Going Dutch

I don't know why, but it seems like this has turned more into a "food critic" type of venue. That was never my intention with this blog! Nevertheless, I find this blog gives me a forum to thank restaurant staff that have been so helpful in my travels! Most recently, I was in Pennsylvania Dutch/Amish Country. I had a number of meals there -- each one of them was a positive experience! The staffs at these restaurants were so very helpful, and that deserves recognition.

My first meal upon arriving in the Lancaster area was at Gibraltar's. I so enjoyed my filet mignon salad! Pete, the owner, was very helpful in assisting me to pick out my meal, and the chef made suggestions that ensured it was scrumptious, while it still fit my dietary requirements. Here are the pics and the links:

http://www.kearesrestaurants.com/gibraltar/

Dinner that first night was at the Greenfield Inn. Here it was manager Joanne, helping me to decide on crab cakes -- an easy sell! My waitress was exemplary, anticipating many of my needs and requests before I could make them:

(I chose the above pic in honor of my dad, a lover of jazz).

http://thegreenfieldrestaurant.com/



Breakfast the next day was at the Bird-in-Hand Restaurant. That's a scrapple and cheese omelet! The Mid-Atlantic favorite is quickly becoming one of my own. The stuffed animals in the restaurant made it the silly enjoyable experience I love when traveling:

http://www.bird-in-hand.com/index.php/places_to_eat/eat_overview/restaurant_smorgasbord//

Lunch was at Carr's. I love a good cobb salad wrap, and this one had shrimp! A favorite with a pleasant twist, and they served fruit with it! A double victory:

http://www.carrsrestaurant.com/

Dinner the second night was at Fenz. Staff bent over backwards to help me, and the lady who assisted me in picking my meal was something of a dietary counselor. Beef stew and sald for me -- and the beef stew, something I have not had much of, was tremendous:

http://www.fenzrestaurant.com/

Breakfast the next day was at Leenah's. Another old-time favorite, crab benedict! It could not have been prepared better, and I was able to upgrade from potatoes to fruit for a minimal fee. An absolutely incredible meal:

My final meal in Amish Country was in Strasburg, at the Iron Horse Inn. I was able to experience another twist on a favorite -- crab crepes! That's sugar free orange sauce, with a side salad:

http://www.ironhorsepa.com/

Finally, on the trip home, I had another old favorite in an old favorite. I made my third trip to the Americana Diner for my "usual" -- the buffalo chicken wrap. I have it with greens covered with balsamic vinigarette. I had the same server as on my second trip there, and, again, she went out of her way to give me the perfect dining experience:

http://www.americanadiner.com/

I compensated my servers well with the tips, but it is also important for me to show my loyalty with this blog. Traveling is nice, and there were many wonderful, tourist experiences. There was Kitchen Kettle, a village of nice shops in Intercourse, PA. There were the farmland tours. There was the scenic driving. And I was "railroaded" in Strasburg, experiencing the Toy Train Museum, the scenic train ride, the Choo-Choo barn, and the Railroad Museum proper. These experiences deserve their own entry. But I needed to document the restaurant experiences. These staff memebrs who help me are going out of their way, and they are saving my life in many ways with their efforts -- that is no exaggeration, because my eating, if not planned correctly, can have tremendous health implications, negatively speaking. Thank you to everyone who helped at the restaurants in this process!

Annapolis -- More than just the Naval Academy

My most recent trip was to Annapolis, Maryland, home of the US Naval Academy. I was going to start there, but I realized that altering my schedule would allow for better travel. I started with lunch at Carrol's Creek Cafe:

Here is a link to the restaurant:

http://www.carrolscreek.com/

Along with my fried oyster po'boy and fruit substitute for potatoes:

Next up, I stopped at the Banneker-Douglas Museum, which documents Maryland's African American history. Here is a link to the museum, along with some pics:

http://www.bdmuseum.com/:

Frederick Douglas, the man himself!:

Two pics of the featured artist, Loring Cornish:

My buddy Leron, who gave me an outstanding overview of the museum and its history, and made me feel like a welcome guest in his home:

I had time afterwards, so I stopped at the Maryland State House. Among other things, it is famous for being the site of where George Washington resigned his post as commission of the commander in chief of the US Army. Here is a link:

http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdstatehouse/html/home.html

