Mountain Breaths: Lake Placid

If you are here for the first time, welcome to Mountain Breaths. Today I am joining a group of talented bloggers to bring you our Tales of the Traveling Tote. Do not expect to see palm trees in this post! I had Olympic fever and am a winter sports enthusiast. The Adirondacks (where my camp is) has a special relationship with the winter Olympics. Lake Placid hosted the Games in 1932 and 1980 (Joe attended), and that history lives on as the region continues to be a center for world class competition and training. A dozen athletes from our "north country" competed in Pyeongchang. So off we went to Lake Placid and stayed at the Mirror Lake Inn im February for Joe's school break.

Each afternoon at 3:30, they have "High Tea" and something we have enjoyed over the last 20 years going to the inn. Then we roamed around the inn and the town enjoying the Olympic vibe. Take me back! I can get used to eating chocolate chip cookies every afternoon.

Lake Placid rolled out the welcome mat for us. The village embraces the Olympic spirit like nowhere else. It's nearly impossible to go anywhere in the village without encountering somebody in training for something, whether it's skiing, bobsledding, mountain biking or a triathlon. Everything about it, the whole vibe. Main Street is decorated in red, white and blue and adorned with welcome flags.

Flashback to December when we travelled to NYC after Christmas. If you travel on Amtrak, did you know that you can get a Red Cap to haul your luggage and put you on the train? It's a service they offer, although my husband always tips them. You will find the employees with the Red Caps when you check into Amtrak at Penn Station. I love this service since we are always first to board the train. Guess where my first stop was? Yep, to Magnolia Bakery to get my favorite cupcakes. As soon as my teeth hit the buttercream, all is good in New York City.

Brrrr, can you tell I was frozen to the core but a quick stop at Magnolia Bakery cured that. Also, a trip to NYC is not complete for us without lunch at Tavern on the Green. It's under new management, and we have many fond memories over the years. It is very relaxing and they don't rush you which is great because it took me an hour to warm up.

If you are planning to be in NYC around the holidays in December 2018, the trees are spectacular. We walked the streets and enjoyed the trees at Tiffany, Lotte New York Palace, Bryant Park, Washington Square Park, Le Parker Meridian, Chanel and Rockefeller Center.