I saw an article with this video and felt compelled to share it. It's a simple idea, but really speaks to the power of books and the written word.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
Seafood Pasta
For those of you that like seafood (I personally LOVE it), here's a really easy recipe for a good seafood pasta. Scooter and I made it up for dinner last night, and I must say it turned out wonderful!
What you'll need:
2 small or 1 medium white onion
1 1/2 to 2 Tbs. olive oil
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1 to 2 lbs. seafood*
1 jar of vodka pasta sauce
1/4 tsp. brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. pasta, cooked (your choice of type)
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
What you'll need to do:
1. Chop the white onion into small pieces. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the onion. Cook the onion, occasionally stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook, still stirring, until the garlic first starts to turn a golden brown.
2. Add the seafood and continue occasionally stirring. Cook for about 5 minutes, longer if you have thick chunks of fish. Add the pasta sauce and bring to a boil.
3. Once the sauce mixture is slowly boiling, lower heat to medium-low and let simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Add the brown sugar, stirring it completely into the sauce. Taste for salt and pepper (you may not need either--Scooter and I didn't).
4. Remove pasta sauce from heat and serve immediately over warm cooked pasta. Sprinkle with the grated cheese if desired.
*Whatever tickles your fancy. Scooter and I used a bag of uncooked frozen calamari, clams, imitation crab meat, and shrimp that I found in the frozen food section. If you buy frozen seafood, thaw it overnight in your refrigerator. For food safety reasons, do not leave seafood on your counter top to thaw!
You can be the decider of whether you want to eat the sauce with penne, linguine, macaroni, or any other type of pasta. To make this even more the bee's knees (if I may borrow a term from decades ago), eat it with garlic bread--it's so good!
One last thing for today (and rather off-topic it is): I submitted my application for a grad award offered by the school where I'm taking my MLIS program. I give another sincere thanks to the instructors that provided me with letters of recommendation and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get the award. A special thanks to my boss who has also supported my decision to apply for the award!
What you'll need:
2 small or 1 medium white onion
1 1/2 to 2 Tbs. olive oil
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1 to 2 lbs. seafood*
1 jar of vodka pasta sauce
1/4 tsp. brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. pasta, cooked (your choice of type)
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
What you'll need to do:
1. Chop the white onion into small pieces. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the onion. Cook the onion, occasionally stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook, still stirring, until the garlic first starts to turn a golden brown.
2. Add the seafood and continue occasionally stirring. Cook for about 5 minutes, longer if you have thick chunks of fish. Add the pasta sauce and bring to a boil.
3. Once the sauce mixture is slowly boiling, lower heat to medium-low and let simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Add the brown sugar, stirring it completely into the sauce. Taste for salt and pepper (you may not need either--Scooter and I didn't).
4. Remove pasta sauce from heat and serve immediately over warm cooked pasta. Sprinkle with the grated cheese if desired.
*Whatever tickles your fancy. Scooter and I used a bag of uncooked frozen calamari, clams, imitation crab meat, and shrimp that I found in the frozen food section. If you buy frozen seafood, thaw it overnight in your refrigerator. For food safety reasons, do not leave seafood on your counter top to thaw!
You can be the decider of whether you want to eat the sauce with penne, linguine, macaroni, or any other type of pasta. To make this even more the bee's knees (if I may borrow a term from decades ago), eat it with garlic bread--it's so good!
One last thing for today (and rather off-topic it is): I submitted my application for a grad award offered by the school where I'm taking my MLIS program. I give another sincere thanks to the instructors that provided me with letters of recommendation and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get the award. A special thanks to my boss who has also supported my decision to apply for the award!
Friday, June 22, 2012
An Italian Repast
I know that it's been quite a while since I last posted a recipe, so I'm rectifying that with two more. These are both dishes that I've posted recipes for before, but the recipes below add a little extra something to the flavor of the dish. The original recipes were from a wonderful Italian cookbook, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan; of course they were changed a bit to get what you see below. So I bring to you, revamped and delicious, veal scaloppine with Marsala and cream, and risotto with asparagus. Let's start with the risotto.
What you'll need:
1 lb. fresh asparagus
Salt
3 c. meat or vegetable broth
3 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, chopped fine
2 c. Arborio rice (or other short-grain rice)
Black pepper, freshly ground
1/4-1/2 c. freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped fine*
What you'll need to do:
1. Clean the asparagus and cut off the bottom part of the stem where the moist, tender part of the stalk begins. Take a large skillet that is big enough to allow almost all of the asparagus to lie flat and add enough water to fill the pan about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. Add about a tablespoon of salt, cover and put over high heat until it boils.
2. Once the water is boiling, add the cleaned asparagus and recover the pan. Once the water returns to boiling, lower the heat to simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Asparagus should still be firm. Remove asparagus from the pan and reserve 3 cups of the water.
3. After the asparagus has cooled, cut off the spear tips and set aside. Cut the remaining parts of the stalks into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces.
4. Add the broth to the reserved asparagus water and bring to a simmer in a saucepan on a burner near where you'll be cooking the risotto.
5. In a deep pan or a broad pot, add 1 tablespoon of the butter, the olive oil, and the onion. Put over medium-high heat and saute until the onion becomes soft and partly translucent. Add the cut-up asparagus (minus the spear-tips) and cook for a minute until the asparagus is well-coated.
6. Add the rice and stir thoroughly to prevent sticking. The rice grains should be well-coated and slightly golden.
7. Begin adding the broth-water mixture a ladle or two at a time to the rice. Let the moisture absorb almost completely before adding more. Continue adding broth and letting it absorb until rice is tender, but still firm to the bite. Rice should have enough moisture remaining to be slightly runny.
8. Remove the rice from the heat and add the asparagus tips, ground pepper to taste, and remaining butter. Mix well, then add the grated cheese. Stir everything together until completely mixed and the cheese has melted. Add salt to taste if desired. Mixed in the parsley and serve.
This recipe is hearty enough that you can have it alone. However, it also makes an excellent side-dish for any meat recipe--like this one.
