October 26, 2011 · 7:11 pm

Kansas City Ballet and new Kauffman Center – more reason to go to KC

So I was about ready to jump in the car and drive to Kansas City after reading a NYTimes review of the Kansas City Ballet’s new ballet “Tom Sawyer” performed in the new Muriel Kauffman Theater  (inside the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts) but thought it wise to check first to see if it’s still happening.

And alas, the last performance was Oct. 23 (so why did the story run on Oct. 25….grrrr).  (“Tom” is reportedly KC Ballet’s first new production and likely “the first all-new, entirely American three-act ballet,” according to the NYTimes which gave the production, the dancers and the new performance space thumbs up.)

Anyway, the ballet company and the Kauffman Center- which we have watched being built during our frequent trips through downtown KC  – are now on my list for early May when there’s a performance of work by four famous NYC Ballet choreographers. (Apparently KC Ballet and NYC Ballet have a longstanding relationship. Who knew?) During its Masters of American Dance production May 4-13, the KC Ballet will perform work by four famous choreographers: George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins & Todd Bolender (Bolender, was a former Balanchine dancer and artistic director of the KC Ballet.)

 

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October 24, 2011 · 6:11 pm

One coffee with a raw egg please? At Susie’s Kitchen in Stanton Iowa!

I waited with baited breath the other day to hear which Iowa cafe the foodies Jane and Michael Stern (of roadfood.com fame) would recommend after hearing a plug for their segment on the NPR show The Splendid Table. And the winner is….Susie’s Kitchen in the southwestern Iowa town of Stanton, famous for all things Swedish including apparently Swedish coffee made with a raw egg. I went there years ago – and of course remember the distinctive water tower shaped like a Swedish coffee pot (there’s also a coffee or tea cup water tower now, I gather.)

Apparently this isn’t fancy-schmancy barrista coffee – this is  a more watery, lighter Iowa cafe coffee that townies spend hours drinking (sometimes using their own cup hung in the cafe), and the secret, we’re told, is that Suzy (0r whomever) mixes ground coffee with a raw egg and then boils it  “to clarify the brew”…  (see http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/listings/111015/ to hear the Sterns’ description.)

Doesn’t really make me want to jump in a car and drive two hours from DM to Stanton but Susie’s pie does, especially her Fruit of the Forest pie, described by the Sterns as: “a multi-fruit extravaganza of apple, rhubarb, strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry heaped into a golden, lard-rich crust that is light, flaky, and flavorful.”  Susie’s is at 404 Broad Ave (712) 829-2947

By the by, Stanton is also the home of the actress (Virginia Kraft) who played Mrs. Olson in ye old Folger’s coffee TV commercials. During my visit years ago in late April, I  found myself walking around the small town with a strolling group of men singing in Swedish and stopping at neighbors homes to drink…what else…coffee.  It’s the town’s Swedish tradition of welcoming May by singing “Skona Maj” or “Beautiful May.”
Here’s water tower photos!

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October 21, 2011 · 2:54 pm

Adding to list for Hawaii’s Big Island: Polulu Valley and town of Hawi

A fellow blogger recommends the Polulu Valley in the northern tip of the Big Island. I’ve checked it out and definitely on our list now, thank you very much.

Here’s her thoughts: Polulu Valley….we are so glad when we added it to our things to do!! The Highway 270 up in North Kohala dead ends into this beautiful valley lookout. You can hike down the cliff to beautiful black sands with some green in it. Not very crowded at all. We wish we had brought lunch with us so we could just enjoy sitting by the water! If you google it, you can see some great pictures of it.

 

And here’s what Lets Go Hawaii has to say:

Polulu Valley, where North Kohala’s main artery, Hwy-270, comes to a dead end, is the last of the chain of inaccessible valleys, and for the moment is every bit as pristine as Waipio. The fear of tsunami, which led the Hawaiians to abandon these once densely populated valleys, is probably their best defense against the rapacity of the developers.

The morning is the best time to visit this picturesque perch overlooking a stretch of sea cliffs. Pololu valley is located at the end of Highway 270 in North Kohala.  On your drive up Highway 270, be sure to stop for a look-see and a wonderful bite to eat in the quaint town of Hawi. The highway ends at the picturesque lookout for the Pololu Valley.  At the top you can look down onto the Pololu Valley and a beautiful black sand beach.

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October 20, 2011 · 9:42 pm

Hints for Hawaii – Big Island and Oahu!

