Hildene (Lincoln Family
Home; Manchester, VT) – May 2015
I’d
previously been here on a school trip years ago, so now it was time for a
return visit. The weather had just
warmed up, so the mountains of the area weren’t very green, and we told the
garden would be absent of flowers. That
was fine, as a nice sunny day was perfect to see this.
The
home was built by Robert Todd Lincoln (the only son of President Abraham
Lincoln to survive to adulthood) in the early years of the 20th
Century. The house (and over 400 acres
attached to it) continued to be lived in by Lincoln descendants for another 70
years, so there were some things which have been updated with the times (like
the indoor plumbing). Beyond that it
looks very much the way it did when Robert Todd Lincoln lived here, due to the
restoration work which was done in the 1980’s.
The
ground floor is closer to the original décor with the way the dining and
sitting rooms were set up. An automatic
pipe organ sits in the foyer, with the pipes coming out at the stair well. A couch sitting at the elbow of the
switchback makes a great seat to hear the music. The upper levels contain the living quarters of
Mary Lincoln Beckwith, the most recent descendant, who involved in photography,
painting, and aviation. It has a very
different feel than the ground floor, but still going through history.
At the
rear of the house is where the Formal Gardens are. The pattern was clearly visible, even though
no plants had bloomed yet. Also outside
is an unimpressive gazebo, and a small observatory, which overlook the fields
and wetlands along the Battenkill River.
Something
which wasn’t here when I first visited was the 1903 “Sunbeam” Pullman car. This was rescued from the southern United
States, restored, and then relocated here in 2011. As Robert Todd Lincoln served as president of
the Pullman Company for years, this was a fitting addition to the museum. Inside was spacious sitting areas which
converted to sleeping spaces for those affluent people who were able to travel
across country during the late 1800’s.
This was quite a treat to see.
The
last part of the grounds contains the Rowland Agricultural Center, which is a
small goat farm where their milk is harvested in order to make a variety of
cheese products.
It
only will take a couple hours to go through all portions of the museum, and it
a great way to spend an afternoon. As
this is a piece of local history which ties with national history, this is
something which is highly recommended to be seen. Even if you have to drive a short distance,
it’s worth the trip, as you can find information about other things to
experience.
Mulligan’s of
Manchester (Main Street, Manchester, VT) – May 2015
Driving
down the streets of Manchester, it’s easy to spot this establishment. Formerly a family dwelling, this grey house
has been converted into a pub. Instead
of one large dining area, each of the rooms have a unique theme about them (so
there’s one designed like a hunting lodge, one which smells of cinnamon,
etc.) The bar section is separate from
the main dining areas, which makes the place nice and quiet.
I ordered the
Betty’s Banquet chicken sandwich, which came on a toasted wheat bun with
fries. It was tasty, and just enough for
a lunch which was filling, but not leaving you feeling stuffed. The prices were reasonable, and the wait
staff was friendly. A tip brought me to
this place, and a good tip it was. And I
pay it forward by recommending this place to others.
Battenkill Gallery (Route
7A, Arlington, VT) – May 2015
As you
drive down Route 7A in Arlington, you might see the sign for this (paired with
the Sugar Shack, and Jonathon’s Table).
You should take the time to stop in, as this is a hidden gem along the
roadside. This small gallery displays
many of Rockwell’s works from his work on the Saturday Evening Post to paintings done for the Boy Scouts. A short film details the number of years
Rockwell spent in Arlington, hence the location of the gallery. This open between April and December, and the
entire exhibit can be viewed in about an hour.
Shared
in the same building is the Sugar Shack, where Vermont maple syrup, t-shirts,
and other souvenirs could be obtained.
And in the building next door was the small restaurant Jonathon’s Table,
which I didn’t go in because I’d already eaten lunch.
Bennington Museum (Main
Street, Bennington, VT) – May 2015
I’d
driven through Bennington a number of times, including a couple to go and visit
the Monument, but for whatever reason I hadn’t gone inside. It was possible that it was nearing closing
time on those earlier trips, but this trip was designed so I could visit it.