What you'll need:
1 Tbs. olive oil
2-3 Tbs. butter
1 lb. veal scaloppine or thinly sliced veal cutlets (both will work equally well)
Flour
Salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 c. dry Marsala wine
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
What you'll need to do:
1. Put the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter into a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the butter foam begins to go away, put the flour in a dish and dredge the veal. Shake off any excess flour and put the meat into the pan.
2. Brown them quickly on each side; because the pieces are so thin, you should not need to cook them more than a minute on each side. You may have to cook the veal in several batches; if this is the case, dredge the pieces of veal in flour only when you're ready to add them to the pan.
3. After each piece has been browned, remove them with a slotted spatula or cooking tongs to a warm plate.
4. Once the veal has all been cooked, turn the heat on to high and add any juices the veal may have shed on the plate. Add the Marsala and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. After the wine has cooked down, add the cream and stir until it has been assimilated into the sauce.
5. Reduce the pan heat to medium, add the browned scaloppine, and turn all the pieces to coat them with the sauce. Remove all the pieces to a platter, pour any remaining sauce over the veal, and serve immediately.
The only thing about this recipe is that you don't get a lot of sauce out of it. If you prefer more rather than less, I would recommend doubling the Marsala wine and whipping cream amounts.
These were the two recipes Brother Dear and I made the last night I was visiting him. Apparently, NY requires that any kind of alcohol--beer, wine, hard liquor, etc.--be sold in stores that are specifically dedicated to that kind of merchandise only. In other words, you can't go to your local supermarket and pick up a bottle of wine for dinner. So it was even odds that the Marsala wine (which is used really only for cooking but I've seen it in liquor sections in stores around here) would be with the other cooking wines at Wegmans. Luckily, it was there and we didn't have to go hunting elsewhere for it.
*Can substitute with 1 tsp. dried parsley, but fresh is best
What you'll need:
1 lb. fresh asparagus
Salt
3 c. meat or vegetable broth
3 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, chopped fine
2 c. Arborio rice (or other short-grain rice)
Black pepper, freshly ground
1/4-1/2 c. freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped fine*
What you'll need to do:
1. Clean the asparagus and cut off the bottom part of the stem where the moist, tender part of the stalk begins. Take a large skillet that is big enough to allow almost all of the asparagus to lie flat and add enough water to fill the pan about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. Add about a tablespoon of salt, cover and put over high heat until it boils.
2. Once the water is boiling, add the cleaned asparagus and recover the pan. Once the water returns to boiling, lower the heat to simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Asparagus should still be firm. Remove asparagus from the pan and reserve 3 cups of the water.
3. After the asparagus has cooled, cut off the spear tips and set aside. Cut the remaining parts of the stalks into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces.
4. Add the broth to the reserved asparagus water and bring to a simmer in a saucepan on a burner near where you'll be cooking the risotto.
5. In a deep pan or a broad pot, add 1 tablespoon of the butter, the olive oil, and the onion. Put over medium-high heat and saute until the onion becomes soft and partly translucent. Add the cut-up asparagus (minus the spear-tips) and cook for a minute until the asparagus is well-coated.
6. Add the rice and stir thoroughly to prevent sticking. The rice grains should be well-coated and slightly golden.
7. Begin adding the broth-water mixture a ladle or two at a time to the rice. Let the moisture absorb almost completely before adding more. Continue adding broth and letting it absorb until rice is tender, but still firm to the bite. Rice should have enough moisture remaining to be slightly runny.
8. Remove the rice from the heat and add the asparagus tips, ground pepper to taste, and remaining butter. Mix well, then add the grated cheese. Stir everything together until completely mixed and the cheese has melted. Add salt to taste if desired. Mixed in the parsley and serve.
This recipe is hearty enough that you can have it alone. However, it also makes an excellent side-dish for any meat recipe--like this one.
What you'll need:
1 Tbs. olive oil
2-3 Tbs. butter
1 lb. veal scaloppine or thinly sliced veal cutlets (both will work equally well)
Flour
Salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 c. dry Marsala wine
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
What you'll need to do:
1. Put the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter into a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the butter foam begins to go away, put the flour in a dish and dredge the veal. Shake off any excess flour and put the meat into the pan.
2. Brown them quickly on each side; because the pieces are so thin, you should not need to cook them more than a minute on each side. You may have to cook the veal in several batches; if this is the case, dredge the pieces of veal in flour only when you're ready to add them to the pan.
3. After each piece has been browned, remove them with a slotted spatula or cooking tongs to a warm plate.
4. Once the veal has all been cooked, turn the heat on to high and add any juices the veal may have shed on the plate. Add the Marsala and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. After the wine has cooked down, add the cream and stir until it has been assimilated into the sauce.
5. Reduce the pan heat to medium, add the browned scaloppine, and turn all the pieces to coat them with the sauce. Remove all the pieces to a platter, pour any remaining sauce over the veal, and serve immediately.
The only thing about this recipe is that you don't get a lot of sauce out of it. If you prefer more rather than less, I would recommend doubling the Marsala wine and whipping cream amounts.
These were the two recipes Brother Dear and I made the last night I was visiting him. Apparently, NY requires that any kind of alcohol--beer, wine, hard liquor, etc.--be sold in stores that are specifically dedicated to that kind of merchandise only. In other words, you can't go to your local supermarket and pick up a bottle of wine for dinner. So it was even odds that the Marsala wine (which is used really only for cooking but I've seen it in liquor sections in stores around here) would be with the other cooking wines at Wegmans. Luckily, it was there and we didn't have to go hunting elsewhere for it.
*Can substitute with 1 tsp. dried parsley, but fresh is best
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Illegal Immigrant vs. Naturalized Citizen
Forgive the perhaps disjointed writing here. This is a complex issue (with roots that go much deeper than the level of discussion here), and one perhaps I'll explore more in future posts. For now, please bear with my jumbled thoughts.
