Day 19 Chicago

Woke up to another beautiful day, except that Linda suggested that Sylvia and I should join her on a boat archeological tour of Chicago…it was not something I relished doing, but what the hell. As usual I couldn’t have been more wrong. It was an hour and a half long narrated excursion through the rivers of Chicago that included detailed descriptions of all the buildings and each ones history. The views could not really be appreciated except by boat…what a home run. Afterwards we met Larry, Derek and Jessica at P.J. Clarks and had a Bloody Mary. Larry was feeling better by now, so we headed off in an attempt to become more acquainted with the Chicago social scene. The first stop was the Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock building. It was a beautiful day to take in the city from this fantastic view. We followed this with visits to Hugo Frog Bar, Underground Wonder Bar, Zebra Bar, J’s Dogs, Streeter’s Bar, and Rosie’s Piano Bar…not exactly the most culturally enlightening tour, but it was a lot of fun. The hit of the night was the Chicago Hot Dog at J’s. It doesn’t sound all that great, but it sure hit the spot after too much beer. We were all leaving the next day so it was not a very late evening and we all headed back to our rooms fairly early. Another good day.

Day 18 Chicago

A great day for baseball! Unfortunately, it was not for Larry. He developed some sort of flu and had to spend the day at the hotel. Jessica, Linda, and Sylvia decided on a shopping excursion before the game while Derek and I decided to take the El up to Wrigley early to watch batting practice. The women said they would join us later. I just don't understand why they weren't interested in batting practice? Anyhow, Derek and I got up to Wrigley early and stopped in a famous landmark, the Cubby Bear Pub, for a beer. The whole atmosphere of Wrigley is unbelievable. I've never been to a sporting event that's as unique as a Cubs game, especially sitting in the outfield bleachers. The women joined us just as the game started and while everyone enjoyed it we decided by the fifth inning to leave the stadium and go across the street to Murphy's Pub for a beer. We then took the El back downtown and had a pizza at Giordano's where the stuffed pizza was invented...very interesting. Another great day.

Day 17 South Haven to Chicago

It was a short two hour drive from South Haven to Chicago. Today was the day we were to surprise son Derek. Derek always wanted to go to Chicago and see a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, so Derek's wife Jessica sent for tickets and secretly invited his mother (Linda), step dad (Larry), step mom (Sylvia), and dad (me). The deal was that Sylvia and I were to meet Larry and Linda in the hotel bar and Jessica would drag Derek down to the bar and we would surprise him. I don't know how or why, but it actually worked. He was totally surprised and, even better he really appreciated it. We had a good laugh and went to Gene and Georgetti's for great steaks and afterwards walked over to Harry Carey's bar for drinks. The bar is exactly 60' 6” long, the same distance as home plate is from the pitcher's mound. It was a very good evening. Tomorrow we go to the game and I'm looking forward to a terrific day.

Day 15 - 16 South Haven Michigan

Having never been to Michigan, I wanted to spend a few days on the lake. We decided to do a 430 mile drive from Niagara to South Haven in one day and spend two days just hanging out in the small town. We checked into a B&B and happened to be the only guests. It was a neat town on the lake without much activity. We did find a pretty good place to eat called Tellos Trattoria. Other than that we spent two days walking around, sitting on the porch reading and periodically getting on each other's nerves.

Day 14 Niagara-on-the-Lake

Got up this morning and walked across the street to the Willow Cakes and Pastries...what a good idea that turned out to be. Several hard working women were baking some awesome looking pastries. Sylvia had an herb and cheese scone and I wolfed down an unbelievable Pork Pie. I'd love to get a couple of Pork Pies tomorrow morning for our ride, but they probably won't be open by the time we leave.
After breakfast Sylvia went for a walk but was sidetracked by a decision to stroll up Queen street and all its little shops. I decided to rent a bike and ride the twenty miles up to Niagara Falls. That turned out to be another great idea. There was a bike path along the Niagara river that passed through vineyards, several markets, an arboretum, overlooks, plus it ended up at Niagara Falls. It was an incredible four hour ride that was the same one that Winston Churchill enjoyed so much. Later that day Sylvia and I did the same drive up to the Falls and on the way back we stopped and had a glass of wine at Queenston Heights Restaurant (picture)...what a view. The restaurant was closed, but since we only wanted a glass of wine they were kind enough to open it just for us. For dinner we went to the Old Winery at the recommendation of a local restauranteur that we had met at the bakery earlier in the day. The simple Italian food was a very good recommendation.

