Category Archives: Road Trip!

by | September 30, 2012 · 2:46 PM

Atlantic Beach

20120930-144013.jpg

by Laura

Since my maternity leave is about to end, I wanted to make it over to the coast before having to return to the daily grind. We didn’t have time to go for longer than overnight, so we opted for Atlantic Beach, which is only about three hours away. Plus, it’s dog friendly, so Noodle got to come along, too.

Atlantis Lodge was well-reviewed as a retro-style motel right on the beach that also allows dogs. Since my one requirement was waking up to a sea view, the balcony and big windows in our room did the trick. And, Abbie slept well thanks to the giant sound machine we call the ocean!

The Atlantis was certainly a cool throwback – and super convenient, especially when you want to be able to go back and forth to your room with baby (and baby gear) with ease. There were dog treats waiting for Noodle upon check-in, and they had lots of other nice touches like the use of their lounge chairs & umbrellas. As someone who tends to be picky about room cleanliness when traveling, I would say that while the place wasn’t absolutely spotless, I felt comfortable.

For dinner, we tried Amos Mosquito’s, which was more or less your typical touristy seafood restaurant. Our experience with the food was mixed, but I could see why families would make an annual visit a tradition. Plus, the service was excellent, considering that they gave us a prime water view and went out of their way to make sure Abbie was well-situated. If I return again, I’ll save room for the table side s’mores!

The next day, we ventured into the cute little town of Beaufort, home of the Duke marine lab that Harold was unable to visit for his oceanography class trip because he had strep throat, hence leading to life long bitterness about the B minus he subsequently received – his lowest grade ever (nerd alert!). Fortunately, we could build better memories at Beaufort Grocery, which had decent sandwiches and let us sit outside with the dog, even bringing her a bowl of water. It seemed a bit pricey for dinner, but the menu looked like an interesting break from your standard fried shrimp palace.

Earlier that day, we were up in time to be at the Pine Knoll Shores branch of the NC Aquarium right when it opened. There was a marsh boardwalk with views of Bogue Sound and some decent exhibits, including some visiting penguins, a shipwreck replica, and river otters. Harold happens to be obsessed with otters and the like. I’ll admit they looked pretty adorable doing flips off the rocks and doing the backstroke!

All in all, we’d add it to the list of possibilities for next year – and recommend the Atlantis for anyone wanting to walk out of their room right into the sand and surf.

20120930-144106.jpg

20120930-144140.jpg

20120930-144201.jpg

Leave a Comment

Filed under Road Trip!

Tagged as , , , ,

by | April 15, 2012 · 10:10 PM

Asheville Babymoon

by Laura

Asheville is one of North Carolina’s best weekend destinations – completely relaxing and with a nice mix of downtown activity and outdoor recreation.   A few highlights from our little pre-baby getaway:

The Grove Park Inn (where the Obamas vacationed when they visited a few years ago) is one of those neat old historical markers that ends up being super overpriced unless, of course, you can snag a last-minute special.  I discovered that their Facebook page lists deals every Friday that can’t be found on their normal website.  Since this one came with a substantial credit I could use at the (also insanely overpriced) spa, it was especially appealing.  The GPI is a huge stone structure with a great view of the mountains – but the hotel itself isn’t nearly as worthwhile as the cavernous spa, which feels like some sort of underground grotto of pools, waterfalls, and jacuzzis.  You can’t take photos inside, but there are some posted here.  And, even though being pregnant meant I couldn’t go in anything that was too warm, the 88 degree mineral pool and the hot stone foot massage that came with my pedicure were perfect.  If you can go during the week, take advantage of the more reasonably priced Twilight Pass to gain access.

Another bonus: Asheville has some excellent, creative eats.  We agreed that the tapas at Curate were both generously portioned and delicious – truly a fantastic dinner.  Plus, dessert at French Broad Chocolate Lounge turned out to be worth the wait.  How could the line to take your order not snake around the block with a concept like putting brownies, cake, cookies, truffles, pots of “liquid chocolate”, frozen hot cocoa, ice cream, and live jazz under one roof?

We would also recommend the haute Latin American food at Limones, where the friendly staff immediately dropped off an on-the-house appetizer after we had to wait at the bar past our reservation time.  Oh – and the BBQ at 12 Bones.  We liked the corn pudding, smoked potato salad, and blueberry chipotle ribs.  If their less-crowded location in Arden is on your way, we’d recommend that over their packed downtown venue.

To work off some of that food, we decided to spend an afternoon exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It’s a little annoying that the parkway really isn’t staffed (which means that in most places, things like restrooms can be closed down) until May, but most winters, snow & ice prevent the road from being fully open for a few months anyway.  We chose to check out the view from Craggy Gardens and Mt. Mitchell.

