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Snapshot Chronicles Roadtrip

Family travel through a slightly twisted lens. Sense of humor required. Shoes optional.

Walking Tours: South Beach and SOHO

May 25, 2014 by Susan Getgood

IMG 0766 e1401024597739 225x300 Walking Tours: South Beach and SOHO Walking tours are a great, mostly guilt-free way to get a flavor of a place and its food. Two weeks ago, during BlogHer Food, my colleague Carmen and I took our lunch break on a walking tour of South Beach, and yesterday Douglas and I experienced some of the best chocolate New York’s SOHO neighborhood has to offer.

Here’s the report!

Food Tours of Miami  Four stops. We started with gelato at the meeting point, and then moved to a Haitian restaurant, Tap Tap, followed by a walk down the “main drag” of  South Beach and some excellent examples of Art Deco architecture, a brief stop at a café, and then the pièce de la resistance, French bistro Otentic. The first three stops were truly tastings, but the final stop was more robust, with 3 courses: a charcuterie plate, a very tasty quiche and desserts. No one left hungry!

A highlight of Tap Tap was the wall murals throughout the restaurant. Unfortunately, WordPress is not cooperating with me this morning and I cannot get any of these photos to upload properly, so you’ll have to trust me. If you are in the area, check it out for yourself.

Important: if you have any dietary restrictions, including if you do not drink alcoholic beverages, make sure you let them know in advance. At Tap Tap, one of the tastings was a Mojito, and they weren’t prepared for as many non-drinkers as were on our tour, so a few of us missed out. No big deal really, but easily fixed if you let them know in advance.

Chocolate Walking Tour of New York. Also four stops. We started with iced Aztec chocolate and a signature ganache at MarieBelle on Broome Street.

IMG 0783 300x300 Walking Tours: South Beach and SOHO

Marie Belle

Stop number two, Vosges, featured a Naga Truffle — chocolate, curry and coconut, which was amazingly tasty. We purchased a sampling of small size bars, including bacon, and my favorite, chocolate and chili peppers!

Next up was Kee’s on Thompson Street, where the included sample was a to-die-for Crème Brûlée chocolate. Douglas also tried one of their Blueberry macaroons and I had a Sesame Chili Chocolate.

We wrapped up at Jacques Torres on Hudson at King Street, where we could choose our own flavor of bon bon, and also sampled hot chocolate and their signature chocolate chip cookies. I continued my search for the best combination of spice and chocolate with Wicked Fun:

IMG 0806 300x300 Walking Tours: South Beach and SOHO

Jacques Torres Wicked Fun bon bon

 

Douglas went for a raspberry-filled one, and it was so good, he purchased an additional three to snack on!

I found both tours through Groupon, and the prices we paid were between 1/3 to 1/2 of the advertised price, so I highly recommend checking out the various deal sites and apps  (Groupon, Living Social, Amazon, Viator) before booking.

Filed Under: Dining, Florida, New York, Things to Do, Walking Tours

Pennsylvania Weekend: Crystal Cave, Valley Forge

October 5, 2009 by Susan Getgood

3978463637 477f73a18c m Pennsylvania Weekend: Crystal Cave, Valley ForgeLast weekend was the big dog show weekend in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, culminating in the all-terrier Montgomery County Kennel Club show on Sunday. I needed/wanted to go for a few dog and dog club related reasons, but did not relish the long 7+ hour drive (each way) by myself. So I convinced Douglas and David to come along with me. I’d go to my dog club banquet on Friday night and the dog show on Sunday, but we’d skip the Saturday show, and do some family sightseeing instead.

There is quite a lot to do in the Philadelphia area – art, science and natural history museums, the zoo, plus  historical exhibits like the Liberty Bell and Valley Forge.

We decided to give Doug the choice. He picked  Crystal Cave in Kutztown. Boys and rocks.

I’m a bit claustrophobic and generally the idea of being in a cave gives me the creeps. This wasn’t too bad. The tour guide did an excellent job moving us through the cave, and the cave rooms themselves were fairly large, with very tall ceilings, so I didn’t get that “pressed in” feeling. Doug absolutely loved it.

