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mercurygray · 2 years

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Happy Thursday Merc! could I please request correspondent Joan + autumn + #50 (yearning)?💖

The stopped traffic felt very familiar.

Joan adjusted her hat and checked her pocket again for her pen, notebook out and ready for action. Not that there was any at the moment - traffic in both directions along the road was at a crawl, the narrow Norman country lanes no match at all for the entire forward impetus of the Allied war machine.

Her next article was taking shape in her mind, waiting here on the roadside. To farm boys used to open space, the country here is recognizable, but to soldiers from big cities, Northern France is an eye-opener.

No - that was too flippant. They were headed back to England now, these guys, home for a well deserved rest after a month and a half of some of the hardest fighting of the war. Their eyes were already open, and the countryside wasn't what they were looking at.

An officer moved back down the road, and the group she was sitting with came out of their reverie to listen to him. "There's a broken down truck blocking traffic about a mile up. Someone's coming to move it. Until then, we can sit back and enjoy the view - and Miss Warren's lovely company, of course." Lieutenant Lewis Nixon beamed at her. "The only thing we're missing is a picnic blanket and a bottle of wine."

"And a few hundred less people," Joan said, a little archly, knowing exactly what Nixon was getting at with his joke. Nixon's smile got even wider. A wedding ring and an entire war weren't enough, it seemed, to stop the Airborne's most determined flirt from carrying on, but Joan was fairly certain they had an understanding now that his attentions weren't going anywhere.

"Can't say it's much to look at," one of the other lieutenants, Compton, announced with disdain. "Where's the city and the lights I keep hearing about?"

Joan allowed herself a short laugh. "We're still in the country, Lieutenant. It's three hours, maybe? To Paris?" Joan could see the Guide Michelin in her mind, carefully folded on the front seat of a car. "It's a nice drive - to Caen, and then north a little to Rouen - a stop at the cathedral, if you've left early enough - and then time to be on the Left Bank in time for dinner. When there's not a war on, of course."

"You sound like you know that route pretty well." That was Welsh, the Irishman from Pennsylvania. She got along all right with him.

"I think pretty much everyone does, it's a popular drive. The French like the seaside, in the summertime. Five years ago this road would have been packed with tourists coming home from vacation." Just like right now it's packed with soldiers coming back from the war. She looked back and realized several of them were staring. "I lived in Paris, for several years," she offered, by way of explanation. "Worked the France desk for my paper. A little bit of everything - fashion, foreign affairs, the social scene."

"Sounds like a cushy job."

"It was." She paused, unsure whether she should share the next part, afraid it would sound like empty bragging. "I left out of Saint Nazaire in 1940 with the British."

Stunned silence. Yes, there wasn't anything cushy about that, was there, running to the embassy to settle travel plans, rushing to see who had a car, who had a house or a friend on the way, who had gas, or money for gas, or money for bribes, or when the trains were running if the trains were running at all. If they were going to cut the cables her paper wanted her out - no good running a correspondent who couldn't correspond. And there were all those anxious telegrams from Aunt Michi and Uncle Jack, reminding her who she was, what might be done to someone with her name, her family.

She was remembering that trip to Saint Nazaire very clearly now, sitting on this roadside in Normandy with the traffic at a standstill. The roads crammed with people, in cars and on bicycles, pushing handcarts and carrying luggage, the heat of the June sun unrelenting on the open ground. A journey that should have taken a day had lasted a week, with no trains and everyone out of gasoline. And a single thought, sitting in the belly of a British Naval ship, her briefcase on her lap, heavy with her traveling typewriter and not much else: I hate retreating.

She remembered the absolute silence of Val's flat in London, the wounded noise her friend had made when she'd appeared at the door, the sound of the tap opening up and water washing over her hands, her hair. "I brought some clean clothes." Val's voice was distant behind the bathroom door. "I'll just leave them on the chair."

She'd nodded, grateful for the consideration, her eyes squeezed shut, feeling the water, listening to the tap run. Everything she owned smelled like exhaust fumes and fear. "Joan? Everything all right in there?"

No, she wanted to say, tears at the corners of her eyes, but the words wouldn't come. No, everything is not.

"You want to get back as much as we do." Another voice broke her out of her reverie - Dick Winters, this time.

She nodded, silent. I want the Seine, and my usual seat at the cafe on the corner, and walks in the Tuileries. I want a drive to the seaside, and a beach that's not filled with trucks. I want you to see my country when it's beautiful, when it's at its best.

#i have written a thing #war correspondent au #joan warren #all the alternate universes #mercurygraypresents

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zaccahrycrookes · 3 years

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My Grandfather

In reality my Grandpa influenced my life in more ways than I could ever express. If I look at my life my three biggest passions, or the three major parts of my life are all heavily influenced by him.

Although less traditional than Grandpas chosen path he influenced my own spiritual journey, faith in something more than just this physical world, and a want to be of service to others. Grandpa influenced my deep love of adventure, nature, and travel. Thirdly Grandpa influenced my passion for the arts and craftsmanship. From music, to painting and writing, to woodwork.

My grandfather was an incredible man. Many people would ask me what his trade was, often they where surprised when I told them he wasn't a tradie and that he was a successful small business owner. They where surprised because he could do every trade in the book from building, electrics, mechanics, plumbing, to tiling and landscaping. You name it he could do it. From an early age he taught me how to use tools and work with wood.

He grew up on a farm in rural Victoria, he had a large family with many siblings. As a young man he worked the farm then his older bother got him a job in the bank. He would make surf skis on the side with a friend. As well as the surf skis he was an avid fisherman, hiker, and rode a motor bike.

Also a greatly gifted musician we was a master piano player and also played the guitar. He was part way finishing his final and most expert Piano exam when his Dad had a stroke.

After the stroke he would get annoyed at Grandpas continual practice of scales so Grandpa swapped to singing. He sung solo, in duets, and part of choirs. Deeply involved with the Church he would sing in the choir, play the organ, and conduct the choir. He had an unmistakable voice that could be heard no matter how many people he was singing with.

Toward the end of his time at the bank he cashed in all his long service leave packed Grandma and all the kids into a camper and went around Australia. I have so many wonderful stories about that trip, and it lit a fire under him. He loved Queensland, and found he loved road tripping around Australia. Not too long after arriving back in Victoria he quit at the bank and opened a general store, sold it and bought a hardware store around this time his mother passed, once that happened he sold the hardware packed everything up and moved to a little sea side town north of Brisbane (Toorbul).

There he and Grandma bought a general store/ newsagent/ takeaway joint. The property also had holiday rental flats. This is where my Mum, Aunts, and Uncles grew up. At one point I know he was also a bus driver up here in QLD.

I did also, living just two blocks from the house they lived in. Living at the seaside Grandpa taught me to fish and would often take me out in his little boat out into the passage and up along the estuaries. When I was six we moved inland to Dayboro, pretty quickly Grandma and Grandpa followed us.

Eventually he and Grandma retired closing the shop and buying a camper van, this is where they begun travelling Australia. After a while and quickly after we had moved they sold the Toorbul house and spent ten years on the road. Six months over summer with us out at Dayboro where Grandpa became an integral part of the church and community. Then six months over winter travelling in their motorhome. They did this for almost two decades.

My grandpa taught me so much about life. Art, music, tools, travelling, religion and faith (although my journey with faith is somewhat unconventional compared to his. He loved to play, and was always so full of joy and laughter.

The only time I saw him angry was if he fucked something up in the shed and got mad at himself. I remember once talking about faith with him, he said he only ever lost touch with 'God' once. When they had moved to Toorbul, he was sure this little seaside would boom but it never did and he struggled for awhile there to support the entire family with the shop and flats. He soon became content with what they had and knew they'd be ok. With that his faith returned.

His whole life was dedicated to service of others, never would he say no or decline to help anyone in need. I remember often helping him fix things and do odd jobs for family members and friends. Especially as he got older and less agile he would tell me what to do. I clearly remember him teaching me how to tile one of my Aunties bathroom.

Toward the end Grandpa could barely walk, or do anything. He hated how fragile and immobile he has become. It even took a great amount of energy to sit outside and watch my brother and I work. He was truly a good man, I don't think I could say or have one negative memory of him. Even if it was something he didn't understand like my anxiety or my addiction, he never judged. Always laughing or smiling.

I remember my last real conversation with him, he was sitting by the front door while I worked on pulling up some old pavers and levelling out the gravel under them. We chatted about allot of things through that hour or so. I think he was pretty content with the life had led and was ready to go. He would have hated to die slowly so in a way drooping dead from a heart attack was the best way for him to pass. Even that whole scenario still plays through my mind daily.

His last words where "Exhausted, I am just so exhausted". In answering when my Grandma asked how he was that morning.

#life #death #loss #grandparent #exhuasted #dying #Memories #australia #brisbane #faith #living #music

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talkfastromance4 · 4 years

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Running Back to You-- Luke Hemmings (wwii au)

Not quite sure what this is, but I felt it within me and I had to write it out. After watching 1917 and Dunkirk, plus Memorial Day and listening to “I am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger” this sprung to life. I’ve been in a writing funk and this helped me out of it, I guess so yeah, might not be good.

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings: graphic violence, mentions of blood and injury, indicated smut(very slight), bombings, gunshots, war mentions, WWII references

Masterlist

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. *copyright is listed below*

• • • •

He awakes with a jolt. In a manner of seconds his mind plays back a reel of his dream that he’s desperate to cling onto. It’s of you.

In this dream you’re walking along the boardwalk, a pretty pink dress with a pretty pink cloud of candy floss between your fingers. The sky is a clear robin’s egg blue, no cloud in sight. Shrieks of laughter from children still echoes in his ears but he’s chasing after you. He was about to spin you around so you’d smack into his chest, your eyes alight with giddiness as he would lower his lips to yours, tasting the sweetness of the candy floss.

The bomb that went off from the German aircraft disrupted his dream and his space of peace. Peace is hard to come by in this war, any moment of solace is treasured. Luke has been robbed of his.

The aftereffects of the bombs are always the same; frightened shouts from other men, rapid gunfire blasting into the night sky as if they created the holes for the stars and yells of agony from the wounded. Wrong place at the right time.

They’re all in the wrong place right now. Luke hugs his rifle closer to his chest, it knocks his dog tags together. He clutches them with his other hand desperately, he can feel the flying rate of his heart beneath his dirt covered fingers. Sweat tickles his upper lip, his nose is running and the safety of his dream--and his girl--are well gone now.

He looks to his left, Michael, a friend he’s made in the last seven months reflects the same face of terror and alertness back at him. His helmet is askew and there’s dirt on his face mixed with his sweat. Their eyes ask a silent question, how long will this last?

“How long was I out?” Luke croaks. His throat is dry as sand, voice cracking from lack of water. Clearing it won’t help, will only burn more.

“Two hours, maybe,” Michael rasps back. He licks his lips then winces, the salt from his sweat and copper taste from his blood taints his tongue. “You seemed out. What were you seeing?”

“My girl from back home,” Luke’s response is quick. He could talk about you all day; he thinks of you every minute. You’re the only thing keeping him sane during this horrific war.

“She a pretty bird?”

“The prettiest,” Luke smiles then shifts his gun against a large rock. He digs into his many pockets, but the photo of you is always over his heart. He holds it up for Michael to inspect, the edges are a little worn, but your smile is radiant.

“She is a looker,” Michael nods then flips it over to read your little note. “‘Come back to me my love.’ She sure loves ya, huh?”

“Yeah, I got lucky,” Luke grins taking the photo back. “Fancied her all through school and I finally plucked up the courage to ask her to the dance. Been together ever since.”

“I didn’t see a rock on those pretty fingers of hers.”

“I’m going to give her one when I go back home,” Luke nods affirmatively. “And we’ll live on the seaside by the boardwalk.”

“My girl’s—”

“GET DOWN!”

Michael and Luke scramble into position, fetal position with hands locked behind their heads just as another bomb fell. This one was closer, dirt, rocks and other debris scattered over their backs. Luke is aware of all the yelling, wails of pain and orders shouted in roll call of their troops, but he’s also fixated on you.

Luke’s boots squelch through the mud as he and Michael near the small town they’re set to liberate, to search for survivors and to take down any enemy. A nice family on the outskirts of town on a farm were very hospitable to them as soon as they saw the patches on their shoulders.

They aren’t the enemy.

Luke sang with them, the first time he’s had a guitar in his hands since he was with you on the eve of his departure. It was a bittersweet moment, enjoying the young children dancing and frolicking on the wooden floor while images of you and him dancing that night flashed across his mind.

With it being his last night, the sense of urgency was heightened and soon Luke was undoing the white buttons of your dress while your nimble fingers worked on his belt. It was the first time the two of you did anything like that, bodies trembling, breathing ragged. Your love was sealed with heated kisses.

“You never finished telling me about your girl,” Luke says, averting his eyes from the broken windows of shops. Blackened paint from the swastika’s drip down on the red bricks, papers scatter along the cobblestone road.

“Not to offend but my girl is a bombshell,” Michael grins, and Luke smiles back. Their friendship continues to grow the more they go through, Michael is always cracking jokes even in this dark time.

“What’s she like?”

Luke listens to Michael rattle off everything about his girl. How her hair is the softest thing he’s ever felt, her cheeks are always pink, and she smells of lilac all the time. They always share a milkshake at their favorite diner that has the best burger and fries.

“You and your girl should come with us when we’re back,” Michael adds nudging Luke in the shoulder.

“She’d like that,” Luke nods. “In her last letter, she told me she’s been wanting nothing to eat but fries and a strawberry shake.”

“What do you—”

Luke and Michael are blasted apart. Luke goes flying backwards, his back hitting the rough brick of a building, some of it tumbles onto his chest and knocks his helmet. Shouts from his other men are faint, the sound of the blast must have damaged his hearing slightly.

Through the smoke and floating papers, he searches for Michael who is flat on the ground. A small pool of blood forming by his head that is now bare of his helmet, his arms splayed on either side of him.

“Michael!” Luke screams and crawls his way off the sidewalk to his injured friend. Shots are going on all around him, the attacker has been taken down.

Luke is coughing through the smoke, his eyes watering and as he looks down at his friend, he sees the source of the blood. Michael’s left eye was hit with shrapnel or part of the grenade, rendering him unconscious as the wound bled.

Luke’s own hands are bloody and dirty as he searches for a pulse and finds a faint one, then he tries to find something to wrap his head in. The small knapsack the farm family filled with bread and cheese was made from a large handkerchief.

The bread and cheese tumbles to the soot covered ground as Luke rips the fabric into longer pieces. Michael groans when Luke dresses his head with the fabric, the blood blooms on the white cloth instantly, as if a poppy bursting free.

“Mike! Can you hear me? Talk to me,” Luke spits urgently and tightens the makeshift bandage over his friend’s eye. “Come on, tell me about your girl and the milkshakes. What’s her favorite?”

“V-vanilla,” Michael chokes out, he tries to open his other eye.

“Vanilla? Can’t believe your bird likes plain flavors,” Luke tries to joke with his friend, and it works. Michael’s lips curve slightly.

“Says it . . . reminds . . . of me.”

“Because of your hair? She’s funny, I can’t wait to meet her. Can you sit and stand?” Luke helps lift Michael up just as another soldier comes to their aid. He helps hobble Michael to shelter where the other troops have assembled.

“I’ll get the medic over, he can clean the wound,” the young man who helped with Michael says.

Luke holds Michael’s hand as his face continues to redden from the blast and his own blood. The medic, Calum Hood, gets to work immediately when he comes by.

“Keep him talking, he may go into shock, but he seems strong,” Hood instructs popping open his first aid kit.