The next day, we explored slightly more refined trails at the Biltmore Estate.  On our last Asheville trip, we were turned off by the $50 entry fee – but I have to say the whole experience was very well run, and you could easily spend a full day exploring.  The house tour alone took us several hours, despite opting for the least extensive self-guided option.  Plus, the gardens and the winery were fairly expansive.  There are several dining options which you’ll probably want to take advantage of out of convenience – and because they’re a step or two above most tourist attraction lunches.  We just got pizza, but there were sandwiches, burgers, ice cream, and several nice looking (but super crowded) sit-down restaurants like the Stable Cafe and Bistro.

Can’t wait to go back one summer when some more local trails are open – and I can go to Sliding Rock, the best natural water slide ever!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Road Trip!

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

by | November 21, 2011 · 10:19 PM

Turkey Time/Tourist Time

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

by Laura

Early Thanksgiving with the family came with a jam-packed meal agenda – dinner courtesy of Whole Foods (unanimously declared to be delicious and hugely worth the cost in terms of time saved), plus NYC eating at Noodles 28 (my Chinese fav), Shake Shack (the one on 44th Street had no line!), Tea & Sympathy (filled with delightful Brits and equally delightful scones), and Eataly (two thumbs up to their pasta restaurant, despite the crowdedness).  And, we still found time to walk through Chelsea Market, the High Line, the Met, and even Occupy Wall Street!  Good thing the nice weather allowed us to stroll off some calories.

Getting all of this accomplished was made a bit easier by having a room at the Marriott Marquis.  I should hate this hotel – it represents everything mega-touristy about Times Square.  Yet, there’s something I’ve always loved about it since I went there with my high school friends on a trip to see Le Miz.  My friend Julie and her Mom were much more NYC savvy than any of us, so they knew that fancy hotel lobbies are your best bet for a bathroom break.  We took the glass elevators up to a floor that had a view of all the chaos below and I realized how very awesome even the lamest parts of New York can be.

And sure, the revolving rooftop bar at the top may be part of that cheesiness, but is there really any harm done by making a couple of loops around while clutching a $20 cocktail with cinnamon & sugar on the rim?   (Harold would say no.)

The power of the Internet also led me just down the block to Times Square Hot Bagels, a little hole in the wall that you would assume would be awful, but turns out to be an offshoot of Columbia Bagels on the UWS – and not too shabby!

Best quotes of the trip:

While Strolling Through the Fancy Period Rooms at the Met:

Me:  Grandma, look, we could retire to this parlour.

Grandma:  Hmm, yeah, there’s a writing desk for your Dad, and a fireplace for us to sit by.  But where’s one of those small pianos?  I mean, where’s the spinnet?  (Very sincerely) This room is lacking!

At Breakfast:

Bagel shop owner:  Shouts at worker to do something.

Worker:  Yeah, right on it, sweet-haart.  (Leans in to us and stage whispers.)  I really should have gone to college, huh?

Leave a Comment

Filed under Road Trip!

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | November 6, 2011 · 2:54 PM

3 Days in St. Louis

by Laura

This week took me to St. Louis for an education conference.  Although I had to spend the majority of my time at the Hilton pondering the social foundations of schooling, I couldn’t help but take a bit of time to explore.  Luckily, I was well-located next to the baseball stadium, which is adjacent to several top attractions.  If you find yourself with a few days in Missouri, here’s what I recommend:

1.  Take yourself back to middle school history class and stand on the banks of the M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I.   The park that contains the iconic Gateway Arch will lead you down to the edge of westward expansion.

Pro tip:  You can go to the top of the arch, but beware that it will cost you $25.  Many conference-goers opted for the views from the rooftop bar at our hotel instead.


2.  Get yourself some ribs at Pappy’s Smokehouse.

I really wanted to try St. Louis/Memphis style BBQ, and this place is seriously legit – and seriously delicious.  Worth the slight trek!  There was also a pleasant bar next door where we got dessert and giant pumpkin ales while waiting for our cab.

Otherwise, Washington Avenue seemed to be the main street for going out on the town and grabbing some eats – we enjoyed Mango and il Posto, and the architecture took us back to another era.  Closer to our hotel, Charlie Gitto’s was one of the few non-hotel restaurant options.

Pro tip:  Arrive at Pappy’s early – the lines get very long, and they sell out of food quickly.

