8.20.2006
Worldly possessions ++
On Saturday I discovered that when given the chance, I'm just as likely to buy a pair of wide-leg pinstriped pants for work as I am to buy, oh, a bike. (The power of consumerism compels me!) No regrets, but I can't help feeling a little post-splurge guilt, and am dreading the next time I check my bank account. My justification is simply that I've thought about both for a long time, and there's no use dragging my feet any longer. Besides, the pants were on sale, and the longer I wait to get the bike, the more days of warm nice weather I will miss. (Although, I spied the trainers at the bike shop, which can come in handy during the winter.) The bike will even help me get in shape for the pants. Does it get better than that?
Number of dry clean only clothing I own: +1
Number of serious recreational purchases: +1
Unfortunately, I've to wait till the end of the week for my bike to arrive. In the meantime, I can look up every park and trail there is in the city.
--------------------------------
Lately I've been obsessed with bikes. I blame the bike fever on E's Ultimate teammate. We were invited to her housewarming party; she's a duathlon champ, and her rugged pro road bike hung on a rack in the house like a trophy, along with her boyfriend's. Her (deliciously hot German) boyfriend is also a serious rider, and partook in serious bike convos during the party. They were really into it. Her friends looked like models out of a fitness mag; they were in crazy good shape. Out of sheer coincidence and misfortune, I ended up being the fattest girl in the group. (I'm not obese - sure, I could lose a few pounds, but next to the girls, I felt like a whale.) After just a few minutes of hanging out with them, I had the sudden urge to bike. I wanted to be buff like them. I wanted to learn all about Shimano and Cinelli. I wanted to be able to talk to other bike enthusiasts about my speed and distance stats. I wanted to go on group rides around the city, parks, trails.
Thus the bike. Can't wait for it to come. E can't wait for the company. We'll be cheesy and have 'his' and 'hers' bike stuff. Psyched!
Number of dry clean only clothing I own: +1
Number of serious recreational purchases: +1
Unfortunately, I've to wait till the end of the week for my bike to arrive. In the meantime, I can look up every park and trail there is in the city.
--------------------------------
Lately I've been obsessed with bikes. I blame the bike fever on E's Ultimate teammate. We were invited to her housewarming party; she's a duathlon champ, and her rugged pro road bike hung on a rack in the house like a trophy, along with her boyfriend's. Her (deliciously hot German) boyfriend is also a serious rider, and partook in serious bike convos during the party. They were really into it. Her friends looked like models out of a fitness mag; they were in crazy good shape. Out of sheer coincidence and misfortune, I ended up being the fattest girl in the group. (I'm not obese - sure, I could lose a few pounds, but next to the girls, I felt like a whale.) After just a few minutes of hanging out with them, I had the sudden urge to bike. I wanted to be buff like them. I wanted to learn all about Shimano and Cinelli. I wanted to be able to talk to other bike enthusiasts about my speed and distance stats. I wanted to go on group rides around the city, parks, trails.
Thus the bike. Can't wait for it to come. E can't wait for the company. We'll be cheesy and have 'his' and 'hers' bike stuff. Psyched!
8.17.2006
Futon, dancing on a treadmill
Proudly presenting... our futon.
Before:
All it took was some sponges, rags, deep ebony stain, and polyurethane to make unfinished wood look spiffy.
After:
Baby gives her stamp of approval
It's comfy! I just need to find/make red paisley pillows. When folded out, it makes a great full/queen bed. Glad we got the upgrade on the mattress.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Found this video the other day. 4 guys + 8 treadmills = uber cool. Is this the awesomest thing or what?
Before:
All it took was some sponges, rags, deep ebony stain, and polyurethane to make unfinished wood look spiffy.
After:
Baby gives her stamp of approval
It's comfy! I just need to find/make red paisley pillows. When folded out, it makes a great full/queen bed. Glad we got the upgrade on the mattress.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Found this video the other day. 4 guys + 8 treadmills = uber cool. Is this the awesomest thing or what?
