Busy Traveler

First Look at the Grand Tetons, September 2011

I’ve always been fascinated by photos of the Tetons. Something about their jaggedness and the glaciers makes them different from the southern Rockies. So, for my birthday this year, I got to see them up close! The first day we took an aerial tram to the top of a ski mountain (10,400 ft).

  

We could see Jackson Hole (the valley) even with the haze from forest fires.

We were almost even with the Teton peaks. They were as magnificent as I imagined.

We hiked along the ski trails and access roads along the crest. Opposite Jackson Hole we could see a high valley among the mountains.

 

There are several glaciers on the peaks and Steve headed uphill to get a closer look.

Great first day!

 

Driving Southern Idaho, September 2011

We flew into Boise and drove across the southern part of the state. Lots of potato fields…what a surprise! There are beautiful areas in Idaho, but there is a lot of nothing:

Between Hell’s Half Acre:

And God’s Country:

 

This is Swan Valley, truly one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

I’m ready to learn fly fishing! I’ll pretend I’m standing between Robert Redford and Brad Pit in “A River Runs Through It”.

 

Vince Young Steakhouse, Austin, TX

We've wanted to check this place out, but it's super expensive. So, to celebrate our anniversary (and the start of the football season) we decided to splurge.

The decor is very interesting, contrasting a dark, clubby atmosphere with UT bling.

We had superb steaks, outstanding sides, and a Mt. Veeder cab that I liked a lot, but Steve wasn't so enthusiastic about. Guess that's why I drank most of it!

Our waiter brought us a fabulous dessert on the house.

All in all, a great indulgence!

Can we get eight friends interested in booking the Room of Ten?

We have to agree to spend $1000. That's only $100 each. Easy to do in this place!

Vince Young Steakhouse
301 San Jacinto
Austin, TX

 

San Francisco Victorians

One of the most charming things about San Francisco is, of course, the famous Victorian homes. From the Six Sisters with their lovely view of the city…

…to the amazing details you see in any block.

As usual, I was fascinated by the doors.

     

Even the kids get into the act!

The owners of this Victorian showed us tourists what they thought.

Never mind, I don’t mind being a tourist as long as I get to enjoy these painted ladies!

 

Lovely Napa, Part 4

This is the last post about this trip to Napa Valley. We hope to go again next year. Fingers crossed!

Although the tasting room was closed, we enjoyed exploring the grounds at the Beringer winery. The historic Rhine House (completed in 1884) is full of Victorian flourishes. I’m not crazy about their wines, but would love to return and see the wine-aging tunnels.

The gardens were in bloom. I decided this is where Emily should have her wedding reception (in 10 years or more!). Wonder what she has to say about it?

In the past, the town of Napa wasn’t much of a destination…a few hotels and restaurants and that’s about it. Several years ago, the city leaders starting making the town a destination for visitors to the valley.

 

Our hotel was close to downtown Napa and we checked out a few things:

• Oxbow Public Market – a collection of restaurants, food shops, and wine bars with live music and other events. It’s not as impressive as markets in other cities, but we loved Model Bakery (had their goodies every morning for breakfast), The Fatted Calf (beautiful meats and pates), C Casa Taqueria, and Kara’s Cupcakes.
• ArtWalk - Several sculptures are installed downtown and we saw a couple of them.

• Wine - There are several wine bars and tasting rooms in downtown Napa. You can buy a Downtown Wine Tasting card for $20 and hit 12 tasting rooms for 10 cents each. We thought this would be great, but ran out of time to try it out. Back Room Wines has an extensive selection of small production boutique Napa wines.

We reluctantly said goodbye to Napa Valley. We could have spent a couple more weeks there exploring.

We decided to take the scenic route into San Franciso, driving through Sonoma Valley to the coast. Sonoma was startlingly green, with the most content black-and-white cows I’ve ever seen.

Crazy Bikers fought for space on the Pacific Coast Highway and we were really scared for them.

We had a lovely picnic at Point Reyes under huge oaks. We reveled in our Wine Country cheese, bread, wine, and chocolate picnics in beautiful settings!

And then we arrived at the beautiful Pacific Coast!

Links

Beringer Vineyards: www.beringer.com

Downtown Napa: napadowntown.com

Oxbow Public Market: www.oxbowpublicmarket.com

Model Bakery: www.themodelbakery.com

The Fatted Calf: fattedcalf.com

C Casa Taqueria: myccasa.com

Kara’s Cupcakes: www.karascupcakes.com

Back Room Wines: www.backroomwines.com

Point Reyes National Seashore: www.nps.gov/pore

Lovely Napa, Part 3

Thanks to input from friends and family, we knew that the wine train was a must-do. We decided on the lunch jaunt to make sure we had enough sunlight to enjoy the views. The food was a disappointment after the luscious dinner the night before, but the views were wonderful.