3.  Unleash your inner kid at the City Museum.

I can’t even truly describe the crazy playground and fun house combo that constitutes this place – an artist’s vision come to life in an old shoe warehouse, filled with slides, tunnels, climbing structures, bridges, sculptures and fantasy lands made from various scraps and odd objects.  Everywhere you went, folks were climbing from floor to floor, popping out of windows, or shooting down multi-story slides to get around.  There was a human-sized version of a hamster wheel, the world’s largest pencil, a walk-in vault, various curiosities, an indoor skate park, a slide made out of rollers, 3 and 10 story slide extravaganzas, a castle, a treehouse, suspended airplanes that you could crawl inside, ball pits, a fire pit complete with marshmallows, a midget driving kids around in a miniature train, caves, an aquarium, a vintage shop, a shoelace factory, a full bar – and zero maps, and very few staff directing your experience.

I have never seen so many people filled with uninhabited joy – and we didn’t even go up on the roof, or check out some of the higher (and scarier) attractions.  One bad head bump later, I can see why they’ve been hit with various personal injury lawsuits – but I totally approve of the spirit of the museum and declare it to be absolutely awesome!

Pro tip:  Wear sneakers and long pants – and if you do get injured, the friendly bar staff will give you an ice pack!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Road Trip!

Tagged as , , , ,

by | October 27, 2011 · 2:03 PM

Just When I Thought…

Dessert at Jean-Georges...and after we finished this, they brought us out homemade marshmallows, macarons, and chocolates.

by Laura

…I was over leaving NYC, our 2012 Zagat’s came in the mail.  Did you know you can get a free copy for being a reviewer?

Just to torture myself, I went through and checked off all the stupendously delicious places that we enjoyed during our seven years in NYC and on subsequent gut-busting visits:

Alta, Amy Ruth’s (insane chicken & waffles), Angelica’s Kitchen, Apizz, Aquivit, Artichoke Basille (strangely, there is also a branch in Chapel Hill), Artisanal (the fromagerie is killer), Atlantic Grill, Balthazar (check out their attached bakery for some yum donuts), Baluchi’s, Blockheads, Blossom, Blue Smoke, Blue Water Grill, The Boathouse, Bouchon Bakery, Brasserie (and 8 1/2), Brgr, Brother Jimmy’s (b-ball watching), Bryant Park Grill, Bubby’s, Buddakan, Burger Joint (hidden inside Le Parker Meridien), Cacio e Pepe, Cafeteria, Cafe Boulud, Cafe Centro, Cafe d’Alsace, Cafe Fiorello, Calle Ocho (love the coconut mojitos), CamaJe, Canaletto, Candle Cafe, Candle 79, Canyon Road, Capsouto Freres, Caravan of Dreams, Carmine’s, Casellula, Chef Ho’s, ChikaLicious (a prix fixe dessert experience), China Grill, The Chocolate Room, Cibo, Cilantro, Citrus, City Bakery (hot cocoa & cookies), Coffee Shop, Corner Bistro, Cuba (love the ropa vieja), Dafni, Dallas BBQ, David Burke’s at Bloomie’s, Dawat, Del Posto (can’t afford it now that they got rid of the taverna!), Di Fara (my pizza fav), Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Dock’s, Donavan’s (best Irish pub & burgers), Dos Caminos, E.A.T., Eataly, Eatery, EJ’s Luncheonette, Eleven Madison Park (probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had), El Rio Grande (home of many a post-work margarita), Five Points, Friend of a Farmer, Garbriela’s, Good Burger, Good Enough to Eat, Gray’s Papaya, Grimaldi’s, Hale & Hearty, HanGawi (so serene), Haru, Heartland Brewery, Hill Country, ‘Ino, ‘Inoteca, Jackson Diner (best Indian buffet in the world), Jackson Hole, Jane, Japonica, Jean Georges (lunch is an incredible deal), J.G. Melon, Joe’s Shanghai (soup dumpling king), John’s Pizzeria, Josie’s, Joya, Junior’s, Katz’s Deli, Kittichai, La Flor, La Giocanda, Land, Le Monde, Lemongrass Grill, Le Pain Quotidien, Lombardi’s, Lupa (pasta!), Mama Mexico, Mary Ann’s, Max Brenner, Maz Mezcal, Mercer Kitchen, Mexicana Mama, The Modern, Miss Mamie’s, Morimoto, Mughlai, Nick’s, Norma’s (fancy brunch on crack), Once Upon a Tart, One if by Land Two if By Sea, Orsay, Osteria Laguna, Otto, Oyster Bar, Pampano, Papaya King, Patsy’s Pizzeria, Pigalle, Pio Pio, Po (the original Batali spot), Poke, Pongsri Thai (if you’re in a rush pre-theatre), Popover Cafe, Pret, Quattro Gatti, Rare, Remi, Republic, Rice, River Cafe (pre-proposal!), Rosa Mexicana (Harold’s fav), Saigon Grill, Sala Thai, Sapori D’Ischia, Sarabeth’s, Scaletta, Sea, Serafina, Serendipity 3, Shake Shack, Sinigual, S’mac, Spice, Spice Market, Spicy & Tasty, Sripraphai, Stage Deli, Stanton Social, SushiSamba, Sushi Yasuda, Sylvia’s, Tamarind, Tea & Sympathy (in Little Britain), Tony’s Di Napoli, Trattoria Dell’Arte, Tribeca Grill, Turkish Grill (best spot in Sunnyside), Two Boots, Union Square Cafe, Vatan, Veniero’s, Viand (our spot for 1 a.m. breakfasts), The View, ‘Whichcraft (perfect for outdoor midtown lunch) Yerba Buena, York Grill, Yura, Zabar’s, Zebu Grill, & Zen Palate.

