Food

Cruzin’ Santa Cruz

Posted by golfkat on August 17, 2017

Posted in: Action, Cultures, Entertainment, Food, Travel. Leave a comment

cruz cruz1 cruz2 cruz3 cruz4 cruz5 Most of us first visited Santa Cruz as kids. Several of us from Kingsburg went to the church summer camp in Aptos in 1959. For me, it was one of the first times away from my parents, sleeping in a bunk in a sleeping bag, and praying before every meal. It was memorable in many ways. But little did I know I would return someday, as a part time resident and homeowner in the area.

Somewhere at around 1981, in a previous life, we bought a beach house in La Selva Beach, an unincorporated area of Aptos, about 20 minutes south of Santa Cruz. My kids were able to enjoy the beach not only during the summer, but year around, in all kinds of weather. It was a great escape, always fun, and always relaxing. And as expected, tourism is their major industry here at $700 million.

Fast forward to today, I have not been back to the Santa Cruz area, save for two little trips, one business, the other with some of my staff at Kaiser on an overnight slumber party. The area will always be special, whether the frequent trips to the Boardwalk with the kids, golfing at several nice area courses, and the wonderful seafood. And don’t forget the numerous bonfires on the beach before they were banned.

Santa Cruz is known for many things. It was here that surfing was brought to the mainland in 1885 by Hawaiian royalty. The Municipal Wharf and famed Boardwalk (the country’s oldest, since 1907) have fed and entertained us for generations. The amazing part of the Boardwalk is that admission is still FREE!

But there is more to Santa Cruz if you dig a little deeper. First, few people realize Santa Cruz is the county seat for the county of Santa Cruz. The population is only around 65,000. Only 32 miles south of San Jose, it is home to several high tech companies, like Seagate. And home to one (either #2 or 3 based on what you read) of the best golf courses in California, Pasatiempo Golf Club, designed by Alistair McKenzie, who also designed Augusta National and Cypress Point. (I have played it only once or twice)

The area was hit hard by the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, damaging much of the downtown areas. The 2011 Tohoku tsunami caused about $14 million in damage to the harbor and boats.

The area is rich in agriculture, with strawberries, raspberries, lettuce, apples, roses, cut flowers, landscape plants, Brussels sprouts and wine grapes. The county has 14 state parks and beaches, most are free and quite popular during the summer. California’s oldest state park, Big Basin Redwoods State Park opened in 1902.

There are more than 70 family-owned wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation, many with public tasting rooms. Combine that with locally caught seafood, and the food and wine business thrives. Lodging here is the problem, with only 4600 rooms, making campgrounds and RV parks quite popular.

No article about Santa Cruz can be complete without some information about the Big Dipper: Located at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the Giant Dipper is an historic wooden roller coaster built in 1924. It is 70 feet (21 m) high, reaches speeds of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) and is one of the most popular wooden roller coasters in the world. The coaster has received all kinds of recognition like being named a National Historic Landmark, receiving a Golden Roller Coaster award, a Coaster Landmark award and has been ranked in Mitch Hawker’s Wooden Roller Coaster poll. When you ride the coaster, the train first enters a tunnel and after some dips and turns exits the tunnel at the bottom of the lift hill. Once climbing the 70 feet (21 m) to the top, the train drops 65 feet (20 m) where is reaches its maximum velocity. It’s a great thrill ride and a wonderful experience for the entire family.

But like many areas of California, locals are exploiting the wine industry, with great micro climates, diverse soil, and mountainous terrain. Recognized as an AVA in 1981, the Santa Cruz Mountains Appellation was among the first to be defined by its mountain topography, following the fog line along the coast to encompass our highest vineyards on the ridgetops at 2600’ elevation. Their vineyards and wineries and the wines they produce reflect this mountain terrain, and their proximity to the ocean and the resulting maritime climate.

Their website: The appellation encompasses approximately 480,000 acres, from Woodside in the north to Watsonville (Mount Madonna) in the south, some 60 miles as the crow flies and 100 miles to drive. Within this area are some 60+ wineries and over 200 small vineyards growing approximately 1300 acres of winegrapes, divided about ¼ evenly among Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and ‘other’ varietals (most notably Merlot and Zinfandel). A single vineyard in some appellations has as much if not more acreage as we have in our entire appellation!

