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Bus Trip to Longwood Gardens and Philadelphia Flower Show 2015

3/9/2015

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To break up the monotony of what seemed like a never-ending winter in Central New York, the first weekend in March, we enjoyed a Spring adventure to Longwood Gardens and the Philadelphia Flower Show.  Our quick 2-day getaway would not have been possible without the efforts of Lisa and Tim of Ballantyne Gardens, who have been taking friends on this bus trip for the past 13 years.
Beginning at 7am on Saturday morning, Lucia and I, along with my Mom and David (who have been on this bus trip several times in the past), grabbed a seat on the charter bus with about 30 others.
Our first stop was to Bingham’s Restaurant right off the Lenox exit in Pennsylvania.   A stretch, a drop in the potty (no pun intended) and a really yummy breakfast… homemade bread included.. and it’s back on the bus, but not before placing our order for take-out, which we picked up on Sunday night when we returned here for dinner on the way home. Not being familiar or even knowing what I would be missing, I only ordered one loaf of the cinnamon raisin bread.  Sadly, I will soon learn that I should have ordered 2 or even 3!
Breakfast for 2: $15.00
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When we made it to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, it already felt like Spring.  Just a few hours south and the weather was above freezing, I smelled the aroma of fresh flowers, and I saw color – lots of color! 

Inside the greenhouse areas, the temperatures were warm and I floated from room to room following the cascade of vibrant colors in this plant paradise.  From tropicals to orchids, roses, and even strange looking face figured flowers that I had never seen before, this place picked up my attitude for sure – even though I was so disappointed at the start of this tour, thinking our camera crapped the bed.  Needless to say, our Longwood Garden adventure was all shot with an iPhone 6, and I am not a bit sad about it!

Click any photo for a larger slideshow view... and please don't steal my photos. Thanks.
Our lunch at The Café, located on the grounds, was amazing! In one word – “fresh”.  The mushroom soup comes highly recommended, since this region of Pennsylvania is known for their shroom production.  (The legal kind).  My salad and sandwich was out of this world!  And I wouldn’t balk at the prices, they were typical.  I think I paid even more for not-so-fresh chicken tenders at our local zoo café the last time I visited.
Lunch for 2: $34.00
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Right around the corner from Longwood is The Inn at Mendenhall Hotel.   Lucia and I were both pleased to be staying in “non-chain” accommodations. When we experience new things, we prefer different, unique, or anything out of the ordinary.  Though I do love a Hampton bed, I’ve stayed in hundreds of them, not to mention that there are several right in our own hometown.

The rooms were clean and spacious, staff was friendly, dinner was fabulous, the drinks we had in the cozy bar were the bomb, and breakfast certainly exceeded our expectations.  Certainly couldn’t call that a “continental.”

We lost an hour on Sunday due to the Spring ahead clock situation, which stinks and left us a bit on the tired side today, though it didn’t ruin our fun! 

The Philadelphia Flower Show was simply spectacular! The theme this year was Hollywood movies and the exhibitors out-did themselves! From classic Disney flicks such as Tarzan and Cinderella to the latest favorites like Maleficent and Frozen – the scenery was creatively genius!
After bumping and grinding with hundreds of others at the show, we stepped outside for lunch the Reading Terminal Market and a walk in the heat wave.  40 degrees felt like Hawaii …our February went down in history for the coldest month on record and I believe we also hit record numbers for the most amount of days below zero.  We live in Upstate New York, not Alaska!

Lunch for 2 at the market (Frank’s): $25.00
At about 6pm, our group boarded the bus and headed home.  We made our stop for dinner at Bingham’s, grabbed our pre-ordered fresh homemade items and were back to our own vehicles by around 9:45pm.
For two people who are avid travelers and have become set in our ways after 5 years on the road together, I can say without hesitation that I appreciated someone else taking the wheel.  I was able to sit back and just have a good time without the worry of directions, parking, gas, or even deciding when to stop for food.

Thanks again Lisa and Tim for all your coordination, research, organization, and tour humor!
As always, I have a cost breakdown for those on a budget. Total spent $739.75 for two people.

$15.00 - Saturday breakfast at Bingham's
$34.00 - Saturday Lunch at Longwood Gardens
$39.75 - Saturday night drinks at the bar
$25.00 - Sunday lunch at Frank's (Reading Terminal Market)
$35.00 - Sunday night dinner at Bingham's
$6.00 - Bread to take home from Bingham's

$75.00 - Gifts

$3.00 - Room service tip
$7.00 - Bus driver tip

$500.00 - ($250 per person) Hotel stay, Longwood Gardens admission, Flower Show admission, bus ride, formal dinner on Saturday night, snacks and water on the bus.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE:  The photos above are just a preview of some that we took on this trip. I will quickly be adding them to my inventory of handmade note cards. I make them using the photos from our travels, please take a moment to preview my Etsy store. I would be grateful! 

www.Etsy.com/shop/moodmetals 

SIDE NOTE: For those of you who are skeptical about bus trips and think you can't afford it, think again.  It saves a TON of money!  I did a quick estimate of the comparison price that we paid for the bus trip, without any other expenses.

