Kissing the Blarney Stone was one of my bucket list items. When we visited Ireland, I had to go. How could I not? Read the story of what it was like and why you should go in my new piece at GoGirlfriend.com.
Kissing the Blarney Stone was one of my bucket list items. When we visited Ireland, I had to go. How could I not? Read the story of what it was like and why you should go in my new piece at GoGirlfriend.com.
If you go to Nassau, you’ll want to be sure to visit Arawak Cay, just outside town, a little group of restaurants also called The Fish Fry. Here you’ll experience native Bahamian food, including fried fish and conch and peas and rice. If you’ve never had peas and rice, it’s not what it sounds like. It’s made with pigeon peas, similar to black-eyed peas, coconut milk and spices and sometimes, ham. It’s a very tasty dish. It also turns out that it’s the perfect vehicle for leftovers. I had leftover rice, leftover ham, and leftover veggies hanging around. All I needed was a can of black-eyed peas and some other pantry items and this super quick dish came together for a weeknight meal.
If you go to Nassau, you’ll want to be sure to visit Arawak Cay, just outside town, a little group of restaurants also called The Fish Fry. Here you’ll experience native Bahamian food, including fried fish and conch and peas and rice. If you’ve never had peas and rice, it’s not what it sounds like. … Read more
Set up
Last year, I bought my husband a gift certificate for a hot air balloon ride ($245 per person) over Letchworth State Park in Wyoming County, NY as his Christmas gift. We finally went for our ride on a recent beautiful fall weekend with Balloons Over Letchworth. This was our first hot air balloon ride and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m not afraid of heights, but I was a bit nervous!
Getting Started
We arrived at the park (known as the Grand Canyon of the East because of
Inflating
the stunning gorge created by the Genessee River) to the launch site, which is next to the Glen Iris Inn (if you go, plan to have dinner at the inn afterwards, or book yourself a room – it’s a lovely inn overlooking the falls and they book far in advance for the fall foliage season). There were two balloons going up that night. We signed our waivers and declined the t-shirts that were for sale. First the baskets were rolled out of the trucks. Each basket weighs 1000 lbs. Next a really small looking bag was hauled out. Once it was opened and spread on
Lift off
the ground, it was the balloon. The baskets were laid on their sides, the balloons attached to them and they were completely laid out on the ground. Then two big gas powered fans were directed at the balloons to fill them with air. This took about 20 minutes. Once the balloons were inflated, the burners were turned on to heat the air. Gradually the air warmed and soon the balloons lifted and straightened and the baskets were righted. Lots of people in the park and came and watched this spectacle.
Our captain was Sean Quigley who has
been piloting balloons for more than 20 years. He stood in the center of the basket. Around 
him were 4 compartments and 2 people were to stand in each. We climbed into the basket using some holes that are cut in the side. Terry and I stood in our little compartment, which was just the right size for two people.
Floating
Before we even knew it, our balloon had lifted off the ground. There is absolutely no sensation of movement when in a balloon. If you closed your 
eyes, you would think you were standing on the ground. You don’t feel upward motion or side to side movement. There is no swaying or jerking. Slowly, we rose over the falls at Letchworth and began to drift north and west across the park. Our companion balloon followed us.
Riding in a hot air balloon is very different from a plane. You remain close to the ground and you move slowly, so you have time to really see the scenery beneath you. Trees look different from the top down – softer and fuzzy somehow.
Our pilot
We had a beautiful perspective to see the changing the leaves and the colors were stunning. We could peer through the trees at the forest floor and make out logs and once in a while we saw hikers. Soon we were past the park and drifting over farms and fields. We saw many deer, who ran from us. We saw a fox in a field and floated over some cows who just tilted their heads in a leisurely way and watched us. There are more cows than people in Wyoming County and we saw plenty. It was almost like we were watching a silent movie as the trees and landscape moved below us. We were completely separate from the normal noises and
Silver Lake
distractions of real life.
