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We are huge street food fans so you can imagine our delight at finding food carts lining the Arawak Kay beach on the first day of our recent island vacation. The food truck scene in our hometown of Columbus, Ohio is more varied and delicious but will never match the Bahamas view!
1. grouper snack 2. colorful shrimp shack 3. peanut man 4. beached sailboat
This post is an entry in a contest for a ticket to Eat Write Retreat sponsored by Feastie.
On our trip to San Salvador Island, we stayed at Coconut Cottage which indeed was home to several coconut trees. Not being the kind of people to shy away from a free food source, Alex and Lil collected several big heavy coconuts and commenced to opening.
They instantly discovered that opening a coconut is a tricky thing. Like a twenty-something that refuses to leave her parent's home, the sweet meat clings to its shell. Two shells, actually.
The outer husk is smooth and thick. Lil beat on it with a length of beach combed bamboo to no avail. Alex tried a rock, then a screwdriver, then the corner of the cement patio, and his knife. 
I admit that watching the two of them working at this task over thirty minutes was a bit like watching a pair of monkeys discovering tools. The husk eventually splintered into packed fibrous sections.
Under the husk is the hard dense inner shell. The meat grows attached to this shell but if one shatters it with a hard blow, the nutritious coconut water would be lost. Instead, Alex drove a screw driver through one of the eyes with a hammer.
The resulting water is alluring - sweet, warm, and slightly salty from uptaking ocean water. Proponents herald coconut water as a natural electrolyte replacement. We enjoyed it with lime and rum in a perfect vacation cocktail.
With a few smashes from the hammer and rock, Lil and Alex broke into the shell to reveal bright white meat. (Also the sun came out. Ever changing light makes for challenging photography!)
Fresh coconut meat is juicy, sweet, and filling. It clings ever-tight to the shell. We used our teeth as rasps to shave off the meat and then tried a strong knife to pry off bigger pieces. At the suggestion of Internet guides, we froze some and baked it - the latter proving much more successful at loosening the goodstuff from the shell.
"Coconut isn't what you think it is. It's not just a brown shell. It has food inside that's white that's called coconut meat and some juice inside that's called coconut water. The brown coconut lives in a green big shell that's actually made out of wood. And coconuts grow on trees. Not any kind of trees, palm tree."
A coconut tree has more to give than just fruit. The palm fronds are dense, thick material just waiting to be transformed.
Alex's mother Deb, a fiber artist, did not hesitate to collect and start working with them. She first wove with full fronds.
A basket weaver happened to be in town the next day and revealed that Bahamian women typically split the fronds in half and remove the central pin-like fiber before weaving. This allows the fiber to lay flat and be more easily manipulated.
Incorporating this small change, Deb and Lil created several placemats. We dried them outside to be sure that any insects who might be inhabiting them wouldn't take over the house. Stowed in checked luggage, customs officials allowed us to transport them home.
One afternoon, Deb and I worked for nearly an hour to weave two small funky baskets. Souvenir baskets, like the one Lil bought, are constructed of woven fiber fabric.
Fresh coconuts rock. We are thrilled to have enjoyed them on vacation.
NB. The latest National Geographic Magazine reveals that we can mail coconuts, package free! We are totally doing this on our next tropical vacation!
Contrary to what you might think given the pictures, this post was not sponsored by Mechanix Gloves
We are home from a truly relaxing vacation to San Salvador Bahamas. Before I delve into some of our DIY undertakings, I offer this overview of the island lifestyle, vacation rental Coconut Cottage, groceries and restaurants, and day to day realities of a remote island.
San Salvador is a remote island in the Bahamas chain. It is one of the Eastern-most Caribbean islands and therefore a likely landing point of Christopher Columbus. The island is surrounded by teal blue oceans with reefs. Inland are dozens of freshwater lakes and prickly scrub flora.
A single road rings around San Sal. It is well maintained in some areas and full of holes in others. A former British colony, Bahamians follow European driving habits like motoring on the left side of the road. Visitors can find gas at a station near Cockburn (pronounced Co-burn) Town or the marina.
All purchases must be made with cash of either the US or Bahamas variety. The single island bank will allow credit card advances; we didn't inquire as to the usury rates they likely charge.
The people of San Salvador are largely descendants of slaves who used to work the island under British rule. They are friendly, handy, and operate on 'island time'. Everything is very casual - the driving rules of the road, street signs (almost none!), store hours, and style of dress are all flexible. It takes a certain amount of patience and persistence to operate on San Salvador as an outsider.