For me, I will head to the Wharf, and have some fresh fish, along with a refreshing white wine, other than chardonnay. The 2016 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Wines awarded wines from Soquel Vineyards, taking 16 medals, including Best of Class for the 2013 Silvaspoons Vineyard Grenache ($25). Guess which one I will try?

Some of my other favorites here are: The Shadowbrook Restaurant in Soquel, with their own funicular, and the best orange breakfast muffins in the universe. And equally important, the Corralitos Market with their great selection fo smoked meats and sausages.

But the reason for being here is a bike ride through the Santa Cruz mountains. I am riding with a different group, old friends from the Kings County area these two days. The cooler weather, easy terrain heading inland, and frequent sight seeing stops make this ride rather pleasant and effortless. An warm up ride today, dinner tonight, then a little more tomorrow before heading back to the Valley heat.

Good Advice from Sam Brown??

Posted by golfkat on August 1, 2017

Posted in: Action, Cultures, Entertainment, Food, Travel. Leave a comment

I always thought travel personality and TV show hostess Samantha Brown was a bit of a “stick in the mud” personality. But she actually has some good advice, for a change.

‘Do one thing at the same time, every day, such as going to the same, local coffee shop for breakfast, rather than hitting every single one. That’s when you become part of the local scene, and feel the ebb and flow of a place better. It can be a glass of chilled rosé at the outdoor café every afternoon. Whatever it is, you feel a part of the local experience, and also, it lets your brain rest. Get off the itinerary, and experience the pure joy of the experience.’

Just for the record, I have done this, even before I ever heard of Sam Brown. Back in 1971, I did this in old West Berlin. I went to a cheap soup joint, met up with some American hippies, and went to East Berlin with them. I also ended up saving the life of a man having a seizure, as nobody else would help him! Two life changing experiences were garnered from a crummy little soup house.

But over the years, other “same time, same place” experiences have been equally rewarding, but perhaps less dramatic or life changing. Even on short weekend trips, this advice has served us well. On longer trips, it is possible to build a bond and some trust with the locals. I have been invited to attend functions that I would otherwise not even know about. In Pasadena in the 70s, a film director invited me to attend a shooting. We were sitting in a bar, just killing time, and after having seen each other two nights in a row, struck up a conversation with the attractive female bartender. One thing led to another, and we all went to the shoot the next day!

Of course, the key to all of this is to be an independent and often solo traveler. These things generally do not happen when I travel with Sheri. But they do happen when I travel with Mike or when I am solo. But you must also exercise some caution. I have ended up in drug infested Kasbahs, noisy and terrible music venues, terribly cheap and dirty restaurants, and dangerous bars when using some of these tactics.

One tactic that always seems safe is to make a connection with the staff. They know the lay of the land, have many good suggestions, and expect very little in return. Of course, a little extra tip or small gift works well. When we were on the coast of Costa Rica, we befriended a nice local boy, working as a waiter. He suggested we eat at a more upscale seafood restaurant on the resort grounds. I have him an inexpensive watch as a thank you. The next night, he sent over a bottle of champagne to our table!

One of the outdated things I miss is the old internet room. I met several lifelong friends there. Now, everyone either hides in their room, or finds a quiet corner of a lobby or coffee stand. How else would we have met famous barrister, Barry the V from Cape Town in Santiago, Chile, or Jason and Chun from Penang, Malaysia when we were in Langkawi? Yes, the old, now almost useless internet room except in Russia).

So, keep your eyes and ears open, my friends! derby

San Diego Victuals

Posted by golfkat on July 26, 2017

Posted in: Cultures, Food, Travel. Leave a comment

How many of you know how to pronounce victuals? I know you former English and literature instructors know the answer. It is pronounced vittles. And we plan to try many of the local victuals in the San Diego area, starting with Mexican food. Proximity to the border and to the Pacific Ocean makes San Diego an ideal place for eaters.

After watching Andrew Zimmern of “Delicious Destinations”, and having visited a similar shop in Mexico City, our first stop is Lucha Libre Tacos. This is from their website:

Our gourmet tacos are made with the freshest ingredients, and we are proud to have been voted Best Burrito in town. Only at Lucha Libre you can get the famous “TJ” dog: an all beef hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with grilled vegetables. We do not use lard and our vegetarian items are all strong contenders, too. Some fans’ favorites are the Queso Taco with its Super Secret Chipotle Sauce, and the Surfin’ California: a burrito with steak, shrimp, avocado, fresh fries, cheese, pico de gallo, and super secret chipotle sauce. Any of the luchadors on our menu can kick the biggest hunger’s butt, both with flavor and with quantity. All of our salsas are house-made, and the cilantro salsa is something to fight for. Only our prices are wimpy.

