MEMORIAL DAY IN SMALL TOWN AMERICA

Memorial Day, 2012

Memorial Day’s unique pause to allow  us time remember and thank our veterans  has always moved me, and I love it here in Warwick, New York where small-town America is thriving. 

In the days prior to the parade, flags are planted on all the graves of Veterans.  152 flags.  The Veterans of Foreign Wars used to do this on their own, but their members are now quite elderly, and a few years ago they enlisted the help of the Boy and Girl Scouts.  Older Scouts help them place the flags, one for every known Veteran from all wars, walking from grave to grave in the town’s two cemeteries.  I am sure that in the process of placing those flags, the young people develop a rapport with the older men, and the discussions and examples are lasting.  The day before Memorial Day, Girl Scouts come and plant an area in the Warwick Cemetery with flowers resembling the American Flag. 

People come about an hour early to get ready for the parade with their chairs and flags, and they line Warwick’s Main Street, past the beautiful and elegant Victorian homes that pick up where the shopping area ends, past the Warwick Country Club, right to the stone arch of the entrance to the cemetery.

Rob and I have our chairs staked out in the shade of a tree up by the club so we can quickly put them in the car’s trunk and head to the service in the cemetery as soon as the parade passes by.  We, like everyone around us, stand as the different groups go by.  We applaud; we call out “Thank You.”  We watch the policeman charged with stopping traffic flow as he salutes the vets and the flag as they pass by.

Our parade is headed by veterans of the different branches.  One local family, the Stewarts, had men of several generations serving, but time has passed, and I think only one Stewart was in this year’s parade.

Our active VFW and American Legion are in the parade too, but these days most of them are driven.  It’s too much of a walk when you’re in your 70s, 80s or 90s.  The stalwart Commander of the VFW, however, walks the route.  Later in the cemetery he addresses the Scouts and explains the meaning of the day in a wonderful speech.  A tractor pulls a big cart filled with seated veterans and the VFW Auxiliary—the wives of these men. 

The Warwick High School Band plays as they march, and they play "The Star Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America” during the cemetery services.

Many of Warwick’s organizations have contingents in the parade, but the largest is the Scouts.  There are many active Girl and Boy Scout troops bringing young Tiger and Daisy Scouts all the way up through the ranks to Eagle and Gold Award. 

One of the most impressive contingents is the volunteer firemen.  The same impulse, perhaps, that leads men and women to serve their country also leads them to serve their communities.  Following them are the shiny fire trucks.

The volunteer Ambulance Corps follows with its shiny ambulances.  Young leaders, The Junior EMS program members from Warwick High School, are out in force.

One person missing since last year is Carolyn Lesando.  She is a Gold Star mother whose son was killed in Vietnam.  Because of age, she now lives with her daughter, and thank God there is no one to take her place. 

The parade continues first to the Warwick Cemetery and then to St. Stephens Cemetery.  The service in the Warwick Cemetery includes a Boy Scout reading “The Gettysburg Address” and a Girl Scout reading the history of “Taps.” 

Some politicians speak, but one, the Honorable Peter Barlet, talks about our freedoms and how these men and women we honor today keep them for us.  No government makes us serve.  No government makes us vote.  No government makes us be charitable.  We have the freedom to choose.  But because those freedoms are fought for, the best way to honor those veterans, living and dead, is to serve and to vote and to be charitable.  Use those freedoms. Then those who died defending them will not have died in vain.  These are splendid truths.

The Veterans and a member of the Women’s Auxiliary lay their wreaths with aid from young Scouts, and it is touching to see these young people’s profiles juxtaposed with the elderly bend down to lay each wreath. Then the young and old salute together.

Following a three-round salute from higher up and away from the crowd, a lone bugler, high school student Ben Bisaro, plays “Taps.” 

The crowd disperses, some to do more “fun” activities on Memorial Day as we do at a friend’s barbecue, and some to follow the parade as it continues to St. Stephens Cemetery to honor the dead there.  No matter how people proceed through the day, the events, emotions, and understanding follow. 

This is small town America.  It is thriving.

