theedorks's blog

Yale Trip!

Date: Thursday, Dec. 27
Time: my house (Rachel) by 8:30am at the latest; pick up Loren and be on our way to Yale by 9.  So we should get there a little before 11 if we don't get lost =P

Things to do:

1. Yale! The obvious stuff - touring the campus itself and stopping by their campus store for shirts and whatnot.
2. Also Yale owns certain commercial properties (according to their site) so we can also check out their: Broadway Shopping District (shopping!!), Chapel Street Historic District and Audubon Arts & Retail District.
   
3. Lunch: Book Trader Cafe (1140 Chapel Street)
4. Depending on our mood and time, we could also visit the Yale Center for British Art.  Come browse the largest and most comprehensive collection of British art outside the United Kingdom. The collection of paintings‚ sculpture‚ drawings‚ prints‚ rare books‚ and manuscripts reflects the development of British art‚ life‚ and thought from the Elizabethan period onward.
5. Dinner: Bangkok Gardens Restaurant (172 York Street). 
   

Basically, it seems like everything is pretty close together .. so I think we'll take up a lot of time just walking around, exploring, and checking out whatever interests us :) 

Hope this sounds good to you! Make any suggestions/changes to the entry!

- adhd

The Yale Mix

Hopefully everyone has been keeping up with our holiday calendar because the date for Yale has been changed to Thursday, December 27th.  That means you have 1 week and 2 days to post your 5 songs for the Yale Mix! No restrictions this time around.  You can pick fast or slow songs - basically whatever you like at the moment or fits your current mood.  Aaand the sooner we finalize the songs, the more time I'll have to make the cd prettier :)

So .. start posting!

Woo hoo!!! Or if I may use "The word of the Year"- w00t! ... haha...Sorry.. so yay! I'm first- this may be the first time that I have my song list done first. Of course, subject to change though:

1. Rihanna- Please Don't Stop the Music

2. Paramore- That's What You Get

3. Paramore- When It Rains

4. A Fine Frenzy- Almost Lover

5. Marie Digby- Bring Me Love

~tourettes

adhd's songs: (could still change)
1.  Say Anything - The Church Channel
2.  Corinne Bailey Rae - Like A Star
3.  Alfa Garcia - Better
4.  Fergie - Clumsy Remix (ft. Soulja Boy)
5.  Incubus - Dig

klepto's songs (who knows)
1. Love's Divine - Seal
2. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap
3. Love Hurts - Incubus
4. The Way I Are - Timbaland
5. Walking Dead - Z-Trip

bipolar's songs
1. Vanessa Carlton - Nolita Fairytale
2. Rooney - When Did Your Heart Go Missing?
3. The Mother Hips - Time We Had
4. The Strokes - What Ever Happened
5. Lily Allen - Naive

Update: Holiday Plans

Here's the latest calendar: (the days we can't pick for stuff, excluding holidays, i've removed from the list)

DEC
21 - Tida comes home!
22 - Christmas dinner at 3fortygrill & afternoon of pampering =)
24 - Christmas Eve (with fam)
25 - Christmas (with fam)
27 - Yale / New Haven
31 - New Year's Eve (night - with fam, we could do something during the day?)
JAN
1 - New Year's Day (with fam)
4 -
5 -
6 -
10 - Tida goes home!

We still need to find days for: (1) Visit the brick & head over to Princeton or New Hope and (2) NYC.  And don't forget that we still have the nights after work to hang out too for little things like dinner or coffee (I just didn't include those days on the calendar but feel free to add them in!)
 
- adhd

* based on no one protesting to mine & bipolar's previous suggestions
** made changes after talking to klep to

Holiday Plans

I just remembered something else we forgot to mention in all our holiday plans - our brick! We need to pick a day to see it.  And maybe while we do so, we can check out Princeton or New Hope or Philly.  Or go to Rutgers afterwards for Noodle Gourmet and bubble tea.  I mean .. first let's pick a day =P

Here's our calendar so far (for December):
21 - Tida comes home!
22 - Christmas dinner at 3fortygrill & possible day of pampering =) - adhd (unless klepto says otherwise)
23 -
24 - Christmas Eve (with fam)
25 - Christmas (with fam)
26 -
27 - Visit the brick & head over to Princeton or New Hope? - bipolar
28 -
29 - Yale? - adhd
30 -
31 - New Year's Eve (with fam)

So, suggestions for when to visit our brick? for Yale? and for other plans?

Fill in the blanks! =)

- adhd

Europe, Yale, and Christmas, part 4... finally

So it's unanimous, we're going to the 3fortygrille; it's close and has a great view ... so yay!  The 21st or the 22nd seem to be the best day?  i think? unless we go the 23rd?

Yale!  Yay!  how's about a day trip during a day after Christmas?

And as for Europe.... sooooomeone needs to get her passport, otherwise no foreign countries for you :P  Have we decided on 2 cities in 2 weeks or 4 cities in 2 weeks.  I personally would prefer the 2 cities in 2 weeks, that way we can really experience each city and the cities around it.

anyways... can't wait till our dorks reunion!

