Living in North Salem, N.Y., I just love seeing the party every weekend whenever I need to drive by Harvest Moon on Hardscrabble Road. Pumpkins, hayrides, country music, apple picking, coffee, donuts, pies, plants, and now New York-made spirits are available here, along with a big dose of fun. Yes, the parking lot is seemingly…
Film Glimpse of Moscow and a Famous Defector
For a quick escape, watch Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) featuring Chris Pine (Captain Kirk in the new Star Trek) as the lead character, Keira Knightley as the love interest, Kevin Costner as the fatherly mentor, and Kenneth Branagh as a bad guy named Viktor. Enjoy a few glimpses of Moscow (although much of the…
Prospect Mountain Summit: An Easy Ascent or Less So
What to Do on a Lake George Vacation Things I think about on my way up Prospect Mountain in Lake George, N.Y.: the state of man in nature, the state of nature in nature, preservation versus conservation, getting to the top, whether the brakes will fail on the way down, whether it’s fair to drive…
Liquid Courage
If a timid traveler needs just one book to catapult from a shelf, hit her on the head, and thrust itself into her backpack, it’s Lidia Yuknavitch’s Chronology of Water (Hawthorne Books 2010). Take the travel guides, yes, but bring along a work that will get you on the plane, get you to the Via…
Massacre on the Shore
I am not exactly looking for the American Revolution as I walk from a parking lot on Long Beach Island, N.J. toward “Old Barney,” the lighthouse at its northern end. A plaque near the walk toward the light house tells the story of a not particularly positive development during the War of Independence. After having…
Ducks Need Not Apply
I’ll concede that I visit Lake George, N.Y. to enjoy the lake the scenery the boats. I am still surprised when I see a sign indicating that the ducks are not entirely welcome. Of course I know ducks poop. Also, they quack. I still think they should band together, start a revolution, and post signs…
Throwback Thursday: Light Metal/Berlin
Watching people dressed in old-fashioned clothing and doused in silver paint trying to stand still is not a reason to visit Berlin, but the sight is very entertaining once you get there. —Lori Tripoli ~Advertisement~ ~Advertisement~ Planning a visit to Berlin? You might consider these posts: When One Place Leads to Another…
Amusement Park Politics
I don’t know how many times I visit Florida’s Epcot before I realize Russia and former Soviet-bloc countries are not represented in its World Showcase pavilions. France and the UK most certainly are on its map, as are Mexico, Morocco, even China. But where is Russia? Czech Republic? Latvia? It turns out that back in…
On Lake Vacations
If I live on a lake, do I really need to vacation at a different one?, I wonder as the Brawny Sherpa, the Bonus Adventurers, and I jump into the car and head north toward Lake George, N.Y. I laughed when a Manhattan-based editor asked me whether, as a resident of a more rural part…
Greening My Road Trip
Sigh. We all know it’s less than environmentally correct to hop into the car on one of the most traffic-ridden weekends of the year, but sometimes we all just need to get away. Two environmentally cool things about my road trip to Lake George, N.Y.: Seeing a farmer’s market at a travel plaza on the…