Kings Creek, Williamsburg Virginia

What does five women do when they run away for a weekend without husbands, children or grand children. No work, no deadlines, no appointments or schedules to keep. We sit up late talking, and laughing. We shop, eat and worry about the carbs and calories on Monday. Well, actually we do much more. We sit around and talk, laugh and have loads of fun. We spend a few minutes catching up on work since we don't all work at the same place. We catch up on the hubbies, the children, the grand children and the siblings and then it's all about us. Each year, in either August or September some girlfriends and myself venture away from home for places unknown. Hehehe. That sounded fun didn't it. We acturally do know where we are going. It's well planned out in advance, we just never know what we are going to do when we get to our destination. In the past it was mostly Twila, Deneen, Donna and myself. This year two more friends joined the party. Andrea and Louanna, even though Louanna could only spend one day with us. We still enjoyed her company. Last year we went to Mytle Beach, S.C., the year before that Washington D.C. and the year before that New York City. This year we decided to stay closer to home and we stayed at Twila's timeshare at King's Creek and Williamsburg, Virginia. It was wonderful. A wonderful two bedroom condo with a third room with a pull out sofa, a spacious livingroom and kitchen. The master bedroom had a huge jetted bath tub and yes, you know it, I soaked and tried to ease this aching back. The resort also had an outside gigantic swimming pool, a Jecuzzi and an indoor pool, fitness center and gift shop as well. In the evenings Boone's Bar-B-Que had a mobile restaurant right there on the property. The baby back ribs, potatoe salad and green beans were off the chain. I didn't like the side of sauce that came with it, though. It was too tomatoey for me. But everything else was finger licking good. We fill the frig and cabinets with snack food and such. We don't plan on doing any cooking on our girls weekend. That was one of the main reasons for getting away. Not that I cook much at home these days anyway, but now I have a valid excuse. Of course, as always, on Saturday morning, Deneen cooked a full breakfast. Eggs, bacon, rolls, coffee and juice. Andrea fixed a delightful fruit salad to accompany the meal. The rest of us ate it. During our escape we did what any respectful woman would do when children and husbands aren't involved. We shopped. We ate. We drank wine. And oh yeah, we went to the movies. One store I found absolutely delightful, 'Quirks of Art.' It was quirky, ecletic, modern and fun. I actually found a writing journal that says, Do the dishes tomorrow. Go figure. We also spent time at the Williamsburg Pottery, which I hadn't been to in over a decade and the Williamsburg outlet shops. Also over a decade since I've been there. Late Saturday night, Andrea and I chilled out in the out side hot tub. The other girls were whimps, claiming it was too late in the year to be sitting in an outside hot tub. It's never to late to sit in a hot tub. I dont' care where it's located. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. We had a fantastic time but sadly enough the weekend had to come to an end. We are tossing around next years destination, either the Pocono Montains or Ocean City, Maryland. And it will be three days instead of just two. I don't care which one, I'm ready now. I remembered a favorite saying I found a while ago. I don't know who wrote it but it is so true. "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand, stawberries in the other, body throughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, 'Woo-hoo, what a ride." So do me a favor, if you haven't taken that weekened, dust off the suitcase and forget the dishes.

Foodgasms: Parklane Restaurant and Pub

Town Point Center, Hampton, Virginia Even though it’s mostly an English pub, Parklane has always reminded me of my days when I was working in Baltimore, Maryland and hanging out with my straight from Dublin, Irish friend Jim Delaney and his American love Terri. Even when it was called ‘The Pub’ it was my hubby’s favorite restaurant. He ordered the club sandwich which surprised me because he usually orders the Sheppard’s pie. I ordered the10oz peppered steak. It was partnered with dirty mashed potatoes and sting beans. The interesting thing, it took forever to get our food, however, the company was great so I hadn’t noticed until the manager and our waitress approached our table with food in hand. The manager apologized for the delay stating they had to “re-do” the steak. However, because of the delay he was going to buy us dessert. That always works and all is forgiven. Even after they had to ‘re-do’ the steak it still came to the table a little on the medium rare side vs the medium side but that was okay. It was juicy and tender and I’m figuring, when I heat the left over’s it will be at the correct stage of my undeniably loving cooked temperature. The string beans haven’t failed me yet and I’ve never had the potatoes before but I must say, they were surprisingly a nice pairing to the steak or as some my say, they married nicely. I’ve never trusted an English pub to make a good martini, therefore I decided on the Magnets Irish Cider. Don’t let the name fool ya. It might be cider but it carries a punch. I’m not sure who the band was that decided to kick it up after we’d finished our meal but in a few words, they were slamming. The base guitarist was awesome, so good I ordered a third cider and kicked it back a bit. All in all, a great night out and yes, I’ll definitely go to Parklane again. See you there!

Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, VA

I know, I know, it's right around the corner but if I can't spend a day at one of our very own most famous tourist attractions what's a girl to do. With the past few days drenched with rain and flash flooding it was a welcome site to see the sun, even it if was accompanied with sweltering humidity. I had a free Saturday afternoon after spending a couple of hours at my grand nephew's younth foot ball game so I decided to continue on the drive and head to Williamsburg. My sister and I hadn't been here in a bit so it was going to be fun. And I was hungry and had a taste for something that I knew I wasn't going to get in Newport News. I'm not sure what it was. I'm thinking a change in scenery. Colonial Williamsburg has always been a cool place to walk around. Not only can you find a plethera of shops with period toys and clothing there are also great eateries, candy and ice cream shops. We decided to grab salads and a drink at the Cheese Shop. They also have sandwiches and all sorts of other things, from cheeses to relish. If you're looking for a great bottle of wine this is the place to go. The last time I was here I found a wonderfully pleasing blackberry merlot in the basement wine cellar. Dessert consisted of deligthfully light molasses cookies with a hint of clove. Yum, always my favorite. When traveling to Colonial Williamsburg you can do one of two things, you can foot walk it and just take in the sights or you can pay for passes and visit the inside of several of the establishments like the Govenor's Mansion. My sister and I decided to walk around. Also, if you come early enough you can catch a house and carrage ride or if you perfer later in the evening make sure you partake in a walking ghost tour. You never know what or who you might see. From the famous Trellis Restaurant where you must taste the decadent Death by Chocolate cake to the Bruton Parish Church which is the one of the oldest Episcoal churchs in America there is something for everyone. And yes, they even have a historic cemetary dating back to the 1700s. Many of the buildings are original while some had to be rebuilt due to structural degrade. However, most of the rebuilt ones were re-erected on the original site. I even stopped by and had a chat with Ben Franklin. I'm not sure what he was writing and he wouldn't tell me. Bet it was a love letter. Colonial Williamsburg is a great piece of American history. And for a special treat, make sure you come back during the Christmas season when it's really dolled up for the holidays. Now that's a treat. Until next time, forget the dishes and travel along with me.

Gumbo at last

Andouille sausage, Etouffee, crawfish, beignets, shrimp, what a day. Grits, duck, chicken, crab, one small taste and you will never be sad. Gumbo, black beans and rice and more, oh my what a life. There were so many other things I didn't get a chance to eat, and so many places I didn't get to visit. However, I must finally leave N'awlins with a peace of mind. I got my gumbo! And damn it was good, even the okra. Words don't do justice to the people, places and the spirit of New Orleans. Although kicking and screaming it was time to depart. I hope you continue to forget the dishes and travel with me as I trek around the globe. Next stop, New England and Nova Scotia Canada. See you there.

City of the Dead

If you are seeking history of a city and you aren't sure where to go and you really don't want to spend your day sitting in a library. Go to the cemetery, especially if it's historic. The best stories you will find, as you gaze upon the eyes of yesterday. My friends stare at me and shake their heads, a soft nervous chuckle floating between their lips, family sometimes allow their mouths to gap open and strangers only nod, a light movement of the head. I don't care. I am what I am, an unorthodox history buff. Books are my life but sometimes they just don't do it. I. Love. Historic cemeteries. There is no better place to learn the history of a city than at the old historic cemetery, encasted upon thick walls of plaster, erected to hold the souls in or the people out? St. Louis #1 cemetery in New Orleans was just the place. Dating back to 1789 and listed on the national registry of historic places and one of my top picks for cemetaries, St. Louis Cemetery #1 is the oldest existing cemetery in the city. It also, oddly enough, continues to be an active and functioning cemetery and for a fee you too can be buried there. But beware, space is tight so you may have to shoulder up to practicing cathelic and Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau but you may have to presnt her with a cake or bottle of wine or civil rights activist Homer Plessy a black smith and free person of color who was stepping up to the job long before Martin Luther King or Megar Evers. Don't believe me, read Plessy v Ferguson. Initially I decided to go to the cemetery and just walk around. Thank God I didn't. It might have been the dream I had the night before of someone running through a cemetery that caused me to change my mind and go on a tour or just my third eye pushing me in the right direction. The tour was the way to go. Nancy, the tour guide was energetic and quite informative. You would have thought she'd been doing it for years, although only months dirtied her curriculum vitae. A tranquil eeriness will fall over you as you press between and meander through the tombs, while ever present eyes from the statues above gaze down upoon you, watching, waiting, listening. St. Louis #1 is an above ground meeting place of the dead. With the extremely high water table in New Orleans, flooding allowed restless below ground bodies to float up. Yikes! Duriing a yellow fever epidemic of yesteryear, solid concrete walls were erected to keep contagion in. Humm, interesting concept, even if it didn't work. But what about the oven vaults where you had to wait 1 year and a day or Italia- Pietro Gualdo the architect who died in 1857 or the Barbarin muscians tomb where any jazz muscian can be buried or even the tomb engraved with Omnia Ab Uno (Everything from the one) that is owned by the actor Nick Cage because he wants to be entombed at St. Louis #1 in N'awlins when death closes his eyes. Regardless of who you are, where you are going or where you came from, make sure you open your eyes and your mind to the splendar and magnificence of a historic cemetary. I promise, I won't steer you wrong. And don't forget to bring a camera and note pad and pen to ensure you capture every thing, and I mean every thingggg!