Our taco shop isn’t the standard issue Mexican restaurant with serapes and sombreros on the wall. Everywhere you look, from the televisions running classic wrestling matches to the gold Champion’s Booth where you can sit only if you’ve made a reservation 24 hours in advance, you see the flamboyance and color of Lucha Libre. Check out the “Gold” bathroom, the “Anchorman TV” trash can, and if you come in wearing a Lucha mask, you’ll get the Luchador discount!

The classic item to order, and the one I saw on TV is the California Burrito. Your choice of Steak, Breast or Pork Adobada, Fresh Fries, Jack Cheese, Sour Cream and Pico de Gallo. Who ever heard of French Fries in a burrito? I can’t wait to try it!!! We might even find Burrito Bob, pictured above!

The other place that rings a bell with me is Poppa’s Fresh Fish Company. They specialize in serving fresh sea urchin!!! Otherwise known in Japanese as uni, it is a texture and flavor that even the most ardent sushi lovers cannot handle. It is an acquired taste, as somewhere in the 80s, I learned to like it. But it is so rich, I usually save it for “dessert” since it is so filling. The best part of this is Poppa’s cracks them open, cleans them, so I can eat the uni directly out of the shell. And the first hour of every market is “happy hour” for uni. The uni auction is one of just two remaining live auctions at Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Fish Market, the world’s largest.

And thankfully, they sell only at local Farmer’s Markets, including one right here in Little Italy on Saturdays.

After eating at these two places, the rest of San Diego cuisine will seem rather mundane. But we intend to find a few more places, as well as some good food at Petco Park. We also plan to have brunch on Sunday with dear friends. It will be interesting to have Lexi at our side when we dine al fresco.

So far, she has done really well, almost better than we hoped! She rode her first elevator, climbed her first stairs, and visited her first factory outlet mall.

More San Diego

Posted by golfkat on July 26, 2017

Posted in: Action, Cultures, Entertainment, Food, Golf, Shopping, Sports, Travel. Leave a comment

How many times have you been to San Diego, often called America’s city? I once had an office down here, in Mission Valley, back in the 70s. But I really never had much time to explore the area, as I do now. Back in the day, we took the kids to Sea World and the world famous San Diego Zoo. And I have made numerous golfing trips down here to famous Torrey Pines. My youngest sister lived here and graduated from San Diego State back in the 70s. And my other sister raised her family here during their boys’ high school days.

But now, we visit during the summer, when the Giants are in town. Though our Giants are tanking, San Diego still retains its charm for us. First, the weather is great! Second, we have dear friends here. And third, we can always find something fun to see or do. Making matters infinitely more interesting is bringing our new puppy, Lexi to San Diego on a car trip for the first time.

Here are a few more “dirty dozen” ideas:

The world’s largest lemon can be found in the city of Lemon Grove.
Go to Crazeeburger for a burger made of alligator, antelope, or kangaroo.
Visit Potato Chip Rock at Mount Woodson.
The Scripps Turd Sculpture. Really?
Visit Dog Beach, in Coronado or Ocean Beach. We plan to go.
Eat a Baja fish taco. Among many tacos.
Eat a California Burrito, stuffed with French fries and carne asada.
Find the old San Diego chicken.
Hang out with the old hippies at Café 21.
Buy some used books at the Adams Avenue Bookstore.
Eat some shabu shabu on Convoy Street at the Shabu Shabu House.
Rent a bike at Ray’s and cruise the beach.

I find it really sad that the Chargers have left San Diego. They once had an NBA team here as well. The Buffalo Braves arrived here in 1978, and became the San Diego Clippers. They moved to Los Angeles in 1984 (curious?). Now, they are left with the lowly San Diego Padres, who are just a step above our even lowlier Giants this year. Matters not, I am a fan and will enjoy the games anyway.

The San Diego Trolley is a great way to get around town, especially to Petco Park on game days. Normally, I take the trolley from our hotel in Old Town to the Gaslamp and Petco Park stop. The senior fare is only $1.25 each way. And many times, the Giants fans outnumber the Padres fans.