“What else can you tell me about her?” Luke asks hastily. Michael’s bright green eye zeroes in on Luke, which makes Luke suck in a breath. Such a bright color while his face is dirty and bloody.

“I can smell her lilacs, Luke,” Michael sighs. “So pretty.”

“I bet they are,” Luke nods.

Calum hood glances at Luke when he removes the handkerchief. There’s a big gouge where Michael’s left eye should be. Michael squeezes Luke’s hand.

“It’s gone, isn’t it?” Michael licks his chapped lips.

“Mich—”

“It’s fine. Rather my eye than my life, eh? Reckon I’m still better lookin’ than you,” he jokes then flinches when Hood pours alcohol on the wound.

“You’re right about that,” Luke smiles. “I better watch out, you might steal my girl from me.”

“That’s just the beast in me.”

Luke and Michael are silent on their trip back home.

The medical officer Hood recommended that Michael stay behind while the rest of the troop liberated a small encampment of a Gestapo Officer that was in high ranks. Michael refused and persisted that he won’t stay behind. He signed on to help and defend and he will do it with one eye.

As soon as their troop marched onto the land of the officer, they heard a series of gunshots. Luke and Michael reached the house first, so they witnessed the horror first. In the study, the Officer and his family lay sprawled on their now stained wooden floor; the gun in the Officer’s hand as he drowned in a river of his family’s blood.

There were about fifty prisoners kept in the basement and in makeshift barracks in the backyard. All of them were ghosts, malnourished, dirty and filled with terror. One of them cried into Luke’s chest while the other soldiers coaxed the others out of hiding. One of their men spoke fluent German, his name is Ashton Irwin and he assured the prisoners that they will be safe now. They won’t be hurt.

The horrific sights hang dauntingly between Luke and Michael as they rode back to the Army hospital in France. The pair were never apart except when Michael was in surgery to repair the damage around his eye. Michael was asked if he’d like a glass eye, but the thought was mortifying so he opted for an eye patch.

Both clung to each other on the boat ride home and woke each other up on the train as they had the same nightmares. Nightmares of what they went through, of what they saw. Luke clutched your picture tightly against his chest, he stared at your face in the moonlight as the train rattled on.

Luke is tired. His feet are tired yet he’s aching to be near you again. He pulls his dog tags from his pocket that now has a diamond ring looped on the chain. Michael helped him pick it out while they were in France. He can’t wait to come home to you.

“She’s going to say yes, stop over thinking,” Michael tells him while the train pulls into the station. They both jump when a man bangs on the window, a gleeful smile on his face as he congratulated them for being home. “I wish it was just us on the platform.”

“Me too,” Luke replies grimly.

While they were at the hospital in France, one of your letters was forwarded to him. You wrote of your fear and worry for him, that you haven’t heard from him in weeks. You confessed your love every other line and Luke wished he could hold you, assure you that he’s almost home.

It’s been almost a year that he’s been gone. Each step of his boots was away from you, but they were also running back to you. Luke notices the tremble in Michael’s hands, an after effect from his accident but it’s been heightened from nerves.

“She’ll be happy you’re alive,” Luke assures him. Michael nods robotically. He’s nervous what his girl will say about his eye.

The two get off the train together, both searching for their loves. Being taller than nearly everyone helps, and Luke finally spots you near a pillar next to a bench. Without a second thought, he abandons Michael (for now) and pushes through the crowd of families being reunited, forcing his feet to move faster to you.

You’re already crying by the time he reaches you, his arms encasing you tightly as he breathes you in. You’re both grasping each other securely, whispering ‘I love you’ in each other’s ears. All his woes seem to disappear the longer he’s in your arms and he pulls away to plant a kiss on your lips.

“I have something for you,” he rushes out and reaches for his dog tags.

“I have something for you, too. I—Luke!” you gasp when he dangles the ring in front of you. You kiss him quickly in response, hoping he’ll understand that you mean yes. He slips it on your finger while it’s still looped on his necklace.

“What’s your—”

A small baby’s cry makes him freeze, then he finally takes in your surroundings. There’s a black baby carriage to the left of you, a pink blanket peeking out. Luke’s eyes widen as he looks between you and the carriage.

“There’s someone who’s been waiting to meet you,” you tell him. You slip your hand in his leading him to the carriage.

Luke collapses onto the bench, staring at the most beautiful baby he’s ever seen in his life. He grasps the edge of the carriage as the baby girl stares up at him, she has your eyes. You lift her from the carriage, carefully placing her in Luke’s awaiting arms. Tears fill his eyes as he kisses his daughter’s head, then you sit next to him and he holds his whole world in his arms.

“I’ve been running back to you,” he whispers to his girls.

• • • •

Copyright talkfastromance4 © All works is intellectual property of the author. All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction or any part or all contents in any form is prohibited. You may not, without written expression and consent from the author, distribute works amongst other social media platforms

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stockdaleleggobannockburn · 3 years

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Looking for Property for sale in Teesdale? Here's how moving to the country is the lifestyle you've been dreaming of!

Looking for property for sale in Teesdale? Teesdale is a beautiful rural town close to the gorgeous seaside town Geelong. Here you can have the best of both worlds. Nearby Bannockburn has many shops, clubs and pubs. If you are wanting a quick trip to the beach hop in the car and in less than 25 minutes you’ll be there. In 35 minutes you could be in stunning Torquay which is also the start of a Great Ocean Road trip! It's the lifestyle many of us dream of having.

If you aren’t totally convinced that a ‘tree change’ may be what you need, here are some added benefits to living rurally.

1.Lower upfront cost for a more luxurious home and land package.

Whether you are renovating or building from scratch, your land prices will be significantly reduced. Also this will mean your stamp duty will be lower as a result.

If you are building there are many things you won't have to consider when building rurally. You won't have to worry about factoring in traffic management strategies when you are in the construction phase. If you were to be building in a busy city area this is an aspect that must be factored in. Also with large amounts of land the chances of having a neighbour’s structure encroaching on your property are very low. You also very likely will not have to bother with an acoustics report when looking at a property for sale in Teesdale or any other rural or semi-rural areas. The process is simplified. Also some government grants for first home buyers are at a larger amount for buying in rural areas.

More space to live and enhance wellbeing. Dreaming of having a room for all your children? Having a swimming pool? A private cinema or creating your own solar farm? Larger blocks of land mean all of these dreams can come true. Also there will be a stronger sense of privacy with less urban density.

A stronger sense of local community it’s true what they say, a smaller community is a tight community. You may have to hop in a car to get that cup of sugar, but it will always be freely given. Your children can grow up in a close community that will care for each other. You know what they say.. It takes a village!

A more relaxed pace of life can be on offer when you embrace a rural lifestyle. Instead of waking up to a noisy train or tram lines and cars honking, you could wake up to the sound of birds chirping… and that's it.

Flexible professional opportunities can be available to you. When looking for property for sale in Teesdale you can have the luxury or being in commuting distance to major cities such as Geelong and Melbourne. This means that flexible arrangements such as working from home are available to you. If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything it's that flexible work arrangements are preferred and in many cases help families create a work life balance!

And the best benefit of all is friendly real estate agents that can help you find your perfect spot when looking for property for sale in Teesdale.

#property for sale teesdale #property for sale bannockburn #property for sale lethbridge #property for sale inverleigh

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brynandchristopher · 4 years

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The 3 Musketeers

Hello again! It is a bittersweet thing to say this will be our last post from New Zealand. We have had an absolutely wonderful time here and in part don’t want it to be over, but we are also ready to move on to our next adventure in Australia. We are looking forward to a little bit of routine and stability, as well as a new landscape to explore in a new van!!

The last time we checked in we had just finished the Kepler Track and were waiting to meet up with some friends of mine. We left Lake Dunstan and headed through a deep river/reservoir gorge between Cromwell and Alexandra to go see my college best friend, Camille, and her boyfriend, Aaron. They had been picking cherries and training young trees for about 7 weeks and when we arrived they had just finished their stint on the orchard. A lot of people here get a working holiday visa which allows them to stay for up to a year, and up to 2 years if 3 months of farm work is completed. Camille and Aaron were pretty sick of Alexandra so we headed out into the hills of Otago to camp for a few nights at a cool secluded freedom camp they knew of called St. Bathan’s place.

We spent 3 nights in St. Bathan’s and had a blast. It was situated around a bunch of cattle grazing pastures nearby to an old abandoned gold mine. The gold mining operation had left a large pit in the ground which over the decades filled up with rainwater and is now a lovely lake! We spent our first night there hanging out with Camille and Aaron and catching up on all of their adventures. We stayed up late into the night, having a few drinks, and freezing our toes off. It got really cold but we persisted in staying up and enjoying the amazing array of stars. We got full views of the milky way and it was definitely the best stargazing we’ve done during the trip. The next day we walked over to the lake and spent the day basking in the sun, listening to music, and climbing the fragile cliffs and jumping back down into the lake! We made dinner together and had another night of hanging out and listening to hilarious stories about Ireland, where Aaron is from.

The next day was very gloomy and we spent most of the day watching The Mandalorian in our van, great show, highly recommend. It cleared up in the evening and Camille and I were treated to a few impromptu duets from Bryn and Aaron once he had enough whisky to bust out his guitar.

The next day we left St. Bathan’s and went back to Alexandra to hang out at a lake nearby to the orchard Camille and Aaron worked on. It was an awesome lake with cool waterbirds and big cliffs all around. We hung out on the beach for a while and attempted our highest cliff jumping of the trip (~40 feet). It was a beautiful day and after taking care of some final logistical things in town, we all set out to a freedom camp in that river/reservoir gorge we came into town through called Champagne Gully. We enjoyed a last dinner together before going our separate ways the next morning. It was so much fun to see an old friend and spend a few days socializing, Bryn and I aren’t sick of each other but having other people around is nice sometimes :).

The next morning was my birthday! Woohoo. We spent the beginning of the day at a cafe so I could watch my favorite soccer team, Manchester United, play my least favorite soccer team, Chelsea. Since it was my birthday they made sure to win for me :). We had some lovely drinks and treats at the cafe to celebrate and then headed to Queenstown to shower at the free service station. Bryn had planned a special dinner/activity for my birthday but wouldn’t tell me what it was, just that we had to be in Queenstown that evening. After hanging at the service station and talking to my fam, we drove into downtown. We parked the car and walked along the docks until we reached a famous old steamship, the TSS Earnslaw and Bryn finally let me in on the secret - we were taking a steamboat cruise across Lake Wakatipu to a traditional farm for a gourmet all-you-can-eat bbq dinner. The cruise was beautiful and we stood out on the front deck while we braved the wind and enjoyed the view. The farm was immaculate and definitely used for private functions and weddings from time to time. There were tons of flower gardens and a cool old Victorian style house where dinner was served. We got a lovely table overlooking the water and treated ourselves to a little bit of everything they had to offer. I think I went back to the buffet 4 or 5 times and was very, very full by the end of it. After dinner they did a demonstration in this cool outdoor amphitheater of how they shear sheep as well as a live demonstration of their herding dogs herding a flock of sheep down a hill. The control of the dogs was incredible, using different pitched whistles to signal them to stalk, bark, run, stop etc. There were two dogs were highly adept in working together and it was an awesome learning experience. After that we got back on the boat and headed back across the lake. There was a piano singalong of old folk songs in the back of the boat and Bryn and I sat right up by the piano in the heart of the diehard geriatric singers and sang our voices hoarse - there were some people that were suuuuper into it and it was really fun and hilarious to be a part of. Bryn even requested happy birthday at the end and I got a nice birthday serenade from a bunch of strangers :).

The next day I got a wonderful belated birthday present :). My sister Madeline flew across the world to come visit us for 9 days. She arrived in the late afternoon and our first day we shopped for a few things, made a nice dinner in our Airbnb, and rested up so she could get over the jet lag quickly. The next morning we got up early and headed into town to kick off the festivities. We found a really good deal on a 3 person parasailing over Lake Wakatipu. It was such an amazing view as we were towed up behind a boat over the lake and a really fun way to kick things off. After our morning parasailing ride we walked around Queenstown and did a little bit of shopping before heading into the public flower gardens along the lake. After a lot of walking and minorly sore feet we decided to stop for lunch at a famous local restaurant called Fergberger. We got ourselves a meat pie, a burger, and the NZ version of a Boston creme donut. All of them were fantastic and a special treat, as we normally don’t eat meat or dairy.

We had planned to do a cruise on Milford sound the next day but the landslides had destroyed the roads and still were not open to personal vehicles. We didn’t want to spend ~250 dollars for a commercial coach and cruise upgrade option so we made a change of plans and headed back to Wanaka where Bryn and I spent a few days a couple of weeks back. We went back to some cool cliff jumping and lazy river spots we found and stayed at a huge open campground in the woods and made friends with a bike packer named Karl. He serenaded a family of ducks with his flute and he and Madeline were fast friends!

The next day we headed north up to Mt. Cook. We planned to go all the way up into Mt. Cook National Park but when we arrived the weather was very clouded and drizzly so we decided to wait until the next morning for better weather and camped at a lake. We made an amazing dinner of portabella mushroom burgers and red kumara (like a sweet potato) fries and snuggled up in the van to play a rousing game of monopoly. As monopoly always does, the game dragged on quite a bit, and I won by forfeiture - me and my sisters play monopoly back home so it was a really fun throwback game night. The next morning we got up early and drove an hour or so into the national park. We made a first stop and did a 3 km hike up to an overlook of the Tasman glacier. It was the first time Madeline had seen a glacier so that was really cool, and the views of the mountains were absolutely gorgeous. We continued up the road to its end where there were hundreds of cars/vans parked at the staging camp for a plethora of hikes. We opted not to join in on the difficult and crowded trails but just hung out, had some snacks, and enjoyed the view of NZ’s tallest mountain. After we left we had a hefty driving day and made it a long way south to yet another lakeside campground.

The next day we drove even further south to the town of Bluff. We had spent the last 3 nights staying at freedom camps in our van - we had to pitch a tent as well because the van really only has space for 2 people - and were a bit weary of the cold and loneliness accompanying being alone out in the tent so we booked some more cheap Airbnb’s. The Airbnb in Bluff was really nice and after driving to the end of the peninsula at the end of NZ we utilized the real kitchen space to make an Italian feast of salad, gnocchi and vegetarian bolognese sauce, and garlic bread (and a little bit of wine).

The next day we drove through the Catlins, a large forested area of southern New Zealand stopping along the way at some really cool natural features. We went to two different waterfall areas which each boasted multiple waterfalls and took in the beauty and got some great pictures. We stopped for a couple hours in a small town called Owaka so Madeline could take an online test back home which she took at the local library - after that we did a little souvenir shopping before heading to Jack’s Blowhole. After a sizable walk we made it to the blowhole, which was over 600 feet inland and nearly 400 feet deep! It was really crazy to see the tides flow in and out and spray up, we got there at high tide so it was in ideal form. After that we headed to Kaka Point, a small beautiful seaside town where we got another Airbnb up on the cliffs. Our host, Mary Jo, was super nice and gave us some good advice of what to do around there and let us play with her Red Heeler, Matty. I don’t have enough dogs in my life… :( The next morning we woke up very early to go to a lighthouse ~15 min away for sunrise. Madeline was in a sleepy stupor and was unable to rouse herself so Bryn and I made the journey on our own. It was really nice to be out in the early morning hours and we got some absolutely amazing views at Nugget Point. There were large rock outcropping all around the peninsula that looked like nugget of gold (or chicken). It was a lovely morning, despite a cloudy and slightly underwhelming sunrise. After going back to the Airbnb and making breakfast, we headed back through the Catlins to stop at some of the spots we didn’t have time to see on the first pass. We went to the famous Purakaunui falls as well as Curio bay. Curio bay had a petrified forest outcropping along the sea that is now home to the rarest species of penguin in the world. We were graced with a lucky sighting of the 2019 bird of the year, the Hoiho (noisy in Maori) or Yellow-eyed penguin. We were able to get reasonably close and watch it hang out along in petrified forest rocks. We went to a cafe afterwards and had some really nice snacks before heading to Weir Beach. We camped in a big open field along the ocean at the farthest south point in all of NZ this night and luckily, it wasn’t all that cold.

