Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

4 Days in Athens . . . Still no Acropolis

We set out this morning with the best of intentions. Honest we did.

I should have known that our quest to see the acropolis was doomed to failure. The one common piece of advice for touring in Athens is to get to the Acropolis early. It gets crowded and hot the closer you get to noon.

We headed out at 11 (it opened at 8 am). Oops

I didn't have the heart to wake Paul in his slightly feverish state so he slept in while I blogged away on the terrace.

Of course, once we set out I got sidetracked by the juggler who stands in the middle of the intersection by the apartment and juggles for money. What a concept - far better than the guys I see in the city who just hold up a badly spelled sign and expect me to pass over cash. I would be happy to give juggler guy some cash - he was entertaining!

We got to the acropolis on the subway without any major challenges (well except for the fact that it was the fullest subway I've ever been on - I had no trouble shoving my way on but I thought I'd lose 'Mr. Timid' Paolo).

Again, I was fascinated by the displays of historical artifacts in the subway.

More delays. . . .

Anyway.

We got about half way up the steep hill and noticed a HUGE line up of cruise ship hordes and school groups (apparently this is a popular destination for Dutch and German high school students - lucky them).

It was hot.

Paolo was sweating.

I asked if he'd rather go and see the museum now.  . . . perhaps we could visit the acropolis later in the afternoon.

He jumped at the offer!

The museum was originally planned to be completed in 2004 to accompany the return of the Olympic Games to their spiritual home. Of course the inevitable construction setbacks and various outbreaks of controversy along the way (I gather that this is the 'Greek' way, although it sounds a lot like the Italian way too . . . ) meant that it did not finally open until this past June.

The long-awaited €130m Acropolis Museum is a modern glass and concrete tour de force at the foot of the ancient hill. It is the new home to sculptures from the golden age of Athenian democracy. Unlike any other museum in the world this one has been designed to exhibit something it doesn’t own - the marble frieze that was carved off of the parthenon by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s and now on display in the British Museum in London.

The Greek Culture minister has said that he hopes that the new museum will be the catalyst for the return of the disputed marbles from England. The gloves are now off and the battle is now on between this, the new state-of-the-art Acropolis Museum, and the British Museum for the right to permanently exhibit them.

Outside the museum and also within the cavernous entrance hall there are glass floors with views of the archaeological finds that were discovered during the construction of the building. Of course we took the ever-popular slowtravel foot shot standing over the ruins.

Once inside we paid our 1 euro admission (it is supposed to rise to 5 euro in 2010) and hung out in the lobby while overheated Paul cooled down. There was an interesting film that showed the museum being constructed - the effort taken to move the 2500 year old sculptures from the top of the acropolis down to the new museum down below was incredible.

Once he had recovered, Paul and I headed up into the museum. There is a steady incline through seven centuries of history and an impressive series of displays along a wide gallery that provides sufficient space for everyone to stop and enjoy the exhibits without feeling hurried or under pressure to move on.

On the second floor archaic and early classical statues are scattered across a big gallery like a crowd in an agora. The specific display selection caused some curatorial dispute apparently, as some were concerned that the visitors might miss many important statues, such as the “calf bearer”  and other landmarks of archaic and classical sculptures because of the manne rin which they were displayed.

However, while wandering around one cannot help noticing the interaction between the public and the statues. The three-dimensional exhibits that can be seen from all sides create a sense of an ongoing dialog between the people mingling with the statues like in a promenade; visitors are pausing, admiring, and walking back and forth while following no specific predetermined museum course. It worked for us.

A bit further down, the five Caryatids, the exquisite sculpted female figures from the Erechtheion’s temple porch, seem a bit incomplete without the sixth member of their “family”. The empty statue base is a reminder of the sixth Caryatid, displayed at the British Museum in London. We were amazed at the impact that pollution had had on the sculptures before they were finally moved indoors. When, or if, the British ever return the sixth Caryatid it will stand out because it would have been protected from the Athenian pollution.

The highlight for us was the top floor Gallery, which is designed to eventually hold and display all of the Parthenon sculptures in a massive recreation of the temple. For the time being it has less than 50% of the originals on display, the rest are plaster casts of the remaining treasures 'temporarily' remaining in London. In fairness, it isn't just the Brits who have some of the treasure, often there were comments where the body of a god might be on display and the sign said: 'Hermes' head on display in the Louvre'. The point was made.