To view my past Warwick Memorial Days, follow these links: http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2009/05/americas-small-towns-reflect-memorial.html

http://thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2007/05/small-town-memorial-day.html

FRIDAY'S FOTO

NATURAL BRIDGE, VIRGINIA

Natural Bridge, Virginia located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley is a 215 foot high opening carved by water through the limestone mountain.  A young George Washington was hired to survey this area and left his initials, G.W. carved in the arch 23 feet up.  The surrounding land, including Natural Bridge, was once owned by Thomas Jefferson. 

KEY WEST--DAYTRIPPING & IMAGINING-------part I

Key West is a place movies and dreams are made of.  Since early days when men searched for booty to make them rich in the sunken vessels smashed against the Key’s treacherous reefs or when writers like Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway sought its inspiration or when filmmakers like Cecil DeMille created Hollywood sets to bring Key West alive in films like Reap the Wild Wind, Key West has had a palpable mystique and attraction.

OK  So we are touristy

Everyone feels it.  One of the most often photographed spots in the continental U.S.A. is the marker of the Southernmost Point where visitors stand patiently in line, as we did, requesting the people behind to take a photograph, as we did, and then returning the favor to some stranger.  Here we stand, only 90 miles from Cuba but about 126 miles from Homestead, Florida.

The Keys—On April 23, 1982, the Key West Mayor successfully seceded from the U.S. in a plan hatched at the Last Chance Saloon at the Florida entrance to Hwy 1, the only road to the Keys.  He made his stand because of a Federal roadblock checking the citizenship of everyone leaving the Keys heading northbound, thereby creating long lines of traffic that hurt the tourist-dependent Keys’ economy.

The Mayor surrendered to the Commander of the Naval Base but not before the Conch Republic was established.  Passports were issued under that name.  His terms of surrender was for the Federal government to aid in rebuilding the Key’s infrastructure.  He won; the Federal government aided in rebuilding.

Even today, Conch Republic flags fly outside homes, sticker motorcycles, and, according to our guide, Mindy, Conch Republic passports are actually accepted in some of the Caribbean islands.  I don’t know about that one, but it’s a nice story at the very least. The Conch Republic even has a Facebook page.

Rob and I decided on a bus tour from the Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort where we were staying because we didn’t want the long one-day drive or an overnight stay.  Key West is about 3.5 hours from Ft. Lauderdale, and this was the right choice for us. 

FRIDAY'S FOTO

Here is California's rugged coast along the PCH near Carmel, California. 
Part of America the Beautiful.

FRIDAY'S FOTO

Sailing in the Bahamas

AMBIANCE AND FINE DINING--A WINNING COMBINATION AT WARWICK'S CHATEAU HATHORN

The most exquisite restaurant in the Warwick Valley is Chateau Hathorn, an elegant, graceful mansion which catches the eye of anyone traveling through Warwick, New York.  What pleases the eye when passing by, however, is just a hint of the pleasures to be enjoyed within this extraordinary establishment. 

Years ago on a trip through Warwick, Dolph Zueger, fell in love with the building, reminiscent of a European chateau. He and his wife, Helene, left their successful restaurant in Dobbs Ferry, New York to spend a year painstakingly returning this neglected home to its former beauty.  Enter Chateau Hathorn today with its rich woods, beautiful fireplaces and staircases, and you will feel as if you’ve entered a luxurious world where meals fit for royalty are served.  You would be right.  You are the royalty. The Zuegers are still owners, and Dolph is the chef.

Rob and I first came here years ago after friends of ours, the Thorntons of Dobbs Ferry, learned of the Zuegers’ new enterprise.  Their respect for Dolph’s artistry led them to drive up here from Westchester, and our first visit with them was memorable.

Over the years, we enjoyed the Zuegers’ hospitality and delicious creations on many occasions.

We’ve also enjoyed a special, private, wine tasting/dinner hosted by Warwick friends, the Katzes.  That evening, in the incredibly magnificent wine cellar, Dolph offered an excellent array of superlative dishes accompanied by fine wines.  The beautiful award-winning wine cellar, btw, is stocked with over 12,000 bottles.

This latest visit, prompted by Rob’s birthday, was another incredible evening.  Frank Sinatra played softly in the background of the dimly lit room.  The atmosphere was romantic.  Our server was Sandra Zueger, Dolph and Helene’s daughter, and she served as our guide as well.