The cave formations themselves are eery. Some could easily be alien life forms from a sci-fi film.

3979234928 bac5a423a2 m Pennsylvania Weekend: Crystal Cave, Valley Forge 3978490091 e72581c56f m Pennsylvania Weekend: Crystal Cave, Valley Forge

After the caves, we decided to head back and do a quick visit to Valley Forge. We’d been a number of times in the past, but Douglas didn’t remember it. On the way we stopped for lunch at a Texas Roadhouse in Royersford.

This was our first ever visit to this chain, and we were pleasantly surprised by the hospitality — warm and gracious — and the food — excellent. As first-time guests, they gave us a free bottle of their steak sauce, and asked us to fill out a brief questionnaire about our experience. I wrote in the comments that we very much enjoyed the food and wished there was a restaurant near us in Massachusetts. One of the managers made a point to come out and let us know that there were a few, including one not far from us in Worcester.

Why so good? Everything is very fresh. Homemade rolls, lots of choices for side dishes and good steaks. Is it Morton’s or Ruth Chris? Of course not. But when you are on the road looking for a quick reasonably priced meal, it’s a nice alternative to the burger and tex-mex lite chains. I particularly appreciated the 6 ounce filet for $16.00. It’s the right amount of meat for me and the price was fair. It was also very tasty.

3979286740 24a8b06150 m Pennsylvania Weekend: Crystal Cave, Valley Forge We got to Valley Forge too late for an organized trolley or walking tour (although we have done the trolley tour in the past, and it is excellent). Instead we bought the self-guided one-hour CD tour ($15.00) and proceeded to drive through the park and learn a little history on the way.

Douglas wasn’t too interested at first, but we confiscated the Nintendo, and eventually he got into it. Admission to the park and buildings is free; there is a fee for the trolley tour.

As with all national parks, there are also special programs worth checking out if you are slightly more planful about your visit than we were this time 🙂 The park buildings close at 5pm, but the grounds are open until dusk. The last ranger-tour of Washington’s Headquarters is at 4:30 pm.

The centerpiece — literally — of the park is the National Memorial Arch. This time, we saw two wedding parties doing their formal photos. My pictures of them on Flickr.

3979295546 c35b56c622 m Pennsylvania Weekend: Crystal Cave, Valley ForgeYou’ll also see lots of deer at Valley Forge. In fact the deer population of the park is a bit of a problem; if you are interested, you can read more at the park website.

For visitors, though, it is nice to see these pretty animals up close and vertical as opposed to lying by the side of the road, a sad but familiar site along Pennsylvania highways.

On Sunday, I went to the dog show. David and Doug went to the nearby Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. They had a great time pumpkin painting and exploring the garden railway.

Other things to do in the area: We’ve also enjoyed wandering around the community of Doylestown, although we did not get up that way on this trip, and Longwood Gardens. Little kids would enjoy Sesame Place, although the weather never cooperated for that when Douglas was younger and now at nine, he’s well past it. If you like to shop, the ginormous King of Prussia mall is nearby.

Where to stay: I like the Marriott Springhill Suites in Plymouth Meeting. Reasonably priced ($89 AAA-rate), all-suite hotel. Indoor pool. Free breakfast. Free in-room Internet. Near the Plymouth Meeting Mall, which offers many restaurant choices including Benihana, another good choice when traveling with kids. The mall also has an arcade which entertained Douglas (and Dave) on Friday night while I was at the dog club banquet and on Saturday night while I made a quick run to Macy’s.

Word to the wise: Traffic in the Montgomery County area, especially on the Turnpike and its feeder roads, is awful nearly all the time. Plan accordingly.

Links

  • Crystal Cave
  • Texas Roadhouse
  • Valley Forge
  • Marriott Springhill Suites, Plymouth Meeting

Filed Under: Dining, National/State Park, Pennsylvania, Things to Do Tagged With: Crystal Cave, deer, Valley Forge

My she was yar – Our SailBoston Adventure

July 14, 2009 by Susan Getgood

3715538196 6ed4ffbe33 My she was yar   Our SailBoston Adventure Sunday, Douglas  & I went on Boston Harbor Cruises Tall Ships Cruise.  While  the cruise was a bit pricey ($40 each) and at 90 minutes, about 30 minutes too long for Douglas, it was a great way to see the Tall Ships. I’m a bit claustrophobic so anything that keeps me out of crowds gets my vote.

