Pig and Peaches

ALMOST SNOWBIRDS

2012-01-26T10:50:00.001-05:00

I get it. I totally understand leaving cold, snowy weather, ending up in more hospitable climates for winter. Birds do it... Our travels have taken us on so many adventures, meeting new people and just spending time together with Momo. We took long bike rides with Momo riding in his basket. He loves flying along. We do too. We spent two days in Sarasota, our new favorite city. Nearby Seista Beach is one of the most stunning beaches. Long white expanses of beaches, filled with sun seeking folks. It isn't dog friendly but it does have a very nice spot(shady) where WFS & MOMO lounge while I take a dip in the gulf. It works for all of us. We had a grouper sandwich at a great hideaway. This was one of the few meals we ate away from our camp site. It was delicious and fueled us for a long day of adventures. The best being:Marie Selby Gardens. This absolutely incredible botanical garden is located in the center of the Sarasota. I could have spent an entire day strolling through the banyans, fig trees and hibiscus gardens. It isn't spring yet in Florida. I can imagine that event in Selby Gardens would be mind blowing. There is a extraordinary orchid and bromeliads green house. The bonsai gardens captured my fairy imagination, completely. We had a hot tea by the herb garden. How civilized is that?We have discovered the kind and generous spirit of fellow campers. Two women camper/kayakers brought us fresh grapefruit. An older couple(dear god older than us) shared banana bread and insider camping spots we have yet to discover. A couple from Ontario joined us for our nightly walk with Momo, pointing out the stars glistening over the prairie. We camped on the edge of the Suwannee River last night. I was building our fire, preparing our bison hot dog dinner and the sweetest couple from Texas appeared! We have a lovely Bordeaux and you have a fire, would you like to share? They had a gazillion dollar new airstream & the finest Ford diesel truck for hauling... Stories flew through the waning light... The wild lilies I found on my afternoon walk with Momo made a beautiful centerpiece for our table and the wine was delish, even for a non sipping girl like me!We are driving up Interstate 75 heading for our last night of camping. We will leave the TinCan for some updates and additions in Tennessee. I am hoping for a nice new frig that runs even while driving! That would be very, very awesome. We are also considering an Internet booster. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but, WFS can work sitting under a live oak with me doing the dictation. Sorta like the 50's moves into the 21st century. Until the wheels roll again....

TINCAN TRAVEL

2012-01-20T20:46:00.001-05:00

WFS, Momo and I are settled in Oscar Scherer State Park. Our lazy days and nights follow a rountine, sort of. We have our coffee & read day or two old newspapers. I prepare our breakfast, which we eat under a large live oak tree near a gentle rolling creek. Birds chitter overhead. After we clear and clean we decide our day... Our choices are bike ride, hike, dog beach... Yesterday we took Momo to the dog beach. He absolutely loves a romp on the beach with dozens of furry friends. We let him find his own rythmn...and he quickly locates some little furry guys to twirl round and round with... Dog owners, like campers, love to swap stories.. Today we rode our bikes about five miles on the Legacy Trail. Our park connects with this awesome trail that runs 12 miles. Momo needed a walk mid bike ride. We were near a large lake, so the two of us took a leisurely walk. Shore birds were wading in the marshes. Idyllic. Suddenly, I heard a large whpap on the water. The birds scattered as a fair sized alligator's eyes raised above the surface. Holy Moly.... Girl and dog moved rapidly down the shore toward the bike trail... We found WFS visiting with other bikers, totally unaware of the danger his faithful companions had encountered! We biked back to camp, had lunch and read our books. We drove out for ice and fresh shrimp. We got back just as the sun was fading. I built a huge fire and grilled shrimp, snow peas and peppers. We had orzo and salad. Yummmmmy. After walking Momo, we both had hot showers and a long sit by the fire. Tomorrow we are going to Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota. I have it on good authority, from fellow bike riders, that Sarasota has a fantastic Saturday Farmer's Market. I think we'll have a lovely day exploring a new southern city.

ST GEORGE ISLAND/APALACHICOLA

2012-01-18T16:11:00.000-05:00

Driving through the innards of Georgia and Florida at 65-70 miles per hour is arduous at best. Zipping past live oaks and palmetto does,however, hold some charms. The views and vistas got a quick ooh and ahh as we hurled past.,,we have logged many miles and hours in a short amount of time on this roadtrip. This is not my preferred mode of travel, as you well know. We are not ambling this trip, we are barreling! We ate our pre-made sandwiches(very good) in the car as the miles ticked away. We stopped in Tallahassee to reprovision with the essentials, ice and wood .....and, those forgotten items, olive oil, rice, yogurt and a nice bottle of red wine. We skirted along the Apalachicola National Forest to our final destination, St.George Island. The 3 mile causeway leading to the island was a welcome sight. The road ends at one of the finest campgrounds in this neck of the woods. St George Island is spotless clean, has great bike trails, migrating birds and views to die for. We quickly set up camp, built a fire as the sky filled with stars. We relished our dinner under a panoply of stars. WFS was anxious to walk the beach and stargaze. The sky was completely illuminated with stars. The Milky Way was like a gauzy veil draped across far flung diamonds. We bundled Momo in our arms, stood in the surf and let the moment carry us away. After our beach walk,we fell into a deep sleep, awakening to a lovely warm and sunny morning. We were lounging about, drinking our coffee when Bob stopped by. We have lots of folk stop to "talk" airstream. Not unusual, you might say, but Bob was young and had his whole family in tow. Their 1975 airstream was taking them across country, each day bringing a new adventure. Bob and Susan are home schooling their daughters for a year and reveling in life. We invited them down the evening. We drove to APALACHICOLA for lunch at the Grille. The oysters(some of the best in the world) were so fresh it made me swoon. Our server insisted we try the key lime pie. I am sure I have eaten as much key lime pie as anyone. I love key lime pie and it is the only time I will ingest fake whipped cream. I cannot help it....I loved every morsel of this gooey sweet treat. We took Momo on a long walk around APALACHICOLA, ending up on the boardwalk down to bay. We met Rufus, a great guy, casting his nets for mullet. Rufus threw the large net high over his head. As the net hit the water, a perfect circle formed... I love to watch an artist work. He slowly swirled his nets pulling in several medium sized fish.Rufus offered us his catch but we declined and moved on... I did stop at the boats and purchased a fresh grouper. WFS and I decided to ride our bikes to the far edge of the island, skirting between the sea and the bay. It was an exhilarating five miles to the end and a grueling five miles back as the sun dipped down over the bay. Truly a glorious sight. We pedaled back to our campsite, built a campfire and plopped down in our chairs to rest our weary bones. Our new friends, Bob, Susan, Maggie(11) and Carly (10) arrived. We exchanged tales from the road. Bob and Susan are taking a year(maybe more) to explore the country, soak up family time and cherish their time together. Awesome. Maggie and Carly are amazing young ladies. They are beautiful, talented, poised and engaging. The coals in our fire were perfect for grilling and we decided to cook. The girls were excited about an over-the-fire cooking lesson. We grilled the grouper, a very simple production... I threw together a salad. We loaded two plates, passed around six forks and had a wonderful shared dinner. The girls were inquisitive, soaking up food stories like a sponge. We have camped for 25 years and last evening ranks very near the top of camping experiences. Such a fantastic family, living their dream and building a very, very good foundation for their daughters. It was hard to leave these amazing folks.... As we well know, on the highway of life there are many, many intersections. We might cross paths again on a star filled night....free as the breezes wafting through the trees.

ST GEORGE ISLAND/ APALACHICOLA

2012-01-18T13:08:00.001-05:00

LET THE SUNSHINE

2012-01-16T16:38:00.001-05:00

Day Two: slept until 8:30. Coffee in bed. Momo demands to see the outside world. Stretch and yawn. Momo and I walk while WFS prepares for the second day of hauling the TinCan toward our first destination in a southernly direction. St. George Island is a mere 40 minutes away. Sandy beaches, sunsets, oyster shacks, migrating birds.... Did I mention WARM? my bones are thawing, my disposition vastly improved... Sometimes I cannot help but wonder, why do I still live where the tempatures drop below freezing? Kentucky holds a dear spot in my soul. That is my final answer.

MAN--MOMO---ME

2012-01-15T21:48:00.001-05:00

Each time we back the TinCan from our driveway,(especially @ 6:30 am) I am running a zillion things through my head. Did I get the coffee? the computer cords? paper towels? Momo's leash? I make lists. Lots and lots of lists. Invariably, something gets left behind. Thus, we keep a constant look-out for a convenient Target to fill in the missing stuff. How many dishpans can one foget and replace? Answer: 7. On our previous camping trip I forgot Momo's kibbles. Seriously. He eats a very special formula. I searched the Internet until I found a pet store carrying his brand. This trip I packed a separate bag for him, rather like packing for an infant. We pushed the limits of my abilities in hours & distance today. I tried to keep my whinning to a minimum. I had lots of time to sort through my mental list of forgotten items. . It seems I might have made my first voyage with all the necessary stuff for a two week excursion. Tomorrow morning I might find the missing something I-must-go-to-Target-and-buy but so far, so good. The air is brisk, our tiny home cozy and the Man & Momo are snoozing. Me, I sm sorting the last items on the list,bookmarking my mental files with things I might have left. This will pass after a night of sleep. And, if I remember the things I have forgotten, I will always have Target.

The silver dollar bar Louisville ky

2012-01-11T18:17:00.006-05:00

There was a chill in the air and I was all alone. Good reasons to rationalize vegetating in front of the tv. But on Tuesday night I couldn't fight the urge any longer to go try a restaurant with quite the unique concept. The neon lights beckon guests in with the "whiskey by the drink" moniker and holy Texas smoke does it work. Through the door I was greeted by a friendly hostess and made my way to the long bar and grabbed a cushioned stool. The prompt service provided me with an iceless water in a plastic red cup and a tequila margarita. Now the tequila list is nearly as extensive as the whiskey list, but both lists are distinguished yet perfect fits for the honky tonk atmosphere. The fervor with which the Plaid clad bartender shook my drink was as much spectacle as it was a testament to the aim of pleasing shared by all the staff I encountered.

I needed a little drinking base so I opted for the cornmeal fried oysters with lemon alioli. The very plump bivalves were sturdy enough to cut in half with my fork. As I was longing for a television to catch some of the UL game a burly brute seated himself to my right and ordered a shiner bock. As he talked to the couple on his right I sent a few texts and did a little research on the net. After a few minutes he turned to me and said " Sumthin bout texas just makes people a little wild, but in a good way". His pure and simple logic seemed like as good of a slogan for this joint as the whiskey by the drink bit. As we conversed about Cold smoked oysters and organic farming (as his business was with the fresh start garden center) I could tell he had a pretty firm grip on the Louisville dining scene and as he ordered the flank steak I was glad that I had done the same. The default temperature of medium rare seemed to coincide perfectly with the mindset of the establishment. He opted for the $4 cole slaw side and I chose the $4 hash browns per the recommendation of the bar keep. The skirt steak was extremely tender for that cut and the hash browns were a glorious mix of crunch and gooey potato bliss in the warm center. Doing what any Kentucky foodie would do to another foodie I asked him of he wanted to try my hash browns. With a very poor attempt to sound uninterested he corrected himself and dug his fork into the side plate between us. In a sort of contagious friendliness the woman to his right also thought the hash browns were worth tasting. The plate had at this point become fair game and the center seat graciously passed a few bites to the lady with his bare hands. Now to some this behavior might raise an eyebrow but I took it all in stride as someone mentioned something about a food orgy. The revelry continued with potato chips being picked off of plates in a sort of free for all-we were immediate family. New heights in trust and quick befriending we're reached as I inquired about a species of pepper after I had just taken a bite of. He said, let me see that, so I handed it to him. He took a bite, said it's a poblano, and handed it back. The mood and roadhouse atmosphere seemed to encourage the behavior that we were displaying. Whether it was the loud music shielding us or the fact that everyone seemed to be trying their hardest to have as much fun as possible we'll never know. But the spot down on Frankfort Avenue definetely has a undeniable draw. If you go don't expect a quiet sit down dinner. There are plenty of other places for that. Go here to get wild, in a good way! ***

HOME

2011-11-12T08:53:00.000-05:00

The past three days have been split into 18 hours of driving and camping. Last evening we finally pulled up in front of Thumbelina. We had just enough time to shower and meet our dear friends for an 11-11-11 celebration at 211 Clover...it's the number thing. The evening was outstanding.. My dinner was divine. I devoured the parmesan flan, followed with grilled sweetbreads in a very light tarragon sauce...My fellow guests had the grouper & the blue cheese filet...Delicious all around. On our last day of driving, we were fortified with peanut butter & crackers and copious amounts of coffee. A civilized dinner felt very, very good, indeed. Troy, the chef at 211 Clover, is consistently the best of the best in Louisville's excellent dining scene.
We left 211, heading toward Caffe Classico for a special concert by my friend, Graciela Perrone. She is just a delight. Her artistic skills include, but not are not limited to, flamenco dancer, singer, artist, great mother and a beautiful woman. I feel honored to know this incredible performer. By the end of the evening, Louisville's finest flamenco dancers were on the floor dancing as Gaciela sang a lovely Spanish song accompanied by Brent,one of the best Spanish guitars around. Ole!
My best friends forever, Marion and Charlie, held our seats while we gathered our wits and friends for the performance.. Cousin Richard from Chicago joined Mary Ann, Romeo, WFS & me as we rocked the night away.

UP,UP and AWAY

2011-11-09T11:06:00.003-05:00

WFS,Momo and I settled into our blissful camping spot at Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park... Our camping neighbors had a little dog named Sam, so, immediately Momo had a friend. Good omen. The first day was spent lolling about, walking, reading and resting after three days on the road. Day two: adventure calling. We packed a snack, the tiny dog, towels and started down the overseas highway toward KEY West. Mind you, we were NOT heading for Key West....we drove about 50 miles to the small village of Marathon. My info said Marathon had a dog friendly beach. Momo loves the beach. So do I. WFS prefers a shady palm tree surrounded by cement but for his BFF,he makes an exception. We found a great spot, spread our towels and arranged our snack... Immediately( literally from out of the blue) a huge black cloud lurked over the horizon. In less than 5 minutes we were pelted by huge raindrops. WFS gathered Momo & I gathered the grub. We dashed to the shelter, arriving soaked to the bone. We huddled with other beach goers & a few vagrants until the cloud moved out to sea. The three of us returned to the damp sand to daydream the afternoon away. Food is always on my mind but finding a market(other than Publixs) is a daunting task on this tiny spit of land. On our way back from Sombrero Beach I noticed a sign saying: Fine wines & gourmet foods. 'twas a lark but WFS turned around and zoomed me back. I found butternut squash pasta, fresh greens & a very nice Sauvignon Blanc ... A short stop at Publixs yielded fresh sage & heavy cream. Dinner by firelight was divine.
Day three: we awoke early, what time is it, anyway? We took a long walk through the hammock on the tamarind trail. Momo loves the sand, sea and woodsy trails. We think it is pretty cool, too. Later we boarded a big boat, (full of tourists) and headed out to sea, searching for the Coral Reef. These guys know the way, they go there three times a day, 365 days a year... WFS is a seafaring soul & I might have been a mermaid~~ As tour boats go, this one was very professionally managed and had a terrific staff. Seeing the coral reef through a big opening in the floor of a boat as it chugs and sways is simply not my idea of viewing options. I always feel as if the creatures of the sea are looking up at feet, cameras and brightly colorful garbs thinking, "goodness, Maude, who brought the carnival to town?" Alas,I prefer my nature viewing a little less organized. The reef is an awesome sight but I returned to the deck to watch the blue horizon and the expert aerobatics of the sea birds following the tour boats.
Day four: Long bike ride with WFS & MOMO.. Kayaking through the mangroves in lazy, dappled afternoon light. A swim in the sea, a long hot shower and dinner in a nondescript little Cuban Cafe located in a strip center. The parking lot was filled with Latinos. Good omen. We had a fine dinner of fish tacos, plantain rellenos, beer and caffe leche.. Proving ,yet again, the old adage: you can't judge a book by the cover or a restaurant by the glitter. A moonlight walk with Momo before bed made the perfect combination for my dream day.
We shook out of bed today at 6:30a, packed it in and headed north on the Florida Turnpike for Anastasia State Park for a night of camping on the beach under a near full moon.

SNAIL'S PACE SUITS US

2011-11-04T22:25:00.000-04:00

I am blogging this from John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo, Florida. Yep, that Bogie & Bacall place. Back when sexy was a gentle pouf of the lips.
I am straying from the point. Snail's pace. It is very well known that we are a bit sluggish when traveling. Roadside attractions, scenic views, historic markers, Starbucks, Target...any and all of the aforementioned & we detour, possibly detouring from the detour. I love "no particular place to go".. On this trip, however, we had particular places to go & specific times to arrive. We had to make a vast number of miles per day. Our first night took us slightly north of Atlanta, GA. This lovely, lovely campground beckons us again & again.We camped deep in the woods overlooking Altoona Lake. We arrived after dark. Setting up camp in a dark, chilly woods is an adventure all unto itself. We ate grilled cheese sandwiches & collasped into our bed. The next morning a very perky Momo wanted to chase squirrels and race through the woods. Thrilling woodland trails led to a misty lake vista. The views were breathtaking in the early morning light. Alas,we had to scurry back, the Tincan was ready to roll south.
We drove the entire day( okay, we did stop for coffee! And that great Georgia Farmer's Market with fresh pears & freshly made peanut butter) And then, the picnic to eat our delectable goodies. Anyway, we did drive the entire day, arriving in the Ocala National Forest around 5:00p. Friends, this Federal Campground is a very secluded spot. Finding Salt Springs, Florida was a formidable task, indeed. GPS does not recognize this section of the world~~The journey was worth every mile. Arriving at the campground was a huge relief. The wonder of Salt Springs was just beginning to unfold. A huge mineral spring feeds a small lake. Diving into those cool springs and swimming in clear, pristine waters with huge fish jumping about was an ephemeral moment to be stored in my memory forever.
We hiked, sat in the warm sun, and took another late afternoon swim in the spring, just as the last light was fading. We returned to camp, ate dinner by a roaring fire & slept like babies.
Today we drove down I95 & Federal Highway to Key Largo. We ate fried fish & key lime pie to celebrate arriving on time to our final destination., John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. We are immediately going into THE SNAIL'S PACE. Perhaps we will pick up our pace in about seven days. Or, maybe not.