It is amazingly quiet up in the air, the silence interrupted only occasionally by the blowers. When we booked the reservation they told us to wear hats. The blowers are so hot that the top of your head gets very warm. I was very happy to have my hat on! It is warmer up in the air than down on the ground and we happened to be out on a warm evening, so we were very comfortable. If you tip your head backwards, you can see straight up into the balloon.
As we moved across the county, two chaser cars followed us and our pilot kept in touch with 
them via radio. Our pilot had no control over our direction however. He could control our height, but it was completely up to the wind to decide where we were going. We traveled at about 8 mph, a good speed since if the wind is over 10 mph they do not take off (and in fact, they couldn’t fly for 20 straight days this past July). We went as high as 2000 feet. Our companion balloon went down low enough for the passengers to pick some leaves, but our balloon didn’t get that low. Sean was 
always watching for power lines which said can be quite dangerous.
Landing
Soon we could see Silver Lake and since the sun was close to the horizon, Sean began looking for a place to land. The wind had carried us in a direction it did not usually blow, so he was in unfamiliar territory and did not know the farmers in the area. He tried to land a few times but changed his mind when he saw the terrain up close. He prefers to land in a flat mowed field and there weren’t many around. Eventually as it was about to get dark, he decided to land in an alfalfa field. The wind had
Terry trying to hold the balloon
picked up at this point. Balloons do not land by coming straight down. Instead, they come in on an approach like an airplane does. Sean told us to bend our knees and hunker down since we would bounce. We bounced twice, fairly hard, before coming to a stop on our third touch down. The approach felt very fast, compared to our movements up in the air which felt very slow.
Our adventure wasn’t over yet. Sean didn’t know the farmer who owned the field. No one in surrounding houses were answering their doors
Our rocky landing
and we were in the middle of an alfalfa field. He wanted to be able to drive his trucks out to the balloons to load them up, but knew doing so would damage the field. So he wanted to move the balloons. The guys from the chaser cars came over and Sean attempted to lift the balloon up about 2 feet and the plan was for the guys to pull it towards the street. The wind was quite strong at this point and was blowing in the opposite direction. They could not make any progress. Eventually Terry and another passenger got out and helped. The 4 of them could not control the balloon (and this was a dangerous situation – the balloon would lift them off the ground then come back down again and they had to certain not to get their feet underneath it). Most of us remaining passengers sat down on the floor of the basket so 
that we would not be tossed around so much. Eventually, despite everyone’s efforts, the basket blew over on its side while we were still in it. This was a little scary while it was happening, but since we were right on the ground, I knew it wasn’t dangerous. I crawled out, but some of the other passengers were a little shaken, including an elderly woman.
Next we sat in the chaser’s van while the guys had to put the balloons and baskets on wheeled carts and attempt to wheel them out of the field which took about 45 minutes. Eventually we made it back to the park but we didn’t stay for the traditional champagne toast. I was done with balloons at that point!
Despite our rocky ending (which Sean insisted very rarely happens) I would go in a hot air balloon again. It was an hour of absolute silence and offered a beautiful perspective that felt rare and special.
Last year, I bought my husband a gift certificate for a hot air balloon ride ($245 per person) over Letchworth State Park in Wyoming County, NY as his Christmas gift. We finally went for our ride on a recent beautiful fall weekend with Balloons Over Letchworth. This was our first hot air balloon ride and … Read more
I like to roast my carrots in the oven to give this soup a bit of a smoky flavor. Serve with a couple of croutons on top or a few leaves of mint.
I like to roast my carrots in the oven to give this soup a bit of a smoky flavor. Serve with a couple of croutons on top or a few leaves of mint. 5.0 from 1 reviews Roasted Carrot Soup Print Ingredients 2½ lbs carrots, peeled, cut into 3 inch pieces 2 tbsp olive … Read more
I often make this recipe with chicken, but recently I gave it a try with shrimp and it was fantastic. Buy your mangoes a couple days ahead so they can ripen. I love this dish because it’s sweet and creamy, but with a kick and it cooks so quickly.