BUS TRIP:
$500, 2 people:
one room, one night hotel,
bus ride with different stops at many locations
Formal dinner for 2
Admission to Longwood Gardens
Admission to Flower Show
Snacks and water on bus

GOING IT ALONE:
$159.00 plus taxes - one room, one night hotel
$70.00 formal dinner for 2 with gratuity (estimated)
$40.00 admission for 2 to Longwood Gardens
$56.00 admission for 2 to Flower Show
$364.00 round trip bus ticket for 2 from Syracuse, NY to Philadelphia (91.00 per person each way on Grayhound) - and this doesn't even get you to Longwood... only Philly and back.
Doesn't include snacks and water on the bus, nor does it include the memories made on a trip with a bunch of strangers!
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The Distillery Restaurant in Syracuse, NY

2/24/2015

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PictureStella Artois
My friends and I visited The Distillery restaurant in Syracuse, New York during the freezing cold temperatures of February 2015.  I was thrilled that it was warm and a comfortable temperature inside. I had been to this building years ago when it was the Outback Steakhouse restaurant. Not much has changed but the open ceiling layout of The Distillery seemed to make the place bigger and brighter.

Not usually hungry enough to eat an entire burger myself, I opted to share.  Big mistake... Huge! I ordered the Guinness Bacon Swiss Burger, which is basted with the distillery's "G" sauce - KICK ASS SAUCE! No burger will ever be the same. Certainly worth the $10.99 price tag.  The fries were also KICK ASS! We decided on the garlic parm fries and what a good choice! There wasn't a crumb left on that plate.  Thankfully, we also ordered an appetizer to share that we had delivered with our burger. I really wanted to try the deviled eggs because I've never seen them on a menu, but because the ingredients seemed on the 'hot n spicy' side, I figured I would play it safe and go mild with the chicken pot stickers.  They were delicious - crispy on the outside and juicy chicken inside, along with a dipping sauce mainly consisting of soy BUT with a BIG KICK! One lick of it and I was quickly downing my water.

The Moscato I drank was sweet enough to be considered a dessert, but since I only had half a burger, I felt justified in ordering a sweet treat.  The apple crisp was a crumbly hot and cold decadent design of deliciousness! Again, I wish I didn't have to share that one either.

Total price for 3 people - $72.55 - $86 including tip.  Seems a bit pricey for a meal but we did have a full course including drinks and desserts!

Can not wait to return!

http://www.thedistillery.com/

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Dominick's Restaurant Needs New Life

1/17/2015

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In our search for an Italian restaurant that offered steak, Utica Greens and Moscato, we found Dominick's Restaurant on Burnet Ave in Syracuse. Having been here several times in the past, I was sure we wouldn't regret our choice. 

There are pros and cons regarding my review of Dominick's. Sadly, the cons outweigh and with so many great restaurant choices in our area, I don't think we will visit again.

The waitress was awesome! She was attentive, knew the menu and funny to boot!  The Utica Greens included pancetta and were delish! See my review of all Utica Greens in CNY, here.  Also, having Moscato on the menu is always a plus in my book!  The rest of the dinner was not worth the price.  Joe mentioned that his pasta was over cooked, which at an Italian restaurant is a crime!  Lucia ordered the chicken parm, which is an incredibly oversized piece of chicken breast that has been pounded out, covered with too much sauce and a much too thick layer of standard cheese. There was nothing special about this meal or mine, which was an italian trio. Neither of us ate more than 2 bites.

My past memories of visiting Dominick's weren't this bad. Seems this restaurant needs new life. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be "stale."

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Finding The Best Utica Greens in CNY

12/7/2014

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I am thrilled that my taste buds have changed and I am able to add more enjoyable greens to my plate! They say "everything in moderation" but I think if I just ate nothing but veggies, I would be the healthiest person alive. I read on a diet blog that the one thing every weight loss plan has in common is "VEGETABLES".   Well, my new found love of Utica Greens can't be anything but GOOD FOR ME!

