The last few months have been filled with airports, hotels, meetings, and shows. There are so many good things happening right now sleep has become an afterthought. After having 3 blissful days at home I headed to the airport early this morning and found out there was major weather on the East coast so instead of arriving at noon I'll be lucky to make it to NY at all today.  

I'm so fortunate to get to stay at The Hammocks at Canandaigua while I'm here. It's a beautiful apartment community that has everything you could wish for including a clubhouse, theater room, fitness center, community gardens, and best of all a fire pit. Wish you were here to enjoy it with me.

I loved this duo that I discovered in NYC - they definitely knew how to enjoy a warm Summer evening.

For 18 hours this is all mine. My room is tiny but getting to sit on this porch watching people go by talking about the lecture they went to or a book they read is why I love Chautauqua so much. Such a special place that deserves to be cherished.

"Guarantee Policy: Reservation is guaranteed for arrival on the confirmed check-in date only. If you don't check in to the hotel on the first day of your reservation and you do not alert the hotel in advance, the remaining portion of your reservation will be canceled and you will not be entitled to a refund". She was there on the confirmed day but they did not give her a room.

In desperation, she called her daughter who lives in Dallas to see if she could help, and she started calling the hotel, Hilton, and AAA trying to get this resolved. The gentleman at the front desk said it wasn't their fault, refused to help in any way and at one point hung up on her. Hilton said their system was down and couldn't help, and Alice couldn't get anyone to answer the phone numbers she had for AAA. After 1 1/2 hours sitting in the parking lot, Alice gave up and started the 4-hour drive back to Longview

It feels so good to be back in New York City and have time to do lots of walking and exploring. I was afraid all of the quirky creative types had been driven out by the crazy cost of living here now, but I'm happy to say the creative community is still alive and well. My suitcases will be full of interesting things that I bought from local artisans and street vendors - I'll have lots of great buys to share.  

You can always tell when people take pride in their work. Gotan is s wonderful coffee shop in the TriBeCa area of New York City, and everything they make is exceptional. This croissant was so light and buttery - it had a great crunch but still melts in your mouth. And they do fun designs on the tops of the lattes that put a smile on your face - the little extra touches that mean so much. I'm heading back to Dallas today and I'm really going to miss my NYC morning ritual.

My favorite event today had to be the stick horse competition that was sponsored by my favorite grocery store -Wegmans. Children from 1 yr up got encouragement from their parents and family to race down the course on a stick pony and they had the best time - it was an absolute joy watching them. It's great to see events like this that offer something for the entire family.

We are so fortunate to work in amazing places for amazing clients. This week we are back in the Finger Lakes and Erie PA with a quick stop in Chautauqua NY. Loving 50-degree nights and lake breezes.

When we were in Las Vegas we decided to try out the new High Riller in the Linq area by the Flamingo Hotel. If you are afraid of heights this isn't for you, but the views are breathtaking. It was a wonderful way to celebrate a successful MHI Congress and Expo.

There are a few things that I love and live for – my family, my animals,friends, the Great State Fair of Texas and food. When the great chef Joanne Bondy – Executive Chef at the Old Hickory Steakhouse at the Gaylord Texan told us that she was being honored by being asked to do a dinner at the James Beard House we immediately booked our flights.