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July the 4th & then some!

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The weekend started with a bang.  It being 4th of July and all.  It was our friend Kirks Birthday and I attended his celebratory bbq bash where he made his Great Grandmas Fire Engine Red Cake and we enjoyed fireworks through a chain link fence. Only in New York can this be enjoyed.  Well not entirely enjoyed but the company was wonderful.  I then went home and took the late morning train to meet up with the beach crew for the rest of the weekend.

As usual we hit the beach bar for a quick arrival drink, abortion then headed for camp.  The weather was amazing and for lunch I brought egg salad sandwiches.  Great for the first day.  The rest was spent soaking in the sun, swimming in the ocean and playing the ukulele.  When dinner came around we were very excited to bust out the newest crazy meal we had thought up.  Meatloaf sliders. Yes that’s what I said.  They were a huge hit!! And really worked out great on the beach.  We accompanied them with coleslaw.  Which didn’t work out as well.  But you can’t win them all.

The next day was the usual breakfast, eggs, bacon and potatoes.   What wasn’t the usual was that our friend Naoum decided to join us.  We were beyond thrilled.  We picked him up a the dock and sang the New Zealand welcome song Haere mai.  He arrived just in time for lunch which was our Spam musubis.   We then constructed a kite made from the mylar balloons we found on the beach.   It took a while but well worth the effort.  For dinner we went for a classic, bacon wrapped hot dogs and macaroni salad.  needless to say there was nothing left.  The night was spent having cocktails and playing our favorite card game.

Our last day was lazy and spent doing what we do best.  Breakfast, swimming, sunning, playing the ukulele and making beach  pizzas for lunch.  Sadly it had to end so we packed up, flew the kite one last time, hit the ferry,  grabbed the train and headed home for Chinese food and a movie.

 

 

Meatloaf Sliders
Author: 
Recipe type: BBQ
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 Pound of ground beef and ground pork combined
  • 1 Small green pepper chopped
  • 1 Small onion chopped(yellow or white)
  • 1 Egg
  • ¼ Cup of quick oats or bread crumbs
  • A couple splashes of Worcestershire sauce
  • A little bit of catchup
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl
  2. Mix with hands(my favorite part!)
  3. Make slider size loaf patties
  4. Grill till done all the way through
  5. Serve with your favorite burger toppings
  6. Best with potato slider buns

Beach Camping!!!

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Beach Pizza
Author: 
Cuisine: Outdoor
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Adapted from when we were camping. We used leftovers but you can make it at home with a frying pan or a frying pan on your electric grill. I prefer cast iron.
Ingredients
  • 8 sandwich rolls
  • 1 Hot Salami or hard cured meat of your choice
  • 1 package of Campari tomatoes
  • 8 oz of Irish cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Cut rolls in half lengthwise.
  2. Cut tomatoes in half, ask set aside
  3. Slice cheese, advice set aside
  4. Slice salami and set aside
  5. Put 4 slices of salami in pan or on grill
  6. Cook for a minute or two on each side
  7. Put 4 tomatoes in same pan or on grill skin side up
  8. Cook for about a minute
  9. Turn tomatoes over
  10. Cluster tomatoes and salami together with a couple slices of cheese
  11. Cook for a couple minutes, capsule cheese should just start to melt
  12. Put half of a roll on top and cover for a minute or two till cheese melts
  13. Take spatula and remove from grill or pan and plate bread side down.
  14. Do not smash tomatoes, as the juice is key to keeping sandwich from being dry
  15. Careful this can be a bit messy
  16. So you may have to scoop melted cheese that tries to slip away
  17. Serve immediately.
  18. If you have a big enough pan or grill you can do more then one at at time
  19. Just be careful to keep ingredients in separate clusters for each roll
Notes
You can add some fresh cut Basil on top at the end or some hot sauce, Kalamata olives, or thin sliced red onions.