 

The leisurely ride took us up the valley from Napa to St. Helena. At that point, the engine switches to a bypass rail and moves to the other end of the train to take us back to Napa.

 


The décor was perfect for old-fashioned train riding and the wine tasting bar was raucous with vacationers. This was a fun way to get an overview of the southern end of the valley (and to drink more wine!).

 

During the train ride, we enjoyed the quaint look of St. Helena and decided to go back and look around. There were many precious, expensive shops. We tasted the olive oils at Olivier and admired the chocolates displayed as jewels at Woodhouse.

 

Next, we ventured up-valley to the Culinary Institute. This huge stone building was built in 1889 as Greystone Cellars and, later, Christian Brothers. The Culinary Institute of America purchased the property in 1990.

 

 

Several well-curated displays explain the history of this fabulous place. Steve really liked the corkscrew collection that Brother Timothy amassed. In fact, the labels for today’s Greystone wines feature corkscrews from the collection.

Unfortunately, it was the end of the day and we didn’t get to experience the flavor bar, but are planning that for the next trip! Either the happy hour special of 5 bites + glass of wine for $10 or the olive oil tasting or the chocolate tasting or the dessert sampler…hmmm, maybe all of these!

Links

Napa Valley Wine Train: winetrain.com

Olivier: www.oliviernapavalley.com

Woodhouse Chocolate: www.woodhousechocolate.com

Culinary Institute at Greystone: www.ciachef.edu/california

Greystone Cellars Wines: www.terlatowines.com/wines/california/greystone

 

Lovely Napa, Part 2

Our second day in Napa Valley was sunny and warm, so we took advantage and went hiking in the Bothe-Napa Valley State Park. We climbed and climbed through Douglas firs and the easternmost stand of redwoods in California. Beautiful.

After picking up our friends, we went to a tasting at Hess Collection Winery. Entering through the lovely garden, we toured the high-profile modern art collection (which we didn’t understand) and sipped some delicious wines (which we did understand).

Our splurge of the day was dinner at L’Etoile, the restaurant at the Domain Chandon winery. The grounds were gorgeous (of course) and we marveled at the beautiful flowering plants that grow well in that climate.

We visited with the maitre d' and discovered that he owns a B&B in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Las Terrazas San Miguel). We'll have to check it out! 

This was my first meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Of course, we started with a bottle of the Domain Chandon bubbly. The menu is limited and pricey, as you can imagine, but it was a real culinary experience. The Dungeness crab salad (90% crab, a bit of vinaigrette) was artfully served with an olive oil and Oregon truffle drizzle. The scallops and veal chops that followed were amazing. (By this point, I stopped taking notes and just enjoyed the experience, so the details are forgotten.) For dessert, we shared a dense molten-chocolate cake and a pastry filled with caramelized pear and crème brulee. Just as we were groaning that we’d never eat again, out came a plate of handmade chocolate truffles, caramels, and rose-infused marshmallows. Gilding the lily, indeed!

Links

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park: www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=477

Hess Collection: www.hesscollection.com/experience/visit.html

L’Etoile: www.chandon.com/etoile-restaurant.html

Las Terrazas San Miguel: www.terrazassanmiguel.com

 

Lovely Napa, Part 1

Although we were prepared for wet and cool weather in the latter part of April, we enjoyed gorgeous sunny days in Napa Valley.

First on our agenda was a gourmet lunch at the lovely Auberge du Soleil. The views over Napa Valley were breathtaking.

To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the luxury inn, they offered a two-course prix fixe lunch menu for $30 that I couldn’t resist. First up was a cream of (very fresh) asparagus soup served over crème fraiche and Parmesan. Definitely the best I’ve ever had. Next up was a perfectly cooked halibut fillet over braised fennel (not normally my favorite, but amazing here) topped with a tiny quail egg.  Needless to say, I was swooning. Lest you think Steve was left out, he enjoyed a salad of huge lobster claw meat, hearts of palm, almonds, avocado, and luscious “Moroccan vinaigrette” over greens. We imbibed delicious De Sante Old Vine Sauvignon Blanc 2008. I never had old vine sauvignon blanc before – it was smooth and perfect for rich seafood. A most fabulous splurge!

We drove the Silverado Trail up to Calistoga and walked some of the lunch off. The town was pretty quiet and we didn’t linger.