My introduction to San Salvador was at the Gerace Research Station, a former Naval research station, complete with dorm style rooms and a cafeteria. To bring our family to the island, we had to find a vacation rental.
Our choices were very limited. Riding Rock Resort looks great but has no kitchens and we didn't want to rely on restaurant food all the time. We selected Coconut Cottage from VRBO (we've experienced many great houses from VRBO) because it was the only rental that fit our size and requirements for a kitchen and car. On the island, we found Sands Residence Hotel offering single bedroom suites with kitchenette and daily maid service which could be a good fit for some families.
Coconut Cottage owners Sharon and Wayne met us at the airport to transport us to the house. They gave us a short tour around the island including locating the other house they are building which served as a base camp for snorkelling one day. They are very friendly and casual, answering our questions patiently.
The house includes three bedrooms, two baths, a living area, and kitchen/dining area. The master bedroom is spacious and features an attached bathroom. The other two bedrooms and bath are down a short hall. These rooms received a lot of morning light and with no shades that blocked the sun, we were up early!
The kitchen is a bit difficult to use with four adult cooks. The electric glass top range is something none of us are used to but we figured out after a few days how to make it work for our off/on style of cooking. The sharp kitchen knife we brought was imminently useful. The only cutting board in the kitchen was a glass one which none of us could abide. We ended up buying a plastic placemat at the home store (a plastic cutting board was $25!) and using that to chop vegetables. Note to self: bring cutting board on vacation.
The dining table sat four. We added an outdoor chair to expand the seating for our group of five but it was a little tight. The house is advertised to sleep 2-8 but I could never see eight adults fitting comfortably in the living areas. Even four adults and two children would be snug.
The beach is a short walk beyond the back door. Above, Lil runs through the sticker bushes (shoes must be worn on the walk) to the water visible just down the hill.
During the heat of the midday and at dusk when the no-see-ums come out, we typically stayed inside the house and made use of the air conditioners and fans. There is precious little shade at Coconut Cottage, though the young palm trees may eventually grow tall enough to provide cool spots.
The back porch and outdoor shower are my favorite features of the home. In the mornings before our outing for the day, I would frequently read on the porch. And I didn't take a single shower inside, instead rinsing off after every dip in the ocean in the outdoor hot water shower.
My greatest concern coming into the vacation was food. Eating is my favorite thing; I always want to know where my next good meal is coming from.
Naturally, we visited grocery stores first thing on our first day. Fortunately the supply boat had just come in the day before and selection was decent. We had our choice of cabbage, iceburg lettuce, peppers, huge carrots, onions, potatoes, and garlic for vegetables. Cheese was either orange (unlabelled, a mild cheddar?) ($4/pound) or shredded mozzarella ($4/8 ounces). Oranges, grapefruit, pears, bananas, and plantains were the fruits available. As the week progressed, fewer fresh items were left from an already weak selection.
Margarine seemed to be the island standard. We prefer butter and purchased the only kind available, Kerrygold, at $3/half pound.
There was no fresh meat or fish shop. Frozen meat at the groceries was again unlabelled, resulting in a mixed up meal of lamb braise and ham steaks one night. We mixed canned tuna ($1.50/4 ounce tin) into salad for lunches. Alex's parents talked to a local at the marina who promised delivery of conch meat one night but it never appeared. Fortunately we were able to enjoy fish three times from Alex's catch.
Milk is the shelf stable boxed kind, priced at $3.50/liter. Lil was disappointed she didn't have 'good milk' (i.e. Snowville Creamery) but drank down the boxed milk when I made chocolate syrup to go in it. We drank fruit in the form of rum punches from canned and bottled juices.
Both grocery stores are located in Cockburn town and carry a decent variety of processed food like snack chips ($3/bag), stuffing mix, ice cream ($5/pint Breyers), etc. Nuts are outrageously expensive, so pack your own if you like to snack on those. One store offers local homemade bread but we were never there are the right time to buy any. Flour was more expensive ($2/pound) than buying bread ($2.50/loaf), so we did without making our own.
Foragers can supplement the grocery store offerings with fresh coconuts, sea salt, and speared fish. We'll write more about what we made soon.
Liquor is only sold at the Duty Free store across from the airport and bars. When we shopped, rum ($16.50/bottle) and tequilla ($20) were the only choices. Wine was $14/bottle for bottom shelf quality so we skipped it. Kalik, Heineken, and Guiness Export are the three beers available for $4/bottle.
