A Day of Totally New Places!

What a fun day! Yesterday, J and I spent the day in Ithaca and did an couple of things we had never done before. We started with lunch with my mom and sister, Lauren at The Ithaca Ale House. The food is really good and, of course, they have a great selection of craft beers on draft.

Next, we headed to the Paleontological Research Institute's Museum of the Earth. For no apparent reason, I have never taken J there! Weird. Yesterday was the first day of a week-long Darwin celebration both at the museum and in Ithaca.

Darwin Day is an annual, international commemoration of the birthday and ideas of Charles Darwin, a British naturalist born February 12, 1809, and author of the seminal book On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. This year celebrates both Darwin's 200th birthday, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin.

The Darwin exhibit was really interesting. I think the portion I enjoyed most was learning about his large family and their various talents and contributions to Darwin's work. Most of his children were at least somewhat if not extremely involved in his studies.

The Ithaca Beer Company was our next stop. Again, there is no sensible reason for this being our first trip to the brewery. Jesse loves craft brewed ale and we both love supporting local businesses so I don't know why we've never stopped in.

We shared a double flight which included the standard lineup (Nut Brown, Apricot Wheat, Pale Ale, CaskaZilla) and some special and/or seasonal brews (Winterizer, Gorges Smoked Porter, Flower Power, TEN). We picked up their newest installment in the Excelsior! beer series, alpHalpHa, which is a double honey bitter.

Before dinner at Viva!, we met my brother, Eric, at The Ithaca Coffee Company for some beer and catching up. The Ithaca Coffee Company is neat because they have coffee for me and beer for the boys. Plus they have a lounge/bar area so you can sit and relax.


The day was really fun and relaxing.

Also, Eric gave us some produce from the CSA. Check out this enormous carrot I ate for breakfast!


images via MOTE, IBC, and the ICC

There are Plenty of Reasons to Love Ithaca

My newest reason:
At GreenStar, the local natural foods cooperative market, when you are checking out, they ask you if you want paper or corn (bags).

I love it.

If only Bingo could be even a little green.... Even a smidge would be better than (almost) nothing.


P.S. If you're wondering what we chose, we chose neither since we brought our own bags.

Anniversary Brunch at the Carriage House

Jesse and I had a really great, fun day yesterday. We started by celebrating our 2nd anniversary (Sept 30) by having brunch with my family at the Carriage House in Ithaca. The atmosphere is really relaxed and the food is amazing: Brie stuffed french toast with fresh fruit, baby portabella omelets, grilled heirloom tomatoes and cheddar on house-baked muti-grain bread. It is all terrific. My sister, Lauren, generously treated everyone!

My parents surprised us with a fantastic anniversary present: a new queen size bed! I'm so excited to pick it out and have so much space. I am married to a bed hog who occupies 2/3 of the bed on a night when he's being generous. I am relegated to a portion of the bed that is hardly wider than my bod. When we get the new bed, I am pretty sure the proportion of space I am allotted will remain the same yet my proportion will be wonderfully larger. Yay! Its a great prez and was a complete surprise.

After brunch, Jess and Lauren and I headed to the farmer's market and packed our canvas bags with enough produce to nearly fill the fridge: Yummy Peppers (this is the variety, not a description), French Breakfast Radishes, Honeycrisp apples, cauliflower, broccoli, garlic, carrots, onions, parsley, basil.

We made a couple more stops in Ithaca before dropping Lauren off at home and heading back home. After unpacking all of our produce, I started our dinner: Bleu Cheese Cauliflower Soup and fresh artisan bread from the market. It was incredibly tasty; a certain addition to our favorites.

Afterwards, we took a long (apx. 3 mile) walk with our friends, Philip and Emily. Our day was so full and fun; I was entirely exhausted.

cafe image via Carriage House Cafe

News in Blurb Form

• J and I spent Sunday morning at the Ithaca Farmers Market. In addition to a great assortment of produce, we picked up some ultra-fresh, local bratwursts from The Piggery that we put on the grill for Monday dinner.
  
• John, Julie, Jack and Tony were in town on Sunday and Monday. It was great to see everyone and catch up for a little while. Hopefully, Jesse and I will be able to visit them sometime this fall. Jack and Tony are getting so big; Tony will be in kindergarten in a couple of weeks!
  
• I got the job at the bagel shop.
• Jesse didn't get the job at Goodrich.
• I did 8 miles on my bike today. I didn't randomly fall over and I didn't almost run into anyone so I'm improving!

Please send good energy J's way.

