Fall Ramble

Seems like every fall we take a car trip. This year was no exception. We are just back from 10-day, 1700-mile rambling circuit that took us to Charlottesville, VA; Cape Charles, VA (Eastern Shore); Mt. Cuba Center, DE; Philadelphia, PA (Fishtown); Brooklyn, NY; Pittsburgh, PA, Cincinnati, OH. You might wonder how we came up with our itinerary, and for that, full credit goes to Ed. He has an uncanny ability to find interesting places -- many off the beaten path -- for us to visit. It’s one of his (many) super powers. Here's how it usually works: 

Ed says: "Let's take a trip this fall." And I say: "Great, what do you have in mind?" He then proceeds to outline a trip he has (evidently) been contemplating for some time -- mostly to places I've never given much thought to. 

In this case, he proposed that we head east to Charlottesville, and visit Charlie and Nancy, a law school friend and his wife with whom we had recently reconnected in Brooklyn. From there, he suggested our route would take us south to Norfolk and then up the Eastern Shore of Virginia, which is separated from the mainland by the Chesapeake Bay. He thought Cape Charles, a small town on the bay looked "interesting." To appease me, he then proposed that we stop at Mt. Cuba Center, a botanic garden that I had wished for a long time to visit. From there, he wanted to visit Fishtown, a neighborhood in Philadelphia known for it artistic community, eclectic businesses, and delightful restaurants. Our northern-most destination was a no-brainer: Brooklyn to visit with Mary, Brian and 21-month old Roscoe!

On the way home, he put forward stops in the Ironbound neighborhood of Newark, NJ to check out "Little Portugal" for breakfast and "The Strip District" in Pittsburgh for dinner. So that was our plan, and it worked out wonderfully. Here are the highlights from each stop.

Charlottesville, VA

Stayed with our friends: Nancy and Charlie

Our friends live on a beautiful farm and raise Longhorn cattle. 

Charlie and Ed catching up on 55+ years of friendship.

Nancy took us on a tour of The Grounds at UVA.

While in Charlottesville, we sat in on a law school class taught by Charlie
and enjoyed Nancy's spectacular gardens.

Stops along the way to Cape Charles, VA

Berkeley Plantation,
birthplace of William Henry Harrison

Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

Cape Charles, VA

Stayed at the Hotel Cape Charles; dinner at The Shanty.

Mt. Cuba Center

Stayed at the Inn at Montchanin Village

 

Three miles of trails with native flora to explore

Mt. Cuba is known for its plant research and trails.

Native plantings surround the historic

Philadelphia, PA (Fishtown)

Stayed at Lokal Hotel Fishtown 

Before dinner beer at Frankford Hall beer garden

Delightful Lebanese dinner at Suraya 

La Colombe: Incredible coffee shop in Fishtown

Best pizza at Pizzeria Beddia; followed by soft-serve espresso ice cream

Took the train to Independence Hall and (sort of) saw the Liberty Bell

Reading Terminal Market. To his delight, Ed found Turkish Delights.

Red Hook, Brooklyn (with an afternoon trip into Manhattan)

Stayed at Red Hook Lodge

Lovely dinner at Café Kestrel in Red Hook

Brunch with our friends: Doreen and Lew

MoMa retrospective of Ruth Asawa, also stop at Strand Books.

Brunch with the kids: Charlie and Roscoe

A lap full

A morning in the park with Roscoe

Hi from the High Line 

A sandwich to go from Defonte's 

So hard to say "goodbye."

Newark, NJ

Little Portugal

First stop: Lisbon Wine and Liquors for long-sought-after Portuguese brandy

Second Stop: Pao Da Terra

Late breakfast of pasteis de nata

Pittsburgh, PA

Stayed at the Marriott AC Hotel in Strip District

Best dinner yet at Bar Marco

Bar Marco: still dreaming of that dinner

Cincinnati, OH

one last (unplanned) stop: Jungle Jim's International Market

Just wanted to see it. 

Farm Dover, KY

Home. Sweet. Home.