Nonetheless, it is truly impressive and with the acropolis hill and the Parthenon looming large outside I can only explain it rather inadequately as a wonderfully memorable experience. The top floor is designed to provide a full 360º panoramic of the building and how the sculptures would have looked when they were originally commissioned and sculptured in the fifth century BC.

Paul was wiped by the end of the museum touring so we decided pass on climbing up the acropolis. Instead the plan changed so we walked back to the apartment. Along the way we passed yet another bakery (honestly, they see to be everywhere) where we stopped for more cheese pies (I was daring this time and had one with spinach! MMMMM) which we ate sitting in the next grassy park we came across.

A quick stop in a grocery store for some breakfast provisions and we were back at the apartment. It wasn't long at all until Paul was asleep . . . until 6:30!

By then I was a tad stir crazy and wanted/needed to get out.

We went to another of the restaurants located on the square nearby the apartment - Oroscopo - which is an Italian restaurant. We thought that it would be interesting to see what Greek 'Italian' food would taste like. We were early so we thought we'd be safe sitting on the outdoor terrace (later it would be full of locals smoking).

We had an amazing meal there - Paul ordered a Greek salad and a ham and cheese crepe . . . me the popular Greek zucchini fritters and a slow roasted lamb shank. The food was delicious. Paul had panna cotta with cherries for dessert. The bill came to 53 euro - our most expensive meal in the city  . . . so far, but worth it for the level of the cooking and attentive service.

We spoke a bit to the waiter and asked him how to say certain things in Greek. It is amazing how his face lit up when we demonstrated that we wanted to learn some Greek phrases. Really, there are few things that will make you more popular as a tourist than to try a bit to talk like a local . . .

Now on to bed . . . perhaps we might get all the way up the acropolis tomorrow . . .

Visiting the National Archaeological Museum

When Paul finally woke up this morning he was tired - he hadn't had a good night sleep and his cold was back with a vengeance. Poor boy! He still had the necessary energy to clean off the terrace though . . . 

Excess energy or not, we decided to take it easy . . .

I think it was about 11 when we headed out - I LOVE traveling slowly. We managed to find the subway (3 euro for a 24 hour pass) and headed off to the Victoria station. This involved switching lines but we managed to find our way without any mishap. Imagine building a subway in a place with 5000 years of history buried beneath the soil. In many of the newer subway stops you can find displays of artifacts found when they were digging the tunnels.

The museum doesn't open until 1:30 on Mondays in the off-season so we wandered about the neighbourhood. We happened upon this statue outside of the Polytechnical Institute that commemorates the students killed in the 1973 uprising. In November 1973, a group of students barricaded themselves in the Athens Polytechnic and sent out radio broadcasts in protest of the dictatorial military rule which had begun in 1967 and which had taken away civil rights and democracy from the citizens of Greece. On November 17, a tank crashed through the gates of the Polytechnic, and police killed 24 civilians outside the campus.

Apparently this is still a popular spot for rebelious student expression. I believe that the riots last December started in this area as well.

We hung outside the museum waiting for it to open . . . just us, the pigeons, and 100s of school kids awaiting a day at the museum. I remember escorting those trips well!

The National Archaeological Museum of Athens houses some of the most important artifacts from a variety of archaeological locations around Greece from prehistory to late antiquity. It is considered one of the great museums in the world and contains the richest collection of artifacts from the Greek antiquity worldwide . The entrance to the museum was 7 euro.

The initial name for the museum was The Central Museum and it was renamed to its current name in 1881 by prime minister of Greece Charilaos Trikoupis . During the World War II the museum was closed and the antiquities were sealed in special protective boxes and buried, in order to avoid their destruction. In 1945 exhibits were again displayed under the direction of Christos Karouzos.

The south wing of the museum houses the Epigraphic Museum with the richest collection of inscriptions in the world. While it was no where near as large as the Egyptian museum in Torino that we visited last spring it was still a fascinating display. 

The museum has an imposing neo-classical design which was very popular in Europe at the time and is in full accordance with the classical style artifacts that it houses.  At the front of the museum there is a large neo-classic design garden which is decorated with sculptures.

