinner and a very much-needed good night’s sleep. And the next day, she had airplane reservations and our favorite room at the Regency booked. She would try and get us home before July 1st, but due to her due diligence and my choice of an agent, I knew we were protected. 

The Importance of an Organized Calendar and Phone Directory

If your calendar and phone list is not up to snuff, make sure it is because one never knows when it will become your resource for survival.

I relied on both to cancel and reschedule a week’s worth of appointments. I am sure most of you know that when you lack organization in your life you create havoc! Ask Marie Kondo! In the end, I spent hours Wednesday on the phone. My Ultimate Concierge read and watched TV. By Wednesday night, between Ayse and me, our house was in order.

Remember, no circumstance is beyond your control! Each unpleasant circumstance leaves you with a positive lesson.

I did take away two lessons from our over-stay in New York. Bring a lot of extra cash and extra medications!

Travel to Become a Worldly Woman after 50

Learning to Deal With Problems and Bloom Where Planted

My favorite pleasure in life at this stage, besides loving, is learning. Learning is giving yourself new roots for self-growth. I am determined to bloom until my last breath. 

I am a Modern Matriarch over 50. Like you, I know how to weed out disappointments, frustrations, and anger and replace those feelings with new growth—positivity, perseverance, and love.

What gives me a head start is my ability to see my glass half full, even in the worst of times. I have learned how to pivot so I can bloom where I am planted! It is a combination of my DNA and life experiences. This time it was a two-day stay that turned into six days in the Big Apple. 

We Made This Experience a Time of Restoration…

Our days were spent quietly. They were the best. We talked, laughed, watched the news, and munched on Snicker bars and fresh strawberries. I wrote stories and laundry lists! After all, we only had a two-day supply of clothing. 

My Ultimate Concierge’s ability to take long jaunts stopped us from going to the MOMA. The next theatre matinee was on Saturday and we had nightly dinner plans so we missed Broadway. I was disappointed for a second and then moved on to positivity. 

So, I thought, “I am content to ‘just be’ because I have my sidekick beside me. I am grateful. My Ultimate Concierge—not the MOMA, theatre, or shopping, is my heart.” 

You know, darling, pruning back our daily activities is healthy for the soul. It nourishes us. It gives us food for thought and renews our strength to plow forward—which we did Friday! During the evenings we swung into action with friends from Chicago and New York.

New Glasses on Friday With the Eyeglass King

I had a craving for new eyeglass frames and was determined to shop for them with our dear friend, in my opinion, the eyeglass king of fashion, Noberto de la Rosa. Friday afternoon, the three of us hopped in a taxi and stopped in at EB Meyrowitz, whose sister’s eyewear shop is in Paris, where my Ultimate Concierge bought his first pair of red framed glasses 20 years ago!

At that time, he shopped with our French friend, Jean-Marc Levant, who wore red-framed glasses! Full circle, 20 years later, we were in the sister shop in Manhattan! I was in awe, but then I am in awe every day about something!

My Ultimate Concierge bought a new pair of red-framed glasses for himself and two pair of new glasses for me. One of my frames is an apple green, and the other is a stunning deep blue. Needless to say, one of my favorite accessories are my glasses, so I was like a kid in a candy shop! 

The nights we got really into the pursuit of happiness and swung into action with Chicago and New York friends. 

Life Is a Comedy of Marvelous Errors

By chance, our friends from Chicago were staying at the Regency. How special. We met them and had lunch and dinner together at Primola. My close friend Susan and Noberto live next door to the Regency, so it was easy peasy for us to get together for dinner too at Primola! 

Dinner(s) at Primola!

Who would have thought with all the restaurants in New York my two friends would choose the same restaurant? We had dinner at Primola two nights in a row and loved every minute. After all, dining out is about the company.

Both of our friends were steady customers. Susan eats there weekly and orders in. And my Chicago friends dined at Primola often. It was our first experience, and we will make it a priority because the ambiance is marvelous and the menu perfect, even though the first night, my steak was tougher than nails.

The waiter noticed I hardly touched my dinner and asked me if there was a problem. He took my plate into the kitchen and returned to apologize for the poor quality. Next to appear was the owner, who explained that the kitchen was told never to serve the last cut because it would always be tough. We had a nice chat.

The next evening I was again at Primola, and who greeted us, none other than the owner!  He was very startled to see me with such frequent guests two nights in a row! He gave me a smile and whispered, “Don’t order the steak!” Of course, I laughed. 

We also dined with Susan and Noberto, and another Chicago friend at Le Bibouquet. Order the mussels. 

I would highly recommend the dining room at The Pierre. Their service, menu, and staff were outstanding. 

And, I cannot forget Il Mulino on Park Avenue and the Regency Hotel, our home away from home, also on Park Ave. The location is superior.

We never stop learning, do we, darling? I love to share my information. 

Six Days in New York—The Moral of the Story

Darling, ‘bloom where you are planted.’ 

• Carry extra cash and medications. 
• Hire a great travel agent. 
• Be a good picker in everything you do.
• Never fear asking for advice. 
• Organize and keep an updated calendar and phone directory.

I learned organization from the best—Marie Kondo!!!! You can learn from me. I love to share information. It brings me great joy and fulfillment. Amen. 

My Journey to Become ‘The Modern Matriarch’