Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

The next best thing to working at a greenhouse is to spend a few hours going through the different rooms at Phipps Botanical Gardens. I have a membership to Phipps and usually take in all the different flower exhibits throughout the year.

 

This years Winter Light Garden and Flower Show is up and running. Each room is decorated in the finest holiday style with Christmas trees, lights, ornaments, packaged gifts and even a reindeer. The flowers are gorgeous and at their full bloom, like the different colored poinsettias, paper whites, hibiscus and more. Of course there is the orchid room. A number of Dale Chihuly’s glass ornaments are throughput Phipps and each blown glass sculpture blends in with the greenery and flowers.

 One of the high points of the exhibit is the full red poinsettia Christmas tree in the main atrium. It is truly gorgeous and actually can leave a person awe struck.  Another exhibit that will enthrall children is the train room. Kids of all ages and size will love it. It’s a room that you don’t want to rush through. Each train and miniature town and tiny exhibit is a bit of nostalgia to days gone by. The display needs to be savored.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I plan on going back for the candle light evenings, which can be attended every evening from 5pm to 11 pm until January 12^th. To see Phipps in the daylight is something but to see Phipps at night is something else! It truly is a jewel to behold.

 

God Bless the Pioneers!

The Wild West has always intrigued me. Who didn’t want to live during that time and hang out with a gunslinger or work the farm as a pioneer with a bunch of kids, a husband who left the ranch and a pack of Indians and bad cowboys looking for some Saturday night wild fun! Come on…look at all that potential fun.

 

Yes, I liked the thought of living in the Wild West and being a pioneer finding land and farming. It sounded great. I think I had a bit of a taste of what it would be like when our power went out on Saturday night. Romantic candles and thank you, God, for my iPad that was fully charged and the back ground lit up, so that I could read my Kindle books.

 

But then came Sunday and the power would have to go out for a few more hours while the power company could find the bad line. The power was temporarily restored with the help of a generator until the company would send out another crew on Monday. Then the power would be turned off again for a few hours while they replaced the damaged lines.

 

Unfortunately…none of that fixed my Internet problems. For three days, I had no land line phone service, no Internet service nor could I watch television. What was that all about! Forget my pioneer spirit! The hell with the candles! I wanted access to my favorite television series! I wanted to watch On Demand! I wanted to check my emails! I wanted to keep up with Facebook! I wanted to do my daily banking! I wanted my old life back!

 

Right now I am headed into my third day of all my services being down. I hate it. I feel so isolated. I have been staying in the house waiting for a technician to call or show up and fix the problem.  Maybe I now know how the Indians and Cowboys felt. I am looking for a good time in my house and it looks like I will be saddling up my Mustang and riding out of here for some fun.

This Bird Could Jump

 

 

There was a movie out years ago – White Man Can’t Jump. I loved the movie but I would have disagreed with it. Basically because Larry Bird, Boston Celtics star and home town hero from French Lick, Indiana could jump and do a whole lot more.

 

Larry Bird was probably one of the best white basketball players, and one of the best trash talkers on the court. He played his college ball at Indiana State, and spent his whole professional career as a Boston Celtics player. He retired from pro basketball in 1992 because of chronic back problems. Bird went on to coach the Indianapolis Pacers and won the NBA Coach of the year in 1998. He is now the owner of the Pacers. He accumulated some amazing stats…12 times NBA, All Star and named MVP, three times. He and his teammates, took the Celtics to three NBA Champions.

 

Both Bird and his rival, Lakers star, Magic Johnson, elevated the NBA to new heights. Their rivalry became one of the greatest ones in the history of basketball. His friendship with Magic was more evident after they both retired. Their commercials are priceless and can be seen on You Tube.

 

One of Bird’s greatest games was against the Hawks in March 12, 1985, where Bird scored 60 points to regain his record from his team mate, Kevin McHale. Bird’s scoring was amazing, especially on his fade away shots, even as he fell into the Hawks bench. Bird scored impossible shots and officially had 22 of 36 from the field, 15 out of 16 free throws, and 1 of 4 from 3 point range. The video of the game is also on You Tube.

 

Bird retired in 1992. Watching some of his old games on You Tube or on videos brings back the good old days of basketball. I miss Bird and his playing, along with his Magic rivalry. But I know one thing – this Bird could jump, shoot, and score!