I intend to compare the different version of Utica Greens in this blog post by tasting as many as I can from as many different restaurants in the Central New York area that I can get to.  This might take a while!
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Nestico's Restaurant, North Syracuse, NY         5 STARS

I visited in December 2014.  My first taste of Utica Greens and I fell in love! The Nestico's version is made with the escarole that is sautéed with cherry peppers, olive oil, bacon, grated cheese, and bread crumbs.  Appetizer - $9.00



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Dominick's Restaurant, Syracuse, NY     4 STARS

I visited in January 2015.  This version of Utica Greens sells as an appetizer for $7.95.  This version includes pancetta - YUM, which adds really great flavor to the dish. It's a nice size portion as well. Shared between 2 people, we even had enough to take some home.

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Sorrento's Restaurant, North Syracuse, NY     4 STARS

I visited in December 2014.  This version of Utica Greens is called Sauteed Greens Insalaco and sells as an appetizer for $4.95 small or $6.95 large.  This is a meatless dish.  Even with a lack of meat, this dish did not lack in flavor, although if it were my recipe, I may decrease the amount of breadcrumbs just a tad.  Would I order again?  Absolutely!

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Nestico's Restaurant Offers CNY's Best Utica Greens!

12/2/2014

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My neighbor and I visited Nestico's Restaurant in North Syracuse, on a Tuesday night when they offer the 2 for $20 chicken parm dinner special.  Now, I don't know if it was the atmosphere or the company or maybe just the wine but this was one hell of a fantastic meal!

Upon entrance, we were greeted with a smile, which always lifts the spirits.  The quaint, clean restaurant has a cozy warm atmosphere with a fireplace to boot!

My neighbor, who wishes to remain anonymous, ordered us the Utica Greens as an appetizer.  I was excited to try something new (which is my goal these days - to try as many new things as I can), but I had no idea what a treat I had been missing out on all these years.  I know different restaurants have their own take on what us Central New Yorker's call "Utica Greens" but I am so glad I tried them for the first time, here at Nestico's because it was freakin awesome! I could have just eaten that whole bowl for my meal and been completely satisfied.  The escarole is sautéed with cherry peppers, olive oil, bacon, grated cheese, and bread crumbs.  We later learned that this has been one of their most popular dishes in the past couple years.  I asked for the recipe and the kitchen reported back that if they told me, they would have to kill me.  Well, it is an Italian restaurant after all.  I wouldn't expect anything less. 

So, how can I say that Nestico's offers the best Utica Greens when I haven't tried any others?  Because this is my blog and I can write what I want.  And yes, now I am on a mission to try them everywhere!  I will soon report back with some comparisons!

The chicken parm was good and was delivered with penne pasta.  Personally, I prefer angel hair or spaghetti with my chicken, but I wouldn't criticize for that since it's just a personal opinion. After the bread, salad, appetizer and 2 glasses of wine, I was no longer hungry and took most of my dinner home.

Our server was friendly and laughed at my jokes, which is always a plus.  The owner visited our table and we talked about how he prefers to offer a selection of not-so-typical choices of wine - which I appreciate very much. If I wanted "same-old, same-old" I would have visited a chain restaurant.  Tonight was about a local experience, enjoying the company of a friend, and watching the snow fall over a glass of wine, in a warm setting with great Italian food!  What could be better?

http://www.nesticosrestaurant.com

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Why We Chose Olive Garden For Lunch on Veterans Day

11/12/2014

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Every year, the big list comes out. The list that contains all the discounts and freebies available to Veterans on Veterans Day.  This year, we decided to try Olive Garden for lunch since they were offering a free entree for Veterans.  In the past, we have frequented places such as Applebee's, which is one of our favorite restaurants because we don't function well without a regular dose of the chicken won ton tacos.  I wish they'd make an entree out of tacos instead of an appetizer.

Anyway, we were very pleased with our choice of Veterans Day lunch this year, because the portion size was a regular entree that was offered for free to Veterans.  Most restaurants offer a special menu of the items that are free for Veterans, but the portion sizes are small.  Not at Olive Garden! 

Two lunches, unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks WITH alfredo dipping sauce, along with a salted caramel martini for only $24 bucks!  I tried the Tortellini al Forno for the first time and it was freakin fantastic!  Can't wait to have it again!

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2014 NYC/JC Trip Tally

11/11/2014

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Syracuse to Long Island
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Long Island to Jersey City
With business to attend to, we headed out for a quick 48 hour trip.  Thankfully, traffic wasn’t too bad so our travel time from Syracuse, NY to Calverton, Long Island was just under 6 hours. The trip would have been much longer if we stopped for a pee break every couple hours, but thankfully that wasn’t necessary since we left Marshmellow with his grandma for this trip.
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Shelly, Manny & Jose
After our accomplished mission in Long Island, we headed to Jersey City for dinner with friends that we hadn’t seen in over a year.  Sadly, the Brooklyn Bridge was closed this weekend so we had to take the Midtown tunnel but there was certainly no shortage of the best view in America while driving straight through the world’s most inspiring city to get to the other side of the Hudson.