Who are some famous people from San Diego? How about Ted Williams, Marcus Allen, Annette Bening, Billy Caspar, Cameron Diaz, Jimmy Johnson (NASCAR), Pete Wilson, Bill Walton, Eddie Vedder, Jonas Salk, Wyatt Earp, Phil Mickelson, Gregory Peck, Art Linkletter, Ray Kroc, Bob Duvall, Tony Hawk, Shaun White, Danica McKeller, and Ron Burgundy (not really)?

Secret beer place: Inside Krisp Beverages and Natural Foods, a health food market carrying kombucha and chia seeds, is an under-the-radar beer heaven. The Best Damn Beer Shop is a dedicated area showcasing more than 1,000 craft brews, as well as homebrew supplies. 1036 Seventh Avenue, downtown.

If and when you cross the border to Tijuana, please remember your passport. The old days of using your California Driver’s License are over. One more thing, don’t drink the water!!! Many people go south of the border to buy prescription drugs at a big discount. Just be careful of the food and water. And a note from your Mother will not help.

For those of you who like to sunbathe in the nude, Black’s Beach is still there. Just remember, it is a tough hike down the cliffs to get there. So, get in shape or buy a good pair of binoculars. I much prefer the beaches on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain to view topless sunbathing.

For a city of almost a million and a half, San Diego seems manageable. But it is the second largest city on California. They seem to deserve their reputation of laid back and cool. Perhaps their proximity to Mexico has evolved into Lucha Libre, the masked and costumed Mexican wrestlers.

San Diego’s answer to the Ferry Building (SF) and Oxbow Market (Napa) is the Liberty Public Market. The collection here includes the food truck-turned-brick-and-mortar Stuffed, which serves up fast-casual grass-fed beef burgers stuffed with cheese; a branch of WestBean Coffee Roasters, which serves a fantastically creamy nitro coffee; and the wine bar Grape Smuggler, which offers tapas and flights (and a nice place to grab a seat away from the crowds). Gather your snacks and grab one of the high stools at the back of the market to chow down.

Proudly dog- friendly since it was founded in 1959 (they even have a blog written by a dog named Scooter extolling their friendly virtues), Del Mar, near San Diego, extends a friendly paw to dogs and owners, with pets allowed on all two miles of shoreline nine months of the year, and all year on North Beach, usually referred to as ‘Dog Beach’ by local pet owners. This pup friendly seaside locale can be found north of 29th Street, stretching up to the border of Solana Beach. Dogs can be off leash and under ‘voice command’ from Labor Day through Memorial Day, and on leash during the busy summer months.

We love both the seafood down here, as well as the Mexican food, two of our favorites. Sushi bars are also pretty good down here. We may meet up for a meal with friends, relatives who are also visiting here, or both. Perhaps it is the vibe down here, along with the great weather? beer

Good Advice from Sam Brown?

Posted by golfkat on July 10, 2017

Posted in: Action, Cultures, Entertainment, Food, Travel. Leave a comment

I always thought travel personality and TV show hostess Samantha Brown was a bit of a “stick in the mud” personality. But she actually has some good advice, for a change.

‘Do one thing at the same time, every day, such as going to the same, local coffee shop for breakfast, rather than hitting every single one. That’s when you become part of the local scene, and feel the ebb and flow of a place better. It can be a glass of chilled rosé at the outdoor café every afternoon. Whatever it is, you feel a part of the local experience, and also, it lets your brain rest. Get off the itinerary, and experience the pure joy of the experience.’

Just for the record, I have done this, even before I ever heard of Sam Brown. Back in 1971, I did this in old West Berlin. I went to a cheap soup joint, met up with some American hippies, and went to East Berlin with them. I also ended up saving the life of a man having a seizure, as nobody else would help him! Two life changing experiences were garnered from a crummy little soup house.

But over the years, other “same time, same place” experiences have been equally rewarding, but perhaps less dramatic or life changing. Even on short weekend trips, this advice has served us well. On longer trips, it is possible to build a bond and some trust with the locals. I have been invited to attend functions that I would otherwise not even know about. In Pasadena in the 70s, a film director invited me to attend a shooting. We were sitting in a bar, just killing time, and after having seen each other two nights in a row, struck up a conversation with the attractive female bartender. One thing led to another, and we all went to the shoot the next day!

