The Hamptons Back on the rock today after my highly enjoyable Chicago visit and then a weekend in New York and a couple of days in Connecticut. On Sunday we drove up to the far end of Long Island to fleetingly visit some of the great little towns known as The Hamptons. Judging by the 'for sale' signs and shuttered stores Wall Street's burst bubble has certainly had an affect on the traditional default getaway destination for New Yorkers with big cars and big wallets.

Nonetheless the villages of Southampton, Sag Harbor and Bridgehampton are beautiful beachy enclaves and I still managed to lose count of the number of Ferrari's I saw. We drove out to one of the resident only beaches early Sunday evening to see the huge swells being produced from Hurricane Bill's tentacles out in the Atlantic and it produced a fantastic sight under high nebulous skies. Little dogs with fancy collars and little children with fancy parents were each in turn whooping at the angry ocean.

We then drove across Long Island to get the ferry from the pretty town of Port Jefferson across the Long Island Sound to the lot less prettier Bridgeport in Connecticut. The ferry was easy and saved a 3-4 hour car journey. Our arrival in Connecticut's biggest city represented a landmark for my other half as she collects US states like you and I collect football programmes and she didn't have this one.

We then drove the short journey to New Haven where Yale was to be our base for the tennis. I'll write a bit more on Yale, New Haven and Greenwich where we made a pitstop yesterday on our way back to JFK another day as I have to run to the curry house to pick up the takeaway for my birthday.  ¶ 18:03 |

  2009 Top Five - Favourite Places Yes, yes I know we are already almost a week into 2010 but please indulge me in a look back at some of my personal 2009 Top 5's. First off, my Top Five Favourite Places:

1. Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
It is like the people of Old San Juan have taken all the best bits of American life and masterly blended it into their own colourful culture and history.
Old San Juan

2. Santa Fe, New Mexico
If you're an artsy fartsy person then Santa Fe is for you. If you are interested in American history, then Santa Fe is also a place for you. If like me, you are interested in meandering around a beautiful and intriguing small city with great restaurants, and an air of sophistication sat at the foot of sloping mountains, then Santa Fe is definitely for you.
Santa Fe

3. New York, New York
I have been to NYC a lot of times in my life but it is only recently that I have started to appreciate it's allure. Sadly visits are no longer as much fun as two of my favourite people have left, one you might know.
So good they named it twice

4. Hamptons, New York
One after another of neatly manicured towns, hidden beaches and growling seas. Lot's of cute dressed up kids, and less cute dressed up dogs. A great place to see and be seen but don't go in the summer.
The Hamptons

5. Lille, France
The Eurostar (when it is working) brings this city with 10 centuries of history within touching distance, so close that you can almost smell the cheeses stacked beautifully at F & PH Armand's Artisan Fromager Affineur.
Lille   ¶ 14:00 |

  Still my kinda town I'm sat at Chicago's O'Hare airport waiting for my flight to New York. My windswept other half managed to get on her flight out of Bermuda to New York, so we will meet up around lunchtime at our hotel in midtown. With 8 weeks to go to the baby due date, we are loooking forward to one last hurrah in the city and then on Sunday we are going to take a leisurely drive up through the Hamptons to New Haven in Connecticut where Monday we have tickets to see the tennis.

I had a terrific time back in Chicago and am sad to leave it again. Last night I might have overjoyed myself a little too much judging by what time I got to bed, but this morning at 5.30 when I was looking bleary eyed at the clock, I reassured myself it was good retraining for being a Dad again.

I spent a lot of time walking Chicago's wide streets as I promised myself I would, I walk hardly anywhere in Bermuda. I stood and admired the now completed Trump Tower (photo right), I ate in some great restaurants with some great mates, I window shopped my heart away and strolled around my old neighbourhood in River North remembering why I was so keen to live there in the first place. The only downside to the whole week was walking around my old apartment and trying to figure out how a 28-year old female laywer could live like like a tramp. My place was disgustingly dirty.

But the city was just how I recollected it, the stunning secret it always was. I just wish that Chicago wins their 2016 Olympic bid and can share with the rest of the world what I already knew.  ¶ 08:04 |