Pretty pics from an afternoon strolling along the San Diego Bay.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Greetings from B'ton!
After a pretty couple of weeks that have been jam-packed - both intellectually and emotionally draining - yet thankfully successful, I am taking a break.... and since life's a little slower in Bloomington, Indiana, this feels like the right place at the right time!
While my last few days in DC have been completely dominated by heated, cynical political conversations - Hillary vs. Barack! Gerry Ferraro! All Spitzer, all the time! - the first night in Indiana has had a surprising theme. Maybe my family's not all that unusual after all, but I certainly didn't expect to be coming home to a night of dirty jokes and porn references!
Example #1 - My brother, a high school guidance counselor, has apparently picked up a whole repertoire of bad jokes from his students and coworkers. A sample... (Warning, this may be offensive to a group of people who will probably never read this blog, but my whole family laughed. That said, prepare for poor taste....) Q. What do you call a man with his hand up a horse's a@@? A. An Amish mechanic. Yikes!
Example #2 - Again, from my brother... according to his entertainment sources (which I could Google but, frankly, haven't), today's main reason for celebration is that it just so happens to be Mr. Ron Jeremy's 55th birthday. Raise a glass! (Or, as a texting friend said, raise any other appropriate part of the anatomy.)
Example #3 - This was the most disturbing. The fam went out for dinner at a sushi/ichiban steakhouse kinda place. We sat at one of the big grilling tables with another family of complete strangers, an older couple, their adult daughter, and her baby. As we were all perusing the menu, my doesn't-have-an-inside-voice Mom said "Hey look, you can get a screaming orgasm!" (Yes, this was on the menu.) I literally covered my ears with my hands until she stopped laughing about it. The older guy next to her looked over at me and laughed when I said "Things you never want to hear your mother order...."
What's in the water here in Bloomington? Or has the Spitzer scandal made dirty jokes cool again?
By the way, I also had a nice little reminder that people really DO talk politics outside the Beltway. At the restaurant, the table behind us was filled with a group of office-type coworkers. And right here in Bloomington, Indiana, they had a lengthy discussion about delegate math and brokered conventions, about the popular vote vs. the electoral college, and about why they want Hillary to stay in the race so that they can vote for her in the IN primary in May. Bam!
While my last few days in DC have been completely dominated by heated, cynical political conversations - Hillary vs. Barack! Gerry Ferraro! All Spitzer, all the time! - the first night in Indiana has had a surprising theme. Maybe my family's not all that unusual after all, but I certainly didn't expect to be coming home to a night of dirty jokes and porn references!
Example #1 - My brother, a high school guidance counselor, has apparently picked up a whole repertoire of bad jokes from his students and coworkers. A sample... (Warning, this may be offensive to a group of people who will probably never read this blog, but my whole family laughed. That said, prepare for poor taste....) Q. What do you call a man with his hand up a horse's a@@? A. An Amish mechanic. Yikes!
Example #2 - Again, from my brother... according to his entertainment sources (which I could Google but, frankly, haven't), today's main reason for celebration is that it just so happens to be Mr. Ron Jeremy's 55th birthday. Raise a glass! (Or, as a texting friend said, raise any other appropriate part of the anatomy.)
Example #3 - This was the most disturbing. The fam went out for dinner at a sushi/ichiban steakhouse kinda place. We sat at one of the big grilling tables with another family of complete strangers, an older couple, their adult daughter, and her baby. As we were all perusing the menu, my doesn't-have-an-inside-voice Mom said "Hey look, you can get a screaming orgasm!" (Yes, this was on the menu.) I literally covered my ears with my hands until she stopped laughing about it. The older guy next to her looked over at me and laughed when I said "Things you never want to hear your mother order...."
What's in the water here in Bloomington? Or has the Spitzer scandal made dirty jokes cool again?
By the way, I also had a nice little reminder that people really DO talk politics outside the Beltway. At the restaurant, the table behind us was filled with a group of office-type coworkers. And right here in Bloomington, Indiana, they had a lengthy discussion about delegate math and brokered conventions, about the popular vote vs. the electoral college, and about why they want Hillary to stay in the race so that they can vote for her in the IN primary in May. Bam!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Queen of the Road
I'm back from a whirlwind 2-day trip to the first city of my adult life: Richmond, VA. I have signed on to do some volunteer work for my undergrad school (scroll down to see my favorite photos of campus), so I went down for the first meeting and used it as an excuse for a fun sight-seeing trip.
First of all, I now totally rock behind the wheel! All that car phobia - driving anxiety stuff? Yeah, that's so 2007. I took the train down from DC then thanks to Enterprise, who picked me up, and this cute little Ford Focus I regained my complete confidence on the road. I drove more than 50 miles in 24 hours, all over the place, and even did a few 3-point-turns and U-ee's. (And proved once again that in the suburbs, there's absolutely no need for parallel parking.) This trip sealed it, I want a car. It's just a matter of time. And lots and lots of money.
But back to the trip.... I spent last night doing official stuff - a meeting, a reception, and program - but the rest of the time was mine to embark on what I like to think of as my "Greatest Hits Tour of Richmond." I drove all over campus, of course, but also steered the little Focus to all of my favorite haunts. And I'm happy to report:
- My first apartment building looks exactly the same! Ye olde 1529J Honey Grove looked a little dated 12 years ago.... imagine it now!
