Category Archives: USA
Best Casual Waterfront Dining in NYC.
Brooklyn Smorgasburg
Only seven types of velvet cake available this day; I wanted to try their Praline Bourbon.
On Saturdays during the warmer months, NYC locals swarm the Smorgasburg held in the Williamsburg neighborhood by the East River State Park just off the ferry landing. Dubbed by the NY Times as “The Woodstock of Eating”, it features more than 100 gourmet booths offering every imaginable type of food. We sampled Texas-style moist beef brisket, Maine lobster rolls, hummus, red velvet cake, and a salted chocolate ice cream sandwich. All delicious.
Details: From Manhattan take the East River Ferry @ 34th St, to East River State Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The Smorgasburg event has expanded throughout the boroughs on different days with different names. Can’t vouch for the other locations, but you can find more food on Sundays in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 5 (near Manhattan’s NY City Hall); and Long Island City, Queens on Saturdays. All open 11 AM – 6 PM. Since these events seem a bit transient, Google before you go.
The Frying Pan, Hudson River Park
This popular local spot started its life as a Lightship in 1929, keeping ships from running into the Frying Pan Shoals (thus its name) 30 miles off Cape Fear, NC. In 1965 she was abandoned in the Chesapeake Bay and apparently sank, spending three years underwater before being rescued.
Today, the Frying Pan is a floating historic lighthouse, permanently docked at Pier 66a in the Hudson River Park, West 26th Street, and 12th Ave. The food is average but I hear the evening bar scene is lively; plan to visit for the history and the incomparable setting.
Only open seasonally, table service is available in the summer months, starting around Memorial Day, 11:30 AM – 11:30 PM. The best thing to do is follow them on Twitter and/or Instagram to make sure they are open and check the hours. Their Facebook page, Frying Pan-NYC, also has information, but, be forewarned, some of the info on their website is incorrect. Read the rest of this entry
If you have enjoyed my post please share it:
Madison County NC has Barns, Not Bridges.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about buying a painting at a fundraiser for the Appalachian Barn Alliance, a group dedicated to documenting historic barns in this part of western North Carolina.
My husband and I decided to take one of their self-driving tours and visit the barns of Walnut Township in Madison County. Once in Madison County, we followed winding country roads for about two hours to nine different barns the preservation group researched, including the one featured in our painting. There were many other old barns and farm buildings along the route, turning our drive into a sort of barn-treasure-hunt.
A few of the barns were not exactly where we thought, but the directions got us close enough to figure it out. Most of the structures were eventually used for tobacco drying of some sort, and many were originally built to house livestock. The history of each barn was as interesting as its deteriorating appearance and we could soon spot the distinctive monitor roof and gambrel roof designs. Along the way, we learned about many used as flue-cured tobacco barns and converted in the 1920s to air-cure burley tobacco (used primarily for cigarette production). Many early barn-owners sold (or bartered) their barn roofs for advertising . . . maybe our first billboards? Does anyone else remember those “See Rock City” barn ads?
The group has several self-guided tours. guided van and private tours, and other special events you can read about on their appalachianbarns.org website.
It was a wonderful way to spend a beautiful day.
If you have enjoyed my post please share it:
Hummingbirds Rock & Roll
In the North Carolina High Country, I have never seen so many hummingbirds flying in and out of the trees to the feeder and nearby flowers. Dipping and diving too fast to get a good still photo. They were magical.
If you have enjoyed my post please share it:
A Little Church in the Woods
St. John’s Episcopal Church is a little gem tucked away in the woods down a gravel road in Sugar Grove, NC. Not far from its parent church The Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal* in Valle Crucis, St. John’s was built in 1862. It came about through the fortitude and aspirations of William West Skiles who gave his life to the church and was deaconate in Valle Crucis. He served the people of this mountain region from 1847, often on horseback, until his death in 1862, just after the new church opened. Read the rest of this entry
If you have enjoyed my post please share it:
The Mystery of Barns
You can’t drive through the green, pastoral country roads of Western North Carolina without seeing barns. It’s always fun to see a barn. Barns of all types and styles. Barns mostly in a state of disrepair. Barns that aren’t going to be in existence for the next generation to enjoy. I can’t imagine these mountain landscapes without barns.
The Appalachian Barn Alliance was created to preserve the memories of these barns and document their significant role in the history and development of this rural region. Through architectural drawings, photographs, and data collection the group has documented about 90 historic barns in Madison County, North Carolina. Read the rest of this entry
If you have enjoyed my post please share it:
Blast to the Past – & Future.
Next time you plan to visit Disney World – throw in some extra time for a visit to the Kennedy Space Center. Your kids will thank you and you will enjoy this slice of significant American history. Everyone will be fascinated by learning what is next in space exploration.
If you have enjoyed my post please share it:
Most Amazing Mountain Gorge View in the Eastern U.S.
See unparalleled views of the Linville Gorge from Wiseman’s View, near Marion. NC. Looking down across the deepest gorge in the eastern U.S., you can clearly see the Linville River snaking through the forest 1500’ below. The trail itself is an easy, paved, 0.4-mile, handicap accessible path that even has a permanent port-o-potty-style bathroom at the trailhead. But, oh boy, the ride there is an adventure. It’s only four miles on a gravel road, but with the washouts and potholes around most turns, it seems much longer. You will need a 4×4, high off the ground, with good wheels. A Jeep, Range Rover, or F-150 will do the trick.
If you have enjoyed my post please share it:
Best Escape from Southern California Traffic
A trip to Catalina Island is a true escape. Just a short hour-long ferry ride transports you from one of several ports along the southern California coast to a haven with few cars and beautiful vistas.
Plan your departure from Dana Point, Long Beach or San Pedro on the Catalina Express. You can upgrade to the Commodore Lounge and have a free drink and/or snack, but the trip is short so it’s not really necessary. Some of the ferries have private cabins available. Check out the website for details, they do not run every day, but when they are running have many trips. Average adult fates are $74 round trip, $67 for those over 55, bikes and surfboards $7 extra. Reservations are a good idea.
If you have enjoyed my post please share it:
A Million Dollar View that Will Cost You Nothing.
Well, maybe some change in the parking meter.
A visit along Laguna Beach’s portion of the California Coastal Trail is a must-see for any visitor to SoCal. It is Laguna so it is picture-perfect. Heisler Park is a protected Tidepool Habitat with a beautiful beach. This Pacific coastal park has plenty of handicap and stroller-friendly paved walkways with rails. There are ample public restrooms and areas for kids to run around and play. Art lovers will enjoy the sculptures throughout the grounds and everyone will enjoy the spectacular views.
If you have enjoyed my post please share it:
Where to Spot Sea Lions in Southern California
Adults and kids can agree spotting Sea Lions is always a thrill – even if you can usually smell them before you see them. Near the center of picturesque La Jolla, head over to the park along Coast Drive and you can people watch as well. Weekend parking can be tough, but you can grab a Bird (electric scooter) and get anywhere in minutes.
There is a pleasant Coast Walk along the Pacific with viewing points and as a bonus, you can visit
the Sunny Jim Sea Cave. For $5 an adult and $3 for kids, it’s a chance to visit La Jolla’s longest-running business and the site of a historic tunnel to the cave. Open since 1903 there have been a few improvements over the rope that originally guided adventurers’ descent into the dark tunnel. Today there are a few lights and 145 wooden steps with handrails to ease your way.