This
is nestled on top of a hill over-looking the city of Bennington, and right next
to the graveyard which contains the grave of author Robert Frost. The two story building contains a number of
items of local history as permanent exhibits, as well as some changing
displays.
The
showpiece of the museum is the gallery of works by Grandma Moses, which
captured aspects of rural life at the end of the 19th Century. While no flash photography is allowed in the
museum, this is the only area where no pictures of any kind were permitted.
For
me, the most interesting exhibit was the one about the Battle of Bennington
(which took place in August 1777). The
displays were small, but very thorough, and showed tactical maps of how the
battle unfolded. Weapons and other
artifacts of the time were also present.
The
museum was designed to have many rooms, each with its own display. Some rooms displayed works from regional
artists, pottery, and artifacts from 19th Century life (in the
Church Gallery), I really enjoyed seeing the aspects of the Gilded Age (which
included the 1924 Martin-Wasp Touring Car).
One of
the changing exhibits which I thought was very informative was on alcohol in
Vermont. This showed the rise of the
temperance movement, the effects of Prohibition, and ultimately the lifting of
the laws which made the modern craft breweries possible.
There’s
a wealth of items here, and this was a good way to spend the afternoon. I recommend after visiting the museum to go
over to the nearby Bennington Battle Monument to get a great view of the
landscape (especially if it’s during the time when the foliage is present).
Vermont Teddy Bear (Shelburne
Road, Shelburne, VT) – May 2015
I
first heard Vermont Teddy Bear being advertised on the radio back in 1986, and
ordered one for a friend in 1994, but it never occurred to me I could actually
go and visit the factory. When I was in
the area this time, I saw the brochure in a local kiosk, and decided this would
be a fun thing to do.
The
company was founded in 1983, and later moved to the colorful barn location here
in Shelburne. The tour takes under 30
minutes, and gives the information of how the fabric is cut and assembled on
site. Authenticity of the bears are
maintained by the five points of articulation and the “Born in Vermont” writing
on the eyes. Our tour guide didn’t miss
any bear-related puns along the way, which added a level of fun to the
experience.
I knew
the bears would be repaired at this location, but I didn’t know the stuffing
was made of recycled material. That was
nice to know that 100% of the bear was US-made.
The
gift shop has many styles of theme-bears ready for purchase, like a
snowboarder, firefighter, and zombie.
Each bear has the accessories to be purchased once you’ve decided on the
bear’s color. For the younger crowd,
there’s an area where guests could construct their own bear from the various
components available. And for the
adults, a side room provides information on the PajamaGram (although that’s not
included on the tour).
Outside
there’s a couple places for photo opportunities. This makes a great roadside stop as you’re
traveling through the area.
Shanty on the Shore (Battery
Street, Burlington, VT) – May 2015
The
boardwalk by the Burlington waterfront was in the process of being refurbished,
and we were looking for a place to have lunch.
Many establishments nearby were “dinner only” locations, so we took a
chance on Shanty’s. This was an old
building which had been repurposed into a restaurant, and many of the original
support beams are still visible. The
newer wooden trim pieces are done in an unfurnished state, so they blend in
nicely with the original components.
Sitting
on an incline, the entrance is on the second floor. Additional dining is on the third, but the
lower level is private. Many of the
tables along the dining area are close to the window or face the water, so
there’s a nice view available.
I had
the Cajun blackened salmon sandwich with curly fries, which was very good. The entrees the other members of my party had
reported those were very good as well.
Even with us being in there for lunch, I noticed the good drink
menu. Since I was driving, I couldn’t
have the Cruzan Rum Punch I desired, but the server (XXX?) put
a shot of grenadine in my lemonade in order to give it a little pizzazz.
Since
this is located near the boardwalk, it’s a reasonable walking distance from
most the downtown areas. Good service
and a friendly staff, along with great food, is what makes a restaurant worth
going to. This is a place worth going
to.