- Denny's, Friday's, Casa Grande, Aunt Sarah's Pancake House - all still standing, open for business. Yes, my culinary tastes have improved greatly since then. Just imagine, when I left Richmond, I'd still never tasted Indian, Thai, or sushi! Those were the buffalo wings and Caesar salad days of my youth.
- The movie theater where I worked, still the only (and hopefully last) place I was ever fired, is still there under the same ownership - showing Juno, 27 Dresses, Bucket List, and National Treasure. I didn't get any closer than the main road, lest the stink of the popcorn machine get on me again.
- My favorite senior year haunt, the suburban Borders Books & Music, is still there - probably still serving Mocha Freezes - but the sign has gotten really rundown. Sad. The long-haired coffee guy gave me a free mocha freeze when I graduated. That's customer service!
- Carytown is still funky and overpriced with all its little boutiques, and I smiled as I drove past The Bird movie theater (does it still have a working organ?) and Coppola's, a great Italian sandwich place. I turned on to Main at the corner where I had my first job in the arts - the Arts Council moved that same year, but the little row house is still adorable. And I drove back on Grove, which also still has the cutest little overpriced shopping area and the first art-house cinema I ever experienced.
You can see how I worked in 50 miles, eh? There's still more to see, so on some future trip I'll have to make my way back to Pony Pasture on the James River, to Regency Square Mall, and to have a great meal by the bathtub at the Strawberry Street Cafe. I'm looking forward to it!
First of all, I now totally rock behind the wheel! All that car phobia - driving anxiety stuff? Yeah, that's so 2007. I took the train down from DC then thanks to Enterprise, who picked me up, and this cute little Ford Focus I regained my complete confidence on the road. I drove more than 50 miles in 24 hours, all over the place, and even did a few 3-point-turns and U-ee's. (And proved once again that in the suburbs, there's absolutely no need for parallel parking.) This trip sealed it, I want a car. It's just a matter of time. And lots and lots of money.But back to the trip.... I spent last night doing official stuff - a meeting, a reception, and program - but the rest of the time was mine to embark on what I like to think of as my "Greatest Hits Tour of Richmond." I drove all over campus, of course, but also steered the little Focus to all of my favorite haunts. And I'm happy to report:
- My first apartment building looks exactly the same! Ye olde 1529J Honey Grove looked a little dated 12 years ago.... imagine it now!
- Denny's, Friday's, Casa Grande, Aunt Sarah's Pancake House - all still standing, open for business. Yes, my culinary tastes have improved greatly since then. Just imagine, when I left Richmond, I'd still never tasted Indian, Thai, or sushi! Those were the buffalo wings and Caesar salad days of my youth.
- The movie theater where I worked, still the only (and hopefully last) place I was ever fired, is still there under the same ownership - showing Juno, 27 Dresses, Bucket List, and National Treasure. I didn't get any closer than the main road, lest the stink of the popcorn machine get on me again.
- My favorite senior year haunt, the suburban Borders Books & Music, is still there - probably still serving Mocha Freezes - but the sign has gotten really rundown. Sad. The long-haired coffee guy gave me a free mocha freeze when I graduated. That's customer service!
- Carytown is still funky and overpriced with all its little boutiques, and I smiled as I drove past The Bird movie theater (does it still have a working organ?) and Coppola's, a great Italian sandwich place. I turned on to Main at the corner where I had my first job in the arts - the Arts Council moved that same year, but the little row house is still adorable. And I drove back on Grove, which also still has the cutest little overpriced shopping area and the first art-house cinema I ever experienced.
You can see how I worked in 50 miles, eh? There's still more to see, so on some future trip I'll have to make my way back to Pony Pasture on the James River, to Regency Square Mall, and to have a great meal by the bathtub at the Strawberry Street Cafe. I'm looking forward to it!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Small Town Charm
Nashville, Indiana is a very cute historic artists' colony about 20 minutes from Bloomington. Mom and I had fun exploring!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Indiana Dispatch
Greetings from Bloomington!
I am relaxing with my family for a short visit after a very enjoyable, but hot and tiring, 3-day wedding adventure. I now have another notch in my life experience belt, as I have successfully completed my first-time bridesmaid duties!
The wedding was great, the happy couple has never looked happier, and the 9 of us who travelled from DC to VERY VERY VERY small town Indiana had a good time.
A few wedding weekend observations, to help pass a quiet Sunday afternoon:
1. I thought I grew up in a small town, with a population of about 2,000 or so and 95 people in my graduating class. Let me tell you, dear old Skaneateles is a bustling metropolis compared to Oldenburg, Indiana! Perspective is a funny thing.
2. Even 20-some years later, I still can't keep focused in a church. Growing up, I'd drift off and count the number of knots in the knotty pine ceiling.... and this weekend, I spent a good part of the service tuned out trying to identify figures in the statues and stained glass. Oh well, church and me will just probably never mix.... my religion degree aside, of course.
3. When a group of 5 bridesmaids wearing the same dress are standing with the bride in her traditional dress and her father in his tux outside of a chapel waiting for a ceremony to begin, and an ancient-looking nun comes wandering up the hall and looks at the group and asks "Oh, is there a wedding today?" - that's just damn funny.
4. When the members of the wedding party are standing outside on a hot day waiting to find out what to do next, it's best to not all stand together with all of their bouquets of flowers and boutonnieres. Bees just can't resist. And, apparently, one bee just couldn't resist the sleeveless dress of this particular bridesmaid, and just had to fly into my top and sting me. I think it attacked me on principle - since I'm allergic to flowers, I was the only one whose bouquet was artificial!
