Category Travel
New York – Gastronomical Happiness Realized
While opera was the primary objective of this trip to New York, food was an certainly an ulterior motive. As thanks for many hours of hard work last year, one of my clients gave me a generous American Express diner’s gift card. I could think of no better way to use that gift card than by exploring the culinary […]
New York – Love Potions and Sign Language
L’Elisir d’Amore The whole point of coming to New York this weekend was to see Juan Diego Florez sing the role of Nemorino in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of L’Elisir d’Amore. It’s a popular bel canto opera by Donizetti that tells the tale of a lovelorn country boy who would do anything to catch the […]
New York – Friday Night
Last night after work I met up with Amanda and we ushered in the weekend in proper style with dinner at Maze by Gordon Ramsay, at the London Hotel. It was described in the Michelin as “the Pippa to Gordon Ramsay’s Kate Middleton,” “sexy and elegant,” and “chic-Paris in its smoky-mirrored, teal banquetted, shimmering glass […]
New York – Remind me why I don’t live here?
I’m working out of the New York office today. I’m on the 42nd floor, with awesome views of the Hudson River and New Jersey. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the office is bright (so bright, in fact, that I can’t see my screen very well) and I love it. It’s a marked difference from the shady 6th-floor […]
Farewell Chicago
There was absolutely no point in having me stay in Chicago for another day of negotiations. We got to the offices and were shown into a conference room by the receptionist. We then got an email from the associate on the other side (my counterpart) informing us that he was in another meeting at the […]
One Day More
After last night’s break, we reconvened this morning on the 40th floor of our counterparty’s offices to resume negotiations. They began by handing us what was (in the terms of the partner I’m working with) an “F.U.” markup of the agreemnet we’ve been negotiating. In other words, in turning the draft, the other side had done everything they could […]
Dealmaking in the Windy City
As I boarded the plane to Chicago this morning, the partner I’m traveling with leaned over and said, “If anyone asks, we vote in favor of working non-stop until this agreement is done. Even if it means working all night long. Got it?” Got it. Only no one ever asked. At 5:00pm, the negotiations broke […]
The Sues
I love the small world of international travel – especially in small countries with relatively few international flights. At the coffee finca on Sunday, our tour group consisted of Jennifer, Mark and me, and a passel of British retirees who were all named Sue. (Well, the man’s name may have been John, but there were […]
Guatemala, Day 3 – Sunset on a clear night
For all of the less than wonderful aspects of Guatemala City, it remains nonetheless remarkably situated from a geographical perspective. The surrounding volcanoes provide an exotic backdrop and frame beautiful sunsets. Haze had prevented my seeing them the past few days, but today the air cleared enough to appreciate the view. The climate is also incredible […]
Guatemala, Day 3 – Splendido
For our last dinner, we went to a small restaurant called Splendido with another of Jennifer and Mark’s friends — a girl our age named Dani (not sure if I spelled that right) who works at USAID with Mark. Like the crew I met the other night, she seemed like a fun person; the sort you’d […]
A More Gentlemanlike Manner 