Oglebay's Festival of Lights

A few nights ago, I went to see the Festival of Lights at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia, with my son and his family. Ever since living in Pittsburgh, I have always wanted to see the light display. Let’s just say, now I can check this item off of my ‘Bucket List.”

 

When I was a little, growing up in Cleveland, my family and I would drive around Nela Park and see the light display there. Nela Park was located on the East Side of Cleveland, and the grounds were home to General Electric’s Lighting Division. The 92-acre campus was known for its elegant Georgian – style architecture and its spectacular holiday lighting display. Or sometimes my father would just drive us around during the holidays at night to see the lights on the individual homes in the Cleveland area.

 

Later on when I was married and living in Pittsburgh, we would occasionally go to Hartwood Acres to see the Christmas Lights. Now, because of the cost, Hartwood Acres has discontinued their light display.

 

Finally, I can add the Oglebay Festival of Lights. The lights were beautiful and spread out along the grounds of the resort and the surrounding nearby areas. Some of the displays covered the Peanuts characters with one being a four-panel of comics, cleverly depicting Charlie Brown trying to kick the football with Lucy as the holder, a huge carousel, the 12 days of Christmas, rockets, flags, nativity set, patriotic soldiers, wreaths, animals, dinosaurs and much more. One could even include a stop at the Good Zoo, by the resort, and watch an interior light show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My grandchildren’s excitement was contagious. My son, daughter-in-law, and I enjoyed the display of lights. The whole night seemed to tap into our inner child. Enjoying the Oglebay’s Festival of Christmas Lights with members of my family was special. The drive to Oglebay from the north hills area of Pittsburgh is a little over an hour. It is an easy drive and the Festival of Lights is a perfect family outing and a wonderful way to start off the holiday season.

Mary's Apple Pie

Call it a prolonged senior moment or a ‘glitch’ in my head - I haven’t quite figured it out. Awhile back, I blogged about looking for the best pie. In all of that, I totally forgot about my cousin, Mary’s pies. Maybe it is because I only see Mary once a year, when I go back to visit her in Utica, New York.

 

But when I’m there, besides visiting my cousins, I am lucky to partake in Mary’s dinners…and they are fantastic. She loves meat and potatoes and so do I, along with pasta. It is her pies that are out of this world. I don’t know her secret but maybe it’s over 50 years of cooking and baking. Her apple pies from the filling to the crust are two thumbs up and five stars. So is every other pie that she makes, like her cream pies and her other fruit pies.

 

What jogged my memory was seeing a family member post Mary’s apple pie on Facebook. When I saw it, I slapped the side of my head and said, “Oh my God, of course! My favorite pie is located 300+ miles from here, a six and a half hour drive to Utica. It’s Mary’s pies.”

 

Just looking at the picture triggered a Proust memory of that pie. I actually tasted it in my mouth and in my mind. It was so vivid that I had to drink some water to wash it down. I called Mary and she laughed about the picture of the pie on Facebook. I asked her what her secret was. “No secret,” she answered. “I just stuff it with everything.” I assume she meant stuffed it with fruit.

 

So that’s the recipe? Like my grandmother and my mother, all those recipes were in their heads, wrist, finger tips, eyes, tastes, and years of cooking. Nothing was written down.

 

All I can say is that I can’t wait to make a trip to Utica in the spring. I can almost taste Mary’s pie.

Bag Balm

For anyone who has dry skin, or rashes or even needs to keep tools from rusting, may want to try Bag Balm. Bag Balm is a salve that was created to soften cow udders. The formula for this wonder product was purchased by John L. Norris in 1899 from a Vermont druggist.

 

Its initial use was to soften cow udders. Interesting enough, the wives of farmers noticed the softness of their husband’s hands and started to use the salve themselves. Bag Balm is also popular with Veterinarians and pet owners. The gooey yellow green ointment can be found in its original green tin with the red clover on the lid.

 

Now it is used for dry skin, cracked fingers and toes, burns, diaper rash, sunburns, psoriasis, bed sores, radiation burns, and zits. It is used for more things like squeaky springs, pruned trees, and shell casings.

