I fit right in during my Park Slope visit yesterday because I was pushing a stroller. Some might even have mistaken me for a mother since this is the kind of place where 50 something mothers are not unheard of. My four month old niece was in the stroller and once I got over my apprehension about handling the stroller (which is a bit different than the ones I had with my kids 20 years ago) we had a grand time. We sTrollered around prospect park on a gorgeous afternoon and sat on a bench at the edge of a green lawn and people watched. Then we walked along 7th avenue window shopping. All the while it was a smile fest, my niece and I i smiling at each other. (except when she slept.) bliss. We stopped at a bagel shop near union street, where I had some good apple cider and rugelah. Earlier I ate an excellent lunch at Miriam’s on fifth with my brother. A israeli-inspired place …the scrambled eggs on some sort of crispy slightly sweet fry bread served with fiery Harissa was delicious. Went to a good resale shop near y, spotted a tv actor (Derrick from”smash”), got carry out from a middle eastern place called zeitoin, and sadly said goodbye for now.
Delta, Eric Kayser, AG kitchen in NYC
I was not optimistic about making my connecting flight from the start yesterday because I had only a 37 minute connection in Detroit and sure enough I almost missed it. At 9:45 I was stuck in the plane in the rain on the runway in Detroit thinking there is no way I will make my 10 am flight to NYC. I was in the last row of the plane and I had to collect my luggage on the jet bridge before getting the next flight. And my arrival gate was on the opposite end of the airport. I had also called delta twice and was told the NYC flight was leaving on time. But I had to give it a shot. So when we finally got to the gate I leapt out of my seat and made it about to mid plane. Then I quickly spotted my luggage among the bags piled on the jet bridge (one advantage of having a shocking pink bag) and I ran. And ran from gate c30. By the time I got to gate a27 the plane was boarding. I had to bend down with my hands on my knees and catch my breath. And I developed a cough. But I got on that damn plane. Moral of the story: it’s worth trying. But would have been nice if delta could have told me the flight was delayed 25 min.
At laguardia I ended up taking the airport bus to grand central. Never done before and it did take longer than a taxi but price was right – $12.50 plus tip for driver and it was comfortable.
I went to lunch with my aunt S. at a lively French boulangerie on third ave in the 70’s. The place was packed at 2 p.m. Good salads, sandwiches, pastries. Later I met my friend m at AG Kitchen on columbus and 73rd. Fun place with latin-influenced comfort food – roast chicken, smashed potatoes, guacamole, lobster spinach balls. Gorgeous weather and great time to be in NYC.
Filed under New York City
fantastic recommendations for new orleans!
Given how packed with tourists New Orleans promises to be when we visit in October, I’m not sure I want to share these excellent recommendations for where to eat and hear music (they come from a friend of my stepdaughter’s who lives there) but duty calls:
Filed under New Orleans
town topic, savoy grill, oklahoma joes, Lulu’s, chez elle in Kansas City
My stepdaughter reports that there was a recent episode of No Reservations in Kansas City featuring some great looking BBQ places including Oklahoma Joes. She was also intrigued by Town-Topic Hamburgers and the Savoy Grill. (see: www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/anthony-bourdain/episodes/kansascity)
It would be hard for my husband and I to give up Gates or Bryant’s BBQ for the great unknown but Oklahoma Joe’s has been on our radar. We haven’t been to the Savoy Grill in years but it’s a place-that-time forgot, a Mr. and Mrs. Bridge-era restaurant that’s probably worth revisiting. (Fun wiki facts: The restaurant’s fantastic murals were painted in 1903. The restaurant is KC’s oldest. The Savoy Hotel is the nation’s oldest continuously operating hotel …west of the Mississippi River.)
And Town-Topic – never been but always liked their neon sign (more authentic relic than retro, I think.) Some other relatives in Kansas City also recommend Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop and Chez Elle, a creperie/coffee house at 1713 Summit St., near the new Kaufmann Performing Arts Center.)
Filed under Kansas City
Best Peru restaurants and a Boston-led food tour of Peru!
the temple of Pachacamac
I met the head chef at Taranta, a wonderful Peruvian restaurant in Boston’s North End and he had lots of suggestions for our upcoming trip to Peru, in part because he leads what looks like fantastic food tour of Peru. (for more info see: http://www.tarantarist.com/adventures/)
At his restaurant I had some Cusqueña beer (brewed near Cusco, I believe) which was excellent.
These are the restaurants he recommended (and I’ve made reservations at several!)