As librarians, I'm sure most of us recognize that our libraries are nothing without the communities they serve. Our goals, our purpose, our reasons for being guides to the vast information resources (and other things) that our public requires and requests would be for naught without the individuals that make up our communities. And these communities come in all shapes and sizes, rural and urban, predominantly one ethnicity and greatly multicultural, rich and poor, haves and have-nots. Immigrants from a large number of countries are found in many of these communities, and many libraries don't make any bones about their immigration status; they are given the same access to resources as the rest of the community. So it is in this spirit of brotherhood (for lack of a better term) that I was happy to hear about President Obama's declaration on the hold of young illegal immigrant deportation.
The issue started to make me think about what an illegal immigrant is. If you really examine this "class" of person (as it seems they have become), there are not a whole lot of differences between them and naturalized citizens other than a piece of paper declaring them American. Both illegal immigrants and naturalized citizens come to this country hoping for a better future for themselves and their families. In some ways, I think that some illegal immigrants may want this ideal future (the American Dream) more than those that become naturalized citizens. Many illegal immigrants work jobs that "regular" citizens would never consider, even in a state of unemployment, but these people do it because they don't see another choice--and maybe even such work is better than they would have had in their native countries. (This puts me in mind of an article I read awhile back looking at agriculture in Alabama and the response farmers had to the ban on illegal immigrants passed in that state last year.)
I find it sad that only the government's declaration of "legal" or "illegal" can create such a social gulf between "us" and "them" and essentially put them in a social caste that is considered the lowest of the low. It seems that "illegal immigrant" is synonymous with "having no basic human rights." These are people, even though many of us would dismiss them. They deserve consideration at the very least, especially when our eyes would glaze over and and our gaze purposely slide over them. How did this group of people become so stigmatized? When did that seemingly unanimous unspoken decision happen? I'm trying to put myself in their position and find I can't even come close to imagining what it would be like to be told "you're not wanted; you don't belong here" my whole life.
And before you stand up and say "No, agreeing with Obama's executive decree is wrong!" please remember that President Obama is providing young illegal immigrants--those who were brought here by their parents--this option his declaration describes, as long as they have conducted themselves as law-abiding citizens. Personally, I would rather have these people here contributing to our society in valuable ways than many of the naturally-born miscreants that participate in violent crime. How does it make sense to keep the latter (and spend public money on those that find their way into the penal system) and throw out the former? I would ask everyone to remember that our country was literally built on the backs of immigrants, illegal and legal alike--from the Africans forced to work the fields in the South, to the Chinese and Irish given back-breaking work building the railroads. Heck, even the Pilgrims immigrated here. We are a nation of many people with many backgrounds and cultures. We are virtually just as likely to see celebrations for Cinco de Mayo or Chinese New Year as we are Independence Day (and I don't hear people decrying their un-Americanness).
So, in closing, I guess my feelings about this issue can be summed up in two words: have compassion. Many of the "illegal immigrants" here are just trying to make the most out of this Land of Opportunity, as are we all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author Note: This was first written last week in the initial wake of President Obama's declaration. I've added more of my personal reflections since.
As librarians, I'm sure most of us recognize that our libraries are nothing without the communities they serve. Our goals, our purpose, our reasons for being guides to the vast information resources (and other things) that our public requires and requests would be for naught without the individuals that make up our communities. And these communities come in all shapes and sizes, rural and urban, predominantly one ethnicity and greatly multicultural, rich and poor, haves and have-nots. Immigrants from a large number of countries are found in many of these communities, and many libraries don't make any bones about their immigration status; they are given the same access to resources as the rest of the community. So it is in this spirit of brotherhood (for lack of a better term) that I was happy to hear about President Obama's declaration on the hold of young illegal immigrant deportation.
The issue started to make me think about what an illegal immigrant is. If you really examine this "class" of person (as it seems they have become), there are not a whole lot of differences between them and naturalized citizens other than a piece of paper declaring them American. Both illegal immigrants and naturalized citizens come to this country hoping for a better future for themselves and their families. In some ways, I think that some illegal immigrants may want this ideal future (the American Dream) more than those that become naturalized citizens. Many illegal immigrants work jobs that "regular" citizens would never consider, even in a state of unemployment, but these people do it because they don't see another choice--and maybe even such work is better than they would have had in their native countries. (This puts me in mind of an article I read awhile back looking at agriculture in Alabama and the response farmers had to the ban on illegal immigrants passed in that state last year.)
I find it sad that only the government's declaration of "legal" or "illegal" can create such a social gulf between "us" and "them" and essentially put them in a social caste that is considered the lowest of the low. It seems that "illegal immigrant" is synonymous with "having no basic human rights." These are people, even though many of us would dismiss them. They deserve consideration at the very least, especially when our eyes would glaze over and and our gaze purposely slide over them. How did this group of people become so stigmatized? When did that seemingly unanimous unspoken decision happen? I'm trying to put myself in their position and find I can't even come close to imagining what it would be like to be told "you're not wanted; you don't belong here" my whole life.
And before you stand up and say "No, agreeing with Obama's executive decree is wrong!" please remember that President Obama is providing young illegal immigrants--those who were brought here by their parents--this option his declaration describes, as long as they have conducted themselves as law-abiding citizens. Personally, I would rather have these people here contributing to our society in valuable ways than many of the naturally-born miscreants that participate in violent crime. How does it make sense to keep the latter (and spend public money on those that find their way into the penal system) and throw out the former? I would ask everyone to remember that our country was literally built on the backs of immigrants, illegal and legal alike--from the Africans forced to work the fields in the South, to the Chinese and Irish given back-breaking work building the railroads. Heck, even the Pilgrims immigrated here. We are a nation of many people with many backgrounds and cultures. We are virtually just as likely to see celebrations for Cinco de Mayo or Chinese New Year as we are Independence Day (and I don't hear people decrying their un-Americanness).
So, in closing, I guess my feelings about this issue can be summed up in two words: have compassion. Many of the "illegal immigrants" here are just trying to make the most out of this Land of Opportunity, as are we all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author Note: This was first written last week in the initial wake of President Obama's declaration. I've added more of my personal reflections since.