Of course, the key to all of this is to be an independent and often solo traveler. These things generally do not happen when I travel with Sheri. But they do happen when I travel with Mike or when I am solo. But you must also exercise some caution. I have ended up in drug infested Kasbahs, noisy and terrible music venues, terribly cheap and dirty restaurants, and dangerous bars when using some of these tactics.

One tactic that always seems safe is to make a connection with the staff. They know the lay of the land, have many good suggestions, and expect very little in return. Of course, a little extra tip or small gift works well. When we were on the coast of Costa Rica, we befriended a nice local boy, working as a waiter. He suggested we eat at a more upscale seafood restaurant on the resort grounds. I have him an inexpensive watch as a thank you. The next night, he sent over a bottle of champagne to our table!

One of the outdated things I miss is the old internet room. I met several lifelong friends there. Now, everyone either hides in their room, or finds a quiet corner of a lobby or coffee stand. How else would we have met famous barrister, Barry the V from Cape Town in Santiago, Chile, or Jason and Chun from Penang, Malaysia when we were in Langkawi? Yes, the old, now almost useless internet room except in Russia).

So, keep your eyes and ears open, my friends! rose'5

Seattle Summer

Posted by golfkat on June 19, 2017

Posted in: Action, Cultures, Entertainment, Food, Music, Travel. Leave a comment

We are here in beautiful and sunny Seattle. Locals have complained about an extremely long, dreary and wet winter and spring. It is goreous here this weekend, in fact, on Sunday morning at 8am, the sun was already out! We got very lucky wih the weather, as I had to buy a pair of Bermuda shorts yesterday, to wear today.

What is the most obvious thing about Seattle this weekend besides the sunny weather? It has turned blue, completely blue, and it is not even Seahawks season. The blue belongs to the Toronto Blue Jays MLB team, in town for a three games series with the hometown Mariners. Why so many Toronto fans?

Blue Jays fans outnumbered the Mariner fans last night by at east 2 to 1!!!! Why? It turns out most of these fans are from western Canada. It is a good 3,000 miles to Toronto, to support their only major league team, other than NHL hockey, which, BTW, has two teams from the US in the Stanley Cup finals. Talking to them, they all said it is cheaper, closer, and better to visit Seattle, than fly to Toronto.

I wondered why fans would fly all the way from Toronto for an away game here. Why not go to famous ballparks in bigger cities, like Fenway, Wrigley, and Yankee Stadium? Most Jays fans are from Vancouver, which now makes a lot of sense to me. Plus this must be a big pay day for Seattle merchants, hoteliers, and restaurateurs. Waves of Blue Jay blue have taken over the city!!!!

Moving on to bigger and better things, Seattle is having yet another building boom. It is not enough that Amazon has or will soon have, over a million square feet of office space in the fabulous downtown core. We killed some time yesterday at Macy’s, and found a huge transformation. They sold the top 4 floors (5, 6,,7,8) for office space earlier, and just recently sold two more floors! The Macy’s retail area will now be just 3 floors, a basement, and floors 1 and 2.

Another development is what the news calls “no frills rental units.” In a city with commonplace $2000 a month rents, with concierge services, high end appliances, and yoga rooms, this is a huge departure from the past. At least a thousand “workforce” apartments will be coming with affordable rents.

We see many of our old, and familiar buildings gone. We see streets and intersections torn up. We saw many sidewalks closed for either demolition or huge scale building projects. The skyline is changing rapidly. Even Frasier Crane would have a hard time affording his 5000 square feet city apartment. It is the “Amazon” effect, with another million square feet of office space, to join a recently completed million square feet on Sixth Avenue.

Many Seattle and Portland visitors are headed to Canada for asylum. Anywhere from 400 to 700 asylum seekers reach Canada each month. Most are foreigners, here legally or not, willing to take $300 taxi rides to Canada!!! The route goes something like this:

1. Leave Iraq for NYC.

2. Fly to Seattle.

3. Take taxi to Blaine, WA for $300.

4. Cross O Avenue a long, unfenced Canadian street along the border.

5. Vancouver has an $18 million Welcome Centre, subsidized by the government.

So, the question is, for Americans, could we, if we desired, do the same thing?