TRAVELING THE BLUE HIGHWAYS

2011-11-02T14:47:00.000-04:00

One year ago WFS and I embarked on a life adventure. Hindsight is 20/20, I have been told... This is what I know one year later. Any thing you want, anything you change, anything you dream is a process.
Our process: last August we listed our home for sale. In the worse downturn of housing in a very long time.
Last October we bought a dreamy little cottage, so small I named her Thumbelina.
Last November we were found by a trembling little Lhasa Dog.
Winter, spring, summer and fall was devoted to our grand scheme... Buy a tiny home, take the tiny dog, hook up the airstream and travel the entire USA.
A few things changed in our process. Thumbelina had a voracious appetite and took a year of toil and more money than we could have imagined.
The process had a mind of its own, so to speak.
The tiny dog has a mind of his own, too!
The two old souls spearheading the process forged forward.
We have, generally speaking, survived without murder or mayhem or madness.
Right now we are gracefully floating down 175 toward the land of palms and senior snow birds. I don't mind. The cheeky girl from Pulaski County looks pretty fetching in a mumu.

Coals

2011-10-29T11:06:00.006-04:00

On an October Thursday night I found myself in the mood for pizza. But I had a feeling the pizza I was craving was not a one I'd tasted. Maybe I was in store for a pizza that REALLY wasn't a pizza. Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, sometimes you can have a wonderful Thai dish that calls itself pizza. Or a pizza could be a mission fig preserve basted piece of perfectly grilled flatbread freshly removed from the intense heat of the mammoth coal burning oven. A pizza really is a loose term nowadays. It seems over the last 10 years pizza has shaken off the pepperonis for much more sophisticated ingredients. Since pizza is a staple in American diets I assume it was only a matter of time till the full transformation of the italian based approximation occurred. And occurred it has.

Coals Pizza, near the Vogue Theatre in St. Mathews is one of the latest denizons to enter the sea of establishments trying to push the envelope for the newest melding of flavors. The warm welcoming colors were good for a night that was ushering in the autumn winds. As I saw the Cherokee pizza I began wondering what beer I would use to cool down my taste buds. But further inquiry revealed the spice factor was unfortunately absent. I decided I was still in the mood for something different and ordered it. The pequillo peppers provided great flavor to the red curry sauce and the shaved parmesan. The thickness of the pie is perfect to my liking. The table also was adorned with a Waverly pizza. Prosciutto, asaigo, gorgonzola, all meeting that fig jam with the balsamatic reduction and tantalizing the taste buds made the Waverly excellent. The triangular shaped object would usually trigger a taste for marinara, but surprises the taste buds with much more aromatic and foreign flavors. The Arancini appetizer (7 bucks) was another heart warming dish from the appetizer menu. The perfectly fried balls of risotto with fresh mozzarella were light and prepared the pizza a nice little pillow in the stomach on which to land. The coal oven wings (8 bucks) also offered a very meaty meeting of rosemary, garlic, and lemon. Washing down all these flavors ended up calling for Kentucky Ales around most of the table. Kuddos to the boys in Lexington on one of the best beers in the country. A Schlafly pumpkin ale would have served proper for the meal also, but this establishmnet's well represented beer list was not offering this particular brew. At $14 a pizza the prices are good for that extra night out that tends to pop up during the week. The servers were decent, the hostess gracious, but the oven staff topped all showed pride in their trade and in the coal burning oven that gently lends its aroma to the dining room and bar area.

Coals is a very good spot oat 3730 Frankfort Avenue and offers plenty of parking. Too bad Lotsa Pasta isn't open later, because it is a short walk away and offers the finest ingredients to Louisville's very vibrant craft food stores. So enjoy the pizzas, the pizzas that really aren't pizzas, and the beautiful journey and constant discovery that cuisine will always evolve with. And most of all enjoy life to the fullest for it truly is a gift.

AE
***

Wedding Day

2011-09-10T08:50:00.001-04:00

The McClorey's hosted an amazing, locally produced rehearsal dinner at their home last night. The bride and groom were radiant. A more loving family gathering could not have been possible. Our evening had postcard perfect weather.
After the rehearsal dinner we returned to our new camping spot on a bucolic hill about two miles from town. Our friends(old and new) gathered in our makeshift party area outside the TinCan for some late night reveling. We discovered photo booth on the Mac. Lordy what fun ensued. We giggled and wiggled through many wild photos. I will post those when Internet is available.
The nearly full moon and star filled night prompted a late night walk through the meadows. Momo trotted happily along. It has been a long time since I could truly apply this word, magic.
The low hum of happy voices, the crisp evening air, the bright autumn moon and the glorious love of friends made for more magic than a Las Vegas Show.

Are we there, yet?

2011-09-09T14:47:00.000-04:00

We pulled into our camping spot about six. The heavy clouds lifted and the full day of misty rain evaporated, right on cue. Momo was exceedingly glad to be out of the car. Dan loped off toward the lake. WFS & I set up the camp. Dan returned with wild flowers for the table.
The cocktail hour was resplendent( don't you love that tacky overused word)with cantelope, prosciutto and a dazzling Bordeaux Blanc. In an instant, we were civilized!
Dan built an amazing fire( everything was drenched) and we had a great dinner of chili, cheese and wine.
We decided we would take a long stroll along the lakeshore. The lake was pristine. In the distance were swans. Swans. Graceful, gorgeous swans. The last light was fading as we climbed the hill back up to our camp.
The guys poured another glass of wine and I cleaned the dishes( do not repeat this, my equality stand will be compromised)...
We sat by the fire listening to the sounds of night, marveling in the magic of escape.

Rainy Day Travel

2011-09-08T17:33:00.000-04:00

7:15 am ... Drizzling rain. 7:30am... Perro and Daany Boy loaded for kennel. 7:40 am....first work crew arrives. 7:45... Dan & I have coffee, two cups each. 8:00 am... Loading & final food supplies hauled to TinCan. 8:15 am... Second work crew arrives. Painters. Lots of decisions. 8:35 am... Plumbing inspector, final inspection, passed. Tagged. Finished. 9:00 am... Hammering,nailguns,saws. Rain. Full throttle. Reviewed the list. Check. The list finished. 9:45 am...Load Momo in car. Dan loads himself. WFS makes a final swoop of house, vehicle, TinCan.10:00 am... I need coffee. We bump into Starbucks half mile away. Off we go. 11:15 am...
64 miles north on 65 WFS says, "did you get the garment bag?" "wwwwhat garment bag," I say through clenched teeth. "The one I filled with our 'good' clothes" he replies. "wwwwwhat?!
"I put our good clothes in a garmet bag and put it in your closet." say WWWWWHAT!
We are now 70 miles north of Louisville with camping clothes and no finery for the wedding.
Dan says, "you two are crazy, I just saw a sign for Outlet Malls. I have never been to an Outlet Mall, it should be interesting.."
I am grimacing at the thought and the non shopper,WFS, is saying, " I could use some new black trousers." Momo is the only sane one in the crowd.
1:15 pm......
One hour later, four shopping bags, three bendictines on pumpernickel,two lemonades and many homemade brownies, we are back
on the road... No worse for the wear and a hilarious experience to log into our TinCan
travels.
We are camping in the rain tonight.lord help us!
Stay tuned

The year of extremes

2011-09-07T17:57:00.000-04:00

The past year has been one of extremes. First, we bought a house( dilapidated little Thumbelina)and proceeded to do an extreme make-over. We sold a house, in an extreme down market. The work has been EXTREME. Period.
Let's talk about the weather---A cold, cold winter. A soggy wet(wettest April on record)spring and then the heat of summer. 100+ for six days. Not to mention the storms, hurricanes, earthquakes & droughts. Extreme.
Autumn weather is here. Likely these
temperatures will not last, but a break in 102 temps has certainly made the work crews jump for joy. This girl included.
We had some extreme travel, as well..... Not as much as we had planned, but.... we are dusting off the TinCan, loading her with goodies and beginning to live our dream of rambling about, seeing what we can see.
Our journey will take us to Michigan. Our dear, dear friends, Meg and John, will watch their handsome son Chris wed Naomi this weekend. Their lovely daughter Meriwether will be there, also. This will kick off ten days of nothing. Or maybe something. A large body of water and chilly nights~~~~ that's about enough for me.
Stay tuned.

MUSINGS

2011-03-14T17:01:00.001-04:00

Oft the words I hear are: I could NEVER camp. I cannot explain the multitude of reasons why we love the open road, ending at a secluded or not so secluded state or federal campground. We rarely, if ever, camp at private campgrounds. We love hiking the trails, skirting the edge of a river bed, the vistas from mountains or the endless excitement of the sea. I have a method of finding our camping areas. It takes hours of research and reading. I do not gamble with our accommodations. My "bible" is The National Geographic 100 Best State Parks. My companion book is 100 Best National Campgrounds. Slowly, we are working our way through the 100~ and more slowly through the National. Sometimes, when dusk is falling and we are weaving through uninhabited country-side, I wonder... Why are we doing this and will we ever see the light of day, again. We arrive, saddle sore and exhausted(a plush vehicle helps) to a darken circle of like minded folks milling around a circle much like the old western conestoga wagons. I always insist on our having a decent dinner at the end of a long day. As WFS sets up camp, I start the fire and begin our meal. We have a sip of wine, eat our dinner, enjoy the embers and hit the sack. Sleep comes quickly and it never fails, as first light drifts across the horizon one of us will say, isn't this the best life? Whether we are waking up in the woods or in the sand or in the prairie.... we always greet the day and our new surroundings with wonder and a feeling of magic. How can we be so lucky?
WFS makes coffee and delivers it to my warm bed, Momo occupies a place near my feet. I love the stillness of morning. I love the feeling of nowhere to go. I love being in a tiny space with the big expansive world around me. I love creating a day of nothing. I love that we are insulated from all the hyper nonsense called life..
Our days take on a certain rhythm. I plan our meals, WFS plans our adventures. We laze around, no need to hurry... Sometimes we don't do a thing.
The next few weeks will be filled with fraught and frantic days. I have an uncanny ability to forge forward and stay focused. The dream of a clear night sky and a distant whippoorwill keep me sane.

MASSIVE ATTACK

2011-03-10T12:54:00.000-05:00

I am enjoying a leisurely day cruising down 1-75/1-16 toward Savannah, Georgia. WFS And I will stop for a splendid late lunch somewhere in that fair city. After lunch, we'll go due south, hugging the coast until we arrive in Fernandina Beach, Florida. This little hamlet in northern Florida is one of our favorite places for camping and relaxing. Fernandina is a beautiful beach town. Add to this lovely town an incredible wealth of exciting restaurants~~~~thus, making this location pristine and progressive!
Friday night we'll join our friends, Romeo and Mary Ann, at the Ritz Carlton( Salt Restaurant) on Amelia Island for a taste of pure luxury. I could go on and on about Salt. I probably will AFTER we dine. Fine dining is a departure from our open-fire-cooking at our campsite. I need a fancy free evening & relish the thought of anticipated pampering.
And then, our little respite will end on Sunday and next week the MASSIVE ATTACK on Thumbelina will be full throttle. I am beginning to believe we can pull this crazy renovation off by the 18th of April. Did I say renovation... Truth be told, we are building a house. We blew past renovation in January.

Blueberry Almond galette

2011-02-28T14:08:00.000-05:00

CELEBRATING MY BIRTHDAY

2011-02-28T13:54:00.000-05:00

Life zings along, does it not? As simplistic as it sounds, the years have flown by. I have seen many suns and moons, orbiting....I love it. Not when my bones ache, not when I feel too few hours in a day that must(somehow) end earlier and earlier each year. It's a stamina thing! Yet, I awaken each day, feeling more energy than I can invent ways to use. So, I invent. Ask anyone in my wake.
This brings me to my birthday. I am inside my house. I am quiet. I am not accepting invitations today (tomorrow or anytime in the future is fine). I am reading the NY Times, in luxury. No interruptions. I am hugging my puppy. I am making no plans. I am not building wings on houses. I am not cooking. I am listening to great new music, the Decemberists, Amos Lee, the Secret Sisters, Liz Janes...Flo and the Machine, Herbie Hancock. Loud. I am alone. I love it. I need it.
Tonight WFS will come home, we will do our usual evening.... this is very good. I want leftovers from the dinner I made last night for WFS, Cari, David and Polly. I want to watch stupid tv, WFS snoozing near-by. I want to take a long, hot bath. I want to be in my pj's by nine.
All of this makes me happy. I am a senior citizen. Senior Citizen Sally. Grandmother to Colin and Jaxon. Mother to Christopher and Jason. Joe and Cebah's daughter. What could be better? I blunder less in life, more in my stride. I love purely, I am less complicated and more demanding. I like me.
The next threshold in my life promises to open many doors. All I ask is: please, dear friends, stay with me and be there. You make my life one hell of a ride.

2011-02-07T22:08:00.001-05:00

'TIL WE ROLL AGAIN

2011-02-07T22:03:00.000-05:00

JOURNEY'S END

2011-02-05T18:09:00.003-05:00

We left Louisville sixteen days ago on a snowy morning. Our travels have taken us to climates exceeding 80 Degrees. We have explored beaches, rivers, mangroves and scrub pine hideaways. We've dined at beach shacks, fine dining(restaurants and camp), and found a few great coffee houses. We've met some great folks, greater dogs and unusual characters along the way. Snowbird(Snowy), the little white poodle, made a lasting impression on Momo. Snowy's owner, a sweet old man, was sitting on a bench near the entrance of the beach. Two hours later when we left the beach, Snowy and his owner were still on the bench. " See," said Snowy's owner, "I told you your buddy would come back."
And it is true. We do whirl around, but, we always come back.
We are ensconced in the mountains of Georgia. The temperature will be in the high twenties tonight. Our little airstream is as cozy as can be. I am simmering Thai noodle soup outside. Soon we'll eat our soup. We'll take Momo for one last camping walk in the chilly night air. Then, the three of us will sleep in our warm beds, dreaming the dreams of wandering souls entwined by the love of the journey.

WHEN THE SUN SHINES

2011-02-02T22:03:00.000-05:00

The Midwest is experiencing the worse snowstorms in history. Flights cancelled and cars buried under drifts of snow. Our friends and family( Chicgao, Monte Vista, Louisville, Philadelphia and New York) have kept us posted by email and Facebook... It sounds absolutely terrible. I did find a NYTimes paper in Publix today. The unrest in Egypt overshadowed(somewhat) the blizzard.. As a complete newspaper junkie, it feels quite odd to be disconnected. I occasionally check the news online but mostly we spend our days hiking, biking and strolling on the beaches with Momo. A typical day is coffee and a short walk, then breakfast. We decide what bike ride, hiking trail or beach we plan to explore...then, we head out to spend the day. We return to the campground around 4:00, we read or catch up on emails and then build our fire to prepare dinner. We've had some scrumptious meals. We've also met some great folks. Tonight two campers from Ashville, NC joined us for dinner.
The great thing about camping is meeting fellow travelers, inviting them to join you for nibbles or dinner or whatever. They arrive, bringing a great bottle of wine to share around the campfire.
Tomorrow promises another day in the low 80's... When the sun shines, it is very hard to think of heading north toward home...
We'll begin that trek on Friday, slowly winding our way back to winter's brittle reality.

Mangrove and Palms ~

2011-01-29T00:23:00.000-05:00

A DAY AT THE BEACH

2011-01-28T21:37:00.003-05:00

WFS and I crawled out of bed at 8:45 today... A great beginning to a spectacular day. We had coffee sitting under the live oaks surrounding our campsite. Our state park has miles of hikingtrails. We picked a three mile trail, hooked Momo on leash and headed out. The skies were incredibly blue and the birds very active. After our walk in the interior, we decided to take Momo to Paws Beach. It is a long stretch of beach specifically designated for dogs. Dog heaven. Our little fellow was so happy romping in the sand and surf with literally dozens of dogs. Not one dog growled or misbehaved. Dogs were zigzagging everywhere!
We stopped by the fish market to buy fresh caught red snapper for dinner. We grilled the snapper with the last of our cherry wood ... Yummy! We had a split of champagne that our dear friend Robert provided for our fireside pleasure.
Night has brought three tired campers.
A hot shower and a warm bed for me...... MOMO and WFS sound asleep. Life is good. Very good, indeed.

HOW DO YOU FEEL YOUNG?

2011-01-27T09:02:00.002-05:00

The past two days have been very active. Tuesday morning we awakened to the most incredible colors over the Gulf of Mexico. Pale shades of lavender and aqua bathed the morning sky. Heavier grey clouds were drifting in from the south. Suddenly, we heard a prehistoric sound from the marsh. A slate colored heron flew into the sky, emitting other-worldly sounds. We both stood spellbound. We stood silently watching the birds making their morning flights. How do you leave a place so fine? The call of the wild, I suppose. Always a new adventure just around the corner or down the road.
We packed up quickly as the skies were taking on a darker hue. We made our exit just as the first large drops of rain appeared on our windshield. WFS tuned in the radio... Yep, rain. In copious amounts. And, the rains came and the winds came and the tornado warnings came and the Duckie Express whipped about....... WFS powered on. We made our destination safe and sound.
We are camped under a canopy of live oaks, palmetto and chirping birds. A wonderful canoeing river meanders through the park. We'll explore hiking trails and the river today. Tomorrow we'll explore the beaches.
Now I am sure you are wondering, what does this have to do with the title of this blog?
When you are a girl of a certain age hanging with a man of a certain age and you begin to notice you are not as youthful as you used to be and, and, and....
All one needs to do is head south with the snowbirds... When the most exciting thing in your day is the pancake breakfast at the Nature Center...and the topic of conversation is your latest ailment/ surgery and the dog exchange info on walks is the best of all conversations.Not to mention the insider info about cheap eats! If you are the youngsters amongst the campers....
THIS IS HOW YOU FEEL YOUNG
It is awesome! The sweetest people in the world inhabit state park camping communities.

