Charming Nyack-On-The-Hudson, NY

Nyack, New York is a charming waterfront village on the Hudson River.  It is situated about an hour north of NYC on the westside of the river.  The first known inhabitants of Nyack were the Algonquin Indians that (it is speculated) traveled after the sale of the island of Manhattan to the western shore and eventually up river to what is now Nyack.  Next came the Dutch in the late 1600s.  The Dutch settlers primarily farmed but little by little Nyack's harbor became known and as such came new growth...by the mid 1800s manufacturing was dominant.  300 years after the Dutch settled and with the construction of the Tappan Zee Bridge and the Palisades Interstate Parkway, Nyack was about to experience an urban renewal that put it back on the map.  And NYC inhabitants are still relocating to the area much like the Algonquins!! Nyack's residents and shopkeepers have renovated, restored and re-purposed it's homes and storefronts into one of the most charming villages in the area.  Nyack has been, and is still, known as a haven for artists and "foodies" come to enjoy in the diversity of ethnic menus.  From fast foods to gourmet meals, there is something for everyone's palate.  There's also a weekly green market for those who would rather cook fresh from the farm to their table at home.  The village offers plenty of shopping: clothes, gifts, crafts, home furnishings and accessories, antiques, flowers and so much more!  And if you can still reach that inner child in you, come join Nyack's Halloween Parade!  Adults, like children, dress up and there are creative floats vying for prizes.
(You can do a search for Nyack Halloween Parade 2016 for great photos of the event)

I was there recently over the holiday weekend and walked the village from Main Street down and along Broadway...bright sun peeked between grey skies and the crisp fall weather made the stroll so very enjoyable.  The shops were filled with customers, their windows in full holiday display and the restaurants' tables were beautifully set for the evening meal.  What did I enjoyed most?  The friendly smiles!  Here are a few photos I took of Nyack....

BY THE WAY....
HOTEL:
If you find yourself in Rockland County and want to stay the weekend to enjoy as much of the area, treat yourself to the DoubleTree Hotel in Nanuet (Route 59).  Very comfortable, very clean, great service (a warm cookie upon checkin!) and it's centrally located with free parking.
Here's the link:  http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/new-york/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-nanuet-NYCNADT/index.html
There is a new hotel in Nyack called "Time"; I've not stayed nor visited, but did notice it's location near the NYS Thruway exit for Nyack. It's a stone's throw from the "West Gate Inn" famous for it's weekends of music and dancing; for years Tito Puente played there and believe his son carries on.  The holiday weekend had a tribute to Celia Cruz - bet the place was rockin''!!

DINING:
1.  I enjoyed a very good BBQ meal one evening in West Haverstraw, NY at Babe's Bar and Grill.  Great food, friendly service and well worth the visit (see their Facebook page or my Trip Advisor review for more info).  
2.  Another great dining stop was O Lar in Piermont, NY.  Tiny, tiny place serving up great pizzas and flatbreads with a nice selection of tapas to share.  Sangria was spot-on!
(Again see their Facebook page or my Trip Advisor review for more info.)
3.  My favorite for pizza is Turiello's in Nyack...it was a favorite when we lived there, and it is still oh-so-good today!  Here's their link: http://www.turiellospizza.com

