Even though my trip to Vermont was not long, one trip to Stowe just wasn’t enough. Much as I enjoyed rambling through the downtown, Stowe is renown for its skiing and resorts. On the return visit to Stowe we took a wonderful drive UP and UP to see some of the resorts and the scenes of the mountainous terrain. One word for both- WOW. I was actually a little scared winding our way up to Smugglers Notch – and there wasn’t even snow! But Jenn and Roberto forged ahead in their 4-wheel drive truck with nary a care. It was awesome. Steep, raw, windy, amazing, beautiful. And as hot as it was in Vermont during my stay, it was COOL up there too. Ahhhhh.

We even saw a brave couple climbing straight up the side of the mountain. I don’t know how they could not fall off. There were too far up to actually photograph, but trust me, they were doing it.

Here is one of the many ski lift places.

The resorts were one better than the next.

Ever see The Sound of Music? This is the Trapp Family resort in the background.

Here we see condos, privately owned. They have their own lift that crosses the road and up to the slopes. That is how the other half lives…………..

After all that “mountain climbing” that we did, albeit in a truck, we worked up an appetite and needed a good cold one to go with it. We ate at Mr. Pickwick’s down the hill.

It was a wonderful English Pub with tons of atmosphere and good food. I wish I could say I was more adventurous, but for some reason, you say “pub” and I say “fish and chips”. Yum – my!! Light, crisp batter and tender flaky fish. I only had one pint, but Jenn and Roberto said I was fair to singing. But that is just between us, okay?

I think I could visit Stowe again and again. Lively, pretty, and fun.

Fourth of July this year was celebrated in Stowe, Vermont. We had a fun day tramping up and down the streets of shops while slurping up what seems to be our ever ready ice cream cones. The little village was colorfully decorated with flags and buntings announcing this special day of independence.

Later we headed up to the event field for the evening festivities. Lots of vendors were there to sell there wares and we enjoyed a picnic of ice cold lemonade with pulled pork and coleslaw sandwiches. Our day ended with us snuggled on our blanket watching the fireworks.

Hope you had a Happy 4^th of July!!

 What’s a CREAMIE?? One of our first outings was to visit the local garden shop in Morristown to pick up some supplies for the new chicks and assorted soils for the garden.

Morristown was a quick 8 minute ride from Hyde Park. It’s one of those cute little, tiny towns that dot the landscape in this northern area of Vermont. Very cute and quaint with little shops like the Bees Knees Restaurant and the Bijou movie theater.

Here is a little history of the town. On November 6, 1770, the General Assembly of the Independent Republic of Vermont granted a petition to establish a land grant that would become Morristown in 1781 and by 1791 they had a population of 10 that moved from New York, Massachusetts, and 2 Native Americans. By 1795,  there were enough settlers to open a tavern that housed the first school and a brick church.  The town has grown some since then and at the 2000 census boasted a population of over 5,ooo.

We enjoyed a sweet treat as a reward for our “hard work” at the local ice cream shop where we had one of their famous concoctions called a creamie. For those uninitiated like myself, it is a hand mixed CREAMY soft confection in a cone. I had maple – what else in Vermont. Jenn enjoyed her espresso and Roberto his favorite – coconut. I like the way they do errands around here!

My long awaited trip to Vermont has finally arrived and so have I. Although it has been slightly less than three months since I have seen Jenn and Roberto it has felt much longer to me. So it was with great anticipation that I traveled from Florida to Vermont to see first hand the new life they have created for themselves at Thistlemoon Meadows.

After being here, I have forgotten about the long, tedious day of travel and have been caught up in the idyllic life they are creating for themselves. Throughout my stay, I will try to capture some of life on the farm and of our travels out and about in the country as they go through their daily lives and to the little side trips of sightseeing they have arranged on my behalf.

The first thing that struck me as I took the tour of their home and their grounds was the absolute beauty, and sense of peace that enveloped me. The trees, the ever present breezes, the mountains standing sentry over their farm, the flowers of all colors. Oh, and the smells of the fresh air. A little paradise and hideaway from all the cares and stresses of  life I can feel just peeling away.

They have worked magic already, making this farm into their vision of home and life. I am absolutely delighted for them even though I miss having them around like I used to. But they are happy and I can see why. And I am grateful for the bounty and beauty in their lives.

I wake every morning to a hearty, breakfast of crepes and fruit, frittata, or Jenn’s special grains, greens and eggs dish. Roberto has the coffee ready for my wake up cup and I can sit in their green room sipping and reading. What a way to wake up! Sure beats rushing out the door with a piece of cheese toast or a protein shake to go to work in an office all day long like I have to do.

They have a day to day routine, nicely paced to manage the running a homestead of this size. Time for household chores, Jenn’s ever cooking in the kitchen, gardening, taking care of pets and chicks and a thousand and one projects that they have in the works.

But it is not all work and no play. You can always hear music throughout the day, whether it is recorded background music while they work hard on the business or the melodic strains of Jenn on her fiddle, or Roberto on his cello and at the piano.