Friday, June 8, 2012
The End
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| A piece of real meteorite at the pillar for the Asteroid Belt |
We started off okay, and got all the way to Uranus. Then things started going awry. The pillars have arrows pointing to the next pillar traveling inward and outward. However, the arrows are rather vague and point in a general direction. So after Uranus, we took a wrong turn and walked...and walked...and walked without seeing the next pillar. In short, we lost the path. Not good on a hot day when we didn't think to bring water. And my phone proved that it is living up to the name Worthless Piece of Crap because the map app I have refused to work (despite having a full signal and full web access). We finally backtracked and found the Sciencenter. Sadly, it wasn't like what I thought it was. I was expecting a Lawrence Hall of Science-type museum; it was more like Dora the Explorer meets Mr. Wizard--definitely for a much younger audience. So we walked back to the car, but it was much easier to get back.
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| The Ithaca Wegmans store |
Now, I'm just relaxing after such a fine meal and listening to NPR. I've had so much fun on this trip, but I will be glad to get home to Scooter, my family, and my kitties. This will be my last post from my trip. Ithaca has certainly gained a place in my heart, and I hope not to have to wait too long before returning. If you have been following this one of my adventures, I hope you've had as much fun reading as I have had writing about it. Regular blog topics will resume next week.
Wining and Dining
Once again, I was too tired to post anything last night about yesterday's adventure. I think all the wine yesterday put me to sleep. And no Mom, I was not driving drunk, or even buzzed--I would never put Brother Dear or myself in that kind of danger (that was my disclaimer).
Yesterday was Chinese Buffet for lunch. It was very good, I have to say, and there was quite a selection. It's good to know that there is tasty Chinese to be had here. BD says that other than Swedish and Mexican, you can get any other kind of food here and it will be good. The only Swedish to be had is Glogg wine (already spiced), the cracker bread that comes in large rounds (I don't know how to spell the Swedish term), cheese, and only a couple of canned and jarred fish things that I would classify as "fake Swedish." Poor BD; I know he likes the Swedish stuff. I told him I would send him a care package. If I were to actually move here, I would have to ask my parents to do the same for me.
After lunch, we headed out of town for wine tasting on what is known as the Cayuga Wine Trail. There are quite a few wineries along the Cayuga Lake, one of the finger lakes in this area (BD says there are about 5 finger lakes all together). BD and one of the people at a winery we went to said that the specialty of the area are white wines and sweet wines, and BD says they are well-known for both. Unfortunately, everything is about Napa Valley when it comes to wines back home, so I haven't had the pleasure of sampling wines from this region yet. Well, prior to yesterday anyway.
It was quite a different experience from Napa. In Napa, there are fields upon fields of vinyards as far as the eye can see and there is no question that you're in wine country. To make it even more apparent, the wineries have sometimes very lavish entrances with granite stones, fountains, flowers, and really big signs proclaiming that they are there. They're also all on the main highways. Here, you sometimes forget you're actually in wine country. There are some fields of vinyards you can see from the road, but they are interrupted by large swaths of forested areas, and they are smaller in size than their Napa counterparts. A lot of the vinyards are away from the roads and you don't even see them. Also, some of the vinyards aren't even visible from the main road and the only thing to guide you is a small sign that can be easy to miss if you're not watching for it. It's like you have to be in the super-secret cool kids' club to know where all the good spots are, or at least know a local.
The first winery we went to was the Americana Winery. It is one of those not visible from the road, and we almost missed it. When we turned off the main road, we actually passed some private homes before getting to it (how cool to live next to a winery!). It was very cute and charming, and there were a couple of dogs (possibly chocolate labs) running around. Inside, we were greeted by a very warm lady who assisted us with some wine tasting. (By the way, every place we went to only charged $2-$3 for anywhere from 5-8 wines. Not bad at all!) I got to taste some wonderful wines of the region and ended up leaving with 2 bottles.
The other three wineries we stopped at seemed to follow suit. We tasted some excellent table wines, and there were a couple that were so sweet and had so much residual sugar that you couldn't taste the alcohol at all. I told BD that he may have to go back to some of them and get a bottle of those and ship it to me. I had to keep remembering that I have to take everything I buy back home--otherwise I would have gotten quite a few more bottles. The third winery we stopped at, Buttonwood Grove, was set back from the road towards the edge of a large field. There was a pond with an arbor across the field from the tasting room, and an enclosure on the other side of the drive with two goats and a Scottish highland cow (I think that's her species) named Melody. You can buy food in the tasting room to feed them, which we did. It was a beautiful spot with lots of birds chirping and fluttering around. It also had a beautiful view of the lake, and would be a perfect place for a picnic lunch.
We finally got back to Ithaca when the afternoon was almost over. We spent some time relaxing at the apartment before going to a place called Antlers for dinner. Thursday is Lobster Night, where they have a good deal on Maine lobster--a whole lobster for $16. It was soooooo good. Lobster is actually not that unhealthy, it's the butter that goes with it that adds about a million calories and tons of fat. Oh well, it was really good. I finished the meal with some creme brulee. When we left, we could hear crickets and frogs in the trees surrounding the restaurant parking lot. I was ready to call it a night.
Today, my last day here, will be fairly low-key. We'll be hopefully going to the Science Center and cooking dinner at home. I leave bright and early tomorrow.
Yesterday was Chinese Buffet for lunch. It was very good, I have to say, and there was quite a selection. It's good to know that there is tasty Chinese to be had here. BD says that other than Swedish and Mexican, you can get any other kind of food here and it will be good. The only Swedish to be had is Glogg wine (already spiced), the cracker bread that comes in large rounds (I don't know how to spell the Swedish term), cheese, and only a couple of canned and jarred fish things that I would classify as "fake Swedish." Poor BD; I know he likes the Swedish stuff. I told him I would send him a care package. If I were to actually move here, I would have to ask my parents to do the same for me.
 |
| The tasting room at Americana Winery |
It was quite a different experience from Napa. In Napa, there are fields upon fields of vinyards as far as the eye can see and there is no question that you're in wine country. To make it even more apparent, the wineries have sometimes very lavish entrances with granite stones, fountains, flowers, and really big signs proclaiming that they are there. They're also all on the main highways. Here, you sometimes forget you're actually in wine country. There are some fields of vinyards you can see from the road, but they are interrupted by large swaths of forested areas, and they are smaller in size than their Napa counterparts. A lot of the vinyards are away from the roads and you don't even see them. Also, some of the vinyards aren't even visible from the main road and the only thing to guide you is a small sign that can be easy to miss if you're not watching for it. It's like you have to be in the super-secret cool kids' club to know where all the good spots are, or at least know a local.