 

 

Beach camping has finally arrived.   A little late, but it is here and we are so excited!!!  Here are a few pics from our little adventure.  Hope you like them.  And for those of you who want to know.  Our first night, we had salmon steaks, asparagus and mashed potatoes for dinner.   Our second day, breakfast was scrambled eggs, bacon and new red potatoes boiled in sea water.  Lunch we had Spam musubi, dinner was vegetable chilli that we added hot salami to, with a side of grilled corn and for desert, Jello chocolate pudding cups!!!    Our last day if we have any leftovers we incorporate them into the meals.  Breakfast was the usual eggs and bacon but with mashed potato’s.  For lunch we had grilled cheese with cucumber and cherry tomato sandwiches.  But, since we had left over salami…………  Jason grilled the salami and cherry tomatoes, put some cheese and bread on top for amazing upside down grilled sandwiches!!  Of course he was nice enough to turn them right side up when it was time to eat – just like mini beach pizzas !

With our first camping excursion over we look forward to the next.  So until then we will post more of what summer in NYC is all about.

Camping season

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We got a late start on camping this year.  Mother Nature was not on our side.  But our first outing was amazing and on Monday I had the sore hips to prove it!!!  We started off early in the morning on the train, viagra buy then hit camp somewhere around two-ish, more about gathered fire wood, pills set up our tents and celebrated with a glass of wine.  We even made a make shift DJ booth for the ipod!  The next day we headed out taking the scenic route and finished with our tradition of  eating Chinese food.   After sufficiently filling our bellies we were ready for the train ride home with the joys of another camping adventure behind us.

Beer-ritas

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What is a Beer-rita?  Well if you believe the commercial hype, treatment it’s any wanna be mexican beer in a margarita.  But for us it’s our chili beer mixed with margaritas.  It sounds crazy, I know, and isn’t for the lighthearted.   We started this last year and it was a huge hit.  Most of our friends loved it and few hated it, but all were glad we made it.  What we didn’t know is we found the perfect way to use this beer.  We were having a bbq and a couple of our guests wanted one, but were on our last bottle.  What to do?  Well being us and our friends being as adventurous, we decided to put it in the margaritas we were making.  Kick it up a notch.  Well to say it was a hit is an understatement.  That pitcher of margaritas didn’t stand a chance!  I know it sounds weird, and it’s not the most attractive drink, but it worked and really well.  The spice and bubbles gave the margaritas  just the right amount of zing and cut the sweet enough to make it refreshing.  Now cut to a year later and bam!  We have more chili beer!!!  So when you come over to the roof top there will be a pitcher of Beer-ritas waiting for you.  For as long as they last.

But if you can’t make it over, or don’t want to make the chili beer from scratch then try adding a chopped jalapeno , that has been soaking in the juice of one lime or lemon for about 10 minutes(brings out the heat in the pepper) and one dark Mexican beer, like Negro Modelo.  This is per pitcher.   It may not be as exact as ours but you get the spice and bubbles that really make this a great summer drink.

Now if your like us and you make your margaritas from scratch, you might want adjust as needed or to your taste.

Ceviche 3 Ways

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Ceviche 3 ways
Recipe type: Appetizer
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. of fresh white fish (Tilapia, dosage Basa)
  • 2-3 juiced lemons or lime
  • half a red bell pepper
  • half a yellow or orange bell pepper
  • half a small onion (red or yellow)
  • ¼ cup chopped Cilantro
  • Version 2
  • 1 can of coconut milk.
  • Version 3
  • 1 freshly grated coconut
Instructions
  1. Make sure the fish is as fresh as you can get. It really makes a difference.
  2. Juice citrus( I prefer lime)
  3. Chop fish into small bite size pieces
  4. In a bowl add fish and juice
  5. Cover with plastic wrap or put in a zip lock bag, healing
  6. Chill in fridge for at least and hour or more. The longer the better.
  7. Chop onion and peppers into small pieces, set aside
  8. Chop up cilantro and set aside
  9. When fish is done combine with veggies, cilantro in serving bowl
  10. Serve immediately
  11. *Version 2
  12. When fish is done rinse in a colander and put in serving bowl
  13. Add veggies and cilantro
  14. Add coconut milk, stir and serve.
  15. *Version 3
  16. When fish is done rinse in a colander and put in serving bowl
  17. Add veggies and cilantro
  18. Grate coconut and use a piece of cheesecloth to squeeze out the milk
  19. Add coconut milk to fish and veggies
  20. Serve immediately
Notes
The measurements are approximate. Make sure there is enough liquid(juice) to cook the fish. I like to use a zip lock bag so the juice gets everywhere, and put it on a flat surface in the fridge. Halfway through the marinating process turn the bag over or if using a bowl, stir it at least once. Also when we were in Fiji the chef told us that when they don't have citrus they use white wine vinegar. We haven't tried it but if your going to, rinse the fish off after and use coconut milk.