This from a friend in the know…

On the Big Island, we really liked the west coast area around Kona. It’s very different from anything else I have ever seen: black sand beaches, lots of black lava rocks, etc. You can see the place where Captain Cook was killed, too. Hilo is a dump, in my view. Rainy and bad hotel options. The national park is cool, and there is a good chance you will see lava flowing. We felt we pretty much saw the park in one full day. We are big Maui people. It’s our favorite island.

In Honolulu, I would recommend the royal palace. Jackie and I both toured it and found it very interesting. It’s basically in downtown. The area where you are staying in Honolulu will be busy and crowded, but also fun. We like a restaurant called Duke’s that’s right on the strip. Basic food at reasonable prices, and a good salad bar. Climbing up to the top of Diamond Head in Honolulu is also fun, and not that hard. We really like a place called the Side Street Inn in Honolulu. Great, local asian food that only the locals know about. It’s in a bit of a spotty neighborhood, but very good food. Go early, so you have a better chance of getting a table. If you want to see the apartment where Obama grew up, it’s pretty easily found, too. Just a couple miles from where you will be staying.

The island hops on Hawaiian Airlines are really easy and usually on schedule, if that’s how you are getting between places.

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October 11, 2011 · 10:41 pm

Zingerman’s and other Ann Arbor Highlights

Nice 36 Hours story in the NYTimes last Sunday on the penultimate college town, Ann Arbor, Mi. (Go Blue!) Zingerman’s deli gets a nod, as well it should. Other highlights and things to explore when next passing through:

Nickel’s Arcade for upscale shopping and coffee at Comet Coffee

Hill Auditorium for visiting top-notch theater, dance and classical music concerts

Mark’s Carts – ethnic food carts in a courtyard on Washington Street between first and Ashley streets.

Angelo’s – for breakfast, then off to the Farmer’s market.

The Ark – famous folk house now known for world music too apparently.

Pacific rim  for pan-Asian food

Logan for wild boar Bolognese (hmmm)

Frita Batidos for cuban food

Cafe Zola for french, italian and turkish food

 

–

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October 10, 2011 · 11:40 pm

now for a little self-promotion…hot off the press: The New York Times, 36 Hours: 150 Weekends

A New Yorker cartoon recently summed up the typical contents of a blog that it’s: 1/3 how to sew, knit, cook, whatever, 1/3 kvetching of one variety or another and 1/3 self-promotion. Or some such.

With this blog, I’ve tried not to do much of any of that. But hey, what’s wrong with a little self- promotion – especially when, sadly, I won’t earn anything else  from the re-publication of two of my stories for the NYTimes  in an upcoming 774- page coffee table travel book.

So be on the look out for  The New York Times, 36 hours: 150 weekends in the USA and Canada which should be available in November I’m told and includes my stories on Oak Park (Illinois) and on Iowa’s Coast (yes, coast – along the Mississippi).  They’ve been updated since they ran several years ago – but not entirely by me.

Here’s some promo material:

The 740-page book includes the Times’ top 150 travel destinations, from cities and towns to natural wonders across America. Practical recommendations for the over 600 restaurants and 450 hotels is inside with color-coded tabs and ribbons to bookmark favorite cities in each region. Nearly 1,000 photos, most of them from The New York Times archive made it in, making it small enough to throw in your suitcase but big enough to enjoy from your favorite reading chair. The new illustrations by Times illustrator Olimpia Zagnoli of Milan, Italy look fantastic, and includes easy-to-reference indexes and detailed city-by-city maps,.  This will be TASCHEN America’s top title of the year.
 

The New York Times, 36 Hours: 150 Weekends in the USA & Canada
Hardcover, 16.8 x 24 cm (6.6 x 9.4 in.), 744 pages
EUR 29.99 | USD 39.99 | GBP 24.99 | JPY 5900.00

The best of the USA & Canada: The highly acclaimed New York Times travel feature finally available in one updated volume

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October 8, 2011 · 7:46 pm

Yes we can…bike in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

I found a place that has half day and full day bike tours through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – for $99 vs. $129 per person. Kinda pricey but includes bike rental and some other handy things like a guide and sag wagon. More details below and at: info@bikevolcano.com

The next question is if we can just rent a bike – and not take the tour….

 

BIKE VOLCANO SUMMIT TOUR SPECIALBIKE VOLCANO SUMMIT TOUR SPECIAL – {Half Day Tour}

Our Summit Tour Special is the perfect way to be introduced to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The short duration of this tour allows you ample time to explore other beautiful areas of the Big Island of Hawai’i.
{10am – 1pm daily; 1pm – 4pm b.o.d.}

 

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK & WINE TASTING BIKE TOURBIKE HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK & WINE TASTING – Full Day Tour

A day tour of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park followed by an optional wine tasting session at the Volcano Winery.