The next morning we got up early and drove to Dunedin for our final day together. We got to our Airbnb and after taking showers we went into town. We walked around town a bit, stopping in some art galleries and cool shops to get a few souvenirs. We got a gelato in the main square downtown and played ping pong in the park for a while. Afterwards we went to the Black Dog, a chic restaurant bar for a final meal together. We shared cream of tomato soup as a starter and a chocolate mousse for dessert, along with our individual entrees of course - it was a really nice last supper together. We headed back to the Airbnb and hung out and snuggled before going to bed. We got up and drove to the airport the next morning for Madeline’s very early flight - I was very sad to say goodbye to her but am so thankful she came. I miss her and my family a lot so it meant a lot to me that she came all this way to see me. <3

After we said goodbye to Madeline we packed up and did a long haul drive up to Christchurch where we are now. We will be in Christchurch for another ~2 weeks trying to sell our van and then we will head to Australia!!! Wish us luck selling the van, we might need it! :)

Expect our best,

Christopher and Bryn

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jenkinsjourneys · 5 years

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Road Trip around Kent

Hi, I am Marie and my husband is Drew. We hope you like our blog based on our recent visit to Kent. Welcome to Jenkins Journeys, cycling, and adventuring through life.

I had received a number of recommendations to visit Kent and as I had never been before, we decided to do it as a road trip to get the most out of the visit. We decided to hire a Motor Home and was delighted to pick up a spotless 6 berth Ford Chausson MotorHome from Motor Home Hire UK. It was a comfortable and easy drive especially as this was my first time hiring a motorhome. The vehicle came with all the extra’s you need, such as electric hook up, gas cylinder and kitchenware.

Day 1

We decided to head towards Epping Forest for our first night, as we are keen cyclists we thought it would be great to explore the area and find a campsite that was close to the Forest. Once in the area, we came across Debden House Campsite. It is a conference centre and had 6 large fields for the use of campers and large groups. It cost us £32 for the night which is more than what we would usually pay for a pitch, but as it was on the edge of the Forest we decided to stay for the one night. After a cozy sleep in the double bed above the driver's cabin, we set off for Whitstable, which we decided would be our next overnight stop.

Day 2

We traveled across the Dartford Crossing along to Rochester,( it is important to note that you must log on to the website and pay your crossing charge before midnight on the day you travel), this was for a quick comfort break and I am glad we did as this was our first sightseeing stop, as there was lots of history in the area and an impressive Castle sitting proudly in the centre of the town. I especially liked the wonky buildings.

We arrived in Whitstable mid-afternoon and after a drive along the seafront out of town we came across Sea View Holiday Park. It has lots of static caravans, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that they had a touring site and offered pods right next to the entertainment area and washing facilities.

As we wanted to explore the immediate area we decided to stop for the next 3 nights. The touring site was literally a stone’s throw (or pebble throw) on to the pebbly beach, with a long promenade. Once we had set up the motorhome, filling up the water tank and getting our set up right we headed out on our bikes back up the prom to Whitstable. It was a fantastic ride along a wide concrete prom passing lots of beach huts and bars and restaurants. As the area is famous for its Oyster Farm it was no surprise to learn that many of the restaurants offer wonderful seafood menu’s. As it was Sunday late afternoon most of the shops on the high street were shut, but it had lots of small independent shops and had a quaint feel to it.

Day 3

We were up early because we wanted to get out on our bikes and cycle along to Margate. As it turned out we traveled a lot further and made it to Ramsgate, this was partly due to the fantastic prom that made cycling along the coastline so much easier. The trail along the prom is called the Oyster trail and it leads on to the Viking trail, it is well signposted but given that your following on one path it is easy to navigate anyway.

After leaving our campsite the first area we came in to was Herne Bay, we stuck to the trail but it seemed like a beautiful area. Just after the bay, the trail heads away from the beach, however, we decided to push our bikes along the pebbly beach to do some beachcombing. Once around the Bay, we rejoined the trail and came to Reculver Castle Towers, an interesting stop for a quick refreshment break.

We continued on to Margate and popped into the town for a quick look around and then continued on the trail along the way we passed some stunning coastline, namely Botany Bay, Viking Bay, and Broadstairs. Due to the time of year, there was a number of tourists but we were able to cycle along at an easy pace without having to dismount.

We reached Ramsgate and this was a pleasant surprise, it had a lovely old fashion seaside feel to the town and we visited a wonderful Fish and Chip Shop that was a well-deserved treat after the 25 plus miles ride. After sitting on the beach to enjoy our fish supper and ushering the seagulls, we took the cycle back. Lucky for us the wind was behind us and we arrived back at the campsite early evening, after a full day cycling and sightseeing.

Day 4

The next day we headed inland and took the Crab and Winkle trail on our bikes to Canterbury. The ride from our site was approx 8-9 miles along a disused railway line through gorgeous countryside and woodland. We visited Canterbury Cathedral which we believe is a must to visit when you're in town. It is steeped in history and was undergoing major renovation work, and has masses to see and learn. The town itself had lots of mini shop fronts and they also have punt trips along the Great Stour from West Gate. Here the wonky shops continued.

After speaking with a lady on the gates of the Cathedral that lives in Whitstable we decided to stop off for a seafood lunch in Whitstable, at Wheelers Restaurant. It was a quaint restaurant, with a large selection on the menu. We chose a fishcake starter and a seafood Mezze. We were instructed that the restaurant only takes cash payments and if you want a glass of wine with your meal there is an Offy across the road with a large selection of local beers and ales. So plenty to try while enjoying your meal.

On our way back to the campsite we picked up some fresh Oysters from the Whitstable Oyster Company, we paid £10 for 6 super fresh Oysters. We took them away and had them for our evening meal. It was great to hear about the history of the Oysters in the area and it was interesting to learn that this farm has over 10 million Oysters just off the shoreline.

Day 5

After packing up and moving on, we had decided to head towards Hastings and we came across a sign for Bodiam Castle as a member of the National Trust and after seeing it in our book we decided to do a slight detour and visit the Medieval castle ruins, its a wonderful sight to see, surrounded by a motto. It is one of the most impressive picturesque castles to go and see.

Due to our impromptu visit, we decided to find a campsite in the Royal Tunbridge Wells area, this was partly due to the fact that there is a number of National Trust sites to visit in the area that we wanted to visit. We had a quick google and found what we thought was a campsite called Sunninglye Farm. On arrival down a small lane, we were met by a lovely lady called Jill, she explained that they are a working farm but also have 7 stunning camping lodges or safari tents as we would call them. Although they are not set up as a campsite, she was kind enough to offer us the opportunity to park up our motorhome on their bottom sheep field close by to the communal shower block. We excepted graciously because it seemed like such a lovely location and we were not disappointed. We had two fabulous nights here and will definitely return in the future to stay in their lodges, it's a wonderful site and has lots to offer for families or groups. On this afternoon we cycled just a few miles into Royal Tunbridge Wells, the town had a number of architecturally interesting buildings but you could also see that the town is having a huge amount of upgrading and investment.

We had the privilege of cooking some of Jill’s home-reared pork in their pizza oven and it was great to make new friends of the farm animals. The chickens are free-range and would often wander around by where you sit. Take a look at their fantastic lodges. I particularly liked that the lighting was by gas lamps and you use a log burner as a stove. They had 3 bedrooms, 2 double and one was bunk beds. I think 2 of the lodges had ensuite showers but all lodges had their own toilet. Each lodge had stunning views of the countryside.

Day 6

This was a final day so we headed out on our bikes to visit Scotney Castle which was approx 8 miles from our site, this stretch was a little hilly for novice cyclists but the effort is well worth it when you reach this National Trust site with a detour to the small village of Lamberhurst. This is by far my favorite NT site, there is so much to see here. The house which was lived in by Betty Hussey, right up to recent times 2006. Its a beautiful time capsule of how she used to live, but then you have the stunning old castle and folly which you can view from the library window and explore. It’s important to add that the cafe and walled garden are worth a visit too. We did want to visit Chatwell House the home of Winston Churchill while we were in the area but we just ran out of time. So great reason to return to the area.

Day 7

Today we were heading home but on route, we decided to visit Waddesdon Manor in Aylesbury, which is a French-style Chateau, previously owned by the Rothchild Family. The restaurant was superior for this type of national trust site, but we chose a traditional English Cream Tea, which was a welcome snack before we explored the impressive interior rooms of this impressive building. Again this was a wonderful property with lots of magnificent artworks and sculptures. You could spend a full day at this site but we were heading home, so we could clean the van in readiness to return it in the morning.

This is our first time in the Kent area and we were blown away by the number of things to see and do and we know we only scratched the surface. The motorhome experience was one we would also do again without hesitation. We have had a fantastic holiday and we crammed lots in and we would say if you're considering a holiday to somewhere new this is an area of the UK that is definitely worth your consideration. The people we have met have been friendly and extremely helpful and the changing landscapes from Coastlines to woodlands have been a joy. Right I'm off to plan our next journey, wild camping the southwest coast path in Cornwall in a few weeks.

#We #kent #whitstable #margate #Ramsgate JenkinsJourneys #canterbury #nationaltrust #cycling #coastline #biketouring #motorhome #seafood

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kvgeog4390 · 5 years

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What does that filter hide?

How is rural Canada portrayed in contemporary society? Think about art, music, film, news, etc. How might this influence decisions being made about it?

Pop culture depicts rural Canada as places with a deep connection to living simply and a tighter knit community network than you might find in the city. Like the seaside image below from, “10 Cute Towns In Newfoundland That Are Definitely Worth The Road Trip,” they are picturesque, quaint and colourful. Yet those within are often struggling to get out. Like Ariel in Footloose young people want to leave, and the few jobs are often working in local factories or with whichever resource the community is based around. Rural Canada is either depicted as idyllic and beautifully rural or as slow and exhausting. Keeping on the theme of Newfoundland, the map shows how 600 towns have opened and closed in the 500 year history of the province. A town or two a year may not be that bad, yet most of these towns died between 1930 and 1970, a rate of loss greater than any other Canadian province, yet a trend that has been occurring nation-wide as urban areas grow. Loss of employment in fisheries as stocks are depleted from off shore commercial fisheries and brain drain of young people to urban education and employment are two central features of this.

https://www.narcity.com/ca/nl/stjohns/best-of-nl/10-cute-towns-newfoundland-definitely-worth-road-trip

http://theindependent.ca/2011/04/07/the-abandoned-communities-of-our-province/

Rural areas that are successful and thriving in Canada seem to be one of two things, picturesque or dramatically altered for economic extraction. Few farms today look like the farm in Babe and survive only through the goods they produce, they are larger and louder and nosier and smellier – they are functional farms that produce a lot and well for the needs of those in the cities. The same goes for mines and fisheries. The pretty ones, like Bogle Seeds – the sunflower farm near Hamilton that in a week went from being a nice way to supplement an income to being ‘closed for good’ after an influx of people sought their ideal picture for Instagram. Damaging plants, crossing four lane highways, and ignoring the requested entrance fees – resulting in the family announcing this will be the last planted sunflower crop. Cases like this demonstrate how the rural is valued when it is pretty – but not respected by those who tour through seeking photos or to consume the areas with minimal concern for sustainability. Rural either needs to be pretty or far away and giving cheap goods in the eyes of many Canadians.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-how-the-quest-for-the-perfect-selfie-forced-an-ontario-sunflower-farm/

Rural areas hold a key position in generally being among the first to experience environmental changes as they are commonly far closer to natural processes than those in built up areas. Loss of livelihood such as fish indicates a loss in environmental health. Oil spills or mining pollutants will effect nearby areas, often less populated and/or marginalized communities, and smaller rural populations have less of a political voice and social outrage weight than if the same event were to happen in Toronto. When fishing communities bring attention to fish dying from pollutants from an oil leak national outrage and action may last for a few days, and the Athabasca First Nation has been under boil water advisories off and on for 10 years – why? Fewer people are effected, those people have less of a political footprint, and we prefer to look at the pretty pictures. These polarized images of rural areas lead it to be idealized for what we want it to be, not what it is and how everything that exists is for us to consume at any desired rate. In a society that values social media as reality we need to be far more critical of the images we see and importantly, what is cropped out.

#rural socialmedia instagram canada geography

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wineanddinosaur · 3 years

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Banville Wine Merchants: Celebrating Family With Every Bottle

Now more than ever, many are seeking to transform a simple toast into a special occasion. And what better way to celebrate the joys of life and the importance of family, both inherited and chosen, than with a bottle that honors generations of artisanship, superior quality, and a commitment to the land?

Family-owned Banville Wine Merchants (BWM), founded in 2004 by Lia Tolaini Banville, is a national importer with a passion for fine wines and spirits. A strong female leader in a male-dominated field, Lia sought to create a modern, independent business that pays homage to legacy estates, champions small producers, and boasts a label for every occasion. Honoring her deep connection to Italy with a diverse collection of elegant wineries, Banville has extended her import portfolio to over 50 hand-picked selections, stretching from the “Great Boot” to South America. So this season, raise a glass to great grapes and familial ties with a bottle from this impressive roster.

Lia Tolaini Banville (above), a strong female leader in a male-led industry, founded Banville Wine Merchants in 2004.

A Sumptuous Road Trip Through a Terroir That’s as Diverse as Italy Itself

Journeying through Italy’s Chianti Classico region brings wine lovers from the north near Florence down through the Chianti Classico communes to the southernmost commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, which is just seven miles east of Siena and 18 miles north of Montalcino. This area of Chianti Classico is known for producing wines of strength, elegance, and longevity and was the motive for choosing the Montebello and Vallenuova vineyards as the perfect home for Tolaini. Capitalizing on the varied elevation of the property’s natural, south-facing amphitheater, Pier Luigi Tolaini planted high-density vines in the prized Galestro soil and built a state-of-the-art winery in a renaissance Tuscan villa on the property. He understood the great potential that this land possessed and knew it was where he would realize his dream of making world-class wines.

Sustainable and organic farming practices are an important focus at Tolaini, as is showcasing Tuscany’s native variety, Sangiovese, with the estate’s single-vineyard Chianti Classico Gran Selezione and Tre Bicchieri-winning Vallenuova Chianti Classico. Pier Luigi had a great passion for Super Tuscans as he loved Bordeaux and the juicier Napa wines of the mid-1990s. His flagship wine, Picconero, is made from Cabernet Franc and Merlot and continues to garner rave reviews.

Tolaini epitomizes the concept of “family business” and today Pier Luigi’s daughter, Lia Tolaini Banville, is running the estate and preserving her father’s legacy while bringing new ideas and innovation, all while honoring the distinct terroir of Castelnuovo Berardenga.

Tolaini sits within the Chianti Classico area, known for producing wines of strength, elegance, and longevity.

Lia launched Donna Laura Wines in Castelnuovo Berardenga in 2004 to honor the legacy of her beloved aunt and mentor, Zia Laura. With each bottle, Lia captures the essence of conviviality, the Italian tradition of family together at mealtime. Wine is a part of each family meal and is as vital as bread and salt. Focusing on sustainable and organic farming practices that forgo harmful chemicals to insure a vibrant ecosystem, Donna Laura wines are an expression of the native Tuscan varietal, Sangiovese. Balanced and approachable, these wines are ideal for everyday enjoyment and a reminder of family and food and how they are synonymous at the Italian table.