We checked into the Westin Verasa Napa, a wonderful place close to downtown Napa and across the street from the wine train station. Our room had a sitting area and large kitchenette, where we enjoyed goodies we bought at Oakville Grocery: local cheese, sourdough bread, Napa mustard, chocolate, and great wine (of course!). They offer a wine tasting in the beautiful lobby every evening (and on the patio when the weather is nice). Due to construction around the train station, we got an excellent deal on our rooms but heard very little construction noise.

All this on the first day!

Links

Auberge du Soleil: www.aubergedusoleil.com

Silverado Trail: www.silveradotrail.com

Calistoga visitor site: www.calistogavisitors.com

Westin Verasa Napa: www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1997

Oakville Grocery: www.oakvillegrocery.com

 

 

Wedding, Austin Style

When Carolyn Wonderland (local singer/songwriter) announced her wedding plans to tie the knot with A. Whitney Brown (former SNL'er), officiated by Michael Nesmith (Texan and former Monkee) I just chalked it up to a typical day in Austin. Luckily, Janis really wanted to attend, so we hoofed it over there.

It looked pretty strange to see the circle of people at the top of Doug Sahm Hill on this pleasant, but overcast Friday afternoon.

But Janis charged right up there!

Nice view of downtown from the hill:

I'm a shrimp, so could barely see what was going on. Here is the groom (in white) and the back of the bride's head. I assume the guy in the blue blazer is his best man:

Janis might have gotten a photo of Michael Nesmith, but it's probably enough if I just tell you he looks exactly like LBJ!

Here's a photo from the Austin Chronicle:

And what does one wear to an outdoor wedding in Austin? Pretty much anything you like.

Local coverage: http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2011-03-11/off-the-record/

NY Times coverage: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/fashion/weddings/13VOWS.html

 

Benini Sculpture Ranch, Johnson City, TX

On a beautiful Friday in January, Melissa F and I decided to check out the Benini Sculpture Ranch. Formerly LBJ’s hunting camp, the Sculpture Ranch and Foundation moved here in 1999 from Florida.

We were expecting a short stroll with a dozen or so of the artist’s sculptures on display. Boy, were we wrong! Set on 140 acres outside of Johnson City, at least 60 sculptures by Benini and other contemporary artists were displayed among the hills and live oaks. 

 

Scott Sustek (?) figure

   

  Gemini's Song, Peter Mangan

Our neighbor, Warren Cullar, has three sculptures there…which I didn’t realize until I read through the listing.

(left to right) Easter Island, Pharoah's Treasure, Spirit Totem, Warren Cullar

The Studio building, a quonset hut, housed exhibits of Benini’s 80s-era paintings, small sculptures, and rotating exhibits of other artists.

We walked along the 1-1/2 mile path, marveling at the variety of sculptures.

 
Commedia dell’Arte series, Marshall Cunningham

The many kinetic sculptures by LaPaso were fascinating, especially when a breeze caught the copper cups and starting parts spinning. Our favorites included glass pieces that glowed in the sunlight.

  
 

We certainly didn’t understand many of the pieces, but they were fascinating. In particular, the ropes installation was intriguing.

Phantom Hill, Robert McConaughy 

But our favorite was the Mother Tree. It’s nice to see they have a sense of humor around there.

 

We walked up the steep incline to the artist’s home, which used to be LBJ’s camping lodge. Benini offered us a ride, but we passed. The home has an amazing 360-degree view and is, of course, surrounded by sculptures.

I think the most special part of this collection is how carefully it’s been sited to complement the beautiful landscape. Even the birds agree. Can you see the nest inside the chest of this figure?

Untitled, Bob Fowler

The Sculpture Ranch is amazing and inspiring. I highly recommend you check it out.

http://www.sculptureranch.com

Another sculpture ranch close by to check out:

Eyfells and Eyfells Foundation
www.eyfellsandeyfells.com

 

Article on Spicewood, Texas

Check out my article on Spicewood in the November issue of austinwoman Magazine!
http://www.austinwomanmagazine.com/Articles/2010/11_NOV/74_Weekend.html

The Adamson House, Malibu, CA

We found this little gem right on the beach in Malibu during another beautiful day in Paradise.

The original inhabitants grazed livestock among hundreds of acres along the beach and on the bluffs. Can you imagine this beautiful area being a ranch?

 

 

The daughter of the rancher and her husband (the ranch foreman) built this home in 1930. It is a beautiful specimen of the Spanish Colonial style so popular in California. When drillers discovered a deposit of unique clay on the property instead of the oil they were drilling for, the lady of the manor decided to start a ceramic tile factory. She employed local women only, many of them from the Chumash tribe who were the original inhabitants of the area.

The Malibu tiles, as they were known, we used to great effect in the home, from an intricate “Persian rug” complete with fringe to Mediterranean style fountains.

 
 

Photography is not allowed inside the house. See the website for photos of the interior.

