May 14, 2011 · 9:13 pm

Brooklyn hotspots

No matter how many times I visit my brother and sister-in-law in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope, I can’t quite figure out where I am in relation to other neighborhoods of the borough – or when those other neighborhoods begin and Park Slope ends. But a story in The London Times Magazine that a friend sent me from England offers some suggestions of things to do in Brooklyn in general that makes me want to explore and figure out the terrain more. Here they are:

– Brooklyn Fare, a small restaurant where the chef prepares 20 tasting plates for 18 customers per night. I’ve heard of this…and that it’s hard to get a seat, not surprisingly.

– Brooklyn Flea – huge flea market at 176 Lafayette STreet

– Escape guesthouse – a B&B on a street I’m pretty sure my brother lived on years ago, elsewhere in Brooklyn. escapeguesthouse.com

– Brooklyn Social – old-fashioned Italian cocktail bar at 335 Smith Street

Leave a comment

Filed under New York City

Tagged as , ,

May 13, 2011 · 2:13 pm

Burek in Milwaukee

A friend is going to Milwaukee which reminded me that I’d love to visit that city again – I was there in, um, 2006 or so, and stayed at the grand old Pfister Hotel (on the company’s dime). Highlights were roaming around the old Third Ward district downtown (where I ate good french food at the Coquette Cafe), visiting Usinger’s sausage shop, visiting the art museum with its fantastic Santiago Calatrava architecture and eating burek (akin to Greek Spanakopita – or spinach-and-cheese-pie) in the Old World atmosphere of  Three Brothers, a Serbian restaurant. The burek was huge and took awhile to make so I brought much of it home on the plane with me. I also remember being struck by how lovely and undeveloped the city’s lake-shore was.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as

May 11, 2011 · 10:52 pm

36 Hours in Detroit – why not?

Some relatives (you know who you are)  in my hometown of suburban Detroit weren’t convinced by the booster-ish tone of the 36 Hours in Detroit article in last week’s NYTimes Travel section but the article sold me. It made me want to revisit  Detroit with a pair of fresh eyes and new enthusiasm!

Leave a comment

Filed under Detroit

Tagged as

April 30, 2011 · 7:06 pm

Places to check out along the new High Trestle Trail in Iowa

The High Trestle trail just north of Des Moines officially opens today and here are some places the DMRegister recommends checking out along it:

– Woodward: Lake Robbins Ballroom, Woodward Hardware’s Antique Toy (nuts and bolts and antique toys and other antiques)

– Madrid – Baldy’s Chill and Grill opening soon in the old American Legion building

– Slater – Snus HIll Winery, with a tasting room, a mile north of the trail along a gravel road

– The Bridge, of course: A 13-story high bridge originally built in 1973 that has been redesigned with six overlooks, four art installation/towers at each end and 41 steel frames overhead that light up in the dark.

Leave a comment

Filed under bike trails, biking, Iowa

Tagged as , ,

April 29, 2011 · 2:50 pm

Mount Vernon, Ia. – one of 10 cool small towns

I didn’t know until I heard a plug on Iowa Public Radio this morning that the small northeast Iowa town of Mount Vernon was named one of then “cool small towns” by Budget Travel Magazine. Turns out this was back in 2009. But I’d have to agree. It’s the home of Cornell College and the wonderful restaurant the Lincoln Cafe and is smack in the middle of some bucolic farm country and about a half hour south is the booming artsy college town of Iowa City.  One place I don’t know that was mentioned in the Mount Vernon blurb: Fuel, a coffee shop/antique store.

The 2009 cool town list also includes Jacksonville, Oregon, which my husband and I visited in 2010 during a visit to my sister-in-law’s house in nearby Medford, and Tubac, Arizona which we visited many times during visits to see my dad in Tucson. (In Tubac, the mag recommends the interior design story Pancho’s, Tubac Center of the Arts, and Tubac Country Inn. Good to know since I’m sure we’ll be back there.)

Leave a comment

Filed under Arizona, Iowa, Iowa City

Tagged as

April 28, 2011 · 2:25 pm

Royal Wedding – from afar

Alas, I won’t be as near to this Royal Wedding as I was to the last big one thirty years ago, which I helped cover as a young reporter working in the London Bureau of a Yank newspaper. My British friends emailed today that wedding fever is finally starting to take hold of the capital – and perhaps the country. In addition to a republican (i.e. anti-monarchist) party where guests will dine on red food and NOT watch the wedding on the telly, one friend has been invited to a more traditional garden party at the home of a neighbor who has planted red, white and blue pansies for the occasion. Hope the weather permits (another friend reported its supposed to be rainy.)