We dined at Paradis restaurant twice. They offer a different menu every night, told to customers in person only. (I assume that paper is a valuable commodity.) They offer classic Bahamas fare like cracked conch (fried pieces of smashed conch meat strips), snapper (fried lightly), pork chops, lamb chops, and barbequed chicken. Sides were unexciting fries, coleslaw, beets (cold from a can), salad, rice, or rice and pigeon peas. Meals were $10-14. We enjoyed the lightly spiced and perfectly cooked entrees and portions were big enough to take leftovers home.
Most days our time was spent relaxing and enjoying nature. After hitting up a snorkelling spot one day, we stopped at the monument circle just south of Cockburn town. Lil climbed on the carved rotunda commemorating the passing of the torch from the Mexico Olympics. We briefly looked at the cross memorializing Columbus' landing and Bahamian flags before a quick rain spell ended our visit.
Watling's Castle is the oldest of the many abandoned buildings on the island. After visiting the mangrove swamps, we searched for the castle ruins. We finally climbed the rocky hill after a half hour of searching down unmarked side roads. (For future travellers, look for the third road after the power lines stop when travelling south past Sugarloaf Settlement.)
The Castle was guarded by a kestrel who kept his or her eye on us the entire time we climbed, posed for pictures, and watched lizards. A mid-18th century home with slave quarters and an outdoor kitchen, the ruins are now covered with thorny briars and scrubby bushes. The hill-top location offers stunning views of French Bay.
As there are few cultural experiences, no museums, and little else to do, the best reason to vacation on San Salvador is to explore the wildlife. Fortunately, the natural spaces are mostly untouched by humans and the variety of species is fantastic.
Inland lakes are migration stop overs for water birds. We saw a flock of threatened White-Faced Pintail ducks one day, pictured above. The Bahamian Mockingbird is like a louder version of ours found all over the island. Kestrels are the main predator, scanning the land for mammals and lizards from the power lines. A Caribbean race of Osprey hunts the waters. Being tropical, there are some colorful little birds that Americans will delight in spotting. We added several little birds to our life list including the Bananaquit and Mangrove Vireo.
The waters are paradise for snorkellers and divers. An old dock that is now falling into the water provided our favorite snorkelling habitat in Graham's Harbor. The small reefs and grass beds along 'our' side of the island near Bonefish Bay contained lots of fun fish and corals. Alex spear fished in waters all over the north western side of the island and will report on that experience in a few days.
Beaches are rarely used by the natives. With so few vacationers, we saw no other swimmers on the beaches when we were there.
A drive to the south of the island is worth the poor roads near Sugarloaf settlement for Watling's Castle and the mangrove swamps along Pigeon Creek. At low tide, one can step gently onto the sandy mangrove roots and see the fish nurseries hiding amid the shallow pools. The mangroves also house land snails, rare birds, and lizards. There are no services and little shade on the southern half of the island; pack snacks and water to combat the heat.
Lil enjoyed tidal pools along Long Bay on the West side and Dim Bay on the East side. The pools house crabs, snails, anemones, washed glass, and shells perfect for collecting.
Our trip to San Salvador left me more relaxed than any other vacation. With little interaction with other people or interruptions from phone and internet (service was spotty at best), we fell into an easy routine of a single nature outing a day, rest in the afternoons, and a family meal in the evening.
Vacationing on a remote island isn't for everyone, however. You can't plan much ahead of time, nor count on supplies on the island. Dining and nightlife are minimal. Daily activities may be limited by rain showers or heat. Unless you like observing wildlife a lot (we do!) another Caribbean island might be a better choice.
We loved having the chance to show Lil untouched natural spaces like the mangrove swamps and coral reefs. I am happy that my birding life list grew by five. Alex was thrilled to practice spear fishing and cook fish he never tasted before. We created many things with the natural items on the island. Most of all, we are thankful that San Sal deepened and enriched our family memory file.
By the time you read this, we'll be flying to San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.
San Sal or Watling's Island is a 36 square mile karst island in the Caribbean. It is a relatively remote place. Other than an exclusive Club Med resort, there are very few tourist spots beyond the miles of beach.
I went to San Salvador Island on a research trip with the Earth Sciences department at the Ohio State University in 2002. We snorkelled, hiked, and observed nature. I hope that this return visit will be as relaxing and beautiful.
We are a little nervous about finding good food. There are only a few restaurants and little information about grocery stores. Alex bought a (six foot long, barbed) fish spear to try his hand at catching some of the local seafood. I will, of course, document what he catches (or how he hurts himself) and what we cook so that others who might plan a vacation have more info than I did.
As Internet connectively will likely be lax, I've set up a vacation from my writing for you in the form of a totally new voice. My dad Mitch has compose a three part story that will hopefully entertain you. They will definitely illuminate the roots of my passion for writing and serial DIY projects.