The museum's collections are organized in sections:

• Prehistoric collection (Neolithic, Cycladic, Mycenaean)
• Sculptures collection
• Vase and Minor Objects Collection
• Santorini findings
• Metallurgy Collection
• Stathatos Collection
• Vlastos Collection
• Egyptian Art collection donated by Demetrios Ioannou and Alexander Rostovich
• Near Eastern Antiquities Collection

Some of the ancient artists whose work is presented in the museum are Myron, Scopas, Euthymides, Lydos, Agoracritus, Agasias, Cimon of Cleonae, Damophon, Aison (vase painter), Polygnotos (vase painter).

Artifacts derive from archaeological excavations in Santorini, Mycenae, Tiryns, Dodona, Vaphio, Rhamnous, Lycosura, Aegean islands, Delos, the Temple of Aphaea in Aegina, the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia in Sparta, Pylos, Thebes, Athens, the Antikythera wreck and from various other places across Greece.

Two of the newest exhibits of the museum include a 4th century BC golden funerary wreath and a 6th century BC marble statue of a woman, which were returned as stolen artifacts to Greece in 2007 by the Getty Museum in California, after a 10 year-old legal dispute between the Getty Center and the Greek Government . One year earlier, the Los Angeles foundation agreed to return a 4th century BC tombstone from near Thebes and a 6th century BC votive relief from the island of Thassos.

Eventually all of the glorious artifacts were overwhelming. We went to the basement where we found the cafe overlooking the lush courtyard garden. For 15 euro we purchased two Mythos beers, a ham and cheese croissant, and a ham and cheese phyllo pie. It was a nice spot to relax and ignore the crowds up above . . . particularly the hordes from the cruise ships.

After our break we visited the gift shop and headed back up into the museum to see the rest of the exhibits. By now it was 2:30 and more of the crowds had left. In most rooms we had these spectacular exhibits to ourselves. What a stunning experience it was.

Our favourite statue was a 3000 year old statue of a young child carrying a small dog (which was almost as big as the child themself!) It wasn't the most brilliantly executed nor was the marble a high quality but the simple emotion of the piece tugged at us. It was nice to see a more 'human' scene than the gods and goddesses, warriors and funeral markers, that filled much of the museum.

We left the museum at 4:30 and headed back to the Victoria metro stop (of course we had to stop at a pie shop close to the metro and purchase an apple and a cheese pie to enjoy back at the apartment - we had had the savoury cheese pies but this was the first sweet one we tried. MMMM)

Back in the apartment Paul decided it was time for a nap. I so LOVE taking our time on vacation. No schedule, no agenda, just doing what we want to od, when we want to do it!

We woke up at 7:30 and decided to head out for some Greek 'fast food'. I know that one should always eat where the locals eat - well they were lined up at this spot - Pita Pan. We ordered a mixed grill platter, chicken souvlaki in a pitta, beer, two wines (hic), and an order of fries for 16.50 euros. Delicious food for a cheap price. I like that! Fast food Greek style . . .

 Tomorrow we finally will visit the acropolis!

Good Bye Summer . . .

For a family of teachers the Labour Day weekend has a special emotion. For most other families it means a happy return to established routines. For many frazzled parents these renewed routines bring comfort and stability. For us educators this new beginning brings new potential, challenges, but also a marked decrease in freedom.

I used to feel this most strongly when it came to traveling. The majority of the work force has the ability to travel at times of their choosing - teachers don't. I use to resent only being able to travel when most of the places I wanted to go to were overrun with other tourists or blazing hot. I never got to enjoy the crush in Napa, the poppy fields in Italy, spring flowers in the Alps . . .

The return of school also means that you have a routine imposed upon you. Sure most jobs have start times, end times, and some sort of defined breaks. In education there are bells that tell us when we have recess (thus can visit the bathroom or get a coffee), we eat lunch at a time selected by someone from the busing department.

So Labour Day is somewhat bittersweet.

Don't get me wrong - there are few careers that I can imagine are as rewarding as teaching. . . . but Labour Day is bittersweet nonetheless.

For the past few years we have had a special dinner with mom to mark the passing of the summer.

This year we started with a cheese board.

With the cheese we served cured meats from Spain, spicy cured olives, and some cheddar, bacon, and green onion scones that I made.

For the main course we had rapini sauteed with garlic, olive oil, and chili peppers.

Paul pulled together an heirloom tomato salad.