 

Some interesting facts about Bag Balm - soldiers in WW1 used the salve to protect their weapons from rust. It was also used on the paws of the cadaver-sniffing dogs at Ground Zero, and along with American troops in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

 

The reason for my interest in Bag Balm was that my newest grandson has developed a really sore and raw bottom from his new born bowel movements and diapers. My daughter and I used Butt Paste and Desitin without success. The Pediatrician recommended Bag Balm. Strange that this is the same Bag Balm that my kids used to deliver newspapers and kept their wet socks on their feet too long. Their feet became dried and developed deep cracks, and bled. A friend told me about Bag Balm and after using it for a while, everything cleared up. How could I have forgotten about Bag Balm? I don’t know but I have re-acquainted myself with this green tin.

 

I went back to the Best Feeds store where I had first purchased Bag Balm, years ago. The salve can be purchased in some drug stores, grocery stores, farm stores, pet stores, Hardware stores, feed and tackle shops.

 

What makes it so special – maybe it is the ingredients of hydroxy quinolone sulfate, antiseptic, petroleum jelly and lanolin. Or maybe it is the fact that it just works. You can now add a new generation of Gauntners, who will be using Bag Balm. Besides that it works, it keeps the users hands extremely soft.

Of Cats and Me

Right now, I’m reading Charles Krauthammer’s book, Things That Matter. The book consists of essays that have appeared in his column over the years. I just finished reading his essay, Of Dogs and Man. I could not disagree with what he said in praise of his dog, Chester a black lab. Chester died at the age of 8 but not without dispensing all his love on the Krauthammer family.

 

I have always had a tender spot for animals. I always wanted a dog. When I was younger, my brother and I found a little black cocker spaniel puppy and brought him home. We both used the following lines on our parents, “Look what followed us home. Can we keep him? Please.”

 

We named the puppy Mikey or I did in my mind, because my brother said its name was Rusty. All those years have made our minds fuzzy, but I believed in my mind it was Mikey. When I had one of my son’s, I named him Mikey.

 

Mikey lived in our small house for a few days – whining and crying, peeing and pooping like a puppy. When my father went into the bathroom one night, he stepped, barefooted, on Mikey’s poop. The next day, Mikey was history.

 

When I married, I was eager to have my own dog. I always wanted a St. Bernard but my spouse was allergic to dogs…so that dream was history.

 

So, I settled on a cat. In our house, we had many cats. Some were affectionate; others were aloof, unless they wanted the food that you happened to be eating. Some of the names of the cats were Pierre, Barney, Sam, Butterscotch, Two Balls, Murphy, Archie, Rambo, Woody, Chopin and Scraps.

 

Now, I have two cats living with me and they are Woody and Scraps. They are affectionate, usually wanting to be sitting on my lap while I am knitting, or reading, or eating. Both cats follow me closely when I walk down the steps and go into the kitchen, eagerly waiting to be fed. They crowd me in bed when I am trying to sleep; Woody on my feet and Scraps next to my head.

 

Sometimes they irritate me but mostly they are my two constant companions. They love to be brushed and when I do brush them, they purr. They love to be petted and cuddled. They communicate to me in their own cat ways.  They are interesting creatures; graceful and beautiful. They are my pets, who show me affectionate. It is because of their trust and close bond with me, that I love them…despite the shedding, and hair balls and more.

Freddy the Leaf

Years ago, when the children’s book, Freddy the Leaf came out, I used it for my CCD (religion) class. It was a story about a leaf and in the end, it died. I would use the message in my class – live your lives to the fullest because there is always an end to things. As I grew older and changed, I viewed fall in a negative way. Fall to me evoked death. I would refer to fall as Freddy the Leaf.

 

Then I started to work at the greenhouse. This was when I learned the necessity of the seasons and the importance that each one had on the growth of trees, grass, bushes, plants and flowers. Winter is important for dormancy and renewal; spring for growth – spectacular growth after fall and winter; summer, when the grass, trees, and gardens are in their full beauty and fall represents cleaning out the old growth and preparing lawns and gardens for the next season.

 

From working at the greenhouse I learned how to enjoy fall. I now love the change in color of the leaves. I’m still not crazy about the falling of the leaves to the ground and having to rake them up, or apprentice one of my children and their children to help me. Or occasionally, I hire someone to do that chore. But now I do love fall and it no longer represents death. It represents dormancy, fall colors, fall flowers, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

 

Now, I just relax and enjoy each season, and what each offers. 