The exterior and grounds were also gorgeous.

 

So if you get tired of the celebrity glitz of Malibu, stop by this place right on Pacific Coast Highway and experience a bit of history in relatively pristine surroundings.

http://www.adamsonhouse.org/

Santa Monica: October, 2010

The day after the conference, Michelle and I were the usual zombies. After getting boxes shipped, we headed to Santa Monica.

 

I was disappointed to find out that one of the best places to grab some grub in SM is the food court at the “top of the mall” (Santa Monica Place). They’re kidding, right?

Well, I should have known that this is a food court, SoCal style. Gourmet casual food, from excellent tacos to sushi to Persian specialties are cooked fresh to order. After getting your food, you settle in at the Dining Deck, a lavishly furnished outdoor space.

 
The view of the beach is beautiful and it is a primo place to catch a sunset, often with live music playing. This was exactly what we needed after an exhausting week.

http://santamonicaplace.com/

Trip to Ft. Worth, Sept. 2010

To celebrate my birthday, Julie and I went to the Stampin’ Up regional convention for the weekend…a perfect place for us, wouldn’t you say? Here are a couple of places we explored.

West, Texas (a little north of Waco)

Most of us only know about this little Czech town because we stop for kolaches on the way north. But we decided to get off the Interstate and check out Main Street. There was a very nice looking restored railroad station and a line of shops and offices…not much else from what we could tell.

We ate at the Czech-American Restaurant, a real hole-in-the-wall. Our food was fabulous! We had the sausage-and-sauerkraut special: excellent mild sausage and amazing homemade sauerkraut. I even got a side of tasty black-eyed peas. Dessert was mixed—the apple strudel was very good, but the pecan pie was average (they were out of the coconut cream pie, my first choice).

Near West, we found a real gem: Style Station. You’ve got to see this place to believe it. It’s a converted gas station crammed full of vintage clothing and accessories and ruled by a crazy old guy who will talk your ear off about politics (liberal yellow-dog Democrat version). I scored some cowboy fashion boots from the 70s and looked longingly at the squaw/squaredance dresses. Next time! Check out the photos on their website to see how crammed full of treasures this place is.

Czech-American Restaurant: http://preview.tinyurl.com/23c7l3u

www.stylestationonline.com

Fort Worth

We spent most of our time in the convention center and at our nice hotel (Hyatt Place in Hurst). But we did walk through the Water Gardens. It’s an oasis in the midst of concrete. We agreed we’d spend a lot of time here if we worked downtown.

The Mexican food at Abuelo’s was forgettable, but we had a nice indulgent steak dinner at Bob’s Chop House. Beware! The portions are huge. Julie had the Champagne and Brie soup special and loved it. I enjoyed the Chop House Salad which had the usual salad ingredients plus bacon and hearts of palm. We split a 12-oz ribeye and it was plenty. The steak wasn’t anything special, but the smashed potatoes were out of this world!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Worth_Water_Gardens

www.abuelos.com

www.bobs-steakandchop.com

Trip to Chicago: Activities and Attractions

Skydeck

We’ve been to the top of the Hancock Tower and wanted to check out the Willis (aka Sears) Tower this time. The tower is still the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and the Skydeck is located 103 flights up. What a view!

Good thing we don’t mind heights…you can stand in a glass box hanging out from the building (“The Ledge”) to experience how high you really are.

 

And this is the view looking down:

We enjoyed seeing the nighttime lights from the deck. However, if you want to see the daytime view to pick out the sights around the area, buy your tickets online so you can avoid the long lines.

www.the-skydeck.com

Millennium Park

This beautiful park is perhaps best known for the Cloud Gate sculpture (aka The Bean), which I will include in my post on Public Art. The day we were there, half of Chicago was cooling off in the marvelous Crown Fountain. From the park’s website:

The fountain consists of two 50-foot glass block towers at each end of a shallow reflecting pool. The towers project video images from a broad social spectrum of Chicago citizens, a reference to the traditional use of gargoyles in fountains, where faces of mythological beings were sculpted with open mouths to allow water, a symbol of life, to flow out. [The artist] adapted this practice by having faces of Chicago citizens projected on LED screens and having water flow through a water outlet in the screen to give the illusion of water spouting from their mouths.

I took a series of pictures of one of the towers, starting with a sad face…

 

…and ending with the water spouting out of her mouth.

Another major feature of the park is the gorgeous amphitheater designed by Frank Gehry, the architect who designed the Disney Concert Hall in L.A. and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. We happened on a free concert there at dusk and enjoyed watching the light on the structure and listening to an excellent performance of a Dvorak requiem (superb acoustics for an outdoor venue).

http://millenniumpark.org/

The Palmer House

We saw this lovely Peacock door and then realized it was the entrance to a famous hotel.