Something to crow about ~

2011-01-24T19:55:00.003-05:00

Hello. I'm Sarah's ghost blogger. Don't be afraid though, I'm only here to post some of the gorgeous and outlandish spectacles that Sarah and WFS are enjoying, even as we gaze at our monitors. And don't worry, Sarah will return soon with her own inimitable style of blogging.

ST Joseph's Peninsula, Day 3

2011-01-24T09:15:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was a long haul of nearly nine hours. Four over my limit. I tend to do the five year old, "are we there,yet?" The day was sunny, albeit a bit chilly, so, being in the Duckie Express wasn't all that bad. I love the nomadic life! I just need instant gratification on getting there. WFS, on the other hand, is a gem of endurance.. Weaving through traffic, detours, small roads, hauling our silver egg flawlessly. I assume the role of NAGvigator..turn here, no there.. Etc.
Once we came to the end of the road and turned left onto th St. Joseph's Peninsula Road, I would have traveled forever to see the sun setting over the bay. It is almost incomprehensible how beautiful the world can be bathed in an orange glow.
We pulled up to the entrance to the state park at 6:28.. The harried young lady informed us the gates LOCKED at sunset or 6:30pm! We had two minutes to beat the deadline. Of course, she accommodated us.. Thing was, she was locking and leaving in two minutes! That means we would have missed our moonlight walk on an empty beach with MOMO wrapped in WFS's jacket and the utter beauty of awakening to the swaying palms, filled with chattery birds, just outside my window.
Welcome to paradise.

Day 2 of the most excellent adventure

2011-01-23T12:22:00.002-05:00

Last night we pulled into the campground "feeling 'bout half past dead," as the song goes. For all my camper friends, you know this means we still had at least 30-40 minutes of setting up and getting organized. The dusk was turning to dark and we needed to work quickly. Little Momo wanted a walk and exploring rights to his new surroundings. The brisk air was perfect for a romp through the woods. When we returned to campsite, WFS had completed the outside set-up and was chatting with the park ranger. Neither of us had the energy to build a fire, so, we scooped up Momo and a bottle of wine heading into Elsie, the Tin Can,for warmth and relaxation. I put my domestic goddess desires on hold, preparing a great chunk of cheese, crackers and delicious wine for our dinner. I topped my dinner off with a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
We found our books, pluffed up our pillows and read until exhaustion took us to dreamy land. Momo made his bed near my feet and did not move the entire night.
Morning brought bright sunlight filtering through the trees, hot coffee in my warm bed and a new adventure on the horizon.
We are scooting down I 65 toward one of my favorite places on the planet.. St Joseph's Peninsula on Apalachicola Bay

COME ON BABY DRIVE SOUTH

2011-01-22T16:06:00.002-05:00

John Hiatt's great song is running through my brain. We are driving south, albeit a bit of a zigzag through! ALABAMA! Last night we reviewed the weather and it appeared to be 10 degrees warmer around Birmingham. Hot 'Lanta ain't so hot! To be honest, neither is Birmingham! We made a short stop in Nashville to have pizza with Jason and Jaxon. Could I help it we just happened to be across the street from Toys r Us? Stuff happens on the way to Birmingham.....
We are camping near a huge lake in northern Alabama. WFS was born in Mobile... I'm just sayin' this girl has found little to love,except WFS, in or around Alabama....
We'll be in Florida on Sunday~~~

THE WRECKING BALL

2010-11-19T11:08:00.002-05:00

Two weeks into demo and much progress has been made. Thumbelina has been razed. We now have a shell, literally. The tipsy floors are problematic. We will need a hydraulic jack to level a corner in the kitchen. The great bead board wall most likely not make the cut. The tongue and groove ceiling might survive. Might. The moving of thumbelina in the 30's left her seriously lopsided. It is charming, to be sure... My craftsmen do not agree. They cannot adjust cabinets and floors and new bath fixtures to accomate the charm. None of my very skilled craftsmen have looked askance nor fled. This is encouraging! My youngest very very skilled son DID shake his head... He refrained from saying we are nuts. It appears the sky must rain money or the house on Lexington Road must sell! The renovations are going to far exceed what we originally planned.... That's the way it goes in rehab.
We are taking a much needed holiday from house wrecking(me) & legal wrangling(WFS). Tonight we'll camp in West Virginia. The temperature is predicted to drop into the mid twenties. If we don't freeze tonight, we'll be sleeping in much comfort with Christopher, Audrey and Colin in Philly tomorrow night. My number one son turns 44 on Sunday. As cliched as it sounds, it seems like yesterday when he was born. And I would add, it keeps getting better and better.

THE WEEK Begins

2010-11-15T10:08:00.003-05:00

Thumbelina is in tatters! The garden has no shape , only barren patches where English Ivy used to reside. A huge dumpster sits squarely in the middle of what will be my new pavilion and garden entrance. She doesn't look too sad, though. If houses could talk, and I believe they can, she is sighing a huge sound of relief and anticipation. Speaking strictly for me, I cannot take another work week as intense as the last. Back breaking, mind numbing work consumed me last week. English Ivy is a stubborn bitch. Our large tree in the front yard was twisted to the top of the limbs with ivy. The coiled, thick cords were choking the life from the tree. Hopefully, it can recover.
Today, a faux chimney, going nowhere, will drop from the attic in 5 gallons buckets. Handyman Mike will fill and drop the bucket to me on a thick rope. I will grab the bucket, take outside and stack the old bricks in neat rows for repurposing, later. This sounds back breaking and mind numbing....but, gratefully, it isn't that cranky English Ivy!
Inside, we are planing the new state-of- the- art HVAC with high tech insulation. We are exploring the possibilities of a spiral staircase leading to the attic and a possible small room for our grandsons. We are tearing out the old cabinets and carpet and demolishing the bathroom.
Things should start to take shape for the rebuild near the middle of December.
I am always optimistic. Stop sniggering!

Thumbelina

2010-11-10T21:17:00.004-05:00

The past few months have been revelatory in many ways. First, I did not realize nor expect to be buckled to my knees by the death of our sweet, little puppy Chloe. Chlobel had lived with us 12 & 1/2 years. She was five weeks old when I slipped her in my sweatshirt pocket. She traveled across the US with WFS and me. I will miss her the rest of my life.
When my mother died in January, I held onto her unflinching fortitude. Her entire life journey was one of survival and resolve. I felt, in many ways, her legacy to me was to buck up. Look the devil in the eye and never blink. Weather the storm, stay the course. I honored her in death. I kept a brave countenance. I followed her roadmap. Dignity and poise. Holding my shoulders straight while walking with a book on my head. She was and still is my foundation of steel.
I reckoned all of her lessons. I did not cry at her funeral. I tried to be brave. I finally realized, my mom never taught me not to feel .. My mother told me not to cry. I honored my mother's wishes. I think my mother guided me to wail for Chloe. That is how I have reckoned my year of great loss.
Secondly, after many years of collecting a world of crap and some divinely inspired stuff, WFS and I have decided to chuck it all( or more accurately, a major portion) and live out our dream of traveling. We intend to drift about until we see all we want to see. We have purchased a lop-sided 1870's Station Master's house, moved in the 30's from the rail station on Frankfort Avenue to a knoll in Reservoir Park. Thumbelina is a "shot-gun" house measuring a compact 1125 square feet. She is completely charming and once I figure out how to resolve a two inch drop in the middle of the house, the fun of making her come to life will begin in earnest.
I have vowed to blog our adventures. I might spare you the three day marathon English Ivy removal. Except to say, it is a nasty, invasive, noxious weed and is currently clogging some nearby landfill. Horrors. As my wise son said, English Ivy is only good for an ant highway. The kid is right.

The Blind Pig

2010-11-05T12:36:00.003-04:00

Life gets so busy that simple pleasures are swept away. One simple pleasure I love and count on is a spontaneous dinner with people I love. Especially, if the ones I love are, say, under 12 years old. Thursday evening brought AE, Sierra, WFS and I together for dinner. Sierra had just finished her dance class and AE just returned from a long tour of Asia. We had much to talk about. It had been far too long since we had family time! As Sierra's substitute Grandmother, the two of us were welded for the evening. WFS and AE discussed all those "guy" topics.
" Any new spots in Louisville?"AE asks... oh, yes, says I! Let's go to Butchertown, to The Blind Pig!
We drove into this up and coming neighborhood's lively eatery, located on a corner directly across the street from the old packing plant. Industrial, edgy & repurposed, this cool new space has a hip vibe, wildly imaginative menu that bridges a much needed addition to Louisville's dining scene.
Wine, beer and cocktails are made to excite and make one linger at the long bar. We ate at the bar on a previous visit and found dinner with the barkeeps to be rewarding & fun! On Thursday, we were seated at a booth with a great view of the entire restaurant. Sierra and I played on the iPad, so, moot point.
WFS ordered wine and AE had a goat slinger cocktail. The night was off to a good start. We ordered mussels in a garlic,fennel broth and crispy oysters served with a champagne sauce and aioli. The aioli was tart with lemon and had just the right balance of garlic. I saved a bit of the aioli for dipping my Blue Dog bread. I lapped the mussel broth, filled with crunchy fresh sauteed fennel.
Sierra ordered sausages, as did WFS. I ordered the bean chili and AE ordered the Ivory Bacon sandwich. Each bite we took was accompanied by oohs and ahhs. Sierra, world traveler and foodie, said, this is a fat wiener! She ate eleven mussels and nearly all of her sausage. AE had to eat fast to keep the other dining companions from devouring his entire serving of fresh cut French Fries! Superb!
The cabbage served with the sausages was perfect. Nothing more to say.
My soup was hearty, filled with six beans, tomatoes and tons of spice. Perfect soup for an autumn evening.
Sierra and AE had a bedtime curfew. WFS and I stayed, savored the moment, and spilt a brown butter tart.
The service was swift and professional. The price for dinner for four, a bargain.
I think we all would say: Welcome to Louisville. We hope you stay a long, long time.

2010-06-26T08:11:00.003-04:00

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

2010-06-23T23:37:00.003-04:00

Internet connections have been sporadic, that's a good thing. Seeing the wonders of the west have been thrilling, to say the least. We have yet to experience temps above 70 degrees! Nights have been brisk and the warmth of our sleeping bags have been very welcoming. We have eaten only one meal not made campside and/or some scenic overlook as we passed through four states. I love cooking on an open fire. Our tiny little stove provides instant( almost) boiling abilities., so, clean-up for WFS is a snap. "How," he asks, " can you cook like this making barely a mess, but, blow up half the state of KY when you cook in your home kitchen?" I have no explanation. None. We've had utterly delicious fare, buying our supplies at local farmer's markets and the best organic store, ever, in Trinidad, CA. Situated conveniently five miles from our most amazing high perch over the Pacific.
After following the Trinity River as it winds through the mountains of California, we reached the best National or State Park we've ever stayed in. Ever. The views were stunning. The hikes, treacherous and breathtaking. The beach, tranquil. I think we might have stayed a month, but, the coast of Oregon was just up the way, so.......
I might have mentioned I love the thought of no sales tax and no pumping gas, and views that never end. However, the best thing in Oregon is: coffee on every corner! Espresso, Latte, hot, dark and oh, so good to sip just before you step out into the ocean breeze, that for a southern girl, is downright cold!
Portland and Cathy tomorrow....Ann, Linda, Katherine and spouses. Doesn't get much better than this.

A DAY AND NIGHT IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

2010-06-20T16:16:00.002-04:00

Leaving Pyramid Lake, we headed into California. WFS had ripped out( before we left) CA and OR from our old atlas. I, the NAGivator, consulted the old fashion road map. No GPS, no iPad , no nothing, just the roadmap in my lap. A fuzzy old friend. We decided to go through Plumas and the Sierra Nevada range to Lassen Volcanic National Park. We found an irresistible little ice cream and burger stand, The Polka Dot, nestled by a creek. I love old signs and milkshakes. !bingo! Fueled for the day, we ambled toward the imposing peak of Lassen. 10,457. Cold too! The road was closed about two thirds of the way up,so, we drove the road as far and high as we could. 'tWas amazing. We scurried down Lassen and headed toward a higher peak, Mt Shasta, 14,162.
While talking with Jaxon on the phone about Lassen and Shasta, he asked the last time it erupted. 1921(Lassen), and the time before that, he asked.... Don't know, said I,to which he replied, if you get that information, I can tell you when it will blow again and you'll have time to get out of there!
Nothing blew, so we camped on the deep forest floor with bear roaming about. We didn't SEE a single bear but they do poop in the woods. I swear.
We could see Castle Crag and Mt Shasta from the vista near camp. Plus, the divine Sacramento Riverr rapids were a mere mile and a half away by the bear trail.
We had a coin toss, head for Crater Lake or Redwoods National Park and the sea~ we cheated a little. The Pacific was singing a compelling song. Camping by the sea tonight.

PAUITE, PYRAMID LAKE

2010-06-19T12:49:00.003-04:00

Shore birds and water gently lapping brought my senses to alert in pre-dawn light. From deep inside my warm cocoon I could sense the morning light. I missed the starry skies, time changes and two days of extreme travel left me road weary. After our dinner, a walk and clean-up, I got my reading light, book and magic pillow and crawled into the tent.
Winds are fierce around Pyramid Lake, it is very lunar and desolate. The ranger advised us to camp on Windless Beach. A slightly protected cove, that loosely meant one could stake down the tent and not be
blown away. She said the winds would die down in the night but roar in like a tornado in the early morning. The winds did roar,
but, our little tent did not quiver. Yeah Mountain Hardgear! The azure water against the granite mountains are a brilliant contrast. The stillness juxtaposed with lashing winds were the very essence of primal. This lovely lovely country speaks to my soul. This crazy nomadic travel isn't for everyone.... But, for WFS & me, it is paradise.
These two seasoned travelers forgot to buy camp stove fuel, so, we made a beeline to Reno REI! California, here we come!

The Great Salt Lake

2010-06-18T15:11:00.004-04:00

Comparing our plane flight to the misery of the Mormons struggling with lunacy and adversity, makes whining about air travel rather trivial... But, when you are our age, and must run at full gallop across the Denver terminal and are asked to pay! Yes, pay! For peanuts, m&m's... You either laugh( we did) or curse the airline industry( we did). We touched down in Salt Lake City 7:45 local time. Rental car agency had a small compact instead of Tahoe, gas guzzling camping SUV we had reserved. This was all sorted out by 11:00p local time. Early morning for the KY immigrants. We pitched our tent on a grassy, rose laden spot with snowy mountains and clear, cool night air enveloping our weary souls. Sleep came quickly.
Morning brought bright blue skies and a great coffee shop. We found Whole Foods, State Liquor and ice... We have provisions galore. We drove west to the Bonneville Salt Flats. A sight to behold! We'll be in far western Nevada on the Pauite Indian Reservation tonight. Pyramid Lake. I suspect we'll be cold, cold tonight. We have chili for dinner and a bottle of wine and each other. Guess that will be enough.

Taste of Derby

2010-06-03T09:40:00.004-04:00

When the Kentucky Derby Festival added the Taste of Derby to the festivities the already unique line-up of steamboat races and waiter races, we really hit the superfecta. What took so long to come up with this concept? We've got a starting gate full of America's elite in the small city of Louisville that holds its own in cuisine with all other cities, so why not showcase our love and understanding of all things culinary?

When I heard who all was coming to the Taste of Derby I knew this would be an event that I could not miss. As I pulled up to the parking lot, by-passing the red carpet valet line, I started to feel the excitement in the air. The Mellwood Arts Center was a perfect venue for the event, and as I walked in to where most of the revelry was taking place, there were house appetizers like a cucumber slice with a pocket shaved out and filled with barbecued bison. what an inventive bight that set the tone for the upcoming tastes. Flowing deeper into the event I was given a nice piece of glass stemware from the vineyard in Chile that was sponsoring the event. What else to do except fill it with some chardonnay to arouse the taste buds. My dad is friends with Michelle Bernstein and since she was the biggest star chef there, I went straight to her booth. We chatted for a few minutes about Miami cuisine and the restaurant business, as she is the authority on that subject. What an extremely nice person to be given such a successful run. The way the event was set up was: Give 12-15 regional and national chefs a large booth to hand out one or two bight dishes to the glamorous crowd as they promote their restaurant and the progression of food in general. Each booth had an LCD flatscreen flashing between the chef on display, and the dish they were preparing. Michelle had a medium sized gulf coast shrimp, de-veined and relief cut to make it lay flat, with heat provided by a mexican pepper and garnished with three pieces of a semi-sweet popcorn; popcorn shrimp reborn. My first taste of Michelle's culinary creation solidified my pre-conceived notion of her talent. The shrimp were excellent.

As we rounded the corner, we came to the New York City representation, Tribeca Grill of the Myriad Group was handing out their dishes with smiles and hearty welcomes. The Commanders' Palace was in the courtyard handing out turtle soup and Ouita Michel of Kentucky's own Holly Hill Inn was producing a burgoo ensemble. Anthony Lamas of Seviche had prepared a seviche bight on a wooden spoon and was very fresh. Sullivan University had a station in the courtyard that was a run-off between two students to receive tickets to the derby. Both were very good dishes, especially the cornbread and brisket. Chef Allen Akmon does wonders with this university and his students all have great things to say about him. I did not have any bights that I did not like and as I was leaving to meet friends at Fourth Street for the Luke Bryan concert I was very glad I decided to attend the first annual Taste of Derby and vowed next year to make it the main event instead of a precursor on the night.