5. There's something very "hometown-y" about spending a whole weekend going to restaurants that seem like lodges, with dark-wood paneling and wooden animal statues and the like, in a town with no stop lights and where everyone knows each other... even if it's someone else's hometown, there's definitely that nostalgic sense to it... which lasts just about 48 hours, then you're ready to hightail it back to your real life!
6. Wedding receptions in Indiana seem to have a requirement - John Cougar Mellencamp WILL be played. Would you believe we heard at least THREE of his songs played? And, you guessed it, "Small Town" was a big hit. This led to one of the trivia challenges of the evening, as folks tried to pinpoint which songs were John Cougar, which were John Cougar Mellencamp, and which were just plain John Mellencamp. This is important stuff in Indiana.
7. That being said, even though this wedding reception had the most unusual mix of music I've heard in quite some time - everything from Dylan, the Beatles and Johnny Cash to Big & Rich and Hank Williams Jr. to Outkast and Justin Timberlake, but very few wedding reception "standards" like Motown and Top 40 80's music - people loved it and stayed dancing late into the night. Note to self: be open-minded about genres on future playlists, cuz these songs went together much better than I would've thought!
8. Watching a dozen men ranging in age from 20's to 60's strutting their best air guitar stuff to AC/DC is pretty hilarious. Seeing the groom go toe-to-toe with his dad and getting a good picture? Priceless.
9. Statues of Jesus on a golf course are a little disconcerting. I'm in the Kathy Griffin camp - Jesus is not up there spending his time and energy trying to help anyone hit a birdie.
10. German is a fun language. I've never taken a class, but I really should. Driving around a tiny little town built by German immigrants that still has street signs and names of businesses written out in the Mother Tongue, we couldn't help but say it all out loud - probably with horrendous accents. It's just so funny to enunciate and make all those exaggerated sounds!
Now I'm off to more Indiana adventures....stay tuned!
I am relaxing with my family for a short visit after a very enjoyable, but hot and tiring, 3-day wedding adventure. I now have another notch in my life experience belt, as I have successfully completed my first-time bridesmaid duties!
The wedding was great, the happy couple has never looked happier, and the 9 of us who travelled from DC to VERY VERY VERY small town Indiana had a good time.
A few wedding weekend observations, to help pass a quiet Sunday afternoon:
1. I thought I grew up in a small town, with a population of about 2,000 or so and 95 people in my graduating class. Let me tell you, dear old Skaneateles is a bustling metropolis compared to Oldenburg, Indiana! Perspective is a funny thing.
2. Even 20-some years later, I still can't keep focused in a church. Growing up, I'd drift off and count the number of knots in the knotty pine ceiling.... and this weekend, I spent a good part of the service tuned out trying to identify figures in the statues and stained glass. Oh well, church and me will just probably never mix.... my religion degree aside, of course.
3. When a group of 5 bridesmaids wearing the same dress are standing with the bride in her traditional dress and her father in his tux outside of a chapel waiting for a ceremony to begin, and an ancient-looking nun comes wandering up the hall and looks at the group and asks "Oh, is there a wedding today?" - that's just damn funny.
4. When the members of the wedding party are standing outside on a hot day waiting to find out what to do next, it's best to not all stand together with all of their bouquets of flowers and boutonnieres. Bees just can't resist. And, apparently, one bee just couldn't resist the sleeveless dress of this particular bridesmaid, and just had to fly into my top and sting me. I think it attacked me on principle - since I'm allergic to flowers, I was the only one whose bouquet was artificial!
5. There's something very "hometown-y" about spending a whole weekend going to restaurants that seem like lodges, with dark-wood paneling and wooden animal statues and the like, in a town with no stop lights and where everyone knows each other... even if it's someone else's hometown, there's definitely that nostalgic sense to it... which lasts just about 48 hours, then you're ready to hightail it back to your real life!
6. Wedding receptions in Indiana seem to have a requirement - John Cougar Mellencamp WILL be played. Would you believe we heard at least THREE of his songs played? And, you guessed it, "Small Town" was a big hit. This led to one of the trivia challenges of the evening, as folks tried to pinpoint which songs were John Cougar, which were John Cougar Mellencamp, and which were just plain John Mellencamp. This is important stuff in Indiana.
7. That being said, even though this wedding reception had the most unusual mix of music I've heard in quite some time - everything from Dylan, the Beatles and Johnny Cash to Big & Rich and Hank Williams Jr. to Outkast and Justin Timberlake, but very few wedding reception "standards" like Motown and Top 40 80's music - people loved it and stayed dancing late into the night. Note to self: be open-minded about genres on future playlists, cuz these songs went together much better than I would've thought!
8. Watching a dozen men ranging in age from 20's to 60's strutting their best air guitar stuff to AC/DC is pretty hilarious. Seeing the groom go toe-to-toe with his dad and getting a good picture? Priceless.
9. Statues of Jesus on a golf course are a little disconcerting. I'm in the Kathy Griffin camp - Jesus is not up there spending his time and energy trying to help anyone hit a birdie.
10. German is a fun language. I've never taken a class, but I really should. Driving around a tiny little town built by German immigrants that still has street signs and names of businesses written out in the Mother Tongue, we couldn't help but say it all out loud - probably with horrendous accents. It's just so funny to enunciate and make all those exaggerated sounds!
Now I'm off to more Indiana adventures....stay tuned!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Travel Tradition
Is this weird?