Traveling from central Italy to the mountainous countryside of the northeast, at Cantina Terlano in South Tyrol each varietal is aged to optimization, whether that takes years or even decades. Here, winegrowing was introduced in pre-Roman times, the land long prized for its sunny climate and location above the floodplain. One of the oldest cooperatives in Italy, many growers and their families have worked with Terlano for over 100 years. Terlano is known for producing wines with incredible aging potential. The wines’ longevity is in part a result of the combination of the soils’ high mineral content –– Terlano’s vineyards are nestled within a rich volcanic rock, its porosity ensuring optimal soil drainage –– and old vines, as well as the rigorous selection of vibrant, fully mature grapes. The Selections are often held in large wooden barrels and left to age on the lees before bottling, allowing each to blossom into a wholly unique character and complexity.

Tradition and time-honored relationships, forged over almost two centuries of craftsmanship, are the pillars of success at Farina Wines. Located in the heart of Valpolicella Classica, the original historic region of Amarone and Ripasso winemaking in the Veneto, Farina is owned by Claudio and Elena Farina, two cousins who represent the third generation of this winemaking family, with the guidance of Sandro, Claudio’s father. With an ideal climate for grape-growing, thanks to the moderating influence of nearby Lake Garda and the fresh breezes from Monte Baldo and the Monti Lessini hills, Farina is well known for producing velvety, rich Amarone wines and vibrant Ripasso blends. All of Farina’s wines are made from varietals that are indigenous to the Veneto, including Corvina, which is known as the “queen“ of grapes here. Corvina, with its thick skin and loose bunches, is particularly well suited to the region’s traditional appassimento technique. After careful selection in the vineyard, the grapes are dried for a few months in a special room called a “fruttaio,” then gently pressed. Fermentation follows in stainless-steel tanks and then the wine ages in large, Slavonian oak barrels for a minimum of 24 months. This long, traditional winemaking process produces the signature Amarone wines that Farina is famous for — distinct, with a sophisticated structure that balances the traditional velvety, rich, unctuous beauty of this wine with a modern freshness.

Farina wines balance the traditional velvety, rich, unctuous beauty with a modern freshness.San Salvatore 1988 sits within Cilento National Park in the Campania region of southern Italy. The estate’s rich biodiversity, enhanced by its proximity to the sea and high-altitude vineyards, together create an ideal environment for crisp whites and expressive red wines made from varietals like Falanghina, Fiano, Greco, and Aglianico, which were originally introduced to the region by the ancient Greeks. Launched in 2006 by entrepreneur and hotelier Giuseppe Pagano, who named the project after his son, Salvatore, born in 1988, San Salvatore 1988 fuses the latest in winemaking techniques with organic sustainable farming — no artificial products or chemicals. Its power supply is from an onsite facility that helps to reduce the winery’s carbon footprint. Roaming the vineyards is a herd of 650 bufala (buffalo that supply milk for the Pagano family’s historic mozzarella production) that provide an all-natural fertilizer that aids in the integrated biodynamic cycle of complete recovery of the land. San Salvatore’s Pian di Stio Fiano has received the coveted Tre Bicchieri award from Gambero Rosso for the three most recent vintages.

A unique Mediterranean paradise with a strong and independent spirit, Sardinia has been home to Mario Pala and his family for many generations. Since 1950, Mario’s family has grown grapes on their estate in southeastern Sardinia in the town of Serdiana. Their eight vineyard sites encompass a wide range of terroirs from limestone hills overlooking the sea to sandy plots located just a few miles from the shore. The Pala family is passionate about making wine using organic farming practices that reflect the importance of terroir, tradition, and respect for the environment. A champion of native Sardinian varietals like Nuragus, Monica, and Bovale, Pala is also well known for its refreshing Vermentino and seductive Cannonau wines that honor the distinct terroir of this extraordinary island.

A World Apart

The MacDonald family and the te Pā team challenge themselves to champion new techniques of sustainable water management and soil regeneration.

A newer addition to the BWM family, New Zealand’s te Pā Family Vineyards was founded by Haysley MacDonald, who traces his ancestry to the early Māori settlers who landed in the Wairau Bar region some 800 years ago. In 2003, MacDonald transformed the family farm into vineyards, with the flagship Marlborough estate extending from the Lower Wairau Valley to newer plantings in the Awatere Valley. At the Seaside Reserve vineyard in the Lower Wairau Valley, resilient vines and a frost-free environment enable an earlier ripening of grapes, yielding crisp Sauvignon Blanc and flavorful Pinot Gris. At the Redwood Hills estate vineyard in the Awatere Valley sub-region, clay and stony loam soils produce vines with deep roots that pull from the coastal influences and sunshine to produce a distinctive white wine. As kaitiaki (stewards of the land), the MacDonald family and the te Pā team are committed to conservation, challenging themselves to champion new techniques of sustainable water management and soil regeneration.

Several hours and continents away, the family-run Argentinian Andeluna winery has adopted a similar approach to honoring the land. Located on the rocky terrain of Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza at the foot of the Andes, the winery’s name merges the words ANDE (the Andes) and LUNA (moon in Spanish) to evoke passion and magic, its high altitude literally elevating the label above all others. Initially founded in 2003, the Barale family-owned winery utilizes Gualtallary’s altitude and calcareous soil to produce reds with intense fresh and fruity expression. Focusing on heritage wines that capture the area’s unique terroir, the family has produced some of Argentina’s top Malbec and Cabernets.

Ultimately, what shines through in each of Banville Wine Merchant’s many producers is a commitment to community and a passion for locally sourced, lovingly cultivated vines. But no matter what your mood or desired flavor profile, there is something for everyone in Banville’s diverse portfolio. Maybe even a pairing for your next family get-together.

This article is sponsored by Banville Wine Merchants.

The article Banville Wine Merchants: Celebrating Family With Every Bottle appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/banville-wine-merchants/

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foxgambling694 · 3 years

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Hemingway A Moveable Feast

Hemingway A Moveable Feast Quotes

Hemingway A Moveable Feast Pdf

Hemingway The Sun Also Rises

Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast Joseph Roth, The Radetzky March OTHER NYRB CLASSICS OF INTEREST A Time to Keep Silence Patrick Leigh Fermor Between the Woods and the Water Patrick Leigh Fermor (introduction by Jan Morris) Roumeli: Travels in Northern Greece Patrick Leigh Fermor (introduction by Patricia Storace) Mani: Travels in the Southern. The two men discuss Hemingway’s writing, and the fire-eater suggests to Hemingway that the fire eater tell Hemingway stories for Hemingway to write out, and that they split the profits. Hemingway pays for the meal and leaves, saying he will see the fire-eater soon. About The Book “There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other.” —Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast Ernest Hemingway’s classic memoir of Paris in the 1920s remains one of his most beloved works. Ernest Hemingway: A Moveable Feast. Steve Newman Writer. Ernest Hemingway, Cuba, 1960. Image: Abe Books. When you re-read A Moveable Feast today one can feel both the.

Season 8 premiered in November 2020 | Check your local listings.

Come along for a mouthwatering ride and catch the spirit of pop-up cooking with Moveable Feast with Relish. Australia’s top celebrity chef Curtis Stone, stand-up comedian and chef Alex Thomopoulos, and author and James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein team up with some of the most innovative chefs and food artisans as they cook up a feast using the best seasonal ingredients and each region’s little-known food treasures. This season, follow along as Alex samples the best of New England cuisine, including an excursion to Martha’s Vineyard.

Sunset feast at the Beach Plum Inn in Martha’s Vineyard, MA, featuring acclaimed chefs, Jessica B. Harris and Jan Buhrman and hosted by Alex Thomopoulos.

Episode Descriptions:

Episode 1: Seattle, Washington

Explore the Pacific Northwest as Moveable Feast with Relish travels to Seattle to get a memorable taste for the region known as Cascadia. Host Curtis Stone jumps aboard a seaplane with Chef Tom Douglas as they head to Coupeville on Whidbey Island. Chef Tom is the winner of three James Beard Awards, and together with Chef Renee Erickson, they are a driving force behind the food scene in Seattle. First stop: a visit to Penn Cove to see where mussels grow in what’s considered the best environment in the region. Next, we meet up with Georgie Smith of Willowood Farm, which is one of the most painted and photographed farms in the Pacific Northwest. With their ingredients in hand, the chefs then collaborate on the creation of a true regional feast that includes steamed mussels; a spiced mussel and saffron soup; and a grilled whole salmon with Walla Walla onions and fava leaves.

Episode 2: Taos, New Mexico

Experience the rich history of Taos, New Mexico as Moveable Feast with Relish samples this mountainous region’s native ingredients. Host Curtis Stone meets Christopher Lujan, who grows ancient heirloom blue corn, highly prized by indigenous cultures, in the high-elevation mountains of Taos Pueblo. Curtis also pays a visit to Romero Farms, known for growing everything from oats to heirloom varietal chilies. All of these ingredients then come together with the help of Chef Andrew Horton and Chef Chris Maher, owner of Taos’ well-known Cooking Studio Taos, as they serve-up the best of New Mexican cuisine which includes beautiful blue corn cakes; local lamb tacos; and a flavorful green chili stew.

Episode 3: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Settled at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Santa Fe, New Mexico is home to a culinary scene of mixed influences and Southwestern flavors and ingredients. In this episode of Moveable Feast with Relish, Host Curtis Stone is joined by Chef Martín Rios, co-owner of Santa Fe’s award-winning Restaurant Martín, and Chef Leslie Chavez, who also has a strong background in catering and pastry in New Mexico. Together, they visit The Rooted Leaf and Celestial Bee, a farm that produces exquisite bee honey and fresh, highly cared-for produce. They also visit a local chile farmer to see how Chimayo chile, a local heritage pepper, is dried and ground. At a colorful hacienda in Santa Fe, Chef Rios makes rosemary-roasted turnips and Chef Chavez makes a sopaipilla with the locally sourced honey.

Episode 4: Carmel, California

Visit the charming seaside town of Carmel, California for this episode of Moveable Feast with Relish. Host Curtis Stone joins Michelin-starred Chefs Justin Cogley and James Syhabout as they forage for seaweed at low tide along the area’s iconic 17-Mile Drive. They then travel to a vineyard in Carmel Valley that specializes in Pinot Noir and learn how its exquisite estate-grown wines benefit from the land’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean. An intimate feast is then prepared at Aubergine at L’Auberge Carmel, where Chef Cogley serves as executive chef. Topping the menu are dishes that feature the locally sourced ingredients: foraged seaweed and vegetables; farm-raised rack of lamb; and Monterey Bay abalone.

Episode 5: San Luis Obispo County, California

In this episode of Moveable Feast with Relish, Chef Curtis Stone heads for San Luis Obispo County, where he jumps into the waters of Morro Bay Oyster Company, known as a hub for oyster farming since the early 1900s. Curtis is joined by internationally-known Chefs David Rosner and Sherry Yard to source local Pacific Gold oysters. Then they head to Rutiz Family Farms, followed by a trip to a local vineyard. Together, the chefs then prepare a grand feast set against the backdrop of the region’s most spectacular volcanic peaks. On the menu are SLO County-sourced ingredients prepared in a variety of ways: raw oysters served with chili and ginger granita; grilled yellowtail tuna and fennel accompanied by roasted oysters; and a dessert of caramelized fennel and fruit strudel a la mode.

Episode 6: Puerto Rico

Chef Michelle Bernstein heads for Puerto Rico, stopping first at Frutos del Guacabo, which provides some of the highest quality fruits and vegetables to chefs in 160 hotels across throughout the island. Michelle also makes a trip to Tommy Forte Seafood Market, known for selling everything from swordfish to shark. Michelle is then joined by Chef Kevin Roth, who combines his love for Puerto Rico with a passion for barbecue, along with Chef Ventura Vivoni, who makes art out of local ingredients. Fresh fruit is used in courses throughout the feast, and a variety of seafood is prepared along the way.

Episode 7: Portsmouth, NH

This week on Moveable Feast with Relish we’re in Portsmouth, New Hampshire to throw a party with James Beard Award nominee Chef David Vargas, known for dishing up some of New England’s best Mexican cuisine, and Chef Will Myska, celebrated for bringing real Texas-style barbecue to the Northeast. Field trips include a stop at Maine Meat Butcher Shop to source local, organic, grass-fed meat, to Big Scott’s Local Grown to source a specialty heritage corn grown exclusively for Chef Vargas, and finally to Vernon Family Farm for pasture-raised chicken and to cook up a harvest feast over an open fire. On the menu: grilled Vernon Family Farm chicken; corn and fire-roasted pumpkin and apple stew; smoked lamb with root vegetable salsa and mezcal gastrique; and an Italian riff on Mexican street corn salad.

Episode 8: Boston, MA: The Food Project

This week on Moveable Feast with Relish, we’re on the road in Boston, where a vibrant and diverse immigrant community is making a delicious mark on the food scene. Among those blazing a trail are multiple James Beard Award-nominee Chef Irene Li and fellow Chef Tamika R. Francis. It’s fall in New England, so the chefs source some of the best the season has to offer, including fresh cranberries and honey! Then it’s off to visit the incredible Food Project, an organization that grows some of the best produce right in the heart of the city, where the chefs also cook a New England feast unlike any you’ve ever seen. On the menu: scallion pancakes with cranberry chutney; braised spiced goat with celery root puree; roasted beet salad with herbs, and cranberry-tequila cocktails with rosemary and lime.

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Episode 9: Ogunquit, Maine

This week on Moveable Feast with Relish we’re in Ogunquit, Maine—a true natural wonder. Host Alex Thomopoulos joins two James Beard Award-winning chefs, Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier, whose restaurant, MC Perkins Cove, helped solidify Ogunquit as a culinary destination. The chefs source Maine's famous cold-water lobsters aboard the Finestkind with local lobsterman Goat Hubbard and pay a visit to Woodland Farms Brewery to source and sample some of the best beer in the region. Then it’s back to Mark and Clark’s private home, nestled in the woods, for an intimate lobster feast. On the menu: chilled lobster salad with tarragon vinaigrette; Maine mahogany clams with dark beer and fermented black beans; Thai-style grilled lobsters; and a wild blueberry tart.

Episode 10: Martha’s Vineyard: Menemsha

This week on Moveable Feast with Relish, we get an insider’s look at this culinary gem of an island, and its thriving farming community. Host Alex Thomopoulos joins two of the island’s great chefs: Jan Buhrman, who has also been voted pretty much “the best at cooking everything” by her fellow islanders, and James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jessica B. Harris. Field trips include a stop at The Grey Barn and Farm to sample some award-winning cheeses, and a tour of MV Mycological, a shiitake mushroom farm that combines ancient Japanese growing techniques with modern sustainable practices. With ingredients in hand, the next stop is the Beach Plum Inn, one of the most picturesque inns on the island, where our chefs prepare a truly memorable feast. Visual studio c programming. On the menu: leg of lamb with lavender and red wine; mushroom consommé with cheesy popovers; winter squash risotto; and a Grey Barn pear tart.

Episode 11: Martha’s Vineyard: North Tabor Farm

This week on Moveable Feast with Relish we’re headed to Martha’s Vineyard to experience a unique slice of life in a fishing village on this quaint New England island. Joining Host Alex Thomopoulos are two of the island’s favorite chefs, James Beard Award winner Chris Fischer, and Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Eddy. Field trips include a stop at Cottage City Oysters to source some incredibly sweet, briny oysters grown in deep, cold ocean waters. Then it’s off to the legendary Larsen’s Fish Market, where we’ll select fish from the freshest catch of the day. Then it’s time to harvest vegetables and cook up a succulent seafood feast at North Tabor Farm in their custom-made wood-fired oven. On the menu: wood-fired fluke with brown butter and oysters; a classic green salad with shallot vinaigrette; and potato and fennel gratin with green tomatoes and cilantro.