 

Snoopy Happy Dance

 

When I was in high school, I was a big fan of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and all their little buddies. To me all those characters really rocked. I bought all their books, and faithfully read the Sunday comics, where Charlie Brown was the first comic on the top of the page. I used to cut them out for the humor and wisdom. When I was in college, I used to draw Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Lucy and write my own comments under the pictures and hung them up in my dorm room.

 

Snoopy jumping up in the air with his eyes closed and his head raised up in the air was one of my favorites. In college, I wrote under the picture…Snoopy Flaufting. (I think you can figure what that meant.) But in reality, it was Snoopy showing pure abandoned joy. It was Snoopy doing his happy dance.

 

Last Monday, I had the privilege of being in the labor and delivery room with my daughter. I didn’t push my way in, I was asked. So, I kind of played the rah-rah coach. When my daughter went into labor, I helped to support her head and shoulders, and encouraged her to push. I kept saying, “You can do it, or Good Job.” It was a long but steady labor.

 

Then after four exhausting hours of pushing…the baby came out. At first it was a mind boggling thing that turned into relief and then pure joy. Baby Will had made his appearance to all our relief.

 

After those initial feelings, I finally understood that picture of Snoopy in the air…I wanted to do the same thing but I thought people would think I was nuts. But for me the Snoopy in the air was Snoopy jumping for pure joy. I have come a long way from my college days and thoughts.

 

When I did hold the baby…I hugged him and smelled his head. At the moment there was no odor. Babies always have that gentle odor of sweetness. Maybe I smelled the pureness of the baby or maybe the pureness of heaven. Eventually, later on, the baby had developed that sweet baby scent.

 

For now…Congratulations Becca! You did a great job! Welcome to the family, Will! You might be my 19^th grandchild, but like the rest…I will love you just as much as I love the others. In my world, there is always room and love for one more.

Fairy Garden or Dragon Garden

During the summer, I took my two grandchildren to LMS Greenhouse, where one made a Fairy Garden and the other a Dragon Garden. This was a repeat session for me, where a few months ago, I took my oldest granddaughter to one of those fairy garden classes. We both made our own gardens.

 

This particular Saturday, we were the only people in attendance. So both Tyler and Bayleigh definitely got a lot of attention from Jane, who conducts the classes. Both my grandchildren let their imaginations run wild as they began to pick out what they wanted to go into their gardens and mentally designed where to place everything. It was fun to watch their faces and creativity.

 

Tyler made a dragon garden with a few different sized plants, a dragon house, a pig as the victim of the dragon’s kill, and stones for water, along with bark as ground cover. It was a typical boy’s garden.

 

Bayleigh’s garden had a lighter feeling to it. She had used a fairy, three different plants and stones and pebbles for water. She hung lights in the tall plant that represented a tree, and birds flying about on wire were pushed into the soil.

 

Both gardens were magical and imaginative. My grandchildren had fun and the memory of that day will linger on in the gardens that they can keep all year round. As for me – the whole time I was with them…Priceless.

 

Just in case …the garden center now has Halloween accents for fairy gardens. They will also have plenty of Christmas accents as well.

Richness of the Changing Seasons

                                                                                                               

 

Years ago when the children’s book, Freddy the Leaf came out, I used it in my religion class to explain that everything has a purpose. The story is about a leaf and in the end the leaf falls to the ground and dies, but it also becomes food for the trees. I would use this book and message over and over in my classes.

 

As I grew older and changed – I started to view fall in a negative way. To me, fall signified death. I would refer to fall, as ‘Freddy the Leaf.’ Then I started to work at the greenhouse. This was when I realized the necessity of the seasons and the importance each had on the growth of trees, grass, bushes, and plants. Each season was important for certain things: Fall - housekeeping, cleaning out the old growth and preparing lawns and gardens for next season; Winter -  dormancy and renewal; Spring - spectacular growth and new buds and flowers, and Summer - grass, trees, and gardens in their full beauty.

 

Through all of this, I learned how to enjoy fall. I love to see the change in the color of the leaves from greens and bronze to brilliant reds, luxurious yellows and delicious oranges. I’m still not crazy about the leaves falling on the ground and having to rake them up, or apprentice one of my sons to come over with their children to help me, or hire someone to do the removal of the leaves.