I often make this recipe with chicken, but recently I gave it a try with shrimp and it was fantastic. Buy your mangoes a couple days ahead so they can ripen. I love this dish because it’s sweet and creamy, but with a kick and it cooks so quickly. Mango Shrimp Print Ingredients ½ … Read more
Versailles was on my list of top sites in France. We spent several nights in Paris and then drove east to Normandy. Versailles is roughly a half hour outside of Paris, conveniently located exactly on the way to Normandy. [It’s possible to see Versailles during a stay in Paris, however. You can take the train or you can sign up for a bus tour.] Since we were renting a car and it was on the way, we decided to head directly there the morning we left Paris.
Getting to Versailles
Somehow, our visit to Versailles ending up being about motor vehicles and rudeness more
Enjoying our visit?
than anything else – bear with me through my tale to find out why.
Our morning started out with the cab ride (motor vehicle incident #1) from our Paris hotel to the car rental at the airport. Our driver insisted (French rudeness #1) he could not take us to the actual rental lot and wanted to drop us and our mound of luggage at the airport, from where we would have to take a shuttle to the rental lot. Fortunately my husband was able to finally convince him to drive onto the lot (which was no problem – I guess cabbies aren’t used to taking people to car rental lots) and we were able to get our car and go.
Versailles is just outside a town and when you pull up to it you kind of wonder if this is really it, because it looks like city. And it also does not appear all that elegant from the roadside. It’s all stone and there is no lush landscaping anywhere you can see.
Parking
Crazy opulence
There is a parking lot conveniently in front of the palace. In my trip preparation I had read that there have been some break-ins in this lot, so I was sufficiently paranoid about leaving all of our possessions in the van, but we had no choice. My husband parked the van by backing it into a spot right on an aisle, thinking it would make the car very visible and also making it hard for anyone to open the trunk. The lot is also extremely open – just a bare piece of pavement in front of the chateau so nothing is hidden.
Welcome to the Lines
We headed into the front courtyard where we were confronted by a huge mass of people. It
The Hall of Mirrors. And a few hundred of our closest friends
was 9:30 on a Sunday. The place had just opened at 9 am. We had purchased our tickets online so we did not have to go into a building on the left to buy tickets. It appeared most of the world also had pre-purchased tickets )there was no line to buy tickets, only to get in).
The Versailles people need to meet the Disney people. When you go to Disney there are orderly lines that feel very regular and controlled. They also have mastered the trick of having you wait in one line, then letting you move forward tp where there is a second line, so at least you feel like
Marie Antoinette slept here (note the ostrich feather plumes at the top)
you’re making progress. At Versailles there is ONE line. And it is a long, long line. It snaked through the courtyard. There are no signs, no ropes, and no guidance for this line. It just forms wherever it wants (French rudeness #2). When you enter the courtyard you have no idea where the end of the actually is and it takes quite a while to figure it out. There is a separate entrance for tour groups, but all of the tour groups remained in the main line and no one used that entrance.
We stood in this line for 2 hours. 2 hours. And somehow we ended up smack in the middle of a group tour from Asia (rudeness #3 – not French but we’re counting it!). The members of this tour group seemed to think we were invisible and leapfrogged back and forth around us, in front of us and behind us, all the while smacking us in the face with the umbrellas they were using to shield themselves from the sun. There was also a woman who was reading a book and felt it to be completely appropriate to simply lean back against whoever was behind her, namely us. There was only one security guard in evidence and he was not interested in organizing or policing the line in
Gardens
any way.
