What to do when the wife is in a conference in Santa Fe? Abscond with the rental car and take a little trip around northern New Mexico, that’s what!
It was sort of a last minute idea, so I looked at a map to see what I could do in a day. Two towns, and a national monument sounded feasible, so I dropped her off and I headed out.
Almost 1,000 years ago, a volcano spewed hot magma – gases and rock – across the landscape in what would become Northern Arizona. What resulted is now called Sunset Crater National Monument.
Traveling to Sunset Crater is an easy drive from modern-day Flagstaff, Arizona. In some areas of the park, though, it feels as though you might be on the moon. (more…)
By Guest Author Peggy Bradshaw
Upon first seeing Mt. Rushmore, the first thing that goes through your mind is the enormity of it. The second thing is “Wow! How did they do that!” (more…)
Last month I reported that I had been scammed. As unpleasant an experience as it was, the whole situation has gotten worse! I’m also kicking myself that I let myself be duped. I do have to admit that the con artist was very clever. (more…)
Oregon is a state of mind. Everywhere we went when we visited years ago, we found ourselves trying to figure out how we could live in that particular locale.
I love the ocean; my husband loves the mountains. Oregon has both ocean and mountains plus waterfalls, hiking, and scenery that truly makes you want to stay. So, Oregon has absolutely charmed us. The Convention and Visitors Bureaus would be proud of us!
Haystack Rock with friend, Cannon Beach, Oregon
Next on our recipe week tour of the USA is Santa Fe -
Red adobe and old world charm make Santa Fe the city you envision when you think of the old Southwest. Artists find the area inspiring and most visitors will, too. There are shops galore, history around every corner and artists displaying their wares, even on the street. (more…)
Since some of our readers visit us from ww.recipes (a terrific site that I’ve been on for 10 years!) , I thought it was time to offer some regional recipes as we tell about our travels around the USA.
We’ll start on the East Coast and hit some major cuisines as we move around the country.
Today, we’ll revisit adventures in New England. Up and down New England, the food and the scenery are exceptional. The cuisine stems from resourceful use of the available fruits of the ocean and the stony earth. The cold winters and very hot and humid summers contribute to the Yankee character – a determination and clever use of what is available.
One of the easiest recipes to prepare is fresh lobster. Purchase a live lobster from a market or – better yet – a lobster fisherman, take it home and cook it for six to 10 minutes in boiling water. Once it turns bright red, it is done.
Depending on your taste and how intrepid you are, you can find edible lobster meat in every part of the lobster. I have been in a fancy restaurant where they offered to pull out the meat for me. Since I had seen them remove only the tail meat, I refused their offer and had a lot more lobster for my dinner.
You can pull out or suck out the meat from the various parts. You might want to avoid the “somali” – some greenish innards, but some people eat that, too. Dipping the results of your efforts in warm lemon butter is a treat you never forget.
When I was a child, we visited friends in Massachusetts who covered their kitchen table with newspapers. Everyone was offered two lobsters to enjoy! That was one of the most informal and festive dinners I’ve ever shared. We were messy, but the camaraderie we shared was terrific!
Maine Lighthouse
If you’re visiting in Maine, some of the seaside restaurants have daily deliveries and let diners choose their dinner from a tank.
Cape Cod, the curved extension of Massachusetts, has Portuguese heritage that is reflected in some of the cuisine.
At the very tip of Cape Cod in Provincetown is a restaurant, the Lobster Pot, that served a Portuguese Kale soup/stew that I’ve never forgotten. I reconstructed the recipe so anyone can make it at home.
1 – 1 LB. sausage – whatever variety you prefer
1 bunch of kale – or cabbage – if kale isn’t available in your market, shredded in small pieces
1 onion or several scallion, chopped
6-8 cups of beef and or chicken bouillon
1 large potato – red-skinned preferred – cut in small cubes
1 cup of red beans, kidney beans preferred
salt and pepper to taste
1. Cut the sausage in thin rounds and brown it in a large pot on a medium flame, turning the rounds so both sides get browned.
2. Add the chopped onion, cook for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the potato cubes, bouillon and kale and reduce the flame to medium low. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cover the pot and let cook until the potatoes are tender – at least 20-30 minutes.
5. Serve in a bowl with some crusty bread on the side and ENJOY!
Serves 4-6 people, depending on how hungry they are.
Once you’ve had a chance to see the art and architecture on the grounds of the Getty Center (see yesterday’s blog), head inside for some tours of the different pavilions.
Tours around the Getty Center will provide some enlightening and entertaining background on the art on display. The great thing about the Getty is that the tours are free and the tour guides are lively and interesting. (more…)
Before choosing to visit the Getty Center in Los Angeles, I asked a friend who had been there recently if it was worth traveling there. Sometimes things are just hype, after all.
Well, I’m happy to report that the Getty Center is absolutely worth visiting (as my friend said). Especially the buildings, which are works of art themselves.
Arriving from the 405, which can be backed up with typical LA traffic, the Getty Center is reached by a tram from the parking garage. Even the tram ride is an efficient, clean and scenic experience.
Continuing our Los Angeles dining options, we are going to look at a couple of establishments where we had dinner. Both of the following restaurants serve lunch also, with one open for breakfast.
(more…)