 

Coconut Ceviche

Spring is here, although it took a while, we are seeing the signs everywhere.  People are out and about.  Eating on the sidewalks, lounging in parks, riding bikes and doing anything they can to be out in the world.  We here at Houseofzeta.com have been prepping in our own way. We have made a few batches of beer over winter,  collected some recipes to try out and put the up the BBQ.  We made our annual trek to D.C. for the Blossom festival, planted new flowers, signed up for the bike share and put away our winter clothes.  It is time to start fresh and get ready for summer!!!  Here is a quick easy recipe, that we have made many times and is a staple at our rooftop bbq’s, but now with a South Island twist that we learned when we were in Auckland and Fiji.  So enjoy and make it all summer!  Your guest will love it and never get tired of it!

Fiji…!!!

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We leave New Zealand to go soak up some sun, prostate swim in warm blue water, more about lay in the sand and just relax.   It’s night when our plane lands in Nadi(pronounced Nandi), the capital of Fiji and it’s raining.  Well, more like torrential down pour.   Our cab driver is going 5 miles an hour,  which we are grateful for.  By the time we got to the hotel, the rain had stopped.   Welcome to Fiji!  Our good fortune didn’t end there.  We were upgraded to a private room, they were still serving dinner and the internet(which was a little shotty) was free!!  With our bellies full of chicken curry and rice we sat in the outdoor bar/dance area and enjoyed our Fiji Bitters while watching the frogs jump around.  Not bad for a first night.

The next morning(7am) we get up and taxi to the boat that will take us to our tropical paradise.  Although looking around we are pretty much there.   It is still a little cloudy and rainy but absolutely beautiful.   We are told  the trip is supposed to be about an hour.  Well, two hours later, along with some very rough sea and all of us hanging on for dear life we arrive at Octopus Resort.  We are greeted with big smiles, ukuleles, people singing and cocktails.  Oh and lunch!  Hello, welcome to Fiji!!!

They say you can’t take New York out of the New Yorker.  Well, after lunch and our first swim in the ocean, the only sign of us being city folk was when someone asked us where we were from.  We answered NYC and then promptly went back to our Fiji Bitters and doing almost nothing.  The next few days were spent walking the beach, swimming, snorkeling, eating,  making new friends, playing the ukulele for us, the locals and other guests, and drinking to the wee hours.  We even managed to get to church!  We felt it was the least we could do after keeping the bartenders up till 2 in the morning.  Of course we had a little help from some of the other guests and the bar manager.  The service was in Fijian so we couldn’t understand it, but the singing was beautiful and amazing.  We also did some night snorkeling, swam in  the pool, played Jenga, took a cooking class and had the most amazing relaxing massage ever!!!.  To say this was paradise is an understatement.   But I will stop writing and let you see for yourself.  Ladies and gentlemen……….Fiji.