 

But for me,  I do love fall and all that it represents, like the end of one season and the beginning of the next, fall colors, fall flowers, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. I find fall, rich in colors.

Charles Krauthammer

I have watched one of the prime time news stations and have become intrigued with one of the panelists on the show. His name is Charles Krauthammer. I have listened to him talk and have read a number of his columns. I have been impressed with his cool head, and eloquent responses. And to be honest, I secretly have a crush on Charles Krauthammer.

 

Who is Charles Krauthammer? He is an American, a Pulitzer Prize syndicated columnist, political commentator and a physician. He is definitely well educated, was born in New York City and raised in Montreal, Quebec, He is a non-practicing Jew. Krauthammer thinks before he speaks. He is thoughtful and quite eloquent when he opens his mouth. Krauthammer is a quadriplegic but that is a fact you are not aware of when you see him on television.

 

I enjoy listening to him because he makes sense and hammers home intelligent points as well as counter intelligent responses.

 

So, yes, I do have a crush on Charles Krauthammer, even though he is married and has a son. But don’t worry, I am in love with his charisma and intelligence and the points that he makes when he speaks and in his writing.

Some Things We Never Forget

There are a few disturbing things from my childhood that I carry with me. One is that I still remember my first friend from kindergarten, who was struck and killed by a city bus. I still can remember going to her funeral and seeing her lying in the open coffin. I also remember that her mother and my mother were best friends, and I was given her clothes.

 

The second thing that stays with me is that growing up, I lived close to a funeral home. My friends and I would sneak in to the funeral home and look at the dead people in the coffins. When I saw a little baby in a coffin – that was the last time I went into that funeral home.

 

The third unsettling incident that I remember was the time a 12-year-old girl by the name of Beverly Potts was kidnapped. Beverly Potts lived in Cleveland and went missing on August 24, 1951. She was last seen at Halloran Park on Cleveland’s West Side, attending the Showagon. The Showagon would travel from playground to playground and featured a troupe of singers, dancers, and magicians. The performances were free.

 

Beverly Potts never returned home and they never found her body. Every year they would run a story about her in the newspapers. Now, 60+ years later, the entire Potts Family is dead.

 

A few years ago, I read the book Twilight of Innocence by James Badal. I even watched a video about the Potts Kidnapping. Although I didn’t live in Cleveland at that time, the news was always around, especially on the anniversary of Beverly Potts’ disappearance.

 

I still remember every time that I would go out to play, my mother warned me to be careful, come home at my assigned time and don’t talk to or go with any strangers. Finally, she would add the name of Beverly Potts for good measure.

 

After all these years, I still remember a 12-year-old girl with pigtails, smiling from a picture in the newspaper. I so often wonder how hard it must have been for her family; the parents and her sister, to never know what happened to her.

 

Yes, sometimes, certain things never go away and they still come back to haunt me.

Baby Shower

 

Hosting bridal showers and wedding showers can be interesting. I have hosted a few of them for my daughters-in-law. It’s fun to host showers because they signify a mile stone. Showers are fun. Baby showers are a double treat. I get to watch their reactions when they open their gifts. My joy is seeing their joy and knowing in a short time that I will have a new grandchild.

 

Now, I finally got to host a baby shower for my youngest daughter. Cleaning was easy for me…I just kept a check list and went through my chores, along with preparing for some of the food at home and at my daughter’s catering kitchen.

 

When the time arrived, the guests showed up, and shortly later we served the food. The food was good and plentiful but it was the desserts that really shined, especially the cake which was created and made by Lucy, the owner of Bee Delicious Pastries

 

The cake was in two round layer cakes. Each layer had a chocolate and pumpkin layer with chocolate ganache. The frosting was chocolate fondant. The cake was shaped like a miniature top hat, and decorated in a diamond pattern and circles on top of the cake sat a whimsical elephant. It wasn’t just a fantastic looking cake but when it was cut and we ate it – it was tasty, moist and just plain out of this world. The pastries that Lucy made were excellent – the cute and delicious sucker cake pops were a hit with the little kids, along with the moist Pignoli cookies, sandwich macaroons, fresh raspberry bars, and yummy lady locks. As usual, Lucy scored big with two thumbs up or five stars!