After checking into my hotel, and cleaning up, I had a fabulous dinner at The Rockfish -- a fish taco appetizer with a side salad. The staff was exceptional in helping me pick out a reasonable meal for my dietary concerns, and the food was scrumptious. Do not miss this restaurant when you go to Annapolis. I included a link and a picture:
http://www.rockfishmd.com/menu.php

My breakfast experience -- not meal, experience -- at Chick and Ruth's Delly (spelling intentional!) the next morning:

Revisiting old Mid-Atlantic favorites with my second ever scrapple meal, with eggs, and sliced tomatoes replacing potatoes:

Me and Teddy, the proprietor:

The link to the restaurant, another "don't miss":

http://www.chickandruths.com/

The Naval Academy -- more than just an afterthought:

I learned so much of how the navy and maritime has shaped our country. As a sports fan, I was also taken by how sports are encouraged to build the concept of teamwork. This pic of David Robinson, NBA great, was one of my favorites:

Here is the link:

http://www.usna.edu/homepage.php

My lunch at Middleton Tavern afterwards -- Filet Mignon and salad, again picked out with the help of a very helpful staff. Yet a third "don't miss":

Here is the link:

http://www.middletontavern.com/home.html

I had tea at Starbuck's afterwards. So what? Well, this Starbuck's was a former speakeasy!

With a passageway that allegedly allowed politicians to discreetly return to the State House after their night out:

And some records:

My nice dinner at Harry Brown's -- Crab Cake and Salad, and they substituted fruit for desert, allowing me to have all courses in my diet:

 The link:

http://www.harrybrownes.com/

And my breakfast the next morning at Pusser's Carribean Grill -- a crabmeat omelet, again with fruit substitute for potatoes! The staff was so helpful in helping me pick out my meal. Catch that scenery by my table:

And the model boats throughout:

I had a nice chat with Jay, the general manager. A different, but equally outstanding experience compared to Chick and Ruth's, and don't miss this one either. Here is the link:

http://pussersusa.com/locations/annapolis-restaurant

I left after breakfast for St. Michaels, which I will discuss separately. But Annapolis was fantastic! The history was incredible -- I was moved to tears by it! And the restaurant staffs were first rate. Make Annapolis one of your travel stops!

More Local Eats -- Relaxing at Rockwell's

Another local stop that I enjoy is Rockwell's in Pelham, New York, an easy drive just a few miles from my home. Here is their link:

http://www.rockwellsusa.com/

I have been there three times. The staff has very graciously answered all of my questions, and have been very understanding of my need for moderately sized meals. The first suggestion was their house steak. I have also had the steak and eggs brunch, and the Buffalo chicken finger wrap. All meals were extremely tasty. The house salad, which I had with honey mustard dressing, came with my first two meals -- the house steak and steak and eggs brunch meal -- and was particularly scrumptious.

The service was very much appreciated! I went there to watch my Jets in December, and was finished with my meal hours before the game ended. The staff allowed me to sit and drink hot tea while I watched the game, and was attentive to my needs the entire time. I felt very much like a welcome guest. It was a nice, relaxing atmosphere to enjoy the game with a good meal.

You can't go wrong relaxing at Rockwell's!

July 10 -- The Anti-Climactic Finish

I had an exciting, final day planned. I woke up early, jogged, then had my second breakfast at the Kountry Kitchen, the restaurant that opened earliest. I wanted to get as much done before my helicopter tour of the island, which I was told was a must. I have to admit, it was very, very pleasant. Here are the pics:

The company logo, along with a link...:

http://www.bluehawaiian.com/

As for the other pics, if there are any Survivor fans, like myself, this was kind of like the "Fallen Comrades" march they do every season, where they review the people that were. I got to see all the sights I had seen on the ground from an aerial viewpoint. I saw the waterfalls:

The canyon:

And the coastline:

And here I am returning from the trip:

This was supposed to be "the calm before the storm" of my final adventure, an ATV tour. But in and of itself, it was quite enjoyable, and I recommend it highly.

With my time in Hawaii down to hours, I searched for the most authentic Hawaiian meal I could find for lunch. When I had trouble, I "settled" on the Mexican restaurant La Bamba -- where, ironically, I had a pretty authentic Hawaiian meal of fish tacos! Here is my usual pic with the menu and food:

A sampling of trinkets and pictures typical of those throughout the restaurant:

And the outside of the restaurant:

A generous, scrumptious meal!