8.13.2006
Finger Lakes: Part 3 (Que Syrah Syrah)
On the second and last morning at the B&B, we slept in a little (9 o' clock) and took time appreciating the house. B&Bs are an odd concept to us; the idea of living in someone else's house, with other people, and having breakfast made for you by total strangers, is kind of creepy. But somehow everything about Los Gatos was perfect and set up in a classy, non-creepy way. The house was far from old and dated, like I imagined most B&Bs to be - in fact, it was actually kind of like a posh mini-motel, and I'm sure many guests wished it were their house. The furniture was new, the decor tastefully done, there was a heated pool and gazebo overlooking acres of farmland... It was a neat little sanctuary.
When we emerged from our rooms for breakfast, Burney had already put out fresh goodies from the oven. We sat outside again, and this time Susan came to hang out with us.
Dutch babies with peach compote paired with creme fraiche. Also accompanied by bacon, freshly baked blueberry scones, assortment of homemade jams and jellies, orange juice, coffee. What a spread!
Even though check-out was at 11am, we only left a little before noon. We ended up buying a blueberry jam and apple cider syrup. Packed up the car, said our goodbyes, and we were on the road.
First stop: Fox Run Vineyards. There was a garlic festival going on, so it was packed. We did a sampling inside and bought a few bottles before exploring the festival. I have never seen so much garlic in my life.
Who knew there were so many kinds of garlic?
I bought a bag of German white garlic just for kicks. Brave garlic-lovers stood in line to sample different kinds of raw garlic. There was music, food, and little cups of grape juice for the kids.
Next stop: Anthony Road Wine Company. Susan mentioned liking the table red, so we decided to investigate. We were served by a young fraternity guy who was surprisingly knowledgeable about wines. We were also impressed by the vignole - tasty stuff! The place reminded me of our hometown favorite, Stone Villa Wine Cellars. There was a fun little herb garden to the side, which we explored.
Anthony Road Wine Company
Onward: Earle Estates Meadery. When I was planning our itinerary, I got so excited when I saw the word "meadery", because rumor has it that mead is somewhat hard to come by. We finally had the chance to satiate our curiosity - and not only did we try mead, we also tried an apple cyser and several melomels. Mead tasted deceptively like a regular fruit wine, although it had a subtle, unique aftertaste. We stocked up on the mead and melomels.
The meadery
Check out the medals! These guys are not kidding
We also checked out their sister winery next door, Torrey Ridge. Couldn't resist getting a fruit wine or two there. After the meadery, we drove on to Four Chimneys, the country's first organic(!) winery. Au naturel from the vine to the bottle - no herbicides, no preservatives, minimal amounts of sulphites. I could taste the difference. At all the other wineries, the tasting area offered fancy crackers and snacks to 'cleanse the palette', but this one had plain good ole' Cheerios. Cute! I was particularly impressed by a dry blueberry red; E and I agreed that the pear wine was also a must-get.
Finally, we were ready to head back home, but not before grabbing dinner at Castel Grisch. E said it was more "grisch" than "castel". Kinda dated, very German, but overall not a bad place. I had visions of big German women wearing pigtails and dirndl dresses dancing with steins of beer. (I think our waiter actually wore lederhosen...) There was brass music playing in the background. E ordered something he couldn't pronounce, and I had the Schweinschnitzel. We sat outside on the deck for the panoramic view of Seneca Lake, which was just past some grapevines. Beautiful place... a pity about the 80's decor.
The drive back was a little unpleasant, because I did 5 of the 6.5 hours. I drove nicely; if we should ever be pulled over for anything, our stash of booze in the trunk would need some serious explaining. We made it home around midnight, and only needed two trips to unload our booty.
What an awesome trip. It was a great get-away and well worth the drive. Now we just need to get a bigger wine rack...
When we emerged from our rooms for breakfast, Burney had already put out fresh goodies from the oven. We sat outside again, and this time Susan came to hang out with us.
