New England in the Fall with Mom

Back in October the guilt that I had been heaping on my mother finally worked. My mom had not been out to visit me since I moved out to Virginia two years earlier. As a mother doesn’t she realize that I still need to be raised up right? My mom caved so she wouldn’t have to face another guilt inducing phone call and finally came out to spend some quality time with me. We decided to take a fall foliage trip of New England since my mom has never been north of Virginia. She said it was one of her lifelong dreams to see New England in the fall.

Because I am an obsessive travel planner, I had our complete itinerary set up before my mom even arrived. If you talk to her today, I get the impression that I kept her on a very tight schedule – constantly informing her of the time to we could keep to our itinerary. While I think I was just keeping us on task so we could see everything, I get feeling that I came off a bit, how to I say this, overly controlling and demanding. If you ever decide to take a trip with me, you have been duly warned.

I need to give a shout out to my friend Ben. He works for Marriott and got me some sweet deals on hotel rooms. I don’t know if this trip would have been possible without Ben’s generosity. Thanks Ben!

The first leg of our trip was to Philadelphia. Unfortunately there was torrential rain that day and there were parts of the ride up 1-95 where we were going maybe 35 mph and could barely see in front of us. I haven’t been in weather like that since Houston. It all worked out well in the end and I was able to take my mom to one of my favorite places in Philly, City Tavern. I thought she would enjoy City Tavern because it is historical and they serve Colonial-style cuisine. I don’t remember what I had, but Mom ordered “Martha Washington’s Turkey Pot Pie” which was just amazing. The puff pastry crust was so good, I don’t know how people get pastry that flaky and buttery.


The next morning, before driving to Connecticut, we headed over to Geno’s Steaks. We ended up arriving at the same time as a police memorial motorcycle ride that was sponsored by Geno’s. It was a blast getting involved in the street party atmosphere and the cheesesteaks were fantastic.

Next we drove up to Connecticut. I think I almost gave my mom a coronary when I was driving over the George Washington Bridge. She kept slamming on the imaginary break pedal in the passenger seat. But hey, when in New York you drive like a New Yorker. I personally think I was aggressive but fair.

The next day we soaked up the beauty of rural Connecticut. I took Mom to a place my friend Becky Derby recommended called Rein’s NY Style Deli. They have amazing cheese blintzes. My mom is a blintz fanatic and I don’t think she was disappointed by Reins. I love their challah French toast.

Mom found a lovely scenic route on the internet and this was one instance where the internet didn’t lie. Next time you are in Connecticut in the fall, take SR-169. If you don’t end up looking to buy real estate in Pomfret you must have no soul. It was absolutely gorgeous.

We spent two days on Cape Cod. Now I have never been to “The Cape” but it was definitely different than what I expected. I figured it would be like the PCH where you drive along the coast with a lovely ocean to gaze at longingly. That was not the case – it actually took us 2 days to find a view of the ocean. Who knew it would be so hard to find the ocean on a peninsula?

Since Halloween was right around the corner, Mom thought it would be a blast to head up to Salem, MA. While the place was crazy busy since Halloween is Salem’s Christmas, we had a great time. The Salem Witch Museum was so full of drama and life-size dioramas. It might have been the best museum experience of my life because it was so over the top. Salem was full of zany characters around Halloween. Case in point, I saw a guy in a cloak riding around town in a motorized coffin. How awesome is that?

Since we were on Cape Cod, we felt a moral obligation to eat clam chowder. The receptionist at the hotel told us about Captain Parkers in West Yarmouth. The chowder was so fantastic that we went back the next night. I don’t know what made the chowder so delicious, but it was, hand’s down, the best I have ever had.

After Cape Cod we headed back to Virginia. I made my mom listen to an audio version of Salem’s Lot. Oh, and we drove through New Jersey. New Jersey.

Thanks for coming to visit Mom. I guess sometimes a daughter needs the comfort and understanding that only a mother can provide. And since I live so far away, I have to rely on your infrequent visits to sustain me during tough times.

Boy am I good.