ECHO Leahy Center for
Lake Champlain (Burlington, VT) – May 2015
I
spotted the brochure for this at a kiosk, so figured it would be worth the trip
to check it out. This is a hand-on
science museum dedicated to the ecology of Lake Champlain. The foyer contains a piece of an ancient
coral reef that was unearthed in the area, and it’s quite impressive to know
it’s around 500 million years old (dating from a time when the area was a
shallow sea).
While
there are many stations available for interactive learning (like comparing the
mercury levels of fish), and small tanks for marine life (like turtles,
mud puppies, crabs, fish, and the like).
There’s also a short movie on the ecology of Lake Champlain. And of course there’s a display of Champ, the
lake’s alleged prehistoric denizen.
One of
the more thought-provoking exhibits was on the zebra mussels, an invasive
species currently being found within the lake.
Inadvertently introduced back in the late 1980’s, displays show how the
zebra mussels cover underwater formations in the lake, including valuable
historical shipwrecks, so can’t be studied.
As there are no natural predators of the mussels in the lake, their
infestation is upsetting the balance of the natural food chain, and could
potentially change the ecological composition of the lake.
For an
afternoon of learning about Lake Champlain, this is a great place to go. While many of the exhibits are targeted
towards younger children, there’s enough informative stuff to interest adults.
Cooper’s Cave Ale
Company (Sagamore Street, Glens Falls, NY) – May 2015
I get
to visit the Glens Falls region for a week once a year, and as I’ve done in the
past, I make sure to stop by Cooper’s Cave in order to have a great meal. While normally I’m there for lunch, tonight
was a dinner visit, although I still got the same thing as I do every
year: The spicy buffalo chicken
wrap. It’s my little piece of comfort
food. And for dessert, I rounded it out
with a peanut butter cup milkshake. The
meal was once again excellent, the atmosphere fun, and the service friendly.
Special
recognition goes to my server, Jackie, for the great job she did. When I mentioned I wrote reviews of places, I
pulled up my review of this establishment from my visit last July on my phone. Jackie asked if she could show that to the
owners, who were dining here that night.
I handed my phone to Jackie, who went out to the patio area for a little
bit. When she came back, she said the
owners thanked me for the great review.
No, thank the owners for creating such a great establishment.
As a
result, I was offered a free beer. Since
my meal had pretty much concluded, I opted instead for a bottle of root beer
that I’d enjoy a couple days later as part of my birthday celebration.
When I
was a Glens Falls resident, Cooper’s Cave was only a brewery and ice cream
stand, and I visited it frequently for those items. The restaurant portion didn’t start until
after I’d left the region. This is on
the top of my list of places to eat when I’m in town because this has
consistently good quality.
Steininger’s (Main
Street, Salem, NY) – May 2015
Located
on the main street of Salem, this small building recaptures the interior of
decades ago when life was centered around the small town aspects. The menu is straight-forward consisting
mostly of soups and sandwiches. I had
the chicken salad on a croissant, which was decent. Chocolates are also available here, and I had
a piece of peanut butter chocolate treat as well, which wasn’t too bad. For a lunch in a cozy setting, this isn’t a bad
place to go.
Auction Barn (Route 40,
Argyle, NY) – May 2015
There
are few places to get breakfast and lunch in Argyle, and all of them are small
venues. This has been in operation for
decades, and has always been a diner-style operation. I ordered eggs over-easy with toast and home
fries. The meal was decent, except for
the home fries being cold. It was
difficult to communicate to the wait staff, as it was pretty busy that weekday
morning. The service wasn’t as attentive
as it was other times I’ve visited and eaten there, so I considered that more
of a “one-off” situation.
I
happened to stop there again a few days later and got the cheese omelet. It was very busy on that Sunday morning, but
different wait staff were on duty that day, so everything came out hot and
fresh.
