Side Quest

 This weekend we're on a quick-turnaround road trip in Orange, VA. (No, I hadn't heard of it before) to attend the wedding of our son's college roommate. It's a relatively challenge-free 320 mile, five hour, drive from the house, but after being here less than 24 hours I can honestly say I wish it were closer. It's a quaint (a word I am hesitant to use due to being cliché) little town with some intriguing dining options and several nearby historic sites. There are plenty of things to fill a weekend and, while we booked the perfectly adequate Comfort Suites (newly remodeled) there are many Bed and Breakfasts in the area that draw my attention.

The area is well represented by early US Presidents. Jefferson's (3rd POTUS) Monticello is 30 miles away, just outside of Charlottesville. Madison's (4th) Montpelier is only 5 miles, and Monroe's (5th) Highland estate is just beyond Monticello. Numerous Civil War sites and battlefields are also in the area, and when you've had your fill of history a winery or micro-brewery isn't far away.

If you're looking to spend some time outdoors, there are abundant trails in the area, and the Shenandoah National Park and Appalachian Trail are only 45 minutes drive west.

Last night we had dinner at Spoon & Spindle, located in the Historic Silk Mill. I found them browsing Google Maps, checked out their website, and, figuring the options for memorable dining experiences in Orange, VA might be limited, made a reservation with OpenTable. Finding the restaurant was fairly easy, just follow the navigation directions to the parking lot and look for the signs. If you need a landmark, just look for the old water tower. Watch your step on the ramp, historic boards are a bit uneven! We were invited to "Seat Yourself" by the sign at the hostess stand, which made me question the need for a reservation. However, upon entering the modest dining room (seating for about 40 or so guests) we discovered our name on a table, with fresh glasses of water, menus, and silverware. Music from the 1970's was playing at a pleasant volume, and several other tables were occupied by parties at various stages of their meal. I'm not sure what or why, but I was immediately in love with the place and I hadn't even taken my seat yet. The "make yourself at home" vibe made me feel more like a guest than a customer. I'm slightly off the "neurotypical" spectrum, which may have everything to do with my reaction. I honestly can't think of a restaurant I've ever visited that gave me the same sensation. No lecture on the daily specials, no instructions, no pressure at all. (Oh, and the dessert menu was on a printed tent at the end of the table, so there were no surprises!) 

Now, a moment of shame.

We took no food pictures, which is a true shame, because everything was absolutely amazing. 

My first reaction to the menu was "I'll have one of everything" - which, if you knew me well, would stop you in your tracks. I'm not necessarily a picky eater, there are few things I outright refuse to eat, but I can be selective about preparation and combinations (see previous reference to neurodivergence.) For an entire menu to have this impact on me is virtually unheard-of. Because we didn't have monstrous appetites we bypassed the appetizers (despite how tempting they were) and opted for entrees and a shared dessert. I remain on a bit of a burger binge, so I chose the "NASCAR" burger, presented in a basket, which consisted of two 3 oz smash-patties, cheese, bacon, caramelized onions, pickle, lettuce, tomato, and "NASCAR sauce" (which tasted quite similar to a "special sauce" you may be familiar with from a large chain restaurant - only much fresher and creamier.) For my side I chose the flash-fried Brussels sprouts, a favorite item for adult-me that would shock 12 year old me to my roots. Lourie chose the Duck à ľOrange - which has special meaning, calling back to the first meal she cooked for me when we started dating 40 years ago. The duck was presented on a cast-iron platter over puréed parsnips, drizzled with an orange gastrique, and was also joined by fried sprouts.

Conversation was limited, as we both thoroughly enjoyed our dishes. The sprouts were crispy, warm, and seasoned to perfection. My basket was brimming with them, and nibbling away at the sprouts to gain access to the edge of my burger was pure enjoyment. A little cheese here, a bit of crispy beef and sauce there - nothing but tasty indulgence. I surrendered with almost half of the sprouts remaining in order to prevent complete digestive overload. The duck was perfectly cooked, the parsnips creamy with a hint of sweetness, and the sprouts provided an ideal balance of earthiness for the sweetness of the dish.