 

Everyone enjoyed themselves. My daughter received all the necessary items needed for a baby. The only thing missing is the baby. He or she will make its arrival in a few weeks. That’s when the work and joy really begins.

 

Right now, it’s a count down. I can’t wait for my 19^th grandchild to be born…that’s when my treat as a Grandmother begins

A Quest for the Perfect Pie

 

 

Last fall I got together with a friend from Graduate School, and did a few day trips, driving around through some old towns and cemeteries, taking photos, and sampling food and delicious desserts from a few tasty restaurants.

 

On a recent day trip, my friend jokingly remarked that we should travel around, searching for the best pie. You know something – she is exactly right, because so far, we have eaten at three different restaurants and sampled two different pies and dynamite Strawberry Short Cake.

 

The best pie so far was eaten at the Sky Jet Restaurant in Tionesta, Pa. There is no doubt in my mind that I will return to that restaurant and sample another piece of their Cherry Pie.  That piece of pie was out of this world. The filling was sweet with a hint of almond. But it was the crust that took the blue ribbon. It was a perfectly made crust not soggy, but flaky with sugar and crumbly. I usually leave the crust but this time I ate everything. That was how good the whole piece of Cherry pie was. It has been a year since I ate this dessert and I still think about it. Not only do I think about this but when I do, my mouth begins to water, and I can actually taste that delicious piece of cherry pie!

 

Then we sampled another dessert at Dick’s Diner in Blairsville, PA. Diners are a whole breed of their own. I have eaten in a number of diners and the food is usually good, hardy and plentiful. Food in diners remind me of good old fashioned down home cooking before the word healthy entered into our vocabulary.

 

Dick’s Diner was right on the main highway and easy to pull in an out of. The food was average. But I did have a piece of apple pie, warmed, while my friend ordered a meringue pie. The pies were good but not memorable. My pie’s warmed apple filling was sweet but too mushy and the crust…average.

 

This was when my friend said, we should search for the best pie. Good idea – so for now I quest for the perfect pie.

 

If you have any ideas as where to sample some good pie…let me know.

Pinch Me!

I can’t believe that the Cleveland Indians baseball team is in a chase for the Wild Card spot in the baseball playoffs. Not only that, but the Cleveland Browns football team own a 2-2 record. Could this be the effects of so-called Global Warming? Or could Cleveland fans be in a Pot of Gold, somewhere over the rainbow? For me, I feel like I died and woke up to something I always prayed for – hoped for – and dreamed about.

 

I’m sure Clevelanders feel a lot like me – pinch me, I must be dreaming. They feel the excitement, total disbelief, and abandoned joy. I am going to ride this wave of excitement, until the teams bring it home. Rooting for winning teams is really a different feeling, and a whole new story.

 

Win – lose – whatever happens, I am just going to savor the moment.

Van Gogh on a Barn

 

 Driving along Dutch Ridge Road in Beaver, if one is alert, one can catch an eyeful of a Van Gogh painting on the side of a red barn.

 

My friend drove me to this barn and we parked across the road. My mouth fell open…there was no doubt that the rich golden yellow painting was a full blown replica painted on the side of the barn. I never imagined seeing something like this out in the country. The painting was a replica of Vincent Van Gogh’s Noon Rest, where the famers are resting in the wheat fields.

 

I made my friend turn around and go into the gravel driveway. Luckily the barn is on the property of Felicity Farms Bed and Breakfast. We got out of the car, and I walked over to the side of the barn and happily snapped a few pictures of the painting. It was worth pulling onto the grounds. The weather was beautiful and so was this magnificent reproduction. Van Gogh would have been surprised and proud. He has always been my favorite artist, and I felt a pleasure swelling up inside of me. This was a perfect picture to go along with this perfect pastoral scene.

 

I snapped away, taking pictures of the huge red barn, the vegetable, flower, and herb garden, the small red shed and the horses placidly grazing in the fenced in pastor. All in all, this was a pleasant ending after eating dinner at The 1810 Tavern.

 

 

 

This was my dessert – all thanks to my friend Suni –Thank You!

The 1810 Tavern

 
Situated on the corner of Bridge Street in Bridgewater, PA is the historical looking brick building, The 1810 Tavern. On a Friday evening, my friend and I had reservations for dinner there. The outside of the Tavern looked like an old renovated historical building.