Seattle, and the entire state of Washington was deeply saddened by the death of local boy made good, Adam West, of nearby Walla Walla. His real name was William West Anderson. He graduated from Whitman College in Walla Walla, and spent two years in the Army. He changed his name to Adam West, went to Hollywood, and appeared in shows like Bonanza, Perry Mason, Bewitched, 77 Sunset Strip (I loved that show), Maverick, and Gunsmoke.

Curiously, an online search in the Sun Valley directory for Adam West results in a prompt to “See Wayne, Bruce” which results in “Please consult Crime Fighters” in the Yellow Pages, leading to “See Batman” leading back to Adam West. During his lifetime, he appeared on the cover of Life magazine, and later appeared on shows like Laverne and Shirley, and Fantasy Island. He will always be the real Batman to me.

Cannabis ads are rampant here in the newspaper. The one ad that I like is Uncle Ike’s. They sell a quarter ounce for $15. They have three locations, and FREE parking!

It never feels like a Sunday here in Seattle during a bright summer day. All the stores are open, people are out in gaggles, the mood is incredible, and we love it. We walked from downtown, out to Chinatown to our favorite mega grocery store, Japan style, Uwajimaya. We shopped, had a fabulous sushi lunch, and tried to find Sheri’s frozen durian. We found the fresh ones for $6 a pound, but $48 is too much to pay for the stinkiest fruit in the world.

We finally made it down to the flagship Nordstrom store downtown. Since I no longer work, I do not shop like I did before. But I like to look. Sheri, on the other hand, still shops like the retiree she has been for 17 years!!!! But I love this store, met some nice people there, who are still friends, even though she moved to NYC.

Today, June 11th, is our 22nd wedding anniversary. And how thankful I am that Sheri has put up with my antics over the years. She did such a wonderful job raising Sarah, when her own mother threw her out of the house. Sarah finally acknowledged what a great job Sheri did last Mother’s Day.

One thing for sure, we do not miss the frequency of sirens and alarms of city life. Downtown Seattle probably has more sirens per hour than NYC or Chicago. We are so thankful living in the quiet little bedroom community of Clovis. But, truth be known, I do miss some big city things, like the dining, shopping, professional sports, music, and dear friends. The homeless and pot smoking are everywhere in this city, taking away some of the charm that originally drew us here.

Well, it is almost nap time this afternoon. We have a big evening planned.

Dinner on Sunday at our favorite Seattle restaurant, Lola, then some music at Jazz Alley. Grammy nominee Jeffrey Osborne put on a great show, the last of his four concerts here. People were dancing and singing like a party was going on, and it was!

We had a tasty and tender octopus appetizer to start. We followed that with roast lamb, Greek spaghetti, and braised asparagus. We topped it off with Tom’s famous coconut cream pie! What a great anniversary dinner.

Monday had lots of options. After a huge breakfast at Lola, we decided to get some retail therapy in the downtown area. We bought these really strange objects made from paper. Some people call them books. I still love my travel guides in print, esp. When internet service is not available in 2nd world countries.

Sadly, our favorite car service owner and driver, Elias is out of town at a funeral. But for only a dollar each, we can ride the light rail from downtown to the airport in about 40 minutes.

We learned that some dear friends here were carjacked at gunpoint recently. They arrested the guy, who is now serving his sentence in jail. A druggie who steals cars or $$ for his habit. It turns out they need to steal a car every 5 days to maintain their habit. Speaking of, the stench or aroma of pot is everywhere here, all the time! You may remember our little Lexi swallowed a joint on the ground last month, and had to go to the pet ER!

Tonight (Monday), we are meeting an old friend for dinner, along with her son and her boyfriend, not sure which. Then, we have an early flight back home, to much warmer weather, I see. Our apartment here has worked out mostly for the good, with lots of space and a full kitchen. But in the heart of the tourist action, it is busy and noisy outside. But hotels have become so expensive, around $350 to $400 in the downtown areas.

But I can’t wait to get home and pick up Lexi from the pet resort. I had to show her photo to all of our friends here. Our hostess last night was also a Lexi. Onward and upward!

My Best Place in Each State

Posted by golfkat on June 19, 2017

Posted in: Action, Cultures, Entertainment, Food, Golf, Music, National Parks, Shopping, Sports, Travel. Leave a comment

I have experienced the good fortune to visit all fifty of our states. Some were great, some not, some in between. But here is something memorable from each one, just off the top of my head.