Colonial Williamsburg, VA

When I moved out to DC a couple of years ago I promised Shelley that I would accompany her Colonial Williamsburg. I am not quite sure why I made this promise as I HATE Colonial Williamsburg. I loathe Colonial Williamsburg because I can’t stand historical re-enactors. I don’t hate people that dress in period clothing; I just hate people that pretend that they are from that time period, “Pray tell, what is this thing that you call a car fine lady?” I can’t stand that kind of stuff. I think Shelley must have caught me at a weak moment. Of course, who can say no to Shelley with that adorable face and sweet demeanor? It would be like kicking a puppy.

Well, last October Shelley called in the promise. She planned an overnight trip to Colonial Williamsburg and there was no way I could get out of it (not that I tried, face it, any trip to CW requires a cynic). Williamsburg is about 3 hours south of Reston, so we (Shelley, Ben Bennett. and I) drove down on Friday to party colonial style on Saturday. Because Ben works for Marriott, he got us some sweet rooms for a great price – you rock Ben! The Courtyard by Marriott in Newport News, VA has recently been remodeled and it was a very pleasant hotel experience. Two things that I really liked about this Courtyard: the internet was free in the lobby and every table had a TV for those business travelers dining alone.

On Saturday before heading to Colonial Williamsburg we stopped at a Waffle House for breakfast. I have been avoiding Waffle Houses for years for two important reasons. There was a Waffle House in Alexandria, VA whose outside sign was “Wafle House” and I can’t eat at a place that doesn’t spell its own name correctly. The next reason is because Kid Rock got in a fight at a Waffle House. What is it about the Waffle House that could inspire Kid Rock to duke it out and get arrested? I don’t think I want to know. It’s like Tiger Woods picking up that woman at the Pancake House. Can’t we all do better?

Ben is one smooth talker, however, so off we headed to the Waffle House. I have to say that I as long I didn’t look to closely to the dirty surroundings and had low expectations of the food I survived. The hash browns were tasty if that means anything.

It turned out to be a cold and blustery day. We walked all over that blasted town in light rain and wind like the troopers that we are. One cool experience was when Shelley and I served as jury members in the county court and we were, if I dare say, fantastic. Shelley loved all the legal aspects of Colonial law; I liked having places to sit down.

Ben and I also decided that we needed to create a super sweet air fife and drum band. Ben and I are very good, but don’t have a name yet for our band. Any suggestions?

At CW they do a reenactment (I think the British are invading something and taking something but I didn’t care to remember) that is full of drama, romance, and pathos. It was so lame. They had re-enactors wandering amongst the crowd, trying to get us all riled up. “Did you hear what the General said?” “Why would the British do this to its loyal citizens?” I kept moving around the crowd trying to avoid them because they honestly annoy me and give me the creeps.

I would say the highlight of the day for me, naturally, revolved around food. I loved watching the re-enactors prepare food. After looking at how hard it is just to prepare one meal, I kept thinking, “My kingdom for a Kitchen-Aid mixer.” Some of the food looked really delicious, especially the chicken and potato dishes. I even got to talk about Alton Brown with the chef (putting him the “Cool Re-enactor’ category).

Shelley (and me, although I will never admit this in public) loves to eat colonial food. We were able to get a reservation at Shields Tavern right in the heart of bustling Downtown Colonial Williamsburg. I have to say that the food was very, very good. The highlight for me is was the Welsh Rarebit. Welsh Rarebit is a savory sauce, usually made from cheddar cheese, ale, ground mustard, paprika, and Worcestershire Sauce, and is served over toasted bread. It is so tasty, although how can you go wrong with melted cheese and bread? See Alton Brown’s recipe for Welsh Rarebit here.

I think the trip was best summed up in the following conversation between Shelley and me:

Shelley: I could see how you could spend a few days at Colonial
Williamsburg.

Jen: Really?

Yellowstone

In early October I headed up to my parent’s cabin in Island Park, ID. I was excited to make the yearly trek up to family summer home. I had high hopes of riding ATV’s, sitting in hammocks, and enjoying the fall color. Little did I know that winter was coming early to Island Park.

