Windows 10 Coming in 2015?

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Gizmodo is reporting that “Microsoft just announced the newest version of Windows. It’s called Windows 10. Yes, Microsoft has decided to skip a digit in search of the perfect name. More importantly, Windows 10 will be a single operating system that finally spans all of Microsoft’s Windows powered devices, from desktops and laptops all the way through to tablets and phones.”

Is this because they are trying to leave the bad taste of Windows 8 far behind or is it because 7, 8, 9,?  Oh, so corny!

It’s a neat idea to have one platform for all Windows devices but time will tell as we see how it will work in reality.

Read the rest of the article here – http://gizmodo.com/windows-10-microsoft-skips-a-digit-with-latest-operati-1640805626

Is Your Apple iPhone 5 Experiencing Battery Problems?

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Apple has determined that a very small percentage of iPhone 5 devices may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently. The affected iPhone 5 devices were sold between September 2012 and January 2013 and fall within a limited serial number range.

If your iPhone 5 is experiencing these symptoms and meets the eligibility requirements noted below, Apple will replace your iPhone 5 battery, free of charge.

To check and see if your battery qualifies, visit https://www.apple.com/support/iphone5-batteryiPhone 5

San Simeon “The Point” Hike

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San Simeon “The Point” Hike

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A local to Cambria and San Simeon told me about this hike in San Simeon called “The Point.”  She said it’s at the State beach and takes you through partly private Hearst land to the farthest edge on the central coast.  She said that at the end of the hike that there is a local store where Hearst winery offers wine tasting and good food like burgers from Hearst land beef.

Based on her description, I couldn’t wait to make time to get to this hike.  Four of us headed on this with water and cameras in hand.  It was a beautiful Spring day.

It starts out at the San Simeon State Beach.  We parked at the State Beach parking for free.  No staff at the pay booth that day but State fees apply.  You can always park up the road by the store for free and walk down.  From the beach, if you look to the grove of Eucalyptus trees, you can see a foot-path going up to the bluff.  Follow the path, it goes along the bluff as it climbs  higher.  As you finish the bluff walk over the beach, there is a fence and a spot where you can go through the fence.  Following the foot path then takes you through a variety of tree  I did this hike in April 2013 so there were wild flowers and high grass among the tree groves.  At certain points on the hike, there is this sound that at first I thought was a bird.  It turned out to be the sound of the wind as the tree trunks swayed with the breeze.  Again, very cool!

As you make your way through the trees, you end up at the tip of the  point.  This would be a great picnic spot but as usual I didn’t have much with me.  I did have water this time around.  From The Point, you get great views of Hearst Castle across the Bay, the green hills of Cambria and San Simeon, coves and bluffs.  You can see arches below with waves crashing all around them.  Lots of birds and sea life.  It’s just spectacular!

I don’t know the length of this hike officially but I would guess it’s about 4 miles round trip.  Not a long one but it takes a long time because there is so much to see and photograph.  Be sure to have your cameras with you.

After the hike, we headed to the Sebastian Store and Hearst Winery.  I had a great Salad with the burger on top.  Everyone  else had the burgers and said they were the best they’ve had.  It was a great day!

Be sure to check out the photos and leave me comments if you ever do make this hike.

I have an audio clip of the trees sounding like a wild bird that I hope to add soon.

Toastmasters Speech 2: Organize Your Speech

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Kayaking

Good evening everyone.  By a show of hands, how many here have kayaked before?  

kayaking Dana Point

kayaking Dana Point

Kayaking has been a hobby of mine for many years.  It’s one of those activities that you can do no matter what physical shape you’re in and you can make it as strenuous or as easy as you would like it to be.  Choosing the type of water you would like to kayak is number 1. My first time kayaking was a spur of the moment decision on a day trip I took to Catalina.  I decided to go try it and went ocean kayaking for the first time.  I was in the water following a 2 minute how to session from the rental “guy”. It was during that first kayaking outing that I learned that I really liked it but before my 2 hours were up, I also learned that I could get myself into A LOT of trouble.  I had pulled out to explore one of the beaches around the island and by the time I went to get back out, I had a lot of trouble launching past the surf.  No matter how hard I paddled, the surf was stronger and I would end up back on the beach.  It took me a long while to get clear of the surf.  I wanted to share with you some of the dos and don’ts and hopefully inspire those who haven’t tried it to go out and kayak.

I mentioned that you can make it as strenuous as you would like.  I enjoy kayaking in rivers, lakes, bays and some ocean kayaking.  It’s really wonderful.  You get a great workout.  You can enjoy nature up close and personal.  You’re seated out on the open water almost at the same level with the water, feeling the calmness and the gentle wind.  You get to see wildlife front and center.  If you want to make it more intense, there are those who like to kayak off of waterfalls and in class 6 rapids.  They can be under water upside down and not worry.  It’s up to you what type of water body you want to go for.

Some of the kayaking areas I like include Dana Point Harbor, Newport Back Bay.  If you’re up to the drive, San Simeon and Moro bays are beautiful area and there are lots of lakes if you go inland in the San Luis Obispo County.

