Sign of pink

Well, last Friday the world didn't end, but it sure was a mostly sucky day. It began for me with some utter nonsense from work that caused me to have a much deserved meltdown that then left me sobbing almost uncontrollably all day.

Seeing some pink peaking through the trees did help on our journey.

Frothy

I prefer the froth in the mug rather than on the road. Ugh, winter is coming.

Ice cream

There's no stopping early when ice cream is the destination.

Passing Jesus

Yellow Springs awaits, so no time to spare.

Leaping Cats

Why not?

Pink Trees

There's no escaping now.

Faded Glory

Still bright yellow.

Gingerbread: The Saga Does Not Continue

No, I did not make a gingerbread house today, nor will I be making one. You may revisit the archives to see how that panned out a few years ago.

Popping

They didn't get quite as large and high as what I saw online, but not bad for a first attempt. They have all been eaten.

Sky fall

Watching the sky fall after watching "Skyfall."

Bagpipes

Still not sure what they have to do with the holidays.

Paint the Sky

October 14, 2012 -- West Virginia and home

My GPS has a bad habit of getting me off an exit too early and it obviously did that the previous night causing us to have the full tour of Beckley, West Virginia. It had me rather unnerved wondering where in the world this hotel would be. Seeing that it was next to a very packed IHOP and its own parking lot was full (apparently the bar at the Quality is the place to be on a Saturday night in Beckley), somehow didn't sway my concerns. I made Kent let us keep the light on (yes, I know I'm childish). Luckily no stink bugs.

Anyway, the next morning a bright blue sky greeted us. Sadly no make-you-own-waffles (maybe that's what we should ask for for Christmas, except then I will want waffles ALL the time), but there was good food and caffeine to send us on our way.

Seeing Charleston, West Virginia's capitol gold dome made me know we were in the home stretch and could then enjoy seeing the changing leaves, that on that day seemed to be just beginning, but now keep falling.

October 13, 2012 -- Norfolk, Virginia

There are three videos for this entry below.

Ah, the last day at Colonial Williamsburg. Yes, we did go there in the morning. Yes, I regret it. It seemed fine at first, surprisingly even getting very close parking on a Saturday, but then the shuttle driver decided that way more people than certainly would be legally allowed could ride. I haven't been that cramped in a tight moving vehicle since the London Metro. The difference is that I love London and HATE Colonial Williamsburg. This brought about a pretty intense near panic attack. My apologies to the two middle-aged women who I pushed past on my way getting out the back door.

Luckily by lunch time we were off to Norfolk, Virginia. It's not quite to Virginia Beach, but close. We did get to see the Chesapeake Bay on the way and go through a wild long tunnel ride on our way there.



The reason for going is that I checked out a Virginia guidebook for the trip and spotted the Chrysler Museum of Art, which has one of the largest glass collections in the country, as well as their own hot glass facility that has daily demonstrations. Their very friendly staff greeted us upon arrival and Kent was even able to get staff coffee from the guard since the cafe was closed and the coffee machine not working (we are far from Colonial Williamsburg). After drooling over their gorgeous Tiffany collection, we quickly went through their paintings before heading over to see some glass being made across the street. They have some of the traditional items like pumpkins to make or buy, as well as many non-traditional. It was a very cool facility and I wish we could have stayed longer.



Sadly we needed to hit the road in order to make it to our hotel in West Virginia, in order to split the trip going back in half, so we weren't able to walk around the lovely Ghent historic district near the Museum and the Hague River. Next time, if for no other reason than to ride the tunnel. Very interesting clouds that evening on our drive.

October 12, 2012 -- Richmond, Virginia

Thankfully we didn't spend all of our last three days at Colonial Williamsburg, or I'd be needing more than time to heal my wounds (and other people's wounds). On October 12, we parked near the Merchant's Square area to be closer to the the folk art museum. After taking it in, we were off to Richmond. We chose to the visit the Edgar Allan Poe Museum. It actually isn't a home of his, although he did grow up in Richmond. The museum doesn't allow photography or video inside, but I can tell you it has a large number of manuscripts, items of clothing he wore and furniture he used, along with other personal items. There is a great deal of history about his personal life and development as an author. It's a charming small museum, which was amusingly enough preparing for a wedding as we left. There was sadly no time to visit the Richmond Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson, so, once again, there was a drive by only.

We then met Kent's cousin and his family at Pizzaro's, which was very yummy. There was a final stop at Whole Foods after dinner, as I was tired of seeing bananas for $1.50 each at Colonial Williamsburg (I guess it would have been a luxury for the colonists too). Then back to the resort and bed.

October 11-13, 2012 -- The Colonial Williamsburg Saga

There are two videos for this blog entry.

They say time heals all wounds. Well, about a week after our vacation to Colonial Williamsburg, I have calmed down mostly, but I still HATE Colonial Williamsburg. I'd never been before, but it seemed like something one should do. Kent had visited with his family twenty years ago and enjoyed it, and hoped I would too. Sadly that did not happen.