Day 13 Wilton to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Got an early start and made an uneventful 450 mile drive from Wilton to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Five years ago we drove through this town on our way from Niagara Falls to Toronto and we decided that someday we would return to this unbelievably quaint little town. Winston Churchill called the twenty mile drive from Niagara Falls to Niagara-on-the-Lake “The prettiest Sunday drive in the world”, and I can't disagree. We checked in and walked down to Queen Street and checked out the main commercial area. It's really pretty, but as usual the tourists inundate the area. We had a few drinks at a little place overlooking the lake and, since we were tired from the eight hour drive, we just stopped at a local pub for an excellent pizza before calling it a night.

Day 11-12 Wilton, New hampshire

The drive from Bridgton to Wilton was both beautiful and pleasant. We spent two days with my brother Randy and his wife Carol. We had a really good visit and the real treat was that their daughters Tracy, Danielle, and Heather surprised us by spending an evening with us along with their husbands and kids. I don't know who was more rambunctious, Tracy, Danielle, and Heather or the grand kids. We had a good time. The next day Randy and Carol treated us to a terrific breakfast at the Union Street Cafe in Milford and a excellent German dinner at Mileaway Restaurant also in Milford.

Day 8 - 10 Bridgton, Maine

We spent the next three days at Sylvia's sister's (Frony) and brother in law's (Alan) beautiful lake house in Bridgton, Maine. We took advantage of the unusually warm weather by spending most of the time outdoors walking, boating, and generally enjoying the fabulous scenery. One afternoon they took us to Ken's Kove restaurant, a terrific little old converted gas station that seated twelve at three picnic tables. Ken served great fish, clams, and lobsters. It's a definite stop when in Bridgton. We had a great time.

Day 7 Nantucket to Kennebunkport

It was a rainy miserable day as we took the ferry from Nantucket to Hyannis. It did clear up though on the drive up coast on route 1A as we passed through some extraordinary New Hampshire and Maine towns. At 4 o'clock We decided to stop and spend the night in Kennebunkport, Maine. We drove by George and Barb Bush's house, but the idiotic doorman wouldn't let us in. So instead we checked in at the old historic Kennebunkport Inn and walked the town. I get hungry for lobster every five or six years and today was one of those days so we found what was supposed to be a good place called Mabel's Lobster House. I proceeded to order a Lobster Bake with Clam Chowder, two dozen clams, a few side dishes and a whole lobster (pictured). I followed that all up with a homemade wild blueberry pie. Sylvia amused herself by sitting there watching me swell up like an old toadfish. It was a great New England meal but, obviously it turned out to be an early evening as I waddled back to the hotel. Tomorrow we head to Sylvia's sister's lake cabin in Bridgeton, Maine where I hope to walk some of this off.

Day 6 Nantucket

Not much different today. Started the day with breakfast at Black-Eyed Susan's followed by champagne at the Boarding House. The Sunday grand tasting wasn't until three, so we hung out at the hotel and drank Mimosas. The grand tasting was about the same as Saturday's so there's not much more to say except that it was very good. It was the last tasting of the event and it was the one that most of the locals attended and the wine makers relaxed a little bit and chatted a lot more than normal. Around six o'clock Mica crashed and Sylvia, Fred , and I went back to the Boarding House for a very, very good dinner. Highly recommended if you're in Nantucket.