In addition to the types of water type you will kayak, choosing the type of kayak is important. Right after I tried out kayaking at Catalina, a friend recommended that I should buy one so we can go with them whenever they go out.  When I went shopping for a kayak, I wanted to get a tandem which is the type that seats two people.  The sales guy said that his advice is that if you want to stay married or keep your friendship, get single kayaks and don’t get a tandem.  I thought he’s just trying to sell more kayaks.  He did suggest we try out different types of kayaks before we buy them.  The next kayak trip was at Newport Back Bay and we rented the tandems.  We were kayaking pretty hard but just couldn’t get that kayak to row in a straight line.  It was slow getting across the water because we were going in a zigzag line.  After dodging giant yachts a few times trying to get across the windy bay, it was decided that single kayaks was the way to go.

When you rent a kayak, it usually is a sit on top that means your legs and body are sitting on top of the kayak.  The sit inside are the ones that typically have you from the waist down inside the kayak.  The sit on tops are less likely to flip and that’s why you see them at all the rental places.  You can be a first time kayaker and be fairly safe from tipping over.  You can choose a kayak with foot paddles.  That just means you can row like a bicycle instead of doing so by hand.  The shape of the kayak is also important.  Kayaks used for rapid water like class 1-6 rapids are usually very short.  Kayaks used for ocean kayaking are usually narrow in body and very long.

Think about how you will transport your kayak. Renting kayaks makes it easy to just show up and get on the water.  But if you do buy a kayak, you should also be mindful of how you will transport it.  I bought some J shaped racks that sit on top of the car.  The first time I tried to get the kayaks loaded, I gave the neighbors a good show.  I was on my driveway for an hour trying to figure it out.  Getting the J racks on top of the car then loading the kayak in it and tying it down was not very intuitive.

I have had lots of adventures that I can laugh about after the fact but when they happened, I thought I was in real trouble.  I mentioned being stranded on a remote beach off Catalina and almost being run over by super yachts at Newport Beach.  On my first trip with my own kayaks I locked my car keys in the car by slamming the hatch back down while the key was sitting just under it.  That made the car alarm to go off with my key in the car.  If it wasn’t for the group of friends I was with, I am not sure I would have been able to get through it.  Every time I go kayaking with them, they tease me about making sure my key holder that clips on my clothes is there.  I bought it right after that the embarrassing episode of locking myself out.  Another time I was kayaking the Kauai River and I underestimated our group’s ability to finish a 5 hour kayak and hike tour.   It was too much for some of the group and a couple of them ended up being stranded for a few hours until we got back to them.

These experiences taught me that who you kayak with is just as important as your gear is.  Make sure you’re with folks who have the same ability and also share your enjoyment for kayaking.  Kayaking is GREAT fun, fairly easy to do at any age or physical shape.  It’s inexpensive too.  You can rent a kayak for $20 and have a couple of hours of fun.  But like any activity, a little planning and taking precautions is definitely important and advised.  Remember to figure out what type of water body you will be kayaking, get the right kayak type, figure out your transport and choose your kayak group wisely.  Hope to see you out on the water.

Harmony Headlands State Park

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Many times when you hear about hikers being stranded or injured, it’s likely they did something wrong.  Well this beautiful hike could have easily turned bad for us because we took a lot of risks.  It’s a 4.5 mile easy to moderate hike but we went unprepared.  It was a spur of the moment decision at 4 PM to go check it out and then once we parked we decided to go in.  No water, no hiking shoes, no plan, no communication with anyone, no cell signal, no trail map…I could just keep going.  We were really just supposed to have scoped it out but it was so beautiful that we just kept going.  I definitely recommend this place and I will be going back to spend more time.

On our hike we encountered a lot of folks heading back.  How much longer to the water I would ask, just 20 minutes they would say.  This happened a few times and I know they were all just saying 20 minutes when in reality it was a lot longer than that.

Well worth it though.  Great hike! Lots of opportunities for photography and the views are just amazing especially when you get to the ocean.  Can’t wait to introduce it to our friends that visit us up here.

East Anaheim Community Garden

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I visited the East Anaheim Community Garden on June 2nd.  One of my sisters is on the board and helped build this garden from an empty lot to a beautiful garden that brings the community together.  I am lucky that she loves to garden and brings us fresh produce all the time.  Here are some pictures of the place.

Their website can be found here – http://www.eacg12.com/home.html

They also have a Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/EastAnaheimCommunityGarden

Toastmasters Speech 1 – The Ice Breaker (6 minutes)

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CHANGE

Good evening fellow Toastmasters and guests. Tonight I will talk about change.  No, not the kind of change that’s in your pocket.  I joined Toastmasters to make a change in my life.  I wanted to become a better public speaker and to see if it can get easier with more practice.   I work for a City as a Director of Information Technology.  My role as a department director is to provide leadership and direction on all things technology.  I usually present to the council board reports on various technologies and why the city should pursue those technologies.  There are many reasons for my nervousness about public speaking.    Like many people, it’s an inherent fear.  In addition to that fear and just not liking it, I have the challenge of having to explain complex technologies to non-technical folks.