Episode 12: Boston, MA: Gibbet Hill

This week’s episode of Moveable Feast with Relish reveals Boston’s undeniable passion for creating truly epic feasts. Host Alex Thomopoulos is joined by two chefs credited with propelling Boston’s Italian food scene to new heights - James Beard Award-winning Chef Karen Akunowicz and the only Black chef-owner in Boston’s fine dining scene, Douglass Williams. Chef Akunowicz, a pasta guru, takes us to One Mighty Mill to source the secret to her award-winning pasta - local, fresh-milled wheat. Then it’s off to the picture-perfect farm Gibbet Hill for fresh vegetables. Finally, it’s time to cook and feast. On the menu: farro pappardelle with rabbit, figs, prosciutto and mushrooms; roasted duck with farm vegetables and golden raisin-poppy seed sauce; focaccia garlic bread; and blueberry-concord grape shortcakes with mascarpone cream.

Episode 13: Boston, MA: Courtyard

This week on Moveable Feast with Relish, Host Alex Thomopoulos meets up with two of Boston’s most innovative chefs, James Beard Award winner Chef Jamie Bissonnette and rising star Chef David Bazirgan. Field trips include a visit to Lookout Farm to harvest a fruit once reserved for the nobility, the Hosui Asian pear. Then it’s off to the pioneering Boston Smoked Fish to source their famous smoked salmon bacon. With ingredients in hand, the chefs head back to Chef Bazirgan’s restaurant, Bambara, to cook up a courtyard brunch. On the menu: smoked haddock with green papaya and apple salad; classic potato roesti with salmon bacon, cider-poached eggs, and harissa hollandaise; and an Asian pear and cranberry clafoutis.

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Recommended Reading

The True Costs and Benefits of Fracking

Sarah Smarsh

The Bumby pages are frankly sentimental but nonetheless somehow dry, while the little boy’s attempts to be a man in two languages, and to keep up with his father’s enjoyment of café society, are simply charming. (Once you have heard the proprietress of Shakespeare and Company grandly referred to as “Silver Beach,” you are doomed to remember her that way. And you will perhaps also recall Bumby’s announcement of what he has learned from his nanny’s husband, Touton: “Tu sais, Papa, que les femmes pleurent comme les enfants pissent?” A different version of Papa, to be sure, but one worth having.)

Even in this record of spontaneous innocence, however, the chance is not missed to take another sidelong whack at Scott Fitzgerald:

“Monsieur Fitzgerald is sick Papa?” “He is sick because he drinks too much and he cannot work.” “Does he not respect his métier?” “Madame his wife does not respect it or she is envious of it.” “He should scold her.” “It is not so simple.”

Again, there is nothing to complain of here in point of terseness and economy, but it sent me back again to that supremely unsatisfactory moment in the original collection, in the chapter titled “A Matter of Measurements,” when Fitzgerald invites Hemingway to lunch at Michaud’s restaurant and tells him: Todoist and siri.

“Zelda said that the way I was built I could never make any woman happy and that was what upset her originally. She said it was a matter of measurements. I have never felt the same since she said that and I have to know truly.”

By his own account, Hemingway thereupon leads the author of The Diamond As Big As the Ritz out to the men’s room, conducts a brief inspection, and reassures (or, to be more exact, fails to reassure) his pal that all is well, and that he’s looking down on his penis, literally and figuratively, rather than taking the sidelong perspective. I have never trusted this story, if only because—as Hemingway himself later admits—“it is not basically a question of the size in repose. It is the size that it becomes.” So, unless the viewing in the Michaud pissoir was of an engorged and distended “Scottie”—which it plainly was not—then Papa was offering Fitzgerald a surrogate form of consolation. And was then planning to write about it! (That Zelda was a lethal bitch who wanted her husband at least to fail and perhaps to die is for once not confirmed by another new inclusion, “Scott and His Parisian Chauffeur,” where she is pictured as behaving really quite gracefully under pressure and where the same Mike Strater whose absence was deplored in the original preface is also shown in a fairly good light on a train from Princeton to Philadelphia.)

I suppose that another way of betraying a friend of whom it’s thinkable that you were jealous, and who would, as it happens, do you the good turn of introducing you to an editor like Maxwell Perkins and a publisher like Scribner, would be to write about him thus:

Scott was a man then who looked like a boy with a face between handsome and pretty. He had very fair wavy hair, a high forehead, excited and friendly eyes and a delicate long-lipped Irish mouth that, on a girl, would have been the mouth of a beauty (italics mine).

All right so far, perhaps, even with that emphasis noted, but then: “The mouth worried you until you knew him and then it worried you more.” And this in the second paragraph of the first page of the chapter about his friend—the one he is later on bluffly cheering up about his sand-castle masculinity …

It might be trite to pick on the verb worried, but undue or conspicuous anxiety about such matters has been known to furnish a clue about the author himself, and Hemingway more or less forces one to contemplate this very contingency. The brilliance of the anecdote in “A Strange Enough Ending,” in which the author bids adieu to Gertrude Stein and her partner, is that it is almost the sound of the other shoe dropping after that rugged earlier moment in “Miss Stein Instructs,” in which Stein dismisses male homosexuality as truly and horribly unnatural. Hemingway writes,

I heard someone speaking to Miss Stein as I had never heard one person speak to another; never, anywhere, ever. Then Miss Stein’s voice came pleading and begging, saying, “Don’t, pussy. Don’t. Don’t, please don’t. I’ll do anything, pussy, but please don’t do it. Please don’t. Please don’t, pussy.”

As someone wrote about Dorothy Parker’s short story “Big Blonde,” the talent (I won’t say genius) here lies in getting the reader’s imagination to shoulder the bulk of the work. A pretty revenge, I dare say, if slightly and crudely rubbed in a few lines later when Miss Stein is described as resembling “a Roman emperor.”

And so to the excerpt that has continued to excite perhaps the most comment. Closing the original chapter in which Miss Stein expresses her loathing for male perversion, Hemingway writes that he went home to Hadley and “in the night we were happy with our own knowledge we already had and other new knowledge we had acquired in the mountains.” Read these words alongside the following lines originally excised from the restored chapter titled “Secret Pleasures”: “When we lived in Austria in the winter we would cut each other’s hair and let it grow to the same length.” Presuming these to have been the same mountains, or even perhaps assuming slightly different peaks, the whole concept of matching coiffureappears to Hemingway to have been almost unbearably exciting:

Hemingway A Moveable Feast Quotes

“If you don’t think about it maybe it will grow faster. I’m so glad you remembered to start it so early.” We looked at each other and laughed and then she said one of the secret things … “How long will it take?” “Maybe four months to be just the same.” “Really?” “Really.” “Four months more?” “I think so.” We sat and she said something secret and I said something secret back.

Hemingway A Moveable Feast Pdf

Gosh. And this, as some addicts will already know, is merely an amuse-bouche for the main course of another unfinished Hemingway effort, “The Garden of Eden,” at the end of which it seems that hair must be discarded altogether, and shaved heads become the sexual totem. Not even Adam and Eve went so far in their admission of guilt and nakedness, but perhaps a man whose mother once dressed him as a girl and trimmed his crop to suit, and crooned to him as “Ernestine,” had some old scores to settle in the androgyny column.

What is it exactly that explains the continued fascination of this rather slight book? Obviously, it is an ur-text of the American enthrallment with Paris. To be more precise, it is also a skeleton key to the American literary fascination with Paris (and contains some excellent tips for start-up writers, such as the advice to stop working while you still have something left to write the next day). There are the “wouldn’t be without, even if you don’t quite trust” glimpses of the magnetic Joyce and the personable Pound and the apparently wickedly malodorous Ford Madox Ford. Then there are the moments of amusingly uncynical honesty, as when Stein and Toklas met Ernest and Hadley and “forgave us for being in love and being married—time would fix that.” The continued currency of that useless expression the lost generation becomes even more inexplicable when it is traced to a stupid remark made by Gertrude Stein’s garage manager, and such quotable fatuity, however often consecrated by repeated usage, is always worth following to its source. Most of all, though, I believe that A Moveable Feast serves the purpose of a double nostalgia: our own as we contemplate a Left Bank that has since become a banal tourist enclave in a Paris where the tough and plebeian districts are gone, to be replaced by seething Muslim banlieues all around the periphery; and Hemingway’s at the end of his distraught days, as he saw again the “City of Light” with his remaining life still ahead of him rather than so far behind.

Hemingway The Sun Also Rises

NB: This book is best read or reread in the company of a beautiful book of photographs and quotations: Hemingway’s Paris, edited by Robert Gajdusek and published by Charles Scribner’s Sons in 1978.

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chaoticmusicsalad · 3 years

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Recently I have read "Icons of England" and there is an article written by Eric Clapton about his hometown, which reflects he remains intimately connected to Ripley. Here is the article.

What A Waste

As a young boy growing up in the 1950s, country life was pretty much all I knew. My family lived in Ripley, Surrey, right on the edge of the village green and, as a result, my pursuits were simple, healthy and modest – mainly consisting of games of Cowboys and Indians in the nearby woods. Visits to other villages and towns were few and far between. And a trip to Guildford, which was only about six miles away, was a special event. In the summer, however, there were often village junkets to the seaside. The British Legion or one of the pubs on the high street would usually organize these excursions, ferrying us down in ancient charabancs to places like Bognor, Brighton or Littlehampton. And they were always memorable – mainly for the humorous misfortunes of people getting lost or left behind, breakdowns miles from anywhere and incredible sing-songs there, with beer-fuelled ones on the way back. I loved the way we would amble through the strange new country side at twenty miles per hour, everyone buzzing with excitement. And I loved being caught up in the thrill of leaving the village behind, heading into the unknown. For me, the sight of unfamiliar landscape was like a drug. I would look forward to it all through the winter, and it spawned something in me which has never died – a compulsion to travel. Several landmarks were burnt into my memory back then: Bury Hill, a place so steep we usually had to get out and push the coach; Newlands Corner, which was the first sign of the mystical lands beyond the borders of Ripley; and the sight and smell of the sea as we

approached the coast, coupled with the mad scramble to the front of the coach and the fight to be the first to scream, ‘I can see the sea.’ In hindsight, the value of these sights and sounds has grown immeasurably over the years. None more so than Newlands Corner, an area about six hundred feet high, which can be seen from the Dorking Road just outside Guildford. In my twenties, when I set up home near the village of Cranleigh, it marked the final glorious five miles of my journey home. And there is nothing better than leaving the suburbs of the town to climb gradually up the winding road until you reach the top of the hill. As you come over the crest, you are treated to one of the most beautiful sights known to man – or this man, anyway. I must have looked at this gorgeous panorama thousands and thousands of times. But it still causes me to gasp and hold my breath. It’s not particularly grand – the scale of the Surrey Hills is quite small – but the proportions are absolutely perfect. A patchwork of fields and woodland is laid carefully over the gently undulating North Downs in such an exquisite design that it’s always a massive temptation to stop the car, get out and let the healing take place. It’s also quite a shock to contemplate just how many little homesteads and farms are neatly tucked into the landscape, revealing just how well man and nature can work together. If only man could always blend in so successfully. It’s a sad thing, then, for me to consider that in my lifetime I will have watched this amazing place evolve into a massive rubbish dump. For the last decade, a mountain of

waste has been quietly growing out of the landscape. The site itself has been a sandpit for as long as I can remember, but gradually it has morphed into something a little more ominous. Its purpose is to try to get rid of things that don’t particularly want to go away: plastic in all its different forms – bags, bottles and so on. At present, the authorities are doing their best to make sense of it all, researching the possibility of using the methane from the waste to fuel the trucks that carry it in such vast quantities. But at the rate it’s growing, it will soon be as high as the hill across the valley – my Newlands Corner. Time – and space – is running out. Complaining is my God-given birthright. I love it, and am very good at it. It is, however, usually directed towards someone I know will sympathize with my argument, and is therefore ‘safe’. In this case, I’m sure it’s already too late. I have watched this problem developing over the past few years and have done absolutely nothing about it. I have complained, but only to my wife, who patiently hears me out – then makes me a cup of tea. My complaining has done nothing other than reveal the extent of my social incompetence and irresponsibility. I am, I admit, ashamed of myself. I fear I have witnessed the passing of something my children and grandchildren will, in all probability, never see – the beauty of Newlands Corner.

----Eric Clapton ,from the book"Icons of England"

#Eric Clapton #Icons of England #Books

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italy-with-us · 3 years

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Lake Como Easter Holidays | Pascqua sul Lago di Como

The summer is on its way, spring brings life to the cold winter and the colours of Lake Como shine and glimmer. For you Easter break we have organised a fun spring Itenary for you to make the most of your trip to Lake Como

During the Day

A visit to the Fiorida

Valtellina is the valley North of Lake Como. During the spring months this valley becomes alive with an Easter feeling, Drive up to the north of the lake and go explore the valley. A visit to the Fiorida farm & Agriturismo is a must. The stone and wood buildings of the Agriturismo La Fiorida stand near the banks of the river Adda in a context of nature and colour which is in perfect harmony with the local countryside. The farm can be reached by car, from the Main Road (Strada Statale) 38 at Rogolo, or by bike on the delightful cycle path, the Sentiero Valtellina, which connects Colico to Morbegno. The business is a pleasant staging post for those going on to the famed locations of the Upper Valtellina, in Val Chiavenna and in the Engadina, and for those who want to observe animals close up and to taste those wholesome foods which come directly from nature.

Here you can visit the farm, enjoy a panino infront of the open wood fire in the shop full of local delicacies all made by them, or even enjoy a bit of fine dining in the exquisite restaurant. You don’t have to book the farm, shop or restaurant but if you plan on dining in booking is always advised.

Book here: https://www.lafiorida.com/en/contact-us/

VISIT VILLA CHARLOTTA & BELLAGIO

Lake Como has always been known as a beautiful holiday resort thanks to the mild climate and unsurpassable beauty of the small seaside resorts nestled in the Pre-Alps: in past centuries only noble families and Italian and European writers spent holiday periods in the sumptuous villas overlooking the lake. Now the lake has become an international tourist destination. In a strategic position a short distance from Milan and Brianza, perfectly connected by rail, Lake Como offers extremely elegant landscapes: small villages nestled on woody slopes that alternate with the famous villas surrounded by lush gardens, unmissable during the spring blooms and with plant species from all over the world. There are many lakeside villas: Villa Olmo, Villa d’Este in Cernobbio, Villa Monastero, Villa Cipressi in Varenna, or Villa Serbelloni or Villa Melzi in Bellagio or the very famous Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo, Villa Balbianello in Lenno, some open to public, others to be admired only from the outside.

Villa Carlotta

In a natural basin, between lake and mountains, the marquis Giorgio Clerici built a splendid, imposing but sober home in the late 1600s, surrounded by an Italian garden, facing a breathtaking scenery on the Grigne and Bellagio dolomites. Villa Carlotta offers to the groups of visitors a historical and artistic patrimony, kept inside the halls of the museum, and a botanical heritage, characterized by the hundreds of tree species that characterize its vast garden. With Gian Battista Sommariva, the next owner, the villa touched the peak of splendor, enriching itself with works of art and becoming an unmissable destination for a visit to Lake Como. Sommariva, who acquired the property in the early nineteenth century, wanted that part of the garden be transformed into an extraordinary romantic park and that the villa was embellished with masterpieces by Canova, Thorvaldsen and Hayez. Villa Carlotta Park is famous for the amazing spring flowering of rhododendrons and azaleas in over 150 varieties. However, every year is suitable for a visit: ancient examples of camellias, cedars and centuries-old sequoias, immense plane trees and exotic essences are proposed to visitors in an alternation of settings created over the centuries by the architects of the gardens. With a 3-hour visit you can see the villa’s museum and its gardens

MORNING VISIT TO VILLA CARLOTTA Eighteenth-century villa renowned for its museum full of famous works of art and for the botanical garden known for the azalea and rhododendron blooms, takes the name Carlotta daughter of Princess Marianna di Nassau and Prince Albert of Prussia, where Carlotta lived with her husband Duke George II, crown prince of Saxony Meiningen.