One of my absolute favorite things to do when getting ready to go on a trip is.... organizing my toiletries. Yes, seriously.
I have 2+ full cases of little items... travel sizes of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, face wash, toothpaste, body spray, deodorant, soaps, dental floss, everything you can think of. And I love pulling them all out and planning specifically for the particular trip I'm about to take. How many days will I be there? What's the weather and what are my plans, and how does that impact which kinds of shampoos and conditioners I'll need? I'm telling you, this is fun for me.
I love trying new brands of hair products, but I also love that travel sizes are so low-commitment. Who wants an entire big bottle of a shampoo that makes your hair greasy and dull? Not me! But I can give it a shot for 2 days at a conference, or just hanging out with my family. That's how I discovered Citre Shine recently, which has been a fun new change.
My little collection of travel sizes makes me happy. Whether I hoarded them from a hotel or stocked up at Bed, Bath and Beyond, in their own little way they help add to the adventure of travel.
Yeah, I guess it's weird. But it's me!
Do you have any favorite travel habits?
One of my absolute favorite things to do when getting ready to go on a trip is.... organizing my toiletries. Yes, seriously.
I have 2+ full cases of little items... travel sizes of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, face wash, toothpaste, body spray, deodorant, soaps, dental floss, everything you can think of. And I love pulling them all out and planning specifically for the particular trip I'm about to take. How many days will I be there? What's the weather and what are my plans, and how does that impact which kinds of shampoos and conditioners I'll need? I'm telling you, this is fun for me.
I love trying new brands of hair products, but I also love that travel sizes are so low-commitment. Who wants an entire big bottle of a shampoo that makes your hair greasy and dull? Not me! But I can give it a shot for 2 days at a conference, or just hanging out with my family. That's how I discovered Citre Shine recently, which has been a fun new change.
My little collection of travel sizes makes me happy. Whether I hoarded them from a hotel or stocked up at Bed, Bath and Beyond, in their own little way they help add to the adventure of travel.
Yeah, I guess it's weird. But it's me!
Do you have any favorite travel habits?
Sunday, August 26, 2007
The 'Burgh in Black & White
Thursday, May 17, 2007
My First Trip to Chicago
Won't Be My Last.
I was amazed at how pretty it was!
And I drove my friends crazy with mid-day text messages about standing on the banks of Lake Michigan, which was the most amazing shade of blue.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
My Tour of Lowcountry Cuisine
My trip to Charleston was one of those great vacations that gave me the opportunity to really sample a wide variety of regional cuisine. Mmmmm. I arrived armed with some great restaurant recommendations and an agenda of eating as much seafood as possible. Let the games begin!
Our first night, we did the obligatory tourist thing and ate at Hyman's Seafood. We lucked out and got there pretty early so there was not much of a wait - but throughout the weekend we saw the lines grow and people were waiting for an hour or more for a table at the extremely popular place. I sat in the same seat as Cyndi Lauper, according to the little plaque on the table! Mom and I dug in with our first seafood dinners of the trip - I ordered a cup of regional favorite she crab soup, then a garden salad followed by broiled tilapia with a baked sweet potato. She crab soup is pretty damn good - it's a creamy soup with lumps of crabmeat, sherry, and crab roe. Very rich, and I don't even want to think about the fat and sodium content. And the tilapia was amazing - light, just slighly crispy with a little bit of lemon juice drizzled on top. And this meal reminded me that I really need to bring more sweet potato into my life. It's just the best tasting thing ever. This sweet potato with a little butter and cinnamon sugar could've been dessert all on its own. Mom ordered a cup of gumbo, the broiled red snapper with a sweet potato side, and bread pudding that we split for dessert. Yeah, full and happy.
The next day, dinner was at A.W. Shuck's, which we found while exploring the Market, and I really have to thank Special K for this tip. I believe I texted that night saying something like that place had "rocked my jambalaya world." Mom and I ordered the same thing that night - a cup of she crab soup and the jambalaya. I think this was the best of the 3 she crab soups I ended up trying - it was a little thinner, less creamy and with more sherry. But really, that jambalaya was almost enough to make you believe God is a foodie. It was a huge, deep-red masterpiece on a plate. Lots of chorizo, shrimp, chicken and these amazing spicy chunks of tomato all over a huge bed of rice. There was so much depth to the flavors, and the spice was smoky and perfect. I really almost wanted to weep - first, because it tasted so good, and second because I got full pretty quickly and only ate about half of the plate. (For the record, Mom ate every bite of hers!)
Our third day started with breakfast at Diana's, a cute little place down from our hotel. Mom went for a great-looking fruit, yogurt, and granola parfait, and I opted for their "specialty omelet." This was really tasty, and very savory - a large omelet covered with sauteed zucchini, mushrooms, and spicy pepperjack cheese. Mmmm. I'm not used to eating breakfast with a little kick, but it was a fun change!
Lunch that day brought us to 82 Queen, which was recommended by Faith, our "Charleston Strolls" tour guide. This ended up being our favorite place on the whole trip! Mom and I both wanted to go a little lighter with this meal, and the lunch menu was really great. I had my third sample of she crab soup (always good) and a gorgeous, fresh mixed greens salad topped with blackened grouper. Delicious! Mom ordered a roasted tomato stuffed with corn, eggplant and mozzarella over marinara sauce and she couldn't stop raving about it. We then split a divine slice of pumpkin cheesecake which came with cinnamon ice cream. Mmmmmm all around!