So here I am tonight seeking to make this change in my life.  For the most part, I pursue change and sometimes relish and enjoy it.  A lifetime of major changes has meant making big changes easier for me.  I mentioned that my line of work requires that I not only learn complicated technologies every few months and then convince everyone that changing systems out will be better for them.  For me, learning new technologies is a lot of fun, but for many, computers and technology makes them nervous and they don’t want to change the way they do things.

I have worked in the technology field for over 20 years.  Although I graduated with a degree in business, accounting and finance, when I began to work in that field I was more drawn to technology and automating the business I was working in.  I learned technology on my own and made a transition to begin a different career.  That career change served me well and I have never looked back.    

One of the big changes in my life came at age 13 when my family immigrated to the United States.  It was a complete culture shock.  I am originally from Iraq.  Many of you know Iraq because we’ve been at war with that county for a decade now.

My Dad was a very smart man.  He knew there were political shifts in Iraq and that his health was failing so he made the decision to bring us to the United States.  In 1976, prior to Saddam Hussein coming to power, my Dad had just returned from visiting his brother and sister in the US when he announced that we would be going on vacation to Greece.  He’d gone to the US because he had suffered a heart attack at age 42 and was putting his life in order.  He sent my Mom, 2 older sisters, myself and my younger brother off and said he would join us in Greece in a week or so.  I was a naïve 13 year old; it was my first vacation outside Iraq when we arrived in Athens, Greece.  That’s when I learned that we are not going back.  You see, my family is Christian Assyrians and Christians were/are a minority in Iraq.  If you follow the news you hear about Churches being blown up and Assyrians being kidnapped for ransom.

A week later, my father arrived in Athens and there was a lot of relief for the family.  He had managed to get us out of Iraq safely, sell our home and had our immigration paperwork done so we arrived in the US after a month or so stay in Greece.  In Iraq, if the government knew we were leaving the country or that we were selling our home, we would all be arrested and likely killed.  I feel blessed that he made that change possible for our family.

So besides the career, school, and country changes, I adapt to languages and cultures fairly easily.  I was only in Greece for a month and a half but I already picked up speaking some Greek. When I got to the U.S., I adapted quickly to the changes of being in a new country and learning a new language.  I learned to speak English within a couple of months thanks to watching cartoons and the batman series.

While I was preparing this speech, I did some math.  Considering that I started school at First grade skipping Kindergarten, I had attended 7 schools by High School and mind you I graduated high school at 16.  I attended 6 colleges and universities before I “found myself” and graduated from CSUF.  I have lived in 3 states, CA, IL and NY and have had 16 homes in the various countries and states.  That’s a lot of moving and a lot of change.

The changes I have shared are just a few examples with so many more that I have experienced.  And I make it sound like I am at ease with making change.  It’s true to some degree.  But while I adapt quickly to big change, I hold on and resist small change.  You see the world comes to a complete STOP if someone moves my books or knickknack or rearranges furniture at home.  Now that’s just too much change even for me! 

Thank you very much!

Temescal Canyon Loop Hike

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January 1, 2011 – We (Jackie, Sandi and Edna) met friends Bernadette and David in Los Angeles to hike the Temescal Canyon loop.  We discovered just how popular of a hiking spot this is.  The trail was very busy with hikers making the loop from both directions.  It was a clear and cool New Year’s day and I think others had the same idea we did.  Once we reached the top of the loop, we had 360 degree views of Los Angeles.  We could see Catalina at a distance in the Pacific, Downtown LA, and the snow-capped mountains in the distance.  On the way to the top of the canyon, we could hear a creek running below in the heavily wooded canyon and as you follow the trail up, we got to the waterfall that was feeding the creek. 

Trailhead: We parked in the paid parking lot instead of the Presbyterian conference center (free) and walked past the ranger station to the trailhead.  You can make the loop clockwise or counter-clockwise.  We hiked it counter-clockwise which is slightly easier (it sure didn’t feel easier).   The hike had us climbing almost 1,000 feet and covered a little over 4 miles.  

We managed to finish just before sunset and we were all hungry.  So we drove about 10 miles up PCH to Malibu.  We ate at the Malibu Seafood Market where you can get good seafood for a great price and take home seafood items to cook at a later.  Not only did we get some great fresh seafood but we got a beautiful sunset with spectacular colors. 

It was a great way to spend New Year’s day –  a hike with a creek and waterfall, great views of the Pacific/Catalina and Downtown Los Angeles – capped with a spectacular sunset and a delicious dinner but best of all it was the time we spent with our wonderful friends.

Club 33

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last week, I was invited to breakfast at Club 33.  It was my second time at the Club.  I had lunch there in December 2010 and spent the day at Disneyland.  I have to say I enjoyed the lunch event more than breakfast only because of our host. 