As we started with a cocktail, our first discussion had to do with available vodkas.  We drink our vodka straight with just a touch of ice.  The Chateau serves Tito's which Rob had heard of but which we had never tasted.  Sandra and Rob discussed its possibilities, and that was our choice.  EXCELLENT.  Tito's is produced in Austin, Texas, a favorite city, and it is distilled with 100% yellow corn. It is a bit sweeter than potato or wheat vodkas.  It is also rare to find Tito's, but Chateau Hathorn is a rare experience.

A server delivered crudités and a ranch dressing: carrots, cauliflower buds, olives, and celery.

For appetizers we each had Escargot “Café de Paris” in a light herb butter that begged to be sopped up by the accompanying warm rolls.

Rob and I went our separate ways with our entrées.  Everything on the menu tantalized, so once again we turned to Sandra for sound advice. 

Rob selected pan-seared pork tenderloin in a cabernet reduction sauce, Gruyere Risotto Béarnaise and Colossal Crabmeat, and a tomato concasse garnish.  Asparagus prepared exactly as Rob likes accompanied his meal. Exquisite. 

I vacillated because so much temptation appeared on that menu.  I finally decided on Broiled Halibut.  I’ve only had halibut fresh in Alaska, but my faith in Dolph’s skill led me to go with my instincts, and I was so right.  This was wonderful, meaty, flaky, fresh fish done to perfection.  Accompanying it were pan-sautéed baby spinach and the Gruyere Risotto Béarnaise.  My other vegetables included grilled zucchini and endive with mango salsa. 

Throughout the evening when Sandra stopped by to make sure we were satisfied, we’d chat about our Dobbs Ferry friends and how much we enjoyed coming to Chateau Hathorn.  By and by, her father, our chef, came out to say hello.  He wanted to know what we had decided upon for dessert.  We asked him which he thought was best, the apple strudel a la mode or the apple fritter a la mode.  He said they were both wonderful but that he had another special one.

When our coffee arrived, we began to sip and then a tray was brought with all three desserts.  Incredible!!!!!

1. The pleasantly warm apple strudel had a crisp outer layer.  The crust was perfect.  It was bursting with apples and alongside was delicious vanilla ice cream.  The strudel was soft enough to divide in half but not hot enough to melt all the ice cream.  Perfection.

2. The nice warm apple fritter was unlike any fritter I had ever seen (eaten).  It was puffed up, filled with fruit, and the dough just sweet enough without being overwhelmed by the vanilla ice cream.  We divided this too.  Perfection again.

3. The special dessert was Coupe Danemark (vanilla ice cream with melted swiss chocolate tolberone.) The truth is this desert almost defies description. It was served in a circular glass dish with, I think, a shell of white chocolate filled with a circular swirl of ice cream.  At the center of the swirl was a hollow into which melted chocolate was poured.  It was as delicious as it was beautiful.  Yes, we split and ate that too.  Perfection.

When Sandra came by and offered us after dinner drinks, we demurred.  If you know us, you know that kind of refusal is a rarity.  We were contentedly full.  If you follow our restaurant choices, you know more often than not we don’t have dessert.  At Chateau Hathorn we shared three.  This is quite an extraordinary place.  It is physically beautiful.  The staff is excellent, friendly and professional.  The chef is an artist who creates magnificently delicious memorable dishes.  You leave wanting to return quite soon.

Do yourself a favor and check out their beautiful web site.  It opens with a stunning view from the air.  Chateau Hathorn is also an inn offering special packages.  On Wednesdays there is a special dinner/wine package for two.  There are other events in season as well.  A visit here is a vacation in itself.

 

THE BATTLE OF THE CRATER--IF YOU LOVE HISTORICAL FICTION

History comes alive once again in Newt Gingrich and William R. Fortchen’s Battle of the Crater, a return to their Civil War interests in a novel that delves into an under-recognized episode in ego, shame, and politics resulting in the deaths of a great many brave men.  The authors’ feelings about the men who died there—many needlessly—were so strong that they established a foundation to create a memorial to them and to their sacrifice.