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| Buttonwood Grove Winery |
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| The goat that came to eat the treats we had at Buttonwood Grove. |
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| Melody, the Scottish highland cow |
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| The front of the Antlers restaurant |
Today, my last day here, will be fairly low-key. We'll be hopefully going to the Science Center and cooking dinner at home. I leave bright and early tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
So...high...up...
Finally we drove out to Buttermilk Falls. The falls are part of a local state park (how cool is that to have a state park practically outside your back door) that also has a campground area. The falls themselves are not a single waterfall, but a long series of falls along a creek just south of Ithaca. To see them all, you have to hike up and along one side of the gorge the creek runs through. There are many, many, many stairs to climb and I had to catch my breath many times. Despite the walking I've done so far this week, I'm far from being fit. So this climb up Buttermilk Falls was a real test of my willpower to stay upright as I huffed and puffed my way up the gorge.
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| The base of the falls |
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| The falls cut through the rock lining the gorge. |
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| The falls cascade down the incline and are broken by pools of water. |
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| We're getting near the top of the falls here. |
Dinner was at Uncle Joe's, a bar that also serves some food. It's the only place I've been to where I was able to get a truly rare burger. They buy high-quality beef so they can make burgers with lots of red in the middle--and it was delicious and juicy and flavorful. I like my meat to moo, even better if it tries to jump off the plate. Uncle Joe's officially has the best burgers.
So just a list of wildlife I've been able to positively identify so far on my trip:
Deer
Eastern Cottontail
Chipmunk
Common Grackle
Blue Jay (a bird only in the Eastern US; Western US species jay that is similar is the Scrub Jay)
Centipede
Millipede
Slate-colored Junco
Cedar Waxwing
Mourning Dove
I wish I knew birdcalls better than I do. I hear so many of them when I'm out and can never figure out what bird is making them.
Tomorrow BD and I are going wine tasting and possibly star-gazing. The sky at night out where there are no lights is supposedly amazing.
Braving the Falls
We got an early start so we could get there at a reasonable time. From Ithaca, the drive is about three and a half hours. I was enchanted by the scenery and wished I wasn't driving so I could enjoy it more. The countryside in upstate New York is absolutely beautiful. So many green fields and open skies. Even the houses were pretty. I could tell we were driving through Amish country, especially when we saw a horse and buggy with a gentleman and his daughter in the front seat. But we were past them too quickly for me to see more than a glance.
One of the things that I don't know if I could get used to would be the toll roads. To be allowed to drive on one of the highways we had to take, we needed to pay a toll. We got a little card that showed where we got on the freeway and we paid where we got off. It ended up being about $9 for the round trip. Oh, and the bridge was an additional dollar in each direction--which is still cheaper than bridge toll at home.
We finally got to Niagra Falls shortly before 11:30. We could see the rushing rapids leading to the sharp drop-off as we drove to find parking. My brother and I ate the lunch we brought--a sandwich we got at Wegmans yesterday for the trip--at the top of the falls where we could see the water flowing over the edge. The water was loud!
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| Public access area at the bottom of the eastern (?) side of the falls. |
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| Niagara Falls observation tower |
Have you ever seen something so beautiful that you almost want to cry? Niagara Falls was like that for me. Every view of the falls just filled me with this sense of wonder and awe. To be able to live in a world where such a place exists, it's almost easy to believe that the world is inherently good. It was almost a religious experience.
And then we got on the Maid of the Mist and it got even better. As we approached the falls, the thunderous sound of the cascading water drowned out the boat's PA system that was trying to tell us about the falls. I wouldn't have been able to pay attention anyway because the falls had so completely arrested my attention. I must have taken dozens of of pictures of the falls; I'm only showing a small fraction of them here. The cliffs and the rocks between the two sides of the falls were covered with birds; there were literally thousands of them there and flying around in the air. I think they were nesting there.
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| The sun came out as we were exploring the public area at the bottom of the falls. |
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| The Canada side skyline |
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| Niagara Falls view from Canada |
Today will be breakfast out and hiking south of Ithaca to buttermilk falls.
Monday, June 4, 2012
A (Somewhat) Quiet Day
Today has been a somewhat quiet day. We got a bit of a late start and so skipped breakfast in order to be able to do justice to our planned lunch, which was fine with me. We finally headed out around 11:30.
My brother is definitely one smart cookie. He knew that I wanted to walk through the Cornell campus to see the university, so he planned for us to walk through the campus to get to our lunch spot. It was a perfect way to achieve both objectives, and the walk (about 4 miles) definitely did me some good. Plus, I think the best way to see anything is to take your time about it; rushing through a place won't let you appreciate all that it has to offer. So as the clock tower in the middle of campus struck the time, we were strolling through the Arts Quad heading towards the clock tower itself. On either side of the quad stand two statues, one of Ezra Cornell and one of Andrew Dickson White, both founders of the university. Legend has it that if a virgin crosses the Quad at midnight as the clock tower chimes the hour, these statues will come alive, walk to the center of the quad, and shake hands "on the chastity of the university." Of course, there are no accounts of this happening but it is a fun tale to tell.
After we passed through the Quad, we came to the two main university libraries, Olin Library and Uris library. I couldn't help taking this picture of Uris Library. The brickwork on the building and the style struck me as art in itself. Many of the buildings--most of which I suspect were built not long after the university was founded--are made of brick with colors and styles to really make the buildings beautiful. We would never be able to have such things on the West Coast because the unsettled earth (earthquakes) would cause such buildings to crumble and collapse. There are much more modern buildings--including the Physical Sciences building that was just completed last year--but I find the quiet dignity of the old ivied buildings to be so much more suited to the university. It's almost like they're made of knowledge, not bricks.