Cumberland Island

2010-04-15T14:26:00.004-04:00

Perhaps it was the sun filtering through the live oaks. The dappled, dancing shadows on the dusty, sandy roads. Perhaps it was the stillness of noon, barely a sound in the thick woods. Perhaps it was the smell of a fire, burning the last remnants of winter's scorn. Perhaps and most significantly, it was the puttering sound of a small tractor that made me think of home. All the memories of my childhood ricochet around me. On this remote island, amongst the ruins of a sophisticated, wealthy world, I paused, prodding myself to look deeply into my imagination. Did a little girl live in that huge house? Did she pretend she was a wild and free Indian princess riding bareback to the sea? As I walked through the ruins, the wild horses wandered in to take fresh water collected in a pool on the south side of the ruins beneath a small flowering tree. .My reverie was interrupted by a gaggle of women on a guided tour. Time to go deeper in the hammock toward the cemetery, slave quaters, barns and the 1 and 1/2 mile beach trail. My imagination switches, I now feel like Lawrence of Arabia, crossing the dunes in blazing sunlight. We marched through perfect white sand dunes for almost a mile. The sea, from the dunes, was exhilarating, magical, glorious. We both made a mad dash to cool our hot feet in the cool surf. We did not see another soul until we returned to Greyfield Inn for a glass of sweet tea, sitting on the veranda, relaxing on the porch swing.
After a five mile bike ride, a four mile walk and a picnic by the sea, this seemed like the perfect ending to a manificent day on Cumberland Island.

Sunny Sunday

2010-04-12T12:52:00.004-04:00

Yawn. Stretch. WFS brings my coffee to my sea watching spot. We both stare into the sparkling sun dancing on the low tide until WFS's belly began to growl. Our Sunday brunch was bagels, lox and cream cheese. Traveling in a vintage airstream garners lots of attention. Fellow campers wander in, how long you had it? Where did you get it? Are you from New Mexico?(front bumper) Are you from KY?( back bumper)... Then, where you been? Where you going? Time drifts away. I am eager to walk to the lighthouse, which can only be reached from the beach in lowtide.. The lighthouse is about a 3/4 mile trek along the shore. I repeat, only in lowtide. We have to get moving.
This very wild beach is Gullah country and for the most part, has been left to the natural wildness of the sea. Other than bird and turtle hatching protected areas, the park service isn't intrusive, at all. Several warnings say: Give alligators a wide berth. Thus, stick to the sea! We made it out to the lighthouse along the shore, climbed the 238 steps up
to the catwalk for a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean, Harbor River and Fripp Island. The day was bright and sunny with views extending forty miles.
We walked through the hammock back to the seashore, where we found the most rewarding ice cream hut. A Ben & Jerry's ice cream sandwich eaten while the sun warms your back and the sea breeze cools your face..well, as the saying goes, priceless. You have to grab the moment, no?
While the tide was low, we hiked as far as we could go to the very edge of the river and the sea. Stop. Breathe deeply. Do not move.
Now, continue.
We decided to drive 16 miles into the historic town of Beaufort, SC. This is a lovely southern town and also very lively on Sunday afternoon. Perversely, I was seeking a Sunday NYTimes. Unsuccessfully. We did treat ourselves to fried grouper cheeks and Palmetto ale. You get good and greasy and wash it all away with beer. Oh, by the way, in the south, you lick your fingers!
We found Beaufort very southern and, hospitable. Do stop in, if you are ever lost between Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.
A footnote:
the sunset over the marsh would take a small book to adequately describe. When I write my memoirs, I will include that indescribable sunset

Asheville, North Carolina

2010-04-10T13:48:00.002-04:00

WFS is a nimble driver. No doubt about it. He's also a relentless one. Miles upon miles, never relinquishing the wheel. I will also add he will stop a zillion times, for no better reason than allowing me to dip my feet in the French Broad River. We followed the French Broad as we snaked through the lush mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. The very, very slow route, to be sure. We took this senic and splendid route to avoid the rock slide on I40. We didn't see the Smokies but we did see America, the beautiful and America, the kitchy!
Camping last night was bliss. I was sleeping soundly by 9:45!
We've left the mountains behind and we'll see the Atlantic Ocean soon. Tonight our little TinCan will be nestled by the sea. We have cherry wood and bison burgers.. What more could two vagabonds want?

Eastern Kentucky

2010-04-09T14:44:00.005-04:00

As I travel through the magnificent mountains near Pineville, Kentucky, two things are very clear to me:
1. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
2. It is devastatingly poor.
I wonder if we will ever reconcile these glaring contrasts.
As a child in a one room school, I was graced by the Save the Children Federation. I only knew beauty, I did not understand the concept of poverty. I thought we were priviledged. I still do. Later in life, and noted by my oldest son, I became vocal, perhaps militant on the stereotypical portrayal of the undereducated. I
must admit, it is hard not be protective of the people from this incredible landscape. It only takes a few guffaws or pointed grammatical corrections to set me aflame. I wear my heritage with enormous pride. I am looking out the windshield into a deep hardwood forest, morels are there waiting to be dry land fish for supper. Wildflowers are dotting the south banks of creekbeds. Trees in the distance are pale green, red and gray. Birds are nesting. Someplace in a hollow, a baby's foot is touching green grass for the very first time. The timeless ritual of life in the mountains on a spring day is humming to my soul.
I honor the past, I am hopeful for the future of this remarkable corner of the world.

Gardens, Yew Dell and Sarah Belle

2010-03-22T14:02:00.003-04:00

The soft rains came yesterday, Nothing blustery. Just a billowy wind and rain. The good ground soaking kind. The rain was much needed. Though my seedlings had popped through the ground, they seemed to be patiently waiting for the final element for success, rainwater. Somehow, watering with a garden hose never brings the results of a good, steady, spring rain.
Last night, I drifted off to sleep listening to the rhythmic sound of water splashing on the earth. I went out on the pavilion around 10:00pm to take a deep breath of the rain soaked air. The smell of the earth receiving the rain is one I dearly love. One must take time to smell, not only the roses, but the wonderful smell of the earth as it inhales and exhales in the still night air.

Recent Dining

2010-03-15T15:58:00.005-04:00

Well I have been hitting the dining trail quite hard in the last month and have some nice additions to the dining dossier and some nice re-assurements to some seasoned restaurants. Just from time to time I like to remind our readers how lucky we are to live in a city with such high marks for good restaurants and a standard of appreciation amongst the diners of Louisville. Having first hand knowledge of all major markets in the US, there are not more than five cities which exceed the river city's quality.

I will start with the new Zapata's on Shelbyville Rd where the old (real old) Mazoni's was. One of the few "institution" restaurants had left a void in our landscape, but that story was posted a while back. So I must say Zapata's breaks the mold that nearly all mexican restaurants in America hold. They bill their fare as authentic, and I somewhat agree, but the food is excellent regardless. The very colorful dining room, in which the servers wear VERY traditional small town garb, is sure to awaken your senses. The chorizo fundido was excellent, but the coctal de camarones was hands down off the chart. The quesadilla was huge and wonderful, the carne azada skirt steak was large and tender, and the Tacos of steak were served in excellent corn tortillas served in a festive sombrero. This place will find a devout following quickly! *** 1/2

I had eaten brunch at Rivue a year or so back, but had never been for dinner. My brother works for the Schneider Co, who owns both the Galt House and the Crowne Plaza, and he had repeatedly requested I fit the revolving restaurant into my rounds. On a Thursday night in April the time came, and we took the express elevator to our perch over the Ohio, looking out at the new arena as it takes its shape and the wall of glass facing the river is installed. Tim played very soothing music on the piano as we walked past the small bar to the hostess stand. We were shown to our table in the eastern revolving room and were greeted by our server Andre. While I touched on the attributes of diners in Louisville, I must not overlook the high standard of servers in this city either. Within 10 minutes I had already rated Andre to be in the top ten of Louisville. He was concise in his knowledge of the restaurant, the menu, what accentuated each dish and was excellent at conversing in general, as my brother loves to talk to everyone. We started with glasses of Cambria chardonnay ($14), that although slightly overpriced were served chilled perfectly tableside from the bottle. We enjoyed the white full bodied wine as the river became our scenery. Our first course we were to split, and we decided on the trio of sea scallpos. One was served atop red tomato sauce, one atop yellow tomato sauce, and the final atop an asparagus sauce. The yellow tomato, topped off with crunchies, was the only disappointment. The flavors did not meld in harmony, hiding the natural excellence of the plump scallop. The bread was good, but the butter should be commended. One accutrement this city has not mastered is the importance of butter quality. For our main courses I had the filet with a potato gnocchi-like seared pasta. These were a welcome respite from the usual servings of starch found around town. The filet was very tender and flavorful, but I could not keep from thinking about my recent steak experience and this was simply playing second fiddle. Rivue gets the review, ***1/2

So I guess the introduction for the best steak in Louisville has already been written. Now the question is which spot is going to knock Pat's off their perch? Is it the ultra sexy Jeff Ruby's, where the bar scene is the place to be seen on the weekend downtown?? As excellent as they are, especially to get fresh stone crab back in December this far from South Florida, that is not the answer. The answer lies atop one of my favorite buildings anywhere. That building would be the Kaden Tower. The Frank Lloyd Wright designed building creates as air of specialness to me as I enter the elevator past his portrait. As we leave the cold lobby after a UL basketball game, we are greeted with the warm wood, carpet, and overall decor of a steak worshipper's home. As we sat at the bar to watch more basketball, we ordered a shrimp remoulade. The four jumbo shrimp were great, but the remoulade was just a tweak off. Although Ruth Fertel originated this well-run chain in New Orleans, the recipe for this sauce must have gotten lost in the move. Not bad, just not where it could be. But redemption was on the way. Oh sweet redemption, when it comes in the form of a 9 oz. sizzling filet mignon on a plate that could fry an egg. The perfectly bloody center mixed with the bernaise sauce in a harmony that made my mouth smile and my eyelids slightly close as if to say- wow. Me picking a chain as the best steak in Louisville means it already overcame a large hurdle. But however many there are in the country does not matter to me at this point. The flavor of that meat served scalding hot and the well-executed cooking does. On another trip shortly after the first left our cravings unfinished, we started with a crab cake, and I would order that in lieu of the shrimp remoulade on subsequent trips. Ruth's Chris is where it has been for some time now, it just took me a few years to allow a chain to receive such high status from me. They have paid their dues ****

Recent musings also included a wonderful foie gras hand delivered by Kathy Cary at Lilly's. The chef knows how to do foie gras. All renditions here are excellent, and paired with unique tart or sweet flavors. The service here was good and the restaurant looks to be doing well in the downturned economy. Also on a Friday night we went with friends to the Come Back Inn. After trying a few of the pastas and leaving with a grin and not a smile, I found what I needed to bring me back to the genial spot tucked away between Bardstown Road and downtown. An entree that would keep me coming back with a dish in mind, instead of a warm spot for a cool evening. The pizza rocks at the Come Back Inn, but don't tell everybody, because you can't hardly get into the no-reservations dining room easily even if you are life long friends with the owner's dad. Geena can flip a table with speed and talk about the daily grind with a no-nonsense style that is genuine and makes a diner happy to know their money is going to the propreitor who is bussing tables and expediting orders. The final restaurant I recently dined at was El Toro on Shelbyville Rd. I was introduced to a new drink, consisting of beer, tabasco, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and some fruit drink. called an enchilada. There was a hispanic contingency that had the tall bartender rocking out the enchiladas. The quesadillas were great, but the tacos carne asada were less than desirable. Probably won't go back to this spot.

So get out there and enjoy the dining this city has to offer! Your favorite restaurant is probably having trouble in the hard times. Go have a nice dinner and support the local owners in their businesses. Or you may not be able to when you start craving that dish you love.

TREES

2010-03-09T15:56:00.004-05:00

Today at 7:00am I began my day. A huge truck delivered a gigantic mound of dirt. I love a pile of dirt. This was especially good dirt. Compost and earth, nothing better! We started moving dirt to my new raised bed and to my herb garden. After 4 back breaking hours, the dirt was where it needed to be and the new lacy bark elms were in the ground. I have decided to name the trees Lacy & Lucy. After a certain stylish cat I know! I am too tired to bring more news, except, the lettuce is planted and I will be able to cover my bed if/when freezing temperatures arrive. That is a given in the Ohio Valley!

DEATH OF A MOTHER

2010-03-04T15:32:00.003-05:00

A dear friend's mother died early this morning in LA. We have shared our experiences with the decline and loss of our mothers.
These words literally fell out this morning. I think it is Dan and I in the last moments. However, it is for Stephanie Shane Parkin, daughter of Betty Shane.

Death of a Mother

Silence takes a moment
it's there
you wait and still,
still is the calm.
A flutter takes you
to all the times,
fraught and final.
The hand relaxed,
the jaw set
it is the moment
the silence
it is death.

Home

2010-03-02T09:20:00.002-05:00

Home has its own sweetness. I spent the day reorganizing and cleaning. to most, this is drudgery, to me, exhilarating. By late afternoon, I had things orderly. Dinner.I made polenta, baked golden crispy with a very creamy center and topped with black beans, red onion and roasted red peppers...a little finish of cilantro and a warm fire made for a great ending to the day~~
The photo was made at Fort Clinch, Fernandina Beach, Florida. WFS was walking ahead on our only rainy day and this shot presented itself. We started out with low clouds through the hammock, by the time we reached the beach it was a downpour. Walking in the rain was such fun.
We made it to the old fort, as my mom would say, looking like water soaked rats. We stepped inside the old bakery and found a lovely fire in the fireplace and a long row of nice wood. WFS stoked the fire, and we warmed our wet bones. One of the more perfect adventures of Sally and Bill.

CHLOE & WFS

2010-02-26T19:30:00.001-05:00

EARLY MORNING HIKE, OUTBACK FLORIDA

Fare Thee Well

2010-02-26T12:40:00.003-05:00

Tempatures dipped to 34 last night. We had a roaring fire in one of the most serene settings we've ever camped in. Barely a sound except the rustle of palmetto and the night bird calls. We had a great dinner of leftover white chili, toasted jack cheese, avocado and green chili sandwiches. I finished with hot tea and a chocolate. WFS had a hot shower and I washed the dishes. By the time we got inside, we were both grateful for our cozy little bed & a very warm TinCan.
Yesterday we explored a radius of fifty miles. We hiked two state parks and one federal preserve. Rivers, marshes and estuaries, deep hammocks and golden sandy beaches. This was the land of native people and so pristine. We relived their lives in every hammock and midden. The Timucuan were decimated not by war, but by disease. We stood on the banks of the Tomoka River, just before it flowed into the sea, imagining a world of peace and content under the huge live oak trees.
Our next park was an old sugar plantation. This hidden jewel was so far off the grid we were fearful we were heading to no man's land. After 10 miles on sand roads we found the old ruin. Deep in the hammock, forgotten by time, we walked through the ruins knowing this whole world succeeded on the backs of slaves. A sobering moment in a beautiful setting. As we drove back through the wooded lane, we spoke of how little the world has changed.
Fortunately, we can speak out, reach out and hope.

THE REAL FLORIDA

2010-02-25T09:56:00.003-05:00

Clouds were white and billowy as we left sweet Fernandina, Cumberland Island. As we packed our gear, some folks from upstate NY stopped for a chat, then a sweet man from Frankfort, Ky said he had to stop and ask, where in Ky? And why did we have Ky plates on the rear and New Mexico plates on the front.. At that same moment, he spied our duckies and seemed( in a friendly way) to get it! We are kitschy! Finally, we pulled out, stopping briefly for provisions and a Starbucks. We headed down the coastal highway A1A toward a State Park that heralds: The Real Florida. Clouds were thickening as we drove, at a snail's pace, down the coast. We drove off the main road across sand roads and a washed out bridge to soaring long leaf pines and the uncluttered quiet of the hammocks. As WFS set up camp, I quickly made white chili for dinner. It was very, very good about two hours later.
We donned our rain gear, as big raindrops plopped on the sand. We headed into the dense hammocks where the Timucuan Indians dwelled( many, many years ago)along the marshes. We had been hiking about 45 minutes in the rain, when I heard a rustle up ahead. A small herd of young, feral pigs dashed in front of us, scurrying into the palmetto. We could hear the sow calling them in the distance. They were incredibly fat for feral pigs, with rough graphite colored hides. We stood in the drizzle, amazed. We walked on to the salt marshes. It was still, except for birds calling and the rustle of palmetto. We soaked up the feeling of being in a very undisturbed corner of the world. Yes, it does exist, even in overrun Florida.
This morning brought high, blue skies and classical music. We ate our croissants and tupelo honey for breakfast. Between sips of coffee, we planned our wilderness day.
Shall I say, it will be an adventure? Stay tuned.

Cumberland Island

2010-02-24T11:27:00.005-05:00

WFS & I boarded the boat around 5:00, Cap't Dave( A REAL SEA GUY)navigated past the Fernandina shrimping fleet, up the St. Mary's River. WFS found Cap't Dave very good company. He guided us through the Narrows, pass Fort Clinch( near our campsite) and around the point. Then, we turned west toward Cumberland Island, just as the sun slipped over the horizon. To say this was magnificent would be an understatement. Cap't Dave took us to the point of
Cumberland Island where the wild horses roam. He explained it isn't often you can SEE them, but he had a good feeling...We hovered the shoreline watching birds wading along the shore, the sun casting unearthly colors against the shore and sky.
suddenly, our captain said, in a near whisper, look, look...just over the dune to your left. Behold, the herd ambled into our view...slowly they ascended the dune and we gasped! Time to break out our split of champagne! We sipped our champagne, wrapped ourselves in polar fleece blankets and moved out far enough to watch the dolphins, gracefully off the prow~
Every picture tells a story, but I am not sure the photos or my words can do this evening justice.