I grilled a pork rib roast on the BBQ that was both stuffed and marinated in a rosemary, sage, garlic, and olive oil mixture - MMMMMM

We also made some delicious smashed fingerling potatoes (an old favourite from the good folks at Fine Cooking Magazine)

Then for dessert we had peach crumble pie. Paul and mom had homemade ice cream with it - I had low-fat frozen vanilla yoghurt. Given the vast spread of food I don't know why I tied to cut calories THERE but I suppose that every bit counts.

National Chicken Wing Festival

One of the many things we adore about Italy is the sagra. A sagra is a local fair, usually a celebration of the bounties of the earth--meaning food, as in a preparation (sagra di torta di erbe) or a raw ingredient (sagra di pesce [fish]).

Attending a sagra is a way to get a taste of Italian country life. You order food to be cooked by locals with a passion for the local cuisine, then sit at communal tables to eat. Often there is music or some other sort of performance.

On the weekend we attended a sagra of a different sort - one where more than 30-tons of chicken wings were fried to a crisp, sauced, and served up to sweating fans.

The Buffalo, NY event stretches back to 1992, when Wing King Drew Cerza was inspired to start it by Bill Murray's junk food addicted character in "Osmosis Jones." Over the years, it's grown from a small competitive eating spectacle to a full-blown convention--hosting over 400,000 total people, generating over $125,000 for New York charities, and even serving as the site of a wedding.

God help me.

Buffalo Wing Festival organizers are fond of describing the spectrum of sauces as stretching from the mild to the suicidal, with dozens upon dozens of stands serving their specialties. The "Official Wing Sauce of the National Buffalo Wing Festival," Frank's RedHot, will be given away from a booth at the festival. There are also a variety of eating contests, including one that involves bobbing for chicken wings in a vat of blue cheese.

I am sad that I missed that display of excess.

Once you get inside ($ 5 entrance fee) food tickets are $1 each, with two tickets entitling you to 3 chicken wings. Soda and bottled water can be purchased for cash, as can beer.

We tried wings from a variety of vendors - discovering that a medium sauce at one booth was flaming hot at the next. We enjoyed the chicken wing aracini (an aracini is a fried rice ball stuffed with cheese - these were stuffed with bits of chicken wings). We also had some of the famous chicken wing mac and cheese.

If this wasn't enough Paul OD'd on peanut butter pie and ice cream.

How was it?

You could smell the grease as soon as you exited the highway. It was HOT. It was crowded. It was loud. There were people wearing huge hats shaped like chicken wings. It was brash.

 I was a wee bit shocked by the excess.

Sadly, the wings were mediocre - in fact, had we wanted to we could have had far better wings by going to Duffs. The worst wings we tried were from the Anchor Bar - BLECH

I can now say I've attended the National Chicken Wing Festival.

I'd far rather have been sitting around a communal table in a small Tuscan village toasting the local specialty under the stars.

Summer Breeze

Thank goodness we finally got some summer-like weather here last week - if there had been more rain and cool weather I thought that my head would explode. Of course, after two days of heat and humidity I was whining about THAT. This just proves the oft quoted commented about me 'there is no pleasing Jerry'. Those who quote this would be right when it comes to the weather.

Anyway. This did not start out as a critical discourse on my fickle weather views.

As we were sweltering in the humidity that reminded us of our visit to Savannah last spring, Paul and I craved a cool beverage.

We ended up with this drink suggestion that was made by the LCBO - Ontario's amazing booze monopoly. Generally I abhor a monopoly but I'll fight any attempt to destroy THIS one!

This drink was amazing - my favourite rum mixed with OJ and cranberry juice. I do believe that with all of this juice it qualifies as a health beverage. If you're searching for something to help you beat the heat . . . look no further!

Enjoy!

Summer Breeze

1 1/2 oz Appleton Estate V/X Jamaica Rum
3 oz cranberry juice
1 oz orange juice

Fill a shaker with ice.

Measure rum, cranberry juice, and orange juice into the shaker.

Shake and pour over ice into glasses.

Garnish with a wedge of lime.

Dinner in the Garden with Friends

We had a wonderful dinner outside with good friends tonight. Funny that it was the FIRST time we have been able to eat outside this year! Up until today the weather has been either too cold or wet to sit outside. When I saw the forecast I was adamant that we'd enjoy it while we could.

When Paul came home from work he set the table while I got things ready in the kitchen.

