Travel

Pasta Mañana

4 Comments

Kathy & I have always enjoyed the fact that much of the food on cruise ships is actually made on board. Most of the breads, sauces, ice cream & gelato are made on board. Some of the pasta is also made in-house, but generally only in the specialty restaurants. The sheer volume of pasta needed to serve hundreds or thousands of dishes does not lend itself to in-house preparation.

Celebrity cruise ships have a specialty restaurant called Tuscan Grille, which is essentially an Italian-themed steakhouse. It’s a long way from Tuscany, but is appropriately decorated, and a lot of the menu items are Tuscany influenced. We especially look forward to the artisan breads, yummy olive oil and aged balsamic vinegars. And the cheese! Sigh…. 🙂 There is nothing like the peppery taste of a good olive oil. And while you can’t get Pici Pasta there, what they do make in house is pretty darned good!

The same morning as our sushi making demonstration, there was a pasta making demonstration. They were timed so that we could easily leave one and go to the next, getting there in plenty of time for a front row seat. And there was no plexiglass to blur our view and cause reflections, so I was able to get some pretty decent photos.

Chef Michael walked us through a very basic pasta dough recipe, then handed the dough off to his assistant Glenn, to run it through the fancy, $30,000 German pasta machine, pressing out spaghetti and rigatoni. Just a little more robust than a home pasta maker! Once again, we were not able to sample the output, but as it turned out we were scheduled to have dinner there that evening, so we made a point of trying out several of the pasta offerings. They were quite good!

 

For anyone who didn’t get the musical reference in the title:

YouTube player

Travel

Wake Up, Little Sushi

6 Comments

One of the things we love about sea days on a cruise is there are often educational – or at least entertaining – activities scheduled throughout the day. Sometimes they take the form of a guest lecturer, a Q&A with the captain and officers, or cooking demonstrations. The first one we attended was a sushi making demonstration in the ship’s sushi restaurant, Sushi On 5. So called because it is on, you guessed it, Deck 5. It used to also cost $5, but inflation…that was a while ago. It is now an ala carte specialty restaurant, which we don’t mind paying extra for because we like sushi. 😉

Kathy & I are by no means experts, but we have come to enjoy sushi in its various forms. We enjoyed listening to Raymond, one of the waiters and the manager of the restaurant, explaining to a skeptical couple that sushi does not necessarily mean ‘raw fish,’ that the term actually refers to the style of rice used in sushi cuisine. And of course some dishes served at sushi restaurants do not even contain rice, such as sashimi.

Sushi chef John took us through the process of preparing the various ingredients for his dishes, including a shrimp roll, nigiri, sashimi and a custom dish, the name of I’ve forgotten but it looks like an ice cream cone with fish. I asked him about his knives, which he explained were hard Japanese steel, and that he spends an hour every morning sharpening them in order to cut the fish smoothly and cleanly. They sure looked sharp to me!

We didn’t get to taste the samples, but we had already eaten lunch there and we returned one evening for dinner, both of which we enjoyed very much. Raymond walked us through the menu and made some excellent suggestions for dishes that we enjoyed.

It was an interesting and educational experience, and one of the many reasons we love sea days!

Travel

Sailing…But Not to Philadelphia

2 Comments

Sorry, old song reference for you youngsters. 😉

One of the highlights of our departure from Cape Liberty was that our ship turned “up” the Hudson River for a sail-by of the Statue of Liberty. For me it was special, because previously the only view I had had of the famous landmark was the view from an airplane window as we landed in Newark. And that was nearly 10 years ago.

We discussed coming to Jersey City a day or two earlier, but as I said in my last post, we decided to keep this trip a little more simple. And, knowing that our ship was due to sail past the statue meant that we didn’t have to endure the lines and the crowds to sail to the island itself. Another time, for sure.

So as we sailed out of the port, around (well not quite around) the statue, we got a “sea level view” of the NYC and Jersey City skylines and waterfront, and a fish-eye view of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge as we passed below it. In no time at all we were at sea, steaming towards the <suspenseful music plays> Bermuda Triangle. More to come!

Travel

In To, And Out Of, New Jersey

2 Comments

Whew, that was fun!

We just returned from our most recent adventure, a cruise to Bermuda. We sailed aboard Celebrity Summit, one of our favorite ships and favorite cruise line. The ship departed from, and returned to, Cape Liberty in Bayonne, NJ. We flew from Charlotte to Newark, stayed overnight at a hotel in Jersey City, then went to Cape Liberty the day of our cruise. So we had a little time for strolling and sightseeing.

I’ve never been to New York City, and still haven’t. But now I’ve seen it, albeit from the New Jersey side of the Hudson River. We discussed the possibility of more time to explore the city and to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, but due to time and cost considerations decided to keep this visit about the cruise itself.