Have a wonderful weekend! See you in early March!
Just a week after visiting Cleveland, we hit the road again for two nights in Cincinnati.
Our trip last Friday - Sunday was motivated by my participation in the 5B Conference and Cincy Winter Beer Fest. In between drinking and talking about blogging, we visited Terry's Turf Club, the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History & Science, the Cincinnati Art Museum, Senate Pub, and Findlay Market.
The Restaurant Widow (RIP and may Lisa write again soon!) has a thorough review of the burgers at Terry's. I want to add some footnotes on the experience beyond the food.
The decor at Terry's is an expertly curated array of sign memorabilia from the last 100 years. Much of the neon, posters, and signs are of local Midwestern brands. Three classic Bevador beer coolers chill a great selection of craft brews. There is no better way to distract your dining partners from the delicious meat juice dripping down your arm than to point at one of the thousand neato things on the wall.
Staff at Terry's also gets major props for providing first class diner service. They are welcoming without being overbearing, quick without rushing, and a tight knit group. Turnover is obviously very low as we've seen the same people working each time we go and we overheard a waitress say they don't even accept applications because openings are so rare.
Go for the burgers, go for the museum-quality memorabilia, go for the service - just go!
The Cincy Museum Center first wows you with its amazing location. On a hill overlooking a valley in one direction and city in another, a family can spend a long time just taking in the scenery. Step inside, and you are taken aback again by the stunning Art Deco architecture of the old Union Terminal. 22-foot tall mosaics illustrating the history of Cincinnati line the rotunda of the common area. Witnessing the beauty of the Union Terminal is reason enough to go to the History, Children's or Science Museum housed in the building.
Though the Natural History & Science Museum was largely unoccupied (it was late in the afternoon during a snowfall), we managed to lose each other in a darkened exhibit. I walked through the hall several times looking for Alex and nothing caught my attention; I couldn't even tell you what the hall intended to display.
We reunited to go through the limestone cave experience. The recreated limestone cave was safe for kids* to touch, climb, and explore. We all enjoyed walking through without the worry of disturbing a natural system. *This cave might not be safe for rambunctous toddlers or early walkers as there are many steps, slippery areas, and small pools.
The dinosaur hall was fun for Lil. I found it circutous in routing and information beyond observation of fossils hard for a child to absorb. Several interactive exhibits did not function fully.
We all enjoyed the Nature's Trading Post, though we brought nothing to trade. Apparently those in the know bring in natural treasures (hopefully collected under legal circumstances) to trade for others. They had a great collection of rocks, fossils, and shells for trading as well as live animals and displays of nature collections like the eggs pictured.
Overall, the quality of the Natural History & Science Museum did not live up to the beauty of the building. It was a fine way to spend an hour, but next time we will check out the children's museum instead. As a reciprocal museum, admission is free for COSI members.
I like beer, it's true. But at the Cincy Beerfest and 5B conference, I was in the company of people who LOVE beer.
Because I was a conference speaker I was given a VIP pass to the beerfest for Friday and Saturday nights. This entitled me to local restaurant and rare beer samples in a private area plus early entry into the main hall. With over 300 beers on hand, the time before the crowds was key to sampling without long waits. The best bite I ate was the braunschweiger from Virgil's Cafe and best beer was North Coast's Le Merle, though I can't claim to have tasted them all by a long shot.
Mini-rant 1: Many people at the beerfest wore necklaces made of pretzels. This is unsanitaryish (I clearly don't have high sanitary standards), unfashionable, and just plain weird.
Mini-rant 2: The longest line was for Yuengling. Seriously? People paid $35 to come to a beerfest and stand in line for Yuengling. I was dumbfounded.
Thankfully the 5B conference surprised me in a good way. The leader, Carla, is clearly a master at friendly organization. She lined up casual, knowledgeable speakers and kept registration limited to allow for genuine interaction among participants. I met Jen from Our Good Food Life and Lori from Fake Food Free in person for the first time and caught up with Diana from Cookerati and Julie from Wine Me, Dine Me Cincinnati.
Everyone was approachable, swag was minimal, and the obvious focus was on community. I can share my session notes on building your blog through groups if anyone wants them. I consider the first year of 5B a huge success and hope to see it grow in the future.
When we drove up to the art museum on Saturday afternoon, the attendant told us parking was free. While most people might think this is a great thing, I started to get a sinking feeling in my stomach. A special event must be going on. This place is going to be crowded.
I was right. Nick Cave, fiber artist, was visiting, the museum was hosting a fundraiser, and it was a family fun day. The historic building was simply crawling with people.
