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!