For lunch, our host was a long-time employee of the Club.  She told us that she has a law degree but chose to work here decades ago because of the history of the Club and the ability to meet with so many different people.  She shared many stories.  One such meeting was when the Club was hosting a group of judges.  One of those judges happened to be Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court Justice.  She had attended the event with her Grandson who was the only child at this all adult event.  This hostess took him aside and kept him entertained until the end of the meeting.  The Justice ended up inviting the hostess to D.C. and when she did visit her in D.C., a friendship developed that has lasted many years.  She also shared with us the history of the Club, stories about some of the Club’s famous guests over the years, and of course tales about Walt Disney. 

I think I liked the lunch much more than breakfast because I enjoyed the food much more than the breakfast food.   This was probably because I couldn’t eat many of the breakfast pastries or pancakes due to my gluten allergy.  Also, I think the fact that the lunch was my first visit to the Club and I got the chance to take Sandi along made it even more special.

I have taken many photos of the Club’s interior and have posted a few here.  The room with all the animals was interesting because the light fixtures had hidden microphones built-in them that Mr. Disney used to listen in to his guests.  The piece of furniture with the mirror had a state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment for its time along with the two-way mirror that he used to play games on his guests such as guess their card hands.   This is definitely a special place and gives Disneyland an even bigger sense of magic.   

Now, I am looking forward to getting an invitation to having dinner at the Club.  Anyone out there can make that happen?

East Coast 2010 Trip Diary

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I love the East Coast and especially during the fall season.  Sandi and I joined one of my sisters (Edna) and one of my cousins (Muna) this October and went in search of fall foliage.  We flew into JFK on Virgin Airlines for a great rate.  The seating is so much more comfortable than on United and American.  I think this is my new favorite airlines.  We flew to NYC on Tuesday, September 28th and saw a beautiful sunset before we landed.  

Even though we have been to NYC a few times, since we only had a couple of nights in NYC, we did all the “touristy” stuff.  We bought bus passes from City Sights and got on one of those double-decker buses and rode around town.  We took a harbor cruise the next day.  Everyone’s favorite highlights were the harbor tour out to Statute of Liberty, the Empire State Building at midnight and Times Square. 

We ate at a few places but I think our favorite was the newly opened Eataly which is the creation of Chef Mario Batali.   He and Lydia Bastianich created this space which is both market and restaurant.  You can shop for fresh produce and imported supplies as well as enjoy delicious food at the different food stations.  The place was packed.  A 50,000-square-foot temple of Italian food and wine that is inspired by the original Eataly, located in Torino, Italy which I have yet to go to. The space is broken up into various food stations and eating areas.  Of course we started at the Pasta station where pasta was made fresh and being cut by hand however they didn’t serve gluten-free pasta so we moved to the Il Pesce.  I think this was a blessing in disguise.  We enjoyed some Flor Prosecco and shared samples of the smoked salmon, the Branzino al Forno which was a whole branzino (Mediterranean Sea bass) stuffed with parsley, garlic, and lemon, roasted on top of sliced potatoes. Again, the fish was very fresh and cooked perfectly. We also had the striped bass, two different soups, and roasted pink beets, Brussels sprouts and carrots.  Everything was very yummy! 

We saw Mario walking around so we took a couple of pictures and Sandi asked him why they don’t have gluten-free pasta.  He told her of course they have it (corn and rice flour) and took her to the pasta counter to get some.  They told him it hadn’t come in yet and would be available next week.  So I missed it by a week.  Honestly I enjoyed the various fish we tried.  We also had gelato.  The pistachio gelato was very good.

 On our last day in NYC, we rented a car and headed into Vermont where we were going to stay at the Ira Allen House off route 7.  This was supposed to be a bed and breakfast where we had a two bedroom suite, a sitting area and bathrooms.  When we got there, we realized that the Jones family that runs the place didn’t quiet tell the truth about this place.  It certainly felt short of our expectations so we cut our stay short and only stayed the night.  I don’t know how people can sell a place based on half truths.  I really thought they lied about the accommodations.  It sure would have been nice if they had bothered to remodel since the place is over 200 years old.  The inn was built by Ethan Allen and his brother Ira Allen who was the surveyor-general of Vermont.    

We left Manchester in a hurry so we could get away from the Ira Allen House.  Our destination was the Hilton in Burlington, Vermont.  Our wonderful drive north into Burlington via Highway 7 took us through Green Mountain National Park.  The colors were magnificent!  Bright Reds, Golds, and Greens that turned the landscape into a beautiful impressionist painting.  

On the way to Burlington, we spent part of the day in Woodstock, Vermont.  Woodstock is the perfect example of what I think of when I think of Vermont.  The farms, the covered bridges, the foliage, steeples and blue skies with puffy white clouds.  We had lunch at Bentley’s (http://bentleysrestaurant.com) where I had the best Chili I have had and I am not a huge fan of Chili either.  This was homemade, delicious and lived up to its name, Blue Ribbon Chili.