Unfortunately, the ATV tour was a big disappointment. I had been told I would have no trouble learning to drive the machine, that it was the same as driving a car. I was told incorrectly. But I didn't learn that I couldn't do this until the tour had been underway, and we had been driving for awhile, and I couldn't navigate a tricky passage. Then I was told I had to be a passenger for the rest of the trip.

I have no problem with the tour guide deciding to keep me safe. But I was given misinformation. The tour guide informed me that riding an ATV is most certainly NOT the same as driving a car, and that I should not have been told it was. The guide also told me I still could see all the scenery, and I tried to enjoy it, but I couldn't -- I had seen the scenery -- I wanted to drive. After awhile, I asked to end the tour early.

The tour guide told me to ask for my money back. I did, and was informed I would not get my money back, but would be given a free T-Shirt. I asked to speak to the manager, and informed him that was not acceptable to me, and explained what had happened. He said that since the T-shirt was not acceptable to me, I would get back half my money, and they woudl charge me the passenger rate. This told me that his T-shirt offer was an idea he hoped would shut me up, and I would just go away. I told him this still was not acceptable, as I had not come to be a passenger, and had been told I could drive the ATV as easily as a car. He agreed to give me the money back.

But the matter still was not over! After I returned home, the concierge from my hotel called, and told me I would only get half the money back since I had been on a passenger the whole time. I told her that she had been given misinformation, and that I had, in fact, left the tour early. She eventually refunded all of my money. But I was surprised when she said I was the only person, in all her years of recommending the tour, who had ever had a problem driving the ATV! I know from the tour guide this is not the case.

I will not mention the company by name here. That is not my purpose. This blog is to recommend what is good, not criticize what is bad. I will say that I looked at on-line reviews of the company post hoc, when I got home. Most of the reviews were very positive, and those who have done ATV driving before will probably love the tour! However, the few negative comments were from people like myself, who had been relegated involuntarily to passenger status, after anticipating an exciting, driving experience. One person even referenced disappointment that, after the tour was underway, she, too, having been left with the impression she could drive the machine, was told she could no longer do so. I am happy the company values safety. I am not happy they waited until after they charged me money, gave me misinformation, and fought tooth and nail against returning the money I spent based on that misinformation -- including making the insulting T-Shirt offer -- to suddenly value safety. This was a very depressing end to my vacation. So for anyone who goes to Hawaii, and would like to go on an ATV tour, it can apparently be very enjoyable. But make sure you already know what you are doing! If you are like me, and take certain opportunities to expand your horizons, it is possible you will be very disappointed with an ATV experience if you have not already mastered it to an acceptable level to complete the tour. It should be an experience you have had and wish to repeat, not one you are doing for the first time, like me, unless, of course, you pick up such skills better and have better coordination than I do.

I had a final dinner at Duke's, before heading to the airport.

Overall, I am happy I went to Hawaii. If I hadn't done it now, who knows if I would have gotten another opportunity? So I have now been to all 50 States!

Personally, I might return to the state, but I certainly will not rush back to Hawaii. It is a long, long trip to see beaches and waterfalls, and to enjoy other experiences, all of which are available much closer to my East-coast home. But Hawaii is beautiful and relaxing and wondrous. There are more islands to see, so there is more to experience, more to write about. I will have other vacations -- next year I plan to go to other continents! And, in the upcoming days, I will write about trips I have taken since my travels to Hawaii, which have allowed me to put the disappointments behind me.

So, one final time -- 40 = 50! For my 40th birthday, I visited my 50th State. Thank you to Joe Maddon for the new math -- I did it!

Scrumptious Local Eats on The Bayou

When I traveled down South, I had my first Po' Boys. I recently learned that I duplicate the experience just a few miles from my home in the Bronx, at a Mount Vernon restaurant called The Bayou! Here is a link:

http://www.bayourestaurantny.com/index.php?page=home

I have been there three times, and had three different, scrumptious Po' Boys. My first was the skirt steak Po' Boy. My second, and favorite of the three, by far, was the Fried Oyster Po' Boy -- I discovered a new food that I enjoy! Yesterday, Halloween, I enjoyed the Fried Catfish Po' Boy, which was reminiscent of my first experiences with Catfish on my Southern tour. I substituted the house salad for the cole slaw, having been told excellent things about the dressing on the salad -- the excellent reviews did not even begin to describe how delicious it was! I also substituted the Smashed Potatoes for the fries -- very good. There are many, many different flavors of hot sauce to sample, and you can try them all! I haven't, but it isn't for lack of effort -- there just isn't time in one sitting!

