Fabulous Food!

Sorry it took so long to get a post up about this, but I have been working way too much!! The Fabulous Food Show lived up to its name. There were way too many vendors to sample everything in one day, but unfortunately that was all I could manage. I got in to Cleveland in the evening on Friday and checked into the Sheraton hotel a few miles from the airport. It was a nice room and the staff was very courteous. Sadly, I decided to have my dinner at the bar and grill attached to the hotel (it shall remain nameless) and ended up getting sick in the middle of the night from the undercooked cheesesteak sandwich. So I was a little late getting to the Food Show the next day, which meant I couldn't get into line to meet Alton Brown. There were at least 500 people already in line when I got there and he wasn't coming out for another hour yet! So I meandered around the show and bought a few things. A couple of AB books I didn't have yet and of course, FOOD. I stayed away from the wine tastings because I didn't want to upset my stomach again.

I watched Duff Goldman's show on a massive screen while he was on stage as watched the lucky people who had gotten in line early that morning to meet AB. I didn't get to see Giada DeLaurentiis though. Her schedule was running opposite of mine. And at about 4:30 I was able to get in line for the 5pm Alton Brown show. I had gotten pretty good seats, sixth row on the aisle and had a very good view from there. But since there were empty seats in the front row and Alton was rather hurt by this, I quickly ran up and grabbed a seat. Front row!! WOO-HOO!

Needless to say, the show was great. I could go on and on with the details and bore everyone to death, but I'll save the anecdotes for any true fans who want to hear about it. Just post a comment and I'll let you know some of the hilarious moments.

Some of it may end up on Food Network, but I don't know when or what the show will be called. I'll keep you posted when I find out!

Nature Girl

I have been lucky enough to spend some time in Nolde State Forest the last few weekends. I live next door to it since I moved to Berks County and the weather finally cooled off to the point that I can enjoy it. (I am a bug magnet and get eaten alive if I go into the woods in the summer) My favorite hike is along the Watershed Trail. I find the sounds of the stream to be soothing and conducive to meditation. I usually take along a notebook and do a bit of writing here and there along the way. The trail starts off realtively level at the bottom af the mountain and slowly works its way up over the ridge follwing the stream until you get to the actual watershed. Somethin interesting I discovered at the end of the trail is what looks like an old root cellar or storage room. I couldn't see too far back into the opening, but it looked like it was about 10 feet square with stacked stone walls. There was a mound over it that curved into a sort of crescent shape as well. I usually spend at least 3 hours wandering the trails and stopping to write now and then. And by the time I get home I am usually starving and I cook up a big batch of stew or soup or throw a roast into the oven. To me that is just about as perfect of a day as you can get.

Vacation is always too short....

It's been a wonderful week off from work, and I still have a day and a half of relaxation to go. Last weekend I went to Bedford to visit Mom and do the Fall Foliage Festival. When I arrived on Saturday morning I met Mom over at Bob Harclerode's to help pick grapes off of the stems that they had just gotten at the vineyard that morning. We then proceeded to have a hell of a time trying to press them. Apparently green grapes, when pressed fresh, are very uncooperative.But after a lot of adjustments, the grapes finally gave up the juice. I'm looking forward to sampling that wine in a couple of years!








After we cleaned up the mess we had made, we headed out to Ritchey's Dairy and Nolt's Bargain Barn. Ritchey's being the home of the best ice cream ever and Nolt's being the best place to find treasures for pennies. It's was a ridiculously warm 86 degrees that afternoon, so my mint chip cone was good and drippy. Nolt's is located directly behind Ritchey's, so I just strolled back there while enjoying my cone. It's very possible to spend all day in Nolt's and not see everything, so I just looked for specific items that are always on my mental list. I found a few good decorative items, one of which is a little gold colored throw pillow that cost me an entire dollar and which Akhee has now claimed as her own.



That night we went to dinner at The Arena in Bedford. I had an absolutely delicious filet mignon while we listened to the entertainment in the lounge. Kent Martin http://www.musicbykentmartin.com/ played keyboard, flute and trumpet throughout the evening, serenading the crowd with laid back tunes by Jimmy Buffet, James Taylor and the like. It was one of those pleasant evenings that didn't have any one memoable moment, but was thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.


After a good night's rest, we headed into Bedford again on Sunday to go to the Fall Foliage Festival. I meandered through the stalls, noting that once again there were way too many "country" crafts. I mean the kind that are all the same style of painting on wood or slate that people churn out in mass quantities.But there were enough new and truly artistic items to make it interesting.
One of my favorites was Wander Wheel Studio's pottery by Jone Bush. It was unique because besides being beautifully handcrafted, it had a story behind it. Her Mom's Lace pottery is impressed with a favorite piece of her mother's crochet-work. I also picked up some yummy foodstuffs while I was there. You can't go to the festival without eating! I bought a jar of jalapeno pepper jelly from Piper's Peck http://www.piperspeck.com/ and some hot 'n' sweet mustard from Miller's Mustard http://www.millersmustard.com/ .
It was a very full weekend! I headed home on Monday and I've been puttering around the house most of the week. I got my Halloween decorations done, and bought some of the supplies for the party I'm having later this month. And I've finished a few small projects. I also bought the kitties a self-cleaning litterbox. They're still getting used to it. I think Mhunkee is afraid it will start moving while she is in it! But they started using it right away and only freak out if they happen to be around when it turns on. Hopefully they'll learn to ignore it eventually. Then again they are a couple of pampered fraidy cats!
Well, this is running on and I need to make pizza for movie night! Tata for now!