It was freezing cold the entire time, and I am talking 3 degrees cold. I only rode an ATV for a few minutes because I got so cold that my hands couldn’t take it any longer. And then there was the snow – oh the snow!

When I was there last year it wasn’t that cold. So when I packed for this trip, I packed similarly. That was a big mistake as nothing that I brought was adequate for the weather. It was a great excuse to sit around in front of a roaring fire place while reading books and watching TV.

We did make it into Yellowstone National Park one day. I find Yellowstone so therapeutic. I don't know if I love Yellowstone so much because I have grown up going to Yellowstone or because it is really just that awesome. There weren’t a ton of animals out that day, but we did have some nice encounters with buffalo and elk.

I also got to see my super sweet friend Stephanie Archibald and her son Carter. There were many hugs and Carter was absolutely precious. He is a kid that passes my likability test.

Mom and Dad at Firehole Falls

Dad and I at Old Faithful Inn

Stephanie and Carter

Next Trip: Colonial Williamsburg

Lee's Summit, Missouri

At the end of September I headed back out to Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Lee’s Summit is a suburb of Kansas City (which I love). There isn’t a lot in Lee’s Summit but I had a nice hotel and a five minute commute so I can’t complain.

As for the food, I had to go into Kansas City to really eat well. Most of the restaurants in Lee’s Summit are chain restaurants and fast food. They even had a Jimmy John’s Sandwiches where I used to eat at while at BYU. It was a nice taste of nostalgia.

I try to eat where my students recommend as they tend to know the best local places. I was told to go to the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. It is a lovely outdoor shopping area that has some great shops and fancy restaurants. There are fountains and the whole plaza is done in Spanish/Mediterranean architecture. I ended up walking around for a while because the weather was so nice and lusting after the entire inventory of Williams-Sonoma. I got very hungry and ended up eating at the Cheesecake Factory. I even ate outside because the weather was lovely. I know that Cheesecake Factory isn’t a local place, but I love eating there when work pays.

After dinner I went to Half Price Books. I have been to that particular store before and it is one of the better Half Price Books. I am like a junkie at those stores; I see so many books that I can’t help myself and I start buying. Of course, I never get to read all the books that I buy because I am slow reader there is always so much good TV to watch.

The next day I headed back to the Savoy Grill at the Hotel Savoy. I ate there the last time I was in Kansas City and it was so good that I went back for more. I ended up getting steak (again!) and it was fantastic. The side salad had so much blue cheese on it I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I also think I spilled on myself with every bite that I took. I have problems.

Another student recommendation turned out to be a great dining experience. I headed to Lidia’s in Kansas City. Lidia’s is located in a former railroad station and it is very cool and well decorated. If you go, make sure that you look at the chandeliers – they are gorgeous. Rumor has it that Lidia hosts a cooking show on PBS.

The food was amazing. The bread that they bring, foccacia and tuscan style, was light, warm and fresh out of the oven. They provide an olive tapenade and a pesto spread that I thought was kind of bland. The Caesar salad I had was the best I have ever had. The dressing was light, tangy and had more vinegar than most. I liked that the dressing wasn’t so heavy and that you could even taste the lemon in the dressing. The salad also had homemade croutons which were fantastic. I had no idea that homemade croutons could make such a difference.

As for dinner, I ended up ordering the Pasta Trio. The Pasta Trio lets you have unlimited samples of three pasta dishes (which change daily). The three pastas I had were: fettuccini with braised beef sauce, ravioli with ricotta and Swiss chard in a sage-infused sauce, and penne with arabitatta sauce and garlic slivers. The ravioli had a fantastic flavor combination and I think all sauces should be sage-infused.

Dessert came with the Pasta Trio and I was not one to turn it away. I am not a fan of most Italian desserts as they never contain enough chocolate. I had the ice cream trio: blueberry, cherry plum sorbet and caramel ice cream. I have never had caramel ice cream before and I devoured it before the others. The flavor was complex. The cherry plum sorbet was more on the tart side, and I couldn’t help but thinking of how much my mom would like it because she loves anything tart. I would highly recommend Lidia’s to anyone visiting Kansas City.