– In Arequipa, we need to try these dishes: Rocoto Pelleno (stuffed red peppers made with a fiery hot pepper called rocoto – not the bland red bell pepper) and Chupe de Camarones (Shrimp and Potato Chowder.)
– In Cusco, he said we’ll receive coca leaves when we arrive on the plane and should use them right away to try to avoid altitude sickness. It’s a big no-no to spit out the leaf onto the ground but okay to spit it out discretely into your hand.
– In Urubamba in the Sacred Vally, at El Huacatay restaurant he said we should say hi to the chef Pio who is his friend.
– He recommended the north of Peru including Trujillo area.
– A good day trip from Lima: the temple of Pachacamac, an archaeological site 40 km southeast of Lima, Peru in the Valley of the Lurín River. Wikipedia reports that most of the common buildings and temples were built c. 800-1450 CE, shortly before the arrival and conquest by the Inca Empire.
– For info on Inca terracing (a farming method) he suggested looking up a National Geographic on the topic. The technology is called Borai (?)
– He also recommended a Peruvian restaurant in London – Lima London!
Highlights in Salem, Marblehead, and Boston Mass.
The lovely view from my relatives’ house in Swampscott, Mass.
I was so consumed by the drama of losing and finding my wallet after a day wandering around Salem last Saturday that I didn’t get a chance to write about all the cool things I found while wandering. So here are a few:
– Peabody Essex Museum and House of Seven Gables are the big attractions and both looked well worth a visit but it was so nice out that I didn’t want to stay inside or commit to one attraction alone.
– Chestnut Street, lovely old street lined with beautiful mansions. And nearby on Essex Street I didn’t visit the Ropes Mansion but I walked around its lovely (free-to-the-public) little landscaped flower garden with gorgeous dahlias (my favorite) and lots of other varieties.
– I ate at Life Alive, a vegetarian restaurant on Essex Street that reminded me of the ones I used to go to in Ithaca during college (albeit a little more upscale). It’s also in Cambridge’s Central Square and Lowell’s Historic Arts District. ( After much pondering of the extensive menu, I went with The Swami – a half bowl for $5.55. It was a mix of brown rice, curry miso, tamari almonds, carrots, corn, broccoli, kale, raisins, onions, and a “sprinkle of nutritional yeast” (which is tastier than it sounds.)
– Re-find was among several alluring consignment stores in town. (I bought a pair of jeans and a top for $20 at the women’s Re-find on Washington Street…there’s a men’s Re-find around the block.
– Gothic-celt-witchy-new england fop vibe: All day I kept walking past one or two people decked out in eye-popping costumes – and not just the girls hawking various Witch attractions. There were people dressed in black corsets and flowing black shirts with crosses and tattoos; guys dressed in top hats and tails and women in Victorian riding gear or some such. Never did figure out what was going on but at one point they did all gather outside a former bank on the Walking & Shopping Mall (Essex Street) that sold their kind of clothes at makeshift stalls inside.
– I also enjoyed sitting on a park bench on the lovely Salem Common and near Pickering Wharf and the tall ship the Friendship (although that will forever be remembered as the-place-I-lost-my-wallet.
Coast Guard Air Station Salem patch
– I tagged along with my sister-in-law when she went to the Saturday farmer’s market in Marblehead – smaller than Des Moines but more high-end and high dollar (some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and dahlias stuck out.) I also went her to the seafood shack by the water to pick up some lobsters for fabulous lobster bolognaise that she made later for dinner.
– In Boston’s Back Bay, I had coffee at a cute place, the Wired Puppy on Newbury Street and visited The College Club of Boston on Commonwealth Avenue, the nation’s oldest women’s college club (founded in 1890 and host to the likes of Mark Twain), which my friend PJ belongs to and which has lovely old rooms.
The College Club of Boston
Filed under Boston, Massachusetts
Spectacle island, north end, beacon hill, back bay…Boston!
Fun day with my pal from high school PJ who has a beautiful contemporary apt on comm ave in Back Bay with a spectacular view of the Charles river, the MIT campus and downtown from her terrace. on a perfect fall day, we took a short boat ride to spectacle island, one of the many harbour islands and walked around forawhile and sat on a bench looking out across the water at the Boston skyline and talked about our lives and gave each other confidence, like old friends do.