Based on this, and other experiences with Doug, if you are planning a harbor cruise, I’d recommend one that is an hour or less, OR one with a full meal. Kids like the food part 🙂 The trip from Long Wharf to Old Ironsides is a very good length.

After the boat cruise, we checked out the new Northern Fur Seal Exhibit at the New England Aquarium. Pictures here. Doug also enjoyed the talk at the “top of the GOT” (the giant tank that is the centerpiece of the aquarium.)

Then, lunch at Legal Seafoods. For a very special treat, your kids can have a full lobster dinner at about half the price of an adult’s lobster dinner.

(curious about the “My she was yar” reference? It’s from The Philadephia Story with Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant.)

Filed Under: Day Trips, Dining, Massachusetts, We Recommend Tagged With: Boston Harbor Cruises, Legal Seafoods, New England Aquarium

Father’s Day Excursions

June 6, 2009 by Susan Getgood

562284340 c2a406816b m Fathers Day ExcursionsI have two Father’s Day excursions for you, one worth the drive if you are in the Boston area, and the other well worth a weekend getaway. Both are annual events; you go this year or you wait until next.

The Boston area – Stow MA

Every year on Father’s Day weekend — June 20 & 21 –  the Collings Foundation in Stow opens its doors to visitors for Wings and Wheels Weekend. It’s a great opportunity to see the Foundation’s collection of vintage aircraft and automobiles. You can also book a ride in one of the vintage aircraft, but this must be done in advance.  $10 adults, $5 kids.

Family eats in the Stow area: La Provence in Concord (review) and Nancy’s Airfield Cafe in Stow.

Central Vermont – Quechee

2583386997 ce23fdd6d6 Fathers Day Excursions

The Quechee Balloon Festival in Quechee Vermont is well worth the trip North. Dave and I went years ago, and last year we finally made it back with Douglas. There are activities all day long, but the highlight is the balloon ascensions in the morning and early evening. This year, we are planning our weekend to attend the Balloon Glow on Friday at approximately 8:30 pm. Balloon rides are available, but should be booked in advance.

Local accommodations:
There are motor inns nearby in Quechee and White River Junction, but I recommend going a bit further and staying at the Kedron Valley Inn in South Woodstock. If they are full up, try the Woodstock Inn, and if you like bed & breakfasts, the Inn at Chelsea Farm, our Vermont neighbor.

By the way, if you are looking to visit the Woodstock area, we also rent our house. Check it out on Cyberrentals. This year, we will be there on Balloon Fest weekend, but we have lots of other availability this summer as we have just started renting it.

Back to the balloon festival. Admission is $10 adults, $5 kids; tickets are good for the entire weekend and dads accompanied by a kid are 1/2 price on Sunday.

Family eats in the Woodstock/Quechee area: There are a lot of great restaurants in the area, but if the family has spent the day at the festival, you want something fast and friendly. For lunch, I recommend the Farmer’s Diner in Quechee and for dinner, Bentleys in Woodstock.

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Filed Under: Dining, Festival, Massachusetts, Things to Do, United States, Vermont, We Recommend Tagged With: balloon festival, Collings Foundation, Quechee, Stow MA

Snapshot Review: La Provence restaurant, Concord MA

May 19, 2009 by Susan Getgood

Going to Concord Massachusetts to see the cradle of the American Revolution?

When hunger pangs strike, be sure to check out a little bit of La Belle France, La Provence restaurant at 105 Thoreau Street.

You order and pay at the counter, but they’ll bring your food to you. They also do take-out and catering.

Choices include a variety of quiche, sandwiches and salads, and of course yummy French pastries and bread.  There are plenty of seats, including a few tables outside in nice weather.

Much better than a sub shop or Mickey D’s.

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Filed Under: Dining, Massachusetts, Take-out

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