Life is never dull here at Thistlemoon Meadows that is for sure. During my stay we have worked together and played and laughed together. Ahh. Life is great down on the farm. I am getting used to the relaxed, rhythm and will sorely miss it and them when I have to go.

Yes, Virginia, UNCLE DONALD has a FARM!

Recently I had the opportunity to visit Uncle Donald’s Farm. It was the occasion of my little nephew’s second birthday and even at that tender age, he just loves farm animals and tractors. He actually lives on a little horse farm here in Ocala, Florida, so it was a natural fit for his party. We all, young and old alike, had a genuinely fun time.

Besides the picnic area where the party was held, we got to

go on a hay ride

and feed the cows,

and the pigs

and the sheep

and the chickens.

Then we got to milk the goat and then,

give the kid a bottle.

And don’t forget petting the bunnies!

And………. the pony rides for the little tykes.

There were other exotics there too like llamas, cougars, parrots to name just some.

Whew! What a busy day. Who would’ve guessed that we would find such a treasure right in the middle of civilization. That’s why they say”We are more than a petting farm, we are almost a zoo!”.

For direction, hours, admission and events click here.

Uncle Donald’s Farm

2713 Griffin Avenue

Lady Lake, Florida 32159

It isn’t often than when I go out to eat that I would choose a chain restaurant. Recently, however, when I was traveling in South Florida, my friend and I went to explore a new mall area. I really wasn’t too excited to be going to a shopping mall but agreed to go taking her word that I would really enjoy seeing this one. Turns out this was not actually a shopping mall. It was an outdoor, upscale treat for the eyes with high end designer shops, architecturally beautiful with luxurious plantings lining the streets. We just had a few hours to spend so we enjoyed just strolling a bit, soaking up the sites and then, as it was lunch time, decided to lunch at one of the spots there.

Since my friend Margaret has children and a sister leaving in the area, she had been there on other recent trips and was able to suggest the place – Brio Tuscan Grille. I had heard about this place but from another location in the South Florida area and it had gotten enthusiastic reviews. So I thought, what the heck, it is just lunch. So we went.

Brio’s is not just another chain. I can name several other chain spaghetti houses which range from so-so to consistently pretty good. I was pleasantly surprised by this upscale Italian restaurant. It had a quiet elegance. Much attention was placed on detail, from the comfortable seating, to the lavish appointments of draperies, greenery, lighting, wood working. It was just a lovely and inviting place to come in for a meal.

I had Crispy Eggplant Pomodoro, which was lightly Romano-encrusted, then topped with their house Pomodoro sauce. On the side was a generous portion of herb spaghetti with a light toss of Parmesan and fresh Mozzarella. It was perfect. To wash it down, I ordered a berried lemonade, nicely presented with a sugar coated glass rim.

The hostess and wait staff were friendly. The only complaint I might have was that, being a newly opened restaurant, the service was not really up to the par of the establishment. I would be willing to bet that in time it would improve as they become more experienced. However, I felt, that for a place like this, attention to all the details, including the proper basic training of the wait staff, should have been beefed up prior to opening. Still, I would go back to try it again.

Brios Gulfstream Tuscan Grille
600 Silks Run Suite 1205
Hallandale Beach, Florida 33009

Today I felt like taking a little adventure. What could be better than a morning drive in the country and then stopping to pick some blueberries!

When I went to the Organic Food and Film Festival last month, I hooked up with one of the local certified organic farms near Ocala where I learned that I could buy or pick my own berries. I am a fan of blueberries and like them by the handfuls, in smoothies, or baked into cobblers, muffins and breads. I have an especially yummy blueberry grunt recipe that I am talking myself into making for this evening. This morning, I had a cup of blueberries warmed in the microwave, then stirred into a quarter cup of organic granola and a cup of Total 0 Greek yogurt for breakfast. Okay, so it has been established that I like blueberries.

That in my mind, then, justifies my driving 40 miles each way to get organic. There are dozens of local places, but not organic. If I am making the effort to learn and talk about organic, then I need to eat organic as well.

Anyway, I had a bottle of my homemade green tea that I steeped with fresh slices of ginger and a cinnamon stick on ice and my radio tuned in to my favorite oldies station and off I went. For those local to Ocala, it was a straight shot down 40E and then a left on N-315 for 16 miles to the Bay Lake Blueberry Farm in Ft. McCoy.

When I got there, I was given a bucket and a bungee cord that wrapped around my waist to hook onto the bucket so I could pick hands free. I merrily went from bush to bush and picked my way to a bucket full of these plump, indigo gems.

At checkout, the berries were weighed and placed in a flat to keep them from crushing on the drive home. There were several other local farmers there with little tents up selling plants, honey and herbs. Blueberry bushes were also on sale. But for this trip I stuck with just the berries. By the time I checked out it was about 11:30 and already steamy hot in the Florida sun. I couldn’t help but reward myself with a cup of their homemade organic blueberry ice cream.