 

Inside it was just as inviting as well as homey. Some of the walls were exposed brick; the others were painted a warm color, wear-worn wood floors and an ornate old fashioned metal ceiling. The artwork on the walls was eclectic and we found out that they could be purchased by asking at the bar.

 

Outdoor dining was available but since it was a hot day, we opted to eat inside. We sat in the corner surrounded by walls. From my vantage point, I could see directly in the kitchen. It was spotless as the chefs moved around preparing their food orders.

 

Both my friend and I ordered our own tapas of fried green tomatoes. When the plate arrived, it was such a beautiful artistic creation, that I had to take a few photos of it. The food was on a square plate and in the center was Romaine lettuce standing up with a food decoration on top. There were three fried green tomatoes, accompanied by chopped up red tomatoes and onions, some whole green tomatoes, and a small dressing. Not only was the plate of food artistically pleasing to the eye, it was positively delicious.
 

 

I told the owner as he asked how everything was…I complimented him on his chefs and said the food was good and whoever the chefs were – they were artists. He commented that anyone that he hired was allowed to do their own thing. He was a smart owner as far as I was concerned.

 

And believe me the chef continued his magic with our entrees. We both ordered a filet and it came out exactly perfect; just the way we ordered it. The filet was arranged on a plate with a crispy potato pancake and fresh asparagus along with a tinted pink dollop of goat’s cheese.

 

It’s obvious The 1810 Tavern offers a different type of food to its patrons then the usual fried bar and tavern food. The Tavern menu changes on Wednesday.  They offer local, seasonal and fresh foods to their patrons.  Unfortunately desserts are not part of their menu.

 

If you are ever in the area, make a reservation at The 1810 Tavern. Believe me, you will not be disappointed.

Grandparents Day

On a particular Friday morning I was in for a special treat. I was invited to Grandparents Day at my grandchildren’s elementary school celebration. The day started out with Mass at St. Sebastian’s Church in the North Hills area. It totally amazed me to see the church packed with students, teachers, parents and their little children, grandparents and others. And this wasn’t even Sunday! The Church seemed alive and thriving in this day and age.

 

After Mass we signed into the school, and I ended up with a ‘cheat sheet,’ where I wrote the names and room numbers for each of my grandchildren’s’ classrooms. I walked down the hall and went into each classroom, where my three grandchildren were: Bella, 2^nd grade; Anna, Kindergarten, and Michael, 3^rd grade. The upper class and pre-school didn’t participate in the programs…so I missed seeing Matthew, 7^th grade, and Chloe in pre-school.

 

By the time I made it to each of their classrooms, the kids were happy to see me, and they shared a picture that they drew. I met their teacher and saw their classroom. Besides getting a cookie from each classroom – my biggest treat was seeing my grandchildren. The pictures that they drew are now hanging up on my refrigerator, and are a constant reminder of that special day. I wouldn’t have missed Grandparents Day Celebration for the world!

Vegetables Gone Wild

 

                                                                                                                              

 

Usually vegetables look pretty normal; vibrant colors and good shapes. Nothing seriously is odd with them to make anyone stop and comment on them and take a picture of them. But one day while working with the fresh vegetables, one of the cooks pulled out a beautiful ripe purple eggplant when the rest of us heard, “What the …” Of course we all looked up to see her holding an eggplant with what appeared to be a long growth coming out of the vegetable. We had to stop our work and walk over to see this strange vegetable. The growth looks like a Pinocchio nose and of course we all had to comment on it.

 

 

A few minutes later someone pulled out a red pepper that had a large growth coming out of the side of it. Another round of “What the heck,” “Strange vegetables,” “How weird.” And of course, I lucked out and had my camera with me and had to take a picture of the vegetables.

                                                                                                                            

Then it was back to work. I pulled out the large box of mushrooms to work on them. When I was almost finished, I pulled out a very bizarre mushroom with two stems. It looked like an ugly tumor and not a vegetable.

 

I related all this happening to a friend who wondered if the vegetables had come from an area by Three Mile Island. I thought about that and finally shook my head because my daughter gets her produce delivered from The Strip area. But where it was grown was a mystery. 
 

For what it was worth…I never expected to be entertained that much in the catering kitchen. But I guess I was lucky all thanks to some weird vegetables.