We wandered over to the north end and into an italian specialty store, Salumeria Italia, that turned out to be where my sister-in-law works and she was there! The in house expert on olive oils and vinegars gave us a tutorial a d tasting. I may never look at that stuff the same way again. We had excellent half orders of pasta – I had the red sauce with lamb Ragu; PJ had gluten free pasta with ariabiatta sauce – at trattoria il panini. Excellent. We poked in a few little boutiques and consignment shops on Hanover street then walked back to P’s apt through beacon hill, stopping at a nice little market with fresh meat and fish Savenor’s market. Boston looked lovely
Filed under Boston, Massachusetts
Exploring downtown Art district in providence
I never spent time downtown when I last visited providence but this time I did and it was interesting. I stayed at the Hampton suites which is unlike other Hampton suites i’ve seen. It’s in a lovely 1920s building that began as a bank and late became a catholic church. Surpringly charming and very nice staff who took good care of me. I wandered down Westminster AndWashington streets which has some spectacular old buildings that have been well restored, including some terra cotta beauties. There are some interesting boutiques and gift shops and a good independent bookstore and some restaurants that look great. Many were closed on sun and Monday when I visited. Next time. Here’ a few places that caught my eye: trinity rep, Gracie’s restaurant, acc(o) food, local 121 restaurant, craft, modern love (where I bought shoe stylish shoes I hope will prove moderately comfortable), Cuban revolution, another restaurant. I also had a meeting at the hoteprovidence, ananother charming old hotel downtown.
Filed under Rhode Island, Uncategorized
Walking for miles in providence, r.i. But still have wallet!
As I did yesterday in Salem, mass, i did again today in providence rhode island, I walked for miles exploring the city…except this time I held onto my wallet, checking several times during the trip. A few highlights/observations:
– the train from Boston to providence was easy andfast. Only 40 minutes or so. Hardestpart is figuring out the Amtrak schedule which is confusing. And it’s important to check out the train priceswhich vary, from $54 to$14
– the city is sleepy on aSunday and many of the good restaurants are closed. I am staying at the Hampton suites downtown. So far so good. It is in a surprisinglylovely 1920s building with a high ceilinged ornate lobby/breakfast area.
– I walked all the way from the hotel to ears providence and black stone walking path along the river. The path wasn’t impressive but I walked thu many lovely oldneighborhoods.Ended up at India point park which was pretty at sunset although the water view was more industrial thanexpected. I liked the bohemian neighborhood. Along wickenden street and saw severaltechnic restaurants that looked promising but I wasn’t hungry (I ate a late lunch – a falafel wrap – at a middle eastern deli in the brown university college town I have been to before.
– one of the prettier streets I wa
Filed under Rhode Island
A good citizen saves my day in Salem Massachusetts
The first indication I had that my trip east was about to go horribly wrong came early this evening after I had spent much of the day wandering all over Salem, Massachusetts. My husband called to ask if I had lost my credit card. He had tried to use the card, which is in both of our names, at the grocery store in des Moines and couldn’t so he called the credit card company and was told that someone had called in to say they found it so the company cancelled it. I looked in my purse and not only was my credit card missing. My entire wallet was gone. No license, debit card, money, or…credit card. And this on the first day of a five day trip where I need to travel by train and stay in a hotel and eat out.
I had a terrible sinking feeling. Retracing my steps wouldn’t really work because there had been so many of them. I had wandered up and down those pretty narrow new England streets that I love …which does not lend itself to finding a lost wallet. But someone had called the credit card company about my card so it must have been found by someone who was honest and trying to find me. Now how could I find him. Or her?
I called the credit card company and they had a name but no phone number for my good citizen. And his name was very common. Then I thought if he had my license he could find my phone number in Iowa. But my husband found no message on our home phone. Then i remembered my phone listing is for my office phone. My husband walked into my office while my heart beat like a tomtom and there was one message and it was from my good citizen. He had left his phone number, which I called and he picked up right away. Turns out he is the dock master for the marina where I had stopped to sit on a bench and admire the view. Somehow my wallet fell out of my purse, someone found it and gave it to him…I think. We drove back to Salem from my relatives house in swampscott and we used cellphones to find each other and now I have my wallet back. The guy could not have been nicer, even apologizing for getting my credit card cancelled but if he hadn’t done that I probably wouldn’t have known until tomorrow when I was leaving that my wallet was missing because no one would have noticed the message on my office phone while I was away. I do plan to write my cellphone number on my wallet. I think that makes sense. Or maybe my email address. Live and learn. I got lucky. And this was a good reminder that there are some good people out there. I tried to give him some money but he wouldn’t take anything. He did let me shake his hand.
Filed under Massachusetts
TakeBetsywithyou 