Carcassonne, France

A few weeks ago I wrote about our trip along a portion of the Canal du Midi.  One of the highlights, and the reason for this particular segment of the trip, was a stop to the city of Carcassonne.  Carcassonne is divided into the "new" town and "Le Cite Medievale", the historical UNESCO site.  After an evening's stroll along the pedestrian-only newer part of town we prepared ourselves for the visit the next morning.
Originally we thought we'd walk up to the fortified "Cite", but after considering traffic, weather (warm temperatures) and the long steep incline, we opted for the city bus for 2 euros round trip.   The bus meandered through several streets and began its climb, curving around narrow lanes as we held our breath passing cars, trucks and vans - on two-way streets!  That part of the adventure over, we arrived to "Le Cite"....amazing with breathtaking views.  We walked and walked, stared into storefronts full of delectable sweets, perused menus, admired hand made items and marveled at it all as we walked the cobbled streets.  The ramparts protect the village within and then there is the castle.  The village has plenty of shops, a hotel or two and no shortage of places to eat.  We found a cute little place to eat with a hidden garden tucked behind a stone wall entrance and enjoyed the menu of the day.   During the earlier part of the day, we opted to take a tour of the castle and took as many pictures as I could to share.  The tour of the castle is not for everyone, it seemed as if the entire tour was up another set of steps - and not just little steps - steps with huge risers.  Not sure how the people of the Middle Ages (who were shorter than today's average) could climb those stairs, in full armor and/or carrying weapons!  But it was all worth it - the tour was well worth every step!
Should you ever find yourself in SW France, whether visiting by cruise ship, river boat or self-drive boating vacation, Carcassonne should be on your "must see" list.  There is a tremendous amount of history there - not just of military fortifications, but of religious persecution.  (Several years ago I read a really good book about the massacre at Beziers (near Carcassonne) and the Crusade against the Cathars - The Labyrinth by Kate Mosse.  The story line is terrific and goes between 1209 and 2005!)
Well, enjoy the visit to Carcassonne via my video of photos!

Camille

Canal du Midi, France: Self Drive Boating Holiday

On my long list of things to do, was a self drive boating holiday along the Canal du Midi in France.
We talked with our friends about doing this trip for years while we were both living in France.  Fast forward a few years later and one moves to Florida and another to Spain and we finally meet up and make the commitment to book the trip!  So glad we did!!
The Canal du Midi ambles from the Atlantic Ocean through SW France to the area just west of Marseille. The scenery is absolutely beautiful, the ride peaceful and the stops along the way fascinating.  We travelled mid-September from Castelnaudary to Trebes on a 7 day journey.  LeBoat was the boat hire company we used; there were plenty of itineraries to choose from as well as various boat sizes with different cabin configurations.  (Hint: take one with a bow-thruster!)  We had a 4 cabin, 3 bath boat for 2 couples; there was a last minute "upgrade" since the 3 cabin/3 bath boat we had reserved was not available.  The "upgrade" worked out very nicely with plenty of space.  LeBoat does a fine job at reception giving you plenty of information, guidance and a mechanic who goes over the boat's details as well as a quick spin about to get the feel of the boat.  Now the adventure begins.....
There are locks on the Canal du Midi....the elevation from the Atlantic down to the Mediterranean Sea drops; not wanting to "surf"our way down, there are a series of locks along the canal.  We needed two people to handle the lines on our boat, not counting the Captain or our navigator!  Each of the 4 had a job and the navigator was responsible to tell the captain when the next lock was approaching.  There really is no navigating as you are either traveling up or down the canal - but it was nice to have a navigator read the charts!
The first night we anchored out and had no power hookup...we ate by candlelight, under the stars, along a tree lined path and relaxed that we had made out way through our first lock - which was a triple lock!!  It was like a set of stairs as the water level was lowered at the first lock, then we glided into the second lock, water level lowered again and then slipping into the third lock for another water level drop before finally reaching the canal for a slow cruise to anchorage.
The trip was far, far better than expected, the scenery breathtaking and the stops along the way were amazing.  We had a great time with our friends; plenty of laughter, good fun and lots of French wine at the end of each day.
The second stop of our adventure was to Bram; according to our navigator it had water and electrical hookup.  Yeah!  What a delightful surprise!  The docking was easy & affordable but the star of the stop was the  waterfront restaurant "L'Ile aux Oiseaux" - the food was incredible!  The stop was so nice we stayed 2 nights and found our way into town for the weekly market.  It was a real treat, a nice reminder of the markets we frequented while living in France....and our French was okay....at least the vendors understood our orders for macarons, cheese and bread!
We departed in the early hours of the day to reach Carcassonne by mid afternoon.  So much history in Carcassonne and we wanted to be sure to visit the old medieval city rested and ready to walk.
The municipal marina provided us with water, electric and location right in the middle of the "new" town.  First evening we walked the "new" town, found a nice place to eat and walked a bit more before heading back to the boat for a bottle of wine topside. (This is a recurring event....)
I'll write about Carcassonne medieval city in another post.
We ended our trip in Trebes and once again LeBoat was fantastic at reception to finalize the return of the boat to them.  We stayed on board for one night there and enjoyed a great evening meal of tapas at  a delightful bistro "Les Vignes de Bacchus"; it was a wonderful way to finish what was a great, great trip along the Canal du Midi.
AuRevior, Adios....and enjoy the short but delightful video!
PS - Aside from France, there are other countries where LeBoat (Leboat.com)offers boating holidays.