Since I picked more than I could eat right away, I went with the idea to freeze some for later. The instructions I got were to place them unwashed on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze for 45 minutes, then bag. This will keep them from getting stuck together when I am ready to use some of them.

Blueberry Grunt

I like a generous amount of berries. At least 3 cups or what will cover the bottom of your skillet several layers deep. To this I add enough water to cover and then some. Zest a lemon, add a shake or 2 of cinnamon and just a few tablespoons of organic sugar ( more if you like it sweet) and set to a boil over a medium heat.

Meanwhile, mix up a batch of dumplings. The easiest is to use a biscuit mix and just follow the directions. It is about 2 and a half cups mix.  I like to add a bit of lemon zest and the juice of the lemon to this too along with 2/3 cup of milk to make a nice dough.  Then drop by spoonfuls over the berries, put the lid on the skillet and simmer about another 15 minutes till the dough is cooked. It will have soaked up a lot of the juice ( that is why I like to add a fair but of water to the berries). Eat warm with milk, whipped or ice cream.

It is equally yummy for breakfast or dessert. I don’t actually have exact measurements for this. But this is just one of those that is hard to mess up.

All of a sudden Ocala is teaming with new and different eateries. And I am going to make it my personal responsibility to eat at them all. Ah, such a sacrifice.

This time I am going to sample a gourmet pizza at a cute little spot called Pi on Broadway. I like pizza so this was not too tough on me. There are so many pizza places that serve, well, pretty much the same pizza with different names – big globs of dough with big globs of cheese and sometimes double cheese with the usual add-ons. So I was sort of excited to see what they termed gourmet pizzas.

The restaurant is small and intimate with a bar right inside the entrances double doors right off where else Broadway – Ocala style that is. There are micro brews and global craft beers on tap. And for those whose tastes go beyond beer, there are wines and martinis to be had. Beyond the bar are several bar style tables in the center and a few more regular tables along the window with a sofa seating area at the end. The service was friendly and not too intrusive, which goes a long way with me because I like to chat with my dinner partners- a lot and without interruption.

But I have to say, the big star was the pizzas. There were 14 choices – one better than the next and it was hard to pick just one. The pies were priced at only $12 and would be a generous dish for one and plenty for 2 if you added a salad.

My friend had this Tuscan pizza that featured cannelloni puree, tomato, goat cheese, arugula and a balsamic reduction.

And I had the White Pi. Not as adventurous, but it was just something I had a taste for. The crust was thin and crisp and it was topped with ricotta, roasted garlic, EVOO and parsley. I loved it.

There were also tapas on the menu, which if I go back, I think I would just get a few of those to make up my meal. To my knowledge, there are not many other tapas spots in Ocala. So I thought this was cool.

Another big plus is the roof top terrace. It has a bar too and at night, awash with twinkle lights, torches and live music, it is a popular night spot. To view their special events and menu, check them here.

Pi on Broadway

110 SW Broadway

Ocala, FL

Photo by snappED_up

There is no doubt that air fares are beginning to creep up again. We all know about the airlines who have already added the fuel surcharge and, more recently, baggage charges and some who even charge for snacks. When these worked the floodgates opened and airlines looked for ways to add on some more. Due to supply and demand, the “Peak Holiday Surcharge” is a common add-on for holidays like Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.

So now, yes, there is another layer of fees or surcharges that have been added to the pot. When the holiday surcharge became commonplace, it was just a natural progression to add more days, and more and more days every few weeks, until now many airlines charge for most days – some as high as $50 one way for something like the Superbowl.

When you add all these surcharges to sales tax, airport, FAA and TSA fees, this can really add up.

Thank goodness, some of the low fare airlines are still holding out – like Southwest. I love Southwest and use them whenever and wherever possible. Then there are others like Air Trans who only adds sporadic and minimal surcharges.

To see a fee added chart with the days they are added by airlines, as well as some tips on avoiding them take a look at Rick Seaney’s article on Fare Compare under the Quick Links heading.

When you have an option to not use one of these fee happy airline,  it seems to have an impact.

The historic Marion Theatre reopened Wednesday, May 26 with a ribbon cutting ceremony(actually old 35 mm film was used for the ribbon), a block party served by six local restaurants, and a jazz band with the bulk of the proceeds going to charities. Following a showing of the original Sex and the City, there was a premiere showing of Sex and the City 2 at midnight. It is heralded as part of the master plan to bring more life to the growing expansion of first rate dining and entertainment experiences to downtown Ocala.

The theatre, considered an historical landmark in Ocala, originally opened in 1941 and since then has closed and opened several times being used as a discovery science center, a place to host concerts and to show classic and independent films. Now, newly renovated with digital sound and projection and 3-D capability, it is a twin theatre with a nearly wall to wall screen on the first level and another screen on the 100 seat balcony level that will be showing first run films. One other item of note is that this theatre, in addition to the regular movie foods sold in the lobby concession area ,will offer beer and wine as well. With the nostalgia of its history, the glitz of the neon signs and its location right in the heart of town, the renovated movie house is a welcomed addition to Ocala.