Given all of the positive publicity Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Inn at Pound Ridge has received, there’s probably little to no way the place could ever live up to its larger-than-life expectations. For those who remember the tiredness of earlier iterations of the inn that was once Emily Shaw’s, this latest update is welcome. What I liked:…
Author: BashfulAdventurer
Traveling with Witches
It’s a good thing that the law has evolved a bit since the 1600s given my penchant for visiting shamans, inquiring about witches, and talking directly to higher powers without any male or priestly intercession. In May 1647, the first execution in the American colonies of a woman accused of witchcraft took place in Hartford,…
Midwives of the Revolution: A Review of A Midwife’s Tale
To the ever-growing list of things I don’t remember about American history is that Maine was once part of Massachusetts. One thing I do know about American history is that I am surely not hardy enough to have endured during Revolutionary times. I am reminded of this as I read A Midwife’s Tale, which opens…
I Say ‘Rice Pudding,’ You Say ‘Milk Tofu’
Lately, I feel like I need a course in restaurant marketing just to help me understand what I order when I order it. My 92-year-old grandmother always chuckles when I mention eating polenta at a restaurant; it’s what she called mush during the Great Depression. What she was embarrassed to be having for dinner I…
Dizzy Spell
This ride at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J. reminds me of three-year-olds twirling themselves to dizziness and then collapsing on the ground in laughter. Why do we go to such great heights to drive ourselves dizzy? When does a three year old’s dizzy giggle become an 80-year-old’s dizzy spell? Spinning feels like flying,…
Mothers and Marys around the Planet: Red Square
Some images are universal: here, Mary and Jesus depicted in St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow. The art of Christianity unites Russians with others here in Red Square. —Lori Tripoli ~Advertisement~ ~Advertisement~ Considering a trip to Russia, with or without your mother? You might like these posts: Moscow Now Chewing It Up in Red Square Russia, Contrariwise…
Depressed in Paris?
There are some places on the planet where gloom just doesn’t settle: Key West, Fla.; New Orleans; Paris. Does anyone visiting these destinations ever have a bad time? How could they? So it is surprising to watch a film about an American living in Paris who just can’t get out of his slump, despite a…
French Film: Crazy on a Bad Day
Given that adventuring is all about random encounters, romance, and a little bit of train travel, the film Just a Sigh (2013) provides just the right amount of escapism for anyone contemplating Paris or pursuit of a whim. Emmanuelle Devos, playing a broke actress seeking work in Paris, is having a bit of a bad…
From the Top of Notre Dame: Could This Be a Flying Monkey?
Remembering a trip to Paris, the Bashful Adventurer recalls her time on the roof of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Visiting New Orleans
The Bashful Adventurer plans a return trip to New Orleans. Will her memories of visiting New Orleans match the city’s present?