I'm still trying to sort out why. I love historic buildings and decorative arts. I think its partially due to the fakeness of it all. Yes, there are a few historic buildings, but mostly its just the basements or fragments. The rest is all a re-creation. Basically it's Colonial Disney, with the overpriced tickets, horrible overpriced food (except for the baked goods at the Raleigh Tavern Bake Shop), and rude employees wearing costumes and who don't want to be there. The trick is that at Disney the costumes mask their faces so you can't see them rolling their eyes at you. Granted my slight food poisoning (or at least I think that was what it was) at the King's Arm Tavern, with our unbelievably surly waiter, did not make the first day there a good start. Mostly I think it was disappointment over what should be a serious and important part of our country's history being turned into such a crass commercial venture.

I did enjoy our visit to the two museums there, especially the folk art with its carousel with a cat. We listened to a beautiful pipe organ and harpsichord concert at one of the original churches still standing (until my stomach seized up -- sadly I didn't think to film it as I was feeling quite ill at that time). We did notice a difference between week day and weekend performers. The weekend ones were a bit more knowledgeable and actually seemed to want to be there.



My advice, if you wish to visit, is to just do the free stuff. You can park at the Visitor's Center for free and then walk over the bridge to the "historic area" (there's also fairly cheap garage parking close to the Merchant's Square area) and just wander through, stop and get some gingerbread cookies and apple cider at the Raleigh Tavern Bake Shop (yes, the staff aren't friendly, but the food isn't too over-priced there and it's good), then get the hell out! Don't go to the taverns, instead stop at one of the restaurants in Merchant's Square or near the College. The staff won't be wearing dorky costumes, but that means the prices will be lower, the food will be edible, and the servers won't slam the plates down in front of you (yes, that is what the server did to us at the King's Arm Tavern). Go to the museums, and then escape from the land of unpleasant people.

October 10, 2012 -- Washington, D. C. -- day 2

Thankfully my back was better by the morning, so after more make-your-own-waffles and other yummy food, and a minor annoyance at the Metro, we stopped at the National Museum of American History. I'm still riveted by that machine making the papers fly like birds and would have loved to actually step inside Julia Child's glass enclosed kitchen.

We continued our trek past the Washington Monument, yet again, and this time made it to the Martin Luther King Memorial (Lincoln will have to wait for the next trip). Even in stone I found him full of strength and determination. Walking back over the bridge, we looked on at the Jefferson Memorial, and then found our way to the National Museum of the American Indian. I could barely stop taking photos of the building. I can't even explain how much I love that building. Finally hunger drew us in to their Mitsitam Cafe, which was crazy expensive for lunch, but one of the best meals we had. They have food from all the Indian tribes in different stations and you're able to choose what you'd like. Kent chose the Great Plains dessert fry bread and that was a good choice.

We had a few minutes to see a little bit in the National Gallery. Unfortunately the Roy Lichtenstein show hadn't opened yet, but they hadn't blocked it off completely, so we could see a few images behind the ropes. I did stop at the gift shop (ever the tourist) after admiring the connection to the East wing. There were cool fountains everywhere we went it seemed.

October 9, 2012 -- Washington, D. C.

I hadn't been to D. C. since the last Democratic president was in office, so I was excited to go back. We decided to spend a few days in D. C. while in the area. After driving up to our Arlington hotel we took a short trip on the Metro, got a quick snack on the Mall, then began walking, and I do mean walking. I had forgotten how few and far between the Metro stops in D. C. were and how much walking you need to do to get to where you're going.

I ended up taking more still shots than video. I'm not quite sure why, but glad of it. There is a definite excitement there, even with all the bad politicians.

I filmed a bit on the Smithsonian Mall, taking in the carousel and the Hirshhorn sculpture garden before we spent the bulk of the afternoon at the International Spy Museum (no video or photography allowed, so you'll have to go yourself). It was very cool, but could have used more sitting areas. I keep forgetting about my back issues when we travel. Mostly it hasn't been a problem when we've been away, but we hadn't walked this much before. After having a lovely dinner with Kent's sister at Aria we attempted to make it to the Lincoln Memorial. The Washington Monument blinked out its lights to try to guide me in, but half-way down the reflecting pool I could go no further. I probably should have tried hailing a cab, but martyred myself to the walk back to the subway stop and then a steaming hot bath after much pain killers.

October 8, 2012 -- Jamestown & Yorktown, Virginia

There are three parts to the videos in today's blog below.

More rain came our way, but we trudged through it. It wasn't too bad in the morning as we visited Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. The James River was quite lovely, but the sky gave a very overcast and slightly ominous feel to the place. It seems they really liked the pointed column monuments in this area. We made sure to shake hands with Pocahontas for luck and even got to listen to "John Smith" talk about those early days in America. After a quick bite to eat and some ginger ale at their cafe, we went through their museum.



We then headed over to Jamestown's hot glass facility, which was very cool to see. It wasn't quite the full authentic colonial way, but things haven't changed too much. After seeing the artisan make a vase, we then went back to the resort for lunch and for me to get some much needed work done.



After a short nap, Kent was ready to take us to Yorktown. We got there just as the visitor's center was closing, but were able to get a map, as the Yorktown battle sites, even in good weather, are apparently more a driving tour. The town is most famous as the site of the siege and subsequent surrender of General Cornwallis to General George Washington, and the French Fleet during the American Revolutionary War on October 19, 1781. Although the war would last for another year, this British defeat at Yorktown effectively ended the war that most Americans don't know about. Years ago I went to Denmark and visited a Viking battle site and felt rather unnerved. I felt even more so at Yorktown, probably due to both Revolutionary and Civil War sites in many of the same locations. After finishing our tour, we went over to the Riverwalk area, but as it is October and a bit past season, only Ben & Jerry's were (thankfully) open. We got free close parking and were able to get Green Mountain Coffee and in-store only ice cream and sorbets. There was a bit of a beach in Yorktown, but sadly it was not beach weather (just like last year in Scotland).