Cochem, Germany....and the Mosel River

Every once in a while, I like to step back into a quieter time, enjoy a calmer pace and breathe fresh mountain air while taking in scenic river views.  Such was my last travel escape to Cochem, Germany.

Cochem is located on the Moselle River about 2 hours south of Cologne. (http://www.ferienland-cochem.de/nextshopcms/show.asp?lang=en&e1=52)  It is a charming town, with plenty of hotels, restaurants, river boats for day and/or evening cruising and slowly becoming a popular stop for river cruises. I noticed UniWorld River Cruise and Viking River Cruise ships docked there.  It's a great location for these extended cruises: the ship docks avery short distance to the village.  Of course, the Reichburg (or Cochem) Castle is a favorite tour for so many that visit, myself included.  But, what is most famous on the Moselle River (aside from the most quaint of towns and villages) is the wine.  Yes, the wine.  Not the stereotype wine I remember when I was first introduced to wine.  The wine culture here is top notch with a selection of red and white wines for every taste.  And because of the abundance of berries and fruits, there are flavored liqueurs to add a little panache to a sparkling or white wine.  I can assure you, that little extra zing of flavor in a glass of sparkling wine will make you smile!

I stayed at the Hieronimi Hotel (http://www.hotel-hieronimi.de/english/) a family run hotel with fantastic restaurant.  Breakfast was included in the room rate, in-room wi-fi was free as was the parking.  However, there is no elevator/lift....my room on the attic floor was absolutely charming, spacious and offered panoramic views from the wall of windows....however, it was 55 steps up!  I got a good work out to offset the wonderful breakfast served every morning.  The hotel is impeccable.  In addition to rooms and dining, the hotel offers wine tastings!  While I did not do the wine tasting at the hotel, I did sample some wine at the wine cellar the family owns and operates on the other side of the bridge.  The "cave" is truly a cave!  I was there several years ago and sampled so many wines, the trunk of the car was laden with wines - and I still have some today!  Really lovely wines....

The Moselle River is dotted with beautiful towns and villages on its banks.  With so many river boats offering day (or evening) cruises, how could I not?  I took a day trip down to Beilstein (http://www.beilstein-mosel.de/englisch/) and what a charming storybook village, complete with castle ruin.  Sitting down to a light lunch overlooking the river was the perfect way to relax....and the several flutes of Kir Moselle (sparkling wine with a dash of sour cherry liqueur) were the best medicine for whatever could have ailed me! ...ahhhh....

There was another day trip to Trier, Germany (http://www.trier-info.de/english/sights-in-trier).  About an hour's drive from Cochem, Trier was founded by the Romans in 16BC.  I enjoyed walking through the old town, staring into windows of the butcher shop (so many sausages!), and the farmer's market was just about closing down but not before I eyed bunches of the most beautiful grapes ever and only 2.50 euros (about $2.80) for just over a pound of them!  Lunch beckoned and it was a celebratory lunch for a friend at The Brasserie (http://www.brasserie-trier.de).  While the delicious meal was perfectly prepared and presented it was the dessert that I was most curious about: the World's Best Chocolate Pudding.  Now that's a bold statement...and it delivered!  Dark chocolate pudding with sour cherries at the bottom....O-M-G it was delicious.  And for me, they can make that claim until someone else makes a better one!  I did manage to see the Roman Gate (Porta Nigra) and it was impressive.  There are several other historical sites and plenty of museums in Trier, so it may require another visit in the future.