If the food were all there were to rave about at this restaurant, it would be a highly recommended place. But given my history with losing weight and managing my current weight, I often request more out of a restaurant in the form of questions over what meals will fit my dietary concerns, as I have noted frequently. I am happy to say that, at The Bayou, the staff is incredibly friendly and informative. They have taken a lot of time to answer my questions, suggesting the meals above, and telling me which meals are likely too large, based on my concerns. They have suggested various hot sauces they thought were particularly tasty. And they have made substitutions to fit my wants as well as my needs. In short, the staff has gone far above and beyond what I ever could have expected -- and I have kept going back!

So, if you are in the Northeast Bronx/Lower Westchester area, and experience a desire for a scrumptious taste of Southern Cuisine, look no further than the Bayou. You will not be disappointed.

Links

Almost forgot some links: Here is one for the Lemongrass Grill:

http://www.restauranteur.com/lemongrass/

Kaua'i Backcountry Adventures for the tubing:

http://kauaibackcountry.com/

Kalapaki Joe's:

http://www.kalapakijoes.com/

Hukilau Lanai:

http://www.hukilaukauai.com/

The Na Pail coast -- do more research than I did, so you won't suffer the losses I did with the camera and cell phone!:

http://www.napali.com/na_pali_coast/hanakapiai.html

And The Bull Shed:

http://www.bullshedrestaurant.com/

Sorry for the delays on this -- these places were good to me in many ways, and I have to return the favors they were so kind to give me!

July 9th -- Hiking the Waimea Canyon, and Some Little Golden Nuggets I Enjoyed

July 9th was another peaceful, quiet day, the proverbial calm before the storm that would occur on my final day. It began with breakfast at Eggbert's -- I love the name ad I loved the food! Here are some pics:

I love the courtyard setting:

And the crabmeat omelet was scrumptious! Once again, the waitress answered all my dietary questions, letting me know which portion size would likely be sufficient for decent, yet not too large, meal:

Afterwards, I hiked the Canyon Trail in the Waimea Canyon, the largest in the Pacific region, drawing comparisons to the Grand Canyon:

Of course, there are waterfalls galore in the park:

And here I am with the canyon in the background:

Afterwards, I enjoyed tuna -- I had eaten tuna fish, which I never liked, so I assumed I would not like tuna itself. I was wrong! This was the first time I ever at tuna, at The Grove Cafe...:

...with the World's Westernmost Brewpub on site!:

Here is a link to the site:
http://grovecafekauai.com/the-grove-cafe.php

Later, as I waited for my film from my waterproof, disposable camera to be developed -- the film I had used the day before during tubing, I visited the Allerton National Tropical Botanical Garden:



The gardens themselves are gorgeous:

And I was able to pick the fruit!:

Alas, I had to give the fruit away :(. It would not be allowed on the plane, so I gave it to the film developer.

Here is a link to the site:

http://ntbg.org/gardens/allerton.php

I am not much of a plant lover, but I must say, this was a nice little nugget, a good, pleasant experience in my final days in Hawaii.

Another nice nugget was Spouting Horn, right across from the garden. This natural blowhole, in my humble opinion, was much more impressive than Old Faithful, which I saw on a 2003 trip to Yellowstone Park. Here are some pics:

I ended my day with dinner at the Lemongrass Grill:

The interior is pretty with the statues and flowers:

Live entertainment. I told the man it was my 40th birthday celebration, and he dedicated a couple of songs to me, including New York State of Mind, by Bill Joel, to celebrate my home state.

I love the tuna from lunch so much, I had seconds for dinner! :) :

A nice end to a very pleasant day, filled with natural wonders and some little trinkets I hadn't planned on! Sometimes those are the best parts of a trip, and while that may not have been the case on this day, those little trinkets certainly added to the day and the trip as a whole.