I poked my head into each of the libraries to see what they were like. It's been awhile since I've been in a large university library. I noticed some things that I probably would not have thought about if I wasn't in a Master's program, like how the space is organized, electronic versus print resources, and pathfinder materials. On our way out of Olin library, my brother took me up a set of stairs that led up one side of the building near the front door. At the top is a wide tiled walkway. He asked me to kick one of the rocks we saw scattered around on the tiles. I was a little confused at his request, but did anyway. As the stone hit the tiles, the tiles rang almost like music! You can see and hear what it was like in the video.
Finally we made it to lunch, a Japanese restaurant where we got a boatload of sushi--literally. We had spicy tuna rolls, two other rolls I couldn't exactly identify but were very yummy, nagiri, and sashimi. By the time we finished, I was stuffed. My brother was getting through his faster than I can keep up. But it was sooooo good. Other than Scooter, I don't have anyone else I can go have sushi with. My family and friends back home are not the biggest fans. So yay for sushi!
Then we made our way back home on foot to grab the car and go to Wegmans. Boy is that store impressive. It puts every Lucky's and Safeway I've been to to shame. It seems like it gets just as much traffic as many of the Costco stores back home. Their produce section is larger than some grocery stores, and the meat and cheese section is just as big. So much of the food is locally grown or made, including Wegmans' own fresh-squeezed orange juice. I ended up getting a few spontaneous buys, including a gourmet soda, some special cheeses, fruit for the Niagra Falls day trip, and porsciutto. I would get very spoiled by all the good things I could buy if I lived here.
Remember when I said that Ithaca is earth and water? Well I saw that even more clearly today. Until now, even when it did rain I didn't really need an umbrella much. Mostly it's been a light mist, with maybe an actual light rain off and on. Up until Wegmans, we had barely gotten mist, although I did see a more substantial rain while we were pigging out on sushi. When we came out of Wegman's, it was raining cats and dogs, the kind of rain we only see during a good winter storm back home. And the bad thing was, we didn't bring the umbrella and the car was not parked close. My brother and I grabbed our shopping bags and left the shopping cart "because it would slow us down" as my brother explained. We sprinted to the car, quickly shoved the groceries into the trunk, and used our ninja speed to get in the car and out of the sudden downpour as quickly as possible. The heavy rain stayed with us most of the ride back to the apartment. We were a bit soggy around the edges when we finally made it back inside.
The rest of the afternoon was mellow, and I'm glad for the slower day. Tomorrow is Niagra Falls and I can't wait to get some pictures of it. But for now it's away to bed so I can get up in the morning.
I poked my head into each of the libraries to see what they were like. It's been awhile since I've been in a large university library. I noticed some things that I probably would not have thought about if I wasn't in a Master's program, like how the space is organized, electronic versus print resources, and pathfinder materials. On our way out of Olin library, my brother took me up a set of stairs that led up one side of the building near the front door. At the top is a wide tiled walkway. He asked me to kick one of the rocks we saw scattered around on the tiles. I was a little confused at his request, but did anyway. As the stone hit the tiles, the tiles rang almost like music! You can see and hear what it was like in the video.
Then we made our way back home on foot to grab the car and go to Wegmans. Boy is that store impressive. It puts every Lucky's and Safeway I've been to to shame. It seems like it gets just as much traffic as many of the Costco stores back home. Their produce section is larger than some grocery stores, and the meat and cheese section is just as big. So much of the food is locally grown or made, including Wegmans' own fresh-squeezed orange juice. I ended up getting a few spontaneous buys, including a gourmet soda, some special cheeses, fruit for the Niagra Falls day trip, and porsciutto. I would get very spoiled by all the good things I could buy if I lived here.
Remember when I said that Ithaca is earth and water? Well I saw that even more clearly today. Until now, even when it did rain I didn't really need an umbrella much. Mostly it's been a light mist, with maybe an actual light rain off and on. Up until Wegmans, we had barely gotten mist, although I did see a more substantial rain while we were pigging out on sushi. When we came out of Wegman's, it was raining cats and dogs, the kind of rain we only see during a good winter storm back home. And the bad thing was, we didn't bring the umbrella and the car was not parked close. My brother and I grabbed our shopping bags and left the shopping cart "because it would slow us down" as my brother explained. We sprinted to the car, quickly shoved the groceries into the trunk, and used our ninja speed to get in the car and out of the sudden downpour as quickly as possible. The heavy rain stayed with us most of the ride back to the apartment. We were a bit soggy around the edges when we finally made it back inside.
The rest of the afternoon was mellow, and I'm glad for the slower day. Tomorrow is Niagra Falls and I can't wait to get some pictures of it. But for now it's away to bed so I can get up in the morning.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Ithaca Close-up
There were a few things that I didn't get to mention in my last post about what I've seen and experienced in Ithaca prior to today. Here they are:
1) Rumor has it that the cooks at the pizza place we went to the first night like to do some recreational smoking; that's why they are so laid back with filling orders. My brother said that you can often place an order and get it an hour later--so not a good place to go when you are chomping at the bit for food.
2) The people dancing the reel dance at the festival ranged in age from barely teenage to 60s. It was so wonderful to see such a wide range of ages enjoying and carrying on old-fashioned dances.
3) The restaurant we went to last night brews their own beer--including a raspberry jalapeño one that supposedly (according to others) has a very interesting flavor. My dad would love that place.
I think that's all I wanted to mention. Now on to today.
Breakfast was at the Ithaca Bakery, a place that seems to specialize not only in the usual baked goods one would find (breads, pastries, and so on) but on anything that one could even imagine having for breakfast. Breakfast sandwiches; jams; cheeses; every mocha-, frappa-, or coffee-type beverage you could want; and a hot food bar with special yummy breakfast foods that you can get like quiche, breakfast burritos or strudels, sausage, and apple crisp (it counts as a breakfast food in my world). The available menu stretches down the entire wall behind the counter, which itself stretches along the entire solid wall space. This is a place that is serious about breakfast, and the locals know it--and love it.