AMELIA ISLAND

2010-02-22T13:51:00.003-05:00

We are ensconced in our lovely camping spot under a live oak. WFS can hear the boats passing by. The sunset was absolutely amazing last night. we walked through the live oaks to the river side of the campground, just in time to watch the last shreds of light fill the sky. We stayed out as long as we could...
After dinner we watched a Japanese film, Departures, about a young cellist returning to his rural home in Japan to learn the art of preparing the dead for the last journey( a very beautiful art)...a truly compelling film.
Today is a bit overcast and we were caught in a rain shower walking to Fort Clinch...We took shelter under a canopy of trees... giggling about being caught in the rain without any rain gear..Duckie Express is filled of rain gear. A Very lazy day for WFS and I....

2010-02-21T17:21:00.000-05:00

The Joy of Camping

2010-02-21T14:41:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we drove into Savannah. We planned our day around brunch. Meriwether McClorey, a recent Savannah School of Design graduate, sent me her insider guide to Savannah. Our brunch at the Firefly Cafe was so good. Offbeat and funky....fresh, original food. Yummy.
We drove out to Tybee Island to find the freshest seafood available. I found grouper, light pink flesh and smelling of the salty sea. We were excited about returning to our camp, building a big roaring fire and sharing the bottle of champagne Robert gave WFS for his birthday. I should insert here, I love to gather wood. Skidaway Island was a bonanza for wood gathering! WFS protested, I have enough wood for tonight...nonetheless, I wandered off to gather wood~~~the sun was setting, the birds were gathering in the trees and the air soft and warm. How bad can that be? As the fire sparked, WFS poured a tiny plastic glass of champagne. Umum. Good. Just at that moment, a couple meandered into our campsite. John and Mary, from Milford, Connecticut, were camping nearby in their indentical airstream, Tumbleweed! WFS hastened to find two more plastic glasses and find our extra campstools. We exchanged camping and airstream tales. They checked ours out, we checked out theirs. After the champagne was consumed, they left with a promise to meet for coffee the next morning.
Hastily, I started roasting fingerling potatoes and young vidalia onions purchased at the farmer's market. While they roasted over the hot coals, I made a salad of butter lettuce and cukes. I prepared the fish for grilling, including, fresh dill butter for finishing. This meal, I must say, was a perfect example of fresh, simple food bursting with flavor. We cleaned up by the last flickers of the fire. Our warm beds were going to feel so good. And, they did.
WFS was up quite early, and in 7x11 space,,that translates to me being up quite early, as well. I bury under the covers as long as possible,
but, after WFS walks with Chloe, showers and fumbles to find coffee filters, I reluctantly greet the day. I walked down for my shower in blissfully warm morning air..
When I returned, Mary and John were walking toward our picnic table carrying hot, whole wheat pancakes and Vermont maple syrup. We had the hot coffee.
Camping is about the best of the best.... When morning brings handmade pancakes and new friends, I would speculate, it doesn't get much better.

Chattanooga

2010-02-19T14:34:00.002-05:00

Warm night air and brilliant stars on Lookout Mountain last night. We drove into Chattanooga to meet a dear friend, Mia...she suggested a lovely Italian restaurant near the museums, overlooking the Tennessee River. We had enough time to take the river walk before dinner. Tony's was a very efficient, cozy family style restaurant. Mia brought Clyde, her ten year old and his best buddy, Ethan. Mia is an artist and a fun spirit. We hadn't seen each other in years. I ordered homemade pasta with marinara. Simple but just the way I like fresh made pasta. Mia had ravioli with gorgonzola sauce. WFS chose spinach fettucine with Italian sausage. Little guys went with penne and butter. Winners, all.
We made a short evening of it, needing to be back in the cozy nest of the TinCan.
We've traveled in dappled sunlight in shirt sleeves. Savannah is on the horizon..
Firelight, the sea and stars.

Flyte, Nashville

2010-02-18T09:14:00.002-05:00

Getting out of Louisville yesterday was an exciting! We finally turned south and left the snow behind around Bowling Green. Nashville is chilly but a fine 15 degrees warmer than our frigid tempatures.
After a spin through Target and Toys r Us with Jaxon, a big box of legos and a cuddle, we were off to WFS's birthday dinner at Flyte. Flyte is all the buzz in Nashville. Industrial, hip and warm, all in one package. Perfectly appointed tables and the cozy, pillowed, corner banquette made a great first impression. We ordered a fantastic inexpensive South African white wine. I decided to go to the small bites portion of the menu. I really wanted to sample the flytes.
I started with a pork belly, prawn, sweet potato and mole appetizer. Generous enough to make a full course and every bite exquisite. My next course was the soup flyte. Three small tureens were a little hit and miss. The parsnip soup was silky, flavorful and left me wanting more. The wild mushroom was tepid and uninspired. The celery root silken soup burst my taste buds into a full swoon. Each soup would have benefited from heat. Note: on chilly evenings, warm those bowls and bring the soup hot!!! My final course was a salad of arugula and beets with borscht in a small tureen. This was beyond fabulous. The borscht was pure beet with undertones of a lovely homecooked beef stock. Lovely. WFS had an Asian inspired Steelhead trout, cooked to a perfect medium rare. A small pot of dashi was drizzled over the trout tableside. Jason had poussin with fresh veggies. A success of pure natural flavors standing alone.
We passed on desserts... Something about avocado pudding did not appeal to me~~
The service was impeccable and the tab was in keeping with the attention to detail and natural, organic ingredients.
If you are in Naahville, near the old red light district on Division St., fly in.

Looking for the Sun

2010-02-17T08:55:00.002-05:00

After a long absence, I have returned to blogging our adventures. We are a chilly 25 degrees and snow is banked around the Tin Can. We will make Nashville tonight and celebrate WFS's birthday with family...We are going to a new, hip restaurant. Tomorrow, I will review the results of our dinner.
The past few months haven't been easy for me to write but I am going to dust of my keyboard and fire up my synapsis

The Three Tendedors

2010-01-13T10:20:00.008-05:00

When I think about different foods, a location usually comes to mind, like pasta and Italy, or foie gras and the Hudson Valley, or truffles and France. When I think of meat I think of Argentina- and that vast swath of the chlorophyll filled pampas- the grassy plains in the interior of the country that provide the flavor to beef that has the rest of the world looking on in envy. Don't get me wrong, USDA beef is spectacular and is a very close second, but let's recognize Argentine beef for what it is- the best on earth. So being that I am a big fan of beef, I was drawn to Buenos Aires and the legendary steakhouses, or parillas, that pleasure the local portenos. I had only two nights, and there were three establishments that I wanted to dine in, so lunch was going to have to suffice for one spot. The three were in reverse chronological order were: La Estancia, La Brigada, and Cabana Las Lilas. I put them in this order, because I figured I knew which one I was going to like best, and made sure to go there first in case we were not able to be go to all of them.

La Estancia is a very large, one room parilla on a street named Lavalle, which is a pedestrian only street (most of the time) in the heart of Buenos Aires. From the street one can see the many cuts of meats grilling on a pit or a grill, and as I opened the doors I was consumed by the smell of burning wood and greeted by a very old door man that was enlightened by my daughter's smile. We were shown to a table in the rear of the restaurant, and took our seats. This was the day we were flying home and was going to be our last meal in South America. We started with a large Quilmes beer, which is served in a bucket of ice like a fine wine would be. I must say I really wanted to compare the three restaurants apple for apple, so I ordered the same three items at each of the stops, and tried bites of my family's plates for any variety I needed. The three items were chorizo sausage, sweetbreads, and lomo- or filet mignon to the northern latitude dwellers. Except for this spot, where I finished off with a skirt steak. The sweetbreads here were very large, about the size of a hamburger at McDonalds, but thicker. The waiter showered the treats with a lemon and we served ourself off of the grill that had been placed on the table. the texture provided enough resistance so that my fork alone would not quite penetrate the piece. The flavor was well-rounded and a house-made chimichurri was spicy hot, but not up to what I was hoping for. deeming lemon enough for the rest that I ate. The chorizo sausages were very nice, loosely ground and seared perfectly to seal in the natural juices. the flavor was excellent. The table ordered a mixed grill of chicken, pork, and beef, and the skirt steak was only decent, which proved to make this the number 3 spot in BA. It was tied together in a circle and was dry and tasted like roast from Applebee's. No juice or flavor. But the decor of the restaurant made it look like we were outside in those pampas with tree-like pillars and murals on the wall of cattle and clouds. **1/2

On the second night in BA, we tried La Brigada, which is in the San Telmo district. This place is famous as being a hang out of the Argentina National Football team, and the walls are adorned with jerseys of the game's legends and has the feel of a very masculine place. There are three stories and a large wine cellar in the basement which can be seen through an acrylic floor by the piano. Servers wait for you at the door and escort you to your table like one would escort wedding guest. Once seated we were presented with menus bound in cow hides and ordered some white wine to start with. An article I had read suggested the tail of sirloin, but to keep with comparing I ordered the lomo which proved to be a slight miscue. The rest of the table ordered the tail of sirloin and they proved to be cut-with-a-spoon tender. My filet was good, and the sweetbreads and chorizo were very very good. La Brigada ***

So this leaves us with one restaurant to redeem Argentina as THE spot for carne. In 2006 I read an article in the New York Times food section titled: Meals worth the price of a plane ticket, and after El Bulli in Spain the writer listed Cabana Las Lilas. in his very short list of 6 restaurants. I was intrigued, what could be done to beef differently to make an overnight flight to BA worthwhile. I wanted to find out what was so special about this place in the Puerto Madera district, sitting right on the water way near the Puenta de la mujer. Upon arrival I checked in with the hostess and stated I had made a reservation some time back to dine there (8 months to be exact). As I waited for the second cab to deliver my fellow diners I saw a tour bus pull up and unload a mass of tourists in very non-South American garb. I started to shutter and wonder what I had gotten into. surely they were not about to dine in the glorious Cabana Las Lilas dressed as they were. Sure enough they were herded into the restaurant, which my eyes that had not yet seen the expansive dining rooms that enveloped the entrance, and I wondered where they were going to put them. A few moments later another bus pulled up, same result. I was starting to wonder if I was either in the wrong spot or if I had made a mistake. When the remainder of my party arrived, I stepped back to the hostess and told her we were ready to be seated. Past the grill, through the first dining room, through the second large dining room with doors open to the fast approaching night, and into the third very large dining room that must have seated 110 people. There must have been 250 people dining at the restaurant as we were seated. The waiters were clad in tuxedos and brought out two platters for the table before our waters were even filled. They consisted of roasted peppers, spanish ham, mushrooms, and a semi-hard cheese. We later learned this was part of the 8 peso seating charge applied to each adult diner. As we settled in for our first dinner in BA, I read over the wine list and ordered a nice pinot noir for the table. I know what I was going to dine on, but looked over the menu to get a feel for the choices of such a large churrascaria. They had all the bases covered as far as meat goes. there were cuts that I knew, some I had forgotten, and some I had not run across before. As the head waiter came to our table (we had a wait staff of 4 for our 8 top table) we started to give our preferences. when my mother ordered her steak well-done the waiter said "we might have a problem there, the chef is quite picky and may not cook to that temperature." I did not know whether to say congratulations to the chef or what the hell is he thinking. After a quick trip to the kitchen and apparently an approval from the chef, the order was confirmed and we all followed with our orders of steaks medio-crudo, or medium rare. I also ordered the sweetbreads and chorizo bonbones as they were billed. An appetizer here is assumed to be for the table when ordered, so these two dishes were brought first to my place setting and served with two forks in the ultra-classy manner, and then offered to the rest of the settings, although there were only two takers on the sweetbreads and 1 on the chorizos since there were so few. The chorizos were succulent and made my mouth sing in joy of the wonderfully juicy array of flavor that had been presented to my taste buds. just enough spice with the excellent red chimichurri to put a bead of sweat on my forehead, the way I like it. And then the sweetbreads, ohhh the sweetbreads. I have liked sweetbreads for some time now, but in Louisville the only spot that always has them on the menu is Palermo Viejo, and they keep my cravings in check when I am at my home base. So I have not seen them prepared too many ways. When I put the fork, or tendedor, to the first bite, I heard it crunch and saw it split. I was taken back as I was not expecting a crunchy sweetbread. I rushed the bite to my lips and was awarded with pure heaven. There are but a few things that can make me smile in utter amazement from years of exploring this great earth. And at times the most simple things can accomplish this feat, such as a crunchy sweetbread served in Beunos Aires, Argentina. The full flavored morsels had been charred to the point where there was no black grill marks, but the outer edges were crispy and the middle was semi-tough in a good way. this is what that gent at the new york times was talking about. After the starters, the main courses were hand delivered to the table by the chef himself, who seemed to have demigod status amongst the waiters as they hurried to set up his easel to place his masterpieces upon. He placed the tray on the stand and looked at our table, smiled and vanished back to the kitchen. The head waiter then passed out our steaks and baked potatoes. Before I go any further, let me tell you abot the service. My water glass was never empty, one of the waiters seemed to be on guard at all times as we dined, and when I would place an empty bottle or dish near the edge of the table, it was whisked away within 30 seconds. As I cut into my steak my lip turned up a bit. it was medium, not medium rare. I asked the opinion of the third waiter in command and he conversed with the second in command and seemed to be very hesitant in agreeing with my claim of an overcooked steak. As we were inspecting the steak, out of nowhere the head waiter came up from behind me and as if he had been in on the whole conversation scooped the meat up and said that steak is medium. within 20 seconds, that's right. 20 seconds I had a perfectly cooked steak in front of me. the master server asked me to cut into the steak and check its heat. ahhh, perfection. The steak was as flavorful as anticipated, the owner serves only beef from his personal ranch in the pampas. A slighlty different flavor than US beef, the Argentine beef seems a bit more complex than the US counterpart. A baked potato which had been requested with sour cream on the side showed up sans sour cream, and when I asked the waiter for a side of crema, he brought a new potato with sour cream slathered all over it in 15 seconds. Now as busy as this place was it was impossible to leave the room in 15 seconds, much less go to the kitchen, get a potato, and apply butter, sour cream, and chives. where did the potato come from, under the waiter's hat?, from another diner's table? I had never seen two mistakes corrected with more speed. I was amazed at the level of service and professionalism being displayed. For dessert I had a cream brulee which was very good, although I swear I almost ordered sweetbreads for dessert. And so it goes.... Cabana Las Lilas ***** worth every penny of that plane ticket!

Coco Bistro

2009-11-25T10:29:00.007-05:00

Sometimes when I walk in a restaurant I can tell it is going to be a great experience. other times I walk in and my initial impression is less than stellar. this happened recently in the beautiful Caribbean island of Providenciales of the Turks and Caicos. a short walk from our hotel on Grace Bay brought us to a gravel parking lot which was packed with cars. in the Caribbean it seems no time is wasted on details that don't really matter- like the appearance of the parking lot and the greeting area where the kitchen was visible through an opening in the wall, as the food was expedited just 10 feet from the host stand. the servers and everyone else employed here seemed to congregate in this area. walking past this I was not thinking I was going to have such spectacular dinner that I would be longing to return in years to come. but as I walked to the outdoor dining room (amidst a grove of fully mature coconut palms that were lit from beneath with an array of flood and string lights) I immediately began to smile. then name of the place made perfect sense-Coco Bistro.

the size of a table often constitutes the manner of service given, and our very experienced and professional waiter did a fine job with a 13 top. the drinks ranged from a mango bango to a bottle of santa margarita pinot grigio, a bottle of cambria chardonnay, and a green frozen cocktail that looked unique and innovative. sparkling and still bottled water were presented and poured accordingly.

It was a blustery November night in the tropics and I couldn't bring myself to order the lobster bisque or the corn chowder with blackened shrimp. I decided on the caesar salad and was not disappointed. very fresh with large pieces of parmesan cheese, oversized croutons, and a dressing that was hand made with care. luckily the soups which were passed over by me were ordered by others in easy spoon range. and as i tasted the corn chowder i started to think the chef might be star quality, then i tasted the lobster bisque and was pretty sure i was going to need to chat with him. the corn chowder was completely pureed to a perfect consistency that had an even flavor and paired perfectly with the 3 tail-on shrimp in the center of the square bowl. the lobster bisque must have cost the lobster i had seen the day before at 80 feet down his life, because there was enough minced meat in the serving to serve as a meal to most. the overly generous portion paired perfectly with the creamy bisque to make the dish divine.

This was the last night of my four night excursion and I had eaten seafood for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and was in need of some carne. my two choices were a bone-in rib-eye or the emporers cut filet. I decided on the latter because the one our neighboring table ordered looked delicious. when the main courses arrived, I was presented with two plump rectangular pieces of perfect medium rare filet. i was about fourth in line on the placement of plates, and as the scent was wafting into my nasal passages it took some restraint to be polite. after the last diner had been presented their plates, I cut into the beef, sopped up the sauce, and placed the first bite in my mouth. after about three chomps I stopped, looked around at my friends and loved ones, looked up at the palms and the fruit bat flying overhead, thought about the beautiful blue waters all around me, and realized this was one of life's moments that I would not forget. all that from one bite of steak. i've never been one to break down the flavor nuances of a dish, so this is my way of conveying the bold flavor of this dish to you. there were hints of coffee, brown sugar, and perhaps even a citric twist in the sauce and/or rub. the factor that made this filet different was the fatty content. ample fat to add great flavor, but not enough to make it chewy or create a need to trim away unwanted deposits. it immediately reminded me of a dish i had eaten at the french laundry from the snake river farm in Idaho. but this one was better, and accompanied with carrots and cheese. I believe it was a manchengo cheese, and man did they harmonize together. After a long day on the beach I must admit I had two and a half pieces of the bread prior to the appetizer, and as my dinner was being enjoyed I was feeling like I should not finish my meal.. this was near a travesty because that filet just keeps popping up in my head. the other diners had lovely presentation on their plates, but i was unable and unwilling to venture out of my place setting for bites. this was one of the top 3 new dishes I enjoyed in 2009. I sought the chef after I ate all I could and he was a very cordial francophile from Quebec who was difficult to understand. Granted it was a loud kitchen but I really took nothing away from the conversation, neither his name nor the origin of that beef. but that smile told me all I needed to know and the fact that i made it a point to tell him how much i liked his style told him all he needed. i would've spoken french with him, but i don't think he heard me tell him that option either. young fellow he was, 30-35, like me.