Enjoying Versailles
After our two hours in the sun, we finally made it into the palace. Yes, it’s fabulous. Yes, it’s outrageous, but after a two hour wait, I didn’t have much energy to be amazed. The Hall of Mirrors is beautiful and Marie Antoinette’s apartment is stunning. This is opulence times 50. The fabric wallpapers, the draperies, the chandeliers, the furniture, the paintings, the beautiful ceilings all overwhelm. It is breathtaking and you can’t help but wonder how they thought they could get away with living this way (and obviously they didn’t – you can see the hidden door through which Marie Antoinette escaped when she was told of the revolution). It’s hard to fathom how big and crazily over-the-top this 
place is without seeing it with your own eyes.
However, the place is practically wall to wall tourists. It was hard to see anything at all since there was always someone in front of us – and most of these people will not give an inch. They act like they own the place (rudeness #4 – again generally not French, but we’re counting it). There are virtually no bathrooms to be found. There was one set in a courtyard, with an extremely long line. This bathroom was guarded by a French madame who had decided she was in charge of hygiene. Not only did she direct you to a stall, but I saw her march not one, but two children to the sink and force them to wash their hands. She also had harsh words for anyone who dared to block the doorway (rudeness #5)
We had a quick lunch at the sandwich and salad stand inside the chateau. The only other food option is the Angelica fine dining room (we dined at Angelica at the Galleries Lafayette in Paris, and I will be writing about that). There aren’t many choices, but at 11:30 we beat the crowds nicely.
Outside the Palace
We did not buy the separate tickets for the gardens, but admired them out the windows. They 
definitely appeared less crowded, so I would recommend them if you want a less claustrophobic experience.
Then there are the outlying areas of the estate. There is a tram (motor vehicle #2) that takes you there for a separate price. Of course there is a long line for it. And the tram itself drives amazingly slowly, however the people who were walking looked at it, clearly realizing that no matter how slow it was, it was faster than walking because it is a LONG way back to the other areas. The tram was not only torturously slow, but it was cramped and we ended up near an American who felt the need to sit in front of us and discuss our shoes (“THOSE are cute, but they look like they would hurt. I wish I could get Scott to wear shoes 
like THOSE.” – rudeness #6, not French, but still annoying). She also talked incessantly and loudly so we knew every single detail about her entire family by the time we escaped the tram.
We headed back to the Petit Trianon, a small home and garden where Marie Antoinette spent most of her time since she found Versailles to be too much like a city. Honestly it was nothing worth seeing – a few rooms and an unkempt garden with a small Roman-style shrine. And it definitely was not worth the slow tram ride and the 45 minute wait to catch the interminable tram back to the palace.
There is a pretty fantastic man-made grand canal (1670 meters long) that runs through the property. The king used to have naval spectacles and gondolas on it. Now there are rowboats you can rent.
Shopping
There are several gift shops scattered throughout the palace. I didn’t find anything amazing
Grand Canal (in the far distance)
to buy. I grabbed a few bookmarks and a magnet. My daughter got a pencil case. It was disappointing to be in a place so beautiful and to find nothing equally beautiful to bring home.
The Real Story
You’ve read this far and wondered why I titled this piece as I did. Even though our visit to the chateau was complete, our time there was not. We left the palace around 2 pm, completely exhausted and looking forward to a leisurely drive to Giverny, our next stop. I was still slightly worried about break-ins. We got to our van to find it had not been broken into. Instead, it had been completely parked in on all sides. Several cars (including a BMW directly in front of us – motor vehicle #3) had decided to create a new row directly in front of our car, so there were three rows of cars with ours being in the middle row. Someone had parked on the aisle side of our car as well and people had parked in front and behind of them. We were completely surrounded by cars on all four sides. [This and what follows is rudeness #6-#453] These cars arrived after we did and we had no way of knowing then they arrived or when they would be leaving. Versailles was open for several more hours and we were faced with the prospect of a long, hot wait in the parking lot, as our available time to spend in Giverny ticked away.
My husband found one of the parking attendants. He shrugged the ubiquitous French shrug and raised his palms to the sky. Not my fault, not my problem. When pressed, he said it happens nearly every day. He can do nothing. Two more attendants came over. Although they initially seemed to find it funny, they agreed with my husband about the ridiculousness and tried to look for solutions. My husband walked back to the chateau entrance and the people working there told him the lot was not owned by the chateau and was a private lot. Not their problem. <shrug> They had no PA system over which they could ask someone to move a car (handy to know – if Versailles is burning, no one is going to tell you).