We immediately happened into the source for some of the chaos - a three story interactive fiber installation. White wigged and clothed women helped visitors make yarn pompoms to keep or add to the jellyfish-like oversized mobile pictured above. We never did understand why the assistants were in white but their costuming added to the absurdity and beauty of our crowded visit.
Though our senses were overstimulated with a very loud band and so many visitors, the art pulled us in. Cincinnati has an amazing collection of everything from ancient world artworks to two Tiffany loving cups to modern paintings.
The curators display their excellent array in a interesting ways. Some is grouped by style and age as one might expect. The Nick Cave visiting exhibit (January 21, 2012 - April 29, 2012) is installed in galleries throughout the museum and connected by green lines on the floor. Another rotating exhibit, Monet in Giverney (February 04, 2012 - May 13, 2012), is housed in a single room with paper decorated ceiling and careful artwork placement to compare how garden sights inspired Monet. An entire hall on the 2nd floor is filled with art in a display so compact that there is no space for information placards and instead a booklet provides details.
We had to leave after an hour and a half because the crowd was just too much. Do as I say, not as I do - plan to spend an entire week day at the art museum to peacefully absorb the very fine collection. If you are a fiber artist or appreciate recycled materials, go before the end of April to see the Nick Cave works - they are fun and provocative.
Senate is the darling of the Cincinnati dining scene, so far as I can tell from recommendations and reviews. The last two times we've been in the area, we haven't made it to Senate and I was determined to do so this visit.
We missed our first opportunity when we left later than expected on Friday and exceeded the lunch hours. We almost missed Saturday dinner because we were hungry before they opened but I insisted that we wait.
I thought that arriving right at opening time would be a good way to beat the crowds. Somehow the restaurant was almost full when we arrived! We grabbed the last table, one right by the door. It was a little chilly but the food more than made up for the location.
Senate is decorated in a modern classy pub style. Flat screen televisions over the bar play old movies. A fabulous country eastern music selection blared over the speakers. Most of the seating was either at the bar or at tables with shared bench seating. Senate has a solid cocktail menu and beer list prepared by informed bartenders.
The pub atmosphere continues to the menu where the selection largely consists of sandwiches and hot dogs. These are no ordinary patties and sausages, though. They are creative combinations made in house and served with house-made condiments.
We started with poutine, a current favorite of mine. Senate serves the classic fries-gravy-cheese curds melange on top of bechamel. I thought this combination would be over the top indulgent but somehow it worked. The 'gravy' was a very meaty topping of beef short ribs and the creamy bechemal covered for the lack of saucy gravy. This is a heart-stopping dish that must be shared among diners.
Alex ordered the lobster BLT. Again, we suspected that a BLT with lobster would be a waste of amazing seafood. Alex said this sandwich was perfectly balanced, however, and he ate it so quickly I didn't even get to share a bite.
I chose the daily special hot dog, the 'Danny DeVito'. A spicy andoullie sausage was smothered in Chimay cheese sauce, a few bits of broccoli, bacon, and shoe string potatoes. The bacon and potatoes seemed unnecessary and I wished there was more broccoli but I wouldn't hesitate to order this again.
Lil, with her expensive tastes, ordered the duck leg entree. Duck leg is not hard to do well and Senate excelled with a wine sauce and perfectly prepared vegetable accompaniments. Indeed, the roasted brussels sprouts, parsnips, and carrots were my favorite parts of the dish.
I was a little confused by the loud bar feel and pricey gourmet food paired together. On the upside, the loudness would cover almost any noise a kid could make and the staff was very accommodating to Lil, even making her lemonade from hand when she ordered. I, personally, enjoy conversation without shouting and would have preferred a bit more space and quiet.
By the time we left, Senate was bustling with a line practically out the door. I can understand the appeal for the food. To take advantage of the demand and the needs of those who want a softer experience, perhaps management will open a second Senate in a more spacious quiet location. Even if they stick with the single noisy bar, I know we will return.
On the way out of town we hit up Findlay Market for breakfast and meat for dinner. The 'market' is actually a series of buildings that include permanent and week-to-week vendors.
We limited our visit to the main indoor market for lack of time to explore more. A half dozen meat vendors offer a variety of quality and price points. Several from-scratch baked goods and prepared food vendors stand at the ready to supply home cooks. A coffee shop, creperie, Asian, Mexican, juice, and gelato stands are available for ordering freshly made meals. Tables and chairs are scattered through the market for those wanting to eat at Findlay. The late breakfast we ate (smoothies, coffee, and a Mexican rice bowl) was acceptable, though not the gourmet fare offered at the North Market.