On the road to Fiji

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We start our second leg having one last brunch with Margaret and Andrew.   After saying our final goodbyes, this we rented a Jucy car and headed towards Central Otago, visit web wine country.   We were off and running, doctor but first a pit stop at the Black Swan Cafe for a flat white.  Heading west on state highway 8, it wasn’t long before we found a lovely park in Lawrence where we had a quick snack and a stretch.  Then it was off to the famous Jimmy’s Pies in Roxburgh.  Some people might say the best pies in New Zealand.  I agree, maybe even in the world.  Hey, I even bought the T-shirt!!!  After filling ourselves with pies we headed to wine country, Cromwell.  We missed the wine tasting but, we did manage to pick a couple local wines (and see large fruit) that found there way back to NYC.  Our final destination for the night was Lake Wanaka.  We stayed at the Altamont Lodge.  It’s little out of the way of town but nice and great for the peace and quiet.  They don’t have a lot of rooms, another plus.  We were running late and missed most places that were open for dinner but we did manage to find the only good pizza in NZ(from what I am told).  The Cow Restaurant.  It was the only place left open(barely).  It is also a little out of the way(off the main road), so do yourself a favor and look for it.  They were kind enough to let us order a pie to go and have a beer while we waited.  Next time we will make it earlier so we can have a proper sit down meal.   The next day we took a small walk around the lake and headed over to Lake Hawea.  This was the beauty spot, perfect for lunch and a bottle of rose.  Even though we really liked Lake Wanaka we might just stay here next time.  Super peaceful and beyond quiet, a real getaway.  The couple hours we were there we only saw four other people.

As we drove down the beautiful Haast Pass highway to our next destination we came across  the Blue Pools.  Insanely blue and gorgeous.   So of course we had to dive in!  But we weren’t the only ones.  We were joined but a couple German tourists.  One of them even took to diving off the side of the mountain!  Another must stop, but be prepared and wear bug spray or you will get eaten alive.  Also if you do go for a dip it is cold and reapply that bug spray when done.   Swimming always makes you hungry so we made a quick stop at Haast for some……………….fish and chips!!!!! Jason tried to get me to eat white bait but I wasn’t biting! We did stop under the  Haast River Bridge to eat and have a Macs beer.    In keeping with our rushed schedule we are so fond of.  We made a few very quick stops before reaching our next sleeping destination, Franz Josef Glacier.  A quick stop at Knight Point, and the Tasman Sea.  We made it to Franz Joseph just in the nick of check in time at the TOP 10 Holiday Park.  This was probably the smallest room we stayed in but all we were going to do is sleep.   We also manage to get in a few beers in town at Speights Landing Bar.  Very touristy, but it is open late, has a huge outdoor patio with a fireplace and the drink prices are good.  The next day was Franz Joseph Glacier!!!  Walking through a rain forest it is hard to imagine you will be next to a glacier.  But, guess what? It’s true!!!  We did make a quick stop at the waterfalls and as you can see we had to jump in.  Although the water was cold(and refreshing) it was no where near as cold as what was coming from the glacier itself.  Talk about ice water!!!

After our fun with Franz, we started towards our next resting spot.    Along the way we pulled off onto Forks Okarito Road to check out the Tasman Sea one last time and found a Kiwi!!!  Not really but we did see the sign!!!  And a really small village of Okarito with a backpackers lodge.  If you really want somewhere to stay that is away from it all, this little village is it.    A little further up the highway we pulled over for some flat whites and beer in Whataroa and found this charming court house.  Next was a stop in Hokitika for what else,  fish and chips!!! We wished we could have stayed here longer it’s a nice little town and a great beach.  Although we kept our stops to just a couple, we managed to get to our final destination, wait for it………just in time for check in!!!.  Arthur’s Chalet  was one of the best places we stayed at. We got in just in time to have a beer at the bar and then take to our room and drink a couple we bought in Whataroa.  It’s an old-school lodge/chalet, which I love.  Complete with fire place, lots of wood beams, a bar and squeaky floors.  Plus they serve breakfast for free!!!  Only place in Arthurs Pass.   Also a good thing to remember is they actually close from 11-2 in the afternoon.  The owner has great advice on what to do if you aren’t sure or like us just passing through.   First stop of the day was the Devils Punchbowl Waterfall,  truly amazing.  Just when you think you’ve seen enough waterfalls you come across probably the most spectacular one yet.  The pictures really don’t do it justice.  By now we were hungry and needed to get on our way.  We made a quick pit stop at Arthur’s Pass Store and Cafe for a flat white and a chicken, brie with cranberries pie, yum!.  As we left Arthurs Pass our hostess told us of one other place for us to visit, Cave Stream.  It is exactly what it says.  It is a stream(albeit a very strong one, almost a small river) that runs through a cave.  Well, the water carved out a cave would be more accurate.   And, you can walk from one end to the other!!!  Luckily there were two nice guys who had a little glossed look about them but had just finished the walk and let us know what we were in for.  So with our swim trunks/toggs(New Zealand speak) head lamp, shoes and our hoodies we headed out to take on Cave Stream.  Boy were we glad we were warned!  At one point, probably half way through we looked at each other and thought our we lost? did we take a wrong turn? how much longer do we have? We aren’t in Disneyland anymore.   It definitely was an adventure.  Time went out the window and you wonder why you were there.  But, as we kept pushing forward we enjoyed the magnificence of where we were.  We finally reached the end at about an hour and some change.  Delighted to be out in the world again, we realized why those to nice guys had that glazed look on their faces.  We felt like they did, not sure what just happened and almost like an alien landing on earth.  I know this sounds like it wasn’t much fun but,  I would have done it again in a heart beat!  Next time with two head lamps and a water proof camera that had night vision, if it’s possible.  It truly is something you will probably never experience anywhere else and is a must, if you have the chance.