October 7, 2012 -- Colonial Williamsburg -- the good day

After Monticello and the University of Virginia, and a late dinner near campus, we arrived very late at our holiday resort. Kent was convinced we needed to buy the seven-day Historic Triangle pass for the trip, which would get us admission to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. I felt the shorter pass made more sense, as we had plans to spend two days in Washington, D. C. and some time in Richmond and perhaps Norfolk, plus our first day would be spent mostly at Monticello. I wisely called the resort beforehand to see if they offered any deals other than what was online and was told we should wait for arrival and talk with their concierge. She was quite friendly and helpful, and did present us with the opportunity for two free three-day Colonial Williamsburg-only passes. The catch -- we had to sit through their time share presentation (hard-sell). The whole reason we were there was because Kent already is part of a vacation time share, but this resort had their own as well.

Since the weather forecast appeared rainy that next day, and the session wasn't until noon, that did allow us to sleep in, so we went. We had been told the session would be only 60 minutes and we'd receive lunch. Well, we were there an hour and a half, and that was mostly due to my glares at the sales guy at the end (he did not want us to go without selling us), and the food was horrible (a sad trend of the trip). I kept wanting to just tell the guy to get to the pitch. The growing hunger and boredom caused me to not be able to quickly tally how much the deal was. I kept thinking that what he was saying couldn't possibly be correct, but when he finally got to more paperwork it showed my math skills were better than I thought. They wanted $66,000 or more! I kept thinking how well we could travel on that kind of money. It also caused all the minor design flaws of what before that had been our perfectly acceptable suite. Anyway, we got our tickets, but since we were going to D.C. Tuesday and Wednesday, it made since to use them later in the trip.

Since the rain had thankfully ended, we decided to at least see what we could see without tickets at Williamsburg. The parking, very nice of them, is free at the Visitor's Center. We checked out the very large gift shops, used the facilities, then walked over the bridge (you need a ticket to ride the shuttle), which allowed us to see some of the area you don't normally see on the shuttle ride. With it being a Sunday in October, and a slightly rainy one, there were sparse crowds. We wandered around a little, then made it to the Merchants Square area, with more shops, an arts fair, and, most importantly, coffee.

After checking out the shops and buying some chocolate (what touristy place doesn't have a chocolate shop?) we walked over to the College of William & Mary. It was very quiet too, with only a handful of students hanging about. I've never seen a college with cannons. I saw them near castles in Denmark pointed at Sweden, but at a college it seemed quite odd, but much of the South I was reminded is still fighting these past wars.

After the college tour, we headed over to The Crust for some very good wood fired pizza and got to experience a group that had their own karaoke singer serenading all us with 60s and 70s songs. I still can't get a few of them out of my mind.

October 6, 2012 -- Monticello -- Charlottesville, Virginia

Thankfully there were no live stink bugs in our hotel room overnight. Kent told me not to look on the closed patio, which he said had many dead ones. After our make-your-own waffles breakfast that is all the rage, we left Lexington, Virginia behind. Off to Monticello we went.

Not surprisingly on a Saturday, it was busy, and we were waived in to the furthest parking lot, actually the staff parking. Yes, there was a line at the ticket desk, but it went quickly, the staff was quite friendly and welcoming, and the food at their restaurant was tasty and not horribly over-priced (more to come when I go in depth on this issue with Colonial Williamsburg later).

With the crowds and the valuable objects in the home, it is by timed tour only. We had a very knowledgeable tour guide. I couldn't take pictures or film inside, so you'll have to go yourself. I loved the library and his bedroom with the bed in a nook (which functioned better than the bed in the guest room). His grounds made me think of Biltmore with their rich variety and lushness. I was struck by how large his gravestone was compared to all the others in the family burial site, but I suppose that's to be expected.

After seeing all we could see at Monticello, we went in to Charlottesville and did our own tour of the University of Virginia, which Jefferson designed and looks a whole lot like Monticello. It apparently is in the midst of historic preservation, but that didn't stop a wedding couple from having their photos taken near the arcade.

October 5, 2012 -- On the road

Kent and I took a late vacation this year, to the Colonial Williamsburg area. Since we decided to drive, and since it's so long a drive (about 12 hours), we went up a day earlier and stayed in Lexington, Virginia in order to get to Monticello early on Saturday before arriving at our resort in Colonial Williamsburg that evening.

The skies in the West Virginia/Virginia area were very intense that night.

Finding out from the hotel clerk as we arrived that stink bugs had invaded the area made me more than a bit unsettled.

Not a care in the world...

I wish that were me. I've calmed down since my melodramic meltdown last Monday, but there are still fumes and particles in the air that are causing me to be only able to be at Kent's place for a few minutes at a time (grrrrrr!!!). I'm still aggravated at the world throwing a wrench in our plans and wishing I were Polly at Planet Pet in Newport sleeping her cares away.