~tourettes

Europe, Yale and Christmas part 3

sooooo,  I also think hoboken 3fortygrill ends up being the nicer choice for the fact that Hoboken does seem to offer more things to do and it is close by.  A lot of fun can happen there.  As for the date, I keep forgetting to ask but it'll probably end up being okay with me also.  I'll get a confirmation of it all soon enough.

Europe news - uhmmm,  I don't know any?!  =P  As far as everything else, we'll see what happens!  Here we come YALE!  Let's hope for some more good times to add to the memories...

- klepto

Europe, Yale and Christmas Part 2

I'm leaning more towards Hoboken's 3fortygrill too since it's closer to all of us, the menu looks good and we have a nice view of the city =) BUT I'm open to anything. Rachel and I were thinking we should drive to our restaurant of choice before our Christmas dinner so that we won't get lost the day of. What do you guys think? We should definitely come up with a date soon (though we still have time) but for me time seems to fly by really quickly. I think the only dates we can really consider are the 22nd and the 23rd (Saturday and Sunday) since we're planning to do it before Christmas.. but that also depend on klepto if she's not too tired. 

I'm all up for spending the day together before the dinner to get pampered! I think it'll be fun =) + we all haven't hung out like that in a while so it'll be nice to have everyone together. 

That is all I have to say for now.. nothing much to say on Europe yet and I'm definitely up for going to Yale. And yes on the CD mix =) 

-bipolar

Europe, Yale and Christmas

.. the topics of discussion for today! Though not necessarily in that order.

Christmas
Based on the emails we've exchanged so far about our holiday dinner, it seems that we are down to two choices for the restaurant - Frog and Peach or 3FortyGrill.  I think my final vote is gonna go to the 3FortyGrill mostly because it's in Hoboken and will be easier to get to.  Plus there's a lot to do in Hoboken right?  Maybe after dinner, we can walk around or do something else if we're up for it. 

Another thing about dinner, Carina and I were throwing around this idea of all of us getting together BEFORE the dinner to maybe get our hair done (nothing necessarily fancy) and our nails done.  Then going to someone's house to get ready (makeup/dresses) and exchange gifts.  That way we can drive to the restaurant in one car, which is easier considering parking, and we wouldn't have to bring all the presents into the restaurant.  What do you all think?  We think it would be fun to get pampered and spend the day together. 

Europe
Not much to say other than we haven't talked about it in a while and we never officially announced to one another our city choices.  But this is the impression I got so far: Loren - Santorini, Carina - Barcelona, Tida - Prague, and me - Paris.

Yale
Our latest mini-roadtrip idea! I found this great site about New Haven that even includes a day trip planner.  I went through the site briefly and I think it'll be a lot of help in planning everything.  So when should we go? Should we take advantage of our vacation days or pick a weekend?  Also .. should we make a cd mix? You know how I love making those for our trips =P  Anyways .. let the planning (and hopefully blogging) begin!!

- adhd

more research... When to go?

If your travel time to Europe is very limited, it’s recommended that you go there during the shoulder period which is in spring and autumn or the off-peak or low season from September to December. Prices during these seasons are quite low and crowds are lesser, too. The low season is also best for budget travelers because airfares are at their cheapest at this time giving you extra money for your stay there. Always check the airlines at least three to four months before your scheduled trip.

For seasoned travelers, the months of April to June and September to October are the best time to go to Europe. The weather during these times is still warm, accommodation and transport rates are very reasonable and lesser visitors.

Paris, France is best visited during spring when the weather is comfortably warm. The beaches in the southern part are great during summer while January and February are the ideal times for those who love to ski in the Alps and Pyrenees.

Visit Spain especially Madrid and Barcelona in May, June and September. If you’re heading for the beaches, summer is best. The winter season can also have mild weather.

Spring is the best time to visit Italy’s major cities like Venice, Rome, Florence and Milan. Temperatures are mild in April and May while for a warmer climate ideal for hitting the beaches, go there in May to September. Skiing can be experienced from December to March.

Athens in Greece can be visited in spring during the month of June or from late August to middle of October. Avoid the hot and crowded months from mid-June to end of August.

~tourettes

More Research ...

.. cause I am bored at work =P

While talking to Carina, she brought up booking hotels before the trip and I remember hearing (probably from Tida) that it's best, not to mention cheapest, to stay at hostels.  I mean we'll basically be in our rooms only to sleep and shower .. so we don't need anything too fancy and/or expensive. 

Here are some links for booking hostels:

• Hostels in Europe
• Hostels.com
• Hostel World
• STA Travel - Hostels (I don't know how this would work considering that Tida is the only student but I figured I'd link it anyway)
• Hostel Bookers
• EuroTrip (a combination of booking Flights, Hostels, and Trains)
• EuroCheapo (for hotels, but was linked on NY Times -- seemed like a really good site)
  

Other good links:

• How To Travel Through Europe
• 10 Ways to Keep Europe Within Reach ** really good article on NY Times
  
• Airfare Watch Dog (I signed us up on our yahoo email account; basically, we'll get weekly emails on the best flight deals from JFK and Newark airport)
• Rick Steves' Packing List for Women (I think we're gonna need help in the traveling lightly department haha)
• GuideforEurope.com
• TravelPUNK.com - the name attracted me =P
• TheBackpacker.net ** seems really good & helpful
• 36 Hours: Paris (didn't want to forget this link)
  

- adhd