Eating Our Way Up the Coast!

Posts about our trip will be scattered, to be sure...

Have to find where I stashed the photos!

One thing for sure, we weren't hungry...

Our ship had 5 restaurants

(although Mr. K says there were seven)

Seems like all we did was eat or plan to eat...

Most days we had room service for breakfast...Lunch was hit or miss, 

When we could, we ate lunch on shore.

The only demand expectation I had was lobster, of course!

We asked locals to recommend a place to get lobster in Bar Harbor.

It was a chilly and windy day.  They seated us next to the fireplace!

I was so ready for my lobster!

It came!

Could you tell that I was excited?

I ate every crumb of the lobster.  I passed the corn to Mr. K.

The next day we were in Portland, ME.

I didn't want to act like a spoiled brat, demanding lobster two days in a row...

So I settled for a lobster roll (no photo)

Mr. K, who does not care for lobster had chili and some other thngs...

Not sure why he looks so grumpy.

The dinners were superb!

We ate in the dining room...

In the upscale grill...

The food was wonderful

(Did I already show you the escargot I had as an appetizer?)

Delicious!

We chose to skip the Italian restaurant, but did try Izumi, an Asian restaurant!

First thing we realized was that there was not any silverware on the table!

Mr. K learned to use his chopsticks:

He used them to retrieve the cherry from his Manhattan!

I ordered the suchi

I love suchi and this was superb...

During dinner, while we were talking, I dropped a sizable blob of wasabi.

I know better...

but I scooped it up and stuck it in my mouth!!!!!

Not a good thing.

Let's just say that I no longer have any hair in my nose, 

it burned THAT bad!

Mr. K is not as adventurous...

He chose steak.

Guess he didn't think it through...

They brought out a square stone and told him it was 500 degrees...

And told him he had to cook his own dinner...

And he did a bang up job!

So much food,

So much GREAT food!

He did admit to gaining 5 pounds.

I gained one.

Guess we'll have to be more careful on the next cruise!

Next cruise?

Oh, you bet!  

We haven't decided where or when...

I'll let you know!

Dried Up?

Dry.  

That's what I do with a towel, 

How about you?

THIS is what Richie, our room attendant did with them...

The first night, we had this...

His second work of art scared me...

 

I wasn't sure if it was coming or going...

But he saved the best for last...

This was hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room!

Mr. K wanted his sunglasses back, so I let it borrow a pair of mine!

What fun!

I wonder if they have to go to towel folding school?

I could get used to this...

Room service breakfast here...

Riding  around Halifax, NS, in a pink, double decker antique tour bus...

I'm lusting after this (larger than) life statue.

thinking I need one for camp!

And hoping that I am not eaten by this towel monster...

Did I mention the food?

Oh the food. 

No photos, but I will be ordering sweat pants for my future...

Headed  south, will be in Portland, ME tomorrow!

I will admit that I'm a teensy weensy homesick...

Miss those grands...

But I will admit I am already planning our next cruise!

Where in the world are....

Jan and Mr. K?

Last Sunday morning, we boarded a plane in Pittsburgh...

Flew into Boston

Where we were whisked away onto a shuttle bus

Driven to what felt like a warehouse

and spewed with what seemed like a million others...

Into this!

The Serenade of the Seas!

We've been on the move ever since.

We are on a seven day New England and Canada trip.

North in the fall, one of my favorite times and places.

Two days ago, we landed in St. John, NB, which has an incredible story.

I call it story, it's too rich to be called history.

Yesterday, a day at sea, we saw dolphins and whales!

This morning, we arrived in Halifax, NS.  

I can't wait to check it out!

Our suite is spacious and homey...

The food is amazing.

I love room service breakfasts...

Maid service...

Turn down service...

Entertainment!

I'm still trying to jiggle and joggle photos from one place (phone) to the other...

It takes forever but I do have one.

Want to see it?  

The escargot that was my appetizer at dinner last night!

I'll catch up with you soon!

~Do you think I could convince Mr. K (and my entire family) to live on a ship full time

I've been away...

We took a little trip!

 

More about that in a day or two (after I find my camera)...

 

But for now, we're home, we're tired and happy to see the pups...

 

 

 

I'll say it again: we're tired...

 

So, for today, we'll just rest...

 

 

Talk soon?

 

Chicago is where you find...

Mr. K had a convention in Chicago this summer.

Since I had never been there, we decided to fly in a few days early and explore the town; then I would fly home early while he stayed for his convention.

Chicago is an interesting place..

we took the Chicago River architectural tour, which was fascinating...

well worth the price of a ticket!

I had heard so much about the Navy Pier, I couldn't wait to see it.

Turns out, it was interesting, had great food too!

 

They must have known Ron was coming.

He did not have lobster but they did provide him with a lobster bib...

We really wanted to visit the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), but they told us there was

AT LEAST a 2-1/2 hour wait to get on the elevator.

They suggested we try the Hancock tower, which is about 300 feet shorter, but at over 1,000 feet,

who's counting?  The views were spectacular!

The Willis tower has the ledges where you can walk out over the city.

 

The Hancock tower has Tilt...

 

Where you lean against the window and they tilt you out over the edge!