...and the horse you came in on...

Finally, I have a little time to catch up. I've been doing a lot of extra things for work lately. Last Thursday I had to go to Moorestown, NJ again. This time I had to roll up my sleeves and move sports equipment around to help get our prototype set up. I got home from there at about 7pm and then had to pack to go to our White Marsh store outside of Baltimore. We had ourVIP day event there on Saturday. It's a lot of fun because all of the buyers for the "hardlines" areas (i.e. non-apparel) and some of the apparel buyers get together for a dinner the night before along with a lot of our vendor reps. And after dinner a group of about twenty of us decided we may as well go to Fells Point since we were in Baltimore. I forgot just how fun it is there. I think the last time I went was with Kristine back when we were still doing the RHPS thing. But we couldn't get into the bars then! Anyway, I was thrilled because I'd been wanting to go to The Horse You Came In On Saloon. I'm a big Martha Grimes mystery fan and it's the only American pub that has managed to be a title of one of her Richard Jury mysteries. It was a great place,too. Not too big, a good crowd of people and dancing as well as the usual row of televisions tuned to ESPN. So I got back to my hotel a little late and was tired the next day, but I hardly ever go out on the town so it was worth it.

I'm on vacation next week so I will write more then. I'm off to good old Bedford, PA this weekend for the Fall Foliage Festival and to visit my mom. I think I'll also have to visit Nolt's Bargain Barn while I'm there. It's an old converted milking barn full of two floors of antiques, housewares and other used treasures run by a Mennonite family. Lots of fun to dig through and great prices.

Autumnal Bliss

It has been what I would call a "fantabulous" weekend. The weather has been gorgeous. Sunny and mid-60s - very fall-like. Some trees are even starting to turn. I've just been puttering around the house working on my various decorating projects and cooking some of my favorite food. I am also enjoying watching the Steelers massacre the Bills!!
Yesterday I made Cinncinati-style chili. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it is a very flavorful meat chili with a smooth texture which is served over spaghetti or on hot dogs. It's also served with your choice of topping when on spaghetti, either kidney beans, chopped onion or shredded cheese. I like mine "three-way", which is all of the above. I just put some classic cabbage rolls in the oven a few minutes ago. A bit of work to make all of the parts and put it together, but absolutely yummy with a Yeungling Lager! So I'll have plenty of good chow for the week. Later on this week I'll be making some Chick Pea Soup and Black Bean Enchiladas. I am so in the mood for cool weather food!
Well, now I'm going to replace the tile in the hallway between the kitchen and living room. Right now it's a lovely fake brick pattern that matches absolutely nothing around it. I lucked out and picked up 30 tiles for 8.99 at Ollie's Outlet that make a good transition from room to room. And that's pretty good considering the bathroom is also off of that hallway! I don't know what I'm going to do with myself when I finish all of these projects.... I guess I'll do more hiking in the state forest I live near! I LOVE AUTUMN!! Even though it's not officially here yet. :)

New Jersey and Koolickle Weekend

So did the title get your attention? Hehe. I'll tell you about Koolickles in a minute. I was in Moorestown, NJ yesterday to visit our Boscov's store. We're setting up our fall prototype for what all of our stores should look like for the season. I had to go out so I could get a better idea of what their floorplan is like so we can can come up with a good layout. I wasn't thrilled about having to spend my Saturday doing something for work, so I decided to make it fun and take the scenic route. I headed south from Reading on Rt.10 until I got to Honey Brook, which is a little town in the middle of cornfields. Then I picked up 322E and pretty much followed that the whole way to the NJ Turnpike. On my way I spied a few interesting places to stop on my way back. Wally's Wiener World was high on that list. And apparently I'm not the only person who thought it was fun! http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g52728-d614953-r5773990-Wally_s_Weiner_World-Glen_Mills_Pennsylvania.html
There were also tons of roadside produce stands, but seeing as it was 94 degrees outside and I didn't think to bring a cooler, I didn't want to drag fresh produce around 'til I got home. All in all, it was a pleasant drive and I got to see more of the diverse state of Pennsylvania. There is a unique feel to the landscape in Chester county. Some areas just seem too picturesque to be real. I got the impression that humans could ever really stamp their will over nature in that area.
So after my trip I got home and watched the Feasting on Asphalt marathon. Which brings me to my next subject. Koolickles are a regional item in the Mississippi delta. What are they? Well, the "Kool" is from Kool-Aid, the "ickle" is from pickle. Get the picture? Basically you take a jar of dill pickles, mix the brine with Kool-Aid (cherry flavor seems to be popular) and sugar and let it sit in the fridge for a week or so until the pickle takes on a bright red color. Of course, after seeing something so bizarre, I had to try making it myself since I doubt I'll be in MS anytime soon. They're in the fridge right now, so next week I will report on the experience of consuming a Koolickle!