It is late in the Civil War, June, 1864, and around Petersburg, Virginia, the Union Army is mired in trenches and hounded by sharpshooters.  Lincoln is running for re-election against an anti-war faction, and he fears that losing will lead the United States into a death spiral, fracturing the nation and continuing slavery.

The disheartened Union Army’s morale is at an all-time low when a small group of Pennsylvanian soldiers, former coal miners, suggest tunneling under the Confederate-held fort and dynamiting it, destroying the Confederate stronghold and opening the road to Richmond. 

Few of the soldiers are eager to be part of this dangerous exploit, but one determined group of men is eager to continue the battle toward freedom and re-unification.  These men are with the United States Colored Troops, the USTCs, primarily free Black men who traveled from their safety around the country to fill the enlistment quotas of other states and to prove that they are Americans.  Only General Burnside, out of military favor at the time, has faith in them and wants to bring these troops into action rather than have them languish in menial duties behind the lines. 

The narrator of this story is an exhausted war-weary artist/journalist and personal friend and private spy for President Lincoln.  He embraces the plan as Burnside explains it.  He has also become a friend of Sergeant Major Garland White of the 28^th USCT Regiment who will have a major role both as soldier and minister in preparing the troops for battle.

As the story unfolds, we get a close view of the conflicts of interest probably ever-present in most human beings and probably always present in times of war and in politics when one’s place in history is also the consequence—good or bad.  How does one look at the big picture and consider each individual move toward a desirable conclusion?  How does one get past the results of a bad decision and prove oneself capable again?  Can prejudices of a lifetime relax enough to see the truth when so much is at stake?  Can egos be sidelines long enough to see objectively?  These are not questions just for that time and battle; these are questions for all times.

Years of research went into The Battle of the Crater.  It is Gingrich’s and Fortchen’s first novel without the tweak in history (the change of one detail that leads to a different conclusion), and it is not only an exciting page turner but also a plea to recognize an episode long forgotten.

If you are looking for a great story, well-written, and set in an historical context, this is the book for you.  BTW, its length makes it a good book for travel.  It is available for both the KINDLE and the NOOK.  Enjoy it.

P.S.  This novel was published in Nov., 2011 by reputable St. Martins Press.  That was just about the time Gingrich was ironically being labeled a racist by his critics.  FORGET POLITICS AND READ this and their other historical novels.  You will not regret it.  Use Third Age Traveler’s search box, type in gingrich, and look at four other book reviews. 

NIAGARA FALLS IN SPRINGTIME--BREATHTAKING!



Canada's Horseshoe Falls



Niagara Falls is a sight to behold in any season, but in Spring it is a display of Nature’s awesome power against a setting of gentle greens and vivid yellows as daffodils try to steal the show.  It’s a wonderful time of year to visit and to join the nearly 12 million people who marvel at Niagara Falls each year.

A trip to the Falls can successfully begin on either side of the border, but as we drive up through New York State, we’ll begin in New York’s Niagara Falls State Park.  It’s a wonderful entree to one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  (Occasionally self-appointed groups alter this list, but seeing is believing.)  There’s plenty of parking and activities aimed at introducing visitors to the mighty Niagara River and its turbulent, rushing power.  The negative on this side of the river is that you are behind the falls.  There are some wonderful side views past the American and Bridal Veil Falls to the Horseshoe Falls, but you will not face them.  Nevertheless, the opportunities here should not be missed.  The park is lovely, the views beautiful, and the activities are mind-blowing.



The American Falls



One adventure only available on the American side is the Cave of the Winds Tour where visitors descend 175 feet via elevator and then, clad in slicker and sandals, take a series of walkways to within 20 feet of the Bridal Veil Falls.  You’ll be thoroughly doused, but you’ll experience the Falls in a unique way.  There is no longer a cave to visit, but this is quite an experience.  As a note, there is a special area of viewing for people unable to do the walk.

In the Spring, this tour continues on the Gorge Trip where you’ll see workers rebuilding the Permanent Deck 75 feet from the base of the Falls.  That deck is dismantled each year to protect it from Winter weather and is used by visitors during the summer months.