I hate...just about everybody

I do have a tendency to get myself worked up about things, but in this case, it is justified. I'd been moving more and more into my boyfriend's condo, after us deciding we didn't want to be house-poor and thinking we should just suck it up and stay at his too-small-for-us loft condo for the time being. We'd already put up with the upstairs jerk, who'd been renting his space, and was thankfully moving out, but then, like a bad penny, he just can't be done with us.

Yep, all his treating the expensive loft like a gymnaseum caused the owner to, without warning, re-do the floors. When I first came in last Wednesday (after 5:00 p.m., I might say), I thought something was wrong with the duct system, the noise was so loud. I then realized there were some sort of power buffers being used upstairs. This went on until after 6:00 p.m. that night and started back up at 8:30 a.m. the next morning. Kent's condo is across the street from the casino being built, so I've gotten used to horrible noise and traffic aggravations, but this was beyond even the jackhammering.

Then the real horror -- chemicals. Anyone who knows me knows I am so allergic to so many things, but especially paints and strong chemicals. Kent sadly came home early on Thursday, with the beginnings of a cold (which thanks to the fumes, he still can't get over), and sadly alerted me to the new delima. I stopped by briefly and within about fifteen to twenty minutes had a horrible headache, felt itchy, and had the glands in my throat begin to swell. That's when I took what I could carry and evacuated, feeling so grateful that I still have my apartment.

Five days later and things have not improved. The absentee landlord is claiming that the windows can't be opened up completely in her unit because they don't all have screens and it would ruin the floor (I guess it doesn't matter if her neighbors who actually live in the building are sick or die due to the fumes) and her property manager claims that there's no odor in her unit now. BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL IN EVERYONE ELSE'S!!!!

I've already begun looking at the MLS listings again, to the horror of Kent, and have said never ever ever another condo.

Olympic Closing Ceremony Fizzle

I was excited about the last dose of London and the Olympics, but was not satiated by the closing ceremony thanks to crappy NBC cutting out the Who, Kate Bush, and Ray Davies. After having to hear the Spice Girls, what was Oasis (really??), and two boy bands the TAPED show ends early for some new comedy. At least I wasn't the only one annoyed.

Yep, I turned the TV off and haven't watched any NBC since.

Yesterday

Multiply that by ten.

Watching the shadows

It's interesting how different something can look in a new location.

Quacking

I'll let the geese speak for me.

View

At least the casino hasn't taken every view.

Letting Go

Off and on during the years I've come close to becoming a crazy old lady. When I was in my twenties I saved what seemed like every newspaper and magazine in my possession until my surroundings were nearly a fire hazard. In my thirties, with a larger place, I started buying more and more furniture and increased my knick-knacks more than 100 fold. My taste continued to change, but I still couldn't get rid of the old to make way for the new. I'm sure a psychologist would point to my growing up poor as to why I have an overwhelming need to hoard (thankfully I haven't gotten as bad as those on reality television shows).

I've tried over and over again to let go, yet it all seems to multiply again when I'm not looking. I've gotten to the point that I don't even know where to begin, but begin I must. I'd like to take Leo Babauta's advice and get rid of five things a day. Somehow I don't think that will be happening. Maybe a few things...

Eames Morning

Last Saturday the Tour de France was interrupting the morning news shows (my morning ritual), so I went channel surfing and landed on the American Masters documentary on Charles and Ray Eames. I'd seen it before and enjoyed it. I suppose being immersed in the life of such creative people can't help but cause you to get a bit creative yourself, even if it does take nearly a week to get the images off your camera and on the computer. Anyway, just some interesting reflections I noticed on the windows.

Back in Cincinnati

Well, the Raleigh and Asheville trip is well over and I'm dreaming about the next trip. The useless casino (my view only, obviously) being built across the street from Kent has completely ruined his view from one side, but luckily not the west side.

May 30, 2012 -- Last day in Asheville, North Carolina

We walked downtown from Montford on our last day, stopping briefly at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial. Due to a shortage of time, we weren't able to take it fully in, but admired his home, which looks very odd with the modern condo high-rise next door. I never knew Wolfe was so tall. That was a surprise. We weren't quite sure about the chrome sculpture nearby, but admired the design, as well as all the blooming flowers.

After lunch at the Laughing Seed, a stop to get a blouse and candy for me at Mast, and a short amount of downtown browsing, we headed back to Louisa's Porch. Kent said goodbye to Leo. If you need a place to stay in Asheville, I can heartily recommend Louisa's. I wish I was having their breakfast right now.

Before leaving Asheville, we did make a stop at Krispy Kreme so I could enjoy a HOT (you have to have it HOT) glazed, melt in your mouth, doughnut. They sadly aren't in the Cincinnati area except for pre-packaged boxes at the grocery store, which aren't worth the calories (maybe it's best for me that they're not here anymore), so I make a point of indulging on those rare occasions. I can't wait for the next visit.

May 29, 2012 -- Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina

I suppose it does seem like I'm extending this vacation, but then I wouldn't mind being back in Asheville. We can never pass up going to Biltmore when we come to Asheville. It just wouldn't make sense. It was more crowded than back in March, but not too terribly packed on a weekday. Having seen the home many times, we spent our time taking in the grounds and the conservatory, before lunch, gift shops, and Antler Hill Village for the current exhibit.

