Making a grocery run with the husband looks a little different these days…
As does his idea of the word essentials.
But the real news of the day?
This:
We found two of the most elusive items in Maine. Flour and toilet paper!!!
Now I can say I know how a crack whore feels after a fix.
Well, maybe not exactly how.
But still…
We found these precious jewels at an out of the way, generic name grocery store in the back country.
And no, I’m not telling you where.
There’s a political party of beer lovers in Poland.
The PPPP… Polska Partia Przyjaciol Piwa. They won 16 parliament seats before breaking up into smaller factions. The Big Beer Party and the Little Beer Party.
You didn’t know that.
But I did, because….
I bet you didn’t know….
The unofficial mascot of Delta State University if the Fighting Okra.
But it’s true.
I once went 4 rounds with some fried okra… but I’m sure no one wants to hear about that.
I bet you didn’t know…
Snow angels originated from medieval Jewish mystics who practiced rolling in the snow to rid themselves of evil urges.
Maybe I need to try that the next time I want pie and ice cream.
I bet you didn’t know…
Horseshoe crabs are bled for medical science.
Horseshoe crabs use hemocyanin to carry oxygen through their blood. Because of the copper present in hemocyanin, their blood is blue. … Amebocytes from the blood of L. polyphemus are used to make Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL), which is used for the detection of bacterial endotoxins in medical applications.
Run crab….
Run!
I bet you didn’t know…
In Athens, Greece a driver’s license can be taken away if the driver is deemed “unbathed” or “poorly dressed”.
Good thing this trend never caught on.
I bet you didn’t know…
F.Scott Fitzgerald’s novel This Side of Paradise was the first time the word ‘daiquiri’ ever appeared.
Rum… Paradise…
Makes sense to me.
Who would invent such a thing?
What would make them think this was a good idea?
And why would anyone ever want to buy it?
Wonder what I’m talking about?
It’s this:
Yes.
You read that correctly.
Brewers in Poland have developed a fermented beer made from the vaginal lactic acid of beautiful women.
Doesn’t that sound yummy?
If you want to read more about it….. here.
The entire idea is as ridiculous as it is disgusting, which is why I had to blog about it.
Because if this crap has to rattle around in my brain?
I need to make sure it rattles around in yours as well.
But damn.
I hope so too!
An exercise routine I can honestly say I would stick with.
I tried it…
And feel healthier already.
Now don’t get excited food people, these taverns were for touring not eating.
Shield’s Tavern was closed, but had something the husband wanted to photograph.
Men. I can’t explain them….
But the gardens out back were lovely.
And I enjoyed a stroll among the well tended shrubbery.
I think Edward Scissorhands would approve.
There were vegetable gardens…
And wreaths…
I even saw an old ball and chain gate closure.
And then down the road, we found Wetherburn’s Tavern.
Where we had a guide give us the history and a tour.
Taverns back in the day were far different from what you might think. Rooms were rented for private parties, balls were held in the great rooms, owners lived behind the kitchen and the upstairs served as a hotel.
Which rooms you rented depended on your social standing.
Up to 12 men bunked in here.
I like cozy, but not that cozy.
Middle class families might sleep 8 in this room.
A private room? You had serious money.
Business deals were struck and government policies were made in rooms like these.
While the tavern keepers cranked out the meals in here….
That’s one high tech rotisserie right there.
Many taverns had their own smokehouses and livestock.
Which prompted a 30 minute conversation from my husband about being raised on a dairy farm.
An appropriate wreath was decorating their door as well.
We may not have seen any beer…. but it was still a tavern.
There aren’t too many timeshare resorts that have a Manor House…
But ours did.
And for guests….
The doors were wide open.
So before even finding our condo, we explored.
She was a charming old girl.
And fully decked out for Christmas.
Yes, there was even some funky chicken portraiture.
Ya gotta love that.
Traditional Williamsburg colors took center stage.
And board games were set up on various tables.
It really was quite lovely.
And I certainly wouldn’t mind having a meal or two here.
But we were burning daylight…
So, needing liquid refreshment….
We left the Manor House and were pleased to find a restaurant/bar on the property.
Not all resorts have this, so it was a plus.
The friendly bartender introduced the husband to a local beer, and we ordered some appetizers to test the menu.
French Onion Soup for the other half…. which was absolutely horrendous. Croutons instead of French Bread, over salted broth and a glob of gelatinous cheese.
Blech.
My margarita was made with cheap mix and even cheaper tequila…. and the cheesy crab dip? Tasteless, as well as crabless. I couldn’t find a single piece.
Needless to say we passed on ordering dinner there. (Sorry Martin, that’s all the food pics you’ll get today.)
But ya know what?
The resort was beautiful.
They had a Manor House…..
And geese.
I forgave them their bad food.