THE CAMELIES Judging from the dimensions reached by numerous specimens, the use of the camellia at Villa Carlotta dates back a long way. Walking through the gardens you can admire different varieties, some very rare, from the most different colors.

THE AZALEE In April and May Villa Carlotta offers an authentic sea of multicolored azaleas, arranged in high rounded cushions along some paths. The effect is extraordinary, both for the chromatic variety and for the dimensions reached by the shrubs. It is a flowery path of great charm and scope that in Italy knows very few equals. On the ground floor of the villa where there is an important collection of ancient and modern works of art, painting and sculpture that attract illustrious visitors from all over Europe, these works are part of the collection collected by the second owner Giambattista Sommariva . On the first floor you can admire furniture, objects, paintings, pictorial decorations, all traces of the taste of living in the villa of the two spouses Carlotta and Giorgio II, Grand Duke of Sachsen-Meiningen. The park of Villa Carlotta (about 8 hectares can be visited) is a place of great charm, not only for its panoramic position, but also for the harmonious coexistence of styles, the richness of essences, the literary suggestions that make it an unmissable destination for those arriving on Lake Como. From the seventeenth century remains the large Italian garden with high hedges geometrically cut, balustrade parapets, statues and water features; of the romantic period the structure of the English garden can still be perceived, rich in precious trees of exceptional proportions and of very suggestive views; at the end of the nineteenth century the great plant architecture of the imposing masses of rhododendrons, azaleas and rare species dates back, making the park of Villa Carlotta a veritable botanical garden.

VISIT THE MUSEUM & IT’S GARDENS

RODODENDREN FOREST The skilful care of a single species of rhododendron (Rhododendron arboreum) has allowed us to create an environment that in nature is only reflected in the Himalayan mountains: dozens of over a hundred individuals, from branches and twisted trunks create a unique atmosphere here. BAMBOO GARDEN Over 3000 square meters inspired by the principles and techniques of Japanese garden art, here are home to 25 species of bamboo, some very rare, in a context of great harmony between waterfalls, streams and stone structures.

Bookings & Information: [email protected]

Services: Bar-cafeteria; Picnic space; Bookshop, internal and external lift. Dogs can only enter the garden and if kept on a leash.

Opening Times: FROM 22 MARCH TO 29 SEPTEMBER OPENING: 09.00 - 19.30 FROM 30 SEPTEMBER TO 27 OCTOBER OPENING: 09.30 - 18.30 FROM 28 OCTOBER TO 3 NOVEMBER FOR THE PONTE DELL’IMMACOLATA OPENING: 10.00am - 5.00pm 12

LOCAL LUNCH IN TREMEZZO TRY SOME LOCAL FLAVORS

After visiting the villa in the morning you can enjoy local recipes based on typical products of Lake Como in Tremezzo and Cadenabbia. both villages that are located around villa carlotta You can find solutions for all budgets and for all tastes. Tremezzo is one of the most famous tourist attractions of Lake Como, located on the western shore of Lake Como, just in front of Bellagio, with a splendid view of the central basin and the Grigne. Since 1947, the village, together with Lenno and Mezzegra, has become part of a unique municipality, known as Tremezzina. The marvelous villas and the enormous hotels built between the 18th and 19th centuries have made Tremezzo an international tourist reference point. In the Rogaro area you can admire a fantastic ancient tower, the remains of the ancient medieval fortresses. This small and enchanting peace of land extends from the shores of the lake to the hilly background at the foot of Mount Crocione. Tremezzo has two souls, coastal and hilly, both

AFTER LUNCH VISIT BELLAGIO

After lunch why not take the ferry from Tremezzo to Bellagio and enjoy a relaxing walk along the promenade. You can also extend your afternoon walk by visiting the exclusive gardens of Villa Melzi. The recommended time for a visit to his garden 1-2 hours The gardens of Villa Melzi stretch along the lake shore and blend harmoniously into the hilly surroundings of the Bellagio peninsula that divides the two branches of the Lario. With the visit to the garden of Villa Melzi you can admire plants and botanical species, along the external paths of the garden there are also numerous sculptures in a beautiful setting given by the panorama of Lake Como. The complex was built between 1808 and 1810 for Francesco Melzi d’Eril (1753-1816), Duke of Lodi, the villa is a splendid expression of neoclassical style, and as such declared a national monument. The English gardens, enriched with sculptures, were designed by the architect Luigi Canonica and the botanist Luigi Villoresi, both responsible for the arrangement of the park of the Villa Reale in Monza.

L'estate sta arrivando, la primavera dà vita al freddo inverno ei colori del Lago di Como brillano e brillano. Per le tue vacanze di Pasqua abbiamo organizzato un divertente Itenario primaverile per farti vivere al meglio il tuo viaggio sul Lago di Como.

Durante il giorno Una visita alla Fiorida

La Valtellina è la valle a nord del Lago di Como. Durante i mesi primaverili questa valle si anima con una sensazione di Pasqua, guida fino a nord del lago ed esplora la valle. Una visita all'agriturismo Fiorida è d'obbligo. Le costruzioni in pietra e legno dell'Agriturismo La Fiorida sorgono a ridosso delle rive del fiume Adda in un contesto di natura e colore in perfetta armonia con la campagna locale. L'azienda è raggiungibile in auto, dalla Strada Statale 38 al Rogolo, oppure in bicicletta lungo la deliziosa pista ciclabile, il Sentiero Valtellina, che collega Colico a Morbegno. L'azienda è un piacevole punto di sosta per chi si reca nelle rinomate località dell'Alta Valtellina, in Val Chiavenna e in Engadina, e per chi vuole osservare da vicino gli animali e assaporare quei cibi genuini che provengono direttamente dalla natura. Qui è possibile visitare la fattoria, gustare un panino davanti al fuoco di legna nel negozio pieno di prelibatezze locali tutte fatte da loro, o anche gustare un po 'di cucina raffinata nello squisito ristorante. Non è necessario prenotare l'agriturismo, il negozio o il ristorante ma se si prevede di cenare è sempre consigliata la prenotazione.

Prenota qui:

https://www.lafiorida.com/en/contact-us/

Itinerario Villa Carlotta e Bellagio

Il Lago di Como è da sempre conosciuto come una splendida località di villeggiatura grazie al clima mite e alla bellezza insuperabile dei piccoli centri balneari incastonati nelle Prealpi: nei secoli passati solo famiglie nobili e scrittori italiani ed europei trascorrevano periodi di vacanza nelle sontuose ville prospicienti il lago. Ora il lago è diventato una meta turistica internazionale. In una posizione strategica a breve distanza da Milano e dalla Brianza, perfettamente collegata tramite ferrovia, il Lago di Como offre paesaggi estremamente eleganti: piccoli borghi adagiati su pendii boscosi che si alternano alle famose ville circondate da rigogliosi giardini, imperdibili durante le fioriture primaverili e con specie vegetali da tutto il mondo. Numerose sono le ville sul lago: Villa Olmo, Villa d'Este a Cernobbio, Villa Monastero, Villa Cipressi a Varenna, o Villa Serbelloni o Villa Melzi a Bellagio o la famosissima Villa Carlotta a Tremezzo, Villa Balbianello a Lenno, alcune aperte al pubblico , altri da ammirare solo dall'esterno.

Villa Carlotta

In una conca naturale, tra lago e montagne, il marchese Giorgio Clerici fece costruire alla fine del 1600 una splendida, imponente ma sobria abitazione, circondata da un giardino all'italiana, affacciata su uno scenario mozzafiato sulle Grigne e sulle dolomiti di Bellagio. Villa Carlotta offre ai gruppi di visitatori un patrimonio storico-artistico, custodito all'interno delle sale del museo, e un patrimonio botanico, caratterizzato dalle centinaia di specie arboree che caratterizzano il suo vasto giardino. Con Gian Battista Sommariva, il successivo proprietario, la villa toccò l'apice dello splendore, arricchendosi di opere d'arte e diventando una meta imperdibile per una visita sul Lago di Como. Sommariva, che acquistò la proprietà all'inizio dell'Ottocento, volle che quella parte del giardino fosse trasformata in uno straordinario parco romantico e che la villa fosse abbellita con capolavori di Canova, Thorvaldsen e Hayez. Il Parco di Villa Carlotta è famoso per la straordinaria fioritura primaverile di rododendri e azalee in oltre 150 varietà. Ogni anno però è adatto per una visita: antichi esemplari di camelie, cedri e sequoie secolari, immensi platani ed essenze esotiche vengono proposti ai visitatori in un alternarsi di ambientazioni create nei secoli dagli architetti dei giardini. Con una visita di 3 ore è possibile vedere il museo della villa e i suoi giardini

VISITA MATTUTINA A VILLA CARLOTTA Villa settecentesca rinomata per il suo museo ricco di celebri opere d'arte e per il giardino botanico noto per le fioriture di azalee e rododendri, prende il nome Carlotta figlia della Principessa Marianna di Nassau e del Principe Alberto di Prussia, dove Carlotta visse con il marito, il duca Giorgio II, principe ereditario di Sassonia Meiningen.

I CAMELI A giudicare dalle dimensioni raggiunte da numerosi esemplari, l'uso della camelia a Villa Carlotta risale a molto tempo fa. Passeggiando per i giardini si possono ammirare diverse varietà, alcune molto rare, dai colori più diversi.

LE AZALEE In aprile e maggio Villa Carlotta offre un mare autentico di azalee multicolori, disposte in alti cuscini arrotondati lungo alcuni sentieri. L'effetto è straordinario, sia per la varietà cromatica che per le dimensioni raggiunte dagli arbusti. È un percorso fiorito di grande fascino e ampiezza che in Italia conosce pochissimi eguali. Al piano terra della villa dove si trova un'importante collezione di opere d'arte, pittura e scultura antiche e moderne che attirano illustri visitatori da tutta Europa, queste opere fanno parte della collezione raccolta dal secondo proprietario Giambattista Sommariva. Al primo piano si possono ammirare mobili, oggetti, dipinti, decorazioni pittoriche, tutte tracce del gusto di vivere nella villa dei due coniugi Carlotta e Giorgio II, Granduca di Sassonia-Meiningen. Il parco di Villa Carlotta (circa 8 ettari visitabili) è un luogo di grande fascino, non solo per la sua posizione panoramica, ma anche per l'armoniosa convivenza di stili, la ricchezza di essenze, le suggestioni letterarie che ne fanno una meta imperdibile per chi arriva sul Lago di Como. Del Seicento resta il grande giardino all'italiana con alte siepi tagliate geometricamente, balaustre, parapetti, statue e giochi d'acqua; del periodo romantico si percepisce ancora la struttura del giardino all'inglese, ricco di alberi preziosi di eccezionali proporzioni e di scorci molto suggestivi; Alla fine dell'Ottocento risale la grande architettura vegetale degli imponenti massi di rododendri, azalee e specie rare, che fanno del parco di Villa Carlotta un vero e proprio orto botanico.

VISITA IL MUSEO EI SUOI GIARDINI

FORESTA DI RODODENDRI La cura sapiente di una singola specie di rododendro (Rhododendron arboreum) ha permesso di creare un ambiente che in natura si rispecchia solo nelle montagne himalayane: decine di oltre cento individui, dai rami e dai tronchi contorti creano un'atmosfera unica

Prenotazioni e informazioni: [email protected]

Servizi: Bar-caffetteria; Spazio picnic; Bookshop, ascensore interno ed esterno. I cani possono entrare solo in giardino e se tenuti al guinzaglio.

Orari di apertura: DAL 22 MARZO AL 29 SETTEMBRE APERTURA: 09.00 - 19.30 DAL 30 SETTEMBRE AL 27 OTTOBRE APERTURA: 09.30 - 18.30 DAL 28 OTTOBRE AL 3 NOVEMBRE APERTURA PONTE DELL'IMMACOLATA: 10.00 - 17.00 12

PRANZO LOCALE A TREMEZZO PROVATE ALCUNI SAPORI LOCALI

Dopo aver visitato la villa in mattinata potrete gustare ricette locali a base di prodotti tipici del Lago di Como a Tremezzo e Cadenabbia. Entrambi i borghi che si trovano intorno a villa carlotta si possono trovare soluzioni per tutte le tasche e per tutti i gusti. Tremezzo è una delle più famose attrazioni turistiche del Lago di Como, situata sulla sponda occidentale del Lago di Como, proprio di fronte a Bellagio, con una splendida vista sul bacino centrale e sulle Grigne. Dal 1947 il paese, insieme a Lenno e Mezzegra, è entrato a far parte di un unico comune, denominato Tremezzina. Le meravigliose ville e gli enormi alberghi costruiti tra il XVIII e il XIX secolo hanno fatto di Tremezzo un punto di riferimento turistico internazionale. In zona Rogaro si può ammirare una fantastica torre antica, resti di antiche fortezze medievali. Questa piccola e incantevole pace di terra si estende dalle rive del lago fino allo sfondo collinare ai piedi del Monte Crocione. Tremezzo ha due anime, costiera e collinare, entrambe

DOPO IL PRANZO VISITA BELLAGIO

Dopo pranzo, perché non prendere il traghetto da Tremezzo a Bellagio e goderti una rilassante passeggiata sul lungomare. Puoi anche prolungare la tua passeggiata pomeridiana visitando gli esclusivi giardini di Villa Melzi. Il tempo consigliato per la visita al suo giardino 1-2 ore I giardini di Villa Melzi si estendono lungo la riva del lago e si fondono armoniosamente nel contesto collinare della penisola di Bellagio che divide i due rami del Lario. Con la visita al giardino di Villa Melzi si possono ammirare piante e specie botaniche, lungo i percorsi esterni del giardino si trovano anche numerose sculture in una splendida cornice data dal panorama del Lago di Como. Il complesso fu costruito tra il 1808 e il 1810 per Francesco Melzi d'Eril (1753-1816), Duca di Lodi, la villa è una splendida espressione di stile neoclassico, e come tale dichiarata monumento nazionale. I giardini all'inglese, arricchiti di sculture, furono progettati dall'architetto Luigi Canonica e dal botanico Luigi Villoresi, entrambi responsabili della sistemazione del parco della Villa Reale di Monza.

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Princess Wedding Dresses Pictures

Wedding Venues - Greenbrier Valley

Table of Contents49+ Of The Best Connecticut Wedding Venues (Find Amazing ...Wedding Locations - Virginia Beach - Visit Virginia BeachWedding Venues In San Diego - Dream Beach WeddingTop 10 Best Free Wedding Venues In San Diego, Ca - Last ...

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Sea Island, GA Vizcaya Gallery & Gardens Invest the wedding celebration weekend at one of Miami's lots of amazing resorts, swimming pools, dining establishments, and clubs prior to unexpected your guests with a ceremony and function here. Although it resembles someplace much as well as away in Europe, Vizcaya Gallery & Gardens is easily situated in the heart of Miami.

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Wedding Venues - Zola

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Cong, Region Mayo, Ireland Pelican Hillside Best recognized for its Rotunda venue, The Hotel at Pelican Hill is iconic in it's timeless layout as well as contemporary The golden state style. Set on a picturesque rise, its dramatization and also simpleness have actually made it a remarkable background for numerous West Coastline wedding celebrations. Newport Coastline, CA Fairmont Banff Springs Styled on a Scottish Baronial castle, this palatial house is located among some of one of the most excellent woodlands you are most likely to see.