Luckily there was a digestive period between dinner and the ordering of the desserts. very luckily. I would say creme brulee is my most ordered dessert. perhaps I felt that I was ordering them because they looked better than everything else on the menu. but I must have only been searching for what was about to occur. and as this creme brulee engaged my taste buds, I came to grips with the fact that the kitchen at Coco Bistro needed to be lauded for their comprehensive skills on turning out such high quality food, or perhaps we should just say art when something as perfect as this is the food.

The only detractor I could mention would be the fact that on a hot night, it is hard to tailor each glass of wine to the drinker, but i hate warm chardonnay, and i like to enjoy and chew my wine slowly, and if engrossed in conversation over the fruit of the coco-de-mer tree it was hard to stop them from "free-pouring". the server did an excellent job and it was good to see the understudies eager to assist in clearing menus, plates, expediting food, and keeping water glasses filled.

overall this is a spot that is worth the price of the plane ticket-**** honorable mentions on the island go to: da conch shack for the cracked lobster, the caicos cafe for the conch fritters and the strawberry and kiwi napoleon that had a blissful cream, and the tuna lollipops from Anacoana. I hated missing Coyaba, but it wasn't in the cards. Coco Bistro will bring me back to this resplendent island.

WILTSHIRE ON MARKET

2009-08-12T17:02:00.004-04:00

The very minute I step inside Wiltshire on Market, I feel the vibe. A very good vibe. This comment seems a little dated, I know, but there doesn't seem to be another way to express the very eclectic , funky AND sophisticated feel of Wiltshire on Market. Susan Hershberg has chosen the atmosphere, staff, banquets, dinnerware and art with aplomb. Attention to detail, to the unobservant eye, might seem casual or maybe even flippant...however, careful observation shows it all works like smooth KY bourbon. Tari greets each guest as if it she is inviting them into her parlor. I know I have a bias....Having been in the biz, if I had Tari, back in the day, I would have treasured her. Jason Jennings and another sweet, sweet young lady anchor the bar and cover tables, as well. Both are gems in the trade. Colin Ming does a fine sub there, as well. At Wiltshire on Market, everyone is everywhere...making sure guests are advised, informed and served. This is no easy feat and is a big, huge failure in many restaurants.

So, after the vibe, we are seated. What to drink? On a recent visit, I was suffering from an allergy attack...hot green tea with a kick! Allergies, all better. Wines: we've had lovely roses, bright, full bodies reds, crisp summery whites. Each server can tell you all you need to know or failing that, they will bring you a little sample. Can't beat that!

The menu is seasonal, adventuresome, carefully prepared and scrumptious. Chef Coby Ming has huge natural talent and does it in a tiny, little kitchen. A very European feel comes from the kitchen...wander in the back courtyard and you might see the chef grilling outside the kitchen door. Very Parisian. Her brief menu shines from appetizers to desserts. The memory of her gazpacho lingers and lingers and lingers. Gazpacho is an either/or for me.. Either great or forget it. Chef Ming had yellow gazpacho with smoked shrimp the night of my visit. The flavors swirled and melded like a beautiful dance~~~ and it danced through my mind for days. I started to make gazpacho from the garden but I decided to make other fresh tomato delights and savor my memory a few days more.

On a more distant visit, we took a dear friend from NYC and a world traveler and my nephew. We were seated in a banquet, served a variety of drinks and food. Our table was passing food from plate to plate, oohing and aahing over each bite. My NYC friend KNOWS her food and really, really knows service and atmosphere..I feel sure she will comment on Wiltshire and I am confident, she will agree, Louisville is very fortunate to have this new addition in the NULU district of Louisville.

Sinclair's

2009-07-28T10:25:00.008-04:00

The day after I got back from the glamorous West Baden Springs Hotel someone asked me- "Oh, did you go for golf or gambling". I thought for a few seconds and instinctively said- I went for the food.

I had been to the French Lick Hotel about 3 BG (before gaming). Ironic how gambling takes THE poorest county in Indiana and transforms a dying, if not dead, pair of towns into a sought after destination. The guests I spoke with were from Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Ohio. There are 600 plus rooms at French Lick and 243 at West Baden Springs and both hotels were sold out last Saturday night. A car show, the Brickyard 400, and the resort itself were able to sell out french lick at $209 and $249 a night. that's setting the world on fire in today's hotel market.

When we self-parked and walked through the modern motor entrance we could see the rotunda through a short hallway. We walked VERY slowly letting each baby step allow the whole room to seep into our vision until we were standing at the threshold of one of the most beautiful, ornate, modern, yet historic "eighth wonder of the world". a harpist struck her first chord as if there was a hidden conductor waiting for us to get to the threshold to welcome us to a place that i would eventually fall in love with.

After a tour of the wonderful and native flower gardens, the great photographs of the rebuilding (the property sat vacant and in ruins for nearly 60 years), and the rotunda (the hub of all social activity) we were ready to really relax. For me that means swimming, and this hotel has one of the nicest natatoriums one can build. copious amounts of natural light, beautiful decorations, and a very large, if shallow, pool. an outdoor pool and a very large hot tub were also in the vacinity.

With play time was complete, the exploring done, it was time to see if the marquee restaurant could live up to a $60 filet in the middle of rural Indiana. The menu was very pretentious and i could see myself complaining all dinner about how this local Indiana chef tried hard and missed the mark on most dishes. When we entered Sinclair's there was a large party being seated and two couples in a line to see the maitre 'd. i had been warned about making reservations at check-in, but did not know how much exploring i had to do. I was wondering if we could get in, but G took care of us as he welcomed us, and followed up above and beyond. Of Indian descent and having worked in New York and other locales in the world his pedigree had been set for one of the main ingredients to allow a gourmet restaurant to succeed- a strong front of house man. G showed us to a lovely table in the front corner, right next to a window where we watched the sun set about as late as it does anywhere in the eastern time zone.

We started with a glass of Trevor Jones "virgin" chardonnay from Australia which i compare to a cakebread or a far niente ($12). also ordered was a glass of Haras cabernet sauvignon from Chile which had wonderful balance ($10). the wine took about 8 minutes to get to us, which proved to be the only slight miscue in an otherwise perfect example of service. The wine list in general was excellent for its size.

For our first courses we chose the beef tenderloin carpaccio ($10) which came with cracked peppercorns, fleur de sel, shaved shallots, and cold pressed olive oil. lacking was the usual shaved parmesan, but not missed. the high grade beef served room temperature was very refreshing on the balmy summer eve and proved to be a flawless choice. I had the foie gras special ($14) included micro greens (popularized by my acquanintance Grant Achatz), and apricots that made a harmonious symphony with the succulent foie gras. the two pieces of goose liver were plump and generous for the price.

As we were delivered our first courses we gave the requests for our main courses. we had already been informed on the ins and outs of the menu and after a long thought process we came up with the lobster ravioli ($36) and a 6 ounce filet mignon with bernaise for ($36). It was tough to not try the bourbon glazed Indiana pork chop with cream corn raggout or the carmelized U-10 diver scallops with black truffle mashed potatoes, but we made solid choices that were highly anticipated by me after enjoying the first courses so thoroughly. the filet was ordered medium rare, cooked perfectly and was as tender as one could hope for. the bernaise was also perfection, accompanying the wonderful flavor of American corn fed beef with rapport. A side of whipped yukon gold mashed potatoes was enjoyed by both diners. The lobster ravioli was 3 shells filled with ricotta and boursin saffron. it was all swimming in a broth that had some other seafood stock along with lobster and only added flavor to the dish. the only miscue from the kitchen came with the chewiness of the pasta shells. perhaps undercooked, perhaps the consistency of the dough was slightly compromised, but the shells were rendered ineffective in the repertoire of the dish. In theory, the lobster ravioli should have thrilled more effectively, but instead we enjoyed the wonderfully divine small lobster tail meat with a little claw meat in the fabulous broth, and as the meat was the star of the dish and the noodles the support, there was no need to let it spoil our experience.

As our main courses were being enjoyed, we ordered a zentini ($9). A creation I had seen on the bar menu at the natatorium, created by the mixologists on site. a berry concoction that was the color of green tea, the libation was a legitimate drink that I had not tasted before. Although I probably wouldn't order it again, I enjoyed sharing it. I chose a nice Portugese port ($8) to accompany the chocolate mousse in which a velvety dark chocolate outer shell that concealed the lighter mousse inside. a strawberry sliced added a hint of flavor and freshness to the final dish of the evening.

After we revelled in our new find and put the bill on our room charges, we found G and thanked him for a wonderful evening. As we chatted about food and dining, he asked if I had seen the chef's table. I had not and he was giddy in showing me the room. Now the decor of the main dining area is real nice, 25' ceilings, gilded crown mould, and general opulence, but maybe missing a little art work (paintings would add some personality). But the decor in the chef's table room is special. there are two flat screen tv's behind the two heads of the distressed wood table that was a holdover from the days of the Jesuits in West Baden. the 10 place settings were from Versace that G happily noted he paid $1500 each for. He guaranteed all food tastes better on plates of such stature as I just smiled. The wall of glass that divided the kitchen and the room was opaque and I wondered exactly how that fit in, just then G flipped a switch and the glass went completely transparent and we were in the middle of the assembly line. Chef was 3 feet from us, facing away instructing his team to feed the 40 or so tables still finishing up their dinners. then we opened the partition and let the sounds and smells in as well as the energy. the clean and well-lighted kitchen looked very functional and as my dad always says- the proof is in the pudding. and the proverbial pudding was excellent.

Overall I had one of the best meals I had in sometime as I debunked my misguided notion that this restaurant was only mediocre. I must attribute this to the fact that I read any article on food in the multiple newspapers, internet sites, and if I might miss it there, one of my friends in the business usually brings them up in a competitive, admirable tone. But I had no idea what was available when I set out across Highway 150 and am still in awe of Sinclair's and of West Baden Springs Hotel as an entity. *** 1/2 ecellent fare, service, and decor needs something, like real flowers on the host stand instead of fake AE

Santa Fe

2009-06-04T14:30:00.002-04:00

After a long sabbatical, I am returning to my blog...hope all of you are still out there.
We recently took a fast trip to Santa Fe...I cannot say it was typical. Usually we drive, taking long, luxurious days to cross the country, camping by streams and the dry, flat lands of Kansas. We boarded a plane with friends and drove the Turquoise Trail from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. We stopped in Madrid for lunch and some boot shopping. This might have been the most unusual part of the journey...in a used boot store, WFS goes to sit on a bench...not unusual, you might say...but, what is unusual, was he tried on boots, found some great black ones, cut a deal with the owner and walked out with them on... our complete history has never included impulse shopping(on his part, at least).

We arrived in Santa Fe late afternoon. We quickly made reservations for Ristra, a small bistro on Aqua Fria...celebs are spotted here often in our visits but Santa Fe is feeling the pinch like the rest of the nation. Celebs were not to be found but we certainly feel this is a little star in Santa Fe.

Quickly following, in no particular order, was:

Trattoria Nostrani.... quirky, to be sure, but fine, fine food and wine...and gardens so lovely as to melt your heart and soul. I defy anyone to find pasta any better than the dishes served by this hugely talented FEMALE chef.

Bistro 315 on Old Santa Fe Trail...small, quaint and serving a Prix Fixe for $18.00, yes, 18.00. After a few glasses of wine on the chilly, rainy patio, we were quite happy to have such warm, comforting food. Soft shell crabs, corn brioche pudding and cole slaw...finish with a cherry crisp.
Smallish portions but just right...

El Farol...tapas, tapas, tapas and an absolutely crazy, fun atmosphere...we go there each and every time we land in Santa Fe...what's not to love?

Geronimo's.....Okay, I know, it is way too expensive and such a destination but they do deliver the goods. I had a veal loin to die for and I must say, one of the best desserts in Santa Fe... We dressed up a bit and relaxed in a ***** dining room. The rest is, history

La Casa Sena...If you are dining under the cottonwood tree and sipping a wine from their extensive cellar, then I could not find another comment to add to this dining adventure...except, the beautiful gardens and the excellent cuisine and the handsome servers and the slow, laid back pace that makes me love Santa Fe so very much. All this and more is rolled into a meal at La Casa Sena.

The Shed...when you are surrounded by your loving, beautiful family and dear, dear friends and you are sharing every bite and telling wild tales and laughing as your lips turn numb from the silver margaritas and you want the night to never end...this is as good as it gets, no matter the cost...but, hey, the Shed is a bargain and an institution and our lovely friend, Robert treated us....a perfect, perfect evening....

Mucho Gusto...this came as a surprise for great CHEAP dining...situated by two of our favorite SF establishments( Travel Bug and Act 11, a consignment store)...we hurriedly dashed in before meeting up with Cynthia, from NYC and her sister, Hillary, from Albuquerque...we were totally amazed at how good, authenic mexican food can be...and our server ( from Minneapolis) was such great fun. I am sure we'll add this find to our list~~~ next visit.

Ecco, Espresso and Gelato....Great place, good wireless, fantastic coffee...and oh, the gelato. Olin had a pint,one pint, of chocolate hazelnut...when he left his pint unguarded for a moment, Kim and I tried to sneak it into a hiding place...we were busted as he returned almost immediately...we were caught red-handed! Their luscious flavors linger, for months and months.

The huge, ominous clouds that covered the high blue skies of the desert lingered for most of our stay....locals were rejoicing as the fat raindrops fell...
I rejoice anytime I am in Santa Fe, rain or shine.

Springtime in the garden of Cebah

2009-05-15T20:48:00.001-04:00

732 Social

2009-04-28T16:02:00.004-04:00

There's nary a thing I could or would add to the artistically written review by AE. Well, except for the photos of darling Sierra, handsome AE and our server's hip tattooed arm! Good show, Brian! And maybe I cannot resist adding one thing, the artichoke appetizer ordered by WFS was perfectly executed and oh, so, yummy. We did swelter...but after we ate, WFS and I lounged with other friends( lucky enough to get an outside table) in the cool night air wafting up Market Street on that very lovely night.

socially acceptable

2009-04-25T12:09:00.012-04:00

It had been a while since we had broken bread with our dear friends and i could tell by talking to sarah that this was the restaurant to break that trend. the spark in her voice as she first described social 732 to myself a few weeks ago showed that she thought this restaurant could be DIFFERENT. this did turn out to be the case. social kind of attacks your senses as you walk in through the crowd that spills out onto the covered outdoor area. the ceilings are very tall and the depth of the inside dining area seems to be deceiving as we kept looking around the bends for more tables, they weren't there, though. there are about 8 - 10 tables inside, albeit some would seat 8. the tables were made of distressed wood, probably reclaimed like the walls in this "Green Building". the tables were also very close to one another, and the bar had a vibe of friendly communal dining - social dining. one does not go to social only to eat, it is also food for the social soul. the waiters were all of a "type". very hip, very smooth, very professional. a few of them used to work at proof, and that hip attitude is carried over. our drinks arrived scattered about in a 5 minute interlude. they were bought by 3 different servers and we chatted with all of them. the servers were very high on the throwback cocktails and the original ones as well. the champagne cocktail brought about images of Casablanca, and they looked delicious in their wide rimmed and up curved high stem glasses. the craft beer selection is one of the best in town, probably one of the successful attributes brought down from the Chicago dining scene.? the bleach colored hues of the walls are absent from distraction of your food and your socializing. one giant painting is of multi-colored vertical lines and faces east market with its "come-in and sit a spell" beckoning. the stools at the bar are very sturdy and comfortable, as are the dining chairs.

we were seated for about 8 minutes before being tended to, but we were happy to get a table so quickly and were enjoying catching up on old times. servers are more like part of the crowd, as opposed to being there to only work. they are more like hosts as they stroll by the tables, kind of chatting amongst the tables, maybe asking if you needed anything or maybe asking if you had been to any good art galleries lately. their style seems to compliment the motif of the eatery. when we were ready to get to the food, we ordered the cheese plate (2 cheeses for $10). i ordered a blue cheese and a semi-soft goat cheese. both paired excellently with the candied walnuts, honey, and finely diced apples. the bread could have been a bit more plentiful, but in retrospect i was glad i did not fill up on the great white loaf. the goat was as mild of a goat cheese as i had tasted, one of the diners even remarked that it could not be goat cheese. the other starter was the potatoes au gratin. served very hot in a ceramic dish, this dish set my taste buds to a frenzy. the texture of the grated dry cheese and the incredible moisture of the sliced potatoes were in wedded bliss. the flavors of the two also melded to a harmony that was played by a chef with some experience.

bypassing a wonderful array of interesting salads we were up for our entrees. the short ribs went across from me, served on a raised wooden platform. the sauce was nice and the meat was fall-off-the-bone, but the flavor did not get me talking. two diners ordered the mussels, and although they were very good, i would not give them an excellent rating. i believe they could have been a little fresher. not that they were not fresh, but the difference between 1 and 2 days can be noticed. one of the entrees was an order of the moroccan vegetables that was served atop a bed of couscous. i had the medallions of cow ($26, pictured at top). there were two plump filets mixed with asparaugus, tomatoes, onions, capers, and heavy grain black pepper. the entrees might need a little more seasoning to fine tune the flavors, but this restaurant seemed to have a staying quality in the proven hard to survive area east of town.

the biggest issue we had on our first balmy night of the year was the temperture inside the building. the door was open for a while, but it got closed about half way through. wasn't quite sure why this happened, and the heat of the very open kitchen seemed to win out. it had been a while since i sweated through dinner, but i would hope this would be efficiently remedied. great crowd, great atmosphere, great starters, if the entrees follow suit this place will hit the top, but for now ***1/2 welcome to Louisville social, lets get to know eachother.