We ended up walking around the Market area again that afternoon and stopped in at T-Bonz Gill & Grill for dinner. We weren't up for anything fancy and just wanted an easy dinner, and that it was. First of all, huge props to T-Bonz for bringing out *warm* bread with *warm* butter - just such a pleasant way to start a meal! I ordered a steak and Lowcountry deviled crab cake dinner with a salad and baked potato, and Mom went for the 3 crab cakes option. Here's my only disappointment of the culinary tour - I think I've been spoiled by living in this area, cuz I've really come to love Maryland crab cakes. The spicy "deviled" version in SC just wasn't as appealing to me. Mom liked them better than I did. But the steak was tasty - hooray!
Sunday brunch gave us the opportunity to check out Poogan's Porch, a restaurant we'd heard about from several people. This extremely charming place is named after the beloved and much-missed dog Poogan who helped "oversee" the restaurant's renovation and used to greet guests from his porch. There were lots of pictures up showing the actual Poogan, and it was all very sweet. Here's where I finally tried my very first fried green tomato - Paula Deen would be so proud! I had the eggs benedict with fried green tomato and applewood smoked bacon. Very tasty! And the tomato added a really fun tangy snap to the whole thing. They also had warm buttermilk biscuits with honey butter, divine. Mom had a huge order of French Toast, and she ate every bite so it must've been good!
For our last dinner in Charleston, we returned to 82 Queen. Dinner was just as delicious as lunch had been! And their outdoor courtyard ambience was really charming, with little white lights strung up along all the trees. It's a perfect date place! This time, Mom and I both sampled their soup of the day - pumpkin bisque. Truly delicious. Then I sampled a menu item that I'd never even heard of until we went to Charleston - Frogmore Stew. This hearty "boil" includes shrimp, corn, sausage, tomatoes, peppers, and okra all in a spicy-sweet tomato stock base. Wow, was this delicious. The ingredients are all largely intact, so you can enjoy huge chunks of veggies with the shrimp and sausage as the tastes blend together in their most basic forms. It reminded me of jambalaya, but without any rice. This was really a surprise treat! Mom ordered lamb, which is always her favorite, and so we were both really pleased with our 2nd visit to 82 Queen. For anyone heading to Charleston, put this restaurant at the top of your list!
Our last meal of the trip was breakfast on Monday, and we went to a cute little place on Meeting Street called Joseph's. We'd spied their menu early on, and I was really looking forward to ordering their sweet potato pancakes. And wow, were they tasty! Thick, rich, with that wonderful sweet potato taste all covered in pecan butter and maple syrup. It was like I'd died and gone to heaven, and in heaven it was always fall. Mom had an egg white omelet with fresh herbs and muenster cheese, and she was totally happy with her meal too.
Overall, I think we did pretty darn well on finding some of Charleston's best meals. Every place we went was relatively inexpensive and casual - we avoided the fancier stuff because we're not really a family that "dresses for dinner" - and the meals were all fantastic. I would love to go back! But first, I need to spend about a YEAR eating just fruits and veggies to make up for this 5-day feast!
Our first night, we did the obligatory tourist thing and ate at Hyman's Seafood. We lucked out and got there pretty early so there was not much of a wait - but throughout the weekend we saw the lines grow and people were waiting for an hour or more for a table at the extremely popular place. I sat in the same seat as Cyndi Lauper, according to the little plaque on the table! Mom and I dug in with our first seafood dinners of the trip - I ordered a cup of regional favorite she crab soup, then a garden salad followed by broiled tilapia with a baked sweet potato. She crab soup is pretty damn good - it's a creamy soup with lumps of crabmeat, sherry, and crab roe. Very rich, and I don't even want to think about the fat and sodium content. And the tilapia was amazing - light, just slighly crispy with a little bit of lemon juice drizzled on top. And this meal reminded me that I really need to bring more sweet potato into my life. It's just the best tasting thing ever. This sweet potato with a little butter and cinnamon sugar could've been dessert all on its own. Mom ordered a cup of gumbo, the broiled red snapper with a sweet potato side, and bread pudding that we split for dessert. Yeah, full and happy.
The next day, dinner was at A.W. Shuck's, which we found while exploring the Market, and I really have to thank Special K for this tip. I believe I texted that night saying something like that place had "rocked my jambalaya world." Mom and I ordered the same thing that night - a cup of she crab soup and the jambalaya. I think this was the best of the 3 she crab soups I ended up trying - it was a little thinner, less creamy and with more sherry. But really, that jambalaya was almost enough to make you believe God is a foodie. It was a huge, deep-red masterpiece on a plate. Lots of chorizo, shrimp, chicken and these amazing spicy chunks of tomato all over a huge bed of rice. There was so much depth to the flavors, and the spice was smoky and perfect. I really almost wanted to weep - first, because it tasted so good, and second because I got full pretty quickly and only ate about half of the plate. (For the record, Mom ate every bite of hers!)
Our third day started with breakfast at Diana's, a cute little place down from our hotel. Mom went for a great-looking fruit, yogurt, and granola parfait, and I opted for their "specialty omelet." This was really tasty, and very savory - a large omelet covered with sauteed zucchini, mushrooms, and spicy pepperjack cheese. Mmmm. I'm not used to eating breakfast with a little kick, but it was a fun change!