Dutch babies with peach compote paired with creme fraiche. Also accompanied by bacon, freshly baked blueberry scones, assortment of homemade jams and jellies, orange juice, coffee. What a spread!
Even though check-out was at 11am, we only left a little before noon. We ended up buying a blueberry jam and apple cider syrup. Packed up the car, said our goodbyes, and we were on the road.
First stop: Fox Run Vineyards. There was a garlic festival going on, so it was packed. We did a sampling inside and bought a few bottles before exploring the festival. I have never seen so much garlic in my life.
Who knew there were so many kinds of garlic?
I bought a bag of German white garlic just for kicks. Brave garlic-lovers stood in line to sample different kinds of raw garlic. There was music, food, and little cups of grape juice for the kids.
Next stop: Anthony Road Wine Company. Susan mentioned liking the table red, so we decided to investigate. We were served by a young fraternity guy who was surprisingly knowledgeable about wines. We were also impressed by the vignole - tasty stuff! The place reminded me of our hometown favorite, Stone Villa Wine Cellars. There was a fun little herb garden to the side, which we explored.
Anthony Road Wine Company
Onward: Earle Estates Meadery. When I was planning our itinerary, I got so excited when I saw the word "meadery", because rumor has it that mead is somewhat hard to come by. We finally had the chance to satiate our curiosity - and not only did we try mead, we also tried an apple cyser and several melomels. Mead tasted deceptively like a regular fruit wine, although it had a subtle, unique aftertaste. We stocked up on the mead and melomels.
The meadery
Check out the medals! These guys are not kidding
We also checked out their sister winery next door, Torrey Ridge. Couldn't resist getting a fruit wine or two there. After the meadery, we drove on to Four Chimneys, the country's first organic(!) winery. Au naturel from the vine to the bottle - no herbicides, no preservatives, minimal amounts of sulphites. I could taste the difference. At all the other wineries, the tasting area offered fancy crackers and snacks to 'cleanse the palette', but this one had plain good ole' Cheerios. Cute! I was particularly impressed by a dry blueberry red; E and I agreed that the pear wine was also a must-get.
Finally, we were ready to head back home, but not before grabbing dinner at Castel Grisch. E said it was more "grisch" than "castel". Kinda dated, very German, but overall not a bad place. I had visions of big German women wearing pigtails and dirndl dresses dancing with steins of beer. (I think our waiter actually wore lederhosen...) There was brass music playing in the background. E ordered something he couldn't pronounce, and I had the Schweinschnitzel. We sat outside on the deck for the panoramic view of Seneca Lake, which was just past some grapevines. Beautiful place... a pity about the 80's decor.
The drive back was a little unpleasant, because I did 5 of the 6.5 hours. I drove nicely; if we should ever be pulled over for anything, our stash of booze in the trunk would need some serious explaining. We made it home around midnight, and only needed two trips to unload our booty.
What an awesome trip. It was a great get-away and well worth the drive. Now we just need to get a bigger wine rack...
8.10.2006
Finger Lakes: Part 2 (Gorgeous gorges)
After lunch, we cruised down Rt 45A to Watkins Glen State Park. From the pictures I've seen, I wouldn't have guessed that it was so touristy - the parking lot was packed (and the parking system was as sophisticated as a downtown garage or amusement park), there was a huge gift shop, and shutterbugs with their fancy gear were abound. We got a map, surveyed the vastness of the park, and planned our route.
I read somewhere that there were 832 or some stone steps to climb to get to the top of the gorge trail. We did a few dozen, then skipped right on to hiking up the steep foresty trail. It was about 500 feet to the top, and we took about an hour or so. I was panting like a dog and thought I was going to die from breathlessness. Nothing like that to make me acutely aware of how out of shape I am. E was my intrepid leader and cheered me on like a personal trainer. (At one point, he joked about waving a flag around and calling, "Chan Brothers! This way!" Lol.) The greenery was so lush and vivid, it was surreal. The tall trees were enchanting, and the gorges and glens were fascinating. Nature is a wonder.