There was a group of police vans gathered outside the lot. My husband walked over to them to ask for help. “Parlez-vous Anglais?” “Non”. Clearly they did though because when he asked where to get help (en Anglais) they told him to walk 10 blocks to the police station. And they shrugged. Not our problem. They laughed as he walked away.
By this point, the two helpful attendants had started trying to push a small car diagonal to us out of the way while my husband spoke loudly, heatedly, and with great emotion to the head attendant. As this happened, a French couple in the illegal third row (several cars down the row from ours) came out and got in their car and laughed at our predicament. I am pretty sure they shrugged a few times for good measure.
At this point, my husband may have suggested getting a jack and using it to move the BMW in front of us (that had purposely, without caring at all parked us in – and most likely shrugged as they did so). He may have suggested using our car to push the BMW out of the way. He may have wondered how the owner would feel to find his car keyed, with tires deflated or a very detailed note about what we thought of them left under their wipers. I may have made a show of crying in frustration. My children may have appeared hungry, hot, thirsty, emotionally disturbed, and cranky. I may have appeared to feel faint in the heat and from the stress. My husband may have acted Italian with flailing of arms and many hand gestures. People in the lot may have looked (and shrugged). The words we will always remember this day by are when my husband told the attendant he was going to cause “an international incident” if this wasn’t solved.
We were in luck however. The people from the car directly next to us came out and left (shrugging). We were able to execute a 30 point turn and squeeze our van out. My husband explained to the attendant that the least he could do was waive the parking fee (he did) and suggested that perhaps in the future he ought to police his own lot or at least paint some lines on the pavement so people would not feel they could park anywhere they wanted (Ah, mais non <shrug>). In the end, there was no international incident, just a family that will never, ever return to Versailles ever again no matter what. <shrug>
Versailles was on my list of top sites in France. We spent several nights in Paris and then drove east to Normandy. Versailles is roughly a half hour outside of Paris, conveniently located exactly on the way to Normandy. [It’s possible to see Versailles during a stay in Paris, however. You can take the train … Read more
Chicken legs are one of my weeknight panic dishes. On the nights when I can’t think of a single thing to make or don’t have time to stand in front of the stove, I pull a package out of the freezer, dump them on a baking sheet and bake them while I am doing something else. If they’re thawed, they bake in a little over an hour. If they are frozen, it takes about an hour and 45 minutes to two hours. Usually I make a quick barbecue sauce. Every single person in my household eats theses, so it is always a winner.
One night last week when I was dealing with a deadline, had a kid to drive to his volunteer job, and had no time to think about dinner, I pulled my trusty chicken legs out of the freezer again. Only this time, I decided to change up the sauce and made this 3 ingredient maple mustard glaze that was fabulous!
Chicken legs are one of my weeknight panic dishes. On the nights when I can’t think of a single thing to make or don’t have time to stand in front of the stove, I pull a package out of the freezer, dump them on a baking sheet and bake them while I am doing something … Read more
Minstrone soup is my latest creation in my soup extravaganza. I love the way this smells – like a full meal. This makes a wonderfully thick soup that is very filling. I used fresh beans, but you could use frozen without a problem.
Minstrone soup is my latest creation in my soup extravaganza. I love the way this smells – like a full meal. This makes a wonderfully thick soup that is very filling. I used fresh beans, but you could use frozen without a problem. 4.7 from 3 reviews Minestrone Soup Print Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive … Read more
Glass pyramid
The Louvre was high on our list of things to do in Paris. I was looking forward to seeing the glass pyramid and the Mona Lisa, with a few other things. If you’ve seen or read The Da Vinci Code you’ve already imagined yourself there. It’s a must-see. Or is it? Although I don’t regret going, I’m not absolutely certain it was worth the trouble.