Ack!  There is nothing like NYC dining!  Upsettingly enough, some of my favorite spots aren’t even open anymore – goodbye, Tabla, Peyard, Son Cubano, Asia de Cuba, the Tea Box, & Jasmine’s…sniff, sniff….but thank you, Mumtaz, for reopening (phew!) …and thank you, Noodles 28, for your satisfying Chinese food (and being open on Christmas Eve), and Ottomanelli’s, for making a grilled chicken salad into something divine, and Jolie, for your croque madames, and La Paella, for your sangria and tapas, and Franchia for your tea and bibimbap, and Ess-a-bagel, for having, well, awesome bagels….

See?  This list doesn’t even begin to encompass all the goodness.  Lucky thing I’m visiting again in three weeks. =)

And, all is not lost in the world of Triangle foodies.  This Sunday there’s a food truck rodeo in Durham that’s supposed to feature about 25 or so trucks gathering in our local version of Central Park!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Music & Events, Road Trip!

Tagged as , ,

by | October 9, 2011 · 5:45 PM

The Outer Banks is for…

…jumping off sand dunes…

…and watching hang gliders…

…and getting a “crazy golf” hole-in-one…

…and (long-sleeved) walks on the beach…

…and flying kites with friends…

…and beautiful wedding ceremonies!

Congrats, Kathryn and Jonathan – and thanks for arranging for such a wonderful beach weekend.

We hope that marriage will be just as happy for you as it has been for us.

And to Harold: Happy five fantastic years as husband and wife!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Road Trip!

Tagged as , , , ,

by | August 16, 2011 · 10:50 PM

PDX & SEA

Hello, blog!  We’ve been gone for a few weeks exploring Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle, as well as the surrounding national parks in the Pacific Northwest.  Plus, we managed to squeeze in our annual summer trip to NYC and Philadelphia.  We are so grateful to have enjoyed this vacation with numerous friends and family members and truly had a fantastic time.  Work and school start up again for us tomorrow so we made the most of it!

You’ll find our tips for exploring the cities mentioned above listed down below, along with a few pics of the journey.  We could write about any of these places in much more detail – they were rich with yummy food, breathtaking natural wonders and unique cultural experiences.  However, since this is technically a Triangle-focused site, we figured we’d give you the highlights.

Day 1:  Portland arrival

Expert travel tip:  Do not stay in an airport hotel, even if it makes some logistical sense and you are desperate to crash as close by as possible. You will be woken up by planes taking off outside your window and should probably have thought of that earlier!  If you must, the Sheraton at PDX was perfectly adequate and a great deal on Priceline.

Day 2:  Off to the city of going green!

In Portland, we got another sweet Priceline deal (thanks to some pre-research on Better Bidding and Tripadvisor) to stay at the Hotel Monaco downtown. Kimpton hotels tend to have good character and style, along with beautiful lobbies and free happy hours.  This one also sported dog-friendly accommodations, popsicles & lemonade, an impressive coffee bar that included Oregon Chai, bicycle rentals, and pet fish that you could take to your room for the duration of your stay.  While there, we hit up the following in just 24 hours:

  • Mother’s Bistro:  the salmon hash and comfortable elegance made for a more-than-good breakfast; we heard that Brunch Box is also popular
  • Chinese Garden:  neat pagodas, great teahouse
  • Voodoo Doughnut:  home to quirky baked goods with varieties like maple bacon & bubblegum; in our opinion, kind of excessive and not that tasty 
  • International Rose Test Garden: beautiful views, dozens of hybrid flower experiments
  • Waterfront: easy access to the World’s Smallest Park, a splash-filled fountain, views of Mt. Hood, and the Portlandia statue
  • Food carts: several parking lots were full of dozens of delicious, cheap lunch options that included every type of ethnic food ever
  • Powell’s Books:  West Coast equivalent of the Strand; I bought Twilight and was rightfully mocked – but hey, we were headed for Forks, WA!
  • First Thursday Art Walk: a little tricky to locate many of the galleries; didn’t love a lot of what we saw, but exhibits change regularly
  • Clyde Common:  hipster hangout straight out of Brooklyn housed in the Ace Hotel; decent prices and a fun-looking drink list
Did we mention that we are extremely aggressive vacationers?  And, even so, we had to save the Japanese Gardens for next time.