 

The first Palmer House Hotel was built as a wedding present from Potter Palmer to his bride. It opened on September 26, 1871, but burned down just thirteen days later in the Great Chicago Fire. Palmer immediately set to work rebuilding and constructed one of the fanciest hotels in post-fire Chicago. He evidently learned his lesson because he had the hotel constructed mainly of iron and brick and advertised it as "The World's Only Fire-Proof Hotel.” The place is magnificent and we enjoyed our over-priced drinks just to look around.

We saw a bridal party preparing to enter the wedding reception and wondered how outrageous the cost would be to have a function there!

www1.hilton.com

 

Lakeshore

Steve biked along the shore one day and I walked along it at dusk. In the area where we were staying (River North) there is a sandy beach and then a concrete walk. I was there around 7PM and the after-work crowd was in full force. There were swimmers, but you can bet that 90% of them had wetsuits on! I loved watching the dogs and their owners on their evening constitutionals.

Bobby’s Bike Hike has two rental locations along the shore and gives guided tours. www.bobbysbikehike.com

Lincoln Park Zoo

This zoo is one of the oldest in the country and is free! It was established in 1868 with a gift of two swans from New York City’s Central Park. And what a gift this zoo is to the city.

Emily really enjoyed visiting the zoo, especially watching the meerkats and their funny personalities. She thought this guy in the front looked like our dachshund, Mister, doing his begging trick.

http://www.lpzoo.com/

Cubs Game

I’ve been to Wrigley a couple of times before, so didn’t spend the money for an expensive ticket for me. Steve and Emily had a grand time, even though the Cubbies lost. If you haven’t been to Wrigley, it’s worth going to see the ivy-covered wall and to get a load of those crazy Cubs fans.

And you’ve got to have a Chicago dog (beef) with that neon green relish, sport peppers, mustard, tomatoes, and onions on a poppy seed bun!

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com

Air and Water Show

We were lucky enough to be there during the Air and Water Show and were treated to sightings of the Blue Angels screaming over Lake Michigan and around downtown. No luck on great photos, but we did catch their trails over the skyscrapers.

Theater District

We didn’t see any shows this time, but enjoyed the kitschy look of the theater signs and restaurants.

 
 

www.theatreinchicago.com/map1a.php

Recommended viewing: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

Trip to Chicago: Museums

My favorite feature of the large cities of the world are the museums and public art. Chicago is no exception. We visited the following three museums on our trip.

Art Institute of Chicago

I always go to the Art Institute when I’m in town, but Steve and Emily hadn’t ever been there, so we had to remedy that! The Impressionist collection is world-renown and very impressive. It’s always fun to visit these friends. 

I was enthralled with the hall of Hindu and Islamic Art.

I wanted to see the new Modern Art wing and its beautiful view. Unfortunately, it was a sunny day and the sunscreens were down, obscuring the view a bit. It was still a bright lovely setting.

Museum of Science and Industry

Our Science Girl couldn’t wait to check this one out. And Steve and I also like a dose of science, though I found I much preferred the “science” to the “industry”. The beautiful building is one of the few that survives from the 1893 Columbian Exhibition (World's Fair). 

My favorite exhibit was the Storm Science hall where fantastic interactive displays illustrate the forces behind lightning, tornadoes, and avalanches.

The “Inventing the Future” exhibit had several examples of ingenious inventions such as wearable computer clothing that track your vital signs and technologies that interact with you and respond to your movements (by a Fellow of UT-Austin!).

In the Medical hall, Emily was excited to see the display about the HER2 gene connected with aggressive breast cancer…exactly what she is helping to research in the lab! I was very impressed with the fun and interactive ways science principles are demonstrated and taught here.

Museum of Contemporary Art

I came to this museum while Emily and Steve went to the zoo. It was a good trade-off for us all. The Calder exhibit was displayed gorgeously, but photos weren’t allowed. Here is a sanctioned photo from artknowledgenews.com taken before all of the 60 works were installed:

His mobiles and small sculptures were great fun, and the bio on him indicates he thought people took art too seriously so his mission was to show what fun it could be. I didn’t realize that he was one of the first artists to do “reclaimed” art – using junk and second-hand items for his work. Born of necessity during WWII, it became a habit the rest of his life.

The exhibit across the hallway of artists who were influenced by Calder was second-rate. I guess there was only one Alexander!

And what contemporary art museum would be complete without weirdness? Yes, those are Christmas ornaments in the foreground and popcorn in the rear.

The Calder exhibit travels next to the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas from Dec. 11 to March 6, 2011.