Dessert was beignets dusted and topped with lavender honey (with more lavender honey on the side for dipping/dunking/drizzling as desired.) If your idea of a beignet is restricted to the pillows dispensed at Café du Monde then prepare to have your mind blown. These folks roll out a basket of four mattress-sized pastries by comparison. As light and tasty as any beignet I've ever had, the lavender honey makes them certifiably mind-blowing. You may start with adding a little extra drizzle - using a fork to eat these is a good idea. By the end I was knuckles-deep in powdered sugar and honey as my eyes rolled back in my head. An adjacent table ordered the gelato assortment, which looked fabulous but would have definitely been heavier.

Along with the excellent food, the service was the epitome of convivial and efficient teamwork. Plates appeared and were cleared without fanfare. Check-ins were ample without being overbearing.  All the other tables appeared to be having an equally enjoyable time, and there were guests from toddlers to great-grandparents present. The music volume was never annoying, and with the exception of one gentleman with a voice that projected strongly not much was discernible in the way of conversation in the room.

When we find our way back to this part of Virginia we will definitely return to explore more of the menu. We give it our highest endorsement, for what that's worth!

This is Embarassing!

 We had an absolutely spectacular trip to New York in April, which I was certain I documented here. Now, as I prepare for our trip to Alaska next week, I see that I was obviously distracted and haven't managed to write a single post. I have done a reasonable job of managing photos and I have a fairly complete outline of our trip written up, but I never completed the task.

So, with apologies, I'll be working on our April/May trip as we begin our Alaska adventure. I'm certain a good bit will be written during the flight to Vancouver next week.

In the meantime, here's a photo from the trip. The weather was spectacular, we did LOTS of walking and ate some outrageously delicious food. We saw two performances and did a little shopping, too.

Harry Potter 25th Anniversary

 

On May 7th Warner Brothers Studios - Leavesden, will introduce a new program celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the release of Harry Potter and the Philosipher's Stone.

Enjoy a new show explaining the secrets of sound effects, as well as demonstrations of the magic used to film quiddich matches and other flying scenes in the series. You'll also be able to experience Wizard's Chess on the same scale that Harry, Ron, and Hermione played before Quirrel met his demise.

As I've previously reported, this tour is one of the best entertainment-based presentations I've ever experienced. If you have plans to be anywhere close to the metro London area, I strongly suggest making time to catch a train to Watford Junction to visit the studios at Leavesden.

Reminder - tickets must be booked prior to your arrival!

Full details on the First Year at Hogwarts can be found here.

Upcoming Trip

 I'm reasonably sure my wife doesn't read my blog unless I tell her there's something I'd like her to take a look at, so here's a sneak peak at our upcoming trip, that I'm almost certain she has forgotten about.

When we took our cruise from Bayonne last November we spent an extra night in New York, the first time we visited that amazing city since our daughter's 16th birthday, in 2012. If you'd like to review the details of that adventure it's right here. (It will open in a new window, so you won't lose your place.)

As luck would have it, just prior to that trip it was announced that Tom Felton would be joining the cast of Cursed Child to reprise his role as Draco Malfoy - the week AFTER we had tickets for the show.

UGH!

While waiting for our flight home at the end of the cruise I thought it would be an epic surprise to go back to New York in the spring and see Mr. Felton.

Then I discovered that Daniel Radcliffe would be on Broadway in Every Brilliant Thing.

The wheels started turning.

Tickets, showtimes, dates, hotel, flights, restaurants; a mass of Venn diagrams. Maybe we visit during our anniversary? Nope - that won't work. Two sequential evening shows? Hmm, those tickets were a bit pricey. Ah, Brilliant Thing has a Wednesday matinee, we can make that work! Tickets for Cursed Child Thursday evening? A bit better than Friday or Saturday.

We had our dates.

Convenient hotel - procured. Rates are decent for New York, location is good. 

Flights booked (again, flying on a Tuesday tends to be a more economical choice.)

The big reach - dinner reservations at a bucket-list restaurant.

Reservations for April opened up this morning, and we now have a table at Le Bernardin. If Eric Ripert makes an appearance during our visit I may just keel over on the spot.

We haven't done a trip of this nature in a very long time, so I'm looking forward to this getaway.