Burlington has a pedestrian mall called the Church Street Marketplace in the heart of downtown.  It’s a fun place to be day or night.  There are lots of shops, boutiques, restaurants, and performers.  University of Vermont provides added culture and a diverse group of young people and their families to the Marketplace.  We tried Penny Cluse Café (http://pennycluse.com) for breakfast and it was definitely worth the wait.  One of the things they are known for is the bucket-o-spuds, a heaping mound of homefries with melted cheese, salsa, sour cream & green onions with an egg on top.  To balance that we ordered the fresh fruit plate, French Toast, Smoked Salmon, and other breakfast dishes.

Ben & Jerry’s is in nearby Waterbury just 25 miles away so the cow culture is definitely alive and kicking in Burlington.  Of course we had to have the great ice cream. 

Burlington also holds a respectable sized Farmers’ Market.  Being on the road doesn’t stop me from going to Farmers’ Markets.  I am an avid foodie and I love outdoor markets.  As you can see in the photos below, the market was a pretty good size and had a variety of produce, meat, cheese, bread and craft booths.  We bought fresh Vermont apples that were sweet, sour and crisp in every delicious bite.  We also grabbed some artisan bread loaves, a variety of cheeses including caraway seed cheese that was so yummy from Crawford farms.  We also picked up some fresh basil, tomatoes and olives for our road trip sandwiches. 

The region has the spectacular natural beauty of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains.  After spending the day among the crowds at the Marketplace, we took a walk on Lake Champlain’s boardwalk.  The boardwalk area immediately provided a sense of peace to counter the energy and excitement of the crowds at the Marketplace.   As we walked along the boardwalk in Burlington Vermont, we can look over the horizon and see the state of New York. 

At the end of our stay in Burlington, as we were leaving to Montreal, we decided to take highway 2 through the Champlain Lake Islands north towards Canada.  There are many islands and charming homes on the lake.  We took the road to enjoy the beauty that is Lake Champlain and to also find Saint Anne’s Shrine, a Spiritual Sanctuary in the Lake Champlain Islands.  We stopped in and lit candles and said prayers for family members and especially my Aunt Layla and my niece Elizabeth Anne who was a special gift from St. Anne.  Regardless of your beliefs, it’s a spiritual setting with the small white chapel, an outdoor worship area sitting on the shore of Lake Champlain.  The site is also a historical site.  The lakeshore in front of the chapel is marked as the location of a landing by Samuel de Champlain in 1609. He was the first European to visit the Lake and islands that bear his name.

We made it to Montreal, QC, Canada after going through the checkpoint where I was wondering if we were all going to get arrested.  While we were being interrogated by the border guard, Sandi decided to take her camera out and try to take pictures of him and the booth.  He didn’t like that at all.  So just like I had been to NYC a few times, I had been to Montreal a few times before.  We had a couple of nights in town.   The highlights of our trip into Montreal this time were our re-visit to St. Joseph’s Oratory.  We happened to be there during mass which was in French.  There was a woman singing during mass that sounded like an angel.  I pulled out my Sony Camcorder and captured a few seconds before the tap on the shoulder came telling me that there is no filming during mass.   I sat through the remainder of mass wondering how I could capture her voice again to share with others.  My Aunt Layla had asked us to come here and light a candle for her.  She is not doing well and has a strong belief in St. Joseph whom she believes has performed a miracle in her life.  How can you deny such a request?  I went to the first level’s chapel, said a prayer and lit a candle for her. 

In June, I had made it to San Francisco’s Farmers’ Market which is one of the best U.S. farmers markets I have been to.  Well we had read that Montreal had a nice Farmers Market, but it really didn’t prepare me for the size and for how great it is.  This is a daily market not weekly like in most US cities and it looked like it was occupying a whole square block.  The French Canadians take their food seriously.  As you can see by the photos, there were isles and isles of the freshest fruits and vegetables and a wide variety of prepared foods, breads, cheeses, meats, and specialty dried goods.  We decided to have lunch here and ordered from different booths to try out as much food as we could.  Dessert was special too.  We found a French woman that was stacking strawberries on an ice cream stick and dipping them in toffee flavored Canadian Maple Syrup.  She placed them on a tray of crushed ice to harden the syrup.  They were absolutely decadent and delicious.  My cousin exclaimed that they were better than sex.  Luckily, I had already bought a bottle of Maple Syrup to take home and now I can make them too. 

From Montreal, we drove into Maine where our destination was the seaside town of Camden.  We picked Camden not really knowing much about it but we wanted to be in close proximity to Acadia National Park.  We were so pleasantly surprised by Camden.  This quaint little town has so much to offer.  The Inns were all at one time historical homes and have been renovated into beautiful Inns and B&BS.

Some people like to go shopping for clothes which Camden has very nice boutiques and specialty stores that we went through.  I like to look at houses so we went house window shopping.  I can’t afford this town or any other for that matter but I just like to look at the architecture, the design, and the gardens so we just drive through the neighborhoods and check out flyers or even better open houses.  I spent about a half hour doing this because there were a billion things we wanted to do.  Like eat Lobster from Maine. 