After several days of relaxing, dining and wining it was time to head home....here's a video of my visit to the Moselle River - hope you can make a similar visit someday soon!

Happy Travels,
Camille

Granda, Spain - The Alhambra

Sadly, it was a short one night stay in Granada but what a visit!  Beyond words, a visit to The Alhambra has to be on any traveler's list of "must-see".  The complex (yes, it's complex) was started in 899 as fortress, then abandoned and in the 13 century reconstruction began and in 1333 it became a royal palace for the Sultan of Granada.  After the Spanish Inquisition, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand received Christopher Columbus at the (Alhambra) Palace and endorsed his expedition.
That bit of history aside (there's lots of history there, but for you to read another time), the magic of The Alhambra is in the gardens and, of course, the palace.  I put together a short video of our visit there - and I will say, that photos do not do it justice.  You have to see it for yourself...

When you decide to visit Granada, specifically The Alhambra, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Tickets must be purchased on line, well in advance.  (http://www.alhambra-patronato.es/index.php/Home/1472+M5ba3513c9aa/0/) Admission to the grounds and palace are limited, there are a few types of ticket purchased, and the session can be for a morning (8a-2p) or afternoon (2p-8p).  We went the first week of June (2016) and it was h-o-t.  For my return visit, I would like to go anytime between April and mid May.
I did find a very convenient hotel (Alixares Hotel http://www.hotelalixares.com/en/).  The hotel offered a reduced rate at the parking lot (P2) for The Alhambra. The hotel and the parking lot (P2) were at the entrance to The Alhambra.  The rooms were simple, very very clean and quite reasonable for location.  The staff was helpful, restaurant offered a nice menu and the lobby bar was a perfect place to sit and sip while recounting the day's amazing tour.

Now, grab your sangria, put up your feet and enjoy an idyllic tour of The Alhambra, courtesy of me!

Sunny Southern Spain!

Spain, with it's miles of coastline boasts shores on both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.  Along the "Costa Calida", on the Mediterranean Sea, the Calblanque National Park offers almost 6,000 acres of pristine beaches, hidden swimming and diving coves, hiking and biking trails as well as salt flats complete with flamingos!  The mountains, part arid, part evergreen, offer dramatic landscapes as sheer cliffs drop to the sea below.  There are long stretches of sandy beach as well as secluded coves. These coves, called "calas", can be sandy while others are rocky and the crystal clear waters provide an amazing view of mother nature's rock formations below the water's surface.  The park has no services but surprisingly offers a section with shaded parking!  Remember to pack a lunch, bring your blanket and umbrella  - then you'll be ready to sit back and watch (and listen) as the surf gently rolls in.

Cabo de Palos 

The town of Cabo de Palos sits at the edge of the Calblanque National Park and is known among other things, for diving.  The protected marine reserve is located between the Cabo de Palos light house and Isla Hormigas.  On any given day, several dive boats carry divers and snorkelers to explore the mystical, colorful world that lies below.  Of course, after a day at sea, whether diving, snorkeling or swimming, a good meal and a refreshing "cerveza" (beer) awaits at any one of the many restaurants, cafes or pubs that circle the fishing boat marina.  The marina is filled with working boats that belong to the local fisherman - the catch of the day is always fresh!

Chiringuito - Faro/Cabo de Palos

For those that prefer the land side of activities, there is a easy but absolutely beautiful walk from the fishing marina to the lighthouse and back.  The treat upon arrival to the lighthouse is the "chiringuito" - a beach bar.  So while not exactly on the beach, beachgoers can walk up for a chilled glass of wine, cold bottle of beer or ice cold water.  Food is minimal at best, although some larger ones do offer a menu. Fast, friendly and affordable - and we're taking on the challenge to visit as many "chiringuitos" as we can find!