The Cave of the Winds Tour will give you an entirely different vantage point from the one you’ll have from the Maid of the Mist.  It’s the tour no one should miss (t).  Once again, clad in a yellow slicker, your boat will take you right to the base of the thundering Horseshoe Falls where the water pounds so loudly as it crashes from the heights that conversation is almost impossible.  This is an unforgettable ride.  Beautiful.  Massively powerful. You can’t help but wonder why anyone would go over the Falls on purpose!  This tour departs from either the U.S. or Canada, but tickets are not interchangeable.

You might consider this option: There is a Niagara Falls USA Discovery Pass available that is reasonably priced and offers passes to five different venues including these two.  If you have time, this is a good way to go. 

Whether you begin or end there, the Canadian side of the Falls is a MUST. That’s where the majestic views are found.  Cross the Rainbow Bridge by car, foot, or bicycle and face the Falls head on.  Watch the water roil and plunge, throwing up huge misty plumes. Walk along the flower and tree-lined boulevard.  If you’re close to the railing, you’ll feel the mists yourself despite being across the river from the Falls.  Guard your camera lens from the mist to prevent spots on your photographs.  All the photographs here are taken from the Canadian side.

Fallsview Boulevard is along the River.  If you drive across from the U.S., you’ll park near the very beautiful Visitor Center, but even if you walk, make this a stop to learn more about the history and power of Niagara Falls as well as about some of the antics of daredevils going over the falls or tight-walking across the falls.  The Center is located somewhat up the hill, so you’ll see the Falls from an additional vantage point. 

Fallsview Boulevard offers spectacular views of all three falls, and I am always astounded by how close to the thundering cataract the Maid of the Mist boats venture. 

Canada offers similar attractions to the United States.  Canada, too, has its Niagara Falls Adventure Pass which includes The Maid of the Mist, Journey Behind the Falls which is 150 feet down and takes you for an up close and personal look to the Horseshoe Falls, and two other venues.

On Fridays, Sundays, and holidays—both Canadian and American—from May until September, there are fireworks displays from the Park.  Each night of the year, at dusk, the Falls are illuminated, a tradition dating back to the visit by the Prince of Wales to Canada in 1860. 

If you are staying overnight, stay on the Canadian side.  There you can book hotels on Fallsview Boulevard with fantastic views.  Depending on your hotel, you might be able to see the illumination and fireworks right from your room.  You might also like to go to the Observation Deck or restaurant in The Skylon Tower for a revolving view.

I’ve just touched on some of the activities here.  The real deal is to see the Falls and enjoy the "Whoa!" moments as your jaw drops in wonder.  Everything else is secondary. The area is rich in other sights as well, so if you have more time, there is plenty to see and do.  There are those who complain of the tourism here, but look beyond that and simply enjoy Nature’s Show.

VIRGINIA'S NORTHERN NECK--NEW AND INTRIGUING

I love Virginia!  After spending a few days in Massanutten in the Shenandoah Valley, we head to “the Rivah.” That’s where my cousin Rita invited us—to her and Bruce’s home on the Yeocomico River in Kinsale, Virginia. 

The Northern Neck is a part of Virginia we hadn’t visited before, and its beauty opens our eyes to a Virginia very different from the stately Shenandoah Mountains with Skyline Drive running along its ridges overlooking the gorgeous, lush, Shenandoah Valley below. 

It is different from Blacksburg and Virginia Tech, so reminiscent of our own Warwick, New York with its farms, green rolling hills, and small town ambiance. 

It is different from Northern Virginia and Arlington with its young, professional and worldly population bustling about in the DC’s monumental atmosphere or enjoying the majesty of the Potomac. 

It is different from Richmond, a city that exudes a comfortable, suburban sophistication and less than two hours away from Kinsale, close enough even for an ambitious commuter hungry for daily connection with the flat farmland and the myriad coves—the nooks and crannies of the rivah.

Family names in Rita and Bruce’s area can be traced back for generations, yes, to the first Englishmen and women who settled this part of the country. To experience this history, we head to the Yeocomico Church to visit the centuries’ old churchyard and get a glimpse of another time and place.

