November 3, 2010 · 9:21 pm

More Detroit hotspots – pt. 2

I forgot to mention another NYT story in its fall 2010  T magazine about Detroit – this one about “artists in residence” in some struggling Motor City neighborhoods.  It likened the city to a modern-day Rome. um, not exactly.  But here are more suggestions of things to do, places to see:

Restaurants – Atlas Global Bistro, 3111 Woodward Ave!; The Cass Cafe, 4620 Cass Ave; El Barzon (Mexican-Italian?) 3710 Junction STreet; Russell Street Deli, 2465 Russell Street.

Museums/Galleries: The Butcher’s Daughter, 22747 Woodward Ave.; Detroit Institute of Arts (duh); G.R. N’Namdi Gallery; Heidelberg Project – between Mt. Elliott and Ellery streets heidelberg.org; Lemberg Gallery, 23271 Woodward Ave., Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, 4454 Woodward; Paul Kotula Projects, 23244 Woodward; Susanne Hilberry Gallery, 700 Livernois. Sad not to see my parent’s gallery, The Rubiner Gallery, in the list but it’s been closed for many years after a long run in suburban Detroit.

Hotels: The Inn on Ferry Street.

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November 2, 2010 · 10:30 pm

More Detroit hotspots

The NYTimes seems to be promoting Detroit as a tourist destination these days and why not. Here’s some suggestions from their latest travel piece on the Motor City:

– Roast – “Detroit’s most talked about restaurant”…..

– Rub BBQ Pub – with a sandwich named after local boy gone rocker Ted Nugent

– Detroit Beer Company – behind the Opera House beer. And my favorite beer name “People Mover Porter” – with chocolate tones.

– Westin Book Cadillac Hotel. Take off the first name and it feels like the good old days. or the bad old days. take your pick but nice to see this place open again after a $200 million renovation. What’s next – the downtown Hudson’s???

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November 2, 2010 · 12:07 am

Boquete, Panama – where to stay

This tends to happen – I narrow down our choice of lodging to two options, then am completely torn on which to pick.  And I’m left parsing guidebook descriptions and over-analyzing website photos. My choices in Boquete boil down to two places – one a little more upscale and expensive than the other.  Do we go for the small inn – only three bungalows spread out across a six-acre coffee farm – for $145 per night, with gorgeous grounds or the larger livelier less-secluded eco-lodge/old farm-house w/16 room on a 500-acre coffee farm-  for $99 a night, not quite as gorgeous grounds but still stunning views, with more people around and an on-site nature guide? Oh and one more thing – we’re running up against the non-refundable deposit issue. With the inn, if we have to cancel we’re out $145 (our first night’s stay); the other place doesn’t have that kind of penalty.

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October 31, 2010 · 6:09 pm

Apples in Fort Dodge Iowa and BBQ in Des Moines

I was glad to see that the Community Orchard near the airport in Fort Dodge Iowa is still looking good and doing a bustling business. Having the State Cross County Meet a stone’s throw away probably didn’t hurt business – that’s why we were in Fort Dodge for the first time, in my case, in maybe 15 years. Alas, the orchard was out on Jonathans – which I use to make applesauce in mass quantities this time of year – but they still had plenty Honeycrisps and other varieties. Also pies, carmel apples, apple crisp and a lot more fattening stuff we avoided…although we did try Smokey D’s BB ribs in Des Moines on the way home.  The sauce a little too sweet for my Kansas City BBQ-oriented taste, but the service was good, tje ribs meaty and well-smoked. The sides – including homemade potato chips that came in a soon-greasy brown bag served with way-too-good-and-fattening thick ranch dressing, and smokey baked beans with just the right touch of bacon – were good too. Also turned out to be a good place to watch U of Iowa’s football team trounce Michigan State’s!

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October 30, 2010 · 10:56 pm

Randonnes in the Dordogne!

My brother and his wife made it safely home from France – fortunately flying into Barcelona and out of Geneva during the strikes that crippled French airports and rail. He apparently did okay with getting gas since they did drive across the country. As expected, he loved the Dordogne region and recommends “randonnes” – walks in the french countryside that are well mapped out and marked. Other highlights – the duck  confit and “all the delicious stuff with walnuts in it.” Their last two days were in Annecy which they liked too but found a little seedy in parts (that I don’t remember.) They also did a quick tour of Talloires and got a pix of the hotel we stayed at in 1989.

 

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October 29, 2010 · 3:08 pm

Dreaming of Panama…pt. 2

So here’s what I’m thinking after reading a few guidebooks about our trip to Panama in February (yes, Panama. February!). We’ll stay in Panama City a few days then fly to David and stay in Boquete, an eco-tourism spot in the highlands near the Baru volcano in the western Chiriqui region, then onto the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, seven islands in the Caribbean – specifically Bocas Town on  Isla Colon for a few days. Yes!

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October 28, 2010 · 9:34 pm

Dreaming of…Panama

My husband has a business trip to Panama City in February and I’m hoping to tag along for a few days (sure beats Des Moines in February). Thought maybe we’d go to Costa Rica afterwards but now thinking we can find some of  Costa Rica’s eco-tourism  in Panama – and save money and complications with flights between Iowa and Central America.  Just cracking open the books on this country but so far the places in the running to go to after Panama City are Boquete, an eco-tourism hotspot, and the San Blas Islands. Also heard good things about the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, outside Panama City, although we’re not really resort people.

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October 27, 2010 · 10:25 pm

New York on the cheap

As if.

well everything’s relative and I guess that means New York’s version of cheap is Des Moines’ version of not-so-cheap but that said, the NYT had some suggestions for people visiting the Big City on a Tight Budget:

– The Jane – 113 Jane Street (a very sweet street in the West Village that my cousin used to live on)…”50-square-foot cabins” for $99 a night (that’s a single withe shared bath)…www.thejanenyc.com

– The Hotel Chelsea, studio and shared bath for $99…if it was good enough for Sid and Nancy it may be okay for you.

– MOMA is free on Friday nights. Otherwise it’s $25 as I recall painfully.

– for other free events look in the listings of Time Out NY and New York magazine also FreeNYC.net and ClubFReeTime.com

– a seven-day unlimited ride metrocard $27. soon to be $29.

 

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October 26, 2010 · 10:38 pm

Honeymooning in France during the strikes – it can be done!

My brother and his new wife have made it to Dordogne and are, of course loving it although my brother fears he may be developing gout from all the rich food. He highly recommends the place they stayed La Tour de Cause – which judging from the website looks like heaven.  Word has it it’s run by a I highly recommend it. It’s run by a really cool, fun California couple. Next stop in Annecy and Talloire – so hoping he can get there safely without encountering any blockades or major gas shortages. And I’ll be living vicariously…

 

 

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October 25, 2010 · 7:44 pm

MOMA at Thanksgiving

Most Thanksgivings we visit relatives in New York City and I have one or two day to explore the city, which usually involves picking one museum to visit. This year’s winner? MOMA – which I haven’t visited for several years. Several exhibits have caught my attention that I”m eager to see – CounterSpace: Design and the Modern Kitchen (through March 14) and Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photograph (through March 21).

First runner-up (and a museum I hope to visit) is the New Museum downtown on the Bowery, which has an exhibit an old newspaperwoman can’t resist entitled “The Last Newspaper.”

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