{10am – 3pm daily}

 

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October 7, 2011 · 7:20 pm

Following in my parents’ tire treds – in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

I often end up going places – from the Dordogne region of France to Grafton, Vermont and Columbus, Indiana (an unlikely architectural hotspot) – because my parents went before me.   I  am driven not only by vague memories of their travel tales but because I inherited their tastes and sensibilities (if not their budget.)

Soooo, when I was trying to figure out where to go in Hawaii, the main reason I  settled on visiting the Big Island and its Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park  is a vague memory of my parents’ story about riding a bike into a dormant volcano there. Sure enough, here’s my dad’s  recollection of  that trip – which makes me want to go all the more…and on a bike! (Note to self: find out if/where we can rent bikes at the national park.)

We did a bike trip around the big island many moons ago. There is one road that circles the island at the high level…it goes thru several kinds of climate from rain forest to barren lava beds. We would stay at hotels near the water, ride up the big hill to get to the road, ride down to have lunch by the water, ride up again and then ride till the end of the day and come back to the water. The only change was when we got to the volcano where we stayed overnight in the hotel right next to the volcano mouth. Some hardy soles actually rode their bike up the hill but mom and I opted for a sag-wagon ride. In the morning we could then walk out onto the volcano which still had some small smoking holes. The next morning was the culmination of the trip. We rode our bikes down the mountain, coasting for almost 2 hours without peddling once. The final miles were down the route of the Ironman marathon, which was run uphill in the opposite direction. There was a town near the base of the volcano that was famous for being the home of the hippies…more pot smoke came up from the town than from the volcano. Don’t neglect buying macadamia nuts while you are there…they are the single most caloric food possible. Also, the Kona coffee is a major tasting.

My dad adds:  It was an organized bike trip, either VBT or another like it.While there I bought a tee shirt that said I did the Iron Man…people looked at me differently when I wore it. Same result as when I wore the Ragbrai jacket.

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October 6, 2011 · 11:20 pm

Where to stay on Hawaii’s Big Island: can the mags/books/websites be trusted?

So I’m elbow deep in thick guidebooks trying to figure out the best (my “”best” definition: the most interesting/authentic, least expensive/resort/chain-like) place to stay on Hawaii’s Big Island and fine myself torn about two B&Bs in Volcano, Hawaii (right by the National Volcano Park).

I’ve gone to the websites for each and watched the videos and slide shows and scanned the maps and read the testimonials. I’ve looked at one room after another, even one B&B’ s  floor plans. Does it really make a difference if the proprietor was born and raised in Volcano – or a relatively recent transplant from Oklahoma?  Do I care that one serves a hot breakfast, the other a cold; one serves organic fruit, the other fruit not billed as organic? And to think I used to just travel without booking a place to stay – let alone the absolutely perfect place to stay, whose every crevice I am familiar with in advance.

This researching also raises the question of whether to trust the opinion of various travel magazines and guidebooks.  Having written for both, I sometimes wonder what their criteria is for choosing “the 25 best” or “the 10 places we love” etc.  (A recent example – Forbes Magazine recently selected the Des Moines neighborhood I live in as one of America’s 12 prettiest. It’s nice enough but one of the top 12? Looking closer, I saw that a Des Moines magazine editor helped do the picking.)

Back to Hawaii: B&B#1  appears to be the darling of the travel mags (two have given it a major thumbs up) and it is the cheapest. But judging from the websites of each, it  looks rather drab compared to B&B #2 which is more cheerfully decorated, gets respectful reviews in two guidebooks (as does B&B #1) ,  has its share of local “Best of” awards, and was selected as a stopover by a respected walking tour company. True it’s $70 more a night, which one guidebook says is a “con” because it’s overpriced for the area.  But I may just have to go with my gut on this one.

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October 5, 2011 · 7:35 pm

Walking the Big Island in Hawaii

I’m starting to think we should visit the Big Island during our trip to Hawaii in January, which will start with a conference in Honolulu.  I’ve gotten some suggestions from VBT’s walking tours catalog – including visiting Pu’uhonua o Hanaunau,  Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hamakua Coast/Wilamea/Anna’s Ranch , Kohala Coast, Hilo and staying at: Kilauea Lodge, Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, Hapuna Beach Prince Resort.

Any other suggestions welcome!

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