We did not do it, and after watching person after person back away from the window,

it was just as well!

My favorite two things were walking to the Tortise Club to hear the Mark Burnell Trio.

Mark is my cousin, we hung out a lot when we were kids.

We even had the same piano teacher!

 

I think his parents got more bang for their buck!?!

We met my Cousin Jerry and his wife, daughter and son-in-law there.

Jerry was another one of my favorites but I haven't seen him in years.  He's an attorney in Chicago.

Sunday morning, Mark picked me up at the hotel for Church.

He's the pianist at Gorham United Methodist Church and afterwards, we all headed for

 

Pegasis Restaurant for some wonderful Greek food.

 

Jerry and his wife, Cathy, met us there.

 

Of course, it was time for a photo op.  As usual, we forget and hand a camera to Ron...

who hasn't taken a clear photo in his lifetime!

 

 

 That's Jerry on the left, Mark on the right.

 

I loved Chicago (had to leave the next day)...

and I loved spending time with family even more!

 

 

Turning 65 ain't all that bad...

This year was another big birthday...

 

I turned 65!

 

If you've been around for five or so years, you might remember My surprise party! for my 60th birthday.

 

This year, my birthday was a little more sedate, just a quiet day at the river with a few friends and family...

 

BUT

 

Look what Mr.K gave me for the big day:

 

 

Yes!  it's a VW Beetle convertible! 

 

My dream car!  I've been lusting after one forever.  I think I've had 9 VW's since I got my first Beetle in 1974.  Needless to say, I was am thrilled.

 

One of the first things I did was plan a road trip.

 

I headed due north, first to Clayton, NY, on the St. Lawrence River.

 

 

I've been going for more than 30 years. 

I love the Thousand Islands!

 

I got to stay at the new Thousand Island Harbor Hotel,

 

 

Which is a wonderful place to stay!

 

Mark and I spent many summer days (and occasionally winter days too) watching the river.

 

He loved ships.  It was so cool to walk into my room and look out the window to see this...

 

 

 

How ironic...Not only did he love ships, but he loved to sail as well!

 

 

 

In two nights, I became thoroughly spoiled...

 

The weather was so beautiful, I ate dinner on the patio...

 

They had fire pits where everyone seemed to want to hang out...

 

 

My friend, Patricia, came over from Canada for lunch.

 

The food at the hotel is so good, we ate on the patio..

 

.

 

and then we sat in these chairs...

 

 

That were set up along the river. 

 

Since we only see each other once a year, we had a lot of catching up to do.

We had a five hour lunch!

 

My first morning, I woke up just before six.  I heard a strange noise, a humming sound.

 

Then I realized...

It was a ship!

 

I tried to get a photo...

 

 

That was the best I could do.  See the ship in the middle of the photo?

 

The next day I had to try my courage and drive across the Thousand Islands Bridge... 

 

 Photo courtesy of http://pontscanadabridges.ca/en/?page_id=1150

I did not take this photo.   I was hanging on to the steering wheel with both hands!

 

I managed to visit all my favorite places...Cape Vincent, Clayton and Alexander Bay

Complete with lunch at another favorite...Bella's in Clayton!

 

They have wonderful food...a deck overlooking the water and cuddly throws on the back of the chairs in case it's a chilly day or night (and they do have plenty of those!).

Before I knew it, it was time to head south.

 

I was going to Canton, NY to spend time with Mark's family.

 

We had three wild and crazy nights of Pinochle...until someone delt this  

hand to Aunt Anne...

 

Barb, Mark's cousin, it such an amazing cook

but we did manage to go out and have a meal with eyes

with Aunt Anne and her daughter, Jenny...

And we went house hunting.

 

Barb has been house hunting for quite a while. 

 Just before I got there, she had put an offer in on a house.  The realtor called to say that

the owners had countered her offer.

 

Barb was a little bummed and said she needed time to think about it.

 

Barb, Aunt Anne and I jumped in the car and went out to see if there was anything interesting for sale.

 

There really wasn't, but the next day, the realtor called to say

that the owners of this...

 

 

waterfront property that had this...

 

deck...

 

Overlooking this...

 

Brandy Brook

 

 

that empties into the mighty St. Lawrence...

 

We accepting offers and were motivated sellers...

 

Long story short, Barb moves in next month!

 

Guess I'll be making lots and lots of road trips!

 

I had one more stop on the way home;

 

Oneida, NY.

 

That's where my Uncle Frank raised his family.

 

I had three cousins still there but had not seen them for years and years!

 

My cousin, Mark, was gracious enough to invite us for dinner

(and a photo session).

 

Mark and his wife, Laurie, have the most incredible Victorian home...

It's a work of love and art...so lovingly restored!

 

It was so wonderful to sit on the screened in back porch and see

faces that looked like family!

 

Here's beauty and the beasts...

 

 

That's Frankie, Mickey and Mark.

can you tell we're related?

 

We talked, laughed, and had a wonderful time.

I was sorry to see the evening end...

 

But I had a few kids, a grandson, a couple of dogs and a plant-killing husband waiting at home...

 

So I headed south.

 

6 days, 1,287 miles and all but 2 hours total with the top up.

 

It was so good to be home, even if my peace lily did not make it!