After breakfast, we went to the Farmer's Market. I had my Ithaca Bakery coffee cup in hand, which according to my brother is a very Ithaca thing to do. Showing support for local business by having something with their logo is "in."The Ithaca Farmer's Market is so well-established and has been around for so long that it's under cover in a wooden pavilion complete with booths that are also made of wood with solid counters. The local vendors have their own booths where they sell their wares weekend after weekend. Flowers, fresh organic vegetables, some crafts and artwork, and ready-to-eat foods can be purchased. There were a bunch of people there, but my brother told me that it was usually much more crowded. However, the regular FM was competing with the last day of the Summer Festival, so many people who would normally be at the FM were likely frequenting the festival before it ended.
It was at the Farmer's Market where I found the first thing I've seen this trip that I felt I had to have. You can see it here: an ocarina. And not just any ocarina, a Zelda ocarina. Those of you who know video games would know where that comes from. For those of you who do not, look up The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It's one of the best games in the Zelda series, and one I have replayed many times. So I could not pass up the chance to own this little bit of Zelda paraphernalia (and the songbook that shows me how to play the different song in the game!). It's my first little souvenir to remember this awesome trip by, aside from the pictures and these blog posts.
So after a quick stop at the apartment to drop off the few items we purchased and the car, we took to Ithaca on foot. And I got to see firsthand the true and alluring beauty of this place. Not two minutes after we started walking, I saw a small group of waxwings (a type of bird). Back home, this was a bird I saw one or two times a year as it passed through the area during its migration north or south. Here, it seems to be a year-round native. An auspicious beginning to what proved to be an awesome (in the traditional sense) view of this place.
If elements were ascribed to Ithaca, it would be represented by earth and water. So much green and wet all over. Ithaca has many gorges with water running through them, making this a place with a wealth of waterfalls. Big, small, hidden, obvious, they are many. My brother took me hiking down the trail leading to the bottom of one of the gorges where I got to see the nameless creek that rushes through the bottom over large slabs of rock (slate?) that can be seen scattered in and around the water. Some of the trees along the trail sported evidence of the wildlife in the area. Several had woodpecker holes and a couple even looked like they had been scratched and marked by a large animal (are there bears around here?). Later, we went and walked to Ithaca Falls, an impressive and beautiful waterfall on the same creek we had already explored.
While we were exploring the creek, we came across a table that has been made by stacking some of the large slabs of rock we saw in the area. The large top slab had a sizable chunk that had cracked and was lying askew on one side. I jokingly dubbed it Aslan's Table. Located in an isolated clearing as it was, it wasn't hard for me to imagine that it could have some mystic or sacred properties. But it was probably just a gathering area that someone had constructed that had succumbed to what weather and time does to everything. It was a fun thing to discover.
Dinner was at a nice steak place and I splurged and had wine with my meal. Now we're back at the apartment where my brother and his roommate are making cheesecake and I'm enjoying the jovial conversation. Tomorrow is Wegman's (we didn't get a chance to go today), the sushi place, walking around the campus, and BBQ for dinner (with cheesecake!).
1) Rumor has it that the cooks at the pizza place we went to the first night like to do some recreational smoking; that's why they are so laid back with filling orders. My brother said that you can often place an order and get it an hour later--so not a good place to go when you are chomping at the bit for food.
2) The people dancing the reel dance at the festival ranged in age from barely teenage to 60s. It was so wonderful to see such a wide range of ages enjoying and carrying on old-fashioned dances.
3) The restaurant we went to last night brews their own beer--including a raspberry jalapeño one that supposedly (according to others) has a very interesting flavor. My dad would love that place.
I think that's all I wanted to mention. Now on to today.
Breakfast was at the Ithaca Bakery, a place that seems to specialize not only in the usual baked goods one would find (breads, pastries, and so on) but on anything that one could even imagine having for breakfast. Breakfast sandwiches; jams; cheeses; every mocha-, frappa-, or coffee-type beverage you could want; and a hot food bar with special yummy breakfast foods that you can get like quiche, breakfast burritos or strudels, sausage, and apple crisp (it counts as a breakfast food in my world). The available menu stretches down the entire wall behind the counter, which itself stretches along the entire solid wall space. This is a place that is serious about breakfast, and the locals know it--and love it.
So after a quick stop at the apartment to drop off the few items we purchased and the car, we took to Ithaca on foot. And I got to see firsthand the true and alluring beauty of this place. Not two minutes after we started walking, I saw a small group of waxwings (a type of bird). Back home, this was a bird I saw one or two times a year as it passed through the area during its migration north or south. Here, it seems to be a year-round native. An auspicious beginning to what proved to be an awesome (in the traditional sense) view of this place.
Dinner was at a nice steak place and I splurged and had wine with my meal. Now we're back at the apartment where my brother and his roommate are making cheesecake and I'm enjoying the jovial conversation. Tomorrow is Wegman's (we didn't get a chance to go today), the sushi place, walking around the campus, and BBQ for dinner (with cheesecake!).
Saturday, June 2, 2012
On the road again
We are deviating from your normal Cooking Librarian content for about a week. I'm currently on a trip visiting my brother and wanted to document it, and figured this was the best way. I will be making daily posts with my travel experiences, so if you wish to skip all that then check back after June 9th. Otherwise, if you're interested, read on. I do have my brother's permission to mention where he lives.
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I had a rather tedious and frustrating time getting to Ithaca. Things started out just peachy. My red-eye flight to my first layover was on time. However, I was very nervous flying out for some reason. I'm a well-traveled person and have traveled by plane many a time, but the last time was almost 4 years ago--perhaps part of the reason for my nervousness. I actually started to feel claustrophobic as I got on the plane and filed down to my seat. Not good. It was better after I got in the air. I think I may watch too much news.
My first layover was short, barely long enough for me to grab breakfast and run to the restroom so I could avoid using the one on the plane. Breakfast was a nod to a trip I took with my best friend K in 2008. We stopped at a Dunkin Doughnuts at the same airport as my first layover and got Bavarian cream donuts--my first time having them. They were just as good this time as I remember them. Everything continued to go swimmingly until my second layover. There I hit a bit of a snafu. My third and last flight was canceled due to maintenance issues on the plane that were not fixed quickly. So I had to rebook for another flight. Lo and behold, the next flight was already booked and the best I could get was a seat request. Great. Long story short, I barely managed to make it on the flight and only did because someone did not show up. They paged him several times, and he never came so lucky me I got his seat.