Reading selection: CMA mini-website about Alexander Calder: www.mcachicago.org/calder/#/artist
Art Institute of Chicago: www.artic.edu/aic
Museum of Science and Industry: www.msichicago.org
Museum of Contemporary Art: mcachicago.org

Still want to see:
The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design: www.chi-athenaeum.org/main/about.html
Loyola University Museum of Art: www.luc.edu/luma/

and many more…

Trip to Chicago, August 2010

We wanted to have a family vacation this summer, but couldn’t spend much money, so I kept an eye out for a reasonable package to Chicago. What’s not to love about Chicago when it’s not winter?

We stayed at the Inn of Chicago, evidently a real hotspot in the Roaring 20’s. It enjoys a great location: on Ohio between Michigan Ave and Lakeshore. The rooms, though clean, are very small. The bathrooms are miniscule. It would be tight for two people; for three it was challenging. So we just pretended we were in Europe and spent most of our time exploring.

 

We didn’t rent a car because you don’t really need one if you’re staying in central Chicago. The buses and El are easy to figure out and, besides the cost of renting a car, you save $36/night (self) parking down the block from the hotel plus the parking hassle and cost at the attractions and restaurants. iPhone apps show bus stops and transit routes, and track the exact location of each bus.

 

BTW, if you have two or more people traveling together, a cab ride from O’Hare to your hotel is much faster and slightly cheaper than one of those airport shuttles and easier than schlepping luggage onto the subway.

The most exciting event, according to Emily, was the filming of Transformers 3 that we kept running into. We watched a couple of scenes being shot and found block-size sets of ruined buildings, as well as an upturned school bus and other props being moved around downtown. We saw and heard bits of the gunfire and pyrotechnics, but didn’t waste a lot of time getting in place for a good view of the action. I haven’t been at all interested in Transformers 1 or 2, but you can bet I’ll watch 3!

Inn of Chicago: www.innofchicago.com

Chicago Transit Authority: www.transitchicago.com

Transformers 3 pics around Chicago: screenrant.com/transformers-3-chicago-photos-video-mikee-74291/

Reading selection: Devil in the White City, Erik Larson

Coming next: Chicago Museums and Public Art

Restaurant Review: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Syracuse, NY

The twenty minutes we waited early on a Tuesday evening was nothing compared to the usual hour-or-two ordeal to get in. This Syracuse institution was started by three bikers who traveled the south to perfect their barbecue chops. By the looks of the Antone’s posters all over the bar, they spent considerable time in Austin.

In the name of familial harmony, this Austinite was willing to test this so-called barbecue served in, of all places, New York. (Sounds like a salsa ad, doesn’t it?)

I decided that you can’t beat Texas beef brisket, so I sampled the pork: a ribs-and-pork brisket combo plate. First the ribs: smoky, succulent, messy--altogether a high-quality rib experience. Next up was the pork (what’s a pork brisket anyway?).

I have to hang my head…it was some of the best barbecue I’ve ever tasted! I mean I was shoveling it in and moaning at the same time. I am not generally a big meat eater, but I barely touched my sides and cornbread. I ATE MEAT AND MORE MEAT!

To justify my heresy, I figure these guys studied at the feet of the Texas masters (and maybe a little Memphis, too) and spread the gospel to Upstate New York. If you find yourself up that way and are homesick for great barbecue, run--don't walk--to the Dinosaur!

246 W. Willow Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
315-476-4937
www.dinosaurbarbque.com

Day in the Finger Lakes Area, Part 2: Glass Masterpieces

This was my #1 choice to see this trip. Everything I’d heard about the Corning Museum of Glass was true, and then some! www.cmog.org

We were awed by the artistry and the variety of these treasures.

 

We spent a lot of time in the Contemporary/Sculpture gallery.

 

But time was running out (The museum closes at 5PM in the off-season.) and we had to race through the rest of the museum. The exhibits are arranged by the location and time period of the artists.

Ancient and Roman

 

Islamic World

 

 

Asian

Early European

 

Later European

American

Crystal

 Paperweights

Modern

 

And we didn’t even make it to the Tiffany exhibit or the demonstration studio.

I took photos like crazy until my memory card was full. Next time, I’ll make sure to allot most of a day to inspect the galleries and will sign up for the glassblowing class.

If you are anywhere near the Finger Lakes area, do NOT miss this museum!

 

Copyright 2010 Beth Schrader

Day in the Finger Lakes Area, Part 1: Culinary Mecca

We had one day to play, so Melissa, Joan, and I headed out to hit a few highlights around the Finger Lakes. 