Saratoga National
Historical Park (Stillwater, NY) – May 2015
Most
people drive down Route 4 south of Schuylerville and probably have never
realized the piece of history which happened there. Years ago with the Boy Scouts I bicycled the
park tour road, and now I wanted to come to re-experience this pivotal piece of
local history.
As
this is a National Park, there is an entry fee, which supports the preservation
of the land. The visitor’s center has a
short film detailing the events of the battle (which took place in September
and October 1777), as well as a diorama and artifacts of the period. I recommend you take the time to examine
these items first.
The
major attraction is the park road tour, which can be walked, biked, or driven
(depending on your choice). Even though
it was a warm sunny day, we used the car to traverse to each of the stops in
order to be most expedient. As this was
a self-guided tour, what was really nice was being able to dial up the audio
portion of the tour and listen to it as we wandered around the various stops.
The
park is designed to look as it did not long after the conclusion of the
engagement, although of the original buildings only the Neilson farmhouse still
stands. There’s a number of white posts
at the sites of the American and British camps which show where the fortified
walls used to be. These walls were
around seven feet tall during the battle, and made of logs. While it would’ve been nice to see the
battlefield looked during the time of the engagements, it was nice to be able
to gaze upon the natural beauty of the area (which doesn’t look much different
now than it did a couple hundred years earlier).
Cannons
are place where the fortifications stood, and there’s many small obelisks
throughout the park showing the skirmish sites.
There’s also monuments to each of the major players involved, like the
“boot monument” to Benedict Arnold (as he received a leg wound).
At the
conclusion of the tour path, near the site of the British hospital, you’re able
to see both the Hudson River and current Route 4, which was the “Road to
Albany” during the time of the battle.
This gives you some idea of what the combatants were seeing during those
days.
This
is a highly recommend destination for a pivotal piece of American history. Anyone who lives within a reasonable driving
distance should make this a destination.
Parting Glass (Lake
Ave, Saratoga Springs, NY) – May 2015
When I
lived in this region during the 90’s, this was a frequent weekend destination
for the awesome music and great service I received on every visit. Even though taller buildings have grown up
around the area, the Parting Glass has pretty much remained unchanged. It was nice to be able to come back to
something familiar.
I
stopped here for lunch, and had the excellent Sheppard’s pie. It was a great mix of meat and potatoes,
although the side of bread was a bit on the dry side. That didn’t take away from the overall
quality of the meal.
Since
I was only in town for a few days (and those had already been booked), I didn’t
consult the PG’s music schedule. That
was a bummer for me, because Kevin McKrell was playing that night, and the
fabulous Hair of the Dog a few days later.
Seeing either of the shows would’ve enhanced an already great
experience, but just being able to re-experience this piece of past was a great
joy in itself.
New York State Military
Museum (Saratoga Springs, NY) – May 2015
When I
lived in the area (back in the 1990’s), this building was the armory for the
National Guard, thus not a location which was generally open to the
public. It was around 2003 this property
was converted into the museum it is now.
The upper floors contain offices, but the majority of the ground level
contains the exhibits.
There
are displays covering just about every engagement the NY National Guard took
part in. The area for the Civil War was
the largest portion, and equaled the size of the sections for the American
Revolution, War of 1812, Spanish-American War, and some other smaller conflicts
combined. The areas dealing with both
WWI and WWII were very informative and thorough. The Vietnam portion was mostly letters and
personal accounts, but surprisingly there was nothing for Korea. The explanation was the museum was still in
the process of getting everything arranged so they could fit it in. In my opinion, the Civil War area could be
dropped by a third to make the room.
Still,
that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of this in the least. It was a great way to spend an afternoon and
learning the local angle on these international events.
Davidson Brother’s (Glen
Street, Glens Falls, NY) – May 2015
Back
in the 1990’s when I lived only a couple blocks from here, this was a frequent
weekend destination. Now that I only
visit the Glens Falls region for a week each year, there’s a short-list of
places I want to return to so I re-experience the tastes of the region. This was one of those places.