So I get to Ithaca and find out that my luggage didn't make it with me--which I kind of figured would happen since I was let on the plane only as they were shutting the door behind me. Not a lot of notice for the baggage crew. I'm told at Ithaca that a flight later that night would be bringing in and a claim for the bag was made. They said I should get a call around 7 or 8 in the morning to arrange a delivery time. I picked up my rental car with no hassles and head to my brother's apartment. Next morning, no call. I wait 2 extra hours and call them. Guess what? The luggage didn't come in last night, but they're not sure why. I was assured that it would very likely come in on the afternoon flight. So once again I wait (note I'm still wearing the clothes I flew out in at this point) hoping to get it within a few more hours. At 2pm I call again only to find out that it had supposedly been delivered, with a mysterious note to "leave it in the garage." My brother's apartment has no garage to leave the luggage in and not once did I ever say the word garage when speaking with anyone at the terminal; I'm still scratching my head over this. A couple of minutes after I got off the phone with the gentleman assisting me, my brother's phone rings with a call from the delivery guy who is waiting outside. So in the end, I did get my luggage--and a hot shower with my toiletries and a change of clothes. I finally felt human.
Regardless of the rocky start to my trip, I have to say that I'm having a lot of fun. I'm falling under Ithaca's spell. This place is beautiful. It's almost as if the people who settled here decided to build their homes in the middle of the forest without clearing the trees. For a girl that's grown up in the suburbs, it's so different from what I'm used to, but I love the melding of nature and civilization. My brother truly has the best view from his bedroom windows. They both look out into lush green trees, and a glorious chorus of birdsong fills the air as soon as the suggestion of the rising sun can be seen. I don't get to hear anything like it at home.
My first meal here was an early dinner; after not getting much sleep for 24 hours prior to my arrival, I didn't have the stamina for much more than that. My brother called in a pizza at a local pizza place and we went and picked it up. Apparently the kitchen is on the floor above the dining area. Our order came down on a dumb waiter--now that's character! An early bedtime followed some truly excellent deep-dish pizza.
Today was spent at the Summer Festival. Ithaca only has about 30,000 people and they must have all been at the festival with their friends from the surrounding areas. The festival itself spanned several blocks in every direction and every craft, food, and entertainment you can think of was there. The crush of people was unbelievable. Everybody who's anybody must have been there. These are people that like to have a good time. Even in my hometown, which boasts a population twice that size can't turn out even half as many people to our festival in the fall. It was amazing. There was a booth of beautiful hand-made embroidered linens and the woman who ran the booth does all the work herself. She had a piece there she was working on. I saw booths with jewelry made of crystal, bone, and silver. I saw pottery with animal tracks, wooden carvings of every shape and size, glassworks for your garden, and white oak hand-crafted garden furniture. As for entertainment, there were magicians, hula hoopers, and a group dancing a reel dance to live music. There was so much to see, and my eyes drank it all in.
Dinner tonite was late. I was Belgian for a night and ate around 10pm. My brother took me to this restaurant that has a different menu every day. The food was really good and the cuisine combined some really interesting and tantalizing flavors together. We shared an appetizer of coconut and panko-crusted shrimp with orange marmalade dip. My entree was a cardamom-and-something chicken with a creamy tomato sauce. It was so good, there were no leftovers. Desserts looked equally as fantastic, but we opted to have some of the fudge we bought at the festival instead.
So now I'm finishing this first post of the trip and it's super-late and I can't wait for tomorrow. Ithaca Bakery for breakfast (yes, he's taking me there sis!) with more fun things to do. I don't think we're going to make it to New York City while I'm here because we have too much planned to do around Ithaca. But that's ok. I'm very much looking forward to getting to know more about this charming and enchanting place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I had a rather tedious and frustrating time getting to Ithaca. Things started out just peachy. My red-eye flight to my first layover was on time. However, I was very nervous flying out for some reason. I'm a well-traveled person and have traveled by plane many a time, but the last time was almost 4 years ago--perhaps part of the reason for my nervousness. I actually started to feel claustrophobic as I got on the plane and filed down to my seat. Not good. It was better after I got in the air. I think I may watch too much news.
So I get to Ithaca and find out that my luggage didn't make it with me--which I kind of figured would happen since I was let on the plane only as they were shutting the door behind me. Not a lot of notice for the baggage crew. I'm told at Ithaca that a flight later that night would be bringing in and a claim for the bag was made. They said I should get a call around 7 or 8 in the morning to arrange a delivery time. I picked up my rental car with no hassles and head to my brother's apartment. Next morning, no call. I wait 2 extra hours and call them. Guess what? The luggage didn't come in last night, but they're not sure why. I was assured that it would very likely come in on the afternoon flight. So once again I wait (note I'm still wearing the clothes I flew out in at this point) hoping to get it within a few more hours. At 2pm I call again only to find out that it had supposedly been delivered, with a mysterious note to "leave it in the garage." My brother's apartment has no garage to leave the luggage in and not once did I ever say the word garage when speaking with anyone at the terminal; I'm still scratching my head over this. A couple of minutes after I got off the phone with the gentleman assisting me, my brother's phone rings with a call from the delivery guy who is waiting outside. So in the end, I did get my luggage--and a hot shower with my toiletries and a change of clothes. I finally felt human.
My first meal here was an early dinner; after not getting much sleep for 24 hours prior to my arrival, I didn't have the stamina for much more than that. My brother called in a pizza at a local pizza place and we went and picked it up. Apparently the kitchen is on the floor above the dining area. Our order came down on a dumb waiter--now that's character! An early bedtime followed some truly excellent deep-dish pizza.
So now I'm finishing this first post of the trip and it's super-late and I can't wait for tomorrow. Ithaca Bakery for breakfast (yes, he's taking me there sis!) with more fun things to do. I don't think we're going to make it to New York City while I'm here because we have too much planned to do around Ithaca. But that's ok. I'm very much looking forward to getting to know more about this charming and enchanting place.
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