Lunch that day brought us to 82 Queen, which was recommended by Faith, our "Charleston Strolls" tour guide. This ended up being our favorite place on the whole trip! Mom and I both wanted to go a little lighter with this meal, and the lunch menu was really great. I had my third sample of she crab soup (always good) and a gorgeous, fresh mixed greens salad topped with blackened grouper. Delicious! Mom ordered a roasted tomato stuffed with corn, eggplant and mozzarella over marinara sauce and she couldn't stop raving about it. We then split a divine slice of pumpkin cheesecake which came with cinnamon ice cream. Mmmmmm all around!
We ended up walking around the Market area again that afternoon and stopped in at T-Bonz Gill & Grill for dinner. We weren't up for anything fancy and just wanted an easy dinner, and that it was. First of all, huge props to T-Bonz for bringing out *warm* bread with *warm* butter - just such a pleasant way to start a meal! I ordered a steak and Lowcountry deviled crab cake dinner with a salad and baked potato, and Mom went for the 3 crab cakes option. Here's my only disappointment of the culinary tour - I think I've been spoiled by living in this area, cuz I've really come to love Maryland crab cakes. The spicy "deviled" version in SC just wasn't as appealing to me. Mom liked them better than I did. But the steak was tasty - hooray!
Sunday brunch gave us the opportunity to check out Poogan's Porch, a restaurant we'd heard about from several people. This extremely charming place is named after the beloved and much-missed dog Poogan who helped "oversee" the restaurant's renovation and used to greet guests from his porch. There were lots of pictures up showing the actual Poogan, and it was all very sweet. Here's where I finally tried my very first fried green tomato - Paula Deen would be so proud! I had the eggs benedict with fried green tomato and applewood smoked bacon. Very tasty! And the tomato added a really fun tangy snap to the whole thing. They also had warm buttermilk biscuits with honey butter, divine. Mom had a huge order of French Toast, and she ate every bite so it must've been good!
For our last dinner in Charleston, we returned to 82 Queen. Dinner was just as delicious as lunch had been! And their outdoor courtyard ambience was really charming, with little white lights strung up along all the trees. It's a perfect date place! This time, Mom and I both sampled their soup of the day - pumpkin bisque. Truly delicious. Then I sampled a menu item that I'd never even heard of until we went to Charleston - Frogmore Stew. This hearty "boil" includes shrimp, corn, sausage, tomatoes, peppers, and okra all in a spicy-sweet tomato stock base. Wow, was this delicious. The ingredients are all largely intact, so you can enjoy huge chunks of veggies with the shrimp and sausage as the tastes blend together in their most basic forms. It reminded me of jambalaya, but without any rice. This was really a surprise treat! Mom ordered lamb, which is always her favorite, and so we were both really pleased with our 2nd visit to 82 Queen. For anyone heading to Charleston, put this restaurant at the top of your list!
Our last meal of the trip was breakfast on Monday, and we went to a cute little place on Meeting Street called Joseph's. We'd spied their menu early on, and I was really looking forward to ordering their sweet potato pancakes. And wow, were they tasty! Thick, rich, with that wonderful sweet potato taste all covered in pecan butter and maple syrup. It was like I'd died and gone to heaven, and in heaven it was always fall. Mom had an egg white omelet with fresh herbs and muenster cheese, and she was totally happy with her meal too.
Overall, I think we did pretty darn well on finding some of Charleston's best meals. Every place we went was relatively inexpensive and casual - we avoided the fancier stuff because we're not really a family that "dresses for dinner" - and the meals were all fantastic. I would love to go back! But first, I need to spend about a YEAR eating just fruits and veggies to make up for this 5-day feast!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Charleston's Treasures
Mom and I spent a lot of time walking around historic Charleston. The whole area was just so amazingly beautiful, it was almost impossible to believe. Imagine an entire neighborhood that looks like a postcard!
And I can't even imagine the millions of dollars that people pay for these properties, and the millions that go into historic preservation and creating showpiece homes and gardens.... What more can I say about a place where people pride themselves on living Slightly North of Broad, and calling themselves SNOBs? And, of course, they're not to be outdone by those living South of Broad, the SOBs!
We took a walking tour, and a carriage ride, and both of our tour guides were great. We learned a lot of interesting stories about the history and culture of the Lowcountry. But my favorite times were just walking around with my Mom and the camera, exploring on our own and finding great hidden treasures like these.
And I can't even imagine the millions of dollars that people pay for these properties, and the millions that go into historic preservation and creating showpiece homes and gardens.... What more can I say about a place where people pride themselves on living Slightly North of Broad, and calling themselves SNOBs? And, of course, they're not to be outdone by those living South of Broad, the SOBs!
We took a walking tour, and a carriage ride, and both of our tour guides were great. We learned a lot of interesting stories about the history and culture of the Lowcountry. But my favorite times were just walking around with my Mom and the camera, exploring on our own and finding great hidden treasures like these.
Monday, November 13, 2006
I'm home!!!!
Hey kids, I'm back from my vacation in beautiful and historic Charleston, SC. I got in several hours later than planned, so it will be a day or so before I start posting stories from the trip. But watch for details on Fort Sumter, on gorgeous architecture and historic houses, on my tour of an actual plantation, and on all of my sampling of Lowcountry cuisine. I'll spare you the horrific details of why I'm getting home so late. But trust me when I tell you it will be a cold day in hell before I fly out of Dulles again.
In the meantime, enjoy just a few of the many, many photo memories I'm bringing home with me...
In the meantime, enjoy just a few of the many, many photo memories I'm bringing home with me...
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Random NYC Sighting #2
Here I stumbled upon what must be the parking lot at the Central Park Zoo:
I've never seen so many nannies in my whole life!!!