It was
a nice day, so we sat outside in the alley where the shaded tables were (which
was converted years ago to be pedestrian space). A great selection of craft brews were
available to try, so that’s something that any new patron should take the
opportunity to do so.
I had
my favorite dishes on my visit. The
buffalo chicken bites as an appetizer, and their tangy taste was just as I
remembered it. For the main course, I
consumed an always delicious black forest sandwich, which was a great mix of
roast beef, Swiss cheese and slaw on rye bread.
What
was great about the visit was knowing that nothing had changed, so the great
food I was looking forward to was still available. This continues to be as good now as it was
when I first started going here.
Sammy Cohen’s (Main
Street, Schaghticoke, NY) – May 2015
The
building has been a fixture in the area for years, and then a group of friends
purchased it to start a restaurant. The
establishment was named after a beloved local resident, and that’s the quick
version of how Sammy Cohen’s began. The
interior was clean and spacious, with the bar having a slight separation from
the dining area, which would help cut down on noise levels.
I had
the Valley Falls chicken sandwich. The
mango chutney sauce on it was good, but I thought the piece of meat was pretty
thin when compared to the bread. Overall
it was light meal.
The
friends I met there were frequent visitors and raved about how good it
was. Certainly after a single visit I
could tell this place I wouldn’t be opposed to returning to in the future.
Amy’s Ice Cream (183,
north Austin, TX) – April 2015
When I lived on this side of town, it was nice to
visit the Amy’s location in the area.
But then it closed, as a prelude to having the Austinville location
opened. Unfortunately it took longer
than originally planned, and by the time it was done, I was living in a
different section of the city.
Since my travels took me this way, it was nice now to
be able to stop by. I just had a small
dish of the dark chocolate with the Reese’s Pieces crushed in, and it was a
nice day to sit outside. I enjoyed being
able to taste the flavor of this local business again.
Amy’s Ice Cream
(Arboretum, Austin, TX) – May 2015
There
was a craving for ice cream, and this was in the vicinity of where we
were. This location has been tucked away
in the Arboretum for as long as I could remember, and just for whatever reason
I never visited it. Shame on me. This is just like any other of the Amy’s
locations, although in a smaller space.
The flavors are still listed on the board, samples available, and candy
particles are there to be crushed into the tasty ice cream, just in a cozier
environment.
I went
for vanilla this time, only because it was something different than what I
normally get. Because it was a weekday
evening, there weren’t any other patrons in the place, so that made for a nice
quiet evening. As there’s walking paths
in the area (which we weren’t going to do after dark), this location of Amy’s
will make a great destination after spending some time hanging out in the area.
Applebee’s (LaFrontera,
Round Rock, TX) – May 2015
This
isn’t normally the venue I go to, but it was a convenient place to meet my
friend for evening drinks. We weren’t
planning on getting food, although there are a number of decent things on the
menu. She had a Bloody Mary, and I asked
if the bar could make a Bushwhacker (which was basically a Mudslide made with
rum instead of vodka). It came out
slushier than what I normally get, but considering it was a special request, it
wasn’t too bad.
As
this was after the dinner rush on a weekday evening, and there were few other
patrons, it was pretty quiet place.
Usually a place like this can get noisy, especially from the bar
area. We sat in a booth on the side of
the place. Interior is clean, and the
service was good.
Pluckers (183 &
Burnet Road, Austin, TX) – May 2015
I have
consistently gotten good service from this Pluckers, and yet again I had
another good experience. Kudos to
Michael who helped make it so in this instance.
As a Plücker’s Club member, we get a complimentary meal if we come in
any day during the week of our birthday.
I let Michael know that I was out-of-town during the week of my
birthday, and had missed the opportunity to “redeem” it. I said I was planning on paying for the meal
today, and had no issue with doing so, but I’d still consider it my “birthday
meal.”
I had
my favorite boneless basket of spicy BBQ style.