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Napa Valley Wedding Venues - Vineyards, Resorts & Gardens

Specifically if you're intending a large affair with a substantial visitor listing, the skies is the limit at this Palm Beach residential or commercial property. Hand Beach, FL Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Book Once an exclusive plantation, this 'Ritz-y' get developed by a Rockefeller is known for it's remoteness, improvement, as well as regard for Puerto Rico.

While you're on building, see to it to take the time to delight in the remarkable food at their numerous on-site dining alternatives as well as the beyond zen health experiences at Health club Botanico. Dorado, Puerto Rico Cart's Montauk Resorts Situated on Montauk's a lot of immaculate stretch of oceanfront property, Cart's Montauk Hotel & Salt Water Health spa is an organization and the only year-round hotel on Montauk.

Be it for the rehearsal supper, after celebration, or throughout the days surrounding the wedding, hang around at The Beach Club, it's where any person whose any person goes to see and also be seen come summer season. Montauk, NY, UNITED STATES The Factory The Foundry is a 19th Century historic building situated steps from the East River in Long Island City.

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This is the only foundry in the location still standing today, and it's cherished for its rawness and also multiple ivy-covered balconies. If you're looking for a more European vibewith a sky line sight as well as the industrial influence of New York Cityhead below. Brooklyn, NY Montage Palmetto Bluff This 20,000-acre area in between Hilton Head and Savannah features a collection of elegant venues on the water with unrivaled panoramas of the South Carolina shore.

Bluffton, SC Rosecliff Mansion Maintained by Rhode Island's biggest social organization, this historic house museum channels old-world style with its French baroque rebirth style and also sprawling premises. An impressive estate for any kind of event, this East Coastline spots allows you live like Gatsby for a day. Choices are limitless at this Gilded Age masterpieceit's one of many historical bryllup københavn chateaus in Newport along the city's legendary High cliff Stroll along the water.

35+ Fall Wedding Venues — Best Locations For Fall Weddings

Patrick's Sanctuary and also 5th Avenue from a manicured historic garden atop Rockefeller Plaza. Complete with a shimmering reflective swimming pool, 620 Loft space & Garden is an enchanting oasis that can be tented all year long and is totally customizable. You're guests will certainly enjoy the renowned, one-of-kind views of New York City classicsfrom the Prometheus sculpture to the Rockefeller Facility Xmas Tree.

Carefully polished gardens breaking with color, sculpted balconies, as well as scenic lakes make this National Historic Spots a remarkable setup for Southern-style and also one-of-a-kind weddings. Charleston, SC Save These Concepts For Later on! Adding Weddings Writer Heather Hall is a weddings, fashion, and way of living writer and editor.

Wedding Places on The KnotFind relied on wedding celebration locations in your area. Select a CategoryReception VenuesWedding PhotographersBridal SalonsDJsFloristsWedding PlannersHotel Area BlocksJewelersBeautyVideographersWedding BandsWedding CakesAccessoriesAlterations + PreservationBar Services & BeveragesBed and also BreakfastsBoudoir PhotographersCalligraphersCaterersCeremony AccessoriesCeremony VenuesDance LessonsDecorDessertsEnsembles + SoloistsFavors + GiftsFitnessInvitations + Paper GoodsLightingMenswearNewlywed ServicesOfficiants + Premarital CounselingPhoto BoothsRegistry ServicesRehearsal Dinners, Bridal Showers + PartiesRentalsService StaffTechnologyTransportationTravel SpecialistsVariety ActsVacation Residences + VillasWedding DesignersWedding JewelrySearchAdvice From The KnotIcons/ Action Based/ heartCreated with Sketch. (Uncertain? Request for more information!) Icons/ Messaging/ chatCreated with Sketch. Start a ConversationFound a place you enjoy? Connect! Inquire about their availability and also see if their capacity straightens with your visitor count. Likewise try The Knot's "Request Quote" feature. It helps you choose what details to share so you can conveniently attach with locations.

Auberge du Soleil not only uses one of one of the most extravagant breakfasts in America, however it's additionally a decadent as well as picturesque place to have your wedding. According to Yelper Jean T., "Everything from the planner to the food to the view to the solution personnel was simply remarkable." If the climate permits, having your function or event outside offers you a stunning breathtaking sight of the surrounding valley.

Additionally, the food is an outright standout. Jo. C composed: "This was the first wedding celebration where our steaks actually appeared as everyone asked for. The scallops were completely cooked. The treat was very imaginative cookie bottom, cake facility, pastry cream on inside, surrounded by chocolate mousse, after that decorated with a stick of chocolate as well as a tiny scoop of whipped cream on the side." Appears unbelievable!.

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Site 860-425-3686 Email THE CONSUMMATE NEW ENGLAND INN, A STORYBOOK SETTING FOR YOUR WEDDING. Invite to Wedding Celebrations at Norwich Inn, among New England's finest wedding destinations. You take a trip down a winding country roadway and go into a personal drive lined with century old maples. There before you sits a Georgian Colonial Estate, its red block faade simultaneously sophisticated as well as inviting.

Inside, you will discover our stylish Grand Ballroom, a comfortable Nation Home, as well as other special occasion spaces, the majority of with wood-burning fireplaces.

Below comes the bride. Planning to say, "I do" in Hill Country? Why not walk down the aisle at one of Cedar Park's premier wedding event locations. Whether you are looking for a peaceful family celebration or a joyful fete, the estates, inns as well as clubs in and also around the city deal picture-perfect backgrounds to your special day.

55 Salisbury Road, Worcester, 508-793-4327, worcesterart.orgIndustrial stylish is a wedding event fad, as well as this seaside winery is loaded with it. The location was originally the home of the Plymouth Rope Company, a 19th-century rope maker that created rigging made use of on the USS Constitution and also run through the mid-20th century. Now the block wall surfaces, rustic wood floors, as well as beamed ceiling supply a sensational backdrop for weddings of as much as 200 visitors, with an ordinary cost of the place, food, and alcohol coming in at $25,000.55 Rope Park Circle, Plymouth, 508-746-3532, 1620winery. comYou may have become aware of James Beard Honor semifinalist Will certainly Gilson, the chef-owner of Puritan & Firm in Cambridge.

Gilson's loved ones developed the ranch's residence and carriage residence in the late 1800s, and the team behind his restaurant runs all wedding events at the farm. Host an intimate, 30-person wedding celebration in the carriage house or a 150-person event in the greenhouse. "There truly is no location else that I can think about in the region where you 'd have the ability to go and see such well manicured as well as storied yards that somebody driving by wouldn't also be able to inform [are] there," Gilson says.

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nagsale · 4 years

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THE PERFECT WEEKEND GETAWAY GUIDE TO CAPE CHARLES, VIRGINIA

Last year while driving home from a Virginia food & wine themed road trip, we decided to form a last-minute detour to Chatham Vineyards, Virginia’s only Eastern Shore vineyard before heading home. We also decided that we’d do a touch exploring on the way. Anytime we saw a symbol we felt like following, we did. Did it take for much longer to urge home? Yes. Did we discover some pretty cool places off the beaten path that we probably never would have known about otherwise? Absolutely. That’s how we found a touch hidden gem called Cape Charles.

Located on the southern end of Virginia’s Eastern Shore on the Chesapeake Bay side of the peninsula, Cape Charles is one among America’s coziest little beach towns. There are not any mysterious wild ponies here like in Chincoteague or any of the flashy or touristy boardwalks you would possibly find in Virginia Beach. But what you'll find here may be a charming and historic laid back small-town vibe with sweet little shops, great food, kind people and a gorgeous (and quiet) public Chesapeake Bay Beach with free parking and calm, clear waters that you simply can wade out dozens of yards from shore and still be waist-deep. Adjacent to the beach may be a fishing pier perfect for bringing in some fresh catch or taking in of Cape Charles’s spectacular Chesapeake Bay sunsets. And you actually can’t leave Cape Charles without snapping a couple of pics or selfies ahead of their iconic “LOVE” sign sitting at the doorway of the pier, one among 180 public “LOVE” artworks across Virginia.

Love Art Sign Cape Charles Beach Virginia And the word seems to be spreading about this sweet little seaside retreat. Recently voted one among “America’s Happiest Seaside Towns,” by Coastal Living in 2018, Cape Charles is additionally unique for having one among the most important concentrations of late-Victorian and turn-of-the-century buildings on the East Coast. it's numerous that the town has earned status as a Historic District on the Virginia Landmarks Register also as on the National Register of Historic Places. Nature lovers will love the nearby Kiptopeke State Park and therefore the Eastern Shore Wildlife Refuge which are perfect for hiking and birding, while golfers have their option to play at either an area Jack Nicklaus or Palmer 18 hole golf courses which are the sole two side by side courses designed by these golf icons on an equivalent property within the country. While golf isn’t necessarily my thing, driving a golf cart around the streets here is legal and encouraged, which I can drag.

Cape Charles Beach shallow waters The shallow and calm waters of the Cape Charles Beach.

Our first visit to Cape Charles was a brief stop at the beach and pier and a walk down the tiny downtown main street with plans to return this year and that we made it happen even with the likelihood of a hurricane storm surge on its way. Luckily all the town experienced was some early morning wind and rain.

Cape Charles Fishing Pier Here’s what where we ate, where we stayed and what we did on our short two-day trip back to Cape Charles.

Where to remain Cape Charles Hotel Building and Rooms Hotel Cape Charles 235 Mason Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310 hotelcapecharles.com (757) 695-3854

There are many lovely B&Bs and vacation rentals in Cape Charles. except for the right spot within the center of downtown, yet walking distance to the beach, we stayed at the Hotel Cape Charles. one among only two hotels in town, this 101-year-old boutique hotel with an unbeatable location seamlessly blends into the tapestry of Cape Charles’ downtown and therefore the fabric of this very town. So seamlessly actually that we drove past it twice. If you wish historic buildings but you furthermore may just like the experience of a contemporary hotel, Hotel Cape Charles delivers on both.

Hotel Cape Charles Front Desk And Lobby Lobby At The Hotel Cape Charles

Recently renovated, with no two rooms being exactly alike, the vibe here is peaceful, light, clean, modern and cozy with vintage accents, exposed brick walls and preserved original architectural details that nod to the building’s rich history. The bathrooms are gorgeous too! If you like spacious accommodations choose one among their “lofts” with open floor plans, exposed brick, full kitchen, dining areas that define the word spacious.

While there are Keurig coffee makers within the rooms, we looked forward to heading right down to the lobby each morning for a few delicious freshly brewed locally roasted coffee in their Hotel Cafe and bar. They also offer guests a light-weight complimentary breakfast, featuring organic, homemade granola and a few light fare and food for purchase.

At night we recommend unwinding on the third-floor veranda with gorgeous views of the town with a glass or bottle of wine from the hotel’s list. If you’re in town and need to require a swim when the weather is warm, guests may purchase each day pass for the Bay Creek Beach Club only 2 miles from the Hotel which has two outdoor pools and an outsized fitness center. On each day you only want to explore Cape Charles, a couple of steps in any direction from the hotel entrance and there are great places to dine, shop and galleries to browse.

A 5-minute walk will land you at Cape Charles’s main attraction – the beach and fishing pier. For those that love a motorcycle ride, the hotel has six cruisers available for guests on a primary-come first-serve basis. except for something a touch extra, the hotel also will secure you a golf cart to urge around town. does one need to if you've got a car? Probably not. But it’s THE thanks to getting around Cape Charles. And is it a blast? Totally. While in town I happen to ascertain my cousin and her husband driving by on one returning from the beach as I used to be packing up the car to go away. It clothed they were also staying at the Hotel Cape Charles, two doors down from us and that we both had no idea. That’s the type of magical little moments that happen at the Hotel Cape Charles.

CAPE CHARLES CANDY COMPANY 300 Mason Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310 capecharlescandy.com (757) 655-1338

When you’re in Cape Charles and your appetite strikes, stroll over to the Cape Charles Candy Company located in one among Cape Charles’s new group of outlets on Mason Ave. they need an eye-grabbing sort of classic and modern candy that will please any sugar addict. You’ll scoop your thanks to sugar heaven with their selection of gummies, jawbreakers, and saltwater taffy.

Don’t miss their freshly crafted fudge (samples encouraged!) made with real cream and butter that comes in an irresistible selection of flavors like spread chocolate, cake, cookies, bourbon chocolate, maple walnut, rocky road and cookies, and cream. for a few local flavor infusion, their bittersweet chocolate caramel sea salt and salted caramel fudge are made using sea salt harvested from Virginia’s Eastern Shore from the Barrier Island’s Salt Company.

CAPE CHARLES DISTILLERY 222 Mason Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310 capecharlesdistillery.com (757) 695-3737

With rich leathers, dark woods and moody colors, Cape Charles Distillery is simply the sort of place you’d want to cotton up inside while sipping artisan craft spirits. Cape Charles’ very own speakeasy with talented mixologists won't only pour and educate you about what you’re close to sipping but also whomp up their signature cocktails made with unique ingredients, fresh herbs and sometimes a touch fire. Plus, they’re located right across from the road from Hotel Cape Charles.

Cape Charles Distillery crafts their bourbon, whiskeys, moonshine, and vodka with locally grown corn and grains with pristine Virginia mountain spring water. If you are trying any of their spirits and fall crazy, make certain to bring home a bottle or two… or three.

Where To Eat

AMBROGIA CAFFÉ & ENOTECA 321 Mason Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310 ambrogiacc.com (757) 695-3049

You probably wouldn’t expect to seek out super authentic, hand-crafted, farm to table style Northern Italian during a small beach town on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. But in Cape Charles, you can. At Ambrogio Caffe everything here which will be made up of scratch is, and love and keenness for nice food are clear in every bite. a replacement women-owned addition to Cape Charles, business partners Cristina Carollo, an Italian born oceanographer turned chef from Milan and Maria Goerner, a Ukranian with 20 years experience working within the NY restaurant scene, are serving up a number of the simplest food on the shore in their vintage chic space. that has their homemade focaccia, ciabatta and piadina bread for the paninis we devoured while visiting for lunch. We tried the mortadella (my favorite) with crescenza cheese and olive tapenade on homemade ciabatta, the roasted eggplant, fontina and tomato tapenade on homemade focaccia bread also because the piadina flatbread layered with thinly sliced prosciutto, taleggio cheese and a pepper relish for an ideal balance of flavors.

For dessert, we had their simple, yet delicious homemade tart with fig jam and a house-made tiramisu from Cristina’s family recipe that was so light and delicious I couldn’t get enough. Ambrogio is open for lunch and dinner and also does a coffee and biscotti hour within the morning starting at 10:30 with a number of the simplest espresso, doppio, cappuccino, and macchiato for miles made with a true Italian coffee machine. If you’re visiting just note the menu can change on a dime counting on what’s fresh, available or counting on what Cristina and Maria desire whipping up. Just the way they are doing in Italy.

THE SHANTY 33 Marina Rd, Cape Charles, VA 23310 shantyseafood.com (757) 695-3853

For our second day in Cape Charles, the looming possibility of a hurricane headed our way caused many of the companies and restaurants to shutter for the day. So when lunch called and that we got word at our hotel The Shanty was braving the storm and that I didn’t need to eat leftover pretzel bits and protein bars out of rock bottom of my bag we headed right over. The Shanty in Cape Charles isn't a shanty but a contemporary restaurant and bar inspired by all those dockside shacks you’ve ever eaten at that have unbeatable water views and fresh delicious seafood.