We started off with drinks - strawberry basil martinis and dry rose from the south of France. Paul and I like to keep dinners casual so we set out a variety of things to nibble on while we chatted. I made some roasted figs with honey, rosemary, and balsamic which everyone LOVED. I set out some parmigiano with honey. We rounded things off with a great assortment of cheeses, cured meats, and  olives.

It was amazing to sit outside, sip and snack, and enjoy the company of wonderful people that we don't see nearly as often as we should.

Our friends brought the first course - a parmigiano cheesecake with basil served with tomatoes and roasted pine nuts. WOW This was a dish that we HAVE to recreate!

It was about 8:30 before I fired up the grill and not long after the main course was ready. We served grilled salmon with a jalapeno cilantro sauce, cilantro-lime rice, and tarragon green beans. Everything was made with fresh, local ingredients (except for the salmon). Our friends are famous for their salads and insisted on bringing one - who were we to say no? It sure made me appreciate the season and the availability of fresh, local produce (and herbs from our own garden).

It was getting dark by the time we got around to dessert. We even had to put sweaters on! Paul and I set out candles and got everything together for our last course. I made a fig tart based upon Cindy's Italian plum tart that she posted on her blog last year. It went well with some homemade lavender honey ice cream. MMMMM

What a wonderful evening in the garden. More than once Paul and I were wondering why we didn't do thia more often - great food, incredible wine, and the best company.

LIfe is good, so very, very good.

Black Dinah Chocolates

One of the things we wanted to do while we were on Deer Isle was to hop on a boat and head out to ANOTHER island - Isle au Haut. This tiny island is about 10 km off of Stonington and is famous for its hiking trails and kayaking. Even though the fog was still bad enough that kayaking was out of the question we figured that by hoping on the mail boat we might escape it for awhile.

When we got to the dock to board the Miss Lizzie the fog was still pretty thick. So much for escape.

It got worse as we headed to the island. Miss Lizze was making her way through the hundreds of islands which make up the Stonington archipelago but all that you could see was fog. Thank heavens for GPS!

The 79 people who live on Isle au Haut year-round are a hearty lot. Sure they are connected to the mainland by a fairly regular boat but for the most part it is just them, the trees, lobsters, and birds. We did discover that there were some cars on the island even though there was only one very rough road. Most folks walked where they needed to go.

Shortly before we left for Maine we developed a second reason to head to Isle au Haut - a short feature in the June 2009 Gourmet magazine:

On a remote island off the snaggletoothed coast of Maine, the only edible luxury you would expect to find is lobster.  Last summer, however, I hopped the mail boat to Isle au Haut–a sprawling hump of spuce-covered granite with just 65 year-round residents–and found a crooked sign at the edge of a dirt road leading, improbably, to chocolate truffles containing orange-blossom nectar and ganache infused with Earl Grey tea.

The feature writer stressed that the chocolates she found at Black Dinah's Chocolates were so good one had to make the trek. Never being ones to avoid fine chocolates we added this to a brief list of 'things we wanted to do in Maine'.

Once we got off the boat we headed down the road.

We met some real characters as we walked along - the sort of characters you would only find on a small windswept island well off of the coast . . .

Finally we saw 'the' sign . . .

Stepping into the cafe we were immediately transported to a 'happy place'. We knew that whatever we tried would be amazing - and it was!

The staff apologized that the selection of baked treats was less than normal - apparently the entire island had been up all night - a house under renovation had been struck by lightning and everyone had come out to help out. Only on a small island . . .

Nonetheless we got drinks and some delicious cookies.

When we were ready to head out I had a challenge trying to decide what chocolates to buy. Their spring collection featured such treats as rhubarb, wild raspberry, maine mint, strawberry balsamic, blueberry black pepper, and chevre and cocoa nibs. What a struggle. Finally they wrapped up my selections (beautifully, I might add) and we headed off to explore the island some more.

When we got home to Burlington we finally opened the box and had a nibble.

WOW!

These were some of the best chocolates we had ever enjoyed (and we have enjoyed a LOT of chocolate over the years).

At Black Dinah, they make their ganache by infusing locally produced cream with a wide variety of locally grown, organic herbs, flowers and fruits, and whole spices. After carefully straining these out, they add locally produced butter and the very best Belgian, Venezuelan, and rare Peruvian chocolates. The result is a very smooth, appealingly firm ganache that is then enrobed or molded with hand-tempered chocolate into beautiful shapes.