Newark Airport leaves a lot to be desired, and I think it must be against the rules to smile there. But despite it all we had an overall good experience. EWR has been one of the hardest hit when it comes to recent flight delays and cancellations, and we had been a little concerned. When we returned to the airport about 9:30 on Sunday for our flight home, there was a Charlotte flight scheduled to depart around 10:00am, but they were having all kinds of problems. The plane was not at the gate, and once it got to the gate they didn’t have flight attendants. It finally left after our 11:45am flight and got to Charlotte 30 minutes behind us. But that seems to be the way air travel is working these days. Ya never know!

We spent the Saturday evening and Sunday morning before our cruise exploring the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway and had dinner at Hudson and Company, a restaurant overlooking the river and the NY skyline. It was a nice visit, and just enough to whet the appetite for a return visit.

More photos are in the queue, and some are pretty nice, especially those from Bermuda. They’ll be ready soon! 😉

Travel

A Swing Through The Steel City

6 Comments
The Greenhouse at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh

No, Pittsburgh is not on the way home from West Virginia! Kathy recently reconnected with a childhood friend, who lives part of the year in Pittsburgh. We cruised with them in March and visited them in Florida, so we decided that a detour north before heading south was worthwhile.

Tom and Howard at ‘Over The Bar’ restaurant at North Park in Pittsburgh

When I found out we were going to be in the area, I contacted fellow photographer and blogger Howard Grill and made arrangements to meet for breakfast at a park near where we were staying. We met there on Saturday morning, had a lovely visit and spent some time exploring the lakeside. By the time I got my camera out the light had gotten harsh, but there were still some interesting reflections.

North Park Lake in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
North Park Lake in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

After our breakfast, we headed to our friends’ home and took a jaunt into town to visit The Frick. The Frick Pittsburgh is an art museum which is the legacy of Helen Clay Frick, daughter of industrialist Henry Clay Frick and his wife Adelaide Howard Childs Frick. The family home was called Clayton, which is on the site of the museum, from 1883 to 1905.

‘Romare Bearden: Artist as Activist and Visionary’ Exhibition at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
‘Romare Bearden: Artist as Activist and Visionary’ Exhibition at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
SLAY: Artemisia Gentileschi & Kehinde Wiley Exhibition at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
The Car & Carriage Museum at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
1898 Panhard et Levassor. The Car & Carriage Museum at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
1940 American Bantam Convertible Coupe. The Car & Carriage Museum at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
The Greenhouse at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
The Greenhouse at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
The Greenhouse at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
Clayton, former home of the Frick family. The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
The Greenhouse at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
Visitor Center at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh

I’ve still got a few photos to process, but have completed the best ones. As I typically do, I have created an Adobe Portfolio gallery of selected photos from this trip at My Adobe Portfolio page.

Travel

Almost (But Not Quite) Heaven: West Virginia

4 Comments
Smooth Ambler Distillery near Lewisburg, West Virginia

The primary purpose of our recent road trip was to meet up with our friends Jim & Lisa in Lewisburg, West Virginia. We had each visited Lewisburg previously, although not together. And because it is roughly halfway between our home in NC and Jim & Lisa’s in PA, it was a good place to get together for a few days. We had a blast wandering the shops of the town, and we visited the Smooth Ambler distillery. Kathy & I are distillery veterans, so we needed to show Jim & Lisa the finer points. 😉

Smooth Ambler Distillery near Lewisburg, West Virginia
Smooth Ambler Distillery near Lewisburg, West Virginia

Surprisingly, although I carried my camera around just about everywhere, I took very few photos with it. I actually took more photos with my phone, because it was simpler to hand off to someone and to share. We were just having too much fun to pay attention to photos!

The General Lewis Inn in Lewisburg, West Virginia
Flowers along Washington Street in Lewisburg, West Virginia
Shops along Washington Street in Lewisburg, West Virginia
VW Bus on Washington Street in Lewisburg, West Virginia
Pay phone on Washington Street in Lewisburg, West Virginia
Tom and Jim in downtown Lewisburg, West Virginia
Kathy and Lisa in downtown Lewisburg, West Virginia
The New River Gorge Bridge is a steel arch bridge 3,030 feet (924 m) long over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville, West Virginia. With an arch 1,700 feet long, the New River Gorge Bridge was the world’s longest single-span arch bridge for 26 years and is now the fifth longest. The roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge is 876 feet above the New River, making the bridge one of the highest vehicular bridges in the world. It is the third highest in the United States. When completed in 1977, it was the world’s highest bridge carrying a regular roadway, a title it held until the 2001 opening of the Liuguanghe Bridge in China.
The New River Gorge Bridge is a steel arch bridge 3,030 feet (924 m) long over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville, West Virginia. With an arch 1,700 feet long, the New River Gorge Bridge was the world’s longest single-span arch bridge for 26 years and is now the fifth longest. The roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge is 876 feet above the New River, making the bridge one of the highest vehicular bridges in the world. It is the third highest in the United States. When completed in 1977, it was the world’s highest bridge carrying a regular roadway, a title it held until the 2001 opening of the Liuguanghe Bridge in China.
Travel

More (Less?) Than We Bargained For: Peaks of Otter Lodge

6 Comments
Last light on Sharp Top peak at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

We decided to break up our trip northward with a stop at Peaks of Otter Lodge, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Roanoke, VA. We’ve stayed there before, and have enjoyed the lodge, with its lakefront location, decent restaurant and overall quiet vibe. Our previous attempt to stay there was thwarted by the remnants of a hurricane, which forced us to change plans and cancel our reservation.