This peaceful church, the original one of wood built in 1655 and the current brick church in 1706, is nestled in an incredibly beautiful setting.  We stroll through the churchyard, reading headstones. Some graves are decorated with flags.  The ancient trees with their knotted trunks and the autumnally-harvested brown cornfields across the way guard all who sleep here in the palpable peace.



1706 = the year.  The M and C are the craftsmen
Peter Moon and John Cogger



Then, driving to the Potomac to scout out some fishing sites, we witness three or four men reeling in bluefish one after the other.  We make note of the sandy spot with hopes of future expeditions.  Homes, dockages, and boats line the shore, and from where we stand we can look across the beautiful water and see Maryland’s shores.

Virginia can proclaim herself living history.  But here by the Rivah, the history is tucked away in family names, country churchyards with their silent voices, and older homes with modern additions that sometimes do and sometimes do not blend with their histories.

America the beautiful.  This is driving through Virginia with stops in local museums and churches and along the roads where signs signal special events in our history.  In this area Mary Ball spent her youth. Here at the Yeocomico Church, Mary Ball and Augustine Washington were married.  Their child, born in 1732, was George Washington.

Truly a beautiful part of the country, try to spend some time here.  You’ll not regret it.

travel vacation "Third Age Traveler" "travel blog" photography "travel photos" "photo blog" Virginia "Northern Neck" Kinsale Yeocomico churches graveyards cemeteries fishing Potomac water rivers nature trees history Washington

GROUPON SAVES YOU MONEY

caught on a Groupon-inspired
trip

The nice thing about Groupon and travel is that you can change the settings on your Groupon account to accommodate your trips.

Not only do I avail myself of Groupon offers here at home, in Northern New Jersey and in New York City, but also I look ahead to the places we expect to visit.  Groupon discounts have led us to deep sea fishing, good restaurants, museum tours, boatrides, and a spa day to cite just a few.  Groupon has even led us to try some new and different things we might not have known were available.

Additionally, there have been discounts on photo processing, canvas prints, etc.

If you haven't availed yourself of Groupon's offers, you're probably spending too much for something!

LONGBOARDS ON CLEMATIS ST. IF YOU'RE FISHING FOR A GOOD MEAL IN WEST PALM BEACH

Only open since July, Longboards on Clematis St. in West Palm Beach, Florida, is the new player on the block and one not to be missed.  We stumbled upon it through a Groupon offer, and once again, we hit a winner.

Longboards is a cavernous space with a long, welcoming, polished bar that forms the center of the room. The bar is in the shape of a longboard--a big surfboard. Within easy reach of the barstools are coathooks nailed into the side of the bar—convenient to hang purses.  I love that.  I’m a bar sitter, and this is a terrific, thoughtful touch.

Tables line Clematis Street outside, and out back are more tables set on sand; after all, you use your longboard at the beach.  We sit inside where the plank walls like driftwood are decorated with painted longboards, beautiful surfboards that quickly create an easy, relaxed atmosphere.

Big screen TVs playing surfing videos strategically dot the planks, and I love watching surfers performing aerials, going for barrel rides and even wiping out.  Some exciting stuff on the big screen.  At the back of the restaurant one wall is a huge screen where the thrilling surfing footage plays.  I have to fight the urge to crane my neck so I can see what's going on there.

The single TV over the bar plays more conventional sports, but I can’t remember what sport because the surfing videos are so good to watch.

In designing Longboards, attention to detail paid off; the atmosphere is personable and cool.  We like it here. Additionally, the service we experience matches!

Our server, Ashley, goes over the beer list with Rob who loves a good, hoppy, IPA, and with her guidance through the broad selection, he settles on Arrogant Bastard Ale.  This is the way the bottle label defined Arrogant Bastard: "An aggressive ale. You probably won’t like it.”  Rob likes it a lot.  But he did concede that you really have to be an IPA fan to like this one.  They’ve got a neat website at http://www.arrogantbastard.com/ where they say, “Fizzy Yellow Beer is for Wussies.”

I’m apparently a wussie and instead enjoyed a lovely pint of Naragansett Lager, first brewed in 1890 and the official beer of the Boston Red Sox from 1944-1975.   My point is, of course, that Ashley aimed to please.  She knew her stuff down to the last detail on both the bar and food menus. In fact, Drew Brown, the assistant manager, came over to discuss IPAs with Rob and to make sure Rob’s request for that hoppy taste was answered. 

