October 30, 2013

Introduction to visiting Ireland

Introduction to visiting Ireland


The island of Ireland is comprised of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland (which along with England, Scotland, and Wales forms the United Kingdom).  An official border has separated them since 1922.  The Atlantic Ocean is to the west and the Irish Sea to the east.  Ireland is one of Europe's least densely populated countries.  Like many islands that were once entirely forested—most famously Easter Island—the trees have been almost completely cleared, and for almost 200 years now Ireland has imported almost all its wood.  Prehistoric bogs and limestone plains survive, and Ireland famously has no snakes but does have one lizard.  And though Johnny Cash sang of Ireland as having “forty shades of green,” and before my visit I saw in my mind’s eye sunny skies, the reality in late September/early October was a graying mist.  And that’s probably why the island is so brilliantly green when the sun does shine.



sheep in Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland
sheep in Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland



October 28, 2013

NYC--Queens--Jackson Heightss: Himalayan Yak Restaurant; restaurant review

72-20 Roosevelt Ave., Jackson Heights, (718) 779-1119.  L-D daily; $$. 

Dishes at Himalayan Yak Restaurant include Nepali dishes goat Bhuttan and aloo kauli ko tarkari (potatoes and cauliflower curry) as well as  Tibetan momo dumplings and Indian chicken tikka masala.  Plenty more representations from each country round out the choices.  A Himalayan combination platter provides the opportunity to sample many dishes, including buckwheat fout bread, crushed radish pickle, and goat curry.  I’m not so sure when I’ll be ready to try Ema-Datsi—the fiery Bhutanese national dish made with spicy long green chilies combined with an American cheese sauce. 

Himalayan Yak Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


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image c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 25, 2013

Cape May, New Jersey: Emlen Physick Estate + Carriage House Cafe & Tearoom; things to do + restaurant reviewe


(800) 275-4278, (609) 884-5404.  House tours Apr-Dec.  

Though located outside the town historic area, this 1879 Victorian Stick-style mansion is well worth a visit.  One tour option includes trolley transportation to and fro plus a rolling tour of the Historic District.  The guided house tour visits 15 authentically restored period rooms. 

Time a visit to include lunch or tea in the Carriage House Cafe & Tearoom.  Situated inside the estate’s former garage for carriages, the cafe offers a menu of tasty tea sandwiches, scones, and pastries along with a selection of teas served in delightful individual teapots.  In good weather, dining takes place inside a protective tent on the garden patio.  


tea at the Carriage House Cafe & Tearoom at the Emlen Physick Estate in Cape May, New Jersey


More tea times around the world.

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images c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
updated Sept. 8, 2023

October 23, 2013

Cape May, New Jersey: Cape May Winery; things to do

Cape May Winery  

711 Townbank Rd., (609) 884-1169.  Daily 12-5.  Tasting fee $6/6 wines + keep the glass; tour $20, includes wine tasting + a barrel tasting + fruit and cheese + keep glass. 

Built on a former lima bean farm, this winery offers wines from dry to sweet and constantly rotates its varietals.  It’s a small operation, with bottling taking place in the garage.  Picnic facilities are available.


cheap easy way to store leftover wine to take on a picnic:




cheap easy way to store leftover wine:






More information about Cape May.


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videos c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers  

October 21, 2013

Introduction to visiting Cape May, New Jersey

Introduction to visiting Cape May, New Jersey


Located at Exit Zero on the Garden State Parkway, at the southernmost point of New Jersey's Atlantic shore and below the Mason-Dixon line, Cape May is America’s oldest seaside resort.  Cape May was once home to the summer White House and also was once the capitol for lima beans.  Now more famous for its Victorian architecture and pristine beaches, the entire town is a National Historic Landmark. 

Inn of Cape May in Cape May, New Jersey


The historic area is spread along the streets heading inland.  Measuring two blocks deep by six blocks long, it is an impressive collection of more than 600 authentically restored and preserved structures from the Victorian period of 1840 through 1912—indeed, it has the largest concentration of Victorian structures outside of San Francisco.  Among their lavish ornamentation are latticework, scrolls, frets, brackets, bargeboards, and plenty of stained glass.  Features include original detached kitchens that are converted to garages, and wrap-around porches with rocking chairs and hammocks, but no widow walks--because the town has no harbor.  Natural cedar shakes are popular on outside walls because salty sea air otherwise makes it necessary to repaint every five years or so.  Some houses resemble San Francisco’s “painted ladies,” but most are in lower-key traditional East Coast colors of white or grey.  Gardens bloom with colorful flowers, and at night the area is lit to a glow by the town’s original gas lamps.

wedding party at beach in Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is third in the nation for weddings (behind Las Vegas and Disney World)--more than 400 are held here each year—and it is a fabulous place for families, indeed for everyone, to get away—think noisy lobster restaurants, fresh saltwater taffy, and an immaculately clean beach. 

Originally a peninsula, it is now an island.  A drive along Beach Avenue provides a good orientation and a view of the plethora of lodging options, both vintage and contemporary.  In spring and fall the area attracts migrations of birds and butterflies.