Day 3:  Tacoma-bound

Our lovely friends picked us up from the Amtrak Cascades route (scenic!) and took us downtown to the various Dale Chihuly public art displays along the pedestrian bridge and in the courthouse.  Chihuly is a local and so his work was everywhere.  In fact, we skipped the official Museum of Glass to check out a special series he had arranged for the Art Museum.

The wedding we went to that evening was in Pt. Defiance Park, which also seemed like a lovely place to wander through.  We were most intrigued by the hard-core go-kart setup near the entrance…and the Puget Sound views.  Our accommodations at the Hotel Murano were chic and comfortable, with lots more glass on display on each floor.  The lobby was particularly stylish – it felt more like a club/museum!

Day 4:  Mt. Rainier

Expert travel tip:  If you are afraid of taking strenuous hikes, arrange for an unusually cold spring to leave plenty of snow on the ground in August. The hardest trails will be snowed out and you can have a snowball fight in shorts and tank tops!  Despite the record-setting conditions, we were still able to stop by Narada Falls and hike to Snow Lake, which had a great view of the mountain.  There were so many amazing looking trails and overlooks, it would definitely be worth a repeat visit.  Post-hiking, we hit up Elliot’s Oyster House down by the water in Seattle for excellent fish, including several different ways of preparing salmon (our dining was taking on a certain theme, as you can tell).


Day 5:  Seattle & Salmon

The next morning, we headed to Pike Place Market for more eating and a peek at the famous flying fish.  Our sampling included crab cocktails, blueberries & cherries, Polish pastries, hot mini donuts and chowder.  A walk over to Sculpture Park eventually took us closer to the Space Needle – we didn’t go up, but the surrounding complex also houses the Experience Music Project, where Jimi Hendrix & Nirvana were currently being highlighted.  The top floor is highly interactive and allowed us to have an epic jam session.

That afternoon, we headed over to Fremont to walk through the Sunday Market and tour the Theo Chocolate Factory.  We wish we had more time to explore the market since it looked full of interesting vendors selling everything from art to antiques to yummy eats.  But, our next stop on the itinerary brought us to Capitol Hill, where Poppy served up worthwhile Indian-influenced local food – and more A-plus salmon.  Plus,  Molly Moon’s made for an excellent ice cream pit stop after our friends took us to see neighborhood musician Eric Miller.


Semi-expert tip:  Seattle is much more than the tourist attractions downtown – get out in the other neighborhoods to get a true flavor of what life is like there. Next time we’d like to explore Ballard and take the ferry to relatively nearby Victoria, B.C.

We should also note that every place we stayed on this trip was full of recycling bins, extensive public transportation, and local food, local goods, local everything.  If that sounds like your cup of tea, move here.  You will have found your nirvana.


Day 6:  Whales, Where Art Thou?

I really wanted to see the orcas that populate the waters near the San Juan Islands and Friday Harbor.  Unfortunately, the orcas didn’t want to see me, but we did spot some Minke whales, sea lions, harbor seals, and bald eagles on our (fairly expensive) tour.  Afterwards, the Market Chef was the perfect spot for innovative sandwiches.  The ferry ride back & forth from Anacortes also made for a pleasant means of transportation.

Yet another expert tip:  Zipcar can be an economical alternative to a standard rental when you consider that it includes gas – and several were conveniently located next to our hotel, so we could grab one for an hourly rate as needed.  Just keep in mind that there’s a mileage limit of 180 miles a day before you start getting charged extra.


Day 7 & 8:  Olympic National Park

There’s not much to say about Olympic National Park, except – go.  Stunning.  And try and see all three different ecosystems – the rainforest, beach, and mountains.  It will require an overnight stay and would be best done in 3-4 days if you can spare the time.  We stayed in Port Angeles at the Inn at Rooster Hill after taking the ferry over from Bainbridge Island and hitting up the further parts of the park first (Hoh Rainforest & Rialto Beach).  After a delicious meal at Sabai Thai, we were ready to hit the sack and re-energize for Hurricane Ridge the next morning.

Before flying out of Seattle, we also had time to check out the Seattle Museum of Art, the uniquely designed central library, and Pioneer Square.  Whew!

Expert travel tip:  Plan on taking a vacation from your vacation!