JACK FRY'S

2009-04-14T19:54:00.006-04:00

Jack Fry's is always a good bet when you want to have a great dinner, be damned the cost.
What, I wondered, could you do there on a frugal night or when, as tonight, you aren't particularly hungry?
I slipped away from my drudgery today and had a late snack at Blue Dog.... I sat at Blue Dog in complete peace with Shannon and Michelle,reading my New York Times and sipping my coffee. Doesn't get much better than that~~

Back to Jack Fry's. WFS has a fixation with eating out some nights...tonight was one of those nights.
Pick the spot...I don't care, anywhere...no, pick the spot~you know the drill.
Finally, we both settled on Jack Fry's. We arrived early to a spattering of folks... we were warned the restaurant was booked come 7:30...we promised to make it out on time.

We were seated in our favorite booth. We wasted nary a breath nor a moment getting our orders in. We agreed on salad and soup.
WFS ordered the stilton and mixed greens, I, the roasted beets and arugula. Oh, they make lovely salads.
We both ordered the soup of the night.... white bean, chicken and a creamy broth... a fine variation on white chili..our large white bowls arrived steaming hot. So, so, good on a very chilly, drizzly night.
We relaxed, savoring our soups....
We had plenty of time for the cobbler and ice cream...indulge, indulge!
Our server was informed, polite and kept our glasses full, our bread fresh and our service prompt. What's not to like about that?

This review is about eating economically. Seems most of our high ticket restaurants are trying new methods to stay the course during this foul economy..Jack Fry's IS staying the course with it's tried and true and, if one wishes, one can find great food right on the menu at great prices. Jack Fry's was, as promised, booked to the hilt at 7:30.
Our bill came in at 51.94...fair enough to make me happy.

WANDERINGS, SPRING AND GREAT FOOD

2009-04-08T10:04:00.008-04:00

SPRINGTIME HAS SENT ME INTO THE GREAT OUTDOORS AND AWAY FROM MY JOURNAL. THE PAST TWO WEEKS WERE FILLED WITH ADVENTURES AND FOOD AND THE UNFURLING BEAUTY OF THE THE SPRING EQUINOX.

OUR ROAD TRIP TO WASHINGTON AND PHILADELPHIA WAS MANY HOURS OF DRIVING BUT, HEY, WE LOVE THAT BEST.
ON OUR FIIRST DAY,WE DROVE NEAR ANTIETAM AS THE LAST VESTIGES OF LIGHT WERE DIMMING. WE HURRIEDLY SET UP CAMP AND BUILT A NICE FIRE FOR WARMING OURSELVES AND DINNER. WFS OPENED A BOTTLE OF WINE AND WE WERE SETTLING IN...PLOP, THEN ANOTHER PLOP, AND THEN, THE RAIN CAME DOWN IN TORRENTS. WE TOOK SHELTER IN THE DUCKIE EXPRESS AND READ OUR BOOKS, SIPPED SOME WINE AND FELL ASLEEP IN SWEET OBLIVION. HOW BAD CAN THAT BE?

THE MORNING BROUGHT A MISTY RAIN AND GREY SKIES AS WE FOLLOWED THE POTOMAC RIVER TO THE ANTIETAM BATTLE FIELD. IT SEEMED SUCH A SUITABLE DAY FOR SEEING SUCH A SOMBER PLACE. AFTER ALL, THIS SIGHT HOLDS THE BLOOD OF MANY YOUNG MEN SACRIFICED FOR A NOBLE CAUSE...IF ONE CAN BELIEVE KILLING AND HATRED CAN BE NOBLE.

WE TOOK THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED AND DRIFTED TOWARD FREDERICK, MARYLAND FOR LUNCH. WE FOUND A VERY HIP, SOPHISTICATED RESTAURANT AND I HAD A STRIPPED BASS, FINISHED IN A SWEET HOT MIXTURE , SERVED OVER CREAMY MASHED POTATOES THAT WILL LINGER IN MY MEMORY FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. WE HURRIED INTO DC FOR THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL AND OUR BLACK TIE BIRTHDAY PARTY...BIG FUN!
EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WE GRABBED SOME COFFEE AND AND NY TIMES AND HEADED ON TO PHILLY. WE MADE A BRIEF DETOUR TO GET WFS A FIVE GUYS BURGER. I READ OBAMA EATS AT FIVE GUYS, SO.....DON'T GO OUT OF YOUR WAY, UNLESS YOU'RE ADDICTED TO ROAD FOOD...MOI, I DON'T EAT THE STUFF, EVEN FOR OBAMA

WE HAD AN EARLY DINNER IN PHILADELPHIA...WE WALKED OVER TWO MILES THROUGH CONSTITUTION SQUARE TO BUDDAKAN. STEVEN STARR HAS RESTAURANTS DOTTED ALL THROUGH THE CITY, THEY ARE DESTINATIONS AND VERY FLASHY...HOWEVER, I WILL SAY, THE TWO WE'VE VISITED HAVE PRODUCED EXCELLENT FOOD...WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT THAT? WHEN WE EMERGED, A CHILL HAD FALLEN OVER THE CITY, COLIN AND AUDREY GRABBED A CAB BUT WFS, CHRISTOPHER AND I BRAVED THE ELEMENTS AND WALKED BACK THROUGH AN ALMOST ABANDONED CITY...PHILLY, THE NITTY, GRITTY CITY IS BEAUTIFUL AT NIGHT. THE VIEW YOU SEE IN THE PHOTO IS FROM C,C AND A'S THRID FLOOR DECK OF THEIR HOME IN CENTER CITY~~

MONDAY WE MADE A MAD DASH BACK ACROSS THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE, ARRIVING HOME SAFE AND SOUND. SARAH DOESN'T DO MARATHON DRIVES BUT WITH MY IPHONE AND SCRABBLE GAMES, I MADE IT..

WE'VE HAD A FEW NIGHTS OUT HERE IN OUR FAIR CITY...211 ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT HAS BECOME A FAVORITE WEEKLY EXPERIENCE FOR US..ALL WINES ARE HALF PRICE AND A 10% DISCOUNT IS AFFORDED THROUGH INTERNET RESERVATIONS...THIS MAKES DINNER AT ONE OF LOUISVILLE'S BEST FINE DINING SPOTS A BARGAIN.

I MUST MENTIONED OUR NEW, EXCITING AND VERY COOL DINING SPOT AND ```THE``` PLACE TO SEE AND BE SEEN, WILTSHIRE ON MARKET...WITH LOVELY FACES EVERYWHERE, DEAREST TARI, THE FAIREST OF ALL, IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF WILTSHIRE...MY OLD AND VERY DEAR FRIEND, JASON IS THERE, BRINGING HIS PERSONAL VIBE TO THE PLACE AND SUSAN(OWNER) IS HANDS ON AND VERY WELCOMING. WILTSHIRE WILL BE THE PLACE TO BE THIS SPRING AND SUMMER, I GUARANTEE!
SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE BLOGGER UNPLUGS FOR A WHILE? YOU GET A DOUBLE DOSE~~~~~~

FROM THE ROAD

2009-03-31T20:29:00.005-04:00

Our weekend in Washington, DC brought an unexpected surprise of the Cherry Blossom Festival...even though the city was veiled in a drizzly rain and grey skies, hordes of people were squashed around The Jefferson Memorial.
We drove on about 1/3 of a mile, where the crowds were spare. These photos are from Franklin Delano's area... we had plenty of room for a long walk in the rain.
The girl with the white umbrella was just standing there, waiting for my camera.

ROAD TRIP

2009-03-26T11:19:00.003-04:00

It has been a long, cold, icy winter.
WFS and I have been stuck in the clutches of winter,
stoking our little stove and toiling away.
Time for a SPRING break.
We totally plan on camping somewhere in the mountains of western
Maryland tomorrow evening.
We'll see how brave these two aging souls really are~~~~~
I will keep my postings active as we venture to our nation's capitol and on
to Philly, where the bright shining eyes of our grandson
will make the rain go away!

Serafini

2009-03-24T15:47:00.004-04:00

I have always enjoyed breaking the monotony of driving west along I-64 to partake in some gourmet dining, whether it be midway, Lexington, or most recently Frankfort. This city sat in a holding pattern of moderate to below average establishments for as long as i have been alive. there was always Jim's seafood and a few of the higher end chains, but if you wanted a special meal, you left town. well, this does not have to happen anymore. on monday night i ventured down across the railroad tracks, parked in front of the old capital and crossed the street to Serafini, a wonderful bistro with views of that elm tree where the governors were sworn in.

once inside we were immediately shown to our table on the left side of the restaurant. the decor of the prime location has changed, there is now a feel of modern whimsical art in place around the dining area. dogs, cats, and other metal animal sculptures are part of the theme. the plates have become more fun feeling as well. the 3 appetizers we ordered all came plated on bright spring colors and none matched. this is where the whimsy stops- the kitchen had tightened the straps and become much more serious about what they send out of the kitchen. don't get me wrong, the first three times i ate here i liked it. but on this visit i remarked that what was happening here was wonderful for the city of Frankfort, they no longer fill a need, they have become a reason to leave Louisville or Lexington for a really fine meal.

For starters, Jennifer had a house salad that was fresh and the tomatoes looked extremely good for this time of year. Bob had an ice blue salad (an iceburg wedge with blue cheese that seemed to be gorgeous if not a tad bit overpriced at $8). I had the calamari and as the garcon left it in front of me without sauce i almost asked what was up, but told myself i needed to try the dish before i said it needed something else. it did not. cabbage had been shredded and placed atop the fire-battered rings. the cabbage provided just enough cooling effect to the wonderful breading. the calamari was fresh from blue fin in louisville, flown in that morning.

For entrees we each went quite different ways, Bob had a cheeseburger that came with a heavily grilled bun and some hand-cut french fries that he was still raving about the next day- he says you gotta hand cut to get that flavor. The burger had two slices of cheese and was very plump. Jennifer had the lasagna. i had eaten the previous version before, but this one has trumped the last that was good, but not great. this lasagna rang out with flavor as it tickled my taste buds. the ricotta cheese was of very high quality, and the mixture of meat sauce, noodles, and cheese had a very balanced composition. i feel my dish was the best out of all of the tables'. it was an orzo alfredo with shrimp scampi and fried basil leaves. the shrimp were very large and plump, the alfredo perfectly creamy and complex. the pasta very fresh and lent perfect textural pairing to the shrimp. the only problem with this dish is that sierra loved it. i am very happy her palate is ahead of schedule, but i am withering away. she ate most of my shrimp and a lot of the pasta.

our server was very knowledgeable and was happy to be working. the atmosphere was lively, UK was playing Creighton and the bar was quite full. the dining room was also about 1/3 full, not bad for a Monday night. we always make a walk past the harley-davidson clan around the corner when arriving to feel that the capital city might be experiencing a little bit of a revitalization. and serafini is at the forefront of the dining movement. very good ***1/2

Roots, Shoes and Springtime

2009-03-22T20:31:00.011-04:00

Last week I started out to work in the garden...I was sitting on a bench pondering shoes and spring and bare feet.
I could not for the life of me remember shoes from my childhood. What would I wear? My immediate answer(in my mind) was no shoes. Bare feet. Spring was ushered in by the arrival of barefoot flowers. Moma would tell us we could shuck our shoes when the barefoot flowers bloomed. The meadows would be adrift in soft, pinkish-blue coverlets of tiny barefoot flowers. The ground was still hard and cold when those blushing little beauties would peep out. It was truly the harbinger of spring. Flurries of activities would commence. We would start burning the tobacco and lettuce beds. We would clean out fencerows, throwing the overgrowth into the burning piles of everything accumulated over winter. A clash of wills would occur most every year between Moma and Uncle DH....He would have his ragged truck bed filled with old tires to throw on the fire...Moma hated the thoughts of burning rubber. It spoiled the lovely rite of spring that cleansed everything unsavory from her long, hard winter. Moma would usually prevail, until, sometime after she left to take us all to bed, then the tires would make the cut and the flames would send black, stinky, sooty smoke across the hills. I am sure this led to a fierce argument the next day, but, Moma never seemed to win in the long run.
As we cleared the fencerows, clogged full of young sassafras trees, Moma would dig a small bucket full of their roots. She would wash the dirt off, get her biggest pot and cover the roots with fresh spring water. She would poke the wood stove up a bit and set the roots to simmer for a few hours. Later, she would set down a small cup for the little kids and bigger cups for bigger kids and normal cups and saucers for she and Daddy. This was a required spring tonic and had to be choked down.... no matter what. The sassafras tea was the color of burnt sienna( my favorite color in the box) and when doused with a few illegal teaspoons of sugar, could be swallowed rather quickly. I never learned to love the taste of sassafras tea. However, many, many years later I asked Mom to boil a pot of sassafras tea. It was an unusually cold late spring day, so we bundled up and grabbed the grubbing hoe, heading toward the back lane, to find some suitable trees. Moma dug the correct amount of roots and we sprinted back to the warm kitchen. She made a pot of the tea and I dumped in the sugar, as I remembered, and to my surprise I absolutely loved the flavor. Moma said, you were so silly, I couldn't get a thing down your throat without you squalling. I suspect that is true. She didn't divulge what happened when I squalled, and for the sake of my reputation, I won't either.

This brings me to shoes. I emailed and asked Dan, what shoes did Moma wear?
I could see Daddy in his brogans, kept perfect with a rub of lard now and again. I could see him pulling on his galoshes, kept on the porch, to wear to the barn or fox hunting.
Moma? I couldn't find a thing on her feet. The thing I do know, she was never keen on going barefoot.
Dan sent back this reply:
She said,
"Just old shoes after they got old."
"I guess I had lace up shoes."
"Whatever was old and wasn't fit to wear anywhere else."

Our mother, ever resourceful, made do.
If there ever was a paean to our mother, a song for her life, this would be it.

Le Relais

2009-03-18T11:49:00.005-04:00

Last saturday night i ventured out for an 8 o'clock dinner appointment at Le Relais. We tried a booked solid Jack Fry's to no avail and the classic french cuisine of Anthony Dike was our quick second choice. After a jaunt through the lobby to look at the cool retro-airline photos, we walked in the back door to a semi-bustling scene with smiles on the faces of the diners who were getting their fill of the great food being served. My father had entered slightly before us and we saw him smiling at the table to the right of the front door and went over to join him. sierra sat on the bench seat next to him and jennifer and i faced them in the bistro seats. i had read that they simplified their menu and had dropped their prices accordingly. i was apprehensive that the excellent fare might have been compromised and was anxious to view the new menu.

the list of starters seemed to be a very apt list to satisfy the franc in any one. the list was highlighted by a pork pate that was served with two baby sweet pickles, pickled red onions, and whole grain mustard, along with two crisp wafers. the velvet smooth pate was wrapped with uncooked bacon and the flavor of the pate nary needed any of the accoutrements to send my taste buds into the fourth dimension. This was as good as the best pates i have had in france, switzerland, or anywhere else for that matter. Dad settled into the crabcake appetizer that i had ordered on my previous trip here. i had a bite and although it was prepared perfectly, it did not re-kindle the dazzlement of my memory. this could have been because i was so enamored with my pate. Jennifer had a salad which had nice flavor, although there was not a large amount of creativity in the caesar, i presume the menu was following the m.o. of classic french. the salad was a solid choice. Sierra decided on the mussels after i hyped the "snails" all day. at 3 years old, i was excited she considered the escargots de bourgogne as long as she did, and she always eats what she orders, so i felt fate took a hand as she assured the waiter the mussels were best for her. best is a great word to describe this dish. the 15-20 shellfish were soaking in a white wine shallot sauce and topped with pommes frites. the sauce was so good i swear i would have drank it after she polished off the mussels if a straw had been provided. ok- maybe a little hyperbole there, but maybe not. the fries were 'garlicky' and were excellent for sopping up as much of that great jus as possible. the pissaladiere was a tough choice to pass up, but we had four superb starters nonetheless.

as we were finishing up our first plates, the second ones arrived. perhaps a few minutes of digestion would have been welcomed to savor the dishes, but the kitchen cannot see our progress, and our waiter was perfect in all other matters, so i will not hover on this slight miscue. jennifer and sierra split the salmon with hollondaise sauce. jennifer has become a big fan of salmon in the past year and this dish seemed to satisfy with a meaty excellence. the bed of lentils served as a nice texture enhancer to a fish that can come out dry even when cooked with great care. the portion was ample for the two of them. dad had the special steak covered in a bistro sauce that contained mushrooms and almost had the consistency of a gravy. the medium rare beef was very tender and had enough fat on it to enhance the flavor without being over-powering. i had the coquilles st. jacques which were four plump scallops that were of exteremely high quality. i was saddened to see two of the four had been seared for a minute too long on the one side. the chef knew to only sear one side, but must've been checking on another dish and let that one side stay in the pan too long. i sliced off the underside of the two "fried" scallops and went on enjoying the winter vegetables and mushrooms which provided a wonderful land mix to the fruit of the sea. even with the cooking mistake i was still thinking of this dish on the ride back to shelbyville.