Our final destination before we head off to Fiji is Christchurch.  We arrived at the YMCA and first thing we did was laundry!!  After four days on the road, it was needed.   With clean clothes and freshly showered we headed out for dinner.  We ended up at Pegasus Arms which is a pub with live bands.  So what do you think we ordered? What else?  Fish and chips!  After a few beers and food we tried to find our friend Robins house but had no luck.  We did find Cruz bar.  Unfortunately no one else did.  After a few drinks we decided walk around for a little bit before finding something else and when we did, it was too late, so we went back to the Y and call it a night.  Not the best night we’ve had, but we did find the Pallet Pavilion which is this amazing art/music space and see some of the damage that the 2011 earthquake did.   The next morning we went to see more of the wreckage and it was heartbreaking.  Picture the downtown of the city you live in, in ruins.  This once vibrant area was fenced off.  It is now known as the red zone.  Even though this tragedy has destroyed many historical buildings and homes, it has not destroyed the people of Christchurch.  They are bright eyed and optimistic about their future.  We saw that in the warm smiles and friendliness we encountered everywhere we went.  Also the rebuilding that’s going on, like the Pallet Pavilion and the Shipping Container Mall that’s part of the Re:Start project going in the city.  With a few souvenirs from the mall, we took our Jucy car to it’s new home.   The airport.  We were very lucky to be in Christchurch on that weekend as it was the 3rd year anniversary of the quake.  We got to witness something extraordinary.  At precisely 12:51pm we all stopped to take a moment of silence to remember.  Of all the wonderful amazing things we encountered, waterfalls, beaches, glaciers, boulders, this was truly something special.  You might think this would be a little bit of a downer but quite the opposite.  To see every one stop what they were doing and just be silent and remember, was one of the most beautiful experiences that we were lucky enough to be part of.

 

 

* There are so many tragedies and reasons to give to charities that it can be quite daunting. With hurricanes, tornado’s, I could go on for days.  But when a city 3 years later is still having earthquakes almost daily such as Christchurch, and to see it personally, you can’t help but want to, help.  I don’t ask for favors like this and I’m not asking for you to give anything except your thoughts and if you pray then your prayers.  The earthquakes right now are small but they could get worse or they could stop, no one knows and that’s scary.  Growing up in earthquake country you know what it’s like and it’s quite frightening.  My heart goes out to the these wonderful people and I hope they get some peace soon, if not today.  Like I said we are not asking for money but if the spirit moves you, here is where you can donate.  Thank you.