1 Comment

Filed under Road Trip!

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 31, 2011 · 10:34 PM

Near, Far – Wherever You Are

Emily during her first few months in Ethiopia!

by Laura

This weekend was full of podcast writing (for a new educational nonprofit!) and errands and trip planning for our upcoming adventures in the Pacific Northwest.  We are so looking forward to celebrating our friends’ wedding and seeing Seattle, Portland, and a bunch of nearby outdoor attractions for the first time.  The only bummer is that we may not have time to go to Olympic National Park – apparently we’d need at least another week to explore everything the region has to offer.  But, we’re definitely going to Mt. Rainier, which looks absolutely fantastic. I’m sure wildflowers, glaciers, mountain tops, forest groves, views, and waterfalls will all be a win, win, win!  Besides, the Triangle heat and humidity have been out of control, and we hear that people in Seattle get to wear things like windbreakers.

In the midst of my Type-A scheming and plotting and organizing, I managed to catch up with a few friends and my sister, who is in Ethiopia doing the Peace Corps.  We are constantly torn between wishing that our nearest & dearest all actually lived near us and feeling incredibly lucky that we have many loved ones all over the map.  If you are interested in my sister’s experience, I maintain a blog for her called Ethio Emily.  She is a talented photographer and her pics documenting the experience are definitely the best part!

As far I can tell, being in the Peace Corps pretty much defines life-changing.  I know my sister is doing many wonderful agricultural projects and building relationships within her community of Karat-Konso. However, it’s difficult to imagine living in a place where you’re constantly the foreigner, having to make extreme adjustments to cultural norms or attitudes towards women and America.  It’s a place where many of your neighbors have HIV, struggle with poverty, and only have running water a few times a week. This makes it a challenging and sobering journey.

The good news is that the tomato seeds we sent her are taking to the climate like gangbusters, and her town enjoyed a hearty crop.  She’s becoming known for preparing exotic cuisine like pizza, falafel, and Great-Grandma’s cheese balls!  Emily said making the pizza on an injera stove was quite the sight.  According to her description, “It is a round, flat clay plate resting on cement curved pieces about a half foot off the ground, that is hollow inside with a back side chimney. You feed wood into a hole in the front and cover whatever you are baking (like injera) with a woven pointed basket like top that is coated loosely in clay.”  It produces a new kind of wood-fired pizza…Konso style!

The folks she has worked hard to build trust with are helping her make things happen in terms of training, education, and the start of permaculture and garden projects, and even though she wishes her efforts could be even more productive, I know she’s doing great.  For one thing, it’s clear that Em is making truly genuine human connections on a daily basis, often by sharing favorite American recipes and treats like all the chocolate we’ve been sending her. Apparently, last month she and her neighbor made a cake out of Almond Joys.

However, as we begin our decidedly more comfortable travels, thinking about Emily’s life in Africa will give me many reasons to be grateful.  We are proud of her efforts, but lucky to be in a position where her stories provide us with some perspective towards everything that we have.  It’s not such a bad life when my biggest worry is whether to go whale-watching or hike.

In the meantime, safe journeys to everyone else who is busy soaking up the last of the summer this month! We’ll share our itinerary and pictures when we get back!

To tide you over, please enjoy this gratuitous shot of our super-cute dog.  We fully expect to post an “after” picture where she’ll have ballooned in size from being spoiled with treats from ”Grandma” while we’re away. Here’s svelte and tiny Noo, for posterity:

Leave a Comment

Filed under Road Trip!, The Daily Laura

Tagged as , , ,

by | July 26, 2011 · 11:02 PM

Chicago

by Laura

This past weekend we headed for the Windy City, which was not so much windy and very much hot.  However, it was totally worth a little sweat to see some of my favorite college friends.  Our resident residency grad and birthday girl Marissa coordinated us all and even hooked us up with lodging in HP.  And if you’re wondering what HP stands for, anybody who’s anybody knows that it’s Highland Park, a.k.a. the place to be!

Although friends were the main attraction, there were a couple other highlights:

1) Deep-dish pizza

I’ve often said that champagne, pizza, and cake make pretty much the perfect meal, and Friday night, we got to indulge in all three!  Harold and I have now tried both Giordano’s and Lou Malnati’s, and choosing a favorite is nearly impossible.  If you want to try a slice, get your fork ready – Giordano’s kicks it up a notch with a stuffed crust, but they’re all pretty impressive conglomerations of tomatoes, dough, and cheese.  But remember – it’ll take at least 45 minutes from the time you place your order until it’s ready to eat.