Alabama 0
Alaska-the Aurora borealis, of course!
Arizona-Antelope Canyon, Sedona, Spring Training, Los Sombreros, Elote Café’, and the Grand Canyon
Arkansas-Slick Willie
California-Napa Valley, Carmel, San Diego, Tahoe, Pebble Beach, Disneyland, the beach, the wine, Yosemite, home
Colorado-Aspen, Red Rocks, Continental Divide, Boulder, ski trips, Coors Field
Connecticut-Yale
DC-Newseum, Ten Penh, cherry blossoms, National Gallery, Capitol Fourth, National Symphony
Delaware-what did?
Florida-Everglades, Key West, Little Havana, stone crabs, cigars
Georgia-the Masters, Merri Macs Tea Room, the Varsity
Hawaii-Loco moco, dear friends, golf, Sam Sato’s, Kintaro, Hamura Saimin, Kapalua, shave ice, Aloha Stadium Flea Market, KC Drive In, Libby’s,
Idaho-Coeur d’Alene
Illinois-the Cubs, Mag Mile, Eataly, museums, Wicker Park, Marshall Fields, Ravinia
Indiana-the Indy 500, Izzy’s, Lucas Oil Stadium
Iowa-Radar O’Reilly
Kansas-barbecue, Negro Baseball Museum, Arthur Bryant’s
Kentucky-The Derby, Marker’s Mark Bourbon, Ali, Louisville Slugger, big hats
Louisiana-Nawlins, beignets, Hurricanes, Bananas Foster, Super Bowl 47, Acme Oyster House, Johnny’s.
Maine-lobster, LL Bean, Acadia, Bar Harbor, Bush 41,
Maryland-Naval Academy, Dirty Pat, crab cakes, Camden Yard
Massachusetts-JFK, the parquet floor, Salem, Boston Pops, lobster roll, Beacon Hill, Fenway, Union Oyster House
Michigan-Cheerios, Henry Ford, The Big House, Motown
Minnesota-Andrew Zimmern, Mayo Clinic
Mississippi-the river, Elvis, Delta blues,
Missouri-Forest Park, The Hill, The Arch, canoeing
Montana-Big Fork, Glacier, buffalo steak, dear friends, huckleberries,
Nebraska-Warren Buffett, College World Series,
Nevada-golf, dear friends, factory outlets, Fremont Street, TPC Summerlin,
New Hampshire-Dartmouth, J.D. Salinger, granite
New Jersey-ESPN, The Boss
New Mexico-Santa Fe, Goler Shoes, Café Pasqual, Georgia O’Keefe, Ghost Ranch, hot air balloons
New York-Yankee Stadium, Times Square, Carnegie Hall, Broadway, Empire State Building, Century 21, Madison Square Garden, US Open
North Carolina-Pinehurst, UNC, barbecue, Research Triangle, golf, post grad studies
North Dakota-oil, Dokies
Ohio-Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Shawshank, the Wilkins, Pro Football HOF, cousin Walt
Oklahoma-the song, Okies
Oregon-Bandon Dunes, Lexi, Willamette Valley wines, Crater Lake, Sunriver Cypress1 DSCN8796 funny 018 , golf, Powell’s Books
Pennsylvania-cheese steaks, American Bandstand, Miss Pennsylvania
Rhode Island-Newport, gaggers, johnnycakes
South Carolina-Charleston, Hilton Head, Gershwin, golf
South Dakota-Sturgis, Crazy Horse, Custer, Deadwood, Rushmore
Tennessee-Beale Street, Graceland, Stax Records, Jack Daniels, Grand Ole Opry, Peabody Hotel
Texas-Salt Lick, San Antonio, Final Four,
Utah-Arches, Canyonlands, St. George, Moab, fresh powder, Bonneville Salt Flats
Vermont-maple syrup, Ben and Jerry’s, Bennington chair
Virginia-dear friends, Smithfield ham, Santa
Washington-Seattle, Prosser Farms, Experience Music Project, Uwajimaya, Triple Door, Pike Market, dear friends
West Virginia-Harper’s Ferry, The Greenbrier, Hokies
Wisconsin-Whistling Straits, Friday night fish fry, Kohler faucets, cheese curds, Cheeseheads, Allen-Edmonds Shoes
Wyoming-Grand Teton, Jackson Hole, Frontier Days, really wide neckties