I live for those sorts of places and no I don’t care if the floors are crooked and nothing’s been changed in ages. But if you’re not into hole-in-the-wall sort of places like me, don’t worry because The Shanty is very charming during a modern seaside – built to code quite way. The menu here is made around sustainable seafood, local ingredients, and familiar dishes with creative twists. We ordered their crispy conch fritters, creamy New England chowder like cheesy potato soup with fresh clams (scrumptious), and their Yucatan Style Tacos with shrimp. We enjoyed every bite.

Voted one among the “Top 25 Bars within the U.S.” by Men’s Journal, The Shanty features a few differing types of drink menus with martinis, crushes, margaritas, signature drinks, tropically inspired cocktails also as a spread of craft beers and wine. The Shanty is found just south of Cape Charles’s main downtown on the opposite side of the railroad tracks within the Cape Charles town marina. By foot you'll stroll over if you’re downtown, I like to recommend punching it into your GPS if driving which can take you on a special route and maybe a touch confusing for a primary outing of towner.

THE OYSTER FARM SEAFOOD EATERY AT KING’S CREEK 500 Marina Village Circle Cape Charles, VA 23310 theoysterfarmatkingscreek.com 757-331-8660

If the thought of eating fresh oysters, clams, and incredible seafood while overlooking the serene blue water cove where those very oysters have grown sounds pretty amazing, then The Oyster Farm Seafood Eatery at Kings Creek must be a requirement on your Cape Charles to-do list. Located on a shocking 39-acre waterfront property complete with a marina, event center and luxury villas for rent, The Oyster Farm Eatery may be a large, airy and maybe a casually stylish bayside seafood restaurant, raw bar and barroom adorned with an ornate bar and impressive fish tanks. The chefs here call the food “water to the table,” and therefore the code on their website says it’s sandals to ties. Gotta love a shore town.

Cape Charles Oyster Farm Just a few minutes drive north of downtown, we headed to The Oyster Farm on our first night in Cape Charles. On an actual oyster farm, you can’t leave without trying some oysters. It just wouldn’t be right. With some wonderful suggestions from our super friendly waiter Mike, we settled on the oysters Rockefeller to start made with a house recipe of crispy bacon, kale rather than the standard spinach, slightly of cream and Parmesan. We were floored at unbelievably juicy and flavorful they tasted. Total score. Mike also suggested we try one among their hottest appetizers, the Thai Shrimp Salad. An explosion of fresh flavor and texture, fried shrimp are tossed with bell peppers, cabbage, scallions, and cilantro during a Thai condiment that's salty, sour, sweet beat one. Amazing. For mains, we moved onto a crisp and creamy Caesar salad topped with their own crispy fried oysters and perfectly Seared Scallops served over creamy risotto.

To wash it down we stayed local and paired it with Church Creek Chardonnay from Chatham Vineyards. For dessert, we dug into a delicious custard then got able to roll back to the hotel. Everything at the Oyster Farm was deliciously on point and that I anticipate returning return. The Oyster Farm Eatery has indoor and outdoor patio seating and if you've got the prospect, plan your visit so you'll catch stunning Chesapeake Bay sunsets. Great views, great food, and great service. What more are you able to ask for?

BAKERY ON MASON 236 Mason Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310 Bakeryonmason.com (757) 331-4777

While the brick and mortar bakery located within the Strawberry Street Plaza Shops on Mason Avenue may be a recent addition to Cape Charles, owner Louise Orlando who runs the shop together with her husband Andrew has been perfecting the art of bread making for years. and therefore the love she puts into her bread-making shows. I first tasted Louise’s bread while visiting Chatham Vineyards last year where they serve her custom vineyard flavor baked with their own Church Creek Cabernet Franc, cranberries and walnuts which with their cheeseboard. That bread stuck in my mind ever since. sometime past Louise was baking out of her home and selling at farmer’s markets and native shops. When the bread business began taking up her home that she realized she needed a fanatical space. Fast forward to today and you've got the Bakery on Mason.

Not only is everything at the Bakery On Mason made up of 100% scratch with simple ingredients, but every sourdough loaf here is fermented with an Eastern Shore born wild yeast starter that Louise has lovingly cultivated and attended for nearly 10 years. The result's a stunning crumb with a satisfying bite and chewy crust. If you’re trying to find something on the sweet side they even have pastries, muffins, scones and croissants which have something of a cult following. Wash it all down with some freshly brewed locally roasted coffee. If you’re within the area and wish lunch on the go, choose one among their gourmet sandwiches built on their mini French baguettes. Try the Cape Charles – layered with thinly sliced Edwards country ham, Parmesan-Asiago, fresh and peppery arugula, and finished with their creamy house dressing that features a nice kick.

KELLY’S GINGERNUT PUB 133 Mason Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310 kellysgingernut.com (757) 695-3737

There’s something pretty darn cool about eating during a historic repurposed space. And with 16-foot tin ceilings, a bar crafted from locally sourced 100-year-old yellow pine, and exposed brick walls, Kelly’s Gingernut Irish Pub located during a converted circa 1907 bank doesn’t disappoint. Oh, and did I mention you'll even eat inside an old vault. How cool is that?

Cape Charles Kellys With attention on what’s fresh and native and a menu that changes seasonally, Kelly’s Gingernut serves up soul-warming Irish and American pub fare like burgers, steaks, local fresh seafood, salads, an award-winning she-crab soup, along with side craft beers and wine. and therefore the food here didn’t disappoint once we stopped certain a late dinner by candlelight within the vault. We had their chevre Salad with mixed greens, candied pecans, blueberries, strawberries, shallots, and crumbled Chevre cheese, local fresh clams steamed during a wine broth with bread for dipping and a few true Irish pub fare a Shepherd’s Pie made with local organic Virginia lamb and authorized Angus Beef during a delicious pan sauce topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and Irish cheddar. We couldn’t pass up dessert and ended a stunning meal with their light and airy cake. Kelly’s Gingernut is open for lunch and dinner year-round and serves the hair of the dog brunch on Sundays. Outdoor seating is out there when the weather permits and is dog-friendly!

How To Get Around Cape Charles Golf Cart Rentals CC RYDER RENTALS 415 Mason Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310 capecharlesgolfcarts.com (757) 678-3239

Anywhere it’s perfectly acceptable and truly encouraged to ride around during a golf cart may be a place I’m excited to be. And Cape Charles is one among those places. While downtown Cape Charles is walkable, driving around during a golf cart is simply darn fun and an excellent thanks to admiring the gorgeous homes within the historic district, get around town and have a ride back from the beach without having to urge buckets of sand in your seat. It’s also just plain fun! When you’re in town pop over to CC Ryder Rentals, a brief walk from the beach and downtown area. If you would like any recommendations on the world, check-in with Smitty the owner and he’ll steer you within the right direction. The rates are super reasonable and any time on a golf cart may be a blast.

Shops to not Miss Cape Charles Virginia Peach Street Books PEACH STREET BOOKS 401 Mason Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310 facebook.com/Peach.Street.Books (757) 695-3886

Beaches and great books go together just like the sea and therefore the sand. And in Cape Charles, you’ll find quite possibly the cutest, if not the foremost unique book store on the East Coast. Located on the corner of Mason and Peach Street, Peach Street Books is one part book store and one part cafe. If you’re thinking a bookstore with coffee is nothing new you’d be right. But this one’s located during a renovated storybook cottage looking 1930’s Pure Oil gasoline station with a late 1950’s garage that’s attached and also restored, but with a contemporary vibe. Somehow its whimsical architecture works, and with over 500 new titles and over 10,000 gently used books, anyone on the look for their next great read are going to be in their glory. After you’ve grabbed all the books you'll handle, grab a bagel, some food or snacks, a house-made smoothie or a cup of java made with local Eastern Shore Coastal Roasting Company coffee. Chill outside on their pooch-friendly patio for a few R, R & R – rest, relaxation and reads.

Like A Sailor Shop Interior LIKE A SAILOR 219 Mason Ave, Cape Charles, VA 23310 facebook.com/likeasailor (757) 678-3239

Cape Charles has some great boutiques if you are feeling more within the mood for retail therapy than dipping your toes within the sand. If you've got a way of humor and love finding unique and quirky gifts instead of the standard sorts of souvenirs you always find by the shore, then make certain to pop inside. There are all types of fun things inside from card and board games to kitchen linens and candles with witty quotes and much of unique gifts. If you’re squeamish (you know who you are) this might not be the shop for you. But if you don’t take life too seriously and love quirky witty things that you simply won’t find anywhere else, then breeze on in to love A Sailor. The giggles are freed from charge.

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roundtheworldrambles · 4 years

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Tasmania, Australia - Part 2

Day 91 – Freycinet National Park and Launceston

In the morning, I departed Hobart for the last time, heading up the East Coast of Tasmania along the Tasman Highway. Leaving the city behind for country roads, I drove alongside rolling yellow hills, farmers’ fields and lush vineyards. As the highway began to hug the coast, I had terrific views of the sparkling blue ocean and rugged seaside landscape to my right. Arriving at Freycinet National Park after two and a half hours of driving, I parked my car, and began the bushwalk up to Wineglass Bay Lookout. Freycinet National Park is located on a peninsula, and hosts a diverse range of natural beauty – from the Hazards, spiky granite mountains at the centre of the park, to sapphire blue bays and white powdered beaches – this National Park was a favourite location I visited in Tasmania. Small wallabies and joeys bounced through the scrubby brush alongside the trail as I hiked, with a wide array of birds chirping in nearby trees.

Hiking up the path strewn with large rose-coloured boulders, I arrived at the lookout, with a perfect view of the iconic Wineglass Bay. I could easily see how the bay below got its name – as it formed in a perfect semi-circle, with the surf giving the illusion of sparkling glass of wine. Though overcast, the sun would occasionally break through the clouds, sending long rays of light across the beach below. I proceeded down the other side of the lookout to continue my hike to the beach. One of the great things about Wineglass Bay is that it can only be accessed by foot (about a 2-2.5 hour hike one way) or by water, and as a result I was able to have the massive beach almost to myself. I walked along the length of the beach, the strong wind whipping the sand up around me, and admired the perfect symmetry of the bay.

Wineglass Bay

I returned to the trailhead, and climbed the nearby orange boulders to find a spot to enjoy my picnic lunch. The rocks along the shoreline next to the beach all look as though they have been splashed by cans of burnt-orange paint – the incredible coloration caused by lichen growth on the rocks. The resulting effect is truly remarkable, as the shorelines gives off a fiery visual illusion. I have never seen any colours in nature quite like this, and my breath was truly taken away.

Wineglass Bay

In the afternoon, I hiked back to my car, before continuing my route Northwards to Launceston. The second biggest city in Tasmania, I was staying with Alice and Alex. The couple had recently purchased a home in Launceston, where Alice was working as an anesthesia resident, and Alex as an operating theatre assistant. We shared a terrific pizza dinner together, and made plans for the following day – remarkably, they both had the day off, and kindly offered to take me to Cradle Mountain!

Day 92 – Cradle Mountain, Launceston

Alice, Alex and I kicked off our day with coffee and breakfast at a local eatery before heading out of town to Cradle Mountain, about 2 hours west of Launceston. Visiting Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair National Park was very high on my list of places I wanted to visit in Australia – as this place as a reputation for incredible natural beauty. This national park is host to ancient rainforests, glacial lakes, jagged mountains, as well as providing a rich habitat for unique species, such as Tasmanian Devils, platypus, echidnas, birds and wombats.

Driving through the Tasmanian Highlands, we arrived at the park mid-morning, and were fortunate to have fairly clear weather, although it was unexpectedly cold. This was welcome news, as Cradle Mountain - the iconic dolerite peak that the park is best known for – is often shrouded in a misty layer of cloud. The climate in the highlands can also be highly unpredictably and stormy – weather which we were fortunate to avoid the day of our visit!

Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake

As we did not have enough time to complete any of the more lengthy tracks, we hiked around Dove Lake, a beautiful glacial lake located directly underneath the famous mountain. The meandering track took us through a wide range of unique vegetation, from golden buttongrass moorlands to quartzite beaches. We also passed through several old-growth, forested areas with massive King Billy pine trees – which can grow to a height of 400-1,120 metres! Our route also traversed several icy streams, flowing down from the mountains above into Dove Lake. This magnificent park was jaw-dropping at every turn, and clearly a special place, with both its rich habitat and mesmerizing landscape.

Returning to the Dove Lake Circuit trailhead, Alice, Alex and I took a short side hike along the Wombat Pool Track to look for wombats and wallabies – which did not take long! As we walked along the boardwalk over the wetlands, wombats would be grazing directly next to our path, often with small joeys in their back pouch. We could see bounding wallabies in every direction, grazing in the nearby grass.

We finished our time in Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge – where we warmed up in the cozy tavern with drinks and snacks before heading back to Launceston for the evening.

Day 93 – Bay of Fires and Weldborough

Alex and Alice were working again this day, and I drove out of town towards the Northeastern coast of Tasmania, heading for the Bay of Fires, an iconic conservation area known for its orange-hued granite rocks. It was a hot and sunny day as I wound along country roads on my route, entering the Northeast Highlands of Tasmania.

My first stop was at Bridestowe Lavender Estate in Nabowla. Established in 1921 by a British expat, this gorgeous lavender farm was built in this location as Tasmania was recognized to have a similar climate to Provence, France – one of the most famous lavender growing regions in the world. Bridestowe did not disappoint – as one of the world’s largest lavender farms, the manicured rows of lavender plants stretch over 120 acres, long stripes of purple flowers contrasting the orange soil. This was one of the most picturesque destinations I visited in Tasmania, with the colourful farm framed by blue mountains in the distance. I enjoyed a short visit at the estate, wandering the rows of lavender, and enjoying some hand-churned lavender ice cream!

As I continued eastward, the roads got progressively smaller, less maintained, and more remote. Speeding through the dusty countryside, I also began to see more and more wildlife – kangaroos bouncing in nearby fields, and ecidnas on the side of the roads. After another few hours of driving, I finally arrived at Eddystone Point – where the famous lighthouse overlooks the Bay of Fires. In every direction along the coast, the granite rocks are covered with orange lichen. Contrasting with the sparkling white beaches, and turquoise waters offshore, the whole area was stunning. I meandered through the bushes towards the conservation reserve (clapping to scare away any tiger snakes!), and waded in the shallow surf along the length of the beach. It was a truly peaceful, quiet moment in my trip – as there was not another person to be seen, on what has to be the most beautiful beach I have ever visited.

Bay of Fires

I had a relaxing afternoon taking photos, reading, and enjoying my lunch on the beach before returning to my car. As this day had been heavy on driving, I decided to stay at a historic roadside hotel in the Blue Tier Forest Reserve, rather than returning to Launceston. The Weldborough Hotel was originally built in 1876, and has been a pub and hotel for over 100 years. They are well known in the area for their craft beers and ciders – which was one of the reasons I picked to stay with them! There was no Wi-Fi or cell reception in this remote, heavily forested town, so I spent my evening enjoying a digital detox – complete with a book and a pint of IPA!

Day 94 – Launceston, Tasmania

I returned to Launceston on my final day in Tasmania, and spent my day exploring downtown, running errands, and completing some much needed life-admin at cool coffee shop downtown. As it was a only a few days before Christmas, I was fortunate to see the whole Mulcahy Family again that evening, as the Hobart side of the family was driving up for the holidays. We enjoyed a final dinner together at Cataract on Patterson, a charming Australian restaurant next to the River Tamar. The Mulcahys were truly incredible hosts to me during this week in Tasmania, and I will forever be grateful for their hospitality, in particular the use of their car! Without their generosity, I don’t think I would have nearly seen as much of their beautiful state.

The Mulcahys - Alice, James, Siska, Leonie, Me, Alex, Andrew, David

#australia

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