I entrusted E entirely with the map, and he did good. He deciphered the map expertly, which wasn't easy because of the stringy mess of trails that overlapped and criss-crossed one another. Hubby led us over bridges, up and down steps, along stone corridors, under waterfalls, through the woods... Quite an adventure. We took a whole bunch of pictures and learned a few tricks on my camera. At around six, after spending pretty much the whole afternoon meandering around the park, we made it back to the parking lot and took off for dinner.
Glenora Wine Cellars looked good on its website, but was stunning in person. It was perched right next to Seneca Lake; it was an inn, a fancy restaurant, and a winery all in one. The winery's tasting room overlooked the lake and its verdant grounds. We tried a number of good wines; the wine list featured local varietals, barrel fermented whites, fruit wines, and really tasty spumante. I was disappointed that their Gerwurz wasn't available for sampling, but at less than 1.5% RS, I think it could be a little drier than I'm looking for. Still, I was pleased to find a good Riesling, and that made up for it.
We purchased our first goodies of the trip, and was about to head to dinner when we got sidetracked by an ice-cream van by the winery, offering novel wine-inspired flavors. A little dessert before dinner never hurt anyone, so I got half a scoop of vanilla with grapes, and E got some chocolate and sherry combination. Brown bags of booze in one hand and ice-cream in the other, we staggered towards the lake and plopped down on the grass.
Hubby enjoying his ice-cream next to a giant barrel, taking in Seneca Lake on Glenora's field
Dinner at Veraisons (owned by Glenora) was fabulous. For starters, we had a little wheel of baked brie en croute covered with fruit compote, made from fruits grown by local farmers. It was so darn good! There was a low-key wedding going on in the next room, and what a perfect evening it was for it. Patrons ranged from tourists in shorts and sneakers, to smartly dressed couples in jacket 'n tie and cocktail dresses.
We took our time with dinner and by the time we headed back, night had fallen.
Out in Penn Yan, away from city lights, the stars shimmered brightly in spite of a big moon. Burney came out to greet us when we arrived, and after commenting on how beautiful the night sky was, he brought out his stargazing kit from the garage. Mighty telescope! It was huge, and Burney had all sorts of nifty accessories for it. We all huddled around in our sweaters (it was chilly) and listened as Burney explained the constellations and stars of note. Summer Triangle, Jupiter and 4 moons, nebulas, Albireo, Hercules... We saved the moon for last, because it was so bright. E attempted to take a picture of it through the telescope - it turned out not too shabby. (Moon picture: Click here) Hubby, the little boy scout, asked a million questions. This was his first star party, and he was utterly fascinated. I think I know what his new hobby is going to be...
Just before heading inside, we spotted a moon dog. Ice clouds? Moon dog? I had no idea what they were until then, and felt foolish for not knowing. This picture kinda looks like what we saw - little sliver of rainbow off to the corner. We thanked Burney for the very informative evening, and retreated to our room with our laptops. On to another day...
I read somewhere that there were 832 or some stone steps to climb to get to the top of the gorge trail. We did a few dozen, then skipped right on to hiking up the steep foresty trail. It was about 500 feet to the top, and we took about an hour or so. I was panting like a dog and thought I was going to die from breathlessness. Nothing like that to make me acutely aware of how out of shape I am. E was my intrepid leader and cheered me on like a personal trainer. (At one point, he joked about waving a flag around and calling, "Chan Brothers! This way!" Lol.) The greenery was so lush and vivid, it was surreal. The tall trees were enchanting, and the gorges and glens were fascinating. Nature is a wonder.
I entrusted E entirely with the map, and he did good. He deciphered the map expertly, which wasn't easy because of the stringy mess of trails that overlapped and criss-crossed one another. Hubby led us over bridges, up and down steps, along stone corridors, under waterfalls, through the woods... Quite an adventure. We took a whole bunch of pictures and learned a few tricks on my camera. At around six, after spending pretty much the whole afternoon meandering around the park, we made it back to the parking lot and took off for dinner.