View of Peaks of Otter Lodge across Peaks of Otter Lake
Peaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

We headed north on the Parkway, enjoying the sunshine, cooler weather and lovely clouds. As we approached the lodge, however, it became apparent that a storm had recently passed through the area. Leaves and twigs littered the road and everything was wet. Water falling off the trees made it seem like it was still raining.

Our room (with no power) at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

We arrived at the lodge with high hopes, only to be told that the lodge was without power because of the storm. And due to the somewhat remote mountain location, there was no guaranty when or if the power would be restored. Not to worry, though, right?

Hiking trail at Peaks of Otter, on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Peaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

Soon afterward we decided to make drinks. We always travel prepared, so all we needed was ice. But of course the ice machines are powered by electricity, so while there was probably plenty of ice in the hopper, it wouldn’t dispense. So I took my trusty ice bucket to the lodge to get it filled. Fortunately they still had plenty of ice, so all was not lost.

Sunset over Peaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
Sunset over Peaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

But…between the time we checked in and when I returned to the lodge for ice, a decision had been made that the bar and restaurant would not be opening for dinner. So much for the nice dinner. Faced with the prospect of a cold chicken salad wrap from the lodge or driving into the nearest town for dinner, we opted for the cooked dinner in town.  But first…drinks! Yay for ice!

Sunset over Peaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

The lodge is located at a high enough elevation that even though the rooms have air conditioning, it is seldom needed. So it was no problem for us to sleep there. And since sunset was late at this time of year and we had our tablets fully charged with books pre-loaded, it was easy for us to pass the time. Did I mention that there is no cell service at the lodge? And with no wifi, we were really “off the grid.”

“Polly Woods Ordinary” mountain cabin located at Peaks of Otter, on the Blue Ridge Parkway

So it was a little bit like camping, except that we were in a bed in a room with a roof and a door. And as it turned out, even though there was still no power in the morning, somehow there was hot water for a shower! Ultimately the biggest hardship was that we were unable to get coffee or tea. But we lived to tell about it and to head on to our next destination, Lewisburg, West Virginia. More to come!

Travel

The Life Of A Tree

6 Comments
February 2007: Tree in silhouette at twilight, The Saddle Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia

A frequent stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia is an overlook called “The Saddle.” So named because it sits on a ridge with a eastern view toward a deep valley and a western view toward Buffalo Mountain.

September 2016: Sunset at The Saddle Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan Virginia

We’ve visited The Saddle probably dozens of times over the years, occasionally getting a nice sunset there. The view toward the east would probably make for an interesting sunrise, but in all our trips there we haven’t been close enough for a morning visit. I may need to remedy that at some point!

There is a tree next to the parking lot that I have photographed over the years. I was interested, and a bit disappointed, to see that it is for all intents and purposes, past its useful life. The decline was pretty obvious over the years, but is very apparent now. I suppose it is just a matter of time before a big wind, or a chainsaw, carries it off.

July 2022: Tree at The Saddle Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan Virginia
Travel

A Stop At Mabry Mill

4 Comments
Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia

Kathy & I just returned from an abbreviated version of our somewhat annual “Friends and Family Tour.” ‘Somewhat annual’ because it hasn’t been continuous, ‘abbreviated’ because we only saw a few of our friends and didn’t take quite as much time as we have in the past several years. But we saw some good friends, met a long-time friend in person for the first time, and generally had a nice week.

Sewing and weaving exhibit. Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Sewing and weaving exhibit. Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Checkerboard and chairs. Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia

The first stop on our journey was Mabry Mill, a landmark on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. For good reason, the mill is one of the most-visited and most-photographed spot on the Parkway. We were fortunate to have visited on a weekday morning, so things were not too crowded, and the weather was a refreshing 70 degrees. Quite a departure from the upper 90s we were experiencing in Charlotte!

Blacksmith shop at Mabry Mill, on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Blacksmith shop at Mabry Mill, on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Mill powered woodworking band saw. Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Mill powered woodworking band saw. Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia

We’ve visited Mabry Mill dozens of times, and I have photographed the mill in all seasons. This time it was mostly snapshots, but I still ended up with a few interesting shots.

Rhododendron at Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Flowers at Mabry Mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan, Virginia

I’ll have more words and photos to post as I get through the week’s files.

Photographs and stuff!