Whether a day trip or short stay along the Costa Calida of Spain, a visit to the Calblaque National Park and Cabo de Palos should be on anyone's list of "to-do"!  The Spanish people are kind, warm and friendly.  Spanish food is delicious and fresh produce abounds.  Sangrias, "cervezas" and vinos are refreshing and the tapas are the tastiest - and prices won't break any budgets!!  All the more reason to put Spain on your travel radar today!

Spanish Wines - Ole'

Since spending time in Spain, one tends to do as the locals do and sip a glass of wine and watch the world go by....just like in France.  But what to drink?

Being new arrivals to Spain, the need to explore the the wines seems like an important task - because it is!  The only Spanish wines I knew were Freixenet Cava (sparking wine) and Rioja wines, from the NE section Spain.  However, Spain is large country and many areas produce wine:
Jerez (sherry), Rioja, Ribera de Duero, Jumilla and Rueda just some of the regions I've sampled so far.  With more than 70 wine producing regions, there's a whole lot of sampling that still needs to be done!

Rioja Wine - Some of these vines came from Bordeaux region of France (read the label on a bottle of Rioja wine from wine maker Marques de Riscal).  The Rioja wines are an excellent alternative to Bordeaux wines.  These are full bodied red wines and I absolutely love them!
Try:
Marques de Caceres, Campo Viejo, Juan Gil and Ramon Bilbao - all under $20 a bottle
For something I thought was a little lighter, I enjoyed the Marques de Riscal Proximo.

But red wine isn't the only wine made in the Rioja.   The region produces beautiful white Rioja wines, too.  Well worth trying these dry wines; served chilled, it is perfect for enjoying alone or with a meal.

And Rioja isn't the only region to make whites!  Countless other wine regions throughout Spain make delicious whites.  For example, the Verdejo grape from the Rueda region makes a great refreshing, dry white.  I rather much enjoy the whites from Rueda! Again, the cost for these are very easy on the wallet and very tasty on the palate!

Of course, many of us know the sparkling wine (Cava) Freixenet.  This winemaker makes several varieties of the "fizz" and they just keep getting better and better! There's Cordon Negro (Brut=dry),
Cordon Negro Rose' and Carta Nevada (Brut)....great sparkling wines to celebrate anything and everything!

Wines in Spain are rated as follows:
Classification:
DO covers about 70 regions
DOC only the two regions of Rioja and Priorat

Aging:
Vina de Mesa (table wine) and Vino de la Tierra (country wine)
Crianza - aged minimum of 2 years (with a minimum of 1 year in oak barrel)
Reserva - aged minimum of 3 years (with a minimum of 1 year in oak barrel)
Gran Reserva - aged 2 years in oak and 3 years in the bottle
Try:
The Campo Viejo Gran Reserva is about $22 a bottle
Muga Especial Reserva is about $35

Take a trip down the Spanish wine aisle of your local wine shop.  Our "Total Wine" shop carries a great selection of Spanish wines, so it makes it real easy to try new varieties and enjoy a lazy afternoon!  Hope you have the chance to try some of the suggestions!

Enjoy!

Woodstock.....not USA but UK!

During the summer I had the pleasure of meeting up with our mates in England.  Each year, our "hosts" pick a place for us to visit.  This year it was Oxford and the University of Oxford with an overnight at a B&B in Woodstock.

We started with our visit to Oxford - the University is the town!  It was mid-August and it was filled with thousands of students arriving before the fall semester.  The student population was very international - it was so cool to see all the different nationalities and hear all the different languages.  Their energy filled the streets as they went from bookstores and shops to cafes and fast food eateries.

As we entered various colleges and campuses, the history was amazing.  Oxford is the oldest university in the English speaking world and the second-oldest surviving university in the world!  (http://www.ox.ac.uk)  We walked through one particular lecture hall that reminded me of Harry Potter.