In the growing season, farmers line the walkways with local produce. The fresh produce offerings this time of year were scarce. Though I may have missed them, fine cheese and alcohol also seem to be missing from the market. Even though we clearly visited in the slow season, Findlay Market is big and could support nearly all of a family's grocery needs.
Beyond the fantastic art museum and plenty of places for good eats, Cincinnati boasts a more hilly landscape and older architecture than Columbus. The Netherland Plaza Hotel (now owned by Hilton and open to friendly tourists who don't bother the paying guests) shares Art Deco stylings similar to the Cincinnati Museum Center. Homes and businesses are wedged onto steep streets reminiscent of San Francisco. I enjoy simply driving around Cincy to the top of the hills and looking around.
What are your favorites in downtown Cincinnati?
Terry's Turf Club 4618 Eastern Ave Cincinnati, OH 45226 (513) 533-4222 burgers $7 and up, peanuts in shells free
Cincinnati Museum Center 1301 Western Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45203 (513) 287-7000 $12.50 Adult/ $11.50 Senior (60+)/ $8.50 Children (3-12)/ $4.50 Toddlers (1-2), reciprocal with COSI
Cincinnati Art Museum 953 Eden Park Drive Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 721-2787 Free admission
Senate Pub 1212 VINE ST Cincinnati, OH 45202 1 513.421.2020 cocktails $9, gourmet sandwiches $11, entrees $16
Findlay Market 1801 Race Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 665-4839
PS. My apologies that pictures are again taken with my crummy camera phone. I am accepting donations towards a faster better phone camera. If enough of you care about travelogues, I might be convinced to take the big camera. Tell me what you think in the comments.
PPS. Interested diners may want to read Columbus Underground's recent review of the Taste of Belgium Bistro near Senate in Cincinnati.
Last weekend, Alex, Lil and I travelled to Cleveland for a quick getaway. In a matter of 48 hours we dined at Noodlecat, cooked yakitori with Chef Jonathon Sawyer, visited the Great Lakes Science Center, stayed in a very interesting Marriott Residence Inn hotel, shared a late night bite at The Greenhouse Tavern, explored the Cleveland Natural History Museum, and ate at Great Lakes Brewing Company Brewpub. I did not intend to write about our experiences so I left the big camera in the hotel room and just enjoyed the days. But too many things were too great not to share, so I illustrated this recap of our trip with phone pictures. Enjoy!
(comments by Alex and Lil)
1. Very fun quirky restaurant. Lil loved the Noodlecat logo. 2. Service was excellent and the wait-staff was very kid-friendly. 3. The food was creative and yummy. I very much liked the miso bbq chicken wings and Lil loved her soba noodles with butter and poached chicken. 4. My udon dish was very well done and nicely spicy even though udon is somewhat unappealing to me personally. 5. The restaurant is very convenient to downtown hotels and other attractions. 6. The Greenhouse Lager (by Great Lakes Brewing Company) is a very nice crisp and clean lager. It went very well with the spicy fare.
(comments by Alex and Lil)
1. It was a very easy walk from the downtown restaurant and hotel area. 2. The reciprocal membership with COSI was a very nice thing to have as we were able to explore the museum for free. 3. We were there late in the day so quite a few things were closed. Also as it is winter, the outdoor exhibits were not open. 4. The second floor has a discovery area with dozens of different displays. These range from sound-based to motion or light based. Simple circuits are explored and magnetism is presented in an approachable manner. 5. All of the exhibits allow you to interact and experiment with the setups. 6. All of the exhibits are easily child-accessible. 7. There is more than enough there to keep adults occupied as well.
While Alex and Lil dined and museumed, I made skewer after skewer of tongue, short ribs, chicken thigh and scallion, pork belly, and pork cheeks in the back of the Noodlecat kitchen. I helped Kenny and Misako from Freshstreet transform the front of the house into a Japanese street festival feel with Japanese masks, toys, hand-written signs, and games.
When guests began to arrive, I grilled skewers over bincho-tan charcoal with Chef Jonathon Sawyer, one of Food & Wine Magazines’ Best New Chefs and recent Iron Chef contestant. We chatted a bit as we cooked but mostly worked to be sure the yakitori skewers were at their best for the party-goers. I had a blast!
Read Columbus Crave and Kristian's post for more pictures of the food and decor. Thanks to Bethia Woolf of Columbus Adventures for sharing the pictures above.