Oh, yes, we are there for dinner, but you can see that it is a great place for an  evening of slow drinking and nibbles from an extensive and varied appetizer menu.

We begin our meal sharing Oysters Rockefeller, that lovely specialty of Antoine’s in New Orleans where we first had it.  That’s a lot to live up to.  Longboard’s was different from Antoine’s but very tasty.  Here we can identify the spinach and cheese, but the combination is delightful nonetheless.  Nice, hot oysters attractively served on a bed of salt.  Longboard’s Oysters Rockefeller stands on its own.

Our entrée choices are the same but different.  We select the yellowtail snapper.  I have mine sautéed in a light butter sauce; Rob has his grilled.

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Does this look like any mac & cheese you've ever eaten?

 

My fish is superb, very fresh, lightly seasoned and flakey.  The sauce is also light, the lemony taste not overpowering but gently complementing the very fresh snapper. Two sides are included, and believe me, these are not ordinary, non-descript dishes.  I choose broccoli and “bacon scallion mac & cheese.”  The broccoli is perfect, and the mac & cheese is tiny shells drenched in the combination of flavors and topped with a dusting of broiled breadcrumbs.  Scrumptious.

Rob’s snapper is simply grilled—again, to perfection.  Lightly seasoned, the fish maintains its integrity. He chooses a lovely cauliflower gratin and “bacon bourbon brussel sprouts” as his sides. Lovely. 

We do not hurry through dinner, and we can't resist coffee and sharing a slice of key lime pie, nice and tart in a very good graham cracker crust. What a lovely finish.

Longboards is not a restaurant to miss when you’re in the area.  Enjoy.

EUDORA WELTY'S THE OPTIMIST'S DAUGHTER--AND A GREAT TRAVEL READ

Call me a book snob, but after a few contemporary novels, I must return to finer writing—literature—this time to Eudora Welty’s 1974 Pulitzer Prize-winning The Optimist’s Daughter.  It is poetry in prose, a melody of words finely tuned, and that is what draws me time and again to the great writers.  I crave more than a story; I want the art.  Here is a tight, spare novel dealing with a woman’s confrontation with death as she returns home to be with her dying father and to attend his funeral.  The events lead her to examine the complexities of life, her past, and her family, and then to look ahead to her future.  To move on, she must, as we all must, make some kind of peace with the past.

“But the guilt of outliving those you love is justly to be borne, she thought.  Outliving is something we do to them.  The fantasies of dying could be no stranger than the fantasies of living.  Surviving is perhaps the strangest fantasy of them all.”

What happens to me when I read lines as these is that I must stop and really consider what she is saying as well as how it applies to me personally.  Welty draws me in, will draw you in, gently but unemotionally, and she will charge you to take note and to think about the truths she has to share.

This reaction is what makes this such a wonderful book for traveling.  Imagine sitting on a beach or by a pool or on a balcony somewhere.  You are reading, You come to a line like this, and you allow your book/Kindle/Nook to fall against your chest.  You smile slightly and slowly ruminate on a great author's words.  Nice.

Amazingly, I remain aloof from these characters.  I get to know them, but at a distance, a fly on the wall, so to speak, observing their reactions and idiosyncrasies without being emotionally involved with them.  It is a queer feeling, that distance, but it allows my mind to work with the parallel figures in my own life.

As in all great books, the theme is universal, and while Welty’s perspective is always seen through a Southern prism, what she says about communication or the lack thereof, needs to be taken to the heart.  What is life?  How do we define it?  How to we really understand our lives in the context of our family and friends? 

“For her life, any life, she had to believe, was nothing but the continuity of love.”

One last quotation to illustrate the beauty of this novel:

“Memory lived not in initial possession [of an object] but in the freed hands, pardoned and freed, and in the heart that can empty but fill again, in the patterns restored by dreams.”

If you are not familiar with her, you will find Eudora Welty high on the list of great American writers, a regionalist in the manner of William Faulkner, and a womawith an inherent ability to craft the perfect sentence.