Due to the heat, humidity, and all the running around, I collapsed that evening. A long shower followed by numbing TV watching fit the bill.

May 28, 2012 -- Off to Asheville

As we left our hotel in Raleigh, we kept seeing a guy at Trader Joe's jumping up and down on some raised surface. Just as we turned we realized he was making room in the dumpster for more trash. I suppose it had been a busy Memorial Day weekend. Kent's family wasn't able to host us this visit, so we stayed at a B & B in the Montford area of Asheville called Louisa's Porch, and what a delightful stay we had. The room was lovely, the neighborhood so quiet, and the the breakfast was amazing. I also got to indulge in my TV watching as they had satellite! Of course, we knew we chose well when neighbor, Leo, chose to say hello.

We had a nice walk around the neighborhood, admiring the cool bungalows before setting off for dinner at Kent's parents' home. A stop at The Hop finished the evening off nicely. As usual, I focused more on eating my ice cream than filming, but it was salted caramel and yummy. Kent had kale, which he enjoyed and wants to try the Kombucha sorbet next time. I'll stick with the salted caramel.

May 27, 2012 -- Raleigh, North Carolina, bonus

I'm still loving loving loving these chairs at the North Carolina Museum of Art (made with my iPod Touch, which for some reason Blip has decided to turn the clip sideways, but it still shows those fabulous chairs).

May 27, 2012 -- Raleigh, North Carolina

Well, we made it back to the Capital Rose garden, and luckily there were no hula hoops or loud music. In fact, it was so peaceful there were a few men doing tai chi. The early spring had caused a number of the roses to wilt already, but some were still holding up.

Next we stopped at Cup A Joe for some much needed caffeine and to check out the funky architecture nearby. After a brief (well, maybe not so brief) stop at a Nice Price Books, we went to the North Carolina Museum of Art. I love love love the lobby area in their new building because I love love love those chairs. The sculpture garden with the lotus pond and Rodin sculptures were quite lovely too. Next time, when hopefully it's not so humid, we'll take in more of the grounds surrounding the museum.

5.26.12 -- Raleigh, North Carolina

After recovering from the long drive (mostly with lots of strong coffee and very good freshly-made mini-donuts at Sola) we headed out to explore. First we tried to find David Sedaris' childhood home, but it appeared to be slightly off the street, so we couldn't get a good look at it and didn't want to have our trip affected by possibly being arrested for trespassing, so we headed downtown. Kent was disappointed that there weren't pony rides when he was a boy (and that they wouldn't let adults take part now). We then went inside the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for what we really came to see -- the newly discovered emeralds. They were gorgeous. I lust!

It was interesting seeing that Raleigh has electric car charging stations downtown, but sad that I didn't see any electric cars charging next to them. The new massive globe attached to the Natural Sciences museum was almost as amazing as the emeralds and quite the interactive exhibit.

Then we wandered around downtown, going inside the capital building. I remember one of my early art history courses as an undergraduate seeing the slides of the Canova sculpture of George Washington in a toga. It was very amusing to us all then, but I must say it is a beautiful statue, and George has very shapely legs.

A recharging experience of our own was needed at Turkish Delights, with banana ice cream for me and Turkish coffee for Kent. Condos reminiscent of South Beach seemed to be popping up everywhere. We tried to visit the Capital rose garden, even venturing onto the Little Theatre Company's stage to get there, but a wedding reception with lots of loud music and hula hoops caused us to wait and try again tomorrow.

May 25, 2012 -- On our way

We decided to take a long holiday weekend and go to Raleigh, where Kent grew up, and then stop in Asheville. It was a long and somewhat boring drive. Thankfully the traffic was mostly light except for a brief traffic congestion in West Virginia. The area around Charleston, West Virginia reminded me slightly of the Cincinnati area with its many bridges. The gold dome on its capital was eye-catching compared to many others we saw.

Kent had been content to just stop at the visitors center near Tamarack, outside of Charleston, to use the facility and get some refreshment. I on the other hand was curious to check out the center and, smart man that he is, he did not stand in my way of a potential shopping experience. Tamarack reminded me of a larger version of the Berea Artisan Center. There were even working artists making their wares in the facility.

We arrived in Raleigh late that night and very tired.

5.20.12 -- Mt. Airy Forest & Bellevue Hill Park, Cincinnati, Ohio

As usual I'm playing catch-up. We had a lovely Sunday in two parks two Sundays ago. First we stopped at Mt. Airy Forest, which was eerily quiet. I enjoyed all the Asian trees throughout (or the short throughout we went to on a hot day before enjoying ice cream at Putz's). It would have been nice if there was a bench or some sort of seating on the gazebo.

After ice cream (sorry, no time to film or else it would have melted) we went to Bellevue Hill Park, not far from where I used to live. I'd never been there, but fell in love with the architecture. It seemed to me like a cross between Frank Lloyd Wright and the California architects who were influenced by him (it even has cantilevers!).

While the view of downtown Cincinnati was eye-catching, I kept being drawn back to the mushroom-like/spaceship-like structures, and the view of the sky from the cut outs.