When the bill came, Michael wished me a happy birthday and let me know
everything was covered. That didn’t need
to be done, but it was a great gesture to honor. That is a great example of excellent customer
service, and that’s one of the reasons why I keep coming back to Pluckers. As an aside, I made sure to show my gratitude
by giving Michael a large tip to show that I appreciated what he did. Thank you very much!
Southern’s at PBK (Main
Street, Pflugerville, TX) – May 2015
We
were looking for a place to catch an early dinner before heading out for the
evening events, and this location popped up in our search for nearby
establishments. As this is right on the main
drag of Pflugerville (across from Hanover’s), there’s parking on the street
(although that will fill up quick the later the evening goes on).
Because
we sat outside at a covered table on the patio, we didn’t see much of the
inside. During a trek to the bathroom I
noticed the dark hardwood interior, which looked nice. The walls of the patio were designed to
resemble the broken brickwork of a Spanish mission, which the place a good
feel.
The
menu has an extensive list of full dinner and lighter options (burgers and
sandwiches), as well as some kids meals.
There’s also a good selection of beers and wine available.
Between
the five of us in my party, we were able to experience quite a number of things
on the menu. My friends reported the
blackened catfish and the bacon-wrapped meatloaf were very good. I had the PBK Burger, which was a third-pound
of meat topped with brisket and a Dr. Pepper-cherry BBQ sauce. The burger was good, although I was able to
taste was the brisket (which over-powered the other flavors).
We all
decided to be bad and ordered dessert.
The Hershey Bar Cake and Maple-Glazed Donut my friends reported as being
decadent. I went for the banana pudding,
which was delivered in a sealed Mason jar, which was very cool. The pudding was fabulous, and had lots of
chunks of real bananas.
The
service was excellent, the food good, and the atmosphere nice. The consensus of our group was this was a
great find, and a place we’d return to.
I noted this would be a good location for a couple to have a fine dinner
date one evening.
Austin 360 Amphitheatre
at Circuit of the America’s (Austin, TX) – May 2015
We’d
come here in order to see the R40 Tour for Rush. None of us had ever been here before, but the
line of cars made it easier to locate where we were supposed to go. We had the choice of either Lot A or Lot F to
park in, and that was decided on what lane we happened to be in when we entered
(we got Lot F). The lots are grassy
areas with paved access roads, and because of the rain we had to park askew as
not to tear up the damp grass.
The
walk to the gate was about a half-mile.
While there were shuttles and rickshaws available, they were all going
from Lot A, so taking one of those conveyances wasn’t an option even if we
wanted to. Entering the gate was easy,
as our tickets were scanned, and there were many staff who helped patrons
locate where their seats were.
I
believe COTA refers specifically to the actual track used during racing, even
though it seemed to be used also to describe the entire complex. There were numerous porta-potties around the
area (as opposed to more permanent restroom facilities). The many concession areas were within
more-permanent areas, and the prices were what you’d expect (a dollar for a
bottle of water). In the interior of the
area had a small reflecting pool and many grassy areas which would be nice to
sit on during an event which lasts all day.
The
amphitheater itself has a good layout, and the main stage is visible from most
seats. Our seats were on the floor
(ninth row from the front), and a little towards “stage left” (which was rather
appropriate for seeing Rush). The edges
of the stage had large tapestries, behind which contained some of the sound
controls. The tapestries didn’t obstruct
our view of the band, but did obscure some of the set design and the monitors
at stage center. Monitors mounted on the
sides of the stage allowed us to catch some of the action, even though those
were designed for those who had seats much farther back.
As
this was an outdoor venue, it meant the sound quality was good (as opposed to
an indoor location where the noise just keeps bouncing off the walls). Being outside also meant being exposed to the
elements, and we didn’t have anything to protect against the rain (had it
chosen to do so). For seeing a concert,
this was a great place for that. Because
the location is outside the city limits, it’s a short drive to get there, but
worth it.
No comments:
Post a Comment