I've never seen so many nannies in my whole life!!!
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Polar Bear Swim
While at the Central Park Zoo, I joined in the crowd having fun watching one of the Polar Bears play what must have been his usual game:
He would push his little blue barrel toy up onto the rocks and roll it around a bit, then do the backstroke across his little swimming hole...
Then, with a somersault against the corner to show us his immense size and a mighty push with his furry paws, he started his swim all over again.
Random NYC Sighting #1
I bet there are no motherfu*kin' snakes on that motherfu*kin' plane!
Seriously, can it possibly live up (or down) to the hype? Anyone seen it yet?
Saturday, August 19, 2006
A Photography Mecca
The first stop on my NYC itinerary was the International Center of Photography, located at Avenue of the Americas (6th) and 43rd. When I asked my lovely readers for suggestions on things to see a few weeks ago, Cube suggested checking out the Weegee exhibit at the ICP. I'm so glad she did, cuz I was able to take in 4 really diverse and all really interesting photography exhibitions. All of these exhibitions close on Friday, August 27, so if you have any interest in them you better go soon!
On the first floor, there is an installation of really large photographic works in Atta Kim: On-Air. These are all recent works by the Korean photographer, including several long-exposure (like 8 hours or more) photos of Manhattan and of the Korean DMZ that show surprisingly quiet, tranquil scenes in places that we know to be active and even chaotic in real-time. Plus he has a really cool series of giant images that represented "morphing" (sorry, I can't remember the technical term) 10, 20, or even 100 other images into one. There was an image of Buddha that he made using about a dozen different people in different poses, but when he merged all the photos into one he got a surprisingly clear single image of a Buddha that represents all of the models combined. He did the same thing with people's faces - morphing 100 portraits into one, including one image that was 100 different men from 100 different countries. Racial and ethnic characteristics melt away as these diverse men all combine to become one face. Very cool. (Note, on the ICP web site you can look at selections of images from all of these exhibitions. It's worth exploring.)
Downstairs, there are currently three exhibitions that offer a wide range of subject matter and artistic styles. First is their "headline" exhibition, Unknown Weegee. Photographer Arthur Fellig, aka Weegee, created images, particularly those he shot for the tabloid newspaper PM, which illustrate the tenuousness of working class life in 1940's urban America. These images show graphic and poignant depictions of tenement living and its dangers, including racism, poverty, murders, fires, and crime, contrasted with rare glimpses of Hollywood glamour. Weegee captured candid images of Veronica Lake and Eva Gabor, as well as his "Intermission" series showing performers and patrons from high society enjoying a night at the opera. These images are all gritty and tangible, and I found myself absorbed in each one of them, trying to determine the story behind what he allowed us to see.
Next up was a collection of photographic collages in Tempo, Tempo! The Bauhaus Photomontages of Marianne Brandt. Yeah, this was not so much my style. Moving on....
Surprisingly, my favorite show was the smallest one at ICP. In just a single, small room painted a pale blue, the exhibit Paris: Eugene Atget and Christopher Rauschenberg showcases two artists pursuing the same subject matter with similar techniques. Atget photographed scenes of Paris in the 1910's-20's, sharing rich images of a beautiful city's architecture and public spaces. In one of my favorite styles of photography, Atget hints at the comings and goings of early 20th century Parisians but he does so without showing any people in the images at all. I love photographs that give a sense of human activity without using any people in the image at all. There are photos of shops, playgrounds, and cafes, all expectantly waiting for their intended visitors to appear. In the 1990's, contemporary artisit Rauschenberg created an homage to Atget by photographing many similar subjects, also giving a sense of current Parisian life without showing any human subjects. What I really loved about this exhibit was that the two artists' work was shown side-by-side, and you truly could not tell which images were modern and which were from a century ago. Rauschenberg intentionally focused his lens on locations that haven't changed over the decades, and he was careful to not include any glimpses of modernity in the form of new cars or evidence of electronics, etc. These romantic black-and-white images really pulled me in and I found myself wishing I could be walking the streets of Paris myself.
On the first floor, there is an installation of really large photographic works in Atta Kim: On-Air. These are all recent works by the Korean photographer, including several long-exposure (like 8 hours or more) photos of Manhattan and of the Korean DMZ that show surprisingly quiet, tranquil scenes in places that we know to be active and even chaotic in real-time. Plus he has a really cool series of giant images that represented "morphing" (sorry, I can't remember the technical term) 10, 20, or even 100 other images into one. There was an image of Buddha that he made using about a dozen different people in different poses, but when he merged all the photos into one he got a surprisingly clear single image of a Buddha that represents all of the models combined. He did the same thing with people's faces - morphing 100 portraits into one, including one image that was 100 different men from 100 different countries. Racial and ethnic characteristics melt away as these diverse men all combine to become one face. Very cool. (Note, on the ICP web site you can look at selections of images from all of these exhibitions. It's worth exploring.)
Downstairs, there are currently three exhibitions that offer a wide range of subject matter and artistic styles. First is their "headline" exhibition, Unknown Weegee. Photographer Arthur Fellig, aka Weegee, created images, particularly those he shot for the tabloid newspaper PM, which illustrate the tenuousness of working class life in 1940's urban America. These images show graphic and poignant depictions of tenement living and its dangers, including racism, poverty, murders, fires, and crime, contrasted with rare glimpses of Hollywood glamour. Weegee captured candid images of Veronica Lake and Eva Gabor, as well as his "Intermission" series showing performers and patrons from high society enjoying a night at the opera. These images are all gritty and tangible, and I found myself absorbed in each one of them, trying to determine the story behind what he allowed us to see.