Earthquake donations http://www.ccc.govt.nz/homeliving/civildefence/chchearthquake/earthquakedonations.aspx

 

 

 

From NYC to the NZ

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We had a great adventure this winter visiting Jason’s family and homelands.  The weather, stomach food and landscape were everything you could imagine and more.  Made all the more amazing by Jason’s wonderful and loving family who took in this yank with open arms and hearts.  We started off in LA visiting my family and friends.  We only had a day but we all made the most of it.  Next we were off to Australia and the beautiful Gold Coast.  We stayed with Jason’s granddad, information pills who ran us ragged!!!  Broad Beach was amazing, sick with warm water, bluebirds, good food, a little rain here and there, but also some wonderful sunshine.  I had my first of many fish and chips at Johnny’s Fish and Chips, as well as my first flat white, a.k.a as coffee here.  The next day we walked down to Surfers Paradise Beach and ended up at Pete’s Fish Market where we bought some fresh prawns that we grilled for pasta.  After a few days of running around we spent our last day taking it easy, lounging in the pool and jacuzzi.  We weren’t barely dry before it was time to catch the plane to New Zealand.

Our first stop, Auckland.  We arrived at night so we missed seeing one of the newest additions to the family but we had a great late night catching up with Mike and Shona.  The next day was a trip to Piha Beach with it’s beautiful black sand beaches and Lion Rock laying there with the grace and beauty of well, a lion.  The water was cold, but that didn’t seem to stop any one from having a good time, so of course we joined in.   Unfortunately little Cindy wasn’t up for a swim.  For lunch, we had  fish and chips.  It was day one and I was already in love with this beautiful land.  The next day was brunch at Mike and Shona’s favorite spot Circus, Circus.  It did not disappoint.  I had eggs benny and Jason had a more traditional breakfast with poached eggs, beans, grilled tomato, sausages, hash browns and toast.  Both were amazing.  And to wash it all down with?  What else, a flat white.  That afternoon we caught up with our dear friend Gemma at Point Chevalier Beach for Auckland’s Big Gay Out.  We also had the pleasure of meeting her mum and had  a wonderful snack of ceviche in coconut milk,  bbq’d lamb with grilled eggplant and lovely white wine.  Though we never did get to see the famous wine cellar.  For our last supper we had, what else,  grilled lamb and lots of wine!  Although our last day was a short one, we did managed to squeeze in the Sky Tower and some lovely cosmos.  Not a bad sendoff.  Thank you Mike, Shona and Cindy!!!

Next was the South Island adventure with a great big welcome from more of the Tagg clan who greeted us with hugs, kisses and welcome home’s at the Dunedin airport.  We were then promptly whisked away to lunch at Margaret’s house.   After being on a small cramped plane it is exactly what we needed.  The garden was exquisite, you could sit in it for hours.  We then spent the next few days lounging around Jason’s father John’s and his girlfriend Hee Ji’s house/jacuzzi and running around seeing Dunedin.   Our first stop was Otago University where Jason’s dad works and were Jason along with his brothers went to university.   We made a quick stop at Danish Delights Bakery for snacks and lunch supplies to take to Sandfly Bay where we met a very lazy but loveable sea lion.  That night we drove to Careys Bay Hotel and Seafood  in Port Chalmers for an amazing dinner.  As if that wasn’t enough, we spent the next day seeing old haunts, driving back to Port Chalmers to spend some time at Jason’s favorite beach Purakaunui Bay where we had a quick dip in Canoe Beach. But not before we took a ride on the the tree swing. We then headed up to Fleurs Place in Moeraki for more amazing sea food.  Jason had the Bacon wrapped Blue Cod, and I drooled.   It’s and hour or so outside of Dunedin but it is a must go. We even got to meet Fleur herself!!  Such an amazing women.  Plus as an added bonus you  can stop and see the  Moeraki Boulders.  Truly an amazing natural wonder.

