Johnny Jet

HOUSE KEEPING: Remember when you click on the pictures in "Where's Johnny Jet," they will open up in another window. Just click the “x”(close) in each picture to get back to the newsletter. This should alleviate complaints about “losing” Johnny Jet. Thanks again for your support, and remember: If you book trips on the web, please go through johnnyjet.com (we get a commission). Final note: This week's map is provided by MyTripJournal.com.

Last week I wrote about our trip to New York City. We were there for two weeks, and went to Connecticut on weekends to visit my dad, my brother and my sister. Therefore, this week we pack our weekend bag and head out to Connecticut (or “the country,” as New Yorkers call it).

But before we get to Connecticut, I should mention that last week marked the first time in Amber Airplane’s and my three-year relationship that one of us got sick with a high fever. She caught it first, and the next week I was laid up in bed. The good news is our flu did not last long. I don't think there is a better place to be sick than New York (besides your own home, with someone to take care of you). But if you are alone, then New York City tops my list. It has everything you can possibly imagine, and almost every store and restaurant delivers -- free. It's so great to call up and say, “I need fresh-squeezed orange juice, Tylenol, vitamins, tissues, fruit, soup and bagels –ASAP.” Ten minutes later, voila -- it's all at your door! I hope you won't get sick when you travel (or anytime, for that matter), but if you do, make sure you’re in New York.

A train trip to Connecticut begins at Grand Central Terminal. Metro-North is the commuter line that takes tens of thousands of passengers back and forth each day. Tip: Make sure you buy your tickets before you board the train. In Grand Central, the ticket booths are open as long as trains are running. In CT, if the booth isn't open inside the station there are usually easy-to-use ticket machines outside the station or next to the platform. (Grand Central has these machines too.) Purchasing your ticket on board raises the price considerably, and conductors take cash only. Here's a breakdown on a one-way off-peak fare from Grand Central to Rowayton, CT. Buying your ticket in the station costs $8.75; on the train it’s $12. Quite a difference. But did you know the cheapest price is on the internet? Yep: $8.31. Click here for more Metro-North fares and train schedules.

For your information Grand Central Station is a great place to hang out and grab some food, so show up early. There are over 25 places to eat: everything from a quick, inexpensive (for NYC) sandwich at Zaro's, to spending a bit more money at the world- famous Oyster Bar. GCT always has something going on too, so be sure to check out their online calendar. A notable event is the annual Taste of Grand Central, set for Saturday and Sunday, October 25-26. The “Taste” offers large samples of signature dishes from participating Grand Central Dining Concourse eateries and fine restaurants for only $10.

If you have a lot of time to kill, then take a free tour of the world-famous station. Click here for more tour info. My last tip for Grand Central is to check out these valuable coupons online. My last tip for Grand Central is to check out these valuable coupons online. They can save you a good amount of money. No matter what just make sure you look up and stare at the amazing ceiling (even though it is backwards). My Mom loved the ceiling and she would always look up at them even if we were running to catch a train.

Finally we make it to Connecticut, which is a great escape from the heat and madness of the city in the summertime (Memorial Day-Labor Day). Most New Yorkers try to leave on weekends for either the Jersey Shore, Long Island (Hamptons, Fire Island....), Massachusetts (Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket...) or Connecticut.

Fifty-five minutes later my sister Georgette picked Amber Airplane and me up at the train station. She took us to the hospital where my mom used to go every week for chemo. I didn't want to go for the obvious reason: It brings back bad memories. But Georgette insisted she had a pleasant surprise there. She was right. It turns out that Georgette was asked by her art teacher if she would put her and my mom's artwork on display there for all the cancer patients to enjoy. As you can imagine, it was a very emotional visit. It was my first time in the cancer ward in almost three years. I remembered how everyone there was always so pleasant to me, and more importantly my mom. I used to spend a lot of time (I regret not spending more) just hanging out with my mom, talking to her while the chemo was being fed intravenously.