(image from explorethefingerlakes.com)

 The scenery was the epitome of spring: fruit trees dripping with blooms, chartreuse leaves budding everywhere, geese honking as they settled in for the season, happy cows and horses. I wanted to photograph everything, but we wouldn’t have gotten very far! It’s not a National Geographic “Drive of a Lifetime” for nothing!

Luckily, Melissa had a destination in mind: The New York Wine & Culinary Center (www.nywcc.com). This is a foodie/wino’s paradise. The classroom and amphitheater were amazing. Sign me up!

 

 

The wine tasting room was upscale-rustic and featured New York wines at very reasonable prices. In fact, everything at this center was value priced (as my receipt from the gift shop shows!). If it hadn’t been so early, I would’ve done a flight tasting, instead of just one glass with lunch.

 

Who’s going to join me in the private dining room for a multi-course experience?

We had a luscious lunch with a beautiful view of Canandaigua Lake.

Melissa and I had the Long Island duck BLT with cranberry mayonnaise and a green apple-fennel slaw. Joan was very happy with her pork loin panini with carrot-cilantro slaw. Melissa had a glass of the Shalestone Cabernet Franc 2007 and it was so good that we bought a bottle to take with us. I enjoyed the Pinot Noir and Joan the Dry Riesling, a specialty of the Finger Lakes region. We happily licked our fingers and headed to the next stop.

Coming tomorrow: Glass Masterpieces

Copyright 2010 Beth Schrader

Wildflower Show, vol. 2: West on 1431

On our way to review a restaurant in Marble Falls, Phyllis and I came upon this field of wildflowers.

We hopped out of the car and started snapping!

 

The sky was gray and rain threatened, so the colors were vibrant.

A short distance later, we spied these bluebonnets along a creek. I don't think I've ever seen them in a wet area.

Please excuse me as I daydream...

Wildflower Show: Round Top/Brenham Area

This is supposed to be the best season for wildflowers in years. After a couple of road trips, I agree!

Last weekend, Michelle and I headed east to Round Top and Brenham and were treated with quite a show.

 

Some of the prettiest displays were in cemetaries.

 

 

It was glorious!

Festival Institute, Round Top, TX

I’ve always confused this institute with Winedale, which is nearby. Both offer performance spaces and refuge for artists.

 

The Round Top Festival Institute is on the outskirts of Round Top (population 77) and includes a gorgeous concert hall, a chapel, outdoor event space, and residences. Each summer, promising students live at the institute, learn from professors, and enjoy concerts that span the breadth of classical music. The faculty is world-class and students study for free. Yo Yo Ma was part of the faculty for four years and performed his first Texas concert here on the porch of one of the historic buildings.

 

 

The concert hall, closed for a recording while we were there, looked gorgeous from the windows. I would love to see a concert there and will keep an eye on the schedule at www.festivalhill.org.

 

We wandered about the grounds, admiring the Old Chapel and adjacent plaza.

 

The endearing mishmash of balconies, bridges, fountains, grottoes, and ironwork around the plaza was great fun to explore.

 

We spent over an hour looking around and didn’t even see the herb garden or nature trails, but we did enjoy a beautiful display of Indian Paintbrushes.

 

 

The Austin Chronicle said it best in their review (June 4, 2004):

Where else can you see such high quality concerts for such reasonable prices? Or take a nature walk, tour a quirky and somewhat random antique collection, picnic under ancient live oaks, and see one of these concerts in the same day?

 

Check it out!

 

Round Top Festival Institute

248 Jaster Road

P.O. Box 89

Round Top, TX 78954

979.249.3129

www.festivalhill.org

Restaurant Review: Freddie’s Place, Austin, TX

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Everyone in town was trying to park and walk to the Zilker Kite Festival. We bagged that idea and, since Mister was with us, headed to Freddie’s Place.

Ah! South Austin. There were grannies and babies and freaks and rednecks, all happily eating and drinking with their dogs under the huge oaks.

Mister couldn’t wait to get into the dog party:

Wish I’d thought to take advantage of the make-your-own Bloody Mary/Maria bar while we were waiting! (aka “Make yo’ mama proud!”)

But the short wait was worth it! We had burgers that were very good, but the scene-stealer was the homemade onion rings. That might be all I order next time.

From the menu:

freddie's burger patties are 100% natural black angus beef, fresh never frozen.

    * step 1: choose your basic

          1/2 lb velveeta burger

          grilled chicken & swiss

          veggie & jack burger

          grilled provolone portabella

    * step 2: choose your toasted bun

          White, whole wheat, jalapeño cheese, texas toast

    * step 3: substitute cheese (if you must)

          Cheddar, mozzarella, swiss, velveeta, provolone, bleu, pepper jack, white American, queso

    * step 4: customize yours...add:

          bbq sauce, grilled onions, banana peppers, jalapeños, ranch, another cheese, refried beans, salsa, hummus, hot wing sauce, sprouts, bacon, avocado, guacamole, grilled mushrooms, pineapple, red pepper, queso

        There are 1,610,612,724 possible combinations!