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PALM DESERT'S BEAUTIFUL TIMESHARE



Magnificent golf course & mountain views



Palm Desert Springs Villas, a timeshare we are visiting for the second time because our friend, Beth, is an owner here, is just one step from paradise—or maybe closer. Palm Desert is a special destination anyway, and traveling here in January away from New York's winter is a great escape. I write this from the patio overlooking the golf course. It is a bit too cool 67º, so swimming at one of the many pools here is out. But lying in the sun is not.

The unit is a double lockout, two separate units with a common foyer leading to the locked units. We are in the smaller unit, but don't neglect the jacuzzi, the granite counter tops, the super big glass shower or the lovely private patio.

We don't use the fitness center because there are beautiful paths past ponds with swans and ducks, views of the mountains beyond, and the beautiful golf courses or tennis courts.  It's too bad we can't walk the cart paths.  We've used the spa at the gorgeous Mariott Hotel abutting their timeshare property.  Super.



Nice villa view.  When the fountain is flowing, it's lovely.



I've recently posted on our California vacation and some of the places we've visited, but to those add a California Windmill Farm tour, the aerial tramway in Palm Springs, horseback riding in the desert, the Palm Springs Follies, and more interesting and good restaurants than I can name.  Relax or run around or do a combination of the two.  It was a great week.  Whether you use Marriott Vacation Club or trade through RCI, this is a definite destination.

I periodically write about our timeshare experiences, and each one has been terrific. I think timeshares work best for people with flexible schedules who can make vacation arrangements well in advance and for people who plan on going to the timeshare they own on a yearly basis. Here are some photos of this Marriott Resort. Enjoy!

Here are links to my previous posts on this vacation:  http://www.thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2012/02/another-wonderful-national-park-joshua.html      http://www.thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2012/02/taste-of-29-palms-california.html       http://www.thirdagetraveler.blogspot.com/2012/02/roughley-manor-outstanding-inn-great.html

Great places to walk in a beautiful setting

It's a big resort without a big feeling

Sunset from my chaise lounge at the pool.  Ahhhhh!

A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PLAY REVIEW

On this as on other visits to Singer Island, Florida, we enjoyed an evening at the Lake Worth Playhouse, truly a gem of a theater where a talented and creative staff ambitiously prepare a season of solid productions.

On this occasion we saw Agatha Christie's The Unexpected Guest. Familiar with Agatha? Lots of interesting twists and turns, more than a few unlikely coincidences, and lots of length. One little girl in the row ahead of us said, “It's pretty boring until you get it!” Christie, however, makes you want to know “who done it,” so there is no problem staying for the long haul.

I enjoyed the play and did not solve the mystery myself. Agatha does have a way of setting that hook. But what struck me about this evening was the professionalism of the production in this small theater.

The set, designed by Norma O'Hep de Jesus, was a detailed English drawing room decorated stylishly in keeping with the social status of the characters. Thank the property manager, Phyllis A. Cafarelli for the obvious care in finding just the right touches to allow the audience to enter this 1950s room. Animal heads decorate the walls of this hunter's room; every prop was as close to authentic as possible.

Perhaps this was so striking to me because several weeks ago we saw Porgy and Bess on Broadway, and the set was so incredibly unimaginative and flat that it actively made a negative impact on the entire production.

I also applaud the sound engineer. I usually employ a theater's listening device, but none needed here. It was a pleasant surprise to find the amplification and balance fine and most of the speech—in British accent—was clearly enunciated, a fact I attribute to a conscientious director, Patricia Storch-Goodrich. Only one performer was consistently difficult for me to understand, Eric Salas who played Sergeant Cadwallader. As a frequent theater goer, I am sometimes at a loss when actors mumble or race through their lines. Not so for this The Unexpected Guest.

I enjoyed the set designed by Norma O'Hep de Jesus, and I believe she doubled as lighting designer. She did a fine job as the lighting changed with the time of day, and it worked well with the play in a competent, unobtrusive way. Thanks, too, to the Light Board Operator, Jessica Pilch.

Frequently the applause for the actors is heard loud and clear while the crew is somewhat forgotten. Let's not overlook that the crew really is the wind beneath their wings. In this production of The Unexpected Guest, that surely is the case.