I just may get up early tomorrow to tune in – although I’m not sure how early I can handle. I’ve got my new wedding kitsch just in time from my sister, who brought them back from a recent trip to England. A Wills-and-Kate tea towel and Wills-and-Kate mug. Hip Hip Hooray.

Leave a comment

Filed under England and U.K., London

Tagged as , ,

April 26, 2011 · 2:04 am

who would’ah thunk it: spotted George Hamilton at Des Moines restaurant

On a Monday night in Des Moines, hard to imagine seeing anybody out for dinner, let alone perpetually tan actor George Hamilton who was dining at a table near us at Alba in the East Village. The director of the Greater Des Moines Civic Center was his host so that was a tip off – apparently the civic center unveiled its next season today and George will be returning in October (unless he’s staying here til then, as if) in La Cage Aux Folles.)

I”m particularly excited about Billy Elliot which will be in DM in June 2012.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Civic Center of Greater Des Moines announce its new 2011-2012 season on Monday night.The schedule includes La Cage Aux Folles, which headed to Iowa direct from Broadway — and stars George Hamilton. Wicked returns to Des Moines. Billy Elliot The Musical also is coming to the Civic Center.

2011

  • Oct 11-16:  La Cage Aux Folles (Staring George Hamilton)
  • Nov. 9- Dec. 4:  Wicked

2012

  • Feb. 7-12:  West Side Story
  • Feb 28-March 4:  Bring It On: The Musical
  • April 24-29:  Memphis
  • May 15-16: Rain: A Tribute To The Beatles
  • June 6-17: Billy Elliot The Musical

Leave a comment

Filed under Des Moines, theater

Tagged as

April 25, 2011 · 9:07 pm

For our next trip to Panama City….

Nice to see that the restaurant we chose – after much deliberation –  for our one “splurge meal” got a prominent mention in Sunday’s 36 Hours Panama City, Panama story on the NYTimes Travel section. We were very happy with our meal at La Posta — and apparently the NYTimes was too. But this restaurant wasn’t mentioned in the 2005 36 hours piece on Panama City. I can’t remember how I found it – another travel article or guide – or how I narrowed my fairly long list but glad we chose La Posta. The latest Times story doesn’t mention the entrees we really loved – the “best pork chop ever” – my Kansas husband’s assessment which is saying a lot since this guy knows his pork; and pitch perfect seafood risotto, which I loved.

I wish this article had come out before our visit because I was looking for a hotel on our last night – and ended up with a dud.  The NYTimes recommends the Canal House Hotel in Casco Viejo or the new Manrey Hotel (both are $200 and up which is more than we wanted to spend. we probably got the best we could for $100.)

1 Comment

Filed under Panama

Tagged as , ,

April 24, 2011 · 8:16 pm

The scoop on shuttle service for the Elroy-Sparta trail in Wisconsin

Word has it that there is shuttle service – so you can ride the 32-mile trail one way by being dropped off at one spotted and then having your car delivered to the other.  One guidebook I read suggested it’s best to ride north from Elroy to Sparta. So maybe that’s what we’ll do in July.

The Ambassadors at the Sparta Chamber of Commerce shuttle people from Sparta to Elroy or any town on the trail and return your car
to the Depot in Sparta.  Call 608-269-4123 to get a specific phone number and make a reservation for the shuttle.
Also Speeds Bike Shop offers shuttle service 608-269-2315.
There’s also shuttle service available at the Kendall Depot, which will drop you off in Sparta and return your vehicle to Kendall (so you’re riding south – and to the absolute end of the trail.). The cost is $22 and a reservation is recommended.

Leave a comment

Filed under bike trails, biking, Uncategorized, Wisconsin

Tagged as ,

April 22, 2011 · 11:33 pm

Where to stay in southwest Wisconsin.

I probably shouldn’t be sharing this since it may mean there’s no room at the inn for us. But anyway, my friend Denise highly recommends this lodging when we go biking this summer in southwest Wisconsin.

It’s Justin Trails  http://justintrails.com. They stayed in the Garden Suite on the 1st floor of the main house, which has a separate entrance and porch, which was nice.  She’d rather stay in any of the cabins – they’re really cool! The other 2 suites are upstairs in the main house.  There is great hiking on the property & it’s close to bike trails, but I think you’d have to drive to a trailhead.  

 

Leave a comment

Filed under LODGING, Wisconsin

Tagged as