May 6, 2012 -- Corbin and Lexington, Kentucky

Thankfully there were no ants in our room on Sunday, but I still didn't trust the in-room coffee maker. We took a last look at our view from our room and headed north to Berea for brunch at the Boone Tavern. It had seemed with the traffic Friday night that graduation was either that night or Saturday, but no, it was Sunday at 2:00. The universe was still on our side and we were able to once again get a free street space after going around the block and apparently most of the graduates and their families had already left the Tavern, so we were easily able to get a table. Typically I'm not a buffet person, not being much of a meat eater and being very picky, but I can highly recommend Boone Tavern. Once again I should have documented the meal, but after only a cereal bar that morning I was starved. The creamy mashed new potatoes were fabulous and I finally got to try spoon bread (an eggy version of cornbread). By the time we shared a piece of carrot cake and apple crisp I was beyond full.

On our way back we stopped at the Arboretum in Lexington, near the University of Kentucky (which thankfully wasn't having graduation ceremonies). It's a lovely, and free, park with ample parking. The paved footpaths were just what we needed to walk off some of buffet calories and take in some more nature. There was an interesting sculpture near the rose garden and a very large reminder that you're in Wildcat country.

May 5. 2012 - Corbin, Kentucky

We had the unpleasant experience of discovering ants in our room the next morning, but, after playing good cop/bad cop with the front desk, we were moved to an upstairs room with a better view. The falls were beckoning to us, so we drove down (not quite feeling up for the full hike over) and walked to the viewing area. They were quite glorious and deafening. Supposedly in the evening during this time of year you can often see a moonbow, but I was content with the rainbow (Kent went out to try to see this but experienced heavy traffic and crowds, and no moonbow). After getting our fill of the falls we tried going to the Moonbow Cafe in town, but sadly it was closed, so instead went to Basil's. I can't even begin to explain just how good the Sicilian pizza was with its imported cheeses. I wished I would have filmed it, but was too hungry and it was too good. Chef Richard came out and visited us, which was cool. My only recommendation for next time is to get a to-go box at the beginning of the meal to save some slices for later. Otherwise you'll be wishing you had more even though you'll still be so stuffed.

After lunch we drove the short distance to the Sanders Cafe, supposedly the original location of Colonel Sanders' Kentucky Fried Chicken. When I saw the brochure I thought it was nice of the Colonel to offer free admission to the museum at the Cafe and have such long hours until we went in and I realized it was a fully functioning KFC, albeit with much nicer furnishings (hardwood floors and wood tables). Everyone enjoyed sitting a spell with the Colonel.

Getting back to the lodge, I spent the evening reading my thriller and enjoying the view.

May 4, 2012 - Berea and Cumberland (Corbin, KY)

Kent and I took advantage of a Groupon last weekend and visited Cumberland Falls. I've heard of the Cumberlands for years and never went, being far more into city activities, but a weekend away in the quiet after all the construction noise and traffic headaches seemed like a good idea. Leaving late afternoon, we decided to stop in Berea for dinner before making it to the state park lodge, but, even though a friend of mine had been talking with me earlier that day about her daughter graduating from Northern Kentucky University on Saturday, it didn't occur to me Berea may be in the midst of graduation. We were greeted to far more traffic than usual when we got off the highway. Then, as we approached the university, we saw the graduation signs and wondered if we made a mistake. Luckily we were still able to achieve a free street parking spot. Being too late for lunch and too early for dinner (and no one being at the seating podium by the dining room), we decided to wait and stop at the Boone Tavern for Sunday brunch, and walked down the strand to the Main Street Cafe. The sweet waitress was quite accomodating of my allergies and food aversions, and the food was quite good. Sadly the fudge shop that also sold Blue Bell ice cream, that I've wanted to try, was closed.

The drive to the state resort park in Corbin, Kentucky was an hour further, but the last 20-30 minutes was an insanely winding road that made me a bit nauseous. We arrived safely, although tired, but after checking out the funky lounge with very cool mid-century modern chairs, we went out to the patio area to admire the glowing moon. I'm not sure if this was the "Super Moon," but it was quite beautiful.

Pink Snow

I'd much prefer this to the real stuff.

In Bloom

Late last week I heard that the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. would be blooming ahead of schedule due to the mild winter. The next day I saw photographs of Eden Park in Cincinnati on Facebook with blooming trees. Kent and I went out and it was indeed a beautiful day with everything in bloom. I'm still nursing a leg spasm from the walk, but it was worth it.

Even the post office yesterday near my workplace, in a very un-park like setting, had blooming trees to greet the customers.

The Constant Explorer

What is it about the dryer?

Rewind -- March 7, 2012 -- Going Home

I always get excited seeing the mountains during the trip (or in this case the Cumberland plateau, as Kent pointed out) and sad when they disappear again.

Rewind -- March 6, 2012 -- Biltmore

We visited Biltmore on a lovely blue-sky day. It was fairly empty, which was lovely after the holiday crowd we endured last time. Obviously we weren't the only ones taking advantage, as we were greeted by a film crew working on a commercial for the estate. Mostly I enjoyed the shadows and combination of colors against the blue sky. I still don't know what the mini helicopter was, but it added a certain novelty. With the warm winter, both the indoor and outdoor flowers were blooming.