Up to this point, I was thinking what could be so special about Lobster from Maine.  Boy was I wrong.  Check out the pictures of us gorging on Lobster, Corn and Slaw from Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound.  This was absolutely the most delicious Lobster I have ever tasted.  Maine deserves to be known as the Lobster State.  Trenton had even better Lobster than the high end restaurant we tried the night before at the waterfront.  Trenton had outdoor cooking pots in a built in bar that used fresh sea salt water to cook them in. 

While in Camden, we took a day trip into Acadia National Park.  We spent the day in the Park.  The Park has a loop drive that takes you to many of the points of interest like Thunder Hole, Sand Beach, Otter Cove, and Cadillac Mountain.  We hiked some of the shorter trails to these points and I recorded the pounding surf at Thunder Hole.  We had just moved away from the lookout point when a rogue wave came in and soaked everyone. 

We decided to stay in the park so we could catch the sunset.   We watched the sunset with dozens of others, painters, photographers, videographers, just mesmerized by the beautiful sky filled with orange and pink colors.  As the sun set and there was a little bit of light left, we raced up to the Cadillac Mountain lookout.  It is said that when the sun rises in the US, it touches Cadillac Mountain first as the eastern highest point on the mainland.  We stayed up there as the cruise ships below started off on their way for the night.  As the world got darker up there, the sky was filled with stars and you could look out over the Atlantic Ocean and see tiny lights dot the small islands along the coast of Maine.  Something about this place made it a very magical experience.  I stood there realizing this was another one those historical places where discoverers centuries ago had touched down below in the coves with their ships.  It also strangely was a very humbling place that reminded me of just how blessed and lucky I am to be able to travel to different points in the world with the people I love most.

We returned from Acadia back to Camden that night and we stopped to eat at Trenton Lobster.  We made it there just before they closed.  As I said before, it was an excellent dinner.  The next morning, we would be leaving for Cape Cod.  Chatham, Massachusetts to be exact.  We had ocean front accommodations awaiting us where our home would be for the next 3 nights.  The Cape is a wonderful place.  I was thinking to myself what is it about all the towns that start with “C” that I love, Cambria on the west coast, Camden and Chatham on the east coast.  Sandi and I had visited the Cape in April of 2006 last and it had been way too long of a wait to be back again. 

We made it to our room and found out that it had a kitchenette so we ran to the market and picked up some breakfast supplies.  We decided to invite my sister and cousin to breakfast in our suite.  Ocean view and ocean breeze, it felt like our little home away from home. 

We spent the next 3 days exploring the Cape making it north to P-Town and south to Barnstable.  One of the things I love about this area is the book stores.  The Yellow Umbrella in Chatham is one of my favorites.  In addition to the great restaurants, the beautiful homes, we spent a day at the National Seashore.  The beaches are wonderful on the Cape.  We wanted to bring back the whole beach with us.  I have never seen sea shells as big as on the beach at Chatham or as colorful rocks as at the Monomoy wildlife refuge.  Another thing I love about the area is the signage.  Yes, you read right.  I love the signs that businesses use.  If there isn’t a coffee table book already about the signs, there should be one.  I love driving around and photographing these signs.

We left Chatham reluctantly for Logan Airport but we had missed home.  Orange County, here we come!

I love the East Coast and especially during the fall season.  Sandi and I joined one of my sisters (Edna) and one of my cousins (Muna) this October and went in search of fall foliage.  We flew into JFK on Virgin Airlines for a great rate.  The seating is so much more comfortable than on United and American.  I think this is my new favorite airlines.  We flew to NYC on Tuesday, September 28th and saw a beautiful sunset before we landed.  

Even though we have been to NYC a few times, since we only had a couple of nights in NYC, we did all the “touristy” stuff.  We bought bus passes from City Sights and got on one of those double-decker buses and rode around town.  We took a harbor cruise the next day.  Everyone’s favorite highlights were the harbor tour out to Statute of Liberty, the Empire State Building at midnight and Times Square. 

We ate at a few places but I think our favorite was the newly opened Eataly which is the creation of Chef Mario Batali.   He and Lydia Bastianich created this space which is both market and restaurant.  You can shop for fresh produce and imported supplies as well as enjoy delicious food at the different food stations.  The place was packed.  A 50,000-square-foot temple of Italian food and wine that is inspired by the original Eataly, located in Torino, Italy which I have yet to go to. The space is broken up into various food stations and eating areas.  Of course we started at the Pasta station where pasta was made fresh and being cut by hand however they didn’t serve gluten-free pasta so we moved to the Il Pesce.  I think this was a blessing in disguise.  We enjoyed some Flor Prosecco and shared samples of the smoked salmon, the Branzino al Forno which was a whole branzino (Mediterranean Sea bass) stuffed with parsley, garlic, and lemon, roasted on top of sliced potatoes. Again, the fish was very fresh and cooked perfectly. We also had the striped bass, two different soups, and roasted pink beets, Brussels sprouts and carrots.  Everything was very yummy! 