More for Harry Potter Fans

WB Studio Tours in Leavesden (Watford Junction) have announced a new offering for fans of Harry, Ron, Hermione, et al. Currently planned for a limited run, beginning the end of March, 2026 and going through mid-April. Guests who choose this option participate in a behind-the-scenes tour featuring costume design and hands-on creative activities in addition to the studio tour. Guests also receive a collectible enamel-pin badge commemorating their participation.

Workshops are at 15:00 on the days offered, and access to pre-sale registration has just opened.

Check out the Mastering the Magic web page for complete details.

Unless the program is extended I'll unfortunately not be able to enjoy this activity, so let me know what you think.

Not a Vlogger

 The title says it all. We enjoy watching vlog content, and have a few that we follow on a semi-regular basis, but that's not us.

Copenhagen

We like the traditional blog methodology. 

It allows us to make notes as things happen, then assemble those notes into a post and add photos (almost always our original photos) then get the post online in short order. If we're cruising we can do this while sitting at a bar sipping umbrella drinks. If we're staying in a hotel we can type things in the evening while relaxing, or in the morning while others are getting ready for the day. No cumbersome video editing, no concerns with being intrusive or disturbing anyone else's vacation, no need for additional equipment, no concerns about licensing issues associated with random music playing in the background.

It's just simpler.

It also fits my slight neurodivergence. I'm a reader more than a listener, and I tend to get annoyed when vloggers are redundant at any level. I prefer to read, so I prefer to write for others with the same preference. 

This means Google downgrades my ratings because I don't have videos to keep people entertained and tells me I have "low quality" content - even though it's 100% original, doesn't promote partner links, and contains exactly zero links that earn commission on anything. We link to the services and products we use and find useful. That's all.

Our goal is, and has always been, to share our experiences and, hopefully, inspire others to seek out and enjoy their own experiences.

So, if you find something you enjoy, please share it with others and help spread the word. In the meantime, if you're looking for some vlog content, some friends have been working on getting their YouTube channel established along with their FaceBook presence. Art and I trace our connection back to Silicon Valley during the emergence of Linux as a market force back in the late 1990's. He has upgraded his preferred form of transportation from freelance rail travel to the luxury of a modern cruise ship.

You can find Team Tyde on YouTube and on Facebook

Munich 

Disembarkation and Flight Home

16 November, 2024

The port in Bayonne may not be much to look at, but it is one of the best ports we've sailed in and out of. We were up, dressed, and in line for the dining room by 7:30. A significant number of dining room staff were scheduled to rotate off and return home for their between-contract break, so staffing was a bit thin in some areas. I rolled the dice on one final order of Eggs Benedict, and hit a winner.

Our driver sent a text at 8:00 indicating he was on his way, and at 8:30 he was at the port. By 8:45 we were in line to disembark, and by 9:00 we were waiting by the curb with our luggage. Our driver arrived just a few minutes afterwards, which was somewhat miraculous based on the number of people waiting for rides. We loaded up and headed to LaGuardia. Traffic was nearly non-existent on a Sunday morning, so we made it across Manhattan to Queens in record time and were checked in for our flight and on the way through security by 10:15. Other than a small glitch when my belt was swept out of the bin in the x-ray machine our transit through the TSA checkpoint was perfectly seamless.

We strolled across the walkway over the ramp and arrived at the American Airlines Admiral's Club only to be turned away because our First Class tickets were for a domestic flight. Given that American doesn't operate any international flights from LaGuardia this stipulation is just an excuse to pry $85 per person out of travelers for use of the lounge. Perhaps one day the airlines will focus their attention on customer service again, but apparently that isn't a concern for them today. Oh well, just another reason to look at other carriers for our air travel needs. Why bother with loyalty when it gets you nothing?

Next year we'll likely take advantage of one of the direct flights to Newark for our New Year's cruise, which puts American out of consideration, anyway.

We found a convenient spot to hang out for the two or so hours before our flight was scheduled to board and have no complaints other than the lady down the way who insisted on blaring a streaming church service at full volume. My noise-cancelling headphones muted her public broadcast quite well, so I passed the time in peace. Our incoming flight was slightly delayed, but an efficient cabin crew made up a bit of time on the turnaround and our arrival home was only a few minutes later than originally scheduled. All in all a smooth trip from door-to-door.