Category Archives: Food

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

“It’s so hard to peel a hard-boiled egg.” I hear this complaint over and over again. Therefore, I think it is time for me to share my secret.

Also, you might like to know. Heidi Klum’s exercise guru says that Heidi insists hard boiled eggs be available for that time of day when she needs to have a snack, something filling, but low in calories.

So, here you have it. This takes exactly 20 minutes.

Gently place eggs in pan. Cover with water. Eggs should fit tightly in the pan. You don’t want them rolling around while boiling.

Place pan on burner set on “high.”

The 20 minutes starts now. Set your timer.

Only lower the heat if your pot begins to spit or overflow, but keep the water boiling.

When the timer goes off, plunge the pan under cold running water and fill the pan immediately with ice cubes. The eggs must chill rapidly. Shut off the water and allow pan with cubes to sit for 10 minutes. Replenish ice cubes, if necessary.

Refrigerate eggs.

Now, for the crucial peeling. Crack the shell, not just a little. After you’ve started to crack it, roll it lightly along the counter. It will almost begin to peel itself. Finish peeling. Voila! Beautiful, shiny, smooth egg – ready to eat. Enjoy.

10 More Great Places to Visit in the U.S.A.

Maine

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Acadia National Park

I’ve never been to Maine, but I’d like to go someday. Here are some of the places I’ll be looking for:

Presque Isle is the starting point for the world’s largest scale model of the solar system, which runs along U.S. Rt. 1 to the town of Houlton, 40 miles away. The center of the solar system is the University of Maine at Presque Isle. The town rests on the eastern edge of the great North Woods, so it is the ideal home base for those who come to Maine to snowmobile, hunt, fish, hike, or mountain bike.

Bar Harbor is adjacent to Acadia National Park, home to 1,532-foot Mount Cadillac. Its summit is the first spot in the United States where the sunrise can be seen.

Other things you’ll find in Bar Harbor: 125 miles of hiking trails, brewery tours, rock climbing, sailing, boat excursions and golf.

Portland, located on Casco Bay, is Maine’s largest city as well as its creative hub. Many craftspeople, artists, and other creative types have chosen to live and work here.

I’m going to take the ferry over to Nova Scotia, and go up in a hot air balloon. And if you like deep-sea fishing, this is the place to go.

Naples is packed with antique shops, restaurants, art galleries, gift shops and two miniature golf courses. It is also the place to rent boats, kayaks or jet skis, buy a ticket for a sea plane ride, or catch a ride on a 300-passenger replica of a Mississippi River stern paddle wheeler. For evening entertainment, establishments on the Causeway offer live music, and the nearby Bridgton Drive-In shows first-run movies on two screens under the stars.

This is only a small sampling. There’s Bangor, Kennebunk, Bath, Rockport, Cape Elizabeth, and Stonington.

Oh, did I mention the food? Zowee!

Natural Bridge, Virginia

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natural-bridge-va

A friend of mine had a temporary position in Virginia, a few years ago. She wanted some visitors because she was lonely. So, I told her to find some places in and around where she was staying and we’d go exploring. That idea culminated in a visit to Natural Bridge. We stayed two nights at the Natural Bridge Hotel. What I remember most about the hotel was their restaurant. The food was good and so was the music. Don’t go expecting a high-end resort, though. The hotel is historic, but quite charming.

There’s a lot of history connected to the Bridge.

The Natural Bridge was a sacred site of the Native American Monacan tribe, who believed it to be the site of a major victory over pursuing Powhatans centuries before the arrival of whites in Virginia.

Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres (635,000 m²) of land including the Natural Bridge from King George III of England for 20 shillings in 1774. He called it “the most Sublime of nature’s works”.

At nighttime, the Bridge is lit up with a rainbow of colors. It’s lovely. And while you’re there, visit the Wax Museum and the Toy Museum across from the hotel. There are also caverns there to visit. The kids will love it.

What I remember most about this trip, though, was the view out my window. In the morning, I watched the clouds in the valley slowly rise to the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I never saw anything like that before. Awesome!

Salem, Massachusetts

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halloween Photo from

Okay, it’s August, I know that! But, I’m thinking Halloween. Because if you’re planning a getaway in October, you must start planning and reserving rooms now. And it doesn’t get better than Salem, Massachusetts for Halloween.

The truth is, you can go to Salem anytime. There’s lots to see and do. Learn about the famous witch hunts at the Salem Witch Museum, the House of Seven Gables tour is a must-do whether you’ve read the book or not, visit any number of houses that purportedly housed witches back in the 17th century, and if you do go, be sure to visit the trash menagerie at the Peabody Essex Museum.

But getting back to Halloween in Salem, the City is in Halloween-mode for the entire month of October. New this year–

Runnin’ From the Devil Road Race

A new road race is in the works for Halloween morning, and, naturally, it will have an unusual, only-in-the-Witch-City twist. “We’re going to have devils hidden behind the course that will jump out and scare people,”

Other things to look forward to: Costume Balls, Parades, Haunted Houses, Psychic Fairs, Unique Shops, Intriguing Bookshops, Wax Museum, and plenty of good eats and treats.

Oh, I just love Halloween. Don’t you?

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

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cape-cod-ma Photo from

Years ago, I went on a bus trip to Cape Cod. Spent a lot of time on the beach and seeing the sights. The journey ended at the extreme tip of the Cape at Provincetown.

Speaking of that eclectic little town, if you’re interested in food, take a look at a blog written by Jeannie Carriere. She spent a week there this summer and has the lowdown on good eats, including some interesting spots where you’ll find yummy lobster, clams and terrific fudge, among other things.