Mikus+Jesse+Lisa=A Great 8 Days Part 2

Thursday, July 3. I started the day with a job interview then returned to the apartment to collect J & M. Jesse took the day off and we were driving a little out of town to Chenango Valley State Park. Although its so close to us, we have never gone to check it out and I am glad we finally got around it. The park was really pretty and seemed fairly expansive. We got a trail map from the park office and chose the one that is about two miles long and takes you around the lake. There were a number of trails listed and they were all rated for difficulty. According to our map, the trail we chose was rated as difficult although the three of us breezed through it. The only difficulty about it was that it was somewhat rough with roots, rocks, logs and some wet spots. Basically, though, it was an easy 2 miles. There was some rain at the end so we didn't wrap up the afternoon with a swim.

After we left the park, we made a couple sundry stops before heading home. Dinner plans involved the charcoal grill and, since I had abandoned my "no lighter fluid. It tastes hideous!" standpoint, we went from cold charcoal to dinner in a snap. The omnis ate steak and Mikus ate another meal of tofu brats. We had a giant spinach salad on the side. I suggested an after dinner walk to kill some time before we went to Philip and Emily's for a visit. We had a brisk walk to the park across the street. At some point, the rain came and before we knew it, we were all soaked. I love a walk in the rain so I was perfectly content to splash about. We made it back to our place for a change and then relocated to Philip and Emily's for some Apples to Apples, my favoritest, favoritest game. Yay. What a good day. Mikus and my nighttime activity was Persepolis, one of my new favorite discoveries.
From IMDB:

In 1970s Iran, Marjane 'Marji' Statrapi watches events through her young eyes and her idealistic family of a long dream being fulfilled of the hated Shah's defeat in the Iranian Revolution of 1979. However as Marji grows up, she witnesses first hand how the new Iran, now ruled by Islamic fundamentalists, has become a repressive tyranny on its own. With Marji dangerously refusing to remain silent at this injustice, her parents send her abroad to Vienna to study for a better life. However, this change proves an equally difficult trial with the young woman finding herself in a different culture loaded with abrasive characters and profound disappointments that deeply trouble her. Even when she returns home, Marji finds that both she and homeland have changed too much and the young woman and her loving family must decide where she truly belongs.

The movie is great. Mikus and I both liked it so much. Now you go watch it, too.

Friday, July 4. Jesse, Mikus, Philip, Emily, Tiffany and I loaded into the Godell van for a day of food and wine along Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. I'll report our stops in list form:

• Red Newt Cellars, one of my favorites.
  
• Hazlitt Vineyards 1852, another favorite of mine.
  
• Rasta Ranch Vineyards. I didn't like this place at all and I don't think I was alone. The wine was mediocre at best and there were so many dead bugs around. WTF?
  
• Penguin Bay Winery and Champagne House
  
• Wagner Vineyards, Brewery and Ginny Lee Restaurant for lunch. The boys and I tasted the brews while Emily and Tiffany wandered about the gift shop.
  
• Montezuma Winery
  
• Cobblestone Farm Winery

• Lake Shore Winery
• Thirsty Owl Wine Company

At this point, I think we were all getting pretty tired and restless. We were on our way into Ithaca and we stopped at the overlook at Taughannock Falls State Park.
Dinner was at Viva! Cantina. The food was delicious as always and we kept the booze coming. I was happy to bump into my dear friend, David. It was a long day for everyone, Mikus especially, who did all the driving. He was totally amazing and generous with his time and really patient with his van-full of winos. Mikus and I took another long late-night walk. We were cooped up all day and I know I was happy to get the exercise. The night was really cool and clear; a great night to watch the stars.

Saturday, July 5. The day started with some prep for our dinner picnic: vegan pesto pasta salad, cucumber salad, sandwiches, watermelon, chips and salsa, wine and beer. After packing the Subaru for the day's adventure, we began our trip to the Ithaca Farmer's Market at Steamboat Landing. I haven't been to the Market in years, unfortunately, but I have always had fond memories. I'm really at a point in my life where I am trying to make an effort to buy organic and local products and I love being surrounded by a community with the same ideas. We got there around noon so the early morning congestion had dissipated. We all had terrific food and got some produce to add to our picnic. We didn't stay for too long but it was really fun and relaxing. I know Jess and I will head back soon. We planned to spend the rest of the day at Taughannock Falls State Park. Jess and Mikus hiked the Rim Trail and I laid in the sun to finish my Douglas Coupland book. They were gone for a couple of hours. When they returned, it was nearing the time for Li'l Anne and Hot Cayenne to take the stage for the first of 8 weekly concerts in the park. From their website:

Take half a dozen groovemasters, add a spicy blend of rock 'n'roll, blues and funk to the up-tempo Zydeco beat, and presto, you've got a dance groove that just won't quit.