2) Lakefront Strolling

One of the best things about Chicago is its well-designed public space along Lake Michigan.  Start in Millennium Park to check out the reflective “bean” sculpture, but then head towards the water for some beautiful views that stretch from Navy Pier to Museum Campus.  If you don’t feel like walking, you can rent a bike, hop on a water taxi, or try out a Segway (although we saw one poor rider bite the dust in front of approximately 60,000 fans exiting the soccer game at nearby Solider Field).  Shedd Aquarium is an excellent place to spend an afternoon watching dolphins while admiring the skyline, along with a couple of other options like the Field Museum that encompass that end of the path.   Unfortunately, our attempt to relax on an actual beach part of the lake was thwarted by some nasty overflow from recent storms, but we look forward to returning someday sans E. Coli warnings.

3.)  Art & Architecture

We mostly stuck to the aptly named Art Institute on this trip so we could check out the new-ish Modern Wing, but the buildings that make up downtown are the real treat – and it’s not all about the Sears Tower (now called Willis).  The architectural boat tours allow you to see Chicago in ways you wouldn’t be able to from solid ground, and the Hancock Center has an observatory & a 96th floor lounge with views that justify the overpriced drinks.  If you just want a quick peek, stop just before the hostess stand and duck into the bathrooms; they have huge glass windows that do the trick.  If you’d rather explore entirely on foot, I love this site that allows you to download walking tour podcasts – some of which are free.

Other stops on previous trips have included Second City Improv, Wrigley Field, and Hyde Park.  We should also give a shout-out to Christina, who sent us to Chicago’s version of Katz’s Deli, called Manny’s.  Potato pancakes and brisket and kugel and matzoh ball soup heaven!

Final tip:  visit during summer – heat is better than hypothermia for sure!

1 Comment

Filed under Road Trip!

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

by | July 7, 2011 · 11:34 PM

Happy 4th!


by Laura

Why, hello, erstwhile blog readers!  We’ve just returned from a 4th of July weekend trip to Washington, D.C., because, really, what better place to enjoy the holiday?  This will be our only trip to the District this summer, in contrast to living there for three months last year.  Harold’s parents didn’t specifically say they missed having us & the pooch around, but we’re sure that without Noodle there to terrorize their household, they’ve been pretty bored.

On the agenda:

  • 1 Nats Game
  • 2 legal fireworks shows
  • 3 tennis matches that Harold claims to have mostly won
  • 3.5 minutes before I felt overheated at the Folklife festival
  • 4 delicious lobsters (thanks, Seth!)
  • 5,000 illegal fireworks being set off in Columbia Heights

Here were the highlights:

  • During the Nats game, I pulled Harold’s Mom into conversation for at least four innings, sparing myself from having to concentrate on the actual event.  Also – Shake Shack comes to DC!  The lines were long and inefficient and the burgers were divine, so things were pretty much up to standard there.
  • Watching lobsters meet their steamy end was totally worth it.  I mean, a little bit sad.  But mostly deliciously worth it.
  • I spent one full day just lying on the couch next to the dog.  I didn’t even think about doing productive things!  Success.
  • The party we attended was perfectly positioned to see fireworks going off in alleyways all across the city, post-official show.  It’s hard to describe how patriotic I felt as bombs burst in the air just above our heads.  Also, how mildly frightened.

When we returned to the Dirty D from the District, we managed to sneak in one last fireworks show at the Durham Bulls Park.  Luckily for us, the city had won a contest to receive extra 4th of July funding, and guess what?  This fireworks show may literally have been one of the best I’ve ever seen.  Plus, it came at the tail end of a USA-Japan exhibition game, which was fun because 1) Japanese baseball fans are super interesting and there were drums and cow bells and all sorts of excitement and 2) It just isn’t a holiday weekend without watching a bunch of college baseball players break into the Cupid Shuffle to celebrate their victory, while hoisting around the flag to chanting and cheering.

Tonight as I’m writing this, I’m back at the stadium waiting for Harold to finish up his story about the Bulls and soaking in everything that makes this little park quite the gem.  I recently mentioned it to a college friend who was initially unhappy to hear that it had been renovated. She wants it to forever remain the place where you can buy a $6 ticket and sit on the lawn drinking beers.  But, she needn’t have worried – after all, post-updates, they still kept one of those old-fashioned score boards with a guy standing behind it to change out the numbers.  My only complaint is that all of the cute fan interaction opportunities tend to feature nothing but boys.  Do they think that little girls can’t win a rigged race against Wool E. Bull?  Next time I’ll have to throw myself into the pool of contenders!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Community News, Road Trip!, Tardevil Sports & Fitness

Tagged as , ,

by | June 16, 2011 · 9:02 AM

American Tobacco Trail: Bike Edition

by Harold

The American Tobacco Trail, built over the former railroad lines that connected tobacco farms to the American Tobacco Company, goes over 23 miles across Durham, Wake and Chatham Counties. The rails-to-trails project offers some of the best biking around (this site has maps as PDF files).