Day 8 dawned bright and sunny and it was time to pack up and head for home. Of course packing means different things to men and women. It takes me considerable time…. seeing that I actually unpack my suitcases and put things away.
Remember? Me unpacked…
Husband’s idea of unpacked…
Men.
You really are a separate species.
The local turkey brigade came to wish us farewell.
And soon we were crossing the famous Sagamore Bridge and leaving Cape Cod.
It was a wonderful trip, and we enjoyed every minute of it. So much to see and do…. I’m sure we’ll go back someday.
Next step?
Boston.
And it’s horrible, absolutely inescapable, bumper to bumper traffic. If you can avoid it?
By all means, do so.
Cruising into New Hampshire on I-95 means one thing. The New Hampshire State Liquor store…. no tax!
If we drive to our vacation? We stop here on the way back…. you almost have to. It’s like a rite of passage for New Englanders.
Snow.
Lobster.
And tax free booze.
What’s not to love?
My haul this time included a few Game of Thrones inspired Johnnie Walker Christmas presents.
Ho, Ho, Ho!
And here’s a bone I’ll throw to all my food lovers.
Lunch.
At a riverside restaurant.
With an amazing beer selection.
And a list that went on and on and on…
To heck with the food…
I could just happily sit there and drink all day.
But yes, food.
Homemade chicken tenders and side salad for the husband.
And a massive portion of Truffle fries to accompany my chicken Caesar salad wrap.
So there you have it, the November Cape Cod trip.
The end.
Finito.
Done!
While I realize it took me until January 20th to finish this series, as I sit here typing this… I still have over 2 weeks worth of Williamsburg, Virginia Christmas vacation photos to sort through and post. So don’t be surprised if you’re seeing Santa and his reindeer right through April….
You’ve been warned.
While we’d planned on taking the 8:30pm ferry back to Woods Hole…
We arrived early and were put on an earlier freight run.
Yay! Third car on, I figured we’d be the third car off.
I was wrong.
So very wrong…
But it was a gorgeous night for a boat ride.
And for some full moon photography.
Even if some of the shots went a little wonky.
Before we knew it we were pulling into port.
And the doors were opening…
Damn.
Do I take fascinating videos or what?
Naturally, we were almost the last to leave.
But that’s alright, it was a wonderful day and a memorable adventure of a fabulous place.
Next stop?
Beer.
We’d passed this place in Falmouth a few times during our trip and decided that night we’d stop.
Bad Martha’s, a brewery from Edgartown on the Vineyard… from whence we just came, but managed to miss while we were there.
It was a fun space.
Loud and exuberant…. probably like Martha herself.
We did a flight.
And sadly weren’t impressed with the beer, the really uncomfortable metal tractor seats or the small menu. Basically a few pizzas or a cheese plate.
So we moved on to Mashpee and found a great little Italian restaurant.
Cranberry margarita in hand..
We drooled over the menu.
Veal Portofino for me…
(Okay, 2 cranberry margaritas in… I admit the quality of photography tends to decline.)
Chicken Florentine for the husband.
And a classic on the television at the bar.
(I still have my original album, which shouldn’t surprise anyone. Hey Bartender!)
Dessert was a shared Limonatta cream cake. Husband said he didn’t want any and ended up eating 2/3rds of it.
Light as air and positively delicious, how could he not?
One more slightly inebriated photo later…
(It was a nice looking place, you’ll just have to take my word for it.)
Day 4… over and out.
If you live in New England, I can guarantee you’ve seen numerous bumper stickers, t shirts and assorted swag with the ubiquitous black dog silhouette.
But on day 4 of our fabulous Cape Cod adventure, we had lunch at the real thing.
The original Black Dog Tavern on Martha’s Vineyard.
For a sweetly illustrated history, click here.
It’s a rustic little place…
With some fabulous views.
Filled with maritime history as well as the flavor of the sea….
And on the day we had lunch there?
Even an adorable real life black dog on the beach.
(No worries… it was a cool day, he had water and his owners checked on him regularly.)
Cocktail?
Don’t mind if I do….
Since we were at the Black Dog, I tried a Black Dog Orange Crush.
Which might have to become my new favorite way to wake up the day.
Happily sipping, we enjoyed watching the ferry.
The boats..
The harbor…
And local craft beer disappear.
But yes, the food. We came for food…
Quahog chowder. Thick, creamy and delicious with homemade croutons made for a nice start.
What’s a quahog you ask?
It’s a large hard shelled clam.
Isn’t that just typical human behavior?
Name your pet, then kill him to find out how old he is.
Sorry Ming, you deserved better. And I sincerely hope you weren’t in our soup.
I was in the mood for a good chargrilled burger and this one didn’t disappoint.
The husband? He inhaled two dozen mussels.
Replete, we said goodbye to the real black dog….
The views…
The pier….
And the original Black Dog Tavern.
Fervently wishing they would come to Maine and build one on our coast!