 

The dogs were having a great time because their owners can buy them a large doggie burger for $2. Mister had to content himself with begging from the owners of Max the Malamute and my leftovers.

The live music was decent and it looked like they were having lots of non-SXSW-sanctioned music this week.

We waddled out, vowing to take all our dog-loving, out-of-town visitors here.

 

1703 S 1st St

Austin, TX

512.445.9197

www.freddiesplaceaustin.com

 

Spicewood Vineyards, Spicewood, TX

If you are a good navigator, check out this laid-back Central Texas winery. It lies off Highway 71 W on County Road 409. When I visited, the signage was almost non-existent, so make sure you check the website for directions.

Bring a picnic lunch (and the family/canines) and enjoy the scenery from the shaded pavilion. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere idyllic. It gets even more idyllic when you realize you can taste seven of their wines for $2. They are known primarily for their Chardonnays, but you be the judge.

They've recently added a beautiful event center where they host concerts. It looks to me like it would be a wonderful place to hear a concert. The line-up is primarily classical and acoustic. It is available for weddings and other get-togethers and would be a perfect gathering spot for a group.

 

1419 Burnet County Road 409
Spicewood Texas 78669
830.693.5328
http://www.spicewoodvineyards.com/

Happy Hour: 219 West, Austin, TX

Because this place is consistently voted “Best Happy Hour in Austin” we decided to check it out. The menus are built around alcoholic beverages, which seems pretty weird, but we were up for the challenge.

We ordered the mini-cheeseburgers from the Beer Menu, the Artichoke-Spinach Quesadilla from the Martini Menu, and (if I remember correctly) the Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wrap from the Wine Menu. We also tried a happy hour wine flight for $12 and enjoyed the tasting.

Everything was tasty and the bill was reasonable. We were definitely older and less fashionably dressed than the other patrons, but didn’t care!

Thanks to Pat for reminding me about this place. We need to return!

Deals on appetizers and drinks: 5pm-9pm weekdays and 5pm-8pm Saturdays.

219 W. 4th Street Austin, TX 512.474.2194

http://www.219west.com/

Ilsa’s Kitchen, Spicewood, TX

This Bavarian restaurant opened in an ill-fated location in December. So far, it doesn’t seem to be doing much of a dinner business and that’s a shame. Everything we ordered was fantastic, including the German potato salad, the sauerkraut, and even the side of veggies. The star was Kaese Spaetzle, a huge helping of egg noodles, cheese, and onions (bacon optional)—basically German macaroni and cheese.

I’ve heard the weekend brunch selection is out of this world and I plan to check it out very soon. If you’re on the way to the lake or other recreation in the area, please stop by and keep this gem in business!

 

20700 State Highway 71 W
Spicewood, TX 78669
512.494.4270

http://www.ilsaskitchen.com/

Luxury on the Lake

My dear friends own this gorgeous place on Lake Travis and you can rent it!

Stone House Lodge on Lake Travis

• Sleeps up to 15
• Vanishing edge pool, hot tub, paddle boat, canoe
• Home theater room, game room, workout room

It's a dream! 

http://www.stonehouselodgeonlaketravis.com/

And I love that they are using one of my photos on the site:

Traveling again

After a hiatus for the holidays and bad weather, I'm on the road again. I will be focusing on the Texas Hill Country in the Marble Falls/Spicewood area. Let's see, how do we know we're in Texas?

Beer, bait, and ammo. What else do you need? Well, maybe hardware to enhance the entrance to your ranch.

 

Getty Art Museum, Los Angeles

Finally! I’ve been salivating to see the Getty since it opened. The Getty on the Hill sits next to the 405 overlooking LA. Parking is $15, but then you ride a tram up to the museum and the entrance is free. I assume some sort of mass transit will deposit you at the tram stop. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The views at the top are amazing…from the hills to downtown LA to the ocean.

The complex is made up of several buildings, housing the permanent collection, exhibits, offices, conservation labs, and cafes.

We first checked out the European Paintings. The galleries were painted deep colors and the collection was impressive, of course...all the art money can buy.

It was such a beautiful day, we spent most of our time outdoors. Every step brought a new view: white curves of the limestone-and-marble buildings against the bright blue sky…

Monumental sculptures set in simple gardens with great views…

And lovely gardens, including this floating azalea labyrinth:

...and the cactus garden:

This place is must if you are anywhere in the LA area. I can’t wait for a return visit.

Copyright 2009, Beth Schrader