After four trips to Biltmore, we finally made it to the Bass Pond. I was struck by the shadow of the tree against the water and how it reminded me of a Linda McCartney photograph I had seen in a book collection of hers just the prior week.

Rewind -- March 5, 2012 -- Miles Henry of Wildfire Glass

Last Monday, Kent and I visited an old high school buddy of his who is now a glass artist and flame worker with his own studio -- Wildfire Glass -- just outside Asheville. He kindly showed off some of his wares and even did a very cool demonstration for us. I suppose occasionally there is a good reason to look up old friends on Facebook.

P.S. Koka was quite fascinated with the finished product.

3.11.12 -- Devou Park Overlook

It was a dry and warm day, so we headed out to Devou Park. First we stopped at the Behringer-Crawford Museum, as they were having a free day. Their exhibit on the historic floods in the area was quite informative. Wanting to take advantage of the warm day, we walked on the nicely paved trail over to the overlook area near Drees Pavilion. If the sky could stay this blue and the temperature 70 degrees year round I'd be very happy.

Rewind -- March 4, 2012 -- Going to Asheville

Kent and I went down to Asheville, North Carolina for a few days. We saw a great deal of devastation from the storms off the highway, but also the same beautiful mountain range. This time we decided to do a little drive-by in Berea, Kentucky. Boone Tavern was more grand than I expected. They also had a high school designed like a pagoda (very cool). I've always been amused by the metal cross towering over Adult World.

Upon arriving, we were starved, so we went to the Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company. The American remake of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" was playing, but had already started, so we opted for the dining room. The 80s movies table grabbed me (ah, the memories). The Memorial Library on the wall was also fascinating, but what I loved most was the ladies room. Talk about visual overload. Austin Powers greeted me on the ceiling as I looked up, Phillip Glass was on the wall, along with a helpful traffic warning, and a lovely smiling orange kitty.

Rewind -- March 2, 2012 -- Tornadoes

Waking up on that Friday, I was a bit startled seeing the construction workers already on the job for the casino going in across the street from Kent. The workers almost seemed close enough to touch.

Later that day the storms came. I left work early, yet when I arrived home it actually seemed okay, so I finished up a few things and decided to go to the gym. The skys turned dark rather quickly and I almost wondered if I should stay home, but I went out anyway. After I was on the elliptical machine for a few minutes one of the staffers said we may need to go to the lockers. A little while later he did ask us to go in, but some didn't want to go and as they stayed behind, so did I (the staffers were all outside watching the storm). The rain was torrential for a few minutes, then it lessened again and I was able to safely make it home after my workout. By the time I got home and turned on the tv I realized how lucky I was. Many communities to the west, east, and south of me were hit, but I didn't even lose power. The winds continued to be strong that evening, which fascinated Koka.

Churtling

Many years ago, when I was still fundraising, I attended a breakfast meeting where many politicians were in attendance. Being Ohio, they were mostly Republicans. I was stuck at a table with an aide to a local Republican politician who quite craftily stayed on his cell phone until the event began, eluding all of us wanting his boss' support. The speaker was a high up leader of that party whose name I don't recall (this was during Bush's first term in office). He kept repeating over and over again in different ways that Bush and his team were good people. This obviously bored me, so I began taking in the grandeur of the room. Then the aide, who was sitting next to me, I noticed was in complete concentration on what was being said. This caused me to turn back to the speaker, who was still saying Bush was "good people." I turned back to the aide, who then began vibrating slightly and making some noises. I was concerned he was having a seizure, and naturally moved a little away, but on continued look I realized that he wasn't convulsing. There was something strange about what he was doing, yet it seemed familiar. Then it dawned on me -- he was doing what I'd seen a friend's cat do whenever a shiny small pom pom was shaken near her. She became almost trance-like and began making the same noise. Koka does it too whenever a bird flies near any of Kent's windows and she can't get to them.

That event told me all I needed to know about Republicans.

Spring Awakening

Maybe it's the unseasonably warm weather we're having or the fact that my allergies are going crazy. Either way, it feels like spring is here.

Impermanence

I worked as a fundraiser for an art college for six-too-long years. The school's older building was adjacent to the Cincinnati Art Museum. The school moved its operation to a downtown facility in 2005 (I'd spent half my time while employed there raising money for that move), and it was expected that the Art Museum would take the older building and do something with it. The economy delayed this project and I'd become used to seeing the building as I made the turn into the parking lot to visit the Museum. Even reading about the construction about to take place in the Museum's magazine didn't prepare me for seeing what appeared to be ruins upon my recent visit.

I suppose I just assumed the Museum would re-open long closed doors that led from the Museum to the school and re-design the interior. I was not expecting the roof to be removed and the whole interior to be gutted. Being a staffer at a very unpleasant time certainly didn't make the Academy my home, but it still felt like some part of my past had been removed. It was very unnerving.

Cincinnati Nature Center-Maple Syrup, February 25-26, 2012

We visited the Nature Center Saturday to see how the maple syrup is tapped, and, of course, to purchase some of the syrup. It was a very cold day, strangely not what we've been experiencing this winter, which caused the sap to not flow very well. Still, we found one lucky tree.

On Sunday, Kent made carrot cake pancakes, always wanting to add some healthiness to the sweets. I must admit they were pretty tasty and the syrup quite yummy.