After service and clean up, I was tired but wanting to wind down from the night. I met Jason, mastermind behind Thunderkiss coffee, and his wife Emily at the Greenhouse Tavern bar. Though I had munched on several yakitori skewers, I left room for a midnight snack. GHT's gravy fries did not disappoint. Thick, black pepper-spiced gravy smoothered the hand-cut fries and hand-made mozzarella curds. If anything there was too much gravy, but it's hard to complain about something so delicious.
The thorough and soft-spoken bar manager (I'm sorry I didn't catch his name) made me the best French 75 I've ever tasted with Cleveland's own Tom's Foolery Applejack. The drink, as well as conversation with him about the state of Ohio spirits, was just what I needed to relax after a busy day.
Alex is a Marriott gold star super elite fancy pants reward member, so he naturally selected a Marriott brand hotel for the night. For family trips, he usually chooses the Residence Inn brand because they have a mini kitchen, snacks, breakfast, and often a door between bedroom and sitting area so the adults can chat after kid bedtime.
The Cleveland Downtown Residence Inn was a bit difficult to find but turned out to be a hidden treasure. It is a renovated century old hotel that spans a whole city block. This hotel had stained glass windows, antique marble walkways, and an open shopping arcade.
Thanks to Mr. Points and a slow night, the manager upgraded Alex to the largest room in the hotel. The square footage was nearly as large as our whole house! Lil was delighted to occupy her own bedroom and bathroom. The manager even let Alex know that no one was staying in the adjacent rooms so Lil could run around if she wanted to. (And you know she did!)
Even without the upgrade, this Residence Inn is a recommended accommodation: it has the beauty of a vintage city hotel with all the modern amenities a family could want. Plus, it's in the middle of everything - one can walk to the stadiums, science center, and both Jonathon Sawyer restaurants.
The Cleveland Natural History Museum is nestled behind a brass stegosaurus, life-size Linnaeus likeness and oversize sundial on University Circle. When we finally entered the museum after thirty minutes of viewing the outdoor sculptures, we were greeted by a staff person holding a tame opossum. You might remember how we feel about opossums, yet we all pet Daisy and studied her prehensile tail.
We wandered into the hall of Humans & Nature next. This was a brilliantly designed collection of taxidermy animals alongside geographically paired human artifacts. Lil enjoyed the dioramas while Alex and I stood slack-jawed at the quantity and beautifully displayed variety of creatures. We studied Balto up close, one of our favorite characters from modern history.
Thanks to the unseasonably warm weather, we were able to spend a half hour enjoying the outdoor Wildlife Center. Populated with wild creatures that can be found in Ohio, we were able to see raptors, river otters, and mammals up close. We especially enjoyed communicating with the two crows, birds that for some reason avoid our very dense neighborhood. This area reminded me of the Ohio State Fair ODNR wildlife exhibit without the fair food smell and crowds.
Finally we made our way to the cafe for lunch. Here is where the museum fell flat as the choices were limited to lunchmeat sandwiches, fries, uninspired salads and soda vending machines. We were very hungry but didn't want to spend usury rates for something we wouldn't enjoy, so we mired in indecision. Lil had a little bit of a breakdown.
Fortunately, a travelling exhibit of Antarctic photographs calmed us all down enough to make the decision to leave for another lunch spot. Before we left, we watched a portion of a TedX talk by the photographer Paul Nicklen about his amazing encounter with a seal.
Knowing we were all very hungry and wanted a restaurant with healthy options, we opted for a known quality restaurant, Great Lakes Brewpub. This was our third visit to Great Lakes Brewpub in the last decade.
The wide menu features plenty of from-scratch recipes we wanted to try. We started with the charcuterie and cheese plate. Filled with treats from the nearby West Side Market and in-house cured compliments, the plate was a winner and served as Lil's lunch. I tried the vegan burger and salad, both of which were lacking in enough textural variety to make them exciting but amounted to a filling and healthy meal. Alex chose the special, a Cuban sandwich and excellent Parmesan crusted fries.
Our trip was a whirlwind two days that did more to fill us with desire to return than to come home. We want to go back in the spring when we can finish exploring the Natural History Museum, see the outdoor exhibits at the Science Center, visit the art museum, and perhaps check out the new aquarium.
We have to conclude that Cleveland rocks! Have you ever been? What do you enjoy in CLE?