Cleveland Here I Come!!

Well, not until November, but I am going to Cleveland. Why, you ask? Because one of the greatest events for a foodie like me is taking place there on Nov. 9- 11. The Fabulous Food Show has hundreds of exhibitors and presentations all about food. And there are several Food Network stars doing demonstrations as well. Giada DeLaurentiis will be there and my personal favorite........Alton Brown! I have sixth row tickets for one of Alton's shows and hopefully I can get an autograph,too. I'm also looking forward to the wine tasting!

It's only a three day getaway, but it should be packed full of fun! Anyone else interested in going? Check out www.fabulousfoodshow.com

Weekend Warrior

I am actually writing another post in the same month! It's a miracle! I didn't think I'd keep up with this.
I've been doing a lot of work around the house since I moved in back in June. My latest project is the filthy, mildewed half bath. After giving it a thorough scrubbing, I repainted it last weekend with some mildew resistant paint. I only painted the stucco, but I may paint the paneling in the future. Yesterday I started in on the flooring. I can't stand carpet in a bathroom, and in this case it was twice as bad because of the dampness of the area. I tore out the carpet and revealed a beautiful splotchy green paint over grey sealant that I had to scrub down and remove all of the loose paint. I got most of the tile down until I ran out. I have to wait for Lowe's to get in their next shipment this week since I bought the last of what they had. I guess everyone is going for the Armstrong Italia Palazzo vinyl tiles. hehe.
Not much else has been going on. Just project around the house and a lot of cooking. I've been eating healthier for the past three weeks and I've managed to lose a few pounds. I've also been watching a lot ofAlton Brown on Food Network. (Which seems to satisfy my cravings for fattening foods.He doesn't seem to know the meaning of the phrase "low fat".) If you haven't had the chance to see Feasting on Asphalt, make time for it. I am a lover of road food and all of the diners, dives and roadhouses they visit make me want to hit the road! I think next weekend I'm going to have have to take a mystery road trip. Just hop in the car and pick a direction, stopping wherever looks interesting.
Anyway, enjoy the pics of my projects and my beautiful kitties.

Laurel Caverns and Fallingwater

Hello everyone! I decided to start this blog because Kevin got me started reading his. I'm not very good at emailing everyone about what's going on in my world so maybe this will suffice. (As long as I keep up with it!)
Anyhoo, I just got back yesterday from visting my mom and I took a daytrip to Laurel Caverns and Fallingwater. Laurel Caverns is PA's largest cave and I trudged up and down a good bit of it on Friday morning. The cave reaches down 450 feet into the mountain through passages over three miles long. I was lucky enough to be the only person on the trip other than the guide, so I really got to see a lot. Climbing over massive rockfalls and squeezing through a few tight spots, we worked our way throught the caves. There are a lot of high ceilings in Laurel and a couple of small streams that wind through, so it wasn't always hard going. But the 35 degree inclines were definitely tiring! My guide, Ben, had been doing the lower caving tour for 8 years so he knew every nook and crannie. And of course there were the amusing names for various formations and rooms. The "Post Office" was so named due to the abundance of early graffiti with names and addresses, and even some phone numbers. We squeezed our way out of there through the "Mail Slot" and onto the deeper portions.
Even though the caves are 58 degrees, you get rather toasty climbing around, so I took an opportunity to belly crawl through a tube where the stream cut through so I could cool off. The water temp was about 42 and felt wonderful. On the way back we went through part of the lighted tour area where Ben re-enacted a scene from The Matrix on one of the more extreme slopes. (when I get the pics developed I'll put them up. I had to take a cheap disposable camera on the trip because it's not a good environment for a digital!)
Three hours and who knows how many miles later, we re-emerged from the cave. Wet and covered in clay and sand, very tired, but very happy!
After much Gatorade and a cremesicle, I decided I needed to visit Fallingwater since it was nearby. I grabbed some lunch at a local mini market and headed toward Ohiopyle State Park. I definitely need to go back there some day. As I drove through, I saw groups of people getting ready to go whitewater rafting and it just loloks like a beautiful park.But my destination was just beyond it.
If you don't already know, Fallingwater is one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous buildings. It's built directly over a waterfall and it is without a doubt the most ingenious structure built in the 20th century. If I ever win the lottery, I am going to get someone to reproduce the place for me in a similar setting. Everything is just as it was when the original owners lived there. The built in furnishings and artwork are untouched. From the time I arrived at the visitors center until the tour was done, I felt transported back in time. I personally love the arts and crafts style of home and Fallingwater is loaded with exquisite craftsmanship. And you feel so tied to nature even as you are standing in the middle of the house. I think my favorite feature was a sliding horizontal door in the living room that opened to stairs leading down to the creek.
Well, I've got to get back to some projects around the house. I'll write more later about how things are going with the new apartment an job!