Peace

If only Sencha could be this peaceful all the time (and not pee where she's not supposed to). She isn't even bothered by the political commercials.

Frisky Koka

If only Kent had declawed her when she was a kitten. That's his "ow" you hear.

Rewind -- December 24 & 25, 2011 -- Asheville, North Carolina

We went to visit Kent's family over the holidays in Asheville. During our visit to Biltmore one of the drivers mentioned the Guastivino dome in the Saint Lawrence Basilica downtown, so we stopped to visit. It truly was beautiful. I'm glad the FLIP is small and quiet, as people were privately worshipping.

Wanting some fresh air on Christmas day, we drove threw the Montford historic district. While we saw many gorgeous old homes, I fell in the love with the orange bungalow. Love it!

Rewind -- December 18, 2011 -- Holiday Junction, Cincinnati, Ohio

If you're like me and don't have children, don't like children, don't like crowds, and aren't all that excited about trains unless you can be on them, then you have no business going to Holiday Junction at Museum Center. It was clearly a temporary bout of insanity on my part to suggest we go. I had free passes, so we went just before the Christmas holiday. Big mistake. There was a huge line to even get the passes converted to tickets. Then we had to go through crowds of people in an overheated museum to get to the even more crowded exhibit filled with screaming children and distracted parents. Within minutes I let Kent know that I was going to skim through and would meet him upstairs, which was what I did. Still, I did capture a bit of footage.

Carew Tower Climb -- February 19, 2012

And now for another climb. This took place on Sunday. No, I didn't partake in the climb. I'm still getting over my cold/flu/allergies/sinus/virus/whatever I had, but Kent once again successfully completed the climb (I did remind him of the event last Wednesday and nudged him to go ahead and register around the holiday to get the paperwork out of his inbox).

It was nice to see that many people in the space. Years ago I was constantly in and out of Carew Tower and the Tower Place Mall, but sadly, even though other parts of downtown Cincinnati have been rejuvenated, Tower Place is even deader than it was last year.

Rewind -- December 17, 2011 -- Santa Climb, Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio

One of the new traditions here in Cincinnati is Santa and the reindeer repelling off a downtown building several Saturday evenings before Christmas. It's a bit strange for me, but perhaps I would have enjoyed Santa as a child if he'd been more like a superhero.

Rewind -- November 21, 2011 (My birthday), Yellow Springs, Ohio

We went back to Yellow Springs for my birthday, first to the Clifton Mill Restaurant for pancakes, then on to Clifton Gorge before ending the day doing a bit of window-shopping in Yellow Springs proper. The Mill was just about to close before we arrived (I had to work that morning, sadly), but thankfully we were served their wonderful pancakes (I was focused on the pancakes rather than shooting footage). We burned off some of the calories walking around the Gorge. It was a bit bleak that time of year, but a little bit of green peaking out.

Rewind -- November 13, 2011 -- Columbus, Indiana

Columbus, Indiana is another one of those places that I've heard of for years, but never visited. It's a small city near Indianapolis that had the civic leadership that produced a huge number of buildings, not by unheard of firms that look like every other office building in most U.S. cities, but instead persuaded internationally recognized artists and architects to produce unique buildings that still look modern and function well many years later.

November was a bit tumultuous for me. I was participating in my first NaNoWriMo, which sucked up a lot of my time. That along with an upcoming birthday and another event put some strain on my emotions and relationships, but the trip still went on and proved to be a good time. We ended our visit at Zaharakos, which shouldn't be missed.

Rewind -- September 25, 2011 -- William Howard Taft National Historic Site

Back in September we visited the William Howard Taft National Historic Site in Mt. Auburn. I used to live very close to the site and kept meaning to check it out, but never did.

It's a beautifully maintained home run by the Park Service, strangely enough. While I'm not a fan of Taft's political party, I'm pretty sure he was a little more intelligent and less awful than the current batch.

The animatronic Charlie Taft is both creepy and intriguing. Since we were so close to the University of Cincinnati, it seemed to make sense to stop by and visit the Smiling Bill statue, which appeared on campus in the early 1990s while I was attending graduate school there. At that time he was placed right on the sidewalk path between the law school and the classics building. Luckily he's now been moved slightly off the path, but he's still smiling.

Rewind -- August 27, 2011 -- Cincinnati Zoo

It's obvious I need to do more creative work, whether it be paid or not, in order to keep my sanity. There are too many frustrations currently in my life that are sucking up all my energy and I'm sick of it.

Looking back, I noticed I'd collected a lot of footage last year that I didn't do anything with (or accidently deleted, grrr). Perhaps disposing of the old will help bring in the new.

Kent and I went to the Cincinnati Zoo last August after our trip to Scotland. As I recall it was a comfortable day, which has become rare here in the summers. There were lots of kids, but overall it was a good day that we ended at Essencha Tea House for tea and scones.

12.31.11 -- Holiday in Lights at Sharon Woods (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Kent and I decided to experience the last bit of the holidays, and something where I wouldn't have to experience crowds or screaming children. We went to the Sharon Woods holiday display in Sharonville. It was a little pricey for holiday lights, but quite enjoyable. You stay in your car and drive through the woods, and thanks to the holiday, there was very little traffic.

The soundtrack is courtesy of the CD I bought last week at Biltmore of their pipe organ.