More information about Cape May.

images c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

October 18, 2013

NYC: Mission Chinese Food; restaurant review

154 Orchard St./Rivington St., Lower East Side, (212) 529-8800.  Moved to 171 E. BroadwayL-D daily (12-12).  No reservations. 

Usually, before entering this subterranean dining room, you’ll have a longish wait in the narrow hall that permits viewing some of the kitchen action at Mission Chinese Food.  Once seated, the festive ambiance and the tasty food make dim the fact that you are in a cramped room.  The menu is filled with winners, among them wet Beijing vinegar peanuts with fennel seeds and anise, thrice-cooked bacon with rice cakes and bitter melon, mapo tofu, and red-cooked eggplant.  Many items can be prepared vegetarian or vegan, and the hot dishes are really hot
entree at Mission Chinese Food in NYC
This is a branch of a San Francisco restaurant of the same name. 



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image c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 16, 2013

NYC--Queens--Jackson Heights: Maharaja Sweets; restaurant review

dessert case at Maharaja Sweets in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC

Maharaja Sweets  

73-10 37th Ave., Jackson Heights, (718) 505-2680.  Daily; $. 

Chat and other Indian dishes are on the menu in the all-vegetarian Maharaja Sweets restaurant, but many people come here just for the sweets selection in the front entry.  Pick your favorite and eat it on the spot, or select an assortment to take home and sample at leisure.  Orange jalebi spirals dripping with honey are a personal favorite, but you’ll also see beautiful things like chandra kala and silvery malai cham-cham which are now at the top of my to-try list.  The website provides a good start to selecting.

Maharaja Sweets & Snacks Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


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image c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 14, 2013

NYC: Laut; restaurant review

Laut  

15 East 17 St./Broadway, (212) 206-8989.  L M-F, D daily; $$. 

Roti Canai Indian pancake at Laut in NYC
Roti Canai Indian pancake at Laut in NYC


This sweet little spot is home to Michelin-star cooking.  The Malaysian, Singaporean, and Thai dishes at Laut are exceptional, and most are prepared with a choice of meat, fish, or tofu/vegetables.  The flaky Roti Canai Indian pancake with curry dipping sauce makes a great appetizer.  Delicious main choices include Drunk Man noodles with bamboo shoots and chili sauce, and both the spicy Green (with coconut milk and eggplant) and spicy Mussaman (coconut milk with potatoes and peanuts) curries.  I can’t wait to go back and try more! 




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image c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 11, 2013

NYC--Queens--Jackson Heights: Dosa Delight; restaurant review

Dosa Delight  

35-66 73rd St., Jackson Heights, (718) 397-1000.  L-D daily; $. 

mysore dosa at Dosa Delight in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC
mysore dosa at Dosa Delight in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC


Catering to vegetarian, vegan, and kosher diets, this clean, bright spot serves up some exotic delights.  The mysore dosa at Dosa Delight is folded into a triangle and layered with hot chutney then stuffed with a tasty potato mix.  If you want less spicy, get a masala dosa.  I particularly like the spicy Pondicherry dosa stuffed with spicy potato mix that is served cut in three pieces, and many other varieties are on the menu.  Dosas come with a cup of sambar soup and a really good coconut chutney.  More items I especially like include chole puri (two small, deep-fried puffy breads along with garbanzo bean stew) and deep-fried samosas stuffed with a spicy potato and green pea mix.

Dosa Delight Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


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image c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

October 9, 2013

NYC--Queens--Jackson Heights: Mama’s Empanadas; restaurant review

76-17 Roosevelt Ave., Jackson Heights, (718) 899-8529.  Also at 84-17 Northern Blvd., (718) 726-1400.  Open 24 hours; $. 

Every kind of empanada you can think of is found here at Mama's Empanadas.  Most are made with wheat flour pastry, but a few are available in corn/maize pastry that is a little harder.  Many are vegetarian, my favorites being spinach and cheese.  Intriguing versions I want to try in the future are pepperoni pizza, reggaeton (rice, green peas, and ham), and the Elvis for dessert (peanut butter and bananas).  I think I’ll hold off on the macaroni & cheese and the chili dog.  Breakfast versions are available, as well as tamales, arepas, and soups.  Fruit shakes and fruit punch are among the drink options.  Because almost everything served here is deep-fried, it is good to know that mama’s uses soy oil and no transfats.  Prices are so inexpensive that you’ll think you need to order more, but three empanadas satisfies an average appetite.  The original on Roosevelt Avenue has minimal seating, but the one on Northern has a plenty.

Mama's Empanadas Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


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image c2013 Carole Terwilliger Meyers; taken at Northern Ave. branch

October 7, 2013

Ashland, Oregon: Standing Stone Brewing Company; restaurant review

101 Oak St., downtown, (541) 482-2448.  

This bustling brew pub provides well-prepared grilled meats and wood-fired pizzas. Diner John Briggs from Portland, Oregon, says, “This is not your usual dark pub.  Instead, it has a spacious, light-filled interior and an outdoor deck that is especially pleasant in the summer.”  The beer at Standing Stone Brewing Company is excellent, as are the salads (the Greek and the Cobb are good choices), and local sourcing keeps things fresh.  All this, and it’s kid-friendly, too.

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