We saw Mario walking around so we took a couple of pictures and Sandi asked him why they don’t have gluten-free pasta.  He told her of course they have it (corn and rice flour) and took her to the pasta counter to get some.  They told him it hadn’t come in yet and would be available next week.  So I missed it by a week.  Honestly I enjoyed the various fish we tried.  We also had gelato.  The pistachio gelato was very good.

On our last day in NYC, we rented a car and headed into Vermont where we were going to stay at the Ira Allen House off route 7.  This was supposed to be a bed and breakfast where we had a two bedroom suite, a sitting area and bathrooms.  When we got there, we realized that the Jones family that runs the place didn’t quiet tell the truth about this place.  It certainly felt short of our expectations so we cut our stay short and only stayed the night.  I don’t know how people can sell a place based on half truths.  I really thought they lied about the accommodations.  It sure would have been nice if they had bothered to remodel since the place is over 200 years old.  The inn was built by Ethan Allen and his brother Ira Allen who was the surveyor-general of Vermont.    

We left Manchester in a hurry so we could get away from the Ira Allen House.  Our destination was the Hilton in Burlington, Vermont.  Our wonderful drive north into Burlington via Highway 7 took us through Green Mountain National Park.  The colors were magnificent!  Bright Reds, Golds, and Greens that turned the landscape into a beautiful impressionist painting.  

On the way to Burlington, we spent part of the day in Woodstock, Vermont.  Woodstock is the perfect example of what I think of when I think of Vermont.  The farms, the covered bridges, the foliage, steeples and blue skies with puffy white clouds.  We had lunch at Bentley’s (http://bentleysrestaurant.com) where I had the best Chili I have had and I am not a huge fan of Chili either.  This was homemade, delicious and lived up to its name, Blue Ribbon Chili.

Burlington has a pedestrian mall called the Church Street Marketplace in the heart of downtown.  It’s a fun place to be day or night.  There are lots of shops, boutiques, restaurants, and performers.  University of Vermont provides added culture and a diverse group of young people and their families to the Marketplace.  We tried Penny Cluse Café (http://pennycluse.com) for breakfast and it was definitely worth the wait.  One of the things they are known for is the bucket-o-spuds, a heaping mound of homefries with melted cheese, salsa, sour cream & green onions with an egg on top.  To balance that we ordered the fresh fruit plate, French Toast, Smoked Salmon, and other breakfast dishes.

Ben & Jerry’s is in nearby Waterbury just 25 miles away so the cow culture is definitely alive and kicking in Burlington.  Of course we had to have the great ice cream. 

Burlington also holds a respectable sized Farmers’ Market.  Being on the road doesn’t stop me from going to Farmers’ Markets.  I am an avid foodie and I love outdoor markets.  As you can see in the photos below, the market was a pretty good size and had a variety of produce, meat, cheese, bread and craft booths.  We bought fresh Vermont apples that were sweet, sour and crisp in every delicious bite.  We also grabbed some artisan bread loaves, a variety of cheeses including caraway seed cheese that was so yummy from Crawford farms.  We also picked up some fresh basil, tomatoes and olives for our road trip sandwiches. 

The region has the spectacular natural beauty of Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains.  After spending the day among the crowds at the Marketplace, we took a walk on Lake Champlain’s boardwalk.  The boardwalk area immediately provided a sense of peace to counter the energy and excitement of the crowds at the Marketplace.   As we walked along the boardwalk in Burlington Vermont, we can look over the horizon and see the state of New York. 

At the end of our stay in Burlington, as we were leaving to Montreal, we decided to take highway 2 through the Champlain Lake Islands north towards Canada.  There are many islands and charming homes on the lake.  We took the road to enjoy the beauty that is Lake Champlain and to also find Saint Anne’s Shrine, a Spiritual Sanctuary in the Lake Champlain Islands.  We stopped in and lit candles and said prayers for family members and especially my Aunt Layla and my niece Elizabeth Anne who was a special gift from St. Anne.  Regardless of your beliefs, it’s a spiritual setting with the small white chapel, an outdoor worship area sitting on the shore of Lake Champlain.  The site is also a historical site.  The lakeshore in front of the chapel is marked as the location of a landing by Samuel de Champlain in 1609. He was the first European to visit the Lake and islands that bear his name.

We made it to Montreal, QC, Canada after going through the checkpoint where I was wondering if we were all going to get arrested.  While we were being interrogated by the border guard, Sandi decided to take her camera out and try to take pictures of him and the booth.  He didn’t like that at all.  So just like I had been to NYC a few times, I had been to Montreal a few times before.  We had a couple of nights in town.   The highlights of our trip into Montreal this time were our re-visit to St. Joseph’s Oratory.  We happened to be there during mass which was in French.  There was a woman singing during mass that sounded like an angel.  I pulled out my Sony Camcorder and captured a few seconds before the tap on the shoulder came telling me that there is no filming during mass.   I sat through the remainder of mass wondering how I could capture her voice again to share with others.  My Aunt Layla had asked us to come here and light a candle for her.  She is not doing well and has a strong belief in St. Joseph whom she believes has performed a miracle in her life.  How can you deny such a request?  I went to the first level’s chapel, said a prayer and lit a candle for her. 

