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Showing posts from December, 2017

For Another Piece of Belgium Just in Time for My Birthday: “Waterzooi”

I am nearing the end of my birthday week and the celebration is not nearly over. I was telling the truth in my last post when I said I am great at celebrating myself each and everyday. In fact I am contacted often for ideas about ways to celebrate and gift ideas ( http://bit.ly/2BBZ8xm ). It is a skill I wish I could put on my resume.  I had a family event on the afternoon of my birthday in Long Island so I was searching for a place to have a private celebration beforehand. During my research I was reminded of a place I first visited two years ago that I enjoyed quite a bit; Waterzooi ( http://bit.ly/2DqCLbk ).  Waterzooi is a Belgian restaurant in Garden City, a neighborhood that has a significant sentimental value to me. I went to college in nearby Adelphi University and just being in that area makes me smile. Besides Belgian food is right up there with French and other European dishes that I constantly crave.  I first was lured there with the promise of fon

For My 36th Birthday

I am fine.   Actually fine, content, in my current state. It is not a lie I am telling myself or a thought that I am repeating so that it will become true.  It is the actual truth.  For the first time since I can remember I have taken all the pressure I put on myself for my birthday (and on myself daily for that matter) to be perfect. I have been down this road before, when as any December baby knows, no one can come out because of holiday plans, low funds, or there is a blizzard. We wait all year for our birthdays and when you make such efforts throughout the year for all of your loved ones special days you would like to see the love returned. Unfortunately life doesn’t work that way.  Instead of being disappointed about plans that did or didn’t pan out, friends who you didn’t hear from, or wishes that didn’t come true, I have decided to let it all go. There is no such thing as a perfect day when you are expecting it to be so. I have decided that whatever

For Find Out Friday - What State Was the First To Make the Donuts?

Since my Boston series only just ended yesterday I am still in that frame of mind. I found a picture that I had forgot about and it inspired today’s Find Out Friday. Don’t get it twisted I am a Starbucks girl through and through but for this post I am going in a different direction.  I am talking about the history behind the opening of Dunkin’ Donuts.  As I made my way all around Boston I literally stumbled onto the answer to this question.  I was in the car, with my uncle driving his huge SUV, and we were trying to turn around. While doing that we practically ended up behind the counter of a Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant.  The man who had the bad luck to be working there that night might have needed a change of clothes but I found it amusing.  I also saw a sign that intrigued me: “Original Dunkin’ Location”.  Dunkin’ Donuts is sixty-nine years old. When I think of its age rather than the year it was first opened, it is mind boggling. To have such a successf

For My Family’s Initial Pilgrimage to Boston, Massachusetts- What Remains

Boston is a big city. Much bigger than I imagined it would be. There are so many neighborhoods to visit and I tried my very best to cover them all. But really how much can one do in four days? The answer is enough, but enough to satisfy me? Probably not. I am learning to accept that I get to see what I get to see and that I will always have to revisit places I enjoy in order to see everything. Admittingly, I am not great at that though. In order to manage my anxiety about such issues I am vigilant at keeping updated itineraries for the next time I visit, well anywhere. This way I am sure not to miss anything, ever.   The list for Boston is long. Longer than I’d like. Although I do feel like I made a great big dent on this first and only trip to Boston I’ve made so far.  Lewis-Harriet Hayden House/ Craft House - The historic home of William and Ellen Craft who escaped slavery by pretending to be a white man and his black servant as I learned w

For My Family’s Initial Pilgrimage to Boston, Massachusetts- Good Eats

While I love just about every part of traveling, good food is at the very top of the list. I mean without taking a break to taste some of the best bites your vacation spot has to offer you are on an endless quest of sightseeing. Food for me is always the best way to take a break, celebrate, and enjoy life. I guess pretty much all the reasons I love traveling so much to begin with.  Boston is a great food city, really one of the best. There are so many kinds of restaurants enticing you, you probably need a separate trip that focuses on eating only to make a dent. That was not case during this trip but I did have a small list of places that I HAD to get to.   On my first day in Boston I arrived to my hotel late afternoon after visiting Plimoth Plantation, MayFlower II, and Plymouth Rock. Most restaurants in that area were closed so we headed to our hotel to check in.  We stayed at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in the downtown area. It was a great l