We enjoyed catching up with friends over dinner at More Restaurant, which carries the same owners as SkyThai Restaurant, and was just as I remembered it.  I had been dreaming of chicken pad thai for months!  We stayed with our friends who happen to have the best skyline view of NYC.  Great way to fall asleep and an even better way to wake up!  Our bed sat directly in front of the picture window.
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The view from our suite at NYC-JC www.nyc-jc.com
Before breakfast at the Beechwood Café, we headed to the waterfront for a walk and some photos.  During breakfast, we again enjoyed the company of friends, along with our neighbor who is attending Parsons School in NYC, which we enticed to take a quick path train ride over for breakfast.  It’s great going out of town, only to catch up with your next door neighbor!

Although short, our trip was worth a permanent spot in the memory bank!

Things to be grateful for today:  Friends who stand by you through sickness and health.

Trip Tally: $307.12

$57.14 gas in PA (3.09 per gallon)
$47.30 gas in NJ (2.99 per gallon)
$45.60 gas in NY (2.94 per gallon at Fastrac with member card)

$13.01 Grape juice
$5.39 Dunkin Donuts
$111.00 Breakfast at Beechwood
$9.27 Downtown Yogurt
$14.96 McDonalds for lunch on the way down
$3.45 Dunkin Donuts
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Beechwood Cafe in Jersey City

11/11/2014

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PictureTalon, Jarl, Matt, Shelly, Michael
We visited Beechwood Cafe on a Sunday morning around 9:30 am, just before the mad morning rush of after church breakfast patrons.  It never got too crowded for the six of us who spent an hour catching up.  Lucia and I were in town visiting friends that we hadn't seen in over a year.  Because of the cancer treatments, we hadn't done our usual amount of traveling, which always included a trip to Jersey City/NYC.  It felt great to be back!

This wasn't our first trip to Beechwood, only this time we didn't get the fabulous cupcakes to go like we did last time.  Even if you are stopping in for breakfast, the cupcakes are highly recommended!

Breakfast was great and the company we enjoyed was priceless.  One of my best friends, Jarl, will be the first one to say that maintaining friendships is one of the most valued assets of life.

Breakfast for 6 of us was $111.00, including tip.

Click here to find out what the entire trip cost.

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duBois Beach in Stonington, CT

10/29/2014

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In March of 2012 (BC), Lucia and I followed a car full of crazy people to Connecticut for 3 days of fun, but not fun in the sun because it was March and there is no sun in the northeast at this time of year.  The crazy people were my mom, step dad, aunt and uncle.  We had a blast making faces at each other from car to car on the drive and we stayed in a cheap motel with connecting rooms so the pranks were many!  My Aunt Wendy is a jokster and can make anyone laugh at just about anything! 

One of our quick stops was to see the beach...  and let me tell you, it was quick!


duBois Beach

265' of beach front on the Long Island Sound
Private beach
Stonington, CT (near Mystic)

Known as one of New Englands most scenic and secluded, quieter, coastal beaches, with the simple pleasures of warm sand, salty breezes and gentle ocean waves, duBois Beach  is located in the historic village of Stonington Borough on Connecticut's southeastern shore. 

The beach is open to borough residents and members of the Stonington Community Center. Day passes can be obtained from the Stonington Community Center.

We recommend visiting during the summer months, when the wind isn't so brutal.

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Me, Aunt Wendy, Mom
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I Wish We Had A Drive Thru Convenient Store

10/29/2014

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Lazy?  In a hurry?  Alcoholic?  I'm curious to know the 'real' reason why drive-thru convenience stores were invented.  I have a sneaky suspicion that alcohol is the first and foremost item on the store manager's inventory checklist.  With names such as Brew Thru and Beer Barn, it makes me wonder...

I found this interesting website that highlights photos of drive-thru stores throughout America... http://www.beerbarns.com/

I was 18 years old when I had my first experience with a drive-thru store.  I was visiting friends in unknown territory in Chillicothe, Ohio.  I was driving and the passenger was a native of Ohio.  We had driven up from Virginia Beach.  While driving down a main street, I was told to turn right.  Right into a building!  I hesitated, put my foot on the brake, and said "do you think I'm a freakin' idiot?  I'm not driving straight through that building!"  Needless to say, it took quite a bit more convincing but I eventually drove through.

In 2012 (BC-before cancer), Lucia and I visited Warren, Ohio to attend a friend's wedding and the faint memories of my drive-thru experience came rushing back as we drove past them.
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I prefer not to be defined by cancer, but my life has certainly changed because of it.
Today, the simplicity of life and small moments of joy is what drives me.
Thanks for following my journey!