Next up was a collection of photographic collages in Tempo, Tempo! The Bauhaus Photomontages of Marianne Brandt. Yeah, this was not so much my style. Moving on....
Surprisingly, my favorite show was the smallest one at ICP. In just a single, small room painted a pale blue, the exhibit Paris: Eugene Atget and Christopher Rauschenberg showcases two artists pursuing the same subject matter with similar techniques. Atget photographed scenes of Paris in the 1910's-20's, sharing rich images of a beautiful city's architecture and public spaces. In one of my favorite styles of photography, Atget hints at the comings and goings of early 20th century Parisians but he does so without showing any people in the images at all. I love photographs that give a sense of human activity without using any people in the image at all. There are photos of shops, playgrounds, and cafes, all expectantly waiting for their intended visitors to appear. In the 1990's, contemporary artisit Rauschenberg created an homage to Atget by photographing many similar subjects, also giving a sense of current Parisian life without showing any human subjects. What I really loved about this exhibit was that the two artists' work was shown side-by-side, and you truly could not tell which images were modern and which were from a century ago. Rauschenberg intentionally focused his lens on locations that haven't changed over the decades, and he was careful to not include any glimpses of modernity in the form of new cars or evidence of electronics, etc. These romantic black-and-white images really pulled me in and I found myself wishing I could be walking the streets of Paris myself.
Midday at Bryant Park
Like I said, this little park that's adjacent to the New York Public Library is one of my favorite places in NYC. It's so lush and peaceful that it always seems somewhat surprising to be plopped right down in the middle of busy, kinetic Manhattan. The last time I tried to explore this park, it was Fashion Week so it was all covered in tents and runways. Bah, I wanted to see the park itself! So I'm glad I got to this time around.
I love the juxtaposition between nature in New York's lush green parks and its centuries of development, shown through colossal old buildings like the NY Public Library and the skyscrapers of today. Watch for more photos like this from Central Park.
Bryant Park is set up for its own version of a summer "screen on the green" festival (sponsored by HBO, according to lots of big signage and banners all around), and behind this fountain you can see the angled panels of the movie screen in its "off" position. I loved that, during the week, the screen itself becomes a part of the public art in Bryant Park.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Lady Liberty
My ancestors were among those tired, poor, huddled masses generations ago. (Well, except for those who had already been here for thousands of years.) I can only hope they got to see her on as beautiful a day.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Back from the Big Apple!
I just got home from my whirlwind 36-hour trip to New York City. I had a great time! I'm amazed at how much fun I can have exploring with just myself for company. I don't think traveling solo is for everyone, and I wouldn't do it for more than 2-3 days tops, but I've found it's a really great way to just open my eyes and clear my head. Woohoo!
I'll be posting several follow-up entries over the next few days with lots of photos and details, but for now, the highlights:
Wednesday
I arrived at Penn Station at about 11 am, and made my way uptown. I happened to walk by Bryant Park, which is one of my favorite places in the city, so I stopped in to take some pictures and enjoy the tranquility. Then on to the International Center of Photography, which was I checked out on a tip from Washington Cube. (Thanks, Cubie!) After exploring all 3 exhibits and grabbing a light lunch, I walked the few blocks to my hotel, the Milford Plaza, where I gladly dumped my hot and heavy backpack. Then I headed over to the Hudson River for a Harbor Cruise, inspired by Onyah's recent trip. I got some amazing photos of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. More to come. I found dinner at a cute little Italian restaurant after exploring all my options on Restaurant Row, then I took in the evening performance of The Drowsy Chaperone. After the show, with the funny tunes still playing in my head, I went back to the hotel and promptly passed out.
Thursday
Since I did more on Wednesday than I normally do in a week, I took it a little easier today. I slept in and checked out of the hotel at about 10 am (after watching some of this mind-boggling coverage about the JonBenet case...), dropped my bag in the $3.00 storage at the hotel, and then started heading north to Central Park. In all my visits to NYC, I hadn't yet ever explored the Central Park Zoo. So that was my main agenda for today, and I spent about an hour and a half exploring this little zoo and watching all the fascinating creatures - animal AND human. Then I roamed a bit through the South end of the Park. But at this point I was tired and broke and ready for some air conditioning, so I made my way back to Penn Station. I tried to switch my ticket for an earlier train, but that would've required a $40 upgrade, so instead I got myself lunch, finished my book, and bought some magazines. Then the 3 1/2 hour train ride, most of which was spent stuck next to an annoying lady who smelled like onion bagels (cuz she had one in her bag), then the cab ride home, and voila! I am here.
What I'm most proud of about this trip is that I set myself a budget and I stuck to it! The biggest expenses were the train, the hotel, and the Broadway ticket, and I paid for all of those ahead of time. But then I set myself a limit of $150 for all spending - including admission tickets, meals, souvenirs, cabs, etc. And I enforced this limit by setting a "cash only" rule. I took out $150 before I left and that's all I could use, no cards allowed. And guess what? I actually have a few dollars left! :-)
Even after all the fun, I was really glad to come home tonight. After all the congestion of Gotham, with asphalt and glass and chrome and garbage and grime and especially people EVERYWHERE, it's really nice to come back to a city that's pretty and green, where you can see the sky.
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