Back when I visited, I stayed in Hyannis Harbor. It is the perfect jumping off point to Nantucket Island. We took a ferry over and stayed the day. I vividly remember the rose covered cottages and hoped I’d be able to revisit someday and rent one of them for a week, but I never did.

If you’d rather travel a little farther into the Cape, you will find many nice places to stay in Harwich including the Sandpiper Beach Inn where Erin at Thirty Something chose to stay. Her pics and descriptions are lovely.

If you go, you won’t want to miss the Cape Cod National Seashore, 43,000 acres of beaches, nature trails, lighthouses and historic structures.

And definitely plan to stay a day in Provincetown. Besides the terrific food, there’s great fishing, art galleries, the clapboard houses are a sight to behold and if you’re real energic, you can climb the Pilgrim Monument.

Speaking of pilgrims, don’t bother making a side trip to see Plymouth Rock. It’s very disappointing and not worth the time it takes to get there.

Plymouth Rock sits inside a Greek Temple-like structure along a pleasant promenade in Plymouth Harbor, Mass. The rock is gray and worn, and roughly the size of a car engine, with the year 1620 stamped across its side. It marks the precise spot where William Bradford and the Mayflower pilgrims set foot in the New World, except for the fact that this actually happened in Provincetown.

Everything else is a “go.”

Key West, Florida

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keywest-farthest-south

If you make it to the southernmost point in the U.S., you’re in Key West.

Okay, there’s beaches. I didn’t realize I gravitate to beaches, but it appears I do, since many of my favorite places are near water. But there’s more to Key West.

And another thing, a lot of notable people lived in Key West: President Harry Truman, Ernest Hemingway, John Audubon, Calvin Klein, Jimmy Buffett.

But for the moment, let’s dwell on doing the trip on a budget, because you can do lots of things here without breaking the bank. First of all, you must go and have your picture taken with the buoy (photo above). You can’t travel to the farthest southern end of the country without snapping a few pictures. Then walk a few blocks and find a restaurant serving some of the best fresh seafood in the land.

In the evening, go to Mallory Square for the best sunset in the land. It’s free, so take your time, stroll in and out of the shops, visit the open-air vendors, craft booths, stare at a mime or two, see the free entertainment that goes on all around the dock, and watch the general craziness that is Mallory at Sunset. Sip on a margarita while you drink in the fun. This celebration goes on every night and it never gets old.

Take a free visit to the cemetery. Yeah, I know it sounds nuts, but there are some very interesting markers and amusing inscriptions on the final resting places of the famous and not so famous former residents. The cemetery has been around since 1847. It’s a piece of history you won’t want to miss.

Now it’s time to take your wallet out, but it won’t cost much. If you’re a reader, you’ll want to tour Hemingway’s home. If you’re not a reader, you’ll happily settle for getting a peak at one of the six-toed cats that roam the grounds. Make sure you stop in to Sloppy Joe’s bar, Hemingway’s favorite hangout.

If you’re not much for books, but like pirates, visit the largest, authentic collection of pirate artifacts at the Pirate Museum. Then stop in to the Rum Barrel restaurant next door for some grog.

You can fish, parasail and snorkel, all that stuff–but getting back to the beaches–they were a little disappointing when I visited. I think I may have gone to the wrong beach, so go here for a local’s advice on where to spend your time if you like to go to the beach.

If it’s tours you like, see Key West Tours.

For an island, Key West has lots more to experience, but you’ll have to go and find out for yourself. Above all else–it’s beautiful.

Cape May, NJ

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cape-may-nj

Photo from

If you live anywhere on the east coast and you’re thinkin’ where can I go where the entire family will have a wow of a time without spending a boatload of money, look to the Jersey shore. For everything your heart could possibly desire, zero in on Cape May, New Jersey.

Here’s the lowdown. I could’nt say it better than Deb Schwabe

Cape May has a large variety of lodging ranging from hotels to bed and breakfasts, motels and beach house rentals. You’ll love the charming Victorian feel of the area. Another great feature of the area is the many great restaurants that feature everything from seafood and steaks to great burgers and pizza.

One of the unique features of this quiet town is the convenience to other areas. If you have kids, you’ll especially love that the popular Wildwood boardwalk is less than 10 minutes away. If you’re looking for a little gaming action, you’re less than an hours drive from Atlantic City. You’ll have the best of worlds, the quiet charm of Cape May, and a short drive to busier areas.

There’s much more Cape May information at Deb’s blog.

As for me, I have treasured memories of Cape May.

With the kids or without, Cape May won’t let you down. The beach is pristine. And instead of a boardwalk, it has a promenade that runs along the beach. After an afternoon at the beach, when the sun is waning, my daughters and I used to like to rent rollerblades and tour the quiet streets, ending up at our favorite burger and malt joint, or we’d stop at the local taco stand.

At night, a little more excitement was called for, so we drove up to Wildwood to ride the amusements and to drop in to our favorite waffle restaurant on the boardwalk.

If you’re an antique buff, Cape May holds its own special allure in that category. Isn’t it about time you created some new memories of your own? Trust me, Cape May is a good choice.

Two Squirrel Encounters

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Squirrels are just too fascinating.

Did you know they eat french fries and Butterfinger candy bars?

No lie! Last week, I saw a squirrel eating a Butterfinger right out of the wrapper. She was dainty about it, too.

The week before that, I stopped at McDonald’s for a burger and fries. I parked in their lot to eat and a squirrel came up to my car door. He begged on his hind legs–like a dog. I rolled down my window and dropped one of my fries down to him. He picked it up and crossed to the other side of the parking lot with it. We munched together.

Ya gotta love ’em.

Frances Ellen Speaks!

A little bit of this and that.