I asked around for a good BBQ place (I loved Arthur Bryant’s but I wanted to try something different). I was told that Oklahoma Joe’s was voted the best of Kansas City. I drove to Olathe, KS and had a pulled pork sandwich which was very, very good. They also had really good fries.

I know this wasn’t the most exciting trip to report on, but I did eat well. And isn’t that what this blog is really all about?

Next Trip: Yellowstone

Ladies, Please Take Note

Mathieu's Bon Voyage Party

In June my wonderful, awesome, French friend Mathieu had to leave to go back to France. I don’t know why he felt like he had to go back to Paris; I mean Reston, VA is pretty nice. It isn’t like he has family, friends and a wonderful girlfriend back in France. I guess I just have to respect his decision whether I like it or not.


Before Mat left we had a bon voyage party at The Tombs in Georgetown. The Tombs is a popular hangout for Georgetown students, especially because it is conveniently located across the street from the University. Luckily, school was out for the summer so we were able to get a reservation for a large group. If you do have a large party, the staff at The Tombs was very accommodating. One of the hosts even put more money in my parking meter for me.

The food was very good and I really enjoyed the cream of asparagus soup. The waitress recommended it and I really enjoyed the smooth, creamy flavor. It was a great place because everyone seemed to enjoy what they ordered. Lala, Mat’s girlfriend, had the crab cakes because she wanted something that was representative of the local cuisine. The Tombs even has a trivia night and it was really fun playing along. Sadly, all of the questions that I answered correctly had to do with TV and movies. I have issues.

While the food was good, it was a bittersweet night because it meant that Mathieu was leaving. Come back soon Mathieu and Lala! America has great hamburgers and awesome television.

Eric Visits in June

I am lucky to live near DC. It is a cool place to live, it is beautiful in the fall, it has a dynamic energy about it, and people often come here for business, conferences and sight-seeing. I have been fortunate to have a lot of friends come out to visit over the last two years. My friend Eric came out for a conference in June and stayed with me. Eric and I were both in the same study abroad program in Madrid, Spain. He was the cool kid and I just tagged a long basking in his awesomeness. It was great to see Eric because we hadn’t seen each other since I left Utah. It was a reunion that was long overdue.

Sadly, Eric wasn’t in town for very long and he had to attend the conference and I had to work (I hate needing a paycheck). So I would drop Eric off at the Metro on my way to work and I would pick him up at a Metro stop or in DC after work and we would eat food. Eric and I love to eat food, I think it is what brought us together initially.

So here is where we ate:
• I took Eric to one of my favorite places, Kabob Palace. I have mentioned it before, but I just love that place and I love to take visitors there. If you come to see me, there is no escaping it – just ask Tiffany.
• We also headed to Ben’s Chili Bowl. Ben’s Chili Bowl is a DC institution and I had never been. Eric swore to me that he liked chili so we made our way up to U Street. The chili was indeed very good and it is different than southwestern style chili as there were no beans anywhere. I would not recommend the slushees that they have, the one I ordered was so sweet I almost went into a diabetic coma. Eric and I both enjoyed the chili dogs. Eric also had potato salad that said was just okay.

Eric also wins the Guest of the Year award. I set Eric up in the basement is which is large and cold (which is great for the summer). Our dog, Lexy, rarely ventures into the basement for reasons that are known only to her. When she does go down there, however, it is to poop. Sometimes when Lexy can’t last the entire night the basement becomes her bathroom. It is a rare occurrence, but Seabreeze does have a seam cleaner on hand just in case.

Poor Eric was sleeping soundly when he heard Lexy come down the stairs. He told us that he got very excited that Lexy was going to hang out with him until she proceeded to poop right in front of him on the carpet. Wonderful Eric took Lexy out for a walk at 3:00 am and then proceeded to clean up her mess. Eric, you went above and beyond and are welcome here anytime – if you dare to return.

I hope that doesn’t scare the rest of you way.