Noodlecat Restaurant 234 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44114 216 589 0007
Great Lakes Science Center 601 Erieside Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114 (216) 694-2000
Residence Inn Downtown Cleveland 527 Prospect Avenue East Cleveland, Ohio 44115 USA 1-216-443-9043
The Greenhouse Tavern 2038 E 4th Street, Cleveland, OH 44115 216-443-0511
Cleveland Natural History Museum 1 Wade Oval Drive University Circle Cleveland OH 44106-1767 U.S.A. 216.231.4600 | 800.317.9155
Great Lakes Brewing Company & Brewpup 2516 Market Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44113 216.771.4404
Looking for a recipe today? I shared my mother's Tuna Noodle Casserole with the Columbus Dispatch for their article about potato chip toppings.
After a long draught of travel, this spring is shaping up to be a flood of trips. Check out our itinerary:
February 2 - Cleveland - Fresh Street Pop-up
February 10-11 - Cincinnati - Winter BeerFest and 5Bs Conference
February 18-19 - Granville - OEFFA Conference
end of February - San Salvador Island - Vacation with Alex's family
March 9-11 - Indianapolis - Big Ten Basketball Championships with my family
mid March - India - tentative business trip for Alex. Lil and I will stay home but may make a few local trips on our own during part of this time.
early April - Harrisburg PA and surrounds - business trip for Alex with Lil and I coming along
mid June - Big Island, Hawaii - Vacation with my family
late July - France - tentative business trip for Alex. If it happens, Lil, my sister Megan, and I will go along.
It's entirely possible that in the next six months Lil will end up with two new passport stamps and dozens of hotel stays. She will be thrilled.
I am excited too. Seeing the world always gives me new perspectives on life, lots of photo opportunities, and plenty to share with you all.
The beasts will be well taken care of at home thanks to my sisters and neighbors.
I am sure there will be bumps along the way and in all likelihood some trips will be changed or put off to other dates. Rolling with the punches is part of the life lessons included in travel.
Are you looking forward to any trips?
Many links in this post go to my inspiration boards on Pinterest. The thought that I could use pins to track places I want to visit rekindled my participation in this social network. Feel free to follow me there and share your name so I can follow you.
Despite my optimism, I did not achieve many of my 2011 resolutions.
2011 was a bit of a difficult year health wise. I had surgery to clear out my sinuses, but a raging infection kept me feeling lousy most of the summer. After some irritating testing, I found out in September that I am allergic to dogs and dust mites. We changed some habits and removed allergens in the house, but I continue to suffer sinus issues sometimes. The week before Christmas, pain and pressure returned and I now feel like I'm exactly where I started 2011. Despite being a skeptic, I will try the alternative route in 2012, starting with an appointment at Urban Acupuncture Center this Friday.
As a family, we decided to abandon resolutions per se, but we are making plans for 2012:
We will travel more. We have trips planned with extended family to San Salvador Island, Bahamas and the Big Island of Hawaii in February and June, respectively. We want to make salt from seawater on these trips. In addition, we hope to jump on at least a few of Alex's business trips this year and maybe try an RV trip of our own.
We want to feel stronger. At first, Alex and I resolved to lose weight. The Fat Trap article in the New York Times confirmed my suspicions that the number I've maintained for 4 years now is probably the forever weight my body. Alex has not changed weight in years but without regular exercise is also feeling a little weak. I am starting each day with a short series of floor exercises (sit ups and the like) and we plan to exercise more as a family.
In the kitchen we will practice making cheese. We have experimented here and there but not enough to feel masterful and we've never made some of our favorite varieties like goat chevre. I am teaching a class at Franklin Park at the end of March about making cheese so these plan will be put into action sooner rather than later.
We want to feel settled in a home. For a few years I have felt like our house isn't the perfect home for us. We want a little more space to garden and keep animals. As we aren't using the public school just down the street, we would prefer to be somewhere with lower foot and car traffic. We debate about whether to look for a farm in the city location (there are precious few) or a quieter street with bigger lots. In the meantime we are completing little projects around the house that will make ours ready to sell when we find a property we want to buy.
In 2012, I plan to write for myself. You may have already noticed me starting, as recipe posts are being fewer and 'lifestyle' posts are increasing. I realized awhile ago that I was writing for some suspected audience that needed two recipes a week and wouldn't care about homeschool. Catering to the 'what bloggers do' schedule was a lot like work and since I'm not being paid here, why not have fun and do what I want?
On the other side of the writing coin, I plan to write for other businesses more often in 2012. I'll do a full introduction soon but I am now accepting freelance writing jobs. I promise to write a post about why I am reducing cooking classes and picking up writing.
Finally, I hope that 2012 is the year I do something BIG. It might be related to the home we hope to buy, it might be in the writing realm, or perhaps another opportunity will find me.
It all remains to be seen, which is the promise of a new year, a new slate, a time to reflect and challenge ourselves. May 2012 exceed your plans and hopes.