For dessert Jennifer and sierra split the profiteroles. the ice cream was great, but the bourbon sauce seemed to be a bit over the top for my taste buds. i am pretty sure that the regular chocolate sauce was not meant to be improved on when greats like paul bocuse perfected this sweet treat. i had a creme brulee which was on par. i don't know what i was expecting, but the dish just seemed to coast by. i should have taken my father's wisdom to heart and ordered the cheese. 'if the available cheeses are served with care on a beautiful piece of petrified wood, go with the cheese, Ash' he should have said. there were two double cream cows milk versions that were very good, but the semi-hard english cheese and the blue from Australia were the ones that left me feeling like i made the wrong choice. sierra barely let anyone try any of the english cheese as she thought the stick cuts made for excellent swords, and then she ate them. this cheese selection showed an excellent nose as the textures and flavors were well thought out and varied.

well, my apprehensions were expelled after being reassured that Le Relais is at the upper echelon of Louisville dining, as it always has been. the service was top notch, even intuitive enough to inform us that Bobby J is performing on Thursday nights at Volare. He thought Sierra was too cool by ordering all of that "grown-up" food, and she ate that up as quickly as the mussels. the host is top notch and the decor holds a special place in my heart and always will. ambiance should never be overlooked when the experience is what keeps diners coming back, not the food, the service, or the decor seperately- one must mesh all of these into one. and Le Relais does just that. excellent **** (although not as strong of a 4 as last time)

Miami Beach

2009-03-16T16:20:00.002-04:00

There are few restaurants in America that deserve the monikor- institution. Galatoire's, The Union Oyster House, and Joes's Stone Crabs are some of those. On my recent trip to South Florida I found myself in the mood to be institutionalized, so i headed across the McArthur causeway to south beach. I navigated the intrepid parking woes and headed in to the newly refurbished (at least for me) dining room. Joe's stone crabs' employees all wear tuxedos, although the dress code for diners has gotten more lax since i was last there. there were diners in shorts, even one in a jersey, but the service turned a blind eye to the garments on their backs, as most were in very nice duds.

we were shown to our table after being greeted by the maitre 'd who made us feel like regulars. we walked past the large rectangular bar which was starting to get bustling, and into a high-ceilinged area with beautiful murals that made the area look like a mediterranean patio. the crisp service had our water filled before we were able to scoot our chairs all the way up to the table. bread and crackers were next, along with some butter that is as good as you can get. (this is still the weakest link in Louisville dining).

for starters, i had a stone crab seviche which was absolutely breathtaking. the succulent meat was accompanied with only a little lime juice and a few diced green peppers. a boutique bottle of tabasco was on the side, and i did try some for kicks, but i needed the untouched taste of sweet stone crab. i am still dreaming about this dish. my dining partners ordered the cracked stone crab claws, large in size and excellent once you got past the labor. there was one of the claws that had the properties of being frozen, possibly a coincidence, and possibly a breach in the freshness guarantee of such an establishment. nonetheless, they were all eaten.

for my entree, i ordered another appetizer- the stuffys- very large clams that were blended with a breading and topped with parmesan cheese and baked until piping hot and served with lemon and more boutique tabasco. theses were so good i was barely able to eat any of the sweet potato fries that were ordered by nearly every table in my viewing range. they were crisp, but lacked the flavor that just makes you scream for more, like i am now for the stuffys. a wedge salad finished off my dining partners' entree and it looked to be as fresh as could be.

as we left i remember thinking how the prior maitre 'd was the the best paid employee in America during the 1980's and early 90's and saying to myself- I see why. the last time i ate at Joe's I was a wee lad and only remembered the 3 hour wait for our table as my little belly growled in dismay. this trip delivered with a prompt table on a beautiful Sunday night, followed by a walk to south beach for the food and wine festival. By the way, the festival too crowded to enjoy. but what a dinner we had at Joe's. **** come on, it's an institution, what did you expect?

AE

APRONS, CAKE FLOUR

2009-03-12T13:54:00.000-04:00

Hellebores, garden and aprons in the breeze

2009-03-12T13:08:00.000-04:00

A LITTLE STORY ABOUT APRONS

2009-03-12T12:20:00.007-04:00

A recent comment about aprons from Katherine Dunn and the photos Cathy and I took of aprons, set my brain spinning about aprons.
Aprons are such an integral part of my being. My very earliest memories are about aprons.

I will start with my grandmother. My Grandma Dutton was the most gentle of souls. She was a fine cook and taught my mother many of her culinary skills, as well as herbal/natural cures. She always wore an apron. As a child, I would cling to her side, waiting for her to move aside her needlework to reach in her apron pocket and give me a stick of candy...the candy box sat near her reach on an old dusty shelf but my piece was in her apron pocket. You see, my other siblings shared the striped candycane but my grandmother saved the solid white piece just for me. Thus, my piece of the stick was always in her apron pocket. Mind you, we all shared pieces of stick candy, never a whole stick.
Maybe Grandma wanted to give me a sense of being a little special. After all, we did share the same name...Sally.

The apron and Moma are so intertwined in my mind, I cannot see Moma as a young mother of five(before Dan) without seeing her apron in my mind's eye. The apron was a tool, a third hand, a basket, and a pocket for almost everything. In her apron pocket could be: nails, a handkerchief, money, safety pins,clothespins etc. Her apron was the handiest tool she had.
Moma used her apron for:
eggs,potatoes,radishes, wild mushrooms, cresses,hickory nuts, walnuts,baby chicks, unfortunate kitties, runt pigs, rocks, kindling,bulbs, tubers, seeds...anything and everything she needed to hold during planting season.
Her apron was also useful for wiping tears away when we were bruised, battered, bashed or broken....but, never, ever, if we were on her bad side. If that be the case, we could wail away and wipe our noses on our arms.....she held no sympathy for naughty children.

I would be remiss if I didn't add to this list of apron memories, my 4-H project. I had to make an apron. This seemed very grown-up to me and I excitedly picked out red checked fabric at the JJ Newberry's store. My little brain had not figured on having to sew this garment. I worked and worked, basting and sewing. The end result was: it seemed futile to work so hard making something when I could just wait around for hand-me-downs. My family has a long love affair with stitching...it did not carry forward with me. Try as I might, I could never get the hang of sewing..I can do it, it would have been a huge disgrace not to sew, however, there was never love in every stitch. Instead there was a growing feeling that should I ever have a choice, I would not sew one single thing. I have stuck with that sentiment steadfastly in my adult life.

I will finish with my career...chef, aprons. Part and parcel of who I am. The tradition of food, love and aprons did take on me.

Caffe Classico

2009-03-07T20:06:00.008-05:00

WFS and I just got home from an evening of divine dining. Today we worked in the yard/gardens cleaning up from the winter ice storm. We decided we should go for an easy dinner out. We both agreed on Tommy Mudd's, Caffe Classico. The Miracle Fries( so dubbed by Jaxon) are a completely satisfying dinner all alone...
But I digress.
Let me start at the beginning. We walk into this Clifton Community jewel~~ hellos echo from Kasey, Audrey and Tommy. WFS is promptly brought his wine...no frippery...just done. My drink needs are a little more complex,it is very, very difficult for me to resist a latte~~~~ however, tonight I settled for good old water and lemon.
We ordered Belgian Pomme Frites and Mussels for our first course. These delightful dishes were brought to our table steaming hot and so so so good. We sopped and dipped and ate every single bite.
We ordered the Chicken Roulade for our main course. Here again, we were served a good solid dish with no frippery. The roulades are pinwheels of chicken, pesto and pine nuts. They are served with risotto cakes and fresh asparagus spears. This dish was perfectly cooked and presented.
Here's the nicest thing about Caffe Classico: Families, young lovers, early birds, diverse cultures and late night coffee drinkers all coexist in this space. The second nicest thing is: Ordering one dish to be split is not frowned upon...actually, Tommy thrives on making his guests seem comfortable with their dining decisions...the ultimate nicest thing is: Kasey walking over and handing me a hand written birthday card.
We split a dulce de leche cookie and came home happy happy happy!
Our meal cost 48.50 and I left a 12.00 tip for Kasey...the reason being, it is amongst the best service in town and the value is so good I always feel happy to leave a little extra.
As we stepped into the lovely night air, Tommy called to us, you think you can get away without saying goodnight?
That is the love we need in our neighborhood.

610 Magnolia

2009-03-04T10:13:00.006-05:00

As I write this review I am not completely sure one should review a restaurant posed as an impostor. 610 Magnolia is a fine dining establishment with prices, service and atmosphere to match. It's little sister off-shoot is a wine room that serves food as you meet, greet and wine taste... food is mostly nibbles, little bites, cheeses and assorted hors d'oeuvres...this hardly constitutes a meal...but upon occasion, Ed Lee(owner and chef) and his staff feature sit down, communal styled events...Italian, BBQ, and on the eve of my birthday, French Bistro.

Before I commence on my review, I will say this evening was lovingly presented to WFS and I as our joint birthday gift. My mother, the arbiter of good taste, would say, repeatedly, never look a gift horse in the mouth. I shall refrain from opening the horse's mouth but~~~~~~~~

We arrived to a general milling about, tasting small sips of various French wines...seeing old familiar faces and a few new ones. It is nice to share a table with new folks. That was the good part. The appetizer samplings were okay, albeit a bit uninspired. A greasy, small bite, grilled BLT, left my hands too greasy to greet a friend with hand extended...beets, one of my very favorite foods, lacked any flavor at all. How do you do that to a beet?

The main meal was a serious disappointment. It is not possible to serve a dish called Foie Gras when made with unsavory, off tasting chicken livers or am I missing something? The salad course, served family style, was enough for one, to be split between six~~~ Next came Beef Bourguignon, it could have/should have succeeded, but our dish was served with nary a scrap of beef...a few carrots were drifting in what I strongly suspected to be Knorr-Swiss beef gravy. Next came duck confit...don't-even-go- there. The final course before dessert was, Coq au vin. This course fared a bit better, having said that, no self respecting French cook would have allowed this dish anywhere near his/her kitchen.

Dessert: store bought crepes, with winter strawberries and Hershey's( or some pre-made stuff) syrup....
Rule 1. Make the crepes.
Rule 2. Use seasonal fruits..NO winter strawberries
Rule 3. For gods sake, make the chocolate, how hard is that!!!!
Rule 4. Topping a disaster with cream fraiche will not cover up the disaster.

Should this end here? Well, generally speaking, it should. I asked for a cup of coffee. a small cup of tepid coffee was delivered with cream? they asked and I said yes, to cream... When I started to pour the cream I noticed a lightness, a swishing in the cream pitcher. I glanced over to my left and the coffee served to the young lady looked a little muddy...I tipped the cream pitcher and out shot blue john milk! The young lady to my left said, it isn't cream. I said, unacceptable. Could we have cream, I asked the server.
I was told, we have NO cream....then, after a prelude,the server produced something she mixed in the back room to resemble cream.
I shoved the coffee out of sight...
Other then a lively discussion with the young lady to my left...this stands as one of the crazier moments in my dining career.

The moral of the story is:
Never rest on your laurels and never believe that a lovely facility and enormous prices constitute quality.
Never, ever, ever.

KITCHEN COMPLETE

2009-03-01T13:38:00.005-05:00

This project brought out the best and the worse in me, my manic must do is a virtue and a curse. But, here 'tis, finished and a very happy place to cook. I am not a 'corner cook", it cramps my style. This new stove, moved from the back wall into the new obvious location, makes me a happy girl.
The induction of this kitchen was the surprise birthday party for Dan, cooking and prepping completed by Ruth Ann, Cathy and I...while Jason installed and re-did the electric for my new pot rack.
Can you say...how, how, how?????????

MOTHER AND CHILD REUNION

2009-02-24T12:52:00.003-05:00

Cathy and Miss Chippy, a perfectly matched pair.

DAN'S 50TH! 02-23-09

2009-02-23T20:14:00.004-05:00

It would take more than this column to describe this beautiful, perfect, surprise party for Dan. We had his surprise party on Sunday afternoon, the day before his birthday...on the sound advice of our sister Phyllis. Mom and Dan are not easily pried from home and especially not at night. Travel is not easy for Mom. And harder for Dan. Cathy, Ruth Ann, WFS, Polly, Marion and Jason and Jaxon worked tirelessly to make this event happen. I can only say, how many people do you know, when you invite 25-30 family and friends will 100% of that number attend? Dan has that kind of friendship base...and I count myself amonst the luckiest. I have known him the entire 50 years....
He's timeless. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR BROTHER.

SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PLANNING PARTY, 02-20-09

2009-02-23T18:26:00.006-05:00

FIRST EVENING OF DAN'S BIG EVENT. CATHY AND RUTH ANN ARRIVE. DR. POLLY AND MAIRZEY COME OVER FOR DINNER, THE PLOT HATCHES!
WE HAD THE MOST AMAZING DINNER OF SWEET POTATO/COCNUT MILK SOUP, SALAD OF GREENS, PEARS AND WALNUTS, AND MY NEW FOUND HOMEMADE PARMESAN CRACKERS...WE FINISHED WITH BISCOTTI, GOAT CHEESE, HONEY AND GRAPES AND A HOT CUP OF TEA~~~~AND A PLAN TO DECEIVE DAN!

ORCHID HOME

2009-02-18T21:02:00.000-05:00

OHHHHH, IT IS BEAUTIFUL!

2009-02-18T20:48:00.003-05:00

GAZE AT THE WONDER OF IT ALL!

HD THOREAU

2009-02-18T11:50:00.002-05:00

I WENT TO THE WOODS BECAUSE I WISHED TO LIVE DELIBERATELY, TO FRONT ONLY THE ESSENTIAL FACTS OF LIFE,AND TO SEE IF I COULD NOT LEARN WHAT IT HAD TO TEACH, AND NOT, WHEN I CAME TO DIE,DISCOVER THAT I HAD NOT LIVED.

Y'ALL COME

2009-02-17T20:20:00.004-05:00

This project has had bumps and turns and unexpected disasters. However, my cherished friends, loyal crew of workers, son and WFS have all worked tirelessly to bring the kitchen renovation into focus. Today the sun was shining through clean windows and the dust is gone. I spent a good portion of the day building a shelf for my orchids. I cleared and cleaned the sun room, then searched to find a suitable shelf for the orchids. I never fancied myself as an orchid lady but they've adopted me, so I had to make them a home...I relocated a fine stainless shelf from my remodeled pantry...it fit perfectly in the sunroom. Now all my lovelies are smiling from an organized, newly recycled shelf home. I will post a photo tomorrow. As for now, all you get is the stove photo, no home for it yet, by tomorrow, y'all come...I WILL be cooking.

FINISH LINE

2009-02-17T15:47:00.004-05:00

SOME WORK, SOME PLAY AND SOME DO NOT GET PHOTOGRAPHED! TODAY THE BOTTOM OF THE FLOOR APPEARED AGAIN IN THE DINING ROOM AND SUN ROOM...JAXON WAS SOMEWHAT OBLIVIOUS TO THE MAD DASH TO FINISH...HE, HOWEVER, WOULD NOT BE CODDLED ON EGGS....CAMP STOVE CAME OUT OF THE BASEMENT AND WE MADE SCRAMBLED EGGS AND TOAST.

PROGRESS

2009-02-12T21:50:00.003-05:00

TODAY I COULD SEE WHAT I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR...THIS INCREDIBLE FLOOR. MY FRIEND, BETTY CAME TODAY FOR GREAT GIRLIE SUPPORT. I HAD TO BUCKLE DOWN ATER MY PLAY DATE...
THE TRANSFORMATION IS UNBELIEVABLE. TOMORROW, I TAKE ON THE DUST COVERING EVERY CREVICE IN MY HOUSE.

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK

2009-02-09T20:04:00.004-05:00

End of the day it looked like this: Photos below show the layers. I told Dan, when he said, "you are nuts"... "they came for me with a straight jacket today but I cleverly hid under the bed".........and tomorrow could be crazier!!!!
The table,covered with stuff, Boos Block and refrigerator are in my dining/living room.
I have a toaster and coffee pot working...nothing else!!!

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK

2009-02-09T19:45:00.003-05:00

THIS IS how it all began, first we had the pergo, glad to see that one go, then the blue linoleum, then the seventies gold and yellow linoleum and then four layers of old flooring and then sub floor.
I loved the day! I can only tell you progress was made but WFS needs a fit pill( or several cocktails). His constitution is not geared toward the wrecking ball.
I am the wrecking ball!!!!!

HISTORY, DUTTON STYLE

2009-02-08T19:42:00.005-05:00

I found these family photos whilst cleaning the kitchen for a new floor tomorrow. My scanning skills leave something to be desired but I liked the images. My Dad, his two sisters and his brother. My uncle,D.H., was a boxer in WWll. My aunts, Gladys and Gertrude, were va-voom! It is certainly a side of their personalities I never witnessed! Click on the photos for larger viewing!

2009-02-02T13:53:00.001-05:00

DREAMS OF SUMMER

2009-02-02T13:40:00.003-05:00

I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT BE THE BEST GROUNDHOG'S DAY GIFT I COULD OFFER. DAN, CEBAH, BETTY AND I WALKED IN ABOUT THREE MILES...WE WERE CHIGGER MAGNETS, BUT IT WAS WORTH EVERY ITCH. I CANNOT EXPLAIN THE BOOST DAN WAS GIVING ME, EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING PHOTO THAT SHOWS WHAT I WANTED TO DO, CLIMB THE SHELF OF THE CREEK!

GROUNDHOG'S DAY

2009-02-02T11:45:00.002-05:00

Now, am I correct if the little bugger sees his shadow, we get SIX (6) more weeks of bad weather? This sun is shining, omens are lurking for another bad blast the next few days....The good news is: our backyard is slick as a professional skating rink...You're never too old to try, right? Or is it to learn? I feel reality sipping away...better go back to cleaning the pantry. And wait to see if the groundhog sees his shadow. HUMMMMMMMM, where does he live, that little groundhog? Is he accepting visitors?

SNOW REDUX

2009-01-29T11:13:00.002-05:00

LATE YESTERDAY WE FINALLY DUG OUT...THE PHOTO OPTS WERE AMAZING.

SNOW:2009

2009-01-28T11:59:00.003-05:00

THESE PHOTOGRAPHS NEED NO NARRATIVE.

AMARYLLIS IN SNOW

2009-01-27T19:13:00.003-05:00

THE SNOW CAME QUIETLY LAST NIGHT BUT IS FIERCE TODAY. A MIX OF SLEET, ICE, RAIN, SNOW IS CAUSING POOR KENTUCKY TO SHUT DOWN.
JUST AS QUIETLY, THIS LOVLEY AMARYLLIS BLOOMED OUT. SHE HAD FIVE BLOOMS AT CHRISTMAS. PLUS, THESE TWO TODAY. I THINK SHE WILL WIN THE PRIZE FOR MOST BLOOMS IN A SEASON. I GIVE OUT FLOWER AWARDS, DON'T YOU?