The most difficult part about seeing the exhibit was walking by the meeting room. I had forgotten about it, but was instantly brought back in time. This was where the doctor told my family and me that my mom had only a couple of days to live. It was the beginning of (by far) the hardest week of my life (hopefully it stays that way).

I am not writing this so you will feel sad for me or my mom. You shouldn't. First of all, I know my mom is in a better place, and when my time comes I will be with her. Second, I know I was the luckiest son on earth, to have my mom physically with me for 31 years. Third: I share these experiences because it's not only therapeutic for me, but a way to keep my mom's legacy alive.

The best part of the day was seeing my mom's art work exhibited and appreciated. The first framed pieces were an introduction written by Georgette and a picture of my Mom painting in the field, with Georgette behind her. The introduction alone made my throat swell up, and the picture opened up a flood of tears. I won't show you all the pictures, but this was one of my favorite pieces of my mom's. Here's one of my favorites of Georgette's . I hope you enjoy them too!

I go to Connecticut so much that it's probably boring for you to see pictures or read the stories, so I will try to add something new. If you are in Connecticut in the summer, if it's sunny (unfortunately, it rained half of this summer) you should head down to the beach or go for a cruise on Long Island Sound. I was lucky enough to do both. First we went right to my old summer hangout, Bayley Beach. Bayley is in Rowayton, and I used to know three-quarters of the people there. Now I just run into a few childhood friends.

You should know that most beaches in CT are private. You either have to belong to their association, or live in the town to use it. However, due to a recent lawsuit visitors can pay a daily fee, which is usually expensive (Bayley costs $25). This must be difficult for vacationers to comprehend, especially a Californian or Aussie, who comes from a place where the beaches are mostly public and are a thousand times nicer. These days one of my favorite activities at Bayley is have a sunset barbecue with friends and family. Speaking of BBQs, we went to a couple. One was at my brother’s, and the others at my friend TG's. They both live on the water so we tried to catch some snappers (baby bluefish) but didn't even get a nibble. Well, that's not completely true: We got a lot of bites, but they were from mosquitoes, not fish.

The next day my brother-in-law Cam took us on a boat ride on Long Island Sound. This is the ultimate way to cool off in the summertime. We went out to Sheffield Island, for a swim and guess who surprised us? My brother, Frank cruised by and joined us for a swim. The water temp was a refreshing 70 degrees. Did you know that if you are in this neck of the woods (I mean, “the country”) you can see the New York City skyline on a clear day? Click here for more info on Sheffield Lighthouse.

That night after our BBQ we went bowling at Rip Van Winkle with my dad, his girlfriend Nancy and my cousins Nicky D, AJ and Jamie. My family competes for everything –even bowling. So we split the teams up, and the losers had to buy late-night snacks at the Post Road Diner. I won't tell you who lost, but I will say I didn't have to pay :-)
AMF Rip Van Winkle Lanes, 701 Connecticut Ave, Norwalk, CT, tel.: (203) 838-7501.
Post Road Diner, 312 Connecticut Ave, Norwalk, CT, tel.: (203) 866-9777

When it was time to go back home to L.A. we left from NYC. We called Tel Aviv car service (212-777-7777); there's also Carmel Car service (212-666-6666). I think the management at Tel Aviv must've been reading my emails, because ever since I said they are unreliable, they have been very reliable. They are a great, inexpensive alternative to waiting for a taxi. First of all, both of those car services are the same price as a taxi. Second, you can pay by credit card, and lastly, there cars are usually much more comfortable. The only reason I put “usually” in there is because one time they picked us up in a broken-down station wagon. Do you remember? I thought we were on Candid Camera. It was pretty funny. This time they picked us up in a brand spanking new Town Car. The ride was smooth, except we ran into nasty traffic at 2 p.m. Folks, this is why I said on national TV I hate going to JFK airport. There is always traffic!.

Luckily, we left with plenty of time to spare and made our 4 p.m. flight to Los Angeles. The five-hour, 38-minute flight couldn't have been smoother.

Happy Travels,

Johnny Jet
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