Winged Victory (the basis of the Nike swoosh)
1. Ticketing is confusing. Everything I read said I had to buy my tickets in advance or I could stand in line all day. In reality, the lines really weren’t that long. We had purchased passes online and didn’t have to wait in line but if we had it really would not have been a big deal.
2. The glass pyramid is freaking hot. In August, it was a truly uncomfortable way to enter the museum and not a great place to stand in line. If you want to see it, walk past it. It’s just the ceiling to a basement from inside.
3. Hard to get to. Although we did the Paris Metro to work quite well for us most of the time, there is no stop really close to the entrance of the Louvre.
4. Too much security. The Louvre has numerous wings. And you must go through separate security and show your ticket for each one, as well as when you come in the main entrance. More lines than I want to deal with.
5. Too many people. Usually I am prepared to deal with crowds when there is something I want to see. The crowds at the Louvre are beyond ridiculous. If you want to see Winged Victory (this with the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo are the top three attractions), you have to shove your way through crowds on a steep staircase. If you pause to take a photo, there’s a good chance someone will shove you and you’ll topple down the marble stairs. The 
Mona Lisa is impossible to get near unless you prepared to just push your way forward through a room that is wall to wall bodies. The sheer number of people all trying to get to the same place you’re going makes it an unpleasant experience.
6. Pickpockets. Although we fortunately were not affected, the Louvre is supposed to be one of the worst places for pickpockets. The sheer volume of people and the closeness of other bodies makes it a danger zone. Therefore, I was paranoid the entire time and it’s hard to relax and enjoy yourself when you feel as if you’re going to be robbed at any moment. One of the room monitors (not sure if these folks are technically security guards?) shouted at my daughter when she walked by with part of her purse partially unzipped (there was nothing of value in it and we would have appreciated the warning had the woman not appeared angry with us!).
7. Terrible signage. We had a map. I had read in advance about how best to navigate from one thing to the next. We still got lost. Over and over. Since everyone in the damn place is there to see the Mona Lisa you would think they might have a sign pointing to the entrance to the room. It was difficult to navigate every step of the way.
8. It is gigantic. And nothing you want to see is near anything else. We went to almost every wing to see the 4 things we were there to see (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory and Napoleon III’s apartments). Wear athletic shoes and be prepared to go up and down a lot of stairs. It takes
Venus de Milo
much longer than you anticipate to walk anywhere and it’s never a straight shot. There are twists and turns and unexpected staircases. And there is always a tour group walking slowly in front of you.
9. There are other amazing place in Paris that have none of these problems. High on my list of recommendations is Musee de l’Orangerie. This wonderful museum is in the corner of the Tuileries, has absolutely no crowds, is small, and has two gigantic rooms of HUGE Monet paintings that cover the entire walls. You can get up close and
Inside Napoleon III’s apartment: the photo that made the trip to the Louvre worthwhile after all
personal with them. I would pick that any day over the Louvre.
The Louvre was high on our list of things to do in Paris. I was looking forward to seeing the glass pyramid and the Mona Lisa, with a few other things. If you’ve seen or read The Da Vinci Code you’ve already imagined yourself there. It’s a must-see. Or is it? Although I don’t regret … Read more
It is definitely soup season, but at my house I’m making soup several times a week to feed my father-in-law (a true soup fan) while my mother-in-law is in rehab for a nasty fall. I’m making big batches, so we can have some dinner, I can send some home with him, and I have some to freeze. At the rate I’m going, I’m completely set should we be snowed in all winter.
My latest creation is mushroom kale soup. It’s hearty, it’s healthy, and it was easy to make. This was fantastic served with garlic bread.
It is definitely soup season, but at my house I’m making soup several times a week to feed my father-in-law (a true soup fan) while my mother-in-law is in rehab for a nasty fall. I’m making big batches, so we can have some dinner, I can send some home with him, and I have some … Read more