In June, I had made it to San Francisco’s Farmers’ Market which is one of the best U.S. farmers markets I have been to.  Well we had read that Montreal had a nice Farmers Market, but it really didn’t prepare me for the size and for how great it is.  This is a daily market not weekly like in most US cities and it looked like it was occupying a whole square block.  The French Canadians take their food seriously.  As you can see by the photos, there were isles and isles of the freshest fruits and vegetables and a wide variety of prepared foods, breads, cheeses, meats, and specialty dried goods.  We decided to have lunch here and ordered from different booths to try out as much food as we could.  Dessert was special too.  We found a French woman that was stacking strawberries on an ice cream stick and dipping them in toffee flavored Canadian Maple Syrup.  She placed them on a tray of crushed ice to harden the syrup.  They were absolutely decadent and delicious.  My cousin exclaimed that they were better than sex.  Luckily, I had already bought a bottle of Maple Syrup to take home and now I can make them too. 

From Montreal, we drove into Maine where our destination was the seaside town of Camden.  We picked Camden not really knowing much about it but we wanted to be in close proximity to Acadia National Park.  We were so pleasantly surprised by Camden.  This quaint little town has so much to offer.  The Inns were all at one time historical homes and have been renovated into beautiful Inns and B&BS.

Some people like to go shopping for clothes which Camden has very nice boutiques and specialty stores that we went through.  I like to look at houses so we went house window shopping.  I can’t afford this town or any other for that matter but I just like to look at the architecture, the design, and the gardens so we just drive through the neighborhoods and check out flyers or even better open houses.  I spent about a half hour doing this because there were a billion things we wanted to do.  Like eat Lobster from Maine. 

Up to this point, I was thinking what could be so special about Lobster from Maine.  Boy was I wrong.  Check out the pictures of us gorging on Lobster, Corn and Slaw from Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound.  This was absolutely the most delicious Lobster I have ever tasted.  Maine deserves to be known as the Lobster State.  Trenton had even better Lobster than the high end restaurant we tried the night before at the waterfront.  Trenton had outdoor cooking pots in a built in bar that used fresh sea salt water to cook them in. 

While in Camden, we took a day trip into Acadia National Park.  We spent the day in the Park.  The Park has a loop drive that takes you to many of the points of interest like Thunder Hole, Sand Beach, Otter Cove, and Cadillac Mountain.  We hiked some of the shorter trails to these points and I recorded the pounding surf at Thunder Hole.  We had just moved away from the lookout point when a rogue wave came in and soaked everyone. 

We decided to stay in the park so we could catch the sunset.   We watched the sunset with dozens of others, painters, photographers, videographers, just mesmerized by the beautiful sky filled with orange and pink colors.  As the sun set and there was a little bit of light left, we raced up to the Cadillac Mountain lookout.  It is said that when the sun rises in the US, it touches Cadillac Mountain first as the eastern highest point on the mainland.  We stayed up there as the cruise ships below started off on their way for the night.  As the world got darker up there, the sky was filled with stars and you could look out over the Atlantic Ocean and see tiny lights dot the small islands along the coast of Maine.  Something about this place made it a very magical experience.  I stood there realizing this was another one those historical places where discoverers centuries ago had touched down below in the coves with their ships.  It also strangely was a very humbling place that reminded me of just how blessed and lucky I am to be able to travel to different points in the world with the people I love most.

We returned from Acadia back to Camden that night and we stopped to eat at Trenton Lobster.  We made it there just before they closed.  As I said before, it was an excellent dinner.  The next morning, we would be leaving for Cape Cod.  Chatham, Massachusetts to be exact.  We had ocean front accommodations awaiting us where our home would be for the next 3 nights.  The Cape is a wonderful place.  I was thinking to myself what is it about all the towns that start with “C” that I love, Cambria on the west coast, Camden and Chatham on the east coast.  Sandi and I had visited the Cape in April of 2006 last and it had been way too long of a wait to be back again. 

We made it to our room and found out that it had a kitchenette so we ran to the market and picked up some breakfast supplies.  We decided to invite my sister and cousin to breakfast in our suite.  Ocean view and ocean breeze, it felt like our little home away from home. 

We spent the next 3 days exploring the Cape making it north to P-Town and south to Barnstable.  One of the things I love about this area is the book stores.  The Yellow Umbrella in Chatham is one of my favorites.  In addition to the great restaurants, the beautiful homes, we spent a day at the National Seashore.  The beaches are wonderful on the Cape.  We wanted to bring back the whole beach with us.  I have never seen sea shells as big as on the beach at Chatham or as colorful rocks as at the Monomoy wildlife refuge.  Another thing I love about the area is the signage.  Yes, you read right.  I love the signs that businesses use.  If there isn’t a coffee table book already about the signs, there should be one.  I love driving around and photographing these signs.

We left Chatham reluctantly for Logan Airport but we had missed home.  Orange County, here we come!