Because the very best chocolates deserve the very freshest, tastiest ingredients, they buy from local farmers and producers whenever possible. And because they believe in sustainable agriculture and feel strongly that farmers of the best cacao in the world should get an above market price for their products, theyuse single-origin Venezuelan couverture that has been fairly traded and grown with respect for the land and the human and animal communities that live there.

Finally, amazing delicious with a soul!

A Slow Week on Deer Isle

On the morning we were to leave Portland we made a stop at the Whole Foods to load up on provisions for our week at the cottage. We knew from past experience that once we got on Deer Isle we weren't always likely to find the selection of food that we might be looking for! Of course, the Portland Whole Foods was amazing, making our own nearby Whole Foods look as if it was a corner store by comparison. SIGH

We set off up the coast with one stop planned for along the way. We all wanted to see the Farnsworth gallery in Rockland. The Farnsworth is one of the most respected little art museums in New England. Located right downtown, the Farnsworth has a superb collection of paintings and sculptures by renowned American artists with connections to Maine -- not only Louise Nevelson (who lived in Rockland), but also three generations of Wyeths (N. C., Andrew, and Jamie), plus Rockwell Kent, Childe Hassam, and Maurice Prendergast. Clearly this area of Maine is a magnet for artists!

Rockland was a lovely spot but it was teeming with rain so we didn't feel like wandering about. We weren't alone because the streets were rather deserted. It was to rain on and off until the day we left Deer Isle! Every the local paper was full of articles about the amount of rain and the impact it was having on the area farmers.

Now the constant rain might have dampened the spirits of many but we took it as a sign that we were to sit tight, relax, and slow things down. We are never one to ignore a sign.

The first night we we on the island we treated ourselves to some cheese and crackers to welcome us to the cottage (which was every bit as nice as we had remembered - although the knives had grown exceptionally dull over the two years since we were last there! LOL)

Deer Isle is a fascinating mix of contrasts. It is home to Maine's largest lobster fleet and every day during the season 100s of lobster boats head out to check the traps in the morning and return later with their catch. It is also home to some rather hard living folks. Yet at the same time it is home to wealthy people from 'beyond' who live in massive homes and clearly funnel a good deal of money into the local economy. The island has a HUGE art school and the island is peppered with galleries and studios. The islands has restaurants that feature nothing on the menu that isn't fried (yes, I do include dessert in this). It also has a great cafe (Lily's Cafe) where you can get some of the best sandwiches I have ever tasted. The quirky mix of contrasts make it such a fun place to explore.

Unfortunately, while we were there it was also home to some of the worst fog we had ever seen. The fog was so bad that we weren't able to get out in the kayaks! The lobster boats were fine . . . with their GPS they could skirt the rocks and shoals. Unfortunately we Canadians in our kayaks would not be on the GPS and would be at rish of being sliced in two!

We discovered that there were numerous land preserves on the island - each with relatively well-maintained hiking trails. Whenever there was a break in the rain we headed out. One of the trails went through land that was once owned by Frederick Law Olmsted who is more famous as the co-planner of Central park in NYC. The trail went along a rocky cliff with some stunning views of the ocean and the Stonnington archipelago off in the distance.

The wildflowers on the island were amazing this year. Deer Isle has an annual Lupine Festival that had taken place the week before we arrived. Because the weather had been so cool the lupine were still out in glorious blooms.

Paul turned 34 while we were on the island and we celebrated his birthday in style. I thought that we did pretty good to pull off a home-baked cake in a vacation rental 1000 km from home!

Because we didn't take long day trips off of the island we had a lot of time to explore. We saw so many things that we had missed two years ago when we were crossing to the mainland on a seemingly daily basis.

Mom and I were fascinated by the old graveyards we found - the record they gave of life and death in a remote part of Maine was quite telling. The number of women who died in childbirth was shocking. The number of families lost at sea sad. We were impressed with the way the markers on the graves of veterans were decorated with the American flag. This grave marks the final resting spot of a veteran fo the Revolutionary War:

It was nice to not be rushing about. We read lots of books, watched DVDs and took the most glorious naps. I MISS those naps.

Have I mentioned that the lobster was inexpensive and plentiful? How sad for the fishermen that their best season in years came at the same time as the recession had driven the price of lobster to its lowest level in years. We did our best to assist them but I doubt it will be enough.

Is it any wonder that I have just managed to work off my 'Maine' weight? It takes lots of time on the tread mill to work off all of that lobster!