They were really talented and fun. I loved being in the sun, listening to music and watching the crowd enjoy themselves.

Sunday, July 6. When I got up, Mikus was all packed up and ready to leave. To go home. To stop staying with us. It was totally abrupt. I was going to make pancakes for breakfast and was formulating what I thought may have been his last dinner with us. We had loose plans for Sunday (The Farm Sanctuary and perhaps Watkins Glen State Park) and Monday (Filmore Glen State Park) and I was surprised by his impromptu change of plans. It made me sad that he was leaving. I feel like we had really great, playful adventures and spent many hours talking and laughing together and I was disappointed that he was leaving so quickly. I'm trying not to be upset about it his impetuous departure. I really like that he goes where the breeze takes him so I can't also be hurt by the same thing that I like about him.

I think his Mikus' visit was really good for me and I'm so happy he came. Our time together made me nostalgic for the days in high school and afterwards when I was surrounded by similarly spontaneous and impulsive people. I am left feeling energized. I am hoping to squish a couple adventures of my own into my precious few remaining days of unencumbered bliss.

Mikus+Jesse+Lisa=A Great 8 Days Part 1

Yeah, his guitar slung across his back
His dusty boots is his cadillac
Flamin' hair just a blowin' in the wind
Ain't seen a bed in so long its a sin...
-Jimi Hendrix, "Highway Chile"

Jesse and I spent a really great, fun eight days with Jesse's brother, Michael (affectionately nicknamed Mikus), who came from WI for a visit. Mikus arrived on Saturday, June 28, and the day was pretty low key. Our first meal, though not entirely vegan for Jess and me, was yummy and a good start. Jesse and Mikus dealt with the charcoal grill while I made fresh guacamole and an orange, arugula and radish salad in a lime juice dressing. The salad was incredibly acidic, sweet and peppery and was a nice accompaniment to our grilled main course: burgers for me and Jess, tofu brats for Mikus. After dinner, the three of us went for a walk at the park across the street. Jesse had helped our friends, Mark and Stacy, move and was exhausted and headed to bed early. Now, I will mention that I become nearly ecstatic when I discover someone who is enthusiastic about Chicago Public Radio's This American Life. Just ask Andrew. I flush with excitement and approach giddiness when I find someone with whom I can discuss past shows (i.e., "oh, have you heard the one with the brother who has a retarded brother who has a pet armadillo that he tries to drown....? That's one of my favorites!! Oh, and what about the one....") I mention this because Mikus, too, enjoys TAL. I can not speak to the degree of his enjoyment but I'll suffice to say that he graciously allowed me to gush and we stayed up late listening to some favorites.

Sunday, June 29, started with VeganYumYum's Easy Weekend Pancakes made with whole wheat flour and orange extract. Although Jesse didn't care for them, Mikus and I both really enjoyed them. They had a nice, nutty flavor and were really hearty because of the whole wheat flour. I had plans for the afternoon so I left the boys unattended for a few hours. While I was out, they played frisbee and hit the pool at our apartment complex.

When I got home, Mikus and Jesse were playing Wii and I got started on dinner. We had tempeh stir fry over Black Japonica rice. Again, Mikus and I both enjoyed it alot; Jesse was only so-so about it but he was a good sport. After dinner, we went to see our neighbors, Philip and Emily and doggins, Nikko, for a few rousing games of Uno Attack. Later after Jesse went to bed, Mikus and I headed out for a nice, long walk for a couple of hours. We talked and goofed and had a really fun time.

Monday, June 30. Mikus and I made the trip to Ithaca to Robert H. Treman State Park. The weather was decent and the temperature was around 74 degrees-a nice day for a hike along the gorge and up to Lucifer Falls. The hike is rigorous and was a slow-go for me. Thankfully, Mikus forged ahead while I took it slowly, happy to huff and puff while in relative privacy. Mike and I reconvened at some point and mostly stuck together for the balance of the hike. At the end of the gorge trail, there's a bridge that can be crossed to reach the Rim Trail which heads back the other way. I was not interested in such mundanity. I sloughed my shoes and socks and stepped right into the cool water and cautiously started to head towards the falls; Mikus followed my lead. The water was so refreshing that I couldn't pull myself from it and we forged ahead until we were really in it.
It was entirely exhilarating.
We were being totally illegal. After a few minutes of sitting in the spray, we turned back and returned to drier, more boring parts. We were received by a newbie park ranger who was alarmed by our inadvisable detour. He made vague threats about $250 fines and calling the sheriff and admonished us before he dismissed us. We made our way to the Rim Trail to head back. We chuckled about the incident; I could have cared less. I had such a high. The hike back was fun and I/we? had a new spring in my step. We talked and joked; Mikus is great company. We got back to the car with no further commotion. Our next stop was GreenStar, the local natural food co-op, for some lunch and groceries. Wegmans was next then back to the J and L house for dinner: VeganYumYum's Mac and Cheeze and Alton Brown's Roasted Broccoli (sans rasp-grated cheddar). YUM! The mac and cheeze was really good. No cheese, of course, but still creamy, salty, vaguely cheese-ish. Lolo makes a great point:

Your omnivore or veggie friend/spouse/child may love it as much as or even more than the real stuff (if you’re lucky), but they probably love it on its own merits, not because they really can’t tell the difference.

But you know what? It doesn’t have to taste exactly the same for me to love it.

I agree. Jesse did not. He thought it had a peanut buttery taste. Mac and PB. He was still a good sport about it.

Tuesday, July 1. Mikus and I had pancakes again before heading to the The Glen, part of the Waterman Conservation Education Center which is not far from the apartment. We inadvertently took the least pleasurable trail-the one which went through parts of a golf course, the one with visible housing development construction; the one gorge, waterfalls and wildflowers. Rats. It was kind of a bust. After we traipsed around for a while, we headed home. The mail brought a rejection letter from a chiropractor's office where I really wanted a job. I threw myself a pity party and Mikus did some drawing. After an appropriate time of sad-sackiness, we listened to some Savage Love Podcast and I began some dinner preparations. Philip and Emily were joining us for VeganYumYum's Crispy Sweet and Sour Tofu with jicama, orange, jalapeno and red pepper salad on the side. Philip and Emily are omnis just like Jess and me but they have never been exposed to an entire vegan meal, with tofu as the main course. I am happy to say that they both enjoyed it! They brought sorbet for dessert and afterwards, we sat outside to continue the visit. If I remember right, the after Jesse went to bed activity was Juno, one of my newest favorite movies that Mikus hadn't yet seen.

Wednesday, July 2. I was feeling in the mood for a low key day so we went to Greenwood Park to chill. I laid in the sun, wrote a letter to my brother who is in Alaska for a month and read Eleanor Rigby by Douglas Coupland. Mikus walked around the small lake and laid around with me afterwards. The day was totally laid back-just what I wanted after two days of hiking about in the great outdoors. Jesse got home and the three of us made the trip to Ithaca for dinner at Moosewood. Here's an excerpt from Michael Stern's roadfood review:

Moosewood is a brash, free-spirited enterprise that reminds us of an art gallery more than a restaurant. Dining is informal and inexpensive. Anything dressier than jeans would feel inappropriate, and service is communal, meaning that orders are taken and food is served by whichever member of the staff is available to perform the task at hand.

The experience was really great for me and hopefully for J & M, too. Mikus ordered the vegan entree, Caribbean Tofu Stew; Jesse had fresh wild haddock bouillabaisse; I ordered the spinach ravioli in pesto sauce. YUM. I loved my meal and my gin, citrus and honey cocktail was really refreshing and appropriately boozy. Next on the agenda: fireworks! We sat on the grass in the field across from Ithaca College for the community fireworks show. The display was about 20 minutes or so and pretty impressive; really enjoyable to goof around with J & M while we waited, too.

I love this cute picture of the three of us. Its an arduous task to get such a nice shot of Mikus.I am sure there was an after-hours activity for the night owls. More TAL, perhaps...? Can't quite remember.


Moosewood image via roadfood

The Ithaca Festival and a Dead Fly

Yesterday, Jesse and I decided to head to Ithaca to experience the Ithaca Festival. Jesse has never been to the Festival and I've avoided it ever since I had to work on the Commons during the festival so we decided that it was a good time to brace ourselves and head into the chaos that is the Festival. The weather was nice and mostly clear.

We parked and walked to Stewart Park and wandered around for a bit. We got some yummy food and then headed to the beer garden for some Ithaca Beer which was served in compostable plastic cups made from corn! The beer garden was right near a big stage and we got to hear part of Hubcap's set which was fun and relaxing. We poked around a little longer before Jesse decided more beer was in order. I preferred my fruit and spirulina smoothie, though.
At some point, Jesse found a dead fly.
And then we had some rain. After we had our fill of the festival, we had some great dinner and drinks at Viva! Cantina. YUM! We had a really fun day together and it was so nice to do something different. And we can't move away without Jesse experiencing the Ithaca Festival!