Day 5 Nantucket

Today was to be one of the grand wine tastings, so we thought we'd be smart and have a nice breakfast, skip lunch, go to the tasting and have an early dinner. Of course it didn't quite work out that way. Breakfast at Black-Eyed Susans was very good and champagne at Arno's was even better. Sylvia and Mica went shopping and after the champagne Fred and I went to the Whaling Museum where we again ran into JJ. At this point I just knew trouble was brewing. The tasting was at at noon and it was a two hour event that consisted of over 200 wines and tons of food. It was probably one of the better wine events I have ever been too. It was really enjoyable. Afterwards we met back up with JJ and he drove us over to the other side of the island to a very upscale beach restaurant called the Wauwinet Inn. More champagne and a few bites to eat later and we were off again to some other parts of the island. Sylvia and I decided to call it quits (Mica was smarter and had quit a few hours earlier). Fred and JJ headed off into the unknown. For some stupid reason Sylvia and I thought it would be a good idea to go to Captain Tobey's Chowder House for one last drink. Oh well, maybe tomorrow I'll be smarter.

Day 4 Nantucket

Feeling a bit wheezy this morning, we stopped by Lo La for a very good hamburger, after which we went to the wine tasting headquarter's, The White Elephant. There we met JJ, a friend of Fred's from Beaune, France. JJ owns a great wine bar and bistro in Beaune in the Burgundy region of France. Sylvia and I had met JJ several years ago during our stay in there where we had a terrific time. After a few hours at the White Elephant we went to a pig butchering demonstration complete with grilled pork and several Duckhorn wines. It lasted a little more than an hour and was well worth the price. After the demonstration we met JJ again and went with him over to The Cliffside Beach Restaurant to taste some of JJ's wines with the owners of the restaurant. By eight o'clock we were getting hungry and we went back downtown to the La Languedoc Bistro and had dinner. JJ knew the chef and just about about everybody else in the place. It was amazing how many people and been to his bistro. Sylvia and Mica skipped dinner and went back to the hotel early. JJ, Fred, and I were not nearly that smart.

Day 3 Fairhaven to Nantucket

Got up this morning and drove over to Hyannis to catch the eleven o'clock ferry over to Nantucket. We arrived at the ferry early so we walked up to Persy's Place for breakfast and had some savory fish cakes with homemade corn bread. After a pleasant one hour ferry ride, we walked up to our B&B, the Roberts House Inn, where me met our friends Fred and Mica. We checked in and spent the afternoon and evening at the Rose and Crown, Captain Tobey's Chowder House, and The Brotherhood of Thieves. We had a great time, but forgot to eat. Consequently, by nine o'clock we were pretty well in out cups and headed back to our rooms for the evening. The island's beautiful. Hundreds of cherry trees in bloom and it seem like it's snowing cherry blossoms (picture).

Day 2 Bordentown,N.J. to Fairhaven,Mass

Day 2 was intended to be a short five hour drive to somewhere in Massachusetts. It didn't turn out that way as we got caught up in George Washington bridge traffic, a three hour route 95 delay in Connecticut, and more traffic problems near Rhode Island. So late in the day we checked in a motel in Fairhaven Massachusetts. We hadn't eaten anything all day so prior to dinner we drove around and admired the massive and beautiful old wood framed homes that were surrounded by old stately Beech trees. The homes were built in the late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds by old ship captains. Fairhaven and New Bedford , which is across the river, are the home of the biggest fishing fleet in the U.S. We had very good seafood dinner at Elizabeth's, a small local restaurant in the marina area of Fairhaven.

Day 1 Solomons to Bordentown

We started our driving trip to New England by stopping for lunch at the Tidewater Grille in Havre de Grace Maryland. It's an on-the-water restaurant that serves a fairly decent crab cake. Lunch was fine and we continued up 95 to Bordentown, NJ. The reason we picked Bordentown was that a hundred years ago I spent one miserable year at Bordentown Military Academy prep school and I hadn't been back since. The town at that time was a small worn-out old town comprised of a drug store, a movie theater, and several small dilapidated bars. The school burned down shortly after I left (I'm completely innocent) and was never rebuilt. The first thing we did upon arriving was check in at an EconoLodge flop house and head straight downtown. Instead of a crappy old town, we found ourselves in a charming Federal style village with many restaurants, shops and beautiful old buildings and homes. Totally surprised, we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening wandering around Bordentown. A stop in Jester's Cafe lasted several hours as we chatted with some locals that remembered the school and what the town was like in the sixties. We had dinner there and really enjoyed ourselves before heading back to our flop house, but not before stopping in at Chickie's and Pete's for a nightcap.