Did we even go to Maine? LOL

The other day while we were out for our evening walk Paul wondered why I had not featured anything about our recent Maine trip on my blog. I had to laugh - we've been back more than 2 weeks and I haven't posted so much as a picture.

I will correct that today. Things have just been a tad hectic since we returned.

So here goes . . .

Our trip to Maine was amazing! We put more than 3000 km on the car so much driving was involved, yet we sure relaxed a lot. Normally lots of driving does not = relaxing trip, but this time it did.

We stopped the first night in Syracuse and made a return visit to Dinosaur BBQ. It was every bit as good as it had been back in 2007. The only drawback was the HUGE wait for a table - more than an hour. The food made it all worthwhile.

Yes, the diet was on vacation as well! Dear lord, this was GREAT BBQ!

The next day we did a long drive - Syracuse to Portland, Maine. We made a few stops along the way - I have never been the sort who can get behind the wheel of a car and drive non-stop in some sort of bizarre catatonic state.

We LOVED Portland. In fact, it is one of my favourite American cities that I have visited.

Yes, I have visited more than Portland.

We checked out an amazing seafood shack on the coast south of the city. here we had the first of many lobster rolls consumed on the trip.

While in Portland we visited the wharves where I took a this picture of a cat patiently waiting outside of a fish store. Who says cats aren't smart?

I was amazed at how well preserved Old Port is. Old Port is one of the most successful revitalized warehouse districts in the US. Seamlessly connected to the waterfront, the Old Port is both a working waterfront and a chic shopping, dining, and entertainment district.

Taking a walk at the water’s edge along Commercial Street provides a window into the working waterfront. Just steps from the water, we strolled down the cobblestone streets and experienced the  charm of this district. The boutique shopping, one-of-a-kind stores, restaurants serving Maine’s famous lobster dishes or the latest nouveau cuisine, and a vibrant nightlife are all unparallel to any other New England city.

The smell of the sea air, the sound of a foghorn, and the chatter of seagulls add to an atmosphere that is undeniably Portland, undeniably Maine. Did I say that we REALLY liked Portland?

We checked out some of the amazing shops and visited a few galleries. We all agreed that Portland was a place to return to!

We also had the best meals of the year in Portland. Funny how a city in Maine of just slightly more than 60,000 folks has so many great restaurant choices. Two of Food and Wine's best chefs of the year have restaurants in the city. I treated mom and Paul to dinner at 555 where the food was just amazing.

With food like this it was easy to see why chef Steve Corey was selected as one of the best new chefs in the US! The food is all made with locally sourced ingredients where possible and the menu changes regularly in order to make the best use of seasonally products - with one exception.

This is one item that is always on the menu - regardless of seasonality - lobster mac and cheese with shaved truffles. Oh WOW! This was amazing. The chef was generous with the lobster and the truffles. This was a dish of decadent flavours - after one bite one could immediately see why it is the most popular item on the menu.

Oh yes, did I say the diet was on vacation too?

We were sad to have to leave Portland. In fact, if we hadn't had our cottage reserved on Deer Isle I suspect we might have extended our visit.

More on the rest of the trek to come . . .

Strawberry Margaritas

The other night we were having a bit of a Mexican theme night. A pal suggested that we should whip up some margaritas to take the heat off of the deliciously spiced foods. Because I had lots of strawberries to use up I googled about and found this recipe for strawberry margaritas.

It wasn't long before we had a blender of them to enjoy.

Enjoy we did!

When I make them again I will increase the amount of strawberries (this might just be because we have had very wet weather and the strawberries don't have the flavour that they normally do). Of course, the other change I'd make is to actually buy some margarita glasses! LOL

Something for the Christmas list I guess.

Strawberry Margaritas

1 - 1 1/2 cups whole unsweetened strawberries (washed & hulled, fresh or frozen)
9 oz. tequila
3 oz. triple sec 
1 juice of 1 lemon or lime (reserve rind)
1 1/2 trays ice cubes
salt to prepare glasses

Combine strawberries, tequila, triple sec and lemon juice in blender. Process until strawberries are pureed.

Add ice cubes and blend until mixture is shaved, but not slushy

Rub rim of champagne glass with rind of lemon or lime. Dip rim in salt.

Pour in blended mixture.

Garnish using a fresh whole strawberry with hull.