Uncork New York!

The Finger Lakes region is known for its wineries. The steep sloping sunny hillsides around the deep cool lakes offer the perfect growing temperatures and good drainage, providing ideal ground moisture levels for vineyards. Of the eleven lakes in the region, three of them offer a “wine trail.” Never one to pass up an adult beverage, Continue reading

Hello darkness, my old friend…

I have gone from one extreme to the other – from the floodlit parking lot in Jersey City were the street lamps were almost as tall as the skyscrapers, and I needed an Ava Gabor eye-mask to get to sleep, to a State Park in the Finger Lakes where nary a street lamp exists, and the brightest light in the park is Venus in the night sky overhead.  Continue reading

Summer’s not over till….

My dear friend always says “Summer’s not over till I say it’s over!”   I like that philosophy.   I like it even more now that I can say “Summer’s not over till I can’t drive any further south!”

When people ask me what I miss most about New York, my answer is always “good Chinese food, and the beach!”   The latter usually gets a double-take.  Continue reading

The “Misty” Mystique

Chincoteague is a big island with a small town atmosphere.   Too big to walk end to end, but still manageable enough to get anywhere you want by bike.  Much more subdued than the Outer Banks with no pretentious golf carts recklessly roaming the streets.  There are plenty of artists and local bookstores in the town to offset the T-shirts, trinkets, and miniature golf courses. Continue reading