Glenora Wine Cellars looked good on its website, but was stunning in person. It was perched right next to Seneca Lake; it was an inn, a fancy restaurant, and a winery all in one. The winery's tasting room overlooked the lake and its verdant grounds. We tried a number of good wines; the wine list featured local varietals, barrel fermented whites, fruit wines, and really tasty spumante. I was disappointed that their Gerwurz wasn't available for sampling, but at less than 1.5% RS, I think it could be a little drier than I'm looking for. Still, I was pleased to find a good Riesling, and that made up for it.
We purchased our first goodies of the trip, and was about to head to dinner when we got sidetracked by an ice-cream van by the winery, offering novel wine-inspired flavors. A little dessert before dinner never hurt anyone, so I got half a scoop of vanilla with grapes, and E got some chocolate and sherry combination. Brown bags of booze in one hand and ice-cream in the other, we staggered towards the lake and plopped down on the grass.
Hubby enjoying his ice-cream next to a giant barrel, taking in Seneca Lake on Glenora's field
Dinner at Veraisons (owned by Glenora) was fabulous. For starters, we had a little wheel of baked brie en croute covered with fruit compote, made from fruits grown by local farmers. It was so darn good! There was a low-key wedding going on in the next room, and what a perfect evening it was for it. Patrons ranged from tourists in shorts and sneakers, to smartly dressed couples in jacket 'n tie and cocktail dresses.
We took our time with dinner and by the time we headed back, night had fallen.
Out in Penn Yan, away from city lights, the stars shimmered brightly in spite of a big moon. Burney came out to greet us when we arrived, and after commenting on how beautiful the night sky was, he brought out his stargazing kit from the garage. Mighty telescope! It was huge, and Burney had all sorts of nifty accessories for it. We all huddled around in our sweaters (it was chilly) and listened as Burney explained the constellations and stars of note. Summer Triangle, Jupiter and 4 moons, nebulas, Albireo, Hercules... We saved the moon for last, because it was so bright. E attempted to take a picture of it through the telescope - it turned out not too shabby. (Moon picture: Click here) Hubby, the little boy scout, asked a million questions. This was his first star party, and he was utterly fascinated. I think I know what his new hobby is going to be...Just before heading inside, we spotted a moon dog. Ice clouds? Moon dog? I had no idea what they were until then, and felt foolish for not knowing. This picture kinda looks like what we saw - little sliver of rainbow off to the corner. We thanked Burney for the very informative evening, and retreated to our room with our laptops. On to another day...
8.09.2006
Finger Lakes: Part 1 (Get your kicks on Route 66)
It's a wonder what a weekend away can do to refresh one's soul. Last weekend we stole away to upstate NY for our very first bed & breakfast experience and to see what the famous gorges were about. It's amazing how much I found through the web; our entire itinerary was planned with a lot of faith - faith in Google Maps, the Finger Lakes tourism sites, and visitor testimonials. In the end, it worked out quite nicely, I think.
After looking at about a dozen places, I narrowed our choice down to Los Gatos Bed & Breakfast. The owners, Burney and Susan, were incredibly hospitable, to the point of feeling like family. We arrived at 12.30am, and Burney helped us settle into our spacious 1st floor bedroom. It was decorated with antiques and the bed was covered by a quilt handmade by the local Mennonite women. Clean, cute, comfortable.
Our room; Hubby enjoying the free high-speed wireless internet
In the morning, we woke up to the wonderful smell of breakfast. It was a beautiful day; sunny 70s with a cool breeze. We sat outside and enjoyed French toast, sausages, homemade apple cider syrup, juice, coffee... The other 3 guests were from Massachusetts and Texas. (Apparently the inn, though young, has hosted guests from as far as California and Ireland. 'Celebs' like JPL's head scientist have graced the B&B as well... I told E to kiss the ground. :)) Being by the lake with the fresh country air was different; it was a welcome change from Pittsburgh, that's for sure.