Just when we thought we might get a bit of rest we sped off with Margaret, who took us to the Catlin’s.   We made a quick stop at Dollyworld and Teapotland(I’m sure you can see why).  Upon arrival we stopped at Curios Bay Fossilized Forest  where we almost go blown away.  Then the Waipapa Lighthouse.  Stunning view, especially knowing that your at the most southern part of the world that is closest to the South Pole besides Stewart Island.  We scrambled and made it to the Chaslands Area Cathedral Caves just in time.  If we had arrived any later we would have been in high tide!!   Although I almost did get swept away by the tide taking a picture of Jason and his mum.   That night we stayed at The Whistling Frog Cafe and Bar.  Our chalet was perfect, and so was our dinner.  The next day as we headed out we stopped at what would turn out to be one of many waterfalls, McLean Falls.  It was a beautiful walk to a beautiful waterfall, so green and lush.  A great way to start our day.  We managed to get in a few more quick stops like the Estuary Boardwalk and  The Lost Gypsy Gallery on our way back to Dunedin.    When we arrived back in town made a quick stopped at Signal Hill that has the most amazing view of the city and habor below it.  As well as marveling at Baldwin Street, the steepest street in the world.

After our short whirl wind tour of the Catlins, we said a momentary goodbye to Margaret and a hello to the McTaggley’s.   Also known as Andrew, Kathryn, Elizabeth and Laura.   Upon our arrival on that night, Kathryn made a delightful Pavlova and dispensed some sage advice.  Ask anyone who has made or attempted to make a Pavlova and you get a knowing smile or the knowing horrified face.  It seems everyone has one or both of these kinds of stories up their sleeve.  Jason and Kathryn were no exception to this rule. They were quickly swapping battle stories of Pav’s lost and won.  We spent the next couple days  molding clay, reading books and playing the ukulele, while managing to get in some sites.  Like the tranquil Chinese Garden, which is the only truly authentic Chinese Scholar’s Garden in the Southern Hemisphere.  I say tranquil, but the girls kept us moving right along.  They also took us for a swim at the Moana pools.  Our last night was adult’s only.  We hit the town and showed it no mercy!!! And our throbbing heads showed us no mercy the next day.  But we had a blast.  The Octagon will never be the same.

We finish our lovely stay back where it started, at Margaret’s, with a wonderful lamb dinner and a fond/sad farewell to the McTaggley’s.  The next morning we are sent off with a wonderful care package of lamb sandwiches, fruit, tea, coffee and fruit cake with more farewells from Margaret and Andrew.  With the sun on our backs, we headed out alone to the great beyond of Central Otago, then up the west coast and back over to Christchurch for our final night and departure.

D.C. or Bust

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Jason and I take regular trips to Washington D.C. to see what’s at the Smithsonian and the other museums.   It’s a quick easy getaway from NYC.  We started the weekend as usual.  Both of us scrambling to get to the bus, and making it with some time to spare.  When we arrive we either hit our favorite Chinese restaurant or head to the hostel and call it a night.  This trip we called it a night so we could get a fresh start in the morning.  We always have some agenda when we get there but also leave things open.  This was to be a multi-media art trip. We started with an ipad in the lobby of the hostel and made funny pictures of ourselves, then it was to see the newly expanded Julia Child’s exhibit(a must see) that now includes Food: Transforming America’s Table, 1950-2000.  Although it was small they really packed in a lot of information.  We saw the Lichtenstein retrospective, where we accidentally took illegal pictures of his work.  The  Nam June Paik had  great pieces like  TV Buddah and the Electronic Superhighway.  Black Box continued our media weekend with the amazing film Democracia that revolves around a group of traceurs in revolutionary-styled garb performing parkour in the Almudena Cemetery in Madrid. The Ai WeiWei, so prolific and just awe inspiring, broke your heart while keeping you grounded.   The Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution was the most fun.  We were kicked out of the America’s Presidents as it was closing time so we will have to see again.   Barbara Kruger: Belief + Doubt.  I was never much of a fan but this exhibit changed that.  She is one of those artists that must be seen in a large setting to understand what she is saying. It was brilliant.  Shock of the News, was this great exhibit where artists like Picasso, Jasper Johns, Laurie Anderson,  Man Ray, Sarah Charlesworth, among many others, transformed printed news into art by  co-opting, mimicking, defusing, memorializing, and rewriting newspapers.  I love going through and seeing the Neoclassical Decorative Arts of the Late 1700s in the classical wing of the National Gallery.  Where we snapped a picture of that yellow chase lounge and  got a rare viewing of Michelangelo’s David-Apollo.  The Price of Freedom: Americans at War was not my favorite but, the Rosy the riveter and what women could and could not wear(United Victory Colors) was interesting and fun.  If you look closely at the  pictures you can see  the bottle of liquid stockings.  I would argue that this is the first version of a tan in a bottle. Plus the button is hilarious. The Cuban Missile Crisis was fascinating, thankfully JFK was president or we would be screwed.  Changing America: the Emancipation Proclamation 1863, and the March on Washington, 1963, The price of Freedom:Americans at War. One word, Humbling.