There is so much history there; the architecture is magnificent and over the centuries these buildings have seen more students that one can imagine and the alumni list is formidable.  The lawns, meticulously cared for, have these majestic trees offering shade for students: some sit with friends, others enjoy an afternoon snack while some are taking in a few minutes of quiet rest.

We walked and walked, turning down cobble-stone streets, narrow little lanes and passed along a waterway where a many were enjoying a day of punting. (http://www.oxfordpunting.co.uk)

Afterwards, we headed back for the short, but lovely, drive to Woodstock.  We arrived to our B&B, "The TownHouse" (http://www.woodstock-townhouse.com).  It was charming, spotlessly clean and the most gracious of hosts.  After a short rest and freshening up, we went to our friends room for a bottle of "fizz" (sparkling wine) as a start to the evening.  After that refreshing "fizz" we headed out to walk around tiny, but charming, Woodstock in search of a place for the evening meal.  We peered into windows, walked into adorable courtyards filled with colorful flowers, scanned posted menus all in search of dinner.  We took a turn onto a lane, and as it curved around, it seemed a bit quiet with all but one little restaurant that stood out: The Kings Head.  We looked at the menu, "looks good", checked out the bar, "seems busy", and figured we'll stop here and have a little glass of wine and decide where to eat.  Well, The Kings Head is a local place and one by one, the locals came over to say we had made a great choice for a meal.  Hmmmm, we hadn't decided yet..... But as our glasses went empty, and the place became busier at both bar and dining room, we thought we hit upon a good place!  And it was!  We had an incredible meal with great service and a very gracious host.

Next morning, our B&B hosts awaited our arrival to the table where a full English breakfast was cooked to order right in front of us!  They were a charming couple and it is no wonder that they had a full house!  They run an exceptionally nice B&B; much success to them.

After that hearty breakfast, we did a second visit to Oxford to visit the (free, but donations accepted) Ashmolean Museum (http://www.ashmolean.org).  We spent a few hours going through the various collections; well worth the visit.  Afterwards, we headed back to the car for a drive back to our friends' home.  We had an incredible time...check out the short video:

Hope you enjoyed this short visit!  Until next post, happy travels!

"Madeline" Banana Bread

 I'm looking at all my bakeware and thinking it's the new year and want to make some changes....  Not wanting to give anything up, I decided a little bit of something sweet will satisfy the craving and dampen the urge to binge if I deprive myself.  Little "sweets" would do the job....but even mini-loaves could be too tempting; I need better portion control.  Enter the madeline pan*!  These delightful little molds will make the perfect little taste of sweetness I tend to crave after dinner.

I decided on a banana bread because I had 6 baby bananas that had started to ripen, black spots and all.

A quick survey of the pantry and found all that I needed: flour, light brown sugar, white sugar, salt, baking soda, butter, cinnamon, eggs and vanilla extract.  I was feeling a little lazy and didn't want to use the mixer, so I did it by hand.  You'll need two big bowls, two soup bowls, whisk and spatula.

Here is my recipe:

Preheat oven 350 degrees 

Butter/grease madeline molds

Mix together in a bowl and set aside:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2-3 large ripe bananas (I used the six little ones I had), mashed in a shallow/soup bowl and set aside

In a large bowl:

2 eggs - beat/whisk

THEN ADD IN and vigorously whisk:

1/2 cup salted butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed!)

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Now, add in the mashed bananas

Whisk, whisk, whisk

Finally, add in the dry ingredients and using a spatula, blend, blend, blend!

Drop a rounded (not overly heaping) Tablespoon of batter into each mold.

Bake mid-oven, 25-30 minutes.

When done, remove from mold and cool on wire rack.

When cooled, place the golden colored madelines into a freezer bag and freeze.

When I am ready to have a little sweet after dinner, I remove one from freezer and let it defrost a few minutes - for me, a perfect little dessert!

Filling the madeline molds
* I bought mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond

Tiny madeline banana breads ready for the freezer
I cut one in half and you can see the delicious dark "bread"