There’s a parking lot with facilities if you start at the Southern tip in Wake County. This is also the first place that I’ve had to share a trail with horses, which made me actually study the right-of-way sign to see what the protocol was (it’s horses). The first six miles are all in Wake, and it’s level and very well paved.

It’s more of the same for the next five miles in Chatham County, except that the trail is a mixture of paved asphalt and compacted screenings. The trees are close to the trail, too, so you’re mostly in the shade, which helps when it doesn’t fall below 90 degrees in the summer.

The real adventure is in Durham County, which is like a giant stereotype come to life — at the 11 mile mark you see a sign for Durham County, and at 11 miles and one foot the trail becomes gravel and the trees seem to part. Now you’re biking through the sun and going slower. In another half-mile, it becomes grass and clay and it’s like biking over a hiking trail.

Finally, at mile post 13.5, the trail stops completely. It starts up again three miles away, so you have to cross Southpoint Mall and navigate the largest interchange in the area where Interstate 40 meets Fayetteville Road. There will eventually be an overpass for this area, but since it will cost almost $8 million, I’m not holding out hope for it anytime soon.

This interruption, along with the utter lack of water fountains on the trail, are my two biggest overall complaints (although a business was smart enough/nice enough to put out water coolers near Scott King Road when I went on Sunday).

If you manage to make it across I-40 and another major road, NC 54, you will eventually pick up the trail again, this time at the 6.5-mile mark (yes, for some reason, Durham has its own numbering system and so the mileage now goes down from 6.5). At least the path is paved again.

There are few major crossings (you randomly cross Fayetteville at milepost 4, and then go back to the other side at milepost 2, plus you cross MLK). Also, there tends to be a few characters hanging out around milepost 2, enough that I wouldn’t consider biking at night. And the last few miles goes through a residential neighborhood, so you’re stopping at an intersection every 100 yards. Alright, enough complaining – the Durham section is great, too, and there’s enough trees that you’d never know you were basically running parallel to a busy street most of the time.

The best part is that the trail ends at the American Tobacco Campus, which is the coolest place in Durham. It’s home to Tobacco Road (great sports bar), the Durham Bulls (No. 1 attraction in Durham), Mellow Mushroom and Tyler’s Tap Room (great places to eat), cool water features and design elements. You also have the option of continuing on through the North/South Greenway Trail, which is worth it at least to see the old Durham Athletic Park, which is where the Durham Bulls used to play when the movie was filmed.

Overall it’s the longest, best trail in the area. It’s busy enough that you’re not alone, but it’s never so crowded that you have to maneuver around people. There’s no facilities in Durham (and no parking lots), so I would start in Wake or Chatham. When you get to Southpoint, it’s hard to decide whether it’s worth the hassle to connect to rest of the trail, but even if you turn around and go back, that’s still 27 miles of good riding roundtrip.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Road Trip!

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | June 10, 2011 · 9:58 AM

Summer Schedule

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

by Laura

The extremely nice thing about this summer is that I only have to work part-time, leaving the rest of the week free for personal research projects, personal non-nerdy projects, and a bunch of local exploring.  This week we went to Watts Grocery for Restaurant Week, one of my favs.  We also checked out the Music in the Gardens series over at Duke, which brings in a great line-up of performers to the beautiful space behind the Doris Duke Center.  And…we got to go to the beach!!!!  I had never actually been to the beaches around the Wilmington area, as Duke students always went to the much-classier Myrtle Beach after finals.  And by classier, I mean that we went to the part where it was extremely not classy in the least, but possible to live in a motel for approximately $10 a day and endlessly entertaining.  I do hear that there are some nice parts, but we apparently never made it that area.  Somehow, our visits always seemed to coincide with a big biker week, if that tells you anything.

But, Wrightsville Beach is only about 2.5 hours from the Triangle, super easy to get to, and quite pleasant and relaxed.  I-40 pretty much runs right into it, and if you wanted to, you could stop in Wilmington for dinner or extend your trip to include some of the other attractions around there (NC Aquarium, the Riverfront, etc.).  There were some decent waves that one member of our group deemed “horrifying”, and my Mom and I thoroughly appreciated.

The only downside is that despite slathering SPF 50 (yes, FIFTY) on myself all day, my nose still looks like Rudolph.  I blame Harold for commandeering my hat.  Next time, we bring two hats and a beach umbrella that will not blow away, unlike our beach tent, which could also be used as a parasail.  The beach!! I love it so!  We will be back.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Road Trip!

Tagged as , , , ,