We also ate at our favorite places.  The Garden Cafe Americana, always amazing.  It’s probably the best buffet you’ll ever have. Though it’s not part of the Smithsonian itself, it is in the National Gallery of Art .  It closes early like 3pm and can get very crowded so plan ahead and make sure you get a seat.  We didn’t make it this time but love the Bistro d’ OC, a great french bistro.  Sit in the front room or at the front bar or for a more quiet spot go upstairs into the back bar area.  On the recommendation of a friend we tried Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse.  Not technically a steakhouse, in my opinion, but don’t let that stop you.  Our waitress was amazing, it had an easy atmosphere and our Hanger Steak was cooked to perfection.  We will be back.  A more relaxed meal can be found on the Mall itself.  Hot dogs, french fries and beer will do the trick. I mentioned Chinese earlier and no trip would be complete without visiting Full Kee.  The Beef and Cilantro soup is my favorite.  I love reading the specials on the wall, knowing I will probably never eat them.  We have been known to bookend our trip with this late night gem. This time it was on our way out.  It may  not be  the fanciest but the food is always as good as we remembered.

Goodbye City Life! At Least For The Weekend Anyway

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We began our adventure in a car we rented for the weekend, buy information pills driving 14 hours each way. I’m talking about our recent adventure to Tennessee, symptoms where we hoped to soak up nature and live as one with the land.  As much as one can get staying in a cabin.     Of course we were roughing it, so to speak. The shower was outdoors, the stove was of the a camping variety, our water came from large jugs, the bathroom was an out house, the light was kerosene lamps and it was heated by a wood burning stove.  What else do you want from a cabin in the woods?  As it turned out, nothing.  It was perfect, peaceful and quiet.  Mother Nature graced us with wonderful warm weather.  It may have been November but it could easily had been late September.  We walked the land, marveled at streams that when it rains become dangerous rivers, chopped wood, went to bed early and rose with the sunrise, saw old friends and made some new ones, all while preparing and eating some amazing food.  We even drove into town to the local Piggly Wiggly to get supplies.

There’s something amazing about the mountains in Tennessee.  I grew up in a few different environments, one of them was the mountains in California and to this day, I don’t get the same feeling of peace as I do when I’m here.   It’s a place that you want to sit back take it slow do some chores and cook till you have filled your pantry with goodies and your belly with food.  Lucky for us we arrived just in time for a late lunch and a stroll around the property.  Our guide led us around and showed us some old homestead from early settlers and gave us a history lesson on who would have lived there before and what they would have farmed.  To me seeing history is always more fascinating then reading it.  When we were done getting the tour we took in the incredible sunset on top of the tool shed, and then it was back to the cabin to burn some wood and get cracking on dinner.   Grilled corn with sausages and a warm salad with a honey vinegar dressing.

The next day we were left to our own devices.  With our guide driving back to his home in Colorado we started the morning with breakfast  and a leisurely stroll.  We visited friends who lived nearby, catching up on their latest projects, chopped wood and  traveled into town for more supplies.  That night we slow cooked some beans on the wood stove, drank whiskey, listened to the radio and played cards.  Not bad for a Saturday night!!

Our last day we started it off with left over beans and eggs steamed over grilled onions and of course bacon.  After our hearty breakfast we took one last stroll said our goodbyes to the neighbors and headed back to NYC and our city lives.

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