The back of the house, where we had breakfast
We hung around the house a bit afterwards and played with Buttercup and Frisky, their two cats. (Cheating on Pepper!) Then following a fellow guest's suggestions, we hit Windmill, the local country crafts and produce market.
Lunch was at Esperanza Mansion, right by Keuka Lake. We had sandwiches - hearty cajun yellowfin tuna for me, turkey and brie with raisin glaze for hubby. Yummy, and gorgeous view!
Esperanza Mansion, and the view from our table
Keuka Lake
After looking at about a dozen places, I narrowed our choice down to Los Gatos Bed & Breakfast. The owners, Burney and Susan, were incredibly hospitable, to the point of feeling like family. We arrived at 12.30am, and Burney helped us settle into our spacious 1st floor bedroom. It was decorated with antiques and the bed was covered by a quilt handmade by the local Mennonite women. Clean, cute, comfortable.
Our room; Hubby enjoying the free high-speed wireless internet
In the morning, we woke up to the wonderful smell of breakfast. It was a beautiful day; sunny 70s with a cool breeze. We sat outside and enjoyed French toast, sausages, homemade apple cider syrup, juice, coffee... The other 3 guests were from Massachusetts and Texas. (Apparently the inn, though young, has hosted guests from as far as California and Ireland. 'Celebs' like JPL's head scientist have graced the B&B as well... I told E to kiss the ground. :)) Being by the lake with the fresh country air was different; it was a welcome change from Pittsburgh, that's for sure.
The back of the house, where we had breakfast
We hung around the house a bit afterwards and played with Buttercup and Frisky, their two cats. (Cheating on Pepper!) Then following a fellow guest's suggestions, we hit Windmill, the local country crafts and produce market.
Lunch was at Esperanza Mansion, right by Keuka Lake. We had sandwiches - hearty cajun yellowfin tuna for me, turkey and brie with raisin glaze for hubby. Yummy, and gorgeous view!
Esperanza Mansion, and the view from our table
Keuka Lake
Old
Birthdays are overrated. It's supposed to be just one day that passes like any other, fleeting and unnoticed, but happens to be the anniversary of your birth. Milestone birthdays are the worst, because all of a sudden you are obligated to reflect on the past x years of your life, despite the fact that it's no different than yesterday or tomorrow. You're forced to remember how old you actually are, to pause and think about it and let it sink in.
Still, cakes are a perk. People buy you drinks. And if you tell your cranky ole' neighbor that it's your birthday, she might actually be a little nicer to you. Maybe.
I had a low-key celebration with my two leading men, bro and hubby. We went out to a nice dinner (E managed to embarrass me with cake and a sparkler), and hung out at the bookstore; got a copy of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's short stories. E is still mysterious about his gift, but I know it's a gizmo I wouldn't have gotten myself (camera accessories? new cell phone?). He promises it's not more RAM for my laptop. :) I got e-mails and phone calls, including a serenade, which was really touching. Kind of embarrassing too, because I'm not the type to remember birthdays and I sure don't know when their birthdays are. I'm a sucky friend.
Anyway, here's to lower car insurance rates and graduating into the next age bracket.
Still, cakes are a perk. People buy you drinks. And if you tell your cranky ole' neighbor that it's your birthday, she might actually be a little nicer to you. Maybe.
I had a low-key celebration with my two leading men, bro and hubby. We went out to a nice dinner (E managed to embarrass me with cake and a sparkler), and hung out at the bookstore; got a copy of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's short stories. E is still mysterious about his gift, but I know it's a gizmo I wouldn't have gotten myself (camera accessories? new cell phone?). He promises it's not more RAM for my laptop. :) I got e-mails and phone calls, including a serenade, which was really touching. Kind of embarrassing too, because I'm not the type to remember birthdays and I sure don't know when their birthdays are. I'm a sucky friend.
Anyway, here's to lower car insurance rates and graduating into the next age bracket.
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